2. Five Days at Memorial - I've watched the first two episodes and it is very well done. It's very stressful and chaotic, which is exactly how I think it felt like to experience Hurricane Katrina (I think back to our big NJ hurricane, Sandy, and that was insane!). I also recently spent some time in New Orleans and spent some time with local people who told us their "Katrina story". It's so devastating to hear how our government failed these people and their entire city. I think the biggest takeaway from my visit is the chaos of it all. And that it wasn't even the hurricane that caused all this damage, nor was it flooding from the Mississippi. I had heard of "the levees breaking", obviously. But I didn't realize it was from Lake Pontchartrain (which is a GIGANTIC lake - if you told me I was looking at the Atlantic Ocean I would have believed you). And it happened after the hurricane hit, as shown in this series, people were actually celebrating the next day and practically laughing at how over-prepared they were. They had begun the cleanup process and were ready to move on. But instead of the water receding, like during a normal hurricane, it started to increase - and nobody was expecting or prepared for that. New Orleans is such a wonderful city, and one of the few that always seems to have "open arms" for tourism (I say this as a New Yorker, who despises tourists in NYC. I mean, you couldn't pay me to go to Times Square. But the reality of it is, big cities need tourists to survive - and all of these cities are slowly dying from the lasting effects of Covid. And Airbnbs (but that's a whole other rant and I'm too tired for that). But anyway, this miniseries, so far, is very interesting. I can't imagine having the responsibility of an entire hospital on my shoulders. But I also feel like that's soooo unfair? And seems impractical. There should be a team of people, which there is, but everyone on this woman's team has said at one point or another "it's up to you!" basically absolving themselves of responsibility. I certainly have empathy for everyone working at this hospital - they did not have the right information, just chaos and gossip. And now they have to live with themselves as the "villains" of this story. Also, Vera Farmiga and Cherry Jones are excellent.
3. The Bear - What a fucking show, man. I absolutely love it and I'm so excited that it seems to be embraced by critics and received an order for a second season. I'm also really happy that Jeremy Allen White is getting some recognition. He was definitely over-shadowed by bigger names on Shameless, but he was the strongest and most consistent on the series. And he made me care for a deeply flawed character. Lip made some awful life choices, and many mistakes, but White gave him heart, soul and a conscience. You could tell that he was always trying to do the right thing. I think he is doing the same thing with this character, but in an environment that feels very different. It's still Chicago, but 90% of the show takes place in this very confined space of a small restaurant (that I would call a luncheonette? Is that what it's called in Chicago?). It's very fast-paced and intense, and there is not a single second wasted. The first episode just flies by - and I couldn't even decide if I liked it because it was just a lot of yelling. And the dialogue is so quick that I thought I was missing parts. But I got used to the pace with the second episode, and was able to keep up with it. I always thought it was weird how many tv shows have characters that work in "normal 9-5" office jobs, when a large portion of the population work in more service based environments. I could not work in an office. I tried once and I really thought I was going to die. It's so...boring. And I'm convinced it's why so many people are addicted to social media - because they have nothing else to do...while they are AT WORK. My day isn't as intense as working in a kitchen, but once I get to work, I don't stop until I leave. There is always something to do. I'm hot-gluing flowers for an elaborate window display one minute, and the next minute I'm ringing up a *very* famous R&B singer from the 90s - who is in a HURRY because her team is telling her she HAS TO GO, but she wants to buy thousands of dollars of merchandise (this just happened to me the other night. She was actually very lovely, and one of the best celebrity interactions I've ever had). Anyway, what was my point??? Oh yeah, that I find fast-paced jobs like this far more interesting and there are very few shows that feature this. A sitcom based in a retail store could work really well, especially with the variety of people that one has to deal with. But back to this series - everyone in the cast is excellent. Ebon Moss-Bachrach has been in a ton of shit, but I've never really noticed him before. He really shines, here. And Ayo Edebiri does a fantastic job at being the more grounded character, while still showing complex emotions and frustrations (plus, she has a Speed poster on her wall so she is automatically the coolest). My favorite character, though, is Marcus (played by Lionel Boyce) because he is such a sweetheart. Never change, Marcus. Joel McHale is also in it in a small role (and he's serious in it!! It's kind of sexy). But what we really need to talk about is episode 7 - perhaps one of the best executed episodes of television...ever? I don't think I'm exaggerating either, as many others have pointed out the technical masterpiece of the 20 minute long one-shot episode. It works so well to exaggerate the claustrophobic atmosphere within this tiny kitchen - working so closely with different personalities, and the stress of having it all go so wrong. Yes chef, indeed.
4. Black Bird - This might be a long one. I definitely have a lot to say. So where should I start??? I guess, I'll start with the show overall. I read the book that this was based on a few years back when it was announced that Taron was starring in it. It's written by James Keene (the main guy in this true story) and someone else (who clearly "wrote" most of it). I did not like it. I really wish Dennis Lehane wrote the novel because this mini-series is sooooo much better. Keene is not a likeable person at all, and he thinks that he is. He's so fucking full of himself, and I think the whole redemption arc is kind of bullshit. Lehane makes a better point of it all by focusing it more on misogyny and Keene's ego. But the clear problem is that he never really seems to feel bad for his actual crimes. Maybe I have a slight bias against him for personal reasons (the crimes are very similar to why my father is in prison - mostly weapons charges - selling and smuggling guns etc., and it was even during the same time period and he was even in a prison near Chicago for a while. I actually questioned to myself whether they might have known each other, but I thought best not to look into it. I try to not let my father take up any of my energy). As I said, the mini-series elevates the story, keeps it (mostly) focused, and features some of the best acting I've seen in a while. Overall, I think it is *excellent*. However, there are a few parts that are very, very bad. In particular, the first 10 minutes of the first episode. It's actually excruciating to watch and my heart was sinking by minute 9 because I thought "oh no...I'm going to hate this". And thinking back to it now, none of the first 10 minutes are really relevant at all - they could have easily shown most of that in flashbacks etc. I also HATED the ending. It would have been great if it just had Jimmy looking out the window of the plane - with the parallel image of the map that he drove himself crazy trying to memorize, but they had to add the stupid part with the flight attendant flirting. I'm sorry, but I don't buy that he has any regrets about being a man whore (his ego is just too big for that). I'm not going to suddenly like him because he is nice to *one* woman. Give me a fucking break. The show excels during the interactions between Jimmy and Larry Hall (brilliantly played by Paul Walter Hauser), which is most of the show (episodes 3, 4 & 5 are spectacular). It's slow-burn, but the dialogue is so intense and...skin-crawling - just really brilliantly disturbing. I think episode 5 is the best episode - the way it is filmed is really top-notch; it really makes you feel Jimmy's paranoia and the danger that he is in, plus it gives a voice to one of Larry's victims - which is necessary, in my opinion, especially when it's a true crime story. There are also some really great scenes between Jimmy and his father (the late great Ray Liotta), that are both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. I think it will be interesting once awards season arrives because surely Hauser and Liotta will be nominated against each other? Hauser would deserve the award, but Liotta...um...died. Sepideh Moafi does a great job at being this no-nonsense "I will not put up with your shit" character that the audience still likes (although back to the terrible beginning - WHY did she just let a raid happen with a woman passed out on the couch??? LOL. She's, like, concerned that he doesn't know her name, as if that's a crime, but NOT that she....isn't waking up with all this noise around her? WHAT IS HAPPENING?!). I also have to mention Jake McLaughlin because that's Ryan from Quantico!!! I literally screamed out loud (he's usually so fucking hot, but obviously not in this...). So, let's talk about Taron, shall we? I'm obviously biased, but I also think that because I adore him so much, I am hyper-critical of his performances. I've watched Rocketman literally dozens of times, and he is obviously brilliant and should have won the Oscar (don't get me started), but I can still see flaws in the performance (I don't want to be this way. It's just how I am!). I can see the flaws here, but overall, he's excellent. And most of my problems are within the first two episodes (especially those first 10 minutes - that warehouse scene is...rough). I do appreciate the depth that the role requires - it's certainly not an easy character to portray. He has to be likeable, but also be completely unlikeable at the same time. He also has to internalize a lot of disturbing dialogue without showing it to the person in front of him (Larry), but showing it to the audience (I'm specifically talking about a scene in episode 5 that is literally a masterclass of acting and he BETTER get an Emmy for it). I also appreciate that Taron realized how important Jimmy's ego and narcissism is to the story - Jimmy would (and did) spend his days in prison working out because there's not much else to do in prison. We've seen Taron fit before with the Kingsman movies and Robin Hood, but *never* this fit. My husband walked into the living room while I was watching an episode and didn't recognize him (he never does - we have the same conversation for every Taron project. With him being amazed that that's the kid from Kingsman. He did it for Rocketman and Eddie the Eagle too. With Eddie the Eagle, he actually didn't believe me and googled it to prove me wrong). When I told him it was Taron, he was like "That's what the guy you're in love with looks like now???? Cool" and then he left slamming the door behind him (LOL - it was in a joking way, not in an actually mad way). And finally, I appreciate that this was the role that he chose after Rocketman. I'm sure he had a ton of projects thrown at him, and he has acknowledged mistakenly taking roles that didn't feel right in the past, so he waited and found something that excited him and challenged him. And he also took on an Executive Producer role so he would have more say in the project. I think he's got a good head on his shoulders, as the saying goes, and has proven that he has incredible range. I think a lot of people, like myself, were very worried when he suddenly dropped out of Stars at Noon (in which he was already on location, ready to shoot) and then even more suddenly dropped out of Cock (a play that he seemed very excited and passionate about). He also never did any promotion for Sing 2, which was odd. I had a strong feeling it had to do with his mom. I didn't want it to be true, so I never said it out loud (I knew it wasn't what all the gossip people were reporting *rolls eyes*), so my heart sank when he briefly mentioned it being due to an immediate family member having Cancer. He's posted a few pictures of his mom since then with her head shaved, but it seems like she is recovering and hopefully in remission. I'm glad that he has his priorities straight and decided to spend time with his family during such a crucial time. Okay, I think I'm done. I'm sure I'm going to think of a million more things I wanted to say, but this is already way longer than I intended. OH WAIT...HIS ACCENT! How could I forget! I think this is where I found myself being a little hyper-critical because I could tell which words he struggled with. However, it is SO much better than his American accent in Billionaire Boys Club. He worked so hard on it and it shows. Also, he's fucking hot as fuck.
5. Baymax - I didn't really know what this was??? I saw some hoopla about it having a trans character and an episode about menstruating, but I never saw anyone talk about the actual series. First, each episode is really, really short. Approximately about 10 minutes long, which is actually perfect for a child's attention span. They are these cute little vignettes about helping others. Baymax, if you don't know, is an adorable robot featured in Big Hero 6. He is a healthcare companion who befriends the main character in the film. He is programmed to help people in any way he can (and he is the CUTEST most innocent big fluffy marshmallow that you just want to hug). Second, I wish it was a bit more like Big Hero 6, which I think was obviously made for children, but also made for the adults who are forced to watch it with their children and/or film and animation lovers. Instead, this is a little too kids oriented and I didn't really find anything interesting about it as an adult. Third, the hoopla is, once again, ridiculous. The menstruation episode is really, really well done. And just like I said with Turning Red, getting your period is a kid issue (some kids get their period at 10! While they are watching cartoons like this! Why are people so weirded out by it?). And there is no featured trans character. There is a person with a t-shirt that has trans flag colors and they hand Baymax a sanitary product that they recommend. There is a crowd of people doing the same. It is very much a blink and you'll miss it moment, and by talking about it (in a negative way), you're only bringing more attention to it. I'm honestly not even sure I would have noticed it if I hadn't already known about it. Also, who the fuck cares??? Trans people exist and have their periods. I also think people probably got mad that the girl uses a bathroom that is gender neutral? I didn't see anything about it, but I'm sure it was part of the whole conversation. Again, who cares? It's so weird to me that their are parents who view inclusivity as a *problem* when raising their children.
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