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Happy New Year, and thanks for the previous year's great reviewing and recommending! You definitely made the right choice about Joy to the World; I thought it started promisingly, but then quickly became everything that most people feared it would. I should have known better! I've tried repeatedly with Severance, but haven't been able to get drawn in; I'll grit my teeth and give it another go, on the basis that you've clearly found it so enjoyable. Like most people, I found Squid Games to be a mind-blowing experience, definitely worth the hype, with great characters and scenarios. However, I was a little underwhelmed with season two, largely because they appear to have performed that most irritating trick of splitting a season in half, and I wouldn't even have minded as much if they'd left things more sensibly poised. Also, although I fully agree that we were invited to think a little more about the nature of the games, much of those seven episodes were essentially a remake of season one; nevertheless, I'll still be watching later this year, finding your ideas for how it may end very intriguing (and plausible)! Certainly been a great couple of years for the espionage thriller genre; can't wait for The Night Agent, Reacher, and Terminal List; also very much enjoyed the 'West Wing meets 24' nature of The Diplomat! Try as I might, I can muster no enthusiasm for the upcoming Daredevil; much like you, I found the Netflix series unsurpassable, and feel like I'll be doing it a disservice to even entertain this one. Many thanks and all the best for now. Paul

Many thanks for another great Sunday Lunch. For all the reasons you mention, I was very impressed with Black Doves. Simply on the basis for being a refreshing change, for being devoid of 'woke', and focusing on telling a great tale, it deserved a fair viewing, yet it also managed to be so addictively stylish. I also very much like Taron Egerton, and in particular, the Kingsman films, the latter having kicked in a door to an aspect of the genre that none of us knew we needed. I know exactly what you mean about how poorly Carry On compares to Die Hard; everything hung together in the latter, and never once do I watch it without being sold on the idea that John McClane, helped considerably by a savvy cop, saves the day with aplomb. In this film, however, everything about Ethan spoke to him just blundering his way through, all without a semblance of convincing narrative to support the idea of him outwitting Bateman's far more adept character. Dexter was sublime in its day, definitely another 'door kicker' for a genre. However, both in terms of prequels and current stories, it needs to stop, as much for its own sake as ours. The problem with the prequel is that a large part of the exposition for the character's code, of his tuition by his father, together with the arising of his 'dark passenger', has already been well-enough established throughout the main series. Worse still, the creditable ending to the Dexter story in the present is now to be overturned, undoubtedly for the purpose of re-treading old tropes. Dexter actually died quite nobly in the snow; best let him rest there. Thanks again and all the best for now. Paul

Loved Twenty Eight Days Later, became bored with the sequel, but will definitely give the third one a go, if nothing else than for that great trailer! Stories such as the Chronicles of Narnia are timeless, the point being that the spirit should remain unchanged, so as to introduce their beauty and originality to new audiences; talk about starting off on the wrong foot! I agree entirely about the current era of Doctor Who, in relation to it being helmed by the current version of RTD, and the intelligence-insulting, condescending nonsense with regard to ratings. I did, however, very much like the offering by Moffat, and do like the look of the upcoming Christmas special. No saving the current era, though. For me, Blazing Saddles has never diminished, and I'll have to get it watched over Christmas. Just as you say, the film mocks racism itself, yet that conclusion seems ever-elusive to a tiny-minded minority responsible for judgement and revisionism; would that you were only joking about being 'carted off' for owning it! That Godzilla Minus One set actually seems worth the sixty seven pounds. Great film and, extending on your sentiments, I found the monster aspect to be almost incidental. Sorry about your bad experience with the merchandise company, as things like that can be a real test of resolve for collectors; it doesn't seem to have put you off from getting some other great stuff, however. I didn't mind Cross, yet felt it tried to be too clever, what with a plethora of contrived twists and turns, making things more tedious and drawn out than anything; I'll probably watch a second season, however. I very much enjoyed a British spy thriller on Netflix called Black Doves, with Keira Knightly, Ben Wishaw, and Sarah Lancashire. Whilst not being quite as good as either, it had the quirkiness of The Gentlemen, together with overtones of Slow Horses, and I'd be interested in what you think. Many thanks for another great instalment. All the best for now. Paul

Bad internet quality is the great equalizer, for better or worse.

I've actually watched the entirety of Cross, but, of course, will wait until you also have before giving my thoughts. I completely agree about Landman; it's full of intrigue and nuanced performance, but, although the action/tension scenes were good, the overall pacing of the production left a little to be desired; nevertheless, definitely interested to see more. I didn't know that Tulsa series two had finished, but readily expect to find things exactly as you've described. I loved the first series and, as someone who can go back to when Stallone was still relatively new to the whole action genre (much like you can), I am greatly encouraged by the fact that he and his contemporaries, on the whole, seem able to remember the basic principles of what made them so popular. Many thanks, as always. All the best for now. Paul

As has become the case with your reviews, I use them as prompts, inevitably watching whatever is recommended, prior to watching the full review and leaving my thoughts. This was breath-taking, both in terms of ambition and achievement; I almost couldn't believe what I was seeing! I also think that the non-speaking nature of the film was the right choice, regardless of available technology. Fully agree about how excellent was Liam Shaw, and I readily class him as being up there with the best characters from the Trek universe; not meaning to be sacrilegious, because I especially adore The Next Generation, but I found Shaw to be a little more relatable than most of the 'Next Gen' originals. Many thanks for steering me towards this, as I honestly knew nothing about it! All the best for now. Paul

Chris was a real Superman on screen and off. Great doc.

So many uploads of late, with no loss of quality, one could get used to this! Many thanks. I also have fond memories of the Karate Kid movie franchise, being pleasantly surprised when it reappeared in the televised format. I watched three series, largely enjoying the development of characters new and old, impressed by how any amount of original actors were welcomed back to have their narrative explored. By the end of the third series, although remaining impressed, the teen angst had worn me down a little and I resolved to revisit at some later date, perhaps 'dipping' in and out. I didn't listen to any spoilers in your review, as I'm hoping to complete my Cobra Kai 'journey' before the year's end, fully expecting to be glad that I did. I also have little time for the practice of separating a series into two parts, perhaps with several months to a year between them. This was done to poor effect with Doctor Who, during the excellent Matt Smith's run; either deliver an entire series episodically, or commit to a full-on binge drop, because otherwise, all that happens is that you get the worst of both worlds. Dune Prophecy seems to be along the lines of Foundation, or a science fiction version of Game of Thrones, either of which I'd find agreeable. There does seem to be a net positive with regard to televised sci-fi at the moment, and I hope that this recent one adds to appreciation of the 'Dune universe' in the same way that the films have. I watched the trailer for Cross and was impressed, sensing a definite Silence of the Lambs vibe, but more as a homage than outright plagiarism. Landman also intrigues, looking to have much more to it than simply being an adult version of Dallas (with which, incidentally, I'd have been more than happy!). Thanks again and all the best for now. Paul

Much as you've convinced me of what a poignant, worthwhile documentary this is, to be watched as soon as possible, I can't quite square such an emotional ordeal with the run up to Christmas! I greatly admired Christopher Reeve, so, as a tribute to him, and a show of respect for your fine review, I'll watch his first three (maybe four!) Superman films; it's been a while since I did, and I don't think anyone has come close to inhabiting the role. Henry Cavill was very well-intentioned, somewhat in the mould of Reeve, yet never quite captured the spirit of either Kent or Superman in the same way. I'll watch the documentary as early as possible next year, and leave you my thoughts. Many thanks and all the best for now. Paul

You make a good point about the Trump victory, in relation to the entertainment industry. My instinct was that there might be a positive change but, as you say, they could just as soon intensify their unhinged efforts as a protest! Looks like we'll be on the knife edge for a while yet. There does, however, seem to be a lot more good, honest productions emerging; Landman looks good, and I'm halfway through Day of the Jackal, which has, thus far, more than lived up to its promise. On the other hand, what the hell happened to Grotesquerie?! I'm still processing it! Still asking myself if it was all a dream, and that no such series ever existed! Many thanks for all your efforts. I've been introduced to a wealth of great TV and film due to your reviews! All the best for now. Paul

Some people vote quietly.

Great review and, as pretty much always, I fully agree. I wouldn't have watched this had it not been for your recommend, due to being tired of mismanaged superhero-universe type offerings; however, what we got was actually more Sopranos than even the Sopranos managed to be (if that makes sense). Not a single fault to pick with this, and every principle and support actor deserves the highest possible award. I hated Oz killing Victor, yet it was entirely consistent with where his character was, what with his mother being used to leverage him. Great future ahead of the Victor actor and, hopefully, there'll be at least another series of this. Isn't it great when a show fulfils all its early promise, surpassing all your expectations? Many thanks and all the best for now. Paul

Great review, one with which I agree entirely. Many thanks, Andi. Very impressed with Smile 2. It built very effectively on what went before, again managing to establish a sympathetic, admirable (albeit flawed) character who was simply trying to do her best on the back of some questionable prior decisions; generally, we knows how it's going to end but we root for her anyway! The 'what is reality?' nature of the first film was much further-developed, with satisfying twists and unexpected directions resulting. I completely bought into the plausibility of the supposed solution, finding myself deflated by, yet admiring of, the reason it was never going to work. The nature of the ending has the potential to hugely expand the premise and make problematic a third film, but I have every confidence that the makers will find a ready means of using it to develop things. That said, I would have no problem if the series were to end on a relative high, leaving us with just the suggestion of what bigger scale might mean. Thanks again and all the best for now. Paul

You quickly gave the impression that Smile 2 was worth a watch, Andi, so I'll watch the rest of this review, and leave my thoughts, once I've seen the film myself. Nevertheless, many thanks and all the best for now. Paul

Good movie with terrible ending...Poor French fawn in love...😭😭😭

Many thanks for this hugely worthwhile hour of review/revisitation, Andi. No argument from me regarding the inclusion of all these greats! I first saw The Fog around forty years ago, at my local ABC, which had a strange habit of showing odd pairings as double bills; notable examples were The Fog being paired with Fort Apache the Bronx, and The Elephant Man with Kramer vs Kramer! All great films, so a good time was had by all! Love Event Horizon, and the Hellraiser trilogy, but had no idea about the possible explanation of the latter by the former, although it does make perfect sense. Are you familiar with a series of films called Cube? Not quite in the same league as the above, but they still feature some mind-bending, exhilarating concepts, whilst definitely being genuine horror films! Nightmare on Elm Street 3 is also my 'go to' of the series, because, of all of them, it's the one where it is hardest to discern reality from fantasy, together with it also being a very creditworthy development of the title character's story. Incidentally, are you aware that there was a great series based on the films called Freddy's Nightmares, essentially an anthology of tales narrated by the man himself? I can't recall a single bad episode, truth be told and wondered what you might think. Smile was an absolute revelation, a real throwback to when a central, deeply unsettling idea could single-handedly carry a horror film. Final Destination, and Jeepers Creepers are, to my mind, of this ilk, and I greatly look forward to your 'take' on the sequel. Thanks again, Happy Halloween, and all the best for now. Paul

Just watched two episodes of Grotesquerie; great recommend, very watchable, and, I see exactly where the comparison with the excellent Messiah comes from! I'm going to stick my neck out and say that I don't see this one falling off a cliff! Many thanks, as always, for the insightful reviews. All the best for now. Paul

Great assessment of an ever-crazy situation! All the best for now. Paul

Many thanks for these great reviews, I'll definitely give The Penguin a go! All the best for now. Paul

Having given away well over an hour, on an entirely non-returnable basis, for the God-awful experience that was episodes one and two of Agatha Always, I was greatly cheered by this review. I was repeatedly struck by the pointlessness of it all, only watching episode two to see if it would aspire to being less engaging than the first and, surprise, surprise... The lead actress (and character) was just one long, unfunny wisecrack, with the whole show being, for no apparent reason, far too pleased with itself. On the back of everything we've seen from Disney these past several years, the only conclusion I can come to is that they are trying to distil their viewership into a small number of cult followers; quite how this accords with sane, rational considerations like profit and market share, is beyond me. I fully intend to quit while I'm behind on this one. Many thanks and have a great week off! Paul

Great review and I half expected some of the drawbacks you've highlighted. I loved the Top Gun sequel but it may be the exception that proves the rule, in that revisiting films after nearly forty years is unlikely to be worthwhile; strongly suspect that the eventual Goonies sequel will go a similar way. The sad truth is that for many of these revisitations, the purpose of the project seems more to assure us that the franchise hasn't become woke, as opposed to simply telling the kind of story that made them such a success in the first place. Nonetheless, I think I'll give it a go for 'old times' sake', as it seems well-intentioned. Many thanks and all the best for now. Paul

I don't think we're going to see any decent Star Wars-related products while Disney and its underlings are at the helm, which may very well include the rest of our lifetimes! Slow Horses has been an absolute revelation. Superbly written, great acting from all, with enough action and intrigue to keep every fan of the espionage genre more than happy. Oldman is the high point, however, convincing effortlessly as the spymaster genius, whilst managing a very authentic Les Patterson impression! Many thanks and all the best for now. Paul

I only saw three episodes of Acolyte. It was rubbish! Star Wars is done. Slow Horses is a great show.

I agree entirely with your assessment. I enjoyed it, am glad that I saw it, feeling that the sets and tone were every bit of the standard of the better entries. But... As you say, the call-backs were unnecessary and never allowed it to be its own film. I thought the Ian Holm tribute was tasteful and actually provided far more tension and exposition than many of the more signposted plot attempts that you mentioned. It could so easily have been much better and often reminded me of the needless remake of the first Star Wars film that Disney decided to attempt back in 2015. Also agree that there wasn't a single scare or even a genuine twist. Nevertheless, there was a wealth of good intention towards fans evident in the production, and that's been in fairly short supply these past few years.; a step in the right direction, I'd say. Greatly appreciate the recommend. All the best for now. Paul

Much appreciated. I didn't listen to the full review, but you quickly painted enough of a favourable picture to make me want to see the film. I'll catch the rest of this once I've done that. Thanks again and all the best for now. Paul

Many thanks for more valuable reviews / previews. I was somewhat concerned about Deadpool Wolverine, having been told by friends that there were a fair few in-jokes, which made me worry it was self mocking. No danger of that, of course. It was a superbly-crafted, all action, and, in parts, surprisingly poignant, piece of cinema, with the in-jokes actually adding to it; scope for at least one more outing for this pair. The Umbrella Academy had a one series shelf life, for me. Extremely watchable first instalment, but not a single sequel has even remotely filled its shoes. I'll give Ungentlemanly Warfare a go because, as you say, Ritchie is always worth a punt. Fully agree about some films being too long, prominent examples being Dark Knight and Hot Fuzz; love them both, but a definite fifteen or twenty minutes surplus in either case! I'm also a 'sucker for the Alien franchise', unable to say no to any entry, yet becoming ever dubious... Completely with you on Alien vs Predator, however. Although never a great comic book or graphic novel fan, I read an excellent Aliens vs Predator graphic novel in the early nineties, and when the film eventually came along, it was the ultimate in wish fulfilment! You're also spot on about the need for film makers to stop redoing / revisiting things, because, in addition to diluting the franchises, it speaks to an industry having no new ideas! Thanks again for taking the time and all the best for now. Paul

You'll get there, Andi.

Space, hmmm? Biden's head

Not my cup of tea, but saying that... I am a coffee bloke

reality of outside world is my computer game. I think i am winning. I (touch wood) ain't been eliminated yet. I think

Lloyd down the road named his Rotweiler Damion, Lovely dog though

One of my friends had a Star Wars tattoo sleeve done ten years ago on his arm, I said what you gonna do when it all goes Disney? he laughed (ha! )

Star Wars for me is just the first 3. Hey, you are welcome to review my songs, if you are a bout pop music? It would Chuff me up!!

My mate (Gary Good) at The Music Box guitar shop in Oxford, looks like Ryan Gosling's grand dad , go say hi to him!

I loved The Boys, but it got too much in the end. 1st few series were great!

Just wanted to say hi, I like your channel, from the bloke who does the tunes for the Gobster! X X

Many thanks for another great stream. House of the Dragon is really reaping the rewards of the excellent character building from the first series; each scene is riveting, as you can be certain that even those seemingly trivial events will be revisited and further developed. Lost all respect for Eddie Murphy when he apologised so needlessly for his excellent eighties stand ups and it is no surprise that anything he does now is substandard. I ended up very much liking Beacon 23 and will definitely get round to watching series two, but there were times when it could have gone either way, and I'm greatly interested to hear your thoughts. Very pleased with the Supacell recommend, as I thoroughly enjoyed it, for all the reasons you described; so well conceived and engaging was every character that, even if there hadn't been a sci-fi element, I would have found it worthwhile. The whole Misfits meets Top Boy vibe was highly addictive and there simply has to be a second series. All the best for now Paul

Many thanks, as always, for the great insights. I watched the first three series of 'The Boys' and, although definitely a unique superhero show, instinct tells me that I've had my fill, as it's essentially the same tricked played over; just my opinion, of course, and I hope you continue to enjoy it. Can't wait for House of the Dragon but I'm entirely undecided on whether to watch episodically or wait and binge; I did the latter with Game of Thrones (when it was decent!!) and was definitely the better for it. The Acolyte might ultimately have the same effect on the watcher as staring into the abyss, but I entirely respect your reasons, and hope you make it back unscathed. Thanks again and all the best for now. Paul

HI Andi great to hear from you as always I have still yet to see fall guy but from people who chat frequently with that have met through out my time on youtube have said it's a great film so I will give it a go soon 🙂 Here's were my comment takes a bit of downward turn ok so Doctor Who here goes ever since thing I won't address by name aired as part of Children in need last year which changed my favourite character in not just Doctor Who but in Science fiction as whole i haven't really found the urge still to go back through classic who, 2005 who spin offs or anything Doctor Who related since that time, apart from watching some of our friends doctor who content on here i haven't done watched any Doctor Who at all since that thing aired, this is the longest time i have ever gone not watching episodes and stuff that I like, I was at a family wedding a few weeks ago and I went outside for a breather and my uncle was outside to having smoke and he comes over and he said i came across your Davros change opinion piece video on youtube Daniel, have you watch manged to watch any of the Tennant speicals or any of Ncuti Gatwa's run? and I said to him Uncle Jim remember how you told me when I was 10 years old about how the Colin Baker era had at that time destroyed your love for Doctor Who until it came back with Christopher Ecclestion, I than told him i am where you where at during the Colin Baker if not in slightly worse place with Doctor Who and his jaw almost dropped to the ground because just like he has refused to watch any of the McCoy era or 96 tv movie with Paul Mgann I have done the same here and then some, he found some hope in the Eccleston and Tennant era's which helped resurrect his love for doctor who but sadly for me i don't think i will ever get the same rekindling for Doctor Who as my uncle got.

Having had to force myself to sit through the trailer, I have no doubt that The Acolyte is every bit as bad as you make it seem, if not worse, and respectfully urge you not to waste another millisecond of time watching it. It can be tempting, though, to persevere with something just to gauge the depths to which they may plumb! I truly despair at how incessant is this policy of delivering to fans anything but that which they want most and, for the life of me, can't see who the winners are in all of this. I actually thought that Andor made a decent effort to break the ugly trend of some of these spinoffs, but was so slow getting to its point that I stopped caring! I also have great memories of watching any of those first three Star Wars films multiple times, days when the queues seemed to go twice round the building and a great story wasn't something for which you had to hope against hope. For me, George shot his bolt with that trilogy, a three beating a six every time, but the adulation and infinite legacy they gave him was well-deserved. Thanks, as always, for sharing your thoughts. All the best for now. Paul

I also love Capaldi and Bill. "Oxygen" was great and, unlike some, I did enjoy those episodes with the pyramids and the monks. "World Enough and Time"/"The Doctor Falls" is sublime, of course. From the classic series, I re-watched the Pertwee story "The Time Monster" recently and enjoyed every minute of it. Not nearly as awful as its reputation would have us believe; just made on the cheap with limited physical effects, that's all.

Although not mentioned here, but I've re-watched The Lazarus Project and I'm now re-watching Bodies with someone who has never seen it before. Love the fact that I spotted second time around how Bodies will be resolved embedded in an early episode and my friend has completely missed it 😊 . Can't wait till he gets to the last episode! Thanks again for recommending both these series. They are excellent. I haven't watched any of the latest Doctor Who. The trailers put me off from the get go. I maaay watch some of the better ones when it's finished. Enjoyed this stream.

Really worthwhile stream, many thanks. I'm glad that George Lucas is being so vocal about Disney because, almost immediately after taking possession of Star Wars (and blatantly remaking/copying the original) it was clear they had no intention of remaining even remotely true to the core principles, although I would agree with you that Rogue One was decent. Truth be told, George was perfectly capable of ruining the franchise himself, but at least that was because he ran out of good ideas, as opposed to turning it into an agenda vehicle. Doctor Who has hurtled past laughing stock, now promising to embed itself firmly into the gutter, the probably true suspicions of ratings malfeasance adding to its already disgrace. I'm perfectly happy with my 12.5 % investment for this season and feel increasingly lucky to have enjoyed any of it! There are so many wonderful, decades-old films or television shows which are now characterised by original, loyal fans feeling the need to cauterize the 'progressive' era from the one they remember. Especially in the case of 'Star Wars', 'Star Trek', and 'Doctor Who', the worlds of which readily lend themselves to diversity and inclusion, female empowerment, gender fluidity and...anything, really. Time, resources and, above all, goodwill squandered to achieve that which was there all the time! I very much wonder what you made of the German Netflix sci-fi thriller 'Dark' as, to my mind, it's one of the best things I've ever watched. Also, although it's a few years old, I rewatched Nick Frost's 'Truth Seekers' this weekend, quite possibly on the back of you discussing Lockwood and Co! I suspect you've seen it or at least heard of it but, in any event, wondered what your thoughts were. Thanks again and all the best for now. Paul

Good to see you back! Great news about your work success, although I'm sorry to hear about your relatives' experience and hope all becomes well. Readily agree about Doctor Who and find incomprehensible the manner in which the showrunner and lead actor are actively alienating longstanding fans and, on a broader level, that Hollywood as a whole is behaving similarly. Whilst sharing all your reservations about 'Doctor Who', in particular Ncuti Gatwa's portrayal, I did however, very much like Moffat's offering on Saturday, believing it to be a throwback to his heyday, and also felt that the lead actor gave a decent account of himself. Nevertheless, I find it impossible to ignore the needless abuse to which he and Davies have subjected fans and remain unsurprised by dwindling ratings. Moffat's was the only episode I will watch and overall, I want nothing more than for this era to be over and done with, prior to the show being given a much needed rest. I watched 'Dead Boys Detective Agency' and was moderately impressed, but also found myself comparing it to 'Lockwood and Co', much preferring the latter and hence, wishing that it hadn't been cancelled. I am indifferent to the idea of a second season of the former. 'Late night with the Devil' sounds intriguing, I'll keep an eye out for it. Good point about CGI/AI vs physical effects, although I remember in the 'Omen' commentary, Stuart Baird (the editor), explaining how the lightning bolt on the church gate cost about £11, whereas a more expensive CGI effect, would have been much less realistic! Although one shouldn't wish the years away, I'm glad that season 2 has come around for 'House of the Dragon', all the while being grateful that Matt Smith, a truly great actor, was once cast as a truly great Doctor! Never got away with Tolkien either, but hate to see a revered author's work being so maligned; will it ever stop? I watched a sci-fi series called 'Beacon 23' recently, and although it was a bit of a headscratcher, quite enjoyed it. Is it something you've come across? Many thanks for sharing your musing today. All the best for now. Paul

Doctor Who, SUCKS!!!!

Appreciate this review, you've actually managed to make both of these seem interesting enough to at least give a viewing sometime. I agree entirely about prequels: there's inevitably an air of predictability about them but, if done well, you still care about the characters as they go through their predetermined motions. I also remember, many moons ago, reading the fourth and fifth 'Omen' novels; I thoroughly enjoyed them, hoping that they would be adapted, and continue the series cinematically but, sadly, what we actually got was profoundly unworthy of what went before. Thanks again and all the best for now. Paul

Despite my unfounded worries that this might be similar to the awful 'Constellation', I finally decided to give this a go, and really enjoyed it. I haven't read the book and can't claim to know how the series compares to it, but was genuinely impressed with the quality of storytelling and performances from all concerned. Everyone seemed to have their own compelling journey; hence it was impossible not to feel the requisite amount of sympathy in each case by the end of the eight episodes and I'm definitely eager for more regarding this revelation of a show. Thanks again and all the best for now. Paul

Great review. I watched this yesterday and fully agree that this series was very worthwhile and refreshingly devoid of woke. I'm also no kind of gamer, and felt that 'going in' without any foreknowledge was of great benefit. I found the intrigue which built up compared quite favourably with that of 'Silo' in terms of the tissue of lies upon which the 'brave new underground world' was built, and by the end, I was completely invested as to where season two may take things. Thanks again and all the best for now. Paul

As someone who was utterly blown away by the German Sci fi series 'Dark', I have an almost Pavlovian response to any German Sci fi now, especially when featured on Netflix and, if 'The Signal' is even ten percent as compelling as 'Dark', I'll more than enjoy it; I also think that the mini series format is very underrated, as the shorter length can also result in a better density of enjoyment, as it were. Even the picture you showed from 'The Crow', let alone a trailer, screams of a pretentious, needless project so, coupled with my justified faith in your assessments, I'll give it a miss. Fully agree with you about how sublime is 'The Omen': superb story, underrated, convincing visual effects, together with stellar performances and a chilling Oscar-winning song, all comprehensively showcased how you can get cinematic platinum from a relatively low budget. I can't rid myself of the feeling, however, that the prequel will disappoint. 'The Signal' notwithstanding, terminal boredom with 'Constellation' has dulled my appetite for more space dramas, so the '3 Body Problem' will have to be solved by someone else. Many thanks for another enjoyable stream. All the best for now. Paul

I'm going to watch the Signal. I'll let you know what I think. Good show.