Watchlist is an irregularly scheduled series of posts featuring reviews and observations on streaming TV series I’m watching.
I’ve watched a lot of shows since my last Watchlist post (click here to read it), and to be honest … some of them didn’t quite do it for me. So strap in, this is going to be a bumpy ride.
Severance Season 2 • (2 seasons, 19 episodes, Apple TV+)
I will start by saying that Severance is definitely NOT my cup of tea, but I thoroughly enjoyed season 1, so I was anxious to watch season 2. For the most part, I enjoyed it, but i was getting a little itchy for it to end when episode 8 rolled out—“Sweet Vitriol”—which delved into the back story of Ms. Cobel (played by Patricia Arquette), and I was about ready to give up. Arquette is one of those actors whose style of acting is such that—to me, at least—always makes me aware that she’s acting. I find both her and the character she plays on Severance to be charmless and annoying (and yes, her character is supposed to be exactly that, I get it). I did, however, absolutely LOVE the season finale, episode 10 (titled “Cold Harbor”), where we finally get some answers about Mark’s presumed-dead wife and some closure with the ending (even if it is a bit inspired by The Graduate). Severance is definitely a dystopian world show to me, and I really don’t want to watch something like that right now … we’re living it here in the U.S., but I will watch a third season, especially if it has goats and marching bands.
Reacher Season 3 • (3 seasons, 24 episodes, Prime Video)
I thought this season absolutely sucked until the last two episodes. It looked like it was made on a budget of about $1.98 per episode—Reacher (Alan Ritchson) finally got a new T-shirt in episode 5—but in the long run, I guess they were saving the budget for the giant fight scene that takes place in the final episode. (As an aside, while I’m happy to see Anthony Michael Hall working, I’m sorry, but every time I see him in a “grown-up” role (he’s one of the bad guys in this one), all I can think is, “This is the kid from National Lampoon Vacation, Sixteen Candles, and The Breakfast Club?” … it’s a total disconnect to me, taking me out of the show I’m watching). Reacher’s romantic interest in this one (as close to romance as Reacher ever comes, which means at least one sex scene per season) is ATF agent Susan Duffy, played by British actor Sonya Cassidy, with a BAHH-STON accent so thick, it sounds like she was born and raised in Fenway Park. Reacher has a couple of encounters with a giant who makes Reacher himself seem tiny, capped with an extended kill or be killed fight in episode 8, but the first five or six episodes of this season include such thrilling scenes as Reacher rescuing Hall’s son from the town bullies. Neagley (Maria Sten) shows up for three or four episodes—a spinoff with her is currently filming—but I sure did miss Serinda Swan from season two—her character deserved the spinoff—even though i get the whole Reacher loner thing: a guy who travels around by bus from town to town with the clothes on his back and a toothbrush in his pocket—although he does “liberate” a sweet motorcycle in this one (OOPS! Spoiler alert!). Reacher is already renewed for season 4, plus the Neagley spinoff, even though Prime is supposedly NOT into spinoffs (sorry J. Edgar from Bosch).
Adolescence Season 1 (4 episodes, Netflix)
This absolutely devastating British show co-created and co-written by actor Stephen Graham is about a family torn apart when their 13-year-old son kills a classmate. The kid—played by newcomer Owen Wilson—is amazing, as is Graham, and everyone else involved in this series, which was filmed in one extended take for each episode. I’m not sure how—or why—they did it that way, but it works, even if it seems like an unnecessary gimmick to me. Throughout the entire four episodes, you slowly get a glimpse as to why the kid is the way he is, even though he has a loving family. The series is at times harrowing, emotional, and difficult to watch; I’m guessing there will NOT be a sequel.
Zero Day Season 1 (6 episodes, Netflix)
Kind of frightening to watch any kind of political thriller right now, when every day is a political thriller in real life, and not a fun one with a happy ending on the horizon, but I was throughly engrossed and impressed by this (probably) one and done series on Netflix, starring Robert DeNiro. And he’s really in it, not just a walk-on or two in each episode. Other stellar cast members include Jesse Plemons, Lizzie Caplan, Joan Allen, and Connie Britton, plus Angela Bassett as the president, a role she also plays in the upcoming Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning (same actress, different POTUS). The whole thing is about a plot to shut down the U.S. via a series of cyber-attacks, with DeNiro being a former, trusted president who is appointed by Bassett to find the culprits. He eventually does, much to his dismay. Again, not something I particularly wanted to watch at this point in time, but ultimately I did enjoy it.
STILL WATCHING …
Bosch: Legacy Season 3 (10 episodes, 3 seasons, 90 episodes total—plus 7 season of Bosch—Prime Video)
As of this posting, I’ve seen six of the final ten episodes of Bosch: Legacy season 3, and while I’ve enjoyed them all so far, I don’t feel this is as good as season 2. Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver) seems older and more tired—and he’s smoking again; Maddie (Madison Lintz) has totally grown up (she was 14 or so when the show started back in 2015) and is consumed by her LAPD job, just like her dear old dad; and Honey Chandler (Mimi Rogers) is Los Angeles District Attorney, by mid-season. One welcome return: Paul Calderon as Jimmy Robertson, who has the unenviable task of investigating Bosch for the murder of Kurt Dockweiler, killed in prison by Bosch’s nemesis, Preston Borders, who is only too willing to sing about who paid him to kill Maddie’s kidnapper from season 2. Bosch himself is embroiled in an investigation involving a family of four who has gone missing, hired by the mother of one of the missing. It’s a devastating case. This is the last season for Bosch and I find it to be very sad—especially the death (spoiler alert!) of a major character. Bosch will appear in Ballard, a spinoff, and there might be some hope for the future: Welliver was quoted in a recent Hollywood Reporter article as saying, “I would not be shocked if at some point there was a revisitation. We all have to continue with our lives. But if the fans have anything to say about it… and they are very clear about their feelings!” Jack Ryan is returning as a movie on Prime, filming right now. Can we hope for a Bosch movie (or two) in the future?
Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 (9 episodes so far, 9 more to go, Disney+)
Is Daredevil actually in this series? I’ve watched six episodes so far and Charlie Cox is in costume in episodes 1 and 6; the other episodes include such thrilling scenes as the Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio)—now Mayor of New York City—and his wife in marriage counseling. Marvel brought back Karen Page and Foggy Nelson from the Netflix series, only to see both of them gone by episode 2. To be honest, while I get the “Born Again” aspect of this series, it sure as hell so far is NOTHING like the classic Frank Miller/David Mazzucchelli storyline from the 1980s which is rightfully regarded as one of the best DD comic book stories ever. I never really got into most of the Netflix Marvel series of a decade ago, but I did really like Daredevil seasons 1 and 3 (I thought 2 was abysmal and stopped watching around episode 3 or 4). Similarly, I’m totally not into this series, which will eventually clock in at 18 episodes (the first 9 will be available within a week or two of this post). There’s already been one filler episode, in which Matt Murdock gets taken hostage in a bank on St. Patrick’s Day, by a suitably Irish bad guy, and which also features Ms. Marvel’s father, a totally gratuitous bit of synergy that adds absolutely nothing to the show. I have been very disappointed in all of the Marvel Studios Television series; the only one I really enjoyed was Hawkeye, and the only reason I sampled this one was because I got a $2.99/month for three months deal for both Disney+ and Hulu, which I’ll be cancelling once this round of Daredevil is over. Will I come back for the back nine? Hard to tell based on what I’ve seen so far. I will say this: Disney+ has one of the most annoying and oppressive ad frequency, when you go super-cheap like me and do the “with ads” tier. (I cancelled the $2.99 deal after 2 months.)
Dope Thief Season 1 • (1 Season, 8 episodes, Apple TV+)
This is one of two shows currently streaming that takes place in Philadelphia and makes that city look like a giant, gritty, garbage dump (the other is Long Bright River starring Amanda Seyfried on Peacock, which I gave up on after the first 15 minutes of the first episode). Dope Thief stars Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura (who was great as Pablo Escobar on Narcos, but whose character is whiny and annoying here) as a couple of lowlifes who masquerade as DEA agents and rip off low level drug dealers. A fellow ex-con turns them on to a giant meth lab in a small town outside Philly, and the guys go there, only to discover they’ve gotten in way too deep with their side gig, ripping off the wrong people. Marin Ireland also stars —they encounter her at the meth lab; she starred in one of my earliest favorite streaming shows, Sneaky Pete, which I dearly miss (there are three great seasons, though—watch them!). Dope Thief just barely passes my “phone test,” which boils down to how many times I pick up my iPhone during viewing, but it is well-done, and Brian Tyree Henry is great as Ray Driscoll, who is just trying to stay alive and protect his family, including Kate Mulgrew as his adoptive mom and Ving Rhames as his convict dad.
UPCOMING …
Grace Season 5
One of my favorite British copper shows; while not quite up there with Line of Duty, it’s still a great watch each and every season. I think the new season debuts this month in the UK, and will consist once again of four 90-minute episodes. Sadly, one of my other BritBox faves, McDonald and Dobbs, has been cancelled after four seasons. But I will resubscribe to BritBox once Grace premieres here in the US, and all four episodes are up and running … providing there isn’t a 10% tariff on watching British TV.
Ballard Season 1 (10 episodes, Prime Video)
I’m guessing Ballard, the Bosch spinoff starring Maggie Q as LAPD detective Renee Ballard and featuring Harry Bosch (in a very limited appearance), will follow the Bosch formula and have 10 episodes; there is currently so little info out on this show—IMDb doesn’t even have a photo with its listing (I made my own graphic, above), but I’m also guessing once Ballard is introduced in the final episode of Bosch: Legacy, the Prime promo people will open the floodgates—they’ve certainly been promoting the hell out of Legacy on social media … it’s like, maybe if you promoted the series like this all the time, you wouldn’t be cancelling it? Ballard should be premiering sometime in early summer. I’ve really enjoyed the Ballard books by Michael Connelly; the character is often paired with Bosch in those novels, but her first book appearance, The Late Show, was amazing, and the latest Ballard & Bosch novel, The Waiting, is the best of the duo’s stories. And very little Harry Bosch is better than no Harry Bosch, amiright?
Ted Lasso Season 4
The internet ink is barely dry on the announcement that Jason Sudeikis is back as Ted Lasso for—at least—one more season, alongside Hannah Waddingham and Brett Goldstein, as they tackle (HA! TACKLE! Get it?!, Okay, I guess they don’t exactly tackle in British football …) a women’s football team. Juno Temple is supposedly still “in negotiations” to return, but she already has her own Apple TV+ show in the works, titled The Husbands.
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