Reviews
There is more fight and light in this series than I expected, but don't get it twisted: this is some rough stuff. From the start, you're immersed in a world of fear, struggle, and heartbreak. In the new theocratic republic of Gilead, Offred must suppress her inner rebel to survive as a handmaid ("two-legged womb") to a powerful commander. We also see her life "before," when she was a carefree student, then a new mom. And we see glimpses of the country's transition. It's terrifyingly realistic. It's extraordinarily compelling TV.
The show follows an ensemble whose lives connect in a surprising way. That's right folks, there's a reveal! And it's really good. The final couple of minutes of this premiere are straight-up goosebumpy. And everything that comes before that moment is pretty damn good, too.
Kiefer Sutherland proves once again that he's a legitimately great actor as he plays a lower-level cabinet member who unexpectedly becomes president after a devastating attack on the Capitol. It starts quickly with a sequence that, while you know it's coming, still manages to shock. And the tension continues as this character, a man who has no business being president, decides what he should do (he is just as freaked out as everyone else).
A very unlikely choice for a network show, "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" confounds expectations (and overcomes its slightly cringy title) by consistently delivering a comedy-musical hybrid that is as fun as it is thought-provoking. A total gem. Co-creator and star Rachel Bloom is this year's breakout star.
The best spy drama on TV. Sorry, "Homeland." But also just one of the best shows on TV. Y'all got me straight-up rooting for the KGB.
Kristen Bell is the perfect actress to play the likably "bad" girl in "The Good Place." As Eleanor, a recent, mistaken arrival who's trying to change her selfish ways, Bell must swing from aggressively terrible (especially in the flashbacks) to earnestly aspirational. It's a winning show with a strong premise that gets better as it goes.
Riveting. Well crafted. Depressing. Outrageous. While you'll be horrified by what's alleged in these seven episodes, you'll also be inspired by the courage of the victims and the undeterred strength of the women who have come together and devoted years of their lives to solving this mystery.
While watching the first couple of episodes, I had visions of Reese Witherspoon skipping to the stage at the Emmys to collect her trophy. After the finale, I see Nicole Kidman gliding toward the microphone to deliver her acceptance speech. Either way, these ladies came to slay. As executive producers, they helped create an almost perfect seven episodes of television, telling an important story that balanced light with dark moments masterfully. HBO FTMFW.
Like many of FX's half-hour shows, "Atlanta" isn't a Tina Fey-style jokefest. At times it's actually depressingly dark. But it's intelligent, insightful, and timely television. Donald Glover is for real.
Take everything you love about U.S. food/cooking shows, remove everything you hate, add a dash of Himalayan pink salt, and you've got this perfectly prepared British vittle. The impossibly named Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry both kinda look like they'd be annoying judges, but they're delightful. Even the hosts are winning. It's remarkable.