Hopefully you took my suggestion and pushed that baby out yesterday for that sick 23/23 birthday. If not, you can try again in a month.

5) Treason (Netflix)

English Audio Description?: Yes

OK. So I said i would rewatch the pilot, so i did. i still see where I wasn’t understanding things, but i got a grasp of it. There are things that just don’t make sense. Like, after the guy (martin?) is out of the equation, it’s shown that Adam is now being moved into the leadership role, which is so important that the Prime Minister warrants a call. However, like the next scene, they are investigating something, and some guy who is very much NOT Adam is claiming that he runs the show now. But… what? Wait? What did I just miss? I still have questions, just less of them.

Episode Grade: B

4) The Recruit (Netflix)

English Audio Description?: Yes

I still think this series needs to balance the comedic elements better, and know when to hold ‘em as Kenny Roger’s might say. The levity is nice, but it has to actually be turned off at certain points, not just down. I have to believe this kid has the street smarts he supposedly has, and passed law school with. Sometimes, he just feels like a random college student got thrown into the mix, other times, he has his shit together.

Episode Grade: B+

3) Fleischman Is In Trouble (Hulu)

English Audio Description?: Yes

Maybe the last two episodes had audio description, but there’s just so much damn dialogue and built in narration that the audio description has a hard time getting noticed. There was one scene with no talking, and i clearly heard audio description. but for most of the show, you won’t. It’s a good show, and Jesse Eisenberg is doing his best Jesse performance.

Episode Grade: A-

2) The Last Of Us (HBo MAX)

English Audio Description?: Yes

So, I have two shows in a near tie. I’m giving this one the 2nd place spot because I think even though THIS episode was great, we now have the problem I was worried about. If you aren’t willing to abandon a videogame’s initial two player structure, then hope is lost. There are no stakes from here on out, unless the next person they meet actually joins up with them, survives the season, and returns for season two. If you can’t create characters that survive, we will always assume everyone but the two leads is about to die, and the two leads are never in any danger. How interesting can that possibly be in the long term?

1) Abbott Elementary (ABC/Hulu)

English Audio Description? Yes

Another terrific performance from Janelle James, as she got to be fully in her element. I loved the moment where Sheryl Lee Ralph leaves her students with “…and don’t forget what I taught you.”, and she just immediately followed up with “forget everything she taught you.” Ava is my spirit animal. Or, whatever the appropriate version of that is we’re now supposed to be saying.

Episode Grade: A