Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters: Predacons Rising (Major Spoilers)
Also reviews for the latest episodes of Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., Ultimate Spider-Man, Mickey Mouse, the season premiere of Once Upon A Time, the premiere of Once Upon A Time In Wonderland, the latest episodes of Revolution and Sleepy Hollow, the season premiere of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and the latest episodes of Power Rangers: Mega Force.
I am torn about people who haven't seen Predacons Rising reading my review. On the one hand it was SO good I don't think anyone who is gonna watch the series but hasn't yet should read it because I spoil EVERYTHING. On the other hand I NEED to talk to somebody about it. Is there someone on my friends list who has no plans to see this and therefore doesn't care if they're spoiled? I kinda want to get their reaction to the big twist at the end,
Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. "8-0-4"
"I've had it with these motherf***ing aquariums on my motherf***cking plane!"
Outside of the tag, this episode was a disappointment. I expected it be though. The second episodes of Buffy, Angel, and Dollhouse sucked too. Jossverse shows do the slow burn. It's frustrating because the season always starts so slow but it yields rich storytelling once you're headed to the finale. I'll live with it.
Coulson's ex being the villain was SO predictable. I would have been more impressed if she DIDN'T wind up betraying him. It's not only a genre show cliche, it's a comic book one too.
Skye: traitor or not? I'm inclined to think traitor. Joss loves him some redemption arcs and that would make a good one for season two.
Not much else to report. To paraphrase Huey Freeman: "This show is whack! Needs more Sam Jack!". **1/2.
Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.D. "The Asset"
This episode was very enjoyable even without Maria Hill or Nick Fury. I think it let us know what we can expect from this show in the long run which is good.
I don't like the idea of S.H.I.E.L.D. not actually having a truth serum. It makes what Coulson did in the Pilot that much less awesome.
Am I the only one who thinks Skye is too ridiculously attractive to be a computer hacker? I'm not saying they needed to hire someone ugly but she literally looks like a supermodel. They don't even dress her down like the producers of Arrow do to Emily Bett Rickards, who plays Felicity Smoak. Just an observation.
I DO like the idea of a REALLY obese S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. And it makes a LOT of sense. If you want someone undercover who you'd never figure would be a superspy you'd probably want to go with a heavy trucker instead of a suave James Bond type.
Better than last week. ****.
Ultimate Spider-Man "Blade And The Howling Commandos"
Anyone else think Terry Crews would make a good LIVE-ACTION Blade too?
I liked this. It wasn't perfect. Spider-Man is STILL too dumb and unprofessional at this stage of the game but I liked more than I didn't. I saw the Living Mummy's betrayal coming but it was still kind of cool. And c'mon Dracula and Frankenstein's Monster! Yay!
WAAAYY better than Avengers Assemble's Dracula episode. ****.
Mickey Mouse "Ghoul Friend"
Zombie Goofy having a bone for a nose was one of the funniest (and grossest) sight gags of the series so far. A good one. ****.
Mickey Mouse "Dog Show"
A gem. Goofy begging was the funniest gag I've seen in a Disney cartoon ever. So THAT'S why Max's mom was never in the picture. I'm also glad that the new show is getting into the spirit of the original Floyd Gottfredson strips by having Mickey donate the prize money to orphans. That is so vanilla but juxtiposed with the madness of these shorts it works in a subversive way. And I never thought I'd live to see the day when John Waters would provide a voice for a Disney cartoon. But in all fairness, I'm betting he didn't either. *****.
Once Upon A Time "The Heart Of The Truest Believer"
Worth the wait. I know there will be fan complaints that there wasn't a single scene set in Storybrooke and only a single flashback at the beginning but I think that the new format will work if people give it a chance. It might take some getting used to, there is no denying that, but I'm willing to put my faith in the producers.
Notice how Gold disappeared almost immediately? He probably understood the rules of Neverland better than anyone (including Hook) so it makes sense the writers scuttled him off to his own adventures so as not to make it too easy for the heroes. I also think Gold is reverting because Neverland has so much magic in it. I don't actually blame him for that (the Dark One is HIS curse as well) but he should have seen it coming.
Tamara and Owen's fate? I don't mind that they killed Tamara but I'm glad Owen's fate is a little more open-ended. I think there is still unfinished business for him in Storybrooke. But once we learned that there IS no massive organization trying to get rid of magic in our universe Tamara was totally a loose end that could be tied up in a quick and devastating manner. I'm glad it was Gold who did it.
I think Bealfire has quickly become my favorite character on this show. He is the first character we've seen who is equally good at navigating his way through the Fairytale world and our world. Everyone else is better at one or the other. For instance, Emma understands our world better than the others but is hopeless in Fairytale World. And Snow and Charming's naive outlook may help them in the Enchanted Forest but Emma is right that they are pretty stupid in reality. Even Gold is better in Fairytale world because he understands the world itself better. Remember how nervous he was during his trip to Manhattan? Only character I think this doesn't apply to is Regina who is equally stupid and blundering in both worlds. She's the Anti-Neil.
The kid who plays Peter Pan hasn't sold me yet. Hopefully the producers know what they're doing and cast him for a reason but if Pan is gonna be as Big a Bad as they are hinting he will be he'll need some serious chops. We'll see.
I'll admit this doesn't feel much like the Once Upon A Time we know and love but it definitely held my interest and I will be back for more. ****1/2.
Once Upon A Time "Lost Girl"
I think Pan will be in for a shock when he tries to turn Henry against Emma. Pan said it himself: Henry is the true believer and will have faith in Emma no matter what. Comparing Emma's Lost Girl status to Henry's is a REALLY bad analogy. Emma still IS sore at Snow and David and we've always suspected that. But Henry doesn't feel the same way about Emma.
Rumple's story was very interesting to me not the least of which was because they were able to sneak in an appearance by Emilie De Ravin. I think her apparition will keep Gold grounded enough to not fully revert to the Dark One but the longer they stay in Neverland, the harder it will be.
The flashbacks were some of the best the series has done since season 1. I had no idea Regina had initially offered Snow a peace offering. If Snow had took it is it possible Regina wouldn't have felt hate filled enough to cast the curse? Somehow I doubt it, but I do have to wonder.
Also great was the revelation that the Dwarves didn't used to trust Charming. The idea of David as a golddigger was so funny because from Grumpy's perspective, it seemed pretty danged plausible.
Snow kissing David for that trick he pulled on her seemed VERY unrealistic. In real life someone would feel furious and betrayed that someone backed them into a decision that they might not have made otherwise. Snow and Charming's feelings toward each other have always seemed a bit...childish to me but it looks like it will be addressed this season. Emma's increasing distrust of their Pollyanaism shows that perhaps "True Love Conquers All" is a moral not quite as true as Snow and David say it is.
Good episode but I did miss Baelfire. ****.
Once Upon A Time In Wonderland "Down The Rabbit Hole"
Solid first episode, but I don't think this show is going to be as good as the mother show, which works because it blends fairy tales with modern sensibilities. Even if Alice turns out to be a kick-butt herione (which is hinted at here) she is still a girl from Victorian London. Ironically the Knave of Hearts is the most modern character on the show.
Good to see Ashley again, wasn't it? This is the first time we've seen Storybrooke since the cast went to Neverland. I hope we get occasional updates from home even if they aren't major storylines. Sort of like how Gargoyles' World Tour still had two and a half episodes set in New York.
Knowing what we do about Jafar from Aladdin it is very clear why he kidnapped Cyrus and what he hopes to get from him. I still don't know what he wants with Alice (or what the Red Queen does for that matter) but I will be very interested to find out.
The show did a smart thing by explaining both the absence of the Queen of Hearts and the Mad Hatter by setting it in the present. Jefferson is currently in Storybrooke and Cora is dead so we won't be seeing either of them unless they do some flashbacks. I DO expect to see them both at some point but not in the present day.
White Rabbit being a traitor could be interesting but I expect them to wimp out. No question.
Keith David as the Cheshire Cat was unlike any voice role he has ever done (and yes, I DO remember the cat from "Coraline"). I don't know if they sped the audio up or what but he nailed it. Frightening.
As for the doctor who saw the White Rabbit. I have known buttholes like him in real life and I guarantee that if Alice goes back to Bethelam he will deny he saw anything and hang her out to dry. I kind of want to see that because I think back then "mental health" was more about conformity than actual illness for a lot of people. It explains why so many gay people were sentenced to life in sanitariums. I don't think the show WILL be exploring this (very heavy for a kids show) but just the fact that it was hinted at here makes 19th Century London a MUCH darker place than Storybrooke and this series more adult. I like it.
I'm sold on this already. ****.
Revolution "There Will Be Blood"
This was so superior to the season premiere that I'm actually kind of mad about it. LAST week was the week the series should have tried to make a positive impression on the audience. I'm betting that a ton of casual fans dropped out of the series after last week's dud and missed the show's rebound. Which is a shame.
Monroe and Miles are the two characters on the show I believe you should NEVER take prisoner. Everything that Charlie said would happen if they left Monroe alive actually did. And those thugs are going to regret not killing Miles. Why they haven't after the amount of damage he did this episode is beyond me.
Sad they killed off the Sheriff but I still laughed at the Walker, Texas Ranger joke. Kids today.
Aaron's reactions to his resurrection were dead-on for the character. He wasn't happy. He wasn't relieved. He was p***ed! I got the feeling that Aaron now thinks that a LOT of his and his friends' problems would have been solved if he had stayed dead. For the record, I am not saying he is suicidal or that he wants to die. It's just that him coming back to life burdened him even MORE with the crazy cr*p that was happening and piled onto the myriad amounts of questions he and the others still have about the Blackout and will almost certainly have to be responsible for solving. That is NOT a burden anyone would want, especially since Aaron is the one "normal" guy on the show. It ESPECIALLY sucks for him. Neville or Monroe would LOVE something like that happening to them because it would make them feel important and powerful. Aaron doesn't want that. He wants to live a quiet life alone with his new wife. This has been a disaster for him.
Speaking of Tom Neville, the guy can't even do something for ostensibly the right reason without being totally cold-blooded and immoral. I really do not like him.
Terrific episode. I'm back on board. ****1/2.
Revolution "Love Story"
Way better than the premiere, but not as good as last week's episode. It looks like the Patriots have their fingers in a TON of pots as their story intersected Charlie's, Miles', and Neville's. That's the mark of a good villain. I think I'm going to prefer these guys to Monroe. David Lyons is great but Monroe, the character, is too stupid to be a credible threat at the top of the food chain. He'll work better as an crazy guy trying to survive which is where we found him in this episode. A random rogue element can be just as dangerous as a Big Bad and oftentimes a lot more fun.
I can't wait to meet the President. I think the Patriots could be this show's Others.
Aaron seems to still be struggling which makes sense to me.
Anyone else impressed that Miles was STILL able to hold his own for awhile with the use of only one hand? It didn't bug me as much as Young Justice's "Satisfaction" did because for every impressive stunt he did, you could tell it was excruciating and that he wouldn't be able to keep it up for long and that it was costing him everything he had. And yes, he lost the fight. Anything else would have been unbelievable.
I don't understand why the Patriot lady is letting Neville live, much less keeping him in their organization. I'll be disappointed if it's not that she has a bigger plan for him in mind (such as publicly trying him for treason once they catch Monroe and Miles and needing to keep him close to do that) but I'd be super sore at the writers if it's just plain stupidity on her part. Monroe turned out to be actually stupid but I'm hoping the Patriots aren't.
Great episode. ****.
Sleepy Hollow "For The Triumph Of Evil"
I'm not gonna say I object to what the show revealed about Abbie. It would have been a devastating revelation for season two but to do it in the third episode? Mistake. I don't like her anymore and I doubt there is anything she could do to win me back.
Farscape did a similar thing with Aeryn Sun in the second season but it worked because we spent all of season one learning to trust and like Aeryn. We were at the point where we, like Pilot, could learn to get past it. But we literally didn't know much about Abbie. To have one of the first major revelations of the character be something so despicable it is going to define the character in a way Aeryn murdering Moya's first Pilot did not.
That said, the episode itself isn't bad. There are some genuine scares here and as a standalone it gave us some idea of what to expect from episodes that don't focus as much on the Headless Horseman mythology. I'm not going to dismiss that when I grade it. ***.
Sleepy Hollow "The Lesser Key Of Solomon"
This had terrific special effects, which is not something you always get in a show from Bad Robot producers. Fringe's effects were great but Once Upon A Time's are pretty hit and miss sometimes.
I like that they are starting to heal the bond between Abbie and Jennifer a bit. If they didn't address last week's distressing revelation immediately I don't know how I could have possibly still sympathized with Abbie. I'm still struggling with it a little now, to be honest, but this helps.
I like this show. ****.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles "The Mutation Situation"
Very upsetting. I am as furious at the Turtles as April ESPECIALLY at Mikey for trying to give Mr. O'Neill a monster name. I don't see how she can ever forgive them for this. They were SO freaking careless and reckless. Their cockiness on the series has always been the most grating thing about them because it is almost entirely unearned. I have been complaining about their lack of professionalism since the series started but this was the first time someone actually really got hurt from their incompetence so it REALLY makes me mad. Sort of like The Office's "Scott's Tots". I can never look at these Turtles the same way again and if the show tries to go back to business as usual next week I'll be mad.
Frankly, I don't know if I even want to watch the rest of the season. Yeah, they'll probably find a cure for Mr. O'Neill in the finale but this was SUCH a cruel twist, especially for it to be done to such a fragile man with PTSD.
Last year's finale was awesome. But now this series in officially on notice and on my poop list. 0.
Power Rangers: Mega Force "Last Laugh"
Lame. In real life teenagers only laugh at dirty jokes, not first grade puns. I realize they can't do that on a kids show but there should have definitely been more than ONE fart joke. *.
Power Rangers: Mega Force "Dream Snatcher"
That was SO square. It's nice to know that despite the digital effects upgrade the show hasn't actually improved in the 20 years it's been on the air. That little girl wishing for a kitten after everyone else had all of these laudable goals was so embarrassingly badly written I laughed. I couldn't help it. It was terrible. *.
Power Rangers: Mega Force "Gosei Ultimate"
Better than the previous two weeks, probably because it didn't try to either go for a social empowerment message or tell too many lame jokes. I'm thinking the purple slime guy may have been an homage to Ivan Ooze. I can't be crazy in thinking that, can I? ***1/2.
Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters: Predacons Rising:
After seeing the amazing series finale of Transformers Prime I thought to myself "Whatever they do in Predacons Rising will be gravy". I was wrong. We were delivered a sumptious four course meal with an embarrassment of desserts. I knew the movie wouldn't screw up the last episode the way "The Final Break" did to Prison Break but I had no idea how momentous and richly satisfying it would turn out to be.
It is a Transformers first: the Cybertronian Civil War actually ends. For real. And not due to an epic battle between Optimus Prime and Megaron. But because Megatron actually reforms and disbands the Decepticons. I cannot stress what a true and pleasurable shocker that was. I never bought the idea of a war that raged on for a million years but I believe this is the first Transformers project to give us hope that peace is not out of ANYBODY'S reach. And considering the cold-war fear-mongering the original series routinely engaged in I consider this viewpoint especially refreshing.
I have mixed feelings about Starscream's fate. He is my favorite Decepticon and pretty much the only one I care about as deeply as any Autobot. He's a jerk but we've watched him struggle with his fears and loyalties and I would have felt better had he simply accepted what Megatron said needed to be done and also declared peace. However, Starscream is unpredictable and prone to switch loyalties on a dime. He was definitely a loose end that would not have felt properly tied up had the series not killed him off. I realize it was staged more ambiguously than that but c'mon, it's the last episode. You know he died. I'm sad it happened but I'm glad he at least got a funny scene to go out with.
Also, I feel the need to point out that for all of his faults Starscream was STILL overjoyed when he thought Megatron was alive. That is actual character growth and something I would not have thought possible for the same slimeball from season one. He really took Megatron giving him a second chance to heart. Which is one of the reasons I loved the character so much.
About Optimus Prime's sacrifice. I don't actually think of him as dead. I actually think of him as immortal now like Sisko and the Prophets from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It helps that the series has made clear that the Cybertronian afterlife is very real. I think a part of Optimus will now inbue every new bot that the All-Spark creates. And it made me tear up a little, I won't lie.
I also really like Knock Out basically becoming an Autobot at the end. Frankly, he never a good fit for the Decepticons. Megatron was a VERY rigid leader who didn't tolerate nonsense which only wound up getting Knock Out routinely beaten nearly half to death. As an Autobot he would have definitely had more freedom to indulge him extravangances. Yes, he's a jerk. But I never thought more so than say, Wheeljack. And it's realistic that he question his choice once he sees the danger the Autobots routinely put themselve in. But Knock Out is VERY self-serving and could tell the winning team when he saw it.
Bumblebee as a leader? I can SORT of buy it but not really. We haven't had enough of Will Friedle Bee to declare him worthy of such an honor. That said, what I really liked about Bee's leadership this episode is that he completely downplayed it and stayed humble. He wasn't "leading". He was "scouting". That is totally in character.
No Raf, Miko, Jack and Fowler: good or bad? Neither. While it would have been nice seeing them again they had a perfectly lovely wrap-up in Deadlock and more wasn't necessary. Frankly, I'm just pleased they managed to bring back Ratchet. I didn't expect to see him since the humans were absent and they still gave him a fairly large role.
Don'cha kinda wish Unicron/Megatron had called himself Galvatron at some point? You know you do.
This is literally the best animated finale a TV cartoon has ever gotten. Yes, I'm including Batman Beyond: Return Of The Joker and Justice League Unlimited's Epilogue in that statement. Both of those excellent projects were perfect cappers to their series. Yet they didn't end their franchise. Not even close. They were purposely created open-ended in case either series came back (Batman Beyond didn't; Justice League Unlimited did). There can be no more episodes of Transformers Prime. While I might have liked an epilogue that peeked into how Cybertron was doing a few centuries later there is literally nothing other than a five minute update that the audience would ever need. Frankly, we didn't REALLY need this movie after Deadlock but there was room for it. But this completely closes the door on the series in a way Epilogue and Return of the Joker did not. I am completely satisfied and I now think Transformers Prime is the best animated dramatic cartoon outside of Bruce Timm's DC Animated Universe. It was a truly special show that I am going to miss. But it made its goodbye as painless as possible for the audience and let us know that the Transformers saga CAN have a definitive and happy ending if it so chooses. I loved this movie. *****.
A Look At Polygon Pictures:
Honestly, I would have preferred a featurette on the writing of the series. The movie was SUCH a great ending to the whole thing that I kind of wish we had gotten a better look into the thought processes of the writers. Still, it was okay. ***.
Blu-Ray / DVD Menu: Gorgeous. ****1/2.
I am torn about people who haven't seen Predacons Rising reading my review. On the one hand it was SO good I don't think anyone who is gonna watch the series but hasn't yet should read it because I spoil EVERYTHING. On the other hand I NEED to talk to somebody about it. Is there someone on my friends list who has no plans to see this and therefore doesn't care if they're spoiled? I kinda want to get their reaction to the big twist at the end,
Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. "8-0-4"
"I've had it with these motherf***ing aquariums on my motherf***cking plane!"
Outside of the tag, this episode was a disappointment. I expected it be though. The second episodes of Buffy, Angel, and Dollhouse sucked too. Jossverse shows do the slow burn. It's frustrating because the season always starts so slow but it yields rich storytelling once you're headed to the finale. I'll live with it.
Coulson's ex being the villain was SO predictable. I would have been more impressed if she DIDN'T wind up betraying him. It's not only a genre show cliche, it's a comic book one too.
Skye: traitor or not? I'm inclined to think traitor. Joss loves him some redemption arcs and that would make a good one for season two.
Not much else to report. To paraphrase Huey Freeman: "This show is whack! Needs more Sam Jack!". **1/2.
Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.D. "The Asset"
This episode was very enjoyable even without Maria Hill or Nick Fury. I think it let us know what we can expect from this show in the long run which is good.
I don't like the idea of S.H.I.E.L.D. not actually having a truth serum. It makes what Coulson did in the Pilot that much less awesome.
Am I the only one who thinks Skye is too ridiculously attractive to be a computer hacker? I'm not saying they needed to hire someone ugly but she literally looks like a supermodel. They don't even dress her down like the producers of Arrow do to Emily Bett Rickards, who plays Felicity Smoak. Just an observation.
I DO like the idea of a REALLY obese S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. And it makes a LOT of sense. If you want someone undercover who you'd never figure would be a superspy you'd probably want to go with a heavy trucker instead of a suave James Bond type.
Better than last week. ****.
Ultimate Spider-Man "Blade And The Howling Commandos"
Anyone else think Terry Crews would make a good LIVE-ACTION Blade too?
I liked this. It wasn't perfect. Spider-Man is STILL too dumb and unprofessional at this stage of the game but I liked more than I didn't. I saw the Living Mummy's betrayal coming but it was still kind of cool. And c'mon Dracula and Frankenstein's Monster! Yay!
WAAAYY better than Avengers Assemble's Dracula episode. ****.
Mickey Mouse "Ghoul Friend"
Zombie Goofy having a bone for a nose was one of the funniest (and grossest) sight gags of the series so far. A good one. ****.
Mickey Mouse "Dog Show"
A gem. Goofy begging was the funniest gag I've seen in a Disney cartoon ever. So THAT'S why Max's mom was never in the picture. I'm also glad that the new show is getting into the spirit of the original Floyd Gottfredson strips by having Mickey donate the prize money to orphans. That is so vanilla but juxtiposed with the madness of these shorts it works in a subversive way. And I never thought I'd live to see the day when John Waters would provide a voice for a Disney cartoon. But in all fairness, I'm betting he didn't either. *****.
Once Upon A Time "The Heart Of The Truest Believer"
Worth the wait. I know there will be fan complaints that there wasn't a single scene set in Storybrooke and only a single flashback at the beginning but I think that the new format will work if people give it a chance. It might take some getting used to, there is no denying that, but I'm willing to put my faith in the producers.
Notice how Gold disappeared almost immediately? He probably understood the rules of Neverland better than anyone (including Hook) so it makes sense the writers scuttled him off to his own adventures so as not to make it too easy for the heroes. I also think Gold is reverting because Neverland has so much magic in it. I don't actually blame him for that (the Dark One is HIS curse as well) but he should have seen it coming.
Tamara and Owen's fate? I don't mind that they killed Tamara but I'm glad Owen's fate is a little more open-ended. I think there is still unfinished business for him in Storybrooke. But once we learned that there IS no massive organization trying to get rid of magic in our universe Tamara was totally a loose end that could be tied up in a quick and devastating manner. I'm glad it was Gold who did it.
I think Bealfire has quickly become my favorite character on this show. He is the first character we've seen who is equally good at navigating his way through the Fairytale world and our world. Everyone else is better at one or the other. For instance, Emma understands our world better than the others but is hopeless in Fairytale World. And Snow and Charming's naive outlook may help them in the Enchanted Forest but Emma is right that they are pretty stupid in reality. Even Gold is better in Fairytale world because he understands the world itself better. Remember how nervous he was during his trip to Manhattan? Only character I think this doesn't apply to is Regina who is equally stupid and blundering in both worlds. She's the Anti-Neil.
The kid who plays Peter Pan hasn't sold me yet. Hopefully the producers know what they're doing and cast him for a reason but if Pan is gonna be as Big a Bad as they are hinting he will be he'll need some serious chops. We'll see.
I'll admit this doesn't feel much like the Once Upon A Time we know and love but it definitely held my interest and I will be back for more. ****1/2.
Once Upon A Time "Lost Girl"
I think Pan will be in for a shock when he tries to turn Henry against Emma. Pan said it himself: Henry is the true believer and will have faith in Emma no matter what. Comparing Emma's Lost Girl status to Henry's is a REALLY bad analogy. Emma still IS sore at Snow and David and we've always suspected that. But Henry doesn't feel the same way about Emma.
Rumple's story was very interesting to me not the least of which was because they were able to sneak in an appearance by Emilie De Ravin. I think her apparition will keep Gold grounded enough to not fully revert to the Dark One but the longer they stay in Neverland, the harder it will be.
The flashbacks were some of the best the series has done since season 1. I had no idea Regina had initially offered Snow a peace offering. If Snow had took it is it possible Regina wouldn't have felt hate filled enough to cast the curse? Somehow I doubt it, but I do have to wonder.
Also great was the revelation that the Dwarves didn't used to trust Charming. The idea of David as a golddigger was so funny because from Grumpy's perspective, it seemed pretty danged plausible.
Snow kissing David for that trick he pulled on her seemed VERY unrealistic. In real life someone would feel furious and betrayed that someone backed them into a decision that they might not have made otherwise. Snow and Charming's feelings toward each other have always seemed a bit...childish to me but it looks like it will be addressed this season. Emma's increasing distrust of their Pollyanaism shows that perhaps "True Love Conquers All" is a moral not quite as true as Snow and David say it is.
Good episode but I did miss Baelfire. ****.
Once Upon A Time In Wonderland "Down The Rabbit Hole"
Solid first episode, but I don't think this show is going to be as good as the mother show, which works because it blends fairy tales with modern sensibilities. Even if Alice turns out to be a kick-butt herione (which is hinted at here) she is still a girl from Victorian London. Ironically the Knave of Hearts is the most modern character on the show.
Good to see Ashley again, wasn't it? This is the first time we've seen Storybrooke since the cast went to Neverland. I hope we get occasional updates from home even if they aren't major storylines. Sort of like how Gargoyles' World Tour still had two and a half episodes set in New York.
Knowing what we do about Jafar from Aladdin it is very clear why he kidnapped Cyrus and what he hopes to get from him. I still don't know what he wants with Alice (or what the Red Queen does for that matter) but I will be very interested to find out.
The show did a smart thing by explaining both the absence of the Queen of Hearts and the Mad Hatter by setting it in the present. Jefferson is currently in Storybrooke and Cora is dead so we won't be seeing either of them unless they do some flashbacks. I DO expect to see them both at some point but not in the present day.
White Rabbit being a traitor could be interesting but I expect them to wimp out. No question.
Keith David as the Cheshire Cat was unlike any voice role he has ever done (and yes, I DO remember the cat from "Coraline"). I don't know if they sped the audio up or what but he nailed it. Frightening.
As for the doctor who saw the White Rabbit. I have known buttholes like him in real life and I guarantee that if Alice goes back to Bethelam he will deny he saw anything and hang her out to dry. I kind of want to see that because I think back then "mental health" was more about conformity than actual illness for a lot of people. It explains why so many gay people were sentenced to life in sanitariums. I don't think the show WILL be exploring this (very heavy for a kids show) but just the fact that it was hinted at here makes 19th Century London a MUCH darker place than Storybrooke and this series more adult. I like it.
I'm sold on this already. ****.
Revolution "There Will Be Blood"
This was so superior to the season premiere that I'm actually kind of mad about it. LAST week was the week the series should have tried to make a positive impression on the audience. I'm betting that a ton of casual fans dropped out of the series after last week's dud and missed the show's rebound. Which is a shame.
Monroe and Miles are the two characters on the show I believe you should NEVER take prisoner. Everything that Charlie said would happen if they left Monroe alive actually did. And those thugs are going to regret not killing Miles. Why they haven't after the amount of damage he did this episode is beyond me.
Sad they killed off the Sheriff but I still laughed at the Walker, Texas Ranger joke. Kids today.
Aaron's reactions to his resurrection were dead-on for the character. He wasn't happy. He wasn't relieved. He was p***ed! I got the feeling that Aaron now thinks that a LOT of his and his friends' problems would have been solved if he had stayed dead. For the record, I am not saying he is suicidal or that he wants to die. It's just that him coming back to life burdened him even MORE with the crazy cr*p that was happening and piled onto the myriad amounts of questions he and the others still have about the Blackout and will almost certainly have to be responsible for solving. That is NOT a burden anyone would want, especially since Aaron is the one "normal" guy on the show. It ESPECIALLY sucks for him. Neville or Monroe would LOVE something like that happening to them because it would make them feel important and powerful. Aaron doesn't want that. He wants to live a quiet life alone with his new wife. This has been a disaster for him.
Speaking of Tom Neville, the guy can't even do something for ostensibly the right reason without being totally cold-blooded and immoral. I really do not like him.
Terrific episode. I'm back on board. ****1/2.
Revolution "Love Story"
Way better than the premiere, but not as good as last week's episode. It looks like the Patriots have their fingers in a TON of pots as their story intersected Charlie's, Miles', and Neville's. That's the mark of a good villain. I think I'm going to prefer these guys to Monroe. David Lyons is great but Monroe, the character, is too stupid to be a credible threat at the top of the food chain. He'll work better as an crazy guy trying to survive which is where we found him in this episode. A random rogue element can be just as dangerous as a Big Bad and oftentimes a lot more fun.
I can't wait to meet the President. I think the Patriots could be this show's Others.
Aaron seems to still be struggling which makes sense to me.
Anyone else impressed that Miles was STILL able to hold his own for awhile with the use of only one hand? It didn't bug me as much as Young Justice's "Satisfaction" did because for every impressive stunt he did, you could tell it was excruciating and that he wouldn't be able to keep it up for long and that it was costing him everything he had. And yes, he lost the fight. Anything else would have been unbelievable.
I don't understand why the Patriot lady is letting Neville live, much less keeping him in their organization. I'll be disappointed if it's not that she has a bigger plan for him in mind (such as publicly trying him for treason once they catch Monroe and Miles and needing to keep him close to do that) but I'd be super sore at the writers if it's just plain stupidity on her part. Monroe turned out to be actually stupid but I'm hoping the Patriots aren't.
Great episode. ****.
Sleepy Hollow "For The Triumph Of Evil"
I'm not gonna say I object to what the show revealed about Abbie. It would have been a devastating revelation for season two but to do it in the third episode? Mistake. I don't like her anymore and I doubt there is anything she could do to win me back.
Farscape did a similar thing with Aeryn Sun in the second season but it worked because we spent all of season one learning to trust and like Aeryn. We were at the point where we, like Pilot, could learn to get past it. But we literally didn't know much about Abbie. To have one of the first major revelations of the character be something so despicable it is going to define the character in a way Aeryn murdering Moya's first Pilot did not.
That said, the episode itself isn't bad. There are some genuine scares here and as a standalone it gave us some idea of what to expect from episodes that don't focus as much on the Headless Horseman mythology. I'm not going to dismiss that when I grade it. ***.
Sleepy Hollow "The Lesser Key Of Solomon"
This had terrific special effects, which is not something you always get in a show from Bad Robot producers. Fringe's effects were great but Once Upon A Time's are pretty hit and miss sometimes.
I like that they are starting to heal the bond between Abbie and Jennifer a bit. If they didn't address last week's distressing revelation immediately I don't know how I could have possibly still sympathized with Abbie. I'm still struggling with it a little now, to be honest, but this helps.
I like this show. ****.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles "The Mutation Situation"
Very upsetting. I am as furious at the Turtles as April ESPECIALLY at Mikey for trying to give Mr. O'Neill a monster name. I don't see how she can ever forgive them for this. They were SO freaking careless and reckless. Their cockiness on the series has always been the most grating thing about them because it is almost entirely unearned. I have been complaining about their lack of professionalism since the series started but this was the first time someone actually really got hurt from their incompetence so it REALLY makes me mad. Sort of like The Office's "Scott's Tots". I can never look at these Turtles the same way again and if the show tries to go back to business as usual next week I'll be mad.
Frankly, I don't know if I even want to watch the rest of the season. Yeah, they'll probably find a cure for Mr. O'Neill in the finale but this was SUCH a cruel twist, especially for it to be done to such a fragile man with PTSD.
Last year's finale was awesome. But now this series in officially on notice and on my poop list. 0.
Power Rangers: Mega Force "Last Laugh"
Lame. In real life teenagers only laugh at dirty jokes, not first grade puns. I realize they can't do that on a kids show but there should have definitely been more than ONE fart joke. *.
Power Rangers: Mega Force "Dream Snatcher"
That was SO square. It's nice to know that despite the digital effects upgrade the show hasn't actually improved in the 20 years it's been on the air. That little girl wishing for a kitten after everyone else had all of these laudable goals was so embarrassingly badly written I laughed. I couldn't help it. It was terrible. *.
Power Rangers: Mega Force "Gosei Ultimate"
Better than the previous two weeks, probably because it didn't try to either go for a social empowerment message or tell too many lame jokes. I'm thinking the purple slime guy may have been an homage to Ivan Ooze. I can't be crazy in thinking that, can I? ***1/2.
Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters: Predacons Rising:
After seeing the amazing series finale of Transformers Prime I thought to myself "Whatever they do in Predacons Rising will be gravy". I was wrong. We were delivered a sumptious four course meal with an embarrassment of desserts. I knew the movie wouldn't screw up the last episode the way "The Final Break" did to Prison Break but I had no idea how momentous and richly satisfying it would turn out to be.
It is a Transformers first: the Cybertronian Civil War actually ends. For real. And not due to an epic battle between Optimus Prime and Megaron. But because Megatron actually reforms and disbands the Decepticons. I cannot stress what a true and pleasurable shocker that was. I never bought the idea of a war that raged on for a million years but I believe this is the first Transformers project to give us hope that peace is not out of ANYBODY'S reach. And considering the cold-war fear-mongering the original series routinely engaged in I consider this viewpoint especially refreshing.
I have mixed feelings about Starscream's fate. He is my favorite Decepticon and pretty much the only one I care about as deeply as any Autobot. He's a jerk but we've watched him struggle with his fears and loyalties and I would have felt better had he simply accepted what Megatron said needed to be done and also declared peace. However, Starscream is unpredictable and prone to switch loyalties on a dime. He was definitely a loose end that would not have felt properly tied up had the series not killed him off. I realize it was staged more ambiguously than that but c'mon, it's the last episode. You know he died. I'm sad it happened but I'm glad he at least got a funny scene to go out with.
Also, I feel the need to point out that for all of his faults Starscream was STILL overjoyed when he thought Megatron was alive. That is actual character growth and something I would not have thought possible for the same slimeball from season one. He really took Megatron giving him a second chance to heart. Which is one of the reasons I loved the character so much.
About Optimus Prime's sacrifice. I don't actually think of him as dead. I actually think of him as immortal now like Sisko and the Prophets from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It helps that the series has made clear that the Cybertronian afterlife is very real. I think a part of Optimus will now inbue every new bot that the All-Spark creates. And it made me tear up a little, I won't lie.
I also really like Knock Out basically becoming an Autobot at the end. Frankly, he never a good fit for the Decepticons. Megatron was a VERY rigid leader who didn't tolerate nonsense which only wound up getting Knock Out routinely beaten nearly half to death. As an Autobot he would have definitely had more freedom to indulge him extravangances. Yes, he's a jerk. But I never thought more so than say, Wheeljack. And it's realistic that he question his choice once he sees the danger the Autobots routinely put themselve in. But Knock Out is VERY self-serving and could tell the winning team when he saw it.
Bumblebee as a leader? I can SORT of buy it but not really. We haven't had enough of Will Friedle Bee to declare him worthy of such an honor. That said, what I really liked about Bee's leadership this episode is that he completely downplayed it and stayed humble. He wasn't "leading". He was "scouting". That is totally in character.
No Raf, Miko, Jack and Fowler: good or bad? Neither. While it would have been nice seeing them again they had a perfectly lovely wrap-up in Deadlock and more wasn't necessary. Frankly, I'm just pleased they managed to bring back Ratchet. I didn't expect to see him since the humans were absent and they still gave him a fairly large role.
Don'cha kinda wish Unicron/Megatron had called himself Galvatron at some point? You know you do.
This is literally the best animated finale a TV cartoon has ever gotten. Yes, I'm including Batman Beyond: Return Of The Joker and Justice League Unlimited's Epilogue in that statement. Both of those excellent projects were perfect cappers to their series. Yet they didn't end their franchise. Not even close. They were purposely created open-ended in case either series came back (Batman Beyond didn't; Justice League Unlimited did). There can be no more episodes of Transformers Prime. While I might have liked an epilogue that peeked into how Cybertron was doing a few centuries later there is literally nothing other than a five minute update that the audience would ever need. Frankly, we didn't REALLY need this movie after Deadlock but there was room for it. But this completely closes the door on the series in a way Epilogue and Return of the Joker did not. I am completely satisfied and I now think Transformers Prime is the best animated dramatic cartoon outside of Bruce Timm's DC Animated Universe. It was a truly special show that I am going to miss. But it made its goodbye as painless as possible for the audience and let us know that the Transformers saga CAN have a definitive and happy ending if it so chooses. I loved this movie. *****.
A Look At Polygon Pictures:
Honestly, I would have preferred a featurette on the writing of the series. The movie was SUCH a great ending to the whole thing that I kind of wish we had gotten a better look into the thought processes of the writers. Still, it was okay. ***.
Blu-Ray / DVD Menu: Gorgeous. ****1/2.