2017-18 TV Season Recap, Part Two

Previous TV Season Recaps – (2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17)

2017-18 TV Season Recap - Part One (Gotham, Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Jessica Jones, Punisher) | Part Three (Glow, Arrested Development, Luke Cage)

Roseanne – I have no idea what drove Roseanne to go on her racist Twitter tirade that made ABC cancel the show, only to see them shortly thereafter renege and announce the show back for a second season this fall without Roseanne Barr in the show and redub it as The Connors. I was able to keep up with the show on a weekly basis and finished the season the day before Roseanne’s ill-fated tweets. It seemed it took the cast a couple episodes to get the chemistry gelling again after being away from each other for 20 years, but by episode three they were back to form and I was adjusted to how all the returning cast looked and sounded. The first season back had me itching to see which old recurring characters they would bring back and I could not help but crack a smile for every favorite that made a one or two episode return.

The new generation of Connor grandchildren the show debuts all have unique personalities and all three proved themselves worthy of the Connor name. Props to whomever responsible for retcon-ing Dan’s death out of the show and the opening bit on the season premiere ragging on the awful season nine ending. It was great to see the original cast back again, but poor DJ and his kid were not all that featured this season and only in a handful of episodes. Becky and especially Darlene standout as the two main leads on this show. Becky has a fascinating arc watching her attempt to put her life back together after her husband’s death and Darlene has hit rock bottom moving back home with her two kids after divorcing from David. Just like the show was throughout its first run, it deals with some controversial themes and runs with their take on them for better or worse. Regardless, it made for some great TV and I will definitely be there for whatever form the show returns in this fall. Grade: A-

South Park – For the third straight season, South Park rolls out a season-long narrative arc. However, it is not a grand epic arc like the previous two seasons, but more like two or three supporting arcs playing out throughout the year. Cartman & Heidi’s relationship has some unexpected twists and turns throughout the season, and the same can be said for PC Principal and newcomer, Strong Woman. The show is all over the place too with other random themes, be it outrage for Columbus Day, protesting rights for Neanderthals, nuking Canada and a much-needed spoof of Stranger Things that depicts the children of South Park jamming out to the ‘Super Bowl Shuffle.’ I was not super gung-ho on this season of the show, but I was not super against it either as it has better staying power than other long-running adult animated shows such as The Simpsons and Family Guy. Grade: B

Evil Genius – This Netflix exclusive series was a quick watch a little over two hours all together. It is a four part docu-series that breaks down the crime of the dreaded ‘Pizza Bomber’ bank robbery/murder. I am always a sucker for in-depth crime mysteries, and taking in all the peculiar characters involved here was fun to follow along with. Things unravel some in the final part where the series presents its final verdict on the investigation in a way that I could not 100% buy into and thus why I had to go down a letter grade, but I still recommend binging through it with your thinking cap on! Grade: B

Riverdale – This is not based on the wholesome, all-American Archie comics we all grew up with. Season two of Riverdale keeps up the edgy, murder-mystery high school soap opera that the first season debuted. It is essentially Beverly Hills 90210 meets Veronica Mars. The show is unapologetically progressive with a diverse mix of characters and switches up some characteristics of the cast from how they were portrayed for decades in print. For those that might read that and get up in arms rest assured most of the cast are near-perfect portrayals of how I remember them. They even achieved the impossible and made Jughead’s trademark hat somehow work on the show.

Some episodes go a little too over-the-top as it seems Riverdale will experiment with any number of show themes be it related to camming, fictitious new drugs dominating the school, gang wars, attempted rape, sexuality, death by a hundred knives and while they were at it, they also gave a go of attempting a musical for one episode. Why not? More episodes hit than miss, and the season spanning mystery here of Archie and his ‘Red Circle’ tracking down the murderer known as ‘The Black Hood’ kept me glued in every episode. While Riverdale evolves Archie and the gang for the modern age, they still keep plenty of references to its old-school roots with the standout nod being a lovingly nostalgic 50s ‘Pop’s Cock-lit Shop.’ Grade: A

Orville – I desperately wanted to enjoy this more than I actually did. This is Seth McFarlane’s take on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Since it is Seth at the helm, it is filled with his style of Family Guy-esque humor….which does not jive while simultaneously trying to be a serious live action sci-fi show. TNG’s humor was more of the dry variety, but obviously that is not Seth’s style. They dial the jokes back somewhat after the first couple episodes, but whenever a McFarlane-esque joke pops in it instantly ruins the flow of a show that otherwise does a pretty solid homage to TNG with an equally comparable and affable crew that proudly wears its inspirations. Seth portrays the captain of the ship, and is surprisingly good in the lead role, and most of the cast is also commendable, minus his first officer who is responsible for most of the out-of-place humor. A few episodes I really dug, but the jokes eventually just took me out of an otherwise fine sci-fi show which I unfortunately had to stop watching halfway through the season. Grade: B-

Past TV/Web Series Blogs

2013-14 TV Season Recap
2014-15 TV Season Recap
2015-16 TV Season Recap
2016-17 TV Season Recap
Adventures of Briscoe County Jr: The Complete Series
Angry Videogame Nerd Volumes 7-9
Mortal Kombat: Legacy - Season 1
OJ: Made in America: 30 for 30
RedvsBlue - Seasons 1-13
Roseanne – Seasons 1-9
Seinfeld Final Season
Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle
Superheroes: Pioneers of Television
The Vietnam War: A Ken Burns series
X-Men – The Animated Series: Volumes 4-5