I love nature documentaries, with a special preference for the BBC documentaries narrated by David Attenborough. As much as I love those, I really appreciated Penguin Town for how different it was from the documentaries I normally watch. Instead of featuring many species at different locations, Penguin Town only focuses on the African penguin colony at Simon's Town in South Africa. That allows the series to focus on telling the story of a couple of individuals in the colony in detail. The witty narration by Patton Oswalt and stunning videography of the beautiful Simon's Town area really brings these quirky characters to life, and by the end of the series you will be shouting just as hard for these penguins as for the human characters in your favorite fictional series. Highly recommended!
Reviews
25 Reviews
Andor
(2022– )
A huge step up for Star Wars TV series
27 November 2022
With the last couple of Star Wars series, I was complaining about Disney relying too much on nostalgia, and not enough on good writing. Andor was the perfect response. Starting with (mostly) unknown characters and planets, the writers created an immersive world with an intriguing story, deep characters and interesting cultures that I can't wait to explore more. A series that someone who has never watched Star Wars could enjoy. The only small complaint that I have is related to a couple of episodes where the pace was incredibly slow and not much happened. However, the setup in these episodes led to such good payoffs that in the end I don't mind much. I really hope that future Star Wars series will build on this standard that was set by Andor.
Such wasted potential (and money)
23 October 2022
No, season 1 of the Rings of Power was not bad, hence the rating of 7/10 from me. But if you have one of the richest fantasy worlds to set your series in, and the highest budget of a first season ever, such an average rating should be a very big disappointment.
The biggest downfall of the series is the poor quality of the writing, which would have been sub-par even for a series with a tenth of the budget. There are so many examples of lazy writing, clumsy dialogue, poorly justified character choices and strange time jumps, that it really detracts from the things the show do well. Also, the character development is poorly written and, after 8 hour-long episodes, I hardly feel any attachment to the main characters. The one thing that the show did do well was the visuals, which are generally stunning. I just wish they could have put the same effort into the writing.
Overall, the Rings of Power suffers from many of the same flaws as the recent Wheel of Time adaptation. Considering the exceptional source material that these two shows had to work with, the resulting products are highly disappointing, which makes me very concerned about Amazon's adaptations going forward. Let's hope the studio learns from these two shows, and comes back with much improved products in the second seasons.
The biggest downfall of the series is the poor quality of the writing, which would have been sub-par even for a series with a tenth of the budget. There are so many examples of lazy writing, clumsy dialogue, poorly justified character choices and strange time jumps, that it really detracts from the things the show do well. Also, the character development is poorly written and, after 8 hour-long episodes, I hardly feel any attachment to the main characters. The one thing that the show did do well was the visuals, which are generally stunning. I just wish they could have put the same effort into the writing.
Overall, the Rings of Power suffers from many of the same flaws as the recent Wheel of Time adaptation. Considering the exceptional source material that these two shows had to work with, the resulting products are highly disappointing, which makes me very concerned about Amazon's adaptations going forward. Let's hope the studio learns from these two shows, and comes back with much improved products in the second seasons.
The Owl House
(2020–2023)
One of my favourite recent shows
4 September 2022
Looking for a light-hearted and funny fantasy show? Then The Owl House is likely just what you need. The cast of characters will quickly grow on you, as they are carefully built up with great writing and many emotional moments. The humour is generally great, and most adults will likely have fun watching the show as well. Meanwhile, while the tone of the series is generally light, the stakes rapidly grow during the story, until you are incredibly invested in the outcome.
It is therefore very sad that it appears like the show will be prematurely ended by Disney. Especially in the light of the much poorer quality of recent Star Wars and MCU series. I definitely hope that somehow the show will be continued, since I would love to spend more time with the characters in the Boiling Isles.
It is therefore very sad that it appears like the show will be prematurely ended by Disney. Especially in the light of the much poorer quality of recent Star Wars and MCU series. I definitely hope that somehow the show will be continued, since I would love to spend more time with the characters in the Boiling Isles.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
(2022)
Minimum effort from Disney
3 September 2022
I've been complaining which each of the last few Disney+ shows about the poor quality, especially that of the writing. Disney seems to be following a strategy of trying to produce as much as possible Marvel and Star Wars content, without really worrying about the quality of their brands. I personally just don't have the time to spend watching sub-average shows, therefore I'm quitting She-Hulk after 2 episodes. The writing is poor and lazy, the humor dull and the characters have made no impact after 2 episodes. Hoping to see a serious change in strategy from Disney in the future, cause this is really not working.
Ms. Marvel
(2022)
Could have been much better
18 July 2022
I really wanted to like Ms. Marvel since I appreciated Disney's attempt to make a much more diverse superhero series. But unfortunately the writing, direction and acting were not up to standard in this series. I wish that if Disney decides to make a series like this one, not aimed at the mainstream superhero audience, that they would devote the necessary resources to it to make a high quality product. This is inline with my comments on almost all of the recent Disney+ shows - they really need to stop focusing on quality over quantity, since I am rapidly losing interesting in following a large number of average shows.
Despite my critique, there were moments I enjoyed, mostly the interactions of Kamala and her family, and the difference of the culture portrayed here compared to your average MCU story. If they proceed with this story, I really hope the will focus on this strengths while improving the many weaknesses.
Despite my critique, there were moments I enjoyed, mostly the interactions of Kamala and her family, and the difference of the culture portrayed here compared to your average MCU story. If they proceed with this story, I really hope the will focus on this strengths while improving the many weaknesses.
Baymax!
(2022)
Funny and thought provoking
2 July 2022
If you come into Baymax! Expecting an epic superhero series, you will undoubtedly be disappointed. Instead you get 6 very short episodes of Baymax's day-to-day activities. Nothing flashy, but still made memorable by the classic Baymax humour that, for me, was the highlight of the Big Hero 6 movie, memorable characters, thought provoking and emotional moments, and some outstanding representation of difficult topics. My only small critique is that it felt a bit rushed at moments. But overall, I enjoyed it for being different and I hope that there will be more episodes in the future.
Obi-Wan Kenobi
(2022)
Let down by lazy writing
25 June 2022
I was very much looking forward to Obi-Wan Kenobi, hoping that it will add some interesting content between the Clone Wars and Rebels series, both of which I really enjoyed. The acting was generally excellent, except for the character of Reva, who I mostly just found to be annoying. The visuals were generally also stunning. Despite this, overall I was left rather disappointed.
As expected, the plot was mostly just filler, considering the limitations of having this story take place in between a lot of established events. However, considering the characters the writers got to work with, it could still have been excellent. Unfortunately, the biggest disappointment for me was that I found the writing to be rather lazy, which often suspended my immersion in the story: The stormtroopers being unable to get around a 20 m stretch of fire in the minutes that it takes to evacuate Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan reaching a door milliseconds before tons of water and somehow not a drop spilling through the door, lots of gun fights with hordes of people standing exposed metres from each other and still somehow missing their shots, characters having secret conversations with other characters metres from them apparently being completely deaf, and so the list goes on.
At this stage, Disney really has to start focusing on high quality writing, instead of just milking the nostalgia of Star Wars fans. Perhaps a series set completely apart from the well-know characters is the way to achieve this.
As expected, the plot was mostly just filler, considering the limitations of having this story take place in between a lot of established events. However, considering the characters the writers got to work with, it could still have been excellent. Unfortunately, the biggest disappointment for me was that I found the writing to be rather lazy, which often suspended my immersion in the story: The stormtroopers being unable to get around a 20 m stretch of fire in the minutes that it takes to evacuate Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan reaching a door milliseconds before tons of water and somehow not a drop spilling through the door, lots of gun fights with hordes of people standing exposed metres from each other and still somehow missing their shots, characters having secret conversations with other characters metres from them apparently being completely deaf, and so the list goes on.
At this stage, Disney really has to start focusing on high quality writing, instead of just milking the nostalgia of Star Wars fans. Perhaps a series set completely apart from the well-know characters is the way to achieve this.
Prehistoric Planet
(2022–2023)
Fascinating!
21 June 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed all 5 episodes of Prehistoric Planet. Although very much speculative, the creators made an effort to tell interesting stories, very much in the same vein as the best nature documentaries do. Meanwhile, they tried to keep it grounded in palaeontological evidence and behaviours we see in our own natural world. As a big fan of the BBC wildlife documentaries, I was pleased every time I noticed a behaviour I have previously seen in our present time creatures. The whole series is beautifully created, presumably combining real videography of landscapes from our present planet with CGI dinosaurs. I was particularly impressive with the quality of the CGI, which was consistently good, considering the amount of it required. My only very minor critique is that I wish the bonus material was longer, since I would have loved to see more of the scientific evidence that the stories are based on.
I would highly recommend this for anyone that is fascinated by our natural world and have wondered what it could have been like a couple of hundred millions years ago.
I would highly recommend this for anyone that is fascinated by our natural world and have wondered what it could have been like a couple of hundred millions years ago.
Moon Knight
(2022)
A step up in MCU TV series
14 May 2022
I've been rather critical of the Marvel TV shows that have come out so far, feeling that the approach followed is too much about producing a large quantity of shows to milk the MCU franchise for all it is worth, instead of focusing on high quality story telling and acting.
Moon Knight is definitely an improvement on the previous shows. Oscar Isaac is excellent in his dual role, really showing off his acting talent, while Ethan Hawke excellently portrays the villain. The character development during the short season is fantastic, and it has been a while since I have rooted so hard for a Marvel character. Funny humour is sprinkled throughout the story, perfectly balancing the darker aspects of the plot and characters.
My main complaint about the show is that I felt that the plot was weaker when focusing on the main superhero storyline, rather than on the characters, often feeling a bit rushed and convenient. However, in general, I would highly recommend Moon Knight and will hope that we get a season 2 soon.
Moon Knight is definitely an improvement on the previous shows. Oscar Isaac is excellent in his dual role, really showing off his acting talent, while Ethan Hawke excellently portrays the villain. The character development during the short season is fantastic, and it has been a while since I have rooted so hard for a Marvel character. Funny humour is sprinkled throughout the story, perfectly balancing the darker aspects of the plot and characters.
My main complaint about the show is that I felt that the plot was weaker when focusing on the main superhero storyline, rather than on the characters, often feeling a bit rushed and convenient. However, in general, I would highly recommend Moon Knight and will hope that we get a season 2 soon.
The Dragon Prince
(2018– )
Captures the magic of epic fantasy
7 May 2022
I recently watched the first three seasons of "The Dragon Prince" and thoroughly enjoyed it. It does an excellent job of capturing the magic of epic fantasy, something which I feel have been missing with the present popularity of grim-dark fantasy following the Game of Thrones hype. While I have nothing against that kind of fantasy, it does feel like every show is trying to copy the recipe that made Game of Thrones successful. And, while "The Dragon Prince" is primarily aimed at kids, I'm still impressed by the complex relationships and characters that are developed in the story. The concept of dark magic especially adds a layer of complexity to the world, and helps to make the stakes of the characters' decisions feel real.
Some minor criticisms include some moments where the humour was a bit childish for my taste, although I guess I'm not really the target audience and there were admittedly also moments that really cracked me up (I really enjoyed Rayla's dry wit). Some plot devices were also a bit convenient and broke my immersion in the story.
But, overall, I would highly recommend "The Dragon Prince" to any fan of fantasy that have missed being immersed in a fun and magical world in a battle against evil.
Some minor criticisms include some moments where the humour was a bit childish for my taste, although I guess I'm not really the target audience and there were admittedly also moments that really cracked me up (I really enjoyed Rayla's dry wit). Some plot devices were also a bit convenient and broke my immersion in the story.
But, overall, I would highly recommend "The Dragon Prince" to any fan of fantasy that have missed being immersed in a fun and magical world in a battle against evil.
Halo
(2022– )
A rollercoaster in quality
7 May 2022
My feelings about Halo have been changing with each episode due to varying quality, and I have finally decided to quit watching after episode 6. The show does some things well: the visuals are generally stunning and the action, although rare, is excellent for a TV show. However, the acting is not particularly good, but especially the writing seems to be rather clunky at times. Definitely not meeting up to expectations one would have for such a high profile adaptation. Also, after 6 episodes, except for some rare John/Cortana interaction and some moments with Kai, I don't really care for any of the characters. Especially Kwan Ha, who is possibly the most irritating TV character ever created.
Although I've never played the games, Halo also annoys me because of what appears to becoming a trend in high profile adaptions: A big studio pays a lot of money to adapt a beloved IP. However, instead of trusting the source material, they are adamant to make it "better" by adapting it for a wider audience, and in the process destroys a lot of what made the original great. That is how I felt about the recent The Wheel of Time adaptation by Amazon (where I am a big fan of the books) and, from what I see from the reactions of Halo fans, it seems like this is even worse in that regard.
To conclude, my recommendation is the same as for The Wheel of Time TV show: Rather spend your time re-watching season 1 of Arcane, which is the only genuinely great piece of storytelling among the recent overload of fantasy/sci-fi TV adaptations.
Although I've never played the games, Halo also annoys me because of what appears to becoming a trend in high profile adaptions: A big studio pays a lot of money to adapt a beloved IP. However, instead of trusting the source material, they are adamant to make it "better" by adapting it for a wider audience, and in the process destroys a lot of what made the original great. That is how I felt about the recent The Wheel of Time adaptation by Amazon (where I am a big fan of the books) and, from what I see from the reactions of Halo fans, it seems like this is even worse in that regard.
To conclude, my recommendation is the same as for The Wheel of Time TV show: Rather spend your time re-watching season 1 of Arcane, which is the only genuinely great piece of storytelling among the recent overload of fantasy/sci-fi TV adaptations.
The Book of Boba Fett
(2021–2022)
A pretty mixed bag, but still entertaining
13 February 2022
The Book of Boba Fett was a mixed bag of good and bad that is pretty difficult to place. The main, present time story with Boba Fett was rather boring, but the flashbacks to the time spent with the Tusken Raiders were much more engaging than the main plot. The latter half of the season did excellent fan service, but the side plot with the Mandalorian definitely detracted from the main plot line with Boba Fett and felt very out of place in this season. The visuals were generally stunning, but everything with the Scooter Gang was pretty bad.
So I would still recommend this to Stars Wars fans, but it is definitely not the best TV that I've watched and would probably not draw in viewers that were not already fans of the franchise. This links to a growing problem with the Disney TV series for Star Wars and Marvel - these series seem to rely too heavily on an existing fan base and not enough on genuinely high quality writing. With the current rate than spin off projects are being developed, it will soon become pretty tedious to watch.
So I would still recommend this to Stars Wars fans, but it is definitely not the best TV that I've watched and would probably not draw in viewers that were not already fans of the franchise. This links to a growing problem with the Disney TV series for Star Wars and Marvel - these series seem to rely too heavily on an existing fan base and not enough on genuinely high quality writing. With the current rate than spin off projects are being developed, it will soon become pretty tedious to watch.
The Expanse
(2015–2022)
The best Sci-Fi adaptation of the last decade (in my opinion)
16 January 2022
It was with very mixed emotions that I watched the finale of The Expanse - happiness for an epic conclusion worthy of this story, and sadness that I most likely won't be seeing these characters on screen again (which is worsened by knowing that there are three more books that are left unadapted). The Expanse is likely my favourite TV series of recent years. The world and its politics is enthralling, the characters are some of the strongest and most relatable on TV, the action exciting (but yet rooted in realism) and the twist of fantasy in this futuristic world adds an extra layer of intrigue. The only slight criticism I have of the show is that the pacing could be slow during some seasons, but in general the character work was done so well during those episodes that a slower pace did not bother that much. All-in-all, The Expanse can be proud to bow out as one of the best (if not the best) Sci-Fi TV shows in recent memory.
Cobra Kai
(2018–2025)
Somehow manages to be fresh and nostalgic at the same time
10 January 2022
I really enjoyed the first season of Cobra Kai, since it managed to pull off something that few reboots do - it managed to feel like a fantastic homage to the original material, while still being refreshing enough to draw in a new audience as well. The characters are extremely relatable in their flaws, the humour funny, the plot exciting and the action sequences exhilarating. However, while seasons 2 and 3 were similarly entertaining, I was getting worried that the series would start to feel dragged out by forcing conflict between the characters by having them repeat the same poor choices. I was therefore somewhat worried going into season 4. However, Cobra Kai again surprised me with some excellent writing, leaving off on a note where I am again very excited for the next season.
The Witcher
(2019– )
Decent fantasy show, although I wish it was great
27 December 2021
I played the first two Witcher games as a young adult, and absolutely loved the dark fantasy world with monsters lurking around every corner. I was therefore very excited about this adaptation. To its credit, it does do many things well. Henry Cavill is fantastic as Geralt of Rivia and absolutely embodies the role. The shows does a great job showing the witcher method of dealing with monsters, and I generally prefer the show when that is the focus, rather than the overarching plot. In season 2, I really enjoyed the unique relationship between Geralt and Ciri, as well as her interactions with the other witchers at Kaer Morhen.
However, there are also several aspects that detract from the series. In season 1, the plot is very incoherent. Although this was much improved in season 2, I did find the season 2 plot to be a bit boring at times. Also, the quality of the action sequences and CGI is all over the place - sometimes fantastic, sometimes pretty terrible (this slightly improved in season 2). Another issue that I have is that the tone seems somewhat disjointed to me. The world of the Witcher is dark and gritty, and the show does a great job depicting that. However, the romantic relationships are soap opera-level corny, and really takes away from my immersion in the world.
But overall, I am pretty happy with the adaptation so far. And since there was definitely a step-up from seasons 1 to 2 (I would rate season 1 as a 7/10, and season 2 as a 7.5/10), I hope that that trend continues, and that the adaptation will still reach the levels of epicness that it deserves in later seasons.
However, there are also several aspects that detract from the series. In season 1, the plot is very incoherent. Although this was much improved in season 2, I did find the season 2 plot to be a bit boring at times. Also, the quality of the action sequences and CGI is all over the place - sometimes fantastic, sometimes pretty terrible (this slightly improved in season 2). Another issue that I have is that the tone seems somewhat disjointed to me. The world of the Witcher is dark and gritty, and the show does a great job depicting that. However, the romantic relationships are soap opera-level corny, and really takes away from my immersion in the world.
But overall, I am pretty happy with the adaptation so far. And since there was definitely a step-up from seasons 1 to 2 (I would rate season 1 as a 7/10, and season 2 as a 7.5/10), I hope that that trend continues, and that the adaptation will still reach the levels of epicness that it deserves in later seasons.
Arcane
(2021– )
A must-watch for all fantasy fans!
27 December 2021
In a year with a huge number of fantasy TV adaptations, Arcane ended up being (to my surprise) the highlight of the year for me. The animation is excellent, the characters are developed fantastically, the story is heart-wrenching and compelling and the world is developed with care. The only small nit-pick that I have is that the dialogue was a bit clunky in some instances, but this hardly detracts from the series as a whole. Overall, I feel this is the direction that studios should go heading considering the current hype surrounding fantasy - develop an "original" story (yes, it is based on League of Legends, but from my understanding there is very little in terms of story to use as starting point) suitable for TV, instead of trying to force an established story into a different medium (referring to The Wheel of Time and The Witcher, where the TV adaptations turned out pretty underwhelming considering that they are some of my favourite fantasy stories). I am also starting to prefer animation for fantasy adaptations, since live-action TV adaptations of fantasy stories always seem to have to sacrifice too much because of budget limitations. I am very much looking forward to season 2 of Arcane and I would highly recommend this to any fan of the fantasy genre.
Hawkeye
(2021)
Fun show, but don't expect anything groundbreaking
26 December 2021
Hawkeye is a very fun show, which finally gives Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye some time in the sun. It does a great job at creating a better connection to the Avenger whom has received the least attention so far, and there are some really heartfelt moments in the show. Hailee Steinfeld is excellent as Kate Bishop, and her humour fits perfectly to this rather lighthearted Marvel mini-series. Unfortunately, the action sequences in the show are less than spectacular and detracts a bit from the overall story. But as long as you don't go into this expecting anything groundbreaking, this will be quite fun if you are a Marvel fan.
The Wheel of Time
(2021– )
Decent as a TV fantasy series, poor as a The Wheel of Time adaption
26 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
As a big fan of the books, I've always been of the opinion that The Wheel of Time (WoT) would be impossible to adapt for TV, mostly due to the huge scale of the story. It was therefore with great scepticism that I received news about the Amazon TV adaptation some years ago. However, as I learned more about the project, I actually became very hopeful that this might be something good, considering that the show runner, Rafe Judkins, is a big fan of the books and that Amazon was putting a lot of money into this for a first season. Therefore, against my better judgement, I went into this with pretty high expectations - and was ultimately left pretty disappointed.
To the credit of the show, it does do many things well. The set design is excellent, the actors shine in the roles, and it does a great job of explaining the complex world without tedious exposition (which would always have been one of the big hurdles facing a WoT TV adaptation). And it is obviously based one the of the best fantasy stories ever written, thus benefiting from amazing characters (which the show does a great job at depicting), memorable story moments and a wonderfully intricate world and lore.
But it also comes with its flaws. The pacing is a big problem, especially in the first episode. The CGI is definitely not on par for a big fantasy series in 2021, with the worst being in the final episode of the season. And linked to poor pacing, there is just not enough time spent with the main characters to make their relationships and actions feel meaningful. Why Amazon decided to limit the season to 8 episodes will always remain a mystery to me, since it feels like most of the issues could have been solved with more screen time. Overall, the positives of the series still outweighed the negatives, until the last episode, which was a big step down, with bad CGI, corny dialogue and character arcs going nowhere.
But the final nail in the coffin for me was the deviation from the books. And no, I am not a book purist - I always was of the opinion that a WoT TV adaptation would require large changes. This is due to numerous reasons, such as the huge scope (which poses practical issues for managing actors and the show budget) or the huge amount of character development and motivation that stems from internal dialogue. Therefore I defended the changes to the story - Yes, it makes sense to play up the mystery of who the Dragon Reborn is; yes, it makes sense to introduce Tar Valon and the Aes Sedai at an earlier stage to demonstrate the scale of the series; yes, it makes sense to give Perrin and Mat backstories to motivate their characters, whom are undeveloped in the early books. But, as the season progressed, it became clear that the series was not sticking to only changes necessary for a TV adaptation, but was adamant to "improve" the story. Which begs the question, why adapt a story if you don't have any faith in the source material for the medium you are intending it for? Why not rather create a new story that is more suitable for TV? What makes it worse, is that I feel many changes they failed to successfully implement, considering what was sacrificed for the change - the reveal of Rand as the Dragon Reborn felt very anti-climatic, Mat and Perrin's character arcs did not really go anywhere, despite the changes in their background, etc.
In the end, I don't think I will be back to watch season 2. As a book reader, watching the series leaves me more confused and frustrated, constantly trying to reconcile the stories of the books and show, than I actually end up enjoying it. Even if they end up fixing the objectively bad aspects of the show in later seasons, I just don't feel it is worth it for me - I'd much rather use the time to re-read the books, or watch an objectively excellent fantasy TV series, like Arcane. But, all considering, I don't hate it as a TV series and won't be ridiculous and give it a 1-star review like many angered book fans. Despite its flaws, it is decent as a TV show, I just wish different creative decisions were taken. So I will hope they manage to improve in future seasons, bringing more awareness to the books and enjoyment to non-readers, but I won't be tuning in myself for that.
To the credit of the show, it does do many things well. The set design is excellent, the actors shine in the roles, and it does a great job of explaining the complex world without tedious exposition (which would always have been one of the big hurdles facing a WoT TV adaptation). And it is obviously based one the of the best fantasy stories ever written, thus benefiting from amazing characters (which the show does a great job at depicting), memorable story moments and a wonderfully intricate world and lore.
But it also comes with its flaws. The pacing is a big problem, especially in the first episode. The CGI is definitely not on par for a big fantasy series in 2021, with the worst being in the final episode of the season. And linked to poor pacing, there is just not enough time spent with the main characters to make their relationships and actions feel meaningful. Why Amazon decided to limit the season to 8 episodes will always remain a mystery to me, since it feels like most of the issues could have been solved with more screen time. Overall, the positives of the series still outweighed the negatives, until the last episode, which was a big step down, with bad CGI, corny dialogue and character arcs going nowhere.
But the final nail in the coffin for me was the deviation from the books. And no, I am not a book purist - I always was of the opinion that a WoT TV adaptation would require large changes. This is due to numerous reasons, such as the huge scope (which poses practical issues for managing actors and the show budget) or the huge amount of character development and motivation that stems from internal dialogue. Therefore I defended the changes to the story - Yes, it makes sense to play up the mystery of who the Dragon Reborn is; yes, it makes sense to introduce Tar Valon and the Aes Sedai at an earlier stage to demonstrate the scale of the series; yes, it makes sense to give Perrin and Mat backstories to motivate their characters, whom are undeveloped in the early books. But, as the season progressed, it became clear that the series was not sticking to only changes necessary for a TV adaptation, but was adamant to "improve" the story. Which begs the question, why adapt a story if you don't have any faith in the source material for the medium you are intending it for? Why not rather create a new story that is more suitable for TV? What makes it worse, is that I feel many changes they failed to successfully implement, considering what was sacrificed for the change - the reveal of Rand as the Dragon Reborn felt very anti-climatic, Mat and Perrin's character arcs did not really go anywhere, despite the changes in their background, etc.
In the end, I don't think I will be back to watch season 2. As a book reader, watching the series leaves me more confused and frustrated, constantly trying to reconcile the stories of the books and show, than I actually end up enjoying it. Even if they end up fixing the objectively bad aspects of the show in later seasons, I just don't feel it is worth it for me - I'd much rather use the time to re-read the books, or watch an objectively excellent fantasy TV series, like Arcane. But, all considering, I don't hate it as a TV series and won't be ridiculous and give it a 1-star review like many angered book fans. Despite its flaws, it is decent as a TV show, I just wish different creative decisions were taken. So I will hope they manage to improve in future seasons, bringing more awareness to the books and enjoyment to non-readers, but I won't be tuning in myself for that.
Foundation
(2021– )
Unfortunately, so much wasted potential
3 November 2021
I really wanted this to be something that I loved. And yes, there were some good elements to Season 1. Despite not having read the books, I was really captivated by the premise of the story (although that is probably more to the credit of Isaac Asimov than the developers of this series). In the end I ended up watching more episodes than I would have liked to, just because I was curious to learn more about the world and the events that were unfolding. Furthermore, the series features some really stunning visuals in some episodes.
Unfortunately, despite these positives, I just could not get into this series and eventually gave up after episode 5, despite wishing that the aspects annoying me would improve. One problematic aspect was the acting, which I feel is generally sub-par. Another was the action sequences, which felt very unrealistic and therefore not at all immersive (tens of gunmen storming the Foundation and missing all their targets at close range...). But the final straw was the poor writing. The story fails to develop the characters, and even midway through the series I felt no attachment to any of the main characters. The writing also very heavily relies on withholding information from the watcher to create tension (often drawing it out an entire episode before offering a resolution), in a way that feels very forced and becomes more annoying than suspenseful.
While I won't be watching this further, I hope that for others the positives will outweigh the others and perhaps the quality can improve in upcoming seasons.
Unfortunately, despite these positives, I just could not get into this series and eventually gave up after episode 5, despite wishing that the aspects annoying me would improve. One problematic aspect was the acting, which I feel is generally sub-par. Another was the action sequences, which felt very unrealistic and therefore not at all immersive (tens of gunmen storming the Foundation and missing all their targets at close range...). But the final straw was the poor writing. The story fails to develop the characters, and even midway through the series I felt no attachment to any of the main characters. The writing also very heavily relies on withholding information from the watcher to create tension (often drawing it out an entire episode before offering a resolution), in a way that feels very forced and becomes more annoying than suspenseful.
While I won't be watching this further, I hope that for others the positives will outweigh the others and perhaps the quality can improve in upcoming seasons.
What If...?
(2021– )
A good old, fun superhero story
9 October 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed the first couple of episodes and could not understand the rather negative review. Yes, the pace was extremely fast - but the series was doing exactly what they were aiming for, showing different takes on stories that we already know in an abbreviated form. I enjoyed the creativity of the alternative universes (reformed Thanos was certainly a highlight) and most of the episodes were fun, with excellent humour.
My main complaint is that I feel the season probably dragged on a couple of episodes too long. At some stage, the pattern of a whole new cast of characters and an open ended conclusion became a bit tedious. Even though things are nicely pulled together in the last episodes, I think a shorter season would have left a better overall impression for me.
To conclude, you certainly should not think too hard about some plot points in this story, but if you are a fan of the MCU and would like something fun and entertaining to watch, I would highly recommend it.
My main complaint is that I feel the season probably dragged on a couple of episodes too long. At some stage, the pattern of a whole new cast of characters and an open ended conclusion became a bit tedious. Even though things are nicely pulled together in the last episodes, I think a shorter season would have left a better overall impression for me.
To conclude, you certainly should not think too hard about some plot points in this story, but if you are a fan of the MCU and would like something fun and entertaining to watch, I would highly recommend it.
Betrayed
(2020)
An emotional story based on true events
4 September 2021
Short review: Betrayed/Den største forbrytelsen tells the story about the deportation of Jews living in Norway during the Second World War. While it is not without flaws, the acting and production value is excellent for a local film, and it manages to capture the full emotion of this heartbreaking story. Once again, as a foreigner living in Norway, I am pleasantly surprised by the quality of the film industry in this tiny country. Highly recommend for anyone interest in Norwegian or World War II history.
Rebel
(2021)
Charming and entertaining, despite some flaws
22 August 2021
Rebel does not fall into a genre that I would typically watch, but my wife and I decided this might something fun to follow together, so we gave it a try. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed Season 1, despite definitely not being part of the target market towards which this is aimed. I'm therefore pretty confused that this was cancelled after a single season - there are definitely much worse currently on air which is aimed at the same audience.
Overall, the strongest points of the series are its fantastic ensemble of interesting characters, a fast-paced story with many twists and turns, and some good humour. On the negative side, I felt there were some scenes/episodes where some of the acting from secondary characters were pretty poor and some events that trigger additional drama can be quite unrealistic or poorly motivated, or it can feel like the resulting conflict is way too easily resolved.
So if you want to watch a fun story full of (not too realistic) human drama to kick your feet back and forget about your own, I would definitely recommend to give Rebel a try. A last thing that I can mention is that the primary story from Season 1 is quite nicely resolved in the season finale, so it did not feel like a waste watching this, even if it might never return for Season 2.
Overall, the strongest points of the series are its fantastic ensemble of interesting characters, a fast-paced story with many twists and turns, and some good humour. On the negative side, I felt there were some scenes/episodes where some of the acting from secondary characters were pretty poor and some events that trigger additional drama can be quite unrealistic or poorly motivated, or it can feel like the resulting conflict is way too easily resolved.
So if you want to watch a fun story full of (not too realistic) human drama to kick your feet back and forget about your own, I would definitely recommend to give Rebel a try. A last thing that I can mention is that the primary story from Season 1 is quite nicely resolved in the season finale, so it did not feel like a waste watching this, even if it might never return for Season 2.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch
(2021–2024)
Somewhat disappointing after an excellent start
17 August 2021
I was very excited for The Bad Batch, after having watched Clone Wars and Rebels in the last year. The first extended episode certainly lived up to my expectations and set up the scene nicely for an exciting season.
Unfortunately, from there is all kind of just petered out, as if the writers did not really know what to do with the number of episodes allocated to them. As many reviewers mention, there are just too many filler episodes in the middle of the season, without being used efficiently for character growth or world building. The result was that the story never really drew me in.
But overall, The Bad Batch gives an interesting view of the world after the fall of the Republic. Additionally, I do like the characters, despite them following some usual tropes. I personally have no issue with Omega and enjoy her interactions with the Batch. It will be interesting to see where the writers take her arc.
So, overall, I am somewhat disappointed, but I do try to remind myself of the first couple of seasons of Clone Wars for perspective. Those early episodes were significantly worse than the first season of The Bad Batch, but the series really grew in strength in the last seasons. The writers did set up many potential story lines in the first season, so let's hope they build on them strongly in subsequent seasons.
Unfortunately, from there is all kind of just petered out, as if the writers did not really know what to do with the number of episodes allocated to them. As many reviewers mention, there are just too many filler episodes in the middle of the season, without being used efficiently for character growth or world building. The result was that the story never really drew me in.
But overall, The Bad Batch gives an interesting view of the world after the fall of the Republic. Additionally, I do like the characters, despite them following some usual tropes. I personally have no issue with Omega and enjoy her interactions with the Batch. It will be interesting to see where the writers take her arc.
So, overall, I am somewhat disappointed, but I do try to remind myself of the first couple of seasons of Clone Wars for perspective. Those early episodes were significantly worse than the first season of The Bad Batch, but the series really grew in strength in the last seasons. The writers did set up many potential story lines in the first season, so let's hope they build on them strongly in subsequent seasons.
Loki
(2021–2023)
The concept had potention, the execution was disappointing
15 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Review after Season 1:
I had pretty high expectations coming into Loki - the trailers showed potential for the same creative writing that make Wanda Vision great. However, the show failed to live up to these expectations. Although Owen Wilson and Tom Hiddleston were great, I felt the acting in general was sub-par for such a high profile production. Similarly, the action sequences were generally not well executed.
But most importantly, despite many huge revelations for the MCU during the season, the story never managed to draw me in. I think this was partly down to pacing (half of the season finale being a drawn out chat with the villain was the final straw), but the show also failed to create relatable characters that I cared about. Despite the other failings of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, there I at least cared about the two main characters from the start of the season - with Loki, I could not really be bothered at the end of the season with what happened to the main characters. The exception was Mobius - I did genuinely wish the show would end with him on a jet ski.
But Season 1 did set up the potential for a very interesting further story, so I will still be hoping for a big improvement on the above points in Season 2.
But most importantly, despite many huge revelations for the MCU during the season, the story never managed to draw me in. I think this was partly down to pacing (half of the season finale being a drawn out chat with the villain was the final straw), but the show also failed to create relatable characters that I cared about. Despite the other failings of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, there I at least cared about the two main characters from the start of the season - with Loki, I could not really be bothered at the end of the season with what happened to the main characters. The exception was Mobius - I did genuinely wish the show would end with him on a jet ski.
But Season 1 did set up the potential for a very interesting further story, so I will still be hoping for a big improvement on the above points in Season 2.
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