Tag Archives: Comedy Television

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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Ted Lasso: Home [S4E1] – TV Review

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TL;DR – A Kansas City detour to set up the season.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Apple TV+ service that viewed this episode.

Ted Lasso Assistant Manager.

Ted Lasso Review Introduction

Well, it is time for some more Ted Lasso. Now, I am on the record as being very fond of the series, even the weird episodes of Season One, Season Two, and Season Three. But I, like many, thought we were doneski, so colour me shocked when Season Four appeared from the ether. But given the time and the landscape, can it recapture that joy? That is what we are looking at today.

So to set the scene, Ted (Jason Sudeikis) has spent the last few years being the best day he can be to his son Henry (Grant Feely). But instead of coaching football or soccer, Ted is an assistant manager at a local supermarket. But then one day a surprise arrives in town. Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham), Leslie Higgins (Jeremy Swift), and Keeley Jones (Juno Temple) have arrived with a mission. They want Ted to come back and coach their new women’s football team. Now from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead. 

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Scrubs: Season 10 – TV Review

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TL;DR – It found its charm at times, but whether it was the short episode order or the passage of time, I just came away feeling a bit hollow about it all.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Disney+ service that aired this episode.

The Hospital entrance.

Scrubs Review –

I came into the first episode of this new spin-off, My Return, with a touch of trepidation. Could a show like Scrubs find that same formula among the cast that worked for almost all its runtime? Can a show both reinvent itself for a modern audience without losing that pull of nostalgia and vibe that made it good in the first place? These are the questions I asked myself this season.  


So, to set the scene, it has been a long time since JD (Zach Braff) worked at Sacred Heart hospital [which was not torn down, I do not know how that rumour got started]. However, while he spends his days being a concierge doctor for the wealthy, it is not exactly a stimulating profession. But as fate would have it, today he is back at his old stomping grounds, because one of his patients got admitted. It is a place of joy with old friends, Turk (Donald Faison) and Carla (Judy Reyes), old mentors, Dr Cox (John C. McGinley), and more recent ex-wives, Elliot (Sarah Chalke). But when JD gets an offer he can’t refuse, his life is about to do a complete U-turn. Now, from here, we will be looking at the season, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Deadloch: Season Two – TV Review

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TL;DR – This is a series that fires more chaos at you in the space of thirty seconds than I have ever seen fired at you in thirty seconds.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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

Warning – Contains scenes which may cause distress.

A Crocodile.

Deadloch Review Introduction

I had no idea what I was getting into when I sat down to watch a Nordic noir translocated into the Tasmanian wilderness, and the crazy turned up to 11. Season 1 was a wild ride, but it was very Tasmanian-coded. So, I was a touch concerned when they relocated the series up north, literally as far as you could get from Tasmania from a distance, weather, temperature, and general humidity perspective. However, given how well the first season went, I had to find out if it could survive the shift, and I can now say that it has not lost one iota of momentum when it comes to the chaos.  

So, to set the scene, up in the Northern Territory, in a town called Barra Creek, a local croc tour is taking a bunch of tourists out on the river. But tragedy strikes when they find the local bull-crocodile has been murdered, but even more concerning was what was in the late crocodile’s mouth. Thankfully, Dulcie Collins (Kate Box) and Eddie Redcliffe (Madeleine Sami) were already in the area and were able to give a hand before the local detective looking into some missing Swedish backpackers came and made a mess of everything. The only issue, okay, one of many issues, is that Eddie used to live here back in the day. Now we will be looking at the season as a whole, so there may be some [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair – Season One – TV Review

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TL;DR – While it had some truly wild moments, it always felt that this was a show that had its predecessor dragging behind it like an anchor, and it likely would have worked better if they had cut that cord free more than they ended up doing.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Disney+ service that viewed this series.

The family on a video call.

Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair Review Introduction

I’m going to come out right from the start and say that I am old enough to have enjoyed the show when it originally aired, but beyond the odd episode here and there, I have not seen the show since its original run. I remember enjoying it when it was on, but then I never found the drive, nor was it easily accessible to rewatch it where I live. Coming into this, I had a lot of nostalgia, but also significant distance from the show, and I’m not sure whether that helped or hurt my viewing experience.

So, to set the scene, A lot has happened to Malcolm (Frankie Muniz) in the years since the show aired. He went off to college, had a daughter, Leah (Keeley Karsten), founded a charity, and has gone mostly non-contact with his family. He keeps up the presence, but then always has a reason as to why he is busy. Well, try as he might to avoid it, his parents, Hal (Bryan Cranston) and Lois (Jane Kaczmarek), are about to have their 40th Wedding Anniversary, and they want all the kids back to celebrate it, come hell or high water. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead. 

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Shrinking: Season 3 – TV Review

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TL;DR – Shrinking is the kind of show that has cornered the market in laugh-crying your way through an episode, and this final but not final season captured that beautifully

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

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

Liz looking down from her balcony.

Shrinking Review introduction –

Today, we are looking at a very odd sort of ending. Because in one sense, we have reached the end of a story, three planned-out seasons careening towards a goal. However, because of the impact of the cast and characters, we know there will be another season with another story. It is like wondering if you are saying goodbye to characters you love or see you later. It is in that space that we explore the final season today.  

So, to set the scene, things are looking up for the group of friends working their way around life, love, and finding themselves. However, while everyone is growing and changing, life finds its way to throw curveballs everywhere. Jimmy (Jason Segel) wants Alice (Lukita Maxwell) to get into Wesleyan, but he is very much not ready for his daughter to move across the country for college in Connecticut. Paul’s (Harrison Ford) Parkinson’s is progressing, and he can’t hold a pencil anymore. But nothing prepares you for the reason someone says, “My bad”. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead. 

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Rooster: Release the Brown Fat [S1:E1] – TV Review

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TL;DR – While I am not sure it quite got its hooks into me in this first outing, it was more than enough to make me want to see where this goes from a character’s trainwreck perspective.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the HBO Max service that viewed this series.

Greg gives a reading to the class.

Rooster Review Introduction –

Today, we dive into the third Bill Lawrence-associated series to come out in 2026 [and yes, we will also look at Season 4 of Ted Lasso later in the year]. I was intrigued about this show, because the promos were not letting much out, but I do find comedies set in colleges that are not focused on the students can be real gems. But something about the presentation did give me a pause to be concerned. If I should be is what we will examine today.

So, to set the scene, Greg Russo (Steve Carell) is a novel writer who focuses on more pulp productions, fun to read on a holiday, but not that deep. Which is why he is nervous about being asked to go to a college to present his work to a classroom by Dylan Shepard (Danielle Deadwyler). But present he does, and is profoundly destroyed by the students. However, there might have been a slight ulterior motive for him coming to this college, because his daughter Katie (Charly Clive) works there and is going through a scandal as her estranged husband Archie (Phil Dunster) decided to have an affair with a grad student. And that is only the start of a very bad day for both of them. Now, from here, we will be looking at the season as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Scrubs: My Return [S10:E1] – TV Review

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TL;DR – While it is nice to be back with old friends, I was most surprised at who made me tear up in this first episode back.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Disney+ service that aired this episode.

JD in scrubs.

Scrubs Review –

Well, well, well, the show that uplifted me in my youth and also blindsided me with emotions I was absolutely not prepared for … looking at you, My Screw Up. Scrubs is one of those comfort shows that you could sit down and watch any time, and it will bring you joy. However, I have seen old shows being brought back and not being able to work in the modern environment, so I came in here with some trepidation. Turns out I didn’t need it, at least not this time..

So, to set the scene, it has been a long time since JD (Zach Braff) worked at Sacred Heart hospital [which was not torn down, I do not know how that rumour got started]. However, while he spends his days being a concierge doctor for the wealthy, it is not exactly a stimulating profession. But as fate would have it, today he is back at his old stomping grounds, because one of his patients got admitted. It is a place of joy with old friends, old mentors, and more recent ex-wives. Now, from here, we will be looking at the season as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Shrinking: My Bad [S3E1] – TV Review

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TL;DR – Shrinking is the kind of show that has cornered the market in laugh-crying your way through an episode, and this first outing back is no different as Harrison Ford hits both of those emotions in the first five minutes.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the AppleTV service that viewed this series.

Paul scares Kimmy by driving.

Shrinking Review introduction –

Well, it is time to check back in with everyone’s favourite ‘probably dysfunctional friend group, but since most of the characters are therapists, we probably won’t bring that up’ television family. This is such an odd show because on paper it does not really work, but then you sit down, turn it on and find yourself laughing/crying your way through it. That was at least the case for Season One and Season Two, but can Season Three land those same feels? Well, let’s look at the opening double-parter to see how they will go.   

So, to set the scene, things are looking up for the group of friends working their way around life, love, and finding themselves. However, while everyone is growing and changing, life finds its way to throw curveballs everywhere. Jimmy (Jason Segel) wants Alice (Lukita Maxwell) to get into Wesleyan, but he is very not ready for his daughter to move across the country for college in Connecticut. Paul’s (Harrison Ford) Parkinson’s is progressing, and he can’t hold a pencil anymore. But nothing prepares you for the reason someone says, “My bad”. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead.  

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Sunny Nights: Season 1 – TV Review

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TL;DR – This is a profoundly chaotic show, some of that is intentional amusement, and some of that is unintentional interactions of tone and pacing.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Stan service that viewed this series.

Will Forte looks at a snow globe covered in blood.

Sunny Nights Review –

There are times when a single pitch is enough to get you to take a chance on something: Will Forte and D’Arcy Carden are siblings who get in over their heads with Rachel House, a mobster, as they try to push their spray tan business in Sydney. That is a sentence that makes you want to see how the hell they pull such a chaotic idea off. Well, it worked for me if nothing else.

So, to set the scene, American siblings Martin (Will Forte) and Vicki Marvin (D’Arcy Carden) have moved their spray tan business, Tansform, to Sydney, Australia. Martin is going to get back with his wife after they separated and she moved to Sydney. Vicki is there to help get out of the life she’s in and make some bank. However, they are both profoundly outside of their element, even before Martin gets catfished, and all of a sudden, they are up to their ears in debt and might just have the mob after them all because of an exploding crocodile. Now, from here, we will be looking at the season as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead.  

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