Welcome to the Q&A with TV critic — additionally identified to some TV followers as their “TV therapist” — Matt Roush, who’ll attempt to tackle no matter you like, detest, are confused or pissed off or thrilled by in in the present day’s huge TV panorama. (We all know background music is simply too loud, it’s probably the most frequent criticism, however there’s all the time closed-captioning. Take a look at this story for extra suggestions.)
One warning: It is a spoiler-free zone, so we received’t be addressing upcoming storylines right here except it’s already frequent data. Please ship your questions and feedback to [email protected]). Search for Ask Matt columns on most Tuesdays.
Parting Was Such Candy Sorrow
Remark: The producers and actors nailed the Blue Bloods finale. A+. A finale for a present like this wants to finish with the viewers nonetheless loving the present and seeing the characters that they love completely satisfied and looking out ahead to tomorrow. Most reveals that run for 14 years have attrition in the primary forged. Apart from shedding Linda, the core forged of the pilot was there for the ultimate episode. — Rob R.
Matt Roush: We’ll be addressing a number of collection and/or season finales on this house — it’s that point of yr. I might agree that for a mainstream hit like Blue Bloods, which has change into such a dependable Friday evening anchor for therefore many followers, the aim of a collection finale (untimely or not) shouldn’t be to throw a surprising twist that upends the lives of the characters — particularly, on this case, a good household unit — however to offer viewers a way of continuity and a touch at the place they’re heading, most often fortunately. Whereas there was tragedy (the funeral for Eddie’s accomplice), there was extra importantly a reminder that this might not be the final Reagan household dinner, simply the final one we might be invited to look at for now.
Vamping to the Finish
Remark: My spouse and I’ve loved FX’s What We Do within the Shadows, believing it to be significantly better than the movie. We’re sorry to see it go however have been disenchanted within the ultimate season. Nevertheless, they knocked it out of the park with the Dec. 2 episode. What a superb parody of the film The Warriors, even to the purpose of confronting the crew of “baseball gamers.” The Warriors is a favourite of ours, they usually paralleled it completely, even all the way down to the nice music performed on the finish, which within the film was performed whereas the gang was making an attempt to get again to Coney Island! The final two episodes (Guillermo and the workplace celebration) make us understand much more how a lot it’ll be missed. — John C, Denver, N.C.
Matt Roush: Not each episode of even one of the best collection is usually a house run each time, however the monitor report of What We Do within the Shadows was higher than most — and I’ll be curious to see the response to what for me was one in all my favourite collection finales in a while. I’d count on them to submit the Warriors parody come Emmy time. That basically was good.
Slowest Finale Ever?
Query: [Spoiler Alert] Like every self-respecting (in the event that they nonetheless exist) Yellowstone fan, I couldn’t anticipate Beth to ship justice to that silly bastard Jamie. But it surely felt like I needed to wait endlessly for the payoff. Has a collection finale ever dragged this badly? These final episodes following the homicide of John Dutton (Kevin Costner) had been usually torture, with collection creator Taylor Sheridan taking the reins (so to talk) on digicam when he ought to have been targeted on delivering tighter, extra dramatic scripts. The countless finale episode took an hour to put John Dutton to relaxation, then they dispatched Jamie in a predictably violent however nonsensical battle scene. After which we needed to sit by means of a whole Lainey Wilson music? I did just like the callback to 1883 with Elsa Dutton’s voice-over bringing context to the household promoting the land again to the native tribe, which felt like a real finish to Yellowstone. However now I’m glad I’ve a Beth-and-Rip spinoff to anticipate, as a result of I’d hate this to be my ultimate reminiscence of the present. —Corinne
Matt Roush: No argument right here on any of those factors. These long-delayed episodes usually felt to me like what would have occurred again within the day on the present’s religious predecessor, Dallas (keep in mind that present?), if the “Who shot J.R.?” frenzy had ended with J.R. truly dying, forcing the present to scramble to get better. (The truth is, Larry Hagman was concerned in a wage dispute on the time, and his return wasn’t assured.) The midcourse departure of Kevin Costner, regardless of the trigger, robbed Yellowstone of any actual narrative momentum in these ultimate chapters, and Taylor Sheridan’s curious determination to hog the highlight didn’t assist. The character of Beth continues to be one in all my favorites on any collection, and Kelly Reilly rocks, however watching her mope for hours on finish earlier than springing into motion within the finale was past contrived. I additionally hope that no matter comes subsequent isn’t so lazily and indulgently advised. However face it, when the scores are this sturdy, who’s going to inform the king of the hill no?
Who’s Chargeable for Killing Superman?
Query: Now that Superman & Lois has come to an finish, I’ve to ask: Who do you suppose the larger fool is, the CW exec who canceled it, or James Gunn, who’s too busy recreating Superman and DC in his picture to save lots of a fantastic present? This wasn’t only a comedian e-book or motion present, it was a drama, a household drama with nice writing and nice performing, with what may be the best Lois & Clark pairing ever. Even Lex Luther, a personality I hate, was nice. Except Smallville, this century’s Lex has been portrayed as a cartoon villain. However not right here, the place he was the epitome of evil. When Lex’s daughter reluctantly gave him a second likelihood to be in her life, Lex selected hate and revenge over love, making him an even bigger monster than Doomsday. With the tip of Superman & Lois, I can’t assist however really feel that the CW exec and Gunn did what Doomsday and Lex couldn’t: Destroy Superman. What do you suppose? — Alan B., Orlando, FL
Matt Roush: I believe the writing was on the wall the second the community modified palms from the dad or mum firms of CBS and Warner Bros. to Nexstar, and not was The CW going to be a pipeline for costly superhero motion reveals — in different phrases, goodbye to DC and the Arrowverse. Superman & Lois was the final vestige of the earlier regime’s slate (except All American and some non-scripted holdovers), so no matter your points with DC and James Gunn (a topic on which I’ve no opinion or experience), this present’s ending was fully a enterprise determination by a brand new controlling curiosity that had little interest in the kinds of reveals that put The CW on the map.
Wash Their Soiled Mouths Out!
Query: I ended watching The Diplomat earlier than the primary season was over, since I used to be very postpone by Keri Russell‘s fixed use of f-bombs. Do you agree {that a} skilled diplomat wouldn’t discuss that approach? And her hair was very unflattering! Generally I watch a advisable present on Netflix or Peacock, and once more, can’t get previous the primary episode due to the foul language. Absolutely writers can do higher than that! I ended watching Poker Face for a similar cause: language and violence.
Additionally: I like 9-1-1: Lone Star however discovered it exhausting to consider that Carlos Reyes was not killed by Chief Bridges taking pictures him at point-blank vary. The bullet bounced off his ribcage, critically? Sounds medically not possible! Any feedback? — Jane S., New Mexico
Matt Roush: If you happen to’re watching 9-1-1: Lone Star for realism, you’re certain to be disenchanted, I’ll depart it at that. Concerning harsh language on streaming collection, I don’t understand how or whether or not to defend it, as a result of it’s so prevalent, however most often, if the language suits the character, I can no less than settle for it. And that’s very a lot the case with The Diplomat’s Kate Wyler (Keri Russell), about whom it’s established early on is extra at house in warfare zones than within the posh diplomatic corridors of the U.Ok. That’s the place the humor of the present’s lies as properly. As for her hair—and I really like that Keri Russell’s hair is once more a problem, contemplating what occurred when she lower it on Felicity — that truly turned a speaking level (not in her favor) in Season 2, and once more, Kate being a large number is constructed into the present’s DNA. As for Charlie (Natasha Lyonne) of Poker Face being a potty mouth: Why wouldn’t she be?
Is There a Future for Mainstream TV?
Query: How for much longer can mainstream tv survive in in the present day’s world of five-episode seasons, the expansion of YouTube and Twitch as alternate options for youthful folks to traditional TV viewing, and the upper and better YouTube TV, streaming, cable and satellite tv for pc prices? I ask as a earlier voracious viewer whose whole household left sitting glued evening after evening in entrance of our televisions to now sitting in entrance of our tiny cellphone screens watching podcasters, entertaining movies that includes topics from child animals and make-up to detailed ones involving house transforming and automotive restore, and simply straight-up utilizing social media websites to get our information and knowledge. Is my household an outlier, ought to TV executives be apprehensive, or will the NFL proceed to supply sufficient viewers to save lots of the likes of CBS, NBC, ABC, and area of interest cable TV channels? — John
Matt Roush: Existential questions akin to these are most likely higher answered in seminars quite than a pithy Q&A column, however to place it bluntly, TV has been present process a seismic change for fairly a while, no less than because the rise of Netflix and its friends, and whereas the lights aren’t going out simply but for the standard broadcast networks, their maintain on the viewers and on the tradition at giant has definitely dimmed.
Sports activities and occasion programming are lifelines, for certain, and there’s simply sufficient standard programming (Abbott Elementary, the brand new Matlock, Ghosts, something from Dick Wolf’s manufacturing facility) to remind us of “mainstream” TV’s glory days. However these companies appear decided to order their most provocative fare for his or her streaming platforms, and the TikTok/YouTube technology offers us pause that they’ll ever accept longform TV once more. So it’s honest to say that TV has modified and can proceed to vary, such because it has because the progress of cable, the VCR, the DVR after which streaming. (Although the recognition of free FAST channels, which act like good outdated unbiased channels with reruns of yore, additionally remind us that classic TV isn’t going away.)
And Lastly …
From Matt Roush: To finish 2024 on a constructive observe, I’ll refer again to final week’s lead query, a couple of future for the charming Netflix comedy A Man on the Inside, and fortunately report that the streamer simply renewed the Ted Danson collection for a second season. Now let’s rejoice!
That’s all for now — and due to the vacations, there received’t be a brand new column till January. However we are able to’t do that with out your participation, so please hold sending questions and feedback about TV to [email protected]. (Please embody a primary title together with your query.) Thanks for studying, and I want everybody a most completely satisfied vacation and nice TV forward in 2025!