charlie-119-150245 Reviews

Arrested Development: For British Eyes Only (2005) Season 3, Episode 2

do you love Americans doing Australian accents thinking they sound British?

[5/10 · 15 March 2022]

Wow , how do I sum up this episode, it has every painfully bad stereotypes about British people in 50 minutes and it even has Americans doing Australian accents.

I just hope this is ironic and done tongue in cheek as its quite painful to watch.

The series as a whole is weirdly amusing , this is just weird.

Boss Level (2020)

What an enjoyable film

[8/10 · 14 August 2021]

This has it all humour, 80's style humour and an enjoyable science fiction plot.

I once read that Frank Grillo stated that he couldn't act but I think he is selling himself short as he is wonderfully comedic but in a Die Hard sort of way.

Would I look forward to a sequel, absolutely.

The Watch (2020–2021)

Ignore the books

[7/10 · 3 July 2021]

When the new Battlestar Galatica came out all the fans of the original hated it and if your a fan of the books , you will probably feel the same about this.

What helped with BG was to forget the source material and treat it as it's own series and if you do that you will probably enjoy it , I did and although I have read a number of Terry Pratchett novels , I never read Guards , so I think not reading the books may help.

It is darker in tone than the books but there is some moments of humour and it's actually very watchable.

This has the feeling of a program that was written by committee , I can picture the BBC meetings.

1. 50% female - Check.

2. Transsexual / Homosexual Individuals - Check.

3. BAME representation at least 50% - Check.

That said this shoehorning doesn't detract from the program and it still very much worth watching , just think of it as a comedic Lords of the Rings and not a Discworld program and you should find enough to enjoy the series.

The Irregulars (2021)

It could of been wonderful and yet it really is very mediocre

[4/10 · 28 March 2021]

The idea of a show about the Baker Street Runners with an element of Occultist elements , should and could of been amazing , so it came as a surprise that sadly it is just so mediocre.

The young actors are wonderful, the idea is clever , so why does this series fail so badly?

The writer Tom Bidwell cut his teeth in writing for the Beeb and it shows, because sadly the Beeb insists that you shoe horn people of colour in every production and this sadly is just the same , Victorian London looks like 21st Century London , this attempt to create a skewed version of Victorian London just kills the realism and is a bit insulting to all concerned.

Imagine a series about medieval Japan where they added in a high number of White European and how that would kill the realism , it's the same principle here.

So that's the big issue with this production but the other is , it's just so teen oriented , maybe the issue is I'm not it's target market , but Shoe horning great actors into a role that doesn't work for them just so you can be politically correct , is such a waste of their talents

Sadly this teen mess of a series could of been excellent if it just stopped trying to be PC and it raised its writing about teen level.

If you want to watch something excellent but in the same vein , watch Whitechapel or Ripper Street as they are both what this could of been.

A missed opportunity.

The Personal History of David Copperfield (2019)

You never knew the 1850's was so multi cultural

[6/10 · 17 October 2020]

I really wanted to like this but it just doesn't make it easy. Let's start with the good bits. 1. It has some excellent actors in it.

Now on to the bad bits. 1. It's just so far removed from the novel , it's hard to see the logic of the rewrite. 2. You may be surprised as I was that the 1850's was just so multi cultural that it just ruins anything that is historic and removes the credibility. 3. It's just not as funny as it wants to be, it tries to be quirky and funny but is completely unsuccessful at both. There are at least 16 million better things to watch or if you really want to experience Dickens , pick one of the classic Dickens productions Like Great Expectations.

Zapped (2016–2018)

A missed and overlooked future classic

[9/10 · 23 June 2020]

There is times when an idea shouldn't work and yet does ( think only Fools and Horse, Porridge) and there is some ideas that just had to work and this is one of those, think Lord of the Rings and Discworld having a TV baby. If you like the idea of a Gordon Kaye as a slightly insane wizard, aggressive fairies and a confused James Buckley ( if you don't , whats wrong with you). It's funny clever and very quirky, it's that clever type of humour with something different that makes comedies like Red Dwarf such a classic and how do they treat it, they chuck it in some hidden corners of UKTV play and try to pretend it doesn't exist. If you miss the clever humour of Red Dwarf before it all got a bit mundane ( think pre series 7) then this is for you and has some of the best comedy performances of all times. The only downside is they haven't commissioned series 4 , Let's not forget they commissioned three series of Miranda , which proves there is no cosmic justice. Watch it and tell you mates and your mates mates etc , so we can have a series 4.

We Happy Few (2018 Video Game)

A very different and intereting expierence.

[9/10 · 9 August 2019]

There really isnt anything like this game so its hard to draw a comparison to anything else. Its set in an alternate Britain where Britain lost the second world war so people blank everything out with a drug called Joy and the game is about finding out what happened. Interesting but it does require giving it some time, you will be glad you did.

Timewasters (2017–2019)

Better than the reviews would have you believe

[6/10 · 8 May 2019]

It's no future classic comedy but I'm surprised by some of the reviews calling it terrible and racist. It's amusing and has it's moments and because it deals with the issues of racism in the 1950's , this seems to be the reason people call it racism, there is no point whitewashing history but laughing at how ridicolous attitudes should never be considered racist but should be considered a look back in time. It's watchable and certainly something I would consider watching , it's not going to change the world but amusing comedy that deals with thorny issues should be encouraged.

Home (2019–2020)

Clever and funny, not the PC anti British rubbish you were expecting.

[8/10 · 5 April 2019]

I was resistant to watching this as I felt I knew what it was about before I watched it , when it comes to immigration in the UK , we don't do mature or reasoned so to watch something about immigration that is clever and funny and not an attempt to attack people for wanting to discuss immigration is a breath of fresh air. Clever and funny with some excellent acting.

Bulletstorm (2011 Video Game)

I wasn't expecting much but this is surprisingly good

[8/10 · 24 November 2018]

The cover design , the look of this game did not sell it to me , whoever commissioned the artwork didn't want you to buy the game as it no only doesn't reflect the game but it's uninspiring at the same time. If you like the feel of Rage and enjoy the Borderland games , then you will love this. It's funny, quirky , bit odd and brilliant fun at the same time.

Syndicate (2012 Video Game)

Why FPS for a god game remake ?

[5/10 · 24 November 2018]

I can't stop being annoyed by Starbreeze for this butchering of one of the best games of all time, the only reason I haven't created a voodoo dolls of the Starbreeze team is because they created the incredible Riddick Games. When I first heard about the remake of Syndicate I couldn't wait and then I put it in and disappointment is an understatement. It's a FPS not a great one but ok , it wants to be Deus Ex minus the great script and superior level design. If you want ok , this game is for you , if you want to play a remake of the incredible Syndicate game from Bullfrog , this is not it. Don't hate the developers two much for showing this lack of respect for Peter Molyneaux classic as they should be forgiven because the did create the Riddick games after all. Now if they do a remake of Dungeon Keeper as a sports game , the voodoo dolls will definitely be out.

The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay (2004 Video Game)

A licensed game that's not only good but great

[9/10 · 24 November 2018]

This is a game set before the Riddick films and is a unique and interesting game in its own right , it's a bit Thief and a lot Aliens Colonial Marines and a lot brilliant. This game is so good I have forgiven Starbreeze for the butchering and lack of love in their Syndicate remake. It's a bit challenging to find as it isn't commercially available anymore but does come free with Riddick Dark Athena on GOG. Buy this game is you love Riddick, hate Riddick or just don't care as it's an amazing game in its own right.

The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena (2009 Video Game)

Overlooked and missed classic game with Butchers Bay free

[8/10 · 24 November 2018]

This is one of those rare game tie ins that is actually better than the films ( I'm not saying the films aren't good, but the games are just a bit better) it's a bit thief and a bit Alien Colonial Marines ( I know people hated this game but I could never quite work out why). It's a bit of a pain to find but you can still get it on GOG. You should get this game if you like games , like Riddick films , you have taste or a combination of all of them. ps I forgive Starbreeze for what the did with Syndicate remake because of this game only.

Tourist Trap (2018– )

WOW this is bad

[4/10 · 24 October 2018]

It's one of those program that should of been good and sadly it is very far from good. Think of the office but minus the humour or clever people politics side. We need comedies set in Wales but this isn't it.

Colony (2016–2018)

Stick with it , you will be glad you did

[8/10 · 25 August 2018]

It starts slow and has the standard cliché US maverick cop does things his own way and then the story unfolds and you will be thankful you stuck with it. Sometimes you can watch a program that has you gripped because of the storyline and sometimes you can have a television program that has an engaging if not unique storyline but this has the added benefit of a storyline that makes you think and makes you think about who you are. It's one of those rare tv programs that makes you think about how you would react in the same circumstances , it makes you take a look at yourself and work out what type of person you really and it can be uncomfortable viewing at times, not in the same way that GOT can be uncomfortable as it's certainly not overly gruesome but it's a program that generates reflection. I've heard they cancelled the series which is a great shame and I hope it gets picked up by Netflix as there is so much more story to explore. Watch if you liked V and Independence Day and liked Hill Street Blues. Don't watch if you don't like to reflect on what type of person you are.

Safe (2018)

It's not great but it's not awful, it's mediocre

[6/10 · 18 May 2018]

It's hard to know where to start with this series as it's compelling mediocrity where you find yourself watching to the end to see how it ends ,even though it's just so average. Let's start with Michael C Hall and his voice coach , who I suspect was also the voice coach for Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins and Captain Chesterfield in Frontier , why did they not tell you that sounding like an American doing a bad Cockney mixed with a Surrey accent is not how real Brits speak , if you find doing a British accent this hard, be an American Surgeon, we do have these in the NHS. All the characters are so extreme in a soap opera sort of way , you find someone dead in your pool and you suspect they have died from drugs sold by your daughter, then of course you put them in a chest freezer and dump them in a quarry , even though everyone knows that the last place they were seen alive was at your house and you live in a gated community ( which are very rare in the UK and are found usually in London. so it's interesting for this alone) which means that everyone is tracked in and out , so the police will know he didn't leave. If you gated community is full of police and you discover one of the local houses has been ransacked, don't call one of the officers for help , know run into the house and then run away so the police suspect that you are the killer and yes this did happen in the program. You are police detective and you are paid so well you afford a house in an extremely expensive gated community but you don't investigate the odd acting surgeon who breaks into people's houses and runs away from the police.

That said , if you suspend disbelief ( and ignore MCH's awful mockney, Hugh Grant inspired accent ) you can actually semi enjoy this series. It's not the worst thing that I have seen and it has it's moments as the story unravels in an interesting way , so it's worth a watch when you have binge watched Happy on Netflix or Game of Thrones. Watch for these reasons. 1. You thought Dick Van Dyke and Captain Chesterfields accents were really authentic. 2. You love soap operas but find the realism of East Enders too much to take. 3. You have binge watched everything on Netflix. 4. You want to see if you can do a worse accent than MCH ( you can't unless your name is Evan Jonigkeit). 5. You have often wondered what a surgeon would do if he lost his daughter. 6. You started watching out of curiosity and want to see how it ends ( this is my excuse). 7. You have a masochistic side to your nature and you think you deserve to be punished ( if this is the case watch Jeepers Creepers instead as this is 2 hours of your life you will never get back).

Happy! (2017–2019)

Max Payne meets, Who framed Roger Rabbit with a bit of Drop Dead Fred

[9/10 · 29 April 2018]

This is dark and gruesome and hilariously funny , I laughed so hard it hurt. If you love the dark ambience of Max Payne with the humour of Roger Rabbit and Drop Dead Fred , then you will love it, if not then you should go and organise your sock drawer. Truly brilliantly clever and entertainment series but don't watch it with the kids or your local Vicar as it's Saw level of violence and Monster ball sex scenes and yet it's brilliant. Its been a while since I saw something that made me laugh like this.

Frontier (2016–2018)

It's not just awful accents, it's much worse

[5/10 · 12 March 2018]

I really wanted to like this as it's based on real world events and it's based in Canada and is also set in a very interesting time , so it has all the qualities of a excellent historical drama but sadly it chose to ignore them. If Dick Van Dykes cockney accent in Mary Poppins made you cringe then Captain Chesterfield Evan Jonigkeit will make you want to pull you ears off and he is only slightly worse than Zoe Boyle Scottish accent which makes Mel Gibson seem like a local from the highlands. It get worse as I felt it was bound to improve but it just get silly as all the English are evil pantomime characters who just run at the main Character Declan Harts musket like suicidal lemmings. If you have time to spare and you don't mind comedy accents , people in red coats who blindly ignore all military training and just wait to be shot and you want to watch a program that takes a really intresting historical narrative and makes it look like a Carry on Film without the humour, you will love this but sane people won't. I've seen worse ( I just watched the latest Dirk Gently) but thankfully not often.

Misfits (2009–2013)

Completely different to everything else

[9/10 · 11 November 2017]

It's really hard to compare this to anything as a comparison because it's just so different , it's dark , it's witty and it's very clever. If you like The Fades ( another clever television program from the same period ) and you laughed at Reaper ( Reaper has a more comedic element as a key component of the script which humour being a bit part player in Misfits) then you will love this. It's a genius bit of acting and how many programs have a lead character who can remove other peoples power through the power of sex and another is an imaginary friend. What's not to like

Bluestone 42 (2013–2015)

Sodiers with Gun , Birds and Explosives , who could ask for more

[8/10 · 22 July 2017]

If you are the type of person who likes women , explosives, guns and people shooting at the Taliban , you will love this and it even has the added plus of being amusing and very enjoyable to watch. If you don't like women, explosives, guns and people shooting the Taliban , you are very dull and should watch Antique Roadshow instead.

River (2015)

Complex Characters Make for interesting Television

[9/10 · 31 December 2016]

You always know that any TV program made by Kudos is going to be interesting , Kudos first came to the public attention with Spooks but this is brilliant in a different way. You spend a big part of the serious working out who's alive and who's dead and when you work it out you realise that the character of River is flawed and brilliant in equal measure. Watch this if you loved Hinterland ( if you didn't I assume you didn't watch it ) and Shetland. Stellan Skargard is absolutely brilliant and is convincing as a flawed yet brilliant Detective , can't wait to serious two, Definitely the best series 2015 series since Suits

Zapped (2016–2018)

Brilliantly funny

[9/10 · 6 November 2016]

I stumbled upon this on Dave after watching the latest series of Red Dwarf and I'm so glad I did as this is like watching a touch of sliders with a huge portion of Discworld. Expertly acted and excellent comedy delivery , I haven't found a single thing that needs improving. What really add to it is the varied range of actors such as James Buckley ( Inbetweeners ) Paul Kaye ( you may remember him as Dennis Pennis), Ricky Grover ( normally plays Gangsters. If you like Discworld you will love this and if you don't , well I still think you will love it. It has that quick firing gag delivery that used to be a big part of British comedy , extremely recommended

The Shannara Chronicles (2016–2017)

It's lord of the rings for teenage girls

[6/10 · 24 September 2016]

I was shocked to my core to read that the writer is a huge Lord of the Rings fan as this series is lord of the rings meets Twilight with young males with their tops off in nearly in every shot and young girls with lots of lipstick. It's so similar that I'm waiting to hear that the plagiarism police don't horse whip Terry Brooks through Rivendell. I have to point out if your going to do a blatant copy of something then Lord of the Rings is a good place to start. If you love teenage boys with their top off and teenage girls with lots of lipstick with elves and trolls and humans males with their tops off that want to destroy Sauron, sorry I meant Dagda Mor ( he also likes Welsh which is also not a bad thing ) then you will love this. Don't get me wrong it's not awful but it's not great either. Watch if you have finished watching Suits, Person of Interest, Warehouse 13 etc on Netflix. Please Terry when do we have 1984 come back with the Ministry of Candour with lots of teenage boys with their tops off and teenage girls with bright lipstick ?

Jupiter Ascending (2015)

Its good , just not great

[7/10 · 31 December 2015]

Let's start by saying it's a typical Wachowski Brothers cinematic eye fest. If like me you loved the Matrix , Dune and Fifth Elements you will love this film and it certain has a lot to love as it's well acted and looks great but it's missing a script that makes you think like the Matrix , that engrosses you like Dune and costumes like Fifth Element but unfortunately it has all this but doesn't quite do it as well. It's good but not as great as it could of been with a slightly easier to follow script that explained itself at the start so you didn't spend the entire film thinking " I wonder what's going on " or " So that's what's going on ". It's by no means a stinker and is certainly worth watching, even if its for Mila Kunis.