Reviews
I think that as the show begins its final season I'm able to realize just how much I like "Girls" and appreciate what Lena Dunham has done. It wasn't always pretty, but it was always interesting. More than any other show, "Girls" was under the think-piece microscope and Dunham, despite the occasional gaffe, typically took in the valuable criticism and adjusted. And again, more than any other current show, these characters were so often conflated with the actresses. I think it'll take a couple of years for people to really see this for what it was.
Michelle Dockery plays Letty Raines, a junkie ex-con whose terrible decisions — and an attempt to do something good — lead her into a dysfunctional relationship with a charming hitman (the fantastic Juan Diego Botto). Letty also battles a nightmare of a mother, who won't let her near the son Letty's unable to raise. Working with wigs and multiple accents in the premiere episode, Dockery shows just how talented and charismatic an actress she is. And the story has a ton of potential, shifting gears after the premise is all set up.
Watching two good-looking, privileged Matts with acclaimed acting careers lounge in a gorgeous Italian villa while tasting wine brought to them from all over the world may sound like an exercise in self-loathing, but those adorable charmers manage to make it work. The duo's chemistry is outrageous, the production values are fantastic, and the balance of informative reports and silly banter is just right.
If you are allergic to Mario Batali or Gwyneth Paltrow, you will not enjoy this show. I am Paltrow-tolerant and Spain-obsessed, so this is among my favorite travel shows. A really deep dive into the incredibly diverse areas of Spain, with many stops for the crew to eat and cook. And Batali + Paltrow both have surprising links to Spain, so it's fun to watch them having so much fun sharing what they love about the country.
Even if you don't care about soccer, this show has enough humor, drama, and family dysfunction to hold your attention. Luis Gerardo Méndez is great, as always, but the MVP is Mariana Treviño, who transforms what could have been just another uptight clichéd businesswoman character. Mexico has produced some really high-quality programming in the past few years (Once TV's "Soy Tu Fan" and "Alguien Más" among the best of them), and Netflix has created another home for the country to show off its talent.
I don't know why, but I'm relieved Tyler Oakley is not an "Amazing Race" millionaire. However, he and BFF Korey won the whole thing with that teary, emotional lovefest at the end. The producers know what's up.
Was "Downton Abbey" a good show? Not really. Especially as it progressed, it was all cliched characters and, frankly, pretty dumb writing. And yet, it was incredibly watchable. And GIFable. I don't think I'll ever rewatch an episode, but I could stare at Maggie Smith GIFs for hours.
"New Girl" is kind of like a college friend. I liked it immediately and remained enamored for a good two years, but then we drifted apart. What I had thought of as cute eventually became annoying. But after a little time apart, I checked in on Jess and co. and decided to give it another go. This season has been consistently entertaining, even during the Megan Fox episodes.
The hesitation is understandable, but this series is a bit of a departure. Think "George Lopez" meets "Curb Your Enthusiasm." The single-camera format immediately cuts down the cheesiness of Lopez's other shows. And he succeeds in mocking himself as often as he lampoons others (note the early mention of taking a kidney from his wife and then divorcing her). It's definitely a different George Lopez. And, I think, a better one.
Bravo was made for me, but this is the only RH show I've watched in its entirety. Sure, it's as fake as the rest. And errbody is crazy. But y'all know Bethenny "Get Off My Jock" Frankel is good TV. And I can't wait for the new season.