tv review
Reviewing insightful and thought provoking science fiction TV and technology.
Review of 'The Time Traveler's Wife' 1.1
The Time Traveler's Wife debuted on HBO this past Sunday night. Based on the 2003 novel by Audrey Niffenegger which I haven't read, made into a movie in 2009 which I saw and really liked but didn't review (because I was too busy promoting the first edition my then new book, New New Media), HBO's offering is a brand-new series. I thought the first episode was excellent.
Paul LevinsonPublished 3 days ago in Futurism
Review of 'The Man Who Fell to Earth' 1.4
How cool and meta-perfect is The Man Who Fell to Earth new series on Showtime? Well, in episode 1.4, just up last night, we learn that Thomas Newton, who came to Earth all those years ago, in the 1976 movie starring David Bowie in the role, lost his memory,
Paul LevinsonPublished 4 days ago in Futurism
Review of 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' 1 & 2
I saw the first two episodes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on Paramount+ late last night and really enjoyed them. More than Picard and a lot more than Discovery, to rank the new Star Treks that Paramount+ has been rolling out. Strange New Worlds brought back a lot of the verve and joy of watching TOS aka the original Star Trek series. And here are some of the more specific reasons why:
Paul LevinsonPublished 5 days ago in Futurism
Review of 'The Man Who Fell to Earth' 1.3
The Man Who Fell to Earth just keeps getting better and better. The last few minutes of episode 1.3 were the best so far in this very fine series. Faraday tells the audience -- assembled in the narrative and whoever's watching the episode on Showtime or Amazon Prime or any way else on Planet Earth -- "I've come with a prototype for a quantum fusion process," and proceeds to make good on his claim by lighting London up in the night. England swings like a pendulum do.
Paul LevinsonPublished 11 days ago in Futurism
Review of 'Outer Range' 1.7-8
Well, Outer Range certainly saved the best for last -- the last two episodes (of what I hope will be the first of at least a few seasons) -- waking us up like after a fever has broken and everything is clear, or at least, a little clearer.
Paul LevinsonPublished 13 days ago in Futurism
Review of 'The Man Who Fell to Earth' 1.2
Well, I just loved the second episode of The Man Who Fell to Earth, especially the ending. [Spoilers ahead ... ] I mean, with the world and this country in the states that we're in, it was especially good to see this happy ending on the science fiction screen. And it was set up perfectly. Faraday aka The Man Who Fell to Earth had said earlier that it was time for Justin's father Josiah to die (always great to see Clarke Peters on the screen). He had lived his purpose. And we'd previously seen that guy up in Alaska take his life, after almost killing Spencer. So ...when Faraday walked into Josiah's room, and put his hands on Josiah, asleep ... well, I thought the worst. And instead: Faraday cured him, draining out and taking in what had wrecked Josiah's body. And he was whole and healthy again. Good to see on this day.
Paul LevinsonPublished 17 days ago in Futurism
Review of 'Outer Range' 1.5-6
Well, here's my idiosyncratic review of one of the most idiosyncratic series on television. Ever. As in -- as I said in my previous Outer Range review -- in Twin Peaks territory, or west of The Twilight Zone, certainly when it comes to the west pasture.
Paul LevinsonPublished 19 days ago in Futurism
Review of 'The Man Who Fell to Earth' 1.1
The Man Who Fell to Earth, which debuted last night on Showtime as a ten-episode television series, has a long and distinguished history. The novel of the same name by Walter Tevis was published in 1963 to critical acclaim. I didn't read it, because I had just switched as a teenager by then from science fiction to rock music as my passion, and I didn't go back to science fiction until a few decades years later -- Philip K. Dick's 1962 The Man in the High Castle had made it just under wire. Meanwhile, The Man Who Fell to Earth was made into 1976 movie starring David Bowie which I saw and loved, and which also received critical acclaim. A 1987 made-for-television movie followed which I'm pretty sure I didn't see, and certainly can't remember. A now this new Showtime series.
Paul LevinsonPublished 27 days ago in Futurism
Review of "Outer Range" 1.3-4
So it occurred to me, as I was watching the enthralling third and fourth episodes of Outer Range, that this new series on Amazon Prime has a lot of Twin Peaks in it. I mean, an investigation of a murder against a backdrop that has a Philip K. Dickian mind-bending vibe is a rare thing, with a pulsing potential to be memorable if it's done up right. If Deputy Sheriff Joy, one of my favorite characters (and being played really well by Tamara Podemski) expresses a joy in cherry pie, I may be on to something.
Paul LevinsonPublished 27 days ago in Futurism
Review of 'Severance' Season One Finale
We could see from almost the beginning of the stunning Season One finale of Severance on Apple TV+ that we were going to be in for some utterly game-changing revelations.
Paul LevinsonPublished about a month ago in Futurism
Review of 'The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey' 1.6
The last episode of The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, on Apple TV+, was better than it could have been, but not what I'd really hoped for.
Paul LevinsonPublished about a month ago in Futurism
Review of 'Severance' 1.8
Three brilliant elements stand out in this superb next-to-last episode of the first season of Severance on Apple TV+. [Spoilers ahead ... ]
Paul LevinsonPublished 2 months ago in Futurism
