Review: Luke Cage season 2
Luke Cage continues to be one of my favorite Netflix marvel shows. This season took what made the first season good, and made it better. It doesn’t drag as much, and the story continued to draw me in. Could it have been a few episodes shorter? Sure, but that doesn’t mean that it wasn’t chock full of good writing.
The use of the characters was executed well to where the viewer can feel a connection with them all. Bushmaster, Nightshade, Shades, Misty Knight, and Maria Stokes (Dillard) all served an equal part of the plot. Some were set up for more future usage, but the most interesting part is how Luke was left at the end of the season. Will he become a villain? It’s doubtful, but it sure as heck looks like he’ll be going down a darker path.
I refuse to say much more than this because it really summarizes how I feel about the season. One thing I can add though is the episode with Danny Rand showing up really has me excited for Iron Fist Season 2. In the meantime, I’ll be happy with Luke Cage and give season 2 of his show 4 out of 5 sCrypt ratings.
What were your thoughts? Comment below, so we can discuss.
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: 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: Arrow Season 2
The comic book geek in me is ecstatic from watching the 5 minute Flash trailer that debuted during the season finale of Arrow. So what better fitting review than to talk about the show it is spinning off from? Be warned… there are spoilers ahead. If you want my review without spoilers, scroll down to the last paragraph for my rating. Begin spoilery now…
This show keeps getting better. It still has minor flaws here and there. The forced CW mushy romance still rears its head, and just an excuse to have Stephen Amell’s shirt off during each episode seems to be a bit over done, but there is a good balance. Here is a show that started off sub par and made its way to becoming the BEST adaptation of a comic book TV series. The writers of the show aim to throw in easter eggs for the fans, and a good compelling story for those who are not fans of the comic books.
Let’s take a look at who we got to meet this season, and touch on our main characters:
Team Arrow (Oliver, Diggle, Felicity): This trio works well together and keeps each other on their toes. Felicity has proven to be a key in the team. Diggle being the muscle, serves more of a purpose with his connections, while Oliver is out in the field. Felicity though, she is the one who verbally gives Oliver a reality check when he needs it most.
Canary / Sarah Lance: Okay, so she only had the canary cry once, using a device to do it, but she didn’t need it. She kicked ass when it counted, and her dark history drove part of this story along. I’m glad to see her go back to the League of Assassins at the end. She basically passed the reigns on to Laurel (who will become the real Black Canary). To me, Sarah never felt like Canary except when she was fighting. Her attitude was off, and I didn’t like her being Oliver’s love interest. It wasn’t a good pairing.
Laurel “Dinah” Lance: Aside from needing to eat a sandwich and gain about fifteen pounds, Laurel was an annoyance most of the season. It wasn’t until she got her head out of drinking and drugs that she began to prove her worth. At the end of the season I was glad to see the Laurel I loved from Season 1 return, but in a better way. She is set up to take on the mantle she is destined as Black Canary. Sure she needs some combat training and a Canary Cry, but that’s what season 3 is for.
Detective Lance: Finally! After being a complete dick in season 1, he stepped up to the plate and became a great guy who was good at his job. Of course I will be sad to see him go if they kill him off. The season ended with him bleeding internally from an injury. If he does die however, this will set Laurel on her path of destiny.
Sebastian “Brother” Blood: Running for mayor of a city is a big enough task, but when you are a villain working for Deathstroke in the process, well things become more complicated. His role was a supporting one at best, but necessary in what was happening throughout the season. I am not sure I liked his “conscience” decisions in the end to help out, but I guess he realized how evil Slade really was. I did NOT like his mask. It screamed too “scarecrow” for me, but I’m glad he had some sort of attire to work as Brother Blood. I was surprised to see him killed off, but in the real world, people have to die at times, and his death was played well.
Barton Mathis / Dollmaker: As a guest villain, he was perhaps the creepiest of the season. We won’t see him again because of his death, but the way he was making people into “dolls” was downright terrifying and had me on the edge of my seat.
Sin and Roy Harper / Red Arrow: I paired these two because they were part of each other in a way. Sin’s role was just there to assist Roy in his troubles and be a friend to Canary. Roy’s Mirakuru injection sent him down a dark path just like in the comics. I loved the “Don’t ever call me Speedy” line when Arrow called him that, and seeing him suit up as Red Arrow was a giddy moment to say the least. Now that he is back to being a normal human without Mirakuru, I think we will see him move more on to being Arsenal soon.
Professor Ivo: I’m not sure I liked the use of Ivo in this way. His ship being called the AMAZO is a nice nod to the comics, but pretty much confirms that this is all we will EVER see of AMAZO and Ivo. The part was played well but the role felt forced.
Cyrus Gold: Okay, it was a small role, but why was it important? Because he died with the serum in his veins. What does this mean? Well, comic book fans… Cyrus Gold comes back from the dead as Solomon Grundy. The little poem was even recited in the episode, so I hope to see him back from the dead in season 3.
Barry Allen: We saw overeager police scientist Barry talking about his past and referring to the yellow storm (Professor Zoom) that killed his mother when he was a kid. He’s all about heroism and is the one to give Oliver his mask. Not only that, but we actually see the origin of the Flash. He gets struck by lightning that will give him the powers from the chemical bath he landed in. And yes, he is in a coma, but it was all set up for Flash TV show. I loved every moment of him on screen.
Mark Scheffer / Shrapnel: A very minor role, but it was nice to have a second rate comic villain appear, albeit briefly.
Nyssa Raatko: I had only ever thought that Talia was Ra’s Al Ghul’s only daughter, but then I did my research. Nyssa was a daughter as well, and her role as an assassin felt real. She was deadly with a lack of emotion (except her fascination with Sarah). I give her extra kudos for saying Ra’s Al Ghul the way it is supposed to be pronounced.
William Tockman / Clock King: Like the Doll maker, the Clock King was a welcome guest villain. He was much more manevolent than I’d have pictured him to be from the comics, but they had to do that to make him work. I’ll be excited to see more of him hopefully soon.
Bronze Tiger: Does Michael Jai White ever age? He looks the same as he did in that horrible Spawn movie from the 90s. His purpose in season 2 was equivelant to China White’s in season 1. Not much was said, but he is a trained killer, so dialogue isn’t something needed. His fight scenes were fun to watch too.
ARGUS, HIVE, Suicide Squad, Task Force X: All of these were mentioned and linked together. Deadshot, Bronze Tiger, & Shrapnel kicked ass on this team with Waller in charge. The episode where they went out on their first suicide mission with Diggle was a change of pace for the show, and I’m glad. We needed that episode in there. Best part though is probably that Harley Quinn’s voice was heard and you catch a glimpse of her hair. We now know that she is a potential for the show at some point.
Amanda Waller: What can I say? Other than I’m glad that she’s an attractive woman instead of the overweight one from the comics (I never bought an overweight government agent of her power). She was exactly what her comic book counterpart was. A pain in the ass, with good intentions, but a messed up thought process on how to go about delivering the goods.
Birds Of Prey: Okay, sort of. Not really. It is just that Helena Bertinelli (Huntress) got to meet Canary. No they didn’t get along, but they didn’t always in the comics either. Let’s just say this was a good set up to what might eventually appear as a trio (Canary, Huntress, Oracle). By Oracle, I can only assume Felicity at this point, UNLESS, they definitely tie this in with the movies, in which case Batman Incorporated is supposed to be part of Man of Steel, and Barbara could be a part of that in some form. That’s straying from the review though so I won’t elaborate.
Ravager: I thought Isabel was just an annoyance for most of the season, but knowing she worked for Slade the whole time, when they revealed that I immedately knew who she was. Her costume was cheesy, but matched the comic book one to the details. Her death was priceless in mid sentence.
Slade Wilson / Deathstroke: His army of super soldiers was a nice addition, but Slade himself is just the perfect villain. He is Oliver’s Lex Luthor. Slade will escape from his prison I’m sure. The classic costume and his updated one were nice touches. I have NOTHING negative at all. Every moment that Manu Bennett is on screen as Slade is priceless. You just want to see what he is going to do next.
So there is your character breakdown of season 2. I believe this show keeps getting better and better. Moira’s death, Malcom Merlyn (Dark Archer) coming back as a season 3 regular, and Thea Queen joining him are drastic points for the series. I believe (and this is just a theory of mine) that Thea will take her mother’s maiden name since she really isn’t a queen. She may also change her name. What am I saying? My theory is that she will become Mia Dearden and be trained by Merlyn. Mia in the comics is a sidekick of Oliver’s at one point and takes on the mantle of “Speedy”. Also, not to forget that Oliver did knock a girl up in the past. I’ll bet that her last name was Hawke. At some point we may see his son in a few seasons showing up. Connor Hawke took over the mantle of Green Arrow for a while in the comics, and was a sidekick.
I’m interested in hearing your thoughts. Like it? Hate it? Think I was wrong or have something to add? Speculations you have for season 3 or the Flash series (since it is technically a tie in). Did I leave something out? Chime in. I’m giving Arrow Season two 8 out of 10 sCrypt Coffins. I’d like to give it more, but there are just certain things that don’t make it perfect in my opinion. It does however remain one of my most anticipated shows to watch and I can’t wait til september.
Review: Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 1
After 22 episodes I decided to do a brief review of the season as a whole. Having faith in Marvel has proven to be a good thing, because in all honesty, the first nine episodes of this season were utter garbage. Then there was a break and someone woke the hell up on the writing staff. Warning… Spoilers ahead, so if you want my rating skip down to the last paragraph.
Low budget effects? yes for the most part, but that’s what to expect from a television show, and they got better sans a few, toward the end of the season. When this show started, I actually could not stand most of the characters. Clark Gregg’s Phillip Coulson was the ONLY reason I hung on. The tie ins with the existing universe really only worked with Captain America The Winter Soldier, because for the most part, all of the name drops felt forced. That being said, there are some exceptions to that rule. Let’s look at the characters, both main and guest spots.
Agent Coulson: Clark Gregg is easily the highlight of this show. He has proven his adaptability from bad scripts to good ones, and plays the role well. Sure, there were a few moments that felt off, but I don’t think this was him more than it was the direction of the show. The huge build up to find out how he was still alive after Avengers, came at somewhat a relief and a let down; but now I’m more intrigued to see where this will take him as a character. Something in his brain is obviously amiss, based on what happened at the end of the season finale with him writing on the walls. There is still something mysterious about him, and I’m eager to find out what.
Agent May: When she kicks ass, she is fun to watch, but her dull lack of emotion for the most part, didn’t seem believable at all times. Thankfully, in the last few episodes, she lightened up slightly.
Ward: I don’t put agent in front of his name because he has been revealed as part of HYDRA. I liked this turn because he was a likable character with a seemingly good heart. I do see that there is internal conflict there though. He NEEDS to stay as a bad guy. His actions are not redeemable, so if they decide at one point to have him back on the team, then I will be really pissed off and probably lose interest all together.
Skye: Easily the best looking person on the show, she is gorgeous and intriging. I didn’t buy into her becoming a member of the “team” at first, but I don’t mind it now that they made up for that. There is obviously something about her that is super powered, but we don’t know yet what it is. I just hope they don’t hold onto this information for too much longer. My guess? Her real name will be revealed soon enough, and we will find out she will become Spider Woman. I think this because it fits her profile for the most part.
Fitz and Simmons: Ugh. In the first half of the season I just wanted these characters to die off. They are NOT government like agents. Honestly they sucked bad. By the end of this season I at least have grown to like Fitz. Simmons… not so much. I just don’t think her quirkiness works.
John Garrett: Bill Paxton probably saved this series. I was NOT happy with the lackluster reveal of him being the Clairvoyant that was a huge buildup to another disappointment. I AM happy that he is John Garrett from the comics, who is a cyborg. We see the full reveal of his comic book costume at the end of the season finale, but his life is quickly ended. This is a good thing. He played his purpose, and we can move on.
Viktoria Hand: For the little screen time she had, it was enjoyable. She WAS her comic counterpart. I was just shocked to see her killed at the hands of Ward. IF this is somehow a “faked” death, then I’ll be pissed at that too. They’ve used the fake death enough. It’s overplayed. Let it die… literally.
Deathlok / Mike Peterson: I predicted him being Deathlok 2 episodes before it happened, and I’m glad he is there. He is finally free with his own will power after Garrett’s death, and I want to see more of him. His costume however needs to evolve. I want to still see the real Deathlok look, or at least some of it. This gaudy chest armor does nothing for me. The leg is cool, but update his face to half cyborg. Make him look the part, because he plays the part well.
Agent Triplett: The PERFECT replacement for Ward on the team. He’s a much better character as a hero, and is likable as well.
Raina and Ian Quinn: Both of these characters have similar antagonist roles, but I only find Ian Quinn as enjoyable. The Raina character bothers me and I can’t quite figure out why. She feels forced where she is at. Quinn on the other hand is serving a purpose.
Blackout / Marcus Daniels: His role, while a small guest spot, was awesome. I liked what they did here, though honestly, I’d rather him have been the Blackout that is Ghost Rider’s enemy, but all the same, it was done well.
Blizzard / Donnie Gill: His origin as the Ironman villain was set. Now bring him back as Blizzard full on. I want to see it.
Graviton / Franklin Hall: Same as Blizzard. origin featured, but we need a return and with him as the comic villain.
Maria Hill and Nick Fury: I LOVED both of these cameos, especially toward the end of the season and in the finale. Nick handed the reigns over to Coulson to reform SHIELD, but I’d love to see him back at some point. Maria will definitely be seen again, probably in Avengers 2 as well.
Lorelei: This was the BEST guest villain to date. She was right spot on with the comics, and believeable as well. It was refreshing to say the least.
Lady Sif: Similar feel that I got with Lorelei. Best hero cameo, and a shift of pace for the show.
Sitwell and Koenig: I’ll put it this way… I was glad to see Sitwell as a member of HYDRA in Cap 2. I don’t want to see him again, because he isn’t believable. Koenig is just annoying and I was excited to see him die in the show…. but of course he had a twin brother, so we are stuck with him for at least another episode. SMH. NOT a good role… NOT a good character… NOT a convinceable agent of SHIELD.
Colonel Glenn Talbot: I hope we see more of him in the future. They have the perfect actor for the role, and although his appearance was limited, it made me think more about the possibility of seeing Bruce Banner in a future episode… after all, they did mention the Leader & Abomination’s statuses after the events of the Incredible Hulk.
So what did you think? Am I wrong? Do you have more to add? Did you give up on the show and if so, will you muscle through to earn back your respect for what will come of this show? All in all I have high hopes for season 2. If they don’t continue with better scripts and get rid of stupid characters like Koenig, then this show WILL fail. I think they are smart enough to correct their past mistakes however, and I’m highly anticipating season 2. All in all I have to give it a low rating. 4 out of 10 sCrypt coffins because of a really crappy first half and a redeemable second half. Trust me… the redeemable part is worth it. Just because I gave it a low rating doesn’t mean the show sucks anymore. In fact I think it has become actually really good, but the first half and quirkiness, plus lack of actual comic book “looking” attire, I had to give it a low score. Remember, this is rating for the WHOLE season, not just the last half. Were I to break it down by halves, I’d say first half of the season would score a 1 out of 10, while the second half would get a 7 out of 10. Here’s to hoping for season 2 to go above and beyond with more comic related material.
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