Category: Television

Miss Scarlet Character Review: Barnabeus Potts

I apologize for the lack of posting as of late. There is only so much energy in a day.

*Warning: This post contains spoilers about the characters from the TV series Miss Scarlet (formerly Miss Scarlet and the Duke). Read at your own risk if you have not watched the program. There is something to be said about a well-written, human character. They leap off the page and speak to us as if they were right before us, as flesh-and-blood human beings, instead of fictional creations.

Part of being human is, unfortunately, stereotyping people we don’t know or like. Another part of being human is meeting that person and hopefully overturning that pre-conceived notion of who they are or aren’t. On Miss Scarlet, Barnabeus Potts (Simon Ludders) works at the city coroner’s office. Like many men of his time, he is not thrilled when private detective Eliza Scarlet (Kate Phillips) comes calling. Eventually, he comes not only to appreciate Eliza, but he also respects her and becomes an ally in her work.

This change also opens the door to unexpected romance. A connection with Eliza’s housekeeper/mother figure, Ivy Woods (Cathy Belton), turns into a relationship, which turns into a marriage. He also has a change in careers, attempting to become a novelist.

To sum it up: Though Barnbeus is a man of his era, he is wise enough to understand when he is wrong. By doing so, he represents the slow change toward equality and respect towards women.

Which is why he is a memorable character.

Throwback Thursday: After Armageddon (2010)

The idea of Armageddon has been preached since the beginning of humanity. But what would happen if it were reality and not just an abstract concept?

The History Channel docudrama After Armageddon was released in 2010. A COVID-19-like virus has spread all over the world. The Johnsons, an average middle-class family from Los Angeles, have to find a way to survive in a world that they no longer recognize. Interspersed in the fictionalized drama are experts who explain the breakdown of the government and the infrastructure that we don’t think twice about.

When it originally aired 16 years ago, it was just a “what if”. But, after going through the pandemic, the “what ifs” feel real and scarier than any fiction writer could create.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord Review

The best characters walk a morally ambiguous line. While we root for them, we may not agree with their choices or methods.

Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord premiered last week on DisneyPlus. After the events of The Clone Wars, Darth Maul (Sam Witwer) is determined to build his own criminal organization on a planet where the Empire has yet to take over. An unexpected ally appears in Devon Izara (Gideon Adlon), a former Jedi Padawan who has her own past.

This show is so good. It takes a character we think we know and forces him to reexamine everything he knows and believes. The animation is fantastic. Witwer and Adlon are perfectly cast, adding new shades to their roles.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Star Wars: Maul-Shadow Lord is available for streaming on DisneyPlus. New episodes are released every Monday.

Throwback Thursday: Tournament of Champions (2020-Present)

Watching professionals at the top of their game compete against one another is thrilling.

Tournament of Champions has been on the Food Network since 2020. Hosted by Guy Fieri, 16 of the best cooks in the world compete for the title of champion. Set up via a variety of challenges, they must use every tool in the figurative and literal culinary toolbox to climb to the top and claim the win for themselves.

What keeps me watching is the thrill of it all. Who will rise, who will fall, and who at the end of the season, will be able to wear the belt with pride?

Do I recommend it? Yes.

The Testaments Series Review

Art has an amazing way of revealing the beauty and flaws of humanity.

The new Hulu series, The Testaments, is based on the book of the same name by Margaret Atwood. A few years after the events in The Handmaid’s Tale, Agnes (Chase Infiniti) is a teenage girl growing up in Gilead. As the daughter of a commander, she is at the top of the food chain. But she is still a female in a society where women have no rights and have their future laid out before they can even know what they want.

She is a student at a school led by Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd). At the start of the series, Agnes is called into the office. Aunt Lydia has asked her to help a new student, Daisy (Lucy Halliday), get comfortable in her surroundings. Neither girl has any idea how much this request will change the course of their lives.

Only three of the ten episodes have been released so far. That is all I need. It is a coming-of-age story set against a ruthless and sexist religious autocracy that will stop at nothing to maintain order and keep everyone (females specifically) in their place. In short, it is a tale that feels extremely timely and important.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

New episodes of The Testaments are released on Hulu every Wednesday.

Flashback Friday: America’s Next Top Model (2003-2018)

One of the upsides of reality television (if there are any) is that it may open the door to some industries that are closed off to most people.

This was the premise of America’s Next Top Model (2003-2018). Created and hosted by Tyra Banks, the contestants were put their paces in hopes of winning a modeling contract and jumpstarting their careers. As expected, there was drama (whether real or inflated) in an attempt to keep eyeballs on the screen.

The good thing about the show is that there was an emphasis on diversity when it came to the participants. The problem is that it added to women feeling that they had to be a certain size, and the alleged mistreatment of those who chose to get involved.

Do I recommend it? Maybe.

The Faithful Mini Series Review

For every two or three men whose stories are told in the Bible, there is one woman who is given a sliver of a tale.

The television miniseries, The Faithful, fleshes out the stories of the Matriarchs, giving them the spotlight without relying on the men in their lives. Sarah (Minnie Driver) has been told that she will bear a child. She wants to believe that it will happen. But age and infertility have taken a toll on her.

Her Egyptian maid servant, Hagar (Natacha Karam), has agreed to carry the child Sarah believes will never arrive. What starts as a simple pact becomes complicated as the years wear on. Rebekah (Alexa Davalos) has twin sons. According to local custom, the firstborn (simply because he entered the world before his siblings) will one day inherit. But she has been told that it is the younger son who will take over his father’s role as leader of their people.

Leah (Millie Brady) and Rachel (Blu Hunt) are sisters. Tricked by their father, Leah marries Rachel’s betrothed in her stead. Rachel must wait to marry her beloved.

I have enjoyed the series so far. Driver described the stories as Shakespearean in nature, and I couldn’t agree more. It is a family drama with all of the overtones of being human. Instead of focusing on one faith within the Abrahamic religions, all three are respectfully given their due within the narrative.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

The final episodes of The Faithful air on Fox at 8 PM tonight. Previously aired episodes are available for streaming on Hulu.

Miss Scarlet Character Review: Moses Valentine


I apologize for the lack of posting as of late. There is only so much energy in a day.

*Warning: This post contains spoilers about the characters from the TV series Miss Scarlet (formerly Miss Scarlet and the Duke). Read at your own risk if you have not watched the program. There is something to be said about a well-written, human character. They leap off the page and speak to us as if they were right before us, as flesh-and-blood human beings, instead of fictional creations.

No person is an island. Whether in life or business, we need other people. On Miss Scarlet, Moses Valentine (Ansu Kabia) is a foe turned into an ally. Originally from Jamaica, he is comfortable in the not-so-proper underbelly of London. Working for  Eliza Scarlet (Kate Phillips), he becomes her connection to a world that would be dangerous for her to traverse alone.

He is charming, intelligent, and is often two steps ahead of the “proper” authorities. When Moses returns to the UK, he comes back as the owner of his own detective agency in Paris. He also pairs up with Clarence Pettigrew (Paul Bazely), creating a unique buddy comedy/crime caper-esque story that adds light to what could be a dark narrative.

To sum it up: Moses is a man who can move between worlds, giving him opportunities that the other characters cannot have without putting themselves in danger. Add in charm and a quick mind, and you have a person who can survive in multiple cultures.

Which makes him a memorable character.

Flashback Friday: 11.22.63 (2016)

The question of time travel is filled with both potential and pitfalls. If you could go back in time, what would you do? Would it be to undo a personal mistake or change the course of history?

The Hulu mini-series, 11.22.63, premiered in 2016. Based on a book by Stephen King, Jake Epping (James Franco) is a teacher who goes back in time to stop the assassination of JFK. It is supposed (note the keyword) to be a straightforward mission. But as usual, it does not go as planned.

Having never read the book, I cannot say for certain how it compares to its small-screen counterpart. The idea of the story is extremely tempting. The problem is that I was just plain bored.

Do I recommend it? No.

11.22.63 is available for streaming on Netflix.

Dynasty: The Murdochs Documentary Review

Money and power, in the hands of the right person, can change the world for the better. In the wrong hands, it can be a corrupting influence.

Dynasty: The Murdochs is a new four-part Netflix documentary that follows the life and career of media mogul Rupert Murdoch and his family. As Murdoch ages, the question of who will step into his professional shoes becomes even more prevalent. As the siblings vied for power, alliances are formed, and childhood bonds are severed or broken completely.

The best way to describe the narrative is akin to a car crash on the side of a highway. It is too tempting to pass by and, at the very least, take a quick look at the wreck that was a vehicle. It makes me feel sad that this clan has been torn apart, instead of putting the familial connection first. It goes to show (at least to my mind) that perhaps extraneous wealth is not what it is cracked up to be.

The smartest thing that the filmmakers did was to use a board game to illustrate the games Murdoch and his kids played to get to the top. It made the story that much more interesting.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Dynasty: The Murdochs is available for streaming on Netflix.

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