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True Detective “The Western Book of the Dead” Review (2×01)

21 Jun

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“We must recognize that the world is meaningless and understand that God did not create a meaningless world.”

The season two premiere of True Detective is a meandering affair, an exposition dump for the show’s expanded new cast as it struggles to get its story legs underneath it. However, for all its flaws, it’s still an intriguing episode, one that snaps the story into focus when it brings all of its characters together at the end. The problem, though, lies in the execution of the backstories beforehand, as the episode jumps all over the place in order to establish a plethora of people and places and motivations; it remains to be seen where it’s all heading, but there are certainly some growing pains we have to get through here.

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Orphan Black “History Yet to Be Written” Review (3×10)

20 Jun

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“I know that whatever comes next, we’ll face it together: as a family.”

No matter how far apart these characters are–whether it be physically or emotionally–what this show always circles back to is the idea of family, of connections between people we love through thick and thin. It comes as no surprise, then, that this is a finale filled with reunions at every turn; eventually, these people will make their way back to each other, even if it takes years and years for that to happen.

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Hannibal “Secondo” Review (3×03)

18 Jun

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“I have to eat him.”

There’s no doubt about the intensity of the connection Will Graham and Hannibal Lecter share, about the intimacy and love that binds these two together in a disturbing, yet fascinating, relationship. There’s not as much subtlety to it anymore because it’s out in the open for the world to see; when the two finally cross paths again, I can only assume it’s going to end in a sexy pillow fight followed by consumption of scrumptious body parts. Or something like that.

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Penny Dreadful “Little Scorpion” Review (2×07)

15 Jun

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“All of those things that mark you when you’re young, that make you who you are…you never escape them.”

Seeing as a lot of Penny Dreadful is structured around the idea of identity, it comes as no surprise that “Little Scorpion” is concerned with who we are as people, particularly the dark sides of ourselves that stay with us forever. It’s represented physically by the way Vanessa is possessed by a demon–by “monsters inside”–but it also has a deep emotional aspect that forms its foundation in the complicated histories of these characters. In this episode, it’s also symbolized by the storm that rages after a few days of apparent happiness and fun, and it’s nicely summed up by the way Vanessa describes the thunder, lightning, and rain: “primordial…every bit of civilization gone, and everything true coming out”.

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Game of Thrones “Mother’s Mercy” Review (5×10)

15 Jun

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“Mother’s Mercy” is filled with mid-scene cuts, jumping around from mini cliffhanger to mini cliffhanger as it attempts to close out its fifth season in a satisfying manner. It’s a way to bridge the gap between one season and the next, but it’s also a stylistic choice that serves to highlight the uncertainty of the characters’ positions–and the franchise as a whole, to be honest–at the moment. In this land full of power struggles and violence and torture, there’s no telling when an empire can come crashing down in an instant, when a character can be reduced to nothing more than a sack of flash, when your own families can turn on you. It’s an intriguing world to watch, but at the same time, it’s certainly a bit overwhelming.

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Orphan Black “Insolvent Phantom of Tomorrow” Review (3×09)

14 Jun

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“I am a mother now. I walk a different path.”

Even though it features quite a few major revelations, season three’s penultimate episode isn’t as meaty of an hour as the show’s last few installments. It’s still a twisty-turny 42 minutes, but it doesn’t quite possess the propulsive plot that drove episode six or the pure emotion that drove episode seven; it lies in a middle ground of sorts, never quite gelling, but still delivering a thoroughly entertaining set-up for next week’s season finale.

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Orange Is the New Black “Mother’s Day” Review (3×01)

12 Jun

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“These are complicated ladies in a complicated place.”

Perhaps no other line sums up the Litchfield inmates’ situation better than this one. The thing about jail is that it’s viewed as a monotonous cycle, as day in and day out of orange jumpsuits and sullen faces, as a homogeneous blob of people who are isolated from society. And to be honest, that’s true. However, what this show is conveying is the underlying humanity oftentimes overlooked when we talk about jail, the fact that these inmates are complicated individuals who feel the same emotions we do, who have pasts and lives and futures cut short by the walls of Litchfield. Yes, they committed crimes, but that doesn’t rob them of their stories.

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Hannibal “Primavera” Review (3×02)

11 Jun

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“I forgive you.”

Usually, friendships don’t last after you get stabbed in the gut by that supposed friend. Alas, this is Hannibal, and it comes as no surprise that the show is continuing to delve into the twisted, yet romantic, relationship between Hannibal Lecter and Will Graham, into the mutual fascination that drives much of the characterization in the series. Essentially, the episode plays out as a raging conflict within Will Graham’s mind: can he forgive Hannibal for what he did? Or, was that fateful night in “Mizumono” the dissolution of their relationship?

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Game of Thrones “The Dance of Dragons” Review (5×09)

8 Jun

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“Sometimes, a person has to choose.”

In the final conversation Stannis has with Shireen before her death, his daughter tells him that “all the choosing sides is what made everything so horrible”. Sure, that is true to an extent, but one simple truth in this Game of Thrones world is the fact that choices must be made. No matter what happens, that remains constant, and the choices that are made by people in power undoubtedly have reverberating effects on the rest of the series. In addition, those choices likely come at the expense of those who may not have as much power, who may be viewed as “sacrifices” for the “greater good”. It’s not exactly a pretty world to live in, but it’s something characters in the show have to wrap their heads around.

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Orphan Black “Ruthless in Purpose, and Insidious in Method” Review (3×08)

6 Jun

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“I need a way forward.”

This episode certainly makes multiple advancements in the show’s central plot, but its main focus is on these characters and the relationships they share. “In reality, we’re now all in bed together,” Jason tells Alison after he kisses her in the store, and although it’s a line in reference to their specific dynamic, we can apply it to the rest of the show as well. After all, this episode looks at this complex mixture of character paths, working from a shared center as it expands its gaze outward, outward into the emotional ramifications of the Leda-Castor conflict. These characters are all in this together in some way, and the intrigue comes from how they handle the situation.

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