I don’t really have much to say, I spent the whole episode just in awe of actually seeing Ewan McGregor play Obi Wan once again, something I thought we would never see. We got a good introduction to the inquisitors and Leia so it was a solid episode altogether.
Best Bit: Seeing Obi Wan again
Worst Bit: The horrible chase sequence in the forest
Rating:6/10
Episode 2
I was not too sure on this one. I found Leia particularly annoying in the episode especially during another terrible chase sequence. People didn’t seem to like Reva’s moves when going after Kenobi…I found them pretty cool. My biggest gripe is killing of the Grand Inquisitor so early. I was loving Rupert Friend’s performance and the small changes to his look made him more menacing. It’s sad to see his character put on the sidelines to make way for a weaker character, not saying I don’t like Reva, it’s just I think the Grand Inquisitor was more menacing and was a more believable threat. I enjoyed Haja, he was quite humorous but I was surprised that Reva did not kill him for wasting her time as she came off as quite ruthless from the previous episode. The transition from Kenobi’s face to Vader in the bacta tank was hard.
Best Bit: Kenobi finds out the truth about his former apprentice
Worst Bit: Grand Inquisitor death
Rating:5.5/10
Episode 3
I really enjoyed this episode mainly due to Vader. I liked the Hayden Christensen appearance as well, it’s great to see him return to the franchise. The MVP of the episode was the Sith lord himself Darth Vader who shows how brutal he can be, choking and dragging anyone in site. An epic duel occurred with the former apprentice besting his master as it played out brilliantly, showcasing how rusty Kenobi is and the emotional torment of seeing his former pupil alive. Vader dragging Kenobi through the flames, giving him a taste of what Kenobi did to him was poetic. A few things didn’t sit right with me such as how did Reva beat Leia to the end of the tunnel without crossing paths? And I didn’t like how Kenobi was rescued, surely the troopers could have easily gunned them down or you know Vader walk through the fire in his fireproof suit.
Best Bit:Vader vs Kenobi II
Worst Bit-The Ending
Rating: 8/10
Episode 4
After the heights of the previous episode oh my how this episode brings it down. As soon as Obi-Wan was put into the bacta tank you would have thought some kind of flashbacks to the clone wars were coming and although the parallels with Vader were cool they were not enough. Obi Wan brushes off life threatening injuries in mere minutes. It was awesome to see Fort Inquisitorius in live action but it was used terribly. The awful fight chorography continued, Obi Wan walks in front of some stormtroopers who apparently just don’t see him. Ben and Leia hiding in an awful disguise that none of the hundreds of troopers present recognise. The whole saved at the last minute cliché emerged, it was such a wasted episode that had such potential. Oh and don’t get me started on the runtime
Best Bit: Vader storming in and confronting Reva.
Worst Bit: The whole disguise sequence.
Rating:3/10
Episode 5
The best episode of the series arrives in the fifth instalment of Kenobi. Right off the bat we are gifted clone wars flashbacks in the form of a Obi-Wan & Anakin duel that had me pausing the screen just to take in Hayden Christiansen reprising his role as Anakin. Something I didn’t think we would see after Ep 4. We also had Vader being an absolute menace destroying ships ‘Force Unleashed’ style and defeating Reva with ease, using only the force. My boy the Grand Inquisitor also returned and his smug delivery was golden. My only gripe came again with the ending, why did Vader or even Grand Inquisitor not finish Reva off? Vader has killed for far less and it makes little sense in my eyes other than to set up a potential spin off something I cannot say I would not be interested in. Overall a great 40 minute piece of Star Wars content.
Best Bit: Vader vs Reva
Worst Bit: The battle scene between the rebels and stormtroopers was a bit clunky and more should have died considering how close they were together.
Rating:9/10
Episode 6
Episode 5 was the best episode until the finale arrived. From the start of the promotion of the series, Ewan Mcgregor said we are in for the rematch of the century and boy did we get it. An excellent back and forth with Obi Wan being the aggressor at times but in control but as we saw in the flashbacks once Vader got the upper hand he lost concentration leading to Obi Wan’s comeback and defeating his former apprentice again in another epic encounter. I absolutely loved it, the fight choreography, the planet, the dialogue was top notch and as a hardcore ROTS fan it really tug on the heart strings. Vader’s slashed mask making his voice changed between James and Hayden was a great touch, you could feel the hatred. Also loved the call-backs from “I will do what I must” and Obi Wan doing his trademark Jedi Stance. We also got cameos from the Emperor and QUI GON BLOODY JIN, his first appearance in 23 years. Just before he appeared I was thinking they had missed the mark not having Liam Neeson appear at all. The Luke sub plot was decent as well.
Note: Obi Wan hurling rocks at Vader just reminded me of the unlimited power scene from ROTS but instead of lighting we have rocks, I don’t know why 🙂
Best Bit: Obi Wan vs Vader III
Worst Bit: I’m not too sure to be honest I guess the ending was a bit dragged out I guess?
Rating:9.5/10
Overall Kenobi was never going to surpass my impossible expectations. The series had really high highs but also really low lows. Does this show need another season? No, the writers were treading really thin lines with Star Wars canon already and everything has been wrapped up so hence no need. That’s not to say I wouldn’t watch it, I would be there in a heartbeat watching it on premiere day.
A really frustrating first season that leaves with more questions than answers but by no means is this a bad thing.
Yellowjackets Season One
Those familiar with my normal ‘Honest Reviews’ will see that I am trying a new format called “Honest Thoughts” in which my reviews are shortened.
SPOILERS
I managed to binge watch the whole first season of Showtime’s new psychological drama Yellowjackets in around 4 days. When reading the description of the show I saw it combined two of my favourite things football (or Soccer ugh) and survival horror. The premise follows a female football team being involved in a plane crash that leaves them stranded for 19 months in the Wilderness with the series detailing the story of how they survive and how in the present day the survivors are coping as adults. There was a large amount of gore in the show which really added to the the horrors of the situation the girls faced.
Right of the bat I absolutely love the opening grungy theme song “No Return”, accompanied by a hypnotic and chaotic VHS visuals breathing an aura of 90s nostalgia every time it comes on. I have had the chorus repeated in my head for days. Most of the time I skip the theme songs of shows but not this time, one of the best theme songs in a long time.
I must praise the actresses both playing younger and present day characters. My favourites have to be Shauna, Natalie and Lottie but I may have a slight bias as I couldn’t believe that Rose from Two and a Half Men (Melanie Lynskey) and Audrey from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (Juliette Lewis) were in the same show. Melanie sarcastic yet evil genius esque persona is brilliant to watch while Juliette comes off as a total takes no s**t badass who seems no different to her character in the aforementioned Christmas film.
I didn’t like Jackie’s supposed death, was very lacklustre for a main character. I thought it was going to happen in the dream sequence Shauna had in which it looked like all the group members were gonna straight up murder her, I feel that would have been better but then that leans into more the supernatural/ possession side of the show that the writers don’t want to give too much away. I also do not believe how on earth Van is alive. She had half her face ripped off which would have become greatly infected and without medical attention it seems ridiculous she is alive and able to talk normally, unless there are supernatural powers at play keeping her alive???
After finishing the finale I was left feeling frustrated but craving the next season as I had so many questions created with virtually none of them being answered such as. I was gripped after that scene in the first episode which hints that the girls resort to cannibalism in the midst of winter. And so with every passing episode I was waiting for Winter to hit but it never did until the final last moments of the finale.
Some of my questions I need answering:
1-Is Lottie really alive in the present?
For someone who has tried so hard to hide their identity it seems a bit dumb for our blackmailer to reveal their alive so easily
2-Who turns to cannibalism first?
I feel its the four main heroes in the present who start it all with maybe Coach Ben being our first victim. The main is weak and has lost all power and with an enemy made in Misty his future does not look good.
3-Are there supernatural powers at play in the forest?
I think so
4-Does Taissa have a split personality or is she actually possessed by some kind of demon?
Bit of both.
5.Whose heart is in Taissa hidy hole?
The heart seems too big for the Dog’s
6.Who is the Antler Queen & Pit Girl?
Obvious answer in Lottie but this show likes to throw curveballs.
7-Did the cult pre-exist before the crash and how do they have modern day followers outside of the Wilderness?
8.What happened to the rest of the group who are not in the present
Most likely dead but how?
9.How are they rescued?
It looks like the forest wants to keep them there hence Laura Lee’s plane failure and giving the group the bear (who chose to die) as they were on the verge of starvation so that group members would be grateful and begin to honour the forest?.
Conclusion
Overall I enjoyed the flash backs and flash forwards of the show and although the pacing was slow at times it really created a tense atmosphere. At times the show can be really brutal and your invested into seeing how these girls managed to survive such a horrendous situation for such a long time. Bring on season two.
An intriguing start that becomes glorified Mandalorian 2.5… but this is not a bad thing
Book of Boba Fett Volume one
The finale of Disney’s Book of Boba Fett dropped a few days ago and I had to binge watch the series to catch up. When first announced I was not interested at all, it just looked like another random side show that featured a side character from a popular franchise that Disney wanted to exploit for money, I’m looking at you Falcon & Winter Solider, Loki, Hawkeye. Was the Book of Boba Fett able to change my mind? Lets find out….
MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT & THE MANDOLORIAN
From the off, I will say that the Book of Boba Fett surpassed my expectations (although they were not very high”) even before the takeover of the Mandalorian.
Episodes 1-4
The fate of Boba Fett was that he was assumed dead after Return Of The Jedi, that was until he showed up in the second season of The Mandolorian and this show delves deeper into how he escaped the sarlacc pit and his road to recovery. I really liked the Tuskan arc, its believable that the Tusken’s would initially take a stranger captive only for him to prove his worth and gain the trust of them by saving one of their own. Star Wars is really good at making me care for characters that don’t speak a word of English and I ever thought I would care for a group of Tuskens especially after Attack Of The Clones.
The show spends a decent portion of its programming developing the bond between Boba and The Tuskans as they seek to end a spree of killings in the desert and It worked for me as we see Boba training to become back to his best. That’s why it was sad to see them massacred off screen, I think if they showed some glimpse of it, it would have been really powerful as I had become attached to them all.
I see criticisms of Boba Fett becoming too soft in this show and I agreed to until I thought about the fact he stopped with a village of people, become nearly a family with them to find them all brutally killed and with Boba’s history of killing I think this was the last straw and so he wanted peace over war which sets up his motivations for the present day portions.
I was not a fan of the group of hipsters (called the mods i think?) that aided Fett, they did not suit the planet at all and were just boring and unlikable. What were those light up bikes they drove too, deary me. They just seemed like a bunch of bratty teenagers trying to look edgy, why would Boba recruit them? I would say there the worst characters of the show to be honest and I can’t remember any of their names.
Episodes 5 & 6
The next two episodes completely change the focus of the show with the story now following on from the ending of the second season of The Mandalorian. I liked both of these episodes , I enjoyed the intense duel between Mando & Paz Visla for the Darksaber with our hero being manhandled and nearly tasting death. I also liked how we took a deeper look into the background of Mandalore and the children of the watch, the group Mando gets kicked out of after admitting to removing his helmet a big no no.
Episode 6 focuses on the training of our favourite little green friend Grogu as he tries to rediscover his force ability under the guidance of Luke. I’ve always wanted their to be some sort of film or TV show adaption that focused on Luke’s Jedi academy post empire after playing ‘Star Wars: Jedi Academy’ on PC. I enjoyed the training montage as well as the flashback to Order 66 which I am an absolute sucker for. It begs the question who saved Grogu? Hopefully this will be explored in Mando Season 3.
Note: I’m sorry but I don’t think I will ever get use to CGI Luke, it just doesn’t look right at all and his face is creepy at times.
Last episode we also see the live action of Cadd Bane the ruthless bounty hunter known for this time in clone wars and although his run was short lived he was quite the intimidating figure and I didn’t have any problems with his appearance like some did. His death was pretty cool with Boba outsmarting his fellow bounty hunter and delivering a quick fatal stab in a swift maneuverer. A quick death for someone of near iconic status but I’m still satisfied with what we got.
The Finale
I enjoyed the finale for the most part but it had it’s flaws. From my earlier point about star wars making me feel for aliens who don’t speak a word of English, you can imagine i was hurt to see the Gamorians fall to their deaths after being trapped. As much as I liked that our heroes had been betrayed it also exposed one of star wars flaws and that is plot armor. For example after being hit multiple times prior, Black Krrsantan was pinned down by multiple enemies all armed with weapons who looked like they would kill him and then next scene he appears out of nowhere, gets shot multiple times again and still manages to survive. It just kills tension and credibility really. Furthermore our hipster friends are backed into a corner heavily outnumbered and none of them die. Our heroes then fight back and kill a load of pikes all of which bodies mysteriously disappear as more reinforcements arrive its like a video game. Later on the Rancor throws a whole speeder ship at the good guys and none of them are even injured let alone killed.
Note: When facing the huge shielded droids why didn’t Mando double jump and slam the darksabre into the shield to break it :).
Last episode we also saw the live action debut of Cadd Bane the ruthless bounty hunter known for this time in clone wars and although his run was short lived he was quite the intimidating figure and I didn’t have any problems with his appearance like some did. I feel he maybe could have been introduced earlier in order to flesh out his character more for those unfamiliar with the animated series. His death was pretty cool with Boba outsmarting his fellow bounty hunter and delivering a quick fatal stab in a swift maneuverer.
It may seem I’m just criticising the final but there were plenty of parts I enjoyed:
Boba & Mando teaming up
Fennec Shand brutal hanging of the mayor
Fennec Shand general badassary
Boba and Cadd Bane standoff
The Whole rancor sequence
Grogu in Mando’s gifted armor
Grogu’s hugs
Note: Is it just me or does Grogu walking around remind you of team America world police?
Overall Judgement
Overall, a decent show that I think surpasses Mandalorian Season one but not season two. Boba the main main seems to surrender the spotlight of his show within the last few episodes which disrupts the pacing of Boba’s story and adds very little to it minus the finale episode. I’m a big fan of Ludwig Göransson and his scores remains of the highest calibre for this show. A fun watch that has it’s pacing issues and flaws but overall brings the action and interesting characters that we all love from the Star Wars universe.
2022 is lining up to be an exciting year for TV fans such as myself. I have listed MY most anticipated shows of 2022 so don’t expect to see the likes of Stranger Things, Peaky Blinders and Bridgerton, they were not for me. All have been confirmed for 2022 and most have dates. Some parts of the list contain spoilers from previous series which will be shown below:
No Spoilers
Mild Spoilers
Major Spoilers
The Boys Season 3
Release Date: June 3rd 2022 (Amazon Prime)
There is a considerable amount of hype surrounding the next season of Amazon Hit Anti-superhero show ‘The Boys’ because of promises of it being much darker and controversial than previous seasons which seems a hard thing to do. I’m looking forward to seeing Anthony Staar’s Homelander return to the screen and see how much worse he can get. Homelander is easily one of the best antagonists on TV and Starr psychopathic performance deserves a lot more recognition for it.
Snowfall Season 5
Release Date: February 23 (Hulu/BBC?/Disney+?)
One of the most underrated crime dramas is back this year. Snowfall tells the rise of crack cocaine in the states and how one man (Franklin Saint) creates an empire based on America’s new addiction. Little is known about the plot expect that it will jump a few years from season 4 and will occur around 1986 where violence in the streets was ramping up as the LAPD tackle the war on drugs. The new season will also see how Franklin copes with one of his allies becoming his main enemy.
Kenobi (Limited Series)
Release Date: TBC 2022 (Disney+)
I would say this probably just edges the Boys as being my most anticipated show of the year. Revenge of the Sith is one of my favourite films of all time and you can imagine my excitement when they announced a sequel in the form of a TV miniseries with Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christiansen both reprising their roles as Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker. Not much about the plot has been revealed but we finally get to see how Obi-Wan survived the Jedi purge up until ‘A New Hope’. The prospect of seeing Darth Vader at the peak of his power wrecking havoc across the galaxy trying to find Obi-Wan is a very very very exciting prospect. The “rematch of the century” has been promised by the show’s producer Kathleen Kennedy.
Jason Bateman’s crime drama comes to an end this year with a frustrating season splitting two parter. Ozark has gotten better with every season. It seems this season is setting up for a war with the Bryde family caught in the middle. As expected there will be plenty of bloodshed but It will be interesting to see if the family can come out alive and finally escape the clutches of the cartel.
Peacemaker Season 1
Release Date: 13th January 2022 (HBO Max)
John Cena reprises his role as the Peacemaker from last year’s excellent ‘The Suicide Squad’. Peacemaker was one of my favourite characters from the movie so I am glad he is getting his own show and from the trailer it looks to be funny. John Cena is very underrated when it comes to comedic roles.
The Walking Dead Season 11 Part 2
Release Date: February 20th 2022 (AMC, Disney+)
Robert Kirkman’s iconic zombie show is finally coming to an end and whatever you may think of it, you can’t argue that it is not one of the biggest Tv shows of the past decade. I personally have stop and started the show a few times but I am up to Season 11 however I am waiting for all the episodes to come out to binge watch the whole series so I cannot provide a plot description without spoilers…sorry
Atlanta Season 3
Release Date: March 24 2022 (Hulu/FX)
It really has felt like a long time since we last saw new Atlanta episodes on our screens (2018!). Finally Donald Glover announced his comedy Drama about an up and coming rapper will return this year and it picks up right where season 2 left off with the group heading to Europe. From the trailer it looks like the characters will get into more crazy situations like they have in previous seasons but this time in land there unfamiliar with. I personally can’t wait for the England section of the tour as well as hearing the new music created for the show by Donald & Stephen Glover.
House of the Dragon
Release Date: 2022 (HBO Max/Sky)
Game of Thrones is finally back after a disastrous final season with a prequel set 200 years prior to the original series. The plot focuses on the Targaryen Civil War in which two members of the Targaryen family clash for the throne. I am interested to see Matt Smith performance as he’s someone who I’m not much of a fan acting wise. Would also love to see a Night King cameo, it’s what we deserve after he was shafted in the final season.
Resident Evil
Release Date: 2022 (Netflix)
The Resident Evil movies were a guilty pleasure of mine, by no means perfect but a fun mindless ride at times. Now Netflix are rebooting Resident Evil as a Tv Show with it being set a decade into the T-Virus ravaged world. Lance Reddick has been casted as Albert Wesker which is a great choice as long as he can rock the iconic Wesker look. The zombie genre has been done a million times and the show being produced by Netflix is a worry as the company has had a streak of making boring, cringe worthy shows with some truly awful acting and dialogue… but lets hope that’s not the case with Resident Evil.
Afterlife Season 3
Release Date: January 14th 2022 (Netflix)
Ricky Gervais heart-breaking comedy is back for its final season. Ricky really knows how to pull the heart strings whilst still providing comedy to lighten the mood. The show follows a man struggling to cope with lifeafter his wife passes away. Ricky is my favourite comedian and has created two of the greatest shows of all time in The Office and Extras.
The Afterparty
Release Date: January 28th 2022 (Apple TV)
Who doesn’t love a good murder mystery? Dave Franco has been murdered at his own party and there are multiple witnesses all of which will give their version of events with each episode. Ben Schwartz (shout out Jean-Ralphio) is in it plus Dave Franco so I’m interested and to think I just cancelled my Apple TV free trial…damn.
Power Book IV: Force
Release Date: 6th February 2022 (Starz)
Power is such a good crime drama, I highly recommend you watch it. Book 4 finishes off from the ending of the original show where we see what happens to Tommy in the aftermath of Power’s finale. Tommy is caught between a drug gang war in Chicago as he looks to move on from his past life. I have not watched book 2 or 3 since they did not really interest me enough to pay for a Starz subscription but book 4 has convinced me to get one since Tommy was one of the best characters on the show.
The Lord Of The Rings
Release Date: September 2nd (Amazon Prime)
The lord of the rings trilogy have been on my watchlist for as long as I can remember but its been difficult to find the time to watch them. However the TV series adaptation is reportedly going to be the most expensive show ever made so expect stunning visuals, beautiful world building and lots of actions. You just have to check something like this out and I will definitely watch at least the original trilogy prior to the airing of the TV show.
Unconfirmed for 2022 but likely…
Mandalorian Season 3
One of Star Wars biggest shows hopefully should make a return this year as we follow our favourite helmeted mercenary. After Season 2 ended with the shocking reveal that Luke Skywalker was the saviour, it begs the question what will Luke do with Grogu and will we see the likes of Ahsoka again?
The Last of Us Season 1
Based on the hit video game, Pedro Pascal will transform the role of Joel into live action as he looks to survive the fungal infected zombie apocalypse with his young partner Ellie. If you’ve played the game you will be familiar with the plot with little indication it will be much different from the video game.
The Idol Season 1
Abel Tesfaye A.K.A The Weeknd stars in his first leading role in this HBO drama about a relationship between a pop singer and the owner of club in L.A who is also the leader of a cult. An intriguing concept plus the Weeknd….. I’m in.
Any shows I have missed? Let me know in the comments.
It’s coming up to yet another Christmas and so I thought it would be interesting to offer my favourite Christmas themed shows and films to watch leading up to the big day itself.
Films
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
My all time favourite Christmas film. A criminally underrated film that i think not enough people have given a chance. Chevy Chase stars as Clark Griswold as he aims to throw the best Christmas ever. However he has to deal with faulty bulbs, the in laws and an old ‘friend’. If you watch this, seek out the original on DVD as the version shown on TV cuts out the best parts and really does not do the Film justice. This movie is hilarious and really puts you in the christmas spirit. I watch this film every Christmas Eve with my Dad and I love every second of it.
Elf
How can you not love Elf? Will Ferrell plays Buddy the Elf, a human raised by Elves as he travels to New York to find his biological father who happens to be on Santa’s Naughty List. This film is for all ages and is a blast from start to finish. The acting is superb all round with the cast creating numerous humorous moments throughout the film.
Please read the negative reviews from critics of this film, some critics need to get a grip and stop taking films like this so seriously.
Home Alone 1/2
Who doesn’t like either Home Alone film. Macaulay Culkin is charming and leads the films at such a young age whilst rarely being annoying which is rare for a lot of child led movies. Both films involve Kevin McAlister being left home alone after his family leave him behind and he is left to defend for himself against two notorious criminals. Both films have excellent acting performances whilst also teaching valuable lessons to adults and children. Kevin’s battles with the two criminals are comedic highlights of both movies.
Love Actually
An all star cast and I mean all star cast is featured in this film about multiple tales of love leading up to the big day. It’s incredible seeing the amount of young actors and actresses that went onto to have big careers in the industry from this film. It’s such an easy watch and I even like the song “Christmas is all around” performed by Bill Nighy. A perfect film to watch with your partner as it tells the different sides of love whilst also sprucing up your Christmas spirit.
Tv Show Episodes
Simpsons
S1 Ep1
Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire
Yes the world famous cartoon show started on a Christmas episode. Homer takes a job as a mall Santa so that the family can have a Christmas that year. The episode also shows how the Simpsons adopted their fan favourite pooch
S7 Ep11
Marge Be Not Proud
This episode made my top 32 list. Bart is caught shoplifting leading to his relationship with his mother becoming strained. A classic episode with a brilliant heart warming ending to put you in the festive mood
S9 Ep10
Miracle On Evergreen Terrace
Bart accidently destroys the families Christmas gifts leading him to cover it up and blame burglar’s. As Bart always causes chaos, it’s so rare to see his remorse for actions and this is one of those episodes where we see him try to make amends but only make things worse.
S11 Ep9
Grift of the Magi
The school is taken over by a toy company looking to exploit the children into creating the next big toy, right in time for the holidays. Another festive classic with an excellent cameo from Gary Coleman.
S15 Ep7
Tis The Fifteenth Season
Homer spends all the Christmas money on himself, leading him to become the most selfless man in town, rivalling Ned Flanders. Homer’s plan to upstage Flanders brings the whole town together on Christmas Day
Best Simpsons Festive Episodes
The Office UK
Part 1 and Part 2 of the Christmas specials are top quality episodes that delivers a very satisfying conclusion to Slough’s favourite paper branch. Ending the series on two Christmas episodes really puts you in a good mood as long term storylines are put to bed with heart warming endings that make you want to know what happens next. The Christmas party is also a highlight of the entire show as we see David Brent finally happy and accepted amongst his peers.
The Office US
Season 2 Episode 10-Christmas Party
One of the best episodes of the show with the excellent “Yankee swap” game being introduced. Chaos follows as everyone’s planned secret Santa gifts are swapped about. Michael is brilliant throughout the episode especially when he’s taking pictures. His reaction to a certain someone flashing him is one of the best moments in the show
Season 3 Episode 10/11-A Benihana Christmas
Michaels looks to deal with his breakup by going out with Andy, Jim & Dwight while Angela goes to war with Karen and Pam over party planning. Another classic Michael episode where he is either listening to the 30 second preview of James Blunt’s “Goodbye My Lover” over and over again or he’s failing to distinguish between the two Asian waitresses they bring back to the office party as dates.
Merry Christmas Mr Bean
Mr Bean fascinates me. Rowan Atkinson can invest the viewer without rarely saying a word which not many are able to do. The iconic character goes Christmas shopping, conducts a band and has Christmas dinner with his girlfriend. It’s obvious why this is one of the most beloved episodes of Mr Bean with its easy viewability and excellent jokes that provides the laughs.
Family Guy
S3 Ep16-A Very Special Family Guy Freakin’ Christmas
My favourite family guy Christmas episode. Lois plans for the holidays are ruined when Brian nearly burns the house down and Peter accidently donates all the gifts to charity. An easy watching episode that provides the laughs that early family guy was so good at doing.
Community
S1 Ep12-Comparative Religion
Community is one of the greatest TV shows of all time and your missing out if you haven’t watched it. In this festive episode, Shirley tries to organise a Christmas party for the study group but its thrown into turmoil when Jeff is drawn into a fight with a bully. Troy and Jeff are the standouts especially when they try to hide the fight from shirley.
To celebrate 32 seasons of the greatest animated TV show of all time, I’d thought I would share my own personal top 32 episodes. I’ve loved the Simpsons ever since I was a little kid and the more I’ve grown up the more hidden jokes you uncover, making you appreciate the show even more. This list took me months to finally decide my final ranking. A lot of the episodes on this list are interchangeable
Honourable Mentions:
The City of New York vs Homer Simpson S9 Ep1
Summer of 4 ft2 S7 Ep25
Two Bad Neighbours s7 Ep13
A Milhouse Divided S8 Ep6
Top 32 Final List
32.Mountain of Madness S8 Ep12
Mr Burns holds a corporate retreat at a snow mountain with the last pair getting to a cabin a top the mountain, getting fired. Each employee is randomly paired up leaving Homer with Mr Burns and Lenny with… well Carl
Best Moment: Mr burns and Homer mental breakdowns in the cabin
31.The Boy Who Knew Too Much S5 Ep20
Principal Skinner tracks Bart across the town as he believes Bart is skipping school. Bart escapes but becomes the centre of a court case involving Freddy Quimby and a French waiter. Its interesting to see Bart’s moral compass as he chooses between freeing an innoncent man or face punishment from Skinner.
Best Moment: Bart hearing Skinner & Homer’s thoughts in court
30.HOMR S12 Ep9
Homer reasoning for his stupidity is down to a crayon lodged in his brain, once removed Homer becomes one of the smartest people in town much to the resentment of everyone except Lisa. To be honest I hate that this mysterious crayon was there all this time, with all the injuries Homer has had in the past it made no sense it was constantly missed and the explanation was poor. However the episode makes up for it with its clever jokes, there is some real classic Simpson jokes found in this episode.
Best Moment: Homer withdrawing his life savings.
Homer accidently proving to Ned that ‘God’ does not exist.
29.The Springfield Connection S6 Ep23
After taking out a criminal , Marge joins the police force after a weekend of training. Marge sticks to the law strictly which even lands Homer in trouble
Best Moment: Marge’s Training
Crazy man: Forget about the badge!When do we get the freakin’ guns?
Chief Wiggum : Hey, I told you, you don’t get your gun until you tell me your name.
Man : I’ve have it up to here with your “rules”!
28.Skinner Sense of Snow S12 Ep8
The school kids get snowed in at the Elementary School leading Principal Skinner to go full military commander, leading to a revolution led by Bart and Nelson
Best Moment: The Kids thinking Skinner is a millionaire
27.Deep Space Homer S5 Ep15
Homer and Barney undergo vigorous training in order to battle it out to become the next astronaut. Homer becomes the eventual winner and his ride in space is not smooth one bit.
Best Moment-The inanimate carbon rod winning employee of the week
26-Mother Simpson S7, Ep8
Homer meets his lost lost mother for the first time since he was a young boy. I saw a review for this episode that summed it up perfectly. It’s not the best episode but it has the best scene in the Simpsons. The scene in question is a real tearjerker, a scene that never gets any easier the more you watch it
Best Moment: The Ending Scene
25-Maximum Homerdrive S10, Ep17
After competing in a food competition, Homer becomes a truck driver while Marge and Lisa get a new doorbell. The trend of Homer getting a new job continues but its an easy watch episode which has some quite ridiculous moments in it
Best Moment: Red Barclay or Tony Randall?
24-Marge vs the Monorail S4 Ep12
A Monorail is built in Springfield with Homer as its conductor but its structural capabities and safertyness soon puts the whole town in danger. The episode is famous for its monorail song and the Leonard Nimoy cameos
Best Moment
Nimoy:”Well My Work Here is Done”
Barney: “What do you mean your work here is done, you didn’t do anything
Nimoy: (Laughs) “Didnt I?” ‘Vanishes’
23.Marge Be Not Proud S7 Ep11
A kind of Christmassy episode which sees Bart and Marge’s relationship strained when he is caught shoplifting the new video game “Bonestorm” at the Try ‘N’ Save. Quite an emotional episode especially seeing Bart’s remorse and his mom struggling to forgive him
Best Moment: Bart’s christmas present to Marge
22.Homer’s Enemy S8 Ep23
Homer tries his hardest to befriend new power plant employee Frank Grimes however Frank despises Homer for how he seems to be rewarded for his stupidity and laziness. A classic episode known more for its dark ending.
Best Moment: Homer’s attempt to show Grimey he’s a model employee.
21.Homer Badman S6 Ep9
After to going to a candy trade show, Homer is accused of sexual assault by the babysitter which causes him to be public enemy number one. Homer tries everything to clear his name.
Best Moment: Both Rock Bottom segments
20.The Homer They Fall S8 Ep3
Moe becomes Homer’s boxing manager after seeing him withstand a beating from 3 other men. As Homer climbs up the ranks he earns a championship bout against the world champion Drederick Tatum. I love Drederick Tatum as a secondary character his innocent but killer nature is a hilarious parody of Mike Tyson.
Best Moment: The Whole build up and fight between Homer and Tatum.
19. Trash of the Titans S9 Ep22
Homer becomes Sanitation Commissioner after creating the slogan “Can’t someone else do it’. The position soon becomes unfavourable as he blows the budget in one month leaving the town’s people furious.
Best Moment: Homer and Ray Patterson exchange words.
Homer: “Are we gonna let politics get in the way of our friendship?”
Ray: “Friendship? You told people I lured children into my gingerbread house!”
Homer: “(Laughs) Yeah, that was just a lie”
18.Homer vs The Eighteenth Amendment S8 Ep18
After Bart gets drunk at a St. Patricks day parade, an undiscovered 200 year old prohibition law has been discovered and is enforced leading Homer to become the Beer Baron and go head to head with a no nonsense detective Rex Banner.
Best Moments: The short life of Duff zero
Rex banner interrogating Ned Flanders
Rex: “Are you the Beer Baron”
Ned: “Well, if you’re talking about root beer, I plead guilt-diddily-ildly as char-didily-arged.”
Rex: “He’s not the Baron, but he sounds drunk, take him in”
17.And Maggie Makes Three S6 Ep13
After Lisa notices there are no pictures of Maggie in the family photo album, we flashback to see how Homer quit his job at the Power Plant to take his dream job at the bowling alley. All is well until Homer discovers Marge is pregnant and that he can longer provide for his family on his current salary which means he has to grovel for his old job back.
Best Moment: The reason why there are no Maggie pictures is revealed. Homer has them all at work to cheer him up. The shot of ‘do it for her’ is one of the most emotional moments in TV History.
16.Treehouse of Horror VI s7 Ep6
Residents of Springfield fight huge advertising figures, the school kids battle Groundskeeper Willie in their dreams in a parody of Wes Kraven’s Nightmare on elm street and Homer enters the 3D Realm. It was so surreal seeing Homer in the real world at the end of the episode when i first saw it
Best Moment: “Lousy SMARCH Weather”
15.Behind the Laughter S11 Ep22
A mockumentary showing what the Simpsons family is like behind the cameras which shows that there just a family of actors working on a TV Show, a great concept. A tv show inside of a TV show if you will. The episode shows old scenes from previous episodes which are explained from various ‘cast’ members. For example the famous Springfield gorge scene is treated as a real incident and shows Homer’s rehab to recover from those injuries. The episode also follows how each member of the family reacted to fame which leads to there eventual break-up.
Best Moment:
Homer: “I thought the cop was a prostitute”
14.The Debarted S19 Ep13
Another chapter in the Skinner vs Bart rivalry as they aim to get one up on each other. Bart befriends a new kid at the school called Donny who is secretly a mole working for Skinner and Chalmers. The episode spoofs the Martin Scorsese classic ‘The Departed” even playing the iconic ‘Shipping Up To Boston’ By The Dropkick Murphys at the end. Its a shame Donnie is only in this singular episode.
Best Moment: Donnie changing his ways and helping Bart escape Skinner & Chalmers
13.Lemon of Troy S6 Ep24
The Kids of Springfield go to war with the kids of Shelbyville after a sacred lemon tree is stolen . I love it when Shelbyville is showcased in episodes as it shows a town even worse than Springfield which is saying something and adds further depth to the Simpsons universe.
Best Moment: The whole segment between Nelson ‘saving’ Martin
Martin: “No one manhandles the bosom chum of Nelson Muntz. Spring forth burly protector, and save me!”
12.The Joy of Sect S9 Ep13
The town of Springfield is roped into a cult called the movementarians led by the mysterious Leader. Homer and the kids are recruited and its up to Marge, Reverend Lovejoy and Ned to free them.
Best Moment: The Movementarians track down Homer in Ned’s basement
Ned:”Y’know I pride myself on being a good host so I’m obliged to offer you a beer – but I’m so darn mad it’s gonna be mostly head!”
11.Homer the Heretic S4 Ep3
Homer stays at home instead of going to the usual Sunday service at the Church. The episode really captures the joys of having a day to yourself and just lounging round the house. A great episode to watch on a harsh winters day.
Best Moment: Ned’s attempt to rescue Homer from the house fire backfires when Homer is sprung back into the a blazed house.
10.Who Shot Mr Burns Pt 1 S6 Ep25
Mr Burns evilness makes him the enemy of the town. Several townspeople including Homer, Bart, Lisa, Tito Puente, Willie and Moe swear vengeance which leads to Mr Burns being shot but the shooters identity remaining a mystery.
Best Moment: Chalmers Yelling at Skinner
Superintendent Chalmers: SKINERR, “Why is it when I heard the word ‘school’ and the word ‘exploded’, I immediately thought of the word ‘Skinner’?”
9.Treehouse of Horror V S6 Ep6
The greatest tree house of horror episode, all 3 stories are absolute classics. The Simpsons spoof horror classic ‘The Shining’, Homer travels back in time disrupting his own timeline and the school kids are taken out one by one by cannibalistic school teachers.
Best Moment: Marge confronting a crazy Homer in the Shining.
Homer: “No Beer, No TV make Homer go something something…”
Marge:|”Go a little crazy?”
Homer: “Don’t mind if I Do” ~Goes Crazy~
8.A Star is Burns S6 Ep18
Springfield hosts its own film festival with guest host Jay Sherman. Residents such as Bart, Hans Moleman and Barney submit their entries but its Mr Burns who goes all out to secure the award even going as far as hiring a famous director’s ‘non union Mexican equivalent’.
Best Moments: Hans’ Moleman’s Oscar worthy movie or Moe being mistaken for Drew Barrymore by tourists.
7.Homer The Great S6 Ep12
Homer becomes a member of a secret cult in Springfield known as the stonecutters. The stonecutter song is the best musical moment in the show and it always gets stuck in my head for days when I watch the episode. Patrick Stewart is a tremendous guest star, voicing Number one.
Best Moment: Homer’s Initiation into the Stonecutters
6.Homer at the Bat S3 Ep17
The Springfield Nuclear Power Plant softball team reach the championship game with Homer as the star player but Mr Burns hires 9 Major League Baseball stars in order to secure the title. However the tactic backfires as all but one of the stars make the actual game due to hilarious circumstances. All 9 stars voiced themselves which caused major production delays as they had to fit everyone within their own schedules.
Best Moment: Don Mattingly failing to shave off his non existent sideburns or Bart & Lisa heckling Daryl Strawberry.
5.22 Short Films about Springfield S7 Ep21
This episode really lets secondary characters shine from showcasing Apu’s dedication to working, to Smithers’s allergy to bees to the pulp fiction esque standoff between Snake, Chief Wiggum and Herman. Each story is unique and most of them hilarious.
Best Moment: Of course it has to be the famous steamed hams segment involving Principal Skinner and Superintendent Chalmers (One of my favourite Duos in the show)
4.Mr Plow S4 Ep9-Adam west
The top 3 was so hard for me to choose because there interchangeable and on another day Mr Plow would be number one on this list. This episode produces one of the most memorable, greatest jingles in the Mr Plow song. Adam West also produces my favourite guest appearance throughout the show when Bart, Homer and Lisa meet him at a convention, comedy gold
Best Moment: ‘Meet Adam West ‘or the Mr Plow commercial
“This Exhibit is closed”
3.You Only Move Twice S8 Ep2
This episode involves the greatest one episode character in the show, Hank Scorpio. The spy spoof episode sees Homer moving his family to the ‘perfect’ Cypress Creek where he works for a Supervillain even though he never actually realises this. Albert Brooks way of perceiving Hank as the nicest supervillain that wants to conquer the world is genius.
Best Moment: Homer’s obviousness throughout the episode to his new bosses evil plans or Hank’s final line to Homer “But Homer, on your way out, if you want to kill somebody, it would help me a lot.”
2.Bart vs Australia S6 Ep16
Bart has to travel to Australia to receive punishment after making a prank call to a naïve child. The show purposely makes fun of Australia and harmlessly pokes fun. References to the countries fondness of fosters and their extreme wildlife habitants and even an old Adolf Hitler appearance is made. An absolute classic.
Best Moment: Its really difficult to chose one so here’s 3:
1-The whole bar scene involving the gigantic can of fosters and the cup of coffee argument
2-Mr Prime Minister ANDYYYYY
3-Chazwozzers
1.Who Shot Mr Burns Pt 2 S7 Ep1
The Residents of Springfield are interrgoating by local law enforcement in order to find the culprit for shooting Mr Montgomery Burns. Every Interrogation scene is hilarious and the episode throws a curveball when the shooter is revealed although it should not have been that surprising considering this is the Simpsons we’re talking about here. The Episode is famous for running a real competition asking viewers who they thought did the deed. The right answer was priced at 66/1 in Vegas.
Best Moments: The Crushing of Shelbyville
Moe’s Interrogation sees a layer of his soul crushed each time the Lie detector calls out his late night plans.
Season 3 feels all too familiar with the recycled formula, missed opportunities and boring characters
Another Netflix show fallen to forced agendas.
Last night I completed the third instalment of the widely popular stalker thriller ‘You’. After a refreshing first season and a hit and miss second season, I was intrigued to see what the third season had instore for the psycho duo. Sadly, this season fell flat and felt all too familiar.
Warning spoilers ahead.
Love Quinn
Now before the season even started, I was not the biggest fan of Joe’s new partner Love Quinn, whether it be her weird facial expressions at times or just that I never found the attachment with Love as I did Beck. This season she just gets worse mainly due to her hypocrisy. She twists everything on Joe like it’s all his fault despite her mindlessly killing everyone that lays eyes on Joe and the fact that she bangs the young neighbour next door multiple times. I never liked that storyline it seemed out of character for Love who seemed like Joe could be the only one and this Theo just seemed bland and way too obsessed too quickly, that’s not the only time that occurs this season. Theo also provided the most cringe worthy scene in TV history when Love is thinking of him during intercourse with Joe. There were some good moments especially the hallucination scene with her dead brother which made me feel for her a lot as we really see the importance her brother played in her life. Reading posts on the internet I know I’m in the minority when it comes to my opinions on Love Quinn but this is just my opinion at the end of the day
The Setting
The setting was horrendous, I know it was Joe’s idea of hell and it would be mine too as all the new characters were annoying, pretentious, and social media obsessed, things I absolutely hate. The actors and actresses played the roles well especially Sherry, a character who I was rooting for to be killed brutally, but in the end I somehow felt sympathy for her as she finally peeled back her ‘fake’ personality in order to show her true ‘real human’ self when staring death in the face so I was not too disappointed when it turned out she survived in the end.
Nothing New Here
The ending of season 2 really backed the series into a corner with it setting up another romantic interest for Joe to get obsessed with, sending the show in the same direction instead of a fresh new start. This felt all too familiar, which is the third seasons biggest flaw. The same stories were repeated, Joe killing for this new woman, dysfunctional family issues, Love being a psychopath. Surely it would have been better if the two stayed together and spent the season on the run avoiding the police whilst still at each other’s throats as they both keep making circumstances worse for each other whilst attempting to raise a child amidst the chaos. That’s the direction I personally would have taken the show.
Underutilised Characters
Matthew and Natalie were wasted this season. Matthew was kept alive throughout the season to end up really doing nothing at all despite so much time being devoted to his camera searching. It would have been better if he had found the evidence but went after the couple rather than the police. Natalie was intriguing which is why it annoyed me when she was killed off so early for shock factor and was replaced by the less interesting Marianne
The new love interest for Joe did not feel right at all. Marianne is thrown into the mix out of nowhere with little personality or interest. Joe just becomes obsessed with her why? Because she’s a librarian? I don’t know to be honest. There’s no chemistry between them at all and feels very forced like most things these days.
Conclusion
Overall, there is a dire lack of mystery or suspense as this feels all too familiar. The last few episodes are pretty good especially the last episode and the show as a whole was pretty funny at times especially when were in Joe’s head, but this is not enough to look past the storylines which are getting more and more farfetched. The Joe from season 1 is a much better edgier character compared to his season 3 version where he takes more of a backseat and is just cleaning up the mess Love keeps making.
Critics are eating this up for obvious reasons, the show pushes certain agendas and ticks all the boxes for a modern day show in fear of being ‘cancelled’. This sacrifices storylines as they fall flat and lack logic which sadly represents a lot of modern-day Netflix products. Shows should not be praised because it fits a certain criteria but rather should be praised for its storytelling and acting. I can’t see season 4 being an improvement if they keep going in the same direction.
The G.O.A.T of comedy delivers another outrageously funny comedy show that will have you rolling round the floor.
Off the back of his hugely successful humanity tour, Ricky Gervais is back with another stand-up comedy tour titled ‘SuperNature’ that is just as controversial as it is funny compared to its predecessor
In the current climate of society it is difficult to determine what you can joke about as some topics may be deemed as ‘offensive’ these days. Ricky did push boundaries to the limit. I was glad to witness that Ricky Gervais did not conform to this and continued to pull no punches with no topic off the table. The special will be premiered on Netflix in the near future and a phrase that was constantly repeated was “that wont get in” in reference to the final Netflix cut of the show.
The phrase was muttered after the darkest jokes of the evening which would probably been seen as upsetting to audiences these days. This is what made the show special, seeing jokes that will most likely not make the cut due to them being too offensive which is ridiculous really as what you deem offensive is different to others so why should others miss out on their form of comedy reiterating that comedy is subjective and should never be restricted because a minority of people do not enjoy it.
I’m a huge fan of David Brent, arguably TV’s greatest character and watching the show at times felt like I was watching a Brent stand up with his little quips and facial expressions. When talking about unfunny female comedians, I was genuinely waiting for him to say “how can I hate woman, my mom’s one” in reference to a famous line from Brent about best friend Christopher Finch.
If you watch this show don’t take it too seriously, Ricky admits multiple times that his jokes are childish and they are but its harmless their just words at the end of the day which some people today seem to forget. The jokes he makes don’t reflect his true feelings and he even takes the mick out of himself. If you want uncensored, unfiltered comedy that will make you cry with laughter, watch this show.
The Simpsons is known by the majority of the world, even if you haven’t seen it you would have heard of it. The creation of Matt Groening, the Simpsons debuted in 1987 on the Tracey Ullman Sketch show and its soaring popularity landed The Simpsons their own show in 1989. And now 33 Seasons later, over 700 episodes, multiple video games and a movie, the Simpsons is somehow still going on.
As the title suggested, The Simpsons was on top of the world especially during the 90s and early 2000s. Dubbed Simpsons fever you wouldn’t have been able to go anyway without seeing any form of merchandise. The show generated between 20-30 million average viewers between 1989-2000, crazy numbers especially for a cartoon. Fast forward to 2020 and the numbers have sunk to around the 2 million mark and the dip in the shows quality reflects that.
Critics and fans adored the first 10 seasons of the show with its brilliant characters, excellent writing and creativity. I personally loved everything up to around the 20th season, I must have watched every episode at least 5 times, the earlier seasons triple that. I completely agree the peak is around season 3 to 10 but the seasons following still provided some laughs and were enjoyable.
My Main issues with the new seasons (S22-Present
Inconsistent quality
I cant sit down and enjoy the new episodes anymore, the jokes just don’t hit the same and it feels like a chore to sit through. This is not to go and say all new episodes are bad some episodes provide interesting concepts, making them fun to watch. A few examples are
The Book Job S23 Ep6-Spoof of heist movies
At Long Last Leave S23Ep14-Simpsons are kicked out of Springfield by the residents
Brick Like Me S25 Ep20-Simpsons mystery set partly in the Lego world
22 for 30 S28 Ep17-Mockumentary on Bart’s school Basketball career
Gone Boy-S29,Ep9-Sideshow Bob leads the search for a missing Bart
The show tries to jump on common trends like Pokémon go, flossing, Trump, Cryptocurrency etc but it just feels like your dad trying to be cool and “hip”.
Reliance of gimmick episodes that fall flat. The crossovers with Futurama and family guy were underwhelming to say the least and screamed desperation. Episodes set in the future like “Days of future future” triggered little to no emotions in comparison to the Emmy winning season 6 Ep19 “Lisa Wedding” which showed how Lisa has accepted her dysfunctional family and wouldn’t change them for no one. The later seasons may have 1-4 standout episodes in comparison to earlier seasons which would maybe have 1 or 2 average quality episodes throughout the entire season which shows the drastic change in quality of programming.
Voice Acting
If you listen to a modern day Simpsons episode, you can hear the voice actress of Marge is really struggling and sounds so worn out which really dampens the quality of her scenes. The whole controversy surrounding Carl & Apu voice actors which was ridiculous by the way has ruined their characters as hearing a new voice instead of the familiar voice created unwanted negative attention towards that character, making them unlistenable.
Over reliance on guest stars
With its ever growing names the Simpsons was bound to add regular guest appearances to the episodes. While the earlier episodes picked their guests carefully and gave their characters purpose, the feeling today is that almost everyone has been on the Simpsons, anyone these days gets given a poorly written random character or they play themselves who happens to be in Springfield at the right time. Take Andy Hamilton for example the “ultimate prankster” from S21,EP6, you would think after all these years and pranks Bart would have at least heard of him from Skinner but instead he’s just mentioned out the blue. After his episode he is never mentioned again, probably because he was lame character or that he was voiced by Jonah Hill who only did one episode for the show. Another example is Steve Carell’s Dan Gillick from S24Ep5, the mob accountant who has never appeared in a Fat Tony episode until now and then disappears after despite being a prominent member of the mob family. This cliché of random characters popping up in Springfield and then disappearing goes for most or if not all recent guest stars. The episodes that have relied on guest appearances have truly brought out the worst in the Simpsons.
Season 21,EP16
The Greatest Story Ever D’ohed
Sacha Baron Cohen
Painfully unfunny character and very annoying with his constant shouting.
Season 26,EP12
The Musk Who Fell To Earth
Elon Musk
The whole episode was just praising Elon than rather actually having any plot, his character was dull and lacked any charisma.
Season 23 EP 12
Moe Goes From Rags To Riches
Jeremy Irons
Irons is wasted in narrating a tale about Moe’s bar rag which was utterly bizarre and obviously boring.
S23 Ep 22
Lisa Goes gaga
Lady Gaga
Hands down the worst episode of all time, I don’t even want to talk about it, that song at the end….abysmal.
Simpsons Worst Celebrity guest centred episodes
Simpsons Movie: The Perfect Ending
The Simpsons movie released in 2007 was a worldwide hit and is personally in my top 10 films of all time. The plot is ridiculous as is the entirety of the show but its simply fun to watch. I’ve lost count how many times I have watched it due to the interesting plot, comical laughs it provides and the fact it feels like the last great thing the show has done.
The movie is released between Seasons 18 and 19, a time where the show was already on its downfall. The feature length film could have been a way for the show to ride off into the sunset like Homer & Marge did at the end with their heads held high and their dignity in tact. But no, due to the resounding success the film bought fox, they decided to keep the show going and going and going.
The final scene was perfect as it wrapped up all of the characters story arc that have persisted throughout the entirety of the show:
Homer & Marge-One of the world’s most iconic couples celebrate as they ride into the sunset after nearly separating showing how strong their bond is, to be together after everything that has occurred across the show from having three children, multiple near divorces, to both characters contemplating adultery.
Lisa-Finally finds a boyfriend who is right for her but I do feel sorry for Milhouse.
Bart-Repairs his broken chaotic relationship with his father as they team up to save Springfield. Whenever these two have close moments as father and son they are really special.
Maggie-We get closure that Maggie is able to continue to have her own family surrounding her for the rest of her upbringing.
Their are rumours of a potential sequel in the works but I would only accept it if this was the true ending of the show otherwise it feels like a lazy cash grab which sums up the last 15 odd seasons. As a whole the show is still one of the biggest the world has ever seen and will be remembered for centuries to come, it still remains in my top 5 shows because the earlier seasons are that damn good!
Struggling to find something to watch? We’ve all been there and hopefully I can be the saviour to cure your boredom. Below is a list of TV shows that have entertained me over the past years.
First of all I will not be mentioning the obvious shows like Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, Walking Dead etc as most of you would have already seen them.
The Boys
Starring- Anthony Starr/ Karl Urban/ Erin Moriarty/ Jack Quaid
The ultimate anti hero show. This prime exclusive may be one of the best shows around. The Boys provides a modern day twist on the generic superhero show with the so called superheroes being a group of narcissists who are owned by massive cooperation’s who use their brands to make money. Its bloody ,its violent, its funny, Anthony Starr as Homelander was the perfect casting choice and he deserves huge recognition for his performances. In just two seasons so far Homelander has become one of Tv’s best characters. A must watch for any superhero fan.
Season 1
100%
Season 2
100%
The Boys Season Ratings
Power
Starring: Omari Hardwick/ Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson/ Joseph Sikora
This executively produced 50 Cent crime drama follows the story of Ghost. By Day he goes by club owner James St. Patrick, by night he goes by drug kingpin ‘Ghost’. Power follows Ghost as he tries to balance his home life with his criminal life which obviously conflict a lot as he tries to become more of a legit business owner but its never possible to get out the drug game. Full of excellent acting performances, shocking moments and intense shoot outs, I recommend checking out 6 seasons of mayhem.
Season 1
95%
Season 2
99%
Season 3
99%
Season 4
98%
Season 5
100%
Season 6
99%
Power Season Ratings
Ozark
Staring: Jason Bateman/ Laura Linney/ Julia Garner
The Bryde family relocate to the Ozarks in order to pay off a substantial debt to a Mexican druglord. The family have to adapt to their new criminal lives whilst struggling to keep their new lives a secret .Any solution the family finds proves only to be temporary as things just seem to keep getting worse for the family which provides exciting entertainment whilst also triggering empathy to a family who are trying everything to survive each day.
Season 1
85%
Season 2
90%
Season 3
95%
Ozark Season Ratings
Invincible
Starring: Steven Yeun/ J.K Simmons/ Zazie Beetz
Another superhero show but this time its animated. The show follows Mark Grayson the son of the universes most powerful superhero-Omni Man. The show follows Mark as he comes to terms with powers whilst trying to follow in his fathers footsteps. This is much harder than it looks as Mark has to struggle to balance friendships, keep his identity a secret whilst saving the world from supervillains. A show that looks quite kid friendly is packed with blood and gore. An extensive voice cast along with excellent twist and turns you wont be able to stop watching. I won’t say too much but the end of the first episode will leave you gob smacked.
Season 1 100%
Invincible Season rating
Snowfall
Starring: Damson Idris/ Carter Hudson/ Amin Joseph
Snowfall is about the rise of crack cocaine in the 1980s. The story is split into 3 perspectives. A student called Franklin Saint who builds his empire with the help of his family and friends , the villanueva’s a Mexican cartel and a undercover CIA agent. Each set of characters deal with their own problems and are put in intense situations. The show really captivates the consequences of drugs and the drug problem that ran through the suburbs of America during this time period. Franklin saint is a great antagonist and his character development is excellent as he goes from regular student to crime lord.
Season 1
80%
Season 2
98%
Season 3
100%
Season 4
100%
Snowfall Season Ratings
Atlanta
Starring: Donald Glover/ Brian Tyree Henry/ Zazie Beetz/ Lakeith Stanfield
Donald Glover showed why he is one of the most talented people on the planet. He wrote, directed and starred in this hit show about a upcoming rapper trying to make it big whilst his cousin played by Glover is trying everything in his power to make him successful to mixed success. Episodes are hilarious while being serious at the same time. The soundtrack is incredible with Donald and his brother Stevie offering their musical talents to make original music if there not already using Atlanta’s great source of music. S1 Ep5 & S1 Ep7 are some of the funniest episodes I have ever seen.
Season 1
100%
Season 2
96%
Atlanta Season Ratings
Arrested Development
This underrated sitcom dates back to 2003. The plot follows the dysfunctional Bluth family who lose everything when the corrupt father of the family is done for fraud. Its now up to the eldest son Michael to maintain peace and order. An all star cast with standout performances form Jason Bateman, Jessica Walter, Will Arnett & David Cross, this show will make you laugh as you watch all the family members try and ruin each others lives. The first three seasons are TV Gold, the show was unfortunately cancelled but has been revived twice, however both attempts resulted in a boring disjointed mess.
Scream
Starring: Willa Fitzgerald/ Bex Taylor-Klaus/ Carlson Young
Scream really surprised me a lot, it was a intense game of cat and mouse which kept you guessing who was the killer behind the mask. Every time you think you had the answer from the very few clues revealed an episode, you would be proved wrong as that character would wind up dead. Obviously full of lots of twists both seasons of Scream provide satisfying big reveal endings with reasonable motivations. They did try to reboot it for a “third season” despite the second season ending being left open but that was pretty bad.
Season 1
88%
Season 2
92%
Scream Season Ratings
The Ricky Gervais Show
Starring: Ricky Gervais/ Karl Pilkington/ Stephen Merchant
This podcast was converted to DVD format with animations to go with the stories that Ricky Gervais, Karl Pilkington & Stephen Merchant come up with it. It is a hilarious watch with Karl Pilkington coming up with the most ridiculous statements and stories as Ricky & Stephen bash him for it. If your fan of any of these 3 or just want to laugh to silly stories this is a must watch.
Banshee
Starring: Anthony Starr/Ulrich Thomsen/Lili Simmons
If you like strong gory violence, shooting, sex and more violence than Banshee is the show for you. You follow an ex con who takes over the life of a dead sheriff Lucas Hood. The shows four seasons follows the antics of the chaotic Banshee town as Hood tries to keep his true identity secret whilst keeping law and order in a town owned by millionaire drug Lord Kai Proctor. The first three seasons are excellent whilst the final season takes a big dip in quality but still provides a satisfying conclusion.
Season 1
98%
Season 2
100%
Season 3
95%
Season 4
60%
Banshee seasons ratings
Community
Starring: Joel Mchale/ Gillian Jacobs/ Donald Glover/ Jim Rash
This is the show I have rewatched the most bar The Simpsons. This was the first real show I binge watched, you become so addicted to the show with the episodes only being around 20 minutes. Community is about the antics of a study group within a crazy community college. To put it simply community is a parody of your standard sitcom and its fully aware of it. Community is perfect at spoofing famous movies & TV shows from Star Wars to The Magnificent Seven to Goodfellas to Law & Order. The writing is so clever with characters you will fall in love with instantly. Lots of guest stars who actually add to episodes and yes cast departures in the later seasons do hurt the quality but there still an enjoyable watch. Community is hilarious and will have your sides hurting more often than not
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