Spoiler-Free Review of “PULSE” on Netflix: Soapy Version of The Pitt Has Its Moments

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“Let’s get through this day…”

PULSE premiered on Netflix on April 3rd 2025 with all ten episodes available to stream now. The medical drama series stars Willa Fitzgerald, Colin Woodell, Jack Bannon, Jessie T. Usher, Jessica Rothe, Néstor Carbonell, and Justina Machado. Each episode runs for approximately 45-48 minutes.

In the middle of a dangerous hurricane in Florida, a hospital team works together to handle every emergency thrown their way, but tensions flare when a doctor is forced to work side by side with someone she just accused of sexual harassment.

Here is the trailer:

PULSE is a essentially a mix of The Pitt and Grey’s Anatomy, trying to find the balance between tense life-threatening moments and juicy drama. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

A cast to be excited about!

I was about to give this one a pass because medical dramas aren’t really my thing with a few exceptions, but the cast drew me in. The show is produced by LOST’s Carlton Cuse and we even have LOST alum Néstor Carbonell starring in the series.

That’s already enough for me, but then we have the talented Willa Fitzgerald, the underused Jessica Rothe (Happy Death Day), and the always fantastic Justina Machado.

Everyone plays their parts well, but some deserved a little more screen time to shine. Either way, this is a worthy and talented cast.

Images courtesy of Netflix

Some adrenaline-filled moments.

I thought that the first half of this series was a lot stronger than the second half. While not nearly as exciting and intense as The Pitt, there were some moments that held my attention and had me on the edge of my seat. Just manage your expectations accordingly…

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Rushed flashbacks and time jumps that felt forced.

Honestly, they took away from the core plot for me. I get that they were trying to make us care about the characters, but the layers revealed felt soapy and superficial, glossing over any real moments of understanding and growth.

Starts out as one show and then quickly  becomes another.

I was really confused by this. At first, this series tried to be like The Pitt with its approach and there were a lot of similarities, but then it named dropped Grey’s Anatomy and quickly became a cheaper version of that show, focusing more on the soapy side of things.

This show clearly tried to channel what makes both shows great for their target audiences by mashing these genres together, but it failed to capture a real sense of intensity and grit, making it seem like a desperate imitation at times, which was disappointing.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in about 75 percent…

PULSE is a medical drama by the numbers despite having a talented and recognizable cast.

This series is more of a popcorn watch, but it does have some glimmers of potential. If you’re looking for a consuming medical drama, I’d recommend watching The Pitt instead, however.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on PULSE in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

This competition is killer…

When former friends, Shay and Adriana team up to participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt with a cash prize, they temporarily put their differences aside to outsmart their opponents. However, they soon start to realize that a dangerous threat is playing their own version of the game, stalking them during each hunt.

Winning is now a necessity as their lives are at stake. As old wounds and memories re-surface, Shay and Adriana attempt to unmask the threat before the night is over, but soon learn that Scream Hunt is not done with them just yet…

My young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Boy Kills World” in Theaters: Bill SkarsgÃ¥rd Shines in this Bloody, Brutal & Bonkers Action-Thriller!

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“Show me the way…”

Boy Kills World is an action-thriller film that premiered on April 26th 2024. The film stars Bill Skarsgård, Jessica Rothe, Famke Janssen, Andrew Koji, and H. Jon Benjamin. It runs for approximately an hour and fifty minutes.

After losing the ability to speak and hear, “Boy” has been trained for many years to assassinate the woman responsible for killing his entire family.

Here is the trailer:

Boy Kills World delivers with fantastic fight scenes and a few welcomed twists to shake things up. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Lionsgate Films

Gory and well-choreographed fight scenes.

If you like the movie, The Raid, then Boy Kills World is right up your alley. The fight scenes were truly exceptional and there were plenty of gruesome and bloody moments. I came for the action and this film delivered in that department and then some. Loved it!

Images courtesy of Lionsgate Films

Bill Skarsgård is fantastic!!!

For not saying anything at all during the movie, he dominated the screen! He was very captivating and I was pulled into the emotional aspects as well, which says a lot about his talent.

The rest of the cast was a lot of fun as well. I love Jessica Rothe (Happy Death Day) and thought she stepped into this role flawlessly. Let’s cast her in more films please!

It was also really cool having H. Jon Benjamin as the voice inside Boy’s head. It kind of felt like Archer was making a special guest appearance, which lightened things up and made this a fun watch with insane action.

Andrew Koji was a scene stealer too!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Lionsgate Films

Took me a little bit to adjust to the style.

This wasn’t a major con, but the first half of the film had a slower start for me and I just felt like I had to get used to the voice-over and trippy scenes. The second half of the film was a lot stronger. I’m not sure that this film is for everyone, but it did have a unique appeal to it, which I really appreciated.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Lionsgate Films

I’m in!!

Boy Kills World is a unique and trippy watch with bloody fantastic fight scenes!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts on Boy Kills World in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Utopia” on Amazon Prime Video: Where is Jessica Hyde?

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“What have you done today to earn your place in this crowded world?”

Utopia is a new television series based on the 2013 UK series of the same name. Utopia stars John Cusack, Ashleigh LaThrop, Dan Byrd, Desmin Borges, Sasha Lane, Rainn Wilson and Jessica Rothe. The Amazon Prime Video series premiered on September 25th 2020 with eight episodes (approximately 50 minutes in length).

After a mysterious cult comic book is discovered, a group of devoted fans begin to bid on it. The comic book has predicted diseases in the past and it may be the key to stopping a new virus that is quickly spreading across the country. After many of the bidders wind up dead, the group realizes that the comic book may be based on truth, leading them deeper down the rabbit hole.

Here is the trailer:

Utopia may hit a little too close to home with everything going on in the world right now, but the mysterious puzzle pieces, conspiracy thrills, and dark trippy madness give it a lot of potential. Is Utopia worthy of your next binge-watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Utopia Series 1

Images courtesy of Amazon Prime Video

A plot you can quickly lose yourself in.

There are a lot of Wonderland-esque underlines sprinkled throughout this show which worked to its advantage. The puzzle pieces and clues reel you in each episode and there is enough going on to keep you invested without being overly predictable.

Utopia Series 2

Images courtesy of Amazon Prime Video

Familiar faces and characters to root for.

John Cusack is the star of the show, but I was pleasantly surprised to see Happy Death Day’s Jessica Rothe as well. As each character is revealed, we learn more and more and I thought that there was a great dynamic between them all.

Some characters are more jaded than others and this show is not afraid to kill off characters, but it does a good job of balancing the shock value with consistent characters you want to see survive.

The Cons:

Utopia Series 3

Images courtesy of Amazon Prime Video

Weird timing.

I can’t ignore the timing of the release of this show and while I am fine separating it from the real events of the world, it does bring up a lot of conspiracy theories and ulterior agendas that may seem unwelcomed during this time. I think that as long as you can separate yourself from that and treat this as a work of fiction (which it is), you can still thoroughly enjoy the watch.

Extreme violence and torture shown.

This is not necessarily a con, but I think that sensitive viewers should consider passing on this one. Amazon Prime Video does a good job of putting up advisories prior to the episodes with extremely disturbing content and you should pay attention to those for sure. Beware the spoon…

So am I in or out?

Utopia Series 4

Images courtesy of Amazon Prime Video

I’m in!

Sure, there were some cringe-worthy scenes and some outrageous plot twists, but this show answered my call and then some with a fast-paced binge-watch. The show drew me in from the very first episode and held my attention the entire time.

If you enjoy conspiracy thrillers, Alice in Wonderland, and mysterious puzzles, you are in the right place!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Utopia in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

If you have time, I would love it if you would check out my book, Dash and Seek in the link below. Thank you and I hope you enjoy!

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

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A harmless night of fun turns deadly for six college friends but the game has only just begun. Take a mystery thrill ride right from your own living room. Dash and Seek is out now! I hope you enjoy!

READ IF YOU DARE…

Dash and Seek is available here!

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