I-like-cake Reviews

Frasier (2023– )

After watching the whole season- 9/10, yes

[9/10 · 11 January 2024]

I too had my doubts about this reboot when I watched the first episode, but I knew that it was going to take a few episodes to establish the characters. People who judged it poorly because of the first couple episodes are would probably be more entertained by slapstick comedies like Jackass. The cast is great and the characters they portray have room for growth. That said, I do think that Nile's son is a pretty one-dimensional character.

After the cast fleshed out who the characters were and what they were about, the show really began to brighten up, and by the last episode it was up to the original Frasier's standards. I was hoping for more than 10 episodes, because once it got rolling it was a joy to watch.

North Shore (2023– )

Two thumbs up

[10/10 · 28 October 2023]

OK, so this wasn't a 10, but it's to compensate for all the bozos that gave it a rating of less than 5. I can see where someone who is really jaded and/or burned out on police procedurals might give it a 5, but in no way does it deserve less than that. The acting was fine, the script was acceptable, the scenery great at times. A little humor, a little drama... it is good escapist fun. I would probably give it a real rating of 7 for that reason, but like I said, there are people out there who would rate Downton Abbey as a 3 because they thought it was boring. I was entertained, so two thumbs up ^^.

The Larkins (2021–2022)

Perfect television.

[9/10 · 8 January 2023]

I never read the book that this show was based on, nor saw the original series which so many commenters make reference to. That said, on seeing this for the first time I love it! While I understand the comments about tokenism (for the first season anyway), just consider it an update for more modern audiences that does no harm to the plot.

I could say a lot more about the acting, which is excellent, and the scripts, which are acceptable- understand that it's not supposed to be gripping drama. It's a story about a fun-loving family and their goofy neighbors, a plot that has been done a million times already, but in this case it's done in a way that is very entertaining. More seasons, please.

The Comey Rule (2020)

Comey lied under oath

[1/10 · 10 August 2022]

Is there really anything else that needs to be said? The Comey Rule is "do whatever it takes to further your career while trying to stay out of jail." He led the FBI down a corrupt path that they may never recover from. The acting is OK, but at the end of the day this series was just an attempt to get ahead of the facts that later unfolded, much to his discredit.

The Ipcress File (2022)

Obviously, a different audience for the 2022 version

[7/10 · 29 June 2022]

This was a decent effort to remake the classic movie of the 60's. The acting was good, as were the sets. My only complaint would be some of the historical mistakes (an L-1011 landing at Templehof, really?), but there was nothing that really ruined the ambiance of the series. The writers managed to maintain the suspense over 6 episodes and added a few twists that were welcome, without resorting too heavily to The Message. Overall, a winner that was enjoyable.

Moon Knight (2022)

A psychological mishmash

[4/10 · 20 May 2022]

1 star for the sets, 1 star for originality, 2 stars for the acting. I felt like the intended audience for this show was clinical psychologists who dabble in Egyptology. Or vice-versa. The positive feelings I had for the show (really, Oscar Isaac's acting was outstanding) were outweighed by the muddled storyline. I assume that was intentional for the backstory but it turned what could have been a fun ride into a psychological mishmash. I doubt I'll turn up for Season 2.

Outer Range (2022– )

It had so much promise...

[4/10 · 5 May 2022]

4 stars for the scenery and the promise of an interesting premise.

-6 stars for failing to deliver on the premise, and the music- I know it was supposed to create a trippy atmosphere, but it turned out to just be weird.

This is a series that had real potential to deliver a mind-bending scifi experience. I patiently waited for the 6th episode to deliver some of the goods, but in the end it just devolved into a hillbilly soap opera. Add in the now requisite oppressive christians and oppressed lesbians, and you have an semi-unoriginal snoozefest.

The Liberator (2020)

Stop already with the "filters"

[10/10 · 1 March 2021]

This is an animated picture, and thank heavens for that. A live action version couldn't have been made without a lot of CGI, or at prohibitive expense. It's the story that counts, and it's a good one, worth telling. I actually think that the animated format helped tell the story. I was also concerned that it might not be respectful of the soldiers who fought, but was a misplaced concern, as it honored the ones who deserved it- on both sides. At the same time it underlined the tragedy and waste of war. More like this, please.

Schitt's Creek (2015–2020)

Nothing great lasts forever.

[7/10 · 26 May 2020]

Really loved the show until Season 4, when it became a vehicle for Dan Levy to explore his sexuality. He was much funnier when he had a more laissez faire attitude about it, ranging from asexual to bi-curious. The rest of the characters are doing yeomen's work, but the show has gradually lost its spark.

Almost Paradise (2020– )

It's not art, but it is fun

[8/10 · 27 April 2020]

Kudos to the producers for providing an entertaining show. It doesn't try too hard to be something it's not, it doesn't take itself too seriously, and simply tells a different story every episode surrounded by interesting scenery. Compared with a lot of the stuff that comes out nowadays, they could do a lot worse. I enjoy the actors, and also the cultural glimpses of life on Cebu. Congratulations to everyone involved, I hope it continues on for many seasons.

Council of Dads (2020)

Great acting marred by super-woke writing

[5/10 · 20 April 2020]

I really wanted to enjoy this show because it features some really great talent and an intriguing story line, but the writers were on a mission to make it about pushing their agenda whenever they could. Unless you're a Progressive, the writers will find a way to trigger you. I don't know if they will be able to redeem it for a lot of people who would probably watch it otherwise, which is a shame, because it had a lot of potential to bring people together if it weren't for the politics.

Kim's Convenience (2016–2021)

I wish there were more on TV as good as this!!

[10/10 · 9 December 2017]

This show has all the style elements of the best comedies. Perceptive observations of quirky human behavior, the funny contrasts that result when cultures collide, and the family interactions of people who love each other but who also enjoy being independent. The writing is excellent, and the actors do the very best job possible with their lines- and they get extra points for the occasional physical gag. It's a show the whole family will enjoy, which is rare enough. All that makes this show a real treasure. And thankfully, no laugh track.

Zoo (2015–2017)

This show is a riot, but not in a positive way

[3/10 · 25 November 2017]

The premise has lots of bright possibilities. It's an apocalyptic show about what would happen if the Animal Kingdom turned on homo sapiens, so the actions of the characters are driven by constant crisis. I have to say that I like the actors in this series, but they have not been well served by the writers. Each season is progressively more unbelievable. In Season 3 the writers gave up all pretext of a consistent plot; they opened up the TV trope chest and dumped everything into each episode. I picture them sitting around a room, and as one would script the next outrageous twist, the next one would exclaim, "Hold my beer!" At the end of Season 3 it is hanging on by life support. What a waste.

High Maintenance (2012–2015)

Dreck

[1/10 · 18 September 2016]

I love comedies. Even turn your brain off, turn the laugh-track on, formulaic sitcoms have their place. To call this show a comedy is an insult to the genre, there's nothing funny about it. It's possible that it was mislabeled as a comedy, and is really a subtle documentary about how to get your film project funded (hint: gratuitous gay sex scenes won't overcome crap), but the end product is so terrible that I fast-forwarded through it for a second time to make sure I what I saw was the actual show, and not some sort of strange trailer for something else. Then I came here to write this review, because I now have a mission to warn people that this show will suck the life-force out of you.