So, Shardlake. Great first episode, full of spooky castles, sinister monks plotting in dark corners, and gruesome death. Descends into predictable (and tedious) plot twists and stretches of dullness, which considering it's only four episodes is a bit surprising.
Only watched to the end to see if my guesses were right (anyone who's read a few locked room mysteries would guess the same).
Cast deserved a much better script. Bean's Cromwell was great.
Dante's new series revolves around the mystery of the journal that was discovered in “The Rough Edges” series. a fast-paced, action-packed story that's filled with suspense and surprises... I highly recommend “The Collector.”
@bookstodon My #review of Stars of Chaos/Sha Po Lang Vol. 1 by priest has gone live! Enjoyed this more than MDZS, I have to say, mostly because of the worldbuilding and the plot.
This week we're diving into the very earliest years of fighting games with the original - and far more obscure compared to its storied sequel - Street Fighter!
Turtle Beach Stealth Pro headset delivers on some features not seen on any other gaming headset out there, which make it the best wireless headset.If you are...
Opening Night is complex, fascinating, and flawed. It is baffling that this is somehow less than the sum of its parts. The acting and singing are incredible - Nicola Hughes in particular has a magnificent stage presence. The directing and staging is wonderfully innovative - giving even the most distant seat a close-up view. The […]
It is baffling that this is somehow less than the sum of its parts. The acting and singing are incredible - Nicola Hughes in particular has a magnificent stage presence. The directing and staging is wonderfully innovative - giving even the most distant seat a close-up view. The songs are all great - with "You gotta make magic" a standout hit. The whole ensemble comes together in a perfect display of a what a West End musical is supposed to be.
And yet... there's nothing there. Part of the problem is the paper-thin and scattershot story. An actress doesn't like her part because... ummm... she's not old enough? She sort of manifests a younger version of herself, but that's never really explored. There's a bit of sexual tension which doesn't really have an emotional arc.
The use of handheld cameras to project the action on screen (similar to The Mind Mangler down the street) makes the whole thing feel more cinematic. When people are paying a fortune for nose-bleed seats, they deserve a decent view of the action. But, like any gig, I sometimes felt I was watching the screen more than the stage. At which point I might as well have been home watching it on Netflix rather than paying a tenner for a glass of wine. It also suffers from the same problem as the movie version of Les Mis; the actors are doing stage acting - designed to project emotions to vast distances - when caught on camera it can look like a little ridiculous.
There's very little space for audience appreciation, which is weird. In most musicals, there's a suitable pause after each big number so the audience can applaud. Due to the naturalistic way the show is presented, many songs immediately segue into dialogue - which means a smattering of applause quickly withers on the vine.
Sheridan Smith dominates the stage. She is an utter powerhouse, giving it her all. The rest of the cast - including a tragically underused Amy Lennox from Cabaret - are spectacular. The various background players make for an impressive Greek Chorus. It is impossible to fault their performances.
It's just their performances are in service of such a mediocre and incoherent story. Even at the end I was left confused about what I'd just seen. There's no particular resolution, the characters aren't especially sympathetic, and there's nothing interesting to be said afterwards.
If you're happy to be swept along by the spectacle, and don't want to think too hard about the plot, characters, or meaning, then it is a fine night out. I just found it a bit incoherent.
But, at the end, the rest of the audience rose for a standing ovation - so what do I know?
"From the beginning, I was completely enthralled by this book... the world building is top notch. If you love dark romance, fantasy, queer characters, flawed and morally grey characters... you’ll love this book."
💜 On http://www.ladyteruki.com I've been writing (in ꜰʀ) about television from all over the planet, for over a decade and a half ! I believe in being curious about the world through its TV shows.
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🇮🇪🇨🇦🇧🇪 Louise just spent the last few months fighting cancer in a hospital, her entire life on pause. But now that she's officially cancer-free, what is life supposed to look like ? It's complicated enough to survive cancer, but imagine being a teenager who survives cancer... Well you don't need to imagine it : Irish-Canadian-Belgian series #LouiseLivesLarge will show you.
🇳🇱 Two rival families have been trying to create the perfect black tulip. Fifteen years after a tragedy that opposed the two families even more, Dutch drama #ZwarteTulip introduces more death to make things even worse !
❔ For the month of April, I'm offering to you the kind of gift that has become rare : discovering the reviews of 5 TV shows from all over the world that you know absolutely nothing about. What shows these are is even a surprise ! And it only costs you a couple of clicks. So what are you waiting for ?
Turtle Beach Stealth Pro Review - Why It’s Almost Perfect! (youtu.be)
Turtle Beach Stealth Pro headset delivers on some features not seen on any other gaming headset out there, which make it the best wireless headset.If you are...