2. Bait - This show is great! Fantastic concept, likeable characters, funny dialogue, and it moves at lightning speed. I watched the first 4 episodes in a row and the only reason I stopped watching is because Amazon Prime crashed and I got too frustrated so I watched something else. I probably would have watched the whole thing in one sitting. I LOVE Riz Ahmed though (he's the creator and star of this) - so that obviously helps. It feels very personal - and I haven't really looked into it that much, but I'm assuming that he did actually audition and/or read for the role of James Bond at some point? There's been talk of a new Bond taking over since Spectre - which was 11 years ago. There's been a LOT of different rounds of casting and then...nothing. I think Ahmed would have actually been a great Bond, but has aged out of what they want. But if they keep taking so FUCKING long, everyone is going to age out and they'll have to start all over again...AGAIN! I don't even have an opinion anymore - but the top predictions (Jacob Elordi, Callum Turner, Harris Dickinson) are killing me. Anyway, this is a fun show about the consequences of auditioning for Bond - he gets swept up in a media circus and has to endure a whole lot of racism and hate crimes, which I'm sure he's basing on experience, unfortunately. But I like the way he addresses this - a lot of it is in good humor (the gag with all of the South Asian actors getting confused by one another is always funny - because they all look SO different. It's hard to believe that people get them confused, but I'm sure it comes from truth), but also takes very serious turns (his family is threatened and a pig's head is thrown though their window). I also love how his family reacts to the news of his Bond possibilities ("Did Daniel Craig die?" "Do they know about your height?") - it's all very funny. I think the last two episodes go really off the rails, but overall, it's a fun show. And there's even a really great Bond type song that is featured by Jorja Smith called "Price of it All" (I immediately added it to my Spotify). I hope Ahmed gets to make more. It has similar energy to Atlanta the way it feels a little hyper focused and surreal at the same time. Oh also, I really like Ritu Arya (from Umbrella Academy) and would love to see more of this character.
3. The Testaments - UGH...I hate that I started watching this. I was so happy when The Handmaid's Tale was finally over because I hated it so much, but I'm a completist (and I liked some aspects of it - mostly the parts with Serena, played by Yvonne Strahovski). I wasn't planning on watching this sequel, but then they went and cast Chase Infiniti and I HAD to watch it because I love her. But unfortunately, I hate this show too. And I almost threw my tv out the window when I realized that Elisabeth Moss is in this too. I can't stand her - just one of the worst actresses ever, but also a scientologist and I'm convinced she's lying about her age (there is NO WAY she is a year YOUNGER than me - she's at least a decade older), but it makes sense with the story (and she's not in it a lot). Unfortunately, there is another actress in this who is in it a lot who is also a terrible actress (the girl who plays Daisy - yikes! But she also gets the worst dialogue, so that doesn't help. That inner monologue is just painful! I will admit that her accent is really good. I could still tell she wasn't American, though. I guessed Irish, but she's actually Scottish.). I really struggled to get through this because it's just the same thing over and over again - we already know this story. Are they going to do anything new with it??? ANYTHING AT ALL?? But the last two episodes are really, really good - and they do actually move the story forward and give for a really great ending that will hopefully bleed into the second season. I think the casting is bad though??? They are all supposed to be teenagers (and like young teenagers who are just getting their period), but they all clearly are in their 20s. Like, I'm sorry but Chase Infiniti got her period a decade ago, so watching a scene with this *very important* plot point is just weird. Why not hire actual teenagers??? Or why not stick to the book and have them in their 20s? Also, I don't need a redemption arc or a backstory for Aunt Lydia??? You'll never make me feel bad for her. Overall, I just don't like this show at all - and no amount of "Sweet Jane" playing in the background will make me change my mind.
4. Big Mistakes - This is okay. There's some really good stuff in it and it definitely gets better as it goes on - the first two episodes are ROUGH. But the last two episodes are GREAT. And the twist at the end is so unexpected and FANTASTIC, and definitely makes me excited for a second season (let's just say that the wonderful Elizabeth Perkins should have a much bigger role...). Other stuff that is good: Dan Levy is hilarious (I'm not sure he will every play a different character, but the one that he does is always delightful), some of the dialogue is very good ("Name a woman who has time for Chess" made me giggle), and Laurie Metcalf is acting circles around everyone. But, I strongly feel like it should have starred Rachel Sennott (she wrote this along with Levy, and it's so super clear that she was meant to star in it as well - I'm not sure what happened, I'm assuming it was a scheduling issue), and the girl they got to replace her is...not good. I also think that a LOT of the dialogue is actually terrible, but Levy knows how to deliver the lines with a perfect sarcastic energy and facial expressions that make the lines funny, but everyone else struggles. The story goes from 0 to 100 very quickly and it was hard to keep up with exactly what the end goal is - they are suddenly buying cows and involved with cocaine smuggling?? It's WILD. But, like I said, the end is great and I'm interested to see where it goes.
5. Half Man - So far I like this show a lot (I have two episodes left to watch). I like that Richard Gadd creates really complicated, layered, and contradictory characters because they feel really tangible. He's a really talented writer (if you haven't seen Baby Reindeer, I highly recommend it purely for how well written it is). I'm surprised that the writing didn't receive any Emmy love, and that the sole nomination is for Gadd in the Supporting Actor in a Limited Series category. I saw a lot of people talk about a Jamie Bell snub, and, while I love Jamie Bell, I think the standout performance is Stuart Campbell. I don't think the younger vs older actors are cast well AT ALL based on looks, but Campbell does a great job at this absolutely psychopathic role. He is actually one of the standouts in SAS Rogue Heroes as well, and when I saw that he was in this, I actually moved it up my list. He's definitely an actor that is going to break out BIG very soon (hopefully *crosses fingers*). But, the casting is hard to get past because THAT guy is supposed to be a young Jamie Bell??? What? They don't even look a little bit similar. And the only thing connecting Gadd and Campbell is the haircut (as if someone would have the same awful haircut for 14 years??? So stupid!). But once you get past the cast, it's a good, interesting story. The way they are connecting these two people as being the "other halves", as in they both need each other in this mutualism sort of way, but it's actually more parasitic. It's just written really well, and has a lot of thought put into every single piece of dialogue and character development. There is also something darkly funny about it (and some actual laugh-out-loud moments too - the "this signed Harrison Ford poster?" moment is one of the funniest things I've seen in a while. It's so out-of-pocket - I literally laughed for like 10 minutes). I think my only other criticism (aside from the casting choices) is that the episodes feel a little too long. It can definitely benefit from quickening the pace a bit.
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