foomonger

Rami Malek. I haven't seen his other work, but I recognised the voice, from somewhere.

In a state of stunned amazement I am, whenever the camera or microphone goes anywhere near him in this, and usually for some days after, just basking in the memories of it. Days pass and my anticipation of what he will do next, and /how/ he will do it, grows exponentially. No matter how slow or ponderous the shot, I just drink it in like some kind of acting nectar. It's amazing stuff! Try it!

I've been gushing to all my friends about Mr. Robot, not normally my style. A performance that is almost a week later still frizzling deep trenches in my neural pathways, real memories. Dammit! I've got work to do, man! Family! Leave me alone!

And holeebuzolee Christian Slater is in it! Who else possesses the insane charisma required to play Mr Robot himself, stomping on the old top of his game like some overused rag. Looks like Hollywood is granting wishes, at last! Thank you. Thank you!

Every particle is in its perfect place, like some orchestral synergy of artistic and technical mastery; a magic show. I haven't been this exited about a second episode since long before I threw my own old-school TV out, many, many years ago. I am completely hook-line-and-sinker into this show.

Waiting for a UK release isn't happening. Downloads are inevitable. Guys! Place a product in it, I'll buy it! Hardware, food, I'll try it! Just get this amazing show out to us!

-fm

Positive reviews must be fake? Seriously? Perhaps the often outrageous subject matter simply offends some people. Or maybe their humour glands are malfunctioning. Whatever; ignore these hatin' fools and check out this fine, fine show.

I don't watch a lot of TV comedy, at least not past the first ten minutes or so (tired jokes, the same old situations and canned laughter don't do it for me), but this had me hooked immediately.

Deadbeat is hilarious (as in laugh out loud and have to keep rewinding because you miss the dialogue for laughing). It's also surprisingly smart, especially when it's being dumb, which is a lot, okay most of the time.

And it has Tyler Labine! If you have seen any of his previous comedy work, you'll know this is one funny guy. I suspect a lot of ad-libbing goes on. Besides, it's worth watching just to see Tyler's wonderful range of facial expressions - I got a friend hooked by emailing a snapshot from episode one - priceless.

His annoying nemesis is too annoying for my tastes, but I guess that's the point. While Pacalioglu genuinely sees ghosts and lives in squalor, she fakes it into a successful career. The allegory tragically continues ...

There is one, maybe two episodes in the first ten that are merely very funny, but this is easily forgivable in the grand scheme of things (something Pacalioglu rarely gets!).

I give it one point for every episode that had me spitting my drink at the screen.

Season two, please!

I thought the idea of taking the Terminator franchise onto the small screen was sound. Why not? And even though I was originally appalled by the idea of some female terminator coming back to protect John; post-Serenity, it was clear Summer Glau could pull it off. So, I hopped on for the ride.

But sadly, after a mediocre first season, and a truly dismal beginning to the second season, I have to ask, "is it worth watching this drivel, just to see Summer kick butt?" The answer, sadly, is no.

Confused, cheesy plots (that's the cheese with lots of holes in it), substandard dialogue, unremarkable acting (except for Summer, of course), messy direction, and aside from Summer = Cameron; truly brain-dead casting (the final straw being the introduction of a new female terminator, destined to give Scottish actors a name), reduce the whole thing to a sloppy, unwatchable mess.

And I'm not that fussy when it comes to SciFi; I could put up with most of these flaws, if there was anything going on (the "Previously on The SaraH Conner Chronicles..." section at the start of Season Two takes only a few seconds, and outlines but a handful of Season One plot points, because well, not much actually happened), or if the story in any way resembled the Terminator story, which this show is allegedly based on. Or even had some recognisable characters. The only similarity seems to be the name, and the erm, no that's it, just the name.

I'm getting off now. I feel the need to go watch The Terminator & T2 again; get the taste of this chronicles thing out of my mouth.

-fm

ps. My vote (4/10) is for Summer, and the technical crew, who do a fine job. Everyone deserves a slap!