All's Fair is a glossy Hulu legal drama from the prolific Ryan Murphy, the creator behind American Horror Story, Glee, and Feud, built around an all-female divorce law firm in New York City. Co-created by Murphy with Jon Robin Baitz and Joe Baken, the series is a splashy, soap-operatic ensemble piece and one of the most heavily marketed television launches of the year, anchored by a cast of Hollywood heavyweights.
Kim Kardashian stars as Allura Grant, a powerhouse divorce attorney who breaks away from a male-dominated firm to launch her own practice alongside a team of formidable women. Naomi Watts, Niecy Nash-Betts, and Teyana Taylor play her partners, with Sarah Paulson as a fierce rival and Glenn Close among the ensemble, as the firm takes on high-net-worth clients, explosive settlements, and the personal betrayals that blur the line between business and vengeance. The show trades in designer wardrobes, palatial interiors, and the melodramatic power struggles that are Murphy's signature.
The series became a genuine cultural talking point on arrival: it drew scathing reviews from critics, who made it one of the most negatively reviewed shows of the year, even as it pulled enormous viewership numbers for Hulu and quickly earned a second-season renewal. Marking Kim Kardashian's first major scripted leading role, All's Fair is streaming on Hulu.
Brothers & Sisters was an American television drama series that aired on ABC from 2006 to 2011. The show followed the lives of the Walker family, who run a successful business in Los Angeles. The main characters were the five adult Walker siblings and their parents. The show explored their relationships, careers, and personal struggles.
The series dealt with a range of contemporary issues, including politics, marriage equality, addiction, and infidelity. The characters often faced difficult decisions and moral dilemmas, and the show was praised for its realistic portrayal of family dynamics. The cast included notable actors such as Sally Field, Calista Flockhart, and Rachel Griffiths.
Brothers & Sisters was generally well-received by critics and audiences, and it received numerous award nominations during its run. However, ratings declined towards the end of the series, and it was ultimately canceled after five seasons. Despite its relatively short run, the show remains a popular choice for fans of family drama and character-driven storytelling.
Once upon a time MTV was all about music videos but ever since they began producing their own television series like The Hills they have evolved into a powerhouse in TV entertainment. The Hills is about the lives and ongoing happenings for several young women who reside in Los Angeles, California. Lauren, a young woman striving for her own independence, moves to LA with best friend Heidi and meet up with Audrina. Lauren interns with Teen Vogue, a teen magazine and becomes interested in the fashion industry. When her ex-boyfriend follows Lauren to LA they decide to get back together, which complicates her life. This show has the "reality TV" formula that is popular and gained The Hills some high accolades from the entertainment industry and spawned quite a few copy cat programs. While the young women have their romantic partners each is trying to make it and become successful, especially in the magazine and fashion industries that drew them to LA in the first place. As this is a show based on reality it's sometimes difficult to determine where reality leaves off and drama simply takes over. Still The Hills is fun to watch each week.
Fiercely reminiscent of Lord of the Rings and at least as complicated, HBO's "Game of Thrones'" chronicles the genuinely epic story of seven noble families' struggles over control of Westeros, their mythical homeland. Observing all the properly epic conventions, and developing truly epic heroes and villains, "The Game of Thrones" was adapted for television from George Martin's fantasy novel, Song of Ice and Fire. The ten-episode series weaves together seventeen major characters' political and sexual schemes, mixing-in plenty of knightly sword-play and lots of nightly trysts. Mark Addy, Peter Dinklage, Iain Glen, Jennifer Ehle, Lena Headey, and Sean Bean lead a powerful cast. Shot entirely on location in Ireland, "Game of the Thrones" is as beautiful as it is complex and treacherous, and the landscape lends itself to The Game's mystic and horrible undertones. While the Lannister and Stark families challenge the Baratheon family's rule, "an ancient evil awakes," and only a band of renegade knights errant stands between Westeros and "the horrors beyond the realms of men." Somehow, in "Game of Thrones'" far away medieval realm, civil war and imminent apocalypse look a lot more noble, sexy, and glamorous than they appear in the post-modern world.
"Spartacus: Gods of the Arena" - different gladiator, same sex and violence. Starz' deliciously decadent"”salacious, violent, often flat-out brutal"”"Spartacus: Blood and Sand" recently went on extended hiatus, leaving its legions of loyal fans "jonesing" for their weekly doses of decapitation and bare breasts. The Spartacus team satisfied fans' craving with "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena," a six-episode prequel to the continuing saga of Batiatus and Associates. Starting with a flashback montage of "Blood and Sand's" greatest hits, more precisely Batiatus's life flashing before his eyes in the moment before his death, "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena" shows Batiatus's rise to prominence and power with the assistance and support of his all-pro gladiator Gannicus. Because these stories represent "a more ruthless time"¦where honor was just finding its way into the arena," the writers and producers feel free to elaborate and experiment with their already-established characters, and they feel similar artistic license with super-slow-motion gore and fun-fantasy sex. They clearly are perfecting their craft. One particularly insightful viewer concluded his review of "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena" with a sage observation: "I think that's one of the smart decisions putting it on a Friday night since it's an ideal end of the work week thing to watch."
Off the Map is a character based medical show set in South America. The newest medical drama show from producers of Grey's Anatomy is proving to be a hit series. The latest offering from ABC television, "Off the Map" TV show premiered January 12 of 2011 with some endearing characters going on the "adventure of a lifetime". The show is set in the tropics of South America where three intrepid doctors do their best to save people who are in serious need of medical help. While life is not exactly primitive down in this tropical area of the world, it most definitely is not up to date as far as medical supplies go. Dr. Ben Keeton (Martin Henderson) lost his child and his wife due to an accident and he's having problems coping with the single doctor lifestyle even though he has friends who encourage him. Dr. Otis Cole (Jason Winston George) is one of those docs that most say has a bite every bit as bad as his bite. While super strict at work he also has a somewhat zany side. A former addict he lives for candy as his fix of choice now days. Dr. Lily Brenner (Caroline Dhavernas) has been heartbroken when her fiancee was killed in an accident. Off the Map TV show is a soap opera-ish show and a fun divergence from the normal seriousness involved with medicine. Fans of Grey's Anatomy might like this one.
The Scribner authors who rose to 1930s and 1940s prominence under Max Perkins's skilled tutelage understood the best way to change the world is to represent it precisely--in minute detail and in all its grim, unforgiving, and frightening ugliness. MTV's "16 and Pregnant" brings the same principle to television, accurately and unblinkingly showing the lives of four expectant teen-agers, mercilessly exploiting every ugly stereotype of life on the perilous edge of poverty and powerlessness. The New York Times suggests, "The implicit message at the center of ["16 and Pregnant's] class prejudice tells us that if you're not setting out for Berkeley or Wesleyan, then raising a child when you ought to be working on the yearbook is as good a road to character development as any." The Times unfortunately mistakes power and poignancy for "prejudice." After viewing even one episode of "16 and Pregnant," any observant sophomore will make a headlong dash for Planned Parenthood, the glee club, and an SAT prep course.
Television currently suffers a serious adolescent crush on New Jersey, happily showcasing its housewives, manicurists, unemployed party animals, and now its history of slick, sophisticated organized crime. "Boardwalk Empire," adapted from the bestseller with the same name, shows Atlantic City's colorful jazz age history, paying fierce attention to realistic details and historical accuracy. "Boardwalk Empire" takes the Sunday night timeslot usually reserved for "True Blood" while the vampires go on hiatus, and with skilled assistance from Martin Scorsese, it so completely rivets its audience that they cannot remember what they used to watch after "60 Minutes." Like a complicated, sophisticated Victorian novel, "Boardwalk Empire" takes two episodes to set the stage and establish its historical context; but once the bootleggers, gangsters, and corrupt politicians get their machinery greased-up and going, eager audiences stay tuned. The New York Times effectively summarizes, "'Boardwalk Empire' is a well conceived, beautifully made series that has every reason to be great. Who doesn't want to watch rum runners and gangsters on HBO?" Mtv and E! will break-up with Jersey, and they will not "still be just friends" when new seasons roll around; but viewers can look forward to HBO's going steady with "Boardwalk Empire" until the vampires come home.
