Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Nicole

  • Recapping the First Three Seasons of ‘Cobra Kai’

    Recapping the First Three Seasons of ‘Cobra Kai’

    The small-screen follow-up to the Karate Kid films, Cobra Kai has become a massive hit with a fourth season on the way and season five having already filmed. It’s one of the rare reboots to last and, with Season 4 around the corner, we take a quick look back at the show’s first three seasons and why each season has only continued to grow better than the last.

    Season 1 (YouTube Red)

    Where it all began. When Cobra Kai was first announced, it was being developed as a YouTube Red series, a service YouTube had begun to try and compete with streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu. The first season saw William Zabka return as Johnny Lawrence, alongside Ralph Macchio, who returns as Daniel LaRusso. The first season continues their rivalry from the films, showing that, despite the amount of time that has passed, Johnny hasn’t been able to get over what happened between the two of them. He’s a down-on-his-luck contractor, while LaRusso has built a name for himself as a car salesman. It isn’t until Johnny finds himself going to one of LaRusso’s facilities to get his car back that he’s forced to deal with his problems with LaRusso head-on. It’s ultimately this confrontation between the two that results in Johnny bringing back Cobra Kai, much to LaRusso’s dismay.

    It’s through bringing back Cobra Kai that Johnny goes on to build a relationship with his neighbor, Miguel, who he soon ends up teaching karate. As his bond with Miguel grows stronger, his relationship with his own son, Robby, continues to decline. It only gets worse when Robby ends up working for LaRusso’s company and ultimately becoming his mentee. This strikes a cord in Johnny, of course, and when Robby decides to compete in the All Valley championship independently, using LaRusso’s teaching, Johnny finds himself both eager to protect Robby and yet see him win. Unfortunately, though, Miguel ends up using Robby’s injury from their fight against him during the final match and wins, injuring Robby and forcing Johnny to see the Cobra Kai of his past is not something to celebrate. The season ultimately ends with LaRusso opening up Miyagi-do, while Johnny is paid a surprise visit by John Kreese, who is ready to bring back the Cobra Kai of their past.

    Season 2 (YouTube Red)

    The show’s second season is ultimately where s**t hits the fan and it’s absolutely great. Season 2 is when Cobra Kai becomes dojo vs dojo, with both Johnny and LaRusso trying to outdo one another with their respective dojos. Following their win at the All Valley tournament, LaRusso is eager to spread the word about Miyagi-do in hopes it’ll drown out interest in Cobra Kai. Things only become worse when LaRusso learns Kreese is back in the fold.

    The fight among the adults soon spills over onto the kids, as the students begin to fight for their respective dojos, with the Cobra Kai students often acting as bullies thanks to their “no mercy” training. The bullying tendencies are showcased best when some of the Cobra Kai students, led by Hawk, seek to destroy Miyagi-do and take Mr. Miyagi’s medal of honor in the process. As the season goes on, and the students begin to realize how violent Cobra Kai is making some of them, they opt to move to Miyagi-do where they’ll learn self-defense, rather than being trained to become merciless fighters who are taught to strike first.

    We saw Miguel’s relationship with LaRusso’s daughter, Sam, implode after he got drunk during Season 1 and accidentally hit her. So, naturally, it isn’t surprising to see both characters enter new relationships in Season 1. Miguel finds solace in Tory, a fellow Cobra Kai student, while Sam begins to develop feelings for Johnny’s son, Robby, who her father has taken under his wing. Still, the tensions seems to only grow when Miguel tries to do the right thing and return Miyagi’s medal of honor, only for Robby to plant the medal in the yard and not tell Sam the truth.

    When the students attend a party where both dojos are in attendance, Sam and Miguel briefly kiss. While it’s short, and both immediately realize their wrongdoing, it’s too late as Tory saw everything. This leads to her starting a full-on karate fight on the first day back at school, when she announces she’s coming for Sam over the intercom. Cobra Kai students go to back Tory up, while the Miyagi-do students go to Sam’s aide. Ultimately, the fight comes down to Tory vs Sam and Miguel vs Robby, as both boys attempt to stop the girls from fighting. It’s during this fight that Season 2 takes a huge turn.

    While Sam and Tory continue their fight on the stairs, Robby and Miguel have moved up higher, where they continue to battle it out, all while trying to stop the main fight. Unfortunately, while Miguel opts to show mercy, something Johnny has been trying to teach at Cobra Kai after acknowledging his faults, Robby does the opposite. With his back turned, Robby knocks Miguel over the rail, with Miguel falling on the staircase below.

    The season ends with Johnny trying to check on Miguel, only to find his mother insisting he stay away from her son — and also her, suggesting anything romantic between the two is officially over. While the LaRusso family ends up going to the hospital to collect Sam as she had to receive stitches because Tory stabbed her with her spiked-bracelet. At this point, we know Robby is on the run, and it’s unclear if Miguel will ever be able to walk again, let alone partake in karate.

    Things only continue to get worse for Johnny as Kreese decides to take Cobra Kai from him. As he sees it, Miguel is in the hospital because he showed mercy. According to Kreese, it’s all Johnny’s fault, and Kreese wants to ensure the students are ready for the battle ahead of them. The season ends with Kreese making a mysterious call, followed by the teasing of Terry Silver’s return.

    Season 3 (Netflix)

    Enter Season 3…. and Terry Silver. It’s bad enough Kreese is back, but now, he’s brought Silver back to help him run Cobra Kai. Or at least, he finally succeeds in doing so after paying him a surprise visit at his house. As Silver later tells it, Kreese has reignited something within him and in him, something that made him want to return to Cobra Kai after so long.

    A fair amount of the season is centered around Johnny helping Miguel to regain his strength and the ability to walk – in the ways only Johnny Lawrence can. One of the weirder bits of the season, though, comes as LaRusso finds his image to be tarnished after the public learns of Sam’s involvement in the fight that injured Miguel. This sends LaRusso on a journey – quite literally, as he heads to Japan – to try and fix his name and save his company. Along the way, he meets up with a few old friends from The Karate Kid: Part II: Chozen (Yuji Okumoto) and Kumiko (Tamlyn Tomita). Somehow, he finds exact what he was looking for and manages to safe LaRusso Auto.

    Season 3 also brings about the introduction of Eagle Fang Karate. (And yes, don’t you worry, there are plenty of jokes regarding the absurdity of the name and logo.) They might’ve lost Cobra Kai, but Johnny and Miguel are not willing to give up on those that need them. LaRusso, naturally, opposes to the new dojo, but Johnny soon proves he’s trying to be different from Cobra Kai. He understands his mistakes and wants to do right by his students, or at least those that’ll listen to him.

    Just as both parties look to be getting their lives back on track, they learn the All Valley Tournament has been canceled. The reasoning behind the cancelation, of course, is due to the fight at the high school. However, Miguel (who is fully recovered) and Sam, are unwilling to see the tournament cancelled and take it upon themselves to fight for the tournament when the adults fail to sell its importance.

    The third season also sees the return of Elisabeth Shue as Ali Mills, which naturally brings out the worst in both Johnny and LaRusso. While they continue to have their issues, by the end of the season the two mean have found they work best together. Which results in them teaming up their dojos to try and take down Cobra Kai following an attack by its students. This leaves Miyagi-do and Eagle Fang to work as a single unit, with both Johnny and LaRusso teaching them. It took three seasons, but the series allowed the two main characters to undergo tremendous growth. Even better? Some of the students seem to follow suit and switch dojos – including Hawk, who has decided to leave Cobra Kai behind him.

    One can only help the fourth season doesn’t regress because the ending of Season 3 sets up a pretty stellar Season 4.

    The fourth season of Cobra Kai debuts on Netflix on Dec. 31.

  • REVIEW: Wheel of Time 1×8, “The Eye of the World”

    REVIEW: Wheel of Time 1×8, “The Eye of the World”

    Over the course of its first season, Amazon’s Wheel of Time adaptation opted to turn the Dragon Reborn into a mystery to be solved. For six episodes, viewers were left to ponder who would be the Dragon Reborn: Rand, Mat, Perrin, Egwene or Nynaeve. Book readers, of course, knew it would be none other than Rand. However, the series looked to be going in a potentially different direction – until episode seven confirmed Rand to be the Dragon Reborn. “The Eye of the World” sees him come to terms with who he is, all while he recalls a prior life he’s lived. In the end, it makes for a quiet finale, to an otherwise fantastic first season.

    The episode picks back up with Moiraine and Rand making their way through the blight in search of the Dark One (Ishamael). As they fight their way through the blight, the others remain back in the city of Fal Dara, trying to figure out a way to help. Their initial reaction is to run after Moiraine and Rand, however, they know that should they step foot into the blight, it would more than likely result in death. Still, Lan is willing to chance it in order to find Moiraine. So, he uses tracking skills taught to him by Nynaeve to find her, while she aides the others in finding another way to help. The storyline essentially stretches over the show’s nearly one-hour timeframe, and yet, despite so much happening, the story ultimately feels stalled.

    As the episode cuts between the two locations, we see Rand make his way to the Eye of the World with Moiraine following close behind him. Flashes begin to appear as Rand recalls a prior life in which he’s already been to the Eye of the World and faced the Dark One. Their last meeting ended with the Dark One winning. This time, though, Moiraine is willing to do what is needed to ensure Rand does not stray from the light – even if it means killing him. As Rand enters another realm with the Dark One, one where he’s presented with a future with Egwene in which they have a child. It’s a future he wants, and one Rand nearly gives everything up for. Thankfully, however, he soon realizes that the future he’s being presented with is nothing more than a fantasy. Even if he can make it a reality, it isn’t a future Egwene has a say in and therefore isn’t one he can accept. It’s this moment in which Rand successfully overcomes the Dark in order to defeat the Dark One – at least temporarily.

    Unfortunately, though, by this point, an army of Trollocs have already made their way to Fal Dara along with Fades. While the city itself does not fall, those that stayed behind to fight soon find themselves facing certain death. While Egwene and Nynaeve help by accessing the One Power and helping Lady Amalisa (Sandra Yi Sencindiver) channel enough power to try and take down the armies before they make their way to the city. The scene is a stunning one as the lighting stands in stark contrast against the gloomy background. It’s made all the more powerful as the women collapse under the weight of the One Power, with Egwene seemingly the only survivor, until she heals Nynaeve.

    When Rand “defeats” the Dark One, he makes Moiraine promise to tell the others he has died to ensure he can head out on his own. It’s a strong ending to an otherwise uneven episode, however, it’s the closing scene viewers will most likely be talking about going into Season 2. As the episode ends, we see a young girl on a beach. Out of nowhere, a horde of ships come into focus in the ocean, catching her eye. It’s the Seanchan, and they’ve seemingly created a tsunami upon their arrival.

    I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the first season of Wheel of Time because it has successfully managed to combine excellent character work with a love of the source material. It never tried to go full action series as the show respects its source material, which is something most adaptations fail to do these days. Unfortunately, though, because of how eager the show is to stay true to the source, it sometimes feels unsure of how to adapt Robert Jordan‘s work. While there are some fine character moments in “The Eye of the World,” the episode only barley moves the storyline forward.

    Yes, there are some big moments, such as Moiraine losing access to the One power and Rand making the decision to leave the others are quite memorable. However, the bits in between are slow-going. It’s a shame, honestly, because the first season was a great success overall. “The Eye of the World” seems to feel like an afterthought. It’s slow, the few action bits are stellar, but the CGI work is wonky, and the Dark One could have been handled so much better.

  • REVIEW: Amazon’s ‘Yearly Departed’ Season 2 Lacks Charm

    REVIEW: Amazon’s ‘Yearly Departed’ Season 2 Lacks Charm

    At the end of 2020, Amazon released a new title: Yearly Departed. The comedy special was to poke fun at the chaos we’d all endured because of COVID-19. While it was enjoyable, the special often felt too-scripted at times, making it hard to truly appreciate the fantastic crew of female comedians on hand. Unfortunately, the follow-up special seems to suffer from many of the same issues. Dubbed Season 2, the 2021 episode of Yearly Departed features yet another stellar group of women but feels edited down.

    The idea of bringing together some of the biggest names in comedy to roast a year like 2021? It’s a great idea, and honestly, the year has produced plenty of content to craft a comedy special. The thing is, though, Yearly Departed never feels like a comedy special. It feels like a scripted attempt at a comedy special designed for primetime television and it’s frustrating. Which is odd as Amazon Studios has done a great job with its original programming thus far.

    This year’s special is hosted by the incredibly talented Yvonne Orji (Insecure). From the moment she enters the screen until the moment she exits, Orji is a commanding presence. Joining the actress are Jane Fonda (Grace and Frankie), Chelsea Peretti (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Meg Stalter (Hacks), Dulcé Sloan (The Daily Show), Aparna Nancherla (The Great North) and X Mayo (The Daily Show) with musical guest Alessia Cara. It’s an impressive cast, and honestly, the jokes are great. The problem with the way Yearly Departed is formatted is it often feels overly edited.

    Yearly Departed has the potential to be something truly special. All-female talent with the willingness to produce jokes most wouldn’t dare? It should be a huge success. From the jokes regarding Zoom, Hot Vaxx Summer, Hermit Life and Saying Goodbye to Assholes, there’s plenty of promise here. If only the format was different. Set it before a live audience, even if the audience has to be present through virtual measures. Allow for that live feedback.

    The most frustrating part is that the outtakes prove Season 2 of Yearly Departed was full of fantastic comedy work. The women were free to play and joke, the laughs felt real, the smiles genuine, and more importantly? It didn’t feel overly scripted. With a 2022 return teased, one can only hope next year’s special toys with its format a bit more because with such impressive talents? There’s no reason Yearly Departed shouldn’t be enjoyable.

    If you’re looking for something to ring in the New Year with, Yearly Departed could still prove to be a fun series to enjoy. However, it’s best to temper your expectations.

  • Brian Michael Bendis Developing ‘Legion of Super-Heroes’ Show for HBO Max

    Brian Michael Bendis Developing ‘Legion of Super-Heroes’ Show for HBO Max

    HBO Max has ordered comic book writer Brian Michael Bendis to develop a Legion of Super-Heroes series.

    The news was revealed by Bendis himself.

    Per Bendis, the series is still in the very early stages of development. However, it is being developed as an adult animated series. He confirms he’s been working on it for a while now, but it has officially entered the next phase – although, he doesn’t necessarily specify exactly which phase.

    Bendis explained that he’s a die-hard Legion fan and asked to reveal the news to his followers, as he knows Legion fans don’t get news all that frequently. However, as he advises, things are early on meaning the project could be a ways out yet. He did, however, note that the adaptation will be based on the Legion of Super-Heroes title by Ryan Sook and Bendis.

    “And just like that series, on sale now, it will harken back to so many classics while at the same time doing what Legion does: pushing all the ideas of superheroes forward in every direction,” he writes. “I think Legion of superheroes is among the greatest franchises in the history of comics and I’m as honored to be curating them as I was Spider-Man.”

    Bendis warns fans because of how long animation takes, it’s doubtful news will surface about the title for a while. “Animation takes a loooong time so you may not hear anything about this for a while as I’m just getting to work on it over the break.”

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Swings in with Historic $240M-$250M Opening

    ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Swings in with Historic $240M-$250M Opening

    Spider-Man: No Way Home is swinging into a historic opening weekend.

    The numbers are beginning to come in, and as it stands, No Way Home is eyeing an opening weekend between $240-$250 million domestically. This would make it the first film to surpass $100 million in its opening weekend since pre-pandemic. It’s a huge win for both Sony and Marvel Studios, as the film scored an insane $121.5 million on Friday alone. Should current estimates hold, Spider-Man: No Way Home will secure a record within the top four biggest openings of all time at the domestic box office.

    Currently, the biggest domestic openings of all time belong to: Avengers: Endgame ($357 million) and followed by Avengers: Infinity War ($257.6 million), Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($248 million), Star Wars: The Last Jedi ($220 million) and Jurassic World ($208.8 million). With the current estimates, No Way Home could land in third or fourth place when the final numbers are revealed on Monday.

    Before No Way Home, the biggest opening for a film stateside was $90 million — for an opening weekend — courtesy of Sony’s Venom: Let There be Carnage. While the pandemic is far from over, these numbers are huge for a box office that has been struggling since the pandemic first started. Accounting for some of its massive box office haul is the $50 million No Way Home earned from Thursday previews. That’s enough to give it the third biggest preview night behind Avengers: Endgame ($60 million) and Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($57 million).

    Source: THR.

  • Charlie Cox To Star in Netflix Spy Drama Series ‘TREASON’

    Charlie Cox To Star in Netflix Spy Drama Series ‘TREASON’

    Charlie Cox is readying another project for Netflix. The Daredevil actor has signed on to the spy series, Treason, for Netflix alongside Game of Thrones‘ Oona Chaplin and acclaimed action star Olga Kurylenko. The 6-episode spy drama hails from Matt Charman, who has penned titles such as Bridge of Spies and the forthcoming Netflix title Mothership starring Halle Berry.

    The premise is as follows according to Deadline:

    The drama follows Adam Lawrence, trained and groomed by MI6, whose career seems set. But when the past catches up with him in the form of Kara, a Russian spy with whom he shares a complicated past, he is forced to question everything and everyone in his life. A triangular relationship forms between Kara, Adam and his wife, Maddy; three people who are trying to expose each other’s secrets, navigate political and diplomatic relationships, whilst hanging onto their personal lives, and those they love most.

    Treason marks Cox’s 2nd major rodeo with Netflix, having been the star of the company’s flagship superhero show for 3 years. No word yet on when the miniseries is slated to come out but it nonetheless is an exciting addition to the Daredevil’s star’s growing list of commitments in the coming years.

    Source: Deadline

  • REVIEW: ‘The Wheel of Time’ Episode 1×7, “The Dark Along the Ways”

    REVIEW: ‘The Wheel of Time’ Episode 1×7, “The Dark Along the Ways”

    Amazon’s Wheel of Time returns with its penultimate episode this week, and it’s a big one. After a rather slow sixth episode, “The Dark Along the Ways” amps the ante from the get-go and doesn’t hit the brakes until the end.

    The episode begins with a flashback to a woman (Tigraine Mantear) fighting off men in a snowy landscape. As the camera pans down, we see she’s pregnant and trying not to go into labor for the child’s sake. It’s clear there’s something special about her, though, as she moves through the air with such ease despite her pain and being incredibly pregnant. She’s able to defeat the men with little effort on her end. It makes for stellar action sequences, and honestly, a well-done opening that becomes important later in the episode. As she’s about to go into labor, believing she’s killed most – if not all – of the men, she’s approached by another with a sword pointed toward her. It’s then the episode jumps back to the present.

    “The Dark Along the Ways” opts to pick up exactly where episode six left off. The group has made their way into the Ways, with Mat deciding to stay behind. Understandably, the young group is frustrated that they can’t go back for Mat, but quickly take to following Moiraine through the ways and toward the Eye of the World. Little do they know, however, they are being followed. Eager for rest, knowing there’s a long journey ahead, the crew seeks shelter as Loial tries to make sense of the cracked Seal. Whatever has been following, however, wakes them as it launches a surprise attack. The group takes off towards another gate, knowing their original destination to the Eye of the World through the Ways is no longer feasible. As they hurry, the wind tells them stories they are not meant to believe. While they never divulge what they’ve heard to one another, the wind ultimately stirs the tension among the group.

    What follows is a series of acceptance and truths. We see these individuals finally come back together for the first time since the initial episode. Despite the arguing and fear that, rightfully, plagues them, by the episode’s end, they try to do what is right. Of course, they’re not aware of what Rand was told in the Wind or what he has come to know, thanks to Min of Fal Dara. He, of course, is the Dragon Reborn. As we soon come to learn, the woman in the cold opening, Tigraine, is Rand’s mother, and he is the baby that was born that day. His mother died shortly after giving birth and he was raised by a man who bore armor and the Heron blade. It was this man who would go on to raise the baby – Rand – in the village along the Two Rivers.

    It’s a reveal that fans of the book will not be surprised by, however, it is wonderfully executed on screen. The episode takes the time to see Rand go through the motions as he comes to terms with who he is. In fact, it even goes back to show us that it was Rand, and not Egwene, that channeled during the attack in the Ways. The camerawork as he goes through various emotions, knowing he is who Moiraine has been searching for is so well done. More importantly, though, the episode manages to do something many television series could only hope to do: successfully tell a backstory that not only reveals a huge secret but also manages to push the story forward with ease. It’s easy to rely heavily on exposition and dialogue to achieve such a feat, and yet, Wheel of Time manages to do so with the perfect mixture of both.

    By the episode’s end, everything has turned upside down. When Lan comes to the others and tells them Moiraine has broken their bond, having left without telling him, they quickly realize she’s going with Rand to the Eye of the World.

    “The Dark Along the Ways” manages to do so much within the span of fifty minutes. It’s honestly quite impressive just how well-written and acted this episode was as a whole. Rosamund Pike‘s Moiraine takes a bit of a backseat to let the rest of the cast shine this go around, giving Daniel Henney‘s Lan time to tell his own story while also igniting the romance between Lan and Nynaeve.

    As great of an episode as it is, however, there’s one minor issue. With only one episode left, Wheel of Time still has so much story to unpack. Whether or not it’ll be able to successfully conclude the arc it has begun ahead of Season 2? Well, that remains to be seen.

    For now, though, the seventh episode of Wheel of Time is a must-watch. From the cinematography to the music and the cast, “The Dark Along the Ways” is an impressively strong effort that will transport fans into Robert Jordan‘s world.

  • ‘Blue Beetle’ Moves From an HBO Max Release to a Theatrical Release

    ‘Blue Beetle’ Moves From an HBO Max Release to a Theatrical Release

    In a surprising move, Warner Bros. and DC have switched the release for the forthcoming Blue Beetle film. Originally announced as an HBO Max exclusive, joining the likes of Black Canary and Batgirl, Blue Beetle is now heading to the big screen.

    Late Thursday evening, the studio revealed Blue Beetle will hit theaters on Aug. 18, 2023. Blue Beetle was first developed as an original film for HBO Max alongside Batgirl, which is currently in production for the streaming service. It’s unclear as what caused the studio to switch its release strategy, however, Blue Beetle will mark a huge milestone for the DC Extended Universe as it’ll mark the first Latino-led DC hero film.

    Angel Manuel Soto is directing Blue Beetle from Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer’s screenplay. Cobra Kai breakout Xolo Maridueña plays Jaime Reyes, who gains superpowers when he encounters alien armor.

    As it stands, the other previously announced HBO Max films – Batgirl, Black Canary and Static Shock – look to remain HBO Max exclusive titles for the time being. Also in the works on HBO Max are series such as Peacemaker, Constantine, Justice League Dark, Zatanna, The Batman Spinoffs (Penguin and GCPD) and Madame X.

    Source: THR

  • REVIEW: Amazon’s ‘With Love’ Uses the Holidays to Tell the Struggles of Love

    REVIEW: Amazon’s ‘With Love’ Uses the Holidays to Tell the Struggles of Love

    Amazon’s With Love is a series that focuses on the Diaz family. Over the span of five episodes, the series covers Christmas Eve (Nochebuena), New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, Independence Day and Day of the Dead before circling back to Christmas Eve a year later. Upon first meeting the Diaz family, it’s clear that while this is a lovely bunch of people, some of them are dealing with some personal issues over the holidays. Whether it be a recent break-up, a wife craving affection or a cousin fearful of love there’s a story we all can relate to. By the end of episode one, it’s hard not to wonder where these stories will go and how they’ll possibly be wrapped up in a series meant to skip months at a time. Shockingly? It works.

    With Love does not have a single main character. This truly is an ensemble cast. Each character is important to the story and receives a fair amount of screen time. More impressively, though, along with juggling such a big cast, the series somehow manages to smoothly transition between stories. The downside to this method is, sometimes, the story gets told off-screen and then we’re thrown into the after of it all. This is something that becomes quickly apparent thanks to the fourth episode. While I do enjoy the premise, I do wish the series filmed some backstories to fill in the gaps. Sometimes, viewers need to see the story unfold rather than hear about it after the fact. It’s the one flaw With Love suffers from.

    If you’re a sucker for Christmas movies or cheesy romantic comedies, With Love will be something you’ll want to devour. It’s all about romance; the messiness of it and the truths people refuse to believe at times. We see what happens when parties give up, we see what happens when others refuse to. Yes, there’s heartbreak, but With Love isn’t about selling tragedy. It’s a series about growth and learning to accept our screw-ups. It’s one of the strongest elements of the series. The characters do experience some major growth over the course of five episodes. The Lily (Emeraude Toubia) we meet in the first episode is a far cry from the woman in episode five. There is one character though, that doesn’t get to show as much growth as one would hope, though. Desmond Chiam‘s Nick is a delight in this series, although I wish he had more of a storyline.

    While most shows work best with at least ten episodes, With Love manages to succeed partially because of its five-episode order. Yes, as stated, the series could benefit from some flashbacks. Ultimately, though, the year timeline forces the writers to tell a tight, cohesive story. There isn’t room for a filler episode because each episode moves the story forward. The only downside is, by the end of the fifth episode, you’ll want to spend more time with the Diaz family. Unfortunately, though, until a second season is ordered, it remains to be seen whether or not viewers will get that chance.

    Full of young talent like Toubia, Chiam, Mark Indelicato and Vincent Rodriguez III, With Love is a present you’ll gladly want to unwrap this holiday season – especially if you’re a fan of Hallmark movies.

    With Love debuts on Dec. 17 only on Amazon Prime.

  • REVIEW: ‘Wheel of Time’ Episode 1×6, “The Flame of Tar Valon”

    REVIEW: ‘Wheel of Time’ Episode 1×6, “The Flame of Tar Valon”

    The sixth episode of Wheel of Time takes its time to move the story forward, but ultimately takes viewers back a bit. It’s a slower episode when comparing it to the rest of the season. However, “The Flame of Tar Valon” does a great job at setting up the remaining two episodes of the season.

    The latest episode sees the Aes Sedai go before the Amyrlin Seat, Siuan Sanche (played by Sophie Okonedo). They – Moiraine Damodred, Liandrin Guirale, and Alanna Mosvani – have been called to answer for their disobedience regarding the False Dragon. The Aes Sedai were to bring him to the White Tower to receive a fair trial courtesy of the Amyrlin Seat. Unfortunately, though, following his powerful attack on the Aes Sedai, which resulted in the death of one of their fellow sisters, the women opted to gentle him, knowing they weren’t powerful enough to control him during the journey to the White Tower.

    While the blame for the decision falls upon Liandrin, who became their leader upon the death of Kerene, she isn’t willing to go down alone. As she stands before the Amyrlin Seat, Liandrin tells of Moiraine and her secretive missions, which the blue Aes Sedai try their best to defend. When questioned by the Amyrlin Seat, Moiraine refuses to divulge what she has been up to outside of the White Tower for the past few years, fearing what would happen if the others discovered she’d gone in search of the Dragon Reborn. So, she opts to receive punishment for not being forthright with the Amrylin Seat.

    It’s a terrifying moment that is quickly resolved as we soon learn Moiraine is keeping more secrets than merely the Dragon Reborn. Her lover also happens to be the Amyrlin Seat, Siuan Sanche, who knows of her mission to locate the Dragon Reborn. In the brief moments we see of just Rosamund Pike and Okonedo, it’s evident the two women work tremendously well playing off of each other. Pike has been delivering powerhouse performances all season and Okonedo nearly gives her a run for her money this time around. They’re both such commanding presences on screen, it’s part of what makes this episode so strong.

    This episode also (finally) brings back our crew from the Two Rivers. Moiraine first comes upon Rand and Mat, with the latter continuing to suffer due to the hold of the darkness. After discovering the dagger he stole from Shadar Logoth, she uses the One Power to free him of its hold and return the darkness to the dagger. However, she warns Rand should Mat touch the dagger again, she isn’t sure she’ll be able to save him as the darkness was feeding on what was already inside of him from the beginning. It’s a moment that gives viewers a new look at Mat’s character.

    Moiraine is later brought to Egwene and Perrin, who have finally made it to the White Tower. Egwene tells of the torture they endured at the hands of the White Cloaks – more specifically, Captain Eamon Valda, who has killed numerous Aes Sedai. She explains Perrin’s link to the wolves and how his eyes turned a golden color before they broke free of Valda, a surprise to Moiraine who still isn’t sure who the Dragon Reborn is of the group. Egwene then returns the rings of her sisters killed by Valda. She hides that she’s already seen Rand and Mat, trying to keep them separate for the time being, knowing she’s able to go back before the Amyrlin Seat for her punishment.

    Unsurprisingly, with Moiraine having asked Siuan to banish her, the Amyrlin Seat does just that. It’s a surprise to the fellow Aes Sedai, but a necessary step for Moiraine to get the others to the prison of the Dark One. The episode ultimately ends with the group coming together once again in front of a Ways gate, where Moiraine opens the gate to allow them to travel to the Eye of the World, where the Dark One is imprisoned. This is where they’ll finally find out who the Dragon Reborn is while, hopefully, not losing any lives in the process. While Mat opts to stay behind, the others follow Moiraine into the gate knowing there are no guarantees of what is to come upon crossing the gate.

    “The Flame of Tar Valon” is small in scale, with the story mostly taking place within the White Tower, but it’s a key part of what the final two episodes will unleash. There are no battle scenes here. This is an episode of truths, secrets, and hope. It’s a slow watch, but it’s hard not to become excited about what it promises.

    There are some issues, of course. The CGI, in particular, can be a bit off-putting at the start of the episode. While trying to show the grand scale of the White Tower, the camera pans up to highlight the massive height of the tower. Unfortunately, though, the image looks off, which takes away from some of the beauty. Thankfully, this is the only negative to the show’s visuals, because the set pieces and landscapes continue to be remarkable, as does the costuming. The amount of detail put into everything is absolutely stunning and helps to sell this epic fantasy tale.

    With two episodes left, though, Wheel of Time has a lot of story left to tell and it remains unclear just how well the series will successfully wrap up such a huge first season.