Only 5 shows today, making my rankings either more difficult or less. I’m going to go with less difficult, as I had a pretty clear winner today.
1) Girls5Eva (Peacock)
English Audio Description? Yes
I don’t think I’ve ever been so close to saying and being honest with the phrase “If you cancel this show, I will cancel your service.” Peacock just lacks the depth in their bench right now to even be making those kinds of judgment calls, and needs the handful of successful shows they actually have to start to establish an audience. With no audience, they will continue to be overlooked at the Emmy awards. Look at Apple, which renews most of its programming. Anyway, this was the dreaded Season Finale, meaning I have to wait… Five Eva for a new season. This was my vote for Best Comedy, and remains such. There are many people in this world, but those who embrace the absurdity of this girl group definitely have the most fun.
Episode Grade:, Season 2 Grade: A
2) Candy (Hulu)
English Audio Description?: Yes
The penultimate hour turned this show back around, giving us a look into the investigation, just how sloppy the whole thing actually was, and Candy’s spiral as she knows what’s coming for her. Then the bombshell reveal that she’s trying to make a claim of self defense. you were so afraid for your life that you shot her in the head and then chopped her with an axe 41 times? The episode ends with her husband satisfied with his wife’s innocence based on the revelation that he could not swing an axe up and down into a log 41 times. But, my man, a log is not human flesh. You were getting exhausted from the resistance of hitting a thick ass log, not weak human flesh. And even with that, I think he almost got to 41. Clearly, there was a second case later where he was charged with the inability to process logic. Just kidding. But man, it’s so true that when we don’t want to see the bad in someone we will go out of our way to find an excuse not to.
Episode Grade: A-
3) That Damn Michael Che (HBo MAX)
English Audio Description?: Yes
I never remember these episodes, and i write this a day later. However, I did remember the sketch between the American boyfriend and the African father that took a spin on Taken. I’m sure the rest was equally entertaining.
Episode Grade: B+
4) Pistol (Hulu)
English Audio Description Available?: No
After a few episodes of declining quality, Pistol brought it back around with an episode that really directly reflected the rise of the Sex Pistols. While I do miss things because there’s no fucking audio description, there was a scene I interpreted as funny when the group is playing some event, and they’re asked to turn it down because Bingo is happening in an adjoining room, and the band is kind of like… nope.
Episode Grade: B+
5) Virgin River (Netflix)
English Audio Description?: Yes
So, I know this is not the smartest show on the planet, and I often give it a pass for shitty writing and mediocre acting, because i don’t think it’s trying at all. But this week, Jack’s father appears out of nowhere (kind of like how he got a sister last season out of nowhere), and I learned some bizarre things. His dad knew who Mel was. They greeted each other like old friends, even though there was never a prior mention of traveling to see his parents. And that’s important, because unlike the entire town of Virgin River that frequents Jack’s bar like it’s the only place in town, his dad has never been there. He’s actually never been to Virgin River. But he knows who Mel is, and he also had no idea Charmaine was pregnant, then got mad at Jack for not getting married to Charmaine. I know the writers of Virgin River know their audience expects very little, but… could you at least try? A little?
Episode Grade: B
