Kaka

I will happily remember the first season, it had great space scenes and characters that were flexible and developed naturally. The second and third seasons are nothing but art-pop constructs with elements of the paradise hotel, which, unlike the desert island, shows the beauty of the desert moon and then Mars. This is a much more likeable backdrop, but the original idea of the first season is completely lost in most of the subsequent episodes.

The stage in the oval office is thankfully coming to an end. Not that Jodi Balfour is a bad actress and can’t play Madame President of the USA with class and charm, but the whole plot about her sexuality and the mindset and ideology around it is kind of wobbly, and culminates in an emotional speech that unfortunately slips into pathos. It is bearable, but I wouldn't play it as a "sample scene". Again, there are few scenes from space, and when there are, I wouldn't be afraid to call them a fluke (the finale).

A finale that is far from the pinnacle of the series. Unfortunately, the idea on which the series was built went awry, and when they started piling on increasingly crazy twists and turns during the last episode, it was clear that there's not much of a universe here anymore. It culminates in a launch from Mars, which is a mix of Armageddon, The Martian and any space crap from any B-movie director, where directorial ingenuity (or lack thereof) goes hand-in-hand with zero amount of even remotely digestible semblance of a possible alternate reality. The only thing worth mentioning is the situation around the space hub.

A very vague and abbreviated depiction of a key and very ambitious plan to rescue crucial crew members. Almost all the lines on Earth lose any relevance in the context of the one on Mars, and yet there's barely half of it in the entire runtime. I would have expected much more daring and better execution, but alas.

The political gay/lesbian line is still interesting and quite realistic if you squint your eyes, but the hippies are downright annoying and psychologically it doesn't go well even on Mars. This episode is at least a bit entertaining, though, as the last few minutes bring back memories of the golden days of the first season.

A must-see feel-good movie about racial issues in upper middle-class USA in the 1960s. Paradoxically, the most black and white is the dosage of emotions, which is sometimes too simplistic and for effect – the vast majority of whites are superficial scumbags and the vast majority of blacks are good and model workers. But if you overlook this creative vice of pigeonholing characters in an otherwise interesting story, you get a number of scenes with a huge range of emotions that can grab you by the heart and move you appropriately. An intense viewing experience, a stimulating Oscar-winning film with a stellar cast and deservedly positive reviews.

The Crown has almost everything (so far). Script-wise, it's quite digestible, even for typical Netflix viewers who devour all sorts of TV shows on desert islands with a pure 0-value. At the same time, it is artistically ambitious, period-accurate, brilliantly shot, and appropriately dynamic and emotional. Even though it’s almost purely conversational, you usually won’t get that impression on screen. Last but not least, it provides countless interesting conversations about important questions and diverse philosophies and perspectives on a range of issues, some of which are still applicable today, because there are life values and decisions that haven’t changed for hundreds if not thousands of years, like the monarchy. The first season sets a high standard, it’ll be fun to watch the following ones.

In the last episode, The Crown remained pleasantly down-to-earth and gripped by an emotional tragedy within the family circle. It is extremely interesting to watch two sisters, both so exceptionally talented, but each doing something completely different. Diligence, discipline and machine-like precision vs boldness, spark and pure emotion.

A sensitive farewell to a political icon and world legend. There have been several Churchills on screen, but I dare say it was only John Lithgow who really played him to perfection. The painting scenes, when two completely different personalities in the form of an ageing statesman and a brooding yet sensitive painter talk to each other, are one of the highlights of the whole series.

A lavish visit to the Commonwealth and excellently filmed and acted feuds within the royal family, specifically the two powerful sisters – each so exceptional and yet completely different. The acting is precise, the direction tightly gripped.