Netflix recently released Its newest series "Daredevil". It is based on Marvel's comic book series flowing Mathew Murdock, a blind man, who is fighting for the innocent in a corrupt world. Like any other superhero story, Murdock has a hidden life of Vigilante work where he disguises himself as "Daredevil".
Murdock is played by actor Charlie Cox who has also played rolls in Startdust, and The Theory of Everything. I personally think he is a good fit for the roll after watching the first few episodes of the series.
The Production quality of the show is excellent from what I have seen so far. My only complaint is the acting. The lead characters are all fine however sometimes the supporting actors come off as delivering lines which pulls me out of the world.
My favorite part of the show has to be the sound. The sound design for this show is phenomenal in my opinion. I may not be the most beautiful or fluid, however when following the life of a man who cannot see, one must see the word through sound and I believe the series is doing well with this so far.
Southcliffe is a Netflix mini series that came out in 2013 and stars Rory Kinnear, Sean Harris, Shirley Henderson. This series is very strange in my opinion and after watching the pilot episode I am still not sure how I feel about the show. It leaves the viewer rather clueless to what is going on and ends rather abruptly. That being said it is common of TV shows to do this to keep the viewer coming back for more however this was a little different. the first episode ends with a very long shot on a field with only natural sound, and it was very confusing.
I personally liked the cinematography in the show. The shots were abstract and long but there was something beautiful about it. my issue with the show so for is just the lack of information given to the viewer. Also the lighting in Southcliffe seems to rely very heavily on the cool side. almost every shot was lit at around 5600k (that I noticed). While this is not necessarily how I would choose to light something, I found it very intriguing.
The show only has four episodes which are around 45minutes long and if you are looking for something twisted and strange I would recommend this, however if you are someone who likes conventional methods of filming I don't think this would be for you.
Let me tell you about the wonderful show that is The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. From the creators of 30 Rock (Tina Fey & Robert Carlock) this new Netflix original series has been quite the hit so far. The whole show is centered around Kimmy Schmidt, (Ellie Kemper, The Office) a woman who is rescued from an underground doomsday cult in Indiana and restarts her life in New York City.
The show also features Kimmy's crazy landlord Lillian (Carol Kane), roommate Titus Andromedon (Titus Burgess, The Little Mermaid the Musical), and affluent boss Jacqueline Voorhees (30 Rock alumJane Krakowski). Later on, other special guest stars include Jon Hamm as the Reverend (who kidnapped the women), and Tina Fey even makes a cameo. All of the actors' performances were spot on, especially Ellie Kemper, whose natural bubbly disposition made the part of the "I survived living in a bunker for 15 years and am confused about today's technology!" very believeable.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt started out kind of slow, but the pace picked up by the third or fourth episode. After that I could not bring myself to stop watching, and finished many episodes in a single sitting. This is really the kind of show that will make you laugh out loud because the dialogue is so witty and straight up ridiculous.
30 Rock was (and always will be) one of my favorite shows, so when it was announced that a new Fey & Carlock series was in the works I was very excited to see the product. And Kimmy Schmidt is very similar to 30 Rock in terms of style; most of the characters were very stereotypical and over-the-top, while conveying a bigger social message.
For this show, the social issues addressed are ones regarding equal treatment of women, and homosexual men battling stereotypes. While most of these issues are usually expressed in a joking manner, you can tell that it was Fey putting in her two cents of blatancy.
The show has received a lot of mixed reviews, from "this is what has been missing from comedy the last few years" to "how did this get funding for thirteen episodes." But everyone whom I have spoken to really enjoyed the show and cannot stop quoting it! Granted, all of them were college-aged, and I have found that most people our age really enjoy the type of quirky, out of this world humor. People of other generations maybe don't enjoy Tina Fey's style of writing.
If you're looking for a show that will brighten up your day, definitely check out The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, all episodes streaming only on Netflix.
Marco Polo is an American-made Historical drama that is based on the real life events of a famous Venetian merchant. Marco Polo is infamous for traveling across all of Asia where he eventully meets the Mongolian emperor Kublai Khan, learning the mercantile trade from his Father and Uncle along the way. Polo is kept as an honored captive of the Khan due to his knowledge of Asian trade routes and culture. We follow Marco Polo as he struggles to survive in the foreign Mongolian culture where almost every character, other than the Khan, seems to be attempting to take his life.
This Netflix original series was written and created by John Fusco, starring Lorenzo Richelmy as Marco Polo and Benedict Wong and the great emperor Khan. The first thing that I wish to discuss about this show is how well it teaches the audience about an era in history that is not commonly discussed. Everyone has heard of how Genghis Khan created the Mongolian empire and conquered most of Eurasia after uniting the tribes of Northeastern Asia. I thought it was interesting how this show covers what happens during a later, lesser known generation of the Mongolian reign. Kublai Khan created what is now referred to as the Yuan dynasty, a rich and prosperous time for the Mongolian people. I loved how this show follows Marco Polo, an outsider, as he attempts to learn how to survive in this new culture. As our main character learns more about this new culture the audience is indirectly introduced to these pieces of history as well.
One critique I have for this show is how a huge opportunity was passed when the creators had Marco Polo thrown into captivity so quickly. Not even 5 minutes into the first episode and he was already kneeling at the feet of Kublai Khan. If the writers had delayed this plot point and we had been shown Polo's life before he was taken captive it would have shown a much greater contrast between his living situations, eventually showing a much greater development in his character. While I may have this small complaint about the character Marco Polo, I overall really enjoyed Lorenzo Richelmy's performance.
There are many things that I truly believe this show did extraordinarily well. The cinematography was, at times, beautifully done. The sets were luxurious and grand in scale, accurately depicting the wealth of the Mongolian empire at the time. I thought that the show had a strong cast and was well acted. While the plot may have been a tad bit confusing due to the quick start I believe it was interesting. This is a show that I would recommend if you're interested in the historical drama. I would rate it a 6/10.
(There has been a lot of controversy with this show over the inaccurate depiction and extreme sexualization of women during the Mongolian Empire. If you want to read more about it click here)
Netflix is sure uping the antis with increasing its number of "netflix original series" with the success of orange is the new black. Netflix is sure being smart and creating their very own market.
Now that Netflix has its own series, it is really putting a stress on TV networks. More and more people are turning to Netflix, hulu and other online streaming sites. What is next to come? Hulu original series? If networks were smart they would be doing the same thing and creating a place to stream their shows easier and more efficient. If its cheaper, people will sure flock to their site.
In 2015, Netflix will be releasing 9 new original sees and I'm sure there is more to come. Instead of wanting to work for a station, I much rather work for Netflix or Hulu with the rate this is going.
Not only is Netflix spreading across the United States, but it is also spreading around the word. Soon it will be launching in Japan in the fall as well. Currently Netflix is the WORLDS leading TV network with over 57 million members and over 50 countries. It is crazy to think about. I know where I want to apply when I graduate.
With the amount of money Internet streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Instant Video make, it didn’t take long for them to start airing original series. One of the most popular of these shows is House of Cards, a political drama featuring Kevin Spacey. Set in Washington D.C., this show follows fictional politician Frank Underwood through all the deception and manipulation of a job in the White House.
House of Cards is one of those shows that it seems like everyone has seen, and if it were to be included in the Nielsen ratings system, it would likely be one of the highest rated shows currently on TV. Sadly for Kevin Spacey, his pay rate is not quite up to par with the show's popularity. Since Netflix is a private company that does not air any commercials, and House of Cards (a Netflix original series) does not air anywhere else, there is no reason for Netflix to release information regarding the amount of views its shows get. This leaves Spacey and his agent guessing as how to much money he should make for each episode.
Netflix’s ability to keep their data private gives them an advantage that television networks do not have - although with their gross revenue of $5.5 billion in 2014, they would be doing just fine even if Kevin Spacey were to make twice as much as he does. Despite the disadvantage Spacey faces, he is returning for a 3rd season which airs on Netflix on February 27th. It will be interesting to see how the show progresses having gained so much popularity since the last season was released, and how other existing Netflix original shows like Orange Is The New Black will progress as well. 2015 will be a big year for Internet streaming, and House of Cards will be no exception.
Netflix recently released Its newest series "Daredevil". It is based on Marvel's comic book series flowing Mathew Murdock, a blind man, who is fighting for the innocent in a corrupt world. Like any other superhero story, Murdock has a hidden life of Vigilante work where he disguises himself as "Daredevil".
The Production quality of the show is excellent from what I have seen so far. My only complaint is the acting. The lead characters are all fine however sometimes the supporting actors come off as delivering lines which pulls me out of the world.
My favorite part of the show has to be the sound. The sound design for this show is phenomenal in my opinion. I may not be the most beautiful or fluid, however when following the life of a man who cannot see, one must see the word through sound and I believe the series is doing well with this so far.
