Why I “Flaked” Out on Watching Will Arnett’s New Netflix Show

Flaked Will Arnett Netflix

Netflix

It’s quite rare that I leave a Netflix series unfinished. Fuller House has the dis-honor of being the first Netflix Original Series I’ve ever ditched.

Now I’m sad to announce that I’ve added another series to that Ditch List: Flaked. (Minor spoilers ahead.)

Continue reading

6 Observations from a Casual Fan’s First WrestleMania

wrestleMania-32

Over the last year, I’ve become interested in pro wrestling, or “sports entertainment,” if you will.

Yes, I know it’s fake. The athleticism, however, is not, and frankly that’s what impresses me most about it. Plus, despite the storylines being fake, it doesn’t mean most of them aren’t fun to watch. Also, gimmicks.

This weekend was WrestleMania, the WWE’s version of the Super Bowl. After missing the first 31 WrestleMania shows, I decided it was time for me to make the 32nd installment my very first one.

As someone who is a relative newbie / casual WWE fan, here are some of my super casual observations from wrestling’s big night:

Continue reading

My Weekend of Netflix & Ill

netflix and ill

Apologies for such a late post this Monday. 

Since last Wednesday evening, I have been battling The Cold from Hell. Over the weekend, I haven’t had the ability do much of anything, not even sleep. (Hard to do that sufficiently when you can’t breathe.)

I certainly couldn’t enjoy being snowed in, either. Sure, I had plans to hunker down and do next-to-nothing because of this East Coast Snowblizzardzillagasmthing, but doing next-to-nothing because you’re crippled by illness isn’t quite as fun as indulging in voluntarily laziness.

The good news? Today is the best I’ve felt in days. I can sleep — and breathe — again, and do more than watch Netflix, pop cold meds, and burn through boxes of Kleenex…figuratively speaking, of course.

Ah, Netflix, my trusty companion during this lost weekend.

Continue reading

Motivation Monday: 4 Inspirational BoJack Horseman Quotes

widsomofbojack

One of the realest series I’ve ever watched is a cartoon about a washed-up television star. Who is also an anthropomorphic horse.

BoJack Horseman is a comedy, albeit a dark one. It delves into topics that are an antithesis to its lighthearted character designs: depression, narcissism, social and familial dysfunction, the many flavors of addiction, and death. Just to name a few.

The brilliant writers of BoJack Horseman have dealt with these sensitive issues with much care and honesty. As a result, the show is more than a biting satire of Hollywood — it’s a source of excellent advice, especially for those who are embroiled in their own personal struggles. I can speak from experience, as BoJack Horseman has inspired me in times when I’ve been down.

If you’re in need of some motivation, look to these 4 BoJack Horseman quotes to get you going (minor spoilers ahead):

Continue reading

No Longer Waiting for Gardot: A Night at The Town Hall with Melody Gardot

Melody Gardot Currency of Man

Source: The Guardian

When jazz/blues singer Melody Gardot last toured the US in 2012, I unfortunately had to pass on the chance to see her live. After years of traveling Europe, and producing a new album entitled “The Currency of Man” in the process, Gardot finally embarked on another Stateside tour. This time, I wasn’t going to miss her.

Continue reading

The Tipping Point: When I Became Hooked on 5 Favorite Shows

Do you know when you were hooked? Netflix does.

Source: Netflix

I am a huge proponent of television on the Internet. I live on the Internet. I seldom turn on my TV.

Sites such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon have satiated my appetite for serial entertainment. Having easy access to entire libraries of shows has resulted in too many weekends spent in front of the laptop, hazily clicking “play next” without giving much thought to other minor things I could be tending to, like making dinner or showering.

Recently, Netflix analyzed over 20 popular television series to determine when viewers established their fandom, or the “point of no return” during their binges. An impressive 70% of audiences would complete a show’s first season upon hitting that sweet spot.

For most shows, pilots aren’t indicative of its eventual success or failure. They sure as hell don’t get people hooked on a show, according to the Netflix data. Keeping that in mind, I do my best to give series at least three episodes before I decide to walk away.

Whether that’s too wide or narrow of a window, that’s relative. I know someone who gives an episode one chance to make a good impression — his time is precious! Meanwhile, I like to give shows a chance to feel themselves out before I decide whether or not it’s worth the bandwidth.

These findings from Netflix have inspired me to think about when I officially established my fandom for five of my favorite bingeworthy shows (spoilers ahead, obvs):

Continue reading