Monster High- Season 2

8/10

Continues to follow the exploits of Clawdeen Wolf (voiced by Gabrielle Nevaeh), Frankie Stein (the West Side Story remake's Iris Menas), Draculaura (Courtney Lin) and the other monsters at Monster High. Also, Clawdeen has to deal with being the new Were Ruler.

MH continues to do a solid job of being both entertaining and teaching kids lessons. I also admire this as one of the more progressive shows out there. Characters are still fun, and they do a surprisingly decent job of giving a large cast (due to this being made to sell all the toys) distinct personalities (mostly, I don't think the writers really decided on how to write the ghost Spectra (Valeria Rodriguez)). 

Ongoing plot isn't as strong as the last season, which was kind of impressive in that it had more going on than you'd expect, however the storyline ain't half bad.

Animation is still nice: colorful with distinct character and building design. For a computer animated show, they manage to include more background characters than some others do; really makes Monster High feel populated.

Recommended for kids. Doesn't have strong grown-up crossover (though, I think many will appreciate how modern some of the lessons are). I think kids, particularly the main demographic of young girls, will like this.

One Piece Fan Letter

10/10

One Piece Fan Letter is a special created in honor of the 25th anniversary of One Piece, one of the longest running anime of all time and, is lossely based on the novel Osaki Tomohito (Straw Hat Stories). It takes place at the Seabody Archipelago a while back in the storyline where the characters begin the second half of their journey. Rather than focus on the leads, Fan Letter follows average Joes and their reactions and feelings about the Straw Hat Pirates, including a girl who idolizes Nami, the crew's navigator, and wants to give her a letter, a group of Navy officers, and the owner of a bookstore.

What has contributed to the success of One Piece is its sheer world building with a healthy emphasis on characterization and a message of seeking hope in a hard world. It is how detailed the island-based of One Piece has gotten that a special focused on the little people of this world who aren't part of the main action feels so real and defined. The special does a remarkable job of introducing its moderately sized cast in its twenty-five minute run time. Fan Letter truly embodies the heart of One Piece as we truly get the characters dreams and motivations, and the way the script manages to tie in how the Straw Hat Pirates have influenced them without directly meeting them is so well done. 

Naturally, this appeals more to those who are fans or are at least able to keep up with the basic plot of One Piece. It'll feel natural to them, but this might not be the best fit for newbies. However, one could kinda get the main characters' actions here even if one is unfamiliar with the world.

The animation in here is really fluid. I particularly enjoyed the look of the compact town of Seabody and the general, can-only-happen-in-an-animated-fantasy-world, look of the island.

Highly recommended. This is brimming with sentiment and love for the show and has a tight script. Really, just an enjoyable, pure time.

Mr. Crocket

6/10 

In this Hulu full-length adaptation of the short Bite Size Halloween episode of the same name, the newly widowed Summer (played by Grey's Anatomy/Hunters' Jerrika Hinton), finds an old VHS copy of a kids' show starring Mr. Crocket (Godfather of Harlem's Elvis Nolasco). However, there's something not quite right about the show and its host and the grasp they have on Summer's son Major (Ayden Gavin). 

The best part of this is the titular Mr. Crocket. Nolasco delivers quite a performance and brings us an unsettling character. It's hard to put into words what makes Crocket scary. I guess it is sort of the fact that he feels like someone who has a figurative mask on over what he really is, but the mask has partially slipped off, and he's not putting it back on; often never playing the character as full psychotic or full his show persona. Crocket feels like that person you met in real life that had some red flag issues if they had the power to do whatever they wanted.

Crockett's playhouse and his "pals" are distinct-looking and pretty freaky. The pals in particular are straight up nightmare-fuel.

However, the script never feels like it reaches its full potential, making decisions that don't quite work. (Also, doesn't help that due to the, I assume, low budget, that there are not a lot of extras around making the world feel desolate.) 

The biggest issue here being the relationship between Summer and her son. Yeah, the mother and her child having difficulty dealing with the loss of a loved one storyline is well known and tried, but this oddly fails the formula. One could give the movie props for not being cookie cutter, but the storyline does not work. Major is portrayed as just too unlikable. Yeah, he just lost his dad, but the movie never shows like he was what before hand or any positive qualities whatsoever. Major feels more like a damaged child in real life that requires a fair amount of therapy. One could credit the movie for treating the topic more seriously, but this feels more like a topic that should've been in an A24 atmospheric horror movie, not one with an over-the-top murderous kids' show host.

Partially recommended. Lots of people will be into Crocket and his world, but others will just be bummed by the story.

English Teacher- Season 1

7.5/10

In this new comedy on FX, gay English teacher Evan Marquez (played by Brian Jordan Alvarez) has to deal with the trials and tribulations of teaching high school in the modern era. 

This is naturally going to get comparisons to Abbott Elementary, but I would say this differs in that, besides being about a high school instead of an elementary one, in that it's more cynical and perhaps a bit more adult in its humor (although I wouldn't say it's too cynical or mature, mature.) This is a fairly good satire of American education and has fun poking at both the liberal and conservative sides of matters. Also, I love the students' often disinterested or overreactions to Evan's adult sensibilities and passions. (You see less of them in the last few episodes that focus more on Evan, and I hope they'll correct this if there is a second season.)

I'd say the show's one major down point is its focus on Evan's life. Honestly, he's kind of a selfish guy and sorta a wreck. (This is another thing I hope could be corrected in another season.) Also, episode 6 felt a bit broad when compared to the other episodes.

Fine cast in this. Just Shoot Me/Veronica Mars/Flashpoint's Enrico Colantoni plays Principal Grant Moretti. He's always good, but I think this might be his best performance here. He plays the often pragmatic-type of principal, who is trying to survive until retirement, and he probably gives the funniest performance in this. Sean Patton as Markie Hillridge, the school's center-conservative coach and Evan's friend, is also a lot of fun. Guy nails his delivery and may be the most likable character in this.

Recommended. Despite my grumblings about the main character, this is still a smart comedy.

Family Guy: Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Cheater

6.5/10

In this Hulu exclusive special, Peter Griffin (voiced by show creator Seth McFarlane) and friends try to help Joe Swanson (Seinfeld's Patrick Warburton) win a in a pumpkin competition against his rival Patrick McCloskey (Glenn Powell). Meanwhile, Stewie Griffin (also Seth McFarlane) decides to bring his teddy bear Rupert to life with unforeseen consequences.

Yeah, this was clearly a regular Halloween episode that the executives decided to dub a special. There is nothing notable about it, and there was no attempt to give it anything of a kick to it involving the holiday (unlike that hour-long Christmas special they did a while back that intentionally had that extra oomph.) 

The stories themselves are just kinda there. However, this is fairly funny with decent jokes in it. 

Yeah, anyone could've voiced Powell's character, but he is good at doing a cocky guy. Also, I liked McCloskey's over-the-top douchey pumpkin-themed attire. Some people may be annoyed that Rupert isn't voiced by the usual guy who occasionally does Rupert in Stewie's imagination. I won't spoil who does it, but it made me think "Huh? That was a surprise choice."

Kinda recommended. It's nothing outstanding, but it has its moments and makes for an alright episode of Family Guy.

Haunted Wedding

6/10

In this recent Hallmark Halloween entry, ghost hunters Jane (played by Pretty Little Liars' Janel Parrish), the more science-focused one, and Brian (Shadowhunters' Dominic Sherwood), the more spiritual-focused one, are getting married at a hotel. At said hotel, they encounter Angelique (Cassandra Potenza), a ghost pining over her one true love tragically separated by fate. Jane and Brian decide to help reunite them.

This is a Hallmark movie and fine for what it is. They're simple comfort food and not trying to be high art, and this is exactly what these movies' audience want them to be. The plot isn't complex, but it doesn't quite feel like it's coasting. There are some decent jokes and lines in this, and the writers felt like they took their job seriously. (I mean by Hallmark standards. I kinda love the fact that once the ghost hunters find true evidence of the paranormal for the first time, they don't try studying it at all. Absolutely, no use of scientific equipment or recording anything. They just immediately decide to help Angelique 'cuz the power of love.) Overall, the dialogue, acting, and script all have a good-natured feel to it.

Best performance is definitely Parrish whose Jane is fairly driven and empathetic. Sherwood brings a sort of likeable quasi-dorkiness to the role. Though, a lot of this movie is Angelique being ticked off or feeling sorry for herself (I also kinda like the fact that Angelique is just kinda peeved at the couple most of the time, even though they're trying to help her), Potenza makes it work. No one's trying to win an Oscar in these movies, but I felt that Lauren Cochrane as Jane's best friend was sorta stale.

Recommended if you like Hallmark movies. It's an alright way to spend time where you know you're watching something safe that won't mess with your expectations or require a lot of involvement. Most of the people behind this felt like they were game. I checked and, surprisingly, Hallmark hasn't done that many ghost movies, and a human-human, ghost-ghost romance is something new for them.

Simpsons: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

5/10

In this Simpsons Disney+ short, Sideshow Bob (voiced by Frasier's Kelsey Grammer), sings along with the Disney villains in a Halloween parody of the Christmas song The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

This is a bit of a nothing burger. Running at two or three minutes, MWTotY is over before it has begun. This also feels like a paler imitation of the last Simpsons/Disney villains special. There are a couple decent jokes, and Grammer and Bart Simpson voice Nancy Cartwright are definitely game with their delivery, but most of the material is just there, not particularly good or bad. Also, if you were looking forward to Bob singing again, I'm afraid that 69-year-old Grammer's voice just isn't as strong as it used to be.

Not particularly recommended or not. Given its short length it is no biggie if you watch it, even if you don't end up liking it.