Matt Zimmer (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
matt_zimmer) wrote2021-02-22 06:00 am
matt_zimmer) wrote2021-02-22 06:00 am
WandaVision "Breaking The Fourth Wall" Review (Spoilers)
Also reviews for the latest episodes of DuckTales, Teen Titans Go!, Batwoman, Bless The Harts, The Simpsons, The Great North, Bob's Burgers, and Family Guy, the series premiere of Power Rangers Dino Fury, the first two episodes of Clarice, and the latest episode of The Blacklist.
WandaVision "Breaking The Fourth Wall"
That was very confusing to me, and I wasn't sure about what I just saw. But I really liked it anyways. I liked the reasons I felt confused. Agnes as the Big Bad does NOT track, so the episode did a quick rewind to explain that her previously inexplicable behavior to that idea was actually a calculated performance. Which makes no sense as far as explanations go, but also as far as explanations go, it exists. Which I kind of feel is enough for me at this point. Worrying about the minutia, or what does and doesn't fit is above my pay-grade. Comic book nerds are much better equipped to delve into these theories and whether they fit. All they needed to do was explain she killed Sparky, and I'll roll with everything else. Even the idea that Quicksilver is in on it. Why not?
The episode made me realize two good things: The first good thing is something that's less important than it was a few weeks ago. But Wanda is not the villain or responsible. I could have used that knowledge a couple of weeks ago, but it's good news regardless. And I personally believe Wanda is still on the hook and culpable for some of the bad stuff happening. But whether she's complicit or not, it's not her actual design, which will make things easier going forward.
The second good thing is that I realized I care about Wanda and Vision. My complaint about the series when it started that I don't care enough about the characters to watch Wanda's descent into madness still stands. And I didn't care enough about her from her previous roles in the MCU. But she's been onscreen enough here that I care about her because of the series. Maybe that's a little late for some of the plot turns they've used, but it DID happen, which is the important thing.
Darcy's filling in the backstory for Vision was crucial because it's been so long I had forgotten most of this stuff. She wasn't just reminding him. She was reminding the general audience who perhaps haven't been as thorough with rewatching the movies as they planned. I'm glad. I understand the timeline a little better now.
We sure Hayward isn't Hydra? Wanting to weaponize Vision is something they'd want to do.
The commercial might actually have been helpful to the viewer. Whatever the Nexus is, it will probably be a big deal in the last couple of episodes.
According to the end credits the end title song was titled "It was ______ All Along". Which tells me there were several different endings filmed to prevent spoilers from leaking out. I suspect if there is ever a Blu-Ray release, we are due some entertaining outtakes.
Modern Family and The Office are the sitcoms the episode mirrors. What's interesting is that the later in television history the sitcom goes, the funnier it actually is. I didn't find anything from the Malcolm In The Middle episode funny, but this was clever in quite a few places. I just don't know what next week could possible be. Animated version of Bojack Horseman? Does the Universe loves us enough for that? Or perhaps hate us enough? To be determined...
I am confused and I like feeling confused the way I am. It's giving me the same kind of warm fuzzy headaches Twin Peaks used to. What's alarming me is that unlike Twin Peaks, where not knowing the answers is the point, I suspect the writers of this show are gonna not only tell us what's going on, but turn into Fox's Masked Magician and spoil everything by revealing how they did the trick. Some people will be excited at the idea of a Twin Peaks-like show with a firm solution coming. I'm apprehensive. I kind of LIKE being confused and confounded by this show. I'm not looking forward to things being cleared up. Twin Peaks definitely would have lost a lot of its magic if it had that done that. We'll see how it works out. ****1/2.
DuckTales "Beaks In The Shell!"
That was outright awful. Say what you will about the Duck Comics, they aren't actually cringe. I was pretty much mortified during the entire episode. This is not something I could ever sit down and watch with another person because I'd be so embarrassed. Just... Ick. 0.
Teen Titans Go! "Don't Press Play"
I like that De La Soul lack enough vanity to allow themselves to be portrayed as crying and using an inhaler.
Their superpowers are pretty cool.
Speaking parts for Wonder Woman and Aquaman. Interesting.
Good episode. ****.
Batwoman "Gore On Canvas"
Plothole: If Ryan and Angelique spent the night together, shouldn't she already have seen the wound on her shoulder? Sloppy writing.
Jack Napier is the Joker in this continuity. It's weird how everybody calls him Jack Napier though. Rights issue involved? If so, why are they SOMETIMES allowed to call him the Joker?
I love Evan's story of how Kate convinced him to come out.
Alice knows how to scare off a guy.
The Crows suck. Luke's story is better (or rather worse) than Ryan's.
I like Sofia's brother calling Alice a bad assassin. When he lays her mistakes out like that you realize she kind of is.
I like Ryan putting Luke and Mary in their place for trusting the Crows. She DOES wear the suit. She should have more say than she does.
Alice saying she can be trusted to defend her life from murderers is exactly right. But frankly, that's as far as I'd trust her.
I like the twist that Evan was Wolf-Spider and the revelation of where the painting actually ended up. That was a legit surprise to me.
Solid episode. ****.
Bless The Harts "Crappy Death Day"
Wayne's neurotoxic hallucination was absolutely fabulous. He'll be back to no time in normal.
His friends absolutely suck though. He can do better.
Violet's moral to tie things together was a bit shaky, so it wasn't exactly a happy ending. But it was close enough to one.
The animation in the freak-out sequences was great. ****.
The Simpsons "Diary Queen"
This is not the first tribute episode the show has done for Marcia Wallace. But I think this is the first one that was worthy of her and what she meant to the show.
It's interesting and cool that the show doesn't take a moral stand one way or the other about Lisa telling Bart the truth. On some level part of it is vanity, but another is because she really wants to help him. Either way I like that Lisa isn't a bad guy for it.
Either Harry Shearer still played Dr. Hibbert in this episode or the replacement they got for him was REALLY good.
I am very glad Lisa's Mike Pence joke is dated.
Loved the still of Edna watching the Bob Newhart Show.
Stampy performed of his own free will. Because that's the first thing I was worried about.
Bart sets a bunch of books on-fire simply because Bart is the worst. I can think of few fictional characters with fewer redeeming qualities. It's stuff like that which makes it hard to sympathize with him for moments like the end of the episode.
Also nice to get some closure for Ned and Edna's relationship, although Flanderization has struck again. It's SO sad that Al Jean was right, and it is necessary during the current climate, but when Bart suggests it's better people make their point and stop, he's actually right for once.
Nice episode. ****1/2.
The Great North "Avocado Barter Adventure"
For the record, I would not tolerate anyone else putting together my Lunchables. That's the entire point of them.
Where was the Shrek stuff actually from? I didn't get that bit.
I'm really digging Judy. Loved her scream.
I love that Moon pretends to have face-blindness.
First episode of the show I dug. ***1/2.
The Great North "Romantic Meat-Based Adventure"
That was nice. I really continue to like Judy. She's nice which is cool.
I'm rooting for Beef and Deb down the line too.
I don't have much else to say about this episode other than I liked it. ***1/2.
The Great North "Curl Interrupted Adventure"
I didn't like most of it (Curling is a weird sport) but I liked the last five minutes. Judy being excited at improv was funny, and I liked the joke that Delbert wasn't dead, he was just really, really hurt. But I wasn't feeling the rest of the episode. **1/2.
Bob's Burgers "Romancing The Beef"
I like that Bob does NOT like it when Jimmy is proud of him.
Tina's stuff was surprisingly fun.
Hugo is the worst. His date seems like the worst too so they are a good fit.
Gene literally ruins everything. I cannot stand that character.
Poor Teddy and his heart medicine. I like Linda saying him decorating his apartment for Valentine's Day was sad.
Bob and Linda's lists as the end were cute.
Funny / sweet episode. ****.
Family Guy "Boy's Best Friend"
Didn't love it. Brian's ending was unexpected because it was kind of nice though. And I like that Oscar died on-brand. Good joke.
But I wasn't feeling the episode. Simpsons won the night. ***.
Power Rangers Dino Fury "Destination Dinohenge"
Shocker of shockers: I liked it. I can't predict if the show will be this solid going forward (Beast Morphers had a good premiere too before quickly devolving into cringe) but I thought it was neat.
I like how female centered the franchise feels to start off with. I also like that the Rangers appear to be adults with jobs rather than teenagers who go to school. And I especially like that the voice performances of the bad guys and creatures don't seem hammy or cartoonishly over-the-top.
The quips and line deliveries were also not terrible.
The show keeps this up, I'll like it. Beast Morphers was unable to. I suppose we'll find out soon enough. ****1/2.
Clarice "The Silence Is Over"
I'm a little disappointed. After the artistry that was Hannibal, it's a little bit of a let-down the next series to try and adapt a Thomas Harris novel is just a straight-up procedural. It's a nice enough procedural but there will be no Wendigos here.
I like how stubborn they made Clarice in telling the media the truth rather than what her bosses wanted her to say. That will make the next few weeks dramatic.
It's interesting this is set in 1993. Not very many shows set during this era.
It was all right but Bryan Fuller's vision is not something that can easily be lived up to. ***.
Clarice "Ghosts Of Highway 20"
I actually liked this a lot.
As a reminder this is set in the early 90's, Waco is still fresh.
I liked Clarice's tactic for getting into the cult leader's head. It was a smart reversal.
Better than the first episode. ****.
The Blacklist "The Wellstone Agency"
That was a wonderful tribute to Clark Middleton, but I have to say I won't miss Glen the character at all. He was such a chore to deal with, and made everything harder than it needed to be.
Middleton dying is not a surprise at all. I remember him from Fringe back in the day, and I always thought the guy looked like he was on his last legs and near-death. It surprises me he lasted as long as he did.
Aram did pretty well in his undercover work, especially keeping his cool while Red was informing the Colonel about the mole. That was a very tricky scene I think for the actors AND the characters to navigate.
Huey Lewis' appearance was fun, although it's another thing that says that everything Glen ever did was an ordeal and inconvenience. Red's moving tribute was definitely something an actor as memorable as Middleton deserved. Glen himself? Not so much.
Another solid episode in a trainwreck of a season. What does this week and the last have in common? Liz wasn't present in either episode. There is a lesson there, and it's a really unpleasant one. ****.
WandaVision "Breaking The Fourth Wall"
That was very confusing to me, and I wasn't sure about what I just saw. But I really liked it anyways. I liked the reasons I felt confused. Agnes as the Big Bad does NOT track, so the episode did a quick rewind to explain that her previously inexplicable behavior to that idea was actually a calculated performance. Which makes no sense as far as explanations go, but also as far as explanations go, it exists. Which I kind of feel is enough for me at this point. Worrying about the minutia, or what does and doesn't fit is above my pay-grade. Comic book nerds are much better equipped to delve into these theories and whether they fit. All they needed to do was explain she killed Sparky, and I'll roll with everything else. Even the idea that Quicksilver is in on it. Why not?
The episode made me realize two good things: The first good thing is something that's less important than it was a few weeks ago. But Wanda is not the villain or responsible. I could have used that knowledge a couple of weeks ago, but it's good news regardless. And I personally believe Wanda is still on the hook and culpable for some of the bad stuff happening. But whether she's complicit or not, it's not her actual design, which will make things easier going forward.
The second good thing is that I realized I care about Wanda and Vision. My complaint about the series when it started that I don't care enough about the characters to watch Wanda's descent into madness still stands. And I didn't care enough about her from her previous roles in the MCU. But she's been onscreen enough here that I care about her because of the series. Maybe that's a little late for some of the plot turns they've used, but it DID happen, which is the important thing.
Darcy's filling in the backstory for Vision was crucial because it's been so long I had forgotten most of this stuff. She wasn't just reminding him. She was reminding the general audience who perhaps haven't been as thorough with rewatching the movies as they planned. I'm glad. I understand the timeline a little better now.
We sure Hayward isn't Hydra? Wanting to weaponize Vision is something they'd want to do.
The commercial might actually have been helpful to the viewer. Whatever the Nexus is, it will probably be a big deal in the last couple of episodes.
According to the end credits the end title song was titled "It was ______ All Along". Which tells me there were several different endings filmed to prevent spoilers from leaking out. I suspect if there is ever a Blu-Ray release, we are due some entertaining outtakes.
Modern Family and The Office are the sitcoms the episode mirrors. What's interesting is that the later in television history the sitcom goes, the funnier it actually is. I didn't find anything from the Malcolm In The Middle episode funny, but this was clever in quite a few places. I just don't know what next week could possible be. Animated version of Bojack Horseman? Does the Universe loves us enough for that? Or perhaps hate us enough? To be determined...
I am confused and I like feeling confused the way I am. It's giving me the same kind of warm fuzzy headaches Twin Peaks used to. What's alarming me is that unlike Twin Peaks, where not knowing the answers is the point, I suspect the writers of this show are gonna not only tell us what's going on, but turn into Fox's Masked Magician and spoil everything by revealing how they did the trick. Some people will be excited at the idea of a Twin Peaks-like show with a firm solution coming. I'm apprehensive. I kind of LIKE being confused and confounded by this show. I'm not looking forward to things being cleared up. Twin Peaks definitely would have lost a lot of its magic if it had that done that. We'll see how it works out. ****1/2.
DuckTales "Beaks In The Shell!"
That was outright awful. Say what you will about the Duck Comics, they aren't actually cringe. I was pretty much mortified during the entire episode. This is not something I could ever sit down and watch with another person because I'd be so embarrassed. Just... Ick. 0.
Teen Titans Go! "Don't Press Play"
I like that De La Soul lack enough vanity to allow themselves to be portrayed as crying and using an inhaler.
Their superpowers are pretty cool.
Speaking parts for Wonder Woman and Aquaman. Interesting.
Good episode. ****.
Batwoman "Gore On Canvas"
Plothole: If Ryan and Angelique spent the night together, shouldn't she already have seen the wound on her shoulder? Sloppy writing.
Jack Napier is the Joker in this continuity. It's weird how everybody calls him Jack Napier though. Rights issue involved? If so, why are they SOMETIMES allowed to call him the Joker?
I love Evan's story of how Kate convinced him to come out.
Alice knows how to scare off a guy.
The Crows suck. Luke's story is better (or rather worse) than Ryan's.
I like Sofia's brother calling Alice a bad assassin. When he lays her mistakes out like that you realize she kind of is.
I like Ryan putting Luke and Mary in their place for trusting the Crows. She DOES wear the suit. She should have more say than she does.
Alice saying she can be trusted to defend her life from murderers is exactly right. But frankly, that's as far as I'd trust her.
I like the twist that Evan was Wolf-Spider and the revelation of where the painting actually ended up. That was a legit surprise to me.
Solid episode. ****.
Bless The Harts "Crappy Death Day"
Wayne's neurotoxic hallucination was absolutely fabulous. He'll be back to no time in normal.
His friends absolutely suck though. He can do better.
Violet's moral to tie things together was a bit shaky, so it wasn't exactly a happy ending. But it was close enough to one.
The animation in the freak-out sequences was great. ****.
The Simpsons "Diary Queen"
This is not the first tribute episode the show has done for Marcia Wallace. But I think this is the first one that was worthy of her and what she meant to the show.
It's interesting and cool that the show doesn't take a moral stand one way or the other about Lisa telling Bart the truth. On some level part of it is vanity, but another is because she really wants to help him. Either way I like that Lisa isn't a bad guy for it.
Either Harry Shearer still played Dr. Hibbert in this episode or the replacement they got for him was REALLY good.
I am very glad Lisa's Mike Pence joke is dated.
Loved the still of Edna watching the Bob Newhart Show.
Stampy performed of his own free will. Because that's the first thing I was worried about.
Bart sets a bunch of books on-fire simply because Bart is the worst. I can think of few fictional characters with fewer redeeming qualities. It's stuff like that which makes it hard to sympathize with him for moments like the end of the episode.
Also nice to get some closure for Ned and Edna's relationship, although Flanderization has struck again. It's SO sad that Al Jean was right, and it is necessary during the current climate, but when Bart suggests it's better people make their point and stop, he's actually right for once.
Nice episode. ****1/2.
The Great North "Avocado Barter Adventure"
For the record, I would not tolerate anyone else putting together my Lunchables. That's the entire point of them.
Where was the Shrek stuff actually from? I didn't get that bit.
I'm really digging Judy. Loved her scream.
I love that Moon pretends to have face-blindness.
First episode of the show I dug. ***1/2.
The Great North "Romantic Meat-Based Adventure"
That was nice. I really continue to like Judy. She's nice which is cool.
I'm rooting for Beef and Deb down the line too.
I don't have much else to say about this episode other than I liked it. ***1/2.
The Great North "Curl Interrupted Adventure"
I didn't like most of it (Curling is a weird sport) but I liked the last five minutes. Judy being excited at improv was funny, and I liked the joke that Delbert wasn't dead, he was just really, really hurt. But I wasn't feeling the rest of the episode. **1/2.
Bob's Burgers "Romancing The Beef"
I like that Bob does NOT like it when Jimmy is proud of him.
Tina's stuff was surprisingly fun.
Hugo is the worst. His date seems like the worst too so they are a good fit.
Gene literally ruins everything. I cannot stand that character.
Poor Teddy and his heart medicine. I like Linda saying him decorating his apartment for Valentine's Day was sad.
Bob and Linda's lists as the end were cute.
Funny / sweet episode. ****.
Family Guy "Boy's Best Friend"
Didn't love it. Brian's ending was unexpected because it was kind of nice though. And I like that Oscar died on-brand. Good joke.
But I wasn't feeling the episode. Simpsons won the night. ***.
Power Rangers Dino Fury "Destination Dinohenge"
Shocker of shockers: I liked it. I can't predict if the show will be this solid going forward (Beast Morphers had a good premiere too before quickly devolving into cringe) but I thought it was neat.
I like how female centered the franchise feels to start off with. I also like that the Rangers appear to be adults with jobs rather than teenagers who go to school. And I especially like that the voice performances of the bad guys and creatures don't seem hammy or cartoonishly over-the-top.
The quips and line deliveries were also not terrible.
The show keeps this up, I'll like it. Beast Morphers was unable to. I suppose we'll find out soon enough. ****1/2.
Clarice "The Silence Is Over"
I'm a little disappointed. After the artistry that was Hannibal, it's a little bit of a let-down the next series to try and adapt a Thomas Harris novel is just a straight-up procedural. It's a nice enough procedural but there will be no Wendigos here.
I like how stubborn they made Clarice in telling the media the truth rather than what her bosses wanted her to say. That will make the next few weeks dramatic.
It's interesting this is set in 1993. Not very many shows set during this era.
It was all right but Bryan Fuller's vision is not something that can easily be lived up to. ***.
Clarice "Ghosts Of Highway 20"
I actually liked this a lot.
As a reminder this is set in the early 90's, Waco is still fresh.
I liked Clarice's tactic for getting into the cult leader's head. It was a smart reversal.
Better than the first episode. ****.
The Blacklist "The Wellstone Agency"
That was a wonderful tribute to Clark Middleton, but I have to say I won't miss Glen the character at all. He was such a chore to deal with, and made everything harder than it needed to be.
Middleton dying is not a surprise at all. I remember him from Fringe back in the day, and I always thought the guy looked like he was on his last legs and near-death. It surprises me he lasted as long as he did.
Aram did pretty well in his undercover work, especially keeping his cool while Red was informing the Colonel about the mole. That was a very tricky scene I think for the actors AND the characters to navigate.
Huey Lewis' appearance was fun, although it's another thing that says that everything Glen ever did was an ordeal and inconvenience. Red's moving tribute was definitely something an actor as memorable as Middleton deserved. Glen himself? Not so much.
Another solid episode in a trainwreck of a season. What does this week and the last have in common? Liz wasn't present in either episode. There is a lesson there, and it's a really unpleasant one. ****.