'Attack on Titan' Season 3, Episode 1: 'Smoke Signal'

The third season of "Attack on Titan" premiered recently.  I'm not going to lie, I don't really remember what was happening.  It's one of the downsides of shows taking lengthy breaks in between seasons.

Right off the bat, the show changes things up with a new theme song.  I'm not crazy about it to be honest.  I mean, as a song, it's fine.  It just doesn't scream "Attack on Titan".  It doesn't even have that trademark chant that the first two theme songs had.  It's pretty jarring.

Of course, if this episode is any indicator, it seems like the plot is shifting.  There is the occasional reference to the titans, but they almost seem to become an afterthought, as the characters talk about food rations and a potential government conspiracy.

Said conspiracy centers around...Christa's secret heritage? Or the wall? Something about Eren? I don't know.  It seems like they're interested in all of it, but I'm not particularly interested as of yet, so it's kind of hard to care.  They do kill Hange's informant and make an attempt to kidnap Eren and Christa, so they're not messing around, but it feels like a strange turn for the show.

Things do pick up, as Mikasa and crew's rescue attempt goes off without a hitch. The fact that the perps had nabbed body doubles shows that this was just a ploy to draw out their enemies.  It was good tactics on Levi's part and both Mikasa and Sasha get some nice highlight moments as a result of it.  Poor Armin, though.  That must have been awkward on several levels.

There is an interesting plot twist, as Levi realizes that this has been too easy and maybe the players were really the playees.  He suspects somebody else is involved.  This leads to the revelation that, apparently, Levi used to live with a serial killer.  Said killer is Levi's prime suspect and it turns out that he's 100% right.

This was a bit of a clunky twist, but it isn't helped by the fact that the killer's nom de guerre is "Kenny the Ripper".  Using "the ripper" alone was eye roll inducing enough, but Kenny isn't the most menacing name they could have picked.  I'm not sure what name would have worked, to be honest, but that name doesn't exactly strike fear into the viewer's hearts.

It's a shame too, because otherwise, Kenny has a lot of potential as an adversary. He's clearly cunning and capable, but he also has a personal connection (and a vendetta from the sound of it) with one of the main cast.  He might just be a hired gun or he might be an independent wild card, we don't know.  The fact that he seems to have a squad backing him up would suggest the prior, but it could still go either way.  Unlike the government stuff, this has a lot more intrigue behind it and it ends up being the more engaging plot element.

Overall, though, I found this episode to be disappointing.  After such a long break, this episode needed more umph.  There are still 23 more episodes, leaving plenty of room for plot progression, but alas, this wasn't the most auspicious start.

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'It' (2017 Movie)

By and large, people are weary of remakes.  It's hard to build up hype for something that's already been done.  This is even more true when re-adapting something like, say, a book.  We saw what happened when Hollywood tried to bring Carrie to the big screen for like the third time.  Yet, when it was announced that another take on "It" was in the works, people were generally excited.  The 90's TV mini-series has its charm, but fans of the book can't be faulted for being excited at the prospect of another go around, especially when it has a much bigger budget to work with.

The results are...mixed.  This is definitely a much darker presentation than what came before.  As a result, it feels closer in tone to the source material.  We also have a Pennywise who comes off as much more monstrous.  Curry's Pennywise was creepy, but had a bit of a silly flair.  I remember watching "It" the first time and wondering why the kids were so scared.  Here, you see why.  He is legitimately terrorizing the kids something fierce. 

That being said, I think I still lean more in favor of Curry's take.  Maybe it's nostalgia goggles, but this take on Pennywise really didn't do it for me as much as one would hope.  It just seemed like he was trying too hard to be creepy.  He's so blatantly and obviously evil that it feels a bit one note.  He has his moments, but I largely came away with a feeling of "eh".  This isn't helped by the fact that the movie is heavily reliant on jump scares.  It works sometimes, but it does start to feel repetitive as the movie progresses. 

The movie makes up for it with the Losers themselves.  The new kids take a little getting used to, but once they come together, you totally buy the bond that's formed and its extent.  It gives the movie the heart it needs and ends up being one of the film's strongest factors.   Oddly enough, there are times when it seems like the horror elements are getting in the way.  This isn't the first film to do this.  I recall similar things being said about "Batman Begins" with its superhero elements and the recent "Power Rangers" film.  It's still a strange thing to see.

I remember back when the movie was in production, a lot was made about the time jump. The argument was that the 50's made more sense given Derry's idyllic illusion and that the 80's didn't really have that.  It makes sense on some level.  Watching the movie, though, the move to the 80's really didn't make that much of a difference.  There are some references to things, you see movie titles on marquees and Richie compares Bev to Molly Ringwald at one point, but the narrative plays out pretty much the same.  Ultimately, that wasn't a thing with which the fans needed to concern themselves.  It really didn't change things that drastically.

I'm torn on the ending.  The slingshot is removed, probably due to not being as prevalent in the 80's, and so too is the silver vulnerability.  As a result, the kids win the day by just beating the monster down with chains and a bat.  Considering one scene had Bev impale the monster through the head with a steel rod to no effect, the fact that this is ultimately what brings the creature down seems out of left field.  I know, the implication is supposed to be that It is weakening as a result of the kids no longer being afraid, but it still feels a bit lackluster.  OK, lackluster may not be the right word.  The climax is more action heavy, so it's satisfying to watch on some level, it just doesn't make a whole lot of sense. 

I am kind of curious to see how the sequel plays out.  For one thing, the kids overcoming their fear now seems like it would undercut the horror of confronting It again.  Most of the movie shows this ordeal as being traumatic in spades, but given the nature of their win, it does change things.

The story also remains somewhat grounded here.  There are a couple of nods to turtles, which make for some nice Easter eggs for fans, but no hint of the sort of cosmic force that comes into play in the book.  This entry is a pretty straight forward monster movie.  From what I hear, the larger elements are going to be brought in for the second chapter.  I have a feeling it's going to make for a jarring watch, especially when people decide to watch the two parts back to back or if/when they do the "director's cut" that combines the two into one cohesive narrative.   

Overall, this was OK.  I was underwhelmed by Pennywise, which is sad considering he's one of my favorite King villains, but the cast and script made up for it in other areas.  It has its shortcomings, but if you're a fan of the book, this is worth checking out at least once.

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'Legends of Tomorrow' Season 3, Episode 2: 'Freakshow'

Despite what the preceding episode may have suggested, the task of fixing time isn't done yet.  It turns out that Caesar wasn't the only lingering anachronism; in fact, there are a lot more that need to be dealt with....with which they need to deal?  Whatever, shut up.

One of which is obtaining a sabre-toothed tiger that has come in the possession of one P.T. Barnum. This seems like a simple fix.  In fact, Sara picks it because it ranks as a low level incident that shouldn't cause too much trouble.  It has the potential to give the team a confidence boost and show the Time Bureau that the Legends are up to the task.

Suffice it to say, things progressively go from bad to worse.  The scale of the threat to the timeline increases as the episode goes on as Barnum tries to wrangle a few members of the team into his show.

Barnum is...an interesting antagonist.  Billy Zane is clearly having fun playing the role.  He brings the sense of showmanship that you would expect and for a majority of the episode, he doesn't really seem to have any real nefarious intent.  Yeah, he kidnaps them, but the episode still manages to make his motivation understandable.  In fact, I found it jarring when the episode did finally have him truly grab the villain ball by threatening to shoot Amaya as a way to goad Nate into steeling up.  I'm kind of surprised that there weren't more attempts by him to sell them on the idea by promising fame and fortune.  In any event, while he doesn't pose a physical threat, he still manages to prove capable by being one step ahead of the team on more than one instance.  He may not be a super villain, but he's pretty clever in his own right.

Yes, this episode brings Amaya back into the fold and follows up on the stinger where she appeared to turn heel.  Considering that, her content demeanor when Sara attempts to bring her in for a one-off just for old time's sake is somewhat jarring, but it's still pretty heartwarming to see.

Also heartwarming is her reunion with the team.  Even Mick is happy to see her and gives her a hug.  Nate's the only one who isn't thrilled and it's easy to see why given the way they left things.  The two do manage to mend some fences and it gives the episode a more emotional character arc to balance out the lighthearted and silly fun that is prominent throughout the episode.

It seems like the show has found its groove and has managed to strike that balance where there's plenty of room for humor, but isn't brought in at the expense of tension.  Things do work out, but there are times where that isn't certain.

We even get a rather impressive fight, as Sara and Agent Sharpe face off.  The two are shown to be evenly matched, which is impressive considering one was trained by the league of assassins.  Not only does Sharpe hold her own against Sara, but she scoffs at other Legends villains, even going so far as to dismiss Thawne as not much of a threat. 

While the two don't get along, there does seem to be a grudging respect growing between the two.  After throwing down, they seem to have no problem calling a time out and getting something to drink.  I was waiting for that moment when the fight would spontaneously resume, but circumstances keep that from happening. 

One neat highlight about this episode is the sheer number of references to the mythos.  The more obvious ones like "man of steel" and seeing Mari get mentioned are certainly welcome, but there are other more subtle things like the events of the "Flash" finale being seen on the tv in the background during the flashback and a circus performer who bears a striking resemblance to B'wana Beast.  To top it off,not only does Mari get mentioned, but the events of her animated show appear to have an impact on the plot this season.  Kuasa makes her live action debut.  If you haven't watched the animated micro-series, that scene won't make any sense, which might be a problem, but the good news is that it's incredibly easy to get caught up on that particular branch of the Arrowverse. 

As noted, Sharpe does cite prior Legends adventures, but she also lets it slip that something big is on the horizon. 

Oddly enough, despite the Legends' reputation as admitted screw ups and misfits, they laugh this off.  On the one hand, they have dealt with an evil speedster, an Egyptian immortal tyrant, and an extra-terrestrial invasion so you can see why they'd be a bit cocky; on the other, they broke time.  Either way, it'll be interesting to see what the deal is with this new threat.

This was another strong entry for the season.  It brought a lot of humor and fun to the table and managed to provide some character growth and story advancement throughout.  Also, the tiny Sabre-toothed tiger was pretty adorable. 

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'The Punisher' Episode 6: 'The Judas Goat'

With Frank on the mend after the events of the preceding episode, this one turns from action and focuses more on quiet, character moments.  There are times where that's a detriment and it makes the Netflix shows feel like they're moving at a slow pace, but it works out rather well here.

The episode has more than a few scenes where characters are conversing at a table and it still manages to keep you engaged.  A good chunk of credit for that goes to the cast, who all present their characters as likable.  Where previous episodes had Frank and Micro constantly busting each other's chops, this one has them start to connect and have a real conversation. 

Billy Russo also gets a strong turn as we see him reinforce the bond that exists between fellow soldiers.  Like Micro, he too gets to have a heart to heart with Frank and it's another one of the episode's highlight scenes.  Barnes and Bernthal play well off each other and Russo's offer to help Frank seems genuine.   It just makes the episode's last minute reveal that much more poignant, though also somewhat intriguing.

Lewis also gets a prominent subplot, as his Vietnam vet buddy is revealed to be a fake.  In the wake of everything else that has gone wrong in his life as of late, he doesn't take it too well.  The ensuing skirmish ends rather brutally and shows that Curtis' instincts were right.  How this plays into the main arc has yet to be revealed.  Who knows, he might never cross paths with Frank and his role could just be to illustrate how Frank's story could have easily ended differently.  .

While this was a slower, quieter affair; this episode is starts to bring disparate plot threads together.  It should pay off as we move into the second half of the season.

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'The X-Files' Season 11, Episode 6: 'Kitten'

Sadly, this episode does not center on Mulder and Scully adopting a cat, then playing and snuggling with it for 45 minutes.  No monsters, no cases.  Just two FBI agents gushing over an adorable baby cat.  That would have been an "X-Files" for the books (and I'm a dog person.)

Instead, it puts the focus on Walter Skinner, as his past comes back to haunt him.  It was good to give Skinner some attention, as it seems like he hasn't had much in the way of screen time this season, despite being featured in the opening credits.  It's especially strange given the whole falling out. It was paid lip service, but never seemed to go anywhere.  It's a moot point as the agents seemed to have mended fences by episode's end.

Pileggi's always an asset and the episode puts him to good use, more so in the episode's second half.  His absence early on is understandable given that it's the plot's impetus.  It would have been interesting to play with the "did Skinner do it?'" thing, but the show already did that and the plot takes a different turn anyway.

The plot itself is admittedly rather ho-hum.  It's a pretty simple outing that doesn't really take any radical turns or pull off any big surprises.  Still, it's engaging enough and the character moments are strong enough that you don't mind it.

Really, I think the only real surprise comes when Mulder doesn't even bother with any sort of paranormal theory and instantly acknowledges that the "monster' seen on camera is just a guy in a suit.  It's good that he's being smart about his belief in the paranormal, but it's still a shock given the show's formula. 

There is one "X-Files" staple that makes its presence known and that is the involvement of nefarious goings on within the country's government.  It's more down to earth, but it does make it so that the episode doesn't feel too distant from what viewers come to see.

I wonder if the "government mind control" thing will come back in any way, shape, or form.  Normally, I'd leave the episode's ending as a standard "X-Files" wrap up, but this isn't the first time that the idea has come up this season.  It's unlikely, but we'll have to see.

Will this go down as one of the season's best?  I doubt it.  However, it's a decent enough episode.  It doesn't do anything too crazy, but I was never bored or annoyed by what I was seeing.  It'll pass the time decently enough, but this might not have the staying power of other episodes.

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'Legends of Tomorrow' Season 3, Episode 1: 'Aruba-Con'

I fell behind on the Arrowverse this year, bu I intend to get caught up over the summer.  I've already started, having seen the first two episodes of "The Flash" and the first episode of "Arrow" (apparently "Supergirl's season isn't done yet).  I continue the trend by diving into the premiere of "Legends of Tomorrow".

When we last left off, our heroes had broken time by creating a massive paradox.  The result wasn't unlike what we saw on "Doctor Who" when the titular doctor tried to avoid his own unavoidable death.  You'd think that this would be the story arc for the season, but alas, the episode cleans up the mess rather briskly.

Honestly, I kind of get it.  If time had remained broken, fans would constantly wonder why we never saw any repercussions on "Arrow" or "The Flash".  Seeing Ollie and crew fight a dinosaur would have been cool, but it's a little out of place.

It isn't the Legends who fix the mess, however.  It turns out that Rip has formed a new successor to the Time Masters.  They serve primarily to act as a more competent and professional foil to the team.  It's kind of like what the JSA was supposed to do, but this group comes off looking better.  They talk smack, but you can understand why they don't think highly of the Legends.  Even Rip seems to  have lost faith in them.  His barbs are the sharpest ones just because he had the close bond with the group.  He even acknowledges that he's the one who brought them together before effectively relieving them of duty.

Like the end of the first season, this episode shows the team going through a malaise after trying to settle back into the present day.  I still have a hard time buying it, though.  They're still superheroes.  Nate's the only one who acknowledges this and decides to keep going in Central City, even forming a friend/partnership with Kid Flash.  Everyone else just kind of wanders off.

The bits with Sara working a crummy retail job were funny, but I don't get why she had to do it.  She's in Star City, why not reunite with her friends and family there?  Her dad would be happy to see her and I'm sure Oliver could bring her on as some sort of adviser.  Not to mention the possibility of seeing the White Canary join Team Arrow.   

It's not all bad news, however.  Martin's going to be a grandfather.  It was a nice reveal and it leads to a bit of tension as he now wants to settle down, whereas Jefferson wants to keep being a time traveling superhero.  Again, the prospect of continuing to be Firestorm in the present never comes up, but it ends up being a moot point.

Mick also finally makes it to Aruba.  He seemed to be enjoying himself until Julius Caesar got in the way.  While he's not the show's most memorable villain, he served his purpose in giving the team a reason to get back together and a chance to prove themselves.

Sure, Caesar does end up changing the course of history in a "Back to the Future part II"esque way, but it's an afterthought.  Instead, the episode puts its focus on the characters themselves and it works out rather well.

The episode is fun and entertaining from beginning to end. We got to see a lot of great character interactions, a changing dynamic for the team, and the action sequences were also well done.  The big fight between Caesar's army and the team was appropriately epic and had its fair share of highlights, but I think fans will remember Caesar's one on one bouts with both Mick and Sara more in the long term.

Credit to him, Caesar held his own against Mick.  Or you could commend Mick for holding his own against Caesar.  Either way, it made for a fun brawl.  Sadly, the Roman Emperor's skills were no match for a former League of Assassins member, leading to a curbstomp battle.

The episode also made sure to deliver a healthy dose of humor.  The banter was on point (as per usual) and there were some great bits throughout.  I already mentioned Sara in retail, but we also see the Time Bureau referencing Legends tactics in a derogatory light and Caesar attempt to galvanize an army of drunken frat-bros.  It makes sense in context, but how many shows can present such a scenario and have it fit and make sense.

There was a missed opportunity to follow up on the last season's cliffhanger, but the episode managed to establish a new course that looks to be promising.  We have a new foil, a stronger bond between the crew, and even a quick mention of a big bad looming on the horizon.  It made for a solid season opener and I'm looking forward to getting back up to speed on this, and the other "Arrowverse" shows.

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'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. 

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