embmw

As an avid true crime show viewer it's rare that I find one I genuinely don't like, but the director and the (annoying, distracting) sound person stepped up to the plate and whiffed big time here.

This was a slog to get through but I watched it all. After doing so, I wish I had that time back. The direction was horrible-- randomly jumping around in time for no reason and taking until the midpoint of the three episodes before the actual murder is detailed (and even then, it's almost a footnote in this strangely directed monstrosity).

Even worse was the noisetrack (soundtrack would be overly generous here), which was distracting and annoying at every turn. Seriously, it's as though the sound person had gotten a a big box of random sound effects from Temu and wanted to find a way to insert every single one of them into the three episodes. As bad as the direction was, the noisetrack was still worse.

I'm enough of a buff I could have watched three well done episodes on this case and maybe even have wanted more. But in this case, I should have turned it off after 20 minutes like I wanted to.

Don't waste your time.

Even though I've heard Ed Sullivan's name for as long as I can remember, when I became aware of this documentary I realized I knew almost nothing about him. After an hour and twenty minutes, I still don't know a lot.

The producers chose to focus almost exclusively on Mr. Sullivan's contribution to tearing down racial barriers in the US. I didn't realize that he had done as much, or had been so resolute about it, so that was indeed enlightening.

But we're talking about a man who introduced The Beatles to the US, and played a big part in Elvis Presley's growing popularity as well. And these are just the two things I knew about him going into the documentary-- I'm sure there are more.

But we didn't get to hear about those. The Beatles and Elvis were given their requisite minute (or less) of screen time, and then it was back to more commentary about racial strife in the country during the time The Ed Sullivan Show was on the air.

If the title of this effort accurately reflected its content, I would call it a good documentary. But I went into it expecting to learn more about the man and his show, and in the end all I learned was how committed he was to ending racial inequality.

From this documentary, it's clear that was very important to him. But that's obviously that's not all the man was about. Sadly, we didn't get to learn about the other aspects of his life from this presentation.

I'm glad I watched it, but I wouldn't watch it again. I came away wishing I knew more about him than was shown here, and to me that makes this effort a somewhat disappointing watch.

How is this otherwise-interesting show now in its ninth series and still being narrated as though it's tabloid TV. I swear it sounds like a comedy skit-- guys doing earnest work with some clueless git babbling nonsensically in the voiceover.

How are the producers this tone deaf? Just listen to the guy-- he brings *nothing* to the presentation! Watch even just a few minutes of "Highway Thru Hell" to get a sense of exactly how such a program should be presented.

As is, this show is unwatchable. But the episodes could be reedited with proper voiceover talent and rereleased to an enthusiastic audience. There's little wrong with the program-- it's all in the presenter.

Two stars for content; minus infinity stars for the voiceover. I can't watch this mess.