Change Your Image
LinuxBits
Reviews
Champion (2023)
Engaging, a show with depth
I found this show to be very engaging with loads of depth in the characters which are beautifully portrayed as complex human beings that have multiple sides to them. With underlaying themes like family dynamics, music, anxiety and mental health, friendship, black culture, how one takes or loses authority over one's life, it had leaves me invested and with a desire to see another season of the Champion family. I find the show authentic and raw without the need to be shocking.
A minor point for me is that some of the scenes are a tad hard to suspend disbelieve in, however, for me personally, the authenticity of the show more than makes up for it.
Mr. Robot (2015)
A thrilling trip into the mind of a genius.
The first season of Mr.Robot is a must-see if you are into wickedly smart plot twists, beautiful characters with depth, psychology, philosophy, tech or politics and love a good anarchy theme. It is fresh, exciting and worth your time. The season is well put together and the episodes are so enthralling you can not wait to see the next one unfold.
The casting of Rami Malek is an inspired choice. The acting of the main character is natural and believable, so much so I wonder if it is actually acted at all. He takes awkward to a level of true brilliance and depicts it in a way I have not seen before on screen. The psychological issues he deals with are shown in a way it does not dehumanize him, he remains completely relatable and yet unrelatable enough to not know what is coming next.
The breaking of the forth wall may be unsettling for some, but I thought it added an extra dimension to my experience as a viewer, actively creating a sense of being part of the unfolding of the plot and bringing up an experience where the show became an extension of my own mind. The urge to say something back came up more than once, as my empathy for the main characters plight was fully engaged.
The theme of the show is a poignant reminder of the state of our society, already set in the first episode of the season. The show has the ability to reach through the screen and touch that part of you that questions the direction society has taken. By pointing at the flaws of capitalism and constantly reiterating our loneliness, it almost shows us a 'behind the scenes' of humanity in its current phase.
Are there no criticisms? Sure, to criticise is human after all, one could focus on the hypocrisy displayed by the main character in the first few episodes, the casting of Christian Slater which I find unnecessary and at times his fame makes it a tad difficult to suspend disbelieve as it is a constant reminder this is in fact a television show, or perhaps one could mention an episode where drugs took over and it left us with an unsatisfied feeling, a lack of depth that the more tech minded were craving. Don't give up after this episode though, it will not disappoint. For me these and other points that come up pale in comparison to the brilliance this show has to offer.
I can't wait to watch the second season and hope they won't drag the show out too long. This level of excellence is hard to keep up after all.
Brilliant, engaging, refreshing and sublimely casted, 10 out of 10 for me.