At the start of the diary today, we lead with the heartbreaking news that Michelle Trachtenberg passed away at the age of 39. I don’t think anyone saw this coming. The early reports I read didn’t mention anything about a known battle with an illness. Looking back through her resume on IMDB, I saw credits for shows I didn’t remember her specifically being on, like The Adventures Of Pete And Pete and Space Cases, but a lot of kids grew up with her as Harriet The Spy. Even when I mentioned it to some of the gen alpha I work … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries: 02/26/25

TV Shows Watched: Zero Day: S1E2 (Netflix) with audio description, Mythic Quest: S4E4 (Apple Plus) with audio description, St Dennis medical: S1E10 (Peacock) with audio description, Beyond The Gates: S1E1 (Paramount Plus) no audio description, Grosse Pointe Garden Society: S1E1 (Peacock) with audio description, the Kardashians: S1E5 (Hulu) with audio description, and Muslim Matchmaker: S1E2 (Hulu) with audio description Best Episode: Mythic Quest- the murder mystery themed episode was fantastic. it felt very Glass Onion, and while the reveal was a little silly, the journey was delightful, and there was some heart thrown in there, and a bombshell at the … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 02/25/25

The Girl With The Needle- Denmark’s Oscar nominated International Oscar entry. yes, I sat through it. No, it doesn’t have audio description. Why do I do it? Because I’m silly enough to try and point out that the method of delivery for most international features that choose to not have audio description is inaccessible to blind and low vision audiences. I cannot see or read the subtitles, nor can I be expected to know every language. Even with that, I highly doubt this film was released in America with Danish Audio Description, so even if I happened to be American … Continue reading Going In Blind (Playing Catch Up)- The Girl With the Needle, Slingshot, Galaxy Quest, The Feeling That…

Interestingly, someone had actually mentioned to me that Amazon eventually, at some point, rectified the lack of audio description on the Sticky, and wanted to know my thoughts. I just haven’t swung back around to a show whose pilot I did see, but it didn’t have audio description at release. So I moved on. Now, Amazon has cancelled the series, giving me even less of a reason to return. Truthfully, this is another case of sketchy labeling, because I saw it labeled as a limited series to begin with, so a renewal or cancellation decision would be moot. that is … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 02/24/25

I had a great time last night on a panel for the American Council Of The Blind discussing the abundance of audio described titles at this years Oscars. The fellow panelists were excellent and we just need more than an hour. It made me realize for a panel coming up that I really do need to manage my time. Also, the SAG awards were last night on Netflix. I didn’t predict everything. I had Wicked for Ensemble, and Ariana in Supporting, but got those two wrong. Ensemble went to Conclave, Actor to Timothy Chalamet (A Complete Unknown), Actress to Demi … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 02/23/25

transformers One- this exciting new animated entry into the franchise is surprisingly good. between this angle, and where we left with Rise Of The Beasts, the franchise is in much stabler positions than Michael Bay beating it until it died. For the release of my YouTube review for this film, i also rewatched and uploaded reviews for all previous films (except Rise of The Beasts, which i had already reviewed) since the entire series has audio description. My favorites are the first Transformers, if you can remember the magic of that film actually doing something exciting with live action Autobots, … Continue reading Going In Blind (Playing Catch Up): Transformers One, sex lies and videotape, Subserviance

The Brutalist- I’m quite literally on the cusp of giving this film a second watch with audio description, but, I’ve been going back through and playing catch up with the quicker speed I put out to my YouTube channel. My initial reaction to The Brutalist was it was a beautifully realized low budget epic with fantastic performances, a gorgeous score, and I didn’t feel the runtime. It is by far the longest Oscar nominee, and played in theatres with an intermission. I got a screener, which did not have the audio description. i again got another screener, still without audio … Continue reading Going In Blind: The Brutalist, Reagan,Rio Bravo

What a time to be alive. While people like me are facing an increasingly uncertain future, it would seem that we’re already starting to roll back the audio description train. Hulu has actually removed the audio description from Golden Girls, whether you access it through the Hulu or Disney Plus with Hulu experience. Existing audio description. The fight to expand, the fate of traveling audio description, conversations about human vs TTS, all of those go away if companies are removing existing audio description on their own properties. Oddly, this comes at a time with renewed interest in the series after … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 02/22/25

I didn’t know these guys before, but I’m pretty comfortable talking wherever about myself, my blindness, movies, and audio description. Thanks to the gang at the mod Squad Network for helping to give an under represented voice a spotlight. Check out the video, and throw them a like and subscribe.youtube.com/watch Continue reading I was A guest On The Mod Squad Network

Last week, I gave a look at the broad list of shows that are “on the watchlist.” With new shows entering, and at least one official exit, where do the shows line up from last week? Best Series Currently Airing: Severance (Apple Plus) with audio description- In case my diaries aren’t making it abundantly clear that I’m loving the second season of Ben Stiller’s science fiction workplace nail biter, I am. Taking all the acting honors for its most recent episode. I think Severance is making a strong case for not just a third season, but that sweep of Emmy … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries: The Weekly Rankings

Sorry to report, but MAX has dropped Elevation without audio description. Unlike a few previous films where I couldn’t confirm the existence of an audio description track, I’m 100% sure this film has one, and MAX just didn’t care enough to procure it. Decisions like this at a time when it seems like companies can’t run fast enough from disabled individuals, and there are multiple current lawsuits pending to strip us of protections, and argue that the government and private companies have the constitutional right to discriminate against us, every little thing like this is amplified a thousand times over. … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 02/21/25

I Am Ready Warden- This Oscar nominated Documentary Short is a sobering look at a man condemned to death, who has accepted his fate as well as anyone can, and provides context and ruminations on how he got to death row before his execution. In a state like Texas, where even Richard Linklater explored the rate of executions, I Am ready Warden doesn’t argue the convicted is innocent, just that a split second mistake forever changed this man’s life. Last year we explored the prison complex system through the Netflix documentary Daughters, as well as A24’s Sing Sing. These films … Continue reading Going In Blind (Playing Catch up): Soundtrack To A Coup d’etat, The Dead Don’t Hurt, I Am Ready Warden

Unsung Hero- Please continue to excuse my tardiness as I continue to catch up on the onslaught of films I saw in November/December/Early January. It has been almost three months since I first watched this faith based biopic about Christian musicians. I remember thinking the film was fine, maybe a bit melodramatic, but whenever faith based films have a budget, and competent people making them, they tend to be better on average than the ones that are made guerrilla style with actors of unknown talent, and directors who have never touched a camera before. Unsung Hero tells a story about … Continue reading Going In Blind (Playing Catch Up)- Unsung Hero, The Silent Hour, The Terminal

The big news yesterday was in the Bond world where a deal was inked for Amazon/MGM to have greater control over the future of the franchise, which led to Bezos asking the world who should be the next James Bond. 10 years ago, I would have answered Idris Elba. Elba is now 52, only 4 years younger than Daniel Craig. In fact, since No Time To Die was released 4 years ago, Craig would have been 52. I know Tom Cruise is still making Mission Impossible films, but he’s also the only film version of Ethan Hunt. If you are … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries: 02/20/25

Megalopolis- First. before I say anything about the film, i want to say that this film has really good audio description. the description treats Megalopolis like it isn’t an insane fever dream, and avoids pointing out all of the absurdist things Francis Ford Coppola does. It must have been hard to describe this without acknowledging all the hilarity, but you did it. Bravo. I also kinda want some rogue AD providers to go through a movie like this and create an alternate track that does let us know what’s going on, but also points out when things look ridiculous. What … Continue reading Going In blind (Playing Catch Up): Megalopolis, Austin Powers, My Name Is Alfred Hitchcock