Bryan-
Reviews
Fargo: The Tragedy of the Commons (2023)
Who is rating this?
Nonsensical. Here's the dumb stuff I noted before turning it off.
1. She runs upstairs instead of out of the house. When upstairs makes no attempt to bail out a window or call 911.
2. She runs past the cops without saying anything.
3. The cops don't immediately go to defensive positions, guns out, when a girl goes running by with her arms tied up.
4. Cop takes off in a field with the lights flashing and somehow isn't noticed.
5. The cop stands in direct lighting, in an open area, surrounded by darkness where rifle wielding men are in pursuit.
By this point, I can no longer watch this. What a real shame. I used to love this show.
Perpetual Grace, LTD (2019)
7 episodes in
This show has some creative writing. That's what stands out to me. There's not a lot of humor but what's there is usually absurd in nature and hilarious as you'd expect. There's a lot of characters and the story is juggling multiple story arcs. It can be hard to follow if you don't pay attention.
It's Bruno! (2019)
A different kind of comedy
It's refreshing seeing something new that brings something different from the norm. There's no real way to describe the type of comedy here, you just have to watch it. Admittedly, not all the jokes work hence my rating but I watched it all and I feel it was worth my time.
Ninja: Shadow of a Tear (2013)
I'm shocked
I hate 99% of action scenes with their shaky cam and cuts. It's easily my least favorite genre because of how awful most of them are. Thankfully this has none of that.
I'm shocked that an action movie directed this well is sitting at a 6.2. I almost skipped over it. This is a big step up from the first Ninja movie which I just watched when I realized this was a sequel.
Movies this well directed don't come by often so if you're reading this I highly suggest checking this out.
The Detour (2016)
Season 4 dropped the ball
Having just finished the first three seasons for the second time I'm writing this. There are a bunch of very funny moments of which most shows only dream of. This show goes beyond your typical comedy in it's clever storytelling. To explain further would require spoilers.
Update: Season 4 is much worse than the previous three. It ended on a cliffhanger but was cancelled so we'll never know what happens or if the show could redeem itself.
Childrens Hospital (2008)
Absurdity at its finest
One of the most laugh out loud comedies there's ever been. Every episode plays out like a family guy skit, you never know what these people are going to say or do. It's amazing that there's only 21 reviews after 10 years.
Steve Austin's Broken Skull Challenge (2014)
Surprisingly good
A reality show pitting people against each other in feats of strength, often allowing wrestling the opponent to win. This combat stance is one I've yet to see on a show like this. I like it. I saw a guy get thrown to the ground and he landed wrong on his arm causing his elbow to bend the wrong way. I've only seen a few episodes but so far they've had different challenges on each one.
Trial & Error (2017)
Another great show that people aren't watching
At the time of writing there's under 5k votes for this show. This is one of the funniest shows in recent years and no one's watching. Not all the jokes work but the ones that do hit hard.
Edit:
Upon watching this again I'm having serious issues with the constant zooming of the camera.
Origin (2018)
First episode breakdown
Japanese lead that speaks perfect english with no accent even though he lives in Tokyo. Flashbacks that I don't care about. The diversity checklist filled out. Dialog that consists of F bombs and lines you would hear on ABC family. Lots of bickering. No fewer than 6 jump scares.
The ship looks pretty good. That's the only plus I see.
History of Horror (2018)
For the fans
Lots of great cameos by influential film buffs, such as Tarantino, and actors show up regularly too. Each episode focuses on a different aspect of horror and moves along at a nice pace to fit as many movies in as they can. I can't picture myself watching this more than once but for what it is it's great.
Mike Judge Presents: Tales from the Tour Bus (2017)
Everything about this is excellent
Mike Judge knows how to make a good show. The animation is reminiscent of King of the Hill, but better and more defined. The show is better for it.
The first episode floored me. I'm not a fan of documentaries so this means a lot coming from me. I instantly queued up the rest of the episodes. I love that the episodes are 30 minutes and no censorship. This all combines into a show that is never boring.
Thanks to Cinemax, Judge, and everyone else involved.
The Big C (2010)
Fantastic
I watched it in its entirety a few years back. Out of boredom I am currently watching it all again. Halfway through season 2 at the moment it's as good as I remembered. You'll laugh, you'll cry. This is an underlooked gem.
Shrink (2017)
It's funny
I'm a bit late on this one having just watched the first season. There are some genuine fall out of your seat laughs to be had. Their meeting in the porn store had me dying. I can't seem to find any news on a second season but one can only hope. Judging by the small amount of exposure this show seems to have I find it unlikely.
Alone (2015)
An actual reality show
Shocking I know. A reality show that actually seems real with no interference from producers or outright scripting. I do recommend watching this at a faster speed, I prefer 2x. The show plods along most of the time. The episodes themselves consist of half doing and half talking behind b-roll of the environment, with cliffhangers stuck on each commercial break. There's a lot of downtime with the whole zooming out showing the contestant's area which will have you reaching for the fast forward button.
These downsides are mitigated by the heartbreaking moments in each season. Don't be naive like me and immediately dismiss it because it's a reality show. The reviews here are what encouraged me to give it a shot, so thanks ya'll.
Making It (2018)
It's Masterchef with crafts
It plays out just like Masterchef. They get a challenge and instead of showing them actually doing said challenge you get to hear people talking about it instead. The hosts can't save this and don't really try. Their banter seems improvised. 90% of the "jokes" are bad.
Watching Nick spend 42 minutes making something would be infinitely more entertaining.
Best Man Down (2012)
It gets better
This is a slow build and the payoff is worth it. I really made a connection with the girl and lumpy. The two mains didn't do much for me though. Sad movie, recommended.
Summer of 84 (2018)
Quite good
Suspenseful, with good acting. Highly recommend. Takes a little while to get started but once it does you aren't bored for a second.
Impastor (2015)
Hidden gem
This is one of the funniest shows you've never seen. When I read the synopsis I thought I was going to hate this. A gay pastor? Thankfully the writers have some balls. There are weed and sex jokes. It has Sledge Hammer! What more needs to be said? I'm really upset this only got 2 seasons, but it's better than no seasons I guess.
Nathan for You (2013)
It's back!
After some years season 4 is finally airing and I'm thrilled. I'm surprised to see so few reviews on here, but not really. A lot of brilliant shows go unseen. Anyway, not sure how to explain why you should watch this. It's funny and real, real funny you might say.
Movie Trivia Schmoedown (2014)
Entertaining even if you are bad at movie trivia
Currently about 140 episodes in, this is the ultimate movie trivia game. There are singles, team games, specialized games, and plenty of humor coming from the witty characters that play and commentate. Editing is top notch. I've watched them all twice now. It should be a lot bigger than it is. Just watch it!
High Stakes Poker (2006)
The best poker show there ever was or will be
Gabe's commentary is second to none. The players are mostly entertaining. I'm a poker fan, having seen all the WSOP main events since 2005 but even if I wasn't I would find this show entertaining. It's a shame what happened with the final season. I love Norm in most things but he's no Gabe. I assume that played a big role in why they canceled the show.
Monsters Inside Me (2009)
Packed with no filler
I've seen every episode and they never disappoint. Each episode shows 3 cases where people barely survived. Sometimes they die. It's interesting and scary at the same time. What this show does better than other shows of this type is pacing. Where other shows will take 42 minutes to show 1 or maybe 2 cases, this fits 3 in. It shows just enough to form a bond with the individual but not enough to get boring. Be warned; after watching this you will be more paranoid about your surroundings.
Cutthroat Kitchen (2013)
One of the better cooking shows
I've watched the first 6 seasons. At first I really liked it. You have an interesting host and some funny moments. I can't pinpoint why it got stale for me. Maybe it was the same challenges being used in multiple episodes. Maybe the cooking sections weren't that interesting. It's a fine show but if you binge watch shows like I do I think you'll get bored after a while.
Bar Rescue (2011)
Cringe worthy
Like all "reality" shows this is full of trumped up drama. Drama is the key word here. The host knows his stuff but his ridiculous over the top yelling makes me cringe. Some will find it funny. I'm amazed it's managed to have so many episodes made for it. Kitchen Nightmares is much more entertaining.
Big Time in Hollywood, FL (2015)
It's unfortunate
It's unfortunate how unknown this brilliant show is. Not only is it funny (unlike garbage like Big Bang Theory) it's also impeccably written. You could take out the jokes and it would be a successful drama. When it comes to smart writing this is top tier. I give out very few 10's but this show deserves every star.