For our first TV series review this year, we take a look at the second season of the Medici series and some other good stuff mostly ignored in Netflix: “Good Girls,” the story of three ordinary mothers who staged a successful robbery, the memoir “Special” and Gad Elmaleh’s “Huge in France.”

Medici: The Magnificent

Geek Rate: Sun god worthy (4 out of 5 stars)

The second season of the Medici series tells the story of Lorenzo the Magnificent (played by Daniel Sharman) and his brother Giuliano de’ Medici (played by Bradley James), the two grandchildren of Cosimo de’ Medici (played by Richard Madden) from the first season.

The series sets off years after the death of Cosimo, retelling how his grandson Lorenzo managed the family bank in Florence while warding off the Pazzi family and other groups conspiring to weed them out of the Italian city, including the Pope inside the Vatican walls.

The first season was awesome and for the most part, stayed true to Cosimo’s recorded life. Imagine my glee when it was announced that James will play as the second grandson! The wait was just awful but really worth it. The second season was full of intrigue, conspiracy, and genius resolution of the problems at hand courtesy of Lorenzo. The show benefited from Lorenzo’s colorful and exciting life and it did not have the necessary build-up needed for a new series because the first season has already done that.

It was, in short, entertaining from start to finish. The final episodes were especially great for its execution of facts and how the actors carried the scenes until the end. Seeing Botticelli, one of my favorite characters in the show, was fun but I just wished that Richard had somehow appeared in one of the episodes. That would be fun too.

Good Girls

Geek Rate: Mortal worthy (3 out of 5 stars)

As 5SOS say “good girls are bad girls that haven’t been caught.” This is a crime comedy-drama that will leave you exhausted but wanting to watch the next episode nonetheless. The series follows three mothers living in Detroit who pulled of a robbery at a supermarket and the events leading after that successful heist.

This is kind of a different series with an interesting plot: three normal mothers who became involved in crimes but still trying to be normal for their family and be good persons. The plot is not believable but the actors in it are really great and really funny. This is a series for chilling out but honestly, most of the time I was frustrated by the actions of the three mothers, like come on, don’t do that again! That’s how good this show is.

Special

Geek Rate: Sky god worthy (5 out of 5 stars)

“Special” is based on the memoir  “I’m Special: And Other Lies We Tell Ourselves,” written by Ryan O’Connell and stars Ryan O’Connell (he’s also the writer and the producer of the series).  It tells Ryan’s story about his mild cerebral palsy and his writing career on an online site.

The series attempts to present the real world without taking it too seriously and this series hits me. It’s like I’m watching myself on Ryan, with the evil bosses and evil people around him. He’s an awkward guy navigating the real world. He realized that he got no friends but is learning along the way. As the show progresses, he’s rewarded with meeting some real friends and having first time experiences that are likely to happen in real life.

In short, it does not make fantasies that will leave you disappointed when you go outside in the real world. The series attempts to picture the true world, to be critical to it, and also to its characters, while having a laugh at the same time.

Huge in France

Geek Rate: Mortal worthy (3 out of 5 stars)

This is a comedy series starring French comedian Gad Elmaleh playing as himself. It tells the story of Gad, a popular comedian in France who went to Los Angeles to become closer to his estranged son. Upon arrival, he realized that he’s not popular there. This sets many problems and obstacles on his way to gaining his son’s trust and helping him on his first runway walk.

It was funny when Gad introduces himself all the time, saying “C’est Gad” like a dozen times. It’s also heartbreaking when he’s scorned every time. However, this show is light, and at times funny. I especially like the plot of how he will gain his model son’s trust, and the ways and schemes he plotted to do so.

But this series is racist (with a Korean driver for effing sake) and there’s no denying it. It does not affect the story, though, which still is not that great but makes for a good series nonetheless.