I watched four movies today. So, naturally, if this list seems small, that could be why.

5) unsolved Mysteries (Netflix)

English Audio Description?: Yes

The third episode from the new season was just a missing child episode, focusing on the frequency that kids are taken by a parent during a divorce and never seen or heard from again. The main case we start with explores a woman whose husband essentially moved to a country where kidnapping doesn’t exist, and the father would have the right to custody anyway. So, not much can be done, and she hasn’t heard from her kids in years. It wasn’t a typical unsolved mystery, where the kids were abducted by aliens, but somehow possibly the most important as it sheds a light on something apparently a lot more common than you might think.

Episode Grade: B

4) Blockbuster (Netflix)

English Audio Description?: Yes

Despite thee fact that this show has already been cancelled by Netflix, I wanted to still check it out. i have to say, I’m not sad about it. Granted, that was only one episode, but pilots can be amazing, just take Abbott Elementary for example. This one let me know that no one in the writers room ever worked at a Blockbuster, nor do they care to try and create a comedy that would uniquely feel like that. Most of the episode is broad comedy, revolving around setting up a block party, and also these characters that do not seem like the people who would have worked for a video rental store. You have two characters who seem to have a love of cinema, and others who don’t know what that is. Having managed one of these in the past, and having worked for Blockbuster’s competition (Movie Gallery) for almost five years, this felt nothing like what it should have. The show opens with a character making a recommendation to a customer, and that’s about the only thing that happened that was relevant to the title. Everything else could have been about any business in any field. i expected a lot more from this, but I’m OK with the fact that it got cancelled, and I’m not feeling a need to pursue more episodes.

Final Grade: B

3) Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities (Netflix)

English Audio Description?: Yes

Interesting concept for the first episode, however our main character is far too stupid for his own good, and without knowing or caring who the actor was, he was terrible. In fact, my biggest problem with the show was the acting. I’m hoping that in later episodes, it will change. The imagination here, and even the twist at the end were nice, but I’m not going to put up with this level of acting for however many episodes, no matter if Del Toro is behind this. I’ll give him a mulligan on casting this first episode, and we’ll see what happens next week.

Episode Grade: B+

2) Inside Amy Schumer (Paramount Plus)

English Audio Description?: Yes

So glad this show is back. There were so many great moments in her first episode back, but that whole bit about the tiny mug, I loved it. Also, I really enjoyed the sketch where the women kept revealing these bizarre procedures they had done. this show, which is formatted quite like Saturday Night live, goes to show how much difference audio description can make on sketch comedy. Saturday Night Live needs to take note.

Episode Grade: A-

1) From Scratch (Netflix)

English Audio Description?: Yes

In the second episode, the Italian boyfriend comes to live in America, and there’s that little bit of culture shock. But, it’s so cute, and charming. This show is growing on me, and it slowed down to the pace of an actual TV show. The pilot felt like it was trying to do too much, but this seemed like an episode of a series, where it accomplished a specific story plot point.

Episode Grade: A