I can’t possibly review every show I watch. I have a job. And a little bit of self respect. So rather than sit there looking at the the overwhelming list of shows I watched in 2020 and 2021 that I never reviewed, I’ll just put them all (or mostly) here. Because, as you’ve probably figured out, this site is just a giant cataloging excercise anyway. I’m sure I missed a bunch. And am only including those series that I completed. Leaving out the absolute garbage like Big Sky that I just couldn’t bring myself to finish. Here we go.
2021
The Curse of Von Dutch: A Brand to Die For
Network: Hulu
Capsule Review: This is pure background fodder. Complete pablum for stoned dummies about trucker hats and a “murder.” Even the creators barely took the subject seriously.
The Handmaid’s Tale: Season 4
Network: Hulu
Previous Review: The Handmaid’s Tale: Seasons 1 – 3
Capsule Review: June Osborn escapes. June Osborn is captured. June Osborn makes terrible faces and we get to watch Elizabeth Moss pretend like she still wants this gig four years on. I am tired of Elizabeth Moss.
Hanna: Season 3
Network: Prime Video
Previous Review: Hanna: Seasons 1 & 2
Capsule Review: Hanna is one pissed off teen. Issue is she’s also an assassin with mommy issues and takes it out on a woman who is at once her mortal enemy and her parental figure. It’s confusing and very foreign seeming. It does that Walking Dead thing, though, where it settled in once place for too long.
MasterChef: Season 11
Network: Fox
Previous Review: MasterChef: Season 6
Capsule Review: This season was subtitled “Legends” because they got some famous chefs to break COVID protocol to show up in the MaserChef kitchen in order to judge home cooks. Seems like a waste of their time. As is this show, which I continue to watch despite really disliking the weird, insular feel of them cooking on a set at the Fox studio and general amateurish nature of their food.
Landscapers
Network: HBO
Capsule Review: How could one not watch a limited series starring Olivia Colman and David Thewlis? Especially playing a murderous, but incredibly meek, dowdy British couple. Based on a true story, the actors are just as remarkable as you’d expect — especially Colman with her bizarre Gerard Depardieu obsession. The direction can get a bit dreamy at times, especially when we’re inside Colman’s deluded head, but the strong performances and the compelling story of two real people is enough to get past some of the over-the-top flourishes.
LuLaRich
Network: Prime Video
Capsule Review: A documentary about a couple dummies who run a pyramid scheme selling ugly leggings to house wives looking to just make some extra coins while their dumb husbands are off at work. LuLaRoe is still a thing, and I’m sure suckers out there are still buying their bull — despite being totally exposed as fraudsters and shitbags in this doc.
Mythic Quest: Season 2
Network: Apple TV+
Previous Review: Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet
Capsule Review: A relatively entertaining, but inconsistent workplace comedy that feels like they did certain critical things on the cheap. Which is fine, but I wish they would have leaned into that meta a little more instead of leaving us wondering if they’re trying to be serious about stuff.
Night Stalker: The Hunt For a Serial Killer
Network: Netflix
Capsule Review: I lived through this shit when I was a kid in LA. This brings to light stuff I didn’t know back then (because I was a child and didn’t exactly read the LA Times or anything), and now I understand why everyone was so freaked out. This guy was pure evil and the doc shows us that pretty darned well.
Only Murders in the Building: Season 1
Network: Hulu
Capsule Review: Steve Martin is not much of an actor, but he’s offset by Martin Short’s ability to turn anything into a laugh. Pairing them is definitely a pretty genius stroke, however, especially when accompanied by a young person in Selena Gomez. It’s fun to laugh at boomers, and these are some lighthearted opportunities to watch them Scooby-Doo that shit.
Rick and Morty: Season 5
Network: Cartoon Network
Previous Review: Rick and Morty: Seasons 1 – 3
Capsule Review: This is still a really fucked-up show. I do feel like they were trying a little too hard at times this season, but it’s always shocking and amazing the distance they’ll go to gross out or make you wonder how many drugs Dan Harmon is smoking.
Search Party: Season 4
Network: HBO Max
Previous Reviews: Search Party: Season 1 / Search Party: Season 2
Capsule Review: The show continues to go downhill as they made Dory into a total psycho. It started off as ironic and tongue-in-cheek and now just turned into a weird alterna-nightmare. I’m not sure what the tone of this series is supposed to be, but it made me wince way too much.
The Shrink Next Door
Network: Apple TV+
Capsule Review: My god, I wanted to like this. But it’s kind of a mess. The tone is all over the place, and for the love of god, Will Ferrell as a Jew? It’s almost… racist watching an utter and complete white guy do “Jew face” this badly. It was distracting, and the series is kind of sad — intentionally or not.
Solar Opposites: Season 2
Network: Hulu
Previous Review: Solar Opposites: Season 1
Capsule Review: Season 1 felt at times like the Rick and Morty jokes that were picked up off the cutting room floor. Season 2 is bonkers, as usual, but also focuses on the whole shrunken-person wall world in a way that is just bizarre and, at times, delightful. It’s a really weird show.
Succession: Season 3
Network: HBO
Previous Reviews: Succession: Season 1 / Succession: Season 2
Capsule Review: This show is incredibly entertaining. And also sad. But it is always a good time. And the third season is no exception, as we see the family fight and maneuver in LOL kind of ways that can leave you slack-jawed with amazement.
Ted Lasso: Season 2
Network: Apple TV+
Previous Review: Ted Lasso: Season 1
Capsule Review: In a come-down from Season 1, Lasso started to feel more like a characature than a character. In some ways it was a victim of its own popularity and “positive” vibe. Or, perhaps and hopefully, it’s just the typical sophomore slump that a lot of series hit as they course correct and find their footing.
Ten Year Old Tom: Season 1
Network: HBO Max
Capsule Review: Another droll cartoon about a kid who talks like a depressed adult. The shit is dry and funny and I could watch 100 episodes of it. I’m excited for season two in a really low-key way. But don’t sleep on Tom. He’s only 10!
Top Chef: Portland
Network: Bravo
Previous Reviews: Top Chef: Colorado / Top Chef: All-Stars L.A.
Capsule Review: This is actually the 18th season of Top Chef, and probably one of the most boring on record. It’s not entirely their fault, of course. What with COVID pretty much making the entire show have to operate on a sterile set. Portland barely made an appearance. Some of the food was pretty cool, but it’s tough to entertain when you’re in lockdown.
The Voice: Season 22
Network: NBC
Capsule Review: Frankly, I don’t recall a single thing about this. I had it on in the background when I was vacuuming and folding clothes and there could have been a couple cats fucking on stage and I wouldn’t have known the difference. They’ve probably already had four winners since this one, so who cares?
The Way Down
Network: HBO Max
Capsule Review: Apparently there were a couple more episodes to this doc that came out in 2022. But, honestly, I don’t care. This doc was kind of a mess. It was edited poorly, the narrative was confusing and giant hair just isn’t as interesting as they think it is. Religion is stupid, and so are these people.
What We Do In the Shadows: Season 3
Network: FX
Previous Reviews: What We Do In the Shadows: Season 1 / What We Do In the Shadows: Season 2
Capsule Review: This is a very good show. Season 3 is also very good. Good. Good. Good.
2020
Big Mouth: Season 4
Network: Netflix
Previous Review: Big Mouth: Seasons 1 & 2
Capsule Review: I’m not sure how to review a show with this much pillow fucking and child-related sex talk. It’s awkward and incredibly cringeworthy, and at times pretty damn funny. And often times, just a little too over-the-top.
The Good Place: Season 4
Network: NBC
Previous Review: The Good Place: Season 1
Capsule Review: This used to be a funnier show, but they leaned into the “goodness” of it. It’s not that it wasn’t still quality, but as it wrapped up in Season 4, they kind of took it a bit too much in the schmaltz direction. Still decent, but just not quite as good as it had been.
Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich
Network: Netflix
Capsule Review: 2020 was a total Epstein summer. And this doc leads us to believe he’s not such a good dude. It’s enlightening, but seemed to miss some of the more in-depth reports we probably could have used in the aftermath of his hideous crimes.
Killing Eve: Season 3
Network: AMC
Previous Reviews: Killing Eve: Season 1 / Killing Eve: Season 2
Capsule Review: This show has fallen off a cliff. It has conflated all sorts of things and purposely made relationships gray and confusing. It’s a matter of style over substance that is super disappointing.
The Last Dance
Network: Netflix
Capsule Review: Sports docs are fun. Especially one about Michael Jordan and the awesome Bulls teams from the 90s. This thing was a phenomenon. I tried to get Hipster Jr. to watch it, but he heard “documentary” and ran through a plate glass window to get away.
McMillions
Network: HBO
Capsule Review: Apparently people cheated on the McDonald’s Monopoly game in a really bizarre way. In retrospect, a really stupid way. I knew nothing about this, but through the talking head of one really entertaining FBI agent and a bunch of others, now I do. It was a pretty entertaining watch for a white collar crime, but, like most docs, was overly long and could have used a trim.
Miracle Workers: Season 2
Network: TBS
Previous Review: Miracle Workers: Season 1
Capsule Review: This show turns out to be an anthology. The first season was a pretty funny concept, with god being a jackass. This one moves us to the Middle Ages, losing the high-concept, but keeping some of the laughs. Because poop and people living in squalor is kinda silly.
Ozark: Season 3
Network: Netflix
Previous Review: Ozark: Season 1
Capsule Review: I like Ozark. But I also don’t like Ozark. It’s repetitive and you can almost feel them trying to retool characters between seasons. The only consistency being Jason Bateman. Who really only ever plays Jason Bateman.
Rick and Morty: Season 4
Network: Cartoon Network
Previous Review: Rick and Morty: Seasons 1 – 3
Capsule Review: Goddamn this show is fun. And so offensive. Apparently so fun that I forgot to review it for a couple seasons. You don’t need to approve, just watch it.
Search Party: Season 3
Network: HBO Max
Previous Seasons: Search Party: Season 1 / Search Party: Season 2
Capsule Review: This show took a bit of a turn in Season 3. And not necessarily a good one. I know this isn’t for me, yet I watch it anyway. I’m a glutton.
