I watched about five episodes and it never really clicked with me, even if it felt like the sort of thing I should like.
LockerK
2831
I absolutely hate this trend. Sorry but no, your series released in two distinct parts with over a year between them. Those are separate seasons (and IMDB agrees).
A bummer about the cancellation because I enjoyed the show.
I went in thinking I would hate it, but it’s actually pretty smart, and funny, and dumb, in a self-referential way. I like the part where Alex Jones gets stuck in secret society jail.
The frustrating thing is they had apparently mostly or entirely made season 2 but it won’t be aired.
JoshL
2834
I watched the first episode of “MIU 404”, a Japanese police procedural. Why? I don’t know. It’s sort of hilariously trite: there’s the loose-cannon rookie who has great instincts but won’t play by the rules, who gets partnered with the straitlaced by-the-book veteran who slowly learns to respect him. There’s a crusty captain who won’t put up with your shenanigans. It’s all there! The twist, such as it is, is that they are in a special task force that does 24-hour shifts every four days.
But for whatever reason I found it fun and charming. The crimes (at least in the first episode) are pretty low-stakes (A serial tailgater! Grandma gets lost!). If it were an American production I probably wouldn’t have looked twice at it, but since it is Japanese, to my foreign eyes it is quirky enough to keep it interesting and different.
Speaking of Netflix TV shows, has anyone had the courage to watch “That 90s Show” yet?
If true, absolutely ridiculous/disgusting.
Yes. Disclaimer, I watched 70s Show about a year ago for the first time (loved it).
I enjoyed 90s show overall. First episode was fun for seeing OG characters back, second episode was mostly cringe, but by the fourth or fifth I started appreciating the new kids a bit more and by the end, I was sad it was over. Plus Red and Kitty are still as awesome as always.
LockerK
2836
Like most new shows That 90s Show took a couple episodes to find its footing. If you liked the original this is a pretty good follow-up series.
JoshL
2837
I finished watching all 11 episodes of MIU 404. I liked it, but it is kinda goofy. The crimes do get more serious than the lost granny in episode 1, and it gradually turns from crime-of-the-week to an actual season arc (well, maybe half-season arc). Not all the of the stories seem to make total sense (although there could be translation issues), and a lot of stuff happens because of incredible coincidences.
Still, I enjoyed the characters and the humor of it. And some of the stories are pretty good, even if they don’t necessarily make total sense. Also, you get this banger in every episode, so how far wrong can you go?
Cunk on Earth came to Netflix here in the US. Surprise! I’ve seen this actress before. She’s in the Netflix Ricky Gervais show “After Life”.
In terms of other US Netflix appearances, Diane Morgan also in Death to 2020 and Death to 2021.
Philomena Cunk has been a long-running character on British TV, and has appeared in various other mockumentaries that are available to US viewers in ummmmmmm places (coughyoutubecough) On paper, Cunk is a creation of Charlie Brooker a.k.a. the Black Mirror writer, but Morgan is indispensable for bringing her to life. It takes a smart and talented actor to play such a dumb character, and Cunk on Earth gives her a chance to stretch out a bit.
ShivaX
2840
But think of their tax break.
I was very excited for Cunk on Earth, but I only made it through the first 15 minutes. It might have outlived the gag by now.
It would be hard indeed to live up the the standard set earlier:
I find her amusing, but it wears me down pretty quickly. So when watching some of those videos I frequently have had my fill by around 10 minutes.
Finally spinning back to s2 of Locke & Key, but dear lord do I wish Netflix, et al, would include recaps for previous seasons given how long the gaps can be.
Show creators seem to assume that viewers have memorized EVERYTHING which happened in previous seasons, and we could barely remember who was who (even worse with this show and the Identity Key allowing characters to impersonate other characters)
So Locke and Key is good? i thought it was going to be Divergent-type teeny stuff.
JoshL
2846
I gave up on it after a couple episodes, because it was primarily concerned with who was dating who and the locks and keys stuff seemed secondary at best.
Houngan
2847
It’s . . . pretty good. There’s a chunk of that teeny stuff but not too much, a chunk of CW low-budgetness, a chunk of “these are the actors we could afford, get over it” but overall I enjoyed it. The premise is fun, the setting is fun, some decent ideas using what they have.
We made it through the first season, mostly on the basis of liking the youngest sibling. But the second season fell completely flat for us, after the first e;isode we just both went “meh” and never went back.
Obligatory note that the comic the show is based on is a much more nuanced, thoughtful experience and if the idea seemed good but you weren’t sold on the execution you owe it to yourself to read the comic. Heck, if you like the show, you should read the comic. Unless you don’t like horror, of course.
