TV Shows Watched: Kings Of Johburg: S1E1 (Netflix) with audio description, Duster: S1E6 (MAX) with audio description, And just Like That: S3E4 (MAX) with audio description, The Survivors: S1E4 (Netflix) with audio description, Dept Q: S1E5 (Netflix) with audio description, Silicon Valley: S2E8 (MAX) with audio description, Dark Winds: S1E5 (Netflix) no audio description yet, Futurama: S5E10 (Hulu) no audio description yet, Next Gen NYC: S1E2 (Peacock) with a legal definition of audio description, and Yellowstone: S5E11 (Peacock) with audio description

Best episode: Duster, runner Up: And Just like That

best Audio description: Duster, Runner Up: Yellowstone

best Performance: Josh Holloway (Duster), Runner Up: Sarah Jessica Parker (And just Like that)

Best Moment Of Audio Description: the Meeting (Duster), Runner Up: the Hit (Yellowstone)

Kings Of Johburg- Netflix promoted this to me, with a new third season drop, and i figured… what the hell. It has audio description. It is billed as a crime drama with a supernatural twist, but that last part is basically non existent. It feels just like a crime drama. What the audio description does, for this South African show, is when it needs to translate, before it does the speaking, it says who is speaking, and in what language. So, for example “Moe in Zulu: How are you?” I mention it because I think multiple non-English languages are used, and instead of just dubbing them, or having the AD talent talk when the subtitles appear, it is paying close attention to the cultural differences. Otherwise, I feel like I’ve seen this story before. It isn’t a not recommend, as I’m going to watch more, I’m just not overly enthusiastic. However, for people who only love crime dramas, this might be a very different thing on your watchlist.

Duster- I continue to be impressed by the long term viability of Duster, which initially seemed too kitschy to be in JJ Abrams’s wheelhouse. However, this period drama continues to impress, even in the audio description, which usually features some well described car chases. here, we are mostly relegated to an interesting shootout. Josh Holloway is doing a fine job with this role, possibly finding a new series to help his career. I felt like Hollywood never quite delivered on the promise of elevating Sawyer from lost to A-List, and he’s been stuck in a bunch of short lived shows. time will tell if this is just another Intelligence.

And Just Like that- Country Carrie was more entertaining than city girl Carrie, and they should take more advantage of pulling these women out of their comfort zones. while I dislike Aiden, I’m glad we got this episode, because it gave Parker a lot of different material to work with, where she wasn’t just in the typical Carrie Bradshaw mode.

the Survivors- It’s OK. I don’t know that the revelations here quite blow me away. I feel like I don’t know this ensemble well enough for the payoff to work. It isn’t bad, but I’m also pretty sure the one final episode won’t do all the heavy lifting.

Department Q- I feel like I need to rewatch this. I’m seeing people love it, and I know it came from another successful series, but this feels like Slow Horses, but not quite as good. that’s the comparison I can make. If this gets a second season, I could see myself rewatching one before two.

Silicon Valley- A funny show if you’ve never seen it. Dave’s narration is just fine for what the show is.

Dark winds- Still no audio description in Season 1, and I feel like the label Netflix gives it is for Season 2. I’m desperately trying to follow, but some of the dialogue is in Navajo.

Futurama- This was a clever episode, even without audio description, about a parallel dimension, and the two groups trying to figure out which version of themselves was evil. I think Audio Description kicks in at Season 10.

Next Gen NYC- Easiest AD paycheck. There’s barely any description in this episode, but it does have a few words, so someone got paid. it is so sparse, you could be forgiven for forgetting you turned it on in the first place. This show knows exactly what it is, and the biggest telling moment was one of the cast talking about growing up on the real Housewives franchise, and how it probably wasn’t great for her, because she can’t remember a time when there weren’t cameras around.

Yellowstone- awful episode. Really obvious ending. But, we see what happened to John. I watched this with a sighted person, who could see the TV, and during the scenes where they show how John was killed, it is so dark, that most of what was described wasn’t actually visible (unless I mess with the settings on my TV or something). It was very dark, and my sighted companion even benefitted from the in depth description, so i gave it the runner up spot. these final episodes are so sad for a series I would have once nominated for an Emmy. The worst thing is, it shouldn’t be this bad just because Costner isn’t here. It just feels like a show that didn’t plan on ending, having to change course, because the ship is on fire, and everyone wants off as fast as possible.

Worst Of- The lack of audio description currently on dark Winds and Futurama wins. Why not do both seasons of Dark Winds? Who starts on Season 2? And i do think that if you reboot or revive a show, you should go back through the old episodes too, so I am pinging Hulu for not doing that for Futurama.