The Small Screen Diaries- 01/13/24

The fourth episode of Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix) just feels like filler. The audio description team, with Sri Gordon as narrator, is still doing solid work, but this episode was just a lot of dumb challenges. The only interesting one was having them vote off three people. That and the way they handled it was fine, and since we ended on a solid number, with 70 contestants remaining, it felt like that was where we needed to go. While I don’t know the results of the Jack In the Box game, it’s not everyone competing, and the fact that … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 01/13/24

The Small Screen Diaries- 01/12/24

Apple better be continuing on with For All Mankind. That season finale was a beast, and did exactly what I thought it would. Because the show takes these leaps forward in time, original cast members have to keep being shaved off because there’s only just so much you can age a person. Just like how last season ended with a few original cast members exiting, it’s highly likely that the way certain characters are written, means the end for them on the show (at least as regulars). However, there was one prominent character whose future was not shown, and that … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 01/12/24

The Small Screen Diaries- 01/10/23

As promised, I tackled Echo (Disney Plus), but just the first episode. I’m not a huge fan of the binge watch. I like to savor my shows, especially ones with only 5 episodes, and the next Marvel show is quite far off. I thought it was a strong start, but it didn’t break into the top echelon of Marvel shows for me, which really no one has ever topped WandaVision. Some critics have hailed it as what Marvel needs right now, and I say it could ahve been, if they had let Echo stand on her own in the pilot, … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 01/10/23

The Small Screen Diaries- 01/06/24

The creative arts Emmys were last night, and some really interesting choices were made. Did your show win any of the below the line awards? Was your favorite guest actor or actress awarded a trophy? Also, the National Society of Film Critics (an aspirational group for me) named Past Lives as the film of the year, but my favorite pick of theirs was giving an honorable Mention to Rachel macadams for Are You There God, It’s me Margaret? I did think it was weird that Zone of Interest was the Best Picture honorable mention, won director, and was recognized as … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 01/06/24

The Small Screen Diaries: 01/01/24

I eluded to a newer format and wanting to change up the Roundup, as I think it’s not working. So, a little bit more in blog/journal form, with some thoughts about small screen projects I enjoyed (or didn’t) the previous day. I know Netflix’s The Crown can’t possibly be 100% accurate, as no based on a true story is. There’s always things added for dramatic purposes, but the episode after Diana’s funeral, which focuses primarily on William really delivers a punch that I think a lot of kids would have felt or said in that same moment. Whether or not … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries: 01/01/24

Best Of 2023: Top 10 Animated Series

I’m making a greater focus on audio description and the importance of it in 2024. every title on this list has audio description at least in some part. So, for my first in a long list to come of celebrations of the best work of 2023, here is the list, with titles and where you can watch them. Honorable Mentions: Anamaniacs (Hulu), Young love (MAX), Scott Pilgrim takes off (Netflix), and invincible (Amazon) 10- Strange Planet (Apple Plus) 9- Fired On Mars (MAX) 8- South Park (Comedy/Paramount Plus) *only Paramount Plus content has AD 7) Solar Opposites (Hulu) 6) The … Continue reading Best Of 2023: Top 10 Animated Series

The Too Much TV Roundup- 12/28/23

The exciting TV news for the day? Night Court has axed Neil. of course, with my limited time, I was planning on axing Night Court anyway. Also, expect even less day and date releases in 2023, since the strikes pushed back a lot of films on the 2023 calendar. Now they are worried that 2023 could be a really slow year at the movies. Well, maybe you should have stopped trying to replace everyone with AI. 1) Neon (Netflix) English Audio Description?: Yes Status: Not Yet Renewed Santi pushes his crew further away as he chooses his fake alliance with … Continue reading The Too Much TV Roundup- 12/28/23

The Too Much TV Roundup- 12/27/23

Really, it’s the doldrums of TV news right now. Even in the world of movie news, the best I got is that I just learned there was a movie in theatres called Anyone But You that stars Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney. Talk about the wrong time of year to open a film like that. Wow. Getting clobbered by films with big budgets and Oscar fare, with two people who really aren’t marketable romcom stars. 1) Everything Now (Netflix) English Audio Description?: Yes Status: Not Yet Renewed Clashes begin in the friend zone when people seem at odds with each … Continue reading The Too Much TV Roundup- 12/27/23

The Too Much TV Roundup- 12/25/23

Surprisingly, around the presents, phone calls, food, and other holiday shenanigans I managed 5 shows, and two movies. Not bad. Obviously, there wasn’t any major news coming out of Hollywood. Could you imagine if your show got cancelled on Christmas? Damn. 1) Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (Netflix) English Audio Description?: Yes Status: Limited After figuring out that Scott may not be dead, Ramona goes and visits Scott’s ex girlfriends to see if they have any info to offer. The list is short. Episode Grade: A- 2) The Santa Clauses (Disney Plus) English Audio Description?: Yes Status: Unknown Santa has to … Continue reading The Too Much TV Roundup- 12/25/23

The Too Much TV Roundup- 12/24/23

I’m writing the next day about what I watched on Christmas Eve, which means you are reading this on Christmas, so Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! And for those who don’t celebrate, today is weird because everything is closed… except movie theatres. I guess you gotta go see a movie today. 1) Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix) English Audio Description Provided By International Digital Center Written By liz Gutman Narrated By Sri Gordon Status: Unknown This seems like a no-brainer for a second season, except for the lawsuits Netflix is having to deal with. They gave outlast a second season, and … Continue reading The Too Much TV Roundup- 12/24/23

Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Christmas Cabin Fever

Where I Watched it: Disney Plus English Audio Description Provided By Descriptive Video Works Narrated By Arin Brennan Is this an Animated short? Is it a feature? It runs at 62 minutes, I believe, which puts it in this very grey area. Either way, it is definitely the holiday version of Diary of A Wimpy Kid, and after several live action iterations and this being the third animated entry for Disney Plus, it felt like time. I mean, Dreamworks has a Bad Guys holiday special, and they only got one film. The first two made me wonder why we remaking … Continue reading Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Christmas Cabin Fever

The Too Much TV Roundup- 12/21/23

Jake Johnson mentioned yesterday that he does not believe Starz will renew Minx. I’m telling you, it’s the only reason I haven’t cancelled yet. I’m living on a prayer. The good news is that they immediately cancelled and pulled Heels right after the finale, and cancelled shining Veil immediately, so the fact they are even thinking about minx means it has a shot. 1) Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (Netflix) English Audio Description Provided By: XTraX Status: Limited Well, the second episode is weird. Scott is *spoiler*, and the episode focuses almost entirely on the evil ex group and a power … Continue reading The Too Much TV Roundup- 12/21/23

Indiana Jones and the Dial Of Destiny

Where I watched It: Disney Plus English Audio Description Provided By Deluxe Primary Narration By: Jedidiah Barton Cast: Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller Bridge,Antonio Banderas, Toby Jones, Mads Mikkelsen, John Rhys-Davies, Karen Allen, Boyd Holbrook, Thomas Kretchmann, Shaunee Renee Wilson, and Ethann Isador. Written By: Jess Butterworth, John Henry butterworth, David Koepp, and James Mangold Directed By: James Mangold It is true that James Mangold is not Steven Spielberg, and while it is hard for any director to tilt their windmill at Spielberg, Mangold is one of the directors that has earned the right to be a household name by now, … Continue reading Indiana Jones and the Dial Of Destiny

The Too Much TV Roundup- 12/20/23

Well, the wrong costume won The Masked Singer. Not the one I was rooting for, although, when the winner was revealed, I can’t say that’s a bad person to have on top. Also, Starz is seemingly trying to just turn into the Power network. After rapidly cancelling Heels earlier this year, and recently announcing the upcoming 3rd season of Hightower will be its last, they just cancelled Shining Veil. Really, I’m at a point with Starz that since they offer no accessibility, if they cancel Minx, I really don’t know why I would continue to subscribe. I’d rather save that … Continue reading The Too Much TV Roundup- 12/20/23

The Naughty Nine

Where I Watched It: Disney Plus English Audio Description?: Yes Cast: Winslow Fegley, Derek McCabe, and Danny Glover Written By: Jed Elinoff Directed By: Alberto Belli You could do worse. It’s one of the handful of Christmas themed movies that Disney had in its output, and it had the most unique of the plots. I know the elevator pitch was someone just saying “Ocean’s Eleven for kids at Christmas” and this got a green light. but, the initial concept of kids on the naughty list conspiring to get the gifts from Santa they believe they deserve is a solid concept. … Continue reading The Naughty Nine