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TALES FROM THE WOODS: SEASON ONE Starring: Zolee Griggs, Miles Robbins, Dylan Gelula, Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead, Sonedala Sihavong, Phonesavanh "Tata" Phimpha, Gabriel Soutphilabaideng, and Sivilay Ouanephongchareune Creator: John Hegeman QUENTIN If the three episodes provided for review are any indication, Tales from the Woods is an interesting idea undone by lackluster execution. Each episode is based on a classic fairy tale (“Sleeping Beauty,” “Cinderella”), and while I appreciate that the individual filmmakers (including frequent Marvel Television collaborators Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead with “Jacques the Giant Slayer”) take big horror swings to expand the oft-told stories, the barely 20-minute runtimes simply don’t give them enough time to fully develop their outside-the-box takes. It’s possible future episodes will get better, but this anthology is off to a rough start. KATIE Based on classic fairytales “Sleeping Beauty,” “Jack and the Beanstalk,” and “Cinderella,” Tales from the Woods ’ first three episodes has some solid foundations to build on. This is why I was so disappointed by two of the takes on these stories, which are primed for interesting and unsettling interpretations. “The Sleeping Beauty" is okay, but feels like a TV movie and lacks the runtime to develop the plot. I enjoyed “Jacques the Giant Slayer” because it's weird, compelling, and full of grotesque visuals. Unfortunately, “Cinderella” is unbearable, a girl-boss take on the fairytale that made me cringe rather than cower.

Previous Next February 28, 2025

Previous Next As we inch towards Valentine's Day, we decided to give rom-coms a break and go through some of our favourite love stories that hit us in the feels. With that being said, the Bitesize crew has put their brains together to compile Bitesize Breakdown's consensus Top Five Love Stories. For inclusion on this list, a film must not be considered a romantic comedy. Each writer ranks his or her top 15 films in the category. Those lists are then weighted on a reverse point system. After all the points are tallied up, the entries with the most total points make up the Bitesize Top Five. 5. PAST LIVES Not all love stories have happy endings, but all love stories leave an impact in your life. Past Lives has the potential to grow into one of the most memorable modern romances due to its dueling love stories that intertwine the life of Nora (Greta Lee). You can feel the absolutely heartbreaking love lost between Nora and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) due to Lee and Yoo’s powerfully restrained performances, and the grenade their relationship throws into Nora’s marriage to Arthur (John Magaro) highlights the beautifully contemplative screenplay from writer-director Celine Song. She makes you ponder the lengths a person will endure if they truly love a person, and her movie will wreck you to your core, emphasizing the emotional weight true partners can handle when they do so together. - Amarú 4. GHOST I adore Ghost , and I can never skip past it on TV, regardless of where it is in the story, because it's just so irresistibly good. Starring the ridiculously gorgeous couple Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze, it’s one of those earnest, original Hollywood romances that you just don’t see anymore, which is part of its enduring charm. Sure, it’s cheesy, but in a sincere way, and it features one of the most iconic romantic scenes ever, complemented by one of cinema history’s greatest love songs. Not only is it one of my favourite love stories, but it incorporates elements of suspense, mystery, drama, and genuinely unsettling horror. The scenes of (spoiler?) Sam (Swayze) chasing his killer before realising he’s dead still take my breath away, and Carl’s (Tony Goldwyn) gruesome demise before being literally dragged to hell by screaming shadow monsters will always stick with me. It also has laugh-out-loud humour thanks to Whoopi Goldberg’s charismatic, Oscar-winning performance and perfect line delivery. On top of all of that, it's wonderfully cinematic, and every viewing reminds me how beautifully lit films used to be. - Katie 3. LA LA LAND For me, La La Land is the film that opened a whole new world of cinema when I saw it for the first time at 16 years old. I truly felt like I was able to fly. It’s a film that harkens back to the “Golden Age,” with writer/director Damien Chazelle crafting an intricately put-together musical masterpiece to tell the engaging romance of Mia and Seb (Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, respectively). The chemistry between Stone and Gosling truly is remarkable, and not even the most whimsical moments of the film can remove them from the ground as the highs and lows of the relationship feel as real as can be. La La Land has been, and will likely remain, one of my favourite movies ever made. - Adriano 2. I LOVE YOU, MAN With all the movies we get, the absence of adult friendships is one of the topics that's often neglected, especially in comedies. I Love You, Man not only tackles this concept, but does so in hilarious ways. Sure, we all remember the quotable moments (“slappin' da bass, man!”), but the camaraderie between Paul Rudd and Jason Segel comes so naturally that it makes their bromance infectious. It's a relationship you're immediately invested in and rooting for, which is something all good love stories have. Plus, who doesn't love some Rush content? - Nick 1. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND In Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind , Joel (Jim Carrey) and Clementine’s (Kate Winslet) relationship is one of the most inventive and endearing love stories to ever grace the silver screen. However, while their love is certainly passionate, it’s tempestuous. Director Michel Gondry and writer Charlie Kaufman do a stellar job of exploring the intricacies of love through the lens of one’s memories and the idea that all emotions and experiences ought to be embraced, even if they’re ugly, as they are necessary to allow one to grow as a person. Ultimately, through all their ups and downs, the couple comes to terms with these morals, deciding to accept one another's imperfections (as well as their own) as they attempt to make the relationship work. If that isn't true love, I'm not sure what is. - Paige HONORABLE MENTIONS THE PRINCESS BRIDE TRUE ROMANCE THE NOTEBOOK BEFORE SUNRISE A STAR IS BORN (2018)

SUITS LA Starring: Stephen Amell, Josh McDermitt, Lex Scott Davis, Bryan Greenberg, Rachelle Goulding, Maggie Grace, Troy Winbush, Carson A. Egan, Azita Ghanizada, Alice Lee, and Matt Letscher Creator: Aaron Korsh NICK It's fitting that Suits LA uses sports to connect to the original series, as it feels like it spends the entire time playing from behind. I could go on about the ways it pales in comparison to Suits , but honestly, this isn’t even a very good series on its own accord. Its quality is inconsistent, it focuses way too heavily on flashbacks, and its characters are kind of bland. This is especially obvious when original cast members Gabriel Macht (Harvey Specter) and Rick Hoffman (Louis Litt) show up. With its streaming revival, the Suits momentum was strong, but it seems Suits LA has extinguished that.

WISE GUY: DAVID CHASE AND THE SOPRANOS Starring: David Chase Director: Alex Gibney PRESTON Wise Guy uses interesting parallelism to place its creator, David Chase, in the shoes of Tony Soprano, played by the late James Gandolfini. The approach is warranted, as it turns out since the series is largely based on David Chase’s own complex relationship with his mother. As a film and TV enthusiast, and Sopranos superfan, this limited series hits the bullseye as it reveals how the show came to be, a behind-the-scenes look at its production, and finishes with a clever look at the series’ ever-controversial ending. It’s a must-watch for anyone sold on The Sopranos’ greatness. QUENTIN If you were a fan of The Sopranos , Wise Guy is a must watch. With cast interviews, actor audition reels, archival footage, and insightful revelations regarding the how and why the series was made, it’s as much a lovely trip down memory lane as it is a peek into the mind of series creator David Chase. It’s also a nice history lesson about the beginning of prestige TV and the powerhouse that HBO would eventually become in that space. Ultimately, perhaps the biggest compliment I can give is that Wise Guy has made me eager to rewatch all six seasons of The Sopranos .

THE LAST OF US: SEASON TWO Starring: Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Gabriel Luna, Isabela Merced, Young Mazino, and Kaitlyn Dever Creators: Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin ADRIANO The Last of Us will always have a shadow over it from the excellent games it adapts from. Like the first season, this sophomore offering is at its best when it branches out from the source material, not just with its horror, but the characters that the showrunners clearly care about. Unfortunately, this season's ripped-from-the-game moments feel too much like cheap imitations that (not always, but often) lessen the impact. Plus, the decision to end it where it does is a little confusing to me. This season is still quite good, but it is a very clear downgrade. KATIE I don’t know if it's because I haven't played the games or because Season One was so good, but this season of The Last of Us was disappointing. Ellie has undergone some kind of age regression, acting petulant and immature compared to her younger self from the first season, reflected in the writing and not Bella Ramsey’s performance. The hair and makeup disrupt the immersion too, as everyone looks so good, and apart from a couple of episodes, the characters don’t behave as if they’re living amid a zombie apocalypse. There are some fantastic set pieces, but I was underwhelmed, overall. AMARÚ The Last Of Us' s second season confirmed what was already established at the end of Season One: it’s one of the best shows on television, it’s one of the best video-game adaptations ever, and it’s one of the best shows to balance multiple genres, from zombie to dystopian to character study. What I was not expecting to find out this season was how damn great of an actress Isabela Merced is proving herself to be. Her charisma steals every second of screen time, with an absolute magnetism that outshines Bella Ramsey's and Pedro Pascal’s powerhouse performances. Well fucking done, Ms. Dora the Explorer. ROBERT After finishing Season Two of The Last of Us , I realized it was a season of swings: some that connected while others whiffed entirely. Those swings were both from stringently following the source material and straying from it for creative purposes. When the plot diverges for story reasons, it feels hollow; when done for building emotional tension, it’s mostly successful, leaving me shaken. I do not believe all the storytelling devices from the game are translatable to the show, which makes the finale especially jarring. That will likely carry over to Season Three, so I remain cautious about the present and future. QUENTIN In my review of Season One, I called The Last of Us a “good show” but a “retread” of The Walking Dead . Season Two has doubled down to diminished returns. It doesn’t help that so much of this season is undercooked, which is especially noticeable through disjointed time jumps, revelations, and pacing. The conflict between WLF, FEDRA, and the Scars — the backdrop of everything — is confusing, lessening any impact we are supposed to gain from Ellie and Dina’s (Bella Ramsey and Isabela Merced) journey. There are some great scenes and performances, but for this person unfamiliar with the game, Us just isn’t that “good” anymore. Check out our reviews for Season One HERE .

ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING: SEASON FOUR Starring: Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, and Michael Cyril Creighton Creators: Steve Martin and John Hoffman AMARÚ I previously stated that Only Murders in the Building ’s Season Three finale left me hopeful for something new after its first half worried me that the refrain had run its course. Well, Season Four fulfilled my prophetic hope. The movie adaptation B-plot breathes new life into the mystery while simultaneously reconfirming that Steve-Martin-Short (we’re back!!!) and their Old Hollywood charm will never be stale as long as there’s heart behind the guffaws. No wonder damn near everybody is joining their ever-expanding guest cast ensemble. And it’s about damn time Selena Gomez got that Emmy nod, right as they release their best season yet. QUENTIN In its fourth season, Only Murders in the Building does what it can to freshen up the core concept to decent enough results, but the real reason to stick around is for the characters. The whodunnit? takes something of a backseat as the core trio (Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez) are further developed as a makeshift family of oddballs, especially as they are confronted with their own flaws and insecurities. Much like before, red herrings and guest stars come fast and furious, and while I certainly enjoyed Season Four, I can see we are in the diminishing returns phase. This show can’t have much left. PAIGE Just when I thought Only Murders in the Building was waning, Season Four helps revitalize the show on the endearing chemistry between our favorite podcasters, played by Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, and Martin Short. Additionally, Season Four brings back the element that I felt was missing from last season…The Arconia! This season delves further into the lives of the Arconia’s tenants, introducing a slew of new characters and fun cameos to help recapture the essence of the apartment building's community, which is what initially drew me to this series. However, it's becoming increasingly clear that the whodunnit element is lacking, so I'm not sure how much longer this show can go without getting repetitive.

1923: SEASON TWO Starring: Helen Mirren, Harrison Ford, Brandon Sklenar, Julia Schlaepfer, Jerome Flynn, Darren Mann, Brian Geraghty, Aminah Nieves, Michelle Randolph, Isabel May, Michael Spears, Jamie McShane, Jeremy Gauna, Joy Osmanski, Jennifer Carpenter, and Timothy Dalton Creator: Taylor Sheridan QUENTIN Most Taylor Sheridan shows have a sprawl problem, resulting in underwritten subplots not getting the attention they need to thrive. 1923 remains his worst offender. There are at least six storylines competing for screen time, so viewer interest during any single episode ebbs and flows depending on where the focus is in the moment. For me, the only compelling storylines are Spencer’s (Brandon Sklenar) complicated journey to Montana from Texas and his British wife’s (Julia Schlaepfer) separate immigrant experience as she tries to meet him there from New York. Nearly everything else is diversionary filler that causes massive lulls, making for an uneven, albeit ambitious, series. Check out our reviews for Season One HERE .

Previous Next July 30, 2025 WRITTEN BY: KATIE In my opinion, British screenwriter, producer, and showrunner Jesse Armstrong has created some of the most annoyingly awful but funny and compelling characters on television. In addition to taking the opportunity to gush about my favourite TV show(s), I’d like to look at Armstrong’s writing, common themes, and most importantly, his characterisations because he writes characters who are, at their core, fundamentally bad people that are selfish, self-centred, and always prioritising their interests above all else. However, they’re also multifaceted, which garners a lot of sympathy. Armstrong seems to take his characters seriously, which is reflected in the way they have been written and the extent to which he effectively makes the audience identify with them despite their flaws. While Armstrong writes fantastic female characters that are complex and hilarious, I want to focus on his ability to write male friendships. Across Peep Show, Succession, and most recently, Mountainhead , Armstrong writes about, as he aptly puts it, “limited men.” Men who are obsessed with hierarchy, riddled with insecurities, and driven by jealousy and rivalry. Men who, under no circumstances, will examine their own flaws and limitations. As a result, they’re cynical, constantly engaged in conflict, and revealing in demonstrating what they will do to fit in. PEEP SHOW (2003-2015) Peep Show is my favourite sitcom of all time. I’ve rewatched it countless times, and I’m convinced it's getting funnier and funnier each time. The series follows protagonists Mark (David Mitchell) and Jeremy (Robert Webb), a pair of middle-class university graduates living in Mark’s London flat. Mark is an anxious, awkward, and self-deprecating office drone climbing the corporate ladder with sporadic success. Jeremy, on the other hand, is an ex-male nurse who is aimless in life. Living rent-free in the flat, he spends his days getting high, watching TV, “making music,” and essentially waiting for Mark to get home from work. They’re total opposites who get on each other’s nerves and constantly drag each other down, but they’re also destined to be together. They’re perfect for each other, and the show consistently frames them as a married couple. They’re the only people who can't quite accept, but can at least live with, each other’s glaring flaws and refusal to acknowledge them. Although Jeremy technically gets more girls, they both have unsuccessful romantic lives, and both are obsessed with finding “the one.” Time and time again, they both sabotage their relationships and take advantage of people, only to be left alone together once again. Peep Show is instantly recognisable thanks to the unique point-of-view camerawork. You watch the show via Mark’s or Jeremy’s perspective, and sometimes through the eyes of other characters who are looking at them. Although we sometimes view them through the eyes of supporting characters, we only hear the pair’s inner thoughts, which interjects into scenes so we know what they are thinking in real time. All of this forces the viewer to identify with the pair’s perspectives, and it is part of the reason it's so easy to empathise with and even root for these objectively terrible people. It heightens the intensity of every interaction they have with other characters, and enhances the impact of the more cringeworthy interactions, of which there are many. It also has the best ending of any show I’ve ever seen. The finale “Are We Going to Be Alright?” perfectly encapsulates the characters and their relationships, refusing to reward them with the happy endings that are definitely out of reach while also remaining somewhat hopeful and comforting. Mark throws Jeremy a 40th birthday party to force him to reckon with his age, and he gives a speech to distract the guests from the fact that he and Jeremy are holding his love interest’s husband hostage in the next room. Mark awkwardly says Jeremy is “a nice man... up to a point. And I like him.” Jeremy acknowledges the pair have had “ups and downs like any couple” and they’ve “lived together for shit long, and it's been alright.” Once the party is over, the pair have sufficiently ruined their romantic relationships yet again and they find themselves in their quiet living room like any other morning. Jeremy says he would have a great sign off if he were to kill Mark; “you always loved history, Mark, and now you can be part of it… bang.” They smile at each other and nod. Mark says, “I think I’d just come at you in the night… pillow on the face,” to which Jeremy affectionately replies, “yeah, that’s you all over.” Jeremy hopefully thinks “aww, we do love each other really,” and the final line is Mark’s thought, “I simply must get rid of him” as they turn back to the television. It’s perfect; no growth, no resolution…just two people bound together forever by how insufferable they are, and how the years they’ve spent together have moulded them into the perfect couple. It also encapsulates Peep Show ’s cynical, mean-spirited humour. In a world hell bent on embracing positivity and moral perfectionism, Peep Show indulges in self-loathing, self-deprecation, contempt, and pessimism, which is comforting in its own way. SUCCESSION (2018-2023) The Emmy-winning Succession is one of the best dramas to grace television screens. Created and written by Armstrong, Succession , for the few who don’t know, follows the Roy family, owners of the globally successful media and entertainment conglomerate Waystar RoyCo. The show focuses on the future of the company amidst uncertainties about ownership and inheritance, as the patriarch, Logan Roy’s (Brian Cox) four children, Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Shiv (Sarah Snook), Roman (Kieran Culkin), and Connor (Alan Ruck), plan for the eventuality that one of them will take over his reign. Infighting, betrayal, disloyalty, and manipulation ensue. Despite having unlimited resources at their fingertips, the Roy siblings are willfully ignorant, refusing to examine their negative impact on the world. Even though they each have their own set of unique insecurities and shameful quirks, they believe they are entitled to what they want and will betray anyone to get it. Characters in Succession are very well realised, and in spite of the objectively terrible things they say and do, we as the viewer still empathise with them to an extent. This is because the writing shows us why they are the way they are not through dialogue-heavy exposition, but through their behaviours and interactions with other characters, accompanied with a heavy dose of dry humour. They come fully formed, and background isn't offered voluntarily, so we don’t get any unnatural revelations. Instead, Logan’s traumatic past seeps into every aspect of his relationships. Shiv’s desire to lead is shown through how easily she betrays her values. Kendall’s emotional fragility and desperation to impress his father peaks from behind his overconfidence. Roman’s sarcastic persona hides his sensitivity, and the family’s disdain for weakness shows through their treatment of him. The cycle continues. Plus, conversations feel like they’re happening organically, emphasised by the fly-on-the-wall shooting style that situates the viewer in the middle of the action. Characters move around freely with the camera focusing on them, so the action on screen only quietly registers the lavish settings and backgrounds, giving a more natural feel to the scene. It also emphasises how insulated from the real world their lives are. Similarly to Peep Show, Succession ends rather abruptly. It also gives the impression that things will continue as they have been, and although some issues have been addressed, no one gets their happy ending. Once the question of succession is answered, the show ends. MOUNTAINHEAD (2025) Despite the obvious thematic similarities, Mountainhead has lots in common with both Peep Show and Succession. Although it focuses on super-rich characters who are entirely disconnected from reality, much like Succession , while also sharing that series’ snappy dialogue, the male character dynamics scream Peep Show. Armstrong’s feature debut follows tech bro billionaire friends Randall (Steve Carell), Hugo "Souper" (Jason Schwartzman), Ven (Cory Michael Smith), and Jeff (Ramy Youssef), who meet for a retreat at Souper’s new luxury mountain home. They all have their ulterior motives and desire to come out on top, so like Peep Show , the men in Mountainhead are friends insofar as it benefits them. They don’t have real conversations, but in a familiar way to Peep Show and Succession, they say things that sound good but have no meaning beyond the surface, fooling themselves but not those around them into believing the empty words. The pleasantries are over quickly, and the group begins to constantly jab at, patronise, and drag each other down. Ven’s AI business accelerates global political unrest and violence whilst Jeff’s net worth skyrockets due to his company’s fact-checking technology. Randall backs Ven because of his misguided belief that his business will enable him to eventually defy his terminal illness and out of jealousy at his increasing wealth. Souper just wants everyone to invest in his slightly less successful venture, a well-being slash guided meditation app. Randall, Souper, and Ven unsuccessfully conspire to kill Jeff and take over his business. There are multiple inept, almost slapstick attempts made by the trio to carry out the murder, but they consistently get Souper, who happens to be the least wealthy, to do their dirty work, revealing a lot about how they view their group dynamic. Their rationalisations and ramblings are funny, but also reveal their worryingly delusional views. Mountainhead doesn’t paint its billionaires quite as darkly as other “eat the rich” influenced narratives might, but that’s because Armstrong understands that their sense of self-importance, arrogance, and ignorance is dangerous enough. The level to which they are out of touch with the people around them and the world at large is sinister in a way that doesn’t need them to be evil since their detachment from reality motivates them to act in ways that are self-absorbed, callous, destructive, and above all, idiotic. The ending is pretty bleak in that, much like the real world, the billionaires don’t really face repercussions for their actions. They’re not happy, nor is there a definitive resolution, but they don’t have to admit they’re wrong or pay a price. Armstrong doesn’t really do reassuring finales.

SOLOS Starring: Morgan Freeman, Anne Hathaway, Anthony Mackie, Helen Mirren, Uzo Aduba, Constance Wu, Nicole Beharie, and Dan Stevens Creator: David Weil QUENTIN Another day, another Black Mirror -influenced anthology show. This one, however, boasts an absolute bonkers cast and is less conceptual than Charlie Brooker’s show. It's still tech-centric, taking place in a recognizable-yet-distant future, but Solos is more of an acting showcase. As the name implies, each episode is essentially a one-person stage show, giving the actors room to simply act and deliver monologues. The quality varies, with Tom and Leah being the standout entries by far, but with runtimes between 20-30 minutes, even the weaker ones never overstay their welcome. A fun little twist in the finale is kinda neat too.

LOOT: SEASON THREE Starring: Maya Rudolph, Ron Funches, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Nat Faxon, and Joel Kim Booster Creators: Matt Hubbard and Alan Yang AMARÚ Every time I think Loot has lost me, it finds a way to pull me back in. However, this season takes much too long to abandon the riskily cringy comedic bits for its abundance of character strengths. When it does finally settle in, those strengths are powerfully endearing: Ron Funches’ sincere hilarity with literally every word mixed with Nat Faxon’s wholesome foil to Maya Rudolph’s outlandishness, not to mention MJ Rodriguez’s stoicism and Joel Kim Booster’s cattiness as the cherries on top of the lovable dynamic. Season Three has a rough start, but once we get back to an actual story, you’re reminded why Loot should stick around. Check out our reviews for Season Two HERE .

BLACK MIRROR: SEASON SEVEN Starring: Rashida Jones, Chris O'Dowd, Tracee Ellis Ross, Siena Kelly, Rosy McEwen, Issa Rae, Awkwafina, Emma Corrin, Peter Capaldi, Paul Giamatti, Patsy Ferran, Cristin Milioti, Jimmi Simpson and Jesse Plemons Creator: Charlie Brooker PAIGE The dystopian sci-fi anthology series makes a strong comeback with its seventh season. While it may not be Black Mirror ’s at its best, it at least brings back the thought-provoking stories that viewers have craved and been missing over the past few seasons. There are some shortcomings in a couple of the episodes, but each episode dives into the dark and unsettling effects that these futuristic technologies bring to society. This season certainly reignites the show's trademark blend of horror and mockery, too. Longtime fans will certainly appreciate the return to form of the chilling yet imaginative season that reminds us why Black Mirror is one of the most fascinating series still running. Check out our reviews for Season Six HERE .