Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: TV

  • ‘House of the Dragon’- Episode 7 Recap

    ‘House of the Dragon’- Episode 7 Recap

    It’s awesome to see social media and friends’ reactions of what’s happening in House of the Dragon. When an adaptation sticks as closely to the source material as House of the Dragon has, knowing what’s coming is a gift and a curse, especially trying to piece together how the show is going to adapt the book moving forward, and not spoiling stuff for you nerds. Let’s get into it.

    Family Reunion

    The episode opened in Driftmark, the seat of house Velaryon, where the Targaryens and Velaryons, and most of the King’s court have arrived for Laena Velaryon’s funeral. Very sad, very awkard, especially when Vaemond Velaryon started his funeral speech and monologued on about how they need to keep their blood pure and strong, a direct shot to Rhaenyra’s (possibly illegitimate, who could know!) children, prompting Daemon to chuckle loudly and put the attention on him instead of the kids. Good guy Daemon!

    There was a lot of staring and tense conversations in the beginning of this episode, especially with Viserys (looking a hell of a lot better than last episode) trying to reconcile with Daemon and being spurned, Corlys seeing Laenor be drunk as hell waist-deep in the sea and basically screaming to Qarl to go get him, raising everyone’s attention, and ending with Viserys calling Alicent by his first wife’s name, Aemma. Get wrecked Alicent, you idiot.

    Aemond and Jace’s brief reunion scene with the two of them standing awkwardly together, with Aemond seeming to try and start a conversation before walking off was of interest.. It’s a good addition, showing that the kids are being forced to hate each other by their parents, and their reluctance to do so.

    Vhagar

    Aemond has been pining for a dragon for a while now and refuses to wait any longer, especially with the largest dragon in Westeros there for the taking. The first ride looked like Aemond was trying to hang onto a 747 as it climbed higher and higher. Tom Cruise is probably asking for a dragon to ride for the next Mission: Impossible movie after seeing this episode.

    Vhagar’s roars and flight wake up a number of people in Driftmark, specifically Rhaena and Baela, who in turn wake up Jace and Luke to confront who was riding the girls’ mother’s dragon. They meet Aemond in a tunnel coming from the beach and it’s pretty clear that a little power in the form of a flying nuclear weapon has gone straight to Aemond’s head. The four Velaryons start arguing in protest that Aemond stole Vhagar, starting a brawl that ends with everyone beating the hell out of everyone. It ends quickly after Aemond gets Luke by the throat with one hand, and a rock in his other ready to come down on Luke’s face. As he starts gloating and calling Jace and Luke bastards, Luke gets his hands on a knife it and slices Aemond, taking out his left eye. The Lore clearly states his right eye was taken out, so this episode is sadly a 1/10 on book accuracy.

    Most importantly, the largest living dragon switched sides from the Blacks to the Greens, as pointed out by Otto Hightower. The results of this trade might become real sooner than you think.

    Greens and Blacks

    House of the Dragon' Episode 7 Boasts the Series' Best Scene So Far | IndieWire

    The brawl between the children brought both families together, screaming at each other, with the King trying to make amends. Viserys trying to patch things together and seeing everything slip out of his fingers is becoming a bit of a bad habit.

    Jabs were tossed back and forth between Alicent and Rhaenyra, but the biggest was the allegation of who Jace and Luke’s father is. Aemond, being the little brother quickly blamed Aegon, who declared to the entire room that “Everyone knows. Just look at them.” Viserys quickly denounced these claims and put into law that anyone who is spreading these vile rumors will have their tongues out.

    As the King went off to bed, Alicent went a little nuts and called for Criston Cole to bring her an eye from one of the boys. Smart guy Cole pointed out he’s sworn to protect her, not to maim children for her. Rageful, Alicent being the genius she is, decided to snatch Chekov’s dagger from Viserys and do it herself! Stopped by Rhanenyra, the two have a bit of word play that ended with Alicent slicing Rhaenyra’s arm, showing everyone in the room that she is a grade A psycho. Also, this is first blood to be spilled in the Dance, and it happens to be Aegon the Conqueror’s knife with the Targaryen prophecy forged into it.

    This entire scene seems like a direct parallel to Season 1 of Thrones, where Joffrey is attacked by Arya’s direwolf. It ended with Robert succumbing to Cersei and ordering Ned to kill Sansa’s direwolf. Viserys however puts a stop to it. A stronger man than Bobby B.

    After the showdown, Rhaenyra came to the conclusion that she needs strength from her husband, something she doesn’t currently have. But would with Daemon. They had a quick little romp on the beach for old times’ sake, and then they started their scheming. Daemon, in his henchman cloak, tossed some 30 pieces of silver to Qarl for the service of killing Laenor and escaping to Essos. And they did have a bit of a duel within Driftmark, where after Corlys and company find a burned body and mourned for Laenor…butour guy is revealed to have lived, those silver dreads shaved right off! Rhaenyra and Daemon are good guys!

    Things to Come and Critiques

    Helaena’s Dragon Dreams keep coming up, but what is it she’s prophesizing? Her prophecy from the previous episode paid off as she noted that Aemond would have to close one eye, which he happened to lose, in order to get a dragon. This episode she’s quoted as saying “Hand Turns Loom” (Could be literal, as Otto the hand has been creating a rift and seeds of war, spinning the loom) “Spool of Green, Spool of Black” (Back to the Loom. Green is Hightower, Black is Targaryen), and “Dragons flesh, Weaving dragons of thread” (More Loom! Targaryens creating war banners).

    The show is leaning heavily into showing that the Blacks are the right side to cheer on, which is something that is a bit of a disappointment when it’s so clear that everyone on both sides sucks.

    Laenor surviving and leaving his family seems a bit hypocritical. Earlier in the episode, he doubled down on his commitment to Rhaenyra; suddenly, he’s fine with leaving everyone, including his dragon Seasmoke? Throughout the books, the bond of a dragon and rider is for life. How is Seasmoke going to bond with a new rider when Laenor is still alive?

    It seems as thought Episode 8 might see another time jump, aging the kids up for the Dance. The 9th episode of almost every Season of Thrones was where the shocking spectacles took place. Ned’s death, The Battle of the Blackwater, the Red Wedding, the Battle on the Wall, Dany and Drogon in the fighting pit, and the Battle of the Bastards were all EPISODE 9 events. Episode 8 is the deep breath before the plunge, and so far, there are no signs that House of the Dragon will be doing things differently.

    “There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen” – Lenin – ME

  • ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ From Page to Screen: Episode 7

    ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ From Page to Screen: Episode 7

    Welcome back to yet another From page to Screen focusing on She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. In the show’s first week, we looked at the differences between the comics’ and series’ versions of Jennifer Walters’ origin story. The following week, viewers got a live-action introduction to Jen’s new legal job, taken straight out of Dan Slott’s and Juan Bobillo’s 2004 She-Hulk run—Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg & Holliway (GLK&H). Episode 3 introduced a reimagined version of comic book villains, in its fourth week, the show decided to focus on Jen’s love life and, the following week, on Jen’s nemesis, Titania. Episode 6, being a “self-contained wedding episode” was approached as its own thing while referencing a lackluster comic arc where Jen ended up being engaged herself.

    As for episode 7, and much the previous week’s, there were a few new takes on less known comic characters. This time we got Man-Bull, El Águila, and Porcupine introduced into the MCU, all of which were already the focus of individual features by our own John Sabato. Taking a deep dive into how these characters were adapted to the small screen makes little sense now, so we decided to focus on three other villains with whom She-Hulk has a history that might end up getting adapted themselves in the future. Especially considering both present and future events within the overall MCU.

    RED SHE-HULK

    Red She-Hulk #66 (2013)

    With the increased relevance to the MCU’s future that The Incredible Hulk has managed to gain in the past few months, with The Abomination coming back, and Tim Blake Nelson set to return as The Leader in Captain America: New World Order, it’s probably not that big of a stretch to think of a possible Red She-Hulk appearance down the line. Especially given how that particular movie will probably explore a potential explosion of Hulks in the MCU.

    Even if the MCU’s Red Hulk might not turn out to be Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, due to the passing of the great William Hurt, why not bring back another character from the first Hulk outing, thus allowing Betty Ross to become Red She-Hulk?

    Red She-Hulk #67 (2013)

    Red She-Hulk shares many of her father Red Hulk’s abilities, including superhuman strength, which enables her to take on both the Hulk and She-Hulk. She can pierce even the thickest and most resistant skin with her razor-sharp claws and talons. Unlike her father, she can produce energy blasts, which she might use to devastating effect. Though this was only for a brief period in the comics, she could fly and had theoretically limitless strength in her form as the Harpy. She also could come to own her “big ass sword” that was initially presented to the Red She-Hulk during the “Fear Itself” storyline and was crafted by Tony Stark using Stark Industries repulsor technology and enchanted uru metal (the same material Mjölnir is made of) from the Real Eternal, Asgard.

    ABSORBING MAN

    She-Hulk #23 (2007)

    With Titania becoming such a big focus point in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and with the apparent ease with which superpowered people now show up in the MCU, why not bring someone close to her that also happens to have a history with She-Hulk? Absorbing Man fits the bill.

    She-Hulk #23 (2007)

    Crusher Creel, who we’ve already seen on the small screen in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., played by Brian Patrick Wade) has the power to imitate the matter and strength of anybody or anything nearby thanks to a mysterious potion. Most frequently, he duplicates the qualities of anything he touches, including solids, liquids, gases, and even energy sources. Over time, he learned to choose which substances to absorb, and even how to absorb multiple substances at once and combine their properties. During one of his encounters with She-Hulk, she realized that he could only ignore certain materials’ qualities if it wasn’t abundant. But drowning him in something that would be detrimental to his physical condition could then turn his powers, which could allow him to be the most powerful villain in the entire Marvel Universe, into weaknesses.

    UNUM

    She-Hulk: Cosmic Collision #1 (2008)

    Another interesting foe that could come up against Jennifer Walters, is Unum. The cosmic entity Enmity (one of the Seven Friendless, a group of seven cosmic creatures) basically assembled the being Unum from the remains of many extraordinarily potent dead entities, including Dormammu. The Latin phrase “e Pluribus Unum” which means “out of many, one” is where the name of this enormous entity originates.

    What makes her especially interesting in the context of the MCU is that Unum was established with the sole intent of eliminating all heroes, but initially focusing on female heroes, something that could lead down a compelling path in terms of storyline and real-world analogies. Unum was essentially invincible, but She-Hulk managed to defeat it and as a result of the revelation that Enmity was only using her as a tool for amusement, the mighty Unum turned against her creator, destroying her physical form, and committing suicide. 

    She-Hulk: Cosmic Collision #1 (2008)

    It’s doubtful any of these characters might show up in the final two She-Hulk: Attorney at Law episodes, considering how Daredevil and perhaps even The Leader could be making appearances. But with Jen’s story continuing beyond the show, and with the series making it clear that no character of off limits, it shouldn’t take long for her rogues’ gallery to expand significantly in the not-so-far future. Either with these or other characters.

    The first seven She-Hulk: Attorney at Law episodes are now streaming on Disney+.

  • REVIEW: ‘Andor’ Episode 5

    REVIEW: ‘Andor’ Episode 5

    “Everyone has their own rebellion.”

    In an episode that feels very small in terms of scope, scale and what’s accomplished as far as advancing the plot, those words, spoken quietly to Cassian by Faye Marsay’s Vel Sartha may capture the larger essence of the Age of the Rebellion better than any spoken on screen in any Star Wars project to date. Episode 5 of Andor, brilliantly titled “The Axe Forgets” showcases some beautiful scenery and wonderful cinematography as the backdrop to Cassian’s struggle to forge bonds and build trust with his new team. In what feels like the calm before the storm, the episode’s team-building moments that make up the bulk of the runtime seem to echo classics like John McTiernan’s Predator and Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings.

    When they start their march, they are a team only in the loosest sense, united only because everyone, as it turns out, does have their own rebellion. And while they don’t initially trust nor much like one another, they are able to find common ground by understanding how each of them has been the tree on the receiving end of the Empire’s axe…and none of them have forgotten. And so while it may not feel like the larger plot of the 12-episode first season of Andor has moved along much by the end of Episode 5, for this group of people about to strike out against the Empire, nothing could have moved at all if not for the time spent together in it.

    The creative duo of director Susanna White and writer Dan Gilroy teamed up to illustrate the growing tensions not only amongst the team on Aldhani but also far away on Coruscant. Kyle Soller’s Syril Karn is hen-pecked by his insufferable mother, Eedy, while holding on to his hatred for Cassian; Denise Gough’s Dedra Meero continues to sense a growing threat, too random for anyone else to see; Mon Mothma’s work for the Rebellion is coming at the cost of her family; and Luthen Rael expresses anxiety that he may have overreached in his effort to strike back at the Empire. Though each of them only get a little time to shine in the episode, White and Gilroy make the most of it, carving each of their unique concerns out of the same material: the Rebellion, which now includes Cassian. And it’s Rael’s words in the episodes final moments that truly serve to frame just how tense of a moment the entire galaxy is on the edge of, even if only a few of them know it. As he says, what comes next may just be the start of it.

    In that sense, “The Axe Forgets” feels like the last bit of requisite exposition before the show switches gears. The characters have been developed, the costs to them made clear and their roles in it seemingly solidified. Episode 6 would seem to be the time for Andor to transform into the fast-paced action-adventure that fans certainly associate with the Star Wars franchise. But as the pace quickens, keep in mind that while each of the Rebels are trees who have been hit by the axe of the Empire, they’ve all been axes to the tree of the Empire and they are about to collectively take their biggest hack yet. And as the roots of the Empire extend to new parts of the galaxy, they’ll prove a tough tree to fell.

  • Emma Caulfield’s Dottie to Return for ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’

    Emma Caulfield’s Dottie to Return for ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’

    After being one of the more mysterious upcoming projects for Marvel Studios, new information is beginning to arrive for Agatha: Coven of Chaos. After playing Sarah Proctor (aka Dottie in the sitcom-based pocket dimension) in WandaVision, Emma Caulfield will be reprising the role for the upcoming Disney+ series. Caulfield’s return seems to indicate at least a partial focus on the sitcom aspects of WandaVision.

    Ever since it was revealed in late 2021 that Kathryn Hahn’s fan-favorite would be the focus her own series, much has been asked in terms of what might transpire. This is especially of note with Agatha Harkness not having a wealth of comic-source material. As the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to build its Multiverse Saga, it will be interesting to follow what could be gleaned from Agatha: Coven of Chaos and this corner of magic into the larger overarching narrative of Phase Five and beyond.

    Agatha: Coven of Chaos is being written by Jac Schaffer, of WandaVision fame, as part of her overall deal with Disney Television Studios. Announced at SDCC ’22, production is expected to begin on the series in early 2023 with a late-2023/early-2024 streaming window.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly

  • Sam Reid Describes Bringing Lestat to Life in ‘Interview with the Vampire’ as “A Gift”

    Sam Reid Describes Bringing Lestat to Life in ‘Interview with the Vampire’ as “A Gift”

    AMC’s Interview with the Vampire debuted to high praise from critics, getting the studio’s Immortal Universe adaptation of Anne Rice’s works off to a great start. A common thread among the show’s supporters has been the work of Australian Sam Reid in bringing Lestat de Lioncourt, Rice’s primary protagonist throughout her Vampire Chronicles, to life. Though Reid is sharing the stage with Jacob Anderson’s Louis, who is equally brilliant, the actor has captured the enormity of Lestat’s personality, making it hard to ignore him on screen.

    In an interview with ComicBook.com, Reid discussed bringing the popular vampire to life. “It really is the most fun thing to do. I can’t tell you,” said Reid. “It’s so much fun because he’s so complicated a character.” The actor continued, pointing out how pleased he’s been being able to deliver dialogue lifted straight from Rice’s novels.

    And it’s like a gift, the dialogue that we get to say is extraordinary. And it is so gratifying playing this character and, in this world, saying direct Anne Rice lines. It’s incredible, because when you read it, it’s very different to how it sounds in your mouth, I mean how it sounds in your head when you have to put the words in your mouth and you actually go, ‘Holy sh-t, these people speak like this.’ Because there’s a lot of exclamation points and there’s a lot of love. There’s a lot of very extreme emotions in the book that when you translate it, they remain extreme, but you also have to put them in a sense of reality as well, which is a bit of a minefield to navigate.

    Sam Reid

    Of course, Reid adds that portraying a vampire means looking the part, which he’s apparently enjoying as well saying, “So, it’s really, really fun. And the fangs are fun, and the contact lenses are fun, and everything is great.“

    If AMC’s plans for their Immortal Universe are as bold as expected, Reid will have the opportunity to have much more fun over the coming years and fans much more time to enjoy him.

    Source: ComicBook.com

  • ‘Interview with the Vampire’ Episode 1 Teases the Arrival of the Mayfair Witches

    ‘Interview with the Vampire’ Episode 1 Teases the Arrival of the Mayfair Witches

    The debut of AMC Studios Interview with the Vampire served not only as the first glimpse into the live-action adaptation of Anne Rice’s Vamprire Chronicles, but more boldly as the anchor to the larger Immortal Universe the studio hopes to create. An integral part of that universe will be the Mayfair witches, a group of characters based on a trio of novels written by Rice. AMC began development on Mayfair Witches in 2021 and Season 1 of the series, starring Alexandra Daddario is expected to debut in January 2023. However, it turns out fans didn’t have to wait long for some connectivity to be established between the two pillars of the Immortal Universe.

    Early in Episode 1 of Interview with the Vampire, a family breakfast at the Du Lac household turns into a family bitch session as each of the members of the group take turns griping about something. As Paul adds his concerns about his sister marrying a Baptist and having to follow a tradition of jumping a broom, he quips that there are “plenty of brooms down the street at the Mayfair sisters’ home.” The remark gets a chuckle from Louis and a brief admonishment from his mother, who asks him to walk back his comment. No damage is permanently done, but with Paul’s words, the stage is set for the arrival of the Mayfair witches.

    The Mayfair witches have a wonderfully rich established history in Rice’s novels. Their legacy began in Scotland in the 1600s when Suzanne Mayfair bound herself to a demon named Lasher. Over the centuries, the agreement made by Suzanne has ensured that each generation of her family would see one member born with the ability to connect with Lasher and serve as a witch. The Mayfairs moved to New Orleans in the 1700s and became a fixture there until modern times when Rowan, Daddario’s character and the thirteenth witch in the Mayfair line, inherited Lasher and the powers that came with him.

    Given the timeline set in Interview with the Vampire, if any of the Mayfairs were to appear in an upcoming episode one might expect Julien, the only male heir to Lasher’s power, or Mary Beth, one of the most powerful witches ever in the Mayfair line, to be good bets. It’s unclear just how much crossover to expect between the two series, but given all the work AMC Studios has put into developing the Immortal Universe, whatever crossover they do decide on will certainly be more than fan service.

  • ‘House of the Dragon’ – Best & Worst of ‘Driftmark’

    ‘House of the Dragon’ – Best & Worst of ‘Driftmark’

    HBO’s hit series House of the Dragon returned this week to remind everyone that, in it’s heart of hearts, it’s really just a big budget soap opera. The episode begins with a funeral and ends with a wedding, both of which are lined with the messiest of family drama one could possibly imagine. Nanna Blondell‘s Lady Laena Velaryon has recently died by self-inflicted dragon immolation, a real thing, and now everyone from both sides of the Velaryon-Targaryon family tree must unite at Driftmark to say their goodbyes. Unfortunately, neither of these bloodlines can ever maintain niceties, and the gathering quickly devolves into drunken shenanigans and children beating the life out of each other in the middle of the night. Normal, typical reunion stuff.

    Emma D’Arcy‘s Princess Rhaenyra Targaryan clings to what she has, ultimately wedding her Uncle Daemon (played by Matt Smith) after faking the death of her husband Ser Laenor (played by John Macmillan). The Queen Regent, Olivia Cooke‘s Alicent Hightower, can’t handle the situation and tries to cut a person’s eye out after her own son is attacked, but everything turns out alright when young Aemond (played by Ewan Mitchell) bonds with a dragon well beyond his own years. It’s quite a bit to pick through, but here at Murphy’s Multiverse, that’s never been a problem. So, without further ado, here are the best and worst moments from this week’s episode – Driftmark.

    BEST – The Funeral

    There’s a lot of good in Driftmark. In fact, it was actually kind of difficult to select a specific part of the episode as the very best it had to offer. However, one would be remiss if they didn’t single out the opening funeral sequence as the epitome of what the entire series has been over the last several weeks. It’s one of those rare television moments when every major player left on the board is in one place at the same time, and they all act exactly the way viewers would hope. Tom Glynn-Carney‘s Prince Aegon immediately gets drunk, Laenor stands forlorn in the water, Daemon laughs at the most inappropriate time, Rhaenyra and Alicent are at each other’s necks, Harry Collett‘s Prince Jacaerys is thinking about his illegitimate father, Paddy Considine‘s King Viserys goes to bed way too early, and Matthew Needham‘s Lord Larys Strong stares unabashedly at the Queen for far too long. It’s a chaotic masterpiece.

    Every minute of the funeral that passes is more entertaining than the last. It’s the show at its very best, with high-stakes politics and poor familial relations clashing to create the kind of drama tornado fans and critics both live for. The rest of Driftmark is also incredibly well-done, but the first chunk sets the tone so beautifully it simply must be recognized. More of this in the future, please.

    WORST – It’s Still The Incest

    Truthfully, it’s insane how many times this website has had to state that incest is bad. True to its source material, it seems House of the Dragon will continue to double down on incestual romance for the long haul. While it might have been more fun if the series kept examining the false marriage between Rhaenyra and Laenor, it will instead pivot to showing a lot of an uncle making love to his niece in a super uncomfortable manner. Strap in, because it appears this whole family-that-hates-each-other-but-also-really-loves-each-other vibe is part of the show’s package deal. With any luck, the creatives will at least include less graphic visuals in the last few episodes of the season. Until then, viewers can only hope Rhaenyra one day sees the light and moves on to another Ser Harwin Strong.

  • REVIEW: ‘Interview with the Vampire’ Episode 1

    REVIEW: ‘Interview with the Vampire’ Episode 1

    Nearly 30 years after Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Kirsten Dunst brought novelist Anne Rice’s incredible world of beautiful and terrifying vampires to the screen in 1994’s Interview with the Vampire, AMC, which gained the rights to adapt Rice’s works in 2020, has chosen to retell the story to launch their Immortal Universe. Despite several starts and stops, Rice’s rich universe of characters and stories was never able to live on in serial format beyond her novels. AMC seems to think they can remedy that problem, however, having ordered both a second series, Mayfair Witches, and a second season of Interview with the Vampire ahead of the latter’s series debut. If Episode 1 of Interview with the Vampire, “In Throes of Increasing Wonder…”, is any indication of what to expect from AMC’s adaptation of Rice’s works, it would seem that they have indeed found a way to bring the characters, settings and themes of those works together and lay the foundations of a shared universe as steeped in lore as the novels.

    Any effort to adapt Rice’s works has to begin with capturing the essence of the two main characters: Louis de Pointe du Lac and Lestat de Lioncourt. And to this end, AMC seems to have made preternaturally acute choices in casting Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid as Louis and Lestat, respectively. Audiences will likely find themselves as captivated by Anderson’s Louis as Lestat was himself. Whether it’s the smooth delivery of his accent in early-20th century Nawlins or the ennui of an immortal man in the present day who has seen all the world has to offer, Anderson’s performance is as effortlessly brilliant as he is beautiful. Reid’s Lestat, Rice’s chosen protagonist of the bulk of her Vampire Chronicles, shows off the petulance and power that earned the character the moniker of the Brat Prince in the novels and lures Louis deeper into his game until he bestows the Dark Gift upon him. Equal parts charming and infuriating, Lestat only gives glimpses of his true nature in the pilot episode but Reid’s performance leaves the audience both wanting more and knowing there’s more there, much as Louis knows the same about his new lover.

    As much as Louis and Lestat might feel like they are ripped right from the pages of the novels, creator Rolin Jones hit the sweet spot of reinventing the characters (likely in part to keep them from being carbon copies of Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise’s versions) while capturing the essentials. From cleverly making this Louis’ second go-round with journalist Daniel Malloy, played brilliantly by Eric Bogosian, to Louis’ new profession and boldly changing the location of Louis’ transformation, Jones put his stamp on this adaptation. Though the sample size is small, it looks as though those choices, as well as Jones’ willingness to embrace and explore the nuances of the nature of Louis and Lestat’s relationship, something the 1994 film avoided, have not only set it apart from the film but, so far, make it a superior effort.

    While the series would never get off the ground without proper characterization of Louis and Lestat, Jones, director Alan Taylor and executive producer Christopher Rice, Anne’s son, also captured another of the elements that made the novels so powerful: Rice’s sense of the importance of history, both real and imagined. A read-through of any of Rice’s Vampire Chronicles would serve as a fascinating lesson in grounding a fictional mythology in some of history’s most interesting eras. The episode works as much as a love letter to the New Orleans of the early-20th century as it does an introduction-and a very brief introduction at that-to the incredible world of vampires and supernatural creatures that AMC is setting out to create. AMC’s burgeoning Immortal Universe won’t just be inhabited by vampires, after all, so the subtle nod to New Orleans family of witches might seem like a throwaway line, but the audience might rather think of it as equivalent to Nick Fury’s drop-in following the events of Iron Man.

    Taken as a single, standalone episode, “In Throes of Increasing Wonder…” tells a compelling story of a man who deserves to be more than what he’s allowed to be; taken as the first episode of streaming series that’s already been green-lit for a second season, the pilot introduces intriguing characters, plotlines and promises in both its past and present settings; taken as the first look at AMC’s shot at developing a shared universe with a staggering number of stories to be told over the known history of humanity, the first episode of Interview with the Vampire is the adaptation fans of Rice’s novels have dreamt of for decades and one that Rice, who passed away nearly a year ago, would have proudly endorsed as capturing her love of history…and of Louis and Lestat.

  • ‘The Rings of Power’ Episode 6 and the Origins of Mordor

    ‘The Rings of Power’ Episode 6 and the Origins of Mordor

    Amazon Prime’s Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power continues to deliver week to week and Episode 6, entitled “Udûn, may have been one of the series’ best to date. After Galadriel, Halbrand and the Númenóreans arrived just in time to help Bronwyn and Arondir hold off Adar and his army of orcs, things seemed to be trending up in Middle-Earth. However, just as Halbrand is hailed as King of the Southlands, the Southlands get a major remodeling.

    As it turns out, when Adar was captured he was not carrying the hilt that he and the orcs had been seeking out. Unseen, Adar gave the hilt, which works as a key, to Waldreg, one of his grimey human peons. Waldreg worked back to the tower where he inserted the hilt into a stone and truly unleashed hell on Middle-Earth. Waldreg turned free a dammed up water source that eventually found its way to an underground lake of lava. Upon arrival, the mixture caused a catastrophic eruption, blowing the top off of a mountain which will now become known as Mount Doom.

    The location where Sauron’s treachery finally ended as seen in Lord of the Rings: Return of the King when Gollum falls into the lava and destroys the One Ring is now the centerpiece of The Rings of Power. Adar’s plan to find his Uruk a home where they can be free of the sun came to fruition as the eruption of Mount Doom turned the once scenic valley into what will now become Mordor, the realm of Sauron. Showrunner Patrick McKay talked to the Hollywood Reporter about the decision to show the creation of such a major setting in the franchise.

    A huge theme in Tolkien is the environmentalism and the way machines and industrializations destroys the land. We wanted that to be central and core all the time. It’s a thing that comes up again and again throughout the show. So in the writers room, we asked: What if Mordor was beautiful? All bucolic like Switzerland. And then what could happen that could transform it? We talked about the poisoning of the land — which starts in the first episode with the cow. Then you find out about the tunnels being dug and sulfur is going up into the air. It all builds toward this geologically realistic way of igniting the mountain, which now blacks out the sky for a very practical reason — Adar, our villain, sees the Orcs as his people and they deserve a home where the sun doesn’t torment them. We’re hoping it will take people by surprise.

    Patrick McKay

    Episode 6 moves the series that much closer to the creation of the Rings of Power and the One Ring. With Mordor and Mount Doom now on the map and the fates of many of the series’ main characters up in the air following the cliffhanger ending of Episode 6, it seems that the arrival of Sauron might not be too far off. Or perhaps, he’s been there all along…

    Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is now streaming on Amazon Prime.

  • ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 Not Expected Before 2024

    ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 Not Expected Before 2024

    As Season 1 of HBO’s House of the Dragon continues to thrill fans of the Game of Thrones franchise, news comes that there’s going to be a bit of a wait before Season 2 will stream. According to hoy.es, the production on the second season isn’t slated to get underway until 2023.

    It’s believed that pre-production on the second season will begin in October, but the account has learned that the studio has carved out a block of time from March through June to film in Càceres, Spain, where they will film scenes for the series’ King’s Landing setting. While this shouldn’t be taken as an indication that no filming on the series will take place before March, it’s a pretty good sign that fans will be waiting until 2024 for Season 2.

    The first six episodes of Season 1 of House of the Dragon are now streaming on HBO Max.