// Category Archive for: TV Reviews

TV Review: Broad City S3 E08, “Burning Bridges”

Published on April 12th, 2016 in: Comedy, Current Faves, Feminism, Reviews, TV, TV Reviews |

By Sachin Hingoo

ilana cries

“Am I at the farmer’s market? Because this is so juicy!”—Bevers

If there were any doubts—and I certainly had a few over the last couple of episodes—that Broad City was capable of a real, emotional epiphany and a story that evokes genuine feels from its viewers, “Burning Bridges” dashes them on a New York City sidewalk. Beyond the jokes about piss tests and securing a chair in Battery Park without inadvertently tearing off an amputee’s artificial leg, the events of this episode rocked me to the core because it’s a reckoning for Abbi as a character, while also giving us one of Ilana’s most layered performances on the show yet. No celebrity cameos are required here, because the BFFs are the only stars that “Burning Bridges” needs.

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TV Review: Outsiders S1 E09 “Trust”

Published on April 11th, 2016 in: Current Faves, Reviews, TV, TV Reviews |

By Laury Scarbro

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While this particular episode doesn’t push much in the way of character development, it does give us a bit more perspective into the motivations of various characters. Events both past and present have an affect on people, and the writers do a fine job of showing that not everyone can just take things with a grain of salt and move on. So, here’s your suicide trigger warning–there’s a couple of attempts made, but nothing successful, thankfully. (more…)

TV Review: Trailer Park Boys S10 E06, “All the F**king Dope You Can Smoke!”

Published on April 11th, 2016 in: Canadian Content, Comedy, Current Faves, Netflix Reviews, Reviews, TV, TV Reviews |

By Tyler Hodg

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The humor of Trailer Park Boys revolves around insane situations depicted in semi-realistic ways. Yet in “All the F**king Dope You Can Smoke!” the show jumps the shark one too many times for it to be funny or believable.

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In Case You Missed It: April 3 – April 9, 2016–Feminism, Iggy In Furs & Negan

Published on April 10th, 2016 in: Canadian Content, Concert Reviews, Current Faves, Feminism, Movie Reviews, Movies, Music, Music Reviews, TV, TV Reviews |

By Less Lee Moore

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Photo credit: Loma Vista

Hey, have you seen Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice yet? Did the onslaught of haterade scare you away? Read Tim Murr’s review and reconsider your negativity, man.

Lots of MRA types have been guzzling the haterade after watching the trailer for Star Wars: Rogue One. Here, Film School Rejects praises the oft-misunderstood “Mary Sue” qualities of the trailer, and many other movies. At Rue Morgue, Alex West gives Scream’s Gale Weathers some long overdue credit in “The Final Girl Chronicles.”

Is that too much feminism for you? Too bad. A new infographic proves Hollywood is still a boys’ club. If that didn’t convince you, here are two words: corpse boobs.

There are a lot of blockbusters and superheroes getting (deserved) attention these days, but sometimes you want something with fewer explosions. So if Canadian film Sleeping Giant is playing near you, please go see it. It’s a low-key but emotionally riveting film.

Meanwhile, on TV, Tyler Hodg is reviewing the tenth season of Trailer Park Boys on Netflix. I recapped the shocking season six finale of The Walking Dead, but Laury Scarbro (Yay! Welcome back!) has even more thoughts and feelings about it.

Two killer episodes of Lucha Underground and one (hilarious, natch) episode of Broad City are dissected by Sachin Hingoo and then… we try something completely different. Anime n00b Tyler tackles Brotherhoood Final Fantasy XV, currently watchable on YouTube.

Oh Iggy Pop. Where would my life be without you and your music? I attempt to explain in my concert review from the April 9 show at Toronto’s Sony Centre. Iggy and David Bowie go together like well, peanut butter and chocolate, so here are five times that David Bowie literally helped save the world. (I never get sick of talking about David Bowie.)

MOAR MUSIC! Melissa Bratcher talks about how Janiva Magness’s new album Love Wins Again made her cry and wonders if The Lumineers are doing OK. Brian Baker rides the waves with Shark Toys’ Outsider Sect LP, and Tim Murr goes full metal with Graves At Sea, Tombs, and the folk-metal stylings of Kralthazar.

There’s still so much more going on in music and Unicorn Booty knows you need the info. This week’s “Now Hear This!” dishes on Beyonce, funny feminists, Snoop Dogg and Janet Jackson, and the sad struggles of Ke$sha.

Until next time, Popshifter fans!

TV Review: Brotherhood Final Fantasy XV E01, “Before The Storm”

Published on April 8th, 2016 in: Anime, Current Faves, Gaming, Reviews, TV, TV Reviews, YouTube Reviews |

By Tyler Hodg

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Full disclosure: I have never been a fan of anime, nor have I actually fully played any Final Fantasy games.

Blasphemy, I know.

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Why The Walking Dead Still Has Me Hooked

Published on April 8th, 2016 in: Horror, Over the Gadfly's Nest, Reviews, TV, TV Reviews |

By Laury Scarbro

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I just spent the last 90 minutes watching The Walking Dead‘s Season 6 finale. To say that I am shocked would be a complete understatement. We’ve spent the entirety of the second half of this season awaiting the arrival of the notorious Negan, with hints of who this man is and why we should fear him and fear for our most beloved characters should they come face to face with him. A cliffhanger was not unexpected, but the acting in this episode? Some of the best, most realistic, and visceral I have ever seen from a television show.

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TV Review: Lucha Underground S3 E10, “El Jefe Is Back”

Published on April 7th, 2016 in: Current Faves, Matshifter, Pro Wrestling, TV, TV Reviews, Underground/Cult |

By Sachin Hingoo

I'm kind of a big deal

Perhaps the most important aspect of the Lucha Underground universe is the personality of Dario Cueto. He’s been around in a limited way throughout this season, but only in short vignettes. In “El Jefe Is Back,” Dario Cueto, El Jefe, is definitely, uh, back. He even brought back a fun little staple of the first season of the show, the live performances! This week, we have Chingon, Robert Rodriguez’s band, opening up the show and they add a fun vibe to the proceedings that wasn’t there during Catrina’s reign, and that’s how Dario sets himself apart as a character. As sadistic and evil as he may be, his ultimate goal is to always entertain the audience and, by extension, make money doing so. Catrina just wanted the power of the Temple for its own sake.

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TV Review: Trailer Park Boys, S10 E05, “If You Don’t Believe It It’s Not Real”

Published on April 7th, 2016 in: Canadian Content, Comedy, Current Faves, Netflix Reviews, Reviews, TV, TV Reviews |

By Tyler Hodg

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After watching “If You Don’t Believe It, It’s Not Real,” it becomes apparent that Season 10 is a slow burn, hopefully one with a large payoff.

The fifth episode has the boys heading out on another job (for those who are counting, this is job number five). The danger attached to each attempt at fast cash is growing exponentially, and the latest hits a new peak.

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TV Review: Trailer Park Boys S10 E04, “Sh*t Covered Cave Teeth”

Published on April 6th, 2016 in: Canadian Content, Comedy, Current Faves, Netflix Reviews, Reviews, TV, TV Reviews |

By Tyler Hodg

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The boys are at their greasiest in Season 10 thus far, and it only took four episodes to get there. With the two jobs from the previous installment resulting in no cash, the core three, with J-Roc and T, head to the Denture King dental office to steal anything they can.

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TV Review: The Walking Dead S6 E16, “Last Day On Earth”

Published on April 5th, 2016 in: Current Faves, Horror, Reviews, TV, TV Reviews |

By Less Lee Moore

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Even if you don’t watch The Walking Dead, the outrage over this season’s finale was impossible to avoid. Flouncing threats of rage-quitting the show, complaints that the show is merely stringing fans along in order to infuriate and insult them, and angry cries that yet another cliffhanger was going to have to tide people over until Season 7 were par for the course throughout social media and pop culture punditry.

But this is Popshifter, and we don’t play those games.

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