"Coco" Review (Spoilers)
Jan. 23rd, 2018 01:46 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
matt_zimmerAlso reviews for the latest episodes of Star Trek: Discovery, DC Super Hero Girls, and The Flash, the series premiere of Black Lightning, and the latest episodes of Arrow, Supergirl, Lucifer, Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., Marvel's Spider-Man, Marvel Funko, The X-Files, The Good Place, Happy!, The Blacklist, and Blindspot.
Coco
Amazing. Best Pixar film since WALL-E. And WALL-E is literally the only better Pixar film. I was in tears by the end.
But they were good tears. This movie knew how to rock an ending that was happy, sad, and beautiful all at the same time. I hurt upon seeing Coco's photo on the wall, but it was the good, proper kind of EARNED hurt. And to see the ghosts dancing with everyone at the end made me realize it was probably one of the best hurts I've ever felt. It was wonderful.
I was pretty much bawling right when Miguel sang "Remember" to Grandma Coco. And suddenly, the movie's title is absolutely perfect.
I guessed pretty early on that Hector was Miguel's grandfather, but I don't really care if the story didn't surprise me. It moved me, which was the important thing. Plus the dog with his tongue sticking out (Dante) was hilarious. What was not to love?
A perfect movie. *****.
Star Trek: Discovery "Vaulting Ambition"
This was not only a great episode, it was not only the best episode so far, but it makes the entire series better for existing. There was a certain part of me that he been completely resisting the show (and not just because of the awful Klingon make-up). But because Lorca seemed like someone completely unethical and corrupt, and unlike any other Star Trek Captain ever. I think Janeway and Archer were detestable on some level (as was frankly, Kirk) but they at least seemed to (more or less) hold up to Starfleet ideals when they could. But Lorca being from the Mirror Universe explains a LOT, including why this crew seems to be on the losing side of every battle. It's because a villain is in charge.
I stand by the opinion that killing off Culber was a mistake, but I'm glad they found a way to give him a nice last scene with Stamets after the fact. Their goodbye kiss was very sweet.
So is Tyler a Klingon or not? I was not really clear what was going on there. Is his body is a cloned human and the real Tyler is elsewhere, or is that IS the real Tyler with somebody else's soul and / or brain attached? TBD...
Don't trust Georgiou, Burnham. You'll live longer.
The one thing I hated was the idea that Georgiou served Burham Kelpian, and it was Saru because she picked him. I cannot imagine what was going through that Saru's mind when she pointed at him, but I think the scene was sick and beneath the franchise. But it was literally the only thing in the episode I didn't like, and I won't lower the score because of it.
Best episode so far. *****.
DC Super Hero Girls "Ring Me Maybe: Part One"
Sinestro! Loved the new short. Surprisingly so. Maybe they'll actually deliver a good season for once? ****1/2.
The Flash "The Trial Of The Flash"
That did not work. Why did no-one bring up Barry's multiple alibis? Why did no-one ask why Devoe was in Barry's apartment without his wheelchair? Why did no-one ask why Mrs. Devoe didn't bring up her relationship with Dominic with the defense and the prosecution if it was innocent? Why didn't Iris record Mrs. Devoe's confession? The reason the episode didn't work is because the evidence was NOT iron-clad, and a decent defense attorney could have poked holes in it. The idea that an attorney who is usually a DA didn't think to ask these questions is laughable.
I think the DA is in cahoots with Thinker. The judge might be too, but I think the judge may simply be genuinely stupid. He has never seen a worse criminal than Barry Allen? In Central City no less? That guy shouldn't be on the bench for rank idiocy alone.
Iris in the courthouse was the most frustrating act break ever. And considering that Barry stopped her once the commercial ended, it was frustrating for the wrong reasons.
The one thing I liked was Ralph convincing Joe not to plant evidence. That was a great scene. But it was the only great scene.
I was unlike other Flash fans who hated the idea of Barry getting arrested and thought it was dumb. I gave them the benefit of the doubt that it could potentially lead somewhere interesting. That was a mistake. That episode sucked. *.
Black Lightning "The Resurrection"
I freaking loved it. I cannot say enough good things about this series. I have to see more before I'll be able to write more in-depth reviews, but I think this was awesome. *****.
Arrow "Divided"
That was better than average for this season, but that doesn't mean I liked it.
Let's start off with Oliver's laughable "clean slate" proposal. The proposal was so insulting because it basically said that Oliver would not have to acknowledge or work to earn back their trust. Oliver thinks he's doing them a favor. In reality, he is denying his culpability.
For the record, I get why Oliver doesn't trust Rene or Dinah. But the fact that he lumps Curtis in with them shows that, in reality, he has none of their backs, and never did.
Speaking of Dinah, I would be less upset at her rage for Vincent's betrayal if she hadn't bothered forgiving him in the first place. He is a known terrorist and first degree mass murderer. All (or most) of Oliver's kills have been in the heat of battle. Vigilante's victims were all premeditated. And suddenly, he scares some criminals into confessing and he's forgiven for mass murders? The reason I do not take the morality of superhero comics, movies, and TV shows seriously is because that morality does not exist. There should be clear lines about this sort of thing, but I don't know why I'm supposed to loathe the Joker for his premeditated murders and cheer the Punisher's and Vigilante's. The reason these comic book franchises traffic in immoral ideas is because sometimes the reader likes a villain, and the comic book company turns them into an antihero to give them their own book. But we are just supposed to arbitrarily forgive and / or forget their previous crimes, even though they were almost never punished for them. I keep hearing from idiots like Geoff Johns that comic books are grand mythic fables in the tradition of Shakespeare. That's crap. Because at least Shakespeare allowed his immoral characters to stand on their own merits. He didn't create a second play for Macbeth to revive the character back to life once the first play proved popular, and make him a hero because of it. The morality of Greek myths and Shakespeare, even if it is very different from morality that you or I recognize, still exists. Macbeth still dies for being such a weak-willed b@stard. He doesn't get a bunch of sequel plays where he's the hero.
And that's what I despise about this show and the Arrowverse, and all superheroes in general. Nobody who claims the mantle of superhero ever has to truly pay for their sins, even if that sin includes murder and covering up murder. And I'm supposed to simply be okay with that.
For the record, The Buffyverse sucks in hindsight too, and for precisely this reason.
Vigilante claims he's still against criminals because vigilantes are criminals. Anyone else find that reason specious? I mean, he is teamed up with ACTUAL criminals, and he apparently joined the team before the anti-vigilante act passed. Whatever his reasons, he cannot claim the high ground by citing that.
Rick Gonzalez is NOT a handsome man, so his puppy dog face isn't actually adorable. But it IS funny. I'll give him that.
I wanted to shake Thea awake for saying Malcolm changed. No he didn't! He rewrote reality into a world in which every super hero was murdered by him and his friends! It galls me that no-one will ever know this sin. Because if there is ONE person in the Arrowverse who does not deserve redemption, it is Malcolm Merlyn. Not after that.
And since she says this without knowing the actual facts, that tells me her advice to Quentin about reaching out to Laurel is terrible, and will end badly for everyone involved. Even when Thea is trying to do the right thing, I don't think she can do anything but say and do things that invite future disaster. Defining character trait for Speedy there. I think Quentin trying to reform Laurel is probably going to bite them all in the @$$.
The episode made no sense about something. Why would Cayden James fall for the theater in the Arrowcave, if he knew the bugs had been discovered? They obviously were putting on a fake performance for him. Why didn't he point that out immediately? Bad writing is why.
Bertinelli gets a bullet in his head, but his supposed reward for doing the right thing is James saying they weren't going to kill his college going daughter. Did I forget to thank Felicity Smoak for freeing this d-bag in the first place? I'll have to get back to you on that.
Technically a good episode, but also one that I could find a millions things to rant against. ***1/2.
Supergirl "Fort Rozz"
All right.
I sort of am a little alarmed at Brainiac 5's behavior. He's overthinking things. Cartoonishly so. Perhaps if he were truly a 12th level intellect, he would surmise there is an actual reason Supergirl is still alive and kicking with only this "primitive" technology at her disposal. He's using a Sonic Screwdriver to electronically manipulate a nail, when whacking it with a hammer will do.
But the thing that bugs me most about Brainy is Mon-El simply telling Winn to let it go when he goes into a fit. Is that the Legion? Brainy acts like a whiny child and nobody in the future is brave enough to call him on it because dealing with the behavior like adults would makes them uncomfortable? I don't see why Winn should be expected to be such a pushover just because Mon-El and Imra clearly are.
Mon-El's perspective that Livewire's sad fate wasn't a failure by Supergirl, but a success, is an interesting one. I'm not sure I agree with it. But it was quite rewarding to hear Livewire declare Supergirl her friend to Reign anyways
What Alex did for Ruby by going to that kid's house was funny, but it also made me really uncomfortable for some reason. It struck me as crossing an adult / child boundary line. That's all modern kids and adults seem to do on TV nowadays (thanks for nothing, Gilmore Girls) but it doesn't strike me as the least bit healthy for either the kid or the adult.
Decent episode, but it wasn't great. ***.
Lucifer "All About Her"
I think Lucifer's theory at the end that God gave him the wings to stop Cain's suicide plot is absolutely flawed, and probably 100% wrong. Or at least it should be. If the writers actually stick to this idea, I'll throw up my hands in disgust. Because even if God gave Lucifer the wings to stop Pierce, that doesn't explain why they keep growing back after he cuts them off. It doesn't explain why the Devil Face is gone. And most importantly, it doesn't explain why God would do that for a plan that would ultimately later turn out to be 100% unsuccessful. If God doesn't already know that Chloe isn't the key to Cain's death, the Afterlife is badly designed.
Speaking of which, the stuff with Amenadiel and the chlamydia was supposed to be funny, and I'm glad it was a false positive, because the idea of an Angel getting that makes the show much smaller than the premise would indicate. If Amendial is getting venereal diseases and passing them on to his girlfriends, this is pretty much Jersey Shore with Celestial Beings. And I have no interest in watching that, regardless if the writers think it is funny.
Linda seems outraged at the suggestion that she might have given it to Amenediel, but honestly, that was my first thought. It makes sense that an Angel is too dumb to use protection, but as Linda is the most irresponsible character on the show, I can see her encounters with Lucifer being entirely bareback.
Here's a plothole: What WAS actually wrong with Amenediel? They never said and hoped we just forgot.
Here's the thing that bugs me about Linda. She says she can't still see Amenadiel because of Maze. And I would have understood if she was reluctant to tell Maze two weeks ago that something had already happened. But it's the fact that as of that scene her and Amenadiel are still together, which is why Linda is a horrible person and a terrible friend. I kind of get why Amenadiel doesn't care about Maze's feelings in that regard, but if Linda really DID feel guilty, the time to end that relationship was upon Maze getting her to promise they wouldn't hook up in the first place.
I think Ella's thing will annoy people, but I found it fascinating. First off, I hate Ella. That should go without saying. But as good as it felt to hear Pierce say what I was thinking a couple of weeks ago, I realize based upon this episode, that it was completely out of line. This is a workplace, and she's his employee. I would certainly like it if Ella were less stupid and less prone to say stupid things. But that doesn't mean I want her boss to yell at her and make her feel inferior.
And the reason I am interested in this plot so much is the lengths Ella went to to try and "fix" things. First she stops talking. Then she is too aggressive. And as ham-fisted as the episode is making the moral seem, it's a good moral. This is something women have to navigate every day in the workplace. If they are too quiet, they get passed over for promotions, and if they are too assertive, they are the office b-word. Now, maybe Ella Lopez is not exactly what I would call the poster girl for feminine empowerment. But it's because she isn't which is why the situation must suck so much. I mean, she is all about being the office gossip and turning heads with her sexual observations, and she is STILL thought of as an annoying b-word. If Ella didn't try so hard to always be one of the guys, this plot probably wouldn't have resonated as much as it did. It's not just assertive women in the workplace who are occasionally made to feel like non-entities. It's ALL women, and it can pretty much happen at any time, even if you never steeled yourself to it. There will be people who accuse Ella of being a doormat for her behavior earlier in the episode, and the fact that she is trying to change her entire personality because of a man. But that's the tightrope working women have to walk. They put up with a lot more crap than they should, solely because if they always spoke up, they'd never be able to actually get any work done. And I really liked this plot for Ella (for once) especially because I don't particularly like Ella. I still felt bad for her, and thought her situation was unfair. Which is good.
If I were Cain, I would rethink suicide. He has a Mortal Sin on his soul. He IS headed to Hell. What makes him think his eternity in Hell would be any different than an eternity on Earth? In fact, if people's guilt does decide their own personal Hells, this is probably the exact scenario he is headed towards for eternity. And there are no takebacks for that. Here is my thought. Suicide is not the answer. Maybe in a Universe with no Heaven or Hell it would be, but Cain's actual problem is depression. And he has legit reasons to be depressed. But that doesn't mean he has to kill himself. I personally believe that Cain's life on Earth was probably only a Hell because he saw it that way. If he looked at things differently, maybe he'd realize it's okay to be with certain people briefly, and move on when they die. Maybe if Cain understood the message of Immortality better, he would appreciate the time he had with his loved ones, instead of grieving that it didn't last forever. And it kills me that Lucifer is too clueless to actually point this out, and instead agrees to help kill him.
For the record, upon learning what we did this week, the Sinnerman's actions make even less sense. And they were already confusing as h*ll. And why did Pierce say he killed his brother in the first place?
Chloe seems surprised at why Lucifer is still trying to help her. Which is one of the things I love about Lucifer and hate about Chloe. He explicitly was helping her at first so she would help him with HIS problem. But once his problem isn't a factor any longer, he still wants to help because he cares about her, and that's part of his commitment. I think the thing about this idea that truly is hurting Lucifer is that Chloe is almost suggesting he is willing to do anything not to have to live up to his side of the bargain. And for an honest person like Lucifer, whose entire identity seems to be tied to making deals with people he refuses to break and screw over, Chloe is insulting him in the most personal way possible. The only thing that would probably hurt worse is if she called him a liar.
Speaking of which, I love Cain pretty much pointing out Lucifer has no leverage over him. And he doesn't. Can't kill him. Next. Can't tell anybody because nobody actually believes Lucifer's the Devil. If this were a less stupid Universe, Cain would be in trouble. As it is, it's the kind of Universe that cannot recognize that the only real honest broker in this city is the one guy who is telling the truth about everything. But no, everybody's going with the "metaphor" idea, or thinks he's a crazy narcissist. Which anybody who has spent time with Lucifer would know is not entirely true. He's self-involved and definitely cares about himself too much. But he cares far more for human beings than somebody in his position and line of work should. And what's interesting about Lucifer is that last week, we learned that he always did, and it wasn't just a case of Chloe cooling the Evil Devil's exterior. And maybe if the Universe actually accepted the fact that Lucifer cares enough about Chloe not to lie to her about something huge like that, everyone would be better off.
Chloe's entire frustration with Lucifer is pretty much only because she refuses to believe him whenever he tells her the truth. And that bugs the crap out of me.
Above average week. That's my verdict. ****.
Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. "The Last Day"
That was amazing. Just the idea of May being a loving mother to Robin because she was the only person who wasn't afraid of her gift was the most beautiful notion the show ever had. Their scenes were so moving. The notion of them never having to say goodbye due to the nature of time travel was truly epic, and taking full advantage of the premise. It's something a good episode of Doctor Who would do.
Theory: Flint is the Destroyer of Worlds, and Daisy has been taking his rap. We had been led to believe the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents were perhaps being too forgiving and understanding of Quake, but in reality, their sympathy was misdirected at someone else.
The episode sort of said that the heroes could win and also said that they couldn't. The thing that said they'd win was Robin telling May how to. The thing that said they wouldn't is every single other piece of evidence. Hope is a magnificent thing, but that is literally all they have.
Theory: They will accidentally take Flint back with them, because Mack and Yoyo will refuse to kill him like the sensible thing to do. Flint will sneak back because he won't want to lose Mack and Yoyo, and the world blows up for it.
Interestingly, I did not object to the idea of Daisy being murdered before she could destroy the world. Which is where I see the problem with Flint. Rationally, Coulson and his team should understand perfectly well that Daisy needs to die here and now, and none of this will happen. I give Daisy a pass at defending her life because I believe she thinks the notion that her powers could do that is impossible. And since she knows her own powers, that's another thing that says it's Flint. But as far as the rest of her friends are concerned, she did it. They should understand perfectly well that she needs to die. Well, transferring that idea to Flint helps nothing because the entire problem is that everyone (besides probably May) will be too soft-hearted when it counts. And that is not a problem they can fix. If Flint DOES go back with them, I don't see another way out. In fact, trying to stop Flint in the present could be the thing that sets him off.
Theory: Flint destroys the world, because if he doesn't, he is never born. He sacrifices everyone on Earth so he can exist in hell until he is a teenager. Doesn't make much sense to me, but nobody's behavior in this scenario does.
For the record, Flint being the Destroyer makes a lot more sense than Daisy. You'd have to make an insanely big earthquake to split apart the world. But an Inhuman whose power it is to be able to separate rocks from each other? Yeah, that's a no-brainer.
The heroes just found their way out. Will they take it? I'm not optimistic.
But it was still an amazing episode. *****.
Marvel's Spider-Man "The Rise Of Doc Ock: Part One"
I still don't like Scott Menville's Doc Ock. ***.
Marvel's Spider-Man "The Rise Of Doc Ock: Part Two"
Norman Osborn gettin' nasty. What a snake.
Arachnopus would be a good band name.
Good second part. ***1/2.
Marvel / Funko "Submarine Showdown"
Red Skull's design translates very well to Funko form. ***1/2.
The X-Files "Plus One"
Chris Carter has completely lost his touch. To be absolutely fair to this episode, a lot of the premise and backwards attitudes are consistent with the first 9 seasons. But see, I don't put up with a lot of crap they did on the old show in a modern show anymore. If The X-Files isn't going to evolve its storytelling, it shouldn't have come back.
Where to begin? How about Mulder merely handing that poor guy his card? That moment right there told me Mulder and Scully are absolutely useless and always have been. They didn't think to offer that guy FBI protection? Or at least stay with him while he was going through this? I mean the deaths only happened when the people were alone, right? Why not make sure to give this guy a person to watch them? What are the X-Files even for if they can't help protect innocent people from stuff like that? What is the actual point of Mulder and Scully? Answer: There doesn't seem to be one.
And then Mulder makes a joke about him losing his head. You know, you forgive that kind of thing from Lennie Briscoe, because Briscoe has never met the victim in question, and is using it as gallows humor to defuse the tension of being with a dead body. Mulder actually thinks that quip is funny in that circumstance. Worse, this wasn't some random guy. He and Scully had met the lawyer, and basically failed to save his life. And Mulder doesn't care. One of the worst things about Mulder on the old show was his disregard for other people. It was the 90's, so I forgave it, because it's not like there was a ton of better written television shows with better characters to compare it with. Now that there have been, I call foul. It is unacceptable.
Also, does is never occur to Mulder that Scully has gone through menopause and that's why she can't have kids? Plus, I seem to remember her ova was stolen by aliens in the original series. He is being so indelicate and the look on her face says "Geez, do I have to spell this out for you?"
Also, let me see if I get this straight: Mulder and Scully live in the same house and chill on the couch but still aren't back together? I'm calling b.s.. That's a retcon from last week.
Also, doors to patients' bedrooms in mental hospitals do not have locks precisely for the reason the episode showed. In an emergency, the staff need to be able to reach the patient in crisis immediately. Also, there are no hospital staff that afraid of their charges. If the patient IS that dangerous, they are put in a worse institution that can handle them. In reality, if Judy is as bad as the nurses say, she'd be somewhere else, somewhere MUCH more strict, and certainly someplace without a lock on the bedroom door. It's been over 20 years! How does Chris Carter still not know this? He has obviously been throwing out my hatemail for the past 20 years.
I look forward to next week's episode, which is clearly written by Darin Morgan. Because Chris Carter has no idea what he is doing. When the current episodes aren't written by him, the show is fine. He is the sole reason the relaunch is sucking. *.
The Good Place "Rhonda, Diane, Jake, And Trent"
I love Transformers body spray. It makes you smell how the movies make you feel. Why does Michael smell loud and confusing?
I also love that there are mirrors on the toilets in hell.
My favorite thing was Michael solving the train dilemma. The correct way. A truly ethical person would not choose between which other person would die. They'd sacrifice themselves. Which shows that Michael is better at philosophy than Chiti.
I love that Michael's boss chose the guise of a 45 year old white man because they can only fail upward.
Tahini's American accent was so funny because it was equally as convincing as her British one. When you hang around Johnny Depp you quickly learn to lie. Why no, Johnny, that performance wasn't totally weird and off-putting at ALL. Hysterical.
Terrific episode of a terrific season of a terrific show. *****.
Happy! "The Scrapyard Of Childish Things"
Last week I said was pretty much the make or break episode of the series, and while not the best episode, the one that told me the rest of the series would be amazing. THIS episode is the confirmation of that.
The support group for fading imaginary friends already opened up the world beyond anything we suspected. But Blue's son being involved in trafficking imaginary friend slaves? The mantra of this show is "Everything happens for a reason.:" This cannot be random.
The stuff with Nick and the priest was gold (Christopher Meloni deserves an Emmy for this role) but I am truly interested in what happened when the priest heard the code word in Latin and "the truth". He not only throws aside the collar, he robs the Church donation box. Which suggests to be that he isn't renouncing the idea of God, but rather the role God seems to be playing. I think the priest is still a believer, but perhaps after meeting Michael, maybe he's now playing for the other team.
Can I just say how refreshing it was that the black priest survived? I expected him to get killed off at several points, and instead he leaves stealing the collection box. Good for this show.
Hailey looks extremely creepy in beauty pageant make-up. Anyone who puts a kid in that is probably a total monster and a perv. For the record, I include the producers of this show in that. They are not off the hook for it, no matter the statement they thought they were making by doing it.
Imaginary friend Russian Roulette.is pretty much why this show exists. And it also tells me why the last couple of episodes were Happy light. They were saving up the budget for this. Worth every penny.
This show is amazing. *****.
The Blacklist "Abraham Stern"
Elizabeth Keene is getting good at killing people. She is still a amateur about covering it up. I could have told her the mistake immediately. She left the apartment TOO clean. Noticeably so for a criminal. And so she just gave the authorities a big fat reason to search it. And she forgot to get rid of the rag. I'd take Liz to protect me in a fight. But to cover up a crime? I'd look elsewhere.
I love Red's wonderful scene with Dembe at the beginning. He's so happy, and extolling the virtues of treasure, mysteries, and The Gold Bug, and then CRASH! He's robbed by Nathan Lane! GUEST Star Nathan Lane, NOT Special Guest Star. If I were Lane, I'd be ticked. He's too fabulous for this show to not be considered a special guest.
I love that Red is trying to get Harold to see this adventure as fun. And Aram is totally on-board that idea. Harold could learn from him.
Red is quite the Luddite. He says he misses rotary phones. Can I just say how much I hated rotary phones, and for the precise reason Red hated the 0? They take forever to dial, and if you mess up the 11th number on a long distance call, you have to start all over again. And if those numbers had a bunch of 8's, 9's, and 0's that was a chore. Using those things was less like using a communication device, and more like being forced to take piano lessons. Except with the rotary phone, you have nothing to show for it. Nobody is going to applaud a recital for people who dial the correct phone number on the first try.
I love Stern saying the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, and then us cutting to Liz plunging a body down the tub. I had the same WTF reaction as her to the electronic eyeball.
Stern telling his story to Red was amazing because you got the sense Red was the one person on the show who could fully appreciate it. His father left him the coins so he wouldn't become a criminal. And yet here we are. I love the notion that he spent them on candy. And off course, he the remembers the specific candy: Fireballs. I love that the show always has details like that when characters like Red and Stern are spinning their various yarns. It makes it like you're almost in the room with Red and Stern.
I'd like to think that Red would not have betrayed Stern if Stern had not betrayed him first. But that is JUST a crazy theory, and one I'll keep believing so I can sleep at night. If you did not feel bad for Stern after that money got sucked from the room, you are a monster. He was right about one thing. This WAS his father's legacy, and Red had no right to horn in it. Except Red acknowledges no-one else's rights but his own.
I love that after Glenn has the heart attack and Liz has stolen the penny, she repeatedly asks the EMT's if he needs the aspirin. That was actually clever. She just committed a major crime. And deflected suspicion precisely by drawing far too much attention to herself. I think Liz is pretty dumb at crime if you go by her covering up the murder (at least at first) but that was smart.
Speaking of which, I did love how she fixed it. She used the entire investigation towards her own ends, which is precisely what Red always used to do to her. Can he be mad? Nope, but he's also the only one smart enough to figure out the truth and call her on it. I am impressed Harold believed Red's (true) claims of innocence of taking that evidence at the end. Were I him, I might not have, or at least suspected something larger was going on.
I love that Red warns the nurses on the get-well card that Glenn is a "licentious cad". And he is. Good for Red.
And the ultimate treasure is, of course, Winston Churchill's hat that he wore during the Blitz. I think it looks totally goofy on Red, but he'll take amazing from Liz and like it.
This was pretty much the perfect episode. I was nonstop smiles during the entire thing. *****.
Blindspot "Balance Of Might"
It struck me that this episode had a few really interesting scenes that couldn't quite hide the fact that the larger mythology of the show is thudding along at a predictable pace. The show sucks. No question. But it had a couple of interesting scenes involving Ronan that almost made me forget that.
Let's get the bad out of the way first: Weller. He sucks. He does everything wrong. I have Asperger's and even I know everything he tells Jane is the last thing she needs to hear. He thinks "Wait, this is my fault. Jane should come home and I should be the one sleeping in a hotel." He is a dolt. Did it ever occur to him that because of what he did, Jane no longer feels safe or comfortable in their apartment? Maybe the reason she let him keep their happy home is because she no longer thought of it as happy, only attributed bad memories to it, and it was the last place she felt safe. Ever think of that, tough guy?
And then he says "I love you." I hate that. Normally I'd complain about a guy deciding things for his girlfriend, but I honestly think Weller is doing the opposite and sucks even worse than a guy trying to get his girlfriend to do what he wants. He's putting the onus on her to either say "I love you" back or not. She should not have to be placed in the situation where she instantly has to make that decision, much less tell Weller what it is while she is so mad at him. And yet, that's what he forced her to do.
The third thing that p*ssed me off was Weller going to Patterson to look up information on Avery to give Jane "closure". Patterson was right to reject that idea. Funnily enough, I don't believe she was wrong to change her mind later and do her own digging. But I should not have to explain to either Weller or the writers why that is a terrible idea. Information on Avery is definitely something Jane would appreciate. But he doesn't think through the ramifications of him being the one who gives it to her. Would she truly be happy learning about her daughter's life from the man who supposedly took it away? I think if Patterson gives her that information she'd treasure it. If Weller does, it's entirely tainted, and the entire experience is ruined for Jane. It's like Weller hates feeling bad so much, he is willing to ruin the idea of Jane's daughter in her own mind.
Trust me, I understand the nature of a guy wanting to fix something, and a woman declining to do something about the actual problem other than vent. I get that. It's probably the thing that bothers me most about women. I do not think it is unreasonable to come up with solutions to a problem and try them. But this is not that situation. It's one thing if your girlfriend is having a conflict at work and you are advising her how to best deal with it. It's not actually your business, but if she involves you by telling you about the situation, it my mind, offering advice is the only rational solution. If she resents the fact that advice was offered in the first place, then I think that's her hang-up. But I think if a woman is feeling depressed, or sad, or broken, you can't fix that. Especially if you were the one who made her feel that way. By trying to fix it, Weller is almost saying that he can rationalize a way for her to feel better, which means he doesn't actually appreciate what or how she is actually suffering. He can't fix this. And the fact that he thinks he should be allowed to, especially in this exact circumstance, tells me he's the worst husband ever, and would be true even if he hadn't killed his wife's daughter.
Let's talk about Ronan. Bad stuff first: If Ronan's master plan was to set Weller up for Avery's murder by faking her death, it's the dumbest plan ever. Because of course they are going to learn the truth. How Ronan thinks they won't truly disturbs me, because until this week, I thought Ronan was a much smarter master-planner than that. But then I kind of got to thinking that maybe that's part of the plan too. Right? He can't be this dumb. Is it possible that even though he knew the rift wouldn't be permanent, that he sprung it on them when he did to divide the team at a crucial juncture? The new tattoos designed to break apart the team suggest that is a possibility. The fact that this show is Berlanti however means there is an equal chance the show is merely badly written, and his master plan ends upon breaking them up. We'll see. I hope it's the former. But it's Berlanti. I'm not taking that for granted.
The good Ronan stuff was the scene in his room with his girlfriend. His girlfriend was suddenly suspicious of him this episode, and it seemed to be out of the blue. Or is it? Did her bodyguard raise her suspicions about his false identity, and that's why she flew off the handle at him being afraid of being photographed? When he tells her he loves her, does he mean it? Does she even believe him, or does she actually suspect the truth, and is stringing him along to play for time until proof comes? You just don't know, and the way the actors played the scene was so great because it was so ambiguous.
Speaking of which, are Ronan and the bodyguard friends now? Or does Ronan realize he's going to check his prints and DNA? The reason I ask is because Ronan telling him he caught onto to him trying to frame him for losing the coin is a really bad idea. Because Ronan actually murdered the coin thief. Which the bodyguard will learn with the slightest digging. It seemed so foolish that I'm wondering if he's somehow leaving a false trail and is manipulating the threatening bodyguard into making a mistake with his boss regarding trust, that he'll be killed for, and will move Ronan up in the ranks. Maybe he's looking to frame him for the murder of the coin thief? As of now, I am unsure, just based on how both actors played the scene. There is a 50% chance he is the David Xanatos that Greg Weisman always talks up on his online forum. There is another 50% he is the David Xanatos who actually existed on Gargoyles. He's either a theoretical, 11 dimensional chess-playing, master manipulator, or a sloppy braggart, who uses his high opinion of himself to psyche other people out, so they think he actually knows what he's doing when he doesn't. And again, it's Berlanti. I'm unfortunately betting it's the second thing.
What is up with Reed's girlfriend not wanting "attention"? She should probably have a different career if she is actually hiding something that she doesn't want to come out. Which is I think the dumbest idea in an episode filled with nothing but dumb ideas.
They didn't exactly nuke the fridge, but they bombed it. Things are getting a wee bit desperate in season three.
Zapata playfully tells Reed she never heard him say he loves his girlfriend before. His response is perfect. They live together. It would be weird if he NEVER said it. I hope Zapata fully understands what a cretin she seemed after he pointed that 100% true thing out.
Weller is just the worst. Ronan is possibly the best, but there is also an equal chance he is ALSO the worst instead, and I do not trust the writers who think it's perfectly reasonable for Weller to want to give pictures of Jane's daughter to her after he killed her not to take the worst written way out. But the situation is what it is. **1/2.
Coco
Amazing. Best Pixar film since WALL-E. And WALL-E is literally the only better Pixar film. I was in tears by the end.
But they were good tears. This movie knew how to rock an ending that was happy, sad, and beautiful all at the same time. I hurt upon seeing Coco's photo on the wall, but it was the good, proper kind of EARNED hurt. And to see the ghosts dancing with everyone at the end made me realize it was probably one of the best hurts I've ever felt. It was wonderful.
I was pretty much bawling right when Miguel sang "Remember" to Grandma Coco. And suddenly, the movie's title is absolutely perfect.
I guessed pretty early on that Hector was Miguel's grandfather, but I don't really care if the story didn't surprise me. It moved me, which was the important thing. Plus the dog with his tongue sticking out (Dante) was hilarious. What was not to love?
A perfect movie. *****.
Star Trek: Discovery "Vaulting Ambition"
This was not only a great episode, it was not only the best episode so far, but it makes the entire series better for existing. There was a certain part of me that he been completely resisting the show (and not just because of the awful Klingon make-up). But because Lorca seemed like someone completely unethical and corrupt, and unlike any other Star Trek Captain ever. I think Janeway and Archer were detestable on some level (as was frankly, Kirk) but they at least seemed to (more or less) hold up to Starfleet ideals when they could. But Lorca being from the Mirror Universe explains a LOT, including why this crew seems to be on the losing side of every battle. It's because a villain is in charge.
I stand by the opinion that killing off Culber was a mistake, but I'm glad they found a way to give him a nice last scene with Stamets after the fact. Their goodbye kiss was very sweet.
So is Tyler a Klingon or not? I was not really clear what was going on there. Is his body is a cloned human and the real Tyler is elsewhere, or is that IS the real Tyler with somebody else's soul and / or brain attached? TBD...
Don't trust Georgiou, Burnham. You'll live longer.
The one thing I hated was the idea that Georgiou served Burham Kelpian, and it was Saru because she picked him. I cannot imagine what was going through that Saru's mind when she pointed at him, but I think the scene was sick and beneath the franchise. But it was literally the only thing in the episode I didn't like, and I won't lower the score because of it.
Best episode so far. *****.
DC Super Hero Girls "Ring Me Maybe: Part One"
Sinestro! Loved the new short. Surprisingly so. Maybe they'll actually deliver a good season for once? ****1/2.
The Flash "The Trial Of The Flash"
That did not work. Why did no-one bring up Barry's multiple alibis? Why did no-one ask why Devoe was in Barry's apartment without his wheelchair? Why did no-one ask why Mrs. Devoe didn't bring up her relationship with Dominic with the defense and the prosecution if it was innocent? Why didn't Iris record Mrs. Devoe's confession? The reason the episode didn't work is because the evidence was NOT iron-clad, and a decent defense attorney could have poked holes in it. The idea that an attorney who is usually a DA didn't think to ask these questions is laughable.
I think the DA is in cahoots with Thinker. The judge might be too, but I think the judge may simply be genuinely stupid. He has never seen a worse criminal than Barry Allen? In Central City no less? That guy shouldn't be on the bench for rank idiocy alone.
Iris in the courthouse was the most frustrating act break ever. And considering that Barry stopped her once the commercial ended, it was frustrating for the wrong reasons.
The one thing I liked was Ralph convincing Joe not to plant evidence. That was a great scene. But it was the only great scene.
I was unlike other Flash fans who hated the idea of Barry getting arrested and thought it was dumb. I gave them the benefit of the doubt that it could potentially lead somewhere interesting. That was a mistake. That episode sucked. *.
Black Lightning "The Resurrection"
I freaking loved it. I cannot say enough good things about this series. I have to see more before I'll be able to write more in-depth reviews, but I think this was awesome. *****.
Arrow "Divided"
That was better than average for this season, but that doesn't mean I liked it.
Let's start off with Oliver's laughable "clean slate" proposal. The proposal was so insulting because it basically said that Oliver would not have to acknowledge or work to earn back their trust. Oliver thinks he's doing them a favor. In reality, he is denying his culpability.
For the record, I get why Oliver doesn't trust Rene or Dinah. But the fact that he lumps Curtis in with them shows that, in reality, he has none of their backs, and never did.
Speaking of Dinah, I would be less upset at her rage for Vincent's betrayal if she hadn't bothered forgiving him in the first place. He is a known terrorist and first degree mass murderer. All (or most) of Oliver's kills have been in the heat of battle. Vigilante's victims were all premeditated. And suddenly, he scares some criminals into confessing and he's forgiven for mass murders? The reason I do not take the morality of superhero comics, movies, and TV shows seriously is because that morality does not exist. There should be clear lines about this sort of thing, but I don't know why I'm supposed to loathe the Joker for his premeditated murders and cheer the Punisher's and Vigilante's. The reason these comic book franchises traffic in immoral ideas is because sometimes the reader likes a villain, and the comic book company turns them into an antihero to give them their own book. But we are just supposed to arbitrarily forgive and / or forget their previous crimes, even though they were almost never punished for them. I keep hearing from idiots like Geoff Johns that comic books are grand mythic fables in the tradition of Shakespeare. That's crap. Because at least Shakespeare allowed his immoral characters to stand on their own merits. He didn't create a second play for Macbeth to revive the character back to life once the first play proved popular, and make him a hero because of it. The morality of Greek myths and Shakespeare, even if it is very different from morality that you or I recognize, still exists. Macbeth still dies for being such a weak-willed b@stard. He doesn't get a bunch of sequel plays where he's the hero.
And that's what I despise about this show and the Arrowverse, and all superheroes in general. Nobody who claims the mantle of superhero ever has to truly pay for their sins, even if that sin includes murder and covering up murder. And I'm supposed to simply be okay with that.
For the record, The Buffyverse sucks in hindsight too, and for precisely this reason.
Vigilante claims he's still against criminals because vigilantes are criminals. Anyone else find that reason specious? I mean, he is teamed up with ACTUAL criminals, and he apparently joined the team before the anti-vigilante act passed. Whatever his reasons, he cannot claim the high ground by citing that.
Rick Gonzalez is NOT a handsome man, so his puppy dog face isn't actually adorable. But it IS funny. I'll give him that.
I wanted to shake Thea awake for saying Malcolm changed. No he didn't! He rewrote reality into a world in which every super hero was murdered by him and his friends! It galls me that no-one will ever know this sin. Because if there is ONE person in the Arrowverse who does not deserve redemption, it is Malcolm Merlyn. Not after that.
And since she says this without knowing the actual facts, that tells me her advice to Quentin about reaching out to Laurel is terrible, and will end badly for everyone involved. Even when Thea is trying to do the right thing, I don't think she can do anything but say and do things that invite future disaster. Defining character trait for Speedy there. I think Quentin trying to reform Laurel is probably going to bite them all in the @$$.
The episode made no sense about something. Why would Cayden James fall for the theater in the Arrowcave, if he knew the bugs had been discovered? They obviously were putting on a fake performance for him. Why didn't he point that out immediately? Bad writing is why.
Bertinelli gets a bullet in his head, but his supposed reward for doing the right thing is James saying they weren't going to kill his college going daughter. Did I forget to thank Felicity Smoak for freeing this d-bag in the first place? I'll have to get back to you on that.
Technically a good episode, but also one that I could find a millions things to rant against. ***1/2.
Supergirl "Fort Rozz"
All right.
I sort of am a little alarmed at Brainiac 5's behavior. He's overthinking things. Cartoonishly so. Perhaps if he were truly a 12th level intellect, he would surmise there is an actual reason Supergirl is still alive and kicking with only this "primitive" technology at her disposal. He's using a Sonic Screwdriver to electronically manipulate a nail, when whacking it with a hammer will do.
But the thing that bugs me most about Brainy is Mon-El simply telling Winn to let it go when he goes into a fit. Is that the Legion? Brainy acts like a whiny child and nobody in the future is brave enough to call him on it because dealing with the behavior like adults would makes them uncomfortable? I don't see why Winn should be expected to be such a pushover just because Mon-El and Imra clearly are.
Mon-El's perspective that Livewire's sad fate wasn't a failure by Supergirl, but a success, is an interesting one. I'm not sure I agree with it. But it was quite rewarding to hear Livewire declare Supergirl her friend to Reign anyways
What Alex did for Ruby by going to that kid's house was funny, but it also made me really uncomfortable for some reason. It struck me as crossing an adult / child boundary line. That's all modern kids and adults seem to do on TV nowadays (thanks for nothing, Gilmore Girls) but it doesn't strike me as the least bit healthy for either the kid or the adult.
Decent episode, but it wasn't great. ***.
Lucifer "All About Her"
I think Lucifer's theory at the end that God gave him the wings to stop Cain's suicide plot is absolutely flawed, and probably 100% wrong. Or at least it should be. If the writers actually stick to this idea, I'll throw up my hands in disgust. Because even if God gave Lucifer the wings to stop Pierce, that doesn't explain why they keep growing back after he cuts them off. It doesn't explain why the Devil Face is gone. And most importantly, it doesn't explain why God would do that for a plan that would ultimately later turn out to be 100% unsuccessful. If God doesn't already know that Chloe isn't the key to Cain's death, the Afterlife is badly designed.
Speaking of which, the stuff with Amenadiel and the chlamydia was supposed to be funny, and I'm glad it was a false positive, because the idea of an Angel getting that makes the show much smaller than the premise would indicate. If Amendial is getting venereal diseases and passing them on to his girlfriends, this is pretty much Jersey Shore with Celestial Beings. And I have no interest in watching that, regardless if the writers think it is funny.
Linda seems outraged at the suggestion that she might have given it to Amenediel, but honestly, that was my first thought. It makes sense that an Angel is too dumb to use protection, but as Linda is the most irresponsible character on the show, I can see her encounters with Lucifer being entirely bareback.
Here's a plothole: What WAS actually wrong with Amenediel? They never said and hoped we just forgot.
Here's the thing that bugs me about Linda. She says she can't still see Amenadiel because of Maze. And I would have understood if she was reluctant to tell Maze two weeks ago that something had already happened. But it's the fact that as of that scene her and Amenadiel are still together, which is why Linda is a horrible person and a terrible friend. I kind of get why Amenadiel doesn't care about Maze's feelings in that regard, but if Linda really DID feel guilty, the time to end that relationship was upon Maze getting her to promise they wouldn't hook up in the first place.
I think Ella's thing will annoy people, but I found it fascinating. First off, I hate Ella. That should go without saying. But as good as it felt to hear Pierce say what I was thinking a couple of weeks ago, I realize based upon this episode, that it was completely out of line. This is a workplace, and she's his employee. I would certainly like it if Ella were less stupid and less prone to say stupid things. But that doesn't mean I want her boss to yell at her and make her feel inferior.
And the reason I am interested in this plot so much is the lengths Ella went to to try and "fix" things. First she stops talking. Then she is too aggressive. And as ham-fisted as the episode is making the moral seem, it's a good moral. This is something women have to navigate every day in the workplace. If they are too quiet, they get passed over for promotions, and if they are too assertive, they are the office b-word. Now, maybe Ella Lopez is not exactly what I would call the poster girl for feminine empowerment. But it's because she isn't which is why the situation must suck so much. I mean, she is all about being the office gossip and turning heads with her sexual observations, and she is STILL thought of as an annoying b-word. If Ella didn't try so hard to always be one of the guys, this plot probably wouldn't have resonated as much as it did. It's not just assertive women in the workplace who are occasionally made to feel like non-entities. It's ALL women, and it can pretty much happen at any time, even if you never steeled yourself to it. There will be people who accuse Ella of being a doormat for her behavior earlier in the episode, and the fact that she is trying to change her entire personality because of a man. But that's the tightrope working women have to walk. They put up with a lot more crap than they should, solely because if they always spoke up, they'd never be able to actually get any work done. And I really liked this plot for Ella (for once) especially because I don't particularly like Ella. I still felt bad for her, and thought her situation was unfair. Which is good.
If I were Cain, I would rethink suicide. He has a Mortal Sin on his soul. He IS headed to Hell. What makes him think his eternity in Hell would be any different than an eternity on Earth? In fact, if people's guilt does decide their own personal Hells, this is probably the exact scenario he is headed towards for eternity. And there are no takebacks for that. Here is my thought. Suicide is not the answer. Maybe in a Universe with no Heaven or Hell it would be, but Cain's actual problem is depression. And he has legit reasons to be depressed. But that doesn't mean he has to kill himself. I personally believe that Cain's life on Earth was probably only a Hell because he saw it that way. If he looked at things differently, maybe he'd realize it's okay to be with certain people briefly, and move on when they die. Maybe if Cain understood the message of Immortality better, he would appreciate the time he had with his loved ones, instead of grieving that it didn't last forever. And it kills me that Lucifer is too clueless to actually point this out, and instead agrees to help kill him.
For the record, upon learning what we did this week, the Sinnerman's actions make even less sense. And they were already confusing as h*ll. And why did Pierce say he killed his brother in the first place?
Chloe seems surprised at why Lucifer is still trying to help her. Which is one of the things I love about Lucifer and hate about Chloe. He explicitly was helping her at first so she would help him with HIS problem. But once his problem isn't a factor any longer, he still wants to help because he cares about her, and that's part of his commitment. I think the thing about this idea that truly is hurting Lucifer is that Chloe is almost suggesting he is willing to do anything not to have to live up to his side of the bargain. And for an honest person like Lucifer, whose entire identity seems to be tied to making deals with people he refuses to break and screw over, Chloe is insulting him in the most personal way possible. The only thing that would probably hurt worse is if she called him a liar.
Speaking of which, I love Cain pretty much pointing out Lucifer has no leverage over him. And he doesn't. Can't kill him. Next. Can't tell anybody because nobody actually believes Lucifer's the Devil. If this were a less stupid Universe, Cain would be in trouble. As it is, it's the kind of Universe that cannot recognize that the only real honest broker in this city is the one guy who is telling the truth about everything. But no, everybody's going with the "metaphor" idea, or thinks he's a crazy narcissist. Which anybody who has spent time with Lucifer would know is not entirely true. He's self-involved and definitely cares about himself too much. But he cares far more for human beings than somebody in his position and line of work should. And what's interesting about Lucifer is that last week, we learned that he always did, and it wasn't just a case of Chloe cooling the Evil Devil's exterior. And maybe if the Universe actually accepted the fact that Lucifer cares enough about Chloe not to lie to her about something huge like that, everyone would be better off.
Chloe's entire frustration with Lucifer is pretty much only because she refuses to believe him whenever he tells her the truth. And that bugs the crap out of me.
Above average week. That's my verdict. ****.
Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. "The Last Day"
That was amazing. Just the idea of May being a loving mother to Robin because she was the only person who wasn't afraid of her gift was the most beautiful notion the show ever had. Their scenes were so moving. The notion of them never having to say goodbye due to the nature of time travel was truly epic, and taking full advantage of the premise. It's something a good episode of Doctor Who would do.
Theory: Flint is the Destroyer of Worlds, and Daisy has been taking his rap. We had been led to believe the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents were perhaps being too forgiving and understanding of Quake, but in reality, their sympathy was misdirected at someone else.
The episode sort of said that the heroes could win and also said that they couldn't. The thing that said they'd win was Robin telling May how to. The thing that said they wouldn't is every single other piece of evidence. Hope is a magnificent thing, but that is literally all they have.
Theory: They will accidentally take Flint back with them, because Mack and Yoyo will refuse to kill him like the sensible thing to do. Flint will sneak back because he won't want to lose Mack and Yoyo, and the world blows up for it.
Interestingly, I did not object to the idea of Daisy being murdered before she could destroy the world. Which is where I see the problem with Flint. Rationally, Coulson and his team should understand perfectly well that Daisy needs to die here and now, and none of this will happen. I give Daisy a pass at defending her life because I believe she thinks the notion that her powers could do that is impossible. And since she knows her own powers, that's another thing that says it's Flint. But as far as the rest of her friends are concerned, she did it. They should understand perfectly well that she needs to die. Well, transferring that idea to Flint helps nothing because the entire problem is that everyone (besides probably May) will be too soft-hearted when it counts. And that is not a problem they can fix. If Flint DOES go back with them, I don't see another way out. In fact, trying to stop Flint in the present could be the thing that sets him off.
Theory: Flint destroys the world, because if he doesn't, he is never born. He sacrifices everyone on Earth so he can exist in hell until he is a teenager. Doesn't make much sense to me, but nobody's behavior in this scenario does.
For the record, Flint being the Destroyer makes a lot more sense than Daisy. You'd have to make an insanely big earthquake to split apart the world. But an Inhuman whose power it is to be able to separate rocks from each other? Yeah, that's a no-brainer.
The heroes just found their way out. Will they take it? I'm not optimistic.
But it was still an amazing episode. *****.
Marvel's Spider-Man "The Rise Of Doc Ock: Part One"
I still don't like Scott Menville's Doc Ock. ***.
Marvel's Spider-Man "The Rise Of Doc Ock: Part Two"
Norman Osborn gettin' nasty. What a snake.
Arachnopus would be a good band name.
Good second part. ***1/2.
Marvel / Funko "Submarine Showdown"
Red Skull's design translates very well to Funko form. ***1/2.
The X-Files "Plus One"
Chris Carter has completely lost his touch. To be absolutely fair to this episode, a lot of the premise and backwards attitudes are consistent with the first 9 seasons. But see, I don't put up with a lot of crap they did on the old show in a modern show anymore. If The X-Files isn't going to evolve its storytelling, it shouldn't have come back.
Where to begin? How about Mulder merely handing that poor guy his card? That moment right there told me Mulder and Scully are absolutely useless and always have been. They didn't think to offer that guy FBI protection? Or at least stay with him while he was going through this? I mean the deaths only happened when the people were alone, right? Why not make sure to give this guy a person to watch them? What are the X-Files even for if they can't help protect innocent people from stuff like that? What is the actual point of Mulder and Scully? Answer: There doesn't seem to be one.
And then Mulder makes a joke about him losing his head. You know, you forgive that kind of thing from Lennie Briscoe, because Briscoe has never met the victim in question, and is using it as gallows humor to defuse the tension of being with a dead body. Mulder actually thinks that quip is funny in that circumstance. Worse, this wasn't some random guy. He and Scully had met the lawyer, and basically failed to save his life. And Mulder doesn't care. One of the worst things about Mulder on the old show was his disregard for other people. It was the 90's, so I forgave it, because it's not like there was a ton of better written television shows with better characters to compare it with. Now that there have been, I call foul. It is unacceptable.
Also, does is never occur to Mulder that Scully has gone through menopause and that's why she can't have kids? Plus, I seem to remember her ova was stolen by aliens in the original series. He is being so indelicate and the look on her face says "Geez, do I have to spell this out for you?"
Also, let me see if I get this straight: Mulder and Scully live in the same house and chill on the couch but still aren't back together? I'm calling b.s.. That's a retcon from last week.
Also, doors to patients' bedrooms in mental hospitals do not have locks precisely for the reason the episode showed. In an emergency, the staff need to be able to reach the patient in crisis immediately. Also, there are no hospital staff that afraid of their charges. If the patient IS that dangerous, they are put in a worse institution that can handle them. In reality, if Judy is as bad as the nurses say, she'd be somewhere else, somewhere MUCH more strict, and certainly someplace without a lock on the bedroom door. It's been over 20 years! How does Chris Carter still not know this? He has obviously been throwing out my hatemail for the past 20 years.
I look forward to next week's episode, which is clearly written by Darin Morgan. Because Chris Carter has no idea what he is doing. When the current episodes aren't written by him, the show is fine. He is the sole reason the relaunch is sucking. *.
The Good Place "Rhonda, Diane, Jake, And Trent"
I love Transformers body spray. It makes you smell how the movies make you feel. Why does Michael smell loud and confusing?
I also love that there are mirrors on the toilets in hell.
My favorite thing was Michael solving the train dilemma. The correct way. A truly ethical person would not choose between which other person would die. They'd sacrifice themselves. Which shows that Michael is better at philosophy than Chiti.
I love that Michael's boss chose the guise of a 45 year old white man because they can only fail upward.
Tahini's American accent was so funny because it was equally as convincing as her British one. When you hang around Johnny Depp you quickly learn to lie. Why no, Johnny, that performance wasn't totally weird and off-putting at ALL. Hysterical.
Terrific episode of a terrific season of a terrific show. *****.
Happy! "The Scrapyard Of Childish Things"
Last week I said was pretty much the make or break episode of the series, and while not the best episode, the one that told me the rest of the series would be amazing. THIS episode is the confirmation of that.
The support group for fading imaginary friends already opened up the world beyond anything we suspected. But Blue's son being involved in trafficking imaginary friend slaves? The mantra of this show is "Everything happens for a reason.:" This cannot be random.
The stuff with Nick and the priest was gold (Christopher Meloni deserves an Emmy for this role) but I am truly interested in what happened when the priest heard the code word in Latin and "the truth". He not only throws aside the collar, he robs the Church donation box. Which suggests to be that he isn't renouncing the idea of God, but rather the role God seems to be playing. I think the priest is still a believer, but perhaps after meeting Michael, maybe he's now playing for the other team.
Can I just say how refreshing it was that the black priest survived? I expected him to get killed off at several points, and instead he leaves stealing the collection box. Good for this show.
Hailey looks extremely creepy in beauty pageant make-up. Anyone who puts a kid in that is probably a total monster and a perv. For the record, I include the producers of this show in that. They are not off the hook for it, no matter the statement they thought they were making by doing it.
Imaginary friend Russian Roulette.is pretty much why this show exists. And it also tells me why the last couple of episodes were Happy light. They were saving up the budget for this. Worth every penny.
This show is amazing. *****.
The Blacklist "Abraham Stern"
Elizabeth Keene is getting good at killing people. She is still a amateur about covering it up. I could have told her the mistake immediately. She left the apartment TOO clean. Noticeably so for a criminal. And so she just gave the authorities a big fat reason to search it. And she forgot to get rid of the rag. I'd take Liz to protect me in a fight. But to cover up a crime? I'd look elsewhere.
I love Red's wonderful scene with Dembe at the beginning. He's so happy, and extolling the virtues of treasure, mysteries, and The Gold Bug, and then CRASH! He's robbed by Nathan Lane! GUEST Star Nathan Lane, NOT Special Guest Star. If I were Lane, I'd be ticked. He's too fabulous for this show to not be considered a special guest.
I love that Red is trying to get Harold to see this adventure as fun. And Aram is totally on-board that idea. Harold could learn from him.
Red is quite the Luddite. He says he misses rotary phones. Can I just say how much I hated rotary phones, and for the precise reason Red hated the 0? They take forever to dial, and if you mess up the 11th number on a long distance call, you have to start all over again. And if those numbers had a bunch of 8's, 9's, and 0's that was a chore. Using those things was less like using a communication device, and more like being forced to take piano lessons. Except with the rotary phone, you have nothing to show for it. Nobody is going to applaud a recital for people who dial the correct phone number on the first try.
I love Stern saying the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, and then us cutting to Liz plunging a body down the tub. I had the same WTF reaction as her to the electronic eyeball.
Stern telling his story to Red was amazing because you got the sense Red was the one person on the show who could fully appreciate it. His father left him the coins so he wouldn't become a criminal. And yet here we are. I love the notion that he spent them on candy. And off course, he the remembers the specific candy: Fireballs. I love that the show always has details like that when characters like Red and Stern are spinning their various yarns. It makes it like you're almost in the room with Red and Stern.
I'd like to think that Red would not have betrayed Stern if Stern had not betrayed him first. But that is JUST a crazy theory, and one I'll keep believing so I can sleep at night. If you did not feel bad for Stern after that money got sucked from the room, you are a monster. He was right about one thing. This WAS his father's legacy, and Red had no right to horn in it. Except Red acknowledges no-one else's rights but his own.
I love that after Glenn has the heart attack and Liz has stolen the penny, she repeatedly asks the EMT's if he needs the aspirin. That was actually clever. She just committed a major crime. And deflected suspicion precisely by drawing far too much attention to herself. I think Liz is pretty dumb at crime if you go by her covering up the murder (at least at first) but that was smart.
Speaking of which, I did love how she fixed it. She used the entire investigation towards her own ends, which is precisely what Red always used to do to her. Can he be mad? Nope, but he's also the only one smart enough to figure out the truth and call her on it. I am impressed Harold believed Red's (true) claims of innocence of taking that evidence at the end. Were I him, I might not have, or at least suspected something larger was going on.
I love that Red warns the nurses on the get-well card that Glenn is a "licentious cad". And he is. Good for Red.
And the ultimate treasure is, of course, Winston Churchill's hat that he wore during the Blitz. I think it looks totally goofy on Red, but he'll take amazing from Liz and like it.
This was pretty much the perfect episode. I was nonstop smiles during the entire thing. *****.
Blindspot "Balance Of Might"
It struck me that this episode had a few really interesting scenes that couldn't quite hide the fact that the larger mythology of the show is thudding along at a predictable pace. The show sucks. No question. But it had a couple of interesting scenes involving Ronan that almost made me forget that.
Let's get the bad out of the way first: Weller. He sucks. He does everything wrong. I have Asperger's and even I know everything he tells Jane is the last thing she needs to hear. He thinks "Wait, this is my fault. Jane should come home and I should be the one sleeping in a hotel." He is a dolt. Did it ever occur to him that because of what he did, Jane no longer feels safe or comfortable in their apartment? Maybe the reason she let him keep their happy home is because she no longer thought of it as happy, only attributed bad memories to it, and it was the last place she felt safe. Ever think of that, tough guy?
And then he says "I love you." I hate that. Normally I'd complain about a guy deciding things for his girlfriend, but I honestly think Weller is doing the opposite and sucks even worse than a guy trying to get his girlfriend to do what he wants. He's putting the onus on her to either say "I love you" back or not. She should not have to be placed in the situation where she instantly has to make that decision, much less tell Weller what it is while she is so mad at him. And yet, that's what he forced her to do.
The third thing that p*ssed me off was Weller going to Patterson to look up information on Avery to give Jane "closure". Patterson was right to reject that idea. Funnily enough, I don't believe she was wrong to change her mind later and do her own digging. But I should not have to explain to either Weller or the writers why that is a terrible idea. Information on Avery is definitely something Jane would appreciate. But he doesn't think through the ramifications of him being the one who gives it to her. Would she truly be happy learning about her daughter's life from the man who supposedly took it away? I think if Patterson gives her that information she'd treasure it. If Weller does, it's entirely tainted, and the entire experience is ruined for Jane. It's like Weller hates feeling bad so much, he is willing to ruin the idea of Jane's daughter in her own mind.
Trust me, I understand the nature of a guy wanting to fix something, and a woman declining to do something about the actual problem other than vent. I get that. It's probably the thing that bothers me most about women. I do not think it is unreasonable to come up with solutions to a problem and try them. But this is not that situation. It's one thing if your girlfriend is having a conflict at work and you are advising her how to best deal with it. It's not actually your business, but if she involves you by telling you about the situation, it my mind, offering advice is the only rational solution. If she resents the fact that advice was offered in the first place, then I think that's her hang-up. But I think if a woman is feeling depressed, or sad, or broken, you can't fix that. Especially if you were the one who made her feel that way. By trying to fix it, Weller is almost saying that he can rationalize a way for her to feel better, which means he doesn't actually appreciate what or how she is actually suffering. He can't fix this. And the fact that he thinks he should be allowed to, especially in this exact circumstance, tells me he's the worst husband ever, and would be true even if he hadn't killed his wife's daughter.
Let's talk about Ronan. Bad stuff first: If Ronan's master plan was to set Weller up for Avery's murder by faking her death, it's the dumbest plan ever. Because of course they are going to learn the truth. How Ronan thinks they won't truly disturbs me, because until this week, I thought Ronan was a much smarter master-planner than that. But then I kind of got to thinking that maybe that's part of the plan too. Right? He can't be this dumb. Is it possible that even though he knew the rift wouldn't be permanent, that he sprung it on them when he did to divide the team at a crucial juncture? The new tattoos designed to break apart the team suggest that is a possibility. The fact that this show is Berlanti however means there is an equal chance the show is merely badly written, and his master plan ends upon breaking them up. We'll see. I hope it's the former. But it's Berlanti. I'm not taking that for granted.
The good Ronan stuff was the scene in his room with his girlfriend. His girlfriend was suddenly suspicious of him this episode, and it seemed to be out of the blue. Or is it? Did her bodyguard raise her suspicions about his false identity, and that's why she flew off the handle at him being afraid of being photographed? When he tells her he loves her, does he mean it? Does she even believe him, or does she actually suspect the truth, and is stringing him along to play for time until proof comes? You just don't know, and the way the actors played the scene was so great because it was so ambiguous.
Speaking of which, are Ronan and the bodyguard friends now? Or does Ronan realize he's going to check his prints and DNA? The reason I ask is because Ronan telling him he caught onto to him trying to frame him for losing the coin is a really bad idea. Because Ronan actually murdered the coin thief. Which the bodyguard will learn with the slightest digging. It seemed so foolish that I'm wondering if he's somehow leaving a false trail and is manipulating the threatening bodyguard into making a mistake with his boss regarding trust, that he'll be killed for, and will move Ronan up in the ranks. Maybe he's looking to frame him for the murder of the coin thief? As of now, I am unsure, just based on how both actors played the scene. There is a 50% chance he is the David Xanatos that Greg Weisman always talks up on his online forum. There is another 50% he is the David Xanatos who actually existed on Gargoyles. He's either a theoretical, 11 dimensional chess-playing, master manipulator, or a sloppy braggart, who uses his high opinion of himself to psyche other people out, so they think he actually knows what he's doing when he doesn't. And again, it's Berlanti. I'm unfortunately betting it's the second thing.
What is up with Reed's girlfriend not wanting "attention"? She should probably have a different career if she is actually hiding something that she doesn't want to come out. Which is I think the dumbest idea in an episode filled with nothing but dumb ideas.
They didn't exactly nuke the fridge, but they bombed it. Things are getting a wee bit desperate in season three.
Zapata playfully tells Reed she never heard him say he loves his girlfriend before. His response is perfect. They live together. It would be weird if he NEVER said it. I hope Zapata fully understands what a cretin she seemed after he pointed that 100% true thing out.
Weller is just the worst. Ronan is possibly the best, but there is also an equal chance he is ALSO the worst instead, and I do not trust the writers who think it's perfectly reasonable for Weller to want to give pictures of Jane's daughter to her after he killed her not to take the worst written way out. But the situation is what it is. **1/2.
