Netflix-Inspired Bite-Sized Reviews: Part Two

And now for the conclusion of my telling you about the TV shows I've gotten from Netflix, and whether they are worth your time or not.

Slings and Arrows
So, I rented this random Canadian show starring Paul Gross about a Shakespearean theater production (sorry, theatre production) for what I am sure seemed like a good reason at the time. I watched the whole season, because it was all supposedly leading to a BIG REVEAL at the end. The BIG REVEAL was disappointing. And the pace of the series was frustrating slow, taking several episodes to reach even the most obvious and inevitable of developments. There were interesting facets to it (and I'm sure people with more patience and more interest in the subject matter *cough* Scott and Hannah *cough* could love it), but I won't be renting Seasons 2 or 3.

The Wire
TV geeks love this show, but I didn't even make it through the pilot. I think I already knew on some level that it just wasn't going to speak to me. Too gritty. I like funny!

The Tudors
The first few episodes were slightly less than mediocre, but then it picked up a little. (Still smutty, though. Lots of smut.) It's not great TV qua TV--I don't know if non-history nerds would care. And I still have major problems with casting a tiny wee little man as Henry VIII. I'll probably rent the second season . . . eventually.

Rock of Love
Remember what I said about Project Runway vindicating reality TV? Rock of Love vindicates trashy reality TV. It's so trashy! Hilariously trashy. SO AWESOME. Why haven't I put Season 2 on my queue yet? Excuse me for a minute . . . .

(Oh, and here's an old post where I compare The Tudors and Rock of Love. [Rock of Love wins, by the way.])

Fortysomething
This is a British series starring Hugh Laurie and it is inexplicably awful. Neal and I tried to watch the first episode, and it was boring and muddled and utterly pointless. We didn't make it past fifteen minutes, and I have no pangs of regret or suspicions that it was ever going to get any better.

Mad Men
This is important: this show and Arrested Development are the only shows ever that I heard praised to highest heavens before I watched them that totally lived up to it. Every good thing you have heard about Mad Men is true. Yes, it is that good. If you haven't yet, find it and watch it. I am telling you this as a friend. I want what is best for you. (It took Neal a few episodes to warm up to it, but then he did. Because it is unequivocally great TV.)

How I Met Your Mother
As I've told you before, I love this show so much. I can't imagine how anyone wouldn't love it.

Flight of the Conchords
It's funny--I liked this show fine when I watched it; it's pretty funny, there are a few laugh-out-loud moments, the songs are good. And then after we had finished watching it, I kept thinking about it and started to like it even more. I'll be honest, it has its boring moments, but overall it's very charming and apparently, it sticks with you.

Extras
This show was supposed to be good. There are people out there who practically worship Ricky Gervais. But it isn't, really. The first episode, which features Kate Winslet (parodying herself, as the point of the show is to get famous actors to do that) cynically telling the main characters that she's doing a Holocaust movie because that's how you get an Oscar, was probably funny at the time, but it's hilaaaaaaaaarious now. It was all downhill from there. It features a lot of humiliation humor, which is more sad than funny. We gave up after three and a half episodes.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer
I've just started this one, and it's pretty good so far. I've been told that it gets better (and, later, that it gets much, much worse). So we'll see--thanks to the magic of Netflix! (They aren't paying me to write this stuff, but wouldn't it be cool if they were?)