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In TV, 2 years after COVID-19 shutdown in March 2020 everything went back on track but the creativity still struggles quantity over quality. The audience experienced some great, some mediocre, some terribble shows this year as usual. So, I'm going to share the shows of 2022 that I've watched. So, here we go!! (MS: Miniseries)
Dissappointments:
2. The Dropout (MS)
1. Killing Eve (S4)
Mediocres:
4. The Bastard Son & Devil Himself (S1)
3. Gaslit (MS)
2. The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (MS)
1. The Flight Attendant
Honorable Mentions:
9. Love Victor (S3)
8. Dark Winds (S1)
7. A Friend of The Family (MS)
6. Irma Vep (MS)
5. The Old Man (S1)
4. Interview With The Vampire (S1)
3. Alaska Daily (S1 ongoing, returns in February)
2. Tehran (S2)
1. Ozark (S4) (https://www.thesbcommunity.com/forums/index.php?/topic/19465-my-top-10-shows-bonus-in-2021-2022-emmy-season-so-far/#comment-932725)
The Best of 2022:
15. The Staircase (Scripted) (MS)
SpoilerThe Best Writing: Episode 4 : Common Sense by Emily Kaczmarek & Craig Shilowich
The Best Directing: Episode 4 : Common Sense by Antonio Campos
The Best Performances: 1. Toni Colette as Kathleen Peterson for Episode 4 : Common Sense
2. Colin Firth as Michael Peterson for Episode 8 : America's Sweetheart or: Time Over Time
There are still lots of holes that if Michael Peterson killed his wife Kathleen or she accidentlly died or the owl manslaughtered her. Probably it will never be found out the whole truth but it is certain that he is not totally sincere in reality comparing to the manipulative documentary series showed the audience. However this scrpited series verison has much more POV than the documentary. The reason is that Antonio Campos and his writer's room studied well to show a bigger picture.
14. Under the Banner of Heaven (MS)
13. What We Do in the Shadows (S4)
SpoilerThe Best Writing: Episode 5 : Private School by Ayo Edebiri & Shana Gold
The Best Directing: Episode 8 : Go Flip Yourself by Yana Gorskaya
The Best Performances: 1. Mark Porskech as Colin Robinson. for Episode 10 : Sunrise, Sunset
2. Harvey Guillen as Guillermo de la Cruz for Episode 7 : Pine Barrens
3. Matt Berry as Laszlo Cravensworth for Episode 5 : Private School
4. Kayvan Novak as Nandor the Relenteless for Episode 6 : The Wedding
5. Natasia Demetriou as Nadja of Antipaxos for Episode 3 : The Grand Opening
This season may not be the best but it still gives you glee and laughs. Actors still amaze me with their chaotic yet cuddling (?) characters. Anyways, let's hope that the Televison Academy would finally recognize their work next year.
12. Riget (The Kingdom): Exodus (S3)
SpoilerThe Best Writing: Episode 5 : Exodus by Lars von Trier & Niels Vørsel
The Best Directing: Episode 5 : Exodus by Lars von Trier & Morten Arnfred
The Best Performances: 1. Mikael Persbrandt as Stig Helmer Jr. for Episode 4 : Barbarossa
2. Bodil Jørgensen as Karen Svensson for Episode 5 : Exodus
3. Nicholas Bro as Balder for Episode 5 : Exodus
The cinema industry's one of the most controversial filmmaker of all time Lars von Trier returned to look after his satanic baby Riget (The Kingdom) after 25 long years just like David Lynch's Twin Peaks that inspired him to make this shit. Due to the cancellation after two season and some of the main cast members' death, the show's fate remained silent until now. Thankfully, Von Trier could manage the complete the storyline properly by introducing some new characters that took over their dead character's uncompleted mission with old faces. The Riget Hospital invites you the Round 3 of "Good v Evil" and "Danes v Swedes" boxing match. So, sit back, grab your popcorns & beer and enjoy the final two matches that takes place in this evil hospital. Idk which side you'll be on but Von Trier advices you to BE PREPARED TO TAKE THE GOOD WITH THE EVIL.
11. The Engish (MS)
SpoilerThe Best Writing: Episode 5 : The Buffalo Gun by Hugo Blick
The Best Directing: Episode 5 : The Buffalo Gun by Hugo Blick
The Best Performances: 1. Rafe Spall as David Melmont for Episode 6 : Cherished
2. Chaske Spencer as Eli Whipp/Wounded Wolf for Episode 5 : The Buffalo Gun
3. Emily Blunt as Lady Cornelia Locke for Episode 1 : What You Want and What You Need
In this epic revenge tale an elite aristocratic Englishwoman Cornelia comes to West for hunting a man who is responsible for her son's death while ex-sergant of US Army Eli Whipp who is a Pawnee man is being determined to seek his right of a land which he earned. So, they met and became a fellow traveler eachother by an unfortunate circumstance. But they don't know yet that these two has an indirectly connection between them in the past. What I liked about this miniseries that it subverted problematic tropes of the western genre. It gave the voice of Eli Whipp and many Indigenious Americans like him. Also, it introduces to the audiences with three-dimensional female characters. In Western genre, female characters were either written-off or one dimensional hookers or damsel in distress who needs saving by a man. Emily Blunt's character Cornelia definetly subverted the damsell in distress trope. Yes she was that character and saved by Eli Whipp but she also can be a badass figure and be vulnerable both. With impressive supporting characters, a mesmerizing cinematography and a fablous score; The English is definetly worth to watch if you love Westerns
10. Sherwood (2022) (S1)
SpoilerThe Best Writing: Episode 5 by James Graham
The Best Directing: Episode 5 by Ben A. Williams
The Best Performances: 1. Lindsey Duncan as Jennifer Hale for Episode 4
2. Lesley Manville as Julie Jackson for Episode 6
3. Adeel Akthar as Andy Fisher for Episode 3
4. Lorraine Ashbourne as Daphne Sparrow for Episode 6
Inspired by two seperate killings occured in Nottinghamshire, Sherwood asks the question how these killings were inspired by a mining strike in 1984/85 divided the mining murders and the division between them affected their lives, families, friends etc. This show is more than a simple crime drama. It is also a political tragedy that one event can tore the community apart.
9. The Boys (S3)
SpoilerThe Best Writing: Episode 6 : Herogasm by Jessica Chou
The Best Directing: Episode 6 : Herogasm by Nelson Cragg
The Best Performances: 1. Antony Starr as Homelander for Episode 2 : The Only Man in the Sky
2. Erin Moriatry as Annie January/Starlight for Episode 6 : Herogasm
3. Karen Fukuhara as Kimiko Miyashiro for Episode 5 : The Last Time to Look on This World of Lies
4. Laurie Holden as Crimson Countess for Episode 5 : The Last Time to Look on This World of Lies
5. Colby Minifie as Ashley Barrett for Episode 6 : Herogasm
Although Season 3 is not the best season than the first two, The Boys still manages to tackle issues like racism, anti-semitism, pinkwashing, facsism, captalism, corporate greed, manipulation etc. and it still bashes to superhero genre. However the show is tend to point out the dark sides of "The Boys" team especially The Butcher. (Oi, I'm fuckin' telling ya, CUNT!!) The "Herogasm" episode really gave the expectations that I hoped for. In conclusion though the season finale is too weak, I'm certain that this show will do make more mayhem in S4.
P.S. "Gen V" spin-off looks DIABOLICAL, can't wait for both!!!
8. Heartstopper (S1)
7. Black Bird (MS)
SpoilerThe Best Writing: Episode 6 : You Promised by Dennis Lehane
The Best Directing: Episode 6 : You Promised by Joe Chapelle
The Best Performances: 1. Paul Walter Hauser as Larry Hall for Episode 6 : You Promised
2. Taron Egerton as Jimmy Keene Jr. for Episode 6 : You Promised
3. Ray Liotta as Big Jim for Episode 3 : Hand to Mouth
4. Sepideh Moafi as Lauren Mccauley for Episode 2 : We Are Coming, Father Abraham
5. Greg Kinnear as Brad Miller for Episode 1 : Pilot
The true crime genre became a new trend of television. We've seen dozens of them and sometimes this trend became questionable for etchical issues wheter it's glamorozing murders. Black Bird does the exact opposite. It tells its story by making Jimmy Keene and Larry Hall playing mindhunterish mindgames to eachother. The story is not expolittative and yet disturbing. That's because of the conversations around prisons about how Larry allegedly (!) kill young girls and hide their bodies under dust. It's also a redemption story of Jimmy. Once a promised football player became a kingpin of drugs and weapons. He got caught and got sentected to minimum secured prison for 10 years without parole. So, he had to play gamble of his life by transferring to maximum secured prison in a criminally insane facility and befriending Larry Hall in order to confess his murders. Actings are tremendous, escpecially the insense converstaion between Jimmy and Larry. Last but not least the late Ray Liotta as Jimmy's dad who suffocated from his disease will make you depress and heartbroken. In conclusion, Black Bird is a worth to watch how the system fails to finding missing women and one person can easily manipuate to the autotharies by actually confessing his murders but making them to think that this guy is just bullshitting.
6. The Devil's Hour (S1)
SpoilerThe Best Writing: Episode 6 : Amor Fati by Tom Moran
The Best Directing: Episode 6 : Amor Fati by Johnny Allan
The Best Performances: 1. Peter Capaldi as Gideon Shepherd for Episode 6 : Amor Fati
2. Jessica Raine as Lucy Chambers for Episode 6 : Amor Fati
3. Nikesh Patel as Ravi Dhillon for Episode 5 : The Half of Ourselves We Have Lost
Years after watching Twin Peaks and Hannibal I binged another show that haunted me enough called "The Devil's Hour". Although it has supernatural elements, it points out rather than showing. It does by fucking someone's up psychologically. That is why I was more instersted of an unknown horror. The key factor of it is the main antanogist Gideon played by Peter Capaldi. He is the main mystery as it should be. Because, in the show it seems that everything is connected to him and Peter Capaldi never given in inch from his character's mysteriosness. That is the reason of why he terrifed me. But this show would not be impossible without our protaginists Ravi, Lucy and Lucy's creepy son Isaac. The cinematography and the editing is mesmerizing. Tom Moran was amazing at writing all episodes. If you want you fill yourself with great psychological horror, The Devil's Hour is a perfect stop for you but beware of time 3.33, it might give you horrors.
P.S. Nikesh Patel is damn HOT! My next daddy!
5. The Bear (S1)
SpoilerThe Best Writing: Episode 7 : Review by Joanna Calo
The Best Directing: Episode 7 : Review by Christopher Storer
The Best Performances: 1. Ayo Edebiri as Sydney Adamu for Episode 7 : Review
2. Jeremy Allen White as Carmen Berzatto for Episode 8 : Braciole
3. Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Richie Jerimovich for Episode 7 : Review
4. Lionel Boyce as Marcus for Episode 7 : Review
I think The Bear is one of the most accurate depiction of managing worklife crisis. Sometimes it succeeds, sometimes it fails just like we experienced in modern life. In this show Carmen Berzatto who became the runner of Mr. Beef in Chicagı, North River has to deal with his older brother's suicide, the debts of the restaurant which Carmen's late brother was reason of it and his sloppy staff around him escpecially his late brother's old friend Richie (COUSIN!!!) after he came from toxic workplace in a fine-dining restaurant that he struggled. Anyway even though you don't work at a kitchen, you can find yourself in that show, specifically in Episode 7. In the End The Bear became FX's new fresh meat. JEFF'S KISS xoxo.
4. Andor (S1)
SpoilerThe Best Writing: Episode 9 : Nobody's Listening by Beau Willimon
The Best Directing: Episode 10 : One Way Out by Toby Haynes
The Best Performances: 1. Stellan Skatsgård as Luthen Rael for Episode 10 : One Way Out
2. Andy Serkis as Kino Roy for Episode 10 : One Way Out
3. Denise Gough as Dedra Meero for Episode 9 : One Way Out
4. Genevieve O'Reilly as Mon Mothma for Episode 9 : One Way Out
5. Fiona Shaw as Maarva Andor for Episode 12 : Rix Road
6. Diego Luna as Cassian Andor for Episode 11 : Daughter of Ferrix
To be fair, I had no interest to watch the entire Star Wars Universe. I love space operas but Star Wars is not my type. But Andor change my mind to enter my Star Wars journey. That is because of the writers room of Andor. Tony Gilroy who is the creator of Andor (Michael Clayton), Dan Gilroy (Nightcrawler), Stephen Schiff (The Americans) and Beau Willimon (House of Cards (US)) was enough for me and I knew it was gonna be amazing. These four horsemen of apocalyspe did an tremendous job by writing a 5-chaptered storyline. The Directors and DOP made an amazing job of showing us great views. The Production Design is splendid. Acting is amazing. So far, Andor became the most dark and brutal show that is streaming on family friendly Disney+. It is an anti-Disney show that you can find in Disney's library. That's because Tony Gilroy never gave a single shit of hardcore SW fandom, instead he and his writer's room cared about the storyline structure. The relenteless politics of The Empire reminds people who are under opression of their contriues of what's really happening in their world. The Empire makes us feel their influence like police brutality, heteronormative values, imperalism, dictatorship, interrigation violence, misogny, racism, genocide, increasing incarceration, racial profiling etc. Hence, it's not a show for everyone. Andor is not a fairytale. It's a portrait of an ugly world that is surrounding us every single time.
3. The White Lotus (S2)
SpoilerThe Best Writing: Episode 7 : Arrivederci by Mike White
The Best Directing: Episode 7 : Arrivederci by Mike White
The Best Performances: 1. Aubrey Plaza as Harper Spiller for Episode 6 : Abductions
2. Jennifer Coolidge as Tanya McQuoid-Hunt for Episode 7 : Arrivederci
3. Meghan Fahy as Daphne Sullivan for Episode 7 : Arrivederci
4. Will Sharpe as Ethan Spiller for Episode 7 : Arrivederci
5. F. Murray Abraham as Bert DiGrasso for Episode 6 : Abductions
6. Sabrina Impacciatore as Valentina for Episode 6 : Abductions
7. Leo Woodall as Jack for Episode 6 : Abductions
Mike White still amazes me to embrass the riches. Emmy Wiinning The White Lotus continues to bat-shit crazy things that is happening in The White Lotus luxury hotels. The next stop is Sicily. The second season got way better than the first season. It has lots of twists and turns. Sex, drugs, murder (?) and Rock 'n' Roll baby. You'll be mesmerized by its insane intro and amazing views of Sicily and lots of lots of sexy and chaotic men.
2. Severance (S1)
1. Better Call Saul (S6)
SpoilerThe Best Writing: Episode 13 : Saul Gone by Peter Gould
The Best Directing: Episode 8 : Point and Shoot by Vince Gilligan
The Best Performances: 1. Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler for Episode 12 : Waterworks
2. Bob Odenkirk as Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman/Gene Takovic for Episode 13 : Saul Gone
3. Tony Dalton as Lalo Salamanca for Episode 8 : Point and Shoot
4. Giancarlo Esposito as Gustavo Fring for Episode 9 : Fun and Games
5. Carol Burnett as Marion for Episode 12 : Waterworks
6. Jonathan Banks as Mike Ehrmanhaut for Episode 8 : Point and Shoot
7. Juan Carlos Canto as Manuel Varga for Episode 9 : Fun and Games
8. Steven Bauer as Don Eladio Vuente for Episode 9 : Fun and Games
9. Mark Margolis as Don Hector Salamanca for Episode 9 : Fun and Games
10. Sadrine Holt as Cheryl Hamlin for Episode 12 : Waterworks
11. Betsy Brandt as Marie Schrader for Episode 13 : Saul Gone
BCS ultimaltely has one of the best final seasons you can ever get. So far I've only reviewed its first part, you can click above for it. Hence I'm gonna continue to review the second part of BCS The Final Season. After a bone chilling cliffhanger although it was never supposed to be, BCS returned in July with an intense hourlong episode. It was frightening and utterly breathtaking as hell. "We're set." A week later Episode 9 was calm yet suspenseful. With this episode we said goodbye to the prequel though the show didn't end with and we witnessed the complete transformation of Saul Goodman. "Let justice be done, though the heavens fall.". Episode 10 was quite fun. The editing was splendid. I loved every single of it "Gene, Gene, The Cinnabon Machine!". This was a prepation for Saul's final act. In episode 11 we see Saul POV that how he got involved in Walt and Jesse's drug business. In this post-Breaking bad era Saul/Gene is ready for his final scam but something went wrong. "I'm gonna start BREAKING BAD!". Episode 12 was quite heartbreaking. We've got to see Kim's post BCS/BB life. She's far away from her town. She wanted to forget every single of Jimmy and Kim's fun and games but Jimmy seems to remind her what they did. Hence she returned to ABQ and has to confront with Howard's widowed wife Cheryl about her and Jimmy's fun and games. It wasn't easy for sure, it ended up Kim having a meltdown on the bus. Rhea Seehorn literally killed it. All the pain and suffering of Kim went thorugh. Jimmy/Saul/Gene btw his final scam went wrong by his complicit made a small accident that is noticed by the police. So, Saul seems to lost Monopoly. "Have an nice life, Kim." Now in Episode 13 Jimmy finally had to face with his crimes. After he realizes that Kim is in trouble, he took full responsibility of his actions both in BCS & BB timeline. In the courtroom Saul went full "Ozymandias" that Walt wouldn't be powerful without him. During the trial Saul went back to his origins as Jimmy. "The name's McGill. I'm James McGill". In the end Jimmy still has popularity among incarcerated criminals as Saul Goodman and Jimmy & Kim shared a smoke in his visiting day just like in the old times.
Every episode felt like a chapter of a novel, an act of a play. In conclusion BCS became the total masterpiece without being overshadowed by Breaking Bad. With this show's ending Walt, Mike, Gus will never be same to us. But let's not forget that Better Call Saul couldn't be made without Breaking Bad. "THAT'S SAUL FOLKS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU!!"
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Since the Pride Month ended and the summer started burning us, we have been getting closer to the day when Primetime Emmy nominations will be announced. As you know, the eligibity of getting an Emmy nomination starts on June 1st and ends on May 31st, the following year. So, in my first topic I am going to counting down my top 10 (+Bonus) shows in 2021-2022 Emmy Season so far. Hence the earth shattering, explosive, new season of our diabolical cunt show The Boys started on June 3rd and the my best new shows like The Old Man, Dark Winds, Sherwood (British Drama) & Irma Vep (TV adaptation of the film same name) started also in June 2022, these shows won't be included until my next post about it next year. So, let's begin!
Honorable Mention: Ozark (Season 4)
Spoiler
The Best Performer: Julia Garner as Ruth Langmore (Episode 407: Sanctified)
The Best Writing: Sanctified (Episode 407) by Miki Johnson
The Best Directing: Pound of Flesh and Still Kickin' (Episode 411) by Laura Linney
I'm not gonna lie, this final season couldn't reach to the excellent previous season and I have mixed feelings and thoughts in the final episode but the season carried with great acting and good character development. We finally witnessed Marty's coming out of his shell and becoming a darker human being. Wendy became more harmful to herself and the others but she was forced to confront her past actions. In the end, life still goes on shitty to the Byrde Family and they still will watch their neck however unlike people of color and southern poor white people who got their hands dirty, they got away with their crimes again because of their upper middle class white liberal privilige. I think that makes sense in some way but it could have been planned better by writers. Nevertheless I have no regrets of watching this series including the polarized series finale and I'm thankful for the people in front of and behind camera.
10. The White Lotus (Season 1)
Spoiler
The Best Performer: Jennifer Coolidge as Tanya McQuoid (Episode 103: Mysterious Monkeys)
The Best Writing: Recentering (Episode 104) by Mike White
The Best Directing: Departures (Episode 106) by Mike White
What can I say, The White Lotus is a simply embrassment of riches. The show has tackled issues very well like toxic masculinity, addiction, white privilige, insecurity etc. We witnessed the shocking scenes like the manager Armond (Murray Bartlett aka daddy) rimming his employee Dillon (Lukas Gage), pooping in a guest room where the asshole Shane (Jake Lacy) stayed and unfortunately his death. Well, I am indecisive whether this is an another trope of bury your gay or not but at least Mike White didn't resort to cliches aimed at Armond's fate. Rather, Armond paid the price of his weakness. In conclusion, this show is so funny but also so brutal. Last but not least the main theme and the score are so delightful.
9. Under the Banner of Heaven (Miniseries)
SpoilerThe Best Performer: Billy Howle as Allen Lafferty (Episode 101: When God Was Love)
The Best Writing: When God Was Love (Episode 101) by Dustin Lance Black
The Best Directing: Revelation (Episode 106) by Isabel Sandoval
Andrew Garfield peaked his career at last year as Jonathan Larson in Tick, Tick... Boom! and as Spider Man (cameo) in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Then after landing an another Oscar nomination in Tick, Tick... Boom!, he starred in a television miniseries as a lead role in Under The Banner of Heaven. It was created by Oscar winning Milk (2008) screenwriter and the husband of Tom Daley (Gold Medal Winning Diver of 2020 Tokyo Olympics) and an ex-mormon Dustin Lance Black. Like Lance's previous writings of Big Love which is also a show about Mormon religion (haven't watched it though) this shows deals with Mormon faith, moreover this mini-series goes deep into the origin of Mormonism by telling stories of the architects of Mormon religion Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and their ambition to articulate their promise like the polygamy. After a century later the tyrant of Lafferty family who are widely known about their reputation started to crumble. Their actions of attempting polygamy, child molestation, domestic violence, making their women obey them contributed their downfall. So, Brenda Lafftery's warning her sister-in-laws against their husband's plans made the Lafferty men felt (!) more threatened and this led to the murder against Brenda Lafferty and her infant kid. Although the show was based on a non-fiction book by Jon Krauker, a journalist; it was semi-fictonalized by adding fictional characters like Jeb Pyre, a Mormon cop whose life is shattered because of the homicide, played by Garfield. After watching all the episodes what I wanted to say is the show was aired in a right time before the U.S is dealing with abortion ban and school shooting. It was well-directed and the score and the cinematography haunted me enough.
8. What We Do in the Shadows (Season 3)
Spoiler
The Best Performer: Literally everyone in various episodes
The Best Writing: The Wellness Center (Episode 308) by Stefani Robinson
The Best Directing: The Portrait (Episode 310) by Yana Gorskaya
If you have liked the movie of the same name, you are gonna love this show. It is hilarious so much. The writers have lots of amazing ideas to make us laugh. Almost every character are so weird, queer, camp, funny and creepy at the same time. So, get ready for some blood and piss off the werevolves, witches and a half-chicken half-human creature.
7. Dopesick (Miniseries)
SpoilerThe Best Performer: Kaitlyn Dever as Betsy Mallum (Episode 107: Black Box Warning)
The Best Writing: Pseudo-Addiction (Episode 104) by Jessica Mecklenburg
The Best Directing: The People vs. Purdue Pharma (Episode 108) by Danny Strong
This show differs from most drug related stories. The reason was Oxycontin. This drug was legal and easily accessible in any pharmacy. Dopesick did a great job about how the Purdue Pharma lied, manipulated, gaslighted doctors, patients to make their drug greenlight and then sell to the patients so quickly. The opioid crisis is a gangrene of the America, particularly the working-class Americans whose jobs requires lots of body effort like the mining and Oxycontin who includes much opioid benefited from it. The series is told in multiple point of views and timelines like Traffic (2000 movie) by Steven Soderbergh and we get deeper about mining workers, doctors, authorities, the DEA and of course the fucking Sackler family who owns the Purdue Pharma. I think it must be watched and taught in schools, because the Americans still couldn't get rid of Oxycontin at all.
6. Maid (Miniseries)
Spoiler
The Best Performer: Andie Macdowell as Paula Langley (Episode 107: String Cheese)
The Best Writing: Bear Hunt (Episode 108) by Marcus Gardley and Molly Smith Metzler
The Best Directing: Dollar Store (Episode 101) by John Wells
Maid which is inspired by Stephanie Land's memoir of the same name is about a emotinally abused mother Alex Russell who suddenly escapes with her daughter from the abusive partner Sean. Later she founds herself as a maid. Maid is an complex story how a college dropout girl handles with a lot of problems like her bipolar mom, an estranged father, an alcoholic abusive partner, poverty, insults, homelessness, survival etc. John Wells, like his previous work Shameless (US) does approach the lives of working class people with an empathy. Maid is not an tear-jerker porn or romanticised poor life story. Rather we see this kind of story as full of humanity. Margaret Qualley finally shines with her lead role as Alex and I expect nothing from her but a good career and a good life, however I must say Andie Macdowell who plays Alex's mom Paula and also real-life mom of Qualley was a scene-stealer in every minute where she exists.
5. Yellowjackets (Season 1)
Spoiler
The Best Performer: Christina Ricci as Misty Quigley (Episode 103: The Dollhouse)
The Best Writing: Pilot (Episode 101) by Ashley Lyle & Bart Nickerson
The Best Directing: Pilot (Episode 101) by Karyn Kusama
When I was selected as a model student in my highschool between Winter-Spring 2015 my school principal at that time gave me a book as a prize. The book is called 'The Lord of the Flies'. When I started to read this, I've immadietly loved it. The book is about teenage boys who stranded on a island after plane crash. Then the boys had to survive by doing some crazy shit. So, when the project 'Yellowjackets' was ordered a pilot I was curious of it from the beginning. After that, it announced its cast and it was dope. The show was delayed too much after the cast and the crew finished shooting a pliot in late 2019, because of the COVID but I was still curious if it is gonna come out as good. Thankfully Showtime gave the series order in December 2020. After 11 months the show came out and I am hooked after a horrific opening scene of Yellowjackets. The show is about teenage girl soccer team who was a state champion in 1996 then who stranded in the Ontario woods in 19 months after plane crashed which it was supposed to go Seattle where the girls was going to play in the National League first. Then it takes after 25 years when some survived teenage girls became adult woman and their life is treathened again because of the incident. The show has an interesting journey. When Warner Bros announced of the female reimagining of 'The Lord of the Flies' it had a backlash like Ghosbusters (2016) and Oceans 8 but after co-creator Ashley Lyle saw that article she began to develop this idea. Even the dead William Golding, the author of the book, disagree this idea way before this announcement that teenage girls can't be brutal like the boys. We would be wrong that Yellowjackets simply remaked and make female of the book totally. The shows borrows lots of used elements from real-life cannibalism in order to survival in the middle of nowhere like "Andes Flight Crash" and "Donner Party", brutalism from "The Lord of the Flies" and supernatural stuff from "Lost". Although Yellowjackers is a "genre-bending" show the mixture didn't turn out like gruel. This turned out like an excellent food with a lot of mixed ingridients. Acting is so great, casting of young women fits with their adult counterparts, the original score is so errie and the soundtrack of 90's music takes back us to the nostalgia. Like Juliette Lewis who is in the show said the script of the pilot is so great. In conclusion like I said "Yellowjackets" is not a simply remake of "The Lord of the Flies". It is an answer to "The Lord of the Flies" like that book was an answer to a book called "The Coral Island".
4. Heartstopper (Season 1)
Spoiler
The Best Performer: Literallt everyone in various episodes
The Best Writing: Boyfriend (Episode 108) by Alice Oseman
The Best Directing: Boyfriend (Episode 108) by Euros Lyn
Trigger Warning: Graphic Content in Moonrise Kingdom (It contains spoilers from the movie.)
I am still furious that this lovely comic-book series is banned to the kids in Turkey as "This is not suitable for kids!" which is totally absurd. What's worse when the series adaptaiton aired, "The Ministry of Family" of Turkey decided the series as "detriment and salacious".So, they put the series as +18. No backlash made against the movies/series about romance between a boy and a girl which they are underage; for example in "Moonrise Kingdom"
Spoilerwhen a boy and a girl kisses and the boy touches her breast,
nobody even bat an eyelash. I mean wtf. I can't stand with hypocrisy of cis-het people ignoring LGBTQ+ kids' existence and if we say about their existence they would immadietly accuse us of "sexualizing kids". Everyone, I mean everyone who read the comic-books knows that this story is not "hypersexual" like Euphoria. That's why the series and the comic-books cries out by not yelling that queer kids exist. The series is a love letter to them. I love almost every single character. What I like about the series that it is not tragic or doesn't see it through rose-tinted glasses. I hate the term "normal" but the queer characters are just normal like cis-het people. In Alice Oseman's world broke all the cliche tropes of any teen drama/comedies. For instance, homophobes are just homophobes. They are not insecure about their sexuality or repressed people. They're just bullies. Secondly, There are a lot of positive visibilities among queer people. Yasmin Finney's character Elle, a black trans woman is shown in a positive-light. Elle is basically life saver and role model to all trans youth. Thirdly, another sterotype breaking of issue is "Bury your lesbians" trope. Darcy and Tara might be cutest fictional lesbian couple on TV. They are not killed off (
SpoilerKilling Eve
I'm saying this to you). Fourthly, Nick in Heartstopper breaked the stereotypical "Jock Guy" who has an internalized homophobia and has a crush on a effeminate gay guy. He loves sports and is in a rugby team. He encouraged Charlie to join his rugby team. In the end Charlie is good at it but when the teammates bullied him against his queerness, Nick stood up for Charlie who Nick met him only a couple of days ago against his friends in a long time. After then when he realized he has a crush on Charlie, he got confused and struggled on his sexuality however he didn't cut longers like bullying or abusing his crush or making an inappropiate homophobic jokes, instead he was given time to finding a path. In the end Nick came out as bi and Charlie who is gay quickly embraces his bisexualness. On the other hand, Ben Hope who is also bi covered his sexuality and because of that he oppressed and abused Charlie to hide his sexuality but Charlie didn't replied to him as "unfaithful or sex-crazed closeted bisexual", instead Charlie confronted Ben due to his toxic behavior.
In conclusion, Heartstopper is a feel-good romantic drama among queer people. Although the show and comic-itself has focusing on the romance two cis-white men, the supporting characters are not here as "token" or one dimensional "In your face!" unlikeable people. They are here as "three-dimensional people" like Nick and Charlie. Yes, let kids just be kids but don't tore them apart their experiences. Plus, Olivia Colman is here as an unexpected guest-star.
3. Severance (Season 1)
Spoiler
The Best Performer: Britt Lower as Helly R. (Episode 109: The We We Are)
The Best Writing: The We We Are (Episode 109) by Dan Erickson
The Best Directing: The We We Are (Episode 109) by Ben Stiller
Work fucking sucks, especially when your personal life collides with your professional life. What if we could seperate them forever? Severance answers this question but it gets worse than you imagine. The show is basically inspired from Charlie Brooker's "Black Mirror", Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" and Arthur C. Clarke's "Childhood's End". You think life is better or stable by seperating your two lives but it isn't. It is an another trope of "dystopia" which is invisible and sneaky. But this miserable life is not ahead of our present time. It's closer than you think. Character and the plot is well-written and the season finale was edge your seat thriller in a short time. This season finale is a major cliffhanger episode that we've waited for years.
2. Better Call Saul (Season 6A)
Spoiler
The Best Performer: Michael Mando as Ignacio "Nacho" Varga (Episode 603: Rock and Hard Place)
The Best Writing: Rock and Hard Place (Episode 603) by Gordon Smith
The Best Directing: Rock and Hard Place (Episode 603) by Gordon Smith
The more Better Call Saul airs its episodes, the more we get closer to the Breaking Bad. The show gave us more answers of the unanswered questions in Breaking Bad. The writer's room were simply careful of their storyline. In this half-season we saw two shocking deaths. In one hand Nacho Varga said goodbye to us by delivering his iconic monologue to the Salamancas. As we see it, Nacho is tired of running and working with a Gus' cartel. He only cared about his father's security. He finally understood that he wouldn't die of natural causes or bad disease, so instead of letting people execute himself, he took his own life. There are good deaths, there are bad deaths but Nacho make his choice of being killed from his own hands. On the other hand, there is Howard. He is also tired of being scammed, manipulated and gaslighted by Jimmy and Kim. But he sometimes can be overwhelmed by his frailities. He didn't just let go to the Sandpiper case. But his reactions are understandable. So, when he confronted Jimmy and Kim after drinking too much alcohol, he got trapped by Lalo. Jimmy and Kim knew Lalo's tendencies but Howard didn't. He was at the wrong place and a wrong time. That cliffhanger shocks us a lot. The second final part is coming in a week, so we'll see if Jimmy/Saul/Gene is gonna get a happy ending after all that.
1. Succession (Season 3)
Spoiler
The Best Performer: Jeremy Strong as Kendall Roy (Episode 305: Retired Janitors of Idaho)
The Best Writing: All the Bells Say (Episode 309) by Jesse Armstrong
The Best Directing: The Distruption (Episode 303) by Cathy Yan
Speaking of embrassment of riches, this one is a perfect example of rich people's conceits and egos. Every single character is so unlikeable that you wanna punch their face but you cannot look away from them. They are interesting characters. Kendall's trollings, Shiv's manipulations, Roman's mommy issues, Logan's "fuck off"s, Tom's breakdowns, Greg's Gregic behaviors etc. This show is melodramatic, darkly funny and entertaining all at once. The season finale makes us wonder what's gonna happen next. The shooting started in Late June so we have to wait longer than ever. This show is modern version of "King Lear" with sauces of Murdoch.
What'cha Watching? (TV)
in Culture Shock
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Fellow Travelers Ep 4 was cute and also concerning (Fuck McCarthy and Cohn. Fuck their Lavender Scale and Red Scare.). I love U, Skippy Tim.