Matt Zimmer (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
matt_zimmer) wrote2021-01-26 06:55 am
matt_zimmer) wrote2021-01-26 06:55 am
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"Carmen Sandiego" Season Four Reviews (Spoilers)
Also reviews for the latest episodes of WandaVision, Batwoman, Teen Titans Go!, Looney Tunes Cartoons, and The Stand.
Carmen Sandiego "The Beijing Bullion Caper"
Wow, Devanieux is useful for once. Still thoroughly unimpressed with the Chief.
That was a little boring, to be honest. ***.
Carmen Sandiego "The Big Bad Ivy Caper"
Aw, we were just about to learn Player's name!
Gray getting his memory back alarmed me.
Shadowsan knows the Vulcan Nerve Pinch.
Pretty good. ***1/2.
Carmen Sandiego "The Robo Caper"
Very exciting climax and ending.
I can't wait to see what happens with Carmen and Devanieux next.
Player's last name it Bouchard? Interesting.
The rules about dogs and turtles in Iceland are weird.
Neat! ****.
Carmen Sandiego "The Himalayan Rescue Caper"
I think Maelstrom's reasoning for re-recruiting Gray was sound. Yeah, it's a risk, but if he didn't bring him back in, Carmen would influence him more fully, and set him against them. Of course, he could have simply KILLED Crackle and taken him off the gameboard, but what fun would that be?
I was disappointed a bigger deal wasn't made for Zack and Ivy finally meeting Player, but they saved the big drama for Player and Carmen instead. Correct storytelling move.
Devanieux is a pushover. I can't believe he agreed to wait a week to talk to Julia. On some level I like that he realizes that after the way he's acted, maybe he needs to earn her trust, but it's not like this isn't important. I wouldn't blame Devanieux for meekly accepting Julia's passive-aggression under most circumstances. But time is becoming a factor.
Pretty good although I wish Gray had made a better decision. ****.
Carmen Sandiego "The V.I.L.E. History Caper"
That fight between Shadowsan and Brunt was one of the highlights of the season. Worth the price of admission.
Frankly it's implausible that Brunt survived the end of the episode, but I'll give them points for revealing that immediately and not bringing her back as a "surprise" villain in a later episode.
I like Brunt offering to accompany Maelstrom for protection because he "doesn't seem like Viking stock". What a great way to put that.
Here's a good guy complaint: Jules is far too free with intel with Player. He pops up out of nowhere claiming to be a friend of Carmen's, but she has no way of knowing that, and doesn't bother verifying his claims, even though people routinely use subterfuge in this specific field. It's hard to believe she used to be a spy. Her (admittedly correctly) immediately trusting Player without doing due diligence means that perhaps that career was a bad fit after all.
I like that when Shadowsan broke his leg a few episodes ago, they kept him in a cast and wheelchair until now. Elena Of Avalor did the same thing once, and it's something I will rave about any time a kiddie cartoon does it. Fantastic.
Good stuff. Shadowsan's slow-mo fighting style is impressive. ****1/2.
Carmen Sandiego "The Egyptian Decryption Caper"
What an ending.
I like the dynamic between Carmen and the Chief because it reveals Chief is not actually a bad guy. Considering what she did, the series would be in every right to make her the actual Big Bad of the series. Instead, Carmen's going to make her make reparations for what she did. It's not fair or equivalent, but it lets us know where both characters stand, and it seems to be on the same side (for now).
I love Carmen teaching Devanieux the exact way to get with the program, and basically figuring out the most ingenious, basic, and dirty way to defeat VILE and take the treasure from them: Alert the authorities. Make this big secret public. VILE's biggest weakness is sunlight and it cannot function out of the shadows. That was a cunning, and almost cruel move on Carmen's end.
For the record, Devanieux's antics are a lot more fun and endearing once he is Carmen's side. It's a wonder it took the writers THIS long to decide to do it. The character is much better for it.
This is all great stuff. ****1/2.
Carmen Sandiego "The Viennese Waltz Caper"
Ugh. Mind control? I did not like that and now I'm concerned about the last episode. The finale of Carmen's series and arc won't even feature the character as herself? Man, I'm not down with that. At all.
Still, I gotta give an episode I hated 2 and half stars simply for licensing the rights to the theme song from the cartoon "Where On Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?" The reason that impresses me is they already licensed the rights for the theme song from the PBS game show, and those were from two entirely different productions companies, so some effort was obviously made, and some money was obviously spent. It was worth it for the only thing in the episode I actually liked. **1/2.
Carmen Sandiego "The Dark Red Caper"
Again, not on-board the mind control premise for the last episode, but the wrap-up itself was fine.
I like the nesting doll being the thing to pull Carmen out of it, and that Ivy and Zack wound up Acme agents. I always got the sense the series perhaps got canceled too soon, but if it did, the writers had plenty of time to craft the correct ending. If I'm wrong, and three (or four) seasons was actually the plan, that's pretty impressive too.
Do you know what I especially like? Carmen doesn't wind up with a dude (or a gal). That's not what her arc has ever been about, and I am very glad the series is not going to shoe-horn a ship in even if sparks DO seem to fly between her and Gray and Jules sometimes. It's refreshing that Carmen doesn't need a man (or woman) to give her life meaning and purpose. People (including me) raved about the gay ending to She-Ra, but having a strong woman not be defined by another person is pretty great for entirely different reasons.
I liked that ending. I didn't like a lot of the first part of the episode, but it ended well. Which is what you want in a series finale. ****.
WandaVision "Now In Color"
I was pretty accepting of the first two episodes, but I have a lot to say about this week.
First off, I loved the last five minutes. I would say they were everything I love about television, but this show is sort of making it hard to make the distinction between television and filmmaking. This is certainly more ambitious than anything Marvel Television has ever attempted.
Who is Geraldine? Is she from our world? Is she tasked with bringing Wanda back? Are the army troopers seen at the end part of our Universe? What is the symbol on her necklace and what does it mean? Was Vision's neighbor about to suggest they were all dead? Is Geraldine actually good or bad? The most confusing thing to me is if this is either in Wanda's head, or a trap for Wanda, what is the point or purpose of the commercials? Why is she dreaming them and what do they signify? Some Marvel fans may simply be happy with the Easter Eggs from the comics but I'm not. They are the one part of the show I cannot quite seem to rationalize and that bugs me a little.
There is another thing that troubles me. I said last week that Paul Bettany was a gifted comedic actor. And he is. But despite the entire premise being a sitcom, I haven't laughed once. Maybe that's partly the point, because sitcoms in the 50's and 60's weren't actually funny (with maybe the exception of Dick Van Dyke) but stuff in the 70's sort of started to be, and the laughs are absent here too. I'm wondering why that is.
This show confuses me in a good way. Except for the commercials. They bother me because they seem less like an aspect of what is going on, and more like a conceit of the premise, which is not a great thing for a solid mystery to have. But that episode really got me thinking, and I am very interested to see how this plays out. ****1/2.
Batwoman "Prior Criminal History"
Not bad. But I liked the first half better than the second.
That footage getting out of Jacob trying to murder Batwoman is the most pleasant surprise I never expected to see this season. To be honest, it's clear why they did that. Over the hiatus America completely lost faith in law enforcement, and Jacob's actions look even worse in hindsight than when he did them. Frankly, he should be in jail. And I think the only excuse he can possibly have for not being there is that his attempted murder victim is actually missing.
But he and Sophie are pieces of work. Gathering Mary and Luke in interrogation like common criminals, and asking them if they knew anybody who wanted Kate dead. "Well, now that you mention it..."
I also very much like Ryan flummoxing Sophie by thinking Jacob only kept Alice alive because she was white. It's still true, you know. And despite this never occurring to Sophie, another woman of color, I am especially annoyed by this because it would probably have worked out that way even if Jacob wasn't her father. How many white criminal murdering psychopaths have Batman, the Crows and the GCPD, basically send back and forth through the rotating door of Arkham while the police gun down black men in the street every day? You don't think white privilege exists? The Joker, literally the whitest guy alive, and the person who would define "Shoot to kill" in real life, is still alive and ready and able to cause trouble whenever he wants. And it's annoying this hasn't already occurred to Sophie. But this is not a problem exclusive to white law enforcement officers. It's systemic, and gross, and I'm already sick of it. And I'm appreciative the show is too.
No Batwoman shouldn't kill. But let's also be honest about why most of the Rogues are still alive after multiple encounters with "Not Batman". Can we do that much at least?
I very much like the idea that Sophie once saved Kate as Batwoman after she saved her. That's neat.
For the record, after that appalling break-up scene, I truly think Julia Pennyworth is better off. Frankly, Kate would have been better off not pining for a loser like Sophie too. She is never there for the people who care about her when they actually need her to be.
I like that this show gives me main characters to solidly dislike. What I especially like is that unlike previous DC efforts with Lana Lang on Smallville, and Thea Queen and Laurel Lance on Arrow, the show isn't trying to make excuses for them, or asking me to forgive them simply because the hero cares about them. Jacob and Sophie are toxic, and I like that this season is treating them as such. It's a bit refreshing to be honest. I also don't think Alice is the worst person on the show as long as Jacob is a main cast member.
All right. But the first half held my interest more. ***1/2.
Teen Titans Go! "Lucky Stars"
Even when Cyborg is being proven wrong about horoscopes, he's actually right.
And Star is apparently super crazy. **1/2.
Teen Titans Go! "Various Modes Of Transportation"
That was pretty bad. Obnoxious even. What I don't get is that Robin is starved for companionship and is crippled by loneliness. You'd think with somebody agreeing to hang out with him, he'd make an extra effort to not be the single worst person who ever lived. Instead, I don't think he's EVER been this bad.
I don't like this episode, and I don't like what it says about the show. It's just wrong all around. The show has done much worse in the past, so it perhaps doesn't make a ton of sense to give it zero stars. And yet, I cannot think of a single redeeming virtue the episode possesses. This show is seriously wrecking my curve of what deserves zero stars. 0.
Teen Titans Go! "Cool Uncles"
Raven has brothers? They are super cute. And so was the episode. ****.
Teen Titans Go! "Butter Wall"
That was an utter mess.
The episode couldn't decide what it wanted to be about or what its moral should be. At first it perhaps seems like a current political allegory with Beast Boy believing a stupid and easily debunked thing, but of course the show has to make Beast Boy's anti-science conspiracy theory right.
Free tip. Don't watch four episodes of this show in a row. It's all right in 11 minute weekly doses, but it's intolerable to binge. *1/2.
Looney Tunes Cartoons "Daffucino / Hole Gag: Moving Hole / Kitty Livin"
Daffucino:
The lady customer was super annoying.
I like Daffy trying to think of what coffee was.
They ended it that way because they were stuck for something better. ***1/2.
Hole Gag: Moving Hole:
Eh. ***.
Kitty Livin':
Can't ever say Looney Tunes has done this premise before. Sylvester EATS Tweety and at the end of the episode he stays eaten. That ending with Granny was outright weird.
Tweety breaking Sylvester's bones and using them to start a fire made me cringe as did the various other "indoor abuses" Sly suffered. Got a bit of the heebies and a whiff of the jeebies from them.
You can't argue against this show for doing stuff the original cartoons would never do. If you ask me, that's the selling point of the show. ****1/2.
Episode Overall: ****.
Looney Tunes Cartoons "Chain Gangster / Telephone Pole Gag: Sylvester Car Jack Lift / Falling For It"
Chain Gangster:
Interesting. Bugs is definitely using the light touch with Rocko and Mugsy here. He's not being remotely helpful. But he's also not being overtly malicious for once.
I like what Granny's garbage turned out to be because it seemed a not too subtle commentary and satire as to just how dumb Looney Tunes actually are. It's sort of rubbing your face in "We are allowed to do this, and you can't pretend you are a better and smarter viewer than you are. You knew what you were getting into going in." I very much liked being a little bit sick with myself for laughing at something that dumb. ****.
Telephone Pole Gag: Sylvester Car Jack Lift:
These short cartoons aren't doing anything for me. **1/2.
Falling For It:
The comedy timing on the reaction shot of "Well, whaddaya know? No parachutes," was sublime, and the reaction itself couldn't not have been wilder or more crazy appropriate. Porky ending the cartoon bruised in the drum was a nice touch too. ****.
Episode Overall: ****.
Looney Tunes Cartoons "Taziator / Marvin Flag Gag: Little Martian / Climate Control"
I don't like Fred Tatasciore as Taz. He makes the right noises, but this Taz is a little more verbose than usual, and the voice sounds wrong. Has Jim Cummings really become that unaffordable?
I am unsurprised Taz ate all the lions. And a little surprised Bugs is. Clearly the maroon in the stadium in that moment is Bugs.
Some gross side gags that I didn't like.
It was all right but I don't see why they had to recast characters whose voice actors were already great. Especially if they are replaced by people who aren't right for the role.
At least Bob Bergen's still around. We have that much at least. ***.
Martian Flag Gag: Little Martian:
Subtlety has never been this franchise's strong suit. That being said, the Martian is cute. ***1/2.
Climate Control:
Roadrunner cartoons are a "I've seen 'em all before" premise, so while most of this cartoon felt like a retread, I want to give it the proper due for having Wile E flawlessly navigate his way out of falling off the cliff for once... only to be hit by a truck. That was very, very good cartoon comedy right there. And again. This franchise is NOT subtle. ****.
Episode Overall: ***1/2.
Looney Tunes Cartoons "Lepre-Conned / Flag Won't Stay Straight / Brave New Home"
Lepre-Conned:
I like the design of the Leprechaun. I also liked Bugs' crazed design and voice as he threatens to let the pot have it.
The timing of the last gag wasn't all that hot though. ***1/2.
Flag Won't Stay Straight:
Cute. ***1/2.
Brave New Home:
This is a great premise (a computerized operating system misunderstanding Porky because of his stutter) but I don't feel like they fully utilized it properly (perhaps for fear of offending stutterers?). I'm just glad Looney Tunes has gotten rid of those creepy nipples other recent TV cartoons have given Porky.
That woman who is messily eating that sandwich is totally my type.
All right. ***1/2.
Episode Overall: ***1/2.
Looney Tunes Cartoons "The Case Of Porky's Pants / Fully Vetted"
The Case Of Porky's Pants:
I like that the spooky culprit turned out to be the pants. ****.
Fully Vetted:
"He mad." Yes he is, Tweety.
I like all of the various gruesome tests the doctors did on Sylvester leading to him being "fixed". Say what you will about the lack of gunplay on this show, a LOT of its funniest jokes would never pass muster in the 1930's and 1940's. ****.
Episode Overall: ****.
Looney Tunes Cartoons "E-Rabbiticator / Planet Split In 2 / Sales Duck"
E-Rabbiticator:
Why does the Mecha-Fudd have nipples? Was he designed by Joel Schumacher?
I liked Bugs' meltdown at the end. ***1/2.
Planet Split In 2:
How many variations on this can they do? Because it'll be hard to top this one. ***.
Sales Duck:
Not a bad ending. ****.
Episode Overall: ***1/2.
Looney Tunes Cartoons "Pitcher Porky / Cherry Picker / Duck Duck Boom"
Pitcher Porky:
Spoke too soon. Return of Porky's gross nipples.
I really like the designs of the baseball players. The "madball" was great too.
Pretty good. ***1/2.
Cherry Picker:
Meh. **1/2.
Duck Duck Boom:
That was great. A little in-depth for this one.
I like the show rubbing the face in the fact that since they can't use guns anymore, Elmer has to hunt "humanely" with dynamite. That was great, leading to a great cartoon and a funny ending. I loved every inch of it.
Now I'm gonna bum you out. I'm going to tell you something you won't want to hear. But Looney Tunes retiring guns was the right move. I don't agree with retiring Speedy Gonzalez, but unfortunately, when Looney Tunes engaged in gunplay in the 30's and 40's, that was okay, because it wasn't imitable, and kids couldn't easily get their hands on guns. People didn't shoot up schools or malls back then either. Do not blame the studio for refusing to put guns in new Looney Tunes. Look around you and see what society has become in the meantime. THAT is who is to blame. Gun control has been largely abandoned by the left, and every attempt made at it always fails. I've personally given up. They won. Basically, gun lovers are not going to ever have any restrictions placed upon their questionable hobby. They will always enjoy that right. And mass shootings and terrorist attacks are the price the rest of us will have to pay for them to enjoy that right. Another price we have to pay is no guns in Looney Tunes. That's the right decision for this day and age, and it's not the studio's fault it has to be this way. It's ours. So, you want to blame someone for Looney Tunes not being allowed to shoot up the joint anymore, talk to your neighbors who are literally shooting up joints. See how reasonable they are about the subject.+
That is my defense for the show's controversial decision on guns. *****.
+On second thought, don't. They're nuts.
Looney Tunes Cartoons "Postalgeist / Anvil / Fudds Bunny"
Postalgeist:
I like the design of the ghost. Very Jimmy Durante. Anybody remember him?
I like Daffy's creeds too and the elevator stops were funny.
I liked it. ***1/2.
Anvil:
Boring. **1/2.
Fudds Bunny:
Bugs is a union man? I knew I liked him.
I am less amused by the fact that Fudd has turned into Bugs, and more amused by the fact that Bugs has turned into Elmyra. Either that was the randomest coincidence ever, or I'll tell myself the Universe works exactly as designed, and that was planned.
I liked Bugs throwing back the petty shots Elmer takes at his teeth, feet and tail.
Funny stuff. ****1/2.
Episode Overall: ****.
Looney Tunes Cartoons "Shoe-Shine-nanigans / Multiply And Conquer / Parky Pig"
Shoe-Shine-nagigans:
Here's a fact: I am 45 years old and I have never, EVER in my entire life seen a shoe-shine boy or a shoe-shine stand. I am aware Andy owned one on the modern-era sitcom Parks And Recreation, but it's such an anachronism, I've never witnessed it myself.
Do you know the reason I suspect there aren't any of those anymore? They're a total waste of money and time. Even if it's only a quarter, that's stupid. And it's not like it's a luxury you can enjoy as it's happening. The worst part is, that the you actually have to take out five minutes from the middle of your busy day to spend money on a stupid thing you can do yourself at home. It's not just that it's a waste of money that the idea bugs me. It's a waste of time. Even five minutes on that specific nonsense is five minutes of a life badly spent. ***1/2.
Multiply And Conquer:
Good for the cartoon for seeing the correct reason this wouldn't work. And yes, it's a smart idea on paper. And yes, an army of Wile E's actually manages to catch the Roadrunner. But the more Wile E's there are, the more diminishing returns there will be. Because there is only one Roadrunner. Are ALL of them expected to share him? That's reasonable if there's two of them. Three of them might also be able to make peace. But if you're talking six of them, there's just no way to make it work. ****.
Parky Pig:
I like that the spot is in front of his own house.
I never expected to hear the term "Pay It Forward" in a legit Looney Tunes cartoon. Not saying it was good or bad, but it was unexpected.
For the record, this show is full of it. Parking garage prices are not that bad or remotely unaffordable. This is taking a shot at a problem that doesn't exist.
Even if we can't SEE Speedy Gonzalez anymore, at least we can still reference him.
I like Porky's movie costume.
All right, but Porky has always been the least interesting Looney Tunes character, ***1/2.
Episode Overall: ***1/2.
Looney Tunes Cartoons "Shell-Shocked / Daffy Dentist"
Shell Shocked:
Based on the episode title, if Cecil didn't appear, I was gonna be disappointed.
Cecil cartoons are interesting because they are the only cartoons Bugs almost always loses. Although here he won at losing.
Ugh. Is there a reason they needed to give Cecil creepy nipples? There is something currently wrong with this franchise.
For the record, Cecil knows the correct way to multiply. The fun way. ***1/2.
Daffy Dentist:
This cartoon is so anachronistic. It's made in 2021, and has a character walk into a dentist's office with a toothache and a scarf wrapped around their head. Nobody ties loose teeth to doors anymore either, although I question if anyone EVER did that specific cartoon trope.
Do you know what is also not accurate, but a credible joke nonetheless? Unlike parking garages, dentist bills are crazy expensive, and unaffordable for most people. A billion dollars, or 2 thousand. Those numbers don't matter to people who can't afford either.
All right. ***1/2.
Episode Overall: ***1/2.
The Stand "The Vigil"
Well... I have to admit I disapproved of a great deal of that. And yet the episode did two things King should have done in the book and would have done if he were a more experienced writer. I'm going to talk a little bit about some things that didn't work, and then go onto the things that only partly worked, and finally get to the good stuff. We're walking from sucky to good in this specific review.
I was worried we weren't going to get to Trashcan Man last week. After that? We would have been better off if we hadn't. Ezra Miller is a disaster. To be clear, Matt Frewer was also miscast in the first miniseries, but he got the major part of Trashy correct that this version completely misses the boat on. We didn't even get to see the Kid, so this version is especially useless to the narrative.
I think in the book, Trashcan Man and Larry Underwood are mirror versions of each other. Both are equally good and bad to start off with, and Larry makes good decisions while Trashy makes bad ones. This version of Trash is far too openly sinister and crazy. Trashman Man is the only real villain I found genuinely sympathetic in the book. I felt whatever sympathy both King and the other characters had for Harold Lauder was misplaced, but I kind of like and am half-rooting for Trashy, especially after his ordeal with the Kid. And the show botching New Vegas is one of the reasons we are stuck with a lousy Trashcan Man. Vegas is supposed to be the first place Donald Erwin Melbert feels accepted and respected. Lloyd actually LIKES him there, and the crew sort of consider him a mascot of sorts. Like the mistreatment of Tom Cullen, the show is making it seem like there are no good things about Las Vegas' community. It's not true. A lot of the denizens aren't even evil. They're weak. And nobody is weaker than Trashcan Man.
I think the show did a good thing in making Harold Lauder scarier than he is in the book. I do not think doing the same thing for Trashcan Man, only worse, is a good idea at all.
Let's get to Bobby Terry. I like the part with Flagg tries to make him apologize, but he's a shameless sociopath, and incapable of saying the words. And similarly, as terrifying as "You screwed it up, Bobby Terry!" is in the book, the line is somehow scarier here. And yet, I feel like Bobby Terry got away with far too much. He gives Flagg the finger which no character in Vegas should ever do. Everybody has had the dreams, and knows that Flagg is the closest thing to the Devil the Earth has ever known. Flagg letting him get as far as the elevator was not something the book Flagg would ever have done.
Another mixed bag: I much prefer the book's idea that Flagg didn't figure out Tom Cullen himself, and had to learn after the fact from Lloyd, which is Lloyd's first and biggest demonstration that Flagg isn't as all powerful as he claims he is. Flagg figuring out the M-O-O-N thing means he is, which is the wrong moral. However, I very much like Tom Cullen's method of escape. It's not better to me than the book, and I think it's a little too clever for this version of Tom Cullen, but it's suitably creepy and scary and has clear Holocaust parallels. So call that part a push.
The two things Stephen King should have done, and would have with a little more writing experience, is to first have an actual verbal confrontation between Mother Abigail and Randall Flagg. A scene where he attempts to tempt this world's version of Jesus on the cross. King wanted her disappearance in the book to be such a mystery that he missed out on pitting God vs the Devil. The best part is, it's probably just a vision and all in Mother Abigail's head, so it's something Flagg and her should be capable of conversing with on the Astral Plane.
For the record, when he says he goes by many names, the "Legion" moment is great, and reminds me of Andre Linoge from Storm Of The Century (I just reread that miniseries script a few days ago). But if the show were being properly nerdy, he would have claimed some of his aliases to be Richard Fannin, Raymond Fiegler, Martin Broadcloak, and Walter O'Dim. But maybe CBS doesn't have the rights to those characters. Although I don't see what harm saying the names would do.
The second great thing the show did that King should have done is to give a final confrontation between Frannie and Harold. It doesn't even change the subtext to the bombing much. But it's needed for closure between the two characters. Also, it's Frannie tempting him to do the right thing and him rejecting it. I found his last diary entry in the book about being "misled" entirely unsatisfactory. If they give him a similar moment on the show, I like that him locking Frannie in his basement means he can't credibly claim that to the audience at least. I think King had a bad tendency in his early career to make sociopaths like Harold, Jack Torrance from The Shining, and Charlie Decker from Rage on some level sympathetic, and in Charlie's disgusting case, an actual antihero. For a guy who made a career on demonstrating extreme examples of evil and violence, King was entirely too understanding about some of his earlier irredeemable characters. I will feel much better about whatever fate befalls Harold because it's entirely his choice and he made the wrong one. He was in no way misled. And that's a definite improvement over both the book and the first miniseries.
This episode did some great things but I am very unhappy about the situations with both Trashcan Man and Vegas. ***1/2.
Carmen Sandiego "The Beijing Bullion Caper"
Wow, Devanieux is useful for once. Still thoroughly unimpressed with the Chief.
That was a little boring, to be honest. ***.
Carmen Sandiego "The Big Bad Ivy Caper"
Aw, we were just about to learn Player's name!
Gray getting his memory back alarmed me.
Shadowsan knows the Vulcan Nerve Pinch.
Pretty good. ***1/2.
Carmen Sandiego "The Robo Caper"
Very exciting climax and ending.
I can't wait to see what happens with Carmen and Devanieux next.
Player's last name it Bouchard? Interesting.
The rules about dogs and turtles in Iceland are weird.
Neat! ****.
Carmen Sandiego "The Himalayan Rescue Caper"
I think Maelstrom's reasoning for re-recruiting Gray was sound. Yeah, it's a risk, but if he didn't bring him back in, Carmen would influence him more fully, and set him against them. Of course, he could have simply KILLED Crackle and taken him off the gameboard, but what fun would that be?
I was disappointed a bigger deal wasn't made for Zack and Ivy finally meeting Player, but they saved the big drama for Player and Carmen instead. Correct storytelling move.
Devanieux is a pushover. I can't believe he agreed to wait a week to talk to Julia. On some level I like that he realizes that after the way he's acted, maybe he needs to earn her trust, but it's not like this isn't important. I wouldn't blame Devanieux for meekly accepting Julia's passive-aggression under most circumstances. But time is becoming a factor.
Pretty good although I wish Gray had made a better decision. ****.
Carmen Sandiego "The V.I.L.E. History Caper"
That fight between Shadowsan and Brunt was one of the highlights of the season. Worth the price of admission.
Frankly it's implausible that Brunt survived the end of the episode, but I'll give them points for revealing that immediately and not bringing her back as a "surprise" villain in a later episode.
I like Brunt offering to accompany Maelstrom for protection because he "doesn't seem like Viking stock". What a great way to put that.
Here's a good guy complaint: Jules is far too free with intel with Player. He pops up out of nowhere claiming to be a friend of Carmen's, but she has no way of knowing that, and doesn't bother verifying his claims, even though people routinely use subterfuge in this specific field. It's hard to believe she used to be a spy. Her (admittedly correctly) immediately trusting Player without doing due diligence means that perhaps that career was a bad fit after all.
I like that when Shadowsan broke his leg a few episodes ago, they kept him in a cast and wheelchair until now. Elena Of Avalor did the same thing once, and it's something I will rave about any time a kiddie cartoon does it. Fantastic.
Good stuff. Shadowsan's slow-mo fighting style is impressive. ****1/2.
Carmen Sandiego "The Egyptian Decryption Caper"
What an ending.
I like the dynamic between Carmen and the Chief because it reveals Chief is not actually a bad guy. Considering what she did, the series would be in every right to make her the actual Big Bad of the series. Instead, Carmen's going to make her make reparations for what she did. It's not fair or equivalent, but it lets us know where both characters stand, and it seems to be on the same side (for now).
I love Carmen teaching Devanieux the exact way to get with the program, and basically figuring out the most ingenious, basic, and dirty way to defeat VILE and take the treasure from them: Alert the authorities. Make this big secret public. VILE's biggest weakness is sunlight and it cannot function out of the shadows. That was a cunning, and almost cruel move on Carmen's end.
For the record, Devanieux's antics are a lot more fun and endearing once he is Carmen's side. It's a wonder it took the writers THIS long to decide to do it. The character is much better for it.
This is all great stuff. ****1/2.
Carmen Sandiego "The Viennese Waltz Caper"
Ugh. Mind control? I did not like that and now I'm concerned about the last episode. The finale of Carmen's series and arc won't even feature the character as herself? Man, I'm not down with that. At all.
Still, I gotta give an episode I hated 2 and half stars simply for licensing the rights to the theme song from the cartoon "Where On Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?" The reason that impresses me is they already licensed the rights for the theme song from the PBS game show, and those were from two entirely different productions companies, so some effort was obviously made, and some money was obviously spent. It was worth it for the only thing in the episode I actually liked. **1/2.
Carmen Sandiego "The Dark Red Caper"
Again, not on-board the mind control premise for the last episode, but the wrap-up itself was fine.
I like the nesting doll being the thing to pull Carmen out of it, and that Ivy and Zack wound up Acme agents. I always got the sense the series perhaps got canceled too soon, but if it did, the writers had plenty of time to craft the correct ending. If I'm wrong, and three (or four) seasons was actually the plan, that's pretty impressive too.
Do you know what I especially like? Carmen doesn't wind up with a dude (or a gal). That's not what her arc has ever been about, and I am very glad the series is not going to shoe-horn a ship in even if sparks DO seem to fly between her and Gray and Jules sometimes. It's refreshing that Carmen doesn't need a man (or woman) to give her life meaning and purpose. People (including me) raved about the gay ending to She-Ra, but having a strong woman not be defined by another person is pretty great for entirely different reasons.
I liked that ending. I didn't like a lot of the first part of the episode, but it ended well. Which is what you want in a series finale. ****.
WandaVision "Now In Color"
I was pretty accepting of the first two episodes, but I have a lot to say about this week.
First off, I loved the last five minutes. I would say they were everything I love about television, but this show is sort of making it hard to make the distinction between television and filmmaking. This is certainly more ambitious than anything Marvel Television has ever attempted.
Who is Geraldine? Is she from our world? Is she tasked with bringing Wanda back? Are the army troopers seen at the end part of our Universe? What is the symbol on her necklace and what does it mean? Was Vision's neighbor about to suggest they were all dead? Is Geraldine actually good or bad? The most confusing thing to me is if this is either in Wanda's head, or a trap for Wanda, what is the point or purpose of the commercials? Why is she dreaming them and what do they signify? Some Marvel fans may simply be happy with the Easter Eggs from the comics but I'm not. They are the one part of the show I cannot quite seem to rationalize and that bugs me a little.
There is another thing that troubles me. I said last week that Paul Bettany was a gifted comedic actor. And he is. But despite the entire premise being a sitcom, I haven't laughed once. Maybe that's partly the point, because sitcoms in the 50's and 60's weren't actually funny (with maybe the exception of Dick Van Dyke) but stuff in the 70's sort of started to be, and the laughs are absent here too. I'm wondering why that is.
This show confuses me in a good way. Except for the commercials. They bother me because they seem less like an aspect of what is going on, and more like a conceit of the premise, which is not a great thing for a solid mystery to have. But that episode really got me thinking, and I am very interested to see how this plays out. ****1/2.
Batwoman "Prior Criminal History"
Not bad. But I liked the first half better than the second.
That footage getting out of Jacob trying to murder Batwoman is the most pleasant surprise I never expected to see this season. To be honest, it's clear why they did that. Over the hiatus America completely lost faith in law enforcement, and Jacob's actions look even worse in hindsight than when he did them. Frankly, he should be in jail. And I think the only excuse he can possibly have for not being there is that his attempted murder victim is actually missing.
But he and Sophie are pieces of work. Gathering Mary and Luke in interrogation like common criminals, and asking them if they knew anybody who wanted Kate dead. "Well, now that you mention it..."
I also very much like Ryan flummoxing Sophie by thinking Jacob only kept Alice alive because she was white. It's still true, you know. And despite this never occurring to Sophie, another woman of color, I am especially annoyed by this because it would probably have worked out that way even if Jacob wasn't her father. How many white criminal murdering psychopaths have Batman, the Crows and the GCPD, basically send back and forth through the rotating door of Arkham while the police gun down black men in the street every day? You don't think white privilege exists? The Joker, literally the whitest guy alive, and the person who would define "Shoot to kill" in real life, is still alive and ready and able to cause trouble whenever he wants. And it's annoying this hasn't already occurred to Sophie. But this is not a problem exclusive to white law enforcement officers. It's systemic, and gross, and I'm already sick of it. And I'm appreciative the show is too.
No Batwoman shouldn't kill. But let's also be honest about why most of the Rogues are still alive after multiple encounters with "Not Batman". Can we do that much at least?
I very much like the idea that Sophie once saved Kate as Batwoman after she saved her. That's neat.
For the record, after that appalling break-up scene, I truly think Julia Pennyworth is better off. Frankly, Kate would have been better off not pining for a loser like Sophie too. She is never there for the people who care about her when they actually need her to be.
I like that this show gives me main characters to solidly dislike. What I especially like is that unlike previous DC efforts with Lana Lang on Smallville, and Thea Queen and Laurel Lance on Arrow, the show isn't trying to make excuses for them, or asking me to forgive them simply because the hero cares about them. Jacob and Sophie are toxic, and I like that this season is treating them as such. It's a bit refreshing to be honest. I also don't think Alice is the worst person on the show as long as Jacob is a main cast member.
All right. But the first half held my interest more. ***1/2.
Teen Titans Go! "Lucky Stars"
Even when Cyborg is being proven wrong about horoscopes, he's actually right.
And Star is apparently super crazy. **1/2.
Teen Titans Go! "Various Modes Of Transportation"
That was pretty bad. Obnoxious even. What I don't get is that Robin is starved for companionship and is crippled by loneliness. You'd think with somebody agreeing to hang out with him, he'd make an extra effort to not be the single worst person who ever lived. Instead, I don't think he's EVER been this bad.
I don't like this episode, and I don't like what it says about the show. It's just wrong all around. The show has done much worse in the past, so it perhaps doesn't make a ton of sense to give it zero stars. And yet, I cannot think of a single redeeming virtue the episode possesses. This show is seriously wrecking my curve of what deserves zero stars. 0.
Teen Titans Go! "Cool Uncles"
Raven has brothers? They are super cute. And so was the episode. ****.
Teen Titans Go! "Butter Wall"
That was an utter mess.
The episode couldn't decide what it wanted to be about or what its moral should be. At first it perhaps seems like a current political allegory with Beast Boy believing a stupid and easily debunked thing, but of course the show has to make Beast Boy's anti-science conspiracy theory right.
Free tip. Don't watch four episodes of this show in a row. It's all right in 11 minute weekly doses, but it's intolerable to binge. *1/2.
Looney Tunes Cartoons "Daffucino / Hole Gag: Moving Hole / Kitty Livin"
Daffucino:
The lady customer was super annoying.
I like Daffy trying to think of what coffee was.
They ended it that way because they were stuck for something better. ***1/2.
Hole Gag: Moving Hole:
Eh. ***.
Kitty Livin':
Can't ever say Looney Tunes has done this premise before. Sylvester EATS Tweety and at the end of the episode he stays eaten. That ending with Granny was outright weird.
Tweety breaking Sylvester's bones and using them to start a fire made me cringe as did the various other "indoor abuses" Sly suffered. Got a bit of the heebies and a whiff of the jeebies from them.
You can't argue against this show for doing stuff the original cartoons would never do. If you ask me, that's the selling point of the show. ****1/2.
Episode Overall: ****.
Looney Tunes Cartoons "Chain Gangster / Telephone Pole Gag: Sylvester Car Jack Lift / Falling For It"
Chain Gangster:
Interesting. Bugs is definitely using the light touch with Rocko and Mugsy here. He's not being remotely helpful. But he's also not being overtly malicious for once.
I like what Granny's garbage turned out to be because it seemed a not too subtle commentary and satire as to just how dumb Looney Tunes actually are. It's sort of rubbing your face in "We are allowed to do this, and you can't pretend you are a better and smarter viewer than you are. You knew what you were getting into going in." I very much liked being a little bit sick with myself for laughing at something that dumb. ****.
Telephone Pole Gag: Sylvester Car Jack Lift:
These short cartoons aren't doing anything for me. **1/2.
Falling For It:
The comedy timing on the reaction shot of "Well, whaddaya know? No parachutes," was sublime, and the reaction itself couldn't not have been wilder or more crazy appropriate. Porky ending the cartoon bruised in the drum was a nice touch too. ****.
Episode Overall: ****.
Looney Tunes Cartoons "Taziator / Marvin Flag Gag: Little Martian / Climate Control"
I don't like Fred Tatasciore as Taz. He makes the right noises, but this Taz is a little more verbose than usual, and the voice sounds wrong. Has Jim Cummings really become that unaffordable?
I am unsurprised Taz ate all the lions. And a little surprised Bugs is. Clearly the maroon in the stadium in that moment is Bugs.
Some gross side gags that I didn't like.
It was all right but I don't see why they had to recast characters whose voice actors were already great. Especially if they are replaced by people who aren't right for the role.
At least Bob Bergen's still around. We have that much at least. ***.
Martian Flag Gag: Little Martian:
Subtlety has never been this franchise's strong suit. That being said, the Martian is cute. ***1/2.
Climate Control:
Roadrunner cartoons are a "I've seen 'em all before" premise, so while most of this cartoon felt like a retread, I want to give it the proper due for having Wile E flawlessly navigate his way out of falling off the cliff for once... only to be hit by a truck. That was very, very good cartoon comedy right there. And again. This franchise is NOT subtle. ****.
Episode Overall: ***1/2.
Looney Tunes Cartoons "Lepre-Conned / Flag Won't Stay Straight / Brave New Home"
Lepre-Conned:
I like the design of the Leprechaun. I also liked Bugs' crazed design and voice as he threatens to let the pot have it.
The timing of the last gag wasn't all that hot though. ***1/2.
Flag Won't Stay Straight:
Cute. ***1/2.
Brave New Home:
This is a great premise (a computerized operating system misunderstanding Porky because of his stutter) but I don't feel like they fully utilized it properly (perhaps for fear of offending stutterers?). I'm just glad Looney Tunes has gotten rid of those creepy nipples other recent TV cartoons have given Porky.
That woman who is messily eating that sandwich is totally my type.
All right. ***1/2.
Episode Overall: ***1/2.
Looney Tunes Cartoons "The Case Of Porky's Pants / Fully Vetted"
The Case Of Porky's Pants:
I like that the spooky culprit turned out to be the pants. ****.
Fully Vetted:
"He mad." Yes he is, Tweety.
I like all of the various gruesome tests the doctors did on Sylvester leading to him being "fixed". Say what you will about the lack of gunplay on this show, a LOT of its funniest jokes would never pass muster in the 1930's and 1940's. ****.
Episode Overall: ****.
Looney Tunes Cartoons "E-Rabbiticator / Planet Split In 2 / Sales Duck"
E-Rabbiticator:
Why does the Mecha-Fudd have nipples? Was he designed by Joel Schumacher?
I liked Bugs' meltdown at the end. ***1/2.
Planet Split In 2:
How many variations on this can they do? Because it'll be hard to top this one. ***.
Sales Duck:
Not a bad ending. ****.
Episode Overall: ***1/2.
Looney Tunes Cartoons "Pitcher Porky / Cherry Picker / Duck Duck Boom"
Pitcher Porky:
Spoke too soon. Return of Porky's gross nipples.
I really like the designs of the baseball players. The "madball" was great too.
Pretty good. ***1/2.
Cherry Picker:
Meh. **1/2.
Duck Duck Boom:
That was great. A little in-depth for this one.
I like the show rubbing the face in the fact that since they can't use guns anymore, Elmer has to hunt "humanely" with dynamite. That was great, leading to a great cartoon and a funny ending. I loved every inch of it.
Now I'm gonna bum you out. I'm going to tell you something you won't want to hear. But Looney Tunes retiring guns was the right move. I don't agree with retiring Speedy Gonzalez, but unfortunately, when Looney Tunes engaged in gunplay in the 30's and 40's, that was okay, because it wasn't imitable, and kids couldn't easily get their hands on guns. People didn't shoot up schools or malls back then either. Do not blame the studio for refusing to put guns in new Looney Tunes. Look around you and see what society has become in the meantime. THAT is who is to blame. Gun control has been largely abandoned by the left, and every attempt made at it always fails. I've personally given up. They won. Basically, gun lovers are not going to ever have any restrictions placed upon their questionable hobby. They will always enjoy that right. And mass shootings and terrorist attacks are the price the rest of us will have to pay for them to enjoy that right. Another price we have to pay is no guns in Looney Tunes. That's the right decision for this day and age, and it's not the studio's fault it has to be this way. It's ours. So, you want to blame someone for Looney Tunes not being allowed to shoot up the joint anymore, talk to your neighbors who are literally shooting up joints. See how reasonable they are about the subject.+
That is my defense for the show's controversial decision on guns. *****.
+On second thought, don't. They're nuts.
Looney Tunes Cartoons "Postalgeist / Anvil / Fudds Bunny"
Postalgeist:
I like the design of the ghost. Very Jimmy Durante. Anybody remember him?
I like Daffy's creeds too and the elevator stops were funny.
I liked it. ***1/2.
Anvil:
Boring. **1/2.
Fudds Bunny:
Bugs is a union man? I knew I liked him.
I am less amused by the fact that Fudd has turned into Bugs, and more amused by the fact that Bugs has turned into Elmyra. Either that was the randomest coincidence ever, or I'll tell myself the Universe works exactly as designed, and that was planned.
I liked Bugs throwing back the petty shots Elmer takes at his teeth, feet and tail.
Funny stuff. ****1/2.
Episode Overall: ****.
Looney Tunes Cartoons "Shoe-Shine-nanigans / Multiply And Conquer / Parky Pig"
Shoe-Shine-nagigans:
Here's a fact: I am 45 years old and I have never, EVER in my entire life seen a shoe-shine boy or a shoe-shine stand. I am aware Andy owned one on the modern-era sitcom Parks And Recreation, but it's such an anachronism, I've never witnessed it myself.
Do you know the reason I suspect there aren't any of those anymore? They're a total waste of money and time. Even if it's only a quarter, that's stupid. And it's not like it's a luxury you can enjoy as it's happening. The worst part is, that the you actually have to take out five minutes from the middle of your busy day to spend money on a stupid thing you can do yourself at home. It's not just that it's a waste of money that the idea bugs me. It's a waste of time. Even five minutes on that specific nonsense is five minutes of a life badly spent. ***1/2.
Multiply And Conquer:
Good for the cartoon for seeing the correct reason this wouldn't work. And yes, it's a smart idea on paper. And yes, an army of Wile E's actually manages to catch the Roadrunner. But the more Wile E's there are, the more diminishing returns there will be. Because there is only one Roadrunner. Are ALL of them expected to share him? That's reasonable if there's two of them. Three of them might also be able to make peace. But if you're talking six of them, there's just no way to make it work. ****.
Parky Pig:
I like that the spot is in front of his own house.
I never expected to hear the term "Pay It Forward" in a legit Looney Tunes cartoon. Not saying it was good or bad, but it was unexpected.
For the record, this show is full of it. Parking garage prices are not that bad or remotely unaffordable. This is taking a shot at a problem that doesn't exist.
Even if we can't SEE Speedy Gonzalez anymore, at least we can still reference him.
I like Porky's movie costume.
All right, but Porky has always been the least interesting Looney Tunes character, ***1/2.
Episode Overall: ***1/2.
Looney Tunes Cartoons "Shell-Shocked / Daffy Dentist"
Shell Shocked:
Based on the episode title, if Cecil didn't appear, I was gonna be disappointed.
Cecil cartoons are interesting because they are the only cartoons Bugs almost always loses. Although here he won at losing.
Ugh. Is there a reason they needed to give Cecil creepy nipples? There is something currently wrong with this franchise.
For the record, Cecil knows the correct way to multiply. The fun way. ***1/2.
Daffy Dentist:
This cartoon is so anachronistic. It's made in 2021, and has a character walk into a dentist's office with a toothache and a scarf wrapped around their head. Nobody ties loose teeth to doors anymore either, although I question if anyone EVER did that specific cartoon trope.
Do you know what is also not accurate, but a credible joke nonetheless? Unlike parking garages, dentist bills are crazy expensive, and unaffordable for most people. A billion dollars, or 2 thousand. Those numbers don't matter to people who can't afford either.
All right. ***1/2.
Episode Overall: ***1/2.
The Stand "The Vigil"
Well... I have to admit I disapproved of a great deal of that. And yet the episode did two things King should have done in the book and would have done if he were a more experienced writer. I'm going to talk a little bit about some things that didn't work, and then go onto the things that only partly worked, and finally get to the good stuff. We're walking from sucky to good in this specific review.
I was worried we weren't going to get to Trashcan Man last week. After that? We would have been better off if we hadn't. Ezra Miller is a disaster. To be clear, Matt Frewer was also miscast in the first miniseries, but he got the major part of Trashy correct that this version completely misses the boat on. We didn't even get to see the Kid, so this version is especially useless to the narrative.
I think in the book, Trashcan Man and Larry Underwood are mirror versions of each other. Both are equally good and bad to start off with, and Larry makes good decisions while Trashy makes bad ones. This version of Trash is far too openly sinister and crazy. Trashman Man is the only real villain I found genuinely sympathetic in the book. I felt whatever sympathy both King and the other characters had for Harold Lauder was misplaced, but I kind of like and am half-rooting for Trashy, especially after his ordeal with the Kid. And the show botching New Vegas is one of the reasons we are stuck with a lousy Trashcan Man. Vegas is supposed to be the first place Donald Erwin Melbert feels accepted and respected. Lloyd actually LIKES him there, and the crew sort of consider him a mascot of sorts. Like the mistreatment of Tom Cullen, the show is making it seem like there are no good things about Las Vegas' community. It's not true. A lot of the denizens aren't even evil. They're weak. And nobody is weaker than Trashcan Man.
I think the show did a good thing in making Harold Lauder scarier than he is in the book. I do not think doing the same thing for Trashcan Man, only worse, is a good idea at all.
Let's get to Bobby Terry. I like the part with Flagg tries to make him apologize, but he's a shameless sociopath, and incapable of saying the words. And similarly, as terrifying as "You screwed it up, Bobby Terry!" is in the book, the line is somehow scarier here. And yet, I feel like Bobby Terry got away with far too much. He gives Flagg the finger which no character in Vegas should ever do. Everybody has had the dreams, and knows that Flagg is the closest thing to the Devil the Earth has ever known. Flagg letting him get as far as the elevator was not something the book Flagg would ever have done.
Another mixed bag: I much prefer the book's idea that Flagg didn't figure out Tom Cullen himself, and had to learn after the fact from Lloyd, which is Lloyd's first and biggest demonstration that Flagg isn't as all powerful as he claims he is. Flagg figuring out the M-O-O-N thing means he is, which is the wrong moral. However, I very much like Tom Cullen's method of escape. It's not better to me than the book, and I think it's a little too clever for this version of Tom Cullen, but it's suitably creepy and scary and has clear Holocaust parallels. So call that part a push.
The two things Stephen King should have done, and would have with a little more writing experience, is to first have an actual verbal confrontation between Mother Abigail and Randall Flagg. A scene where he attempts to tempt this world's version of Jesus on the cross. King wanted her disappearance in the book to be such a mystery that he missed out on pitting God vs the Devil. The best part is, it's probably just a vision and all in Mother Abigail's head, so it's something Flagg and her should be capable of conversing with on the Astral Plane.
For the record, when he says he goes by many names, the "Legion" moment is great, and reminds me of Andre Linoge from Storm Of The Century (I just reread that miniseries script a few days ago). But if the show were being properly nerdy, he would have claimed some of his aliases to be Richard Fannin, Raymond Fiegler, Martin Broadcloak, and Walter O'Dim. But maybe CBS doesn't have the rights to those characters. Although I don't see what harm saying the names would do.
The second great thing the show did that King should have done is to give a final confrontation between Frannie and Harold. It doesn't even change the subtext to the bombing much. But it's needed for closure between the two characters. Also, it's Frannie tempting him to do the right thing and him rejecting it. I found his last diary entry in the book about being "misled" entirely unsatisfactory. If they give him a similar moment on the show, I like that him locking Frannie in his basement means he can't credibly claim that to the audience at least. I think King had a bad tendency in his early career to make sociopaths like Harold, Jack Torrance from The Shining, and Charlie Decker from Rage on some level sympathetic, and in Charlie's disgusting case, an actual antihero. For a guy who made a career on demonstrating extreme examples of evil and violence, King was entirely too understanding about some of his earlier irredeemable characters. I will feel much better about whatever fate befalls Harold because it's entirely his choice and he made the wrong one. He was in no way misled. And that's a definite improvement over both the book and the first miniseries.
This episode did some great things but I am very unhappy about the situations with both Trashcan Man and Vegas. ***1/2.