Nowadays, there is simply too much to watch, which isn’t a bad thing, if anything it’s wonderful that there is a show made for everyone. However with the incredible amount of content that is being put out, reviews for all of them seem like a instant stress-inducing headache. Instead of reviewing each show on their own I made mini-reviews. These are four shows which I caught up with from October till the end of November. I watch a ton more but these four are the ones which I really wanted to talk about.
Living With Yourself: Season 1 (Netflix)
If part of the premise for a show involves two Paul Rudds, it’s an instant win for the show. Living With Yourself offers a clever, morally intriguing sci-fi story which really gets you to look at yourself and examine what parts you think are strictly good or bad. This is a show in which you can’t help but put yourself in the main character’s shoes and imagine what it would be like if this happened to you. Paul Rudd and Paul Rudd give great performances. They really do feel like different characters despite being the same person, at least physically the same person. The sci-fi aspect is done well but I would’ve preferred it if it were more metaphorical than literal. My favourite part of this show has to be the unique storytelling techniques. For example the show would feature a major thing happen at the end of an episode featuring a character, the next episode would be the lead up from that character’s point of view instead of an aftermath. The show loves to spend time with each main character to really make you understand the situation and really stand there and think about the morality of the situation. I don’t know if this is a limited series but based on the ending there is definitely more room for story. I love this concept and so far the show has reached it’s potential.
RATING: B+
Living With Yourself: Season 1 is available to stream on Netflix now.
The End of The F***ing World: Series 2 (Netflix)
While Series 1 was very much a fast-paced adventure, The End of The F***ing World: Series 2 takes a much slower path dealing with the aftermath and consequences of that eventful first season. This time, the show deals with some even more serious topics like death and loss and even mental health and it does so in the most honest and realistic way possible thanks to an amazing script and the once again phenomenal performances from Alex Lawther and Jessica Barden. Naomi Ackie brings a new character into the mix and is also delightfully weird and off-putting like James in the first season. Series 2 takes it’s time with these character and lets them feel regret and denial in a long and natural way. Characters take multiple episodes to do or realize something and it makes sense that they would. Both seasons of the show are very short, Avengers: Endgame is longer in fact and so they very much feel like movies and together they make one hell of a compelling movie. Overall Series 2 continues the story in a realistic and natural way, the dark and emotional level of the story is heightened thanks to a brutally honest script and the cast’s amazing performance. I am really going to miss this show and these characters but it couldn’t have ended in a better way.
RATING: A
The End of the F***ing World: Series 1 and 2 are available to stream on Netflix now.
The Boys (Amazon Prime Video)
The Boys is an gory, brutal, incredibly smart, entertaining and terrifying look at superheroes. It is so wonderfully strange and intriguing to see superheroes being portrayed as narcissistic, egotistical maniacs who only care about their image and how much they get paid. However this being said, The Boys takes every chance they get to make this as serious as possible, usually a story or concept like this would be treated as a skit and while it is sometimes used for humour (incredibly so), it is still a dark and twisted vision. It introduces multiple moral dilemmas and faces us with harsh truths like how we trust people so blindly based on what we see them do on television or on social media. How we idolize them despite not really knowing them and how dangerous that can be. The Boys also introduces a wonderful cast with a lot of fresh faces. Antony Starr, Jack Quaid and Erin Moriarty are amazing, namely Antony Starr who gives one of the best performances I’ve seen this year, period. He is terrifying and brilliant as Homelander, that’s all I’ll say. If I had to describe this show, it would be My Hero Academia mixed with a heavy-R-rated gangster movie. The way it flips the superhero genre on it’s head it simply brilliant and I cannot wait to see what Season 2 has in store for us.
RATING: A-
The Boys: Season 1 is available to stream right now on Amazon Prime Video.
Fleabag: Series 2 (Amazon Prime Video)
I watched the first series of Fleabag last Summer and I fell in love before the first episode ended. It even got me ugly crying by the fourth episode. I had never seen such an honest show before. It was realistic in the sense that it portrayed life in a bad and good state. While the show can be incredibly hilarious, the jokes are original and clever, it can also be emotional with moments that are earned due to the time we spend we these characters and how well it is used. Phoebe Waller-Bridge does it again with Fleabag: Series 2 as it continues in this fashion, delivering another emotional, hilarious and clever season. The first episode alone is in my opinion an instant classic. This series includes the instant fan-favourite Hot Priest played by Andrew Scott who gives a great performance and really adds a lot to this series. Series 2 is just as short as the first series, only six half-hour episodes but in just those six episodes the journey these characters take never feel rushed or short. This series is well paced, the emotional arcs are fulfilled and the honest writing makes for some incredibly satisfying moments. Series 2 is just as amazing as the first and it will definitely be on my mind for my end of the year list.
RATING: A
Fleabag: Series 1 and 2 are available to stream on Amazon Prime Video now.
owen is a filmaholic 