Joey Kulkin

Started binging today, into the 6th or 7th episode though I may have napped thru an episode, it’s been that kind of day, week, month, and year. I put 3 stars to be neutral for now but I’ll update when I finish the season. There are likely a shit ton of kernels of truth about Hollywood studio life as depicted so far. Every tracking sequence is A+ work and should win cinematography awards.

Started watching last night, got thru 2 episodes. I like it enough to continue the binge. One moment stood out in E2 that's important social commentary. I'm a Jew and all I've known since I can remember is that Iran wants to wipe Israel off the face of the earth. And any examination of Iranians that I can remember is tinged with derision i.e. they're stinky and sweaty and oily, things of that nature. I think back to the joke about Ahmadinejad's lice as an example ... super funny joke but nasty in nature about Iranian hygiene. Which leads me to the moment in E2 when Faraz Kamali is on the phone with his wife who's in France for surgery, a delicate moment for bonding, and she asks him to tell her a joke, which he takes pleasure in doing, and the punchline is super funny on a few levels. That's the first positive imagery I've ever seen or heard in relation to Iranians i.e. Iranians have a sense of humor just like me! It may seem like such a tiny thing in the grand scheme of this geo-political show but the joke showcased the importance of high-level writing and commentary. Kudos to the writers for that moment, and to Shaun Toub for telling the joke the way it had to be told. If I closed my eyes and listened, it could have been any number of rabbis I had growing up telling that joke. I loved that moment, a connecting moment.

Disgraced ex-newspaper reporter who was intrigued about the journalism aspect of the show and gave it a whirl, then stuck with it thru the final scene of the last episode. I'm giving this 5 stars not because it's some great work of art, because it is not, far from it, but because it captivated my attention thru every episode. I'm impressed with how the writers built the string for this mysterious yarn. After a few episodes I peeked at the reviews. One reviewer said the show lost its spirit and believability and credibility after the 4th or 5th episode so I was intrigued to see if I'd reach the same conclusion. I did not, not even close. Now, there are some things that were meh or lol meh or even eye-rolly meh but that's OK because there's nothing wrong with meh or lol meh or even eye-rolly meh if the story holds form. This story holds form in and out of every episode. The twists and turns are fun and the Gen X references made me happy and nostalgic. Hildy's love of journalism and passion for reporting the truth at all costs tugged at the heart strings a bit which leads me to Brooklyn Prince. She was phenomenal in The Florida Project and every bit as phenomenal in the first season of Home Before Dark. Woodward and Bernstein and Bradlee (and Joe Rossi and Billie Newman and Lou Grant) would be proud of this hyper-inquisitive 9-year-old girl who has a nose for news and runs thru walls to shine a light in the dark. Brooklyn Prince is going to own the world if ... Home Before Dark is good teevee. This is the third Apple TV show I've binged in the last month (Ted Lasso, Trying) and I am looking forward to season 2. The story isn't over. Where did Richie Fife run off to?

You can't take your eyes off the screen. Shia and Noah are in many ways here what Hoffman and Henry were in Kramer vs. Kramer ... that is a super-complicated father-son relationship. Very good movie.