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Reviews
Cold Justice (2013)
Interesting and concise
I'm possibly unusual as a viewer in that I don't enjoy crime shows or anything violent really, they give me nightmares.
However, this show is a fascinating insight into crime solving. Although the stories are sad, so many victims of domestic violence ignored for years, the way these women approach investigations is really interesting.
For me, as a social researcher, particularly the interviews are fascinating, how they read between the lines and manage to triangulate all the responses with others and evidence. It's a fascinating insight into small communities etc too.
I might have stumbled across this show completely accidentally but really enjoy it, the format is crisp and to the point and it's great to see strong women at the top of their fields so well depicted.
Virgin River (2019)
Dull
Loved Hart of Dixie and this was recommended as a similar show. It's not.
Far more morose, the music, the acting, the lighting, everything is dim. The characters are more caricatures, straight out of a lifetime movie or daytime soap that's run it's course. Think I watched the first couple of series a while ago, maybe during lockdown, so had a better memory of it than the show deserved.
Returned to start series 3 but turned off midway through the first episode, dull as dishwater and frankly, did get up to do the dishes rather than sit through any more of this schmultz. So yeah, would recommend if you have any chores that need to be done!
Million Dollar Island (Australia) (2023)
Renewing Survivor
Edited and downgrading rating having watched to the end.
Initially I wrote that Million Dollar Island is fresh and unexpected. It was, and I enjoyed it.
But now I'm eating my words, the final was an immense disappointment, aside from that awful character losing most of his cash.
Anticlimax to put these people through such challenges, social dynamics etc only to basically flip a coin to win anything.
It was always advertised as a 'share' in one million. But to finish like that was a huge disappointment, at least they should have won a share each challenge if they were too tight for larger sums.
Glow Up: Britain's Next Make-Up Star (2019)
Enjoyable, easy tv
Have come on here to see if others agreed with me about the strange bias that, for me, was the only downside to this show (series one). Yes, it's clearly a problem, if people like me, who know nothing about makeup, still enjoyed a show about the topic but find the judges' decision odd.
Aside from that, I really quite enjoyed it. The contestants seemed to really support each other, and unlike the complaints of some reviewers here, there wasn't half of each episode covering their sob stories, which I personally find really tedious in other shows of the genre.
Also liked the judges, they had some personality and opinions, not sure why people have complained about them being harsh.
Island of Bryan (2019)
A YouTube channel that shouldn't be a TV show
So many possibilities for this to be good, an idyllic looking island resort renovation! Who doesn't secretly wish to escape somewhere like this?
But there's nothing about the island itself, the local people or the food. The only time they venture onto the beach is to look at one of the children's hermit crabs. Seems the only time they leave the resort is to go back to Canada. There's very little about renovation, just unpacking of expensive stuff and complaining about logistics.
So what is it about? A whingy, shrill wife trying to get 99% of the camera time. 4 children riding bikes and swimming. And a husband unpacking things while listening to shrill wife complaining about logistics.
It's all very self centred and could have been filmed in their suburban mcmansion in Canada or Florida or Timbuktu (insert any location here) without any loss of content.
Ten Percent (2022)
Enjoyable
Stumbled across this little gem completely unknowingly, little realising it would be fun, fast and well acted. I know nothing about talent agencies but it seems like they'd probably be similar, although perhaps a little less chaotic
Don't usually enjoy shows with guest stars but they really work with this concept of an acting agency, the characters are believable, so the 'stars' fit in well.
The reason I've dropped a star off this rating is due to the exceedingly loud and invasive theme music. I don't understand why the dialogue needs to be turned up while the music needs to be turned down. It negatively impacts on an otherwise positive and pleasant watch.
Granite Harbour (2022)
Unlikeable
There's nothing to enjoy about this show. I'm writing this midway through the second episode having lost hope that it may improve on the first.
The premise is promising, the location could have been interesting, but the characters are completely unlikeable.
The main part, Lindo, turns from a keen, happy potential policeman to a surly, arrogant, strangely twisted-neck guy within one episode. He's clearly 'troubled' by some sort of past history involving his father in Jamaica but is so unlikeable that only one colleague is interested in learning and this viewer couldn't care less.
His co-stars, far from being the welcome, friendly Scottish people I know, are mean, even more surly than Lindo and overtly hostile. As a team, they're dysfunctional and a nasty reminder for anyone who's experienced a toxic workplace.
Given the cornucopia of quirky, diverse, interesting detective series available, this one is not at all likeable, nor gripping and certainly not worth the time.
Quantum Leap (2022)
Frustrating timing
It's been years since I watched the OG Quantum Leap but I don't recall it being so slow, slow, quick, quick. One minute they're racing against time, the next they're talking slowly about totally irrelevant nonsense.
Addison has the most irritating character, constantly piping up to remind Ben that he has to do this or that. And the control room seems worse than the average IT staff in an office, constantly running scans and trying to find a connection.
I really, really wanted to like this but despite sitting through all episodes so far, don't really care about the outcome or any of the characters. Aside from the Addison actress, the cast seems like they could do well, it's the writing that lets them down. And this frustrating timing. Irritating more than entertaining.