"Lucifer" Season Four Review (Spoilers)
Oct. 5th, 2019 09:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
matt_zimmerAlso reviews for the latest episodes of Titans, and DC Super Hero Girls Super Shorts, more episodes of New Looney Tunes, the latest episodes of Transformers: Cyberverse, Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy, Power Rangers Beast Morphers, and LEGO Jurassic World: The Legend Of Isla Nublar, the series premiere of Genddy Tartakovsky's Primal, the latest episodes of The Good Place, and Black Jesus, and the season premiere of The Blacklist.
Lucifer "Everything's Okay"
Wow, that ending intrigued me. Chloe in Church hints she stands against Lucifer, but the when priest tells her what she's doing will help everyone on Earth INCLUDING Lucifer, I wonder what it is exactly she is doing. The priest seems to be quite a different role for Graham McTavish than the Saint of Killers.
I love Dan refusing to play along with Lucifer's passive-aggressive b.s.. I think his response was TOO mean, but in truth, he should have called that out back when they were friends. It was long overdue.
I loved the scene with Amenadiel convinces Dan Charlotte IS in Heaven. Boy, that did the trick. I was convinced he was going to show the wings, but he clearly didn't need to.
I had been thinking Chloe had been processing the reveal wrong all throughout the episode, but the end tells me she knows something that explains her behavior. I look forward to seeing what it is. ****1/2.
Lucifer "Somebody's Been Reading Dante's Inferno"
As a show-long Chloe hater I expect a LOT of fans to be furious with her for what she planned to do and then backed out of. But as much as I hate the character, and sympathize with Lucifer, I like, you know, GET it. The only reason I know that Lucifer is not evil is because the audience (and perhaps Neil Gaiman's God) are the only people who have been witnessing Lucifer's actions objectively. But the "The Devil is Bad" message is ingrained into everyone young, the religious and secular alike. You don't have to believe in him to recognize him as a synonym for evil. That's millennia of Church teachings and popular culture that have preached that over and over again. After all that, the idea of an innocent Satan has got to be confusing, and for most people unlikely, even if you knew him personally. I liked Chloe asking the questions she did because I think the thing that convinced her wasn't Lucifer's answers themselves, it was his legitimately offended reaction to her even entertaining the notion that Pierce wasn't the first human he killed, and that she didn't think torture was just a job for him and didn't enjoy it. The Father claims he's a good actor, but even the best actor on Earth would probably choose a different way to react. If Lucifer were truly evil, he'd be laughing it off and painting the notion as ridiculous. And when the Father calls him the God of Lies, that's another thing to state that he's wrong. I don't believe that Lucifer has never lied. He's done lies of omission, and he's owned up to that later. But I don't think Lucifer has ever lied about anything significant enough to break his claim that he never lies. That's technically not true, because lies of omission and subterfuge are a bit dishonest. But he never lies about the big stuff, and when he strays, he owns it. The biggest thing that say that Father is wrong is that she's known him for three years and never caught him in a real lie. How many people who work that closely with each other is that actually true? Not very many, I'd wager.
And if that is the biggest lie of all, that doesn't make sense. Big lies need a ton of little ones to prop them up. And if he hasn't been telling little lies, that means the big lie probably doesn't exist.
Her asking about his vulnerabilities was an eye-opener for her too. He had a good answer, the answer proved that he cared about her, and it actually explained every bit of a discrepancy she could not fathom or reconcile. I don't think Lucifer needed to risk his life to save her to change her mind at that point. Occam's Razor says the Church is reading things wrong.
And I like and appreciate that this version of the Devil isn't evil. If the real-world existed that might actually be true as well. Because he wouldn't need to be evil to function and fit into Biblical prophecy and allegory. Everything is supposedly in God's design. Which means Lucifer is too. And I think that God probably has a lot more pull and responsibility with Lucifer than he does the humans on Earth. I think if God didn't want Lucifer to exist, he wouldn't. And there is a good chance that if that is true and the Devil has his function, than he doesn't necessarily have to be evil. It could just be a day job.
But it's interesting that the show follows Church morality while trying to get the audience to question their perceptions of it. I see why people got upset even if the show is both moral and relatively tame when compared to an outright blasphemous and anti-Christian show like Preacher.
I love that Amenadiel is happy Linda is pregnant. Big smile at that. Now he knows why he's still there. That's amazing to me.
I love Maze telling Linda childbirth is a common torture scenario in Hell. Because face it, it probably is.
I don't hate Chloe as much as I'm betting some fans will after that. ****1/2.
Lucifer "O, Ye Of Little Faith, Father"
Wow, the show just put up the argument I wrote in the last review in the next episode. I'm better at predicting this show than I was the last season of Jessica Jones.
I love Lucifer and Chloe's relationship this year. Because this is the first year he has the high ground and she is trying to make things up to him. And she's trying. But whether she was confused or not, that's the sort of thing she should have immediately told and warned Lucifer about. I get the idea that it goes against everything everyone is taught. But it strikes me that she owed him the chance to explain himself. And it's to her credit, that she let him do so before deciding to back out. But she never should have agreed to the plan in the first place without doing that.
Is it just me or is Lucifer's Devil face kind of dapper the more I get used to it? It's a good design in that you think it looks horrific at first, but after awhile you don't. It's like Worf on Star Trek. The more you see it, the less you are threatened by it. I hope that winds up true for Chloe too.
That was pretty great. Although it is possible that Eve is Lucifer's first love and the catalyst for the prophecy, I don't take that at face value simply because the Father seems wrong about so much. That being said, I don't dismiss it either. The father is a known liar. It's possible the misinformation he gave Chloe was given not out of ignorance but as a way to manipulate her, which is what he did with Lucifer himself. The prophecy is not completely off the table because it's possible the Father knows more about it than he's demonstrated to the other characters. Interestingly, if that's so, the Father is dumb. People don't tend to trust serial liars and known murderers. If the stakes are what he claims, you'd figure he'd want the Church to be as clean as possible in all this. He's discrediting his own dire warnings with his evil actions.
I continue to detest Linda. In Linda's defense, this is new and scary. But what annoys me is her claiming that Amenadiel is doing this for all the wrong reasons. If she's scared or doesn't want to be with him, she can say that. But don't diminish Amenadiel's commitment. The dude CLEARLY wants this. Probably more than anything he's ever wanted in his celestial existence. And for an angel, that means something. I detest Linda for telling Amenadiel he isn't taking this seriously. In truth, he's taking it far more seriously than she is.
This was a good episode too. The shorter seasons and less focus on the case of the week are really helping the show. I've only seen three episodes as of writing this review, but so far this is the best season. The show has never had that good a batting average right off the bat. We'll see if I'm wrong later on. ****.
Lucifer "All About Eve"
There is something innocent about Eve. But she is so erratic, I do not trust her. I think she's on Luci's side for now. But she is the precise kind of hot mess who would switch sides simply because she's bored, and would find being evil more fun and interesting. The fact that she is so invested in fun means she can't be trusted. But she IS innocent. Which means she can probably pretty easily be corrupted. After all, she already was.
I love that Maze doesn't give Linda and Amemadiel a choice about her moving in. The bubble wrap on the ceiling was a scream too.
I pegged Toby as the murderer instantly. He had the innocent face that said he was the surprise bad guy.
This continues to be the strongest season so far. ****.
Lucifer "Expire Erect"
That was a gem of an episode that was hard to predict.
I love the subtext of Eve trying to tempt Lucifer. The episode and the show gave me a whole bunch of ideas about Eve and Lucifer I never considered before. Eve was created simply to be Adam's wife. Nobody asked her if she wanted that, she was forced into it. And Lucifer is the first person who asked her what she really wanted. What's subversive is that the show is viewing the Biblical parable through a modern lens and calling it abhorrent. What's interesting is when it's explained like that, it kind of is. It also is another thing to suggest that Lucifer does not need to redeem himself from an entire existence of evil. On some level he was always good.
It's very interesting everybody likes Eve in spite of themselves. They can't help it. But it seems to me Eve may have a jealous streak that makes her dangerous. Her Eve costume at the beginning of the episode was pretty sexy. They'd never get away with that on broadcast. For some Tom Ellis's bum is the selling point of the Netflix era. For me, it's Eve's Halloween costume.
Amenadiel brought up something alarming that I hadn't considered: What if Eve showed up as payback for Cain? That idea didn't go anywhere, and it didn't need to, but it amazes me that I never considered that.
Speaking of Amenadiel, I love the moment he reveals Chloe's father is in Heaven, he spoke to him, and that he's proud of her. I think this has been Amenadiel's finest season.
Can I say how refreshing it was that Chloe didn't treat Lucifer like garbage for hooking up with Eve? I suspect the reason she refuses to give him the business is because she now knows who Eve is. Eve is the woman who saw his true face and didn't flinch. She didn't even see the need to do that. How can Chloe hold it against Lucifer for being with someone who instantly gives him the unquestioning acceptance she refuses to? And I like that Chloe doesn't try to make Lucifer feel bad or Eve into the bad guy. Her checking with Amenadiel was smart though, because I don't think Eve can trusted either. But as far as what she's done so far, she's more than earned being respected by Lucifer's friends and partners.
I love that the Lucifer calls the female officer "The Unnamed Uni" and she loves him for it. That is a charming fella right there. Nobody but Satan could get away with that.
The evil wife in this episode was another one of those suspects with a completely innocent face, but unlike the guy last episode, I totally fell for it. She surprised the heck out of me. I felt just as shocked as Dan was.
Five great episodes in a row. A first for the series. The lack of filler is helping immensely. *****.
Lucifer "Orgy Pants To Work"
Ella is annoying, but she has a very nice bare bum. I'll give her that.
I notice the show still has act breaks. Probably for syndication. Although what over-the-air channel is going to broadcast an episode set in a nudist camp is strictly up for debate.
I love that Maze immediately loves Eve. At this point, I do too.
Things are getting serious with Amenadiel. At first I thought Remy was here for Eve, but being there for the celestial child is far worse. Scary things coming up.
This was a good episode, but it was the first episode of the season that wasn't actually a great one. ***1/2.
Lucifer "Devil Is As Devil Does"
S-bomb from Ella. Nice!
I love that Trixie immediately dislikes Eve. And I like that Eve saves her life anyways.
I'm glad Linda asked if Maze was in love with her. Because we'd all be wondering if she didn't.
Dan is off the hook. For now.
Getting good. ***1/2.
Lucifer "Super Bad Boyfriend"
That was amazing. I loved Amenadiel being forced to realize what it is like to live as a black man for the first time, and his feelings of loss really moved me. What I loved most is that Lucifer was there for him when he really needed him.
Lucifer's session with Linda at the end was also amazing television and got me right there. Tom Ellis' finest performance.
I think Dan is back to being Detective D-word.
Of course Linda loves Eve. Luci can't catch a break.
Best episode of the season. *****.
Lucifer "Save Lucifer"
I didn't much care for the first 2/3rds of the episode, but that last fifteen minutes were great and knocked my socks off. Very cool stuff. ***1/2.
Lucifer "Who's Da New King Of Hell?"
That was a pretty great finale. I love that Amenadiel changed his mind about the Silver City, and that everyone teamed up at the end to rescue Charlie. I also loved the revelation at the end that Chloe was Lucifer's first love after all.
Here's my problem: Nobody even bothers to question whether or not the prophecy is actually true. It's just taken for granted that it is. Who relayed it? The father. Not the trustworthy sort. Did they try and verify it through a second source? They should have, because the conflict at the end of the episode didn't even have to do with the prophecy, but in replacing Lucifer. I still have seen no good evidence that the prophecy itself is true.
First f-bomb of the series. Truthfully it was a bit jarring.
Graham McTavish poking fun of the accent was funny.
That was a pretty great season and a good last episode. The brief glimpse of Hell also has me excited for the last season. ****.
Titans "Deathstroke"
Wow, the team really could have used Starfire back in the day. She's their current biggest gun.
Jason falling doesn't concern me much. I'm pretty sure this is when they introduce Kori's ability to fly.
Knew Dr. Light was getting kacked. He's the definition of expendable. This is what happens to people who mouth off to Slade Wilson.
There was something in the episode I hated, which is very reminiscent of the terrible morals of season one. But when Kori is telling Rachel that they are special and destined for greatness, that is not just a standard epic comic book speech. That is a bad thing. That is the last thing you should be telling a confused teenager. It's exact sort of tripe I could picture Lionel Luthor ranting to Lex. It's NOT a good or healthy thing for a person to hear, much less a kid. And the reason comic books suck is because stuff like that is never taken under consideration. In fairness to this show, stuff like that was non-stop last year, and this was just a couple of lines. But it bothers me all the same.
The episode was good otherwise. ***.
DC Super Hero Girls Super Shorts "Booked"
They pronounced Ra's wrong.
Hard to believe putting books back on shelves is enough to make Kara sweat.
Meh. **1/2.
DC Super Hero Girls Super Shorts "Comic Gone"
You know, Batgirl, breaking and entering, and blowing up comic book shops are crimes. Just saying.
But the episode was still a gem. *****.
New Looney Tunes "King Nutininkommen / Greenhouse Gasbag"
King Nutininkommen:
Is this the first episode in which Bugs Bunny doesn't appear in either cartoon? It might be.
I love that Daffy calls hieroglyphs "emojis". I also love the Mummy saying that an archaeologist is a fancy word for "grave-robber". The messed up thing is that it is.
Funny stuff. ****.
Greenhouse Gasbag:
This is perhaps the most frightening Looney Tunes cartoon I have ever seen. It posits the horrifying idea that Foghorn Leghorn has turned into a ranting environmentalist liberal. I don't care what side of the political spectrum you fall on. It's bad for everybody either way. Holy freaking God. Hasn't this country suffered enough? ***1/2.
Episode Overall: ****.
New Looney Tunes "AbracaWabbit / Ponce de Calzone"
Admit it. Victor's card tricks at the beginning were pretty amazing. He's a jerk, so I get why he needs to be punished by Bugs, but unlike the other braggarts Bugs torments, he's actually good at his job.
I love the "Please stand by" card very much. Hilarious.
This was a good one. ****.
Ponce de Calzone:
I can't tell if Ponce was punished at the end or not. Daffy begging the kid not to cry suggests the punishment has shifted over to him.
You know what? Daffy sucks. I have seen some Looney Tunes characters do some awful things, but feeding a guy a rotten peach, spoiled milk, and mealworms in a chow mein container is like the meanest thing I've ever seen one of them do to their villains. Granted, the guy is already dumb enough to drink garbage water, but that's pretty much rubbing his nose in that. Which is outright uncool.
I want to know Lucius's story. Friend of Daffy's? Relation? Who is to say?
That was pretty funny, and the stuff with the dude eating spoiled food DID make me laugh in an appalled way, but it was also super mean. ***1/2.
Episode Overall: ***1/2.
New Looney Tunes "For The Love Of Fraud / Not So Special Delivery"
For The Love Of Fraud:
Finally. I always wanted to see Bugs vs Foghorn. Because that means Foghorn loses. Good stuff. ****.
Not So Special Delivery:
I love Daffy checking with Porky that it's not neurosurgery.
Porky in the diaper is creepy.
Never tell Daffy Freaking Duck that babies love calamity. Bad things will happen.
Funny. ****1/2.
New Looney Tunes "One Carroter In Search Of An Artist / The Duck Days Of Summer"
One Carroter In Search Of An Artist:
It's fun to see a version of Rabbit Rampage using modern animation tools and techniques.
I love the cameo of Buzz Bunny. Because that is not an Easter Egg. That's an outright slam. The era of that show and Baby Looney Tunes were pretty much the low point of the entire franchise.
This was fun though. *****.
The Duck Days Of Summer:
Daffy does a good Elmer impression.
Elmer lied to the masses! How dare he!
Not as good as the first short. ***1/2.
Episode Overall: ****1/2.
New Looney Tunes "Etiquette Shmetiquette / Daffy In The Science Museum"
Etiquette Shmetiquette:
I love Daffy complaining about Gertrude's pitch. He actually thinks that won him points with her at the end.
I agree with Daffy in that is probably makes more sense for classy people to you know, READ books, instead of balance them on their heads but I'm a known heathen.
They are really mixing up the characters on this show. ***1/2.
Daffy In Science Museum:
Do you know something? I don't think I've heard anyone really compliment Bob Bergen on how amazing his Porky Pig is. The stuttering thing is an impossible thing to get right, but he nails it every time, and makes it funny instead of pathetic. The comic timing, when he gives up and switches to a different (often harder) word, I think a lot of how it plays out is down to Bergen.
The rest of the Looney Tunes voice cast seems to vary from project to project. But I think Bergen is always Porky because nobody else can do it the way he can. Mel Blanc was pretty manic in the role, but Bergen puts a layer of nuance in it that wouldn't occur to people making cartoons in the 1940's. I'm not saying Bergen is a better voice actor than Mel Blanc. But the performance of Porky is more solid with him. And Bergen does not get the credit he deserves for that. We kind of all take him for granted, but he's sort of the current voice MVP of the franchise. ****.
Episode Overall: ****.
New Looney Tunes "Tad The Bachelor / Affaire Du Jour"
Tad The Bachelor:
The animation as Tad was being mauled by lobsters and beaten with an oar was quite great.
I like that Bugs is very clear to affirm to the audience that the guy ate a family of rabbits. Literally five of them. That makes whatever Bugs does to him just. And Bugs surprisingly does NOT actually have the high ground with many of his foes. It's clear that in this case, he does.
Maneater. Groan. I suppose it's only fair. They already did the cougar joke. ****.
Affaire Du Jour:
The cartoon attempts the impossible. To make the repulsive character of Pepe Le Pew work in 2019.
The episode doesn't work. It's nice that Pepe doesn't get the girl for once, is thwarted at every turn, and she gets the best of HIM, but all of the ways they did that means it's not even the same character and premise. To keep things safe, and to be rid of the offensive French accent, there is no dialogue, and to make his lust less creepy, they weirdly anthropomorphized the character so that he and his object of affection interact with humans like peers. He even wears clothes! So basically they brought Pepe to 2019 by deciding to rewrite everything about the character, so he'll be funny, instead of totally gross.
Problem: It's not actually funny. Pepe cartoons never are, but it amazes that upon working so hard to fix the reprehensible glaring faults of the original shorts, the cartoon couldn't even make things funny then. It's about as clever and funny as the Hip Hippos on Animaniacs if the animation didn't suck. And yes, I am aware of what a slam that is. I regret nothing.
Lame. *1/2.
New Looney Tunes "Top Bugs / Slugsmoby"
Top Bugs:
Sort of a weak parody but the good thing about Bugs and Cecil teaming up is that everybody wins. Except Porky.
Bugs and Porky didn't share a lot of original cartoons together which is something interesting about this show. I'm loathe to talk smack about the original Looney Tunes. But maybe those producers were thinking way too small. Look at all of the different scenarios this show has created by pairing up characters who don't go together like Bugs and Foghorn or Daffy and Tweety. I'm not saying the original Looney Tunes wore thin or anything. But considering the huge cast, they were definitely limiting the things they could do by keeping everybody in seperate cartoons. And that's a good thing about this show. ***1/2.
Slugsmoby:
Slugsmoby has a cute design. It's a cross between an elephant, a seal, and one of the bad guys from the Raccoons cartoon. ***.
Episode Overall: ***.
New Looney Tunes "Rhoda Rage / Good Duck To You Cirque"
Rhoda Rage:
FAIL.
"I can't hit a girl!" The problem is once he says that, you're thinking about it. And you can't unthink it. Your mind automatically goes to abuse whether the woman is strong or not. How dumb was the show for bringing that up themselves? I suppose they wanted plausible deniability with Bugs' Ma, but they would have had a better shot at it had they not drawn it to our attention.
Seriously. Bugs Bunny should not beating up lady wrestlers. It doesn't work.
On the plus side, the facial designs for the human characters continue to be dynamite, and far more interesting and better animated to me than any previous Looney Tunes project. They are like John Kricfalusi without the sociopathic baggage.
But seriously, that still stunk. *1/2.
Good Duck To You Cirque:
Diving into a bowl of sauerkraut is a Great Gonzo stunt. Full stop. ***1/2.
Episode Overall: **1/2.
Transformers: Cyberverse "Trials"
I love that the questions for Optimus and Megatron involved the other person. Optimus did not wind up looking good either.
I like that when Starscream steals the Spark, Megatron pivots and acts like that was his plan all along. That was probably canny.
I like Cheetor.
Good episode. ****1/2.
Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy "Buddy Cop"
I love that when Grimlock is asking if he's being smug, he gives his Number 1 Grade A Smile with all those sharp teeth.
I also love that they recounted at the end how Grimlock pulled off the win.
Dare I say it? Is this season actually passable? ****.
Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy "Escape From Penguin Island"
The penguins were SO cute. Actually, that episode was cute in general. ***.
Power Rangers Beast Morphers "Real Steel"
I love Steel being all "I'm the dumbest person you'll ever meet!" upon being told he's dumber than he looks.
But I couldn't help but yell at my screen during the heartwarming hug, "Shoot the bad guy! Now! He's right there! He's asking for it! He'd look great gettin' shot! He's all dressed up and ready to paint the floor with his soon to be shot guts! Women may love diamonds, but that dude wants to get shot in the head! SHOOT! HIM!"
My TV never listens to me. ***1/2.
LEGO Jurassic World: The :Legend Of Isla Nublar "Pteranodon't!"
It looks like they DO have license to use the Jurassic Park theme after all. Which is good. Because the show otherwise sucks. **1/2.
Genddy Tartakovsky's Primal "Spear And Fang"
That was a bit rough. That's not to say bad, but the first episode sort of hit me wrong. Witnessing the deaths of Fang's family was bad enough. But Spear's family being eaten on-screen that way felt a bit gratuitous, which is saying something, because it was probably more understated than the rest of the episode. It was still far too graphic and upsetting. I don't expect to have this problem with the later episodes when it's just Spear and Fang, but I felt really uncomfortable watching that, and trying to reconcile that on some level Genddy wanted me to enjoy that. I didn't. Not this episode at least.
One of the nice touches that shocked me was the idea that the T-Rexes that ate Spear's family were babies themselves. It surprises me Fang's babies move Spear so considering the destruction those other babies caused him. But I don't exactly blame him for weakening at that. They WERE far smaller and more helpless after all.
I have two surface complaints that cannot and will not be addressed. They are both flaws in the very fabric of the show. But there isn't a reasonable explanation why cavemen existed in this world during dinosaur times. Those were two entirely differently prehistoric eras. Yes, The Flintstones did the same thing. But The Flintstones is considered a complete joke because of it. Or maybe Samurai Jack going back and forth in time reverberated into the past and messed up the timeline a bit. I'm spitballing here because there isn't really a good explanation for it.
The other thing me is where's Spear's beard? He doesn't have access to a razor. But Genddy keeps him clean-shaven to read his expression easier, which is especially important in a show without dialogue (or at least none so far). But it's still a hole, is what I'm saying.
I have a strong suspicion I'm going to like the upcoming episodes more than I did this one. ***.
The Good Place "A Girl From Arizona, Part 2"
Man, they got their work cut out for them with Brent. He's just awful.
I love that there's a cheat code that whenever Michael says Jason's name five times his headache goes away.
I love Michael's encouragements to Eleanor. That character has really come a long way.
And also liked him asking her what swears she was trying to use. That's what I'd like to know too.
I love how seriously Janet breaks the Jacksonville Jaguars news to Jason. She knows it is going to be a blow.
Jason describing the first chocolate as "gross" was funny.
Chiti's scene at the end with Simone was great. I see why Eleanor didn't want to give him up.
Jason will NEVER break the "Leave me hangin'" Code.
Good episode. ****.
Black Jesus "After Parole Officer"
It's interesting that Tyler the white parole officer is a good guy, and it's also interesting that his girlfriend's objections to Boonie are legitimate. Boonie's behavior was super gross. I don't like the idea that the show might be saying that black people don't know how to behave themselves. On the other hand, I thought Jesus was a wonderful houseguest, although like Cassandra said, He should have been objecting to the b-word more than He did.
Seeing the smoke coming out of Jesus' mouth makes me laugh. As did "Christ lives matter!"
"You got money? Let's get some weed!" I love this Jesus, and He is very close to my ideal version of that person. But there is no denying He's kind of a bum.
Is Cassandra right? Is Boonie racist against black people? I don't think so. I think that's a wrong-headed opinion. I'm white and I have harsh things to say about white people, but I'm not racist against them. There is an entirely different subtext to Boonie saying those things than if Cassandra said them herself. And that is very much Aaron McGruder's influence on the show. If anything he criticizes black culture more than he does white culture. But I don't think he's a racist for it.
Jesus sort of hints Fish, Trayvon, and Maggie are dead, and I don't like that. But I DO like the idea that they are in Heaven. Very much.
A good week. ****.
The Blacklist "Louis T. Steinhil"
Liz's perspective that Red means more to her because he's not her father and has still devoted his life to her is a wise one. A pity she didn't have it before she turned him in last year. Let's just say I'm not impressed.
Katarina's trap however is quite clever. I AM impressed with Red for nearly escaping it.
Great cliffhanger too. ****.
Lucifer "Everything's Okay"
Wow, that ending intrigued me. Chloe in Church hints she stands against Lucifer, but the when priest tells her what she's doing will help everyone on Earth INCLUDING Lucifer, I wonder what it is exactly she is doing. The priest seems to be quite a different role for Graham McTavish than the Saint of Killers.
I love Dan refusing to play along with Lucifer's passive-aggressive b.s.. I think his response was TOO mean, but in truth, he should have called that out back when they were friends. It was long overdue.
I loved the scene with Amenadiel convinces Dan Charlotte IS in Heaven. Boy, that did the trick. I was convinced he was going to show the wings, but he clearly didn't need to.
I had been thinking Chloe had been processing the reveal wrong all throughout the episode, but the end tells me she knows something that explains her behavior. I look forward to seeing what it is. ****1/2.
Lucifer "Somebody's Been Reading Dante's Inferno"
As a show-long Chloe hater I expect a LOT of fans to be furious with her for what she planned to do and then backed out of. But as much as I hate the character, and sympathize with Lucifer, I like, you know, GET it. The only reason I know that Lucifer is not evil is because the audience (and perhaps Neil Gaiman's God) are the only people who have been witnessing Lucifer's actions objectively. But the "The Devil is Bad" message is ingrained into everyone young, the religious and secular alike. You don't have to believe in him to recognize him as a synonym for evil. That's millennia of Church teachings and popular culture that have preached that over and over again. After all that, the idea of an innocent Satan has got to be confusing, and for most people unlikely, even if you knew him personally. I liked Chloe asking the questions she did because I think the thing that convinced her wasn't Lucifer's answers themselves, it was his legitimately offended reaction to her even entertaining the notion that Pierce wasn't the first human he killed, and that she didn't think torture was just a job for him and didn't enjoy it. The Father claims he's a good actor, but even the best actor on Earth would probably choose a different way to react. If Lucifer were truly evil, he'd be laughing it off and painting the notion as ridiculous. And when the Father calls him the God of Lies, that's another thing to state that he's wrong. I don't believe that Lucifer has never lied. He's done lies of omission, and he's owned up to that later. But I don't think Lucifer has ever lied about anything significant enough to break his claim that he never lies. That's technically not true, because lies of omission and subterfuge are a bit dishonest. But he never lies about the big stuff, and when he strays, he owns it. The biggest thing that say that Father is wrong is that she's known him for three years and never caught him in a real lie. How many people who work that closely with each other is that actually true? Not very many, I'd wager.
And if that is the biggest lie of all, that doesn't make sense. Big lies need a ton of little ones to prop them up. And if he hasn't been telling little lies, that means the big lie probably doesn't exist.
Her asking about his vulnerabilities was an eye-opener for her too. He had a good answer, the answer proved that he cared about her, and it actually explained every bit of a discrepancy she could not fathom or reconcile. I don't think Lucifer needed to risk his life to save her to change her mind at that point. Occam's Razor says the Church is reading things wrong.
And I like and appreciate that this version of the Devil isn't evil. If the real-world existed that might actually be true as well. Because he wouldn't need to be evil to function and fit into Biblical prophecy and allegory. Everything is supposedly in God's design. Which means Lucifer is too. And I think that God probably has a lot more pull and responsibility with Lucifer than he does the humans on Earth. I think if God didn't want Lucifer to exist, he wouldn't. And there is a good chance that if that is true and the Devil has his function, than he doesn't necessarily have to be evil. It could just be a day job.
But it's interesting that the show follows Church morality while trying to get the audience to question their perceptions of it. I see why people got upset even if the show is both moral and relatively tame when compared to an outright blasphemous and anti-Christian show like Preacher.
I love that Amenadiel is happy Linda is pregnant. Big smile at that. Now he knows why he's still there. That's amazing to me.
I love Maze telling Linda childbirth is a common torture scenario in Hell. Because face it, it probably is.
I don't hate Chloe as much as I'm betting some fans will after that. ****1/2.
Lucifer "O, Ye Of Little Faith, Father"
Wow, the show just put up the argument I wrote in the last review in the next episode. I'm better at predicting this show than I was the last season of Jessica Jones.
I love Lucifer and Chloe's relationship this year. Because this is the first year he has the high ground and she is trying to make things up to him. And she's trying. But whether she was confused or not, that's the sort of thing she should have immediately told and warned Lucifer about. I get the idea that it goes against everything everyone is taught. But it strikes me that she owed him the chance to explain himself. And it's to her credit, that she let him do so before deciding to back out. But she never should have agreed to the plan in the first place without doing that.
Is it just me or is Lucifer's Devil face kind of dapper the more I get used to it? It's a good design in that you think it looks horrific at first, but after awhile you don't. It's like Worf on Star Trek. The more you see it, the less you are threatened by it. I hope that winds up true for Chloe too.
That was pretty great. Although it is possible that Eve is Lucifer's first love and the catalyst for the prophecy, I don't take that at face value simply because the Father seems wrong about so much. That being said, I don't dismiss it either. The father is a known liar. It's possible the misinformation he gave Chloe was given not out of ignorance but as a way to manipulate her, which is what he did with Lucifer himself. The prophecy is not completely off the table because it's possible the Father knows more about it than he's demonstrated to the other characters. Interestingly, if that's so, the Father is dumb. People don't tend to trust serial liars and known murderers. If the stakes are what he claims, you'd figure he'd want the Church to be as clean as possible in all this. He's discrediting his own dire warnings with his evil actions.
I continue to detest Linda. In Linda's defense, this is new and scary. But what annoys me is her claiming that Amenadiel is doing this for all the wrong reasons. If she's scared or doesn't want to be with him, she can say that. But don't diminish Amenadiel's commitment. The dude CLEARLY wants this. Probably more than anything he's ever wanted in his celestial existence. And for an angel, that means something. I detest Linda for telling Amenadiel he isn't taking this seriously. In truth, he's taking it far more seriously than she is.
This was a good episode too. The shorter seasons and less focus on the case of the week are really helping the show. I've only seen three episodes as of writing this review, but so far this is the best season. The show has never had that good a batting average right off the bat. We'll see if I'm wrong later on. ****.
Lucifer "All About Eve"
There is something innocent about Eve. But she is so erratic, I do not trust her. I think she's on Luci's side for now. But she is the precise kind of hot mess who would switch sides simply because she's bored, and would find being evil more fun and interesting. The fact that she is so invested in fun means she can't be trusted. But she IS innocent. Which means she can probably pretty easily be corrupted. After all, she already was.
I love that Maze doesn't give Linda and Amemadiel a choice about her moving in. The bubble wrap on the ceiling was a scream too.
I pegged Toby as the murderer instantly. He had the innocent face that said he was the surprise bad guy.
This continues to be the strongest season so far. ****.
Lucifer "Expire Erect"
That was a gem of an episode that was hard to predict.
I love the subtext of Eve trying to tempt Lucifer. The episode and the show gave me a whole bunch of ideas about Eve and Lucifer I never considered before. Eve was created simply to be Adam's wife. Nobody asked her if she wanted that, she was forced into it. And Lucifer is the first person who asked her what she really wanted. What's subversive is that the show is viewing the Biblical parable through a modern lens and calling it abhorrent. What's interesting is when it's explained like that, it kind of is. It also is another thing to suggest that Lucifer does not need to redeem himself from an entire existence of evil. On some level he was always good.
It's very interesting everybody likes Eve in spite of themselves. They can't help it. But it seems to me Eve may have a jealous streak that makes her dangerous. Her Eve costume at the beginning of the episode was pretty sexy. They'd never get away with that on broadcast. For some Tom Ellis's bum is the selling point of the Netflix era. For me, it's Eve's Halloween costume.
Amenadiel brought up something alarming that I hadn't considered: What if Eve showed up as payback for Cain? That idea didn't go anywhere, and it didn't need to, but it amazes me that I never considered that.
Speaking of Amenadiel, I love the moment he reveals Chloe's father is in Heaven, he spoke to him, and that he's proud of her. I think this has been Amenadiel's finest season.
Can I say how refreshing it was that Chloe didn't treat Lucifer like garbage for hooking up with Eve? I suspect the reason she refuses to give him the business is because she now knows who Eve is. Eve is the woman who saw his true face and didn't flinch. She didn't even see the need to do that. How can Chloe hold it against Lucifer for being with someone who instantly gives him the unquestioning acceptance she refuses to? And I like that Chloe doesn't try to make Lucifer feel bad or Eve into the bad guy. Her checking with Amenadiel was smart though, because I don't think Eve can trusted either. But as far as what she's done so far, she's more than earned being respected by Lucifer's friends and partners.
I love that the Lucifer calls the female officer "The Unnamed Uni" and she loves him for it. That is a charming fella right there. Nobody but Satan could get away with that.
The evil wife in this episode was another one of those suspects with a completely innocent face, but unlike the guy last episode, I totally fell for it. She surprised the heck out of me. I felt just as shocked as Dan was.
Five great episodes in a row. A first for the series. The lack of filler is helping immensely. *****.
Lucifer "Orgy Pants To Work"
Ella is annoying, but she has a very nice bare bum. I'll give her that.
I notice the show still has act breaks. Probably for syndication. Although what over-the-air channel is going to broadcast an episode set in a nudist camp is strictly up for debate.
I love that Maze immediately loves Eve. At this point, I do too.
Things are getting serious with Amenadiel. At first I thought Remy was here for Eve, but being there for the celestial child is far worse. Scary things coming up.
This was a good episode, but it was the first episode of the season that wasn't actually a great one. ***1/2.
Lucifer "Devil Is As Devil Does"
S-bomb from Ella. Nice!
I love that Trixie immediately dislikes Eve. And I like that Eve saves her life anyways.
I'm glad Linda asked if Maze was in love with her. Because we'd all be wondering if she didn't.
Dan is off the hook. For now.
Getting good. ***1/2.
Lucifer "Super Bad Boyfriend"
That was amazing. I loved Amenadiel being forced to realize what it is like to live as a black man for the first time, and his feelings of loss really moved me. What I loved most is that Lucifer was there for him when he really needed him.
Lucifer's session with Linda at the end was also amazing television and got me right there. Tom Ellis' finest performance.
I think Dan is back to being Detective D-word.
Of course Linda loves Eve. Luci can't catch a break.
Best episode of the season. *****.
Lucifer "Save Lucifer"
I didn't much care for the first 2/3rds of the episode, but that last fifteen minutes were great and knocked my socks off. Very cool stuff. ***1/2.
Lucifer "Who's Da New King Of Hell?"
That was a pretty great finale. I love that Amenadiel changed his mind about the Silver City, and that everyone teamed up at the end to rescue Charlie. I also loved the revelation at the end that Chloe was Lucifer's first love after all.
Here's my problem: Nobody even bothers to question whether or not the prophecy is actually true. It's just taken for granted that it is. Who relayed it? The father. Not the trustworthy sort. Did they try and verify it through a second source? They should have, because the conflict at the end of the episode didn't even have to do with the prophecy, but in replacing Lucifer. I still have seen no good evidence that the prophecy itself is true.
First f-bomb of the series. Truthfully it was a bit jarring.
Graham McTavish poking fun of the accent was funny.
That was a pretty great season and a good last episode. The brief glimpse of Hell also has me excited for the last season. ****.
Titans "Deathstroke"
Wow, the team really could have used Starfire back in the day. She's their current biggest gun.
Jason falling doesn't concern me much. I'm pretty sure this is when they introduce Kori's ability to fly.
Knew Dr. Light was getting kacked. He's the definition of expendable. This is what happens to people who mouth off to Slade Wilson.
There was something in the episode I hated, which is very reminiscent of the terrible morals of season one. But when Kori is telling Rachel that they are special and destined for greatness, that is not just a standard epic comic book speech. That is a bad thing. That is the last thing you should be telling a confused teenager. It's exact sort of tripe I could picture Lionel Luthor ranting to Lex. It's NOT a good or healthy thing for a person to hear, much less a kid. And the reason comic books suck is because stuff like that is never taken under consideration. In fairness to this show, stuff like that was non-stop last year, and this was just a couple of lines. But it bothers me all the same.
The episode was good otherwise. ***.
DC Super Hero Girls Super Shorts "Booked"
They pronounced Ra's wrong.
Hard to believe putting books back on shelves is enough to make Kara sweat.
Meh. **1/2.
DC Super Hero Girls Super Shorts "Comic Gone"
You know, Batgirl, breaking and entering, and blowing up comic book shops are crimes. Just saying.
But the episode was still a gem. *****.
New Looney Tunes "King Nutininkommen / Greenhouse Gasbag"
King Nutininkommen:
Is this the first episode in which Bugs Bunny doesn't appear in either cartoon? It might be.
I love that Daffy calls hieroglyphs "emojis". I also love the Mummy saying that an archaeologist is a fancy word for "grave-robber". The messed up thing is that it is.
Funny stuff. ****.
Greenhouse Gasbag:
This is perhaps the most frightening Looney Tunes cartoon I have ever seen. It posits the horrifying idea that Foghorn Leghorn has turned into a ranting environmentalist liberal. I don't care what side of the political spectrum you fall on. It's bad for everybody either way. Holy freaking God. Hasn't this country suffered enough? ***1/2.
Episode Overall: ****.
New Looney Tunes "AbracaWabbit / Ponce de Calzone"
Admit it. Victor's card tricks at the beginning were pretty amazing. He's a jerk, so I get why he needs to be punished by Bugs, but unlike the other braggarts Bugs torments, he's actually good at his job.
I love the "Please stand by" card very much. Hilarious.
This was a good one. ****.
Ponce de Calzone:
I can't tell if Ponce was punished at the end or not. Daffy begging the kid not to cry suggests the punishment has shifted over to him.
You know what? Daffy sucks. I have seen some Looney Tunes characters do some awful things, but feeding a guy a rotten peach, spoiled milk, and mealworms in a chow mein container is like the meanest thing I've ever seen one of them do to their villains. Granted, the guy is already dumb enough to drink garbage water, but that's pretty much rubbing his nose in that. Which is outright uncool.
I want to know Lucius's story. Friend of Daffy's? Relation? Who is to say?
That was pretty funny, and the stuff with the dude eating spoiled food DID make me laugh in an appalled way, but it was also super mean. ***1/2.
Episode Overall: ***1/2.
New Looney Tunes "For The Love Of Fraud / Not So Special Delivery"
For The Love Of Fraud:
Finally. I always wanted to see Bugs vs Foghorn. Because that means Foghorn loses. Good stuff. ****.
Not So Special Delivery:
I love Daffy checking with Porky that it's not neurosurgery.
Porky in the diaper is creepy.
Never tell Daffy Freaking Duck that babies love calamity. Bad things will happen.
Funny. ****1/2.
New Looney Tunes "One Carroter In Search Of An Artist / The Duck Days Of Summer"
One Carroter In Search Of An Artist:
It's fun to see a version of Rabbit Rampage using modern animation tools and techniques.
I love the cameo of Buzz Bunny. Because that is not an Easter Egg. That's an outright slam. The era of that show and Baby Looney Tunes were pretty much the low point of the entire franchise.
This was fun though. *****.
The Duck Days Of Summer:
Daffy does a good Elmer impression.
Elmer lied to the masses! How dare he!
Not as good as the first short. ***1/2.
Episode Overall: ****1/2.
New Looney Tunes "Etiquette Shmetiquette / Daffy In The Science Museum"
Etiquette Shmetiquette:
I love Daffy complaining about Gertrude's pitch. He actually thinks that won him points with her at the end.
I agree with Daffy in that is probably makes more sense for classy people to you know, READ books, instead of balance them on their heads but I'm a known heathen.
They are really mixing up the characters on this show. ***1/2.
Daffy In Science Museum:
Do you know something? I don't think I've heard anyone really compliment Bob Bergen on how amazing his Porky Pig is. The stuttering thing is an impossible thing to get right, but he nails it every time, and makes it funny instead of pathetic. The comic timing, when he gives up and switches to a different (often harder) word, I think a lot of how it plays out is down to Bergen.
The rest of the Looney Tunes voice cast seems to vary from project to project. But I think Bergen is always Porky because nobody else can do it the way he can. Mel Blanc was pretty manic in the role, but Bergen puts a layer of nuance in it that wouldn't occur to people making cartoons in the 1940's. I'm not saying Bergen is a better voice actor than Mel Blanc. But the performance of Porky is more solid with him. And Bergen does not get the credit he deserves for that. We kind of all take him for granted, but he's sort of the current voice MVP of the franchise. ****.
Episode Overall: ****.
New Looney Tunes "Tad The Bachelor / Affaire Du Jour"
Tad The Bachelor:
The animation as Tad was being mauled by lobsters and beaten with an oar was quite great.
I like that Bugs is very clear to affirm to the audience that the guy ate a family of rabbits. Literally five of them. That makes whatever Bugs does to him just. And Bugs surprisingly does NOT actually have the high ground with many of his foes. It's clear that in this case, he does.
Maneater. Groan. I suppose it's only fair. They already did the cougar joke. ****.
Affaire Du Jour:
The cartoon attempts the impossible. To make the repulsive character of Pepe Le Pew work in 2019.
The episode doesn't work. It's nice that Pepe doesn't get the girl for once, is thwarted at every turn, and she gets the best of HIM, but all of the ways they did that means it's not even the same character and premise. To keep things safe, and to be rid of the offensive French accent, there is no dialogue, and to make his lust less creepy, they weirdly anthropomorphized the character so that he and his object of affection interact with humans like peers. He even wears clothes! So basically they brought Pepe to 2019 by deciding to rewrite everything about the character, so he'll be funny, instead of totally gross.
Problem: It's not actually funny. Pepe cartoons never are, but it amazes that upon working so hard to fix the reprehensible glaring faults of the original shorts, the cartoon couldn't even make things funny then. It's about as clever and funny as the Hip Hippos on Animaniacs if the animation didn't suck. And yes, I am aware of what a slam that is. I regret nothing.
Lame. *1/2.
New Looney Tunes "Top Bugs / Slugsmoby"
Top Bugs:
Sort of a weak parody but the good thing about Bugs and Cecil teaming up is that everybody wins. Except Porky.
Bugs and Porky didn't share a lot of original cartoons together which is something interesting about this show. I'm loathe to talk smack about the original Looney Tunes. But maybe those producers were thinking way too small. Look at all of the different scenarios this show has created by pairing up characters who don't go together like Bugs and Foghorn or Daffy and Tweety. I'm not saying the original Looney Tunes wore thin or anything. But considering the huge cast, they were definitely limiting the things they could do by keeping everybody in seperate cartoons. And that's a good thing about this show. ***1/2.
Slugsmoby:
Slugsmoby has a cute design. It's a cross between an elephant, a seal, and one of the bad guys from the Raccoons cartoon. ***.
Episode Overall: ***.
New Looney Tunes "Rhoda Rage / Good Duck To You Cirque"
Rhoda Rage:
FAIL.
"I can't hit a girl!" The problem is once he says that, you're thinking about it. And you can't unthink it. Your mind automatically goes to abuse whether the woman is strong or not. How dumb was the show for bringing that up themselves? I suppose they wanted plausible deniability with Bugs' Ma, but they would have had a better shot at it had they not drawn it to our attention.
Seriously. Bugs Bunny should not beating up lady wrestlers. It doesn't work.
On the plus side, the facial designs for the human characters continue to be dynamite, and far more interesting and better animated to me than any previous Looney Tunes project. They are like John Kricfalusi without the sociopathic baggage.
But seriously, that still stunk. *1/2.
Good Duck To You Cirque:
Diving into a bowl of sauerkraut is a Great Gonzo stunt. Full stop. ***1/2.
Episode Overall: **1/2.
Transformers: Cyberverse "Trials"
I love that the questions for Optimus and Megatron involved the other person. Optimus did not wind up looking good either.
I like that when Starscream steals the Spark, Megatron pivots and acts like that was his plan all along. That was probably canny.
I like Cheetor.
Good episode. ****1/2.
Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy "Buddy Cop"
I love that when Grimlock is asking if he's being smug, he gives his Number 1 Grade A Smile with all those sharp teeth.
I also love that they recounted at the end how Grimlock pulled off the win.
Dare I say it? Is this season actually passable? ****.
Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy "Escape From Penguin Island"
The penguins were SO cute. Actually, that episode was cute in general. ***.
Power Rangers Beast Morphers "Real Steel"
I love Steel being all "I'm the dumbest person you'll ever meet!" upon being told he's dumber than he looks.
But I couldn't help but yell at my screen during the heartwarming hug, "Shoot the bad guy! Now! He's right there! He's asking for it! He'd look great gettin' shot! He's all dressed up and ready to paint the floor with his soon to be shot guts! Women may love diamonds, but that dude wants to get shot in the head! SHOOT! HIM!"
My TV never listens to me. ***1/2.
LEGO Jurassic World: The :Legend Of Isla Nublar "Pteranodon't!"
It looks like they DO have license to use the Jurassic Park theme after all. Which is good. Because the show otherwise sucks. **1/2.
Genddy Tartakovsky's Primal "Spear And Fang"
That was a bit rough. That's not to say bad, but the first episode sort of hit me wrong. Witnessing the deaths of Fang's family was bad enough. But Spear's family being eaten on-screen that way felt a bit gratuitous, which is saying something, because it was probably more understated than the rest of the episode. It was still far too graphic and upsetting. I don't expect to have this problem with the later episodes when it's just Spear and Fang, but I felt really uncomfortable watching that, and trying to reconcile that on some level Genddy wanted me to enjoy that. I didn't. Not this episode at least.
One of the nice touches that shocked me was the idea that the T-Rexes that ate Spear's family were babies themselves. It surprises me Fang's babies move Spear so considering the destruction those other babies caused him. But I don't exactly blame him for weakening at that. They WERE far smaller and more helpless after all.
I have two surface complaints that cannot and will not be addressed. They are both flaws in the very fabric of the show. But there isn't a reasonable explanation why cavemen existed in this world during dinosaur times. Those were two entirely differently prehistoric eras. Yes, The Flintstones did the same thing. But The Flintstones is considered a complete joke because of it. Or maybe Samurai Jack going back and forth in time reverberated into the past and messed up the timeline a bit. I'm spitballing here because there isn't really a good explanation for it.
The other thing me is where's Spear's beard? He doesn't have access to a razor. But Genddy keeps him clean-shaven to read his expression easier, which is especially important in a show without dialogue (or at least none so far). But it's still a hole, is what I'm saying.
I have a strong suspicion I'm going to like the upcoming episodes more than I did this one. ***.
The Good Place "A Girl From Arizona, Part 2"
Man, they got their work cut out for them with Brent. He's just awful.
I love that there's a cheat code that whenever Michael says Jason's name five times his headache goes away.
I love Michael's encouragements to Eleanor. That character has really come a long way.
And also liked him asking her what swears she was trying to use. That's what I'd like to know too.
I love how seriously Janet breaks the Jacksonville Jaguars news to Jason. She knows it is going to be a blow.
Jason describing the first chocolate as "gross" was funny.
Chiti's scene at the end with Simone was great. I see why Eleanor didn't want to give him up.
Jason will NEVER break the "Leave me hangin'" Code.
Good episode. ****.
Black Jesus "After Parole Officer"
It's interesting that Tyler the white parole officer is a good guy, and it's also interesting that his girlfriend's objections to Boonie are legitimate. Boonie's behavior was super gross. I don't like the idea that the show might be saying that black people don't know how to behave themselves. On the other hand, I thought Jesus was a wonderful houseguest, although like Cassandra said, He should have been objecting to the b-word more than He did.
Seeing the smoke coming out of Jesus' mouth makes me laugh. As did "Christ lives matter!"
"You got money? Let's get some weed!" I love this Jesus, and He is very close to my ideal version of that person. But there is no denying He's kind of a bum.
Is Cassandra right? Is Boonie racist against black people? I don't think so. I think that's a wrong-headed opinion. I'm white and I have harsh things to say about white people, but I'm not racist against them. There is an entirely different subtext to Boonie saying those things than if Cassandra said them herself. And that is very much Aaron McGruder's influence on the show. If anything he criticizes black culture more than he does white culture. But I don't think he's a racist for it.
Jesus sort of hints Fish, Trayvon, and Maggie are dead, and I don't like that. But I DO like the idea that they are in Heaven. Very much.
A good week. ****.
The Blacklist "Louis T. Steinhil"
Liz's perspective that Red means more to her because he's not her father and has still devoted his life to her is a wise one. A pity she didn't have it before she turned him in last year. Let's just say I'm not impressed.
Katarina's trap however is quite clever. I AM impressed with Red for nearly escaping it.
Great cliffhanger too. ****.
