Happy New Year

Happy New Year, everyone. Year of the Dragon. Above you can see the little toys I've collected from packaged New Years mochi. I arrived in Japan in March of the Year of the Rat (2020), so I couldn't get the rat toy. But I got the cow, the tiger, and the rabbit. In March of Year of the Dragon, I'll have been in Japan four years.

I've always been fond of dragons. I used to doodle them all the time as a kid. Not infrequently as an adult, too.

This is the time of year I usually post my ranking of the previous year's movies but I want to wait until I've seen a few more of them. Later this week, I promise.

To-day, I'll rank TV shows I saw:

9. Secret Invasion

It was hard to choose between this and Ahsoka for worst new show I saw this year but Secret Invasion wasn't just bad, it's become an emblem of all that's wrong with the MCU from bad special effects, lazy, committee filtered writing, and overall absence of creative spark.

8. Ahsoka

But Ahsoka was also terrible. I wonder if generations to come will ever know Ahsoka was actually a cool character at one point if this clod is all they have to go by.

7. Good Omens Season Two

It was cute, if generally lacking in stakes and tension.

6. The Mandalorian Season Three

Some decent moments are scattered through this overall lethargic season. Unlike some reactionary viewers, I actually like the idea of Katee Sackoff taking over the show. I only wish she had.

5. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Season Three

I love that love Hashira but the show has never been able to hit the high water mark of its first season. It's gotten bogged down in Dragonball pre-fight dialogue, my least favourite kind of anime.

4. The Doctor Who Specials

"Wild Blue Yonder" is so good, it elevates the group all on its own. The others aren't bad and "The Church on Ruby Road" is a decent introduction for a Doctor and Companion as well as being one of the better Christmas specials. It seems this was the year for David Tennant to be gay, on this and on Good Omens. I'm happy for those of you who really wanted this to happen.

3. Only Murders in the Building Season Three

Selena Gomez's cleavage and Meryl Streep made this a fantastic season. It was also a great showcase for Martin Short.

2. Star Trek: Picard Season Three

They went to Nostalgia Factor 100 with this one but actually made it a pretty engaging story in its own right, even if the first half was a remake of Star Trek II.

1. Loki Season Two

This show was an almost unremitting blast. With a perfect cast, exhilarating pace, and effective character drama, it's hard to believe something this good came out of this MCU slump era.