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rhodabike
Reviews
The Lazarus Project (2022)
Fast paced, kept me wanting more
Time travel shows are often disappointing and clumsily executed and seem to have been written for the juvenile viewer. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but this is the first one I've seen in a long while that's aimed at adults, rather than teenagers.
Looking forward to future episodes, got the DVR already set. Very minor quibble - they could clean up the language a little bit. But that's just my preference, it's not constant.
Other than that all the characters are believable, the pace is fast, and the actors very compelling.
As for the bad reviews, I detect a strong hint of something other than honest criticism in some of them.
Sallie Gardner at a Gallop (1878)
Give Sally an Oscar! (Were they a thing in 1878?)
Sally plays the part of the horse more convincingly than any horse I've seen in a movie, before or since. I'd like to say that she's kept her hooves firmly on the ground and fame hasn't spoiled her, but you can clearly see that only one hoof ever touches the earth at any given time.
Domm was a bit stiff in the supporting role, but he plays the part of the jockey quite adequately. At times he seems to rein in her enthusiasm.
Dead Still (2020)
Very enjoyable
The subject matter seems a bit morbid on first glance, but this well crafted historical mystery series contains the same dry tongue in cheek humour that has made many previous Shaftsbury productions a treat.
Emma Fielding Mysteries: Site Unseen (2017)
Not well thought out
I knew this was going to be a groaner in the very first scene, when some immaculate archaeology students who'd supposedly just been working a dig stood up with perfectly clean clothes and shoes, neat coiffed hair, and not a trace of dirt under their fingernails. It got worse from there. It's a bit of bubblegum, not even close to the level of even the worst British mysteries. Don't waste your time with this potboiler.
People of Earth (2016)
Deceptively simple and subtle
This is a highly original and subtle take on the alien abduction theme. The script writing strikes a fine balance between gently poking fun at the character's quirks and being very sympathetic to them. The aliens are surprisingly believable in that they're bumbling and flawed at times, rather than classic sci-fi villains. It's a multi-layered comedy with a lot of sympathy and heart, but doesn't take itself too seriously. I can hardly wait for the next season.
Limitless (2015)
Well written and entertaining
Never having seen the 2011 movie that this show was based on, I had no expectations when I watched the first episode. The concept seemed a bit gimmicky, but sounded interesting enough to watch at least once. I was pleasantly surprised and am now a fan. The characters are well rounded and the writing very good. If there's a flaw, it's that the problems the main character has to solve are almost too easily overcome, but I suppose it isn't really meant to be a mystery series. The main character, Brian Finch, is a likable young man, good hearted and with a strong moral core, but also a bit immature and sometimes thoughtless of the people around him. Part of the development of the show is his transformation into a more adult person, without losing his sense of fun. His basic personality comes through even when he's on NZT, as he uses wit and personal skills to deal with tricky situations. The other characters are also well rounded and three dimensional. I highly recommend this show and hope it continues.
Zoo (2015)
They really need to consult people who actually know animals
I can't explain why I stuck with this awful show as long as I did. Nothing about it made sense, I suppose I was wondering how absurd it could get. The "defiant pupil" was the most ridiculous concept. Seriously, if an animal's pupil is SO badly misshapen, it isn't going to see well enough to do anything! Pupils are openings in the iris, not solid blobs of black ink. The "mother cell" was another ridiculous concept. Why would a rogue cell only affect animals and not humans - we are just another form of primate, after all. Anything that affects mammals and birds over a wide range of continents would be bound to affect humans. Even if there was some super secret cell, would it be kept in just one place, stored in what looks like a Plexiglas cylinder, with no duplicates anywhere? Not likely! The final straw was a mention of migrating packs of bears. I'm pretty sure you don't have to be a wildlife biologist to know that A.} bears don't migrate, and B.} they certainly don't travel in packs. Anyone who seen a few wildlife documentaries growing up would know that. Or maybe the final straw was the rat infested hotel with a queen rat nursing vast litters of all male rat babies. Can't remember. Between the wooden acting, ludicrous ideas and cardboard characters, it was just too much after a while.
CSI: Cyber (2015)
Stiff and amateurish
I stuck with this show as long as I did (about three episodes) because I've liked Patricia Arquette in other things that I've seen her in. She's wasted in this show. The writing is terrible, the characters flat and clichéd. Let's see, they've got the cool Asian girl, the chubby nerd, the smart ghetto kid, the manly guy who doesn't shave every day... Most baffling irritant: they have to stand up to use their computers in the office segments. Can't they afford chairs? Okay, it makes it look more tense and "edgy" if people rush over to a computer and type stuff in while standing up. But all the time? For every single query? Get them some freaking chairs!