tiffanie_says_stay_in_your_lane Reviews

Banacek (1972–1974)

Just a rip off of Mannix

[1/10 · 10 May 2024]

To each their own opinion, but I don't see what the big deal about this show is. Discovered it on Pluto TV, which led me to read up on it. There's nothing unique, groundbreaking, or intriguing. It's all been done before. Seriously, who can't tell this is a copycat of Mannix? It's the same show with just a few slight changes. A Polish American private investigator who's a military veteran, and has a list of proverbs from his culture memorized, which he appropriately uses for the context of every situation. He's also skilled at using hand-to-hand combat, a ladies' man, and fiercely athletic. Only difference is he lives in Boston and not LA. I'm a huge fan of Mannix, and Banacek will never be on the same level in terms of the acting, script, and characterizations. George Peppard didn't even have Polish ancestry. Mike Connors was Armenian American, like his character, so can't get any more realistic than that. After watching Mannix, this is like a really poor imitation. I know my review will probably get a lot of downvotes, but that's just how I feel. Mediocre shows are always overhyped, and this is one of them. Take my advice and watch Mannix instead.

McLintock! (1963)

Absolutely terrible! Can only be liked by John Wayne fans

[1/10 · 3 May 2024]

I saw this movie at a family member's house. Trust me, if I was at my house, there is no way McClintock would've been a choice of mine. I had heard of it, and knowing it starred John Wayne, I had no interest to see it. For one thing, I don't like cowboy films, with the exception of a couple spaghetti westerns. And after reading about John Wayne's ideologies, I don't care for him as a person, which turned me off from his films. I don't think his movies would appeal to a wide range of people nowadays. He always played the same type of character: manly, gruff, expressionless... Savior to women. That type of characterization is archaic in this day and time. And it's not because my generation is hypersensitive. Things change. That's just the way of the world. I feel like people who want societal standards to go back 60 or 70 years have a hard time accepting change.

In McClintock, he stars alongside Maureen O'Hara. They're an estranged couple, and she returns, wanting custody of their adult daughter. As if he doesn't have enough confusion in his personal life, on top of that, he has to contend with various groups in the area wanting a piece of his farmstead. I won't go into the details, because it's honestly not worth my time discussing. The best way to summarize it: the signature hijinks and craziness that Hollywood westerns were known for at the time ensues. Racism, sexism. Native Americans getting shot and being portrayed as savages in general. Men fighting each other and acting like bona fide idiots. All of the female characters are treated like second-class citizens. I was done after the scene where John Wayne's character let another man spank his daughter. Any film that has men spanking women crosses a boundary for me. It's ridiculous for a man (or anyone else) to assume the position of exerting punishment on a full grown woman. When I see that, I know it's time for me to watch something else. But I wasn't in my house, so I couldn't turn the channel. I can't see anyone enjoying McClintock, unless they're a fuddy-duddy type person. It's definitely for John Wayne fans. Once you have awareness of the unfair treatment that minorities experience, it's hard to enjoy movies like this.

Girlfriend Intervention (2014)

Was this for real?

[1/10 · 2 May 2024]

I was flipping through the channels, and came across this on IMPACT. I never understood some of the programs they air, with it being a Christian network. They're superficial, which is inappropriate to be displaying/promoting on a religious channel. I saw Girlfriend Intervention, and it peaked my curiosity so much that I searched for it online. When I read the synopsis, it sounded so absurd that I thought I was reading it wrong. A group of black women who specialize in giving makeovers to white women. They not only remake their outfits, but their house decor as well, and the makeovers change their life. Seriously??? That is stupid. I won't call this reverse racism, because it's a concept that carries with it major controversy, and its existence has been argued, but it does negatively stereotype white people. It's implying they all dress like dorks, so to resolve that issue, get black women to help improve their style? That's really narrow-minded. I'm black, and a woman. I wear hoodies, sweatshirts, flannels, overalls, holey jeans, sneakers, combat boots, and double buckle sandals, that I sometimes pair with socks when it's a little cold. I'm probably not considered stylish by some people, but hey, I wouldn't change the way I dress for anybody. A person's race has nothing to do with their choice of clothing, and all black women are not fashionistas. I'm glad this idiotic show didn't last for more than one season, but it was a complete waste of time anyway. No wonder society has so many problems.

The Price is Right (1972– )

Best game show in history!

[10/10 · 29 April 2024]

Not sure why my previous review was taken down. It was positive, so none of my comments were offensive. I don't understand all of the criticism of Drew Carey. I love Bob Barker too (may he RIP), but I think Drew has done a phenomenal job of filling his shoes. That's not an easy thing to do - replacing someone who was pretty much a legend. I get a lot of people who have been watching Price Is Right since 1972 are probably not a fan of Drew, but he's not that bad, especially when you compare him to other game show hosts, and just people on TV in general, who are all mostly awkward and plastic. He has a sincere and genuine personality. Yes, he laughs at his own jokes (I guess you wouldn't like being around me then, because I do the same thing), but I get a good vibe from him through my screen. I'm not a fan of TV, but I look forward to watching this on my days off. There's talk shows on other channels, but they don't wake me up like the Price Is Right does. I'm not a morning person, and watching people have conversations around a table or sitting on a couch just doesn't do it for me. This show makes me feel energized to start my day. With the sad and peculiar times we're living in, Drew's goofy sense of humor and the colorful assortment of contestants are a much needed dopamine-boost. And it's natural, so you can't go wrong!

Weakest Link (2020– )

Please stop remaking British TV shows

[1/10 · 29 April 2024]

Seriously, every show that originated from Britain doesn't need to be remade by Americans. I'm American, but I grew up watching a lot of British programming. Not to be a traitor, but this country does a poor job of imitating much of anything that came out of the UK. Trivia can be fascinating, but Jane Lynch's sarcasm ruins the fun of discovering new information. I understand that's the point (and I'm sure the contestants know they're going to be roasted ahead of time - most of it is probably staged), but she's just not good at being snarky and funny simultaneously. The British do sarcasm the best. I feel like when Americans do it, they sound demeaning and unkind. But I don't know. I might like Weakest Link if it didn't remind me of my own experiences. I've dealt with my fair share of sarcastic people at previous jobs I've had. Now I just see anyone who's like that as incredibly boring. This show wasn't my thing. Stick with Jeopardy if you love trivia.

The Parkers (1999–2023)

Sort of funny, but very annoying and stupid overall

[5/10 · 24 April 2024]

Like the reviewer who also gave this a low rating, I have mixed feelings as well. I didn't wanna give it a 1, but it's definitely on the lower end of the spectrum if you're looking at 90s/early 2000s sitcoms as a whole. I was too young to watch episodes of The Parkers in their entirety when it first came on TV, but I have vivid memories of it. I thought it was funny as a kid, especially when Mo'Nique would always say 'hey, boo!' But I have a different opinion of it now as an adult. It comes on Dabl every day at 6/6:30pm. I did enjoy it, but I guess that's because I hadn't seen it in such a long time. After a while I found myself increasingly annoyed with how dumb it is. The only time I watch it is if I happen to be in the living room when it's on. Mo'Nique plays Nikki Parker. She attends Santa Monica College with her daughter, Kim (Countess Vaughn). She dropped out of high school when she got pregnant with Kim, so she wanted to get an education to better herself. The main source of comedy is her obsessively chasing after one of the instructors, Professor Oglevee (Dorien Wilson). It starts out as humorous in the beginning of the series, but reaches a point of going from a harmless love interest to just being downright unsettling. The episodes also focus on the antics of Kim and her friends, which are all very stupid and lack believability. Don't get me wrong - I really have nothing against turning off my brain for entertainment purposes. My job is stressful, so it's nice to watch something ridiculous at the end of the day, but some things are so stupid that they get on my nerves. It's a bizarre sitcom. The characters live in the real world, but their situations are so outlandish, that it's like they're in an alternate universe. The storyline would've been rejected if it portrayed what really happens in life. Because let's be real - they would never make a show where a man stalks and terrorizes a woman, and/or commits acts of unwanted touching, like pinching or grabbing them by the butt. People would be so disgusted and shocked. Yet they laugh when a woman is the one who's being a perv. But hey, the US has screwed up and outdated beliefs when it comes to anything gender-related, so what do you expect? Mo'Nique is hilarious in the role, but the stalking just takes the humor out of it for me. I used to work in a library, and I was harassed by a couple of the patrons. The first was an older man, and the second was a guy around my age. He seemed po'ed that I gave him a fake number when he asked for mine. I only did that so he would go away. He actually came back a few days later and walked up to me as I was shelving books, wanting to know why I didn't give him my real number. He left me alone afterwards, thankfully. I felt uncomfortable, violated, and scared. It's not fun having to wonder if some nut is going to be waiting for you outside when your shift ends. I'm sure if I was a man, and it was women that I wasn't attracted to who kept bothering me, my feelings would've been the same (well, in that case, I wouldn't have been scared, but definitely perturbed). Some things just don't have a comedic element, no matter how many angles you look at it from. This is a waste of time, even if you want something to veg out to.

Tabitha (1976–1978)

Was a nice idea, but there's one too many flaws

[1/10 · 23 April 2024]

I'm not a fan of Bewitched. It's just okay. I'll watch it if nothing else is on. It doesn't make me laugh all that much compared to I Dream of Jeannie. It's a boring show. Samantha was a housewife, and although the humor came from the nutty situations her magic got the people around her into, the jokes were bland, and the characters one-dimensional (except for her mom). Tabitha, her daughter, inherited her magical abilities. She was a funny little girl. Bewitched stayed on for quite a long time, and should've ended right where it did. But Hollywood loves to do spin-offs. Many of them are awful. There's no other explanation I can think of for spin-offs being made besides money. Judging from the crappy shows that have came out of Hollywood - and still do - money is placed over quality.

Four years after Bewitched ended, the public was introduced to Tabitha. The series follows her life, living as a witch in a mortal society. This had the potential to be a cute show, but its flaws are too prominent to ignore. Did the writers do any research on the original series? Or at least know how to do basic math? Tabitha was born in 1964, which would make her 12 in 1976. But in the show, she's a woman in her 20s, living independently with a full-time job and car. She works as a production assistant at a TV station in LA, along with her brother, Adam, who's older this time around, and not younger like he was in Bewitched. Also, Samantha and Darrin aren't in the story, so I guess her and Adam hatched from an egg. The acting is cringe. Everyone's conversations sound rehearsed. The only positive thing I can identify is Lisa Hartman sounding just like Elizabeth Montgomery, so she was believable playing the part of her daughter. Otherwise, fans will be greatly disappointed with this spin-off. It was a missed opportunity. It made no sense not to include Samantha and Darrin. And changing the ages of Tabitha and Adam was just plain dumb. I'm surprised it stayed on for more than one season. The lack of continuity and the absence of logic just make it unenjoyable.

Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950)

Powerful character study of a troubled detective

[10/10 · 20 April 2024]

I really enjoyed Where the Sidewalk Ends. The title sounded intriguing, and it didn't deliver anything short of my expectations. For such a poignant and deep noir, the story was actually quite simple to follow. The audience is introduced to Mark Dixon (Dana Andrews), an NYPD detective who often gets reprimanded for his violent tendencies. After a Texas tycoon, Mr. Morrison (Harry von Zell), is killed by another man named Ken Paine (Craig Stevens) during a floating crap game at a gangster's residence (Tommy Scalise, played by Gary Merrill) over a fight that started when the woman who was with Paine - his wife, Morgan (Gene Tierney) - said she wanted to go home (Morrison offered to take her home), what ensues for Dixon plunges him into furthering jeopardizing his career, and ruining his life overall. Morgan and Paine are not together, due to his physical abuse. Upon entering Paine's apartment, they get into an altercation, which results in Dixon hitting Paine, and he dies after falling to the floor. It becomes apparent just how much of a disturbed man he really is. The scene where him and his colleague are looking around the apartment, and he opens the closet, looks right at Paine's body, that he had put in there to hide, then tells his colleague the closet was empty, was so chilling. The film itself is creepy, but not in such a way that will cause one to feel unsettled. It's more or less an examination of a mentally unstable law enforcement professional, who teeters back and forth between wanting to do what's right, but also struggling not to become like his father, who was a criminal and mobster. He's not a character who you'll find yourself rooting for. His perpetration of murder and the tireless work he goes through to cover it up result in Morgan's father (Tom Tully) getting arrested for killing Paine. Most of that was his own fault, though. He was talking too much. If he hadn't of been such a blabbermouth - going on and on about how he wanted to put his hands on Paine, saying he had it coming to him - he probably wouldn't have activated Lt. Thomas's (Karl Malden) suspicion. But I think the filmmakers wrote that situation into the story to show how innocent people can suffer negative consequences at the hands of another person's misdeed. Morgan was living with her dad after having separated from Paine, and watching him go to jail, along with not being able to afford a lawyer, absolutely crushes her. It's a thought-provoking film, and I will be sure to watch it again. The performances from the whole cast are so believable. If you're a fan of noirs with urban settings, I highly recommend this.

The Night Runner (1957)

Impressively suspenseful

[10/10 · 18 April 2024]

Maybe it's because I'm not much of a fan when it comes to popular box office movies withs super famous actors and actresses. Films that people rave about are usually overrated. I gravitate towards the movies that most people have never heard of, and some don't care for. I enjoy B films, especially noirs from the mid-20th century. The low budget gave it an authentic quality, and it never goes out of style. The cast delivered such heartfelt performances, making their characters seem so vulnerable. A unique film for its time, Night Runner gives the audience a glimpse into the mind of a sociopath. Roy Turner (Ray Danton) is a young man who has been discharged from a mental hospital, and is told by his psychiatrist to avoid stress. He goes to LA, which turns out to be overwhelming for him, so he takes a bus to a coastal town. He moves into a motel, where he meets Susan Mayes (Colleen Miller, "Step Down to Terror"). They start a relationship. Everything in Roy's life seems to be going well for a change, until her father (Willis Bouchey) finds out he was hospitalized for psychological instability. He had suspicions about Roy ever since the day he met him, and was against him dating Susan, so that pretty much confirmed his negative feelings. He tells Roy to leave, and Roy becomes so enraged that he kills him. He tries to hide the deterioration of his mental health, as he and Susan are in the process of selling the motel and moving somewhere else. For a movie of short duration, it had a solid story and didn't feel rushed. It's a great choice for if you're bored on a Friday or Saturday night and are in the mood for something suspenseful.

Tracker (2024– )

Finally, an action-packed series with eye candy!

[10/10 · 16 April 2024]

If you click on my username and go through my reviews, you'll see I'm not one for contemporary media. I have a hard time finding something decent to watch that was made within the 21st century, so I gravitate towards old TV shows. I just feel like they're of better quality than what's coming on today. I had seen the previews for Tracker, and to be honest, I thought it looked silly. After seeing junk like CSI, NCIS, Fire Country, etc., I figured CBS wasn't worth my time. Their shows were just a lot of violence with limited character exploration. Well, lo and behold, I was wrong! (which I often am). I happened to stumble across Tracker, and after only one episode, it's become a staple of my Sunday nights! Anything suspenseful with an attractive lead actor is sure to have me hooked. There's such a high volume of awkward and funny looking men on television. I was starting to lose hope of seeing a ruggedly handsome man casted for anything.

Tracker is the story of Colter Shaw (Justin Hartley), a survivalist who travels the US with his retro camper in tow, helping everyday people and law enforcement with missing persons cases. His backstory is tragic - his father was a professor at UC Berkley, had a nervous breakdown, and moved the family out to the wilderness, to live off the grid. Colter's brother killed their father, and understandably, the two of them haven't spoken to each other since. Backstories in contemporary shows are usually lame and unrealistic, but I feel like in this case, it adds depth to Colter's character. Instead of becoming depressed and bitter, he took his traumatic experience and used it for something positive - to help other people search for their loved ones. In this day and time, with all of the negativity that's happening in the world, we could really use an inspirational show like this. Added bonus is the beautiful scenery, as it's filmed on location in British Columbia.

I'm sure other people have already noticed (and some might've even felt uncomfortable), but there are characters of different races and sexual orientations. There's a lesbian couple, but who cares?? They're not even the main focus of the episodes. You do have to be open-minded to a certain degree in order to enjoy modern television.

Like another reviewer said, it is too early to tell where this series will go, and whether or not it'll lose its quality. But I have a feeling it's not in danger of going downhill. I just hope it stays on beyond a few seasons.

ESPN First Take (2007– )

Hilarious and headache-inducing

[1/10 · 16 April 2024]

I'm not gonna lie - I don't follow sports closely. I watch golf and Indy racing during the spring and summer on Saturdays. I only go on YouTube to watch this when I need a laugh. And believe me, I find myself crying. I think it's so funny because women have always been labeled as hysterical and overly emotional. There's only one woman, and she's present to make sure their discussions don't spiral out of control, but they do anyway. Everybody else is a straight, cisgender male, and they are the most unbalanced, toxic, argumentative, and rudest people I've ever watched. I haven't seen a group with conversational skills this bad in a while. They shout, yell, interrupt, and talk at the same time. They're belligerent, malicious, volatile. They pick apart each other's opinions. It's completely laughable, which is why I wondered if it was even real. No one flies off the handle over a minor disagreement, unless something is seriously wrong with them, like a psychiatric disorder. I really think if they had guns, they would pull them on one another. What I never understood, is why they have a female as the moderator. You couldn't pay me all the money in the world to sit in the middle of that dysfunction. They would stress me out so bad, that once I got home, I would be reaching for a bottle of wine and drinking straight from the bottle the second I came in through the front door. This show is virtually unwatchable. If you're a serious sports fan, I would avoid.

CSI: Cyber (2015–2016)

Only CSI fanatics will be interested

[1/10 · 15 April 2024]

As if Patricia Arquette's acting in Medium wasn't bad enough, after that ended, the public had to be further tortured by watching her as a psychologist who creates and leads FBI's Cyber Crime Division in New York. She's in charge of a group of people who are former cyber criminals and federal agents. They solve hackings, cyber thefts, blackmail, and other crimes that occur online. I love technology, and I find cybersecurity to be a fascinating topic. But this show is so incredibly boring. The acting is crap - not just from Patricia Arquette, but everyone else who was involved. None of them were convincing in their roles. Too many CSI shows have been made throughout the years. All they've done is given young people a false perception of forensic science, so they choose it as a major in college, thinking it's going to be action-packed because of what they saw on TV, and are disappointed to find out that it's actually quite uneventful work. This show is nothing special. It has the generic CSI format: theme song by The Who, phony storylines, cringe acting, and stereotypical characters.

McMillan & Wife (1971–1977)

Boring, campy, and weird. Script sounds like it was written by a 12-year-old

[1/10 · 10 April 2024]

I had a feeling I wouldn't like it, but I wanted to give McMillan & Wife a try. The title sounds cute, and really, that's all it is. Cute, with a lot of fluff. Nothing of substance. I might be a female, but I love gritty, intense, and even somewhat frightening crime thrillers. With all of the kissing, hugging, and goo goo eyeing Rock Hudson and Susan Saint James do, it gives off the vibe of a chick flick. Any story that focuses heavily on the characters' romantic relationship gets boring for me. Perhaps it's because of the generation I'm from. People nowadays aren't placing a ton of importance on getting married. There has to be other aspects to the story besides love to hold my attention. Although Rock Hudson (Stuart "Mac" McMillan) played a police commissioner in San Francisco, there was little to no suspense. And that might've been due to his dorky wife, Sally, an amateur detective, helping him with solving the cases. I was expecting her character to be, well, I don't know, more attractive and mature. She reminded me of a nerd. While they were somewhat passable as a couple, the longer you looked at them, it didn't look realistic for them to be together. Rock Hudson was 46, and she was 25, so no wonder she looked more like his daughter than his wife. He was 21 when she was born, so he technically could've been her father. That only shows how dated this is - a man who's in a relationship with a woman who's basically a kid compared to him. Him being gay in real life had nothing to do with why they didn't look right as a couple. It's just that the substantial age difference was obvious, even before I searched for their DOBs (at first I was like hmm, maybe Rock Hudson wasn't that old but just looked old. With the type of lifestyle celebrities live - spending long hours shooting films and/or TV shows, doing interviews, going to parties, and sometimes not getting enough sleep - that's possible). They don't quite look like the sexy couple that they were trying to portray.

I didn't even make it to end of the pilot episode. The acting was unimpressive. The conversations weren't believable (when they're in a traffic jam, Stuart tells his chauffer 'I know I had to go to work, and I know you had to take me, but why did we bring the car.' No one talks like that). The dialogue was also risque for its time. But watching it from a 21st century perspective, it just sounded dumb. Sally telling Stuart on the phone that she wanted to tear off his clothes, knowing other people were around. Stuart talking to Sally while she was taking a shower and telling her he didn't have any underwear, because he tore his last pair when they got stuck in his zipper (I think it was implied he was zipping up his pants after having finished going to the bathroom. That's what it sounded like to me). Before they leave for an auction, he tells her he's going upstairs to put on swim trunks, then he says he can't walk around with no underwear and laughs. When a script is bawdy, that's enough for me to know I'm not in for anything special. The innuendos weren't clever. Just seemed more or less like they were trying to make something where there wasn't anything. And some people think Mannix is lame. This went back and forth between either being a yawnfest, or just totally awkward.

Star Trek (1966–1969)

Once you realize it's not meant to be taken seriously, it's very entertaining

[10/10 · 9 April 2024]

I'm always transparent in my reviews, so I will start off by saying that I didn't like this show, for a long time. Every Saturday night at 11pm on MeTV, once this came on, I would turn the channel. I thought it was incredibly dumb and couldn't figure out why people enjoyed it so much. Maybe I wasn't old enough to understand the legacy of this show. I also wasn't a fan of science fiction, and I've recently gotten into a couple of other sci-fi programs. Last month, out of nowhere, before I could reach for the remote, I became transfixed with an episode. I don't know why - it just happened. It drew me in. That's when it dawned on me: it's not meant to be taken seriously. Yes, the set designs are shabby, and with all of the technological advancement throughout the years, the special effects look unconvincing now. The storylines are also laughable, and it amazes me how the cast was able to deliver their lines with a straight face (I wonder if they ever had to do retakes of the same scene for bursting out into laughter. I know I would've). But quite honestly, even with its flaws, with the crazy world we're living in, it's nice to just relax and go on a journey with Captain Kirk and his crew. I look forward to it every week. I often find myself laughing throughout the episodes, because there are some ridiculous moments. That's what makes it entertaining, though. And some of the dialogue is insightful. It was ahead of its time. There aren't too many actors or characters who I refer to as cultural icons, since I feel like they're overrated, but William Shatner really is a prominent figure on a universal level. I kind of doubt today's generation will be entertained by the Original Series, as there's so many additional series that have been created, with modernized visuals... But as for me, I was born in the early 90s, and didn't grow up with cable, so I have more of an appreciation for retro TV compared to many other people my age. The folks who grew up with this show and loved it - it might be hard for them to convince their kids or grandchildren to give it a try. As long as you don't read too much into it, and are able to ignore the outdated sets and props, Star Trek is fun to watch.

Garfield Gets Real (2007 Video)

Impressive CGI. Don't understand the negative reviews

[9/10 · 9 April 2024]

I grew up with Garfield. I mostly read the comic strips. I have a few DVDs of the cartoon episodes. Never really was a fan of Garfield and Friends though, because I felt like the extra characters weren't needed. I purchased this film on DVD when it came out. I still have it, but I watch it on YouTube, since I spend the majority of my time on my laptop. CGI isn't usually my favorite, but I don't understand the criticism. The animation really doesn't look all that bad. It looks a thousand times better than The Garfield Show. Garfield's body is all disproportionate and it's atrocious! In my opinion, he's much cuter here.

Garfield Gets Real is a different concept than the comics. Instead of the audience being able to hear Garfield's sarcastic thoughts as he goes throughout his days eating, and getting into all kinds of situations around his neighborhood, the story is changed around, and they're given a totally different perspective of Garfield. Along with Jon, Odie, Nermal, and Arlene - they're all living in a cartoon universe of sorts, called Toon World. They work at a place called the Comic Studios, and so do other comic strip characters. They make comics that are sent to the "The Real World," for humans to read. The film starts off quite depressing. Garfield is bored with his job. He's exhausted from his coworkers acting silly every morning, and telling the same jokes. I can identify with how he was feeling. I couldn't the first time I watched this, because I was 14, and therefore wasn't old enough to work. Kids won't be able to relate, so that aspect will go right over their head. There's a screen that separates Toon World from the human world. Wanting a change of scenery, Garfield steps through the screen. When everybody notices, the head technician, Eli, puts tape on the screen, so none of the other toons can go through. Odie also ends up on the other side, when he was trying to get his bone. They encounter a couple of stray cats and a dog. For the rest of the movie, Garfield and Odie work together to try and return to the Toon World.

Yes, I do acknowledge this film breaks a cardinal rule: Garfield talks, out loud. People who are hardcore fans of the original will be unhappy, but hey, I'm lenient with changes. As long as they don't ruin the story, anyway. I think it'll hold kids' interest, seeing as how they like CGI. I will admit - seeing Garfield portrayed as a celebrity (meaning, he was playing a cat who loved to eat and laze around the house, instead of actually BEING a cat who loved to eat and laze around the house), was a little disappointing for the imagination. But overall, it's an animated film that does have some funny moments and clever lines. It's a great choice for your family movie night if you have kids!

The Adventures of the Wilderness Family (1975)

Irritating and unrealistic

[1/10 · 6 April 2024]

I was so happy Positiv finally stopped showing this movie. It didn't have repeat viewing value. Once was enough for me, and I didn't even make it to the end. One of the other times it was on, I turned to the channel when it was nearing the end - the scene with the bear trying to make its way into the cabin - and the characters' screaming and hollering was getting on my nerves. People must've been heavily medicated in the 70s if this was popular. The movie opens with a man named Skip Johnson (Robert F. Logan). He lives in LA and feels like he's drowning in the smog and other pollution, so he moves his wife Pat (Susan Damante Shaw) and kids Toby (Ham Larsen) and Jenny (Hollye Holmes), who is asthmatic, to the Colorado wilderness. The beginning seemed rushed, in my opinion. We go from Skip driving through LA with his wife and kids, having a conversation with her about how he's tired of living in the city and wants to move someplace with clean, fresh air, to all of the sudden, they're surrounded by forests and mountains. From that point on, the rest of the story is fanciful depictions of rustic living. It's a new experience for them, but yet, they don't struggle all that much. They have some challenges, but for the most part, their days are filled with laughter and relaxation. I don't know, maybe I'm overanalyzing, but I would expect city dwellers who uproot their life and transfer to an isolated area to be at least somewhat stressed out over the change. Moving is a huge adjustment, especially for children. And where this family moved, there's literally nothing around them. How far are they from grocery stores, schools (how are the kids receiving their education? Are they being homeschooled? None of that was ever mentioned), hospitals? We also don't know the father's source of income. The family's overly positive attitude just wasn't realistic for their environment. And there was too much overacting, from both the child and adult actors. None of them got into character convincingly. It was like they had awareness they were acting, and that made it feel awkward for me as the viewer. If you ignore the plot holes (not conducting research before moving, Skip's proficient survivalist skills, the kids loving their new home, despite having no electricity, indoor plumbing, or social contact), it's an enjoyable movie. As for me, I don't like watching stuff that's illogical. I would definitely recommend skipping this one. If you're a parent and you're looking for something to watch as a family, your kids might get bored.

Rugrats (1991–2003)

Still funny, but I notice things that went over my head when I was a kid

[9/10 · 5 April 2024]

We still have one of those TVs that came with a VHS player inside. I decided to watch a Rugrats tape. Although it was geared towards small children, I didn't start watching it until I was 10 or so. I've bought a couple of t-shirts, and I have the Rugrats movies on VHS, so I consider myself to be a loyal fan. It's been several years since I've seen the show, if not longer. Once I went to college and started working, I had less time to watch anything really. Now that I have more free time, I'm using it as an opportunity to catch up on some things I haven't seen in a while. It's nice going down memory lane sometimes. It's also interesting to see if you still like the same shows you watched as a child.

Rugrats follows the lives of 1-year-old Tommy Pickles, and the adventures he has with his friends Chuckie, and boy/girl twins Phil and Lil. They're constantly terrorized by Tommy's 3-year-old cousin, Angelica (they're first cousins - two father's children). Supporting characters are Stu and Didi (Tommy's parents), Drew and Charlotte (Angelica's parents), Betty and Howard (Phil and Lil's parents), Lou (Stu and Drew's father), and 3-year-old Susie Carmichael (daughter of Randy and Lucy Carmichael). Angelica has a rival with Susie that mostly stems from her having a lot of toys, some of which she doesn't have. But Susie is so kind and sweet, and does try to be Angelica's friend. I will give the writers props for being so creative with the characterizations. You don't see that in today's shows.

My opinion of it is the same. It hasn't lost its humor. Only difference now is, whereas I thought the goofy situations were humorous during my younger days, most recently I found myself in tears over the animation. I was laughing so hard to the point that I couldn't breathe. I don't know if it was because I had a long week (when I get tired, I laugh uncontrollably), but I thought it was so hilarious how thin their necks are in relation to their head. I can search for pictures of them on Google and start laughing all over again. So I can see why some people criticize the animation. It does look amateurish. The animators could've at least tried to make them look more like realistic babies.

As for the content itself - nothing happens besides what you would expect in a story about 1-year-olds. Their imagination running wild provides the basis for the plotlines of the episodes. Just like most if not all cartoons of this nature, adults are portrayed as relatively clueless. They're all incompetent with monitoring the babies, which is how they manage to get themselves into various predicaments in the first place. Now as an adult, I kept thinking what's wrong with these stupid people for not watching their kids??? Also, Angelica acting like a bully starts to become tiresome. I guess getting older just has that affect - it makes us look at the world differently, which inevitably changes how we see the cartoons that we enjoyed as kids. I haven't quite grown out of it, but at the end of the day, this is a sort of dumb series with poorly drawn characters. Gen Z'ers and alpha will most likely prefer the new CGI version.

Dennis the Menace (1986–1988)

Gets annoying after a couple of episodes

[3/10 · 5 April 2024]

I'm not a fan of children. I don't have any, nor do I want them. I do love babies though, but I always remind myself they don't stay like that forever. Once they start walking and talking, you're doomed. Therefore, any show or movie that tries to make humor out of kids being difficult is not funny to me. And there's no better example of a difficult child than Dennis Mitchell (aka Dennis the Menace) - a mischievous, hyperactive, albeit kindhearted 10-year-old boy. Okay, maybe difficult is a strong word, but he's a handful. He was first introduced to America in 1959 as a television character. It followed his daily life, which consisted of causing trouble and irritating his neighbor, Mr. Wilson. It was adapted into a film twice, in 1993 and 1998 (the former is my favorite). In between the original series and movies, was the creation of this cartoon. The advertisement poster makes it look like a cute show, but appearances can be deceiving. It's not a complete failure, but Dennis's shenanigans, and the compromising situations that he inadvertently causes the people around him to experience, gets so annoying to the point that it stops being funny. He does play with other kids, but he's always involving himself in adults' affairs. He's a busybody. I can never watch more than two episodes before it kind of starts to get on my nerves. The events in each storyline are stupid, even for a cartoon. Also, this was made during the 80s, but the characters' outfits and hairstyles look like the 1960s, so I thought that was odd. I feel like the B&W TV show was enough. Or at least, do one movie and stop there. A cartoon was not needed. Hollywood just loves profiting off of franchises. I wouldn't let a child watch this, because it's too mindless. You would be better off showing your kids the original Dennis the Menace.

Voltron: Defender of the Universe (1984–1985)

Incredibly epic series! And this is coming from someone who previously didn't like science fiction

[10/10 · 2 April 2024]

I happened to stumble across this show on YouTube. Not sure which episode it was. I just knew I was seeing robotic lions flying through the sky, and I was mesmerized. I couldn't take my eyes off the screen and I wanted to find more. Truth be told, I actually used to not like science fiction. I thought all of it was idiotic. I loved mysteries and thrillers, and still do. I didn't understand how anyone could get obsessed with fantasy. There's no way you could've told the 21-year-old version of myself that I would've discovered Voltron and enjoyed it, to the point of binge watching. Fast forward 10 years later, and this is hands down the coolest cartoon I've ever seen. Maybe it's because as I'm getting older, I'm starting to grow into myself more. And what's so nice about working from home, is not having to deal with people's judgmental attitudes. You have more autonomy, and more freedom to be your own individual. If people are talking about a show or movie they love, but you think it's cringe, you don't have to join in and tell them what you like to watch if you don't want to. You don't feel pressured to socialize like you do in a physical workplace. Your quality of life will really improve when you no longer have to put up with people either making you feel strange for liking something, or the confused look they give you because they've never heard of your favorite show or movie, especially if it was out before the 1990s. I never cared for girly-girl stuff, and I think spending an increased amount of time by myself has allowed me to pursue my interests, as well as discover new things.

An unfortunately short-lived series, and the product of American and Japanese collaboration, Voltron follows the heroic adventures of five pilots as they operate robotic lions, which, when constructed together, make Voltron, in a quest to defend a planet called Arus, and the galaxy as a whole from King Zarkon, who also appeared in two additional series: one produced by World Events Productions, and the other by both DreamWorks Animation Television ad WEP. The animation, dialogue, and action sequences are quite impressive to have been geared towards children. The characters do often find themselves in perilous situations, so some of the scenes are, well, you know, scary... Perhaps even on the level of being more appropriate for an adult audience. But I guess kids back in the 80s were much tougher than they are now. Don't know if that would bode over well with kids now. I personally find it nice to watch something that whisks me away to another universe. Today's programs almost always revolve around current events, and animated shows aren't exempt (the long-running PBS series Arthur even addressed the COVID-19 pandemic. I know they live like humans in the story, despite being animals, but they're cartoon characters, so it's not like they can get sick anyway). It's good for people to be aware of what's going on in the world, but entertainment should be escapist, particularly for kids. If your child isn't sensitive, and you're comfortable with them watching a small amount of violence, this is an awesome show. It's also enjoyable for adults. If you haven't already, please check this out - you will not be disappointed, trust me!

The Talk (2010–2024)

These are the dumbest group of people I've ever seen in my life!

[1/10 · 30 March 2024]

Unlike some of the reviews, I don't have an issue with the host and co-hosts because they're liberal. I'm a liberal too, but that doesn't change my mind on how I feel about them. I was never a fan of this show anyway, but the current group they have is very off-putting. They are so loud and obnoxious! And not to mention uncouth. They remind me of this noisy clique of students I attended college with. They're even similar make up wise, in the sense that they were a mixed-race, mixed-gender group (it was four girls and one guy. Two of the girls were black, and the other two were white. He was also white). No way am I saying people of different races and genders can't hang out with one another. But, in that case specifically, just like the people on this show, they were an odd assortment of folks. I couldn't avoid them because we had the same major, and it was a small school, so they were in a few of my classes. They went everywhere together, and they could never have a conversation like normal people. They always had to talk and laugh at a high volume, and their sense of humor was juvenile. That probably contributes to why I despise this program so much. These have got to be the fakest bunch of humans I've ever seen. No one is that energetic and talkative every day. I don't know if they're purposely acting like idiots, because they're trying to cater to an audience that's not exactly the most intelligent demographic (you know, people who aren't interested in really anything else besides gossip). The topics they discuss, if you can even call them that, are incredibly mindless. I don't even like to be in the room when this is on because it's headache-inducing. By the way, Jerry O'Connell used to be quite good-looking back when he was in Crossing Jordan, but now it's like he's morphed into another person. What did he do to his face??? Must've been plastic surgery because he looks weird. It doesn't help that he's the loudest/most manic, so he's always making ridiculous expressions. And as a black woman myself, I find Sheryl Underwood embarrassing. Her jokes are ratchet, uncreative, and just all around in poor taste. I love Holly Robinson Peete, and once she left this became unwatchable. Now everybody's goofiness is over the top. Unless you enjoy meaningless chatter, watch something else in the afternoon. This is a show for people who care too much about celebrities and have absolutely nothing to do.

Maury (1991–2022)

Free round trip airfare and a nice hotel room aren't worth public humiliation

[1/10 · 29 March 2024]

I had actually forgot this stupid show existed. I didn't even notice it had ended. When you have a job, even if you work from home, you don't pay attention to what's on TV. And nothing but junk comes on during the week anyway. So I'm guessing the only people who watched Maury were unemployed, bored, and easily entertained? Or retired, bored, and easily entertained? Well, either way, a person had to be pretty dumb to watch this on a regular basis. The fact that it managed to stay on for 30-something years is depressing. I randomly came across an episode on YouTube (I wonder about their algorithm sometimes, because I have no idea how that got recommended to me), and it jogged my memory of how the show just didn't focus on women who were trying to identify the father of their child. They also covered people who had various phobias, and they would play this game called "man or woman," where both cisgender and transgender women would walk out on the stage runway style, and the audience had to guess their biological sex. I know this was on long before inclusion, diversity, and safe spaces, but come on. That was absolutely degrading. And scaring people just for the entertainment of the audience was mean-spirited. They were in stitches over watching guests have meltdowns when seeing pictures of and being forced to confront a specific, intense fear that was ultimately ruining their life. Yes, what they were scared of, objectively, was not frightening (peaches, aluminum foil, olives, cotton balls), but that's why it's a phobia. It might not seem rational or logical from the perspective of people who don't suffer from having one, but that doesn't make it acceptable to laugh. It's an anxiety disorder. Oftentimes, when people are terrified of something, to the point of running away and crying, they most likely had a traumatic experience, and have attached their negative feelings to an item that was present at the time of the experience, or they might've grew up with a parent who had the phobia. No matter the reason, there's nothing amusing about mental illness. I thought it was disgusting how the studio audience was laughing. I had to stop watching, because although it was so many years back I felt bad for how the guests were being ridiculed. I'm glad this show finally ended, but it's done a lot of damage, socially. I really do blame programs like this for why people bully and judge each other. It'll take countless more years to reverse the effects of ignorance.

Big Brother (II) (2000– )

Embarrassment to humanity

[1/10 · 22 March 2024]

I had left a review for this show more than several months back, but it got deleted for some reason. Not sure why. I didn't think I said anything offensive. I have a tendency to ramble in my reviews, sometimes, so I might've gotten off topic. I did mention there's probably gross things people do that the audience at home doesn't see, such as the release of certain bodily functions. Look, I'm just being realistic. What do you expect when you have almost 20 people living under the same roof? I read the HouseGuests leave their clothes everywhere. Also, no one gets their own bedroom. There's 2-8 beds in one room. So you have to deal with other people's crap in your space, and maybe even additional irritations, like them snoring. The whole concept is just downright odd, and not to mention stupid. Originally a Dutch reality series, people who are all strangers share a house together. They're monitored by cameras and personal audio microphones, and they have to play ridiculous games. They also get evicted throughout the duration of the season. There's really not much else to say about this. Their conversations are very boring and meaningless. That's one thing about this show that isn't staged. I don't talk much in social environments. By no means am I unfriendly, and I'm not all that shy. I just don't have anything to say because people mostly share useless information about their lives. All of the HouseGuests are from different backgrounds, but they recruit people who have the most average IQ... And that's not saying much, considering the national reading level of the US is 5th or 6th grade. There's nonstop drama and bullying. I'm seriously confused as to why this hasn't gotten cancelled. It doesn't serve any purpose, besides putting people's immature and unstable behavior on display, just like most other reality programs. No wonder there's so much belligerence in society. I don't know... I guess it's not all that far-fetched. Some people have a lot of roommates because it helps with making the rent, but then everybody gets on each other's nerves. What's the point of watching dysfunction? BB is case in point why I don't regret not living on campus when I was in college. I once had someone tell me I missed out on that. Yeah, okay. I missed out on living around filth. Yup, makes sense. Please, do yourself a favor and avoid this garbage program if you want to keep your brain cells.

Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974–1975)

Columbo meets the supernatural

[2/10 · 20 March 2024]

Come on, people, no 1 or 2 star reviews? I think giving it 3 is being too generous. I'm sorry, but no matter how many times I try to watch this show, I just don't get it. The popularity of it really escapes me. I suppose there wasn't much on TV back in the 70s. Unlike now, with Hulu, Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV (well, finding something decent to watch is still hard). This comes on MeTV at midnight on Saturday, after Star Trek. Now for some reason I can engage in suspension of belief to enjoy that - I guess because I love outer space - but my brain just won't let me accept a wire service reporter (Darren McGavin) overstepping his boundaries to investigate crimes that have otherworldly causes. I mean, am I the only one who noticed this is just Columbo mixed with a supernatural theme?? Darren McGavin's character reminds me so much of him: the quirky outfit, driving around a city doing his own detective work (Chicago in this case, not LA). This didn't happen so much with Columbo, but Kolchak always gets in law enforcement's way and annoys them. It seems like after the 1960s, Hollywood just became a machine of recycled ideas. I wonder if actors/actresses ever got bored portraying the same types of stories, just with a few slight changes. Kolchak is very weird. Darren McGavin actually gave a better performance when he played a mentally unbalanced war veteran in Mannix. Here, on the other hand, his acting didn't shine through. I don't like shows that combine different genres. If I want a mystery, I'll watch Columbo. If I want supernatural, I'll watch Scooby-Doo. It's better off separate. Kolchak is lame. No wonder it only lasted for one season.

The Go-Go's (2020)

Not a fan, and wasn't swayed after watching

[4/10 · 18 March 2024]

The CW channel happened to be on my living room TV Saturday night when this came on. I saw a bunch of girls with hair dyed all sorts of colors and wearing zany outfits, so I became fascinated. I had no idea who they were, and then I recognized them once I heard the name. I'm a self-professed music junkie. I'll listen to pretty much anything, excluding classical and country. I'm actually not a fan of the Go-Go's. I only knew about them because I get Music Choice on my TV. I had heard a couple of their songs - "Our Lips Are Sealed" and "Vacation" - when I happened to stop on the 80s channel as I was flipping through. I love to see all-female groups. Like a lot of other industries, the music business is male-dominated, so they don't receive much attention. For that reason, I was open to learning about them. Unfortunately though, as hard as I tried, I just couldn't make it through the whole thing. I watched it for about 45 minutes or so before I lost interest. I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that I don't care for punk rock. I'm more or less into rock music that was influenced by hippie culture. I love The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, as well as British groups, particularly Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, and The Who. I can't identify with the whole anger and poed attitude that defines punk rock. I also found the documentary itself to be pretentious. I'm sure the group had challenges, but it just seemed overdramatized. I echo the sentiments of the other 4 star review - the whole girl power thing did seem fake. They ultimately broke up due to issues with collaboration and personality differences. Not saying those aren't legitimate reasons, but most other bands break up over some heavy stuff (death of members, substance abuse, etc.). While drug addiction did play a role in their breakup, a lot of it sounded like typical relational drama that's characteristic of women. Kathy Valentine said it hurt the most because of the way it was announced, and Gina Schock felt like it wasn't done in such a manner that would be expected after working with someone for so many years. Makes you wonder if they got along behind the scenes. I didn't even know they were supposed to be a punk band, to tell the truth. Their songs have a pop sound to them. In my opinion, they're overrated. People have just gotten brainwashed into thinking they're a punk rock band. The only aspect of punk they embodied was the lifestyle. Their environment and experiences were huge factors that caused them to gravitate towards hanging out with a punk crowd. They had a crappy childhood, which led to mental health problems, like suicidal ideation. Their middle and high school years were filled with angst, loneliness, and confusion. Going to punk rock clubs was like an outlet for their pent up rage, and gave them a sense of belonging, leading them to form their own band. How they lived is what made them punk. But certainly not their music. Not only do their songs sound nothing like punk (besides pop, they have a surf/beachy vibe going on too, if you listen closely), but the subjects and themes aren't related to the genre either. Punk lyrics communicate frustration with society. "Our Lips Are Sealed" is about people who gossip and talk too much, and "Vacation" is about a girl who's in a relationship, willingly takes a trip by herself, and then starts missing her boyfriend. What does that have to do with punk? I guess I would recommend this to fans only. Just as warning though, it's quite tedious to get through. I honestly think this will only speak to people who are fans, and/or like punk rock in general.

MasterChef Junior (I) (2013– )

Not as enjoyable as you would think

[5/10 · 14 March 2024]

I used to watch the original MasterChef, with the adult contestants, when it first came on. Despite not being a fan of Chef Ramsay (I was addicted to Kitchen Nightmares, but don't approve of how he screams and curses at people on HK. I've wondered if he has psychological issues, or if he just changed personas according to what show he was doing. He has the ability to control his emotions depending on the type of environment he's in, so he does have some sense), I loved it - if I remember correctly, I'd watch every week - but over time, I got turned off by all of the nasty attitudes. Reality shows always bring out the worst in people. Fast forward several years later, and they change it to having kids as the contestants. While it is a nice idea, and the kids are cute, I honestly can't watch it. Don't get me wrong, kudos to them for having such fantastic cooking skills. I'm 31 and I can't stand to cook. I can do scrambled eggs and pancakes (it's a miracle if I'm able to flip them without screwing up). The only other thing I know how to make that's not breakfast food is stovetop macaroni and cheese. The problem I have with this show, is I don't like to watch kids use knives. I'm sure medical personnel are on hand to render first aid if they cut themselves. That doesn't make me feel any better though. I don't have kids, but I still care about their safety. I think 8-, 9-, and 10-years-old is way too young to be cooking without direct supervision by an adult - and direct means standing next to them, not watching off in the distance. Also, maybe they shouldn't have eliminations. This one little girl cried when she was told she would be getting sent home. Yes, I know the world is cruel and mean, and if you're a parent, you can't shield your kids from disappointment forever, but why can't this show just be pure fun?? Besides them handling sharp kitchen objects, the eliminations are a major reason I can't bring myself to watch this. I guess you can't have a competition if you're not going to send anyone home. So in that case, they might as well have not made this show into a kid's version.

And my goodness, can you say nepotism??? The episode I watched on Monday night: Chef Ramsay's daughter, Dr. Oz's daughter... I got sick of seeing her. Once The Chew ended, and I had stopped watching shows that she frequently made appearances on (The Rachael Ray Show) because I started working in the morning, she never even crossed my mind, so when I saw her a few days ago I was like oh yeah, I forgot she existed. I also don't understand why Chef Ramsay's daughter is there. It's not like either of them have done anything to warrant being famous. The judges try to be playful with the kids, but it just doesn't come off as genuine. It looks staged. I hope this show ends. Can't believe it's been on for 11 years now. Of course I wish the kids all the best in their future culinary careers (or, if they ultimately decide they don't want to become a chef, whatever career path they choose), but this show is a waste of air space.