Doctor Who "Hell Bent" Season Finale Review (Major Spoilers)
Also reviews for the latest episodes of The Flash, Arrow, Supergirl, iZombie, Be Cool Scooby Doo!, Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., Once Upon A Time, The Muppets, Star Wars Rebels, Power Rangers: Dino Charge, The Simpsons, Grimm, Haven, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Family Guy, and The Last Man On Earth, the season finale of Scream Queens, and the latest episode of Fargo.
Upcoming reviews include Avengers: Age Of Ultron (Blu-Ray), Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Season 2, Marvel's Agent Carter: Season 1, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (Blu-Ray), X-Men: Days Of Future Past: The Rogue Cut, Inside Out (Blu-Ray), Phineas And Ferb: Star Wars, Star Wars Rebels: Season 1, Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League: Attack Of The Legion Of Doom, Batman Unlimited: Monster Mayhem, Teen Titans Go!: House Pests, Arrow: Season 3, The Flash: Season 1, Gotham: Season 1, iZombie: Season 1, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: Extended Edition, The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug: Extended Edition, The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies: Extended Edition, Airplane! / Airplane II: The Sequel: Double Feature, Power Rangers: Zeo: Volume 1, Power Rangers: Zeo: Volume 2, Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie, Power Rangers Turbo: Volume 1, Power Rangers: Turbo: Volume 2, Power Rangers In Space Volume 1, Power Rangers In Space: Volume 2, Power Rangers Samurai: The Complete Season, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Retreat!, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Return To NYC!, Avatar: The Last Airbender: Book 1: Water, Avatar: The Last Airbender: Book 2: Earth, Avatar: The Last Airbender: Book 3: Fire, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, Haven: Season 5 - Vol. 1, Sleepy Hollow: Season 2, Doctor Who: Dark Water / Death In Heaven, Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 2, The Jurassic Park Trilogy, Jurassic World, Back To The Future: The Complete Animated Series, Tremor 5: Bloodlines, Shaun The Sheep Movie (Blu-Ray), Grimm: Season 4, and Mulholland Dr..
Doctor Who "Hell Bent"
What was interesting about that was that no matter how revelatory, dramatic, and huge this episode seemed, the stakes were incredibly low, especially for a season finale. Yes, Clara's life matters, and the Time Lords returning is a big deal, but this is the first season finale that does not have a galaxy-wide threat. Heck, even Earth is not in any actual danger.
The ending kept me guessing. It was not the perfect ending for Clara (that would have been the ending they chickened out of in "Last Christmas") but it was entirely appropriate, and I liked it because while there is an element of tragedy to it, it isn't actually tragic. Me and Clara having adventures in a TARDIS for awhile sounds like fun. That's all Me ever wanted anyways.
Me stating that she was the only Immortal left seems to confirm to me that Jack Harkness is DEFINITELY the Face of Boe. There is no other way to read that exchange.
Why was I so surprised when the Doctor said he was going outside the TARDIS to "Me"? I was half-expecting Tom Baker or another incarnation of the Doctor and totally forgot Maisie Williams was in the promos.
Also provocative was Me's theory that the Doctor is actually half-human. Because that was the most controversial aspect of the much reviled TV movie, and Me just gave the notion credibility. And the Priestess of Kaan is totally the Doctor's mom.
The Doctor's time on Gallifrey was quite excellent. I loved him exiling Rassilon and that the Gallifreyans consider him a war hero. Rassilon is NOT off the hook for "The End Of Time." What I love about that is it hints the corruption of the High Council does not extend to the rest of Gallifrey. That is VERY good, and I think Stephen Moffat undoing the worst mistake Russell T Davies ever made (which is saying something). I also liked the Doctor checking on the General's regeneration count before killing him. He just wants to make sure.
The look on Clara's face as she learned the Doctor allowed himself to be tortured for 4.5 billion years to save her life said many things to me, but the biggest thing I got from it was how horrible she must have felt realizing this is the dude she betrayed last season. Every horrible thought she's had about Twelve, and how little he cares for people is completely untrue, and she realizes in that moment that the Doctor is pretty much the best friend anyone could ever hope to have. The look on her face was regret and pity for what the Doctor had done for her. But I'll be darned if I didn't see a little shame too.
Clara saying that the Doctor had no right to take her memories tells me that what Ten did to Donna Noble is even more reprehensible than I thought. And Clara put into words why that is better than I ever could. Her memories are hers, and she won't have them changed for any reason. I wish Ten had given Donna that consideration.
This was a VERY unusual season finale, especially since the Time Lords returning seemed to have minimal impact. But it was still probably the best episode of the season. *****.
The Flash "Running To Stand Still"
Wally West! And he's already a series regular! Pretty sweet trick.
After that scene at the end, can anyone truly blame Harry for any upcoming betrayal? I certainly can't.
Once they cut to an act break, I knew Patty wasn't gonna kill Mardon. If she was going to, they would have ended the act break with that.
I love Trickster being moved by Flash's speech to Patty. I want to see more of Mark Hamill. They said there is only one Trickster, and while that is objectively not true, I want to deal with Hamill exclusively from now on and not his emo son. This episode was a good start.
Legends Of Tomorrow Watch: After doing Barry an unsolicited solid, Captain Cold insists he is not a hero.
Good episode. ****.
Arrow "Dark Waters"
I knew it was going to be Felicity. The entire episode had been building towards it. The problem is what does it mean for the future of the show.
Some theories and possibilities:
"Arrow" pulls a Vaughn from Alias and fakes Felicity's death to keep her safe. This is the most likely scenario in my mind.
Felicity dies and they use the Lazarus pit. Worst idea in my mind. Simply because that would turn her into a psychopathic murderer and that would suck. Goes against the entire character and why we love her.
She's actually dead. Second most likely scenario. That would p!$$ me off beyond belief.
The more I think about it, the more I think the whole "Is Felicity dead?" plotline is the most misbegotten thing of season four. No matter what happens, the show loses. And it amazes me that the producers didn't see it coming.
Option 1: Felicity is dead. That hurts the show. And for no real reason. Felicity is the best and most lovable character, and her and Oliver is pretty much the reason I tune in every week. They would being pulling a Marc Webb and getting rid of the show's biggest selling point. The show loses.
Option 2: Felicity is NOT dead. We all breathe a sigh of relief, I suppose, but what good is getting us worried over winter vacation for no reason whatsoever? How is that supposed to engender trust with the viewer? A GOOD TV show doesn't feel the need to yank the viewers around and is comfortable telling a good story at the right pace. Screwing the viewer around is something a sucky show like Grimm does. Arrow does not need to be taking cues from some of the worst genre shows on television. Do the writers think I ENJOY being screwed around? That I LIKE worrying if Felicity is dead? I think a good television show should respect the viewer and not play games with them. That is what Felicity being alive would do. The show loses.
I am a bit amazed the show painted itself into this corner. It was a huge mistake that is almost shocking in how unnecessary it was. I mean, I never heard any fan ever say about the show that what it needed was more main character deaths. And for it to be the best one? I think Arrow screwed the pooch. Not only was it an error, but it was an unforced error. The show doesn't need to suck this bad. It simply chose to all on its own.
The worst part is we put up with it. Nobody ever calls the producers of TV shows that do stuff like this on it. And we really should be demanding better. The idea that a producer thinks this is a perfectly legit method of storytelling tells me that we as viewers don't push back enough on total crap. And we really should. *.
Supergirl "Human For A Day"
I broke out in the brightest of smiles when Hank Henshaw turned out to be Martian Manhunter. That moment said I love this show. I had not been fully on board (too many good guys who were obviously going to turn into bad guys) but now I love both it and Henshaw. Perfect.
Supergirl stopping that mugger through words was amazing, because I'd like to think with the right training police would be able to do that too. It saddens me that doesn't happen in real life that often.
I like that this show said that Superman loses his powers a lot too. They were not trying to make the moment a bigger deal than it was. Of course, she's gonna get her powers back. The question is when and how dire things are going to get in the meantime.
Best episode so far. I approve. ****1/2.
iZombie "Cape Town"
Are there superheroes in the iZombie comic book continuity? Because this hinted that there are a ton of them out there, even if it never said any of them had superpowers. Masked vigilantes exist in the real world, but they are so rare as to be considered comical. The entire city here having enough vigilantes to create a team hints the reality is very different in the iZombieverse.
The cure failing is both bad news and good news for Liv and Major. Bad news is that Major's life is now ruined. Good news is that he and Liv can finally be together and have sex.
Mr. Boss remains the creepiest of creeps.
"Zombie Hooker" is in reality, even more ghastly than the job title promises. Norm MacDonald's "Crack Whore" has just been surpassed as the world's worst profession.
As for Clive firing Liv, I'm surprised it didn't happen before now. Because Liv does stuff that crazy every week. I have a hard time believing this is the last straw after all of the stuff he's let slide before now.
Not bad. ***1/2.
Be Cool, Scooby Doo! "Scary Christmas"
First off, that opening was probably the most audacious thing I've ever seen in a Christmas special for kids. The kids at the beginning are puzzling over the speed and time Santa uses to deliver the gifts using actual data and figures. I'm a little bit shocked CN allowed it. You REALLY want to destroy a kid's belief in Santa? Hand him a pen and paper and point out the math. Even a kid whose parents say the person who told them this is a humbug will not be able to conclude anything but that his parents are liars. Math is not Santa's friend.
Secondly, when Daphne says this is the worst birthday ever, that is a statement. Nobody gets it worse than Christmas babies. Nobody. I'm not about to tell a pregnant woman her job, but if I'm in labor on December 25th, I'm going to try to hold the baby in until the next day. It's the least a mother could do. Ducks from tomatoes pelted from feminists.
Scooby and Shaggy training to eat Christmas dinner saddens me. Because it means they probably don't enjoy it. It's not fun for them anymore, it's a job. And that depresses me in a way Scooby and Shaggy never have before.
The mystery was top-notch. Leave it to the show to actually concoct a good reason WHY the Grinch of the episode would want to steal every present in town. I also like that they gave him a surprise accomplice.
This show is a lot of fun to watch, but I think it is too cynical, especially because it's Scooby Doo. That means it's automatically funnier than the rest of the franchise, but I kind of think the dorkiness of the franchise is definitely one of its selling points and it's gone now. This show may be too hip for its own good. ****1/2.
Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. "Maveth"
I am very happy with that. They managed to figure out a way to kill off Ward and still keep Brett Dalton on the show. I have to say that if the creature inhabiting Ward isn't killed off in the finale, or if it finds another host and Ward is resurrected, my goodwill will vanish, but as of now that was a better resolution than I was expecting it to be.
The stuff with Fitz and Simmons at the end, Coulson killing Ward, Andrew escaping and killing all of those Inhumans, everything else was great too. I especially loved Mack telling everybody he was giving an order. Sometimes I think the team forgets that SHIELD is NOT a democracy and that Coulson's light touch is quite unusual. Good for Mack to reestablish the hierarchy in that moment.
I was pretty sure Will was going to be Hydra just based on the way he paused when he heard the name. Him turning out to be the monster who replaced Will was even better.
I was satisfied with that. ****.
Once Upon A Time "Swan Song"
I'm over Rumpelstilkskin. As great as that episode otherwise was, I hated the ending. It ruined it. Because the creep slept with Belle. I'm done. This would have been a perfect episode if they hadn't done that.
I love that it was Regina who got through to Hook and I'm glad he redeemed himself in the end. But it's also good that they'll get him back. Because if Gold really DID pull that trick it means he died for nothing. I am super angry.
Don't talk to me. I need a walk. *.
The Muppets "Single All The Way"
Chip the IT guy is once again perfect. And all is right with the world. Do you know the funny thing? I have the numbers and letters as colors disorder too. I didn't even know that nobody else saw the colors until a couple of years ago. And Chip wins the game of Pringles. No calories! Nice!
I'm getting sick of Scooter and Ken.
As for Mindy Kaling, I'm betting she's a talented singer in real life. It takes actual professional training to make your voice that precisely off key. If she were a bad singer that would be one thing. It's the fact that she's an off-key one that's a giveaway.
Do you realize what's going on? Then someone please explain it to Pepe because he doesn't have a clue.
Loved Kermit telling Piggy that she helps people who are alone every night, and using the solution that nobody should be alone at Christmas to solve the Mindy problem. I love when the show ties stuff together like that and it's the first Muppet project to do things like that.
I am optimistic about Kermit and Piggy again. That's a good place to be on Christmas. ****1/2.
Star Wars Rebels "Legacy"
Pretty good. I've got the rhythm of this show down now pretty well and am able to enjoy it more. ***1/2.
Power Rangers: Dino Charge "Race To Rescue Christmas"
Yay! Let's poke holes in Santa! You poke enough holes in Santa and candy falls out. Let's hit him with a stick!
Isn't that a different actor for Santa than the original Power Rangers used? They're sort of immediately poking holes in the idea by recasting him in every incarnation.
Koda doesn't know who Santa is? That's stupid. Koda isn't a caveman who in time traveled past history. He's an Immortal who LIVED history. The idea that he can't read either is far-fetched as well (as well as sending a bad message to children).
Santa can't do Christmas without his naughty list computer? How did the dude work things BEFORE computers? I would think the guy would have an emergency filing system as a last resort.
Is Chase's sister really obnoxious enough that she doesn't want presents for Christmas? I cannot stand the Whos from The Grinch. Buncha pushovers. The Grinch may have learned something, but the Whos did not. Any kid who thinks like a Who is automatically suspect.
I laughed at the line that Koda didn't smell the villain's scent. He just points and there he is. If the show did stuff like that more often I'd make fun of it less.
This was dumb, even by this show's standards. *1/2.
The Simpsons "Paths Of Glory"
"This looks like nothing, but it's bad." That's a great line. Full stop. Also great is Ralph's bit about the sour juice from his front tail. Eric Idle missed that one in Meaning Of Life.
But I'll just ask it: are we sure Bart ISN'T a sociopath? Because he was the one so interested in the diary and only got three questions "wrong" before "throwing" the test. And from what I understand about sociopathy, not every sociopath is violent or wants to hurt people. I may be mistaken about that, but from what I've heard, sociopaths who are manipulative bungholes are far more common than the serial killer kind. That's partly why it is believed there are so many sociopaths in the world, and that they gravitate towards politics. Sure, Bart is near tears at the end. But every single Bart episode seems to have him doing something to really screw with another person without caring about the consequences. He invariably feels bad at the end of each episode, but couldn't that just be the sociopath mirroring the expected response? Bart is so horrible all of the time, and never shuts it off. Sociopathy could explain a lot.
I loved the computer loom so much. Clever way to have a woman invent something amazing that no-one had ever heard of before. The writers know what they are doing.
Speaking of the writers, this was the first episode without a Sam Simon executive producer credit. That makes me sad.
Lisa asking Bart if he wants to break into an insane asylum shows she knows her brother and how to get him to do what she wants. That's tight.
I liked the episode. It's wasn't terrific, and the ending was a little weak, but I enjoyed myself and have no real complaints. ***1/2.
Grimm "Wesen Nacht"
All is forgiven, Grimm.
Well, that's not entirely true. I am still furious about last year. But until this week I was 100% sure the show could never recover. Now, as angry as I am at this show, I realize in time, with a little bit of trust of the writers, I could potentially like it again. Not for sure. But if they can undo the way Juliet went out (which is what the previews hinted) I'll be happy.
I'm still not optimistic. Once Upon A Time also seemed to be turning a corner in season five from THEIR shark-jumping season four, and they still managed to fall into old bad habits and ruin it anyways. I'm not sure Grimm won't do the same.
Xavier is a weird character. He is scared of everything, but his first reaction when he woges in front of Nick is "I've heard of you." Nick has made such an impression in Portland, that Wesen aren't automatically terrified of a Grimm if he's a cop. This is the kind of thing the first three seasons of the show did before it descended into nonstop awful in season four. I want more of the show like this.
I should have guessed Juliet was alive. Why? Because Trubel didn't apologize to Nick for killing her once. I thought that was incredibly weird, and you can tell Nick thinks it's the elephant in the room, but refuses to bring it up himself because she's a kid and has been through enough. But if Juliet wasn't alive, I'd kind of think Trubel was a sociopath for not feeling bad about killing her.
I do have a major complaint: "Gang related violence"? Are they kidding me? That many coordinated attacks in different cities across the country? It would immediately (and rightly) be called terrorism. Why the show thinks labeling it gang violence is more horrifying, I do not know. It is frankly not only bad storytelling, but STUPID storytelling. I'm betting most of Grimm's viewers cannot relate to gang violence. But terrorism is something that pushes everybody's buttons, because it is political, and gang violence is not. The show could have just courted some great controversy, and misguidedly seemed to think it would be better if they didn't "offend" anybody. The more offensive the comparison would be, the better the episode would be. Good drama should not shy away from exploring controversial issues. And that goes doubly for a genre show like Grimm. Gene Roddenberry and Rod Serling would be appalled at that part of the episode.
Do you know what WAS a good controversy? The idea that Wesen started almost all street riots. The story about the unions in the 1700's getting blamed for Wesen attacks was frankly fascinating, and the idea that the Boxer Rebellion and the Tea Party were Wesen riots was provocative as well. I wish the other part of the episode had been stronger in this regard.
Still, this show is no longer a lost cause. I am cautiously optimistic. ****1/2.
Haven "The Widening Gyre"
I'm going to say it: Shatner was miscast. He's not bad or anything, but he is not invested in the role at all. When he's on about aether and other worlds, Shatner doesn't sound like he believes it, or even understands the words that are being written for him. Shatner has always been a very self-obsessed actor, and asking him to come into a long-running show for the last four episodes as if he's been there the whole time is asking too much of him. I don't even blame him for it. He never had that in him, and the producers should have realized that early on and not gone for a stunt casting.
The rest of episode was good. What is very weird to me is that there is very little action here. Most of the episode consists of scenes of two people in a room talking. And yet it is still perfectly interesting and compelling. Vince sacrificing himself to be the Controller was the perfect thing for his character with Dave gone, and I loved learning a bit more of Howard's backstory.
It is unsurprising to me that Eric Balfour is good as playing a dirtbag. Frankly, he strikes me as a dirtbag in interviews I have seen him do in real life, so Evil Duke is the role he was born to play. I'm a little bit disappointed he works for Croatoan. If they REALLY wanted to mess up the audience, they would have made him the actual Big Bad of the series. And they could have simply done that by having Croatoan share his body the way he did Dave. But I guess Syfy was really invested in the stunt casting, and here we are.
I have high hopes for next week. The thing that scares me is that there has never been a show as perfect as Haven that has had a decent series finale. Both Star Trek: The Next Generation and Lost's finales were classics but both of those shows were VERY flawed in a lot of ways. Deep Space Nine, Fringe, Farscape, & Buffy The Vampire Slayer's finales had varying degrees of success, (DS9's being the best) but the one thing they all had in common is that they were disappointments on some level. I don't want the same thing to happen here but a REALLY great show rarely has a great resolution. I hope Haven can pull it off. I would love to be proven wrong. *****.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine "The Swedes"
God, I love the Swedes. They seem to have Asperger's and speak hilariously precisely. They don't just accept the passive aggressiveness, they top it with genuine insightfulness. They are honest, and funny, and at the end of the day will admit they were wrong about Jake and Rosa. I get why Rosa hates them, but I think that Jake holding a grudge at the end was a bit far-fetched. They are awesome.
Neil DeGrasse Tyson continues to be fine (and talk with his hands). It makes sense Gina would pass the test. She IS super smart and astronomy IS interesting.
When Andre Braugher says "Unleash the beast", I realize I am so thankful he is on this show. A comedian would not have been able to say that line funnier. It's funny BECAUSE it's Pembleton. Same principle for Patrick Stewart as Avery Bullock on American Dad.
Love the Swedes and unleashing the Beast. ****.
Family Guy "Brokeback Swanson"
"I love that you're chained up on the lawn and still think that you're a guy."
That right there? There single greatest burn ANYONE could ever give Brian Griffin. And he deserves it. He sucks. Go Stewie!
I have to say the idea of Brian pretending to be a dog when the chick's husband comes home is SUCH a genius premise, that I keep wondering if the Family Guy writers can actually still surprise me with me ideas like that that haven't been done on TV before down the line. Because Family Guy is a pretty unusual premise. I would like to think that the writers could come up with some more obviously great ideas like that that they simply never considered before. At least I hope so.
I don't blame Bonnie leaving Joe. Yes, she sucks, but he's a dude in a wheelchair who ran with the bulls. Everything was his own fault. Frankly, I don't know why the guys felt so guilty. Joe should NOT have done something that stupid.
Four stars just for Stewie stating the obvious. ****.
The Last Man On Earth "Secret Santa"
Melissa picked the absolute worst time to grow a heart. I think Todd would have actually turned her down. And I almost wouldn't blame the dude. Melissa is going to be so hurt. And she has no-one but herself to blame. This show gets under my skin.
Every time I think of this show from now on I'm going to just think of something else. It is not healthy to get so attached to a show that is definitely going to break my heart. I need to slow down with how much I love this. I'm going to wind up more hurt than I otherwise would have been.
Next week looks amazing. ****1/2.
Scream Queens "Dorkus"
The best thing the episode did was have Pete confess he was the guy with the chainsaw at the mall. Because it put all four Chanels back on the table. And got rid of Grace as a suspect once and for all. Good.
I think it is entirely weird and gross that Grace sets up her father to seduce Dean Munsch. Really, that's probably the most disgusting this show has done so far. Jamie Lee Curtis has never looked more hideous.
I'm a little bit disappointed it's Hester, just because she was the most obvious suspect from the beginning. I had hoped they would have surprised us. The fact that she was so obvious was the biggest reason I was convinced it wasn't her.
If the next episode didn't exist, I'd consider Pete's rant about the toxicity of hazing and bullying as the point the show stopped being a satire, and for the first time pointed out that these were horrible people. It was very moving, and I think if Grace had even the slightest measure of common sense, she would have heard him out. The Red Devil isn't the bad guy on this show in that moment.
Great penultimate episode. I wish the finale were better. *****.
Scream Queens "The Final Girl(s)"
Ryan Murphy has stated that one of the reasons he created this show is that in real life the bullies were winning. That may be true, but it isn't much fun to watch on TV. Nobody got what was coming to them in the finale. Nobody. Even the Chanels being sentenced to an insane asylum was a slap on the wrist. The judge extolling the myriad reasons the Chanels sucked would have made more of a difference to me if they had gotten it. And why did the foreman change the verdict at the last minute? If Chanel were truly saying she was going to kill the jury repeatedly, that would have been the first verdict proffered.
And Hester and Dean Munsch coming to an understanding like that was disgusting. Why is Weston still dating her after she made that veiled threat to his daughter? I have to say, that guy is a total creep.
Hester's story did not hold up to the slightest bit of scrutiny. I get why that would have satisfied Denise Hempfield, but Grace and Zayday falling for it means they are just as stupid as the rest of the victims. The fact that she had all that evidence lined up so perfectly meant it was obviously fabricated. Who wouldn't get that?
The one thing I liked was the episode revealing the resolution to the mystery at the beginning and filling in all of the pieces. That's very much like a Columbo episode, but since we're dealing with Denise Hempfield instead of Peter Falk, the killer is gonna get away with it.
And that last minute shock with Chanel meant nothing. The producers promised a different killer with a different gimmick next year. Going back to the Red Devil in the last shot was asinine.
Didn't much like this. **1/2.
Fargo "The Castle"
That was incredible. The True Crime framing structure really helped sell how big an episode this was. It made the history books.
The Indian is crazy. Full stop. I get why he wants Ed and Peggy dead, but what he did to the Gerhardts was unbelievably cruel. It was supposed to be the Gerhardts vs. Kansas City, and now the Gerhardts are completely wiped out.
I noticed the Narrator calling Mike Milligan a low-level enforcer. This means that even if he survives next week, he isn't going anywhere. His ambitions, whatever they might have been, will not have been rewarded.
Hank and Lou seemed to be the only sane men in a roomful of stupid cops, so it is only fitting they are two of the only survivors of the massacre. I have to say the Indian is probably as dangerous as Lorne Malvo, and I'd say possibly more-so since the scene with the haircut last week indicates he isn't actually a sociopath as Malvo actually was. I think that means he'll fight harder. He does not have the clinical detachment to evil that Malvo did. Which should frighten us.
Poor Betsy and Molly. Lou could not catch a break this episode.
What a way for Floyd to go out. And what is up with the UFO? Are they actually going anywhere with that? Peggy being unimpressed by that is so her.
Next week is going to be brutal. This has been a good season after all. *****.
Upcoming reviews include Avengers: Age Of Ultron (Blu-Ray), Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Season 2, Marvel's Agent Carter: Season 1, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (Blu-Ray), X-Men: Days Of Future Past: The Rogue Cut, Inside Out (Blu-Ray), Phineas And Ferb: Star Wars, Star Wars Rebels: Season 1, Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League: Attack Of The Legion Of Doom, Batman Unlimited: Monster Mayhem, Teen Titans Go!: House Pests, Arrow: Season 3, The Flash: Season 1, Gotham: Season 1, iZombie: Season 1, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: Extended Edition, The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug: Extended Edition, The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies: Extended Edition, Airplane! / Airplane II: The Sequel: Double Feature, Power Rangers: Zeo: Volume 1, Power Rangers: Zeo: Volume 2, Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie, Power Rangers Turbo: Volume 1, Power Rangers: Turbo: Volume 2, Power Rangers In Space Volume 1, Power Rangers In Space: Volume 2, Power Rangers Samurai: The Complete Season, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Retreat!, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Return To NYC!, Avatar: The Last Airbender: Book 1: Water, Avatar: The Last Airbender: Book 2: Earth, Avatar: The Last Airbender: Book 3: Fire, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, Haven: Season 5 - Vol. 1, Sleepy Hollow: Season 2, Doctor Who: Dark Water / Death In Heaven, Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 2, The Jurassic Park Trilogy, Jurassic World, Back To The Future: The Complete Animated Series, Tremor 5: Bloodlines, Shaun The Sheep Movie (Blu-Ray), Grimm: Season 4, and Mulholland Dr..
Doctor Who "Hell Bent"
What was interesting about that was that no matter how revelatory, dramatic, and huge this episode seemed, the stakes were incredibly low, especially for a season finale. Yes, Clara's life matters, and the Time Lords returning is a big deal, but this is the first season finale that does not have a galaxy-wide threat. Heck, even Earth is not in any actual danger.
The ending kept me guessing. It was not the perfect ending for Clara (that would have been the ending they chickened out of in "Last Christmas") but it was entirely appropriate, and I liked it because while there is an element of tragedy to it, it isn't actually tragic. Me and Clara having adventures in a TARDIS for awhile sounds like fun. That's all Me ever wanted anyways.
Me stating that she was the only Immortal left seems to confirm to me that Jack Harkness is DEFINITELY the Face of Boe. There is no other way to read that exchange.
Why was I so surprised when the Doctor said he was going outside the TARDIS to "Me"? I was half-expecting Tom Baker or another incarnation of the Doctor and totally forgot Maisie Williams was in the promos.
Also provocative was Me's theory that the Doctor is actually half-human. Because that was the most controversial aspect of the much reviled TV movie, and Me just gave the notion credibility. And the Priestess of Kaan is totally the Doctor's mom.
The Doctor's time on Gallifrey was quite excellent. I loved him exiling Rassilon and that the Gallifreyans consider him a war hero. Rassilon is NOT off the hook for "The End Of Time." What I love about that is it hints the corruption of the High Council does not extend to the rest of Gallifrey. That is VERY good, and I think Stephen Moffat undoing the worst mistake Russell T Davies ever made (which is saying something). I also liked the Doctor checking on the General's regeneration count before killing him. He just wants to make sure.
The look on Clara's face as she learned the Doctor allowed himself to be tortured for 4.5 billion years to save her life said many things to me, but the biggest thing I got from it was how horrible she must have felt realizing this is the dude she betrayed last season. Every horrible thought she's had about Twelve, and how little he cares for people is completely untrue, and she realizes in that moment that the Doctor is pretty much the best friend anyone could ever hope to have. The look on her face was regret and pity for what the Doctor had done for her. But I'll be darned if I didn't see a little shame too.
Clara saying that the Doctor had no right to take her memories tells me that what Ten did to Donna Noble is even more reprehensible than I thought. And Clara put into words why that is better than I ever could. Her memories are hers, and she won't have them changed for any reason. I wish Ten had given Donna that consideration.
This was a VERY unusual season finale, especially since the Time Lords returning seemed to have minimal impact. But it was still probably the best episode of the season. *****.
The Flash "Running To Stand Still"
Wally West! And he's already a series regular! Pretty sweet trick.
After that scene at the end, can anyone truly blame Harry for any upcoming betrayal? I certainly can't.
Once they cut to an act break, I knew Patty wasn't gonna kill Mardon. If she was going to, they would have ended the act break with that.
I love Trickster being moved by Flash's speech to Patty. I want to see more of Mark Hamill. They said there is only one Trickster, and while that is objectively not true, I want to deal with Hamill exclusively from now on and not his emo son. This episode was a good start.
Legends Of Tomorrow Watch: After doing Barry an unsolicited solid, Captain Cold insists he is not a hero.
Good episode. ****.
Arrow "Dark Waters"
I knew it was going to be Felicity. The entire episode had been building towards it. The problem is what does it mean for the future of the show.
Some theories and possibilities:
"Arrow" pulls a Vaughn from Alias and fakes Felicity's death to keep her safe. This is the most likely scenario in my mind.
Felicity dies and they use the Lazarus pit. Worst idea in my mind. Simply because that would turn her into a psychopathic murderer and that would suck. Goes against the entire character and why we love her.
She's actually dead. Second most likely scenario. That would p!$$ me off beyond belief.
The more I think about it, the more I think the whole "Is Felicity dead?" plotline is the most misbegotten thing of season four. No matter what happens, the show loses. And it amazes me that the producers didn't see it coming.
Option 1: Felicity is dead. That hurts the show. And for no real reason. Felicity is the best and most lovable character, and her and Oliver is pretty much the reason I tune in every week. They would being pulling a Marc Webb and getting rid of the show's biggest selling point. The show loses.
Option 2: Felicity is NOT dead. We all breathe a sigh of relief, I suppose, but what good is getting us worried over winter vacation for no reason whatsoever? How is that supposed to engender trust with the viewer? A GOOD TV show doesn't feel the need to yank the viewers around and is comfortable telling a good story at the right pace. Screwing the viewer around is something a sucky show like Grimm does. Arrow does not need to be taking cues from some of the worst genre shows on television. Do the writers think I ENJOY being screwed around? That I LIKE worrying if Felicity is dead? I think a good television show should respect the viewer and not play games with them. That is what Felicity being alive would do. The show loses.
I am a bit amazed the show painted itself into this corner. It was a huge mistake that is almost shocking in how unnecessary it was. I mean, I never heard any fan ever say about the show that what it needed was more main character deaths. And for it to be the best one? I think Arrow screwed the pooch. Not only was it an error, but it was an unforced error. The show doesn't need to suck this bad. It simply chose to all on its own.
The worst part is we put up with it. Nobody ever calls the producers of TV shows that do stuff like this on it. And we really should be demanding better. The idea that a producer thinks this is a perfectly legit method of storytelling tells me that we as viewers don't push back enough on total crap. And we really should. *.
Supergirl "Human For A Day"
I broke out in the brightest of smiles when Hank Henshaw turned out to be Martian Manhunter. That moment said I love this show. I had not been fully on board (too many good guys who were obviously going to turn into bad guys) but now I love both it and Henshaw. Perfect.
Supergirl stopping that mugger through words was amazing, because I'd like to think with the right training police would be able to do that too. It saddens me that doesn't happen in real life that often.
I like that this show said that Superman loses his powers a lot too. They were not trying to make the moment a bigger deal than it was. Of course, she's gonna get her powers back. The question is when and how dire things are going to get in the meantime.
Best episode so far. I approve. ****1/2.
iZombie "Cape Town"
Are there superheroes in the iZombie comic book continuity? Because this hinted that there are a ton of them out there, even if it never said any of them had superpowers. Masked vigilantes exist in the real world, but they are so rare as to be considered comical. The entire city here having enough vigilantes to create a team hints the reality is very different in the iZombieverse.
The cure failing is both bad news and good news for Liv and Major. Bad news is that Major's life is now ruined. Good news is that he and Liv can finally be together and have sex.
Mr. Boss remains the creepiest of creeps.
"Zombie Hooker" is in reality, even more ghastly than the job title promises. Norm MacDonald's "Crack Whore" has just been surpassed as the world's worst profession.
As for Clive firing Liv, I'm surprised it didn't happen before now. Because Liv does stuff that crazy every week. I have a hard time believing this is the last straw after all of the stuff he's let slide before now.
Not bad. ***1/2.
Be Cool, Scooby Doo! "Scary Christmas"
First off, that opening was probably the most audacious thing I've ever seen in a Christmas special for kids. The kids at the beginning are puzzling over the speed and time Santa uses to deliver the gifts using actual data and figures. I'm a little bit shocked CN allowed it. You REALLY want to destroy a kid's belief in Santa? Hand him a pen and paper and point out the math. Even a kid whose parents say the person who told them this is a humbug will not be able to conclude anything but that his parents are liars. Math is not Santa's friend.
Secondly, when Daphne says this is the worst birthday ever, that is a statement. Nobody gets it worse than Christmas babies. Nobody. I'm not about to tell a pregnant woman her job, but if I'm in labor on December 25th, I'm going to try to hold the baby in until the next day. It's the least a mother could do. Ducks from tomatoes pelted from feminists.
Scooby and Shaggy training to eat Christmas dinner saddens me. Because it means they probably don't enjoy it. It's not fun for them anymore, it's a job. And that depresses me in a way Scooby and Shaggy never have before.
The mystery was top-notch. Leave it to the show to actually concoct a good reason WHY the Grinch of the episode would want to steal every present in town. I also like that they gave him a surprise accomplice.
This show is a lot of fun to watch, but I think it is too cynical, especially because it's Scooby Doo. That means it's automatically funnier than the rest of the franchise, but I kind of think the dorkiness of the franchise is definitely one of its selling points and it's gone now. This show may be too hip for its own good. ****1/2.
Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. "Maveth"
I am very happy with that. They managed to figure out a way to kill off Ward and still keep Brett Dalton on the show. I have to say that if the creature inhabiting Ward isn't killed off in the finale, or if it finds another host and Ward is resurrected, my goodwill will vanish, but as of now that was a better resolution than I was expecting it to be.
The stuff with Fitz and Simmons at the end, Coulson killing Ward, Andrew escaping and killing all of those Inhumans, everything else was great too. I especially loved Mack telling everybody he was giving an order. Sometimes I think the team forgets that SHIELD is NOT a democracy and that Coulson's light touch is quite unusual. Good for Mack to reestablish the hierarchy in that moment.
I was pretty sure Will was going to be Hydra just based on the way he paused when he heard the name. Him turning out to be the monster who replaced Will was even better.
I was satisfied with that. ****.
Once Upon A Time "Swan Song"
I'm over Rumpelstilkskin. As great as that episode otherwise was, I hated the ending. It ruined it. Because the creep slept with Belle. I'm done. This would have been a perfect episode if they hadn't done that.
I love that it was Regina who got through to Hook and I'm glad he redeemed himself in the end. But it's also good that they'll get him back. Because if Gold really DID pull that trick it means he died for nothing. I am super angry.
Don't talk to me. I need a walk. *.
The Muppets "Single All The Way"
Chip the IT guy is once again perfect. And all is right with the world. Do you know the funny thing? I have the numbers and letters as colors disorder too. I didn't even know that nobody else saw the colors until a couple of years ago. And Chip wins the game of Pringles. No calories! Nice!
I'm getting sick of Scooter and Ken.
As for Mindy Kaling, I'm betting she's a talented singer in real life. It takes actual professional training to make your voice that precisely off key. If she were a bad singer that would be one thing. It's the fact that she's an off-key one that's a giveaway.
Do you realize what's going on? Then someone please explain it to Pepe because he doesn't have a clue.
Loved Kermit telling Piggy that she helps people who are alone every night, and using the solution that nobody should be alone at Christmas to solve the Mindy problem. I love when the show ties stuff together like that and it's the first Muppet project to do things like that.
I am optimistic about Kermit and Piggy again. That's a good place to be on Christmas. ****1/2.
Star Wars Rebels "Legacy"
Pretty good. I've got the rhythm of this show down now pretty well and am able to enjoy it more. ***1/2.
Power Rangers: Dino Charge "Race To Rescue Christmas"
Yay! Let's poke holes in Santa! You poke enough holes in Santa and candy falls out. Let's hit him with a stick!
Isn't that a different actor for Santa than the original Power Rangers used? They're sort of immediately poking holes in the idea by recasting him in every incarnation.
Koda doesn't know who Santa is? That's stupid. Koda isn't a caveman who in time traveled past history. He's an Immortal who LIVED history. The idea that he can't read either is far-fetched as well (as well as sending a bad message to children).
Santa can't do Christmas without his naughty list computer? How did the dude work things BEFORE computers? I would think the guy would have an emergency filing system as a last resort.
Is Chase's sister really obnoxious enough that she doesn't want presents for Christmas? I cannot stand the Whos from The Grinch. Buncha pushovers. The Grinch may have learned something, but the Whos did not. Any kid who thinks like a Who is automatically suspect.
I laughed at the line that Koda didn't smell the villain's scent. He just points and there he is. If the show did stuff like that more often I'd make fun of it less.
This was dumb, even by this show's standards. *1/2.
The Simpsons "Paths Of Glory"
"This looks like nothing, but it's bad." That's a great line. Full stop. Also great is Ralph's bit about the sour juice from his front tail. Eric Idle missed that one in Meaning Of Life.
But I'll just ask it: are we sure Bart ISN'T a sociopath? Because he was the one so interested in the diary and only got three questions "wrong" before "throwing" the test. And from what I understand about sociopathy, not every sociopath is violent or wants to hurt people. I may be mistaken about that, but from what I've heard, sociopaths who are manipulative bungholes are far more common than the serial killer kind. That's partly why it is believed there are so many sociopaths in the world, and that they gravitate towards politics. Sure, Bart is near tears at the end. But every single Bart episode seems to have him doing something to really screw with another person without caring about the consequences. He invariably feels bad at the end of each episode, but couldn't that just be the sociopath mirroring the expected response? Bart is so horrible all of the time, and never shuts it off. Sociopathy could explain a lot.
I loved the computer loom so much. Clever way to have a woman invent something amazing that no-one had ever heard of before. The writers know what they are doing.
Speaking of the writers, this was the first episode without a Sam Simon executive producer credit. That makes me sad.
Lisa asking Bart if he wants to break into an insane asylum shows she knows her brother and how to get him to do what she wants. That's tight.
I liked the episode. It's wasn't terrific, and the ending was a little weak, but I enjoyed myself and have no real complaints. ***1/2.
Grimm "Wesen Nacht"
All is forgiven, Grimm.
Well, that's not entirely true. I am still furious about last year. But until this week I was 100% sure the show could never recover. Now, as angry as I am at this show, I realize in time, with a little bit of trust of the writers, I could potentially like it again. Not for sure. But if they can undo the way Juliet went out (which is what the previews hinted) I'll be happy.
I'm still not optimistic. Once Upon A Time also seemed to be turning a corner in season five from THEIR shark-jumping season four, and they still managed to fall into old bad habits and ruin it anyways. I'm not sure Grimm won't do the same.
Xavier is a weird character. He is scared of everything, but his first reaction when he woges in front of Nick is "I've heard of you." Nick has made such an impression in Portland, that Wesen aren't automatically terrified of a Grimm if he's a cop. This is the kind of thing the first three seasons of the show did before it descended into nonstop awful in season four. I want more of the show like this.
I should have guessed Juliet was alive. Why? Because Trubel didn't apologize to Nick for killing her once. I thought that was incredibly weird, and you can tell Nick thinks it's the elephant in the room, but refuses to bring it up himself because she's a kid and has been through enough. But if Juliet wasn't alive, I'd kind of think Trubel was a sociopath for not feeling bad about killing her.
I do have a major complaint: "Gang related violence"? Are they kidding me? That many coordinated attacks in different cities across the country? It would immediately (and rightly) be called terrorism. Why the show thinks labeling it gang violence is more horrifying, I do not know. It is frankly not only bad storytelling, but STUPID storytelling. I'm betting most of Grimm's viewers cannot relate to gang violence. But terrorism is something that pushes everybody's buttons, because it is political, and gang violence is not. The show could have just courted some great controversy, and misguidedly seemed to think it would be better if they didn't "offend" anybody. The more offensive the comparison would be, the better the episode would be. Good drama should not shy away from exploring controversial issues. And that goes doubly for a genre show like Grimm. Gene Roddenberry and Rod Serling would be appalled at that part of the episode.
Do you know what WAS a good controversy? The idea that Wesen started almost all street riots. The story about the unions in the 1700's getting blamed for Wesen attacks was frankly fascinating, and the idea that the Boxer Rebellion and the Tea Party were Wesen riots was provocative as well. I wish the other part of the episode had been stronger in this regard.
Still, this show is no longer a lost cause. I am cautiously optimistic. ****1/2.
Haven "The Widening Gyre"
I'm going to say it: Shatner was miscast. He's not bad or anything, but he is not invested in the role at all. When he's on about aether and other worlds, Shatner doesn't sound like he believes it, or even understands the words that are being written for him. Shatner has always been a very self-obsessed actor, and asking him to come into a long-running show for the last four episodes as if he's been there the whole time is asking too much of him. I don't even blame him for it. He never had that in him, and the producers should have realized that early on and not gone for a stunt casting.
The rest of episode was good. What is very weird to me is that there is very little action here. Most of the episode consists of scenes of two people in a room talking. And yet it is still perfectly interesting and compelling. Vince sacrificing himself to be the Controller was the perfect thing for his character with Dave gone, and I loved learning a bit more of Howard's backstory.
It is unsurprising to me that Eric Balfour is good as playing a dirtbag. Frankly, he strikes me as a dirtbag in interviews I have seen him do in real life, so Evil Duke is the role he was born to play. I'm a little bit disappointed he works for Croatoan. If they REALLY wanted to mess up the audience, they would have made him the actual Big Bad of the series. And they could have simply done that by having Croatoan share his body the way he did Dave. But I guess Syfy was really invested in the stunt casting, and here we are.
I have high hopes for next week. The thing that scares me is that there has never been a show as perfect as Haven that has had a decent series finale. Both Star Trek: The Next Generation and Lost's finales were classics but both of those shows were VERY flawed in a lot of ways. Deep Space Nine, Fringe, Farscape, & Buffy The Vampire Slayer's finales had varying degrees of success, (DS9's being the best) but the one thing they all had in common is that they were disappointments on some level. I don't want the same thing to happen here but a REALLY great show rarely has a great resolution. I hope Haven can pull it off. I would love to be proven wrong. *****.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine "The Swedes"
God, I love the Swedes. They seem to have Asperger's and speak hilariously precisely. They don't just accept the passive aggressiveness, they top it with genuine insightfulness. They are honest, and funny, and at the end of the day will admit they were wrong about Jake and Rosa. I get why Rosa hates them, but I think that Jake holding a grudge at the end was a bit far-fetched. They are awesome.
Neil DeGrasse Tyson continues to be fine (and talk with his hands). It makes sense Gina would pass the test. She IS super smart and astronomy IS interesting.
When Andre Braugher says "Unleash the beast", I realize I am so thankful he is on this show. A comedian would not have been able to say that line funnier. It's funny BECAUSE it's Pembleton. Same principle for Patrick Stewart as Avery Bullock on American Dad.
Love the Swedes and unleashing the Beast. ****.
Family Guy "Brokeback Swanson"
"I love that you're chained up on the lawn and still think that you're a guy."
That right there? There single greatest burn ANYONE could ever give Brian Griffin. And he deserves it. He sucks. Go Stewie!
I have to say the idea of Brian pretending to be a dog when the chick's husband comes home is SUCH a genius premise, that I keep wondering if the Family Guy writers can actually still surprise me with me ideas like that that haven't been done on TV before down the line. Because Family Guy is a pretty unusual premise. I would like to think that the writers could come up with some more obviously great ideas like that that they simply never considered before. At least I hope so.
I don't blame Bonnie leaving Joe. Yes, she sucks, but he's a dude in a wheelchair who ran with the bulls. Everything was his own fault. Frankly, I don't know why the guys felt so guilty. Joe should NOT have done something that stupid.
Four stars just for Stewie stating the obvious. ****.
The Last Man On Earth "Secret Santa"
Melissa picked the absolute worst time to grow a heart. I think Todd would have actually turned her down. And I almost wouldn't blame the dude. Melissa is going to be so hurt. And she has no-one but herself to blame. This show gets under my skin.
Every time I think of this show from now on I'm going to just think of something else. It is not healthy to get so attached to a show that is definitely going to break my heart. I need to slow down with how much I love this. I'm going to wind up more hurt than I otherwise would have been.
Next week looks amazing. ****1/2.
Scream Queens "Dorkus"
The best thing the episode did was have Pete confess he was the guy with the chainsaw at the mall. Because it put all four Chanels back on the table. And got rid of Grace as a suspect once and for all. Good.
I think it is entirely weird and gross that Grace sets up her father to seduce Dean Munsch. Really, that's probably the most disgusting this show has done so far. Jamie Lee Curtis has never looked more hideous.
I'm a little bit disappointed it's Hester, just because she was the most obvious suspect from the beginning. I had hoped they would have surprised us. The fact that she was so obvious was the biggest reason I was convinced it wasn't her.
If the next episode didn't exist, I'd consider Pete's rant about the toxicity of hazing and bullying as the point the show stopped being a satire, and for the first time pointed out that these were horrible people. It was very moving, and I think if Grace had even the slightest measure of common sense, she would have heard him out. The Red Devil isn't the bad guy on this show in that moment.
Great penultimate episode. I wish the finale were better. *****.
Scream Queens "The Final Girl(s)"
Ryan Murphy has stated that one of the reasons he created this show is that in real life the bullies were winning. That may be true, but it isn't much fun to watch on TV. Nobody got what was coming to them in the finale. Nobody. Even the Chanels being sentenced to an insane asylum was a slap on the wrist. The judge extolling the myriad reasons the Chanels sucked would have made more of a difference to me if they had gotten it. And why did the foreman change the verdict at the last minute? If Chanel were truly saying she was going to kill the jury repeatedly, that would have been the first verdict proffered.
And Hester and Dean Munsch coming to an understanding like that was disgusting. Why is Weston still dating her after she made that veiled threat to his daughter? I have to say, that guy is a total creep.
Hester's story did not hold up to the slightest bit of scrutiny. I get why that would have satisfied Denise Hempfield, but Grace and Zayday falling for it means they are just as stupid as the rest of the victims. The fact that she had all that evidence lined up so perfectly meant it was obviously fabricated. Who wouldn't get that?
The one thing I liked was the episode revealing the resolution to the mystery at the beginning and filling in all of the pieces. That's very much like a Columbo episode, but since we're dealing with Denise Hempfield instead of Peter Falk, the killer is gonna get away with it.
And that last minute shock with Chanel meant nothing. The producers promised a different killer with a different gimmick next year. Going back to the Red Devil in the last shot was asinine.
Didn't much like this. **1/2.
Fargo "The Castle"
That was incredible. The True Crime framing structure really helped sell how big an episode this was. It made the history books.
The Indian is crazy. Full stop. I get why he wants Ed and Peggy dead, but what he did to the Gerhardts was unbelievably cruel. It was supposed to be the Gerhardts vs. Kansas City, and now the Gerhardts are completely wiped out.
I noticed the Narrator calling Mike Milligan a low-level enforcer. This means that even if he survives next week, he isn't going anywhere. His ambitions, whatever they might have been, will not have been rewarded.
Hank and Lou seemed to be the only sane men in a roomful of stupid cops, so it is only fitting they are two of the only survivors of the massacre. I have to say the Indian is probably as dangerous as Lorne Malvo, and I'd say possibly more-so since the scene with the haircut last week indicates he isn't actually a sociopath as Malvo actually was. I think that means he'll fight harder. He does not have the clinical detachment to evil that Malvo did. Which should frighten us.
Poor Betsy and Molly. Lou could not catch a break this episode.
What a way for Floyd to go out. And what is up with the UFO? Are they actually going anywhere with that? Peggy being unimpressed by that is so her.
Next week is going to be brutal. This has been a good season after all. *****.