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Reviews
Bargain Mansions (2017)
Insane and Deadly
Season 2, episode 5 is titled "Rhapsody in Beige". These people open up a major masonry column of a fireplace and expose an incredible nightmare that is horribly bad even for a third world country. 28 feet of pure death waiting to crush the unsuspecting victims that purchase this property. I see nothing short of a complete outrage taking place. Anyone who builds or sells this property knowing that kind of hidden construction is in place needs to be arrested. It's criminal. The idea that this kind of construction would exist in any developed nation is unfathomable.
Upon discovery, the proper thing to do would be to immediately evacuate the property, secure the entrances, and tape off the area outside around this column. A full examination by a licensed structural engineer is needed to determine the safe course moving forward to properly rebuild that entire part of the structure. There is no other option. I wouldn't even want to be in that room, much less stand near that incredible nightmare. These people acted as if it was nothing to be concerned about. This woman and her father need to be arrested and charged with fraud. They should be forced to either purchase the property back, or pay to move the occupants while they pay to have the entire properly inspected and repaired. That's on top of a hefty fine for their gross negligence, and a requirement that all their further efforts be supervised by qualified professionals. These people have no business in building construction and are going to kill somebody.
Greedy unscrupulous people like this woman and her father, not to mention those who built this structure, give the building industry a bad name. It's clear they were not concerned for the safety of any future occupants, including families with children. They didn't want to pay the cost of making that building safe and had chosen to conceal a major deadly structural hazard. They need to be arrested and charged with real estate fraud.
Gold Rush: Wagers and Wars (2017)
Season 8 is under way
Spoilers. There's your warning. I have no idea of these are spoilers, but you get a warning anyway.
Funny season 8 comes out of the box with Todd Hoffman starting to huff and puff as young Parker simply recites the truth and tosses it in his face. As always, Todd was talking big and the kid basically tossed it back at him. Sure, the kid can be a punk, but what I see is Hoffman being so jealous that now he sees the kid as some enemy he must attack. I guess the truth hurts every time. Love that Todd was so insulted and desperate to save his crippled ego on camera, he came with the 100 ounce gold bet with Parker. It will be fun to see Todd have to cough it up.
Tony Beets should have fun moving his second bucket dredge. From when first seen on the series, the locations of Beets' operation always been somewhat a mystery. This second dredge he is recovering is not in an easily accessible location at 63° 4'48.71"N, 139°14'55.87"W. The Beets family hideout frequently seen on the show is at 64° 0'4.38"N 139° 4'45.24"W.
Stranded with a Million Dollars (2017)
A Twisted Experiment
Yes, it's just another wilderness survival reality show, right? But then, not really. Seeing the initial ten contestants, it's clear that many will drop out quickly, and they did. It is not until later episodes when the stress and stubborn egos take over to create an interesting scenario of self destruction. All the common aspects are here to see. The eager drinking of dangerous raw surface water. The reluctance to construct shelter. The tendency to sit idle and ignore the needs of basic sustenance. Only two of the contestants have the skills to meet the challenges to any degree, much to the dislike of all the others. They then become targets of attacks and bullying.
The twist on this is the volume of genuine currency to burden contestants as they must carry it, but also entice them to spend it on frivolities for highly inflated costs. The eventual result is quite amusing as a group of angry and wasteful individuals abuse and deprive other contestants as they see high levels of waste as necessity. As with all bullies, the levels of arrogance and denial reach the standard heights as the larger group behaves like nothing more than a street gang of thugs.
Then the fun begins. Losing members, which included the leading thug that orchestrated the abuse, the group of bullies is forced to even ground with their two victims. As turnabout is fair play, the bullies then suffer the consequences and the expected tantrums are the result, even to the point of destroying $60,000+ in cash. At this point, I have yet to see the ending of this. The former bullies appear eager to destroy an incredible windfall to merely coddle their crippled egos as they display their intense emotional personal challenges, and an incredible level of denial.
Jungletown (2017)
A Warning or a Parody?
It appears a young man who is desperate to make a success of his failed real estate investment has chosen to victimize the young and vulnerable with his flawed ideals. By creating a youthful mono-generation environment, it is far easier for this fellow to extract monetary resources from his victims, all while using the common media induced paranoia to sell his false bill of goods. Why do we fail to educate our young people so they do not fall victim to this modern day Jimmy Jones? While some appear to be realizing they have fallen for a ruse, it is so sad to see some with severe emotional illnesses being exploited as nothing more than a type of domestic livestock. As I would surely be ejected from the camp due to age discrimination and bigotry, I can't help but feel pity for these young people. The fact that older generations have left them so ignorant and vulnerable is a disgrace and a horrible failure. This an example of the result, and it's not pretty.
American Horror Story: Chapter 1 (2016)
B Grade Stinker
Interesting how some series can reach a significant high, then suddenly crash as all the ideas are gone. If this first season 6 episode is any indication, I don't see a bright future for AHS. All I saw was a copy of the old bottom grade B movies from the 70s drive-in era. The usual heavy audio tilt and a music score made of pure cheese. With all the heavy padding added in, this two reel short episode is bloated out to 40+ minutes. It's quite a snoozer that becomes an agonizing chore to watch. As if the non-existent storyline isn't bad enough, there appears to be some type of racist obsession with the producers of this series. Many people in the USA are growing tired being bombarded with the racist material that has become the norm out of Hollywood. It appears this series has become just another political statement to vent the warped frustrations the producers are suffering with. Do yourself a favor, don't waste your time and suffer with them.
Mockingbird Lane (2012)
It's a Hit
As an old fan of the George Barris Munster cars, and being 7 years old when the original series came out, I ate the pilot of this new series up like nobody's business. No, it's not a direct copy, so grumpy old people need not apply if that's what they expected. Portia de Rossi steals the screen like few could, the perfect Lily. A remade Grandpa is much more evil and sinister, and the mischief he engages in is ruthlessly diabolical. Charity Wakefield is just the cutest Marilyn you could ask for. The stunningly beautiful home is fantastic, and updated special effects breath new life into a timeless classic TV series. I hope the best for this new series, and look forward to more of Grandpa's sinister antics and what becomes of Eddie's new pet dragon. And, of course, the stunning Lily Munster, who will steal your heart and, it appears, eat it also.
One Car Too Far (2012)
More Dog and Pony Show
I like the concept of this show. A basic Jeep with some basic supplies, and the goal to traverse some off-road terrain to reach a goal. What I don't understand is the choice of cast. Humphrey appears to an excellent choice for the show. Truly adapted to the outdoors and the challenges presented, he readily seeks solutions for issues at hand. Where they found this Bill Wu kid, I have no idea. I tried to watch this show but just didn't care to watch this pansy and his childish behavior. There's nothing exceptional about this kid at all. He has no survival skills, no outdoors experience, cannot drive any more than the average city commuter, and couldn't be more of a horrible choice for this show. After a few of his comments about thinking he's in some kind of fantasy children's movie, and then dumping on Gary with immature snide comments about Gary needing to do everything, I just turned this show off. Hat's off to Gary Humphrey, but I just can't stand to listen to this little baby Wu in his arrogant high chair. He has the mind of a child and just makes the task harder for Gary. Maybe some people like to watch this kind of nonsense? For me, watching the blathering boy who couldn't be more of a bad choice for this show is just way too painful. A great documentary concept that desperately needs a replacement for Wu. I'm moving on to more professionally presented documentary material.
Diamond Divers (2012)
Horribly Painful
For those who enjoy good documentary material, this circus of drama is not for you. If you think you might enjoy a soap opera of fat old greedy losers making some kind last ditch effort to be worth something in their lives, it may be entertaining. As documentary material, I can't stand to watch it any more. Documentary it's not. I was hoping for a real documentary about this subject.
This program seems to revolve around some boat owners who got hoodwinked by some old uneducated bar brawlers. Desperate to grab money by any means possible, they clearly have none of the skills they claim, and if at all, could only be bottom level "six pack" captains, a status that means little and is easy to obtain with any small boat. It would appear the only polished skill they have developed their entire lives is getting drunk and bellowing like old fools. It gets so insanely silly that they feel they are the only ones capable of piloting a simple rubber raft. Their offspring have learned well, and exhibit the same ability to bellow like an ignorant fool. In the end, what we see is opposite of what is heard. No discernible productive skills, nearly no productivity, constant attacks and brawling, and a level of arrogance and fake drama that is unsurpassed. These guys are one of most horrible packs of pecking old hens I've ever seen. A tiny voice of good sense can only be heard from the cook. Maybe this is the intended entertainment in this series? A pack of old women that squabble and whine incessantly? For me, watching a pack of useless old blow-hards display their desperation in their old age is not entertaining. I feel sorry for the boat owners who have fallen victim to the lies of these drunks and bar brawlers. These old guys are desperate crooks and will rob them blind.
Perhaps someone else may see this differently? I've seen 100s of guys like these. Keep the two young divers and feed the rest of them to the sharks. :oD
Bad Girls Club (2006)
In the Looking Glass
This has to be one of the most outrageous and shocking efforts at reality TV to date. True exploitation at it's finest. But I would ask, what does it exploit? All it does is simply show the evolution of the human condition. Why are so many offended when these producers hold up a mirror to the public? When we see the aspects of vein pretension and material worship that has permeated so deeply into our society, are we seeing just how horribly ugly many of us have become? Is this social experiment deemed offensive because it openly displays the same attitudes that many normally keep hidden and suppressed? In our increasingly dysfunctional society, it is acceptable to think horrible things and exercise bad behaviors in a passive manner, but if these characters openly display such thoughts and behaviors, only they are somehow "bad"? Truth hurts, and for some, this one hurts pretty bad.
On my end I simply see a petri dish. Introduce a culture and see what grows. Compare this one to Roman gladiators. Find some extreme examples of socially dysfunctional behavior, of which an endless supply exists, and see their reactions as they basically confront themselves. Will they see and realize their own condition and behavior when they are horribly offended by it in others? If placed into the lap of leisure and luxury, is it appreciated? Or is merely the entitlement they believe they somehow deserve? Is the tendency we see to turn paradise into a living hell a unique example, or does it merely serve as an example of who we have become as a culture? With these young women being confronted by like individuals everywhere they go, I contend the latter is the case. For me, this show is some of the best entertainment available. I have been watching our society develop for a very long time. I may be helpless as an individual watching the social suicide we are committing, but I sure am entertained watching the results. This series is a total scream! Too bad so many of these young women had not taken it as an opportunity to better themselves. In the end, they'll never be able to say that nobody ever gave them the chance.
Break-Up Date (2008)
A Stellar Effort
For those of us who have been around the block a few more times than we would have liked, we can watch this and see very much to agree with. For anyone interested, this film may have some very valuable insights and suggestions that can make meeting and dating new people a lot less painful than it sometimes can be. Here I felt there was very much level-headed thinking and a lot of straight forward truth.
Collin Souter, seemingly little known, has done an excellent job of showcasing the way our culture and generational influences have impacted our social values and intimate relationship habits. Things change as they will, the more things change, the more they stay the same. A person of any age can see timeless methods of interacting with potential dates in a good and positive manner. And we see how the entire landscape has changed in many ways also. Take note of the comment Marcia makes regarding Reid's High School reunion, and the contrasting demeanor of those attending. I would ask if the current trends are healthy ones?