Grant's TV Log (2018)

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"Luck don't live out here."
Decided to start a log for TV shows I'm watching as well. This one is much, much more low key than my movie log, though, as this one will be purely scores.

Fresh Rating: 70% - 100%
Rotten Rating: 0% - 69%

Fresh Seasons: 32
Rotten Seasons: 7
82% Fresh

Fresh Episodes: 352
Rotten Episodes: 58
86% Fresh

TV Show Season Rankings by Rating:
1. Sharp Objects, Season 1 - 91% Fresh
2. Halt and Catch Fire, Season 4 - 90% Fresh
3. Westworld, Season 2 - 90% Fresh
4. The Haunting of Hill House, Season 1 - 90% Fresh
5. Halt and Catch Fire, Season 3 - 87% Fresh
6. Halt and Catch Fire, Season 1 - 87% Fresh
7. One-Punch Man, Season 1 - 85% Fresh
8. Halt and Catch Fire, Season 2 - 85% Fresh
9. Maniac, Season 1 - 85% Fresh
10. The Handmaid's Tale, Season 1 - 85% Fresh
11. The Handmaid's Tale, Season 2 - 85% Fresh
12. The Expanse, Season 1 - 84% Fresh
13. The Expanse, Season 2 - 84% Fresh
14. Fargo, Season 3 - 84% Fresh
15. Homecoming, Season 1 - 84% Fresh
16. Succession, Season 1 - 82% Fresh
17. The Deuce, Season 2 - 82% Fresh
18. Cowboy Bebop, Season 1 - 81% Fresh
19. Ballers, Season 2 - 81% Fresh
20. Broadchurch, Season 1 - 81% Fresh
21. Preacher, Season 3 - 80% Fresh
22. Castlevania, Season 1 - 80% Fresh
23. Broadchurch, Season 3 - 80% Fresh
24. Broadchurch, Season 2 - 78% Fresh
25. Ozark, Season 2 - 78% Fresh
26. Ballers, Season 1 - 78% Fresh
27. Ballers, Season 4 - 78% Fresh
28. Yellowstone, Season 1 - 78% Fresh
29. Castlevania, Season 2 - 78% Fresh
30. The Staircase, Season 1 - 77% Fresh
31. Shot in the Dark, Season 1 - 74% Fresh
32. Orange is the New Black, Season 6 - 70% Fresh
33. Archer, Season 9 - 69% Rotten
34. The Flash, Season 4 - 67% Rotten
35. Arrow, Season 6 - 67% Rotten
36. Frontier, Season 1 - 66% Rotten
37. Frontier, Season 2 - 58% Rotten
38. House of Cards, Season 6 - 53% Rotten
39. Frontier, Season 3 - 40% Rotten

Average Season Rating: 80%
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"Luck don't live out here."
One-Punch Man: Season 1 (2015)
Platform: Netflix


Episode 1: The Strongest Man - 90%
Episode 2: The Lone Cyborg - 88%
Episode 3: The Obsessive Scientist - 85%
Episode 4: The Modern Ninja - 89%
Episode 5: The Ultimate Mentor - 91%
Episode 6: The Terrifying City - 88%
Episode 7: The Ultimate Disciple - 75%
Episode 8: The Deep Sea King - 76%
Episode 9: Unyielding Justice - 85%
Episode 10: Unparalleled Peril - 71%
Episode 11: The Dominator of the Universe - 83%
Episode 12: The Strongest Hero - 93%

Overall Season 1 Rating - 85% Fresh

I'm not a huge anime person, but I do enjoy anime shows on occasion, and One-Punch Man is one of my favorites. It's an interesting twist on the superhero genre, as Saitama is a superhero just for fun. Of course, he also defeats damn near everything with one punch, so much of the story is him trying to find someone who is truly a challenge to defeat. His sense of humor is perfect, but he's also a badass when he needs to be. He's a true pleasure to watch. However, One-Punch Man is not without its flaws. The biggest of which I believe is how several of the episodes take the spotlight off of Saitama and place it on one or several of the secondary character, who I feel fail to carry the show on their own. Basically, whenever Saitama is on screen I'm having an absolute blast, but whenever he's not and a secondary character is the focus...I find myself not as interested. It's still a very good show, though, and I can't wait for season two.



"Luck don't live out here."
Broadchurch: Season 1 (2013)
Creator: Chris Chibnall
Platform: Netflix


Episode 1 - 75%
Episode 2 - 81%
Episode 3 - 80%
Episode 4 - 83%
Episode 5 - 79%
Episode 6 - 84%
Episode 7 - 85%
Episode 8 - 82%

Overall Season 1 Rating - 81% Fresh

While season 1 of Broadchurch does follow the standard storyline of a detective show, excellent performances by everyone involved and a foreign (to me) setting makes it slightly more interesting than most others in the same genre.


Broadchurch: Season 2 (2015)
Creator: Chris Chibnall
Platform: Netflix


Episode 1 - 83%
Episode 2 - 80%
Episode 3 - 77%
Episode 4 - 79%
Episode 5 - 75%
Episode 6 - 73%
Episode 7 - 78%
Episode 8 - 78%

Overall Season 2 Rating - 78% Fresh

Season 2 of Broadchurch struggled to capture my complete interest as most of the season is spent covering the trial in a slow and frankly boring way. There were some interesting moments with Hardy looking further into the old Sandbrook case and ultimately solving it, but it wasn't as interesting as the first season. I still quite like the duo of Hardy and Miller, which saved my individual episode ratings from slipping even further than they did, but if season 3 doesn't evolve in some way I can't see the show getting any better.


Broadchurch: Season 3 (2017)
Creator: Chris Chibnall
Platform: Netflix


Episode 1 - 79%
Episode 2 - 80%
Episode 3 - 82%
Episode 4 - 83%
Episode 5 - 76%
Episode 6 - 82%
Episode 7 - 74%
Episode 8 - 80%

Overall Season 3 Rating - 80% Fresh

Season 3 of Broadchurch got back to what made the first season enjoyable: realistic detective work. This season's case isn't solved very easily, and Miller and Hardy have to slowly peel back layer after layer to get to the truth. I was satisfied with the conclusion. However, Danny's family is still woven into the story in what seems like a forced way, and I have some issues with how the show is paced at times (one enthralling episode will be followed by a boring episode). It's a solid detective show set in a location different from most in the same genre, but it's not a game changer by any means.



"Luck don't live out here."
The Expanse: Season 1 (2015)
Creators: Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby
Platform: Amazon


Episode 1: Dulcinea - 82%
Episode 2: The Big Empty - 80%
Episode 3: Remember the Cant - 83%
Episode 4: CQB - 84%
Episode 5: Back to the Butcher - 77%
Episode 6: Rock Bottom - 85%
Episode 7: Windmills - 80%
Episode 8: Salvage - 89%
Episode 9: Critical Mass - 91%
Episode 10: Leviathan Wakes - 85%

Season 1 Overall Rating - 84% Fresh

Wow. I was aware of The Expanse's existence long before the whole cancellation ordeal that ended with Amazon picking it up for a fourth season. But, I had never watched it, and I really didn't plan on watching it for quite a while longer. The hype around the revival peaked my interest, though, so I decided to start it. And, boy, I'm glad that I did. While it took me a few episodes to finally become hooked, The Expanse is the sci-fi show I've been longing for for quite some time. I've always felt that sci-fi often fell short of its potential on the small screen (I'm looking at you Altered Carbon), but this one hits every note I want it to. There's mystery, space battles, plenty of futuristic tech, action, and a world that seems very deep. I do think there is potential for it to be better, but given that I still have two seasons to get through, I think that it will reach its true potential by the time I'm caught up.


The Expanse: Season 2 (2017)
Creators: Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby
Platform: Amazon


Episode 1: Safe - 86%
Episode 2: Doors & Corners - 85%
Episode 3: Static - 83%
Episode 4: Godspeed - 88%
Episode 5: Home - 85%
Episode 6: Paradigm Shift - 83%
Episode 7: The Seventh Man - 81%
Episode 8: Pyre - 79%
Episode 9: The Weeping Somnambulist - 81%
Episode 10: Cascade - 78%
Episode 11: Here There Be Dragons - 87%
Episode 12: The Monster and the Rocket - 88%
Episode 13: Caliban's War - 85%

Overall Season 2 Rating - 84% Fresh

The second season of The Expanse expands on the mystery created in the first season, and provides some answers while also introducing new questions. The universe of the show continues to grow larger with each story arch and I have become fully invested in the overarching story now. I've also come to care quite deeply for most of the main cast. I will say that once again at the end of the season I wasn't left entirely satisfied, but looking forward to what has been set up for the next season. Overall, though, this has quickly become one of my favorite non-Netflix/HBO created shows of all time.



"Luck don't live out here."
Succession: Season 1 (2018)
Creator: Jesse Armstrong
Platform: HBO


Episode 1: Celebration - 82%
Episode 2: **** Show at the **** Factory - 85%
Episode 3: Lifeboats - 82%
Episode 4: Sad Sack Wasp Trap - 80%
Episode 5: I Went to Market - 84%
Episode 6: Which Side Are You On? - 87%
Episode 7: Austerlitz - 83%
Episode 8: Prague - 81%
Episode 9: Pre-Nuptial - 79%
Episode 10: Nobody is Ever Missing - 80%

Season 1 Rating - 82% Fresh

I read several early reviews of Succession and many of them called this show "unnecessary" because we don't need to focus on a family of rich folks doing bad things rich folks do. If you want to start applying the "unnecessary" line of logic to television shows, you'll find that many of them aren't worth our time. This has nothing to do with my review, but I just found it incredibly stupid.

Succession is a terrific family drama. Yes, they are a very rich family. Yes, there is some business involved. But the real entertainment here comes from how the family interacts with each other, and how the concept of family only goes so far in business. It may be a bit over the top at times but that just adds to the entertainment value. The comedy is quite good as well. If you're a fan of family dramas with business being a bit of a background driver of the story, Succession is for you.



"Luck don't live out here."
Awesome to see you doing TV stuff too. Looking forward to reading more.
Thanks. I've thought about it for a while, but when I saw that you started to do it I figured I might as well dive in as well. You go much more in-depth than I do, but my goal is to do just scores for each individual episode and then kind of a wrap-up review for each season (I just added them for One-Punch Man and The Expanse). Thanks for popping in!



@GrantD2, I should take another look at Broadchurch. Everyone seems to like it, but I was not engaged by the pilot.

I plan to take a look at Succession The next time I renew my HBO subscription. (IIRC, it is HBO.)
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"Luck don't live out here."
@GrantD2, I should take another look at Broadchurch. Everyone seems to like it, but I was not engaged by the pilot.

I plan to take a look at Succession The next time I renew my HBO subscription. (IIRC, it is HBO.)
Broadchurch is a fairly typical detective show with a little bit of added side drama. I believe I found it somewhat more interesting than a standard detective show purely because of the setting. The second season started to slip in quality, though, and I'm afraid that the third season may do the same.

I think Succession is a pretty good family/business drama so far. Some seem to think it's a dumpster fire, though, so I guess it's not meant for everyone.



"Luck don't live out here."
Archer: Season 9 (2018)
Creator: Adam Reed
Platform: FXX


Episode 1: Strange Pilot - 77%
Episode 2: Disheartening Situation - 71%
Episode 3: Different Modes of Preparing The Fruit - 64%
Episode 4: A Warrior in Costume - 61%
Episode 5: Strange Doings in the Taboo Groves - 59%
Episode 6: Some Remarks on Cannibalism - 70%
Episode 7: Comparative Wickedness of Civilized and Unenlightened Peoples - 85%
Episode 8: A Discovery - 65%

Overall Season 9 Rating - 69% Rotten

In Archer's early days, I was a diehard fan. I absolutely loved the show. But when the show reached what was somewhat of a conclusion and then the dreamland stuff started, I began to slowly lose interest. Unfortunately, season nine is one of the worst seasons yet. It does have a couple of stand out episodes, most notably episode seven, which I think is one of the best episodes in a few years, but most of the episodes are uninteresting and not very funny. There may be a chuckle or two to be had throughout most of the episodes, but that's not good for a show that relies so much on comedy. It just feels like that we're being fed the same gags over and over again, with the only differences being the setting and some character roles. It's a bummer to see a show take such a dive in quality, but that's the trajectory some series take. I hope that the final season will be better.



"Luck don't live out here."
Arrow: Season 6 (2017)
Creators: Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg
Platform: Netflix


Episode 1: 70%
Episode 2: 72%
Episode 3: 68%
Episode 4: 66%
Episode 5: 74%
Episode 6: 66%
Episode 7: 66%
Episode 8: 75%
Episode 9: 74%
Episode 10: 58%
Episode 11: 55%
Episode 12: 58%
Episode 13: 50%
Episode 14: 60%
Episode 15: 71%
Episode 16: 75%
Episode 17: 70%
Episode 18: 61%
Episode 19: 80%
Episode 20: 78%
Episode 21: 71%
Episode 22: 60%
Episode 23: 66%

Overall Season 6 Rating - 67% Rotten

Season 6 of Arrow marks a low point for the series as the over-dramatic split of Team Arrow coupled with a rather disappointing villain lead to what was once one of my favorite shows becoming something that I look at as a chore to watch. There is a good episode here and there, and I do have to give the team behind Arrow props for including as much action (even though a lot of the fight scenes are not choreographed very well), but this series just isn't what it once was. It focuses too much on inner-team drama, not enough on the bad guys, and way too much on why Oliver is hard to work with. Also, like The Flash, this show has fallen into a formulaic rut that it just can't seem to get out of. If it doesn't improve in Season 7, it may be time for the CW to hang up the hood and move onto another DC character.



"Luck don't live out here."
The Flash: Season 4 (2017)
Creators: Greg Berlanti, Geoff Johns, Andrew Kreisberg
Platform: Netflix


Episode 1: 64%
Episode 2: 69%
Episode 3: 70%
Episode 4: 58%
Episode 5: 61%
Episode 6: 65%
Episode 7: 69%:
Episode 8: 76%
Episode 9: 69%
Episode 10: 60%
Episode 11: 70%
Episode 12: 70%
Episode 13: 60%
Episode 14: 68%
Episode 15: 76%
Episode 16: 71%
Episode 17: 65%
Episode 18: 70%
Episode 19: 54%
Episode 20: 72%
Episode 21: 68%
Episode 22: 72%
Episode 23: 65%

Overall Season 4 Rating - 67% Rotten

While The Flash is consistently more fun than the other CW show I watch (Arrow), it has become quite repetitive over the past two seasons. It's always the same: a villain is introduced, said villain gets more and more powerful, Team Flash is unable to beat said villain, and then they miraculously figure out how to beat said villain when the city is on the brink of destruction. Is that the general outline of most superhero shows/movies? Sure, but over a 23 episode season this premise gets pretty old. I think that this still has lots to like for teen audiences, but I'm kind of over it at this point. I only continue watching it because I feel like I need to see the series all the way through.



"Luck don't live out here."
Yellowstone: Season 1 (2018)
Creator: Taylor Sheridan
Platform: Paramount Network


Episode 1: Daybreak - 82%
Episode 2: Kill the Messenger - 83%
Episode 3: No Good Horses - 80%
Episode 4: The Long Black Train - 79%
Episode 5: Coming Home - 77%
Episode 6: The Remembering - 78%
Episode 7: A Monster is Among Us - 73%
Episode 8: The Unravelling: Pt. 1 - 71%
Episode 9: The Unravelling: Pt. 2 - 78%

Overall Season 1 Rating - 78% Fresh

The best comparison for Yellowstone is that it is the Western version of Succession. The focus is on a rich, not very likable, family who does a lot of bad things and has a lot of drama. We see how different each member of the family is and why they are all fairly hostile towards each other despite being a family. This is a slow burn family drama that has some action mixed in, and at times it almost steps into soap opera territory. It can be boring at times, and it can very well be unbelievable at times. Taylor Sheridan's need to kill someone off in nearly every episode becomes a little predictable and honestly a little disappointing. Someone doesn't have to die every episode for the audience to stay interested. I was expecting a project under Taylor's full control to focus heavily on character development and the emotional side of things, but he barely dips below surface level with many of his characters. The story of the show also starts to lose steam after the first four episodes, which were pretty good, as it starts to stretch storylines to fit the runtime. However, the selection of Western shows on TV is not very deep right now, and this does fill that void for me. It has lots of issues, but is still an entertaining show, and I plan on watching season 2.



"Luck don't live out here."
Westworld: Season 2 (2018)
Creators: Lisa Joy, Jonathan Nolan
Platform: HBO


Episode 1: Journey Into the Night - 92%
Episode 2: Reunion - 94%
Episode 3: Virtù e Fortuna - 82%
Episode 4: The Riddle of the Sphinx - 89%
Episode 5: Akane no Mai - 82%
Episode 6: Phase Space - 90%
Episode 7: Les Écorchés - 95%
Episode 8: Kiksuya - 85%
Episode 9: Vanishing Point - 92%
Episode 10: The Passenger - 97%

Overall Season Rating - 90% Fresh

Westworld combines two of my favorite genres: Western and Sci-Fi. But you don't necessarily have to be a huge fan of either of those genres to enjoy Westworld. The story is just that good. It may be a little up and down episode wise, which I feel like is inevitable with how many storylines it juggles, but it has some of the best writing I've seen in TV in quite a while. How they're able to have so many different storylines and timelines running at one time, and still wrap them all up and have some of them intertwine quite well at the end is a pretty big accomplishment, especially with how poorly a lot of shows handle just trying to have two separate storylines. The mystery of this show is also incredibly enthralling. Part of the fun of a show like this is throwing out theories with your friends after each episode, and then seeing who was right or wrong at the very end.

As for this season being "confusing". It's not. If you pay attention to each episode, it's not hard to figure out which timeline is which.

Now as for how the actual story played out this season, I was locked in for the entire season. I was completely sold on every story line and I couldn't wait to see how it'd all wrap up. The time jumps to the past and present, the exploration of Shogun World, a whole episode focusing on a Native American character, Dolores' quest for whatever the hell she wants, Bernard's struggles, it was all solid. A couple of the storylines (most notably the Man in Black's) didn't exactly pan out how I was hoping, but I was still satisfied with the way they went. The finale of season two sets up a radically different season three, as the setting is going to be completely different, which has got me quite excited for 2019...or whenever it comes out.



I watched maybe the entire 1st season & then got sick of it. Did not dig the Westerns arc at all.



"Luck don't live out here."
Sharp Objects: Season 1 (2018)
Creator: Marti Noxon
Platform: HBO


Episode 1: Vanish - 91%
Episode 2: Dirt - 92%
Episode 3: Fix - 93%
Episode 4: Ripe - 94%
Episode 5: Closer - 86%
Episode 6: Cherry - 85%
Episode 7: Falling - 91%
Episode 8: Milk - 92%

Overall Season 1 Rating - 91% Fresh

Sharp Objects is based on Gillian Flynn's debut novel and follows Camille Preaker, who is a journalist that heads back to her hometown to cover a murder case. This is the definition of a slow burn TV show, and because of that this show is not for everyone. Some people will find it extremely boring, and some people will think a lot of the episodes are filler and not entirely focused on the actual "story", which is the murder case. However, I believe this is a masterful use of the slow burn style of story telling. The murder case is more of a backdrop. It is present in every episode and ultimately it is what keeps the story moving forward, but the main focus here is on Camille, the screwed up town that she grew up in, and the terrible people that live there. A lot of people may also find the random flash back cuts a bit jarring, as they are often without audio and only last a few seconds. I loved the editing style of this show, and found the flash back cuts to be a great story telling device. It gives us a little bit of background info every episode without having to have an entire flash back sequence. Now, the biggest question about a slow burn show is whether or not it paid off, and I think it did. The twist at the end, while not entirely unpredictable, is very satisfying and I think is the perfect end to the show. This is quite possibly one of HBO's best since the first season of True Detective, but Sharp Objects won't appeal to as many people. I'd recommend at least watching a couple of episodes to see if this one is for you.



Planning to watch this as soon as The Handmaid’s Tale ends & I substitute HBO for hulu.