After having a day where I watched so many amazing shows, I followed it up with a day with so many really close to amazing shows. Not quite the same thing, but not every episode is created equal.
1) Woke (Hulu)
English Audio Description: Yes
Yeah, I didn’t expect Woke would ever be topping my daily watchlist either. But, after watching an episode where Keef, still reeling from being attacked for his lineage, hires a new publicist who has big dreams, including having Keef use his own organization to give himself an award for black excellence. So, Keef is giving Keef a trophy. The rest of the episode is a series of hilarious situational comedy, like being stuck in a stairwell with no phone reception, or trying to get a better seat so pretending to be someone else because the seats are reserved. Woke sometimes does its best work when it is making a lot of commentary on race and pushing serious topics through its comedy, but this episode just worked because it was nonsensical and funny outright.
Episode Grade: A
2) Obi Wan Kenobi (Disney Plus)
English Audio Description: Yes
In a course correction for Leia, we start moving in the right direction for this series. Her writing is better, which leads to a less annoying episode. Fun fact: i didn’t even know Reva was black until the internet lost its damn mind. Calm down internet. Stop sending black actors death threats just because they exist. Reva is a great new addition, she’s creepy as hell, and I can’t wait to see where this series takes her. But this episode also featured some Darth Vader, and not just any old Vader, but one voiced by James Earl Jones. I’m glad we continue to use him until the last drop.I don’t know who will read Vader at some point in the future when Jones is no longer with us, but it will never be the same.
Episode Grade: A-
3) The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray (Apple Plus)
English Audio Description: Yes
in an episode that slowed everything way down, we got more backstory, some questions answered, yet this episode felt a little slower than most. It’s probably why they cut it shorter than previous episodes, because there wasn’t much to this episode, except some great acting, and a lot of character development. But with a hint that Ptolemy may be starting his decline, will he get justice for Reggie?
Episode Grade: A-
4) The Big Con (Apple Plus)
English Audio Description Available?: Yes
In episode two of the four part documentary series, things just get a little crazier, and a little more nuts. As more information unfolds, and the investigation presses forward, everything is seemingly almost halted by a government shutdown.
Episode Grade: A-
5) The hardy Boys (Hulu)
English Audio Description Available?: Yes
in the third episode of Season 2, the gang continues to explore what happened to their friend, constructing an elaborate plan to break into the place where they think their evidence is being kept. But by the end of the episode, a trip to jail brings enlightenment for one of the gang, and the kid they’re trying to save is very much not OK (and his best friend is super sketchy).
Episode Grade: A-
6) Minx (HBO MAX)
English Audio Description Available?: Yes
in the 8th episode (which i honestly thought would be the last… but nope) we are treated to in fighting about the direction of Minx, which is at peak popularity.Will those two ever see eye to eye? Can this show get any Emmy nominations?
Episode Grade: B+
7) The Chase (ABC)
English Audio Description Available?: Yes
For a guy who boldly announced to the world that he had made it as far as Tournament of Champions,before losing to Brad, that guy sucked. When it became obvious to me that the producers carried him to the final chase by giving him two of the easiest questions, and then gave his team the easiest Final Chase, I was wondering why they were trying so hard to give this guy money. When it became clear that Buzzy was about to catch him, his next two questions basically revolved around an incredibly obvious question that you would know the answer was North Korea if you knew what it’s capital was, or if you knew anything about Dennis Rodman. The second one, I said. “Aston Martin’ out loud before Sarah Haynes could even read it. And of course, this old guy knew the kind of car James Bond is so famous for driving. Buzzy didn’t let this guy get to first base, the umpire walked him there.
Episode Grade: B
8) Jeopardy (Syndication)
English Audio Description Available?: No
Dropping this one down this week. It wasn’t fun to have a category reliant on pictures, especially when I feel like i knew some of the answers. My low ass score of 12 was impacted by five questions that were inaccessible to me. And no one got Final Jeopardy, but they all guessed the same wrong answer. So Ryan managed to win by simply having the most conservative bet.
Episode Grade: B-
9) Star Trek Picard (Paramount Plus)
in the second to last episode of the season, we have a part 1 of a two parter. And, data!
Episode Grade: B-
