Money Isn't Everything

Took the month of January off from these sort of blogs but any more, I will try to make them monthly affairs going forwards. Anyways, a look at stuff I've been watching recently.

And Just Like That: It's been an undeniably divisive return for the ladies of New York (minus Samantha) but at least it's been discussion worthy to a point. With Charlotte mostly relegated to comedy mishaps and stuff involving her children, it's been Carrie and Miranda getting the dramatic stuff with mixed results. Carrie's  had hip problems, apartment problems, neighbour problems and finding the right place to scatter Big's ashes. She's also gained a solo podcast and a new love interest. Miranda also gained a new love interest in Che, thus breaking up her marriage to Steve and losing a bit of her former self. I'm all for Miranda discovering herself but Che was the wrong character to do this with. At least Seema proved to be a strong addition to the series. Will it gets seconds? Who knows.

Batwoman: Ah, this season has been surprisingly strong for the most part. What hasn't worked in my opinion has been Ryan's family, especially Marquis, who is a very poor version of this show's attempt of a Joker baddie while Jada still hasn't really clicked as character either. What has clicked was the Poison Ivy arc (short as it was and convenient in exiting Renee Montoya) along with the sisterly bond between Mary and Alice and Luke finally syncing with his Batwing suit. Even the Ryan and Sophie pairing, despite being a tad contrived has worked better than expected. Hopefully these last two episodes can end the season on a good note.

Dexter: New Blood: I think this show has managed to strike a record for coming up with a finale more polarising and controversial than the original one it did. To me, that's crazy because what we got in 2013 was a terrible way to end the show while we got in 2022 while not entirely perfect, at least made more thematic sense. Harrison being the one to kill his own father after Dexter's whole web of lies came crashing down felt oddly right. This limited series didn't fully recapture the heights of the original series glory days but it definitely made up for it's original ending.

Pam And Tommy: Is there anyone not watching this limited series? Last week Hulu/Disney+ dropped the first three episodes and it made for some interesting viewing. Needless to say both Lily James and Sebastian Stan absolutely nail it as Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee and they're ably supported by Seth Rogen, Nick Offerman and Taylor Schilling. These episodes provide quite the education into the title characters turbulent relationship as well as the role that Ran Gauthier played in their sex tape being leaked. Lily James herself has completely disappeared into the role and the 90's soundtrack, I just love. As for Tommy's talking penis in the second episode. Um. 

The Gilded Age: Julian Fellowes is a writer who found his comfort zone a long time ago and has never stepped out of it since. That might sound harsh but can you tell me if it's untrue? Fortunately for Fellowes, his comfort zone continues to be very much appreciated and while this show feels too familiar and comparisons to Downton Abbey are completely justified, the first two episodes were enjoyable. It's beautifully shot, the cast are excellent with Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon being obvious standouts. There's even a closeted gay love story in between fabulous costumes, old versus new money discoveries and a young female protagonist in Marion trying to make her way in an ever changing world. It's also performed well enough to quickly earn itself a second season.

• Nyle DiMarco will play a graduate student in the upcoming reboot of Queer As Folk.
• National Treasure for Disney+ has found it's lead star in Catherine Zeta Jones.
• The CW have ordered pilots for Gotham Knights, The Winchesters, Walker: Independence and a female led Zorro reboot.
• Aubrey Plaza, Michael Imperioli, F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hollander, Adam DiMarco and Haley Lu Richardson will make up the main cast of the second season of The White Lotus with Jennifer Coolidge also returning.
• Murray Bartlett will be appearing in both The Last Of Us and the second season of Only Murders In The Building.
• Legends Of Tomorrow has added Donald Faison as a fame hungry mystery character for it's seventh season finale. If the show gets picked up for an eighth season, the character will likely be a regular.
• The L Word: Generation Q has been renewed for a third season by Showtime.
• Euphoria has also been renewed for a third season by HBO. The show is currently having a record ratings boost.
• The second season of Bridgerton will be released on Netflix from March 25th.
• Arielle Kebbel will appear in an upcoming arc of 911 as a character named Lucy. 
• Moon Knight will premiere on Disney+ from March 30th.
• The Lords Of The Rings: The Power Of The Rings will premiere on Amazon from September 2nd.