TV Archives – The College View

Down to Earth with Zac Efron

July 21, 2020

In his new Netflix mini-series “Down to Earth”, Zac Efron travels the Americas, and Europe on a quest to find sustainable, and healthy ways to live.

Netflix shows we lost to the algorithm

March 16, 2020

Netflix algorithms have the miraculous ability to predict what we want to watch. Re-occurring themes in what we choose to watch has a ripple effect on what the streaming service will then recommend. And for the most part, they get it right.

Streaming killed the video star

December 11, 2019

The move to online streaming platforms such as Netflix/Amazon Prime and the use of social media apps, has had an astronomical effect on the amount of viewers abandoning traditional TV broadcasting.

The best TV shows you missed in 2019

November 27, 2019

There is often talk of how much the TV landscape has changed in the past decade or so as creators embrace the shift towards streaming, A-list star vehicles and the impact of the short-form limited series.

“Marianne” brings French horror to a modern audience

November 27, 2019

Released back in September, “Marianne” is a French Netflix original series that serves as a triumph for horror.

RTE’s troubles are not due to people evading licence fees but RTE evading quality programming

November 27, 2019

The reason for this is that RTE never actually jumped into the 21st century and still relies heavily on the nostalgia of shows

Life in the apocalypse is just what you would expect in Netflix’s “Daybreak”

November 13, 2019

What’s life like in the apocalypse? According to Daybreak, it’s like a mash-up between Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Mad Max.

Arrested Development suffers its namesake

April 17, 2019

Arrested Development will not see a sixth season. Will anyone care?

Netflix’s Madeleine McCann documentary falls short of expectations

April 17, 2019

The aspect that predominantly jumped out to Netflix viewers, was that the McCann’s themselves played no part in the documentary.

Do true crime shows and docuseries affect ongoing cases?

April 3, 2019

Yes, true crime documentaries offer an insight into the cases and the facts, but they also have created a trend of avid fans taking the law into their own hands. The perfect example of this is with the Steven Avery case whereby one of his prosecutors has had his car shot at, and packages explode in his office.

Bye Bye, Big Bang

February 18, 2019

Common theories date the Big Bang, which sparked our universe into existence, to 13.7 billion years ago. For many of us, it feels like impossibly-popular sitcom The Big Bang Theory has been on the air

The atypical portrayals of autism on TV

December 12, 2018

Sheldon himself denies being autistic, stating “My mother had me tested.” And yet: Obsessive behaviors. Social dysfunction. Regressive tendencies. Inability to grasp subtext and sarcasm. Avoidance of physical contact. Anxiety. Scientific savantism.

Will Black Mirror’s choose-your-own-adventure episode create a trend?

October 17, 2018

The concept of ‘choose your own adventure’ has been tried and tested for years in video games and has found to be very successful. Generally referred to as roleplaying games or RPGs, players are taken on a journey from building their own character to choosing how they handle difficult situations and how their decisions ultimately change their character’s fate.

Shows like Bojack Horsemen depict the truth about depression

October 3, 2018

With shows depicting mental illness it can oftentimes be a double-edged sword of sorts, it seems that these shows either address the issue of mental health very successfully or miss the mark completely.

What reality shows have the X Factor?

October 3, 2018

There is one tanned and collagen filled outlier known as Love Island, which dominated the last couple of summers, consistently smashing ITV2 rating records.

Wild, Wild Country: a real life horror story

April 18, 2018

A small town called Antelope, closest to the site of the Rajneesh ranch becomes the focal point of conflict in this gripping six-episode docu-series that details charming Bhajwan Shree Rajneesh and his flamboyant followers.

Netflix’s ‘Love’ takes a bow after three seasons

April 4, 2018

Most real-life love stories don’t have the fairytale ending often portrayed in television, which is why it’s probably a good thing Netflix’s Love has concluded after only three seasons.

The rise of tv dating shows

April 4, 2018

Love is something we all want to find. It is also something we want to watch people find. We love a good love story. This, perhaps, is one of the fundamental reasons for the huge

Disjointed portrays the highs and lows of cannabis

March 7, 2018

Disjointed, the new Netflix original comedy show, is showing that legal marijuana is not all highs – it has a serious side too.

Immortality, sex and violence: Altered Carbon’s first season

February 28, 2018

Based on a novel of the same name by the British Sci-fi writer Richard K. Morgan, Altered Carbon is Netflix’s latest science fiction series and is a visual spectacle for fans of the genre.

The Good Place is heavenly to watch

February 21, 2018

Many people think about death. How will I die? Will I get to live a long, fun-filled life? Will I make it to heaven? But what most people don’t think about is what would you

The Troubles of Being a Derry Girl

February 21, 2018

Never before has there been a more hilarious yet endearing portrayal of the juxtaposition between the Troubles in Northern Ireland and the average lives of five teenagers until Lisa McGee’s series, ‘Derry Girls’, was aired

Irish talent hits award season

February 21, 2018

All eyes are on Saoirse Ronan after her latest film LadyBird earned her another oscar nomination, making 3 by the age of twenty three. Daniel Day Lewis and Martin McDonagh also got nods from the

Mindhunter is mind-blowing

December 6, 2017

Mindhunter, a new series recently added to the growing pile of shows released by Netflix, has been receiving nothing but praise and it’s no surprise. This show is one of the most interesting and engaging

Lady Gaga documentary showcases singer’s battle with chronic injuries

November 29, 2017

Lady Gaga has a voice. She has an emotional, stunning singing voice, and an articulate way of communicating that allows her to be not only a role model but also a voice for those without.