Reviews

I usually love Bluey, it sets an example of how families should behave towards each other. I was so shocked by the message in this episode. I thought it was going to be an episode which would help children embrace change and deal with the difficulty of moving house, schools etc. Instead it gives an entirely inappropriate and unrealistic message that even when your furniture is out of the door there's a chance if you wish hard enough you might not have to move after all. Poor children who will get their hopes up after watching this episode and then be forced to move. It would have been so much better if the message had been sometimes you have to move and it can be sad but maybe you will enjoy the change. I watched the ending in horror at how such a wonderful programme could have got this so wrong. However, ending made my husband cry, so what do I know?

I'm already so bored of the AI as villain trope and you know it's only just beginning because it's so on the mind of the collective culture's psyche at the moment.

From the moment Ray was introduced it was obvious he would be the instigating murderer; most simply because there was no development of any of the other characters who were potential suspects. Even after watching the entire series, I would struggle to name more than five of the other characters and I could absolutely not tell you what it is that they do which made it so important for them to be gathered together. However, Ray was a fully rounded character with an omniscience that was conveniently ignored when necessary to serve the plot. I may not have guessed exactly which human he was manipulating to do his bidding, but it barely mattered because they were all so 2 dimensional.

Such a shame because it's a compelling concept and setting, but so little is done with the potential mystery. We just continuously linger on Emma Corrin's distractedly pointy face looking shifty and flash back to a crime where we've already seen the resolution in the first 5 mins and so has no suspense revolving around it.

I really thought this was going to be fun, exciting, modern take on the classic Agatha Christie locked house mystery; but it is ponderous, uneven, and ultimately disappointing.

I thought this was going to be a fun YA vampire show, but it is not. I'm not sure who it is aimed at. Sometimes it is very serious and quite adult, at others time it's a teen romance. Apparently it's supposed to be a comedy, but I didn't find anything in it funny. It feels like someone had an idea for a show and it was greenlit but they hadn't thought what they were going to do beyond the initial premise

The characters' behaviour is utterly insistent. Sometimes they are trying to kill each other, other times they are teaming up. There's a killer who seems to have a connection with a lesbian character but then confusingly falls for the lead male. It makes no sense. Halfway through the series the main hero starts acting horrifically and completely differently to how he has been previously. You absolutely can't root for him any more.

The acting is patchy. The actors/characters often feel like they are in different shows to each other.

I'm on episode 9 and I'm trying to finish the series but it's a real slog. Such a shame as I was hoping for a fun campy show.

I wanted to like this, and it made me cry a lot, which is usually a sign of a good programme. However, the happy ending, which should have felt like redemption or relief after the exploration of so much grief, was thoroughly tainted by the fact that one of the main characters marries someone else hours before she gets together with the other main character for their happily ever after. I wanted to root for these two characters who have suffered so much and are helping each other overcome pain; however, how are you supposed to root for them when they are essentially cheating on a perfectly decent man who has done nothing wrong? It was such a misguided attempt to create drama when all it does is spoil any goodwill you have built up towards these characters. Cheating on someone, even if the person you are doing it with is the perfect person you are supposed to be with forever, is never romantic.

The premise of concentrating on the 12 members of the jury and how being involved in a trial affects their personal lives is interesting. However, this programme didn't quite work for me. The jurors became involved in each other's personal lives far too quickly to the extent it seemed as though they didn't all have wider friend groups and lives outside of the jury. There was too much over the top drama going on in the juror's lives - manslaughter, spousal abuse, missing children, mental health crises, police brutality, bribery etc etc. It would have worked better if the jurors were more normal people with smaller personal dramas and the criminality had been reserved for the case on trial.

Ultimately, however, I think the reason the show did not live up to the promise of its premise is that the crime on trial was not interesting or complex enough. Realistically, I didn't believe a case with so little evidence, no body etc., would have even gone to trial let alone managed to convince a jury that there was no reasonable doubt. There wasn't really any evidence any crime had been committed, let alone murder. The accused woman was so unpleasant to watch and the backstory of the crime really voyeuristic and grimy. The niece and aunt relationship didn't ring true and it was hard to engage with or really care when the truth was finally revealed at the end.

Little boys who die putting up Christmas decorations in trees is not festive. Cheating on your fiancé is not romantic. I absolutely cannot root for a couple when one is already engaged when they meet. Why are so many romantic Christmas films based on this premise! It is absolutely horrible!

Plus who on Earth puts out candles with their fingers? And, if you had your long lost mother's diary to read and the aim of your trip was to find her, would you really put it aside to read a crime novel written by your hunky new travelling companion? I can see why Netflix released this in November rather than closer to Christmas, it is not full of Christmas cheer.

It's a shame this film isn't better because it has a great cast and the filming locations in Shropshire provide a gorgeous backdrop.

Unfortunately, the story just seems a little silly and the ending is far-fetched, with the father doing a complete reversal of his previous character. He starts out not even knowing what colour his own daughter's hair is and by the end is suddenly putting her needs first. Really?

I think the film just skews very young and is probably best aimed at 10-13 year olds rather than grown ups. Maybe that audience would enjoy it more than I did.

It's worth a watch just to see how beautiful Stokesay Castle and the Shropshire Hills look on film. More films should be made here.

Why does Hallmark think it's romantic for people to fall in love with each other while one is already in a relationship? It is not aspirational or romantic! Also, the TV producer should be fired for broadcasting two people live without their knowledge or consent. That is also a terrible thing to do.

Amelia is the actual worst. They finally redeemed her character in season 16 by giving her Linc and now she has destroyed that for no reason. How can you invest in a character who can't even make things work with a perfect man who is also her child's father?

I hate to think what they will do to Maggie and Winston next season after letting them get together and married with no tension/drama/infidelity. Then there's the endless Owen and Teddy merry-go-round. They are toxic to each other, but also deserve each other.

I wish this show would just let couples be happy sometimes. How can characters be so put together in their careers and so utterly shambolic in their personal lives.

At least Jackson has left now so they can stop destroying his character with awful decision making and terrible relationships.

Why do so many of these supposedly romantic Christmas films feature a person who is engaged falling in love with someone who is not their fiancé? How is that festive? Even if their fiancé is not right for them, it's not a good or romantic thing to do.

Why do so many supposedly wholesome romantic Hallmark films involve infidelity? This, like so many of their other films has the main character finding herself and true love while cheating on her perfectly nice but not quite right for her fiancé. Why is that something we should route for? Hallmark leads leave a trail of broken engagements and wronged lovers in their paths in the pursuit of 'the one'. It's baffling to me why that should be seen as romantic.