A Week in Netflix: w/c 03/08/15

TV

Orange is the New Black Season 3 (Episodes 7-13) Complete

Piper, Piper, Piper; yes again I feel the need to go on about her, but she really is becoming a heavy hinderance on the show, the fact that the writers feel the need to push her onto us more and more with increasing detachment of her original character and pushing her further into the realm of unbelievability, and it doesn't stop there because this all bleeds into off branching sub-plots with other characters that are completely underdeveloped and lack any sense of gravitas and for the most part aren't particularly enjoyable to watch. First we have a new character Stella; who on the outside initially comes across as a character with such great potential but is wasted in this season, then we have the likes of Flaca who gets a sub-plot story that goes nowhere and is such throw away trash, but worst of all is the return of Alex Vause and her ongoing story that has a forced shock moment in the season finale that is just poor writing and something that I really couldn't give two shits about - leaving the finale with a ending that doesn't exactly entice you or keep you chomping at the bit for the next season. Season 3 however is not without it's merits; we do get some quite excellent character development between Boo and Pensatucky and then there is Taystee and her gang who have 2 key moments in the show that are some of the genuine highlights that this season has too offer. If you've been on board to this date, I can't say to you to jump ship just yet, but do be warned that Piper has the potential to be the iceberg that sinks the show. I'm looking forward to the next season all being said despite I'm negativities and concerns with the direction that the show continues to take, but I will head into season 4 with some reservations.

6/10

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 2 (Episodes 4-10) Complete

Well last week I said that Danny DeVito took the show to the next level and now that I've completed season 2 I can say that statement was legit and has been backed up by the increased quality of comedy that the show has to offer; I think now that I've got 2 full seasons in I can pretty much judge what are my highlights and favourite characters of the show and taking DeVito out of the equation - I do tend to find everything that is played out by or surrounding Charlie to be the pick of the moments that the show has to offer, there is just something about the character that is easier to attach yourself to and to care a bit more about his character than the others; for me anyways. And as good and as funny as this season has been, I do feel that I need to slow down the pace at which I am consuming the show; yes the show is very light and each episode really does breezes on by, but I feel that if you rush too fast through the show then there might be smaller moments of comedy and in the background that you might well miss out on. Much like a show like Friends; I think that It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has the potential for re-watchability in no particular order once you've sat through the show from start to finish - it's not like there's much of an ongoing storyline with any real weight and meaning; but instead each show really works well to create new situations for the gang to explore their areas of expertise to create laughter for the audience and within the show find new ways to push the boundaries of their close relationships. A personal highlight episode for me this season was Charlie Goes America All Over Everybody's Ass; this episode in itself was proper the key moment where I realised Charlie was the main character for me of the show and as a collective one of the funniest episodes to date; if you were even just a little bit amused by season 1 then I really urge you to give this season a shot, as Danny DeVito demands it!

8/10

A Week in Netflix: w/c 27/07/15

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.

A Week in Netflix: w/c 20/07/15

TV

Orange is the New Black Season 1 - Complete

I've finally bit the bullet and decided it's about time that I got caught up and one the most talked about TV shows that is still currently relevant in the whisperings and yelling of Social Media posts; this is probably one of the most hyped shows that I can remember in recent years that I've not been on board with since day 1 and found myself just getting started whilst the shows current season having come to an end pretty recently, not since the day I picked up Breaking Bad has a show came with such high expectation and while I've found that Orange is the New Black to be a rather addictive show; that I just want to endlessly binge watch, I do side with some caution with lending the show too much praise purely based on the addictiveness; for sure I enjoy every minute of the show and the characters are great with a cast mainly made up of women, which does feel like a breath of fresh air considering most mainstream entertainment being heavily male orientated, but it's not this wonderful stand out movement that most people seem to be labelling the show as, maybe in America audiences might not have seen a show that is so heavily reliant on strong female characters, but I grew up watching Bad Girls which ran for 8 seasons and given my memory of that show is pretty vague I can't honestly compare the 2 but think that they would certainly make for an interesting comparison. There's a line from one of the CO's in the show that pretty much goes "This isn't OZ" and hell no it isn't that's for sure, it's a fun time and everything about the show is pretty great, but the writing and especially in terms of the shows overall narrative direction is pretty obvious and often very predictable; the show just lacks the surprises to surpass the 'good show' feeling and the vibe of drama and comedy is often a hindrance to the shows overall impact - yes the show is funny, but it's certainly not a comedy and doesn't have the gravitas or the impact that HBO's OZ had. It's a hearty recommendation from me, just keep those expectations to a reasonable level and you'll have a fun time, it's just not the break out masterclass of television that some people might have you believe.

7/10

Orange is the New Black Season 2 (Episodes 1-6)

Heading straight into season 2 of Orange is the New Black, I thought that Piper's story and character development had great potential to take the show in a fresh direction and maybe mix things up a bit to provide some surprises and break away from the rigid narrative that season 1 delivered us; unfortunately it seems that the build up in the first episode and the way Piper heads back into her comfort zone seems like a short journey on the bullet train; and everything so far with Piper has been pretty much lacklustre and I can't shake that feeling that the show has dropped the ball on this one, after season 1's finale finishing on such a strong note; but outside of Piper, the rest of the cast and their flashbacks with more time on individual character development and their past histories being told on screen have been great to see play out; the inner workings of the social segregation of the prison feels far better execution and well rounded in its tone with this first half of the season. In particular the character Red is coming into her own in the show I feel and also Suzanne (Crazy Eyes) really has some excellent performance and delivery and the writing is their for us to really be able to engage with her character on more substantial ground that wasn't there in the first season. So far the show is still addictive, but I'm not sure that the show has really been able to up it's game, but it's only the halfway point and there's still time for improvements to come to fruition; still if you liked season 1 then you'll definitely find this season just as fun and addictive, whether or not it's able to step up and become a 'great' show? I've yet to be convinced, but it has the potential to do so and if nothing else the show is great in the moment and such easy viewing.

ANIME

Blue Exorcist (Episodes 16-26) Complete

So last week I was feeling a little Ho-Hum about Blue Exorcist and this week I decide to make an extra effort and just binge watch the second half of the series; and what I found was that I was really able to engage with the shows characters a lot more and really got caught up with the overall story arc of the show; the comedy really does work well and the interactions between the students really is great to watch, but, and I keep coming back to Bleach, but sorry I just can't help myself - it's not as fun or entertaining as Bleach. The build up to the shows finale is great, but it does seem like the actual end piece itself gets resolved very quickly, and while I know a lot of anime which linger too long and draw out its endings for far too long, Blue Exorcist is the complete opposite - just when I thought that the series was heading down an interesting and exciting path, it was all over then I was fed a wrap up piece which I'm guess means this was the definitive end and there will be no more Blue Exorcist; which is a bloody shame as the show was really starting to get things right and delivering some cool action set pieces. Don't get me wrong I still feel positive about the show as a whole and you could do a lot worse than Blue Exorcist within the genre and in anime as a whole, but it's also nothing special - there's some really great episodes but for the most part the show is mildly amusing and entertaining. I'd recommend the show if you really really love Bleach and are all caught up with that series, but I wouldn't rush you to make this show to be top of your 'too watch pile' for anime, it's worth watching but not worth getting overly exciting or hyped up about.

6/10