Some Random Thoughts About Television... [R]

Episode 3 of The Penguin should earn Collin Farrell an Emmy. This is the best show I've seen in a few years (probably since Severance) and this particular episode might end up in discussions of all time great television.

 

I decided to watch the first episodes of Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit on CW to see how they rank with the great game shows. Scrabble is okay, but needs a different set and maybe better graphics. Trivial Pursuit is really good and I might end up watching it regularly.

 

Penguin is legitimately be the best show of 2024. The depth they're creating in just a few episodes is phenomenal and is making me more excited for the next Batman film.

 

Wrapped up Kaos on Netflix last night. Thought the cast was excellent and the slight tweaks to Greek myth were fun. Enjoyed it a lot, so sad to see it was already cancelled. I'm probably in the minority preferring weekly drops to binging, so made it through Rings of Power first, because I knew I could handle one/week, but I enjoyed this more even though we spread it out a bit.

 

Finally getting around to The Boys season 4 and...something's missing. It feels like the over the top violence and gratuitous sex scenes are only for shock value now instead of at least partially serving to build the world and serve the storylines. I'm on episode 3 and I don't know for sure that I'm going to finish it.

 

I probably liked it a little bit more than you did, but I did say at the time I watched it that it definitely feels like a show that is past its peak and that it's probably best that season five is going to be the final one.

 

This season of Only Murders in the Building has turned into a slog. They've really lost the magic.

 

The new Matlock series is apparently a big hit at CBS. They've aired two episodes and it's already been renewed for a second season. I've enjoyed it, but that's a really big move on their part.

 

Chick-fil-A is launching their own free streaming service, Chick-fil-A Play, on November 18.

Here's the first show they're promoting, Legends of Evergreen Hills:

 

Only Murders didn't land the plane well at all. That was a really rough season 4. I'm intrigued by the setup for season 5, but I doubt I'll watch it until after reviews are out and the season is mostly over.

 

Agatha All Along ended up being more interesting than good, but the final two episodes fell flat for me and I'm not at all interested in what they set up.

 

Teacup - 2024 (Peacock)

A fun little dystopian horror mystery that set itself up for a second season while revealing enough to make the 8 episodes (most around 35 minutes) to breeze by. If you're looking for something that has a gritty feel like the early Walking Dead seasons, but isn't about zombies, then this one might be for you.

 

I would say this season truly leaned into the celebrity cameos, though that is nothing new.
Probably it stood out more because the show's original selling point for me, the crackling charm and chemistry between the three leads, isn't working as well any more. Probably through no fault of the cast members or the writing, but more that the dynamic is now too familiar?

 

They also seem to be leaning on only their quirkiest habits where it was much more balanced before.

 

Stranger Things season 5 episode titles:



Hopefully it's a lot better than season 4.

 

Millie Bobby Brown is literally married at this point, which is just one of the many real-life signs that this shows has probably lasted longer than it should.

 

Netflix needed/needs to lock people into contracts like real TV, and put seasons of their shows out at a much faster rate. Depending on how late in 2025 that season 5 comes out, the show could end up taking 9 years to produce 42 episodes. That's just not a sustainable way to create anything but random hit shows that lose steam and end too soon.

 

Hysteria! - 2024 (Peacock)

Teacup was good, but Hysteria was excellent. This is currently my 3rd favorite show of the year behind Penguin and Shogun and just ahead of the latest season of Slow Horses. It's set in the 80s where a small town HS quarterback gets abducted and killed mysteriously, only for the Satanic Panic to set in. Once that's in place, we get an really fun romp through teen angst, parental paranoia, demon possession, and good heavy metal music.

The whole cast is excellent, but Julie Bowen (Linda), Anna Camp (Tracy), Jessica Truska (Judith), and all three band members (Emjay Anthony - Dylan, Chiara Aurelia - Jordy, and Kezii Curtis - Spud) are pitch perfect in every single scene they're in. Also, a nice little role for Bruce Campbell.

The show builds quickly and well and the finale is about as good as you'll see in a modern show. They could go just about anywhere with a season 2 and it would work. Lots of little open ends to pursue.

 

You had me at Bruce Campbell.

 

I can't express how much I liked this. While it's a wholly different story, this is on par with early Stranger Things as far as getting that 80s vibe just right.

 

Show of the year by a mile. I really liked some things this year, like Shogun, Slow Horses, and Hysteria!, but The Penguin was way out in front for me. The finale was really well done and I honestly couldn't predict most of what happened.

As good as Colin Farrell was, someone needs to give Cristin Milioti a bag of Emmy's for her performance.

 

Season 2 of the Frasier reboot was a major step up and I'll be damned if the season finale didn't make me cry. I hope they get a season 3 because this is getting close to being on par with the original.

 

Middle five episodes of the final season of Cobra Kai were actually better than the first five.
The Barcelona setting helped. Having said that, the completely over the top cliffhanger kind of ruined things a bit.
And it's clear that it's probably best for this show to end soon, there is clearly not much creative juice left at this point.
Of the new cast members portraying fighters on the rival dojo's at the Sekai Taikai, Rayna Valladingham was revealed as incredibly charismatic. Also very convincing in the martial arts scenes. Which is explained by her being an actual lifelong martial artist in real life.
I get the appeal of casting such actors in these roles, but they aren't doing favors to the kids on their pre-existing cast not having such a background. I am curious to see how they are going to sell a potential future scene where Mary Mouser is meant to beat her one on one?
Actually reminds me of Iron Fist season one scene where they had a fight scene between Finn Jones (not just a guy with no martial arts background but also one who apparently barely agreed to train with the stunt crew to get the choreography down) and Lewis Tan (Sensei Wolf on Cobra Kai) that was ridiculous in terms of how unconvincing it was that Jones could actually defeat the obviously far more skilled and trained Tan.

 

I only watched the first two episodes so far, and the only good thing about them was Rayna Valladingham. She's got star potential.

 

What little I can see of this game through the fog is truly dire.

Tedesco might actually lose his job over this duo of games.