The Daily Show presenter, Trevor Noah, released his Netflix comedy special, Son of Patricia earlier this week, and it is well worth a watch. The show is ever-entertaining, filled to the brim with insightful anecdotes about tacos, snakes and racism. Noah is a charming performer and expert storyteller, with a calm confidence and a powerful stage presence.
Son of Patricia balances its political conversation with some lighter material, and it’s all equally hilarious. Noah quickly won me over, with an early anecdote expressing his (extremely valid) frustration with the popularity of camping. He plays a confused tourist to the concept of living in harsh conditions for fun – a role he often assumes throughout the show. Noah uses this fresh, yet logical perspective to draw attention to small absurdities in everyday life.
The highlight of the show was Noah’s retelling of his visit to a snake whisperer’s performance in Bali. Maybe it was just because I related to Noah’s realistic amount of caution around snakes (which really shouldn’t be such a weird thing). Noah, being the intelligent person he is, ensured he remained a considerable distance away from the snakes, despite being mocked for his (understandable) fear by the French father and son next to him in the crowd. Noah cleverly draws in the audience as the story builds, showcasing his expertise in the art of effective storytelling. He held me captive right up until the tale’s oh-so-satisfying confusion, in which his fears proved to be completely valid. (Although I’m not sure whether I appreciated that my own fear of snakes was also completely validated. In fact, my fears are now stronger than ever – thanks Trevor.)
Noah’s South African perspective shines throughout the show, as he details his experiences in the US as a foreigner. He presents himself as a newcomer to American customs, most notably in his segment on his first experience with tacos. The comedy is at its strongest when what should have been an ordinary experience is completely turned on its head throughout a series of simple misunderstandings. Not only does this build to a hilariously disastrous climax, but Noah weaves in a few jabs about immigration along the way – specifically about immigrant cuisine. He points out how possessive American culture can be when it comes to its claim on foreign food, stipulating, “I feel like there should be a rule in America that says you can hate immigrants all you want, but if you do, you don’t get to eat their food.” It’s a simple notion, but he hits the nail on the head, creating a perfect analogy for a much bigger issue.
Noah’s politics are never forceful or overly-aggressive. He is merely an observer, cleverly presenting his own experiences with prejudice in a light-hearted manner and leaving the rest for the audience to interpret as they choose. The biggest laughs (from both myself and the live audience) were throughout the segment on Trump’s wall. Noah doesn’t outright attack Trump’s beliefs, he just points out the inconsistencies in his designs and strategies. Noah further stipulates how others could potentially react or even manipulate Trump in response, once again striking a perfect balance between political relevance and sheer hilarity.
Son of Patricia concludes with some final anecdotes about Noah’s mother, Patricia, along with his recent experience with being called the ‘n’ word – which is a surprisingly insightful story. In South African, the slur has an entirely different meaning, and Noah once again demonstrates how a foreign perspective can allow one to cut through to the true nature of an issue.
Noah’s comedy is light-hearted enough to be effortlessly entertaining and topical enough for viewers to take something away from the experience. Son of Patricia demonstrates an expert ability to perform and tell stories in a wonderfully logical fashion. Noah’s intellectual brand of humour is part of an innovative wave of comedy that’s attracting new audiences to the genre. I’m sure fans – new and old – will be quickly queuing up for whatever Noah has in store for the world next – I know I am.
Carla Gugino, Henry Thomas, and Violet McGraw in The Haunting of Hill House (2018)
I originally planned to save my The Haunting of Hill House review for after I had finished the entirety of season one, but I a) have been progressing through the show far slower than initially expected, (hence why this review is coming out a month after the release of the series) and b) have a lot of thoughts I already want to discuss, so here I am.
I’ll preface this by saying I’m not a fan of horror, not just because the genre terrifies me, but also because I rarely find myself satisfied with how they play out in the end. The build-up is always better than the conclusion. It’s very rare that the spooky supernatural events taking place can be thwarted in a logical manner, or in a manner that allows them to retain their ‘scary’ factor. As a result, I tend to avoid the genre as a whole (though I am partial to a good psychological thriller now and then.)
Every rule has its exceptions, and The Haunting of Hill House might just be one of them. Not only is it genuinely scary, but the show has at its foundation something most horrors lack – a strong emotional centre that gives the audiences something to actually root for. On top of this, the show is (so far at least) more of an exploration of the characters’ experiences with the supernatural, rather than them attempting to destroy it somehow or give it a logical explanation when one doesn’t exist. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to learn more about the house’s history, especially if there is some sort of link between all the spooky happenings. That being said, delving too deep into the mechanics of something so abstract does tend to kill it for me; I guess I’ll just have to wait and see.
The family relationships in the show are complex and compelling – almost on par with This Is Us. The first five episodes are masterfully designed, with a focus on one main character each episode. This ensures the extent of the story doesn’t completely overwhelm the viewer, and it allows for some satisfying ‘aHAH’ moments when you start to understand where all the different events link up in each timeline. The slower pacing allows room to delve into each of the characters’ minds on a much deeper level than they might have otherwise.
I’ll admit the first episode, “Steven Sees A Ghost” didn’t hook me – although I’m not sure I gave the episode the chance it deserved. I had heard good things about the show and I wanted something spooky to watch on Halloween, so I gave it a shot. I was pretty distracted at the time and I had to stop watching about three-quarters of the way through the episode. I didn’t feel the need to come back to the show until about a week later. It hadn’t stood out to me as anything all that special, but when I returned to the show I was glad to discover just how wrong I had been. I did rewatch the first episode so I could give it a fair review, and I really enjoyed it on the second viewing. Of course, I now understand more of what was actually going on, which added to the experience. It certainly makes for an interesting hour of television, especially compared to your average pilot – and now that I was paying more attention, I could see that. However, the first episode definitely has an overwhelming amount of characters and detail to keep track of on a first viewing.
In the second episode, “Open Casket,” I started to understand how complex the show really is. The switch in perspectives was a refreshing change. The first episode put Steve at its forefront, but it spent too much time introducing all the other characters for viewers to become particularly invested in him. This episode however, fully zeroed in on oldest daughter, Shirley, finally giving the viewer enough time to get the know one of the characters in detail. I personally wouldn’t find the show half as compelling if it were focusing on one particular child the whole way through; such a large part of the show’s intrigue stems from getting to know each character and their personal experiences with the supernatural. The flashbacks of Shirley’s childhood in episode two were equally intriguing and disturbing, and definitely gave me a taste of the direction the show would be heading. The episode also introduces the idea that the house is like a human being. The children’s mother explains the concept to a young Shirley in detail, creating a sense that it’s not just ghosts stirring up trouble; it might just be the house itself – something a few of the Crain children appear convinced of. Shirley and Steven are certainly the more realistic out of the children, both living fairly regular lives in comparison to the others. The decision to put their episodes first was smart – allowing viewers to gradually ease themselves into the more dramatic supernatural events to come. However, Shirley’s practicality is almost more shocking than the ghosts at times. The scene where she embalms Nell herself still stands out to me as one of the most disturbing scenes in the show so far, but it is also one of the most touching scenes. It paints a perfect picture of Shirley’s strength, sense of overwhelming responsibility, and the tremendous amount she is willing to sacrifice to ensure the best for her family.
The third episode hooked me. “Touch” revolves around Theo, who I found to be the most interesting of the three main characters featured so far. She had the most obvious ‘powers’ of the group, and I tend to enjoy weird/loner kid archetype. I can definitely relate to her deflective self-defence mechanisms, and I have a soft spot for LGBT characters, so I was destined to love her from the start. The episode itself tells a compelling self-contained narrative of Theo using her powers to help one of her patients – another example of the real-life events being somehow more disturbing than the children’s supernatural memories. “Touch” is one of the more emotional episodes of the season so far. You couldn’t help but feel Theo’s pain and grief when she touches Nell’s body. The sheer thought of it would have been enough to disturb me, but Theo’s pained reaction followed by a cut to her drinking her sorrows away sealed the deal. I have to admit, it wasn’t until this episode that I was really able to keep track of all the characters – sue me, I struggled to tell the difference between the four brunette white ladies (and three of their childhood counterparts). It took me a while, but I got there in the end. The episode confirms that the children’s mother has some sort of supernatural ability. In the scene where she gives Theo her gloves, she tells her the women in the family are often ‘sensitive.’ This seems to be setting up more mystery to come surrounding her eventual ‘suicide.’
The fourth episode, “The Twin Thing,” wasn’t the most memorable episode, but it progressed the story well enough and explored a new dimension of the children’s relationships as adults. The episode takes a more realistic turn – mostly focusing on Luke’s journey in rehab. Before watching this episode, all I knew about Luke was that he’s a drug addict. After watching this episode, that’s still all I know about him really, but hey – it was still nice to see his side of the story. At least he’s a nice drug addict who is sincerely trying to do better – and boy has he seen some shit. The man in the bowler hat is my favourite ghost so far. (Yes, I have a favourite ghost). The scene where Luke first sees him is a masterclass in tension manipulation. It had me hooked – absolutely terrified at first, and then laughing out loud out of sheer relief when the ghost took the bowler hat, before reducing me to a state of terror once again when the ghost reached out to him. “The Twin Thing” was a good episode, with a great ending. I just wish it gave more of an indication as to why Luke turned to drugs in the first place. Was he just more affected by his experiences with the supernatural than the others? He doesn’t have Steven’s denial, or Theo’s deflection, or Shirley’s sense of responsibility, so I guess it makes sense that he’d turn to drugs to help him cope, but I’d have still liked to have seen this aspect explored more in the episode itself.
Episode five, “The Bent-Neck Lady” was… really disturbing? Sure, it’s an absolutely incredible episode, but it was also… a lot. I’m an adult and I had nightmares. To be completely honest, I have been half-dreading watching the next episode. That being said, we have already established I scare pretty easy. The episode was especially difficult to watch, knowing how it had to end. Up until this point, there really wasn’t enough information about Nell to have any real emotional attachment to her character, but “The Bent-Neck Lady” changed that. The episode is wonderfully cruel, feeding the viewer with montages of happiness and love in Nell’s life, juxtaposed with her grief and struggles in therapy. The ending, in particular, is truly horrifying. Even though I knew it was coming, Nell’s pure joy at seeing her family and her husband again made the scene more emotional than I could have possibly imagined. It’s definitely the best episode of the show so far – wonderfully shot and edited, and I just couldn’t look away (even when I wanted to). The first four episodes all felt like they were leading up to this one and so I’m not sure what to expect from the show next. I imagine the next big question will be what really happened to their mother.
If you’ve heard of The Haunting of Hill House, you probably don’t need me to tell you it’s amazing. If for some reason you haven’t already seen it, then it’s definitely worth a watch. However, I might warn those who are sensitive to horror and issues surrounding suicide against it, as it can be a lot to handle at times. If you’re looking for cheap thrills, then this isn’t it (although it’s given my poor dogs a fright a few times now.) If you’re looking for a nuanced family drama with a healthy dosage of insidious supernatural mystery, then The Haunting of Hill House is where it’s at.
Alright, review over. On to episode six. Thoughts and prayers would be much appreciated.
With every new week, All American has impressed me more and more, and this week is no exception. ‘Poor kid enters into rich lifestyle’ isn’t the most revolutionary premise, and I’ll admit, I originally started watching the show because I was starting to miss Cody Christian’s Teen-Wolf-sized absence in my life. I was pleasantly surprised however with how invested I quickly became in in the array of characters the show has on offer. It’s far from perfect, but I rarely go into low-budget teen shows expecting all that much, so let’s just say it’s exceeded my expectations so far. Sports shows especially, aren’t usually my cup of tea, but All American manages to weave in enough drama and social commentary to keep me interested.
I had hoped to get a glimpse of Spencer’s father this episode, with Spencer deciding to visit one of his team’s football matches – no such luck, however. Having apparently quit the team, the father remains elusive for now. It looks like we’ll be learning more about him next week though; Jordan and Olivia’s grandfather suggests at the end of the episode that there is something more to Coach Billy’s history with Spencer’s parents. He asks Billy, “how do you think [Spencer]’s going to react when he finds out what really happened?” Looks like there is no shortage of drama to come. As long as said drama isn’t about Billy still somehow being Spencer’s real dad, I’ll be happy.
I was glad to see this week’s episode bring (what I hope is) an end to the question of Spencer’s parentage – I’ll be pretty frustrated if they do bring back the possibility of Billy being his father. Potential incest has never been my favourite plot point, but I did enjoy where it led in this episode. The investigation became more of an exploration of Olivia and Jordan’s relationship with their father than anything else. Their ‘detective duo’ dynamic was definitely an episode highlight for me and it was a much-needed break from the Olivia/Spencer awkwardness of the previous episode.
Love triangles were never my favourite plot point either, and every episode that moves further from the original Spencer/Olivia/Layla setup is a good one in my book. There are still traces here and there, but it’s shifted mostly into the background for now. Instead, Layla’s relationship with Asher has been receiving more focus in the last few episodes. It’s rare to see the ‘popular girl dates popular guy who’s a bit of an ass’ trope get all that much development, so I’d call that a happy surprise. If it weren’t for the whole ‘Asher cheating on Layla with Olivia thing,’ I’d actually quite like them together. At least Asher told Layla about losing his money; it’s a good indicator that he does genuinely care about her, which I appreciate. What can I say… I’m a sucker for honesty and healthy communication?
But back to the cheating thing – another trope I don’t love. In this episode we see Olivia open up to Jordan about sleeping with Asher. This show really has a habit of reusing tired tropes, but then shaking up the norm just enough for me to almost forgive them for it… almost. Olivia and Jordan’s sibling dynamic is one of the more interesting relationships on the show, and the scene is actually quite compelling as a result. It starts with Olivia conceding she’s, “sorry [they’re] not close anymore.” She admits she had pushed him away, eventually revealing that she and Asher had slept together whilst they were both drunk a year prior. Jordan is justifiably upset. I’m guessing this revelation will drive quite the wedge in Jordan and Asher’s bromance, which should be interesting to see play out; it’s about time this whole thing unravelled (and about time Layla finds out).
The highlight of the episode for me was Coop’s subplot, in which she struggles with the idea of being in an openly gay relationship. She begins pushing away her love interest, Patience, lying to her about not wanting to go out on a public date. Coop ruminates on this throughout the episode and discusses it with Spencer at his party. It’s a small detail, but I really enjoy how Spencer pays close attention to his friend’s life, unlike so many main characters. Their friendship is one of the more believable and healthy relationships on the show, and their conversations are more balanced than your average main character/best friend; they actually come off as equals. Spencer is quick to point out why Coop hadn’t brought Patience with her, saying “you and me, we gotta stop worrying about the parents rejecting us.”
Coop admits to Patience that a part of her is still ashamed and afraid of openly admitting her sexuality. However, she indicates she doesn’t want to hide anymore, asking Patience, “do you think you could help me with that?” Patience agrees, and we see a shot of them holding hands out in public later in the episode. This was definitely a plotline I appreciated as an LGBT+ person myself, as it showed how some of the most basic things can become a challenge for those in a gay relationship. All American often shines a light of more subtle elements of social inequity (usually racism) in a way that never seems forced; it’s just a part of the character’s day to day lives. It demonstrates a level of nuance that I wasn’t expecting when I embarked upon the show.
All American has some real potential to become a quite compelling show, and I can only hope it gets the more attention in the meantime so that it has a chance at scoring a second season. The next few episodes might just make or break the show; if it carries on with too many clichés, it may suffocate its more promising elements.
TheScreenReview 