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TV Shows

The Fall: Is it Feminist?

I am definitely late to the game on this one having just finished the BBC, British-Irish series The Fall this week! I knew that I wanted to talk about the series but I was at a loss of what exactly to talk about until I saw the ratings for the show. The three series tense thriller had people falling over themselves to binge watch the first series back in 2013, but by its finale in 2016, reactions to it had shifted. The recent addition of the show on Netflix UK has had many people obsessed (and thoroughly creeped out), bingeing it within a few days, myself included, a change of tune from 2016. So, what happened?

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Reflections

How ‘Bojack Horseman’ Achieved The Impossible

BoJack Horseman, whose final season aired in January 2020, is now known for its legacy as one of the best animated shows of all time (and to me, is one of the best TV shows period). While some may argue whether or not it really is “the best”, one thing is certain: BoJack Horseman is a show that explores the human condition brilliantly. Namely because it does so in a way that brings the hardest truths about humanity to the forefront while injecting a bitingly self-aware sense of humour into it all. It’s a show that never goes down the easy, “tied up in a neat little bow” route, as it is determined to show audiences every nuanced aspect of its tragicomedic nature. Today, I’ll be reflecting on how BoJack Horseman wrapped up its epically thought-provoking show in its final season.

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TV Shows

Doom Patrol: Humanizing Heroism

Doom Patrol, one of the latest TV show additions to the DC Universe, is dark, witty, and surprisingly poignant. If you haven’t heard of it, I wouldn’t be surprised: it wasn’t on my radar either until someone I knew told me to drop everything and watch it immediately.

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TV Shows

Normal People: Accurate Mental Health Representation on the Small Screen

Trigger Warning: The following post includes mention of mental illness and suicide. In 2018, Sally Rooney, author of Conversation With Friends, came out with her highly anticipated second novel. And less than 2 years later it has been adapted into a Hulu/BBC mini-series. This rapid turnover is virtual unheard of in the book industry, where it can be years, even decades before a film or show adaption is considered (e.g. Good Omens, American Gods, Shadowhunters). One reason for this is that most book lovers, myself included very rarely enjoy book adaptations, be they TV shows or movies (though there definitely…

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TV Shows

The Boys: the Abuse of Power in Positions of Authority

While we’ve seen the concept of corrupt law enforcement in countless mediums, a recent example who has done it in a way that mirrors reality uncannily well is the Amazon Prime Original TV series The Boys (2019). Based off the controversial graphic novel of the same name written by Garth Ennis, The Boys in its very concept exemplifies how its superheroes/superhero corporation, called Vought, act as direct metaphors of police officers and the reality of our current law enforcement system. The Boys delves into the nefarious underbelly of capitalism and corporate America, and boy, does it go all in. (Warning: Spoilers ahead!)

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TV Shows

The Stranger: When Plot is Sacrificed for Views

There’s a feeling particularly delightful of watching the first episode of a show and getting that feeling in your chest where you just know this is going to be a show you cannot stop watching. Unfortunately for me, that feeling more often than not ends up twisting into a bitter disappointment by the end, feeling as if you were robbed of the deserved ending. That was how I felt about the Netflix original series, The Stranger, adapted from Harlan Coben’s 2005 book of the same name.  Going into the series I felt incredibly excited, namely because I have an unsubtle…

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