On Wednesday I started developing a cough.

On Thursday I stayed at home to work because I didn't want to be a disruption at the office.

This morning I woke up (after coughing all night) and felt absolutely awful. My lungs itched... ON THE INSIDE! And since I can't exactly scratch the interior of my lungs and live to tell about it, all I wanted to do was sleep so I wouldn't be awake to feel it. But that wasn't an option. I was behind enough as it was, and needed to go into the office for a few important tasks. Despite having an itch I couldn't scratch, I loaded up on cough syrup, Mucinex, pain killers, and grabbed a bag of cough drops so I could get through one or two hours and return home to bed.

NINE HOURS LATER I headed home to die.

But I knew that if I went to sleep I would just wake up at midnight and ne a zombie for eight hours, so instead I tuned into The Brothers Sun on Netflix because A) It looks really good, and B) Michelle Yeoh is in it, and she never disappoints.

Here's a trailer for you...

You're welcome.

It's going to take a lot of willpower to not watch all eight episodes tonight.

It's that good.

Amazing how Michelle Yeoh can just disappear into a role. And it's fantastic how she seems to actively seek out characters who are different from what she's done previously. And then... she's got Star Trek: Section 31 plus the three Avatar sequels coming up.

Everything's coming up Yeoh. Luck us.

And now I need to take my fuzzy lungs to bed.

And it's time once again for my annual wrap-up of my favorite TV shows that came out this year.

Or, more accurately, a "wrap-up of TV shows that I saw which came out this year." As always, there's a bunch of shows I never got around to watching that might have ended up on my list... and (more likely) shows I loved but have forgotten about. And here we go...

#1 Ted Lasso (AppleTV+)
Obviously. Look, I’m not going to pretend that the final two seasons were flawless (as the first one was). There were distractions that didn’t pay off. There were storylines that wasted precious time which could have been better spent (the whole Keeley/Jack romance was pointless). And there was a kind of meandering sloppiness which didn’t really coalesce. And yet... still the best thing on television. Jamie Tartt’s character arc over three seasons was masterful. Rebecca’s ending was perfect. And Roy Kent? Well, he never stopped being one of the best characters television has ever seen. And while Ted Lasso himself got a happy ending that feels final, there is no reason... none... that the show can’t go on. There’s a rich tapestry of characters who have yet to me explored. There’s more to the main characters than what we saw. And I hope after taking a break for a year, everybody is on board to keep going. Heaven only knows people would watch it. Heaven only knows Apple would pay for it. It remains my favorite television show to have ever aired.

#2 Jury Duty (Amazon Freevee)
When I heard there was a show which revolved around jury duty where absolutely everybody was an actor except one guy who would be completely in the dark, I wasn’t going to watch it. I don’t think it’s very funny to humiliate somebody for television entertainment. But then I kept hearing about it as the show went viral, and decided to check it out. If anything, what I thought would happen is the exact opposite of what actually happened. The guy wasn’t there to make fun of, he was there to be the hero. And Ronald Gladden ended up being the best possible hero they could have found. I love this show. I love Ronald. I love the wacky characters. I’ve rewatched it loads of times. If Ted Lasso didn't exist, this would be a shoe-in for best show of 2023 because it was so wonderfully realized and different.

#3 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+)
As I keep a running scorecard of TV shows I like so I can assemble this list every year, Strange New Worlds was firmly in the #4 spot when it debuted in June. Then the episodes just kept knocking it out of the park in surprising ways. Once we got to the impossibly good Star Trek: Lower Decks crossover at Episode 07, it was clear that I needed to reevaluate. Do not ask me how they managed to even dream up a crossover with an animated comedy show and make it work, but they did it. This was just the feather in their cap of an already amazing season.

#4 Mrs. Davis (Peacock)
I am just... I have no idea where to even begin. This show is the most unique (and bonkers) thing I’ve seen since the first season of Twin Peaks decades ago. Filled with masterful performances and some of the most out-there writing you’ll find, it’s one weird surprise after another. But it’s not just weird for weird’s sake. It’s actually incredibly smart. Every minute means something even if you don’t know it at the time. So much so that I had to rewatch everything the minute I finished the last episode. Because that reveal as to who or what Mrs. Davis actually is? So good. I am beyond grateful that somebody took a chance on something so crazy, because it paid off huge. I honestly don't know if they could continue the show... or if they should even attempt it... but I would absolutely tune in.

#5 Poker Face (Peacock)
I would watch Natasha Lyonne in literally anything. She can make even the most mundane moments fascinating, and every time she’s involved in a project I know I’ll like it just because she’s there. And boy is she ever. Lyonne is genius as a woman on the run who acts like a human lie detector. As she seeks to escape from some very dangerous people, she keeps happening upon murder mysteries that she’s compelled to solve, even though doing so puts her at risk of getting caught. The show is set up like Columbo, where you see whodunit right from the start, then have to watch Lyonne put the pieces together (in an eerie Peter Falk way). Such a great show. Guess Rian Johnson isn’t a fluke with these Knives Out movies. Really, really cannot wait for a second season.

#6 Bodies (Netflix)
Based on a graphic novel that always felt ripe for an adaptation, Bodies would also require some serious changes to make for compelling television. The changes they made are actually very smart and make the show more accessible and less weird. But still, when the same body shows up in different time periods connecting detectives across time, you know the show is headed in some interesting directions. If you watched the Netflix show and enjoyed it, I encourage you to pick up the original graphic novel, which has been reprinted. I was saddened to learn that the creator/writer of the series, Si Spencer, died in 2021. The first episode was dedicated to his memory.

#7 Barry (Max)
It's impossible for me to overstate what a surprise Barry ended up being. It started great, then just kept getting better and better. Everybody had expectations as to where the fourth and final season was going to land. Most viewers probably figured, well, Barry is finally going to be made to pay for everything he's done. What actually happened was unexpected... but shouldn't have been too unexpected, as it did make perfect sense. No, I don't think this was at the level of the first three seasons, but it was a satisfying ending, assuming what happened was something you could live with.

#8 Reservation Dogs (Hulu)
There's something to be said about a show which doesn't overstay its welcome. They want to go out on the top of their game and not become a parody of what people loved. Even so... it seems as though ResDogs could have gone on for longer than the three seasons we got. On the bright side, because they had an ending in mind, it got the best possible ending that it could get.

#9 Ahsoka (Disney+)
I'm just going to come out and say it... there were some incredibly stupid moments in this show (the lightsaber ship battle may very well be the worst thing to happen to Star Wars since Jar Jar Binks). But, then again, it was also full of some of the coolest moments in Star Wars history, so I'm going to call it a wash. Because, in the end, this was a very interesting and entertaining series. It was also surprising, because they accomplished something I never thought possible... they redeemed Anakin Skywalker and the actor who portrayed him, Hayden Christensen. Turns out that Christensen didn't destroy the character with terrible acting and delivery... he was just given impossibly shitty dialogue and situations to act in. But anyway, there was a lot of criticism lobbed at Rosario Dawson for her cold delivery of the character that felt off from the animated version, and I don't get it. She grew up. She went through some shit. She's changed. She's not the same person she once was. This show is a shining example of taking characters from the extended universe of characters and bringing them into the Star Wars Universe in interesting and thoughtful ways. It also had some action that felt fresh, which is saying a lot when it comes to a Star Wars series.

#10 Slow Horses (AppleTV+)
So there I was, opening the AppleTV app, and they are advertising the third season of a show I never heard of before. Slow Horses. I was ready to ignore it, but then saw it starred... Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas?!? Color me intrigued! And then I started watching. And then I couldn't stop. And then I was amazed that a show this good somehow escaped my attention for nearly three years. Generally it's about a group of screw-ups inhabiting the bottom rung of the British espionage ladder. But more specifically it's about how a bunc of screw-ups still have value because, despite their faults and mistakes, they remain talented in their specific areas. And the third season is arguably the best of them all, defining what makes "compelling television" so compelling.

#11 Our Flag Means Death (Max)
=sigh= In a recent interview, Taika Waititi makes it sound like he wouldn't return for a third series of everybody's pirate adventure if Max renews it. And I get it. The guy has tons of stuff going on, is highly in demand as a showrunner and director, and his little acting side-gigs must feel like a distraction to him. But holy crap is he good at those little acting side-gigs. The way he inhabited Blackbeard in Our Flag Means Death... and his romance with Stede Bonnet... is really too good to be true. Funny, but incredibly sincere. And that pretty much sums up where Season 02 left us. Sure, there was a terribly sad moment that cast a shadow over the season, but it also left us with a hope that made it all worthwhile. Good stuff. I really hope that Max renews it. I really hope that Taika returns.

#12 Heartstopper (Netflix)
One of the most mature shows about relationships is once again in the hands of two gay teens (well, one gay teen and a bisexual teen). And, in addition to being sincere and smart when it comes to how relationships actually work, it's also as heartwarming and sweet as it was the first time around. Serious topics are covered, but it's never heavy-handed or dark, making it seriously fun and watchable. And while some could criticize the show for not putting any serious obstacles or challenges in front of the characters, I think that's what makes it so special. Yeah, it's saccharine sweet, but that's okay from time to time. Not everything has to be depressing.

#13 The Night Agent (Netflix)
An entry-level FBI agent sits in the basement of The White House next to a phone that never rings. Until one night when it does. Then you're in for a ride as events spiral out of control and the hunt for a traitor is on. The fact that there are some things that didn't make much sense to me didn't diminish how much I liked this political mystery thriller. Probably because I'm such a fan of the genre. Sure the twists aren't all that twisty and the show heads in predictable directions, but the fantastic cast keeps things intense and worth watching.

#14 Abbott Elementary (Hulu)
This is one of those shows that was flawless out of the gate. It had nowhere to go but down. And then the second season debuted, and they somehow... made it even better? But how? If I had to guess, it's because all the actors were fully entrenched in their characters, allowing them to became even more real to us. Then there's the writing, which seemed even sharper and well-honed. Which is to say that the writers were more fully entrenched in the characters as well. Regardless, it's refreshing to find a show that understands exactly what it is and exploits that for maximum entertainment value. The third season debuts in a month. I'll be there.

#15 Letterkenny (Hulu)
They announced the 12th season was the final season just before it premiered. It was a bit of a gut-punch, because this is one of those shows you just count on to always be there. The final season is more of the same from the past eleven seasons: esoteric Canadian laughs being fired off at a mile a minute. But it's also not the same because everybody in Letterkenny contemplates moving on. Then we're treated to the closing scenes, which really hit you hard in the feels that the show is really gone. And along the way we get some hilarious moments that became immediate classics for the series (I still have Sun Darts stuck in my head!). A fitting end for a show that definitely deserved one. And now... it looks like Shoresy is going to be the full focus of Jared Keeso's attentions and talents, which is fine by me.

#16 Obliterated (Netflix)
This show isn't going to be for everybody. You reeeeeally need to lean into the concept, which is the adventures of an elite team of operatives trying to save Las Vegas from being obliterated. And, oh yeah, there's loads of R-rated sex and violence along for the ride to keep things interesting. Ultimately it's incredibly entertaining in the worst way possible, and I loved the show. No idea if Netflix feels like there's another season to be had, but I hope they do.

#17 What We Do in the Shadows
While I thought that Gizmo's vampire storyline threw the series off balance and they could have spent the time on something better, there were plenty of laughs to be had and loads of the usual goofiness that makes the show so much fun to watch. Which makes the fact that the series has been canceled after the next season just that much more unbelievable. It's like... why? There's still so many places the show could explore. Consistently funny, I miss it already.

#18 Murder at the End of the World (Hulu)
I had the mystery solved in the first episode. Which is to say that I knew the "who"... not the "how." Regardless, I sure liked Darby Hart as a detective, and really hope we can see more of her. But not if it means dragging the same people back. Let her find something new to do and new people to interact with. But back to this series, it was pretty good. Sure there was meandering that would have kept things moving better if they had tightened the scripts a bit, but at least they were trying to do something different.

TOO EARLY TO TELL...

• Reacher (Amazon Prime Video)
  From the looks of things, this is going to be yet another great season of Reacher. Problem is that it's easy to see where the show could go terribly wrong if they flub the ending. When you've got a team scenario there's several clichéd and boring tropes that they could use to resolve everything. If they steer clear, then it could be good for us. But if not? Yikes.

MUST SEE TELEVISION SPECIALS AND DOCUMENTARIES...

• Mr. Monk's Last Case (Peacock)
  I seriously wrote off the idea of more Monk because so much time had passed. But then a miracle happened. Wisely, they integrated the pandemic into the show, which seemed like a natural. Most of the cast is back (with the exception of Sharona, who is at home with her and Randy's new baby). Despite the fact that everybody went their separate ways at the end of the series, they're back in San Francisco for Monk's stepdaughter's wedding. Unfortunately, the groom died before that could happen, which becomes a case for Mr. Monk when she is convinced that her husband-to-be was murdered. Seriously hoping that they convince Tony Shaloub to do more movies, because the character is just too good to disappear.

• Magnum P.I. (Peacock)
  By all rights, this show was dead. It had been canceled at CBS. It was over. And it was a pretty good place to end, seeing as how the "will-they-or-won't-they" relationship between Magnum and Higgins had been answered. There was nowhere to go but down. And then Peacock bought the show, brought it back, and here we are. Spoiler Alert: Yeah, the fifth season was not as good as the others, which wasn't surprising because that's been a trend since it began. What is surprising is that it was still watchable television that I was happy to tune in for week after week. Until it won't be. The show was canceled for good during the strikes, and the final two episodes are airing in January.
• The Last of Us (Max)
  If you've played the video game, you might be forgiven into thinking that you saw the series. But there are some smart changes made that I liked (I've only played the original game)... along with a great diversion which fills in a character's backstory in a fascinating, lovely way which ended up being the highpoint of the entire season for me.
• The Bear
  This is a show that has the most realistic depiction of how commercial kitchens work than anything I've ever seen. It's just so... real. Unfortunately, it's got a lot of dead weight holding it back, including the idea that PEOPLE SCREAMING ALL THE TIME IS ENTERTAINING. And even if that wasn't the case, there's the fact that damaged people can't be the entirety of a show's identity and be fun to watch. It gets so very tired. Fortunately, they do manage to work in some genuinely good storylines into the mix, and this season was better than the previous season in that respect.
• Beef (Netflix)
  The only thing that kept this series from being flawless was that it had David Choe in it after his admission of sexual assault. Which he made for a comedy bit. Otherwise? Everything about it was choice. From Ali Wong and Steven Yeun's amazing chemistry to a story that was fascinating to watch unfold. The ending was one of those things which resolved everything perfectly while giving you hope not only for the future of the characters, but for people in general.
• Bupkis
  As a Pete Davidson fan, I was anticipating this series. But I didn’t know much about it. Then it dropped on Peacock and nothing could have prepared me for what I witnessed. Somehow Joe Pesci was lured out of retirement, and he’s incredible. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Guest stars keep dropping in and they’re not who you’d expect. And while the episodes start out as crude (albeit clever) humor... but by the time you get to the fourth one (titled Crispytown) it’s gone to such extreme levels that I was dying. Everything about this show, which claims to be a stylized, fictional version of Pete’s crazy life, is quality. And the humor is on-point.
• Only Murders in The Building (Hulu)
  No new season is ever going to live up to the brilliance of the first season. And yet... I am ever so happy that they keep trying. I actually ended up liking this season more than the second, which was a pleasant surprise. Steve Martin has said that this show is the end. He's retiring after it's over. But he keeps coming back, so it must be a fun time. And it's been renewed for season four.
• Will Trent
  I had no idea that this series existed until I accidentally stumbled across it. I’ve only read one of the Karin Slaughter novels on which it’s based, for which I’m actually grateful because the television series is so good that I didn’t want to be clinging to the source material.
• Cunk on Earth (Netflix)
  Watching somebody so utterly stupid and clueless make observations on history... all the while knowing full well that there are people walking around (and voting!) who aren't even this educated and smart is both hysterically funny... and incredibly depressing. Regardless, I was in stitches most of the time and was thrilled to be so surprised and captivated by a throwaway show like this.
• One Piece (Netflix)
  Just about every live-action adaptation of a manga is a complete disaster. By some absolute miracle, One Piece isn't. Part of it is that they worked hard to be faithful while being mindful about what would work in live action. The other part was absolutely nailing the casting. Every character is brilliantly unmistakably accurate to their original manga characters. It's wonderful.
• The Diplomat
  I really, really hate the trend of leaving a season finale on a cliffhanger. Especially when you have no idea if you're being picked up for another season. Had this show been smarter about constructing an ending to the story that ran through it, this would have likely been in my top shows of the year. As it is, the sloppy non-ending left a sour note... regardless of whether or not we see more.
• The Other Two (Max)
  The first season was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. It was just so outlandish and crazy that you were compelled to watch. You couldn't look away. But then... with the second season it felt like most of there good ideas went into that first season. The third (and final) season rebounded a little, but not enough. Even so, it was still hilarious and I'm glad we got as much of the show as we did.
• Lupin (Netflix)
  Omar Sy is just phenomenally talented, and his turn as the gentleman thief Lupin took full advantage of the fact. Unfortunately, the family entanglements seriously diminish the later episodes, and it made me seriously wish that he didn't have a family at all, because the times without them are where the show really shines.
• Silo (AppleTV+)
  I loved the concept. Liked the show. Mostly because I worry that they are going to never get around to the mystery of how, when, and why... and the show will get canceled before any of it is ever answered. Which would just be so very typical. And then we end up in a Lost situation (yes, I know the series is adapting a book series, but it's ultimately the same considering that shows often diverge from the source material in significant ways).
• Julia (Max)
  The first season was beyond good. It was like they took all the best parts of the movie Julie & Julia (i.e. the parts with Meryl Streep's genius turn as Julia Child and Stanley Tucci's wonderful take on Paul Child) and then just made a television show of it. And yet... by having more than two hours available to them, the showrunners managed to make it even more engrossing. Julia is a fascinating character and they found the perfect Streep alternative to play her in Sarah Lancashire (and shoutout to David Hyde Pierce for avoiding the awful Frasier reboot to play Paul). The second season is a bit more dodgy when it comes to what it's adapting from a real live person... it feels like the whole "will-she-or-won't-she-jump-from-PBS" along with the lives of ancillary characters ate up way too much time. But despite it all, it was still must-see television.
• The Righteous Gemstones (Max)
  Despite having a very good seasonal arc when it came to Eli's sister coming back into the family's lives and the consequences that come out of it, the idea of having Eli retire and leave the Gemstone empire in the hands of his squabbling children was a bad one. It was when the show got mired in that storyline that everything ground to a screeching halt. It's been reported that the series has been renewed for a fourth season. I sincerely hope they find a better way to spend that time.
• Black Mirror (Netflix)
  This is a show of diminishing returns. It started out so unbelievably good that it really had nowhere else to go. But then it kept being so consistently good that it became a waiting game as to when it would finally fall. And we're not quite there yet. Of the five episodes we got in Season 06, two of them were great, two of them were good, and two of them were just kind of... there. I still like the show. I still think there are stories to tell. But I can't help but feel like we're approaching the end.
• The Mandalorian
  There was some heavy criticism of the third season. And while I understand the points being made, I couldn’t disagree more. With the sole exception of the ridiculous Jack Black & Lizzo stunt casting episode (which I hated... not because of Jack Black and Lizzo, but because it was a shitty episode). I loved that it was all cool Star Wars space ships and locations with great action fueled by interesting concepts. Jon Favreau knows what fans want to see, and he delivers it. How could I hate that?
• The Lincoln Lawyer (Netflix)
  Though the mystery that ran through the season was a bit anti-climactic, I love the characters so much that it didn't really matter. The show is impeccably cast. Every role is a starring role regardless of how much screen time they get. You can't help but love a show with that kind of talent sucking you into the world they are building.
• The Crown (Netflix)
  I absolutely hated the first half of the final season. It was all gross speculation about Princess Diana's final days that felt... dirty? I mean, yeah, all of this show is speculation, but you really can't confirm what was going on because both people who had any insight are gone. But then the second half arrived and it was far, far better. More speculation, of course, but it didn't feel as grotesque. But what really sealed the deal was the end, where they wrapped up the show in a way I didn't see coming... but was truly great.

ANIMATION TO WATCH...

• Rick & Morty (Hulu)
  In what seems like an impossible turn of events, this season wrapped up a storyline that's been brewing forever. And it did it in a perfectly satisfying way. Which could be said for the entire seventh season (with the sole exception of the Rise of the Numbericons: The Movie episode that was idiotic and basic in the worst possible ways). But the question on everybody's mind was whether losing Justin Roiland as the voices of both titular characters would sink the show. Fortunately the answer was "nope!"
• Fionna and Cake (Max)
  As a huge Adventure Time fan, I am happy to take in any spin-offs that they care to provide. And in this case it's ten epiodes of the gender-swapped version of Finn and Jake which appeared in the oriinal series. Surprisingly, they weren't content to just leave the show at that. Instead they struck off in a different direction entirely, but it still feels very "Adventure Time" in execution. Then, the best news of all, Max renewed the series for a second season.
• Invincible (Amazon Prime Video)
  Since I've read the entirety of the comic book series, the adaptation doesn't hold any surprises for me. But I was very happy to revisit the story in a fresh new way.
• Star Trek: Lower Decks (Paramount+)
  Whip-smart and funny as always, the show is never satisfied with standing still. Characters continue to grow and mature in small bu meaningful steps.
• Blue Eye Samurai (Netflix)
  Some of the most gorgeous animation you'll see with a story that's exhillerating and wonderfully creative.
• Archer (FXX)
  The 14th season is the last season of the series. Then we found out that the eight episodes we got were not really the end. We had a three-episode finale to the finale, subtitled Into the Cold. It was a fitting end to a show that was saddled with occasional lapses in quality after a stellar debut season, but never lost its humor. In many ways it was probably time to say good bye, but I do hope that we get a revival one of these days.

HAVEN'T SEEN, MIGHT HAVE MADE MY LIST...

• Lawmen: Bass Reeves (Paramount+)
• The Afterparty (AppleTV+)
• Dark Winds (AMC+)
• The Last Kingdom (Netflix)
• Lessons in Chemistry (AppleTV+)
• Monarch, Legacy of Monsters (AppleTV+)
• Hijack (AppleTV+)
• What If...? (Disney+)
• Justified: City Primeval (Hulu)
• The Curse (Showtime)

OVERRATED BUT STILL GOOD...

• Good Omens (Amazon Prime Video)
  After a stellar and fully-realized first season, the second was just kind of meandering and unsatisfying (even if Michael Sheen and David Tennant were glorious as usual). I mean, yeah, it was building towards something and everything in the story meant something, it just wasn't as clever and brilliant as what came before it. With one final season yet to come, I'm hopeful that everything pulls together to give us a brilliant endgame.
• Loki (Disney+)
  This garnered a lt of critical praise, but to me it was just a big ol' mess. It's like they had an end-goal in mind, then just filled the show up with random happenings which happened to generally move them in that direction. Which would have been fine if not for the fact that I don't really get how the end of the season (and likely the end of the series) really means much to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a whole. Perhaps
• Picard (Paramount+)
  This show is phenomenally frustrating because it comes so very close to being good. The first season came closer than most, but kinda blew it at the end. The second season, despite having a very ambitious plot with some fantastic scenes, was a major letdown. And then came this final season which was nothing more than a "let's-round-up-the-gang-for-one-last-adventure" show. As somebody who was never much a fan of The Next Generation to begin with, this was the last thing I wanted. Especially since it was so unsatisfying. Fortunately we had Strange New Worlds and Lower Decks to give us some good Trek, because this wasn't worth the time.

DISAPPOINTING...

• Foundation (AppleTV+)
  The first season was an abomination that in no way resembled the books upon which it claimed to be based. It was also boring as hell and bad television. Thinking that they had nowhere to go but up, I tried the second. It's still an unholy abomination, but at least it tried to be good television. Alas, it wasn't good enough to hold my attention.
• FUBAR (Netflix)
  The fact that they ponied up the dough to get Arnold frickin' Schwarzenegger in a TV show boggles the mind. And I was hyped for it. And then it just ended up being so very meh. The idea was sound... Arnold finds out his daughter is in the CIA just like he is (in a Mr. and Mrs. Smith kind of way). But the result is neither exciting, funny, or worth my time.
• Shrinking (AppleTV+)
  The fact that they ponied up the dough to get Harrison Ford in a TV show boggles the mind. And I was hyped for it. And then it just ended up being so very meh. The idea was sound... Jason Segel is a therapist who gets way too involved in his patient's lives after his wife dies... and Harrison Ford is actually very good in it. But the result just didn't appeal to me for some reason.

TOTALLY SHIT THE BED...

• Secret Invasion (Disney+)
  I had every expectation that a Marvel series based on the great Secret Invasion story from the comics starring Samuel L. Jackson would be a guaranteed winner. The fact that it absolutely was not only shows that my high expectations caused a harsher reaction from me than what it would have normally gotten. But, yeah, it totally shit the bed. First by wasting Samuel L. Jackson in such an embarrassing way. Second by having such a phenomenally shitty premise as having Nick Fury not call on the full might of the Avengers to handle what was obviously a much bigger challenge with much more dire consequences than he should have ever taken on alone. It was just so absurd. Then they went and killed off fan-favorite character Talos while introducing the Super Skrull in such a ridiculous way. I just don't get it. Is Kevin Feige completely asleep at the wheel or what? How in the heck did this ever get green-lit? They literally could have built out this story to be a couple of incredible movies, but just pissed it away for nothing.
• Succession (Max)
  For the life of me, I do not get the accolades for this shitty, shitty show. The writing is awful. The stories are muddled and predictable. And the acting? Mostly horrific. Kendall, Greg, Tom, and Shiv don’t seem at all natural characters. They feel like the improvising every minute because they can’t fucking look, speak, and act like normal humans. Some characters fare better (surprisingly, Kieran Culkin really knows how to occupy a scene). Not surprisingly, Brian Cox and Alexander Skarsgård know how to act with conviction that makes their characters work within the scope of the show. I watched one episode of the final season: the one where Logan dies. I was going to watch the finale but just couldn’t stomach the idea and watched the “Making Of” that told me I made the right decision to avoid at all costs. It was just more of the same. It’s the same shitty absurdity as when Tom was telling Greg about getting snowballed and how hot it was. Good Lord. At least when it came up in Clerks it was funny and not heinously awkward and cringe. The trades call Succession “brilliant” and there are diehard fans of the series, but it’ll always be overrated garbage to me. The only thing I regret about it ending is that Jeremy Strong and Sarah Snook will get cast and go on to ruin far better shows.

It may be Christmas Eve, but bullets don't stop for a holiday... because an all new Bullet Sunday starts... now...

   
• POPPED! The trend this past week in Social Media was people turning themselves into Funko POP! toys via Microsoft's AI. While not a fan of AI art intruding on our lives, for a souless application such as this, I could play along...

It doesn't actually look very "POP!" like because the head is too small compared to the body. There was an option that was better, but they spelled "Geek" as "Gekk" and they forgot the "2" on my name...

Funko actually has a "POP! Yourself" service, but your options are severely limited. AI-generated art has no such limitations. Even if it makes loads of other mistakes.

   
• CRED! The new South Park (Not Suitable For Children) special is totally deranged. And yet... still insightful somehow. It's like every crazy thing they've done up to this point has been merely a warmup. But of course absolutely none of the stuff that makes this movie so shocking could possibly be shown in a public video, but here you go...

I guess they have to keep pushing the limits to stay relevant? All I know is that Parker and Stone comment on current trends and events like nobody else.

   
• An End of A Murder At The End of The World! And... I had A Murder at the End of the World figured out from the very beginning. Well, the who... not the how. I was hoping that something cool would be introduced to shake things up or move things in a more interesting direction but, alas, no. Ultimately this Hulu series was okay, but it needed something... more... for it to become truly special...

Oh well. Fortunately they didn't drag it out too long. That beig said, I really, really like Emma Corrin's "Darby Hart" character and would very much like to see her return.

   
• Another Day. Another hypocrisy. Watching the co-founder of the abhorrent Hitler-worshipping organization "Moms for Liberty" getting put on blast can make my entire day. Especially when it's done as beautifully as this (here's a link in case TikTok is being a dick)...

Because OF COURSE an organization like "Moms for Liberty" would be positively packed with hypocrites. Including their fucking co-founder Bridget Ziegler... a woman whose past actions lead one to believe that she would absolutely LOVE to outlaw homosexuality... but would also believe that those laws OBVIOUSLY don't apply to her. Jesus. Analyzing these people is so textbook as to be laughable because it's always... ALWAYS... the same. "Let me make the rules, but those rules don't apply to me!"

   
• Mooooon! And so Netflix paid Zack Snyder a crapload of money to pinch off another shitty loaf out of his ass. Good Lord Rebel Moon is bad. I don't mean "so-bad-it's-good" bad either. It's just plain bad. Even if it wasn't boring as hell, I still wouldn't want to watch it because NOTHING MAKES ANY FUCKING SENSE!

Some of the visuals are good, but it's pretty much just going from boring planet to boring planet to collect a band of ragtag "heroes" to help the people on a moon fight the bad guys who are going to show up and find out that they killed the first group of bad guys that showed up? WTF?

At one point the incredibly talented Bae Doona doing her best Darth Maul impression fights a giant spider. I laughed out loud. And, yes, not only did Snyder rip off Star Wars, but there's no small amount of theft of Lord of the Rings too. This is just fucking low stakes embarrassing. I can't believe that Netflix is going to actually give him more money for a part two of... whatever the hell this is supposed to be. I mean, seriously, haven't people suffered enough at the hands of Zack Snyder? STOP GIVING HIM MONEY!

   
• Monstrosity Streaming! NEWS RELEASE: Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global Have Held Meeting to Discuss Possible Merger — Two guys who destroyed their respective studios now want to come together to make an even bigger failure? Sign me up! Zaslav took a literal slam dunk with all the Warner/Discovery/DC/HBO properties and merged them into a fucking disaster. The brands are now a shadow of their past selves, and I don't even think that James Gunn can salvage the shit-bomb of fail that Zack Snyder dropped on the DC Comics movies. SO many awful decisions. And then there's Paramount/Showtime which is another sad case of bad decisions coming out of not knowing what the fuck to do with the assets they had. I guess this merger would end up giving us some kind of Warner/Discovery/DC/HBO/Paramount/Showtime monstrosity. Where they will once again have to make "the painful decision" to run a wood-chipper on top of all the stuff that's left which people actually care about... all while abandoning all their employees to escape with the millions of dollars they received to fuck everything up. Personally I hope the DO merge and then self-destruct so I have two less streaming services to worry about.

   
Wishing you a Merry Christmas tomorrow, if you celebrate that kind of thing.

I woke up this morning with a sense of dread.

But that was quickly replaced with gratitude, because my screwed-up knee wasn't locked up this morning. Nope... I was able to move it freely, and there wasn't any pain at all. This was unexpected. Once I crossed the big five-oh, it seems like even small tumbles which would have been shaken off immediately 20 years ago can lay me up for a week or more. I keep trying to remind myself to be more careful because getting old sucks, but my head is not cooperating. It's still governing my body as if I was 22 or something. I don't know what it's going to take for my head to get the message, but I hope it's not something too serious.

Although...

It's difficult for me to throw a pity party for my aging body when every time I read what's happening in the world it seems like something new and worse has happened. Yesterday the news hit that Andre Braugher had died. He's a remarkable actor, and his run on Homicide: Life on The Street was incredible. When he pivoted flawlessly to comedy with Brooklyn Nine-Nine, you just knew the guy was capable of absolutely anything. The official YouTube channel had a nice video tribute to him...

The last project he was in was a supporting role in The Good Fight, which was great, but there was so much more left for him to offer. He will be very much missed.

There was a glimmer of light awaiting me this morning, however.

After getting teased with this poster by Netflix...

Today they released a teaser trailer for Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F...

Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser, and Bronson Pinchot all returning. Ronny Cox absent because he passed in 2006. And I'm not seeing Héctor Elizondo, so his character must not be returning.

Almost didn't recognize Joseph Gordon-Levitt being added.

And Kevin Bacon as the villain? Nice

I was a bit disappointed by Coming 2 America, but this looks like they are embracing what made the Beverly Hills Cop franchise such a beloved trilogy (YES, I'M INCLUDING BEVERLY HILLS COP 3, BECAUSE I LIKED IT!!). Hopefully it won't disappoint.

Because what the world really needs right now is a reason to laugh.

Well, here we go again... because an all new Bullet Sunday starts... now...

   
• Swifty! “They had to work really hard to get the tickets,” she says. “I wanted to play a show that was longer than they ever thought it would be, because that makes me feel good leaving the stadium.” — People can feel however they want to feel about Taylor Swift and her music... but there is absolutely no denying that she works incredibly hard for everything she has and gives her all to everything she does, and that is deserving of respect. I think her getting "Person of The Year" is completely valid...

Reading the article, it doesn't seem a bad choice at all. My favorite part is that when she was denied her first big gig supporting Kenny Chesney because it was sponsored by a beer company and she was underage, Chesney cut her a check anyway. Her first thought to do with this major windfall was to pay her band and tour crew. I may believe that billionaires shouldn't exist... but if they must, I sure wish more of them acted like Taylor Swift.

   
• Sundays! Me. Trying to hold a discussion about sportsball...

Right?

   
• Delicious! Why is it that little red pandas always look like they're saying Come at me bro! when they stand up like this?

When they're not standing upright, they're one of the cutest things alive...

Now I want a red panda.

   
• Martians! A lot has (rightfully) been thrown at Jared Leto for his acting and, more importantly, his acting behavior. But I really do like his singing with Thirty Seconds to Mars...

I mean, come on. That's a great track.

   
• Slough! Today Apple TV+ advertised Slow Horses: Season 3 starring GARY OLDMAN AND KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS?!? I didn't even know that Season's 1 & 2 existed! So I tuned in. And it's a fantastic series...

It's brutal and packed with drama one minute... then is played for comedy the next. And yet it somehow... works? I have no idea how this show escaped my notice... but I'm all in now.

   
• Name That Tune! One of my favorite recent discoveries on Youtube is this street trivia game that has random people guessing music...

And sometimes not so random people too...

The channel is Public Opinion NYC, and if you're looking for a diversion and like music... it may be worth checking out!

   
• Spin, Eat, Repeat! Round and Round, the Hanukkah Hallmark Channel movie this year is the absolute best. It’s clever, smart, funny... and features 80’s music, geek culture, comic books, and a hefty nod to some time travel movies which came before (except the one that really matters, but we'll get to that). It’s like somebody wrote this one just for me! But anyway... a woman has a disastrous 7th night of Hanukkah... that keeps repeating. Just like in Groundhog Day, which they are quick to acknowledge in the story. And just like in that film, she has to figure out why she's stuck in a time loop and how she can get out of it...

That alone would be worth watching, but they toss in a twist at the end which has you completely recontextualizing everything you've seen. I had to go back and see if I missed some clues. Turns out I really didn't, which was disappointing. The only way this could have been better would be to have made the twist apparent when you rewatched it. Then there's the fact that the twist is kinda-sorta from one of my all-time favorite time travel movies, which I can't mention because it will give it away. But blah blah blah. This is a fantastic film with stellar performances that are built around a great story. One of my favorite Hallmark movies ever.

   
There we went again. See you next Sunday for more bullets.

Today was a rough day at work, but it went easier knowing that when I got home I'd be able to watch the new Monk movie. The series (which ran for 8 seasons) ended 14 years ago, and we're finally getting a follow-up. My mom liked the show, so I'm more than a little sad that she wasn't here to watch it, but I'm really glad that somebody at Peacock TV had the good sense to make it happen...

Wisely, they integrated the pandemic into the show, which seemed like a natural. It would have been weird if they hadn't done that.

Most of the cast is back. With the exception of Sharona, who is at home with her and Randy's new baby. Despite the fact that everybody went their separate ways at the end of the series, they're back in San Francisco for Monk's stepdaughter's wedding. Unfortunately, the groom died before that could happen, which becomes a case for Mr. Monk when she is convinced that her husband-to-be was murdered.

What happens after that is very much yet another Monk mystery.

Which is not a criticism. That's exactly what you'd want it to be. Anything less would be disappointing...

Personally, I loved the movie. I think that any Monk fan would. It hit all the right notes and had a sentimental streak that tugged at all the heartstrings.

And I was absolutely left wanting more.

Seriously, I don't want Mr. Monk's Last Case to be his last case at all. I really hope that Peacock TV has such a big hit on their hands that they are compelled to run another series and that the cast agrees to return for it. Sure it would be tough to find a way to bring back Natalie and Randy considering their characters are no longer in San Francisco, but nothing's impossible in television fiction!

But anyway... this movie was released a little but under the radar, which is why I'm telling you about it. If you liked the original, it's a no-brainer to tune in.

SNOWWWWW! But don't let my misfortune get you down... because an all new Bullet Sunday starts... now...

   
• You've Been Sached! The AppleCard credit card has features I absolutely love. But it's not the best bargain (the cash-back is crap, and you don't even get 5% on Apple purchases!). But the worst part is that the card is issued by Goldman Sachs, which is a reprehensible company, and I make damn sure that I never carry a balance so that I never pay any interest to them. But then it was revealed that Goldman Sachs has lost $3 billion on the card since it began. Don't ask me how, unless everybody else is also refusing to carry a balance and not paying them any interest. Regardless, they want out of the AppleCard business, so now Apple is (reportedly) looking for a new partner. I'm relieved... but also dubious because there are a lot of shitty financial institutions out there.

   
• Stamped! If I didn't follow Ibram X. Kendi on Facebook, I wouldn't have known that a movie based on his book Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America had been released on Netflix. The reason being that it wasn't being promoted on my Netflix homepage. I had to search for it. Most definitely worth your valuable time to watch. I had already read the book, but the way they visually represented the material and had speakers relate ideas with passion and feeling elevated it to essential viewing...

I can only hope that Kendi's follow-up, How to Be an Antiracist gets a movie too. It's an important work that, like Stamped, should have the widest audience pssible.

   
• Indy 5! I loved Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, liked Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, loved Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade... and absolutely HATED Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. It was SO bad, and I was of the opinion that it was best if the Indiana Jones franchise died right there since they had clearly ran out of ideas. But along comes Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and I'm very glad that this is the movie that Indy gets to go out on, because I liked it quite a lot...

Yes, much of the movie was fan service. Yes, it desperately needed to be edited for length. Yes, they pushed into some truly bizarre areas. But ultimately there was a ton of action and was a lot of fun to watch. You can tell that they used the original film as inspiration for this one. And while it can never compete with Raiders, I do think it's a worthy (and final?) addition to the franchise (unlike Crystal Skull, which I try my best to forget.

   
• Just Sew! My grandmother taught me to sew from a young age because she wanted me to be able to mend and make clothes. It's a skill that I've used quite a lot over the years in both my personal and work lives, so I'm grateful. But I never really thought about how a sewing machine actually works. And now this...

And now I know. Though it still seems like magic is involved.

   
• Not Sad You're Dead! I sincerely hope that Henry Kissinger rots in hell for all eternity. Because I’ve been to Cambodia AND Laos (here's a link in case TikTok is being a dick)...

And that's just scratching the surface. There's no end to the trauma he's responsible for. The sadistic fuck. The world is far better off without him in it. And you can miss me with the whole don't-speak-ill-of-the-dead-have-some-respect-think-of-his-family bullshit. He gave less than zero fucks for all the death and destruction he caused... and even less for the families left behind... so I have less than zero fucks about him.

And just in case you'd like an extra dose of Michael McBride, and why wouldn't you, here you go. This is wild (here's a link in case TikTok is being a dick)...

He's not wrong. If you are even remotely familia with Pusha T's music, this is absolutely bonkers. Clearly he's just that damn talented.

   
• Lyme-Flavored! And just because I can't help myself... here's the first video I ever saw by Michael McBride which still enrages me...

Anti-vax dumbfucks. The gift that keeps on giving.

   
• MOOOOOON! And just in case your quota of wackyness is lacking this week, here's a total goofball video that's big fun to watch...

Truth is often stranger than fiction. And here it is.

   
And now back to my snow day, currently in progress.

Hope your pants are fitting again after that massive Thanksgiving dinner you ate... because an all new Bullet Sunday starts... now...

   
• Steve! I adored Steve Pool, the weatherman from KOMO 4 News Seattle, who recently passed away from early onset Alzheimer's. Even though I loathed the rest of the news team at KOMO (especially Ken Schram, one of the biggest fucking assholes on the planet who had a idiotic take on hockey that still has me fuming), I kept watching because I loved Steve (and Kathi Goertzen) so much. I had no idea he was struggling with Alzheimers and, for obvious reasons from having been there with my mom, I'm incredibly sympathetic to his family. Rest in Peace, sir. You were loved and respected throughout the Pacific Northwest and this world is a worse place without you in it.

   
• Theif! Raccoons are pretty incredible varmints...

Ninja techniques!

   
• One! The Vegas Formula One race was primed to be a disaster. It caused major headaches for residents, it was outrageously expensive to attend, and nobody thought it was going to be successful. Then the pre-race run ended up wrecking a car when a manhole cover got sucked up into the bottom of a very expensive F1 car. And then... the race happened and it actually ended up being pretty cool. I watched the highlights, and it looked thrilling. More like a video game with the crazy Vegas backdrop than an actual video game...

Photo by John Locher, AP

I'm happy for everybody involved. I just wis that wasn't mostly very wealthy people, since average everyday people couldn't afford it.

   
• V'Ger! Absolutely fascinating stuff here...

Incredible that humanity managed to build something like this fifty years ago.

   
• NEWSFLASH: Sports Illustrated Published Articles by Fake, AI-Generated Writers. AI-generated bullshit should legally be required to declare that it is AI-generated. It's one thing to get idiotic crap from a real person, it's quite another to rely on AI for "journalism."

   
• Chris Claus! Catch Me If You Claus is a painfully adorable film. Hallmark Channel completely outdid themselves. One of their best movies ever. Not only was the casting flawless, but the story was smart, complex, and satisfying. It's like ACTUAL THOUGHT was put into every decision instead of just blowing through their usual tired tropes...

Nina Weinman Swift has written some good movies that have ended up on my "Best Of" list (like Flip That Romance and Undercover Holiday)... but this was next level. I rarely clamor for sequels to these movies, but I would really like to see these characters again. I hope that Hallmark eventually sells this digitally so I can see it without the promo bullshit that keeps popping up and distracting you from the movie.

   
Hope your Turkey Day was a good one.

The first half of the "final season" of The Crown dropped on Netflix last week. The four episodes are entirely devoted to Princess Diana's final days and death, and anything to do with The Crown is largely ancillary. Sure you've got Prince Charles struggling to get his relationship with Camilla legitimized with both Her Majesty The Queen and the public at large, but make no mistake... this is the Diana Show. She's stealing the headlines. She's driving the narrative. It's her world and everybody else is just living in it.

Which is very much as I remember it.

Diana is a fascinating person. And admirable. She tried to use her fame for a number of good causes (the two most famous being compassion and understanding of people with AIDS and the global removal of landmines, but she also advocated for the homeless, shined a spotlight on the struggle of people living in poverty, and supported numerous cancer charities... to name a few). That she also dared to try and build a life for herself and find happiness bothers an awful lot of people, which is profoundly sad.

A sympathy that The Crown definitely shares.

Right up until her death in the third episode.

Although the story that Netflix is telling has been refuted on several fronts. The foremost of which being that Mohamed Al-Fayed was the driving force behind his son Dodi Fayed and Diana's romance and, by further extension, is responsible for their death since he set up the infamous photos that escalated the paparazzi frenzy. Every photographer wanted their million dollar payday, and that ultimately resulted in tragedy.

It's just speculation.

Which, from the beginning, is all The Crown really has.

And yet we watch it anyway.

I've mentioned how I was eating breakfast and watching television before driving to the airport for work on August 31st, 1997. The morning the news broke here about the car accident in Paris. When I got to Seattle, it was being reported that all three passengers had perished. Then, as I was waiting, it was reported Diana was still alive. As I was boarding my flight to Orlando, there was serious confusion as to whether she had died or not.

After landing, all the televisions were reporting the sad news of her passing.

It didn't really register.

Not until the next day. My work was at one of the Disney World hotels. I had finished up my first meeting and went to Epcot for lunch with a friend in "Italy." I was early, so I walked counter-clockwise to pop by the France Pavilion for a pastry first. To get there, you have to pass through the pavilions for Canada and The United Kingdom. Which is to say "A member country of The British Commonwealth and The United Kingdom."

And since Disney endeavors to make each country's pavilion be as authentic as possible, the staff is populated by people from those countries. And they were grieving far from home. Far from the people who could truly comprehend what they were feeling.

Though the people at Disney World that day were far from unsympathetic. Flowers were piled around the UK Pavilion just as they had been back at Kensington Palace. The usual murmur and laughter was greatly muted.

Then you'd cross the bridge to the France Pavilion... and everything was back to normal.

Or as normal as it could be considering a person loved and admired around the world was gone.

In the end, I think The Crown could have ended with Season 05 and we'd all have been better off. The wild speculation about Diana in Season 06 serves no purpose. It's not even very entertaining. And the drama surrounding The Royal Family was already portrayed far better by the 2006 movie The Queen.

Not that Netflix hasn't wasted money on useless programming before, but this time it just seems so unneeded.

Snow is inching closer, but I'm not pulling the shovel out just yet... because an all new Bullet Sunday starts... now...

   
• Holiday Trooper! I've been sending care packages to the troops through AnySoldier.com for years. This is another program that's very cool because it doesn't cost you a dime! Just choose the four treats you want to send overseas, write a message of support, and Crown Royal will send it!

I wish more organizations would do something like this.

   
• Catventure! Mr. Kitters has many adventures (here's a link in case TikTok is being a dick)...

Surprisinly, I haven't seen Mr. Kitters ripping apart some poor bird. Thank heavens.

   
• Murder! There I was, just starting A Murder at the End of the World on Hulu. The main character is driving in a car with her boyfriend and they are singing along to No More I Love You's by Annie Lennox... and I know this will be a show that's something truly special. Honestly, they could have just released this scene as a commercial for the series and I would be all in. But there's so much more to it, and I can't wait for the remaining five episodes to drop...

The cast is amazing on top of it all. I just hope they stick the landing.

   
• Killer! Every time I see yet another brilliant film by David Fincher, I am mad all over again that he never got to make the sequels to The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, which remains one of my favorite films of all time. Though, while we're on the subject, a sequel to The Killer on Netflix would be fantastic, because this was a darn enjoyable flick...

ALTHOUGH... a better use of the money would be for Netflix (who has an existing relationship with Fincher AND Daniel Craig) to get the rights to The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest. Just sayin'.

   
• What Was I Made For? People saying that Billy Eilish is untalented makes me laugh and laugh and laugh. She's not entirely my thing... but I love this song... and listening to her brother explain how they created it should put the nail in the coffin of the idea that anybody could crap out the music they make. A song so multifaceted and lovely doesn't happen by accident. This is art...

Brilliant.

   
• Unmortricken! Rick and Morty has always been borderline genius with momentary lapses into episodes I'm completely indifferent about. But this latest episode? Unmortricken? I honestly don't know where the show goes from here. It's like every episode up until this point has been building to this point... and now it's over. Or mostly over. Which means that they either A) Have a plan to move in an entirely different direction along the same bizarre themes. B) Have ruined the show and it's going to devolve into a suck spiral before dying out. C) Will eventually realize that this was a big mistake and find a way to reverse it. I really hope it's Option A, because wow this episode was this a fantastic example of how *good* the show is when it's not getting in its own way.

No, I didn't like Unmortricken better than ten other episodes (including The Rickshank Rickdemption which is one of the best episodes of television ever made), but it just goes to show that Rick and Morty is far from over if they can keep defying expectations like this.

   
• Blarf! I was excited that a Jaime Reyes "Blue Beetle" movie was in development. He's a fun character in the comics, and the fact that we'd finally get a Latino-centric super-hero movie meant it might be *different* from the same old thing. — Until I saw the trailers. They made it very clear that this was a "power of family" movie instead of a Blue Beetle movie. And who gives a shit about that? — Turns out the movie (now on HBO Max) is even worse than that. It is boring as fuck. It takes a half-hour... A HALF-HOUR... before you even see the Blue Beetle, for crying out loud...

This is the most boring, uneventful, slog of an origin story that's ultimately just a frickin' Iron Man/Spider-Man hybrid clone, and not in a good way. I hope to God that James Gunn gets the DCU turned around so we avoid more of this idiotic crap. HA HA HA! GRANDMA WITH A GATLING GUN! HILARIOUS! and, even worse, HA HA HA! HOW FUNNY! HE CAN'T CONTROL THE SUIT AND HE'S RUNNING INTO EVERYTHING FOR TEN MINUTES! Jesus. I know Greatest American Hero was a while ago, but this has been done to death. From there on it's just talk talk talk talk talk with action beats that are equally boring. What a frickin' waste.

   
Hope your Turkey Day is a good one.