Kathleen M. Potter

I wanted to like this show. I kept hoping it would get better with each episode. I can’t say it did. Maggie Q’s acting is stiff, uninspired and even sometimes just downright bad. The supporting cast, on the other hand was good. The scene where she is poring supposed (it would toxic smelling) sealant on her surfboard without a mask for the stinky fumes was just ridiculous! And the storylines were dragged out, repetitive and at times not plausible. Give it a miss. Bosch was overrated as well. But at least Titus Welliver is a good actor!

Even with all its cultural flaws, mistakes, inaccuracies I love this drama. Remember this is not a documentary. I apologize to all the people who are offended by these issues. Syria is a fascinating multi-religious country. The world owes a tremendous amount to the Arab and Persian cultures as our Judeo-Christian and Greco Roman roots took from their wisdom! I appreciate that this is a drama 🎭 and so it is meant to capture the emotional essence of human trauma and tragedy. It does just that with stellar acting, storytelling and the sometime very annoying, yet appropriately illustrative, repetition of scenes and memory. For this is what goes on for victims and survivors of genocide, torture, war, trafficking, rape, trauma, immigration displacement, religious persecution, sexual violence etc. There is this physiological drive by the body and psyche to resolve the trauma and in doing so perseverating happens. Bashar’s character is busy trapped in this trauma vortex AND at the same time beginning to create a different vortex outside his trauma, a healing spiral, all the while annoying the heck out of all his helpers, family, friends, and colleagues. His uncontrolled need to jump into danger is a trauma response. The toxic hospital environment he works in also exacerbates his coping mechanisms and allows him to help others like him. He does have a special skill and adaptability to emergency situations! His attraction to the female doctor who’s wounded by her weak heart is a fascinating study in opposites attract, boundaries , trauma bonding, cultural conflict, gender sensitivity, healing and redemption. So much more to share about this amazing and flawed drama! Yet best you check it out first yourself!!

I WANT YO WATCH THIS! But AMAZON PRIME is not offering it even though it says it’s available there!!

It took me a long time to embrace watching this series. Any woman will get what I am saying. That said it is a brilliantly executed series overtly exhibiting the MAD advertising MEN of NYC from 1960-1970. Although women will feel that they’ve not left the 1950’s except on occasion. There are brilliant actors both men and women, a great script and amazing production settings and props! I felt flashbacks from my childhood often! Weirdly comforting and distressing at the same time. I am grateful the series is named MAD MEN because after watching it one understands the men who developed such a creative yet predatory system called advertising and how it sucked the life outta everyone!! The rampant addictive behavior exhibited throughout includes excessive alcoholism, excessive smoking, debauchery, sex, greed, racism, sexism, emotional and physical abuse, slavery, and the trauma all these behaviors inflicted upon a generation (and more) is tragic, nauseating and disgusting. What women tolerated, overcame and participated in during this insane corporate development is shown and yet it is still hard to fathom! I felt an admiration and pity for the tolerance and sacrifice women made in this environment and a wish for the availability of other choices. I loved all the eccentric, neurodiverse and literally crazy people who appeared as characters in this show! To be living in a time currently where certain people and intolerant groups are returning to this retrograde behavior makes this show somehow even more disturbing 😳! It’s worth viewing and it will be disturbing. If you aren’t disturbed by it please call a counselor or psychiatrist and make an appointment. The ending is redemptive thank goodness and yet….many of the mad men definitely should have died from pickled livers and lung cancer way before then!!

An emotionally deep exploration of how grief and loss impact people, relationships, and the community. Great script, wonderful music editing, great characters. I haven’t read the book. Obviously it’s an inspiration for this series and not a replication of the same story. It is really well done especially in representing the adolescent angst of growing up with the loss of a close sibling and family. And then getting dumped into a wounded dysfunctional family to heal. I appreciate the inclusion of a grief group for the storytelling of how different characters cope. As Dr. Jacob Moreno (founder of psychdrama) said: “It is within the group we are wounded and it is within the group we will be healed.” It also deals with the impact of addiction, family dynamics , survivor’s guilt, pregnancy, politics, acting out behaviors of loss and addiction, and sexuality. It covers a lot of topics and does it well. Brilliant cast especially the young boy who plays Edward, Oliver O’Brien and the young woman running for Congress and of course the amazing Connie Britton is wonderful as the rich alcoholic needy mom who evolves. It’s full of reality and redemption.

An exceptional series! Neurodiversity rocks and comes with many challenges and gifts! Great cast, wonderful script, culturally educational, and humorous! I love episode 8 about lineage, the Hackberry tree, and honoring land, people and uniqueness over profit. Sometimes viewers forget it a drama 🎭. Autism is a mental health challenge on a spectrum. This drama chooses to use it as a vehicle for understanding difference, societal judgement, relationship challenges, rejection, parental dynamics, and Korean culture, misogyny and sexism.

A honest portrayal of what it’s like to grow up in a family and community devastated by addiction and the choices forced upon children that have to raise each other. So too there is evidence of a family and community full of love, loyalty, pride, and cultural history. It explores police corruption, misogyny, abuse, homelessness, family conflict and violence, and how trauma can disrupt your ability to trust yourself and other good people. If you’re raised in an environment of always being on the alert, in survival mode, emotional bonds don’t form in a healthy manner. Life choices then come from a place of survival rather than conscious choice. A brilliantly executed series. Excellent acting, flawless script, and emotionally wounded characters most of which find redemption. I love stories that find redemption because we humans are here to learn, make mistakes, relearn and heal.

The biggest gifts of this series are: the beautiful emotionally connected story lines; the scenery of Canada (the cinematography is stellar!); the music accompanying the series; the power, beauty, majesty, and healing energy of horses; the human horse interactions; the eccentric beautiful people and quirky personalities presented; the portrayal of family, friendships and caring for those less fortunate; intergenerational influences both from young to elder and elder to young; an exploration of what to value; an honoring of indigenous wisdom and herbal medicine; watching the talented skills of the horse woman that plays Amy Fleming. The challenges of this series is: its slow emotional pace and relationship development (no judgment just a challenge at times but good for learning delayed gratification!); the inconsistent caliber of actors used in the series (and giving an inexperienced actor an opportunity is a valid thing); and overly gushy mushy story vectors and a lack of more worldly subject matter in the storylines. My favorite episodes are in Season 5 episode 1 and 18 with the horse dancer portrayed by the immensely talented Northern NM actor Raoul Trujillo. The DARK HORSE show trainer ends up teaching Amy how to connect even more deeply with her beloved companions! These are award worthy episodes. The “heartland” of relationships in the series reflects the success of the rupture and repair in each relationship and the importance of family and community. It’s a beautiful show illustrating how to evolve and become a decent human being. Very worth viewing!!

Well….I just watched the best episode of Tracker tonight: Season 2 Episode 10. I have been hanging in there with this show because it has potential. It is…as a Hollywood review called it…“bland.” It is as if Justin Hartley’s acting potential has been buffeted as he often appears frustrated on screen . And it’s not frustration related to his current case. The inclusion of Colter’s back story is too infrequent and so much more interesting than the poorly written support staff characters currently included. I can’t stand tv series that get too formulaic. There’s a balance between story and drama that has to create a fulcrum of tension, realness and excitement in order to carry the character(s) and propel the storyline to a level of success. Maybe I am asking too much for 45 mns of tv but I’d say the series “Equalizer” pretty much succeeds in all these categories minus the cheesy drawn out romance stuff with Robin’s character! It really comes down to good writing, great acting and directing. The show creators knew they had the right lead actor in Justin Hartley. They just need more compelling stories like this one. I am hoping Tracker manages to keep getting more on “track” from here on out! Lol 😆

A slow burning, gripping, and “historically inspired” drama about colonialism at a British military outpost in the Gulf of Aden (modern day Oman) in the mid 1960’s. Superb acting (especially the actress who plays Alison), script, cinematography, directing, The colonial mentality is masterfully portrayed, as well as, as naive British military loyalty. Moral gray areas and British Intelligence secrets, lies and priorities come into conflict with the military brotherhood and their families weighted against an American journalist truth telling regarding the war with the local “terrorists”. Some cross cultural exchanges are in evidence and also a blatant disregard for the sovereignty of the local population. The sexism and misogyny endured by the women in the series is hard to watch. And yet the outspoken character of Alison again bares witness to female intelligence, truth-telling, and desire for change! An excellent well crafted drama. 🎭 Don’t miss it!