Sometimes, this does feel like shouting at the wind. And then sometimes, you shout, and the wind shouts back. Netflix has finally uploaded an English Audio Description track for Emilia Perez, officially giving us 10 Best Picture nominees with audio description. I’m actually impressed by the job done, considering it was just a little over two months ago when the movie landed on Netflix with no audio description. I’ll have a full review later, but I’m certain it was a late commission, and a rush to put out. If Netflix had just commissioned the track back in May when they picked up Emilia Perez, who knows. But, it is a great audio description track that made it just in time.
TV Shows Watched: The Night Agent: S2E2 (Netflix) with audio description, Severance: S2E2 (Apple Plus), Shifting Gears: S1E3 (Hulu) with audio description, American Primeval: S1E3 (Netflix), The Pit: S1E4 (MAX) with audio description, Are You Smarter Than A Celebrity?: S1E? (Amazon) with audio description, Landman: S1E? (Paramount Plus) with audio description, and Abbott Elementary: S4E11 (Hulu) with audio description
movies: Star Trek: Section 31 (Paramount Plus) with audio description, Emilia Perez (Netflix) with audio description, and The Bad Shepherd (Hulu) no audio description
Best Episode: Severance- We learned more about what happened right after the Season 1 finale, as we saw the outties in their world, and how Lumen worked to fix what happened. Now I feel really caught up, and I know so much more about these people’s lives, and how they contrast to their innies. Also, Patricia Arquette is back!
Runner Up: Abbott Elementary- I did really like this episode, dealing with the bus drivers strike, and kids not being able to get to school.
Best Performances: The Cast Of Abbott Elementary- I started off thinking this was going to be Janelle James, because Ava was delivering some great lines. then, I saw lisa Ann Walters doing some hilarious work. Then I noticed both Quinta and Tyler doing great work. So, I just decided to shoutout the ensemble in an episode about the lengths teachers go to in order to help students, and the ridiculous barriers they sometimes face in doing so, but all done in the most hilarious way possible.
Runner Up: Adam Scott (severance)- I picked him for the last episode as well, but it really feels like he gave two different performances. Last week, he dominated the episode with his innie, and this episode, we saw his outtie and all that came along with it, including him having to deal with some things from the past he was sure he had left behind.
Best Audio Description: Severance- I think there were little moments for me that really sold me on giving this the edge. For example, the sequence of going in and out of the elevator. This episode focused totally on the outties, so they found a creative way of not going inside the workspace, but also catching us up. Little details, like throwing something over a photo to cover it up. I liked these moments.
Runner Up: American Primeval- There was one really great character description in the third episode, having to do with this old lady, that I loved. Also, the violence is well done. I just really am not enjoying this show, so it makes it hard to talk about. I might end up finishing this and The Pit before there is better television to distract me.
Best Moment Of Audio Description: Severance- Like I Said, the sequence of going to work, and then leaving, but repeating that in succession, plus the use of the elevator. I loved all of that.
Runner Up: The Night Agent- There was a fight sequence in this episode between Peter and his target that I thought was well described. if you think I’m being lukewarm, it is because I think the writing quality for the show itself went down, and now I have a super obvious second season ahead of me.
Worst Of… Anything?: I’m not thrilled about the lack of audio description on that one movie. In terms of quality, I really disliked Star Trek: section 31 and thought it felt really cheap. But, in terms of audio description, I don’t always mention which shows I watch with someone else, and I watched Are You Smarter, Landman, and Abbott, and the only one my sighted TV companion felt compelled (and unprompted) to fill in the gaps in the audio description was Abbott. I don’t think I’ve ever complained openly about the quality of the audio description, but I guess they could tell it just wasn’t cutting it, and jumped in on a couple of places. They did not do that for the other two programs.
