There are a ton of new movies releasing across various platforms this weekend, not to mention all the new shows. it’s going to get crammed in my schedule.

6) The Masked Singer (FOX)

English Audio Description?: No

Sometimes, i don’t even understand this series. Huge bonus to all the jokes that keep shaming Nick Cannon for getting random women pregnant at an exponential rate. He’s clearly taking his last name too seriously. While I appreciated the snark of the surviving contestant, the talent this episode was really weak.

Episode Grade: C+

5) Star Trek Lower Decks (Paramount Plus)

English Audio Description?: Yes

Not that I expect this show to always hit hard hitting questions, but when you have the younger version of a person fighting the older version, there’s always that paradox that if the older were to kill the younger, would the older even exist? Lower Decks didn’t do much with that, instead, the funniest stuff came from Boiler flipping over a table in the B-plot.

Episode Grade: B-

4) Tell me Lies (Hulu)

English Audio Description?: Yes

College kids having sex, finding out they have a learning disability, worrying about their friends, and saying really cringe inducing dialogue that makes me also think “some girl probably did say that at some point”. When we got to the girl saying that she really wanted to feel a guy inside her without a condom, I was kind of questioning my life. Like, why am i watching this show? I mean, yes, there’s a mystery, but there’s a whole lot of nonsense to get to anything that advances that plot.

Episode Grade: B-

3) New Amsterdam (Peacock/NBC)

English Audio Description?: Yes

What an oddly polarizing episode. On one hand, the show is trying to take a “weed is dangerous” approach, which really doesn’t work these days when so many people have access to it recreationally, or medicinally, not to mention all those who have been buying it from dealers for years. it felt like an outdated storyline because it treated this THC element like an epidemic. Then, an old lady dies and leaves the hospital her house. The son, who is currently deployed, and couldn’t be there with his mother at the end, is rightfully pissed. That storyline ended with “we take peoples homes in the end… for a good cause. We promise.” Then the same episode that told us weed was bad highly suggested that the janitor, was indeed psychic. Then, the episode ends in the weirdest way possible. I normally love NEw Amsterdam, especially when their righteousness bleeds out all over, but none of it worked for me this week.

Episode Grade: B

2) Cobra Kai (Netflix)

English Audio Description?: Yes

Johnny literally montages in an afternoon a complete renovation of his apartment, fumigating, baby proofing, buying new food, all in one day. Less than a full day, because he spent the morning with Carmen, stopped to have a conversation with Miguel, and ended the day with Carmen. I love this show, and I love that they started to bring back some of the kids, but this montage killed it’s chances of winning the day.

Episode Grade: A-

1) The Connors (ABC/ Hulu)

English Audio Description?: No

I hate putting a show that has no AD on top. usually this show has AD, but Hulu didn’t have it this week. Which is a shame, because this was a very special episode that allowed Laurie Metcalf to remind everyone that outside this franchise, she’s a deeply respected Oscar and Tony nominated actress. As she realizes the mother she constantly derides is slipping away with either dementia or Alzheimer’s, she takes what may be her last chance at closure, only to realize that she may have missed that boat, as bev is already lost in a different time period, and doesn’t recognize Jackie. The rest of the episode was fine, but Laurie Metcalf took this episode, even without audio description, to number one.

Episode Grade: A