francesredmond's Reviews

Mrs. Davis (2023)

3/10

19 May 2023

This series started off really well. It was quirky without being "zany" and almost anything that has a "Holy Grail" premise is interesting.

But, after the third episode Simone and her constant reminders about how she is a nun are grating to the viewer. She becomes irritating and self important. The secret society is never fully explored. Tim McInnerny is wasted in a five minute role, it's almost like his performance ended up in the cutting room. The ending when it comes is flat and I just thought "is that it?". I really hope there is NOT a second series. A wasted opportunity to create something lasting.

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Penny Dreadful: City of Angels (2020)

7/10

Give it a chance

27 June 2022

I watched this recently and really enjoyed it. Sets and costume and photography were excellent. The writing was a bit sparse in place, but overall it was a very good series. Where it suffered was being hooked into the Penny Dreadful series, and the expectations that people had that this was a sequel.

I really wish it had not been cancelled. There was so much potential in the unfinished storylines. Nathan Lane was excellent and I would have loved to have seen more on his character. His performance and actions in the last episode were heartbreaking.

There is so much rubbish extended for so many seasons, it's a real shame so few people could see past the "Penny Dreadful" connection and ended the possibility of another season. Any chance of a series with Detective Michener?

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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022– )

2/10

All Style No Substance

15 May 2022

I was really looking forward to this. Unfortunately, the first few minutes where we have a shot of a semi naked women in a big bed, and you're not sure if she is daughter or girl friend completely ruined it for me. He's 50 years old, his gf is maybe 24. What about showing him with a women close to his own age, who maybe could also been a high ranking starship officer? Instead of the usual male fantasy. It didn't get any better, just like the recent Picard - the writing was dull and uninspired, and the acting wasn't much better. Hell on Wheels was brilliant, but Anson Mount is so boring in this. The Star Trek brand is so well loved it will probably coast into a second series and then come to an end....... I hope.

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Toast of Tinseltown (2022– )

2/10

Poor and disappointing followup.

5 January 2022

I loved Toast of London and could not wait to see this. It wasn't worth the wait. The writing is poor and boring. Toast is cruelly humiliated at every turn and it's just sad, not funny. The only redeeming performance is Robert Bathurst, who is a reminder of just how great the London show was. The ending is just horrible.

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The Good Fight: And the Court Had a Clerk... (2021)

Season 5, Episode 3

2/10

Getting really boring and preachy

9 July 2021

What a really boring, preachy episode. The joke court is wearing thin, and where does the pretend judge get the money to pay a retainer to a law firm and the wages of the security guard from last week? Marissa is offered a percentage but he needs money to rent premises and run the whole thing. It's supposed to be entertaining but it's not - and those cartoon shorts are just irritating. I wish it could find the mojo it had through seasons 1 & 2 but I don't think it's going to happen.

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The Good Fight: Once There Was a Court... (2021)

Season 5, Episode 2

3/10

Shark Jump Imminent

2 July 2021

Warning: Spoilers

What a ridiculous episode coming after the great opener. We have a Luca "clone" this season who is either bent on revenge or is that in the pay of gangsters. Marissa is lording it over the other associates and instead of helping is being a workplace bully just because she worked there before. Pheobe disappeared very early on and will likely never be seen again. The worst thing this season will be the joke of a court, it's a joke that wears thin after a minute. How is any lawyer taking this seriously? Would a judgement really be legally binding? I'll stick with it and it might get better, but maybe this season should be the last.

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John Wayne Gacy: Devil in Disguise (2021)

5/10

Disappointing and Boring

23 April 2021

This was billed as "hear Gacy speak for the first time", and yes he does and it is fascinating - but the complete interview seems to be only 30 - 40 minutes long and for 5 of the 6 episodes it is just padding. I was actually starting to fall asleep in places as the constant repetition over 5 episodes was so monotonous. The 6th episode "It Never Ends" was very good and did demonstrate that there was possibly more investigating that could have been done - and how arrogant the authorities are when it comes to others shining a light on this case. It would have made a good 3 part series.

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Dispatches from Elsewhere (2020)

2/10

Let down by final episode

25 January 2021

Warning: Spoilers

This was a lovely series for about 7 episodes. It wobbled on the 8th and 9th but I stuck with it. However the final episode was appalling chicken soup for the soul psychobabble. You might as well read "I'm OK, You're OK". What a waste of time. I wanted to find out about these characters, and was let down when I didn't. Jason Segel obviously thinks it's a very clever ending but it's a total cop-out. He couldn't think how to end it properlyso made it all about him. What a shame.

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Knives Out (2019)

4/10

Mediocre and Overrated

5 October 2020

I do not understand how this film makes any "Best Of" lists. It's a slow, lightweight imitation of the classic country house murder. The vomiting device is lazy and Daniel Craig's accent is truly bizarre. Any one of the Poirot films or TV series, even the one by Kenneth Branagh is better. I hope the planned sequel never comes to pass.

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The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

1/10

Worst film ever seen

19 November 2018

I like the Corn brothers, but this film is a waste of time and a great cast. All the stories are depressing and pointless. If it didn't have the Coen branding nobody would look at it twice. A horrible film.

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The Blacklist (2013–2023)

3/10

Started strong but has got ridiculous

16 June 2018

Warning: Spoilers

I've watched as far as season 4 and I can't take any more. Seasons 1 -3 are very good, and can even overcome Megan Boone's acting skills. The finale of season 3 and then season 4 however, is excessively violent. Reddington shoots everyone who stands in his way, Agent Keen doesn't care who gets killed, because every 5 minutes she's shouting at Reddington - "Are you my father"?. So many people die it is sickening to watch. An innocent church organist dies at Elizabeth's wedding and nobody blinks, yet Elizabeth dies and suddenly everyone is grief stricken. The violence just escalates in season 4, it isn't smart or well done, just gratuitous, and suddenly the Post Office team are Red's private army. The Blacklist has lost it's way. The other question I have is why Red doesn't love and protect the daughter he had with Naomi, why doesn't he obsess over her, the way he does with Elizabeth. James Spader carries this series, but it's time to stop. The writing is thin, the FBI are puppets, not an actual task force any more and Red shoots almost every Blacklister he can get his hands on, so what is the point?

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