The season starts off with both Peter Parker and Spider-man on the hunt for the missing Mary Jane, who has been sucked into a cult. In a cunning (and realistic move), this cult leader thrives on lonely folks who have lost someone and uses that pain to keep them under control.
Here begins "Sins of the Fathers" arc, the first of 14 episodes all about dear old dad and how he messed up and/or helped his kids during their formative years.
]]> We open with stories of Mary Jane and her deadbeat dad, and we start branching out from there: we are treated to a tale of The Kingpin and his loser father that morphs into a tale of Kingpin and his son, which leads to another loss for our titular villain. We get to see the home life of Robbie Robertson (seriously? You couldn't think of another name???), who is a bit oblivious to his son, but comes around in time to save the kid from a life of petty crime. We even check in with Alistair Smythe as he discovers the truth about his father's demise (and what he plans to do about it).
We even get to check in with some old frenemies, Eddie Brock and his pal Venom...and we get to meet Venom's new buddy Carnage, probably one of the scariest villains on the series. Maybe serial killers aren't the most obvious tactic for a kiddie show, but this one works as a more cartoony Joker-type.
And of course, we get the emergence of the best costumed villain in the Spidey-verse: the Green Goblin (Kingpin of course being the best regular-guy villain). Norman Osborne finally cracks under the pressure and a new, pissed off being is born, one intent on murdering all of Norman Osborne's persecutors. Spidey finds him out and saves the day, but he lets Osborne go after the Green Goblin decides to go dormant.
Naturally, that would all be pretty compelling stuff, but what pushes this mini-arc to the next level is Harry Osborne, Mary Jane's new boyfriend and Peter Parker's best friend. He grew up in a cold and lonely house, and when he loses his father, and then his fiancee, he, not unlike his father, goes a bit crazy. Sure, it's the theme of the season, but it's the best one in the bunch; Norman made his son the man he is and taught him all the wrong ways to live his life. Tough break Harry; it won't get better.
But with all this talk about fathers, we are neglecting the mother of the season: Madame Web. Spidey gets his first taste of this enigmatic and arrogant woman who insists on helping him with riddles and innuendo. Like all parents, she watches out for her charge and helps him when needed, but only by giving him the tools he needs, not by giving him the answers. For a superhero who is alone in the world, it's frustrating to have *help* so close, but she's always right and she's always remote.
For better or worse, this season has somewhat plunged Spidey into the fantasy realm. I remember when I was younger not quite getting the *need* for Madame Web and I still feel that way now...but considering all the things Spidey is going through, it's probably good to have some omnipotent being on his side for once.
Because Spidey is still very much alone out there; sure, he occasionally gets some help from DareDevil, Ironman and Dr. Strange and any other comic book star, but most of the time, it's just going to be him, alone in this big city, trying to stop the bad guys from hurting anyone.
Probably the most conspicuous absence from this season, a season all about the "Sins of the Fathers," is Peter's father. Where has he been for his son's life? And why just a short little tease about his parents during Peter's trial for treason? Sure, we get another flashback of his Uncle Ben, but we're left hanging, and while I'm pretty sure we get an answer down the road, right now, it feels like a serious missed opportunity here.
But those are small quibbles. This season really plunged into some emotional depths of the source material. Peter Parker and Spider-man finally get everything worked out, and then boom, Mary Jane *dies* because of one act of mercy Spidey committed to help his best friend. It's a sobering lesson, sometimes bad things happen to good people who do the *right* thing, and I've never forgotten it. And I doubt I'm the only one.
I'll be back soon with Season 4, and not to mention the X-Men writeups are coming too.
Stray thoughts
One thing I've really come to appreciate about this show is how women are portrayed. Sure, Spidey fights crime in a boys world, but the women who do come into the picture are pretty positive. From Felicia's take charge attitude, to Mary Jane calling her boyfriends on their bullshit, to Det. Terry Lee busting heads, they are small parts but all of them send a good message to little girls watching. And when you compare them to other woman comic characters...they don't have a lot of competition in the awesome department.
The kids who show up this season, Maria and Robert, are also pretty good examples of little kids. Maria is a little girl with big heart and a love of Spider-man who convinces him, with her smarts and her bravery, to stay in the super-hero game. Robert is a kid with a lot of talent for science, but who temporarily believes that crime will lead to a better life. Two pretty believable characters and/or situations for a kiddie show.
Robert's episode is an interesting one. While watching it, I was afraid it was coming to be some painfully earnest examination of life in the ghetto. Thankfully, we were spared that, and I will admit that I was surprised when Robert is punished for his crime, albeit lightly. He broke into a place, sure, but he didn't steal anything, and he's been a pretty good kid up until then. Most likely, at least in kiddie show world, he'll learn his lesson and never turn to crime again, but it was a realistic turn for this show.
But I do hope we never see that Jamaican cab driver again. Sometimes a cliché is a really, really bad cliché.
"The Spot" probably ended up being the weakest episode, but because the *villain* proved to be both funny and likeable, I'm giving it a pass. Just this once.
And no doubt, "Enter the Green Goblin" was the highlight of the season, if not the show. I didn't really remember the Green Goblin being that awesome, especially after how much I disliked the first Tobey Maguire "Spider-man" movie, but somehow, this kiddie cartoon made the character malevolent and unforgettable.
From what I remember, the show placed a lot of emphasis on the characters and the relationships, not all of them romantic. Here was a kids' show that was willing to stretch the definition of a kids' show and tell some more adult stories without pandering to their young audience.
]]> The season opens with Jubilee running away from her foster parents after they discover that she's a mutant. She heads to the mall and incurs the wrath of a sentinel intent on capturing her...but the X:Men are there to save her, and soon enough she's living at the school, learning how to focus her powers and use them wisely.
But the sentinels are still out there, intent on capturing and imprisoning mutants (for the crime of being born, no doubt). The X:Men try again and again to take them out, but they and their masters keep coming back and they keep trying to end mutant life for good. It's a theme of the series and of this season especially, and while X:Men does place too much attention on the fights, especially in the early episodes, the writers knew their craft enough to keep the arc together and meaningful...eventually anyway.
Now, that's what I remember, which isn't an entirely accurate representation of the story (I probably should have seen that coming. Oh well).
At least in the first few episodes, the show is really about the fights. From "Night of the Sentinels" through "Deadly Reunions," the writers decided to come up with an idea and then add as much fighting and destruction as possible. I was very worried during that first batch that this show I loved would turn out to be a terrible to my adult eyes.
But then something awesome happened. I watched "Captive Hearts," the fifth episode in season one.
Now don't mistake me, this episode is not great, and in places it's a bit slow. But it's the first episode where the writers started to focus on their characters. We learn that Cyclops and Jean Grey are in love...and the Wolverine is in love with Jean too. We learn that Storm is claustrophobic because a wall fell on her when she was a child. Finally, we're getting to see the little pieces that made this comic so great.
Bit by bit, we get to know our characters a little bit more; Rogue is sweet on Gambit, and vice versa, but their relationship can't really go anywhere; Cyclops might be a good leader, but he is also a serious douchebag, which makes me not like him but is good characterization none the less; Wolverine cares deeply for his teammates, more than he would ever tell them no doubt. Xavier, while nominally a good guy, is not above some mental manipulation to get his way.
They all have their secrets and their weaknesses. They all have something to prove and something to hide. From here onward, it's the show I remembered. But that's not to say it doesn't have anything new to offer.
When I was younger, probably around 13, I read an article by a man where he talked about letting his kids watch "The X Files" where he casually mentioned that he didn't let his kids watch "X:Men" and I wondered why, especially considering that they are on the side of equality and civil rights. But now, the pieces are starting to come together.
For all the good the X:Men do, that is severely offset by the rampant destruction that they cause with their powers. Sure, they don't start the fights, but they do their fair share of property damage just the same.
Another reason to complain: the X:Men just have no regard for law and order. Colossus was wrongly accused and arrested for the bank robbery committed by Juggernaut, but it's not ok for Rogue and Storm to bust him out of jail just because they know he is innocent (and really, if they had waited 30 minutes or so, the cops would have seen Juggernaut rob another bank and realized they nabbed the wrong man).
That's not that much different from Magneto offering to spring Beast from the pokie, except that Beast is actually guilty of the crime he's accused of (but for some reason wants to go through with the trial anyway).
So yeah, really not the best show for kids, but then again, why should they get all the fun?
Stray thoughts
I remember really loving Jean Grey as a kid, especially once we get to the Phoenix/Dark Phoenix sagas, but right now I have to say she is the most overrated X:Men. She is the quintessential damsel in distress who can't do anything with her powers without fainting and/or injuring herself, yet somehow she's the second most powerful psychic in the world. Sigh.
If I hadn't looked it up, I would never have known that Jubilee is actually supposed to be Asian. If you do know that you can see it, but the animators sure went out of their way to make her as white as possible, which is a real shame. There are plenty of white superheros out there; why not give Asian girls and boys someone to admire (especially someone as cool as Jubilee)?
One minor complaint: Did Beast really have to be locked up the whole season? He's get the best lines, and he's the smartest guy around. Let him be free!
One real complaint I have to give the series is the costumes. They are (probably) direct lifts from the comics, but yikes, I couldn't stop laughing every time Jean shows up in that ridiculous costume (think a full body leotard with an awful color scheme). And Wolverine might be a badass, but he's still wearing blue underwear outside of his yellow leotard.
But they are not all bad. My award for best costume goes to Mystique. Maybe it's the skull belt (with the matching hair clip!) that does it for me...maybe it's the white dress on blue skin with red hair scheme that I just love. Yeah, it's the best...with Rogue and Gambit tying for second place.
Don't worry, more "Spider-man" and "X:Men" are coming. Soon.
And now I get the chance to defend my claim as we dive into the second season, "Neogenic Nightmare."
Spider-man has recovered nicely from his season one adventures, but all is not well in Spidey land. On a typical patrol, he loses his spider powers. After a trip to visit his old scientist pal Doctor Connors, Spidey discovers that he's still mutating, and that when the mutations stop, he won't be human any longer.
That would be bad enough, but Spidey also has to deal with Kingpin massing a small army of super-villains, all intent on killing our hero; the return of the Hobgoblin (when will people learn to just pay that guy???); the arrival of the Punisher and Blade, two supposed heroes intent on murdering Spider-man; and probably most importantly, Mary Jane dumps Peter after he blows her off one to many times.
]]> It's a hell of season, filled with guest spots and mini-arcs and old friends and foes, and while the arc works, and I like the storytelling better, "Spider-man" still has a way to go before it becomes great.
But let's start with what works.
First off, Spider-man is still Spider-man. He's a dumb kid while still being a genius, and he still would rather make out with Mary Jane (or Felicia) than fight crime, but he can't stop, not even when he's in violent pains from his mutations or when he's grown an extra four arms after taking some bad potion (or even when he's transformed into Man-Spider).
One of the strengths of the series is that for all his abilities and genius, the writers manage to keep Peter Parker and his alter ego relatable. If you lose that, you lose the game, and through thick and thin, they keep us right with Peter and his trials.
And it's not just Peter who's getting a little more flushed out. Some recurring characters, such as Felicia, Harry Osborne, Deborah and Flash Thompson all get little moments to shine. The universe is growing just as Peter Parker, Spider-man and our affection is growing too.
Another plus for this season is they did find a way to keep the story going, even if I didn't necessarily love every twist and turn along the way. Neogenics doesn't really make sense (and seriously, when are they going to ban science and innovation in this world?), but the writers make it matter to us, and the get a lot of mileage, from Michael Morbius' transformation, to the tablet of time, to the "X:Men" cameos, out of this device.
But for all the good things, and all the progress the show has made...it's time to talk about what didn't work so well.
For starters, there were a lot of cameos...and as much as I love my "X:Men," their two-parter this season was probably the weakest episodes of the season. All the cliché elements from the "X:Men" - the constant fighting, Wolverine's punch first, talk later attitude, Xavier's aloofness - come out in full force, and it's much more interested in the fights than the story. It's the low point in the season, even if it is what got me to watch the show way back when.
I'm willing to stretch my disbelief to absurd levels, especially when it comes to the sci-fi/fantasy worlds I love, but the tablet of time stuff is just plain silly. For starters, if this item was really worth $50 million on the open market, and you suspected thieves were going to try to steal it, wouldn't you beef up security just a bit? And I really, really dislike that it's just magic in the end, but only because this show (and presumably the comic) is so intent on grounding the rest of the universe in science. I know the season was winding down at that point, but it still feels like a major misstep.
Which leads me to the most troubling part of this season: the Punisher.
While watching this rather disturbing two parter, I kept trying to imagine what a seven year old would be thinking. How would a little kid process this supposed hero who really goes out of his way to act like a villain.
Honestly, I really couldn't think of an answer. Here we have a guy who likes to beat up bad guys but who goes out of his way to cause as much harm as possible. For example, he fires a rocket launcher at Spider-man and misses, hitting a building instead. Hopefully no one was in that building, but I doubt Punisher was thinking about that (let's not even get into the fact that he attacks Spider-man based on the assumption he kidnapped Morbius, because everyone was doing that).
I want to applaud the writers for introducing this complex anti-hero figure to a kiddie show, but I will admit it turned me off Punisher for life. I can get behind Batman, to a point, because while he is a vigilante, he only uses his fists in his daily battles against the darkness. Punisher just wants to kill people, and he can justify that by only killing *bad* guys. It's "Dexter" for the kiddie set, and I can't help but feel uneasy about that.
So that's season two in a nutshell, an ambitious tale that incorporates some awesome and not-so-awesome elements to tell Spider-man's battle with his own mutations. Along the way, he loses both his ladies to other men, but he gets his self back. Not bad for a season's work.
Coming soon: Season three, "Sins of the Fathers."
Stray thoughts
Kingpin update: He didn't get a lot of play this season, but when he did show up he was up to his old tricks again. He was smart enough to pool the six super-villains together to take out Spider-man, and it would have worked, except when you hire a bunch of crazy ego maniacs, they probably won't work together to well. And then he got involved with the tablet of time, and instead of winning everything, he lost his wife.
As much as I disliked that mini-arc, I did like seeing Kingpin lose something. As she left, his wife told Fisk she's leaving because he doesn't love her, but I think she's got that wrong. He disrupted the hostage trade for her because he was so emotionally involved in the outcome, a first for him. But even after getting her back, he still couldn't stop his lust for the tablet. Yeah, he loved her; she's probably the only one he loves...but he didn't love her enough.
As I said before, I'm not so keen on the *magic* side of this universe, but I can't help but like Blade. He's not so different than Punisher, and it probably wasn't the best idea to have those two mini arcs air back to back, but at least Blade can be reasoned with. And how cool is it that he manages to fall in love with Spider-man's cop buddy?
I was such an "X-Men" nut that when they were going to appear on "Spider-man," I gleefully made the time to check out that other Marvel kids show. Lucky for me, I kept watching that show about a wall-crawling wisecracker.
After a while, I had to admit that while my heart will always be with the "X-Men," "Spider-man" was the better show. And now that they are both on Instant Watch, it's time to look back at both these kiddie shows that left a lasting impression on this young geek.
]]> One of my theories about "Spider-man" is that the show is infinitely better when the writers go for the arcs or the multi-parters, and so far, the first season has pretty much confirmed that thinking. There's nothing wrong with the standalone episodes, but they can feel rushed and/or padded, and the resolutions are typically unsatisfying.
The episode "Kraven the Hunter" is probably the best example of the weakness of the single episodes. It's sandwiched between two very strong multi-parters, and while it's supposed to be a breather, it's really just kind of pointless. We meet a new villain with a semi-tragic back story, there's some fighting and then wham, Kraven and his sweetie pie ride off into the sunset. It's probably not practical to have every episode be part of an arc (at this early in the game, but I wouldn't have minded).
It's a minor complaint (and a complaint that I know gets corrected in the next few seasons, so we'll revisit this theory next time), but this season does what's it supposed to do. We meet a lot of Spidey's enemies (including one that J. Jonah Jameson helped create!), we meet his friends and (potential) girlfriends, and we get a clever and quick origin story for this elusive character.
We also get to discover the Spider-man is kind of a dick. Between the snarky comments and how he treats other people when he's in the costume, Peter Parker gets to unleash every rotten thing he's thinking. He even helps foster Eddie Brock's resentment and bitterness (from humiliation and put downs, it's not a surprise that Brock takes Venom to some dark places).
But what a start for a kids show. Spidey is in some ways responsible for the trouble he gets in to, especially with regards to Brock, and his heroism costs him a lot, from the constant worry about his elderly aunt to his inability to have a romantic relationship with Mary Jane or Felicia. And for all his trouble, he still is mostly hated by the NYC people he is always looking to save.
His heroics are a costly struggle, and while I wouldn't want to be Peter Parker, it's a joy to get to watch him all over again.
Stray thoughts
In our world, science is pretty awesome, but in the Marvel universe, all science research seems to bring about is more super-villains. Where are the political leaders and doomsayers calling for a ban on all research and development? I bet more than a few NYC residents would sign that petition.
The TV show reversed the order of the Hobgoblin and Green Goblin appearances, but damn if that switch-up didn't create the best two episodes of the season. Two of Spidey's foes, Kingpin and Norman Osborne, square off with while the Hobgoblin shifts his loyalty between the two villains. For all his silliness in appearance, the Hobgoblin has two things that make him so dangerous: a lot of luck and nothing to lose. (Again, all this in a kids show!)
While "Day of the Chameleon" wasn't awful, it was probably the weakest episode of the season, which is a double shame as it's the season finale. The chameleon is quite the shapeshifter, but really, the belt should be a dead giveaway, especially as it's always visible. That guy should have been found out immediately, and it just made SHIELD and the other characters look stupid for not seeing through the disguise. Bad form guys.
And for my last parting word, let's give some praise to the show's best villain so far: The Kingpin. I didn't really remember him, other than knowing he's Evil, but here is a man who runs a criminal empire, has no morals and complete anonymity. He's also cunning, smart and rational, three traits no other criminal on this show possesses. He's also a man who has a secret entrance to his crime lair, an entrance that is lined with explosives, just in case. I wouldn't believe that from anyone else on this show, but from him, I buy it.
I'm not sure when the next write-up will be, but don't worry, we'll go through it together.
Best Episodes: "The Hobgoblin" (1 and 2), "The Alien Costume" (1-3)
]]>
We all have them, those things we loved as children that no matter how old we get, or how much smarter are brains grow, we stubbornly refuse to believe is bad.
For me, "Jumpin' Jack Flash" is just one of those things. I first saw the film when I was 11; my mom borrowed it from a coworker, and in an unprecedented move, she let me and my sister stay up way past our bedtimes so we could watch it.
]]> And until that time, I had never seen anything as riotously funny as that movie. I laughed so hard my sides were aching, but hey, what's a bit of pain in the face of such comedy?
Unfortunately, time has not been so kind to "Jumpin' Jack Flash." It was (rightly) dismissed at the time, and now the Berlin Wall has fallen, the USSR is no more, and we all grew out of half-baked spy thrillers. But we shouldn't dismiss the movie out of hand; despite it's flaws, there's a hidden story behind all the period trappings of this little movie. Sure it's funny (less so than I thought at 11, but still), but what really works here is the idea that this could happen.
We meet Terry (Whoopi Goldberg) on a typical day in her life; she goes to work, comes home to a pop culture filled apartment, eats alone, sleeps alone and repeats the process five days a week. It's a boring life, and a bit lonely, but it's what she does and its what most people do.
Then one day, she gets a message from a man who needs her help (the Jack of the title, voiced by Jonathan Pryce), and suddenly, she's living the life of a film heroine. She's getting chased by bad guys, infiltrating a foreign embassy, making clandestine nighttime meetings and getting kidnapped on a daily basis.
And in the end, (spoilers) it all works out; she saves the day by shooting up her office, gets a promotion, a new spy boyfriend, the whole shebang. It's every office drone's dream - to make a big splash on the world and do something that matters, not to mention experience one hell of an adventure and live through it.
I'm not saying it's perfect, and it's got some internal logic failings even my brain can't rationalize (Have the writers just not heard of time zones?), but then I remember that little girl who watched "Jumpin' Jack Flash" with such glee, and who tried (and failed) to explain it's awesomeness to her best friend the next day.
In this crazy world we're living in, a workplace fantasy, no matter how unrealistic or implausible, deserves a place in the canon (the cameos alone are worth the trip; keep an eye out for a very young Phil Hartman).
And my 11-year-old self wasn't wrong; it's still hilarious.
"Jumpin' Jack Flash" (1986)
Written by David Franzoni, Charles Shyer, Nancy Meyers and Chris Thompson
Directed by Penny Marshall
Starring: Whoopi Goldberg (Terry)
Jonathan Pryce (Jack)
]]>
But since I've recovered from both those real life invasions, let's get back to the business of critiquing with this RomCom double feature.
If reviews are to be believed, lately romantic comedies have been quite the suckfests. Unlikeable but beautiful people try and fail to convince us that they are worthy of a 'happily-ever-after' moment. Or we get a story about a deep friendship between two dudes that's clearly only written for men.
It's a bit bleak out there for men AND women, so let's take a look backward at two modern romcoms that both succeed (to a point) but don't necessarily leave us with bad feelings.
]]> First up: "13 Going on 30"
I've liked Jennifer Garner for a long while now, but mainly because she brought such depth to her role as Sidney Bristow on "Alias." In a lot of ways, I wish she would ditch movies and head back to TV where the better roles are, but hey, that's her choice.
Here she stars as Jenna, who we meet on her thirteenth birthday. She's an eager-to-please wannabee swept up in the quest for popularity, which includes letting the middle school queen bee walk all over her (hey, we've all been there, right?).
But after a disaturous birthday party, Jenna makes a wish to be done with childhood, and thanks to some magic dust, she's suddenly 30 with a dreamy boyfriend, a life in the city and her dream job of magazine editor.
Not unlike Tom Hanks in "Big," Garner skillfully pulls off a kid in an adult's body (and unlike "Big," this film sidesteps the creepy sex scene). Yeah, she acts strange, but she manages to fake it enough that I could buy the people around her wouldn't notice the change.
But once Jenna tracks down her childhood friend Matty (Mark Ruffalo), and he gives her a rundown of all the years she missed, Jenna begins to come to grips with the person she has become (and that that person kind of sucks).
To give credit where it's due, the writers are smart enough to force Jenna to deal with what's she's wrought, and she's not rewarded for her bad behavior (an alarming rarity in entertainment of late).
"13 Going on 30" has the intelligence to deliver a believable story about time travel and its consequences, but unfortunately, that's where the intelligence stops.
Not to give too much away, but Jenna's adventures at her job are not only unbelievable but also laughably bad and poorly written. I guess a little research into the goings on of a fashion magazine was too much to ask for, which is really a shame; with Garner's easy charm and winning smile, she almost carried this movie into that sweet spot of winning romantic comedies.
But fortunately for us, the folks at "Music and Lyrics" fared a lot better.
Hugh Grant stars as Alex, a former pop music god who during the 80s was a member of Pop, a band that had some hits but broke up when their lead singer/songwriter Colin decided to go solo.
Flash forward twenty years later, and Alex is making a good (but not great) living off his former glory, playing state fairs and high school reunions, etc. He's happy enough with his level of moderate fame, but when super-popular starlet Cora Cormen (Haley Bennett) asks him to write her a song, he's grateful for the chance.
But when he remembers he's not a lyricist, in walks Sophie (Drew Barrymore), a quirky but delightful woman who demonstrates a talent for witty lyrics.
Yeah, you already know where this is going. They spend three days madly working on this song and also tentatively falling for each other. Where "Music and Lyrics" really succeeds is in its portrayal of the music industry. The film opens with Pop's video of "Pop Goes My Heart" that manages to lovingly capture both 80s music and 80s music videos. That song, and the song Alex and Sophie create, is one I could easily see myself listening to down the road.
But none of that would matter if we weren't invested in the characters, and damn if both Grant and Barrymore didn't win over this prepared cynic. It's an old formula, but Grant and Barrymore know how to bring these somewhat thin characters to life and make us root for them.
There's nothing groundbreaking or shocking about "Music and Lyrics," expect how good this formula film ended up being.
So, what's our theme this week? Knowledge is power - it's what allowed "Music and Lyrics" to soar and the lack of such that doomed "13 Going on 30" from being only half good.
In a word, wow.
But let's back up for a minute.
(Obviously, some spoilers ahead)
]]> "Star Trek" has always been a part of my life, mainly because my mom is a huge fan, and she made damn sure her daughters were at least exposed to the stuff (although I suspect my sister doesn't love it the way I do), but it wasn't until I was 11-12 that I discovered there was more "Star Trek" than just the original series and the early number movies.
For a period of about six months or so, I was butt-crazy in love with TNG, and when DS9 came along, I was gung-ho for more of my latest obsession (yeah, that hasn't changed). But the passion faded, and while I was still interested in watching DS9 (my 12-year-old self thought "Move Along Home" was hilarious, and that's probably the only reason I kind of like that episode, even now), I soon moved on to other passions and interests (although damn if I can remember them now).
Which brings us to about five years ago; after seeing a handful of standalone episodes throughout the years, and even some clips of the finale, I was once again dragged back into this world and I bought the whole series (for a bargain price too) and binge watched it during the summer of 2005 (not unlike another fan I know), and I was forever in love.
And as much as I loved the show, I could see why it wasn't as popular series in its initial run; it's a post-Sept. 11, 2001, show that somehow made it to the airwaves of the swinging '90s. Somehow, it also miraculously survived for seven years, and now we can enjoy it with a whole new mindset and a whole new format.
As my rewatch wound down, I kept thinking how much this show deserved the love I had for it. It's a different kind of "Star Trek" that embraces the sunny optimism of the previous series (Earth is still a paradise after all), but centers the action around a battle-scarred world, Bajor, that's just beginning to recover after a devastating and brutal occupation from Cardassians.
Starfleet agrees to partner up with the Bajorans (in the hopes of convincing the Bajorans to join their club) when Commander Sisko discovers a wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant, and what do you know, this little backwater planet no one had even heard of is suddenly the hottest property in the quadrant.
Right away, we're in different territory of "Star Trek," which generally likes to make a ruckus then get out of dodge when things get hairy. Sisko even finds himself in an extra tricky situation when the Bajorans proclaim him to be their long lost Emissary, and he's suddenly a religious icon (another thing Starfleet tends to frown on).
And that's only the beginning.
From there, the show brazenly tackles genocide and its aftermath, eminent domain, separation of church and state, safety vs. freedom for a world at war, homegrown terrorists, etc. DS9 was never afraid to go dark, and while it can't quite overcome the standard reset button, this show plunges ahead with arcs and character changes more than any other Trek show (and most shows, period). This is "Star Trek" for grown ups, where beloved characters die, get injured or just muck things up phenomenally. Peace is fought for, and sometimes lost, and for once, we have to share the burdens with the characters in charge.
And after this rewatch, I love it even more than the first time. Some things didn't change for me (Kira is still my favorite character, and Jadzia is still my least favorite character in the main cast, and I still really, really dislike Ferengi episodes), but the show still had some surprises for me. I didn't realize that Sisko was my favorite of the captains, or that I identified with Quark (that loveable bastard) the most, or that Season Six contains the worst episode of the series, but it's also my favorite season.
Here are what I consider the highlights from each season; the list has changed quite a bit from the first go round, and I have no doubt it will change during my next rewatch.
Season One - Emissary, Progress, Duet, In the Hands of the Prophets
Season Two - Necessary Evil, The Wire, Crossover, The Collaborator
Season Three - House of Quark, Through the Looking Glass, Improbable Cause, The Die is Cast
Season Four - The Visitor, Our Man Bashir, Return to Grace, Sons of Mogh, Accession
Season Five - Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places, Things Past, The Darkness and the Light, In Purgatory's Shadow, By Inferno's Light, Children of Time, In the Cards, Call to Arms
Season Six - Rocks and Shoals, Sacrifice of Angels, Waltz, The Magnificent Ferengi, Far Beyond the Stars, Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night, In the Pale Moonlight (seriously, just watch the whole damn season, it's mostly awesome)
Season Seven - Take Me Out to the Holosuite, Once More Unto the Breach, Chimera, Tacking Into the Wind, What You Leave Behind
Yeah, I could include the bad ones (or the really, really bad ones), but I want to end on a positive note. If you're on the fence about the series, check it out. The first season, while a bit on the rough side, provides fantastic groundwork for what would later become the best "Star Trek" series. Even the bad episodes are worth getting to experience the series as a whole...and with the marvelous invention of DVDs, the sting of the those episodes needn't last nearly as long.
But for now, as I binge read the DS9 relaunch novels, my DVDs are going back on the shelf, where they will stay for a while. Maybe in another five years I'll bring them out, and go through this incredible journey all over again, knowing all along where it ends, with Kira and Jake, looking out at the wormhole that started it all, longing for the ones who aren't there, but who will (hopefully) come back.
I first saw "Unconditional Love" in 2004; I'd never heard of it, but after discovering just how awesome Peter Sarsgaard is, I decided that I needed to watch every movie of his I could find, and with absolutely no prior knowledge, I found myself watching this quirky, uneven but cute little film about the most self-less kind of love.
And then I had to go and ruin things even more by rewatching it.
Then, against all logic, Grace decides to go to England to attend his funeral, and after a truly bizarre (and truly wonderful) cameo from Julie Andrews, she arrives only to discover that Victor, a man who spent his career flirting with middle-aged women, was gay, and that his longtime love Dirk (Rupert Everett) is trying to stop Victor's family from whitewashing Victor's past.
At this point in the movie, it's still good. The quirky humor still shines, the silliness has not descended in to dreck, and I still love the characters. Grace and Dirk are the core of the film, and if you spend enough time with them, you can't help but love them.
Here are two damaged but loveable people, who have let themselves be abused by the ones they love because their love is unconditional. It's a subtle point that gets lost in all the craziness that follows, but it's what this whole misguided enterprise was about, two people trying to reclaim their own sense of self worth after repeatedly being kicked around by life.
If the movie had stopped here, I would still love it. Even now, the first half is funny and sad and filled with moments that shine...but it doesn't stop there. Once this charming, uneven picture becomes a murder mystery, it all goes to hell fast.
Even with all the baggage of the second half, I can't hate "Unconditional Love," mainly because Grace and Dirk are just so well acted and well written (the deep affection the writers have for their characters is obvious from the get-go). But they are so well acted and so well written that they deserve a much better movie than the one they got. Maybe another draft (or two), and "Unconditional Love" could have been something great, there is certainly enough good here to see that, but as it stands, it's just this side of awful.
Want a second opinion? Check out Jim's review.
"Unconditional Love" (2002)
Written by Jocelyn Moorhouse and P.J. Hogan
Directed by P.J. Hogan
Starring: Kathy Bates (Grace)
Dirk Simpson (Rupert Everett)
Jonathan Pryce (Victor Fox)
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A note to first time BSG watchers; these aren't the reviews for you. I plan to write about the show with the ending in mind. If you haven't seen the show, you will be spoiled on stuff that happens at the end. You've been warned.
]]> Well, that was that.
I saved "The Plan" for the very end, and while I kept my expectations in check, and in some cases the movie exceded those, but when it was over, all I could think of was how unnecessary "The Plan" was.
Sure, we got to solve some minor mysteries leftover from the first two seasons (Who wrote "Cylon" on Boomer's mirror? How did Shelley Godfrey disappear from the ship? How did Ellen get to the fleet?), but really, the answers were just about what we expected. I was surprised Shelley turned out to be real, and while I think it's more satisfying if she was Head Six in disguise, the explanations make sense even if they weren't all that interesting.
Truth be told, I liked these little mysteries hanging around, no definitive answers, just a lot of speculation and supposition. One of the great things about watching great TV shows is talking about them with other fans (be it in real life or online) and coming up with all those wacky, crazy ideas about what might happen and what this meant, etc.
I remember when "Deadlock" first aired, and fans were speculating that the soul of Tigh and Six's baby went into Anders' body and reactivated him. It makes no sense, but there's nothing in the show that says that didn't happen, and I'm sure there are still fans out there who believe that's the truth.
"The Plan" doesn't suck, and a lot of the new stuff, especially the new scenes with Anders and Boomer and the good Simon, is pretty good, but it takes some of the fun out of the show.
Stray thoughts
All that said, I really, really loved the chance to get to spend more time with Simon. He was probably the most invisible Cylon of the twelve, which I always assumed was due to scheduling problems, but we finally get to see the inner life of the doctor Cylon. In the fleet, he's married with a stepdaughter, and he's already making the leap that Athena made in Season One. He killed himself because he wanted to keep his family safe; he may have been the only one of his model to step outside the mold, but in the brief time we got to know him, I was glad he was around.
It must have been fun to break out of the no-nudity box for the direct-to-DVD movie, but really, it was more than a bit unnecessary.
Another fun side of "The Plan" is getting to see that even Cavil can love. Galactica Cavil was continually thwarted in his sabotage plans, and just kept more and more bitter, even going so far as to kill a kid just for the fun of it. But Caprica Cavil, he gets to hang out with the rebels and spends some bonding time with one of his (still-in-the-dark) parents. Slowly, he sees the value humans have to offer the universe, and he spares lives when he has a perfect opportunity to end them. He even extends a hand of comfort for his fellow (doomed) brother. Shame we didn't get to see more of sweet Cavil.
And who knew Boomer's story could even get more tragic. She'll never remember it, but she signed up for her life and chose to be a double-agent when she could have, should have, walked away. But to quote another great sci-fi show, "Love makes you do the wacky."
Next up: ???
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A note to first time BSG watchers; these aren't the reviews for you. I plan to write about the show with the ending in mind. If you haven't seen the show, you will be spoiled on stuff that happens at the end. You've been warned.
It's been a week of endings for me. Earlier last week, Jim and I also finished our DS9 rewatch, and we finished the first (and sadly only) season of the FX show "Terriers" (a one-season classic).
I won't dwell too long on the DS9 finale, but without giving anything away, it's my favorite sci-fi series finale. It's not perfect, but the pros far outweigh any of the minor quibbles I have. That sums up a lot of the series finales I've seen, but what puts "What You Leave Behind" at the front of the pack is the last shot; again, no spoilers here, but that wordless shot wraps all the emotion and love and loss into one long take that brings tears to my eyes just thinking about. After seven seasons, I came to love and care for those characters, and while the goodbye is bittersweet, I cannot think of a better parting image than the one we got.
I really, really wish I could say the same thing about BSG's finale. I love this show, I've loved it for a short but passionate time, and while parts of the finale are moving, the very last shot of Head Six and Head Baltar walking through a crowd while images of our pre-Cylon robots prance about is just a preachy lesson fans of the show did not need to hear.
First time around, I had more problems with the finale, but now, after all this writing and thinking, I've come to terms with Baltar's big speech (which didn't bother me all this time around), the Galactica Opera House, Racetrack's post-death nuke blast, Cavil's suicide, all of it fits somehow better now, but I can't make my distaste for the last few minutes go away.
But it's ok; from now on, for me anyway, "Daybreak" ends with Adama sitting at Laura's grave, talking about their cabin and all the plans he has for the new world she and Kara brought them too.
In that spirit, no more dwelling on the bad parts.
See, they made it. The humans finally got their act together and proved that while they have their faults, they can do enough good that they deserve survival. From across the fleet of the last survivors of the 12 colonies, men and women volunteered for a crazy mission to rescue a little girl with an unfortunate tendency to get kidnapped.
They carried out this borderline suicidal plan, and they succeeded. The humans and Cylons both were finally able to look past their shared history of death and betrayal to save their shared future.
These people have lost everything, but they never lost that, the thing in them that occasionally lets them put the good of the many above the good of the one.
And for all their sufferings, and all their trials, they are better than who they were before. The flashbacks show us a shiny, glittery world where Lee almost sleeps with his brother's girlfriend, Gaius yells at and fights with his cantakerous father routinely, a drunk driver kills Laura's family, Adama feels no shame in vomiting in an alley behind a stripclub, and on and on and on. It was a terrible place that needed a new beginning, and thanks to what's left of that world, now they have.
The best pieces of the humans and the Cylons will live on while the horrors evaporate with age. The whole series has been about the fresh start and a new beginning, and you don't get newer than this.
Stray thoughts
I started this gargantuan project over a year ago, and while it doesn't technically wrap up until next week, thank you for reading this and making the BSG journey with me. There have been times when this felt like a chore, but I never really wanted to give up. BSG has always rewarded the effort I put into it, and I hope it (and my reviews) did the same for you.
This was also the first time I've seen the extended cut, and while I was hoping the team would ditch the epilogue, I was pretty happy with the new scenes. In fact, the new additions felt as seemless as the ones in the extended cut of "Pegasus," my personal favorite of the extended episodes.
Next up: "The Plan"
Now, I went in expecting "The Black Cauldron" to be pretty bad (thanks in part to this Slate article), but in the back of my mind, I was hoping that my lowered expectations would overwrite the movie's flaws and let me enjoy it.
Sadly, it was not to be. What makes the movie's fumbles even harder is that I've read "The Chronicles of Prydain" by Lloyd Alexander (the movie's title comes from the second book in the series), and it's a fantastic and moving coming of age tale about an assistant pig keeper Taran (voiced by Grant Bardsley) and his journey to manhood (and heroism).
However, the film, directed by Ted Berman and Richard Rich, has none of those qualities. It's an overly cutesy tale about bringing down a scary but one-note villain in order to save the world and get the girl. It's the template for every fantasy story ever written (as a fantasy consumer, that's not a complaint, just an observation) but the writers and directors didn't do anything special with the story.
The characters are goody-goody bland, the animal sidekicks (on both sides) are annoying, and the wrap-up is too easy and ultimately costs our heroes nothing (something that is completely foreign to the author Alexander).
It's not often that I wish for a bad movie to be longer, but condensing five extraordinary novels
in to one 80 minute movie is a travesty, plain and simple. Maybe I could have handled this movie better if I hadn't loved the books as I did, but what's done is done. Now it's time for someone to rescue this series from it's fate and make it into the grand spectacle it deserves to be.
"The Black Cauldron" (1985)
Written by too many to list here
Directed by Ted Berman and Richard Rich
Starring: Grant Bardsley (Taran)
Susan Sheridan (Eilonwy)
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A note to first time BSG watchers; these aren't the reviews for you. I plan to write about the show with the ending in mind. If you haven't seen the show, you will be spoiled on stuff that happens at the end. You've been warned.
]]> First a sidebar: My movie buddy Jim and I have been rewatching Ron Moore's other great show, "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (don't worry, I'll have more on that at a later time), and so far, I'm loving that show even more than I did the first time I watched it (and Jim's totally digging his first time through too). As that rewatch has been winding down (we'll be down in a matter of days!), we've discovered a curious pattern in the episodes; episodes without a "B" plot are rarely exceptional, and more often than not, they tend to be on the awful side.
I only bring this up because tonight's BSG episode is one of the only examples of a show, any show, I can think of where there isn't an "A" plot. In the teaser, we get a glimpse of the tangible damage Boomer inflicted on Galactica as a Cylon/human crew tries and fails to fix a hole in the ship. That hole leads to other problems, and soon the whole ship is buckling; she's got at most six jumps left in her, and she's fading fast.
And from there, we spend time with our heroes as they come to grips with the idea of a world without Galactica (much like the fans were doing at the time this episode originally aired), and it's a scary, bleak world they are imagining for themselves (just like the BSG fans, including me, were imagining).
They've been on this endless mission for four years now, and all it's gotten them is more and more loss. They've lost people, supplies, ships, planets. All of them are only moments away from losing everything they love, and it's finally starting to sink in that their home, their protector, will very soon be gone.
Hopelessness is everywhere, and some are feeling it more than others. Helo and Athena (who is once again getting opera house visions along with Caprica Six and Roslin) are coming apart bit by bit because of their daughter's kidnapping.
Starbuck finally (finally) opens up and shares her story with a real person in the hopes of getting some real answers about what happened to her. Of course, she already knows the answer, she's known since Earth: Kara Thrace died in that explosion and her body somehow wound up on Earth. This Starbuck, whatever she is, is something new and while she doesn't have the answers, she's getting herself ready for whatever she was brought back to do.
Adama is (once again) refusing to see what's right in front of him, and is moping about trying to convince himself that everything is fine (I've discovered this time around that I have zero patience for crybaby Adama). Tigh backs him up for a while, but even our stalwart XO has to admit that this is the bitter end for the ship. And while the ship may die, the people she shepherded will live on.
And in the background, there is Boomer, taking her little passenger to her doom at the hands of an evil scientist, and while she's hated that kid since she was a baby, that little girl will bring Boomer's soul back to her. She can fight it all she wants, but she is a woman who loves.
"Islanded" is a hard episode in some ways; a lot happens, but nothing really happens. Our characters start out hopeless, and wind up slightly less hopeless, a huge step for these people with nothing to look forward too. Like the fans were two years ago, things are looking grim because they are grim, but little kernels of hope are still there: Lee will always love Starbuck in any form; Tigh will always have Adama's back (and vice versa); Roslin will live long enough to save Hera; Baltar will rise to the occasion (eventually), but only to prove that he's not a loser.
It's not over yet. Hope is coming soon.
Stray thoughts
One detail I totally missed the first time around; Adama now walks around his ship with a marine guard, because there are people aboard who would take the shot if given the chance. Nice touch.
Another detail I missed: "There's a whole in the bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza" - yes, I do remember our grand ship's nickname. But who outlived who, Pegasus???
One of the reason's I was so excited about this episode is that I really wanted to see the deleted scene with Chief and Athena in the brig, and I was not disappointed. Aaron Douglas doesn't need to say anything to reflect Chief's sorrow, and Grace Park, a onetime weak link in an otherwise great cast, delivers a cold and furious speech to him that leaves no doubt about her acting chops. Man, I still love being surprised by this show.
But I shouldn't have been surprised by Baltar here. Just when I was beginning to like that guy, he goes and betrays Starbuck in a misguided attempt to regain Caprica Six's favor. Seriously, what was he trying to accomplish there, other than hurting someone who had the courage to trust him. Classic Baltar, that frakker.
Next up: "Daybreak" (extended) (yep, all of it)
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But ah well, that's part of the fun, but we're going to shake things up a bit this time. For this year's prognostications, I'm going with two categories, what I believe will happen and what I would like to happen.
Let's get to it (and good luck to you all playing the home game). See you in February.
"Black Swan"
"The Fighter"
"Inception"
"The Kids Are All Right"
"The King's Speech"
"127 Hours"
"The Social Network"
"Toy Story 3"
"True Grit"
"Winter's Bone"
What I would like to win: "Toy Story 3" - no other movie hit me quite like this one, and while I'm sure it's a lock for Animated Feature, it deserves the big trophy too.
What I think will win: "The King's Speech" - I'm hedging here, because I've seen only three nominated films (yep, three), and the film with the most nominations usually wins. And from everything I've heard about "The King's Speech," it's exactly the kind of good but safe picture that usually cleans up come awards time.
Best Director
"Black Swan" Darren Aronofsky
"The Fighter" David O. Russell
"The King's Speech" Tom Hooper
"The Social Network" David Fincher
"True Grit" Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
Who I would like to win: Darren Aronofsky - maybe it's a left field choice, maybe not, but all the reviews, positive and negative, I've read about his "Black Swan" have made me want to see this film more than any others in this category.
Who I think will win: Tom Hooper - See above. I'm playing it safe this year.
Best Actress
Annette Bening in "The Kids Are All Right"
Nicole Kidman in "Rabbit Hole"
Jennifer Lawrence in "Winter's Bone"
Natalie Portman in "Black Swan"
Michelle Williams in "Blue Valentine"
Who I would like to win: Annette Bening - She was fantastic in "Kids" and she is a national treasure, I've loved her in movies for many, many years now, and I would love to see her finally win some recognition for all the great performances over the years, including this one.
Who I think will win: Natalie Portman - the buzz is all with her this year. Dammit.
Best Actor
Javier Bardem in "Biutiful"
Jeff Bridges in "True Grit"
Jesse Eisenberg in "The Social Network"
Colin Firth in "The King's Speech"
James Franco in "127 Hours"
Who I would like to win: Colin Firth - Even with the negatives I've heard about "King's Speech," everyone has praised his performance. Plus, I've always liked him.
Who I think will win: Colin Firth - there were other performances this year too, but he's got buzz on his side (for now anyway).
Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams in "The Fighter"
Helena Bonham Carter in "The King's Speech"
Melissa Leo in "The Fighter"
Hailee Steinfeld in "True Grit"
Jacki Weaver in "Animal Kingdom"
Who I would like to win: Hailee Steinfeld - who doesn't like to hear stories about fresh young talent coming from nowhere?
Who I think will win: Hailee Steinfeld. Again, buzz and crazy talent.
Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale in "The Fighter"
John Hawkes in "Winter's Bone"
Jeremy Renner in "The Town"
Mark Ruffalo in "The Kids Are All Right"
Geoffrey Rush in "The King's Speech"
Who I would like to win: Jeremy Renner - Last year, he lost out for "The Hurt Locker," and that was a damn shame; he's incredibly talented, and it would be awesome if this were his year too.
Who I think will win: Geoffrey Rush - I really can't argue with numbers.
Best Adapted Screenplay
"127 Hours" Screenplay by Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy
"The Social Network" Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin
"Toy Story 3" Screenplay by Michael Arndt; Story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich
"True Grit" Written for the screen by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
"Winter's Bone" Adapted for the screen by Debra Granik & Anne Rosellini
What I would like to win: "Toy Story 3" - I am firmly in this camp as far as it goes.
What I think will win: "True Grit" - From the little I've heard, it's a fantastic remake, and while it's a long shot (maybe), stranger things have happened.
Best Original Screenplay
"Another Year" Written by Mike Leigh
"The Fighter" Screenplay by Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson;
Story by Keith Dorrington & Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson
"Inception" Written by Christopher Nolan
"The Kids Are All Right" Written by Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg
"The King's Speech" Screenplay by David Seidler
What I would like to win: "The Kids Are All Right" - Hey, I've seen two films in this category ("Inception" is the other) and "Kids" treats all its characters as real people, a rare find. It's a small, personal pick that usually doesn't win big, but I'd like it all the same.
What I think will win: "Inception" - I liked the film well enough, although I didn't love it, and the voters tend to go for the outside choices here.
Some other picks
I'd really like to see "Inception" win for Best Score; the music was practically another character in that movie (and a great one at that).
"Day and Night" will hopefully take home the Best Animated Short award. With no dialogue, it's a moving little short about jealousy, longing, loneliness and finding a friend.
Shame "Inception" was snubbed for the Best Film Editing. Totally deserved that one.
And surprise, surprise, I really hope "Toy Story 3" takes the animated feature film award, but if it doesn't, "How to Train Your Dragon" would be a worthy choice too.
Hey, want a second opinion? Check out Jim's predictions.
A note to first time BSG watchers; these aren't the reviews for you. I plan to write about the show with the ending in mind. If you haven't seen the show, you will be spoiled on stuff that happens at the end. You've been warned.
]]> During this rewatch, there have been a few episodes I've been downright nervous about revisiting. Some because I'm not sure if I will love them as much, some because I really disliked them the first time around and some because I'm not sure how fresh eyes will react to an odd episode.
"Someone to Watch Over Me" falls right in that latter category, and while there is a lot to love here, the reveal over the piano player just doesn't make sense the second time around.
Starbuck has been a bit neglected the last few episodes; she's been around, but she's been forced into the B-plot, and I've been missing her brand of crazy, so it's great to bring her back to the forefront in all her messed-up glory.
She still is haunted by Earth, and she still hasn't told anyone that she found her dead body on that nuked-out planet. She's still fretting over Sam, and she's still leading her pilots in a *fruitless* effort to find a new home.
She's been running in place for weeks, doing the same things over and over and over, and finally, someone new comes along just when she needed him. They bond, she works out some childhood issues with her dad, then realizes this guy IS her dad...and then he promptly disappears.
Sigh. I was really on board for this episode until that "Sixth Sense" reveal had to go and ruin a pretty good Starbuck episode. I don't mind that he wasn't real, or that he was her father and his mysterious song has this connection to the Cylons and whatnot, but the device itself, like a lot of M. Night Shyamalan films, just doesn't make sense.
No one even looked her way when she started shouting at someone who wasn't there? Or holding a conversation with an invisible person? Starbuck is weird and all, but people do notice that stuff. Even Baltar got funny looks now and then before he learned how to multi-task two conversations at once.
I found the other side of the story much more satisfying, even though it suffers from some of the believability issues the A-plot had (Wouldn't Hera have known it wasn't her mother? Wouldn't some of the other Cylons recognize Boomer?).
Chief once again finds himself caught up with Boomer; she confesses that she still loves him, has never stopped loving him, and she has even created a Cylon projection of the house that might have been had the war not happened.
It's very sweet, and just what our beleaguered Chief needs after his wife's death and learning of her betrayal. It's also exactly what he wanted to hear, which should have sent up a red flag immediately, but this is Chief here. He's a loving and forgiving man, and he loves and forgives with his whole body.
And all that does is get him in more trouble, but this time, he hurts a lot of other people along the way too. I've felt sorry for Boomer for a long time now, and I still feel pity for her, but this episode pretty much burns away all that. She had every opportunity to just run away, run back to Cavil, anything, but she choose to hurt the people she once loved in the most vile and devastating way she could.
I don't say this lightly, but she gets what she deserved, an end to her (and our) misery.
Stray thoughts
As much as I complained about the ghost device, I cannot complain about the performances. Katee Sahckhoff once again shows just what an asset she is to this show; even when the writing is a bit weak, she always brings the depth to this unbalanced and memorable character.
And of course, Roark Critchlow shines in a role that could have been a big joke but instead manages to be quite moving.
Next up: "Islanded in a Stream of Stars"
Some of it comes down to timing; had I seen this at a much younger age, I could totally see myself getting swept up in this story of a dwarf named Willow (Warwick Davis) who must protect a baby from the evil Queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh) who wishes to kill her.
He meets some other travelers along the way to help him, such as two Brownies, Franjean(Rick Overton) and Rool (Kevin Pollak), a ne'er do well swordsman Madmartigan (Val Kilmer) and Fin Raziel (Patricia Hayes) a good witch who has been transformed into a muskrat.
It's a solid setup, a tale as old as time, but a lot of the kiddie elements, like any scenes with the Brownies or when the love potion goes wrong for Madmartigan, just fall flat to these adult eyes. And while I'll give the filmmakers props for bucking the trend of the day and making the chosen one a girl, "Willow" still amounts to a story about a bunch of dudes (even the other women can't act on their own until the men come along).
"Willow" tried its best to impress me, but sadly, I'm a little too old for a tale this simplistic.
"Willow" (1988)
Written by Bob Dolman
Directed by Ron Howard
Starring: Warwick Davis (Willow)
Val Kilmer (Madmartigan)