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The Bondsman: Cast this series right into hell

There’s something off about The Bondsman from the jump, like the guy at the party who is trying a little too hard. Blumhouse’s latest is ostensibly an action horror series with elements of comedy. In reality, it dips a toe in all 3 genres, but doesn’t seem to care too much about any of them. The jokes don’t land; the fights are bland and the horror only comes in too-short bursts of blood and gore. It’s Evil Dead with all the fun taken out.

Our Ash is Hub Halloran, a backwoods bounty hunter who dies almost immediately in the first episode. Brought back to life, Hub soon discovers that he now works for Satan himself. We never actually meet the big man, instead Hub mainly deals with middle manager Midge (Jolene Purdy) who tasks him with finding some demons that recently escaped from Hell. In between battles with the forces of evil, Hub also has to attend to his aging mother Kitty (Beth Grant) and ex-wife Maryanne (Jennifer Nettles). His problems with Maryanne are doubled by her boyfriend Lucky (Damon Harrison), who orchestrated Hub’s murder. It’s a surprising amount of personal drama for a half-hour show.

The Bondsman spends too much time on the uninteresting elements of Hub’s personal life. It bogs down the show’s actual premise of “guy hunts demons.” In fact, you rarely get a lot of demonic action in a given episode. This could come down to the show’s budget. Once you see the “monster of the week” in the first act, you know they won’t be back until the third. There’s very little time spent on developing these demons or making them seem formidable in any proper way. Even the basic rules of how to defeat them are vague. It’s a supernatural show that hates being one.

That lack of interest extends to the actors too. Most of the cast are sleepwalking through their scenes. This is especially true of our lead. For Kevin Bacon, hell is being in The Bondsman. He delivers every line with the weariness of someone who would rather be anywhere else. In Bacon’s defense, the writing only adds to that sense of fatigue. There’s a distinct lack of fun or charm that really sells the show’s premise short.

Ultimately, The Bondsman’s greatest sin is that it’s boring. The clash of tones and the lack of any cohesive world-building drag the program down. Couple that with some lackluster action and dull performances and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. The show only seems to let loose when it’s time for the gore to come out. There’s no shortage of blood, but even that thrill grows stale by the end of this 8 episode run. Sometimes dead is better. The Bondsman is proof of that.

The Bondsman is currently streaming on Prime Video.

Final Verdict: Tune Out

Mid-Century Modern: A new gloss can’t hide old sitcom tropes

The current state of the multi-cam sitcom is in sorry shape. This has been true for most of my adult life. It looks to all as though this classic form of comedy is going the way of the variety show or Saturday morning cartoons. There are, however, a brave few trying to bring some relevance to an increasingly outdated format. As a blogger in the year 2025, I can relate even if I don’t have half the level of influence as someone like James Burrows. Burrows is the legendary director of some of the greatest sitcoms ever made. Shows like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Taxi, and Cheers among others. His latest show is unlikely to end up on that eclectic list.

Created by Max Mutchnick and David Kohen, the minds behind Will & Grace (another Burrows project). Mid-Century Modern is a mix of that show and Golden Girls. The girls in question are Nathan Lane, Matt Bomer, and Nathan Lee Graham as Bunny, Jerry, and Arthur, respectively. After the unexpected death of their friend, the three decide to live together under one roof. And because this is a sitcom, Bunny’s mother (the late Linda Lavin) is also there. It’s a standard sitcom premise that the show spends most of the pilot attempting to justify.

The stories in each episode are also typical stuff. The only difference between Mid-Century Modern and an older show seems to be an understanding of what a “bottom” is. That type of “risque” humor is a prevalent part of Modern’s joke book. In fact, the writing is pretty frank in its discussion of queer romance and aging. It’s a welcome surprise and something that helps lift the more staid elements of the program.

The cast mainly features our 4 leads, with a few appearances from the likes of Pamela Adlon and Richard Kind, among others. It’s a fun group of actors but they’re mostly stuck playing cliched sitcom roles. Lane comes the closest to making Bunny feel like a real person, but his personality shifts with the whims of the plot. The show ends up falling into a familiar comedy trap where the characters seem to only exist for delivering jokes.

This isn’t to say Mid-Century Modern is an all-around bad time. It’s a throwback, but one with an eye toward the contemporary moment. The reliance on old sitcom tropes and character types isn’t exclusive to this show. It’s pretty much all you get with multi-cam sitcoms. Nobody is breaking the mold here, especially not an old master like James Burrows. In a less crowded landscape, it’s easy to see Mid-Century Modern becoming a hit. It’s light, breezy, and carried by some all-time great comic actors. As it currently stands, there are better options out there for your time.

Mid-Century Modern is currently streaming on Hulu.

Final Verdict: Tune Out

Pulse: There’s no cure for this one

How much is too much for a medical drama? This is a genre that already allows a frankly obscene amount of information to fly at the viewer in a matter of minutes, and thanks to the hectic nature of the profession, we allow it. Now, medical jargon and witty banter aren’t enough. What if we add a natural disaster, a mysterious sexual harassment claim, and copious flashbacks to the equation? If you’re already feeling dizzy, you’re gonna want to sit down because that’s only a part of what Netflix’s Pulse offers.

The streamer’s first foray into English-language medical drama comes out of the gate full of ideas and does not stop until you’ve heard every single one of them. The series follows the lives of the doctors, surgeons, and other medical personnel at Maguire Hospital, a level-one trauma center in Miami. At the center of our story is Danielle “Danny” Simms (Willa Fitzgerald), a resident who is on track to make chief. She’s a Meredith Grey-type, headstrong and determined to be the best. She even has her own McDreamy in Xander Phillips (Colin Woodell), the current chief resident. There’s just one slight problem: she recently filed a sexual harassment claim against him.

Pulse hits us with this information immediately and lets it sit there for much of the first episode. The show’s first handful of episodes deal with a hurricane that has knocked out power all throughout the city. As a trauma center, the hospital commits to staying open during the storm. The goal is to up the stakes, but this just adds to the narrative chaos. There’s a reason most medical shows save a big event like this for the finale. It’s hard to establish your characters while also dealing with a natural disaster. Then, there’s the curious case of the show’s flashbacks.

Ideally, the flashbacks would serve to further develop our characters, showing us their dynamics before the harassment claim and contrasting it with the present. Instead, Pulse uses these moments to build up the mystery of what went on between Danny and Xander. It’s an odd choice for a season-long arc. The flashbacks also cut into the present day action, all but eliminating any tension from a scene.

Your enjoyment of this series is likely going to correlate with how much personal drama you can stand. In the overstuffed world of Pulse, a character’s private life always takes precedent over the patient. Better still for that patient to reflect the character’s problem back at them. It’s a model of medical drama that had its heyday in the mid-00s. Nearly 20 years on, it can’t help but feel a little stale. Pulse tries to have it both ways, offering new takes on old material but failing both versions. The results are a bad combo: overwhelming and unambitious in equal measure.

Pulse is currently streaming on Netflix.

Final Verdict: Tune Out

The Studio: This Hollywood satire is one of the year’s funniest new shows

There’s arguably never been a better time to skewer Hollywood than these last few years. And plenty of shows have taken on the challenge. From BoJack Horseman all the way to last year’s The Franchise, we’ve seen plenty of takes on the world of show business. Now, Seth Rogen steps up to the plate with his own send-up on the city of stars.

The Studio might lack some of the sharp edges you’ll find in other showbiz satires, but it makes up for it with style. Rogen and frequent collaborator Evan Goldberg clearly have a love for the industry even as they take it to task. The series follows Matt Remick (Rogen) who becomes the new head of the fictional Continental Studios. Remick is an idealist who wants to focus on creating the best movies possible in an industry less concerned with that by the year. That Sisyphean task is at the heart of The Studio and it anchors the comedy. Remick means well, but he usually makes a mess of things.

Rogen is the best he’s been in years here. He plays Remick as a man at odds with himself. He loves movies, but fears that his new job ruins them. Supporting him is a cast of some of the finest comedic performers around. Ike Barinholtz finds a perfect vehicle for his unpredictable comic energy as Matt’s co-worker and close friend, Sal. Chase Sui Wonders is the least known of the main cast, but does terrific work as Matt’s assistant, Quinn.

Every comic ensemble needs a wild card and here we have two with Kathryn Hahn and Catherine O’Hara. Hahn play Maya, the head of marketing, and brings her full chaotic gifts to bear. O’Hara is a bit more relaxed as Patty, the former studio head and Matt’s mentor. The show waits well into its double-sized first episode for O’Hara to appear, but she immediately takes over the scene and never lets go.

If there’s anything holding this cast back, it’s the show’s reliance on guest stars and tributes to film. The show uses both to tremendous effect, but it often feels at odds with the characters. It’s hard to find time for character work when you’ve got to add a bit with Steve Buschemi or work in a few Goodfellas references. No matter how killer the bit, it still stings a little. Ultimately, these are minor flaws in a program that is too busy moving to the next joke to worry about any of it.

The Studio keeps a frantic pace that makes you feel as in over your head as Matt. The direction plays its part by keeping the camera and characters in constant motion. Rogen and Goldberg handle the directing on every episode and keep finding new ways to showcase their love of filmmaking. This is a show that opens with a long take inspired by The Player and devotes an entire episode as homage to the neo-noir. The duo makes this all feel fun rather than self-serving by embracing the stupidity of the events. They’re not interested in being clever, they just want you to revel in the chaos.

The Studio might not be the most biting satire, but it isn’t exactly a full-blown love letter either. The series is more than willing to take the industry to task for its lack of support to creatives, the focus on IP over everything, and countless other issues. That it can do that while also paying tribute to cinema is part of the charm. Cinephiles will appreciate this show, but it’s not for them alone. There’s enough here for comedy fans of every stripe to enjoy. That’s all part of the movie magic.

The Studio is currently streaming on Apple TV+. New episodes release on Wednesdays.

Final Verdict: Tune In

Good American Family: Aims for prestige but settles for Lifetime

I’m something of a true crime skeptic. I understand the appeal and I’ve enjoyed a series or two before, but I find the majority of them off-putting. This goes double for any adaptations of true crime stories. Too often these series devolve into a retelling of events propped up by casting a few name actors. With Good American Family, I’ll give them credit for attempting to break the mold. That very faint praise is about all I can muster.

Inspired by the true story of Natalia Grace, Good American Family gives her the Lifetime treatment. Kristine and Michael Barnett (Ellen Pompeo and Mark Duplass) adopt Grace (Imogen Faith Reed), finally fulfilling their dream of having a daughter. Their dream quickly turns into a nightmare once they suspect Natalia isn’t who she seems. Or is it the parents who aren’t what they seem?

This is the central question of Good American Family, but if you’re watching the series as it releases, you won’t even realize it. The show’s first 4 episodes show us the situation from the perspective of the Barnetts, particularly Kristine. Only in the show’s second half does the audience learn about the actual events and the parents’ callousness. It’s an odd way to frame a story of very real child abuse, but one that maybe would have worked if the series released all at once. The rare example of a show that actually benefits from the binge release model.

It doesn’t help that, except for Reed, everyone is putting in minimum effort here. Ellen Pompeo tries to expand audiences’ perception of her as the self-centered Kristine. It’s hard not to just see an evil version of Meredith Grey. The show’s first half adopts her paranoid feelings about Natalia, but it only serves to detract from her performance. Mark Duplass plays her bumbling husband Michael like he’s in a different, funnier show. Imogen Faith Reed is the sole bright spot as Natalia and even then, she’s relegated to playing her like a horror villain for the first half.

Good American Family attempts to subvert viewer’s expectations by putting us into the viewpoint of these, negligent at best, parents. It could be an interesting idea. In reality, it makes the show feel more exploitative than if they stuck to a straight retelling of the events. There’s a real chance that many viewers unfamiliar with this case will watch an episode or two and come away with the opinion that the Barnetts were in some way justified. That’s a failure for all involved. If you must watch this series, just this once, wait for the full story.

Good American Family is currently streaming on Hulu. New episodes release on Wednesdays.