TV Shows Watched: Skeleton Crew: S1E5 (Disney Plus) with audio description, What If: S3E4 (Disney plus) with audio description, Laid: S1E3 (Peacock) with audio description, La Macquena: S1E4 (Hulu) with audio description, Landman: S1E2 (Paramount Plus) with audio description, Virgin River: S6E1 (Netflix), Are you Smarter Than A Celebrity: S1E? (Amazon) with audio description, and A Man On the Inside: S1E5 (Netflix) with audio description.
Movie Watched: Elton John: Never Too Late (Disney plus)
Since yesterday was Christmas, technically, I’ll extend the holiday spirit, and there’s no bad here, again. Just a nice present full of good.
Best Episode: Laid (Peacock)- I loved a lot of the shows, but this show made me crack up the most. the third episode, which introduced the vision board of future death from sex, had the apology tour, and the hilarious “what’s in the box?” Moment edges out the competition.
Runner Up: Skeleton Crew- I am enjoying this show much more than The Acolyte. Some really fun moments, including one with a lightsaber.
Bonus Runner Up: What If- How can I not mention Howard The Duck? Hearing Nick Fury repeatedly refer to the couple as “Mr and Mrs The Duck” was great. I know they will never fullly tap into Howard, but I’ve long wanted an animated show like they did for MODOK (which should have gotten a second season).
Best Performance: Billy Bob Thornton (Landman)- It’s like the role he was born to play. I’m not crazy about the show, or the supporting cast, but he’s just been let off the leash, and clearly having a great time. Taylor Sheridan and Billy Bob is a great pairing. Taylor and Jon Hamm? That jury is still out.
Runner Up: Ted Danson (A Man On The Inside)- He finds some great levels. In episode 5, there’s a specific need for him to try and question one of the residents, so he puts on his charm, and she’s a former costume designer. But when he realizes she’s really starting to show signs of dementia, his whole tone and demeanor shifts from “pretend detective” to someone who is truly empathetic and concerned. A well done moment for him.
Bonus Runner Up: Seth Green (What If)- A nice choice for Howard The Duck. Especially in the same episode, where they brought back Zeus, and that definitely was not Russell Crowe, or someone even attempting to sound like him. What If can be a mixed bag of who is voicing who, and Green is really giving reasons to give Howard a spinoff with Darcy.
Best Audio Description- Skeleton Crew- Certainly, with all the science fiction elements, this had the highest level of difficulty. It really did a good job, especially in the treasure room, but also the day spa. Every space felt fleshed out.
Runner Up: La Macquena- This is all audio description. While This Is Not Hollywood employs a dub cast, then audio description, this show has audio description only, and they sprung in the budget for more than one voice, which is what plagued Shogun. So, I want to keep thanking Hulu for making the right call.
Bonus Runner up: What If- Again, so much science fiction, especially the moments on the cruise ship, and on Nowhere. I would have ranked it a slot higher, but I did really want to know what Darcy and Howard’s kid looked like. Also, lots of questions as to how she laid an egg. Just. So many questions.
Best Moment Of Audio Description- Skeleton Crew- The lightsaber sequence. I’m so glad that was described.
Runner Up: Skeleton Crew- The entire description of the treasure room, including the turkey, and the stool. I’ll extend that to how they get into the treasure room, and that entire sequence. Yes, the lightsaber is also within the broader timespan, but this whole part was really well done, and important.
Bonus Runner Up: Landman- I’m always amazed at shows that feature a lot of smoking, and how much the audio description tracks it. Thinking all the way back to Helen Mirren in Golda, I noted it could be a drinking game. And with the amount of times Billy Bob lights up in just this episode, you could be knocked out drunk by the end.
