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You

The first half of the final season of You is the right amount of crazy absurd that fans have come to love. With it being the final season, it never takes itself seriously and leans fully into all the quirks and absurdities without shame and makes for an entertaining first half with plenty of twists, mayhem and manipulations.  Many times, the family drama plot can get messy, but it works perfectly for this season with the unhinged nature of what transpires between Joe and Anna Camp’s Lockwood twins, making her the standout of the season and a great foil for Joe.

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Ransom Canyon

Ransom Canyon had the making of a heartfelt, engaging drama but it juggles too many storylines. It offers beautiful visuals and the occasional compelling storyline, but it’s a project that was lost in its own ambition. Had it focused on the more compelling storylines with structure, it would have made it a much more interesting watch.

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#1 Happy Family USA

#1 Happy Family USA does lose focus despite its short run time and limited episodes. When it explores the Hussien family and does not get lost in guest stars, it’s at its strongest. Exploring the complex dynamics of a Muslim family at the height of islamophobia and making it into a satirical comedy is no easy feat. With more consistency with the episodic plots and guest stars that should have brought some energy to the series, #1 Happy Family USA could have been a secret hit.

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Doctor Who

The shining moment of the season two opener is Varada Sethu as new companion Belinda. She’s a great choice for a new companion, someone who calls The Doctor out on the danger he poses to the companions but is having a great time with him in the first episode. Spending the first episode of the new season focusing on Belinda is a great choice and she’s written in a way that makes you relate and root for her right off the bat .

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The Handmaid’s Tale

The final season of The Handmaid's Tale is filled with confusing, inconsistent and rushed character arcs that highlights the pacing issues within the season, more so with the first five episodes. June and Serena Joy feel like they have overstayed their welcome while more dynamic characters are pushed to the sidelines.

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The Bondsman

Bounty hunter Hub Halloran (Kevin Bacon) comes back from the dead, resurrected with the instruction to track, trap and send escaped demons back to Hell otherwise he returns to the torturous fate. It’s a fun series with unique demon kills that never gets tired. In the eight-episode run there is never a dull moment. It's action packed, fun, gory and has heart with the potential to be another great series for Amazon if they renew. All characters are well developed and fun to watch but it is Kevin Bacon who brings more layers to Hub and delivers the cliffhanger of the series. 

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Mid-Century Modern

Without Matt Bomer’s natural charm and charisma, Mid-Century Modern would be a loud, tired stereotype. There are some moments where the show makes some natural attempt at humour, but it fails to land especially when delivered and helmed by Nathan Lane. There’s no variety to the performance, if you’ve seen Lane in one thing then the same character will be in every scene with little to no difference. Linda Lavin is a great addition that lifts the show up with her quick wit and delivery and is a joy to watch with Nathan Lee Graham but the series feels like it drags on too long even with the short run of 10 episodes

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Holland

The most interesting things about the movie is the score and the visuals. Without them, it would be a complete bore fest. The music never feels over the top despite its grandeur and ability to make the tired parts of Holland manageable but gives a classic nostalgia feel reminiscent of classic movies which pairs nice with the visuals however nothing much else helps salvage this movie. Kidman and Macfadyen do their best, most notably Macfadyen who treads a careful line between charming and sinister, but the writing tries too hard to make for an enjoyable plot. 

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The Good American Family

The Good American Family, despite its potential, suffers from poor pacing and weaker performances. Had the titular roles of Kristine and Michael Barnett been re-casted, it could have vastly improved the series. The show's exploration of adoption, abuse, and manipulation fails to resonate with viewers, despite Imogen Faith Reid's outstanding performance.

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Miriam

A beautiful story about gender and religious identity, Miriam is a coming-of-age story that tackles the complexities of identity, discovering yourself and your voice in its short runtime but packs enough emotion to make every aspect of the family and their clashes feel natural and well developed. Even with an Emmy-nominated actor, the young cast shine and cultivate the characters' relationships perfectly so you feel every bit of their history. Pearl Scarlett Gold captures every nuance of Miram’s emotions, drives and showcases her differing relationship with each of her family who all have their own conflicts with each other that are perfectly crafted with very tense dinner scenes, crafted brilliantly by writer Levi Alexander and director Josie Andrews.

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