Category Archives: Netflix

Sweet Tooth S3 E3

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“The Pack”

I guess my idea that the father from last episode was going to be a problem for Gus and his group was dead wrong.

That character was finished off in the first five minutes of episode three by the hybrid wolf pack that is chasing after Gus. Turns out that Rosie is more of the threat than he ever was. And I have to say that Rosalind Chao’s Zhang is one cold-hearted monster. These are some serious antagonist for our heroes to avoid.

Looks like Gus, Jepp and Singh are making it to the boat, which had left before they all got to the coast. Poor Becky and Wendy get separated and have to deal with Rosie and her pups.

I’m not sure that they would have been able to fix that little boat the way they did, but I can suspend my disbelief for that. Gus continues to be the most heroic character on the show, showing his bravery and how excellent he is.

I am curious to see what happens now that their party has been split apart.

Sweet Tooth S3 E2

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“Thank God I’m a Country Boy”

The second episode of Sweet Tooth sees Gus and his crew, including Dr. Singh, who wanted to help Gus find the cave in Alaska, come across a family that was anything but friendly.

The couple were in the middle of labor and the father was anything but responsive to the hybrids among them. In fact, it took Dr. Singh offering to help with the birth in order to have him allowed inside.

As that is going on, Gus and Wendy meet a young girl about their age named Theo (Jonah Wren Phillips). Theo, dressed as a super hero, speaks to Gus and Wendy as if their being hybrids made them less than human. These were ideas from her father. Gus and Wendy are able to befriend her and she shows them that she too is a hybrid with, what looks to be bat wings.

The baby was a breech and Dr. Singh was able to save it, but it did turn out to be a hybrid. The father tried to cut off the baby’s ears because of it. This father is clearly demented and is going to cause trouble down the road. I thought Theo might wind up going with Gus, but she wanted to stay and help her new brother. He’s going to need it with the father here.

This was a side quest on the season and it was fine. It seems as if the father is going to be back at some point this season.

Sweet Tooth S3 E1

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“The Beginning is also the End”

The final season of Sweet Tooth dropped on Netflix this weekend. This is based on a comic book from one of my favorite writers, Jeff Lemire, and has been a great two season series. Now, Gus, Big Man, Bear and Wendy are on their way to Alaska to find Gus’s mom, who happens to be in bunch of trouble herself.

Christian Convery returned as the titular character and shows, once again, how perfectly he was cast as the deer hybrid, Gus. The young actor exudes charm and warmth, making this character the perfect protagonist for this world filled with sickness and cruelty.

Jeb, aka Big Man, has to face his own problems as he is trying to continue to protect Gus. Big Man is getting older and life’s conflicts just don’t bounce off him as they used to do.

The first episode provides some further insight into the relationship between the two hybrids, Gus and Wendy. They both seem to be the most good hearted characters you could hope to see, and I hope that does not lead to their eventual downfall.

With the first episode cliffhanger, the arrival of Dr. Singh wanting to talk about Alaska, the show kicked off with a bang. There was an avalanche in the Rocky Mountains that was awesome, placing another challenge before our foursome.

Jeff Lemire has written some of my favorite comic series from outside of Marvel, but I never read Sweet Tooth. It has that same feel that one might get when reading Fishflies. I do not know how much the series has stuck to the comics, but I can definitely feel the touch of Lemire in the story.

Sweet Tooth on Netflix has a total of 8 episodes in the final season.

Bodkin S1 E4, E5, E6, E7

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I chose to finish this series up this morning with the final four episodes on Netflix. I found Bodkin to be a fairly enjoyable romp that had moments of messiness. Still, I think the strength of the show was the characters and the shades of grey that they all displayed.

The mystery of what happened to the missing kids from 25 years prior is dealt with by the sixth episode, where we basically knew everything that we needed to know. It would lead into a climatic confrontation with all the forces in episode seven.

Honestly, episode seven was convoluted and, as I already mentioned, messy. Still, I think the show stuck to our characters, Dove, Gilbert and Emmy, and provided a satisfactory end to the series.

I did like how the mystery itself played out. When we discovered that one of the bodies in the trunk of the car that had been sunk in the bog was not Fiona, that took the tale in a different direction… back to the Yoga-using nuns.

The mystery aspect of the story did blend together very well, with all of the different tentacles of the story fitting together well.

Then there was the eels.

Apparently, eel smuggling is a major crime in Northern Europe and the producers, after discovering this, felt as if they had to include this bizarre fact in their series. It did work with Seamus, as he was known to be a major smuggler from his past.

And when Seamus discovered that he was the father to Sean, who was the son of Fiona, who died in childbirth and was buried by the nuns, things got really chaotic.

It all took place on the night of Samhain and the big celebration going on in Bodkin. And a bomb? Yes, a bomb. This is the part of the story that felt over-the-top and messy as everything is set up for a major showdown.

Overall, I enjoyed this series. It was passable entertainment, and it was carried by the three main characters. I especially liked how none of them were necessarily great people. Dove, in particular, would be clearly defined as an arse.

You can stream Bodkin on Netflix.

Bodkin S1 E3

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“Perfectly Innocent Life”

Bodkin episode three saw Dove, Gilbert and Emmy head to an Irish wake.

The wake of Darragh led to a lot of drinking, dancing and some intriguing clues to what happened on Samhain when the three strangers went missing.

They discovered more about the connections among Seamus and both Malachy and Fiona. Seamus was Malachy’s brother.

Dove and Emmy also found a suspicious image in a local bog. It looks like a car. Several comments about a car crash that night sent them to this bog to see what might be in it. Dove went into the water finding a car.

It was pulled out, but it was empty. At this point I was saying out loud to my screen for them to look in the trunk, but they seemed to not plan on doing that. Fortunately, Dove kicked the back end of the car in frustrations and the trunk popped open revealing two bodies that had been in the trunk, in that bog for 20 years.

With the bodies in the trunk, it supports the theory that these two were murdered.

The Netflix series has been a decent watch so far. I really do enjoy Will Forte in his role.

Bodkin S1 E2

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“Who We Are”

Episode two of Netflix’s Bodkin was pretty decent as the show seems to be starting to grab some footing in both the mystery aspect and the characterization of the group.

The trouble between the investigative Dove and the more relationship-building Gilbert is an intriguing conflict with them. Both seem to have success and failure in their methods of going about their jobs, even if their overall goals are different. Dove is after the story, the answers to the mystery of what happened to the three boys who disappeared, but Gilbert is more about the path that the story takes and presenting it in a manner in which people can relate.

It does feel like the journalist vs. podcaster theme is in full effect. Meanwhile, Emmy is caught between both worlds.

The mystery at the center of the story feels slight at this point. They seem to be trying very hard to make it feel more compelling and I hope that there is more coming from it, but this series right now is more about the conflict between Dove and Gilbert than it is about this mystery.

There are also a few background details finding their way into the story, but none of that feels like it will have the needed kick to elevate the characters into more than the simplistic characters that they have started out as.

Still, I liked the second episode and I think there is enough here with the talented cast to keep watching the remaining five episodes on Netflix.

Bodkin S1 E1

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“One True Mystery”

“People will listen to it?“

This was the question throughout the entire first episode of Bodkin, a series from Netflix featuring Will Forte as a podcaster and Siobhán Cullen as an investigative journalist whose editor insisted on her accompanying Forte on his podcast to get her out of the way.

IMDB says, “A group of podcasters set out to investigate the mysterious disappearance of three strangers in an idyllic Irish town. But when they start to pull the strings, they find a story much bigger and stranger than they could have imagined.”

Bodkin is a dark comedy/thriller dealing with the disappearance of some people in the small Irish town of Bodkin. By the end of the first episode, I was intrigued enough to continue with this.

I definitely liked the actors. Both Siobhán Cullen and Will Forte were great and Robyn Cara as Forte’s investigator on his podcast was good too. The Irish people of the town were very quirky and mysterious.

I did not find anything downright funny, but oddball worked as a descriptor. The curiosity of what exactly was going on when Cullen’s character Dove was struck by a car was definitely interesting.

With some open spots on the schedule for TV shows, I think the seven-episode series on Netflix will work nicely.

Baby Reindeer limited series E4-7

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I had not intended on binging this whole series in one day. I had thought that this could be another several week watch. However, with the sick day, I had time available and this was just so amazing of a show that I couldn’t help myself.

Baby Reindeer is a seven-episode limited series on Netflix that has been creating quite a buzz lately, for good reason. It is based on a true story, written and starring Richard Gadd, who based this on a time in his own life.

Episode four bought the answers as to why Donny was such a victim for Martha. He had been abused by a writer, a writer whom Donny had idolized and who was sexually pervasive with him after getting him high on a variety of drugs. This vital piece of information, which was hinted at in the first three episodes, gives us the theme of the show, seeing how abuse can affect an individual and how trauma from the past can really derail a person’s life.

Martha was not shown as a villain. She was absolutely mentally ill, suffering from her own challenges, but to call her evil is not an accurate portrayal. Even at her worst, Martha was retaliating or responding to situations in her life that she was unable to deal with in any other manner. In her mind, she was in love with Donny and this was the way for her to express it.

Donny’s own self-hate caused everything around him to falter, including the potentially positive relationship with Teri. There really is an amazing amount of depth to these characters who go far beyond good vs. evil.

While the first three episodes of the series were highlighted by Jessica Gunning’s performance as Martha, these last four, in particular episode six, showed a remarkable performance from Richard Gadd. His monologue on stage at the comedy finale was just unbelievable and as raw as an open wound. I was completely captivated by the acting on display. This felt like a man breaking down in front of everyone.

I also was touched by the scene where Donny went back to his parents to tell them about the video of that monologue that had gone viral on social media, mainly because Martha had threatened to tell them about it. The reveal that his father had also been sexually abused as a child was one of the most powerful moments of the show. The hug between father and son was life-affirming.

The end was very poetic too as Donny wound up at a bar and, almost, in the same situation that Martha was in at the beginning of the show. One wonders if this characters of Donny would ever truly get past the obsession that he seemed to have for Martha. While this is based on a true story, there is enough fictional aspects to make one wonder.

This was a difficult and uncomfortable show to watch at many times, and yet it was worth every second. It is one of the best shows of 2024 so far.

Baby Reindeer limited series E1-3

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I heard some discussion about this limited series on Netflix. Several of the online critics that I respect and like had positive things to say about this, so I decided since I have a sick day today from school, I may as well give it a try.

The first three episodes were just tremendous.

According to IMDB, “Based on a compelling true story, the hit 2019 Edinburgh Fringe one-man stage-play Baby Reindeer follows the writer and performer Richard Gadd’s warped relationship with his female stalker and the impact it has on him as he is ultimately forced to face a deep, dark buried trauma.”

Richard Gadd played Donny, a bartender who wants to become a stand up comedian. One night, a sad figure of a woman came into the pub and sat down on the stool. Donny took pity on the woman and offered her a drink. Little did he know where this would take him.

Jessica Gunning is astounding as the woman, Martha Scott, who begins to stalk Donny, ingratiating herself into his life in an obsessive manner. The brilliance of the performance is the fact that you can see the reason why Donny felt the empathy for her. There are flashes with Martha that is not just her mental illness, but her desperation to be something more to someone. Jessica Gunning truly gives a layered performance through the first three episodes.

The first three episodes spend some time hinting that there is more behind Donny than what we see and perhaps some of his choices and behaviors will make sense after we find out what that is.

The feral response Martha had when she found Donny with Teri (Nava Mau) was brutal. Donny’s angry response chased her away, but I am not sure what the show will do next, and i love that.

Powerful limited series so far, based on a true story of Richard Gadd’s actual stalker.

American Nightmare

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Unbelievable.

I have had this three episode true crime documentary on my list at Netflix for a few weeks now and I found a time to binge it tonight. What an unbelievable story. Shocking and outrageous in many ways.

Honestly, even the manner the show presented the story messed with the emotions and the comprehension of the audience. What actually happened? It laid out the story in a definite manner that was meant to have audience members draw their own conclusions… and then they flipped the script.

In 2015, Denise Huskins was the victim of a home invasion that led to her kidnapping. Her boyfriend Aaron Quinn reported the abduction the next day, claiming that he had been instructed that the kidnappers were watching him on a camera and that they would hurt Denise if he called the police.

The Vallejo Police investigated but the story of the kidnapping was so out there that they switched gears and began to believe that Aaron was responsible for Denise’s disappearance.

Then, she returned.

At this point, the police began thinking that this is a real-life case based on the Ben Affleck movie Gone Girl, and that this kidnapping was a hoax.

Except, it wasn’t.

This was amazingly compelling. The first episode focused on Aaron’s story and how the police were looking at the case. the POV of law enforcement was a major theme throughout all three episodes. I was shocked when Denise came strolling to her father’s house at the end of the first episode.

Episode two dealt with her story and the horrors that she went through. Again, her story was so wild that it was difficult to believe and it was much easier for the police to believe that a hoax was a much more likely scenario.

I really liked this doc because it had quite a bit of finality to it. A lot of these true crime docs that I have seen have an air of uncertainty to them, perhaps a mystery that is still unsolved. This may have had some unanswered questions (in particular, the kidnapper had told Denise that he had intended to kidnap Aaron’s ex instead of her), but there was a very definitive result which I truly appreciated.

It is a resounding accusation against police forces in the area that did not believe the stories of the women victims and instead, chose to relate it to a fictionalized movie. It also showed that there were police officers who took their jobs seriously and were dedicated to finding the truth, in particular Misty Carausu, a police officer with the Dublin Police Department in Dublin, California, who found the kidnapper, found goggles and a strand of long blonde hair that she eventually tied to Denise. It was the efforts of Misty Carausu that led to the arrest and conviction of the kidnapper/rapist, Matthew Muller.

This was an amazing documentary series, shocking and a powerful watch. I am very pleased that I decided to watch this compelling story.

Masters of the Universe: Revolution

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The sequel to the Masters of the Universe: Revelations from filmmaker Kevin Smith dropped on Netflix this weekend with five-episodes that ran around a half hour each. This made the series a simple binge and satisfying story with some classic characters if the 1980s.

Another fun tidbit for the series was hearing the voice talents of Mark Hamill and William Shatner working together. Having Luke and Kirk together in any manner is a Geek dream.

The story basically continues from the Revelations series as the characters were dealing with fall-out of everything that happened there when Prince Adam’s father fell ill, so badly sick that he was not long for the world.

There were some solid emotional bits in the story and some good character arcs, especially for Evil-Lynn. Her eventual redemption was one of the most satisfying of the entire series. The show also went into the origin of Skeletor, tying him to Adam in an unexpected way.

There were a lot of voices on the internet that spewed out venom and hatred over the Revelations series when it first came out on Netflix. It got so bad that it was pretty clear that Kevin Smith had been discouraged over it. You could hear the change come over him during his podcast Fatman Beyond. 

However, it seemed as if this time there are many more voices of positivity with this series. I hope Kevin takes in the well-deserved love and it makes him feel better. I really enjoyed Revelations, perhaps more so than Revolution. 

This series feels much more like a love letter to the original series than the previous one had. Revelations felt like he took the characters from the series and made them into deeper characters and put them on some arcs that may not have been popular, but were very interesting and thrilling. Here, it felt as if it were more about the story with the characters taking a bit of a back seat. With the fewer number of episodes, I think that was a wise choice.

The music/score of the animated show was sensational. Some of the music swelled with energy and passion, creating the perfect tone for most of the scenes. 

The animation was very good too. There are some truly beautiful shots of the action and the imagery of the surroundings.

The biggest drawback for me is another thing that connects it to the original series. I did not watch the He-Man show back in the 80’s and the weird, quippy dialogue/patter was cringey at times. When Lynn started to sing the K-I-S-S-I-N-G song, I could almost hear my eyes rolling into the back of my head. I understand that is the tone of the series and that it did have a place, but it was fairly annoying at times.

Otherwise, I think this was a satisfactory entry into the Master of the Universe mythos and longtime fans should find a lot here to praise instead of taking to the internet to rip down. 

Blue Eye Samurai S1 E5, E6, E7, E8

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“The Tale of the Ronin and the Bride”

“All Evil Dreams and Angry Words”

“Nothing Broken”

“The Great Fire of 1657”

I finished season one of Blue Eye Samurai today with the final four episodes. This is such a great show, with amazing animation, perfectly executed fight choreography, and some of the best character work around. It is absolutely a high bar for the next season to reach.

Specifically, episode five was an amazing format, with the story being told with a narrated puppet theater. It was one of the most imaginative style choices that seemed to fit perfectly with the tone and style of the show.

Everything led to a huge confrontation between Mizu and Fowler as the city burnt down around them. I am not sure if I loved the way the cliffhanger unfurled, but I am willing to let season two play out to see what happens. I think I would have preferred for Mizu to have killed Fowler instead of trying to use him.

Plus, with Mizu and Fowler on a boat to London, does that mean that our cast of supporting characters Ringo, Taigen, and Akemi are going to be sidelined in season two?

It was a sad end for George Takei’s character Seki, shot to death retreating from the fire. His was a character that showed his true allegiances through the year… and it was to Akemi.

This was such a joy to watch and I am very glad that I took the suggestion from a couple of the YouTube content makers, saying that this was one of the best shows of 2023. It certainly was epic.

Blue Eye Samurai S1 E4

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“Peculiarities”

More excellent work in episode four.

Mizu comes face to face with Akemi in the brothel. She tried to poison her, but Mizu recognized her and captured her.

Mizu made a deal with the brothel head Madame Kaji for the information of Fowler. It led to a terrible scene with Kaji’s her protégé, Kinuyo.

The episode ended with Boss Hamata showing up with a massive army, ready to tear down Kaji’s brothel.

The show continues to be awesome. It is beautifully designed and animated. Mizu is a kick ass character that becomes deeper each show.

Blue Eye Samurai S1 E3

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“A Fixed Number of Paths”

Boy, when Ringo said he was useful, he was damn sure not lying.

Ringo was the MVP of this episode for sure. He not only protected Mizu, treated her wounds, but also saved both Mizu and Taigen from an arrow attack from Heiji’s men.

This was a great episode. As Mizu and Taigen (sorta) working together, Mizu accepted an invitation for tea with Heiji Shindo. Taigen was sure it was a trap, and he wasn’t completely wrong.

The voice cast of this series is sensational. Maya Erskine does the voice of Mizu, but we also have Randall Park, George Takei, Kenneth Branagh, Brenda Song, Masi Oka, Darren Barnet, and Eric Bauza.

Akemi is also out and doing what she can to find Taigen. Seki has some ideas about what she should be doing, but she does not necessarily like the plan he has set up. She takes things into her own hands.

This has been amazing so far. The choreography of the animation in the fight sequences are excellent. I love the animation. And the characterization of these characters are wonderful. I am enjoying this series so much.

Blue Eye Samurai S1 E2

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“A Unexpected Element”

Second episode was another banger. There is so much action and excitement in each of these first two episodes that I can believe how great this show has been perceived by the public.

Mizu was heading to a town to find a boat so she could pursue Shindo to his island fortress. Ringo had followed her there and, despite her attempts to shoo him away, he continued to follow her, making himself useful.

Taigen heads after Mizu in an attempt to reclaim his honor. He would find her at the end of the episode.

Prior to that, Mizu was confronted by The Four Fangs. She killed three of them, with the one survivor being a man named Chiaki who had come for a sword from Master Eiji. He was an assassin and Mizu had made a sword for him that was broken.

Back in the present, Mizu is able to kill Chiaki, but it nearly ended her. When Taigen approached Mizu, she told him to come on, but passed out. He moved forward, the show implying that he was going deal a killing blow.

Again, animation is gorgeous and the fight choreography is laid out wonderfully, especially with the fight on the cliff with the Four Fangs. That fight was remarkably clever and designed well.

This has been a great start to this season .