“Gallows humor is a trademark of just about all of the Coens’ work (and Fargo in particular), and Noah Hawley and his writers have done a brilliant job of coming up with gags worthy of their show’s namesake.”
“Understandably, “Orange Sticker” sacrifices grand thematic focus in favor of pushing the story forward but still manages to meditate on a certain idea.”
Dudley’s World is a Vague Visages column by Jordan Brooks.
“As an empathetic machine, Beasts of No Nation tries too hard to convey the unimaginable, leaving in its place a sense of cold insouciance towards a system that is shown to be irreparably broken.”
“Beyond being a neat stylistic trick and an effect that would make Abel Gance proud, the use of split-screens in the first two episodes of Fargo Season 2 has the helpful narrative role of directly uniting the show’s disparate narrative elements.”
“On The Leftovers, returning to your old self isn’t as easy as going from Point A to Point B, it’s a constant struggle and effort.”
“A surprisingly funny and sharp-witted caricature of mass-produced horror, The Final Girls is the product of cult film iconography and our culture’s obsession with the ironically good.”
“The little side comments throughout “Waiting for Dutch” keep the episode light on its feet, but never in a way which overwhelms the story or characters, making for a fantastic start to the season.”
“Damon Lindelof and company don’t need to give answers if they’re asking the right questions.”
“45 Years is unconcerned with the “cuteness” of love — Haigh wants to know what makes it tick.”
A Conversation about Netflix’s Polarizing Series
“Narcos resorts to cheap tactics to depict just how ‘bad’ these characters are.”
“Someone pull Don Draper off his office couch, it’s time to meet the Mets.”
“Netflix’s new series Narcos begins with a quote regarding the birth of magical realism, and its point of emphasis reveals quite a bit about the series it precedes.”
“Little more than an extravagant, blood-soaked and alcohol-fueled story, Legend fulfills its title; an overinflated piece of bar room folklore better told over a cold pint of Guinness (or several)”
Dylan Moses Griffin on Small Ball Strategies
“If The Wrath of the Lamb doesn’t quite work as a series finale, it’s only because it wasn’t really supposed to be one.”
“Another week of Hannibal, another gripping second act septic.”
“Instead of merely asking viewers to care about a victim with whom we have no ties, Fuller tugs on our heartstrings by having his antagonist target the family of the protagonist we’ve gotten to know for nearly three full seasons.”
A Conversation Between Vague Visages’ Q.V. Hough, Dylan Moses Griffin and Max Bledstein
