Search

Published by Mason Oldridge, 20 December 2024 Ted Danson leads on this comedy-drama from The Good Place creator Michael Schur. Charles is a lonely widow who is encouraged by his daughter Emily to find a new project or hobby. He answers an ad from private investigator Julie, who is looking for someone to go undercover at a retirement home to investigate the disappearance of a resident’s necklace. Posing as a new arrival, Charles moves into Pacific View for 30 days, though starts to find himself enjoying his new social life and caring for his new neighbours, jeopardising the investigation. There is a delicate balance of comedy, warmth and sadness to make for a touching story. Much of the comedy arises from Charles’ excitement over being a spy and subsequently his lack of skill at being one, particularly when he discovers his first suspect Jan has died. The warmth comes from the relationships he establishes with the residents; Virginia and Florence help him settle in, he cares for Gladys and he strikes up a close friendship with Calbert. Elsewhere, there is a touch of sadness sprinkled in such as Charles still struggling with the loss of his wife, Florence’s passing, Gladys’ memory loss and eventual move to the memory care unit and coming to terms with declining health from ageing in general. However, there is one theme prevalent throughout which is dementia. Charles’ wife died from the disease but in the end it proves to be a more defining part of the show than initially believed as it is revealed Gladys is the thief, though unintentionally as a result of her confusion, cleverly highlighting the issue and how the illness can affect people. As Charles’ cover is blown, he faces backlash from Didi and the residents, upset at his deceit. There is a tear-jerking moment as he breaks down when clearing out his wife’s possessions with Emily but the show delivers on a happy ending as Charles visits Pacific View for Virginia and Elliot’s wedding with the residents appearing to have forgiven him. Furthermore, Julie enlists Charles for a new mission in the final scenes, linking to the already commissioned second season. If you’re looking for a short, feel-good, heartwarming series to watch, you won’t get better than this. 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 10 December 2024 The jungle drums could be heard once again as a new batch of celebrities headed down under. The famous faces challenging themselves this year were Coronation Street star Alan Halsall, N-Dubz singer Tulisa, McFly star Danny Jones, boxing legend Barry McGuigan, Loose Women panellist Jane Moore, social media influencer GK Barry, Radio 1 DJ Dean McCullough, media personality Coleen Rooney, TV and radio presenter Melvin Odoom and professional dancer Oti Mabuse. This year’s camp was widely known as one of the best lineups, in part due to how everyone opened up early on and the lack of fallouts. It is seemingly an annual tradition for one to become the target for everyday trials and this time was no different as it was Dean heading down to the trial clearing each morning. Saying the infamous words early on, his performance each day slowly improved, though later on, he was criticised for not evenly contributing to the camp chores. Late arrivals Love Island star Maura Higgins and the Reverend Richard Coles entered the luxurious Junkyard camp, though had to convince the others that they were living in poverty to win everyone a buffet, which created some of the most hilarious moments in the series. There were emotional times such as Barry talking about his daughter’s death, Danny opening up about his anxiety and therapy and Oti comforting a struggling Melvin. There were budding friendships too as Danny and Barry adopted a father-son relationship, Oti and Melvin were like siblings and there was the unlikely companionship between Richard and GK. As always, there were funny and interesting conversations in camp too, such as Coleen discussing the Wagatha Christie trial and life in the Rooney household, Tulisa on her drug trial and Maura on the media’s twisted reporting of her personal life, though it was Richard who had the most bizarre stories! Ultimately, it was Danny who was deservingly crowned King of the Jungle. With more terrifying trials, madcap challenges, hilarious moments, plus some insightful and emotive ones, I’m a Celebrity continues to reign as the champion of British reality TV. 9/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 9 December 2024 Britt Robertson and Chad Michael Murray take the helm in Netflix’s latest festive romcom. Ashley is living her dream as a Broadway dancer in a Christmas show, until one day she is replaced by a younger performer. This leads her back to her sleepy hometown Sycamore Creek, where her elderly parents run struggling venue The Rhythm Room. Upon discovering the $30k debt, she makes it her personal mission to raise the funds, doing so by using her expertise as a dancer to create an all-male revue. She enlists Luke, the resident handyman, and the two begin falling for each other. The blossoming romance between the two leads may be unoriginal and cheesy, but the plot revolving around saving her parents’ club gives it a nice layer of heart and warmth. Additionally, there are further feel-good moments such as Luke finding the new experience that pushes him out of his comfort zone ultimately brings him happiness and Ashley falling back in love with her hometown alongside the realisation that fulfilment comes from people rather than achieving aspirations. There isn’t really any comedy in the film but the plot is carried by the romance and showbiz elements anyway. The Merry Gentlemen is almost exactly as you would expect. Predictable but nonetheless heartwarming. 6/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 18 November 2024 The latest in Netflix’s string of festive releases is a romantic take on Frosty the Snowman. Lacey Chabert stars as grieving widow Kathy, who places a red scarf on a snowman sculpture one night, only for him to magically come to life. Naked, he takes some overalls from a clothing shop, from which he is given the name Jack. As the town comes to love their friendly new resident, the sheriff is determined to catch the culprit for streaking and theft. As Jack struggles to adjust to human life, Kathy initially believes him to be insane and takes him to a doctor to be examined, in scenes unimpressively similar to Elf. Parallels can also be drawn in how Jack’s joyous personality improves the mood of those around him. However, this comparison fades as the women in town meet Jack and he adopts a hunky handyman persona more aligned with the gardener from Desperate Housewives. The plot is undeniably cheesy but, despite being basic and predictable, can still be enjoyed at face value as the chemistry feels real between the two leads. However, the comedy falls flat as the jokes aren’t funny and the sheriff’s attempts at appearing cool and important are rather cringeworthy. Hot Frosty is a sweet tale of love and kindness, though definitely more rom than com. 5/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 15 November 2024 The North Carolina-set teen drama is back with a new mission… and back on top form. The Pogues’ new fortune allows them to set up a new home and business for themselves: Poguelandia 2.0, but, when JJ bets their last gold nugget on himself in a dirt bike race he ultimately loses, they cannot afford to pay their property tax and reluctantly accept the offer they were made at the end of last season to help locate Blackbeard’s treasure. They are hired by Wes Genrette, whose ancestor killed the legendary pirate and whose family have been cursed ever since, as he believes finding the treasure will break the curse. However, also on the same mission are ruthless mercenaries who will stop at nothing to find the goods first. After the relative disappointment of last season, Season 4 can be seen as a return to the quality of the first two. This season brings with it an epic new villain in Chandler Groff, Wes’ son-in-law. Groff inhabits a charm that masks his greed and deceitfulness, similar to that of Ward Cameron, making him an enthralling and entertaining baddie to watch. Following the season finale, we can assume he will appear as the main antagonist in next season too! There are many memorable moments but perhaps the most atmospheric is JJ’s rampage in an angry response to the outcome of the town council meeting. Perfectly set to Fontaine D.C.’s Starburster, the police struggle to cope with the public unrest in a truly haunting scene. The season finale is, once again, cinematic. An action-packed race amidst a sandstorm in Morocco culminates with JJ discovering the crown, though the victory is short-lived as Groff returns, steals the crown, and stabs JJ to death in revenge for leaving him in the well. JJ’s death is totally unforeseen though retrospectively explains why he took centre stage this season. A fifth and final season is on the way and, with a death among the main cast bound to change the tone and revenge on their mind, the final visit to OBX is set to be an exciting one. 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 4 November 2024 The number one rule of time travel is don’t change the past, but this rule is ignored in Netflix’s new sci-fi film. In 2003, high school student Summer Fields is murdered by a serial killer as the final victim of a three-day rampage, the previous victims having been Summer’s friends. The town continued to be devastated by the horrors, though Summer’s parents eventually had another daughter: Lucy. In 2024, Lucy is unhappy as her life is defined by her sister’s murder, until she stumbles upon a time machine and travels back to 2003. Meeting physics prodigy Quinn, he initially warns Lucy of the dangers of altering the past, but she ultimately intervenes in the first night’s double murder. Shouting the security guard for help, he ends up being murdered too as Lucy’s attempt results in an additional casualty, cleverly highlighting how dangerous changing the past can be. However, as Lucy, Summer and Quinn grow close, they decide to prevent the next murders. They save Emmy which allows Summer to confess her love for her and finally Lucy and Quinn save Summer. They retrieve the fuel for the time machine so Lucy can return to her current life but, realising she won’t be born in the new timeline where Summer survives, she opts to stay in 2003 where she has a better quality of life with her sister and friends. It is refreshing to see a time travel film reject the norm and actually see the characters rewrite history for the greater good instead of focusing on preserving the original timeline. Finally, the film keeps the audience in suspense as to who the masked killer is before it is revealed to be Quinn from the future who committed the murders in retaliation after his classmates pranked him and Summer rejected him. This is not a particularly unpredictable reveal but also not disappointing. Overall, Time Cut is a decent sci-fi film. Although nothing groundbreaking, favouring editing the past is a nice deviation from the standard protocol. 6/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 30 October 2024 The unlikely trio are back to solve another murder in the building… and this time it’s personal for Charles. Charles, Oliver and Mabel set about investigating the murder of Charles’ stunt double Sazz. Having been murdered in Charles’ apartment, it is unclear whether Charles or Sazz was the target. The investigation heads to the west side of the building, where we meet the eccentric ‘westies’ who are collectively harbouring a dark secret. Meanwhile, Paramount Pictures is developing their podcast into a film adaptation, with the group played by Eugene Levy, Zach Galifianakis and Eva Longoria, who star as fictionalised versions of themselves. The show has a tendency to have many guest stars appear in this form but these three are particularly enjoyable as they attempt to capture the true personalities of the podcasters they are portraying. Additionally, Paul Rudd appearing as Glen Stubbins, the Irish stunt double of Ben Glenroy, the character he played last season, is also hilarious. However, much of the comedy this season is rather slapstick, notably Charles’ facial expressions and Oliver’s theatrics, as well as the characters of Bev Melon and Charles’ sister Doreen. Nevertheless, the ending delivers on another satisfactory resolution to the investigation as it is revealed Sazz wrote the screenplay, but it was stolen by her former protege and wannabe writer Rex, who murdered her when she discovered the theft. The season ends with a mysterious woman arriving at The Arconia, asking for the trio’s help investigating the disappearance of her husband, said to have a major connection to the building. Furthermore, friendly doorman Lester is found dead in the fountain outside, setting up the premise of the fifth season. It is understandable that the murders all occur in the building to align with the title, but perhaps some out-of-the-box thinking is required now as it begs the question: what are the odds of five unconnected murders happening in the same apartment complex? The fourth season offers up another good murder-mystery but the extensive branch of new characters makes us miss the good old days of the three’s quiet investigations. 6/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 23 October 2024 Sky’s new thriller series is darkly delightful. Overlooked wallflower Rhiannon Lewis doesn’t feel seen. She doesn’t dare speak up for herself, which her dad encourages her to do. Her sister lives abroad and leaves her on read, her love interest Craig tends to communicate with emojis and her boss is condescending and belittling. When her father dies, her childhood bully returns to town, her dog is killed in a road accident and she is denied a promotion at work, something in Rhiannon snaps. She is involved in an altercation with a drunken stranger and she stabs him to death in a psychotic rage, repeatedly shouting “do you see me now?!” in what is the first epic moment in the gripping series. From here on, she gets a taste for murder and sets about ridding the world of her enemies as some sort of twisted vigilante, gaining newfound confidence in the process. Ella Purnell is simply perfect in the lead role. She conveys both such a sweet vulnerability and a secret villainy that sees our sympathy turn to dislike. The plotline was destined for success itself but wouldn’t have maintained the same captivating essence without Purnell’s sinister duality. There is also a nice deviation from predictability as, following two murders committed in a similar vein, she breaks the format as she sets her sights on her next target Julia. Kidnapping her until she apologises for ruining her life, she learns Julia is a victim of domestic abuse from her husband Marcus. A further spanner is thrown in the works when Jeff witnesses her attempt to murder Marcus and, realising she is the serial killer, is hit by a bus following a chase. Rhiannon and Julia then devise an elaborate plan to frame Marcus, but Rhiannon pushes him to his death when he turns violent. As it appears Rhiannon has gotten away with it all and she is happy with her new life, viewers are left waiting until the very end to discover what and who will bring about her downfall. AJ realises the murder weapon is the same knife she had on his first day in the office and, as he tries to flee, Rhiannon stabs him to death. The series ends with Rhiannon embracing him in a pool of his own blood as her sister enters the house… a truly haunting ending! Sweetpea is chilling, compelling and highly addictive. 9/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 15 October 2024 Netflix’s new romantic comedy series is a typical romcom with one key difference… the protagonist has fallen in love with a Jewish rabbi. Adam Brody as Noah is charming, smooth and an all-round nice guy juxtaposed with Kristen Bell as Joanne, who inhabits Bell’s usual character type of loud and outspoken yet well-meaning. It is likely Noah’s calm and collected charisma that led to an agnostic Joanne believing someone else was the Jewish rabbi at the party they met each other at, but he is indeed a more quiet and sensitive soul behind the confidence and opposites attract as the two develop their relationship. Meanwhile, Timothy Simons is hilarious as Noah’s brother Sasha, a kindhearted buffoon, who develops a friendship with Joanne’s free-spirited sister Morgan behind the back of his strict wife Esther. The show portrays Jewish culture and people in a highly negative light. Noah’s mother Bina is immediately dismissive and disapproving of Joanne simply for being a “shiksa” which is essentially religiously discriminatory behaviour. She attempts to end the relationship and outrightly states her intentions to Joanne, proving her to be interfering and troublemaking. Billed as an overprotective mother, she is actually putting her own wants above the happiness of her son. She openly admits her disgust at Joanne’s podcast topic, suggesting she is intolerant of anything against her own beliefs. Furthermore, the WAGs of the basketball team are all presented as mean and sanctimonious. Joanne is accepting of Noah’s Jewish community; it is disgraceful that they don’t share the same level of acceptance. Noah asks Joanne if she would consider converting to Judaism as a requirement for his job promotion, which she ultimately rejects when she learns of the responsibility. She breaks up with him as she won’t ask him to choose between his job and her, but he follows her. She asks him how this works, mirroring their quandary at the start of the series. He agrees that he can’t have both and kisses her, hinting that he is choosing her over the job. Despite the frustration with religious intolerance, the series is enjoyable and well-scripted. Here’s hoping the already commissioned second season will see love triumph over religious and personality differences, not just with Noah and Joanne but with Sasha and Morgan too! 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 8 October 2024 There’s a stolen football trophy, a hungry crocodile, an insatiable ex and more death than ever before in the sixth season of the Lancashire-set comedy. It at first appears strange that the first episode is set three months after last season’s finale whereas the second episode jumps back to follow on, though it becomes apparent this was probably to highlight it as the funniest episode. It opens with the hilarious scene in which the gang catches Shirley performing a rather private activity in their weed farm. Later, the group travel to Ireland to Ash and Carol’s aunt and uncle, a sialoquent woman and her closed husband with a giant facial wart, providing further hilarity. The second episode picks up where the Season 5 finale left off. Manolito holds the gang at gunpoint before an accident results in him shooting himself in the head. Here comes the best line of the season when, looking down at the Italian criminal’s disfigured face, Ash remarks “he might not be dead”. As the group move to plant his body at his house, there are funny occurrences aplenty as they are forced to deal with an unwanted delivery man, housemaid and Manolito’s pet crocodile Lola, who begins to devour her newly deceased owner. Meanwhile, Erin and Carol embark on torching the getaway car from the robbery, but a series of mistakes sees them having to hilariously keep returning to the petrol station. JJ and Sugar get married in the finale, another truly comedic moment as the celebrant has facial tics causing him to gurn throughout the ceremony. However, the happiness is short-lived as a stranger turns up with news that Dylan has died in an accident. A heartbroken Vinnie sets about planning a funeral with his friends, based on plans he and Dylan made as teenagers, in a fitting end to the season. During the firework display, Davey has McCann murdered in prison and confirms this to Vinnie. Gone are the days of petty crimes, Vinnie is in the big leagues now and owes his life to Davey. The season ends with the group on a bus suspended over a cliff, mirroring the accident Vinnie and Dylan had as teens, a (literal) cliffhanger ready for the already commissioned seventh season. Brassic 6 offers up a nice sprinkling of comedic moments nicely balanced with the drama element of Davey, Manolito and McCann. 7/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 26 September 2024 Kara Tointon, Will Mellor and Emmett J Scanlon lead on this standalone new series of Channel 5’s popular drama. The series opens with a class going on a school trip. Teachers Dani and Jimmy leave the pupils unattended to have sex, returning to find student Zac dead in the lake. Things escalate when it is revealed Zac didn’t drown but was murdered and a photo of Dani and Jimmy is posted online. Dani is informed by the police that she is criminally liable for Zac’s death as she was in charge of his safeguarding at the time. Instead of making the wise choice of keeping a low profile, she attempts to solve the case herself, questioning the other students and frequently visiting the school despite her suspension. For a short four-part series, the pacing is somewhat slow. Not much is revealed in the first three episodes; it is mainly the fallout and aftermath of Zac’s death and attempts to uncover the truth, as well as suspicious behaviour from some of the characters. There seems to be a lot of adults asking children questions and frustratingly getting no response. Nevertheless, these episodes are still easy to watch as viewers will likely want to follow the progress and discover the truth. The final episode doesn’t disappoint as discoveries and revelations lead to explanations. When Dani first discovers Sienna was pregnant by an adult, it shows the headmaster opening Sienna’s locker. This suggestion is a clever red herring as it would’ve made a good twist itself. Tointon portrays the caring nature of her character well whereas Mellor, whose roles can be hindered by him being a household name, delivers a strong performance as the unsuspecting villain. Overall, the series is an enjoyable quick-watch mystery with a satisfying twist that ties everything up neatly by its conclusion. 7/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 23 September 2024 36 years on from the original film, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara and Michael Keaton as the leading man himself are all back for this next gen sequel to the Tim Burton classic. This second instalment sees Lydia, now a mother and paranormal talk show host, forced back into the land of the afterlife in order to save her teenage daughter Astrid. They return to Winter River following the death of Charles, where social outcast Astrid meets a potential love interest in Jeremy. However, it turns out Jeremy is a ghost who murdered his parents and is actually plotting to take Astrid’s life to get his back. After he tricks her into visiting the afterlife with a ploy to see her deceased father, Lydia must face Beetlejuice once again, who still wants to marry her. Elsewhere, Delia passes away from a snakebite and enters the afterlife, looking for Charles. Beetlejuice, hiding from his soul-sucking ex-wife Delores, helps both Lydia save Astrid and Delia find Charles in exchange for a contract and assistance in finding and marrying Lydia. Fans of the original will be delighted at the returning cast members and the new ones are bound to please too. Jenna Ortega is perfect for the role of Astrid, having already established herself as a Scream Queen, while Justin Thereux and Willem Defoe also join the new additions. Furthermore, Danny DeVito has a bizarre blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo as an undead janitor. In comparison to its predecessor, the film feels a lot more polished and clean, while still keeping true to the spirit of the original. Once again a fantasy-comedy-horror mashup, both returning fans and new viewers are likely to be left satisfied with this new outing for the ghost with the most. 7/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 20 September 2024 We say bonjour to Emily and the gang again for more romance, heartbreak and marketing! The new season starts shortly after where the previous season finished. As Camille and Sofia begin a relationship in Paris, so do Emily and Gabriel. However, it is clear that both Emily and Sofia are uncomfortable with how close Gabriel and Camille still are due to their past and their plans to co-parent their baby. Things reach boiling point when Gabriel abandons Emily when skiing to follow Camille and she breaks up with him. The second half of the season sees Emily attempt to move on from Gabriel by beginning a new relationship with Marcello, the Italian who rescued her on the slopes. Furthermore, there is a new villain in town as Sylvie’s stepdaughter Geneviève arrives from New York to stay and work in Paris and, originally shadowing Emily, shows an interest in Gabriel, falsely translating Gabriel’s argument with Emily to allow herself to get closer to him. Inappropriate behaviour in the workplace is tackled this season as Sylvie is approached by a newspaper planning to expose Louis’ abuse. Fallout from these revelations include losing the funding for her husband’s club and Mindy’s relationship with Louis’ son Nicholas as he attempts to take over the family company, though also results in Julien, who decided to take the job at JVMA, quitting and returning to Agence Grateau. The visuals are once again stunning as always. This time, we are treated to a Christmas episode in which Paris is transformed into a Winter wonderland. The decoration is truly stunning. Later on, Emily visits Marcello in Rome as a change in scenery presents us with some Italian wonders including the Colosseum and Trevi Fountain. There are less sweet moments this season though one that stands out is freshly-heartbroken Mindy’s impromptu performance of her song Beautiful Ruins. Ashley Park’s talent is too impressive to not showcase throughout the series. There is less comedy too but there are still some funny moments from Luc, particularly his excitement over Krakow when Emily pretends she is visiting and his disappointment when he discovers she has actually gone to Rome. The season ends at an interesting point as Emily begins her new life in Rome with Marcello following her appointment running the newly founded Italian office, while Gabriel, elated at finally getting his Michelin star but disappointed to not have shared the moment with Emily, asks Mindy where exactly in Rome she is. Will Emily return to Paris with Gabriel or is this the start of Emily in Rome? Either way, the fourth season delivers more romance from Emily, music from Mindy, sharp-tongued comments from Sylvie and comedy from Luc. 7/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 12 September 2024 Netflix’s new murder-mystery thriller has some big names in its cast list but the latest novel adaptation from the streaming giant has its imperfections like the titular couple. The middle child of the wealthy Winbury family is getting married but things don’t go to plan as the maid of honour’s body washes up to shore on the morning of the wedding. The suspect list is a long one as there are secrets aplenty. Greer has a secret brother tied to the Turkish mafia. Tag has been having an affair with Merritt, who is pregnant by him. Amelia and Shooter have feelings for each other. Thomas is having an affair with Isabel. Despite all the motives and secretive behaviour, the series struggles with pacing as the investigation is a slow burn. Shooter is arrested earlier on in the series and the secrets gradually spill out but it isn’t until the last episode when things speed up as one arrest triggers a chain of others.   However, the secret which almost runs as a separate subplot is how Greer and Tag are publicised as ‘the perfect couple’ despite all the lies and deceit. It is an interesting aside how their personal life is marketed to the media this way for Greer’s book launch. Furthermore, following Tag’s drunken stagecrashing, the publicists work quickly to forge a narrative about Tag being an alcoholic and going to rehab, to which the family applaud Tag’s statement rehearsal. Although this may be some clever social commentary, the anti-capitalistic message that the wealthy are morally corrupt is a somewhat overused statement. Nevertheless, the ending doesn’t disappoint as we learn Abby drugged and drowned Merritt as the birth of her child would’ve delayed the release of her husband’s $2.5 million trust fund by eighteen years. Overall, the series ultimately delivers on a satisfactory conclusion, though be prepared to go into the series with some patience. 6/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 9 September 2024 The Deliverance is essentially an African-American 21st century remake of The Exorcist, though unfortunately isn’t as fresh a take as you may have hoped. Somewhat based on the true story of the alleged paranormal activity of the Ammons haunting case, it follows abusive alcoholic mother Ebony who lives with her three children and her mother as supernatural events occur in the house. It turns out the demon-possessed previous tenant murdered her family and now Ebony’s children are possessed, in which an exorcism is performed to save them. The film undeniably fails at pacing. Almost the first hour of the film is primarily physical and verbal abuse, spoken in foul-mouthed urban slang that practically requires an English translation, all the while in a visually dark setting. Viewers are likely to be left wondering if anything explicitly haunting is going to happen. When something does finally happen, we discover the film fails at originality too. A reverend who identifies possession. A mother first in denial but then believes. A possessed child. Walking up the wall backwards. Uttering offensive insults. An exorcism carried out to free the child. Religious undertones. It is as if a possession movie checklist was followed and ticked off throughout the narrative. Also, the exorcism itself is so slapstick that suspension of disbelief is impossible. Furthermore, the plot reads better on paper than it does on screen, suggesting poor creative decisions and directorial choices are to blame. In conclusion, the film is severely weak on multiple levels and in no way an enjoyable watch. 3/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 26 August 2024 Netflix’s new teen comedy film about four freshmen’s first week of high school lands just in time for the back to school season. Incoming feels like a Gen Z version of cult classic Superbad, albeit less funny, as it similarly follows unpopular highschoolers attempting to improve their social status by attending a cool party. Benj is infatuated with his sister’s best friend, Koosh attempts to live up to his older brother’s reputation, Eddie despises his mother’s new boyfriend and Connor is trying to shed his new height-based nickname Foetus. At the party, Benj makes good strides in attracting his crush Bailey, though later has to win her over when he succumbs to peer pressure and takes ketamine with other popular kids. Koosh uses his house’s surveillance to target a girl and forges an elaborate plan to fake getting locked in the spa with her. The scheme initially works until he dislocates his shoulder and has to come clean to get help. Meanwhile, Eddie and Connor don’t even get into the party as Koosh is only allowed one friend and instead steal Eddie’s mum’s boyfriends’ beloved car and inadvertently end up looking after a catatonic Katrina, the most popular girl at their school, after she mistakes them for her taxi. This proves to be a disaster filled night as Katrina binges junk food and has a toilet-related accident in the backseat, leading the horrified friends to clean up after her. In addition to all this, popular teacher Mr Studebaker attends the party, teaching the underage attendees alcohol-fuelled science lessons and ends up getting severely burned, having accidentally set himself on fire and getting electrocuted. There are undoubtedly funny moments throughout the film, notably the gross-out events in the Tesla and a red raw Mr Studebaker on the Monday morning, though on the whole it feels a little underwhelming. Despite this, if you can manage your expectations, Incoming is an easy-watching ninety-minuter. 6/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 30 September 2023 One of Netflix’s biggest shows is back for its fourth and final run. The season introduces us to the new Cavendish College following the closure of Moordale, along with new students: trans couple Abbi and Roman and their deaf friend Aisha, a friendship group dubbed the Coven. The new college is extraordinarily liberal, with everyone being inclusive, environmentally-friendly and polite, with the Coven even having a gossip jar. It feels like this groundbreaking series that highlighted issues surrounding sexual liberation and body positivity has now conformed to being as woke as possible. As the final season, the main priority is to provide closure to the storylines of the existing characters. At the forefront of this is the love triangle between Otis, Maeve and Ruby. Otis and Meave are in a long-distance relationship with Maeve studying in the US while Ruby still has feelings for Otis. Despite being the focal storyline, the series concludes with Otis and Maeve broken up due to Maeve studying abroad. This seems ridiculous as the whole story arc focused on the duo developing a relationship, which now doesn’t come to fruition even though Maeve could simply study and be just as successful locally. Furthermore, Ruby’s feelings aren’t resolved either and, despite finding her new self, doesn’t get what she deserved. Another storyline left somewhat unresolved is Cal’s body dysmorphia, despite the fundraiser in aid of top surgery. However, many storylines did get a worthy resolution such as Otis’ competition for sex therapist against O, Jean’s postnatal depression and her sister’s acceptance of childhood abuse, Eric’s conflict with his church and subsequently Otis, Aimee’s blossoming relationship with Isaac, her artwork and moving on from her past assault, Adam’s turbulent relationship with his father, Jackson’s cancer scare leading to the truth surrounding his biological father and Viv’s relationship with her new coercive controlling boyfriend. Counteracting any shortcomings are some notably beautiful moments. The standout of the season is the funeral episode. There are high emotions as the community attend to support Maeve with both touching moments such as Mr. Hendrick’s rendition of With or Without You and hilarious moments such as the lads backing up over Colin’s foot while struggling to manoeuvre the coffin. Additionally, it is particularly joyous to see Adam grow in his new role working with horses and find both comfort with his dad and new hope with his co-worker. Despite the forced wokeism casting a dark cloud over the season, for the most part the season wraps up the journey rather satisfactory for a series that is simply revolutionary in changing attitudes towards sex, love and relationships. 6/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 6 August 2024 Emma Myers leads on the BBC’s adaptation of Holly Jackson’s murder-mystery young adult novel. Five years ago, popular schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend Sal Singh, who then committed suicide. The six-part series follows good-natured teenager Pip and her investigation into the case for her EPQ. The first four episodes soft launch a very basic murder mystery. Pip conducts interviews with persons of interest, which as an amateur sleuth means she determinedly asks them questions and is persistent enough to receive dregs of information. She also teams up with Sal’s brother Ravi, sharing a mutual interest in proving Sal’s innocence. Although this is quite boring and slow-paced, it can be argued this allows the audience to learn the different characters and the personalities they inhibit. Furthermore, the glaringly obvious blossoming romance between Pip and Ravi is a slow burner and their chemistry feels very much scripted rather than genuine, but serves to add a romantic layer to the premise and offer Pip some happiness in the end. However, the final two episodes turn the series around with a vast increase in drama. We learn that Naomi and her friends were involved in a hit-and-run on New Years and were then blackmailed to lie about Sal’s presence with them on the night of Andie's murder, thus hiding his alibi. Pip discovers that her teacher and friend’s dad Mr Ward began a teacher-student affair with Andie and, when Andie’s controlling father cut her money off, she attempted to blackmail Mr Ward for money to run away with Sal. He refused and, in a scuffle, she banged her head and left. Worried he had killed her, Mr Ward murdered and framed Sal. He has also been keeping a young woman he initially mistook for Andie hostage after confessing to her. One final twist arrives when Pip realises Mr Ward didn’t kill Andie as he couldn’t have been the one who murdered her dog Barney and therefore the one threatening her. It is revealed Andie’s sister Becca is the murderer; Becca was drugged and raped by Max and Andie wouldn’t let her go to the police about it as she was the one who sold the drugs to him. Despite the series having a satisfactory ending, it doesn’t quite justify the earlier steadiness when compared to other fast-paced thrillers of today. 6/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 1 July 2024 Netflix pulls out all the stars but not the stops in its latest romcom offering. The film sees aspiring director Zara disapprove of her arrogant movie star boss Chris’ budding age-gap relationship with her older mother Brooke. Leading the cast is big hitter Zac Efron, along with veteran stars Nicole Kidman and Kathy Bates, while established Netflix star Joey King plays the distraught daughter. While the comedy is far from laugh out loud, there are some moments to make you at least smirk, particularly from Zac Efron as the egotistical Hollywood actor comes out with some chuckle-worthy statements. However, the romantic storyline ultimately falls flat. Credit due for not placing the age gap as the primary issue but there is still a lack of chemistry felt between the twosome. Their dates are not entertaining to watch, risking viewers zoning out in these moments and, in fact, the comical encounters between Zara and Chris are much more enjoyable for the audience than the interactions between the new lovebirds. In conclusion, the film is not necessarily bad but rather somewhat lacklustre. 5/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 24 June 2024 You’re gonna need a bigger boat for this French action-horror that has taken the Netflix charts by storm. The film sees a marine researcher team up with the Parisian river police when a mako shark becomes lost in the Seine in the run up to a triathlon in the city. Any prenotions that this is just another entry of the saturated shark attack subgenre following the likes of the Meg and 47 Meters Down series’ can be kiboshed as it maintains enough originality to stand on its own.  First of all, the shark has ventured inland to Paris and therefore is not set in the sea. Also, there are a few shocks in the film compared to the subgenre’s relative predictability, such as when environmentalist Mika leads a group of followers to the catacombs and enters the water, only to launch a scary mass attack resulting in several deaths. Furthermore, the discovery that Lilith is a new breed which can reproduce asexually and is rapidly doing so highlights the growing scale of the issue. However, the best element of the film is the ending as it moves towards becoming a disaster movie. In opposition to the usual closer in which the shark is captured and killed, attempts to do so reignite unexploded ordnance, culminating in a tsunami and consequential flooding of Paris. The film ends with Sophia and Adil atop a building before revealing how the sharks have spread across the world in an epic yet chilling conclusion. There’s some lulls between action scenes but on the whole, Under Paris separates itself from the other Jaws replicas with a unique approach and a terrifying ending. 7/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 19 June 2024 Netflix adapts Holly Smale’s young adult novel into a feel-good teen drama series. It follows the story of Harriet Manners, a socially-awkward high school student who is unexpectedly discovered by a fashion agency to become their next top model. This dramatic change affects her life in many ways. She is thrust into a world of which she is very much not accustomed to and struggles with all the eyes on her. This new experience also presents her with new enemies, dealing with both CEO Jude’s dislike and fellow model Poppy’s jealousy. Additionally, it causes a rift between her and her childhood best friend Nat, who always dreamt of being a model. However, for all the snags that come with it, she receives much more positivity on the whole. She is appreciated and respected by others for the first time and comes to find that she actually enjoys the fashion world. She is also given a first taste of dating and relationships as male model Nick takes a shine to her. Furthermore, despite being initially sceptical, her parents are incredibly proud of her and she learns that her stepmother Annabelle does in fact not hate her but rather the opposite. Above all, her venture into the fashion world becomes a journey of self-acceptance as she grows in confidence through the help of both pre-existing and new friends and family. With this, she dares to stand up to her school bullies as well as confront Jude and not let Poppy’s final attack ruin her turn on the catwalk. Following her attempts to change herself, the way she instead finally embraces her geek personality is particularly touching and the reveal that Yugi’s new campaign is called Geek is a nice closer to the series. Emily Carey is stellar in the lead role and the series deserves praise for the way it references the protagonist’s autism without overtly focusing on it or aligning to its stereotype. In conclusion, the series is easy-watching and very heartwarming, with strength in both its characters and storytelling. 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 17 June 2024 Fresh off his success in Anyone But You, Glen Powell leads in Netflix’s new black comedy film based on the unbelievably “somewhat true story”. The film follows Gary Johnson, a university professor who moonlights as a fake hitman for the police department. Johnson is shy and mild-mannered though takes on a much more confident personality when acting as a contract killer, finding he is successful in the role and obtains a high conviction rate. However, one day, when he is 'hired' by Madison Masters, a wife wishing to have her abusive husband killed, he becomes sympathetic towards her situation and instead tells her to take the money to start a new life. This is where the real life aspect ends and a series of chain events follow as Johnson begins a secret, sexual relationship with Masters, remaining in his hitman persona. It is refreshing to see a film with such a different and unpredictable storyline. There is a slight flaw in the ending as Gary fought to keep his connection to Madison a secret, only to eventually go public and start a family, though this can be overlooked in order to maintain the happy ending. Furthermore, it is pleasingly unusual that the film delivers such an ending in which a couple are given their happy ever after, despite being responsible for two murders. Powell excels in his role as it is comical to see Johnson put such detailed effort into his work, researching his 'customers' and creating a tailored persona for each of them, with many of his characters being hilarious to see. Hit Man deserves praise for taking an incredible true story and expanding on it with such originality, something rare in film these days. 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 11 June 2024 Good day sunshine! Benedict Cumberbatch leads the cast in Abi Morgan’s new thriller riding atop the Netflix charts. When puppeteer Vincent Anderson’s 9-year-old son Edgar goes missing, he finds his child’s drawings of a new seven-foot tall puppet called Eric and devises a madcap plan to get the creation on his TV show in the hopes that he will see him and come home, set in 1980s New York against a backdrop of homelessness, racism and homophobia. For the most part, Cumberbatch carries the show. Having already proven himself as a versatile actor, he is compelling and captivating as the eccentric and volatile puppet handler with addiction issues, serving as the ultimate anti-hero, drawing comparison with Bryan Cranston’s Walter White. Delicately balancing aggressiveness and vulnerability to which he allows viewers to still emit sympathy towards the character, Cumberbatch delivers one of the greatest performances in television history. The show deserves the utmost praise for the way it cleverly encompasses multiple themes throughout that were present at the time of its setting. Racism is explored as Cecile pushes Letroit to continue pursuing Marlon’s disappearance which results in the discovery of his murder, tying in with the theme of police and political corruption. Homophobia is explored as we see Letroit struggle with his closeted homosexuality, particularly having to secretly deal with the death of his partner from AIDS, as well as the tragic events that were a result of Costello’s hidden sexual orientation. However, the theme that is arguably the most prevalent throughout is homelessness. It is interesting how Edgar chooses to seek refuge in the dangerous underground village over the safety of his home and how the show intelligently links this to Eric’s narrative about being underground when the team is pitching the character. Furthermore, it is genius how Vincent’s speech in Central Park focusing on Edgar deserving a safe home, unintentionally by the character, draws parallels with the homelessness situation and strikes a chord with the protestors. Potentially the most heartwarming part of the series is that, despite being held back by his substance abuse and the imaginary Eric as well as everyone thinking he is going crazy, Vincent’s bizarre plan works. He realises Edgar’s drawings on George’s wall is a map and he follows it to the subway, leading to Edgar’s location which no-one else was able to do. He also manages to get Eric on TV to be seen by Edgar, albeit on the news rather than his TV show, and the plan is successful, reuniting the two following the tearjerking moment in which Vincent says into the camera “Edgar, buddy. If you're watching this, I'll race you home”. Rarely is a show this layered and with Benedict Cumberbatch at the helm portraying such a complex and iconic character, Eric is a truly unique show. 9/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 3 June 2024 Human cloning is happening again in this next gen sequel to the original Canadian sci-fi thriller. Set in 2052 in the Orphan Black universe, a woman awakes with no memory of who she is. Two years later, as Lucy, she has built a life for herself with boyfriend Jack and his daughter Charlie, before her past comes back to haunt her. We learn she was printed by a now adult Kira Manning, who is working as a scientist. Viewers of the original series will know that Kira should know better than anyone the unethicality of human clothing, which begs the question: why has Kira printed someone? The answer comes in the fifth episode as we are given the backstory of Kira and her wife Eleanor, who eventually succumbs to dementia. Heartbroken over her death, a desperate Kira uses her scientific equipment to print a younger copy of Eleanor to allow her time to find a cure. The younger copy, Lucy, has no long-term memory, though Kira is able to print a same-age copy who lives unaware she is a print-out. Horrified at the distress caused to Lucy, Kira dismantles the machine, though later learns her evil billionaire employer Paul Darros had the machine rebuilt and printed a teenage copy of Eleanor called Jules, as well as a younger copy of himself called Xander. Kira, Eleanor, Lucy and Jules then fight against Paul as his team attempts to capture the printed duo to live in his compound. In the final episode, we discover Paul’s wider plan. He has in fact printed copies of twelve exceptionally gifted children to unleash their full potential free of outside influence, one of them being Jules. In the final minutes, Paul shoots Jules dead in front of Lucy and introduces her to a more polite and submissive copy of the teenager. The open-ended close suggests a second season as so much is left unresolved. Krysten Ritter excels in her heroic role of Lucy and rising star Amanda Fix is perfect as the rebellious yet goodhearted Jules, yet we are ultimately left with just another series focusing on human clothing and its immorality in which the clones, this time called print-outs, must fight against corporate evil, this time without elements of religion and suburbia. In conclusion, the series feels somewhat unnecessary and isn’t as compelling or thrilling as the original. Lacking in originality, perhaps a series as brilliant as Orphan Black should be left alone? 6/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 7 May 2024 Jerry Seinfeld might have had a hit on his hands in the 90s with his self-titled sitcom, though he crashes and burns with his directorial debut. The plot details the 1960s creation of the toaster pastries Pop-Tarts and the battle between cereal companies Kellogg’s and Post to deliver it to shelves first. Now, in case you can’t tell from the plot that this isn’t a story worth telling on the big screen, the movie proves it isn’t. Despite a star-studded cast including Seinfeld, Jim Gilligan, Melissa McCarthy, Amy Schumer and Hugh Grant as well as appearances from Peter Dinklage, Jon Hamm and Dan Levy, the comedy is virtually non-existent. There are consistent jokes throughout, they’re just not funny and painfully don’t land. In fact, the only comical joke in the film, in which the rival companies each have moles with obvious cameras on their apparatus, is the only element keeping this film from not obtaining a 0 rating. The comedy reaches an all-time low with the creation of the alive ravioli formed as a sea monkey wrapped in pastry. SMH. Furthermore, with most scenes it is not entirely clear what is going on and how the current act is contributing towards the goal of getting the product to market. However, this is more likely to occur as the film goes on as viewers are bound to zone out, making the movie feel like it has a much longer runtime than it actually does. Watching until the end will certainly result in a mind-numbing and irritable feeling. It is shocking that a reputable and successful streaming giant such as Netflix would distribute such a terrible project. There is one word that stands out when summing up this film. Embarrassing. 1/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 25 April 2024 The Australian teen comedy-drama reboot returns, following up its mediocre first season with a sensational second run. We see the ensemble cast in their various storylines; Amerie is targeted by a new mysterious enemy Bird Psycho while involved in a love triangle between her ex-boyfriend Malakai and new student Rowan, Darren and Ca$h’s relationship is strained due to Ca$h’s asexuality as he fights to leave his old life behind him, Quinni struggles with change in her life, Harper attempts to move on from her ordeal and befriends Ant, who falls for her, Spencer begins a secret affair with Missy, who inspires him to change and become a better person, new student Zoe leads a celibate group, there is a student election between Amerie, Sasha and Spider and returning sports teacher Mr Voss leads a pro-male group the CUMLORDS as a breakaway from the SLTs. Compared to a relatively stale first season, the storylines are a lot more compelling, with particular pick-up towards the latter end of the season as Bird Psycho’s identity is revealed. It is hinted that something happened to Rowan when he was younger and that he had some prior connection to Amerie. In the season finale when Amerie proclaims her love for Malakai in front of Rowan, he traps her and Harper in the AV room while the school is ablaze from an accidental fire set by Mr Voss during a protest and showcases a film revealing that when he was younger, he was in love with Amerie and they bonded over caring for an injured bird, but when they were mocked for giving the bird a funeral, Amerie embarrassed Rowan by claiming to the other kids it was his idea. Rowan lashed out in a rage back at home and his brother was killed in a car accident crossing the road to get their mother for him. Quinni rescues the girls and Amerie saves Rowan as he comes to terms with losing his brother, in truly emotional scenes that highlights Rechner’s incredible performance as the newcomer. However, where every praise is deserved for a dramatic finale, the show is somewhat overshadowed by its desperate wokeness. Most characters are LGBT, offering up an unrealistic representation of high school youth, and it promotes sexual promiscuity and makes light of the difficult subject of abortion as Amerie makes no attempt to consider the pro-life counterpoint. Overall, this second season is a very entertaining and emotive teen series, but needs less reliance on wokeness. 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 15 April 2024 Channel 5 presents this new thriller in which Jill Halfpenny plays a lodger with a sinister secret. Claire Goose and Lee Ingleby star as married couple Jessica and Nick Haynes who move to a countryside fixer-upper, much to the disgruntlement of their teenage daughter Alice. To make ends meet, they take in a lodger Sian. However, the new resident exhibits strange behaviour, developing a close bond with Alice by claiming to understand her teen angst and causing conflict in Nick and Jessica’s already-rocky marriage. Early on, we learn that Alice is Sian’s biological daughter, but surely this can’t be the only reveal in the series? Fortunately, a twist comes at the end as we learn that Sian gave birth to a baby called Alice sixteen years ago, yet the infant died the morning she was born. The grief drove Sian to insanity, and she began looking for adopted girls with the same name and birthday, believing the Haynes’ daughter to be her own and attempting to kidnap her. The series culminates in an action-packed finale in which Sian stabs Nick, before a clifftop showdown, which ends with Sian plummeting into the waters. There is also one final teaser twist at the end as a character resembling Sian turns up at a house, with another teen Alice answering the door, hinting that Sian survived. Lee Ingleby deserves praise for his performance as the frustrated and manipulated Nick and Freya Hannan-Mills demonstrates a multitude of emotions, while Halfpenny excels as Sian, delicately balancing villainy and vulnerability. She showcases her psychotic side particularly well in the shocking scene in which she violently smashes her head into the mirror multiple times to frame Nick for abuse. It may be relatively simple and straightforward, but for a Freeview production, the series is well-paced and rather gripping. 7/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 22 March 2024 Jason Watkins leads the lineup in this new Channel 5 drama. The plot is straight forward yet nevertheless compelling. Mild-mannered husband and father-of-one Simon Henderson is struggling with mortgage payments and being made redundant. When he is intimidated by youth gang leader Jordan, he lashes out and punches him, landing the teen in a coma. Simon claims to have found him unconscious in the street but the lie soon escalates. The pacing isn’t the best given its four-episode run, but there is decent storyline progression as his wife learns the truth, the police edge closer to what really happened and Jordan wakes up and feigns memory loss in bid to blackmail his attacker, leaving Simon torn between handing himself in and going on the run. The acting plays a major part in keeping the story gripping. The contrast between Jason Watkins’ meek and anxious protagonist and Jonas Armstrong’s threatening and violent father of the victim is likely to keep viewers nervous over what will happen next. The ending is somewhat disappointing, however, as more questions arise than answers given. What happened to Harry? Why did Jordan lie about who attacked him? Why was the detective always rubbing her neck? The latter was a recurring motif that teased a purpose that ultimately didn’t exist. Furthermore, it is irritating that Jordan got to keep the money Simon gave him and that the Hendersons are now fearful to return home given the lifelong threat from Paul. Coma is easy-watching but nothing groundbreaking, only what is expected from a Freeview production. 6/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 19 March 2024 Lindsay Lohan’s new romcom on Netflix may be a fantasy but it is far from magical. The plot sees book editor Maddie, who is in love with her author colleague Paul despite her best friend marrying him, wish upon an ancient stone while in Ireland for the wedding to be the one marrying him. She wakes up to find the wish has come true, but then begins falling in love with the photographer James. Upon reading this basic plot, viewers should have known exactly what they were in for as the story is entirely predictable. However, credit is due for its few merits. The Irish theme is coherent throughout as Paul is Irish, the wedding takes place in Ireland, the fairy is St Brigid, patroness saint of Ireland, and was released in time for St Patrick’s Day. Furthermore, there is an added layer of meaning via the theme of fate and destiny. The wish gives Maddie the life she thought she wanted with Paul, though through her interactions with James, learns that perhaps she was destined to be with James instead, like Paul and her best friend. While the film isn’t necessarily bad, it feels more like a Hallmark daytime movie in contrast to the high quality we’ve come to expect from the streaming giant. 5/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 18 March 2024 Guy Ritchie’s action film is adapted into a Netflix series as a new fast-paced crime caper. The series maintains a similar plot to the original film. Aristocratic middle child Eddie returns home as his father lays on his deathbed and the whole family are stunned to learn that he has inherited the estate and Duke title, much to the fury of eldest child Freddy, who reveals being passed over means he can’t pay his debts. Upon learning he owes £8 million to a Scouse crime lord, Eddie is forced into a dangerous world to protect his brother. Furthermore, he learns a weed operation is running on the property, headed by Susie of the notorious Glass crime family, and must work with her to remove his family’s involvement. As Eddie is thrust into a world he is not accustomed to, the series is gripping from its incredible first episode, which culminates in the intense scene of Freddy having to dance like a chicken. Viewers will know they are in for a good run as the verbal abuse leads a high-on-cocaine Freddy to shoot Tommy in the head. High octane drama continues throughout the episodes as Eddie and Susie continue with their dodgy dealings; the chemistry between them can be accredited to the compelling performances of Theo James and Kaya Scodelario. The ending is also strong as Eddie decides to go into business with Susie, eliminating all rivals in the process. Fans are going to want a season two to see the continued business of Eddie and Susie, as well as how Bobby held off The Gospel. There is also a nice sprinkling of comedy throughout the series too, notably Geoff’s excessive nursing of wildlife and the elderly lord’s naked psychotic episode. On a whole, the action thriller is a great blend of dramatic and easy viewing… and we want more! 9/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 7 March 2024 Excellent casting and a delicate story combine perfectly to make for a touching romantic drama series as the David Nicholls novel is given the Netflix treatment. Students Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew meet at a graduation party at the University of Edinburgh on 15 July 1988. The series then follows their developing relationship by revisiting them on the same date over the next twenty years. This guides us through Emma’s struggles to become a writer and Dexter’s battle with fame as a criticised TV presenter, as well as their respective relationships with other people as they navigate a friendship. Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall are simply sensational in the lead roles, giving them their much-deserved breakthrough in their careers. Their emotionally-charged performances lead audiences to fully immerse themselves in the story and truly believe in the connection the couple have. Every episode is utterly compelling, though notable tear-jerkingly touching moments include the twosome’s catch-up in the maze at the wedding and Emma returning to her flat to choose Dexter in Paris. However, the highlight is when a lonely and intoxicated Dexter calls Emma from the train station after being shouted at by his father, desperate to speak to her, yet to no avail as she is out on a date. A surprise comes towards the end of the series as Emma is hit by a reckless driver and dies in what should indisputably go down as one of the most heartbreaking deaths on television. A devastated Dexter reverts to his self-destructive behaviour, feeling lost and broken, in what is one of the most difficult to watch and hard-hitting scenes of television ever. Rarely is storytelling done this beautifully. The series ends with Dexter taking his daughter to Edinburgh, fading in and out of memories of he and Emma there, ending with their iconic kiss on the city steps. Em & Dex, forever in our hearts. 10/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 16 January 2024 Harlan Coben’s latest Netflix adaptation has arrived, back in the UK with returning regular Richard Armitage and newcomer Michelle Keegan. The plot sees widowed ex-Army officer Maya Stone investigate the murder of her husband Joe (of the wealthy Burkett family) after she witnesses him on the nanny cam and the possible connection to the murder of her sister before. As the series progresses, we learn that the Burkett pharmaceuticals business is corrupt. In the final episode, it is revealed that Maya killed Joe after she found out he murdered her sister when she started investigating the corruption of the business. She then proceeds to expose the family at the expense of her life. This twisty thriller maintains the quality of Coben’s previous series, though more questions arise before any answers. However, the answers don’t disappoint. The reveal that Kierce’s illness has been caused by the Burkett’s medication and that his sponsor is actually a hallucination of his dead former partner is almost as shocking as the main twist. Keegan portrays the headstrong Maya well, while Joanna Lumley masters the manipulative Judith. The hilarious pairing of Detective Kierce with younger detective Marty provides the light-hearted comic relief as well as some sweet moments as Marty cares about Kierce’s condition and Kierce begins to accept his kind-hearted nature. So far, Netflix’s deal with Harlan Coben is proving to offer up strong content for the streaming giant. Here’s to his future adaptations! 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 20 December 2023 Netflix’s most watched series of all time gets a game show adaptation amid the original’s long-awaited second season. The real life counterpart to the South Korean thriller stays true to the original for the most part, minus killing the losers of course. The set design is almost an exact replica, featuring notable settings such as the Red Light Green Light playing field, the dormitory, the children’s playground for Dalgona, the residential streets for Marbles and the Glass Bridge. However, some changes were made such as replacing Tug of War with Warships as the third game and adding several psychological and personal tests to eliminate players, often pitting them against each other and creating enemies. With so much effort to maintain accuracy with set design, it’s a shame that wasn’t transferred into the gameplay, even if the tests did make it more interesting. Despite production in England and worldwide casting, the majority of the players were American. Throughout the game, flashback interviews introduced us to notable and memorable players such as Trey and his mother, controversial players Bryton and Lorenzo, eldest contestant Rick and his “gganbu gang”, best friends Bee and Amanda, deaf contestant Jackie, runner-up Phill, and eventual winner Mai. Despite a handful of likeable players, many are manipulative and conniving, untrusting of anyone and overly aware of alliances. It may be the nature of the game but it certainly brings out the worst in humanity, something sad to see. We witness the kind-hearted be eliminated before the cash prize goes to a nasty, undeserving player. Absolute credit to the precision gone into the production but what we’re left with is a toxic environment bred from greed. Still, it’s a nice stopgap while waiting for the new season of the main series. 6/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 18 December 2023 Netflix’s new Christmas film comes in the form of a body-swapping comedy. The plot sees the Walker family involuntarily switch bodies after an incident at an observatory; mother with daughter, father with son and baby with dog. This unsurprisingly happens shortly after they wished they could experience what each other’s lives are like and coincidentally occurs when each person has some really important event going on. From very early on in the film, it is overwhelmingly apparent how unoriginal the story is, following a stereotypical story arc any viewer could foresee. Considering the film stars established actress Jennifer Garner, comedy regular Ed Helms and rising star Emma Myers (Enid from Wednesday), and is directed by McG, the genius behind The Babysitter, it is all the more disappointing to see the film rely on cheesy comedy and childish gags. Furthermore, the Christmas setting serves no purpose other than using it as an additional selling point to market the film. It is completely irrelevant to the plot and sees several unrealistic occurrences for Christmas morning such as the email from Yale and the football coach visiting in person. On the whole, the film is easy-watching and suitable for casual viewing, though this Netflix Original turned out to be anything but. 5/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 11 December 2023 Following on from the All-Stars spin-off in the spring, Ant & Dec are back to Australia for another year of the main series of the survival reality show. After last year’s decision to include a controversial right-wing politician (Matt Hancock), this was replicated again, this time with the charismatic Brexit pioneer Nigel Farage. Reportedly the highest paid contestant ever, it could be believed that he would be the talk of the jungle this year. However, it soon became apparent that someone else would become the one to dominate the series: internet personality Nella Rose. The campmates were still adjusting to camp life when the first conflict arose. First Dates star Fred Sirieux innocently told Nella he was old enough to be her father to which she bewilderingly took offence due to her deceased parents, rejecting his apology as insincere and opting to avoid contact with him moving forward. This began the online backlash against her, even seeing #PoorFred trending that night. Furthermore, she started a confrontational argument with Nigel on the topic of immigration and assigned Fred to washing up after his criticism of her washing efforts out of sheer pettiness. All of this was in addition to inhabiting a lazy lifestyle and an antagonistic attitude as opposed to the teamworking approach of the rest. She was eliminated second. The other talking point of the series was the cooking conflict between Fred and This Morning team member Josie. The maître d' was the natural choice of chef due to his background but when the roles were reassigned and Josie became the new camp cook, Fred struggled to sit back and not intervene, consistently commenting and watching over her, making her uncomfortable. Other notable moments include Nigel’s incredible performances in the eating, drinking and snake coffin trials he faced, the development of actress and singer Jamie Lynn Spears from struggling emotionally to proving herself worthy in a suspended-in-the-air trial, and the blossoming bromance between the top two finalists reality star Sam Thompson and boxer Tony Bellow. Tony was likely popular due to his dry wit and sarcastic outbursts whereas Sam was the life and soul of the camp. The excitable manchild was living out his childhood dream appearing on the show and went on to be crowned King of the Jungle. Despite the format staying the same, camp conflict, interesting conversations and hilarious moments made for another good year. 9/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 31 October 2023 Mike Flanagan is back with his annual Halloween horror series, this time adapted from the works of gothic writer Edgar Allan Poe. The series sees ageing pharmaceuticals company CEO Roderick Usher sitting down with lawyer Auguste Dupin in an abandoned house to give him his “confession”. He recounts the six grisly deaths of his adult children while haunted by their corpses, told through flashbacks, whilst also slowly revealing a crucial act from New Year’s Eve 1979. The series has less reliance on jump scares and instead disturbs with gory and shocking scenes, with each episode focusing on one of the children, culminating in their gruesome death. First is youngest son Prospero, who holds a prestigious orgy. He is teased by a mysterious temptress he doesn’t recall inviting, before the sprinkler system releases acid, burning everyone in attendance to a pile of flesh as the episode abruptly ends. Each following episode will grip as it becomes apparent each ends with a violent death. The following deaths included mauled by a gorilla, falling over a balcony, stabbing themselves after becoming delusional, impaled with falling glass and being sliced in half whilst paralysed. All of them are tormented by this same mysterious woman that was at the orgy, though it is shown the deaths are somewhat deserved as it is apparent the family are evil in relation to being extremely wealthy from the corrupt organisation they were born into. In the final episode, we learn the full extent of what occurred that New Year. Roderick was a whistleblower, assisting Auguste to expose the corruption within the company Roderick was working and unfairly treated at, before double-crossing him in an effort to take over the company. He and Madeline then drugged and bricked in his manager, though the mysterious woman is aware of their crime and offers them a deal: have the world but their bloodline dies with them, to which they accept, showcasing their greed and desire. Back in the present, Roderick and Madeline also meet their deaths and the woman is revealed to be a shapeshifting crow, bringing comeuppance and representing justice. Flanagan’s other series have always fallen victim to comparison with his untouchable first series The Haunting of Hill House, which in fairness is the best, though this comes a close second. 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 18 October 2023 The crime-busting trio are back for a third investigation in Hulu’s comedy murder mystery. Picking up from last season’s ending in which the leading man in Oliver’s play, Ben Glenroy, collapses on stage during opening night, the third season focuses on Oliver attempting to rebuild his play while Mabel, feeling abandoned by her co-hosts, undertakes a solo investigation into Ben’s death. The opening episode sets the season in good stead; flashbacks to the first table read reveal that Ben made quite a few enemies with his fellow cast, including Loretta, a new character serving as Oliver’s love interest, portrayed by high-profile guest star Meryl Streep. Back in the present, the cast attend Oliver’s afterparty at The Arconia, where they are stunned to see Ben reappear, a brilliantly unexpected plot twist as Ben did not actually die on stage and announces it was just food poisoning. As Charles, Oliver and Mabel are in the elevator, Charles tells Mabel that they couldn’t have done a podcast anyway as Ben’s murder didn’t take place in the building, before Ben’s bloodied body falls through the roof. The USP of this show is the chemistry between the unlikely friends and the joyous way they bounce off each other so effortlessly. Furthermore, a particular strength of the show is how they are bound together by murder investigations they enjoy solving and the restriction to within the building. Therefore, it is a great shame that this season is dominated by the preparation of Oliver’s play and that most of the investigation is conducted by Mabel without the others. Despite this putting a dampener on the majority of the season, it is rescued when the threesome reunite to solve the mystery following Loretta’s false arrest. Never having held back on casting, this season is no different. Comedy legend Paul Rudd is perfect as arrogant superstar Glenroy whereas Matthew Broderick’s appearance as a fictionalised version of himself who takes method acting to the extreme is hilarious. The ending doesn’t disappoint as it is revealed Donna poisoned Ben to prevent him ruining the show, and consequently her son Cliff’s debut, after reading an early review criticising Ben’s performance. She further admits to pushing him down the elevator shaft before the last minute twist that it was actually Cliff who pushed him after Ben threatened to expose Donna for the poisoning. In the final scenes, the gang are celebrating the success of the play and as Charles’ stunt double Sazz retreats to his apartment, she is shot through the window, creating a murder plot for the already-commissioned fourth season. Despite the lack of investigation with our three heroes, you can’t help but enjoy another outing with these guys amidst a gripping investigation with a satisfying resolution. 7/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 11 October 2023 There’s dodgy jobs aplenty as Vinnie and the gang are back for another run. Following last season’s ending in which Dylan was kidnapped, the group are carrying on with life in his absence. This season sees antics such as hijacking a transport truck, with the driver played by the brilliant guest star Lee Mack, assisting with Barry MacDonagh’s funeral after he is blown up by a landmine, discovering Tommo has a German son, robbing an arcade, enlisting the help of a rat catcher when Jim’s attic is infested, locating a stolen caravan believed to be full of cash and delivering a giant rabbit for Manolito. Also recurring throughout the season is Vinnie attending therapy and his reluctance to work with the MacDonagh’s after their alleged involvement in Dylan’s disappearance. The comedy is kept simple yet funny in both plot and jokes. Tommo and Ash remain the standouts thanks to their hilarious delivery of lines, while Jim is as furious as ever and Cardi mixing up Ted Bundy with Ted Baker is particularly side-splitting. In the penultimate episode, we learn that Manolito is in fact behind Dylan going missing and framed the MacDonaghs. This discovery results in an angry and revenge-seeking Vinnie devising a plot to steal precious art and plant it at Manolito’s house to frame him for the theft. At first, this seems a repeat of the same stunt they pulled to get rid of Terrence McCann, though it justifies itself when it is revealed Manolito is working for McCann. Dylan also makes a guest appearance at the end leaving Vinnie a voicemail confirming he is alive and well. The scene closes with Manolito gun in hand, hinting at a new level of danger for the coming episodes. The fifth season maintains a consistent standard of storyline and comedy, neither an improvement nor a decline from the previous, for what is another good season of the comedy-drama. 7/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 25 September 2023 There is mystery galore in Harlan Coben’s latest adaptation. Coben has a strong catalogue of novels that have been turned into successful series now, though Shelter is the first young adult novel to be adapted, as well as being the first American series. The first in the Mickey Bolitar trilogy, Shelter follows the protagonist as he moves back to his hometown to live with his aunt following his father’s death. Along with his newfound friends, he investigates the disappearance of fellow new student Ashley, alongside the historic missing persons case of his dad’s childhood friend and the truth surrounding his father’s death when creepy neighbour Bat Lady tells him his father is still alive. The mystery is continuously enthralling as the rate of which information is revealed is well balanced, answering questions along the way that keeps the overarching story encapsulating the whole way through. The penultimate episode in which Ashley is rescued is absolutely gripping throughout and the series clings to tension up to the closing moment in the finale when Mickey’s father is discovered. Also, the chemistry between the main students keeps the series entertaining; seeing extroverts Spoon and Ema come out of their shells and develop more confidence is heartwarming, notably when Ema helps Spoon with his theatre audition, and Rachel’s cheerleading routine outshining the poor basketball performance is particularly empowering. Other elements of the series felt somewhat pointless though, such as the relationship between Shira and Hannah and Ema’s relationship with Whitney as they provide no relevance to the main story and neither are fully resolved by the end of the series. Despite this, the mix of high intensity mystery and touching emotional scenes earns this series a high rank among Coben’s several adaptations. 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 18 September 2023 Netflix’s latest romcom heads straight to the number one spot on its opening weekend. The film sees Hadley, an American flying to London for her dad’s wedding, share a plane ride with Oliver, a British student flying home for his dying mum’s memorial. The pair strike up a naturally-occurring instant bond and the remainder of the film sees them seeking each other again. However, the narrator Jameela Jamil explains how this film isn’t about love but rather “fate”; something explored from the start as Hadley was supposed to be on a different plane but missed her planned flight. There is also a heavy focus on statistics, in relation to being the topic of study for Oliver at Yale. There is an apparent connection between the two on the plane from the moment Oliver comforts Hadley during take-off and is felt from the audience at home thanks to Haley Lu Richardson and Ben Hardy’s superb performances. It turns out both are experiencing challenging situations in their own lives as Hadley never forgave her father for leaving and Ben is saddened by his mother’s impending death, with Rob Delaney and Sally Phillips also deserving credit for their portrayal of their respective roles. The disappointment and sadness felt by Hadley and Oliver can be seen in their facial expressions, leaving their eventual reunion to be a real tearjerker. The film has a nice plot, sending a message that love will find a way, but it is the level of emotion from the protagonists that earns this film such a high score. 10/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 13 September 2023 The vacation friends are back in this sequel to the Hulu original for more madness and mayhem. The film opens with Marcus and Emily reuniting with Ron and Kyla for a trip to the Caribbean, along with Maurillio to look after baby Marcus. The exotic holiday is dominated by Marcus’ business meeting and the arrival of Kyla’s criminal father, played by Steve Buscemi, with both of these driving the plot. Once again, it is John Cena who leads the comedy in the movie, which is similar in tone to the first, though perhaps has less funny moments. While it is nice to see the two couples getting along, it may be the comedy stemming from Marcus’ frustration at Ron that this sequel is missing. Furthermore, Buscemi’s character only introduces a villain to the story without providing even a smirk. However, Maurillio’s increased role offers up some laughs as he ends up babysitting another child after mistaking the encounter for a date. All in all, this comedy sequel is easy watching but nothing hilarious, much like its predecessor. 5/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 12 September 2023 We head to Barcelona for Netflix’s latest limited series that’s been taking the Netflix charts by storm. The action-packed thriller follows a British teacher in Spain whose former life returns to haunt her when she and her daughter are caught up in a supermarket robbery… and one of the robbers recognises her. We learn that Erin is a badass from the get go as she attacks and kills one of the robbers in self defence and then the other following a confrontation at the school, as well as that she would do anything to protect her family when she blackmails Penelope. The earlier episodes focus on Erin helping Emilio as she becomes increasingly involved in the criminal world he is investigating, but after so many of these action scenes, it becomes a far-fetched tired trope. However, it turns out we don’t have to wait until the end to find out the answer to the eponymous question as episode 4 is a full episode flashback to Erin’s former life. It is here where the series improves as when we return to the present, we learn of the connection between Emilio, Daniel and Lena, leaving us wondering who the bigger bad guy is. The series culminates in an explosion finale, with Lena sacrificing herself and ending in Erin getting the life she wants with her family. Despite the series bearing a striking similarity to another Netflix thriller Pieces of Her, thanks to the beautiful Spanish setting and the praise-worthy acting of Evin Ahmad and Indica Watson (watch out for this rising child star), this show has, deservingly so, made quite the impact on streaming figures. 7/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 31 July 2023 Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling lead a star-studded cast in this summer’s blockbuster, breaking box office records as one half of the Barbenheimer phenomenon. The plot sees Barbie and Ken leave Barbieland to visit the real world in order to help Barbie with her recent existential crisis. Upon Ken’s discovery of patriarchy, he turns Barbieland into one, leaving Barbie and her real world companions to team up with the other Barbies to reclaim their world. The film is undeniably entertaining with excellent casting. Robbie is a perfect choice for the titular character and Ryan Gosling steals the show with his hilarious portrayal of Ken, particularly in the early scenes such as when Barbie rejects him and his failed attempt to surf. Will Ferrell is an unexpected but brilliant choice for the CEO of Mattel and Michael Cera is great with his trademark extrovert character as Allan. The set design of Barbieland is top notch, there are some great musical numbers, with Gosling’s performance of I’m Just Ken being the standout, and there is some genius comedy, notably the limitations of the dolls and Ken’s role of Beach as well as poking fun at the brand’s shortcomings such as the lack of purpose of Allan. Other funny moments include when Ken believes he can obtain a job simply due to being male and the Ken dance scene. Surprisingly, the blockbuster has generated controversy, though it soon becomes apparent why. The film’s portrayal of the real world as a patriarchy is an outdated and unrealistic representation of today’s society. Mattel’s male-only executive board is ridiculous as no organisation today would have no female representation at senior level. At least in Barbieland, the characters recognise and acknowledge the gender imbalance they are inhabiting and rectify this, though this is not repeated in the real world as expected. Furthermore, Gloria’s speech may be empowering, but preaching about female expectations in society to today’s audience feels too late as if calling for a female revolution that has already happened and pushes feminist ideology too strongly. While the film deserves praise for appealing to an older audience, it is too philosophical given it uses a children's doll brand as a vehicle to convey its message. Its themes of self-worth and body confidence sees the film adopt a darker tone than expected, contrasting the pink aesthetic, and the ending in which Barbie becomes a real person ruins the consistency of how the two worlds differ. Overall, the film excels in characters, set design and comedy, though its themes feel forced to align with wokeism which casts a disappointing shadow over the end product. 7/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 18 July 2023 Netflix’s new Adam Sandler-produced action comedy is nothing special but makes for an easy watch if looking for a quick film to stream. Engaged bank manager Owen is excited to meet his future parent-in-laws prior to his upcoming wedding, though following a robbery at his bank, he suspects them to be the culprits of the crime. His fiancé's parents turn out to be infamous bank robbers in debt to a mobster, however, when his fiancé is kidnapped and held ransom for $5m by the mobster, he must work with his in-laws to rob a bank to rescue her. The plot doesn’t feel original and appears to follow an overused movie trope. Additionally, a lot of the comedy in the film is more silly than actually funny. Despite this, there are occasional moments to make you laugh such as the employee locked in the vault during the robbery and there is some warmth when the Ghost Bandits turn themselves in to protect Owen. Furthermore, Pierce Brosnan is perfect casting for the role of Billy McDermott. Overall, the film is quite basic and doesn’t excel in action or comedy, though isn’t necessarily bad as an easy watching flick. 5/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 10 July 2023 Netflix’s new psychological horror film may have people talking, but not always in a positive way. The Australian movie sees mother Sarah become increasingly worried about her 7-year-old daughter Mia’s troubling behaviour following their adoption of a stray rabbit. Mia begins claiming to be Alice and her strange acting becomes clear when it is revealed Alice was Sarah’s younger sister who went missing when she was the same age. Upon hallucinating, Sarah accidentally hurts Mia and it is finally revealed that Sarah pushed Alice off a cliff to her death following a fight and hid the truth. By the ending, we are left wondering how much was Mia actually possessed and how much was in Sarah’s mind. The plot is decent but told in a boring way. For the most part, we are in the dark about why Mia is acting strange and it is frustrating rather than intriguing not knowing why. Therefore, it is more a relief as opposed to a shock to discover the truth. Furthermore, aside from the occurrences when Mia unnervingly appears in doorways, it is not scary. There is an unsettling atmosphere throughout but nothing explicitly horrifying. Also, the rabbit serves little to no purpose to the plot. It is unclear whether the rabbit acts as a motif to represent something such as bringing about the soul of Alice and, given the film’s title and the rabbit’s regular appearances, we spend the film waiting to discover the rabbit’s relation to the story or expect something bad will happen involving it. Run Rabbit Run has a worthy plot to run with, though tells the story in an uninspiring manner to which viewers are likely to disengage before the first revelation. 4/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 21 June 2023 After a four year break due to real life becoming too much like an episode thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, Charlie Brooker brings us five new instalments of the chilling anthology series. The new season kicks off with Joan Is Awful, which feels like a typical episode. The titular character finds her life has been adapted into a series on a streaming service in almost real-time and is an intense warning over the way AI such as ChatGPT (which was actually released after production) is going and what it could grow to become, as well as a stark message to read the terms and conditions. Loch Henry incorporates horror with a twist that doesn’t disappoint. The episode, set in Scotland, is tense throughout as viewers can nervously await the response to the revelation. Beyond the Sea is set in space and, while the premise and featured tech offers an interesting concept, the slow pace across the lengthy runtime ultimately isn’t justified. Mazey Day challenges the morality of paparazzi as a group descend on a reclusive and troubled celebrity in the Czech Republic. The supernatural twist is an unforeseen one and makes for a dramatic yet tragic ending. However, the standout episode is Demon 79. Released under the Red Mirror label due to its non-technological focus, this instalment still inhabits the characteristics of a typical episode: an unnatural situation featuring unnerving characters with a continuously unpredictable conclusion. The chosen form of the demon is hilarious and makes the bizarre scenario all the more gripping. The apocalyptic ending is cinematic though it is the chemistry between the two characters that earns the praise the most. With more atmospheric scenes, shocking twists and disturbing acts, Brooker has successfully added some strong episodes to an already impressive collection. 7/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 15 June 2023 The supernatural drama is back for its final set of episodes as we head towards the death date. The series takes a dystopian turn as the passengers are now detained in the detention centre, bar the few that have avoided capture and are in hiding, seeing the government prioritise fear over morality. Apocalyptic signs arrive as a sedated Captain Daly inflicts plagues upon the detention centre and the group face one final push at saving the lifeboat, with Cal desperately solving everyone’s callings, while Angelina and her ‘flock’ prepare for the end of this world, believing them to be the selected few to enter the new world. The end certainly feels nigh with these latest developments, but with several episodes covering the build up, viewers are likely to be left impatient for the death date to arrive. That said, the finale is nonetheless thrilling. After Cal sacrifices himself to create the sapphire beacon, the entire set of passengers arrive at the camp, including Angelina’s clan, who attempt to derail proceedings. The original plane emerges from the lava and everyone boards. There are some truly epic scenes as everyone faces their judgement, with 11 of them, including Angelina, burning before turning to ash. Eegan’s redemption arc is a heartwarming one as he offers to sacrifice himself for Adrian, resulting in them both surviving. The plane then flies into the glow in which they are returned to 2013 along with those that died along the way, including Cal, who gets to live his childhood from age 11. It may be justice, but only the passengers have memory of the 5 years, meaning Mick has to meet Zeke again and TJ can’t be with Olive because of their age gap. Manifest goes all out on its final batch, turning up the drama and ultimately delivering a worthy conclusion that the creators had to fight to bring to its fans. 9/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 1 June 2023 Netflix’s new teen comedy-drama is both heartwarming and heartwrenching, tackling love, deceit, sexuality and family. A spin-off of the To All the Boys film trilogy, the series follows Korean American student and self-proclaimed matchmaker Kitty Song Covey as she travels to South Korea, where she has enrolled in the KISS school to meet her long-distance boyfriend Dae as well as learn about her late mother, who was also a student there. However, upon arrival she is stunned to find that Dae is in a relationship with fellow student Yuri. This initial setup provides the show with a full season of drama. Dae’s fake relationship with Yuri, Kitty falling in love with Yuri, Q and Florian’s relationship, Yuri hiding her sexuality, Min Ho’s hilarious love-hate relationship with Kitty and the history surrounding Alex’s birth parents all contribute towards the interweaving storylines that leave viewers clueless as to where the story is going and how it will end. Love forms the primary concept as Dae and Yuri’s fake relationship and Kitty’s feelings for Yuri sees the creation of a truly complex love triangle. While it is sad to see Kitty’s heart get broken, it is equally as nice to see her develop many bonds with her fellow students and teachers. Anna Cathcart steps up to the plate in the titular role from Kitty’s excitement to meet Dae and find out about her mother’s history to her heartbreak at discovering Dae’s relationship with Yuri and her confusion about her sexuality. The finale leaves a lot of loose ends that will hopefully be tied up in a second season, particularly Kitty’s future at KISS and Kitty’s relationship status following Min Ho’s confession on the plane. There may be no major shocks in the series but XO, Kitty provides a delicate balance of drama and humour while sensitively touching upon difficult subjects too, seeing it excel on its own merit away from the films it arose from. 7/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 22 May 2023 Ant & Dec head to the South African bush for the all-stars spin-off of I’m a Celebrity. The format was advertised as previous memorable campmates returning to battle it out for the title of the first ever I’m a Celebrity Legend. Also, this time it would be pre-recorded with the celebrities facing off against each other to avoid elimination as opposed to public vote. While the changes may sound interesting, it initially appears an unnecessary extra to cash in on the original’s popularity. However, the differing format proved to be a good idea as it meant the celebs triumphed based on skill rather than popularity (except the occasional popularity vote among them to keep things dramatic). Unfortunately, the live broadcast was missed knowing it was filmed back in Autumn. Memorable is a bit of a stretch when it comes to the selection of campmates, though it did feature some standout characters. The return of the dramatic Gillian McKeith was somewhat disappointing as she exited after just a few uneventful days, though Joe Swash and Dean Gaffney’s late arrival provided some comic relief and 2017 winner Toff was as strong and determined as ever. Fatima Whitbread appeared to think she was still in the arena as her competitive nature ruffled a few feathers in camp. She voiced her disapproval of those with contraband, complained about people not doing their jobs correctly and was argumentative in group challenges, making her a very unlikeable contestant to watch. Despite this, the rest of the camp got on relatively well. I originally believed that only past winners should be allowed; how can you become a legend without even being a winner? However, I was proved wrong as the winner was most deserving. A final eating trial with a sickening twist pitted the two finalists against each other in what was the most dramatic trial in the series’ history. Ant & Dec plus the other contestants watched in shock and horror as Myleene Klass ate excessive amounts of disgusting courses, outperforming Jordan Banjo to receive the Legend title and rightfully so. In conclusion, this spin-off turned out to be a deserving counterpart to the original as a great measurement of past contestants' strength and determination. 7/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 20 April 2023 Netflix’s highly-acclaimed new dramedy has got people talking - for both the unique tale it spins and the controversy it has found itself at the helm of. Beef is a truly surreal show, as surreal as the eerie artwork that features in the title cards. It follows down-on-his-luck tradesman Danny and troubled yet successful businesswoman Amy as they are involved in a road rage incident that changes their lives in unexpected ways. In the first episode, Danny is suicidal and reaches the end of his tether when a white SUV honks at him for nearly reversing into them. Enraged, he follows the car, who continues to provoke him. Danny tracks down the owner (Amy) and, posing as a contractor, urines all over her bathroom. The episode closes with Amy chasing Danny down the street and it appears the rest of the series will simply be the two exacting revenge on each other as a result of them being dissatisfied with their respective lives. It is in a fashion, though not as one might think. Amy begins an affair with Danny’s brother and Danny befriends Amy’s husband. Dragging their families into the petty rivalry, with some crossed wires and miscommunications thrown in for good measure, puts everyone in danger, culminating in an epic and tense shootout in the penultimate episode, which features one of television’s most gruesome deaths. The path it takes outshines the assumed timeline tenfold, with an unpredictable ending too following the bizarre final episode. However, slow pacing in the earlier episodes could see viewers zoning out in scenes of character development. Stick with it though and the latter episodes won’t disappoint. Overall, Beef is unlike anything seen before and frankly downright weird in the most enjoyable way, with the leads’ occasional comedic performance strengthened by the uneasy atmosphere. 7/10