So, a couple of shows have had their season finales so lets run the sliderule over the current state of play
True Detective 2
Help. Now in my advanced years I have taken to saving up slightly convoluted shows for a binge watch at season’s end so that my unicellular brain can cope. To say that TD 2 is slightly convoluted is like saying Pup slightly divided the average Aussie cricket fan. I watched the first 7 episodes in quick succession prior to yesterdays finale and didnt mind it too much but really was looking through some rosy glasses methinks. On reflection and after watching the finale it was a muddled mess of misery. Rolling Stone summed it up best for me. Ben Caspere, the murdered man at the heart of True Detective’s second season, got his eyes burned out with acid. To many viewers who stayed with the series to the end, he got off easy.. I was never as enamoured with season 1 as many and still think MM is vastly overrated as an actor and they would be hard pressed to match his woodeness in season 2. How wrong could I be. VV is ok and wasnt given much to work with while Col’n just mopes around mostly and McAdams gets down and dirty but mostly just dull. After FNL I thought Riggins would be the next big thing but whether it is poor choices or a charisma bypass he has been hopeless. However they all get Oscars compared to Reilly as VV’s current squeeze. She had to be taking the piss surely? As with the first season the highlight really is the opening montage and haunting theme.
Halt and Catch Fire 2
Now this is a good show as it chronicles development of the computer and technology through the 80’s. When it stays on track and stays away from the suds it is a great story and one certainly hopes there is a season 3 in the pipeline. The addition of Cromwell only helped an already strong cast. Cameron is Some Kind of Wonderful although not Mary Stuart Masterson somehow ? Until we know its fate will work my way through Mr Robot which is very modern day IT caper but looks good.
It was a sad week in a way with the end of Daily Show of the Jon Stewart variety. Devoted fans would know I was lucky enough to see his show for my birthday this year (as in be in actual audience, not just download and watch with a bowl of popcorn!). It leaves a gap in my satirical look at US politics which never fails to intrigue. Oliver is great but different and will be a different Colbert that returns, although undoubtedly entertaining. Noah may be good but much like Charlie Pickering V Mad as Hell it wont be the same but hopefully not as bigger a gap. Oliver invariably has at least one memorable segment per show but hard to beat this last effort – epsecially if you watched the whole show and saw the earlier bowling ad with Mike
There have been some new kids on the block – Brink has its moments but uneven while Ballers is poor despite the charm of The Rock. Second season of Murder in the First has been weak only saved by the nostalgia stirring views of San Francisco in the background. Really, every cop show in the world should be shot in SF. Or London…. There is though a more important show restarted last week for this old nostalgic fart. In the week that George Cole passed the final season of New Tricks starts and Terry finally exits with a two parter at start of Season 12. Long past the glory days of Arfur and Terry maybe but that is a bit spooky dont you think ? So lets end with one of the most iconic openings this little black duck remembers with much fondness. They dont make them like that anymore. Instead we get an hour long show with videos of cats being stupid ie being a cat.
flashman181 