As we saw in this year's docket, there's quite a bit of backlog to go through. The focus of 2019 Q1 will be to clear out a lot of these TV shows that really should have been done a long time ago. It's been awhile, so if you need a refresher on what's happening in this particular series, this might help jog your memory.
Honestly, though, this episode was still pretty easy to follow. Even if your memory is a bit foggy, only a few references are made to specific events. It allows the episode to act as a solid stand alone, which is weird because this episode probably has the most momentum in terms of plot that the show has seen in some time.
I said before that a part of me wanted to see Skarsgard get more screen time and this episode delivers it. He still doesn't say a whole lot, and we learn only a little, but he is able to play a much larger role in the plot.
A lot of this is due to the fact that the warden at Shawshank has him released. Funnily enough, even Henry (who had fought to get him released) seems uncomfortable with the idea of the Kid being out and about.
The episode tries to play with moral ambiguity by suggesting that the Kid is a victim. It would have been an interesting angle if it wasn't already abundantly clear that something is up with him that is beyond the norm. Even if he's not intentionally malevolent, he does pose a clear danger and bad things happen when he's around. It seems that not even skin to skin contact is necessary as his presence outside of a suburban home results in a child's birthday party turning into a violent fiasco.
Even Warden Lacey admits in a flashback that he's not entirely sure if his faith has led him in the right direction. Judging by what we've seen, it seems like it has. In any event, it gives Terry O'Quinn more screen time, so I can hardly complain about that.
This episode also delivers when it comes to Stephen King nods. The references to Dodd and Cujo are nice, though they've been done a couple times now. Juniper Hill is mentioned, but I think the big one is the reveal that Jackie Torrance is the niece of one Jack Torrance. She even admits that it isn't her real name and she took it out of spite. It does explain the similarity, though I do hope that the show does something more with the connection.
In the meantime, there are plenty of strange goings-on to keep the viewer intrigued. There are too many to list, but it does add a foreboding element given the Kid's release. It does suggest that dark times are looming. This is almost literal too, as the sky takes on a darker, more overcast tone in some of the key scenes featuring the mysterious figure.
Much like the last episode, this one really kicks into high gear in the final scenes. There's no big shootout, but there is a tense standoff, as Pangborn confronts the kid and tries to demand answers. We learn that how Pangborn knew about Lacey's imprisonment of the Kid and that he went along with it, despite some doubts. Those doubts are laid to rest, however, as Pangborn reveals that the Kid hasn't aged a day.
It's weird, we pretty much knew that, but for some reason, the fact never clicked up until Pangborn said as much. The revelation still carries some weight for a decent wham moment, even though it really had no right to.
The Kid does admit that he isn't the devil, though he is perplexed regarding the fact that Pangborn doesn't know what's going on in the town. It's a nice cryptic line to end on. Honestly, the fact that he offered to help Ruth seems like the bigger twist, but we'll see what comes of it. Maybe he does have good intentions or maybe he's just trying to gain leverage, it's too soon to say.
Really, though, Pangborn should have known that the Kid isn't Satan. After all, the devil had already made his way to the town and set up a pawn shop. I'm surprised that fact hasn't come up yet on the show, but I guess it's possible that that didn't happen in this continuity.
Either way, this was a strong outing for the show. It moved things forward and provided an impetus for some major developments in the episodes to come. The strong ending also stirs up that urge to binge watch, which is quite easy now that the whole season is out. Hopefully, I'll be able to keep pace. While I do want to progress for the sake of clearing out the back log, I am interested to see where the show goes from here. My analysis may be out of date, but my curiosity is still very much intact.
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Sunday, January 6, 2019
Tuesday, January 1, 2019
2019 Docket and Goals
Happy New Year everyone! It's that time where we try to lay down a plan for what's to come in the next 365 days. As noted before, a lot of what was supposed to be done in 2018 wasn't. As such, a good chunk of this year's docket is just carry over, but we'll go through it anyway just for the sake of record.
Stephen King
Back log
Hearts in Atlantis
Castle Rock Season 1
Sleeping Beauties
Strange Weather
The Outsider
On Writing
Secret Windows
The Plant
Dreamcatcher
Black House
Cell (movie)
Mr. Mercedes series
The Dark Tower movie
New additions
Castle Rock Season 2
It part 2
Elevation
Brad Thor
Backlog
Path of the Assassin
State of the Union
Blowback
Takedown
Netflix
Back Log
The Punisher Season 1
Daredevil Season 3
Jessica Jones Season 2
New Additions
Luke Cage Season 2
Iron Fist Season 2
The Punisher Season 2
Legends of Tomorrow
Back Log
Season 3
New additions
Season 4- Once again, I'll have to wait for this to hit Netflix in order to watch it, but the plan is to binge it when it does happen. It may not be current, but I'm going to make a point of getting through it quickly this time around.
Anime
Back Log
Attack on Titan season 3
Rurouni Kenshin (?)
Archive restoration (?)
Reviewstream
Back Log
Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition rule books
JLA trade paperbacks
The dividend income reports will continue and I will also continue to post the latest episodes of "Let's Get it Right".
Oh, and I, of course, aim to finally finish "The X-Files".
Goals
Savings challenge
I neglected to mention it in the 2018 review, though I did bring it up on Twitter, but this year I completed two savings challenges. The 52 week "dollar a week" challenge and the "penny a day" challenge. These were two that I had started back in the day when I was still trying the whole "self employed content creator" thing. With my new station, I was finally able to put those to an end.
This year I plan on keeping the momentum going by taking on the extension of the first challenge. It turns out that some people push the weekly challenge to two years. Rather than stopping at 52, they just keep going, putting aside $53, then $54, then $55 and so on. For all intents and purposes, I'm doing this challenge twice, as the plan is to move the slated amounts to my primary savings account, as well as the online savings account.
Bring dividend forward income to $400
Right now, my forward income sits at about $70. I wanted to find a number that was feasible, but still somewhat challenging. With purchases and DRIP, I think that this meets that criteria. If I break it before, that's awesome, but right now, that's where I'm setting the goal post.
Max out IRA contribution
When I first opened the IRA, I mentioned that the odds of me doing this were slim. Truth be told, that's still the case. This is more of a mental thing. I figure, if I set my sight on that, it will push me to get as close as I possibly can. Even if I don't hit the goal, I think having this mindset will still be beneficial in the long run.
$300 in Side Hustle
This is something that I haven't really talked about, but I want to add it to the itinerary anyway. Right now, my main side hustles are Apptrailers, Epoll, and Reviewstream (there's also the Patreon, ad revenue, and the Amazon affiliate links, but they haven't really brought in income so they're side hustles in name only....SHINO.) Epoll will bring about $60 at best. App trailers is nice, but if I'm going to pull this off, Reviewstream will have to be a factor. This should be a motivator for me to write more and make sure I cross that threshold. Again, I think that this is a goal that's feasible, but will still present something of a challenge.
Car
As of now, I am without vehicle. It's something I am aiming to remedy. I've given serious consideration to getting a bike, which is odd as I've only ridden once since elementary school. It's cheaper, better for the planet, and everything is fairly close by here. It makes a lot more sense now than it did when I was living in Maryland or Kansas, but I figure I'd still need to get a car at some point. I'm not looking forward to adding two more monthly expenses to my cash outflow, but if I can knock the car payment out quickly enough, it might not be that bad.
Walk the Year Charity Miles Challenge
I'm a big fan of the Charity Miles app. I plug it frequently and was even going on daily 4 mile walks for a while. I haven't been doing a good job as of late and I'm hoping that this will get me back on the horse.
Fun fact, we're one day in and, because I didn't walk today, I'm already behind schedule. Auspicious.
Read 26 books
I noted before that I got no reading done. I really want to amend for that this year. I know that 52 books is the average, but I figure that starting small will work out better. There's another reason I only have this many books coming into play, the next goal.
Read 26 graphic novels/trade paperbacks
I've been trying to get back into comics lately. Rather than go back to the individual issues, I want to shift my collection to trades so that I can show them off on a bookshelf. Rather than argue about whether these count as books, I'm putting them in their own separate category so that I can get the best of both worlds.
Swagbucks
I had heard that this was a great side hustle, but it hasn't really panned out for me. The site brings my computer to a crawl (my laptop is a little on the old side,) which means I only log in when I have to. As that hasn't worked, I want to try to put it to use in order to up my philanthropic game. You can donate points to different causes and organizations. Since I have the account anyway, I figure this will at least put the account to better use than it has up until now. As the point cost isn't as high as the other rewards, I'll be able to "cash in" more frequently.
3 year goal
Oh, we're going beyond just the year. I want to try to think in the long term, and as such I've got some goals that go beyond.
For this one, I want to bring my forward income to $6,000 a year. This will bring my dividend income to Spoony's Patreon income level. It's important that I hit this goal as soon as feasibly possible. I have my reasons.
It sounds lofty, but I'd like to think that I can pull this one off.
5 year goals
House
I've only ever been a renter, but the idea of being a homeowner has really grown on me. That down payment scares the crap out of me, but I figure with enough prep time, I can take it.
3x Salary Saved for Retirement
Back in January, MarketWatch posted an article stating that, by the age of 35, you should have twice your annual income tucked away for retirement. Millenials....did not take kindly to this information. While it was mathematically impossible for me to hit this goal after discovering it, I did resolve to hit the next marker, which is having 3 times your annual income tucked away by 40.
Funny thing is, I'm quite confident that I can pull this off. Technically, I am still behind, but I have been viewing these past few months as a "head start". I'm maxing out the 401k and pumping money into the IRA, both of which will generate increasing amounts of income as time goes on. Add to that the fact that my birthday is in March and that gives me three more months before the 5 year challenge technically even starts.
Now, you might be asking where the stock portfolio fits. It does and doesn't come into play as far as my retirement is concerned. The dividends are designed to help finance and carry me through my golden years, but I'm not counting the portfolio into the overall total. I could use market value, but that's way too fickle a beast. As such, I'm viewing it as its own thing that is only tangential to the overall goal.
I'll admit that this is a lot, but I'm confident and fired up. 2019 is going to be huge. 2018 had its perks, but this is where I push myself to my limit, and then break past it.
Stephen King
Back log
Hearts in Atlantis
Castle Rock Season 1
Sleeping Beauties
Strange Weather
The Outsider
On Writing
Secret Windows
The Plant
Dreamcatcher
Black House
Cell (movie)
Mr. Mercedes series
The Dark Tower movie
New additions
Castle Rock Season 2
It part 2
Elevation
Brad Thor
Backlog
Path of the Assassin
State of the Union
Blowback
Takedown
Netflix
Back Log
The Punisher Season 1
Daredevil Season 3
Jessica Jones Season 2
New Additions
Luke Cage Season 2
Iron Fist Season 2
The Punisher Season 2
Legends of Tomorrow
Back Log
Season 3
New additions
Season 4- Once again, I'll have to wait for this to hit Netflix in order to watch it, but the plan is to binge it when it does happen. It may not be current, but I'm going to make a point of getting through it quickly this time around.
Anime
Back Log
Attack on Titan season 3
Rurouni Kenshin (?)
Archive restoration (?)
Reviewstream
Back Log
Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition rule books
JLA trade paperbacks
The dividend income reports will continue and I will also continue to post the latest episodes of "Let's Get it Right".
Oh, and I, of course, aim to finally finish "The X-Files".
Goals
Savings challenge
I neglected to mention it in the 2018 review, though I did bring it up on Twitter, but this year I completed two savings challenges. The 52 week "dollar a week" challenge and the "penny a day" challenge. These were two that I had started back in the day when I was still trying the whole "self employed content creator" thing. With my new station, I was finally able to put those to an end.
This year I plan on keeping the momentum going by taking on the extension of the first challenge. It turns out that some people push the weekly challenge to two years. Rather than stopping at 52, they just keep going, putting aside $53, then $54, then $55 and so on. For all intents and purposes, I'm doing this challenge twice, as the plan is to move the slated amounts to my primary savings account, as well as the online savings account.
Bring dividend forward income to $400
Right now, my forward income sits at about $70. I wanted to find a number that was feasible, but still somewhat challenging. With purchases and DRIP, I think that this meets that criteria. If I break it before, that's awesome, but right now, that's where I'm setting the goal post.
Max out IRA contribution
When I first opened the IRA, I mentioned that the odds of me doing this were slim. Truth be told, that's still the case. This is more of a mental thing. I figure, if I set my sight on that, it will push me to get as close as I possibly can. Even if I don't hit the goal, I think having this mindset will still be beneficial in the long run.
$300 in Side Hustle
This is something that I haven't really talked about, but I want to add it to the itinerary anyway. Right now, my main side hustles are Apptrailers, Epoll, and Reviewstream (there's also the Patreon, ad revenue, and the Amazon affiliate links, but they haven't really brought in income so they're side hustles in name only....SHINO.) Epoll will bring about $60 at best. App trailers is nice, but if I'm going to pull this off, Reviewstream will have to be a factor. This should be a motivator for me to write more and make sure I cross that threshold. Again, I think that this is a goal that's feasible, but will still present something of a challenge.
Car
As of now, I am without vehicle. It's something I am aiming to remedy. I've given serious consideration to getting a bike, which is odd as I've only ridden once since elementary school. It's cheaper, better for the planet, and everything is fairly close by here. It makes a lot more sense now than it did when I was living in Maryland or Kansas, but I figure I'd still need to get a car at some point. I'm not looking forward to adding two more monthly expenses to my cash outflow, but if I can knock the car payment out quickly enough, it might not be that bad.
Walk the Year Charity Miles Challenge
I'm a big fan of the Charity Miles app. I plug it frequently and was even going on daily 4 mile walks for a while. I haven't been doing a good job as of late and I'm hoping that this will get me back on the horse.
Fun fact, we're one day in and, because I didn't walk today, I'm already behind schedule. Auspicious.
Read 26 books
I noted before that I got no reading done. I really want to amend for that this year. I know that 52 books is the average, but I figure that starting small will work out better. There's another reason I only have this many books coming into play, the next goal.
Read 26 graphic novels/trade paperbacks
I've been trying to get back into comics lately. Rather than go back to the individual issues, I want to shift my collection to trades so that I can show them off on a bookshelf. Rather than argue about whether these count as books, I'm putting them in their own separate category so that I can get the best of both worlds.
Swagbucks
I had heard that this was a great side hustle, but it hasn't really panned out for me. The site brings my computer to a crawl (my laptop is a little on the old side,) which means I only log in when I have to. As that hasn't worked, I want to try to put it to use in order to up my philanthropic game. You can donate points to different causes and organizations. Since I have the account anyway, I figure this will at least put the account to better use than it has up until now. As the point cost isn't as high as the other rewards, I'll be able to "cash in" more frequently.
3 year goal
Oh, we're going beyond just the year. I want to try to think in the long term, and as such I've got some goals that go beyond.
For this one, I want to bring my forward income to $6,000 a year. This will bring my dividend income to Spoony's Patreon income level. It's important that I hit this goal as soon as feasibly possible. I have my reasons.
It sounds lofty, but I'd like to think that I can pull this one off.
5 year goals
House
I've only ever been a renter, but the idea of being a homeowner has really grown on me. That down payment scares the crap out of me, but I figure with enough prep time, I can take it.
3x Salary Saved for Retirement
Back in January, MarketWatch posted an article stating that, by the age of 35, you should have twice your annual income tucked away for retirement. Millenials....did not take kindly to this information. While it was mathematically impossible for me to hit this goal after discovering it, I did resolve to hit the next marker, which is having 3 times your annual income tucked away by 40.
Funny thing is, I'm quite confident that I can pull this off. Technically, I am still behind, but I have been viewing these past few months as a "head start". I'm maxing out the 401k and pumping money into the IRA, both of which will generate increasing amounts of income as time goes on. Add to that the fact that my birthday is in March and that gives me three more months before the 5 year challenge technically even starts.
Now, you might be asking where the stock portfolio fits. It does and doesn't come into play as far as my retirement is concerned. The dividends are designed to help finance and carry me through my golden years, but I'm not counting the portfolio into the overall total. I could use market value, but that's way too fickle a beast. As such, I'm viewing it as its own thing that is only tangential to the overall goal.
I'll admit that this is a lot, but I'm confident and fired up. 2019 is going to be huge. 2018 had its perks, but this is where I push myself to my limit, and then break past it.
Monday, December 31, 2018
2018 Year End Review
2018 is coming to a close. As such, it's only appropriate to look back and see how things went on various fronts. I don't think I've actually done a post like this before, but there's no reason I can't start.
As far as content goes, this year was quite abysmal. You go through the docket where I listed what I had planned and very little of it got done. I was able to keep up with "Dragon Ball Super" until it's end, and I did get my review of "IT part 1" up. I also got started on some of the slated TV shows, but they remain unfinished. I did allude to the idea of doing a post like this in that article, which I'm doing, so I got that done too.
There was literally no progress on the book review front. For crying out loud, "Hearts in Atlantis" remains unfinished. I got no reading done this year. It sucks. That's definitely something I plan on remedying in the coming year, but I'll get to that in tomorrow's post.
Overall, I was averaging about a post a week. For some that might work, but it's not the kind of output that I'm used to. Working two jobs, however, doesn't leave a lot of time, or energy, for this. It's even worse when a good chunk of my content is discussing TV shows. A lot of them piled up, and as a result, shows that should have been done a long time ago are still ongoing for me. It got to the point where I considered just dropping them due to lack of relevance. I mean, I've still got two episodes of "The X-Files" to write up for crying out loud.
One of the good things about Netflix cancelling a vast majority of its Marvel shows is that it will make it easier for me to catch up. I figure I might as well just finish these things up so that we can close the book on them and move on. People probably don't care at this point, but it will at least get them out of the way.
On the financial front, however, 2018 freaking ruled. The thing that hindered content creation did wonders for this "sector". While I'm not remotely close to falling under the "high income" category, my income does exceed my expenses. This allowed me to get my 401K up and running (and I'm maxing it out no less,) set up an IRA, and I even started building a stock portfolio.
I'm definitely planning on carrying that momentum into the next year. With a few other things kicking into gear, I have no doubt that 2019 is going to be freaking amazing. That, however, will be a matter to discuss in tomorrow's "docket/goals" post, where we make a 180 degree turn and move our focus away from the past and begin looking to the future.
As far as content goes, this year was quite abysmal. You go through the docket where I listed what I had planned and very little of it got done. I was able to keep up with "Dragon Ball Super" until it's end, and I did get my review of "IT part 1" up. I also got started on some of the slated TV shows, but they remain unfinished. I did allude to the idea of doing a post like this in that article, which I'm doing, so I got that done too.
There was literally no progress on the book review front. For crying out loud, "Hearts in Atlantis" remains unfinished. I got no reading done this year. It sucks. That's definitely something I plan on remedying in the coming year, but I'll get to that in tomorrow's post.
Overall, I was averaging about a post a week. For some that might work, but it's not the kind of output that I'm used to. Working two jobs, however, doesn't leave a lot of time, or energy, for this. It's even worse when a good chunk of my content is discussing TV shows. A lot of them piled up, and as a result, shows that should have been done a long time ago are still ongoing for me. It got to the point where I considered just dropping them due to lack of relevance. I mean, I've still got two episodes of "The X-Files" to write up for crying out loud.
One of the good things about Netflix cancelling a vast majority of its Marvel shows is that it will make it easier for me to catch up. I figure I might as well just finish these things up so that we can close the book on them and move on. People probably don't care at this point, but it will at least get them out of the way.
On the financial front, however, 2018 freaking ruled. The thing that hindered content creation did wonders for this "sector". While I'm not remotely close to falling under the "high income" category, my income does exceed my expenses. This allowed me to get my 401K up and running (and I'm maxing it out no less,) set up an IRA, and I even started building a stock portfolio.
I'm definitely planning on carrying that momentum into the next year. With a few other things kicking into gear, I have no doubt that 2019 is going to be freaking amazing. That, however, will be a matter to discuss in tomorrow's "docket/goals" post, where we make a 180 degree turn and move our focus away from the past and begin looking to the future.
Sunday, December 9, 2018
5 Characters Who Should Appear on Supergirl Volume 3: The Final Countdown?
We've done this twice before, so you should know the drill by now. We took a year off, but now it's time to get back to talking about characters who should, in my opinion, appear on CW's "Supergirl". So, without further ado, let's get to it.
1. Kale and Caulifla
The Saiyan/Kryptonian rivalry goes back decades. As such, it's only natural to want to see it brought to the forefront here. Who better to use as rivals to Kara than Dragon Ball's two first female super saiyans?
Now, you might think that things don't line up right. I mean, even the multiverses are incompatible. Well, the fix is simple, have these be the saiyans of Kara's universe. You don't need to introduce kais or gods of destruction, just establish that they are among the many alien species that exist out there in the cosmos.
This allows the writers to take the things that worked, but still take some liberties in terms of appearance (especially in terms of Kale's transformations) and character development. You get the best of both worlds in that regard.
You could go the traditional "space pirate" route, but I think taking a cue from universe 6's more noble breed would be the better way to go. The two wouldn't mean Earth or Kara harm. They could come to Earth looking for a good fight and nothing more. Knowing what Kryptonians can do under a yellow sun, the two arrive to see if that power lives up to the hype. Of course, the intensity would cause Kale to go into berserker form and that would be where the tension and danger come in, as the two try to reign in the uncontrollable saiyan.
Granted,Dragon Ball doesn't have the best track record when it comes to live action material, but one could argue that that is just another reason to do it.
2. Mary Marvel
This is another spot that is largely fueled by a rivalry. Even though both are upstanding paragons of goodness, Superman and Captain Marvel have butted heads many a time. You could do something similar here, or subvert that by having the two become close friends almost instantly. Mary Marvel is sunny as all get out, so it would be hard not to like her.
As to the rest of the Marvel family, you don't even need to worry about them. Just have Mary be the one that Shazam chose as his champion. No deaths or throwing characters in front of a bus, just streamlining. If I recall correctly, the power gets divided when multiple heroes are active at the same time (then again it's been a while so that may have been retconned,) so having just one makes more sense anyway.
3. Doomsday
Sometimes you just need a strong monster thing to punch heroes in the face really hard. Few do that better than Doomsday. In fact, he punches so hard, he killed Superman in their first fight. It is because of this that he makes the list.
Don't get me wrong, Tyler Hoechlin is freaking amazing as Superman. However, I figure DC wants to keep Superman in the forefront in the movies and there seems to be an inability to reach a long term shared arrangement between said movies and the TV shows.
As such, rather than just have him disappear, leaving fans wondering why the characters don't just call Superman when things get heavy, why not have him go out in a blaze of glory?
It would also allow for both an increase in tension (as Kara is robbed of one of her sources of backup) and character development, as she is now pushed further ahead in the list of Earth's primary defenders.
It would also make good fodder for the annual crossover, as Doomsday is the sort of foe who could tangle with a whole squadron of superheroes with little trouble.
4. Steel
With the fall of one hero, comes the rise of another. This is a character I know little about, but that's actually a good thing, as it introduces people to him and gives those curious an idea of how the character works.
I know that he was inspired to take on the role of superhero after Superman's death in the comics, as a way to carry on his legacy. That seems as good an introduction as you need.
The question would, of course, be "would Shaq reprise the role?" Honestly, I have no idea.
With these lists there have been two "traditions" that have emerged. The first is that the last slot is always the hardest to fill, as I usually draw a blank. The second is that each list includes one fairly absurd selection (Comet in the first, and G'Nort in the second.) This list is no different. Not only did I have a hard time coming up with a fifth, but it ended up being a bit more on the silly side, as we'll see when we get to the fifth and final nomination on the list,
5. Scooby Doo and the Mystery Inc. gang
Now, at first glance, you might think that this is forced, that I'm trying too hard. However, if you think about it, the logic behind this pick is quite sound.
For one thing, "Supernatural", another CW show, did a crossover episode last year that went over very well with even the most skeptical of fans.
On top of that, Scooby Doo has a history of teaming up with DC heroes. Back in the day, he and the Mystery Inc. gang teamed up with the dynamic duo to take on the Joker and Penguin, twice. The more recent "Batman: The Brave and the Bold" cartoon even paid homage to it in one episode. I still need to see that one, but I know it's a thing.
There's even a comic being published now that centers on the concept of Scooby and the gang teaming up with various DC superheroes. So this has precedent on multiple fronts.
The crossover could take a cue from "Supernatural" and largely go the animated route, or they could try to CG it up. Either way, a trip to another Earth would likely be essential, so as to keep the whole affair self contained. In either case, seeing Kara interact with the iconic talking great dane seems like a guaranteed home run for television.
That wraps it up. Will there be a fourth list? I highly doubt it, but never say never. I do wonder how much more I can milk this concept, but if some new ideas for potential guests pop into my head, I'll certainly keep the option open.
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1. Kale and Caulifla
The Saiyan/Kryptonian rivalry goes back decades. As such, it's only natural to want to see it brought to the forefront here. Who better to use as rivals to Kara than Dragon Ball's two first female super saiyans?
Now, you might think that things don't line up right. I mean, even the multiverses are incompatible. Well, the fix is simple, have these be the saiyans of Kara's universe. You don't need to introduce kais or gods of destruction, just establish that they are among the many alien species that exist out there in the cosmos.
This allows the writers to take the things that worked, but still take some liberties in terms of appearance (especially in terms of Kale's transformations) and character development. You get the best of both worlds in that regard.
You could go the traditional "space pirate" route, but I think taking a cue from universe 6's more noble breed would be the better way to go. The two wouldn't mean Earth or Kara harm. They could come to Earth looking for a good fight and nothing more. Knowing what Kryptonians can do under a yellow sun, the two arrive to see if that power lives up to the hype. Of course, the intensity would cause Kale to go into berserker form and that would be where the tension and danger come in, as the two try to reign in the uncontrollable saiyan.
Granted,Dragon Ball doesn't have the best track record when it comes to live action material, but one could argue that that is just another reason to do it.
2. Mary Marvel
This is another spot that is largely fueled by a rivalry. Even though both are upstanding paragons of goodness, Superman and Captain Marvel have butted heads many a time. You could do something similar here, or subvert that by having the two become close friends almost instantly. Mary Marvel is sunny as all get out, so it would be hard not to like her.
As to the rest of the Marvel family, you don't even need to worry about them. Just have Mary be the one that Shazam chose as his champion. No deaths or throwing characters in front of a bus, just streamlining. If I recall correctly, the power gets divided when multiple heroes are active at the same time (then again it's been a while so that may have been retconned,) so having just one makes more sense anyway.
3. Doomsday
Sometimes you just need a strong monster thing to punch heroes in the face really hard. Few do that better than Doomsday. In fact, he punches so hard, he killed Superman in their first fight. It is because of this that he makes the list.
Don't get me wrong, Tyler Hoechlin is freaking amazing as Superman. However, I figure DC wants to keep Superman in the forefront in the movies and there seems to be an inability to reach a long term shared arrangement between said movies and the TV shows.
As such, rather than just have him disappear, leaving fans wondering why the characters don't just call Superman when things get heavy, why not have him go out in a blaze of glory?
It would also allow for both an increase in tension (as Kara is robbed of one of her sources of backup) and character development, as she is now pushed further ahead in the list of Earth's primary defenders.
It would also make good fodder for the annual crossover, as Doomsday is the sort of foe who could tangle with a whole squadron of superheroes with little trouble.
4. Steel
With the fall of one hero, comes the rise of another. This is a character I know little about, but that's actually a good thing, as it introduces people to him and gives those curious an idea of how the character works.
I know that he was inspired to take on the role of superhero after Superman's death in the comics, as a way to carry on his legacy. That seems as good an introduction as you need.
The question would, of course, be "would Shaq reprise the role?" Honestly, I have no idea.
With these lists there have been two "traditions" that have emerged. The first is that the last slot is always the hardest to fill, as I usually draw a blank. The second is that each list includes one fairly absurd selection (Comet in the first, and G'Nort in the second.) This list is no different. Not only did I have a hard time coming up with a fifth, but it ended up being a bit more on the silly side, as we'll see when we get to the fifth and final nomination on the list,
5. Scooby Doo and the Mystery Inc. gang
Now, at first glance, you might think that this is forced, that I'm trying too hard. However, if you think about it, the logic behind this pick is quite sound.
For one thing, "Supernatural", another CW show, did a crossover episode last year that went over very well with even the most skeptical of fans.
On top of that, Scooby Doo has a history of teaming up with DC heroes. Back in the day, he and the Mystery Inc. gang teamed up with the dynamic duo to take on the Joker and Penguin, twice. The more recent "Batman: The Brave and the Bold" cartoon even paid homage to it in one episode. I still need to see that one, but I know it's a thing.
There's even a comic being published now that centers on the concept of Scooby and the gang teaming up with various DC superheroes. So this has precedent on multiple fronts.
The crossover could take a cue from "Supernatural" and largely go the animated route, or they could try to CG it up. Either way, a trip to another Earth would likely be essential, so as to keep the whole affair self contained. In either case, seeing Kara interact with the iconic talking great dane seems like a guaranteed home run for television.
That wraps it up. Will there be a fourth list? I highly doubt it, but never say never. I do wonder how much more I can milk this concept, but if some new ideas for potential guests pop into my head, I'll certainly keep the option open.
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Friday, November 16, 2018
'Legends of Tomorrow' Season 3, Episode 6: 'Helen Hunt'
The temporal anomalies place Helen of Troy in 1930's Hollywood. It seems the woman's beauty lives up to its reputation, as it isn't long before film studios are vying to make her a star. Not surprisingly, things escalate quickly.
For her part, Helen doesn't want people getting violent in her name, the chaos just happens to surround her. The way the episode plays it, it almost comes off like some sort of metahuman ability. Alas, there's nothing to suggest that and we're supposed to believe that it's just men being men.
Yeah, this episode has a weird misandric streak going. It's heavy-handed and eye roll inducing at points, but thankfully, the good in the episode outweighs the bad here.
It's trying to do "girl power", but it's done badly here. This episode shows why people would roll their eyes at the message when common sense would dictate that there's no reason to. We've known since Arrow's second season that Sara Lance is an awesome character, I don't need to be told this after half a decade of being shown.
The inclusion of Hedy Lamarr does help make up for this. I was unaware of her and figured she was fictitious. Nope, real actress who made real contributions to scientific development. Shining a spotlight on her not only provides a much better way to display female capability, but allows for some education to seep into the over the top superhero romp.
I was concerned about the "freaky friday" subplot between Jax and Stein, but that honestly ended up working out really well. Both actors did a good job of capturing the opposite character's mannerisms and it gave us plenty of great humor highlights throughout. I think Darhk busting out laughing when he finds out what happened stands as my favorite moment, though.
Speaking of, Damien's return is another plot element that could have become a detriment. Thankfully, McDonough continues to shine as the villain. The fact that he's clearly having a blast playing the role also adds to the viewer's enjoyment.
He seems to have some sort of end goal, though we don't know what it is. He offers to let the Legends live if they just return to the present and let the anachronisms run wild. All he says is that "it's good for business". I guess it's something that will be uncovered later.
One thing we do learn, however, is that the woman who revived him is his daughter. It gives her a bit more motivation for reviving him and allying herself with him. Seeing as she is looking to be a recurring villain, it's for the better.
Other familial relations are brought to light as Amaya learns of her connection to Kuasa. While the two do get more screen time together than they did before, not much is done. At the very least, Amaya displays some contempt for how Kuasa is using her totem. Whether the enmity becomes more personal later on remains to be seen. Either way, this sub-plot is allowing the "Vixen" animated series to have an effect on the larger Arrowverse, which is nice to see.
As to that wham shot revealing where the Legends end up dropping off Helen when she reveals that she was quite unhappy in her own time (spoiler alert: it's Themyscira,) I hope the show does something with it. It's a fitting enough resolution to Helen's arc in the episode;but a part of me is somewhat vexed, as it's highly unlikely that Wonder Woman will appear in the Arrowverse. Then again, it is just supposed to be a nod to comic fans, so I'm probably overthinking it.
Then again, there are other Amazons. Maybe have Artemis or Donna Troy or Cassie appear in Diana's stead. Heck, have Donna be Helen's new identity, the last name could be her way of acknowledging and paying tribute to her roots, but still marking a new chapter in her life's story with a new first name.
It would be a shame to establish that and not have it go anywhere. It does leave the possibility open for future plot potential, so I suppose there's that.
This episode was not without its problems, but all things considered, it could have been a lot worse. It had some good banter, character arcs were advanced, and the climax was very reminiscent of something out of "Dragon Ball Z". In the grand scheme of things, that's not too shabby.
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For her part, Helen doesn't want people getting violent in her name, the chaos just happens to surround her. The way the episode plays it, it almost comes off like some sort of metahuman ability. Alas, there's nothing to suggest that and we're supposed to believe that it's just men being men.
Yeah, this episode has a weird misandric streak going. It's heavy-handed and eye roll inducing at points, but thankfully, the good in the episode outweighs the bad here.
It's trying to do "girl power", but it's done badly here. This episode shows why people would roll their eyes at the message when common sense would dictate that there's no reason to. We've known since Arrow's second season that Sara Lance is an awesome character, I don't need to be told this after half a decade of being shown.
The inclusion of Hedy Lamarr does help make up for this. I was unaware of her and figured she was fictitious. Nope, real actress who made real contributions to scientific development. Shining a spotlight on her not only provides a much better way to display female capability, but allows for some education to seep into the over the top superhero romp.
I was concerned about the "freaky friday" subplot between Jax and Stein, but that honestly ended up working out really well. Both actors did a good job of capturing the opposite character's mannerisms and it gave us plenty of great humor highlights throughout. I think Darhk busting out laughing when he finds out what happened stands as my favorite moment, though.
Speaking of, Damien's return is another plot element that could have become a detriment. Thankfully, McDonough continues to shine as the villain. The fact that he's clearly having a blast playing the role also adds to the viewer's enjoyment.
He seems to have some sort of end goal, though we don't know what it is. He offers to let the Legends live if they just return to the present and let the anachronisms run wild. All he says is that "it's good for business". I guess it's something that will be uncovered later.
One thing we do learn, however, is that the woman who revived him is his daughter. It gives her a bit more motivation for reviving him and allying herself with him. Seeing as she is looking to be a recurring villain, it's for the better.
Other familial relations are brought to light as Amaya learns of her connection to Kuasa. While the two do get more screen time together than they did before, not much is done. At the very least, Amaya displays some contempt for how Kuasa is using her totem. Whether the enmity becomes more personal later on remains to be seen. Either way, this sub-plot is allowing the "Vixen" animated series to have an effect on the larger Arrowverse, which is nice to see.
As to that wham shot revealing where the Legends end up dropping off Helen when she reveals that she was quite unhappy in her own time (spoiler alert: it's Themyscira,) I hope the show does something with it. It's a fitting enough resolution to Helen's arc in the episode;but a part of me is somewhat vexed, as it's highly unlikely that Wonder Woman will appear in the Arrowverse. Then again, it is just supposed to be a nod to comic fans, so I'm probably overthinking it.
Then again, there are other Amazons. Maybe have Artemis or Donna Troy or Cassie appear in Diana's stead. Heck, have Donna be Helen's new identity, the last name could be her way of acknowledging and paying tribute to her roots, but still marking a new chapter in her life's story with a new first name.
It would be a shame to establish that and not have it go anywhere. It does leave the possibility open for future plot potential, so I suppose there's that.
This episode was not without its problems, but all things considered, it could have been a lot worse. It had some good banter, character arcs were advanced, and the climax was very reminiscent of something out of "Dragon Ball Z". In the grand scheme of things, that's not too shabby.
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Monday, October 29, 2018
'Jessica Jones' Season 2, Episode 5: 'AKA The Octopus'
In a surprise twist, Hydra is revealed to be the mastermind behind everything!
Actually, that's not true. That's not true at all. Would've been a hell of a twist, though, if for no other reason than it would help fuse the currently fragmented MCU.
Never the less, this entry in the series stands as a pretty strong one. It keeps things moving at a brisk pace, gives the wide cast things to do, and provides more than a few highlights for the season. Heck, even Hogarth is tolerable. Considering how she's been depicted this season, that in itself deserves massive kudos.
It was surprising how long it took to clear Jess' name in regards to the murder of Pryce's flunkie. Even Jess notes that it was a sloppy frame up (or possibly an unintentional one?) I guess that's just bureaucracy at work, though they do justify it a little by saying that some of the cops have a grudge against Jessica for past actions.
Or maybe they have a grudge against "vigilante superheroes" in general. The idea has been brought up before in prior Netflix shows and one of the cops does make a crack about how "those people" like to team up. Jessica does seem to gain an ally in one of the cops. It makes for some further character development and gives the apparent plot cul-de-sac some longer lasting impact.
On other fronts, we learn about Griffin's true intentions. I have to say....I called it. It turns out all his mysterious conversations were about planning an elaborate engagement proposal event.
I did find it weird that her response was "thank you", and not necessarily a yes. You'd think that the fact that she put the ring on her finger would be enough, but Griffin is smart enough to pick up on the fact and does discreetly follow up by making a more private inquiry later.
Trish's response is a bit odd. It doesn't really mesh with what we'd seen of their relationship up to this point. Maybe it's supposed to be a sign that the drug is having an effect on her psyche (it is clearly shown to have effects on her physically even after it's "worn off") or maybe it's a fear of commitment, I don't know. It's still strange.
Whether this is the end for Griffin remains to be seen. Maybe this jilting is the beginning of a face-heel turn? It wouldn't surprise me, but hopefully, the show avoids going down that road. It has bigger fish to fry.
One such fish is the main villain, whom Jessica continues to tail by pursuing a new lead: the man in prison for another one of "Leslie"s murders.
He's not all too helpful, nor is he particularly menacing. It subverts the old "Silence of the Lambs" dynamic a bit and gives Jessica a chance to show her compassionate side. More than once, she knows when to back off when her interrogation seems to be doing more harm than good.
It's a decent enough scene, but I couldn't get over how they kept referring to "octopuses". I thought that was one of those faux-words, like irregardless, but maybe not. I still found it cringe inducing every time a character said it, as I thought that "octopi" was the correct term. Doing some light googling, apparently, it isn't. I still say that "octopuses" sounds weird, though.
We also get some brief development about the antagonist. Apparently, she's learning to play the piano. It sounds trivial and mundane, but it does put the villain du jour in a different light. She also has an overly cheerful neighbor who brings her baby over to hear said music.
You can tell that the woman is trying to be pleasant, but when the neighbor's baby starts crying, it's only a matter of time before the anger issues bubble up to the surface. Thankfully, the family books it before they can become the target of her rage.
This scene does present something of a contrast to Jessica, though. Sure, it's meant to highlight their emotional issues, but Jess largely deals with it by being in a perpetually sour and snarky mood. This woman, on the other hand, seems to take her cues from the Hulk. She's initially more pleasant, but is more prone to going into "Smash!" mode. That poor piano never really stood a chance.
The episode's big ending is a bit of a let down, however. While Jessica does discover a figure from her past and does run into the woman again, the confrontation is cut short when the two book it. Why she's running when she's stronger than Jessica is beyond me, but she does break the aquarium glass.
The cliffhanger is supposed to imply some tsunami type flood coming Jessica's way, but I don't think the tanks were that big. I just see it cutting to Jess' POV and seeing the water spilling out onto the floor creating a puddle across the room. I mean, the animals would likely die and that would be tragic in its own way, but it doesn't really have the same umph that the producers might have wanted it to.
Still, this was a solid entry and a good point to get back in. After the haitus, this managed to move things along in such a way that it didn't take too much mental effort to get caught up. It also raises enough questions that I'll want to sit down and watch the next episode a lot sooner. I might not be able to binge, but I can at least get into a steady viewing pattern as we move closer to the show's halfway point.
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Actually, that's not true. That's not true at all. Would've been a hell of a twist, though, if for no other reason than it would help fuse the currently fragmented MCU.
Never the less, this entry in the series stands as a pretty strong one. It keeps things moving at a brisk pace, gives the wide cast things to do, and provides more than a few highlights for the season. Heck, even Hogarth is tolerable. Considering how she's been depicted this season, that in itself deserves massive kudos.
It was surprising how long it took to clear Jess' name in regards to the murder of Pryce's flunkie. Even Jess notes that it was a sloppy frame up (or possibly an unintentional one?) I guess that's just bureaucracy at work, though they do justify it a little by saying that some of the cops have a grudge against Jessica for past actions.
Or maybe they have a grudge against "vigilante superheroes" in general. The idea has been brought up before in prior Netflix shows and one of the cops does make a crack about how "those people" like to team up. Jessica does seem to gain an ally in one of the cops. It makes for some further character development and gives the apparent plot cul-de-sac some longer lasting impact.
On other fronts, we learn about Griffin's true intentions. I have to say....I called it. It turns out all his mysterious conversations were about planning an elaborate engagement proposal event.
I did find it weird that her response was "thank you", and not necessarily a yes. You'd think that the fact that she put the ring on her finger would be enough, but Griffin is smart enough to pick up on the fact and does discreetly follow up by making a more private inquiry later.
Trish's response is a bit odd. It doesn't really mesh with what we'd seen of their relationship up to this point. Maybe it's supposed to be a sign that the drug is having an effect on her psyche (it is clearly shown to have effects on her physically even after it's "worn off") or maybe it's a fear of commitment, I don't know. It's still strange.
Whether this is the end for Griffin remains to be seen. Maybe this jilting is the beginning of a face-heel turn? It wouldn't surprise me, but hopefully, the show avoids going down that road. It has bigger fish to fry.
One such fish is the main villain, whom Jessica continues to tail by pursuing a new lead: the man in prison for another one of "Leslie"s murders.
He's not all too helpful, nor is he particularly menacing. It subverts the old "Silence of the Lambs" dynamic a bit and gives Jessica a chance to show her compassionate side. More than once, she knows when to back off when her interrogation seems to be doing more harm than good.
It's a decent enough scene, but I couldn't get over how they kept referring to "octopuses". I thought that was one of those faux-words, like irregardless, but maybe not. I still found it cringe inducing every time a character said it, as I thought that "octopi" was the correct term. Doing some light googling, apparently, it isn't. I still say that "octopuses" sounds weird, though.
We also get some brief development about the antagonist. Apparently, she's learning to play the piano. It sounds trivial and mundane, but it does put the villain du jour in a different light. She also has an overly cheerful neighbor who brings her baby over to hear said music.
You can tell that the woman is trying to be pleasant, but when the neighbor's baby starts crying, it's only a matter of time before the anger issues bubble up to the surface. Thankfully, the family books it before they can become the target of her rage.
This scene does present something of a contrast to Jessica, though. Sure, it's meant to highlight their emotional issues, but Jess largely deals with it by being in a perpetually sour and snarky mood. This woman, on the other hand, seems to take her cues from the Hulk. She's initially more pleasant, but is more prone to going into "Smash!" mode. That poor piano never really stood a chance.
The episode's big ending is a bit of a let down, however. While Jessica does discover a figure from her past and does run into the woman again, the confrontation is cut short when the two book it. Why she's running when she's stronger than Jessica is beyond me, but she does break the aquarium glass.
The cliffhanger is supposed to imply some tsunami type flood coming Jessica's way, but I don't think the tanks were that big. I just see it cutting to Jess' POV and seeing the water spilling out onto the floor creating a puddle across the room. I mean, the animals would likely die and that would be tragic in its own way, but it doesn't really have the same umph that the producers might have wanted it to.
Still, this was a solid entry and a good point to get back in. After the haitus, this managed to move things along in such a way that it didn't take too much mental effort to get caught up. It also raises enough questions that I'll want to sit down and watch the next episode a lot sooner. I might not be able to binge, but I can at least get into a steady viewing pattern as we move closer to the show's halfway point.
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Sunday, October 28, 2018
'Castle Rock' Episode 4: 'The Box'
With Halloween just around the corner, it seemed like a good time to return to Castle Rock. This is one of many shows that should have been done already, but I'm like super busy, so here we go.
I was worried that I would have a hard time getting caught up, but it was easy enough to jump back into the plot without too much struggle. I suppose that's one of the strengths of having a show that hinges on vague mysteries, a viewer can jump back in with a "broad strokes" mind set and still keep up.
I wasn't really feeling the episode for the first half. People are conversing on issues that have been brought up before, but the episode hit the 25 minute mark and I found myself wondering if anything had actually happened. It was very strange. It's not even like the episode was boring, it just didn't feel very eventful.
There was one highlight where Skarsgard's nameless character outspooks the attorney who tries to put the screws to him by talking about how he tortured people in Iraq. "The Kid" throws out a Bible verse, stands up, and has the lawyer backing away in fear within seconds. It was kind of glorious. Skarsgard may not be getting a lot of screen time at this point, but he's making every second of it count. A part of me wishes he had more, but I think using him sparingly now is for the better.
Once the episode hits its second half, things really escalate. We have a very tense scene with a creepy old barber, a stunning revelation as Pangborn reveals that Henry's dad pinned the blame of his death on Henry and that Pangborn took effort to keep the kid out of prison, and a jaw dropping finale. This is the stuff that'll keep you watching. It pulls you in and makes you want to find out what happens next. If the episode's slow start bugged you, I think what happens here more than makes up for it.
The episode does put great songs to use, both in the opening and closing scenes. It's always nice to see Tom Waits get some attention and the song does work. Roy Orbison's "Crying", however, will likely be the more memorable inclusion, due to its use in the aforementioned closing sequence. In lesser hands, the song's inclusion probably would have come off as corny or cliche, but it actually worked really well here and helped augment the horror of what we were seeing.
With everything that went down in the second half, the next episode has plenty of momentum going in. Here's hoping it can put it to good use and build on it in order to make for even more captivating episodes as we move in to the season's second half.
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I was worried that I would have a hard time getting caught up, but it was easy enough to jump back into the plot without too much struggle. I suppose that's one of the strengths of having a show that hinges on vague mysteries, a viewer can jump back in with a "broad strokes" mind set and still keep up.
I wasn't really feeling the episode for the first half. People are conversing on issues that have been brought up before, but the episode hit the 25 minute mark and I found myself wondering if anything had actually happened. It was very strange. It's not even like the episode was boring, it just didn't feel very eventful.
There was one highlight where Skarsgard's nameless character outspooks the attorney who tries to put the screws to him by talking about how he tortured people in Iraq. "The Kid" throws out a Bible verse, stands up, and has the lawyer backing away in fear within seconds. It was kind of glorious. Skarsgard may not be getting a lot of screen time at this point, but he's making every second of it count. A part of me wishes he had more, but I think using him sparingly now is for the better.
Once the episode hits its second half, things really escalate. We have a very tense scene with a creepy old barber, a stunning revelation as Pangborn reveals that Henry's dad pinned the blame of his death on Henry and that Pangborn took effort to keep the kid out of prison, and a jaw dropping finale. This is the stuff that'll keep you watching. It pulls you in and makes you want to find out what happens next. If the episode's slow start bugged you, I think what happens here more than makes up for it.
The episode does put great songs to use, both in the opening and closing scenes. It's always nice to see Tom Waits get some attention and the song does work. Roy Orbison's "Crying", however, will likely be the more memorable inclusion, due to its use in the aforementioned closing sequence. In lesser hands, the song's inclusion probably would have come off as corny or cliche, but it actually worked really well here and helped augment the horror of what we were seeing.
With everything that went down in the second half, the next episode has plenty of momentum going in. Here's hoping it can put it to good use and build on it in order to make for even more captivating episodes as we move in to the season's second half.
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Click here to become a Swagbucks member
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