Category: TV

Upload: Upping the Game for these Hoes

On March 17, 2022

I really enjoyed the first season of this Amazon Prime show, so the second season had a lot to prove. Greg Daniels has created countless incredible projects, so it’s not a surprise that this new venture is doing well. Upload’s first season has an 88% Critics Rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 87% Audience score. Although the second season has significantly fewer reviews, the approval rating is going in the same direction.

I think I’m in the same boat with these reviewers.

The second season picks up right where the first season left us, but then we get a three-week time jump. I have conflicted feelings about this. On one hand, I see how this takes us back to the main storyline quicker. On the other hand, I’m intrigued to know more about this technology-less encampment and wish we had spent more time there dissecting its politics. Maybe in the third season, there will be more room to explore this part of the show’s sight for the future – I’m hoping so. I think the idea of a religious cult with a leader that has anarchist ideologies towards technology leaves a lot to be explored and endless means for writers to make current cultural criticisms.

I appreciate that Aleesha has been given a little more screen time and crusts of a storyline compared to the crumbs of last season. However, I still think that this show is greatly underusing Zainab Johnson. She’s a comedic and dramatic wizard who steals every scene she’s in. I want more!

They’ve somehow made Ingrid [Allegra Edwards] more annoying than she was last season. I know that’s the point of her character; she’s out of touch with reality, and her wealth gives her the power to control her ex-boyfriend’s life. Upload does a great job of making the viewer hate the rich. And I know this is a half-hour show; I know what that means in terms of limited space for nuance. However, I still feel that Ingrid, and the majority of the other representations of the ultra-rich, are portrayed as cartoonishly evil and unhinged. I think this representation does the message of the show a disservice. Even the ultra-rich have their moments of humanity – that’s what keeps them on top – kindness at the right moment. I think this show could use a smidgen of more humanity coming from its villains and performances that actually garner sympathy. Adding that kind of nuance will hit the message a homerun.

Nora’s [Andy Allo] story takes an interesting turn when she hooks up with Matteo [Paulo Costanzo]. I liked that Nora was taking on more rebellion, but I was sad when she was sucked back into the corporate system. It felt like Nora’s character evolved and then regressed. Matteo’s arc felt too sharp, as well. Their story together is why I wish we had more time in the three-week time jump.

Nathan [Robbie Amell] maintains being simultaneous: smart and a dumbass. I admire the loyalty to the character’s roots, but I wish he had more moments of “Eureka!”. He is supposed to be a brilliant coder, but the most we see him code is with the glitches and tools Nora gave him.

All criticisms aside, I enjoy this show: I like its concept and direction, I think the performers are great, the writers are doing a great job. I think this season’s cliffhangers are setting up a promising season three.

Side note: I think it is bonkers how many Amazon Prime Originals are about inhumane crimes committed by the ultra-rich when considering who owns the entire company.

You know what, Bezos, keep your enemies close, right?

Euphoria! Except…no. It’s not.

By Isobel Grieve

On March 2, 2022

In Reviews, TV

Season one of this ICONIC HBO show introduced the powerful characters and plotlines in this colourful, psychedelic world. We get character-specific episodes with background, drama, and beautiful cinematography.

Season two of this show starts with a bang and fizzles out with sparks here and there. It does not come close to the storytelling of the first season. There are various characters whose storylines are either left completely unresolved or sloppily taped together. Character decisions contradict the development in Season one. Sam Levinson knows how to frame a beautiful shot and delivers strong character moments, but he does not excel at overall story. It has become clear to me and many of the show’s fans that Sam is in over his head and needs help in the writer’s room.

In Season One, the character of Chris McKay [Algee Smith] had dedicated episode time to his backstory and his future. In Season Two, his character is essentially abandoned by episode two. We never hear from him again. Or his brothers, which is a serious missed opportunity for dropping story hints of a Euphoria gen ii focusing on them and Gia Bennett (the MC’s sister). Sam missed the opportunity to create a streamline into an iconic anthological series like UK Skins. McKay’s disappearance is also exceedingly disappointing because he is one of the mere sprinkles of POC characters on this show.

Kat Hernandez [Barbie Ferreira] is the only plus-size character on the show and her background/arc of Season One was a massive fan favourite. Yet, in Season Two, she’s barely a side character. We get one powerful scene where she’s imagining all the voices of internet influencers in her head creating this messy representation of the body positivity movement corrupted by skinnies. Then nothing. She breaks up with her incredible boyfriend who loves to eat puss-puss and dance. Then nothing. She dances on cam in her little black mask [iconic] for two seconds. Then nothing. She’s there when shit goes down, but she doesn’t do anything. There are rumours that Kat’s plotline took a darker route this season which Barbie disagreed with, so Sam cut down her role significantly. WOW. Disappointing.

Jules [Hunter Schafer] and Rue [Zendaya] are broken apart by a man… but not really, ultimately it’s Rue’s addiction that pushed Jules away. In my opinion, Elliot [Dominic Fike] was just…there. I think that Sam Levinson did an okay job presenting Rue’s addiction as it worsened. However, following episode five, one of the best episodes to date, it gravitates towards a hopeful outlook on addiction rather than a truthful one. After watching her father’s funeral dramatized on a stage only a week sober, you’re telling me she didn’t even try to relapse? If the point of Rue staying sober for the rest of the school year was to say that Lexi’s play gave Rue this whole new perspective, I need to SEE it. There are also numerous plotlines left wide open, i.e., her debts and memories lost. What happened in the hours between that bath with the massive morphine dose and waking up in the bed?

Like, oh my God. Okay, we get it. Cassie [Sydney Sweeney] fucked Nate [Jacob Elordi] because she’s depressed, insecure, and has subconscious male gaze ideologies about her value. Cassie wants Maddy’s [Alexa Demie] confidence – she wants the “unconditional love” that Maddy and Nate supposedly had. So, Cassie does her best to become Maddy or a version of Maddy that Nate wants. Not that complicated. He could have spent less time on that triangle and given us a better Kat storyline. Whatever.

Lexi! Lexi, Lexi, Lexi [Maude Apatow]. An icon. Sam did something right with her character. And that play?! AMAZING! Great character choices. The episodes with the play… a bit of a rerun. We get a little more backstory on Lexi, her relationship with the other characters and her trauma. It was a clever round-up of the story. However, it was repetitive in the grand scheme of both seasons and had no reason encompassing almost two entire episodes.

Sam Levinson wrote a beautiful backstory for Cal Jacobs [Eric Dane]. BUT a redemption arc for this character is not what the overall story needs. Understanding his motivations? Fine. Trying to make me feel sorry for the consequences of his actions because of that past? Unnecessary. He’s an adult. He made his choices. Also, as far as I’m aware, the United States law doesn’t arrest people who purchase prostitution services. They arrest those offering the services. In that case, the only evidence (THAT WE KNOW OF) Nate could have given to the police and have Cal arrested would be the video of Cal and Jules in the motel. However, in episode six, Nate gives Jules the DVD of that night and tells her it’s the original and there are no copies. Maybe Nate lied, but I don’t know for certain because the show didn’t clarify… What is Cal being arrested for, Sam?

My theory is that Sam Levinson wrote a season and ran into issues with the cast about the script. Maybe he already had a shooting start date and had to rewrite fast. I imagine that he didn’t have a chance to think things through until he was in the editing room with the footage he had shot. That’s why some of the episodes have lots of filler shots that set a ~vibe~ because Sam hadn’t written enough usable story. I also think that may be why some of the old plotlines from season one ended up with fast and messy conclusions.

I think I still like the show. I’m rooting for the characters. I want to see Rue figure her shit out, although I also want her addiction portrayed honestly and her narration explained by her eventual death at some point. And this all hinges on what Sam does with the third season. If he can’t flesh out the characters he abandoned and wrap up plot holes he forgot, I’m out.

Quick shout out to the incredible performances from the actors contributing to this project. They have done incredible things with what they’re given.

Abbott Elementary: Teaching Us Value

By Isobel Grieve

On February 8, 2022

In Reviews, TV

It airs Tuesdays on ABC, and everyone should be watching. It is created by and stars Quinta Brunson, who is absolutely hilarious! Her writing and performance show the makings of a new household name in comedy.

Abbott Elementary is a mockumentary-style show with side interviews, direct to camera side-eye, the whole shebang. This style of sitcom has created some of the most beloved sitcoms in recent years, like The Office (9 seasons), Modern Family (11 seasons) and Parks and Recreation (7 seasons). With all its heart and jokes, this new primetime sitcom has the potential to be on air for many years to come.

Centring around six faculty members at the sitcom’s namesake school, Abbott Elementary explores the failings of American Education Systems that lack proper funding and resources. In that sense, Quinta Brunson’s protagonist, Janine Teagues, is very similar to Leslie Knope of Parks and Recreation because she is determined to do with what she has and stay optimistic.

While taking place in Philadelphia, Abbott Elementary pokes fun at the education system’s failings while also critiquing those failings in earnest. The main characters’ dedication to the school and their students is enough to make you root for them. However, their character quirks and peaks into their personal lives make you fall in love with them, flaws and all.

Tyler James William is home in this genre: his delivery and facial expressions add a Jim Halpert (of The Office) to the mix. His and Quinta Brunson’s onscreen chemistry is palpable as a version of the quintessential The Office ship: Jam and Pam. They start very similarly to the famous Office couple: Brunson’s character, Janine, is in a long-term relationship with someone who does not fully appreciate her and William’s character, Gregory, pines for her quietly while offering friendship. It’s cute, it’s hopeful, it’s funny.

The senior teachers, Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph) and Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter), are depicted as thicker skinned and stronger stock than the younger teachers. Janine idolizes Barbara and thinks of her as a mentor. Although Barbara will guide Janine, when need be, she is reluctant – why? Well, Barbara has plenty of other things to do. Her expert with children is clear from the get-go as her children are always much more well-behaved than the other classes. Melissa is the Italian with all the underground connections. Melissa is harsh but fair – the kind of woman to take no crap because she’s done that before, and what had it gotten her? Nothing.

The useless but hilarious principal, Ava, is played by comedian Janelle James whose stand-up comedy style shines through in her performance. Ava is nothing but laughs whenever in the room, her ego is huge, her sexual energy is on fire, and her money handling is terrible. Ava is the perfect stand-in for government incompetence regarding the support of public-school teachers in the United States.

Quinta Brunson has created something that wide audiences can enjoy. Majority of westerners have been to school and understand the kind of hoops teachers jump through to provide proper education. Teachers are fundamental in growing up: most people have fond memories of when learning clicked for them at school. Yet, teachers are extremely underpaid for the hours and effort they’re putting into their classrooms and extracurriculars. Abbott Elementary is hopefully a beacon for people to realize that schools and teachers deserve better resources, and the children need a healthy, stable learning environment to thrive.

I know I’m late to the party! But hey, I’m Trying.

By Isobel Grieve

On August 5, 2021

In Reviews, TV

Trying Review – Spoiler Warning

I’ve always been reluctant to watch shows my sister recommends, and then I’ll eventually try them and wish I’d joined the wagon sooner. My sister recommended Trying on AppleTV+ to me a while ago but I was hesitant. It sounded like something I wouldn’t relate to but recently we were trying to spend more time together before she moved, and we binged the first and second seasons.

Well… I really enjoyed it. Its rated 73% on Google, 7.7/10 on IMDB, and 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Seems like I’m not the only one.

Rafe Spall plays Jason Ross, an English as a foreign language teacher who’s mocked for sticking with a job most 20-somethings only have for their gap year into his mid-30s. Esther Smith plays Nicki Newman, a happy-go-lucky car rental salesperson. Their relationship’s origin story is a little messy on Jason’s end, but they remain extremely strong together throughout both seasons.

The title, Trying, stems (mostly) from the protagonists’ journey into parenthood. After a failed IVF trial, their determination to start a family leads them to adopt. Through the first season, we follow the process of them being approved for adoption. Through the second season, we follow the process of them getting a child.

The show primarily focuses on Jason and Nicki, but they are surrounded by an entertaining, quirky support system. Their best friends, Freddy (played by Oliver Chris) and Erica (played by Ophelia Lovibond), have two children and run into marriage problems following the birth of their second. Nicki’s sister, Karen (played by Sian Brooke), has a boyfriend, Scott (played by Darren Boyd), whose flat-out unlikeable but eventually grows on you.

There are standout performances from Jason’s parents: Victor Ross (played by Phil Davis) and Sandra Ross (played by Paula Willcox). The first season presents them as very upper class and distant. The second season reveals a deeper story. Victor’s love language is acts of service; he may not be the deepest conversationalist, but he will fix everything and anything in Jason’s flat. Sandra clearly has childhood trauma from her mother who dies in the second season; her anger and grief connect her and Nicki. They bond while tearing apart an old shed and screaming. It sounds ridiculous but is very touching.

The most heartwarming character out of the bunch is Jason and Nicki’s social worker, Penny Wootton (played by Imelda Staunton). Staunton’s portrayal of this hardworking, hard-loving woman is a far cry from her notorious portrayal of Professor Umbrage in the Harry Potter franchise. She is chaotic, poised, charming, and motivating. She takes our protagonists under her wing and fights for them. It makes me well up just thinking about it.

Trying is a touching half-hour dramedy that makes you go from laughing to crying in seconds. It seems AppleTV+ knows what they are doing when funding projects like this, Ted Lasso, Dickinson and the new Schmigadoon! Apple is creating a name for itself in the realm of comedy half-hour. Surely they will be considered a must subscribe soon, if not already.

I know I talk a lot about performances, but a good tv show is more than that. The creator, Andy Wolton, impressively has a shortlist of credits for having such a successful series with a major company like Apple. The third season of Trying was greenlit two months before the second season hit the streaming platform. I think if he has anything else on the backburner that breaths like Trying, he’s headed towards a very blissful, rewarding career in half-hour.

Trying‘s colourful palette complements the warmth the characters bring to their stories that feature such deep sadness. The opening credits remind me of the early 2010s when Indie music and ukuleles were all the rage. It has an aged hipster vibe that is comforting instead of mocking. Even the rows of townhouses the protagonists live in are coloured in bright pastels and the markets they shop at feel stylized but real. The show is aesthetically pleasing as much as well written and performed. Something, I feel, is often overlooked in broadcast television.

Overall, I say go watch Trying. It is absolutely incredible.

I Am Not Okay With This Being Cancelled.

By Isobel Grieve

On December 17, 2020

In Reviews, TV

Based on the graphic novel by Charles Forsman, I Am Not Okay with This is about 15-year-old Sydney Novak, “Syd” (Sophia Lillis, It [2017]), who recently lost her father to suicide and through her grief has discovered she has an emotional Psychokinesis ability.

Forsman is also the author of The End of the F***ing World which became a Netflix Original in 2017 with the second season in 2019. Christy Hall and Jonathan Entwistle (The End of the F***ing World) are credited as co-creators on this new project, Entwistle directed all seven episodes.

The tone of the two shows are quite similar, they both feature highly pessimistic central female characters and an overwhelming sense of melancholy. Sadly, The End of the F***ing World was renewed for a second season when it didn’t need one and I Am Not Okay with This has not been due to COVID-19 even though it deserves one.

The End of the F***ing World’s first season could stand alone quite successfully whereas I Am Not Okay with This leaves the viewer on the edge of their seat salivating. I want my second season, and I want it now!
Sydney’s mother, Maggie Novak (Kathleen Rose Perkins), and brother, Liam Novak (Aidan Wojtak-Hissong), both create a family environment that balances between toxic and inviting. These relationships are what tether Sydney to a familiar reality.

The adorkable Stanley Barber (Wyatt Oleff, It [2017]) becoming aware of Sydney’s abilities caters more towards a believable fantasy rather than a psychotic break. Lillis and Oleff play off each other well, establish great banter and create a believable allyship. However, Stanley’s role as a willing sidekick makes the story harder to decode.

The unravelling of Sydney’s sexuality with Dina’s (Sofia Bryant) presence is what makes this series truly great. So often we see the dorky boy get with the pessimistic girl because no one else is willing to crack her shell. Here the closeted element derails the series from following this trope while also escalating Sydney’s emotional instability to the point of bottling up so much she destroys a freaking forest. Incredible.

This is why framing I Am Not Okay with This through Sydney’s diary voice-over has me convinced she’s an unreliable narrator.

Here are a few ways I think we can read this series:

The powers represent an undiagnosed mental disorder (that her father also had) and writing about it as superpowers in her diary is a hallucination or unconscious coping mechanism.
The powers are an allegory for the suppression of grief and true self Sydney experiences throughout the series, again she’s an unreliable narrator.
We trust Sydney and say, “Sure. This very sad, complicated teenager totally has superpowers.”

All of these possibilities lure me in. I think the production has a lot to work with. The actors they’ve cast perform beautifully together. The possibilities of how to read Sydney’s abilities offer so much to unpack and play with for viewers. If Netflix is going to renew Riverdale, they should seriously consider renewing this instead.

The Duchess of Single Moms in Comedy

By Isobel Grieve

On October 2, 2020

In Reviews, TV

Katherine Ryan’s The Duchess was released on Netflix on September 11th, 2020 in Canada. It is 72% liked on Google, has a rating of 6.7% on IMDB and 63% on Rotten Tomatoes.

From what I know about Katherine’s life from her stand up specials on Netflix (i.e. Glitter Room, and In Trouble) the premise is somewhat based on the reality of her life. The show takes place in London and centres around Katherine, her 9-year-old daughter, the father, and the boyfriend. In a short series of six half-hour episodes, we’re exposed to the complexities of co-parenting, a brilliant mother-daughter rapport, and the story of dating men who just don’t get it.

Katherine Ryan plays Katherine an excellent carbon copy of herself, and her daughter (Olive) is played by the brilliant Katy Bryne who steals the scene every chance she gets. The relationship between these two characters is both adorable and heartbreaking. It reminds me a bit of Lorelai and Rory from the Gilmore Girls if Lorelai was perhaps just a smidge more responsible and more of a mother than a best friend.

Katy Bryne’s Olive takes on the “Wise Beyond Their Years” child trope and plays with it. She acts and speaks with sophistication but has no real wisdom or understanding of the real world. In fact, her innocence and playfulness are still very much intact, yet she believes she holds some kind of negotiating power and equality with her mother in their home. This kind of personality brings a lot of wholesomeness to the show, I especially enjoyed her evolution in the fifth episode when she gets a haircut.

The father Shep (Rory Keenan) and the boyfriend Evan (Steen Raskopoulos) are the central, highly contradictory, male characters. Shep is wild and obtuse, Evan is calm and supportive, and your expectations of where Katherine’s alliances lie might shock you. Katherine showcases a lot of her vulgarity through these relationships. The cavalier way she approaches sex is quite comical but off-putting in that classic British humour way.

Katherine’s feminine relationships are represented with Bev (Michelle de Swarte) the best friend and business partner, Jane (Sophie Fletcher) the daughter’s friend’s mom, and Cheryl (Doon Mackichan) Shep’s rich new wife. The dynamic between the women in this show is both uplifting and complicated. Katherine does a brilliant job at villainizing without dehumanizing her antagonists which makes her struggle all the more comical and satisfying to watch.

Katherine has constructed herself as a bit of an anti-hero who thinks she’s the absolute hero. She’s a bit of an overconfident mess and is definitely not always right. In her own way, she plays both the protagonist and the antagonist.

Although this series is quite short, I found it complete and satisfying. My sister and I binged it in an afternoon. We laughed, we cried. It takes some unexpected emotional turns when it comes to the relationship between Katherine and Olive. I think Katherine Ryan has done a great job cultivating a story that explores modern motherhood in a light, humorous, and humanist way.