Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Netflix

  • REVIEW: ‘Centaurworld’ Season 2 Ends on a Strong Note

    REVIEW: ‘Centaurworld’ Season 2 Ends on a Strong Note

    Centaurworld is a weird series to talk about. Megan Nicole Dong’s very different take on an animated musical series explores the story of a warhorse named, appropriately, Horse, as she ends up lost in an unlikely world filled with mystical, singing centaurs of different species. We move from a rather dark story as she believes her rider has fallen to her death, as she struggles with this very bizarre take on a fantasy world. The second season has arrived and picks up where the previous one ended. Does it continue the wackiness of the first, or take a different direction?

    The biggest change in this storyline is that we spend quite a bit more time in the “regular” world with Jessie Mueller‘s Rider. While teased as a darker side of the storyline, it does take some wackier directions. It mainly serves to give us a look at the struggle on their side to introduce a new horse going by the name Becky Apples to add some drama for Horse getting jealous and Brian D’Arcy James‘ General.

    There are some great moments, especially during her infiltration of a castle with Becky Apples, but it seems just as wacky rather than playing a stark contrast to the wackier Centaurworld. It’s a bit of a shame, as one of the selling points for my viewing in the first season was that stark contrast Horse highlights while trying to make sense of her new surroundings. As we have now gotten beyond the “fish out of water” storyline, they tried to find a balance to still keep a certain level of comedy going.

    Speaking of, it feels surprisingly reserved this time around which works to its favor. There are still some wacky moments, mostly continued with Glendale and Durpleton, but there are fewer of those “what just happened” moments throughout. Early on it felt like a stark contrast, but it seemed deliberate as this time around we take a closer look at our characters. Durpleton has a cute story arc where he sees a dying Lizardman as his son, and it even builds into a newly discovered backstory of the character.

    Horse was teased quite a bit to be a magical being and she has seemingly adjusted to her new body. So, her new ability to jump into people’s flashbacks is quite convenient but does offer an excuse for the team to offer some insight into our cast and especially for the strongest moments of the season later on. It also is built upon from the previous season which was a clever way to confirm it as foreshadowing.

    The wacky characters of Centaurworld are the highlight for most of the season. We get introduced to the wacky Aristocrat centaurs, who are seemingly the most random element in the season, especially with their design. Though I could’ve done without the birdtaur influencers, who had one or two jokes that dragged out. Still, some of the returning casts are still as hilarious as they were last time. You can never go wrong with more Comfortable Doug, voiced perfectly by Flula Borg once again. Also, I’m embarrassed it took me until this season to realize the Tree Shamans were First Aid Kit.

    Where the show shines once again is in the music, voice acting, and animation. There’s a lot of attention to detail to make sure these two worlds feel distinctive. Each centaur’s design seemingly gets crazier and crazier the more characters we meet. While I do feel like some of the songs dragged out, especially the final one, they were also great to listen to with some great stand-outs, such as the “Last Lullaby” from the finale.

    The show’s greatest strengths lie in the exploration of its main antagonist, the Nowhere King. Brian Stokes Mitchell is a standout in the season, whose voice just adds a lot to the powerful design bringing this unholy being to life. Getting to figure out why he is the way he is and building upon the hints from the first season worked incredibly well. The show’s antagonist is so good that it’s a shame we don’t spend enough time with him throughout the season, or even get a lot of hints at the revelation.

    While more subdued than the previous season, the final season of the series ends on a strong note. It does fall into old habits early on, but once we build-up to the final confrontation with the Nowhere King it certainly finds its groove. Plus, we get more insight into our usually wacky sidekicks that feel more centered with their own little plot points. There are some great laughs to have, and some mesmerizing music to surely make you want to stay a bit longer in the insanity that is Centaurworld.

  • REVIEW: ‘The Witcher’ 2.01, ‘A Grain of Truth’

    REVIEW: ‘The Witcher’ 2.01, ‘A Grain of Truth’

    After an incredibly popular first season, The Witcher Season 2 has finally hit Netflix, continuing the story of Geralt, Ciri and Yennefer. When we last left the continent, we witnessed Yennefer join the fight against the Nilfgardians in the battle of sodden, using every ounce of chaos to conjure a blaze so strong it sends Nilfgard into retreat. The biggest moment comes when Geralt is stumbling through the woods, injured by a beast, and finally meets the one he’s been sworn to protect, Princess Ciri.

    This season picks up right as the battle of Sodden concludes, and the battlefield lays riddled with corpses, Yennefer is nowhere to be seen. Ciri and Geralt are continuing onward but get caught up in a storm, and decide to detour an old friend of Geralt’s, and head to Nivellens Manor.

    A dynamic many were looking forward to being introduced is brought to life here, with Ciri and Geralt finally united. It’s a promising and much-needed addition to the series. Ciri offers a great opposite to Geralt’s steely and stone-cold demeanor, but she’s also able to relate to him, with her proving that Geralt’s got a bit of soft-side, even if he’s bound by an oath to protect her.

    Henry Cavill’s dedication to the role of Geralt is another shining gold star for the series, with absolutely stellar casting. While he may seem a bit one-note, this season looks to explore the layers of the character, with Freya Allan’s Ciri playing a pivotal role in that.

    Nivellen is quite the eccentric and welcoming host, with Kristofer Hivju delivering a magical, Tormund-Esque, performance under all those prosthetics. However the entire thing just feels off, it feels like Nivellen is hiding something, no matter how many magical tricks he can pull to distract Ciri, you feel as if Geralt never really trusts him, as Nivellen’s cursed appearance really put him on edge, this wasn’t the same Nivellen he’d met all those years ago.

    The series is very obvious in its mistrust of Nivellen, with the cursed man harboring a Bruxxa named Vereena, responsible for countless deaths. For his crimes, he was cursed to never be able to love, presumably turning him into that beast once he’d fallen for Vereena, but he didn’t care cause she’d loved him either way. This felt like an obvious play on Beauty and the Beast, except the roles are swapped and this time around both of them were the beast. It’s not until the curtain is pulled back and Nivellen’s curse is broken that it really works, when it’s revealed that Nivellen was cured due to raping a priestess, it’s hard to sympathize with a man who’d just lost the one thing that loved him, and it feels like a callback to earlier in the episode when Nivellen had asked Geralt how he was not heartbroken following Yennefer’s presumed death, with Geralt responding, “Who says I’m not?” It feels like Geralt is beginning to scratch the surface of showing emotion, having lost the good person he’d once seen in Nivellen and considered a close friend.

    Perhaps the weakest part of this episode is whatever they’re trying to do with Yennefer. All we see is her locked up in chains under the watch of Fringilla and a few surviving Nilfgardians. Where episode 1 leaves Yennefer promises something surely more interesting than her just pacing around the woods for an hour.

    While this was a bit of a slower start to what will, hopefully, be an eventful season, it was a good starting point for our characters. I look forward to seeing the relationship between Geralt and Ciri progress, and how Ciri learns to hone her abilities. I hope to see storylines come together by the end of the season, with Yennefer and Geralt finally reuniting.

  • ‘Cobra Kai’ Wraps Season 5’s Production Ahead of Season 4’s Release

    ‘Cobra Kai’ Wraps Season 5’s Production Ahead of Season 4’s Release

    Well, this is quite an interesting development. Cobra Kai has become quite a popular series, especially after it moved from YouTube Red to Netflix. It has been such a hit that Netflix has already greenlit a fifth season and it seems they already wrapped up production before the fourth has even premiered on the streaming service. It is eyeing a release on December 31st, as the perfect way to kick off the year. It’s uncertain what it might mean for when the fifth season will release, but it seems likely the wait is going to be a bit shorter. The announcement came through Jon Hurwitz‘s Twitter account:

    The series takes place 34 years after the events of the original Karate Kid, as the old generation including Ralph Macchio‘s Daniel, and William Zabka‘s Johnny teaches a new generation. The original gain quite a bit of fame for taking a very different approach and focusing on the original’s antagonist. Of course, things aren’t that simple, as the revival of Cobra Kai leads to a renewed rivalry but also brings back some long-forgotten foes. It’ll be exciting to see how this season’s events might lead into the fifth.

    Source: Twitter

  • REVIEW: ‘Aggretsuko’ Season 4 Muddles an Important Message With Convenience

    REVIEW: ‘Aggretsuko’ Season 4 Muddles an Important Message With Convenience

    The latest season of Aggretsuko has arrived with some new looks into the struggle of nine-to-five employees through the eyes of humanoid animals. Our main protagonist, Retsuko, takes a bit of a backseat in this season. The series uses its Hello Kitty-inspire style – as it’s made from the same studio – to still tell a grounded story in the struggle of personal expectations, finding your passions, and trying to make your dreams become a reality. It included heavy themes while embracing the cartoony aspects of its world. Sadly, the fourth season tries to up the ante but doesn’t quite nail the landing.

    Aggretsuko season 4 should inspire everyone to unionize their workplace - Polygon

    The core message of this season is built by Haida’s characterization. After Retsuko was assaulted by a stalker, she’s uncertain about going home. It is the first stepping stone for these two to finally build a relationship of some kind, especially after last season’s finale. The creative team for some reason decided to reset his character, as he becomes a bumbling idiot every time Retsuko tries to take any step forward. While I understand that they are highlighting the ramifications of how we act when we are in love with someone that seemed unobtainable, it still drags on.

    The reason they reset his character is to explore the topic of “self-doubt” in your private life and as part of a workforce. It’s the strongest aspect of the season and highlights how the cutesy art style doesn’t shy away from real-world issues. Yet, it normally finds a balance in how these characters act and have developed from previous entries. Yet, it feels like they went a few steps too far this time around.

    Aggretsuko - Season 4 - Retsuko slaps Haida - YouTube

    The CEO gets hurt and the ambitious Himoru takes over. He ends up slowly letting older staff members go in an attempt to downsize to secure its future. Ton takes the fall, as he believes in his employees and ends up being given a dead-end job that’ll force him to leave. Of course, he can’t stand it and secretly starts working at a convenience store. He actually gets some great characterization and focuses on trying to keep the illusion alive for his family. It was great. Well, until Retsuko comes into play.

    It was her and Fenneko’s ranting about him to the new boss in a drunken stupor that led to his firing, but as everyone tells her to let it go, she refuses to do so. I like it, as it gives her something to do this season and a story arc of making up for her mistakes. Yet, the way she handles it sends such a strange message. After meeting up with her ex, the rich and influential Tadano, she finds out she’s a viral hit. The YouTube channel she started long before she joined the pop idol band has suddenly gained quite a few views. So, her solution is pretty much dropped in her lap and while she invests time to grow it, it doesn’t feel earned in any way.

    Aggretsuko season 4 should inspire everyone to unionize their workplace - Polygon

    Especially when Ton becomes quite arrogant after getting hired to run her bookkeeping. It felt like the character didn’t learn a single lesson from his actions, and we just end up where we started. Once we go back to “he’s old and doesn’t know how technology works” jokes, it feels like we just wasted time and Retsuko just fixed her issue through sheer luck. Poor Kabae gets pressured out of her job due to her poor kid getting a fever – though his animations might’ve been the most adorable thing ever – and no one really helped her out. She only returns to the story due to her knowing every inch of the company to uncover Haida’s secret.

    Speaking of, it’s time to talk about the story arc I could not fully get behind. Haida lacks self-confidence until Himuro sees the potential in the work he did to streamline how he tackles tasks through programming. Suddenly, he ends up as the department’s director and starts implementing new ways to support his co-workers. Even after they fired people left and right, the story suddenly takes a dark turn. For no real reason but to add drama, Haida becomes an accomplice and fixes the company’s books for the new CEO. We do see him build a bond with the Himuro, especially with them working out together, but it feels like such a heel turn for Haida.

    Aggretsuko - Staffel 4 | Moviepilot.de

    Yes, he has gained some confidence due to the man acknowledging his hard work and it’s a showcase of how easy we are pulled into things once you finally get the feeling you’ve managed a “next step” in your career. Yet, this feels so out-of-character for him to just go along with this. Especially as this plotline is mainly there to put another conflict between him and Restuko. We have an entire heist storyline once she realizes what he is doing. Given the gravitas of this story and Haida’s moral dilemma, it could’ve been handled with more care.

    Tadano doesn’t have a big role in this season, but his inclusion has an important role in pushing Haida’s development. He’s Retsuko’s confidant when she becomes a viral sensation – which is odd if you consider she wanted to get away from it after last season – seems convenient. The way it wraps up everything like a clean bow with only one character facing consequences seems rather depressing. Even worse is that it tries to go for a message about happiness that is important, but it also makes it seem it’s okay to give up on your ambitions or dreams. It just didn’t stick the landing after already forcing his character into a darker direction.

    Aggretsuko Season 4: When Will It Return? Everything You Need To Know!

    The series confirms there will be a fifth season, which may rectify some of the issues I had because they are more open-ended. There are some powerful moments, especially with Tsubone’s brief arc, but it all comes at the cost of one of its core characters. There is a lack of consequences to the actions taken in the story and it seems that no one learns a lesson, which ends up downplaying its stronger moments. It’s a shame that the direction didn’t quite bring everything together like in previous seasons, but it seemed like something was missing, and that includes the songs that used to cap off an episode.

  • Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Cast Share a New Video Ahead of Production Start

    Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Cast Share a New Video Ahead of Production Start

    We’ve been covering the One Piece series in development from Netflix for some time now. After they finally confirmed the main cast, we haven’t heard much about the project’s potential production start. The cast was slowly arriving in South Africa, but we were still waiting for any update, especially with the holidays are just around the corner. Manga creator Eiichiro Oda has been heavily involved in the project and included it in his regular announcements.

    While promoting the upcoming One Piece Film Red and teasing next year’s 25th anniversary during Jump Festa, we even got a nice surprise for the Western production. Emily Rudd, Iñaki Godoy, Mackenyu, Jacob Romero Gibson, and Taz Skylar appeared in a new video to tease that production is slowly kicking off.

    During the event, Oda also offered an update on what’s to come alongside the next One Piece film. @WSJ_manga was kind enough to share the translation where he highlights the Western production and his excitement for the cast.

    It’s curious that the video hasn’t been shared on the official Netflix Twitter channel, but they might have wanted this to be a Jump Festa exclusive announcement. Avatar: The Last Airbender was announced through social media, but we’ll see if they are still in some phase of pre-production. A first look at Mackenyu‘s stunt training found its way online not too long ago, but it’s uncertain if the cast and team are heading home for the holidays. If production is revving up, here’s hoping we get a first look at the cast in their respective costumes as well as a

    It’s curious that the video hasn’t been shared on the official Netflix Twitter channel, but they might have wanted this to be a Jump Festa exclusive announcement. Avatar: The Last Airbender was announced through social media, but we’ll see if they are still in some phase of pre-production. A first look at Mackenyu‘s stunt training found its way online not too long ago, but it’s uncertain if the cast and team are heading home for the holidays. If production is revving up, here’s hoping we get a first look at the cast in their respective costumes as well as a

    It’s curious that the video hasn’t been shared on the official Netflix Twitter channel, but they might have wanted this to be a Jump Festa exclusive announcement. Avatar: The Last Airbender was announced through social media, but we’ll see if they are still in some phase of pre-production. A first look at Mackenyu‘s stunt training found its way online not too long ago, but it’s uncertain if the cast and team are heading home for the holidays. If production is revving up, here’s hoping we get a first look at the cast in their respective costumes as well as a hint at the supporting cast that was hinted at some time ago.

    Source: YouTube, Twitter

  • 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

  • Danny Elfman to Compose Tim Burton’s ‘Addams Family’ Spinoff

    Danny Elfman to Compose Tim Burton’s ‘Addams Family’ Spinoff

    It looks like Tim Burton is ready to work with his long-time composer once again for the upcoming Netflix series, Wednesday. Danny Elfman will lend his talent to create the themes and score the various episodes alongside Bates Motel‘s Scott Bacon. The series was ordered back in February, which will take a very different take on the classic franchise. Instead of family comedy, it’ll explore Wednesday Addams’ time as a student at Nevermore Academy. There she’ll end up trapped in a supernatural-infused mystery. Burton is set to direct multiple episodes and also is acting as an executive producer alongside showrunners Al Gough and Miles Millar.

    It’s still a very unique approach to the iconic franchise, but with Burton‘s involvement, it seemed like a promising new take. We’ll see how gothic the project will go, but Elfman‘s inclusion is a motivating factor. His work always adds a little something special and it’ll definitely add the vibe that’ll make it stand out. They’ve always been a strong team since they worked on projects like the original 1989’s Batman, Batman Returns, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Burton‘s Alice in Wonderland remake, and many more.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Netflix’s ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Finds Its Azula, Kyoshi, Suki, And More

    Netflix’s ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Finds Its Azula, Kyoshi, Suki, And More

    The news of live-action adaptions gets met with very mixed reactions, as tackling a video game or animated series in this new format comes with many limitations. Fans are interested to see just how Netflix handles their live-action adaption of Avatar: The Last Airbender, especially when you consider the first attempt from 2010 getting panned by critics and fans alike. This time around, it’s going to be a series, which works in its favor to explore the original’s story while also exploring new paths to really make the series stand on its own.

    Showrunner Albert Kim and Netflix revealed some new casting today, which will surely excite fans of the original. Elizabeth Yu has been announced as Azula, the ruthless princess of the Fire Nation and sister to Prince Zuko. Maria Zhang has been cast as Suki, leader of the Kyoshi warriors and love interest of Sokka. Yvonne Chapman will play Avatar Kyoshi, who preceded Aang and will likely help guide him on his journey. Finally, Casey Camp-Horinek will play Gran Gran, Sokka, and Katara’s grandmother.

    Azula’s addition is a bit surprising and might be premature. Many fans of the show are probably scratching their heads, as Azula does not play a big role in Book One of the series and only briefly shows up in the background at the very end. This feels like a situation that Netflix could’ve kept quiet and saved for a season finale stinger or post-credit scene. Yet, there’s a good chance that the series might include her earlier on to introduce one of their biggest threats early.

    Source: Twitter

  • Recast, Reboot, Retire or Reprise: What’s the Right Choice for Other Marvel Netflix Characters

    Recast, Reboot, Retire or Reprise: What’s the Right Choice for Other Marvel Netflix Characters

    With Vincent D’Onofrio and Charlie Cox reprising their respective roles as Kingpin and Matt Murdock this week and rumors swirling that other cast members from the Netflix Defenders-verse series might join them, we decided to take a look at who should come back and who should be left behind. Note that this is not all-encompassing and that there’s no real metric here, much less any consistency. Sometimes we want the actor and not the role; other times we want the role but not the actor; other times we want neither. To make it easy, we cast a verdict on each character: recast the role, reboot the character with the same actor, retire the character or have the same actor reprise the same role. Because the world is hard, sometimes had to pick more than one.

    The Big 4

    Each of the following actors led at least 2 seasons of a solo series on Netflix as well as popping up in either Defenders or another series.

    • Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle
      Whether or not Marvel Studios plans on using the Punisher in the near future is certainly a great topic for debate, but that debate is for another day. The topic here is whether or not Bernthal is the man for the job should they chose to bring the character into the MCU and, fortunately, there’s not much of debate to be had. As he almost always does, Bernthal inhabited the role of Castle in a way that many actors just couldn’t do. If we are going to see the Punisher again, it has to be Bernthal.
      Verdict: Reprise
    • Mike Colter as Luke Cage
      Colter is a case of Netflix missing the mark on why they cast the character. Colter is a solid actor. His work on CBS’s Evil has been excellent; however, he seems to be, in general, more comfortable in roles that require a more subdued persona and, to me, that’s just not Luke Cage. If Cage is coming back, the actor has to have BIG energy and charisma. The man lead the New Avengers and as much as I love Colter, I can’t see him effectively convincing Dr. Strange, Spider-Man and Captain Marvel that they should be following his orders.
      Verdict: Recast
    • Finn Jones as Danny Rand
      In a shared universe that includes Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi, there’s simply no place for Jones as the Iron Fist. While part of the problem with the character was the way he was written (Rand should be able to kick multiple asses all the time without ever having to use the Iron Fist), it’s impossible to give Jones a pass. He notably didn’t want to train and he’s also just not that great of an actor. If they give Rand another chance, it has to be with another actor.
      Verdict: Recast
    • Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones
      Ritter’s situation is nearly the opposite of Colter’s in that the role of Jones fits her specific talents incredibly well. She looks the part and believably acts the part. While the series ended on a really poor note, Ritter’s time as the character would make it incredibly hard to imagine someone else in the role.
      Verdict: Reprise

    The Supporting Cast

    Simone Missick: Actress, Misty Knight in Netflix's Luke Cage | Howard Magazine

    Each of these characters played a major, supporting role in at least one season of the Defenders-verse series.

    • Vondie Curtis-Hall as Ben Urich
      After giving one of the best performances in Season 1 of Daredevil, Curtis-Hall didn’t get a chance to come back in the role because, well, Kingpin killed off the character. One of the best cases we can make for why the Netflix series should not be canon is so Curtis-Hall can return in a role that could expand beyond Daredevil’s stories and into the greater MCU.
      Verdict: Reprise
    • Rosario Dawson as Clarie Temple
      Keep the actress, ditch the character. Dawson is lights out in pretty much everything she does. Fans would love to see her jump into a bigger role like Mahershala Ali, who starred in Luke Cage, was able to do. Sorry, Claire, you stay behind, but bring Rosario into the MCU in a new role.
      Verdict: Retire
    • Scott Glenn as Stick
      One of the most unforgivable offenses made by Netflix over the course of their Defenders-verse series was their portrayal of the Hand. As Charles V. has said over and over again, “it’s really hard to screw up undead ninjas”, but they did it. If there’s one Daredevil-centric thing they could fix that would really spice up the whole MCU, it’s the Hand. And if the Hand is back, Stick should be back and if we’re getting Stick, it’s gotta be Scott Glenn.
      Verdict: Reboot
    • Elden Henson as Foggy Nelson
      Foggy is such an important part of the story of Matt Murdock that he absolutely must be involved in whatever stories are told going forward. Henson, however, never seemed the right fit and it’s almost certain a recast would land better with fans.
      Verdict: Recast
    • Jessica Henwick as Colleen Wing
      Henwick was one of the brightest stars over the two seasons of Iron Fist. It was recently revealed that she had to pass on a role in Shang-Chi in order to land her role in the upcoming Matrix sequel, so obviously Marvel Studios is keen to work with her again. Henwick should absolutely be in the MCU. Whether that’s as Collen Wing or in another role is the question. Should she enter into the MCU in another role, that would really make it hard to consider Iron Fist “canon”, however. There is certainly a great Daughters of the Dragon story to be tole with Wing and Misty Kinght, should they want to keep Henwick in a version of the same role.
      Verdict: Reprise
    • Simone Missick as Misty Knight
      Speaking of…Missick was dynamite as Misty Knight, bringing some of the charisma to Luke Cage that Colter did not. Seeing Missick return as Knight, perhaps to team up with Sam Wilson as she has recently in the comics would be fantastic.
      Verdict: Reprise
    • Debra Ann Woll as Karen Page
      The vote here is no, but not for the reasons you might think. Woll was great as Karen Page. She was better than great. But as the story of Matt Murdock/Daredevil moves on, Marvel Studios would be wise to move away from the dark, Frank Miller inspired arcs that we integral to the Netflix series and adapt some other authors’ work. Modern day runs by Charles Soule and Mark Waid would top the list and wouldn’t require more of Page, a character whose continued story would only continue to drag Matt through Hell.
      Verdict: Retire
    • Elodie Yung as Elektra
      Yung checked all the boxes as Elektra: sleek, sexy, dangerous and talented. If they should choose to do another story with the Hand or just with Elektra, it’d be hard to find someone who both looked and played the part as well as Yung. Bring her back!
      Verdict: Reprise

    The Villains

    David Tennant Would Love Purple Man to be in an Avengers Movie
    • Wilson Bethel as Bullseye
      Bethel’s time as Bullseye was just getting started when the plug was pulled on the Defenders-verse. He gave a great portrayal and would be fully capable of holding his own on screen again with Cox. Bring back Bullseye and bring back Bethel.
      Verdict: Reprise
    • Alice Eve as Typhoid Mary
      Eve seemed like an out of place casting at the time, but she did fine in the role. Moving forward, however, it seems appropriate to have an entirely different version of the character and I don’t think anyone would be upset to see a new actress in the role.
      Verdict: Reboot and Recast
    • Bob Gunton as Leland Owlsley
      Love Gunton, but he was playing the comic book Owl in the same way that Fra Fee is playing comic book Kazi, which is to say not at all. There is certainly room for the Owl in this newly carved out corner of organized crime in the MCU, but not for this version. A younger actor and totally different characterization are in order.
      Verdict: Reboot and Recast
    • Theo Rossi as “Shades” Alvarez
      You might think that with all the characters and actors we didn’t include on the list, that Rossi is a surprise. He might be but his son, Victor Alvarez, could join the MCU’s other young heroes down the road. Rossi was creepy and slimy in the role. It would only be a bit part if he came back, so let’s see him back so we can get to his much more important offspring.
      Verdict: Reprise
    • David Tennant as Purple Man
      Tennant joins D’Onofrio and Ali in the trinity of great Defender-verse performances as villains. Ali has moved into the MCU in larger role as Blade. D’Onofrio is back. It might be a stretch to bring Purple Man into the current MCU unless the want to do the big Breakout arc from New Avengers, but getting Tennant back on board in that role or any other would be fantastic.
      Verdict: Reprise
    • Wil Traval as Nuke
      Nope. Give us a real Nuke in a future Cap movie. Scrap the actor and forget the character ever existed.
      Verdict: Reboot and Recast
    • Ayelet Zurer as Vanessa Marianna
      Zurer was fire as Vanessa. Both the actress and the character were amazing. However, the MCU’s Kingpin isn’t going to have 13 hours of time to tell a bunch of personal stories, so unfortunately, unless we get a Kingpin series, neither Zurer or Vanessa need to make the jump.
      Verdict: Retire

    Make sure to sound off in the comments on who you’d like to see reprise their roles and who you think should be left behind.

  • REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×10 “Supernova Symphony”

    REVIEW: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 1×10 “Supernova Symphony”

    When I started the review series of the various episodes of Cowboy Bebop, I didn’t expect that the season finale review would turn into the series finale. Yet, as Netflix has decided not to continue with their work on the project, it seems like this is our take now. It looks like my planned piece on what they could improve on for the second season goes out the window, and it’s time to take a closer look at the final episode on the live-action take of this live-action adaptation and see if it somehow sticks the landing.

    We continue where we left off with Spike in the eight-episode, as he awakens back in Ana’s jazz bar, where he finds out why she’s been walking in a cane. His friends come in for the rescue with probably one of my favorite moments. Jet realizes Spike is okay and goes on to give him a giant bear hug just shows how much he cares for him. All that only for the series pulls the rug from under us when he finds out his partner worked for the Syndicate and got his daughter kidnapped.

    At that moment, it made you realize why he had a daughter in this adaptation. It was the perfect device to drag him into the final conflict, as most Western series focus strongly on having all story points come together in a finale. While it doesn’t hold the same weight as the original, the inclusion of others takes away from the personal moment that this storyline was in “Ballad of Fallen Angels.” It’s strange that most of the time they keep the cast separate, but this is the first time they force them back together in a story that is originally meant purely for Spike.

    Still, we get some great moments like Spike and Jet’s exchange. Faye’s “last-minute” save was also a nice moment as she still came back for them, but it did make me question why in the world she managed to find a hint at her past in the same spot that Spike happened to fight Mad Pierrot. As they go out of their way to build connections that weren’t there before, this one felt a bit forced. It also brings the team together only to split them up again for what would’ve been a second season that seems like what the writers love doing.

    Vicious and Spike get their confrontation and Alex Hassell’s take on the character ends up being the most cartoony in this entry. The faces he makes are quite hilarious, especially when he is in “stabby” mood – even if it feels like it undercuts the intensity he sometimes tries to convey. Still, his maniac personality remains consistent with what we learned about him from the previous episode and see it in action. Even if it feels like this version of Spike could wipe the floor with him normally.

    The biggest departure is the twist at the end when Julia shows up, shoots Vicious and undermines their rivalry, and then decides she’ll become the Syndicate’s new ruler. While it would’ve opened up a potentially new direction for the series to make it stand out from the original, there is a certain lack of set-up about this betrayal. Yes, she was mad she lived in the shadow of Vicious and Spike never came to save her, but this is the case where knowing less might’ve made this character more interesting even if Elena Satine gives a great performance.

    In the end, it doesn’t quite stick the landing but does offer at least a fun end to an overall enjoyable experience. It’s still sad that we won’t get more out of the series, but it did give us some exceptional performances from John Cho and Mustafah Shakir. It lacked the subtlety of the original in many ways and struggled quite a bit to find a balance between source material and making it its own, but there were some great ideas throughout. Here’s hoping this is a learning experience for Netflix and Tomorrow Studios when they start working on the One Piece series.