Necrotongue

As the story unfolds, I'm starting to feel that Preacher's Corners will never be the same again. It's no surprise, considering the settlement of antisocial individuals nearby. However, I was pleased to see the creators tackle the issue head-on. With five episodes left, if the series creators don't completely lose their minds, this could turn out to be quite the experience. / Lesson learned: If your wife is biting someone else, something's definitely amiss.

It's safe to say we're not in for a musical or a comedy with this one. The tale from New England is steeped in family antiques and values that everyone seems to want to sweep under the rug. Although I'm a fan of Stephen King's books, this story doesn't ring any bells. Either I haven't read the book or it was changed beyond recognition. My bet's on the former. The series still holds onto its dark atmosphere and decent suspense, but it's not without its head-scratching moments (seriously, waiting for somebody in the dark with a lit lantern nearby? Not exactly kosher or halal). With a major family secret now revealed, I'm itching to see where it goes from here. / Lesson learned: If you're aiming to stay unseen in the dark, maybe keep that light switched off.

Preacher's Corners with its interesting array of inhabitants keeps on entertaining me. I was treated to a delightful cocktail of stupidity, faith, hatred, and violence – though I had to tweak my expectations a bit. Initially, I thought we were diving into some New England mysticism, but now it seems we're venturing into the realm of mysterious thriller/horror. Then again, who knows? In a couple more episodes, it might just morph into a comedy or even a musical. The creators have kept us guessing with their intentions thus far. One thing's for certain though – I'm having a great time. / Lesson learned: When you get kicked in the ribs, make sure to ice it properly.

I don't know what the situation is with ghosts, but what's for sure is this town is packed with devout Christians, and let me tell you, they give me the chills. Personally, I'd take ghosts, demons, or the undead over a bunch of fervent worshippers of any deity. That's just me though. But to be fair, I can't blame them. I mean, the town's name pretty much sets the stage for what you're getting into as a visitor. The creators are really nailing it with the atmosphere and tension here, without resorting to cheap jump scares. Adrien Brody slips into the role of Charles Boone seamlessly, and it seems like this series is going to be a good watch. / Lesson learned: When people don't like you somewhere, you'd better not mess with them. 4*-

The pilot episode of this series kicks off with a pretty solid atmosphere, setting the stage for what feels like an impending disaster, whether you want it or not. Oddly enough, very little of real significance actually unfolds. The creators seem to use this opener to introduce us to the characters and sketch out the story, without diving into major action just yet. I kinda liked this approach. Apart from the obligatory nods to current trends, I found myself pretty satisfied and intrigued about where the story will go from there. / Lesson learned: Always lock the basement door. And watch out for worms.

I didn't enjoy the second season nearly as much as the first one. The creators started developing subplots as if they didn't have a proper central theme. The consequences of the affair were everywhere, but they served only as a kind of backdrop for new events... Except for the fact that there weren't any new events. While waiting for COVID to arrive, the plot focused on a lesbian relationship between two moderators and various petty conflicts, and that's about it. When the disease finally emerged, there was a lot of crying and promoting togetherness, but I'm afraid the creators didn't quite hit the mark with me this time. Despite all my complaints, I managed to find another favorite character. Yes, it's Stella. / Lesson learned: If you want to experience real excitement every day, introduce addiction into your family, enter a homosexual relationship, and become COVID-positive. 3*-

The finale left me feeling pretty cold. In my last review, I praised the absence of tugs at the heartstrings, but this time around, it was just too much. The episode was packed with sentimental stories that didn't resonate with me at all; in fact, I found them quite off-putting. It's a bit paradoxical considering the overall positive theme of the plot. There were plenty of emotionally charged monologues and dialogues, and in those moments, I realize I'm just not the target audience for that kind of thing. Instead of being moved to tears and nodding enthusiastically, I found myself cringing and reaching for the fast-forward button on the remote. / Lesson learned: Want to really spice things up? Catch COVID.

Episode nine really had me torn. On one hand, I was thoroughly entertained and had a good time. Even with all the emotional scenes, it didn't feel like they were just trying to pull at heartstrings for the sake of it. On the flip side, there were moments that didn't quite hit the mark for me. I can't shake the feeling that the first season had a better overall quality. / Lesson learned: If you're going to have a secret fling, maybe go for a run instead. 4*-

It finally seems like the series is inching back towards the quality of its previous season. It's as if the creators remembered what made the series great in the first place, ditched the aimless wandering through the Italian countryside and got back to business. Yet, I found myself staring dumbfounded at new developments. How does an utterly vile, violent, disgusting parasite of a character, a slimy bastard, and a national disgrace die without everyone celebrating? It baffles me. When Mussolini was executed, people danced and sang, yet here, the crowd seemed to be mourning (even though the crime seems pretty comparable, right?). / Lesson learned: If you have more friends than fingers on one hand (or two hands if you work in the wood processing industry), you're likely to end up disappointed. 4*-

Seems like the disgusting, slimy evil got its due punishment, but TMS isn't quite hitting the mark it used to. After addressing a lesbian relationship in the previous episode, we're off to a vacation to Italy. I have to give it to the creators - they nailed the true essence of those hot Italian afternoons. The plot meandered slowly, almost as if wilting under the intense Italian sun. The characters' actions (I'm not counting Paola) struck me as odd, and those "profound" dialogues meant to impart deep wisdom just didn't quite land for me. / Lesson learned: If you're looking to solve life's problems, perhaps a trip to Italy is in order.