Nathan Fielder is not out to hurt anyone or to make a fool out of anyone. Rather, sometimes it’s his clients who dig themselves deeper into the business plan, something they’re initially skeptical of but eventually buy into, and what we end up with is a situation in which the participants are the driving source of the comedy; Nathan’s just there to nudge them along. Take, for example, the moment in “Daddy’s Watching/Party Planner” wherein one of the Nathan’s Weight Loss Program For You (I made that up) participants decides to use the human hot dog ass pose as his embarrassing photo. Fielder lets out a laugh, something we don’t usually see unless he’s purposely doing so; sometimes, even he can be surprised.
The Killing Season 4 Review
5 Aug“Always the one with a conscience.”
Although oftentimes, its themes have been shrouded by questionable writing and lazy contrivances, The Killing has always been about family, about the fraying and strengthening of relationships in the face of loss, of grief. It all began with the Larsen family members and the toll Rosie’s loss and the subsequent investigation took on them, and it ends with a look at St. George’s Military Academy and, for one last time, Sarah Linden and Stephen Holder.
Wilfred “Responsibility” Review (4×07)
31 Jul
Ryan’s psychological problems have compounded over the years, and this season’s episodes–with aptly named titles such as “Answers”, “Patterns”, and now “Responsibility”–have brought these problems to the forefront. Ryan’s always been searching for answers, falling into old patterns, and taking on responsibilities to the point where he’s unable to handle them all, and the constant cycle he’s been thrown into has led to tension and conflict and disappointment. However, like the quote used to open this episode states, he’ll get crushed by it all if he continues to let it build up.
The Bridge “The Acorn” Review (2×04)
31 Jul“There are no sides.”
The Bridge deals not only with the lines separating El Paso and Juarez, but also with the lines separating one emotional state from another, one side from another, one idea from another. When it delves into the nitty gritty, it reveals the moral ambiguity inherent in the situation, the internal conflicts ever present in the minds of people attempting to play sides. It’s not a black-and-white world. There are shades of gray, and people are caught.
Sharknado 2: The Second One Review
30 JulSharknado 2: The Second One opens with a fifteen-minute sequence that is a masterpiece of directing, an emotional whirlwind that sends you slipping, sliding, and screaming through the sharp teeth of danger, through the very real fear of limbs being lost to vicious flying sharks. It is an environment of pulverization and decapitation, but all you can do is soldier on; brain matter is splattered all around you, but you must not forget that the brain you have inside your own head is more powerful than the jaws of a shark. Perseverance trumps sheer power until the shark eats you.
Nathan For You “Dumb Starbucks” Review (2×05)
30 Jul“It was cool that people could draw their own meaning from a business that was just there to make money.”
For the first time, we know where an episode of Nathan For You is heading; Dumb Starbucks was hyped up in the media a while back, and we’ve followed the rise and fall of this lovely little store already. However, even with our prior knowledge of the situation, Fielder still manages to surprise us at every turn, delivering a hilarious 22 minutes of television that is among the best I’ve ever seen.
The Leftovers “Gladys” Review (1×05)
28 Jul“Doubt is fire, and fire is going to burn you up until you are but ash.”
Fire burns Gladys up until she is but ash. We see that at the very end of the episode, in which her body is slowly consumed by flames in an ATFEC compound, left to be forgotten alongside so many other people. It doesn’t matter what group she was a part of, what beliefs she held, or what disgust or anger she inspired. It doesn’t matter who they were, the bodies organized all around her. Now, the flames devour them whole.
Rectify “Mazel Tov” Review (2×06)
25 Jul
Curiosity is the reason why we explore, why we create, why we take risks. It’s a major reason why we have so many technological and social advances, but at the same time, curiosity is also dangerous. As much as society fosters it, the pressures that come with society oftentimes prevent it from shining through, and Rectify is an in-depth exploration of what happens when curiosity comes into contact with history’s shadow, a shadow looming large over everything you do.








