resdi-28754

I started watching this series based on it's rather high rating, but now that I've been watching it for myself, I'm certain that most of these positive "rave" reviews come from Argentinian viewers with an agenda to boost the series. After just viewing the first three episodes, I was bored out of my mind. Sadly, it does not get any better. The visuals are unappealing, and the CGI effects look cheap. The pace is unbearably slow, and the characters are generally unlikeable or uninteresting and poorly written. The series tries to convey the anguish of the situation, but for the average viewer the slow pace just makes it a tedious chore to watch.

Unfortunately, zero stars is not an option, or this abysmal production would get it. Acolyte is pretty much the most agonizingly boring TV series I've seen in years. It didn't have to be. Sure, Star Wars is a tired old franchise that's been beaten to death, jolted back to life, and beaten to death again and again, but it IS possible to still tell entertaining stories in this universe. The concept of a coven of space witches could have been fresh, badass, and cool. The concept of a secret member of the Sith order plotting to lure away a vulnerable Jedi at great risk to his own survival, all while maintaining strict secrecy, could be a recipe for intrigue and suspense. But it would require skilled writers and filmmakers to realize such a concept. Like most of Disney Star Wars, this series is tired, dreary, slow, lame, weak, boring slop. Dialogue, action, pacing, performances, even the basic plot, all just unbelievably BORING. If you haven't seen it don't bother. It's not fun, not even a little bit entertaining.

Of all screen depictions of the monarchy, Elizabeth I stands out by ripping away the sanitized veneer, revealing the raw complexities of a queen constantly battling both enemies and her demons. Helen Mirren's portrayal of Elizabeth I is a masterclass in vulnerability and ferocity. She's not just a regal figurehead; she's a strategist, a lover, and a warrior queen capable of cutting throats (both figuratively and literally) to secure her throne. This show doesn't shy away from the darkness of history either - the religious turmoil, the political assassinations, and the brutal realities of court life. Not every actor can master period dramas, and Elizabeth I has some of the finest actors in the subgenre, particularly iconic actors Helen Mirren and Jeremy Irons. Mirren's portrayal of Elizabeth I in this miniseries is nothing short of flawless. Miniseries director Tom Hooper revealed that they wouldn't even have considered production without Mirren's agreement to play the monarch. She signed on before the scripts were even written. Mirren's Elizabeth I is vulnerable, tough, and flawed. She breaks down in the palace without any care, yet she lets everyone know who sits on the throne, even in those moments. She falls in love and favors her lovers in public affairs. She is intelligent, caring, and conflicted at times, and yet she can be cruel when crashing her enemies and those disloyal to her, all in one. Mirren's performance is a range of all these emotions, and she expresses them effortlessly. Not surprisingly, Mirren's performance was befitting of the top TV prize - an Emmy for Lead Actress in a Miniseries - at the 2006 Primetime Emmys.