olilaflamme Reviews (11)

Silo: The Book of Quinn (2025) Season 2, Episode 8

Very poorly paced - but also the book's fault

[5/10 · 8 January 2025]

I didn't fell head over heels for the first season. Strangely I thought they were going too fast through the storyline, and I didn't really care for the interpretation of some characters.

But it was pretty watchable. I imagine even more so for those who hadn't read the books.

The second season though, especially the last 3 episodes, are very poorly paced. We get 1 min. Of Juliet at the start and 1 at the end to act as a forced cliffhanger that has nothing to do with 90% of the episode. This is bad storytelling.

You can't fault them entirely though for the repetitious nature and stagnant narrative, as the book also suffer from this. The books are a good « idea » that is not always well written.

I wished they would have corrected this in the show. Also, it's kind of sad that Robert Sims became a single minded enforcer with charisma to a plain dummy with no brains at all. I hope his wife takes over XD.

The Franchise (2024)

Hit the ground running - more Veep than Avenue 5

[9/10 · 14 October 2024]

Although you do have to be a little bit familiar with the jargon - which will reduce potential viewers - it's on mark and it hits the ground running. The acting is pretty strong right off the bat. I already care about the lead and his struggle.

I don't understand people complaining of not laughing enough. This is not stand up comedy, it's a satirical drama.

Like everything Iannucci touches, it's cringe funny. Not lol funny. The sadness of it all is always lurking in the background. This is what made Veep work on so many levels, those ridiculous characters have some real depth. And I think it's the case here. As it wasn't in Avenue 5 for example (even if I enjoyed it). There's real potential to get deep into pointing out the industry's flaws while showing the human point of view in a rather light vehicule. To me the angle is just right and it reminds me of the political comment in Veep.

I wish more people were appreciative of this kind of craft, as I feel this will get cancelled right out of the gate. Not a lot of series with this kind of beat and style. A Aaron Sorkin meet Mel Brooks kind of thing.

It's on its way to offend super hero fans, and I hope they will realize it's because they're right on point ;)

The Penguin: Bliss (2024) Season 1, Episode 3

Better - THIS is the hook

[7/10 · 9 October 2024]

I'm not a big fan of spin-offs. It might be strange, but its the videogame Batman from Telltale that made me think the Penguin could be of some interest.

But it didn't start strong for me. I fell asleep on episode 1. Mostly cause I didn't care. I didn't feel I knew enough of Oz to care about his intensity. If you're not coming from seing The Batman, it comes off as hermetic. Especially the namedropping. I'm supposed to now and care about who the Falcons are and their relation with Oz is? In the first 5 min?

Still interested in the lore, so I've watched episode 2. I could respect what they were trying to build, still felt a bit superficial to me. I mean, this is not The Wire guys, Slow your horses. Its mostly comic book easily digested drama. Nothing to write home about.

But this episode, with the exclamation point of the ending, that's where they hooked me. You could definitely sense more of the internal conflict of Oz, battling with two ideals that cannot coexist in his world. I hope they keep it steady, this is where the potential begin.

Slow Horses (2022– )

Low-key one of the mots fun series of the 20's

[8/10 · 7 September 2024]

It has its faults and you do need to have a bit of suspension of disbelief to go through some of the plot, but as entertainment, its hard to beat.

It's got great rythm, the episodes go in flash. They really succeed most of the time to walk the line of dramedy with suspense you want to uncover. Although its mainly visually procedural, it has its moment of brillance in the staging and photography. It makes it standout and less boring, while offering fun hint of old school spy vibe.

But you come back for the characters. Sure they're a bit cliches, but they are well written cliches. They don't feel cheap. They're just fun to watch. This show is a like a good pop song that you always come back to, cause its satisfyingly well made without leaving you empty.

Monsieur Spade (2024)

If you don't know anything about Spade - Very good

[8/10 · 31 January 2024]

I'm impressed by this low key serie. Clive Owen is magnetic here and the support cast is very good. Slow burn, but in a good way. These are not fast paced lives that we are watching. The mood is top notch, giving 60s and 70s french detective vibe.

I've got to give huge props to the production for getting french actors, who speak real french. I can't believe an american TV show went to this length, but it's very appreciated for a native french speaking watcher. Any other way would have made this unwatchable. It really brings us into the world and makes us relate to Spade feeling uneasy.

After two episodes I'm hooked to the mystery and the only small caveat is that I wish the dialogue was a little less « written », as everything sound like savy oneliners.

But otherwise, I recommend it!

Foundation: King and Commoner (2023) Season 2, Episode 3

This is turning into Star Wars for kids

[4/10 · 31 July 2023]

The Poly character and role and the introduction of Hober Mallow are such a tone crasher, I almost can't believe it.

This seems like out of a bad Star Wars comedic bit. I mean sure, take liberties, but why make Hober Mallow a gentleman thief clown?

A clown who's secretly brilliant I guess since he's supposed to take Terminus to the next level. Do writers and producers really think we need such histrionics to make a compelling character narrative and transformation?

Season 2 is a disaster. Foundation has such a potential to be a magnificient political and philosophical epic. All that in the drain, dumbed down and destroyed.

Foundation (2021– )

Even when detached from Asimov's, it lacks

[6/10 · 31 July 2023]

If you put your head in a vacuum and try to watch it as if Asimov's work didn't exist, the good almost doesn't make up for the bad.

The setpieces are impressive. I think the visuals of the shows, environements, costumes and all are quite well done. It stays immersive. And its the one thing that grounds it in Asimov's narrative : very very far in the future without being completely uncanny.

You could even call the plot divergence from the original work a clever play on psychohistory paths : the show imagine a new path.

What destroys it for me is mainly one thing : character writing. We're thrown all the superficial cliches in the book. And a cliche can work, if there's some depth to it. Which there almost never is in the show.

I can't figure out for the life of me why they would make Gaal Dornick such a baby. How long is she going to be throwing useless tantrum in every scene? "I understand evolved mathematics that draws the future of mankind in a series of complex events and crisis the needs to be adressed and corrected, but I won't carry your cube in my pocket 'cause you're mean, waaah waaah!!!".

The only character I feel remotely invested in right now is Demerzel. Maybe because they felt a 11k years old entity couldn't be too shallow. Or maybe because I've read some books in the Robots serie.

In any case, outside of Dermerzel and the visuals, I'm grasping at straws.

Succession: Tailgate Party (2023) Season 4, Episode 7

A twist too far

[7/10 · 9 May 2023]

I've loved this season so far. The mid season turn, built up very nicely was amazing. I mean, the end of episode 2 when Logan dangles Roman, with the music cue...! The next episode even reinforcing this moment.

But this episode, and even the previous one, feels like the twist too far. Honestly made me take a step back in the immersion. From the first minute of this episode the drama seems a little bit forced and the twist just reinforce it. We take a loop in the visited and revisited flaws of the main kids.

I guess the ending is heading towards a complete turn of the the wheel to back where we started. Resurfacing the superficial evolution of the kids and exposing their vanity and failures. I wish it wasn't done by the business side of things though, makes it forced and creates a lot of jabbering and technical babble that sounds like noise.

It is saved by the Shiv and Tom confrontation.

Yellowjackets: Friends, Romans, Countrymen (2023) Season 2, Episode 1

Still has bad than season 1, but on full display

[4/10 · 13 April 2023]

Those who talk about bad writing and bad acting, meaningless subplot, etc., as if its a season 2 thing ; you need to watch back the 1st.

It was already there and pretty bad and obvious at that. The acting particularly. Maybe the first season had the young versions going for it, but the adult part...even the first season was a cringe watch. Maybe the novelty effect and giving the runner a chance, but yeah, same of the same.

I mean, seeing the daugther of Shauna rummaging through the bbq to find the drivers permit of Adam with the photo intact...wow lol. Did they recruit writers in college dorms?

Interview with the Vampire (2022– )

Never read the books - still not very good

[6/10 · 30 October 2022]

I've never read the books, so I didn't watch this expecting something. Just that I kind of like vampire stories.

I was encouraged after the first 2 episodes, but I've been watching the same episode ever since. There is no sense of fear, there is no ambiance. The creepeness of the scenes with the writer is just cringe. Its too frontal, and they keep having the same argument. It became boring, fast.

The writers don't know how to write development. The introduction was OK, but the rest is so conventionnal. The more it goes on, the more the acting seems bad, they have nothing to latch on except the big shouting matches. Everything Louis is had to be said by Lestat. The substance of their caracters is very thin, I don't believe them.

Claudia is bad. Two episodes to for her to yell her predicament... I haven't watched the movie in a long time, but it seems to me it was way better.

This show is the perfect example of what goes wrong when you make the characters say everything instead of showing it and letting the viewers intelligence do the rest.

Cobra Kai: December 19 (2021) Season 3, Episode 10

Downhill

[5/10 · 20 September 2022]

Look, I was enthousiast after season 1 and got along with season 2.

But season 3 is the show going downhill. I'm ok with nostalgia and easter eggs, as long as the writing is decent.

This isn't the case here. The last episode is a cheese too far. They, yet again, gave the same wheel another turn. The writing of Johnny with Ali was horrendous. Did he have a commotion, was he high? He looks empty, says nothing. It looks bad. How much time can you rewrite the same "bickering" between him and Daniel.

Not to mention all the drama with the kids overstaying its welcome. I mean with this many protagonists, how many time will you make them switch side and rehash the same ideas? That's like an infernal plot nightmare.

Pretty sure the writers came short. I'm stopping here. Can't believe they made 2 more seasons after this.