What The Fork!?! "The Good Place"

The Good Place (2016)

TV-PG

Starring Kristen Bell, William Jackson Harper, Jameela Jamil, D'arcy Carden, Manny Jacinto, Ted Danson

Created by Michael Schur

The Story:

Eleanor (Bell) wakes up at Michael's (Danson) office. Turns out she's dead, but the good news, is she gets to go to 'The Good Place'. And they only take the best of the best. However, apparently there's been a bit of a clerical error, and this Eleanor has taken the place of the Eleanor that was supposed to be here! She's hoping that by learning to be good from her chosen 'soul mate', Chidi (Harper) she can learn to be good enough to stay before someone uncovers the truth.

When you have Netflix and Amazon Prime, it's hard to miss not having cable television. Eventually, any show will come to DVD and I could try it that way.

Or, they'll stream on one service or another, and I might run into them.

And considering that the majority of the content is original, I really don't have to rely on the networks to supply me with any entertainment anymore.

But that's not to say they aren't trying, or that I'm not appreciative of their efforts.

Scrolling through Netflix, and see a picture of Bell and Danson, you get intrigued enough to read a little snippet of what the show's about.

Try the first episode, and you're hooked! :)

So it goes with The Good Place, a denominational free look at what could transpire after passing over to the other side, and being lucky enough to not go to The Bad Place.

Eleanor is bringing bad things to the Good Place because of the mistake, and she's working really hard to be a nice person. But man, there's certain things and people in her afterlife that are just messing things up royally for her.

But she persistently tries, and sometimes learns what it takes to be a good person after all, even if it's quite by accident.

Each episode ends with a cliffhanger, but thankfully at 13 episodes, they are paced quite nicely and you don't feel rushed or bored.

The set-up for season 2 was well played and really bold for a new show to throw at the audience with the hope of sticking around.

While everyone else is watching NBC right now to keep up, I'll wait a year, and catch it next summer and hopefully find out what happened.

Definitely worth the time.

Final Grade: B+

Absolutely Delicious..."The Great British Baking Show"

The Great British Baking Show (2010)

Starring Mary Berry, Paul Hollywood, Mel Giedroyc, Sue Perkins

The Story:

12 of Britain's best amateur bakers face off in a giant outdoor tent where each week they attempt to make 3 different recipes. Their efforts are judged by renowned British baking experts (Berry & Hollywood) and each week, one baker is rewarded as Star Baker, while the one most lacking that week is sent home. Finally at the end of the season, one baker remains triumphant.

Ah, reality TV as brought to you by the BBC and renamed and aired over here on PBS.

:)

Now, 3 of the shows 7 seasons are available on Netflix for streaming.

I really enjoyed the first season, the 2nd season not as much, but I am enjoying the 3rd season as well.

The difference in the 3 seasons?

It all comes down to the contestants.

The first season had a nice variety of people, and there were so many interesting characters, you don't really mind who the ultimate winner might be, and you're almost sad to see them all go.

Season 2... not nearly the connection for me with those contestants at all, and I think we wound up jumping a few episodes just to see who won and move on.

In the third season, again a better mix of contestants that rise and fall with the challenges and keep the viewer interested in who will succeed and who will be sent home.

So how is this different from every other reality TV show?

I'd say the judges, Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood. One, the duo has the best possible names ever for baking judges! :)

But two, and most importantly, they are quite possibly the nicest judges in reality TV history. Always offering the most enthusiastic reviews when they taste something good. Yet when they eat something that doesn't work, they are often quick to answer why it tastes bad.

Normally it's either too much or too little flavor, or the recipe in question is raw and inedible.

Not sure if we'll ever get the other seasons on Netflix, but if we do, I'll definitely give them a try.

Final Grade: B+

A Spoiler Free Look At "The Defenders"

The Defenders (2017)

TV-MA

Starring Charlie Cox, Krysten Ritter, Mike Colter, Finn Jones, Elodie Yung, Jessica Henwick, Scott Glenn, Simone Missick, Eldon Henson, Wai Ching Ho, Rosario Dawson,

Created by Douglas Petrie & Marco Ramirez

The Story:

The Hand has used the last of their mysterious life restoring energy to resurrect Elektra from the dead. With her leading the charge, their goal is to retrieve the Iron Fist to unlock an ancient door and give The Hand the ultimate power. The downside, opening that door will cause the total destruction of New York City. Looks like the heroes of New York will need to band together and save the day.

Now that is more like it.

8 episodes.

Very little drag to them at all.

Not as much time for redundancy and stalling as the tale needs to be told and finished with far fewer episodes than the Netflix series have previously enjoyed.

And it shows.

The first 2 episodes cut back and forth between Jessica Jones (Ritter), Luke Cage (Colter), Daredevil (Cox) and Iron Fist (Jones) and the members of their supporting cast who will be seen briefly in The Defenders.

I would argue if you've not seen, or didn't care for certain characters, this is the show for you that will give them a chance to shine and change your opinion on them.

The weak link is still Iron Fist, but the show acknowledges that, and actually spotlights that this is kind of the point.

He's still "a kid" in theory. He's learning the ropes as a superhero who has been handed a ton of responsibility in life and realizes he's already failed at just about everything he was born to do.

Everything wraps up fairly nicely and sends the heroes back to their own shows, ready to hit the ground running.

There are also a few surprises and changes for some characters along the way as well.

Finally, once you've completed episode 8, stick around after the credits for a trailer for Marvel's next Netflix Original.

Final Grade: A-

Family Drama..."Switched At Birth"

Switched at Birth (2011)

TV-PG

Starring Katie Leclerc, Vanessa Marano, Constance Marie, D.W. Moffett, Lea Thompson, Lucas Grabeel, Sean Berdy,

Created by Lizzy Weiss

The Story:

When Bay Kennish (Marano) takes a simple blood sample for a high school science project, she inadvertently discovers that her parents (Moffett & Thompson) couldn't possibly be her biological parents. That's when they learn of Daphne (Leclrec), their real daughter who's been raised by a single mom (Marie) after their babies were... wait for it...

Switched At Birth!

So there's the premise for this ABC Family / Free Form original series that is now available to stream on Netflix.

Ah, but there is one catch: Daphne is deaf!

So in addition to a series with a dichotomy of the haves vs. the have nots, there is also the struggle to cope with learning that their daughter is hearing impaired and trying to get to know her while trying to figure out how best to communicate with her.

And for the first half of the first season, this show was so very interesting and they seemingly came up with one cliffhanger after the next.

Then the season kept trudging on, for 30 episodes.

I think they really should have split the seasons in half, but that's just my thoughts.

As it wore on, the show seemed to stray away from the original and emotional concept of getting to know family that you haven't ever met for 16 years yet feel already emotionally attached to.

It made some powerful moments in the series, especially as Bay seemingly gets lost in the shuffle as her parents fawn all over their new daughter, and her real mom never really seems interested in her life.

Quite sad really, and you feel for her as the season wears along.

But again, the 2nd half turns very much into a soap opera (even more than it already sounds like!) with naturally romance after romance until we finally get to the much ballyhooed trial against the hospital for negligence.

It gets seemingly lost in the shuffle for most of the season, then is quick and over, and the season STILL isn't finished yet.

Naturally, my grade diminished as the season wore on, and after we finished, nobody really had a desire to move on to see what happens next, as there are 7 seasons and counting.

I'll blame it on viewer fatigue more than anything else. While we never binged, maybe a good week between episodes is precisely what we needed.

The cast is great, and the story itself, when not in the ridiculously absurd, can be quite compelling.

Final Grade: B

The Art Of War... "American Gods"

American Gods (2017)

TV-MA

Starring Ricky Whittle, Emily Browning, Ian McShane, Crispin Glover, Pablo Schreiber, Bruce Langley, Orlando Jones,

Created by Bryan Fuller & Michael Green

The Story:

Shadow Moon (Whittle) is released from prison early after his wife, Laura (Browning) dies in an accident. Traveling to the funeral, he encounters a mysterious drifter, Mr. Wednesday (McShane) who employs Shadow as his right hand man. However, there is much that Shadow doesn't know about Wednesday, but all will slowly be revealed as the two travel across America together.

Man oh man, that was something else.

With Season One being only 8 episodes long, I decided to wait until the season was over to review it.

That is some crazy stuff right there!

From the opening of the first episode that literally made me jump with fright when the Vikings came ashore, I'd have to say I was hooked from the start.

Based on a novel by Neil Gaiman, it's the story of the gods of old that were brought to America by immigrants confronting the gods of 21st century America.

There's a war brewing and Wednesday needs recruits if the old gods stand a chance of surviving.

The cast is superb, and though Ricky Whittle is the lead, I tuned in for McShane, and he doesn't disappoint, as per the usual with him in any role. The supporting players are great, and by the end of the season, the duo of Mad Sweeney (Schreiber) and Dead Wife (Browning) would steal the show. Another great addition was Mr. Nancy (Jones) who electrifies the 2nd episode with his coming to America tale, and comes back strong narrating the season finale story about the purpose of needing a queen in the war.

You'll need Starz to see this one, or you'll have to wait until the discs become available for rent/purchase later.

Not sure where it goes from here, but as one who has always enjoyed mythology, I can't wait to see where these gods take us.

Final Grade: B+

It Was A Joy Watching "Raising Hope"

Raising Hope (2010)

TV PG

Starring Lucas Neff, Martha Plimpton, Garrett Dillahunt, Shannon Woodward, Cloris Leachman, Baylie & Rylie Cregut, Gregg Binkley, Todd Gibenhain, Kate Micucci, Bijou Phillips

Created by Gregory Thomas Garcia

The Story:

Jimmy Chance (Neff) lives at home with his parents Burt & Virginia (Dillahunt & Plimpton) who are living at home with Maw Maw (Leachman). He has a one-night stand with Lucy (Phillips) who turns out to be a serial killer. Thankfully, they turn her over to be executed. One minor wrinkle, she's pregnant with Jimmy's baby, and he gets custody of Hope (Cregut) after her execution.

This is their story about Raising Hope.

From the mind who brought you My Name Is Earl, and who takes any chance he gets to remind people what a crime it was that show was cancelled, Fox brought Raising Hope to airwaves in 2010.

It ran for 4 seasons, and is now streaming on Netflix.

My wife stumbled upon an episode by chance (no pun intended) and we gave it a shot.

Much like any show, the pilot is good, but not great.

However, they ironed out the kinks, and from the 2nd episode on, the show is comedy gold on a consistent basis.

Funny, touching, a tad crude and sometimes downright hysterical, this is a show about a working class family who may not be the brightest, or the richest, but they sure love each other and at the end of the day will do anything for family.

The cast is amazing from the leads to the bit players. Fully fleshed out and all kinds of eccentricities abound in the show.

In the history of child actors, there have been a lot of adorable kids, but Hope is such a cutie from baby through toddler, she's a total sweetheart and it's totally believable that a family would do whatever they could to take care of her.

There are too many good things about the show to possibly squeeze in, but I would be remiss to not mention the dynamic duo of Plimpton and Dillahunt. Their chemistry and timing is impeccable, and Burt quickly became my favorite character on the show.

There are a few moments where the show would seemingly jump the shark, but even they began to acknowledge those mistakes, and they quickly recovered and went full-steam ahead.

I would have loved to watch a few more seasons, but they probably wrapped it at the right time as Hope was getting older and would soon be heading for school.

Thankfully we can just loop back around and watch them again any time we want to.

Final Grade: A-

It's Hard To Describe "Hap and Leonard"

Hap and Leonard (2016)

TV-MA

Starring James Purefoy, Michael Kenneth Williams, Jimmi Simpson, Bill Sage, Christina Hendricks, Pollyana McIntosh,

Created by Nick Damici & Jim Mickle

The Story:

Hap (Purefoy) and Leonard (Williams) are best buddies with a long history together. When Hap's ex (Hendricks) brings them in to find some missing money from a bank heist years earlier, they're going to cross paths with some crazies in the hopes of finding a lost fortune.

This was a puzzler for me.

Based on a series of books, this show is on the Sundance Channel.

Season 1 is currently streaming on Netflix, and it popped up in my recommended list feed.

It's starring James Purefoy? Sure, why not? I'm a fan.

So I watched the first episode...

And it was very slow... deliberate maybe?

A black comedy/crime noir-ish escapade is a tough sell.

It starts off good enough with a great car chase that establishes the main story that will drive the next five episodes.

Then it cuts to the future, or in our case, the past as this takes place in the late 80s.

However the rest of the episode wanders all over the place, so this is a tough one to gauge.

With only 6 episodes, I figured it couldn't be that bad, and it wasn't.

It actually got a little better as each episode got a little more footing and backstory under their belt.

The show was wise in choosing Simpson as a whacked out criminal as the brains behind the scheme.

However without the chemistry between Purefoy and Williams, then this show would have been dead on arrival.

I won't be chomping at the bit to stream season 2, but if I've got the time, I'll be back.

Final Grade: C+   

Don't Believe The (Negative) Hype..."Iron Fist"

Iron Fist (2017)

TV-MA

Starring Finn Jones, Jessica Henwick, Jessica Stroup, Tom Pelphrey, David Wenham, Wai Ching Ho, Rosario Dawson,

Created by Scott Buck

The Story:

When he was 10, Danny Rand (Jones), was presumed dead in a plane crash that killed his parents. Control of Rand Enterprises went to Harold Meachum (Wenham) and his children, Ward (Pelphrey) and Joy (Stroup). Over 15 years have passed, when suddenly some guy claiming to be Danny Rand strolls into Rand Enterprises with the craziest tale about who he really is and where he's been all these years.

So begins the tale of The Iron Fist...

It's amusing that to explain the Iron Fist saga any deeper than that, you will come off nearly as crazy sounding as Danny does in those first few episodes as he tries to convince everyone of who he is.

I was explaining it to my wife, the mystical city of K'un Lun, how his powers work... and even began to chuckle.

Yes, it sounds weird, but it all makes sense as it plays out.

Unless, you happen to be a professional critic.

This series has been savaged by reviews that basically can be summed up by the 3 things below:

1) Danny Rand should have been recast as an Asian-American.

2) It's boring.

3) Finn Jones has no charisma to play Iron Fist.


First, Danny Rand always has been a white guy from his very inception. Whether it was in response to the Kung Fu series of the 70s, this is history.  This wasn't some racist, non political correctness on the part of Marvel.

They wrestled with changing Danny's ethnicity, but in the end, it makes way more sense to see how Danny is treated by everyone if the Iron Fist is a white guy.

As for the boredom issues...

Everyone that has read any of my reviews for Daredevil, Jessica Jones or Luke Cage, I've nearly copied and pasted the following in some form or another:

"It's a great 8 episodes stretched over 13 installments".

More of the same follows here.

It's a pacing thing, and I get that.

Marvel runs the risk of putting TOO much story into 13 episodes if they don't pad and stretch.

It is what it is.

With The Defenders, they are planning on 8 episodes. Sounds just about perfect.

Finally, Finn Jones.  He bounced around in the series as too brash, no charisma, too much, then towards the end, I realized that Danny Rand is still very much a child. He was 10 when his parents died.

Then raised by monks for the next 15 years, he was trained to fight, but never given the chance to grow up, so he is still very much an adolescent.

Looking back, Jones does play the little boy who has to grow up, finally, as the series moves along.

In fact, I dare say that the entire cast actually enjoys possibly the most character growth as a cast that any series from Marvel and Netflix has enjoyed yet.

Where Danny and all the Meachums start the series is a far cry from where they end up.

The one thing I will agree with most critics on:

Colleen Wing (Henwick) is easily the best character on the show.

Iron Fist also pulls the tapestry of the Marvel Netflix Universe much closer together, whether by mentioning other characters or those that happen to appear in this installment.

The biggest disappointments for me from the series:

a) The lack of any flashbacks to training in K'un Lun
b) The lack of Iron Fist's costume.

Both will probably be rectified in the future, but when you have a costume as visually striking as Iron Fist's, that needs to be seen sooner, rather than later.

The setup for season 2 is there, and I'm not really sure whether it will take place before or after (or during?) The Defenders.

But I'll be back!

Final Grade: B to B- range.

The "Santa Clarita Diet" Is Not For Everyone

Santa Clarita Diet (2017)

TV-MA

Starring Drew Barrymore, Timothy Olyphant, Liv Hewson, Skyler Gisondo,

Created by Victor Fresco

The Story:

Sheila and Joel Hammond (Barrymore & Olyphant) are realtors in Santa Clarita. They're struggling to make sales while also raising a teenage daughter (Hewson). Oh, and apparently Sheila has somehow become a zombie, and now they have to see if they can find a cure to save her!

Welcome to one of the newest original series on Netflix.

It's as if they saw how good iZombie was and said, "hey, we want a zombie show too!"

And here we are.

It's got a great cast, anchored by Olyphant and Barrymore.

Barrymore gets to let her hair down as she becomes more and more acting on impulse as she devolves further into her zombie state.

Olyphant gets to play broader comedy as the husband who vows to stand by his wife, even to the point of committing murder to help satisfy her hunger cravings.

The show starts off rather slow, but by the 4th and 5th episode, they hit their stride and things begin to take off.  It builds to a satisfying cliffhanger that leads to the second season.

The show, overall, is good, not great.

I've run into the usual problem I have with Netflix originals:

The #$@@#ing language!

We get it, you're not on broadcast tv, you can let the F-bombs fly.

And they do.

Repeatedly.

Too much for me to feel comfortable watching with any of my kids, even the older ones, in the room.

Or even the wife for that matter.

And that's too bad, as we both really enjoy both Olyphant and Barrymore.

I guess I'll just have to fill that void by rewatching Justified and Drew's old romantic comedies.

Final Grade: B-

Somehow You Get Sucked In..."Heartland"

Heartland (2007)

Starring Amber Marshall, Graham Wardle, Shaun Johnston, Chris Potter, Michelle Morgan

The Story:

Heartland is the story of a family that owns and operates a large ranch/equestrian center in Alberta Canada. It centers on Amy (Marshall) who has a gift for working with horses and her relationship with Ty (Wardle) the local ranch hand that is crazy for her. The family has come together after Amy's mom passes in a tragic accident and they are all left to pick up the pieces.

10 seasons later, those pieces are still being picked up and moved around.

:)

So welcome to Canada's answer to the soap opera format.

It's filled with actors you've probably never seen, and some of the plots are thin, nonexistent, totally contrived or just downright silly sometimes.

Yet...

It's endearing enough that you find yourself wrapped up in the lives of this crazy family, scratching your head at some of the decisions they make and often wondering how any of them have survived this long on their own.

As I mentioned, the 10th season is rolling out in Canada as we speak, and quite possibly available to those in America who have been watching in some way, shape or form.

For the rest of us, Netflix has the first 7 seasons available to stream as I write this review.

At this point, I'm somewhere in the middle of season 5.

I haven't seen every episode, but I've seen enough to stay caught up with what is going so that I'm not terribly lost if I've missed a few episodes here or there.

For me, the standout of the series is Grandpa Jack (Johnston), the patriarch of the family. He's strong, but fair, and adds a nice underlying layer of humor to his character that enriches every scene he's in.

Other characters have come and gone from the series over the years, but the main cast I've listed is still going strong with the show.

So nothing fancy, and a show that is probably not for everyone, but if you love horses, the cowboy life, or the scenic vistas of Canada, you might be entertained.

Final Grade: B

The Enemy Of My Enemy..."The Man In The High Castle: Season 2"

The Man in the High Castle: Season 2 (2016)

TV-MA

Starring Alexa Davalos, Rupert Evans, Luke Kleintank, Joel de la Fuente, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Rufus Sewell,

Created by Frank Spotnitz

The Story:

Tensions in America are straining in the early 60s as The Resistance continues to chip away at both the Japanese Pacific States and the Greater Nazi Reich. The web of deceit and lies on all sides will tangle even further this season as the world stands at the brink of a final war.

So the slow build of Season 1 is long gone, and you know the majority of the characters by heart this go round.

Here's the genius of it all though:

while we watch an America under control from the Axis Powers, you begin to sympathize with characters in leadership roles on both Japanese and Nazi fronts.

That's right, this Amazon Original has Stockholm Syndromed the audience!

:)

Julia (Davalos) tries to escape to the Nazi Reich, and seeks Obergruppenfuhrer Smith's (Sewell) protection.

The Japanese want her dead, and so do the Resistance. Smith feels it's in his best interest to keep her alive, at least for now.

However, all is not well at the Smith household on both a personal and professional level.

Let's just say that a big part of season 2 involves the tenuous alliance between Germany and Japan that has been tearing apart at the seams, and there are some really big events that happen that pretty much burst right on through.

10 episodes. Available to stream for those with Amazon Prime.

I would highly recommend starting with Season 1 first if you haven't though, just to get a lot of information on who, and what, you're witnessing.

It's worth it.

Final Grade: A-

Living In "Whitechapel" Can Be Deadly

Whitechapel: Season 1 (2009)

Not Rated

Starring Rupert Penry-Jones, Phil Davis, Steve Pemberton

Created by Ben Court, Caroline Ip

The Story:

Jack the Ripper, or at least someone copying his infamous murders, is back terrorizing Whitechapel, London. Young Detective Inspector Chandler (Penry-Jones) is assigned the case by the top brass so that he can check off the "murder" block, and move up towards the higher ranks at headquarters. Of course, he doesn't realize it's a Ripper murder, nor does Detective Sergeant Miles (Davis) the gruff, streetwise detective that is forced to follow this rookie Inspector. It's only when Ripperologist Edward Buchan (Pemberton) shows them the connections that the department begins trying to stop the new Ripper before he strikes again. Yet, how do you stop a murderer who was never caught?

It's easy to become enamored with the BBC shows, as they are usually well acted, well written and well crafted.

They are also 3-6 episodes long, so they don't overstay their welcome, or get bloated with subplots that seemingly stall the narrative to barely keep the wheels of the plot in motion.

Season 1 of Whitechapel is 3 intense episodes that are focused on the Jack the Ripper killings, and the oil/water relationship between that of Chandler and Miles (and the rest of the Department for that matter).

It's always been a compelling narrative when you have two dynamic leads who both believe in their ideals and it conflicts with the other.

Each will bend, yet never break, and the partnership usually comes out stronger in the end.

I'm hesitant to try the subsequent 3 seasons, as they have nothing to do with Jack the Ripper, which was my initial interest.

However, the characters were compelling enough to pull me back, so maybe in the near future?

Currently streaming for those with Amazon Prime.

Final Grade: Solid B / B+

Just Who Is "The Man In The High Castle" ?

The Man In The High Castle (2015)

Amazon Original Programming

Starring Luke Kleintank, Alexa Davalos, Rupert Evans, Arnold Chun, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Rufus Sewell,

Created by

The Story:

In 1962, World War II has been over for about 15 years. However, it was America that lost, and it is now divided into the Pacific States of America, controlled by Japan and the Greater Nazi Reich. In between is the buffer zone, which pretty much works as the Colorado Rockies. There is, however, some films being smuggled by the American resistance and sought after by the Nazis. The newsreels suggest a different timeline of the world where the Allies won World War II and the world turned out very differently.

For those with Amazon Prime, you've undoubtedly already watched this one. The pilot was their most watched show on their service.

However, if you haven't, you really should.

The settings, the costumes, the look of the show is nothing short of spectacular as they reinvent the early 60s and put a decidedly unAmerican spin on the country.

The show builds slowly, and centers on Joe (Kleintank) an undercover Nazi trying to get into the resistance and find these films; Julia (Davalos) who winds up with a film in her possession and quickly gets involved over her head; and Frank (Evans) who was with Julia until she vanished, and then has his world turned upside down until all he can think about is revenge.

Frank's story is the most heart-breaking of the main stories, and shows just how cruel the Axis powers could be.

However, that's not to say the Axis aren't just as riveting to watch with their stories, especially that of Obergruppenfuhrer John Smith (Sewell) who has always been a great villain, and he rises to the occasion once again. But to see the family man behind that steely Nazi glare, you almost, almost, sympathize for his situation at home.

So too Trade Minister Tagome (Tagawa) who wants to prepare his country for the moment he feels the Nazis will turn on Japan and seek total global domination.

There's a lot going on, but it's well worth your time.

I'm not sure where they're going with the story, and in many cases, that's a wonderful thing.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

Season 2 coming soon.

Final Grade: B+

The Universe Expands..."Daredevil: Season 2"

Daredevil: Season 2 (2016)

TV-MA

Starring Charlie Cox, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Royce Johnson, Jon Bernthal, Elodie Yung, Scott Glenn

Created by Drew Goddard

The Story:

With Wilson Fisk (D'Onofrio) behind bars, you would think life in Hell's Kitchen would slow down. However, there's a new crazy in town, killing bad guys and making a name for himself as The Punisher (Bernthal). Matt (Cox) will have to suit up as Daredevil to try and bring him down before the entire city is bathed in blood. If that wasn't going to be difficult enough, there's another blast from Matt's past just around the corner as Elektra (Yung) comes calling.

Another solid season in the books for Netflix and Marvel.

While there is still some pacing issues that feel like 8-10 solid episodes drag out to 12, it's a bit better this go-round.

I'd even go so far as to say the first 4 episodes are must-see, dynamic storytelling at its finest.

There is a beginning, middle and end to the story that flows just like a perfect comic book story arc.

The problem, once Elektra arrives on the scene, I began to lose interest.

Truth be told, I was never really a fan, and I think I mentioned before that I've never truly cared for Daredevil.

The focus in the storyline shifts, and takes away from the entire Punisher storyline.

I was greatly disappointed that the trial, which could have been 4 riveting episodes on their own felt rushed and shortchanged.

Foggy (Henson) is being criminally underused in the series when he is the glue that holds the show together.

They could have easily worked the trial for 4 episodes, and then put the final 4 episodes on Castle in prison doing what he needs to do to survive and get close to Fisk.

Then you end the season by getting Frank out of jail which leaves the rest of the Elektra story for season 3, and continue Frank's tale in his own series, which thankfully is going to happen.

I'm still not the biggest fan of Karen Page (Woll) but making her a journalist is a great change of pace and one that shakes up the dynamic.

Much like Jessica Jones, I'm really more interested in the supporting cast than the main character.

Because when you pull back from the show and judge it from a distance, Matt Murdock is possibly the biggest jerk in the Marvel Universe right now.

He does what he wants, when he wants to, consequences and friendships be damned.

Plus, I'm willing to suspend belief on what Daredevil can do.

But when he becomes the ultimate super-ninja of all time...

Yeah, I hated that in the comics and it drives me batty on this show as well.

So critical of a show I can't wait to see Season 3 from, right?

:)

Final Grade: A-

Better Late Than Never..."The Flash: Season One"

The Flash (2014)

TV-PG

Starring Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Danielle Panabaker, Carlos Valdes, Rick Cosnett, Tom Cavanagh, Jesse L. Martin,

The Story:

Barry Allen (Gustin) has grown up after a tragic childhood accident that claimed the life of his mother and saw his father wind up in jail. Raised by police detective Joe West (Martin), Barry pines away for the lovely Iris (Patton) but she thinks of him more as a brother than a potential love interest. When a freak accident occurs at STAR Labs, Barry winds up in a coma, and when he awakens 9 months later, he discovers he has superhuman speed. Aided by Dr. Harrison Wells (Cavanagh), Caitlin Snow (Panabaker) and Cisco Ramon (Valdes), they help Barry learn what he can do, as he tracks down others who were affected that night, and have decided to use their abilities in the pursuit of evil.

I don't usually watch TV, but when I do, it's on Netflix, and it's usually awesome.

So too is The Flash.

The amusing thing, everything that I don't like about the DC movie universe, is non-existent in the television universe.

It's light. It's fun. It's interesting. There is character development and characters that you actually care about.

Sure, there's drama, but there isn't a dark, somber brooding where you really begin to disassociate with the characters and begin to not really care about them.

Halfway through Season 1, and The Flash is living up to the hope and promise that I wanted it to have but was afraid I would be disappointed by it.

Little worry there after all.

In fact, the only thing that really has gotten on the nerves of the test audience at my house, Iris West is a bit of a spoiled self-centered brat. It appears the writers are trying to correct that as the series moves along, so that's a good thing.

My knowledge of The Flash from the comics isn't that great, having read only a few bits from the Mark Waid and Geoff Johns era, so I get to be surprised when certain characters names are mentioned and then I get to match them up to their costumed persona later on.

And it's great fun watching Cisco give these codenames out to the characters.

In fact, a lot of the enjoyment from the series is that Barry has a great support team from both STAR Labs and Detective Martin from the police department. They're all helping him adjust to his powers while helping him be a source of good for Central City.

And with the team-ups with Arrow, that's helped make me decide that perhaps that's the next TV show to watch when I've finished this season of The Flash.

Season 1 currently streaming on Netflix.

Final Grade: B+

"Chopped" Puts The Food Network Back On Top

Chopped (2007)

Hosted by Ted Allen

The Story:

The Food Network offers yet another reality tv contest wherein 4 chefs are each given mystery baskets of ingredients. Over the course of 3 rounds they will create an appetizer, a main course and a dessert with those ingredients plus whatever else in the pantry suits their fancy.

At the end of each round, their dishes will be tasted and judged by a celebrity panel, and one of the contestants will be...

Chopped!

So simple, and yet so utterly watchable. 

Unlike Cutthroat Kitchen, the ingredients of the basket are really the only sabotage in this game.

Forget to use an ingredient and you're likely going home.

While they say it's not an automatic disqualification, it's pretty darn close to automatic.

If you enjoy these cooking shows, odds are you've been watching them for years already.

For me, I've only just begun to dive in, so my Top 10 Television of 2015 is going to look like The Food Network took over programming.

:)

The judges all do a great job of evaluation on what they see and taste. The benefit of them being there is the banter at their table as they watch, and their impression of how well, or how poorly each chef really did in the time they are given.

Ted Allen gets to host and lift the silver lid off the platter in dramatic fashion, but his  no-nonsense approach works well in a show like this were a more charismatic host could ruin the flow of the show or put the spotlight on their antics instead.

Very well done to all involved.

A few seasons are now streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B+

Are You Ready To Watch The Next "Food Network Star" ?

Food Network Star (2005)

Reality TV

Starring Bobby Flay, Giada De Laurentiis, Alton Brown

The Story:

It's the Food Network's version of American Idol. A reality show where 3 of their finest judge and groom a dozen hopefuls all dreaming of becoming the next star of their own Food Network show.

The show is challenging because it isn't just based on cooking.

A Food Network host must be entertaining, quick on their feet, able to cook, a master on nearly any food subject and able to juggle about a dozen other things that might get thrown their way at any time.

Each episode, another hopeful gets eliminated from the competition.

When all is said and done, usually the Final Three are all deserving of being there, and so far, with just the 2 seasons that are currently streamable on Netflix, I have had no argument with who has won, or why.

I actually picked the 2nd runner up, and the winner of the 2 seasons, so I guess I have an eye for talent.

I still can't cook a meal in under 20 minutes though!

:)

Final Grade: B+

It's The First Letdown From The Network..."Iron Chef America"

Iron Chef America (2005)

Hosted by Alton Brown

The Story:

Iron Chef America attempts to recreate the Iron Chef Japanese series where chefs compete for the honor of becoming an Iron Chef.

They bring over the crazy sound effects for the announcer, but in the end, it's just 2 chefs cooking a bunch of stuff in an hour to see who's stuff tastes better.

However, that series, like most Japanese game shows, attempts a rather silly premise and they make it fun.

Somehow when it came to America, it became a serious competition to actually become an Iron Chef.

The fun was kind of sucked out of the original premise. 

Alton Brown and his team on the ground attempt to inject some liveliness into the proceedings, but all in all...

It's rather boring.

The first dud from the Food Network that I've found on Netflix.

They've got a season or two available for streaming, but I'm in no hurry to revisit the competition anytime soon.

Final Grade: C

Something Just Doesn't Click With "House Hunters"

House Hunters (1999)

Reality TV

The Story:

Suzanne Whang takes us on  journey behind the scenes as a realtor and buyer begin the arduous journey of finding their next dream house.

Again, as one who doesn't watch too much television until I stumble across it on Netflix, apparently House Hunters has been on for a decade and change.

That still doesn't make it a great show.

:)

Don't get me wrong, it's fine, but unlike Love It or List It or Property Brothers, there is no quirky Canadian duo to entice the viewer to stick around from episode to episode.

;)

While a slight exaggeration, upon further reflection, maybe not.

We've got different realtors, different people, different reasons in every episode, and while that's fine, there is no dynamic duo leading the viewer to care if these people succeed or fail at what they are doing.

I believe that is the hook that makes those shows work while I found this one to pale in comparison.

There is a handful of episodes now streaming on Netflix. I've watched one, while I've finished all episodes available of the other 2 shows, and both are in the running for Best of the Year honors.

House Hunters remains unfinished, and I'm in no hurry to return to see who buys the next house.

Final Grade: C+

Because The Internet Demanded One More Review For "Daredevil"

Daredevil (2015)

TV-MA

Starring Charlie Cox, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Vincent D'Onofrio,

Created by Drew Goddard

The Story:

Matt Murdock (Cox) was blinded as a youth. Years later, the blind lawyer hopes to make a difference by defending the defenseless in Hell's Kitchen, New York. He does this by day with his lawyer partner, Foggy Nelson (Henson). However by night, Mr. Murdock has a secret. He's the crime-fighting vigilante known as Daredevil.

This is his story.

:: insert Law & Order bomp bomp here::

So a while back, Marvel announced they were partnering with Netflix to bring some of their 2nd or 3rd tier characters to the small screen.

Guardians of the Galaxy hadn't hit yet.

Agents of Shield was doing so-so in the ratings.

Perhaps this was a chance for Marvel to recoup what was looking to be a dismal future?

Hahahhaha....

Hardly.

Instead, it stands as the latest stroke of genius from the House of Ideas.

Those that know me, and my love of Marvel comics, also know that I have no love for Matt Murdock.

Daredevil is a comic that I can read for an issue, maybe 3-4 tops before I simply cringe and throw it away.

He's a preposterous character. 

He's been portrayed as the quippy-jokester... well, that's Spidey's gig.

He's the bad-ass vigilante... Batman's been there, done that.

And really, a blind lawyer? That can only go so far in comics before the reader is bored to tears.

And no, I've never bothered with Frank Miller's take on the comic, I really don't care that much about Daredevil, in print.

So it was with a big fat, "meh", that I approached the launch of Daredevil on Netflix.

Would it be grim? Would it be gritty? Would there be humor? Would I care to finish the first episode, let alone come back for seconds?

I'm happy to report that the answer to all of those questions is, Yes!

It's dark. It's brooding. But there's a light touch of humor laying over the cast which makes the show quite entertaining.

They could have easily left out the naughty language and toned back the violence if they wanted to grab the mainstream superhero audience, but they opted not to.

That could be a genius move on the part of Marvel and Netflix.

Wait, what? Comic movies aren't just for kids?

Nope, these are the Walking Dead-ish Superhero shows for adults who don't want to watch superhero movies.

They walk a nice line between Law & DisOrder. You get Murdock as lawyer, then you'll get a bit of Murdock as vigilante.

It's a nice balance, and they show never stays too much on either, nor do they seemingly shortchange the other part of the story.

All this being said, I've only watched the first episode. I'm not a big fan of binge watching, I like to take my time and enjoy what I'm seeing. I'm in no hurry.

Cox is great in the role. Looking over his roles, I'd have to say this is probably the first time I've ever seen him. He's great, and I'm looking forward to seeing what he brings to the table in future episodes.

Heck, I haven't even seen the villain yet, but you feel the gravitas that they've given D'Onofrio for the role.

Looking forward to the remaining 12 episodes.

All in good time.

Final Grade: A-