TV Reviews, 5/4/18 (Spoilers)
Reviews for the latest episodes of DC Super Hero Girls, Supergirl, The Flash, Arrow, Krypton, Gotham, Lucifer, iZombie, Legion, Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy: Mission Breakout!, and The Simpsons, the season premiere of Transformers: Power Of The Primes, and the latest episodes of Bob's Burgers, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Family Guy, American Dad!, The Last Man On Earth, and The Blacklist.
Upcoming reviews include Twin Peaks: The Return (Blu-Ray), Doctor Who: Series 9, Doctor Who: Series 10, Class: Series 1, The X-Files: Season 10, Avengers: Age Of Ultron (Blu-Ray), Ant-Man (Blu-Ray), Captain America: Civil War (Blu-Ray), Doctor Strange (Blu-Ray), Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (Blu-Ray), Spider-Man: Homecoming (Blu-Ray), Thor: Ragnorok (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, Deadpool, X-Men: Apocalypse (Blu-Ray), Logan, Legion: Season 1, The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes! Season 1, The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes! Season 2, Zootopia, Moana (Blu-Ray), Tangled: Before Ever After (DVD), DuckTales: Woo-oo (DVD), Inside Out (Blu-Ray), The Good Dinosaur (Blu-Ray), Finding Dory (Blu-Ray), Cars 3 (Blu-Ray), Coco (Blu-Ray), Once Upon A Time: Season 5, Once Upon A Time: Season 6, The BFG, Tomorrowland, Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Blu-Ray), Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Blu-Ray), Star Wars Rebels: Season 2, Lego Star Wars: Droid Tales, Lego Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures: Season 1, Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them (Blu-Ray), Static Shock: Season 4, Justice League Action: Superpowers Unite!, Teen Titans Go!: Get In Pig Out, Teen Titans Go!: Recess Is Over, DC Super Hero Girls: Intergalactic Games, LEGO DC Super Hero Girls: Brain Drain, The LEGO Batman Movie, LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes: The Flash, Batman Vs. Two-Face, Scooby Doo! & Batman: The Brave And The Bold, Batman: Gotham By Gaslight, Suicide Squad: Hell To Pay, Suicide Squad (Blu-Ray), Wonder Woman (Blu-Ray), Justice League (Blu-Ray), The Flash: Season 2, The Flash: Season 3, Arrow: Season 4, Arrow: Season 5, DC's Legends Of Tomorrow: Season 1, DC's Legends Of Tomorrow: Season 2, Supergirl: Season 1, Supergirl: Season 2 Vixen: The Movie, Gotham: Season 2, Gotham: Season 3, iZombie: Season 1, iZombie: Season 2, iZombie: Season 3, Lucifer: Season 1, Lucifer: Season 2, Samurai Jack: Season 5, Be Cool Scooby Doo!: Spooky Kooky Fun!, Wabbit: A Looney Tunes Prod.: Hare-Raising Tales, 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, The Simpsons: Season 18, Red Dwarf XII, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Beyond The Known Universe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Earth's Last Stand, Tales Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Super Shredder, Tales Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Wanted: Bebop & Rocksteady, Tales Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Final Chapters, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Half-Shell Heroes: Blast To The Past, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows, Power Rangers (2017), 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, Power Rangers: Megaforce: The Complete Season, Power Rangers: Super Megaforce: The Complete Season, Transformers: Robots In Disguise: Season 1, Heroes Reborn: The Complete Series, Avatar: The Last Airbender: Book 1: Water, Avatar: The Last Airbender: Book 2: Earth, Avatar: The Last Airbender: Book 3: Fire, The Legend Of Korra: The Complete Series, The Ren And Stimpy Show: Seasons 1 & 2, The Ren And Stimpy Show: Seasons 3 and a Half-ish, The Ren And Stimpy Show: Season 5 & Some More Of 4, Haven: Season 5 - Vol. 1, Haven: The Final Season, The Dark Tower, IT, Under The Dome: Season 3, Sleepy Hollow: Season 2, Sleepy Hollow: Season 3, Sleepy Hollow: Season 4, Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 2, Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 3, Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 4, Airplane! / Airplane II: The Sequel: Double Feature, The Jurassic Park Trilogy, Jurassic World, Back To The Future: The Complete Animated Series, Shaun The Sheep Movie (Blu-Ray), Shaun The Sheep: The Farmer's Llamas, 12 Monkeys: Season 1, 12 Monkeys: Season 2, Grimm: Season 4, Grimm: Season 5, Grimm: Season 6, The Wonder Years: Season 4, The Wonder Years: Season 5, The Wonder Years: Season 6, The Peanuts Movie, Peanuts By Schulz: Snoopy Tales, Peanuts By Schulz: Go Team Go!, Peanuts By Schulz: School Days, Bob's Burgers: Season 5, Home Movies: Seasons 1 & 2, Home Movies: Season 3 & 4, Ghostbusters: Answer The Call, Community: Season 6, Danger Mouse: The Complete Series, Game Of Thrones: Season 5, and Game of Thrones: Season 6.
DC Super Hero Girls "Nevermore, Part 1"
I have a lot of opinions this week, which is weird for a three minute cartoon.
First off, Bumblebee is a moron. She cannot tell the difference between her tummy growling and an Earthquake? I don't actually WANT to hate this show. But stuff like that gives me no other option.
Secondly, she drops a dude off on a roof when she "saves" him. How is he supposed to get down?
Raven was long overdue on this series (as is Dick Grayson Robin) and I'm glad they got Tara Strong and Kevin Michael Richardson back as her and Trigon. Trigon strikes me as a Lobo wannabe, which frankly rubs me the wrong way. I don't even know why. I am not a comic purist. I do not actually love the character. But he seems a lot less fierce than he should dressed as a biker. Even the funny natty suit he wears on Teen Titans Go makes him look insidious and devilish. This just makes him a Grease reject.
I'm glad we're getting Raven, but I'd prefer it on a better show. **1/2.
Supergirl "Of Two Minds"
I knew Imra was right all along. I mean, you've GOT to use lethal force sometimes. I definitely remember Kara snapping a dude's neck in a previous season. If the writers think I've forgotten that, they're wrong. I think the thing that really bothers about the inflexibility about the no-kill rule is that they act as if killing somebody is taking the easy way out. It's not. Killing somebody is bad, and I imagine sucks for good people. That's why people who fought in wars come back from the experience so damaged. They have to live with doing an evil thing. But they do it because it's necessary. Not because they want to. So in reality, I actually think it's Kara who is taking the easy way out, risking the well-being of the entire planet for an ideal that not every single person on Earth shares with her. I bet you if you did an informal poll of the planet over whether or not Supergirl should take out Pestilence and give the planet a 98% chance of avoiding Blight, or trying to talk the doctor down and giving it an only 52% chance of avoiding Blight, I can tell you that about 95% percent of people would choose the first option. Killing one evil person to prevent millions dying would universally be broadly popular with bipartisan support from hippies and white supremacists alike. It's easy to fight for an ideal when you're indestructible, and your future is assured. The people of Earth, and Imra, actually have skin in the game. Kara refusing to do what is necessary because it will make her feel bad about herself is not strength. It is weakness. A strong leader would make the decision to feel bad about herself if it meant saving everybody else. Not everything is black and white. Not everything SHOULD be. And even if I somehow crazily agreed with Supergirl's code usually, even I would recognize there are exceptions to every circumstance, including that. Do I still think it is immoral to kill beings called "Worldkillers"? Strictly speaking? Probably. Would I feel bad if I had to take the lives of three sentient beings? Definitely. Does none of that matter a jot because it is actually the right thing to do in that exact circumstance? Pretty much. Maybe Supergirl doesn't want to become a murderer. But maybe if she was truly the hero she thinks she is, she would allow her ego to feel bad about this specific thing. I would even understand and sympathize with her feeling bad, and would share her pain! That doesn't mean she shouldn't do it.
I would have been more moved by Winn's scene with James if I didn't know that Winn was definitely going to survive the episode. He always survives. He can always count on Kara to come through. How do he and James not know that by now? But I will acknowledge Jeremy Jordan and Mehcad Brooks played the heck out of the scene anyways.
The previews didn't hint one way or the other, but just based on the look Supergirl gave Lena, she is not going to be happy with her next week. Ironically, even though I don't agree with what Lena did, I agree with the reasons she did it. Sam is her best friend who, she promised to help. As far as Lena knows, she has no personal connection to Supergirl, so she would not be able to protect her from the DEA imprisoning and dissecting her. I'm not saying it was the right thing to do. But I might have done it in her place if it was my best friend who was suffering in that specific manner. Especially if you consider the fact that Lena doesn't actually HAVE all that many friends. Just Sam, Kara, and James. Everyone else barely tolerates her on her best day. And I can see a person like Lena be unwilling to give up a third of her support system if she does have the resources and intelligence to try and save her herself. I don't agree with her choice, but I understand it, and would probably have made it in her place.
Honestly, I like Brainy's hologram thing. His make-up is truly awful and distracting, and if they can find a plausible way to do without it most of the time, I'll jump at the chance. A show with people being struck with a lethal illness now lands dramatically as it should without a goofy looking guy in blue make-up and a bumpy head walking around.
Poor Imra. Poor Lena. Supergirl's bad decisions are going to kick those women in the butt. I hope Kara gets what is going to have to happen. If she doesn't, we're in trouble. ****.
The Flash "Therefore She Is"
Marlize's defection from Clifford could give Team Flash a fighting chance. IF she decides to throw in with them which is not a sure thing.
It's interesting that Marlize was not initially on-board Clifford's crazy borderline terrorist-sounding ideas. Honestly, making the world dumb won't actually solve anything. If anything, it will make it worse. The problem society has is that brilliant ideas created by geniuses are abused and misused by morons. Instead of having smart people guarding the integrity of those inventions, which is pretty much our safeguard now, he's basically giving dumb people access to nukes. And the people on our Earth with access to nukes are already plenty dumb. I don't want them dumber.
Unless Devoe has a plan for getting rid of every weapon on Earth, making people dumb will take away the best part of their humanity, and the one reason humanity HAS survived this long. And so far, I'm heard no plan on Devoe's behalf to confiscate every weapon everywhere.
Luckily because of what happened to Harry, Team Flash is already on a path to trying to find a reversal cure. I doubt Devoe actually understands that they already have the pieces to reverse the damage he's doing. The only question is if they have enough time to find the answer before Devoe completes his VERY stupid plan.
Didn't Thawne say he was a fan of Devoe in a flashback earlier in the year? If this was his plan all along, I'm wondering why.
So Babbling Hot Mess Girl is a Speedster, with magenta lightning. Presumably a time traveler who is a descendant of Barry and Iris. Considering that she took care that she wasn't seen, I'm guessing a VERY direct descendant. Like maybe their actual daughter. Honestly, all throughout the episode, especially when they went to the coffee cafe, I was wondering when that specific character was going to show up again, so at least the episode did that right.
Unless there is something more to Devoe's plan, it is dumb. I'm pretty sure this was how the Reavers on Firefly were created. Those were done using drugs instead of a raygun, but I see a similar disaster in the offing should Devoe win. He is not as smart as he thinks he is.
Which is something I actually like, and was probably deliberate on the writers' end. I feel smarter than the smartest person on the show. Which is a great feeling when watching or reading fiction. Yeah, The Flash is less-than for not having a flawless villain, but he's really easy to root against if you actually understand and realize the legit flaws in his logic, that he is too dumb to see. Devoe is less of a threat by learning what his dumb plan is. But it will definitely make it more fun for me when the Flash spanks him. ****.
Arrow "Docket No. 12-19-41-73"
That was one watchable hour of television.
I expect conniptions from many Arrowverse fans. That will polarizing. People will (rightly on some level) accuse the show of using cartoonish plot twists and unrealistic story turns, in the one Arrowverse show that tries to keep a level of reality to itself. But I'm not even gonna dignify "Yeah, Righters" with a response. The show's about a dude dressed in Robin Hood get-up running around town fighting crime. We left realism an island castaway for five years ago. It's about time this show embraced the cheese. For the record, if the series was ALWAYS this, I'd never rag on it. I'm probably one of the few Arrow fans who thinks that way, but believable writing is overrated. As long as things work within the framework of the franchise it's cool. And Legends of Tomorrow defeated the Big Bad with a mecha plush doll. As crazy as each of those twists were, they seem measured compared to Beebo v Mollus.
But seriously, how crazy was that? I was seriously miffed when the CW spoiled Tommy's appearance, and now I realize why they did. Tommy is not the actual surprise. The Human Target is. Which is FAR more awesome in my book. And he pulls the same trick twice at the end! How great was that?
I also expect a lot of Yeah Righters to express disbelief at how open the corruption of the cops was. Calling Diaz "Boss" in public is some stupid level of gangster nonsense that a credible character would never do for fear of getting caught. My perspective is that our current government IS this corrupt, and run by criminals, and indebted to the Russian mob. What makes this plausible to me is that so far, nobody has done anything about it. It's open in real life and nobody is doing anything. The actual Congress that has a power to put a stop to the criminality and craziness infecting our country, is for whatever reason, choosing not to. So suddenly the dumbest cop ever is plausible. Everyone knows the police are crooked and in Diaz's pocket. And the fact that everyone knows doesn't matter because no-one is willing to do anything about it.
Here is a legit plothole. Why didn't anyone point out in court the specific way Rene was threatened? Diaz walked his daughter into court. That is something that is easy to prove. Granted, the jury was totally dirty too, but I'm wondering if the reason the writers declined to connect those dots for the jury is because it makes a conviction more believable if they don't. I don't necessarily think that's true with a jury like this (again this is pretty openly flaunted corruption) but that's probably why. But Oliver would have had a great case for appeal if she had connected those dots.
Kudos for Oliver's doctor for finding a way to NOT answer the big question without technically perjuring herself. If "I can't recall" is good enough for the rich and powerful, it's good enough for this savvy nurse.
I am a little amazed that Oliver's lawyer seems surprised when he admits to her he IS the Green Arrow. She didn't already know that? I honestly don't think she did. Not only did she phrase the question in a way that made it sound like she really did not know, but her entire defense strategy changed once she learned the truth, which wouldn't have happened if she had actually known. Granted, Oliver cut off jury nullification, but it would have been a legit defense.
Oliver in Russia: Busted! Regardless of whether or not he is imprisoned, he will never be trusted by the public again, and he will never be mayor again. Him confirming his island story was b.s., pretty much said probably everything else was too, whether he was the Green Arrow or not.
That was some h*llagood television. It freaking held my interest. I don't care if it's dumb. I am not too big of a snob to not enjoy surprise twists and unlikely coincidences. And I never was. *****.
Krypton "Transformation"
Seg shoulda taken the shot at the end.
I like Seg's perspective that they should trust Nyssa because none of their hands are clean. I also like Kem's simple perspective that he doesn't want to die.
Daron is pretty much the worst father ever. I hope he is killed by the season finale.
I was near tears when Jayna told Lyta she chose her only daughter over her honor. Some amazing acting there from Ann Ogbomo.
Zod's father is still a mystery. I think that's just a way of the writers teasing a Seg and Lyta ship. They are asking us to imagine that Superman and Zod are first or second cousins.
I don't think Adam is thinking through his plan very well. I like that Val was accidentally offended and grossed out by him saying he was s-wording him. That is definitely an Earth saying that got lost in translation.
Good week. ****.
Gotham "That Old Corpse"
The episode starting off with the nonsense of Jim and Lee made me realize I was gonna hate it. I knew it in my bones. And then the episode was nothing about it, so shows what I know.
The writing is still dumb. Alfred is still the worst guardian of the year for consenting to allow Bruce to hang out with the sketchy twin brother of serial killer in his underground dungeon. Great parenting there, Alfred.
Lee and Ed will never stop being lame.
I surprisingly love Butch and Penguin. I love them playfully messing with the guy at the end before torturing him in a ridiculous manner because they think it's funny. What I especially like is that Penguin is NOT afraid of Butch. He's just not. But he should be. He's a huge looming threat and is always warning him of dire consequences if he doesn't find Strange. But Penguin is no longer the cowardly bedwetter from season one. He can take care of himself. And even if he can't, he at least believes he can, so he isn't going to be a quivering wuss about it like he was with Moroni, Fish, and Falcone. Once when Maroni attempted to kill him, he beseeched him to "Take it like a man!" And I think Penguin is that guy now.
The joke of "The Riddler / Penguin! We're saved!" was not actually funny. It is weird to me they repeated it then.
Loved the proto-Harley Quinn.
The entire reason the episode did not suck for me of course Jeremiah. Simply because I cannot figure him out, what he wants, why he's doing what he's doing, or what he actually thinks about Bruce. The future Joker at one point believing Bruce Wayne is his best friend is an irresistible hook. I want to see Joker and Batman now, even though the premise means I never will.
But it's because nothing Jeremiah does makes sense which is why I am not going to be hating on the episode. It left me with questions and wanting to see more. And sometimes, that's all a show needs. ****.
Lucifer "Eenie Meenie Miney Me"
This episode didn't wow me. I'm sort of learning that an average "just good enough" episode of Lucifer isn't actually quite good enough.
I WILL say this: This episode reminded me of my exact objections to love triangles in fiction. This is exactly why I never use them in my writing. Pierce and Chloe were never going to get married. Never. Not for a second. Pierce came along as a potential romantic obstacle simply to drive 'shippers nuts. That is his only function. I am supposed to hate the character because he's getting in the way of Lucifer and Chloe.
But I don't want to do that. I shouldn't HAVE to do that. "Wrecking my 'ship" should never be a actual reason to hate a character. If I hate (or wind up loving) Pierce, I should be allowed to do that on the character's own merits. But shows like Lucifer don't actually care about their love triangle characters. And that's not fair to characters, it's not fair to the audience, and it's not fair for the new actor who enters the show and has to deal with fan hate for no good reason. I could basically level this exact complaint at any other show on the air, but Lucifer is the one that chose to do it last night, so it's the current one to get my ire.
So yeah, this episode underwhelmed me. **1/2.
iZombie "Mac-Liv-Moore"
I think the worst thing about Blaine is that he's been wasting the cures. He's already blown 2 for no good reason. I hate this dude.
I am glad Liv got Major on the record that he thinks Mama Leone's death was just. Because not only did it tell her he thought her life was worth crap, but he went and did the thing she was executed for on Chase's direction. Major sucks.
This being said, I now know how the season ends. Liv is caught in the last couple of episodes, and when she is led up to the stage, Major reveals Chase is actually guilty of the same crime. Major doesn't save Liv through brute force, but legalese. He will somehow have proof that he scratched the zombie killer before he died on Chase's direction.
Is there is specific reason Liv HAD to eat a white rapper? Other than making her lame? I kind of would have liked to have seen the show doing what they do with Ravi, and have Clive be amused by and enjoy the brain of the week, instead of always giving those appalled and bewildered reactions. And that might have happened if it was a black rapper. You know what? It might not have, considering the writers are not very good at this, and seem to be trying to erase a great deal of Clive's black identity just based upon the roleplaying thing. Maybe he's the kind of fictional black guy who prefers Bob Dylan, that white writers love to pretend are common. But it should have happened, and probably would have if the writers were smarter about stuff like that.
Love the little dying girl. She is my queen.
Plenty of good and interesting things happened in the episode. But not enough for me to love it. ***.
Legion "Chapter 13"
And now we know why David's sister is no longer a series regular. Devastating episode. Even gratuitous Aubrey Plaza nudity can't make me feel any better.
I don't agree with Lennie that she's not a bad person. At all. She's a hooker junkie on her best day. And this was not her best day.
Oliver saying he is going to kill the Shadow King says that he is no happier about his lot in life than Melanie is. I hope he succeeds.
Powerful ending. Great episode ****1/2.
Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy: Mission Breakout! "Lost Distance Runaround"
I like Howard the Duck. I like his bathtub car. But I don't understand why he doesn't know what a Duck is. He's from Duckworld, right? And he owns a rubber duckie. What's up with that?
Good episode. ****.
Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy: Mission Breakout! "You Don't Own Me"
What a great cliffhanger! I'm sure the mirror and the armor has to do with how the Guardians escaped but I like that we have to wait for the end of another hiatus to find out.
Phyla was being pretty stupid about her planet. If she wasn't careful, she could have wound up destroying it herself.
Speaking of destroying, Peter breaking the Collector's stuff will never get old.
Adult Groot still has a thing with buttons. Good. That's hilarious.
That ending drove me absolutely nuts in the very best way. ****.
The Simpsons "Forgive And Regret"
I cannot overstate how much I liked that episode. The destruction of the Obama car made me wince, but pretty much everything else landed for me beautifully.
As the episode went on, I suspected that whether or not I enjoyed the it would depend on if they revealed the secret, and if it lived up to the hype. This was an incredibly hard thing for the series to do and navigate. Not only did they have to make Homer's anger justified, but they had to make it something Grandpa could fix at the end of the episode and be forgiven for. And the notes were a great idea. Bonus points for Glenn Close, so you know how much they meant to Homer.
What I especially love, (and I cannot overstate how much I love this), is the idea that the rest of the family is just as angry as Homer is, and shows him complete solidarity and support for how hurt he is. Even Bart, the biggest sociopath on the show, is offended on his father's behalf. I love the notion that Homer's very real pain in that moment brings the family together in a way few things do. The whole "join me in hate" moment at the table was incredibly awkward, but what fascinated me is that it didn't turn any of the rest of the family off. They are legitimately just as angry as Homer.
And wasn't that a beautiful resolution that the recipes just fell from the sky and made the diner a success, and in gratitude the owner gives them back to Homer wrapped up in a bow? That was this show not only acknowledging this is the kind of happy ending you can only see on television, but being unapologetic about it too. It doesn't matter if it would never happen in a million years in real life. It wrapped the story up in a bow, and that was the show thumbing its nose at the cynics.
Here is something else I like: Grandpa no longer has to worry about that secret. I thought the deathbed confession for that particular thing seems like the d-wordest of d-word moves. That is not how Grandpa should expect Homer to want to remember him. And as stupid and selfish as Grandpa is for making that confession when he did, now when he DOES die, it won't be a factor, and Homer will be able to properly grieve his father. As bad a move as that was for Grandpa to do, the fact that he survived, actually helped things in the long run.
For the record, the fact that Homer actually DID take Grandpa to the hospital in the moment he did proves he's a good son. If only he had a father worthy of him.
I like that Homer thinks the Nobel Peace Prize is a sham award because Kissinger won it.
You just been smoked Gunsmoke. By a great episode, no less. *****.
Transformers: Power Of The Primes "The Swamp"
A Dinobot Combiner? Okay.
Love Unicron in the intro.
Can you actually drown a Transformer?
Megatronus sure like overexplaining his plans to himself.
I love the idea that Grimlock introduces himself to Perceptor, and him confusedly tell the Dinobot they have actually known each other for years.
Passable episode. ***.
Bob's Burgers "Are You There. Bob? It's Me, Birthday"
That was a very surprising episode. We not only found out Hugo's job actually sucks, but that it's necessary, and he's actually good at it. Him making Bob eat the wrap afterwards was like the perfect consequence for Bob thinking he just likes harassing people. Nah, he may be unnecessarily harsh to Bob, but everybody else IS really that gross.
For some reason I laughed really hard upon Ron saying "Preach!"
Jimmy Pesto is rarely punished enough for his actions in my book, and they way he was this episode did make this the best birthday ever. And I love that Bob thinks that. The whole ending where admits that he doesn't like parties, but he was going to accept one behalf of the family, and Linda tells him she changed her mind because he doesn't like parties, is one of the really cool things about the Belchers. They are honest, and without pretense to each other, and talk about their feelings and their wants and needs. And I think that makes them singularly unique as far as animated family comedies go. They are a healthy family, which is kind of refreshing.
I loved that Bob got the antique he wanted, and that he loved his birthday, even if it was a day late. And I loved the episode and episodes like this are why I love the series. ****1/2.
Brooklyne Nine-Nine "Bachelor/ette Party"
Charles sucks. I get why he's upset. I do. But maybe he should question why that is. Maybe he should question why he is making a night that is supposed to be all about Jake, all about himself. That is not normal, and not something a good friend would do.
He's also a bad husband. He never thought to make Jake less of a priority upon getting married? And he's actually hurt and surprised when Jake tells him the truth about what all husbands do? Charles sucks.
Loved me some Kangal Hat Ray. The thing I love best about him is how much Jake loves him. The sex tape joke doesn't work, but Jake loves that he attempted it. SO funny.
I like that Reginald Vel Johnson is enough of a good sport to allow himself to be portrayed as a total turd. Does he really need to tell Bruce Willis a random person he never heard of sucks? The fact that Vel Johnson thinks he does means he's a cr*ppy person in this episode.
Nobody is buying your fanboying Family Matters, Terry. Move on.
Amy's stuff was much better. I am very upset Gina was using a filter, because I could have used some of her remarks at the specific things that happened on that trip Constantine's bar. I love that Jake isn't jealous at all at the end, and finds it funny and endearing, and it is. And basically that descriptor Amy gave for herself upon what she did that night, means she actually WON that game of I Never. Maybe only as a moral victory, but there's no question no-one in that group could ever top that crazy story. And Rosa dated Adrian Pimento.
I liked the stuff with the Bachelorette party but I found the Bachelor Party portions a bit trying on my nerves because of Boyle. ***1/2.
Family Guy "Switch The Flip"
I'm getting there. I'm feeling the same feelings I started to feel when I started hating South Park, House, The Office, and 24. I didn't stop watching House or The Office, because they were in their final seasons when the feelings started, so I saw both shows through to the end. But I DID stop watching South Park and 24. And it doesn't look like Family Guy will be ending anytime soon. So I'm wondering if I'm actually going to keep making a point to sit down and watch it. It still has me for now, but I know this feeling all too well, and it doesn't bode well for my future with the show.
I am so disgusted I don't want to do an in-depth review, but I'll briefly get my 2 objections out of the way, so I can forget I ever saw this crap and move on.
1. The problem in the episode of Stewie almost being forced to have sex with Lois reminds me why this show absolutely sucks, and how whenever they attempt a genre riff, they make it the worse possible genre riff ever. This is the FIRST place the show's mind goes to in a body swapping episode. I have said before that I believe Seth MacFarlane the kind of creeper who probably has bodies buried somewhere, but this season is telling me it's the entire writing staff. He is no longer showrunner. Sure he could have nixed the story if he thought there was something wrong with it, but Seth MacFarlane being a creep is not Family Guy's biggest problem. And maybe it never was. It's that everyone is. And that might have been the problem the whole time.
2. The second thing is another one of the reasons I expect sooner or later MacFarlane will be taken down by the MeToo movement. Brian essentially rapes Lois at the end of the episode, and it is played for laughs and as an example of wish fulfillment. I cannot overstate how disgusted that makes me in the writers. I'm not even disgusted with Brian. It's the writers chose to both have him do that, and to face no negative consequences for it. Every Family Guy fans currently hates Brian. But Brian does not exist in a vacuum. The writers CHOOSE to portray him that way, because they actually think it's funny. And if this is the kind of show that thinks something like that is funny, maybe I need to let it go, no matter how much I love the observational humor or musical numbers. It is not good for my sense of well being to have to witness something that sickening, and not be able to do anything about it. Patrick Warburton's mother is a religious zealot who is such a terrible mother to Patrick that she has actually started a campaign to get Family Guy taken off the air. For real. But now... I don't care if her motives are sickening anymore. I now sort of see her point. And that disturbs me.
That was disgusting. 0.
American Dad! "Oretron Trail"
I liked most of that, but I didn't like the ending. I LIKE the idea that Roger cares enough about the family that he'll be upset when they die. Them taking that away at the end sucked. The character hasn't been interesting in years, and tonight he was again. And they took away the precise thing that made him interesting at the end. Which bums me out.
Fun Fact: I have completed Oregon Trail many times in my youth, but I have only made it through with no members of my party dying exactly once. But I DO know it's possible, if NEAR impossible.
I liked the Oregon Trail stuff more than the Renegade stuff. Did anybody actually like Renegade when it aired? It struck me as the poor man's Walker Texas Ranger as far as 90's action shows were concerned, and I can't recall anyone I know who actually liked it, much less watched it. Just speaking for me, parodies usually work better on stuff that is culturally relevant, especially years later. And Renegade would not qualify by any metric.
Klaus' stuff actually sickened me, and the less I say about it, the better.
Unfavorable impression this week. **.
The Last Man On Earth "Barbara Ann"
Game Changer. The entire show is different now and will be for the rest of its run, whether that's next week or a couple of seasons from now.
Here's the thing. I suspected an underground base last week. Not enough to make a guess in my review, but I knew it was a possibility. In fact, I assumed that this would happen at some point in the series' run. Here is something else interesting about that. It's probably not the only base like that that exists around the world. The have to be at LEAST a half dozen and maybe a ton more. This is the just the first one the people we know have encountered.
I love that they decide to move. Don't blame them but they were giving that house far too many chances after discovering the bodies. The exploded piano means there is no other answer.
I absolutely love Tandy's thing with the goat sex. At first glance, it's Tandy being a social dimwit and not knowing when to shut up before he appalls the person he is speaking. In reality, he's cheering Mike up. And you don't realize that until Mike smiles and Tandy lights up at that. Even Tandy would probably not be socially stupid enough to suggest goat sex to someone dying of loneliness. He is literally just trying to get his brother's goat (so to speak).
A lot of stuff happened in the space of 22 minutes just now. The future of humankind is now totally different. That's how big a deal this episode is. ****1/2.
The Blacklist "Nicholas T. Moore"
Every notice that crazy cults all seem to be started by failed sci-fi writers?
Aram's desperation was palpable. The scene with him clutching and explaining the book at the end to the follower with a gun was amazing. Amir Arason done brung it.
I love how increasingly appalled Red became with Jennifer's story. Each progressively dumbstruck look on James Spader's face seemed to say "Wow, I really suck."
The kid in jeopardy trope sort of soured me on the week's proceedings.
Decent episode, but nothing special. ***1/2.
Upcoming reviews include Twin Peaks: The Return (Blu-Ray), Doctor Who: Series 9, Doctor Who: Series 10, Class: Series 1, The X-Files: Season 10, Avengers: Age Of Ultron (Blu-Ray), Ant-Man (Blu-Ray), Captain America: Civil War (Blu-Ray), Doctor Strange (Blu-Ray), Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (Blu-Ray), Spider-Man: Homecoming (Blu-Ray), Thor: Ragnorok (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, Deadpool, X-Men: Apocalypse (Blu-Ray), Logan, Legion: Season 1, The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes! Season 1, The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes! Season 2, Zootopia, Moana (Blu-Ray), Tangled: Before Ever After (DVD), DuckTales: Woo-oo (DVD), Inside Out (Blu-Ray), The Good Dinosaur (Blu-Ray), Finding Dory (Blu-Ray), Cars 3 (Blu-Ray), Coco (Blu-Ray), Once Upon A Time: Season 5, Once Upon A Time: Season 6, The BFG, Tomorrowland, Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Blu-Ray), Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Blu-Ray), Star Wars Rebels: Season 2, Lego Star Wars: Droid Tales, Lego Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures: Season 1, Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them (Blu-Ray), Static Shock: Season 4, Justice League Action: Superpowers Unite!, Teen Titans Go!: Get In Pig Out, Teen Titans Go!: Recess Is Over, DC Super Hero Girls: Intergalactic Games, LEGO DC Super Hero Girls: Brain Drain, The LEGO Batman Movie, LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes: The Flash, Batman Vs. Two-Face, Scooby Doo! & Batman: The Brave And The Bold, Batman: Gotham By Gaslight, Suicide Squad: Hell To Pay, Suicide Squad (Blu-Ray), Wonder Woman (Blu-Ray), Justice League (Blu-Ray), The Flash: Season 2, The Flash: Season 3, Arrow: Season 4, Arrow: Season 5, DC's Legends Of Tomorrow: Season 1, DC's Legends Of Tomorrow: Season 2, Supergirl: Season 1, Supergirl: Season 2 Vixen: The Movie, Gotham: Season 2, Gotham: Season 3, iZombie: Season 1, iZombie: Season 2, iZombie: Season 3, Lucifer: Season 1, Lucifer: Season 2, Samurai Jack: Season 5, Be Cool Scooby Doo!: Spooky Kooky Fun!, Wabbit: A Looney Tunes Prod.: Hare-Raising Tales, 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, The Simpsons: Season 18, Red Dwarf XII, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Beyond The Known Universe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Earth's Last Stand, Tales Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Super Shredder, Tales Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Wanted: Bebop & Rocksteady, Tales Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Final Chapters, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Half-Shell Heroes: Blast To The Past, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows, Power Rangers (2017), 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, Power Rangers: Megaforce: The Complete Season, Power Rangers: Super Megaforce: The Complete Season, Transformers: Robots In Disguise: Season 1, Heroes Reborn: The Complete Series, Avatar: The Last Airbender: Book 1: Water, Avatar: The Last Airbender: Book 2: Earth, Avatar: The Last Airbender: Book 3: Fire, The Legend Of Korra: The Complete Series, The Ren And Stimpy Show: Seasons 1 & 2, The Ren And Stimpy Show: Seasons 3 and a Half-ish, The Ren And Stimpy Show: Season 5 & Some More Of 4, Haven: Season 5 - Vol. 1, Haven: The Final Season, The Dark Tower, IT, Under The Dome: Season 3, Sleepy Hollow: Season 2, Sleepy Hollow: Season 3, Sleepy Hollow: Season 4, Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 2, Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 3, Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 4, Airplane! / Airplane II: The Sequel: Double Feature, The Jurassic Park Trilogy, Jurassic World, Back To The Future: The Complete Animated Series, Shaun The Sheep Movie (Blu-Ray), Shaun The Sheep: The Farmer's Llamas, 12 Monkeys: Season 1, 12 Monkeys: Season 2, Grimm: Season 4, Grimm: Season 5, Grimm: Season 6, The Wonder Years: Season 4, The Wonder Years: Season 5, The Wonder Years: Season 6, The Peanuts Movie, Peanuts By Schulz: Snoopy Tales, Peanuts By Schulz: Go Team Go!, Peanuts By Schulz: School Days, Bob's Burgers: Season 5, Home Movies: Seasons 1 & 2, Home Movies: Season 3 & 4, Ghostbusters: Answer The Call, Community: Season 6, Danger Mouse: The Complete Series, Game Of Thrones: Season 5, and Game of Thrones: Season 6.
DC Super Hero Girls "Nevermore, Part 1"
I have a lot of opinions this week, which is weird for a three minute cartoon.
First off, Bumblebee is a moron. She cannot tell the difference between her tummy growling and an Earthquake? I don't actually WANT to hate this show. But stuff like that gives me no other option.
Secondly, she drops a dude off on a roof when she "saves" him. How is he supposed to get down?
Raven was long overdue on this series (as is Dick Grayson Robin) and I'm glad they got Tara Strong and Kevin Michael Richardson back as her and Trigon. Trigon strikes me as a Lobo wannabe, which frankly rubs me the wrong way. I don't even know why. I am not a comic purist. I do not actually love the character. But he seems a lot less fierce than he should dressed as a biker. Even the funny natty suit he wears on Teen Titans Go makes him look insidious and devilish. This just makes him a Grease reject.
I'm glad we're getting Raven, but I'd prefer it on a better show. **1/2.
Supergirl "Of Two Minds"
I knew Imra was right all along. I mean, you've GOT to use lethal force sometimes. I definitely remember Kara snapping a dude's neck in a previous season. If the writers think I've forgotten that, they're wrong. I think the thing that really bothers about the inflexibility about the no-kill rule is that they act as if killing somebody is taking the easy way out. It's not. Killing somebody is bad, and I imagine sucks for good people. That's why people who fought in wars come back from the experience so damaged. They have to live with doing an evil thing. But they do it because it's necessary. Not because they want to. So in reality, I actually think it's Kara who is taking the easy way out, risking the well-being of the entire planet for an ideal that not every single person on Earth shares with her. I bet you if you did an informal poll of the planet over whether or not Supergirl should take out Pestilence and give the planet a 98% chance of avoiding Blight, or trying to talk the doctor down and giving it an only 52% chance of avoiding Blight, I can tell you that about 95% percent of people would choose the first option. Killing one evil person to prevent millions dying would universally be broadly popular with bipartisan support from hippies and white supremacists alike. It's easy to fight for an ideal when you're indestructible, and your future is assured. The people of Earth, and Imra, actually have skin in the game. Kara refusing to do what is necessary because it will make her feel bad about herself is not strength. It is weakness. A strong leader would make the decision to feel bad about herself if it meant saving everybody else. Not everything is black and white. Not everything SHOULD be. And even if I somehow crazily agreed with Supergirl's code usually, even I would recognize there are exceptions to every circumstance, including that. Do I still think it is immoral to kill beings called "Worldkillers"? Strictly speaking? Probably. Would I feel bad if I had to take the lives of three sentient beings? Definitely. Does none of that matter a jot because it is actually the right thing to do in that exact circumstance? Pretty much. Maybe Supergirl doesn't want to become a murderer. But maybe if she was truly the hero she thinks she is, she would allow her ego to feel bad about this specific thing. I would even understand and sympathize with her feeling bad, and would share her pain! That doesn't mean she shouldn't do it.
I would have been more moved by Winn's scene with James if I didn't know that Winn was definitely going to survive the episode. He always survives. He can always count on Kara to come through. How do he and James not know that by now? But I will acknowledge Jeremy Jordan and Mehcad Brooks played the heck out of the scene anyways.
The previews didn't hint one way or the other, but just based on the look Supergirl gave Lena, she is not going to be happy with her next week. Ironically, even though I don't agree with what Lena did, I agree with the reasons she did it. Sam is her best friend who, she promised to help. As far as Lena knows, she has no personal connection to Supergirl, so she would not be able to protect her from the DEA imprisoning and dissecting her. I'm not saying it was the right thing to do. But I might have done it in her place if it was my best friend who was suffering in that specific manner. Especially if you consider the fact that Lena doesn't actually HAVE all that many friends. Just Sam, Kara, and James. Everyone else barely tolerates her on her best day. And I can see a person like Lena be unwilling to give up a third of her support system if she does have the resources and intelligence to try and save her herself. I don't agree with her choice, but I understand it, and would probably have made it in her place.
Honestly, I like Brainy's hologram thing. His make-up is truly awful and distracting, and if they can find a plausible way to do without it most of the time, I'll jump at the chance. A show with people being struck with a lethal illness now lands dramatically as it should without a goofy looking guy in blue make-up and a bumpy head walking around.
Poor Imra. Poor Lena. Supergirl's bad decisions are going to kick those women in the butt. I hope Kara gets what is going to have to happen. If she doesn't, we're in trouble. ****.
The Flash "Therefore She Is"
Marlize's defection from Clifford could give Team Flash a fighting chance. IF she decides to throw in with them which is not a sure thing.
It's interesting that Marlize was not initially on-board Clifford's crazy borderline terrorist-sounding ideas. Honestly, making the world dumb won't actually solve anything. If anything, it will make it worse. The problem society has is that brilliant ideas created by geniuses are abused and misused by morons. Instead of having smart people guarding the integrity of those inventions, which is pretty much our safeguard now, he's basically giving dumb people access to nukes. And the people on our Earth with access to nukes are already plenty dumb. I don't want them dumber.
Unless Devoe has a plan for getting rid of every weapon on Earth, making people dumb will take away the best part of their humanity, and the one reason humanity HAS survived this long. And so far, I'm heard no plan on Devoe's behalf to confiscate every weapon everywhere.
Luckily because of what happened to Harry, Team Flash is already on a path to trying to find a reversal cure. I doubt Devoe actually understands that they already have the pieces to reverse the damage he's doing. The only question is if they have enough time to find the answer before Devoe completes his VERY stupid plan.
Didn't Thawne say he was a fan of Devoe in a flashback earlier in the year? If this was his plan all along, I'm wondering why.
So Babbling Hot Mess Girl is a Speedster, with magenta lightning. Presumably a time traveler who is a descendant of Barry and Iris. Considering that she took care that she wasn't seen, I'm guessing a VERY direct descendant. Like maybe their actual daughter. Honestly, all throughout the episode, especially when they went to the coffee cafe, I was wondering when that specific character was going to show up again, so at least the episode did that right.
Unless there is something more to Devoe's plan, it is dumb. I'm pretty sure this was how the Reavers on Firefly were created. Those were done using drugs instead of a raygun, but I see a similar disaster in the offing should Devoe win. He is not as smart as he thinks he is.
Which is something I actually like, and was probably deliberate on the writers' end. I feel smarter than the smartest person on the show. Which is a great feeling when watching or reading fiction. Yeah, The Flash is less-than for not having a flawless villain, but he's really easy to root against if you actually understand and realize the legit flaws in his logic, that he is too dumb to see. Devoe is less of a threat by learning what his dumb plan is. But it will definitely make it more fun for me when the Flash spanks him. ****.
Arrow "Docket No. 12-19-41-73"
That was one watchable hour of television.
I expect conniptions from many Arrowverse fans. That will polarizing. People will (rightly on some level) accuse the show of using cartoonish plot twists and unrealistic story turns, in the one Arrowverse show that tries to keep a level of reality to itself. But I'm not even gonna dignify "Yeah, Righters" with a response. The show's about a dude dressed in Robin Hood get-up running around town fighting crime. We left realism an island castaway for five years ago. It's about time this show embraced the cheese. For the record, if the series was ALWAYS this, I'd never rag on it. I'm probably one of the few Arrow fans who thinks that way, but believable writing is overrated. As long as things work within the framework of the franchise it's cool. And Legends of Tomorrow defeated the Big Bad with a mecha plush doll. As crazy as each of those twists were, they seem measured compared to Beebo v Mollus.
But seriously, how crazy was that? I was seriously miffed when the CW spoiled Tommy's appearance, and now I realize why they did. Tommy is not the actual surprise. The Human Target is. Which is FAR more awesome in my book. And he pulls the same trick twice at the end! How great was that?
I also expect a lot of Yeah Righters to express disbelief at how open the corruption of the cops was. Calling Diaz "Boss" in public is some stupid level of gangster nonsense that a credible character would never do for fear of getting caught. My perspective is that our current government IS this corrupt, and run by criminals, and indebted to the Russian mob. What makes this plausible to me is that so far, nobody has done anything about it. It's open in real life and nobody is doing anything. The actual Congress that has a power to put a stop to the criminality and craziness infecting our country, is for whatever reason, choosing not to. So suddenly the dumbest cop ever is plausible. Everyone knows the police are crooked and in Diaz's pocket. And the fact that everyone knows doesn't matter because no-one is willing to do anything about it.
Here is a legit plothole. Why didn't anyone point out in court the specific way Rene was threatened? Diaz walked his daughter into court. That is something that is easy to prove. Granted, the jury was totally dirty too, but I'm wondering if the reason the writers declined to connect those dots for the jury is because it makes a conviction more believable if they don't. I don't necessarily think that's true with a jury like this (again this is pretty openly flaunted corruption) but that's probably why. But Oliver would have had a great case for appeal if she had connected those dots.
Kudos for Oliver's doctor for finding a way to NOT answer the big question without technically perjuring herself. If "I can't recall" is good enough for the rich and powerful, it's good enough for this savvy nurse.
I am a little amazed that Oliver's lawyer seems surprised when he admits to her he IS the Green Arrow. She didn't already know that? I honestly don't think she did. Not only did she phrase the question in a way that made it sound like she really did not know, but her entire defense strategy changed once she learned the truth, which wouldn't have happened if she had actually known. Granted, Oliver cut off jury nullification, but it would have been a legit defense.
Oliver in Russia: Busted! Regardless of whether or not he is imprisoned, he will never be trusted by the public again, and he will never be mayor again. Him confirming his island story was b.s., pretty much said probably everything else was too, whether he was the Green Arrow or not.
That was some h*llagood television. It freaking held my interest. I don't care if it's dumb. I am not too big of a snob to not enjoy surprise twists and unlikely coincidences. And I never was. *****.
Krypton "Transformation"
Seg shoulda taken the shot at the end.
I like Seg's perspective that they should trust Nyssa because none of their hands are clean. I also like Kem's simple perspective that he doesn't want to die.
Daron is pretty much the worst father ever. I hope he is killed by the season finale.
I was near tears when Jayna told Lyta she chose her only daughter over her honor. Some amazing acting there from Ann Ogbomo.
Zod's father is still a mystery. I think that's just a way of the writers teasing a Seg and Lyta ship. They are asking us to imagine that Superman and Zod are first or second cousins.
I don't think Adam is thinking through his plan very well. I like that Val was accidentally offended and grossed out by him saying he was s-wording him. That is definitely an Earth saying that got lost in translation.
Good week. ****.
Gotham "That Old Corpse"
The episode starting off with the nonsense of Jim and Lee made me realize I was gonna hate it. I knew it in my bones. And then the episode was nothing about it, so shows what I know.
The writing is still dumb. Alfred is still the worst guardian of the year for consenting to allow Bruce to hang out with the sketchy twin brother of serial killer in his underground dungeon. Great parenting there, Alfred.
Lee and Ed will never stop being lame.
I surprisingly love Butch and Penguin. I love them playfully messing with the guy at the end before torturing him in a ridiculous manner because they think it's funny. What I especially like is that Penguin is NOT afraid of Butch. He's just not. But he should be. He's a huge looming threat and is always warning him of dire consequences if he doesn't find Strange. But Penguin is no longer the cowardly bedwetter from season one. He can take care of himself. And even if he can't, he at least believes he can, so he isn't going to be a quivering wuss about it like he was with Moroni, Fish, and Falcone. Once when Maroni attempted to kill him, he beseeched him to "Take it like a man!" And I think Penguin is that guy now.
The joke of "The Riddler / Penguin! We're saved!" was not actually funny. It is weird to me they repeated it then.
Loved the proto-Harley Quinn.
The entire reason the episode did not suck for me of course Jeremiah. Simply because I cannot figure him out, what he wants, why he's doing what he's doing, or what he actually thinks about Bruce. The future Joker at one point believing Bruce Wayne is his best friend is an irresistible hook. I want to see Joker and Batman now, even though the premise means I never will.
But it's because nothing Jeremiah does makes sense which is why I am not going to be hating on the episode. It left me with questions and wanting to see more. And sometimes, that's all a show needs. ****.
Lucifer "Eenie Meenie Miney Me"
This episode didn't wow me. I'm sort of learning that an average "just good enough" episode of Lucifer isn't actually quite good enough.
I WILL say this: This episode reminded me of my exact objections to love triangles in fiction. This is exactly why I never use them in my writing. Pierce and Chloe were never going to get married. Never. Not for a second. Pierce came along as a potential romantic obstacle simply to drive 'shippers nuts. That is his only function. I am supposed to hate the character because he's getting in the way of Lucifer and Chloe.
But I don't want to do that. I shouldn't HAVE to do that. "Wrecking my 'ship" should never be a actual reason to hate a character. If I hate (or wind up loving) Pierce, I should be allowed to do that on the character's own merits. But shows like Lucifer don't actually care about their love triangle characters. And that's not fair to characters, it's not fair to the audience, and it's not fair for the new actor who enters the show and has to deal with fan hate for no good reason. I could basically level this exact complaint at any other show on the air, but Lucifer is the one that chose to do it last night, so it's the current one to get my ire.
So yeah, this episode underwhelmed me. **1/2.
iZombie "Mac-Liv-Moore"
I think the worst thing about Blaine is that he's been wasting the cures. He's already blown 2 for no good reason. I hate this dude.
I am glad Liv got Major on the record that he thinks Mama Leone's death was just. Because not only did it tell her he thought her life was worth crap, but he went and did the thing she was executed for on Chase's direction. Major sucks.
This being said, I now know how the season ends. Liv is caught in the last couple of episodes, and when she is led up to the stage, Major reveals Chase is actually guilty of the same crime. Major doesn't save Liv through brute force, but legalese. He will somehow have proof that he scratched the zombie killer before he died on Chase's direction.
Is there is specific reason Liv HAD to eat a white rapper? Other than making her lame? I kind of would have liked to have seen the show doing what they do with Ravi, and have Clive be amused by and enjoy the brain of the week, instead of always giving those appalled and bewildered reactions. And that might have happened if it was a black rapper. You know what? It might not have, considering the writers are not very good at this, and seem to be trying to erase a great deal of Clive's black identity just based upon the roleplaying thing. Maybe he's the kind of fictional black guy who prefers Bob Dylan, that white writers love to pretend are common. But it should have happened, and probably would have if the writers were smarter about stuff like that.
Love the little dying girl. She is my queen.
Plenty of good and interesting things happened in the episode. But not enough for me to love it. ***.
Legion "Chapter 13"
And now we know why David's sister is no longer a series regular. Devastating episode. Even gratuitous Aubrey Plaza nudity can't make me feel any better.
I don't agree with Lennie that she's not a bad person. At all. She's a hooker junkie on her best day. And this was not her best day.
Oliver saying he is going to kill the Shadow King says that he is no happier about his lot in life than Melanie is. I hope he succeeds.
Powerful ending. Great episode ****1/2.
Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy: Mission Breakout! "Lost Distance Runaround"
I like Howard the Duck. I like his bathtub car. But I don't understand why he doesn't know what a Duck is. He's from Duckworld, right? And he owns a rubber duckie. What's up with that?
Good episode. ****.
Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy: Mission Breakout! "You Don't Own Me"
What a great cliffhanger! I'm sure the mirror and the armor has to do with how the Guardians escaped but I like that we have to wait for the end of another hiatus to find out.
Phyla was being pretty stupid about her planet. If she wasn't careful, she could have wound up destroying it herself.
Speaking of destroying, Peter breaking the Collector's stuff will never get old.
Adult Groot still has a thing with buttons. Good. That's hilarious.
That ending drove me absolutely nuts in the very best way. ****.
The Simpsons "Forgive And Regret"
I cannot overstate how much I liked that episode. The destruction of the Obama car made me wince, but pretty much everything else landed for me beautifully.
As the episode went on, I suspected that whether or not I enjoyed the it would depend on if they revealed the secret, and if it lived up to the hype. This was an incredibly hard thing for the series to do and navigate. Not only did they have to make Homer's anger justified, but they had to make it something Grandpa could fix at the end of the episode and be forgiven for. And the notes were a great idea. Bonus points for Glenn Close, so you know how much they meant to Homer.
What I especially love, (and I cannot overstate how much I love this), is the idea that the rest of the family is just as angry as Homer is, and shows him complete solidarity and support for how hurt he is. Even Bart, the biggest sociopath on the show, is offended on his father's behalf. I love the notion that Homer's very real pain in that moment brings the family together in a way few things do. The whole "join me in hate" moment at the table was incredibly awkward, but what fascinated me is that it didn't turn any of the rest of the family off. They are legitimately just as angry as Homer.
And wasn't that a beautiful resolution that the recipes just fell from the sky and made the diner a success, and in gratitude the owner gives them back to Homer wrapped up in a bow? That was this show not only acknowledging this is the kind of happy ending you can only see on television, but being unapologetic about it too. It doesn't matter if it would never happen in a million years in real life. It wrapped the story up in a bow, and that was the show thumbing its nose at the cynics.
Here is something else I like: Grandpa no longer has to worry about that secret. I thought the deathbed confession for that particular thing seems like the d-wordest of d-word moves. That is not how Grandpa should expect Homer to want to remember him. And as stupid and selfish as Grandpa is for making that confession when he did, now when he DOES die, it won't be a factor, and Homer will be able to properly grieve his father. As bad a move as that was for Grandpa to do, the fact that he survived, actually helped things in the long run.
For the record, the fact that Homer actually DID take Grandpa to the hospital in the moment he did proves he's a good son. If only he had a father worthy of him.
I like that Homer thinks the Nobel Peace Prize is a sham award because Kissinger won it.
You just been smoked Gunsmoke. By a great episode, no less. *****.
Transformers: Power Of The Primes "The Swamp"
A Dinobot Combiner? Okay.
Love Unicron in the intro.
Can you actually drown a Transformer?
Megatronus sure like overexplaining his plans to himself.
I love the idea that Grimlock introduces himself to Perceptor, and him confusedly tell the Dinobot they have actually known each other for years.
Passable episode. ***.
Bob's Burgers "Are You There. Bob? It's Me, Birthday"
That was a very surprising episode. We not only found out Hugo's job actually sucks, but that it's necessary, and he's actually good at it. Him making Bob eat the wrap afterwards was like the perfect consequence for Bob thinking he just likes harassing people. Nah, he may be unnecessarily harsh to Bob, but everybody else IS really that gross.
For some reason I laughed really hard upon Ron saying "Preach!"
Jimmy Pesto is rarely punished enough for his actions in my book, and they way he was this episode did make this the best birthday ever. And I love that Bob thinks that. The whole ending where admits that he doesn't like parties, but he was going to accept one behalf of the family, and Linda tells him she changed her mind because he doesn't like parties, is one of the really cool things about the Belchers. They are honest, and without pretense to each other, and talk about their feelings and their wants and needs. And I think that makes them singularly unique as far as animated family comedies go. They are a healthy family, which is kind of refreshing.
I loved that Bob got the antique he wanted, and that he loved his birthday, even if it was a day late. And I loved the episode and episodes like this are why I love the series. ****1/2.
Brooklyne Nine-Nine "Bachelor/ette Party"
Charles sucks. I get why he's upset. I do. But maybe he should question why that is. Maybe he should question why he is making a night that is supposed to be all about Jake, all about himself. That is not normal, and not something a good friend would do.
He's also a bad husband. He never thought to make Jake less of a priority upon getting married? And he's actually hurt and surprised when Jake tells him the truth about what all husbands do? Charles sucks.
Loved me some Kangal Hat Ray. The thing I love best about him is how much Jake loves him. The sex tape joke doesn't work, but Jake loves that he attempted it. SO funny.
I like that Reginald Vel Johnson is enough of a good sport to allow himself to be portrayed as a total turd. Does he really need to tell Bruce Willis a random person he never heard of sucks? The fact that Vel Johnson thinks he does means he's a cr*ppy person in this episode.
Nobody is buying your fanboying Family Matters, Terry. Move on.
Amy's stuff was much better. I am very upset Gina was using a filter, because I could have used some of her remarks at the specific things that happened on that trip Constantine's bar. I love that Jake isn't jealous at all at the end, and finds it funny and endearing, and it is. And basically that descriptor Amy gave for herself upon what she did that night, means she actually WON that game of I Never. Maybe only as a moral victory, but there's no question no-one in that group could ever top that crazy story. And Rosa dated Adrian Pimento.
I liked the stuff with the Bachelorette party but I found the Bachelor Party portions a bit trying on my nerves because of Boyle. ***1/2.
Family Guy "Switch The Flip"
I'm getting there. I'm feeling the same feelings I started to feel when I started hating South Park, House, The Office, and 24. I didn't stop watching House or The Office, because they were in their final seasons when the feelings started, so I saw both shows through to the end. But I DID stop watching South Park and 24. And it doesn't look like Family Guy will be ending anytime soon. So I'm wondering if I'm actually going to keep making a point to sit down and watch it. It still has me for now, but I know this feeling all too well, and it doesn't bode well for my future with the show.
I am so disgusted I don't want to do an in-depth review, but I'll briefly get my 2 objections out of the way, so I can forget I ever saw this crap and move on.
1. The problem in the episode of Stewie almost being forced to have sex with Lois reminds me why this show absolutely sucks, and how whenever they attempt a genre riff, they make it the worse possible genre riff ever. This is the FIRST place the show's mind goes to in a body swapping episode. I have said before that I believe Seth MacFarlane the kind of creeper who probably has bodies buried somewhere, but this season is telling me it's the entire writing staff. He is no longer showrunner. Sure he could have nixed the story if he thought there was something wrong with it, but Seth MacFarlane being a creep is not Family Guy's biggest problem. And maybe it never was. It's that everyone is. And that might have been the problem the whole time.
2. The second thing is another one of the reasons I expect sooner or later MacFarlane will be taken down by the MeToo movement. Brian essentially rapes Lois at the end of the episode, and it is played for laughs and as an example of wish fulfillment. I cannot overstate how disgusted that makes me in the writers. I'm not even disgusted with Brian. It's the writers chose to both have him do that, and to face no negative consequences for it. Every Family Guy fans currently hates Brian. But Brian does not exist in a vacuum. The writers CHOOSE to portray him that way, because they actually think it's funny. And if this is the kind of show that thinks something like that is funny, maybe I need to let it go, no matter how much I love the observational humor or musical numbers. It is not good for my sense of well being to have to witness something that sickening, and not be able to do anything about it. Patrick Warburton's mother is a religious zealot who is such a terrible mother to Patrick that she has actually started a campaign to get Family Guy taken off the air. For real. But now... I don't care if her motives are sickening anymore. I now sort of see her point. And that disturbs me.
That was disgusting. 0.
American Dad! "Oretron Trail"
I liked most of that, but I didn't like the ending. I LIKE the idea that Roger cares enough about the family that he'll be upset when they die. Them taking that away at the end sucked. The character hasn't been interesting in years, and tonight he was again. And they took away the precise thing that made him interesting at the end. Which bums me out.
Fun Fact: I have completed Oregon Trail many times in my youth, but I have only made it through with no members of my party dying exactly once. But I DO know it's possible, if NEAR impossible.
I liked the Oregon Trail stuff more than the Renegade stuff. Did anybody actually like Renegade when it aired? It struck me as the poor man's Walker Texas Ranger as far as 90's action shows were concerned, and I can't recall anyone I know who actually liked it, much less watched it. Just speaking for me, parodies usually work better on stuff that is culturally relevant, especially years later. And Renegade would not qualify by any metric.
Klaus' stuff actually sickened me, and the less I say about it, the better.
Unfavorable impression this week. **.
The Last Man On Earth "Barbara Ann"
Game Changer. The entire show is different now and will be for the rest of its run, whether that's next week or a couple of seasons from now.
Here's the thing. I suspected an underground base last week. Not enough to make a guess in my review, but I knew it was a possibility. In fact, I assumed that this would happen at some point in the series' run. Here is something else interesting about that. It's probably not the only base like that that exists around the world. The have to be at LEAST a half dozen and maybe a ton more. This is the just the first one the people we know have encountered.
I love that they decide to move. Don't blame them but they were giving that house far too many chances after discovering the bodies. The exploded piano means there is no other answer.
I absolutely love Tandy's thing with the goat sex. At first glance, it's Tandy being a social dimwit and not knowing when to shut up before he appalls the person he is speaking. In reality, he's cheering Mike up. And you don't realize that until Mike smiles and Tandy lights up at that. Even Tandy would probably not be socially stupid enough to suggest goat sex to someone dying of loneliness. He is literally just trying to get his brother's goat (so to speak).
A lot of stuff happened in the space of 22 minutes just now. The future of humankind is now totally different. That's how big a deal this episode is. ****1/2.
The Blacklist "Nicholas T. Moore"
Every notice that crazy cults all seem to be started by failed sci-fi writers?
Aram's desperation was palpable. The scene with him clutching and explaining the book at the end to the follower with a gun was amazing. Amir Arason done brung it.
I love how increasingly appalled Red became with Jennifer's story. Each progressively dumbstruck look on James Spader's face seemed to say "Wow, I really suck."
The kid in jeopardy trope sort of soured me on the week's proceedings.
Decent episode, but nothing special. ***1/2.