I didn’t watch the parade. I broke the Thanksgiving rule. I just wasn’t in the mood. However, I did vegetate a lot in front of the TV. Took a nap. The usual.
1) Everything now (Netflix)
English Audio Description?: Yes
Status: Not Yet Renewed
Nothing says Thanksgiving quite like watching a show about a girl with an eating disorder. But, in the third episode, our lead Mia spends most of the episode in her feelings for this girl she likes, only for the episode to once again not turn out the way she expected. It’s so weird to see her be told she can’t do things like participate in too much physical activity, as that could be seen as a new coping mechanism for her eating disorder.
Episode Grade: B+
2) For All Mankind (Apple Plus)
English Audio Description?: Yes
Status: hopefully Will Be Renewed
Russia is installing a new government, which could change the dynamic in space, but what does that mean for Margo? Meanwhile, Kelly visits someone who isn’t a big fan of the Baldwin’s, but figures she may be the key he needs to taking back Helios. On Mars, Miles is looking for ways to earn extra cash so his family doesn’t have to move to Idaho, when he makes a strange bedfellow, who has an even stranger request.
Episode Grade: A
3) Shining Veil (Starz)
English Audio Descritpion?: No
Status: Not Yet renewed
I wish this show had audio description. there are clearly so many supernatural/horror/spooky elements in every episode that we are missing out on, but Courtney Cox and Greg Kinnear are doing some great work. I hate to consistently rank this show where I do, but we are missing essentially the thing that makes this show different from other shows like it.
Episode Grade: unwatchable
4) Scavengers Reign (MAX)
English Audio Description?: Yes
Status: Not Yet Renewed
Such a weird show, that I still don’t know what the plot is, and I’m pretty sure it is not a comedy by this point. very creative and inventive, but the actual plot and characters are virtually non-existent. The first episode had a bit of a wow factor, but now I realize I’m showing up just to hear fantastic audio description of the alien flora and fauna that is very imaginative.
Episode Grade: B-
5) Star Trek: Lower Decks (Paramount Plus)
English Audio Description?: Yes
Status: Unknown
Don’t follow Scavenger’s Reign with Lower Decks. While Decks can sometimes be creative, it is tonally way different, and I think that affected the way I was able to actually enjoy this episode.
Episode Grade: B-
6) Justified (Hulu)
English Audio Description?: No
Status: Ended
Did I need the segment with the blowtorch audio described to me? Need is a strong word. Sometimes, when something tremendously gory like that is left out, i don’t shed a tear… especially when my stomach is full of Thanksgiving. But, I would be remiss if I mentioned that once again, there are always elements in every episode of Justified that warrant audio description, and always have relevance to the plot.
Episode Grade: unwatchable
7) Mad Men (AMC Plus)
English Audio Description?: No
Status: Ended
Roger is trying to get Don to sign a three year contract, but Don realizes the power he has in not being signed to a contract. So, he’s not gonna do it, even when Roger calls Betty and tries to get her on his side. Don is a bit short with Peggy in this episode, not really knowing she’s being offered another job, but when we see Peggy take that meeting, really she’s getting offered dick. Could I have used audio description? Absolutely. I think someone got mugged. But, I mostly followed this episode. It’s far more dialog driven.
Episode Grade: B+
8) Frasier (Paramount Plus)
English Audio Description?: No
Status: Ended
This is the original series, and Frasier has some set up that seems very evolved, and becomes annoyed when it turns out his dad’s simplistic approach ends up winning over Frasier’s complicated approach.
Episode Grade: B+
9) Frasier (Paramount Plus)
English Audio Description?: Yes
Status: Not Yet Renewed
And on the new series, the humor in this episode was that Frasier and Freddie are set up by Eve on blind dates. One shows up, and the two can’t tell if she’s there for dad or son. At no point does Freddie point out to his father that he’s assuming that a woman his son’s age was set up for him, and we are just supposed to be Ok with this scenario. It makes total sense.
Episode Grade: C+
10) The Office (Peacock)
English Audio Descritpion?: No
Status: Ended
Michael tries to hang out with Jim, Dwight is trying to figure out if someone who called in sick is really sick, and Pam learns something she wasn’t supposed to know.
Episode Grade: B+
