'Doctor Odyssey' Reviews: "Sleek, well-produced, and addictive, this cruise ship soap has notes of flirty romance but doesn't forget it's a medical drama"

Photo Courtesy of Disney and Tina Thorpe

         On September 26, 2024, ABC premiered 'Doctor Odyssey', which has earned rave reviews from critics. In the series, "Max is the new on-board doctor for a luxury cruise ship where the small but mighty medical team navigate unique medical crises and each other, miles from shore." The ensemble cast includes Joshua Jackson, Don Johnson, Phillipa Soo, and Sean Teale. But what did the critics say? 

        Joel Keller of Decider says, "Doctor Odyssey, created by Ryan Murphy, Jon Robin Baitz and Joe Baken, is taking the tradition of Murphy’s 9-1-1 franchise and extending it to the high seas. Really, the show isn’t trying to be anything more than a medical drama that floats, complete with crazy cases and people sleeping with each other. And, just like with 9-1-1, a pretty basic premise is elevated by the presence of well-known, very charming stars." Adding, "It helps that Jackson is as slyly charming and watchable as ever, and the chemistry between him and Soo is palpable. Soo is mostly known for her amazing voice and star turns in musicals like Hamilton, but she does quite well here, giving Avery a quiet confidence that permeates every interaction she has. The jury is still out on Teale, whose character Tristan is a pretty standard young hothead who thinks he’s God’s gift to women. But there’s time for him to evolve. Were there a bunch of silly moments in the first episode? Absolutely; Max’s monologue about his COVID struggle was not only too long, but we don’t even know if the timeline matches some of the aspects of his case. Having the medical staff also diving in the ocean to rescue the man that went overboard was a little much. But if you’re looking for veracity in your shipbound medical dramas, you might want to start watching other types of shows."

       Matthew Creith of The Wrap notes, There are inevitable comparisons to be made between “Doctor Odyssey” and “The Love Boat,” as every episode promises a new set of guests and new medical issues for Jackson’s character to resolve. The premiere gave us an underutilized Rachel Dratch, but the series promises more featured players like Shania Twain, John Stamos, Kelsea Ballerini and frequent Murphy collaborators Chord Overstreet and Cheyenne Jackson in future guest-starring roles. “The body is a miraculous healing machine,” Dr. Bankman notes to Avery, calling attention to the many situations he’s faced in his esteemed medical career. But everything about “Doctor Odyssey” so far has trended surface-level amongst the glamorous life on a cruise ship where anything can happen at any moment. The series starts off strong, but it will be fascinating to see where the good doctor takes his patients throughout the season."

       Joly Herman of Common Sense Media praises the series, stating, "Sleek, well-produced, and addictive, this cruise ship soap has notes of flirty romance but doesn't forget it's a medical drama. The Love Boat meets Grey's Anatomy in Doctor Odyssey, serving heady mix of luxurious encounters and sober medicine. Parents should be aware that sex is handled in a straight-forward manner in this show; when a man "breaks his penis," the staff don't joke too much about it, but they do talk about how it can happen. There's a sense in this series that the ship's staff's cohesion is of utmost importance, which serves as a mildly refreshing antidote to a slew of rudderless reality shows."

'Grotesquerie' Reviews: "Watching Manville pull off some of the lines here is a masterclass in keeping a straight face while tasked with conveying the truly absurd"

         On September 25, 2024, FX premiered 'Grotesquerie', which has earned predominantly positive reviews from critics. In the series, "Detective Lois Tryon feels a series of heinous crimes in her small community are eerily personal, as if someone or something is taunting her. At home, Lois grapples with a strained relationship with her daughter, a husband in long-term hospital care and her own inner demons. With no leads and unsure where to turn, she accepts the help of Sister Megan, a nun and journalist with the Catholic Guardian. As Lois and Sister Megan string together clues, they find themselves ensnared in a sinister web that only seems to raise more questions than answers." The ensemble cast includes Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Niecy Nash, Courtney B. Vance, Leslie Manville, Micaela Diamond, Travis Kelce, and Raven Goodwin. But what did the critics say?

        Rebecca Nicholson of Guardian notes, "It might seem odd to suggest that Grotesquerie, the latest show from the ubiquitous, never knowingly understated Ryan Murphy (who co-creates and co-writes here), is more downbeat than his usual horror fodder. There are four highly theatrical massacres in the first two episodes alone, and a body count so vast that the number of corpses might outweigh the members of the living, breathing cast. Yet it is different to many of his other projects, which tend to err on the side of spectacle for spectacle’s sake. This is clearly grappling for a grander narrative in the gothic horrors on display." Continuing, One of the big pre-release talking points of Grotesquerie has been the acting debut of American footballer and famous boyfriend Travis Kelce, but they’re obviously keeping their powder dry, as there’s no sign of him in the first two episodes. There is, however, a hot, Elvis-like priest (Monsters’ Nicholas Chavez) and Lesley Manville as Nurse Redd, an acidic, Ratched-esque nurse who cares for, and then some, Lois’ husband Marshall, who is in a coma. Watching Manville pull off some of the lines here is a masterclass in keeping a straight face while tasked with conveying the truly absurd. Grotesquerie is a slow burn, but it is intriguing. Elsewhere, it touches on reality TV, addiction, guns, faith and the mundanity of marriage. It may be too much, all at once, and as is often the case with Murphy shows, it strives to find a balance between genuine provocation and being shocking just because he can be. Even so, these opening episodes suggest it is worth persevering with. This ambitious horror may well find its feet."

Photo by Alice Voigt on Unsplash

        Daniel Kurland of Bloody Disgusting says, Nash-Betts’ Detective Tryon and Micaela Diamond’s Sister Megan Duval are also an excellent duo who immediately have chemistry. Nash-Betts really sells this material and excels in Grotesquerie, but Diamond is a revelation and is the series’ early MVP. She brings a cagey, squirrelly intensity to all of her scenes. Tryon and Duval achieve a unique camaraderie, yet their dynamic doesn’t feel anything like what’s present in other two-handed murder series, like True Detective, or any of Ryan Murphy’s past projects. Sister Duval’s morbid interests may initially seem atypical, but she becomes a welcome conduit for Grotesquerie to deconstruct the idea that cults and crimes have become a new form of faith and religion; a grim fact that’s seemingly corroborated by Murphy’s menagerie of TV series, many of which are variations on the same murderous themes. A sliding scale of cataclysms and callousness continue to consume the world while a nun and priest gossip over burgers about their favorite serial killers. These first two Grotesquerie episodes establish a baseline between Tryon and Duval and it seems like their dynamic will boil down to the power of faith, like an alternate version of Mulder and Scully, minus the aliens. That being said, both Detective Tryon and Sister Duval know that the truth is out there and they’re determined to find it. Faith is what keeps Detective Tryon going, whether it’s with this macabre crime or her personal life. Tryon struggles with an incomplete jigsaw puzzle at home. Meanwhile, it’s no coincidence that Sister Duval later earnestly admits, “It seemed to fit,” after she makes a prediction about the Burnside massacre, as if she’s mentally putting together a puzzle. She possesses skills that are essential to Tryon." Continuing, "It’s not unusual for Ryan Murphy series to start strong, only to veer off into messy mediocrity. It may be naive to think that Grotesquerie will be any different, but these first two episodes accomplish quite a bit when it comes to character, atmosphere, and storytelling."

       Matthew Creith of The Wrap writes, "Having a stereotypical police officer role imbibing on liquor in order to get through the harshness of reality isn’t groundbreaking, but Niecy Nash-Betts is more than qualified to take on the cliche. A gifted actor whose promotion to leading lady in this series is much deserved, given the wealth of talent she brings to such an unseemly character. There’s definitely more than meets the eye in the first two episodes of “Grotesquerie” as series creators Ryan Murphy, Jon Robin Baitz (“Feud”) and Joe Baken (“American Horror Stories”) build a world full of odd creatures and even more odd theological motives. Though Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s role is yet to be clarified, the show moves along like an investigation into the mind of Detective Tryon and the serial killer she pursues to no end."

'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story' Reviews: "an ominous retelling of the infamous crime"

         On September 19, 2024, Netflix released 'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story', which has received a mixed reception from critics. In the limited series, viewers are re-introduced to "the Menendez brothers, convicted of the brutal 1989 murders of their parents in Beverly Hills." The ensemble cast includes Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Cooper Koch, Nathan Lane, Javier Bardem, Chloë Sevigny, Leslie Grossman, Ari Graynor, and Dallas Roberts. But what did the critics say?

        Jonathan Wilson of Ready Steady Cut notes, "I didn’t find Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story to be aggressively off-putting like its predecessor, but I did occasionally find it tone-deaf, clunky, and a bit silly." Adding, "Nicholas Alexander Chavez (Lyle) and Cooper Koch (Erik) are excellent here all the same. They’re awful by design; preening rich boys whose obnoxiously flamboyant lifestyle hides a laundry list of insecurities and traumatic incidents. Some of these are obvious – they murder their parents with shotguns in the first episode, and it’s such a dementedly violent scene that you can barely look at them as people afterward – but some are less so, like a more understated and faintly comical moment when Lyle’s mother rips his hairpiece off his head at the dinner table, revealing his baldness to his brother for the first time."

       Archi Sengupta of LeisureByte.com was less impressed, stating, "Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Cooper Koch make for two very creepy brothers in this retelling of a very bloody incident that leaves us feeling… a bit all over the place. The thing with Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story is that it grips you from the first episode and keeps you captive within the narrative of the story, taking us through the atrocities that Dahmer dished out against his unsuspecting victims, making us feel like we were almost looking in from the outside. The thing, however, with the second season is that it misses out on that tense action from the first season." Continuing, "The second season is kinda goofy, with us following the Menendez brothers through their minds’ maze and understanding the stark contrast between what they are thinking and imagining to the reality of their situations. Although the first episode is thrilling and showcases the unemotional way in which the brothers murdered their parents, the next few showcase them exorbitantly spending money and living the high life, oblivious to how vulnerable they are in reality. There’s a drama in the series that feels a bit off-putting, taking away from the thrill in the eventual episodes."

Photo by Pete Alexopoulos on Unsplash

        Aramide Tinubu of Variety says, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” is an ominous retelling of the infamous crime. Created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, the second in their “Monster” anthology for Netflix follows brothers Lyle (an incredible Nicholas Alexander Chavez) and Erik (an outstanding Cooper Koch). Having endured emotional, physical and sexual abuse — the series argues — at the hands of their father, José (Javier Bardem) and mother, Mary Louise, aka “Kitty” (Chloë Sevigny), the pair murder their parents in cold blood. Chronicling the brothers’ upbringing, the murders and everything thereafter, the series is overlong and exhausting. The show attempts to unpack the circumstances that led to the crime while highlighting Erik and Lyle’s trauma. But in the end, the narrative feels futile and bizarre. "

'American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez' Reviews: "Rivera is perfectly cast"

         On September 17, 2024, FX premiered 'American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez', which has earned predominantly positive reviews and currently holds at 80% on Rotten Tomatoes. "The 10-episode limited series charts the rise and fall of NFL superstar Aaron Hernandez and explores the disparate strands of his identity, his family, his career, his suicide and their legacy in sports and American culture." The ensemble cast includes Josh Andrés Rivera, Tony Yazbeck, Jake Cannavale, Lindsay Mendez, Patrick Schwartzenegger, Norbert Leo Butz, and Jaylen Barron. Read the full review round-up below.

        Laura Babiak of Observer says, "American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez has a lot of ideas about why the titular athlete’s life went the way it did, but that expansiveness is the root of the new series’ problem. The fourth iteration of FX and executive producer Ryan Murphy’s American Stories anthologies, it lacks the verve of early American Horror Story, and, more unfortunately, it’s missing the cultural specificity and societal interrogation of The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story. Instead, the show plays out a bit like a Wikipedia page put on camera, with a few poignant moments and clever creative decisions to make it at least worthwhile along the way." Adding, "There’s a difference between reporting and storytelling, and American Sports Story doesn’t connect its dots the way it should. Hernandez’s latent sexuality, his drug problems, his history of abuse, and the increasingly obvious consequences of so many blows to the head as a football player all pop in and out of the story. These issues get individual attention, but they never coalesce."

       Nick Schager of The Daily Beast notes, "Devoid of stars but featuring a strong lead performance from Josh Rivera, it’s compulsively watchable and detailed, if—per Murphy tradition—about as subtle as a gridiron gang tackle."

       Keith Phipps of TV Guide writes, "Though Aaron Hernandez's story easily lends itself to a lurid treatment, American Sports Story... avoid[s] any exploitative impulses, bringing nuance to every chapter of the story." Adding, "Rivera's performance locks into the series' difficult balancing act from the start. The series depicts Hernandez as both victim and villain, but Rivera plays him as someone who saw himself as neither. Rivera lets the anger and paranoia that drove Hernandez to kill live alongside his vulnerability. The performance doesn't exactly make Hernandez sympathetic, but it does foreground his humanity and captures the way a star who had the world handed to him could also be a kid who never had a chance. The series offers a portrait of a man haunted by contradictions always threatening to destroy him. In the end, they define him."

Photo by Jake Adamson on Unsplash

        Ben Travers of indieWire praises the limited series, stating, "American Sports Story” may not be as formally or thematically ambitious as “American Crime Story,” but it gets its message across. Enjoy this fall’s football, everyone -- if you can." Continuing, "Rivera is perfectly cast (an incredible find by casting directors Courtney Bright, Nicole Daniels, and Jennifer Brooks). His build makes for a convincing football star, and — mirroring the story’s claims about Hernandez himself — his face never fully escapes adolescence. He’s equally convincing when called on to be tender and charming as when he’s crossed over to a fury outside himself. “American Sports Story” walks a fine line between excusing and explaining Hernandez’s crimes, but Rivera never stumbles. Also good: “Merrily We Roll Along” Broadway star Lindsay Mendez lends weight and complexity to Aaron’s older cousin, Tanya, an underwritten maternal substitute who he moves in with when things get too rough at home. Schwarzenegger doesn’t fare so well as Tebow, a larger-than-life college star who feels rather pedestrian here, and despite committed turns from Yazbeck and Butz, Meyer and Belichick (respectively) never escape caricature. (The same could be said for the five minutes you get of Laith Wallschleger’s looney Rob Gronkowski, but I would mean it only as a compliment.)"