This season has been solid, but not quite as good as good or engaging as I remember previous seasons to be. There are a lot of different people in a lot of different places and we'll spend like 30 seconds in one location for two lines of dialogue before switching somewhere else for another couple of lines before switching somewhere else, and that cycle repeats quite often this season. It's moving at an incredibly rapid pace to get through everything in a shortened season. It's actually paced pretty nicely because they understand they have to move quickly to get through everything, but it definitely could use a longer season and more time to breathe. John Krasinski still shines as Jack Ryan and the supporting characters carried over from the previous seasons are still good. I was very skeptical of Michael Peña playing this very serious character, but the more we get of him the more I think it works. There's some emotional beats that are falling flat like Chao Fah's side of the story with his family. Overall, this is still solid spy thriller TV and I'm enjoying my time with it but it does feel a bit generic and less interesting of a story compared to previous seasons.
Brace yourselves, dear viewers, for this episode will undoubtedly spark heated debates among fans. Some will love it, while others will loathe it—much like the game itself.
The Last of Us ends with a masterful coup de grâce, cementing this adaptation's place in the pantheon of prestige television.
It is sombre and dark yet replete with emotions that run deep. Joel, at long last, becomes a man of action. Whether his actions are morally defensible, however, is a subject of endless debate.
Staying true to the game, this episode does not falter in its execution, boasting a master-stroke opening that sets the stage for a gripping narrative to unfold. The strategic use of a flashback adds layers of complexity to already richly-wrought characters, serving as a catalyst for some of the most poignant dialogue between Joel and Ellie to date—dialogue sure to leave the audience teary-eyed.
The action is far from glorified, leaving viewers in a state of visceral shock and awe. The last couple of episodes have served to do some fantastic work for Joel, and this episode is the proverbial cherry on top, truly a beautiful and profound culmination of his character arc. Indeed, the show is a thing of beauty, but beauty that is shrouded in darkness.
Were a flaw to be ascribed, it would be that of brevity. At a mere 40 minutes, the finale feels curtailed. The absence of the Cordyceps is understandable, given the laser-focused narrative, though it marks a deviation from the source material.
By turns harrowing and humane, towering and intimate, this finale buries its hooks deeply in the viewer, capping off a brilliant maiden season. Love it or loathe it, impassioned discourse will assuredly abound in the wake of this uncompromising conclusion to the first chapter of The Last of Us.
01x09 - Look for the Light: 8.5/10 (Great)
Neil wrote a really beautiful episode here.
Storm Reid was excellent casting for Riley. A great combination of the snark, sarcasm and magnetic energy Riley needs, while still hitting the emotional chords of the story. She played off Bella really well.
The “Take On Me” inclusion made me smile.
(Also love all the just general set dressings that allude to the game. Savage Starlight. Dawn of the Wolf. Macho Nacho. The wolf/clown mask.)
A small part of me wishes we got some sort of confirmation of whether or not Ellie had to actually kill Riley herself when she starts to turn (while also recognizing that she is not turning) or if she just left her behind. It’s always been one of those mysteries I’ve been morbidly curious about. I took Ellie’s comment a few episodes ago about “not her first kill” being reference to her first human kill, and her having to say goodbye to Riley is such a relevant moment in Ellie’s life that adds layers to her survivors guilt and reasons for why she so desperately wants to believe in the cure. I certainly understand the reasons behind why they leave the story on a more poetic ending, instead of showcasing the brutality of what actually happened on screen, but it is undoubtedly one of Ellie’s saddest and most impactful moments of her lifetime so I’ve always wondered if we’d ever learn how exactly Ellie had to leave her.
EDIT: Also loved Craig’s commentary on how Ellie’s first experience with “loss” manifests in rage and anger. An interesting viewpoint and foreshadowing considering what’s to come in the adaption of Part 2.
EDIT 2: Gustavo’s score felt especially poignant in this episode, too. So good.
I normally don't care too much long diversions from the main plot of a show because oftentimes, especially in the case of shows like The Walking Dead, they feel like filler in the supposed service of "character development." But in this case, although we obviously knew about the pain that Joel has suffered in the past, we didn't know much about Ellie's story, so it was important, given that she is one of the two main characters after all, to relive part of her past. As it turns out, teenagers in the quarantine zone have to deal with many of the same things - bullies, crushes, hormones, etc - that kids in the real world experience. One could argue that this episode lingered too long in the mall - essentially Ellie and Riley were just hanging out for much of the show - but the bond that already existed and the one that grew stronger over the course of the night had to be told with a certain pacing or else it would have felt rushed. This would also make what happens near the end all the more crushing, and, as Ellie gets lost in her memories and nearly opens the door to leave Joel behind, she becomes desperate to save him because he is essentially her father at this point, and she couldn't bear to lose him. As for the acting, it's almost staggering to realize how good Bella Ramsey and Storm Reid, both 19, are at this point in their young careers. The episode really felt like we were watching two best friends have the night of their lives, which again, made the ending all the more devastating.
Hooked on this show like an infected on cordyceps fungus—yes, that's a compliment!
Prepare to have your heartstrings pulled, and your emotions wrung out like a dishrag—this is one show that will leave you gutted. A roller-coaster ride of tension and heartbreak throughout. Even after the credits roll, you'll find yourself thinking.
The Last of Us has been praised for its storytelling, but this episode elevates it. It's not just a show about zombies; it's a show about human nature, survival, loyalty and love. It's a show that doesn't shy away from showing the dark side of humanity but also doesn't forget to show its light.
The performances are stellar across the board, especially from Pascal and Ramsey, who have palpable chemistry as Joel and Ellie. Pascal portrays Joel as a stern but caring protector haunted by his tragic past but still willing to risk his life for Ellie. Meanwhile, Bella Ramsey's portrayal of Ellie is improving, capturing the character's spirit and personality in a way that feels authentic to the source material. Their dynamic is heartbreaking yet heartwarming as they slowly bond over their shared experiences and losses.
I would have preferred the last half to have stricter adherence to the source material, but television constraints, I guess. Nevertheless, it still packs a powerful punch that hits you right in the feels. Pedro Pascal, take a bow; what a performance!
With three episodes still to come, it's clear that this show has already made an indelible mark on the world. It's a testament to the power of great storytelling and exceptional acting, cementing its place among the all-time greats. Don't miss this one!
01x06 - Kin: 8.6/10 (Great)
Part One of Henry Cavill's final season ends with the strongest episode out of the first five. The storytelling was on point and allows you to discover more and more as the characters do as well. I do think it got a little old and too repetitive after a while, but overall this was the best written episode so far this season. As a whole, season 3 so far has been solid, but nothing special. There are a lot of characters at this point with a lot of different things going on and it has been a little hard to get back into the swing of things and remember who everyone is and what they're motivations are. But as the season goes on it's starting to settle well as characters converge, and Ciri being at the center of story helps tie everything together. This season's dialogue is written to be much more accessible and modern as well, and I'm not a huge fan of it. It's a bit off-putting watching characters in this setting talk to each other as if they are from modern times and makes the show feel a little inauthentic. I am really liking the character relationships this season between Ciri and everyone else. She has different dynamics with Gerald, Yennefer, and even Jaskier, with each of those three characters bringing different influences that I think are shaping her up to be a strong and capable leader. Geralt offers a fatherly presence and teaches her how to be strong, how to fight, and defend herself. Yennefer offers a motherly presence and teachers her how to use her magic but also how to demonstrate control, and Jaskier is like a brotherly or friend figure in which she is able to still have fun and be the kid that she is, as well as how to be personable and appeal to others. She has less time with Jaskier than with the other two, but she has really good and different dynamics with each of them. Cavill as Geralt continues to just be perfect casting and he proves yet again that he can not only embody the character so well physically but he has the acting abilities and fighting choreography to pull off Geralt. It pains me to think about the show without him.
For me, the main question I wanted to know going in was, "Is this going to be better than Kingdom of the Crystal Skull".
Happy to report that, yes it's vastly superior in almost every area to Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
But with that out of the way, does it compete/equal the originals, to which the answer for me was no.
But it had its moments and felt way more in line with "an Indiana Jones" movie than Crystal Skull and had it's share of flaws. I still think Hollywood should use younger actors or makeup/prosthetics instead of "de-aging CGI" as it continues to look horrible IMO, or at least use it the same way the used emerging CGI in the late 90's early 00's by keeping it in shadow/not the focus point.
The cast, both legacy and new are solid across the board, soundtrack and score work well, plot was a big fun dumb adventure that actually felt like following the breadcrumbs in a good way.
Not at all a bad film, but one that probably won't make my top 10 of the year, but unlike Crystal Skull this probably also won't make my worst 10 of the year either.
I enjoyed the movie a lot! As a DC fan one of the best films in DCEU and for what my prediction of Sasha Calle that she will be a great supergirl in it was correct when I saw her in the trailers of the film before, I love her character in the movie and people will gonna love her too 100% guaranteed. I really hope Gunn will hear us and let her be the Supergirl in the continuing DCU that he will make.
Idk why some people didn't like having different Batmans in it and some of them calling it as a Batman film (to be an insult for too many Batmans version that was presented in the movie), let me tell you now they are wrong! This is a Flash film through and through! I love that we have different superheroes and just treat them as a feature of the film, just like Batfleck in the first half his character was there then he was done and we got Keaton Batman and by the end, we have Clooney Batman and that was it, and because of this, it makes the world/universe much more alive for me because of multiple Batmans versions that we got in it.
Yes, Nic Cage is in the film and I love the part of what he was in the movie. There could be potential for a spinoff of his character in DCU if Gunn plays this right.
Go watch it if you're a big DC fanboy like me.
Well, they actually managed to make a decent The Flash movie, and without Grant Gustin too. Ezra Miller is back again as Barry Allen despite the controversies that surround them, but I hope you can forget or ignore that fact for about 2,5 hours (it's hard), because this movie is super fun. Now for the pluses and minuses:
2.5 hours is pretty long, but while watching it, I forgot that. The story unfolds with good pace and (almost) never a dull moment.
I love both Affleck and Keaton's performance as the caped crusader. Especially Keaton, he still got it! I felt the same joy as back then when I was a kid watching Tim Burton's Batman.
Sasha Calle rocks! While she only appeared in the last half of the movie, her Supergirl is much, much better than I expected.
Cameos. and a lot of them. Yes this can be seen as fan service as their appearance don't really affect the story much, but boy I was super excited and screaming internally watching that one particular scene. Good thing I avoided all the spoilers in the internet.
Still a better multiverse movie than the latest Dr.Strange
Billy Crudup doesn't return as Henry Allen. It's a shame since he did a good job back in JL movie.
There're some "wut" and "aw come on!" scenes, still fun and interesting though.
The soundtrack is just okay. I still love Zack Snyder's JL more. So many epic moments elevated by the majestic score, but I don't feel the same when watching The Flash.
My final rating : 7.5/10
Yeah, this movie was fun. This is the best way to describe the positives. Regardless of how you feel about Ezra Miller as an actual person, his portrayal of Barry is very likable and he killed it by playing two of them. And the humor is quite good. I (and a bunch of others in the theatre) laughed a good amount of times, it was charming. That also applies to action which is well-shot and creative.
I am very much looking forward to Andy making the Batman movie if the rumors are true. His camerawork is nothing but amazing, I loved it. Really excited for the action Gunn and Andy can bring to the DCU. The CGI is also most of the time a clear non-issue unless you pay extra attention to it. The only time where I think it becomes distracting and uncanny is the cameos, but that takes place in the speed force so I can live with Andy’s argument here. However, uncanny cameos don't come close to ruining this movie as many people pretend it, although I'm sure none of them actually watched the movie. So let me state it clearly: I think the Flash is well-shot, looks a few times bad, but most of the time very good. There are a lot of scenes where color and lighting are very well-utilized. Personally, I have some gripes with the aesthetic of the speed force though, but maybe we can improve it in the DCU. The DCU is the perfect opportunity to overhaul the aesthetic and make something better.
If there is one thing I think could've been better, it is definitely the emotional gravitas. I think the script is solid, but there is just too much content to expand on the theme properly, but Barry's characterization also feels rushed. I think previous movies could've established that better, and this movie instead could have expanded more on Keaton's Batman and also Supergirl, because they also have regrets and scars from the past. Supergirl generally is criminally underutilized in this movie. This movie felt super short, to be honest. I guess I was well entertained because it didn't feel like I sat in there for 2,5 hours and there is so much they could've expanded on. Also, I liked the Andy cameo.
So yeah, overall, fun and charming experience, however, the movie ultimately feels rushed. Too much content crammed into one movie. The general theme of regrets and moving on is very good, but the movie didn't live up to its potential. In a DCU which has proper build-up between different movies and series, I think Andy can make something truly magical.
Despite the glowing advance reviews, "The Flash" is not the best superhero film of all time, the year, or even the month. But it is definitely a good movie overall. The humor is mostly spot on, the effects are impressive, and Ezra Miller is consistently convincing in the lead role. Michael Keaton still fits the Batman mantle pretty well, and Sasha Calle also delivers an excellent first impression as Supergirl. On top of that, of course, there are some neat cameos.
The pacing of the film isn't bad, either. It starts with a really entertaining sequence before the time travel plot picks up speed. The plot is comprehensible throughout and, above all, not as overly convoluted as in many other genre representatives. However, "The Flash" also has the usual problem of similar stories, that the fate of the characters never really gets to your heart, since it is not crucial for the "canon" anyway. But there is no such thing in the dying DCU anyway. In addition, there is not really a good villain, but then again, none was really needed here.
Overall, I would say that "The Flash" is neither a good conclusion to the old DCEU nor a good transition into the new DCU. You can still have a good time at the cinema, though, as the film works on its own and should appeal to fans of old DC works as well.
I can't describe how emotional I am
I was there since the announcement of the show even before the pilot episode aired
and now to see it end is very very sad
the episode was honestly disappointing and felt rushed
instead of giving us the boring and rushed Red Death arc
they should've done what they did in this episode by bringing all the previous speedsters and focus on beating them throughout the last season.. honestly beating these villains in 5 minutes when they were a bigger threat in previous seasons doesn't make any sense and downplay their danger
You're telling me that Allegra one-shot Reverse Flash!! WTF they were thinking.. also Zoom the guy who humiliated Barry got one-shot from Khione with her useless pet Mark not to mention Savitar getting stabbed by Nora after 1 sec of fighting her.. boy don't make me go off on Cecile and her inconsistent power where she was psychic slapping God Speed
they planned the last season wrong which made it feel really weird, rushed and inconsistent but tbh my hopes was already low so I just enjoyed the nostalgia of watching Barry run for the last time
Finally we reached the end of the Arrowverse. Something that true fans who kept watching from S1 on all shows, have been asking for years. It seems kind of a contradiction, but the truth is that seeing how bad the writing kept becoming from season to season, we just wanted to give a decent ending. And tbh, i don't even know if Flash got it. The whole battle against the evil speedsters seemed not only random; but taking count that in the past it took "the team" a whole season to "defeat" them, seeing here that they were owned in about two second by SIDEKICKS that aren't even speedsters, felt as the overall shit we have been getting for the past few years. Also, sidenote, Cecile can fly now, because why not. The writers already gave her like 200 powers, why not flying. If they have kept making seasons, in the next one she probably would have replaced Clark Kent as Superman. The only good thing this episode did, was returning Caitlin to the team, after just "accepting" that Caitlin was dead and just seemed like nobody gave a flying fuck. The rest of the episode was as bad the rest; again defeating the big bad by shaking hands and "reaching to an agreement". Anyway, I'm glad that at least they gave an ending, even if it was a bad one. By far, the best ending was Arrow's; and it's a shame since Flash was my favourite. Goodbye Arrowverse, we will miss the good crossovers and the good first couple of seasons that made us love you; and we will try to forget the rest.
The face off and battle between the kids and the parents is so powerful. Yes, the parents out rank the kids and can probably out manuever them, as seen when Tina takes the staff off Nico and negates Chase's gauntlets. But the kids are also an evolution from their parents (love the surprised/shocked looked on the parents to see what their kids really are), as we see from Karolina and Molly. They are a little more than their parents, and they have a passion behind their actions, as opposed to their parents drive for the status quo.
In comes Jonah, who outranks all of them, the real mastermind behind Pride and easily out strongs the kids, shooting them back with his powers. But even then, the kids literally get back up, dust themselves off and move forward as a group, ready to take on the evil that is probably bigger and stronger than them, but they do it anyway (much to the fears of their parents), because like all youth, they have hope for a better tomorrow. And that is powerful.
And here comes the ultimate Harry Potter moment, as Karolina faces off against Jonah in a power and power showdown. (i love this moment, cause Karolina is putting herself on the line in order to save her friends, and if that isn't love, i don't know what is)
OMG, they are heading into the observatory! Finally!!! One for all and All for One.
Teen regroup: Save Karolina. Parents Regroup: Shit! We're screwed. What else didn't we know.
Love the bonding moment between Chase and Nico as they dicsuss their love lives, or lack their off.
AAAAHHHH!!!! Their finally in their comic looks!!!! And with the difference in styles/time between the comics and now, it's great that they find the clothes at a Thrift shop. (Old Lace and Arsenic reference!!!! I really do love the writers) And we also have the white van!
I love that with all the world-ending shit going on, Nico, Chase and Gert manage to get some "they like you, do you like them?" time in. It's good to keep a balance apocalyptic and romance life. Saving the world doesn't matter unless you have a reason to save it.
WIth the parents finally realizing that they've been played by Jonah, epically, and that their kids are in major danger, it's interesting how each one of them reacts and tries to save their kids and figure out what Jonah is really up to....
Shit, Tina finds out that Karolina's mom knew how and why Amy died. She's the one that tried to warn Amy about running. Agh, this just way more complicated.
Damn it Frank!!! You fucking idiot. You and your massive Hollywood size ego and needing to feel big and powerful. Of course out of all the parents, you are the one that least understands what Jonah is and the most willing to help him.
The Wilders trying to save the kids by calling the cops on them for the death of their sacrifice (great use of the comic plot point) and getting them out of the reach of Jonah, but of course the kids don't know this. They just think their parents are villains. They have no clue that all the parents ever did was pave the road to hell with good intentions, not realizing that Jonah was the devil. And now their sins have come home to take their children.
fave lines: "its also my first day without my emotional support dinasour... I'll be fine." - Gert
Visual: love the shot of the kids infront of the bus Depot, all in their comic outfits. And Final shot as the kids "run." while we see the paper of LA's next earthquake... way to foreshadow season 2!
And the shit has hit the fan big time... Victor is dead or dying, and Pride needs to clean up the mess. To complicate matters, Victor was shot with Robert's gun, who Victor gave to Janet. And everything happened infront of Chase. The parents truing to fix things without having jonah find out....
meanwhile Molly has been sent away for her own protection, and her reaction is the most heartbreaking thing ever!!
Finally all the threads that have been weaveing are all coming together... the world of Pride and the world of the kids is crashing together and it's going to explode. Desperate times call for desperate measure.... Frank was brought into Pride to save Victor. Yeah, I know. Frank?! And you know he's going to fuck it.
oh Gert, I love how perceptive she is to Karoline's secret. And how happy it makes her to know Karolina is not into Chase.
Shit, Jonah knows... thanks Tina. So he;s going to fix it, but use Chase's mom as the sacrifice.... yeah, Chase is not going to be happy about that. OMG this is intense!!! I know we are losing focus on the kids, but I really like the parents getting to be in the shoes we usually think for the kids, being out of their depth and freaking out, almost turning on each other, cause here Jonah is the "grown up", the one wiht the leverage.
To make amends for his failures, Robert volunteers to be the sacrifice to save Victor, but Tina would have none of it, desroying the box that could save Victor. And drama level goes up to 1000 as Leslie gets ready for a throwdown with Tina (she even removes an earing as she gets ready to pounce)..... I would pay some serious money to see that catfight...
Meanwhile, Alex has found what Amy had found that lead to her death. And Molly is off trying to find a link to her parents. The storyline for the kids is still being threaded, the pieces are still being searched for and trying to figure out how they go together.
As Alex says, they;ve been asking why their parents do the sacrifices, but they still don't understand what is going on... Chase, who has seen what Pride is up to and know his dad's well being is connected to them, is unsure about revaling what their parents were up to...
But we also get closer to seeing that Amy found out about Jonah and what Pride was up to... and she paid the price... This is why the parents are trying to keep the kids as far away as possible from this and also trying to make sure Jonah never finds out... they already lost one...they don't want to lose another
Pride was created by the Devil for his eternal life... in this case the Devil is Jonah. He laveshed them with what they wanted and all they had to do is sell their souls (and make ritual sacrifices) for him. And now they don't have any choice but to serve him.... And on a sidenote.... Holy shit! Karolina is his kid!!!!
It's rare to see Nico being happy and her outbursting joy when her mother teaches her to use the staff is a treat. After all the seperation from her parents and the gaping wounds, seeing Nico and her mother reach toward each other and bond over magic/science, it's healing their relationship.
The more Karolina looks into her grandfather's painting about the beings of light, the more I feel that it is all connected to Jonah... planting the seeds for future episodes. And more seeds were planted when Chase's mom receives a gun from her lover, as protection against Victor's rage. This will not end well. Feel like these two are plants for bigger story points later.
Love that all the kids made a pack to uncover their parents secrets... just like the parents made a pact to keep each others' secrets. And both groups have so much relationship drama. Life doesn't change much from high school to parenthood. It's stil about the relationships we have with each other and family. A special moment was the kids agreeing to work toward uncovering their parents, it was very scooby-doo of them.
I love everything about the montage scene of Nico and Karolina getting ready for the Gala.... Nico and Karolina getting ready together... so gay... so gay... Love it. Did they really need to dress each other, like was this really necessary... probably not, but I love it anyway. Remind me of a live action version of Princess Bubblegum and Marceline. "I wasn;t trying to make you glow"... gay... "I wasn't trying to make you ashamed (of glowing)" gay subtext. "Now that I know I'm a total freak. Who I really am. Honest about who I want to be with"... gay subtext. Plus the music. So gay. And i love it!!! Please let them be canon.
Go Gert! Love she is the one that confronts Karolina about being into Nico, but she is all so you can have Chase. And she's like noooo... Gert is still in denial and so is Karolina. Karolina grabbing the Vodka bottle... #mood.
Also, love the LCD Soundsystem song they use as the kids work their plans and non plans at the party. Also, been loving all the songs from the show. Kudos to the music supervisor.
Oh and Chase kisses Karolina, but poor Karolina, she was just not into it. Cause she gay.
And the drama has hit the main stage. Everyone now knows about the affair. The secrets are coming out.
Seems like the brain cancer is part of what has made Chase's dad violent and erradic behavior.
Ah, this episode so much happening.... and now the Wilder's know Molly knows about what goes on in Pride.
Having the Gala is a great way to get all the kids' drama and all the parents' drama in one place and watch it EXPLODE!
"If by science you mean high tech magic, then fine." Nico about the staff.
"Support your loca girl gang."
The truth about their parents has finally hit the kids and it was a freaking freight train. The worst thought about their parents has come true: the grownups are resposible for the deaths of teenage runaways for more than fifteen years. And for Karolina there is the added layer of knowing her holier-than-thou mother has been using the church to supply the scarifices. It is a moral and spiritual betrayal for Karolina.
The scene where Karolina kinda breaks infront of Nico, once the reality of their parents had settled in, Nico reassures the blonde that they've got each other and they're gonna figure it out. Sealing the moment with a comforting hug, but Karolina holds the moment a bit longer, we see the expression on her face change from "thank you" to "okay, wow, this feels nice, can I please stay here a while longer" as she closes her eyes and breaths Nico in. Beatiful and I ship it!
Meanwhile, Chase is working with his dad, finally getting to spend some bonding time with him. We see that under all that anger and fear, Chase really only wants his dad to love him. For his dad to see him. It's a hard moment. Even kids who are abused by their parents, also want to be accepted by them. We also learn that Chase is a very smart kid, takes after his parents, but like very smart kids, sometimes the repetition and structure of schools bores kids into subpar or above avg grades. Really smart kids want flexibility to explore and freedom to move at their own pace and interest.
And to make matters worse, Alex has been kidnapped by his father's past. We learn the source of the Wilder's fortune/wealth, and it is paved with betrayal. Now that betrayal has come for payment with interest. Papa Wilder comes to the rescue in a blaze of bullets, forcing to show Alex who he has always been, now the question is will Alex deal with it.
The crew saving Alex was amazing!!! Seeing everyone with the abilities and weapons. The team working together, each pitching in to save their friend, their family. The group finally seeing Molly's super strength!!!!! This is everything I had hoped for when the series was announced. Nothing about it felt cheesy or force, but a defining moment for the group. I also love that they react like teenagers, they are gushing and fangirling each other and how cool/awesome their abilities are! This is the moment where they accept their crusade of fighting against their parents and finally feeling like they got a shot against them with their powers/abilities as a gift.
And in a moment that is heartbreaking, Karolina walks in on Nico hooking up with Alex. The camera has Alex and Nico breakapart to show Karolina in the background, an expression of heartbreak she wasn't expecting. My poor, sweet rainbow child.
Meanwhile, the parents are trying to contain the damage and fallout of their failed sacrifice, finding a new victim to restore the creepy, scaly thing in the white room. But it seems that all the parents are doing these days is damage control (Papa Wilder dealing with his past, Minorus dealing with a broken relationship, The Yorkes trying to protect the girls from the danger of Pride, etc). How much more chaos can Pride endure before it reaches critical levels, destroying them and their families.
And the ep ending! Victor has brain cancer! Is this why she is violent and unpredictable? And the white scaly guy is the same one who gave the Wilder's their wealth 18 yrs before, but he hasn't aged? WTF!
Music Moment: Karilona's breakdown in her bedroom. I just want to wrap her up in a blanket and protect her. Also great music piece. Def a favorite moment.
The greatest line: "none of our parents are who we thought, but they're still our parents". Love that the kids are having to deal with seeing their parents as human, flawed and not the heroes or villains we often see them as. The kids are having to renegotiate their relationships and perceptions of their parents. To see them for who they are, and can they still love them for the flawed people they are. The price of that is often pain, anger, betrayal and unanswered question. And sometimes answers to questions we never wanted to ask.
Fav lines: "what is that thing?I don't know but I think I'm in love" Nico talkign about the staff. It's magical and she loves it!
Shit! Amy commited suicide! Fuck. Nico found her and the parents covered it up. But Nico knows. Why did Amy do it? Did Amy find out about Pride? Or was it something else? Mental health issues? From the opening and the little that has been mentioned of it, seems like it came out of nowhere. She showed no signs of depression or suicidal thoughts.
The FaceTime group chat is a perfect example of update/change the writers made to make the enviorment contemporary. The comics were written in the mid 2000s, tech has evolved tremendously since then. It's also a perfect example of the group dynamics and how at ease they are at calling each other out and their BS. You don't do that unless you are comfortable with other people getting upset or bothered by you but know it won't make them love you any less.
Victor is having mental issues or a mental breakdown, in the form of hallucinations, and I think it might be connected with his invention(s). Could it be from exposure to the tech?
I'm here for Chase betting the shit out of sexual predators, especially whey they are the so called "cool kids" everyone wants to be. It's not calling up people, esp friends, when they are being predators that helps perpetuate rape culture. On the flip side, it's hearbreaking to see Karolina finding out that she was almost sexually assaulted and can't remember a thing cause she was trying to have fun. It's hearbreaking to see the realization of what could have happened, what she doesn't remember and had no control over. This is the feelings you have when you realize you have no agency, and in a vulnerable situation, and how others will violate that vulnerability. And worse, seeing other people esp girls blame her for the sins of the guys. As if she had done everything on purpose to get with the jocks.
Who is the dude covered in white scabs? Is he connected to Karolina? What is Pride doing for him? Why does he need those sacrifices? So many questions.
It's interesting to see the different reaction the kids are having to their parents. We have a range of wanting to believe they are innocent (Gert and Karolina) to knowing they are guilty (Nico and Chase) and the other two fall in between, Though Alex goes with Nico because he wants to support her and Molly just feels like an outsider. I think it's very telling about the kind of relationships they have with their parents.
Karolina and Gert with Chase in the doorway... reminds me of the Faking Love Triangle, also involving Gregg Sulkin. One of the evolving relationships I love is the friendship between Karolina and Gert, which is such a contrast to their woman-vs-woman relationship they had at ep one. It reminds me of those friendship who turn sour when they get jealous of what the other has, no realizing that they care for each other. I'm here for positive, healthy female friendship. On the flipside, I like how caring Chase is with both girls, though I know he likes both of them, and it's obvious Gert has a HUGE crush on him, but I'm not so sure Karolina likes him like that too. (sidenote: I love Karolina's BlueJumper with the pink sweater. Very cute.)
Great reveal of Karolina's powers. It's a great bonding moment for Chase and Karolina. Is this a setup for a possible hookup between them?
I love Molly. Precious small child, smol but strong. Having her encounter the dinosaur is the best reveal. She's been out of the loop for the most part, and now the loop has found her, but with it she has also embraced her powers. Then having Gert figure out she can control the dinosaur while trying to protect precious Molly. And then their parents walk in. LOL.
Love that Chase is the one who builts the Fistigons, instead of stealing them from his dad. Again, another storypoint change that brings depth to the characters and adds to the story. But on another level, we see the fear Chase has when his dad orders him around in the lab when he is found there without his permission. A fear that comes from years of abuse. Chase knows he is bigger than his dad, but the fear ingraned by years of abuse, his instinct is fear. Props to Gregg for being able to convey the fear of abuse while being twice the size of Marsden.
SFX: Are better than I expected. Karolina's glowing skin looks really cool and Gert's Dinasour looks amazing. Really wasn't expecting this quality of effects from a Hulu show.
Kudos writers. They are taking everything they can from each line, page and episode. No second is wasted. Nothing is just simply filler. All is adds to the story, to the deepening of the characters and the relationships. Even the silent moments are all beats that add. Also kudos to the director (and editor) who are able to weave the page to screen with such grace. Kudos again.
Also let me mention how much I love the music for this show. Def adding MANY of the tracks to my Spotify Library.
Great episode. So much happened! OMG, the kids are getting closer to finding out the parents secrets: Gert has found that her parents illegally made a dinosaur and Karolina finds out her mom gets the girls that are killed, while Nico and Alex found the criminal behaviour of their parents.
This episode gives us a closer look into the lives of each family (earlier in the day before the kids got to school), but also a closer look at the lives of the parents.... The ep shows us what we saw from the kids in the pilot, but this time via the lens of the parents. It's a mirror episode of the pilot from the parents perspective.
Again, I'm glad that the writers have taken time to flesh out these characters. The adults are also dealing with shit... the stuff that comes with aging, (deadend career, parenting, infidelity, growing apart, etc). Though the pace feels slower cause we've already been though here before, it's great that they are fleshing out the parents. This was one of my issues with the comics, that the parents felt too flat and we only saw them as villains, rather than people who are dealing with their own things, and being an adult is still figuring things out. Shit doesn't stop happening after you stop being a teenager. Drama, problems and uncertainty keep following you around for the rest of your life, it never goes away.
The ritual ceremony was very intense... i like how the tense moments between the relationships and their relationship to pride...Feels like none of them want to be a part of Pride. Wonder what is their reason behind them being in Pride. What has driven them to the ritualistic murder of teenagers.
This episode is so tense!!! Everything screams suspense and mystery. Has a very different tone from the comics, which was much more about the teens... and I like this. It feels more polished and well rounded. Kinda reminds me of what Riverdale has done with the Archie comics.
Even though we are following the same timeline as the pilot, we get a very different tone to it; while the kid focused episode felt sad and sad, almost a little disjointed, very much in line with being a teenager, the grown ups version is full of tension, like the tension you have as a grownup cause you feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders and your decisions.
We meet up back with the current time line as the kids cover up their tresspassing and make their parents believe all is right.... I'm really glad the kids don't runaway immediately. Again, an issue I had with the comics and them moving too fast. Great way to end the episode with the lullaby playing as we check in with all the kids. Overall good episode.
Just like the other three finales, Hawkeye's final episode turns out to be more personal and less focused on big reveals, much to it's benefit. This is a blast of an episode, and manages to find it's footing in the midst of all of the moving parts to find a grand unifying theme of found family and shared loss. All of our major players here save Clint - Kate, Yelena, Maya, and even the LARPers to an extent - all have found their homes not in their blood relatives but in those they come to find to be family. Kate's ultimate rejection of her mother in their final moments together cements that theme and I really love how messy that is. Not every family is good, some just kind of suck and unfournately Kate's isn't really that great. As for Clint's side, his confrontation with Yelena is one of his best scenes in the entirety of the MCU, mainly for how much you really get to see Jeremy Renner showcase his acting chops. This is a tired, tired man who is sick of the fighting, and seeing him only restrain Yelena as he is nearly beaten to death is hard to watch - and it only makes their subsequent talk over the impact that Natasha had all the more impactful.
Oh, and how could I forget about Vincent D'Onofrio as our favourite crime lord himself? While certainly not here for long, he slips right back into the role like he never left, and while certainly toned down from his Daredevil days (an impossible to avoid side effect of being in a more lighthearted, family friendly show like Hawkeye), he's still the Kingpin we know and love, and his physical acting is impeccable. Especially love how beefier he is like in the comics, beefy Kingpin is best Kingpin. Excellent finale!
[6.8/10] So many of these finales are so overstuffed. There’s just too much going on, and not enough down-to-earth moments amid the bombast to make it all hang together. This is a problem which has afflicted most of the MCU shows to date (with the noteworthy exception of Loki), and I’m already a little tired of it.
At first, I enjoyed the chaos of this one. When Eleanor Bishop’s big ball is going down, you have a tone of, well, balls in the air. Clint and Kate are on the scene. They’ve brought their LARPer friends to back them up. Jack is out of jail. Maya/Echo has turned on her mob affiliates. Kazi is playing sniper. Kingpin is pulling the strings. The Tracksuits are on the scene. Eleanor herself is poking around the place. Yelena is still hunting down Clint. With so many intersecting circles, there’s fun that can be had.
But it turns into one giant clusterfuck. Streamlining these events down to a few key points might have helped make them work. But such as it is, the season finale for Hawkeye is just too much. The constant cuts between various interconnected storylines doesn’t make it hard to follow exactly. “So This Is Christmas?” isn’t exactly Twin Peaks in terms of making it puzzling to know what’s going on. But it does leave the episode feeling disjointed.
It breaks down to a few key one-on-ones. Maya squares off with her boyfriend/betrayer, Kazi, and god help me, I just don’t care. Maya was an interesting character in her introduction, but Kazi’s a big nothing. We’ve barely seen the two of them together, so him choosing the mob over her, or feeling like he can’t escape from it, while she implores him to bail on it with her, doesn’t aeey the weight the show wants it to.
By contrast, past events give the interactions between Clint and Yelen greater meaning. I like what the show’s trying to do here. These are the two people most connected to Natasha, the ones who are both still processing her death in many ways. Having them fight but ultimately commiserate with one another is a good tack. Unfortunately, the dialogue is stock and the back-and-forth between them is rote. The moment isn’t as powerful as it ought to be, and it’s not some failure in conception or in performance from two talented actors. The show just can’t write or stage their heart-to-heart in a way that maximizes the potential of the two people still grieving Black Widow coming together.
LAst and maybe least, I got nothing out of Kate confronting her mother and fighting Kingpin. There's potential in the mom stuff, particularly in Kate’s sense that her mom went too far with all the deceit and urder, and Eleanor’s standard “I made hard choices for us” defense. But it’s too brief and underexplored. Maybe there’s room for more later, but it felt awfully abrupt for arguably the central relationship for Kate.
Likewise, all the Kingpin stuff is underbaked. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Kingpin in the Netflix Daredevil show and it’s a thrill to see D’Onorio in the MCU proper. But Fisk is too underdeveloped in this show to matter beyond the cachet of the character from other stories. The show does its best to tie him into events the audience has already seen, but it feels perfunctory and underfed. Bringing him back just to (presumably) fake kill him off seems dumb. And while it’s compelling to see him shrug off arrows and seem superhuman, his fight with Kate leaves much to be desired.
This is all before a ton of unbelievable crap happens in the finale. Look, this is a superhero story. A certain amount of heightened reality is the cost of doing business. Maybe it’s just the reverse-halo effect of the less-compelling parts of this one’s story casting a shadow over other elements of the production. But Kate falling several stories and not having so much as a scratch, Clint tumbling from the Rockefeller Center tree and being no worse for wear, and a strange friendly owl in the middle of all this, the show exhausted my willing suspension of disbelief.
So what works in this one What’s already worked on the show. Kate and Yelena remain great together, and the combination of their friendly banter and the best-in-the-episode fight ements them as the true highlight of this one. Likewise, the friendship between Kate and Clint has really blossomed over these six episodes. There’s some “yada yada yada”-ing as to how they get there, but watching them construct trick arrows is fun, hearing Clint warn Kate about this life but call her his partner is heartening and seeing the original Hawkeye bring the new one home to meet his family is sweet. I’m not 100% sold on the two of them as a team, but I’m most of the way there.
Hell, there’s even a few surprises. Once it’s revealed that Tony Dalton’s Jack Duquense is essentially a good guy, he’s a hoot. I’m definitely interested in seeing more of him in the MCU, and by god, somebody ought to cast Dalton as Gomez Addams.
Overall, Hawkeye and its finale fall squarely into the “fine but unspectacular” category. There’s enough here, chiefly in Kate’s relationships with Yelena and Clint, to make it worth watching. And there’s enough, in Kate’s complicated relationship with her parents and Clint’s complicated relationship to his superhero past, especially Natasha, to give it some gravitas. But there’s nothing so unique or compelling here to make it a must-watch or indelible part of the MCU. The series isn’t a complete miss, but it’s definitely a bit off the mark.
(All that said, I’m intrigued at the hint that Clint’s wife, Laura, is a current/former Shield agent, and I love love loved the glimpse we got of Rogers: The Musical, particularly the silly commitment to the bit.)
After some of the big emotional beats that permeated all of last episode, Hawkeye decides to step back and focus on another character in particular this time around - specifically that of Yelena Belova, the standout from Black Widow this past summer and her experiences during and after The Blip. In fact, Natasha's ghost is felt throughout this entire episode, and while it's called "Ronin" it's clear that Jonathan Igla and his writing staff is more interested in how somebody like Barton became the Ronin rather then the persona itself. Grief has been a consistent theme throughout Phase 4 and here it's clear that grief, once again, is what propelled Clint to do what he did and continues to rule over his entire life. Both him and Maya are two sides of the same coin in that regard and their scene together (plus a great action beat) is an easy highlight here.
But yeah, this is Yelena's episode to lose, and her interactions with Kate are the easy standout here. Florence Pugh is great as per expected, and while this episode doesn't shine visually or even camerawork wise like some of the prior episodes it's got some strong writing. Really love Yelena's almost nonchalant attitude towards talking to somebody who was fighting her just a couple of hours prior, and her comedic timing is impeccable here. The reveal at the end is also a gamechanger, not just for the show itself with our new mastermind unveiled but also for the rest of the MCU as the possibilities of who can show up and when has officially changed - let me tell you, I nearly screamed. Top tier stuff once again from Marvel.
I'm tired of stories that tell and don't show. Yet none of this rubs me the wrong way as much as character arcs. You see, in many MCU media, there are character arcs where the writers are only concerned with moving from Point A to Point B. The problem is that they disregard the middle part, the journey from Point A to B. And if you've heard the saying "it's about the journey, not the destination", you might understand what I mean.
Well, this episode went against this trend!
After a fun montage with Clint and Kate, Clint starts opening up to Kate for the first time—it's beautiful. Not only does he call himself a weapon, but he reveals that he doesn't want anyone else to die because of him.
"He doesn't bend over backwards to see himself as 'defending' anything. He knows what he's done and what he can do. There are no illusions to cling to. But what I like about this attitude is that it actually extends to his actions afterward." — Film Crit Hulk
For Clint, this episode has some great character work! Not only is his previous screen time reincorporated in this series, but it becomes his motivation and goal.
"There’s this clean clarity in that he knows his Ronin past will haunt him, but he’s not going to ever put that guilt ahead of a future with his family. He’s simply taking responsibility for it." — Film Crit Hulk
Anyway, this is a solid episode! Hopefully, the show keeps this up!
Clint: "I really appreciate what you did tonight,"
feels like an earned line and
Clint: "Prioritize a quick exit over a quick entrance,"
is great advice! Thanks, Clint!
Re: boomerang trick arrow: "You'd have to dodge." Oh, Kate.
Why can't I take happy Vera Farmiga seriously?
Nat is such a crucial part of Clint and the show despite everything. And I am all for it. The talk about Clint's "best shot"/the one he didn't take had me tearing up. It also took me a while to realize that that pause Clint had when reaching down for Kate was a call out to their Endgame scene, but when I did, god damn it.
Yelena's BW moves, oh yeah! Wish it didn't end there. I wanted her to beat their asses lol. I do like that Yelena zipped Kate up before dropping her off the side of the building (that was homicidally sweet of her) because she was there just for Clint.
I'd really like for Clint to at least know of Yelena, like when she finally tells him why she's after him, that she's doing it for her sister, he'll know and just go "Yelena?" or something. She's supposed to be one of the most important people to Nat, next to her found fam Avengers, and since Clint's her bff and she knew about his family, it would make sense that he would know about hers. Since there was never really any allusion to Yelena before the BW movie, I feel like we need this for some continuity.
[7.8/10] My favorite episode of the show so far. “Partners, Am I Right?” finally delivers the lived-in, layered dynamic between Clint and Kate that I’ve been wanting, while also delivering some top flight action, and making Kate’s family situation compelling for the first time in the series.
I’ll confess, I abhor the schmuck bait from the end of the last episode. If you’re going to have Jack hold a sword to Clint’s neck, it’s pretty cheap to immediately deflect into one big misunderstanding when you start this one.
Still, I’m willing to forgive it because the interactions between the assmeled are legitimately good here. I don’t know what the cinch is exactly, but Tony Dalton’s Jack is more recognizable as someone wearing the masque of the genteel bumbler while hiding a sinister side beneath. Likewise, I initially thought Eleanor took her daughter teaming up with an Avenger a little too much in stride (maybe it was just being starstruck.) And yet, the show assuaged my fears, having her take Clint aside and basically tell him “Don’t get my daughter mixed up i this dangerous shit.” There’s a patina of realism in this heightened reality in that. I’m increasingly suspicious that Eleanor herself may be involved in some malfeasance, rather than being hoodwinked by Jack, but it’s still nice to see her responding to all of this the way a mother might.
If that weren’t enough, II love love love the scene of Kate showing up to Clint’s place to spend the holiday together. It gives us a reason to like Kate a little more -- she has empathy for her would-be partner, knowing he’s been through a lot and wanting to make sure he’s not alone at a difficult time. In the same way, it makes us like the two of them together more too. The way they banter about trick shots and trick arrows, shuffle through holidays movies, and come up with plans using what turn out to not be dry erase markers is funny and endearing.
Things get serious too though. I’ll admit I forgot that, in the right hands, Jeremy Renner can be a damn good actor. As much as I enjoy the MCU, he hasn’t always had the chance to show that. But hearing him talk about sparing Natasha when he found her, processing what he’s lost and the depths he fell into when he became Ronin is powerful. Some of that’s thanks to the writing, which is better across the board here. But a lot of it comes down to Renner’s performance, which makes Clint an open wound who’s still living with his pain and trying to warn Kate off from it. Seeing him confide in her a bit, open up to her a little, helps cement the partnership in the episode’s title.
After indulging in some of the slack tide hangout vibe that, vitally, let’s us get to know these characters and see them together when they’re not adventuring, the episode also provides them each with solid missions and objectives. Clint strongarms Echo’s lieutenant, Kazi, with a persuasive argument that Maya’s personal vendetta against Ronin is a losing battle that’s going to lose both her and Kazi standing in the eyes of “the Boss.” For her part, Kate gets her own amusing set of interactions with the Larpers, using the connection to retrieve the trick arrows and secure themselves the studio/merchandise-mandated new costumes. One is dramatic and convincing, the other is fun and light, and it’s a good balance. (Hello Thanos fans!)
But the climax of the episode pays things off in a big way. Snooping through Maya’s apartment and discovering that she’s after Clint’s family ups the stakes here. There’s a threat here that goes beyond Clint himself putting his life on the line. The set piece itself is strong, with too many quick cuts for my taste, as usual, but a lot of hard-hitting action and neat wrinkles like Kate's ziplining adventure to liven things up.
There’s the added benefit of making this a four-way fight where who’s on whose side isn’t necessarily clear. Clint and Kate are a team, of course, but Echo has her own agenda, as does the Widow sent after our hero. The shifting alliances, coupled with Clint’s efforts to keep Kate out of harm’s way, makes for a unique dynamic to the fight.
Plus hey! Yelena! It’s nice to see Hawkeye paying off the tag from Black Widow. The debut is well-handled, with the masked assassin fighting like a widow and giving hints of who she is before the reveal happens. At the same, Yelena’s presence is a complicating factor, in a good way. She’s the sister of someone Clint is still mourning, and as he tells Kate, her mere presence means business has picked up. If Clint’s going to keep his word to Eleanor and stop Kate from falling into serious danger, then he has to dissolve their partnership almost as soon as it truly begins. That’s good stuff, which serves both the plot and the characters.
Overall, this is a winner of an outing which kicks things into gear. The dynamic between Kate and clint has never been clearer or more compelling or more endearing, and with connections to other events across the MCU, we’re getting meaningful developments for Clint as he processes the events of Endgame, while orienting Kate within a wider world.
We were gonna reach a boiling point for Clint and Kate at some point, and having it here is probably the smartest choice they could have made. While not a lot of progress is made on the overarching mystery (outside of confirming some small details), the real treat is all of the strong, strong character work being done here for pretty much the entire cast. Clint in particular I think stands out here as the real treat - the PTSD of his time as Ronin, as well as the death of Natasha, still cast a shadow over the entire series and I love how the show is making that the main emotional hook for him to overcome here.
Just as interesting too is how the show continues to handle Kate, whose naive attitude towards crimefighting and lack of planning is starting to really backfire. The final argument that occurs, a hot kettle of these two opposing arcs clashing with each other, really works because of that, and the action scene that proceeds it - which features a wonderful four way battle including a really great surprise - uses that backdrop for strong emotional beats and great choreography. Cinematography is aces as well here. Still absolutely in love with Hawkeye, and with two episodes left to go I'm eagerly awaiting what they have next.
[7.8/10] This is some bigtime business! The meeting among the Empire’s big luminaries (hello Aftermath fans!), and our heroes trying to infiltrate the titular summit in order to get a bead on Crosshair’s location, feels appropriately momentous for the penultimate episode of the season.
I was particularly impressed by the action set pieces here. If you’ve been watching Star Wars as long as I have, you become a bit inured to the big blockbuster sequences. For the animated shows in particular, they encounter a dose of fireworks every week given the comparative ease of conveying action in the medium, so it’s hard to get too excited.
But the show did a good job of laying out the stakes for the big tram ride to Tarkin’s fortress. The narrow window, the dangers below, and the chances that Wrecker freaks out a bit all make it feel like a big deal when they’re able to hang their way into the facility.
Likewise, Omega sneaking around the Imperial base to try to tag Dr. Hemlock’s ship with stormtroopers all around is shot and composed in a way where it’s easy to feel her panic at being penned in by the bad guys. Echo working to create a good distraction, and Wrecker coming in to save her at last minute shows good creativity in setting up the risks and solutions here. One of the best parts of this one is that it gives us a sense of the Bad Batch that started the series (minus Crosshair) all working together in perfect harmony, which is always nice to see.
And hey, a bad guy summit comes with a certain inherent thrill. Getting Stephen Stanton back as Tarkin is great, and having Ben Mendolson reprise his role as Krennic is a pleasant surprise, even if he doesn’t get much to do here. The group debating what to do with the clones ties into the season’s themes, features a callback to the events of The Clone Wars, and shows that at least one Imperial bigwig cares about the fate of the clones. (Though he sounded suspiciously like Rex? Who knows.)
But the big deal here, of course, is our heroes running into Saw Gerrera. Once more, I’m convinced that this could be the endgame for The Bad Batch given the bookend quality of him returning for the first time since the series premiere and talking about Clone Force 99 having taken his advice.
More than that, though, I like the philosophical clash, where the Bad Batch wants to use this summit to help track down Crosshair and maybe get a bunch of vital info to help the greater cause of freedom, while Saw just wants to take out the Imperials and damn the missed opportunities or the fact that they’ll just be replaced. It’s in keeping with what we’ve seen of the Partisans in other media, and I like the impact here.
I’ll confess, I’m not too worried about the good guys being stranded on a tram in the middle of the gorge. Surely they’ll get out of it. But I’m excited to see how! And that's the sign of a well done prelude to a season finale, with some action and substance in good measure.
That was a good, no-nonsense episode! Instead of plot, we get more character! And what better way to start the episode with a villain's backstory? Plus, this villain shows the struggles of a deaf person with a prosthetic leg. I'm not deaf or don't have any prosthetic limbs, but the representation seemed tact and sympathetic.
This representation continues with Clint after the villain destroys his hearing aid; the sound design only puts you in the characters' shoes even further. And when Clint has that conversation with his son while Kate helps him, it's bittersweet. The irony of
Clint: “So happy to hear your voice.”
hits particularly hard. And his
Clint: "Thank you.”
to Kate feels vulnerable and genuine. And it's great since these characters have had the time to bond (the attack on Hawkeye in the previous episode was too soon).
But it's not all character stuff; there's plenty of fun to be had, too! The long take—reminiscent of "Children of Men" is thrilling as Kate uses more trick arrows, while trying to communicate with a handicapped Clint. The Christmas tree moment was hilarious. But when Kate hits that one Russian guy freaks out over the USB arrow, my parents and I burst out laughing.
But personally, I got a little kick out of Hailee Steinfeld's burn on Imagine Dragons, considering they created the theme song for another series she's in, "Arcane".
Anyway, this episode is a step-up from the previous two. I just hope they can keep it up in future episodes!
Also, Clint better wear that comic book costume, I swear.
A much action heavier episode then the prior outings, but now that we are into the full swing of things we can really let loose. The Fraction/Aja influences are still on display, maybe now more then ever, as Kate and Clint's banter is almost directly taken from the pages here mixed in with a clear adherence to it's tone and themes. Kate's naive yet optimistic outlook on life and superheroism contrasts directly with Clint's world-weary, cynical viewpoints, and seeing that dynamic in full swing here is clearly the highlight. Or at least, a highlight, as this episode has much to adore beyond that.
Of course the action scenes are among them, continuing Phase 4's trend of having much stronger action then prior Phases (with maybe the exception of Loki, but that didn't focus on action as much and was pretty much stellar otherwise). Echo's introduction is a standout as well and I love what they are doing with her character thematically - having her be a direct foil to Clint is an inspired choice. And the emotional stuff worked as well despite the lighthearted tone of the rest of the show, with Clint's talk to his son being one of my favourite scenes of the entire show thus far. Another stellar episode for a show, and Phase, that keeps on delivering the goods.
Just knew that it was gonna get goooood the minute Clint pulled off his flip and shoot (when he shot at Kate's binds). And I loved that shot of Kate shooting the first trick arrow with the camera right in front of her. That was probably my favorite, but I loved the rest of that chase scene. All the trick arrows were so fun! ... it reminded me of how not fun Arrow became when this was the kind of buffoonery I wanted from that show. * nervous laughter * And that Pym trick, daaang! Plus the dongle arrow! ;)
And Clint and Kate finally communicating.... just not going very well at the moment. :laughing: I did like seeing a glimpse of Kate realizing how she kind of messed up Clint's Christmas plans. But alas, thus is the life of a superhero. One optimistic Kate doesn't quite get yet.
Kate's line about her father... when someone says a certain character's "all about helping people", it makes me think the exact opposite. Maybe whoever his father was in business with (Uncle?), her mom took over it, thus today's dilemma.
LOL at the classic Hawkeye suit nod. And Pizza Dog! :heart:
And I guess I take back my comment from the previous episode. I guess we're getting introduced to a lighter, somewhat still new to the scene, Tracksuit Mafia-leading Maya, not ninja Echo whose dad got murdered then got raised by Fisk (Uncle!! hand cameo) when she was a kid, given how she almost throttled Kate here (Star-Lord flashbacks), and I'm okay with that. Realized we don't really need all our badass heroines to be sulky, be level-headed, or have unlimited resources lol. Also remembering that this is supposed to be fun and lighthearted (I honestly forgot, the wait for this was long). And since they're planning a spin-off for her already, it makes sense to not introduce her as a fully-developed character immediately.
