Tag: TV Reviews

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.

December 23, 2021
REVIEW: ‘Hawkeye’ Finale – So This Is Christmas?

It is still not clear if another season of Hawkeye is to come, but the disney+ series “season finale” titled “So This Is Christmas“, is the strongest installment of the series on almost all fronts including humor, character work, and action. The finale is also highly representative of the series as a whole. While it has several great components, it ultimately felt somewhat anti-climactic due to the weakness of the overarching plot. This episode emphasized how the series is more of a collection of other stories rather than its own. At the end of the day, the actual plot was Kate Bishop stepping into the shoes of a superhero, but it was flanked by the vague and stagnant criminal storyline.

By the end of the episode, it does not feel as though much has happened throughout the series. Even though there was an Echo, Black Widow, Kingpin, and a Kate’s-mom-is-actually-the-bad-guy reveal, none of these potential adversaries were genuinely essential to the story. Most of what happens in Hawkeye comes across as a string of crazy coincidences. As such, the lack of a central and strong adversary left the finale and the series needing more. Many interesting narratives turned out to essentially be interesting cameos rather than meaningful additions to the story. For example, the fact that the Rolex first encountered in the first episode revealed that Laura Barton was once an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. is cool, but much of the underlying mystery was centered around that watch for the entire series for little to no plot payoff. There was a lack of connection why this watch was so relevant to the Tracksuit Mafia.

Kingpin’s use was a bit confusing in the finale. At first, it seemed like he was going to be grossly underutilized, but did have a solid fight scene with Kate where it was made clear that he is a military tank in human form. His ending with Maya supposedly shooting and killing him isn’t convincing given the importance of his character, but it would be quite a wild decision for Marvel to have made.

This episode and Hawkeye as a whole aced the character work, though. Clint got the first real development the MCU has given him other than a haircut, and he became a fleshed-out character that stayed true to what he experienced before the series. He’s a traumatized, mildly retired family man, and Jeremy Renner never really missed on his portrayal of the senior Hawkeye. The moments between Clint and Kate, including some of the more poignant conversations, were always strong and drove both characters’ development, and pushed the theme of what it means to be a hero.

The introduction of Kate Bishop was obviously the series’ main purpose, and while it felt plenty forced and contrived, Kate genuinely grew over the course of the series. By the time she did her leap of faith down the side of the building, the viewer was plenty invested in watching her true hero moment. The finale made it unambiguous that she had crossed the line from idolizing superheroes to embodying one herself. It doesn’t hurt that Hailee Steinfeld’s character already had twice the amount of personality that Clint did, and her personality was fairly fresh and unique when looking at MCU frontrunners.

The series also handled its other characters well. Yelena, while only making appearances in the final three episodes easily outshined the main characters and will likely forever be considered one of the most iconic parts of Hawkeye. While her quest to kill Clint was a bit shallow at first, her ultimate resolution with him evoked a great performance from Florence Pugh. It added a lot of color to Natasha Romanoff’s death and absence. The series offered us a decent epilogue to Black Widow, but that is another example of how Hawkeye juggled other stories more than its own.

Maya Lopez’s introduction in the series was similarly used as a vehicle for another project, which was evident in her waning presence after her initial appearance. The future for Echo is bright, but setting up her series was clearly the priority for the character rather than a focus on what she brought to Hawkeye.

Unfortunately, the least interesting character at the end of the day was also – in terms of the main Kate storyline – the “big bad”. Eleanor Bishop was fine, but there was not much about the character that was overly compelling. She worked well as a narrative tool to push back on Kate’s ambition, but Eleanor being the vague reason why all of the events of the series happened is not particularly memorable. The episode even managed to fully redeem and solidify Jack as a bonafide lovable guy, but the easy switch from the main suspect to completely in the clear was too uneventful to make any of it thrilling.

What the finale did prove is that Hawkeye is funny. From character personalities, LARPers to Tracksuit bros, this episode and the series as a whole had plenty of humor to go around on a higher level than simple comedic relief. The inclusion of the full Rogers the Musical musical number in the credits is a testament to the lightness of the series and the more upbeat approach to its production.

The finale’s extended skyscraper-to-ice rink scene joins episode 3’s car chase as one of two truly memorable action sequences of the entire superhero series. Between the trick arrows and the arrival of every character – other than Lucky the Pizza Dog – to the area felt like a worthy payoff. The archery and hand-to-hand choreography were very well done. The final Hawkeye suits were extremely corny, but fitting for the tone of the series and the weak gravity of the actual plot situation.

Hawkeye’s series (or season) finale capitalized on all of the things that the show did well. The character development and humor that it consistently mastered across all of its episodes are fairly unique to the MCU’s slate of Disney+ series, which makes Hawkeye a welcome addition for that alone. The action here is the series’ best, but overall that element was limited. Unfortunately, Hawkeye suffered a bit from a loose and varied narrative that lacked much punch. But overall the street-level, dog-loving holiday romp was a fun ride that brought plenty of lovable characters to the table.

December 22, 2021
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.

December 21, 2021
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.

December 21, 2021
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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

December 19, 2021
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.

December 17, 2021
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.

December 16, 2021
REVIEW: ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 5 – Ronin

Hawkeye Episode 5 expanded upon the last episode’s theme of rich character development and in-series world-building, but it fell short of providing a strong platform into the finale. While the penultimate episode certainly took its time to gather a lot of pieces of the big-picture puzzle, the final episode of the short series is left to try and resolve virtually every plotline already in existence as well as provide all of the Kingpin content it has teased.

What Ronin set out to achieve it did beautifully. There were several standout conversations and one-on-one moments that invoked emotion arguably better than the series has done previously. Florence Pugh’s witty Yelena was easily one of the biggest highlights and received much of the episode’s focus. While her “girl’s night” with Kate highlighted the chemistry between the two characters, the look at Yelena’s own blip was an intense opening to Ronin that set the tone for a grief-filled episode. Eleanor and Kate had a moving moment where Vera Farmiga puts in quite a compelling performance as a concerned mother which is impeccably timed with the late but unsurprising reveal that she likely is on the wrong side of the criminal line.

Clint also has moments dripping with desperation and loss. Learning that the Black Widow was Natasha’s sister Yelena sent him into another spiral of guilt over Natasha’s sacrifice. There’s a simple but moving moment where he talks to an Avengers commemoration plaque as if it were her in silence. But mourning quickly turns to action as Clint wastes little time in going on the offensive to defend his family. Through another Linda Cardellini phone call, Clint explains that he has to end it or else the “big guy” might get involved. Laura Barton is again strangely supportive, lending a lot of credit to the theory that she is an ex-agent of some kind herself. This episode marks Clint moving away from much of his self-deprecating attitude and into a much more confidently self-aware place.

The result is Clint revealing to Maya that not only is he Ronin, but that Maya’s “Uncle” is who wanted her father dead. This weaves itself into strong moments between Kazi and Maya, where his comforting protective instinct towards her starts to look twisted after it’s implied that he had a part in Maya’s father’s death. Still, the two have strong chemistry, and it’s a bit of a shame the series didn’t show more of it. The Clint-Maya confrontation represented the only action of the episode, leaving Episode 3 as the leader of the series in that respect, by far.

While Hawkeye can pull off quieter, investigative storylines, it has been teasing more over the course of its run. Episode 5 was in a prime position to kick off an intense action-packed ending to the series, but it curiously kept the slower pace of the last episode throughout. The much-awaited “reveal” was a bit of a letdown. While the name “Kingpin” has finally been dropped, it came via a less-than-dramatic line from Clint that the man in a very low-quality cellphone photo with Kate’s mom was “the guy [he’s] been worried about: Kingpin.” Yes, it was Vincent D’Onofrio, but it may have well been Bradley Cooper’s Rocket or Alec Mapa’s Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man—the photo would’ve looked about the same. While there’s every reason to believe D’Onofrio will be a star in the finale, his reveal was not particularly exhilarating.

Ronin set up virtually all of the series’ plotlines on a silver platter to be resolved or concluded. The tracksuit mafia’s vendetta against Clint/Ronin, Yelena’s quest to kill Clint, Jack’s criminal ties, Eleanor’s criminal ties, Kingpin’s overarching role in all of it, Clint and Kate’s relationship, Grills’ safety, and Clint getting home for Christmas. The problem is that the finale is forced to take on all of it in, presumably, the same general run time that the rest of the episodes have been allotted. While Hawkeye has been very successful in developing strong, compelling characters, delivering interesting and emotional arcs for them, it has yet to truly prove its ability to handle its own overarching storyline. Hopefully, the finale manages to streamline its moving pieces while capitalizing on the character work the series has worked hard to execute.

December 15, 2021
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.

December 13, 2021
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.

December 11, 2021