ababuso Reviews

The Crown (2016–2023)

2022 season is awful

[5/10 · 28 November 2022]

Could this season be any slower? They are trying to extend into another season with filler. The first episodes gave some momentum at the start, but has now descended into inane sidebars. Carriage riding...really?? The disappointments of love, stories told by the supporting characters for a whole episode? I'm so bored I can't go any further.

Could this season be any slower? They are trying to extend into another season with filler. The first episodes gave some momentum at the start, but has now descended into inane sidebars. Carriage riding...really?? The disappointments of love, stories told by the supporting characters for a whole episode? I'm so bored I can't go any further.

The Goldfinch (2019)

Repeat after me....

[2/10 · 22 May 2020]

Slow. SLOW. S.L.O.W. Two and a half hours of...."character development?" Not even. If I hadn't read the book, I wouldn't have had any idea what was going on; as it was I had to explain it to my partner throughout. What is wrong with writing a straightforward adaptation? The actual story is deep enough - all the back and forth mish-mash was tedious torture. Don't kill the actors, kill the screenplay!

Hollywood (2020)

What the heck happened?

[3/10 · 20 May 2020]

Fun premise for a story. Costumes and sets great. Some really good actors and actresses. So what happened?! After two or three very engaging episodes...down the drain completely. Did they change writers in the middle? I kept watching, hoping the story would revive to the energy of the beginning. Nope. The last episode was an embarassment to watch. Really cringe-worthy. What happened?!!

Den of Thieves (2018)

Yuck!

[1/10 · 20 August 2019]

A bunch of guys with tattoos trying to out-tough each other. You can hardly tell the difference between the hoods and the cops. Really dumb.

Homecoming (2018–2020)

Great MUSIC, good cast, horrible screenplay

[4/10 · 9 November 2018]

I found all the cast to be perfect for their characters, except Julia Roberts... was she given sedatives before each episode? However, considering that they made a 10-episode series out of what could have been a short movie, maybe she needed them. Glad they were 1/2 hour episodes; I couldn't take more than that at one sitting. You kept on with it because of the cast: Canavalle's energy fills the screen, Stephan James was AMAZING, Shea Whigham was perfect. But in the end you find yourself saying, "Well, too bad...." But caveat: Whoever did the music, it was what kept the whole thing going, whover you are!

Hell on Wheels (2011–2016)

I'm Done

[4/10 · 15 November 2014]

After the last episode (Bleeding Kansas), I'm done with this show - taking it off my Record list. I kept trying to like this series -- Anson Mount is good, Colm Meany is a really great actor in everything, and Common was the real spark in all his episodes. But it has been on the fence with me since the beginning. The first season was s-l-o-w....talk about setting background. Last season was quite good: they had some real stories, and the writing was consistent. I always feel like the episodes are written by various writers...it's up and down all the time. There is nothing to really care about in this series, although the sets are very well done -- if what you care about is seeing the old open land transformed over the years into a town. Now comes this over-the-top repulsively bloody crapola -- is that all you had left? I'm outta here.

Tyrant (2014–2016)

Ashraf Barhom - WOW

[9/10 · 18 July 2014]

Great premise for a series...the interaction of cultures seen through their humanity and frailties. The cast is variable, except for Ashraf Barhom, playing Jamal, who just blows me away with his fierce energy. Every moment he is on he completely dominates the drama. Everyone looks pale beside him -- his energy seems to come like a fire from within and burns up the screen. I think this is a new star... I'll be watching to see him in more! FX really does an amazing job bringing us really interesting series instead of the usual pulp on network TV. Just when you think you've seen it all, they come up with something new. Most of us have no idea what life really looks like in Middle Eastern countries. This gives us a cool story and lets us peek into another world. And GO BARHOM!

House of Cards (2013–2018)

Getting weird

[5/10 · 24 March 2014]

The first season was great - the convoluted dealings of Underwood and a great supporting cast. This season...just weird. Rooney Mara added a great energy and storyline to the series, and she's gone now, for shock value. Now you have Underwood doing his deeds, but with no really clear agenda; he's just a conniving obstacle on everything. Not clear what he's really after except just being a bully. Claire I think underneath is worse than he is, but her storyline is not clear -- we don't know why she does the things she does. The first season was a fun look at the machinations of Congress. Now we're just looking at two people who are not even likable. This series is going downhill rapidly.