Tag: teleivsion

Spoiler-Free Review of “The Girl in the Woods” on Peacock: Can another Chosen One make an impact?

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

“Deep in the woods lies a secret door…”

The Girl in the Woods released on October 21st 2021 on Peacock with all eight episodes available to stream now. The supernatural drama series stars Stefanie Scott, Sofia Bryant, Misha Osherovich, Will Yun Lee and Leonard Roberts. Each episode runs for approximately 25-30 minutes.

A young runaway flees a cult destined to protect the world from the monsters beyond the door when she crosses paths with two new friends in West Pine, Oregon, as their two worlds collide.

Here is the trailer:

The Girl in the Woods has a familiar formula that has worked for shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the more recent Warrior Nun, but does this show do enough to find its own identity? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

The Girl in the Woods spoiler free 1

Images courtesy of Peacock

Creepy flickers here and there.

The door that Carrie is sworn to protect can unleash monsters from our nightmares and some of the ones we see are actually kind of terrifying and creepy in a good way. I think that the premise is a decent one and the woods can be terrifying on their own, creating a supernatural mystery that has some potential.

The Cons:

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Images courtesy of Peacock

A chosen one without any edge.

Shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Stranger Things, and even Warrior Nun understood the importance of having an empowering chosen one to really light up the screen. Unfortunately I didn’t really connect with our chosen one in this series…at all.

The acting wasn’t horrible, but there was just no personality and even though we are supposed to understand that she grew up away from society, I needed more layers to truly care about her.

I actually connected more with the two friends who had some redeeming qualities. We form another type of Scooby gang (which had its moments), but it wasn’t enough to spark any real interest here.

Really predictable…

I really made a valiant effort to connect to the mystery even with the bland chosen one, but a lot of the reveals were just so predictable and uninspiring. There were moments meant to create some kind of emotional response in the audience and yet I found myself frustrated and really bored unfortunately.

There was no real humor in this show either and the lighting was so dreary. The episodes are only about twenty-five minutes each, which should make this easy to binge-watch, and yet I found myself checking the time, which is never a good sign in terms of pacing.

So am I in or out?

The Girl in the Woods spoiler free 3

Images courtesy of Peacock

Unfortunately I’m out on this one…

If you are going to use a popular formula, you need to really make sure it delivers and this one just felt extremely forgettable. I needed so much more from this show and even though there were some glimmers of potential sprinkled in, the creepy vibe was stifled by the uninspiring main character and the overall predictable and bland feel of the show.

I’d recommend re-watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer instead.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

Girl Number Thirteen Only 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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Ranking your Favorite Female Performances on Television for 2020

We had so many incredible female performances on television in 2020, as these strong, courageous, and slightly quirky women lit up the screen. Whether it was a moment of empowerment, the unexpected transformation of a character, or a breakout role, these women captured our undivided attention throughout the year.

Again, it was difficult for me to narrow down my favorite female performances for 2020 because there were honestly so many and I didn’t think it was possible for me to choose my absolute favorite one, which is where you came in!    

I ran a three round poll (randomized tournament style) on Twitter and asked for fans to cast their votes so that we can all decide who our favorite female performances are for the year.  Thank you so much for your participation and support, as the tournament was so much fun and actually really competitive!

Round One featured the following Female Performances on TV from 2020:

  • Lili Reinhart as Betty Cooper from Riverdale
  • Kaley Cuoco as Cassie Bowden from The Flight Attendant
  • Anya Taylor-Joy as Beth Harmon from The Queen’s Gambit 
  • Cynthia Erivo as Holly Gibney from The Outsider
  • Nicole Kidman as Grace Fraser from The Undoing
  • Kerry Washington as Mia Warren from Little Fires Everywhere
  • Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison from Homeland
  • Jodie Comer as Villanelle from Killing Eve
  • Marie Avgeropoulos as Octavia Blake from The 100
  • Kiernan Shipka as Sabrina Spellman from Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
  • Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler from Better Call Saul
  • Danai Gurira as Michonne from The Walking Dead

After your votes, the following female actresses moved on to Round Two:

  • Danai Gurira
  • Jodie Comer
  • Nicole Kidman
  • Claire Danes
  • Anya Taylor-Joy
  • Kaley Cuoco

After your votes in Round Two, the following female actresses moved on to the FINALS:

  • Jodie Comer
  • Danai Gurira
  • Claire Danes
  • Kaley Cuoco

Honorable Mention: Anya Taylor-Joy came up short, but I think she should honestly get an Emmy for her performance!!!!! Perfection!

Image courtesy of Netflix

After your votes in Round Three, the FINAL results are:

4th place: Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison from Homeland

Image courtesy of Showtime

Claire has always been so intense and emotional in her portrayal of Carrie, but I thought that she also channeled a lot of maturity and strength in the final season. Well deserved!

3rd place: Kaley Cuoco as Cassie Bowden from The Flight Attendant

Image courtesy of HBO Max

Kaley Cuoco really showed off a completely different side of her by delighting us in one of my favorite shows of the year. Her quirky portrayal of Cassie was spot on and it really made the show that much more enjoyable. I can’t wait to see what she does next!

2nd place: Danai Gurira as Michonne from The Walking Dead

Image courtesy of AMC

It wasn’t easy knowing it would be Michonne’s final season, but wow did Danai deliver some incredible performances along the way. She brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion and really reminded us that she has been the heart and soul of this show for so long! Thank you Danai!

Drum roll please…

I am so beyond excited to announce your WINNER for Favorite Female Performance of 2020: Jodie Comer as Villanelle in Killing Eve!

Image courtesy of BBC America

Jodie has been such a joy to watch. Villanelle is a complex character and Jodie has really brought her to life. In the third season, we finally got to peel back some layers and witness what truly makes Villanelle tick. Her humanity has really been showing more and more, which makes her an even more remarkable character in my mind. Jodie will always be one of my favorite actresses and I am so pleased with the results! Congrats Jodie!

Thanks to all the fans who voted!  I wish you all the best for the New Year!

View Final Poll Results Here!

I hope you enjoyed the list and please feel free to post your thoughts and comments below on some of your favorite female performances on TV from 2020. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing for 2021!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

Ranking the top 5 moments from “The 100” season 7 episode 12: “The Stranger”

Happy Monday TV fans! After finally watching The CW’s The 100 season 7 episode 12, I learned that sometimes we need to ask ourselves: “Is the thing you believe in really that important?”

Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch the latest episode yet.

In episode 12, “The Stranger,” Sheidheda continues to force the people of Sanctum to kneel, but Memori takes matters into their own hands. Meanwhile, Bellamy tries to figure out a way to save his friends while still maintaining his new beliefs.

My top 5 moments from The 100 season 7 episode 12 are:

5

“Welcome to new Sanctum.”

Let’s be honest. I don’t think that Sanctum has had a drama-free moment since our favorite characters arrived here, but things are taking a turn for the worse under Sheidheda’s rule.

He wipes out the Children of Gabriel after they refuse to kneel to him, reminding everyone that he means business.

The 100 7 12 1 Memori
Images courtesy of The CW

Luckily, Indra, Emori, and Murphy are working together to keep innocents safe and hidden, but it’s only a matter of time before their secret is unraveled…

4

“Who the hell are you?”

After getting over the initial shock of Bellamy being alive, Echo takes a moment to ask him what’s really going on. Bellamy wants to figure out a way to fix the flame because he knows it is the only way to save his friends, but sooner or later…he’s going to have to make a choice.

The 100 7 12 2 Becho
Images courtesy of The CW

Let’s just hope it’s the right one.

3

“She did it to save your soul.”

We get several heart-to-heart talks during this episode, but Hope is really taking her mother’s death hard. Jordan sheds some light and proves to be a good listener. Diyoza’s sacrifice was to protect her daughter, but Hope needs to find the strength within her to help save her friends.

I have a feeling that she is going to be extremely important at the end of all of this. And let’s not forget about Octavia and Clarke’s talk about family. I keep getting the feeling that someone else is about to die…

2

“I’m proud of you Murphy.”

There is still a lot of setup around Murphy’s character development. We know that he has embraced his heroic side, but it’s making me wonder if he will be the main character to die. He has done so much and now he is revealing a truly selfless side.

The 100 7 12 3 The CW
Images courtesy of The CW

Sheidheda finds the hiding spot and holds Murphy captive, as they continue their complicated game of chess, but is his life in real danger here?

I think it’s time for him to get some serious backup…

1

“What the hell happened here?”

A good question for sure. After Clarke is tortured to extract her memories, Bellamy realizes that he may be out of chances to save her and his friends. When Clarke’s friends are threatened, she agrees to bring the Disciples to the flame, but he first sends her friends through the anomaly to an unknown planet.

I have a feeling they will finally meet up with Gaia here, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Meanwhile, Clarke goes through the anomaly to Sanctum with Bill and the others and Murphy is beyond thrilled to see her. However, Clarke has certainly walked into quite the mess.

I think another war is about to begin…

May we meet again.

Stay tuned! New episodes return September 9th 2020!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The 100 in the comments section below.  Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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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Do you love horror series? Of course you do! Please also check out 12 Nights of Horror Series Coming Soon. It’s your home for everything you need to know about new and returning horror television series including new trailers, premiere dates, reviews, recaps, and renewals!