CulvertonSmith Reviews

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live: The Last Time (2024) Season 1, Episode 6

Emotionally Satisfying

[8/10 · 31 March 2024]

I could critique the speed at which this finale rushes to the finish line, but the emotional poignancy of seeing these two characters work alongside one another is such a beautiful thing to watch. The reunion of Rick with Judith is so wonderful, and ending the show with this family wholly together for the first time is a stellar choice.

On the whole I had a blast with The Ones Who Live, and really think it lived up to the legacies of both Rick and Michonne. I think this finale was a tad bumpy in its narrative, and a couple of moments were executed in a rather clunky fashion-but that is more than made up for by the satisfaction of seeing characters that we've been following for about a decade finally be delivered an emotionally satisfying ending. A beautiful story of love, and one I'm glad I got to see.

Fargo: The Tragedy of the Commons (2023) Season 5, Episode 1

Minnesota Nice

[9/10 · 22 November 2023]

Dark. Thrilling. Funny. Fargo's fifth season starts with a captivating bang. Juno Temple absolutely crushes it, an immediately sympathetic yet imperfect mom who gets caught up in absurd situations. No matter where this season goes, as long as she's there, I know I'm along for the ride.

I really dug this opening episode a lot, and was so immediately invested once again in the world of Fargo. It was momentarily jarring to see a season set in such a recent year, with 2019 being barely older than the previous season, but the events themselves are so captivating I never thought about it twice. A great start, and I'm really excited to see how all of these pieces develop as the season continues.

Star Trek: Picard: The Last Generation (2023) Season 3, Episode 10

A Beautiful Ending

[10/10 · 20 April 2023]

This is it everybody, the end of the ride, once again. In my estimation, this entire season and this finale in particular fully justifies the existence of the show Picard. I enjoyed the first season, but this run of episodes in season three is just great storytelling. Despite being quite dark in some places, it is still hopeful and heartwarming and funny, and evoking some of the same feelings you get while watching TNG. Perhaps only time will tell just how well this ending truly holds up, but as of right now I found it to be an absolutely beautiful and emotional way to close out these characters. I loved it.

Succession: Connor's Wedding (2023) Season 4, Episode 3

Perfection

[10/10 · 10 April 2023]

This was absolutely one of the best episodes of television I have seen in a long time. Unbelievably engaging and well-directed, with some of the sharpest writing on TV. The performances within here are truly phenomenal, and will likely be justifiably awarded at the Emmys later this year. Every character reacts to the unexpected development of events in an incredibly believable and authentic way. Jesse Armstrong continues to prove himself as one of the best writers on TV. It's not just a matter of how surprising the events of this episode are, but how expertly and naturally they unfold for each character. Many shows have tried and failed this kind of a shocking development, but Succession really manages to get it right but staying true to its characters and their experience of this event. I'm in awe at how phenomenal this entire hour was, and cannot wait to see how the rest of the season unfolds. One of the few TV episodes that earns a perfect 10/10.

Star Trek: The Next Generation: Force of Nature (1993) Season 7, Episode 9

Fine Message, Fine Episode

[7/10 · 6 April 2023]

The message is fine, admirable even, very characteristic of Star Trek. It is perhaps lacking in subtlety, which is not always necessary, but could have helped to make this story feel more natural. However, the episode itself just isn't all that compelling. There's some fun stuff with Data's cat which is pretty entertaining, but most of the story just feels all too familiar.

It's a well-made episode of television, but ultimately pretty disposable. It's just not the kind of thing that stays in your mind, unfortunately. Although I enjoyed the 45 minutes, I can't say I'm going to remember much beyond Data training Spot. A worthy effort, but one that won't stick with me.

The Crown: Queen Victoria Syndrome (2022) Season 5, Episode 1

Good Episode, Great Cast.

[8/10 · 9 November 2022]

A strong beginning to the show's third and final era. This season premiere introduces us to a whole new cast for the show, and the switch in actors is pulled off extremely well. It's always going to be slightly jarring to have a completely different person playing any of these parts, but the show has already prepared us for these drastic changes. On top of that, the performances are very strong across the board. Elizabeth Debicki is very good as Diana, and does a strong job with the portrayal. Imelda Staunton could not be better in the leading role, and does a truly great job of making the part her own while feeling like the same person as both Claire Foy and Olivia Coleman's portrayals. A very strong beginning, and I look forward to the rest of the season.

Mr. Robot: eps1.0_hellofriend.mov (2015) Season 1, Episode 1

"Hello, friend."

[10/10 · 8 September 2022]

Mr. Robot's opening episode is, in my mind, one of the all-time great television premieres. Right from the first episode there is a clear and distinctive artistic vision that you can feel across the entire thing. Some shows take time to find themselves, but this one gets it right from the word "Go."

The visual look of the series is very strong, and would grow into something truly incredible as the show continued. Elliot makes for a compelling, sympathetic, and complicated lead. It's easy to root for him but you still questions some of his choices. Inviting the audience into his mind as an imaginary person he talks to is a phenomenal way of allowing us to gain a true understanding of who this person is and the delusions he has. Needles to say, Elliot is an exceptionally well-written character portrayed impeccably by Rami Malek.

The promise of inviting the audience into a world we haven't seen, of eliminating debt, it makes for a really great premise that fully grabs my attention every time I watch it. There are few tv premieres I would say surpass the quality of Mr. Robot's. This is a great start to what is my personal favorite television series ever made.

9.25/10.

House of the Dragon: The Heirs of the Dragon (2022) Season 1, Episode 1

A Solid Beginning

[8/10 · 22 August 2022]

A really entertaining hour of tv that shows a lot of potential. Hard to say how well it's going to come together over the course of the season, but I think this first episode shows a lot of promise. Overall the show looks well made and professional, even if it's not quite as visually striking as GOT, it still looks better than most shows on tv. The performances are strong and the story is compelling. No substantial issues as far as I'm concerned. I liked this opener a good amount and I look forward to the rest of the season.

8/10.

The Rehearsal (2022– )

Unique, Hilarious, and Thought-Provoking

[10/10 · 20 August 2022]

Nathan Fielder's new series The Rehearsal is easily one of the best seasons of television I've seen all year. As a big fan of Nathan For You, I couldn't wait to check out his new project. I was delighted to find that I loved it even more. As hard as this show is to describe, I'm going to try my best.

Nathan Fielder's awkward comedy finds a new home when he tries his hand at providing people with an opportunity, an opportunity to rehearse important moments in their life. In the first episode a man must rehearse a confession that he will give to his friend, with a re-created studio set of a real location and a paid actor who portrays his friend.

Sounds insane? It absolutely is, but in the most bizarre, entertaining, hilarious, and unpredictable way possible. What starts as a ridiculous premise that I found particularly hilarious, ultimately winds up becoming a reflection on its own structure that questions the ethics of the rehearsals themselves. The show gives room to laugh, become invested, and constantly pulls the rug out from its own audience in the most shocking and delightful ways possible.

You are almost always aware of what you are watching, because the show doesn't let you forget what it is. I absolutely mean this in a good way, because that is how the show manages to be something so unique, by staying hilarious while reflecting on what its doing.

It's impossible to fully sell the experience of The Rehearsal because at the end of the day, you have to experience it for yourself. I loved the first season of this show, and I highly recommend it if you want to watch a unique and extremely funny series unlike anything seen before. I can safely call this one of my new favorite series on television, and I can't wait to see what is explored in Season Two.

Season One: 9.3/10.

Better Call Saul: Saul Gone (2022) Season 6, Episode 13

A Truly Incredible Ending

[10/10 · 16 August 2022]

Wow. I say this with absolutely no reservations, I just watched one of the all-time great television finales. I was on the edge of my seat, surprised, emotional, and had feelings I genuinely have a hard time articulating. To end the show and this character in a way that feels so true to both the show and the character (while still surprising the audience) is a difficult thing to accomplish, but Peter Gould fully delivered in the show's final hour.

Seeing that Jimmy went through all of that B. S. just to confess to his crimes in front of Kim? I did not see it coming, but I absolutely bought it. I love that we get to see this character finally break out from his mistakes and his lifestyle, to FINALLY face the consequences of his actions and get to spend some truly special moments with Kim. Those closing moments are not something I'm going to forget.

Jimmy McGill is, in my mind, one of the great characters of television, and this ending completed his journey in the best way possible. I've loved this show for many years, but Season 6 and the finale have been on another level entirely. I'm going to miss this series so much, but I'm so thankful that they choose the perfect moment to end on. Thank you to everybody who made this show so special, it is truly one of my all-time favorite television series. I look forward to watching it again and again in the years to come.

Also, absolutely LOVED Betsy Brandt's incredible performance. I was delighted to see her return and she truly made the most of her few minutes on screen!

Westworld: Que Será, Será (2022) Season 4, Episode 8

"Winner takes all."

[9/10 · 15 August 2022]

Pretty great end to another great season. This is a big episode in terms of ending the story for a lot of characters and in many ways concluding so much of the show that we've been following for years. I thought they did a graceful and strong job of ending things for the characters, although I recognize that based on what is being setup for the next (and last?) season, we likely haven't seen the last of a few favorites. Hard to imagine Dolores re-creates Westworld without William, for example. I enjoyed the finale a lot, and after seeing the way it ended, it makes a lot more sense why the show didn't seem as concerned about killing off so many characters these past two episodes (Maeve and Stubbs in particular were barely given much time for their deaths). I had a great time with this season and I can't wait to come back in a couple years for one last game. I still love this show, and I'm very excited about what's going to happen in Season 5. Great finale!

Better Call Saul: Waterworks (2022) Season 6, Episode 12

Vince Gilligan's Phenomenal Final Hour

[10/10 · 9 August 2022]

This was an absolutely incredible hour of television expertly written and directed by Vince Gilligan himself. The performances in this episode are truly excellent, all around the board everybody crushed it. This is such a devastating episode of the show, a couple moments within here nearly brought me to tears. It's incredibly tense, very emotional, and extremely captivating. As the penultimate episode of the entire series this one fully delivered, and I cannot wait to see where it all ends this Monday.

Dual (2022)

As Dry as Humor Gets

[8/10 · 8 August 2022]

A dark and dry comedy that I was not prepared for, but found myself thoroughly entertained by. I understand that not all audiences are going to connect with a film like this, but I found it to be quite delightful. The rhythm of the comedic beats is very specific, and though it took a bit for me to fall into that rhythm, once it was working I was laughing a lot at the extreme dryness and deliberately robot-like nature of the line readings. Make no mistake though, this movie is quite dark and certainly left me feeling cold (in a good way). It's not the feel-good movie of the year, but if it is your thing then you'll likely have as good a time as I did.

7.75/10.

Westworld: Metanoia (2022) Season 4, Episode 7

"Survival of the fittest."

[9/10 · 8 August 2022]

Wow. Really big episode for a lot of characters. I really like this as an end for Bernard, he gives it his all even with no hope of saving the world, and Jeffrey Wright gives another great performance. Was also sad to see the "real" William bite the bullet, because I think he's such a great character, but I'm very excited to see what this means for the new version of him and how that will play out in the season finale. Great show, looking forward to seeing where it's all heading next Sunday!

Better Call Saul: Breaking Bad (2022) Season 6, Episode 11

"Are you in or out?"

[10/10 · 2 August 2022]

Man, I love this show. Having just watched the Breaking Bad episode titled Better Call Saul, watching this episode was a delightful experience. The way it incorporates moments between (and during) scenes that we've seen before is very well done. The comedy during the RV scene was great, and seeing Walt and Jesse again with Saul was a very special moment.

Equally as good is everything we see with Gene, which takes up the bulk of this episode. Bob Odenkirk is as fantastic as ever, and his scene with Francesca is a great way to show how desperate he is for information and (more importantly) even a small bit of connection with someone from his former life as Saul. Seeing him escalate his enterprise after seemingly calling it quits last episode was a surprise to me, but successfully shows what is arguably Gene's biggest failure; he doesn't know when to quit and lets his ambitions get the best of him. I love how well this parallels with his moment meeting Walt and wanting to get onboard with that business, even with Mike advising against it, Saul just can't help himself.

An extremely entertaining and delightful episode of the show which also serves to highlight where our lead finds himself at two important moments in his life. Breaking Bad proved to be a great episode of Better Call Saul, and I can't wait to see where they take it next. Gonna miss this show when it's gone, great stuff!

Westworld: Fidelity (2022) Season 4, Episode 6

"Use me."

[9/10 · 1 August 2022]

Enjoyed this episode a lot, Caleb gets a lot of time to shine and this is easily one of the best episodes for his character. It's dark, it's unsettling, and quite simply it's an extremely captivating hour of television. A really strong entry for Westworld Season 4, and the ending left me appreciating the whole thing even more.

Dexter: Remember the Monsters? (2013) Season 8, Episode 12

It's Still Awful

[1/10 · 28 July 2022]

I see the Season 8 revisionism happening in response to New Blood and I have to say this finale does NOT deserve it! Setting aside the way New Blood dropped the ball in its final moments, this finale fails in so many ways that it is truly one of the worst tv episodes I have ever seen. They complete failed in the characterization of both Dexter and Debra, and provided an episode that makes no sense from start to finish. Things just seemingly happen with no believable reason for them. Really, Dexter let THAT happen to Harrison?? The infamous storm of all things, and the tacked-on unjustified final moment. None of it is earned whatsoever, it all feels completely wrong. This episode fails to sell any of the moments it attempts to, and on top of that is an extremely dull and boring hour of tv. The New Blood finale is NOT great, but please don't pretend that Season 8 had anything remotely resembling a good finale. This episode is, with all things considered, an abomination! Truly a horrendous conclusion to one of my favorite shows. You thought it was that bad before because it is THAT bad.

House M.D.: Moving On (2011) Season 7, Episode 23

Huh

[7/10 · 27 July 2022]

Not sure I get it... House crashes into her dining room (which was likely to have people in it) because he's mad about their failed relationship? It's pretty overdramatic and hard to buy. Kinda feels like the writers are running out of things to do at this point when the drama of the show ends in House crashing a car into Cuddy's house. Entertaining episode all things considered, but probably the weakest of the season finales.

Better Call Saul: Nippy (2022) Season 6, Episode 10

Great Gene Episode

[10/10 · 26 July 2022]

I feel like I've been waiting to see this episode since the show's opening scene and it did not disappoint! They do such a fantastic job of showing how Gene still gets up to the same old tricks as before, as he is unsatisfied in his day-to-day life (or lack thereof). I love how we see him scheming and slowly piece together the information of what he's doing and why, that's always been one of my favorite parts of Better Call Saul. The episode is relatively straightforward in some ways but endlessly entertaining and incredibly effective at showing us just where Jimmy finds himself within this "Gene" era of his life. Can't wait for more of Saul and Gene in the final 3 episodes. Love this show!

Westworld: Zhuangzi (2022) Season 4, Episode 5

"You're a god."

[9/10 · 25 July 2022]

Very good stuff, really like seeing where Christina's story has developed and am excited to see where it goes in the rest of the season. Glad that Evan Rachel Wood has been given something to do too since she's such a great actor. I'm really enjoying the Charlotte Hale and Man in Black scenes, really looking forward to seeing where it all leads. I still have a blast with Westworld, and Season 4 continues to be entertaining, strong episode!

Westworld: Generation Loss (2022) Season 4, Episode 4

"Welcome to My World"

[10/10 · 20 July 2022]

Westworld's still got it! What a phenomenal episode, I absolutely adore the final 15 minutes and am incredibly excited to see where it takes us in the second half of the season. A game changing revelation that sets up something completely different than I had expected from the future of the show. I loved this episode and cannot wait to see where they take this new development, great stuff!

Westworld: Années Folles (2022) Season 4, Episode 3

"The Westworld Massacre"

[9/10 · 20 July 2022]

Really digging it, I liked the first two episodes but here I feel the season is really picking up the pace. I'm very intrigued by the Bernard stuff in particular, Jeffrey Wright is as great as always but his storyline is also very engaging and sets up something I'm really excited to see play out. The Maeve and Caleb plot is also surprisingly strong, I didn't know where it was going initially but really liked seeing where it progressed to and wound up enjoying it quite a bit. Very entertaining episode, hopefully the season continues in this direction.

Better Call Saul: Fun and Games (2022) Season 6, Episode 9

Almost a Finale

[10/10 · 19 July 2022]

This episode does such an incredible job of wrapping up so much of the show and in such a real and devastating way. The scene between Mike and Nacho's dad was fantastic, and a truly powerful moment that shows the complexity of Mike as a character. The breakup scene between Jimmy and Kim is phenomenally performed by both actors and truly feels like the natural end result of all the choices they've made. Better Call Saul sells these moments because everything feels like such a natural progression of what has come before, nothing feels out of place or phony. The final moments where we see just how far Jimmy has fallen in his life as Saul Goodman is a truly excellent end to the episode, and almost feels like the end of the show...

Almost. There's more to be said and the story of Jimmy/Saul/Gene is not yet finished, and I cannot wait to see where it goes in these last four episodes. I absolutely love this show and have full confidence in the creators and writers to nail the ending. Monday cannot come soon enough.

Better Call Saul: Point and Shoot (2022) Season 6, Episode 8

Ridiculously Good

[10/10 · 13 July 2022]

This episode is truly one of the highlights of the show, and is quite possibly my personal favorite to date. Everything about this episode's presentation and tension is phenomenal, masterfully directed by none other than Vince Gilligan. Every scene has a purpose, and we truly get to see the awful state that Jimmy and Kim are in after the events of the prior episode. Lalo's demise feels entirely believable yet completely surprising, something that Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad have always been good at delivering on. It's amazing to me how much each scene feels like a natural progression of the story while still delivering on these satisfying and surprising moments. R. I. P. Howard, you deserved better. Every time I watch Breaking Bad I'm going to think about how Lalo and Howard are buried underneath Walt and Jesse cooking meth. Incredible episode, truly one of the best pieces of television I've seen in a long time.

Westworld: Well Enough Alone (2022) Season 4, Episode 2

"Welcome to the Golden Age"

[8/10 · 4 July 2022]

A strong continuation that successfully kept me engaged and entertained. Maeve remains one of my favorite parts of the show and Thandiwe Newton is as great as always. Glad to see the real William is still alive, it's great to know that his character can still come in to play later. I'm very intrigued by where Christina's storyline is going, though it's hard to know exactly what it's trying to do just yet. Good episode, looking forward to seeing more.