While Walt was convinced that killing Gale would guarantee both his and Jesse's safety, it may not be the case as Mike keeps Walt and Jesse is quickly brought back to the lab as he was unable to leave the scene in time before one of Gus' men (Victor) could show up.
Still, Walt is the only cook available and Gus did go to great expense to get the lab up and running. Oh wait, Victor's been paying attention and knows the steps? Crap.
Why did Walt keep going on about the aluminum? He becomes convinced that Victor will forget it and conveys this vocally. It would be one thing for him to think it to himself and convey it via voice over, but he says it to himself repeatedly and not all that quietly. I'm convinced that Victor would have forgotten had Walt kept his mouth shut.
On the opposite side of that coin, it is Walt's talking that appears to keep them alive. He does raise a good point in saying that they weren't going to just lay down and die; that they would survive. Still, going so far as to pin the blame for Gale's death on Gus seems like a bit of a stretch.
It's a moot point as Gus puts literal blood on his hands by slitting Victor's throat with a box cutter. It's a gruesome scene. Walt's squicked the hell out and even Mike seems taken aback by what Gus did. Jesse on the other hand just gives this pissed off glare. It was a great moment for him, but also surprising as Victor was actively working to see that Gus had them killed. Granted, he backs down when Gus responds with a look of his own, but still, I liked it.
I also liked the callback to season 1 with the means of disposing of Victor's body. Not only that, but there's some indication of character development as not only do they use a proper container this time (showing more competence compared to season 1's antics) but they are also much less distraught about doing it (showing how their morality has been affected.)
There isn't a whole lot of progress on other story fronts. Hank is still grumpy about his condition, though Marie seems to be doing a pretty good job of tending to him.
Skyler also has a plot line of her own as she tries to pick up on Walt's trail after realizing that he isn't around, but his car still is. She addresses this by moving said car to keep Walt Jr in the dark. Who keeps their keys attached to the car like that? I guess they figure no one would think to look there, but that seems like a really stupid setup that is just begging for someone to steal your car. Really, showing that she has a spare set wouldn't have been that far out of left field.
In any event, Saul has nothing useful and even breaking into Walt's condo doesn't turn up any leads. Honestly, I didn't even know whose condo that was at first. Either it had been too long since we'd been there or we weren't there long enough to really establish what the place looks like, but until she dug out that eyeball, I was confused as to where she was or why she was there.
Credit to her, though, for being able to come up with a story on the fly to fool a locksmith into letting her in. He was, rightly, incredibly reluctant to appeal to her request due to state laws requiring an ID to prove residence, but she eventually concocts a sob story that gets him to comply.
While this episode wasn't quite as jaw dropping as the few that came before it, this was a strong start to the season. The scenes with Gus were appropriately tense as you really didn't know what he was going to do with the pair. There were some nice character moments here and there, such as Walt showing how loyal he is to Jesse by saying that he won't work if Jesse isn't part of the program. The episode also did a good job of using what happened before to set up a new status quo. The relationship with Gus is permanently changed and Jesse's outlook is much different than it was not too long ago. There's plenty of fodder to be explored this season. It should make for an interesting watch.
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Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Friday, July 24, 2015
Haven Season 5 part 1
My original plan was to wait for the full season to air before I posted these. However, so much time has passed that I had forgotten that these articles hadn't been brought to the site yet. Since there's still no date in sight for the second half of the season, I'm going to go ahead and post my write-ups for the first batch of episodes.
Episode 1: See No Evil
Episode 2: Speak No Evil
Episode 3: Spotlight
Episode 4: Much Ado About Mara
Episode 5: The Old Switcheroo Part 1
Episode 6: The Old Switcheroo Part 2
Episode 7: Nowhere Man
Episode 8: Exposure
Episode 9: Morbidity
Episode 10: Mortality
Episode 11: Reflections
Episode 12: Chemistry
Episode 13: Chosen
Episode 1: See No Evil
Episode 2: Speak No Evil
Episode 3: Spotlight
Episode 4: Much Ado About Mara
Episode 5: The Old Switcheroo Part 1
Episode 6: The Old Switcheroo Part 2
Episode 7: Nowhere Man
Episode 8: Exposure
Episode 9: Morbidity
Episode 10: Mortality
Episode 11: Reflections
Episode 12: Chemistry
Episode 13: Chosen
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Breaking Bad Season 3, Episode 13: Full Measure
The third season ends with a bang, quite literally, but we'll get to that. For running a vast organization, Gus takes even the low level players seriously as Walt's killing of the two dealers irritates him significantly. Even knowing that the two executed a child does little to alleviate the tension. To Gus' credit, he says he would have dealt with that and takes what appears to be sincere umbrage when Walt suggests that he could have been the one who ordered the hit.
Walt is able to convince Gus to just drop it by appealing to his pragmatic business sense. Walt can still cook and Jesse isn't worth the trouble of hunting down.
Ever the strategist, Gus agrees, though he keeps a closer eye on Walt and brings Gale back in to learn the tricks of Walt's trade.
On Gale's part, he is told about Walt's cancer and thinks that he is being molded to fill in the top spot after Walt passes on. It's technically true, and would be a sensible viewpoint for Gus to take as he does have a lot of costs that need to be covered (I guess the surplus Walt gave him didn't make that big a difference), but at the same time it's clear that Gus means to kill Walt once he gets what he needs. I'm kind of curious if Gale picked up on it. He was clearly uncomfortable, but at the same time, the fact that Walt is dying of cancer is heavy enough that you could see why he would act that way.
I also have to give credit to Gale for his singing skills. His voice is decent enough, but he is able to sing along with a fairly fast paced song in a foreign language with no trouble at all. That must have been a pain for David Costabile to get down.
Walt manages to read the writing on the wall and decides to take action. His biggest piece of leverage is that Walt is the only one who can cook as well as he can. As long as Gus has no other chemists, his execution can be delayed. As such, he and Jesse come up with a plan to kill Gale.
Gus really doesn't have any other chemists? I would think that he'd have several in his employ. Killing Gale would just result in another chemist being brought in, wouldn't it? Given how they deal with this problem, it's probably a good thing that that doesn't appear to be the case. At the same time, it seems like it would fit in this show, to have the characters cross that line only for it to prove to be for naught.
That almost proves to be the case as Gus has Walt picked up anyway and brought to the lab under the pretense of fixing a chemical leak. A part of me was thinking that it would be a fake out and that there really was a problem, but no, Mike means to kill Walt.
His pleas for mercy fall on deaf ears and even promising to cook for free doesn't seem to be persuasive. Giving up Jesse's location, on the other hand, proves to be a more effective lure.
Walt doesn't give up Jesse's location, exactly, but he does say he can arrange a meet. It seems like Walt is actually going to fink, but he instead warns Jesse about what's going on and tells him to take care of it.
I loved how Walt went from desperately pleading for his life to confidently boasting that he's untouchable once he lets the others know that they know where Gale lives. The turn was on a dime and Cranston pulled it off splendidly.
Thus, just as Walt closed the last episode by shooting a guy in the head, so too does this one end with Gale taking a bullet to the face courtesy of Jesse. See, I told you the season ended with a bang.
While the episode thrived on the tension between Walt and Gus, the episode did have its lighter moments. One of my favorite scenes of the episode is Mike when he visits his granddaughter. She was a good kid and it showed a much lighter side to the normally gruff and taciturn clean up man. It was kind of adorable.
I'm a little unclear about why we saw the flashback of Walt and Skyler buying the house. We see that Walt wasn't always so cautious as he wants to buy a bigger house, even if they can't necessarily afford it. It does give Skyler some screen time, so there's that, I guess.
I figured the relationship with Gus was going to sour, but I'm surprised that the fact that Jesse was skimming off the top never came up. It's safe to say that Gus knew, but if he's going to end the arrangement, you'd think he'd mention it in his list of grievances.
Of the three seasons, I'd mark this as my favorite. It really kicked things into high gear and we're at that point where each episode leaves you wanting more. The increased tension keeps you glued to your screen and the characters continue to shine. They're all very layered and it makes the show that much more effective.
I'm really looking forward to where things go in season 4.
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Walt is able to convince Gus to just drop it by appealing to his pragmatic business sense. Walt can still cook and Jesse isn't worth the trouble of hunting down.
Ever the strategist, Gus agrees, though he keeps a closer eye on Walt and brings Gale back in to learn the tricks of Walt's trade.
On Gale's part, he is told about Walt's cancer and thinks that he is being molded to fill in the top spot after Walt passes on. It's technically true, and would be a sensible viewpoint for Gus to take as he does have a lot of costs that need to be covered (I guess the surplus Walt gave him didn't make that big a difference), but at the same time it's clear that Gus means to kill Walt once he gets what he needs. I'm kind of curious if Gale picked up on it. He was clearly uncomfortable, but at the same time, the fact that Walt is dying of cancer is heavy enough that you could see why he would act that way.
I also have to give credit to Gale for his singing skills. His voice is decent enough, but he is able to sing along with a fairly fast paced song in a foreign language with no trouble at all. That must have been a pain for David Costabile to get down.
Walt manages to read the writing on the wall and decides to take action. His biggest piece of leverage is that Walt is the only one who can cook as well as he can. As long as Gus has no other chemists, his execution can be delayed. As such, he and Jesse come up with a plan to kill Gale.
Gus really doesn't have any other chemists? I would think that he'd have several in his employ. Killing Gale would just result in another chemist being brought in, wouldn't it? Given how they deal with this problem, it's probably a good thing that that doesn't appear to be the case. At the same time, it seems like it would fit in this show, to have the characters cross that line only for it to prove to be for naught.
That almost proves to be the case as Gus has Walt picked up anyway and brought to the lab under the pretense of fixing a chemical leak. A part of me was thinking that it would be a fake out and that there really was a problem, but no, Mike means to kill Walt.
His pleas for mercy fall on deaf ears and even promising to cook for free doesn't seem to be persuasive. Giving up Jesse's location, on the other hand, proves to be a more effective lure.
Walt doesn't give up Jesse's location, exactly, but he does say he can arrange a meet. It seems like Walt is actually going to fink, but he instead warns Jesse about what's going on and tells him to take care of it.
I loved how Walt went from desperately pleading for his life to confidently boasting that he's untouchable once he lets the others know that they know where Gale lives. The turn was on a dime and Cranston pulled it off splendidly.
Thus, just as Walt closed the last episode by shooting a guy in the head, so too does this one end with Gale taking a bullet to the face courtesy of Jesse. See, I told you the season ended with a bang.
While the episode thrived on the tension between Walt and Gus, the episode did have its lighter moments. One of my favorite scenes of the episode is Mike when he visits his granddaughter. She was a good kid and it showed a much lighter side to the normally gruff and taciturn clean up man. It was kind of adorable.
I'm a little unclear about why we saw the flashback of Walt and Skyler buying the house. We see that Walt wasn't always so cautious as he wants to buy a bigger house, even if they can't necessarily afford it. It does give Skyler some screen time, so there's that, I guess.
I figured the relationship with Gus was going to sour, but I'm surprised that the fact that Jesse was skimming off the top never came up. It's safe to say that Gus knew, but if he's going to end the arrangement, you'd think he'd mention it in his list of grievances.
Of the three seasons, I'd mark this as my favorite. It really kicked things into high gear and we're at that point where each episode leaves you wanting more. The increased tension keeps you glued to your screen and the characters continue to shine. They're all very layered and it makes the show that much more effective.
I'm really looking forward to where things go in season 4.
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Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Breaking Bad Season 3, Episode 12: Half Measures
Jesse and his desire for revenge take center stage here. He attempts to recruit Walt to cook up more ricin, but Walt won't have any of it. To Jesse's credit, he makes a compelling case. Yes, what happened to Combo is a factor, but Jesse is more infuriated that they are using kids to do their dirty work.
It makes for one of several great scenes this episode. The episode is largely dialogue heavy, but there is still a palpable tension throughout.
Even Mike, Saul's clean up guy, gets a chance to shine as he relates a story about how he tried to deal with a domestic abuser by threatening his life, only to see said abuser kill his wife later. Not only is it a solid dramatic scene in its own right, but it becomes relevant both to Jesse and even Gus.
As it turns out, the dealers that Jesse wants to take out are a part of Gus' network; as such, he's not too keen on having them die. Gus admits that were it not for his respect for Walt, he'd deal with Jesse in another manner, but he attempts a more pragmatic, Brady Bunch-esque approach. Jesse lets what happened with Combo slide and they stop using kids.
Granted, that latter condition only came up because Jesse brought it to Gus' attention, but it seems like a practical compromise that is in keeping with the way Gus runs things.
Said compromise lasts about a minute as the boy is promptly killed. I'm not sure what the thought process was here. The only thing I can think is that they didn't want him to turn them in, but you'd think that they'd be more than capable of scaring him into silence.
It could be another instance of half and full measures being pitted against each other. Jesse's attempt at using half measures didn't work, and Gus' deal fell through almost immediately showing his efforts were for naught. Of course, it's possible that Gus himself ordered the hit. That's something that may be elaborated on next episode.
It should come as no surprise that the death of the kid sets Jesse off. He forgoes subterfuge and subtlety and decides to just gun the two down. While his dramatic walk did a good job of mirroring the one he had last episode, he did a horrible job of masking his intent. Even the two dealers pick up on what he plans to do and draw their own weapons.
Honestly, were it not for Walt's last second intervention, Jesse would be dead. If he were lucky, he might take one of the pair down, but there's no way he could have shot both of them before getting shot himself.
For all the talk, the instances of Walter White being a bad ass are few and far between. Blowing up Tuco's headquarters was a notable moment, and watching Jane choke on her own vomit was more than messed up. Really though, more of his stand out moments come as a result of his quick thinking compared to being ruthless and power hungry.
Here though, we see Walt straight up shoot a dealer in the head. Keep in mind, this takes place after he runs the two down in his car. Even Jesse is taken aback by the string of events. For those who were waiting for Heisenburg to make his grand return, I think this marks it.
Of course, the episode touches on things outside of Jesse's vendetta. Skyler continues to convince Walt to go with the car wash as a front. Walt points out one or two holes, but I'd be far more concerned with the fact that she's looking up money laundering on Wikipedia. If ever there was an indicator that Saul is the better guide here, I'd say that's it.
Hank's plot also advances as we learn why he's so reluctant to go home. Walt Jr. calls him out on his mentality, but we do learn the real reason why Hank is so set on staying in the hospital. Is it simplistic and overly Freudian? Yeah. Marie got a chance to show her stuff, though. So uhh, yeah, there you go.
This was another really strong entry. The performances were solid across the board, it balanced story advancement and character development well, and there's more than enough momentum to get the viewer excited for the finale.
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It makes for one of several great scenes this episode. The episode is largely dialogue heavy, but there is still a palpable tension throughout.
Even Mike, Saul's clean up guy, gets a chance to shine as he relates a story about how he tried to deal with a domestic abuser by threatening his life, only to see said abuser kill his wife later. Not only is it a solid dramatic scene in its own right, but it becomes relevant both to Jesse and even Gus.
As it turns out, the dealers that Jesse wants to take out are a part of Gus' network; as such, he's not too keen on having them die. Gus admits that were it not for his respect for Walt, he'd deal with Jesse in another manner, but he attempts a more pragmatic, Brady Bunch-esque approach. Jesse lets what happened with Combo slide and they stop using kids.
Granted, that latter condition only came up because Jesse brought it to Gus' attention, but it seems like a practical compromise that is in keeping with the way Gus runs things.
Said compromise lasts about a minute as the boy is promptly killed. I'm not sure what the thought process was here. The only thing I can think is that they didn't want him to turn them in, but you'd think that they'd be more than capable of scaring him into silence.
It could be another instance of half and full measures being pitted against each other. Jesse's attempt at using half measures didn't work, and Gus' deal fell through almost immediately showing his efforts were for naught. Of course, it's possible that Gus himself ordered the hit. That's something that may be elaborated on next episode.
It should come as no surprise that the death of the kid sets Jesse off. He forgoes subterfuge and subtlety and decides to just gun the two down. While his dramatic walk did a good job of mirroring the one he had last episode, he did a horrible job of masking his intent. Even the two dealers pick up on what he plans to do and draw their own weapons.
Honestly, were it not for Walt's last second intervention, Jesse would be dead. If he were lucky, he might take one of the pair down, but there's no way he could have shot both of them before getting shot himself.
For all the talk, the instances of Walter White being a bad ass are few and far between. Blowing up Tuco's headquarters was a notable moment, and watching Jane choke on her own vomit was more than messed up. Really though, more of his stand out moments come as a result of his quick thinking compared to being ruthless and power hungry.
Here though, we see Walt straight up shoot a dealer in the head. Keep in mind, this takes place after he runs the two down in his car. Even Jesse is taken aback by the string of events. For those who were waiting for Heisenburg to make his grand return, I think this marks it.
Of course, the episode touches on things outside of Jesse's vendetta. Skyler continues to convince Walt to go with the car wash as a front. Walt points out one or two holes, but I'd be far more concerned with the fact that she's looking up money laundering on Wikipedia. If ever there was an indicator that Saul is the better guide here, I'd say that's it.
Hank's plot also advances as we learn why he's so reluctant to go home. Walt Jr. calls him out on his mentality, but we do learn the real reason why Hank is so set on staying in the hospital. Is it simplistic and overly Freudian? Yeah. Marie got a chance to show her stuff, though. So uhh, yeah, there you go.
This was another really strong entry. The performances were solid across the board, it balanced story advancement and character development well, and there's more than enough momentum to get the viewer excited for the finale.
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Daily Dose of Awesome: The Lonely Man Theme aka The Sad Walking Away Song From 'The Incredible Hulk'
Get out your tissues because today's dose of awesome is something of a tear jerker. To this day, I maintain that the piano song that played over the credits to the old 60's Incredible Hulk television series is one of the more beautiful and heart wrenching pieces of music out there. My old coworkers scoffed at this, but they had never watched the show and thus, never heard the tune to which I was referring.
Even now, this tune has a tendency to pull on my heartstrings, it really is uncanny. Not only is it emotionally powerful, but it's become iconic in its own right. I'm sure that there are several people who have this tune playing in their head whenever they are walking away from somewhere.
I mean, listen to it, it's downright gorgeous.
Even now, this tune has a tendency to pull on my heartstrings, it really is uncanny. Not only is it emotionally powerful, but it's become iconic in its own right. I'm sure that there are several people who have this tune playing in their head whenever they are walking away from somewhere.
I mean, listen to it, it's downright gorgeous.
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Lucy (2014) movie review
You can read my review here.
Pros
- After a slew of 2 1/2 hour blockbusters, the movie's 90 minute run time is refreshing in many respects. It's briskly paced and never drags.
- The scope of Lucy's powers are rather jaw dropping. Her speeches about the nature of the universe are also rather compelling.
Cons
- For a movie with a silly premise, it takes itself rather seriously. It gets to the point where you could go so far as to label it as pretentious. The movie's opening scenes are especially heavy handed with "symbolism".
- As fast as the movie moves, the characters are as flat as they come. Lucy has no real traits and her journey is rushed. Her cop sidekick does nothing and Morgan Freeman's character is there purely to explain things.
- Interesting ideas are glossed over as the movie doesn't have time for it.
Overall
The movie has noticeable flaws. That being said, it held my interest. It's worth a watch, but I'd advise renting this, as opposed to going for the full purchase.
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Daily Dose of Awesome: "Practice" Remix
I'm surprised I haven't posted this yet. While I do like "One Clap" better, this is the track that got me interested in DJ Steve Porter's work and it is still quite entertaining. The one downside is that it goes on a bit too long. It's an odd complaint, I know, but once we get to the Joe Namath part, the bit starts to wear thin. For the first three minutes though, this song is highly entertaining.
Monday, July 20, 2015
Thursday, July 16, 2015
Stephen King bibliography: Insomnia
You can read my review of the book here.
Pros
- Great characters that you can easily relate to
- I really enjoyed the metaphysical and cosmic aspects of the story. It adds a jaw dropping sense of scope to things.
- Seeing the characters essentially develop superpowers made the comic book geek in me rather happy.
- Not only does the book act as a follow up to "It" but it also ties into the "Dark Tower" franchise. It gives ardent King fans plenty of material to work with.
Cons
- Political commentary kills the pacing of the book, doesn't add anything, and can get rather irritating.
Overall
There's quite a bit to like about the book, but alas it does have problems. I would suggest getting the audiobook as it is oddly a smoother fit for that medium, but it is certainly worth picking up.
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Pros
- Great characters that you can easily relate to
- I really enjoyed the metaphysical and cosmic aspects of the story. It adds a jaw dropping sense of scope to things.
- Seeing the characters essentially develop superpowers made the comic book geek in me rather happy.
- Not only does the book act as a follow up to "It" but it also ties into the "Dark Tower" franchise. It gives ardent King fans plenty of material to work with.
Cons
- Political commentary kills the pacing of the book, doesn't add anything, and can get rather irritating.
Overall
There's quite a bit to like about the book, but alas it does have problems. I would suggest getting the audiobook as it is oddly a smoother fit for that medium, but it is certainly worth picking up.
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Daily Dose of Awesome: Batman Beyond
At long last we come to the DCAU finale, which is odd considering in terms of air dates, this show belongs somewhere in the middle. For simplicity's sake, I put it at the end since, in terms of DC chronology, it takes place at the end.
I'm going to be honest, when this was first announced, I was against it. A Batman who isn't Bruce Wayne? Lame! After watching a few episodes, I did start to get into it.
Though I still found it weird when Terry was referred to as "Batman", he did eventually step into the role rather well and became a worthy successor to Bruce. The fact that Bruce was with him the whole time (and voiced by Kevin Conroy no less) made it a much better sell.
One of the show's biggest weaknesses was the rogues gallery. The writers tried; they really did, but Terry's enemies just paled compares to the original Bat rogues gallery. In fairness, Bats has one of the best all time rogues galleries, so it was some big shoes to fill. The best stories came when Terry was pit against some of Bruce's enemies. The episode Out of the Past that features Ra's al Ghul was very well done and the DTV movie, Return of the Joker was downright brilliant.
The show also did get a little corny with its after school messages, but all in all, it was an enjoyable show. Despite my skepticism on the concept, I got into it and was able to enjoy the show. It's not as good as the other DCAU shows, but it's decent.
We also owe it credit as without it, we probably would've never had the Justice League series. One episode, The Call, featured the League in its future incarnation. This two parter gave the writers a chance to "test the waters" in terms of handling a whole team of characters.
It may not be your cup of tea. The series does have its detractors, but its not bad. It was a valiant attempt to put a new spin on an old character and in all honesty, they could've done much worse.
I'm going to be honest, when this was first announced, I was against it. A Batman who isn't Bruce Wayne? Lame! After watching a few episodes, I did start to get into it.
Though I still found it weird when Terry was referred to as "Batman", he did eventually step into the role rather well and became a worthy successor to Bruce. The fact that Bruce was with him the whole time (and voiced by Kevin Conroy no less) made it a much better sell.
One of the show's biggest weaknesses was the rogues gallery. The writers tried; they really did, but Terry's enemies just paled compares to the original Bat rogues gallery. In fairness, Bats has one of the best all time rogues galleries, so it was some big shoes to fill. The best stories came when Terry was pit against some of Bruce's enemies. The episode Out of the Past that features Ra's al Ghul was very well done and the DTV movie, Return of the Joker was downright brilliant.
The show also did get a little corny with its after school messages, but all in all, it was an enjoyable show. Despite my skepticism on the concept, I got into it and was able to enjoy the show. It's not as good as the other DCAU shows, but it's decent.
We also owe it credit as without it, we probably would've never had the Justice League series. One episode, The Call, featured the League in its future incarnation. This two parter gave the writers a chance to "test the waters" in terms of handling a whole team of characters.
It may not be your cup of tea. The series does have its detractors, but its not bad. It was a valiant attempt to put a new spin on an old character and in all honesty, they could've done much worse.
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Daily Dose of Awesome: Superhero Bookends
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Breaking Bad Season 3, Episode 11: Abiquiu
Where the last episode focused on a singular story line, this one focuses on several. They all move things forward, which is a rather impressive feat. Juggling several subplots can be tricky, but this episode handled it well.
For starters, we see that Jesse and Walt are back in business now that the fly is taken care of. Unfortunately, Walt is keeping better track of how much they produce, hindering Jesse's attempts to sell on the side.
Not that it matters, as it turns out that Badger and Skinny Pete haven't sold as they can't bring themselves to sell to addicts who are trying to better themselves. It was an oddly endearing moment. While they don't get as much screen time, these two are great to watch and are surprisingly likable.
Couldn't they just sell through their usual routes, though? I get that they wanted to bring in new customers, but it isn't like they don't have people who would buy the stuff.
In an effort to show them how it's done, Jesse decides to try and sell to a young woman who also attends. He doesn't so much sell product as fall for her.
Jane isn't completely forgotten as the episode opens with a flashback of their date. It was good to see her again, though I think that having her say that she threw up in her mouth a little (in response to a cornball line from Jesse) was the real driving reason why the scene was included.
As it turns out, the woman is also the big sister of the kid who shot Combo way back when. While it does trigger a desire for revenge on Jesse's part, it seems like too much of a coincidence. The odds of Walt running into Jane's dad at a bar was a slim one (as Walt even noted) but the odds of this happening are even greater. I actually bought Walt running into Don, but this development strains credulity a bit.
Speaking of straining credulity, Skyler learns of Saul's idea for a front to explain Walt's income and is less than impressed. Honestly, I don't think laser tag is the tough sell that Skyler thinks it is. Maybe he wanted to invest in it because it sounded fun? Walt's always been so cautious and straight laced, maybe he wanted to do something different.
This never comes up and Skyler suggests buying the car wash where he used to work instead. Considering the indignities that he suffered, one might wonder why he would want to go back, unless it was to torment his old boss. More than that, as Saul points out, they don't have a trustworthy inside man who can look the other way. It's a valid point, but Skyler counters by offering to do it herself.
Skyler's gradual descent into the business is fascinating to watch. Unlike Walt, she isn't coerced into it the same way, it's far more voluntary on her end, but the progression is still handled well. Her involvement makes sense too. Not only is she a skilled accountant, but she's trustworthy. On top of that, she reveals that she never filed the divorce papers, noting that spouses can't be compelled to testify against each other.
On other fronts, Hank's therapy doesn't seem to be going as well as one would hope. While the hospital clears him to go home, he insists on staying until he can walk again. He actually gets mad when he hears the "good news", especially when Marie lets him know that they got a hospital bed to keep in the house. It seems like an odd berserk button, but we'll see where it goes.
Coming full circle back to Walt, his dinner with Gus was surprisingly tense. The invitation comes out of the blue and the implication is that he suspects something is amiss. In true "gun under the table" fashion, the subject is never brought up, but there is still a palpable vibe as the two sit down to what seems like a cordial dinner. It worked really well and is arguably the highlight of the episode.
This episode had a lot of ground to cover, and it handled it effectively. It set things in motion that should make for great viewing as we come to the last two episodes of the season.
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For starters, we see that Jesse and Walt are back in business now that the fly is taken care of. Unfortunately, Walt is keeping better track of how much they produce, hindering Jesse's attempts to sell on the side.
Not that it matters, as it turns out that Badger and Skinny Pete haven't sold as they can't bring themselves to sell to addicts who are trying to better themselves. It was an oddly endearing moment. While they don't get as much screen time, these two are great to watch and are surprisingly likable.
Couldn't they just sell through their usual routes, though? I get that they wanted to bring in new customers, but it isn't like they don't have people who would buy the stuff.
In an effort to show them how it's done, Jesse decides to try and sell to a young woman who also attends. He doesn't so much sell product as fall for her.
Jane isn't completely forgotten as the episode opens with a flashback of their date. It was good to see her again, though I think that having her say that she threw up in her mouth a little (in response to a cornball line from Jesse) was the real driving reason why the scene was included.
As it turns out, the woman is also the big sister of the kid who shot Combo way back when. While it does trigger a desire for revenge on Jesse's part, it seems like too much of a coincidence. The odds of Walt running into Jane's dad at a bar was a slim one (as Walt even noted) but the odds of this happening are even greater. I actually bought Walt running into Don, but this development strains credulity a bit.
Speaking of straining credulity, Skyler learns of Saul's idea for a front to explain Walt's income and is less than impressed. Honestly, I don't think laser tag is the tough sell that Skyler thinks it is. Maybe he wanted to invest in it because it sounded fun? Walt's always been so cautious and straight laced, maybe he wanted to do something different.
This never comes up and Skyler suggests buying the car wash where he used to work instead. Considering the indignities that he suffered, one might wonder why he would want to go back, unless it was to torment his old boss. More than that, as Saul points out, they don't have a trustworthy inside man who can look the other way. It's a valid point, but Skyler counters by offering to do it herself.
Skyler's gradual descent into the business is fascinating to watch. Unlike Walt, she isn't coerced into it the same way, it's far more voluntary on her end, but the progression is still handled well. Her involvement makes sense too. Not only is she a skilled accountant, but she's trustworthy. On top of that, she reveals that she never filed the divorce papers, noting that spouses can't be compelled to testify against each other.
On other fronts, Hank's therapy doesn't seem to be going as well as one would hope. While the hospital clears him to go home, he insists on staying until he can walk again. He actually gets mad when he hears the "good news", especially when Marie lets him know that they got a hospital bed to keep in the house. It seems like an odd berserk button, but we'll see where it goes.
Coming full circle back to Walt, his dinner with Gus was surprisingly tense. The invitation comes out of the blue and the implication is that he suspects something is amiss. In true "gun under the table" fashion, the subject is never brought up, but there is still a palpable vibe as the two sit down to what seems like a cordial dinner. It worked really well and is arguably the highlight of the episode.
This episode had a lot of ground to cover, and it handled it effectively. It set things in motion that should make for great viewing as we come to the last two episodes of the season.
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Daily Dose of Awesome: Justice League Unlimited
After two seasons, the higher ups decided that the Justice League series needed a revamp. One of the primary changes was that instead of 2 parters, each episode would be a self contained half hour story. The execs also wanted to expand the cast. Since the writers weren't sure how much longer the DCAU was going to continue, they decided to go all out and add every hero, hence the changed title. The sequel series even came with a new guitar heavy theme. I've gotta be honest, I'm not a fan of the new theme. The old theme was heroic and elegant whereas the riff heavy new theme just came off as cheesy. I got used to it after a while, but it really paled in comparison to the original.
I wasn't sure how this series was going to pan out. Adding more characters and shortening the runtime seemed like a really bad idea, but ultimately it ended up making the series more interesting and brought a lot of lesser known characters into the mainstream, most notable is The Question who became a fan favorite.
Even the half hour format ended up working out for the better. While 2 parters were reserved for finales, the changed format allowed the writers to experiment with a 2 season long arc that ended up being one of the best things that they have done. The Cadmus arc pulled from all ends of previously established continuity, gave us an antagonistic force we could empathize with, and made for great drama. I had never heard of Amanda Waller before this show, but she became one of my favorite characters. She was tough enough where she could stand toe to toe with Batman. Watching those two face off was always enjoyable.
The second season finale ended up acting as not only a finale for the DCAU in general, but for Batman Beyond as well. It was a great curtain drop moment.
Even so, a third season was made, which kind of undercuts the effect. It was decent enough. There were some fun episodes, but the "Legion of Doom" story arc didn't really compare to the Cadmus one.
The first half of season one is a bit rocky, but the writers found their footing and really got to milk the format for all it was worth. The shorter episodes, coupled with the longer arc, made it feel more like a comic book come to life.
As is expected at this point, the voice acting was really well done. Clancy Brown did a superb job adding layers to Lex Luthor, and CCH Pounder gave the aforementioned Waller the necessary gravitas.
As with the other JL series, the show hit its stride in the second season (although it is packaged as part of the first season in the DVD set). I don't know what it is, but the second seasons of this show seem to be the major highlights.
Definitely check this series out, it's a fun watch.
I wasn't sure how this series was going to pan out. Adding more characters and shortening the runtime seemed like a really bad idea, but ultimately it ended up making the series more interesting and brought a lot of lesser known characters into the mainstream, most notable is The Question who became a fan favorite.
Even the half hour format ended up working out for the better. While 2 parters were reserved for finales, the changed format allowed the writers to experiment with a 2 season long arc that ended up being one of the best things that they have done. The Cadmus arc pulled from all ends of previously established continuity, gave us an antagonistic force we could empathize with, and made for great drama. I had never heard of Amanda Waller before this show, but she became one of my favorite characters. She was tough enough where she could stand toe to toe with Batman. Watching those two face off was always enjoyable.
The second season finale ended up acting as not only a finale for the DCAU in general, but for Batman Beyond as well. It was a great curtain drop moment.
Even so, a third season was made, which kind of undercuts the effect. It was decent enough. There were some fun episodes, but the "Legion of Doom" story arc didn't really compare to the Cadmus one.
The first half of season one is a bit rocky, but the writers found their footing and really got to milk the format for all it was worth. The shorter episodes, coupled with the longer arc, made it feel more like a comic book come to life.
As is expected at this point, the voice acting was really well done. Clancy Brown did a superb job adding layers to Lex Luthor, and CCH Pounder gave the aforementioned Waller the necessary gravitas.
As with the other JL series, the show hit its stride in the second season (although it is packaged as part of the first season in the DVD set). I don't know what it is, but the second seasons of this show seem to be the major highlights.
Definitely check this series out, it's a fun watch.
Friday, July 10, 2015
Daily Dose of Awesome: Justice League animated series
This is where the DCAU really hit its stride. You had 7 of Earth's greatest heroes coming together to fight off various world threatening...threats. Batman and Superman are of course in, but you also have Green Lantern (John Stewart as opposed to Kyle Rayner, who was introduced in S:TAS), Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, Flash, and Martian Manhunter
A lot of people aren't too fond of the first season, and, to wit, the second season is superior; but I find the first season pretty enjoyable. There's some old school superheroing going on there. Even War World, the most hated episode of the series, isn't all that bad when you sit down and really watch it.
To really show the scope of the series, the writers decided to make every story a 2 parter. This allowed for more character growth as well as larger stories. When watching it in reruns, it is a bit vexing, but on DVD it's not such a huge factor.
As said before, the second season is much improved. The characters are given greater depth and the writers figured out how to make the hour format work to their benefit. Another flaw that they fixed was Superman's supposed weakness. In season one, Supes would often charge in headfirst, only to get knocked out. The writers didn't even realize they were doing this and inadvertently invoking what TvTropes refers to as "The Worf Effect". For those unfamiliar, it's when a writer will have a stronger character go up against the villain only to lose handily. This is done to show us that the villain means serious business and build tension. The writers apologized and made up for it, but fans were a bit vexed.
The advancements in technology made for superior animation. Fight sequences were far more fluid, which made for a much greater viewing experience.
This series did draw its fair share of controversy. A lot of fans were miffed that John Stewart was selected (either because they wanted Kyle for continuity's sake, or they wanted it to be Hal Jordan). George Newbern, who replaced Tim Daly as the voice of Supes, also got a lot of flack. While Wonder Woman wasn't really done a disservice, her origin is basically wiped out and as a result, is something of a lesser developed character.
The show did eventually overcome these obstacles. John became one of the more 3-dimensional characters, allowing him to jump into mainstream consciousness, and Newbern eventually came into his own as Supes.
As said before, the second season is vastly superior, probably one of the better seasons in the DCAU as a whole. It's epic, the stories are better, and it manages to up the ante from what we see in the first season.
Still, the first is enjoyable in its own right. If you're a fan of superheroes, DC heroes specifically, this is just the show you've been looking for.
A lot of people aren't too fond of the first season, and, to wit, the second season is superior; but I find the first season pretty enjoyable. There's some old school superheroing going on there. Even War World, the most hated episode of the series, isn't all that bad when you sit down and really watch it.
To really show the scope of the series, the writers decided to make every story a 2 parter. This allowed for more character growth as well as larger stories. When watching it in reruns, it is a bit vexing, but on DVD it's not such a huge factor.
As said before, the second season is much improved. The characters are given greater depth and the writers figured out how to make the hour format work to their benefit. Another flaw that they fixed was Superman's supposed weakness. In season one, Supes would often charge in headfirst, only to get knocked out. The writers didn't even realize they were doing this and inadvertently invoking what TvTropes refers to as "The Worf Effect". For those unfamiliar, it's when a writer will have a stronger character go up against the villain only to lose handily. This is done to show us that the villain means serious business and build tension. The writers apologized and made up for it, but fans were a bit vexed.
The advancements in technology made for superior animation. Fight sequences were far more fluid, which made for a much greater viewing experience.
This series did draw its fair share of controversy. A lot of fans were miffed that John Stewart was selected (either because they wanted Kyle for continuity's sake, or they wanted it to be Hal Jordan). George Newbern, who replaced Tim Daly as the voice of Supes, also got a lot of flack. While Wonder Woman wasn't really done a disservice, her origin is basically wiped out and as a result, is something of a lesser developed character.
The show did eventually overcome these obstacles. John became one of the more 3-dimensional characters, allowing him to jump into mainstream consciousness, and Newbern eventually came into his own as Supes.
As said before, the second season is vastly superior, probably one of the better seasons in the DCAU as a whole. It's epic, the stories are better, and it manages to up the ante from what we see in the first season.
Still, the first is enjoyable in its own right. If you're a fan of superheroes, DC heroes specifically, this is just the show you've been looking for.
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Breaking Bad Season 3, Episode 10: Fly
In a show that is widely hailed as being tightly plotted, this episode almost comes off as filler. Centering a whole episode around having the two leads try to kill a fly that has gotten into the lab seems like the writers were struggling to fill the season's episode count and came up with something on the fly (get it? on the fly...)
It's entertaining, don't get me wrong. The episode itself seems to realize how ridiculous this idea is and, as such, the first half of the episode is largely comedic. The Walt/Jesse dynamic really gets to shine, but even scenes where Walt is alone in the lab work.
His Ahab-like obsession does seem to come out of nowhere, but we do see that Walt has bigger issues. I do wonder how legitimate Walt's point about contamination was. On one hand, he makes a good point. Flies are filthy and labs are generally supposed to be fairly sterile. On the other hand, Jesse's not wrong in pointing out that shutting down production to chase a fly around makes no sense.
Don't worry, though, the episode actually delivers some strong dramatic moments in the latter half. By all accounts, mood whiplash should have been a problem. I didn't find that to be the case for some reason. It wasn't until a few minutes in that I realized that all of the character introspection and musing on mortality was coming on the heels of the two hitting each other with a makeshift fly swatter.
It almost seemed like the fly had been forgotten, but that "plot line" is wrapped up (almost anticlimactically?) as Jesse finally manages to catch the bugger.
Other plot points are touched on, such as Jesse skimming some product for himself off the top. Walt, being a precise scientist, notices that the numbers don't add up. To his credit, Jesse comes up with a myriad of possible reasons for the discrepancy, but none really fly (ha, I did it again). Walt doesn't say anything directly, though he does warn Jesse later that he can't protect Jesse if his alleged activity was discovered.
I'm still not sure why Gus would care. If they were shorting him on product, that would be one thing, but they are still delivering more than he actually needs. More than that, they aren't charging him for said surplus, so it seems like a reasonable compromise to let them sell a little on the side. We'll see, though. I have a feeling that Gus is going to find out at some point, leading to a dissolution of this rather comfortable arrangement.
The episode puts some emphasis on how much upkeep a lab like this requires. Jesse even notes that Gus should have other people to clean the equipment, as opposed to them doing it. This does, once again, raise the question of why Gale had to be booted. Having three people clean, or hunt a fly, is more effective than two. It doesn't seem like budget is a concern either, so it leaves me curious.
Jane's death also returns to the forefront in full force. Walt seems to be teetering on the edge of confessing and it results in more tension than you would think. Walt does muse on how strange it was that he ran into Jane's father on the night that she died, and he does say he's sorry about Jane, but Jesse sees it as an offering of sympathy as opposed to penance.
This episode was much stronger than I expected it to be. The humor was welcome, but I think counterbalancing it with some more serious character fodder was the right decision. It adds to the entertainment factor, I think, when the episode can bring a little bit of everything to the table. This does that. Credit too to both Cranston and Paul as they turn in strong performances. Their comic timing and delivery was spot on and, as usual, they did a great job with the more in depth material.
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It's entertaining, don't get me wrong. The episode itself seems to realize how ridiculous this idea is and, as such, the first half of the episode is largely comedic. The Walt/Jesse dynamic really gets to shine, but even scenes where Walt is alone in the lab work.
His Ahab-like obsession does seem to come out of nowhere, but we do see that Walt has bigger issues. I do wonder how legitimate Walt's point about contamination was. On one hand, he makes a good point. Flies are filthy and labs are generally supposed to be fairly sterile. On the other hand, Jesse's not wrong in pointing out that shutting down production to chase a fly around makes no sense.
Don't worry, though, the episode actually delivers some strong dramatic moments in the latter half. By all accounts, mood whiplash should have been a problem. I didn't find that to be the case for some reason. It wasn't until a few minutes in that I realized that all of the character introspection and musing on mortality was coming on the heels of the two hitting each other with a makeshift fly swatter.
It almost seemed like the fly had been forgotten, but that "plot line" is wrapped up (almost anticlimactically?) as Jesse finally manages to catch the bugger.
Other plot points are touched on, such as Jesse skimming some product for himself off the top. Walt, being a precise scientist, notices that the numbers don't add up. To his credit, Jesse comes up with a myriad of possible reasons for the discrepancy, but none really fly (ha, I did it again). Walt doesn't say anything directly, though he does warn Jesse later that he can't protect Jesse if his alleged activity was discovered.
I'm still not sure why Gus would care. If they were shorting him on product, that would be one thing, but they are still delivering more than he actually needs. More than that, they aren't charging him for said surplus, so it seems like a reasonable compromise to let them sell a little on the side. We'll see, though. I have a feeling that Gus is going to find out at some point, leading to a dissolution of this rather comfortable arrangement.
The episode puts some emphasis on how much upkeep a lab like this requires. Jesse even notes that Gus should have other people to clean the equipment, as opposed to them doing it. This does, once again, raise the question of why Gale had to be booted. Having three people clean, or hunt a fly, is more effective than two. It doesn't seem like budget is a concern either, so it leaves me curious.
Jane's death also returns to the forefront in full force. Walt seems to be teetering on the edge of confessing and it results in more tension than you would think. Walt does muse on how strange it was that he ran into Jane's father on the night that she died, and he does say he's sorry about Jane, but Jesse sees it as an offering of sympathy as opposed to penance.
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Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Daily Dose of Awesome: Superman the Animated Series
With the success of Batman: The Animated Series, it was only natural for WB and DC to want to expand that into another series. What better way to do that with than DC's other big name character, Superman? Much like how B:TAS offered kids a newer, fresher take on the characters while still being true to their roots, Superman: The Animated Series did so by using the same strategy of streamlining characters to their core essences.
Interestingly, where Batman really thrived in those early episodes where the origins of the rogues gallery were explored, Superman started off a bit slow, but really picked up as the series progressed.
Just like its predecessor, this series thrived on great voice acting. Tim Daly did a great job as the man of steel, and while he hasn't reached the fangod level that Conroy has for Batman, he is still highly regarded. Dana Delaney also did a great job as Lois.
The two real standouts, for me anyway, are Clancy Brown as Lex Luthor and Corey Burton's Brainiac. Those two really stole the show with their performances for me. Special mention also goes to Gilbert Gottfried as ol' Mxy. My roommate cringes at it, but I think it's brilliant. Yes, Gottfried's voice is annoying, but that's exactly the point. Michael Ironside's turn as Darkseid is also spoken highly of. Oh, and Brad Garrett as Lobo was also inspired (oddly enough, Garrett appeared in more episodes voicing Bibbo).
While the DCAU as a whole is highly regarded, this is seen as one of the weaker entries. It's not bad, not by a long shot, but it did have big shoes to fill, having to follow up Batman: The Animated Series.
I did like the nod to Batman in the pilot, when Martha tells Clark that he doesn't want people associating him with that nut who dresses like a bat over in Gotham.
This show was also notable for really bringing the DC Animated Universe to life. Batman had a couple of team up episodes with characters like Zatanna and Etrigan, but Superman brought Aquaman, Flash, and Green Lantern to the forefront. Granted, Justice League ended up using a different Green Lantern and drastically changed their portrayal of Aquaman, but it still introduced them and allowed viewers to get introduced to them and their backgrounds.
We also got a 3 part "movie" where Batman and Superman team up for the first time. They would team up again in a later episode, before the transition to Justice League.
The score was decent enough, but really, nothing can compare to John Williams' Superman theme.
All in all though, this was a solid, and often overlooked entry in the DC Animated Universe. It may not have reached the same heights as Batman: The Animated Series did, but it did its job well and gave Superman fans a chance to enjoy seeing their favorite characters brought to new life.
Interestingly, where Batman really thrived in those early episodes where the origins of the rogues gallery were explored, Superman started off a bit slow, but really picked up as the series progressed.
Just like its predecessor, this series thrived on great voice acting. Tim Daly did a great job as the man of steel, and while he hasn't reached the fangod level that Conroy has for Batman, he is still highly regarded. Dana Delaney also did a great job as Lois.
The two real standouts, for me anyway, are Clancy Brown as Lex Luthor and Corey Burton's Brainiac. Those two really stole the show with their performances for me. Special mention also goes to Gilbert Gottfried as ol' Mxy. My roommate cringes at it, but I think it's brilliant. Yes, Gottfried's voice is annoying, but that's exactly the point. Michael Ironside's turn as Darkseid is also spoken highly of. Oh, and Brad Garrett as Lobo was also inspired (oddly enough, Garrett appeared in more episodes voicing Bibbo).
While the DCAU as a whole is highly regarded, this is seen as one of the weaker entries. It's not bad, not by a long shot, but it did have big shoes to fill, having to follow up Batman: The Animated Series.
I did like the nod to Batman in the pilot, when Martha tells Clark that he doesn't want people associating him with that nut who dresses like a bat over in Gotham.
This show was also notable for really bringing the DC Animated Universe to life. Batman had a couple of team up episodes with characters like Zatanna and Etrigan, but Superman brought Aquaman, Flash, and Green Lantern to the forefront. Granted, Justice League ended up using a different Green Lantern and drastically changed their portrayal of Aquaman, but it still introduced them and allowed viewers to get introduced to them and their backgrounds.
We also got a 3 part "movie" where Batman and Superman team up for the first time. They would team up again in a later episode, before the transition to Justice League.
The score was decent enough, but really, nothing can compare to John Williams' Superman theme.
All in all though, this was a solid, and often overlooked entry in the DC Animated Universe. It may not have reached the same heights as Batman: The Animated Series did, but it did its job well and gave Superman fans a chance to enjoy seeing their favorite characters brought to new life.
Monday, July 6, 2015
'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' movie review
You can read my review here.
Pros
- As was the case before, both Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone turn in strong performances as Peter and Gwen respectively. Even Dane DeHaan does rather well as Harry Osbourne, despite the fact that his story arc was rushed
- Spider-Man's rapport with the people of New York leads to a lot of great moments that are peppered throughout the movie.
Cons
- Makes a lot of the same mistakes that Spider-Man 3 did. Too many villains and a lot of cringe inducing dialogue or plot points.
- CGI that takes the viewer out of the movie. The fights look like they were made for video games, a very well produced video game, mind you, but a video game nonetheless. It might have worked better if they had just made it an animated movie. It would have made the film look more consistent.
- The 2 1/2 hour run time is palpable. I was ready for the movie to be over after the fight with Electro, but knew that the film was nowhere close to being finished as there was still another fight with Harry's Goblin to sit through.
Overall
I thought the reboot got off to a strong start with 'The Amazing Spider-Man'. Sadly, this flushes that down the toilet. It's a crowded mess. It isn't completely without merit, but it is still a rather weak film.
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Daily Dose of Awesome: Batman the Animated Series
My love of comics is actually a fairly recent development. I read X-Men back in high school, but it wasn't until my second year at college that I really started diving into the DC Universe as a whole.
Even so, I was always fascinated by superheroes. I was into Power Rangers, but it was the superhero cartoons that really got me interested in these fantastic adventures. Marvel had its fair share of awesome cartoons with both Spider-Man and X-Men, but it was the DC Universe that really gripped me.
What is now referred to as the DCAU all started here.
The show is highly regarded by comic fans and non-comic fans alike. It won awards and revolutionized how people viewed cartoons, even if it was just for a short while. The writers took the material seriously and didn't talk down to the audience. They made a show that kids could enjoy, but would still be able to entertain older viewers.
In addition, the show took all of these long running characters, who have gone through several different incarnations, and distilled them down to their essence. It took all the things that worked about the characters and tossed aside what didn't work, creating what many believe to be the quintessential versions of these characters.
In addition to the strong writing, the show also benefitted from great voice actors. While the performances were strong all around, special mention goes to Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, who voiced Batman and The Joker respectively. To this day, many fans still hear those voices in their head when reading those two characters, whether it be comic or in prose.
The aforementioned actors are the prime examples, but special mention goes to others like Michael Ansara as Mr. Freeze, David Warner as Ra's al Ghul, Adrienne Barbeau as Catwoman, and Roddy McDowall as The Mad Hatter.
The show was so popular that it actually had an impact on the mainstream DC Universe. Harley Quinn was an original creation for the show who later made it into canon. Renee Montoya was also created for the show, but made it into comics before her animated debut.
The animation was a bit stiff at points, but all in all, it was very well done. The character designs worked perfectly.
The score, done by Shirley Walker was also superb. They took some cues from Elfman, but only used that as a jumping point to create a score that added atmosphere to the series.
Unfortunately, executive meddling kicked in and the show was revamped for its final season. It had some perks, Tim Drake was brought in as the new Robin and Dick was upgraded to Nightwing, but the show lost focus and spent more time on Batgirl than on the title character. Due to lower budgets, the animation had to be downgraded and, suffice it to say, it didn't work that well.
The faults are minor, and all in all, this is a gem that still holds up. Even after several "sequel" series, this stands up as one of the best of the bunch. You could argue that it is the best, but that's a matter of opinion.
The show's almost 20 years old, but it is still awesome.
Even so, I was always fascinated by superheroes. I was into Power Rangers, but it was the superhero cartoons that really got me interested in these fantastic adventures. Marvel had its fair share of awesome cartoons with both Spider-Man and X-Men, but it was the DC Universe that really gripped me.
What is now referred to as the DCAU all started here.
The show is highly regarded by comic fans and non-comic fans alike. It won awards and revolutionized how people viewed cartoons, even if it was just for a short while. The writers took the material seriously and didn't talk down to the audience. They made a show that kids could enjoy, but would still be able to entertain older viewers.
In addition, the show took all of these long running characters, who have gone through several different incarnations, and distilled them down to their essence. It took all the things that worked about the characters and tossed aside what didn't work, creating what many believe to be the quintessential versions of these characters.
In addition to the strong writing, the show also benefitted from great voice actors. While the performances were strong all around, special mention goes to Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, who voiced Batman and The Joker respectively. To this day, many fans still hear those voices in their head when reading those two characters, whether it be comic or in prose.
The aforementioned actors are the prime examples, but special mention goes to others like Michael Ansara as Mr. Freeze, David Warner as Ra's al Ghul, Adrienne Barbeau as Catwoman, and Roddy McDowall as The Mad Hatter.
The show was so popular that it actually had an impact on the mainstream DC Universe. Harley Quinn was an original creation for the show who later made it into canon. Renee Montoya was also created for the show, but made it into comics before her animated debut.
The animation was a bit stiff at points, but all in all, it was very well done. The character designs worked perfectly.
The score, done by Shirley Walker was also superb. They took some cues from Elfman, but only used that as a jumping point to create a score that added atmosphere to the series.
Unfortunately, executive meddling kicked in and the show was revamped for its final season. It had some perks, Tim Drake was brought in as the new Robin and Dick was upgraded to Nightwing, but the show lost focus and spent more time on Batgirl than on the title character. Due to lower budgets, the animation had to be downgraded and, suffice it to say, it didn't work that well.
The faults are minor, and all in all, this is a gem that still holds up. Even after several "sequel" series, this stands up as one of the best of the bunch. You could argue that it is the best, but that's a matter of opinion.
The show's almost 20 years old, but it is still awesome.
Saturday, July 4, 2015
Daily Dose of Awesome: Happy Days theme song
I never really got into Happy Days. Admittedly, I've only seen a handful of episodes, but the show's style of humor never grabbed me. However, I love the theme song. There are actually quite a few shows where this holds true for me Matlock and Perry Mason being more dramatic examples.
But I digress, this song is pure happiness. I guess it's not surprising given that the word "happy" is in the title, but I thought it was worth mentioning never the less.
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