Comedy
‘Shrinking’ Season 2 Takes A More Dramatic Turn In Episode 4
Shrinking has never just been a comedy, but it does feel like Season 2 is taking a more dramatic approach, especially in Episode 4, “Made You...
‘Poppa’s House’ Still Isn’t That Funny In Episode 2, But There’s Hidden Depth
Here’s the bad news – a lot of Poppa’s House still isn’t very funny. But here’s the good news – Episode 2, “Sleepover”, develops some...
‘The Franchise’ Takes A Mean-Spirited Turn In Episode 4
The superhero movie is, for better or worse, inextricable from the cameo. Recognizable actors showing up in costume either in the middle of a movie...
A Captivating Ensemble Makes ‘Emilia Perez’ One Of 2024’s Best Films
Jacques Audiard directs Emilia Perez, part of Netflix’s annual awards-season slate. The genre-blending movie boasts a star-studded ensemble led by four powerful performances by Zoe...
‘A Very Flattened Christmas’ Is A Fun But Forgettable B-Movie Slasher
A Very Flattened Christmas is a horror-comedy based on creator and co-writer Key Toothman’s TV series, Flattened. In just over 90 minutes the quirky characters are...
‘Agatha All Along’ Episode 7 Reveals Rio’s Real Identity
I’ll say this for Agatha All Along – it isn’t afraid to kill off its cast. Episode 7, “Death’s Hand In Mine”, features another heroic...
‘Shrinking’ Is Effortlessly Brilliant In Season 2, Episode 3
Shrinking consistently amazes me. Only rarely does a show come along that is so able to juggle multiple three-dimensional characters and thoughtful, interlocking plot strands; that...
Times Are Changing In ‘Poppa’s House’ Episode 1
Damon Wayans is sitcom royalty, so Poppa’s House feels like it’s about more than just an aging DJ trying to deal with a changing world....
‘The Franchise’ Goes Feminist In Episode 3
Nobody said The Franchise is a documentary, but Episode 3, “Scene 54: The Lilac Ghost”, has an ear to the ground of the biggest problem...
Rhiannon Gets A Taste For Killing In ‘Sweetpea’ Episode 2
After the premiere of Sweetpea, I made a pretty long list of Rhiannon’s potential victims. For now, that list may still be accurate, and there are...
‘Agatha All Along’ Delves Into Billy’s Backstory In Episode 6
Having dropped the bombshell reveal that Teen is really Wanda Maximoff’s son, Billy – otherwise known as Wiccan in various Marvel ephemera – there were...
‘Are you Smarter than a Celebrity?’ Is A Throwback Family-Fun Game Show
Fans of the iconic game show series Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? are in for a treat with Are You Smarter Than a...
‘Shrinking’ Hasn’t Lost A Step In Its Season 2 Premiere
Shrinking is a fantastic comedy that is sometimes so funny its depth sneaks up on you. This was true in Season 1 and it’s immediately true...
‘Rachel Bloom: Death, Let Me Do My Special’ Is A Remarkable Work Of Art
There’s nothing stand-up comedy connoisseurs like less than experimental specials that challenge the idea of what stand-up comedy can be, so I fear the discourse...
‘English Teacher’ Sticks The Landing In A Superb Finale
It was only right that English Teacher, a truly excellent sitcom, had a really good ending, and Episode 8, “Birthday”, caps off Season 1 in fine...
The Point of ‘The Franchise’ Becomes Clear In Episode 2
I wish I knew more about Tecto, the hero of the inevitably doomed superhero flick at the heart of The Franchise. There’s no way this...
‘A Virtuous Business’ Episode 2 Implies A Dramatic Pivot Is Coming
It’s early days yet, but I suppose it’s worthwhile asking where A Virtuous Business might be going. There aren’t exactly an abundance of empowering female-driven...
‘The Franchise’ Has A Needlessly Good Premiere
There’s a joke at the end of The Franchise’s premiere that sums the whole thing up. In it, Himesh Patel’s Daniel, the first AD of...
‘A Virtuous Business’ Episode 1 Establishes A Solid Premise
The comedic hook of A Virtuous Business is fairly straightforward – the clash of conservative Korea and sexual openness. Lots of K-Dramas are sexy, of...
Rhiannon’s Likeliest Victims After ‘Sweetpea’ Episode 1
The premiere of Sweetpea, “Sorry for Your Loss”, has a pretty simple mandate – justify why Rhiannon Lewis would stab a man to death for...