It is time. For me, it was only a matter of time before this fandom sucked me. Now it has, and I'm very glad. That's right, I'm reviewing the first season of LOST, arguably the biggest cult series of all time.
The first season of LOST aired from 2004-2005 and was comprised of 25 total episodes. It was on ABC and is the only thing that gives the network any credibility.
No spoilers, don't worry.
In A Nutshell:
An Oceanic flight from Australia to LA crashes on a strange, uncharted island in the south pacific. The 48 survivors struggle to survive while dealing with other... strange entities, shall we say? There would always be one or more main plots on the island in an episode, while flashbacks would develope a specific character by showing their backstory, revealing their secrets, and other what-have-you's. Believe it or not, the first couple of episodes were primarily standalone stories. Yes, you read that correctly. About eight episodes in, however, stuff really starts going down and a more serialized format is used. Also at the same time, an episode would often contribute something to the show's overall mythology and thereby further asking the question of what the hell is actually going on.
The Good:
Quite a bit of good stuff is on the table here, friends. The show's very first scene starts off with you thinking "wait what?" and then gets very intense as establishes what just happened.
The plot of the season itself is, well, awesome. It's intriguing, compelling, all that good stuff. The standalone stories do a good of providing set up for what's happening, and the flashbacks do a great job of developing the characters and spilling their dirty secrets. Believe me, everyone on this island has some skeletons in their closets. Most messed up back story goes to Boone. Not necessarily the best one, that's probably Locke's, but Boone's really got me.
The characters themselves feel, act, and talk like actual human beings (always a good thing) and really help to drive the show. Simply put: richness of character is in abundance.
As for the mythology and overarching mysteries, where do I begin? Granted, I had some of the answers going into this, but I still get shocked. At their best, the mythos and twists are going to make you switch from scratching your head to dropping your jaw in an instant. Let me put it this way: imagine having all of your views on reality set on fire, brought back from the dead from the ashes, perform plastic surgery on, and beaten half to death! Can you imagine that? Good, now you've got a very rough, very vague understanding of what certain moments of this show did to my head. That's the best I can do to describe it.
I can't actually give hints as to just what does this, as that would violate the no spoilers agreement above, but I can tell you that some of the moments are implications that get you thinking, and others are statements/events that you didn't see coming. And sometimes they serve as metaphors for humanity, ideal, and other stuff I can't even begin to describe.
This good this is gonna sound like overkill, I know, but another thing was the use of music on this show could not be more perfect and really contributes to making certain moments what they are.
Obviously, there was a cliffhanger ending to the season, always a welcomed move.
The Bad:
To be totally honest, I got nothing. Okay fine, I've one gripe. One. And it's little. There are one or two moments early on in the show where I just thought "okay, can we get on with the plot already". Those were rare moments, I promise, and it's totally the result of going into something that starts off fairly procedural but you expect to instantly become the ultimate serial just because of it's reputation. But those don't usually happen, I promise. Other than that, no gripes.
Final Rating: 99%
So, have you seen the first season of LOST? Have you seen any of it? What did you think of it? Comment below, let me know. Or just leave a comment. That would be great too.
And of course, be sure to subscribe, check out my others posts, all that good stuff!
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Battlestar Galactica Season 1 Review
So, for those of you who don't know, IGN, which considers itself the utmost authority on absolutely everything, ranked BSG #1 on their list of the top 50 sci fi shows of all time. Think about it.
Just a heads up, I'm reviewing this under the assumption that you've seen the miniseries, so there are spoilers if you haven't.
BSG season 1 aired in 2005 on the SyFy channel back when they knew what the hell they were doing.
In A Nutshell:
Picking up right after the miniseries, this season follows the last surviving humans, headed by President Laura Roslin and protected by Commander Bill Adama of the Battlestar Galactica, as they flee the deadly Cylons who have overrun the 12 Colonies of Humanity and try to find a safe haven, specifically Earth, the fabled 13th colony. A lot goes down. So basically, they're fleeing the Cylons while dealing with other issues, including political conspiracy and terrorism, dwindling resources, and character issues. The characters include, in addition to Adama and Roslin, Gaius Baltar, a genius scientist who by mistake caused the Cylon invasion, and who has a computer chip in his head that causes him to see, hear, and feel Cylon Number 6 everywhere (oh and he's also a lecherous scumbag), Captain Lee Adama, call sign Apollo, Commander Adama's son who has some loyalty and anger issues, Lieutenant Kara Thrace, call sign Starbuck, the best shot in or out of the cockpit who is also reckless and cocky, Lt. Karl Agathon, call sign Helo, whose stranded on Cylon occupied Caprica, Col. Tigh, who has a problem with the booze, and Lt. Sharon Boulaurie, call sign Boomer, who is a Cylon but doesn't it. In case you didn't get it, the show goes out if it's way to have flawed characters, all of whom had an episode centered around them at one point or another.
The Good:
This is awesome. It is. It really is. It's intense, action-packed, and often gritty. Lets start with the action: there's lots of it. There are quite a few epic space battles with pretty awesome special effects, plus Cylons have been known to get shot or blown up. And when the show lacks action, it makes up for it in phycological intensity that will make anyone go "oh my God oh my God oh my God." Those are some driving forces behind the show. And then you've got the show's serialized format (woo!). There are overarching mysteries going, and while a lot of the time a conflict will be resolved by the end of the episode, it will create a new plot point to be dealt with in another episode while expanding the show's very compelling mythology. You've also got the characters, who feel like, oh you know, real people with real problems and flaws. And I do mean flaws. These are layered characters who are basically good people but with serious flaws. Take Gaius, for example: he's a genius, he's funny, charismatic, an okay guy, but he's also an two-timing scumbag who might be insane. So yeah, the characters are really good. You have all that adding up to a very compelling overall story that manages to be character driven, action driven, politically driven, and spiritually driven all at the same time. The bottom line: it's an intelligent, intense thrill ride that you won't want to stop watching. Oh, and cliffhanger ending! Hooray!
The Bad:
You'd think after all that praise I wouldn't have any gripes about the season. But I do. It's just one episode that I wasn't too big on: "Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down", it's where you meet Col. Tigh's previously absent, equally alcoholic wife. You could tell it was meant to be a comedy relief episode to lighten the mood a bit amidst the intensity. I usually have no problem with that, heck I like just because it gives me some room to breath, but the problem was it wasn't funny. Ellen Tigh is really just an annoying character. I'll grant, parts of the episode were okay, but for the most part, I can't say I was too fond of it. But parts of that one episode are my only beef with the season. Other than that it was awesome.
I could probably do noteworthy episodes but I won't because I'd be doing all of them save for the one I mentioned in "the bad". Plus, the season was only 13 episodes anyway, so it's seems a bit unnecessary.
Final Rating: 97%
So, have you seen season 1 of BSG, or any of it at all, and what did you think of it? Comment below, let me know!
As always, be sure to subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
Just a heads up, I'm reviewing this under the assumption that you've seen the miniseries, so there are spoilers if you haven't.
BSG season 1 aired in 2005 on the SyFy channel back when they knew what the hell they were doing.
In A Nutshell:
Picking up right after the miniseries, this season follows the last surviving humans, headed by President Laura Roslin and protected by Commander Bill Adama of the Battlestar Galactica, as they flee the deadly Cylons who have overrun the 12 Colonies of Humanity and try to find a safe haven, specifically Earth, the fabled 13th colony. A lot goes down. So basically, they're fleeing the Cylons while dealing with other issues, including political conspiracy and terrorism, dwindling resources, and character issues. The characters include, in addition to Adama and Roslin, Gaius Baltar, a genius scientist who by mistake caused the Cylon invasion, and who has a computer chip in his head that causes him to see, hear, and feel Cylon Number 6 everywhere (oh and he's also a lecherous scumbag), Captain Lee Adama, call sign Apollo, Commander Adama's son who has some loyalty and anger issues, Lieutenant Kara Thrace, call sign Starbuck, the best shot in or out of the cockpit who is also reckless and cocky, Lt. Karl Agathon, call sign Helo, whose stranded on Cylon occupied Caprica, Col. Tigh, who has a problem with the booze, and Lt. Sharon Boulaurie, call sign Boomer, who is a Cylon but doesn't it. In case you didn't get it, the show goes out if it's way to have flawed characters, all of whom had an episode centered around them at one point or another.
The Good:
This is awesome. It is. It really is. It's intense, action-packed, and often gritty. Lets start with the action: there's lots of it. There are quite a few epic space battles with pretty awesome special effects, plus Cylons have been known to get shot or blown up. And when the show lacks action, it makes up for it in phycological intensity that will make anyone go "oh my God oh my God oh my God." Those are some driving forces behind the show. And then you've got the show's serialized format (woo!). There are overarching mysteries going, and while a lot of the time a conflict will be resolved by the end of the episode, it will create a new plot point to be dealt with in another episode while expanding the show's very compelling mythology. You've also got the characters, who feel like, oh you know, real people with real problems and flaws. And I do mean flaws. These are layered characters who are basically good people but with serious flaws. Take Gaius, for example: he's a genius, he's funny, charismatic, an okay guy, but he's also an two-timing scumbag who might be insane. So yeah, the characters are really good. You have all that adding up to a very compelling overall story that manages to be character driven, action driven, politically driven, and spiritually driven all at the same time. The bottom line: it's an intelligent, intense thrill ride that you won't want to stop watching. Oh, and cliffhanger ending! Hooray!
The Bad:
You'd think after all that praise I wouldn't have any gripes about the season. But I do. It's just one episode that I wasn't too big on: "Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down", it's where you meet Col. Tigh's previously absent, equally alcoholic wife. You could tell it was meant to be a comedy relief episode to lighten the mood a bit amidst the intensity. I usually have no problem with that, heck I like just because it gives me some room to breath, but the problem was it wasn't funny. Ellen Tigh is really just an annoying character. I'll grant, parts of the episode were okay, but for the most part, I can't say I was too fond of it. But parts of that one episode are my only beef with the season. Other than that it was awesome.
I could probably do noteworthy episodes but I won't because I'd be doing all of them save for the one I mentioned in "the bad". Plus, the season was only 13 episodes anyway, so it's seems a bit unnecessary.
Final Rating: 97%
So, have you seen season 1 of BSG, or any of it at all, and what did you think of it? Comment below, let me know!
As always, be sure to subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
Episode Reviewed: Continuum: Wasting Time
Insert witty time travel joke here (I'm in a lazy mood today).
In A Nutshell:
Alright, so this time out, Kiera and Carlos are investigating murder victims with holes bored into the back of their skulls, and, you guessed it, they're connected to Liber8! At the same time, Kiera is forced to form an unlikely alliance with Liber8 member Kellog over reasons I cannot reveal at the moment, and we learn more about Alec's stepdad, who has some funky sociopolitical views that seem to have something to do with Kiera's future.
The Good:
Overall, this was probably better then last week. On the surface, this seems to be a murder of the week type deal, but there's more going on here for the show's mythology and overall story than you'd think, and I really liked that. Truth be told, it's actually what I was expecting the show to be like. When you think about it, this was primarily an episode for setting the show up even more. That's what the last two have more or less done, and I feel like they'll do more set up for another episode or two, and then get more into the overarching story. I just hope it's not like A Tale of Two Cities, which took about 250 pages to get started on the book's actual plot. Plus, some good action scenes and a few funny fish out of water moments to round things out a bit.
The Bad:
It's the same gripe as last week, really, in that it still feels like Alec is just the tech support guy, and he's supposed to be a character with a lot of mystery around him, so it's a bit frustrating when he's just pressing buttons and making somewhat funny jokes for most of his 14 minutes of screen time. Granted, he did more this episode and we learn more about his family, so it wasn't as bad as last week where he literally only did the previously mentioned things. Another thing is that some of Kiera's dialogue comes off as a bit corny, and the excuse of "people talk differently in the future" is only going to last the writers so long.
Final Rating: 89%
Be sure to comment, subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
In A Nutshell:
Alright, so this time out, Kiera and Carlos are investigating murder victims with holes bored into the back of their skulls, and, you guessed it, they're connected to Liber8! At the same time, Kiera is forced to form an unlikely alliance with Liber8 member Kellog over reasons I cannot reveal at the moment, and we learn more about Alec's stepdad, who has some funky sociopolitical views that seem to have something to do with Kiera's future.
The Good:
Overall, this was probably better then last week. On the surface, this seems to be a murder of the week type deal, but there's more going on here for the show's mythology and overall story than you'd think, and I really liked that. Truth be told, it's actually what I was expecting the show to be like. When you think about it, this was primarily an episode for setting the show up even more. That's what the last two have more or less done, and I feel like they'll do more set up for another episode or two, and then get more into the overarching story. I just hope it's not like A Tale of Two Cities, which took about 250 pages to get started on the book's actual plot. Plus, some good action scenes and a few funny fish out of water moments to round things out a bit.
The Bad:
It's the same gripe as last week, really, in that it still feels like Alec is just the tech support guy, and he's supposed to be a character with a lot of mystery around him, so it's a bit frustrating when he's just pressing buttons and making somewhat funny jokes for most of his 14 minutes of screen time. Granted, he did more this episode and we learn more about his family, so it wasn't as bad as last week where he literally only did the previously mentioned things. Another thing is that some of Kiera's dialogue comes off as a bit corny, and the excuse of "people talk differently in the future" is only going to last the writers so long.
Final Rating: 89%
Be sure to comment, subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
The Guild Season 3 Review
Alright, I just finished my final exams, so I as of now, I'm on vacation!!!! Woo!!!!
So, first on the docket is my review of the third season of the hit web comedy series The Guild!
In A Nutshell:
Picking up right after season two ends, season three follows the continuing adventures of the RPG Guild the Knights of Good, who are trying to buy a new expansion pack for the game, but in the process run afoul of rival Guild the Axis of Anarchy, headed by Wil Wheaton, who make it their mission to destroy the KOG both in the game and out. After season's events, Vork makes Codex Guild Leader after the realizes he's bad person and sets out to find out why, Tink is mad at Vork for deleting her character, Clara has marital issues, Codex is more exasperated then usual, and Zaboo is dating that Halo girl Riley, who has, uh, odd relationship policies, shall we say. And, amazingly enough, this season managed to be better than seasons 1 or 2, which I didn't think could be done.
The Good:
Just about everything, really. The show is still hilarious, the characters are still outrageous to the point that you love yet hate them at the same time, and it's more then a little bit addicting. The characters are actually even growing a little bit as people, or at least attempting to, which is something most TV sitcoms can't even pull off. Plus, like always, there are plenty of moments that are so ridiculous and absurd that it's impossible to not laugh for three straight minutes.
The Bad:
There are still moments where you can't help but think, "these people have no lives. it's kinda depressing..." but there are that many. There weren't many in the first two seasons, either, but there's even less here. Other than that I got nothing.
If you haven't seen the Guild, look it up on YouTube, you will not regret it.
Final Rating: 98%
Be sure to comment, subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
So, first on the docket is my review of the third season of the hit web comedy series The Guild!
In A Nutshell:
Picking up right after season two ends, season three follows the continuing adventures of the RPG Guild the Knights of Good, who are trying to buy a new expansion pack for the game, but in the process run afoul of rival Guild the Axis of Anarchy, headed by Wil Wheaton, who make it their mission to destroy the KOG both in the game and out. After season's events, Vork makes Codex Guild Leader after the realizes he's bad person and sets out to find out why, Tink is mad at Vork for deleting her character, Clara has marital issues, Codex is more exasperated then usual, and Zaboo is dating that Halo girl Riley, who has, uh, odd relationship policies, shall we say. And, amazingly enough, this season managed to be better than seasons 1 or 2, which I didn't think could be done.
The Good:
Just about everything, really. The show is still hilarious, the characters are still outrageous to the point that you love yet hate them at the same time, and it's more then a little bit addicting. The characters are actually even growing a little bit as people, or at least attempting to, which is something most TV sitcoms can't even pull off. Plus, like always, there are plenty of moments that are so ridiculous and absurd that it's impossible to not laugh for three straight minutes.
The Bad:
There are still moments where you can't help but think, "these people have no lives. it's kinda depressing..." but there are that many. There weren't many in the first two seasons, either, but there's even less here. Other than that I got nothing.
If you haven't seen the Guild, look it up on YouTube, you will not regret it.
Final Rating: 98%
Be sure to comment, subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Top 10 Warehouse 13 Episodes
Alright, Warehouse 13 returns for a 20-episode 4th season next month, and my own complete boredom has driven me to write this list before it's actually appropriate. Whatever. I like the show, and it's basically the only thing the SyFy channel has going for it these days, and thus this list was written.
Spoilers for episodes indicated by *
10. Claudia
Does this need explaining? Artie's past catches up to him when Claudia, whose brother Artie may/may not have let die, tracks him down and kidnapps him. This was Claudia's, probably my character on the show (computer nerd-Lois Lane), first episode, which is what makes it really memorable, and it sets things up for really the rest of the season and a lot of the rest of the show. At the time, it seemed like a standalone that shook things up by being the first non- "artifact of the week", but looking back, it was crucial and just kind of awesome.
9. Beyond Our Control
It's like the writers thought "what if we actually explored that weird town the warehouse is in". I'm glad they did. Basically, an artifact on the loose in Univille and is making marines, gladiators, and mad scientists materialize, and it could have something to do with a B-movie marathon. Oh, and guess what, the whole town thinks Pete and Myka work for the IRS. I guess it was a particularly good "artifact of the week" and was way too much fun not to have.
8. MacPherson
The WH13 team track down MacPherson and bring him in in the season 1 finale. Not surprisingly, things go horribly wrong and some serious stuff goes down. Plus, cliffhanger ending! Woo! To me personally, this was the first indication of the heights the show would reach in seasons 2 and 3, while delivering an entertaining story and at the same time building up to the events that would drive season 2. Excellent.
7. Where and When
Time travel. That's all that needs to be said. Pete and Myka use HG's time machine to ID an artifact from 1961 about to resurface. The catch? The time machine is all Quantum Leap-ish and puts the duo into Jack and Rebecca's bodies in the 60's. Gimmicky? Oh yeah, totally. But a good gimmick it was.
6. The 40th Floor*
The WH13 team finally gets an edge on Walter Sykes after they capture his attack dog Sally Stuckowski, who Steve and Mrs. Frederick (1st name Irene?) interrogate. At the same time, Myka and a couple of regents get trapped in a building Sykes is using an artifact to destroy, and have to get out in one piece. This was a great way to build on the season's story arc and set up for the rest of the season, while telling a pretty kick-ass standalone. It just captured what I like about the show. Plus, the introduction of the Tesla grenade, tons of mythos, and an awesome twist ending.
5. Vendetta*
Artie's past with the NSA finally catches up with him as friends of the team are being killed by artifacts. At the same time, HG resurfaces, claiming to be rehabilitated and wanting to come back to the warehouse. Not surprisingly, Artie doesn't trust her, but Myka seems to. Another midseason episode that sets things up for the remainder of the season, but is awesome on it's own, too.
4. Breakdown
So, Artie has to have lunch with some regents to prove that they need to pursue MacPhearson, assuring them that his team is top notch. At the same time, Claudia accidently causes the Warehouse to go into self-destruct mode, and she, Pete, and Myka have thirty chaos-filled minutes to stop the big boom. I guess the whole controlled-chaos thing in this one just really appeals to me. That and some cool artifact stuff really made this one.
3. Buried/Reset
The warhouse is dying, and Pete, Myka, and HG haul ass to Egypt, specifically Warehouse 2, to find a cure. This leads into the climactic finale in which HG's true agenda comes to light. You literally just started letting yourself think she was good, too. Epic, dramatic, and just plain awesome, the season two finale just adds up to enormous awesomeness and gives you answers about the show's best villain, and one of my personal favorite TV villains.
2. Emily Lake/Stand
Sykes, you son of a gun. The two part third season finale saw Sykes iniating his revenge against the Warehouse team, specifically the regents, which I can't talk about without ruining the whole thing. The bottom line, it was epic. It was intense. It was dramatic. It gave us answers. And it left us with questions that won't be answered for another month. It also gave us some pretty heavy drama by way of major character deaths (granted, we're still not really sure who's going STAY dead) something the show had never done before, but believe me, they did it well. Plus, the best cliffhanger so far and the introduction of the Tesla shotgun.
1. Time Will Tell
This barely edged out Stand for the number one spot, but I just had to give it to this one. So, right after the season 1 finale, Artie uses the Pheonix to come back from the dead, MacPhearson brings someone else back from the bronze section with him, and Claudia, who the team still thinks is a traitor, is trying to make sure Joshua is still alive. What really makes this episode great is the introduction of HG Wells, one of the show's best characters and the best aspect of it's mythology, who basically sets up the next two, possibly three seasons in less then 45 mintutes. And you've got the Esher Vault, my personal favorite section of the Warehouse. Add in a story that is just flat out awesome, and you've got my number one episode of Warehouse 13.
Be sure to comment, subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
Spoilers for episodes indicated by *
10. Claudia
Does this need explaining? Artie's past catches up to him when Claudia, whose brother Artie may/may not have let die, tracks him down and kidnapps him. This was Claudia's, probably my character on the show (computer nerd-Lois Lane), first episode, which is what makes it really memorable, and it sets things up for really the rest of the season and a lot of the rest of the show. At the time, it seemed like a standalone that shook things up by being the first non- "artifact of the week", but looking back, it was crucial and just kind of awesome.
9. Beyond Our Control
It's like the writers thought "what if we actually explored that weird town the warehouse is in". I'm glad they did. Basically, an artifact on the loose in Univille and is making marines, gladiators, and mad scientists materialize, and it could have something to do with a B-movie marathon. Oh, and guess what, the whole town thinks Pete and Myka work for the IRS. I guess it was a particularly good "artifact of the week" and was way too much fun not to have.
8. MacPherson
The WH13 team track down MacPherson and bring him in in the season 1 finale. Not surprisingly, things go horribly wrong and some serious stuff goes down. Plus, cliffhanger ending! Woo! To me personally, this was the first indication of the heights the show would reach in seasons 2 and 3, while delivering an entertaining story and at the same time building up to the events that would drive season 2. Excellent.
7. Where and When
Time travel. That's all that needs to be said. Pete and Myka use HG's time machine to ID an artifact from 1961 about to resurface. The catch? The time machine is all Quantum Leap-ish and puts the duo into Jack and Rebecca's bodies in the 60's. Gimmicky? Oh yeah, totally. But a good gimmick it was.
6. The 40th Floor*
The WH13 team finally gets an edge on Walter Sykes after they capture his attack dog Sally Stuckowski, who Steve and Mrs. Frederick (1st name Irene?) interrogate. At the same time, Myka and a couple of regents get trapped in a building Sykes is using an artifact to destroy, and have to get out in one piece. This was a great way to build on the season's story arc and set up for the rest of the season, while telling a pretty kick-ass standalone. It just captured what I like about the show. Plus, the introduction of the Tesla grenade, tons of mythos, and an awesome twist ending.
5. Vendetta*
Artie's past with the NSA finally catches up with him as friends of the team are being killed by artifacts. At the same time, HG resurfaces, claiming to be rehabilitated and wanting to come back to the warehouse. Not surprisingly, Artie doesn't trust her, but Myka seems to. Another midseason episode that sets things up for the remainder of the season, but is awesome on it's own, too.
4. Breakdown
So, Artie has to have lunch with some regents to prove that they need to pursue MacPhearson, assuring them that his team is top notch. At the same time, Claudia accidently causes the Warehouse to go into self-destruct mode, and she, Pete, and Myka have thirty chaos-filled minutes to stop the big boom. I guess the whole controlled-chaos thing in this one just really appeals to me. That and some cool artifact stuff really made this one.
3. Buried/Reset
The warhouse is dying, and Pete, Myka, and HG haul ass to Egypt, specifically Warehouse 2, to find a cure. This leads into the climactic finale in which HG's true agenda comes to light. You literally just started letting yourself think she was good, too. Epic, dramatic, and just plain awesome, the season two finale just adds up to enormous awesomeness and gives you answers about the show's best villain, and one of my personal favorite TV villains.
2. Emily Lake/Stand
Sykes, you son of a gun. The two part third season finale saw Sykes iniating his revenge against the Warehouse team, specifically the regents, which I can't talk about without ruining the whole thing. The bottom line, it was epic. It was intense. It was dramatic. It gave us answers. And it left us with questions that won't be answered for another month. It also gave us some pretty heavy drama by way of major character deaths (granted, we're still not really sure who's going STAY dead) something the show had never done before, but believe me, they did it well. Plus, the best cliffhanger so far and the introduction of the Tesla shotgun.
1. Time Will Tell
This barely edged out Stand for the number one spot, but I just had to give it to this one. So, right after the season 1 finale, Artie uses the Pheonix to come back from the dead, MacPhearson brings someone else back from the bronze section with him, and Claudia, who the team still thinks is a traitor, is trying to make sure Joshua is still alive. What really makes this episode great is the introduction of HG Wells, one of the show's best characters and the best aspect of it's mythology, who basically sets up the next two, possibly three seasons in less then 45 mintutes. And you've got the Esher Vault, my personal favorite section of the Warehouse. Add in a story that is just flat out awesome, and you've got my number one episode of Warehouse 13.
Be sure to comment, subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
Anchorman 2
That's right, it's finally coming: a sequel to Anchorman. The promo hit the web earlier this week and by now you've probably seen it/heard of it, but I had to talk about this. No plot is actually revealed, it's just the four main characters from the first movie saying strange comedic stuff wearing '70s clothes. This has apparently been burning in development hell for years now, and I don't know when it comes out, but it probably not anytime soon with Will Ferrel and Steve Carrel both busy with other movies. I've got high hopes for the sequel, but I won't be expecting something to top Ricky Bobby (can anything top that?). Whether or not Christina Applegate will be in it is unknown presently. Whatever the case is, I'm looking forward to this movie. Stay classy, internet.
Battlestar Galactica: The Miniseries Review
This basically represents the riskiest move in the history of TV: Star Trek alum Ron Moore rebooting a failed series on a then failing basic cable network. But it payed off oh so much.
I should probably clarify first that I have not seen the original series, so if you're looking for a comparison between the two, you're out of luck.
In A Nutshell:
So what is BSG ? How about war in space. Not enough? How about a military/naval drama, political thriller, and spiritual discusion all at once. Still confused? Okay, I'll be more specific; The Cylons are robots created by humans, who live on the 12 Colonies of Humanity. They rebeled and a war was fought. After a 40 year armistice, the Cylons, some of which now look like humans rather than walking chrome toasters, launch a surprise attack and nuke the crap out of all twelve worlds. And the Cylons have hacked into the defense grid and can disable humanity's entire computer network. The good news is that the Battlestar Galactica doesn't have networked computers and is therefore immune from the tech-attack. But the bad news is that Galactica, headed by Commander Bill Adama, now has a war to fight while helping to find the 50,000 remaining humans a new home.
The Good:
The miniseries, which I viewed as an uniterrupted 3 hour movie, does a great job of setting up for the four season-spanning series that followed, the premise of which is that the surviving humans are on the run from the Cylons and trying to find Earth, the fabled 13th colony of humanity. Just the premise kicks ass as a metaphor for the post-9/11 world. Now, it's starts off a bit slow, but that was actually a good thing because it built up the tension and intensity in a way that when the guns start firing, you're just like, "oh, God...". After that, there are a few freaking epic space battles. Added into the equation are perfectly written, compelling, believable characters with flawed relationships with eachother that add to the show's drama and tension. Plus, one or two comic relief scenes that just made me laugh like hell and perfect execution of music. And it even feels like a real battleship with people who actually act like they're in the military, that's how well the naval aspect is done. To top it all off, you've got a dense, compelling mythology that's just well-written. You see this was when the SyFy channel actually knew what they were doing.
The Bad:
To be totally honest, I've got nothing. As miniseries go, this was great, and as set-ups for a TV show go, this is better than most pilot episodes. My only legit beef was I feel like there could of been more space battles, but that's probably what the rest of the show was for.
Final Rating: 98%
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I should probably clarify first that I have not seen the original series, so if you're looking for a comparison between the two, you're out of luck.
In A Nutshell:
So what is BSG ? How about war in space. Not enough? How about a military/naval drama, political thriller, and spiritual discusion all at once. Still confused? Okay, I'll be more specific; The Cylons are robots created by humans, who live on the 12 Colonies of Humanity. They rebeled and a war was fought. After a 40 year armistice, the Cylons, some of which now look like humans rather than walking chrome toasters, launch a surprise attack and nuke the crap out of all twelve worlds. And the Cylons have hacked into the defense grid and can disable humanity's entire computer network. The good news is that the Battlestar Galactica doesn't have networked computers and is therefore immune from the tech-attack. But the bad news is that Galactica, headed by Commander Bill Adama, now has a war to fight while helping to find the 50,000 remaining humans a new home.
The Good:
The miniseries, which I viewed as an uniterrupted 3 hour movie, does a great job of setting up for the four season-spanning series that followed, the premise of which is that the surviving humans are on the run from the Cylons and trying to find Earth, the fabled 13th colony of humanity. Just the premise kicks ass as a metaphor for the post-9/11 world. Now, it's starts off a bit slow, but that was actually a good thing because it built up the tension and intensity in a way that when the guns start firing, you're just like, "oh, God...". After that, there are a few freaking epic space battles. Added into the equation are perfectly written, compelling, believable characters with flawed relationships with eachother that add to the show's drama and tension. Plus, one or two comic relief scenes that just made me laugh like hell and perfect execution of music. And it even feels like a real battleship with people who actually act like they're in the military, that's how well the naval aspect is done. To top it all off, you've got a dense, compelling mythology that's just well-written. You see this was when the SyFy channel actually knew what they were doing.
The Bad:
To be totally honest, I've got nothing. As miniseries go, this was great, and as set-ups for a TV show go, this is better than most pilot episodes. My only legit beef was I feel like there could of been more space battles, but that's probably what the rest of the show was for.
Final Rating: 98%
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Friday, June 8, 2012
Episode Reviewed: Continuum: Fast Times
So, apparently Showcase writers are contractually obliged to work the theme of their shows into episode titles, hence every episode of the 1st season of a time travel show having the word time in their titles.
In A Nutshell:
Kiera's cover gets blown and Carlos has to arrest her while Liber8 are looking for a power source for another time jump. So, she has to break out and stop it. Or does she?
The Good:
The episode boasts plenty of solid action scenes/gun fights, something I think the show is pretty big on. Ideally, it'll be set up like in action movie in TV show form, which, so far, seems to be the case.
At this point, Kiera's future-tech is getting tons of usage, and I gotta say it's pretty darn cool. Even the look of it when it's in use is awesome. They set up a potential long term plot element to return in the near future (serialization! woo!) that might just bite everyone in the butt. On top of all that, the writers are showing that Kiera is a bit conflicted between what she wants and what she has to do, as well as establishing her priorities and developing her as a character.
The Bad:
My major gripe with the show at this point is that they're basically using Alec as plot catalyst. He's supposed to be the character that provides the show with some more overarching mystery, but here he was just JARVIS (Iron Man's computer-voice friend) with a face. Some of Kiera's emotional moments felt a bit forced, too, but it wasn't that bad.
Final Rating: 86%
Be sure to comment, subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
In A Nutshell:
Kiera's cover gets blown and Carlos has to arrest her while Liber8 are looking for a power source for another time jump. So, she has to break out and stop it. Or does she?
The Good:
The episode boasts plenty of solid action scenes/gun fights, something I think the show is pretty big on. Ideally, it'll be set up like in action movie in TV show form, which, so far, seems to be the case.
At this point, Kiera's future-tech is getting tons of usage, and I gotta say it's pretty darn cool. Even the look of it when it's in use is awesome. They set up a potential long term plot element to return in the near future (serialization! woo!) that might just bite everyone in the butt. On top of all that, the writers are showing that Kiera is a bit conflicted between what she wants and what she has to do, as well as establishing her priorities and developing her as a character.
The Bad:
My major gripe with the show at this point is that they're basically using Alec as plot catalyst. He's supposed to be the character that provides the show with some more overarching mystery, but here he was just JARVIS (Iron Man's computer-voice friend) with a face. Some of Kiera's emotional moments felt a bit forced, too, but it wasn't that bad.
Final Rating: 86%
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Arrow Extended Trailer Review
The latest, longest, and best trailer for the CW's upcoming series Arrow, based on the Green Arrow comics, has surfaced.
This trailer gives us way more information about the show. It basically looks like it's supposed to be an action movie in TV show form, which I know I'd enjoy, mixed in with classic comic book mythos, which I also enjoy. I think Stephen Amell is a good choice for Arrow, and he's saying the lines well, save for the corny voiceover monologue. Heck, Katie Cassidy might even be able to redeem herself for her performance in Supernatural season three, because Laurel Lance, unlike Ruby, seems like a good character for her. The premise is cool, it looks like a potential serial (woo!), and I'm looking forward to this. Arrow airs wednesdays at 8 PM this fall on the CW.
This trailer gives us way more information about the show. It basically looks like it's supposed to be an action movie in TV show form, which I know I'd enjoy, mixed in with classic comic book mythos, which I also enjoy. I think Stephen Amell is a good choice for Arrow, and he's saying the lines well, save for the corny voiceover monologue. Heck, Katie Cassidy might even be able to redeem herself for her performance in Supernatural season three, because Laurel Lance, unlike Ruby, seems like a good character for her. The premise is cool, it looks like a potential serial (woo!), and I'm looking forward to this. Arrow airs wednesdays at 8 PM this fall on the CW.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
The Guild Seasons 1 and 2 Review
Okay, I don't usually review comedy stuff, and I don't think I've ever reviewed a web series but this was too good not talk about.
In A Nutshell:
So, the Guild is this web series that's been airing on youtube for a couple of years now. It's one of those professional web shows that gives the medium some much needed credibility. It's created by and stars Felicia Day (Doctor Horrible's Sing Along Blog) who plays Sid, AKA Codex, an unemployed, single nerd who is part of World of Warcraft Guild. She and her fellow Guildies Zaboo, Tink, Blazen, Claira, and Vork spent endless hours playing the game. Then one day Zaboo show's up at Codex's house, and the Guild ends up meeting in person. Hilarity ensues. That's season 1's plot, and season 2 is mainly the Guildies continuing to interact while attempting to grow emotionally. Sort of. Episodes are between 3-13 minutes, and if you add up a whole season, it comes out as one episode of a sitcom, which is the main reason I'm reviewing seasons one and two at the same time.
The Good:
Where do I begin? Let's start with the format. So, I love the format because it's quick and easy to watch, which makes it accessible to the generation without an attention span. And then you've got the characters; first there's Felicia Day (the ultimate hot nerd), who writes the show and stars in it, and she completely owns her role. All the other characters are awesome to, just because they're all really outrageous in there own way to the point where , a., I don't even know how to describe it, and b., it's freaking hysterical. Granted, some of this is definetly nerd humor ala the Big Bang Theory, but most of it is general humor. And once again, it is hysterical. It covers all the bases, too: it does awakward humor, ridiculous over-the-top humor, and everything in between. So, you've a got a hot nerd girl, awesome characters who you like yet look down upon at the same time, a realistic albeit somewhat absurd plot, and all brands of hilarity. That is a potent combination.
The Bad:
Not much, don't worry. My only beef was sometimes, in the middle of the jokes about how these people have no lives outside of gaming/they are addicted, it's actually kind of depressing. It's just one of those half a second moments where you stop in think "these people are going nowhere/are seriously messed up." BUT, I think that's supposed to be some subliminal methods of getting you, the viewer, to reevaluate your own life. Go figure.
So, thats my review for the first two seasons of the Guild. I highly reccomend looking it up on Youtube.
Final Rating: 94%
Be sure to comment, subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
In A Nutshell:
So, the Guild is this web series that's been airing on youtube for a couple of years now. It's one of those professional web shows that gives the medium some much needed credibility. It's created by and stars Felicia Day (Doctor Horrible's Sing Along Blog) who plays Sid, AKA Codex, an unemployed, single nerd who is part of World of Warcraft Guild. She and her fellow Guildies Zaboo, Tink, Blazen, Claira, and Vork spent endless hours playing the game. Then one day Zaboo show's up at Codex's house, and the Guild ends up meeting in person. Hilarity ensues. That's season 1's plot, and season 2 is mainly the Guildies continuing to interact while attempting to grow emotionally. Sort of. Episodes are between 3-13 minutes, and if you add up a whole season, it comes out as one episode of a sitcom, which is the main reason I'm reviewing seasons one and two at the same time.
The Good:
Where do I begin? Let's start with the format. So, I love the format because it's quick and easy to watch, which makes it accessible to the generation without an attention span. And then you've got the characters; first there's Felicia Day (the ultimate hot nerd), who writes the show and stars in it, and she completely owns her role. All the other characters are awesome to, just because they're all really outrageous in there own way to the point where , a., I don't even know how to describe it, and b., it's freaking hysterical. Granted, some of this is definetly nerd humor ala the Big Bang Theory, but most of it is general humor. And once again, it is hysterical. It covers all the bases, too: it does awakward humor, ridiculous over-the-top humor, and everything in between. So, you've a got a hot nerd girl, awesome characters who you like yet look down upon at the same time, a realistic albeit somewhat absurd plot, and all brands of hilarity. That is a potent combination.
The Bad:
Not much, don't worry. My only beef was sometimes, in the middle of the jokes about how these people have no lives outside of gaming/they are addicted, it's actually kind of depressing. It's just one of those half a second moments where you stop in think "these people are going nowhere/are seriously messed up." BUT, I think that's supposed to be some subliminal methods of getting you, the viewer, to reevaluate your own life. Go figure.
So, thats my review for the first two seasons of the Guild. I highly reccomend looking it up on Youtube.
Final Rating: 94%
Be sure to comment, subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
5 TV Shows That Should Be Made Into Movies
Have you ever watched a show where when it finally ends your just like "I'm not ready to give this up!" And given the likelihood that fanfiction doesn't quite "do it for you" (From Supernatural: Dean: you do know we're brothers, right?) you start thinking that a movie for this show might be pretty cool. It worked for Star Trek, Mission Impossible, Firefly, all that good stuff? So, as a result I've decided to put out five shows I would like to see made into movies.
1. Angel
The show: The vampire with a soul, Angel, arrives in LA and sets up a detective agency to investigate and fight evil supernatural phenomona. The series finale ended with an ambiguous scene that would provide set up for a movie.
The Movie: As awesome as the fifth and final season was, it turns out it was all just meant to be set up for the sixth season that never happened as a result of a network jerk who got fired the day after he cancelled the show. So, based on my limited knowledge of the season six comics, a movie would probably be after the final, somewhere during the fight, Wolfram and Hart literally bring LA to hell and cut it off from the outside world. The surviving members of Angel Investigations have been fighting to drive hell back downstairs ever since.
Ideal Cast:
David Boreanaz as Angel
James Marsters as Spike
Amy Acker as Illyria
J. August Richards as Gunn
Vincent Kartheiser as Connor
Likelihood of being made: Somwhere between slim and none. Look, I have no illusions about how likely this is; It's been eight years since the show ended, the actors have moved on and frankly gotten old. They could do a "10 years later" type deal to explain some of the characters aging, but Angel and Spike are both supposed to be immortal, so it just wouldn't work. Plus, when mention the words angel and TV show these days, most people are gonna mention Castiel from Supernatural, not this show. It's not impossible, but it probably won't happen. But I can dream, can't I?
2. Smallville
The Show: The story of Clark Kent in the days before and events leading up to his becoming Superman
The Movie: Two possibilities:
A. A Superman movie with the Smallville cast, following Clark's early days in the suit.
B. Follow up on the early Justice League storyline and (finally) bring the Justice League to the big screen.
Ideal Cast:
Tom Welling as Clark Kent/Superman
Erica Durance as Lois Lane
Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor
Allison Mack as Chloe Sullivan
Justin Hartley as Oliver Queen/Green Arrow
Annette O'Toole as Martha Kent
Aaron Ashmore as Jimmy Olsen
Lauren Vandervoort as Kara Kent/Supergirl
Likelihood of Being Made: Not possible. Just isn't. With Man of Steel out in a year and Green Arrow's show on the small screen in three months, there's no way this would even get greenlit. But once again, I can dream.
3. Torchwood
The Show: Captain Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper, and their team at the Torchwood Institute battle aliens and other phantasmagoria while keeping in cannon with their parent show, Doctor Who.
The Movie: Before I discuss a potential plot, I need to explain why this needs to be made: season four saw a move from BBC to Starz, and season 4 sucked hard. It really did, and it looks like the last one, too. At the very least, this needs to happen to keep the show from going out on a sour note. As for a plot, perhaps we could finally explore Jack's line "Torchwood four is lost, we'll find it someday," from the pilot episode.
Ideal Cast:
Eve Myles as Gwen Cooper
John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness
Kai Owen as Rhys Williams
Likelihood of Being Made: Enirely possible. Show creator Russel T. Davies has been busy with other projects lately, so perhaps when he gets a break he can finally give the show some closure without doing a full season. Seriously, we literally have one person standing between us and this movie. Series star Eve Myles has even said she would like to do a film to wrap up the show. So it could easily happen, but most likely not for another 2-3 years. But hey, I'm patient. I'm from Boston, for God's sake, I literally waited my entire life for the Bruins to win the Stanley Cup.
4. The Office
The Show: Mock-Doc following the awkward hijinks of the employees of a Dunder Mifflin Paper Company in Scranton Pennsylvania.
The Movie: I know I did some bagging on the season 8, and post season 5 in general, but even season 8 pulled off one good episode (Lotto). I think that's proof that the show can still be funny when the writers have good ideas (they haven't had many good ideas lately). So, have the show go out on a high note with 84 minutes of awkward fun. The plot: Andy, Dwight, Jim, Pam, the whole gang go to Colorado for Michael and Holly's wedding. It's original, it's a good setting, and we'd get to see Michael just one more time.
Ideal Cast:
Steve Carrel as Michael Scott
John Krazinski as Jim
Jenna Fischer as Pam
Rainn Wilson as Dwight
All the rest of them.
Likelihood of Being Made:
A month ago, I'd of said this wasn't that out there, but with show being renewed for a ninth season, the odds became pretty slim.
5. The Big Bang Theory
The Show: Nerds who are neighbors to a hot blond girl.
The Movie: Something they have yet to do, like some kind of cross-country road trip type-deal. That would be funny.
Ideal Cast:
We need the whole gang for this one.
Likelihood of Being Made: Somewhat likely. The show's done five seasons now, and I just think a movie would be a good way to finish things off.
So, those are my picks, tell me what yours are.
And, as always, be sure to comment, subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
1. Angel
The show: The vampire with a soul, Angel, arrives in LA and sets up a detective agency to investigate and fight evil supernatural phenomona. The series finale ended with an ambiguous scene that would provide set up for a movie.
The Movie: As awesome as the fifth and final season was, it turns out it was all just meant to be set up for the sixth season that never happened as a result of a network jerk who got fired the day after he cancelled the show. So, based on my limited knowledge of the season six comics, a movie would probably be after the final, somewhere during the fight, Wolfram and Hart literally bring LA to hell and cut it off from the outside world. The surviving members of Angel Investigations have been fighting to drive hell back downstairs ever since.
Ideal Cast:
David Boreanaz as Angel
James Marsters as Spike
Amy Acker as Illyria
J. August Richards as Gunn
Vincent Kartheiser as Connor
Likelihood of being made: Somwhere between slim and none. Look, I have no illusions about how likely this is; It's been eight years since the show ended, the actors have moved on and frankly gotten old. They could do a "10 years later" type deal to explain some of the characters aging, but Angel and Spike are both supposed to be immortal, so it just wouldn't work. Plus, when mention the words angel and TV show these days, most people are gonna mention Castiel from Supernatural, not this show. It's not impossible, but it probably won't happen. But I can dream, can't I?
2. Smallville
The Show: The story of Clark Kent in the days before and events leading up to his becoming Superman
The Movie: Two possibilities:
A. A Superman movie with the Smallville cast, following Clark's early days in the suit.
B. Follow up on the early Justice League storyline and (finally) bring the Justice League to the big screen.
Ideal Cast:
Tom Welling as Clark Kent/Superman
Erica Durance as Lois Lane
Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor
Allison Mack as Chloe Sullivan
Justin Hartley as Oliver Queen/Green Arrow
Annette O'Toole as Martha Kent
Aaron Ashmore as Jimmy Olsen
Lauren Vandervoort as Kara Kent/Supergirl
Likelihood of Being Made: Not possible. Just isn't. With Man of Steel out in a year and Green Arrow's show on the small screen in three months, there's no way this would even get greenlit. But once again, I can dream.
3. Torchwood
The Show: Captain Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper, and their team at the Torchwood Institute battle aliens and other phantasmagoria while keeping in cannon with their parent show, Doctor Who.
The Movie: Before I discuss a potential plot, I need to explain why this needs to be made: season four saw a move from BBC to Starz, and season 4 sucked hard. It really did, and it looks like the last one, too. At the very least, this needs to happen to keep the show from going out on a sour note. As for a plot, perhaps we could finally explore Jack's line "Torchwood four is lost, we'll find it someday," from the pilot episode.
Ideal Cast:
Eve Myles as Gwen Cooper
John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness
Kai Owen as Rhys Williams
Likelihood of Being Made: Enirely possible. Show creator Russel T. Davies has been busy with other projects lately, so perhaps when he gets a break he can finally give the show some closure without doing a full season. Seriously, we literally have one person standing between us and this movie. Series star Eve Myles has even said she would like to do a film to wrap up the show. So it could easily happen, but most likely not for another 2-3 years. But hey, I'm patient. I'm from Boston, for God's sake, I literally waited my entire life for the Bruins to win the Stanley Cup.
4. The Office
The Show: Mock-Doc following the awkward hijinks of the employees of a Dunder Mifflin Paper Company in Scranton Pennsylvania.
The Movie: I know I did some bagging on the season 8, and post season 5 in general, but even season 8 pulled off one good episode (Lotto). I think that's proof that the show can still be funny when the writers have good ideas (they haven't had many good ideas lately). So, have the show go out on a high note with 84 minutes of awkward fun. The plot: Andy, Dwight, Jim, Pam, the whole gang go to Colorado for Michael and Holly's wedding. It's original, it's a good setting, and we'd get to see Michael just one more time.
Ideal Cast:
Steve Carrel as Michael Scott
John Krazinski as Jim
Jenna Fischer as Pam
Rainn Wilson as Dwight
All the rest of them.
Likelihood of Being Made:
A month ago, I'd of said this wasn't that out there, but with show being renewed for a ninth season, the odds became pretty slim.
5. The Big Bang Theory
The Show: Nerds who are neighbors to a hot blond girl.
The Movie: Something they have yet to do, like some kind of cross-country road trip type-deal. That would be funny.
Ideal Cast:
We need the whole gang for this one.
Likelihood of Being Made: Somewhat likely. The show's done five seasons now, and I just think a movie would be a good way to finish things off.
So, those are my picks, tell me what yours are.
And, as always, be sure to comment, subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Supernatural Season 3 Review
Just got done with this season, it's time to review.
So, Supernatural season 3 aired from 2007-2008 on the CW and was comprised of 16 episodes (it was intended to be 22 but the writers strike cut it short). It picks up after season 2's finale in which Dean sells his soul to save Sam and the Devil's gate opens, unleashing hordes of demons. Dean's only got one year before he goes downstairs, and that makes up most of this season's story arc. We also got two new characters, Ruby (Katie Cassidy) and Bela (Lauren Cohan).
The Good:
Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles both completely owned their roles this season, and their characters did some changing: Sam's dark side got explored and light was shed upon Dean's emotional side. This was a good thing just because for a show like Supernatural (one that's supposed to be in it for the long haul) you need the characters to grow.
Jim Beaver also returned in his recurring role as Bobby, which was pretty entertaining.
We learn a lot more about the demons this season then the past seasons, and the show's mythology in general gets amped up quite a bit, something I thought was kind of interesting.
Plus, the season finale was as BA as ever, with quite the cliffhanger ending.
The Bad:
Okay, well... as a whole, this season wasn't particularly, well, good. To be fair, after season two, which kicked all manners of ass, almost anything probably would have felt like a bit of a let down, but that excuse only goes so far. I thought the overall story was good, and the season finale was awesome, but the filler episodes the made up the bulk of the season just weren't good. It's hard to say exactly what it was, but it was like the show just got watered down. Either the CW was trying to interfere, and network interference just isn't a good thing, or maybe the writers were just killing time until the finale, but the standalone episode quality was bad in comparison with the first two seasons.
And then there's the female leads. I was actually interested by the idea of bringing female lead characters (Erik Kripke: what is the show missing? Some other writer: hot girls!) only to be let down. First off, you've got Bela, an annoying-as-hell character played by a good actress (when your good at your role but your role is annoying, that's bad), and then you've got Ruby, a somewhat interesting character played by an actress who just isn't right for the role.
Plus, there was way less classic rock in this season then the first two!
So, that's season my review for Supernatural season 3. Overall I'd say that the good aspects of the season (character growth, emotional moments, mythos, overarching story, and an awesome season finale) were somewhat at odds with the all the bad stuff (do I have to say it all again?) and that kind of held the season back.
Final Rating: 80%
As always, be sure to comment, subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
So, Supernatural season 3 aired from 2007-2008 on the CW and was comprised of 16 episodes (it was intended to be 22 but the writers strike cut it short). It picks up after season 2's finale in which Dean sells his soul to save Sam and the Devil's gate opens, unleashing hordes of demons. Dean's only got one year before he goes downstairs, and that makes up most of this season's story arc. We also got two new characters, Ruby (Katie Cassidy) and Bela (Lauren Cohan).
The Good:
Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles both completely owned their roles this season, and their characters did some changing: Sam's dark side got explored and light was shed upon Dean's emotional side. This was a good thing just because for a show like Supernatural (one that's supposed to be in it for the long haul) you need the characters to grow.
Jim Beaver also returned in his recurring role as Bobby, which was pretty entertaining.
We learn a lot more about the demons this season then the past seasons, and the show's mythology in general gets amped up quite a bit, something I thought was kind of interesting.
Plus, the season finale was as BA as ever, with quite the cliffhanger ending.
The Bad:
Okay, well... as a whole, this season wasn't particularly, well, good. To be fair, after season two, which kicked all manners of ass, almost anything probably would have felt like a bit of a let down, but that excuse only goes so far. I thought the overall story was good, and the season finale was awesome, but the filler episodes the made up the bulk of the season just weren't good. It's hard to say exactly what it was, but it was like the show just got watered down. Either the CW was trying to interfere, and network interference just isn't a good thing, or maybe the writers were just killing time until the finale, but the standalone episode quality was bad in comparison with the first two seasons.
And then there's the female leads. I was actually interested by the idea of bringing female lead characters (Erik Kripke: what is the show missing? Some other writer: hot girls!) only to be let down. First off, you've got Bela, an annoying-as-hell character played by a good actress (when your good at your role but your role is annoying, that's bad), and then you've got Ruby, a somewhat interesting character played by an actress who just isn't right for the role.
Plus, there was way less classic rock in this season then the first two!
So, that's season my review for Supernatural season 3. Overall I'd say that the good aspects of the season (character growth, emotional moments, mythos, overarching story, and an awesome season finale) were somewhat at odds with the all the bad stuff (do I have to say it all again?) and that kind of held the season back.
Final Rating: 80%
As always, be sure to comment, subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
Friday, June 1, 2012
On Screen Reviews Film Hall of Fame Nominees: June 2012
Okay, the start of a new month means it's time for this month's nominees for the Film Hall of Fame.
What will join 3:10 to Yuma in the hall?
So, the criteria for nomination is:
A. I have to like it
B. It has to have been out for at least one year. Sadly, that means I'll have to wait a few more months before nominating the Muppets.
The way it works is you guys vote on the nominees in the comment section and I take your opinions into account when making the final decision. If nobody votes, I'll probably just pull a name out of a hat or something.
And the nominees are:
1. Back to the Future
2. Jaws
3. True Grit (remake)
4. The Dark Knight
So, those are the nominees, cast your votes in the comment section.
As always, be sure to comment, subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
What will join 3:10 to Yuma in the hall?
So, the criteria for nomination is:
A. I have to like it
B. It has to have been out for at least one year. Sadly, that means I'll have to wait a few more months before nominating the Muppets.
The way it works is you guys vote on the nominees in the comment section and I take your opinions into account when making the final decision. If nobody votes, I'll probably just pull a name out of a hat or something.
And the nominees are:
1. Back to the Future
2. Jaws
3. True Grit (remake)
4. The Dark Knight
So, those are the nominees, cast your votes in the comment section.
As always, be sure to comment, subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
On Screen Reviews TV Hall of Fame Nominees: June 2012
Okay, so it's the beginning of the month, so it's time to put out this month's nominees for the TV Hall of Fame. What will join Fresh Prince of Bel Air in the hall?
So, the criteria for nomination is:
A. I have to like, obviously.
B. It has to have either already ended or, if it's still on, completed at least two seasons.
The way it works is you guys cast your votes in the comment section and I take them into account when making my final decision. If nobody votes, I'll probably just pull a name out of a hat.
And this month's nominees are:
1. Seinfeld
2. Chuck
3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
4. That 70s Show
So, cast your votes in the comment section below.
As always, be sure to comment, subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
So, the criteria for nomination is:
A. I have to like, obviously.
B. It has to have either already ended or, if it's still on, completed at least two seasons.
The way it works is you guys cast your votes in the comment section and I take them into account when making my final decision. If nobody votes, I'll probably just pull a name out of a hat.
And this month's nominees are:
1. Seinfeld
2. Chuck
3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
4. That 70s Show
So, cast your votes in the comment section below.
As always, be sure to comment, subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
May Recap
Happy June 1st everybody. So, here's a quick refresher on what happened in May in the world of TV and movies.
On the Tube:
May proved to be, as usual, a big month for TV. Most notably, the main TV season has come to a close, with the various network and cable shows having there respective season and/or series finales.
Grimm ended an impressive first season on a high note with it's cliffhanger season finale, and has already started work on season two, which premiers in August. May also saw the show expand it's own mythos quite a bit.
Person of Interest also wrapped up their pilot season, but I've yet to finish catching up, hence the lack of reviews.
Sherlock season two finally arrived in America, and, amazingly enough, managed to top season one and ended with possibly the greatest head-scratcher twist in the history of television.
Showcase premiered their new sci fi drama Continuum at the end of May. The pilot was good given how much set up they had to do, and it shows potential.
Networks also announced their fall schedules this past month, confirming what shows are made the cut for season two, as well as unveiling details and trailers for new shows. I'm particularly interested by new dramas Revolution (NBC), Following (FOX), Arrow (CW), Last Resort, and Zero Hour (both ABC).
At the Movies:
Two major summer blockbusters hit theaters in May: The Avengers (96%) and Men In Black 3 (84%). I was pleased with both of these, though I preferred the Avengers (Joss is Boss.)
The final trailers for The Dark Knight Rises and The Amazing Spider Man were also released, and they both look awesome.
Rentals:
I only reviewed two rentals this month: Luther (90%) and The X Files: I Want to Believe (85%), both of which are very enjoyable.
Other:
I also introduced the TV and Film Hall of Fames in May, with the Fresh Prince of Bel Air and 3:10 To Yuma as the first inductees.
So, that's what happened in May.
Be sure to comment, subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
On the Tube:
May proved to be, as usual, a big month for TV. Most notably, the main TV season has come to a close, with the various network and cable shows having there respective season and/or series finales.
Grimm ended an impressive first season on a high note with it's cliffhanger season finale, and has already started work on season two, which premiers in August. May also saw the show expand it's own mythos quite a bit.
Person of Interest also wrapped up their pilot season, but I've yet to finish catching up, hence the lack of reviews.
Sherlock season two finally arrived in America, and, amazingly enough, managed to top season one and ended with possibly the greatest head-scratcher twist in the history of television.
Showcase premiered their new sci fi drama Continuum at the end of May. The pilot was good given how much set up they had to do, and it shows potential.
Networks also announced their fall schedules this past month, confirming what shows are made the cut for season two, as well as unveiling details and trailers for new shows. I'm particularly interested by new dramas Revolution (NBC), Following (FOX), Arrow (CW), Last Resort, and Zero Hour (both ABC).
At the Movies:
Two major summer blockbusters hit theaters in May: The Avengers (96%) and Men In Black 3 (84%). I was pleased with both of these, though I preferred the Avengers (Joss is Boss.)
The final trailers for The Dark Knight Rises and The Amazing Spider Man were also released, and they both look awesome.
Rentals:
I only reviewed two rentals this month: Luther (90%) and The X Files: I Want to Believe (85%), both of which are very enjoyable.
Other:
I also introduced the TV and Film Hall of Fames in May, with the Fresh Prince of Bel Air and 3:10 To Yuma as the first inductees.
So, that's what happened in May.
Be sure to comment, subscribe, check out my other posts, all that good stuff!
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