Change Your Image
obnoxiouswatcher
Reviews
Citadel (2023)
they had one job...
Look, it is not an unwatchable tv show but it's simply not good. I was incredibly excited about it given the 300 million budget and the cast, but unfortunately it failed to meet every single expectation. Maybe if you don't have any you'll find this at least enjoyable to pass a boring afternoon. I mean the spy trope is seemingly fairly easy to create interesting storylines with, but this tv show fails to catch you and keep you interested enough to go through with it. The thing is that it's just not a good tv show. The writing is lazy, just as the storyline is. The acting was great considering what they had to work with but it doesn't compensate for the lack of pretty much everything else.
The Diplomat (2023)
An objectively great show!
The Diplomat has many components that make it an excellent series. In the beginning I felt it was finding it's tone with the mix of comedy and drama, but as the chapters went along, everything came together and it was delightful. All of the actors gave their best game, and Russell and Sewell have a plausible chemistry that made their relationship the most interesting thing from each chapter beyond the political drama that drove the plot.
It is very fast-paced and thus, very binge-watchable, but be careful because the dialogue can be a tad difficult to follow if you are not paying attention. It's not a show to have as background noise in my opinion. The settings were great too. The writing was really good, and I feel it really set the base for what could become an amazing and outstanding tv show. It's very good so far, but I feel it has all the elements to become even better. I wish we that the relationships could take the front seat in the upcoming seasons because I feel that the writing was stronger there and the chemistry between the cast could be of great use in that aspect.
I don't usually watch tv shows that haven't been completed or that their ending has already been announced, and specially not from Netflix, but I couldn't resist myself this one time. Hopefully people keep watching as they have been this past few days so it can get renewed. I would not be able to keep going with my life with that cliffhanger...
Lucky Hank (2023)
Interesting and promising
I really enjoyed the first episode. I think it's witty and shows a lot of promise. The acting is great, and Odenkirk shines as always, yet the rest of the cast doesn't get left behind as they are great too!
Hank is hilarious and it seems the show will be packed with comedy but never leaving the drama behind. Can't wait to see the next episode. The only problem is the fact that it's on AMC, because the streaming platform has A LOT of working to be done, but other than that, I have my hopes and expectations up, and I feel like it'll be a fun and interesting ride. If you like 50/50 drama and comedy shows, I feel this is the perfect balance and a really good choice.
Better Call Saul (2015)
it's l'art pour l'art" ('art for art's sake')
I will start by saying that Better Call Saul, among everything, is like I stated in the title: art for art's sake. It is a TV show that, despite its critical acclaim and constant praise over the years, will not be for everybody, and that's okay (Perhaps it's also the reason it is always getting award nominations but scarcely actually taking home the trophy).
In simple terms, it is just excellent. From the cinematography to the music choices, all the way up to the genius writing and the incredible performances each of the actors gave. Vince and Peter trusted the audience so much with this tv show... But yeah, I also think it is miracle it even got created or that it got the attention it has slowly but surely has garnered, and that AMC and Sony supported it all the way through the end. This is not because of lack of quality, but because it's the underdog of the underdog. It's the spin-off of millions of people's favorite tv show, and history has been unkind to spin-offs, let alone prequels. Additionally, the premise is definitely not the most eye-catching out there, nor is it filled with action and explosions. Yet it all works out perfectly. I'm deeply passionate about this series because it is completely about quality. Very few shows start good and end good, but almost no show starts good and end amazingly, yet Better Call Saul also defied those odds.
But there is a reason that the critique most commonly heard about this series is the pace, yet it's also this pace that allows the payoffs to be amazing. An example for this is "Plan and Execution" which is the highest-rated episode... that episode would have not been able to exist and be as mind-blowing as it was if it had not been for the building and construction of the previous episodes and even seasons that led to -that- moment. Brilliant. But unfortunately, we live in an era where even watching 15 sec TikTok's is "too long" for some, and if this show requires one thing to be experienced as great as it can be, its attention. I repeat, this is not a show to passively watch.
And finally, to those expecting Breaking Bad 2.0, this is not your show. Better Call Saul is a greek tragedy, its a character study meticulously executed, and even though many will try to compare them and choose one over the other, I really believe it's pointless to do so due to the different nature of each. I will say though, that being able to even have that debate, and with strong arguments from both sides, also speaks volumes about the immense quality of this universe. Honestly, everyone involved in it deserves to be employed and praised for the rest of their lives.