Psychological drama is usually not my cup of tea. When it comes to shows, my comfort zone falls in comedy and action. Yet, I am intrigued by Adolescence since it launched on Netflix and has been the talk of the people for quite some time. My girlfriend then suggested that we watch this mini-series, not long after it came out. My first impression: what a heavy and important theme to convey!

This is my comfort: superhero and action. Moving from Netflix to Disney+, I thought the series would become mild and fall flat due to (family-friendly) rating considerations. I am glad that I couldn’t be more wrong. Daredevil: Born Again is such an elevated story-wise; it is such a cinematic experience, no longer looking Netflix-esque. As per the theme, the series deals with guilt, grief, street justice, and moral correctness.

My current favorite running sci-fi series! Honestly, I don’t know where to start, but I definitely don’t know how to stop when talking about this show.

This show takes the alienation metaphor from Marx and makes it literal and sci-fi coded. A big ‘fuck you’ to a cult that is capitalism and corporate jobs. Yet, like any other Marxist’s story, this show is not merely about the logistics of rebellion: it is, at its core, a human story, particularly a romance. How inadequacy and cares incite you to such radical notions. Breaking the chains, transversing the doors. This show is an art, an sich.

It’s such a shame that Neil Gaiman is a piece of shit. The Sandman graphic novels are among my top ten greatest comic books I have ever read. And the show translates the source material well enough. Although I still think animation would work way better. The Sandman is such a character work. You can sense the shifting nature of Dream as the allegorical parallel to understanding humanity as a whole. It deals with the paradox of ideas and morals as a social construct. Transcendence is as banal and profane.

.five; Honorable Mention:

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End (2023-…)

For Frieren, the death of Himmel should be another death in her very long life. Yet somehow, it turns into a trigger for Frieren’s soul-searching quest. An unlikely premise of an adventure, and an incredibly warm story to follow. Recommended anime for people who are looking for character development stories.

This colossal anime (yes, it’s an anime) is based on stories written by Ken Liu, who also translates The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin. This show has been living free in my head, and I regret that I only discovered it quite recently. This hard science fiction (apparently, that’s the name of the genre) is truly an existential work. It deals with the very question: ‘what it means to be human?’ from every ontological, epistemological, and axiological standpoint. Can’t say much to convince you except try. A literal must-watch.