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knightspublic
Reviews
Revenge (2011)
First three seasons great but so far season 4 FRUSTRATING
I'm currently on episode 8 of season 4, so this isn't my final verdict and I really enjoyed seasons 1-3; however...
Season 4 has been annoyingly frustrating because of the completely non-credible dynamic between Emily and her now re-surfaced dad.
First, it is completely unrealistic to have Emily continue to withhold her identity from her dad and the show gives no credible reason for her doing so. In the real world she would have told him immediately as soon as the first opportunity presented itself and would have made the opportunity, if necessary. The trumped up half-baked reasons Emily gives for waiting aren't remotely believable.
Second, when she finally does reveal her identity, we get strung along again because each time they start to explain the backstory they either get interrupted in some way (e.g., Victoria is electrocuted, Victoria sees them talking from her hospital bed) or one or the other interrupts and gets frustrated without even bothering to hear the other's experience. Also, what conversation they do have doesn't get to the point. Emily leaves out the most important facts. The highlights of what happened could be told in a convincing way in a short 15 minute conversation, but I assume the writers either just want to string us along or they have no clue about human nature.
Simply put: NO WAY would Emily have not told her Dad the whole store IMMEDIATELY.
Designated Survivor (2016)
Seasons 1-2 great; Season 3 RUINS it with profanity & vulgarity
I was excited to discover this week that season 3 was available on NetFlix. I was a little surprised, though, when I had to enter a NetFlix access code to watch it.
I'm part-way through episode 1 of season 3. Apparently they have decided to move the show to a TV-MA rating by lacing it with frequent and totally gratuitous profanity (GD, F* S*). And it's from every single character. (Even the President's daughter uses the S* word in casual conversation with her dad. Really??)
Memo to NetFlix:
Lacing a show with profanity cheapens it--always. No exceptions. Maybe in your Hollywood bubble, you believe that nearly everyone wants to hear this sort of language for entertainment. And I'm sure you justify it with rationalizations like "Hey, that's real life." Well, maybe it is among some segments of society--and I'm not naive enough to think that our corrupt politicians don't speak that way. However, I have spent many years in the corporate world and I can tell you that it is still regarded--thankfully--as unprofessional to speak that way in the workplace.
I understand that, compared to much of the smut that passes for entertainment these days this is extremely mild. However, the show at a TV-14 rating and gained it's audience based on programing at that rating. If this sort of language had been used in Season 1, Episode 1, I would never have started watching the series. I have now invested 2 seasons of my time in the show, and you have changed it. Sorry, whether you admit it or not, you have abandoned a significant segment of your target audience. It is not loyal to your customers to suddenly switch to offensive content after you have them "hooked." Your marketing research may have indicated that this change would grow your market. Sadly, it may very well do so. However, regardless of the consequences, the change you have made is immoral. Immoral because of the content itself, and immoral because it is disloyal to your dedicated viewers. Count me a one of your lost fans.
24: Legacy (2016)
Not as good as 24, but Fox MUST do season 2. Here's the reason
I think if audiences didn't have the original 24 to compare against, this show might get higher ratings. I found it entertaining enough to continue watching despite some of the negatives that others have pointed out.
I hear that Fox is still deliberating about whether to go forward with season 2. I think it should be a "no brainer" for Fox if they consider the LONG-TERM consequences of canceling instead of just the short-term. Here are some of the long-term factors they should consider:
1) Further damage to their brand
They already suffer from a reputation of canceling shows prematurely, leaving the audience hanging mid-plot.
2) The genre of the show
This isn't just a sitcom what provides relative closure after each weekly episode, it has an ongoing, intrigue-building, multi-faceted, conspiratorial plot. Because of this, audiences have invested a lot of their time having their curiosity piqued and intensified week-after-week. The reaction when a show like this is ended without closure (or with obviously-contrived and rushed faux closure after they decide to cancel) is not just disappointment (as in, "shoot, I'm going to miss that show"); it is frustration and anger; it is visceral. The audience feels cheated and manipulated. And they will hold a grudge.
3) The new watching habits of audiences--especially for series like this one
Because audiences have already been burned by networks canceling shows mid-plot, many of them have learned not to commit to one. Rather than joining in with the week-by-week audience, they simply wait until a season completes and ensure the show isn't being abandoned before they commit to it. And often, at that point, they binge watch it.
This new audience behavior pattern should not, however, be interpreted as being proof that the genre is no longer valid. In fact, audiences LOVE it. And they love it especially because they now have the liberty to queue up and binge watch rather than being held in suspense every week. The networks just need to create a strategy and business model that takes in to account the audiences' likely viewing behavior for this genre so that they can monetize it profitably. And one indispensable component of profitable strategy is to provide their audience assurances that they when they commit to a series like this, they will see it through to a satisfying closure. If they don't provide that, they'll find public excitement for this "keep-me-in-suspense-each-week" genre will continue to dwindle.