Every now and then you come across one of those late-night finds that rope you in and suddenly become your next obsession. Netflix’s Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, created by Haley Z. Boston and co-produced by The Duffer Brothers of Stranger Things fame, is one such show.
The show follows engaged couple Rachel (Camila Morrone) and Nicholas (Adam DiMarco) as they go to the groom-to-be’s secluded family’s house in snow-covered upstate New York to wed. But it turns out the latter’s parents (played by Ted Levine and Jennifer Jason Leigh respectively) are also planning a funeral for the mother. Oh, and Rachel’s bloodline also happens to be cursed, resulting in possible death or passing on the same curse to Nicholas’ family if she does not wed her true love.
For once, there’s a convincing couple at the center of things, and believable supporting characters/toxic family members that surround them with (mostly) solid performances. I couldn’t help but get more than a few Twin Peaks vibes while watching the show, and it was enough to keep me engaged through all eight episodes. Perhaps not a full grand slam, it does an admirable job swinging for the fences nonetheless.
I’m really not sure why I even continue trying to convince myself that each new Walking Dead spinoff or as with this case, sequel series, will somehow improve, when each time it’s more of the same tired formula; good guys find a new home that gives them a temporary false sense of security, then bad guys (often someone from within their group these days) threaten that safety.
Dead City is really just more of the same; it starts out promising enough, but just ends up more of the same as previously mentioned. This time our hero leftovers from the original show Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) team up to reinforce a New York hospital with brother and sister duo Luis (Raul Castillo) and Reneta (Aimee Garcia), a doctor and “community leader,” respectively, at the helm.
There’s even an interesting, eccentric new character in the form of Dillard (Jimmi Simpson) who’s spent his time in the apocalypse in a lonesome bar with a couple of walkers, that befriends Negan. But where there’s potential, there’s more of the same, predictable developmental let down as usual.
Perhaps the only real standout of the season is the “what if,” zombie-less episode that has Maggie and Negan meeting in the pre-apocalypse real world that also features a guest spot from Maggie’s long-since deceased sister, Beth (Emily Kinney). The only downfall with this is the weak portrayal of Negan, who instead of being seen as some tough-as-nails, outlaw biker type that we all grew to hate when initially introduced, is reduced to a sensitive teacher type in order to make him more like-able to audiences prior to his going bad. (A huge misstep in my opinion.)
I’ve actually been re-watching a lot of the older Walking Dead seasons (the pre-Negan days, a.k.a. the show’s prime), and the difference is night and day, with the writing, acting, and overall quality declining more and more with each new passing season and iteration. If these characters must continue on (as I’m sure they will), perhaps the writers of these episodes could go back and take some lessons on how things were done when it was actually in good hands what now feels like a lifetime ago.
I recently read an online assessment of modern TV shows somewhere that basically stated there’s so few shows that are even remembered these days due to them coming and going at such a rapid fire pace. And after giving it some thought, I couldn’t help but agree for the most part, albeit with some exceptions.
Stranger Things, the Netflix series that first debuted in 2016 and spawned a mountain of media and quickly became a pop culture phenomenon, is one such exception. So it was only a matter of time before the recently-finished original series would get a spinoff like the animated Tales From ’85, which takes place between the second and third seasons of said original show.
There’s really not all too much by way of extraordinary ideas to be found here; the same gang of kids (all voiced by a different cast now) fight a new group of monsters in their small town of Hawkins, IN, but only this time they’re joined by a new punk outcast kid (voiced by Odessa A’zion). Some familiar voices found throughout include Lou Diamond Philips, Robert Englund, and Janeane Garofalo.
While watching this latest take on the franchise I could tell that some of the magic was not quite the same as it had been for the former live action series, while at the time time I also got that vibe from the good old days of Saturday morning cartoon shows, and could appreciate what they were trying to do here. Far from perfect, but there’s also far worse ways to spend a weekend worth of binge-watching as well.
The third series to spawn from late 2000’s hit TV show The Big Bang Theory (after the more recent Young Sheldon) may just be the best of the bunch, more akin to situational family comedies in the style of such classics as Roseanne or HomeImprovement than the former two. (It should also be noted this show also takes place in the ’90s.)
The first season of Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, starring Montana Jordan and Emily Osment in the titular roles, started off promising enough. But in season two, the production seems to have hit its stride.
There’s plenty of compelling storylines throughout the season to be found; from controversial news casts by Mandy (“The G Word and a Blaspheming Bimbo”) to a drunken birthday gone wrong for Georgie (“A Big Birthday and Tequila Shots”), there’s no shortage of simple fun here.
The supporting cast truly helps round things out here; Will Sasso and Rachel Bay Jones as Mandy’s parents Jim and Audrey McAllister, and Dougie Baldwin as younger brother Connor (Dougie Baldwin), all steal some respective moments of their own, while recurring characters like Georgie’s mother Mary (Zoe Perry) and grandmother Connie (Annie Potts) have their own occasional moments in the sun as well. (The Beanie Babies episode with said grandma is also one of note.)
Far from life-changing (or even perfect) stuff here, but it does the trick for good old-fashioned family entertainment when needed.
How does one really sum up One Piece, the Netflix adaptation of the famed anime series that first got its start in the late ’90s, to those unfamiliar with the material? Lord knows I had little-to-no knowledge of it myself prior to its first season as a live action series in 2023, but once again, my now-grown kid introduced me to something I knew next to nothing about that I ended up enjoying.
This season finds our heroes (or “pirates”) – Monkey D. Luffy (Inaki Godoy), Nami (Emily Rudd), Roronoa Zoro (Mackenyu), Usopp (Jacob Romero Gibson), and Sanji (Taz Skylar) – traveling the seas to “The Grand Line” to finally find the “One Piece.” Along the way, they pick up a new member of the gang, Viv (Charithra Surya Chandran), an agent for the Baroque Works (a.k.a. “the bad guys) who actually turns out to be a Princess in her homeland, while encountering further dangers and/or allies with each island they set foot on, all the while still dodging evil agents hot on their trail.
There’s also a backstory that includes two doctors (played by Katay Sagal and Mark Harelik) and a talking reindeer (yep) named Chopper (voiced by Mikaela Hoover and destined to be on someone’s Christmas list this year) that eventually intertwine with our main characters.
Think Pirates of the Caribbean meets The Neverending Story; just a massive, imaginative adventure that takes viewers for a journey on a massive scale. Escapist entertainment (usually) at its finest for those willing to go in open-minded.
For as long as I can remember, Tim Allen has been an American institution. First introduced on the small screen to most of us in the early ’90s via Home Improvement, then cementing his status as a comedy legend with such classics as The SantaClause and Toy Story. And Kat Dennings, blessed with both beauty and wit, has earned her own place inside many households since 2 Broke Girls in the 2010’s. Put the two of them together, and you’ve got a (mostly) winning combination.
The first season of Shifting Gears was enjoyable enough from what I remember – though I actually spent much of it watching from a hospital bed at the time, so my memories are not as clear for obvious reasons. But season two seems to have really hit its stride, focusing on everything from young love, to deeper issues centered around post-loss relationships (Newcomer to the series Jenna Elfman is undeniably likeable here as Allen’s character Matt’s new love interest).
Highlights that stick out from this latest season include a brief Home Improvement reunion of Patricia Richardson, Richard Karn, and Debbe Dunning on the season premiere, and some fairly fun seasonal episodes centering around both Halloween and Christmas. There’s even a humorous episode (simply titled “Danger”) that revolves around a nuisance raccoon that allows the young Maxwell Simkins of the recent Mighty Ducks: Game Changers to shine again as well.
Sure, some laughs may fall flat, while a few others might even feel a bit forced at times. But overall, there’s way more cringe-worthy things to behold on prime time TV these days other than Shifting Gears.
Few shows in recent memory have come along and reached the pop culture phenomenon status the way Stranger Things has (The Walking Dead comes to mind in comparison, although that turned out to be a case of not knowing when to quit while you’re still ahead for sure).
When Stranger Things first dropped on Netflix in 2016, it felt like this nostalgic little secret that the wife and I (and eventually our son) stumbled upon that was of course a fun ride, though none of us could’ve possibly ever predicated then just how huge this show created by The Duffer Brothers would become.
Fast foreword to season five, where audiences have by now seen the beloved group of friends enter the upside down and fight evil in more ways than one by now. I honestly had some doubts at the onset of the season, where many of our heroes are now looking far too old to pass as believable high school students still getting bullied the way Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) is in the first episode.
But as things progress, the season gets steadily better. This time around, the entire town of Hawkins is under military control after the events of the fourth season, with the entire gang keeping a steady eye on both them, and the upside down while Hopper (David Harbour) prepares Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) for her ensuing final battle. Meanwhile, there’s another “bad guy” in the form of Dr. Kay (played by an over-the-top Linda Hamilton) trying to to catch El in the middle of it all.
There’s one subplot after another, as the evil Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), disguising himself now as “Mr. Whatsit” to a select few of the town’s children, imprisons a group of kids lead by Holly Wheeler (Nell Fisher) – Mike (Finn Wolfhard) and Nancy’s (Natalia Dyer) younger sister – who at one point finds herself in the same world as the still-comatose Max (Sadie Sink), who shows her the way to navigate through this new world.
This all leads to one final, huge confrontation with Vecna (who we also learn some more backstory on along the way), which I’ll stop at here before giving away any potential spoilers. (Though be advised, there are certainly a few tearjerker moments.)
Aside from all those previously mentioned, many other familiar faces return here, including (among others) Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), Steve (Joe Keery), Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), Robin (Maya Hawke), and of course Winona Ryder returns as Joyce once again, though her character feels a bit pushed to the wayside here. And of course the “coming out” of Will (Noah Schnapp) has been much-talked about, which is fine and all because it feels like a natural progression for the character, but the moment itself just feels a bit forced and awkwardly placed. Newcomer Jake Connelly also adds some much-needed comic relief as Derek.
It’s bittersweet to watch the series come to its inevitable end after all that it’s meant to so many over the years (my aforementioned kid once went as Dustin for Halloween one year at the top of its hype, and I cannot count the number of collectible items that have since been accumulated in our household). Watching the finale on the big screen with the family among a packed theater felt like the only way to say goodbye to this show that has meant so much to so many, truly felt like the only way to do so.
The show that once filled countless minds with so much wonder and had us all united in longing for a bygone era known as the 1980’s, is now a part of the history books itself. And what a ride it has been.
While I did watch the inaugural season of Wednesday with the fam when it first dropped on Netflix back in 2022, to be honest I found it somewhat…forgettable. But the three year gap in between seasons proved to be helpful here, as the writers truly hit the mark this time around.
At the onset of season two we once again find our titular character (portrayed once more by Jenna Oretga) returning to Nevermore, this time with a bit of “celebrity” status behind her, as well as younger brother Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez) now in tow. It’s immediately clear there’s trouble in paradise, as Wednesday has a stalker hell-bent on inflicting some damage.
As if this were not enough, Wednesday must now juggle an evil new headmaster (Steve Buscemi), zombies (Owen Painter), dangerous escapees that also transform into Hydes (Hunter Doohan), and the safety in question of her roomate, Endid (Emma Myers). Other series regulars such as Luis Guzman as Gomez Addams and Catherine Zeta-Jones – who by far wins the gold medal as sexist Morticia Addams thus far – also return.
Aimed mostly at teens/young audiences (think Riverdale meets Harry Potter), the formula works enough to hold the attention of nearly any and all age groups that are willing to give it the time of day. Not perfect, but a fun ride nonetheless.
In the beginning, Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979) redefined the horror/sci-fi sub-genre. The script by Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett borrowed elements from nearly every space alien film before it, while modernizing the genre with visceral, atmospheric horror.
The legendary Xenomorph design by Swiss artist H.R. Giger has become one of the most recognizable movie monsters of all time. Of course, Alien also introduced face-huggers and chest-bursters, creating an interesting dilemma for a deadly species reliant on host bodies to reproduce.
Alien gave us one of science fiction’s greatest characters, Lt. Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), who only wishes to eradicate the Xenomorphs from existence. Ripley represents humanity in an inhumane world, where an omnipresent, faceless company (Weyland-Yutani Corp) wants the alien species at all costs.
In 1986, writer/director James Cameron delivered one of the greatest sequels ever made with Aliens. The film’s strong focus on action distinguished it from its predecessor, broadening the story’s scope with thrilling and memorable scenes throughout.
Though visually impressive, Alien 3 (1992) began the steady downward trend that continued with Alien Resurrection (1997), Alien: Covenant (2017), and the ridiculous Alien vs. Predator films.
I’m no fan of Prometheus (2012), and I moderately enjoyed the much praised but forgettable Alien: Romulus (2024). Ultimately, my interest in the series barely extends beyond Alien 3. So, color me skeptical when Disney and FX announced a TV series set two years before the events of Ripley’s first encounter, called Alien: Earth.
How does the show measure up? Seven episodes in, I can confidently declare its ranking as one of the best TV events in years.
The concept of Xenomorphs on planet Earth dates to the production of Alien 3. The idea was floated until they ultimately ended up with Ripley crash-landing on a prison planet. All the preceding films were unable to expand on this idea until now.
Alien: Earth is an eight-part series featuring a large cast and a complex, multilayered plot. Its grand scope and high production values result in the cinematic quality of HBO’s Game of Thrones or other big-budget shows. The special effects (from Wētā Workshop), set design, performances, and music are all top-notch. What the show accomplishes most effectively is capturing the primal horror of the original Alien while blending it with the thrilling action of the sequel.
This is thanks in part to series creator Noah Hawley, who clearly understands the style, motifs, and terror of the Alien universe while enriching the source material. Hawley also created the equally impressive FX series Fargo, based on the Coen brothers’ classic film. Alien: Earth has a lot to say, and its dizzying plotlines may overwhelm some viewers. But for those attuned to it, the experience is as gripping as anything in recent memory.
The story is set in 2120, where five companies control the world and lead commercial exhibitions throughout the Solar System. Mankind’s endless search for immortality has led to the creation of Cyborgs (cybernetically enhanced humans), Synthetics (AI beings), and relatively new Hybrids (Synthetics with human consciousness). Hybrids are the secret creation of the Prodigy Corporation, where they essentially implant the mind of a human (in this case, terminally ill children) into an artificial being.
Prodigy also happens to be a competitor of the Weyland-Yutani Corp, which sponsored a 65-year space expedition to obtain otherworldly specimens (most likely for biological warfare). As the USCSS Maginotnears the end of its mission, collecting several extraterrestrial specimens, disaster strikes, and the vessel crash-lands on Earth, directly into Prodigy territory. Prodigy lay claim to the ship and all its cargo, leading to further conflict with Weyland-Yutani.
We’re given glimpses into the disastrous Maginotmission, its slaughtered crew, and a fully-grown Xenomorph wreaking havoc. The show wastes no time in delivering the carnage, but it also slows the pace to introduce multiple characters with differing motivations.
Cast standouts include Wendy (Sydney Chandler), the first hybrid, and Kumi Morrow (Babou Ceesay), the cyborg chief security officer and sole survivor of the Maginot.
There’s also Kirsh (Timothy Olyphant), Prodigy’s synthetic chief scientist, Boy Cavalier (Samuel Blenkin), the childlike Prodigy CEO tech trillionaire, and indentured medic Hermit (Alex Lawther), who also happens to be Wendy’s human brother (before she became a hybrid). Overall, top-rate acting is palpable across the entire cast.
The first four episodes center around the aftermath of the Maginot crash, resulting in a loose Xenomorph amidst caverns of biological horrors throughout the ship. The hybrids are enlisted to contain the cargo as Murrow is singularly focused on delivering the same cargo to its rightful owners.
Episode five, titled “In Space, No One…” is a stand-alone flashback to the events that led to the ill-fated Maginot’s crash. In writing and directing the episode, Hawley said it was to be his own Alien movie, which it aptly feels like. With one episode now left, we can only imagine where things will go.
Naturally, Alien: Earth has received widespread critical attention, earning praise as well as criticism of its writing, characters, and heavy focus on AI.
At its best moments, it’s thrilling and intense. At its weakest, it’s a bit talky. There’s real magic at work here. After what Disney and 20th Century Fox did to the Predator franchise, turning the deadly killer into inept fodder for unlikely plot-armored characters, I’m pleasantly surprised and relieved Alien: Earth hasn’t suffered the same fate.
The show pays tribute to the original and its legacy of fans without spoon-feeding them. It stands out as a testament of science fiction horror, where we Alien fans feel right at home.
The first season of the Disney Plus Goosebumps revival in 2023 brought the franchise into more “grown-up” territory similar to Stranger Things or the other R.L. Stine-related vehicle, Fear Street, though has already become a bit of a distant memory.
This second season, aptly titled The Vanishing, finds its groove with a bit more ease than the ladder, with David Schwimmer taking the lead as a Professor/father who stumbles upon some creepy underground government cover-up that first took his older brother when they were still just teens.
With the story bouncing back and forth between the ’90s and present day, there’s plenty of references to the original series (with episodes like “Stay Out of the Basement” and “Welcome to Camp Nightmare” again taking their titles from the original book series), and just enough nostalgia for us big kids (but without over-doing it). Far from perfect, but watchable enough family entertainment nonetheless.
