TV Shows Watched: The Abandons: S1E2 (Netflix) with audio description, Shiftig Gears: S2E5 (Disney Plus) with audio description, Bat Fam: S1E2 (Amazon) with audio description, The Daily Show: Monday (Paramount Plus) no audio description, and Breaking Bad: S3E6 (Netflix) with audio description

The Abandons- Other than manifest destiny, I have no idea what the show is about. It doesn’t even feel like a Kurt Sutter show, so I wonder how much of him is left in here. Is he to blame, or should someone have let him do what he wanted instead of leave? The audio description seems to be solid, but the series is mildly incoherent, so it’s hard to use as a firm gauge. Some of it is so silly, like the reaction to one bear. It seems to be like this bear will haunt them forever, then they remember they have guns. Or, they’re just suddenly playing a board game. Strange show.

Shifting Gears- It has found its stride in season 2. It was very mediocre, but I think the writers understand their cast now. This episode had Tim Allen’s character arguing with his crew over this new car he wants to fix up, because one of them has a past with the car’s owner. At first, Allen doesn’t get it, but I love the scene where he finds out why. I’m surprised they didn’t let Allen punch the guy. Allen so quickly turned that scene from comedy to drama, and played it well. Dave’s narration is still great, and honestly helping this show, which while funnier, is not a laugh a minute.

Bat Fam- the movie was better. There are some good jokes, but the cast now is way too big, and they try to keep everyone in every episode even if it makes no sense to do so. This episode is clearly about the field trip, and Damien,and why we bother to go back to the mansion at all is beyond me. Nothing of interest happens there.

The Daily Show- We steal Venezuela, trying to say it is about the drugs, or the gangs, but then shift firmly to wanting to steal all the oil, and you think I don’t want to hear Jon Stewart’s take? You don’t know me very well. As an added bonus, his guest was Senator/Captain Mark Kelly, who despite his long service to his country, was stripped of hit title and pension that very day, by a petulant child. Telling people they don’t have to do illegal things… why is that a problem? If the insinuation is that no troop has ever before done any illegal shit, even before the Trump administration, you really need to watch more war documentaries and read some history books. It’s not simply because of the concerns of this administration, but rather a reminder that troops have ignored this reality before, and it bears mentioning. Side note: Watch Cover Up on Netflix for some context that has nothing to do with MAGA or Trump, and everything to do with orders that should never have been given, and should have been ignored. My God, did we learn nothing from A Few Good Men?

Breaking Bad- This episode begins with a crazy violent moment, and ends with a deeply concerning revelation. I actually had to check the fate of a character because I have no impulse control apparently. Excellent episode, excellent audio description.