Concluding the financial year for 2020/2021 it's the ridiculous Bling Empire. Netflix only has a handful of reality series, so hopefully they will learn from this misfire. With everyone back in their armchairs, indoors, addicted to streaming a common comment from folks on Netflix's programming is about their quantity over quality.
HBO have been churning out way less during (partly due to the COVID situation/partly due to series wrapping up) dramas, however their strike rate has been mighty fine. Excluding maybe the strange The Nevers.
Netflix on the other hand have delivered huge amounts of content but many poorly received, dull new series.
Bling Empire landed mid January (a simpler time when we were free) but I only just got around to wrapping up the last few episodes.
Okay so Kevin is super hot. However he is rather dumb. A number of the cast are extremely annoying and lack any depth. I understand I am not the target market. I haven't enjoyed a reality series in a while. Yes I got sucked into MAFS but that was pure water cooler TV at its best. Bling Empire is niche and spoilt brats flying all around the world not giving a fuck is really not what you want to be watching when you're stuck on prison island, Australia.
I usually return to watch series upon them being renewed however this was just so bad (even Kevin's shirtless scenes won't get me back). This is a major Netflix misfire. There are comparisons to Crazy Rich Asians, however that was a fun, well written drama film. This is just cheap, nasty, tacky TV.
The second season of Batwoman has just concluding. The series returned mid January this year. This followed no season finale last year as well as no leading lady. That's right Ruby Rose is out, Javicia Leslie as Ryan Wilder is in.
Kate Kane was later in the season recast with Wallis Day playing the former Batwoman. However after the recast and a few episodes (spoiler alert) Kate's story is done. Yep no Kate Kane when the show returns in October. Also the series moves from Sunday nights to Wednesday nights.
Also returning for the second series, Rachel Skarsten, Meagan Tandy, Nicole Kang, Camrus Johnson, and Dougray Scott. Scott will not return for season three.
The finale hinted at Batman villains like the Penguin and Poison Ivy incoming for the third season. October really and truly is just around the corner, so it's a short three month wait for the Arrowverse series to return. Will a crossover be back next season?
I for one enjoyed the reboot of the series whilst also believing this was leaps and bounds ahead (quality wise/action sequence wise) of The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow.
I do expect some of the Arrowverse shows to follow lead series Arrow and Black Lightning to call it quits next year, will Batwoman be one of them?
Eden follows a devastating chain of events which lays bare the dark, hidden heart of paradise triggered after the disappearance of a young woman. OK so episode one (and most of two) is terrible.
An all star cast is lead by Keiynan Lonsdale as Cam, Cody Fern (American Horror Story) as Andy Dolan, Samuel Johnson as Ezra Katz, Dustin Clare as Huckleberry as well as loads of newcomers andChristian Wilkins.
So with a two week lockdown with loads of shows finishing up (either for the current season or good) Eden was an eight episode easy watch.
The Australian beaches and landscapes (as well as luxury homes) are divine. Whiling sticking to stay at home rules, these houses make stay at home orders look like a dream.
There are plenty of twists and turns, however some of the dialogue is simply woeful. Stan has a few more Australian made treats to drop this year, so I hope the next originals are a little better than this.
Sydney, Darwin where ever else is having 2020 issues (again) if you want some escapism, Eden might be just what the doctor ordered. Side note, sadly cinemas are shut so my film reviews are for now completely drying up.
Next up the second season finale of Batwoman. What a ride that show's second season has been without Ruby Rose!
I have to be honest, I wanted to like Clarice, however in the end this was a punish to watch. Like other CBS series I have tired to watch this just turned out like every other crime drama police procedural television series. Just adding in a bit of psychological/horror elements to the mix.
Based on the best-selling novel The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris. The series stars Rebecca Breeds as Clarice, along with Lucca De Oliveira, Devyn A. Tyler, Kal Penn, Nick Sandow, Michael Cudlitz, and Marnee Carpenter.
The series commenced its 13 episode run mid February in Australian on Stan. Sadly the show aired infrequently, has an appalling 36% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes while also not being as good a show as Hannibal.
You can read a full recap on the series HERE (I'm spoiler free, here) cause really I ended up playing on my phone for almost the entire episode.
Whilst I enjoyed seeing Rebecca Breeds the Australian lead get a major role, the show was really just not that good. If this show gets a second season, it would be a massive miracle. Like Evil and other CBS original Seal Team the show may appear in the future on Paramount+. This is also where the new Dexter will land in coming months.
The eighth season concluded last night on Netflix in Australia. Whilst in the USA it's my one remaining series I watch on NBC now Zoey's EPL is cancelled.
The season premiered all the way back on November 13, 2020, with two lonely episodes before returning late January 2021. It landed on Netflix in Australia a little later on, however begun airing week to week once the series was well on the way.
Major spoiler alert (however it was publicly everywhere ahead of the big finale), this was to be the last season to star Megan Boone.
So now that just leaves James Spader as Raymond "Red" Reddington.
Following some other major cast departures (including Ryan Eggold as Tom Keen and Mozhan Marnò as Samar Navabi) Megan Boone as Elizabeth "Liz" Keen departure means season nine will look very different. That's right it will be back again later this year or early next year.
The series managed to return to its regular 22 episode count following that famous half animated finale last season when the show was cut short to 19 episodes.
Honestly this has been (again) one of the better seasons. Last year it found its feet again after some lacklustre seasons. However with Liz Keen out now (I know Spader is the fan favourite) I feel season nine needs to be where the show calls it a day.
If I am honest this is an easy watch, it's the kind of show you put your washing out to or eat breakfast. Cause let's face it Sydney, fuck watching the news anymore. #GroundHog Day!
Oh well its Friday so chin up. The weekend is finally here!
OK Love, Victor is maybe my favourite June TV Finales so far. Season two landed on Disney+ a couple of weeks back, but I managed to smash it in a couple of night.
Inspired by and set in the same world as the 2018 film Love, Simon. The series had its first season back in June, 2020, now with Season 2, which deals with the aftermath of Victor coming out. It follows Victor as he navigates through this new world with his friends, while also dealing with his relationship with Benji, which is tested multiple times, due in part to Victor's family and a new possible love interest. Also its a tad more mature with a bit more gay sex than season one.
Michael Cimino stars as Victor, his super cute (apparently only 16 in season two, IRL his 21) living in Atlanta. The series also stars George Sear, Rachel Hilson, Bebe Wood, Anthony Turpel, Isabella Ferreira, Ana Ortiz, James Martinez, Mason Gooding, and Mateo Fernandez.
Nick Robinson, drops into the finale as Simon in the original film. He also produces and narrates the series.
The season finale was filled with teen angst and relationship dramas. From
Mia's dad's wedding, Victor inviting Rahim to be his plus one after Benji bails on him, Felix's mother coming home, Isabel and Benji make amends, Felix dances with Lake, but becomes conflicted by his new feelings for Pilar.
Then comes that final few minutes. Then the cliffhanger....
Victor sprints off to meet who he chooses, but takes a call from Simon. Victor thanks Simon for everything, but tells him he can handle the next chapter by himself and is seen ringing an unseen person's doorbell which they answer. Who will answer, Rahim or Benji?
Please tell me this gets renewed for a third season. I feel it will, but you never can be too sure. Last year it was renewed by August, so hopefully an answer is just around the corner.
Please give this one a go, its cute whilst being a mega easy watch! Next up, The Blacklist concludes its 8th season (yes 8th season, really, do we know who Red is yet???) as well as the season one (possibly one and done) Clarice.
The sixth season of Fear the Walking Dead concluded on June 13, 2021, after all of sixteen episodes aired on Binge.
This season follows Morgan Jones (Lennie James) who has been left for dead by Virginia (Colby Minifie), while the remaining members of Morgan's group have been separated by Virginia and her Pioneers and are dispersed across her various settlements.
For the finale there is a hardcore, full on recap HERE
I have to say I enjoyed the finale a lot more than any other Fear the Walking Dead or The Walking Dead episodes in a while. It was a big ass finale with some big bombs (literally) going off!
If you have ever been a fan of the long running The Walking Dead universe, season six of Fear the Walking Dead had some of the biggest moments in a while.
I am not the world's biggest fan of the series and honestly I struggle to care about any the remaining characters still in the series. Small spoiler alert but this show kills off folks way easier than the parent show.
If you missed the sixth season of Fear the Walking Dead its streaming now alongside all The Walking Dead and previous Fear the Walking Dead seasons/episodes.
The Handmaid's Tale has returned to its season one episode count. Boy does it help with the filler content being removed. Based on the 1985 novel of the same name by Canadian author Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid's Tale (like multiple series) returned after a COVID slumber.
We are lucky as fans of the series, as ahead of the fourth season premiere, the series was renewed for a fifth season. I have a feeling thought it may be the final season with the critical response to this season.
For me though, I loved season four! For me The Handmaid's Tale is definitely up there with my favourite finale of the June blog series.
No spoilers here, but Elizabeth Moss as June has one hell of a season. She directs, acts the hell out of every scene while delivering one killer performance in episode ten.
I have no idea when season five will be back so until then I waiting patiently to see how the finale's events goes down.
Well until tomorrow (hopefully I will post about the Fear The Walking Dead finale, yes late again!) you catch The Handmaid's Tale, Season Four on SBS on Demand or earlier seasons on Stan.
I don't usually love musical movies, however In the Heights is a truly joyful film experience.
Based on the stage musical of the same name by Quiara Alegría Hudes and Lin-Manuel Miranda, the film is directed by Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians).
Anthony Ramos is outstanding as lead Usnavi de la Vega. Ramos was awesome in She's Gotta Have It and A Star is Born.
The film also stars Corey Hawkins, Leslie Grace, Melissa Barrera, Olga Merediz, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Gregory Diaz IV, and Jimmy Smits.
It's so weird seeing Jimmy Smits still kicking it on the big screen. Man he has been around for literally ever. The film follows a similar plot to the musical, telling the story of a corner in the predominantly Dominican Washington Heights neighborhood of Upper Manhattan in New York City, where every member of the community pursues their dreams of a better life.
The film has received acclaim from critics, with praise for Chu's direction, the story, and musical numbers. I also want to praise the joyous moment this film brought in a time of uncertainty.
When this is screening again (its had a full weekends of advance screening) I highly recommend you take yourself to Washington Heights.
Pose joins Queen of the South concluding in 2021 after taking a brief break in 2020.
The Ryan Murphy series based in New York City featuring African-American and Latino LGBTQ and gender-nonconforming drag ball culture scene in the 1980s. The second season moves to the early 1990s.
Starring an ensemble cast including Evan Peters (season one only), Kate Mara (season one only), James Van Der Beek (season one only), Mj Rodriguez, Dominique Jackson, Billy Porter, Indya Moore, Ryan Jamaal Swain, Charlayne Woodard, Hailie Sahar, Angelica Ross, Angel Bismark Curiel, Dyllón Burnside, and Sandra Bernhard.
The third series concluded on June 6, 2021, so a massive sorry for the late post now the show has concluded.
Pose season three went past in a blink of an eye due to its small episode count. Technically seven episodes, the finale was broken down by two parts however it was more a movie length finale.
The season gave closure to most character however Ryan Jamaal Swain as Damon Richards-Evangelista left after the season opener due to a tragic personal event.
It was Billy Porter's season to shine with entire episodes like Take Me to Church exploring his origin story along with his family and first lover.
Dominique Jackson as Elektra Evangelista shone all season as her rise (via the mafia) as a business woman was incredible. With one amazing final take down at a wedding store.
Mj Rodriguez as Blanca Rodriguez-Evangelista continued to be the heart of the show, whilst Esteban and Angel's wedding was a real romantic highlight.
June has been a crowded month for finales and last few episodes of shows. However Pose is heads and tales (so far) above the rest. I loved this show from the pilot. With a long absence between seasons, this was an epic send off for one of TV's most colourful and powerful series.
Pose will go down as one of Ryan Murphy's most epic works. Go stream it now on Binge! Like NOW!
After five long seasons, Queen of the South is now officially done and dusted.
The series premiered all the way back in June, 2016, taking a COVID break last year, concluding on June 9, 2021, with a grand total of 62 episodes.
The fifth and final season, ended with a real bang.
Alice Braga is Teresa Mendoza AKA the Queen of the South. We had a false alarm with episode 9 of 10, but no spoilers here.
The fifth series had zero filler and mostly killer with its final ten episodes. Reducing the episode count of a season to ten episodes from the regular thirteen in my mind helped the plot move along more seamlessly.
I believe the fifth season will land on Netflix again soon in Australia however for now this is another one of my long(ish) running series calling it a day in 2021.
More June TV Finales coming soon as so much has been ending of late, The Handmaids Tale this week, The Blacklist next week as well as Batwoman soon! Also a review of the latest musical picture, In the Heights, coming!
Deliver Us from Evil landed in Australia recently, whilst in native South Korea. It was a commercial success, once it finally made the cinemas. As it was scheduled to open in early July, the film hit cinemas early August 2020.
The action film written and directed by Hong Won-Chan, starring Hwang Jung-min, Lee Jung-jae and Park Jung-min.
The basic plot is, In-nam, a hitman who plans to retire after completing a final hit, but finds himself linked to a kidnapping case in Thailand and targeted by Ray, the man whose sibling he assassinated. The film was shot in Thailand, South Korea and Japan, with almost 80 percent of the filming done in Thailand.
I loved some of the seriously bad ass action scenes. From tuk tuk chases and hand grenades to knife battles. This films action sequences where top notch. A tight less than two hour action marathon Deliver Us from Evil is well above average.
* Delayed viewing/posting due to large number of finales May/June, 2021. Finale aired mid May 2021.
The Nevers is a belated viewing from little old me. I rusted on HBO fan, I thought I would give this mixed up science fiction drama a go. What a head fuck!
The series begun airing back in April for part one of it's two six-episode parts. Part A ended with an insane ass episode!
The Nevers is described as "an epic science fiction drama about a gang of Victorian[s] who find themselves with unusual abilities, relentless enemies, and a mission that might change the world". Its all that and then some!
The show stars Laura Donnelly as Amalia True, Ann Skelly as Penance Adair, Olivia Williams as Lavinia Bidlow, James Norton as Hugo Swann, Tom Riley as Augustus "Augie" Bidlow, Pip Torrens as Lord Massen, Denis O'Hare as Dr. Edmund Hague, Rochelle Neil as Annie Carbey, Amy Manson as Maladie, Zackary Momoh as Doctor Horatio Cousens, Eleanor Tomlinson as Mary Brighton, Nick Frost as Declan Orrun, and Ben Chaplin as Inspector Frank Mundi.
Rotten Tomatoes, gives The Nevers an approval rating of 52%. The sites critics say "Despite strong performances and stellar production design, The Nevers struggles to stitch its slew of intriguing components into a solid show."
The Hollywood Reporter wrote about the series "in desperate need of focus, and as episodes progress, more and more characters are added and the connection to the richest thematic throughline becomes increasingly tenuous". Ben Travers of IndieWire went even more savage on Part A "The Nevers' inconsistencies can make for a maddening viewing experience — sending you from the edge of your seat to sprawled out on the floor, trying to find your eyes after they rolled out of your head — and far too many parts make zero sense whatsoever,".
The Guardian called the series "mess, within and without" which is the review I tend to agree with most. I would be highly surprised if the show returns for a second season. Whenever Part B arrives it will be on my "to watch on a rainy day when I have nothing else on my list to watch.
Cruella is maybe my favourite Walt Disney Pictures of all time. Also Emma Stone is chucking a Nicole Kidman by finally choosing decent, fun roles! Emma Stone started strong with roles in Easy A but films like Aloha and Movie 43. Her role in The Favourite started Stone on her journey back up.
Alongside Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry, Paul Walter Hauser, Emily Beecham, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, and Mark Strong also feature in Cruella.
Based on the character Cruella de Vil from Dodie Smith's 1956 novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians, the film acts as a prequel. Cruella is the third live-action adaptation in the 101 Dalmatians franchise. So it's not hard to believe after walking out of the film, a sequel is currently in development. Even Disney is always open to a continuation.
The film is set in London during the punk rock movement of the 1970s. Cruella revolves around Estella Miller, an aspiring fashion designer, as she explores the path that will lead her to become a notorious up and coming fashion designer known as Cruella de Vil.
Cruella premiered in Los Angeles on May 18, 2021, the first major red carpet event since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Like other recent Disney films, it opened theatrically and simultaneously available on Disney+ with Premier Access on May 28.
The film has grossed close to $130 million worldwide thus far. Whilst receiving praise from critics for direction, the performances (particularly Stone, Thompson, and Hauser), costume design, production values, and soundtrack.
So if you have some spare time this (long) weekend (in NSW) get to the cinema to see this. To be honest this weekend, the cinemas when I have gone have been buzzing. Are cinemas finally back? With a new Fast & Furious film almost here, it is finally Return to Cinema 2021!
4 Stars. Some points off for the films length. It is well over two hours. Make sure you go to the toilet first!
Younger like so many series are calling it a day this year/this month. Queen of the South is also taking a bow whilst The Handmaid's Tale, Fear the Walking Dead and Batwoman's current seasons are all ending this month.
I am going to be bold. I watched all over Younger's seasons one through six whilst gyms were shut, cinemas were closed and a lot of TV shows I enjoyed were off.
So it was a different time. Season seven came without two of the main draw cards. Miriam Shor as Diana Trout and Charles Michael Davis as Zane Anders. So to say this final seventh season was a difficult watch was an understatement.
The storylines felt rushed and the final episode was really undercooked. Darren Star has created some brilliant TV in the past but this sadly is not his finest hour. Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990–2000), Melrose Place (1992–1999), Sex and the City (1998–2004) even Emily in Paris is so much more enjoyable than this.
Premiering all the way back in March, 2015 on TV Land. When the series was renewed the series for a seventh and final season, it the longest running original series in the network's history. In Australia it can be found on Stan.
So basically Sutton Foster stars as Liza Miller, a 40-year-old divorcee who has to manage her career in a publishing company having faked her identity as a younger woman to get her job. The Team Charles, Team Josh love triangle ends up dragging on for way too long. With end the end no major outcome. Spoiler alert! For a full recap, the comments also sort of sum up my opinions. People who stuck with this for so long felt ripped off.
The show also stars an adult Hilary Duff, Debi Mazar, Miriam Shor, and Nico Tortorella, Molly Bernard and Peter Hermann.
Now Younger has concluded it's great that Betty is back on HBO for another fun filled 30 minute comedy. Younger is all up streaming now. I highly recommend the earlier seasons, however the seventh season is a little disappointing. Younger is proof it's really hard to end a quality series after such a long period. Tomorrow on the Queen's Birthday return for a trip back to the cinema.
* Delayed finale viewing due to busy end of May viewing.
The Equalizer is the second reboot in the franchise, following the 2014 film, 2018 sequel which is a reboot of the 1980s series with the same name.
Queen Latifah stars as the Equalizer alongside Chris North, Tony Kittles, Adam Goldberg and Liza Lapira.
Following four episodes airing in March 2021, the series was renewed for a second season. In Australia you can catch Queen Latifah on Channel Nine.
The Equalizer has been one of CBS's most popular series this TV season. Getting close to 12 million viewers some of its ten episode first season run.
Only sticking around for ten episodes which from February to late May (in short blocks) the show definitely didn't overstay it's welcome.
The season got better by the end of its run, but did however have many features of other US network crime series. With the formula being a little predictable mid season. The show would benefit by more season long storylines (other than The Equalizer's daughter not knowing what her mum does for a crust) rather than episode by episode bad guys/girls.
I will give this another look when it returns later in 2021 for a second run.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It serves as a sequel to The Conjuring (2013) and The Conjuring 2 (2016). Whist being the eighth installment in the Conjuring Universe.
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga reprise their roles as paranormal investigators and authors Ed and Lorraine Warren. Ruairi O'Connor, Sarah Catherine Hook, and Julian Hilliard also star. The third Conjuring film is based on the trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson, a murder trial that took place in 1981 Connecticut.
The film has already grossed $57 million against a budget of $39 million. Now in 2021 that is a damn fine effort! With another The Nun film in the works, I feel The Conjuring is not yet done in the cinemas.
So how was the film? Well it has received mixed reviews from critics. They have praised the performances of Wilson and Farmiga, however noted it as weaker than previous Conjuring installments. I agree the scares were few and far between.
Also a lot of the jump scares could be seen coming a while out.
I have now seen a number of horror/thrillers back to back. Spiral, The Quiet Place Part II and now this third Conjuring film. I think I need a break from the horror genre for a bit.
With a June Long Weekend on the way, I am totally up for another cinema experience real soon.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It gets 2.5 passable stars.
Everything's Gonna Be Okay is the latest TV series from comedian Josh Thomas. Thomas previously created, wrote, directed and starred in the semi-autobiographical award-winning series Please Like Me.
Everything's Gonna Be Okay premiered on Freeform Stateside and Stan in Australia. Wrapping its second season last week, the short and sweet ten episode season ended like a few other recent finales with a wedding.
With no cliffhangers, or major plot points left up in the air I was left wondering whether this was a seasons finale or a series finale?
Will Everything's Gonna Be Okay be back for a third season? I reckon we will find out in the next few weeks.
For now, Adam Faison as Alex for me was more than just some fine eye candy. However if eye candy is your thing, his Insta is here.
Stan has an interesting collection of series that don't have a home on Netflix or Foxtel or Amazon. I enjoyed discovering this one on Stan during last years quiet TV period. If you need a little quirky show dealing with real life issues, give this little gem a crack. Josh Thomas is an excellent comedy export with real stories to tell.
OK so a film with Allison Janney, Mila Kunis, Awkwafina, Regina Hall, Wanda Sykes, Juliette Lewis, Samira Wiley and Ellen Barkin should be awesome right? WRONG!
Allison Janney is a woman buries the body of her husband after he dies of a heart attack. This follows him being discovered cheating on Janney. She then gets media hungry with the secret getting out of hand!
I normally don't pay attention to Rotten Tomatoes, however how is this approval rating of 11%? Even Donald Trump had a higher approval rating.
I wanted to like this but it was crazy AF and not in a good way. 1 Star.
Following on from one first respondents series, it's time for Seattle's Station 19.
Now in its fourth season, the show will return for a fifth later this year.
Starring Jaina Lee Ortiz, Jason George, Grey Damon, Barrett Doss, Alberto Frezza, Jay Hayden, Okieriete Onaodowan, Danielle Savre, Boris Kodjoe, Stefania Spampinato.
Season four has been way less dramatic than season three, with way less deaths. While crossover events with Grey's Anatomy have continued throughout the season. Even a wedding between Grey's and 19 happened.
So how was the finale? How did it stack up with the two 9-1-1 series?
Well like 9-1-1 it was hardly a cliffhanging finale. I wonder whether they thought if Grey's was going was to end then maybe Station 19 should also close its doors too?
With a lot of romance and a wedding this fourth season finale, where will season five go? As its one of ABC's biggest dramas the show will most likely be safe for a while longer. With previously concluding Big Sky moving to Thursday nights too on the ABC. Thursday's are jam packed. 19, Grey's and Big Sky.
I look forward to the handsome Jay Hayden returning to our screens later in 2021. Maybe season five will be slightly more dramatic? Prediction there will be a cast shake up.
Like the superb Mare of Easttown, I am a little behind getting a post up for each of the huge May TV finales.
How the hell is it June already!
I already wrote about the spin off series Lonestar (which I did enjoy more over the full season) however the last two episodes of the fourth 9-1-1 season were epic.
It is no surprise both series will be returning for the 2021-2022 TV seasons.
Concluding this season, the first responders run for cover after a professional sniper begins targeting firefighters.
Eddie entered the 14th (and final) episode for the season fighting for his life in the hospital. Following the shooting in the previous episode.
Buck begins to experience trauma and asks for Carla's help to take care of Christopher.
A postpartum depressed Maddie asks for Chimney's help after she quits her job without thinking. Bobby and Athena reconcile following their argument.
Eddie asks Buck to be Christopher's legal guardian if anything should happen to him. The episode ends with Chimney's half-brother Albert finishing his LAFD training. This was one of the most exciting elements of the finale.
Like Lonestar there was no major cliffhanger as episode 13 had the more heart wrenching moment with Eddie's life in danger.
Where will season five go? Well we will get that ahead of Lonestar as this should return as per a usual TV season in late September. I strongly believe a slightly shorter 14 episode season worked a lot better than the previous slightly drawn out episode seasons. I also have never been a fan of the character begins origin story episodes.
I am excited to see where Ryan Murphy, Angela Bassett and co will take the series in its fifth year. The show is easily one of US network TV's biggest and most consistent dramas. FOX also have very few dramas left (losing Prodigal Son this season) with this being it's star performer.
More finale posts to come as I launch the June TV Finales series. Pose, Younger, Queen of the South all take final bows whilst The Handmaids Tale and Station 19 also wrap shortly. Winter (US Summer) is clearly here.
A Quiet Place Part II is for me the same as Spiral, just a vessel to keep a franchise alive.
The sequel to the 2018 film A Quiet Place, had its world premiere in New York City on March 8, 2020 whilst being set to open the weekend the movies closed last year. The film has had a long path to the cinemas.
We continue to follow a family that is forced to navigate and survive in a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by blind monsters with an acute sense of hearing. Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, and Noah Jupe return whilst Cillian Murphy and Djimon Hounsou join and John Krasinski returns in a flashback sequence set before the first film.
Whilst parts of the movie annoyed me (the ending in particular), the pacing was rather slow in parts and the non talking started to shit me after a while.
I think the anticipation and long wait between features left us (the audience) expecting a lot. For some it delivered, for me it didn't.
I did have a few jump scares however seeing the films trailer for many months I felt like a lot of the main plot points were revealed early on with little being resolved by the end credits.
A Quiet Place Part II felt more like a set up of this franchise continuing with Part III almost certainly coming while apparently a spin off is also in the works.
After a few misses (The Undoing was good, but no Big Little Lies), Mare of Easttown is a HIT! So much so it crashed HBO Max in the USA for the finale.
Created by Brad Ingelsby and starring Kate Winslet, Jean Smart, Guy Pearce, Julianne Nicholson, Angourie Rice, David Denman, Evan Peters, Sosie Bacon, and John Douglas Thompson.
The seven episodes concluded yesterday Australian time.
I loved this HBO series. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 92% approval rating, I don't think I'm alone.
The basic plot is a detective is investigating a murder in a small town near Philadelphia. However there is loads more going on than just the one murder.
Kate Winslet's character alone has so much going on it's at times hard to keep up. I am making a bold prediction, this will make a number of end of year lists as well as a pile of awards.
Well done HBO for returning to delivering premium, engaging well developed dramas. Great.
