While you’re in front of the camera, you tend to want to put on a show, but the brilliance of Nathan Fielder is his ability to turn that ‘show’ into a genuine look at human nature, one that’s awkward without being intrusive and funny without being mean. At certain points, the situations go a bit too far–that one girl tonight is on the verge of tears–but at the end of it all, he always pulls back and allows things to progress on their own. That’s where the comedy comes from.
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Nathan For You “Toy Company/Movie Theatre” Review (2×08)
20 Aug
The Leftovers “Cairo” Review (1×08)
18 Aug
“Purpose.”
It’s becoming clearer and clearer how influential the Guilty Remnant is, how it’s able to pull in those–Meg, Jill–who have every reason to be pissed off at its members. We see that the GR doesn’t necessarily go out and bring these people in; rather, they find their own ways, their paths winding through meaningless and depression and loss before they converge at the same front door.
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Rectify “Until You’re Blue” Review (2×09)
15 Aug
“I want people to talk to me in my language sometimes. That does not make me the bad guy.”
The above quote, said by Amantha to Janet, is a perfect representation of how so many people in Paulie simplify things so as to make it black and white or us versus them or good guy versus bad guy. The Daniel Holden case brought our main characters together, but it was under the constant pressure and watchful eye of an angry crowd. It was under shared hardship, not shared happiness, and although it’s united them under a common goal, it’s also torn them apart and prevented them from living life as a true family.
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Wilfred “Resistance”/ “Happiness” Review (4×09/4×10)
14 Aug
“Sanity and happiness are an impossible combination.”
These are the words that open the series, and these end up being the words that resonate the most with regards to the ending. There’s a full circle aspect to the events of this finale, and it feels like we’ve been on quite a journey to reach where we leave off with Ryan Newman; essentially, he remains in the same place, but at the same time, he’s learned to cope with his problems, to find something in his life upon which he can build off of…even if he’ll never be fully healed.
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The Bridge “Harvest of Souls” Review (2×06)
13 Aug
“In public, power is best wielded with a gloved hand…not a clenched fist.”
“Whoever says that hasn’t been to my neighborhood.”
The following exchange takes place between Fausto Galvan and Sebastian Cerisola, and it’s a prime example of the way The Bridge handles duality and morality and the way power struggles come about in this environment. Especially with the cartel, death is expediency, and death is a way to assert its influence over both its victims and those involved in its business. And, when you get involved with the cartel and with Fausto Galvan, you dive into treacherous waters.
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Nathan For You “Taxi Service/Hot Dog Stand” Review (2×07)
13 Aug
“I’m not weird. I’m normal.”
There’s a common thread that constantly pops up in episodes of Nathan For You: the fact that while it’s all ostensibly about the business plan, the character Fielder’s crafted may perhaps be the driving force behind his actions. For, a lot of time is spent attempting to make not only the business better, but also the person in charge of that business better; Fielder the character is out to impart both his business and moral expertise to the people he comes across in his field of work, and in doing so, we see that he has to constantly defend his own normalcy and his own character.
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The Leftovers “Solace for Tired Feet” Review (1×07)
10 Aug
“I think I might be going crazy.”
This is a show that oftentimes favors style as a form of substance, that seems to insist on recycling similar images and ideas and character beats in order to convey the themes it wants to convey. For the most part, it’s been a compelling journey, but slight missteps like “Solace for Tired Feet” take us on a plunge into a well-developed show without the narrative cohesion that makes wonderful episodes like “Guest” resonate. However, as always, there are interesting ideas to pick apart.
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Rectify “The Great Destroyer” Review (2×08)
7 Aug
Whether Daniel Holden is innocent or guilty is a question that’s been lingering at the backs of our minds, and while it’s a question that we don’t necessarily want the answer to or haven’t had a reason to figure out, it’s clear that the pressure is mounting on all sides for the truth to show itself. The show’s always been about the deeply personal relationships within the town of Paulie and with regards to Daniel, but now, some of those relationships are splintering as the past continues to haunt them, demanding an answer.
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Wilfred “Courage” Review (4×08)
7 Aug
Resolutions are difficult, but rewarding. Last week, we saw one of sorts with Kristen and her mother, and this week, we shift focus to Wilfred, Ryan, Jenna, and, most importantly, Bear. It’s not so much a resolution to the questions that were posed in full force this season–that’s next week–rather, it’s more about recognizing what needs to be done in order to move on. It’s about taking a good, hard look at your life and having the courage to do what’s always been at the back of your mind.
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The Bridge “Eye of the Deep” Review (2×05)
7 Aug
Although the David Tate storyline essentially ended back in the eleventh episode of the first season, it was inevitable that as long as he was still breathing, his presence would continue to linger over the show, over Marco Ruiz. In “Eye of the Deep”, it’s exactly what we see; Marco has to grapple with his inner self, with a side of him that wants to embrace his darker nature and end the life of his son’s killer once and for all. As we’ve seen thus far in season 2, this is a conflicted man, one who’s perpetually strung between various inner and outer forces, and the questions of morality that have been swirling around his head ramp up here.
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