Barry Jive

Overall a really great series with a few minor quibbles that, while bothersome, don't detract enough anywhere close enough to warrant turning it off. The title, The Turkish Detective, is a bit of a misnomer that suggests the English detective transferring to Istanbul is the lead. He's a fish out of water in this new home and acts more as surrogate for the viewer who is very likely also wet behind the ears when it comes to Turkish culture. His story line and acting become more and more eye rolling as the season progresses, but they do serve a narrative purpose. The real Turkish detective and gem of the entire series is Inspector Ikmen and the actor who quite clearly revels in the part. There's no denying he's the true heart and soul of the series. I hope any subsequent seasons either focus more on him or become more episodic in their storytelling. There are only six episodes in the series and they go by quickly. Let's hope the BBC give this one a second chance.

Really enjoyed the first season but the second season really suffered from a knotted mess of a poorly developed story lines that were hastened with clumsy melodrama and eye-rolling dialogue. I'll have to think about whether I'll watch the third season considering the promise displayed in the first season but the real disappointment created by the second.

WRP never lived up to its potential. As Mythbusters proved over the years, Kari, Grant, and Tory had some great on-air chemistry and creative genius. Unfortunately those assets failed to translate to the new format which suffered some fatal flaws. WRP was clearly a spin-off of Mythbusters, but it took worst aspects of the show — poorly contrived dialogue and setups — while also failing to put the hero of the series — its over-the-top, novel builds — front and center. If WRP were given one or two more seasons, it probably could have found its feet and been successful in its own right. The first couple seasons of Mythbusters were also clumsy before arriving at a formula that eventually worked. I wonder, though, if its hosts were just ready to move on to new chapters in their lives, separate from the orbit of Mythbusters that had defined so many years of their lives.

There's a lot of potential here that's wasted on some pretty sappy melodrama. The mission to Mars too often takes an unfortunate back seat to life on Earth. The writing is too loose emotionally. The ancillary plot lines need to be reined in and more focus put on mission suspense to make a tighter and more cohesive story that moves forward with pace and purpose.

A strong 3 stars — Kafka and Serling would approve. At 1.5 hours, it's a short story that's about 30 minutes too long. The two lead actors mitigate the length with some solid performances. Recommended for anyone who's a fan of pure fiction. This feels like it should be a chapter in an anthology of suburban short stories of the surreal.

What ultimately makes this movie a thumbs up recommendation is the raw talent the young actors bring to this tragic and troubling story that's often uncomfortable to watch.

This is a movie everyone involved did only for the paycheck and it that fact is insultingly evident from the get-go with a Red Bull promotion in the very first scene. It doesn't get any better from that point on.

It's a mostly thumbs down for me. It's good WWII story but the dialogue feels stilted and there are several miscast roles. The talented actors that are here - like William H Macy - can't quite rescue the film from its script and directing.

Skip this. Let me save everyone some time: he backs out of the stunt. You've gotta applaud someone for making that tough call when there must have been so much pressure to go through with it, but ultimately it means this film is missing a very important climax to what was a poorly told story up to that point. The entire project needed more consideration from the get-go, and probably shouldn't have been released as is. It's a song without a coda.