390. Web-series Reviews – 205

More web-series reviews…

A Man on the Inside – Came in 2024.  Charles, a retired man, gets a new lease on life when he answers an ad from a private investigator and becomes a mole in a secret investigation in a nursing home.

A review from IMDB...

Just watched the first episode. To be honest, I didn't like the trailer much but decided to watch it because of the creators of the show and the cast: Ted Danson (favorite shows: Cheers and The Good Place), Mary Elizabeth (favorite shows: Santa Clarita Diet and It's Always Sunny...), Stephanie (favorite show: Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Lilah, and the rest of the cast.

The first episode has a good storyline. It's about an old, lonely man who is retired and bored. His daughter suggests he try something exciting, so he takes a job doing secret investigation in a nursing home. His amateurish way and carefree attitude in doing things make it really entertaining.

Overall, I enjoyed the first episode - short runtime of less than 30 minutes, not a single boring moment, and the comedy hit the mark. I will be watching the rest of the episodes and update my review.

Rating: 3.5/5.

Update: Just finished this show, and the first thing I want to say is, if you haven't watched Cheers or The Good Place, Ted Danson will give you one more chance to become a fan of him, or at least his acting. Cheers is in my top 10, and I'd say Ted Danson's acting, sense of humor, and personality are as sharp as ever.

The other actors and their characters are also likable. I would have loved if the old woman with memory problems had been played by Shelley Long, but the actress who took on the role did a good job. There were a few slow moments, particularly in the 7th episode, but that's easy to overlook. I also liked the unexpected short cameo in the final few minutes-it was a pleasant surprise.

Overall, this show strikes the perfect balance of emotions, heart, likable characters, an engaging storyline, and comedy-a combination that's rare in shows these days. I couldn't guess the mystery of who stole the necklace, which is a huge plus, and they ended the season with a scene that hinted at a possible renewal.

If Netflix is asked about season 2, they should just reply with what Ted Danson said in the last line of season 1: "I'm in.

My Take – Worth a watch!

 

Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields – Came in 2022.  An overgrown field and a stretch of highway connect a series of grisly murders spanning several decades as grieving families search for answers.

A review from IMDB...

Docuseries finally on Netflix that's worth watching, tells a coherent story and comes together in the end.

I'm not sure all 3 episodes were necessary- I think all the information could have been sufficiently parsed out in 2 episodes, but 3 isn't an overreach.

It's crazy that these producers could tell a solid story yet not interject their insane political narrative into the stories- there are some vaguely political points but they're very relevant to the telling, and while it revolves around law enforcement, it is deservedly so- what the aforementioned police department did (or rather, lack thereof effective policing) deserves a spotlight and the attention of the public eye. It's one thing to espouse the common thread amongst departments of the time and claim runaway/wait 48 hours- which was incredibly obtuse and shortsighted even then, but even now, when we all know better to not at least acknowledge you're wrong and accept public responsibility for your department failings speaks volumes about your department.

My only concern is the lack of transparency and wishing there were more transparency among the departments and accountability to the public. Naming names would be a good start to getting public attention rightly focused on this group.

My request is that someone do an extensive documentary on Tim Miller and his Equusearch group- his is a fascinating story and one worth telling. Even though he's not particularly interested in the spotlight, the amount of good he's put into the world on behalf of his daughter is invaluable and I fear he's not much longer for this world. Keep fighting the good fight Tim- this may not be the path you chose but it is your path nonetheless. You've helped so many people through one of the most incredibly difficult times in their lives with experience, care and compassion and for that you deserve our unending gratitude and support.

My Take – Worth a watch!

 

Murder in a Small Town – Came in 2024. Detective Karl Alberg comes to Gibsons at a moment of change and upheaval - in his own life and also in the small, seaside community. Now Alberg and his team - his brilliant protégé Edwina Yen, old-hand Sid Sokolowski, and roguish rookie Andy Kendrick - face an array of unexpected challenges: secrets stir just beneath the beauty of the small town's surface. Recently divorced, Alberg finds himself falling for Cassandra Lee, a striking librarian whose deep ties in the community complicate both his role as Chief of Police and a tricky relationship with his teenage daughter, who has followed him across the country. Despite these challenges, Alberg and Cassandra embark on a quirky and heartfelt mid-life love story that forms the heart of the series.

A review from IMDB...

After just watching the pilot episode Murder in a Small Town, I was quite impressed with the simple plot of a murder that the small towns' new Police Chief was thrust into solving having recently joined the Gibsons Police force.

The new police chief. Karl Alberg (Rossif Sutherland) is an impressive murder investigator bringing his vast knowledge from a major city police force to the small quaint town of Gibsons.

Within the first episode we also get to know some of the characteristics of the other officers of the Gibsons police force, both rookies and seasoned police officers. All who look up to their new police chief, Karl Alberg.

One other key character in this new TV series is the town's librarian, Cassandra Lee (Kristin Kreuk) who meets Police Chief Karl Alberg through a dating web site service they both decided to subscribe to.

If the story line appears vaguely familiar to you (as it did to me) you may recall the previous former TV movie series Jessie Stone which delivered nine (9) TV films between 2005 and 2015 starring the aging but still appealing Tom Selleck. Sound familiar now?

Regardless whether or not Murder in a Small Town is trying to recapture some of the magic in the bottle of the Jesse Stone TV films, I really enjoyed this pilot episode and I am looking forward to the new story lines and the characters in the town of Gibsons.

I give the pilot a solid 8 out of 10 IMDb rating.

My Take – Worth a watch!

Adios till next time😊!!