TV Shows Watched: Reacher: S3E2 (Amazon) with audio description, Cobra Kai: S6E13 (Netflix) with audio description, Survivor: S48E1 (Paramount Plus) with audio description, Win Or Lose: S1E3 (Disney Plus) with audio description, Court Of Gold: S1E3 (Netflix) with audio description, How Disney Built America: S1E3 (Hulu) no audio description, and The Masked Singer: S13E3 (Hulu) no audio description.
I got the eliminated contestant on Masked Singer wrong. However, i still think Paparazzo is Matthew Lawrence. I’m having a hard time thinking of another actor who would have a Robin Williams connection, as a child actor, but also be known for voice acting. Lawrence fits that bill.
Best Episode: Win Or Lose (Disney Plus)- After the first two episodes were underwhelming, I was surprised to find a thoughtful, maybe predictable, third episode that felt more grounded and realistic, that kids and parents could relate to.
Runner Up: Cobra Kai and Reacher- I love both shows, and both had very consistent offerings this week.
Best Audio Description: Cobra Kai- There was fighting. There were flashbacks. There was some kind of ghost performance from someone playing Miyagi. This episode had everything, including Nachos.
Runner Up: Win Or Lose- There were several clever moments throughout. There’s still a lack of recognition of diversity in this show, but there is that Pixar imagination that bleeds through this. It captures that well.
Best Performance: William Zapka (Cobra Kai)- He’s been building to this. Six seasons as adult Johnny Lawrence has led to this moment. He has a nice moment with Robbie, but his Emmy moment comes after an apology from Crease, and a heartfelt speech about what being torn down as a kid did to him that reverberated through his life.
Runner Up: Sonya Cassidy (Reacher)- I hope Duffy doesn’t meet the same fate as a similar character from last season, because I love her spirit. Cassidy gives Duffy that hard knock life feeling, like Duffy from Annie grew up to lead a DEA task force. When she comes into the room and beats on the bodyguard to try and get information about her missing girl on the inside, I realized I’d watch a show called Duffy. Though, this series has been great at introducing characters like this, and never revisiting them in later seasons.
Best Moment Of Audio Description: So, let’s just use this space. I have not watched a season of Survivor in a *long* time, and the minute I come back there are two contestants competing, one very openly, and one secretly to another player, that they are differently abled. It is also my first time ever hearing the audio description. Some of it is really good. The challenges were well described. The Immunity Idols won at the team challenges, also. A few people had some description, while others did not. I was initially frustrated because the episode opened with describing contestants without names, but when they got to the guy with the tattoos, he gained a name right after. I came in hot yesterday, but what I said is true. Audio description is set up so the first time you encounter a person, or even a space, the description should be strong enough to carry from then on. For films, this could lead to, and often does, under described people, and sometimes locations we revisit. It becomes more problematic when sequels are ordered, and then you are expected to know what Batman/Shrek/Austin Powers look like, or even films deceptively not needing a sequel, but getting one anyway, like The Whole Nine Yards/Analyze This/Independence Day. But, for a TV show, you know you have at least a full season. And for scripted shows, you could be describing the next Meredith Grey. you really don’t know. What Survivor did well though, was a description of the tribal council area. Considering this is a location that is revisited, and may not get the same depth of description later, i wanted to take the time now. It has been over 20 years since my last tribal council, and the description was very solid. I’d like to know more about the contestants I’m rooting for, though.
Runner Up: Get Under The Table (Reacher)- Brutal. Let’s just say Reacher found a creative way to hide a body.
Worst Of…- I mean, Hulu… have you even tried acquiring audio description for The Masked Singer? That duck? I’d love to know where it came from.
