Tag: Netflix

Winter TV 2023 includes a lot of procedurals

I know crime shows are popular on broadcast TV, but this winter includes more procedurals than usual, and it’s a bit boring.

Here are my thoughts on new scripted TV shows:

That 90s show

All episodes streaming on Netflix

This reboot is one of the better ones, but it still has flaws.

The references to the old show and the 1990s are spot-on, along with the casting of Kelso’s kid.

But the kids’ ages are off in more ways than one, and frankly, they are not the best part of the show. Debra Jo Rupp and Kurtwood Smith own it.

Try it

Will Trent

10 p.m. Tuesdays on ABC

This show really needed a better name. The police procedural features a lot of actors returning to TV.

You’re dropped right into the action in the pilot, but you’ll quickly find out there’s a lot of emotional baggage. It was a bit complicated to follow, and the pilot focuses on the wrong plot points (for example, the dog plot is useless).

I’d rather watch Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc, the better version of this character.

Skip it

Alert Missing Persons Unit

9 p.m. Mondays on Fox

On the flip side, this show had a lot of setup, which feels necessary for this crime procedural.

You’ve probably seen the actors before, too, so it makes sense they’re on network TV.

But the pilot’s end twist was so predictable; I’m pretty sure I’ve seen it on TV before.

Skip it

Night Court

8 p.m. Tuesdays on NBC

This is another reboot (verified via the opening credits sequence) starring Melissa Rauch and John Larouquette, who reprises his role from the original sitcom.

Rauch plays the new night court judge, stepping in her dad’s shoes. In real life, the original actor died, so this is a nice tribute.

There are other callbacks to the original without being confusing to new viewers.

It’s going for the emotional heart, but it’s still fairly predictable and not overly funny.

Try it (with caution)

Accused

9 p.m. Sundays on Fox

This anthology show started with an episode that seriously creeped me out.

This drama is based on an award-winning British show. Each episode focuses on a different story in a courtroom.

It’s a great way to get bigger-name actors into your show for one episode.

I found the first episode, focusing on a father and son, the latter of whom seems to have psychiatric issues, really freaked me out. It was terrifying to watch to unfold between the events leading up and the courtroom.

Try it (with caution)

2020 award nominations prove broadcast TV is dead. Here’s why.

One. That’s it.

Between the Golden Globes and SAG Awards, only one broadcast show, “This Is Us,” received a nomination.

Giving the streaming platform growth, this isn’t surprising. Broadcast nominations have been waning for years, but 2020 is proving to be a new low.

Is it worth broadcast shows even trying anymore? They’re fighting an uphill battle against cable and streaming.

Here are issues broadcast networks deal with:

Limits

Comedies have to be 22 min. Dramas are 44 min. Two-hour reality shows have 30 minutes of ads. And there’s no wiggle room. Remember when “Friends” had extended episodes? Not a thing anymore.

Watch any Netflix half-hour series and the times, and you’ll notice all sorts of fluctuation. One episode will run for 34 minutes, 23 minutes, 38 minutes, 26 minutes. The time is based on the story, not the ads.

There’s also the language limit. You can’t swear (unless you work with “The Good Place” forking model). Broadcast networks have to work with certain standards (thanks, FCC), when cable and streaming do not.

Revenue

Ads still run king in media, but subscriptions are providing more and more revenue.

Netflix has hiked its prices steadily over the last few years, and it doesn’t even have ads. Hulu has an ad-free service. I’m waiting for Disney+ to add more/any ads. Apple TV+ doesn’t have ads, but it also doesn’t have that much content yet.

Advertisers follow the money. One screw up and you’re done. In an age when one Tweet can cause an upheaval, for better or worse, it can be a domino effect.

Networks have to rely on ad dollars, which is why when the Roseanne debacle happened it was handled within hours, before more reputation damage could be done.

Creativity

Ryan Murphy and Shonda Rhimes, two network juggernauts, signed Netflix deals in the last year.

Why? Creativity. They can expand their work without any constraints. It’s no-holds-bar in the best kind of way.

Now, do I think Murphy’s “The Politician” is a great piece of TV? No. (In fact, I found all the characters irritating and plot way too overdone.) But, it’s different, and no one can deny that.

After 10+ years of dominating ABC and being the center of TGIT, Rhimes can leave the set plots behind and explore, even past the confines of “Scandal.”

Can you blame them?

Emmy Awards 2019: How ending shows fared during the boring telecast

Let’s be real, here, last night’s Emmys weren’t good.

The show took a risk with no host a la the 2019 Oscars. And while that worked at the Oscars, it bombed here.

I was so bored during the broadcast that I looked up the venue that my friend’s cover band is performing at this weekend, not that it really mattered, and bridesmaid dresses for my friend while texting her about the show’s lack of excitement.

Yes, there were upsets (hello, hi and hey to Phoebe Waller-Bridge). Yes, there were some funny moments (Bill Hader calling limited series canceled TV shows comes to mind). But overall, the cadence lagged and it wasn’t entertaining.

And seriously, who thought it was OK to make jokes about Roseanne and Bill Cosby? Yes, it was done in the vein of “Family Guy,” which isn’t PC per se, but still, too soon.

But since we said goodbye (assuming no reboots, which, let be real, is totally possible given our TV culture these days) to a few shows, let’s see how they fared.

GAMES OF THRONES

Number of nominations: 32

Number of wins: 12

As I predicted, the HBO drama won many creative Emmys, with only two during the telecast.

But it did win Best Drama, which I, again, stand by the idea that it’s more about the show as a whole, not the last season.

FLEABAG

Number of nominations: 11

Number of wins: 6

More than 50 percent of this Amazon show’s nominations pulled through for a win, which no one saw coming but many seemed happy for.

Waller-Bridge is still saying there will not be another season, but we’ll see with all the buzz since last night’s upsets.

VEEP

Number of nominations: 9

Number of wins: 0

This was the upset of the night. Everyone expected Julia Louis-Dreyfus to win since she has comedy prowess and personal triumph.

But “Fleabag” took the two seemingly guaranteed awards for “Veep.” It’s a bit sad for Louis-Dreyfus, but she has won other times (this is the first time she’s lost in this role).

SCHITT’S CREEK

Number of nominations: 4

Number of wins: 0

For this show, it was simply an honor to be nominated.

HOUSE OF CARDS

Number of nominations: 3

Number of wins: 0

As I mentioned before, most people forgot about this show.

And with all the scandal, it’s no surprise voters stayed away from the Netflix drama.

What did you think of the 2019 Emmys?

Summer TV 2019: Watch, Try or Skip

Summer season is for being outside, not inside.

But that doesn’t mean I can’t try or catch up on some TV shows.

Here are my quick takes:

Holey Moley

I tried this clearly made for summer TV show, but it was about as dumb as I thought it would be.

It’s “Wipeout” meets putt-putt with appearances by Kenny G and Stephen Curry in the pilot.

It’s mind-numbing entertainment that at least kind of pokes fun at itself, but that’s about it.

Skip it

Younger

I’ve heard good things about this TV Land show, and it lived up to the hype.

Hilary Duff gracefully stepped into a more adult role, and Sutton Foster rocks as a 40-year-old moonlighting as a 26-year-old. I wish they’d sing more, but it would be pushing the realism, which it’s already doing.

Is it a far-fetched concept? Yes, but at least it’s funny and the characters are charismatic. I watched the first five seasons within two weeks and I’m already ready for season six to come out on Hulu.

Watch it

Dead to Me

Why the Emmys are calling this a comedy is beyond me, though from what I’ve heard it’s solely because it’s a half-hour show. What a rule.

I figured out the maybe not-so-obvious twist by episode 2, so it wasn’t quite the nailbiter I wanted it to be. It was hard to root for most of the characters, but I did root for the friendship between Christina Applegate’s Jen and Linda Cardellini’s Judy.

Try it

Nailed It

I started watching this last summer, but recently fully caught up.

This Netflix show can’t survive much longer, because it’s so obvious the contestants are set up to fail. The times are too short, the designs are too intricate and the directions are vague at best.

But watching three people epically crash and burn in 25 minutes is pretty laugh-out-funny.

Watch it (with friends and alcohol if you can)

UnREAL

I hope this parody of “The Bachelor” is more parody than real, because if it’s more real than parody, yikes!

Without spoilers, the drama, created by an ex-Bachelor producer, contains so many crazy twists and turns that every character is terrible in one way or another.

Season 4 was a Hulu exclusive, and it was so incongrous with the rest of the show I wouldn’t recommend watching it. But if you’re a Bachelor fan, I’d recommend it since it is similar to hate-watching the reality show.

Try it

What shows are you watching this summer?

It’s the last hurrah for some at the 2019 Emmys

The Emmy nominations are here, and it’s time to say goodbye (officially) to so many shows.

Now the question is: Will the awards love continue with wins?

In a word: doubtful.

Let’s look at some of these shows and see what their chances could be.

Games of Thrones

Number of nominations: 32

The fantasy saga has concluded, while the books’ future is TBD.

But this final season was uneven at best, with critics and fans less than happy with the outcome. If it wins for Best Drama, it will be based on the series as a whole, not these last 6 episodes.

For its more technical award nominations, it’s more likely the show will win, especially considering how tough it was to shoot the long episodes.

The Emmys were nice and nominated many of the cast members. Unfortunately, the cast is too big for the number of acting categories.

With the supporting categories half-filled with GoT actors, it’ll split the vote and leave them all empty-handed. Congrats on the pity nominations.

Fleabag

Number of nominations: 11

This little hit snuck its way in, much to critics’ happiness.

With only two short seasons, it’s a quick watch, but the characters reel you in. (There are currently no plans for a third season.).

I don’t know if it has enough traction or presence to win best comedy, but an actress win for Phoebe Waller-Bridge would be the Emmys version of Olivia Coleman winning at the Oscars.

Veep

Number of nominations: 9

This is the rally cry comedy needs.

Veep wasn’t in Emmy contention last year since it was off the air while Julie Louis-Dreyfus took care of her health after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

But it came back strong for its final episodes, even if it didn’t get the buzz GoT did. (It also didn’t get the criticism GoT did, so there’s that.)

The lead actress category is a tough one, but with this well-recieved, multiple-Emmy-winning comedy ending, voters could be inclined to reward it one last time, especially for the beloved actress who conquered cancer.

Schitt’s Creek

Number of nominations: 4

It’s the little engine that could. Or this show is finally paddling with the creek’s current and with a paddle.

While this isn’t a Netflix show, Netflix certainly helped this Canadian comedy get some traction.

And now that the creator Dan Levy has announced the show will end with season six, it seemed to time to finally honor the quirky cult show.

Will it win? Probably not, but like they say, it’s an honor to be nominated.

House of Cards

Number of nominations: 3

Did anyone remember this show aired?

Crowded in controversy after Kevin Spacey’s dismissal, the show’s final season quietly premiered on Netflix.

And then no one cared.

Robin Wright could sneek in a win just for making it through the last season with grace, but that seems unlikely.

The 71st Primetime Emmy Awards will air Sept. 22 on Fox.

My summer of binge-watching and catching up

Summer is the slow season for TV.

So what’s a TV blogger to do? Catch up and binge-watch. #ThanksNetflix

Here are some of the shows I’ve binged this summer, along with my binge, savor or skip verdict:

Parenthood

I’ve always heard people talk about this show — how sad it was, how poignant it was, how underrated it was.

So when I was in the mood for some sad TV to get some tears out, I started watching.

But I barely cried. I didn’t think it was that sad. But season 4, when Kristina (Monica Potter) goes through breast cancer treatment, got me. I was tearing up almost every episode.

Overall though, it seemed pretty average. I found some of the characters extremely annoying and unbearable to watch, but I still rooted for the Braverman family to stick together.

Verdict: Skip it

Episodes

While this Showtime show ran for 5 seasons, it’s only 41 episodes, so I watched the whole series in 2 days.

While I enjoyed watching Matt LeBlanc play a bit of a douchebag, a mix of real-life debauchery and Joey’s womanizing ways, it seemed like some plots were irrelevant.

Seasons 3 and 4 just plotted along without much punch; I couldn’t tell you most of the main plot points. Season 5 wraps up everything nicely, but almost too nicely.

Verdict: Binge it

Grace & Frankie

This is one of those shows that I missed when it came out, and then felt like I couldn’t catch up. Summer was the perfect time to catch up.

Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin really work as two women struggling to pick up the pieces after their marriages end, and then thrive in their 70s.

It’s pretty inspiring to watch these two thrive, even when they’re bickering with each other. And I find myself laughing almost every episode.

I don’t really need some of the secondary stories, such as Grace’s daughter’s divorce and Lisa Kudrow‘s appearance as a widow looking to get her house back from her stepkids (that 3-episode arc was just a major “Friends” fan service if you ask me).

At 13 30-minute episodes each season, they are easy to speed through, but now I’m bummed I don’t have new episodes to watch.

Verdict: Savor it

GLOW

Season 2 of this Netflix show holds up. I may say it’s better than season 1 because it has a more ensemble focus.

Yes, it’s a bit campy; it is a show about female wrestling in the 80s. But it also touches on women’s rights and sexual harassment in a subtle way.

Ruth’s (Allison Brie) meeting with a studio head and Debbie’s (Betty Gilpin) reaction to Ruth not sleeping with the exec resonates in the #MeToo era. It broke my heart to see a character act so nonchalant about a heinous act of power.

Verdict: Savor or binge it

Queer Eye

I saved the best for last. I’m obsessed along with numerous others.

I’ve fallen in love with the Fab Five. They seem like a fun, honest bunch of guys, and they seem to have a genuine interest in helping the heroes, the name they give the real people they help each episode.

I watched season 1 in May and season 2 the day it came out. I’ve already seen both seasons twice, and don’t be surprised if I start re-watching it once I finish this blog.

Verdict: Binge it (over and over)

Bonus

Because I’ve already seen “Queer Eye,” I may do a workout during my next watch through, following these guidelines:

Intro music: 30-second wallsit
Transition slide (day 1, etc.): 5 burpees
Fab Five on-camera interview: 10 situps
Antoni is delighted/disgusted by food: 10 lunges (per side)
Jonathan says YAS/queen/girl/honey: 5 pushups
Tan gives fashion advice: 20 jumping jacks
Karamo has a heart-to-heart with a hero: 10 tricep dips
Bobby says “this space”: 10 bicycles (per side)
Crying: 10 bridges
Swearing: 10 squats
Hugs/Kisses: 10 mountain climbers
The Reveal: 30-second football run
“They’ll feel better about themselves”: 10 Russian twists
Something gets thrown out: 30-second plank

Now that’s some quality TV watching.

Award shows 2018: Do network shows have a place anymore?

At the Golden Globes this year, only one out of 11 TV award winners was a network TV show representative (Sterling K. Brown won best actor in a drama series for NBC’s “This is Us.”)

Tomorrow’s SAG Awards only have five network TV show nominations among all the categories.

Do network shows even stand a chance anymore?

Now that Netflix consistently pulls out award-winning shows, with Amazon and Hulu reaching their stride in quality shows, is it time to separate out network shows from paid services shows?

The way people watch Netflix shows vs. a show on ABC, Fox, etc. is so different. You can binge a Netflix series in a weekend, while NBC draws out one season of “This is Us” from September to April or so (but maybe that’s so we can all take a sobbing break).

Plus, Hulu and those networks have advantages network shows don’t. On a network like CBS, you can’t swear, show nudity, depict graphic violence and other things. Rules must be followed. On online networks, the rules don’t apply. Anything can happen. And it usually does.

Another big difference is network shows play to commercial breaks. They place cliffhangers and plot points in just the right spot to keep you watching. On Netflix, it seems like most original drama episodes end on cliffhangers so you’ll continue watching. And Netflix doesn’t even ask the pesky question “Are you still watching?” when it’s an original show. It can play out like one long, continuous story, and viewers soak it right up.

Network shows just can’t play the same game online networks can. So is it fair to pit them against each other in award categories?

Plenty of quality shows still exist on ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox and the CW. Should they be recognized in a different way? Or does that just further depict the difference in the TV formats?

It may be time to revisit how award shows handle TV shows.

Winter/Spring TV 2017: Time, law common themes this season

The new shows keep rolling in.

It seems that more and more networks are constantly airing new shows.

Here’s the latest crop of show reviews, based on the pilot. I also watched “FEUD” thanks to a preview pass on FX’s website, and as much as I’d like to continue watching it, I don’t want to pay another site. So I’m eagerly waiting for it to come to Netflix. The acting is superb, and its take on aging women in the industry is so relevant.

“TIME AFTER TIME“

9 p.m. Sundays on ABC

The 2016-2017 TV season is the year for shows about time travel. In this drama, Freddie Stroma (“UnREAL“) plays H.G. Wells, and Josh Bowman (“Revenge“) plays Jack the Ripper.

The two travel from 1893 to present day, and they both navigate the (disappointingly to Wells) distopia that is today’s world (which included references to ISIS and Trump).

A bit of romance with a museum curator and Wells blossomed, and the end was a cliffhanger twist related to time travel.

It’s all a bit cliche, and there’s not really any concern for how traveling in time could affect the past and future (like “The Flash“).

If you want a show about history and time travel, I think “Timeless” is the better option.

Grade: B

“MAKING HISTORY“

8:30 p.m. Sundays on Fox

For real, these time-travel shows may have seemed ingenious, but they all somehow premiered at same time, which makes them seem less inventive and a lot more repetitive. It’s unfortunate.

This version of the time-travel concept is a comedy that’s infused with pop culture references such as Celine Dion, Starbucks and more.

Starring Adam Pally and Leighton Meester, Pally’s character Dan messes up the Revolutionary War during one of his weekend-1700-travel trips.

Minus all the pop culture references, it’s a pretty predictable show. It probably would’ve been better had it been a new concept like it probably planned to be.

Grade: B-

‘CHICAGO JUSTICE’

9 p.m. Sundays on NBC

Out of so many reboots and spinoffs, this one hit pretty middle of the road.

It felt like I was dropped into this Chicago world without any prior knowledge, so I felt a bit lost. Characters from its other shows came into play, but it faded away to its own show fairly quickly.

Unfortunately, its own show is standard to other courtroom shows. But a few characters popped in briefly, and it may be interesting to see them appear again on the drama.

Grade: B

‘TRIAL & ERROR’

9 p.m. Tuesdays on NBC

It wouldn’t be unwelcome to have a show poking fun and making light of lawyers and courtrooms…unless most of it is in poor taste.

This documentary-style show is the bad courtroom version of shows like “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation.”

Breaking the fourth wall isn’t new. Plotting “gotcha” twists isn’t either. This comedy isn’t worth your time.

Grade: D+

What shows are you enjoying?

Golden Globes 2016: How will ‘Empire,’ ‘Transparent,’ Jon Hamm, Viola Davis and others fare?

This blog was originally published on elkharttruth.com on Jan. 8, 2016. The 2017 Golden Globes air Sunday, Jan. 8, on NBC.

Just because Tina Fey and Amy Poehler aren’t hosting the 2016 Golden Globes doesn’t mean the show won’t be unpredictable.

With older heavyweights such as “Modern Family” and “Breaking Bad” out of the picture, many new entries have hit the awards stage.

So who will win? We’ll find out Sunday. But for now, here are my picks for frontrunners and underdogs in the TV categories this year.

DRAMA

Frontrunner: “Empire”

The Fox drama was snubbed by the Emmys, but it’s one of most-watched shows of last winter.

It’s different because of the music, so it has a good shot of taking the win.

Underdog: “Narcos”

Have you heard of this Netflix show? I hadn’t until I saw the nominations. The other dramas are more known, so I doubt “Narcos” can pull an upset.

BEST ACTRESS, DRAMA

Frontrunner: Viola Davis, “How to Get Away with Murder”

She won the Emmy and had a magnificent speech about equality to follow.

Her character isn’t a class act, but Davis is on stage. Her star power is key to this ABC drama.

Underdog: Caitriona Balfe, “Outlander”

Balfe is a first-time nominee, but this Starz show has only a niche audience.

While some love this drama, it won’t have enough votes to win any big categories.

BEST ACTOR, DRAMA

Frontrunner: Jon Hamm, “Mad Men”

I’m sure many people will root for Rami Malek from USA’s “Mr. Robot,” but since AMC’s “Mad Men” finished its run this year and Hamm already won the Emmy, I predict another win during his swan song for this role.

Underdog: Liev Schreiber, “Ray Donovan”

Schreiber has been nominated before for this role, but he seems like a perennial nominee, not a winner.

BEST ACTRESS, COMEDY

Frontrunner: Jamie Lee Curtis, “Scream Queens”

I have to admit, this category is tough to decide. But Curtis is the big star on this list, and “Scream Queens” is her return to the horror genre.

Sometimes Emmys go to bigger celebrity names, so Curtis could pull out the win.

Underdog: Rachel Bloom, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”

Like I said, this category is tough to choose, but Bloom doesn’t have enough meat to her name yet.

Her CW show is hit or miss with critics, even though it spent some time in development.

Her nomination brings attention to the show, but don’t expect her to get a chance to sing a speech on stage.

BEST ACTOR, COMEDY

Frontrunner: Jeffrey Tambor, “Transparent”

Tambor won last year for bringing a transitioning character to life on the small screen. The second season recently premiered, and critics still like the show.

Because the Amazon comedy brings to light a current topic, expect it, and Tambor, to get attention.

Underdog: Rob Lowe, “The Grinder”

I’m not a fan. But others love the silliness of this Fox show about family, law and finding your way.

But out of all the nominees, Lowe’s work isn’t strong enough to carry a win.

BEST COMEDY

Frontrunner: “Transparent”

Again, it brings to light a current topic. It won last year. Expect a repeat.

Underdog: “Casual”

Hulu is making a showing for its original programming this year. But being a newcomer in a category that includes “Transparent” and “Veep” makes it an unlikely contender.

Ricky Gervais hosts the Golden Globes at 8 p.m. Jan. 10 on NBC.

New Year’s 2017: 3 wishes for the new year

New Year’s resolutions may not happen, but I can hope these wishes come true, right?

As we usher in 2017, here are my wishes for TV.

No more crossovers

This might be an unpopular opinion, but these two-, three-, and now four-part crossover episodes are too much.

With the success of The CW‘s superhero shows, I get the marketing behind combining all the shows over a week, with each individual show airing a new episode. But when they started these with “The Flash” and “Arrow,” it wasn’t entirely necessary to watch both shows to keep up.

But the recent 4-part crossover between “The Flash,” “Arrow,” “Supergirl” and “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow” ended that. I didn’t watch the “Supergirl” part. But “The Flash’s” part ended on a cliffhanger, so then I had to watch “Arrow.” And then “Legends of Tomorrow” finished the saga.

That’s a lot of time to spend on one “event.” And I watch only “The Flash” regularly.

Even though they show what’s happened, it’s still confusing. I felt lost keeping up with some of the story lines because I didn’t know the characters. But I’d be confused not watching the episode of “The Flash” because I might miss stuff.

It shouldn’t be a requirement to watch four shows to fully understand one week of programming. It’s like being an outsider on a show you don’t watch…except you do.

Keep shows available online for at least a month

I made a similar plea for this last year, but I still wish for it.

With Hulu for only subscribers now, it’s more difficult to keep up with weekly TV. It’s doable since networks post content on the websites, but some networks still make you wait eight days unless you verify a cable provider.

But most networks give you only two weeks to watch a show. During midseason breaks, you might get the chance to catch up, but it’s not a guarantee.

We all need time to catch up, even with our favorite shows. So give us a break. Especially in a binge-watching culture, some people would rather watch a few episodes at a time instead of week-to-week.

CBS All Access is the next up and coming thing, especially with “The Good Wife” spinoff “The Good Fight” coming exclusively to it in 2017 (though the first episode will air Feb. 19 on CBS), I’m guessing it won’t be long before TV show won’t ever be free online, but I don’t want to subscribe to multiple TV streaming services.

end the revival trend

“Fuller House.” “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.” “The Exorcist.”

So many shows and movies are rebooted, revived, etc. And yes, it’s great nostalgia. But I’m done.

“The Exorcist” was creepy but predictable. “Fuller House” isn’t that good of a show. “Gilmore Girls” filled a need to hear the final four words…and then sent fans into a tizzy over what’s next.

Sometimes it’s better to just let a show end in its time and be good, instead of filling an empty void in our hearts.

What do you want for TV in 2017?