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Kevin Cage of @spotlightsaga reviews... Young Sheldon /S01\/E01\ Pilot Airdate: September 25, 2017 @CBS Ratings: 16.57 Million :: 3.7 18-49 Demo Share Score: 6.75/10 @SpotlightSaga @CulturePit *************SPOILER FREE REVIEW************* Oh, what a shame... Did we miss the party? You know, I’m not really sure who the demographic is that is giving ‘The Big Bang Theory’ all of its monstrous numbers... Ok, well, I have an idea... But I’d hate to get ahead of myself like my other half, Cody Cole. Besides, everyone is allowed a handful of ‘Guilty Pleasures’, right? I sure as hell know that I’ve got mine. Even tho I don’t use the account anymore, I used to have a Spotify Playlist for songs that appeared on the UPN turned CW Series ‘One Tree Hill’. And yes, that’s embarrassing, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s very much true. I love ‘One Tree Hill’ and I cried like a little baby in S9 when (of course, you know I’m not going to reveal any spoilers, right?) the culmination of the main story arc that started the show off, came to one of the most tearful & satisfying conclusions ever on television. Yes, I love that show that fn’ much, ridiculous, I know... I pretend that S8 didn’t happen... But hey, when you run 9 Seasons of 20-25 Episodes, you’re bound to get some bad ideas some of the time. Now’s when you breathe your big sigh of relief... Judging by its pilot, ‘Young Sheldon’ doesn’t appear to fall in the category of ‘Guilty Pleasure’. Quite the opposite, actually. Remember how we all felt after the 1st Season of CBS ’Life In Pieces’. That hopeful, feel-good spirit was attached to something uniquely constructed with a powerhouse cast, something that didn’t normally happen on CBS, at least in such high quality... A Single Camera Sitcom. While ‘Young Sheldon’ may not look completely unique at first glance, its admittedly giving off a ‘Goldbergs-Mature’ vibe, and that’s hard to deny... But what originality it lacks within the walls of its narrative construct, it more than makes up in a fresh, restrained approach. The normal, tv-family chaos is still there, but at the epicenter of the organized madness, we have an observer... He’s not exactly a reliable narrator in theory, but he is in character. You see, Sheldon tells it like it is... And since this is something that pretty much all human children are known for... Famed Co-Creators & Co-Writers Chuck Lorre & Steven Molaro make sure that Little-Man, Iain Armitage (YS), turns up the awkward observations, just like his very own grown version and narrator, Big Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) from TBBT. I’m not so sure Young Sheldon is meant to be abnormally cute, or likable for that matter. The show approaches normal, southwestern families in the 80s with a pragmatic point of view. It’s existential in nature, and feels like a show that could also feel right at home on a Streaming Network like Amazon Prime. Lorre & Armitage also know that since this is from a child’s POV, the world is scary is nature... Even to the smartest, brightest minds around. Rarely do we cover CBS Sitcoms, although we’ve been known to indulge in Bear Claw Heaven with Kevin James on ‘Kevin Can Wait’, and we’re basically almost there with the aforementioned ‘Life In Pieces’... It just had a rough S2. You see, CBS has been gearing up; polishing up the CBS All Access Network, of course TBBT is always a Network Focus, reshooting entire episodes of Star Trek, and making sure Big Brother #768 (or whatever season its on) keeps steady numbers... It’s strange when you think of all the factors that can have some sort of snowball effect on the finished product of a Big 4 Network TV Series. It shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone that clearly the Network Giant’s focus has also very much been on this show as well. It’s clear, crystal clear, that CBS is very much behind ‘Young Sheldon’. To say this series was handled with care is an understatement. It’s polished, introspective, and brushes off chances to pull cheap laughs... Everything a normal CBS Sitcom doesn’t do. Even the placement of its pilot’s timeslot, garnering such big numbers off of the Season Premiere of its parent show, TBBT, has never really turned results in such spectacular fashion as it did here... Holding all 16.5 Live Million Viewers from the first half hour and keeping the mass majority of its coveted 18-49 demographic too. I guarantee they nurse this bad boy all the way through an ungodly amount of episodes. Why not? Honestly, it works. ‘The Goldbergs’ are growing up, right out of the 80s, and AMC’s ‘Halt and Catch Fire’ is heading into its 4th & final season. There’s a niche and it needs to be filled, and it looks like we have our first guest. Many of us have a deep connection to this era the show is set in, but none of us have seen it through this kind of lens. The big question isn’t the quality... You know CBS, it’s about money and longevity, because longevity not only brings in a steady supply of money, it also gives them something to brand... But that’s kind of why it’s so surprising that ‘Young Sheldon’ isn’t coming right out of the gate trying to push anything other than its own value. I have a strict policy when it comes to Sitcoms, whether they’re multi-cam or single-cam, doesn’t matter... Each series gets a fair shake... And a 21 Minute Episode built off a general idea will not tell you how far a show can go or how good a show will be.... Theres just no way! All kinds of shows out there start slow and then end up turning out relentless bangers on a regular basis, a few episodes, or even a season or 2 down the road... And then there is the exact opposite, where we see a show start out red hot and straight up fizzle out like a fading star right before our very eyes. I think it’s important for everyone to not judge this one too quickly... Maybe ‘Young Sheldon’ isn’t for that same ‘TBBT’ audience, maybe it’s meant to strike a different chord. It sure feels like it. ***************Written By Kevin Cage**************** TVTime/Letterboxd/FB/IG/Path/Pin/Tumblr/Twitter: @SpotlightSaga 📺 TVTime📺 http://www.tvtime.com ✅Spotlight Saga FB Page! Give us a like!✅ http://www.facebook.com/spotlightsaga 🚧Spotlight Saga's Main Page is Under Works🚧 http://www.spotlightsaga.com 🔥The Culture Pit FB Group🔥 http://www.facebook.com/groups/ArtsEntertainment @CulturePit Kevin Cage // Justin O'Malley // Cody Cole // Jerry Wilson // Kat Holiday // Carolyn Holt // Yackarette Borge // Carina Enered //

Kevin Cage of @spotlightsaga reviews... Ballers (S03E01) Seeds of Expansion Airdate: July 23, 2017 @hbo Ratings: 2.476 Million :: 1..22 18-49 Demo Share Score: 8/10 TVTime/FB/Twitter/Tumblr/Path: @SpotlightSaga **********SPOILERS BELOW********** 'Ballers' is back on HBO, planting its hyper-masculine seed wherever it can slide in. No really. It sounds crass, but the metaphor is woven beautifully throughout the S3 premiere of the sports-centric, premium cable dramedy. Ricky (John David Washington) is having a baby, it's not exactly what he had in mind until he was told it definitely WAS happening, after he was told it wasn't when he thought it could be a possibility. Ah, don't you just love the way irony tastes? Well, I hate to break it to you, but that's not exactly irony that's sticking to the sides of your tongue... No, no... Thats more or less manipulation, take it or leave it. Amber (Brittany S Hall) is playing the game that she must play, she knows exactly how Ricky feels about her and his 'Bad Boy' image precedes him. It's not that we think Amber is wrong for how she handled the situation, it's actually totally brilliant... It's just not exactly on the up and up, but when you're dealing with a Man-Child who's just now coming to a place in his life where he's starting to come to terms with his existential reality, then the best strategy is to give the quintessential player a game to play. All this fertility talk has got our favorite underdog Spencer Strasmore (Dwayne Johnson) spooked. He brags about his 'pull-out game being 100', and Ricky suggests that maybe it's 100 because his his loins aren't exactly producing the fruits of his loom. This cascades into a mini-obsession for 'The Rock's Spencer character and even compels him to mention it to his doc, Dr Robbins (Stacy Ann Rose), who at this point, knows way too much about his life. In true Spencer Strasmore fashion, when Dr Robbins immediately sets him up with an appointment to face the truth of his fertility matter head on, Spencer dips and throws all the 'swimmer' talk somewhere deep behind the walls of what we could probably consider a wall built with bricks laced with toxic masculinity. Besides, Spencer has other 'Seeds' to think about. He borrowed money from Ricky in S2, 5 Mill to be exact, and he needs to capitalize on his next big venture to make paying Ricky back a reality. We get a bit of a big name guest star as Steph Curry and his girl give Spencer a call and he attempts to seize the opportunity to break out of the world of the NFL & into the world of the NBA. Only, nothing in 'Ballers' ever goes the way it's planned... NOTHING. Remember that. Steph cancels on Spence, Mr Anderson (Richard Schliff) is pissed because he's depending on a high profile guest of honor at a big dinner party that night. In a desperation move and without a replacement, Spencer takes his ever-encouraging, chihuahua-esque, best friend's 'feel good' advice and treats himself as the 'Main Event' at Mr Anderson's private soirée where Spencer is to woo a potential massive client, Wayne Hastings (Steve Guttenberg - Can I get a fuck yeah?!). Wayne buys into Spencer's big speech and I gotta tell ya, so did I! Ever since I was a teen, watching 'The Rock' dropping 'The People's Elbow' & raising 'The People's Brow' while laying the smack down on opponents on WWF/WWE television, I knew Dwayne Johnson was a star. Seeing him truly embody the spirit, the ups and downs, the origins, just the tooth & nail of this character, Spencer Strasmore, throughout 3-seasons of 'Ballers' truly cements him as not just a real life, big time, Hollywood actor, as we've already seen him establish... But here in 'Ballers', he's a legitimate, respectable character actor who is a real contender to eventually plant serious awards on his mantle sometime in the near future. If Dwayne Johnson has yet to earn your respect, then you haven't been paying attention. He's the real deal. He's selling Guttenberg the dream of a potential NFL team in Vegas, and you can just feel the electricity in their back & forth. These are the times when the show truly comes alive and here again we see the theme of 'planting a seed' come full circle. Let's not forget about Charles (Omar Benson Miller). He has quickly become one of my favorite characters on the show. We've seen his struggle from out of work ex-football star to cheesy car salesman to rising star and major player on the Miami Dolphins coaching staff. The pressure is real for Charles. He's getting hives, he's being thrown to the wolves (and by wolves I mean media), and he's being tossed into a position he probably isn't exactly qualified for. I can't help but think that whatever experiment the coaching staff and owners are concocting behind the scenes, that Charles is the fall guy... Or could be easily thrown into that position if whatever they're going for turns sour. Another seed planted for S3... Plenty to grow on, and it looks like we're going to get much more than just the breathtaking camera work and cinematography in my beautiful city of Miami this season! Let her rip, y'all! Ballers gon' Ball!

Kevin Cage of @spotlightsaga reviews... The Mist (S01E03) Show and Tell Airdate: July 6, 2017 @spike @paramountpictures Ratings: 0.428 Million :: 0.12 18-49 Demo Share Score: 4.75/10 TVTime/FB/Twitter/IG/Path/Pin: @SpotlightSaga **********SPOILERS BELOW********** 'The Mist' has literally been driving me crazy. It's a project that I've taken on, completely committed to, no matter what the outcome... Although, you know, I knew in my heart of hearts that this was going to be tough road to travel. TV is such a completely different vessel than film and writing, books, or in this case, short stories. You have your Film Fans, who are protective & rabid, and that's understandable... 'The Mist' that was released in 2007, was listed as #4 on Bloody Disgusting's 'Top 20 Horror Films of the Decade', and it earned it, hardcore! We've already praised Marcia Gay Harden enough (or have we?), but it's really hard to argue that the film is anything but an unexpected gem that horror fans absolutely fell head over heels in love with, and rightfully so. The short story written by Stephen King has its own set of accolades and personal touches, and it all must be set on its own particular shelf. Despite the straight up 'mixed to negative' reviews that the television series has been getting, you're going to hear fans of the tv series avidly defend it... Ratings aren't exactly high, but they're steady. The same people who were watching it from the beginning are sticking with it, give or take a few minor down & upticks. Just like the film and the short story it's based upon, the show has it's own set of true blue fans. This is 'The Mist: The Series', its in its own realm, and we have to accept that. As hard as it is to stop yourself from compulsively comparing the three separate entities, you simply cannot give in... You have to look at each piece as its own room, with its own door, with its own individually made key... Each complete with its own decorative key caps, so that we know the exact door we're opening. So, when you get right down to it, I guess the most important question is what does a relatively low-budget television series have to present to a rebranding network on the dwindling eve of its 'end of the year' transition? What does it have to offer an already established franchise like 'The Mist', that a near $20 Million budget film and the infinite imagination of words on paper written by a world renowned author like Stephen King, within the pages of a collection of short stories have that has not already been offered up already? The answer is simple... Long term character work, but they must get it right to make this project stick it to its critics and it's overeager naysayers. Now here I go again, bringing up Marcia Gay Harden, but I have a good point. Harden was able to represent the opposite of what Thomas Jame represented in the film. The movie itself had limited time, but it made the most of its seconds on the clock... Separating the two complete opposite sides of a spectrum under extreme duress. It wasn't the monsters that buzzed about and added additional scares to the film that were so successfully frightening in the long run, it was the idea that under the weight of the world, two different sides of people emerge... One are heroes who do absolutely terrible things in the name of humanity, and the other are villains that think they are heroes because they are acting in the name of what they believe to be righteous. Pretty brilliant, right? That was the horror of 'The Mist', the film. We, as human beings, are the very things that go bump in the night... We are the bad guys, even if your intentions are pure. I've literally watched that film a gazillion times, so its extremely hard to get out of my head. It's only fair for me to judge the show without an extreme bias... And the only way to rid myself of that extreme bias is if I watch these episodes again and again and again. Four, y'all. I'm talking, I watched this specific episode 'Show and Tell' four times! Before you start sending me fruit baskets and letters of condolences, I started to notice that while many of these actors just aren't up to par, that the ones that are or are shaking up to be (Frances Conroy, Holly Deveaux, Danica Curcic *my breakout vote for the series*, Romaine Waite *step up, now, papo*, and even newcomers like Luke Cosgrove & Okezie Murro) are really attempting to step up and create some sort of magnetic character development for the audience to hold onto, to explore on a much more intense level, where time constraint that a film would face, really isn't a major issue. It's just that we have actors and actresses like Isiah Whitlock Jr and Alyssa Sutherland who simply didn't seem to get the memo that 'The Mist: The Series', needs them to tone down the cheese-factor. This is horror... And 'The Mist' (no matter the format) isn't a cheeky or B-Film Trip down a 'Full Moon' or 'Troma' like lane. I hate to rag on actresses, especially competent ones, but it's not always the actresses or actors that are to blame... It could be direction or something as simple as a horrible miscast... But Alyssa Sutherland (Eve) is not doing this series any favors. I'm a bit confused on her reactions in relation to her daughter Alex (Gus Birney) being trapped with the boy who 'supposedly' sexually assaulted her. It doesn't feel natural and it seems like the kid being accused is clearly innocent. After 4 viewing of this episode, I've developed an intricate theory, but I'll save it for later. The main issue is that the characters are all so separated right now, so until we start killing some off, thinning out the herd, and meeting important characters up somewhere in the middle, there's really no reason to dive too far into such a subplot. Honestly, and no disrespect to Sutherland, I just truly believe she was horribly miscast and unfortunately I feel like the young Gus Birney would fly better in the series if she had a different mother to play along side her. Hopefully their chemistry starts to percolate in the next few episodes, but for now it's not feeling conducive to the young actress trying to spread her wings. Speaking of spreading wings (oh, come on, you know I had to use that).... 'The Mist' shows off a different kind of horror than what we've come to expect from 'the brand' itself. It looks as if whatever is in The Mist is feeding off the psychological fears of each individual. This is where the show could not only get interesting, but use a completely new type of horror twist to attach to 'The Mist' name and flavor. The imagery was out of this world. Sure, the budget is low, but it looks like they are using good chunks of money on moments where it really counts, where they really need to capture their audiences attention... And believe you me, that scene where that boy sprouted wings in the murky fog of the dense mist was absolutely breathtakingly horrifying. Having Frances Conroy react to that scene was the best possible decision that the creators of the show could make. Although, 'Show and Tell' still shines down a mediocre light on 'The Mist' as a whole, this was the first episode where I didn't feel like it was such a chore to sit through. Sure, I had to watch it multiple times to truly find the things I appreciate about the episode the most, but not everyone will need that extra time to see what makes the positive side of the series pop. Like I said before, the cast is a bit too large in the numbers department, it's time to start killing these characters off, and if these are the type of innovative ways they plan on tackling this issue, then that's a pretty damn good reason to stay tuned in... At least for now!

Kevin Cage of @spotlightsaga reviews... Legends of Chamberlain Heights (S02E01) The G-Word Airdate: June 18, 2017 @comedycentral Ratings: 0.191 Million :: 0.10 18-49 Demo Share Score: 7.5/10 TVTime/FB/Twitter/Tumblr/Path: @SpotlightSaga **********SPOILERS BELOW********** Let me be one of the first few at the burgeoning community of TVTime.com to say... Welcome Back, 'Legends of Chamberlain Heights'. I know that I'm a bit late, and most likely either Milk or Grover is going to give me a good slap, henny... But in keeping with tradition of the source material, let me put it this way... I've just been procrastinating. Even so, after watching 'The G-Word', I didn't include Jamal in my inaugural, well deserved belated S2 slap because frankly, Jamal just isn't fit to slap me after turning his back on his boys for a taste of that 'White Boy Fame'... ("Bro, Bro, Bro, Bro, Bro!") Going around slapping mother fuckers like white boys and shaving them stems, Pssssh! In the 'LegendsOfCH' S2 opener, the show takes on 'The G-Word'... No, not Gonorrhea. No, not Gonads, either. It's not Gilgamesh, Gandalf, Gay, Gooch, Guido, Gringo, GHB, Gook or any words of the kind that may ring offensive to sensitive ears... No, no, no. We're talking the dirtiest 'G-Word' of them all - Gentrification. Let's take just a slight moment to veer off the road from the lighthearted, '1+1-2 = No Fucks Given' tone of the hilariously raunchy, Comedy Central show that could even make the legendary 'King of Lowbrow' & 'God of Bad Taste', John Waters, blush, maybe, well, probably not... He is, after all, a god of all things below the belt. Let's get serious for a moment, because goddammit... There's more to 'Legends' than most fans, critics (besides some of our hardworking men & women over at 'BubbleBlabber' - I see y'all!), give the perfectly acceptable companion to 'South Park' credit for. Spotlight Saga has tackled Gentrification many times before, through the vessels of many different series... Including Dick Wolf's slightly butchered take of the very real and very tragic 'Ghost Ship Warehouse Fire' in Oakland. The very same 'Gentrification-Generated' fire that took the lives of 36 of our West Coast brothers and sisters. We don't need to make this one too heavy, but we do need to make a point. There are many critics of this show that dismiss 'Legends' place in this world, yet in one episode they collectively tackle Gentrification, how it can negatively affect our working class & poverty stricken neighborhoods, how 'Arcade Fire' ('Starcade Fire' in the show) can literally Gentrify a riot with a single song that shares the same name of some of their other songs but it is differentiated by a number at the end, always sticking by your friends even when they turn their back on you, Netflix & Chill/I mean FUCK, and how much fun it can be to piss on someone from a rooftop (obviously some lessons more important than others)... All while simultaneously and effectively breaking and reinforcing every racial stereotype known to man. In 'Legends' no one group safe or even remotely off limits. South Park does it and its funny, but creators and voice actors Josiah Johnson (Grover), Quinn Hawking (Jamal), and Michael Starrbury (Milk) of 'Legends of Chamberlain Heights' take it a step further and suddenly everybody is feeling uncomfortable, Fuck y'all! Not only is this animated series absolutely 'Laugh-Out-Loud' hilarious, but it's on the forefront of social commentary... And you can't beat that! What it is about 'Legends' that turns off comedy critics is beyond me. Oh wait, no it isn't. I've actually got a good handle on it. The reason is simple and is exactly why we need a show like 'Legends' on the air ruffling the mainstream, FAR left leaning, SJW members of AV Club and 'Sister Fisting' Lena Dunham clones drooling for a cause to pass in front of their noses like a visible, cartoonish waft of freshly baked, good ol' American Apple Pie stuffed with completely innocent self-deprecating humor that simultaneously makes fun of and champions every minority and their stereotypes, but also shattering them in the same breath. So truly, truly, there's no need for anyone to get riled up, we just need you to fucking laugh, alright? You have our permission! Even publications like 'The New York Times' are coming around to the show's no holds barred style humor, writing articles hailing S2 (where were they in S1?)... Besides the aforementioned show creators, writers, voice actors... Real legends like Erykah Badu lend their musical talents and voice. SNL veteran, actor & stand-up comedian Jay Pharoah sells weed and mentors his little brother as well as 'pseudo-brown' news anchors as the older, wiser, lost soul of Montrel. Breaking Bad star, stand-up comedian and established writer Lovell Crawford gives us the sexually sure, life-saving LaDante. Let's not forget 'The Carmichael Show' staple & television veteran Tiffany Haddish as well as a man who needs no introduction, Jamie Kennedy, both lend their voices to various characters on the show. It would be criminal to not also mention 'The Simpsons' animator, co-creator of MTV's 'Good Vibes', and director of marketing for Illumination Entertainment's 'Minions', Brad Ableson who is also listed as VIP and creator of 'Legends'. That's one helluva diverse group... And one that means no harm. They just want to make you laugh and feel a little somethin', somethin' every once in awhile when Medina isn't tracking down Jamal by the scent of his dick. Yeah, so 'Legends' isn't exactly classy, but it's so much fun... And you should be put on notice, the animated series has stepped up their game for S2. They're just one step closer to actually realizing their hood dreams of becoming.... 'Leeeeeeegennnnnds!'

Kevin Cage of @spotlightsaga Reviews... Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (S03E06) Kimmy is a Feminist! Airdate: May 19, 2017 Ratings: @netflix original Score: 5.75/10 **********SPOILERS BELOW********** I believe I'm going to need Ms Kimmy Schmidt to step it up a bit, and I don't mean Ellie Kemper. The actress herself gives us all she can in every facet of her sweet-cheeked, 90's bubbled, hyperactive portrayal of the breakout mole-woman character... But there is definitely something about this season that isn't clicking quite yet. Tina Fey seems to have taken on more of an absent producer type role... So the writers room is Fey-less for the most part until E8 (sans a co-writing credit in E2) and you can truly feel that. The first two episodes of the season were all about Titus Andromedon and his separation from Mikey, freeing his character up so that he could move wherever it is that they needed to move him around to. It was almost a shame because of course I want Titus to be happy, but Titus is at his best when he isn't tied down to anyone... So poor, sweet, newly outed Mikey was cut off as quick as a newborn's umbilical cord. Titus' freedom to move about was completely taken to task by Director Dan Scardino and Writers Grace Edwards & Sam Means. He's called upon by Jacqueline who requests his presence through a phone call to Kimmy who refers to him as that 'flamboyant friend of yours'. And Titus is off... answering Jacqueline's call for help as she's stuck at home with Russ' brother, Duke (Josh Charles). She later admits that she doesn't trust herself around him, so Titus is being used to run interference on both sides as he poses as flailing, fiery flamboyant 'Flouncey Magoo'. I giggle just saying the name, but Titus isn't amused by it whatsoever... So when Duke discovers Titus' bag of sex lubes and edible panties he's actually using for Vitamin C to help cure his Scurvy, Titus seizes the moment, takes on a straight persona and changes his name to Chadwick. If it wasn't for Tituss Burgess most of these scenes would've been duds... And that's saying something because Burgess, Charles, and Jane Krakowski are all absolute scene stealers for the most part... Well, more Burgess & Krakowski, but you get my drift. It's fun seeing Charles in this role and he's giving it his all, I just don't think the material is all it should be... At least not yet. While insanity ensues at Jacqueline's and they end up drugging Duke and recording him talking about the dangers of concussions in the NFL (again, this isn't the best material, someone call HBO's writing team for 'Ballers', pls), Kimmy prepares herself for her first college party. Here's where things get dodgy for a lot of people. I just carried on a conversation with a fellow friend & @TVTime'r @RoxxxieManeater and we talked a bit about the controversy of the heavy political notes that Fey and her merry band of writers are attempting to satire. Some people believe that it's 'mean spirited', and I get that. Hell, even Vice Magazine wrote an article about it, no shit... But I thought the '7th Wave Feminism' jokes were all pretty damn funny and could've been taken to another level. But see... That's the problem here, and I think that's why people are so polarized by it... In comedy, going all in would be better than just dipping your toes, because essentially the more over-the-top you go, the more it falls into 'John Waters' type kitsch or campy self-deprecating humor. It's hard to deny that it just doesn't feel right when the humor only goes halfway in... 'Go hard or go home', right? It feels a bit like the writers are mocking in a way, and I know even tho all people might not share those same values, everyone on this planet can identify with not wanting their core belief system ridiculed. It's just much easier to laugh if comedy takes bits to the extreme, it's easier to identify that it's comedy and not the aforementioned 'mean spirited' nature we discussed. Putting this take of comedy on what is most likely meant to be ironically funny into an equation like that makes the issues people are having with S3 a lot more clear-cut. I've been told by pretty much everyone that the show does get more cohesive and begins to focus it's blurry lines of what's been a bit daunting in its execution so far, but some of those people have told me this will be the last season for them. I don't mind if UKS hits some serious notes and slides in some political satire... But when I watch UKS, I want to have a good time... Not be thrown in a position where instead of laughing along I'm having to analyze the way the show rounds its bases. I'm basically calling in the guards... Go all in and give it to them rough like a roast or pull back because it's making us a bit uncomfortable instead of making us laugh.

Michaela Coel, you are a beautiful woman of color… Angular and 'niche’, but I guess I’m 'niche’ too… Im a thick Ginger Cub and my confidence that I didn’t fully take on until after high school, speaks for itself anyway. I’m pretty fn’ white with a beard as red as a Cardinal, so what? To the younger ones watching, reading… To the adults who still struggle looking in the mirror and have no idea how beautiful they really are or what they are worth… Don’t let anyone make you feel anything less than beautiful… And if they do, give it a few years and you’ll see whatever they had at that time, physically, well it doesn’t last forever. Be you. Be beautiful. Be humble. Pass it on. And for god sakes, try really hard to not fuck your cousins!

Kevin Cage of Spotlight Saga TV Reviews... Requiem (S01E01) Matilda Airdate: Feb 2, 2018 (UK) 3/19/18 (US) @TVTime Ratings: 4.84 Million (UK) @BBCOne @Netflix Score: 4/10 @SpotlightSaga @CulturePit **************SPOILER FREE**************** ‘Requiem’ doesn’t exactly suck you in from its first meticulous minutes that slowly plod along as the ‘Matilda’ episode sets up a mystery around every ‘Red Herring’ & ‘Chekhov’s Gun’ that the writer’s possibly can think of. It’s almost too much; and that doesn’t feel right to say; because, ultimately, the delivery all around is quite minimal. We’re not given much to go on with any character... Matilda Gray (Lydia Wilson) leads the cast to a remote village in Wales after her mother mysteriously pops up at the back of one of her concerts & suddenly (and very violently) pleadingly apologizes to her as she takes her own life. Matilda is left clues by her mother, who besides some antidepressants and general anxiety, was completely acting out sorts in her last moments. Matilda chases the generally placed clues around with her boyfriend Hal Fine (Joel Fry) only to uncover more & more mystery and people behaving slightly strange... But not really anymore than Matilda who, along with her boyfriend, resembles a modern Hipster version of a clairvoyant Scooby Doo... You know, but without the dog. If everything at every turn is a mystery, then it’s hard to get truly invested in any of the mysteries the Mini-Series is serving up. Right off the bat you get some excellent cinematography and traditional Welsh music of the Classical variety... I’m assuming the latter was a decision that links Matilda to her profession as a Cellist, which may or may not be connected to something else. It’s hard to say. Frankly, ‘Requiem’s opener is pretty damn boring... But it’s aesthetically pleasing enough to assure most casual Netflix Bingers to stay with the BBCOne collaboration for at least another episode or two. There’s only 6 episodes in total, so that may have an affect on viewers as well. People are more likely to stick out a series that doesn’t grab them right away if there isn’t 30-30 episodes in its season... And surely something this beautiful will go somewhere, right? We know you can’t really judge a book by its cover (that seems to be especially true when applied to the world of television & film), but there’s enough intrigue here to mix with the series’ intoxicating signature wide shots of lush green Welsh Countryside to at least stop you from grabbing the remote and admitting you made a mistake after just the first episode. Admittedly, that could be a real thought running through one’s head after watching this one. So far we’re right smack dab in the middle of the road.

David Bowie is perfect... Everyone should know that. #ThingsYouShouldKnow