Television
Cobra Kai (Netflix)
This show really makes me think about awkwardness in television. Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm? I love it. Seth Rogen losing his shit in The Studio? Here for it. Tim Robinson in ANYTHING. GIVE IT TO ME IMMEDIATELY.
However, there is a certain awkwardness about Johnny Lawrence that makes me cringe so hard that I have to look away sometimes. He tries so hard, but it is almost always the wrong kind of try. It’s endearing, and I’ve really warmed to this character.
Honestly, this feels like a big win for NPH and the internet—Johnny Lawrence’s redemption arc is finally coming through.
So many moves were teased but never quite happened—the drum routine, the Crane Kick—little moments that kept me guessing.
But honestly, it’s really about loyalty. The show digs deep, bringing back characters from the original, including some serious deep cuts.
It’s not just a nostalgia trip; it’s making sure those actors get their due: paid, recognized, maybe even with some insurance perks.
That kind of respect? It takes the show from fan service to something way more meaningful.
Love on the Spectrum – Season 3 (Netflix)
This show still rubs me the very wrong way. I feel like it is very infantilizing and sometimes even mean to the folks trying to find love. There is not really any honest conversation about sex, despite one of the “characters” making their main goal being intimate with someone. They should be having frank conversations about what it means to be in a relationship and then take it to the next level.
Right now, it feels like a bunch of twee sound bites of folks trying to copy relationships that they’ve seen on television and in Disney movies.
Don’t get me wrong, there were a few authentic connections this season. I’m enamored with Conor’s love story. He seems so smitten – like it felt instantaneous. Conor’s family also seems the most healthily supportive, his siblings in particular. They treated him like a human being and rarely condescended to him.
I was also quite touched by Pari’s story and feel like she made a real connection.
Everything seems to move so fast. I know they are trying to tell a story on a television show. Autistic people take things very literally, so seeing things progress this fast might be confusing. This is particularly evident in Maddie’s story, who went from first kiss to hot-and-heavy makeout sesh faster than a Nascar, uh, car at the starting line trying to get up to speed.
The show also focuses pretty heavily on families that seem to be well-to-do. That’s not the reality for a lot of autistic folks.
I dunno. It feels like something to please the neurotypicals and make them “Aww!” at autistic folks, and it just feels squicky to me. For the most part, the parents are quite condescending. I don’t know why I keep watching, honestly. I guess to see how the media is portraying autistic folks.
Sirens (Netflix)
At five episodes, this was an easy powerwatch, and I can recommend it. Go in blind and just have some dramatic fun.
Rhythm and Flow Season 2 (Netflix)
Things I love about this season:
- Latto is such an empathetic judge
- The first season was fun, well-constructed, educational, and inspiring.
- The second season was better.
- Loved watching DreTL learning how to rap on beat.
- At the end, he reminded me of young Danny Brown,
- In the Original episodes, he was rapping in a cursive style, a la early Lil Murda.
- Detroit Diamond: love her
- Sura Ali: incredible performer, but had some outbursts that showed she could be hard to work with. Especially the final monologue
- Jay Taj was the package. Polished from day dot. Gonna be collabing all over the place.
- Lack of negativity.
- Criticism was constructive.
Tires (Netflix)
I knew nothing about this show going in and ended up ready for, like, 5 more seasons. Shane Gillis is an interesting comedian, and it’s good to see the working class on television like this. It’s a little sitcom-y, but you know what? So is It’s Always Sunny, and that really works for my brain.
Things I like:
- Most characters use their first names
- Most actors are comedians who came up on the open mic circuit with Shane Gillis
- Kilah Fox is a star. She’s so natural onscreen
- Season 2 feels like Always Sunny when they brought Danny DeVito as Frank in.
- Except it’s Thomas Hayden Church
- And he’s only a little Frank-like: Rich dad who day drinks and gets into schemes
- Okay, he is a lot Frank-like
- Good standup jokes seamlessly fit with this sitcom writing
- The main guy is almost a pocket person.
- But not quite.
- He’s a back-pocket person.
- Like someone took Paul Robalino and Paul W. Downs and sat on them a little bit.
- Shane Gillis is a hoodie.
Overcompensating (Amazon Prime)
Came for Holmes stayed for the incredible guest stars. I’m obsessed with Holmes because of her turn as Kelly in Welcome to Flatch. She brought depth to a character that could be really grating in the hands of a lesser comedian, but Holmes made her so lovable that I became an instant fan.
She’s only a side character in Overcompensating, but she does the same thing. However, instead of a small town “loser”, she’s a rich sorority girl. Somehow, she makes the character un-hateable.
And the two main characters (one of whom is the creator of the show) are likeable. It’s a goofy show, but it has a lot of heart. I hope Amazon gives it another season.
Resident Alien (Netflix)
Alan Tudyk is one of those folks that, if he’s in it, we’re watching it. We’re still early in this one, but I will say that there are two female characters that I’m in love with: D’arcy and Liv. Liv is especially fresh feeling; I’m interested to see where she goes.
We’re almost done with season 1, so I’m sure I’ll have more in-depth things to say next week.
Game Changer S7E5 (Dropout TV)
This was a BIG episode with 8 folks playing a drinking game where one of them is sober. It felt kind of like The Mole with the challenges. Except for taking a test to send folks home, they voted on who they thought the secret sober was.
Another banger, but by now, I expect no less from Sam Reich.
Very Important People with Vic Michaelis (DropoutTV)
Season finale, and I am so sad. This was a banger to end on. Lisa Gilroy was a mostly middle-of-the-road Dropout performer, but these past few months have made me fall in love with her. Her freestyle rap on Game Changer, her guest hosting spot on After Midnight, and this most recent episode of VIP. She is killing it with the comedy.
She’s also popped up in a couple of the regular shows that I’m watching, and that doesn’t hurt.
It was a fantastic way to end the season: it was chaotic and furthered the lore of Host Vic so much.
Just sad I have to wait however long for another season. And Vic’s already been on Game Changer this season, so I’m gonna need some other Vic Michaelis source to get through the drought. Got any suggestions?
Other
Boldly Going Nowhere
This was a completely YouTube find. We were looking something up about bees or Broadway or something else completely. Those are the two main topics of conversation around here, so they are the most likely.
While we were scrolling, I saw this terrible cover:
It had a ton of people we love in it, so we watched it. It was ridiculous and I loved it. I’d watch more.
It’s a 2009 comedy starring a bunch of Always Sunny folks:
- Rickety Cricket with Sweet Dee as his wife
- Artemis
- Charlie
- Dennis
- And then Buster Bluth for some reason.
If you also love these people, it’s worth a silly watch.
Good Night & Good Luck Live on Broadway (HBOMax)
I’m so glad they did this. Making theater accessible to people is so important. For some folks, last night was their first time seeing live theater in any sort of way. For me, had I not visited NYC last month, it would have been my first Broadway Show.
That is why I wish it felt like a Broadway Show or a Live Theater experience. There was so much going on onstage, and I really wanted to see it happen as a production. They kept cutting to closeups of Clooner’s face and I wanted to see what was going on all over the rest of the stage.
I hope they do this more frequently. This Broadway Season was spectacular, and I hope for another one just like it next year.
COLE ESCOLA WON A TONY
