I have been re-watching the every season of Deep Space Nine in these binge batches, and my brother Jomo (RIP) was right: It is Star Trek’s darkest turn, and it’s most heart breaking.
One of the best third seasons of ANY show I’ve watched ever.
The writers and producers are to be commended for such a satisfying end to such a beautiful show.
Many don’t understand why this show gets the hype it does, but honestly, you have no heart if you can watch even Season 1 without feeling ‘something’!
It was a pleasure to see Kyo find his feet, and Toru find her world.
Also, I loved so many of the artful moments, quiet and unassuming, but conveying sooooo much story in just a few frames.
Truly... this is a show worth watching and rewatching, and is destined to become a classic for the ages.
The crow flies straight.... a perfect line.
I did not expect to like this show, and when I pulled it up and saw RDM, I blinked and said, Oh definitely.” And I wasn’t proved wrong. I’m pretty sure if RDM wants to do anything he will get the money to do it. His ability to find and pull the right people together to tell a specific story is phenomenal to me. He never disappoints. Long story short: This is great! It is very good. The season 2 closer was devastating. But of course, beautifully sets up Season 3. Do it. It’s a great watch.
I discovered Chinese dramas in the wake of the news about ‘The Most Googled Show On Earth’, and I admit, Yanxi Palace was my gateway ‘drug’.
Since then I’ve watched two other 60 episode series, neither of which prepared me for the gloriousness of Ever Night.
Arthur Chen is undoubtedly the star of this piece, and despite is stunning youth (18 years old), he turns in an insouciant, endearing, impressive performance.
He captured his character’s braggadocio and swagger perfectly, and his fight sequences, from the first to the last, are incredibly well choreographed and edited incredibly well. Everyone admits he is a scamp, but he revels in it. (Doesn’t hurt that he’s adorable either.)
Irenie Song, who plays my darling Sang Sang, a tiny little girl with a BIG HEART and a sharp tongue also turns in an adorable and heart warming performance.
The chemistry between Chen and Song on screen goes from brother/sister to cameraderie to romantic, and they both do an incredible job with their characters.
The narrative, simple and uncomplicated, but with enough ups and downs and thrills, is a story well told. I thoroughly enjoyed the set up, and the long arc of development Ning Que (Chen) and Sang Sang that allowed me to invest in them...
Every time Ning Que gained in experience and advantage, I cheered a bit. When he and Sang Sang fought over The Bookworm Maniac, my heart hurt a bit too... because SANG SANG! And I knew pretty early on that Sang Sang was never going to be ‘the Little Maid’.
And mi dears... the lead up to the final battle, with its bit of a shocker (about who Ning Que really is), and the final, epic battle between Ning Que and Xia Hou, is like NOTHING I’ve seen on a TV screen.
Maybe I am old and corny now, and I don’t watch anywhere near the amount of anime I used to in my 20s, but the final battle sequence was one of, if not the best fights I’ve ever seen on film.
Beautifully acrobatic, with some moves I’ve had to watch on replay five or six times to fully catch just how badass Ning Que really is (he’s an original Badass, I said it, OG!), and its heart breaking, frightening end, it is worth watching this fight over and over... deeply rewarding it is.
After the relatively straight forward palace intrigue story lines of the last three dramas I watched, Ever Night’s story, fight sequences, special effects (industrial light and magic) and the unaffected performances of Chen and Song (and others like the actor playing Chen Pipi, and several others I just loved, like Yan Se, and Brother Chao) make this show just good, without qualification. This drama was thoroughly entertaining, from beginning to end. I liked the world created for it, and the magic in it, and I am FAN of Ning Que and Sang Sang. I ship ‘em!
I am pleased there will be another season, but heart broken Chen won’t be back as Ning Que. I’m looking forward to the continuation of the story, but I’m not sure I can buy anyone else as Ning Que. Chen possessed that role. His little side smirk and that thing he does with his mouth will forever be etched on the fabric of Ning Que for me.
A note here on the character Long Qing: Piss in his pocket! Arrogant, over praised, over pretty, twaddle head! Of course Ning Que will cut his ass eventually too, but his character arc in this season left me despising his ‘butter can’t melt in his mouth’ ass. And instead of learning, he just descended even deeper into the morass of his mediocrity. All that he did to make him myself powerful, in the end it will be his undoing. And let me also add: I think HE is the Child of Hades. Trying to malign my boy Ning Que? NO! It is Long Qing!! When S02 drops, bet me money that is what is revealed.
I watch on Viki, but for English speakers a warning: These subtitles are almost hilarious in how they interpret English. So if you watch, you will need to understand proper English yourself so you can extrapolate. It’s not terrible, but definitely not perfect.
*** rubs hands gleefully ***
Season 2 is just around the corner! I may rewatch all 60 episodes and do some short summaries for The Goddess Room, because this is definitely going HIGH on my list for Game of Thrones withdrawal fare.
Watch it. You won’t be sorry.
This is really exceptional story telling. You laugh, you cry, you pine... it’s a beautiful tale.
If you’re just starting this, the first few episodes may seem like run-of-the-mill stuff, but as the mystery deepens, so do the yarns binding the tale together beautifully.
Really 10/10
Fairly engaging despite being a flawed production. Were the battles in The War of the Roses really decided between armies of only a hundred or so men, and a handful of horses? This was my one disconnect. The fighting was all stilted. However the acting was quite good. And despite it not being 100% faithful to the historic telling, it did a pretty good job. Don't be deterred, it was well done.
Such a well written, engaging show. Seems dull on the outside, Georgette Heyer level drama on the inside. Well worth it from episode one on...
Vincent oh Vincent... I smiled at the credit line. I know this is going to be good, and I'm five minutes into it. And Mr. D'Onofrio is the VILLAIN. Oh I am looking forward to this binge watch...
This is such an interesting balance to Star Trek: Discovery... as though the ethos of these two shows have somehow been swapped. This is light and comedic and trots old territory in a fresh way, and Star Trek: Discovery has gone off boldly where Star Trek hasn't really gone before.
That said, I am enjoying this show's humor and the familiarity of it even though it is absolutely NOT Star Trek.
Forgive, but it is impossible not to make the comparison.
I thought it was a beautifully told if simple story... I’ve been reading critics reviews and am wondering why some people even bother if they’re going to compare everything to GoT, and then complain because the show isn’t a perfect season.
I think it’s as good a first season as anyone can expect from any show that’s not Battlestar Galactica.
The costume design was impeccable, the set design so wonderfully rich, which is impressive considering there is so much grey. Whoever was responsible for the lighting did an amazing job of giving it a complete personality in this narrative.
The performances were a little uneven here and there, but what first season has a perfect possession of every character? None, that’s how many.
All in all it’s a glorious entry, and I love the way The Fae are presented, and as gritty the allegories are with Nazism and the nascent authoritarianism and white nationalism on the loose in the U.S., I appreciate the tone and structure of the politics and how it’s played out from the top down.
I enjoyed this tremendously and am looking forward to more yarn for this story...
#CarnivalRow #FaeForever #FaeUnity #FaeOfTheWorldUnite
I did not expect such a brilliant first episode... What an intricate and nuanced representation of hacking life! Beyond this, the writing, and the acting are exceptional. It's also nice to see Christian Slater... he was a staple from my youth when I started messing with computers and learning how to code. This first episode was a very pleasant surprise... really was better than most of the crap out here, and I, in general, abhor the bulk of television on offer. This show looks more meaningful somehow.
It didn’t make me weep for the last twenty minutes like the second half of BSG’s “Daybreak”, in fact I only teared up when The Starks broke up on the dock. However, nothing compares to BSG for me... nothing.
The writing on this show started to deteriorate the further away it went from the source. I don’t think that’s the fault of the show, but George Martin. Even with him informing the major plot points, it’s clear that his nuances went missing almost as soon as they left his established world’s defining moments.
The show runners and writers did the best they could and it shows.
But as TV goes I’m fine with the way it all ended. It all seemed appropriate.
Reading responses to this entire season, and the finale, there is no way a good handful of people would have been satisfied with the way it ended... but it’s a good story told with a satisfying ending.
:pound_symbol:GoT
:pound_symbol:NotTheNightKingWunna
:pound_symbol:TheKingDem
:pound_symbol:GoTFinale
Despite a flawed script and hit and miss acting, this eight-episode Brazilian series was well executed despite it's tiny budget, the world it created remained convincing throughout. I found myself invested in the characters and their growth. I'm eager to see what happens on Offshore, and how the Cause proceeds from here. The story is what carries this show above its flaws. Season 2 is due next year, and it's my hope a little more budget will inspire the writers to move beyond some of their more obvious tropes.
This is growing on me. The little ecchi notes are cute, but Gojo is adorable, and Marin is too. I like that he’s into a traditional art, and she’s into something ‘modern’, and they are awfully cute with each other. I don’t really go for ecchi stories, but this is definitely growing on me. Currently one of only three anime I’m tracking this season.
This show from beginning to end, was not what it appeared. I continue to give Brit Marling mad props for the writing of this story, because while the episodes didn't follow an ordinary format, but a specific arc in the story, the eight episodes felt like long low budget independent film, that managed to beautifully mash several genres together.
Some of the critics have been unnecessarily harsh in its dismissal of many of it's themes as merely 'new-agish', but I found the storytelling to be consistent throughout the entire clutch (I really dislike calling it a 'season' when it streams on Netflix or is a whole season available for watching via another service) of episodes.
As I have previously noted, this is the kind of story that could only have been facilitated by a streaming service, because it mostly abandons traditional television storytelling, and it works.
As for the characters, I was proud like I did something in the last ten minutes of the episode, with a little eye water to boot. The disparate threads of this story came together beautifully, and the acting was consistent in the last few episodes.
It is well worth a binge watch, but I am glad I dragged it out a bit. Highly recommended.
Will there be a second season? It seems almost certain. God help us, we wait long periods between them on Netflix, which appears to have a much longer release cycle than regular network television. However, the quality of the recent productions proves they tend to be worth the wait. I only had an inkling about this one, but it turned out to be well worth the weirdness of the pre-release pump.
I am eight episodes in, and I am up waiting every Sunday for the new episode to drop.
The story's underlying mystery, and romance, is developing and playing out so well. I am thoroughly enjoying it. Eight episodes in, I am deeply attached to every instance of Yukimaru's telltale red ears. They appear in what are now my two favourite episodes.
For a show not originally grounded in manga, it is my deep hope that they do not abandon this story after one season. As it is a Crunchyroll/Adult Swim original collaboration, I have hopes they will push on with a second season, and hopefully more people will pick it up.
Between this and Tokyo Revengers, it makes my weekend watch. I'm distressed there are only four episodes left.
A big beautiful bullet-proof Black man in a hoodie is an inspiring thing to watch. Although the storyline takes some paying attention to for its "Falcon Crest-like" twists and turns, this production was well made. Dawson and Colter are what makes the second half of the season 'pop', and the kiss at the end... oh yeah. #coffee. Simone Missick is channeling Angela Basset like a clairvoyant with her facial antics, but other than that this was a solid season. Oh, a word on Theo Rossi and Alfre Woodard's villany: #weirdshade ya'll. #weirdshade
All in all: I am keen to see what happens in Season 2. I am ready for another season. I just finished 13 episodes, and I'm ready for another 13.
That was bangerang! What a taut, well produced season. Engaging from start to finish. Excellent writing, acting, fight sequences... I really enjoyed this show.
This is the cutest show! I am so loving Sasaki’s tenderness and respect, and Miyano is hella cute! It’s only four episodes in, but they’re killing me with cuteness.
After a lifetime of love for the Star Trek universe, it's hard to be impressed by some of the iterations between the end of Voyager, and the start of the recent movie reboots. As much as I love Scott Bakula, I panned "Enterprise" sometime after the first season, unable to find a way into the story or caring about that crew.
However, as if the showrunners of Discovery knew what, my intersectional heart was longing for. A powerful new female lead of colour (wearing her natural hair), in a very different take on the Federation and enemies of old. When I realised which enemy of old it was being reimagined—indeed, the extent to which the Federation has been a little reimagined—I became deeply impressed, moment by moment.
I'm uncertain if I like the makeup and costume design for the new 'Others' in the story, and the very 'colourfulness' of their ship interiors, but you know, I might just let it grow on me and see how it goes.
A word here on Sonequa Martin-Green's performance: Yes muh girl! Yes! I like you... A nuanced and compelling performance.
That said, this was an impressive opener. Oh CBS.. you play too much. They banned reviews to pique interest, and I am in for it. Here for it. I'm glad I took the chance and watched, and I'm glad to be so pleasantly surprised. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
This show’s cuteness can’t be denied, but it is heart warming. The animation is quite wonky, but the artwork in some scenes is stunning. The half drawn faces and slideshow scenes only detract a little from the story. It is engaging and the characters like able enough to want to keep going.
As it aired this year, it might come back with another cour, but who knows.
If you like iskei, and slice of life, this is a nice little treat.
Oh... yes! Where ever in space and time you are Jomo, this space battle is for you! #RIP (It's another Janeway!!! Kinda! You'd love her!!)
Scum's Wish
What a beautiful, messy bunch of fuckers. it's hard to like these people, but really hard to hate them. From beginning to end, as the tangled web of lies, jealousy, hate, deceit and perfidy they are all enmeshed in unravels, we get some of the most human characters of any anime i'v watched.
I rarely watch some of these stories more than once. Indeed my watchings of "Scum's Wish" are about two years apart and I am no less struck by this story's complexity on the second watching, as I was the first.
Seductive, Hana and Mugi's mutually destructive center holds court for the web of characters: All selfish, all cowards, all emotionally unreliable for each other.
While it is easy to fall into the trap of shipping who you want to ship, the story is true to life, in that happy endings for scum tend to be neither unlikely or overrated. For most folks, dissatisfaction and low self esteem ruin most good things.
Because everyone is scum... these are not nice people, but they love and are loved all the same.
The surprising emotional depths of this story, shock only as much as it was ever adapted. As anime goes, this is an adult story set in a high school, leaning on all Japan's narrative obsessions with school tropes you find in these stories. But it is unchildish, unrepentant in its portrayals and bittersweet (more bitter than sweet) start to finish.
Buckle up... this aintcha Mama's bishonen perfect romance heavy shojo. No friends, this is a voyeuristic & tragic look at how far cowardice can get you in relationships. Not for the faint of heart, cowards or anyone looking for shalala flavoured climaxes and saccharine perfect endings.
This is a study in anime angst like only the Japanese can produce with many, many, many thoughtful shades of grey, pink and yellow.
Where I come from we would say, "Pick sense from shit."
The animation is a lil weird, but the story is quite good, and well told.
Don’t mind the folks on the Internet streets who disparage it, it wasn’t a bad show and I got sucked in quickly and my attention held until the last shot.
Illie is cute. Kidou is ‘the bad boy’. There is a villainous empire, bureaucratic foolishment, political wrangling, back biting, great big insect monsters, plot twists, romance... stop complaining about the animation. There is more than enough meat here to make a meal.
I loved many of the side characters too, especially the orphans and Miss Mario. Miss Mario was my favourite never mind the hammy voice acting, I still loved the character, her impressive jaw and lovely bows.
Yes it’s weird in places, but there is some gorgeous art in there too, and the story is solid. Well worth watching.
As Superhero shows go, this was so unusual, subversive, corny, clever and entertaining, that I didn’t mind even the slowest of moments... I enjoyed this way more than any recent time traveling show (featuring either regular-ish humans and well, supers.)
I thoroughly enjoyed not just the premise, but the execution. Special effects were not the point of the story. The mix of characters soooo eclectic, that I throughly enjoyed the way the story played itself out.
That said, the acting across the board is ok, with the stand out performance being Aidan Ghallegher’s performance of Number 5. He really brings forward this wizened and hardened nearly sixty-year old consciousness to a child’s body. And sells it!
I also enjoyed Robert Sheehan as Klaus... he was not just comic relief, but the most human of all the main characters. I thought Sheehan captured both the trauma and the joy of Klaus’s reprobate ways, and his joie d’vivre beautifully.
The only other performance that stood out for me, and not in a good way, was Emmy Raver-Lampman as Allison Hargreeves. It’s not that she is a bad actress, I just didn’t buy her belief in her character’s story. It felt like she was forcing, and her face didn’t convey her emotions well.
Everybody else was good to fine... enough that this was an enjoyable romp. I’m looking forward to Season 2.
I screamed at several points... the tension was beautifully unbearable throughout. Well made, and pitch perfect.
Every damn week I feel like screaming at the beginning of the ED. My emotions be high, my feels be feeling...
MAPPA has paid some much loving attention to the back half of this season, it truly elevated the source material and does it justice.
Gosh... this second half captures the soul of Seasons one and two, in the way it evokes all the feelings, and the way it continues to up the ante with every frame.
I freaking love this show!
The pace slows a bit in this episode, but again the highlight here is the characters in play.
Again I am struck by Chrisjen Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashloo), and not in a good way. Although her accent is beautiful, I don’t believe Aghdashloo’s portrayal at all. She doesn’t seem to penetrate the character’s motivations and what I am perceiving is her delivering her lines, not so much acting. Consequently, her role seems off and aloof rather than a woman of passion that Chrisjen clearly is, at least on paper.
Which is a pity. Her role is such a juicy one for a woman, that it is a shame she feels like bad casting, and the role could have gone to an actress with more chops. I can see Tilda Swinton playing this role with gelid-eyed ferocity.Hers is the only real problematic portrayal, everyone else is doing a great job.
All of that said, this episode continues to build the story relentlessly from the previous episode.
We have an interesting additional ‘backstory’, that of Diogo (Andrew Rotilio), who we saw in earlier episodes in scenes with Miller where he was warned to 'Stay away from the aqua!’, and his uncle Mateo (Alex Karzis). This sequence gives us an emotional and tense story line, giving you some of the grit and determination of the Belters to make a sacrifice for what’s right, even though it’s clear they’re mistreated and taken advantage of. Although it doesn’t appear as though this character is important, the fact that this dramatic little side story appears, leads me to believe that Diogo, who we last see floating on his own, will become an important secondary character later on.
Regardless of the vicious machinations going on way above their heads, the Belters clearly deserve some justice.
We also get further evidence of the growing close knitting of the crew of the Rocinante. The handle Fred Johnson and his demands deftly, and head into God knows what by the end of the episode. Holden continues to display wit, and his team loyalty.
The byplay between Miller (Thomas Jane) and Octavia (Athena Karkanis) is also looking like something we will watch play out later on in the story. The chemistry between them is there, and I like all the scenes between them. Jane plays his character’s bitterness perfectly with her, and she hits her character’s notes perfectly. Tough but vulnerable, willing to stretch, but not quite bend the rules. Her rescuing of Miller in this episode definitely deserves a brownie point or two.
It is clear that this is a series that requires you to pay attention. It’s easy to miss some details on the first watch, so you cannot ignore anything or anyone at this point.
Paris: ...now the vial is sitting on a small pedestal next to the throne.
Janeway: I'll keep an eye out. (salutes) Thanks for the briefing.
Paris: I'll see you at the Fortress of Doom! And remember: You're the Queen!
Star Trek: Voyager: Season 5, Episode 12, "Bride of Chaotica"
I am STILL laughing my ass off and loving this episode. I named one of the makeups from "Quirked" after Janeway's performance in this episode. What a hoot.
https://www.facebook.com/kikolife/photos/a.10152286041746486.1073741852.121960011485/10152286042246486/?type=3&theater
