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matt_zimmerAlso reviews for the latest episodes of The Gifted, Marvel's Spider-Man, Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy, DuckTales, The Lion Guard, Elena Of Avalor, Once Upon A Time, Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars: Forces Of Destiny, Transformers: Robots In Disguise: Combiner Force, Power Rangers: Ninja Steel, The Orville, The Good Place, and The Blacklist, and the first two episodes of the season of Blindspot.
Marvel's Inhumans "The Gentleman's Name Is Gorgan"
Note: This entire review was written before the next episode aired. Gorgon did NOT actually die after all, but I'm leaving the rest of the review intact because it is a pretty good measure of my first impression.
Mostly aggravated by that.
So the biggest thing that happened in the episode is that Gorgon died. Okay. Let's unpack that. This is the sixth episode of the series ever, so there are a few questions the show needs to ask itself about killing off Gorgon.
Is Gorgon's death necessary? Is the show better or worse for him being gone? Will the audience actually feel bad and miss him, or did they kill him off because they guessed he'd perhaps be the least popular character? Is this to give the Royal Family a personal stake in seeing Maximus go down? Was there perhaps a better way to do that than having a black man sacrifice his life for his white friends? Was Gorgon's sacrifice ultimately worth it? Was the death actually "good"? Could Gorgon have survived that encounter with Mortis 9 times out of 10, but hit the unlucky number solely because the writers wanted him dead? What if the show gets renewed for a second season? What will Gorgon being gone do for the show's interpersonal dynamics? Was Gorgon's actor told ahead of time his character was always going to die, or was this as big a surprise to him as it was the audience? If it was a surprise, how do the writers feel about putting an actor out of work for this specific plot twist? Is the plot twist worth all that?
I am not going to give my answers and opinions to all of these questions, but let's just say my answers for them all leave me with a mostly negative opinion of what I just saw. I hate it when a show kills off a major character simply to shock or upset the audience. New shows do it even more often than normal because they assume the audience isn't attached to the character yet. But that just makes the plot turn MORE gutless. I would admire a show that is willing to kill off a character we all love, for a good reason. But I have yet to see that show. Whenever I see a show kill off a major character, it's always because they are either billed last in the credits, or their contract negotiations fell through. The writers of Arrow would never kill off Felicity Smoak, much less bother creating a death worthy of her. I don't see why I am supposed to be so moved about a character the writers have not given me much reason to care about.
Another gripe: I loved Karnak's story to Mortis. Why did the writers have him later tell Gorgon it was untrue? It didn't have to be, considering Mortis' ultimate fate at the end of this episode. He could have been telling Mortis the God's honest truth, which would have automatically made both the story Karnak told, and Karnak himself, a buttload more interesting. Why did the producers think it was a good storytelling idea to make him seem LESS interesting?
Maximus killed the parents and let Black Bolt live with it after all that? I mean, Maximus' mission sounds righteous on paper. But he is not the guy who is going to deliver salvation to Attilan. And while I DO already object to him deviously pointing out that if the Royal Family kills the miners, the people will turn further against them, I might think more of the character if he wasn't stupid enough to utter that callous opinion out-loud, in public, where the son of one of the miners could hear him. Did I mention the kid who heard him tell Tibor his father's death would be a good thing is supposed to be one of Maximus' biggest safety protections on his life and well-being? Yeah, I don't even think Maximus is too crazy for painting the kid's face with blood. I think he's stupid for believing the kid would want to serve him in the first place.
Any nice things to say about the episode? I particularly liked how instantly and easily Dave and Louise fabricated that jealous girlfriend story about the turncoat doctor. Those two characters know how to roll with it. That was never the Royal Family's plan, and they made it up entirely on the fly, without having to rehearse it with each other first. The best thing about it is that it is completely mundane and stupid, and sounds a heck of a lot more convincing than a giant dog and people who live on the moon. And I really like that about the both of them. I hope they aren't gone from the show. If they are, unlike Gorgon, I think the show will be worse for it.
This show is starting to work my last nerve. *1/2.
Marvel's Inhumans "Havoc In The Hidden Land"
At this point I can safely say I hate Medusa more than any other character. The episode did an incredibly cool thing, and Medusa totally bought it back for no reason whatsoever. Apparently what she learned on Earth is to treat Maximus with kid gloves. Let him walk all over them, and roll over for him every single time. The actual Earth lesson from Louise is not to maybe NOT treat your subjects like crap, and make half of them slaves. No, it's the genocidal monster Maximus Medusa has been treating unfairly.
I really hate that because Black Bolt's offer to Maximus was brilliant, and should have stood on its own, without Medusa second guessing things after that. I think that if Maximus had accepted that offer, it would be clear to me at least, that he won the entire season, if not yet the series. The offer was filled with far more grace and forgiveness than Black Bolt ever should have embarrassed himself with. It took a strong person to make that offer without strangling Maximus instead.
But that's why the offer is great, and why once Maximus rejects it, he's lost the season. Maximus' entire power structure is built around the façade that his goals of getting rid of the caste system are righteous, and he is doing everything for the greater good, and hates having to treat his family that way. It's not true, but it is a completely plausible alternative narrative Maximus has been able to create, due to the fact that wanting to abolish slavery, no matter WHAT your selfish agenda, is a noble goal, especially when its compared to people who want to keep it in place. That's Maximus' great weapon: The moral high ground. Black Bolt just cunningly nuked that.
After rejecting that offer the way he did, Black Bolt no longer has to take Maximus' larger "righteousness" into account. Because it's bullcrap, he just proved to everyone it was always bullcrap, and Maximus just totally ceded the high ground to his brother for no other reason than pure unadulterated greed. Black Bolt can now kill his brother without feeling bad about it. Which is precisely why I am upset at Medusa trying to make him feel as bad about it as she is.
I think Karnak's time on Earth has improved his abilities. Then SEEM lesser than they were, but it probably leads him to taking chances that will most likely pay off that he never would have otherwise. Not knowing, actually gives him the confidence to do crazy things. Which is actually a good thing.
I winced at Declan saying "I know that look," upon Medusa giving Black Bolt the cold shoulder. And Karnak is right to throw the shade at him for that. He's trying to make himself a part of something he is not. It's a human thing to do, but were I the only human in that scenario, I'd be inclined to keep my mouth shut, just to be safe.
I like Karnak reasoning with Auron, but what I especially is that Auron demands not to be seen escaping with him. That is smart. That means there is further use for Auron in the future. And I think Karnak appreciates that more than anyone.
For the record, Triton's make-up is terrible. I guess it has to be, to be waterproof, but it is literally nothing but a rubber suit. Which might not bother me if it looked cooler. But Triton looks incredibly creepy in green rubber regalia. He's like Aquaman crossed with the Gimp from Pulp Fiction. Also, Mr. Horse. "Can't a man just make a simple mistake?! Oh, what you must think of me."
I can't help but feel the cliffhanger would have been stronger had it ended on Gorgon snapping Declan's neck. They could play he's either crazy evil, or fine, and simply not putting up with any more collaborators the next week, but that would have ended the episode on a much stronger note. As it is now, I feel like the episode seems five seconds too short. Unless they don't kill off Declan at all next week, which would be a mistake. The monologue he was saying to Gorgon was begging for it. ****1/2.
The Gifted "Boxed In"
I think the thing I like best about this show is that it gets better and better as it goes along. It was NOT this great when it started, and yet, if it didn't start the way it did, we wouldn't get this. It reminds me a lot of the Buffyverse in sort of doing the slow-burn.
I appreciated Fade leaving Reed hanging. It's actually because he's a jerk. But "I just wanted to see whose side you were really on," is a perfectly valid reason too.
I was amazed they saved the guy with the bullet wound's life. Usually the black guy who saves the white family winds up the cautionary tale, but I like that because of the superpower aspect, they can save the character to explore exactly what the kids can do with their powers.
I personally love the moment and it might have been my actual favorite thing in the episode. When the blood started gushing, I was like "Here we go." This is the point in genre where the Black Savior dies on the operating table with the people he either got shot for, or love the person he got shot for, unable to do a d*mn thing but bask in his heroic selflessness, with tears streaming down their faces that it's coincidentally the black guy who always suffers for their righteousness. And then Lauren's all like "Lemme try something" and suddenly and for the first time ever, the Dead Black Savior is no longer dead. Because they have super doctor powers now. How awesome is that?
I completely understand how horrified Dreamer was for leaving Turner the way he was. I don't exactly sympathize with Turner. Plenty of people have lost family members without turning genocidal fascists in response. But dang it, removing that particular memory is pretty much at this point asymmetrical warfare. She might has well have killed him if you ask me. Somebody having to suffer that precise loss TWICE is exactly why perhaps Turner's fears about Mutants being out of control and dangerous are probably legit on some level.
I kind of like Polaris and Eclipse's stunned reactions to learning Turner's backstory. They were legitimately troubled by it. Because if this one guy had a legit reason to hate Mutants, maybe secretly everybody who hates them does too, and they just don't know it yet. The Mutants are the heroes of the show. But of the Universe? It is not black and white, and maybe those two realized that just then, and for the first time ever.
Blink being mad at Dreamer sort of ground my gears. Just because of the specific reason Dreamer did what she did. Blink was saying over and over again a couple of weeks ago that she couldn't create the portal, and that it was impossible, and then ONCE she cares about John, it's no problem whatsoever. Blink is holding back. Blink is not pulling her weight. Blink is not in this fight the way she should be. And if I were Dreamer, I'd be pretty unapologetic over that fact. She wouldn't have had to do that if Blink were actually committed to the cause, and considered the rest of them friends. That's not too much to ask, even if she hasn't known them for too long.
I like that everyone hates and distrusts Reed. Which is good. He should not be able to walk into the Mutant Underground with a clean slate and all forgiven, especially because he nearly betrayed them in an effort to get back to his family. Even his wife and kids were alarmed to learn that. But he'll be okay there. Because him knowing intimate details of how Sentinel Services work makes him as useful as the most powerful Mutant, and depending on what he knows and succeeds at, maybe more useful than any of them. They can hate him all they want. They'll be better of for him being on their side.
This show is really hitting its stride. ****1/2.
Marvel's Spider-Man "Screwball Live"
Absorbing Man should totally be called Paper-Towel Man. I love him turning in Potato chips.
Hammerhead REALLY should have told Absorbing Man the whole plan and how important the flash drive was at the beginning.
Harry keeps having a harder and harder time justifying Screwball as the episode goes on.
Hawkeye shout-out.
Laughed at Absorbing Man thinking Hammerhead wanted to be partners when he really wanted to kidnap Screwball.
Gwen says there were a dozen files with scrambled titles, but there were more than that on the screen.
AM turning into webs was a good idea. And Spidey's wrong. Absorbing Man totally makes the tank top work.
Spidey's suit doesn't have pockets? Seems like a design flaw.
I love that Randy is excited Spider-Man reads his blog.
You've been Spider-Man-ned doesn't sound as good.
Everyone knows Liz Allan is class president. Yeah right. Worst excuse ever.
Good episode. ****.
Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy "I've Seen All Good People"
Who is this crazy sociopath and what has she done with Gamora? Not on-board with this characterization.
I like Drax saying being destroyed is distracting though.
I like everyone being a little scared they saw Gamora crying too. As Peter said at the beginning it's hard to tell if the fact she just took them all out is scarier, or if the fact that she always could is.
Like Adam telling Gamora she taught him the compassion lesson in the wrong order.
The Collector describes himself as an irredeemable villain. That isn't very true to life to me. Most villains don't even think they are villains.
Pretty good. ****.
Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy "Another One Bites The Dust"
Knew Adam was going to do a "Psyche!" near the end, but I'm as disappointed as Peter is he didn't do it for the end of the episode. That was a pretty dire cliffhanger. ****.
DuckTales "The Living Mummies Of Toth-Ra!"
I liked some of this, but ultimately, I think my theory that Disney decided to air the best episodes first is true.
I dislike that the nephews are a hindrance. They should never be. They are the most useful Ducks, even more-so than Scrooge. The show is trying to make them comical layabouts, and I don't get why. They were fine as the series' straight men. When Huey says he got a sickle handling Junior Woodchucks badge, THAT is a nephew line. Not "Pulling a Louie" or whatever idiotic con the weekly dumb nephew is pulling simply to look bad next to Webby.
Speaking of Webby, I like that she calls Scrooge Mr. McDuck instead of Unca Scrooge. That seems more appropriate to me.
Love Scrooge saying this was the stupidest rebellion he's ever been a part of. It was.
The guard's family being behind the con made no sense. What family? I didn't see a family. Did his forefathers go among the followers to select a bride? Why hasn't he? Or are they are all in-bred and he is just the last of the line? I could poke about as many holes in this as the Adam and Eve story.
How does Mummy Lady even know what laser beams are?
I laughed at Louie's outrage that Webby's tips to the guard were actually true, and that she was actually trying to help him kill them. If you want something done right...
I like this show a lot, but I'd like it a lot more if the nephews were not hazards, and as stupid as Launchpad is. ***.
The Lion Guard "The Ukumbusho Tradition"
Am I the only one a little disappointed we didn't get a tribute card for Robert Guillaume?
"If anybody knows drama, it's TIMONE!" I have never more regretted Nathan Lane being recast on this show than that moment. Can you imagine Lane delivering the line? Not only would it have been epic, but it would have been epic simply based on Lane's entire career. I don't usually miss Lane as Timone. I did now.
I have to say I shared Fuli's disgust at the Lion costumes. Basically they are wearing "Lionface". But the twist is that it's an insult to the animals wearing the costumes, instead of the lions they are impersonating, which strikes me as a bit bizarre for a blackface parallel. And yet, Fuli is right to offended. She has to dress like that because she supposedly isn't as good as a Lion. The fudged up thing is that it isn't even a Lion insisting this. I totally get how annoyed and unhappy she is.
All right. ***.
The Lion Guard "The Bite Of Kenge"
Wonder why Beshte's voice actor said the episode title. Did Max Charles have a cold?
I think Kenge is the type of character who will give preschoolers nightmares. I personally think the character is cool and frightening, but I also think he's inappropriate for a preschool show. Now, The Lion Guard seems to be branching out from that concept a bit in the second season. But they still play it on Disney Junior. I think this character is a bit much.
Bunga not being afraid of Kenge does not show that he is brave. It shows that he stupid. Maybe he's immune to Kenge's venom (which by the way makes no sense). But Kenge can still eat him anytime he likes.
I find it interesting that the villains almost won, because in that scenario, they SHOULD have won. A bird cannot take out three hyenas at once, (or even one), even if I shut off my brain, and pretend Bunga just outwitted Kenge, (even though Kenge took out the three most powerful Guard members without breaking a sweat.) By all rights and logic, the Lion Guard should have lost this round. But did I mention it's a preschool show? And I'm right back to thinking Kenge is a bad fit for the show.
Cool ep though. ****.
Elena Of Avalor "Royal Rivalry"
It always makes me happy whenever I hear Estaban stick up for Elena, and for some reason, him doing it to horrible strangers makes me even happier.
I love that the feud was justified. I think it is really nice that Elena has to work harder for peace than she should. It makes her grace more impressive. Frankly, I think the ending, where the other Princess admitted insecurity (which IS a reason people bully) was not true to life to many real-world bullies, who would sooner die than admit that to anyone else. But Elena doesn't win the episode if she doesn't win over the horrible princess. Even if in real life, people that toxic never repent.
Great week. ****1/2.
Once Upon A Time "Beauty"
That was literally, the finest episode the series ever produced.
And that compliment doesn't mean nothing. As infuriating as this show often is, when it gets right down to it, it's actually decent, (usually) and has its share of great episodes. This one dwarfs them all.
I was resisting the sequel season, because I was upset that some of the characters would not get the happy endings they should have earned at the end of the series. The sequel took the opposite tack. It GAVE those characters happy endings. Definitive ones. This is not a side tangent spin-off like Wonderland that will go back to the show we know and love once the arc is over. That era of the show, with those specific characters, is actually over.
Belle's fate was amazing, and beautiful, and brilliant. She gets the happy ending she always wanted and deserved. But because of Rumple's choices in his former life, he does not get to share in it the way he should. She gets the happy ending that he is denied and has yet to earn. And yet... he DID throw away the dagger of his own volition. The old Rumple couldn't even do that much. The fact that he wants to change for the first time ever means that a happy ending of Immortality in Heaven (which is a quantifiable reality on this show) is something to not only strive for, but a goal he clearly has the ability to someday reach.
I'm guessing the Guardian is Henry. He was prophesized to be Rumple's undoing all the way back in season three, but even back then, I suspected that Rumple had completely misread that prophecy. Henry isn't there to ultimately kill or defeat Rumple. What his evil self would consider his eventual "undoing", is what current Rumple would recognize as his salvation. Henry is not destined to destroy Rumplestiltskin. He is destined to redeem him. Only the Author has the power to take on the power of the Dark One, and defeat it once and for it. And I no longer feel like the writers dropped that idea so as not to make the show messy, and overly complicated, and make Rumple seem like less of a monster. I now think the show has always been building to that, and the flashforward means we get to see the culmination of the idea 15 seasons earlier than we otherwise would have. Suddenly, the show's frustrating storytelling regarding Rumplestiltskin's slides back and forth from hero to villain, seem less awful upon knowing the final resolution. It was always that he was supposed to be redeemed, but the show HAD to spin its wheels a bit on that to keep going. Because of the flashforward, the show no longer has to do that, and it is all the better for it. I personally think it is amazing for it.
How do you know Rumple has changed? He completely respects Belle's wish not to heal or de-age her, without a moment's hesitation. He has changed, and in a way he never did before. He is willing to accept Belle's promise of love and happiness, without trying to control that outcome himself. He trusts that Belle's goodness will see them both through. And I love the character for that, and for the first time ever.
I think the teacup and the bullet worked. Belfry had better watch out.
Upon second glance, Henry's curse is probably the best curse (and by that, I mean worst) the show has ever done, especially because Henry is the new Savior character, who needs to bring back the Happy Endings. The dead family adds a complication Emma did not have. The thing is, part of Emma WANTED to believe Henry's fantastic story. It means she had parents who loved her, and a family she could spend the rest of her life with. Henry's curse is so brilliant and brutal because he doesn't WANT to believe the truth the way Emma did. Every time Lucy utters the truth to him, she is spitting on the memory of his dead wife and daughter. Even to entertain the idea that they aren't real is abhorrent to Henry. And frankly, it should be. I would not be surprised that after seeing those graves, the next time Lucy goes on about this particular theory, Henry gets incredibly and scarily enraged at her for spitting on his love one's memories, and denying him his very real pain. I would also not be surprised if I completely agreed with him for doing that.
The series has had its ups and downs, but it's better for planning, if not the endgame for the franchise, then at least portraying the endgame for the characters we already knew and loved. This episode and this season is narratively satisfying in a way the series has never been before. And I am currently amazed and grateful that this show finally made me a believer again. *****.
Once Upon A Time "Greenbacks"
As I was watching that, I kept thinking the episode was overreaching. That it couldn't really pull the Princess and the Frog concept off. And I won't lie. It's not perfect. The food truck is suitably lame, and I feel that trying to jam the plot of a movie set in earlier 20th Century America into the Enchanted Forest didn't fit, especially since they kept most of the voodoo tropes. But you what? It's okay. The Princess And The Frog subverted the actual Princess and the Frog Fairy Tale. The difference there is that the audience knew that going in. They sold an equal number of Tiana frog plushes as they did Tiana Princess dolls when that movie was released. It was sort of like Yoda in Empire and the whole concept of The Truman Show. Everybody already knew the big secret going in.
Which is what I liked about the twist of the entire frog mythos being unrelated to Tiana. It surprised me. Tiana turning into a frog in the cartoon should have surprised me, but marketing made sure it did not. This gave me the genuine amusement at the trope being subverted that I would have liked to have been able to enjoy from the movie.
Just based on that ending, I'm betting Druzilla not only cast the Curse, but is the Big Bad of the season. The only question in my mind is how much Victoria knows. Because it turns out she knows a lot less than I thought.
I'm glad they found the picture this episode. It was getting a bit ridiculous having to ignore the genuine chemistry between Roni and Henry that is generated between their adult actors because they are mother and son. You have her making a joke to hold his hand in the bathroom, and it's not flirty, it's disturbing. Whatever happens next, I'm pretty sure those kind of jokes are going to stop, and Henry and Roni are gonna cool it with each other a bit. I couldn't go through the season dreading a drunken hook-up.
And I'm not joking about that. Angel made me that jaded. And I tend to think that all TV is that bad. And it's not like it's the not first disturbing ship idea the show would ever do. Rumple sleeping with (and impregnating Belle) in season five without telling her he was the Dark One strikes me as an equally gross idea. So I'm just glad that avenue of "interesting storytelling" seems to be closing.
Anastasia. Is it possible the Not-So-Wicked Stepsister is the Red Queen? Is that what Alice has to do with all this? This would be a LOT easier to follow and make actual Wonderland connections, had they not recast Sophie Lowe. The show seems to do wrong by Wonderland a lot. Dropping Michael Socha was bad enough. Then they recast Jafar last season from the irreplaceable Naveen Andrews. And now this. Once doesn't make things easy for continuity nerds.
This should not have worked, and yet weirdly, it sort of did. My impression was favorable. ***1/2.
Star Wars Rebels "The Occupation"
Clancy Brown's cartoon character Rider looks a lot like Clancy Brown, the actor.
Return of the Puffer Pigs.
Kallus seems alarmingly infatuated with the idea of commanding the Ghost.
Old Joe's been executed! Oh no!
Freddie Prnze's Jr.'s line reading to Hera "Yeah, we've got to go," was a really good voice performance.
Dire ending. ****.
Star Wars Rebels "Flight Of The Defender"
I like Sabine's idea of a good problem. She's right. Her plan would do more damage to the Empire.
"Something terrible" tells Sabine nothing. Learn how to use a communicator, Ezra.
Stormtroopers torture small animals. That is how you know they suck.
How big a bad@$$ is Thrawn? He doesn't duck for cover with the fighter gunning for him, and instead starts shooting at it with his energy pistol.
The action sequences of Ezra fighting the Imperials and the wolf dodging the lights were really tight.
Exciting episode. ****1/2.
Star Wars: Forces Of Destiny "Volume 2"
I like that this show is connecting all of the projects. Hera shows up on Endor after the Ewok celebration, and Sabine and Jyn anonymously meet too.
The Ewok cartoon was another rare glimpse past the end of Jedi. Good to see it looks like Hera (and the Ghost) survive Star Wars Rebels. Chopper too, but I'm less happy about that. That droid sucks.
I like the idea of the Ewoks wanting to eat the Strormtroopers, but I don't believe Han Solo would say the Ghost was a superior ship to the Millennium Falcon for any reason, much less so some Stormtroopers don't get eaten. That was this show trying to build up cred for Hera in a completely unearned way.
If I was Han, I'd be like "If it comes down to Ewoks eating Stormtroopers, or me saying that, I'ma go with Ewoks eating Stormtroopers. Every. Dang. TIME."
Per usual, the wraparounds with Maz were outright terrible.
The scene with Rey and the snot me grossed me out, but made me laugh.
Rewatching the Ahsoka cartoon made me realize something disturbing. She pats the adult alien she rescues on the head. That strikes me as incredibly patronizing and completely out of bounds. Can you picture how you'd feel if you were a Dwarf rescued by a firefighter, and then they patted you on the head? You'd be insulted. Frankly, I'm amazed the alien smiled at that. Maybe the top of their head is where their erogenous zones are. Makes about as much sense as not completely flipping out over that.
I liked most of the cartoons, particularly the ones I hadn't seen before. ****.
Transformers: Robots In Disguise: Combiner Force "Five Fugitives"
Sigh. Do you know what would have been a much simpler and more believable explanation than the Autobot cops who wanted to arrest the team being mind controlled by an unknown conspiracy? If they were dirty cops. H*ll, they wouldn't even need to get rid of the conspiracy angle to do that. It makes little sense that the show needed to give Strongarm a personal connection to the annoying old cop, so that the cops pursuing them seemed misguided rather than crooked.
Honestly, just based on several of the clues this season, it previously sounded to me like the Cybertronian Council had gotten dirty as h*ll. I figured that's why Optimus' mission was secret. Because he didn't know who to trust. Why do I suspect the Council? Because Soundwave's benefactor gave Steeljaw and his cronies a pardon at some point, and I cannot picture anyone on Cybertron having the Authority to do that besides the Council, and that the Council would only do that if they WERE dirty.
But the mind control thing makes it overly complicated. I get that there are only two episodes left, but an Autobot Civil War would have been amazing television, and instead we're doing standalone episodes about Strongarm and Sideswipe learning to be a team, (while the team still hasn't figure out how to combine correctly). The biggest disappointment about the series, and the final season, is how little they actually wound up doing with it. And it's not like the threads they have set up would lead nowhere interesting. They only lead nowhere interesting because the writers are bad at their jobs,
Speaking of bad at their jobs, did Sideswipe seriously think Strongarm was downloading the medical files so she could find a picture of herself and her old mentor? Because even if I wasn't aware of Strongarm's specific reasons for doing it, I could think of a dozen hypothetical reasons off the type of my head as to why she WOULD do it. Sideswipe's nickname should simply be 'Wipe.
Waste of an episode. Waste of a series. **.
Transformers: Robots In Disguise: Combiner Force "Enemy Of My Enemy"
I loved it. And I resent that I loved it. Why is this the second to last episode ever? Why hasn't the series ALWAYS been this? What good did all those standalone episodes with the team squabbling like preschoolers do the show? Not a dang thing is the answer.
Little disappointed Arcee didn't show up (last big missing Prime player) but we hadn't seen her in a previous RID episode either. I think Team Prime is better for all being set up ahead of time.
"Autobots! Transform and--" BOOM! Optimus never heard of "Run!"?
This show is so badly written. Even the great episodes. It cannot help sucking in spite of itself. Strongarm is wistfully listing all of the unbelievable things she's seen on her time on Earth, and the top of her list goes to Steeljaw escaping. Who could have foreseen? I get that this show is written for grade schoolers, but that doesn't mean it should be written for idiots. Pray tell, exactly WHAT was so unbelievable about that amazing scenario, Strongarm? Specifically in regards to why that's the first thing you brought up? I hate when characters serve as recappers or mini-narrators, but usually a show is clever enough to at least put up the pretense that that isn't what is going on. RID cannot even bother with that.
I also am a little incredulous that Bee needed to be convinced to free Steeljaw as the ship was crashing. "Listen if the ship crashes, and I'm in it, that's bad for me, right?" It appalls me that Steeljaw actually had to walk Bee through the logic of that. He didn't already see it. What a dummy.
Did I mention I loved the episode? I did. I just hate the fact that this is one of the only episodes I have ever loved, and am mad it's the second to last one, so I'm grumpier than normal. Where has this show been? *****.
Power Rangers: Ninja Steel "Abrakadanger"
I actually liked that. And I feel deep shame for that fact.
Where to start? It strikes me as an incredibly unruly school where a kid can simply claim a trophy for themselves if he's the only person interested in playing the sport. Also messed up is that Victor gets a second place ribbon after losing the only tennis match of the entire year.
I liked Mick pretending to instantly want to learn tennis, because it makes Mick seem smarter and cooler than he actually is for that. Both Hayley and Preston are impressed with his logic about learning things one step at a time, but if all of the Rangers weren't complete dolts, they'd instantly understand the lesson he was trying to teach, without Mick having to do such a heavy-handed job guiding them to the correct moral. It would be a sarcastic quip, instead of a teaching moment, if the Rangers were smarter. Mick seems very wise to me simply because he has to teach dullards basic logic and social skills. It's kind of lovable that he still insists at the end of the gag that he just wanted to learn to play tennis, but I am very aware Mick just got some quite unearned wiseness cred by doing that. If his charges were smarter, he'd be much less impressive.
The episode whiffed something terrible. They missed a one-liner. Big time. When Hayley lost the first match, she faces Preston, and he apologizes. What they SHOULD have done is have her say something like, "Son, you are VERY lucky you cannot see my face right now. You'd best step back now." The premise demanded that joke, and the show failed us. Again.
But do you know what? The invisibility effects did NOT actually suck. Simply because you can tell fake looking invisibility effects because of their obvious flaws. This obviously wasn't visually amazing due to the small budget, and they could pretty much only afford to move a scarf around mid-air, but it's the fact that your eye isn't drawn to it which is why it's a good effect. I should be noticing it more, and I'm not.
This show is dumb. Where pray-tell did Victor acquire robot arms to cheat? I know they can't exactly show a teenager juicing on a preschool show, but c'mon man, give me SOME credit.
"You can't spell Victory with Victor." That's actually a really good line, which is a a shame, because it is attached to such a dirtbag. I'd rather it was some I liked that said something that snappy.
I rolled my eyes at Hayley saying in surprise, "Wow! That's Princess Vierra!" Dude! They JUST explained what the hologram did! I mean, if my dad calls me on the phone I don't say "Wow! That's my dad!" (And I should. Because my Dad is awesome.) But if I already know how a piece of technology works, I am not impressed by it. Hayley probably gets excited whenever she sees a blue car too. And then she sticks her head out the window and rolls down her tongue.
I liked this in spite of myself. ****1/2.
Power Rangers: Ninja Steel "Helping Hand"
Do you know what I like? That the Ranger inventor is a girl. I like that fact a lot. We'll see women scientists in genre sometimes, but the inventor character is almost always a guy. And I like that that's not true for this show.
However, when I heard, "We're always ready... Ready to kick your butt!" I was all like, "Kill me now."
Calvin telling Sarah she was too hard on her mom doesn't seem very true to life for me. Usually teenagers are much more sympathetic with each other over how much their parents suck.
Monty is smart enough to build a magnet powerful enough to capture Ninja Stars? Forgive me for finding that a bit unlikely.
Mick basically moves his arm, and suddenly the new Ninja Star is in Brody's hand. We didn't even see him throw it. This show is always done on the cheap.
So-so episode. **1/2.
The Orville "Into The Fold"
Part of me was satisfied with that, and considered it a very enjoyable hour of television. But I can't help it. I've got to nitpick. Elephant in the room.
The thing is, I might not have felt the need to do that if Brannon Braga, the single worst thing to ever happen to Star Trek, hadn't co-written the episode. But Braga's hidden talent is to make storytelling decisions that are so inexplicably bad, that money in the bank premises wind up sucking in spite of how good the set-up actually is. And The Orville was pretty much a perfect Star Trek show in that it didn't engage in Star Trek's worst trope: the bratty, annoying kid. And now it has. Granted, on Star Trek, Wesley is actually helpful, which is an entirely different kind of annoying, but Star Trek (particular Next Gen) has done its share of episodes of unruly kids making situations worse and worse because they are stupid. And as good as the episode is, I think The Orville is worse for introducing that trope to the canon. By far. I was really hoping Braga would never wind up writing an episode of this show. For this precise reason.
But it's not a terrible episode otherwise. The Manilow jokes show that maybe Braga doesn't get the humor of the show, (I'm surprised Seth MacFarlane didn't nix those jokes himself) but on the other hand, the idea that a crew member reported they spilled soy sauce on themselves in the damage report is entirely this show. It's Star Trek with real people. And real people on a Starship would routinely do something that dumb.
The idea that Braga knows what glory holes are depresses me, because he and Jeri Ryan were a thing. I feel bad for her having to date a guy that creepy in hindsight. But Jeri Ryan has ALWAYS had terrible taste in men. It's not like her ex-husband was any less creepy.
I have a feeling that the episode was pitched as an homage to "Lost In Space", but it became so entirely unlike that premise, that I only see the bones of the tribute here.
I am undecided whether Isaac is better to have in a crisis than Data. I think perhaps Data would have been more successful with the kids, but it's the fact that he would have been which is why I'm glad it was Isaac. Data was created by a human to help other humans. Part of his learning process was in making sure to serve humanity in the best way his programming knew how. On the other hand, Isaac does NOT want to serve humanity. He comes from a race of robots (who I think rightly) think all humans suck and are inferior. And just considering how horrible and obnoxious those kids were, that's who I'd rather was in charge. Isaac is not the comfort these kids need. Because I don't think they deserve it. Some harsh truths are more likely to wake them up (such as that their mother may be dead) than the childish indulgences Data would routine engage in. Data would make the kids feel safer, and treat the situation as fun to calm them. But I don't think the kids would actually be safer. Data would never teach a kid, any kid, how to use a phaser. And that's why I think this scenario is better for having Isaac instead of Data.
I haven't seen Brian Thompson in anything in awhile, and he used to be a pretty heavy sci-fi staple in the 90's, and it's just like this show to resurrect all of the bit players of the era. I found Finn putting her hand on his arm, and telling him she knows he's trying to keep her safe incredibly disturbing, for obvious reasons. You can hate Claire all to want for stabbing the dude unawares after he brought her medicine. But his response to the touch said the actual reason she was there. And that makes him disgusting. And while I admire Claire for understanding how men in these situations work, it bothers me that the 24th Century is such a place that Claire DOES recognize that is what is going on. That's the trade-off for The Orville having realistic humans. You relate to the characters better. But it sure is depressing as hell to think this level of sexual harassment and intimidation is still present hundreds of years from now.
Did I mention Penny-Johnson Jerald's performance in the episode was amazing? The show hasn't been on the air long, and though it has done it's share of amazing episodes, none of those amazing episodes had amazing performances. Jerald's very real desperation and pain over the idea of losing her kids is the first great performance on the series. I really want to see Scott Grimes stretch next. Because I know he has it in him.
All things considered, I loved the episode. But the show itself is slightly worse for it existing. ****1/2.
The Good Place "Derek"
Say what you will about Michael. He's trying. Which is more than I might do in his place. I truly believe he is trying to be on the good guys' side and doing his best. He is now the well-meaning guy he pretended he was last season, but actually wasn't.
Hearing Jason tell stories about his past make me realize he reminds me greatly of Dave Lister from Red Dwarf. Now Lister is a smart character, and Jason is a stupid one. But they are both characters who when describing their pasts, make you laugh about it, and feel sad at the exact same time. I think Dave Lister is a bit harder to take. There is a level of reality to a kid losing his virginity at the age of 11, and only stealing cars because he wasn't old enough to steal buses. Jason's horrible and funny past doesn't really have a level of reality to it, so it doesn't strike me as quite as sad. It's probably more pathetic that his first kiss was the sexy animatronic mouse from the Chuck E. Cheese band, but that's not something that bums me out either.
Fall finale already? It is literally the beginning of November. I don't think NBC is treating this show right.
Great episode. Poor Janet. ****1/2.
The Blacklist "The Travel Agency"
That was a really interesting episode. I didn't understand the gimmick entirely but I thought the whole thing was cool.
I love Dembe telling Red he's great company. What a fantastic moment.
I also love that when Cooper says he didn't need Red's help, Red's response is "I couldn't resist." How could he?
I think Red was slightly TOO perceptive for a white guy as to what Cooper was going through but he was right that the justice system would probably protect Cooper. Left unsaid is that Cooper is in fact less protected from criminal acts than he would be if he were white. The dirty cops who get convicted tend to always be minorities. Maybe Cooper would get away with murder. And maybe he wouldn't. Red not floating that possibility says that Red does not have the insight into the situation than either he, or ultimately Harold do.
I think the actual reason for Harold joining the FBI seemed like kind of a stretch. I don't think the normal reaction for most people would be to join an organization to reform it upon them slandering their father. A normal person would stay away from it, if not try to take it down themselves outright. That didn't feel very true to life to me.
It was still a really fascinating gimmick and episode with a villain I was actually rooting for. Because her mission was actually righteous. And it's only once you get to the end of the episode that you realize how righteous it is. ****1/2.
Blindspot "Back To The Grind"
Up until the last 60 seconds, I enjoyed that thoroughly. Much more-so than usual. Unfortunately the end goes right back to the team keeping secrets from each other, which is the biggest thing that made the previous two seasons suck so much. But there was so much more in the episode to recommend before that.
The main title and opening was so fabulous because it was unlike any main title and opening for this show ever. It was great because it was unusual.
I love that Rich Dotcom works for the FBI. Frankly, it's both good and bad. Bad because it means they won't be doing any more of those twisty and double / triplecross oneupsmanship episodes with him against the team anymore (which were always the best episodes) but good because this means they'll be using him much, MUCH more. Fair trade-off in my mind. Frankly, the idea that he and Patterson were a thing in the missing two year gap strikes me as a bit ludicrous, but what can you do?
Love Weller and Jane exiting the building with in slow-mo smoke coming out of the doors. Similarly awesome was him and Jane hearing gunfire and a pitched battle and saying "I think we found them."
I don't expect the rest of the season to be this good, just based on the ending. But I will not deny this was a great way to kick things off. *****.
Blindspot "Enemy Bag Of Tricks"
Not as good as last week because the show is falling into old bad habits. I like the new regular main title images though.
I am very saddened that Patterson did not realize that her and Stuart hating each other was not a thing. Nobody told him that, and suddenly I actually regret his death.
Roman is a sociopath. There is no person he has ever met who is better off for having known him. He ruins every life he touches.
So-so. ***.
Marvel's Inhumans "The Gentleman's Name Is Gorgan"
Note: This entire review was written before the next episode aired. Gorgon did NOT actually die after all, but I'm leaving the rest of the review intact because it is a pretty good measure of my first impression.
Mostly aggravated by that.
So the biggest thing that happened in the episode is that Gorgon died. Okay. Let's unpack that. This is the sixth episode of the series ever, so there are a few questions the show needs to ask itself about killing off Gorgon.
Is Gorgon's death necessary? Is the show better or worse for him being gone? Will the audience actually feel bad and miss him, or did they kill him off because they guessed he'd perhaps be the least popular character? Is this to give the Royal Family a personal stake in seeing Maximus go down? Was there perhaps a better way to do that than having a black man sacrifice his life for his white friends? Was Gorgon's sacrifice ultimately worth it? Was the death actually "good"? Could Gorgon have survived that encounter with Mortis 9 times out of 10, but hit the unlucky number solely because the writers wanted him dead? What if the show gets renewed for a second season? What will Gorgon being gone do for the show's interpersonal dynamics? Was Gorgon's actor told ahead of time his character was always going to die, or was this as big a surprise to him as it was the audience? If it was a surprise, how do the writers feel about putting an actor out of work for this specific plot twist? Is the plot twist worth all that?
I am not going to give my answers and opinions to all of these questions, but let's just say my answers for them all leave me with a mostly negative opinion of what I just saw. I hate it when a show kills off a major character simply to shock or upset the audience. New shows do it even more often than normal because they assume the audience isn't attached to the character yet. But that just makes the plot turn MORE gutless. I would admire a show that is willing to kill off a character we all love, for a good reason. But I have yet to see that show. Whenever I see a show kill off a major character, it's always because they are either billed last in the credits, or their contract negotiations fell through. The writers of Arrow would never kill off Felicity Smoak, much less bother creating a death worthy of her. I don't see why I am supposed to be so moved about a character the writers have not given me much reason to care about.
Another gripe: I loved Karnak's story to Mortis. Why did the writers have him later tell Gorgon it was untrue? It didn't have to be, considering Mortis' ultimate fate at the end of this episode. He could have been telling Mortis the God's honest truth, which would have automatically made both the story Karnak told, and Karnak himself, a buttload more interesting. Why did the producers think it was a good storytelling idea to make him seem LESS interesting?
Maximus killed the parents and let Black Bolt live with it after all that? I mean, Maximus' mission sounds righteous on paper. But he is not the guy who is going to deliver salvation to Attilan. And while I DO already object to him deviously pointing out that if the Royal Family kills the miners, the people will turn further against them, I might think more of the character if he wasn't stupid enough to utter that callous opinion out-loud, in public, where the son of one of the miners could hear him. Did I mention the kid who heard him tell Tibor his father's death would be a good thing is supposed to be one of Maximus' biggest safety protections on his life and well-being? Yeah, I don't even think Maximus is too crazy for painting the kid's face with blood. I think he's stupid for believing the kid would want to serve him in the first place.
Any nice things to say about the episode? I particularly liked how instantly and easily Dave and Louise fabricated that jealous girlfriend story about the turncoat doctor. Those two characters know how to roll with it. That was never the Royal Family's plan, and they made it up entirely on the fly, without having to rehearse it with each other first. The best thing about it is that it is completely mundane and stupid, and sounds a heck of a lot more convincing than a giant dog and people who live on the moon. And I really like that about the both of them. I hope they aren't gone from the show. If they are, unlike Gorgon, I think the show will be worse for it.
This show is starting to work my last nerve. *1/2.
Marvel's Inhumans "Havoc In The Hidden Land"
At this point I can safely say I hate Medusa more than any other character. The episode did an incredibly cool thing, and Medusa totally bought it back for no reason whatsoever. Apparently what she learned on Earth is to treat Maximus with kid gloves. Let him walk all over them, and roll over for him every single time. The actual Earth lesson from Louise is not to maybe NOT treat your subjects like crap, and make half of them slaves. No, it's the genocidal monster Maximus Medusa has been treating unfairly.
I really hate that because Black Bolt's offer to Maximus was brilliant, and should have stood on its own, without Medusa second guessing things after that. I think that if Maximus had accepted that offer, it would be clear to me at least, that he won the entire season, if not yet the series. The offer was filled with far more grace and forgiveness than Black Bolt ever should have embarrassed himself with. It took a strong person to make that offer without strangling Maximus instead.
But that's why the offer is great, and why once Maximus rejects it, he's lost the season. Maximus' entire power structure is built around the façade that his goals of getting rid of the caste system are righteous, and he is doing everything for the greater good, and hates having to treat his family that way. It's not true, but it is a completely plausible alternative narrative Maximus has been able to create, due to the fact that wanting to abolish slavery, no matter WHAT your selfish agenda, is a noble goal, especially when its compared to people who want to keep it in place. That's Maximus' great weapon: The moral high ground. Black Bolt just cunningly nuked that.
After rejecting that offer the way he did, Black Bolt no longer has to take Maximus' larger "righteousness" into account. Because it's bullcrap, he just proved to everyone it was always bullcrap, and Maximus just totally ceded the high ground to his brother for no other reason than pure unadulterated greed. Black Bolt can now kill his brother without feeling bad about it. Which is precisely why I am upset at Medusa trying to make him feel as bad about it as she is.
I think Karnak's time on Earth has improved his abilities. Then SEEM lesser than they were, but it probably leads him to taking chances that will most likely pay off that he never would have otherwise. Not knowing, actually gives him the confidence to do crazy things. Which is actually a good thing.
I winced at Declan saying "I know that look," upon Medusa giving Black Bolt the cold shoulder. And Karnak is right to throw the shade at him for that. He's trying to make himself a part of something he is not. It's a human thing to do, but were I the only human in that scenario, I'd be inclined to keep my mouth shut, just to be safe.
I like Karnak reasoning with Auron, but what I especially is that Auron demands not to be seen escaping with him. That is smart. That means there is further use for Auron in the future. And I think Karnak appreciates that more than anyone.
For the record, Triton's make-up is terrible. I guess it has to be, to be waterproof, but it is literally nothing but a rubber suit. Which might not bother me if it looked cooler. But Triton looks incredibly creepy in green rubber regalia. He's like Aquaman crossed with the Gimp from Pulp Fiction. Also, Mr. Horse. "Can't a man just make a simple mistake?! Oh, what you must think of me."
I can't help but feel the cliffhanger would have been stronger had it ended on Gorgon snapping Declan's neck. They could play he's either crazy evil, or fine, and simply not putting up with any more collaborators the next week, but that would have ended the episode on a much stronger note. As it is now, I feel like the episode seems five seconds too short. Unless they don't kill off Declan at all next week, which would be a mistake. The monologue he was saying to Gorgon was begging for it. ****1/2.
The Gifted "Boxed In"
I think the thing I like best about this show is that it gets better and better as it goes along. It was NOT this great when it started, and yet, if it didn't start the way it did, we wouldn't get this. It reminds me a lot of the Buffyverse in sort of doing the slow-burn.
I appreciated Fade leaving Reed hanging. It's actually because he's a jerk. But "I just wanted to see whose side you were really on," is a perfectly valid reason too.
I was amazed they saved the guy with the bullet wound's life. Usually the black guy who saves the white family winds up the cautionary tale, but I like that because of the superpower aspect, they can save the character to explore exactly what the kids can do with their powers.
I personally love the moment and it might have been my actual favorite thing in the episode. When the blood started gushing, I was like "Here we go." This is the point in genre where the Black Savior dies on the operating table with the people he either got shot for, or love the person he got shot for, unable to do a d*mn thing but bask in his heroic selflessness, with tears streaming down their faces that it's coincidentally the black guy who always suffers for their righteousness. And then Lauren's all like "Lemme try something" and suddenly and for the first time ever, the Dead Black Savior is no longer dead. Because they have super doctor powers now. How awesome is that?
I completely understand how horrified Dreamer was for leaving Turner the way he was. I don't exactly sympathize with Turner. Plenty of people have lost family members without turning genocidal fascists in response. But dang it, removing that particular memory is pretty much at this point asymmetrical warfare. She might has well have killed him if you ask me. Somebody having to suffer that precise loss TWICE is exactly why perhaps Turner's fears about Mutants being out of control and dangerous are probably legit on some level.
I kind of like Polaris and Eclipse's stunned reactions to learning Turner's backstory. They were legitimately troubled by it. Because if this one guy had a legit reason to hate Mutants, maybe secretly everybody who hates them does too, and they just don't know it yet. The Mutants are the heroes of the show. But of the Universe? It is not black and white, and maybe those two realized that just then, and for the first time ever.
Blink being mad at Dreamer sort of ground my gears. Just because of the specific reason Dreamer did what she did. Blink was saying over and over again a couple of weeks ago that she couldn't create the portal, and that it was impossible, and then ONCE she cares about John, it's no problem whatsoever. Blink is holding back. Blink is not pulling her weight. Blink is not in this fight the way she should be. And if I were Dreamer, I'd be pretty unapologetic over that fact. She wouldn't have had to do that if Blink were actually committed to the cause, and considered the rest of them friends. That's not too much to ask, even if she hasn't known them for too long.
I like that everyone hates and distrusts Reed. Which is good. He should not be able to walk into the Mutant Underground with a clean slate and all forgiven, especially because he nearly betrayed them in an effort to get back to his family. Even his wife and kids were alarmed to learn that. But he'll be okay there. Because him knowing intimate details of how Sentinel Services work makes him as useful as the most powerful Mutant, and depending on what he knows and succeeds at, maybe more useful than any of them. They can hate him all they want. They'll be better of for him being on their side.
This show is really hitting its stride. ****1/2.
Marvel's Spider-Man "Screwball Live"
Absorbing Man should totally be called Paper-Towel Man. I love him turning in Potato chips.
Hammerhead REALLY should have told Absorbing Man the whole plan and how important the flash drive was at the beginning.
Harry keeps having a harder and harder time justifying Screwball as the episode goes on.
Hawkeye shout-out.
Laughed at Absorbing Man thinking Hammerhead wanted to be partners when he really wanted to kidnap Screwball.
Gwen says there were a dozen files with scrambled titles, but there were more than that on the screen.
AM turning into webs was a good idea. And Spidey's wrong. Absorbing Man totally makes the tank top work.
Spidey's suit doesn't have pockets? Seems like a design flaw.
I love that Randy is excited Spider-Man reads his blog.
You've been Spider-Man-ned doesn't sound as good.
Everyone knows Liz Allan is class president. Yeah right. Worst excuse ever.
Good episode. ****.
Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy "I've Seen All Good People"
Who is this crazy sociopath and what has she done with Gamora? Not on-board with this characterization.
I like Drax saying being destroyed is distracting though.
I like everyone being a little scared they saw Gamora crying too. As Peter said at the beginning it's hard to tell if the fact she just took them all out is scarier, or if the fact that she always could is.
Like Adam telling Gamora she taught him the compassion lesson in the wrong order.
The Collector describes himself as an irredeemable villain. That isn't very true to life to me. Most villains don't even think they are villains.
Pretty good. ****.
Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy "Another One Bites The Dust"
Knew Adam was going to do a "Psyche!" near the end, but I'm as disappointed as Peter is he didn't do it for the end of the episode. That was a pretty dire cliffhanger. ****.
DuckTales "The Living Mummies Of Toth-Ra!"
I liked some of this, but ultimately, I think my theory that Disney decided to air the best episodes first is true.
I dislike that the nephews are a hindrance. They should never be. They are the most useful Ducks, even more-so than Scrooge. The show is trying to make them comical layabouts, and I don't get why. They were fine as the series' straight men. When Huey says he got a sickle handling Junior Woodchucks badge, THAT is a nephew line. Not "Pulling a Louie" or whatever idiotic con the weekly dumb nephew is pulling simply to look bad next to Webby.
Speaking of Webby, I like that she calls Scrooge Mr. McDuck instead of Unca Scrooge. That seems more appropriate to me.
Love Scrooge saying this was the stupidest rebellion he's ever been a part of. It was.
The guard's family being behind the con made no sense. What family? I didn't see a family. Did his forefathers go among the followers to select a bride? Why hasn't he? Or are they are all in-bred and he is just the last of the line? I could poke about as many holes in this as the Adam and Eve story.
How does Mummy Lady even know what laser beams are?
I laughed at Louie's outrage that Webby's tips to the guard were actually true, and that she was actually trying to help him kill them. If you want something done right...
I like this show a lot, but I'd like it a lot more if the nephews were not hazards, and as stupid as Launchpad is. ***.
The Lion Guard "The Ukumbusho Tradition"
Am I the only one a little disappointed we didn't get a tribute card for Robert Guillaume?
"If anybody knows drama, it's TIMONE!" I have never more regretted Nathan Lane being recast on this show than that moment. Can you imagine Lane delivering the line? Not only would it have been epic, but it would have been epic simply based on Lane's entire career. I don't usually miss Lane as Timone. I did now.
I have to say I shared Fuli's disgust at the Lion costumes. Basically they are wearing "Lionface". But the twist is that it's an insult to the animals wearing the costumes, instead of the lions they are impersonating, which strikes me as a bit bizarre for a blackface parallel. And yet, Fuli is right to offended. She has to dress like that because she supposedly isn't as good as a Lion. The fudged up thing is that it isn't even a Lion insisting this. I totally get how annoyed and unhappy she is.
All right. ***.
The Lion Guard "The Bite Of Kenge"
Wonder why Beshte's voice actor said the episode title. Did Max Charles have a cold?
I think Kenge is the type of character who will give preschoolers nightmares. I personally think the character is cool and frightening, but I also think he's inappropriate for a preschool show. Now, The Lion Guard seems to be branching out from that concept a bit in the second season. But they still play it on Disney Junior. I think this character is a bit much.
Bunga not being afraid of Kenge does not show that he is brave. It shows that he stupid. Maybe he's immune to Kenge's venom (which by the way makes no sense). But Kenge can still eat him anytime he likes.
I find it interesting that the villains almost won, because in that scenario, they SHOULD have won. A bird cannot take out three hyenas at once, (or even one), even if I shut off my brain, and pretend Bunga just outwitted Kenge, (even though Kenge took out the three most powerful Guard members without breaking a sweat.) By all rights and logic, the Lion Guard should have lost this round. But did I mention it's a preschool show? And I'm right back to thinking Kenge is a bad fit for the show.
Cool ep though. ****.
Elena Of Avalor "Royal Rivalry"
It always makes me happy whenever I hear Estaban stick up for Elena, and for some reason, him doing it to horrible strangers makes me even happier.
I love that the feud was justified. I think it is really nice that Elena has to work harder for peace than she should. It makes her grace more impressive. Frankly, I think the ending, where the other Princess admitted insecurity (which IS a reason people bully) was not true to life to many real-world bullies, who would sooner die than admit that to anyone else. But Elena doesn't win the episode if she doesn't win over the horrible princess. Even if in real life, people that toxic never repent.
Great week. ****1/2.
Once Upon A Time "Beauty"
That was literally, the finest episode the series ever produced.
And that compliment doesn't mean nothing. As infuriating as this show often is, when it gets right down to it, it's actually decent, (usually) and has its share of great episodes. This one dwarfs them all.
I was resisting the sequel season, because I was upset that some of the characters would not get the happy endings they should have earned at the end of the series. The sequel took the opposite tack. It GAVE those characters happy endings. Definitive ones. This is not a side tangent spin-off like Wonderland that will go back to the show we know and love once the arc is over. That era of the show, with those specific characters, is actually over.
Belle's fate was amazing, and beautiful, and brilliant. She gets the happy ending she always wanted and deserved. But because of Rumple's choices in his former life, he does not get to share in it the way he should. She gets the happy ending that he is denied and has yet to earn. And yet... he DID throw away the dagger of his own volition. The old Rumple couldn't even do that much. The fact that he wants to change for the first time ever means that a happy ending of Immortality in Heaven (which is a quantifiable reality on this show) is something to not only strive for, but a goal he clearly has the ability to someday reach.
I'm guessing the Guardian is Henry. He was prophesized to be Rumple's undoing all the way back in season three, but even back then, I suspected that Rumple had completely misread that prophecy. Henry isn't there to ultimately kill or defeat Rumple. What his evil self would consider his eventual "undoing", is what current Rumple would recognize as his salvation. Henry is not destined to destroy Rumplestiltskin. He is destined to redeem him. Only the Author has the power to take on the power of the Dark One, and defeat it once and for it. And I no longer feel like the writers dropped that idea so as not to make the show messy, and overly complicated, and make Rumple seem like less of a monster. I now think the show has always been building to that, and the flashforward means we get to see the culmination of the idea 15 seasons earlier than we otherwise would have. Suddenly, the show's frustrating storytelling regarding Rumplestiltskin's slides back and forth from hero to villain, seem less awful upon knowing the final resolution. It was always that he was supposed to be redeemed, but the show HAD to spin its wheels a bit on that to keep going. Because of the flashforward, the show no longer has to do that, and it is all the better for it. I personally think it is amazing for it.
How do you know Rumple has changed? He completely respects Belle's wish not to heal or de-age her, without a moment's hesitation. He has changed, and in a way he never did before. He is willing to accept Belle's promise of love and happiness, without trying to control that outcome himself. He trusts that Belle's goodness will see them both through. And I love the character for that, and for the first time ever.
I think the teacup and the bullet worked. Belfry had better watch out.
Upon second glance, Henry's curse is probably the best curse (and by that, I mean worst) the show has ever done, especially because Henry is the new Savior character, who needs to bring back the Happy Endings. The dead family adds a complication Emma did not have. The thing is, part of Emma WANTED to believe Henry's fantastic story. It means she had parents who loved her, and a family she could spend the rest of her life with. Henry's curse is so brilliant and brutal because he doesn't WANT to believe the truth the way Emma did. Every time Lucy utters the truth to him, she is spitting on the memory of his dead wife and daughter. Even to entertain the idea that they aren't real is abhorrent to Henry. And frankly, it should be. I would not be surprised that after seeing those graves, the next time Lucy goes on about this particular theory, Henry gets incredibly and scarily enraged at her for spitting on his love one's memories, and denying him his very real pain. I would also not be surprised if I completely agreed with him for doing that.
The series has had its ups and downs, but it's better for planning, if not the endgame for the franchise, then at least portraying the endgame for the characters we already knew and loved. This episode and this season is narratively satisfying in a way the series has never been before. And I am currently amazed and grateful that this show finally made me a believer again. *****.
Once Upon A Time "Greenbacks"
As I was watching that, I kept thinking the episode was overreaching. That it couldn't really pull the Princess and the Frog concept off. And I won't lie. It's not perfect. The food truck is suitably lame, and I feel that trying to jam the plot of a movie set in earlier 20th Century America into the Enchanted Forest didn't fit, especially since they kept most of the voodoo tropes. But you what? It's okay. The Princess And The Frog subverted the actual Princess and the Frog Fairy Tale. The difference there is that the audience knew that going in. They sold an equal number of Tiana frog plushes as they did Tiana Princess dolls when that movie was released. It was sort of like Yoda in Empire and the whole concept of The Truman Show. Everybody already knew the big secret going in.
Which is what I liked about the twist of the entire frog mythos being unrelated to Tiana. It surprised me. Tiana turning into a frog in the cartoon should have surprised me, but marketing made sure it did not. This gave me the genuine amusement at the trope being subverted that I would have liked to have been able to enjoy from the movie.
Just based on that ending, I'm betting Druzilla not only cast the Curse, but is the Big Bad of the season. The only question in my mind is how much Victoria knows. Because it turns out she knows a lot less than I thought.
I'm glad they found the picture this episode. It was getting a bit ridiculous having to ignore the genuine chemistry between Roni and Henry that is generated between their adult actors because they are mother and son. You have her making a joke to hold his hand in the bathroom, and it's not flirty, it's disturbing. Whatever happens next, I'm pretty sure those kind of jokes are going to stop, and Henry and Roni are gonna cool it with each other a bit. I couldn't go through the season dreading a drunken hook-up.
And I'm not joking about that. Angel made me that jaded. And I tend to think that all TV is that bad. And it's not like it's the not first disturbing ship idea the show would ever do. Rumple sleeping with (and impregnating Belle) in season five without telling her he was the Dark One strikes me as an equally gross idea. So I'm just glad that avenue of "interesting storytelling" seems to be closing.
Anastasia. Is it possible the Not-So-Wicked Stepsister is the Red Queen? Is that what Alice has to do with all this? This would be a LOT easier to follow and make actual Wonderland connections, had they not recast Sophie Lowe. The show seems to do wrong by Wonderland a lot. Dropping Michael Socha was bad enough. Then they recast Jafar last season from the irreplaceable Naveen Andrews. And now this. Once doesn't make things easy for continuity nerds.
This should not have worked, and yet weirdly, it sort of did. My impression was favorable. ***1/2.
Star Wars Rebels "The Occupation"
Clancy Brown's cartoon character Rider looks a lot like Clancy Brown, the actor.
Return of the Puffer Pigs.
Kallus seems alarmingly infatuated with the idea of commanding the Ghost.
Old Joe's been executed! Oh no!
Freddie Prnze's Jr.'s line reading to Hera "Yeah, we've got to go," was a really good voice performance.
Dire ending. ****.
Star Wars Rebels "Flight Of The Defender"
I like Sabine's idea of a good problem. She's right. Her plan would do more damage to the Empire.
"Something terrible" tells Sabine nothing. Learn how to use a communicator, Ezra.
Stormtroopers torture small animals. That is how you know they suck.
How big a bad@$$ is Thrawn? He doesn't duck for cover with the fighter gunning for him, and instead starts shooting at it with his energy pistol.
The action sequences of Ezra fighting the Imperials and the wolf dodging the lights were really tight.
Exciting episode. ****1/2.
Star Wars: Forces Of Destiny "Volume 2"
I like that this show is connecting all of the projects. Hera shows up on Endor after the Ewok celebration, and Sabine and Jyn anonymously meet too.
The Ewok cartoon was another rare glimpse past the end of Jedi. Good to see it looks like Hera (and the Ghost) survive Star Wars Rebels. Chopper too, but I'm less happy about that. That droid sucks.
I like the idea of the Ewoks wanting to eat the Strormtroopers, but I don't believe Han Solo would say the Ghost was a superior ship to the Millennium Falcon for any reason, much less so some Stormtroopers don't get eaten. That was this show trying to build up cred for Hera in a completely unearned way.
If I was Han, I'd be like "If it comes down to Ewoks eating Stormtroopers, or me saying that, I'ma go with Ewoks eating Stormtroopers. Every. Dang. TIME."
Per usual, the wraparounds with Maz were outright terrible.
The scene with Rey and the snot me grossed me out, but made me laugh.
Rewatching the Ahsoka cartoon made me realize something disturbing. She pats the adult alien she rescues on the head. That strikes me as incredibly patronizing and completely out of bounds. Can you picture how you'd feel if you were a Dwarf rescued by a firefighter, and then they patted you on the head? You'd be insulted. Frankly, I'm amazed the alien smiled at that. Maybe the top of their head is where their erogenous zones are. Makes about as much sense as not completely flipping out over that.
I liked most of the cartoons, particularly the ones I hadn't seen before. ****.
Transformers: Robots In Disguise: Combiner Force "Five Fugitives"
Sigh. Do you know what would have been a much simpler and more believable explanation than the Autobot cops who wanted to arrest the team being mind controlled by an unknown conspiracy? If they were dirty cops. H*ll, they wouldn't even need to get rid of the conspiracy angle to do that. It makes little sense that the show needed to give Strongarm a personal connection to the annoying old cop, so that the cops pursuing them seemed misguided rather than crooked.
Honestly, just based on several of the clues this season, it previously sounded to me like the Cybertronian Council had gotten dirty as h*ll. I figured that's why Optimus' mission was secret. Because he didn't know who to trust. Why do I suspect the Council? Because Soundwave's benefactor gave Steeljaw and his cronies a pardon at some point, and I cannot picture anyone on Cybertron having the Authority to do that besides the Council, and that the Council would only do that if they WERE dirty.
But the mind control thing makes it overly complicated. I get that there are only two episodes left, but an Autobot Civil War would have been amazing television, and instead we're doing standalone episodes about Strongarm and Sideswipe learning to be a team, (while the team still hasn't figure out how to combine correctly). The biggest disappointment about the series, and the final season, is how little they actually wound up doing with it. And it's not like the threads they have set up would lead nowhere interesting. They only lead nowhere interesting because the writers are bad at their jobs,
Speaking of bad at their jobs, did Sideswipe seriously think Strongarm was downloading the medical files so she could find a picture of herself and her old mentor? Because even if I wasn't aware of Strongarm's specific reasons for doing it, I could think of a dozen hypothetical reasons off the type of my head as to why she WOULD do it. Sideswipe's nickname should simply be 'Wipe.
Waste of an episode. Waste of a series. **.
Transformers: Robots In Disguise: Combiner Force "Enemy Of My Enemy"
I loved it. And I resent that I loved it. Why is this the second to last episode ever? Why hasn't the series ALWAYS been this? What good did all those standalone episodes with the team squabbling like preschoolers do the show? Not a dang thing is the answer.
Little disappointed Arcee didn't show up (last big missing Prime player) but we hadn't seen her in a previous RID episode either. I think Team Prime is better for all being set up ahead of time.
"Autobots! Transform and--" BOOM! Optimus never heard of "Run!"?
This show is so badly written. Even the great episodes. It cannot help sucking in spite of itself. Strongarm is wistfully listing all of the unbelievable things she's seen on her time on Earth, and the top of her list goes to Steeljaw escaping. Who could have foreseen? I get that this show is written for grade schoolers, but that doesn't mean it should be written for idiots. Pray tell, exactly WHAT was so unbelievable about that amazing scenario, Strongarm? Specifically in regards to why that's the first thing you brought up? I hate when characters serve as recappers or mini-narrators, but usually a show is clever enough to at least put up the pretense that that isn't what is going on. RID cannot even bother with that.
I also am a little incredulous that Bee needed to be convinced to free Steeljaw as the ship was crashing. "Listen if the ship crashes, and I'm in it, that's bad for me, right?" It appalls me that Steeljaw actually had to walk Bee through the logic of that. He didn't already see it. What a dummy.
Did I mention I loved the episode? I did. I just hate the fact that this is one of the only episodes I have ever loved, and am mad it's the second to last one, so I'm grumpier than normal. Where has this show been? *****.
Power Rangers: Ninja Steel "Abrakadanger"
I actually liked that. And I feel deep shame for that fact.
Where to start? It strikes me as an incredibly unruly school where a kid can simply claim a trophy for themselves if he's the only person interested in playing the sport. Also messed up is that Victor gets a second place ribbon after losing the only tennis match of the entire year.
I liked Mick pretending to instantly want to learn tennis, because it makes Mick seem smarter and cooler than he actually is for that. Both Hayley and Preston are impressed with his logic about learning things one step at a time, but if all of the Rangers weren't complete dolts, they'd instantly understand the lesson he was trying to teach, without Mick having to do such a heavy-handed job guiding them to the correct moral. It would be a sarcastic quip, instead of a teaching moment, if the Rangers were smarter. Mick seems very wise to me simply because he has to teach dullards basic logic and social skills. It's kind of lovable that he still insists at the end of the gag that he just wanted to learn to play tennis, but I am very aware Mick just got some quite unearned wiseness cred by doing that. If his charges were smarter, he'd be much less impressive.
The episode whiffed something terrible. They missed a one-liner. Big time. When Hayley lost the first match, she faces Preston, and he apologizes. What they SHOULD have done is have her say something like, "Son, you are VERY lucky you cannot see my face right now. You'd best step back now." The premise demanded that joke, and the show failed us. Again.
But do you know what? The invisibility effects did NOT actually suck. Simply because you can tell fake looking invisibility effects because of their obvious flaws. This obviously wasn't visually amazing due to the small budget, and they could pretty much only afford to move a scarf around mid-air, but it's the fact that your eye isn't drawn to it which is why it's a good effect. I should be noticing it more, and I'm not.
This show is dumb. Where pray-tell did Victor acquire robot arms to cheat? I know they can't exactly show a teenager juicing on a preschool show, but c'mon man, give me SOME credit.
"You can't spell Victory with Victor." That's actually a really good line, which is a a shame, because it is attached to such a dirtbag. I'd rather it was some I liked that said something that snappy.
I rolled my eyes at Hayley saying in surprise, "Wow! That's Princess Vierra!" Dude! They JUST explained what the hologram did! I mean, if my dad calls me on the phone I don't say "Wow! That's my dad!" (And I should. Because my Dad is awesome.) But if I already know how a piece of technology works, I am not impressed by it. Hayley probably gets excited whenever she sees a blue car too. And then she sticks her head out the window and rolls down her tongue.
I liked this in spite of myself. ****1/2.
Power Rangers: Ninja Steel "Helping Hand"
Do you know what I like? That the Ranger inventor is a girl. I like that fact a lot. We'll see women scientists in genre sometimes, but the inventor character is almost always a guy. And I like that that's not true for this show.
However, when I heard, "We're always ready... Ready to kick your butt!" I was all like, "Kill me now."
Calvin telling Sarah she was too hard on her mom doesn't seem very true to life for me. Usually teenagers are much more sympathetic with each other over how much their parents suck.
Monty is smart enough to build a magnet powerful enough to capture Ninja Stars? Forgive me for finding that a bit unlikely.
Mick basically moves his arm, and suddenly the new Ninja Star is in Brody's hand. We didn't even see him throw it. This show is always done on the cheap.
So-so episode. **1/2.
The Orville "Into The Fold"
Part of me was satisfied with that, and considered it a very enjoyable hour of television. But I can't help it. I've got to nitpick. Elephant in the room.
The thing is, I might not have felt the need to do that if Brannon Braga, the single worst thing to ever happen to Star Trek, hadn't co-written the episode. But Braga's hidden talent is to make storytelling decisions that are so inexplicably bad, that money in the bank premises wind up sucking in spite of how good the set-up actually is. And The Orville was pretty much a perfect Star Trek show in that it didn't engage in Star Trek's worst trope: the bratty, annoying kid. And now it has. Granted, on Star Trek, Wesley is actually helpful, which is an entirely different kind of annoying, but Star Trek (particular Next Gen) has done its share of episodes of unruly kids making situations worse and worse because they are stupid. And as good as the episode is, I think The Orville is worse for introducing that trope to the canon. By far. I was really hoping Braga would never wind up writing an episode of this show. For this precise reason.
But it's not a terrible episode otherwise. The Manilow jokes show that maybe Braga doesn't get the humor of the show, (I'm surprised Seth MacFarlane didn't nix those jokes himself) but on the other hand, the idea that a crew member reported they spilled soy sauce on themselves in the damage report is entirely this show. It's Star Trek with real people. And real people on a Starship would routinely do something that dumb.
The idea that Braga knows what glory holes are depresses me, because he and Jeri Ryan were a thing. I feel bad for her having to date a guy that creepy in hindsight. But Jeri Ryan has ALWAYS had terrible taste in men. It's not like her ex-husband was any less creepy.
I have a feeling that the episode was pitched as an homage to "Lost In Space", but it became so entirely unlike that premise, that I only see the bones of the tribute here.
I am undecided whether Isaac is better to have in a crisis than Data. I think perhaps Data would have been more successful with the kids, but it's the fact that he would have been which is why I'm glad it was Isaac. Data was created by a human to help other humans. Part of his learning process was in making sure to serve humanity in the best way his programming knew how. On the other hand, Isaac does NOT want to serve humanity. He comes from a race of robots (who I think rightly) think all humans suck and are inferior. And just considering how horrible and obnoxious those kids were, that's who I'd rather was in charge. Isaac is not the comfort these kids need. Because I don't think they deserve it. Some harsh truths are more likely to wake them up (such as that their mother may be dead) than the childish indulgences Data would routine engage in. Data would make the kids feel safer, and treat the situation as fun to calm them. But I don't think the kids would actually be safer. Data would never teach a kid, any kid, how to use a phaser. And that's why I think this scenario is better for having Isaac instead of Data.
I haven't seen Brian Thompson in anything in awhile, and he used to be a pretty heavy sci-fi staple in the 90's, and it's just like this show to resurrect all of the bit players of the era. I found Finn putting her hand on his arm, and telling him she knows he's trying to keep her safe incredibly disturbing, for obvious reasons. You can hate Claire all to want for stabbing the dude unawares after he brought her medicine. But his response to the touch said the actual reason she was there. And that makes him disgusting. And while I admire Claire for understanding how men in these situations work, it bothers me that the 24th Century is such a place that Claire DOES recognize that is what is going on. That's the trade-off for The Orville having realistic humans. You relate to the characters better. But it sure is depressing as hell to think this level of sexual harassment and intimidation is still present hundreds of years from now.
Did I mention Penny-Johnson Jerald's performance in the episode was amazing? The show hasn't been on the air long, and though it has done it's share of amazing episodes, none of those amazing episodes had amazing performances. Jerald's very real desperation and pain over the idea of losing her kids is the first great performance on the series. I really want to see Scott Grimes stretch next. Because I know he has it in him.
All things considered, I loved the episode. But the show itself is slightly worse for it existing. ****1/2.
The Good Place "Derek"
Say what you will about Michael. He's trying. Which is more than I might do in his place. I truly believe he is trying to be on the good guys' side and doing his best. He is now the well-meaning guy he pretended he was last season, but actually wasn't.
Hearing Jason tell stories about his past make me realize he reminds me greatly of Dave Lister from Red Dwarf. Now Lister is a smart character, and Jason is a stupid one. But they are both characters who when describing their pasts, make you laugh about it, and feel sad at the exact same time. I think Dave Lister is a bit harder to take. There is a level of reality to a kid losing his virginity at the age of 11, and only stealing cars because he wasn't old enough to steal buses. Jason's horrible and funny past doesn't really have a level of reality to it, so it doesn't strike me as quite as sad. It's probably more pathetic that his first kiss was the sexy animatronic mouse from the Chuck E. Cheese band, but that's not something that bums me out either.
Fall finale already? It is literally the beginning of November. I don't think NBC is treating this show right.
Great episode. Poor Janet. ****1/2.
The Blacklist "The Travel Agency"
That was a really interesting episode. I didn't understand the gimmick entirely but I thought the whole thing was cool.
I love Dembe telling Red he's great company. What a fantastic moment.
I also love that when Cooper says he didn't need Red's help, Red's response is "I couldn't resist." How could he?
I think Red was slightly TOO perceptive for a white guy as to what Cooper was going through but he was right that the justice system would probably protect Cooper. Left unsaid is that Cooper is in fact less protected from criminal acts than he would be if he were white. The dirty cops who get convicted tend to always be minorities. Maybe Cooper would get away with murder. And maybe he wouldn't. Red not floating that possibility says that Red does not have the insight into the situation than either he, or ultimately Harold do.
I think the actual reason for Harold joining the FBI seemed like kind of a stretch. I don't think the normal reaction for most people would be to join an organization to reform it upon them slandering their father. A normal person would stay away from it, if not try to take it down themselves outright. That didn't feel very true to life to me.
It was still a really fascinating gimmick and episode with a villain I was actually rooting for. Because her mission was actually righteous. And it's only once you get to the end of the episode that you realize how righteous it is. ****1/2.
Blindspot "Back To The Grind"
Up until the last 60 seconds, I enjoyed that thoroughly. Much more-so than usual. Unfortunately the end goes right back to the team keeping secrets from each other, which is the biggest thing that made the previous two seasons suck so much. But there was so much more in the episode to recommend before that.
The main title and opening was so fabulous because it was unlike any main title and opening for this show ever. It was great because it was unusual.
I love that Rich Dotcom works for the FBI. Frankly, it's both good and bad. Bad because it means they won't be doing any more of those twisty and double / triplecross oneupsmanship episodes with him against the team anymore (which were always the best episodes) but good because this means they'll be using him much, MUCH more. Fair trade-off in my mind. Frankly, the idea that he and Patterson were a thing in the missing two year gap strikes me as a bit ludicrous, but what can you do?
Love Weller and Jane exiting the building with in slow-mo smoke coming out of the doors. Similarly awesome was him and Jane hearing gunfire and a pitched battle and saying "I think we found them."
I don't expect the rest of the season to be this good, just based on the ending. But I will not deny this was a great way to kick things off. *****.
Blindspot "Enemy Bag Of Tricks"
Not as good as last week because the show is falling into old bad habits. I like the new regular main title images though.
I am very saddened that Patterson did not realize that her and Stuart hating each other was not a thing. Nobody told him that, and suddenly I actually regret his death.
Roman is a sociopath. There is no person he has ever met who is better off for having known him. He ruins every life he touches.
So-so. ***.
