Five shows enter the thunder dome. One comes out on top. one, honestly, really came out on top and if there isn’t another season I’m gonna cry.

1) The Orville (Hulu/Disney plus)

English Audio Description?: Yes

The 8th episode of the season was definitely a bit long, but so rewarding. A routine trip to Machlan to view the women’s colony to make sure they were living up to their agreement gave Bortis’s daughter the opportunity to meet other females, including the one brave enough to reveal herself and speak on behalf of her when she was just a baby. Things go terribly, terribly awry, and lots of really great, serious moments lead up to a commanding series of performances from a crew in what started out as a Seth Macfarlane comedy. I pray to guest star Dolly Parton that Seth Macfarlane reconsiders future plans for this series, and Hulu gives him their blessing. Macfarlane has shown a side of himself through The Orville that makes me now believe he’s capable of the similar transitions other comedic directors have taken more recently like Peter Farrell and Adam McKay. The third season of this show is unspeakably tremendous.

Episode Grade: A+

2) Reservation Dogs (Hulu)

English Audio Description?: Yes

For those not in the know, I heard when Season 2 dropped, that Season 1 had audio description finally. I had seen Season 1 without, but it left me feeling just a little meh. This episode, the fourth, where Bear anxiously awaits a visit from his long estranged rapper stepfather was the best (IMO) from my initial Season 1 watch, and the audio description really just hit another nail in that by complimenting the performances, the quiet moments, through some terrific audio description. My favorite episode of the show was made better through the power of audio description.

Episode Grade: A

3) Loot (Apple Plus)

English Audio Description?: Yes

Does anyone actually like the chef, or want her to end up with him? I feel like he just showed up, bought her a Kit Kat, and we’re supposed to be swooning over his accent. Please. I’m already rooting for the nice guy nerd. Your swarthy kitchen ninja skills can’t distract me, even if they do distract Molly.

Episode Grade: A-

4) Physical (Apple Plus)

English Audio Description?: Yes

You already know what I’m going to say. Episode 8 here. Why are Bunny and Tyler *STILL* in this show? Physical is in an abusive relationship with its supporting cast, all of whom they’ve written to be either intensely dislikable or profoundly stupid, that anytime we aren’t laser focused on what is happening with Sheila and the terrific performance by Rose Byrne, it just takes you out of the show. Luckily, there was a lot of Byrne, and her revealing all her truths, and having a fight with her inner monologue was pretty damn compelling, but if this show doesn’t get a third season, I blame the writers and the supporting cast. Rose Byrne deserves better.

Episode Grade: B

5) Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin (HBo MAX)

English Audio Description?: Yes

In the 4th episode, I immediately now take a point off Everytime the cop/father/guy who needs acting classes shows up. Since that happened, this now is at a disadvantage. Add to that some ridiculous writing, which might be on brand with the PLL series, but some of these scenes are actually written as if you are stupid, or were crowdsourced from a creative writing class in a two year school somewhere in Wisconsin. Add to that that even the actors I cut some slack to every week are not very good, and the show seems to be pulling down people I know are more talented than this, like Lea Salonga. Now, when the show is trying to mix the scares in, it can be quite effective. Noah’s whole chase sequence, while she is also limited to her ankle tracker was a well thought through sequence that genuinely made me concerned for her safety in the show. So, it’s not that this show doesn’t work, it just has a lot of problems. I do like the Kelly/Karen twist they are aiming for, which explains why Kelly was such a terrible actress last episode, as I surmised that her fake outbursts were so oddly over the top they had to be intentionally fake. It’s so hard to tell when someone in this cast is doing shitty acting because the plot requires it, or because they don’t know any better.

Episode Grade: C+