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Reviews
Pardon the Interruption (2001)
Unfortunately It's Going Downhill
I had previously rated the show a 9 of 10. I really liked it, watched every day and enjoyed the banter between Kornheiser and Wilbon Unfortunately it has gone downhill. I now rate it a 3. Wilbon pontificates to much - especially his hate for analytics and that any games in the first half of the season mean nothing. Unfortunately, on most topics Kornheiser reads the question and Wilbon takes up 3/4 of the time on his answer - often repeating his point. What is sad is that Wilbon continuously lashes out at Kornheiser about his I95 (East Coast) bias. My guess is that he talks about the Cubs, Sox, Blackhawks, Bulls, Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals and Coyotes and Northwestern at least 3 to 4 times Kornheiser's mention of an East Coast team. I will hang in hoping it gets better but not sure it will happen.
Undercover Boss: Family Dollar (2013)
Great employees
Very much enjoyed the episode. I could not believe how likeable and competent all four employees were. The gal at the first store reminded me of myself. She always told it like it is. I would not be surprised if she were a mid-level manager in some company. The warehouse fork lift operator was also so nice and concerned with safety. The last two employees were also very pleasant. If still working I would hire any of them.
I appreciate the gifts/rewards given at the end. However, the last employee with three kids and living with her mother-in-law was given rent on a 4 bedroom apartment for ONE YEAR. What is she going to do when the year is up. Better to get her a smaller apartment that she can more likely afford in year 2 with the raise she is getting.
P. S. Was not overly impressed by the COO. Nice guy but he seemed genuinely surprised by what he saw. As part of his job he should not be just attending meetings at HQ, but getting out into the field to see what is really happening.
Hell's Kitchen (2005)
Not the way Restaurants really work
I have watched the show and have become increasingly disenchanted with it. Will probably not watch any more.
'It's amazing how Gordon screaming and encouraging all others to scream can cause chaos. I am sure most of the contestants, who are good chefs in their own restaurants, come unglued only due to Gordon's screaming and his attempt to create chaos.
People get the orders wrong. Most restaurants use a computer system or a hard ticket to place the orders with the kitchen. Gordon just comes and quickly says "2 fish,2 chicken and 3 filet". With all the chaos, not surprising there is an occasional mistake, which would be avoided with a ticket.
Also, when Gordon calls 3 filets he NEVER says " 1 rare, 1 medium or 1 well-done etc". Really, how would the kitchen know. Occasionally he gets back one that is very rare / red, which he calls blue (not dark red). The only blue is Chef Jason's hair. In calling the order he never says how it is to be done and I actually have a friend who really likes it that rare or even more so.
Net too much screaming and chaos and not how restaurants really work.
Scott's Vacation House Rules (2020)
Nice show BUT PLEASE GIVE COSTS OF RENOVATION AND PURCHASE
My wife and I watch this show. We like Scott and Debra, the vacation locales and the renovation work done. Our biggest complaint is that NO COSTS ARE GIVEN. We don't know how much the cabin was bought for and how much the renovation cost (and compared to budget). Scott saying the cabin can now be rented for $400 per night versus $250 pre night before the renovation, sounds great but without knowing any costs we don't know if it makes financial sense. On many recent shows, we think tearing down the house and starting again would be cheaper.
Also, we question a 180 rental season and no mention of the ongoing costs - cleaning between renters maintenance of the hot tub etc.
Below Deck Sailing Yacht (2020)
Going Downhill
The show was never as good as the Below Deck franchise. My wife and I watch as we love to sail and have chartered 2 boats in the Caribbean and one in Greece over the years - (not as luxurious as those in the show). This show has gone steadily downhill!! The April 25th 2022 episode was awful / horrendous. With 2 days between charters, the crew spent their time getting drunk and acting like five year spoiled brats - no make it four year olds! They could have just moved onto the next charter and skip the drinking. Minor point, but when Captain Glenn puts up the sails he could notify the crew first so things in the kitchen and bar area are locked up safely. Maybe they think this makes good TV but to me it is just stupid to have happen each week.
No Retreat: Business Bootcamp (2022)
Just AWFUL
I'll start with I enjoy business shows. I have liked Marcus Lemonis's "The Profit" and several other small business shows over the years. I did not like No Retreat: Business Bootcamp. It was clearly the worst show I have seen in a year and is certainly in the top 10 of worst shows I have ever seen. The show had minimal relation to fixing a business and was more an informercial for Joe De Sena's Spartan endurance races.
The business (a cleaning service for commercial establishments) clearly had problems. Joe's solution: Go to a farm and have the staff do three physical tasks. 1) Lift a 800 pound log, 2) crawl on your hands and knees thru a mud field and 3) paddle a rowboat (with holes in it) around a lake before it sunk. Exactly how was this going to improve business operations?? After the first task, Joe was critical that the owner did not take charge. In the third task he was critical the owner did take charge and not seek advice of others.
After the three tasks, the show ended with the business saying as a result of the trip to the farm, sales were up 38% for Nov 2021 - Jan 2022 compared to a year earlier (Nov 2020 - Jan 2021). My guess is the increase was largely due to many establishments being closed due to Covid the prior year.
House Hunters International (2006)
BAD AND GETTING WORSE
My wife and I travel a lot overseas (over 100 countries) so we started watching this show hoping to get a feeling of some locales we haven't been.
I don't know if I can take it anymore. To start with, I believe there have been over 2,000 episodes. The truly unbelievable thing is that in EVERY episode the couple disagrees on what they want
I want in the city.
No I want in the country
I want a modern home.
No I want a older home with character
I want 2 bedrooms.
No I want 3 bedrooms
I want to spend $300,000.
No I believe we can go to $450,000
Etc. Etc.
THERE HAS NOT BEEN ONE EPISODE THAT WE HAVE WATCHED WHERE THE COUPLE AGREES. Perhaps the show would be better entitled "THE NEED FOR COUPLES THERAPY"!!. OR FAKE TV
Another big issue is with all the disagreements, multiple previews / reviews taking over half the show, they almost never show much about the town they are going to. This was the best part.
After so many years, I will now become an ex viewer.
The Masked Dancer (2020)
Pretty Bad
Did not like. The phony enthusiasm of Ken and Paula was hard to stomach. Most of the dancers were not good. Whole thing is phony and a waste of an hour.
Around the Horn (2002)
Cannot watch anymore
I used to watch the show. But the content and guests went downhill. Not in to Reali, his reasons for giving points or picking the winner of the showdown don't align with what I see. Now I only see the end of each show - it is on the front of my recording of PTI which I love. Don't know how people can watch this.
Flipping 101 (2020)
Good and Fast Moving
I like this show a lot. Some HGTV shows (in particular House Hunters Intl) have 10 minutes of action in the 30 minutes. Flipping 101 feels like it has an hour of content in 30 minutes. The show really moves along. I have no interest in flipping but many of the lessons in the show can be applied to doing a house renovation.
The Chase (2013)
SLOW PACED AND BORING
My rating for this show is based on the new version released in Jan 2021. It is boring. I don't like the host and the show really drags. Jeopardy has 61 questions in a half hour. I am guessing this one hour show has fewer questions in the first 55 minutes - the action picks up in the last 5 minutes, if you can manage to hang around. Don't recommend for trivia fans.
The Fall: Silence and Suffering (2016)
Absolutely Awful
Without a doubt the worst hour (90 minutes with commercials) of television I have ever seen. Just awful. The first 45 minutes were three patients in the emergency room. Not sure what this had to do with the plot, and it was at least 3x what one would find on a hospital emergency room show.
The other annoying (REALLY ANNOYING) aspect of the show is the 100% of monologue delivered by all the actors/actresses (with the exception of Katie) is an extremely dull monotone. It's as if there was a contest to see who could deliver their lines in the most boring way.
I was worried about season 3, as Spector had been apprehended in season 2. I wondered what could happen in the 6 episodes of season 3 to hold my interest. The answer - NOTHING. Now I have to convince my wife we should watch something else.
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Just Awful
This movie was horrible. The gall of charging to see it. Unlike many, I did not consider scary or suspenseful. The only item of interest was when will this movie finally be over. It was painful - literally as everyone I was with got a headache from the jerky camera and poor quality images