Brett Williams

Goosebumps is a really entertaining show: not great but better than good, if that makes sense 😃. On one level the show presents as a typical avenging ghost story. But underneath it’s a much more complicated and nuanced tale. The episodes are written in an interesting time-lapsed way that offers viewers different perspectives without causing confusion nor the story to drag. There’s more humor than horror but enough horror to keep the show’s vibe tense & a bit creepy at times. Good creepy though, not bad creepy. The main characters are a good combo of likable & interesting though most are very clearly not teens—outside of that the casting is great with good acting from major and minor actors alike. Goosebumps is a really fun and entertaining watch so I’d definitely recommend that everyone gives it a try.

Slower burn British detective drama set in the Chelsea neighborhood in London. The characters are all well acted and interesting if not always likable. The writing provides for plenty of twists & turns that will keep viewers guessing both “who done it” and who’s next: as is typical with the genre sometimes peeps are dropping like flies! That leads to my only really criticism of the show—while it’s a fun watch there’s really nothing that distinguishes the show from other mystery dramas. Still, I’d recommend that any mystery fan give the Chelsea Detective a try. 😉

I think this is a terrific little show—solid writing & acting, especially considering how young several of the cast members are, down right lovable characters, interesting & compelling plot points, plenty of teen angst & poor decision making, with a nice mystery or three along the way. I give huge credit that the show deals with sex-trafficking/teen exploitation head-on: it’s a big issue that needs more attention. The leads are believable as teens and each of the 3 main “teen” cast members are very endearing in their own way which I think balances the darker subject matter the show deals with. The show has some pacing problems & stretches believability beyond suspension-of-disbelief more than once but the series internal strengths more than balance any shortcomings. If you like mystery or action adventure shows I’d highly recommend that you check Shelter out!

This is a really fun show with excellent fight scenes, good world-building, and a really unique aesthetic. The acting and characterization is a weak point, sometimes being flat while others over-the-top—still, the viewer cares about the both what happens to the characters as well as their motivations which is really what matters. Plus, the show has a lot of heart. It’s definitely a fun, enjoyable watch.

I’ve really enjoyed the initial 3 episodes of Ahsoka. The plot has been tight and on point with an emphasis on action and moving the story forward but with plenty of character development along the way. I don’t think viewers need to have watched either rebels nor mando to understand what’s going on (though I’d highly recommend both shows) but any fan of rebels will feel like they’re coming home when they watch Ahsoka. The show has really compelling villains—2 dark Jedi, a former inquisitor, and a maybe x-night sister!! Wow wow wowzers what else could be asked for?!?!?! I so badly want to know more about each of these peeps. Why’d the dark Jedi go dark, did the kyber crystal start resonating an orange saber on its own, how much night sister mojo does madam night have, how’d the inquisitor survive the rebellion & Vader & other inquisitors treachery—and where’d he get that super cool shoulder cape?? I want a shoulder cape. You know you want a shoulder cape too! To be honest the portrayal of Ahsoka comes off as a little wooden BUT I think that’s because she’s older, wiser, and has lost almost everyone & everything she’s ever cared about. The rest of the cast does an excellent job—there’s even an endearingly snarky droid in the show. Watch Ahsoka. You’ll love it! Or you’ve been corrupted by the dark side.

The Recruit is a solid show but only has one likable character—that role is played by charismatic cutie Noah Centineo—so I found it a little hard to watch. The acting is mostly good as is the pacing. There’s a nice peppering of comedic moments in most episodes. Still, I wanted to watch most characters get punched in the face a time or two &, while a lot of people find that spiraling, it’s just not my thing.

After watching the first episode of Willow I was hopeful that it’d be a quality show—I really enjoyed the aesthetics of the world and found the characters/character interactions fun if not compelling. It wasn’t great but I saw potential: plenty of good shows don’t have great first episodes. But…things didn’t improve. Each episode was worse than the one before. Even the action scenes and CGI seemed to devolve, almost as if the creators ran up against a deadline or budget constraints as production progressed. I do think kids may enjoy it—my 11 & 13 yo nephews finished it and found it entertaining—but outside the youth crowd I wouldn’t recommend it.

Love it! The characters are just quirky enough to be interesting without being over-the-top. The cast is full of great actors & the first 3 episodes have managed to both fun & suspenseful. Further, I think the lead being a highly intelligent detective having to struggle with a tough upbringing and dyslexia makes for an interesting twist for a police/crime drama. Plus it has a really super cute pooch. Watch it!! 😀