Movies

The end of Poppy and Ian as Mythic Quest is cancelled

25 April 2025 By Avinash Meetoo Leave a Comment

Christina and I watched the last episode of Mythic Quest yesterday.

As a matter of fact, we had watched this last episode of Season 3 before, fully expecting a Season 4. But, during the week, the show was cancelled and the last episode was lightly edited to end on a nice note. This is what we (re)watched yesterday and, while we are a bit sad that we won’t see Poppy and Ian anymore, we liked the new ending.

Mythic Quest is about the video game industry. Or it is about “the head of a successful video game development company and his troubled staff struggle to keep their hit game on top”. Or, maybe, more simply, it is about Poppy Li, the head programmer, and Ian Grimm, the lead creative, clashing every day. And it’s fun!

The cast was great and, for me, Charlotte Nicdao as Poppy Li (the lead programmer) and Rob McElhenney as Ian Grimm (the lead creative) steal every scene they are in. They are not only funny but also very touching as they behave like real human beings (and this is not very common in TV shows these days).

The other cast members are very over the top but in a good way: David Hornsby as David Brittlesbee (the inefficient manager), Danny Pudi as Brad Bakshi (the money guy), Jessie Ennis as Jo (the frightening assistant), Imani Hakim as Dana (the rising star programmer), Ashly Burch as Rachel (the one who should not speak), Naomi Ekperigin as Carol (the HR lover) with a special mention for F. Murray Abraham as C.W. Longbottom (the outdated writer) and Elisha Henig as Pootie Shoe (the growing gamer influencer).

Farewell Poppy and Ian. We will miss you.

Mrs Maisel is Marvelous

7 April 2025 By Avinash Meetoo Leave a Comment

We started watching The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in January 2025 and Christina and I watched the last episode last night. We both loved the show.

“After her husband leaves her, young mother of two Miriam “Midge” Maisel discovers that she has a talent for stand-up comedy. Could this be her calling?” And I have to say with a resounding yes that this is absolutely her calling!

During the five seasons and 43 episodes, we went through a beautiful journey with Rachel Brosnahan (as Miriam ‘Midge’ Maisel), Alex Borstein (as Susie Myerson), Michael Zegen (as Joel Maisel), Tony Shalhoub (as Abe Weissman), Marin Hinkle (as Rose Weissman), Kevin Pollak (as Moishe Maisel), Caroline Aaron (as Shirley Maisel), Joel Johnstone (as Archie Cleary), Bailey De Young (as Imogene Cleary), Luke Kirby (as Lenny Bruce), Jane Lynch (as Sophie Lennon), Stephanie Hsu (as Mei), Reid Scott (as Gordon Ford), LeRoy McClain (as Shy Baldwin), Erik Palladino (as Frank), John Scurti (as Nicky), Alfie Fuller (as Dinah Rutledge), Gideon Glick (as Alfie) and Matilda Szydagis (as Zelda).

Rachel Brosnahan (as Miriam ‘Midge’ Maisel) is the superstar in a way I’ve never seen an actor in any other comparable show. No wonder she has been chosen to be the next Lois Lane in the Superman movie to be released soon.

Rachel Brosnahan is more like the main actor of a major movie instead of a TV show actress, in the sense that everything great in the show involves her. She masters acting and she has an enormous amount of charisma. Her relationship with both Michael Zegen (as Joel Maisel, her past husband and forever admirer) and Alex Borstein (as Susie Myerson, her manager and best friend) is fantastic to watch.

The Jewish family dynamics as portrayed by Miriam, Joel, Abe, Rose, Moishe and Shirley is also very fun (even in these times and days…). I loved Abe’s monologues and Moishe’s directness, Rose’s innocence and Shirley’s compassion. The fact that, even at the very end, none of the oldies really understood that Miriam was a great comic was absolutely hilarious.

At this point, I have to quote Elle Magazine (of all magazines!): Midge Maisel [is] one of the best-dressed characters on TV. Every single of the 43 episodes was a marvel for the eyes, from the set, the lighting, the colours chosen and, of course, the way Miriam dressed.

We loved how the show ended last night. I hope no one will ever have the ludicrous idea of making another season.

Breaking from Prison Break

7 April 2025 By Avinash Meetoo Leave a Comment

Christina and I started watching Prison Break on 3 March 2025 and decided to break from it on 5 April 2025 after three seasons. The TV show, which ran from 2005 to 2017, is about “a structural engineer [who] installs himself in a prison he helped design, in order to save his falsely accused brother from a death sentence by breaking themselves out from the inside.”

More precisely, the first two seasons were about breaking from the prison. The third season was quite bizarre as it took place in Panama in another prison and the new characters introduced were too improbable: I am looking at you Gretchen (played by Jodi Lyn O’Keefe).

And, apparently, the fourth season is bad and, even if the fifth and last season has better reviews, we have decided to stop watching Prison Break.

The actors were good in general even though the acting and editing look a bit dated in 2025: Wentworth Miller (as Michael Scofield), Dominic Purcell (as Lincoln ‘Linc’ Burrows), Robert Knepper (as Theodore ‘T-Bag’ Bagwell), Amaury Nolasco (as Fernando Sucre), Peter Stormare (as John Abruzzi), Rockmond Dunbar (as Benjamin Miles ‘C-Note’ Franklin), Lane Garrison (as David ‘Tweener’ Apolskis), Wade Williams (as Brad Bellick), William Fichtner (as Alexander ‘Alex’ Mahone), Paul Adelstein (as Paul Kellerman), Marshall Allman (as LJ Burrows), Stacy Keach (as Warden Henry Pope), Robin Tunney (as Veronica Donovan) and Sarah Wayne Callies (as Sara Tancredi).

All in all, we enjoyed the first two seasons and felt like escaping during the third season which we eventually did.