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Reviews
Mayday (2003)
Best Aviation show of the last 25 years
The reconstructions of ACI are second to none. The research into the incidents is extremely thorough and detailed. Whilst many tragedies are dramatised, the care and respect that goes into every episode means that the victims are never forgotten and moreover their stories will always be remembered. Let's be clear on this. Jonathan Aris is the best narrator in the world. He has an absolute mastery of tone which he combines with impeccable professionalism and voice control. His diction, rhythm and pacing are exemplary. If anyone wants to learn how to become a narrator for a non fiction TV show, model yourself on Aris. He is the best there has ever been to date.
James May: Our Man in... (2020)
Good but....
This isn't as good as our man in Japan but it's more than worth watching. The main issue I have with it is an ongoing and relentless insistence on the part of the director producers and whoever else that makes the decisions, to humiliate James May. It's just a joke you might say. Early on this would be true but it happens constantly throughout the entire series, so the "joke" wears extremely thin very quickly. This spoiled more than a few episodes for me. Yes, OK. Let's all laugh at James! Any other ideas to entertain the viewers? Can we move on now? No, apparently we can't. Without James you'd have absolutely nothing except a few local guides that range from charming but spoiled (episode 1) to utterly insufferable (episode 2). I honestly believe the makers of this show feel it's necessary to denigrate the host simply because he's a "toxic male." I for one am absolutely sick to death of that nonsense.
The Office: Costume Contest (2010)
Criminally Underrated
This is, looking back, a much stronger episode than it seemed. What I mean my that is if it appeared in late Season 3, for example, it would score in the high 8's on IMDB not an even 8 as it stands now. Some, not me, feel Season 7 has slump episodes and this is one, but I could not disagree more. Inevitably, because it was a sit com, some episodes will wane in comparison to others. For an episode to be remembered as special it needs multiple memorable lines, moments, belly laughs, a moment of exceptional acting or timing etc. Well, all of the above is on display here. Amongst many other delicious things, it's a jaw dropping masterclass of comic acting from Steve Carrell that is so close to perfection, it may as well be.
The Murder Tapes (2019)
Best True Crime show of all time.
Uncompromising, hard hitting, raw, honest, heartbreaking, gripping and profound. What the police in the US have to deal with is absolutely incredible. They have such bad press, particularly recently, but the body cam footage in this show demonstrates they do an unbelievable job. These cases are particularly upsetting and tragic and the Police show true heroism in their determination to bring the killer(s) to justice. The editing of this show is also outstanding. The cases are woven together like a masterpiece tapestry by the footage from the cops, actual 911 recordings, interviews with victims families and the lead detectives and sometimes CCTV footage. The effect is an enormous appreciation for the job homicide detectives do and the devastating and permanent damage done to the victims' families. It is a valuable and sobering record of the human condition - how quickly and easily circumstances, chance encounters, dark motives, snd so on, can spiral into chaos and end in a tragic murder. The police are the ones that need to put the pieces together and undertake the daunting task of solving these cases.
The Real Murders of Atlanta (2022)
Probably the best True Crime show out there in 2023.
This True Crime shows follows a well established structural style: Interviews with investigating officers at the time, flashbacks using actors playing victim, killer and other related characters. This is fine of course because, as we all know, this structure works very well. Not all shows that use it are good, however. When executed properly (sorry for the pun) it's pretty much a True Crime fans perfect buffet. Absolutely Delicious! I'm bingeing it now while unwell and man is it providing me with some much needed medicine! Let's not be crass, I don't relish in these crimes. Far from it in fact. What I can't get enough of is the fascination and examination, in detail, of criminal psychology, combined with the relationship troubles that lead up to the crime. I hope it's not seen as ghoulish to be so enraptured by that. It's completely separate to the utterly horrific consequences of these crimes. The family and loved ones of the victims' lives have been irreparably changed forever. We must never forget every death is a deeply meaningful human tragedy that has countless ramifications to many, many lives.
Arrival (2016)
Not terrible, but pretentious and slow.
This is a classic "nearly good" movie. Loved the alien stuff. Didn't love that Amy Adams' character is the key to everything, the ultimate wahman, the focus of deep sympathy and empathy from the viewer, beautiful, talented, the (actual) world leading expert at "X" essential skill which happens to be precisely what the military needs. You get the picture! More than a whiff of intersectional feminism which, for me, is a huge turn off. It's slow in a lot (if not most) of the movie, so if you want pace, look elsewhere. This is a plodding affair which requires a lot of patience and personally I didn't think the patience was rewarded nearly well enough.
American Dad!: The Pleasanting at Smith House (2023)
Unappreciated & Misunderstood
The other side of the coin from the nay sayers is that this is a uniquely brilliant, stunningly creative and innovative animated comedy. It deserves THAT level of praise, not to be dismissed as it is being. That's the thing with Art though. It's divisive and exerts very powerful emotional reactions. I am for one super disappointed that American Dad, after 20 seasons, is not being praised to the rafters by the main stream. In my opinion, which is what all of us are forced to go on, is that it is the single most under-rated and under appreciated animated show in the history of TV. I meant what I said earlier. Every aspect of the show is brilliant, stunningly creative and innovative. It is true work of TV art.