What I watched on TV in July
Here's my TV roundup for the month of July!
Big Little Lies
This season may have been an editing disaster but I enjoyed it overall. Meryl Streep's Mary Louise is easily the most annoying villain I've seen on TV in a long time and I apologize to any of my Twitter followers who had to listen to me bitch about it. But the acting was outstanding this season. Kravitz, Kidman, and Dern particularly were amazing. I hated Renata last season but grew to love her (earned) tantrums she threw this season. The ending was kind of a cop out, but I hope there's no season 3 to expand on it because I'm not sure if I can handle the possibilities.
Euphoria
I was not expecting to like this show as much as I do. Zendaya gives a career best performance and they made all of the character's stories very interesting. I see some comparisons to Thirteen Reasons Why, and to be honest I didn't think of that show once when watching Euphoria. They're very different.
Legion
We finally saw Charles Xavier which is cool but I'm so confused about the time line this is set in. Everything has that 70's aesthetic but I swear they've mentioned the internet before. I'm basically watching this for Dan Steven's performance at this point. It's a mess.
The Act
Joey King is fantastic in this, wow. I watched the documentary this is based on; Mommy Dead and Dearest on HBO and was fascinated by this absolute train wreck of a story. I normally don't care for Patricia Arquette in anything but she's very good here as well. I can't recommend this enough.
When They See Us
This limited series was an absolute gut punch. The actors were very good and at four episodes it's a quick binge. I recommend watching something light after this considering it's so depressing.
Stranger Things
It was weird at first not to have ST come back during Halloween but it fit right in over 4th of July weekend. Over all, I really enjoyed this season. They played into a lot of fan service but I think most of it paid off. I'm glad Eleven got to do other things besides cry all season, I liked that they fleshed out her relationship with Max. Poor Will got sidelined a bit this season. The highlights were with Dustin and Steve, and my least favorite parts (aside from Billy who I still don't give a fuck about) where Joyce and Hopper. They were both a bit *too much.* The ending was super trope-y which I think took a lot of the emotion out of it, even if the letter was a nice touch. Here's hoping Season 4 comes swiftly.
I Love You, Now Die
This was a two part HBO documentary about the Commonwealth v Michelle Carter. A 17 year old girl who was charged with involuntary manslaughter when she encouraged her boyfriend via text to kill himself, which he ultimately did. I have to say I feel differently about this case now then when I did when I originally heard about it. The media really painted it in a certain light. Part one is told from the prosecution's side, and part two from the defense. This was a bizarre case for sure. I don't think Carter should be serving jail time for this, but I think she needs serious psychiatric help.
Can I bitch about The Walking Dead for a minute
Of course I can, this is my blog! I have a long documented journey with my abusive relationship with this show, that I ultimately dropped after they killed Carl because I deduced that no satisfying ending could come from without him. The long running comic just ended, and it ended on a note that was worthy of the story and I just want to say for the millionth time, that I still CANNOT believe Scott Gimple botched the writing of this show so badly that they will never have an ending like they do in the comics. Judith Cosplaying Grimes isn't Carl and it will never work in the same way. At least book Carl got to grow up, become a man, get married and start his own family while being able to look back proudly on what Rick accomplished.
*heavy sigh*
Big Little Lies
This season may have been an editing disaster but I enjoyed it overall. Meryl Streep's Mary Louise is easily the most annoying villain I've seen on TV in a long time and I apologize to any of my Twitter followers who had to listen to me bitch about it. But the acting was outstanding this season. Kravitz, Kidman, and Dern particularly were amazing. I hated Renata last season but grew to love her (earned) tantrums she threw this season. The ending was kind of a cop out, but I hope there's no season 3 to expand on it because I'm not sure if I can handle the possibilities.
Euphoria
I was not expecting to like this show as much as I do. Zendaya gives a career best performance and they made all of the character's stories very interesting. I see some comparisons to Thirteen Reasons Why, and to be honest I didn't think of that show once when watching Euphoria. They're very different.
Legion
We finally saw Charles Xavier which is cool but I'm so confused about the time line this is set in. Everything has that 70's aesthetic but I swear they've mentioned the internet before. I'm basically watching this for Dan Steven's performance at this point. It's a mess.
The Act
Joey King is fantastic in this, wow. I watched the documentary this is based on; Mommy Dead and Dearest on HBO and was fascinated by this absolute train wreck of a story. I normally don't care for Patricia Arquette in anything but she's very good here as well. I can't recommend this enough.
When They See Us
This limited series was an absolute gut punch. The actors were very good and at four episodes it's a quick binge. I recommend watching something light after this considering it's so depressing.
Stranger Things
It was weird at first not to have ST come back during Halloween but it fit right in over 4th of July weekend. Over all, I really enjoyed this season. They played into a lot of fan service but I think most of it paid off. I'm glad Eleven got to do other things besides cry all season, I liked that they fleshed out her relationship with Max. Poor Will got sidelined a bit this season. The highlights were with Dustin and Steve, and my least favorite parts (aside from Billy who I still don't give a fuck about) where Joyce and Hopper. They were both a bit *too much.* The ending was super trope-y which I think took a lot of the emotion out of it, even if the letter was a nice touch. Here's hoping Season 4 comes swiftly.
I Love You, Now Die
This was a two part HBO documentary about the Commonwealth v Michelle Carter. A 17 year old girl who was charged with involuntary manslaughter when she encouraged her boyfriend via text to kill himself, which he ultimately did. I have to say I feel differently about this case now then when I did when I originally heard about it. The media really painted it in a certain light. Part one is told from the prosecution's side, and part two from the defense. This was a bizarre case for sure. I don't think Carter should be serving jail time for this, but I think she needs serious psychiatric help.
Can I bitch about The Walking Dead for a minute
Of course I can, this is my blog! I have a long documented journey with my abusive relationship with this show, that I ultimately dropped after they killed Carl because I deduced that no satisfying ending could come from without him. The long running comic just ended, and it ended on a note that was worthy of the story and I just want to say for the millionth time, that I still CANNOT believe Scott Gimple botched the writing of this show so badly that they will never have an ending like they do in the comics. Judith Cosplaying Grimes isn't Carl and it will never work in the same way. At least book Carl got to grow up, become a man, get married and start his own family while being able to look back proudly on what Rick accomplished.
*heavy sigh*
Noooo how dare you Hopper and Joyce are the best! :D I don't think I can sit through BLL2. Witherspoon AND Streep are always annoying so together they are just too much. Plus it's just such a vanity project for everyone involved in it I have really no interest to sit through it
ReplyDeleteI like them as characters but they were lacking this season, though they have potential to have the most intriguing part of S4 so that excites me.
DeleteIf you don't like Steep, I would not watch BLL. Her character is the absolute worst and I can't see that helping if you already hate her. I kind of never want to see Meryl again for at least about 5 years after this.
Euphoria will definitely hit me in the emotions on Monday. Also, watch The Boys!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd I quit long before the killed Carl but when I heard about that, even I was mad.. I don't even follow the comics.
D&D are currently getting a lot of shit for Game of Thrones but even they never Scott Gimple level fucked their show like TWD did. lol
DeleteI saw bits of Euphoria and damn, I really hate Nate. I hope someone kicks the shit out of him.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen all of Big Little Lies but that clip of Renata destroying her husband's toys. If she needs a new husband, sign me up. I'll be her cabana boy 4 life.
I have seen bits of Stranger Things season 3 as it relates to the character of Robin, played by Maya Hawke, as she is fun while that scene with "The NeverEnding Story" was like WTF? in a good way.
Reading from your Twitter scroll. Yes, I too hate teasers of the trailer before the trailer as well.
I laughed so hard at the Never Ending Story bit but my husband hated that part.
DeleteTHANK YOU. Fuck trailer teasers. I wish they would stop.
Nice reviews! I quite liked Stranger Things this season too. Dacre was amazing, but I still didn't care about Billy either. The switch of 'bad guy to good kid underneath' didn't work the same as it did with Steve.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to like Big Little Lies this season, but it was sorta pointless other than the performances. I'm kind of praying for it to end here. lol
UGH THE WALKING DEAD. I can't believe I haven't watched that in six months, and just how much Gimple massacred the series. Rick's movies aren't going to make up for how bad it has been for so many years.
I'm honestly going to be shocked if those movies ever get made and if they do, if they're actual theatrical releases. I see them bombing.
DeleteI've only just started the second season of Big Little Lies but I'm looking forward to getting properly stuck into it.
ReplyDeleteI can't even bring myself to watch season 2 of Legion. Like, season 1 was brilliant but every episode gave me such a headache!!
I don't think I'm going to finish S3. It's just hard for me to care about it anymore even though I really like Dan Stevens and I appreciate what they are trying to do with it.
DeleteThat's a lot of TV. It such a massive weak spot for me. I'm actually watching one lone series - Stranger Things. I quit Walking Dead two seasons ago and everything I have heard since makes me happy that I did.
ReplyDeleteI had a good month for TV lol. Yes, you made the right choice with The Walking Dead. I wish I would've quit earlier to save myself the heartache. lol
DeleteI understand. Some of their decision making has blown my mind. Obviously you can't control when cast members leave, but their writing has been mindblowing (and not in a good way).
DeleteOh wow, great list, I've watched or wanna watch most of them. Stranger things was great. I was going to watch BLL, but I probably won't. Definitely going to try Euphoria. Tempted by The Act, but I have other things to see for which I am more excited about (Animal Kingdom, Handmaid's Tale, etc.)
ReplyDeleteI just started catching up with The Handmaid's Tale this month!
Delete