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Reviews
Murdoch Mysteries: Train to Nowhere (2024)
Enough already
People are going to hate me for writing this, but I am going to write it anyway: any episode that features George Crabtree is BORING. And when do we see the last of this Dorothy lunatic? Probably never. She is the most annoying female villain in the whole series. Enough already! Just let George leave the show, and Dorothy with(out) him.
Murdoch himself was sidelined to a minor and also boring investigation. Have the producers forgotten who is supposed to be the star of the show? And where were the other - much more interesting than George Crabtree - characters like Inspector Brackenreid? On vacation?
Spring Baking Championship: All About Family (2022)
Probably worst season ever
Well. I just finished streaming this season. FYI, I love to watch the baking championships, but this one was upsetting in various ways. First, I agree with the reviewers of the early episodes that Molly Yeh's impossibly toothy smile and over the top enthusiasm with the constantly breaking voice (due to overexcitement?) was hard to bear. But what really bothered me was that sometimes she distracted the bakers with her pointless chatter and constant oohing and aahing. Case in point: she distracted Carolyn so much that Carolyn forgot what her timer was for and consequently burned her bacon. Then Molly (and/or the producers) had idiotic ideas for some challenges, namely the cookie salad that got Carolyn eliminated, even if she/they rectified that mistake when they brought Carolyn back. (Carolyn should have won the whole thing, anyway, by the way.) In the last episode, the idea with a sprinkle dessert took the cake - what kind of stupid idea was that? I don't blame Romy one bit that he got fed up and quit on the spot. Sprinkles, indeed. That man was a hell of a baker and he would have given any other finalist a run for their money. It would have been an interesting battle between Romy and Carolyn, but it was not to be because of ... SPRINKLES!! Jaleesa won in spite of some gummy part of her final cake, while Carolyn's cake appeared to be the best, everything considered. But obviously that was up to the judges who sampled the cakes, so what do I know.
I do know that this presenter should never be asked back again, and I wonder how she has had an ongoing show for the last five years???
Ghosts: A Christmas Gift (2023)
Heartbreaking :(
This episode seemed like such a bonus before I watched it. It was well done, the last scene was hilarious, but the twist broke my heart. And upon mulling it over, I realized that there was a giant plothole: the original reason why Alison and Michael stayed in Button House was that Alison saw ghosts in every apartment or house they looked at away from Button House, that is, she realized that no matter where she was, she would have a hard time ignoring or not engaging with some ghost or other, so she decided she night as well stay close to the ghosts she had already come to know. That's why it didn't really make sense for them to move away, apart from the financial gain/security, since privacy was not to be had anywhere anyway. Also, the numerous basement ghosts hardly ever interfered with Alison and Michael's life style. They could have struck an arrangement with the "upstairs" ghosts regarding time and place limits in such a vast building, making it more like a neighbourly family setup. But of course that's not how fiction works.
Having an old Alison visit with the ghosts implied a progression of regular visits to catch up over the years which was also heartbreaking: the poor ghosts waiting for updates and watching Alison age, aware that they would lose her eventually, though they would have been amply entertained by the happenings in the hotel. Finally, this opens the possibility of a sequel series about Alison's periodic visits and the ghosts' exploits. It would again enable stories about some ghosts moving on, for example, or new ghosts entering the fray (with the movement of more people=hotel guests there is a greater chance of someone dying there). The difficulty would be less to progressively age Alison and her family, and more to keep the ghosts from aging.
Final thought: I think I would have been satisified with the series finale. This Christmas final episode just made me too sad, and I don't dare hope that the creators of the show pick up the thread again. But here's to hoping.
The Rookie: Double Trouble (2023)
Hilarious and good story!
Why are the ratings so low on this episode? The storyline was both well thought out and hilarious at times! When this format was used in earlier episodes, it got boring and led nowhere, but this time it moved along at a good pace, with all the main characters involved, and Sgt. Grey's plotline was laugh out loud funny! This is how I like this show: a good story, humorously packaged. This also means that I don't want to see the horrible Elijah storyline again. Enough with the violent super villains and repetitive horror stories. Entertain us with more humour and interesting stories! This time, well done.
Murdoch Mysteries: Virtue and Vice (2023)
Badly written AND repetitive subject matter/plots
I also agree with the other reviewers that the episode was badly written. But most importantly, plots are becoming repetitive. Julia has been framed for murder and thrown in jail before. The erotic art plot wasn't new either. Most of this season has consisted of recycled story lines. Have the writers run out of ideas? They should research Canadian and Toronto/Ontarian history of that time and look for stories. There should be plenty to choose from.
And what happened to tying up loose ends? Like the psycho who kidnapped Crabtree? I guess there is to be yet another cliff hanger at the end of the season. Not fair to viewers! This has been overdone as well.
I'm sorry to say that after having been a fan of this show for all these seasons, I think it has run out of steam.
This Is Us: Us (2022)
Feeling adrift...
The finale left me, as an observer, feeling a bit adrift...I guess that was the desired effect, to empathize keenly with The Big Three on the day of the funeral. Yes, it felt more like an epilogue to the train episode, until Jack reassures Rebecca that she will come to see that she/they will never be far from their kids. That moment anchors Rebecca's soul, while The Big Three still have some earthly sailing to do. The finale does reassure us that the three siblings are up to the task.
I will miss this show.
Bull: Goodbye (2022)
Not bad, but could have been better?
I agree with the earlier reviewer that the ending was somewhat forced, in the sense that the resolution was not as satisfying as usual. Still, the problem led into the "Goodbye" and made enough sense to finish the series. (Yes, the other reviewer was right that in the real world this would have created the proverbial can of worms.)
Anyway, I'm very sad to see this series go. I almost always enjoyed the interesting episodes and smart resolutions. I wish CBS would consider renewing "Bull". So, how about it?
The Rookie: Day in the Hole (2022)
Garbage
This episode was Garbage with a capital G. Can I give zero stars? Was this farcical on purpose? The shootout story was both idiotic and violent.
The Chen and Bradford storyline was funny - stick with that one! The lighthearted comedy of this show works much better. There is no need to pack it with gratuitous violence.
This Is Us: The Train (2022)
Outstanding!
Miguel's episode was already amazing and had me sobbing.
This, Rebecca's episode, is also amazing (for lack of a better word I am using the same one). I was hesitant to watch it because I thought my heart would break even more and I would not be able to stop sobbing. However, the progression of the story line was so dignified and poetic that it elevated it to a spiritual level that paid tribute to the circle of life, expressed gratitude for a life well lived, as well as hope and trust for what lies beyond.
I think the final episode will be more of an outlook for "our" Big Three, as they continue on their respective journeys.
Writers, well done. Very well done. Thank you.
Murdoch Mysteries: It's a Wonderful Game (2022)
Aaaand he's back!
Murdoch is back! After last week's dismal episode, this one was much more like the series used to be. However, I still think Harry should not become a regular character.
This Is Us: Don't Let Me Keep You (2022)
Amazing!
This was the best episode yet - of the whole series. Hands down. Well done!
My heart bled for Jack and his mom, also for Nicky though he wasn't there. The best moment was when Rebecca and the kids came through the door Jack kept staring at, afraid that his father was going to be the one to open it.
Excellent writing and acting all around, and it fit beautifully into the story as a whole.
(And I rarely gush!)
Murdoch Mysteries: Rawhide Ralph (2022)
Lame and more lame!
I used to love Murdoch Mysteries, but this season the show has gotten progressively worse. The Sigmund Freud episode was really lame, the Witches episode was just stupid, and this one was lousy. What has happened to the good stories and the funny writing? It seem that this show is fizzling out, unfortunately.
And spoiler alert: that lame Ralph villain is not dead. Remember when he talks to a corpse (or whatever that was that sort of looked like him) and says that he will need him soon? He simply dumped this into whatever that liquid was supposed to be (the supposedly recognizable bits would not have been there either) and made his getaway. What was he trying to accomplish? Lame, lame, lame episode.
And finally: the Harry (Murdoch's son) character is thoroughly annoying. He already was so from the first time he showed up. I guess he is supposed to be a small version of Murdoch, but it doesn't work. He comes across as cold and rude. Please don't bring him back.