john-webb-970-879318 Reviews

Deputy (2020)

It has promise but it needs to reflect reality a fair bit more.

[5/10 · 27 January 2020]

First off let's be honest the reviews for this show on IMDB have tanked the overall score thanks to all the Trump-bots having hissy fits over the political sub texts in the show. No bigger snowflake exists than a right-wing TV viewer. Having said all that as a more liberal kind of person even I thought some of the stuff on screen was a bit too on the nose even for me. The character is written as two kinds of person. As a person he does not work as a real character. Liberal minded people see the world in shades of grey. They understand that the world is complicated and the world view they have reflects that. However the character is portrayed as your typical life is simple and black and white old school cowboy type sheriff. It's a mashup that reads false with every word spoken. As for his driver sadly in the real world she would be treated like a pariah and the home schooled locals would be making the sign of the cross every time she passed by rather than just accepting her for who she is. When it comes to the reality of police work the liberties are also pretty endless. On the plus side the acting is fine as are the production values and the plots themselves are not too bad. I will give it four episodes to sort itself out and if it does it will remain on my watch list I have a nagging feeling that it may not make it though.

Watchmen (2019)

The best superhero show of all time

[10/10 · 4 December 2019]

I assumed before looking that this show would get a high score on IMDB and was shocked to see that it was only on the quite good level of just over 7/10. This absolutely mystified me as this show has been written with such care and depth. You have more going on in the set scenery than some shows do in an entire episode. The acting has been top notch and so have the scripts. Anyone who has read the book (I read them when they came out as monthly comics back in the 80s or seen the film (and is aware of the different ending in the book) would see that this is a worthy add on to the Watchmen world. I am convinced that even Alan Moore if he could let go of his hatred of all things to do with adapting his work would appreciate the depth and cleverness of this show. Having now read some of the 1 and 2 star reviews it has become pretty obvious that the issue is with a segment of the public that sees them self in this show but portrayed as the bad guys. I have news for you. You are the bad guys. No amount of playing the victim and calling people and banging on about woke culture will change that.

Treadstone (2019)

Terrific binge worthy show

[10/10 · 16 November 2019]

Firstly this is probably not a 10 star series and is more of an 8 star show. I have boosted the result to make up for all the stupid 1 and 2 star reviews being left by people with out the whit to work out any plot more complicated than a day time soap. I have noticed that a lot of shows that operate over two time periods always suffer this fate when it comes to reviews and it saddens me that so many people really can't cope with such things and if you add a few sub-titles to the mix then they all seem to howl in rage. The acting is good. the scripting is fairly tight and the show looks terrific and clearly has a big budget. How people can't tell the actors and the time periods apart baffles me. I for one am loving it so far.

Happy! (2017–2019)

It's nuts. Iove it

[8/10 · 24 December 2017]

If you like weirdly directed stuff such as Legion and stuff like that then you should give this a shot. It's a basic procedural cop show but it's like half the cast and crew were tripping on acid when they made it. I loved it but it might not be for everyone.

The Gifted (I) (2017–2019)

Dreadful

[3/10 · 27 November 2017]

I grew up reading superhero comics. I have watched just about every show where my childhood heroes are featured and endured the bad and enjoyed the good. The Gifted has proved to be a watershed show though in as much as I have abandoned it after four episodes. It is atrocious. The three stars are for the cast who are fine and for the crew who are making the show. They can only be as good as the scripts though and the scripts are offensively bad. Tired lazy clichéd writing in which people are shuffled about and put into certain places so that certain things can happen to them with no sense of reality or reasoning. The last straw for me was when the characters are sent to intercept a vehicle. This bit of plot was like something you would see in an 80's daytime cartoon. The villains for no good reason decided to drive through the most ambush friendly area on the planet and then when ambushed the henchmen wander around not shooting or reacting like people at all, they instead act like 8bit game characters who just fill a space until they can be dealt with by the heroes.This show makes the Inhumans look like art.

Dancin' Thru the Dark (1990)

The memory of this film has lasted since the 90's

[9/10 · 8 April 2017]

I am reflective of the age of the cast in this movie and saw it when it came out and it really hit the mark with me. Many of the actors in it have had pretty solid careers on TV but I am amazed that at least some of them like Con O'Neil never really hit the big time. Suffice to say if you are a Generation X'er like myself and have not seen this film I advice you to give it a go next time it is on the TV it really takes you back to pub and club life and the pro's and cons of life back then for working class men and women.

Iron Fist (2017–2018)

Ignore the haters

[7/10 · 17 March 2017]

Firstly lets's address the elephant in the room a white guy playing a Chinese martial artist. Yes it's terrible and embarrassing and if they ever remake the 70's show Kung Fu it will no doubt not star a Caucasian actor like David Carradine and they will instead have an Asian American lead actor. Iron fist is not that show though even though it has clear parallels to it.

The trope of an alien abroad has always been around us as does the use of a surrogate so the reader or viewer can identify or recognise himself in a person. Iron Fist was written primarily for a Caucasian audience by Caucasian people and it was done so during the Kung Fu craze of the 70's In the same way as ERB's Tarzan and John Carter was during the explorer craze of the late 1800's to early 1900's.The character and plots use that difference and the conflict of cultures to make the stories and that is what happened with Iron Fist. Different culture, seeing the world through different eyes, being loved by some for it and hated by others and returning home etc. If Iron Fist had been changed to an Asian character then it becomes a wholly different entity.

Would and should a new character be created in that way in 2017? Probably not. The concept is now outdated and audiences and creators are now much more diverse and create to reflect these times and not those of forty plus years ago.

As to the show itself if you liked the other three Marvel shows then you will like this one. The acting is solid as is the script, camera work and direction. I am not that far into it yet but so far it is pretty faithful to the comic albeit with the usual changes for TV such as lack of a proper costume which is no bad thing when you consider the collar that the comic version has. The only thing that I found slightly off-putting so far is the Kung fu movie style exaggerated jumps. It does not for me at least fit the show.

A quick edit to say I am dropping my score down a bit after now watching most of the episodes. I am enjoying the show but it has too many plot holes and coincidences for me to leave it with such a high mark. The tone is lighter and less gritty than Daredevil and Luke Cage etc. and it has not benefited the show for being so. The show is good but does seem to be the weakest of the four.

Ethel & Ernest (2016)

Heartbreaking.

[10/10 · 1 January 2017]

I've just got around to watching this today. As a 50-year-old I could relate to so much of it and relate it to my grandparents and uncles and aunties who were around during this time. Frankly, I found the film utterly heartbreaking. I must have had tears in my eyes pretty solidly for the last 30 minutes of it. It was quite overwhelming in places especially when Raymond views a body in the morgue which was very reminiscent of something that happened to me recently. I was going to write that it was a perfect slice of life but that is not big enough as it really does pretty much cover two entire lives. My boys who are under ten it has to be said were not gripped by it and did fade in and out of watching it but for adults, I can't recommend it highly enough.

Max Steel (2016)

Boring and cheaply made

[3/10 · 21 December 2016]

I have to give it more than one because my kids aged eight and nine quite liked it although the younger one did keep on saying "when is something going to happen". The older boy was just thrilled to see the cartoon characters come to life so tended to give the film a free pass when it came to plot and action.

I do not believe that $10m was spent on this movie if it was it must have mostly gone on the licensing of the character because that money is just not on the screen. It is more like three episodes of a TV show stitched together. The pacing is atrocious the script is all over the place. They really would have been better to have just re-shot a couple of the cartoon scripts and stuck to what the kids liked about the show.

I will admit I am only vaguely familiar with the most recent cartoon but did enjoy the first version which was a bright and breezy sports and spy's type series with a fair sized cast of characters for Max to interact with. This film is just a dull origin story that never gets going. I would wait until you can see it for free on TV rather than pay for it and only then if you are a fan of the character.

Notorious (2016)

All sound and fury but nothing is happening

[4/10 · 9 October 2016]

I'm looking for a replacement to the Good Wife now that show has ended and thought I would give this one a shot. This sadly is not it. The cast is fine as are the direction and the show clearly has a reasonable budget but the premise and the script really don't amount to much at all. We have lots of frenetic energy and people running around doing stuff but it is all of no real interest primarily I guess because none of the characters connect in any way with the audience. I could not find a single character to care about or have any real empathy for. The person killed in the first episode never gets explored and the alleged murderer is never more than a blank sheet himself. All in all meh. I will stop around for one more episode but after that, I am out.

Aftermath (2016)

Well it's not that bad!

[5/10 · 9 October 2016]

This new season has thrown up some pretty bad shows and this one is getting a beating when it comes to reviews but I have to say I did not think it was all that bad. The cast is good and a little more money than usual has been thrown at the show so it does not look too bad. The premise of the show is the increasingly common end of the world only the script writers seem to be hedging bets on if it is going to be a religious biblical type end or an alien infection type end at this point. This is the weakest aspect of the show in as much as the "enemy" is frankly too powerful. Zombie type creatures are usually enough to finish the world off as it is but chuck in flying zombies to the mix seems an unneeded step too far. I can accept the main family reacting slowly to what is going on and doing a few silly things as in real life people really would not know how to handle this or even accept it was happening. I'm giving the show a couple more episodes to settle down and I hope in that time it sorts it self out.

Luke Cage (2016–2018)

Another great Marvel show for Netflix

[8/10 · 4 October 2016]

Reading some of the negative reviews for this show makes me quite sad. Reading between the lines it seems to me that far too many people these days can't cope with character and drama and just want thrills and action. The shows that stand the test of time though have more than that and so far all of Marvel's Netflix shows have managed to combine all of these things and for me delivered the things needed to send these shows onto the classics list of the future. The entire cast of Luke Cage was terrific and whoever the casting director was for it needs to put in for a pay raise. The script was good but due to the slight slow down after a major death in the middle of the series does not quite make it to greatness. Politically some of the script was a bit on the nose but personally I found it quite emotional especially as apparently the Hoodie that Cage first gets shot in was deliberately chosen to be the same as Trayvon Martin wore when he was shot and other such nods to black life in America for far too many. The soundtrack and musical performances were very good too.

Timeless (2016–2018)

A decent show spoiled in the usual way.

[6/10 · 4 October 2016]

I know nothing new exists in this world when it comes to Sci-Fi and many of us very much enjoy the usual tropes that come with the genre. I am no exception to that and lapped up the first 20 minutes. What spoiled the show was the Delta force guy. Why the writers decided that the teams "protection" guy should be an utter halfwit is beyond me. I know it's a fantasy show but the idea that a world changing event would be entrusted to a guy that thought it would be fine to bring a Glock back to 1937 when plenty of perfectly good firearms already existed at that time and to then try and save the first good looking girl he sees from a preordained death is stupid in the extreme. Does Delta Force are highly trained professionals and know how to follow orders. Sure some of them might not be ultra bright but it is insulting to portray one as being utterly stupid. I hope that this is a one off and the show settles down as apart from this issue the show was fine.

Patriot (2015–2018)

The best new pilot of this season

[10/10 · 16 January 2016]

Utterly brilliant. Laugh out loud funny in places too. A great cast, great script and great camera work and direction. Essentially it is James Bond with depression which does not sound like a winner I know but it really, really works. The Agent in question is highly effective and dangerous but is disconnected and despondent and his way of coping with this is through writing and singing folk songs based on his work and those lyrics give away far more information than they should. The supporting cast are also interesting. It is a family business his father is high up in the agency and his brother is also involved in the CIA but in a non combat way but he is sent to assist and help out when he can. His brother has a very entertaining but not fully explained relationship with a little boy which is a guardian type role but we are not sure if he is or is not actually the boys father. All in all this is the best first episode I have seen so far of this season and I truly hope it gets picked up.

The Bastard Executioner (2015)

Sadly not firing on all cylinders.

[5/10 · 4 November 2015]

I want to like this show as it is firmly in my wheel house but of the shows of its kind, Vikings, The Last Kingdom and to a lesser extent Game of Thrones it is by far the weakest. I will stick it out because I am a sucker for this kind of thing but everything about this show seems just slightly off. Not horribly so it is certainly no abysmal syfy horror but considering the talent involved and the reasonable (if not excessive) budget it should be better. Personally I don't believe it helps that the lead actor is not very charismatic but that might be down to the fact that he is playing a depressed character. I do wonder if it is because no journey or epic story line is at play. The death of everyone's families seems to be very much pushed to the back and it seems to be a case of making the best of court life when disguised as others. It is not a boring show but it is hard to get invested in it for any particular reason.

Fear the Walking Dead: Pilot (2015) Season 1, Episode 1

Strong start to a much anticipated new series

[9/10 · 24 August 2015]

Forget all the one and two star reviews they are just from trolls and attention seekers. This is a terrific new show and if anything has a stronger first episode than the Walking Dead had.

It is like the Walking Dead character driven as much as it is plot driven. If you want a plot driven show with cardboard characters this is not it. Like the Walking Dead you are invited to get to know people so that when some of them git bitten you feel the loss and it is not just a quick jump out of the seat when the zombie gets his man.

The characters are interesting and I suspect that the weakest when the world is normal such as the fat kid and the drugged up son will end up being the resilient ones once things turn ugly.

The slow realization of what is happening is also realistically portrayed although I did wonder if at this stage people were turning once bitten as opposed to turning at the point of death. If the turn is just at the point of any random death then morgues would be overrun with zombies one would think within a day of the outbreak. All in all this is a great new show.

The Late Late Show with James Corden (2015–2023)

Good but not a classic

[7/10 · 4 April 2015]

James Corden is an interesting choice for this show. It is a risk but I think one worth taking. Corden is well known in the UK although truth to be told he is not universally loved. I have generally liked him but he does seem to rub some people up the wrong way. I have never quite understood why but it is worth mentioning. This is a departure in style to its predecessor and that is a good thing as shows like this do need to change if they are to succeed long term. He is clearly riffing off the Graham Norton show (BBC America) with a bit of Jimmy Fallon thrown in for good measure but then why not, as they are probably the best 'fun' talk show in the English speaking world at the moment? James is likable and quick on his feet verbally but is let down by his only average writers and he has not yet quite worked out how to handle three stars at once. All in all I would say the show is in safe hands and those that don't get the show at all probably did not get the Craig Ferguson show either or perhaps they were just used to it. I hope the show beds in and I suspect it will.

Teen Titans Go! (2013– )

Fantastically funny for the younger fans.

[10/10 · 1 December 2014]

Just like the first version of Teen Titans I was disappointed with the style of the show on first watching it. It was not my Titans for sure as an ex reader of the 80's classic comic series it was nothing like I wanted it to be. Once I introduced it to my boys though aged six and eight the appeal soon could be seen. I have never seen them so amused by a cartoon, with hysterical laughter and constant dialogue quoting. Once I switched my perspective to that of a child I soon got in to the show and laughed along side them. The voice casting is spot on and all the performances are superb. My boys have now started watching the older version of this show and are now loving that too.

I think a lot of the low star ratings for this show have been from guys over 30 who don't have kids and can't adapt to different ways of doing things.