sout-63306 Reviews

Unnatural (2018)

Not bad, but too much copying

[5/10 · 13 May 2024]

This series is not bad as far as it goes if you're not looking for something too serious. I stopped watching about half way through the series, mainly because the plot shifted between a copy of what's been done a zillion times already and the impossibly silly.

The acting is fine, the script is okay, the story line is off-putting. The characters cover most of the spectrum - the traitor, the tragic past, the surly handsome man and the attractive women. There's also a bit of social commentary on, for example, sexism and overwork.

Still, sitting through jaded retakes of people getting locked in freezers, and online countdowns to murder gets a bit old.

The Secret Life of My Secretary (2019)

Excruciatingly cute

[5/10 · 11 May 2024]

This is one of those excruciating Korean shows you need to watch on 1.5x speed. Even then it's hard to keep watching a lot of the time. You may find yourself skipping over all the re-caps and smarmy scenes that add nothing to the story. They are there for laughs or sentimentality, if you like this sort of thing. (The main characters speak a lot in baby talk. They also talk out loud to themselves a lot.)

There is a subplot that is hinted at but largely hidden for at least the first seven episodes. Enough is revealed to show something nefarious is going on, but not enough to know what and exactly who are the bad guys.

The male lead plays a clueless boss to an extent that you wonder how he ever got the job. The female lead's part is suffocatingly cringy (at times no self-esteem, at other times more assertive). The two main secondary roles are a "straight" character and another over the top character.

The plot and subplots take forever to develop, which is frustrating. Just the same, the show can hook you in, which is why I've given it a 5.

I must admit I don't enjoy slapstick comedy. If you do, and you don't find this sort of thing too cringy and slow, then you may enjoy it.

Vagabond (2019)

Good until the last few episodes

[6/10 · 27 April 2024]

I enjoyed this series - at least up until around episode 12 or 13, when the main story ended. I'm really struggling to finish it and not sure if I will.

Without revealing too much, the story is not atypical of Korean drama, with a couple of kids fighting the bad guys and the supposed good guys who turned out to be bad.

It only has hinted romance, so it's mostly an action film for the first 12 episodes. The good guys make quite a few slip ups and poor decisions along the way. The good and bad characters, while not exactly real life, are reasonably colourful and well portrayed. There's little humour though I recall chuckling a couple of times.

I understand why it has a high rating. However I have had to give it a lower score because of the tediousness of the last few episodes. It's as if someone said it has to be 16 episodes, but they ran out of story after 12 and had to tack on another story at the end.

Another Miss Oh (2016)

Another bit of drunken sleaze

[1/10 · 20 October 2023]

Being made to sit through lengthy scenes of revoltingly intoxicated characters is or was the fashion in Kdrama soapies for a while. It's painful to watch. You can skip over it on Netflix, thank goodness.

Also, to keep me viewing, a soapie needs to have something compelling in the storyline - comedy, drama, thriller, mystery or whatever. In the 3 and a bit episodes I watched there was none of those. The main characters were boring, some supplementary characters were horrible to watch, the ones that had potential didn't show it before I gave up on the show.

I've rated this a 1, mainly because I had to skip quickly through more than half the scenes where it dragged on with nothing happening.

Bear in mind I only made it through three and a bit episodes before giving up. If the series improved after episode 5 (which Kdramas sometimes do), I didn't have the time or energy to find out.

The King's Affection (2021– )

Not well-paced, cheezy

[5/10 · 16 April 2023]

The basic plot was okay but the storyline was thin and wobbly.

I appreciate it was a romance. However, there were far too many long drawn out eye-gazing and teary segments for my taste. I had to use the 1.5x speed feature a lot. In parts was even able to use the 10 second fast forward feature repetitively without missing a thing.

While some episodes used a lot of fillers (repeats from past episodes and overly long "romantic" scenes), some events didn't get a look in. For example, suddenly the prince was king, and a married king at that - with no ceremonies.

The lead characters were portrayed as very immature all the way through. It would have been nice if they'd been allowed to grow up along the way. They were lovelorn, impetuous, emotional, unthinking and not very good at fighting either.

The ending was cheezy. How did the King manage to survive the unsurvivable poison? Were the couple at the end really happy doing nothing but walking along the beach for the rest of their lives? Was the new king so indolent he could spend his time mooning over his lost love?

I've seen other Joseon series (dramas, fantasies and comedies) that were much better all round (storyline, plot tightness, overall watchability).

I gave it a five because I managed to watch it all the way through. There were some decent characters - baddies and goodies. The acting was good for what they were asked to do. The writing, storyline, direction and maybe the budget were what let it down IMO.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

Disappointing storyline

[5/10 · 6 March 2023]

The special effects were good. The acting was okay. It was the storyline that was the most disappointing part.

Maybe it's just the timing was off. Recent world events highlight the fact that killing people at random is a pretty dumb way to resolve differences and disputes. This is not the time to watch a film about perpetually angry people who favour extreme violence as the answer for everything.

Wakanda was initially portrayed as a wonderful high tech nation. Interestingly, the society was not all that advanced socially. I'm not sure why. A film about the tech might have been as boring, but it wouldn't have been as senseless. A story about the interaction between technological development and social development could have been interesting, maybe exploring why the social structures didn't develop at the same pace as the technological development. IDK.

Admittedly I only watched half the film and then gave up. Did it improve?

I gave it a 5, and that was being generous IMO.

Jack Ryan (2018–2023)

The characters are different from the books

[5/10 · 8 January 2023]

It's a while since I read the Jack Ryan books. My memory of them is not reflected in this show.

It's not a bad show, if outdated. The main character, Jack Ryan, in the novels is an analyst, a thinker first and an action figure second. In this show it's the reverse. Jack is a real hothead, shooting up, killing everyone in sight, and getting into fist fights at the drop of a hat. He doesn't stop to think of the broader implications. He barges in. No thought, all emotion. (It's been a trend in films lately to show the male characters ruled by their emotions and, at times, the female characters as using their brain more than their gut, as it probably should be.)

I don't recall Greer being a field agent either. I could be wrong. In this series, he's a bit player with a big role. You rarely know what position he holds in the CIA hierarchy other than a minder and apologist for his protege. He just follows Jack around. This isn't how I remember things in the novels.

The series is an old-fashioned US vs the world and the US rules the world (one of the few areas where this is the same as the novels). The "enemy" isn't always portrayed as pure evil, with some of their motives on display, and occasional rationale for their behaviour. Just as the "good guys" aren't all good, with some baddies among them. However, the "good guys" are more likely to get arrested or demoted, whereas the "enemy" is more likely to get shot and killed no questions asked.

If you enjoy brainless hero/action films, then you might enjoy this one. Just don't expect much more than that.

In case you're wondering, the first season was the best of the three in terms of coherent plot (after taking account of my observations above). The second season was the worst. The third season was somewhere in the middle.

PS Characters in the first season speak in their own language, with English subtitles. By Season 3, curiously, everyone speaks in English pretty well all the time, regardless of their own language.

The Recruit (2022– )

Teen drama?

[2/10 · 21 December 2022]

I started watching this show but I'm afraid I only got as far as almost the end of episode 2. I'm not sure what genre it's meant to be. It's about a 24 year old lawyer who's just joined the CIA. He's brash, good looking, and not at all likeable. In fact it was hard to relate to or like any of the characters so far.

It is centred around the CIA but it's not in the vein of classic spy films. The portrayal of the CIA is nonsense (I hope). I think it's probably meant to be a send-up but it doesn't quite make the cut if it is. It's a mess.

The relationships between the flat-mates has yet to be revealed. I expect it was intended for the characters to appeal to a certain segment of teens or twenty-somethings. (I doubt I would have liked them at any age.)

Is it the script? The acting? The directing? The one relies on the others. Maybe all three.

I would have kept watching to see if the show improves. I decided to take a short cut and read what other people were saying. From what I've read there's no point in my spending any more time on the show.

Obviously, from the IMDB rating, it has appeal to some people so don't let me put you off. All I'll add is if you're wanting an action thriller this isn't it. If you're wanting a fun comedy it didn't come across that way either.

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022)

Running out of steam

[2/10 · 24 October 2022]

Marvel is running out of steam. It's tried a few different shows since the Avenger series with varying degrees of quality.

I'd probably describe this as American shouty comedy, which isn't very funny. It doesn't hit the spot with me at least. The one saving grace is that each episode is short, so you can watch it as a filler when you've nothing better to do while waiting for something decent to stream.

It's a bit sad. I used to really enjoy Marvel films but I suppose everything good comes to an end sooner or later. I could ramble on an on for the sake of it. What do I like? It's got female leads. It doesn't take itself seriously.

What don't I like? It's got no magic, depth, fun. It's second rate as if nobody made any effort in writing the show.

Edit: After getting to the season finale I dropped the rating from four to two. I mean, seriously? How lazy can you get?

The Minions of Midas (2020)

Brings out the conspiracy theorist lurking in all of us

[10/10 · 23 August 2022]

This show kept be absorbed from start to finish. I don't think I've rated a show this highly before. Maybe it is because it's so close to what's happening in the world today as much as the acting, direction and overall production.

I realise it's based on a short story written long ago. This illustrates that human nature is what it is, regardless of the era.

Lupin (2021– )

Too many flashbacks

[6/10 · 22 August 2022]

It's quite entertaining. It has some humour, a bit of action, some clever thieving as expected and it's not gory (so far). If you're looking for light entertainment, this isn't bad.

However, I've been prompted to write this review partway through Season 1 because of a major irritation. There are far too many unnecessary flashbacks as well as redos of scenes from another person's perspective. This means the story keeps being interrupted - too often for my taste. It's too choppy. (At least it doesn't start with the ending or I'd not have watched any of it :D)

When I've finished the first season, or maybe after/if I watch season 2, I may come back and edit this review.

Interceptor (2022)

Watch it at 1.5 speed

[2/10 · 31 July 2022]

The plot is not merely full of holes, it is one giant hole. The dialogue was written by a computer algorithm based on corny tv action dramas (or so it would seem), and the whole thing is completely implausible. I still enjoyed it as a way to pass the time but only because I watched it at 1.5 speed.

Thanks, Netflix, for making this possible.

Anatomy of a Scandal (2022)

Not bad

[6/10 · 17 April 2022]

This mini-series was quite watchable. If you're like me you'll watch much of it at 1.5x speed (some of it was on the slow side).

I'd describe it more as true to life rather than dramatised life. That is, it was fairly mundane, perhaps low key. It was a portrayal of the sort of experiences a lot of men and women have lived if they studied at university and/or worked at a professional firm. At least if they did in the 60s and 70s. This is the case whether you were born entitled and privileged or whether you were born into the middle/working class life like most people and went to a prestigious university.

I see some people complain the ending was unrealistic. I found it very realistic. I guess the level of realism varies with one's own life experiences.

It was good to see the messages on screen even though it was mundanely realistic. The ending was especially satisfying.

The Sinner (2017–2021)

It wouldn't be fair of me to rate this

[12 April 2022]

I couldn't rate this show because I couldn't hang around to watch enough of it. This is just a warning to everyone who thinks the high IMDB rating means it's a good show. This series seems to be geared toward a particular kind of audience and it doesn't include me.

The main character is extremely annoying. He has shifty eyes, almost never looks straight at a person, says little and what he does he does very slowly. He's also a mouth breather (like a lot of actors these days).

The show itself is very slow paced, meaning to get to the story you have to watch at a fast speed (shift Netflix to 1.5x) or constantly skip over the sex scenes and praying segments (Season 1).

I guess the slow pace and constant hints via flashbacks (I loathe flashbacks) is meant to draw people in, but it's too slow so that doesn't really work. Basically it can probably be classified as something between porn and horror but I couldn't watch enough of it to find out. I only got as far as halfway through part 2 of season 1 (plus I mistakenly watched part 1 of season 4 before realising I wasn't on season 1).

If you like sleaze and slow you might enjoy this one. Otherwise, there are plenty of other shows you can waste time on, which are more enjoyable, entertaining, or that stimulate the intellect.

In from the Cold (2022)

Maybe it gets better?

[2/10 · 14 February 2022]

I only survived until episode 2. Without giving anything away, the story is hackneyed, borrowing bits from female assassin plots and superhero or antihero plots, with mother-troubled teen daughter relationship thrown in for whatever reason. It doesn't work for me. I had second thoughts when the trained assassin was bursting into tears at the drop of a hat. The main character's personality and attributes don't make any sense. I managed to hang on till partway through episode 2 but it was boring, sexist and silly. Maybe it improves. I've got better things to do than find out.

Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

B grade or worse?

[2/10 · 26 December 2021]

This was so bad it was almost funny but didn't quite manage that either. It's hard to believe it was produced only last year. I can't believe I watched it all the way through. If it wasn't a Wonder Woman film and meant to be terrific I might have given it another star or, even more likely, I wouldn't have watched it. What were the writers/directors/producers/actors thinking? It's not just the appalling plot, everything about it was awful but IMO it was the story line that was worst of all and made it a B grade, or maybe C or D.

Stumptown (2019–2020)

Continue it please

[9/10 · 13 September 2021]

This was a great series with just the right amount of fun, intrigue, grit and action for a wide audience in these pandemic times.

It's very disappointing that it appears to have been cancelled and not (yet) picked up by anyone else. The ending suggested there could have been a terrrific second season. I hope it's picked up again.

Deadpool (2016)

I think you've got to be American

[1/10 · 9 July 2021]

I've a feeling you've got to be from the US to like this film. It's not the sort of humour that appeals to everyone, and not to me. Don't let me put you off. Obviously it appeals to a lot of people. It has scored a very high rating. I think you'll probably figure out whether it's your sort of film or not in the first 10 minutes or so. (I did.)

Tenet (2020)

I shouldn't review this at all...

[3/10 · 16 June 2021]

...because I haven't been able to sit through the whole thing. I'm a fan of thrillers, spy stories and science fiction and yet I can't say this film drew me in or kept me on the edge of the seat or got me enthralled by science.

The style didn't endear itself either. It's as though it's trying to be in the style of a British 1960s spy film (even starring Michael Caine) but doesn't manage to pull it off. There is too much clipped dialogue, not enough humanity. Nor is it sciency enough to be classed as science fiction. Maybe it's meant to be an art film, who knows.

Maybe I'll get back to it one of these days and view it differently. If so, I'll edit this and change the rating.

Marcella (2016–2021)

Seasons 1 and 2 were good

[29 April 2021]

I liked the first two seasons but I'm afraid I gave up fairly early on in Season 3, partway through episode 2 IIRC. The show's flavour seemed completely different in Season 3 and I just couldn't get into it. For sure, you could say the first two seasons led up to the next, but they could just as easily have taken the characters elsewhere and I wish they had.

If I ever decide to keep watching I might be able to give a rating. As it is, I'd rate the first two seasons above average. I wasn't able to watch enough of the third to judge, though what little I saw didn't appeal.

Fate: The Winx Saga (2021–2022)

Mixed up and inconsistent

[2/10 · 29 January 2021]

I imagine this is aimed at teens. It's too gory for children and not consistent enough for adults. The cars and phones seemed out of place, given everyone's meant to be magical. The pace was inconsistent and there were too many drawn out scenes that went nowhere (which is okay on Netflix where you can skip ahead easily). Only a couple of characters were likeable. Some of them were merely irritating and others were obnoxious most of the time. Obviously (from the ratings) it is quite popular, so try it for yourself and see how you like it.

V-Wars (2019)

Not good, but not that bad

[5/10 · 8 December 2019]

The show started off poorly, with a scientist calling a thylacine a thylacline in the opening minute. It also began with climate change, where the scientist's best friend was zooming about in a V12 ICE car, which seemed incongruous. (Why not a Tesla if he wanted a fast, expensive car?)

Then there were two scientists alone in an Arctic research station, which also seems odd (usually there's a larger team); and later, just two researchers on whom the entire world depended. I guess the writers finally figured that was hardly credible, but it took several episodes before there was any mention of anyone else working on the problem.

I decided to let go of any and all thoughts of reality and sense and ended up sort of enjoying the show. It was patchy, with some episodes too slow moving and some where the twists were predictable, or if not predictable very mundane. There were also the usual poor decisions which led to trouble, of course. (What horror show would be without that?)

Still, if there's a second series (which there should be), I'll probably watch it. There was enough action to keep things moving, enough good guys and bad guys and people in between. And while it warned of blood and gore, it wasn't over the top, which is a good thing.

The ABC Murders (2018)

Not Poirot, Not Agatha Christie

[1/10 · 13 May 2019]

I started watching this because I wanted a good old detective story, being a bit tired of all the blood, gore, incoherent mumbling and darkness (literally, not just figuratively) that is so fashionable these days.

It wasn't Agatha Christie, it wasn't Poirot (since when did Poirot say nightly prayers or worship religious icons?). It was blood, gore, mumbling and darkness (literally and figuratively).

I came here to see if it was worth my being patient.

It's not.

(I do hope the fashion changes again soon, and that directors don't continue to misappropriate classics and turn them into something they aren't just for the sake of keeping up with the Jones'.)

Star Trek: Discovery (2017–2024)

Season 3 was much better

[2/10 · 15 March 2019]

Another update: I've given up and dropped the rating to 4. The yucky soppy emotions/face expressions are just too, too much. I was going to watch season 5 but decided my time was better spent on anything else you or I can think of.

--

Update: I'm partway through Season 4 and dropped my rating back to 6. Fortunately the toning down of all the hyper-OTT-emotion has continued and it's not quite as bad as Seasons 1 and 2.

The good - there is action, characters, plot as there should be.

The bad - all the pop psychology, which is extremely tiresome and belongs in a soap opera not action scifi. If I had to put up with all that nonsense wailing and moaning and "finding myself" every day at work or at home, I'd change jobs and move out of home. Heck, even the computer is grappling with its emotions.

Give us a break. This is star trek. All this tear-jerking and soul-searching and pained faces detracts from the show and is annoying to watch. If the producers/directors/writers/actors need a shrink, please do it off screen, don't force it on your audience.

-------------

After watching Season 3 I've upped the rating to 8. This latest season was much better than the first two seasons. More like what Star Trek should be. Michael's over the top dialogue was tamed, thank goodness, and I liked the setting and opportunities it gives for future episodes. I hope there's a season 4 to carry on the Star Trek journey some more.

--------------

This was it after the first two seasons: I really want to like Star Trek Discovery.

There are some promising characters, but they aren't shown off they way they could be. There are far too many emotional scenes and almost no discovery. It's all about fighting, overacting, emotional tension, and no "trekky" feeling to it at all.

After episodes in other Star Trek series I can sit back and say, I feel good, I really enjoyed that episode. They had some serious bits but they were mostly fun and wonder. This show doesn't leave me with that feeling. I miss it. Instead I feel as if I've been put through the mill, pointlessly, with no reward.

It's a real shame. There are all the ingredients but they are mixed together in a way that isn't what Star Trek should or could be. There is so much potential, wasted.

(Fortunately, The Orville is running at the same time.)

Counterpart (2017–2019)

Looks fairly good, what little can be seen

[9/10 · 18 January 2019]

So far a lot of what I've seen is good. The difficulty I'm having is viewing it because there is next to no lighting used.

I wish directors wouldn't follow silly fashions. A few years ago it was getting actors to swallow and mumble their words and speak with closed lips so it was necessary to have subtitles on to follow the script. Now it's filming without lighting and making every scene so dark that it's impossible to see anything but vague shadows on the screen.

Can we get back to clear images and clear speech please? (Hope it gets easier because the overall concept seems good, except for this distraction.)

I'll add a rating after I've seen more, if I continue to put up with the darkness.

Update: I've added a rating. This show has me hooked and I am really looking forward to watching Season 2.

On the matter of lighting, I don't know if there were fewer unlit scenes after episode 2 or if I just got used to them. After about episode 3 or 4 there appeared to be a lot more light!