Christopher Strazza

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I have not been a fan of sitcoms on network TV for many years, simply because there have been so few of them that are funny or even watchable on network TV, in many years. This new sitcom on Fox surprised me in three ways. 1) Fox actually premiered a decent sitcom that is not animated! 2) Maggie Q. is very good at comedy! 3) Fox actually premiered a decent show! (Oh...did I already mention that)? Please don't get this twisted, it is nowhere near quality television. Except for "911", Fox does not do "quality TV". However, "Pivoting" is a decent and entertaining comedy. The three leads have excellent chemistry and the banter is fresh, not forced. Although the premise has a "Big Chill" vibe, the writers create scenarios and embarrassing situations that are very funny! My fears for this show are pretty common. A) How will the show progress after the shock of their friend dying loses it's edge for story lines? B) In the same scenario, how do the main characters grow? C) Any decent show is NEVER safe on Fox, period!!! ( Can anyone say "Prodigal Son"?) That all being said, give this show a try, if you haven't already. It is much better than a lot of things on network television, especially Fox!

I will simply begin with the statement that, as a recovering person, I was pleasantly surprised, in so many ways, by this new show. Bravo! I am always so tentative to watch any show, made for entertainment purposes, that will take on the subject of recovery. It seems that no matter how much many claim to understand that addiction is, in fact, a disease, and that 12 step programs actually do work, they are rarely depicted with any sense of knowledge on television shows!!! This one does, in a very authentic and humorous way! I laughed out loud when the mother of the lead character asks her what the timeline might be for when she "is cured"? Absolutely perfect! Or, Samantha thinking her sponsor is there, not only to help her remain sober, but to solve her life's problems! As funny as these scenes are, they are also very realistic! Yeah...thus far, "Single Drunk Female" is getting a very real, life and death subject right by being close to spot on about how people in and around recovery (friends, family, etc.) respond, react, deal or not with it. The show also educates it's audience to the fact that the subject does not always have to be dire. The humor firmly embedded thus far is very well done! Yes, definitely give this one a try!!!

I rarely pay attention anymore to IMDb ratings for anything, but especially when it comes to fantasy or science fiction. It's clear they are rarely in the positive in these genres. The same goes with "The Witches" movie 2020. Honestly, this is just a good, wholesome movie, that may be a bit scary for very young children. On a whole, the movie has a lot of great humor, decent special effects and a story easily understood by all! Anne Hathaway is hysterical as "The Grand Witch", doing justice to the over the top character! Of course, Octavia Spencer puts in another humorous and great performance as the "main" character's grandmother. Having Chris Rock as the narrator, obviously doesn't hurt! I highly recommend this movie for all, at anytime of the year!!!

I have watched this show every week from S1 - E1 and really like it! A great cast of tried and true actors, a lot of which have impressive series television resumes! I believe that the IMBd rating it was given from it's pilot was too low for the quality of this series and should be changed, yet, now in season 4 it remains the same. Is it just me, or does the screen time of Missy Peregrym and Zeeko Zaki (Maggie & Omar) seem to me diminished in the current season? If you are a regular viewer of this series, I would like to read your views on this and the shows IMBd rating. Otherwise, if you have not yet started watching this show, I strongly suggest it. Believe me, there are a lot worse series on network TV!!!

I learned from this show during season 1, never count it out! After the first 4-5 episodes, I really didn't like this show; however, I stayed with it because I liked most of the cast. I'm glad I did, because subsequently it got better and better! David E. Kelly is known for great story telling, unusual scenarios, and mostly, quirky characters. No, this show is not on the level he has given us in the past: Picket Fences, Boston Legal, Chicago Hope, etc. Although Big Sky may take itself a bit to seriously, it follows some interesting story lines, with characters I find myself wanting to know more about. The premier episode of season 2 left me pretty much the same as the start of season 1. I'm not quite sure it will maintain what made it good thus far or try moving/changing things too fast. I mean in S2E1, only 6 weeks after Jenny is shot (in the chest, no less!) she joins the PD again and, yes you guessed it, she's already the under Sheriff! Unfortunately, from experience, I know none of this could happen. Even in TV land this is just too implausible. Next, she happens to run into a fellow cop, from her past, who is working undercover. Later that night, he shows up at her house and yes, we all saw this coming from jump street, they hookup! Wow, the writers actually used the old "bad boy cop flame from the district, who I haven't seen in years" scenario, that's been BEATEN TO DEATH in every cop show ever made!!! I'm impressed, at 6 weeks I was still working on breathing and getting up the nerve to ask my PT out, never mind rolling around with someone! Aside from Jenny's deal, the episode reveals what new story lines will be developing. Again, they seem to be retread from past series. Last, I noticed that actor Jesse James Keitel will only "guest star" this season on the show. I really hope that this was the actor's decision and not the show runners! Quite honestly, they are the most interesting character and one I would love to see develop more. They need more face time, not less! With all of that, however, I must reiterate that this show really hooked me in, with time, during season 1. At it's best, Big Sky is a good show and worth giving it a chance, if you have not done so yet. I will keep watching and hope for the best!

Wow! I could spend a lot time trying to come up with the right words to describe just how bad this show is. As well, I believe it would take way too much overhauling to untie the knot episode 1 created (unless, of course, they went with the old "just kidding.....it was all a bad dream" excuse!) It's definitely true, NBC is pretty much the only network television station left where you can view "quality" TV series. Example: The Blacklist, This is Us, New Amsterdam, Brooklyn 9 9, or anything with Dick Wolf's name on it, all have IMDb ratings of 8/10 or better. The onus is on NBC. The NBC Fall 2021 premiers are nowhere near quality TV and I fear that they are moving in the same direction as the other network stations, settling on bad to mediocre shows. It's obvious that La Brea is just not a well thought out project. Episode 1 makes this clear in every aspect that makes a production even possible. What's confusing to me, is how they got accomplished actors such as Natalie Zea and Jon Seda to sign on!? The proof that these two are very good actors is that they actually delivered their lines, gave serious looks, etc. from the script without laughing! A tough feet, I am sure! It's my theory, and a most plausible one, in today's game, that most of the money load was spent on the aforementioned actors, with little left for......well, really, anything else. I have always given NBC props for bringing viewers series in the Science Fiction/Fantasy genre. They have been doing this for decades and several have been very good to excellent: Quantum Leap, Heroes, Revolution, Grimm, even the original Star Trek was on NBC. Unfortunately, this is not true as of recent. Last season's misstep was "Debris", however, compared to La Brea, Debris is "The X Files"! And although this season's "Ordinary Joe" is watchable, it is not in the vicinity of a quality show. Immediately evident in La Brea, is that it takes itself way too seriously and honestly it's laughable. Perhaps it should change gears and take advantage of that fact. Yes, have at it! Make the show a tongue-in-cheek series having some fun with the dire situation! Add some clever humor to the scripts. Make fun of the fact that everything (C.G.I., creatures, etc.) all look fake. You get the picture! Heck, then NBC may have a hit on it's hands! Good luck!

Wow! I'm not really sure I have the words? This is just bad television! I have never gone here before, however, let me disclose that I am a retired U.S. Marine and now work in law enforcement. I head a tactical unit in a major city. On both accounts, I have worked closely with most major law enforcement agencies including NCIS. Let me be clear, I very much enjoy watching series TV. I understand, and welcome, artistic license, as well as clever and creative writing/plots/characters, etc. I have never gotten into picking apart military or law enforcement shows. If I want to see what it's "exactly" like, I'll just walk out the front door and go back on assignment. However, this is just well out of the range of plausibility. While watching the pilot, I didn't know whether to laugh or be offended! In the pilot, we learn way too much about the characters and their back rounds, leaving little to the imagination. Conversations between military personnel/agents, etc. generally don't include a resume of each persons military/professional back rounds, accomplishments and awards directed at the person themselves. Unfortunately, this is a bad tactic used in a lot of series when introducing new characters. Of course, we get the obligatory young male agent with anger issues, in a bar, who gets in a fight, due to police profiling, and arrested. Honestly, that one's been beaten to death, in different ways, for both male and female character introductions along with making the police look like idiots. Last, not even in the fantasy world is the U.S. Navy going to afford, or approve, a helicopter to pick up an NCIS agent in the situation they had, never mind drop it on a children's soccer field! Honestly, I like the fact that they cast a woman to head this team/show. The NCIS franchise has yet to do this and it's just time. (NCIS LA's Hetty did not head the team!) The problem is, that the cast chosen as the agents (male or female) would simply be way too young to be promoted to their positions, accept for one. Although I found it sickening that some viewers took offense to two women kissing, I did agree that it came out of nowhere and, regardless of gender, maybe too soon. I mean, as the viewer, buy me dinner first! Give us some sexual tension and romance first! As bad as this show has started out, the onus is on CBS. For the last several years, it is clear that the network is no longer interested in bringing viewers any new "Quality" series television. No, they prefer to give us s_ _ t like "Big Brother", "The Equalizer" and this. Yet, they Cancel "NCIS NO" and an interesting show like "Clarice"??? It's obvious they put nothing into research, writing, planning and, least of all, consulting. The 2 remaining NCIS series left are deflating quickly, even though they remain much better than Hawai'i. Even so, the decline is easy to see in all facets, especially creativity, with a lot of recent cast exits and shake ups. My humble advise is, if you must watch Network TV, go to NBC where they still feature a decent amount of quality series. Most of these series are rated 8/10 or above: SVU, Criminal Intent, the Chicago series, The Black List, New Amsterdam, This is Us and others. Good Luck!

I have watched all episodes of the first season of Superman & Lois, with only the finale left, and have mostly liked it. I can only say that because I really like Superhero, Science Fiction & Fantasy shows. I will, however, continue watching next season. Although I don't find this show to be one of the better series based on the Superman story, I have disagreed, and have been confused, with many of the reasons viewers gave for not liking it. I was taken back by several reviews stating that Elizabeth Tulloch (the actor who plays Lois) was both too old, and not attractive enough, to play Superman's wife - Wow! WHY should anyone care about either of those things??? A.) I think she is very attractive and have had a crush since the series Grimm; but again, IT SHOULN"T MATTER!! B.) I have always seen the character of Lois Lane to be the more mature and wise of the two, since they met as professionals (originally) and C.) It's just So Sad that viewers would actually find this an issue! You go get em' E. Tulloch! There is, however, one grevience that was stated more than all put together that I mostly agree with. That is the "Whining" factor, specifically with the teen characters, and their obvious disregard for any parental authority. Don't showrunners, writers and researchers, etc., realize that this has been BEATEN TO DEATH!? Want to do something different? Get off the bandwagon!!! Develop young characters for a show that display some type of appreciation and respect for their parents, teachers, professionals,.....Hell, any elder! At the end of the day, it is Superman, and that's always a plus! You don't have to worry about anyone in the family seeing this and, let's face it, we need some Superman right now!!!

I began watching this show from S1-E1, because I really like series based on Fantasy, Magic, Lore, Sci-Fi, you get it. I got through the first few episodes (which took lot's of patience) and decided, Wow, this is really BAD! I really wasn't sure what it was suppossed to be about. The writing, acting, really cheap looking sets....and did you see the "magical creature" they came up with? The worst part of it was, is that the show was taking itself so seriously, making it pretty laughable. With the exception of a couple of "bumbling" regulars, there was no humor at all. However, I hung in, hoped for the best and got through season 1. I must admit though, I was extremely surprised to see this return for season 2! However, with some creative writing, new story lines, badly needed new characters and moving in some different directions, it definitely got better. In season 3 they continued with that formula and added desperately needed humor to the story lines which lightened up on more of the characteristic stoic seriousness. This made me care for the characters much more and interested in seeing what would come next! For myself, this was the best season thus far. Unfortunately, season 4, so far, has seemed very slow moving and just all dark. It has lost most of the humor injected from the prior seasons. The characters seem to be running in place with almost zero proaction to solve their issues. The only interesting character right now, is the young runaway teenage girl who came seeking revenge on Talon! She's Great! At times, the show is just boring, gloomy and negative. I hope that they will bring back some of what they were doing in season 3 to keep this series, not only more exciting, but more interesting!