Bang! Back on form! Season 4 was short and sweet, being only two episodes but it introduced new and interesting characters! DS Gray was beyond annoying back in Season 2 and 3, man did I jump for joy when she caught a bullet.
The story, the direction once again became fresh and original. Weaving three different puzzles for our main man Luther.
Although 2 episodes does not a season make in my opinion.
Jim gives Luther Season 4 a 8/10.
Side note, what happened to Jenny!
Finally caught Luther. This came out around the same time as Sherlock and understandably everyone watched Sherlock with ol Cumberbatchie….I kinda of wrote it off, but after hearing some good things, I thought I would give it a go.
For those of you that don’t know, Luther is a murder detective drama. I am now all the way to Season 4. (I’ll review Season 4 separately once I’ve finished it.)
It’s actually pretty darn good! Season 1 is the best so far. I haven’t watched Season 4 yet. The budget was clearly the smallest in season 1, with the sets, location and the outfits but the writing and the acting was superb! (especially from each episode’s supporting cast.)
There’s also the excellent Alice to match Luther against…..
Why was Season 1 so good? Well, for a detective drama to work as a viewer there are some key elements, you can’t guess where the story is going, otherwise it would be boring, and you really can’t! There needs to be excellent dynamics between the characters!n Tick!
Season 2 flagged a little but overall was well worth watching, especially the ending!
Season 3 which I haven’t listed in the title is very disappointing. I wouldn’t bother watching it. Skip it and go straight to season 4. Trust me, you wouldn’t be missing anything. You might ask, why was it bad? Well, you remember what I said earlier about guessing the story, Luther goes from unpredictable to completely clichéd and predictable, and in addition, characters suddenly behave differently to how they would do in the first two seasons. DON’T BOTHER with season 3.
I am going to score Luther a 7.5 out of 10. If season 2 was better then I would have scored it higher but as a result it kinda dragged the score down. Also, you can’t help but compare sometimes…..I take Sherlock’s awesome coat over Luther’s coat and red tie, and Moriarty over Alice.
Do you like fighting games? Were you addicted to Street Fighter 2?
Do you like anime and the Japanese humour that comes with it?
Well, then you’re in for a treat with High Score Girl! It’s a Netflix production from an original series of manga.
I loved it! Pacing was good, story was different, makes a change from all the usual anime stuff on extreme violence or saving the world. (Watched Baki the other day, total waste of time, so make sure you flick past that.)
The animation is also pretty good, in certain key scenes, they really stepped it up in fluidity and detail.
If you can’t get into it by Episode 3 then call it quits. As in my opinion those three episodes are the best in the series, and truth be told, it could have ended there. But then there’s the Netflix money making machine that needs to be fed!
Jim gives High Score Girl 7.5 /10.
Main problem with High Score Girl is if you are not into gaming or anime, you’ll find it a turn-off. But if like me, it’s a real trip down memory lane and coupled with young love…..It was great!
The Japanese version of Big Brother! Admittedly I never got into Big Brother UK, but Terrace House had me strangely addicted! The main premise is that 3 males and females have to live together under the same roof, however they are not locked into the house a la Big Brother UK style, instead they carry on with their lives, working, going out, seeing whoever.
Clearly having good looking people in there helps, but seeing into the way the Japanese youngsters live their life, and how the romancing is done (little differently but same also……you’ll know when you watch it) was oddly compelling.
Depending on how charismatic or engaging the people were in Terrace House, the show picked up or sagged. You’ll definitely form your own favourites!! You form an immediate impression of these people like Tatsuya is going to be such a playboy, or Makoto seems a stand up guy…………..
One thing which I always fast forwarded on and I recommend you do it too, is all the inane commentary which they put in between scenes. They have various people (I am guessing from the Entertainment industry) analysing and making jokes. It didn’t work for me, so it was click on fast forward during those sections. It made no difference to the enjoyment or understanding of what was happening in Terrace House.
Jim gives Terrace House: Boys & Girls In The City 7.5 out of 10.
The Wire……ish runs deep……
Hands down one of the best TV dramas out there. Although for some, the black gangster life and culture will not appeal, and they won’t be able to tune in and get the show, but for the people that are willing to see past that, it’s a hell of a ride. The characters are so real, and the stories that circle around them complex, the developments that these people go through and change make sense, great drama is all about conflict and emotional impact and this TV show has it in spades.
There are 5 seasons of the Wire. But if nothing else, sit your butt down and commit to watch Season 1.
Now a few things if you’re going to watch The Wire. You need to pay attention, like really pay attention, don’t waste your time and lessen the impact and enjoyment of a great show like this by messing about on your smart phone checking Facebook or whats app!
Or I’ll be sending Snoop your way. (Snoop is pictured above) Doesn’t look all that right……..well, if you watch it, you’ll know!
The plot is complex and comes with a lot of slang in the dialogue, there’s also intricacies which you’ll appreciate if you really get into watching the show. Otherwise, you’re be a few episodes down and turn into that annoying muppet that goes “er what’s happening??”
In addition, the cast is huge! In Season 1 alone they introduce close to 20 characters that are important and have a story to tell or will later become important, so again don’t be that muppet that does “er, who’s he or who’s she?”
The pacing is a little slow to start with but if you commit, then you shall be rewarded!!
Personally, I liked the seasons in The Wire in this order:
1,4,5,3,2.
This is down to the characters and the story line that the characters that I enjoy watching the most. You may feel differently, as other people have commented to me that they love Season 2.
Finally, how many TV shows have you watched that you really enjoyed only to be let down by an ending that couldn’t compare to how good it was during the beginning and the middle. I personally give a gold plated Jim’s Review guarantee that if you watch the Wire from start to finish, you would not walk away feeling like a mug.
Jim gives The Wire a dazzling 9/10.
The knock is the theme of the show, some people will automatically be turned off by the fact that it’s a gritty, cop vs gangster drama, but when you really watch it, it’s a lot more than that. It’s life in Baltimore.
My name is Utred, I am the son of Utred……and so begins an absolute barnstorming of a action drama. The Last Kingdom Season 1 is the best all of the Last Kingdom seasons so far. (There are three.)
All the actors and actresses were to me relatively unknowns. Indeed they hailed from around Europe and UK as opposed to any big names from US, however the acting was superb. I was most impressed with the three leads in Alfred (David Dawson)
Brida (Emily Cox)
and of course the leading man Utred (Alexander Dreymon)
All three were so different in their character but more importantly believable! A testament to their acting chops. The supporting cast were brilliant, I personally found none of them lacking, as sometimes you can have a weak link or two dragging everyone down.
What I loved about the Last Kingdom Season 1 was the way it was directed and shot. There was such richness in the scenes, and by that I mean the world it was set into. The background wasn’t just a house with a few props thrown in. It was filled with people, movement and sound. For example, there was a scene where Utred (the child) was in Ragnar’s home, Ubba and his host of the Danes were up to all sorts of shenanigans! The sounds, the screams, people moving in and out of shot. It made it real…….
I need to give it extra marks for the music and the excellent use of silence (for dramatic effect) along with fantastic dialogue means this is the best Last Kingdom Season so far.
I have to doff my cap to BBC for Season 1, truly a memorable experience.
The entire creative team for Season 1 created something special.
Jim gives the Last Kingdom Season 1 – 8.5/10
*The only knock being the lack of a bigger budget ala Game of Thrones, but to be honest that is me being a bit harsh and a tad unrealistic – no pilot show would have a huge budget like Game of Thrones to be honest.
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Ball 24....
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