Weekly TV Reviews Part 3 (Spoilers)
Reviews for the latest episodes of Muppet Babies, Once Upon A Time, The Lion Guard, The Simpsons, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Bob's Burgers, Family Guy, American Dad!, The Last Man On Earth, The Blacklist, and Blindspot.
Muppet Babies "The Great Muppet Sport-A-Thon / You Say Potato, I Say Best Friend"
The Great Muppet Sport-A-Thon:
Here's a difference between the original and the remake: Nanny is allowed in on the songs. On the original show, she was an entirely separate element. Jenny Slate's voice surprisingly does not actually suck.
I think Statler and Waldorf are completely misplaced on this show, and I strongly dislike them in a way I didn't on The Muppet Show. They are essentially grown adults heckling toddlers. That's no longer funny, that's outright mean.
But I liked the rest of the cartoon. ***1/2.
You Say Potato, I Say Best Friend:
I don't agree with the moral that the Babies needed to be more understanding with Gonzo loving a potato. Them going as far as they did made me think they all already have the patience of saints. Really, Gonzo has always had weird fetishes, but this is sort of him being obnoxious with them right from the ground up.
This is nowhere near as bad as Zoe's pet rock Rocko on Sesame Street. But it bothers me for the exact same reasons. Granted, Zoe uses the rock to act out passive aggressiveness to Elmo, and none of Gonzo's motives are sinister. But it annoys me that everyone has to play along, and that's the moral. Everyone has to stop what they are doing and cater to Gonzo's stupidity. I understand that's probably a healthy moral for toddlers and will get them to get along better and not be bullies. But I also don't personally believe obnoxious kids should be getting validation for how obnoxious they are, so I sort of part ways with the psychology books on this one.
More themed socks for Nanny in both of these cartoons. I approve.
I think the thing I really wish had been done better was the imagination sequence. Last week showed promise, but these sequences were entirely underwhelming, and I imagine what the show is going to normally be. Which sucks because the original show was one of the most eye-popping and visually interesting cartoons of the 1980's BECAUSE of the imagination sequences. They used live-action footage, and often insanely detailed backgrounds to make the Babies look like they entered an entirely different world. The problem with a CGI Muppet Babies, is that it is VERY hard to make the animation seem more impressive than it is. This show seems to be taking the tack to make things slightly cartoonier, but if that's all it is for every single fantasy sequence that's a problem. One of the best things about the visuals or the old show is that they were unpredictable and you never knew what they were going to hit you with. I haven't felt that about any of the fantasies yet.
A little annoying, but at least Gonzo isn't deliberately trying to start trouble like Zoe. He's just sincerely dumb, which makes me forgive it a little. ***.
Episode Overall: ***.
Muppet Babies "Hatastrophe / Fly South"
Hatastrophe:
I like that Statler and Waldorf are actually concerned about the Babies safety climbing over the fence. And them laughing at Fozzie shows that even if these versions are still grumps, they aren't as mean as the originals. I still don't think they should be heckling Babies, but they aren't THAT bad.
They missed the funniest version of a joke. At the end where Kermit tries to remind Miss Nanny how proud she was of him telling her the truth, instead of saying "Well, we've got some more truth for you!" the funnier line would have been "Are YOU going to be proud of us now!"
The fantasy cartoon animation was good for this cartoon. The Babies stuck out against it.
Good cartoon. ****.
Fly South:
I was positive Kermit was going to call Gonzo a "whatever-you-are" but calling him "a Gonzo" is probably more empowering.
Loved the idea that Gonzo was a little bit steamed at Summer for not mentioning that not all birds fly South for the winter. I have to say, just based on his mannerisms this episode, Gonzo is probably the cutest Baby. And no, Summer doesn't actually count. I am a purist about that sort of thing. ****.
Episode Overall: ****.
Muppet Babies "Super Fabulous Vs. Captain Ice Cube / Piggy's Time Machine"
Super Fabulous Vs. Captain Ice Cube:
I wasn't sure before, but now I am. Summer doesn't work. At all.
Summer is helpful, friendly, popular, always right, filled with love and joy, and someone who makes the world a better place for being in it. That is a perfect personality for a superhero or a Star Trek character. For a Muppet? It's poison. The reason the Muppets work is because of their crazy and noticeable character flaws. Summer not having flaws could totally work for a hero in a drama. A character in a funny cartoon? Not in a million years.
If I'm being totally honest, in the recent seasons of Sesame Street, Elmo himself has been practically sainted by all of the other characters, and put on a pedestal for how good and decent he is. But I don't think this current version of Elmo is why the character broke out the way he did. The way I remember it was that Elmo became a hit because he was so poorly behaved compared to the rest of the Sesame Street cast. And once he became a sensation, that aspect of him was toned down to make him a better role model for little kids. But the reason Elmo works is because he DID have an original personality. Summer cannot just start off as St. Elmo 2.0 and just expect us to love her for it. Her personality type is better suited for a Muppet who has paid their dues first. If you don't ever have to tug on a Snufflelupagus trunk to make Snuffy stay put while Big Bird gets the adults to prove Snuffy is real, you do not get to be portrayed as this awesome. You have not earned it yet. And that's why I think Summer doesn't work. **1/2.
Piggy's Time Machine:
This was great. This was what the show should be. The whole dinosaur world was a 2-D cartoon, so the Babies properly stuck out. Better yet, there were actual live-action clips, including an inexplicable one for The Muppet Show. Who ARE those guys anyways? And there were paintings and stock footage, and Animal even drops a "Good Bye-Bye" when the Time Machine takes its first trip.
Unfortunately, Piggy is just a tad too unpleasant in this, which was her problem in the first cartoon too. This is also probably a weird time to mention it, but "This is your only Muppet Birthday" song doesn't make the day sound special. It makes it sound sinister. It's like the suicide pact seven kids would make at the beginning of the torture porn horror film. There is just no happy ending for those specific lyrics.
I love that there is a little Beaker icon at the bottom of the scribble screen.
But this episode felt more like a classic Muppet Babies cartoon than all of the other ones before it. ****.
Once Upon A Time "Sisterhood"
That was great. Flynn's Arcade? C'mon!
I knew the killer was Jack before the last shot. Aside from him saying that the answer was right under Rogers' nose, I am almost positive he is Hansel. And he's doing what he's doing to get vengeance on Mother Gothel for killing Gretyl. I don't know where his friendship with Henry in the Enchanted Forest came from, or his relationship to Jack And The Beanstalk. What I can guess is that he's both awake and super p*ssed.
I like Weaver's perspective that losing the Guardian doesn't take him further away from Belle. Doing the good deed brings him closer to Belle.
I love how frantic Mother Gothel was in the climax when Ivy not only figured out her game, but revealed every part of it to Anastasia. That look told me that Mother Gothel had no Plan B. Somebody actually realizing why she was doing the things she was doing actually tripped her up. Which tells me she is an incredibly weak villain. It's kind of pathetic if your evil scheme only works if nobody else knows what it is. Rumple and the Evil Queen were monsters, but they were pretty openly monsters. None of their schemes ever went up in smoke just by the hero correctly guessing them.
For the record, sinking the shot in beer pong is not an actual sign. Jacinda walking in the door when she did could definitely qualify, but making bets about sinking shots is random and has nothing to do with fate. Lost did a fair job convincing me a lottery number had actual destiny attached to it. This show is not going to get me to believe the same thing about beer pong.
Facilier's actions strike me as completely sinister. Except he never lies to Regina about them, and all of the lies he told this episode benefited the people he told them to. Still, I'm not quite going to declare him a hero. But if he's telling Weaver he might have another way for him to get to Belle, were I Rumple, I just might listen.
Great episode. ****1/2.
Once Upon A Time "Breadcrumbs"
I sort of feel the very last scene could have been stronger and landed better, but I didn't really have any other complaints. Well, maybe the "We did it", and the revelation that Nook was conning Henry with the adventure. But as lame as that idea is, it's kind of amusing to realize that Blackbeard is at the point where he'd play along with that. Henry should have immediately suspected something foul when Blackbeard didn't say "Storybrooke ain't no Kingdom I ever heard of!" in a Samuel L. Jackson voice.
Interested to see what the deal is with Hansel posing as Jack and Henry's friend in the flashbacks. Is he actually Jack, or did he lie about his role and experiences to throw the pre-cursed Henry off his mission and true ID? If so, does he actually LIKE Henry and consider him a real friend? Does he even remember that aspect of his life? And if he does, is that the reason Henry is still alive and he can't decide what to do with him yet?
You know, the series could have just said Tilly did wrong by handing out free samples, and cost Tiana a day's wages, but I like that it's a good idea instead. This is why this curse strikes me as a little different than Storybrooke's. People in Storybrooke were unhappy before the Curse broke. The major players here actually like each other, and help each other out because they want to. Everyone in Storybrooke just barely tolerated each other, even the good guys. In Hyperion Heights, they are all in this together, even if they don't know it yet. The Curse will probably be harder to break because people like this will not ever understand something is actually wrong with their lives. Because even if they aren't great and not the happy endings they wanted before the Curse, everyone's getting by, at least since Victoria died. In a lot of ways this curse is worse. It's harder to break and some of the heroes don't want that. But perhaps the most insidious thing about it is that it doesn't even SEEM like a Curse. It's realistic. Time actually passes in the real world too. Storybrooke was like being trapped in a nightmare that never ended and was always the same. The fact that the characters have no reason deep down to suspect something is wrong is why the Curse is going to be tougher to break, and why it will be harder to get Henry to believe. Henry wanted to believe the Storyrbrooke reality. If he believes Hyperion Heights, he has to retcon his dead wife and daughter. And that's a LOT to put on a guy, even with a future as tempting as Jacinda and Lucy.
I love that Henry hates Weaver because he punched him earlier in the season. Why I love that is because it makes him genuinely confused when he learns Weaver read the book. Not only read the book, but Henry was his favorite character, and Weaver actually understood the true value of the story, when even Henry was questioning it. Weaver is not going to tell Henry he's his grandson. But he subtly is able to reason him into staying anyways.
Can you imagine seeing the cop who beat you up months later, and learn that they read, and liked, and appreciated the book you poured your heart and soul into? That must have blew Henry's mind.
Speaking of kind manipulations, I adore Lucy telling Jacinda that if she and Henry don't get together, she'll blame herself for the rest of her life. What a rotten, manipulative thing for a kid to do. And genius because she knows it will work. Are you sure this is Lucy Mills? She strikes me more as Hayley Mills.
I love that Zelina still sucks around kids. And I love that her apologies for upsetting Lucy are minimal. She's not used to it, and she was never good around them even when she was, so Lucy can like the truth or lump it. It's not her fault she's blunt. I love that.
I really enjoyed the episode. Part of me is sad this is the last season, because it's gotten so intricate and great again, I am worried they won't be able to wrap everything up they need to on this relatively short notice. I appreciate the early cancellation because it means the producers can craft a finale, but if the show was going to stay this good going forward, I would have much preferred a renewal instead. Good episode. ****1/2.
The Lion Guard "The Scorpion's Sting"
"You know, for someone so evil, Scar has a lot of friends."
Which is the entire value of Scar and what makes him so dangerous.
He almost did it. He almost won. Twice. The Lion Guard only escaped with their lives and then the gourd by the skin of their teeth. His only miscalculation was underestimating what Kion knew and had learned about the Roar. Only the fact that Kion is obviously better at controlling it than anyone in Scar's day which is why they escaped at all.
What a great episode. This show is for preschoolers? Had I seen this as a sprog I woulda wet my pants. *****.
The Lion Guard "The Wisdom Of Kongwe"
It strikes me that Kongwe isn't very wise. All she does is spout meaningless cliches. She's Madame Trash Heap from Fraggle Rock.
I mean, her "wisdom" at the end was that the heroes would think of the solution eventually. But the reason they brought her there was so SHE'D think of the solution. She is not actually being helpful at all.
All of the various dangers the Lion Guard faced this episode are the kind of thing that only happens when an episode is seriously short on runtime. It's Kim Bauer and the cougar. The episode was padded and felt like it.
First time we've ever seen Simba and Kion BOTH talking to Mufasa at the same time. It was previously established earlier in the season these ghosts are not dreams or visions but it still felt strange.
Not very good. *1/2.
The Lion Guard "The Kilio Valley Fire"
Scar's plan is actually decent. Just the fact that he is taking over the Pridelands a bit at a time instead of all at once shows that he's knows what he's doing.
On that subject, Bunga continues to be the most obnoxious character on this show. His voice actor declares the stupidest and most wrong-headed statements with a level of confidence that just makes me want to smack the smirk off his stupid face. I hate him. Unreservedly.
Pretty good episode, but it was obviously mostly set-up for later. ***.
The Lion Guard "Undercover Kinyonga"
You know, I think Kinyonga barely needed the Lion Guard's help at the end there. She was doing pretty great on her own.
That was a great plan. They should do it all over again. Several times. Scar would be pudding if they did that.
But maybe the season would be shorter. I dunno. I just know I liked that episode because The Lion Guard, if not being clever (Kinyonga actually has to suggest the idea to them because they are dumb) are at least being proactive.
"You get it?" Bunga is the loud ahole at the party who always has to explain his own dimwitted jokes to his drunk frat buddies. It's moments like that that really put into focus why I absolutely loathe that character. Wesley Crusher was this bad in 1987. This is 2018. What is THIS show's excuse for a Mary Sue this obnoxious? There literally is no good one.
Cool eppy though. ***1/2.
The Simpsons "Fears Of A Clown"
The stuff with Krusty I liked. The stuff with Bart I didn't.
Over the past 28 years I have grown to deeply despise Bart Simpson. He used to have a couple of interesting facets to him in the early seasons, but now he's pretty much all sociopath, all the time. And he's been stuck that way for decades. All of the NoHomers' b.s. complaints about Jerk@$$ Homer are all completely untrue. The weird thing is if they had directed them at Bart instead they would be totally legit.
First off, just the fact that the entire school was in on the prank tells me that I am not alone in despising Bart, and he actually has no friends. I was unsurprised he nuked all of his bridges, and the end of the episode shows he hasn't improved at all. I felt for Marge. She is the one who is going to have to talk to TV reporters someday when Bart shoots up his high school. She cannot say there were no signs.
Speaking of which, hearing a kid say "I'll show them all" while rifling through weapons has an entirely different subtext just based on the past few weeks than the writers intended. It doesn't matter if they are Dennis the Menace weapons, the first thing that went through my mind when Bart said that was "School shooter." And I'm betting that will be the first thing going through my mind now when I rewatch a LOT of his earlier episodes.
The stuff with Krusty was surprisingly good. I am trying to remember the last time Krusty actually had a decent plot, and I can't remember one. Part of me thinks he's never actually had a decent episode to himself. Camp Krusty and Krusty Gets Busted are undisputed classics. But their focus isn't actually on Krusty himself. This was great. It helps that they put the character out of make-up for the very first time since Krusty Gets Busted, and brought back Llewellyn Sinclair. The one thing the recent seasons have been rocking is bringing back the memorable characters that for some crazy reason only appeared once. And consider Lovitz has done the show a ton, it's amazing that this is Sinclair's only second legit appearance.
Has Albert Brooks actually done dramatic stuff? I don't really see him in anything but Nemo movies and Simpsons guest roles nowadays.
I love the Death of the Salesman part. Sinclair seems absolutely pathetic in a way he wasn't in A Streetcar Named Marge, and that's part of the joke and why it's funny. I basically screaming in laughter at the ghost of Shakespeare rubbing in the fact that this is Arthur Miller's only really well-known play. Miller yells "I was the greatest American playwright!" and Shakespeare smirks and nods and says "Exactly." This is The Simpsons I was missing ten years ago. Where has this insightful and cutting show been? Was it really unreasonable for fans to hate the show when it was underwhelming? It's clear they can make the show good if they bother to put in the effort. And that's what I love about the latest seasons. And while I was one of the few fans who didn't hate the show during its slump, I now an able to see clearly how wholly inadequate those years actually were.
The real April Fool's Days prank would have been if this WERE the last episode.
Watch out, Gunsmoke. They're coming for you, and they always were. ****.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine "The Box"
Just based on the episode title and description I knew this episode was going to be awesome. Frank Pembleton back in The Box! This is pretty much everything I wanted since the show started.
That dentist was like the absolute perfect murderer. He had answers for anything and refused to sweat any mind trick. The closest he got was when Holt dismissed dentists as not real doctors, but Holt immediately lost whatever edge he gained due to ego. And Jake realizes that's the answer. The guy IS the perfect murderer. He planned everything out to the last detail. How dare Jake call him sloppy and lucky? Which just means he HAS to confess. He has no other choice. It's because he's the perfect murderer which is why he is caught. If he HAD been sloppy and lucky, he wouldn't feel the need to defend his own honor about the subject in that spectacularly self-incriminating a fashion.
The only two other cast members to appear are Gina and Boyle, which lets us know this IS a special episode. I think it was dynamite, and one of the best shows the series has ever done. I think I only liked the first two Halloween episodes more. *****.
Bob's Burgers "The Hurt Soccer"
What happened at the end is what is known as a moral victory. One of the things I like most about Louise is that despite the fact that she's a narcissistic sociopath, deep down, if she feels sorry for someone, she'll put a pin in that mindset and try to help them. Just the fact that she decided to help prevent the shut-out proves that Louise cares about other people more than she'd ever be willing to admit. She expresses her feelings about why she wants to help, but the way she describes it seems absolutely id based and how she personally sees the situation. I don't think she understands that she actually cares, and I don't think that's something she'll ever understand.
Linda's examples of famous showbiz families are "the Smucker Brothers" and Twisted Sister? Linda acts like she's a showbiz diva, but that just shows she has never had any idea what she was talking about and never did. I always believed that but The Smuckers Brothers is the proof and receipt for that particular belief of mine.
Good episode. ****.
Family Guy "Veteran Guy"
This is what Family Guy does. It has Peter do a completely despicable, unforgivable act, and acts like it's no big deal and as if the audience should just forgive him for it. There is a reason stealing valor is a crime. This is literally one of the most detestable things Peter has ever done. And yes, I know that IS a statement. Probably because they didn't actually treat it as detestable as it actually is.
Those automatic bathroom sinks are so frustrating. I cannot imagine the technology does not exist that would make them actually work properly. So the fact that they never do is even more confounding. A random dude's phone is more powerful than any computer on Earth in the 1980's. I would think scientists could have cracked this specific thing by now.
Oh, my God! I LOVED the Submariner slam! Ironically, I think it's an equal dig at Aquaman. Because just because Peter and friends are impressed with the talking with fish thing, doesn't mean it's a good superpower. Do you know what is? Super strength. Which is Aquaman's OTHER big thing. But then the series points out that EVERYONE is strong underwater and the entire DC and Marvel Universes have just gone topsy-turvy. I can't believe I never noticed that particular hole before. Which just proves once and for all that there IS no actual level the character of Aquaman works on. None. They were calling out Namor, but as far as I'm concerned Aquaman took the bigger hit. Simply because he already had more credibility to lose.
Weird that Fox allowed the show to play the normal end credit uninterrupted for once.
Outside of the Aquaman cutaway, I kind of hated the episode. **.
American Dad! "Death By Dinner Party"
This episode asks and answers the pertinent question of "What would happen if 'And Then There Were Fewer' actually sucked?"
I don't need to go beyond that in this review, but it is SUCH a step down from Family Guy's masterpiece, that I am a little ashamed this show attempted it. It is awful and embarrassing. 0.
The Last Man On Earth "Release The Hounds"
I love the women on this show. The ones with working wombs have all of the power. I love the notion that Todd and none of the other men try to force their wanting of kids on any of the women and Erica only decides the time is right when SHE wants to. All of the women on this show have complete autonomy over their own bodies and it is very enpowering.
On the flip side, Tandy and Carol are pretty much the two grossest people alive. There are very few ways to make a sex scene completely unpalatable to the audience. Tandy and Carol somehow always make me want to retch.
I'm happy for Todd but I'm happier that Erica is in control of the entire thing. Which is how it should be in this scenario. The Handmaid's Tale is entirely effed up. ***1/2.
The Blacklist "Anna Gracia-Duerte"
Technically, this kid is not a Blacklister. But she shares something in common with many of them. Many Blacklisters do evil deeds that NEED to be done. Some of them are because of righteousness, some of them are not, but a lot of Blacklisters kill the people they do because those specific people need killing. A balance needs to be set in the world that the legal system cannot adequately cover.
And can you argue with that here? Yeah, murder is illegal. But this forced slavery and child-rape that's perfectly legal. Murder is literally these girls' ONLY way out. When Navabi says to Harold that they should just move on and let the killer be on her merry, that was the right answer. And I don't think her not going to an adult prison and having her whole life ahead of her is a happy ending. Because those specific people still needed defending in that specific way, and now they won't be. Navabi's original idea to just drop the matter was what they should have done.
Speaking of Navabi, Aram is a fool for the ring. Liz got in his head. And while Dessler's notion was frightening in that it might mean unforeseen commitment, Liz's notion was even worse because it meant possible unforeseen loss. And I think she would have accepted the ring as a proposal if he hadn't stated over and over again that it was nothing and barely his idea. He ultimately offered the ring to see if she'd reject the idea of marrying him. But he completely tainted the test results by telling her the answer ahead of time. He should not read into her reaction any further than that, even if Liz's notion is correct. And Liz's notion sounds correct and makes more sense than Dessler's. My problem with Liz's theory is that she is too sure. Not every woman everywhere sees that specific subject entirely the same way, and the way she said it to Aram was her giving him the impression that they all did. And maybe even if Aram hadn't screwed up the test results, Liz could have been wrong. People are complicated. I do not presume to speak for every man who ever existed. Perhaps Liz should not do the same for every woman.
This was an outright great episode. *****.
Blindspot "Mum's The Word"
I am of the opinion that if Jane hadn't brutally dressed down Roman the way she did, he might not have turned on them. That might have been the final push he needed to stick with Crawford. I cannot believe how stupid Jane was to do that. That was NOT the moment for her to engage in pointless family drama. She's worried about Avery blowing the mission? I think she did.
Or at least until the FBI woman comes in at the end and rightfully points out they just took out an entire terrorist organization before they got off the ground, and I feel a little bit better about things.
What bothers me the most about the episode is that nobody called out Jane on doing what she did. I might not have minded Jane blowing things the way she did if she had been assigned the proper blame for that. And next week suggests they are all going to regret her burning bridges with Roman.
Good episode, but Jane is, and always has been, a cretin. ***1/2.
Muppet Babies "The Great Muppet Sport-A-Thon / You Say Potato, I Say Best Friend"
The Great Muppet Sport-A-Thon:
Here's a difference between the original and the remake: Nanny is allowed in on the songs. On the original show, she was an entirely separate element. Jenny Slate's voice surprisingly does not actually suck.
I think Statler and Waldorf are completely misplaced on this show, and I strongly dislike them in a way I didn't on The Muppet Show. They are essentially grown adults heckling toddlers. That's no longer funny, that's outright mean.
But I liked the rest of the cartoon. ***1/2.
You Say Potato, I Say Best Friend:
I don't agree with the moral that the Babies needed to be more understanding with Gonzo loving a potato. Them going as far as they did made me think they all already have the patience of saints. Really, Gonzo has always had weird fetishes, but this is sort of him being obnoxious with them right from the ground up.
This is nowhere near as bad as Zoe's pet rock Rocko on Sesame Street. But it bothers me for the exact same reasons. Granted, Zoe uses the rock to act out passive aggressiveness to Elmo, and none of Gonzo's motives are sinister. But it annoys me that everyone has to play along, and that's the moral. Everyone has to stop what they are doing and cater to Gonzo's stupidity. I understand that's probably a healthy moral for toddlers and will get them to get along better and not be bullies. But I also don't personally believe obnoxious kids should be getting validation for how obnoxious they are, so I sort of part ways with the psychology books on this one.
More themed socks for Nanny in both of these cartoons. I approve.
I think the thing I really wish had been done better was the imagination sequence. Last week showed promise, but these sequences were entirely underwhelming, and I imagine what the show is going to normally be. Which sucks because the original show was one of the most eye-popping and visually interesting cartoons of the 1980's BECAUSE of the imagination sequences. They used live-action footage, and often insanely detailed backgrounds to make the Babies look like they entered an entirely different world. The problem with a CGI Muppet Babies, is that it is VERY hard to make the animation seem more impressive than it is. This show seems to be taking the tack to make things slightly cartoonier, but if that's all it is for every single fantasy sequence that's a problem. One of the best things about the visuals or the old show is that they were unpredictable and you never knew what they were going to hit you with. I haven't felt that about any of the fantasies yet.
A little annoying, but at least Gonzo isn't deliberately trying to start trouble like Zoe. He's just sincerely dumb, which makes me forgive it a little. ***.
Episode Overall: ***.
Muppet Babies "Hatastrophe / Fly South"
Hatastrophe:
I like that Statler and Waldorf are actually concerned about the Babies safety climbing over the fence. And them laughing at Fozzie shows that even if these versions are still grumps, they aren't as mean as the originals. I still don't think they should be heckling Babies, but they aren't THAT bad.
They missed the funniest version of a joke. At the end where Kermit tries to remind Miss Nanny how proud she was of him telling her the truth, instead of saying "Well, we've got some more truth for you!" the funnier line would have been "Are YOU going to be proud of us now!"
The fantasy cartoon animation was good for this cartoon. The Babies stuck out against it.
Good cartoon. ****.
Fly South:
I was positive Kermit was going to call Gonzo a "whatever-you-are" but calling him "a Gonzo" is probably more empowering.
Loved the idea that Gonzo was a little bit steamed at Summer for not mentioning that not all birds fly South for the winter. I have to say, just based on his mannerisms this episode, Gonzo is probably the cutest Baby. And no, Summer doesn't actually count. I am a purist about that sort of thing. ****.
Episode Overall: ****.
Muppet Babies "Super Fabulous Vs. Captain Ice Cube / Piggy's Time Machine"
Super Fabulous Vs. Captain Ice Cube:
I wasn't sure before, but now I am. Summer doesn't work. At all.
Summer is helpful, friendly, popular, always right, filled with love and joy, and someone who makes the world a better place for being in it. That is a perfect personality for a superhero or a Star Trek character. For a Muppet? It's poison. The reason the Muppets work is because of their crazy and noticeable character flaws. Summer not having flaws could totally work for a hero in a drama. A character in a funny cartoon? Not in a million years.
If I'm being totally honest, in the recent seasons of Sesame Street, Elmo himself has been practically sainted by all of the other characters, and put on a pedestal for how good and decent he is. But I don't think this current version of Elmo is why the character broke out the way he did. The way I remember it was that Elmo became a hit because he was so poorly behaved compared to the rest of the Sesame Street cast. And once he became a sensation, that aspect of him was toned down to make him a better role model for little kids. But the reason Elmo works is because he DID have an original personality. Summer cannot just start off as St. Elmo 2.0 and just expect us to love her for it. Her personality type is better suited for a Muppet who has paid their dues first. If you don't ever have to tug on a Snufflelupagus trunk to make Snuffy stay put while Big Bird gets the adults to prove Snuffy is real, you do not get to be portrayed as this awesome. You have not earned it yet. And that's why I think Summer doesn't work. **1/2.
Piggy's Time Machine:
This was great. This was what the show should be. The whole dinosaur world was a 2-D cartoon, so the Babies properly stuck out. Better yet, there were actual live-action clips, including an inexplicable one for The Muppet Show. Who ARE those guys anyways? And there were paintings and stock footage, and Animal even drops a "Good Bye-Bye" when the Time Machine takes its first trip.
Unfortunately, Piggy is just a tad too unpleasant in this, which was her problem in the first cartoon too. This is also probably a weird time to mention it, but "This is your only Muppet Birthday" song doesn't make the day sound special. It makes it sound sinister. It's like the suicide pact seven kids would make at the beginning of the torture porn horror film. There is just no happy ending for those specific lyrics.
I love that there is a little Beaker icon at the bottom of the scribble screen.
But this episode felt more like a classic Muppet Babies cartoon than all of the other ones before it. ****.
Once Upon A Time "Sisterhood"
That was great. Flynn's Arcade? C'mon!
I knew the killer was Jack before the last shot. Aside from him saying that the answer was right under Rogers' nose, I am almost positive he is Hansel. And he's doing what he's doing to get vengeance on Mother Gothel for killing Gretyl. I don't know where his friendship with Henry in the Enchanted Forest came from, or his relationship to Jack And The Beanstalk. What I can guess is that he's both awake and super p*ssed.
I like Weaver's perspective that losing the Guardian doesn't take him further away from Belle. Doing the good deed brings him closer to Belle.
I love how frantic Mother Gothel was in the climax when Ivy not only figured out her game, but revealed every part of it to Anastasia. That look told me that Mother Gothel had no Plan B. Somebody actually realizing why she was doing the things she was doing actually tripped her up. Which tells me she is an incredibly weak villain. It's kind of pathetic if your evil scheme only works if nobody else knows what it is. Rumple and the Evil Queen were monsters, but they were pretty openly monsters. None of their schemes ever went up in smoke just by the hero correctly guessing them.
For the record, sinking the shot in beer pong is not an actual sign. Jacinda walking in the door when she did could definitely qualify, but making bets about sinking shots is random and has nothing to do with fate. Lost did a fair job convincing me a lottery number had actual destiny attached to it. This show is not going to get me to believe the same thing about beer pong.
Facilier's actions strike me as completely sinister. Except he never lies to Regina about them, and all of the lies he told this episode benefited the people he told them to. Still, I'm not quite going to declare him a hero. But if he's telling Weaver he might have another way for him to get to Belle, were I Rumple, I just might listen.
Great episode. ****1/2.
Once Upon A Time "Breadcrumbs"
I sort of feel the very last scene could have been stronger and landed better, but I didn't really have any other complaints. Well, maybe the "We did it", and the revelation that Nook was conning Henry with the adventure. But as lame as that idea is, it's kind of amusing to realize that Blackbeard is at the point where he'd play along with that. Henry should have immediately suspected something foul when Blackbeard didn't say "Storybrooke ain't no Kingdom I ever heard of!" in a Samuel L. Jackson voice.
Interested to see what the deal is with Hansel posing as Jack and Henry's friend in the flashbacks. Is he actually Jack, or did he lie about his role and experiences to throw the pre-cursed Henry off his mission and true ID? If so, does he actually LIKE Henry and consider him a real friend? Does he even remember that aspect of his life? And if he does, is that the reason Henry is still alive and he can't decide what to do with him yet?
You know, the series could have just said Tilly did wrong by handing out free samples, and cost Tiana a day's wages, but I like that it's a good idea instead. This is why this curse strikes me as a little different than Storybrooke's. People in Storybrooke were unhappy before the Curse broke. The major players here actually like each other, and help each other out because they want to. Everyone in Storybrooke just barely tolerated each other, even the good guys. In Hyperion Heights, they are all in this together, even if they don't know it yet. The Curse will probably be harder to break because people like this will not ever understand something is actually wrong with their lives. Because even if they aren't great and not the happy endings they wanted before the Curse, everyone's getting by, at least since Victoria died. In a lot of ways this curse is worse. It's harder to break and some of the heroes don't want that. But perhaps the most insidious thing about it is that it doesn't even SEEM like a Curse. It's realistic. Time actually passes in the real world too. Storybrooke was like being trapped in a nightmare that never ended and was always the same. The fact that the characters have no reason deep down to suspect something is wrong is why the Curse is going to be tougher to break, and why it will be harder to get Henry to believe. Henry wanted to believe the Storyrbrooke reality. If he believes Hyperion Heights, he has to retcon his dead wife and daughter. And that's a LOT to put on a guy, even with a future as tempting as Jacinda and Lucy.
I love that Henry hates Weaver because he punched him earlier in the season. Why I love that is because it makes him genuinely confused when he learns Weaver read the book. Not only read the book, but Henry was his favorite character, and Weaver actually understood the true value of the story, when even Henry was questioning it. Weaver is not going to tell Henry he's his grandson. But he subtly is able to reason him into staying anyways.
Can you imagine seeing the cop who beat you up months later, and learn that they read, and liked, and appreciated the book you poured your heart and soul into? That must have blew Henry's mind.
Speaking of kind manipulations, I adore Lucy telling Jacinda that if she and Henry don't get together, she'll blame herself for the rest of her life. What a rotten, manipulative thing for a kid to do. And genius because she knows it will work. Are you sure this is Lucy Mills? She strikes me more as Hayley Mills.
I love that Zelina still sucks around kids. And I love that her apologies for upsetting Lucy are minimal. She's not used to it, and she was never good around them even when she was, so Lucy can like the truth or lump it. It's not her fault she's blunt. I love that.
I really enjoyed the episode. Part of me is sad this is the last season, because it's gotten so intricate and great again, I am worried they won't be able to wrap everything up they need to on this relatively short notice. I appreciate the early cancellation because it means the producers can craft a finale, but if the show was going to stay this good going forward, I would have much preferred a renewal instead. Good episode. ****1/2.
The Lion Guard "The Scorpion's Sting"
"You know, for someone so evil, Scar has a lot of friends."
Which is the entire value of Scar and what makes him so dangerous.
He almost did it. He almost won. Twice. The Lion Guard only escaped with their lives and then the gourd by the skin of their teeth. His only miscalculation was underestimating what Kion knew and had learned about the Roar. Only the fact that Kion is obviously better at controlling it than anyone in Scar's day which is why they escaped at all.
What a great episode. This show is for preschoolers? Had I seen this as a sprog I woulda wet my pants. *****.
The Lion Guard "The Wisdom Of Kongwe"
It strikes me that Kongwe isn't very wise. All she does is spout meaningless cliches. She's Madame Trash Heap from Fraggle Rock.
I mean, her "wisdom" at the end was that the heroes would think of the solution eventually. But the reason they brought her there was so SHE'D think of the solution. She is not actually being helpful at all.
All of the various dangers the Lion Guard faced this episode are the kind of thing that only happens when an episode is seriously short on runtime. It's Kim Bauer and the cougar. The episode was padded and felt like it.
First time we've ever seen Simba and Kion BOTH talking to Mufasa at the same time. It was previously established earlier in the season these ghosts are not dreams or visions but it still felt strange.
Not very good. *1/2.
The Lion Guard "The Kilio Valley Fire"
Scar's plan is actually decent. Just the fact that he is taking over the Pridelands a bit at a time instead of all at once shows that he's knows what he's doing.
On that subject, Bunga continues to be the most obnoxious character on this show. His voice actor declares the stupidest and most wrong-headed statements with a level of confidence that just makes me want to smack the smirk off his stupid face. I hate him. Unreservedly.
Pretty good episode, but it was obviously mostly set-up for later. ***.
The Lion Guard "Undercover Kinyonga"
You know, I think Kinyonga barely needed the Lion Guard's help at the end there. She was doing pretty great on her own.
That was a great plan. They should do it all over again. Several times. Scar would be pudding if they did that.
But maybe the season would be shorter. I dunno. I just know I liked that episode because The Lion Guard, if not being clever (Kinyonga actually has to suggest the idea to them because they are dumb) are at least being proactive.
"You get it?" Bunga is the loud ahole at the party who always has to explain his own dimwitted jokes to his drunk frat buddies. It's moments like that that really put into focus why I absolutely loathe that character. Wesley Crusher was this bad in 1987. This is 2018. What is THIS show's excuse for a Mary Sue this obnoxious? There literally is no good one.
Cool eppy though. ***1/2.
The Simpsons "Fears Of A Clown"
The stuff with Krusty I liked. The stuff with Bart I didn't.
Over the past 28 years I have grown to deeply despise Bart Simpson. He used to have a couple of interesting facets to him in the early seasons, but now he's pretty much all sociopath, all the time. And he's been stuck that way for decades. All of the NoHomers' b.s. complaints about Jerk@$$ Homer are all completely untrue. The weird thing is if they had directed them at Bart instead they would be totally legit.
First off, just the fact that the entire school was in on the prank tells me that I am not alone in despising Bart, and he actually has no friends. I was unsurprised he nuked all of his bridges, and the end of the episode shows he hasn't improved at all. I felt for Marge. She is the one who is going to have to talk to TV reporters someday when Bart shoots up his high school. She cannot say there were no signs.
Speaking of which, hearing a kid say "I'll show them all" while rifling through weapons has an entirely different subtext just based on the past few weeks than the writers intended. It doesn't matter if they are Dennis the Menace weapons, the first thing that went through my mind when Bart said that was "School shooter." And I'm betting that will be the first thing going through my mind now when I rewatch a LOT of his earlier episodes.
The stuff with Krusty was surprisingly good. I am trying to remember the last time Krusty actually had a decent plot, and I can't remember one. Part of me thinks he's never actually had a decent episode to himself. Camp Krusty and Krusty Gets Busted are undisputed classics. But their focus isn't actually on Krusty himself. This was great. It helps that they put the character out of make-up for the very first time since Krusty Gets Busted, and brought back Llewellyn Sinclair. The one thing the recent seasons have been rocking is bringing back the memorable characters that for some crazy reason only appeared once. And consider Lovitz has done the show a ton, it's amazing that this is Sinclair's only second legit appearance.
Has Albert Brooks actually done dramatic stuff? I don't really see him in anything but Nemo movies and Simpsons guest roles nowadays.
I love the Death of the Salesman part. Sinclair seems absolutely pathetic in a way he wasn't in A Streetcar Named Marge, and that's part of the joke and why it's funny. I basically screaming in laughter at the ghost of Shakespeare rubbing in the fact that this is Arthur Miller's only really well-known play. Miller yells "I was the greatest American playwright!" and Shakespeare smirks and nods and says "Exactly." This is The Simpsons I was missing ten years ago. Where has this insightful and cutting show been? Was it really unreasonable for fans to hate the show when it was underwhelming? It's clear they can make the show good if they bother to put in the effort. And that's what I love about the latest seasons. And while I was one of the few fans who didn't hate the show during its slump, I now an able to see clearly how wholly inadequate those years actually were.
The real April Fool's Days prank would have been if this WERE the last episode.
Watch out, Gunsmoke. They're coming for you, and they always were. ****.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine "The Box"
Just based on the episode title and description I knew this episode was going to be awesome. Frank Pembleton back in The Box! This is pretty much everything I wanted since the show started.
That dentist was like the absolute perfect murderer. He had answers for anything and refused to sweat any mind trick. The closest he got was when Holt dismissed dentists as not real doctors, but Holt immediately lost whatever edge he gained due to ego. And Jake realizes that's the answer. The guy IS the perfect murderer. He planned everything out to the last detail. How dare Jake call him sloppy and lucky? Which just means he HAS to confess. He has no other choice. It's because he's the perfect murderer which is why he is caught. If he HAD been sloppy and lucky, he wouldn't feel the need to defend his own honor about the subject in that spectacularly self-incriminating a fashion.
The only two other cast members to appear are Gina and Boyle, which lets us know this IS a special episode. I think it was dynamite, and one of the best shows the series has ever done. I think I only liked the first two Halloween episodes more. *****.
Bob's Burgers "The Hurt Soccer"
What happened at the end is what is known as a moral victory. One of the things I like most about Louise is that despite the fact that she's a narcissistic sociopath, deep down, if she feels sorry for someone, she'll put a pin in that mindset and try to help them. Just the fact that she decided to help prevent the shut-out proves that Louise cares about other people more than she'd ever be willing to admit. She expresses her feelings about why she wants to help, but the way she describes it seems absolutely id based and how she personally sees the situation. I don't think she understands that she actually cares, and I don't think that's something she'll ever understand.
Linda's examples of famous showbiz families are "the Smucker Brothers" and Twisted Sister? Linda acts like she's a showbiz diva, but that just shows she has never had any idea what she was talking about and never did. I always believed that but The Smuckers Brothers is the proof and receipt for that particular belief of mine.
Good episode. ****.
Family Guy "Veteran Guy"
This is what Family Guy does. It has Peter do a completely despicable, unforgivable act, and acts like it's no big deal and as if the audience should just forgive him for it. There is a reason stealing valor is a crime. This is literally one of the most detestable things Peter has ever done. And yes, I know that IS a statement. Probably because they didn't actually treat it as detestable as it actually is.
Those automatic bathroom sinks are so frustrating. I cannot imagine the technology does not exist that would make them actually work properly. So the fact that they never do is even more confounding. A random dude's phone is more powerful than any computer on Earth in the 1980's. I would think scientists could have cracked this specific thing by now.
Oh, my God! I LOVED the Submariner slam! Ironically, I think it's an equal dig at Aquaman. Because just because Peter and friends are impressed with the talking with fish thing, doesn't mean it's a good superpower. Do you know what is? Super strength. Which is Aquaman's OTHER big thing. But then the series points out that EVERYONE is strong underwater and the entire DC and Marvel Universes have just gone topsy-turvy. I can't believe I never noticed that particular hole before. Which just proves once and for all that there IS no actual level the character of Aquaman works on. None. They were calling out Namor, but as far as I'm concerned Aquaman took the bigger hit. Simply because he already had more credibility to lose.
Weird that Fox allowed the show to play the normal end credit uninterrupted for once.
Outside of the Aquaman cutaway, I kind of hated the episode. **.
American Dad! "Death By Dinner Party"
This episode asks and answers the pertinent question of "What would happen if 'And Then There Were Fewer' actually sucked?"
I don't need to go beyond that in this review, but it is SUCH a step down from Family Guy's masterpiece, that I am a little ashamed this show attempted it. It is awful and embarrassing. 0.
The Last Man On Earth "Release The Hounds"
I love the women on this show. The ones with working wombs have all of the power. I love the notion that Todd and none of the other men try to force their wanting of kids on any of the women and Erica only decides the time is right when SHE wants to. All of the women on this show have complete autonomy over their own bodies and it is very enpowering.
On the flip side, Tandy and Carol are pretty much the two grossest people alive. There are very few ways to make a sex scene completely unpalatable to the audience. Tandy and Carol somehow always make me want to retch.
I'm happy for Todd but I'm happier that Erica is in control of the entire thing. Which is how it should be in this scenario. The Handmaid's Tale is entirely effed up. ***1/2.
The Blacklist "Anna Gracia-Duerte"
Technically, this kid is not a Blacklister. But she shares something in common with many of them. Many Blacklisters do evil deeds that NEED to be done. Some of them are because of righteousness, some of them are not, but a lot of Blacklisters kill the people they do because those specific people need killing. A balance needs to be set in the world that the legal system cannot adequately cover.
And can you argue with that here? Yeah, murder is illegal. But this forced slavery and child-rape that's perfectly legal. Murder is literally these girls' ONLY way out. When Navabi says to Harold that they should just move on and let the killer be on her merry, that was the right answer. And I don't think her not going to an adult prison and having her whole life ahead of her is a happy ending. Because those specific people still needed defending in that specific way, and now they won't be. Navabi's original idea to just drop the matter was what they should have done.
Speaking of Navabi, Aram is a fool for the ring. Liz got in his head. And while Dessler's notion was frightening in that it might mean unforeseen commitment, Liz's notion was even worse because it meant possible unforeseen loss. And I think she would have accepted the ring as a proposal if he hadn't stated over and over again that it was nothing and barely his idea. He ultimately offered the ring to see if she'd reject the idea of marrying him. But he completely tainted the test results by telling her the answer ahead of time. He should not read into her reaction any further than that, even if Liz's notion is correct. And Liz's notion sounds correct and makes more sense than Dessler's. My problem with Liz's theory is that she is too sure. Not every woman everywhere sees that specific subject entirely the same way, and the way she said it to Aram was her giving him the impression that they all did. And maybe even if Aram hadn't screwed up the test results, Liz could have been wrong. People are complicated. I do not presume to speak for every man who ever existed. Perhaps Liz should not do the same for every woman.
This was an outright great episode. *****.
Blindspot "Mum's The Word"
I am of the opinion that if Jane hadn't brutally dressed down Roman the way she did, he might not have turned on them. That might have been the final push he needed to stick with Crawford. I cannot believe how stupid Jane was to do that. That was NOT the moment for her to engage in pointless family drama. She's worried about Avery blowing the mission? I think she did.
Or at least until the FBI woman comes in at the end and rightfully points out they just took out an entire terrorist organization before they got off the ground, and I feel a little bit better about things.
What bothers me the most about the episode is that nobody called out Jane on doing what she did. I might not have minded Jane blowing things the way she did if she had been assigned the proper blame for that. And next week suggests they are all going to regret her burning bridges with Roman.
Good episode, but Jane is, and always has been, a cretin. ***1/2.