Review Day

There are no major spoilers in these reviews.

Swarm:
Donald Glover's newest show after Atlanta tells the story of a woman superfan of a popular singer who goes off the deep end in her attempts to get closer to her idol. The series is serious, uncomfortable to watch, and not a good way to wind down at the end of the day. The lead actress, Dominique Fishback, delivers an Emmy-worthy performance that will keep you on edge for the duration. On Amazon Video.

Final Grade: B

Night Agent:
This is a by-the-numbers government conspiracy thriller with good concepts but weak execution. The banter shines while the emotional moments fall flat. I like that the suspense is maintained by gradually revealing new information instead of having characters shift allegiance in support of the plot direction. It all kind of tumbles down into a muddle by the last episode, but it's pretty entertaining throughout if you don't take it too seriously.

Final Grade: B-

The Bear, Season Two:
The second season of Bear finds Chef Carmy trying to rebuild a lowbrow sub shop into a fine dining experience worth at least 1 Michelin star. Each main character gets some time to shine and the relationships are well-explored. It's worth getting through all of the shouting in the first season to enjoy this excellent one. On Hulu.

Final Grade: A

Animal Control, Season One:
We gave this shallow sitcom about three episodes before realizing that it wasn't going to get any better. It's probably fine if you want to watch Joel McHale be Joel McHale, but there are so many better shows (Community, Santa Clarita Diet) that offer that opportunity. On Hulu.

Final Grade: Not Rated