dvd123 Reviews

Devs (2020)

Fantastic... As a Comedy

[1/10 · 14 April 2020]

Is this what passes for entertainment these days? If I was at a party and someone brought up the topic of multiverses, the very next words out of my mouth would be "excuse me, I have to go to the bathroom," at which point, I'd find the door. I'd just as soon speak to a devout Scientologist. Or someone selling Mary Kay.

I blame a lot of this on Christopher Nolan. Most of us can look back at inception and laugh, but, it was enough of a success to give pretentious losers pulling arbitrary and nonsensical plot lines out of their behinds a purpose.

I guess, if you're high enough, you can look past the absurdity, but, if you're combining a relatively clear head with just a smidgeon of common sense, this is more comedy than drama.

The Plot Against America (2020)

A Long Way from the Wire

[4/10 · 18 March 2020]

I get it. There's strong parallels between the rise of American fascism before and during WWII and America today. And I guess if you don't know the story of Charles Lilndbergh, that aspect could be compelling. At the end of the day, though, there's a big difference between a story that needs to be told and a story that thoroughly invests it's audience. This is kind of like the steamed broccoli of television. Yes, it's good for you, and it's probably good for the nation as well, but I'm looking for pizza.

Every aspect about this production feels tired. If I could pick the top ten most tired themes in entertainment, this would have most of them. The parent with dementia, the married man who says he'll leave his wife, but has no intention, faceless racists being racists- and getting their due, the wayward yet brilliant young man covering for his dumb friend/relative.

The Wire changed the way I look at the world. It had scenes and dialog that I will never forget. This is not that.

Designated Survivor (2016–2019)

Talkiest 'Thriller' Ever

[1/10 · 22 September 2016]

Talk is cheap. In the case of producing television shows, talk is incredibly cheap. No CGI, no music budget, no additional sets, no stuntmen/women, fight choreographers. Just actors on a sound stage talking. Soap operas are incredibly cheap to make because they're typically all talk.

Not that there's anything wrong with dialog. If Aaron Sorkin is writing it, I could watch it all day. But this melodramatic drivel is no West Wing. It's not even Scandal- which succeeds by not taking itself too seriously. Unlike this, which is so deathly serious, it borders on self parody.

As a standalone episode, the pilot isn't the worst I've ever seen. But because TV shows these days put most of their resources into pilots, quality after the pilot suffers. Talky shows get even talkier.

Clichéd. Saccharine. Melodramatic. Exhibit A for the inescapable end of network television.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015– )

I Miss You, Stephen

[5/10 · 9 September 2015]

I've never had a poster of anyone on my wall. I went to a couple concerts in high school, like U2 and the Ramones, and had a shirt or two, but never wore them. I've always viewed that kind of celebrity worship as being kind of infantile. So when I do fall head over heels in love with a celebrity, it's kind of a big deal. And there's no celebrity, past or present, that I cherished as much as I cherished you.

There's a guy on a late night talk show that looks like you, sounds like you and even has your name, but this doppelganger doesn't have your soul. This grinning, unconfrontational Stepford Wife is a hollow shell of you. You were punk rock, this guy's Disneyland. You changed the world. He sells some hummus.

It's unbelievably difficult to imagine a life without you. I know that nothing lasts forever, so our time together was always going to come to an end, but it was a day I never wanted to see- and a day that came far too soon.

I love you, I miss you.

The Transporter (2012–2014)

A Long Way From Game of Thrones

[3/10 · 24 December 2012]

Sure, HBO is only footing part of the bill, and it's HBO Canada, but HBO (and Showtime) and other pay TV channels have set such a high bar for intelligent television, that when something this blatantly ignorant comes along, it's pretty jarring.

This makes Burn Notice look like Downton Abbey.

Strike Back isn't targeted at an audience of rocket scientists, but it's definitely smarter than this. I would put this on par with later season XIII, which, imo, is some of the worst action television ever produced.

Blatantly dumb action television (such as Burn Notice) succeeds because it's generally targeted towards adolescent boys and doesn't take itself too seriously. Maybe a handful of kids will trick their babysitters into letting them watch this and be thoroughly thrilled, but for an adult with some college experience (your average pay TV subscriber), this is an insult.

Mental (2009)

Heads Should Roll

[2/10 · 3 June 2009]

At some point in time, someone read this script. Somewhere along the line there were dailies of the pilot. Somebody pitched this.

How, on God's green earth did five episodes get made? I'm flabbergasted. Someones's got to be related or having sex with somebody. Hopefully not both :) Let's face it, a LOT of mediocre pilots get made, fail, and then are quickly forgotten. I could see network brass saying to themselves, 'House is popular and this is a little similar, so let's greenlight a pilot.'

But five episodes?!?

Walk a bull into a China shop and who's fault is the outcome? The bull? Of course not. I just can't nail the creators to the wall here. They'd probably be the first ones to tell you that their abilities are limited. The fault of this lies squarely on the shoulders of the network. Whatever exec greenlit this- they shouldn't have a job. Period.

Just Buried (2007)

Far From Fargo

[3/10 · 8 February 2009]

With the cold climate and attempts at dark humor, I could definitely see that a Fargo-like picture was this filmmaker's goal. Unfortunately, desire to be like Fargo doesn't necessarily result in a movie that's anywhere near the same league as Fargo. In fact, mentioning Just Buried and Fargo in the same sentence is an enormous cinematic sacrilege.

Some actors transcend horrible writing. Jay Baruchel is not one of those actors. I can see how, with Judd Apatow pulling the strings in Undeclared, Baruchel might have appeared as brilliant to a prospective casting agent. For a while I was quite enamored. If you could actually sit through this entirely movie like I did, though, you'd see how painfully unbrilliant Jay Baruchel really is.

Ultimately, though, at the end of the day, this isn't Jay's fault. The fault lies squarely in the hands of one of the most hackneyed writers to come along in quite some time. This script has the mental acuity of a 6 old. At first you groan at the hideous choices the writer makes, but, by the end, you're laughing- a lot. It's just so stupid and so far-fetched- there's nothing left to do but laugh.

Boring, predictable and dumb. This is in my top 10 most miserable movie going experiences. Rose Byrne, shame on you for accepting this role. If this is indicative of your ability to weed out good scripts from the bad, you're in heaps of trouble. At no point in time could this script ever have looked like a viable project.

Unless, of course, you have a 6 year old reading scripts for you.

True Beauty (2009–2010)

Pot Calling the Kettle...

[5/10 · 20 January 2009]

Nolé Marin. Vanessa Minnillo. Cheryl Tiegs. One troll, one ditzy hotty and one plastic surgery disaster. And that's on the outside. On the inside, the picture gets worse. All three have varying levels of

Pretentiousness -- Superficiality -- Vanity -- Selfishness -- Dishonesty -- Ignorance -- Promiscuity -- Laziness -- Arrogance -- Hypocrisy

Nolé seems the most comfortable with his black soul, while Vanessa tries the hardest to hide hers. Cheryl's so busy trying to stay lucid that I don't think she even understands the extent of her evilness.

I love it when they all feign horror when the contestant fails to pick up the litter, when you know, in real life, none of them have touched litter in years- possibly ever. Just talk to any of their assistants. They'll be more than happy to reveal the full extent of their inner ugliness.

With the right judges, this show could have been phenomenal. It could have sent a message that you'd find no where else on TV. An original thought. As it's stands, it's just repulsive people passing judgment on other repulsive people. For a show about inner beauty I find it mind boggling that not one single character has the slightest bit of it.

And yet... when all it said and done... I can't look away. This is the car wreck that I have to drive by and look at over and over again. Repulsive celebrities and wannabe repulsive celebrities are still a pretty fascinating watch. But, just like you're average sports fan who yells at the TV, you'll find me equally as agitated, screaming things like

"Nolé, you are SUCH a slut!" -- "Vanessa, grow a brain!" -- "Cheryl, hellooooo, is anybody in there?!?!"

Gardener of Eden (I) (2007)

In the Weeds

[4/10 · 23 November 2008]

It's all John Steinbeck's fault. He's to blame. Well, Steinbeck and the educational system that validates his works. News flash. Mice and Men is crap. There's nothing poetic about stupid people doing stupid things. Not 65 years ago, not ever. If you're writing a movie and the only substantiation you can find for a particular character making a particular choice is that he's a nitwit, it's time to choose another profession. Dumb characters making idiotic choices do not good cinema make.

One would think that with 5 years of reading some of the best scripts television has to offer, Kevin Connolly would be able to tell the difference between a good and a bad script.

With this film, it's quite obvious that he cannot. Take Clerks, subtract the humorous dialog, and to that add Unbreakable, but without M. Night Shyamalan's brilliant cinematography and engrossing story. To all this, add a suffocating dose of dreariness and... voilà, you've got Gardener of Eden.

On the bright side, the acting was very strong by everyone involved. They did the best that they could with what they had to work with. And although it lacked the artistry of Unbreakable, it wasn't aesthetically challenged. Connolly executed a vision. You could definitely see that both cast and crew were very earnest in their attempt. I give it an A+ for effort.

Unfortunately, though, a good script is the foundation from which everything is built. Without it, the whole structure crumbles.

Eden Lake (2008)

One Dimensional

[3/10 · 9 November 2008]

If you're looking for a glimpse into lower class English youth sadism... this is it. In that sense it almost plays like a documentary. If you're looking for more than that, though, I'd go elsewhere. A Clockwork Orange, for instance, covers similar territory, but, thanks to the brilliance of Kubrick, ventures so much farther. That brilliance, alas, cannot be found here.

Spoiler: A naive dimwitted couple vacationing in a remote area stirs up a hornet's nest of sadistic youth. The kids kill the man, the girl kills a couple kids, makes her way to civilization, only to be killed by the kid's parents.

They stretch it out with plenty of tiresome chases and even more gratuitous sadism, but that's the core. Does that sound like a fantastic movie to you? This kind of movie could only be made in Britain, as any Hollywood producer listening to this pitch would laugh in their face.

If you need a dose of locals gone loco, go check out Deliverance. If you need sadism (or therapy), it's not the best movie, but Hostel is better than this. To be honest, just about any woods based horror flick is better than this- even Wrong Turn.

I will give it credit for one thing. It's very simple. A ten year old could probably follow the plot. There's no B story, no humor, no soundtrack, no CGI and no sets. And the acting is somewhat believable.

Overall, though, it's a 15 minute story trapped in a 90 minute movie.

Eleventh Hour (2008–2009)

The End of an Era

[5/10 · 17 October 2008]

Jerry Bruckheimer used to be my hero. If you add up the box office receipts from all his films, you'd probably exceed any other producer by a factor of at least 4. No, none of his stuff won any Cannes awards or achieved a great deal of artistic recognition, but, he put bodies in seats, and, for the most part, provided a thrilling ride. The man knew how to please the masses.

TV has been no different. The first season of CSI, was, by far, the best TV of it's time. When the screen went black and "Executive Producer Jerry Bruckheimer" flashed, it would send a shiver down my spine. I'll admit it, I worshiped at the man's altar.

Like all great runs, though, it has come to an end. Either he's lending his name to other people's projects or his Midas touch has vanished. Whatever the reason, the magic is gone. There is no better proof of this than the epic failure of Eleventh Hour.

I say epic, not because the show is completely horrible, but because of the exalted expectations of a Bruckheimer production and the heightened buzz of the TV press- who would have us believe that this would be the THE show to watch this season.

How did it fail? Well, quite simply, it plays a lot like the UK original- a show that, although it has it's fans across the pond, is pretty mediocre when compared to big budget American TV standards. UK TV has it's strengths- great acting and solid writing, but, for the most part, it just isn't thrilling. I think a part of the lack of thrills is a shortage of resources/money, but another factor is a more conservative/older UK audience. It's just a different animal. Comedies can successfully make the jump to the American market, but in order for British dramas to be successful here, they need substantial reworking. Needless to say, this was almost a carbon copy.

Canadian dramas- same thing. Regenesis (another very similar show), as popular as it was there, would fail miserably in the US. Sorry Regenesis fans, but that's the truth.

I'll still continue to watch, but with far diminished expectations. Like I said before, the show isn't horrible, just not up to the Bruckheimer mold. Sewell and Shelton both have the potential for some great performances and it's possible that after they've completely mined the 4 episodes of UK material it might get more original/thrilling. I'm not holding my breath, but anything is possible.

As far as other Bruckheimer productions are concerned, my excitement is considerably tempered. He may not be down for the count, but achieving his former glory, at least from my perspective, might be impossible.

Mr. Bruckheimer, you're one of the greatest movie/TV producers of all time, but if this show is indicative of the quality of work you're going to put out in the future, your era is at an end.

Cleaner (2007)

Idiotically Unoriginal

[4/10 · 12 May 2008]

Matthew Aldrich. This is a name worthy of remembrance. This is the individual that took fingers to keyboard and came up with one of the worst scripts of all time. Cliché. Predictable. An insult to the public's intelligence.

Is he the sole beneficiary of blame? Of course not. Renny Harlin took this abysmal excuse for a script and made it into a movie. Sam Jackson and Ed Harris actually read it (or not) and chose to star in it. Culpability abounds.

This is the Denise Richards of film scripts. There aren't enough Razzies in the universe to give proper recognition to how truly horrible this writing really is.

In all fairness, Samuel Jackson's profession is incredibly novel and the manner in which it's presented is highly creative, but, at the end of the day, it's all just trimmings. Pretty trimmings.

Package it any way you want- garbage writing is still garbage writing.

Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000)

I Love This Show

[10/10 · 30 July 2007]

I've watched just about everything there is to watch for the last 25 years and this is my favorite out of all of it. That's saying something.

Out of all of the televisions shows that were canceled well before their time, the cancellation of this show makes me the angriest (firefly is high on that list as well).

I have never had a stronger sense of connection with a work of art. It speaks to me. It speaks to my soul.

Bear in mind that I was in high school about the same time that this story takes place, I am about the same age (and gender) as the show's creators, and I also grew up in the same area, at least the same area as Judd Apatow, the executive producer. I am also a freak and a geek watching a show that is basically a love letter to freaks and geeks. In many senses, I am the target demographic. Not only that, because I am smack in the middle of Generation X, I am very very rarely the target demographic, making times when I am the target demographic extremely special. This is one of those times.

I know, everyone and their brother is head over heels in love with this show and my glowing praise is just a single drop in a sea of glowing praise. It doesn't make a difference. I love this show and will always love this show. I will scream it from the mountain tops.

I love this show.

This Film Is Not Yet Rated (2006)

If You're Waiting for Blockbuster to Carry This Film... Don't

[9/10 · 21 July 2007]

After waiting 6 months for Blockbuster Online to carry this film, I gave up and rented it from Netflix. Needless to say, after seeing it, I now know why Blockbuster isn't carrying it and understand why they will never carry it. It's because this film criticizes them for not carrying NC-17 films, an action which supports a gender biased, sexual orientation biased, racially biased, violence promoting, mercenary, puritanical, duplicitous and just plain idiotic system- the MPAA ratings.

Although I'm a tremendous cinephile, It's been a long time since I've been in a movie theater, preferring instead to watch everything on DVD. After seeing this film and witnessing the self serving manner in which the MPAA acts (under the guise of 'serving' the public), I'm glad that they get a substantially smaller cut from my $.75 DVD rentals than they do from $10 movie tickets. If I could watch films and not give them a single penny, I would. The studios have been tremendously powerful since they were formed- the manner in which they wield the MPAA ratings as a weapon to silence opposition and independent thought is one of many ways in which this absolute power is abused.

The public isn't served, the film makers aren't served, the only people making out like bandits in this equation are the studios. The independent film maker has no chance in this scenario. This small group of studio execs (and, every day, getting smaller) makes the decision as to what we can and cannot watch and can effectively silence anyone that has a different perspective or who can't afford to pay tribute- just one more example of the wealthier getting ever wealthier and shrinking in numbers while the poor keep getting poorer and growing.

It's not democratic, it's not just, it's not American and it's not right.

Brutal (2007 Video)

Peeee Yew!

[1/10 · 18 July 2007]

This is a real stinker.

For some reason I thought this was actually going to be a real movie. It was within the top 30 pre-leases on Amazon for the week it came out AND it starred one of my all time favorite actors- Jeffrey Coombs.

I had hopes. Hopes that were dashed against a stone within the first five minutes. Jeffrey and the villain had marginally believable characters, but just about everyone else made Denise Richards look like Laurence Oliver. They were just horrible. And not very pretty either. It wasn't like they sacrificed acting ability for looks. I've seen a LOT of bad acting- community theater, Troma movies, high school productions. This ranks below just about all of it.

Like the other reviewer stated, this is definitely an F movie.

The story is a joke as well, although you're so busy being amazed by how bad the acting is, it's hard to scrutinize the plot that closely.

On a happier note, this movie helped me to realize how good most of the stuff I watch is. After this, I'm much more appreciative of actors and their craft. Most actors, that is. Definitely not these.

As far as my fondness for Jeffrey Coombs goes... it's still pretty far up there, but not quite as high as it was.

Ghost Rider (2007)

Planet of the Apes

[1/10 · 14 June 2007]

2 percent.

That's all that separates humans from apes. You, me, everyone you meet is 98 percent primate. Although a lot of things in this world don't make sense, when you look at them in the context of our DNA, the logic becomes clear. Murder, war, professional wrestling, illiteracy, Jerry Springer, our President, the popularity of ridiculously bad movies such as Ghost Rider- none of these make sense until you realize how far back we are on the evolutionary chain.

Don't get me wrong, for the most part, I'm proud to be a human being. We achieved quite a lot with the 2 percent that makes us unique. But today, at this moment, while I ponder the sheer stupidity of this film, I'm not proud. Not proud at all.

Damn us, damn us all to hell.

Hannibal Rising (2007)

Brazil and Shri Lanka Share Borders, Right?

[5/10 · 3 June 2007]

Of course they don't. They don't share borders on this planet. But to a casting director this ignorant of world geography, this type of thinking is quite possible.

I'm trying to understand the casting director's thought process for casting this movie.

"Okay, we'll hire a French actor with a heavy French accent who has trouble pronouncing R's to play a role made famous by an English actor who converses with an extraordinary clarity, and, lets' see, we'll hire a notoriously bad Chinese actress to play a Japanese Character."

Dude, get out a map. France and England are totally different countries. Same thing with China and Japan. What's next, a Mexican playing George Washington?

Don't get me wrong, Ulliel is a tremendously talented actor and he's surprisingly convincing in capturing the emotional center of the role. But the accent... oh, the accent. It will drive you up a wall.

Gong Li and a paper bag. You know where I'm going here. The moment she pops up into a picture, you know that substance is being sacrificed for style. She's absolutely gorgeous, but to compare her acting ability to cardboard would be an insult to cardboard.

I could also complain that the plot's been done a thousand times before, but you know what? I've seen it a thousand times and I still enjoy it.

Those are the extent of my complaints. Other than that, I thought it was okay. Beautiful cinematography, a nice brisk pace, along with a fascinating looking into the creation legend of one of the silver screens most beloved villains. It's worth seeing, but definitely, expect to gnash some teeth at least once during the film.

Drive Thru (2007)

Good If Not Taken Too Seriously

[7/10 · 2 June 2007]

Considering some of the reviews here and elsewhere and the lack of any big names, I was more than a little skeptical going into this film. My suspicions turned out to be unfounded, though, as the film was actually surprisingly good.

It's been a long time since I've heard a movie soundtrack where the bulk of the songs were not only performed by people born in the last 20 years, but they were performed well. A good soundtrack is hard to find and adds SO much to a movie. You can have a pretty mediocre film and add a great soundtrack and it ends up being quite watchable.

Some of the acting is a little wooden and the plot is almost laughably cliché. One could argue, though, that a laughably cliché plot was their goal, that they were somehow trying to recreate the far-fetched plot horror flicks of years past. If so, they did it masterfully.

I was expecting a very low budget, but it really didn't look that way. I'm always impressed when low budget movies don't look low budget. The editing was creative, especially the ramping of the kill scenes/killer's movements for increased dramatic effect.

Overall, this movie portrayed something that seems to be in short supply on celluloid these days- youthful exuberance. If you are a teenager, or, if, for 83 minutes you can channel the spirit of a teenager, you're in for a fun ride.

With a little more money and some better writing, I think these directors will be able to do really great things. I'm looking forward to their next project.

The Kovak Box (2006)

Hitchcock Is Alive and Well (And Living in Spain!)

[7/10 · 22 May 2007]

Hitchcockian. God, I hate that word. It's impossible to critique this movie, though, without using it. This movie is as Hitchcockian as they come. The director isn't just heavily influenced, he's the living reincarnation of Sir Alfred. The reluctant, conspiratorially challenged dashing leading man. The sexy bombshell with the bad accent. The virtuosically filmed lush exotic European locale. The chillingly creepy arch villain. The meticulously engineered ebb and flow of dramatic tension. Like all Hitchcock films, this offering just oozes with style.

Had Hitchock directed this film towards the end of his career (early 70s), it would have garnered him an Academy Award. It's that good. Considering that it's an English speaking film directed by a Spanish speaking director... it's an amazing achievement.

Unfortunately, as much as I'm impressed by the Director's ability to work in another language while channeling the spirit of Hitchcock... this is not the 1970s. This, as I'm sure you're all aware... is 2007. Has anyone watched a Hitchock film lately? Some, not all, were groundbreaking for their time. As appealing as they may have been... this appeal is not timeless. 10 years later, I think they were still pretty awe inspiring. Even after 20 years, I'm sure they held their own. But 40 years later? The movie industry has come a long way since Hitchcock. Historically, Al gets props. Big props. I might even give him the crown of being the most influential film maker of all time. If one were to show Hitchcocks's films on screens next to the better films of today, though... most people would find the films of today to be superior.

It's kind of ironic, actually. This film not only captures the strengths of Hitchcock, it also seems to portray his weaknesses as well. Just like the master, some of the plot points can get stretched a little thin. Plot seems to always play second fiddle to the cultivation of tension and this is no exception. And, like a few of Hitchcock's leading ladies of foreign birth, a mouthful of marbles seems to be a prerequisite.

Don't get me wrong... it's a very good film. It's just not as outrageously wonderful as it would have been had it been presented 40 years ago.

If you love Hitchcock, run to see it. If not, see it anyway, but don't exert yourself too much in the process.

Moral Orel (2005–2009)

Sad

[2/10 · 25 April 2007]

The duplicity, hypocrisy and sexual aberrance of the fanatically religious makes them fodder for gargantuan quantities of side splitting hilarity. Is this show splitting hilarity? No. Is it funny? That's a tough call... Clever. In parts. Very few parts. Moral Orel clocks in around 10% on my clever meter.

As far as the other 90% goes, it's slow, sad and a little depressing. I can watch a Mooninite centered episode of ATHF, laugh my ass off and walk away from the television feeling pretty good about myself. On the other hand, if I watch something like South Park, I'll laugh quite a bit, but after it's over, it leaves me feeling a tiny bit blah. It's not like a want to put a gun to my head, but it's also not like I get an urge to frolic outdoors.

This show has 1/4 the laughs of South Park but 4 times the dirty feeling you get after watching it. I can be as nihilistic as the next GenXer, but this is a little too depressing for my taste.

Other than the show being so sad... the writing is not that great either. Other than the same jokes being repeated show after show after show, the plot is pretty much being driven by Orel's stupidity. 10% clever premise filled in with 90% filler.

The one thing I will say is consistently good about the show is the animation. The animation shows quite a bit of creative flair, especially the end credits.

The negatives, though, far outweigh the positives.

Sublime (2007 Video)

24 hours to go... I don't want to be sedated

[1/10 · 23 March 2007]

I champion the right of the mentally ill to make movies. If finding ways to project their illness onto celluloid helps them in some way, heck, I'm all for it. I think everyone has the right to fling their aberrant psychology at a canvas and call it art.

But as far as the rest of us having to sit through these horrifically pointless, slow and depressing pieces of drivel, it is there that I draw the line.

Those two hours are, as I'm sure you're aware, forever gone to me. Don't make the same mistake I did.

If you're considering watching this movie... don't.

Criminal Minds (2005– )

CSI, Quantico

[2/10 · 9 January 2007]

This show is about a team of investigators, headed by a quirky, omniscient father figure, investigating violent murders. Sound familiar? It should. This is just another CSI. And not a very good one. Within the CSI spectrum, I'd place this below Miami, but above NY, which isn't saying much, as Miami and NY are pretty mediocre television.

The acting is good, but the actors have nothing to work with- the writing is completely paint by numbers. Each show follows a cookie cutter formula, the plots rarely extend over multiple shows, the character development is feeble and the show has almost no humor. Every episode involves a last minute 'are they going to make it?' type of plot device. Ultimately, it gets very tiring and predictable.

Other than the grisly subject matter, this show feels like it it's being targeted towards the elderly. The dialog is slow, the plots are brutally simple/easy to understand, there's zero pop culture references, there's no need to remember details from previous shows- very little is expected of the viewer.

I watched the first 12 episodes (on DVD) in hopes that it would somehow improve/develop a life of it's own. It didn't.