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    Showing posts with label Television Review. Show all posts
    Showing posts with label Television Review. Show all posts

    Monday, January 5, 2015

    Episode 7 Gotham "Penguin's Umbrella" Review

    Unknown 7:50 PM ,



    Episode seven in this first season of the ratings juggernaut that is “Gotham” hits it completely out of the stratosphere. You simply cannot take your eyes off this episode, with so many amazing twists and turns that take place throughout this hour long serial. You really get the sense that this is what this show is finally all about. The writers, actors, director and everyone involved with this episode are working in spades, and you simply cannot get enough.

    Robin Lord Taylor is perfect, and I mean perfect as Oswald Cobblepot aka The Penguin and once it is revealed how he has been working for Falcone this entire time and you finally pick your jaw up off the floor, you want to flash forward to the next episode in this wonderful installment that shows the beginning of Bruce Wayne and Jim Gordon.

    The real stand out in this episode other than the usual heavy hitters that we see like Gordon, Bullock and Falcone is The Penguin. Robin Lord is simply amazing, and not enough can be said about his potrayal of this seemingly half-witted character. But the real significance of this episode, is that Oswald has been playing everyone and has been slowly rising to the very top of the Gotham underworld.The ending of this episode is so good that you think you are watching a mid-season finale or season finale with everything that happens throughout.

    The shootout at the GCPD between Gordon and Zsasz may not feel believable, but the dramatic effect is still a gut punch, and when Gordon goes for broke in trying to arrest Falcone the episode hits a fever pitch.

    The beginning of this season started off quite slow, but this episode hits on every mark, from the drama all the way to the action.


    A+

    Tuesday, December 2, 2014

    Episode 6 'Spirt of the Goat' Gotham Review

    Unknown 8:28 PM ,



    “Spirit of the Goat” was another one of those odd episodes of “Gotham” that simply does not work on a cohesive narrative level at all. The episode is bizarre and at times very strange, and really doesn't service the overall plot of the first season at all. Sure there are moments of some fun and intrigue but overall, episode six really takes a step backward from the overall gains of the first season.

    However, with that being said, the moment that Gordon becomes a suspect and is arrested by Montoya and that twist at the end really salvaged this overall episode. That ending really not only made you excited to see what will happen within the confines of the next episode, it also made you excited what will happen in the confines of the remainder of the season.

    Thankfully, the Penguin made an amazing and thrilling piece of television with his surprise visit at the end of the episode. Robin Lord Taylor's portrayal of the dastardly Penguin is by far the best live action version of the character. He is so fantastic in every aspect from not just his look, or his mannerisms. But, even the way that he delivers those snotty one liners and or subtly announces his motivations to a select few. Taylor is making you forget about Burgess Meredith and Danny DeVito and their versions of the Penguin.

    Other than that amazing ending, episode six is pretty forgettable. Not only was the main investigation pretty dull and unexciting, but just the overall plot just didn't add up at times either.





    D-

    Monday, October 27, 2014

    Episode 4 "Arkham" Gotham Review

    Unknown 1:49 PM ,

    Episode four shows that this young television show has some really great potential, and has some really wonderful things to offer audiences. Entitled “Arkham” this episode is not only the first time that this series shows that iconic structure, but it is also a metaphor for what this episode and television series is, and that is chaos. So many people can gather different meanings from this episode, but there is simply no question that this episode really shows how chaotic Gotham City is. The crazy killers, corrupt politicians, warring mob bosses and police officers unwilling and unable to help turn things around. "Arkham" truly is on point from the first frame until the end credits. It was a joy to see Oswald Cobblepot show up at Gordon's doorstep at the beginning of this episode. "Arkham" also offered up some fantastic writing, a great creepy villain and wonderful performances from everyone. Everyone across the board was fantastic in episode four, including the character of Fish Mooney played by Jada Pinkett Smith. It was interesting to see where her character might be going, and the end scene with her and those two singers was sexy. 

    Again, Robin Lord Taylor is crushing it as Cobblepot, he stole the show in this episode. Everyone is giving him high praise, but what is so truly wonderful about his performance is that he is just showing a small sliver of the character who will eventually become the diabolical and aristocratic Penguin. Taylor is able to bring so many different layers and such depth to that great character, that you develop of a love/hate relationship for him.

    “Arkham” has so many great things going on during the duration of this episode as well. This episode is able to show a struggle of two warring mob bosses, and is also able to introduce a creepy new villain who is killing councilmen with a strange device. However, those are just the basic surface level narrative points, the story is so well thought out and so well paced that you really are invested from beginning to end. Cobblepot has started his ascension to the top of the Gotham underbelly, and it seems like we are in for one wild ride, because Cobblepot takes no prisoners, and is willing to start from n
    othing to get to get his way to the top.

    The interesting subplot of the two warring mob bosses over Arkham Asylum was a nice added touch as well. That plot device should continue to be explored throughout this series, as you can see how it effects young Bruce Wayne too. It also showed that the creators and producers of this show are going to take everything from the world of Batman and use it in this show, and nothing is off limits. 

    As long as "Gotham" keeps up with episodes like this, you will have audiences engaged for many more seasons to come.

    A


    Thursday, October 23, 2014

    ARROW, Corto Maltese Episode Review

    Unknown 8:29 PM , , , , , , , ,


    We begin this episode in great anticipation of the encounter between Thea and Oliver.  We first get a glimpse of the exchange between Thea and Malcolm Merlyn when she left Starling City 5 months ago.  It’s clear that Thea has some talents which she hasn’t been fully utilizing.

    Then it’s on to one of the sub-plots.  Oliver tracks down the individual whose fingerprint was on the green glass he found where Sara was murdered.  After a short chase and quick interrogation Oliver realizes the lead is a dead end. 

    But not all is lost to Oliver as Felicity has located Thea in Corto Maltese.  Oliver and Roy get ready to go get back Thea!  I’m sure they think it will all be cake and laughs too.

    Meanwhile, Lyla asks Diggle to go to Corto Maltese with Oliver as she has a field operative, named Shaw, who has “gone dark” in Corto Maltese.  How fortuitous!  Diggle accepts as he’s not expected to be doing much – simply making sure Shaw is OK.

    Then we see some more flashbacks to Thea’s training with Malcolm.  He tells her about how some Buddhist monks believed the first fight begins in the mind and that she must learn to accept pain, but reject suffering.  He plans to teach her how to do this by pouring hot oil over her hand.  She’s understandably not very fond of the idea.

    Oliver lands in Corto Maltese and goes off to see Thea.  Upon finding her to not be at her supposed home he learns from a groundskeeper that she might be at her day job waiting tables.  Why she is waiting tables is beyond me…maybe to learn the culture and language better?  In any case, Oliver avoided getting shot by an arrow that was waiting for him from the end of Malcolm’s bow.  So I guess that’s a plus.

    Thea is surprised but happy to see Oliver when he approaches her at work.  After a short bit of dialogue she repeats her affirmation: she is NEVER going back to Starling City.  Oliver is understandably dejected.

    So, while he tries to think about how to persuade her to come home, Oliver goes off to help Diggle with checking up on Shaw.  The encounter is supposed to be very straightforward and friendly.  But Shaw pulls a knife and almost slices Diggle open.  Luckily he’s been training with Oliver. 

    Shaw confirms Diggle’s identity and then tells him that they need to go stop the sale of Argus’ list of agents and their families.  Diggle takes off with Shaw to stop the sale.  But something doesn’t smell right.  Diggle guesses that something is up and that Shaw is actually up to no good.  But not quite in time as Shaw tazers Diggle, shoots at Oliver who is waiting as backup, and takes the transcoder stick from Diggle’s pocket before making his getaway.

    Roy gets his chance to talk to Thea also.  They share a moment where he confesses he just wants her to be happy.  And if that means that she stays in Corto Maltese, then so be it.  We see that Malcolm is keeping an eye on his daughter from the shadows though and looks none too pleased with her interaction with Roy.

    Turns out EVERYONE loves her hair.  Even me.

    And then a flashback to Thea’s training.  Malcolm tells Thea that he must train her the same way he was trained – and then promptly hits her in the face.  She must have a face of steel though because she doesn’t start bleeding or anything.  Thea does show her war face however.

    The guys contact Felicity for help in tracking Shaw down.  This of course happens right as she is in a meeting with her new boss, Ray Palmer.  He’s quite shocked as she gets phone call after phone call with mysterious undertones talking about finding people.  She’s embarrassed as usual.

    Laurel is angry with the death of her sister and everything and decides that a good way to get out her aggression is to try and beat up a guy who likes to beat his girlfriend.  This does not go over very well for her and she gets her face pummeled quite soundly.  Her face, it turns out, is not steel.

    Then we see Laurel in the hospital and sense that she is starting to go into a deep, dark place.  She’s had it with the injustice of the world.  Who knows what she’s going to do next…  Five bucks says she’s going to learn how to fight and try to take Sara’s place.

    Oliver has one more meeting with Thea.  He discloses that, yes, he’s been keeping secrets.  Thea is still adamant that she will love him as her big brother no matter what.  She’s just pissed that he didn’t tell her who her father was.  That’s when Oliver tells her the truth of how their dad, Robert, died and pleads with her to come home even going so far as to say that he needs her.  He then leaves to go help Diggle.

    The team is set up to intercept Shaw as the deal is going down.  But fate intervenes as a heavily armed group of men shows up and spoils the plans.  A big fight ensues and we get to see that Oliver is actually an amazing shot with a pistol as well.  It seems he learned some other things from his time working with Waller in Hong Kong.  After a solid fight the day is won and the group gets the data back. 

    Thea tells Malcolm that she would like to go home.  He says he thought she was past all of that and that maybe she’s not ready.  A sword fight ensues between the two, because how else would you settle such things, with Thea apparently winning.  She suspects that Malcolm let her win, however, and he ominously states that he’ll see her soon.

    Thea meets the group for the plane back home and everyone is happy.  That is until Oliver gets home to a waiting Laurel.  She asks him to train her but he refuses.  She’s not happy about that.

    Upon entering his hideout under Verdant, Oliver and Roy have a conversation about Thea.  Oliver thinks that something is off with Thea and that she seems a little different.  The conversation is cut short, however, as Sara’s lover and fellow assassin, Nyssa, cuts into the scene with a bow aimed at Oliver and demanding to know where Sara is.

    So hot...So deadly...So cool.

    This should make for an interesting conversation in the next episode…

    P.S. – I absolutely love Katrina Law as Nyssa.  She’s exotic looking like Nyssa should be, talented, and crazy beautiful.  I loved her in Sparticus as well and can’t wait to see where her career takes her.

    Wednesday, October 22, 2014

    The FLASH, Things You Can’t Outrun Episode Review

    Unknown 10:45 PM , , , , , ,


    Barry is definitely getting the hang of his powers.  Like the episodes prior, we start with a narration from Barry about how things are going and what we might expect from this episode.  Then, after a brief dialogue with Iris, we see Barry in full superhero mode save some police the trouble of having to capture an armed gunman in a car chase.  Very cool for sure.

    Then we are introduced to the villain of the episode.  Aptly named “The Mist” (later, by Cisco) as he can turn himself into a poison mist, this villain starts the episode by killing a bunch of mobsters in a restaurant.  Good riddance…but why them?

    Barry gets to investigate the scene of the crime after he and Joe West share a nice scene where they recommit to freeing Barry’s father.  At the scene of the crime Barry comes to the conclusion that the murder may have been done by a meta-human.  It’s kind of a leap right off the beat, but I guess one could say that he would make such a conclusion so fast due to his unique experience. 

    So off to the lab it is – STAR labs that is – to consult with the team about what this meta-human could be capable of.  Joe asks a critical question which sets the group to talking about how they might be able to imprison these meta-humans.  This wasn’t a concern previously as the meta-humans ended up dead.  But genocide isn’t really an option.

    The group decides that the best option might be to imprison these meta-humans there at STAR labs – down in the particle accelerator area.  This takes us to a view into the memories of the team which show us what exactly happened the night the particle accelerator exploded.  Caitlin has an especially bad memory as her fiancé, Ronny, had died that night.  Later on we find out that her fiancé died a hero though, so there’s someconsolation.

    Iris and Eddie have a run-in at Iris and Joe’s house which prompts them to have their first relationship fight it seems.  Eddie is tired of hiding their involvement and Iris doesn’t know what to say.

    We then get the second victim of the meta-human – a woman trapped in an elevator.  Barry hears the call on the radio and rushes off to save the day.  But he’s too late and the woman is dead.  But the culprit is still nearby and Barry confronts him in a back hallway.  This turns out to be a bad idea and Barry almost gets killed before he can get back to STAR labs for help.

    It's a Demon!  Kill it with holy water and enchanted knives!  Whoops...wrong show.

    The group now knows what this guy is capable of and they have a sample of the gas which lets them find out what poison he is using.  This information leads them to the identity of the culprit – Kyle Nimbus.  Turns out he was executed on the night of the explosion.  And this information leads them to Nimbus’ next target: Joe West.

    Barry finds out that Joe is visiting his father at Iron Heights prison and rushes to save the day.  Joe and Barry’s father have a nice conversation where they seem to make amends as Joe discloses he is working to free Henry.  But their conversation is cut short as Nimbus crashes the scene and attacks the defenseless Joe.  Thankfully, Caitlin created a vaccine against his toxin which helps to save Joes life.

    Barry leaves to confront Nimbus outside the prison but is unable to affect him physically.  He then gets advice from the team which may help – try to outlast him because he can’t hold his gaseous state forever and will need rest.  Kind of similar to Barry I guess.

    Barry ends up besting Nimbus and saves the day.  All in a day’s work I guess.  And in the end Joe is alright, Iris and Eddie confess their relationship to Joe, and Cisco and Caitlin have a moment together reminiscing about the heroism of Ronny.

    If only he had his gun...

    Then, at the end of the episode, we are greeted with a wonderful final scene involving Dr. Wells once again.  We see that during the crisis of the particle accelerator explosion, he went to his secret room (the futuristic one we saw at the end of the first episode) and watched as Barry was hit by the lightning through a camera in Barry’s lab.  It’s almost as if he planned the whole accident which created The Flash…

    All of this lends more and more credence to the idea that Wells may be The Reverse-Flash.  Couple this with his statement earlier in the episode about how he feels like he had been “waiting centuries” for the activation of the particle accelerator and we have some compelling evidence for sure.  I’m looking forward to seeing what bigger role he plays and if he really is the Reverse-Flash or something else entirely.

    Stay tuned for more next week!

    Sunday, October 19, 2014

    Gotham "Balloonman" Review

    Unknown 9:35 PM
    When watching episode three of “Gotham” you really get the sense that this show is really figuring out the overall identity and flavor that this show has to offer. Episode three titled “Ballonman” is the turning point for this show and its first season. Not only is “Gotham” delivering on some really good and interesting material, but it is eliminating a majority of the bad from the first two episodes.
    Episode three sees limited screen-time from the character of Fish Mooney played by Jada Pinkett Smith. Her character has been the biggest issue throughout the first few episodes of this new series, and the way that Smith plays her is rather pedestrian. It is a nice change of pace to see her rarely in this episode. It not only serves the overall plot of the series, but to see her limited to a tertiary character does wonderful service to the overall plot of “Gotham.”However, we still do not know what her character is doing in Gotham City and what she plans on doing to rise through the ranks in the Gotham underworld.

    Robin Lord Taylor is magnificent. There is no question he knows exactly what he wants his character to do in the show, and his ability to just inhabit that role of Oswald Cobblepot is fascinating. Not only is Taylor amazing, the way that he is written so far in only these three episodes really make him shine, as he is such a complicated character, you sort of love to hate Cobblepot. But, with that being said you really do enjoy where the character is going, you can the care that the creative team has in creating a really menacing character and it pure joy to watch Taylor give such a layered performance.

    There were a few bizarre moments in this episode, especially with the inclusion of the new villain of Ballonman. That character and how is was slowly taken down the corrupt politicians in Gotham was creepy. To handcuff a corrupt politician to a balloon cart and watch them float into the atmosphere was a head scratcher for sure.

    Bullock and Gordon really play it up nicely in this episode as well, you really get the sense that these two people really enjoy solving crimes, even if they may not get a long to solve it together. They each have each others back no matter what. It is truly refreshing to see these two amazing actors act along side each and they are able to make some really compelling television.


    B

    Friday, October 17, 2014

    ARROW: “Sara” Episode Review

    Unknown 6:35 AM , , , , , ,
    The episode starts off where the previous one left off – with Sara dead in Laurel’s arms.  Oliver, Roy, and Felicity walk into their secret lair where they are stunned to find Laurel with a dead Sara on their table.  I love this scene as the cast captures the feeling of the moment perfectly.  They range in emotion from disbelief, to denial, and even grim resolve.

    Of course the team is ready to go into action in short order.  Oliver is the bastion of the team and, although visibly angry and shaken, he keeps his cool and gets the team into action.  Step one: try to figure out who murdered Sara.

    Oliver goes to the scene of the crime to investigate.  While there he has a conversation with Diggle about how he’s feeling.  After a short dialogue where Diggle relates how he understands what Oliver is going through because he’s seen it in war, Diggle simply tells Oliver that he’s there to help.  Oliver, being the kind of man he is, says nothing.

    Oliver gets a phone call to meet Detective (now Captain) Lance.  He gives Oliver a file about a murder that happened earlier involving another archer.  Oliver, armed with new information, is on the move.  But not before the archer can kill another victim.

    We get to see a touching scene between Felicity and Roy as Felicity reminisces about Sara.  Shortly thereafter the team gets set into motion to utilize all their resources, including ARGUS and their intelligence database. 

    Oliver continues to be concerned about Thea.  Meanwhile, Roy is showing his own concern by trying to utilize the FBI database to locate Thea.  Roy confesses to the truth and shows Felicity the note which Thea left when she took off at the end of season 2.  The scene ends with Felicity storming off very angrily after a text.

    This leads into the next scene of Felicity barging into Queen consolidated to confront her stalker, new Queen Consolidated CEO Ray Palmer.  He and Felicity share an interesting exchange and you can see that her wall against him, although strong, may be coming down due to his empathy.

    When Oliver gets some information from a low level drug-dealer the team is able to figure out who the enemy is – Simon Lacroix aka- Komodo.  Using the information about the Komodo Felicity is able to track him using his cell phone.  Damn she’s good. 

    Image courtesy of the CW network

    This leads to Oliver interrupting his latest assassination attempt.  A short archer motorcycle duel later and we find out that the Komodo is seemingly better than Oliver.  At least when it comes to archer duels on motorcycles.

    Felicity and Oliver share a moment where Oliver shows just how much the whole situation has gotten to him.  And Felicity shows how she feels as well by telling Oliver that she wants more out of life than just the “hole in the ground” before she walks out.

    Laurel figures that she can help by using her District Attorney credentials to interrogate this most recent victim of the Komodo.  She finds out the link between the three individuals is that they were all working on a business deal together.  But Komodo strikes again and kills the man Laurel is interrogating before she can get all the information out of him.

    But not all is lost!  The information which Laurel got out of the victim is enough to figure out who the next target is.  And it’s a wealthy businessman who is headed to Ray Palmer’s fundraiser at Queen Consolidated. 

    The Komodo strikes, a fight ensues, and Oliver wins the archer duel this time.  Hooray!  But then he has to deal with Laurel pointing a gun at Komodo…she wants vengeance for the murder of her sister and she aims to get it.  But Oliver already planned for this back at the lair and took the bullets out of the pistol.  So even though Laurel disappoints Oliver by pulling the trigger, nothing happens.

    One more tidbit is given out by Komodo as he stands stuck to the wall by an arrow is that he claims to not have killed Sara!  He even claims an alibi which later checks out.  By the way, I’m curious as to how the arrow doesn’t kill him given that it seems to at least have pierced his lung and probably his heart as well.  After all, it was one of Komodo’s arrows which Oliver caught out of the air and then shot back at him so it must have had a real arrowhead and not some tech gizmo arrowhead.  Kind of makes you wonder…

    But we can just stack that onto the list of things that make us go “hmmm” along with the question of who killed Sara.  Meanwhile the group all deals with the aftermath of Sara’s death in their own ways.  One of the interesting developments is that Felicity decides she will work for Ray Palmer after all.  She cites the reason for doing so is because she wants more out of life – the same thing she told Oliver.

    Along the way through this episode we are given flashbacks to Oliver’s time in Hong Kong under the house arrest of Waller.  Oliver is tasked with killing Tommy Merlyn, his best friend.  He of course can’t go through with it and instead has to find an alternative to getting Tommy out of town.  Oliver takes the more “Mission Impossible” style route and convinces Tommy that Oliver’s email going off was all a scam to kidnap a rich person for ransom.  Tommy is “saved” just after being scared almost to death.

    And at the end of the episode we are given a great scene – taken to Corto Maltese we see a kendo training session.  It’s two against one and the team of two is getting their butts whipped.  When the match is over we see Malcolm Merlyn applauding proudly for Thea’s performance.  He congratulates her and she replies, quite ominously, “thanks dad.”

    I’m looking forward to the next episode where Oliver and the team go after Thea.  I can’t wait to see the look on his face when he realizes that Merlyn is still alive and that Thea is training under him.

    Side-note: For those of you that aren’t well versed in the DC Universe, Ray Palmer is a reference to the DC superhero “Atom.”  He’s a superhero who can shrink himself at will and alter the density of his own body.  He’s one of the world’s smartest people and a renowned physicist.  I wonder what they are planning for him in the show…

    Image courtesy of http://kingoftheflatscreen.com/

    Tuesday, October 14, 2014

    THE FLASH "The Fastest Man Alive" Review

    Unknown 9:48 PM ,

    The Pilot episode was excellent and so I expected great things from episode 2 way before seeing it.  I’m glad to say that I was not disappointed.

    The episode begins with a bit of comedy dialogue as Barry (Grant Gustin) narrates his opening.  And then it quickly turns into a showcase of his skill and power as he heroically saves people from a burning building.  Barry’s superhero type is comedic.  He’s never been very athletic (according to his nerdy past) and is still rather clumsy at times.  Like when he runs 6 blocks too far…

    But that will work itself out I’m sure.  What seems to still be an issue is his social clumsiness.  But I think it’s just the perception of the people around him.  They think of him as a clumsy screw-up and so they perceive all his actions and words, even when they are perfectly normal, as clumsy and embarrassing.  This is something I’m sure many people can relate to – thus making him a great character because he is relatable.  What a great hero figure!

    Barry has been getting used to his powers little by little and has started to encounter a problem in the form of dizzy spells.  This is very apparent when he tries to foil a robbery and passes out.  He finally confides in Caitlin, Cisco, and Dr. Wells that he’s been having problems and they decide to run a test on him. 

    Turns out it’s a simple fix as he simply needs to eat more.  Like, 850 tacos more…per day.  Talk about a crazy diet! 

    One thing that this episode really focuses on is the relationship between Detective Joe West and Barry.  To say their relationship is a bit strained is an understatement.  Barry is harboring some resentment towards Det. West for all the years which he didn’t believe him and blamed his innocent father of murder.  This is understandable as anyone who loves you should support your beliefs and try to come to a middle ground at least.  They should trust you and believe you.  Something that Det. West never did.

    Detective West is still trying to assume the role of parental guardian towards Barry and Barry just isn’t having it.  He even goes so far as to echo the words he said as a child (as seen in a flashback) about Joe not being his father.  Somehow these two need to come to an understanding about the freedom Barry wants and the safety which Joe desires for Barry.

    The main antagonist for this episode isn’t the conflict between Joe West and Barry, however.  It’s the self-replicating Danton Black who is the threat.  He’s the one involved in the murder which we saw Barry examining in the opening scenes and the one who Barry tried to stop during the robbery scene.  And now he’s poised to kill Mr. Stagg, a prominent figure for Central City and Central City University’s Man of the Year.

    Black attacks Mr. Stagg at Stagg Industries while Joe is there interviewing him.  This is where Joe sees that Black can duplicate himself – no doubt another blow to his belief system.  Barry hears about Black’s attack there and rushes to save the day.  But Danton Black ends up being a more formidable foe than Barry had anticipated.  Barry has to run away after getting his butt kicked and almost shot to death.

    Barry “quits” as The Flash and this is where we get into the major theme of the episode and possibly even the season – self-doubt.  Dr. Wells has a talk with Joe about this very thing, even claiming that Barry’s true enemy is self-doubt and not the meta-humans which he may face in the future.

    Barry’s retirement from being The Flash isn’t meant to last, however, as he gets called back to STAR labs for an emergency.  It turns out that the emergency is a fake, however, and his lab partners have found the key to defeating Danton Black.  In quite a timely fashion Det. West shows up to give Barry some words of encouragement.  Timely because Danton Black is at that very time staging a massive attack on Stagg Industries.

    A battle between Danton and Barry ensues.  Danton seems to have the upper hand as he replicates into dozens of clones of himself.  But Barry has a team behind him and, with a few words of encouragement (the secret ingredient to heroism it would seem), he manages to take out Danton.  But Danton isn’t one to be kept out for long and makes a move at Barry while Barry’s back is turned, leading to his fall out of a window. 

    So ends the story of the replicating man, Danton Black.

    Barry and Joe end up making amends with each other and vow to catch the real killer of Barry’s mother, thus setting his father free.  It’s a fun and touching scene and makes you root for them in so many ways.

    The episode ends off with another unsettling scene involving Dr. Wells.  I’m kind of sensing a theme with this to tell the truth.  In any case, the scene is rather chilling as it involves Harrison Wells confronting Mr. Stagg about his intentions with The Flash.  Stagg indicates that he would like to capture The Flash and conduct research on him in order to change the face of humanity or some such nonsense.  In reply, Dr. Wells stands up from his wheelchair, which totally confounds Mr. Stagg, and then stabs him in the side – right between the sixth and seventh rib and into the kidney/lung from the looks of it.  A fatal blow nonetheless.


    What lies in store for our hero?  And what of Dr. Wells’ ominous statement to a dying Mr. Stagg: “The man in the red mask, the fastest man alive, must be kept safe.”  I can’t wait to find out and I hope you’re all as excited as I am!

    Thursday, October 9, 2014

    Gotham Episode 2 "Selina Kyle" Review

    Unknown 8:15 PM ,

    Episode two of “Gotham” suffers from the same problems that plagued the very first episode. The stodgy dialogue and the over the top performances really make this episode suffer. The biggest problem that this episode has is the role that Jada Pinkett Smith plays. Her entire character of Fish Mooney needs to be written out of the show completely. Not only does her character do nothing, she adds nothing to the narrative of the plot. Smith completely plays the character way over the top, and pedestrian. It is almost as if she is in a entirely different show, or has watched “Batman and Robin” too many times.

    Another issue that this episode has was the overall plot in “Selina Kyle.” It was very strange, bizarre and creepy when you realize that the main villains in this episode are going to be kidnapping homeless children. Why were they being kidnapped? If some criminal mastermind was going to be kidnapping children on a television show, wouldn't it be smart to kidnap Bruce Wayne? Heir to the Wayne throne and a billionaire. But why homeless children? Nothing is really explained about this plot-hole abyss that is threaded throughout the entire second episode.

    However, with that being said, you still need to hand it to Donal Logue as Bullock. He is getting better and better with each new episode, and the way he able to nail the character of Harvey Bullock is mind-bending, but in a good way. The Alfred and Bruce relationship is truly coming into its own as well. The mutual love and respect that the characters have in this series is fantastic. Alfred really is beginning to mentor Bruce and discipline him when needed.

    The character of Oswald Copplepot that is played by Robin Lord Taylor is a real gem to this show. You simply cannot forget to talk about Penguin when you are discussing the show of “Gotham." Taylor is simply flawless, and where his character may end up at the end of the season is exciting to think about. Hopefully, the writers keep giving him good things to do and to say, because he is one of the great things that this show has to offer. Hopefully, as the season progresses audiences will get to see him rise to power in the Gotham underworld.


    "Gotham" is still facing some growing pains, and there is need for improvement, but this show is still entertaining. 


    C-

    Wednesday, October 8, 2014

    Welcome to The Flash! THE FLASH Pilot Review

    Unknown 11:29 AM , , , , ,

    The Flash Pilot episode starts with an opener which only a superhero origin episode could do right.  We get a glimpse of Barry Allen after he is already The Flash, zooming around town like only The Flash can.  Shortly thereafter we get a glimpse into “the past” in which Barry Allen, as a child, witnessed a very strange occurrence which ended in the death of his mother.  We also see the core virtues of Barry – honorable, caring, and heroic even though he’s smaller and weaker than the bullies around him.

    Flash forward (no pun intended) to almost the “present day” and we see Barry as an adult.  He’s constantly late.  We find that he has a good relationship with a police officer coworker, Detective Joe West and a poor relationship with his boss, the police Captain, due to his constant tardiness.  All of this may seem bland, but it’s all backdrop and set up for the transformation which Barry will soon undertake.

    Enter the damsel/love interest.  Barry is totally in love with his best friend, the beautiful Iris who also just happens to be the daughter of his friend Detective West.  We also find out that Barry was taken in by Detective West after his mother died and his father was convicted for her murder.

    Iris cares for Barry, but more as a brother or best friend than as a potential romantic partner.  It’s such a shame that the nice guy has to finish last like usual.

    Of course all this talk of who likes who and what the relationships are between the people is rather boring.  Where’s the action!  Well it starts after the STAR Labs particle accelerator blows up and spreads bad juju all over Star City in the form of strange energy.  This of course joins with a storm and creates a lightning bolt which strikes Barry square in the chest.

    Longtime fans of The Flash will appreciate that, while the circumstances for Barry’s accident aren’t entirely the same, the creators kept the original scene from the comic books intact – complete with him pulling on chains and getting thrown into unknown chemicals.

    Fast forward nine months.  Barry wakes up from a coma which he has been in since the accident.  He’s deep within STAR labs and we are finally introduced to what will be his supporting team – Cisco Ramon, Caitlin Snow, and Dr. Harrison Wells.  It’s very reminiscent of Arrow but with more science and super powers.

    Of course Barry’s first priority is to check on his love, Iris.  After all, he doesn’t know he’s a superhero yet.  But while Barry has been in a coma Iris has started dating Eddy, the “pretty boy” new cop we meet just before Barry’s accident.  We can see the hurt on Barry’s face when he finds this out later in the episode.

    What we DO see when he first goes to see Iris is two more Easter eggs for DC fans – another scene taken right out of the comics where Barry is starting to experience his powers and the inclusion of Iris’s workplace from the comics.  The whole incident where the food is falling and Barry sees everything in super slow motion is pretty neat and shows the type of special effects which we will be seeing a lot of in the future.

    Barry starts to experience his powers again at the police precinct and then decides to experiment a bit.  Who wouldn’t?  And then, of course, goes looking for answers.  A quick scene later and we see Barry in a leotard with the STAR labs personnel at a test range to see how fast he can go.  Again, this is another little Easter egg from the comics as the group is at the Ferris Air testing facility – the place where Hal Jordon works as a test pilot before he becomes Green Lantern.

    It’s here that we find that Caitlin has a troubled life because of the STAR Labs accident.  She lost her job (wait, she still seems employed…) and, more importantly, her fiancé died.  Bummer.  Perhaps this is a reason why she’s so cold, a hint in itself of her becoming Killer Frost.

    During Barry’s testing we also get a glimpse into some foreshadowing with the series.  Barry has a flashback to the night his mother died.  During the flashback we see clearly red and yellow lightning blurs.  But then the yellow blur slows down just long enough to see the figure of a yellow man who turns to look at young Barry.  That’s about the time when Barry was “teleported” away from the scene.

    The yellow blur is likely the Reverse-Flash, another speedster from the future.  And if I guess correctly, then the red blur is Barry himself as The Flash, traveled back in time to save his mother but instead is forced to save himself by picking his younger self up and taking him away, thus giving Reverse-Flash time to kill his mother.  A time-loop which cannot be undone.  Sucky.

    Interestingly enough we have a few hints later in the episode as to who might be the Reverse-Flash.  Dr. Wells seems a good candidate due to one of the Reverse-Flash villains being named “Professor Zoom.”  But Professor Zoom was also named Eobard Thawne which is extremely similar to the other detective’s name – Eddy Thawne.  Yeah.  The same guy who is dating Iris.  To make things sway more in Eddy’s favor we also have the fact that in the comics Professor Zoom killed Iris for refusing to marry him.  Tragedy foretold!

    After the accident during testing we see that weird things are going on in Central City.  After Barry has a run-in with Clyde Mardon, the show’s take on the Weather Wizard, he decides that no matter what, something has to be done…and he’s the one to do it.  But Dr. Wells tells Barry that he isn’t a hero.  He’s just a lab guy who got struck by lightning.  So Barry takes off on a run and ends up talking to a friend who knows about being a hero – Oliver Queen.

    Oliver Queen gives him some advice which sets him back on the path to being the hero he is meant to be.  Barry returns to Central City and finally gets help from Caitlin and Cisco in the form of the Flash suit, information, and the promise that they will help him via radio communication.

    Barry heads off to take on Mardon.  He gets to an abandoned farm just in time to save Joe West’s life.  Mardon currently has a God complex and decides that he should create some serious weather in the form of a tornado to devastate Central City.  After deciding that running the opposite way which the tornado is spinning is the best option to stop Mardon, we see the Flash falter for his first time.

    But he doesn’t falter for long.  Dr. Wells joins in with rooting for our hero to save the day which bolsters Barry’s confidence enough that he is able to run over 700mph and unravel the tornado.  Wow!  Take that Usain Bolt!

    Detective West is now convinced that Barry was right all these long years.  After now having seen with his own eyes the truth of the weird things in the world he has a heartfelt moment with Barry.  And he is also wise enough to know that he must keep Barry’s secret. 

    All is good in Central City for the time being and Barry is now on his road to being a full-fledged superhero.  Much of this will hinge on Barry’s self-confidence it seems and I foresee that being a major theme of the show for a while. 

    But not all is as it seems.  We are treated to a final scene where Dr. Wells opens a high-tech secret door to a secret room in STAR Labs.  In this secret area we see that the good doctor has been faking this whole time as he stands up from his wheelchair.  He then walks over to a strange console which turns out to be a very high-tech hologram projector which depicts a newspaper clipping from the future. 



    This seems to be an indication that Wells is from the future and that he knows all about who the Flash is going to be.  This is further indication that perhaps Dr. Wells is a Reverse-Flash.  Or maybe he’s something else entirely. 

    Whatever the case is, I’m looking forward to it.  This show has a lot of potential and seems like it will be a classic CW show filled with fun, intrigue, love-triangles, and a bit of quirky humor.  And DC fans will love the Easter eggs that they are throwing in all over the place. 

    Stay tuned to see what happens next week on The Flash!

    Wednesday, September 24, 2014

    Gotham "Pilot" Episode Review

    Unknown 7:59 PM ,
    The buildup and fan frenzy that has surrounded the urban crime drama “Gotham” finally made its premiere on the Fox Network. This new series is centrally based on that horrific night that young Bruce Wayne witnesses the senseless murdering of his parents. “Gotham” threads that story-beat throughout the first episode. However, the real story that the creators of this new series are trying to tell is that of young Jim Gordon and of the origins of the various nefarious villains in Gotham City before they were famous criminal masterminds. 

    “Gotham” has many good things going for it and the character of Harvey Bullock is just one of those amazing things. Donal Logue is fantastic as the brash and semi crooked detective who takes a young Gordon under his wing. Logue is a chameleon as Bullock, he not only has the look of that character but the way that he plays it, it is almost as he jumped right from the comic book pages and onto our television screens. The way that Logue is able to play him you really never know what his character is going to do.

    Mckenzie is magical in his role as well, and he may not yet have that classic look fans are all familiar with, but what he lacks in that he makes up for in the way that he is able to flawlessly play the character of Gordon. McKenzie is a able to bring that youthful unwise dimension into his character. He is always trying to do the right thing in Gotham, but when he finds himself being the only honest person in a corrupted city, and that weighs on him, and you can see that in his eyes when he consoles young Wayne minutes after the murdering of his parents.

    The major relationships that are being established in this first episode are really well done. You can tell that the series creator and Executive Producer Bruno Heller took great meticulous time getting the relationships between Gordon and Bullock right. The relationship between Bruce and his man servant Alfred Pennyworth are well done and some of the strongest scenes. The relationship between those two need to be established and need to have that emotional weight and the way that the two interact you can tell that there is mutual love and respect between the two.

    The character of Fish Mooney who is played by Jada Pinkett Smith, is the worst thing about this
    good show. Smith's character is so poorly and underwritten it is a shame that her character is used at all in this show. The character of Ms. Mooney is a complete waste of screen-time that you could write her character out entirely and you would be doing audiences and the narrative a favor. Her theatrics and over the top performance is tiresome, annoying and full of camp and does nothing to favor the story whatsoever. It seems like they needed to write a role for a big screen star and actually forgot to write anything worthwhile. Smith is a waste, all her screen-time could have been given to the young Bruce Wayne character who is played by David Mazouz. Mazouz does what most young child actors are unable to deliver and that is depth of a major layered role. The emotional range that Mazouz has is unforgettable, I just wish that his character would have been utilized more since the story is based in Gotham and is a semi story about the young life of Wayne.


    The fan service at times was a bit much as well, there was a line about a road named Grundy, presumably after the villain Soloman Grundy, and the use of all these characters that were set up in this one episode was a bit much as well. The creators and producers of this world did not need to throw everything in this first episode. They should have established a few things and made the story about young Wayne a little bit stronger so that in future episodes you could get to those others characters that are so well defined throughout Gotham City.
    “Pilot” is a solid start to a series that hopefully lasts longer than just a few seasons. A lot of hard work was put into making this series happen, and hopefully they keep the tone of the series serious and the narrative a strong one as well.



    B-  


    Here is the promo for Episode 2 below 

    Friday, October 25, 2013

    TWITTER REVIEW: Agents of SHIELD - The Girl in the Flower Dress

    Unknown 3:11 PM , ,
    RUTH NEGGA











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