TV News: CBS, which almost entirely exists on spinoffs at this point, is exploring a spinoff for The Equalizer. If ordered, it would join the already existing NCIS and FBI spinoffs, as well as the new George and Mandy, Elzabeth, and upcoming Fire Country spinoff. Counterpoint offer to CBS/Paramount Global on this. Perhaps, develop spinoffs that run on Paramount Plus, helping to push subscribers to your streamer, while leaving spots on your lineup to develop fresh ideas like this seasons big hit Matlock, and the American version of Ghosts. While neither are decidedly original, both could have been lost in a landscape full of spinoffs, which if the also rumored Blue Bloods spinoff ever happens, would create a bit of a jam. I’m also feeling strong spinoff vibes for Tracker.
TV Shows Watched: Cruel Intentions: S1E2 (Amazon) with audio description, Say Nothing: S1E7 (Hulu) with audio description, Interior: Chinatown: S1E3 (Hulu) with audio description, Last Night On Tremore Beach: S1E8 (Netflix) with audio description, Cross: S1E2 (Amazon) with audio description, The Lincoln Lawyer: S3E5 (Netflix) with audio description.
Podcasts: None
YouTube: Deep Focus Lens (Review: Gladiator 2), Breakfast All Day (Review: The Piano Lesson), Cody Leach (Review: Gladiator 2), The Oscar Expert (Review: Wicked), Fish Jelly Reviews (Review: The Substance)
Cruel Intentions is one of my new favorite guilty pleasures. I’m really enjoying it thus far. The audio description is perhaps a bit darker in narrator tone than it needs to be, but for a show that is this sexual thriller, it isn’t that jarring. There are lots of little ways this series finds a way to create its own path, while still making direct nods to the film it owes its existence to.
Say Nothing finally took a breath, a little, after two harrowing and intense episodes. I love that at the end of every episode I hear that Jerry Adam’s has always denied involvement in the IRA, but this series is just putting that there for legal purposes, because clearly its writers disagree. Ha.
I still think interior Chinatown would benefit from shorter episodes, even if it played more in the network TV range of 40 minutes. It leans mostly comedy with a dash of satire, and stretching that every episode does actually feel like a stretch. But, with all the little changes that are made to help this show look like our main character is in fact a background actor trying to take a lead role, it is funny to see the specific choices, and great to hear the audio description notice things like the lighting changes in certain scenes.
If this year wasn’t the year of Shogun and Pachenko, this would have a shot at best International TV show. Don’t sleep on this. I finished it, and while it may take a moment to get going because every episode is feature length, there’s a story here, and it twists and turns like a bat out of hell. I loved this show, the audio description, and even (gasp!) the dub voice cast. One of the better dub voice casts I’ve ever heard.
Cross isn’t really working for me. I need Alex to be smarter. I hate the fact that the show decided to make him so prolific, but he seems like he’s just getting started. Give Aldis Hodge better material to work with. I want this season to be over, and this show to get new writers, who really actually put Alex where he should be. I still say this show would work if Alex was so exceptionally good, almost impossibly so, because that would mean writing a challenging villain for him would be even more of a devious trip. Here, he seems like a regular guy. He’s not making any bolder choices than the high-IQ mom on High Potential right now. literally, Caitlin Olsen’s character from High Potential would be a greater lead detective here, giving this killer a run for his money. That’s a really sad thing I just typed.
And Lincoln Lawyer wins the Ad award of the day. I’m heavy in this show. Season 3, Episode 5, and there was this moment where they describe Mickey, again, where this smile gives him little dimples, and he has a stubbly cheek. keep in mind, this is the LEAD of the show. this is halfway through the third season, and our AD writer is *still* finding ways of shaping characters. I think that’s just admirable as hell on all fronts. Thank you for your service. Dimples and stubble. That’s whaat floored me today.