In Review: Little Fires Everywhere Episode 1

Whispers of this show and it's watchability has been travelling through the TV world pipeline for quite some time so I have been anxious to get ahold of it. I have never read the book but I have seen the front cover in the windows of various bookstores and it is popular for a reason that I think comes across very well in the first episode. Let me tell you why.

The episode literally starts with a fancy looking house ablaze and consumed by smoke and fire. And the impression is that many relationships and family ties are also being fried to ash too. It pans to Reese Witherspoon holding her gown closed with eyes swimming with tears. She is a cool contrast to the fire. Her blue eyes are the water that you can see that she wants to put out what has been done, but does not know how. The fire was set with little fires all over the house and a character called Izzy is being blamed.

The first episode is called "The Spark" and the episode goes back in time to four months before. It is 1997 and we see Reese's matriarchal character keeping her busy all American family under wraps during breakfast. She has kids going to orchestra camp. She seems to have everything in a tight schedule. She goes to work but on her way there she sees a car with a woman sleeping in it so she reports it to the police. We see that it is not just one woman but two. They are a mother and a daughter who are getting by and who is shown being careful with money and washing themselves in a public bathroom. They are a completely different family unit to that of Elena's and her brigade of  assumed perfection.

Elena meets the women in person when they come to the house viewing of a place that Elena is renting out. She does this at a lower price and even knocks off a little rent even more for them. The mother, Mia is naturally suspicious and untrusting of Elena, and the suburb in general. We find this easy to understand especially when they are given a book with town history and town rules. It is a very white, and middle-class town. Mia is an artist and doesn't seem to take authority and convention very well. Her daughter Pearl is optimistic and starry-eyed over being able to have her own bedroom. We get lots of scenes that show they are very close, yet very different in their perspectives. They discuss 'finding a bed' in a skip while lying in bed and we feel that like Elena. Mia only wants the best memories for her child.

Themes build up such as class when Elena's husband criticises Elena's charitable acts when he quizzes her with the proclamation "you rented to a homeless person?". Meanwhile while Pearl is putting together her salvaged bed in the front lawn Elena's son Moody comes over to meet her and they strike up a friendship. There is a lovely montage of them picking paint and painting the house together. Though, Pearl only ever paints one wall. As they move a lot and it is easy to revert back, she explains.  Elena's relationship with her children isn't as good as it initially seems. She is disconnected with her youngest daughter Isabelle who prefers to be called Izzy. In TV tomboy style she sets her hair on fire because her mum said it is her best feature and wants to wear black all of the time.

The tension brews like a hot cup of spiked tea between Elena and Mia who meet in the street after Mia finishes work at her part time job. Elena attempts to offer her work at her house like cleaning and Mia is offended by that. Elena also tries to encourage Mia to take up portrait photography as this would be popular in the neighbourhood but it is not the type of photography Mia does. She likes to "show people as they really are" and her voice is shrouded by meaning towards Elena and the mask she seems to wear. Elena means well but she has underlying racism she doesn't realise she has and this is an enticing plot device I look forward to seeing more of. The differences between them are highlighted more and more as the episode continues. The knife is shoved deeper into Mia's insecurity as Pearl gets on very well with Elena. Isabelle longs for no rules whereas Pearl almost wants them and is missing the structure. Both daughters find that in their alternative mothers.

The episode ends with trouble. Moody gets Pearl a bike and he takes her to his den in an old van in a junkyard which they get in trouble for being at. Izzy refuses to play at the orchestra and writes "not your puppet" on her forehead. There is a lot of room for some really interesting developments. I am pumped to see Elena and Mia come to blows, but eventually find more common ground and realise their love for their daughters is exactly the same. I am excited for all of the tension in between. All in all there are eight episodes and I might just binge it all now.

You can delve into 'Little Fires Everywhere' on Amazon Prime!

With love and television buzz,
The Serial Television Watcher

Should you upload "Upload" to your "to watch" list?

I'm not going to lie. I was a little dubious about 'Upload' because I feel like I have seen many different versions of the afterlife in shows like 'The Good Place' and there is a show last year I can't remember the name of which had a man who is quite depressed is cloned and he has to life with his happier alter-ego. 'Upload' is definitely a merge of shows like this and I've got to say that I wasn't really looking forward to it. But woah-ho, I was wrong!

It starts with a short haired girl sat next to an older lady watching '50 First Dates' in a hologram version on a tram. An advert for an idyllic place called 'Lakeside'. She jumps off the tram and runs to work which seems to be the tech agency that provides and manages 'Lakeside' which is more than just the retreat that it seems. In fact, it is an afterlife that you can purchase and be uploaded to when you die. Seconds later, we meet a man racing through the streets and controlling his car with a game controller. So we know who the immediately who the two main characters are going to be.

Police stop him but not in the typical 2020 way. The police officer is not real person. It's a drone with what looks like an iPad attached to it. It is really cool, yet really funny. The show and its lore and the way things make sense doesn't seem too serious which is easy for a sci-fi to slip into. We see such a well laid-out image of how the futuristic world is. With details like seeing bicycles drive themselves home after people get off them and how there are "prioritise occupant" or "prioritise pedestrian" options for your car. It's concepts that are the world is close to now, but still far away enough to feel immersive and cool to watch.

We find out that the man's name is Nathan and we join him at thanksgiving with his family...and his girlfriend who he doesn't want to commit to. A conversation about a relative who is dead comes up and the question "which heaven?" is asked. His girlfriend replies "Lakeside". It is so fascinating that you can pick your own heaven and you don't get the default. It makes me wonder about all of the ways ethics will play into this as the series goes on. The show throws out fun little sweets for the viewer to gather and stuff into their cheeks with  details like how classical dance is now considered to be twerking. It's a jovial experience.

Nathan is scanned at the grocery store and it discovers what you like "You like Cayan. Buy some spinach!" which is so humorous. Shortly after, he dies of a punctured lung because his automated car won't stop. It is hinted that it may have been tampered with. Nora, we discover is a handler who helps people adjust to being uploaded to the afterlife and she is given Nathan to upload. She sees that he is forced to upload by his girlfriend. He is put into a hospital room. He leans forward to see his mother and his head is lasered off to be uploaded to the digital afterlife. It is a ruthless act but it is made better by Nora adjusting his settles and it shows how his appearance can be edited by the person uploading him to heaven. Like fixing his uneven hair. Which she chooses not to.

Nathan is finally uploaded to 'Lakeside' and Nora is there to guide him. She explains how his room is  classic Americana  but to Nathan it appears outdated and they slowly start to warm up to each other and joke together. Nora is the optimism to Nathan's pessimism and it works beautifully. He calls her an angel and in a way she acts in the way because as he lies down and cries when she is gone she comes back and has the ability to send him to sleep. So although they get along so well; they are not equals and this could get messy later.

Nathan settles into his afterlife with items such as fridges you can "swipe left" on like Tinder so it can take you to a new selection of crisps and drinks and a dial that changes the weather outside. There are two men who are high school sweethearts next to him on rocking chairs on the balcony over who uploaded together at the same time. It's all so cute and perfect and we see Nathan try and grapple with why it doesn't feel perfect to him. 'Upload' is very smart because it shows adbots who are personified and walking around the hotel lobby. There is a character in the lift who is in black and white. It is because they uploaded her using a photo from 1961. I enjoy that immensely.

Nathan continues to have a hard time. He can't remember what his job was and his now very much alive girlfriend is possessive and has control of his afterlife account. She tells him she loves him because she can't scare him off now. We see Nora back at home. Her dad is using a food printer which is like a 3D printer. He instantly creates a Jamie Oliver recipe through it and Nora comments that "the fat cartridge might be low" which is hilarious. Her dad seems to be ill and believes in the original heaven because he is convinced that is where her mother is much to Nora's protest.

The dark side of the afterlife is portrayed in so many ways. There is talk about "sui-scan" which is suicide by uploading yourself by scanner. Nathan finds a guy is reviewing Lakeside in front of the lake for his YouTube channel. He explains how the frame rate drops because there are millions people in the same place. Nathan approaches the data torrent so he can die properly however Nora is there just in time to talk him down. She tells him details she is not supposed to and it sets up a strong foundation for where their relationship is bound to go from there. Overall, I am riddled with surprise about 'Upload' and I really, truly believe you shouldn't miss out!

Watch 'Upload''s ten episodes on Amazon Prime!

How does Ryan Murphy's 'Hollywood' shape up next to his other shows? Reviewing the first episode.

Post-war Hollywood is an interesting topic. We tend to see a lot of media around this time of history but I, for one, rarely see it concerning Hollywood before the 50s. We know films were being generated more than ever there but films like 'Hail, Ceaser!" generally centre around the golden age of the 50s and 60s rather than the late 40s.

I am a huge Ryan Murphy nerd as are most TV buffs who have any layer of sense! Shows like 'American Horror Story', 'Pose' and 'The Politcian' have really paved the standard for the way television is made in the 2010s. In fact, Ryan Murphy reached 2020 with his great writing far quicker than anyone else. So, obviously, when I heard that his next show 'Hollywood' was going to be hitting Netflix today I was more than ready to race to my laptop as soon as the sun came up.

Davis Corenswet is the star of the show. I knew that he was familiar and that is because he was river Barkey in 'The Politician'. His chiselled jaw, dimples and deer in the headlights look is perfect for portraying a budding actor in the midst of Hollywood's heydays. The episode starts with Jack (Davis Corenswet) alone in a cinema with a hand full of popcorn watching an infomercial about Hollywood. He is zoned in on the content and it seems to outline his life. The footage shows the ambition of hundreds of people in Hollywood waiting outside the gates of a movie studio. They all have hopes and dreams of being an extra. And Jack is one of them.

The advert transitions into real life and Jack is now within the crowd, cutting through to the front to join his friend. We get the impression that he does this everyday and the scene is painted so well with bright colours, desperation and a lot of trilby hats. The process of a woman with large cat eye glasses pointing people out of the crowd to walk through the gates is daunting. It seems as rigorous as an army and it is designed to come across that way as many people in the crowd have recently come home from war and trying their luck in Hollywood. How seriously people take it is shown to us through Jack's friend who uses lingo like "lensing" and corrects Jack that they are "producing a movie" not "making a movie". It's the detail like that that makes you fascinated as people are chosen and the rest leave like a bizarre enactment of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory.

Jack has a lot of pride about being an extra. He has dimples and a "can-do" attitude. But he can't get a loan for him and his pregnant wife. He is watched by a silver-haired man at the bar every night and being bought drinks by him. This man is brought to life by Dylan McDermott. (Although no longer wearing a latex suit from his American horror story days.) It is typical Ryan Murphy casting. He recycles actors and actresses in such a thoughtful way. Dylan McDermott's character is called Ernie and he is a brash, and open person to enter Jack's life. He wants him to pump gas at his gas station. He wants someone good looking to do it as this brings good business. Jack agrees, and follows him to the gas station the next day. The gas station brings great nostalgic Americana in its appearance however there are signs that make it seem slightly sexual and innuendo-y. The name of the gas station is "golden tip". And, boy, I am certain that means some things, ya know?

The shots of the show are very clever and sneaky "Lubrication service" behind Ernie when Jack walks out in his new work uniform donning a yellow cap. We find out that the gas station offers male prostitution and Jack is very against it at first but decides to try it because the money is so good. We see themes of masculinity and the pressure to provide in his actions. The music is jolly and familiar when the outrageous act happens and Jack is driven away by an older woman to a hotel. It shows the stark reality of Hollywood but has that "movie magic" glaze over it that makes it seem romantic. I liked that. The woman turns out to be very interesting. She was in silent films but didn't make it into "talkies" because she was a Jew. Jack opens up to her too and says all he had back home were his good looks. Jack's innocence and starry eyed view is apparent in my favourite quote of the episode:

"Movies? you think they matter?" "You kidding? I know they do"

When Jack gets back he is moved on to a man. Not just any man. It's Cole Porter. But Jack recoils and leaves to the anger of Ernie who says he must bring back a replacement or he receives no money for the day. Jack re-joins his wife and they discover they are having twins. Jack faints. There is a little bit of ludicrousy in that but in the best way. It's classic and fun storytelling. Jack knows he needs to do something about the gas station so he dresses as a police man and walks into a gay film with a couple of men watching and masturbating each other. Jack pretends to arrest one of the men who he plans to get to fill in for him at the gas station so he can still get his money.

We discover his name is Archie. He was also in the service and wanted to be a scriptwriter but no one wants to hire a contracted black man. He jumps on board with the idea and becomes a natural at the gas station. There is a whole scene of him tenderly getting to know the first man who picks him up. Gay themes are spot on and treated beautifully. It seems like it will be a humorous mixture of male friendship and sadness sprinkled in. Ernie's isn't well so trouble is definitely brewing and I think that there is only so long that the gas station can stay under the radar. It all seems to be going well....until the end of the episode happens. But I don't want to spoil it for you!

Let me know what you think of it too. Who else can't wait until Darren Criss comes along in the next episode?

Catch the entire season of 'Hollywood' on Netflix now!

Sincerely, The Serial Television Watcher

In Review: Four More Shots Please Episode 1

I am a bit late on the uptake on this show. Because the first season debuted almost a year ago. But I hadn't seen it on my Amazon Prime before so it seems to be pretty brand new romantic comedy series to the streaming service. The synopsis is "Four unapologetic flawed women live, love, blunder and discover what really makes them tick through friendship and tequila in Millennial Mumbai." Needless to say, it perked my interest. My feminist shows to rely on have dwindled a bit over the years. Since HBO's Girls with Lena Durham ended I have been looking for a similar kind of vibe. Maybe this show will be the one. Mumbai too. That is a city, and a country which does make its way into the mainstream that often and I would love if the representation was realistic and a story that people in Mumbai would see themselves in.

The first episode is titled 'Ambitious. Prude. Feminist. Slut." This makes me put my mug of coffee down in anticipation. There will clearly be a conflict between two alternative ways of looking at feminine behaviour and pushback from society around them. The opening credits have lots of empowering messages and the music is funky and creates a fun introduction to the characters that you would look forward to every time you start an episode. Four more shots equals four main characters and they are all different and going through different things. We have Siddhi who is demure and thicker than most women around her and who is primarily focused on marriage, Damini who hardworking is a news editor who is having daydreams about her doctor, Anjana who is a single mother and spunky Umang who works at a gym.

We are allowed windows into the day that all the women are having. There are funny elements like  when Damini goes to the doctor who she can't repress herself from flirting with, writes "bathe three times a day" on her notes. I love the brashness of the humour. The four women all meet up at the end of the day at a bar called 'The Truck Stop' where they all band together and relax, and let loose and be themselves around each other. The actresses are really good at portraying a closeness and a unity between them. They make silly jabs and laugh together and it's a lot of fun to watch. The women use quite a few Americanisms like "kick it in the balls" and "respect, bro!". It shows millennial Mumbai as a multicultural and evolutionary in their language and how they conduct themselves. The bartender judges them slightly but seems to accept them which shows that this isn't normal behaviour for Indian women and some people have to adjust to this. But the bartender willing because he says that they aren't allowed any "sissy cocktails!" This is almost a loving sentence because he doesn't want them to stick to the status quo.

Anjana has a moment which I really like, which is when she drunkenly preaches ""Reason for divorce is marriage" which is modern thinking yet laced with pessimism that seems to poison her mind and exposes the hurt and disappointment that she has deep inside. Even though she seems one of the most enlightened women; she is not the happiest for it and exposes how you can long for tradition even if you know you should be rebelling against it. I like that this show shows that battle even in the first episode. Before they leave Damini has a moment with the bartender who watches her curiously as she lines up shot glasses perfectly but she doesn't notice him. Oh, what's that I spy? Oh, yes, a love triangle. I'm sure we will see a lot of that in the series. That's not my favourite type of story but I think it will be sweet seeing Damini realise someone wants her as much as she thinks she wants the doctor.

The women are so tipsy and confident that they throw a rock and break the neon lights outside of the bar from 'truck' to 'fuck'. They aren't afraid to do things like this which almost shows that they live in a bit of a privileged bubble where there are no consequences in a country full of consequences usually. Because the bartender won't press charges because he likes them they feel that they have the freedom. And they grab at the freedom with all of their might! They all go home to lives with people they care for but which also hold them down or to loneliness. Anjana says "asshole" in front of her daughter who skips around school repeating it. Anjana seems to get a hard time from the other mothers anyway because of her marital status "First she couldn't control her husband now her poor kid". She flips the mothers off which is a deeply gratifying action to watch.

Damini is called a "girl" and not a woman in court and the narrative of gender inequality builds like a flower drenched in fertilizer. My favourite quote of the episode is when Damini and Anjana are walking away from court next to a park full of mostly men and boys and Anjana asks a question: "What is the difference between condoms and men? They are no longer thick and insensitive."
"Anji, that's really sexist."
"2000 years of patriarchy, man."
That interaction and I hope that is one out of many to come in the two series that has been released.

Old traditions seem to hound Siddhi the most who is being forced to take singing lessons to get the interest of potential suitors and being harshly criticised by her mother, The instrument breaks which is a funny moment, but also hints that Siddhi is soon going to break out of the rut of her life. Afterwards she looks at herself in the mirror in a bra and knickers and then gives up and eats a chocolate bar. Everyone in the show is fighting an internal battle. And some are fighting external battles too. Damini is now being forced to censor her stories and Umang yelled at a Bollywood actress at a gym. It seems that she is instantly apologetic because she is famous but it seems deeper than that and if you look more closely, it might be because she fancies her. It only takes a few minutes for this to be confirmed at the end when she makes out with a girl in the bathroom at the Truck Stop. I love that this show doesn't leave out sexuality and it is a brave and bold storyline for a Mumbai filmed show to have.

In conclusion I think 'Four More Shots Please' has a lot to give. If I had to compare it to anything I would say it's 20% Derry Girls meets 50% Sex And The City 30% Girls like I already referenced.

Give it a watch yourself on Amazon Prime.

'Quiz' Episode 1 Review

I have seen a few adverts and various people on my timeline's talking about 'Quiz'. It is a mini series based on the true events of the show 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?' and the story of the three people that hacked the system and "stole" a million pounds by bending the rules.  'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?' is a pretty famous show around the world, but primarily the UK.I watched it a lot as a child because it was one of the only things on in the daytime and after school. I remember the high intensity being a draw for me as a child as I would marvel over how the contestants would know such hard questions and I would get really excited when I would get questions right. It premiered in 1998, and in the years that followed that I remember watching it I would always think to myself "Could the phone a friend just google the answer?" And, even in my young brain, I could fathom the possibility of cheating slipping through the cracks. And it did happen but not in the way that I imagined.

The episode starts with a black screen with the text "We all know that art is not truth. Art is a lie that makes us realise truth" written across it which fades in a courtroom. The main characters under trial are a couple called Diana and Charles. The viewer ponders the quote as we watch on as flies on the wall into something we are yet to discover. Is the case black and white? it doesn't seem that way. It is every British person's pipedream to win a gameshow. It presents itself as an achievement possible for all kinds of people. The judge addresses the room and says ""Who wants to be a millionaire? well, these three certainly did" and I think that goes for most of the public in the early 00's.  The words have a hint of comedy, yet the gravity of the situation stays with you for the rest of the episode.

The next scenes show ITV aquriring a new director who wants to create more major TV events like the BBC do. I find this interesting to get a glimpse into the competitive nature between channels around this time all vouching to find "the next best thing." There is a charm to watching the teams plan out how the gameshow will work and you see how appealing the whole concept is. It makes you feel like you were there at the time. The USP (unique selling point) of 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?' is that it will have the largest gameshow prize in the history of television- one million pounds! To even these scenes, we also pop in on the perpetrators back before the show airs. Diana is at a pub quiz with her brother. And we see a kind of disconnect from her husband Charles because he isn't there and it is hinted that he prefers her being at home. A joke is made about her cheating from another player which is a huge foreshadow for the series as it continues on.

We meet Michael Sheen who has been cast as Chris Tarrant and frankly, it works perfectly. He fits the bumbly Englishness so well. (As well he should. He had good practice as Azirphale in 'Good Omens'.) This creates such a thick later of immersion for me and I really recommend watching this show if only to see how spot on Michael's imitation is. I like the little nuggets of information the show hands to the viewer such as how the gameshow 'Mastermind' was created by someone who was interrogated by the gestapo. It really drills in the psychology of television and how things like this are used, and can bring out the best and worst in people.

We as viewers sit beside Charles and Diana as they watch the first broadcast of the show and being affected by the amount of money that is available and the tension of the show. In contrast, we see the showrunners also waiting with baited breath as to whether the show will work or not. And it does. Oh, it does. And escalates more than they ever expect. We see the popularity of the show kick off and people across the country racing to sign up and 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" wins award after award. (Using actual archive footage which I loved!) Then it is sold to America and becomes a global phenomenon. Diana's brother calls in over fifty times. He gets a spot and we see him get beaten to get in the chair much to his disappointment. We witness him start to unravel which is handled in a humanising way that makes you feel for this character as he has racked up so many phone bills he needs to pay and keep his business afloat.

Diana's brother meets a man called Paddy Spooner has gotten to be on the show in the  UK, Ireland and Australia. He tells him that they "don't check" which shows that people are finding loopholes. This is riveting stuff because I wasn't aware of this. The show selects around one hundred people to call back with random questions which hard to get right. They often would rotate the questions so there was a network of a people circulating the answers to each other. It's a big operation which is so fascinating to watch and learn about. And ultimately, it is very impressive, whether it is right or wrong of them. Obviously, this inspires Diana's brother and he starts to obsess and times himself typing answers. He manages to get on the show a total of four times and the fourth time he makes it onto the main show for the real game. This does not go unnoticed by the show's producers and even Chris Tarrant mocks him for it but nobody can work out how it has happened. He loses after 32,000 pounds and is sent home.

It is upsetting that he has tried so many times only to lose. Diana takes on the legacy and gets onto the show too. She also wins 32,000 pounds and offers half of it to her brother to Charles's dismay. I love how dependant and addicted these characters get. At the end of the episode Charles has been signed up by Diana and he gets a call-back confirming he will be on the show. He doesn't want to, but now feels like he has to follow through and Diana tells him that it is "simply his turn" and we know that this is the event that ends them up in court. The question on every character's lips is "is it cheating?" and furthermore it leaves you wanting more of how they did it. I am looking forward to seeing the next two episodes and where it goes from here. Matthew Macfadyen is fantastic as playing the easily swayed husband and father and your heart goes out for him for what it about to happen but he isn't entirely innocent either.

Watch 'Quiz' on ITV Player in the UK

In Review: Unorthadox Episode 1

When I saw this show appear on my Netflix subscription it almost looked like a documentary.  The subject and the thumbnail just made me feel like it should be. As I start watching it there is definitely a feeling of autobiographical significance. Orthodox Judaism isn't something I know that much about (Most of what I know is from shows like 'Transparent' which highlights the better side of Judaism) , and I feel Netflix has done a great thing creating something like this.

Anyway, back to the review. In an arthouse kind of style the episode throws us into the life- and the preparation a young woman called Esty to make an escape from her house. Esty is a sullen character that carries a lot of baggage and a sad glint in her eye. It is obvious that she is suffering yet she is worldly and smart to be hatching an escape plan. We see her interact with other Jewish women and we see very fast that she is an exception to the norm.

With the help of her piano teacher, she acquires a passport and manages to leave New York for Berlin. And we see how her unattendance affects her husband as he goes to a Sabbath lunch gathering and she doesn't turn up. The melancholy in the room is icy and full of expectation and tension and it is no wonder Esty wants to get far, far away. Though the episode doesn't give us an overload of information why.

Even though Berlin isn't that structurally different to New York, it seems that everyhting has changed for Esty. As she is picked up by a taxi, her whole body language changes and she seems lighter and more curious like there is nothing dragging her down. She sits in a square in Berlin and she watches a woman as she waits. I felt as if this might be her mother  but then another woman joins her and kisses her and Esty runs from the scene. I like this as it gives a lot of subtext to how sheltered Esty is and how something as normal as two women kissing would repel her and make her think of sin. So even though she is leaping out of the constrictions she was stuck in, there are still lessons of Judaism that are much harder to shift.

Flashbacks show us so much more of the type of person Esty was pre-marriage. Her looks are completely different. Her hair is long, full, blonde-like a doll! There is a stark change to how she looks in the present with a short brown bob and less fitted clothes. The flashbacks show an undeniable love for her grandma who I assume has passed away. The flashbacks show her being match-maked to her husband and being stared at by family of her soon-to-be husband like she is livestock in a really bizarre scene in a supermarket. Surrounded by Jewish traditional food, Esty is sized up on whether she fits the mould for a good wife.

Halfway through the episode we see Esty navigating Berlin adjusting to the people around her. There are shots of Muslim women and couples making out in coffee shops which paint the picture of things that Esty is not used to yet. There is a juxtaposition of Esty walking through a city with freedom to roam and her husband on the other side of the world sticking to zebra crossings and wondering where he went wrong. There is a sweet scene of Esty entering a coffee shop and asking for a coffee. "Just a coffee" and a man to the side of her suggests that she means an 'americano'. She helps him carry his multiple trays of coffee over to the music institute where he studies around the corner. She watches the group play music and is invited along with them to explore Berlin and to go to the beach. They fling off their outer clothes and Esty is introduced to just being a young person among other young people and how they act. I love all of this.

You see Esty's need for liberation blossom in front of you. She walks into the lake which has a dark history in the holocaust but she doesn't let herself be tied down with the remorse Jews are pushed into. She pulls off her brown hair which you don't quite suspect is a wig and floats on her back and you feel, for the first time in her life, she is relaxed and allowed to be. Another interesting flashback happens with her husband and the first time they have a conversation. He talks about a trip to Europe (slightly foreshadowing there!) and she listens, and replies "You went all the way to Europe and all you saw were graves?" And I think that hits nail on the head of what the show is trying to convey about the religion and the heritage, and everything in between. It is bold, and it is important.

Esty and her husband when they meet seem like kindred spirits but there is still a separation there and I think the answer is the gender gap. The episode delves into more details such as Esty being given piano lessons despite the rules of her sex. We see the repetition of the greeting "good sabbath" and those who do not say it and how they stick out like a sore thumb. All of this adds together like a satisfying puzzle.

Towards the end of the episode it is discovered from a voicemail on her phone she left behind in New York that she is due to have an ultra scan. The men assume this is because of pregnancy but I am not so certain. I feel that it could be fake as Esty leaves the phone on the bed purposefully. But you and I will both have to watch more episodes to see if that theory holds up. The episode finishes with a flashback of her mother giving her documents that she has a right to German citizenship even though she doesn't want it at the time. This seems to have planted the seed that would take place in the years up to her deciding to leave and I love that detail. Finally, the episode is peppered with so many endearing moments with Esty and we feel every moment of her vulnerability and resourcefulness when it comes to finding somewhere to sleep for the night. She is a fascinating character and I think that there is way more to find out.

Check out Unorthdox on Netflix!

In Review: Tales From The Loop Episode 1

To start off from beginning to end this episode was expressively beautiful. Snow is used in a really pretty way in the episode and the special effects are subtle but entrancing. I found myself feeling wined and dined by the use of icicles and the vastness of the locations that were used.

The episode starts with a man staring down the viewer in the eyes. He wears glasses, and has a stern but informative air about him. He enters a sort of soliquay about the mysteries of the universe like an older, and more weathered Lemony Snicket narrating the episode before it begins. I enjoyed the way this set up the episode. The camera slowly zooms into the face of this man and we know that this is an important character and that we should take note of him. Off to a good start,

The next steps of the episode starts with a little girl going about her normal life. In a classroom, walking around her snow-covered neighbourhood and then she comes across a robot that almost looks like a reject from Pixar's 'Robots' in the landscape around her. However she treats this as normally as a tree in a back garden. I wonder why, but the show continues and lets the questions you may have stew and bubble in your brain.

The music in the episode elevates the uncertainty that envelopes the town. The scoring is very similar to "The Leftovers" and it works just as powerfully. We continue to follow the young girl, and how she witnesses a tense conversation between her mother and a mysterious man and alongside her, we try to piece together what is happening through the eyes of a child. The viewer feels just as vulnerable as her as we witness ominous conversations and how something needs to be "put back". But, what is it? The show teeters on with a solemn speed and our questions just pile on top of each other as we sift through the snow with the protagonist.

The little girls discovers that her mother has stolen something and needs to do an experiment on it. In a world of what we have seen in the episode so far - surreal structures, and more- it is easy to believe that are many experiments that take place. Children are usually the ones with secrets but it is the adult in this episode that keeps her cards close to her chest. The episode is layered with very thin horror elements which adds to the ambience of loneliness and fear that the little girl feels. Because the show is clearly not horror-orientated  but it feels almost as if the genre of the show changes according to the mindset that the girl has at the time. This could just be my imagination but I like that the plot is open enough for me to speculate and not be given a clear answer otherwise.

On returning home, her home has disappeared into thin air and her mother with it and the supernatural occurrences are instantly ramped up with snow rising upwards into the air. All that is left is a smooth stone which she then carries with her until she meets a boy called Cole in the forest. At this point, I am grateful for more characters because I love relationships and shows can often feel void if they go for too long without them. A friendship begins between them to find her mother and they also rope in his older brother which gives a little "Stranger Things" vibes meets "The Returned" as they trek through the forest and the town in search for answers.

The episode builds up the tension but it sometimes feels as though it is trying to conceal too many secrets and makes it feel a little dry and like you are waiting a little too long in a waiting room so it takes longer to sink your teeth into but it is worth the patience. It plays with your mind enough not to bore you from the frustration too much. Not to get into spoilers too much but there is a sense that Cole's mother is connected by blood to the girl but she seems to have moved forward in time. This really, really reminds me of Netflix's 'Dark'. And the conclusion of the episode is very remiscient of that. There is an emotional turn of events that I highly recommend you watch for yourself!

Overall, I really liked where this show is going and I will be watching more to see if I continue to like it more. The only bad thing I have to say that vexes me with these noir type of shows is that they make the adults hollow and cold but I think that is mainly for effect and that will change throughout the series. This show seems to be take inspiration from lots of different places but mashes all of them up in a divine treat served on a platter. The information that 'Tales From The Loop' was made from an art book of an alternate version of the 80s is so exciting for me and I have high hopes for what is in store for the show.

You can catch 'Tales From The Loop' on Amazon Prime.