brenswee's Reviews

Made in Finland (2022– )

3/10

13 June 2023

This series was very disappointing. I was expecting an interesting history, with drama of course, on the meteoric rise of Nokia.

Instead what I got was a long, drawn out, mostly pointless, boring drama full of uninteresting characters. There is so little going on that it could have easily been condensed into a season half of its length. Honestly, there were so many long scenes that seemed to go on for eternity and left me wondering what they were supposed to convey.

I wish I'd listened to my gut and bailed after a couple of episodes. I think the Nokia story is an interesting one but this just wasn't it.

I'm not sure what series the other reviewers watched but the 10 ratings seem a bit suspect!

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Mythic Quest (2020– )

2/10

Good grief

30 May 2023

Warning: Spoilers

Okay, so season one was decent and the quarantine episode was special.

But oh my. Season two is the biggest load of rubbish. Almost all the characters have become annoying. Ian is narcissistic, and not in a comedically interesting way. Poppy is an OTT character and the actress is ab-ys-mal. When she screams, which almost seems like every episode, it makes me want to turn it off. Writers, this is not a clever or funny characteristic. She sounds like a braying mule when she screams.

The two testers falling for each other? Yawwwwwn. More narcissists. Wanting to make a big announcement to the office about their hookup? Who gives a cr*p?! You are not the centre of the universe!

I abandoned the series at S2E3. Not worth my time.

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Inside No. 9: The 12 Days of Christine (2015)

Season 2, Episode 2

10/10

Magnificent

20 May 2023

I saw this a year ago for the first time and was blown away by the originality and the quality. I just rewatched it and was a blubbering mess by the end AGAIN.

A rewatch is so worthwhile - the importance of all the references that are peppered throughout the story come sharply into focus.

Sheridan Smith is so natural in the role of Christine. She shows a vulnerability throughout that really makes you feel for her.

The slow-burn mystery keeps you guessing and then when everything comes together at the end, it is such a gut-punch.

The writing duo was on top form when they wrote this and the direction is second-to-none. 10/10.

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Les rivières pourpres (2018– )

6/10

Meh

21 March 2023

I just completed season 4 and found myself wondering why I still get excited when a new series gets released. The vast majority of stories are quite tiresome.

I find myself shaking my head at the number of times a seemingly respectable authority figure is revealed to be the villain. Ditto for the number of times Camille is in serious jeopardy and has to be rescued by Niemans.

For the last decent story that impressed me, I have to go back to season 2 - the glass bloodlines story. All the stories since haven't been very memorable.

I'll wrap up by focussing on a positive - No one can do moody brooding like Camille and Niemans.

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Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities (2022)

4/10

A medley of mediocrity

30 October 2022

I've gotten through all the episodes and I have to say that I am majorly underwhelmed. The episodes are too drawn out and could have benefitted from some severe editing. Despite what I just wrote, the first one had me invested and then ended... too soon? The others, though, back into the editing room please.

I love lots of Del Toro's work but these stories do not add anything of any quality to his resumé.

IMDb staff: you really need to allow reviews shorter than 600 characters. No one wants to see people waffling on and trying to pad out their reviews like I'm doing with this one because it's coming up short. Succinct reviews can be the best.

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Animal Kingdom: Fubar (2022)

Season 6, Episode 13

Brilliant ending

29 August 2022

My feelings for AK have been pretty lukewarm the last couple seasons. I know the flashbacks have divided opinions amongst fans and I must say I hated them.

But this finale really kept me gripped and was a fantastic sendoff for the Codys. There are some flashbacks included but for the most part, they're relevant to the immediate storyline, not filler.

A strange feeling to want them all to get what they deserve, yet also wanting to see them succeed.

I would like a movie to tie up the last couple of bits of business, but if this is truly the end, then I'm satisfied.

And, please, if there is to be any more from the Codys, no more flashbacks!

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Oliver Beene (2003–2004)

8/10

This was a great show!

26 August 2022

I like to rewatch this show every so often. It's really funny and there are clever little touches peppered throughout the series. Season two's "Kissing Babies" is a standout.

It is a real shame the show didn't get to continue. It is amazing the amount of pure dreck that seems to get to last 10 seasons and quality stuff like Oliver Beene gets cut.

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Made for Love (2021–2022)

4/10

Awful tripe

5 August 2022

One of those shows that seems like they're making it up on the fly with no overarching narrative plan. High concept rubbish that thinks it's smarter than it actually is.

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Picket Fences (1992–1996)

10/10

Thought provoking and compelling

25 June 2022

I loved this show back in the day and I rewatch every couple of years. Such great acting from the main cast with some often-bizarre but still thought provoking episodes.

Series 4 was a serious dip in quality which is when a different showrunner came in and the show became almost unrecognisable. Seems to be David E Kelley's modus operandi to create a series and then he seems to lose interest and hands the reins to someone else who is less skilled.

That said, it's a great show that was in so many ways ahead of its time.

The acting chops of Kathy Baker and Ray Walston are second-to-none.

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Borgen (2010–2022)

9/10

Platinum tv

10 June 2022

S1 & 2 were fantastic. Season 3 was a huge and disappointing dip in quality... I'm delighted to say that the new season 4 has been a return to top form.

Knudsen returns to the character of Nyborg like a comfortable glove. The storyline this season is very compelling and kept me interested right up to the end.

I believe there will be no more "Borgen" after this and am sad to be saying goodbye.

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Big Boys (2022– )

9/10

Wow

5 June 2022

Just finished the finale (hope there's a second season) and this show resonated with me in a huge way. It's so well written, beautifully acted (have to single out Jon Pointing who plays Danny - I thought he was going to be a one dimensional character at the very beginning but wow) and the show has such a massive heart.

Pure brilliance.

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Frayed (2019–2021)

5/10

Started with promise

10 April 2022

This just seems like it was being made up from episode to episode. A load of scenes just thrown together. I was so eager for the end to come.

It started quite well, but in the end, the only positives were the soundtrack and the lovely Diane Morgan.

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Vice Principals (2016–2018)

5/10

Started great

4 April 2022

Quickly went downhill. It grew more and more outlandish and far fetched. Towards the end, I was counting the seconds until I could draw a line under the series. When Dr. Brown left, she was sorely missed.

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Deadline to Disaster (2020– )

4/10

Way too overdramatic.

22 February 2022

The music. The swirling graphics. Too much. Just show us the footage. It's like this is made for people with an attention span of a gnat. "Let's keep this exciting every second so that they don't switch off." Well THAT alone is a reason for me to switch off.

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Weeds (2005–2012)

5/10

Finally got there

5 February 2022

Just finished the series and I am so relieved. I don't think I could take any more of the bull that this show was churning out at the end (for the last number of seasons in truth). I can't decide when the shiw jumped the shark. There are too many to choose from.

Nancy is one of the most self obsessed characters in the history of television. She had no concept of the consequences of her actions.

Was it worth the ride? No. But at least now I know what all the "fuss" was about back in the day.

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Servant (2019–2023)

3/10

Started off promising

24 January 2022

Started off promising, but is going nowhere. There is simply not enough material here to fill a ten episode season. Could have been condensed to, at most, 5. The filler may as well have a neon sign pointing to it.

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Boiling Point (I) (2021)

7/10

Surprisingly compelling.

13 January 2022

When I saw the description of this film, I wasn't sold on the notion that it could be interesting.

But the movie is filled with great moments - moving, grating, infuriating. The fact that it was shot in one take is incredible to me. It moves along nicely and the acting is so natural. Everyone steps up and gives it their best.

Of course I have to single out the fantastic actor that is Stephen Graham. He is simply wonderful in anything he stars in. Those facial expressions convey so much. I think he could load the dishwasher and make it compelling.

An all-round great effort.

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Landscapers (2021)

5/10

Downhill fast

15 December 2021

I really enjoyed the first episode. A nice mix of humour and story development. But what on earth was the rest of the series? Episode 2 was very serious, episode 3 was, quite frankly, bizarre. The rest... Terrible. It was purely down to Colman and Thewlis that I saw this out. Although to be fair, some of the detectives were enjoyable too.

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Little Fish (2020)

7/10

Stick with it

28 November 2021

I almost turned this off after 20 or so minutes because it was quite slow. I'm glad I stuck with it. Quite a sad movie but has important things to say.

Olivia Cooke is amazing here. She does so much with subtle facial expressions, especially toward the very end.

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Malignant (I) (2021)

4/10

What the hell?

20 November 2021

It's not a good sign when I had to go double check on IMDb during the movie to see if the film was supposed to be a black comedy. Some of the directorial choices are laughable frankly, as are some soundtrack cues and some of Wallis's acting choices. I got so tired of watching her eyes bug out in terror.

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Tell Me Your Secrets (I) (2021)

3/10

Waste of time

16 November 2021

7.4 rating? I must be getting very difficult to please in my middle-age because this was an aimless wandering mess. The words "dumpster" and "fire" come to mind. Points only for the leads - in fairness, Brenneman, Linklater and Rabe act really well. Unfortunately it's just not enough to elevate the material. Avoid.

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The Premise (2021)

3/10

This sounded interesting...

20 October 2021

This had great potential... 5 short contained stories with good names amongst the cast. But each story... was just a big anticlimax. Each fell totally flat and left me frustrated. A pity.

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Messiah (2020)

5/10

It's not what you'd call gripping

2 October 2021

I saw this through to the end despite being tempted to give up a few times. There's just not a lot happening. It feels very disjointed and the payoff was not worth my time. This is typical of so many "Netflix Original" dramas - synonymous with "pretty middle of the road".

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Forhøret (2019–2023)

5/10

Stellar cast but repetitive format

6 August 2021

Warning: Spoilers

When I saw the cast list and sat down to watch this I was super excited. This is like a gathering of my favourite foreign language actors.

Unfortunately, things soon showed themselves to be very repetitive. Long scenes of, basically, two-person plays (which is fine) but the format got very tired: Father meets suspect. Suspect is tight lipped. Father eventually drags another name out of suspect. Father seeks next suspect. Repeat as required.

Only for the great cast would I have given up half way through the series.

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Too Old to Die Young (2019)

2/10

Bored to tears

27 July 2021

If you like shows where things move at a snails pace, where nothing much happens at all, and where actors lack the ability to emote or put ANY energy into the role, then this is for you.

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