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matt_zimmerAlso reviews for the latest episodes of DC Nation Shorts, Green Lantern: The Animated Series, Young Justice, Once Upon A Time, The Simpsons, Bob's Burgers, Family Guy, American Dad, and American Horror Story: Asylum.
Upcoming reviews include Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation: Volume 2, The Dark Knight Rises (Blu-Ray), Star Trek: Enterprise: Season 3, Star Trek: Enterprise: Season 4, Star Trek: The Animated Series, Red Dwarf X, Frankenweenie, Young Justice: Invasion: Destiny Calling, The Spectacular Spider-Man: Volume 5, The Spectacular Spider-Man: Volume 6, The Spectacular Spider-Man: Volume 7, The Spectacular Spider-Man: Volume 8, The Adventures Of Young Indiana Jones: Volume 2: The War Years, The Adventures Of Young Indiana Jones: Volume 3: The Years Of Change, and Heathcliff: Season 1 - Volume 1.
Warning: I will spoil the surprise guest star in the series finale of Power Rangers: Super Samurai. If you don't care (which is probably the sane position for anyone over the age of 9) the review is safe to read.
DC Nation
Green Lantern: The Animated Series "Steam Lantern"
Super corny but the thing I liked best about JLU and Batman: The Brave and the Bold were their corniness, so there you go. I enjoyed this.
Not sure I bought the ending of the entire planet rallying to Steam Lantern's side after learning the truth but when it comes to corn there are just some unlikely things you have to accept.
Where is Razer? When is Aya getting a body back? I hope we find out the answers to both questions soon.
I love that the bad guy didn't know he was a villain and decided to help the heroes once he realized what he had done was bad. Awww! We need more villains like that.
That "red shirted Lantern with a cape" was a reference to Alan Scott, no?
Cool episode. ****.
Young Justice "Before The Dawn"
I am really starting to loathe Miss Martian. I'll say this for her: because of her reaction to the atrocity she just pulled, I am now 100% certain Aqualad is/was a White Hat. There was always some wiggle room for the producers to try to jerk us around back and forth but if it screwed up Miss M that badly, then it's pretty clear Aqualad WAS working for the good guys. Key word "was". Is Miss Martian's lobotomy reversable? Psimon returning leads me to believe it is.
Black Beetle was the guy in shadows? Gotta say that's a disappointing revelation. I had hoped for Darkseid or even Mongul.
Was that Static?! Cool!
I have to say I love Impulse's relationship to Jaime. Even though he knows what Jaime is going to do, he is still on his side and his friend. That's a noble character trait.
Good return. ****1/2.
"Character Profile: Cyborg"
Does seeing Cyborg in Young Justice style artwork mean he is going to appear on that show soon? Cause that would be pretty cool if it did. ****.
"Thunder And Lightning #1: Clothes Make The Hero"
Not much happened during this short but it was cute and a nice set-up for further adventures down the line. ***1/2.
"Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld: Level 1: Your Quest"
Adorable and like Super Best Friends Forever and Sword Of The Atom, I think it would make a great series. VERY Sailor Moon. One quibble: I'm a bit leery of another serialized short series since Sword of the Atom STILL hasn't finished yet. The only serialized shorts we've gotten pay-off to are Batman in Shanghai. Be a little more consistant in your scheduling, DC Nation. ****1/2.
Once Upon A Time "The Cricket Game"
Cora leaving Archie alive was a big mistake. Granted, it was smarter than kidnapping Belle, which is what I thought the ending would originally be, but her plan would have been FLAWLESS if she didn't leave any witnesses. On this show, good ALWAYS wins in the end and if Archie is alive he can always exonerate Regina when he escapes or is rescued. Sloppy.
I am always worried when they do flashbacks too close to the casting of the curse. It always makes me feel as if they will run out of story soon.
Boy, it sure would be handy if Emma had a superpower to tell if people are lying to her, wouldn't it? Oh, wait.
Nice return for the series. ****.
The Simpsons "Homer Goes To Prep School"
All right. I think my biggest beef with the episode was that they portrayed Superintendant Chalmers as insane. He's supposed to be the one normal guy on the show.
I love the three lessons Bart took away from post-Apocalyptic movies. You'd really think people could still shave.
This wasn't quite as biting a satire on militias as it could have been but I'm betting it was toned down in the wake of Aurora and Sandy Hook. That's probably for the best although it isn't really quite a right-wing survivalist militia without an unnecessary buttload of guns. ***.
Bob's Burgers "Mother Daughter Laser Razor"
Boy, Bob really IS a great dad, isn't he? No wonder the kids prefer him and Linda is so jealous. I felt bad for her but I think Louise wanting to get away from her was a normal reaction to being taken to that seminar. That thing bordered on child abuse.
Tina's leg-shaving plot was nowhere NEAR as gross as I feared. They actually made it sweet and funny especially when Bob went and did it with her for support. How great a dad is he? He then proceeded to let Gene do it too.
I loved Louise as a baby calling Linda "Dada". SO cute.
Heh. "Loganberry Bush". Did not think that one through.
Is Freaky Friday REALLY that bad of a movie? I remember liking the 70's version with Jodie Foster (and I LOVED the book) but I haven't seen the Jamie Lee Curtis / Lindsay Lohan one to say.
Fun episode. It's really refreshing to have a dad as great as Bob on Animation Domination. A first for the block. ****.
Family Guy "Space Cadet"
That Bob's Burgers slam was SO unnecessary. Yes, the character designs are ugly. But frankly they look and animate better than Family Guy's first season designs so Seth MacFarlane really isn't one to talk. King of the Hill and South Park also have ugly characters / animation so there is no reason Bob's Burgers needed to be singled out like that.
I've never seen Breaking Bad or The Wire. Are they really that good?
Heh. Canadian Horror Story. Funny idea, but it's clear whoever wrote the episode just did a play on the series' title and has never actually watched the show.
Decent episode. ***.
American Dad "Finger Lenting Good"
I have to wonder why Francine stays with Stan. Yes, he sacrificed his finger for her (unnecessarily I might add) but he was instrumental in getting her to break her resolution in the first place. I understand why Lois Griffin stays with Peter. They are pretty much equally bad in terms of jerkiness so they are in sync. But there is no reason why Francine has to stay with a jag-off like Stan.
Loved Jeff praising Obama making Stan mad. The producers promised when Obama was elected that they would do more stories about Stan hating his new "boss" but outside of this and the Owl Creek episode, it's never been brought up. I hope this isn't the last time.
Roger's plot with the pastie was dumb until the golden surprise twist. I didn't see that coming at all.
Good episode but Frannie needs to take the kids and run. For realz. ***1/2.
American Horror Story: Asylum "The Name Game"
My one regret about the episode was that Arden committed suicide. His death deserved to be even more excruciating than being burned alive.
I was shocked they killed Sister Mary Eunice too. She's the Big Bad and without her (and Arden) the good guys have a chance to win. As for the Monsignor I truly believe he is trying to do the right thing now. I wasn't sure if he was going to turn down Sister Mary's offer or not but when he did I knew he meant it. Her rape of him must really have clarified things for him.
Lana pwning Thredson was the second best part of the episode. With Sister Jude trying to help Lana get out Lana has a very real chance of taking Thredson down. I really like that part of the reason she moved the tape was because she was protecting Kit. Thredson was right, Kit DOES have a Savior complex.
Pepper was innocent of her crimes. I wouldn't have guessed that and the show rightfully made me feel ashamed of this fact after all this time. I think my own bias was showing here.
Loved Kit's reunion with Grace. At first I thought the baby was an alien before it turned its head and I could see its face.
The best part of the episode was the musical sequence. It was sunny and cheery and completely depressing at the same time when it ended. Jessica Lange is a pretty good singer.
Very good episode. ****1/2.
Power Rangers Super Samurai: The Complete Season
I. Don't. GET IT. After reading all of the buzz on genre message boards about how big of an adult fanbase the newer Power Rangers episodes have, I was expecting something more. Perhaps story arcs or something. But with the exception of better acting, dialogue, and special effects, this is EXACTLY the same as the old show I always made fun of. This having adult male fans makes about as much sense to me as adult women rabidly fangirling Hannah Montana or iCarly.
Still, I have to admit the show LOOKS pretty great and I don't just mean the special effects. And it's not just the high-def picture that looks good, it definitely has brighter colors and cooler monster costumes. I never realized before quite how ugly the old show looked but the cinematography and directing here puts it to shame. It's also nice to see a Power Rangers show with beautiful big-budget effects.
And I'll concede the last two episodes of the season are great. But getting there is QUITE the chore.
I picked up this season set partially because I heard Paul Schrier as Bulk was returning and I was eager to see how they connected this to the old series. But since this is technically the SECOND season (Samurai was the first) I obviously missed out on some explanations. They really should have released Power Ranger Samurai first.
Also, buyer beware: this is NOT a complete season set as advertised. The hour-long special "Clash Of The Red Rangers: The Movie" is missing as are the Halloween and Christmas specials "Trickster Treat" and "Stuck On Christmas". They should have made this a complete SERIES set, included all of those specials, the complete first Samurai season and the special "Christmas Together, Friends Forever".
As for Bulk returning, having him back was a wasted opportunity. On the old show he and Skull interacted with the Power Rangers. Here, his and Skull's son Spike's subplots seem so random and unconnected and unnecessary. The smartest thing the old show did was make Bulk and Skull eventually aware of the Power Rangers secret. Having Bulk and Spike be so out of the loop here makes their adventures seem pointless.
Best episodes of the season are the two last ones (The Sealing Symbol / Samurai Forever). A ton of crummy ones but my least favorites were the nonsensical "Something Fishy", the stupid "The Bullzord", and the idiotic "He Ain't Heavy Metal, He's My Brother". Set Overall: ***.
1. Super Samurai: This was the first time I sat down to watch a modern day Power Rangers episode and I have to say I was unimpressed. Yes, the special effects are improved and the story and dialogue aren't quite as bad. But it's still essentially the exact same show as the one I used to MST3K as a kid. **1/2.
2. Shell Game: Exactly the same as the previous episode. So just read my review above to get a gist of it. **1/2.
3. Trading Places: Pretty insane episode although Bulk and Spike were actually funny for once. Unfortunately it sets up the following episode which is one of the most laughably bad of the series. ***.
4. Something Fishy: What is it with this franchise and making their Rangers afraid of fish? First off, that's a pretty stupid and dumb fear to have. Secondly, why the heck would Antonio have to quit over it? How often will that fear actually come up as a Power Ranger? The resolution was a cop-out too. I have OCD and I can safely say flooding never works. *.
5. The Rescue: See My reviews for "Super Samurai" and "Shell Game". **1/2.
6. The Bullzord: Stupid episode. Who the frack cares about a robot Zord's feelings and why the heck does it mean so much to this kid? That is SO Pokemon. And just when I was about to praise the episode for it's refreshing "the mean adult is actually right" message it goes and buys the moral back. 1/2.
7. He Ain't Heavy Metal, He's My Brother: Does every Power Rangers incarnation do a lame rock band episode? Ugh. *.
8. Kevin's Choice: So-so. At least this dealt with one of the characters instead of simply the group. And I don't know who this Deker is but he seems REALLY cool. ***.
9. Runaway Spike: This episode officially made me a Spike / Mia shipper. So the series of course, completely dropped the ball on that subplot. ***.
10. The Strange Case Of The Munchies: This and the previous episode are the closest Bulk and Spike get to interacting with the group. It is no surprise both episodes are better than average. By the way, Spike and Bulk staying for that training as long as they did was QUITE impressive so I think it was only right that Emily asked them back. But of course the series was too bone-headed to actually have them do it. ***1/2.
11. A Sticky Situation: I'm pretty sure they had to cheat a few of those fighting moves. I think it would have been more believable had Kevin and Mike simply had ONE hand stuck together. **1/2.
12. Trust Me: Pretty good. Serrator is a good villain and more Deker is a good thing too. ***.
13. The Master Returns: Best episode so far, probably because it put Master Xandred into action. The special effects were pretty spiffy too. ****.
14. A Crack In The World: The best episodes of the old show were the multi-parters and that seems to be the case here too. The stuff with Bulk and Spike in the photo booth was priceless too. ****.
15. Stroke Of Fate: This episode officially made me want a redemption and happy ending for both Deker and Dayu. So, of course the next couple of episodes stupidly kill them both off. Good for the show for getting rid of Serrator at this point though. The picking off of the villains one by one started here. ***1/2.
16. Fight Fire With Fire: THAT was Jayden's secret? Talk about an anti-climax. No wonder none of the Rangers were mad at him. My only question is why Jayden was stupid enough to actually think they would be. Continuity question: if the Rangers WERE on Earth for 200 years, and Bulk is in this same continuity, where do the original Power Rangers fit into this? The timeline contradicts a bit but if Bulk was present for both eras then that means both series are set in the same dimension. Am I missing something? **1/2.
17. The Great Duel: Outside of the Jayden / Deker smackdown (on horses!), this episode was mostly filler until the final three episodes of the season. ***.
18. Evil Reborn: The good: Reawakening Master Xandred. The bad: killing off Deker. Dumb idea especially because I had just gained some sympathy for him a couple of episodes ago. ***1/2.
19. The Sealing Symbol: That was actually crazy-good. Excellent fight scenes and a killer cliffhanger. The finale was even better. ****1/2.
20. Samurai Forever: That was awesome. I cannot believe how epic and hard-core those fight-scenes were. My only complaint is that they saved the only two REALLY good episodes for the series finale! If they were able to make a show of this quality why didn't they do so all season? And yay, Skull! I really wish they had given Jason Narvy a higher billing in the guest star credits (he's a "Special Guest Star" if there ever was one), but frankly I have the same complaint on Paul Schrier as Bulk's credit billing too. By the way, Bulk may look the same as he does on the old show (with the difference of a shaved head) but Skull seems to have really aged. Interesting. Best episode of the series. *****.
"Everyday Fun" Music Video: I'll say one thing about this earworm: I see no difference in quality between it and most of today's bubblegum pop that is so popular. It could totally be sung by a bubblegum group of today and be a hit record. ***1/2.
"Swarm Flash Mob" Video: This is funny. It's a flash mob of people dressed in Power Rangers costumes dancing at a convention. ****1/2.
"Train Like A Ranger" Video:
These are five promotional commercials. I wish the half season set releases from Shout Factory contained promos. Overall: **1/2.
Red Ranger: Mirroring. **1/2.
Blue Ranger:The Crab Crawl. **1/2.
Pink Ranger: The Stretch. **1/2.
Green Ranger: "Ranger Jacks". **1/2.
Yellow Ranger: The Cobra. **1/2.
Power Rangers Samurai Trailer: Pretty good trailer. ***.
Blu-Ray Menus: Nice and colorful. *****.
Upcoming reviews include Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation: Volume 2, The Dark Knight Rises (Blu-Ray), Star Trek: Enterprise: Season 3, Star Trek: Enterprise: Season 4, Star Trek: The Animated Series, Red Dwarf X, Frankenweenie, Young Justice: Invasion: Destiny Calling, The Spectacular Spider-Man: Volume 5, The Spectacular Spider-Man: Volume 6, The Spectacular Spider-Man: Volume 7, The Spectacular Spider-Man: Volume 8, The Adventures Of Young Indiana Jones: Volume 2: The War Years, The Adventures Of Young Indiana Jones: Volume 3: The Years Of Change, and Heathcliff: Season 1 - Volume 1.
Warning: I will spoil the surprise guest star in the series finale of Power Rangers: Super Samurai. If you don't care (which is probably the sane position for anyone over the age of 9) the review is safe to read.
DC Nation
Green Lantern: The Animated Series "Steam Lantern"
Super corny but the thing I liked best about JLU and Batman: The Brave and the Bold were their corniness, so there you go. I enjoyed this.
Not sure I bought the ending of the entire planet rallying to Steam Lantern's side after learning the truth but when it comes to corn there are just some unlikely things you have to accept.
Where is Razer? When is Aya getting a body back? I hope we find out the answers to both questions soon.
I love that the bad guy didn't know he was a villain and decided to help the heroes once he realized what he had done was bad. Awww! We need more villains like that.
That "red shirted Lantern with a cape" was a reference to Alan Scott, no?
Cool episode. ****.
Young Justice "Before The Dawn"
I am really starting to loathe Miss Martian. I'll say this for her: because of her reaction to the atrocity she just pulled, I am now 100% certain Aqualad is/was a White Hat. There was always some wiggle room for the producers to try to jerk us around back and forth but if it screwed up Miss M that badly, then it's pretty clear Aqualad WAS working for the good guys. Key word "was". Is Miss Martian's lobotomy reversable? Psimon returning leads me to believe it is.
Black Beetle was the guy in shadows? Gotta say that's a disappointing revelation. I had hoped for Darkseid or even Mongul.
Was that Static?! Cool!
I have to say I love Impulse's relationship to Jaime. Even though he knows what Jaime is going to do, he is still on his side and his friend. That's a noble character trait.
Good return. ****1/2.
"Character Profile: Cyborg"
Does seeing Cyborg in Young Justice style artwork mean he is going to appear on that show soon? Cause that would be pretty cool if it did. ****.
"Thunder And Lightning #1: Clothes Make The Hero"
Not much happened during this short but it was cute and a nice set-up for further adventures down the line. ***1/2.
"Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld: Level 1: Your Quest"
Adorable and like Super Best Friends Forever and Sword Of The Atom, I think it would make a great series. VERY Sailor Moon. One quibble: I'm a bit leery of another serialized short series since Sword of the Atom STILL hasn't finished yet. The only serialized shorts we've gotten pay-off to are Batman in Shanghai. Be a little more consistant in your scheduling, DC Nation. ****1/2.
Once Upon A Time "The Cricket Game"
Cora leaving Archie alive was a big mistake. Granted, it was smarter than kidnapping Belle, which is what I thought the ending would originally be, but her plan would have been FLAWLESS if she didn't leave any witnesses. On this show, good ALWAYS wins in the end and if Archie is alive he can always exonerate Regina when he escapes or is rescued. Sloppy.
I am always worried when they do flashbacks too close to the casting of the curse. It always makes me feel as if they will run out of story soon.
Boy, it sure would be handy if Emma had a superpower to tell if people are lying to her, wouldn't it? Oh, wait.
Nice return for the series. ****.
The Simpsons "Homer Goes To Prep School"
All right. I think my biggest beef with the episode was that they portrayed Superintendant Chalmers as insane. He's supposed to be the one normal guy on the show.
I love the three lessons Bart took away from post-Apocalyptic movies. You'd really think people could still shave.
This wasn't quite as biting a satire on militias as it could have been but I'm betting it was toned down in the wake of Aurora and Sandy Hook. That's probably for the best although it isn't really quite a right-wing survivalist militia without an unnecessary buttload of guns. ***.
Bob's Burgers "Mother Daughter Laser Razor"
Boy, Bob really IS a great dad, isn't he? No wonder the kids prefer him and Linda is so jealous. I felt bad for her but I think Louise wanting to get away from her was a normal reaction to being taken to that seminar. That thing bordered on child abuse.
Tina's leg-shaving plot was nowhere NEAR as gross as I feared. They actually made it sweet and funny especially when Bob went and did it with her for support. How great a dad is he? He then proceeded to let Gene do it too.
I loved Louise as a baby calling Linda "Dada". SO cute.
Heh. "Loganberry Bush". Did not think that one through.
Is Freaky Friday REALLY that bad of a movie? I remember liking the 70's version with Jodie Foster (and I LOVED the book) but I haven't seen the Jamie Lee Curtis / Lindsay Lohan one to say.
Fun episode. It's really refreshing to have a dad as great as Bob on Animation Domination. A first for the block. ****.
Family Guy "Space Cadet"
That Bob's Burgers slam was SO unnecessary. Yes, the character designs are ugly. But frankly they look and animate better than Family Guy's first season designs so Seth MacFarlane really isn't one to talk. King of the Hill and South Park also have ugly characters / animation so there is no reason Bob's Burgers needed to be singled out like that.
I've never seen Breaking Bad or The Wire. Are they really that good?
Heh. Canadian Horror Story. Funny idea, but it's clear whoever wrote the episode just did a play on the series' title and has never actually watched the show.
Decent episode. ***.
American Dad "Finger Lenting Good"
I have to wonder why Francine stays with Stan. Yes, he sacrificed his finger for her (unnecessarily I might add) but he was instrumental in getting her to break her resolution in the first place. I understand why Lois Griffin stays with Peter. They are pretty much equally bad in terms of jerkiness so they are in sync. But there is no reason why Francine has to stay with a jag-off like Stan.
Loved Jeff praising Obama making Stan mad. The producers promised when Obama was elected that they would do more stories about Stan hating his new "boss" but outside of this and the Owl Creek episode, it's never been brought up. I hope this isn't the last time.
Roger's plot with the pastie was dumb until the golden surprise twist. I didn't see that coming at all.
Good episode but Frannie needs to take the kids and run. For realz. ***1/2.
American Horror Story: Asylum "The Name Game"
My one regret about the episode was that Arden committed suicide. His death deserved to be even more excruciating than being burned alive.
I was shocked they killed Sister Mary Eunice too. She's the Big Bad and without her (and Arden) the good guys have a chance to win. As for the Monsignor I truly believe he is trying to do the right thing now. I wasn't sure if he was going to turn down Sister Mary's offer or not but when he did I knew he meant it. Her rape of him must really have clarified things for him.
Lana pwning Thredson was the second best part of the episode. With Sister Jude trying to help Lana get out Lana has a very real chance of taking Thredson down. I really like that part of the reason she moved the tape was because she was protecting Kit. Thredson was right, Kit DOES have a Savior complex.
Pepper was innocent of her crimes. I wouldn't have guessed that and the show rightfully made me feel ashamed of this fact after all this time. I think my own bias was showing here.
Loved Kit's reunion with Grace. At first I thought the baby was an alien before it turned its head and I could see its face.
The best part of the episode was the musical sequence. It was sunny and cheery and completely depressing at the same time when it ended. Jessica Lange is a pretty good singer.
Very good episode. ****1/2.
Power Rangers Super Samurai: The Complete Season
I. Don't. GET IT. After reading all of the buzz on genre message boards about how big of an adult fanbase the newer Power Rangers episodes have, I was expecting something more. Perhaps story arcs or something. But with the exception of better acting, dialogue, and special effects, this is EXACTLY the same as the old show I always made fun of. This having adult male fans makes about as much sense to me as adult women rabidly fangirling Hannah Montana or iCarly.
Still, I have to admit the show LOOKS pretty great and I don't just mean the special effects. And it's not just the high-def picture that looks good, it definitely has brighter colors and cooler monster costumes. I never realized before quite how ugly the old show looked but the cinematography and directing here puts it to shame. It's also nice to see a Power Rangers show with beautiful big-budget effects.
And I'll concede the last two episodes of the season are great. But getting there is QUITE the chore.
I picked up this season set partially because I heard Paul Schrier as Bulk was returning and I was eager to see how they connected this to the old series. But since this is technically the SECOND season (Samurai was the first) I obviously missed out on some explanations. They really should have released Power Ranger Samurai first.
Also, buyer beware: this is NOT a complete season set as advertised. The hour-long special "Clash Of The Red Rangers: The Movie" is missing as are the Halloween and Christmas specials "Trickster Treat" and "Stuck On Christmas". They should have made this a complete SERIES set, included all of those specials, the complete first Samurai season and the special "Christmas Together, Friends Forever".
As for Bulk returning, having him back was a wasted opportunity. On the old show he and Skull interacted with the Power Rangers. Here, his and Skull's son Spike's subplots seem so random and unconnected and unnecessary. The smartest thing the old show did was make Bulk and Skull eventually aware of the Power Rangers secret. Having Bulk and Spike be so out of the loop here makes their adventures seem pointless.
Best episodes of the season are the two last ones (The Sealing Symbol / Samurai Forever). A ton of crummy ones but my least favorites were the nonsensical "Something Fishy", the stupid "The Bullzord", and the idiotic "He Ain't Heavy Metal, He's My Brother". Set Overall: ***.
1. Super Samurai: This was the first time I sat down to watch a modern day Power Rangers episode and I have to say I was unimpressed. Yes, the special effects are improved and the story and dialogue aren't quite as bad. But it's still essentially the exact same show as the one I used to MST3K as a kid. **1/2.
2. Shell Game: Exactly the same as the previous episode. So just read my review above to get a gist of it. **1/2.
3. Trading Places: Pretty insane episode although Bulk and Spike were actually funny for once. Unfortunately it sets up the following episode which is one of the most laughably bad of the series. ***.
4. Something Fishy: What is it with this franchise and making their Rangers afraid of fish? First off, that's a pretty stupid and dumb fear to have. Secondly, why the heck would Antonio have to quit over it? How often will that fear actually come up as a Power Ranger? The resolution was a cop-out too. I have OCD and I can safely say flooding never works. *.
5. The Rescue: See My reviews for "Super Samurai" and "Shell Game". **1/2.
6. The Bullzord: Stupid episode. Who the frack cares about a robot Zord's feelings and why the heck does it mean so much to this kid? That is SO Pokemon. And just when I was about to praise the episode for it's refreshing "the mean adult is actually right" message it goes and buys the moral back. 1/2.
7. He Ain't Heavy Metal, He's My Brother: Does every Power Rangers incarnation do a lame rock band episode? Ugh. *.
8. Kevin's Choice: So-so. At least this dealt with one of the characters instead of simply the group. And I don't know who this Deker is but he seems REALLY cool. ***.
9. Runaway Spike: This episode officially made me a Spike / Mia shipper. So the series of course, completely dropped the ball on that subplot. ***.
10. The Strange Case Of The Munchies: This and the previous episode are the closest Bulk and Spike get to interacting with the group. It is no surprise both episodes are better than average. By the way, Spike and Bulk staying for that training as long as they did was QUITE impressive so I think it was only right that Emily asked them back. But of course the series was too bone-headed to actually have them do it. ***1/2.
11. A Sticky Situation: I'm pretty sure they had to cheat a few of those fighting moves. I think it would have been more believable had Kevin and Mike simply had ONE hand stuck together. **1/2.
12. Trust Me: Pretty good. Serrator is a good villain and more Deker is a good thing too. ***.
13. The Master Returns: Best episode so far, probably because it put Master Xandred into action. The special effects were pretty spiffy too. ****.
14. A Crack In The World: The best episodes of the old show were the multi-parters and that seems to be the case here too. The stuff with Bulk and Spike in the photo booth was priceless too. ****.
15. Stroke Of Fate: This episode officially made me want a redemption and happy ending for both Deker and Dayu. So, of course the next couple of episodes stupidly kill them both off. Good for the show for getting rid of Serrator at this point though. The picking off of the villains one by one started here. ***1/2.
16. Fight Fire With Fire: THAT was Jayden's secret? Talk about an anti-climax. No wonder none of the Rangers were mad at him. My only question is why Jayden was stupid enough to actually think they would be. Continuity question: if the Rangers WERE on Earth for 200 years, and Bulk is in this same continuity, where do the original Power Rangers fit into this? The timeline contradicts a bit but if Bulk was present for both eras then that means both series are set in the same dimension. Am I missing something? **1/2.
17. The Great Duel: Outside of the Jayden / Deker smackdown (on horses!), this episode was mostly filler until the final three episodes of the season. ***.
18. Evil Reborn: The good: Reawakening Master Xandred. The bad: killing off Deker. Dumb idea especially because I had just gained some sympathy for him a couple of episodes ago. ***1/2.
19. The Sealing Symbol: That was actually crazy-good. Excellent fight scenes and a killer cliffhanger. The finale was even better. ****1/2.
20. Samurai Forever: That was awesome. I cannot believe how epic and hard-core those fight-scenes were. My only complaint is that they saved the only two REALLY good episodes for the series finale! If they were able to make a show of this quality why didn't they do so all season? And yay, Skull! I really wish they had given Jason Narvy a higher billing in the guest star credits (he's a "Special Guest Star" if there ever was one), but frankly I have the same complaint on Paul Schrier as Bulk's credit billing too. By the way, Bulk may look the same as he does on the old show (with the difference of a shaved head) but Skull seems to have really aged. Interesting. Best episode of the series. *****.
"Everyday Fun" Music Video: I'll say one thing about this earworm: I see no difference in quality between it and most of today's bubblegum pop that is so popular. It could totally be sung by a bubblegum group of today and be a hit record. ***1/2.
"Swarm Flash Mob" Video: This is funny. It's a flash mob of people dressed in Power Rangers costumes dancing at a convention. ****1/2.
"Train Like A Ranger" Video:
These are five promotional commercials. I wish the half season set releases from Shout Factory contained promos. Overall: **1/2.
Red Ranger: Mirroring. **1/2.
Blue Ranger:The Crab Crawl. **1/2.
Pink Ranger: The Stretch. **1/2.
Green Ranger: "Ranger Jacks". **1/2.
Yellow Ranger: The Cobra. **1/2.
Power Rangers Samurai Trailer: Pretty good trailer. ***.
Blu-Ray Menus: Nice and colorful. *****.
