Andreas Stenlund

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6

[6.9/10] This was pretty easily my least favorite episode of The Acolyte so far, and a big part of my complaints is that the dialogue is painfully clunky here. This is Star Wars, so not every line has to be the most poetic or natural thing you’ve ever heard. But the conversations in this episode feel so stilted and declaratory. You have characters outright announcing their emotional states in a jarring way. The actors do their best to make up for it, and some of them manage to inject some emotion and feeling into otherwise tin-eared lines. (The actress who plays Jecki does a particularly good job of this.) But when the words being exchanged by the characters feel so awkward and obvious, and it’s a dialogue-heavy episode, you’re going to have problems.

The production design and location scouting helps make up for some of it though! My goodness, Khofar looks lovely. It’s easy to shoot lush verdant landscapes and wow the audience. But the art direction team also does a lovely job of making the planet seem like a deep, interwoven jungle that's alive and treacherous. (For those of you who’ve played Fallen Order it feels true to the Wookiee environment on Kashyyyk in that game.) Plus, Master Kalnacca’s camp seems incredibly cozy, with shades of the freakin’ Ewok films of all things. Even as the narrative presentation falters a little bit, this is a nice place to spend half an hour in, which helps.

That said, it’s not just the dialogue that suffers here; it’s the character choices. Mae and Osha’s reactions to one another seem sudden and jarring, to the point that I wondered if both were feints at first. I get that Oshi being alive would be a big deal for Mae, but all of a sudden she’s ready to give up her entire quest and turn herself into the Jedi and give up her master? It’s not inconceivable as a character choice, but I think you need more build to that notion to make it meaningful. Here I almost thought she was just messing with Qimir. All we;’ve gotten from Mae so far is this firm resolve and determination to complete her mission, so to turn on a dime like that feels implausible.

The same goes for Oshi asking the annoying prig Yord to kill her sister if she has to. I get the idea that Osha thinks she’s incapable of doing it and wants to make sure someone can handle it. But again, the conversation is awkwardly written, and going from “I can't hurt my sister” to “I want to make sure someone else can” feels like a big leap.

I do like that we get the awkward dynamic of Osha being on a Jedi mission as a civilian. Her status as an ex-Jedi with her former crew pays some dividends, and her budding friendship with Jecki is especially endearing. The theme of different cultures’ reactions to death and loss is a potent one. And on a pure fun level, Basil the tracker is a memorable design and addition.

That said, I’m less up on the partnership between Mae and Qimir. Not to belabor the point, but it’s where the dialogue is at its worst and most emotionally expository, which doesn’t help. But it also feels like the writers are tiptoeing around something in a graceless way that makes their interactions seem off. (Speculative spoilers:I’m sticking with my prediction that Mae’s master is one of her moms, but my backup guess is that it’s actually Qimir, and the show’s trying to pull a legit Darth Jar Jar by taking a jokey character and turning him into a secret menace. There’s at least something more going on with him, I think, and I’m not entirely sure what.)

Otherwise, I do appreciate that the awkward relationship between Osha and Sol continues. In a way, Sol is using her, while catching heat from his superiors. But he also doesn’t want Mae hurt. His intentions are good, even if his methods are questionable, which is a compelling way to write a parental figure.

Plus hey, halfway through the series, it’s about time we got a little more from our dark side force-wielder. So even if it’s just a tease, seeing Mae’s master show up, compel Osha as an adult much as the Jedi did when she was a kid, and then casually flick away Sol’s forces, gives the baddie a formidable introduction.

Overall, this is still the lowlight of the season to date, especially given the tepid lines that pervade it, but there’s some promise for things to come.

[7.7/10] Let’s start with the superficial and work our way to the substantive.

There is something inherently cool about a Jedi Master who has taken such a vow, showed such discipline, reached some level of enlightenment to where they can basically levitate in place,n protected by a seemingly impenetrable force bubble, that can withstand even the most fervent attacks. We’re only two episodes in but what I like about the Acolyte is that it’s already expanding what we think and know of the Jedi. Using the HIgh Republic era as a playground for new and unique uses of the Force, that pose different challenges for even a trained assassin like Mae, helps make the Jedi feel amazing again, rather than rote and known.

The same goes for Sol’s fight with Mae on Olega. Maybe I will get tired of the wire fu approach at some point, but for now, it remains a thrill. Watching Mae fight with all her might, while Master Sol displays an economy of movement akin to master Indara from the last episode, remains incredibly cool. The nigh-literal dust-up between them, with furious attacks and calm blocks, again displays the differences in disposition between studied master and hungry student.

What I appreciate, though, is that neither of these exist just for the sake of coolness or sheer thrills. (Which, if I’m being pointed, is a criticism that can be leveled at J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars films, even the parts I like.)

Master Torbin’s force bubble isn’t just a unique obstacle for Mae. It means she has to find a way to get to her target beyond the sheer force that is already her calling card. The fact that she doesn't kill Torbin, but rather provides him poison to kill himself and end his guilt over what happened on Brendok is a piercing, fascinating choice. The moment where she offers him an exit, and after so much stillness and silence, he descends to accept this offering, feels monumental. And his uttering one more apology before drinking the poison sells the magnitude of what must have happened in mae’s past tremendously.

Credit to the writers. I can get really tired of mystery boxes in genre fix. (Thanks again, J.J.!) But in moments like this one, where characters’ choices are informed by a past we’re not fully privy to yet, the magnitude of those choices makes us care about and anticipate the reveal of Mae and the Jedi’s history without needing to know it right now. As someone who came of age during the Prequel movies, it’s easy to see the Jedi as a flawed institution. But meeting four Jedi who were a party to whatever happened ito Mae and Osha, and who are all clearly haunted by it, to where someone like Torbin would go to these extremes, gives you a sense of how significant that event must be, and why Mae must be so desperate for revenge.

That ties into her fight with master Sol. He’s less interested in defeating her than disarming her, both mentally and physically. From a sheer plot standpoint, the fact that even Mae doesn't know the identity of her master is an interesting little twist. But more to the point, Sol trying to get through to Mae, to help her move past what happened, gives their fight more meaning than even the most thrilling of fisticuffs could.

I also appreciate how Master Sol is in the middle of two extremes here. On the one hand, he seems frustrated by the Jedi strictures and bureaucracy. He bristles at Master Vernestra telling him the Jedi must convene a committee before he can follow-up on Mae’s fugitive run. He rejects Yord’s warning that sending Osha in to deceive the apothecary would violate various precepts. He seems annoyed at best at how Jedi practice doesn't always align with real lif needs.

But at the same time, he tells Osha to let go of her grief, of her attachments in the past, in a way that seems as though he’s telling her not to be human. On the one hand, you can sympathize. He sees how these complicated feelings about what happened have harmed both Osha and Mae, and wants to offer a method to attain peace with them. On the other hand, he still seems haunted by them, as do his colleagues. So it’s rousing when Osha basically tells him, You're not my master anymore; you don’t get to tell me what to do .”

I’m surprisingly receptive to notions that, as cool as the Jedi are, they are a terribly flawed body. (see also: their morally questionable use of invasive mind control tricks, including on Mae.) The idea that they made a grand error on Brendok, covered it up or minimized it, and are facing the choes of it in Mae and Osha is a resonant throughline.

I also appreciate how we have some structure here. Mae has a Kill BIll-esque list of the Jedi she wants revenge on. She has a particular challenge -- to defeat one without using a weapon -- that puts her at an additional disadvantage but gives her a cause and an objective. And the way these aren't random targets, but rather people she feels have wronged her adds extra juice to the proceedings.

So do the side characters. I kind of enjoy how much of a dick Yord is, but I also appreciate that he’s not actively evil or anything, to where he stands up for Osh when she’s accused of murdering Torbin. I’m increasingly entertained by Jecki, her willingness to call Yord’s plan stupid, and her cleverness in coming up with a much better and more effective one. And as a Good Place fan, it’s nice to see Manny Jacinto as Qimir, a feckless apothecary aligned with Mae who feels appropriately rough around the edges.

This is also a good episode for Mae. It’s not easy for her to be around Sol again, or to have him judge the life she’s made for herself since leaving the order. The tender and fraught rekindling of their partnership is one of the best things about the show so far. It adds a certain charge and sadness to every scene where they’re together.

Likewise, it’s nice to see Osha and Mae confront one another, after each believed the other was dead. (And, not for nothing, it neutralizes my theory that maybe Mae is the dark side taking over Osha’s subconscious or something.) The fact that after everything each has been through, the connection shared and lost, Osha ultimately provides for Mae’s escape rather than bringing her in, portends more interesting things to come.

Overall, once again, The Acolyte blends compelling intrigue, exciting action, and meaningful character work to produce another pleasing episode of television.

[8.5/10] Well, if you want to get my attention with a new Star Wars show, kicking things off with a badass wire-fu fight with none other than Trinity herself, Carrie-Anne Moss, as a Jedi Master, will absolutely do it!

What a breath of fresh air this is! From that action-packed opening sequence, The Acolyte grabs your attention with verve and character. There are lived in touches, a sense of mystery and excitement, and most of all an immediate whiff of who every major character is and what they mean to the story. It’s easier to set up interesting things than it is to pay them off, but if this first hour is any indication, it’s going to be easy to be along for the ride.

I cannot say enough good things about the opening sequence. Maybe I’m a sucker, but so much modern action, including in Star Wars media of recent vintage, is chopped up all to hell in the editing bay. That kind of choice neuters the impact of the fights for me. So taking a cue from Moss’ turn in The Matrix and not only embracing those wire fu influences, but letting us see the fight in longer shots and a more measured pace and cinematography really lights my fire.

Plus man, for all of the Japanese cinema influences in Star Wars, I’m not sure we’ve ever gotten a legitimate kung fu fight on screen in the franchise. (“The Duel” from Star Wars: Visions has a bit of that, and I guess we get brief glimpses of Qi’ra from Solo doing a bit of martial arts as well.) The frantic motion of Mae and the more measured movements of Indara’s response help sell the difference between one who’s still learning and full of emotion versus a centered master. The fight itself is glorious, with well-staged action and strong visual storytelling and choreography. And the clincher -- that Indara falls not from mistake or being bested in combat, but from saving an innocent, makes her a noble and tragic figure, while justifying how this skilled but comparative amateur could take her down.

And that's just the opening scene! Dayenu -- it would have been enough.

From there, the episode splits into two story threads that eventually intersect: Osha, a former padawan being questioned and detained for the murder, and Sol, her former master, deciding to track her down. Both stories work, and the place they weave together is especially meaningful.

I appreciate the twist here. The show does a good job of suckering you into thinking that Osha committed this crime on her day off from being a “mechnik”. She has the ability, given her former training. She has the reason for resentment, having seemingly been expelled from the order thanks to Master Indara. And she has a tortured past, of great loss of her family that, as we saw with Anakin, can lead a young force-sensitive person to some inner demons. So it’s entirely plausible, even expected, that she’s the one going toe-to-toe with Indara in the opening.

I’m not always a fan of big twists, but I appreciate the reveal that it was, in fact, her twin sister who went against Indara for a few reasons. One, it’s meaningful for Osha. To learn that the sister she thought was long dead is still out there and assassinating her former allies leads to complex emotions. For another, it portends an intriguing opportunity for “for want of a nail” storytelling, showing where the different paths of daughters from the same family led them.

Most of all, it puts is in the position of Master Sol and the other Jedi, being intuitively sympathetic to this young woman who seems friendly, funny, and earnest, while wondering if the difficult things she’s been through have caught up to her in some way. Playing with the audience’s sympathies and expectations like that, to connect them to the characters’ perspectives, is the right way to use a twist, instead of just using a reveal for shock value.

Osha’s misadventures along the way are fun and sympathetic. I love the sense of her scraping by as a low-rent nomadic mechnik after leaving the order, keeping her spirits up but just getting by. I like that, through Yord at least, the Jedi seem like smug cops rather than noble monks, who are railroading Osha. I like her excitement on the prison transport, where she’s bitten by her altruism, but empathizes and saves others, which should be our proof that she’s not the one who took out Indara. All these scenes reveal character in a compelling way, and Amandla Stenberg does a stellar job inhabiting the role.

There is also such exquisite texture! The opening scene has a real old world village cantina vibe, and should make Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon fans cheer. Her talking tool droid, Pip, is frickin’ adorable and endearing, and I can easily imagine every nerdy kid watching this show wanting one of their own. The ship designs are memorable and distinctive inside and out. (I especially like the droid-run prison transport.) And the different species represented are memorable and original. (The cyborg dude is especially striking.) Plus hey, the Trade Federation aliens are well done and familiar to anyone who watched the Prequels growing up.

Speaking of which, this version of the Jedi feels particularly indebted to the Prequels. There’s great discussion of the danger of attachments, of training someone who’s too old and has been through too much, of the Order’s political enemies. Setting this show a century before Revenge of the Sith frees you from a lot of the continuity shackles other Star Wars stories have to contend with, so it’s interesting that The Acolyte seems to be picking up themes and concepts from the Prequel era.

That not only includes Yord, who already seems to be the show’s stick in the mud, but from Master Vernestra, who seems more interested in wrapping up this matter quickly than in seeking justice. Heck, Master Sol even feels a bit akin to Qui Gon Jinn, someone who’s patient and wizened, but who allows himself a more emotional connection and less rigid view than the Order.

I like Sol a lot. Making the deuteragonist a master who still cares for his padawan, and is trying to balance that care and trust against his obligations to his order, makes for a compelling mix. He’s a good match for Jecki, his quietly caustic current padawan. And he’s a good counterpoint to Osha, someone who represents a difficult part of her past, but who still plainly has her best interests at heart.

The moment where he seeks her out is well done too. There’s a real The Fugitive vibe to the confrontation, with an appropriately Jedi twist. And most importantly, Sol believes his former pupil. When she’s desperate and running for her life and confronted with destabilizing surprises about her past and her family, he still trusts and accepts her. That is powerful, and portends worthwhile things to come.

The Acolyte leaves us with teases of potential sith-adjacent interlopers and weaponless threats and internal politics within the High Republic. Those are tantalizing enough as teases. But what I appreciate most about this opening hour is the good nuts and bolts work we get: in the cinematic craft, in the well-defined and sympathetic character dynamics, and in the way the script plays with our expectations. If The Acolyte can keep this up, it has a promising future ahead.

(Spoilers for Star Wars: The Clone Wars: There’s many ways in which Osha’s story seems like a reinterpretation of Ahsoka’s. Everything from the fugitive hunt to the master who still loves and trusts her, to the Jedi Order dealing with political pressures give you the sense of what Anakin’s padawan went through. Obviously Ahsoka never had an evil twin, but it’s interesting to see the franchise revisit that story shape in a different time and place. I’m not complaining! I love that storyline, and I’m excited at the notion of exploring Osha’s relationship with the Jedi and the Force through this lens.)

[5.0/10 on a post-classic Simpsons scale] I figured out that this was an Al Jean showrun episode before the credits rolled, and I wish I could tell you why. Maybe it’s the use of characters like Gil and The “Yes” Guy who seemed to be some of Jean’s favorites. Maybe it’s just the general tone, which skews a little older in its perspective than the eps showrun by Matt Selman. Or maybe it’s the fact that, at most, I had a few mild chuckles in this one. Whatever the reason, these types of episodes stand out in this era of the show, where Jean’s installments are fewer and further between.

The idea of the sportscar salesman using his ersatz lamborghini-slinging techniques to pretend to be Homer’s friend just to get him to sign off on a renovation next door has something decent to it. There’s some emotion in Marge and Homer enjoying having “couple friends” only to feel used when the Blackburns seemed only to want to ply them with the finer things so that the Simpsons wouldn’t be able to contest their noisy construction plans. Heck, I even like that the couch gag ties into the main episode plot, setting up that Homer’s fantasized about these fancy cars.

But all the luxury sports car-based humor feels pretty hoary, and Homer’s revenge being to convince a store full of suckers that it won’t improve their public is weak broth. The ending just sort of putters out, without a real satisfying or believable resolution, or much in the way of humor.

The B-story is no better. Again, there’s a grain of a good idea with an exploration of the bullying dynamics at Springfield Elementary. There’s something to the idea of Nelson being a menace, and Bart and Lisa turning the tables on him via cyber-bullying. But all the bullying arms race with Nelson, Bart, Lisa, and Hubert Wong get too goofy, without actually being funny, too quickly. The B-plot also feels like it barely has an ending.

There’s a few mild laughs to be had here. The kindergarten bully telling Bart, “There’s the easy way, and the easy way...we’re kindergarteners,” got a chuckle out of me. And there’s something light but sweet about Lisa threatening to expose Nelson’s treatment of an injured hummingbird, only to reveal him taking tender care of it. But otherwise, the comedy in this one is mild rather than worthy of big laughs.

Overall, this is the type of episode that reminds you that the show’s taken a turn for the better in recent years, but that the change can’t save episodes still run under the prior regime.

"Sing Sing" by The Bones of J.R. Jones: One of the most pivotal scenes in True Detective: Night Country's episode 3 is when Danvers and Navarro skim through all the evidence they found inside Raymond Clark's van. As they try to find new potential leads in Raymond and Annie's photos, The Bones of J.R. Jones' "Sing Sing" plays in the background, intensifying the sense of urgency surrounding their investigation.

"Like I Do" by Georgina Birch: Danvers and Navarro's hunt for evidence leads them to a hairdresser, Suzan, who they believe was one of the few people aware of Annie and Raymond's relationship. When they enter Suzan's home, George Birch's "Like I Do" can be faintly heard as she colors a local woman's hair.

"Limbo" by Lissom, Julien Marchal & Lowswimmer: Leah's story arc in True Detective: Night Country goes through its own development when she attends a protest in episode 3. As her girlfriend leads her to a protest against the local mine and its water polluting activities, "Limbo" plays in the background, marking the inception of her rite of passage.

"I Follow Rivers" by Marika Hackman: This track plays in True Detective: Night Country's episode 3 when Navarro finds her sister out in the cold and comforts her before taking her back home and tucking her in bed.

The good:

• While the season had its issues I was satisfied with the conclusion. It might be too predictable for some, but I think they did a good job with the hints and the solution fit very well with the themes of the season, so while it wasn’t shocking it was still good.

• “Yeah, but that’s exactly how a Nova Scotian constable would run”.

• I was really hoping Howard was gonna finally get his Broadway moment.

• The relatability when Oliver said, "Hold on it’s making me subscribe if I want to read more. I thought I had like 4 articles left?" in.

• Still have no idea what “Death Rattle Dazzle” is actually about lol.

• That ending was chilling! Who tried to kill Charles? Who killed Sazz? What was Sazz trying to write in blood on the floor?

• Season 4 or where do you go after Meryl Streep? The set up for next season is very interesting, it looks like were going to be in L.A., which could make for a change of tone and scenery.

The bad:

• So many loose ends never explained, which went nowhere. The writers purposefully set up a bunch of clues that don't go anywhere. For example, the whole Cinda Canning thing was unnecessary.

• Did not a lot happen this episode, or is it just me? It was still entertaining, but not as much story progression as I’d hoped.
• “I take offense to that.“ “That was my intention.”
• I think Ben was talking to a plate of cookies and he was the one who wrote ‘fucking pig’ on the mirror afterwards because he was upset that he ate the cookies and they had mentioned he was hard on himself.
• When Oliver accused Charles of blasphemy. – “I have never heard such FILTH!” “Tom is a Christian, Charles!”
• “It took you a year to paint a wall in your aunt’s apartment. Hustle is not exactly your middle name” - I felt personally attacked.
• Charles and Oliver roasting Mabel was hilarious. – “You don’t count because you have old lady energy.” “Oh, she really does. 72 is where I’d put her. Maybe 75.”
• One thing I don’t like this season is the obviousness of the fakeout suspects. If someone's the main suspect you can guarantee they're innocent. They wouldn't make Charles date another murderer. That's crazy.
• Howard and his sweater obsession.
• I'm still convinced there are 2 killers. The one who poisoned Ben and the one who pushed him down the elevator shaft.
• Where are the police?

@FinFan - Recall that the reptilian creatures were seeking "an object" that turned out to be young Makee. Their staffs tracked her across the galaxy, and reacted as they got closer. They prolly didn't even know for sure who or what they were looking for, so I feel it's something special within her and by extension John, although John appears to be getting more "woke" (in a GOOD way) every time he interacts with the artifacts. Or, perhaps it is a Keymaster / Gatekeeper scenario ala Louis and Dana in Ghostbusters (1984). Just my two centavos worth.

@Mookie - Remember, they are trying to flesh out a first person shooter video game into a cogent series, that has to appeal to not just fans of the game, but normies as well, so, individuals, and even NPC's are given back stories to make it more interesting to those unfamiliar with the concepts or game play. (as well as stretching things out to fill up those 60ish minutes per episode) Thus we follow John-117's journey of discovery, not only of his lost memories (origin story) but his quest of discovery as far as the artifacts go. Halsey singular determination to pursue and possess all knowledge is really just a guise for her unfettered thirst for power, thus her mental cruelty to the children in order to turn them into obedient killing machines. This IMO will be her undoing, as almost occurred with John, but for his fondness and trust of her. Kai-125 however seems wound MUCH tighter, but with LESS self control than John, as shown by her imitation of him and subsequent tonsorial freestyling's. (also she just has batshizz crazy eyes) Her reaction to her recovered memories and betrayals may prove to be interesting, soon.

Yes, Kwan Ha's storyline is indeed also IMO the weakest link. She is uninteresting, bratty and petulant in the worst way, and, all she has proven she is able to do so far is get all her relatives killed and expose the rebels to their enemies. But they needed something to justify Bokeem Woodbine's presence and salary, so, yeah I guess.

Burn Gorman is once again miscast as the villain, unless they were looking to fill the little man with a Napoleonic syndrome trope. IRL he would get pimp slapped "Big Willie style', monkey stomped, and sent back home to his momma, so to me it's quite comical when he tries to be menacing. As Kim K would prolly say, "....no big D energy"..

I am getting really frustrated with the dialogue this season, where every scene goes on a minute longer than it needs to because they're constantly repeating exposition over and over again, sometimes within the same scene. It's a level of over-clarification that either feels like they're trying to pad out the runtime, they're cowtowing to studio notes to keep constantly clarifying things, or it's a rushed draft that didn't get to be finessed and pruned before shooting began. Given Disney/Marvel's pre-strike attitudes toward writing staffs, and how badly bogged down Secret Invasion became in many of the same ways, it's not surprising, but a lot is still stuff that could have been tightened up in editing before these episodes were released.

And it's a bummer because I'm otherwise still loving everything else. They're taking the story in some great directions, it still has that Steed & Peel Avengers dapper weirdness. Renslayer and Miss Minutes re-enter the plot nicely, with Minutes taking an especially twisted and creepy turn (holy heck, Tara Strong!). The Victor Timely variant of Kang has ticks that are a little overly played by Majors, but make for a distinct and compelling character. I like it, I just really wish the writing was snappier and tighter to match the sharpness of the directorial and design style.

The revival wasn’t bad, but it also wasn’t any where near as funny as the original. I wanted to love it, but it was very like every CBS sitcom, like" "Mike and Molly" for example.

The competence on display really reminds you that the best of the original series was a masterclass in ensemble cast work. Kelsey slips into the role like a pair of socks, as for the rest of the cast, I'm reserving my judgment until I’ve watched at least a few more episodes.

Definitely feels like they're just trying to replace characters like for like. I get that David is basically doing his best Niles impression, but something isn’t clicking here, so far he seems to have been written like Shelton from Big Bang Theory to me rather than Niles. Flipping the Martin/Frasier dynamic with Frasier/Freddie just feels like "been there, done that". I'm worried about Frasier not having anyone to snob around with, I felt that his and Niles' discussions about clothing, opera etc. were quite important. Alan doesn't seem to fill that slot, and neither does David.

The canned laughter is spoiling the funny bits. It's on almost every damn line. Do people really need to be told when to laugh?

I’m hoping that it gets funnier as the characters develop.

Pointless episode.

Anakin and Ahsoka fight because he wants to teach her one last lesson: "it is bad to die".
Ahsoka is full of herself and makes fun of Anakin because he has nothing left to teach her. She keeps crossing her arm.

Flashback/Nostalgia scenes where an young Ahsoka, played by an actress with an even worse performance than Rosario, sees clone troopers dying and is sad and angry at Anakin for teaching her how to be a warrior and thus getting clones killed. She also crosses her arms.
Lightning effects and Vader imagery to make fans excited to see Vader again in an awful show.
Dave Filoni OC proves she is so much cooler than Vader, defeats him and chooses not to kill him, tosses his light saber away.
Anakin approves Mary Sue and sends her in her merry way.
They rescued Ahsoka from the bottom of the Ocean. Either she died from falling on the ocean and came back to life or she can breath underwater. Either way is dumb.
Ahsoka turns into Gandalf the White. She starts wearing white even before she wakes up after being rescued. Did Anakin dressed her up?They decide they don't need the map cause Ahsoka can talk to the space whales, hop her ship inside the stomach of one of them and tell them to go where Ezra/Trawn/Sabine are. Geez. No one could see that coming.
And that's it! They could cut everything between Ahsoka waking up in make-believe-land and she being rescued that no one would notice, because it doesn't influence the story in nothing whatsoever, other than showing that FIloni´s OC is cooler than Anakin/Vader, so fans should clap.

Ahsoka is still the insufferable character from the 2008 Clone Wars film. Rather, she is even worse.

(840-word review) This appears to be a commonly held opinion, and I shared it: the first half, or everything with Luffy, Koby, and Alvida, was a difficult start, even to "get through." It primarily concerned the acting of all three characters by Iñaki Godoy, Morgan Davies, and Ilia Isorelýs Paulino, with Iñaki's acting requiring some immediate adjustment, same with Morgan's acting (particularly the voice/accent, including the line delivery) to an extent – while Luffy and Koby's interactions had a bit of a whiplash, partially stemming from that, in addition to the characters themselves and their characterizations – and most notably, Ilia's acting, which was the most effective at throwing you for a loop; her and Morgan were the most distracting as far as that's concerned. You can ascertain what I'm insinuating. While Iñaki only required the continual exposure of the entire episode.

Fortunately, as the episode continued past that point, it became better and better, steadily improving. It spiked once Zoro appeared, who effortlessly stole the show for a variety of reasons, including Mackenyu's dominating presence, the fight choreography and his execution of it, and the subtle comedic tones at moments when Zoro was on-screen. Then Nami appeared – fantastic stuff; I liked the progression of her, Luffy, Zoro, and their arrival at the same place and the lead-up to them being together: a Luffy-proclaimed crew. But they're "not a crew/not together." Mackenyu and Emily Rudd, especially him, were the most distinctive highlights; all three characters, when together, stole the show collectively, aided by a palpable and genuine dynamic filled with chemistry that Luffy and Koby lacked.

Other aspects, such as the world-building and production value, were, understandably, prominently featured, as this world is vast, detailed, and particular; it was well-depicted, but I'm looking forward to the rest of the season for more of that aspect to see its overall scope, not because it wasn't good in this episode (it was), but because it can be better, and I'm sure it improves throughout. That's one reason to want another season: a larger budget and a better understanding of how to improve on many components through trial and error in this one by everyone involved with all facets of this show's development, utilizing the experience and knowledge gained here.

Going deeper into that, the set design stood out, namely the spaciousness, which I appreciated, probably more than I should have because I have no idea why. It may be summed up by saying it looks appealing; additionally, it may represent the magnitude of the entire world itself to an extent. Their environment-related details were notable, such as Helmeppo's self-portrait, the statue, paintings, the square sections of the ceiling, and the thing on the wall showing several axes in Axe-Hand Morgan's office. That gave the environments life, giving them identities and the impression that they were actual characters. You can see that a lot of thought and care went into it.

Specific things that were effective for me and great: (1.) the direction/editing regarding the close-up shots on faces – primarily the close-up shots on eyes (e.g., Mr. 7 and Zoro's at the beginning of their fight sequence) , the telescope shot of Nami, the split-screen one, akin to Western-genre films and also manga panels, before the fight sequence against Axe-Hand Morgan kicked off (all that was missing was the starting pistol shot signaling to begin), and the rocky (hand-held...?) camerawork in the scene of Garp and Bogard – (2.) the score, which was unsurprisingly a hit, especially the one when the crew set sail, aside from the "Wealth Fame Power" track.

Followed by various funny moments: "I even have to paint her toenails," Luffy slapping Koby (for "You being dumb"), "A bottle for me, and one for my friend: he's had a rough day," "You stupid, stupid girl," – Helmeppo's laugh, the scene of him naked, enjoying his reflection in the mirror while swinging Zoro's sword, then the majestic arrival of Zoro, and his final appearance, especially Luffy and Zoro laughing at his new haircut, courtesy of Zoro; his entire character and Aidan Scott's performance was phenomenal, forming the desire to want more of him – "Get lost. I am...lost," and finally, Jeff Ward's performance, which is already somewhat stealing the show with so little screen time; Buggy will surely be a highlight of this season.

Zoro (Mackenyu), Helmeppo (Aidan Scott), Nami (Emily Rudd), and Buggy (Jeff Ward), along with the scenes of the crew together, where the fun began, were the ultimate show-stealers. I suspect Iñaki Godoy, who was decent despite the outstanding competition, will achieve that level during the season as he settles into the part and grows accustomed to it, making the character his and as effective as possible. There's undeniable heart at work – already in the series premiere, and that's paving the way for a larger-scale, likely successful execution of that, on top of the feeling of pure, genuine fun that took over the screen once our three central characters teamed up; little do they know what awaits them.

@alexander - MEGA Ditto's, Fam.... MEGA DITTOS!!!!! But Ahh yes, the nattering naybob's of negativity IMMEDIATELY reared their basement dwelling little heads, (I mean their literal little heads, NOT their "little" heads) to whine about "canon", and how it's "not like the game" and its "utter crap". It seems like some people could be starving and dying of thirst in the desert, and if someone came along and offered them a Double Quarter Pounder with cheese, added bacon, and a 2 liter of ice cold DIET Mountain Dew, they'd vociferously decline, citing their vegan status and start lecturing on the evils of artificial sweeteners.

Give be a freeking break!

I'm willing to forgive Paramount for having the audacity to produce a show that would appeal to a WIDE audience, who may have NEVER PLAYED Halo, or even heard of it, but, by filling it with a cogent storyline that Joe average could get behind, actually enjoy, and want to tune into AGAIN. Perhaps this maximizing on potential return seems offensive to those who seem to think money and capitalism are evil, you know, the "starving artist" types who rail at the "sellouts" who fail to maintain their approved level of purity.

But I digress.....

Personally, I REALLY enjoyed the opener, and, was impressed by the production level, the talent, and the storyline as presented. Whether they can maintain this has yet to be seen, especially if the writers decide, like unfortunately so MANY Sci Fi shows of late, to start mallet ting the audience over their noggins with wokeness, and social justice commentary, rather than simply trying to be entertaining and appealing. Not that I'm opposed to such things. One however needs to temper the conversion attempts, and take what I call the "Rod Serling approach", that is, tell a great story, and make your point allegorically, rather than a full frontal assault. Star Trek TOS, and to a lesser extent, TNG also did this well.

Yet there too, the nabob's complained about sticking to "approved" storylines, while being seemingly unaware that strictly doing so negates any possibility of originality, inventiveness, or flair. "Hey, the Model T was a reliable car, so, why do we need Tesla's?" Because times change, tastes change, technology changes, and sometimes, changing up your Mom's recipe gives you something even tastier and more enjoyable.

Maybe this excerpt from the shows creators will help them get over their phobias:

But in adapting the character for an ongoing TV series, “It was necessary to basically ask the viewer to get rid of that dynamic,” says Schreiber. “You’re no longer a co-creator of this experience. You’re now being asked to put the controller down, sit down on the couch, and join Chief on a journey where he’s going to learn about his humanity in a way he hasn’t before. And through that process, we as an audience will learn things about him that we never knew before.”

https://tvline.com/2022/03/25/halo-tv-series-episode-1-master-chief-removes-helmet/

And I for one found the first course of "Halo" to be very appetizing, and look forward to the rest of the meal.

[7.6/10] Ahsoka is doing a slow burn, and I can’t say that I mind. There are more teases and piece-moving than there are important plot developments, but that gives us time to get into the world and the story. The machinations of something as grandiose as the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn shouldn’t happen in a day. And something as emotionally potent as Ahsoka and Sabine reuniting as master and apprentice shouldn’t happen in a single episode. Taking the time to let these things simmer before they boil is a feature, not a bug.

Not that the cheekily-titled “Toil and Trouble” is lacking in narrative stakes or high-flying action. The latest clue as to Morgan Elsbet’s intentions leads Ahsoka and Hera to the shipyards of Corellia, where they uncover a host of ex-Imperials, still devoted to the cause, helping out their enemies with hyperdrives and other tech for the “Eye of Scion”.

The visit to Corellia serves a broader theme throughout the Mando-verse side of Star Wars -- that the transition from an Empire to a Republic is an awkward and irregular one. The “happy ever after” of Return of the Jedi gives way to lost causers, reactionary schemers, and in this case, people who profited off the old system who are just as ready to profit off the new one.

Peter Jacobson (of House M.D. fame) does a good job as the local shipyard functionary, trying to put our heroes off the scent and dissembling to keep his operation rolling. But he never comes off like a former Imp trying to raise the last vestiges of the Empire anew. Instead, he seems like someone willing to sell his wares to the highest bidder, whomever that may be. In the franchise’s continuing exploration of what it means to stamp out the embers of the last regime and build up the structure of the New Republic, it’s nice to acknowledge the problems caused by those simply out to make a buck, in line with The Last Jedi.

And it makes time for some action to keep the casual ans happy once more. We get another lightsaber fight, as Ahsoka makes quick work of the mooks in the control tower, bursts through a window with badass glory, and takes on a darksider and their assassin droid with sizzling aplomb. The sword fighting is crisp and clear, without too many cuts, and the choreography is exciting enough to hold your interest.

But this is really Hera’s coming out party. It’s a blast to see her flying with grace and dexterity in live action, as he chases down the ship headed to Morgan’s stronghold. The fancy darting through opposing fire throws her nimbleness at the controls. And what a debut for Chopper, her trust droid, who is as cantankerous, amusing, and potentially murderous as ever. The pair remain great, with a clear goal to place a tracker on the ship, some fun banter and gesticulating between them, and a nice display of their talents. Despite the deliberately placed plot movement, there's plenty of high octane moments here to keep the tempo up.

There's also some genuine intrigue on the villain side of the equation. Our mystery girl refers to Baylan as master, and seems to be genuinely ignorant of what this is all building towards. The episode reveals a new ally, a formidable foe who uses an Inquisitor’s lightsaber and can stand their ground against Ahsoka. And Morgan reveals the power of the map, lighting it up with her Nightsister magic and pointing the way to retrieving Thrawn. It’s all just breadcrumbs for now, but they’re compelling enough to whet your appetite for more.

More than that, Baylan gets a little shading in ways that make him a more interesting player. He derides Morgan’s theories about Thrawn’s location as fairy tales. He laments the possibility of killing Ahsoka, thinking it a shame to lose another Jedi with so few left. He seems steady, dignified, appropriately imbued with Jedi calm. And yet, he seems to desire unimaginable power, a sign of the fall of the dark side. While I’m impatient and, frankly, annoyed with Star Wars mystery boxes, I’m curious enough and satisfied enough with the early hints, to be on board waiting to find out what precisely Baylan’s deal is.

Despite all of this -- the latest rendition of the New Republic’s challenges, the action and excitement, the teases for our villains -- the main event here is the rekindling of the partnership between Ahsoka and Sabine.

I like the structure of how it plays out. You have Sabine’s closest ally, Hera, encouraging Ahsoka to take her on as an apprentice once more. You have Ahsoka’s closest ally, Huyang, encouraging Sabine to seek the path of a padawan once more. And you have both the former master and the former apprentice bucking at the idea, but eventually acquiescing when each realizes they’re ready.

You understand the distance that exists between them and why. The show does well to dramatize the ways in which Ahsoka is steady, thoughtful, and measured, as a Jedi Master might be, and also the ways in which Sabine is still recalcitrant, brash, and a little reckless, in the way a certain young togruta once was when she was a padawan.

Ahsoka is perceptive and deft, as her recovery of the attack droid in Sabine’s home reveals. Sabine is talented and capable, as her ability to retrieve the data from the droid’s head shows. But the near-explosion she causes when pushing the limits to retrieve it, and Ahsoka’s quiet but judgmental air, ably demonstrates why things fell apart.

But Hera and Huyang make the case that they need one another, for structure, for support, for purpose. They’re each too proud, and a little too burned from the last experience, to admit it, but their friends are right. Sabine gradually accepts it. A meaningful haircut is a trope, but also a good signifier that Sabine is done running away from her past, and ready to embrace the path she was on when the Ghost crew road high.

And Ahsoka speaks of both master and apprentice simply knowing they’re ready, the reason behind her reluctance to start anew. But when Sabine shows up, ready to take up her vocation once more, feeling more “her”, each of them lives up to that standard. It’s time to start again.

That start doesn’t happen overnight. I imagine they won’t magically be on the same page the whole time in episode three. It’s a process. A journey. A transition for both of them. But with a measured, even soulful rendition of their intertwining path, I’m willing to wait.

The most classic Star Wars tropes, with Mandalorian-esque pacing (if more ronin, less western). Because the sets and character designs are so familiar, IMO the luxurious sweep does not work - we know everything we're seeing too well. The pacing doesn't suit the relative immaturity of Sabine in particular - this slow and this in-focus, youthful impulse looks too much like just being dumb. So far, lacks the humor and landscape that makes The Mandalorian's laconicism bearable.

Probably works better if you are reliving nostalgia for the cartoons and the translation to live action is full of easter eggs, but that's not where I'm coming from.

So far, no interesting or nuanced characterization or motivation. Indulgent, classic, detailed ship design, but so far it hasn't been used for any storytelling or action. Set / costume / prop design and action choreography are all very competent but extremely conservative, venturing less far from the center of the IP than even Empire/Jedi do.

Particularly jarring: the CGI characters are still doing Lucasfilm "take an extra beat to dance around an actual performer" self-conscious look-at-that animations as if it's 1999. That's a quirk of a moment of special effects history, people. It's like a golf ball putted toward the camera in a 3D movie. Please don't make that yet another one of the zillion elements that must be present for Real Star Wars.

I'm optimistic (?) that maybe the creators are just being extra conservative and boring as a starting point, to protect the series from anti-"wokeness" not-true-Star-Wars accusations because the key cast is 50% female? Maybe we'll get more creative as we go? Ugh, but okay. I am repeatedly boggled by how much Star Wars there is given how extraordinarily narrow the IP is - like, after nine movies and a whole bunch of shows, there's so little variation. Of the things I've seen, only Rian Johnson's entry pushed things a bit, that was not a very daring push, and it was mostly undone by 9. Most individual Marvel characters with multiple appearances have been treated with a wider stylistic range. Star Wars is a brilliant bonkers universe with a zillion planets and aliens! There has to be more than one story in this galaxy! There has to be more to differentiate villains than how many laser swords of what color they swing around! The books and comics go bananas! When is some of that Doctor Aphra sauce coming to the screen?

That said, it's still Star Wars, it doesn't make any mistakes in executing Star Wars, and Star Wars feels good.

[7.5/10] Ahsoka feels right. The vistas of Lothal feel of a piece with their animated rendition. The characters seem like themselves despite shifts in the performer and the medium. Their relationships feel genuine even though much has changed in the five years since we’ve seen them together.

Maybe that shouldn’t be a big surprise with Dave Filoni, impresario of the animated corner of Star Wars, both writing and directing “Master and Apprentice”, the series premiere. He is the title character’s co-creator and caretaker. He is the creator of Star Wars: Rebels, the show that Ahsoka is most clearly indebted to. And he is, for many, the keeper of the flame when it comes to the Galaxy Far Far Away.

But it was my biggest fear for this show. More than the plot, more than the lore, more than the latest chapter in the life of my favorite character in all of Star Wars, my concern was that translating all these characters, and their little corner of the universe, to live action and a different cast and a different era of the franchise would make everything feel wrong. Instead, we’re right at home. The rest is gravy.

And the gravy is good. Because these are not the colorful, if intense, adventures of the Ghost crew fans saw before. This is, or should be, a period of triumph for the onetime Rebels. They won! The Empire is torn asunder! Lothal is led with grace and a touch of wry sarcasm by Governor Azadi, with none other than Clancy Brown reprising the role! Huyang the lightsaber-crafting droid is still around and has most of his original parts!

Nonetheless, our heroes are hung up on old battles and older wounds. Ahsoka Tano is on a quest to track down Grand Admiral Thrawn, who hunted the Spectres in Rebels. Sabine Wren can’t bask in the afterglow of victory as a hero when she’s still mourning Ezra Bridger. And the two warriors have some lingering bad blood with one another after an attempt to become master and apprentice, true to the title, went wrong somewhere along the way.

With that, the first installment of Ahsoka is a surprisingly moody and meditative affair, one that works well for Star Wars. Sure, there's still a couple of crackerjack lightsaber fights to keep the casual fans engaged. But much of this one is focused on familiar characters reflecting on what’s been lost, what’s been broken, and what’s hard to fix. The end of Rebels was triumphant, but came with costs. To linger on those costs, and the new damage that's accumulated in their wake, is a bold choice from Filoni and company.

So is the decision to focus on Sabine here. Don’t get me wrong, Ahsoka has the chance to shine in the first installment of the show that bears her name. Her steady reclamation of a map to Thrawn, badass hack-and-slash on some interfering bounty droids, and freighted reunions with Hera and her former protege all vindicate why fans have latched onto the character. For her part, Rosario Dawson has settled into the role, bringing a certain solemnity that befits a more wizened and confident master, but also that subtle twinkle that Ashley Eckstei brings to the role.

And yet, the first outing for Ahsoka spends more time with Sabine’s perspective. It establishes her as a badass who’d rather rock her speeder with anti-authoritarian style than be honored for her heroics. It shows her grieving a lost comrade whose sacrifice still haunts her. It teases out an emotional distance and rebelliousness between her and her former mentor. And it closes with her using her artist’s eye to solve the puzzle du jour, and defend herself against a fearsome new enemy.

This is her hour, and while Sabine is older, more introverted, all the more wounded than the Mandalorian tagger fans met almost a decade ago, this opening salvo for the series is better for it.

My only qualms are with the threat du jour. Yet another Jedi not only survived the initial Jedi Purge, but has made it to the post-Return of the Jedi era without arousing the suspicions of Palpatine, Vader, Yoda, or Obi-Wan. Ray Stevenson brings a steady and quietly menacing air to Baylan Skoll, the former Jedi turned apparent mercenary, but there's enough rogue force-wielders running around already, thank you very much.

His apprentice holds her own against New Republic forces and Ahsoka’s own former apprentice, but is shrouded in mystery. She goes unidentified, which, in Star Wars land, means she’s secretly someone important (a version of Mara Jade from the “Legends” continuity?) or related to someone important (the child of, oh, let’s say Ventress). And I’m tired of such mystery boxes.

Throw in the fact that Morgan Elsbet, Ahsoka’s source and prisoner, turns out to be a Nightsister, and you have worrying signs that the series’ antagonists will be rehashing old material rather than moving the ball forward. The obvious “We just killed a major character! No for real you guys!” fakeout cliffhanger ending doesn’t inspire much confidence on that front either.

Nonetheless, what kept me invested in Rebels, and frankly all of Star Wars, despite plenty of questionable narrative choices, is the characters. The prospect of Ahsoka trying to train a non force-sensitive Mandalorian in the ways of the Jedi, or at least her brand of them, is a bold and fascinating choice.

But even more fascinating is two people who once believed in one another, having fallen apart, drifting back together over the chance to save someone they both care about. “Master and Apprentice” embraces, rather than shying away from, the sort of lived-in relationships that made the prior series so impactful in the past, and the broken bonds that make these reunions feel fragile, painful, and more than a little bitter in the present.

I am here for Hera the general trying to patch things up between old friends. I am here for Sabine holding onto her rebellious streak but carrying scars from what went wrong, in the Battle of Lothal and in her attempts to learn the ways of the Jedi. And I am here for Ahsoka, once the apprentice without a master, now the master without an apprentice, here to snuff out the embers of the last war and reclaim what was lost within it.

They all feel right. The rest can figure itself out.

[8.0/10] One of my favorites of the show so far. I appreciate how this humanizes Ted. The last episode attempted that with his feelings about his failing marriage, but it felt cheap and unearned. But here, his hesitancy to make the divorce final by signing the papers, him being in a rough (and intoxicated) state and biting Nate’s head off for no reason, and him having a panic attack makes him feel like a real person in a way that the preternaturally chipper coach hasn’t always been to this point. Seeing him struggle with something emotionally, despite his cheery disposition, brings him down to earth in a way I really admire.

At the same time, I love the story of female friendship w e et with Rebecca, Keeley, and new arrival Flo/Sassy, Rebecca’s childhood friend. The two women trying to comfort Rebecca during her anniversary weekend because she needs it leads to a lot of great interaction among them that feel lived-in. It’s impressive to be able to bring in someone who is supposed to be a childhood friend, one with some lingering issues about Rebecca closing herself off, and make it feels so instantly lived in and real. Flo bringing out Rebecca’s sillier, more fun side despite the facade, while also taking her to task for pulling back from their family, is really great stuff. And Keeley adds a lot of fun to the proceedings in her admiration for Flo and her playful friendship with Rebecca.

Plus hey, Nate the Great! I love his taking the whole team to task and the implication that it’s his pre-game speech that spurs AFC Richmond to their first victory over Everton in sixty years. I’m really interested to see where the show goes with him, a s he obviously has an eye for the game and for the players. I’m intrigued to see if they continue t o develop him into a coaching waiting, as seems like the trajectory. It’s nice to see how the guy forgotten about in the luggage compartment turns into the guy who brings his team to victory.

Hell, I even liked Roy in this one, who’s been kind of a generic figure to this point. Nate diagnosing him with losing his anger, the thing that made him great on the pitch regardless of his slowing other skills, helping him find it again is a nie beat. And I’m glad to see the show pull the trigger on him and Keeley already, rather than dragging out the inevitable.

Overall, this one is heartfelt, cathartic, messy, and r eal in the way the bright and friendly Ted Lasso isn’t always. There’s wins here, for Rebecca, for Nate, even for Ted when he makes a connection with his boss's best friend, but they come through organic interactions and hard times, which makes him hit that much harder.

[8.4/10] Hoo boy. This one hit close to home. And when you find yourself relating to Dennis Reynolds, you are getting old, getting deranged, or both. So not a good sign for yours truly.

But holy hell I felt this one. I don’t mind paying via a QR code or other modern changes. But boy, I do get perturbed that everything has its own app now. I do hate the byzantine process one must transverse in order to get customer service. And most of all, I feel that sense of not being mad at the person your dealing with, but being frustrated with a system that seems intentionally maddening, in my bones.

I don’t know whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing. Frankly, it makes me worry that I’m an old crank who’s too sclerotic to adapt. For good or for ill though, Dennis’ frustrations when operating his car, buying tea, purchasing a phone, trying to get customer assistance, and any number of other small, seemingly insignificant tasks that leave him in a Kafkaesque nightmare is deeply, deeply relatable. As is the sense of trying to maintain your calm while needlessly frustrating parts of navigating simple tasks in everyday life pop up.

It’s a great showcase for Glenn Howerton. He does a great job of reacting to all the comic absurdities around him, while contributing some of his own. The episode asks a lot of him, with only amusing-but-brief cameos from the rest of the game. And Howerton is up to the challenge, Dennis has his own Falling Down-style adventure, and you buy every increasingly aggravating step of it.

I appreciate the little touches of the story. As is often the case with IASIP, there’s something amusing about how a member of The Gang generalizes a problem from the literal to the abstract. A clerk at a tea shop apologizes that “the system” won’t let her sell him tea without boba, while Dennis takes it to be a complaint about The System:tm: that seemingly acts from above to make his life miserable. (Think Frank feeling hot and complaining about “the climate” in the #MeToo episode.)

But what really puts this one over the top is the bonkers ending. I love the show getting weird and impressionistic for Dennis’ confrontation with the car company CEO. There’s something that feels very clockwork about it. The Roxette song makes a hilarious return after Dennis listening to it in the car to provide the soundtrack to his strange liminal encounter. The very tagline “Listen to Your Heart” has layers of meaning, from Dennis gently pulling out his erstwhile tormentor’s actual heart, to the whole thing being a reaction to a diagnosis of high blood pressure. Even Dennis crushing the heart into a diamond seems like a tie into the rest of the Gang’s scheme to put coal in a pressure cooker.

And even as the ending is caked in irony and humor, I kind of like it as a bizarre and outre, yet cathartic rendition of how many folks feel about trying to resolve their problems with the tiny but accumulating problems of the day-to-day. It’s insane, but by god, you kinda feel it.

Plus, I love love love the reveal that this was all an internal fantasy from Dennis to help him process his stressed out feelings and manually lower his blood pressure in a way that, against all odds, actually works! It’s a big swing, and I’m normally resistant to “It was all a dream” endings, but this one clicks within the general tone of the show’s bolder outings and the confines of the episode. I particularly love the Keyser Soze-like nature of Dennis’ dream, and all the repeating faces and motifs he sees on the way out are doled out perfectly.

Overall, this is a hell of a high note for the season to go out on. Creative, ambitious, and different. Now I just have to worry about having common cause with Dennis Reynolds. Uh oh.

[7.6/10] So let’s get the most important thing out of the way. I love Dani Rojas. The way he just runs around, overflowing with enthusiasm, shouting his own name and declaring “football is life” at a moment’s notice, is infectiously delightful. The fact that he’s a talented soccer player, one who shares Ted’s chipper attitude and is willing to listen to instruction, makes him the exact antithesis of Jamie, which also makes him the perfect motivator for Jamie.

There’s a good story to that, of Ted working as hard as he can to motivate this player and, in a tough moment for himself, getting angier and more emphatic than we’ve ever seen him when Jamie fakes an injury in protest of being benched. The way the combination of a happy-go-lucky competing “ace” and a Ted Lasso uncharacteristically ready to read the riot act, and even a speech from Keeley gets through to the guy is a good one. I even like the bittersweetness of Rebecca recognizing that Ted’s method is working and so getting rid of Jamie because her ultimate goal is for the team to fail to hurt her husband.

I appreciate the integrity of that move, so to speak. My complaint about this show in the first half of this season is that it can be a little too much of what Emily St. James refers to as a “hugbox”. The world needs hugboxes -- shows that make everybody friends by the end of things and exist to brighten your day -- but they don’t always end up as my favorites. The show has done a lot to humanize Rebecca, to show her warming up to Ted and Keeley and the other movers and shakers of the team she’s trying to drive into the ground. Having her read a terrible headline that refers to her as “Old Rebecca”, which reinvigorates her on her mission to hurt the team to hurt her ex, sticks to the complicated choices the character is making, rather than turning her into a n ally straightaway, which I can appreciate.

I’m a little less appreciative of the thumbnail sketch of Jamie’s past that we get in his curse-removing item part of the story. It’s such a cliche to hear the “mommy loved me/daddy told me not be soft” personal history. If the show explores it in more depth down the line, t hen it could work, but delivered as a monologue in what functions as a convenient “Tell me what’s important to you” ritual, it comes off as a stock explanation for his priggish behavior.

That said, I like the general idea of the ritual! The team’s convinced the training room is cursed, something reaffirmed by Dani’s injury. Ted digs into it and finds an explanation for the curse. He comes up with the ritual to both to foster more camaraderie and understanding among his players and to do something to honor the soldiers who died after being treated and recruited in that spot, thereby lifting the hex. Hell, we even see Ted be a little sneaky, a little pragmatic, in colluding with Higgins to time Dani’s return in just such a way as to suggest they’d beaten the curse. It’s clever, and shows Ted understanding the need to get his players out of this psychological ditch rather than any firm belief in curses.

Overall, Jamie still is a bit of a dead end in this show, and I don’t need the continued telegraphing of a Keeley/Roy relationship. But I do like Ted’s efforts to sway Jamie paying off, his ritual that shows a deeper understanding of his players than anyone might have thought, and the steadiness of Rebecca in her quest, and of the writers in their willingness to keep someone sympathetic the erstwhile antagonist for the time being.

[6.0/10] This is the first episode of Ted Lasso that didn’t really work for me. They lean too hard into the maudlin without really earning it. Case-in-point -- I was really excited to meet Ted’s wife and son. The idea of a partner who could find Ted anything less than charming seems a little wild given how readily he bonds with almost anyone in his orbit. But the show suggests a good idea through Ted’s own words, that his wife might find his optimistic disposition “too much” now and then.

That's totally plausible! You could imagine someone suffering from depression struggling with Ted’s sunny worldview, or just wanting to be able to have a bad day without the efforts to buck them up. But we hear that without really seeing that. All we get is a generic, “It doesn’t feel like it used to” from Ted’s wife, and a rushed, trite “I have to let you go because change is good” epiphany from Ted. Nothing from their interactions shows us there’s a problem. It’s a told not shown sort of thing.

I especially bristle at Ted taking Higgins’ lesson that “If you’re with the right person, even the hard times are easy.” Hard times can be hard, man! It’s borderline unhealthy to put the idea out there that if you’re going through struggles as a couple that's a sign that you’re not meant to be. Challenges happen! Not all of them are going to be peachy to get through 100% of the time. But honestly, that's part of the overall problem here. The episode deals in trite truisms, and expects to get away with it if they can rely on some superb “almost tearing up acting” from the performers and a heartfelt Mumford & Sons song in the background.

Candidly, it feels manipulative. We’ve barely seen Ted and his wife together, and the show doesn’t do the work to explain why they once made sense together but now don’t. So while we can intuitively understand that accepting your marriage is over would be incredibly difficult emotionally, Ted’s wife hasn’t been a real character until now, so the attempt at heightened poignance in the moment comes off unearned.

Everything’s just profoundly on the nose in this episode. I don’t know if you realize this, because they’ve been very subtle about it to this point, but Jamie can be kind of selfish. I jest, but his self-centeredness has reached such cartoonish levels, and is commented on by almost everyone, to the point that it feels like Ted Lasso is bashing its audience over the head with that fact. And at the same time, it’s just as obviously signposting that Keeley and Roy are going to get together, which, fine, they have nice enough chemistry, but be a little less obvious about it.

Even if it’s a throwback to childhood sports movies, I do like that Ted benches Jamie to teach him a lesson, and that the team rallies around the idea of teamwork in the absence of their arrogant star player. It’s a simple story beat, but a venerable one because it’s effective. And for all my gripes, I like the fact that Ted’s greatest professional success in the game of soccer to this point is paired with his greatest personal loss. There’s poetry in that.

You can just feel this episode tugging on your heartstrings without having earned the pull. There’s no subtlety to this episode, no well-written interactions that feel like real people dealing with jubilation and heartbreak, just good performers elevating undercooked material that doesn’t earn the maudlin catharsis it’s shooting for.

[7.7/10] I like the theme of older and younger generations teaching each other in this one. The most obvious is Roy and Jamie. Ted convinces Roy to emphasize with his younger counterpart and remember the days when he himself was a “primadonna bitch.” Roy connecting with Jamie over the fact that he too remembers what it’s like to have an older teammate whose seniority is a good beat. And he doesn’t pretend that it’s all sunshine and rainbows after that, just that setting aside their differences for a common goal benefited them both. Hearing grumpy Roy sound like a human being seems to get through to Jamie, just a little, in making him recognize that he can be an arrogant prick.

You have the same deal with Rebecca and Keeley. Keeley teaches Rebecca how to pose for the camera and pumps her up in front of the paparazzi in her big post-divorce coming out party. Rebecca returns the favor by teaching Keeley to hold people accountable, including both her boyfriend and herself. So when Jamie embarasses her by setting up an extra “plus one” to improve his image by having two women bid for him, she calls him out on it. She even apologizes for bidding on Roy, using him as an object in their “little game.” And when Jamie doesn’t get that, doesn’t understand the difference between simply saying “I’m sorry” and actually apologizing for something you regret, she has the self-possession to dump his ass.

It seems obvious that the show is veering toward pairing up Roy and Keeley. But that notwithstanding, I’m much more invested in the friendship between Keeley and Rebecca. The two of them doing what Rebecca always wanted to -- riding around in a tacky peddle cart -- is a wonderful note to go out on.

I also love the introduction of Rebecca’s ex. It doesn’t hurt that it’s ANthony Stewart Head (!!!). I’ve never seen him play such a scumbag before, and he’s surprisingly great at it. You know that type of guy, the schmoozer who can work a room and knows exactly how to push people’s buttons, but is a complete shitheel underneath the facade. Head pulls off the unctuousness of the man to perfection.

But what I like most about it is how Ted sniffs him out almost immediately. Not only does he figure out that Rupert likely called off Robbie Williams to embarrass his ex and give him the chance to come play hero, but he sees what an empty piece of garbage Rupert is. Ted sees the best in everybody. He recognizes the ways his friends and coworkers can be the best versions of themselves. He even has the recognition to see how a shabby-looking busker could tear the house down at a million dollar gala. But given that ability to empathize, to connect, to really see people, he observes the blackness within the soul of Rupert, and affirms it to Rebecca. It’s telling when such a chipper, kind-hearted man sees you for the scum that you are.

Overall, a superb outing for the show that takes the gala setup and runs with it, while delivering some great character beats for all involved.

[7.5/10] Only three episodes in, and the basic move for Ted Lasso is already established. Somebody sets out to destroy Ted, or undermine him, or just get under his skin, and he’s just too sunny and achingly earnest to do anything but win them over. I’m not complaining. It works on me! Ted is a cartoon character, but Jason Sudekis’ winning performance makes him feel just real enough to believe in. Which is, perhaps, what equally grumpy writers like Trent Crimm eventually see in the man as well.

So he wins people over. Trent sets out to write a hit piece, but sees how earnest Ted is in befriending someone prickly like Trent, but also in being genuinely kind and supportive of people, and caring more about making his players the best people they can be than winning games. Roy Kent sets out to push back on Ted’s lack of coaching and unwillingness to step in and stop Jamie’s harassment of Nate, but his literary gifts and willingness to engage with schoolchildren and sincerity about wanting Roy to be the protagonist of A Wrinkle in Time convince Roy to step up and be a leader to stop the bad behavior itself.

Hell, it’s not limited to Ted. Rebecca has no qualms about using Keeley to destroy her coach and star player at the same time. But Keeley is so genuinely grateful to Rebecca for killing the paparazzi piece she surreptitiously spurred in the first place, and so very much on Rebecca’s side, both for her unfair treatment in the press during the divorce and her bosom in a privacy-breaking photo, that Rebecca can’t help but be a little charmed herself.

It’s a nice thing. The gags aren’t overwhelming. (Though I did laugh like a hell at “Do you remember your divorce?”) But there’s smiles all around, and the show really leans into the god character stuff. Everything from Ted using one of Nate’s plays without hesitation, to Coach Beard giving Nate the “high praise” of calling him a “good kid” is scientifically proven get a smile out of you. The show works its magic on the audience the same way Ted does on everyone around him: through sheer chipper earnest. Even crusty old reviewers like me are not immune to such an attack.

[7.3/10] I like the general idea of “Biscuits” -- that Ted is making headway with the people who are ostensibly against him, like Ms. Welton and Jamie, but it’s not enough to keep them from doing what they’d already planned to undermine him. It continues the overall theme of the show, which is Ted’s corny but sincere personality getting through to his stiff-upper-lipped counterparts across the pond.

Ted finds a way in with Rebecca by home-making cookies she can’t ignore and once again caring about her well-being after a tabloid writer blindsides her with a story about her husband cheating on her. And he finds a way in with Jamie by tying his own potential for greatness to the shared success of his teammates. But in both cases it’s not enough, with Jamie going to another journalist to gripe about Ted and blame others, and Ms. Welton working to sabotage Ted by making it seem like he’s making moves on his star player’s girlfriend.

The winning element here is still Jason Sudekis’s performance as Ted. His chipper, can-do attitude through everything could seem corny from a lesser performer, but he finds the grain of truth in such a ridiculous character, which anchors him to the real world just enough. Plus, acts like complementing Nate’s boxes or celebrating his homesick Nigerian player’s birthday to make him feel more at home show the care and attention that can make him a success anywhere.

There’s other little grace notes at play. I'm a big fan of the pub owner who explains what a “wanker” is and tells the unruly fans in her bar to give Ted a chance. Ted’s interactions with the young woman on his walk home who loves soccer shows his winning charm and genial spirit with everyone, not just the people he’s trying to motivate. And the biggest laugh of the show for me thus far is Higgins dancing in the locker room.

Overall, this is still more mild than hilarious, and some of the emotional trajectories seem a touch overly choreographed, but I like it as an amiable comedy thus far.

[7.3/10] Solid pilot. It sells the premise of the show well. We’re doing The Producer except for sports. Extrapolating the silliness of a mid-major football coach being brought over to head up an English Premier League team to a full show is a trick, but the writers come up with a decent way to have it make a strange sort of sense.

I’m most intrigued by the character of Ted Lasso himself. He’s basically a cartoon character in the early going, and I could see his “hayseed full of cliches” routine running thin pretty quick. But they do a few things to humanize him and make him into an actual character and not just a caricature from sports channel bumpers.

Most conspicuously, they make him someone going through a separation from his wife and son. It adds a whiff of pathos to an otherwise inveterately upbeat persona. They also make him a kind and considerate person, asking people how they are and treating them with a certain compassion that most don’t seem used to.

That seems to be the core theme of the show in the early going. Ted may not know much about the sport, and he may only have been hired to drive something the former owner loved into the ground, but he cares about people, treats them like human beings. It opens some eyes, from Nathan the groundskeeper, to Keeley the WAG, to even Ms. Welton the owner, who’s taken aback when Ted asks how she’s dealing with the divorce. It’s not hard to see the outline of Ted’s kindness giving these players what they need in an unexpected way, but it’s a solid foundation for the show.

I also like Ms.s Wleton as a character. She’s sharp-elbowed debut self-possessed in a way that makes her compelling. Her being two-faced with Ted isn't ideal, but there’s gotta be room to grow, and you have to start somewhere.

Otherwise, this is mostly table-setting and silliness. We get thumbnail sketches of the important players, a start to Ted’s assistant coach, Coach Beard, and Ms. Welton’s morally reluctant assistant. We get the sense of the media and common fan’s reaction to the absurdity of an American football coach being brought over to manage a big time soccer team. The basics are all covered.

My only major complaint is that I didn’t really laugh at any of this. Some of Ted’s cornpone sayings are worth a smile, and there’s a few mildly clever bits. But there weren’t a ton of yuks in this opening episode. Maybe that's to be expected with so much premise-setting ground to cover.

Overall, this is a solid but unspectacular start to the show, but it sets up a good foundation of characters and plots to build on, if not as much overwhelming comedy out of the gate.

Just watched all 8 episodes in one sitting.

I enjoyed the first half of this eight-episode season. Then came the second half of the season, when things went downhill. The storyline got more far-fetched, the principal characters became even harder to forgive, the pop-culture references were cloying, and there were way, way too many fantasy sequences. I think it’s a fun idea once but when it happened continuously it just felt like they wanted to have shock reactions at the crazy turn of events before dialing back to reality. A lot of this felt like padding; episode 5, in particular, was overly drawn out, with slow-motion partying and the inevitable pointless fantasy scene. By the 8th episode the show just became too unbelievable. They want us to believe that this is a good couple who are in a desperate position, but let's face it - they actually aren't all that desperate to justify crossing the line so many times. It just becomes stupid after a while. The last episode just ends, leaving everything up in the air. I hate when limited series end on a cliffhanger.

I like Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina's performance and chemistry

All in all, Based on a True Story is watchable enough in general, good in the beginning, very inconsistent later, disappointing at the end. It's not bad, but it's forgettable, not winning awards or anything but it's just good, lighthearted entertainment. If you enjoyed Only Murders in the Building, you'll probably like this series.

[7.6/10] I am not a fair judge of this episode. I love Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, so simply having Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul play a major role in the episode, one that plays on their T.V. personas and line of celebrity liquor, is going to be a delight for me regardless.

But I think that’s what this episode is banking on. In truth, it probably needed an extra five minutes or so to wrap things up and tie them together. I kept expecting some payoff with both Dee and Charlie barfing given their respective poor consumption choices, and The Gang to come out with their goldschlager/jagermeister blend with some far less momentous celebrity endorsement. But I can't complain too loudly when the whole thing climaxes with a fun back-and-forth between Cranston and Paul, replete with Cranston doing a Vince Gilligan-inspired monologue.

Does it make a lot of sense? No. Is it still extremely enjoyable? Absolutely.

But the humor and comic chaos here is all solid. I love the running gag that The Gang has no idea about Breaking Bad, only recognizes Cranston for Malcolm in the Middle, and thinks that Paul is a grown up Freddy Muniz. The fact that they refer to Paul as “Mr. Malcolm” and make gags about him not being “in the middle” but rather “on top” now is a hoot.

I also love the dynamic between Crnaston and Paul. Playing against type with their dynamic from Breaking Bad, to where now Paul is the controlling mastermind and Cranston is the lovable dope is a lot of fun. The parallels to the relationship between Dennis and Mac helps heighten things in an amusing way. An even when it ends in a “just kidding”, Cranston’s “I was feigning deference to you this whole time while secretly setting you up” is great in both how serious it’s played in the moment, while also being inherently ridiculous since it’s founded on the celebrity booze racket. Cranston is particularly good here, as his dopey routines about “The Great White Way” and not losing touch with the working man are amusingly earnest and adorable.

The other ancillary parts of the episode are great too. Everyone having something to pitch, from ill-fitting suits to a $35M plane is a laugh. Mac trying to emulate 90s Michael Jordan and mistaking random dudes for Jalen Hurts got a chuckle out of me. The Gang finally having an interaction with Gritty was well-done and appropriately looney. And I got a big kick out of Charlie’s scheme to create “nickel-schlager -- the working man’s spirit” until it leaves him unable to make it through a metal detector and puking in the alley. Honestly, this is the best The Gang’s dynamic has been all season, with their barroom conversation about the perfect “blend” seeming particularly on point. That’s the benefit of having Day, McElhenny, and Howerton as the writers again.

Overall, this is a bout of celebrity cameoing that is no less crass or transparent than the jokes about celebrity booze, but damn if it didn’t work on me anyway.

That was such an incredibly sad but perfect and correct ending.

• I don't understand people who didn't like the ending because their favorite character didn't win. After 4 seasons with these despicable characters did anyone expect the Roy kids to unite and defeat the bad guy with the power of love and friendship? It was never going to end that way.

• The three siblings just could never get over their egos. They all proved, through the 4 seasons, that they’re basically useless and the only reason they were ever in the discussion to be CEO is because Logan was their father. They'd rather destroy everything than have only one of the trio take the upper hand. Shiv just could not let her brother have a win, even if it meant her losing as well. Perfectly summed up their whole family dynamic and the show as a whole.

• The siblings are so entitled and self-absorbed they never saw Tom coming. They’ve never had to work for a damn thing. I don't like Tom, but it makes sense for someone like Tom, who worked his way from the ground up and earned himself the position he was in.

• The scene with the siblings making that awful smoothie and them watching their dad reveal yet another side of himself was so nice among the insanity that came in between.

• That penultimate shot with Shiv and Tom in the car was phenomenal. Complete shift in the power dynamic. After marrying him specifically because she thought he was weak enough to keep holding power over.

• Kendall not winning every season. That’s rough.

• Willa revamping Logan's apartment with a cow print couch.

• In the end Conor was the only one to have any kind of a relationship with Logan, the other kids are never shown having moments with him like he did at the recorded dinner.

• Greg translating the Swedish in real time is the smartest thing he’s ever done. Four seasons and I cannot for the life of me understand why he would put up with that. His uncle offered him $250mil to get away from the firm.

• But the biggest thing for me coming out of this episode is Kendall’s son isn’t really his. It really came out of nowhere and seemed more like a fact than a rumor the way everyone reacted to it.

All in all, Succession stuck to the show’s core till the end. In a way it’s a predictable ending but because it’s television and we expect some twist where a cool character comes out on top we don’t expect the expected. The outcome is pretty much what you’d expect from all the characters knowing their faults

• Wtf happened at the end there, what is Shiv's angle? :thinking: They are all making moves without each other: Ken lied to Roman and Shiv about telling Hugo to badmouth their dad in the press, Roman froze out Ken when he went off on Matsson on the cliff, and Shiv is now developing her own relationship with Mattson. These siblings can't work together, can they?

• I like how the episode opened with a mirroring scene to Kendall’s original intro in the pilot. When Ken is rocking in the town car to rap, you know he’s back on his bullshit.

• “Already rich.”

• The Tom/Shiv stuff is so unhealthy.

• I think Matsson was lying to Shiv about the blood bricks. He's playing her for sure. He was sounding Shiv out, I think the fact that he plays to her ego right afterwards by commenting how she is cool and like her father indicates some manipulation on Matsson's part.

• I thought Toms little speech before that about how America has its own Paris and if that burned down they’d just build another was really good as well, such a perfect summation of a particularly American arrogance.

• “I metabolise fast because I’m dynamic.”

• “2 meters of nepotism.” is such a brutal insult to Greg. I think the Tom and Greg thing has slipped into self-parody at this point and it’s not really working anymore. Greg has become a pointless character.

• “Sweden or Norway they all descend from the same rapists.”

People are starting to communicate! We need a whole lot more of it but it's progress.

• Sara arriving directly in the basement via Farway tree days later (basically time traveling). That's got to be a lie because if not then when are we seeing the lighthouse again?? And if she's really telling the truth then isn't it one hell of a coincidence that of all places she could have landed it was in the basement where she was locked up by father Khatri. Some kind of natural karma or somebody really is controlling all this?
• Tabitha was staring at the water dripping in the sink. Where is the water coming from? Same situation as the electricity.
• The new old lady character seems to know everything going on in town. Option 1: She's some kind of double agent for the group of people that are supposedly monitoring everyone. Option 2: She's super good at talking to people and managed to gather a shit ton of information in just a few days which is impressive.
• Pretty much got confirmation from Kristi that the spider bites weren't lethal. Maybe they even cured Boyd from his desease? Would another spider bite cure him from the parasites?
• Was Marielle looking for drugs? It makes sense if she became an addict when Kristi disappeared.
• Donna, once again, you're my hero. That woman is scary!
• I hope Kenny doesn't go nuts.

This was a fantastic opening episode to the series, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how the Roy family tear each other apart as they pursue a higher rank in Logan's media conglomerate, Waystar Royco. Firstly, on the theme song, it was beautifully composed. The way it place shots of modern era technology to old-fashioned tech to represent the long-standing legacy of the Roy media company, how they've lasted through massive technological and cultural change in the world, was fantastic, fully exemplifying the history and dominance of the conglomerate. Also, on reflection, I enjoy the Lawrence guy, the man who Kendall (barely) was able to make a business dealing with, with it heavily favoring Lawrence in terms of stock and money. I just liked seeing Lawrence shit-talk Kendall, mocking how unqualified he is for his job, and how reliant his is (an longer can be) on his father for protection.

Regarding the show's content, it's clear a big recurring theme of the series would be the power of greed on people's behavior, particularly it's effects on family bonds, with all of the Roy family (except Connor?) wanting the CEO position after Logan retires, and willing to take others down to raise their position in the company..The characters really are all detestable people (minus Marcia and Connor for now), with how little disregard they have for other people, just concerned about gaining power and not caring about what means they use to achieve it (with Kendall even talking shit about Logan behind his back to undermine him). Watching them all basically beg Roy for a top position really makes me cringe inside, seeing how shameless the family is. Moreover, from the man paying off the rural family to not expose Roman's petty actions at the baseball game, to the housekeeper cleaning up Logan and presumably Kendall's messes, its clear another recurring idea throughout the series is that someone will always be there to clean up the Roy family's messes from the shadows, as they carry out their lives. Succession is the perfect title for this show, fully capturing how this show will explore family rivalry's tearing each other apart as the Roy siblings fight for top positions and CEO in the Waystar media company, owned by their father, Logan Roy. Regarding Logan Roy, it's clear he's the top dog of the family, with him being the founder and CEO of the Waystar media company, and extremely powerful international media conglomerate. And man, its clear Logan's used to having his way with people, with him just doing as he pleases with no regards for others feelings, the relationships he's built with others, and promises he made with others (such as when he essentially tricked Kendall into signing papers that gave Marci, Logan's wife, double voting power and expecting the other Roys to do the same). But it's clear, from the opening scene of him peeing in a closet, that he's becoming old and needs to retire soon, and with today's surprising twist ending with him getting hospitalized, its looking like he may be forced to retire a lot sooner than he hoped.

First off there's Kendall Roy, the cocky businessman who prances about as if he owns the company, and has a strong desire to impress his father, and show he's worthy of the CEO position after he retires. And he's constantly doing his best to seek Logan's approval. Although, its clear Logan doesn't think he's ready, with him completely disregarding his more amicable approach to business dealings, believing he's too "soft," and also believing he may not be mentally fit for the CEO position, referencing him spending time in rehab for drug abuse (despite this being 3 years ago). Then there's Roman Roy, the crude, arrogant man who failed in executive instruction under 30-year company veteran Frank, but still slides his way into Logan's company, seeking more power under the conglomerate. And man, how shamelessly Roman belittled and toyed with that kid, ripping up the check in his face and telling him to go back to his humble life, really cemented Roman as the worst of the bunch, as someone obsessed with flaunting his unearned power and wealth over those below him.Connor Roy seems perfectly content with his rich, effortless life, having seemingly no desire to overtake the firm and is just going on about his days. There's Shiv Roy, the woman of the family, whose dabbling in politics but still wants the top position at the conglomerate. There's her boyfriend, Tom, who desperately seeks approval from Logan, and wants his respect, but just can't seem to achieve that, with Logan constantly disregarding him and his efforts. And it's looking like Tom's going to be taking out his frustrations on Cousin Greg, someone who he sees as below him and can be messed around with. . And then there's Greg, the most sympathetic of the bunch, and cousin of the Roys, an outcast and unknown relative to the Roy family whose just lost his job at one of Waystar's amusement park and is trying to wedge his way into Logan's good side to win over his favor (and thus help for another job).