Yesterday was a big day for TV shows. I only had one final Star Wars film to knock off the list, so i could finally dive into the long waited Obi Wan kenobi and Stranger Things debuts. But where did they end up on the list?
1) Stranger Things (Netflix)
English Audio Description Available?: Yes
In the Season 4 premiere, the long awaited return was very much worth the wait. Even though it hasn’t been that long since the last time these kids were together, they’re now navigating high school and popularity contests, which you would think is easier than battling in the upside down. But with our gang split, with some now living in California, and the others still stuck in Hawkins, when a new threat arrives, how will they tackle it? The first episode did a great job of checking in on all the major players (except Hopper), as well as flashing back to more history from Eleven’s past, and introducing several new characters that we will just have to wait and see how integral they become to the plot.Can’t wait for episode two, even if these episode runtimes are not what you would normally expect. And the last 10 seconds of this episode will answer why there is now a content warning on a show that started out tV-14.
Episode Grade: A
2) Obi Wan Kenobi (Disney Plus)
English Audio Description Available?: Yes
In the first hour of the limited series that feels like it was intended to be a Star Wars story, after being treated to a massive recap that assumes no one saw the prequel trilogy, the series picks up 10 years after the events of Revenge Of The Sith, with Ben watching over a young Luke on Tattooine from afar, as his Uncle is not a fan of his. He also has to lay low, as there are inquisitors that are roaming the galaxy looking for Jedi to kill, and they track them down because Jedi apparently are ready to find because of their random acts of heroism. So, Obi Wan has to refrain from being a hero. That becomes a challenge when an old friend calls him up for a favor after a family member has been abducted, and Obi Wan is their only hope. The firstt episode is mostly just establishing, setting up the plot for future episodes, but with rich audio description, a very welcome return from Ewan mcGregor, some talented child actors, and a plot that already has me far more interested than Bob Fett, I’m accepting the lack of action in this first episode, and remaining hopeful for the future.
Episode Grade: A-
3) Woke (Hulu)
English Audio Description Available?: Yes
In the 5th or 6th episode of Season 2, a Harlem Renaissance Rent Party is thrown, with the attempt at saving the paper, while Keef goes on one of those ancestry type shows to less than favorable results.
Episode Grade: A-
4) Frasier (Paramount Plus)
English Audio Description Available?: No
Yes, this Christmas themed episode from Season 5 was good enough to get it this high on my list.
Episode Grade: A-
5) The Girl From Plainville (Hulu)
English Audio Description Available?: Yes
in the season’s 5th or 6th episode, Michelle ends up being asked to prom, despite all the reasons for people to not ask her to prom, and a doctor comes out of the woodwork offering to testify for free because he believes Michelle is innocent and is just on too many anti-depressant type medications. Meanwhile, we keep flashing back to Michelle and Coco’s time together, both in text message, but also that one time he actually showed up for her, at her grandmother’s funeral. He might have picked the wrong time to try and get laid, but the initial gesture was sweet. It’s a very weird show.
Episode Grade: B+
6) We Crashed (apple Plus)
English Audio Description Available?: Yes
In the third episode, Anne Hathaway’s acting, not her characters but actually hers, is the reason to watch. There’s a retreat, and the episode puts more of a focus on her over Jared Leto, as she deals with fallout from within a corporate event and some words she said that offended, as well as her father’s impending court case. I’m still not really hooked on this series, but Anne made it a lot better this week.
Episode Grade: B+
7) Jeopardy (Syndication)
English Audio description Available?: No
As Ryan logged his 11th win, and broke 200K, I got 20 right, and not Final Jeopardy. That’s only 1/3rd of the questions. Not great.
Episode Grade: B
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8) Bullshit (Netflix)
English Audio Description Available?: Yes
In the 5th episode, one guy looks to go higher than any contestant before, and we get a cliffhanger of an ending.
Episode Grade: B
9) Tokyo Vice (HBO MAX)
English Audio Description Available?: Yes
In Michael Mann’s slow boiling crime drama, a white reporter (Ansel Elgort) struggles with being accepted as a writer at the same time he seems to want to cover murders done by the Yakuza. The first episode is a little slow, and i haven’t really started to find people to care about yet. I’m hopeful this gets better, but for now, it’s Ok.
Episode Grade: B-
10) Winning Time (HBo/HBOMAX)
English Audio Description Available?: Yes
The fallout of the bike accident is revealed. I am trying so hard to get into this show. I don’t know why I can’t. It has an amazing cast, it’s about Basketball, and it should be at the top of my list every week. I can’t put my finger on it, but it feels like we’re almost slowing things down too much, and going for too much of a deep dive at times. Maybe it’s just the pacing. Or the massive cast. i just don’t know.
Episode Grade: B-
11) The Golden Girls (Hulu)
English Audio Description Available?: No
It was the season final to Season 3. As far as Season Finales go, it felt under whelming.
Episode Grade: B-
