DocIndy Reviews

The Simpsons: A Mid-Childhood Night's Dream (2023) Season 35, Episode 2

I think you would have to be a parent who has....

[8/10 · 15 October 2023]

So as the years have gone by The Simpsons has grown and matured. It's a good thing that they're actually, finally showing the concept of the kids growing up.

Maybe it's not the edgy series that it was initially, but now it is something that should be relatable to most people who've been watching the show for 30 plus years and have kids. Shoot some may have grandkids that are the ages of the Simpson kids.

So now it is a series that is more sweet and less sassy, but it still points out challenges and the humor that can be found in being a parent or a child in our ever more complicated world.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, weekend and week out it's one of the most entertaining half hour shows on television!

Krapopolis: All Hail the Goddess of Likability! (2023) Season 1, Episode 1

Definitely not Rick and Morty :(

[4/10 · 25 September 2023]

I decided to watch based upon the quality of Rick and Morty, but this is definitely nowhere near as entertaining!

The attempts at humor all fall flat.

The characters are very one-dimensional and not interesting.

The animation is probably it's strongest component, but that's a very low bar to reach.

I found myself totally bored and not entertained at all. This show definitely does not live up to the standards of animation domination. I predict a quick exit from the Fox lineup once the original episodes have been burnt off.

I hope Dan Hartman has a better result with Rick and Morty since he is now the only original creative force left at that show.

Jury Duty: Ineffective Assistance (2023) Season 1, Episode 5

James drops a big one

[8/10 · 27 June 2023]

Maybe it's the bathroom humor or maybe it's the awkward guy getting some, but this episode seems above average for the series. The scenes where James is rehearsing his lines is at times humorous but it goes on too long. The bathroom break and change of scenery does make it a little less tedious.

This many episodes in I am still wondering if Ronald is totally clueless to the fake nature of the proceedings. I've never served on a jury but one would think he's got to know that so many things about what they show here are not consistent with a typical jury. That being said, part of why this series is entertaining so far is Ronald's reactions to all the craziness.

Nova: Weathering the Future (2023) Season 50, Episode 5

An excellent episode

[9/10 · 16 April 2023]

This was an excellent episode of Nova! It covered how weather is impacting our lives in all parts of the US as well as how many places are trying to utilize ways to adapt and minimize the changes that are coming from climate change.

I was struck by the wisdom of the indigenous people to our lands. Clearly they've known for thousands of years how to maintain the land.

Hopefully we as a nation can come together to make changes that are necessary to keep our country and our planet as a place that is hospitable for human life and at least similar to what it was before the impacts of climate change.

Thanks for excellent program PBS and Nova!

Star Trek: Picard: Seventeen Seconds (2023) Season 3, Episode 3

Probably the best episodes of the entire series so far

[10/10 · 3 March 2023]

From great drama to action scenes this episode stands out. The scene between Picard and Beverly is definitely the best of the entire series so far. Such a raw and emotional exchange. It was followed by another great with Ricker and Jack. The growing tension between Ricker and Picard showing such contrast to their relationship in the past. The scenes with Work and Raffi show a growing bond that I would anticipate to continue as the season progresses and maybe beyond. Amanda Plummer has proved to be an interesting villain with an uncertain motive as to why she wants Jack.

And it all ends with Picard being thrown off the bridge with the fate of the Titan in question.

Such a great episode!

Alonzo Bodden: Historically Incorrect (2016 TV Special)

Still topical in 2022, unfortunately

[8/10 · 3 September 2022]

I've always enjoyed him on Wait, wait, don't tell me, but I had never seen him do stand-up so my wife and I watched this. He's actually funnier in this setting since he doesn't have to worry about NPR sensibility. He covers healthcare, politics, racism, and more.

Even though it was released in February of 2016, it's still quite topical in September of 2022. Maybe that's because I'm a 63-year-old white guy living in the suburbs of Indianapolis or maybe not, I don't know.

If you want an entertaining hour and have an open mind this is a show to watch unless maybe not if you live south of the Mason Dixon line. ;)

St. Elsewhere (1982–1988)

A groundbreaking tv medical series that influenced my life

[10/10 · 16 February 2022]

I graduated from pharmacy school in the spring of 1982 and had a good friend who I knew from school who had gone to medical school. He encouraged me to attend medical school. So, I applied and started attending classes in the fall of 1983.

Therefore, this shows run from of October of 1982 until May of.1988 spanned my time in medical school and my first year of residency. I found it to be insightful and a good companion during my medical training. It was always a thought-provoking show with a stellar cast that was well written. Beyond that, it was in my opinion the most realist medical show ever on TV. Having rewatched the series recently during the pandemic when in was on IMDb TV, I must say that nearly 40 years later it still holds up very well.

I would highly recommend it!

The Woman in the House (2022)

My wife and I found it entertaining

[8/10 · 6 February 2022]

It is a good mystery series with some twists. It is engaging and short enough to binge in one setting if you would be inclined to do so. We certainly found it to a series that we always wanted to go to the next episode.

Don't trust this or any of the other reviews. Just watch it and judge for yourself!

The Power of the Dog (2021)

So much talent, but...

[5/10 · 17 January 2022]

With great actors along with a talented writer/director I had hoped for much more.

To say that this movie is slow is an understatement. I am not sure what the writer/director was trying to say with this movie.

At the end of the film, I felt like I wasted 2 hours.

Don't Look Up (2021)

Disappointing

[5/10 · 3 January 2022]

This movie has a great cast and that along with Adam McKay writing and directing I had high hopes. The problem is that this movie made me feel time and time again that it wasn't believable.

No spoilers here, but if you think this will be up to the quality and entertainment value that was in The Big Short, I think you'll likely be disappointed as I was.

Star Trek: Discovery: All Is Possible (2021) Season 4, Episode 4

Better than most episodes this year

[7/10 · 10 December 2021]

So many negative reviews...I'm not sure why.

Finally, an episode with a Tilly story and a Saru story. They are 2 out of the 5 most interesting characters in this series with Lorca, Stamets and Phillipa being the others that are interesting with multiple episodes.

Tilly is undoubtedly a character that will divide the audience. She is "bubbly" and that might well turn off some, but her enthusiasm is curiosity makes her interesting. She kind of has a Wesley Crusher vibe and I know he wasn't everybody's cup of tea.

Saru is the classic outsider looking at Trek, much like Data or Spock. He is well portrayed by Doug Jones. Admittedly he is only part of the solution and works with Michael. As many have pointed out she seems to always be the one who fixes the problem of the week. That is a weakness of the writing in this series as a whole.

The first 2 seasons had episodes that were better written and less obvious than season 3 and so far in season 4. That said I still watch because I overall like the series. Why so many continue watching and giving 1 on their reviews is not logical to this viewer!

Resident Alien: Birds of a Feather (2021) Season 1, Episode 4

Highlight episode for the season so far

[10/10 · 22 February 2021]

This show has so many laugh out loud moments! It starts with opening dream sequence parody and continues throughout. This show is well written with great casting and acting. I hope it can keep the quality entertainment coming. It is a show that I truly look forward to watching each week!

Saturday Night Live: Regé-Jean Page/Bad Bunny (2021) Season 46, Episode 13

Best show of this season

[7/10 · 22 February 2021]

Best written show of this season. Every sketch had at least moments that were humorous and the first half hour was flat out good. Many times this season the only part the show that has been worthwhile has been weekend update and even it has at times been weak. I can't give it more than a 7 because of the musical guest which was not my cup of tea.

On the Rocks (2020)

I was hoping for a better film

[7/10 · 26 October 2020]

It has been 17 years since Sofia wrote and directed Lost in Translation which also starred Bill but that film is far superior to this film. The Bill character in this film, Felix, greatly benefits from Bill's talents. In fact if anyone else had portrayed the role I would have likely given this film 5 stars versus 7. That being said even Bill's charm cannot save a weak scrip with every other character in the film being poorly developed. Additionally it is hard to like Felix when he presents a concept that all men are or want to be non-monogamous. This is potentially true for some men and women but not all. I think Bill is a talented actor and in fact I watched this film specifically because he was in it. I respect his body of work and typically like even his most quirky performances but again the above basic premise makes it hard to like Felix despite Bill's talent.

Sandy Wexler (2017)

A story of a manager who truly cares for his clients even if he is not the most qualified for his job

[8/10 · 1 June 2020]

Adam plays a manager in this film who truly cares for his clients, but the problem is he doesn't really have the skills to get them where they need to go. He tries hard and truly can see talent in the rough,but he seems unable to help some of his clients. Other clients move on to a new manager once they are recognized by others for their talents. This is a sweet story that shows that Adam's character, Sandy, eventually learns that telling his clients the truth is more important than telling them what he thinks that they want to hear. I have not read any of the other reviews of this film but I see that my rating is higher than the average. I guess that I must have a different perspective on this film.

Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj: How Coronavirus Broke America (2020) Season 6, Episode 3

A great show about COVID-19

[10/10 · 31 May 2020]

Maybe one of the best episodes of the whole series. Insightful. Informative. Entertaining.

Space Force (2020–2022)

I wish it were more entertaining

[6/10 · 30 May 2020]

It has a good cast and creative team but 4 episodes into the series overall it is just not that funny. There are moments but so far they are few and far between what is just a dull wasteland. If you want to see a new streaming series by Greg Daniels that is smart, funny and entertaining watch Upload instead.

Star Trek: Picard: Maps and Legends (2020) Season 1, Episode 2

Another good episode with back story that moves the narrative along

[9/10 · 31 January 2020]

This episode expands upon the first giving us additional characters and more character development along with back stories. It also introduces a new Romulan secret society that will undoubtedly play a large role in the coming episodes. We also get to see Star fleet Headquarters in 2399 and find out more about Picard's history in Star Fleet since the events depicted in Nemesis. I found the pacing to be good and as a sign of any good episode I was left at the end wanting more. :)

PS: Make sure to watch the Ready Room episode associated with this episode. It gives additional details that helps fill in a few areas.

Find Me (2018)

Interesting concept but poorly executed

[5/10 · 17 September 2019]

As a fan of National Parks and at the urging of a relative my wife and I watched this film. The idea behind the film is a good one but the film suffers from slow pacing and a lead actor who cannot act. To break it down: Tom Huang gets a 4 each for his acting, directing and writing. (In addition to my comment above an additional comment on the writing is that there certainly are other ways to show the beauty and grandeur of the National Parks without having to utilize the oft used terminal person as a reason to explore them.) Sara Amini gets an 8 for her acting. (She really shines and makes the film much more engaging. Her acting is a stark contrast to Tom Huang's.) The National Parks get a 9 for their stunning views. (I can't give them a 10 because of the choice of Sidewinder Canyon. SO MANY other better choices to film in National Parks in the area, but the use of Yosemite is fabulous.)

We may check out Tom Huang's other 2 films listed,Freshmen and Why am I Doing This? since they get better reviews.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Business as Usual (1997) Season 5, Episode 18

This episodes helps provide depth to Quark

[9/10 · 17 May 2019]

Many DS9 episodes utilize Quark for his comedic relief but this one shows that even when he is desperate he has limitations on what he will do to make money. It was a good episode and along with the episode The Ascent it helped make Quark a more three dimensional character.

What We Left Behind: Looking Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (2018)

Nearly perfect Doc about DS9

[9/10 · 16 May 2019]

As someone who truly enjoyed the series when it initially aired in the the 1990's enough so that that i have re-watched the entire series twice since then I came to this documentary with high expectations. It delivers well on almost everything. I gave it a 9 because I can't give it a 10 because it is missing new material from Avery and could have covered a bit more. I understand that as Ira said in the credit it couldn't be 8 hours but as Nana said there was no mention of many of the outstanding episodes. That being said the doc is informative and entertaining and I highly recommend it for anyone who likes the series.

Free Solo (2018)

You don't have to be a climber to appreciate this film

[9/10 · 5 March 2019]

This film has almost anything you could want in a great biographical documentary. It gives you insight. It has drama and also humor. It has a love story (both girl loving boy and boy loving climbing). The pacing and cinematography are great. Of course with a bulk of it being shot in Yosemite it has some of the best scenery in the world. I would highly recommend it!!

Hawaii Five-0: Ikiiki i ka la o Keawalua (2019) Season 9, Episode 14

A moving show that aired on the first day of black history month

[9/10 · 2 February 2019]

This episode was all about inclusion. From the parents who cannot accept their lesbian daughter and want to send her out of state to undergo conversion therapy to the former prisoner who is planning to blow up a van while working with a group that plans similar attacks in other cities because they are threatened that American is no longer a white dominant country to the character Grover talking about being beat up as a teen in Illinois in 1988 for being black. As a 60 year old straight and married white man from Indiana I think this show was very good.

Tom Segura: Disgraceful (2018 TV Special)

How can anyone find his comments about Down Syndrome funny?

[1/10 · 22 January 2018]

Mr. Segura suggests replacing the words "that is retarded" or "that is not smart" with the words "that idea has an extra copy of the 21st chromosome." This not in any way funny.

He clearly doesn't know anyone who has Down Syndrome or he wouldn't make such an ignorant comment.

I will agree that this stand up routine is aptly named and it is truly DISGRACEFUL !!!!!!!!!

Netflix should be ashamed for being involved with spreading this kind of message on its streaming service!

The Grand Tour: Morroccan Roll (2016) Season 1, Episode 5

The closest to the old Top Gear of the series so far

[9/10 · 17 December 2016]

The three blokes may have their groove back. Great visuals as always with superb production but this one seemed to have the lads more interested than the rest in the series so far. Things blow up and exotic travel with some car reviews. Yes this is like Top Gear at its finest. The Battleship segment was classic Top Gear and so was the trip to Morocco. I even liked this episode despite having zero interest in the 3 cars that they tested. Maybe the best part was not having the American test drive any cars in this one. He has been nothing but annoying so far. Certainly they can find someone else to test drive the cars.