Tag: tv

Week in Review (Dec 12 – 18, 2021)

~ colourfulgranny ~ Leave a comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

TV

Succession (2018) – Season 3 Ep 3-8

With only one episode remaining to watch this season, the journey so far has been a fascinating and intense one.

Kendall (Jeremy Strong) has been the most intriguing person this season, adding layers of nuance to his character that only Strong can infuse into the former heir apparent. For a man who was so dependent on his father to be separated from Logan (Brian Cox), and then going up against the Goliath in an effort to protect the morals he believes in has been a massive struggle for him.

However, Logan brought up the one point that has been bothering me all season: does Kendall really believe that he has the moral high ground after he killed a man? Sadly, I don’t think he’s allowed himself the time to process all his misdeeds since Logan has always swept them under the rug for him, but he’s really been pushed to his breaking point time and time again this season, which will hopefully help him realise what he wants to do with his life when he’s outside his father’s shadow, and more importantly get the help he needs. 

There are several other threads of the storyline that have been of various degrees of interest to me. Kendall’s departure means a massive hole in the company that everyone is hoping they can fill. Shiv (Sarah Snook) and Roman (Keiran Culkin) have been competing nonstop to be daddy’s favourite while a bunch of outsiders try to oust the Roy family or are vying for a chunk of Waystar Royco.

On a more personal front, Tom (Matthew McFadyen) is really starting to notice a strain on his relationship with Shiv, and he seems to be even more insecure than ever. Her complete disinterest in him potentially going to jail upsets him, and his baby fever doesn’t seem to align with her interests until she’s goaded into it by her mother. Him being largely ignored by her is also a large part of why he relies so heavily on Greg (Nicholas Braun), who, just like him, despite being family isn’t part of the inner circle. It also gave me some of my favourite scenes of the season where Tom passive-aggressively threatens and bullies Greg while also showing him how much he cares for him (which,  of course creeps Greg out to no end). 

The final episode promises to pack a few punches, and will hopefully tie up some loose ends. I’m so invested in these characters that I just want them to make better choices, despite the fact that it’s those poor choices that makes the show so interesting to watch. Let’s see how things pan out for the Roys in this final episode of the season. 

Week in Review (Nov 14 – 20, 2021)

~ colourfulgranny ~ Leave a comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

TV

Cowboy Bebop (1998) – Ep 1-3

In anticipation of the live action show recently released on Netflix, I decided to watch the original anime of Cowboy Bebop. I’m not usually fond of anime, due to the exaggerated emotions and style, but I wanted to get a sense of the world that inspired the 2021 show.

To say that it is a strange show is an understatement. It gets off to a rather strong start, with a noir look and a vibrant jazz soundtrack. However, it is intriguing enough to keep me watching. The cast of characters is only slowly starting to come together, and as of right now the bounty hunting crew consists only of Spike (Kōichi Yamadera), Jet (Unshō Ishizuka) and the dog Ein that they have reluctantly picked up. My first immpression of the show is that it reminds me greatly of the 2002 Firefly which has a similar ragtag crew of space cowboys.

It’s very easy to see why animation works so well as a medium for the show, considering the massive set pieces, and the animation and effects. So I’m very much looking forward to seeing how the show progresses, since there is already a clear overarching story despite the episodic nature so far. I’m also looking forward to seeing how the world will be adapted for the live action version, considering the style and nature of the show.

Week in Review (Nov 7 – 13, 2021)

~ colourfulgranny ~ 2 Comments

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

TV

The Red Sleeve Cuff (2021) – Ep 1-2

He’s baaaack!!! I’ve missed seeing Lee Junho play assholish characters (see: Good Manager, Just Between Lovers), and his portrayal of Yi San is nothing short of punchable in that department (not that I would dare hurt that face). The show is off to a great – if slightly typical for a sageuk – start with the first episode focused largely on the younger versions of our main characters, and the second one delves immediately into life at the palace for the young prince and his court ladies. Lee Se-young is killing it as the smart and rebellious court lady Seong Deok-im. Lee has one of the most expressive faces I’ve ever seen, and when she isn’t cracking me up with her scowls at the prince, she’s making me fall for her with her beatific smiles.

I love that Deok-im is so wholly uninterested in palace life, and is just there to read some good books and collect her pay (girl, I can relate). When Yi San, who’s identity she is completely unaware of, comes by to annoy her on a daily basis in the library, she’s practically ready to murder him, but slowly forms a bond with him over her continued distress at the prince’s hand. Said prince, who is of course the same man, but who she’s only seen behind a screen, makes her write apology letter after apology letter for a minor incident because she can never quite get it up to his standards. While it is wearing on her soul, unfortunately she can only really stare daggers at the floor in front of him. I like that there is currently not even a hint of romance on the horizon (obviously I know it will eventually come) and that they are getting to know each other’s personalities before they have any other advancement to their relationships.

I’m surprised that the show is considerably more lighthearted and camp than I originally expected. I like that there is such a strong emphasis on building the characters rather than introducing 15 political subplots all at once as sageuks are wont to do (The King’s Affection, below, is guilty of this); although, I hope this won’t mean they’ll cram it all into the end. Overall, I’m liking the tone that the show has set up, subverting my expectations largely and making me want to come back for more.

The King’s Affection (2021) – Ep 1-10

I currently have not one, but two historical dramas on my plate, but the style of them seem so largely different that they seem like two different universes altogether. TKA largely fits in with most sageuks that have come out recently: scheming councilmen, murderous family members, hidden secrets, the list is long. The show is largely being carried on the charm of Park Eun-bin, and Dam-i is definitely the largest draw of the show for me.

Born as the female twin to her brother, her birth largely compromises her brother’s chances for becoming the future king since twins were seen as a bad omen. Rather than have the girl killed before she was discovered as she was advised, her mother has her snuck out of the palace and deposited at a monastery where she grows up as an orphan before eventually ending up as a palace maid. There she encounters the future king of Joseon, who happens to look exactly like her (I’m going to ignore that boy-girl twins cannot be identical, show!), and the two exchange places so that he can see the world outside of the palace. This is of course the worst thing that they could have possibly done, because when someone who knew of their existence see a girl with the princes face walking around, they end up killing the wrong child and Dam-i is forced to take her brother’s place and only a few trustworthy people are aware of her circumstances.

Naturally, Dam-i – or Lee Hwi – keeps people at arm’s length and becomes known as the Ice Prince. I love it when there are massive power dynamic shifts that favour women, and The King’s Affection is firing on all cylinders when it comes to our Crown Prince(ss). Dam-i is intelligent, mature and confident in her abilities, having grown up with the advantages of a palace education. However, that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have fears and doubts as the future ruler, especially when there are so many discerning eyes on her waiting for her to fail.

Of her core group, Court Lady Kim (Baek Hyun-joo) is by far my favourite. Her advice and support is always well-intentioned, and you can tell that she tries to fit into the role of Dam-i’s mother as best she can when there’s nobody else for her to lean on. My heart was in my throat when she had her hair chopped off, and I will throw hands if she’s hurt in any way. Eunuch Hong (Go Gyu-pil) is similarly protective of Dam-i, but more so in a brotherly way, willing to tease her and scold her where he feels it necessary.

I suppose I should say something about Rowoon since he is the male lead of the show, but there really is a lot of flip-flopping when it comes to his character. My main observation is probably this: Has he gotten better at acting since I last saw him? He seems to have more of a naturalness in the comedic scenes, but there’s still a ways to go when it comes to being earnest. Jung Ji-un really is put in a difficult situation, where he has to serve in a position he never wanted, but finds that he actually really enjoys being a scholar and spending time with the crown prince. However, because he’s developed feelings for him, but doesn’t know that he is really a she who is also his first love from his childhood (who he believes to be dead), he’s choosing to leave the palace rather than suffer through unrequited feelings everyday. Phew, that’s a lot of stuff happening to one guy!

Honestly, I’m not really sure where the show is going at this point, but the separation feels like an excuse to set up more complications. The King’s Affection just reached its halfway point and it seems like there is going to be a tough road ahead for our crew. I hope there’s a bit more cohesiveness to the show moving forward, because I really am enjoying watching Park’s performance as our prince thaws out.

Movies

Eternals (2021)

I’ve been anticipating Eternals’s release for quite a while now, as it seemed so different from what Marvel usually do, and I was quite pleased with it. Could they have made some better choices in casting? Yes. Was the humor a bit strange? At times. But overall, I came away from the film having enjoyed it.

My main doubts about the film were in the casting of Richard Madden and Gemma Chan. Neither really has the gravitas to play such characters, and I’ve never been a fan of either. These doubts turned out to not be unfounded, since they were by far the weakest actors in the film. I thoroughly enjoyed all the other cast members. I particularly enjoyed the pairing between Druig (Barry Keoghan) and Makkari (Lauren Ridloff), as limited as their interactions were. I also appreciated that the cast mostly kept their accents and looked quite normal, especially in a universe where they could have so easily looked alien and exotic.

Eternals also feels different in that it has a contemplative, almost existential mood to it. The themes are much more grounded in morality and the nature of good and evil. The Eternals don’t forgive themselves for their behaviour, but they do actively strive to correct their mistakes even while mourning the loss of one choice as they make another.

Week in Review (Oct 31 – Nov 6, 2021)

~ colourfulgranny ~ 1 Comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

TV

Just Between Lovers (2017)

In anticipation of his newest series The Red Sleeve Cuff (which was pushed back a week to accommodate for baseball), I started a bit of a Lee Jun-ho binge. He’d caught my eye back when I watched Good Manager, and I was very curious about his other acting credits. Just Between Lovers kept showing up as the project to look out for in his repertoire, so that’s what I decided to begin with.

The plot of the show is very ripe for drama: a tragic accident at a mall leaves Kang-doo and Moon-soo (Won Jin-ah) as survivors where both lost family members. Kang-doo is left an orphan with a leg injury that prevents him from pursuing his dreams of becoming a football player, and is forced to work odd jobs to make ends meet and get his sister through school. Moon-soo lost her sister and her memories from the trauma, and her parents split up not long after, leaving her with her mother who drowns herself in drink rather than face her grief. 20 years later, the two meet again, on a construction project taking place at the site of the original accident, but only Kang-doo recognizes Moon-soo. The two are taken with each other, but both have scars that keep them from opening up to others.

While the story is very intense, the tone of the show is actually rather subdued. The colour palette mirrors the gloom of our pairs’ equally gloomy lives. The soundtrack is slow and thoughtful adding a fullness that lends hope to characters that desperately need it. And finally the cast deliver raw performances that make you empathize with their situations. I was blown away by Won, who has a quiet strength to the way she portrayed Moon-soo. The character is so weighed down by responsibilities, but she doesn’t feel like she has a right to speak up because she feels largely responsible for the situation their family is in.

Additionally, I also liked that the styling of both Won and Lee is very down-to-earth. There is an abundance of dramas that show people who live on the fringes of society but they always seem to have perfect hair, an inexplicably large wardrobe, and the latest phones for the sake of their sponsors. JBL doesn’t glamorize their lives in any way, showing characters with scruffy hair, reusing clothes, and in general living within their means.

While not perfect, the show is a strong contender for my Top 10 k-dramas. It wasn’t the easiest show to watch. but it was emotionally impactful and technically well-produced. The ending was a  little over-the-top and rushed, but it leaves you with a sense of happiness that these characters may finally get to live a better life than they have been allowed so far.

Succession (2018) – Season 3 Ep 1-2

The Roy family is back! And they’re just as dysfunctional as ever. I’ve only gotten to watch the first 2 episodes so far, but the season has gotten off to an incredible start and is just as good as I remember. The dialogue is whip-smart and the family dynamics are just as fun to watch.

The season premiere picks up where the last season left off, with Logan (Brian Cox) trying to do damage control after Kendall (Jeremy Strong) dropped a bomb in the middle of Waystar RoyCo. As everyone starts planning and choosing allegiances, the Roys deal with the shitshow that is slowly unfolding before them. As everyone try to throw their hat in the ring for the CEO position and vie for Logan’s favour, he plans strategy for how to protect himself and the company and uses all those around him to their maximum capacity.

The level of confidence that Kendall has is unparalleled, and I was shocked that he practically admitted to murder in the first episode with a smile on his face. However, we see that facade start to crack when faced with his siblings in the second episode. In a way that only siblings can, Shiv (Sarah Snook) and Roman (Kieran Culkin) get on his nerves with their snark and the final nail in the coffin was his ever-supportive brother Connor (Alan Ruck) not backing his cause.

The one relationship I wish I could see more of is that of Greg (Nicholas Braun) and Tom (Matthew Macfadyen). They are my favorite duo by far, but Greg has lost a lot of his credibility with the Roys, and will no doubt be shunned from here on out by them. He’s still clearly inept at navigating the family politics, but luckily he has his grandfather on his side, so he may survive this yet. Tom on the other hand has become Shiv’s eyes and ear to Logan, and has made himself very useful, even if he is still looked down on by the rest of the family.

I’m looking forward to see how things progress now that the Roy family has been divided into two factions and how loyalties will change as everyone starts looking out for themselves.

Week in Review (Oct 3 – 9, 2021)

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What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

TV

Squid Game (2021)

One of my absolute favourite genres in film and television is survival competitions. Hunger Games, Battle Royale and about a hundred other titles fit into this, but this was my first time seeing such a high concept show that was based around such simple games. The stark contrast between the children’s playground games and the life-and-death elimination added a layer of tension that was absolutely gripping.

I liked the main intent behind the game-maker’s choice of contestants. People down on their luck, desperate beyond belief and with nowhere else to turn are all treated as equals within the arena of the games, and anyone found disobeying is swiftly and brutally taken care of. Despite its bloody means, there is a fairness to the games that these people were not granted in the outside world, and the reason that so many chose it, not once but twice!

The visual style and directing of the show is something I have never seen executed quite on this level. The Escher-esque labyrinth, the stadium style bunk beds and the incinerators for the gift wrapped coffins each gave a distinct style and mood to each part of the show, bringing a sense of order to the otherwise chaotic world of the contestants. The sets are peppered with little things to capture the eye, and make you wish you could see everything up close

While the story itself had predictable elements for anyone paying attention, it was the characters that made the narrative work for me. Lee Jung-jae managed to make Gi-hun both tragically pathetic and yet relatable. Sang-woo (Park Hae-soo) may seem like the ideal friend, but his holier-than-thou attitude, and his cold and logical thinking make him unendearing as the show progresses. And then there are the infinite cast of characters that populate this universe, be it the players, the host and VIPs or the masked worker ants in the colony making sure everything is running smoothly.

By far my favourite scene, however was Gong Yoo’s cameo as the man offering money to unsuspecting subway riders. Watching his exchange with Gi-hun was made me laugh till I had tears in my eyes despite the tragedy of it all, and I strongly believe he just had a good time slapping Lee about a hundred times.

Squid Game is definitely a phenomenon, gaining an unprecedented amount of popularity. While there are arguably better Korean TV shows out there, this one feels the most palatable to foreign audiences, which probably accounts for its fame. That’s not to say that the show isn’t good, but I just feel that despite being extremely enjoyable, I wish that there were a few more Korean dramas getting the recognition they deserve. Hopefully, Squid Game will help pave the way for future projects, in much the same way the Parasite did for it.

Week in Review (Sep 19 – 25, 2021)

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What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

TV

D.P. (2021)

Netflix has been putting out some incredible content when it comes to their Korean mini-series so far. Move to Heaven has become one of my favourite shows of the year, and D.P. follows close behind. While both deal with deeply personal topics, they are incomparable in all other aspects.

D.P. opens with a rather brutal look at Private Ahn Jun-ho (Jung Hae-in) being mistreated by his superior officer. It’s a very jarring scene, and is difficult to watch but it definitely sets the tone for the remainder of the six episodes. We get a small glimpse into Jun-ho’s life just before he enlisted, and learn of his general emotional detachment and lack of significant relationships. However, behind that cold demeanor is a brilliant mind, and the fates work in his favour landing him a position in the elite D.P. unit – even if no one knows what the hell it stands for – headed by the surly but well-meaning Park Beom-gu (Kim Sung-kyun).

Aside from getting to grow out their hair and leave the military base in civilian clothing, they are responsible for tracking down soldiers who have deserted and bring them back. It’s fitting that the show opens with Jun-ho being bullied, because that it the crux of why his first target deserted in the first place. Partnered up with a senior D.P. soldier (cameo by Ko Kyung-pyo), Jun-ho is ordered around to drink and party rather than spend his time looking for the deserter. In a cruel twist of fate, Jun-ho lends the deserter the very means to commit suicide, the only solution he sees to escape his trauma.

Jun-ho reaches a breaking point when his partner on the case seems to show little remorse, but in a rather poignant scene, we realize that Jun-ho blames himself as much as he does his partner. This ultimately gives him the conviction he needs and when he’s finally paired up with the more upstanding (but infinitely stranger) Han Ho-yeol (Goo Gyo-hwan) he’s determined to do his best.

The show deals with a few more varieties of deserter before the final two episodes, which is when we really get into the rampant bullying that seems almost systematic at this point. One of Jun-ho’s closest friends deserts and as we unpack the reasoning behind it, we find more and more reasons for despising the horrifying acts and the people committing them.

While Suk-bong’s (Cho Hyun-chul) kidnapping and torture of his bully is unforgivable, it is also understandable considering the torture he underwent. It was unfortunate that he felt that his own death was the only thing that would change the circumstances, but even in that D.P. gives little hope. We are shown another base where the same conditions still exist and while Suk-bong chose not to commit murder, others weren’t as forgiving in their actions towards their perpetrators.

Overall, D.P. leaves you with a rather bleak outlook. While there are good people, there seem to be so many more that are horrible, and others that merely stand-by and do nothing so as not to make themselves targets as well. However, I was hooked on every minute of the show, and was captivated by the universe that we were thrust into. It’s not often that we get to see the gritty underbelly in Korean media, and D.P. feels like just the change of pace I was looking for.

Rick and Morty (2013) – Season 5

I finally got around to finishing this season and it has been a strange ride. After thoroughly disliking Season 4, I found myself once again enjoying the show this season (aside from the completely unnecessary sperm episode). It felt like the show had gone back to its original high-concept themes and was less focused on mocking its viewers’ intelligence.

Rick (Justin Roiland) had a particularly contradictory arc this season, actively distancing himself from his family while yearning for a deeper emotional connection. The loss of his wife, Birdperson (Dan Harmon) and anyone who used to be significant to him from when he was young seem to have taken their toll on him. But rather than deal with it in a healthy manner, Rick deals with it in the only way he seems to know how: Being petty and rude to those around him and trying to resurrect fragments of his past rather than looking to his future.

The season left off at quite the cliffhanger, and it’s anyone’s guess where the show might pick up. Rick is now surrounded by several versions of the one person he can’t stand and yet is always on his side: Morty. Beth, Summer and Jerry (Sarah Chalke, Spencer Grammer and Chris Parnell respectively) all had their moments this season, but ultimately it’s their pairing that truly matters, and with more Mortys than Ricks in the mix, I wonder if the power balance will fall in the Mortys’ favour in the future

Week in Review (Sep 12 – 18, 2021)

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What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

TV

Schmigadoon! (2021)

I’ve been waiting for a musical show since ABC’s 2015 production Galavant, and finally the heavens (and Apple TV) have blessed us with Schmigadoon! The cast reads like a who’s who of the musical theater scene, from Kristin Chenoweth and Jane Krakowski to Aaron Tveit.

The conceit of the show, and what makes it so appealing, is that at its center is a couple who are fully aware that they are in a musical, but can’t do a thing about it. Lucky for Melissa (Cecily Strong) she has an entire database of musicals stored in her brain for easy reference. The townspeople on the other hand are completely unaware that they are archetypes from famous stage productions, and they merely follow their cues as they get them.

It was such a delight watching the show and seeing such veteran actors take on parodies of beloved roles. Chenoweth was by far my favourite, embodying the evilness of her character and clearly having fun with it. She’s a scene-stealer like no other, and it’s no wonder she’s a Broadway legend. Jamie Camil’s brief but impactful performance also left an impression on me, and I wish he could have been the one to get the girl in the end (even if said girl may not have been entirely worthy of the greatness that is Jamie Camil). And, of course Tviet going against type by playing the town rapscallion, his beautiful voice on full display along with his incredible dancing.

By comparison our main couple felt lacking, Keegan-Michael Key in particular. Perhaps because Josh was so opposed to being in the world that he was thrust into, Key’s performance felt forced, and I couldn’t buy him as the lead when there were so many more interesting suitors out there.

But the overall experience that was Schmigadoon! was fun filled and exciting and just the kind of thing I love. It was lovely seeing some of the performers I grew up on singing and dancing and having a good time, and I would move to Schmigadoon any day.

Hospital Playlist 2 (2021) – Ep 7-8

I stopped watching this show for a few weeks, because I found myself quoting Marie Kondo: “Does this spark joy?” And I found the answer to sadly be ‘no’ at the end of Episode 6. So I decided to give it a break for a couple of months, and revisit it once it had finished airing.

The nearly 2-hour episode runtimes definitely makes it tougher to watch the show at my usual pace, but I’m happy to take it slow and see the show out. There are things that I genuinely enjoy about the show, like the core 5 spending time with each other (although there wasn’t much of that these past two episodes) and seeing the care and patience with which they deal with both their patients and the doctors working under them. The shows humour still gets me, Jun-wan and Ik joon’s (Jung Kyoung-ho and Jo Jung-seok respectively) bickering being some of my favourite scenes.

The show also built up incredible tension with Rosa (Kim Hae-sook) the last few episodes, and seeing her silent struggles just about killed me. To see that tension finally released, and her voicing her fears to her best friend and her son, as well as getting the treatment she needed felt like a breath of fresh air. It gives me hope for the show to continue in a positive direction for the rest of the season, and going back to being character driven rather than what currently feels like self indulgence.

Perhaps a more ruthless editor could have done wonders with their heavy-handed messages this season, but overall I’m watching the show just for the sake of completionism at this point. Change my mind, I beg you HosPlay crew!

Week in Review (Sep 5 – 11, 2021)

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What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

TV

The Ingenuity of the Househusband (2021)

In what was a relatively light week, I turned to a relatively light show. The vignette style episodes of this little gem take less time to watch than it does to type out the show’s title, but it tells the surprisingly engaging story of a househusband (Kenjiro Tsuda). I was hooked from the opening images of him trying to tackle lettuce with a dull knife. His tough-guy appearance is in direct contrast to the tasks that he’s usually depicted doing, from sorting laundry to polishing the bathroom mirror, and his gravelly, often serious, voiceovers make them all the more hilarious to watch. His ever-present cat gives him some much needed company, and I’m curious to see if his wife ever shows up. But even if she doesn’t, it seems like this is one househusband who is perfectly content with his own company.

Week in Review (Aug 15 – 21, 2021)

~ colourfulgranny ~ Leave a comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

TV

Racket Boys (2021) – Ep 9-16

Do you ever come across a show where you look forward to watching it each week, but you also can’t bring yourself to watch it too quickly for fear it will be over soon? That’s what Racket Boys was, a weekly dose of fun, humour and heart, all rolled into one perfect show. When I found out that the show was only going to be once a week due to the Olympic preemptions, I decided to wait until it had finished airing, because I didn’t want to drag out my viewing experience. I’m glad I did, because I don’t know how I could have waited through those cliffhangers each week.

The show managed to build incredible tension in its final few weeks, with the girls and boys competing in the National Competitions. Each week seemed to bring out a new facet of our players’ personalities, and it was such a delight watching not only the kids grow, but also the adults take it upon themselves to do better and be better. It was nice seeing the invincible Coach Ra (Oh Na-ra) have a moment of struggle when she was without her star player but have her juniors show her the way back. Coach Yoon (Kim Sang-kyung) was similarly self-reflective, apologizing to the boys for his shortcomings as a coach and promising to do proud by them in the future. Even some of the veteran coaches were shown that just because they’ve seen everything doesn’t mean there aren’t some more surprises waiting around the corner for them.

That is exactly what the our Racket Boys showed them, with their dedication to teamwork, training and even letting their pride take a backseat for the greater good of the team. Woo-chan (Choi Hyun-wook) in particular displayed this last quality greatly; rather than insisting he wanted to play knowing he wan’t on the same level as the others, he gave in to sit on the sidelines so others could shine. I’m glad that Coach Yoon managed to take everyone’s prejudice against him and found the perfect opportunity to let him play the final game with Hae-kang (Tang Joon-sang).

Hae-kang had the most difficult journey as a player, with his injury seemingly career-ending, but even there they found a solution. In-sol (Kim Min-ki) was the true hero in Hae-kang’s journey, providing strategic advantages and encouragement, finding solutions to unsolvable problems. Those two boys could not have been further apart in personality, but when paired together they were virtually undefeatable. The writers definitely excelled in this arena, taking two extremes and finding a happy middle ground between them.

They also did fabulously when it came to showing the struggle on identity that several of our players felt during the show. Yong-tae (Kim Kang-hoon) in particular was so caught up in trying to imitate his idol, that he forgot to be himself in the game. However, once he met that idol, and realized that there’s more to him than just what he can emulate, it opened up a whole new dynamic to his game. Han-sol (Lee Ji-won) similarly struggled with figuring out what she was, using Se-yoon (Lee Jae-in) as a crutch to her gameplay. I liked that they showed that she could have just as much confidence in her game by having Se-yoon there with her in spirit as her being there in person. (I also liked the misdirect of having us think that she would think of Yoon-dam (Son Sang-yeon) to cheer her up just because he’s her boyfriend, when really girls always stick together.)

By far my favourite part of the show was its tongue-in-cheek style of humour. Whether it was characters breaking the fourth wall for product placements (with confused onlooker wondering who they were talking to) or it was the adults trying and failing miserably to relate to their kids (like Coach saying the boys were better than BTS and the boys instantly distancing themselves for fear of backlash), the show always managed to make me laugh. This was mixed in with plenty of heartwarming moments too, from the tribute to the village elder to Coach Bae (Shin Jung-keun) introducing his protege, Tae-soon, to the girls and boys to help boost his confidence and show him his worth.

I’m genuinely upset that I have to say goodbye to the show, but I’m glad to say that I got to see it off so well. The Racket Boys (and Girls) in this show were some of the best characters on TV, and I’m sure I’ll end up revisiting these characters very soon.

Week in Review (Aug 8 – 14, 2021)

~ colourfulgranny ~ Leave a comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

TV

30 Rock (2006) – Season 1

After a relatively slow week, what with Olympics preemptions in dramaland, I decided to turn to an old favourite of mine recently. It had been so long since I’d watched this show, and wasn’t sure if it would have aged well. Aside from a few outdated pop culture references, the show is still brilliantly written, and is just as fun to watch as when I first saw it.

The first season in particular takes a little while to find its feet. I didn’t realize how quickly the show descends into madness, from Tracy’s (Tracy Morgan) hallucinations to Jenna’s (Jane Krakowski) paranoia and all the antics in between. However, the strongest part of the show has always been the relationship between Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) and Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin). 30 Rock found pure magic by pairing those two up together, since the clash between their mentor-mentee dynamics and their polar opposite worldview is rife territory for conflicts, and therefore 30 Rock-style humour.

The show also had an incredible line-up of guest stars in this first season, from NBC regulars like Conan O’Brien and Jason Sudekis to veteran actors like Isabella Rossellini and Rip Torn. Back in the day, this was definitely one of the main factors pulling people in to watch the show, but looking back, it was also where a lot of people who weren’t famous then got their start. Donald Glover and Aubrey Plaza both had minor roles as extras in the show, and both went on to star in major NBC sit-coms.

However, my favorite things about the show, by far, is the setting. I love TV shows and movies that are set in the world of film and TV production. 30 Rock’s setting is the fictional world of a sketch comedy show, but also in the very real 30 Rockefeller Plaza, NBC’s New York studios. The clash between upper management and the creative team, the filming of the show within the show, and the slew of meta jokes are what drew me to the show when I watched it almost 15 years ago, and it’s what still excites me about it today.

Though not perfect, the first season helps set the tone and groundwork for what becomes a more whimsical and hilarious show. Fey really struck gold with this show, and it remains one of my favourites of all time.