No major TV news yesterday that i caught, except that Showtime has already removed all episodes of the L Word: Generation Q from their service. Hope you weren’t behind. I am being featured tonight in a discussion with some audio description heavy hitters that I feel blessed to be a part of. The conversation is on LinkedIn. I finally had to join LinkedIn for this. hah.

7) Shadow and Bone (Netflix)

English Audio Description?: Yes

This was just a terribly competitive day. It’s not that I dislike this show, even though it sits at 7th, but rather that it ranks 7th out of everything I saw. I’m still getting my sea legs again with this series, which I still feel a little lost in at the top of the season. I kind of remember who these people are, but not everything, or their various abilities (if that’s what we are calling it). But, the second episode picks right up where the 1st ended, where it turns out this new “Privateer” may not be the worst thing ever, and we have what looks like a journey for the second season. If I could only remember the journey of the first season, and things like… why is Mal so important? (Other than being a love interest).

Episode Grade: B

6) American Idol (ABC/Hulu)

English Audio Description?: No

I love this show. I’ve been an Idol fan forever, but this Hollywood Week 1 format was weird. instead of doing genres, or anything like that, they were mentored by one of the returning alumni based on what they thought they needed to boost their strength in. Confidence, Stage Presence, and Song Writing. Leave it to Idol to not feature vocal coaching as an option. I lamented earlier that poor girl who Katy screamed at for a while for her vibrato, which is natural, and actually doesn’t hurt your voice. Telling everyone they need straight toned, or breathy voices is not the way to go. I digress. Anyway, that girl sailed through this round like a boss ass vibrato loving bitch, and I hope she goes all the way, along with the mass shooting survivor, who also has a great voice, and I know that just by having him keep this in the conversation is valuable. And finally, the SaraBeth controversy. Katy didn’t tell her anything that falls under mom shaming. in the same episode, we featured Phil Stacey’s daughter, mikayla, who joked about Jordan Sparks being her babysitter during her dad’s run on the show. All the people thinking SaraBeth got such a raw deal, bullshit. Everyone now knows her name because of this incident and the editing, and she really could have chosen both. We’ve had many past contestants with kids. Fantasia brought her little girl Zion on stage with her when she won. The idea that SaraBeth had only one way, and that way was to quit is preposterous. At 25, she doesn’t have many years to “change her mind” before aging out. Everyone saying she’ll have another chance…. I’ll come back to you in ten years and ask you what your favorite SaraBeth song is. Mom shaming this is not. There are plenty of parents competing on American Idol. Acting like SaraBeth made the right choice, if anything, is shaming all the contestants with kids who didn’t join her in dropping out to go home to their kids.

Episode Grade: B+

5) Truth Be Told (Apple Plus)

English Audio Description?: Yes

We learned the deep and dark shame of one of the characters, that has kept them from coming forward, while Marcus watches his daughter spin into a nightmarish victim hell that he seemingly can’t help her with.

Episode Grade: A-

4) Daisy Jones and the Six (Amazon)

English Audio Description?: Yes

I suppose it makes the show interesting, but the way that Billy is treating his girl is making me really dislike him. And the fact that his manager(?) is supportive of him is making it worse. Wanna talk about messaging to send out to the world? Don’t be this guy. That’s a nice take away message.

Episode Grade: A-

3) The Good Doctor (ABC/Hulu)

English Audio Description?: yes

The cases of the week didn’t really interest me. If it wasn’t for Freddie highmore’s acting coming in clutch at the end when talking about losing his father while becoming a father, and pleading with Glassman to get a checkup, I would have scored this lower. But that scene hit me in the feels. Hard. Sean’s autism usually affects how he reacts to things, and for this to matter this much to him for him to stand there in a somewhat controlled state while delivering this dialogue, and quietly crying was worth that 43 minutes of television.

Episode Grade: A-

2) School Spirits (Paramount Plus)

English Audio Description?: Yes

I’m really happy that Tori from Cobra Kai has a new series to let her flourish as an actress, especially with Cobra Kai headed into it’s final season. I have so many questions still, and we are just two episodes in. This creepy teacher that they’re trying to sell us, has to be a distraction. No way do we get the killer reveal this early. I’m loving not just List, but the kid who plays Simon is doing a great job too.

Episode Grade: A

1) Quantum Leap (Peacock)

English Audio Description?: Yes

oh, Quantum leap, why you do us like that? That final shot, where we have to wait till next season to see if Ben makes it home is expected, but still. It was a cool episode. I loved how they kept leaping through their past moments and leaps. The Ian thing was a little cheesy, but I’ll forgive that because everything else was fire. I really want Ben to return, and for Addison to leap. Let’s flip these two, and have Ben be the hologram next season. And whenever Scott Bakula is up for a quick cameo, lets bring Sam home.

Episode Grade: A