I just finished watching the new Blockbuster series on Netflix, and I am here to warn you that it isn’t worth your time. This generic sitcom is a desperate attempt to cash in on people’s nostalgia about the time of video rentals. This is a series that is thirsty for the attention of a modern audience but lacks the charm and humor required to be considered proper entertainment. Even if you are starving for content, there are green pastures elsewhere.
The series is about the last Blockbuster left open and the crew desperately trying to save it from closing. This series is essentially a worse version of Superstore. A version with similar characters and story beats but none of the charm. Go watch any other workplace sitcom instead.
It is a shame that such a talented cast is wasted on such a mediocre comedy. The acting is fantastic, but it deserves better writing. Although Blockbuster makes an attempt at a cohesive story, the jokes are dated, the drama is boring, and the characters are generic. If you are not cringing at how hard this series is trying to make you laugh, you are bored by whatever is left behind.
The biggest issue for this show is how much it relies on pop culture references. Most of the jokes and references are already dated, leaving this series racing toward its expiration. I guarantee that in a couple of months, most of these jokes will be obsolete, leaving the series to fade into further obscurity. I have the unfortunate pleasure of being old enough to understand all the references made in this series, and I can attest that none of them were funny.
The tricky business of relying this heavily on pop culture references as it dates the work. Sure there are some references that remain timeless, and when used correctly, they hold meaning. However, nothing is guaranteed, so it’s best not to use them. You can always tell when a show or movie is lazy when it is desperately pandering to its modern audience. When shows or movies try this hard to be relevant, the script becomes a collection of trending hashtags that will no longer be trending at release. Blockbuster took a dangerous gamble in trying to appeal to both a general and modern audience, but it did not pay out.
I have little else to say about a series this lazy. It is unimpressive, uninspired, and forgettable. Don’t watch it. It may not be the worst show in the genre, but it is a waste of time. For those who don’t believe me, you can stream it on Netflix.
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Image By Netflix, Randall Park, Entertainment Weekly – https://ew.com/tv/blockbuster-trailer-netflix/, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=123891449
I noped out after the first episode. It’s a totally basic and by the numbers “sitcom”.
Just lazy and unfunny. Too many other things to watch than this show.
I almost gave up after the first episode too. You can tell it isn’t going to get better. It does a bit, but never enough to be worth the time. Whoever green lit this project probably didn’t read any of the scripts.
I don’t even know why I’m saving it, but I still have my Blockbuster rental card.
If I had one, I would save it too just to be nostalgic. Maybe you can glue it into a scrapbook or something.
Ha, it is in my scrapbook, actually!
Nice! That’s what I would do. I actually keep a bunch of cards from Arcades or amusment parks that I one day wish to use
Oh cool! What’s your favorite you’ve been to?
I went to this arcade in Portland called Ground Kontrol, it was cheap and it had a lot of the classic arcade games. Most importantly though, it has a lot of pinball tables and I got addicted.
Sounds awesome…another thing to love about Portland, for sure!
I don’t disagree with your overall assessment of the series. It’s probably merciful that it was canceled before getting even worse. However, as someone who spent more than three decades in the retailing management trenches, I had the same reaction to the few episodes of Superstore that I watched. I preferred Blockbuster, in fact, for the nostalgia factor if for no other reason.
I get that. I think I preferred Superstore because it reminded me of my retail days. I get the nostalgia though. I wanted this series to be good because the cast is great, but what a waste. At least it got its mercy. Thanks for reading!