Matt Zimmer (
matt_zimmer) wrote2024-03-29 03:55 am
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"Iwaju" Reviews (Spoilers)
Also reviews for the latest episode of X-Men '97, the short The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story, the latest episodes of Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Teen Titans Go!, The Simpsons, The Great North, and Family Guy, the season finale of Night Court, and the latest episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Law & Order: Organized Crime.
Iwaju "Iwaju"
I don't tend to watch trailers or read synopses of movies and TV shows I stream. So while that usually helps me come to a project fresh, sometimes (like here) it means I get a little confused. Still trying to figure out the premise a little. Is it set in the future? An alternate universe? Not readily apparent in the first episode itself.
That said, the cliffhanger was pretty freaking great and memorable. Hopefully, I'll get more into the swing of things as the series goes on. ***1/2.
Iwaju "Bode"
That has my attention.
I am VERY impressed this project is actually exploring class struggles and issues. I'm not going to say Disney has NEVER done that. But every time it's tried to before this has been a total dud. The fact that Tunde is the father of the protagonist Tola, and someone she loves, and is still a monster to The Help says how ingrained this horrible treatment is in this society.
I mentioned Disney has tried to talk about this before. The biggest example (and failure) is of course, Aladdin. But aside from generally racist overtones overshadowing those class issues, I think the biggest problem working against the moral of that movie is the conclusions it raised were utterly bogus, and changed and fixed nothing. The other major Disney project to SORT of acknowledge this sort of class warfare at least EXISTS is The Princess And The Frog. But I think that film is entirely toothless about it. In fairness, unlike Aladdin, that's not the real struggle of Tiana in the film (it's stupidly about her changing into a frog and wanting to change back) but the fact that that movie has a black heroine and a mostly black cast, is set in New Orleans decades before the civil rights movement, Tiana has a hard time getting hired for fancy dining affairs, and race is never mentioned ONCE, says the movie is afraid to explore that for fear of offending people. And the thing that bugs me is the people it was afraid of offending are people who SHOULD be offended.
One of the good things about this project being set in Nigeria is that the creators have an easier time talking about that type of toxic behavior and environment with an all black cast. The bigots are the same color as the oppressed, so Disney can talk about the harmful effects of racism and class warfare, without characters being actual racists. I think that's kind of clever and a good way to deliver the needed moral The Princess And The Frog was either unable or unwilling to.
And the futuristic setting helps too. Futurism is a BIG part of fictional allegory. We see struggles of people yet-to-be in entirely different circumstances, but although the players have changed, the struggles have not. And that's the value of science fiction. Why does this show need to be set in the future at all, you ask? Because it makes it easier to tell this story if it is. Very clever.
I did not know what to make of the first episode. Some things in this episode still confused me, but the morals are clearer here and some lines have been drawn. ****.
Iwaju "Kole"
No good options or easy choices for Kole. I feel for him.
Tola isn't just super cute. She's cool too.
Getting good. ****.
Iwaju "Tunde"
Badass lizard is badass.
The caste system is UGLY. There are really no good people on the inside of it.
Except for Tola. What's cool about her is that she isn't just honest. She believes in the best of everyone. You might call her gullible or foolish for it. But I think she's navigating the situation with Bole far better than a rude kid would in her place. But wherever she learned her manners, it certainly was NOT from Tunde.
Bode telling her she only won the game through manipulation and pity was a cool lesson. Because it was true. Even the bad guys on this show can occasionally make the heroes better.
Cool episode. ****.
Iwaju "Otin"
Otin is a pretty cool character with a pretty cool backstory.
Great final cliffhanger.
I want Tola to be rescued, but when Tunde tells Kole to sit in the back, I want that for HER sake, not his. Tunde is a bad man, and no part of me is rooting for HIM.
I like how basic the story of the miniseries is. Little girl is kidnapped. Her father and her pet robot lizard must get her back. With the futuristic setting part of me was worried this was going to be more complicated and harder to follow than it actually is. Bode's motivations are refreshingly simplistic too.
We'll see how this all works out next episode. ****.
Iwaju "Tola"
Oh, I did NOT like that ending at all. Oof. SO disappointing.
The problem is shockingly the same problem as Aladdin. You'd figure because the show addresses class issues in a realistic way compared to Aladdin, they would work on a better system of fairness for the people of Lagos going forward.
Nope. The caste system stands, and nothing is truly fixed. In other words, Bode was right the entire time.
You can call that realistic if you like. But it's Disney. To quote Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman "I want the fairytale!" I don't care if it's unrealistic, I WANT the ending where the society can see its mistakes and move on from greed, avarice, prejudice, and unfairness. It's weird the show thinks JUST because Tunde offers to help Kole become a doctor I'd consider that a happy ending. Nope. I want the freaking fairytale!
I'll tell you what I liked. I like that when Tola does her supposedly righteous pouting at the beginning over Kole's betrayal, Kole doesn't just take it. In reality, Kole's behavior is unforgivable. But what Tola has done that is equally unforgivable is that she refuses to hear him out. Refuses to see that a mainlander in desperate circumstances is not gifted the same opportunities and choices she is. After seeing that, I actually had high hopes for the ending.
And the final fight with giant glowing Otin versus Miss Happiness was pretty toyetic. The show was building to a satisfying conclusion and refused to give it to us.
For the record, I don't necessarily believe Bode being caught on camera confessing to his crimes would automatically turn public opinion against him. I have dark, real-world reasons for believing that, but they are completely relevant (and valid).
I'm unhappy, and I'm a little mad. If the show were as badly written as Aladdin or at gutless as The Princess And The Frog, I would consider that the price of doing Disney business. Because it's NOT, I don't accept the shoddy ending. And it's weird that the show thinks I should.
Do you know the messed up thing? They wouldn't even need to SHOW the society improving. All it would take to live up to the message of the first five episodes is for Tunde to invite Kole to sit up in the front seat of the flying car, and tell him he fully understands the struggles of the mainlanders, he'll quit his corrupt job, team up with Kole's tech genius, and fight on behalf of the downtrodden he's ignored since he climbed the ladder. They didn't even NEED to show the better future to make me happy. Just promising to TRY for one would have been fine with me. Accepting everything as it is instead is infuriating. And again, if the project were worse, it wouldn't be. But it's decent enough that it legit pisses me off instead.
Argh. Not happy. **.
X-Men '97 "Fire Made Flesh"
Honestly, a little too dark for my tastes. It was a bit much.
I'm glad Storm is going to get her powers back but I don't like that she isn't currently in the main title.
The animation in Magneto's fight was really good.
I don't care if it was in the comics, the Goblin Queen thing is stupid because it comes out of nowhere in the episode and series itself.
I kind of resent the idea that Nate has to be taken away the very episode AFTER he's born. There's something about that that strikes me as unnecessarily cruel, especially because Scott and Jean raise him in the future themselves in the comics.
Sigh. Not as good as the first two episodes. ***.
The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story
I've been rewatching Twin Peaks: The Return on Blu-Ray, and the staticky movements and spookiness of the villain here pleasurably reminds me of the scariest of David Lynch's stuff (if understandably toned down for kids). But I found a LOT of the moments of horror (including a bug entering Miles' mouth) reminiscent of The Return. And that's a very cool thing. ****.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch "The Harbinger"
I cannot stress enough how disappointed I was by that. It's a little late in the game to call an episode that troubling a Shark Jump, but it's something that made me question the point of the entire damn series.
I like The Bad Batch because it deals with Star Wars stuff we don't usually deal with. Now we're back to Midi-chlorians and the Jedi predestiny stuff? Crap. Turning Omega into a potential Jedi takes this wholly unique concept, ruins both it and her, and expects the audience to be okay with it just because Omega doesn't go with Ventress at the end. I'm tired of this crap. People talked crap about The Last Jedi but I liked it because IT was tired of this crap too. God forbid Luke Skywalker takes a personal hit there, but I liked it for kicking the Jedi aristocracy swiftly in the keister. Of course the film got a bunch of backlash for bogus culture war reasons, and the franchise quickly backpedaled the ideas of Force independence in the final film, but I think even if The Rise Of Skywalker is problematic, The Last Jedi was sound.
Is there anything in this turd of an episode I liked? While I'm frowning on the destiny crap, I like that Ventress' role here is benign. Whether the Bad Batch trusts her or not, her light saber is currently yellow. Which is good enough for me. Also interesting that she's grown her hair out. That must mean shaving her head was a ritual in her coven. Her exotic and iconic looks were partly down to a personal choice of grooming, which probably had to do with, you guessed it, tradition. Ventress deciding to no longer abide by that crap is fine by me, in an episode that wants the audience itself to abide that crap.
I won't. One of the most refreshing Star Wars projects in memory is now every Star Wars project ever. I swear to God, if they pull this same crap on Andor I will lose my freaking mind. I'm SO sick of this entire damn Universe being about the Skywalkers and the Palpatines. And at this point, I think the Universe itself ought to be a bit resentful of that fact too. **.
Teen Titans Go! "Five Bucks"
Be over. Worst miniseries ever. Automatic zero.
As a thought experiment, I wrote down that previous three sentence review BEFORE I saw the episode. I was curious to see if I would need to change it afterwards.
I didn't.
We have fun. 0.
The Simpsons "Clan Of The Cave Mom"
I was not as bowled over by that as many fans were. I actually liked the stuff between Marge and Luanne. But the Primal stuff? Ugh. We'll get there soon. I promise.
I HATE Luanne Van Houten. But when she basically threw in Bart's face what a lost cause and bad person he was, I liked her a little more than I did before that. Ironically, the thing that sets off the conflict, the unforgivable thing that causes Marge Simpson to lose her famous rationality, resonated with me for being true. And it was refreshing to me an adult said it to him. That friend of Homer's played by Michael Rappaport who HATES him is somebody else I dig, but his hatred is a bit irrational, so as awesome and funny as it is, I don't take it seriously.
That awful and TRUE thing Luanne said? She meant every word. Which I appreciated the hell out of.
Great character moments for Skinner and Agnes, and Nelson and Milhouse too. It's just solid all the way around there. And I like that Ms. Peyton IS still a semi-regular despite voiced by Kerry Washington. I like that the show is serious about having her become a part of the main cast.
Now the Primal stuff. The stuff people are raving about.
I hate Primal. I've ALWAYS hated Primal. Even episodes I gave a decent review to, I hated on some level. I saw the Pilot, hated it, and said to myself, "Come on, it's Genndy Tartakovsky. You can trust him." That level of naivete and idiocy is totally on-brand for Matt Zimmer, and probably the real reason I watch as much crap as I do. Did you hear Primal is coming back for a third season? I won't be watching it. I'm sick of watching TV that punishes me for having the gall and audacity to watch it. That pisses me off, believe it or not. I'm done with that crap.
Do I sound a little rage-filled to you? I assure you my anger is rational, and done after being repeatedly punched in the face by that show. It's not rage if you come by your anger honestly.
And that's the thing about Marge. Is it possible she got so mad because she knows deep down, Luanne is right? If so, she's mad at the wrong person. I wouldn't even be taking the blame for Bart about that. But if I were her, I'd give serious weight and concern over the fact that despite her love, despite the fact that Homer treats Bart like a real person and is a good father, that Bart is an amoral sociopath who enjoys causing and pain and suffering because it amuses him. I would not be mad at Luanne in that scenario. I'd be like, "Oh, my God, other people can see that too? Homer, I think we need to talk about Bart."
I liked the drama at school. But the Primal allegory during it left me a bit cold. Which is appropriate because Primal does too. ****.
The Great North "Judy Presents: The Staircake"
I think the resolution was very nice, and well-thought out. But the truth is I hated the episode before it. I hate any TV episode where the major tensions and conflicts are due to a mixture of stupidity and apathy. It annoys me. It sure makes Ham very sympathetic having to put up with his awful family. But that's not good tension, especially for a show that usually tries to portray the Tobins in a positive light. It felt a little mean.
Which means I didn't feel the episode. **1/2.
Family Guy "Take This Job And Love It"
The James Bond parody was all right, but really, the other stuff was not.
Seriously, I hate that Fox Animation is so into these stupid trilogy episodes. Outside of Treehouse Of Horror, Anthology Of Interest, and Family Guy Viewer Mail, they tend to suck. Surprise! This episode sucked! I don't get why Family Guy, Bob's Burgers, and The Great North are so invested in this crap. I notice American Dad never does it. Another one of the reasons American Dad is a way more solid show than Family Guy.
Here's something sad. Peter tries to make fun of Donna being M in a racial way, but says standards have changed, and he's not allowed to make those jokes anymore. I'm not gonna say those jokes were ever funny. But saying them, and then saying "Ulp, we can't say that anymore," makes them unbearably sad and pathetic. And I am not just leveling this feeling of pity to Peter for making the bad joke. But at Seth MacFarlane for not understanding immediately buying back a joke like that is a comedy dead-end. Family Guy specifically once made fun of how terrible that is in the Magic Johnson training video in one of the Star Wars Specials. "Nah, but they WILL be trying to kill you," was done because buying back a bad joke is far worse than simply not having the good sense to not tell it. We didn't need MMM,HMM, and we aren't better off for Peter not getting a laugh with it. It's weird the show thinks Peter will spin comedy gold out of Magic Johnson's turds.
But besides that, the format blows. *1/2.
Family Guy "Lifeguard Meg"
I thought it REALLY sucked. And I guess the reason I thought it sucked isn't because the premise was gross. It's because it wasn't, and it was acting like it was. It was no big deal. I think the Sethverse has a lot of very weird and sexual ideas about ordinary things that have nothing to do with sex. And the show could argue it's finding the humor in it. But they are making up a "humorous" situation out of whole cloth so it's not actually funny. There is no truth to what they making fun of. It feels lazy. And yes, the exact same kind of writing I push back against in my own work.
In a TV show that isn't desperate for plot ideas and running on fumes, Meg saving Peter's life would be a nice thing. And Family Guy is why we aren't allowed to have nice things.
And let me be frank. We as an audience deserve nice things. We don't deserve to be insulted in this way and treated like the studio audience to Married... With Children. Family Guy can take ANY normal and even cool premise and cynically find a way to say it's dirty and sexually shameful. I don't respond to that. If it was necessary or truthful, I might. But it's stupid and reveals more about the writers' dysfunction rather than Meg's.
I really wish Meg had been allowed at the end to just not forgive Peter. When she's like "We've had this conversation before and nothing ever changes," I'm like "Why SHOULD she forgive him?" Do the writers think I will think less of Meg if she stands up for herself? It's a weird concern because Meg is right the Total Reset Button will be hit anyways. Not only does Meg need not forgive Peter THIS week, she doesn't need to forgive him EVER for the show to still work. And it's crap like that that really annoys me and makes me sad.
There were a couple of decent jokes, but I don't feel like mentioning them or complimenting them right now. The show is doing very wrong by the audience simply because it's run out of episode ideas. And honestly, I think when it comes to stuff like this this, and MANY of the incestuous plots the show has been using over the past couple of years, it's fine to go back to the drawing board and think up something else. Just because a writer had this weird and gross idea, doesn't mean it it didn't need to be immediately shot down in the writers' room, but also complete production instead. I resent it. As an audience member whose humor is not actually trashy, I hate when Family Guy panders to that. Especially because I love the show when it's smart, (and it IS a lot of time). But the fact that it's also stupid and gross at times which is why my love for it always has an asterisk next to it.
Not happy. *.
Night Court "The Best Dan"
I am dismayed, believe it or not. I strongly dislike this show. And I was hoping beyond hope the season finale would be underwhelming so I could wash my hands of it, and not come back next year.
That episode was a gem instead. If I DO decide to drop the show, it will no longer be an easy decision. And chances are I won't. At least not next year (if it's renewed).
Great twist at the end, but the 1980's TV addict in me was actually hoping for a Newhart crossover with Julia Duffy showing up. I could have sworn I read awhile ago Duffy had died. It is SO hard keeping track of the livings and dyings of sitcom actors from when I was a kid.
It's nice the episode was so kind to Dan and Christine's sister. I do have to say I AM disappointed about something: They let the horrible series finale of Night Court stand. If I wrote the show I'd ignore it, and suggest the final season happened after all, and that crap was all resolved. Now Bull is still in outer space, and always will be. I don't dig that.
I was really hoping for a terrible episode to make it easier to drop a show I usually dislike. This is not going to be an easy decision after all. *****.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit "Third Man Syndrome"
Good Law & Order episode. SVU knows how to deliver the satisfying endings.
I really liked the agoraphobic woman Anne. I love how brave she became by the end.
It's very nice to know the franchise can still do solid case of the week stories even though the Mothershow is an immoral trainwreck. The reason SVU has a conscience and is watchable is because the Garcia cousins' visas have expired. And the episode doesn't end with them being deported as an extra level of punishment for the victims and the audience. It wouldn't occur to the producers of the show to do that.
Rick Eid was once showrunner on SVU and it was a rough era. But because of the cast we got through it and now the show is good. I hope that eventually happens to the Mothershow so I can watch it again, and I hope Rick Eid stays far away from any TV show I watch and enjoy. Good solid episodes like this say Law & Order is better whenever he has no involvement. ****.
Law & Order: Organized Crime "Sins Of Our Fathers"
We KIND of suspected that's what happened to Elliot's father, but the confirmation is brutal. I don't feel it's exactly right that Elliot is surprised however. I think if he were being written properly about this, he's already have an inkling based on the thing his brother said to him a few weeks ago. Which was repeated in the recap, which is why recaps are terrible, and I never use them in my work. They invariably spoil an episode. Because of that recap I knew this specific revelation was coming. Recaps suck and are the bane of serialized television.
I love that Elliot goes to shake Meredith's hand at the end, and she pulls him in for the hug instead. There is a warmth to how the characters treat each other on this series that is not present in most other Law & Order stuff. Yes, Olivia Benson from SVU is remarkably empathetic. She's one character. Organized Crime frequently has scenes like this for the entire cast.
Bell's argument to the IAB guy is sound. If he was THAT wrong about a mentor he knew and respected, how could anybody take his negative judgments about Stabler seriously?
It's good to see Cragen again, but I'm a little miffed at him too. Joe Stabler's corruption was clearly something he's either known about the entire time he's known Stabler, or something he learned a LONG time ago. I'm miffed he never told him before tonight. I understand why he told him tonight. But not only was this not news to Elliot, but it's something Cragen should have leveled with him about on SVU, especially whenever Stabler sort of operated outside of the law. And I know why he didn't tell him back then. Because the writers hadn't had the idea yet. But that's why it's problematic to put him in the middle of this at all. I would not have done that. It makes Cragen's role far messier than it ever needed to be.
Bell and Stabler's relationship is SO much fun, and I think the best thing about it to me is it makes this character we've known for 25 years as an intense hardass both lovable and comical. I laugh at the things Stabler says now. Briscoe used to crack jokes on Law & Order, and Munch and Finn used to be SVU's resident cards, but that was always gallows humor, often at the expense of a victim they didn't know. For Stabler and Bell their humor is between each other, which makes it not just funnier, but since it's not punching down, it's easier for the audience to enjoy along with them. Jet is pretty funny too, although most of her jokes are deadpan. I like Organized Crime because in real life people goof around with each other, and give each other the business, and it's not usually mean-spirited. I like that aspect of this show.
The is the best Law & Order show. I could damn it with faint praise and say it's merely the best CURRENT show in the franchise, but I truly like it more than all the others even during the best years of their runs. I enjoy this show more, and am satisfied by this show more. It doesn't feel much like a Law & Order show a lot of the time, which sounds like a slam, but really, that's my highest compliment. A franchise expanding itself beyond its expected parameters is a very good thing.
I love it. Unreservedly. ****1/2.
Iwaju "Iwaju"
I don't tend to watch trailers or read synopses of movies and TV shows I stream. So while that usually helps me come to a project fresh, sometimes (like here) it means I get a little confused. Still trying to figure out the premise a little. Is it set in the future? An alternate universe? Not readily apparent in the first episode itself.
That said, the cliffhanger was pretty freaking great and memorable. Hopefully, I'll get more into the swing of things as the series goes on. ***1/2.
Iwaju "Bode"
That has my attention.
I am VERY impressed this project is actually exploring class struggles and issues. I'm not going to say Disney has NEVER done that. But every time it's tried to before this has been a total dud. The fact that Tunde is the father of the protagonist Tola, and someone she loves, and is still a monster to The Help says how ingrained this horrible treatment is in this society.
I mentioned Disney has tried to talk about this before. The biggest example (and failure) is of course, Aladdin. But aside from generally racist overtones overshadowing those class issues, I think the biggest problem working against the moral of that movie is the conclusions it raised were utterly bogus, and changed and fixed nothing. The other major Disney project to SORT of acknowledge this sort of class warfare at least EXISTS is The Princess And The Frog. But I think that film is entirely toothless about it. In fairness, unlike Aladdin, that's not the real struggle of Tiana in the film (it's stupidly about her changing into a frog and wanting to change back) but the fact that that movie has a black heroine and a mostly black cast, is set in New Orleans decades before the civil rights movement, Tiana has a hard time getting hired for fancy dining affairs, and race is never mentioned ONCE, says the movie is afraid to explore that for fear of offending people. And the thing that bugs me is the people it was afraid of offending are people who SHOULD be offended.
One of the good things about this project being set in Nigeria is that the creators have an easier time talking about that type of toxic behavior and environment with an all black cast. The bigots are the same color as the oppressed, so Disney can talk about the harmful effects of racism and class warfare, without characters being actual racists. I think that's kind of clever and a good way to deliver the needed moral The Princess And The Frog was either unable or unwilling to.
And the futuristic setting helps too. Futurism is a BIG part of fictional allegory. We see struggles of people yet-to-be in entirely different circumstances, but although the players have changed, the struggles have not. And that's the value of science fiction. Why does this show need to be set in the future at all, you ask? Because it makes it easier to tell this story if it is. Very clever.
I did not know what to make of the first episode. Some things in this episode still confused me, but the morals are clearer here and some lines have been drawn. ****.
Iwaju "Kole"
No good options or easy choices for Kole. I feel for him.
Tola isn't just super cute. She's cool too.
Getting good. ****.
Iwaju "Tunde"
Badass lizard is badass.
The caste system is UGLY. There are really no good people on the inside of it.
Except for Tola. What's cool about her is that she isn't just honest. She believes in the best of everyone. You might call her gullible or foolish for it. But I think she's navigating the situation with Bole far better than a rude kid would in her place. But wherever she learned her manners, it certainly was NOT from Tunde.
Bode telling her she only won the game through manipulation and pity was a cool lesson. Because it was true. Even the bad guys on this show can occasionally make the heroes better.
Cool episode. ****.
Iwaju "Otin"
Otin is a pretty cool character with a pretty cool backstory.
Great final cliffhanger.
I want Tola to be rescued, but when Tunde tells Kole to sit in the back, I want that for HER sake, not his. Tunde is a bad man, and no part of me is rooting for HIM.
I like how basic the story of the miniseries is. Little girl is kidnapped. Her father and her pet robot lizard must get her back. With the futuristic setting part of me was worried this was going to be more complicated and harder to follow than it actually is. Bode's motivations are refreshingly simplistic too.
We'll see how this all works out next episode. ****.
Iwaju "Tola"
Oh, I did NOT like that ending at all. Oof. SO disappointing.
The problem is shockingly the same problem as Aladdin. You'd figure because the show addresses class issues in a realistic way compared to Aladdin, they would work on a better system of fairness for the people of Lagos going forward.
Nope. The caste system stands, and nothing is truly fixed. In other words, Bode was right the entire time.
You can call that realistic if you like. But it's Disney. To quote Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman "I want the fairytale!" I don't care if it's unrealistic, I WANT the ending where the society can see its mistakes and move on from greed, avarice, prejudice, and unfairness. It's weird the show thinks JUST because Tunde offers to help Kole become a doctor I'd consider that a happy ending. Nope. I want the freaking fairytale!
I'll tell you what I liked. I like that when Tola does her supposedly righteous pouting at the beginning over Kole's betrayal, Kole doesn't just take it. In reality, Kole's behavior is unforgivable. But what Tola has done that is equally unforgivable is that she refuses to hear him out. Refuses to see that a mainlander in desperate circumstances is not gifted the same opportunities and choices she is. After seeing that, I actually had high hopes for the ending.
And the final fight with giant glowing Otin versus Miss Happiness was pretty toyetic. The show was building to a satisfying conclusion and refused to give it to us.
For the record, I don't necessarily believe Bode being caught on camera confessing to his crimes would automatically turn public opinion against him. I have dark, real-world reasons for believing that, but they are completely relevant (and valid).
I'm unhappy, and I'm a little mad. If the show were as badly written as Aladdin or at gutless as The Princess And The Frog, I would consider that the price of doing Disney business. Because it's NOT, I don't accept the shoddy ending. And it's weird that the show thinks I should.
Do you know the messed up thing? They wouldn't even need to SHOW the society improving. All it would take to live up to the message of the first five episodes is for Tunde to invite Kole to sit up in the front seat of the flying car, and tell him he fully understands the struggles of the mainlanders, he'll quit his corrupt job, team up with Kole's tech genius, and fight on behalf of the downtrodden he's ignored since he climbed the ladder. They didn't even NEED to show the better future to make me happy. Just promising to TRY for one would have been fine with me. Accepting everything as it is instead is infuriating. And again, if the project were worse, it wouldn't be. But it's decent enough that it legit pisses me off instead.
Argh. Not happy. **.
X-Men '97 "Fire Made Flesh"
Honestly, a little too dark for my tastes. It was a bit much.
I'm glad Storm is going to get her powers back but I don't like that she isn't currently in the main title.
The animation in Magneto's fight was really good.
I don't care if it was in the comics, the Goblin Queen thing is stupid because it comes out of nowhere in the episode and series itself.
I kind of resent the idea that Nate has to be taken away the very episode AFTER he's born. There's something about that that strikes me as unnecessarily cruel, especially because Scott and Jean raise him in the future themselves in the comics.
Sigh. Not as good as the first two episodes. ***.
The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story
I've been rewatching Twin Peaks: The Return on Blu-Ray, and the staticky movements and spookiness of the villain here pleasurably reminds me of the scariest of David Lynch's stuff (if understandably toned down for kids). But I found a LOT of the moments of horror (including a bug entering Miles' mouth) reminiscent of The Return. And that's a very cool thing. ****.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch "The Harbinger"
I cannot stress enough how disappointed I was by that. It's a little late in the game to call an episode that troubling a Shark Jump, but it's something that made me question the point of the entire damn series.
I like The Bad Batch because it deals with Star Wars stuff we don't usually deal with. Now we're back to Midi-chlorians and the Jedi predestiny stuff? Crap. Turning Omega into a potential Jedi takes this wholly unique concept, ruins both it and her, and expects the audience to be okay with it just because Omega doesn't go with Ventress at the end. I'm tired of this crap. People talked crap about The Last Jedi but I liked it because IT was tired of this crap too. God forbid Luke Skywalker takes a personal hit there, but I liked it for kicking the Jedi aristocracy swiftly in the keister. Of course the film got a bunch of backlash for bogus culture war reasons, and the franchise quickly backpedaled the ideas of Force independence in the final film, but I think even if The Rise Of Skywalker is problematic, The Last Jedi was sound.
Is there anything in this turd of an episode I liked? While I'm frowning on the destiny crap, I like that Ventress' role here is benign. Whether the Bad Batch trusts her or not, her light saber is currently yellow. Which is good enough for me. Also interesting that she's grown her hair out. That must mean shaving her head was a ritual in her coven. Her exotic and iconic looks were partly down to a personal choice of grooming, which probably had to do with, you guessed it, tradition. Ventress deciding to no longer abide by that crap is fine by me, in an episode that wants the audience itself to abide that crap.
I won't. One of the most refreshing Star Wars projects in memory is now every Star Wars project ever. I swear to God, if they pull this same crap on Andor I will lose my freaking mind. I'm SO sick of this entire damn Universe being about the Skywalkers and the Palpatines. And at this point, I think the Universe itself ought to be a bit resentful of that fact too. **.
Teen Titans Go! "Five Bucks"
Be over. Worst miniseries ever. Automatic zero.
As a thought experiment, I wrote down that previous three sentence review BEFORE I saw the episode. I was curious to see if I would need to change it afterwards.
I didn't.
We have fun. 0.
The Simpsons "Clan Of The Cave Mom"
I was not as bowled over by that as many fans were. I actually liked the stuff between Marge and Luanne. But the Primal stuff? Ugh. We'll get there soon. I promise.
I HATE Luanne Van Houten. But when she basically threw in Bart's face what a lost cause and bad person he was, I liked her a little more than I did before that. Ironically, the thing that sets off the conflict, the unforgivable thing that causes Marge Simpson to lose her famous rationality, resonated with me for being true. And it was refreshing to me an adult said it to him. That friend of Homer's played by Michael Rappaport who HATES him is somebody else I dig, but his hatred is a bit irrational, so as awesome and funny as it is, I don't take it seriously.
That awful and TRUE thing Luanne said? She meant every word. Which I appreciated the hell out of.
Great character moments for Skinner and Agnes, and Nelson and Milhouse too. It's just solid all the way around there. And I like that Ms. Peyton IS still a semi-regular despite voiced by Kerry Washington. I like that the show is serious about having her become a part of the main cast.
Now the Primal stuff. The stuff people are raving about.
I hate Primal. I've ALWAYS hated Primal. Even episodes I gave a decent review to, I hated on some level. I saw the Pilot, hated it, and said to myself, "Come on, it's Genndy Tartakovsky. You can trust him." That level of naivete and idiocy is totally on-brand for Matt Zimmer, and probably the real reason I watch as much crap as I do. Did you hear Primal is coming back for a third season? I won't be watching it. I'm sick of watching TV that punishes me for having the gall and audacity to watch it. That pisses me off, believe it or not. I'm done with that crap.
Do I sound a little rage-filled to you? I assure you my anger is rational, and done after being repeatedly punched in the face by that show. It's not rage if you come by your anger honestly.
And that's the thing about Marge. Is it possible she got so mad because she knows deep down, Luanne is right? If so, she's mad at the wrong person. I wouldn't even be taking the blame for Bart about that. But if I were her, I'd give serious weight and concern over the fact that despite her love, despite the fact that Homer treats Bart like a real person and is a good father, that Bart is an amoral sociopath who enjoys causing and pain and suffering because it amuses him. I would not be mad at Luanne in that scenario. I'd be like, "Oh, my God, other people can see that too? Homer, I think we need to talk about Bart."
I liked the drama at school. But the Primal allegory during it left me a bit cold. Which is appropriate because Primal does too. ****.
The Great North "Judy Presents: The Staircake"
I think the resolution was very nice, and well-thought out. But the truth is I hated the episode before it. I hate any TV episode where the major tensions and conflicts are due to a mixture of stupidity and apathy. It annoys me. It sure makes Ham very sympathetic having to put up with his awful family. But that's not good tension, especially for a show that usually tries to portray the Tobins in a positive light. It felt a little mean.
Which means I didn't feel the episode. **1/2.
Family Guy "Take This Job And Love It"
The James Bond parody was all right, but really, the other stuff was not.
Seriously, I hate that Fox Animation is so into these stupid trilogy episodes. Outside of Treehouse Of Horror, Anthology Of Interest, and Family Guy Viewer Mail, they tend to suck. Surprise! This episode sucked! I don't get why Family Guy, Bob's Burgers, and The Great North are so invested in this crap. I notice American Dad never does it. Another one of the reasons American Dad is a way more solid show than Family Guy.
Here's something sad. Peter tries to make fun of Donna being M in a racial way, but says standards have changed, and he's not allowed to make those jokes anymore. I'm not gonna say those jokes were ever funny. But saying them, and then saying "Ulp, we can't say that anymore," makes them unbearably sad and pathetic. And I am not just leveling this feeling of pity to Peter for making the bad joke. But at Seth MacFarlane for not understanding immediately buying back a joke like that is a comedy dead-end. Family Guy specifically once made fun of how terrible that is in the Magic Johnson training video in one of the Star Wars Specials. "Nah, but they WILL be trying to kill you," was done because buying back a bad joke is far worse than simply not having the good sense to not tell it. We didn't need MMM,HMM, and we aren't better off for Peter not getting a laugh with it. It's weird the show thinks Peter will spin comedy gold out of Magic Johnson's turds.
But besides that, the format blows. *1/2.
Family Guy "Lifeguard Meg"
I thought it REALLY sucked. And I guess the reason I thought it sucked isn't because the premise was gross. It's because it wasn't, and it was acting like it was. It was no big deal. I think the Sethverse has a lot of very weird and sexual ideas about ordinary things that have nothing to do with sex. And the show could argue it's finding the humor in it. But they are making up a "humorous" situation out of whole cloth so it's not actually funny. There is no truth to what they making fun of. It feels lazy. And yes, the exact same kind of writing I push back against in my own work.
In a TV show that isn't desperate for plot ideas and running on fumes, Meg saving Peter's life would be a nice thing. And Family Guy is why we aren't allowed to have nice things.
And let me be frank. We as an audience deserve nice things. We don't deserve to be insulted in this way and treated like the studio audience to Married... With Children. Family Guy can take ANY normal and even cool premise and cynically find a way to say it's dirty and sexually shameful. I don't respond to that. If it was necessary or truthful, I might. But it's stupid and reveals more about the writers' dysfunction rather than Meg's.
I really wish Meg had been allowed at the end to just not forgive Peter. When she's like "We've had this conversation before and nothing ever changes," I'm like "Why SHOULD she forgive him?" Do the writers think I will think less of Meg if she stands up for herself? It's a weird concern because Meg is right the Total Reset Button will be hit anyways. Not only does Meg need not forgive Peter THIS week, she doesn't need to forgive him EVER for the show to still work. And it's crap like that that really annoys me and makes me sad.
There were a couple of decent jokes, but I don't feel like mentioning them or complimenting them right now. The show is doing very wrong by the audience simply because it's run out of episode ideas. And honestly, I think when it comes to stuff like this this, and MANY of the incestuous plots the show has been using over the past couple of years, it's fine to go back to the drawing board and think up something else. Just because a writer had this weird and gross idea, doesn't mean it it didn't need to be immediately shot down in the writers' room, but also complete production instead. I resent it. As an audience member whose humor is not actually trashy, I hate when Family Guy panders to that. Especially because I love the show when it's smart, (and it IS a lot of time). But the fact that it's also stupid and gross at times which is why my love for it always has an asterisk next to it.
Not happy. *.
Night Court "The Best Dan"
I am dismayed, believe it or not. I strongly dislike this show. And I was hoping beyond hope the season finale would be underwhelming so I could wash my hands of it, and not come back next year.
That episode was a gem instead. If I DO decide to drop the show, it will no longer be an easy decision. And chances are I won't. At least not next year (if it's renewed).
Great twist at the end, but the 1980's TV addict in me was actually hoping for a Newhart crossover with Julia Duffy showing up. I could have sworn I read awhile ago Duffy had died. It is SO hard keeping track of the livings and dyings of sitcom actors from when I was a kid.
It's nice the episode was so kind to Dan and Christine's sister. I do have to say I AM disappointed about something: They let the horrible series finale of Night Court stand. If I wrote the show I'd ignore it, and suggest the final season happened after all, and that crap was all resolved. Now Bull is still in outer space, and always will be. I don't dig that.
I was really hoping for a terrible episode to make it easier to drop a show I usually dislike. This is not going to be an easy decision after all. *****.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit "Third Man Syndrome"
Good Law & Order episode. SVU knows how to deliver the satisfying endings.
I really liked the agoraphobic woman Anne. I love how brave she became by the end.
It's very nice to know the franchise can still do solid case of the week stories even though the Mothershow is an immoral trainwreck. The reason SVU has a conscience and is watchable is because the Garcia cousins' visas have expired. And the episode doesn't end with them being deported as an extra level of punishment for the victims and the audience. It wouldn't occur to the producers of the show to do that.
Rick Eid was once showrunner on SVU and it was a rough era. But because of the cast we got through it and now the show is good. I hope that eventually happens to the Mothershow so I can watch it again, and I hope Rick Eid stays far away from any TV show I watch and enjoy. Good solid episodes like this say Law & Order is better whenever he has no involvement. ****.
Law & Order: Organized Crime "Sins Of Our Fathers"
We KIND of suspected that's what happened to Elliot's father, but the confirmation is brutal. I don't feel it's exactly right that Elliot is surprised however. I think if he were being written properly about this, he's already have an inkling based on the thing his brother said to him a few weeks ago. Which was repeated in the recap, which is why recaps are terrible, and I never use them in my work. They invariably spoil an episode. Because of that recap I knew this specific revelation was coming. Recaps suck and are the bane of serialized television.
I love that Elliot goes to shake Meredith's hand at the end, and she pulls him in for the hug instead. There is a warmth to how the characters treat each other on this series that is not present in most other Law & Order stuff. Yes, Olivia Benson from SVU is remarkably empathetic. She's one character. Organized Crime frequently has scenes like this for the entire cast.
Bell's argument to the IAB guy is sound. If he was THAT wrong about a mentor he knew and respected, how could anybody take his negative judgments about Stabler seriously?
It's good to see Cragen again, but I'm a little miffed at him too. Joe Stabler's corruption was clearly something he's either known about the entire time he's known Stabler, or something he learned a LONG time ago. I'm miffed he never told him before tonight. I understand why he told him tonight. But not only was this not news to Elliot, but it's something Cragen should have leveled with him about on SVU, especially whenever Stabler sort of operated outside of the law. And I know why he didn't tell him back then. Because the writers hadn't had the idea yet. But that's why it's problematic to put him in the middle of this at all. I would not have done that. It makes Cragen's role far messier than it ever needed to be.
Bell and Stabler's relationship is SO much fun, and I think the best thing about it to me is it makes this character we've known for 25 years as an intense hardass both lovable and comical. I laugh at the things Stabler says now. Briscoe used to crack jokes on Law & Order, and Munch and Finn used to be SVU's resident cards, but that was always gallows humor, often at the expense of a victim they didn't know. For Stabler and Bell their humor is between each other, which makes it not just funnier, but since it's not punching down, it's easier for the audience to enjoy along with them. Jet is pretty funny too, although most of her jokes are deadpan. I like Organized Crime because in real life people goof around with each other, and give each other the business, and it's not usually mean-spirited. I like that aspect of this show.
The is the best Law & Order show. I could damn it with faint praise and say it's merely the best CURRENT show in the franchise, but I truly like it more than all the others even during the best years of their runs. I enjoy this show more, and am satisfied by this show more. It doesn't feel much like a Law & Order show a lot of the time, which sounds like a slam, but really, that's my highest compliment. A franchise expanding itself beyond its expected parameters is a very good thing.
I love it. Unreservedly. ****1/2.