jgalt1 Reviews

Jane the Virgin (2014–2019)

The Best New Show of 2014

[9/10 · 16 October 2014]

I came in with trepidation. The whole premise is preposterous. How wrong could I have been? Turns out very.

"Jane the Virgin" (still not thrilled with the title) is beyond charming. The lead actress is adorable and so believable -- even in this jaded age. The switching between English and Spanish dialog (please don't change this; Americans don't like sub-titles but the gimmick works) -- muy excelente! The very witty writing about cultural mores, traditional and contemporary, is something very missing in today's entertainment. I caught a repeat episode of "Mike and Molly" the other night (I've only seen the first episode and did not laugh once) and was reminded of the raw, crude language that completely turned me off; that is not comedy. Yet, it is the norm today, unfortunately.

Go ahead and take the plunge -- give "Jane the Virgin" a try. She will steal your heart; she already has mine.

How to Get Away with Murder (2014–2020)

Two Episodes and I'm Done

[3/10 · 16 October 2014]

Like many shows on any network, it has a cast with lots of pretty people. For that, you start with a 3 rating.

I was warned .... Shonda Rhimes created it. Why I would think this would be any better than the unwatchable "Grey's Anatomy" or "Scandal", I have no idea. A fan of Viola Davis, I gave it a chance.

I feel very sad for her. Such talent and to have it wasted on pablum like this ... ugh! The sad excuse for dialog on this show -- it's painful to hear desperately try and yet fail to bring life to any of it.

It gets a .5 point for having a queer major character who, God bless him, isn't your standard limp-wrist excuse for a life form that most shows, if they even have queer characters, usually feature. But, like many of the major characters in Rimes' shows, he is a fatally flawed, manipulative bastard.

So, I now I know for sure. If Shonda Rhimes is attached, run, run for your life. Even the dreadful "The Haves and Have Nots", Tyler Perry's trash on OWN, is preferable. Aaron O'Connell (can't act his way out of paper bag -- not alone in this cast, unfortunately) is shirtless in at least every other episode. And, unlike the boys on HTGAWM, he is all ink-free muscle.