Review CIII - Short Poppies

Review 103
Short Poppies (2014 - present)

Hello everyone! I'm done exams, though I think I'm about to get more busy than I was before. With trips being planned, work, volunteering, it'll be a busy summer, but it'll be a lot better than my past semester. Early classes and I just don't get along. Anyway, I've reviewed a show before and figured I would review another one since we're being all fancy this month. I finished watching this show a little while ago, but I remembered it the other day when I was thinking I felt like reviewing something. The show is by creator Rhys Darby called Short Poppies. If any of you know the show Flight of the Conchords - you really need to know the show, not just their acts - then you'll recognise Rhys Darby as Murray Hewitt, the really garbage wonderful manager of the group.

The show is a mockumentary where David Farrier, a real-life reporter and actor, interviews various "short poppies" from The Bay, a fictional town in New Zealand. While all these extraordinary people differ in what they do, what they enjoy, or what they obsess about, there's one thing they all have in common - they're all played by Rhys Darby. Each episode follows a new character, though we get an interaction between the characters - as well as follow townspeople - throughout the show.

I would explain the characters, but seriously, it would ruin the surprise. Thus, I will speak only general or mention in passing some characters, without going into too much detail. But guys? Guys. This show is adorable. I absolutely loved it. It's not necessarily laugh-out-loud every time, but situations happen that made me smile like mad, hug my pillow extra hard, and just want to drink the pure sugar it gave. Here I am complaining about Wes Anderson and the pure sweetness he delivers, but here, maybe because it was just cute and not trying to be adult, I loved it. Also, the opening was very creative. I loved it. I thought it introduced all the characters well, was quick, but explained what the show was about right from the start. Honestly, very, very impressed.

What if you don't like cuteness? Would you still like this show? Well... It's really cute, so maybe not. But some episodes are less cute. The Ron Taylor episode was by far one of my favourites because of the cuteness level, but the Mary Ledbetter one was less so. However, it was probably the least favourite episode of mine because of it. In fact, as the show drew to a close, I wasn't as impressed. The first few episodes were good, great even, but the last ones... I don't know. Not bad, but I guess the characters were not my thing. Still, I would tell you to sit down and watch the whole thing. What I really liked, you might not like as much, and the last few episodes were still good - just not my favourite. But that's just a minor "criticism"...

I guess I have to cut the review here because I don't want to reveal anything, yet all I can say is I liked it. It may be difficult to find this series, though I think it's available on Netflix or something of the sort, but I highly recommend Short Poppies. There's only one season so far, but I got the impression the show was done after its final episode. It's eight episodes long, so you could easily go through it. Thus, I say go for it. It's cute, sweet, and a short poppy on its own.