Before my TV news, I have to say that I always enjoy looking at the list of who has just been offered an Academy voting membership each year. To me, there’s always some hilarious comparison of someone who is obviously getting it really early, versus someone who has somehow flown under the water. You would think that considering neither of these actors were nominated last year that Bill Hader and Raul Castillo, for example, would not be getting offered membership in the same year. It makes it feel late for Hader, and early for Castillo. I always understand that those who were just nominated need a voting spot, but neither of those were. Castillo picked up some critics awards, but this was also a voting body that not only didn’t nominate Danielle Detweiler for Till, she also hadn’t done enough to be a voting member, so why did Castillo? These are things inside my brain.

In other news, the creator of The Other Two hates me, and has decided his show will join the trend of shows ending on short runs, saying that the third season of The Other Two is it’s last, because it told the story he wanted to tell. Bullshit. But, OK. Three strong seasons. Fine. This is not as profound of a story as Ted lasso or something, but sure. Pull out early. Hopefully this series will manage an Emmy nomination somewhere, since he waited in all his wisdom to make this grand announcement until Emmy voting had closed. So for anyone who hoped to come back around and nominate Season 4, once Ted, Maisel, Barry, and Atlanta were all gone, will not get that shot.

And if every show is now going to have short runs, and no one is looking at running in perpetuity anymore, it’s making it even more of a tragedy when a streamer can’t even let a show have a short three season run like The OTher Two.

7) Mulligan (Netflix)

English Audio Description?: Yes

Status: Not Yet Renwed

This premise hasn’t caught on with me yet, despite the talent on board. It has some linear storytelling, like the recent Agent Elvis, or Archer, and I kinda want more from Dana carvey’s crazy Senator character. I could honestly go either way with this show. I’ve consistently given this the same grade every episode I believe.

Episode Grade: B

6) White House Plumbers (MAX)

English Audio Description?: Yes

Status: Limited

Well, Gaslit was better, but Justin Theroux deserves a supporting nomination. He’s excellent in the entire run. He really disappears as Liddy. The problem is that it lives in the shadows of a better limited series from last year, which is the same problem love and Death had. I didn’t even bother with that, because it was too close to Candy. At least with Plumbers, they ditched the Mitchell angle, and put a different focus. but the story is the same, the players are the same, and despite a few good performances, my real takeaway is that Justin Theroux is highly underrated. Even with that, in Supporting, he would be up against Paul Walterhouser, who deserves the win, and even presumably (hopefully) Domnhall Gleeson from The Patient, who was also tremendous.

Episode Grade: B+, Series Grade: B+

5) All In The Family (FreeVee)

English Audio Description?: No

Status: Ended

A show from before my time, but just like with movies before my time, i think it’s important for me to have a strong basis for the medium over the years. And, Archie Bunker is definitely an iconic character.

Episode Grade: B_+

4) The Diplomat (Netflix)

English Audio Description?: Yes

Status: Renewed

I think, if this show wants to be the heir apparent to West Wing, it needs to do a better job of fleshing out the ensemble. Aside from Kate and Hal, I don’t care about a lot of the staff that float around. That needs to change, as the staff in the West Wing made that show work. they were the lifeblood. Even in a show like Designated Survivor, they did a better job with the ensemble. I know we’re building to something, and the British PM is a pompous ass that’s probably behind the whole thing, but this show cannot and should not be carried by Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell.

Episode Grade: A-

3) The Good Wife (Paramount Plus)

English Audio Description?: no

Status: Ended

Alicia had a bit more coffee in the second episode, which had a nice twist ending. But that kid wasn’t going to keep that stuff out on top for his mom to just come in and see. Come on now. I know it makes it easy for plot purposes, but teens know how to hide things, and it would have been better if it took Alicia more than a half second before she found the stuff. It would have been much stronger to show that he has a hiding spot, but she also knows where it is.

Episode Grade: A-

2) Secret invasion (Disney plus)

English Audio Description?: Yes

Status: Presumably Limited

We got a bit more backstory on the villain, though I think Kingsley Benideer is walking a fine line in his dramatic work. Marvel villains require a slight bit of flair. The best ones have it. Whether you look at Loki, Thanos, or even Agatha from WandaVision, they all seem to be having fun in their role. When you’re in anything with Samuel l Jackson, he’s one of the biggest personalities on screen. if I’m being honest, Cobie Smulders even had a hard time keeping up as Maria hill. He’s just that good. This second episode added a lot more emotional weight, and developed these characters in a way where I felt like Secret Invasion is growing away from some of the mid tier level marvel shows, and could truly be excellent. I need more from Kingsley. Hell, Olivia Coleman is having a ton of fun in her role, and i can’t tell if she’s bad or good right now. God, even Don Cheadle seemed to really be in his scene. I really can’t have another out of place villain back-to-back, after just going through Jonathan Majors, who felt like he was in an entirely different film in QuantumMania.

Episode Grade: A-

1) Silo (Apple Plus)

English Audio Description?: Yes

Status: Renewed

If this show wasn’t renewed, I’d be more concerned. but this series, in it’s short five episodes so far, has loved killing people off. Just when you think the killing has stopped, and now we can focus on the mystery, another major death happens. And then, a character quits their job, seemingly moving to a place never to be heard from again. The rotation here is nuts. it really keeps me guessing, I’ll give it that, but without spoiling anything, they’ve let some tremendous actors go from this show so far. Makes me wonder how long Tim Robbins can last.

Episode Grade: A