Fall 2014 Pilot Round-Up Week 3

Whoops! Been busy this week and fell behind but here's my impressions with the pilots from last week Sept. 28 - Oct. 2.

Selfie - ABC

I was really looking forward to this one because I'm a fan of both Karen Gillian (due to being a Whovian) and John Cho (due to being a Sleepy Hollow fan). This rom-com sitcom is mostly an updated take on that old classic, Pygmalion, better known to non-literates as the musical, My Fair Lady. Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins are now Eliza Dooley and Henry Higgs and are played by Gillian and Cho, respectively. Eliza is turned from a poor, lower class woman into a fairly well-off woman who is obsessed with social media and Henry is well, roughly, the same. The pilot is somewhat humorous although most of the jokes involve Gillian being shallow or immature, which isn't a great character to build your show around. The show sort of reminds of me of that failed Rebel Wilson show, Super Fun Night, another one-trick pony that really had no substance. This show is guilty of falling into the same trap unless the chemistry between Gillian and Cho save it. Also, all the references to social media are irritating and grating. And unfortunately that appears to be the modus operandi of the show.

Should I watch: Watch if you like rom-coms and are willing to face constant jokes about your social media obsessions. Don't Watch if you avert your eyes when Buzzfeed shows up in your Facebook feed and you're not into cute, fish-out-of-water romances.

Manhattan Love Story - ABC

Talk about grating and irritating. Yeesh. Take two painfully white characters who exhibit the worst tropes of romance stories and put them into a boring rom-com where they cavort around yuppie New York City and you almost get this wretched thing. But first, you have to add a gimmick where the audience can hear the protagonists' thoughts. Yeahhhhhhh, no. Definitely gonna have to pass on this one. Although I will say that the people in this are very pretty for, you know, a cast of exclusively white people.

Should I watch: God, no. Watch if you literally have nothing else to do and want background noise. Don't Watch. Just don't.

Happyland - MTV

MTV continues it's slate of non-music related programming (seriously, change your name) with another teen targeted show set in a local NotDisney theme park. It's a pretty standard story settling on a Romeo-and-Juliet starcrossed-lovers plot where the poor girl falls for the rich guy framed against a fairytale backdrop. Yawn. At least there aren't any werewolves in it. Although there is a twist that possibly implies incest so that's always fun.

Should I watch: Watch if you're in high school and haven't discovered good TV yet. Don't Watch if you just want Liquid Television to come back.

Stalker - CBS

This is quite possibly the worst pilot of the year and with good reason. Offensive, often boring, and terribly written, this show is pretty much one you should stay far, far away from. It's basically about this crime unit that investigates cases of extreme stalking where the victims are in possible danger, typically death or severe mental trauma. The episodes features not one but TWO cases, one where two women are set on fire with gasoline by a male stalker and another where a guy in college just has an obsessive friend who he punches or something. You know, just to show who stalking affects everyone equally. This show is pretty gross as it glorifies sexual abuse and assault for entertainment value and in turn makes one of the protagonists a misogynist prick also a former stalker. Fun!

Should I watch: Watch if you enjoy weekly images of women being killed and stalked horribly. Don't watch if you're better than that. You're better off watching NCIS anyway if you're on CBS.

Bad Judge - ABC

You got that right. It's pretty bad. Ever since The Bad News Bears, there has been a fascination with people doing occupations badly. There was Bad Santa, Bad Teacher, and the remake of Bad New Bears. And only half of those starred Billy Bob Thornton! There was also a Bad Teacher TV series which failed and this show will probably fail too. The problem with these shows is that they are essentially a one-trick pony. They establish a gimmick and deliver on it but in the end there's nothing much more beyond that. In this episode, we meet a female judge who is pretty good at her job but is pretty bad at life. She likes to party, says off-kilter things, and hangs out with a troubled youth. This is the kind of thing that fits better in a 2 hour movie, not 12 hour season of a television show. Even Ryan Hansen AKA Dick Casablancas can't save this show.

Should I watch: Watch if you like the same gimmick over and over. Don't watch and just watch Bad Santa. It's pretty good.

Gracepoint - FOX

Procedurals are done but if any genre has had an upswing in the past two years it's definitely detective shows. Trust me. They are very different. True Detective jumpstarted interest in the US but shows like Top of the Lake and Broadchurch from the UK have been getting buzz for awhile. It seems like a smart move to rebrand one of those shows for American audiences in Gracepoint, which is a mostly direct remake of Broadchurch set in America. Even David Tennant returns as his character. I've never seen the original so this all new to me and I'm very intrigued so far. The story is about a small coastal town after a boy seemingly commits suicide by jumping off a cliff. Two detectives figure it's actually a homicide and start investigating the town and uncover it's secrets. It's very Twin Peaks-ish without all the the supernatural elements and weirdness but the drama and intense emotion is very present. I can't wait to see how this mystery is solved.

Should I watch: Watch if you love a good mystery and need something to hold you of until True Detective returns. Don't Watch if you've seen Broadchurch and it's pretty much familiar, although I hear this will change later in the series.

Gotham "Pilot" "Selina Kyle"

Batman begins again.

The Batman cycle is one of pop culture's highly regarded mythologies. More so than other recent superhero fiction, Batman's world has been ingrained in our cultural lexicon since the 1940s. Even Superman has tapered off and has been less successful lately. Besides the comic books, there have been nonstop TV shows, films, and video games in service to the Dark Knight.  The CW's Arrow, the show that kickstarted the TV superhero revolution, even owes a lot the Christopher Nolan films and our favorite caped crusader. And than along comes Gotham, an ambitious Batman-related project, which seeks to do what very few mediums have done before: a Batman show without Batman. 

More or less. Bruce Wayne is still a character in this show. As are comic book staples like Jim Gordon, Alfred Pennyworth, Oswald Cobblepot AKA The Penguin, and Selina Kyle AKA Catwoman. However, this show is billed as an uber-prequel, the bridge between when Thomas and Martha Wayne are shot in the street to when Bruce dons the cape and cowl. Or at least until he hits puberty. The Gotham of Gotham is undeniably so. It's a film noir theme park complete with crime alleys and corrupt cops. The design of the show is visually stunning, borrowing everything from the Burton films, the Bruce Timm 90s television show, and even the Nolan films. There are even original characters added to the mix, such as Fish Mooney, a female crime boss played beautifully by Jada Pinkett Smith. With a devious Eartha Kitt charm, Smith does her most is bringing this character to life and it's a welcome addition to the Batman mythos.

The first two episodes of Gotham are concerned with world-building. In the "Pilot" we are introduced to rookie cop James Gordon as he is paired with grizzled veteran cop Harvey Bullock. They both investigate the apparent murder of The Waynes, Gotham's most influential and well-known family. They leave behind a young Bruce Wayne who becomes troubled in the wake of witnessing the brutal death of his family. Gordon feels connected to Bruce because he represents an innocent child whose life is ruined by the growing corruption on the streets and in the public trust. We also witness the origins of Oswald Cobblepot, a low level goon who is caught in Fish Mooney's web of crime. Cobblepot is an unhinged lackey who is looking to boost himself up in the crime world despite his strange appearance. In the episode, Bullock and Gordon chase a lead in the Wayne case but it ends it up being a wild goose chase. Cobblepot ends up being a sacrificial lamb offered up by Mooney to prove Gordon's loyalty but he ends up helping Oswald skip town. In the 2nd episode entitled "Selina Kyle," Gordon and Bullock investigate a homeless child abduction ring perpetrated by two creepy "needlemen" who are working for someone named The Dollmaker. A young, agile Selina Kyle, calling herself Cat, is caught in the middle of it and leads Gordon to catching the pair of crooks. Meanwhile, Oswald makes his way back to Gotham cutting a swath of murder and extortion in the road back to town. 

Gotham is a very divisive show it seems. I've heard the fair share of criticisms of the show and most of them have to do with the absence of Batman. That is a very silly once since there can certainly be Batman stories told without an appearance of the hero himself. Gotham Central, an award winning comic book series, proves you can tell stories from the perspective of the street while featuring some of Gotham's greatest villains. Gotham is the closest we'll ever get to an adaptation and this is further proved by the existence of characters like Crispus Allen and Renee Montoya, two of the central characters from Central, on the show. If the show has a fault, it's that it sometimes fitting in entirely too much of the mythos. The weakest character to me so far seems to be Edward Nygma, the GCPD's resident nerd and future Riddler, who is seemingly brought in only for gags and to ask questions. There is also a cameo in the first episode by a little girl named Ivy Pepper who we are hinted at believing to be the future Ms. Poison Ivy.  The not-so-subtle nods to these future villains are a bit hamfisted especially when lines like "This guy looks like a penguin" are repeated ad nauseum for two episodes in a row. Aside from that, the show also feels tonally off probably because it tries to compact so much Batman lore into a single show. Throughout each episode, the show jumps from high camp noir to serious crime procedural within seconds and sometimes in can be jarring. But on the positive side, that actually makes this show bizarre and unique and one of the strangest shows I've even seen on television. And that is what makes this show distinctly a Batman show, even if no actual Batman can be found. 

Afterthoughts

- Crazy Gotham fan theory: Yes, I already have one. Barbare Keane, future wife of Gordon and mother of Batgirl and James Gordon, Jr.,  is a character on this show. This is the most I've ever seen done with her character in any medium ever. The interesting things is that she is established as having a relationship with Renee Montoya and also the fact that she is a fairly wealthy and artistic socialite. My personal theory is Barbara Keane in this continuity is also the future Batwoman, real name Kate Kane (Keane?), and that she will play a pivotal role on the show, perhaps even appearing as Gotham's first bat-related vigilante

- I'm not sure how I feel like Selina Kyle also witnessing the death of the Waynes but I like how it connects her and Wayne more as kindred spirits

- Arkham Asylum is mentioned in the 2nd episode as being closed and in disrepair. Wouldn't be surprised if we get a visit to that old stalwart.

Doctor Who "The Caretaker"

Danny Pink joins the TARDIS crew. Kinda.

"The Caretaker" is one of those Doctor Who stories where The Doctor is undercover. Although there were full runs of Doctor Who where he was posing as a human on earth (see the Third Doctor serials which are some of the best classic episodes), these episodes occur only every once in awhile in the revival series. One can draw comparisons to the stellar Tenth Doctor two-parter "Human Nature/Family of Blood" or the fun companion episodes of "The Lodger" and "Closing Time" detailing the earthbound adventures of Eleven and his roommate Craig. In "The Caretaker" the Doctor manages to score a job at Coal Hill School as it's janitor. But in reality he's undercover to stop an alien threat.

Except that's really the B-plot of this episode which is honestly what makes it so interesting. This episode is really all about Danny Pink and his meeting with The Doctor. Over three episodes now, Clara has juggled time-traveling with The Doctor and romantic dates with Mr. Pink. This is all stated in a hilarious montage which starts the episode where Clara is exasperated with her dual life. Of course, she's also hiding information from both of her dalliances to The Doctor's annoyance and Pink's concern. Most of this episode takes place in Coal Hill School where we learn more about Clara's job and her students including the "disruptive influence" of Courtney who goes from demonic child in the premiere to mild nuisance in this. While The Doctor poses as The Caretaker, he places traps around the school in order to capture a wayward death machine which has materialized somewhere nearby. But the major conflict is that The Doctor doesn't think too highly of Mr. Pink, who he calls P.E. since he can't believe a soldier can also be an intellectual. More on that headscratcher later, but Pink eventually finds out about Clara and The Doctor and helps them get rid of the death robot. Whether he becomes a traveler on the TARDIS remains to be seen, but at least his relationship with Clara is saved...for now.

This episode is mostly a comedic romp much like "The Lodger" that came before but it's also a really important episode in establishing a new companion. Danny is turning into a reverse Rory where instead of building the character as the show goes one, instead we are building the character before he even joins The Doctor on adventures. It's clear he has what it takes but he has trouble accepting The Doctor because of his danger to Clara. And The Doctor can't accept Danny because he is not him. Twelve is especially cruel and petty in this episode and while it is mostly played for laughs, it actually comes off as a bit controlling and rude. I think it's ok to establish a different personality for The Doctor but not if he is especially rude to his friends. What is most mindbogglingly strange is how The Doctor is especially dismissive of soldier-like attitudes when he himself has been a soldier in the past. Perhaps, he hates himself for it but his lack of understanding or empathy for Danny Pink seems like a wasted opportunity. It's almost as if Moffat is trying to set up a love triangle even when he established there is no romantic element. It is both awkward and irritating and makes Clara seem like a weak character. The Doctor can be surly, but he also has to act like he's one of the good guys. Or this show is truly lost. 

Afterthoughts

- Finally, another appearance by Missy and her "Promised Land" which does indeed have dead people in it. She also has employees. Creepy.

- I actually chuckled at that faux-Matt Smith professor that The Doctor thought Clara was dating

- The brief time Courtney spent as a TARDIS companion proves that not everyone has the stomach for time and space adventures

- Danny hasn't quite joined the TARDIS crew fully yet from the looks of the next episode. Grr.

-Apparently The Doctor spent some time living with otters after having a fight with River. Fascinating. 

Fall 2014 Pilot Round-Up Week 2

Whew! What a packed week. I'm back to dish out my impressions on the second week of new TV pilots. This entry covers the week from September 21-25.

Madam Secretary (CBS)

CBS continues satisfying their old person viewer base by introducing this political snoozer. I suppose Tea Leoni shines in this Veep for old people but I couldn't find myself getting into this. Especially since there is far better political satire in House of Cards on Netflix and we apparently still live in this post-West Wing world where the executive branch is the most interesting side of government. The pilot is pretty straightforward. A political science professor gets appointed to the Secretary of State position after the previous one mysteriously disappears in a plane crash (no, really) and spends the entire episode getting some rich, white kids out of an Iranian gulag. It's the kind of political intrigue and "ripped from the headlines" stories your mother and/or grandmother will love but there are certainly better shows out there.

Should I watch: Watch if you're over the age of 65 and miss The West Wing. Don't Watch if you don't feel the icy hand of death and just watch Veep and House of Cards instead.

Gotham (FOX)

Fox continues it's incredibly ambitious programming with Gotham, a pre-Batman show featuring the city of Gotham and its colorful cast of heroes and villains, including a pre-pubescent Bruce Wayne. The pilot's focus is mostly on rookie detective Jim Gordon and his relationship to bad cop Harvey Bullock. Rounded out in the episode are a flood of teenage Batman rogues such as The Penguin, The Riddler, and Catwoman. Newcomer rogue Fish Mooney, played beautifully by Jada Pinkett Smith, is a welcome addition to the Batman mythos. The episode is technically impressive and the only fault it is guilty of  is perhaps too much allusions to classic Batman tropes and stories. This is bound to settle down once the show gains its footing and isn't slavish to a comic book checklist.

Should I watch: Watch if you love the world of Batman and are looking for something fresh and new in that setting. Don't Watch if you think nothing can top the Nolan films or the comics and enjoy fanboy nitpicking.

Scorpion (CBS)

Scorpion is certainly not a show for old people (although they probably have heard of Walter O'Brien unlike me until this show) but it's definitely a CBS show in that it's a standard procedural and it's dealing with quirky characters. This show is essentially in the genre of nerd fantasy which is The Big Bang Theory meets The Blacklist. Started by shows like Chuck, it typically stars a prototypical white male who is awkward around girls but it actually a super spy/hacker/thief James Bond without any of the Connery charm (but certainly the good looks). Scorpion takes that concept and multiplies it by four giving us the essentially the same character with slightly different character traits. You have the leader, the Jonah Hill numbers guy, the morally grey gambler, and the girl. Add in a love interest (Katharine McPhee in a non-singing role!), a grizzled mentor (Robert Patrick?), and a kid with non-diagnosed autism (he's not different, he's just smart!) and you basically get Scorpion, a show based off a real person who most certainly cannot exist or real life is like TV more than I thought it was.

Should I watch: Watch if you've never seen Chuck and really, really like bad hacker/tech shows. Don't Watch if you've basically seen this before.

Forever (ABC)

Television's latest entry into the doomed-to-fail supernatural procedural doesn't have any ghosts or magical children but it's pretty close to that level of ridiculous. Ioan Gruffud plays a centuries old forensic doctor who is immortal in that he can't die. If he does, he just wakes up in the nearest body of water. And that's pretty much the premise. What's weird is that show doesn't really know what it wants to be. In the pilot alone, there were echoes of it being everything from a romance to a comedy to a drama to a procedural. There just seemed to be no focus. Sporadically, there are flashbacks throughout the episode where it shown that Gruffud's character is some sort of "white savior" who has freed slaves and saved Jews from the Holocaust. So yeah, I guess it has that going for it. I'd almost respect this show more if the main character was a vampire or something but that would be just Angel set in a morgue, which is really too on the nose.

Should I watch: Watch if you are sexually turned on by Ioan Gruffud. Don't Watch if you're done with shows like Awake or Believe or Touch or this.

NCIS: New Orleans (CBS)

Oh boy. I may have to step out of this one due to personal bias. Being a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana I can certainly say that this show takes stereotypes of the city I live in to unprecendented K-Ville levels. But I suppose if you're only familiar with N'awlins as a cardboard cutout Pleasure Island Disney theme park, there's really nothing to gripe about. NCIS:NO (get it?) is a pretty standard episode of NCIS in that some rough-and-tumble cop types solve some type of case related to ports and/or the navy. Apparently, this show already had a backdoor pilot which I didn't see nor care too. That's pretty much it. It's NCIS. Your grandpa probably likes it.

Should I watch: Watch if you're not offended by New Orleans stereotypes and like other NCIS shows. Don't Watch if the concept of NCIS makes you groan.

Black-Ish (ABC)

This show is ABC's attempt to make Modern Family for a black demographic and it's largely successful. Anthony Anderson is the strongest part of this show which might be the first time that statement was ever true. The jokes in this pilot are surprisingly clever and don't rely on a large number of negative black stereotypes. The premise is that Anderson's family makes enough money that they can live in affluent mostly white suburbs. Anderson's father, played by a crotchety Laurence Fishburne, is concerned his kids are in danger of losing their culture and heritage. There is both office and family-related humor in this pilot and it's nice to see that ABC is aiming for more diversity in their TV schedule.

Should I watch: Watch if you like situational family comedies like Modern Family. Don't Watch if you if that's not really your thing.

How to Get Away with Murder (ABC)

Lemme tell you. This pilot was mighty impressive. I'm no stranger to Shonda Rimes. Grey's Anatomy is a bit too formulaic for me and while Scandal is indeed an interesting watch, it doesn't satisfy a political itch that other shows do for me. With Murder, that itch is satisfied through both soapy crime-drama and intense lawyering featuring students in a law school. Viola Davis, who delivers perhaps one of her best performances as Prof. Annalise Keating, is especially impressive as befitting of an award winning actress who has been nominated for two Oscars. She takes five budding law students under her wing who in turn help her solve the cases that she takes one all the while involving them in an actual murder plot. The story is bound to have some delightful twists and turns and I, among with many others, am all for it. Check this out and you won't be disappointed.

Should I watch: Watch and be ensnared by the charms of Viola Davis' panther-like eyes. Don't Watch if you dislike lawyer shows but I mean there's a lot more than just that going on so you should probably still watch.

Agents of SHIELD "Shadows"

"Go dark."

This appears to be the new mantra of Marvel's ambitious television project straight from Coulson's mouth. And it is indeed all the better for it. 

When Agents of SHIELD was in its infant stage, the show was middling to terrible. In fact, the show didn't gain real footing until it started tying into the events of the blockbuster hit Captain America: The Winter Soldier. After that, the show really hit an almost revolutionary surge of interest. It was almost as if it were a different show, featuring great characters and plots. It completely changed from the lackluster procedural that was only somewhat keyed into the Marvel Universe that was pitched at the beginning.

Season 2 starts off with the same momentum and that the last final established. SHIELD is effectively dead and Phil, Skye, and May are rebuilding the remaining remnants of the organization. They even have a few new recruits to help them along the way. Skye, as a character, has really grown into her own and seems like an effective member of the team instead of a liability. She even holds out on her own against the villainous turncoat Grant Ward in an amazing scene set in a tech-heavy SHIELD prison cell. Now Director Coulson has settled into the role as fearless leader even if him and May still clash at times. In particularly distressing news, Fitz seems to be suffering from some type of mild brain damage which is causing him to hallucinate Simmons, who actually left some months ago. As for the new recruits, Agents Koenig and Triplett shine in their particular roles and the new team led by Lucy Lawless also put in good performances. The plot revolve around the team tracking down an 0-8-4, a code for objects of alien origin. However, HYDRA is after the same device using Carl "The Crusher" Creel AKA The Absorbing Man. The object is held is a high secuity military base under the watchful of eye of super-dick Col. Glenn Talbot, who wants to put down all SHIELD members regardless of their affiliation to HYDRA or not. Creel goes after Talbot but not before being thwarted by the agents, who also use the opportunity to use Talbot to get into the base. They break in and recover the artifact but one of their team, Lawless in fact, falls prey to the artifact's damaging effects. The agents escape by stealing a Quinjet while the new recruits nearly get away bu are stopped by an escaped Creel who managed to obtain the device. 

This episode was non-stop action with some really great scenes of dialogue. I think the show has really come into its own in terms of both writing and its connection to a wider comics universe. Using characters like The Absorbing Man and Col. Talbot really make the show feel grounded. What's particularly good is how the premiere uses the momentum of the films to carry its action forward but doesn't rely on them to boost its own story. I think this will help the show as it moves forward. I also appreciate how the morals of the team are explored. SHIELD is considered the enemy by the US government now so the need to work in the shadows is greater than ever before to save the world. This requires doing some less than moral things by the team and it's interesting that the show is still exploring that. I'm very curious to see exactly where the show goes next.

Afterthoughts

- Kudos to the show for teasing Agent Carter in the opening. I'm looking forward to that spinoff immensely. It already has a very Indiana Jones feel to it, which is later hinted at in the warehouse scene

- It seems the mystery of Skye and her lineage is still not being revealed just yet. I certainly hope they're not teasing it for another whole season though

- Was Lawless dead at the end of the episode? It seemed to be so, but I have a feeling she'll be back

- The Nazi at the beginning and at the end of the episode is Daniel Whitehall, also known as Kraken best known from famous Marvel story Secret Warriors

Sleepy Hollow "This is War"

This is pure entertainment.

When Sleepy Hollow, a show based around the old Washington Irving legend, was first announced last year, everyone had the perfect right to be dubious, even me. The premise didn't seem like it would last more than an episode and many people were already burned by the the slightly enjoyable yet uber-bad Tim Burton version of the tale. But 13 episodes later, I admit that this is one of the most entertaining shows ever produced on network television. 

Last season ended on a dire cliffhanger in which the villains seemed to win frankly. Ichabod was trapped in a coffin by the Headless Horseman and his all grown up and evil son John Noble whilst his wife was whisked away from him after being reunited. Meanwhile, Abbie Mills was stuck in Purgatory and Jennifer's car was flipped over on the side of the road. The episode premieres with a very long fake out where we are meant to think a year has passed and things are mostly in order with the dynamic duo, save a few sacrifices. But it turns out in was all a ruse in order for Henry to determine the whereabouts of a MacGuffin called the Gehenna Key, a mystical object passed down from Benjamin Franklin. This will allow Henry and big bad Moloch to unveil the 2nd part of their plan to bring about the end of days. Ichabod eventually breaks free of his wooden prison using some MacGuyver-esque ingenuity and reunites with Jennifer Mills. Both of them manage to get the Gehenna Key and free Abbie from the depths of Purgatory. However, Katrina still remains captured and a new Horseman, War,  is unleashed upon the world.

If that sounds like a whole lot, than you probably don't watch Sleepy Hollow much. Most episode contain a lot happening and unravel themselves like a solid graphic novel with plenty of twists, turns, and winks. The episode never loses momentum from the finale of last season and a does a really good job of wrapping everything up all the while introducing new threats for the upcoming season. The episode is also packed with many humorous cultural jibes from Crane, including his disgust for modern technology and his intimate relationship with every colonial America figure ever. I think this season will absolutely outdo the last one and I'm looking forward to turning in every week.

Afterthoughts

- No Orlando Jones in this episode but I'm sure he'll show up soon

- Bram Bones the Horseman was especially creepy in this episode what with him keeping and caring for Katrina as his captured waifu

- Abbie and Ichabod are absolutely the best duo on television. They complement each other so well and their chemistry is top-notch

-Nice to see they're keeping John Cho around in some shape or form

- The design of War is super awesome. He's a medieval suit of armor with no body and a flaming sword. Very D & D

Doctor Who "Time Heist"

It's a heist! A time heist!

Of all sub genres, I think the heist genre is the most overrated. I never really got into the Ocean's Eleven movies and don't quite see the thrill in watching amoral people rob banks and vaults through crafty methods. Nevertheless, there are a few good entries in the film world out there. Heat comes to mind as well as Christopher's Nolan Inception, an interesting sci-fi spin on the genre. So when I first heard word that this episode of Doctor Who would feature The Doctor and some companions robbing a bank, I was a bit skeptical. Unfortunately, a lot of those low expectations were met.

The episode starts with Clara getting ready to go on another date with Mr. Pink when The Doctor arrives to complicate things, of course. Someone calls the TARDIS phone and almost immediately the pair are seated in a room with two others with their memories completely wiped. We meet Psi, a cyborg who can interface with computers and store data, and Saibra, a mutant who can change her appearance into any person she touches. The group is contacted by a mysterious figure who calls himself The Architect, who tells them they need to rob the supposedly impenetrable Bank of Karabraxos. The bank itself is a horrible place. Their security system is so rigid that they use a telekinetic alien to wipe your brain. Throughout the episode, the group solves their way through all the traps and tunnels of the bank with the assist of their abilities as well as clues left by "The Architect" all the while avoiding the villainous bank manager, Ms. Delphox and her monstrous alien pet called the Teller. After some twists and turns, the Doctor and Clara end up in the private vault where it is revealed that The Doctor was The Architect all along and Ms. Delphox was a clone of the actual  bank owner, Ms. Karabraxos, the richest woman in the universe. The heist was in fact a rescue mission orchestrated by a dying Karabraxos from the future who felt guilt for imprisoning the Teller alien and his mate. 

It's a standard Doctor Who story and it reminded me of an Eccleston or early Tennant romp. The problem is that having knowledge of heist tropes makes the episode too easily predictable. The Doctor being revealed as The Architect is the most obvious thing ever and yet the episode treats it like a huge reveal. There are also the two fake-out deaths of Psi and Saibra. They wouldn't be so bad if they also weren't so obviously fake and to make matters worse they are set up by having the characters emotionally bond with The Doctor and/or Clara It's incredibly manipulative and severely lowers the stakes once their "deaths" are revealed as fake. The circumstances for the end are interesting but it involves two things that Doctor Who has dealt with time and time again before. The idea of the monster being misunderstood is getting pretty cliche at this point and the concept of the old miser repenting at the will of the Doctor is getting to be old as well. And all of this pales in comparison to The Doctor's treatment of his companions in this episode, especially Clara. This could have been a really fun episode but instead The Doctor sours through it not seeming to care about the safety of Clara or anyone. He basically lets Saibra go to her "death" and doesn't seem all too concerned with Clara's well-being against a terrifying beast except some unhelpful advice. Psi even points this out to Clara and even criticizes her for defending his actions. It's almost as if the show has become a meta-commentary on itself and it's incredibly irritating and overdone. I think the episode ends up average at best if you enjoy the heist aspect but I couldn't help but want a memory wipe myself after watching this episode. 

Afterthoughts

-Why the hell hasn't Pink joined the TARDIS crew yet? Please tell me that's happening in the next episode!

- Those "suicide pens" looked exactly like teleporters, right? And The Doctor couldn't tell? Really??!

- The Teller alien was actually a pretty interesting design and I liked the way he (she?) sucked out people's brain with its circular brain waves. Although that wouldn't make someone's skull cave-in like that.

- There is a great Malcolm Tucker reference when The Doctor says "Shuttity up"

- Where is Missy and the Promised Land? She's been missing for two episodes now although Kabraxos reminded me of her a good bit

Fall 2014 Pilot Round-Up Week 1

Hey, everybody! I'm watching ALL of the pilots so you don't have too! Week to week I'll tell you what to watch and what not to watch depending on your enjoyment. Let's start with Week 1 starting from Friday Sept. 12th to Thursday Sept. 18th.

Z Nation - Syfy

Zombies, while not nearly as in high demand as they used to be, still seem to exist on the fringes of entertainment. The Walking Dead is as popular as ever and dozens of videogames and movies featuring the braindead devourers of flesh are produced every minute. Enter the Syfy Network which serves up the latest cash-in brought to you by the good people over at The Asylum. Yes, that Asylum, better known as the makers of Sharknado and cheap knock offs of Hollywood films. The Asylum has its own brand of movie making and that's especially clear in the pilot of Z Nation, which "borrows" a lot of tropes from other successful TV shows. Two Lost alums are floating around in this, although one doesn't quite make it to ahead (spoilers: it's the highest billed member of the cast) which is a failed attempt to tell the audiences no one is safe. The other, played by DJ Qualls, is an enigmatic character known as Citizen Z, who is the self-proclaimed narrator of the "Zompocalypse" but really has no relation to the thinly spun plot. The rest of the cast fill out their roles in mediocre fashion but it's hard to act when you get lines like "I give you mercy" every time they shoot a zombie. There are fun, cheesy moments in the show but only enough to last for a 90 minute film and certainly not a 13 hour season.

Should I watch: Watch if you really, really, REALLY like zombies but not character development. Don't Watch if The Walking Dead is good enough and you don't like The Asylum films. If you need another zombie fix, wait for iZombie in the spring.

Red Band Society - Fox

Fox's first new show of the season furthers their "edgy" market by introducing a show set in a children's ward of a hospital featuring sick kids and Octavia Spencer as a whimsical nurse with attitude dispensing life lessons and sass. Oh yeah and it's a comedy. If you're sold on that concept alone, than this show is for you. But it's pilot ends up being emotionally manipulative crap. There's a real Glee vibe here where all the characters are transparent stereotypes dealing with real world issues through zany situations and inspirational monologues set to acoustic songs from the back catalog of pop artists from circa 2006. Seriously, about half the episode is actual story where we're introduced to different characters including Spencer the sassy nurse, a cheerleader in the vein of spoiled TV cheerleaders, some kid who looks like Edward Furlong, and the narrator (every show has one now) who is a young boy in a coma. There is even a slightly supernatural element introduced where the coma kid can talk to people while they're unconscious.  Near the middle, the writers forgot they were writing a story so the back third of the episode is inspirational monologues from dying kids set to Coldpay. I wish I were joking. This ain't TV. This is expensive sap to push commercial products (which honestly is a lot of TV).

Should I watch: Watch if you absolutely love Glee and fake inspirational videos on Buzzfeed. Don't Watch if you've ever been to a hospital and realize they don't keep kids with cancer in the same area as those with anorexia. Also if you like storytelling.

The Mysteries of Laura - NBC

The age of the standard crime procedural is at its end. Let us now welcome the age of the the hybrid crime procedural. Shows like Brooklyn Nine-Nine have proved that comedy can work in a cop show and The Mysteries of Laura runs with it. The show is based off a telenovela which explains it's unfortunate name as it's a direct translation of that series. Debra Messing plays a cop mom (or is it mom cop) who is dealing with a divorce and her somewhat troublesome children. The show is very funny and even has somewhat of a film noir vibe to it especially in her solving of the so-called mysteries. She occasionally resorts to some dirty stuff like blackmail and posing as other people to help gather AKA steal evidence. The show also it very close to its telenovela roots in its frequent dramatic reveals and ridiculous cases. The rest of the cast isn't quite fleshed out yet and the only promising cast member is ultimately revealed as a one-off (probably the most criticized point but it works for the genre) but that can easily be repaired as the show goes one. All in all, it's a surprisingly fun show and definitely has impressed me enough to continue watching.

Should I watch: Watch if you love zany detective shows like Veronica Mars or Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Don't watch if you hate fun, dramatic twists, and Spanish style television. Also, I realize Debra Messing has her detractors and that's a shame.

Tim and Eric's Bedtime Stories - Cartoon Network's Adult Swim

Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim left our Adult Swim screen in 2010 and the comedy world has never been the same. After a very successful movie, the duo are back this year! In anthology form! Bedtime Stories is their most accessible project thus far and the stories presented are surprisingly creepy if just long-form comedy sketches exemplifying their brand of anti-humor and gross out aesthetics. The pilot, which aired last year on Halloween matter-of-fact, was a standard haunted house story featuring Zach Galifinakis and was sort of goofy but the premiere of the season, called "Hole" features Heidecker as a super dominant crazy neighbor who terrifies Wareheim's nerdy tech guy. It's a fun play on suburban nightmares as well as alpha male-dominated groups where one guy seems to be the head honcho where everyone is expected to fall into place. The ending is surprisingly both creepy and hilarious all at once and it will be fun to see what kind of stories these guys will cook up.

Should I watch: Watch if you love short-form comedy and horror as well as the comedic stylings of Tim an Eric. Don't Watch if you think Tim and Eric are the worst which a surprising number of people do. This is odd considering their influence from fan favorites like Monty Python and Mr. Show.


Join me this time next week for a whole lot more pilots! Next week has a bunch!

Doctor Who "Listen"

The Doctor loves a ghost story.

Of all the mysteries of the universe, the Doctor is possibly the most obsessed with the paranormal. In fact, he frequently tries to explain away and disprove monsters and ghosts with rational explanations, or at least as rational as they come in his world. And he's almost always right. Almost. But what if the Doctor encountered something even he couldn't explain? What if he encountered fear itself?

"Listen" is a packed episode filled with revelations not only about The Doctor himself, but also of current companion Clara and almost-companion Danny Pink. It starts innocently with The Doctor monologuing to himself about an unseen creature which frightens people everywhere, all around the universe and throughout time. It's the bump in the night, the rumble in the pipes, the hair on the back of your neck, the shadow at the corner of your eye, and the monster under your bed. What he's really talking about is fear. In our universe, these things are a product of the mind when we are at our most vulnerable in the dark. But in The Doctor's universe, could they perhaps be caused by some thing? The Doctor becomes so obsessed with this vision that he scoops up Clara to assist after a particularly bad first date with Mr. Pink. They attempt to visit her childhood using the TARDIS but instead end up at Pink's childhood, where he is plagued by nightmares of something under the bed. And he turns out to be right. Well, at least perhaps right. It's never explained if the thing under the blanket is something truly evil or another kid playing a prank. But it sure is creepy.

The Doctor and Clara next travel to the end of the universe where The Doctor picks up a lonely time traveler, who looks unmistakably like Pink and whose name is Orson. He appears to be a descendant of Danny but whether he is related to Clara is unknown. Orson is stranded for six months as the end of the world where no one is around and yet he is plagued by knocks on the door from outside. Like before, there is also no explanation for what it is. The Doctor attempts to face it but he is nearly killed by the windy atmosphere outside. While the Doctor is incapacitated, Clara makes one last stop. She ends up in Gallifrey of all places in a barn where The Doctor stayed because the other young Time Lords were cruel to him. She ends up being the "monster" under The Doctor's bed but instead of scaring him, she comforts him and tells him that fear is a strength which is the same advice The Doctor gives little Danny "Rupert" Pink many, many years later. Clara leaves and is returned to her date with Mr. Pink where both of them rekindle their attraction for each other and move past their anxiety.

This episode is actually a riff on the Frederic Brown short story "Knock" which is only about three lines: "The last man on Earth sat alone in a room. There was a knock on the door," It's thought to be a very effective horror story because it supposes that when we are supposed to be alone, we are not. But it also supposes that whatever is out there, isn't human and, in that regard, isn't necessarily friendly. What is so effective about this episode is that the "monster" or "thing" is never shown. So it's up to the viewer's imagination to rationalize what it is. It could also just as easily be something completely rational and there are justifications to explain it away. In Danny Pink's case, could it have been a ghost or was it just a creepy human child in the children's home? In Orson Pink's case, could it have been the wind making a solitary man go mad? The real solution is that fear can be our biggest enemy, but it also can be our greatest strength. In The Doctor's case, it made him the Time Lord he is today.

Afterthoughts

- Super cool reference to The War Doctor, and the barn where he talks to "Rose" in the 50th special

- I'm not sure how to feel about Clara being involved in TWO important details of The Doctor's life. Remember, she told him where to steal the TARDIS too when she was impossible girling

- Both Danny and Orson Pink are great. I wouldn't be surprised if we saw more descendants of Mr. Pink down the line. Speaking of which, we know Orson and Danny are related but is Orson also related to Clara?

- This season is really growing on me in terms of storytelling, and Capaldi is starting to fall into his own rhythm that is very satisfying. It's still a bit weird that Clara and Twelve bicker at each other though

- I seriously wondered if The Silence were going to show up but thankfully they didn't

The Leftovers Season 1

What a beautiful train wreck.

At its season conclusion, I've realized that The Leftovers on HBO may be perhaps the dumbest series ever promoted in the network's history, and that includes True Blood. At least that show knows who it's audience is and what it is trying to do. Not so with Lindelof's production. You might infamously know Damon Linedelof from television headscratchers of the past like Lost and puzzling films such as quasi-prequel Prometheus. Don't get me wrong. Lost is one of my favorite television shows ever and I'm one of the few proponents of Prometheus left in the world. Lindelof is a terrible writer when it comes to plot but he is underrated when it comes to writing solid characters, a strength by which I think lets him slide by in the industry. Unfortunately, in this show plot seems to be the primary motivator and the good character bits which are present don't necessarily save it.

The Leftovers is primarily about religion and faith and how it affects people in their daily lives and attitudes. This is framed around a supernatural event that occurs in which a certain percentage of the population disappear off the face of the earth with no trace, except the memory of the people who knew them. In Christian eschatology, this is referred to as The Rapture which is generally how most people in the world of The Leftovers see it. The primary action happens in a small town called Mapleton which may as well be Main Street, USA. The town sheriff Kevin Garvey, being the stereotypical white dude, is your main protagonist and we also follow his family who have all been affected by the event. His daughter Jill is a depressed teenager, his son Tom has left to join a mysterious cult, his dad claims to see and talk to dead people, and his wife has joined another cult known as The Guilty Remnant. This particular cult is presented as the main antagonist in a way because of the way they deal with The Rapture's aftermath. They wear all white, chain smoke, never talk, and pull passive-aggressive demonstrations on the residents of town in order to remind them of their lost loved ones. There are some other side characters too like the mayor (a black boss lady trope), a pastor (perhaps my favorite character), and a potential love interest for the sheriff.

This is of course an oversimplification. That's because the over-complicated story never really goes anywhere and doesn't even stick the landing. There is far too much going on for it to all work in one season's worth of content. There is The Guilty Remnant, another cult started by a mysterious figure named Wayne, weird metaphorical dreams involving deer, a plot involving evil dogs, as well as the mystery of the rapture itself. These are loosely all tied together but none of it is explained. It is incredibly frustrating and it shows just how far Lindelof has not come in terms of storytelling. And yet, there are three episodes that really shine because they focus on specific characters. Episode 3 "Two Boats and A Helicopter" focuses on the pastor (played by the Ninth Doctor himself, Chris Eccleston) as he attempts to raise money for his failing church. It's an amazing stand-alone morality tale in a world where people no longer have faith. Episode 6 "Guest" focuses on Nora, the previously mentioned love interest, and takes the audience on a strange journey into a convention built around an awful and inexplicable tragedy. It's the biggest use of world-building in the entire series, considering that most of its action takes place outside of Mapleton. Then there is Episode 9 "The Garveys at Their Best" which is a flashback episode which shows the events that transpire up until the rapture event. Episode 9 is almost needed if only to show how the characters get to the point they are, because no explanation is offered early on. It's a shame that these three almost filler episodes have great character focus and the rest merely serve as garbled messes.

But the real question is if the show is still worth watching. I would say yes if you don't care about the central mystery and are truly interested in the lives of these characters. However if you're looking for a concise exploration into the dual nature of faith and morality, you're watching the wrong show. And if you just want the answers, you'll be waiting for a long, long time.

Afterthoughts

- I'm not sure I even understand the point of Liv Tyler's character except to have her as a communication go-between the sheriff and his wife

- There is a lot of brutal violence perpetrated against women in this show. It's pretty bad, even for HBO.

- There is also quite a bit of white savior shenanigans going on. Both Kevin and Tom are guilty of this

- Race seems kind of poorly used here too. Cult leader Holy Wayne seems like a subverison on the "magical negro" trope and than turns out to be exactly that. There is also an Asian woman who is treated like a mystical object in Tom's care

- A friend pointed out that it's strange that homosexuality is represented in the opening credits sequence, yet all of the major characters are straight

- The show is beautifully shot and there are ample scenes with little to no dialogue, which I find quite praiseworthy

Doctor Who "Robot of Sherwood"

Oh, that's where the fun went.

It was hiding inside this episode the whole time! And good thing too, because Doctor Who is a modern day swashbuckler much like the Robin Hood stories and films of old. A lot of the garbled, too-serious-for-its-own-good nonsense from the past two episodes wouldn't have made sense in this delightful romp.

As the story goes, Robin Hood and his Merry Men steal from the rich and give to the poor all the while undermining the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham. There isn't much deviation from the classic fairy tale in this retelling either save for the involvement of Clara and The Doctor. Also the fact that the idyllic Sherwood Forest is only that way because of a downed spaceship overpopulated by camouflaging robots from space. The Doctor isn't even so keen on the nature of Robin Hood himself, passing him off as a possible automaton as well or merely a pawn in the service of his robot overlords. In the end, he finds out the rogue is, in fact, the real deal and the robots (as well as the evil sheriff) are dealt with a swift blow, verily.

This episode is quite fun for many reasons. Firstly, it's an episode where Twelve's personality really seems to kick in. It occurs to me that he is supposed to be a stick-in-the-mud and that's where much of his "whimsy" occurs. This Doctor is the straight man and when paired with a foil than some real great stuff starts to happen. In this episode, that role largely goes to Robin, who channels aspects of past doctors in his own performance. Robin, much like The Doctor, is a roguish charmer as well as a timeless hero, though he doesn't know it until later. There's a great couple of scenes where Robin and The Doctor are in prison where they bicker about which one of them is the true ringleader. The answer is actually Clara, who is the true hero of this episode. Clara is at her very best in this. She seduces the main villain without resorting to pure sexuality and proves to be more mature than any of her male counterparts. She also turns out to be correct in her acceptance of Robin Hood as being real, something which Twelve has a hard time accepting. It's always awesome when the companion outsmarts The Doctor himself.

The only real moments that fall flat in this episode are few but are worth mentioning. For one, the other Merry Men are hardly fleshed out and just serve as visual cues to fans of the lore. It would have been nice to see more of these characters but they were probably left out for time reasons. Even Maid Marian gets really nothing to do which is a shame considering Clara's prowess in the episode. The solution to destroying the robots is pretty hackneyed but fits the tone of the episode fortunately. What happens is that a single arrow is needed to boost the energy of a ship into the atmosphere so it can blow up. The process by which it could happen isn't explained very effectively and it's certainly a Chekov's gun meets deus ex machina but it's just goofy enough to almost work. All in all, this is the kind of Doctor Who that I thought was perhaps far gone and I'm glad to see it hasn't left.

Afterthoughts

- Nice reference to the classic Doctor Who serial "The Crusade" where The Doctor met Richard the Lionhearted. He also has apparently seen the size of Errol Flynn's dick which is a really weird joke.

- Love the design of the robot knights, especially their weapon crosshairs which look like little purple Templar crosses

- Another "Promised Land" reference where it appears to be a planet. A large, orange planet. Can't be Gallifrey, could it?

- The spoon-sword fight on the log was a little goofy and I became instantly aware that I was watching a children's programme for the first time in awhile

- This episode reminded me of episodes from Davies' early run of NewWho where The Doctor would meet lots of historical guest stars and bicker with them. It has the same sort of tone.


Next On: "Listen" which looks one of those super scary Who episodes that isn't for children. Can't wait.

Trailer Park Boys Season 8

The boys are back.

Trailer Park Boys hasn't been on Canadian television since 2007, save for a few specials and movies. But no one in the US even knew or even cared about their antics. Enter Netflix, who acquired the show as a property, presumably on the cheap. This is where I discovered Trailer Park Boys and I'm glad I'm did, since it's one of the funniest mockumentary shows ever made. Trailer Park Boys is older than The Office, the UK version in fact. It's certainly not the first mockumentary style show but it's definitely one of the first popular ones, and it's influence is reaching if truncated by it's mainly regional success. It's cult popularity relies on it's Canadian identity, touted by many Canadian celebrities in particular rock stars such as Our Lady Peace, Snow, and even Rush (which is a major endorsement for Canucks). Through seven seasons, three movies, and a multitude of specials the trio of Julian, Ricky, and Bubbles (played by John Paul Tremblay, Rob Wells, and Mike Smith) scheme and make trouble for themselves and their superiors. One could say they are even this generation's Larry, Moe, and Curly. And after 7 years they've come back.

A lot has changed at Sunnyvale Trailer Park. Julian has opened his own bar, even if his liquor licensing is dubious. Ricky seems to have acquired enough drugs to not need any quick schemes. His daughter, Trinity, is even all grown up now. Even Bubbles is going legitimate. He's planning on opening a bed and breakfast for people who own cats. Even their antagonists seemed to be in fairly good terms. Mr. Lahey is retired and still drunk as usual but he doesn't seem to be actively thwarting the boys. He's more concerned about his on/off relationship with Randy, who has shacked up with another assistant in Donald, a welcome newcomer to the zany world of Trailer Park Boys. Even Sam Losco is happily married to Barb where they manage the trailer park. But unfortunately what goes up, must always come to shit. Barb and Sam's relationship goes south after she finds out he was cheating on her (with a dude of course), and she decides she is going to sell the trailer park. Julian convinces her otherwise but they need Lahey's 1% share so Losco doesn't sell it to recurring villain Cyrus. Throughout the season, the trio concocts a system of money-making schemes including turning Julian's bar (renamed The Dirty Dancer) into a sleazy strip club with help of Sarah, J-Roc, and his crew as well as making hash honey oil from Ricky's stash of marijuana . Meanwhile, Lahey schemes with George Green to undermine the boys once and for all by pretending to help them in order to catch them doing illegal activities. In the end, the trailer park is saved but at a hilarious price. Every episode is stacked with references to previous episodes and there are some really surprising cameos by past guest stars and characters.

Trailer Park Boys is an incredibly subversive show and it is especially hilarious to see how rural and urban caricatures sometimes collide. But there are also real social issues that are discussed here. Everything from sexual promiscuity, family dynamics, drug abuse, and homosexuality is explored in this show and in fairly positive terms. There is real heart to these characters even if some of them are stupid, rude, and/or loutish. I think that's what makes Boys special in that all of these characters are highly relatable. If you've never seen the show, I implore you to give it a chance. There's a lot of great stuff to be had even if you're not into weed and shit jokes.

Afterthoughts

- Corey re-appears after taking a long absence, but no sign of Trevor unfortunately. Apparently, both actors left after the 6th season because they were being treated poorly by the producers

- The show returned w/o  it's original writer/showrunner Mike Clattenburg but there doesn't seem to be a creative change. That's probably because Tremblay, Smith, and Wells write the show now

- Don (and Donna) might be my favorite new side character in the show. Every line he says just floors me.

- I feel like Ricky has gotten even dumber and Bubbles has gotten even smarter. For example, Ricky can't tell that a goldfish is dead and Bubbles builds a complicated oil condenser in a very little period of time

- The appearance of a semi-famous rock musician at the end is the most Mary Sue thing ever but it's fitting for who it actually is and and works perfectly

R.I.P. Joan Rivers

1933-2014

The comedy world was rocked again after the passing of Joan Rivers. And so soon on the heels of Robin Williams as well. Joan Rivers was a pioneer in comedy, particularly for budding female comedians. She also has had tremendous acclaim in all types of media from television to reporting to fashion consulting. Joan indeed did it all.

I'm reminded of one of my favorite episodes of television in Louie (Louie CK's FX show). There is an episode called "Joan" in which Louie gets a job at a hotel casino, but only in a crappy lounge where no one is respectful to the show or his stand up. He starts insulting the audience, the hotel owner (Donald Trump, a man who really deserves it), and the casino itself and ends up getting in trouble with the hotel management. He quits the gig because he's a young comic and doesn't want to deal with being censored. Later, he watches Joan Rivers do stand-up in the same casino, albeit in bigger and better digs. He meets up with her after the show and she basically tells him what an idiot he is. She tells hims that sometimes you have to sacrifice your own self-purpose for ambition. It's a good lesson, and a wickedly funny scene. It's the one bit that made me fall in love with Joan as a person. Here's this old lady, who has been working forever in entertainment and she's rude, off-kilter, and doesn't play by any rules but her own. It's hard not to see her as your eccentric aunt. Joan was a flawed woman but that's part of what makes her human. I, along with many others, will miss her dearly.

The Unauthorized Saved By the Bell Story

The Unauthorized Saved by the Bell Story is most assuredly a Lifetime movie of the week. It's packed to the brim with overacting, underacting, licensed music, and fancy camerawork done by an aspiring cinematographer. The movie is based on actor Dustin Diamond's tell-all book which he admits he didn't even write. In fact, the biopic was ghost-written by someone else who Diamond gave general prompts saying that working on the show wasn't the best experience for him. The other cast members had only positive things to say about their experience, however. So naturally, the movie is told from Diamond's POV or at least it starts that way. Unfortunately, the film's major problem is that it really can't decide who the protagonist of the story really is. Is it the creator of the show, Peter Engel, who fought the hardest for the show's success? Is it Mark-Paul Gosselar, the wunderkind behind it's continued success? Was it Berkeley, or Vorhies, or Thiessen who braved their own insecurites about acting and their inexperience to become three of the most iconic female characters on television? Or is it actually Dustin Diamond, who's odd and memorable portrayal of Screech was perhaps overlooked as part of the show's early success and legacy? Was it Dennis Haskins?!

The answer is that all of these people were a major part to the show's success (although Haskins' involvement was indeed played down in the special). While soulless executives and producers bickered about the show's future and its financial gains, the stars carried on with their normal lives as teenagers with hormones. Relationships starts and end. Contracts are broken. Friendships are lost and gained. And it's those moments that make this film work. When the special focuses on the relationships between the child actors, there is some real chemistry. In particular, Tiera Skovbye shines as a young Elizabeth Berkeley, a young actress who wants to find real social applications in her work. There is a particularly great scene where she tries to convey the emotions of a drug addict for an infamous episode of the show, much to the chagrin of Diamond. It helps that the cast is largely made up of unknowns, most of which who channel their actors as well as the characters they portray in scary, accurate ways.

The unfortunate side of this film is just how much of it is based on blatant lies ranging from funny to downright slanderous. The first time I noticed something wasn't right was perhaps the moment when Dustin marches straight up to the president of NBC's office without anyone in the office batting an eye. The president puts off a call about a pilot called Seinfeld (really?) so he can talk to the "big star" that walked in his office. Mario Lopez is represented in the film as an idiotic douchebag who never respected Diamond or any of his coworkers save Gosselar. Perhaps it was true but the portrayal comes off as just a loose exaggeration of A.C. Slater, which is character he played and NOT the person he is. Even Gosselar comes off as a two-faced brat, in between telling off his mom and spending his money on frivolous things like sports motorcycles. Gosselar's love life also seems to be the focus of the special, oddly. First of all, there's no way Diamond could have been around for every moment of these teens' lives and even if he had the 411 on their romantic exploits, he certainly plays them in a fairly favorable light, even if Gosselar did eventually dump Vorhies for Thiessen.

This is what makes Unathorized a hot mess of bullshit. What could have been an interesting exposé into how a cultural landmark was created turns into a "tell-all" piece filled with hurt feelings and tales of woe. It's a real shame too because the entertainment is there without any of the fabricated stuff. But that's to be expected from a man like Diamond, who never stopped being a consistent source of entertainment in both his professional and personal life.

Afterthoughts

- Two real-life things aren't mentioned in this special: 1.) The fact that Dustin Diamond did a porno after Saved By the Bell and 2.) Mario Lopez was actually accused of date-raping a woman in 1993 but no evidence as found to support it.

- Also not mentioned: Diamond alleging he slept with 2000 women during the filming of the show including the executive VP director of children's programming at the time

- Did you catch the blink-or-you'll-miss-it reference to Showgirls where Berkeley picks up the glitter encrusted bra top and smirks?

- They got a lot of play out of Cameo's "Word Up." I swear I heard it played at least five or six times.

- Nice pointed references to the fact that Gosselar wan't a natural blonde and is actually both Dutch and Indonesian

- I'm not sure if Diamond's actor actually nails the pure weirdness and comic timing of Screech as Diamond himself did. And perhaps no one can.

The Legend of Korra Book 3: Change

Change indeed.

Avatar: The Legend of Korra is an undervalued show. But it's fitting since it's the sequel to the cult hit Avatar: The Last Airbender, a beloved show by kids and adults alike which perhaps lost some of its credibility possibly due to the directorial stylings of M. Must-Not-Be-Named. So when Nickelodeon debuted a continuation of the series under a different name with different characters, including the main protagonist, one can attempt to see what went wrong. Slipping ratings and poor marketing eventually led to the stunted and confused airing of Book 3, which eventually led to its removal from TV altogether. It's a damn shame too, because what we got was perhaps the best season in the entire franchise.

Coming off the heels of Book 2: Spirits, Change is set in the post-Harmonic Convergence world where spirits and humans co-exist peacefully. Well, at least that's what should have happened but unfortunately there is  much unrest on the human side. After all, humans have thrived without the direct help of spirits for years, hence the need for an Avatar, who serves as the link between the two worlds when necessary. But now, Korra, the current Avatar, is no longer needed. She is the last remnant of an old world that she helped end. And she's perfectly fine with it. Of all the characters in the Avatar universe, I think Korra has probably changed the most. In three seasons, we have followed her from bratty teenager to mature adult and unlike Aang, who remained childish throughout his life, she really feels like the heart of the show that bares her name. 

The first part of the season details the birth of a new race, that of the airbenders. Race is an interesting topic in this universe because it is not based on color lines but on actual powers granted, equal to certain types of privileges in the real world. We've never really seen too much of airbender culture in Avatar except we know they are nomadic and tend to be very monastical. The only representatives we've had are Aang, who is very much non-airbender, and Tenzin, who is very much non-Aang. The family politics of Aang's family are fascinating as we slowly learn that Aang was perhaps not the best parent, showing more love to Tenzin than his other children Kya and especially Bumi who was born without powers. However, we find that Bumi's airbending powers were perhaps always inert, waiting for some kind of universal spark which he gets in the Harmonic Convergence. Suddenly, Tenzin and his brother are on the same level which really gets to Tenzin. As much as he is excited that he and his children aren't alone in the world, he realizes that is no longer special.

And neither is Korra, really. Sure, she possesses all four bending powers but there are those out there who possess bending powers stronger than hers, and are perhaps even learning faster than her. Even Jinora learns how to use spirit powers this season. And now that anyone can be bestowed great powers and walk with spirits, than really, who has a need for the Avatar? Which brings the big bad into play. Zaheer, a member of a terrorist group of anarchists called the Red Lotus, also becomes an airbender, and particularly powerful one at that. What is so devious is that he has almost prepared for this moment, as if he has known all his life he would possess great power. Zaheer is intriguing because he is the most human opponent Korra has ever faced. Mostly, because he does not think he's a bad guy. He really thinks he is committing a greater good for the world by erasing the Avatar forever. And on top of that, he has friends that support him in his efforts. P'Li, Ghazan, and Ming Hua are deep, fascinating characters and serve as a wonderful antithesis to Korra's gang consisting of Mako, Asami, and Bolin.

The second part of the season focuses on the Earth Kingdom, a fan-favorite location from the last series. There is a saying that states as some things change, some things stay the same and that is very much at work here. Even though Aang freed the Earth Kingdom from its brainwashing monarch so many years back, the Earth Kingdom remains completely unchanged. Tyranny just gets a new face in the slightly villainous Earth Queen. Poverty is still very much an issue in Ba Sing Se and through that explore the backstories of Mako and Bolin and their upbringing in the poorest district. It explains so much about their characters and who they are in only a few episodes. We also take a brief detour to the city of the Metal Clan, the newest culture of people founded by Toph Beifong. Another family dynamic is revealed here, as we find that Lin Beifong resents her sister Suyin because of favoritism and parental spite as well. It just goes to show that even world saviors can be awful to their children without even knowing it. At least Katara seemed to be a pretty good mother and I assume Sokka died childless (being betrothed to the moon spirit and all). 

The third act of the season focuses on the Red Lotus and their encounters with Team Avatar and the rest of the adult characters. The last five episodes are intense and action-heavy and have some incredible animation done by Studio Mir. We are introduced to a new type of bending called lava bending (think fire and earth bending combined) which causes some pretty tricky situations. We are also treated to quite possibly one of the most violent deaths in the series: the choking of the Earth Queen by Zaheer. I cannot think of anyone more deserving but the scene is so intense and shocking that you feel ultimately bad for her awful end. The show even makes a point that killing a despot will not restore people's freedom or even change their caste. Even anarchy has leaders who call the shots. In the end, many of Zaheer's comrades are killed and Zaheer himself is subdued after a mid-air battle with Jinora and the new airbenders, and notably NOT by the hands of the Avatar. Korra herself is captured early on by Zaheer and weakened with poison in an attempt to end her reign and the mantle of the Avatar entirely. Her life is saved but at a great cost. She is bound to a wheelchair, possibly indefinitely, with some if not all of her powers weakened or erased. It's a very grim and ambiguous ending and the only hope seems to be the new airbenders led by Tenzin and his daughter Jinora. Change means a world without the Avatar, and perhaps the world is better off. 

Afterthoughts

- Never fear! Korra and her pals will most assuredly be back for at least one more season although on television. The show's creators have expressed their frustration for marketing and airing on time so they have agreed to rely on the success of streaming websites such as Hulu or Amazon. 

- I like that Korra's love life wasn't the focus of this season. If anything, her friendship with Asami was the most interesting relationship in her life. The romance between Jinora and newcomer Kai (sort of a bad boy Aang) is really the only filler in the season

- It's awesome that Firelord Zuko is the most adjusted member of the original group, considering his dad was such a prick. Of course he had his own personal journey in the last series. I feel he was very under-utilized this season and wanted to see more of him but all of his appearances were legitimately great.