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The Boys does its job best when they jab at mockery of how the show biz operates. The first thing Vought does then they know that Queen Maeve is bi is to capitalize it: make her sexuality as a performance in their newest movie. But not only that; they need to make Maeve not just a bi, but a lesbian, and her partner - Elena - has to be made to wear men's fashion. Because "lesbian is a bit more easy to sell" and "Americans are more accepting of gay when they are in clear-cut gender role relationship". Companies like Vought, like its real-life counterpart (Disney), cares much more about how something sells than the nuance behind it. This parody is even funnier considering that they have a Jon Favreau look-a-like and a guy named Joss (Whedon?) who handle the Dawn of Seven movie production.
Aside from that, the episode continues the tense relationship between Starlight and Stormfront, and we start to see how Stormfront attempts to pull strings to maintain her position in The Seven.
Two things I notice though: the part where Homelander murdered a bunch of civilian in the public, that turns out to be an imagination feels a bit like cop-out, however it is interesting that it parallels Hughie's frustration when he lost Robin back in the first eps. of Season 1. The way Noir and Butcher confrontation is handled also feels a bit too easy, especially after the big build up about them being Vought most wanted in earlier episode.
[7.8/10] I absolutely love Michael trying to prove that he is, in fact, charitable, and then inadvertently freaking out and kidnapping a complete stranger. As I’ve said before, the show does such a great job of setting everything up with Michael’s little car escapade, from the skeleton, nail polish, and burnt seats serving the multiple purposes of making it look like the car a serial killer would drive and showing how George Sr. was right that his kids would treat the car poorly.
The whole escapade with finding the car is very amusing. And there’s even something mildly sweet about Michael bidding on his sister when realizing that she, however half-heartedly, tried to do actual good in the wetlands. (Though I’ll admit to getting a big laugh out of Lucille’s “You’re not supposed to go as the wetlands” line.)
GOB trying to break into the permit office and eventually “delegating” to George Michael was good for a laugh. Plus all the bits with them negotiating over the rights to Mr. Banagrabber are outstanding.
Last but not least, I continue to enjoy the Buster/Lucilles storyline. Again, it’s the perfect setup and payoff with Buster finally being able to follow directions, only to accidentally deliver the “grand romantic gesture” that Lucille has been waiting for.
Overall, tons of laughs and well-written comedy in this one.
The backstory episode is kind of a cliche. Take one of two characters; intersperse scenes from the past that inform scenes from the present; show the contrast between who a person is now who they were along the journey to become that person. But it's a trope because it's effective.
It's nice to know where Peggy Carter comes from. Hers was the better of the two parallel stories, which contrast the ways in which Whitney Frost tried to be something different and was taught to be something traditional, and the ways in which Peggy Carter tried to be something traditional and was taught to be--true to her nature--something different. Peggy's mother and brother are sketches, with thumbnail personalities that feel more fleshed out than they are through the roles they play in her story. Peggy's mother is the standard mom of a precocious young girl, chiding her to be more ladylike and apparently forgetting her handkerchief across decades. And Peggy's brother is the standard sibling tormentor who, as revealed by his recommending Peggy for field work and encouraging her not to live the life that her mother expects her to live, sees who she is deep down.
It's a bit pat, to be sure, but it's also the most impactful element of her story. It would be easy to make Peggy Carter someone who was fully-formed from the beginning, a bold and talented agitator from the word go who cast of the shackles of tradition and expectations from the beginning. But the idea that the smart, strong woman we've seen since The First Avenger was always within Peggy, but had been muted by the world in which she grew up, and it took the recognition and death of a loved one to motivate her to find it again, is deft stroke from the folks behind Agent Carter. True, the death-as-catalyst concept is a cliche in and of itself, and the imagery of the engagement ring and recruitment letter is far from subtle, but for a show that hews toward popcorn, it was a strong story.
The dark parallel to Peggy, as shown in the flashbacks to Whitney Frost's upbringing, were not nearly as well-crafted or interesting. The idea of the bright young girl who sees her mother valued by a male-dominated society for her looks, and is taught to suppress her intelligence for her more aesthetic qualities is a hoary tale as well. What's more, Whitney's flashbacks are much louder about driving this point home than were Peggy's. On the other hand, showing how Whitney split the difference, how she learned to use her pretty face to take advantage of men like her would-be agent, or Calvin Chadwick, makes her an interesting shaded reflection of Peggy.
The show quite consciously draws a parallel between the two of them, and shows how each found a different path to utilizing their talents in a world that undervalued them. The connection carries to the present, where Peggy proves effective in interrogating Chadwick's henchman through her wits and intuition, and Whitney handles the same fly in the ointment in much deadlier fashion. Each is faced with a similar challenge, and while they find differing solutions to the problem, the show sets up the reasons for their different approaches quite well. I just wish the execution--replete with Jessica Jones-esque encouragements to smile, had been a little less tidy and on-the-nose.
But even when this show leans into holding the audience's hand through the themes it's drawing out, the comedic rapport between Hayley Atwell and James D'Arcy sustains it as a reliably enjoyable part of every episode. Peggy and Jarvis have a wonderful chemistry together, with Jarvis's shock at the realization that Hans was their near-assassin, and Peggy's almost annoyed bemusement that he keeps recovering from being tranquilized were highlights buoyed by the pair's timing and shared rhythms. It's clear that the series would not work nearly as well without their shared talents.
Were that the romantic elements of the show were anywhere near as successful. Wilkes continues to be a fairly bland presence this season, and he and Peggy don't have nearly the shared smolder that the overbearing score attempts to impart for them. The idea that after his incident, there is a void, or something other, calling to him, is an interesting one, but the character himself isn't all that compelling. On the other side of the coin, Sousa's puppy dog act with Peggy grows tiresome as well. Sousa's not a bad character necessarily, he's just kind of there, fulfilling a very specific, but not all that intriguing role as the big hunk of white bread with a barely suppressed crush on the series's lead who believes in her without (explicitly) betraying his feelings. Neither of these nigh-love interests detract so much from the story, they just feel like unnecessary detours between Peggy unraveling this year's mystery and going on much more entertaining misadventures with Jarvis.
That's the clear strength of Agent Carter. It has the strongest lead in Marvel's television offerings, and lets Atwell carry the show, in both its comedic and dramatic moments. There's a crackle to Atwell's performance, both in the scenes where she's finding out how to get her captive to talk, or making off-the-cuff excuses for the odd sights and sounds coming from her car, or breaking down at the death of her brother. Wynn Everett performance as Frost can't quite match her heroic counterpart's talents, but she still sells the balance of her characters fears, scars, and convictions.
Again, providing backstory to the big villain and the big hero at the same time is nothing new. But Carter and Frost are two of the show's strongest characters, and taking some time to examine how they became the effective, yet very different women they are today is a fruitful exercise on the way to the pair's inevitable confrontation. Each found themselves with talents that didn't fit the expectations of their gender at the time. One found encouragement from a loved one to be true to herself, while the other was taught to use her more gender-normative qualities to her advantage. It's a nice contrast, and while neither plot broke any new ground, and the story beats were not terribly nuanced, the different roads these women went down, and how it brought them to day, is a story worth telling.
AWESOME! Felt like Yellow Fever Part 2. It's amazing how this show keeps surprising me. This episode explains why I love Supernatural and why I always will.
Rowena's back! Now that she's not trying to kill the boys, she's definitely more likable. And Sam being the big brother and taking care of Dean was lovely. Poor Dean, weird follows him. But to be honest, it's kind of his wheelhouse.
It was full of Mystery Spot/Yellow Fever moments. Sam reaching the point of being completely done when Dean said "Light stick" or trying to sit him on bed to watch TV. The moment "n-n-n-no Brother! - Witch!" was just hilariously perfect. I expected a verbal battle between them.
Holy mother of Jensen Ackles! He's a freaking legend. What an actor! How come he's not won an Emmy yet? His reaction faces are priceless. He's amazing at exploring the dark side and the funny one. No one ever looked so hot while being slapped.
It was all cool until the bathroom scene. #Who'sDean "My name is Dean Winchester, Sam is my brother, Mary Winchester is my mom, and Cas -Cas is my best friend". Tears in my eyes. It was tragic watching him while his memory was fading away and Sam was tearing up in another room. That mirror scene was the most heartbreaking shit I've seen in a while and he didn't even need to speak. Awesome acting!
And Rowena's confession. I bet Dean remembers all. And the post-it in the grenade launcher. Even without memory, Sam knew it. Damn, Dean's predictable.
"And our best friend's an angel. Whaaaaat!?" has to be my favourite quote. That and "Dory? I'm not gonna apologize for loving that fish. Not to you, not to anyone". Dean's my spirit animal. "A: the Rat Pack partied 'til the day they died. And B: I can still kick your ass". God bless you, Dean.
And Larry the Bull! That montage was awesome, mirroring Eye of the Tiger. That song fits perfectly with Young Dean. Bravo.
Remember, "Now salsa, you mittens". The question to life, the universe and everything. Forget the number 42.
That scene. That freaking scene. He gave it all up. He sacrificed himself to save the world. He fucking gave his own life to be on the right side of the board and trap Lucifer once and for all. That's a big turning point for Crowley. That was his redemption. I love Crowley so much and I don't want this to happen. I'm so shocked right now. His death was the only one I think is gonna stick and it hurts so much. It socks he had to go, but he went out full style. His monologue to Lucifer was chilling and amazingly delivered. That was his goodbye, although I hope we'll see our King again. I'm sure I'm gonna miss him so badly.
"Bye, boys". Goodbye my sweet darling and thank you for everything. That line killed me. It destroyed me. I knew that with Lucifer on the board, this wasn't gonna end happily but saying goodbyeike he did, ufff, those ninjas again.
Of everything wasn't overwhelming enough we got BOBBY back! Well, not the one we know, but I'll take Alternate!Bobby over no Bobby at all in a heartbeat. I knew it had to be him. We still continue with the long tradition of having him for at least one episode each season. It was so damn good to see him again, enjoying killing angels as a hobby. Btw, I loved the fact that Dean was so obnoxiously happy when he discovered Bobby had angel-killing bullets right next to Cas, whose expression was priceless. And he need his gun Rufus! I couldn't believe that. Mam, I cracked up.
That world, though. A world in which the Winchesters are never born and which, in turn, is advocated to disaster and failure. A world the Winchesters never saved. Just damn! It speaks volumes of what these two guys have accomplished on their own.
The plan was perfect and then Cas went into that world after being with Kelly before the baby is born and the second I saw him fighting Lucifer like a badass I had this strange vibe coming out from my stomach but I didn't want to believe it. Then he comes back and gets stabbed by Lucifer right in front of Dean.
Now I'm an old Marvel comics geek so my opinion might not be completely unbiased I know. Still for that same reason I'm pretty critical about this show and sometime I feel like that is not written that well, though constantly saved by a truly amazing cast, and not only Matt, Foggy, Karen I mean. D'Onofrio too as Kingpin was simply great, but Berthal...oh boy...he delivered a truly unforgettable Punisher.
So, yes sometime screenwriting to me feels a bit lazy, like if writers know they can always rely on great cinematography and a top notch casting to patch everything up and make the whole thing work almost by itself.
But...whatever my opinion can be, you must give up to the fact that Frank Castle monologue was simply one of the best acting performance I have ever seen. Period. And god knows any actor would crawl on its knees to get the chance to play a role with a scene like that. Berthal hopefully will get other chances to show his acting skills again, but honestly sometime such things happen once in a lifetime. In a full long career De Niro had just one "Taxi Driver" mirror monologue. And who knows...it will be not impossible, but quite hard to get another Punisher monolgue like that. Good luck Mr Bernthal...
One of the best "pilot" episodes I've seen. This episode is a great introduction of the show's principal team of Matt, Foggy and Karen. Introducing Karen as a victim of the underbelly of cop corruption, while Matt and Foggy work to right the wrongs of society as lawyers is a great setup to the premise of the show. Together the three underdogs willn work together to help the injustices of the law. Matt as Daredevil will be the hero who helps those who cannot defend themselves from the corrupt underbelly of the city.
This first episode feels more like an opening chapter of a great book, than a pilot episode that is just testing the waters. "Into the Ring" jumps head first into the water and swims with a strong and crisp story, that does not leave a single minute of screentime or dialogue to aimlessly wander. Each shot, each word is a much needed brick in the foundation of the show (in story, background, character, visual style and expectations for the shows amazing fight scenes, which Charlie Cox is supurve at).
Favs: The friendship between Matt and Foggy, and the ease with which Foggy talks about Matt's blindness to the point of joking about it.; Matt's softness with Karen as he works to gain her trust, even when he knows she is lying and hiding something from him.
Amy's very intimate, very close story explains her personal involvement in the case.
Women sometimes have difficult situations simply because they are women. It is a fact.
Men are sometimes accused by a woman who lies. That's another fact.
I was amused (and by "amused" I mean "I found it disappointing, especially considering this is Brooklyn 9-9") that at NO time, NONE of them suggested "hey, since the whole company says he's a good guy, and 3 years of e-mails suggest the same thing, is it POSSIBLE that the chick is lying?". Nope. None. 20 minutes they have needed to address this issue in such a perfect way. I'll take the "we can be different and still champion the same cause" (accurate), the "this stuff has happened to literally every woman I know", and the "every time I think I understand how bad it is, it's so much worse than I imagined". I can understand that from ignorance and misinformation the thought is "it's impossible for it to happen that much because it would be horrible" but it just is, it just happens as often as it's told. Less denial and more fighting all together against this, because as Amy says, to a greater or lesser extent, it has happened to all the women I know. All of them.
Good for Jake admitting his ignorance and wanting to learn, which is the important thing. And, of course, them for telling and having to deal and live with it. It's a no-brainer for those who are aware, but new people will always come along and that's why it's important for the series to address these issues. You can talk about it and you can make humor without being offensive. Brooklyn Nine-Nine proving, once again, that it is a great series.
Anyway, it was good.
While watching the episode I had to check whether it was Saint Valentine's or not. It was a really weird episode. Lola at the beginning, wtf? And the fact that Norman was Arzt from Lost only made the whole thing funnier.
Maddie and Chimney are too cute together. I mean, they even have great chemistry. I'd love to see more of them. but I'm afraid the husband thing is gonna come to bite them in the ass real soon.
I laughed my ass off with the gas 'n sip robbery. I had to rewind it because I was laughing too much.
I love Bobby to hell and back. He's way too awesome. Still don't picture him and Athena together. I loved the family dinner. Glad to see that Athena is as tolerant as her ex. and I'm starting to love that kid on theirs. His sass is way up and I love it.
I'm glad Bobby moved on, but not with that damn ginger reporter! I too thought that atthe other end of the line was her at the beginning. Jeez, I even thought it could be Abby, but not that earthquake girl. And I've got to say it, I can see that happening.
Ah, Kokomo revival, perfect little detail in the Don't Look Up-ish finale.
This series is "tiny" but cozy, comforting and heartwarming in its simplicity, tho not banal, not trying to force laughter nor surrendering to cliché. There were lovely moments, characters grew closer and worked, interacted and learned as a team with a nice camaraderie. In each episode there are little bits, small jokes and puns and physical comedy - but in a chill way, not having to fill every single bit with attempts at funny situations or over-dragged jokes, all without taking itself too seriously.
The team spirit and subplots, friendships (Tony and Chan tops the season) and mentoring (Adrian and Chan, Adrian and Erin), small moments (like the father-daughter sweet scene on the couch in ep. 3, or Tony protecting Chan) inside jokes - take over the crave to be funny at any cost. They seem to prefer creating an atmosphere, a place you wish to see back rather than feeding endless jokes or comedy bits to the audience - and I appreciate it.
I have a hard time finding shows that aren't either too gritty/realistic, or bland and predictable on the other side. This one is a good balance of relaxing after a long day, without getting dazed by stuff, jokes and situations you've watched a thousand times on a thousand shows and sitcoms.
Hope they will return for season 3
:pray_tone2:63% = Fine! = Skippable!
Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!
THE ONE WITH THE ALBINO SIMON PEGG!
The Long Game is a satire on the media and a commentary on technological advancement, both themes that are prevalent in Series 1. It has a similar aura to Vengeance on Varos, but it’s not quite as bleak. It also seeks to teach us about the responsibilities of time travel and the consequences of misusing it.
Christopher Eccleston continues to show interesting sides of his Doctor, such as when he decides to break the Laws of Time to try and help a future civilisation improve, or when he determinedly throws Adam out. Billie Piper is also on a roll, so it's a pity that this one is so focused on Bruno Langely's unlikeable and idiotic Adam. Though having Adam be the one who wanders off and gets himself into trouble allows Rose to stay with the Doctor, where she is at her best,.
Simon Peggg is deliciously campy as the Editor, one of the more memorable Eccleston-era villains. Christine Adams is good as Cathcica, a likeable and intelligent supporting character.
From the beginning, it is evident that Nine and Rose share a close bond and primarily use Adam for amusement, as evidenced by the Doctor assisting Rose in demonstrating her time-traveling abilities to Adam. Nine also treats Adam much like Mickey, and at times much worse. This inadvertently makes Adam feel unimportant and prompts him to make a foolish choice that leads to his expulsion from the TARDIS. I know I should feel bad for him, but I don't because I have never been able to stand his nosy and attention-seeking persona.
Oh, Russell and his silly aliens. The Jagrafess is hardly one of his most memorable or effective ones (a blob with teeth hanging from the ceiling) and is overshadowed by the Editor despite being the main baddie of the story.
I quite like the Satellite 5 setting. It feels more lively and crowded than a lot of space station sets in early Modern Who, and you can clearly feel the contrast between the upper levels and the lower levels. The filming and editing techniques further enhance the authenticity of the setting. Despite the dated CGI, the production design maintains its exceptional quality.
Parts of this give me The Macra Terror or The Krotons vibes, in how unsuspecting people are used by their masters for nefarious purposes, only for the Doctor to shake up this power balance.
The Long Game is surprisingly slow. It manages to move the main plot of Level 500 forward while also developing the Adam-enteric B-plot without rushing things. It takes time to build the atmosphere and set up the encounter between Nine and the Editor.
The Long Game delivers a climax that swiftly escalates, failing to evoke a genuine sense of tension or dread prior to the fleeting resolution of the threat. The real climax, however, is the fallout of Adam's actions, which serves to show that this incarnation of the Doctor takes his work very seriously (and that final shot is priceless).
This is the first story in Doctor Who where the Doctor explicitly kicks the current TARDIS companion out of the TARDIS due to their bad behaviour.
The troubled production of this episode contributed to the introduction of the companion-lite and Doctor-lite episodes that were commonplace during the RTD and early Moffat eras.
We will return to Satellite 5, the setting for this episode, later on in this season, in a narrative development similar to the one from The Ark in Space to Revenge of the Cybermen or the first half of The Ark to the second half of it.
Keen-eyed viewers might notice that this episode has been shot on the same set as The End of the World. That's a cost-cutting measure for you!
Unless you're a devoted fan, The Long Game is mostly a typical, skippable filler episode, raising some good points and looking great in places.
