#tv drama review

[true-love-1997]

スカイハイ(Sky High/Sukai Hai TV Drama Review)

ようこそ、怨みの門へ。」“Welcome to the Gate of Resentment.” This will be a review for the 2003 drama, “Sky High,” based on the manga created by Tsutomu Takahashi. Before we get into this, I would like to give a fair warning this review does contain spoilers, and my own personal commentary on the series which you can feel free to agree or disagree with. Furthermore, this review will mostly focus on the first episode which you will find out why later. Without further due, let’s get right into it.

In the first episode we are introduced to murder victim Noriko Sekikawa. She is found dead outside, she goes to her own funeral, confused and still without the knowledge of her own death. She meets Izuko (who was, at some point, Mina Saeki, this is revealed in the prequel movie). Izuko presents her with 3 choices: 1) Accept death, go to heaven, and wait to be reincarnated, or 2) Not accept death and wonder as a ghost or 3) Kill one person but in exchange you must pay the price and go to hell, never to return. I’ll just throw my two cents here, but the only good option here is the first one. I can’t understand why people in this show struggle so much between the choices, it’s not rocket science. Anyways, back to the story, so Noriko died while pregnant with her and her husband (Masaru)’s child. Noriko is unable to believe she had died and was killed by somebody, claiming that nobody would hate her enough to do such a thing.

Izuko helps her investigate the cause of her death and Noriko learns she was killed out of jealousy by her and Masaru’s friend, Misato. Noriko goes on to see Misato play “comfort the widower.” Misato starts coming over to their home all the time, going as far as seducing and getting Masaru to marry her. Noriko, unable to handle Misato taking her husband, chooses the option of cursing and killing Misato, but before we conclude here, Noriko, out of concern for her own unborn child, asks Izuko if her unborn baby will go to hell too. A year later, Misato ends up giving birth to Noriko’s unborn child, and right after giving birth, Noriko kills Misato. Noriko watches her baby sadly, wishing she could have watched the baby grow up. But the price of taking Misato’s life is Noriko going to hell forever. The episode ends with Izuko expressing sympathy for Noriko being unable to watch her child grow up. An unknown voice in the Gate of Resentment Realm assures Izuko it cannot be helped, it is her job to guide the souls to their destination, wherever it is they choose.

Now I would like to move onto my personal commentary and explain why the 3rd option is not only a bad choice, but an asinine one as well, both in general and in the context of this episode. Let’s start with explaining the general reasons and then apply it to the episode, because like in mathematics, you present the formula and then apply it to the problem. In the world of Sky High, if you kill someone, no matter how justified it is, (this includes self-defense, etc.), you will go to Hell. This has been revealed in the prequel movie. Now, what is hell in this universe like? Based on what we are given… (these facts are revealed both in the prequel movie and future episodes). Hell is a fiery place, when the gates opened, we are shown this. In hell there is no past or future, Izuko says this in episode 2. Hell is eternal, meaning there is no way out. (This was made clear since episode 1).

Now, does this sound like a place you want to spend for the rest of eternity? Do you need to get revenge so badly that in order to achieve it, you would subject yourself to a fate like this one? Let’s rewind back to fact no.1, killing someone instantly wins you a place in hell after you die, meaning the victim’s killer is going to hell is already guaranteed regardless of the victim’s choice at the Gate of Resentment. By choosing option 3 all you did was send your killer to hell sooner rather than later, at the price of sending yourself there, too. So, in the end, all you accomplished was screw yourself over in the most permanent, terrible way imaginable. And this is not your only option, you could have just not bothered with revenge, taking comfort that justice will be served someday, choose to go to heaven, and move on. I cannot stress this enough.

Next, we will apply this knowledge to Noriko and her situation. We know Noriko gets her life and happiness stolen by Misato. In fact, not only was Noriko the one to die, but Noriko’s baby died too. That’s how horrendous Misato’s crime is, by the way, she killed a pregnant woman. Noriko then sees Misato seduce her husband Masaru, and as she watches them have sex, she is upset and talks about how she will never have Masaru hold her again (in Japanese the word 「抱く」 “daku,” could mean embrace, but also to have sex). Now, that scene was one of the most disturbing scenes of the episode, as we see both Misato and Masaru betray Noriko. I say one of the most, because there is a scene that comes before this one that tops it. I think the most disturbing scene was when Misato takes the shoes meant for the unborn child out of Masaru’s hands, and tells him to, I will just summarize, she said forget about Noriko, stop grieving over his dead wife, and be with her instead, and Masaru does just that. And then they have sex. Now that is just super depressing (and disturbing) and we can also conclude Masaru is also a shallow and fickle man with little loyalty to his dead wife and child.

I can empathize with Noriko’s anger at this horrible betrayal done both by Misato (somebody whom she believed was her friend) and her husband, Masaru. I do not mean to downplay the injustice Noriko has to suffer in any way, as it is truly horrible. But Noriko still has to remind herself that she is dead now, and so is the baby. No matter how happy Misato may seem, consider Misato’s future: she will go to hell after she dies because she killed Noriko and her baby. This will happen regardless of which option Noriko chooses to do at the Gate of Resentment. We know Noriko ends up choosing to option 3 which just allowed Misato to go to hell only sooner I need to emphasize, because going to hell was inevitable for Misato anyways (because of the evil she had done), at the price of Noriko’s own eternity as well. Why would Noriko choose to do this when she could have chosen option 1? I know Noriko couldn’t handle the thought of Misato taking her husband, but from an eternal perspective, does that really matter? Especially when you consider how quickly Masaru moved on after Noriko’s death? Do you really want to throw yourself into hell for a man who doesn’t love you enough anyway and allowed himself to be seduced by another woman only a short while after you and your baby died? Doesn’t option 1 look even better after you see what a foolish and unfaithful man your husband was? Had Noriko chosen option 1, she could have gone to heaven, prayed to be reunited with her unborn child when she is reincarnated. I say this because in episode 2 it is revealed you can reunite with your loved ones in reincarnation, if you both want it badly enough. And wouldn’t Noriko’s unborn baby wish to be reunited with his mommy? Noriko could have forgotten all about Misato and Masaru, be born as a different person and potentially find happiness again someday. These “could haves” are really sad when you consider how Noriko chose option 3 in canon, and I hope I made it clear enough why her decision just doesn’t make any sense.

Last but not least, I will explain why I chose only to mainly focus this review on the first episode. This is because the things discussed in regards to this first episode can be applied to other subsequent episodes as well, and it would be simply redundant. The only exception to this is a future episode towards the end of season 1 about Mina/Izuko’s past. I would like to close this review saying I would rate this show 3 out of 5 stars. My reason being that the concept and scenery of the show is pretty cool. And even though I find the premise to be a bit weird, the story-telling was creative and can emotionally impact you—whether they bring negative or positive emotions. They make you feel something. But the way the characters in this show struggle to decide which option to choose when the correct one cannot be more obvious, without seeming to wrap their heads around the gravity of their situation is just too much for me. I hope I did not discourage you from this review, as everything, if Sky High has captured your interest in some way, I would like to be the first to encourage you to watch it, and form your own views/opinions about it. Thank you for taking the time to read this, I appreciate it very much!😊

Sources for images: 🌸🌸🌸 🌸🌸🌸

[lgbtpopcult]

Ranking the Top 10 GL Series of 2024

10. My marvelous Dream is You

A highly expected gl from Idol Factory that fell short of our expectations not for lack of chemistry from its love team (they in fact had some of the best chemistry in the industry) but because of the bad writing. The writing simply didn't allow the story to flourish. The couple spent most of the series apart, and we don't mean simply not in a relationship. They hardly spend any time together at all, and when they did, there were no romantic moments happening most of the time. What saved the series was its couple that sold the rare moments they had together really well. No surprise that they're dating in real life.

9. Apple My Love

Short and sweet, this story was a fun little romcom that fulfilled its purpose well. The couple needed to prove themselves as a love team, and they did. Happy to know they got a new series out of it.

8. Petrichor

For the people who had heard of Englot but had only seen them as a love team on Show Me Love, their popularity remained a mystery until this series. This police drama/romance has been good enough to prove they may not be the team with the best chemistry out there, but they're definitely not completely deprived of it like Show Me Love made us think. The series itself is interesting if you like your romance in small doses amidst the action.

7. Blank The Series

Here comes the controversy. One of the most successful and also controversial series of the year. We have to acknowledge that unlike what some fans would like us to believe the problem was not in the age difference per say but in the fact that one of them was 21 and initially very immature for her age. However, she was not underage, she was not unintelligent, and she had agency. She was the one who persistently pursued the relationship. The story was exciting and passionate. Also, mommy issues sell.

6. 23.5

A series that gave milklove, a much beloved love team, its chance to shine. It was a sweet high school romance that was enjoyable for most people and had some great highs. Its jealousy episode was one of the best around, and both of the admins here in lgbtpopcult are willing to die on that heel. It did, however, have the limitations of an innocent high school romance. A lot of time was dedicated to side characters and the couple could not be shown in a more mature relationship. Still, a good time!

5. Mate the Series

It is endlessly entertaining to watch Gen and Aoey interact. The perfect ice queen, rich girl that wanted to only be with the perfect man (somehow nobody was ever the perfect man) trying to resist her innocent, tempting friend. They are funny and sweet and passionate at the same time. The series does a good job of focusing on their relationship with little interest in anything else

4. The Loyal Pin

This production, supported by the Thai ministry of culture, definitely deserves its spot at number 4. At 16 episodes and with great production value, it is a journey through time that not only shows us the love story between two women but also the food, dance, and customs of the country of Thailand. The love story itself did a good job of remaining entertaining by inserting some jealousy and lots of obstacles in the course of the couple.

3. Affair the Series

A fierce debate broke out amongst us about whether this series would occupy the third or the second place in this list. You see half of it, the second half, was so incredibly good. The push and pull of a couple with exploding chemistry while they lived together. The obsession Wan had with Pleng. The amazing love scenes. But the first part of the series dragged it down. The chemistry was there from the beginning but they spend too much time in the past when the leads were young, and one of them was pushing the other to be with a guy just to avoid her feelings. That part wasn't bad, It had its moments, but it was at times frustrating and too long. A great series nonetheless.

2. Pluto

This series has it all. A love team with great chemistry, an interesting plot, good acting, and quality writing. It did not only show us an exciting romance but addressed issues of disability and even teased a throuple (through a side couple don't worry the mains are as crazy in love as gl couples should be). Insert some surprising twists and turns and it's a go!

1. The Secret of Us

The number 1 spot could go to no other series. It wasn't even a debate. Lingorm, the love team comprised of Ling and Orm, was tasked with proving a gl can go toe to toe with straight romance series on a major Thai network. They knocked it out the park! The Secret of Us was super successful. Throughout its run, it remained in the top 10 of Netflix in Thailand and the other Asian countries it was available in. It frequently occupied the number 1 spot, and its numbers on the network's own streaming app surpassed those of its straight counterparts. There was a reason for all of that. The story was a very popular romance trope (angry ex vs. regretful ex) done right, the chemistry of the love team was enticing and both main characters were infinitely charming. We all fell in love.

[le-trash-prince]

Tumblr put out its list of top 100 TV shows of 2024, and of course the only Thai BL series present has got to be the vroom vroom omegaverse show

I hope the rest of tumblr realizes we’re in for a second season ✌️💖

[destinywillowleaf]

one of a kind living in a world gone plastic

baby you're so classic

@most-tragic-character-tournament

(all my thoughts in the tags)

[xiaoshengnu]

𝕰𝖒𝖕𝖗𝖊𝖘𝖘𝖊𝖘 𝖎𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝕻𝖆𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖊 - final review

overview : episode no - 76 episodes, genre - historical (gongdou)

a timeless classic, the slay to end all slays (and I mean literally and figuratively) empresses in the palace follows the story of zhen huan as she experiences life in the palace, hardening her from a sweet young girl to a stony empress dowager. 

l⃣e⃣ t⃣’ s⃣    b⃣e⃣g⃣i⃣n⃣

when I say you will never find a more iconic show ever in the whole of cdramaland, I mean never. empresses in the palace is an absolute juggernaut of a drama, it is absolutely insane, the writing, the drama, the characters, the absolute minute little details and its respect of the viewer’s intelligence- an A* and beyond. and it's internet and cultural presence in china? IN. SANE. 

o⃣u⃣t⃣     o⃣ f⃣     t⃣ e⃣ n⃣

𝖕𝖑𝖔𝖙 - 9/10

𝖆𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖓𝖌 - 10/10

𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖗𝖆𝖈𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖘 - 10/10

𝖕𝖗𝖔𝖉𝖚𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓 - 10/10

𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕒𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕒𝕘𝕖 - 9.8

o⃣u⃣t⃣    o⃣ f⃣    f⃣ i⃣v⃣ e⃣

𝖍𝖎𝖉𝖉𝖊𝖓 𝖌𝖊𝖒 𝖛𝖆𝖑𝖚𝖊 - 💎💎💎💎💎

[ I know that when the drama first came out, it was considered pretty unique for how brutally it presented harem life, but even years later and amongst so many newer dramas which have borrowed tropes and ideas from it, I don’t think you’ll be able to find such an incredibly solid drama. a five gem.  ]

𝖗𝖊𝖜𝖆𝖙𝖈𝖍 𝖛𝖆𝖑𝖚𝖊 - ✨✨✨✨✨

[ it is so incredibly long and a pretty emotionally tolling drama - even longer than legend of haolan but it is just incredible, a full five star rewatch value ]

‘keep reading’ for detailed review

oh my god this drama.

oh my god.

where do I even begin? I remember watching my parents watch this drama when was I was still really young so I didn’t know what the show was called and what it was about, and although I didn’t remember the whole of this drama I could still remember some hazy snapshots pretty iconic scenes- like at the end where she does to sleep, or when she gets sent to the island- so when I finally decided to watch empresses in the palace a light bulb went off and I suddenly realised that THIS was the show that I'd remembered from my childhood. THIS was it. so it is quite nostalgic for me. 

it is honestly such a timeless classic, there’s nothing that will ever beat it. nothing. every fucking second of this thing has a purpose, and everything the characters say and do- and even the background of scenes have minute details which relate to the overall plot and trajectory of these characters. like the amount of YouTube videos analysing this one drama is insane. when critics praise a piece of visual art as a “living breathing organism”, “a masterpiece”- they mean this. 

𝖕𝖑𝖔𝖙 - 9

just. amazing. what can I say. there’s absolutely nothing that can beat this drama with how it wrote the plotting, the intrigue and the absolute cunning the women had to possess to stay alive in the palace. the ending of the drama is literally perfect. SO perfect. younger me thought legend of haolan was good- but compared to this? this is really truly another level. there’s so many instances in the drama where the drama never really tells you what exactly happened, but at the same time gives you just enough information to just guess what had gone on. equally, there are some times where there really doesn’t appear to be any scheming but with close analysis (and with the help of trusty youtubers) suddenly things become thrown into light. 

however, I had to knock down a few points because every plot has flaws and for this drama, I think it was mostly the use of tropes and the ‘female lead syndrome’ that sometimes quite clearly shows in the drama. There are also some areas in the drama where the plot does get shaky, but there is never not a reason why a scene is included in the drama. its just such a watertight drama. if you ever need to learn the art of show but don’t tell, this drama has it all. I love that sometimes it leaves it up to the viewer to work the plot out, which mirrors the way in which the concubines had to guess and predict in order to survive- which wasn’t always for certain or always accurate, almost literally pulling the viewer into the world of harem life.

𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖗𝖆𝖈𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖘 - 10

I LOVE THE CHARACTERS UGH. I love them. they’re slays to end all slays. from zhen huan (the original girl boss, gatekeep, gaslight- FIGHT ME) to su peisheng- honestly so iconic. every single major character was well written, well developed and multi-dimensional, and no-one was evil purely for the sake of earning the drama cash. everyone in the drama gives you a reason to root for them, I found myself even feeling for the emperor in the end. 

𝖕𝖗𝖔𝖉𝖚𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓 - 10

the production was beautiful- the lighting, costuming and makeup were literally so perfect it's unreal. so many iconic scenes came out of this drama- like the yimeiyuan (plum blossom garden) scene with it's beautiful moonlit set and plum blossom decked in snow.

 I love the designated colour palettes of the various concubines everything seemed very thought out to fit their personalities. consort hua was decked in bold colours and extravagant patterns, consort jing being calm and gentle was consistently dressed in soft blues and greens, while shen meizhuang is seen wearing mostly purples and pinks. one particular costume that lives in my mind rent free is zhen huan’s blue outfit with the white plum blossom embroidery in the episode 28- absolutely stunning.

𝖆𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖓𝖌 - 10

honestly, if you took a shot for every time I've described this drama as perfect, you would definitely be on the floor by this point. The acting was absolutely now flawless. at no point in the drama did I ever feel drawn out of the story by the acting- sun li is jaw-dropping as zhen huan, her duality is absolutely insane and her crying scenes- ugh omg so good. 

.

.

𝖇𝖔𝖓𝖚𝖘!!

favourite character(s) :

zhen huan ( if your favourite character in this drama isn’t zhen huan, what are you doing???? she is an absolute icon in her own right. it’s literally impossible to not root for such a wonderful character- team zhen huan all the way )

consort hua / nian shilan ( ik ik, ik now she’s evil and everything, but I love her- she has a baseline which she will not cross and she does have a loyal heart. she loves the emperor almost unconditionally and while she would kill a concubine, she would never harm an unborn child. she seems to care for her servants, who are loyal in turn and I would argue that her being willing to employ a crippled eunuch is a sign of her more softer and caring side. and do I need even mention her snarky one liners?? slay. anyway that’s my essay in defence of consort hua )

ye lanyi ( a queen fr, she takes no-one’s shit )

.

𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖈𝖗𝖊𝖜 (source mydramalist)

lead actors : sun li, chen jianbin, cha silfun

director : zheng xiaolong 

screenwriter : wu xuelan

[deafening-enthusiastic-dreamer]

Family By Choice

She is so adorable and talented, I have seen her in so many dramas lately, she is doing a great job.

Father- Daughter duo I didn't think I needed, but love anyway.

Feeling a chaotic vibe- Just how I want it to be... I am genuinely excited for this.

Going to be a fun ride!

[bykiel]

Es una experiencia que se aviva con cada capítulo

[soul-from-another-era]

Are you okay? no mf i just finished 25 21 series.

[agentnico]

Rivals - season 1 (2024) review

Blimey Disney - you dirty!!

Plot: Into the cut-throat world of Corinium television comes Declan O'Hara, a mega-star of great glamour and integrity with a radiant feckless wife, a son and two teenage daughters. Living rather too closely across the valley is Rupert Campbell-Black, divorced and as dissolute as ever, and now the Tory Minister for Sport. Declan needs only a few days at Corinium to realise that the Managing Director, Lord Baddingham, is a crook who has recruited him merely to help retain the franchise for Corinium. Baddingham has also enticed Cameron Cook, a gorgeous but domineering executive, to produce Declan's programme. Declan and Cameron detest each other, provoking a storm of controversy into which Rupert plunges with his usual abandon. As a rival group emerges to pitch for the franchise, reputations ripen and decline, true love blossoms and burns, marriages are made and shattered, and sex raises its (delicious) head at almost every throw as, in bed and boardroom, the race is on to capture the Cotswold Crown.

One can recall the time when Disney first announced its streaming service, and how many scratched their heads thinking the platform will be mostly family/children orientated content, as well as Marvel and Star Wars. Since then though the House of Mouse seemingly has grown some cojones, for now they are unashamed to release stronger more provocative mature content. In cometh Rivals, an adaptation of the 1988 Jilly Cooper novel known for its filth and sexual content. And the TV series goes full Game of Thrones in that respect, as it not all all shies away from all the sex, and in fact I even found myself wishing there wasn’t as much sex happening on screen, and to leave a little to our imaginations instead. Then again from what I heard Cooper’s novel was overly erotic in itself, as such can’t blame the series for being faithful. Seriously though, seconds into the first episode we're confronted with a man's bare buttocks furiously humping away in an airplane toilet, as his partner at the mile-high club grinds her red stilettoed heel into the bathroom wall. Yep, this may just be the most expensive porn I’ve ever seen.

Rivals is campy, colourful, glamorous and silly fun about terrible people and inappropriate jokes. Essentially every character is a diabolical self-centred human being, very much emphasising the stereotype of television stardom celebrity. Yet also every single horrible individual is dripping with endless charisma and charm that you can’t help but enjoy seeing them trying to outdo one another. This is a very glitzy period drama set in the backdrop of the 80s, and speaking of the era, the soundtrack of this show is a superb mixtape of the greatest 80s hits. Every other scene another banger is dropped, which was bit another cherry on top of what already was a very delicious cake.

Disney have also forked out for a stellar cast here. David Tennant (ex-Doctor Who) plays the mean and slimy Lord Tony Baddingham, with the “Bad” in his name not without purpose, as he’s a cold-hearted control freak that wants to own the regional TV network, and destroys anyone that come in his path. Especially with his past in Doctor Who, as well as his fun shenanigans with Michael Sheen, I’m used to Tennant being the loveable personality that he is, but he is truly despicable in Rivals. Then again he played a heck of an antagonist in Jessica Jones, so I shouldn’t be so shocked. Aidan Turner plays possible the only human being in this show with a soul and moral compass as television presenter Declan O’Hara, who’s a riff on Jeremy Kyle, only that he’s not 100% a dick. Turner, who most would know as the good-looking dwarf from The Hobbit movies, is a delight here, and the only one you can actually properly root for. He’s a good guy in a pent house full of wolves. Alex Hassell has possible the most challenging job of balancing the “handsomest man in England” role of Rupert Campbell-Black, as he is both a hero and an antihero. He’s extremely watchable, playing a part-villain, part-Adonis, part-whimpering child, and he plays the role with credibility. Then there is Danny Dyer, who one wouldn’t think would be able to perform on the level of his other cast members, but he was truly delightful here. He plays a self-made millionaire who refuses to adhere to the social rules, or dress codes of the upper class, and is made fun of for it. But it his his romantic side-plot that showcases Jilly Cooper’s more sensitive and sentimental side. Finally we have Bella Maclean as 20-year old daughter of Declan, who acts in some capacity as the viewer’s innocent perspective into the madness of the rich, from the raunchy parties to the endless innuendos. Yet she also has a controversial will-they-won’t-they fling with RCB, and even though the age gap is a tad concerning, the two have such off the charts chemistry that I couldn’t help but ship that boat big time.

Rivals is at its best when it does not take itself too seriously. There are darker moments in this also, from references to the AIDS crisis, to Margaret Thatcher’s political strategy, and more notably sex without consent. I totally get why the latter was included, as it was a reflection on terrible people, especially rich and powerful ones, getting away with terrible things due to their stature. Again though, the show is at its most entertaining when it lets loose and throws these characters in fun stand-offs, and I was truly invested from the first episode till last. It’s rare for me these days to be excited for another season, but goodness do I want, nay NEED season 2 of Rivals ASAP! Please Disney, do one thing right for once and renew this show!

Overall score: 8/10

[moviewarfare]

A Review of “Squid Game Season 2 (2024)”

In 2021, Squid Game became a cultural phenomenon. I thoroughly enjoyed it and thought it was a great addition to the Battle Royale genre. The story does end on a mild cliffhanger that feels like it was tacked on because Netflix wanted to make it a franchise. Now here we are in 2024, with another season of Squid Game. Does it live up to the hype?

Despite feeling like the creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk was forced to make more seasons of Squid Game, he does not half-ass it. He does push this season in new directions and adds new elements to make the story exciting. For example, they added a new rule to the games by making it so they can vote to leave with the current money after each game. This new rule is a fun addition as it creates an exciting rift between characters who want to go and those who don't. Turning Gi-Hun from a scummy guy in Season 1 into an all-good hero sounds bad on paper. However, it adds a new layer to the games as Gi-Hun now has new challenges with his knowledge. He faces ordeals such as convincing others to stop, knowing what agendas the higher-ups intend for them and figuring out ways to escape with the others.

Of course, there are new games in season 2 and they are still very entertaining to watch. I also appreciate that the games this time aren't as focused on physical strength and more on skill. I also appreciate that there is some new world-building as well. We get to see more about what the recruiters are and how one ends up being a pink-masked guard. The set design and costumes are mostly the same as it was in season 1 but it is great that they were still able to replicate the same feel from season 1. Jung Jae-il returns as the music composer and he continues to deliver a great score.

Unfortunately, my biggest gripe with season 2 is that the contestants just aren't as likeable as those in season 1. We got to see how many contestants lives were like outside of the game and even the reasons why they were entering the games. This made us care about them and it was why it hurt when they died. This is not the case in season 2 because the only characters we spend with outside the games are Gi-Hun and the police officer, Hwang Jun-ho. We never get to spend much time with the other contestants and at times when they mention their reasons, it is usually in a small quick dialogue. The show also does a jarring thing where they introduce an interesting character that you want to know more of, only to kill them very anti-climatically. On that note, I genuinely believe that the wrong characters died in this season. These characters would have been more interesting if they were kept alive.

In terms of story, I do have some gripes. There is a subplot with one of the pink guards which ends up going absolutely nowhere in season 2. Additionally, the police storyline continues to be dull and predictable like in season 1. Furthermore, there is a loss of meaningful messages and themes. Season 1 had interesting social commentary on inequality but season 2 tosses all of that in favour of good guy vs evil corporation. The story in season 2 also feels like half the complete story with an extremely jarring ending. It feels like they split the full story into part 1 with season 2 and then part 2 with season 3.

Despite it all, I do still find season 2 entertaining to watch. While it isn't as good as season 1, I do think it is an enjoyable enough sequel. Hopefully, season 3 will be a satisfying conclusion.

For more reviews like this visit:

https://moviewarfarereviews.blogspot.com/

[jeffreybower]

Ron Watches Young Royals Season 1 Episode 1

Young Royals is a show I always wanted to get into but work and plain old stubbornness stopped me from watching it. But I guess part of it is also being afraid that Netflix is going to shut it down with an incomplete story? Now that it’s done, I can be sure to get some sort of resolution! Continue reading Ron Watches Young Royals Season 1 Episode 1

[marvelmaniac715]

I made my mother watch tv shows I like, here were her thoughts:

Doctor Who - we watched all of Modern Who, a season and a half of the First Doctor, the Second Doctor’s final serial and have moved on to the Third Doctor (I just couldn’t sit through anymore black and white tv 😅) safe to say she enjoyed it

Good Omens - this one was dicey since she’s Christian and I wasn’t sure what she’d think of the themes, but she liked it for the most part, vastly preferring Season One to Season Two (it was actually the first time I watched Good Omens but I knew about the twist at the end of Season Two… it was very hard to fake shock but my mum and sister weren’t at all interested in the heartbreak)

Percy Jackson and the Olympians - we watched the entirety of the show in a very short amount of time and are now two hours into the Lightning Thief audiobook, she loves it

Wandavision - this, along with Hawkeye, was the only Marvel show that I could convince my mum and sister to watch, and although she’s sat through a few Marvel movies with me I can sense that it is very much not her thing

The Goes Wrong Show - my entire family enjoys Mischief Theatre so she did enjoy it but won’t do repeated viewings because she thinks it’s less funny if you know what’ll happen (I very much disagree and have watched every episode many times)

Bluey - this show is what inspired me to make this post, she caught me playing a Bluey game on my phone (don’t judge me it’s a comforting show) and I convinced her to watch some episodes with me, we watched the first four episodes (up to Shadowlands) and she laughed approximately five times in total, it reminds her too much of Peppa Pig (my favourite show when I was little) and she winced whenever Bluey or Bingo laughed (she’s got a thing about kids making noise when playing outside) but I think she’ll watch more episodes with me

EDIT: For some reason I put the word ‘three’ in the title, no clue why, ignore me, I’m super tired 😭

[aarontveitisonfire]

“This series is elevated from good to great through the performances. Ludwig’s Ish is understated, academic, and often nervous, perfectly balanced against Dukes’ Emma’s instinctual decision-making and compassion. Add into this equation Aaron Tveit’s easy charisma that’s been charming theatre kids for years, and every tense conversation feels like it could get deadly at any point.”

-Dais Johnston, The Best Post-Apocalyptic Epic of 2024 Offers Quiet Slices of Life (Inverse December 1, 2024)

Photo: Getty Images/Tony Awards

[cameronlockhart]

In addition to being entertaining, The Penguin has also introduced me to another celebrity crush in the form of Cristin Milioti. I’ve never heard of this actress before, but let’s just say Sofia in this show isn’t ONLY frightening me. 😉

[lostinaflashforward]

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER - Recensione 2x08 "Shadow and Flame" (SEASON FINALE)

La seconda stagione di The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power si chiude con un finale molto soddisfacente, non privo di difetti, ma che apre bene al futuro della serie...

RECENSIONE 2x08

[us-the-voices-and-more-voices-2]

I forget sometimes you guys have not watched half the shows I have,

you guys would EXPLODE if I tried to explain mort lore.

(from yk dream works's Madagascar?? yeah that guy? little brown lemur? yeah fucked up, almost completely crazed fever dream lore.)

anyway I was thinking about the cinematic parallels with chef and Chris from total drama and how it's literally the same fucking thing that happens in Hannibal mostly.

murderous eccentric loved by many: Chris

manipulates, doesn't care how many he kills because it's exciting: Chris

mutilates and disfigures people for his own enjoyment: Chris

wealthy: Chris

gets sent to jail because he's a fucking murder: Chris

pulls a good guy and turns him evil and is gay for him: Chris

I can go on and on, uh you may be saying

"what the fuck?? that happens in this show??? what's it even rated??"

it's PG, guys.. it's a kids show. total drama is surprisingly dark, it's awesome I suggest it if you like weird shows that are a spoof of survivor.

but my god is the show literally just Chris being fucking murderous and gay for chef the entire time.

THIS MAN HAS KILLED 78 PEOPLE HE CANNONICALLY WENT TO PRISON FOR IT. CHEF LITERALLY GOT HIM OUT.

(mostly it was the show getting another season, idk how they got him out of jail. 100% it was chef tho)

like they are full on murder husbands, this show is so chaotic and cringe but mostly just "CHRIS WTF" it's fucking great.

literally inlove gay murder husbands, it's fucking crazy how similar it parallels Hannibal (2013) while being older than it.

I love this show it's awesome.