AtypicalAdventurer

Nothing is this bad intentionally. Even by accident there should have been something remotely enjoyable-- like an incidental good bit of cinematography, or 1 decent song on the score, or one line spoken that doesn't read like it's AI, trying to imitate human speech for the first time. Actually, that's probably a little too harsh on AI.

We're all talking about how bad this movie is, what the heck Amazon was thinking, why is there overt Amazon product placement (and plot relevancy). It's got us all talking.

As a movie, there is no reason something this terrible would ever exist. Except, of course, if it were one big publicity scheme to get that big A-word in as many heads as possible as quickly as possible. That is the only rational explanation I can think up, for something this lacklustre.

I only watched the first season, so if it gets significantly better beyond that, then you can safely disregard this review.

Master of None is a very relevant glimpse into modern day young-ish adult life. And some of the comedy is fantastic. Aziz and Eric in particularly make for a hilarious and heartwarming duo.

The show focuses on a real life theme within each episode; what it's like to be a child-free single dude with friends who have kids, or the early stages of a romantic relationship before the spark is gradually lost, or awkward relationships with parents from a different generation, and so on.

Some of these thematic episodes are played out quite well. Others are... preachy, to say the least, as they very awkwardly try to handle tough real-life subjects, and it just comes across as primary school education but aimed at adults.

An example of this is an episode that focuses on the struggles women face. Definitely an interesting subject and there is lots to be explored... but within the episode, some of the lines are just flat out along the lines of "Did you know that women on average earn x amount less than men? How bad is that?" Really clunky stuff bordering on virtue signalling.

I appreciate shows that tackle complex issues, but this one unfortunately falls short. These moments become quite constant past a certain point in Season 1, to the point where the comedy feels almost secondary.

Again, maybe it drops this habit in season 2 & 3, and I've denied myself a good TV show because I didn't persist. But the bad moments were enough that I didn't feel compelled to watch further.

It had a lot of potential. If it had played to its strengths more, focusing more on comical-but-realistic observations of life, and the interesting dynamics between Aziz and his group of friends... I think it could've been a fantastic show.

6.5/10. Great moments mixed with noticably underwhelming moments average out for it to just be 'decent'.

Brilliant, heartwarming show with a constant yet not overbearing 'feel-good' tone. But don't let the fuzzy feelings fool you, this show has plenty of harsh doses of reality too.

Ted Lasso touches upon many painful aspects of the human experience, but the balance between these harsh and heartwarming tones may leave you feeling like you're watching something straight out of your own life.

For me, the most important part of Ted Lasso was its excellent portrayal of positive affirmation within male friendships-- something that is scarecly touched upon in real life or fiction. The friendships in Ted Lasso are filled with love, support, affection, and so many things that men need but struggle to find in real life.

Is this dynamic a realistic portrayal of a competitive sports team? Maybe, maybe not. But the warmth and love shown throughout the series is how men, and all people, should strive to be.