The Toad's Burrow

    Honestly, this show was very much a tale of two halves for me. If you had asked me my opinion on this show after about two or three episodes, I would have been lukewarm on it. The plot felt pretty formulaic, and the only time I really managed to care about this show was when "The Bride" was on screen. Now, don't worry. There won't be any complaints about "woke" or how they ruined Frankenstein as a DC character, because frankly I didn't care too much about him or his role. But his appearance did mark by far the best part of this show, and that was shift away from your standard "team of misfits' show towards something that felt more real.     Now, don't get me wrong, this season is only seven episodes long you won't be blown away by intricate stories of how actually they're all the good guys, but what it does make you do is care about the characters, which is really hard with a show of this length. I mean seriously, whenever I see ...

      If you were wondering, yes I did still watch this slop show, and no I did not enjoy it as much as I did last time. Of course, yes part of it is because this show lays it on so thick, and yes another part of it is that I'm team Conrad. But also, there were just some really bizarre choices this season that just made everything not feel that believable, and I'm just disappointed with the direction things seem to be going in.  I definitely think this is a stepdown from season 1, and honestly I think the show's starting to forget a little bit about what it's supposed to be. So, let's talk about it.      So, many flashbacks. This show is called The Summer I Turned Pretty . Part of it's appeal is that it leans into the summer aesthetic and vibe to create a bright, fun, mostly lighthearted show. Except that's nowhere to be found this season. Respectfully, I can see how the death of Susanna would be an interesting point of conflict in this show, except it...

      Look I'll try and keep this review brief, because that's basically how it feels watching this show. I mean seriously 17 seasons and each season is eight episodes? It goes by so quickly I just wish it was around longer. And even if the show is starting to show it's age, I have to admit I feel like this season sort of started to turn it around again. Look, a large complaint of the show (which was kind of true), was that people felt the characters were starting to become a bit flanderized, but I feel like they've started to come around on it again, so let's talk about it.     I'd say this season was a mixed bag. There are some episodes that I just didn't care about, a decent amount of episodes dedicated to The Golden Bachelor , but inside this season are some episodes that really make you feel like they've tapped back into what makes the show feel good. Like take The Gang F***s Up Abbott Elementary.  Now, I won't pretend that I'm too good to w...

      KILL TED MOSBY, KILL TED MOSBY, KILL TED MOSBY .  These calls for violence are not unwarranted, I'm just fucking stupefied that someone genuinely thought this is how you end a television show after nine seasons. What was the point? What was the point? I love this show to death, and this might be the first show with a laugh track that I've really enjoyed while I was an adult. Nine consistent sitcom seasons, with a cast of great chemistry, and a revolving door of life subjects touched upon that never felt too old, and this is how they end the show? If you just wanted Robin and Ted to get together in the end WHY WOULD YOU SPEND AN ENTIRE SEASON ON THE WEDDING OF ROBIN AND BARNEY.     I just don't get it. What was the point? I mean this season was an uphill battle anyways. The mother is finally revealed, and Marshall was apparently not available for most of it hence why he spends half of the season sidelined in this massive road trip. Even still, even out...

      Let me start this season off with a very serious message that cannot be undersold nor understated. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. WHO THE HELL IS STILL ROOTING FOR TED AND ROBIN IN THIS SHOW AND WHY DO THEY KEEP ON BRINGING IT UP. YOU CANNOT TEASE THE MOTHER AND FINALLY SHOW HER FACE. I am so sick and tired of this show dragging on this relationship no one wants or doesn't even make any sense. Free Robin. I don't care that she's basically just introduced to be the love interest for Ted, she deserves so much more than that. I love this show dearly but this show is beginning to get on my nerves. There's no way they're stretching out Barney and Robins wedding to for an entire season.      They ...

      I'll be honest, I really didn't see it with this show at first. I thought it was embarrassing, cringy, and just slop that I should have no interest in. Honestly though, it's grown on me significantly, and even if I think pitting two brothers against each other is a little odd I honestly don't mind. It itches that thrill inside of me for cheap drama, to just root for one side over the other like an animal, sort like Bridgerton , but if it was more modern, and with a soundtrack that didn't involve some bizarre string covers of modern pop songs. So let's talk about it.     I'll admit, the first episode had me nearly throw up. I thought Steven and Jeremiah were gay as hell together, and frankly for the first couple of episodes I thought Conrad was creepy as hell, and still do. It's like they purposely did it. He was brooding, but not in a hot and mysterious way, just in like a pervert uncle kind of way. Which brings me to the first point, for better or...

      Let's take a look at the new changes this season. Lily is pregnant, which is good because I like the topics it brings up. Kevin and Robin, which is the most obvious failed relationship of all time and to be honest really creepy to me. Nora and Barney, the most obvious not going to work relationship of all time. Barney and Quinn, an even more obvious relationship that isn't going to work. And uh, Victoria's back? Oh and a couple apartment shuffles nothing too serious. I'm not saying I hate change, but ultimately they can shuffle around as many lawn decorations as they want but at it's core this show stays relatively the same, and I kind of like it that way. I mean they're also clearly building up to Robin X Barney so let's talk about it.     You know for someone whose supposed to be the main character I feel like Ted was kind of sidelined this season, but to be honest I don't mind. Let's be honest, after all this "the one" nonsense it ...

      Another year has come and gone, and that means another season of Rick and Morty  has come and past. Yes, I would say it feels like this show is past it's prime, but come on, I've been watching since I was like 12 would I really ever stop watching this show? I mean how do you even top what they finished up last season in Rick Prime and Evil Morty mostly having their storylines tied up? Surprisingly, some good character focused-episodes that I didn't really mind.      A complaint I saw this season was that despite being half of the title of this show there wasn't that much Morty, and honestly, the complaints are right. But what if, I just don't care. The reason for this is simple, Morty is never allowed to age, and it's just really difficult to do too much and tinker with his character without ruining the dynamics in his family. Rick's name being first in the show really feels important, because this season it felt like the showrunners put a much b...

      I still love this show, I do. But it's hard to watch this and not groan a little saying "oh brother," especially to Zoey, the new character added to this season, which I have no appetite for watching appear on my screen. That being said, I am surprised that six season later and I'm not too worried about this show getting stale. It's quality has stayed surprisingly consistent, and I have never quite found myself in any sort of malaise where I feel like I'm just trying to get to the end. I mean I am but it's because I enjoy this show too much. So let's talk about it.     This new season had a couple new additions to the mix, first of all, Ted's teaching profession is basically put on the back burner as they once again pick up on his dream of designing a building for the New York skyline. I didn't mind this part to be honest, they didn't really do too much with his whole teaching thing. But what I did mind was Zoey. Do I hate the lovers ...

      Yes, I know I swear I wrote the review to season four of this show like less than four days ago, so yes I am going to (in vain) try and slow down my consumption of this show just a bit before I end up watching everything before this month even ends. Even still, I did finish this show, and out of fear that I'll end up halfway through season six of this show before this review is even written, here it is. I wouldn't say it's the sharpest season, but I'd say it certainly explores some decent storylines, and at the very least tries out new things which is admirable to me.     Of course, as a Barney lover it is impossible for me to talk about this season without mentioning the dreaded, and weird Barney x Robin relationship. I'm very glad the show basically threw it out after six episodes, I mean a part of me knew that was bound to happen, but another part of me never really saw or understood it. Robin is consistently disgusted by Barney's sexual escapades, but ...

      How does a sitcom stay this consistent? How I Met Your Mother  is very steadily and easily rising up my top 10 shows list without even trying it's ridiculous. Of course, there were two major changes to this season, well technically three but the last one can be ignored. Basically, Ted proposed to Stella and they came together, and they're continuing the road of Barney x Robin. Respectfully, I didn't like any of those changes, but also thankfully this show is scared to commit to anything too serious (until maybe now?) so we'll see what happens. So, let's talk about it.     This time around I would say that the show did a pretty good job of actually wrapping up (kind of), the two storylines they introduced. I mean of course I knew that Stella was not long for this world, not because I know there's nine seasons but she simply never had enough screen time to really feel like she justified a much longer stay. And lo and behold, the woman who couldn't commi...

      Now, don't get me wrong, I still love this show, and finished season three significantly faster than I thought, but I'm started to sense something that may cause this show to stagnate. And no, it isn't the glut of guest celebrity appearances, which honestly I don't mind, because it's not like they play themselves anyways. No, it's the fact that this show is a bit afraid of some change, and what change it does introduce I'm not fully convinced it's weird. Now, don't get me wrong, season four could prove me wrong, but I just don't really agree with the direction this show seems to be trying to nudge itself in.     Let's start off with this fear of change, or at least what I perceive it to be. Look, I understand that Lily and Marshall are married, and that you can't really rock that dynamic too much. After all, they are "the couple" of the friend group, and frankly I think the show was worse off when those two weren't tog...

     Look, I get it. I'm so in right now. I love How I Met Your Mother  now. I don't know if I'd call it one of my favourite shows of all time. But it's so good I just love all of the characters. I think this season built off of the last one, and might have been better to be honest. Really, the only complaint that one might have is they play around way too much with this whole relationship stuff. I don't think my review of this season will be long, just that I need to make sure I appreciate how well done it is while it lasts.     I wouldn't call this season Lily and Marshall centric, not that I really think it's a bad thing. But it picks up right where season 1 ended, with them broken up, Lily gone for a while and Robin and Ted starting a blossoming relationship. I suppose my main issue with this is, how long did people think this was going to really last. I'm not saying they were forced to return to status quo, but it's hard to see how the show func...

     Well, there it is. I have finally found a semi-long sitcom with 20-minute episodes for me to start watching again, and I have to admit, I did not expect to like this show that much. The premise is simple, you've seen this a thousand times before, there's Ted, the likeable but not too likable main character, Robin his love interest, Lily and Marshall, the classic stableish couple, and Barney, the dashing rogue. I didn't think much of the first episode when I watched it, but slowly and surely, as I continued to watch more, to decide whether or not I was going to continue, I started to get hooked. There's just this charm to the characters and this light-heartedness that I look for in sitcoms. Sometimes, I just don't want to watch some epic drama that has hour long episodes that require as much attention as I can provide. Sometimes, I just want comfort, and to me that is How I Met Your Mother .     I think it's important to start with the characters, because a ...

      How do I feel about the newest season of The Bear?  I suppose in my mind I can see why people might dislike this season, after all it seems that the show has shed a lot of what made people fall in love with it these past two seasons. Gone is the tightness, the pacing, the tension, and the stakes. Instead of 20 minuteish episodes now they reach 30 minutes, and instead of snappy scenes you have longer, more drawn out ones that relish in the silence. Most importantly, most of the characters seem happier, better. Even still, I think this season was decently well done, certainly not some return to the glory of the first two seasons, but definitely not the stumble that the third one was. I promise this season did not solely focus on the characters and yes the plot actually progressed. So let's talk about it.     Look, does this season feel a little fanservicey? Ok yes, it's undeniable. I love the side characters but you cannot tell me that the show runners ...

      Yes I have spent the past hour just letting the finale of The Soprano's  sit, and yes I did in fact actually enjoy it. Letting Don't Stop Believin' course through me, I can only sit back and appreciate the fine job that David Chase and co. did. I definitely did not agree with every choice that happened at the ending, and some parts I definitely felt could have been just straight up removed, but you can't separate the good from the bad, otherwise was there ever any real meaning to begin with? I do think this season most definitely does drag on, especially as someone who was not there to experience the "two different halves" of this season. However, even still, I think Chase had a pretty clear direction and vision when it came to how the wanted this series and considering how easy it could have been for them to fumble their way to the finish line you have to appreciate the cohesion.      So, let's get the elephant out of the room, let's talk about ...

      I have finally finished The Soprano's season five, and I will say that I think they turned it around a little bit from how I felt about season four. Yes, some of the tension from past seasons like with Paulie and Christopher are mostly still bubbling, and they still follow the formula of introducing a new character that you can tell is not going to survive past this season. Even still, I felt like this season ended on a strong note, even if it took me forever to complete this season, and I'm ready to see how this legendary show finally ends. The two big changes this season is that Johnny Sack is finally in charge in New York, or at least trying to be in control, and the new character is not set up as someone who immediately hates Tony, which was a nice change. I can even safely say that I was surprised by most of the deaths this season, which is becoming a rarity, though luckily, I've mostly stopped searching up accidental spoilers for this show.     Let's...

     I have read all of Invincible , so I come into this review, not as someone with a fresh mind, but as someone who is rediscovering what they already know, retreading ground to once again ignite my enjoyment for a franchise and see how this adaptation fares. Leading up to this season practically all the buzz was about how bad the animation for this show has become, helping blunt a lot of the hype that this show had built up in its previous two seasons. I suppose the show isn't exactly helping every time they hire another celebrity voice actor, at that point the joke just writes itself. Even still, honestly the animation never bothered me, it's like that meme about enjoying pizza when you don't have someone in your ear complaining to you about how bad it is. So, how did this season fare?     I am not here to tell people how their action/superhero pieces should play out. I am acutely aware of how pastiche Invincible  is meant to be, and how it also enjoys ...

     After the glowing review I gave Sopranos Season 3 , I was hoping that season 4 would lose none of the momentum, I felt like the show was building, but considering the show was always about the characters and their relationships with one another, I should have known better. I'm not saying that this season was bad, it was just that it felt kind of abrupt. This season certainly does tie up some old threads, leaving room for much bigger, more ambitious plans. Though after the way last season ended, it does feel a little surprising that they'd just nip some of the seeds they've set so quickly. I hate to report that I once again took my random mid-season break this time around, and frankly I was not very compelled to come back either. Let's discuss why.     First of all, let's talk about Ralph. Realistically, I'm surprised he made it this long. He had dead man screaming all over him. He was a drug addict, he was pretty unlikeable to many members of not only Tony...

     Jesus Christ, talk about an elite season of television. I'm going to be honest, this might be my favourite season of The Sopranos  so far. It is that good. At this point the world is just coming to life on it's own, and I could watch them do anything. Which is exactly what happened with Pine Barrens, just watching Paulie and Christopher struggle to stick it out in the middle of a forest in the storm. At one point I took a bit of break, getting through the first couple episodes of the season, then really ramping it up again around episode 6 or 7, and boy was it worth it. It pretty much has everything I wanted, it has good mob drama: Ralphie is introduced as this sort of weirdo wildcard, Christopher is finally a made man, and Jackie Jr. is introduced. It also finally starts to build on the tensions at home that pull Tony apart, whether it be a new goomar or his children. Finally halfway through the show, I will not say that this is it's peak, for all I know it wil...