Category Archives: TV Reviews

The Gentlemen: The Road To Kingdom [S2E1] – TV Review

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TL;DR – A delightfully terse and messy return to a fascinating series.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Netflix service that I used to view this series.

The Price to buy a Cash-strapped Lord.

The Gentlemen Review –

Back in 2024, when I heard that they were going to make a spiritual homage to the movie The Gentlemen on a vibes level while keeping the title, I was a touch concerned. I shouldn’t have been, because Guy Ritchie’s works tend to be interesting if nothing else. The first season was full of style, but a bit uneven; it was absolutely enough to make me want to see where they go in a second outing.

So, to set the scene, we open with Edward “Eddie” Horniman, the 13th Duke of Halstead (Theo James), having a very, very, very bad day. Three months earlier, things are looking a lot better for the Duke, as he starts his manipulations for Susie’s (Kaya Scodelario) father, Bobby (Ray Winstone). All he has to do is grease Lord Richard Hawthorne (Hugh Bonneville) to get a peerage in the House of Lords, and keep his new Italian fixer Cico (Michele Morrone) in line. What is the worst that could happen? Now from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead.  

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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – Like Chronitons Through the Hourglass [S4E7] – TV Review

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TL;DR – While it didn’t land everything it set out to do, you could not help but get caught up in the drama somewhat.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Paramount+ service used to view this series.

End Credit Scene – There is an end-credit scene.

An old timey tv production monitors.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Review Introduction

As this season of Strange New Worlds has progressed, I am finding myself agreeing with Seán Ferrick from TrekCulture in wondering what is the vibe for this season? This has been a series that always has had its statement episodes; this season has been nothing but that. It has led to a dramatically inconsistent season, of which we see another example today.

So, to set the scene, Pike (Anson Mount) wakes up in sickbay with a bandage wrapped around his head. He had been in a terrible shuttle accident. Something is very wrong: his memory is fuzzy, M’Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) keeps talking off into the distance, the lights are too bright, everyone is speaking with dramatic pauses, and was that a musical cue in the background that Pike can hear? Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Lanterns: OutKast [S1E3] – TV Review

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TL;DR – We go full-flashback episode this week, but they make it work.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the HBO Max service used to view this series.

End Credit Scene – There is a making-of and trailer after the end credits.

John falling.

Lanterns Review Introduction

Today, we are looking at a style of episode that can be quite tricky: the flashback. This is when we put the current narrative on hold to jump back in time and give some more context around a character or an event. They can be fraught because putting your narrative on hold can feel indulgent, be a sign that you have not explained things properly, or worse, it can derail your entire story. Thankfully, we miss these potholes today.

So, to set the scene, it is 2016, and we begin with John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) falling through the air and landing on a pile of mattresses. It is a unique entry into what might be the most important interview in his life. Waiting for him is an unassuming lady, friendly but with a stare that pierces through you. Lianna (Laura Linney) has many questions, including, “Do you feel fear?” Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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The Airport Chaplain: God Complex [S1E1] – TV Review

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TL;DR – This premiere was a good grounding episode for all the drama, conflict, and vibes of the series.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Disclosure – I watched this on SBS On Demand.

Airport Chaplain written on the back on a vest.

The Airport Chaplain Review Introduction

When you hear that Hugo Weaving is popping into an SBS series all about being an eccentric airport chaplain, well, you need to see what all that is about. It is one of those odd combinations that draws you in, and I am glad that it is also interesting.

So, to set the scene, it is a chaotic day at a Melbourne airport: planes are being delayed, a flight from Shanghai has been circling for half an hour with a dead body on board, and there is a security incident happening. It is one of those days when you need a fixer to help smooth these things over, which is a good thing: Airport Chaplain Tobias Wallace (Hugo Weaving) is on the case. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Reacher: Bridge [S4E5] – TV Review

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TL;DR – Reacher finds himself up a particular creek without any manual propulsion devices.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Amazon Prime subscription that viewed this series.

Reacher falling through a trash chute.

Reacher Review Introduction

We have reached the halfway point of the season, and this is the point where things start falling apart. Well, Season Four has decided not to buck that trend and has leaned into it hard as the whole case gets turned on its head.

So, to set the scene, we left Reacher (Alan Ritchson) surrounded by a pile of bodies and the police banging down the door. It was a setup, because Lila (Agnez Mo) and Amisha (Anggun) are not as mild-mannered as they seem, and are in fact cold-blooded killers, favouring curved blades. This changes everything we thought about this case and more. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Lanterns: Trust Fall [S1E2] – TV Review

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TL;DR – I feel that this episode is a good encapsulation of the style of story that we will be getting for the rest of the season, and if that is the case, I will be very happy.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the HBO Max service used to view this series.

End Credit Scene – There is a trailer after the end credits.

Hal Jordan walks into a town hall meeting about himself.

Lanterns Review Introduction

Well, the Pilot of Lanterns certainly landed a whole whack of mystery on us, intriguing at every turn. It is the kind of episode that says, “trust us, we know what we are doing”, and given the creator’s past work, you kind of believe them. But today we start getting into the weeds and seeing if that does start to pay dividends.  

So, to set the scene, at the end of Pilot we were hit with a flash forward to 2026 with a very dead Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) sitting on the high school stadium at Rushville, Nebraska. We start today back in 2016, with Hal berating John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and sending him on busywork back to Coast City to get his Lantern. Meanwhile, Hal starts exploring the town, wondering why William Macon (Garret Dillahunt) knew to kill those four aliens, because that is not something you do on a hunch when he discovers the whole town in a meeting. This meeting is probably very much about him. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – Level-Five Transporter Accident [S4E5] – TV Review

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TL;DR – They are puppets.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Paramount+ service used to view this series.

Credit: Puppets by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Review Introduction

It feels like Season Four of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is on a mission to see how many different films they can create their own version of. For example, last week’s Casablanca homage with The Case of the Chiaroscuro. But of all the inspirations, I was not expecting The Muppet Show.   

So, to set the scene, Scottie (Martin Quinn) hopes to set a new record for the longest transport as the USS Enterprise makes a slow trip to Vulcan while on pirate patrol. Scottie needs Spock’s (Ethan Peck) help, but he is struggling to centre himself. Everything was going well until the puppet Scottie was using caused a feedback surge, and soon the cast is teleporting away. When Spock arrives back on the ship, he can’t find anyone until he notices something felt move, because all the crew have been turned into puppets. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Lanterns: Pilot [S1E1] – TV Review

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TL;DR – This first episode has me intrigued about the show, but not yet sold on it.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the HBO Max service used to view this series.

End Credit Scene – There is a trailer and a behind-the-scenes documentary after the end credits.

Hal Jordan flies through the air.

Lanterns Review Introduction

Today is an interesting one. We are continuing through the DCU’s great rebrand that had worked until the recent Supergirl misfire. But we are also focusing in on the one aspect of the DC Universe that I have very little knowledge of. The most I know about Green Lantern is that he appears and can do things with his ring; oh, and there was a version of one in Superman, which makes me interested to see if this show can capture someone who is not familiar with all the lore.  

So, to set the scene, in 1996 it has been ten years since Green Lantern made himself known to the world, and now it is time for Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) to reveal himself. In 2016, Hal has found himself training the next potential Lantern, John Stewart (Aaron Pierre), but they don’t quite get along. I.e. jumping from a moving car and letting John fly off a cliff, sort of don’t get along. But everything changes when an automatic system warns them that:  “There is hail in Rushville, Nebraska”. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – The Case of the Chiaroscuro [S4E4] – TV Review

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TL;DR – This could have been a very silly episode of Star Trek, but there was some real heart and design that helped elevate the story.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Paramount+ service used to view this series.

End Credit – There is a mid-credit scene

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Review Introduction

It feels like this season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has been all about the curveballs, and today’s entry is no exception. It uses sci-fi technobabble to explain why a whole episode is broadcast in black and white. But as silly as this sounds, it is a choice that I can’t help but love seeing played out.

So, to set the scene, the USS Enterprise is on a secret mission near the border of Klingon Space. The Angelo-1 probe lost power and slipped past the border near the Mat’Aaran system, which could reignite a war if found. Una (Rebecca Romijn), Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), and M’Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) have slipped across the border in a shuttle hidden because the local sun puts out energy that affects visual receptors and makes things hard to spot on scanners. But that scanner issue can cut both ways, and the shuttle is forced to hide on Mat’Aar XII, an occupied Klingon planet, to avoid a D7 battle cruiser. The crew must blend in with the local population until a window of escape can be found. But Una discovers that she might be wrapped into the fabric of this world more than she expects. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Reacher: City of Brotherly Love [S4E1] – TV Review

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TL;DR – Reacher has a nasty habit of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Amazon Prime subscription that viewed this series.

Warning – Contains scenes which may cause distress.

The Philadelphia skyline.

Reacher Review Introduction

I was captivated by Reacher in its first two seasons. Season One was a breath of fresh air in a very stale genre, and Season Two escalated that to new heights. However, I came off Season Three with a real concern that the wind might be going out of this franchise. Well, today, we will dive into the first episode of the new season to see if it can buck off the languishing legacy of last season and forge new ground.

So, to set the scene, it is 2:18 am in Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love. Reacher (Alan Ritchson) is taking one of the last trains for the night when he notices a woman in clear distress, her hands hidden in a bag. Fearing the inevitable disaster, he tries to talk the lady down from the coming disaster. But when he lies to say he is a cop, hoping that will stop the escalation, it has the opposite result. Reacher feels like he failed the woman in her hour of need, but worse, every department in the federal government is now very interested in a suicide on an early morning train. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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