"Plebs" Season 5 Review

Episode 1 was a huge disappointment. The thing with the 3 lads in previous series was that they were naughty but still likeable. In "The Vineyard" they were odious and quite cruel. Not a laugh in 22 minutes.
Episode 2, set around a Roman secondary school, raised a few laughs, mainly from Grumio's pugilistic exploits.
Episode 3 "The Banquet" was a further improvement, a nifty whodunit.
Episode 4 "The Grumbrella" - anything with Phil Davis and Maureen Lipman (returning from the last season) is always worth watching.
Episode 5 A one-joke affair about (football) hooligans.
Episode 6 "The Dig" has Tony Robinson (Baldrick/Time Team) playing (appropriately) an archaeologist.
Episode 7 about real estate hucksters is one of the worse, unless you like seeing Jonathan Pointing's (Jason) bare bum.
Episode 8 "The Wedding" colourful sets, colourless dialogue. Final.

Joel Fry (Stylax) is sorely missed, though.

"Bates Motel" Final season - the best bits

This frustratingly inconsistent show is going out in style.

• Episode 1's opening sequence was masterly, thanks to writer/producer Kerry Ehrin (eps 2-5  have different writers). There's even a shower curtain reference, with tongue firmly in cheek.
•  The show is at its best when Norma and Norman duke it out (e.g. the scene in the woods with them both brandishing flashlights).
• Chick's viking funeral in Episode 3 was just plain weird. No kimono needed.
• The cheerily lit Bates house with dining room table elegantly set for dinner, contrasting with the reality of Norman's squalid existence.
• Marion Crane (Rhianna) walks past a sign for real estate: "R. A. Bloch" (shout out to the original novel by Robert Bloch).
• Episode 6 was a clever reinterpretation of  key "Psycho" scenes. Not a dud scene. The series most consistent episode. Respectful of its source material, then improving upon it. Producers Ehrin and Cuse scripted this episode. Note: "Sam Loomis" was John Gavin's character in the original movie.
• Episode 7 (scripted by Freddie Highmore) demonstrates Highmore's black sense of humour (see early scenes - bathroom clean-up and dumping Loomis in the well: "Make a wish").
• The intrepid sheriff (Brooke Smith - so good in "Ray Donovan") has some great scenes with Norman in Episode 8.
• Episode 9 had one decent scene - Emma visiting Norman in jail - the rest was tedious padding.
• Episode 10's climax was more like a Greek tragedy. Max Thieriot acted his socks off. The dinner table scene was truly macabre. The show went out in style. (Small gripe: If you were Emma - 30 mins into episode - wouldn't you ignore Dylan and ring the police yourself?)