TV Reviews
WandaVision (Disney+, Season 1) - Though breaking this up into episodes helped them build buzz, probably improved the pacing, and let them make good use of the sitcom gimmick, this is really a long movie. It’s a complete story fitted solidly into the Marvel movie canon. It also changes tone fairly radically over the course of it (though there are bits in the first episode to warn you it won’t be goofy fun). I loved the return of various minor characters; we’re all here for more of Dr. Darcy Lewis. And the Pietro bits were glorious.
The Way of the Househusband (Netflix, Season 1) - Based on the manga, this tells the story of a deadly Yakuza assassin who gave it up to be a full-time househusband, and approaches every task with creepy vigor. Five episodes of six shorts each, which means that they don’t wear out their welcome, even if there are a limited number of jokes. (Honestly, I suspect this works better as a comic-they clearly went with a very static animation style to mimic the beats from the manga, and it only somewhat works.)
Invincible (Amazon, Season 1) - Based on the comic series and done as a cartoon with an all-star voice cast, this is eminently NOT for kids. (Amazon laid the warnings on thick, which makes sense for a brightly-colored show about a teenage superhero. But it is DARK.) I find it interesting that the first 8-episode season sets up a number of mysteries but doesn’t resolve very much at all-basically, the first big twist is the only major resolution-and in fact, it leaves off on some extra cliffhangers just for good measure. (The final shot is a montage of the grand list of threats that could potentially show up in subsequent seasons, even ignoring the Viltrumites.) Also interesting is that apparently some sad puppy/gamergate group decided to spam the Amazon reviews, because there’s an offhand reference to feminism in the third episode and the snowflakes were deeply offended. (The reviews make it clear they didn’t actually watch the show.) I enjoy it, and I enjoyed the original comics. It’ll be interesting to see where this goes, given the divergences from the comics so far.
Shadow and Bone (Netflix, Season 1) - In a vaguely-Russian country on the cusp of the industrial revolution, magicians called grishas have specific inborn powers; and they all await the coming of a “sun summoner” than can destroy the hellish, shadowy Fold that cuts the country in half. Well, whether or not you care about Alina and the main plot, the side characters are worth the price of admission. The trio of thieves are all about Leverage-style competence porn, Jasper gets the best lines, and the ending of episode 5 is just glorious. Given the original books were a trilogy, I hope Netflix gives them all three seasons to resolve some things.
Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (Hulu, Season 2) - I was disappointed that Joan got promoted and Lauren Graham left the show. In a classic move straight from Archie Comics, they expanded the boys competing for Zoey’s attention by adding the all-grown-up boy next door. I’d like to give a special shout-out to Emily Fox, the credited writer on episode 2.7, "Zoey's Extraordinary Memory", which was just a goddamn delight. Standout witty when the show is generally middling. The musical numbers remain the real reason to watch, and Bernadette Peters returns for a couple of episodes in addition to the cast generally being solid. By the end of the season, they resolve the love triangle and start getting Zoey some necessary psychological help; and though they leave off on a mild cliffhanger, if this was the end, it would all wrap up pretty nicely.
Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K. (Hulu) - We watched the first two episodes and…it’s mediocre? It’s trying to do the same thing as Harley Quinn, and frankly that was much better at it. (It’s trying to do Harley Quinn except with Dr. Psycho as the main character, really. He’s a jerk and you don’t like him, so you don’t care whether or not he succeeds or fails.) I did appreciate Fin Fang Farm to Table, though.
The Way of the Househusband (Netflix, Season 1) - Based on the manga, this tells the story of a deadly Yakuza assassin who gave it up to be a full-time househusband, and approaches every task with creepy vigor. Five episodes of six shorts each, which means that they don’t wear out their welcome, even if there are a limited number of jokes. (Honestly, I suspect this works better as a comic-they clearly went with a very static animation style to mimic the beats from the manga, and it only somewhat works.)
Invincible (Amazon, Season 1) - Based on the comic series and done as a cartoon with an all-star voice cast, this is eminently NOT for kids. (Amazon laid the warnings on thick, which makes sense for a brightly-colored show about a teenage superhero. But it is DARK.) I find it interesting that the first 8-episode season sets up a number of mysteries but doesn’t resolve very much at all-basically, the first big twist is the only major resolution-and in fact, it leaves off on some extra cliffhangers just for good measure. (The final shot is a montage of the grand list of threats that could potentially show up in subsequent seasons, even ignoring the Viltrumites.) Also interesting is that apparently some sad puppy/gamergate group decided to spam the Amazon reviews, because there’s an offhand reference to feminism in the third episode and the snowflakes were deeply offended. (The reviews make it clear they didn’t actually watch the show.) I enjoy it, and I enjoyed the original comics. It’ll be interesting to see where this goes, given the divergences from the comics so far.
Shadow and Bone (Netflix, Season 1) - In a vaguely-Russian country on the cusp of the industrial revolution, magicians called grishas have specific inborn powers; and they all await the coming of a “sun summoner” than can destroy the hellish, shadowy Fold that cuts the country in half. Well, whether or not you care about Alina and the main plot, the side characters are worth the price of admission. The trio of thieves are all about Leverage-style competence porn, Jasper gets the best lines, and the ending of episode 5 is just glorious. Given the original books were a trilogy, I hope Netflix gives them all three seasons to resolve some things.
Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (Hulu, Season 2) - I was disappointed that Joan got promoted and Lauren Graham left the show. In a classic move straight from Archie Comics, they expanded the boys competing for Zoey’s attention by adding the all-grown-up boy next door. I’d like to give a special shout-out to Emily Fox, the credited writer on episode 2.7, "Zoey's Extraordinary Memory", which was just a goddamn delight. Standout witty when the show is generally middling. The musical numbers remain the real reason to watch, and Bernadette Peters returns for a couple of episodes in addition to the cast generally being solid. By the end of the season, they resolve the love triangle and start getting Zoey some necessary psychological help; and though they leave off on a mild cliffhanger, if this was the end, it would all wrap up pretty nicely.
Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K. (Hulu) - We watched the first two episodes and…it’s mediocre? It’s trying to do the same thing as Harley Quinn, and frankly that was much better at it. (It’s trying to do Harley Quinn except with Dr. Psycho as the main character, really. He’s a jerk and you don’t like him, so you don’t care whether or not he succeeds or fails.) I did appreciate Fin Fang Farm to Table, though.