TV
Orange is the New Black Season 2 (Episodes 7-13) Complete
Couldn't help but race through the second half of season 2 this week; damn this show is like crack - even though most of the episodes push the hour run time, not one episode feels like it drags in this season and while the season finale and all its key points and wrap up story lines are utterly predictable you can't help but be sucked in and cheer as your favourite assholes get their ticket punched and also how the star performances get their chance to shine for an extended runtime. Christ even Piper who during the first half of the season seemed to be completely wasted given the season 1 finale; gets a nice wrap up to her seemingly ever going on inner turmoil of relationships both inside and outside of the prison walls of Litchfield. This half of the season has really stepped up the game and produced some greater written character developments and with numerous battles going on between some key players here, it's hard not to get hooked by the show - from Vee vs. Red to Piper, Polly and Pie Fucker from American Pie; even more so in this time around in Litchfield; Orange is the New Black seems to be more about the ensemble cast of the show whilst still having Piper being the driving force of the narrative but not over stepping the boundaries of hogging all of the spotlight. As a whole the show I feel has improved as it's developed though given the ending to this seasons finale it's hard to see where the show can really go next with the exception of Joe Caputo - I'm not sure in what direction the show can go to continue it's growth and not slip back into old habits, that being said season 2 is a win and certainly a recommendation to everyone that was already invested by season 1 of the show.
8/10
Orange is the New Black Season 3 (Episodes 1-6)
Oh my lord will the some please kill off Piper! Seriously though, Piper had a nice wrap up at the end of season 2 and I'm not necessarily saying that her character should be 'killed' on the show, but they really could have found a way to write here out to be more of a bit part player in the show; her character has traveled a path that came to a reasonable end and honestly she really doesn't have much more to offer, yet in the first half of this season we've lost some of the more interesting characters that actually had so much more to offer; now they might come back at a later date, but at this moment in time their absence combined with the continuation to force more Piper bullshit down our throats has left a sour taste in my mouth - Its not to the point yet were I don't enjoy watching the show, but whenever Piper is onscreen I find myself zoning out as it's just this repetitive garbage that is poorly written and really bogs down the show both in terms of pacing and progression of narrative. That's really all I want to say for now, the introduction of newer characters and an narrative avenue is still in the early stages for this season and I can't honestly say that this is either looking good or bad for the future of the shows direction but I will say this, temper your expectations for this third season as Piper is really dragging this ship down as much as one single character can possibly do.
Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 1 Complete
This show has been on my Netflix to watch list ever since signing up to the online streaming service, but I've always been put off by the fact that their are 10 whole seasons to catch up with and therefore have found myself prioritising other shows ahead of this comedy, but when a close friend of mine, who not only doesn't normally have the patience for TV shows in general let alone a American Sitcoms; comes out and strongly recommends it I felt the need to quickly make this show the next thing to watch and I feel like I've been breezing through the show super quickly and having a great time with some great laugh out loud memorable moments. It's weird how this show just seems to drop you in the middle of it's core group of characters and just expects you to already have some investment and connection with these characters, you'd imagine that it's angle a network would take if they were adapting an SNL sketch for a larger format on television; and it really does work here, the style is very raw and I found myself quickly beginning to understand the inner relations between the four central characters, and though there are times where I feel that the actors do come out of character, which I assume is due to the fact that these guys all know each other very well before the show began and there's a sense of familiarity and that comfort zone can at times cause lapses in concentration, but the comedy is witty and fast paced that before I knew it season 1 was already over - probably not the greatest comedy that I've ever seen, but it felt fresh to me and I already really dig all of the characters of the show. If you like sitcoms and comedy in general then this is a strong recommendation to give the show a chance to see if it strikes the right chords for you.
7/10
Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 2 (Episodes 1-3)
Only 3 episodes in, but Danny DeVito has made his entrance and already the laughs per minute have increased two fold - after only 3 episodes of this season I don't feel there's really anymore that needs to be said other than - if like me you found season 1 of the show to be very funny then certainly pick up season 2 because it's started off very strong and DeVito is absolutely hilarious.
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