Review: Gotham season 4
Unlike the other DC TV shows that I reviewed a few days ago, Gotham has potential. Sure, it’s been eye rolling and frustrating to comic book fans at times, but season 4 makes up for a lot of that. Warning that there are some spoilers ahead.
This season did a great job of really delving into some of the lore that makes Batman who he is. Although there were some episodes that dragged (Barbara getting the Demon’s Head was a horrible plot point), most of them kept me wanting to watch more.
By the season’s end we get to see who will actually become the Joker. He isn’t the Joker yet, but this take on him really shows him as the Red Hood without wearing the hood. We’ve got multiple cliffhangers. Butch will surely become Solomon Grundy again, Penguin will have his empire back, Riddler and Lee will be in debted to Hugo Strange and Penguin, Selina will undoubtedly have survived and used up one of her nine lives, Gotham is looking to be “No Man’s Land” straight from the comics, villains like Firefly and Mr. Freeze are on the loose and ready to make their marks, Bruce Wayne and Gordon standing on the rooftop near the spotlight is a bit of a foreshadowing, and everything is set up for a good conclusion to the prequel show. The next season is said to be the final one with Bruce finally becoming Batman, probably resulting in Jeremiah becoming the Joker, and so much more anticipated comic book accurate points. At least that’s what we can hope for.
For Season 4 of Gotham, I have to give it a high score of 4 out of 5 sCrypt ratings. Perhaps it’s because the CW has left such a bad watching experience that I’m willing to accept what Gotham has given us, but I think that the writers of this show really care about what they are working with, at least to some degree. What did you think of this season? Do you agree or disagree? Comment below and share your thoughts.
Review DC TV shows 2016-2017 seasons
It’s time to review DC Comics’ Television properties, and how they fared this season. I’ll keep it fairly simple this time around, but will take an overall look at the following: DC’s Legends of Tomorrow season 2, The Flash season 3, Arrow season 5, Supergirl season 2, Powerless season 1, and Gotham season 3. I’ll also mention the crossover episode “Invasion” as a separate entity.
First up is Legends of Tomorrow Season 2:
While the first season was subpar, the concept improved for the second season. The good: The characters were all done well. They were really the focus of what made this year work. Finally seeing a version of the Legion of Doom was a much better antagonist than Vandal Savage the year before. The cliff hanger at the end of the finale was also really great segue into making me want to come back for at least the premier of ssn 3. The Bad: The writers of this show have no idea what they are doing with time travel. They talk about time aberrations and how they are supposed to stop them from happening, but the characters have no problem sleeping with other people from different timelines or killing them. Then they worry about one mistake that Stein made by talking to his younger self which created a daughter he never had. I call B.S. that this would be their worst problem. Overall: This show is just painful to watch. I keep watching because the comic book nerd in me desires to see these great characters. There are moments that make me smile, but overall it’s not something a regular audience of non-comic book fans would want to see. If they could understand a little more about the potential of traveling through time, then it’d have potential, but otherwise it’s just sloppy writing. I give season 2 a sCrypt rating of 2.5/5.
Supergirl Season 2:
Where to begin… hmmm… The transition of this show to the CW really hurt it, but I can’t just blame the station move. The Good: Martian Manhunter, Superman, Mon-El, The Guardian and Teri Hatcher were the best things about the season. Their stories were good, and though I had reservations about the Guardian, he turned out to be quite enjoyable. The Bad: Oh where to begin. Fire all the writers. It’s the only thing that will save this show because it’s downright hard to watch. First off is the Alex and Maggie relationship. I get it. They are an item. I have no problem with a lesbian couple in the show, but this was so forced and hard to watch it made me cringe. They spent more time focusing on this unnatural progression into a gay relationship that it often overshadowed the main narrative. I knew we’d have Maggie in some sort of relationship with a woman too, but it could have been anyone else. They changed Alex (who showed that she had an attraction to men in the first season) to being an item with Maggie. The two characters on their own could be great, but the way this was forced was so bad the writers seemed like amateurs. And before anyone claims that I’m bashing the LGBTQRSTUV community, that is not the case at all. I’ve got friends and family who fall into that category. I would have the exact same issues if they did this with straight characters because it was so badly done and took center stage over the rest of the plot. Then they cut Cat Grant out of the picture… then they had Supergirl beat Superman in a really lame fighting scene that went on way too long for its lack of showmanship, then they changed Cat from one political standing to another without explanation and tried to force a message, then they had Lynda Carter as an alien president without much explanation as to why they would not feel threatened by a president who had the biggest lie of any president (and that’s saying a lot nowadays), then there’s that weird ending which I can only assume means we are getting Doomsday on a TV budget when they couldn’t even do it right in the movies. WTF writers? Did anyone watch this heaping bag of horse manure before they decided to air it on television? Ugh I’m done my rant. Overall: When a hero like Supergirl with some major characters is worse than watching a show with bad time travel in its writing, there is something amiss. I can barely give this second season a 1 out of 5 sCrypt Ratings.
Arrow Season 5:
Thank goodness this got better. While last season was subpar, this season was my favorite by far. The Good: Everything in the latter half of the season was great. I was upset at first that they were going to do ANOTHER Black Canary instead of reforming Laurel of Earth 2, but when it turned out her name was Dinah Drake, I accepted it. Hopefully we see her and Oliver as an item and keep that Arrow / Black Canary love story. Deathstroke’s return and the whole final episode was very emotional. Season 6 could quite literally be a reboot to the whole series with just Oliver and his son, but I’m assuming one or two people will escape the island. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Diggle, Dinah, Speedy, and Slade to have survived. The Bad: In the beginning of the season it was very rushed. They jam packed all these new recruits onto the team, and it took away from story. Wild Dog was annoying at first, but I grew to really like the character. Other than the expansion of “Team Arrow”, I didn’t find much wrong here. Overall: There’s a lot they can do for the next season now that the flashbacks are all caught up. I have no idea where they will go with it, but if they continue this approach it’d be more than welcome. I give season 5 of arrow a 4.5 out of 5 sCrypt ratings.
Invasion Crossover episode:
I didn’t think they’d be able to pull off crossing over Supergirl, Arrow, Flash, and Legends of Tomorrow, but they managed… sort of. Obviously their budget had limitations, but the story worked and each character was utilized well. If I had one complaint it would be that it really wasn’t a 4 part episode, because it began as a stinger at the end of the Supergirl episode, which was rehashed in Flash. Despite this false advertisement in my mind, it was enjoyable. I give it a 3 out of 5 sCrypt ratings.
The Flash Season 3:
This season had its ups and downs. The Good: Jay Garrick and Wally West were very welcome in this season. The Flashpoint approach was done well, and Killer Frost’s story really hit the mark; even if I wanted to see her become a full fledged villain at the end. Who knows where that’ll go. They hit an emotional level with the viewers too that won’t be forgotten. The Bad: Savitar, while not all that horrible of a villain just looked really stupid. I hated the costume, and wasn’t really sold on the true reveal of his identity. The story felt drawn out with some great filler episodes to break it up, but that detracted from the continual plot. There was a point during the Grodd storyline (which I loved, so it’s not all bad), that I almost forgot about Savitar’s threat. Overall: They managed to clear up some of the cluster-F that was last season, and created a pretty decent flow. The twists and shocking reveals really held it high on the standards chart. If there is any season finale that sets up the premier of next season it would be this one. I hope we see more of Jay Garrick and even Wally suiting up as the Flash would be great. As long as there isn’t another speedster as the main villain I think Flash can do a whole lot more. I give it 3.5 out of 5 sCrypt ratings.
Powerless Season 1:
I’ll get straight to it. The Good: If you enjoy the Office, and it’s type of humor, then this show is for you. It’s funny and creative. I loved the characters, and the fact that they are a little over the top. It sounds like a dumb idea, but the show really worked for me. It was a break from all the other comic book shows on television right now. The Bad: Aside from very horrible budget effects and cosplay looking costumes, the only other bad thing I can say is that it was cancelled. Overall: If I had to say that there was one show that paid homage to the comics, while feeling refreshing it was this one. I only got to see the first 9 episodes, as the final 3 were pulled when the show was cancelled. If more people gave it a chance, I think it’d have been a hit. I give it a 4 out of 5 sCrypt ratings, which would have gotten a whole other point if not for the costumes and effects.
Gotham Season 3:
The latter half of the season renewed my faith in the show, but it’s still got a lot of work to do. The Good: The way the villains were handled, and Bruce’s evolution were great. I feel like the creators are starting to get that Batman feel without the Bat. I can’t emphasize more that The Riddler and Jerome/The Joker were the best thing all season. The Bad: Penguin being gay isn’t the issue, but the way they made him during that story arc was flat out pathetic. He didn’t even seem like the Penguin during that batch of episodes. It makes sense to make him gay if they were going to because he’s one character that never really had a love interest in the comics. I just wish they could have made him as good a character as he was before this season, and after Ivy saved him. Gordon still seems flat to me as well. Every scene with him and Lee made me cringe. There are also inconsistencies in the writing. Why did Freeze’s gun not kill his last victim, when it did so to everyone else? There was also an opportunity to use the same casting for Ra’s Al Ghul as with Arrow to connect the shows in some way, but they failed to do that. Overall: It’s starting to really feel like it fits in with the rest of the shows, even to the point where I wouldn’t mind having a crossover if it made sense to do so. There’s a lot of things set up that make it convoluted, but can be handled well. At this point I’m not sure how they can keep with the current path without a Batman in there, and though we saw Bruce suit up as some vigilante he’s still way too young and immature with his thinking to become the full fledged Bat. Time will tell. I give the season 2.5 out of 5 sCrypt ratings.
What did you think of these shows? What were the high and low moments for you and where do you see them going? Comment below, and let’s discuss. P.S. I realize I didn’t put Izombie in here. The reason is because I just can’t watch it. It’s appalling. Maybe you disagree.
Review: Gotham Season 3 pt 1 Mad City
Since seasons of TV shows seem to be split into two mini seasons with certain ones, I figured I’d review this fur the break. Gotham Season 3 has so far made some good decisions, but some very very bad ones. Let’s take a look at the characters and what worked or what didn’t. There will be spoilers, so if you want my non-spoilery rating, scroll down to the last paragraph.
James Gordon – I’m a little disappointed so far. This is not the guy who becomes commissioner. This is a guy who is lost in every sense of the way. They really need to step up his character in the second half of the season to rectify what they are doing here. Prime example of this culminates at the end of the winter finale. WHY would he go alone to find Mario? He has to be the dumbest detective ever to see how many ways this would go wrong. Plus it felt rushed. Everything he’s done so far this season is very amateur, and I hope we aren’t seeing him go back to prison again because of his actions.
Lee Thompkins: Now that she isn’t attached to Gordon, she’s much more bearable to watch. So far her story arc is convincing and enjoyable. The aftermath of this last episode will be interesting to see.
Harvey Bullock: Easily one of my favorite parts of the show, though I don’t get him being Captain all the time. Sure he’s the highest ranking officer at the force after Barnes, but it doesn’t work well for his persona.
Ivy Pepper (Poison Ivy): I’m not sure of how she’ll play into the future of the show, but there’s good character development here. Her rapid aging to a mature woman fits well with her adolescent demeanor. I can’t wait til she throws another temper tantrum and goes full on Ivy. So far so good here, and they are playing up her sexuality which is a key part of her character.
Valerie Val, Lucius Fox, Alfred Pennyworth, and Carmine Falcone – all seem to have a solid role in the season. The first of the group I was wondering how they’d use her. Is she related to Vicki Vale? Who knows, but her short lived presence worked well. Lucius and Alfred were as they should be. Carmine’s return was amazing, because I feel he really is the most convincing person to be in that role.
Tabitha, Barbara, and Butch: While in prior seasons these three annoyed me, but this season is doing much better. In fact, Barbara, who was my least favorite character (aside from Fish), is shaping up to having a much better place. She’s no longer annoying, but more of a Harley Quinn. I hope she doesn’t end up becoming the Joker’s love interest, but she’s starting to be interesting to say the least, and the three of them teaming with Riddler has potential to make the second half of the season a wild ride. Will we see more of the Red Hood gang?
Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle – Both are beginning to take on more of the characters they will one day become. They don’t act the best in the show, but as the actors mature, so do their skills. Wayne’s doppleganger was strange to me. What is he supposed to be? Is he a precursor to Hush? It felt a little strange, but the possibilities are intriguing.
Isabella – speaking of look alikes, WTF was this? Worst story arc ever. I don’t even want to go into it. Sure it served a purpose, but the writers on this show make some really stupid decisions that make no sense. Motive for Riddler could have been handled much better.
Riddler – Edward is just awesome. He IS the Riddler already, just not calling himself that. What he did to Tabitha and Butch was a classic scenario that made him even more fun to watch. Can’t wait to see how he exacts vengeance on Penguin.
Penguin – AAAAnd here’s where I got really upset. F You, DC! This is stupid! Again, you’ve changed a character. Penguin now is gay and is in love with Riddler. If you spent half the time focused on who Penguin is rather than his infatuation with another man, then you’d realize you butchered one of the best characters in the show. This has nothing to do with the focus on the sexuality, but rather the fact that he was an intimidating and interesting character to watch because he was so unpredictable. Now he’s very predictable, and a bit of a tantrum thrower without much of a cause. Penguin doesn’t need to have any romantic interest (male or female) to make him work, and here we are seeing someone stray away from what made him great (a loner who relied on only himself, and his henchmen).
Fish Mooney: Do I really need to revisit how much I hate this character, and the need for her to stay dead or off the show? Horrendous acting on Jada Pinkett’s part, and now that she’s got powers it has made the cheese factor with her unbearable.
Mario Calvi: Although a smaller role, he was crucial to the story for this first half. I was sad to see him die, but it served a greater purpose in the long run. Perhaps now we will see Carmine in full mob mode again, making him the antithesis to Gordon and the GCPD.
Chief Barnes – Michael Chiklis plays his roles well. It seems like he’s a proto version of the Executioner here. I thought it felt a little forced when it all happened, but his swift turn of motives made for interesting TV.
Zzasz and the Court of Owls – Zzasz needs to become more like his comic counterpart in order for him to be interesting. This hired gun thing doesn’t feel right and its time for him to become full blown serial killer. Perhaps Gordon’s punch to his head will change his personality to become that darker version. Otherwise it’s just a name on a different person. There isn’t much to say about the Court other than their presence is well known now. It’ll be interesting to see what exactly Selina and Bruce stole, and how her mom plays into the whole story. Even Falcone seems to be afraid of the Court. So the question needs to be answered “Why are they so intimidating?”
Jervis Tech (Mad Hatter), Alice, White Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum: I put them all together because it plays hand in hand. Alice’s story gave us a little history of Jervis and how he is. He’s a sick man that it is implied raped his own sister. He’s so mentally disturbed that he’s easily one of the best villains so far. The minor roles of the White Rabbit and the Tweedles fit well and worked. For this I can say the writers did something right.
Assessment: I’ve many unanswered questions… for instance: Was that supposed to be Man-Bat or a vampire early on in the season? Who are all these other “freaks?” I’m glad they’ve killed a few off. Where does this all lead? It truly did end on a cliffhanger.
In conclusion I have to say this. These writers are out of their minds and clearly don’t care for source material. There’s enough here to keep me watching, but I don’t know for how long. The Batman universe is so vast that there is no need to add countless new characters, short of a few here and there. To top it off they need to stop changing key characters into something they aren’t, or adding pointless story arcs. As a writer I’m appalled that this show even continues with its countless plot holes and rushed nature. As a Batman fan I’m aggravated at what they’ve done to the existing characters. As a comic book fan, I’m always interested in seeing what they will do, but I have my limits.
I will continue to watch in the hopes that they keep the things that work, and fix the things that don’t. For part 1 of Season 3 (Gotham: Mad City), I give it 2 sCrypt logos out of 5. It’s certainly not the worst comic adaptation, but it could quickly become that. It has potential to get better though, so here’s hoping.
Review: DC Comics TV shows 2015-2016
This review will cover all of DC’s Television shows for the 2015-2016 season. It includes Gotham, Legends of Tomorrow, Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl. Feel free to add your own thoughts in the comments below, and be warned that there will be spoilers. If you want to know my review of each show individually, then skip down to the last paragraph of each section (sections end with a solid line ______). I will do a quick character breakdown as I feel that is the best way to rate a show. Plot points etc will be mentioned there as well.
First up… GOTHAM Season 2:
James Gordon – The story arc this season was all over the place. I didn’t like his actions at the end of the first half of this season because I didn’t feel it was in his character, but I accepted it. Then this season we get Gordon as a cop, Gordon on the run, Gordon as an inmate, and Gordon as a broken hearted self shaming man. Very little did we see the James Gordon that becomes Batman’s biggest ally. With his departure at the end of the season I don’t know how he will be when he returns for season 3, but I hope this is corrected.
Harvey Bullock – If anything Harvey played a better role than Gordon. But what bothers me is that he was more of a role model than his partner. He played a badass who broke the rules but did what was right and is now in charge of the police force. I’m not sure I like that leadership role for him, but Bullock was still fun to watch in every scene.
Tabitha Galavan /Tigress – Again here is another character who felt right in the beginning and fell apart. She was a cold hearted assassin and then suddenly just a henchman. The last we see of her she’s in a hospital bed. I’m sure she’ll be making an appearance again, but if we don’t see her it won’t be that much of a loss. If she does return I’m hoping for the cold hearted assassin again.
Butch – There isn’t much bad I can say about him. I think some of his story arcs are lame and he’s a bit of a quirky character, but as a henchman he’s fitting. As a leader he is not, so I’m glad they got away from that quickly. When he used the gatling gun at the end and shot up the school bus I thought to myself that he’s finally returning to being the “muscle” of the villains.
Jerome Valeska – He was easily the highlight of the season. I would have been happy if he turned out to be the Joker one day. The perfect amalgamation of all joker incarnations so far he really played that psychotic part well. If there is one character I do hope to see return from the dead I hope its him. I realize that the basement in Arkham has been shut down, but I hold out hope that he was one of the escapees on the bus, because no one could play that part better. Whether he ends up being alive and the Joker remains to be seen, but he left behind a legacy of laughter that obviously set seed for the main villain to be born.
Richard Sionis / Black Mask – What a waste. I had to mention him because he’s a key character in the mythos, but they killed him so fast I am a little irritated at how they handled it.
Chief Nathaniel Barnes – I’ve no complaints but more a question here… Did Barnes die? They said he was rushed off to the hospital but I’m not sure he was ever declared dead. Either way his presence helped to make the first half of the season enjoyable.
Silver St. Cloud – For once a female character in the show didn’t annoy me. Sorry, not to sound sexist, but the writers tend to make feminine characters cringe worthy. Silver however seemed like her comic counterpart and the actress played the part well. It was an interesting plot point adding her in so early with her Bruce Wayne relationship.
Bridgit / Firefly – And she’s the second intro I really enjoyed. From her origin until the end of the season I thoroughly enjoyed her evolution into the female version of Firefly. Nothing felt forced and I look forward to seeing her again.
Eduardo Flamingo – Batshit crazy comes to mind, but in a whole other way than Jerome. His short stint for an episode was another highlight, and while I didn’t think the acting was done all that well I feel as though the character served his purpose.
Professor Hugo Strange – It was good to see a live action version of this character who in my opinion is one of Batman’s greatest foes. I think they kept him close to the trueness of who he is supposed to be, but while he always fed into the psychosis of the villains he never actually created them. That’s where this falls short for me. I’m not sure I like just about every villain being his creation. For some it works, but not all, and because of that I was split down the center with him in this season.
Victor Fries / Mr. Freeze – His story arc was handled well, but I’m not sure what his motivation is from here on out. With his wife dead that part of his persona and purpose is mute. Mr. Freeze always did what he did to find a cure for his wife, but now she’s dead, so the character really has no meaning other than being a common criminal with an ice gun. At first I didn’t like the look with his hair, but loved the eyes. The look grew on me by the end of the season though and the special effects were nice.
Patrick “Matches” Malone – I like that Bruce came face to face with a persona that he will adapt one day while undercover trying to gather information. I don’t like how they handled this character though and ignored the Joe Chill killing Bruce’s parents. It seemed like the writers just wanted to throw another name into the mythos way too early in the game.
Azrael – Theo Galavan being resurrected was the only part of this that made sense, but as Azrael he felt close to being acceptable. The look was right, but I really hope this is just a precursor to the real Azrael. With him being dead it is to be believed that the Order of Saint Dumas would continue using that legend to recruit newer versions of the character. Time will tell, but for now we can lay this one to rest.
Oswald Cobblepot / The Penguin – When he is acting as The Penguin he’s easily still one of the best parts of this show, but I’m sick of this back and forth with him. He was all over the place, and with Mooney’s return at the end I fear once again we won’t be getting what they keep building him up to be. The nonsense needs to stop once and for all. Get this character right as we have seen can be done in this show, and keep him that way.
Edward Nygma / The Riddler – Now THIS is a character who is the best part of this show hands down. We actually have a true Riddler now and I look forward to him more. We definitely haven’t seen the last of him. All he needs now is a costume and name.
Clayface / Basil Karlo – A quick and pleasant use of the character. He was never my favorite Clayface (the Matt Hagen version is), but I enjoyed his addition and will be eager to see him used again and the extent of his shapeshifting abilities.
Fish Mooney – WHY? WHY? WHY? KEEP HER DEAD!!!! Jada Pinkett is the worst actress on this show. It is so painful I can’t take it. They had to bring her back and now she’s got the powers to control people by a single touch? Ugh!!! I can’t… I just can’t… Horrendous.
Bruce Wayne – In the first season he wasn’t handled too well, but each episode with him gets better and closer to the Bruce/Batman that I love. As he matures I feel the acting gets better and his story continues to flourish. I do one day hope to see him take up the mantle, but in order for that to happen we need about 8 more years of this show, which I’m not sure is possible; unless the writing improves.
Alfred Pennyworth & Lucius Fox – I put these two together because of the size of their roles as supporting characters. Alfred has become a slight annoyance at times, but seems to be turning in to more of Bruce’s sidekick rather than his protective guardian, so I like that. Lucius is perfect in every way. The actor nails the part and the writing works well.
Selina Kyle / Catwoman – She, like Bruce, has grown in her acting and the way she’s being written. By the end of the season she’s not only got a better look about her, but a better handling as well. As a character who once annoyed me I have been swayed into really enjoying her on screen.
Other characters: The Mad Hatter was hinted at as well as a brief cameo by Killer Croc. Ivy was underused but I’m glad they handled her that way as overcrowding would have been more so. She’s being set up for better use in the future, so this is smart. The Court of Owls will obviously be the antagonist of season 3. Barbara Kean was slightly better than last season, but needs to be killed off for good as she’s not needed and not handled well. And finally Hush. I am not sure if that was Tommy Elliot who looked like Bruce Wayne at the end, but it would make sense to introduce us to the boy who would be Hush. It’ll be interesting to see.
Final Rating: All in all I keep watching Gotham because for its many faults it does have some great highlights. The first half of this season was done really well, but went downhill in the second half with some great moments scattered here and there. I want this show to succeed and wonder if it will at some point tie in to the rest of the DC tv properties. Season 3 will be interesting because of what is obviously coming with the ending of season 2, but I do hope for better writing, less overcrowding of characters, and more coordination. Season 2 gets 2.5 out of 5 sCrypt coffins for my rating.
THE FLASH season 2:
Barry Allen / The Flash – I thoroughly enjoyed his path this season, as well as Iris West‘s. The pair grew toward their future selves and have great on screen chemistry together. I will discuss something here though that bothers me. Everything in season 1 and 2 no longer matter as Barry went back and changed it all at the end. So with a complete reset button hit, what does that mean for season 3? Will the alternate earths all merge (being as Supergirl is now on the CW)? This would make sense and enable Wells, Jesse, and Jay Garrick to remain as characters on the show.
The Legends: Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Vandal Savage, & the New Firestorm (Jefferson Jackson) have been introduced kicking off Legends of Tomorrow. The two episode crossover this season introducing the first three characters was a good stepping stone to start it all.
Returning Rogues: The Reverse Flash (Eobard Thawne) still lives due to time travel, which is refreshing. I am not sure it would make sense to have him return, but with this reset to the Flash world I’m sure we will see him again. Gorilla Grodd had a better episode this season and was left with Gorilla City potentially lined up for the future. Girder returned as a zombie, which was a fun take on the character. The Trickster and Weather Wizard also returned and felt like real rogues for our hero. Finally, Pied Piper had another appearance, but I’m not sure I like the decision to make him a hero of sorts. He basically gave up his villainous nature to save the day, and I don’t think I can get on board with that.
Supporting Roles: Joe West and Harrison Wells continue to be solid characters on the show. They never feel forced and each scene with them is believable. Jesse Quick and Wally West have been set in place both gaining likeability. It’ll be interesting to see if and when they become speedsters. Patty Spivot was a good temporary love interest for Barry, though I was sorry to see her go. Jay Garrick (the real Jay) was my favorite part of the season. I grew up watching John Wesley Shipp as the Flash in the 90s, so seeing him as The Flash again gave me chills. It was handled well with the alternate Earths in a way to bring him in that way. I really hope we get a lot more of Jay to come.
Vibe / Reverb – Cisco continues to be perfect comic relief. His nerdiness only got better with his evolving powers, and the portrayal of his doppleganger helped the character evolve more towards his Justice League persona.
Kaitlyn Snow / Killer Frost – I’m hoping the reset merges these two dopplegangers because I really enjoyed Killer Frost over the Kaitlyn Snow personality. Her redesigned look worked well too.
Zoom / Hunter Zolomon: I didn’t like the way Hunter started out as a false Jay Garrick. I didn’t like it before I didn’t know he wasn’t Jay. Even at the end it seemed his reason behind his actions was a little lacking in purpose. It didn’t feel right writing wise. I do however like that his actions caused the Time Wraiths to bring him into their fold creating The Black Flash / Death Racer. Now that this has happened I’m very eager to see the return. He actually would have a purpose now as Barry altered time itself.
New villains: Atom Smasher was a disappointment as the CGI fell flat and I wanted to see the hero version of this character, not a bad guy. On the other hand the CGI on King Shark was superb. I never thought we’d get to see him in live action and I’ve been proven wrong. Geomancer, Tokamak, Dr. Light, Trajectory, Rupture, The Griffin, Tar Pit, and Turtle all served their one episode arcs really well. Some would be a welcome return, but not necessary. Black Siren (the villainous doppleganger of Earth 2) is a major relief. I feel that if Barry did merge universes together that this could correct the writers killing off Black Canary in Arrow, seeing as Siren is still alive. Deathstorm was a disappointment in a way. Ronnie Raymond in Earth 2 didn’t look or feel like the character, and I assume that’s why they killed him off so quickly. I’m still hoping for the original Firestorm to return though.
Overall Summary: The Flash wasn’t as solid this season as the first, but had so many great moments it is easy to overlook the flaws in storytelling. It got very confusing at times with the multiple earth dopplegangers; even for someone who was watching every episode. Barry resetting the timeline may have been a conscious decision to fix this problem. All in all though I give season 2 of the Flash 4 out of 5 sCrypt Coffins.
SUPERGIRL season 1:
Kara Zor-El Danvers – Melissa Benoist deserves an award for her outstanding acting capability. Her range of emotion was not only believable, but brought to life Supergirl in a way no other character on the small screen has. Kara showed her short fuse on numerous occasions, but also her torment and willingness to do what is right. The team up of her and The Flash was more than fun, but she remained pleasant throughout the series.
James “Jimmy” Olsen – I feel like this is such a miscast it hurts. The actor portraying him does a wonderful job, but to me this isn’t Jimmy Olsen. If this role and the role of Winn were switched by actors it would make more sense. Instead we get a version of Jimmy that isn’t anywhere near what he needs to be or should be.
Winn Schott Jr – Winn again I echo my sentiments about Jimmy. This character is exactly how I’d perceive Jimmy Olsen, but instead we are just given another shy guy who has the added twist of being the son of the villain Toyman. His arc with his father made for very interesting storytelling and leads me to believe that what has happened to him throughout his life may bring him to one day being a second version of Toyman.
Jonn Jonnz / Martian Manhunter – What a relief and surprise it was to find out that he wasn’t in fact Hank Henshaw. It isn’t that I don’t want to see Henshaw as Cyborg Superman, but it just makes more sense this way. It not only was an unexpected surprise, but brought a true interpretation of Jonn to audiences.
Cat Grant – She not only broke the “4th wall” on many occasions (which was witty writing by the creators), but Calista Flockhart is perfect in the role of mentor and boss to Kara. I wasn’t sure of her in the first episode, but by mid season I found myself enjoying her screen time.
Astra and Non – I feel as though these were just a pale imitation of General Zod. Non turned out nothing like the brute I wanted him to be, but instead was a strong leader. Astra (and her sister Alura) fit well into the plot, but again seemed forced.
Lesser villains: Hellgrammite, Vartox, Reactron, Jemm, The Master Jailer, and Guardian were decent enough, but easily forgettable. I feel that with project Cadmus obviously being key to season 2, that we will see more of James Harper (Guardian’s) involvement.
Maxwell Lord – started off strong enough, but seemed (like Non and Astra) to just be a second rate version of a known Superman villain. The Lex Luthor rip off is acted well enough, but I’m not sure where they intend to go with Max. I understand his willingness to ally with his enemies toward a common enemy, but he seems lost in translation. Hopefully season 2 will make this more clear as it is fun to watch his interactions with the others.
Lucy and Sam Lane – what can I say? Both were good supporting characters that could have been removed and replaced by unknown generics. Their names are the only thing that made them stand out.
Livewire – I’m glad to have seen her in live action. She was written well and looked great, as opposed to her team up with Silver Banshee who’s motivation made sense, but the reason for her look over the top and ridiculous (even if she did closely resemble her comic version).
Red Tornado – WTF? I just don’t know. T.O. Morrow created this strange version that is very wrong. I’d have rather have seen his other creations take on Supergirl and then their parts reconstructed to make Red Tornado into a hero. With the tech still around who knows…. maybe we will get a good version of the loved character, but until then what we got was garbage.
White Martian – The entire episode with the White Martian served as an origin of sorts for Martian Manhunter. While I never really liked the White Martians in the comics, it was portrayed well here and felt like a real threat.
Bizarro Supergirl – Another copy of a great Superman villain, but unlike Lord and the Kryptonians mentioned above I’m more acceptable of this version. Why? Because there are Bizarro versions of the other characters not just Superman, so Bizarro Supergirl was the best interpretation we could have gotten short of Bizarro himself.
Black Mercy Plant – I’d like to see a version of this used on a grander scale. If not, the best next thing would be Starro, but what we ended up with here was good for an introduction and fit well into the continuity.
Indigo / Brainiac 8 – She was the best villain of the season with one major problem… She looked like a rip off of mystique. They could just as easily used the greenish hue that she was in the comics, but other than look she was outstanding. Add in the fact that she was played by a former Supergirl, Indigo rocked.
Other notables: Fortress of Solitude was used on a sparing level that cemented Kara’s cousin’s established heroics. They even included the key outside the door that was part of the lore in the comics. My only issue is that Jonn describes the key as having the weight of hundreds of tons. Supergirl lifts it with ease, yet there are times when she is struggling to lift things that are much lighter than that, so there’s a slight discrepancy here. Superman & Lois Lane are both mentioned numerous times. Clark is even seen briefly in a few places, and though we never see his face in season 1 (other than him as a child) his presence is felt as he communicates via email and texts to Kara. Jeremiah and Eliza Danvers don’t have very big roles, but the fact that they are played by a former Superman and Supergirl brings together fans of old and new. And finally the Kryptonite in Red and Green. I’m not sure I like the fact that Red K was invented by Max Lord, but the effect was the same as in the comics. When Kara went bad from it she was very fun to watch.
In conclusion: Whatever Kara confronted at the end leaves all of us on the edge of our seats. Who or what did she see? With Supergirl coming to the CW for season 2 I see a lot of potential for better story telling. Let’s just hope it continues to get better and not fall to the plague of writers getting lazy. I give Season 1 of Supergirl 4 out of 5 sCrypt coffins.
LEGENDS OF TOMORROW season 1:
Rip Hunter – He’s definitely the leader of this motley crew, but I’m glad he’s questionable at times. I feel as if this series sets groundwork for him to become a great leader of the new Time Masters.
Ray Palmer / Atom – While Brandon Routh is one of the best parts of this series, the Atom is not. If I wanted to watch Iron-man I’d do it right and go to Marvel movies. Nothing can top Ironman, so why attempt a cheap and horrible looking knockoff when you could focus on Ray’s genius and shrinking powers and make it more interesting? I really hate this version of Atom and hope they ditch the ridiculous looking suit and laser blasts for something more size appropriate (pun intended).
White Canary – She’s much better placed in this show than she was in Arrow, and by the end of the season I actually started liking her character.
Firestorm II – While Martin Stein is still great I feel that they’ve done a disservice to Jax. No, this isn’t a race thing, as I most certainly am NOT racist. I just feel that the actor portraying Jefferson over acts. He’s not much fun to watch and at times even annoying.
Heatwave – Mick was the best part of the season. I still don’t know how I feel about him being a “heroic” character. Sure he still acted like a villain, but I didn’t like his usage here and would much rather see him in the villain role permanently.
Captain Cold – Well like Heatwave I’m sad about him not being cold and instead having a warm side. He’s supposed to be a villain, yet sacrificed himself for the team and all the world. So now we have a Flash universe where there is no Captain Cold? UNACCEPTABLE.
Hawkman and Hawkgirl – Kendra and Carter were great. Their story was key in this series and we even got a mention of Thandagar as well as Nighthawk, so we may get more hawk people further down the line.
Chronos – it’s no secret who Chronos is now, but it still felt like a different person all together, so I’m including it that way. I actually liked him better before the reveal as he was the one villain aside from Savage consistent throughout the season.
Vandal Savage – I’m torn with this one. I love the villain and actor portraying him did a wonderful job, but I think the season got old fast. We could have had 6 episodes and been just as effective as the 12 that ran. It was a bit of an overkill. The addition of his daughter Scandal Savage did nothing to add to the show either.
Valentina Vostok & Per Degaton were used well as villains for their short arcs making me wish they were more of a focus than Savage in parts.
Ra’s Al Ghul – was good to see again at an earlier time. This episode was one of the best of the season because it felt like it belonged.
Jonah Hex – was in an episode and while he looked great I feel as though the focus should have been more on him. Instead they made him seem like just another plain character. I hope we get another episode with him and they correct this.
Oliver Queen / Green Arrow – Ollie is old and has a one arm in the future, which is straight from the pages of the comics. This episode was decent enough and introduced an alternate version of Connor Hawke Green Arrow as John Diggle’s son. Both G.A.’s were great.
Ravager – Deathstroke had a son, but instead of fighting the Teen Titans he was wreaking havoc on Star City and that’s okay. His addition didn’t make the show better or worse, but flowed nicely.
Gideon – Should I even include the computer? I have to. In The Flash season 1 Gideon said that Barry Allen created her, yet there is no mention of this anywhere and we are just to assume she’s an A.I. built for the Time Masters.
Hourman – okay, he was only in it for the last few seconds, but his presence and mention of the J.S.A. breathed life into the series. It actually makes me excited for season 2 whereas otherwise I wouldn’t have been.
In conclusion: Legends of Tomorrow was a spinoff that could have been a movie or miniseries. It went on too long and felt very out of place. I’d rather go back and watch old episodes of Star Trek. That being said however, it did have its good moments, and I feel as though season 1 was an origin, where as season 2 would take it in many interesting directions. I’ll give it a sub par rating of 2 out of 5 sCrypt Coffins. I just feel that my complaints listed above would make it more watchable.
ARROW season 4:
Oliver Queen / Green Arrow – This year was certainly better than last with him taking up the actual title “the Green Arrow”. I’m still waiting for him to be less Batman like though, and this is a small step in that direction. With him becoming mayor of Star City at the end of the season I think it will open things up to a whole different area of corruption. His flashback scenes were okay too. They seemed more entertaining, but drawn out. Now he’ll be headed to Russia somewhere for his flashbacks, and it should be his final year before returning to Star City. Does this mean if we get a season 6 there would be no flashbacks? Time will tell. Either way, Stephen Amell has evolved in his few years as the character and I’m happy to see him continue to grow. I’m now wondering if he will be more solo like in the beginning now that his team is gone.
Speedy / Thea Queen – The best choreographed fighter of the season, yet her character was lacking. Arsenal was a much better sidekick, but Thea has grown on me. I doubt her departure from the team at the end will stick, but it should for a while in my opinion.
John Diggle / Spartan – John is the best acting wise. He’s the most believable as far as story goes, but at what point do you call it quits and make your daughter a priority? I’m not saying all soldiers should retire, but clearly he and Lyla/Harbinger are career oriented and not thinking about the picture in the long run. I guess it just bothers me because what if he and Lyla both die in the line of duty? There are no family for the baby to go to. It isn’t like he can just call his traitor of a brother Andy Diggle to care for her. Speaking of Andy though his and John’s story arc this season was great. The emotional torment John is going through will be interesting to see how it carries into the next season, as he is no longer part of the team. Please pray that his ridiculous helmet is gone next season. Magneto would be pissed.
Dinah Laurel Lance / Black Canary – Oh Dinah (sorry I refuse to call her Laurel) why are you dead? This was the biggest gut blow to the fans ever. There are a half a dozen other characters who could have been offed permanently, and yet they pick one of the two key characters to kill? I’m so outraged. Half of the season I wondered who the death would be and from a writing standpoint I realize why they did it because it was the least expected death. But after that it seemed like I didn’t care much about any of the other characters. This was a big mistake for the show. She finally earned her place and was making that connection on certain levels with Oliver, but we will never get to see that. I’m hoping that Flash resetting his timeline will alter this as well (as much as I hate people coming back from the dead). This is the one case where it needs to happen.
Felicity / Overwatch / Proxy – Quite possibly the most annoying aspect of this show. I loved the old Felicity who was quirky and nerdy. Now she’s become whiny and too serious with only moments of the old Felicity coming through. I was worried about her being shot and them turning her into Oracle, but instead we got a smart move with making her Proxy. Sure they don’t call her that, but that is who she is in the comics, at least if you look at her father, situation and skills. Of course the only member other than Green Arrow himself left on the team is her, so things are about to get more annoying for season 5…. unless they get more interesting and create a divide between the two characters. I don’t think I’m the only one who doesn’t want these two together. But maybe I’m just upset about Laurel.
Curtis Holt / Mr. Terrific – He’s a good replacement for Felicity as he and Oliver working together could be the beginning of a Justice League alliance. He may not have donned the moniker Mr. Terrific yet, but he’s got all of the ingredients to make it work (T-Spheres, Decathlete, smart). I also have to add in that he may have Vibe topped on the nerd reference factor, and I love it.
John Constantine – I was extremely disappointed when Constantine was cancelled, and am appreciative that the CW is using him when they can. My only complaint was that he should have been in the show again to help against the main villain’s magic. Still, the one episode we got with him was wonderful.
Vixen – I’ve yet to see more than one episode of the Vixen animated shorts that take place in this universe, but she fit in quite well. The effects used for her powers and her persona made her a total badass.
Damien Darhk – Neal McDonough just keeps getting better and better. I can’t remember the last time I saw this guy in a role he can’t totally rock. Damien Darhk was definitely the biggest threat to date. Even without his magic he still had H.I.V.E. afraid of him. His over the top plan actually made sense if you thought about his reasons behind it. I’m not saying I want to see this in real life, but for a comic book show he’s the villain we need. That being said, now that he is dead I hope we get a more grounded villain next season. We have to get away from “oh Star City is going to be destroyed” or in this case the world. I want to see something a little more original, but regardless of the repetitive results Darhk brought something new to the show.
The Calculator – I actually wouldn’t mind seeing him as the main baddie next season. Think about it. He knows who the entire Arrow team is. He’s proven to put himself above others, and he’s a major threat. Put all of that aside and we still had a great few appearances this season.
Double Down – I list him as a major villain because he was one of my favorites this season. His introduction made it feel less grounded and more supernatural, which is what it needed in the beginning. The effects were done well, and his acting wasn’t all that bad either.
Anarky – Now here is a serious psycho. I’m not sure about why he’s such a decent fighter, but the core of his character is solid. They stayed pretty true to the source material with him, and I’d like to see him return as well.
Returning villains or small roles: Cupid was back and as psycho as ever, but still a great villain. Bug Eyed Bandit returned with an equally threatening and decent role. Brick‘s return wasn’t anything spectacular, in fact it was unnecessary, but was for a purpose. Murmur was downright creepy and awesome, though how the hell does this guy eat? Will someone please explain that? The Demolition Team and Lady Cop Liza Warner appeared but were easily forgettable by the end of the season. Amanda Waller’s death was a surprise but a good move. The Black Canary II was made for the show and only a plot point to keep the viewer wondering if Laurel was still alive. It was a cheap trick, and though I didn’t like it it helped show Laurel’s legacy.
In conclusion Arrow Season 4 was better than the previous season, but is still lacking something that makes it unique. Because of the issue I mentioned above with one of the characters I am rating it lower than I want to, but feel it is more accurate that way. If that decision hadn’t been made I’d have rated it higher. So for now it gets 3 out of 5 sCrypt Coffins.
So there you have it. DC is clearly spread out with their shows and have established a decent sized universe hopefully for years to come if the writing inconsistencies improve. Overall the DC tv shows for 2015-2016 season score a 3 out of 5 sCrypt Coffins. What did you think of the shows? Comment below and stay tuned for my Marvel tv show review.
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