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Penny Dreadful “The Day Tennyson Died” Review (3×01)

1 May

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“‘Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.”

The above quote from Lord Tennyson is a fitting thematic summation of this premiere. This is a show that constantly deals with internal and external monsters, exploring various evils like this season’s Count Dracula. Yet, it still has a beating heart underneath it all, a light that drives its characters even as the darkness threatens to consume them all. That light takes form in the connections they forge and the relationships they develop, and as a result, there’s an optimism to be found in many aspects of the series.

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Banshee “Innocent Might Be a Bit of a Stretch” Review (4×04)

22 Apr

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“What a fun group!”

My thoughts exactly. We’re halfway through the final season of Banshee, and I’m without a doubt going to miss all of these characters that I know and love. What the series also has to do at this point, though, is effectively delve into new characters as it fleshes out its final storylines, and its execution in this regard is a mixed bag. The positive aspects of that bag? 1) Eliza Dushku pretty seamlessly entering the picture as Special Agent Veronica Dawson, and 2) Randall Cody Watts revealed to be Maggie’s father. In the case of the latter, I’m liking how the show is handling Calvin Bunker, making him a three-dimensional character and another worthy antagonist to watch.

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Orphan Black “The Collapse of Nature” Review (4×01)

15 Apr

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“Is this my life now?”

What a fascinating way to open a new season of Orphan Black. When the new year starts, you expect to get advancement of the present-day narrative and answers to lingering questions, but “The Collapse of Nature” defies expectations, instead choosing to delve into the backstory of Beth Childs. We already know her story–to an extent–through pieces of information that we’ve gleaned throughout the first three seasons, but that story has always been filtered through the eyes of Sarah Manning…and by extent, through the eyes of the other clones. Here, though, we get the backstory front and center, and it’s a great way to reintroduce us to the perfection that is Tatiana Maslany.

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Banshee “Something Out of the Bible” Review (4×01)

1 Apr

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“Remember, Hood, you’re not the sheriff anymore.”

“I never was.”

And thus returns the most badass show on television. The image above is a perfect encapsulation of this show in all its glory, and the fight scene that follows features the show’s typical impeccable camera work and choreography. It’s just all such a thrill to watch unfold, and although I’ll certainly miss these types of scenes after the series concludes, I’m simultaneously glad that Tropper and co. know when they want to end. Like Spartacus–the show that evoked the most similar response in me as this one does–Banshee is intent on going out with a bang, and I look forward to seeing Clay Burton lay waste to the entire world.

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The Americans “Pastor Tim” Review (4×02)

23 Mar

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“I’m not who I was.”

One of the strengths of a great show like The Americans is its ability to develop its characters, to constantly have past experiences in mind as it crafts their present day storylines. In the quote above, we see a Nina who has come to terms with who she used to be and who she is now, and because of that, we can look at her note smuggling decision in a new light. This is slightly different from Philip and Elizabeth, both of whom I feel are still struggling to work through any connections–or disconnects–between past and present. However, bit by bit, things are coming together for them even as everything seems to be unraveling. Overall, the show tends to find these quiet moments of connection among the chaos, and that’s why it resonates so much for me.

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The Americans “Glanders” Review (4×01)

16 Mar

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“I guess you never really know a person, do you?”

Since the beginning, The Americans has tackled the idea of identity from all angles. Its premise is already a treasure trove for that particular theme, and over the last three seasons, it has built a complex web of lies and deceit, slowly unraveling it all in season three with several big revelations. “Glanders” turns the show’s focus inward, delving into internal struggles raging in the minds of Philip, Paige, and Martha. It’s a premiere that kicks off the season in style, and it previews a season that is sure to be one of the best on television this year.

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The X-Files “My Struggle II” Review (10×06)

22 Feb

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The problem with the revival series is that it takes what would normally be covered over ~22 episodes and attempts to condense it to 6. There’s just no way six episodes of television can deliver some solid monsters of the week, tackle a huge new conspiracy, delve into character drama, and introduce new characters for a possible season 11. Chris Carter certainly tried, but he’s failed in many aspects. Here’s what I would’ve preferred: six episodes devoted to the mythology, or six monster-of-the-week episodes showcasing different genres and styles.

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The X-Files “Babylon” Review (10×05)

15 Feb

THE X-FILES: L-R: David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson in the "Babylon" episode of THE X-FILES airing Monday, Feb. 15 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. ©2016 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Ed Araquel/FOX

This will be short, as I don’t really have much to say about this episode and/or why it exists. Penned by Chris Carter, “Babylon” is as tonally scattered as any episode of television can be, and it proves that Carter has no business attempting to tackle concepts as complicated as terrorism or religion (Islam in particular). The opening sequence is well done, tense, and chilling, but every single scene that follows can be summed up with the image of a guy jokingly smashing cymbals as somber music plays in the background. It’s all over the place.

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Vinyl “Pilot” Review (1×01)

14 Feb

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“You can’t always get what you want.”

Richie Finestra’s story is one we’ve seen before. In this age of antiheroes, the stories about people like Don Draper and Tony Soprano–and their worlds–have already hit many of the beats Vinyl does: the conflict between personal and professional, the intersection between class, race, and sex, the malaise that arises over time, et cetera. However, the pilot still manages to feel fresh and intriguing, utilizing Scorsese’s kinetic filmmaking to deliver a mini-movie in and of itself. Like the scenes the show depicts, the episode pulsates with energy throughout, musical interludes seemingly dropping every few minutes as music and television are fused.

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Deadpool Review

13 Feb

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I’m positive I laughed at something in this movie, but I can’t quite place it because it’s buried under a pile of juvenile, unbearable crap that attempts to skate by on faux cleverness. No, Deadpool, pointing out that Morena Baccarin’s character is a “hot girl” does not mean that your treatment of her as a generic love interest is good in any way. No, Deadpool, pointing out that your villain is a typical “British villain” does not make him anything more than a one-dimensional and forgettable British villain. It’s like the filmmakers thought that their work was done after coming up with the opening credits, that they would then be excused for all the problems that followed. From then on, it was probably a race to see who could come up with the most obnoxious line or scene in the movie.

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