Today, the Golden Globes announce their nominations. Do I have any WILD predictions? Usually the Globes find a way of throwing love to new things, and acting like they are trendsetters. I noticed another critics group put him in their Best Actor list, so I actually gave Ramon Rodriguez a slot this year for Will Trent. That’s my boldest prediction on the TV side. If I get it right, I think I level up.
1) Blue Eye Samurai (Netflix)
English Audio Description?: Yes
Status: Unknown
I was thinking this would be a half hour anime, but this thing is an hour, putting it more into One Piece territory. I didn’t like it nearly as much by comparison, and some of the acting here (whether dubbed or not) was sketchy. Not everything can be One piece, but this wasn’t even as exciting as Cowboy Bebop. I truly may not watch a second episode.
Final Grade: C
2) Monarch (Apple Plus)
English Audio Description?: Yes
Status: Not Yet Renewed
This series that takes place in Legendary’s Godzilla universe is making up for the lack of characters to care about in the film versions. This is all about humans, and mystery, though some flashes of monsters are shown.It’s a tough sell, and as a pilot, I didn’t fully rope me in on these characters. We have a science team heded off to a place they know is dangerous, but seem to not care about. I want to like this, but it’s just really average. Though, I truly despise Gareth Edwards’s take on Godzilla, so maybe I was never meant to like this.
Episode Grade: B-
3) Lawmen (Paramount Plus)
English Audio Description?: Yes
Status: Limited
English Audio Descritpion By The Media Access Group
This show has fantastic audio description, with a voice that sounds like the old movie trailer guy. It feels so epic, and I felt like this is the best thing Taylor Sheridan has touched since his flagship series. David Oyelowo is terrific as Bass Reeves, and it’s a harrowing and long pilot episode. One of the best pilots of the year. I was riveted from beginning to end, and it has a noticeably terrific score. can it actually maintain? that’s the big question. but, I’m going high here.
Episode Grade: A+
4) Digman (Paramount Plus)
English Audio Description?: no
Status: Renewed?
This Comedy Central entry has Andy Samberg running around the globe trying to find someone who has been lost. Kind of like an animated comedy version of Indiana Jones.Andy Samberg’s voice work here is solid, but I wish this had audio description, so some of the jokes made sense. It’s not totally unwatchable, but this is just the first episode, and i could see how this could bounce between watchable and not.
Episode Grade: B-
5) 007: Race To A Million (Amazon)
English Audio Description?: Yes
Status: I Don’t Care
Brian Cox is my favorite actor. Listening to him speak would normally just be enough. If Brian Cox could just follow me around all day, I would set my genie free on the second wish. This series is the most boring thing I’ve seen, with the least interesting approach. To slap the 007 label on this is why the Broccoli family should be worried that Amazon now owns the Bond series. While I’d love to see Cox as an actual Bond villain, I wanted to throw myself out of a moving train while trying to care about anything happening in this. There’s also audio description struggling here. One scene featured two guys trying to measure a snake, and it’s a very physical thing, which would have been nice to know how they were doing it. Sadly, these two fucktards can’t shut up, so there’s no narration during their segment, and the most interesting thing is lost so they can squabble. I hate this series with a raising passion, but I refuse to give something with Brian Cox as the host a complete F.
Final Grade: D-
6) The Golden Girls (Hulu)
English Audio Description?: Yes
Status: Ended
This is just a reminder that it is possible to add audio description to a classic series. All seasons of The Golden Girls have audio description, so while I continue to stumble through other classic sitcoms like All in The Family, Cheers, Frasier, and Home Improvement without audio description, I just wanted to point out that Dorothy and the gang have got it going on.
Episode Grade: B+
