TV Shows Watched: Something Very Bad Is gonna Happen: S1E1 (Netflix) with audio description, Paradise: S2E2 (Disney Plus) with audio description, The Pitt: S2E9 (HBO MAX) with audio description, CIA: S1E2 (Paramount Plus) with audio description, Robin Hood: S1E3 (MGM Plus) with audio description, and The Masked Singer: S14E? (Disney Plus) no audio description

Something Very Bad Is Gonna happen- Deeply unsettling, unnerving, and uncomfortable, this new show from the team behind Brand New Cherry Flavor, and The Duffer Brothers (Stranger Things), shows us a wedding that doesn’t look like it ends well, and backs us up five days when seemingly everything is fine, but little things start feeling off. our lead, Rachel, is starting to see and notice things, and we’re starting to feel it. This could be an allegory about the cold feet some get leading up to a wedding, or… something very bad is gonna happen. The first episode isn’t really violent or gory, though there’s a dead animal. But in general, the mood is ick. The audio description is fantastic though, finding a way to heighten every disturbing tidbit.

Paradise- In the second episode, we find out what happened to Xavier. Oscar nominee Sterling k Brown finds himself reliant upon some unlikely allies after his plane crashes, he’s badly injured, and has no idea where he is. How will his storyline cross with what we saw in the season premiere? Wait and find out. It doesn’t waste much time pushing Shailene Woodley into the plot. The audio description here was really pretty good. The only thing I have a question about, is a bit in spoiler territory, and likely will be answered in the next episode as to whether or not that was the case.

The Pitt- I got choked up. This episode got to me, pervasively. It wasn’t just one storyline. I was moved, and angered, by the kids left without parents after their mom and dad were sent to an ICE facility, and the older sister was trying to take care of her younger brother. I know HBO explicitly asked for this to be “more balanced”, so you have frustrating conversations about maybe separating them, or sending the young boy (born in America, who has never lived in Haiti) to his parents country. What it did ignore is the use of third party countries, meaning that you may not actually even go back to Haiti. They could end up in South Sudan. Then we had our recurring patients, with the mom who is dying of cancer struggling with the idea that she won’t get to see her kids grow up, and the guy who uses a computer to communicate has a really touching moment. I was misty eyed.

CIA- I love how the series refuses to explain how our top CIA agent is British. it just forces that on you, with only a glimpse of reasoning, and hopes the natural charisma of Tom Ellis will help. Sadly, they’re kind of right, as Ellis remains the only reason to watch this lifeless procedural.

Robin Hood- You can tell how much I love this by the fact that I’m on Episode 3. I’ll admit, the show has its moments, but often the episodes just feel too long, like it is stretching too much, or expanding the cast and world too much in the beginning. The audio description threw me off, as I could tell Ralph was a girl, but the pronouns being used. Once we made it work within the context of the story, it felt justified, but it still was weird when it was happening. How anyone thought that was a boy is beyond me. And No, they didn’t throw modern day gender identity politics into it, so it isn’t like she has a speech about identifying as a man. Rob is just slow on the pick up.

The Masked Singer- I love how no one on earth would have known to guess this person, but the whole panel acts like they know her from way back. Like they have been besties. They do that all the time. I hate this judging panel. I’d be shocked if this made it to 20 seasons. The caliber they are starting to get is really diving into bottom feeding territory. They literally had to show us who CatWitch was weeks ago, like it was a gimmick. I think it’s because 99% of the audience would never have guessed her, and most of that audience has no idea who she is.