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Billy D.-2
Reviews
Ultraman (2019)
Disrespectful of the original
I grew up on the original Ultraman and can't understand why they had to stray away from the original version. This version is basically a Japanese Ironman with most of the various Ironman models. The new standard of placing an immature child into an adult situation is getting stale as a plot device. You would figure after his first battle, he would grow up and not continue to act like a spoiled brat. By now, we should all know that Hayata and Ultraman were not the same person and swapped places when it was time to fight. Putting the Science Patrol into a useless secondary role was also a mistake. I would prefer that to team iron Ultraman with the special gene or custom armor. Except for the story, everything else is amazing. It's tragic that show like this would trade the cheesy look of the past for lousy writing. Imagine how Ultraman could have been with the original storyline and today's CGI.
Everything's Trash (2022)
It's worth the watch
I have no clue why I like this show. It has a real feel to it. At the end of the episode, I feel like I know these characters. The subject material is relevant and they way it is presented is how a segment of the current culture operates. The success of this show will depend heavily on the ability of the writers to create an interesting and dynamic perspective. I do say watch it. Those who can relate will enjoy it and if you can't relate maybe you learn another perspective.
The Orville: A Tale of Two Topas (2022)
Walking a tightrope
This episode is making a value judgment from a narrow perspective. What this episode says is that the human race value system is the only one that matters in the universe. No other spices has a right to their beliefs if it is not in alignment with the human race. He had no knowledge of the situation and the fact that it bothered a human who felt her values superseded the beliefs of another spices. Yet if the situation was reversed, we be ready to go to war. This storyline should have been a slow subplot to see time progress and allow an opportunity for a balanced opinion to developed.
A Journal for Jordan (2021)
A tale for those who can relate.
The is an excellent story if you understand what a strong committed relationship takes. The story gives an up close and personal perspective of how two can be committed to each other regardless of where they are of what challenges life gives them.
All American: Homecoming (2022)
A slightly better version of the Quad.
Every time I watch an episode I am reminded of the Quad. A story that center's around incoming freshmen that have all the answers while creating the most drama. Sprinkled in is some adults with their own dysfunction. It's even easier when Payton Smith is basically playing the same role he played in the Quad. The only difference is he is an athlete instead of a want to be rapper. It is better than the Quad but I can see it is heading in the same direction that killed the Quad.
Emily in Paris (2020)
Insecure goes to Paris
We all know many could less about the plight of Emily. The Paris location is fabulous. Emily is just as awkward as Issa Dee in insecure. This show goes out of its way to make Emily awkward #AF. She embodies everything that Europeans think about Americans. Just one stereotype after another. It would be nice if they took this season and allowed her to GTFU. This fish out of water storytelling old and is getting stale. I will say the locations are fabulous or did I already say that.
Harlem (2021)
Girlfriends and Sex and the City blended together
Someone thought they had an idea. Let's take Girlfriends and Sex and the City put them in a blender and filter out all the quality. Is this they new normal for Black shows? Let's take attractive Black women put them in nice clothing and take away all common sense. You have a college professor that can only teach but can't manage her career. A fashion designer who has no business sense and living off her mother. A junior sex addict who is living off her girlfriend and has no filter and can't understand why she is basically unemployed. A queer female who is probably the only good thing about this show worried about what others do when she walks down the street with her white girlfriend. Is the the only way a show with an all Black cast get made. We can't have a show about intelligent people who have their careers on point and some unique issues in the personal life? This a show called Harlem and Harlem isn't being showcased as part of the allure? Hollywood has gotten us dialed in. We will accept any show with a Black cast as long a they are attractive in nice clothing being silly #AF. The real truth is do these characters represent you or someone you have no problem disrespecting?
Bruised (2020)
A female version of Rocky.
Halle Berry has been in the business a long time. You would think with all that experience she would bring a lot to the table when she decided to direct her first feature. This story has been told by the Rocky movie already. With that template already established, you would think she would be able to tell a better story. I kept seeing a scene after scene from Rocky with a woman instead of a man. It is not a bad movie on its own provided you never seen any of the Rocky films. It like watching her character from Monsters Ball who went to the big city and became a MMA fighter.
Love Life (2020)
Realistic
This show has some of the best writing ever. It tells a real story of people who are actually in a relationship. It hit all the highs and lows of people in love and those trying to find love. Marcus is a male Issa Rae who is drowning in a sea of awkwardness. His mouth is a perfect home for is foot 9 out of 10 times. Overall, you do want him to succeed. Darby is a basic Carrie Bradshaw who you feel for. You know someone in your life who is her if it is not you. This is one of the best blueprints for what to do and not to do in a relationship. I truly like these characters and their journey.
The Flash (2014)
one of the reasons Marvel is superior.
This show is a reboot of a Saturday morning cartoon show. It's filled with bad writing and acting that think they are cartoons. They are adults who never stop acting like they are kids outside playing like they are superheroes suffering from ADHD.
The Wall (2017)
A smart well-executed story
This movie requires you to watch until the last frame has ended. If you haven't seen this movie, the read no further.
This movie is like a venus fly trap waiting for the kill. The secret to this that they were already dead. He set them up from the start. The sniper team had no clue to what was going to happen to them. Everything else was like a fly in a spider web. One of the first movies I have seen in quite awhile that requires you to actually pay attention.
Outer Banks (2020)
Do not attempt to relate to anything you see while watching.
This is a really good show as long as you don't attempt to relate to the characters. Just ask yourself do you know people like this in real life. If you do then this show makes complete sense. They are only doing what they know how to do at the level they are capable. With that said, the story is pretty good. The Gang goes on a treasure hunt like they are the three stooges. All of their decisions are made in the moment with no thought of consequences. They spend all of their escaping one bad decision after the other. It's a pure roller coaster ride. What make it enjoyable and that I don't try to relate to them. I just watch and see how right I am after results happen. I suggest to everyone who claims to be educated to do the same. Makes for a much better enjoyment.
David Makes Man (2019)
From excellent to tragic
The first season was epic and quality acting and writing on all accounts. Now the second season is a train wreck. There is just no way to explain the insanity of the direction the show has taken. The time jump was highly unnecessary. David's condition seems to be this on going mission to make naturally intelligent well educated Black dysfunctional. The only Blackmen on television seem to need a hood undertones. Don't understand why they are purposely attempting to cancel this show form within.
Marching Orders (2017)
Reality Check
Think about this. You go to a football game so you can wait for halftime to see the band. Your band performance is exponentially superior to your football team. The series is okay at best. It not difference than watching other do or die team selection process. This is truly for the band camp junkies. It's does explain why HBCU's can't win a division 1 championship.
Last Tango in Halifax (2012)
Dysfunctional family at its best.
Last Tango in Halifax is a great example of a dysfunctional family and their interactions with everyone in their immediate surrounding. The whole story exists on the fact that nobody can keep a secret. Somebody tell someone in the family a secret and the next is they are telling someone else what they learned. This tends to cause a family feud for a hot minute until another secret is exposed which requires the feuding group to make up so they can fix the other problem and keep the family together. This is a close adaptation of the ABC show Brothers and Sisters. The original concept of two senior citizens who met up again after 50yrs have past is a great opportunity to show love between mature adults, but it play very little into the story. Just like Brothers and Sisters, the blabber mouth behavior becomes old and tired. You would figure after all the problems their mouths have caused, they would learn to keep their mouth shut.
Scott & Bailey (2011)
The UK version of Cagney & Lacey
An excellent cop show the elements of Law & Order and Cagney & Lacey. It has a you are in the room with them feel. It does a great job of mixing their professional life with their personal without feel forced and over the top.
A Teacher (2020)
A great work of fiction
If you judge A Teacher simply on the merits of story telling, it would be a competent piece of telling a story. The story puts a teacher and a student into a romantic relationship. Then continues to explore the results of what happens when the two gets exposed. My only problem is that the story is attempting to implant a female emotional state into a male. A male high senior dreams of having the opportunity to have sex with an older woman. You can't groom a male into having sex. He would see it coming miles away and would be waiting for it to happen. This is one of the few times where the double standard exists. This would be an excellent story if the roles were reversed. Then the story could expose its audience to the methods of an actual sexual predator. The only way the ending was the way it was is because it was written that way.
The Walking Dead: World Beyond (2020)
Just another #Paycheckshow
This need some work and it could a perfect Saturday morning show for morbid kids. It is another example of kids who think they are grown unit they have to face reality. Now there are two shows in the walking dead universe that I am rooting for the walkers. The only hope for this show is for it to merge with fear the walking dead and get trapped in a walker heard. I am really impressed with the people who got this show green lighted. They must be laughing all the way to the bank.
Another Life (2019)
90210 in space
Take the cast from the OC, 90210 and Melrose Place and put them on a spacecraft and you got everything you keep to know about this show. There's no discipline, no common sense. Everyone does what they want for their own selfish reason with a touch of bravery because they now felt guilty for the other dumb things they previously. It's like watching a show on the CW. You have no investment in any of the characters. You actually want them all to get killed because they deserve it.
Woke (2020)
I get it but it's dumb #AF
I love everything about this show but the writing. The writing is a black hole. In this day in age, if an inanimate object starts talking to you and nobody else in the room hears it and you are not high, then you don't freak out. You just go with the flow. The problem with the character Keef is that he is not believable. His whole Comic Con moment was over the top. It was designed for a laugh and had no natural feel to it. Half what he says out his mouth is more demeaning than funny. The Black people for rent was a epic idea with a horrible execution. What you really have here is another Blackman in a step and fetch it role and having the wrong telling him he is funny while he is creating another negative stereotype.
The Handmaid's Tale (2017)
Strong start but fading fast.
Season 1 set up for an amazing opportunity to tell a excellent story. If only season 2 and 3 were able to measure up. This another testament to what happens when your writing and creativity departments can't measure up. In season 2 the only thing that saves the show is the flashbacks. Meanwhile June just shows how stupid she can be over and over again. She should have been killed after the baby was born for all the trouble she created. She was directly responsible for innocent people being killed which weakens the story because you know nothing is going to happen to her. The show needs a better direction because I have no problem if they kill her off and find a better storyline.
P-Valley (2020)
Not bad as you would believe.
Not all television is about entertainment. Some show are about giving you a window into someone else life you don't get to experience. P-Valley is one of those shows. Yes, it is the Player's Club: the Series. If you are apart of that environment, then you can relate to some of the aspects of what the story is trying to convey. This is a show about the life of strippers not a show about stripping. I know many aren't capable of making that distinction, but if you can you will find the show enjoyable and enlightening.
Bulletproof (2018)
American 70's cop show English style.
If you miss the cop shows from the 70's, then look no further. This is completely entertaining and enjoyable. All the plot holes and obvious clues are there. You know the good guys and the bad guys. The fun is watching how the crime is going to get solved.
Cherish the Day (2020)
Welcome back a blacker Love Is_
It lacks polish of Love Is_ but basically the same story with roles reversed and less character development. I will say it is enjoyable viewing so far.
Batwoman (2019)
Stop Hating
Chris Nolan set the standard for live action story and the animated version did its part. Batwoman is on the CW network. The network for the ADHD dysfunction always in crisis 18-34yr old. None of the CW DC Universe shows are any good, so why did you expect this to be different. If you don't like the show then don't watch it. All the criticism are mostly true. If you are a fan of DC, you do the show some good by NOT watching and pull down the ratings until it's no longer on air. Yes, I know the CW has a extremely low bar, but at least you won't be subjecting yourself to unnecessary torture. It's truly a shame that with all the DC history, it should be easy to get the story right. Too bad the show runners ego And the need to put their stamp on the DC universe is actually killing the process like a black hole.