'Jessica Jones' Season 2, Episode 2: 'AKA A Freak Accident'

This is one of those instances where the gaps in my episode viewings proves to be a detriment.  It took me a while to remember just what everybody was grappling with.  I got caught up eventually, but it did make the early sequences a little head scratching.

This is especially true with Hogarth's subplot.  I remember that she was affiliated with that rival PI who Jess beat up, but at the same time, I wasn't sure what prompted the downward spiral into drugs and lesbian orgies with prostitutes*.  Even the PI asks her what's going on when he pops in for a quick follow up appearance, so maybe there's something else going on that we as viewers aren't privy to as of yet.  As much focus as he got last episode, it was surprising to see him relegated to a cameo, but the episode has its hands full dealing with bigger issues.

The focus, instead, is put on both Jessica's and Trish's respective investigations into IGH, Jess' origins, and the death of Whizzer. 

Jessica's investigative methods perplex me.  On the one hand, the writers both here and on the Defenders have done a decent job of showing Jessica doing actual detective work: following leads, collecting evidence etc.  Then, we have sequences where she's just googling stuff.  You can buy it when she's looking up stuff on Will, but the Whizzer?  Your first instinct is to roll your eyes, but the strange thing is that it totally works.  Her internet search actually does give her a pretty crucial piece to the puzzle, so I guess there's something to it.

Just as the last episode felt very "comic book-y", so too does this one.  There's no speedster, but Jess does have to contend with a guy in a wheel chair and a mongoose.  They both make sense in context, but there is some definite mood whiplash considering some of the serious emotional issues that come into play.

We also have a couple of Spider-Man references.  They added a bit of levity and stood out as highlights for Marvel fans.  I know that they're intentional from the writer's perspective, but this being the MCU, I can't help but wonder if the references are even intentional in universe.  I suppose it depends on whether this takes place before or after "Civil War" and "Homecoming", but I'd like to think that it was.  It helps make the MCU feel more cohesive that way. 

The episode does follow up on the super-killing monster that's on the loose.  While Jessica is aware that the threat is very real, she never considers calling on Luke or Danny for backup...weird.

The idea that Will is the one responsible is thrown out.  It would have made sense to have him act as the "big bad" given the set up from season 1, but it also felt a little anti-climactic as he was likely the viewer's prime suspect.  At the very least, you'd think that the show would want to toy with it before just tossing the info out without care in the world.

As quickly as the idea is thrown out, I actually started to suspect that there was something else afoot.  I mean, we are only in the second episode.  Sure enough, Will pleads innocent and says that something else is loose.  For what it's worth, he seems to be on the level, as they are indeed attacked by something else.

Sadly, we don't have Simpson and Jones confronting the thing side by side.  The prior does make an attempt to keep Trish safe, though, by attempting to take it on and allow the others to escape.  Suffice it to say, it doesn't go well.  Now, could this be a fake out too?  I don't know.  At this point, it seems like what happened will remain intact, but a plot twist or two could easily change that.

For the first half, it didn't seem like the episode was moving all that much.  I know the Netflix shows operate on a slow burn, but it didn't seem like there was that much going on.  The episode made up for it in the second half.  It advanced the main plot, but we also got some great character development as well. 

Most notably, we get some more background on Trish.  Granted, we knew that her child star status gave her some issues, but this doubles down by revealing that she fell victim to the casting couch concept.  Yeah, everybody's got major traumas to deal with this season.  It's made worse by the fact that she was 15 at the time, so while we this season is working to integrate into the Marvel setting, it isn't doing so at the expense of the grit and street level atrocities that the Netflix shows were intended to portray. 

As to what that has to do with the main plot, it seems the director's a major donor.  I'm not sure donors have access to medical records.  Sure, they get perks, but I'm pretty sure that's not one of them.  I think the writers could have done a better job making that connection, but we'll see where it goes.

Even Malcolm is put off by the revelation, so much so that he accosts the guy and punches him in the face.  Can't really blame the guy, especially when the director tries to pin it on her. 

Just as Jess did last episode, Trish shows some "broken bird" traits here.  Even though she more or less got what she wanted, you can tell that the confrontation has left her rattled and you can't help but feel sorry for her.

This episode wasn't quite as strong as its predecessor, but by the end, it did manage to keep me interested in what was happening.  The main villain got to show itself...sort of, and things did eventually start moving forward on multiple fronts. 






* Reading IGN's review of the episode, it seems to be connected to the quick scene where she got some dire medical news. Not gonna lie, I totally forgot about that. 

Click here to become a Swagbucks member


Click here to join our Patreon campaign

'The X-Files' Season 11, Episode 5: 'Ghouli'

As the episode opens, we see two girls playing an odd variation of "hide and seek".  They're on a decrepit old ship that seems tailor made for monsters or serial killers to lurk and they inquire as to whether the other is "ghouli".

It instantly gives off a "Slender Man" vibe, somewhat mirroring that tragic incident where a girl was "sacrificed" to the internet phenomenon.  The episode's opening scenes further reinforce this, having "Ghouli" be an internet monster meme with plenty of fanfiction behind it.  There was an interesting twist in that the girls weren't so much attempting a sacrifice as trying to defend themselves.

While a part of me would have liked to see the investigation into this monster play out, the episode decides to do something different.  It could, arguably, be for the better as I could have sworn that this show already did its spin on Slendy.  I know that "Supernatural" did, and like that show, this one makes a point to say that, even in worlds inhabited by all sorts of monsters and bizarre occurrences, this thing isn't real.

Instead, the episode decides to build more on emotional connections.  It's even somewhat foreshadowed by Mulder's lament that modern monsters don't have any pathos to them. 

It turns out that the "monster" in this case has a rather personal connection to our agents, as it is none other than William. 

It was a bit strange seeing Scully immediately jump to the conclusion that "Jackson" was William, but she turned out to be right, so good on her.  This assumption also gives us one of the episode's highlights, as Dana has a confession of sorts with Jackson's corpse.  She apologizes and lets him know that she gave him up, not due to lack of love, but a desire to see him safe.  Anderson does a stellar job with the scene. 

It's a good thing that the scene is there, because we don't really have a connection to William. He's mentioned occasionally as an afterthought, but while Dana says that she never forgot about him, I have a feeling that viewers certainly have on occasion.

This is William's first real debut into the story proper and it has its problems.  In addition to being a somewhat new character, the direction the episode goes with him doesn't exactly elicit sympathy.  He has one or two nice scenes, but his "game" is a tough pill to swallow.

The grisly opening scene is explained as a prank gone wrong.  William admits that it was an elaborate "Boo!" deal, but even that makes little sense.  Why bring his two girlfriends to the same place?  If he can make people see or hear what they want, why not just have them think they see the monster with no person in its stead.  That way, even if they do grab a knife and start swinging, they only hit thin air.  The episode brushes it aside, with even the two girls who were nearly killed as a result not really giving him much grief over it. 

Like "This", the episode starts off as a one-off but eventually becomes more connected to the ongoing story.  This one is more blatant about it, but it does allow us to touch on the looming apocalypse that both William and Dana had seen.  It also follows up on the human/alien hybrid stuff that had been brought up prior but seems largely forgotten about.

Wait a minute, why did Mulder need to be told that by Skinner? Hasn't he known about that for years now?  Even the connection to William seems like something he had already figured out back when the kid was first born.  Huh...very peculiar. 

The episode is light on humor, acting as a counter-balance to its predecessor.  There was one bit where Mulder used "Bob" as an alias.  That in and of itself wasn't that funny, but Mulder's explanation and Scully's later declaration that this was an alternate reality and that "Fox" doesn't exist in this one were both fairly amusing.  The latter also made for a nice callback to the preceding episode. 

All in all, this episode was a mixed bag.  There was potential for more creepiness in regards to the monster, but the emotional moments hit their mark and we got some progression in regards to the overarching story. 

Click here to become a Swagbucks member


Click here to join our Patreon campaign

'The Punisher' Episode 5: 'Gunner'

This episode manages to not only follow up on the events of last episode, but also shifts its focus back to the larger arc that makes up the season's focus.

Madani now has a lead as she knows that Frank is alive.  Of course, there are a myriad of reasons why she can't tell anyone.  It does give her a reason to bring Karen Page in for questioning.

This was a bonus for several reasons.  I've already praised Woll, and she's as good as always here.  It also allows for some nods to the events of other shows.  The biggest perk, however, is seeing an inquisitive journalist with a potential scoop go up against a federal agent attempting an interrogation.  It was an interesting setup as both parties try to fish for information, but sadly, the scene doesn't live up to its potential.  It isn't long before Karen more or less acquiesces.  She lies, of course, but there could have been more back and forth with that one.  Also, Karen's not a good liar.  It seems obvious that she's covering.  I don't know if Madani knows this and is just playing along, but I'd hope so.  There were some pretty obvious tells there that a seasoned agent should have picked up on. 

This also prompts Page to meet up with Frank one more time.  It's a much stronger scene with quite a bit of emotional power behind it.  Karen sympathizes with Frank, but doesn't want any more bodies piling up.  She even asks the question of what Frank plans to do after, which he doesn't seem to have an answer for.  As such, she pitches using an alternate strategy: letting the truth come out either by talking to Madani or letting Karen run a story and exposing what happened through the press.  She did make some good points, but Frank isn't convinced.  Still, points for trying. 

Frank, meanwhile attempts to track down the guy who filmed the execution back in Kandahar.  Like the AVClub, I'm not sure why it took them this long to think of it.  Frank is able to instantly identify who the cameraman is too.  If his memory were foggy due to the passage of time, maybe they could've made it more believable, but as is, it's just strange. 

Despite the cameraman (the titular "Gunner" who ironically seems to prefer a bow and arrow) taking great efforts to stay hidden, it seems like everybody does a pretty easy job of finding him.  It makes for a convenient action beat as a squad of troops are deployed to take the two out.

I'm torn on the "First person shooter" thing that the climax used.  On the one hand, I wasn't digging it.  Credit to the show for justifying it to some extent (the troops are wearing cameras on their helmets) but at the same time, I don't know if the show did enough with it.  We would occasionally jump to the POV shot, but then jump out again.  Considering Frank and Gunner's guerilla tactics, seeing it from first person could have been a cool, immersive trick.  On the other hand, if they had done more, viewers might have complained that they didn't get to see enough of Frank in action. It's a double edged sword.

It was kind of surprising to see Frank killing the soldiers the same way he would a gang of criminals.  You'd think that being innocent and fellow troops, that Frank would at least try to incapacitate them in a nonlethal fashion.  Such was not the case.   

In addition to action, the episode does provide some strong character moments.  The bickering between Frank and Micro is fun, but the more family oriented scenes are some of the real stand outs.  It was nice to see Frank bonding with Leo.  It makes the later scene where he unintentionally stands the family up rather sad, as everybody was anticipating his company.  With everything going on, I kind of forgot about that plot point, but it made for a nice emotional sucker punch when it did come up.

All in all, this was a decent episode.  It still seems like its trying to pick up momentum and find its focus, but that could feeling could also be due to my sporadic viewing of the show.  I've been mulling doing a rewatch of the MCU from the beginning.  If I do that, perhaps a more "binge"esque strategy would work better for a show like this, we'll see how things play out.  In any event, we're coming up on the season's halfway point so things should start to get interesting. 

You Can Get Free Gift Cards For Shopping, Searching and Discovering What's Online at Swagbucks.com
















Click here to join our Patreon campaign

'The X-Files' Season 11, Episode 4: 'The Lost Art of Forehead Sweat'

After the massive success of "Mulder and Scully Meet the Were-Monster", it was pretty much a given that Darin Morgan would be brought back to write another episode.

True to form, he gives us an episode that stands out from the rest of the pack.  It's goofy, but also incredibly well-written.  The dialogue and banter between the characters deliver just as much laughs as the cheap Twilight Zone knock-off and the montage of events where Reggie, an on-the-run conspiracy theorist who thinks he's been mind-wiped and is seeking the agents' aid, is supposedly shoe-horned into the show's past history.

It's a good thing too, because this episode is mostly dialogue driven.  A majority of it is just Mulder, Scully, and Reggie in a parking lot talking about a potential plot to gaslight the populace for some potentially nefarious end.

As a result, we get a trippy discussion that incorporates faulty memories, subjective news sources, and a possible overlap of parallel realities.  Oh, and there's a mysterious scientist who is actually named "Dr. They", thus answering the question of "who is they?" that inevitably arises whenever conspiracy theories are brought up.

It all culminates with Mulder and Scully (supposedly) meeting an alien who declares that humans are to stay put, that the rest of the universe wants nothing to do with them, and has decided to build a "wall" around our solar system to keep us from "infecting" it.

Granted, the scenario is so goofy (not to mention heavy handed, but I'll get to that) that you can't take it seriously, but it still felt like a pretty valid "the reason you suck" speech.  Even just presented as a hypothetical, that's a heavy revelation. 

Of course, it's somewhat undercut by the fact that the whole thing is written with sledge-hammer style metaphor.  The alien refers to the "wall" as "big and beautiful" and that we're all rapists and drug dealers.  Morgan is usually a sharper writer, but these kinds of not so subtle allusions to the president are more eye-roll inducing at this point.  Even IGN noted that it robs the episode of any potential timelessness and the AVClub (which would normally eat that sort of thing up with a spoon) calls out the lack of subtlety.   

Despite its flaws, this was still a strong entry in a season that seems to be shaping up rather well.  As noted, the script was strong for a vast majority of it, the cast seemed to be enjoying themselves, and it had a rather trippy mind-screw vibe that made you tilt your head, but also remain captivated by what was being discussed.  It's weaker than "Were-Monster' in my view, but still, this was an entertaining chapter.

Click here to join our Patreon campaign

'Jessica Jones' Season 2, Episode 1: 'AKA Start at the Beginning'

The Defenders return!! Well, a defender returns.  Yes, the second season of Jessica Jones hit Netflix  a while back and we're finally diving into it.  Much like with Daredevil, we're starting from the second season because the second season of that show is when these write ups started to begin with. 

The second season of this series gets off to a rather strong start.  True, Jessica starts off feeling a bit flat just because she's still drinking and pushing those closest to her away.  Thankfully, over the course of the episode, her arc starts to begin in earnest.

The first season used IGH as a sequel hook and this episode hints that it will be the main focus.  Not only is it a good way to escalate things, but it also allows us to explore Jessica's origin.  We know the jist, but it seems like there's more to what happened. 

This gives Jessica a more personal stake, gives us more info on her background, and also allows her traumatic past to come to the forefront.  Ritter brings her A-game here, as Jessica is frequently shaken and even teary eyed at various points in the episode.  Either because she is that adamant about letting the past stay buried (despite Trish's well-intentioned protests), or because she saw a fellow super get crushed to death.  While Jess is acerbic and isolationist, it allows the viewer to connect to and feel for the character, as her emotional anguish is palpable. 

That said, this episode is also the most comic book-y to date.  Jessica encounters another powered person who says that something is hunting them  Some may like it, others won't.  I thought it made it feel more established in the MCU, but it is kind of jarring going from Jessica's binge drinking and denial to a goofy chase around the office with a paranoid speedster.  I totally get the argument that it's out of place in this show, but we'll see where it goes.  I'm OK with the show playing into the setting more.  Frankly, it's always weird to see people skeptical of things after everything that's happened since Tony Stark first made his debut as a superhero. 

Speaking of superhero, the episode devotes a lot of time to showing Jessica outright denouncing the title.  It's a bit weird that everyone used the exact term "vigilante superhero".  I'd think people would lean towards one or the other, but it does make for some nice character moments.  Jess doesn't really fit the "superhero" profile, clearly, and her offense at being called a vigilante makes sense.  While she doesn't always succeed, she does try to work within legal parameters.  You even see it in "Defenders".

As far as plot, there is the IGH stuff, but beyond that, the only real antagonist is a rival PI who offers to buy out Alias Investigations.  He's smug, but you can't help but feel like he's in the right when he talks about suing Jessica after she beats him up.  Yeah, he provoked her, but at the same time, it seems like a winnable law suit.  He's also not wrong in pointing out that the slap on the wrist was a bit too light. 

Even though Cox's name wasn't in the credits, it seemed like it would've been a great cameo to have him be the one representing her.  I guess they figured it would just be a rehash of how they met, but it still seems like a missed opportunity. 

Speaking of, Rand gets name-dropped and there's one mention of "the others" (re: vigilante superheroes) but there's no real mention of the Defenders.  On the one hand, the public at large wouldn't know about those events so I kind of get it, but you'd think that Trish would point out that Jessica saved the city not too long ago or that Jess' ego would get a boost.  I mean, taking down an ancient cult of ninjas is a pretty impressive feat. 

Overall, I found this to be a strong opening.  It had a nice balance in regards to tone.  The stakes seem to be both higher and more personal.  The writing and acting are also more impressive.  The characters and story are able to take what worked in the first season and build on it to become more compelling and developed.  I'm looking forward to seeing where Jess' story goes from here. 

Click here to join our Patreon campaign

'The X-Files' Season 11, Episode 3: 'Plus One'

Thus far, the 11th season of 'The X-Files' has been wildly inconsistent.  It opened terribly, but then recovered with a surprisingly strong second episode.

This episode provides a more stable footing for both the show and the viewer, as it delivers another entertaining outing for the pair of FBI agents. 

The writing works well, the cast puts in strong performances, and the episode brings a nice balance.  There's some legitimately spooky goings-on this time around, but the episode isn't afraid to throw some levity and humor in there.  Rather than detract, it actually adds to the experience.  It makes it more entertaining, sure, but it also highlights just how strange Mulder's and Scully's lives get.

I think it's also to the writer's credit, that even though few of the supporting characters are likable here, they're still sympathetic.  The first victim is a routine DUI offender and the second is a sleazy attorney.  Still, when they're put in life or death situations, you do kind of root for them.  When the attorney goes to Mulder and Scully for help, you can't help but feel for the guy, being in a desperate situation that he has no control over.  Even his attempt at taking precautionary measures ultimately proves futile.

You'd think that the various plot elements would become jumbled.  I mean, we have phantom doppelgangers that drive you to suicide, a pair of schizophrenic twins playing a telepathic game of hangman, and talk of some looming evil presence that could be demonic or just mankind's darker impulses or something.  For the most part, it all comes together, though we don't really get any answers on anything. 

We do get some nice character moments between the two agents.  The banter is always fun, but the two also get a chance to reflect.  Scully, especially, becomes more introspective and wonders about what could have been and what is to come. 

Her talk of death would make sense in most cases, though Clyde Bruckman did say that she wouldn't die.  I wonder if that will ever come up again.  Also her fear about losing their jobs seems a bit shallow.  I mean, they've been fired before.  She's a doctor, I think she'll be fine.  I know it's supposed to be a hint towards the show ending, but it was still a little odd.     

In any event, this episode also made some nice (likely unintentional) nods.  When the agents talked of "mass hysteria", I couldn't help but think of "Ghostbusters".  Given the looming "end of the world" thing going on, it kind of adds to the connection.

We also have people committing murder by writing down names.  Sure, it's via hangman, but my brain couldn't help but connect this to "Death Note".  Suffice it to say, I smirked when one of the siblings asked if there was an L.  Again, I figure it has to be a coincidence, but it did amuse me. 

I do wonder how Scully is still skeptical at this point.  I'm pretty sure they've confronted ghosts before, so her dismissal of that was weird, but you'd think she'd be more open minded by now. Heck, when Mulder was abducted, she became "the believer".  It was odd to see, but the turn kind of made sense.  I'm kind of curious what pushed her back to skeptic territory.  Yeah, status quo is god, but you'd think they'd at least try to justify the back pedal. 

While the episode does have some cons, they are outweighed by the pros.  I don't think that this was as strong an outing as its predecessor.  The writing was largely on point, the plot hook was solid, it was well paced, and it effectively provided a nice balance of what viewers hope to find in an episode of 'The X-Files'. Hopefully, the positive momentum can continue. 

Click here to join our Patreon campaign

'The Punisher' Episode 4: 'Resupply'

So, yeah, it's been a while since we've discussed "The Punisher" and I figured it was time to get back on the ball here.  I kind of remember what was happening.  I was worried that I was going to have a hard time keeping up, but this episode is largely self contained and doesn't really have any connection to the overall plot.

The episode keeps it simple, as both Frank and Homeland Security are gunning for a cache of weapons (see what I did there?) that are being transported by a crime syndicate.

At first I wasn't sure if this was some plot thread that carried over and was some piece of the puzzle. It occurred to me later that Frank Castle could just want the guns because he's Frank Castle.  The episode's title reinforces this and it works well enough, so it doesn't really matter either way.

Having the two parties go after the same target could be seen as a contrived coincidence, but it works as it gives the episode focus, even though we're following three groups of characters over the course of the episode.

The third group focuses on Curtis Hoyle and his attempt to help rehabilitate one of the suffering vets in his group.  It's not going well.  The guy's built a foxhole in his backyard and is eager to go back out into the field.  He even goes so far as to attempt to sign on with a private military group.  It might've worked had Curtis not torpedoed the effort.

My first thought was that the guy could get a non-combat centric job in the organization.  You know, split the difference.  Billy actually does bring up this idea, but Lewis is dismissive.  You'd think that Billy would point out that there are other jobs besides "janitor" that could be done here, but that idea never comes up.   Between his declining mental state and his newfound grudges against two of the recurring supporting characters, I don't see this guy remaining a good guy for much longer.  It doesn't seem to be a question of if he'll crack, but when. 

I don't doubt that this story will have ramifications later on, but right now it does seem a bit peripheral.  Still, it'll be interesting to see how the show ties it all together.

In the meantime, we get to see Frank rough up criminals.  The more impressive showing is obviously his showdown with the car thieves, but he does get to interrogate Turk in the show's opening scene.  It was an unexpected appearance, but it worked and I found it entertaining. 

It's odd how Turk keeps running afoul of the Netflix MCU vigilantes.  He's like the mirror of Claire Temple.  Where she runs into them and becomes friends, he seems to have a rockier go of it.  Still, he lives to see another day, so his charm seemed to have worked to some extent. 

It was good to get back to this show.  The characters are all entertaining and the cast continues to shine.  Having this be a "one and done" worked for me, but it also gives viewers a break from the "myth arc" and focus on Frank facing off against criminals.  There wasn't much in the way of plot advancement, but there was quite a bit of character progression.  Lewis, Madani, and Micro are all changed by the episode's end.  It should allow for interesting progression as we move deeper into the season.

Click here to join our Patreon campaign