Yesterday was the nominations for the Critics Choice Film section, and my quick hot take is: they are more concerned with being a bellwether for predicting the Oscar’s that they aren’t doing anything interesting anymore. I think their choices are solid, and mostly what everyone is talking about, with very few exceptions. It’s just that I’ve spent the whole year listening to critics all over the internet talk about their undying love of Past Lives, and how much they want to give Selene Song an Oscar nomination in director, or how is’t a shame that Tao Yoo and John Meggaro keep getting left out… and then they leave them off the list. No glenn Howerton for BlackBerry, Tiana Taylor for A Thousand And One, Rachel McAdams for Are you There God It’s Me Margaret?, or hell even more bold choices like Trace Lysette for Monica, Viola Davis for Air, Joaquin Phoenix for Bo Is Afraid, or a single nomination for origin. The films they talk about being so damn passionate about were left off for a lot of more likely nomination fare. When you are at home and you are putting in names, and you are too afraid of not running with the herd to pick these choices that make critics choice awards so special, then you lose that thing that makes you different. Considering indieWire did a piece about how egregious the snub was for America Ferrera at the Golden Globes, I can’t even call her a critic’s surprise. Where is it? Is Saltburn in best Picture really all you’ve got?

And now…

1) Beckham (Netflix)

English Audio Description?: Yes

Status: Limited

The final episode tackles his American career, and I had no idea MLS paid their players so poorly. professional soccer players were making 13K a year? What? David could have literally still had a massive salary, and still doubled everyone else’s on his team. Even then, 26K for being a pro-athlete is sad.

Episode Grade: B+

2) Still Up (Apple Plus)

English Audio Description?: Yes

Status: Unknown

I’m glad that at least of S1e8 that these two are not together. it would ruin the dynamic of the show. Hell, Danny is out and about already way too much. I do want these two crazy kids to end up together, but I also think that would end the series.

Episode Grade: B+

3) Fellow Travelers (Paramount Plus)

English Audio Descritpion?: Yes

Status: Limited

I’m telling you right now, you can expect Matt Bomer to be on my list at the end of the year. once again, this show proved to be exceptional. A note about the audio description, it would be helpful if we could try and indicate that we have moved into a new time period. It just seemed to happen a lot in Episode 4, and it took me a minute to figure out we jumped again.

Episode Grade: A

4) Quantum Leap (Peacock)

English Audio Description?: Yes

Status: Unknown

I should have noticed I wasn’t watching this, and I need to catch up. This is the episode where Ben ends up in the Salem Witch Trials. Can you imagine altering history so much that the Salem Witch Trials never happened? Not that they were important in a way that those women had to die, but Ben just erased The Crucible and Hocus Pocus. Just… gone.I wonder if anyone in the timeline now even dresses up like a witch at Halloween.

Episode Grade: B+

5) Shining Veil (Starz)

English Audio Description?: No

Status: Unknown

This show needs audio description. I cannot state that enough. As much as I love these actors, and I want to be involved in this story, it’s a show where I always feel like I’m missing so much. this episode had a demonic baby shower and Greg Kinnear is running for mayor.

Episode Grade: Unwatchable

6) 8 Simple Rules (Disney plus)

English Audio Description?: No

Status: Ended

I’m getting closer and closer to “that episode” but John Ritter is still here, and the kids are embarrassed that their mom is giving a sex talk at school.

Episode Grade: B-

7) Young Sheldon (MAX)

English Audio Description?: Yes

Status: Final Season

I’m not going to catch up in time to the Season 7 premiere. I’m still in Season 2. I love Wallace Shawn, and just the mention of Sheldon and Hush Puppies shoes took me back to my childhood.

Episode Grade: B

8) Seaquest DSV (Peacock)

English Audio Description?: No

Status: Ended

Much like how I felt about The Critic yesterday, same sentiment here. I watched Seaquest as a kid, and I’m so glad it just exists. The amount of shows not available anywhere is deeply depressing. yes, I would love to be watching this with audio description, but if peacock released their streaming hours, I wouldn’t be surprised if i was the only person watching Seaquest. This episode has the cheesiest ending where Darwin tells the kinda bad guy of the episode that the center of the universe is within him. very prophetic, for a dolphin.

Episode Grade: Unwatchable

9) Mad Men (AMC Plus)

English Audio Description?: No

Status: Ended

Betty and Don take a nice little trip away that Don needs for business purposes anyway. But at home, Sally is having some troubles.

Episode Grade: B- (sometimes unwatchable)

10) The Crown (Netflix)

English Audio Description?: Yes

Status: Final season

The two photographs episode totally just felt like filler, trying to give Diana more screen time and flesh out her relationship just a bit more between her and Dodi. I don’t know which episode they deal with her exit, but if it is too far away, I don’t think they have the material.

Episode Grade: B-

11) Veep (MAX)

English Audio Description?: Yes

Status: Ended

This show always cracks me up. Choosing to finally sit down and watch the whole thing has been a rewarding experience. The whole ensemble is terrific.

Episode Grade: A-