Pasckie Pascua's Nerdy Squirrel Reviews: TV Series.

“Squid Game” (Netflix) Season 3, South Korean dystopian survival thriller . Seong Gi-hun and the players fight for survival in ever-deadlier games. Of course, you know that. In-ho welcomes the VIPs while his brother Jun-ho continues the search for the island, unaware of a traitor in their midst.         The Finale Season received positive reviews but I am not impressed. The easy ruthlessness and soap-operatic dramatics are no different from the two previous Seasons. It’d seem writer/producer and creator Hwang Dong-hyuk ran out of bloody confections and side-stories? I also don’t concur with the early elimination/deaths of the more interesting characters; those who remained except Seong (of course!) are all clowns in monotone grunts.         And those non-Korean wackos who are supposedly the gamblers watching the mayhem are simply irritating. And what’s the deal with the baby? Was that necessary?  ...

“Mrs Biggs” (Britbox) British television series based on the true story of the wife of the Great Train Robber , Ronnie Biggs . The series covers Mrs Charmian Biggs' journey from naïve young woman to Biggs' wife and the mother of three young sons.         Stand out in this series is Sheridan Smith as Mrs Biggs. Her performance received widespread critical acclaim, and she ultimately won the 2013 BAFTA Television Award for Best Actress. Deserving indeed! Sheridan's lovely face both exuded hard-headed gullibility and love-struck vulnerability. Yet courageously defiant. It is not that hard to believe that that was the real Charmian.         My main problem with this series though is its length. From a normal 2 to 3 episode British true crime, this series went 5. So it suffers from soap-operatic sequences and redundant character expositions. Yet still, “Mrs Biggs” is a fine watch. 🎥💻📽 “Maxine” (BritBox) Briti...

“Black Rabbit” (Netflix) crime thriller . Premise: When the owner of a New York City hotspot allows his chaotic brother back in his life, he opens the door to escalating dangers that threaten to bring down everything he's built.         Jude Law is Jake, the club owner; Jason Bateman is his erring older brother Vince. Before I type up more, be forewarned that this series, like other Hollywood-made series/movies these days, is annoyingly dimly-lit. The usual rationale is “artistic” blah, of course. If it's okay for you to squint your eyes all through the 8-episode nonstop drama and thrill ride, go ahead.         This series isn't bad at all. Of course the Law/Bateman stress duo interplay is fun to watch. The story is credibly exhilarating, the character responses are believable, the sound editing is effectively jarring, and the production design fits the sentiment (irrelevant of the irksome lighting). And the en...

“Paradis City” (Amazon Prime) Swedish futuristic crime/drama. Swedish Minister of the Interior Eva Basarto Henriksson is abducted during a speech in Järva, a lawless "special area." Amid chaos and gunfire, police retreat. Officer Fredrika, blamed for the failure, seeks redemption by enlisting Emir, an ex-MMA fighter and criminal. During the rescue attempt, a tunnel collapses, trapping them beneath the rubble.        Scandinavian political thrillers are cool. Fast-paced, tight scripting, engaged acting. No frills, no chasers, no soap operatic gloss--all “business.” Such as this fine series, which I hope, would spawn a Season 2.         The synergy of Julia Ragnarsson as Fredrika and Alexander Abdallah as Emir also keep the thrills unpredictably palatable. I want more. 🎥💻📽 "Victory or Death" (Amazon Prime) Chilean historical drama set during Augusto Pinochet's regime , focusing on a group of young people who cho...

“Untamed” (Netflix) drama murder mystery . In the vast expanse of Yosemite National Park, a woman's death draws a federal agent into lawless terrain, where nature obeys no rules but its own.        The star in this series is the stunning Yosemite heights, not Eric Bana , whose park special agent Kyle Turner is as lifeless and unexciting as his world trapped in the dark of a deceased son.         Life and excitement are provided by Lily Santiago as Naya Vasquez, a rookie park ranger who moved to Yosemite from Los Angeles and is assisting Kyle with the alleged murder victim.         The series is renewed for a second season, hoping Mr Bana's character gets some light somehow. 🎥💻📽 “Love Rat” (Amazon Prime) drama. Recently divorced Emma enjoys a whirlwind holiday romance with hotel proprietor Niko on the paradise island of Cyprus. When she realises Niko has scammed her out...

“The Gilded Age” (HBO) Season 3, historical drama set in the United States during the Gilded Age , the boom years of the 1880s in New York City . The story is centered on aristocratic husband and wife George Russell and Bertha Russell, played with alluring relish and contemptuous deceit. The characters are based on the Vanderbilt family.         At the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards , the second season received six nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series and acting nods for Carrie Coon as Bertha and Christine Baranski as Agnes van Rhijn. The diversity of the characters make for a compelling watch, and the stunning costumes! Of course. The costumes were designed by Kasia Walicka-Maimone. She led a team to create over 5,000 costumes for the series, aiming to capture the lavishness and complexities of the Gilded Age fashion. 🎥👍📽 “The Bear” (Hulu) Season 4. P sychological comedy-drama . First of all, I don't think this weirdly popular series...