Well, I guess the once rumored Home Improvement revival isn’t happening, as Tim Allen is now in a development deal for a new sitcom at ABC. That’s just that cookie crumbling. I did sit through another episode of the Second Best Hospital In The Universe (Amazon), and I’m getting Strange Planet vibes. Strange Planet was adult animation without needing to be crass, because it put our own human condition in a very unique perspective. Here, it feels a little like that, but not quite as strong in terms of hitting the mark. There are too many things that make sense only to alien races, like one of the patients is in its final stages of life which ends with it self exploding. I just think there’s stronger content out there. However, this show does have really good audio description. The descriptions of the aliens are really well done, and since this show exists entirely in fantasy, the narration brings out all the best elements.
Constellation (Apple Plus) also has some pretty strong narration, and I got through the second episode. There is very much a weird mystery afoot here, one that will be uncovered down the line, but it is really a science fiction show at heart.I’m glad Jonathan Banks had a bit more to do in the second episode.
The second episode of Ghosts (Paramount Plus) this season saw Sass reveal his “ghost power”, which should bring him closer to Jay. Meanwhile, Thor is still mourning the loss of Flower, and the ladies learn about Good Luck Chuck, and try and apply that logic to Thor, as Flower apparently wasn’t his only ghost girlfriend to ascend. They used “sucked off” in this episode so often, I couldn’t help but giggle. It felt like they were subverting censors in the most creative way. Like when Hitchcock directed a film during the old code days, and was told he couldn’t have one really long kiss, so he had a bunch of short ones.
One Day (Netflix) still is here. Four episodes. If people weren’t so damn obsessed with this, I’d be giving up. but I can’t figure out why people like this, or how it becomes a tearjerker. Four episodes in, this thing as the least likable male lead. You all deserve better. The audio description doesn’t bother me, but I’ve heard complaints from other blind folk about it being to interpretative, and I just don’t feel like that’s a major problem here. I think people are being hyper critical as it is a newer studio that isn’t prominently doing a ton of AD. but, I don’t think their stuff is bad.
Will Trent (Hulu) is such a confounding series. I thought the first episode was described rather average, especially compared to the previous season. The second episode needs some TLC, as there are moments that are much more obvious where AD should have been, but for the third week out, I really didn’t have any problems. I still think the biggest offender on ABC is Abbott Elementary, which saw a definable drop in quality.
I also decided to start the first episode of The Man In The High Castle (Amazon), a show I never got to catch, but really has a strong audio description track, and an excellent pilot episode. This first episode does a really good job of building this alternate reality, while also not overcommitting to too many characters. I could tell who the lead was, I had an inkling of what the season long arc might be, and I had a good feel for the supporting cast. but most importantly, in just one episode, I felt like I really understood the rules of this alt-reality, and that is so important with this Philip K Dick adaptation, and that’s not just a credit to the writers of the pilot, but also the audio description.
And, I did try to push forward on young Sheldon (MAX), as I might be able to finish the show in time for the spinoff next fall if I work hard. I’m close to the end of Season 2, so only 5 seasons to go. In terms of sitcom narration, this is pretty solid.
