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josephcasillas
His writing touches on themes he grew up with: dealing with epilepsy, attending a Native American charter, and being raised by separate parents in and out of Los Angeles and Northern California.
Joseph’s latest writing credit comes in 2023 for his sci-fi short “Stranded.”
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Reviews
Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer (2023)
I WAS THERE
As someone who was at the show Dave Chappelle was tackled at (BTW everything he says is true, you could see from the crowd everyone beat that man close to death), this is more interesting than it is funny.
I grew up with Dave Chappelle. He was and is my favorite comedian.
The Chappelle's Show shaped my sense of humor growing up. It shaped me as a writer and person.
And also as someone who grew up watching Killin' Them Softly, perhaps my favorite standup special of all time, it's really historic that he returned to the same venue 20 years later.
This special meant a lot to me.
Dave Chappelle and I have a weird history. My first time in New York City I was there for my 25th birthday. It was between going to the Comedy Cellar or The Apollo for my birthday night. We went with the Apollo. Then saw, later that night, that Chappelle made a surprise appearance at the Cellar. And I regretted forever not getting to see him live, in person, on my birthday and first time in NYC.
In this special, he's talking about what it's like to be a successful man in this world. And how you have to be a dreamer to get there. And it brings me to tears.
Halt and Catch Fire: Rules of Honorable Play (2016)
Realigning Character Motive
This is an interesting one.
It isn't a crazy standout episode but things are being put into place.
I have to question the motive.
A lot of characters are doing things in this episode and you don't necessarily get an explanation as to why.
Bos seems mad that Diane invited him to the party. Is he mad that it wasn't a date? Mad that he just saw Joe? Or mad that he's being used as a, sort of, party inducer and isn't respected as much?
That's the first confusing motive for me. Why Bos is mad. He doesn't like being a show pony, I guess. Feels he isn't as respected as he was at Cardiff.
Second is, why does Donna lie to Cam about not being able to fire the two guys?
My first instinct is, because Diane suggested perhaps it's not the two guys that are hard to work with but rather Cameron.
So that's why Donna lied?
Okay, I can get that.
But what I don't get is:
Why does Donna tell Cameron she doesn't need to move out quickly anymore? Without even asking Gordon? What triggered that? Did she feel bad about lying? Was she saying that to try and get Cameron out faster?
I don't get the motive on Donna's part to tell Cameron she doesn't have to move out quickly anymore.
Final one-
Why does Cameron take this as a sign that she's losing mutiny? Does she think Donna is symaphizing to hide something else? Why would Donna saying "you don't have to worry about finding a place quickly" lead to Cameron asking "am I losing mutiny?"
I really liked the detail of Gordon sucking at Duck Hunt. Then using Cameron's joke of "shoot them to get them to respect you." And then he actually takes them out to laser tag - literally shooting at them and gaining their respect. But the end, we see Gordon's hand shaking from his condition. And we realize that's why he hasn't been winning in Duck Hunt... great detail. So sad.
Fargo: The Tiger (2023)
Home Alone Freakin' Season
From the start this season has been very off. The pacing is off. The casting is off. Even most scenes, to me, feel just 2 to 3 minutes too long.
I write this as a huge fan of this show.
I almost gave up on this season after episode 3 (one of my least favorite episode of the series - not just this season).
But something happens in THIS episode that really changed my entire perspective on the plot. This episode flipped my understanding of the world and characters. Honestly, if it weren't for this episode, I might've dropped it altogether.
From here thru episode 9 is as good as the season gets. Just great television all around.
That being said, Ole Munch might be the weirdest character in any season of Fargo - which is saying a lot!
All in all, it still turns out to be an enjoyable season. I like this season more than season 3 - which was very slow for me - as this season really explores topics I've never seen explored in TV. I often said to myself, "wow... this is... dark." Glad to have seen it turn around and hope for another season!
The Curse: Land of Enchantment (2023)
Die-hard Nathan Fielder fan- The Curse is not for me
Even though the trailers and promos for this show didn't seem interesting to me, as a big fan of Nathan for You, The Rehearsal, Good Time, and Uncut Gems, I was excited to give it a try. Plus, Emma Stone? Hell yeah!
I truly thought The Rehearsal (2022) was an underrated masterpiece. I literally booked my trip to New York after the show came out because I was loosely inspired to see The Alligator Lounge in person (iykyk).
But The Curse just isn't for me.
Right off the bat, I don't find the situations very funny. Sure, they're uncomfortable and exaggerated and a tad extreme. But I'm just not hooked by the concept itself. A rich daughter upping rent so that buying property with her micro penis husband pays off later? Reality TV style?
It's just not jumping off the screen for me. I also fail to really believe the entire concept of the "curse." It feels half-thought out and poorly conceptualized. Like Safdie and Fielder had a bunch of ideas and tried to juggle them all together here. And the "commitment to the bit" is shooting it like an actual reality TV show.
I mean, props to them. It's very well made show and production value shows. But yeah, it's not enough for me to continue.
I never thought I'd say this but I think Nathan's performance is also weak. He doesn't hit certain lines the way I wish he would and even emotional beats I feel really miss the mark.
But hey, acting opposite Emma Stone is a curse to many. She really outshines everyone here.
I feel like he's doing a bit by acting in this. Like at any moment it'll cut and we'll have been watching a bit on Nathan for You. I say that because it feels like he's acting for a bit, not an actual series.
Although Safdie plays the devils advocate fairly well (I love him in Good Time, Licorice Pizza, and Are You There God, It's Me Margaret), it leaves much to be desired.
I write this review not out of spite or hate but rather so I warn others not to continue if you agree with some of the things I'm saying. Maybe you also loved The Rehearsal and Good Time and are debating to give this show a shot?
Just be warned: it may not be what you think.
Don't worry The Curse advocators, I'm not going to continue watching and give the show a low rating. I'm only eating this first episode.
Based on episode one, I know I won't like this show.
The pilot tells me that explicitly.
I'm realizing that I never found Nathan for You or The Rehearsal "cringey". That's not what I associated Nathan Fielder with. What I found funny about him and his previous projects was the audacity that he'd even do half of those things in the first place. Dumb Starbucks? A robot taking his pants off in front of children? It was all the extreme lengths he was willing to go that I found funny. And it was hilarious! The awkwardness, for me, was just a symptom of that. I never found it "cringey."
The Curse is nothing but.
This is also why I think The Rehearsal worked so well. It was more a study on people, in my opinion. On life. And it delved into the more serious sides of Nathan, sort of like the finale of Nathan for You.
But this, The Curse, is trying so hard to make the viewer uncomfortable while also failing at making me care about anyone affected by these situations. I just don't care what happens to these people. As a fan of Nathan Fielder, I never found it "cringey" until this show labeled this brand of humor as such.
If Nathan for You was high school, The Rehearsal felt like college, and I guess that makes The Curse the awkward phase after graduating where you live in your mom's basement unemployed.
Didn't enjoy this at all. Good luck to those venturing beyond this episode.
30 Rock: Jack-Tor (2006)
This is Where 30 Rock Begins
I've grown up with 30 Rock on in the background because my parents loved it. Started watching it on Peacock randomly. Started with season five, moved to season three (don't know why I did it so randomly). But after finishing season four I decided to start from the beginning.
I was very surprised to find that the pilot is SO DIFFERENT (as a lot of shows tend to be early on). It reminded me a lot of The Office and Seinfeld in the sense that both their pilots (and first seasons) are very different than the rest of the show.
I have a theory, now that I've seen more, that the end of this episode - the last ten minutes - is where the show truly begins. All of the relationships are set up - Liz going to Jack for help, Jenna feeling like she's losing her spotlight, Tracey not wanting to work. The dynamics that the show consists of are really solidified - in my opinion - at the end of this episode.
Sure, Jack and Liz aren't close friends yet. But most pieces are set! It really only took five episodes to reach.
I don't know, just thought I'd share my observation - maybe some others agree. Great show!
The Mandalorian: Chapter 19: The Convert (2023)
9/10 opening, 7/10 middle
Ten minutes into the opening I'm sitting here blown away. But by the 40 minute mark I'm already saying this is 10 minutes too long. It just drags so much. It feels like they dropped the ball on an interesting concept. Seeing the world in between movies, exploring an old ship. All such great concepts that don't land. It feels like they knew it, too. Because there's such a long, killer opening that they entice us with.
Also, surprised we've gone through the mandalore planet so fast. I thought that'd be the whole season. So I am very interested to see where they take it now. For the first time in a while I feel like I have no idea where this show is going.
Yellowstone: No Good Horses (2018)
Half Good Half Bad.
I don't give it a 5 for being outright terrible. I give it 5 because it's only half of an episode. A good one, anyway. Showing a daughter struggle with the anniversary of her (terrible) mother's death by... bathing naked in the open and drinking, is not good writing. It's a perfect example of what a male writer thinks female struggle and grief looks like.
I think the series, up to this point, is solid! It's just this episode that I find so silly. And it just so happens that Kasey, every time he's on the road, stumbles on something insane? Come on. It's cheesy. It's had writing. Every time that man drives he either runs into a meth lab or traffickers. These issues are real! These things really happen on reservations. But these topics are so big they could lead entire seasons! Instead they're small, cheesy, poorly set up subplots. I just wish it were better.
That's why I give this a 5/10. The first half (grieving daughter taking a naked bath and Kasey being Superman) is bad. The second half is okay.
The series gets better, though. (I'm rewatching).
American Dad!: Blonde Ambition (2014)
First TBS American Dad!
This is the first TBS produced American Dad! Episode. If you notice, before this, each episode begins with the opening credits song "good morning USA!" But this is the first episode that begins with a skit before the opening song (a TBS-produced change). Still funny! Just interesting to note the difference right off the bat.
Servant: Espresso (2021)
Most Important Episode Yet.
This episode is far more important then you initially realize! It makes things very clear. Clarifies things from season one!
They're ghosts. Lean is sort of a guardian Angel that went rogue. Since she grew up poorly, with a bad mother (and always lost in the pageants) she looked up to Dorothy! She showed up in season one thinking she was helping a poor family by bringing their dead baby back. Not knowing Dorothy was responsible for Jericho's death! Once she realized that, that they'd sinned by killing Jericho - and once she was found by her "uncle" and "aunt" - she had to leave. Because a guardian Angel can't help people who've sinned!
Dorothy needs to acknowledge what happened. Sean won't tell her because he's afraid she'll commit suicide after. Also, this episode shows us how Sean is at fault for his baby's death. He left knowing she was overwhelmed and not capable of caring for the baby alone. He is at fault too!
The longer Lean stays in the house the more it poisons and deteriorates. First it was the crack, crickets, now the wine cellar pipes and bugs. Because she, a guardian Angel, is not suppose to help a family that has sinned. Hence why the crack in the house in season one only grew after she got there.
It's just so interesting how they've flipped the switch from Lean to Dorothy this season.
They're ghosts, sort of! Guardian angels. Sean is starting to realize this and believe it.
I don't see a way for Dorothy to ever see her baby again if she doesn't acknowledge what she did in the first place. "Repent" sort of thing. Even then, no baby is guaranteed back after such a sin.
The Sopranos: Eloise (2002)
Childhood Redemption
I saw this episode when I was a kid and it took me over 10 years to finally see it in order.
They set up this Carmela - Meadow storyline in the pilot, by the way!
The Haunting of Hill House: Witness Marks (2018)
AHHHHH
When I say I SCREAMED...
I'm late to the party but my god this show is terrifying. So good! I think the episode before this one was slightly better but the scare in this one is the best so far.