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Series Reviews

Series Review: Fate: The Winx Saga

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I remember liking the series this was based on back in the day. I don’t remember much about the show, but I remember being excited to watch it with my sister. I was excited about this show’s reboot but was skeptical about its execution. Although it certainly has its flaws, this is a solid adaptation of a cartoon about fairies and magic. 

Bloom was an average American girl until one day, her powers awaken and she discovers that she is a fairy. She is sent to a magical school where she will learn to control her powers, but this task isn’t without its tribulations. An evil is after Bloom, and she and her friends must learn to control their magic to defeat it. Will they be ready in time to save the world?

Fate: The Winx Saga is a solid fantasy-themed teen drama. The acting is great and the plot is fine. The first season is better, but it never got so bad I turned it off. There is a lot of filler in this series in the shape of romantic subplots and fan service, but that is to be expected from the genre.

One problem I see with this series is there are too many characters. There is some clear favoritism in this series where some characters are well developed with interesting journeys, but others remain props or forgotten. Some characters only seem to exist to fill a diversity requirement or exist only as romantic interests. 

With so many characters and subplots, the overarching narrative suffers. There are moments in this show where nothing happens because you are watching teens hook up. A lot of the major narrative moments felt rushed. There is a bit of ex-Machina that seems to consistently save the day. I am willing to forgive this since I am not the target audience, but be aware that it is always the power of love and friendship that overcomes evil.

Despite its issues, this is one of the better teen drama’s I have seen. The plot and lore are pretty interesting, although there isn’t enough world-building. It is a solid attempt at fantasy, but there are definitely better options out there. If you need something to watch and don’t mind zoning out occasionally, this series is a good option. If you are a fan of the original show or are part of the target audience, you will have a better time with this series. Keep in mind that this is a show about kids trying to find their place in a world that always seems to be on the brink of catastrophe. 

You can stream it on Netflix.

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Series Reviews

Series Review: The Imperfects (2022)

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The Imperfects is Netflix’s new show about superhumans, and it is not half bad. It does take an episode or two for it to get interesting, but it ends up being a solid story. If you like X-men, it touches on many of its central themes. It is a solid attempt at the metahuman narrative, and a much better adaptation than any of the modern live-action X-men movies.

The show is about a geneticist whose obsession to cure mankind’s diseases unleashes a series of unforeseen mutations into the world. The show focuses on three youths whose mutations have manifested in unique and unwanted abilities. Frightened by their new development and desperate to be normal, they seek a cure. The problem is that the only scientist capable of making a cure has gone missing. Will they ever be able to find a cure, or will they live the rest of their lives as monsters?

I was surprised by this series because I have been disappointed by this concept many times before. The Imperfects may not be the perfect metahuman show, but it does show promise. While it may be limited by its budget, I can’t fault it for its creativity. If anything, this series proves you don’t need Sony’s budget to make a good series about metahumans. At its core, it has a strong enough narrative played by a good cast. Some of the writing isn’t great, and the show carries a general cheesiness, but it has an unmistakable charm that kept me interested till its season finale.

I loved the characters. Each lead has his or her own back story and goes on an important journey where they experience some kind of growth. It is refreshing to see a show like this have characters who aren’t the same at the end as where they started. The Imperfects is a unique take on the superhero narrative in which the characters don’t want to be burdened by their powers, or be heroes. Instead, they pursue a selfish goal but are constantly being tested into acting selflessly. It makes for an interesting dynamic in which the characters constantly face difficult decisions. It has its flaws. Some of the powers are imbalanced and they don’t know what to do with all their characters, but it remains a solid attempt.

I can only hope that this series takes off and we get a second season. You should watch this if you like the superhero genre and are waiting for something to watch. Even if you aren’t interested, it is worth a gander if you have nothing else to watch. You can stream it now on Netflix. 

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Series Reviews

Series Review: Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

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I went into this show blind, not knowing anything about the established lore except that Cyberpunk started as a tabletop RPG. I have never played an RPG because I could barely get a dungeons and dragons group together. I haven’t played the video game either because of the debacle that game turned into. After watching Cyberpunk Edgerunners, I will be desperately trying to convince my D&D playgroup to allow me to run some games in this system. I can only hope that this show gains popularity so that there will be interest in the RPG.

The show takes place in a dystopian future. The city is run by corrupt corporations that are constantly at war with each other. If you are lucky, you can land a corporate job and live a normal life. But most citizens aren’t lucky and are forced to live in the slums of the city, fighting for scraps. There is no easy way to get out of the slums. If you aren’t homeless or dying from drug addiction, the only way to survive is to join one of the city’s many gangs. The corporations use these gangs as paws to serve the corporate agenda. 

The story focuses on David. His mother struggles to keep him in a prestigious school with the hopes that he can climb the corporate ladder and have a good life. But destiny has other plans for David, and a car accident robs him of a mother. Now alone in this cruel world, David is left with mounting and crippling debt. In his desperation, he joins the gang that will become his family. Will David find his new meaning with his gang? Will he be able to climb the ranks of the underworld, or will he be another wasted pawn for the corporations?

I loved everything about this series. The art was beautiful, the narrative is great, and the music is fantastic. The voice acting is good for the most part, but the dialect is a bit odd. I believe that the creators were trying to invent a futurist dialect, but it comes out a little awkward. That said, I appreciate the attempt and wouldn’t change it for any other dialect. This is a well-made animated series, but one that is full of nudity, violence, and gore. Viewer discretion is advised. 

Cyberpunk Edgerunners is a hyperactive vision of a dystopian future run by corrupt corporations who only care about money. It makes some very valid commentary about income inequality, skewed opportunities, and the issues with capitalism. It is very well done, and my heart still races from the experience. My only true complaint is that I have already finished the series. 

Do yourself a favor, and watch this series. If it is appropriate of course.

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Series Reviews

Series Review: Cobra Kai

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What a terrific end to a series I have thoroughly been enjoying since the first time I sat down and binge-watched the first season on YouTube Red. As a huge fan of The Karate Kid, this was a much-welcomed reboot to a series I was sure died with Jaden Smith. I’ll admit, with the trend of bad reboots we’ve gotten in recent years, I was skeptical of Cobra Kai. I have since dismissed that skepticism and am fully content with its conclusion.

Cobra Kai is the story of where Daniel and Jonny ended up after the events of The Karate Kid. Daniel is a very successful car salesman with his own dealerships, and Jonny is a down-on-his-luck loser trying to get by. Their lives completely change when Jonny decides to reopen Cobra Kai and teach the kids of the valley karate. But the trauma Daniel and Jonny carry from their youth has a way of complicating things. Tensions grow high, new rivalries form, and the battle for the valley erupts into some of the most fun displays of Karate I have seen in a while. This isn’t just a rehashing of an old story, but a proper continuation and conclusion to the beloved IP.

If you are holding off on watching this series, don’t. This is a fantastic narrative with great actors and lots of karate. Sure the fan service, the callbacks, and the high school drama get a little overbearing and slow the show down, but there is enough good within this series that makes it worth your time. This season is in no way the best of the series, but it does close it out in the best way possible. Sure there are some rushed bits and some slow ones, but all the loose ends are tied up relatively nicely.

The action scenes in this show are so fun that I don’t mind that they used a lot of stunt doubles. A huge shoutout goes out to the people responsible for the choreography, editing, and stunt work for making the series so much fun to watch. But while the karate was much appreciated, I stayed with this series for its stories. You have betrayal, redemption, and some of the best character growth I’ve seen recently. It is very cool to see how they incorporate a lot of what happened in the movies to make this series not only a homage but a proper hero’s journey for more than just the main characters.

I’ll admit, I have some bias because I loved The Karate Kid. This was an incredibly influential film for me growing up, and I have seen everyone since, even the bad ones. This series honors the beloved IP and adapts it for a modern audience. Sure it may not be perfect, but as I fan, I couldn’t ask for more. Check it out on Netflix. It is well worth your time!

Series Reviews

Series Review: Shining Girls (2022)

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If you haven’t watched Shining Girls, you need to stop reading this and check it out now. This well-made and confusing mystery is worth every twist and turns it throws at you. You can stream it now on Apple TV. Trust me, this show is at least worth the free trial.

Years after her assault, Kirby is still having trouble adjusting to life. She plans to move to Florida in hopes that starting anew will help ease her trauma. But before she can make her move, a recent murder of a woman changes the course of her destiny. The details of this new murder are frighteningly familiar to hers. Could this murder lead to the identity of her assailant? Determined to put an end to her nightmare, Kirby must now piece together a mystery that gets more confusing the more she uncovers. Will she be able to solve the mystery of her assailant, or is this whole ordeal an obsession-induced delusion? 

This show understands how to establish proper tension. If you are not at the edge of your seat throughout this series, you are not paying attention. This is a disorienting trip that gets more confusing as you go. It all makes sense in the end, but you might need to watch this show a couple of times to catch some of the nuances. I liked that I was consistently confused throughout this series because this confusion is frightening. Kirby doesn’t know what is going on and it scares her. We get to experience a similar fear. 

What really makes this show work so well is the acting. Elisabeth Moss is a fantastic actress, and watching her cement herself in this genre has been a treat. The fear she emotes helps create the tension that drives this narrative. The chemistry with the rest of the cast is what gives this show its substance. Together they create one of the strangest thrillers I have seen this year. We cannot ignore Jamie Bell’s frightening performance as the series’ villain. Without him, we wouldn’t have the compelling narrative this turns into. You should at the very least be watching this show for the acting. I wish I could say more, but I don’t want to ruin it.

If you are a fan of thrillers and mysteries and don’t mind being confused, check out Shinning Girls on Apple TV.

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Series Reviews

Series Review: Slow Horses (2022)

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Slow Horses is a spy thriller that you can stream on Apple TV that is based on the book of the same name. While I cannot speak on how good of an adaptation it is, I had a lot of fun with this show. Slow Horses has everything you want from a spy thriller. It is a show full of deception, double-crosses, gun fights, and a race against the clock. If you like the genre, this is a solid entry  

Slow Horses focuses on the disgraced agents of MI5 who are sent to Slow House. Most have come to terms with their punishment and wait out their sentence till they can retire. Some still hold on to the hope that they earn their redemption. Opportunity strikes when a young Asian British man is kidnapped by an extremist and racist group that plans to execute him publicly. The members of the slow house jump to the task as the race is on to find the young man alive. Will they save the day and earn their redemption, or will they remain a disgrace to the organization?  

This was a fun and enjoyable spy thriller. The acting is great, the story is interesting, and the pacing is perfect. While it does have some of the familiar spy thriller tropes, it is a unique enough story to keep things interesting. This is a team of imperfect misfits who are trying to prove themselves. They will make mistakes, but they will learn from them. As the series progresses, they slowly regain the spark they lost when they were sent to Slow House. This makes for an excellent redemption story, but also one with sufficient tension. 

Sometimes with spy thrillers, you get characters who cannot fail because they are too perfect. This makes the story boring because any adversity they face is easily overcome. It is nice to see a group of people fail and then scramble to overcome their failure as they race against the clock. It is what makes a good thriller, and I can only hope that future entries to the genre continue with this trend. 

Anyways, Slow Horses is a different but same kind of spy story, and you should watch it on Apple TV if you have a subscription.  

Series Reviews

Series Review: Surface (2022)

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Image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay

Surface has to be one of the most disappointing psychological thrillers I have ever watched. While it may play around with some interesting concepts, it falls flat and even has the gal to sequel bait. If you have an Apple TV subscription, I suggest you skip this series.  

After a failed attempt at suicide, Sophie finds herself alive but without any of her memories. Now she must begin her life anew as she scrambles to reclaim her memories and learn who she was. However, her search becomes complicated as she begins to uncover the dark secrets that surround her life. Will she ever be able to make sense of her past? Will she be able to become who she once was? Will she like what she discovers?  

The acting is okay, but there are some cringe-worthy line reads that are hard to overlook. The pacing is a huge problem, and the show will often rely on sex to act as filler. The series has some interesting twists but chooses to do nothing with them. Instead, you follow Sophie down a convoluted rabbit hole that leads to disappointment. The show ends on a cliffhanger, but not one strong enough to keep me invested in the series. I will honestly forget that I watched it when the second season comes around.  

This show has a cool premise. I liked that the main character is piecing together her own mystery. Each piece gives Sohpie new perspectives and theories, but none of them ever make her whole. Whenever she begins to get a grasp on her reality, some new piece of evidence proves her wrong, and she has to start over. This of course becomes very convoluted. 

I liked that there is a separation between Sophie’s identity post and pre-suicide attempt. It is an interesting way of looking at personality because it begs to question of who the real Sophie is. The more she finds out, the bigger the separation grows between who she believes she is and who she actually was. Unfortunately, this show isn’t as interesting as its concept. Instead, this is a slogging series of misdirections. Skip it.

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Series Reviews

Series Review: The Sandman (2022)

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I can’t recommend The Sandman enough. This is fantasy at its finest. The story is amazing, the acting is mostly great, and it is such a beautiful show. I can’t speak on how close of an adaptation it is to the comic, but I can speak on what a good show this is.

The series deals with the gods and forces outside of the human realm that affects the human experience. Forces like death, desire, and dreams are manifested as gods, each with its own domain to rule. The natural order of things gets complicated when a series of events lead to the capture of Dream. Years go by, and Dream’s kingdom crumbles. The show focuses on a newly freed Dream as he tries to rebuild his Kingdom and his power.

I have been impatiently waiting for any new fantasy to hold me over till the next season of The Circle of Time. This definitely helped soothe my impatient heart, but now I fear I will be impatiently waiting for this next season of The Sandman as well. It is safe to say that I am obsessed with this show, and there is a good reason for that. The narrative is interesting, full of well-generated tension, interesting villains and heroes, and some pretty fantastic world-building. I love that Dream isn’t a traditional hero. Dream will often act whit his own interest in mind because he is not limited by human morals. He will slowly realize that this is not always in the universe’s best interest, and his thinking slowly changes as a result of his experience. It is very cool to see a hero who learns from his journey as he deals with his flaws and inhibitions.

The narrative style for this show is unique. Each arc seems to have its own voice, keeping the series fresh and exciting. It is nice to see fantasy that doesn’t follow the usual tropes. My only complaint is with the inconsistency of the acting. Some actors give amazing performances, while others do their best but have awkward delivery. It isn’t a terrible problem, but it is noticeable. I also had an issue with the pacing. I felt it slows down towards the end, but I never felt like it was unwatchable. 

This is a great series and you can watch it on Netflix!

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Series Reviews

Series Review: Uncoupled (2022)

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I loved Uncoupled, and if you haven’t watched it yet, you should be watching it now. Neil Patrick Harris once again proves that he is an amazing actor. The rest of the cast is equally amazing, bringing to life an amazing narrative of a human experience we are all familiar with. It is a show that gets sad, break-ups are sad, but it is also full of heartwarming moments that will leave you smiling. I loved this show more than I thought I would, and I am sure you will too.

The series focuses on Michael who has just gotten out of a 17-year relationship. As Michael attempts to move on from the heartache, he is constantly reminded of what he once had. With the support of his good friends, he begins the difficult process of getting over someone he loved so dearly. This show is an authentic adaptation of heartbreak. Even if you don’t identify with the characters, you will identify with being heartbroken. This show isn’t all sad, I promise.

This series is amazing. The cast is fantastic, and the story is cute and compelling. I love that it isn’t only about Michael. Everyone experiences their own type of heartache, and this show does at collecting all kinds. This makes for a very addicting series, one that I am sure you will binge. 

Break-ups are hard, and this show does a great job reminding us why. what makes this show special is the support system Michael has throughout the series. There are moments when he wants to give up because the heartache is too much, but he always has his friends to help him. It is a sweet show and one that I recommend to everyone. Watch it on Netflix.

Series Reviews

Series Review: Evil

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Evil is a monster of the week type show that lacks any charm or interest to make it worth even considering it. I don’t understand how or why it got a second season because of how slow and pointless the first season is. I could barely find the strength to finish the first season, but I lacked the willpower to watch the second. It is a shame because the show has a solid cast, but the story and execution are terrible. Don’t even bother with this show because there isn’t anything redeemable.

The show follows a group of paranormal investigators hired by the church to find out if possessions are caused by demons or something scientific. You have the tech guy who will look at situations logically, the psychiatrist who looks for mental illness, and the priest who will take over if the problem if it really is demons. Most of the episodes end with the party finding a logical explanation, but there is always a demon controlling what they find. It is counterproductive, and it makes a lot of their endless droning pointless and pretentious. There is a lot of explaining in this show, but not enough demon hunting despite there being a world-ending plot against the backdrop.

The best part of this show is the main actors. While they try hard to make whatever this show tries to be work, it is ultimately left lifeless by its story. The show is desperate to be current, linking modern cultural movements like incels and influencers to the devil, but all these explanations are forced nonsense. I never felt the need to become invested in the story because this show is more filler than content. There are moments where they investigate, but you have to sit through pointless backstory that adds nothing to the narrative. I can only hope that the devil destroys the world so I don’t have to keep looking at the ads for this show.

Go watch Supernatural instead. They do this concept better. But if you don’t believe me, you can watch this show on Paramount+.

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