This continues to serve as a reminder of all the shows that are currently on my “watchlist”, as I don’t always get to every show every week, and as new shows come in, old shows go out, or I just stop watching something I’m not invested in for the long term. Joining this week are: The Residence (Netflix), Good American Family (Hulu), Long Bright River (Peacock), Wolf King (Netflix), Top Chef (Peacock), Real Time With Bill Maher (MAX), Everybody’s Here with John Mulaney (Netflix), and the walking Dead: Dead City (Netflix).
Winner: Severance (Apple plus) (Apple Plus) with audio description- Back on top for the season finale. What a terrific sophomore run, and I’m excited for a third season. This show takes a while to produce, so 2027 seems like the earliest, which is so far away. it feels so very far. I’d be shocked if this didn’t do better at the Emmy’s the second time around.
Runner Up: Yellowjackets (Paramount Plus) with audio description- How about the end to Episode 6? Wow. talk about a mic drop moment. With Severance out of the way, this could easily be on top next week. No real change in rank from the previous week. I just had Melanie Lynskey as one of my two performers recognized in today’s Small Screen Diary.
#3- The Righteous Gemstones (MAX) with audio description- Yes. I am this big of a fan, and while the Season Premiere caused it to land really high on the list, that second episode did not disappoint. the jetpakcs were everything, and John Goodman really landed the moments of gravitas.
#4- From (MGM Plus as a Prime Channel Add On) with audio description- I did actually watch another episode, which caused From to stabilize. I have enough time to catch up before the new season launches. Plenty of time. I do love that this whole show manages to slowly roll out the mystery, and it also has some really terrific audio description.
#5- Reacher (Amazon) with audio description- My top 5 is basically untouched. I’m also a fan of Reacher, and where i last left him, he was headed into the lions den. Already renewed, by the way. It was renewed before the new season even premiered.
#6- Adolescence (Netflix) with audio description- I bumped this one up. it does only have 4 episodes, and I’ve now seen two. but, it deserves to be the sensation it is, because it is a terrific experiment in real time storytelling.
#7- Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (MAX) no audio description- Always the highest rated show without audio description. No new episode next week.
#8- The White Lotus (MAX) with audio description- I incorrectly labeled a character actually played by Sam Rockwell, because I asked my Alexa device instead of going to the source. This serves as a reminder that Alexa is sometimes wrong. But, that Walton Goggins/Sam Rockwell scene was terrific, and Jason Isaacs had a moment at the end. The women are starting to build their storylines, and I’m dying for more of them to stand out. I’m a fan of Parker Posey, Carrie Coon, Michelle Monaghan, and the rest.
#9) Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (Disney Plus) with audio description- Climbed into the Top 10 for its season finale. I thought it was a lot of fun, and it also did a nice job of setting up the second season. i prefer this to Daredevil. Oddly, both shows feature Daredevil.
#10- The Residence (Netflix) with audio description- I think of the new shows, Shonda Rhimes’s political murder mystery comedy won me over the most in its first episode. Uzo Aduba has really found the kind of career defining role I feel like she’s been chasing since Orange Is the New Black.
#11- St Dennis Medical (Peacock) with audio description- I didn’t watch a new episode this week. I’m spreading them out, so it slipped a bit in the rankings.
#12- Abbott Elementary (Hulu) with audio description- I know they’ll find a way to fix the problem they caused, and part of me thinks Ava planned it all based on what she said to Crystal. But, I hate the idea that there’s a group of people going school to school and taking away “contraband” because schools can’t have nice things.
#13- Mythic Quest (Apple Plus) with audio description- Another reliable sitcom staple for me, which launches a limited spinoff on Wednesday. It should be interesting to see how Side Quest does.
#14- Pop culture Jeopardy (Amazon) with audio description- Staying steady and staying strong.
#15- Happy Face (Paramount Plus) with audio description- I was actually really captured by this pilot. Anna Leigh Ashford does a really nice job, and I can’t wait to see where the mystery of this show will go. The audio description by Media Access Group was also pretty good.
#16- The Daily Show (PAramount Plus) no audio description- I watched the whole weeks worth of episodes, which is rare, even for me.
#17#17- Elzabeth (Paramount Plus) with audio description- Already renewed for Season 3.
#18- Dope Thief (Apple Plus) with audio description- Pretty even from last week. I’ve seen two of the three episodes so far, and the second episode held up. I do wonder if the supposed co-leads are ever going to have balanced screentime.
#19- Toxic Town (Netflix) with audio description- I bumped this one up for the Series Finale. I thought it finished really strong, and Tracy had such a nice moment to close out the show, even if she got screwed in the end.
#20- Ghosts (Paramount Plus) with audio description- Another reliable sitcom. i didn’t watch a new episode, so i let it slip a bit. It has been picked up for two more seasons, so I’m less worried about its future.
#21- Have I got News For you (Apple Plus) no audio description- This could really use audio description considering how visual it is.
#22- Good American Family (Hulu) with audio description- I had previously avoided the Natalia Grace phenomenon, but Ellen Pompeo has dragged me into it with this new drama that was pretty solid in its first episode out. I know very little about the scandal, so this should be an interesting show to watch. I wonder if this will be like Candy, and then MAX will have another adaptation in six months.
#23- Win Or Lose (Disney Plus) with audio description- that little brother episode was adorable, full of the kind of imagination of Pixar, and caused this series to rise back up the chart.
#24- Top Chef (Peacock) with audio description- I’m really excited this long-time favorite of mine gained audio description. I do miss being able to see the food, but I also used to eat a lot when this show was on. It made me hungry as hell. Now, i can manage to watch it without gorging myself on something I tried to cook to prove I could compete on this level.
#25- The Wheel Of Time (Amazon) with audio description- Not much change from last week. I’m starting to get a hang of this show. Episode 2 didn’t quite have the exciting sequences the Season Premiere did, but it is still evolving in an interesting direction.
#26- Running Point (Netflix) with audio description- I’m halfway through I believe, and I think it is a fun show written perfectly for its lead. It has already been renewed for a second season.
#27) The Walking dead: Dead City (Netflix) with audio description- I do like the show more than this, but this is my second time through the show, but first with audio description. it is an entirely different monster in terms of ranking.
#28- School Spirits (Paramount Plus) with audio description- That season finale though. Not yet renewed. Should it be?
#29- Harley Quinn (MAX) with audio description- Another show finished last week. It is my least favorite season of the show, but I’m hopeful it was just a glitch in the Matrix. When all else fails, trust in Bane.
#30- Matlock (Paramount Plus) with audio description- They are running this Season 1 plot out too long. This is why streaming shows work with tight seasons. Matlock should have stuck with its initial 10 episode order.
#31- Tracker (Paramount Plus) with audio description- A reliable drama that sits perfectly in my schedule. #32- SNL (Peacock) with audio description- It slipped a little. I’m worried they are having a hard time finding new talent that can really take off. That song Jane sang during Weekend Update wasn’t funny, and she can’t sing. She’s done that bit before, and once was enough. Cultivate new talent.
@#33- The Rookie (Hulu) with audio description- I wish i could justify putting it higher, as I’m a big fan, but the writing this season has never been this cheesy.
#34- Suits LA (Peacock) with audio description- I’ll hand it to the show with the crappy pilot. It has steadily climbed every week, and this week managed to tie itself into the original franchise.
#35- Long Bright River (Peacock) with audio description- This landed a little in the middle of the pack. I was impressed by Amanda Seyfried, and the audio description, but I’m not quite as pulled in by this crime story as I have been some other shows. It has potential to go either way, up or down.
#36- celebrity Jeopardy (Hulu) with audio description- no new episode this week, so it slid a little in the rankings.
#37- 911 (Hulu) with audio description- i didn’t get through another new episode since last week, so it slid a bit as well. Obviously, this long into the run, I’m a fan.
#38- Daredevil: Born Again (Disney plus) with audio description- It continues to slide. I’m a Marvel fan, so I can’t see me not watching this even if it was just terrible by the end, but this is not anywhere near the quality of the Netflix show.
#39- The Great North (Hulu) no audio description- Since every show in the Animation realm on FOX keeps getting renewed, and this has struggled ratings wise for five seasons, I’m worried about its future now that FOX is making room for a returning American Dad.
#40- Going Dutch (Hulu) no audio description- I want it to have audio description. That’s really all I need is for FOX to port audio description to Hulu.
#41- American Idol (Hulu) no audio description- Two reality shows slid this week because Top Chef proved you can be a long running competition reality series and still add audio description. now I am more annoyed than ever by this show.
#42- The Masked Singer (Hulu) no audio description- Basically the same thing, though FOX seems unable to pass any audio description to Hulu for next day airings.
#43- Deli Boys (Hulu) with audio description- No real change from last week. it is steadily working to win me over, and it just might. I love the audio description for this, especially for a comedy.
#44- love you to Death (Apple plus) with audio description- My favorite non-English show right now I believe. So, that’s not nothing.
#45- Wolf King (Netflix) with audio description- This series is meant for kids, but I watched the first two episodes just to make sure it was worth keeping around. It isn’t Chaos Theory, but it doesn’t play to the lowest denominator. Adults might like this fantasy series.
#46 Survivor (Paramount Plus) with audio description- Down a bit when I had a hard time remembering anything notable about this week’s eliminated person.
#47- Real time With Bill Maher (MAX) no audio description- I have a love/hate relationship with Bill, so he might fall off again. I wanted to hear what he and his people had to say about current politics. last time I stopped watching him was when he invited Ice Cube on the show to excuse him for using a racial slur.
#48- Berlin ER (Apple Plus) with audio description- It’s holding nicely. It actually rose above surface, which is continuing to drop.
#49- Grosse Pointe Garden Society (Peacock) with audio description- It continues to slide. It had such a good premiere, but it has had such a hard time holding onto that feeling. It has gotten more and more mediocre, while somehow Suits has improved.
#50- Invincible (Amazon) with audio description- Down a bit because I didn’t watch a new episode this week.
#51- Will Trent (Hulu) with audio description- In about the same place as last week. I haven’t enjoyed Season 3 as much as the previous two seasons.
#52- Surface (Apple Plus) with audio description- Slid a bit due to not watching a new episode in the span of a week.
#53- The Traitors: UK (Peacock) no audio description- Really hard to watch and follow without audio description, even for a Traitors fan.
#54- Are You Smarter than A celebrity (Amazon) with audio description- Still need to finish the first season.
#55- Krapapolis (Hulu) no audio description- it hangs on, just like the FOX animated sitcom right below it.
#56- Grimmsburg (Netflix) with audio description- Rewatching Season 1.
#57- The Kardashians (Hulu) with audio description- I’m trying to keep up. I did actually watch a new episode, so there’s something.
#58- Papa’s house (Paramount Plus) with audio description- I also watched a new episode of this Wayans comedy that I want to like more, but it needs better writers.
#59- 1923 (Paramount Plus) with audio description- I plan to keep watching, but this is really low on my list.
#60- How Disney Built America (Hulu) no audio description- I’m also trying to finish this.
Danger Zone: The Leopard (Netflix), The Eastern Gate (MAX), and Cassandra (Netflix)
removed From Watchlist: Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney (Netflix), Happy’s Place (Peacock), Denise Richard’s and her Wild Things (Peacock)