A couple of new shows today. Just shaking up the rankings a bit.

1) Uncoupled (Netflix)

English Audio Description?: Yes

I don’t know if this can sustain. I don’t have those answers after just watching the pilot. But I am sure, this show has a terrific pilot, and i was super drawn into Neil Patrick Harris’s character, getting a glimpse of what I’m sure will be a well rounded supporting cast, all of them seeming to develop their own personalities right away. But the first episode, that dealt with the title of the show, and how Colin needed to find himself after 17 years on his 50th birthday, was the stuff of great writing. Like, who does that? But a t the same time, Colin is written still sympathetic enough, that we don’t hate Harris’s Michael for trying to get his long term boyfriend back. Girl, that’s why you gotta put a ring on it. That way, it can’t just sneak away in the middle of the day with your good towels and wine.

Episode Grade: A

2) For All Mankind (Apple Plus)

English Audio Description?: Yes

It’s not that this episode was anything less than brilliant. It did nothing wrong to be placed in second. But the pilot episode, which seems so often so hard to pull off, of Uncoupled was just that good. Mankind saw Danny really at his point of no return, as his drug addiction, his hatred for Ed, his obsession over a relationship long past all came to a head in this episode, as Danny found himself pulled at the last minute from riding with Ed and the Russians, and while Nick (?) was working on crunching numbers, Danny was failing at a rather basic task, one with catastrophic results for everyone on Mars. Danny is done as an astronaut, that’s for sure, if he ever even gets off Mars. Meanwhile, his brother’s friends are still sketchy, and President Ellen’s husband is turning into a scandal, but puts Ellen on a path to her past that ended the episode in a very interesting spot. Meanwhile, Elita is starting to realize what we already know, and Margot almost had me feeling bad for her, but then i realized I was feeling bad for her Russian counterpart. Not Margot. I’m still mad at her firing molly, and Molly’s absence since has been very missed.

Episode Grade: A

3) Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous (Netflix)

English Audio Description?: Yes

Kenji prepared for a date with Brooklyn, but his friends are still trying to protect the giant things trying to eat them. Again, this show is still somehow better than the last two Jurassic World films.

Episode Grade: A

4) Star Trek Strange New Worlds (Paramount Plus)

English Audio Description?: Yes

So, deja vu. Anyone who has kept up with me realizes that I’m back where I started. For some reason, when I went to start Strange New Worlds, it started me on this Alien inspired episode, and it was a terrific episode, remaining a highlight for the whole season. That, and space pirates. So I’m back here again, and I did watch this again. And now with more context, it made more sense.

Episode Grade: A-

5) Industry (HBo/ HBo MAX)

English Audio Description?: Yes

It’s not that Industry is bad. It actually feels wrong putting this on the bottom. i will say, that the season 2 opener was rough for me because it had been so long since I watched Season 1 that I needed a better recap than what I got. I spent most of the episode trying to remember who was friends with, enemies with, who slept with who, and all the stuff from season 1, which kind of left me not appreciating the new direction for Season 2 just yet. We shall see where this goes.

Episode Grade: B+