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aion-rsa · 3 years

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The Simpsons Season 32 Episode 12 Review: Diary Queen

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This The Simpsons review contains spoilers.

The Simpsons Season 32 Episode 12

The Simpsons Season 32, episode 12, “Diary Queen,” may be the sweetest offering of the series. It’s not only sentimental and self-esteem-positive, it’s downright edumacational. At least for Bart, who certainly learns a lesson. Thankfully, as the episode explains by example, he probably won’t retain it.

“What’s the matter, Bart? I figure you’d be used to failing by now,” Edna Krabappel once consoled the spiky haired kid who seemed so determined to get through school without schooling. Marcia Wallace, who played the Springfield Elementary teacher, died unexpectedly in October 2013. Edna’s death was first acknowledged in “Four Regrettings and a Funeral,” from season 25, when Bart wrote “We’ll really miss you Mrs. K” on the chalkboard. He only wrote it once. Her death was punishment enough. Both the character and the voice actor were instrumental in the chemistry of The Simpsons, and chemistry happens to be one of the few things Bart’s ever excelled at in school, even pranking a talent show in the “Haw-Haw Land” episode. But he gets his beakers crossed in the latest installment.

“Diary Queen” opens with an inspired West Side Story song parody, “Too Nice” replacing “Tonight.” It’s time for Ned Flanders’s annual yard sale, and he’s on a holy mission to undersell eBay. Comic Book Guy is looking for a broom to play Quidditch on, Waylen Smithers is going to score some kitsch, and Ned will finally toss those fuzzy dice Maude bought him to the bottom of an impulse item box of jokes he did not get. The Flanders family are parting with their humble possession in a public bid for humility, in case no one notices. Ned gives up Rod’s teeth. Todd consigns his toys to the auction block on the grass. “Playing is a sin that we regret,” one of the Flanders kids explains.

Ned’s bizarre outdoor bazaar is the only segment which has any meanness in it. The Springfieldians want to take advantage of Ned, and openly mock him. Carl and Lenny turn the yard sale into a yarn brawl, and Jimbo’s gang buys commemorative plates just to smash them. It’s enough to send Ned looking for the fans he always carries around in case of stress-induced hot flashes. As Patty and Selma are flicking ashes into Rod and Tod’s baby shoes, it seems Nelson, Bart, and Millhouse are the only ones worthy to buy Ned’s treasured mementos. And, of those, only Nelson’s purchase is authentic. He buys all the bad words, like “adultery” and “fornication,” which Ned cut out of his old religious texts. Nelson has a genuine use for them, you can just tell.

Bart and Millhouse buy the books. Even without the offending admonishments, they swear they’ll still find useful ways to better themselves. Their haul winds up being the fiery centerpiece for a supercool skateboarding feat which no one will ever see. It’s an old joke, but we do get to notice how big Millhouse’s nose looks when he’s picking it. One book, which gives the title to the episode, is spared the conflagration of Bart’s daredevil jump: Edna Krabappel’s diary. Bart recognizes the Ds and Fs, and Millhouse recognizes the smell of Parliament Lights 100s. It’s very telling how these are the most recognizable clues. They are each ready-made character punchlines.

The diary is a font of information. Bart and Millhouse learn all the teachers work night jobs during school hours, and the many lonely secrets of Groundskeeper Willie. But their first use of it is inspired gaggery. Bart learns Superintendent Chalmers keeps his car keys behind the visor. The two kids not only steal the car but take advantage of a free yogurt offer at a car wash. The idea that taking the yogurt and ditching the car is a “perfect crime” is great kids’ logic. It is a little odd, however, that Springfield’s Chief Wiggum sees fourth grade car thieves as inspiration for a little personal time with Officer Lou, but it works within Simpsons logic.

The central point of the episode is Bart’s relationship with his dead teacher, and his relationship with himself. He actually believes someone he thought only saw him as troublesome also considered him “smart as a whip.” It leads him to believe he actually has potential, which he translates to: all the time he was showing his butt he was showing promise. This spurs him into thinking about getting seriously educated. Not only does he try but he succeeds on his first dry run, resisting the urge to draw a skeleton head on a multiple-choice test grid, and getting an A. Not only does he finally understand how his sister Lisa doesn’t suck, but he puts himself on the same level.

Lisa goes through all the stages of jealousy, and even realizes she’s on the verge of obsession when even her imaginary comfort pony begins to look like Bart. This makes it worse, because realizing he is the only thing she can think about only makes her dwell on it. Lisa is usually the family genius, and how she reacts to Bart doing well really depends on the circumstance and need for story conflict. For instance, when Bart had to apply geometry to miniature golf in an early episode, Lisa brought a Zenlike understanding of all things which putt. Lisa does Bart a disservice tonight in the guise of doing the right thing. It’s her MO.

Of course, Marge and Lisa don’t trust Bart’s recent good grades, but while he comes up clean to Marge, Lisa digs up the dirt. Bart correlates “cruel” with “lying” because “they’re both great.” He thinks he’s going to win a Spelling Bee just because he has the potential to do it. Would it have been less cruel for Lisa to let him see how far his belief would get him? She’s set him up for worse humiliations just for an edge at science fairs.

Millhouse gets a few good gags tonight. When Lisa starts developing a rash because of the stress of not crushing her brother’s potential, he pulls cream out of his fanny pack labeled “rash stash.” Groundskeeper Willie is a highlight of the episode. His character has one of the most interesting takes on passive aggressive behavior in comedy. It’s not that he gets it backwards, so much as he pays it forward: Terrorizing Bart with the idea of simmering a new pet into rabbit stew when all he’s thinking of is how much bunnies love stewed carrots.

The Simpsons Season 32 Episode 11 Review: The Dad Feelings-Limited

By Tony Sokol

The Simpsons Season 32 Episode 10 Review: A Springfield Summer Christmas for Christmas

By Tony Sokol

Subtle social commentary makes its way into the episode. As this is the first episode since the Trump presidency, it opens with a Bald Eagle flying a sign asking “Is it safe yet?” We learn Ned doesn’t find Bill Maher funny. A priest tells Bart and Millhouse reading someone else’s diary in church is not the worst thing you can do within the hallowed walls. Moments later we see the priest handcuffed and escorted past the pews by the police. We can only wonder what offenses are happening at Reverend Lovejoy’s competition.

Fat Tony (Tony Montagna) tells his henchmen his crime family doesn’t kill children, “We wait till they’re 18.” Lisa is kept up at night by the cold dead eyes of Mike Pence. Subtle subversive commentary can be found when Principal Skinner declares the drug-free portion of the school assembly a success because Lisa, the only one in the auditorium, tells him she doesn’t do drugs. But the scene comes shortly after we learn Dr. Hibbert is pushing kiddie-Xanax “sleepies” and “dopies” on her. The best bad side effects are “Portuguese insolence” and the “tendency to see yourself as others see you.”

The episode has quite a few sight gags which work well. The sign outside the Spelling Bee contest reads H-E-A-R, and we see one of the losing contestants ripping up a dictionary on the way to the exit. When Ned starts to preachify in the treehouse, he only stops because Bart is drawing back a trigger finger on his slingshot. Mrs. Krabappel’s beloved cat not only was not harmed during the making of the episode, but was a willing participant, according to the closing disclaimer. One of the stills in the photo montage is of Krabappel watching The Bob Newhart Show, which Marcia Wallace was a regular on.

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For the majority of The Simpsons’ run, Mrs. Krabappel was a sexually independent woman who was often “looking for a substitute to teach me a lesson I sorely need.” She began dating widower Ned in “The Ned-Liest Catch” from season 22. They married in secret and stayed together until her death in “The Man Who Grew Too Much.” The cause of Edna’s death has never been revealed, except in a non-canon, future-set episode. For this installment, Wallace’s two lines are taken from earlier episodes. “Diary Queen” will be her last appearance.

This is a different kind of arc for The Simpsons. “Diary Queen” is on an uplifting trajectory until Lisa knocks it off course, and ends in a sudden life-affirming crash. Bart’s final warning to Marge, “I’ll go over the edge if you try to make me feel better,” is wonderfully skewered, but the final twist is a dose of treacle. The episode was originally slated to premiere on Valentine’s Day, and is a sweet sendoff.

The post The Simpsons Season 32 Episode 12 Review: Diary Queen appeared first on Den of Geek.

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can-youimagine · 5 years

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Toy Story 4 Spoiler Review

Spoilers will be under the cut, but for a non-spoiler review: I absolutely love Disney (more than Chris Evans), so I was more than excited to see the new movie. It was so incredible. I did cry, but good cry. It had a very similar feel to Toy Story 3 ending and the Toy Story 2 plot if that makes sense.

Also, I have to share a story. One of my co-workers is so upset that Forky is not “Sporky”. She brought this up on multiple days.

The first scene really threw me off. I was expecting a short, which in a sense it was. From the previous movies, I was under the impression that Bo Peep was sold at a yard sale, so it wasn’t so sudden, and there was a chance of getting her back, but this absolutely broke my heart.

“Sometimes toys get misplaced”

(And the Barbie coordination)

Bonnie at school. Bruh, I could relate. I hated kindergarten, so I played pretend a lot, and I’m sure I made my own friends like she did with Forky.

And the lesbian couple. Is no one talking about them? Was I just seeing things?

But, that was not the point of the movie. The antique shop was absolutely terrifying. Those Goosebumpsesque dummies.

I’m going to go through character by character because there were so many new characters!

Woody: I kinda like how Woody hasn’t really grown. Like, at his root, he still wants attention. He still wants to be the favorite, so much so that he pushes himself out of being the favorite among his other toys. With Forky, he lives the same story he did with Buzz, which was very entertaining to watch him struggle with this again.

Buzz: The lack of Buzz! He was just there for comic relief like the end of Toy Story 3, which was very frustrating. Especially when they were saying goodbye and all he did was a hug. Like, after all they’ve been through, this is it?

The rest of the gang: There was very little of them. I mean, there’s a whole lot, so I get not including all of them, but they were completely abandoned for 90% of the movie.

Bo Peep: Going into the movie, I was under the impression that we couldn’t really trust her because she was trying to keep Woody away from Bonnie, but she became my favorite character. Not only is she the best dressed (with impeccable use of the hair tie). And her whole, not needing a kid thing was very interesting. Like, toys are made for kids, but she is doing just fine without them. She’s doing better than she ever was with Molly and Andy (even if she still loved them).

Giggle McDimples: Are we going to ignore the fact she said she had a thing with He-Man???

Forky: I. LOVE. FORKY. The realization that he wasn’t trash, or rather Bonnie was trash, and how he explained it to the knife at the end was very wonderful. I also love how naive he was to give Gabby Gabby all this information. But, it seemed a bit odd to have him be a major driver of the plot but not really be in the movie.

Gabby Gabby: Terrifying. Absolutely terrifying. The fact that she has manipulated everyone into working for her and that she just takes the voice box??? Pardon??? But, when she got her child, I cried. I mean, lost child and lost toy? How could I not?

Duke Caboom: I loved him, but did he have a point? Other than to explain that kids suck.

(I could find a gif of them) Ducky and Bunny: I absolutely love them. I want a cartoon of the adventures of Ducky and Bunny. I loved their plan (or one plan), but when they followed the woman home (my family has the exact same casserole dish) I lost it.

Easter Eggs: You can’t watch a Pixar movie without looking for easter eggs. These are just the ones I saw: Grape Soda pin, Coco guitars (?), the tin drummer. I know there’s got to be many, many more, but I only say those

Message me if you want to talk about this any more!!

#toy story 4 #megan watches toy story 4 #megan is bad at review #toy story 4 spoilers #movie night

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rabbitsandrum · 4 years

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I glanced at the clock- two fifty-nine am- and got out of the bed. Drifting down the stairs, I didn't bother turning on any lights- I have great night vision, and the outdoor security lights twinkled in through the downstairs windows plenty. I stepped onto the porch, intending to sit on the steps and smoke a cigarette. After I lit the cigarette, I was too restless to sit, so I wandered out to the driveway, listening to the summer sounds of crickets and frogs merrily making their mating calls. As I got closer to the bottom of our driveway, I noticed shadows, but it was hard to make out what they were. One resembled a huge black dog, and the most distinct one looked like a man wearing some sort of Amish-looking hat. Mesmerized by the play of shadow and light, I nearly jumped out of my skin at a touch to my calf- Trevor's cat- OUR cat, now- Carl, was rubbing on my leg! I reached down to pet him absently, and when I looked back up, I couldn't see the shadows anymore. I stubbed out the smoke, shook my head, and hurried back in, up, up, to my safe bed.

The next thing I knew, sunlight was streaming in and Trevor was up, running water in the bathroom. Confusedly, my mind did its usual review of my dreams, making a note to look up the meaning of a dream about a shadow of a dog, or man, when we got our internet set up. I got up to make my way outside for a cigarette... looked down, and felt a chill. My feet had bits of grass and dirt stuck to them.

All day I tried to banish thoughts of the night before, and my dirty feet. As night drew near, I glanced out the window, fascinated by the play of light and shadow outside, yet also chilled, again thinking of my odd experience. DREAM, I told myself sharply. It was just a damn vivid DREAM.

Why the dirt on your feet, then? I asked myself mockingly, a few hours later, before falling into an uneasy sleep.

Two fifty-nine am. Again, someone calling my name. I bolted upright in the bed, and, without really questioning myself, made my way down the steps and padded into the kitchen, and out onto the porch. I lit a smoke, and watched the smoke curl up into the air in a plume. My eyes traveled down the edge of the yard, the driveway. As if sleepwalking, I made my way down the few steps that separated porch from driveway, and down the hill towards the end. And again, I saw the shadows, just as before; indistinct ones, and the big black dog, and Mr. Amish Hat Man. As if I had no control over them, my feet were moving forward, drawn to the street... If I just got closer, maybe I could see what was really there...

Just like the previous night, I jumped about a foot into the air when Carl the cat brushed my leg. I blinked, reached down to pet him, and the shadows were different, gone. Trembling, I threw my cigarette down and hurried in.

I didn't tell Trevor about the dreams, or whatever they were. He always thought I was silly when I talked about those kinds of things. Yet all through that week, and into the next, it continued to happen. Gradually, I saw a pattern emerge.

It was always two fifty-nine when I awoke. I was always drawn downstairs by the sound of someone calling my name. I always wound up in the driveway, and the shadows were always there. The cat always broke the spell by brushing my leg. And then, when it seemed it'd always be that way, forever, it changed.

That night I had slept well, initially. I awoke at two fifty-nine, hearing my name on the wind. I went downstairs, and outside, and into the driveway with my smoke. But this night, Mr. Amish Hat spoke to me.

"Hello! We just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood!" It didn't sound like the same voice that had called my name- yet, if I had been called on to describe that voice, I couldn't have. It was just a man's voice. Hoarsely, I murmured my thanks and asked him, inanely, where he lived.

He gestured vaguely in the direction of the lake, and I could get nothing more from him. But I had made a new friend. Every night, until the cat came to interrupt it, he and I would exchange greetings and the smallest of small talk. He never even told me his name, and I never gave him mine.

But he already knew it, didn't he?

One afternoon, while I was engaged in such daydreaming, I was jarred out of my reverie by the sound of brakes and tires squealing. I ran downstairs, and yanked the door open and gazed outside. At first, I saw nothing- then, as my vision focused on the street beyond our driveway, I saw a pitiful sight.

Carl, our darling cat, was lying in the road, abnormally still and bleeding. I ran down and scooped him up, trying to stop the bleeding with the bottom of my shirt, but it was useless. He was dead.

When Trevor came home, we both cried and found a box left over from the move on the porch that was a good size, and buried the poor kitty, after having our own little personal funeral for him.

I wasn't in the least shocked when I couldn't sleep that night. I had been more attached to the cat than I had let on; plus, it hurt me to see Trevor hurting, too. I did my usual share of tossing and turning until, once again, I sat upright, hearing my name. Again, it was two fifty-nine am. As usual, I meandered down the stairs, almost like a sleepwalker, and made my way onto the porch. There, I lit my cigarette and drifted to the steps, and out into the driveway... farther and farther down, where I could see my friends waiting for me: Black Dog, Mr. Amish Hat, and all of the rest of the gang were there. As usual, I couldn't quite tell if Mr. Amish's eyes were blacked out, or just covered in shadows. As I looked, I felt myself stepping closer and closer to him... closer and closer to the edge of the driveway. I looked down, feeling the texture of the pavement change slightly, and realized I had made it to the street.

Right as that happened, I heard the most sinister, guttural, unearthly growl, and felt a burning pinch at the back of my neck, then lost all awareness.

It could have been minutes, or hours, or days later; I don't know. All I know is what happened next: I was in the street, and there was a body lying there, all blood and bone and gore. A man was cradling it and sobbing. Something niggled at the back of my mind- that purplish hair looked familiar, somehow, but I couldn't place it, and couldn't feel anything for the man and his obvious pain. Just as I was trying to put all of this togther, Mr. Amish Hat held out his arm to me, and said, "Come, it's late; it's time we were home," and it seemed the most natural thing to leave this macabre and emotional scene, and leave with my friend. Black Dog trotted up beside me for a moment; I thought I saw a brief red flare in his eyes as I reached my hand down to scratch him between the ears before we took off. Off, toward the lake; to home, where I belonged.

#short story #horror #scary short story #no sleep #fiction #creative writing #writing #doggo #black dog #neighbors

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meowloudly15 · 5 years

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Stranded: Day 8 - SOMETHING OLD SOMETHING NEW

WARNING: LONG RANT INCOMING

I got two very nice comments from The Evil Author on FFN and wanted to reply but couldn't cuz he's got the PM feature turned off. So, here are my replies. They contain info that you all would probably like to see.

First of all, thank you for reading and reviewing!

Second, yes, there are discrepancies between the canon and this fic, and I won't claim that this fic is set in canon. I misremembered some information from Spiderverse when writing this fic, before Netflix posted it. Three major differences come to mind:

1. In the movie, Miles was at Visions Academy for at least a couple months before Gwen showed up. In this fic, he shows up at roughly the same time that she does. Changing this element to make it canon would affect little to none of the plot.

2. In the movie, Kingpin's collider is at the basement of his penthouse, and the Alchemax facility is located a considerable distance away. It doesn't hold a collider. In this fic, the Alchemax facility is where the original collider is, and it's considerably closer, only about twenty minutes away as the spider swings. (The new one will be at Kingpin's penthouse.) Changing this element to make it canon would affect the plot pretty significantly. (E.g. how would Gwen know to be at Alchemax at the time at which Miles and Peter B. are there?)

3. In the movie, the spiders recognise each other upon first glance, or even when they are near each other, like when Gwen is at her locker and Miles passes behind her. (This is, however, not incredibly consistent, as the B-Team doesn't recognise the others until after their introductions are over.) In this fic, Spider-Pete doesn't recognise Gwen as a fellow spider when they meet face-to-face. Changing this element to canon would probably affect the plot.

And finally, I shall never abandon this fic. It will be completed, come hell or high water.

Thanks to everybody who has bore (beared? borne? boreded?) with me through these past few months. I hope the schedule slips haven't impeded your enjoyment of the fic. As always, enjoy!

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Gwen looked down at the two startled spidermen, sizing them up.

SOMETHING OLD SOMETHING NEW

That could mean any number of confusing, conflicting things. She decided to judge them only on the basis of what she could see.

The spiderman on the left was dressed in the exact same style of suit that Spider-Pete had worn. However, he was wearing sweatpants and no shoes and otherwise looked considerably less dignified. (Of course, that could have been because he was trussed up like a snared insect.)

The one on the right was smaller and younger-looking. He wore a cheap Spiderman costume and basketball shoes and had dark skin. Could he be Miles?

"Gwanda?"

Yep, definitely Miles.

"It's Gwen, actually."

The guy on the left spoke up. He sounded like Spider-Pete, except his throat sounded like it was filled with sand. "Oh, so you know her. That's cool."

"Long story short, we met in school."

"The long story can wait. Are you gonna let us down?"

Gwen rolled her eyes. "I don't know, would you rather stay here?"

"Okay, enough sarcasm. Let us go."

She obligingly leaped to the higher branches and yanked the weblines free. Anti-Spider-Pete and Miles both plummeted to the ground.

It couldn't hurt to show off a bit more.

She tossed the computer to Miles, then dove backwards out of the treetop, intending to shoot a webline and slowly descend to the snowy surface.

JAMMED FINGERS

Rats. She'd forgotten to repair her webshooters last night.

Of course, both of Gwen's gloves misfired, and she plummeted headfirst to the ground. Served her right for trying to show off.

"You okay, man?" asked Miles, handing the computer back to Anti-Spider-Pete.

"That was completely intentional."

Anti-Spider-Pete nodded. "Sure it was."

Gwen smacked her gloves against her leg and dusted the snow off of her suit. "Let's get going before Alchemax shows up with bigger guns. Where are you guys headed?"

Anti-Spider-Pete shrugged. "Uh, I dunno, someplace where we can make another goober?"

Gwen blinked, then nodded. It was best to just play along. "Okay, I'm coming with."

"I, uh, I like your haircut," said Miles, his eyes looking anywhere but at her haircut.

Gwen furrowed her brow. "You don't get to like it. C'mon, let's go."

She took off, Anti-Spider-Pete hot on her heels.

Miles muttered, "How many other spider-people are there?"

"Save it for Comic-Con." Anti-Spider-Pete webbed the back of Miles' shirt and yanked him along for the ride.

What was Comic-Con? Was it like DashCon?

"Where are we headed?" asked Gwen.

"The bus station. We gotta find a lab or something."

Gwen was not opposed to the idea of taking the bus instead of using her dysfunctional webshooters, but she didn't know why Anti-Spider-Pete would do so.

"Why the bus?"

"'Cuz it's less exhausting. Plus, Miles isn't too good at this spider business."

Miles, still dangling from Anti-Spider-Pete's webline, nodded reluctantly.

Gwen nodded. Her suspicions were correct. Miles had gotten his powers very recently, possibly after she had arrived at Visions Academy. No wonder her spider-sense wasn't triggered as strongly by his presence in the beginning.

Speaking of which, there was a constant faint buzzing at the nape of her neck. Was it just because, as was repeatedly said, Anti-Spider-Pete and Miles were like her? Or was something more sinister at play here?

There was only one way to find out.

The bus station wasn't far from Alchemax. A small concrete terrace with a glass roof stood 80 yards from the parking lot. Anti-Spider-Pete and Miles ran to pick up two coats that had been unceremoniously discarded on the ground not far away.

Darn it. Gwen had left her street clothes in Alchemax. Well, it didn't matter at this point. She still had the school uniform at Visions, at least.

They all pulled off their masks and boarded a bus. Miles dumped a handful of spare change into the farebox. The bus driver muttered something about "nutty cosplayers".

Serendipitously, the bus was nearly empty, aside for the bus driver and a half-asleep middle-aged man at the front.

Was Anti-Spider-Pete actually named Peter? He looked enough like him, except he was older. Much older. Definitely a lot worse for wear. His nose looked like it had been broken and re-healed at least a dozen times. He also had a fading black eye and a five-o-clock shadow. At least his hair was brown. That was normal.

"What's your name?" Gwen asked.

"I'm Miles," said Miles.

"I know your name. I don't know his." Gwen gestured to Anti-Spider-Pete.

"My name's Peter B. Parker."

"Specifically with the B?"

Anti-Spider-Pete shrugged. "Yeah. The B stands for B-"

"You know what, it doesn't matter," Gwen interrupted. "Nice to meet you."

"You too. What's your full name again?"

"Gwen Stacy."

Peter B. blinked, and his smirk vanished. Coincidentally, the bus passed into a tunnel.

Why had her name turned his countenance so sour? Was it… wait. That was the same reaction that she had had upon seeing Spider-Pete for the first time.

Gwen decided to lighten the mood. "Or, if you're my dad when he's angry, it's GWENDOLYN MAXINE STACY, GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT AND EXPLAIN WHY YOU WALKED IN HERE AT MIDNIGHT WITH TWO BLACK EYES AND A LIMP!" Gwen switched to the best impersonation of her dad that she could manage.

Miles laughed. Peter B. cracked a grin, though he still seemed uneasy, even wistful.

"What was it like?" asked Miles. "I mean, like, what was it like back in your dimension?"

"Well, uh, I've been Spider-Woman for the past 2 years."

Gwen mentally facepalmed. She was Ghost Spider now. Old habits were hard to break.

"And yeah, normal superhero stuff happened. Saved my dad. Joined a band. I don't know if that's normal, but still. But…"

Gwen hesitated. She needed to mention the really important moment, the moment that had truly kicked off her superhero career. But she couldn't bring herself to talk about it. She was supposed to forget about it! She couldn't just… tell people about it!

"... I couldn't save… my best friend. So, now I save everyone else. And I don't do friends anymore. You know, to avoid distractions."

Gwen parenthetically wondered if "everyone else" included herself. No, she was too far gone. She was a ghost. But back to the story.

"Then I got sucked into this portal, and it sent me here. I got blown into last week. Literally.

"Long story short, I got arrested, broke out of jail, beat up a gang, found my way to Visions Academy, impersonated a Russian, stole government files, broke into Alchemax, got sedated by Doc Ock, broke out of Alchemax, got a new haircut, broke into Alchemax again, broke in a third time, and now I'm here."

Miles and Peter B. stared at her.

"Could you say that again, but slower?" asked Miles.

Gwen facepalmed. "Okay, long story even shorter, my spider-sense told me to go to Visions Academy. Then I met you there."

"Oh. That's cool."

"So, uh, Peter, how 'bout you?"

She was genuinely interested in hearing about Peter B.'s experiences. Maybe he would hint at why her name made him so sad.

Peter B. sighed, as though he was sick of telling his origin story. "Where I'm from, for the past 22 years, I've been the one and only Spiderman. Pretty sure you know the rest. I saved the city, fell in love, saved it again, got married, saved it some more, maybe too much. Had some marital issues, made a couple dicey money choices. Never invest in a spider-themed restaurant.

"Then you know, typical superhero stuff over the next few years, kept saving the city, broke my back, a drone flew into my face. I buried Aunt May. My wife and I split up… but I handled it like a champ."

Peter B. started blinking hard to suppress his tears.

"Did you know that seahorses mate for life? I mean, can you just imagine being a seahorse and seeing another seahorse and making it work?

"She wanted kids. I… It scared me.

"Well, all of a sudden, I got pulled through this real weird portal thing one day. And weird things happen to me a lot, but this was really weird. Like, really. What was even weirder was that here, I was dead. And blond. Dunno why. Maybe I should dye my hair."

Miles chuckled a little. "Hey, wait a minute. What if Spiderman from here had dyed hair? I mean, think about it. He dyed, and then he died. You know?"

Gwen and Peter B. blinked.

"Yeah, that wasn't funny," said Peter B. He leaned back and rested his feet on the seats on the other side of the aisle.

"Okay, maybe a little. Good try," countered Gwen. "So, uh, what's your plan now?"

"We're gonna make another one of these," said Miles. He lifted a broken flash drive out of his pocket and held it out. "It's an override key, for the collider."

"A goober," corrected Peter B.

A what?

"Yeah, a goober, whatever. But Peter broke it."

Gwen examined the flash drive. "He did?"

"Yeah, but keep that between you and me." Miles switched to a confidential whisper. "He's embarrassed about it."

Gwen could have heard Peter B.'s eye roll from three counties over. She chuckled.

RELATIVE CHAOS

"Hang on, I think I know a place where we might be able to get help." She handed the "goober" back to Miles, who stowed it away.

"To make another goober?"

"Yeah. I hope so. Probably."

Gwen pulled out her notebook and flipped through it until she found Mrs. Parker's address. She tore out the page and handed it to Peter B. "This is the place."

"Neat. Then here's where we'll go."

After a minute of slightly awkward silence, Miles said, "Uh, I'm... sorry about your friend."

"Don't worry about it," Gwen replied. "But thanks."

That was nice of him. Miles seemed like a nice kid. Awkward and goofy, perhaps, but nice. Confused and weirded out by his powers, for sure, but nice nevertheless. Quite the opposite of herself. At least he had help. The poor kid deserved help.

"I know how hard it is, having to figure all this stuff out on your own," she said.

"Yeah, it's nice not being the only spider-person around."

"Definitely."

Miles hesitated before continuing. "You… wanna take a selfie or something? You know, two spider-people from different dimensions chilling together? In the same dimension?"

Gwen grinned. "Yeah, why not?"

She lifted her phone. She and Miles smiled for the camera.

"Wait, can I-" Peter B. started to say.

The camera clicked.

"C'mon! I wanted to be in it!" groaned Peter B.

"I mean, you're in the selfie. Just not your face. And, you know," Gwen smirked. "That might be a good thing."

Peter B. heaved a sigh. "Teenagers are the worst," he muttered under his breath.

"So now, like, how are you gonna get the picture to me?" asked Miles. "Can… uh… can I have your number?"

"Uh, I dunno if that'll work. You know, this phone's from another dimension and all that. So… huh." Gwen pressed her hand to her forehead and thought.

"Just air-drop it to each other," said Peter B.

Miles and Gwen exchanged a look. "What's air-drop?" they asked simultaneously.

"You're Gen-Z-ers, and you don't know what air… right. Different universe. Here." Peter B. sighed and sat upright. "I'll show you how it works."

Gwen hadn't realised how embarrassing it was to be taught how to use technology by a guy who was probably old enough to be her dad. Spoiler alert: it was very embarrassing.

Miles hesitated for a moment, looking back and forth between the photo on his phone and Gwen. "Uh, if you ever want to do friends again, I'll keep a slot open."

Gwen froze.

She wasn't going to open up to Miles. Not so soon. Not here. Not now. Not yet.

At the same time, she did get lonely. Not that she would ever admit it.

He was a nice guy. He wouldn't make a bad friend.

No. Not a chance. Gwen wasn't going to open up just so she could get hurt again. Or hurt someone else again.

"I'll... keep you posted."

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#spidergwen #spider gwen #spider-gwen #gwen stacy #ghost spider #spiderverse #into the spiderverse #spiderman into the spiderverse #fanfiction #fic #fanfic #stranded #stranded fanfic #long post #marvel #writers on tumblr

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phantom-le6 · 3 years

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Episode Reviews - Batman: The Animated Series Season 1 (2 of 10)

Continuing our foray into the iconic Batman: The Animated Series, here’s a second round of episodes from the show’s first season.

Episode 8: The Forgotten

Plot (as given by me):

When Bruce Wayne learns homeless people and volunteer workers are disappearing on the streets of Gotham, he decides to investigate. Rather than doing so as Batman, however, he disguises himself as part of Gotham’s homeless community. Later that evening, Bruce is accosted in an alley, managing to beat two of his assailants before a third knocks him out with a blow to the back of the head. Bruce later wakes in a bunkhouse alongside a number of fellow abductees, and finds he cannot remember who he is.

Back at Wayne Manor, Alfred discovers his master’s absence and begins an investigation into his whereabouts. Back at the bunk house, it is revealed that a gangster known as Boss Biggis has been abducted the homeless of Gotham and forcing them to work as slave labour in gold mines somewhere outside the city. Anyone who misbehaves is put into a sweat box, one of several cramped metal boxes with poor ventilation under the sun’s full glare.

Bruce makes friends with two of his fellow bunk-mates and recalls aspects of his former life in dreams, while elsewhere Alfred tracks the one car missing from Wayne Manor to a scrap yard. He transfers the car’s tracking device to a lorry that he deduces to be connected to Bruce Wayne’s disappearance. Back at the mines, Wayne and one of his friends are placed in the boxes after defending their friend from being subjected to the same fate. During his time in the box, Bruce’s memory finally returns, and he uses his skills as Batman to escape the box and the prison camp.

Alfred, meanwhile, has managed to pilot the Batwing to Bruce’s location, and narrowly manages to land the aircraft in a position to meet his master. Bruce then returns to the prison camp as Batman, defeating Biggis and his men in a battle that goes into the mines and ends up blowing them sky high. Back in Gotham, Bruce’s fellow captives learn who he is as he offers them jobs to help them out of poverty.

Review:

This is the third episode in a row where we’ve ended up with a show that puts a certain concept over setting Batman up against one of his repeat adversaries. First, we had “The Underdwellers”, which focused on Batman’s empathy for children and gave us one-off villain the Sewer King, then we had “P.O.V”, which was about varying character perspectives and didn’t even name the key criminal involved. With this episode, the character of Boss Biggis is a footnote against the episode’s main concept, which is if Batman was to lose his memory while out of costume, could he still function and save himself without his costume, gadgets, etc.

The answer that the show puts forward, and that the Batman demands, is yes; this guy spent years from the day his parents were shot to the day he first created his Batman persona training for a career as an urban vigilante. To that end, he would have undertaken various forms of survival training that would enable him to cope in harsh situations with few to now resources. As such, it’s very much plausible, and even to some extent expected, that in the situation this episode lays out, Bruce Wayne’s survival training would kick in and help him out. Yes, he employs a lot of gadgets and fancy toys at times, but these only work so well because of the man who uses them being so skilled.

In addition, this is the first episode to show us Batman using a civilian identity other than that of Bruce Wayne. This is a feature of the comics not many adaptations really delve into, even though some comic stories have heavily revolved around it. A key example is the 2004-2005 Batman cross-over arc War Games, in which a gang war erupts in Gotham because aspiring teen vigilante Stephanie Brown tried to enact a contingency plan that would only work if you knew Batman had other civilian aliases.

We also get to see the equally rare sight of Bruce really trying to make a difference to the poor in Gotham; it’s something he does a lot via Wayne Enterprises and the Wayne Foundation, but it’s often only in series like this that there’s any screen-time given to it. Overall, this is a good episode, but the lack of any members from Batman’s gallery of rogues means it falls a bit short of greatness. That said, at least it avoids the cliché of Batman needing another whack to the head to get his memory back. I’d give it 7 out of 10.

Episode 9: Be A Clown

Plot (as given by me):

A clash between escaping felons and the Batman interrupts a speech Mayor Hill was giving to the Gotham press about law and order. He resumes his speech by saying he will remove all who don’t follow the law from Gotham, stating that vigilantes like Batman are no different from criminal lunatics like the Joker. However, the clown prince of crime is watching and takes exception to the comparison. When Hill claims he will make all of Gotham as safe as his own mansion, the Joker takes this as a challenge to see just how safe the mayor’s mansion is.

The mansion is being used to host a birthday party for the mayor’s son Jordan, but it is mostly a photo-op for Mayor Hill with little to no provision made for Jordan himself. All the children invited are the children of the mayor’s friends rather than anyone Jordan knows, and at first it seems nothing has been arranged by way of activities that the magic-loving boy would like. However, Jordan is delighted when “Jecko the clown” arrives to entertain him and the other guests, while his father is less amused.

Bruce Wayne later arrives, just in time to see Jordan run off when he loses his temper over his father making the party all about himself instead of his son. “Jecko” leaves soon after, but his laugh makes Bruce realise “Jecko” is actually the Joker, who has left behind a sparkler-candle explosive. Feigning clumsiness, Bruce manages to knock the birthday cake into the pool before it explodes. The police soon arrive and find the real Jecko had been mugged and tied up down the road. It then turns out Jordan is missing.

Jordan, following advice from the fake Jecko, has run away to learn magic from the clown. Revealing this to the Joker at his hideout, Joker begins trying to school Jordan in tricks while still pretending to be Jecko. When Batman arrives, however, the Joker manages to capture him and trap him in an escape-proof variant of the famous water torture trap. When Jordan realises it’s not a trick, he tries to free Batman, resulting in the Joker finally revealing his deception. Jordan flees and the Joker pursues, enabling Batman to free himself thanks to the damage Jordan causes to the water tank.

Both the Joker and Batman find each other and Jordan at the roller coaster of the amusement park Joker has been hiding out in. Joker starts the ride and hurls exploding dolls at Batman to try and stop him. However, Batman manages to avoid injury from the explosions and the Joker ultimately falls out of the ride into some nearby water. Jordan is scared of Batman, but overcomes this fear when it turns out the coaster track is damaged and Batman is his only hope of survival. Batman then returns Jordan home to his father, who apologises for monopolising the lad’s birthday party for his own political gain.

Review:

On the first disc of the blu-ray version of this animated series, this is the third Joker episode done, which shows just how much the show-makers must have either loved the character or wanted to play to the popularity of Tim Burton’s first Batman film. Apparently, the episode sprang from the idea of Batman trying to save a child who is scared of him, but you see so little of that in this episode that you’d barely get that it was the seed of the whole thing. To my mind, the episode was more an object lesson to parents and to child viewers who would one day be parents. That object lesson is not so much about what I believe the Americans term “stranger danger”, but more about not using your child for your own purposes instead of being there for them as parents.

We clearly see throughout the whole birthday party scene that the mayor is taking his son for granted and over-riding the entire party for his political gain. To one degree or another, I think most parents can be tempted to do this kind of thing, to make a child’s life about themselves, and occasionally that is acceptable. Introducing them to books, TV shows, films and music that you like as a parent, for example, or trying to give them the opportunities you’d wished for and never got as a child. However, to take over in a way that is all about you and doesn’t consider them at all, such as choosing a stupid and embarrassing name or using them as a prop to advance any aspect of your own life, that is as vile and reprehensible as anything someone like the Joker might do.

For parents like Mayor Hill, it seems they often fail to recognise that their children are people and not property, and that as people they have their own thoughts, their own feelings, their own rights that need to be respected. In this story, Mayor Hill is lucky he’s got Batman around to save his son so he can act on realising this to mend his way. Not everyone is so fortunate. Taken as such a cautionary tale, set against the classic back-drop of a Batman versus Joker story that is certainly better than the first two, I’d say this is another early classic in a generally classic animated series. End score, 10 out of 10.

Episode 10: Two-Face (Part 1)

Plot (as given by me):

District Attorney Harvey Dent and Commissioner Gordon oversee a police raid on a criminal gang with ties to organised crime boss Rupert Thorne. The gang initially manages to hold the police off with heavy ordnance, but a stealth incursion by Batman routs the gang, enabling the police to move in and successfully complete the raid. While Dent is addressing the press, one of the crooks heckles him and kicks mud at Dent. To everyone’s shock, Dent goes berserk, almost beating up the handcuffed hood before being snapped out of his rage. Dent is as surprised and shocked by this as Gordon and the press. Elsewhere, Thorne orders his associates to try and dig up dirt on Dent, who is in the process of running for re-election as District Attorney.

At a campaign event at Wayne Manor, Harvey has another rage attack when he learns a judge has thrown out the indictment against Thorne’s men on a technicality. Bruce tries to intercede and is almost on the receiving end of his friend’s wrath, and only the intervention of Harvey’s fiancé Grace snaps him back to reality. In private, Harvey and Grace admit to Bruce that Harvey is seeing a psychiatrist, which Bruce applauds and agrees to keep secret at Harvey’s request. Later, Harvey goes to see his psychologist. It turns out Harvey suppressed his anger as a child due to feeling guilty about them, resulting in the emergence of a second personality known as ‘Big Bad Harv’. The personality is growing stronger, but Harvey refuses to admit himself to any kind of mental hospital in case it damages his re-election. He instead opts to increase his therapy sessions and reduce his campaigning for a while.

Unfortunately, Thorne’s right-hand woman Candace has overheard Harvey’s therapy session, and manages to steal his file for Thorne. On the night of the DA election, Thorne calls Harvey and insists they meet, unless Harvey is willing to have Thorne release the details of his mental illness to the press. Harvey leaves, but Bruce spots this and decides to follow as Batman. At a chemical plant, Thorne informs his gang in front of Dent that the DA’s guilt over feeling angry began when Dent hit back against the bully, and the bully later wound up in hospital (albeit for appendicitis, but Dent didn’t know this at the time).

Thorne threatens to expose Dent’s mental health issues unless Dent agrees to aid Thorne and his men in evading punishment for their criminal activities. The stress of this causes Dent’s other personality to rise, and ‘Big Bad Harv’ goes berserk on Thorne’s men, forcing the observing Batman to intervene. In the ensuing scuffle, Thorne attempts to flee with Dent’s file and Dent pursues. Their chase takes them to an array of catwalks over some chemical vats. Gunfire from one of Thorne’s men that is deflected from Dent by Batman causes some live electrical wires to fall into one of the chemical vats, causing an explosion that injures Dent, badly scarring one side of his face.

Dent is rushed to hospital, and while Thorne wonders if he is truly rid of Dent, Bruce worries over the possible mental scars the accident will have caused. Later, Dent’s face is unbandaged, and despite being told the facial scarring can repaired surgically, he asks to see a mirror. Horrified at his own appearance, Dent howls in anguish, a sound which is heard by his fiancé grace in the corridor. Seeing Dent’s scarred face in the lightning-lit corridor as he flees his room, Grace faints. Dent quietly bids Grace farewell and flees through a nearby window.

Review:

When it comes to Two-Face, I usually prefer his first appearance in a film or TV series to have some build-up, and to date I think this series has the best build-up of what I’ve seen so far. By comparison, Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever version (played by Tommy-Lee Jones) was all done through back-story so you didn’t get to empathise with the character’s tragedy, while the Aaron Eckhart version from Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight didn’t give any hint of Harvey’s prior mental health problems. The animated series, on the other hand, gives us the right sort of build-up.

From start to finish, you really can feel for Harvey; he’s a guy trying so hard to be good and do the right thing that he’s developed a dual personality disorder, and instead of people leaving him alone to get the help he needs, they just pile on the problems until things take a really tragic turn. When Harvey screams in the final scene of part 1, I for one can really feel and empathise with the anguish he must feel in that moment. Considering no live-action version of the character has had that impact on me to date, that speaks to just how good the voice acting and overall writing in this show was, and how high it was setting the bar for later superhero animated series to try and clear.

There’s nothing I can fault this episode on, and even as just a part 1 I can’t find it in me to mark it down any for somehow being an incomplete story. For me, this episode warrants a full 10 out of 10.

Episode 11: Two-Face (Part 2)

Plot (as given by me):

Six months after the events of Part 1, Dent has become Two-Face, a criminal in his own right obsessed with duality, chance and exacting revenge against Rupert Thorne. During this time, he has been hitting Thorne’s business interests with the assistance of twin henchmen Max and Min. When faced with any decision, Two-Face flips a double-headed silver dollar, one side of which is scarred. While he and his henchmen knock over a betting shop owned by Thorne, the coin-toss is used to decide against his men taking a ring off someone, though Dent is not averse to them stealing a box of silver dollars along with other denominations of money.

While Thorne puts a bounty of $2 million on Dent ($1 million a face), Bruce is having nightmares about having failed Harvey, and vows to save his friend at any cost. In a bid to win the bounty, Candace poses as a policewoman and gives Harvey’s ex-fiancé Grace a tracking device, claiming they want to get to Harvey to protect him. Elsewhere, Harvey is missing Grace, but a coin toss makes him decide against reaching out to her, opting instead to stop humiliating Thorne and start taking him down. At the Batcave, Batman deduces this is what Harvey’s next move will be.

Two-Face and his men raid the offices of Thorne’s lawyer and find a file detailing all of the crime boss’ illegal dealings. Batman arrives and tries to stop them, but his friendship with Harvey means they’re able to beat him and escape. As they do so, Two-Face makes another coin-flip and opts to reach out to Grace, calling her and sending his men to collect her. Fearing for Harvey, Grace activates the transmitter, while elsewhere Thorne learns of the theft of his file and rages about it possibly reaching the police. Discovering that Grace has activated the transmitter, Candace suggests they might just be lucky.

Grace is taken to Harvey’s hide-out and pleads for the man she loves to abandon his life as Two-Face. Unfortunately, Thorne and his men arrive straight after, knocking out Two-Face’s men. Two-Face is forced to hand over Thorne’s file to avoid Grace being killed, but then Thorne prepares to shoot Two-Face. Batman arrives in time to prevent this, and a brief battle ensues that ends with Thorne at Two-Face’s mercy. As the scarred former DA makes a coin toss for Thorne’s life, Batman seizes the box of silver dollars and hurls them into the air. This causes Harvey to lose track of his own coin, sending him into a meltdown without it. Later, as Dent is taken away by the police, Batman tosses a coin into a nearby fountain, wishing luck for his friend.

Review:

Where part 1 is largely set-up and taking Harvey down the tragic road to becoming Two-Face, part 2 is all about learning what Harvey has become as Two-Face, and getting to grips with this pairs-obsessed villain that comes to depend on coin tosses to dictate his every action. It’s a very good follow-up, and I like that the episode didn’t shy away from suggesting a sizable length of time had passed. With an episode like this in other series, the time lag could have been left unstated or been just a matter of days or weeks. Instead, we get told there’s a whopping six-month gap between the two.

We also get our first time of Batman taking the guilt of something not really his fault onto himself in the series. It’s long been a notable facet of Batman’s character that when tragedy befalls anyone close to him, he assumes all the guilt and responsibility for it, and more often than not it’s unwarranted. This, as with so much about Batman, is the legacy of his parents’ murder; his whole mission is about trying to save all innocent people the way he couldn’t save his parents, so anytime an innocent person falls through the cracks on his watch, his must be the blame. It’s the erroneous reasoning of a damaged mind, to say the least, and shows how little difference there can be between someone like Two-Face and someone like Batman. Again, I think the episode warrants top marks of 10 out of 10.

Episode 12: It’s Never Too Late

Plot (as given by me):

A gang war between crime bosses Arnold Stromwell and his younger rival Rupert Thorne is escalating in Gotham, and adding to the tensions is the apparent disappearance of Stromwell’s estrange son Joey. Convinced that Thorne is behind Joey’s disappearance, Stromwell arranges to meet his rival at a restaurant, where a disguised Batman overhears Thorne and his men planning to kill Stromwell at the meeting. On his way to the meeting, Stromwell experiences a flashback to his childhood, when he and another boy named Michael got into trouble playing on the tracks of Gotham’s railyard.

Back in the present, Batman informs a local priest of what is to come and implores his aid in dealing with Stromwell. At the deli restaurant, Stromwell accuses Thorne of abducting his son, but Thorne calms him down, then escapes to leave Stromwell in the restaurant. The place explodes, but Batman is able to get Stromwell out before that happens. Batman implores Stromwell to retire from organised crime in Gotham and turn state’s evidence against the gangs, but Stromwell refuses. While Thorne learns of Stromwell’s survival and organises a man-hunt for him, Batman takes Stromwell on a tour of the city to show him the various reasons he should quit organised crime.

After showing Stromwell the neighbourhood where the gangster first began his criminal career, Batman takes him to a drug rehab centre. It turns out Stromwell’s son Joey is there, suffering from addiction to the drugs sold by the gangster’s underlings. Joey’s mother Connie, Stromwell’s estranged wife, is also present and chides him about his part in their son’s fate. However, Stromwell is not willing to back down; feigning contrition, he subsequently turns on Batman, planning to take Joey home to get well and restore his fortunes by remaining a criminal. However, the pair are set upon by Thorne’s men, and Stromwell tries to flee while Batman deals with the rival gang.

Stromwell’s path takes him back to the train tracks, and his earlier flashback completes itself; as a boy, Arnie had got his foot caught in the tracks as a train barrelled down on him, and the other boy Michael pushed him aside. In the present, Michael turns out to be the priest visited by Batman, and also Arnie’s brother, whose leg had to be replaced with a wooden one after the train incident. Guilty over having cost his brother his leg, Arnie tries to reject Michael’s help, only to be reminded of how badly his life is falling apart around him. Michael’s words finally reach his brother, and Arnie breaks down in tears.

At that moment, Thorne appears to kill Stromwell, but Batman also arrives and subdues the gangster, and when the police turn up, Stromwell prepares to turn on the gangs by giving the police a full statement.

Review:

This episode gets us back into the organised crime side of Batman’s adventures, but in doing so the show-runners made a very smart move and re-used the character of Rupert Thorne that was introduced through the Two-Face two-part episode. A lot of the original characters created for this series up to now haven’t gone beyond their introductory episodes by this point, so it’s great to see our first repeat new character. Granted, the series would make a bigger mark with another of its original characters later on, but this at least shows the show had the potential to make some seemingly one-shot new villains into more regular characters.

The plot is more focused, however, on a rival of Thorne’s in a story that apparently combines elements of A Christmas Carol, It’s A Wonderful Life and Angels with Dirty Faces, at least going by the DC Animated Universe wiki. Having only seen the first of these, with just peripheral awareness of the second and never having seen or heard of the third, I can’t quite be sure in this respect. However, it’s still a decent episode and a bit of a different one, albeit not one of the show’s great. I’d put it at 8 out of 10.

Episode 13: I’ve Got Batman in My Basement

Plot (as given by me):

Batman attempts to foil a theft, but is attacked by a large vulture, the attack enabling the thieves to escape, leaving some bird seed behind as the only clue. Elsewhere in Gotham, two children named Sherman and Roberta (who are amateur detectives) spot the vulture while being hassled by two neighbourhood bullies, Frank and Nick. Frank misidentifies the bird as a hawk, but Sherman correctly identifies it as a South American vulture, and he and Roberta take off to try and work out the mystery of its presence.

The children follow the bird to an abandoned bird seed factory, where the two thieves Batman tried to stop are waiting for their boss. The boss soon arrives and turns out to be the Penguin, who sent the vulture as back-up to ensure his men escaped with their prize; the Vonalster Fabergé Egg. As the children try to escape, they are noticed by the vulture, but Batman arrives and traps the Penguin and his men in some bird seed. In their escape efforts, the children accidentally activate the factory’s machinery. They are saved from being pulverised on a conveyer belt apparatus by Batman, who is then knocked out by a gas grenade from Penguin’s umbrella gun.

As Batman staggers outside, Sherman and Roberta help him into the nearby Batmobile and get in themselves. Their desperation to get the car started leads to a chaotic escape that results in the children winding up with the egg as well. They manage to return to Sherman’s house, where they hide Batman in the basement and try to conceal the Batmobile with boxes. As Sherman’s mother leaves to go to the store, Frank and Nick discover the Batmobile, and Sherman is forced to clue them in to what is going on. At the same time, he deduces that capsules in the Batmobile’s visor are needed to counter-act the Penguin’s gas.

In Sherman’s basement, Frank and Nick see Sherman was telling the truth, and are warned off from unmasking Batman by Sherman. At that moment, the Penguin and his men arrive, having been alerted to the Batmobile’s location by the vulture. With the assistance of Frank and Nick, and aided by equipment from Batman’s utility belt, Sherman and Roberta lead a defence of their home that proves ineffective except as a minor delay. In the basement, Penguin prepares to kill the prone Batman, but the dark knight has recovered thanks to Sherman’s assistance, and quickly takes down the criminals.

Sherman’s mother then returns and is furious at the state of her house, but soon calms down when she sees Batman and realises what has occurred. Sometime later, Sherman puts up a newspaper headline detailing their capture of the Penguin on the basement wall; he and Roberta are continuing to run their junior detective agency, and Frank and Nick are now helping them instead of picking on them.

Review:

This episode marks our first introduction to the Penguin, and it’s pretty poor. Not so much for the character being modelled after the Batman Returns version, though as someone who never enjoyed the Tim Burton Batman films that is a personal peeve of mine. No, the problem is more Batman being knocked out with gas and having a bunch of kids defend him until he recovers. To paraphrase Anton Sevarius from Disney’s Gargoyles, if it got any more saccharine in this episode, I'd be tempted to put a finger down my throat. This episode is more suited to some horrendous kiddified abomination of the Batman like the 1960’s Adam West pseudo-Batman show. In a post-Burton, post-Miller animated series, it shouldn’t even exist. For me, it warrants only 3 out of 10.

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undertheinfluencerd · 3 years

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Frank Darabontâs prison-set directorial debut The Shawshank Redemption wasnât appreciated upon its original theatrical release. Due to competition from fellow 1994 classics Pulp Fiction and Forrest Gump and the fact that prison movies rarely become blockbusters, The Shawshank Redemption initially bombed at the box office.Â However, it has since been re-evaluated as a timeless gem that audiences can enjoy to this day.

RELATED:Â The 15 Best Quotes From The Shawshank Redemption

Thanks to ageless elements like Andy and Redâs endearing friendship, Roger Deakinsâ gorgeous cinematography, and the iconic final scene, The Shawshank Redemption still holds up today.

10 Morgan Freeman & Tim Robbinsâ Impeccable Chemistry Created An Endearing Friendship

Although The Shawshank Redemption is a large-scale epic that spans years of its charactersâ lives, Darabont tells the story through the intimate lens of Andy Dufresneâs friendship with fellow inmate Red. Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins shared impeccable chemistry in the roles, making Andy and Redâs friendship ring true.

When theyâre done right, like Stand by Me, Frances Ha, or indeed The Shawshank Redemption, cinematic portrayals of friendship never get old because theyâll always be relatable to viewers with their own close friends. Freeman and Robbinsâ endearing chemistry as best buds makes Shawshank universally identifiable, despite its prison setting and hardened criminal protagonists.

9 Frank Darabontâs Sobering Portrayal Of Prison Life Is Refreshingly Realistic

Most prison movies present a Hollywood fantasy of prison life with gang warfare and contraband smuggling and fistfights in the yard. By contrast, The Shawshank Redemption is refreshingly realistic, focusing on a regular everyman who finds himself in way over his head with a jail sentence.

The characters of Shawshank arenât tough-as-nails pulp archetypes. On their first night behind bars, a bunch of inmates can be heard weeping. Darabont doesnât shy away from depicting violence, but itâs not stylized; itÂ feels soberingly real.

8 Roger Deakinsâ Naturalistic Cinematography Hasnât Aged A Day

Many contemporary reviews for The Shawshank Redemption singled out Roger Deakinsâ cinematography for praise. He even won an award from the American Society of Cinematographers for his work on the movie. The lifelike aesthetic that Deakins brought to the movie hasnât aged a day.

He didnât overstylize the lighting: he utilized naturalistic lighting in the daytime scenes and ominous lighting in the darker night-time scenes, like Andy being assaulted by a prison gang in an eerie, dimly lit wide-angle long take. Deakinsâ sharp eye gave Shawshankâs visuals a haunting sense of realism.

7 The Brooks Subplot Is Just As Heartbreaking Today

While the focus of The Shawshank Redemption is on Andy and his friendship with Red, James Whitmoreâs Brooks is the star of an engrossing subplot. The Brooks-centered B-plot offers a different perspective on life behind bars and the psychological effects it can have. Andyâs story has a happy ending, but Brooksâ story turns out much bleaker.

RELATED:Â 10 Hidden Details You Never Noticed In The Shawshank Redemption

After being released and struggling to readapt to civilian life, he etches âBrooks was hereâ on the wall of his room at the halfway house before solemnly hanging himself. This storyline is still just as heartbreaking today because Darabont conveys the tragedy visually instead of spelling it out.

6 Foreshadowing Makes The Movie Endlessly Rewatchable

Darabont foreshadows theÂ twist inÂ The Shawshank Redemption so subtly throughout the movieâs first two acts that viewers donât catch the spoilers on their first viewing.

Red tells Andy that escaping from Shawshank is a âsh*tty pipe dream,â and Andy ends up escaping through an actual âsh*tty pipe.â The warden points to Andyâs Bible and says, âSalvation lies within,â and that Bible turns out to contain the hammer that Andy is using to tunnel his way out. These little hints of foreshadowing make the movie endlessly rewatchable.

5 The Ambiguous Morals Still Provoke Audience Discussions

The morals of the characters inÂ The Shawshank Redemption are complex and ambiguous. None of the characters are 100% good people: Andy is heavily implied to be guilty of the heinous crime heâs imprisoned for and even the guards are ruthless and corrupt.

Morality is a complex issue and, despite the black-and-white stories Hollywood is known for, very few real people fall neatly into the category of âgoodâ or âbad.â Most human beings are somewhere in the middle, like Andy and Red, and those complicated ethics still prompt audience discussions today.

4 It Takes A Few Viewings To Catch The Religious Symbolism

Movies that offer nothing beneath the surface of the story will only ever hold up to a single viewing. But the movies with subtext and symbolism hold up forever because it takes the audience a few viewings to catch it and even more viewings to dissect it.

The most common symbolic reading of The Shawshank Redemption is that Andy is a Christ figure. Red notes that he gives off a protective aura; The Marriage of Figaro record has been compared to the Holy Grail; and Andy bringing beer to his fellow inmates while they tar the roof can be seen as a parallel to Jesus serving wine to his disciples at the Last Supper.

3 Morgan Freemanâs Voiceover Narration Is Unceasingly Captivating

When voiceover narration is used to do the scriptâs legwork, the movie will age like milk. But when itâs used to complement the visuals and deepen the themes, the movie will age like a fine wine. Fortunately, thanks to Frank Darabontâs poetic writing and Morgan Freemanâs captivating voice, Shawshank falls into the latter category.

RELATED:Â 10 Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The Shawshank Redemption

As a seasoned inmate whoâs seen it all, Red is the wise observer who relates the story to the audience. His voiceover is never used lazily to cut corners on the storytelling, as the technique is often accused of; itâs always used to enhance the moment with some philosophical subtext.

2 Andyâs Escape Is A Triumphant Movie Moment

While movies need to hold up as a complete work, a couple of unforgettable moments will go a long way toward making a movie great. From the âtears in rainâ monologue at the end of Blade Runner to the Jack Rabbit Slimâs dance contest in Pulp Fiction, classic movie moments can make their films timeless gems.

The Shawshank Redemption has its own iconic movie moment. Nothing compares to the triumph of Andy finally escaping from prison and basking in his newfound freedom in the pouring rain. Audiences can enjoy the glory of that moment again and again.

1 The Happy Ending Is Well-Earned

According to CinemaBlend, Darabont originally planned to end The Shawshank Redemption the same way as Stephen Kingâs source material. It wouldâve shown Red taking the bus, but left it uncertain as to whether or not he reunited with Andy in Zihuatanejo.

Thankfully, the studio talked him out of it and the ending was changed to show Andy and Redâs reunion on-screen. After everything theyâve gone through, the audience deserves to see the two friends embrace one another on the beach. This well-earned happy ending provides the perfect conclusion to the movie. With Darabontâs original ambiguous ending, the movie mightâve been too disappointing or at least too confusing to hold up after all these years.

NEXT: 9 Ways Pulp Fiction Still Holds Up Today

#marvel #avengers #marvelcomics #spiderman #mcu #ironman #comics #captainamerica #thor #avengersendgame #marvelstudios #xmen #dc #marveluniverse #art #cosplay #tomholland #hulk #disney #comicbooks #dccomics #peterparker #tonystark #blackwidow #marvellegends #endgame #deadpool #marvelcinematicuniverse #loki #bhfyp

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kyaranflowers · 5 years

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Superhero

Need to purchase X-Men t-shirts online? Whether or not you will have a love for The Avengers, Unbelievable 4, Thor, or X-Males there are loads or t-shirts and different merchandise to own. My childhood included a love for 60s and 70s Marvel and DC comics, and my skill to attract originates partially from finding out the tales I read in those days. We labored for a year collectively on the piece to plan and draw it. Toy companies like Hasbro and Kenner used to produce thousands of Batman action determine than is launched yearly with some variation in it. Transformers 2, the science-fiction film is the most recent sensation, and is probably the most awaited movie of the year. Let's take the movie Avatar as an illustration. Every now and then I went again to the game to take a few extra screenshots to extend a plot. Inside a couple of minutes, I started making comic strips. Not like his other comedian strips, in Battling Boy, the hero is a kid, who is on a mission to avoid wasting the city.

In fact, the opposite collection of battling boy became popular. To conclude on this topic, I feel it's an excellent thought to offer our youngsters the humorous comics created way-back-when, comics out of your and my childhood. To read a story in adventurous manner is kind of exciting for all the youngsters. You might have to beat the restrictions of speech bubbles and the problem Avengers 4 of telling a narrative body by frame. Admit it you have got! I’m sure you might have heard this widespread on-line retailer. Since Youngsters's Graphic Novels are actually simply an old idea with a fancy new identify, why should not you explore taking outdated profitable comicbook ideas and reinventing them for a new generation? The concept was to convey the same which means with words that I suggested by means of colors, textures and pictures. Fashionable On-line Comics solidify a which means of a phrase as a result of photos support which means to words. The nomination was a significant achievement for an artist who had - fairly literally -began out small, drawing Post-it be aware sized comics and hiding them in other people’s work in bookshops. The primary comic strips appeared in Germany in 1865. It was about two boys who are getting punished for at all times entering into mischief.

Moreover, if we are trustworthy with ourselves, we all know that quite a lot of mischief is downright funny. Why are old coins price more than right this moment's coins? Full collections will fetch a lot greater than random individual comics. Our purpose is to offer our readers a very good piece of entertaining and instructional comics on which is able to develop up not one among the longer term generations. These blockbuster movies performs a very important role within the comeback of comics. People who wish to cherish their childhood memories with the comics; they'll easily find low-cost comics to start their comic collection. In at the present time of "I would like the latest and latest," we really discover that a few of the true treasures are things of old. Comedian books are detailed stories. Other than conventions, yard sales and used ebook stores can be extremely cost efficient sources for collectible comedian books. A comedian e-book adaption as well as a novel publication is being completed for the movie's promotion. That assumption is improper and is an insult to the complete comic ebook group.

These comic guides give you the type of data you want like where to get the rare and useful comics and the place you will get first difficulty comics as well because the again subject ones as properly. By selling and trading comics you can be there have been the art work is most loved and valued. Besides, that is where you get the meet fellow enthusiasts and catch up on the newest within the comic books world; data that can prove invaluable. Some comic books editions are collector's items and if preserved in mint quality situation. Books are restricted as a result of the reader can't bodily see what the writer envisions. Are those behaviors to be condoned? Eyes turn into circles or dots, mouths are reduced to curved traces, and noses or ft are triangles. Get the latest information. Those that already evaluate large abilities of our webpage, confess that it is really essentially the most convenient and easy option to be in contact with the latest innovations of the world of comics.

Well conscious of the benefits that come from reading comics. Which Marvel comics must you read earlier than (or after) Captain Marvel? Repetition. Go back to your each day newspaper and glance on the comics’ web page. The cartoonist is utilizing repetition to determine the character. Subsequently, we may say that it has nothing to do with a altering tendencies, no matter is new and trendy, picture to pop art print stays within the midst of its identified usability in area of artwork. I regarded, and there earlier than me was a pale horse! There actually is one thing for everybody. Cosplay additionally means costume play and the fans usually come to the comedian conventions dressed in costumes. Eight delectable Expansions that adopted added to the joy of the game play. Then by all means, use it. By the use of these exaggerations, it doesn’t matter what different particulars I embrace. The possessed doll first hit the screens within the 1988 horror basic 'Child's Play'. Corey Haim, the lead of the original horror movie, and Corey Feldman, the two Coreys, reprise their original roles. Nonetheless, in 2003 Hasbro would relinquish management to Batman's rights to Mattel. You also get preferential remedy in some circumstances and entry to particular events and performances. A Brief History Of The Evolution Of Vintage Comics Like jazz, comic books and much more specifically the superhero is often a wholly American art form. Also, like jazz, it becomes an art which has been underappreciated. As a result of very good of superhero films just like the Dark Knight, Iron Man along with the X-Men, superheroes have begun to enter the understanding the general public. The following can be a list of the most effective superheroes that comic books have to offer. The list is designed to give you a place to start to the new reader. I have devoted to the essential components of the characters that I believe get them to significant or interesting. I tried to differentiate between good characters as well as a good story or even a good run of issues when I could however in some instances characters happen to be so significantly defined by a set or an issue that they can made the list. Enough using the preamble, here we go:

I also like the idea of Smarter Comics, because I think it can be a method of getting ideas to many people who probably won't otherwise browse the longer books. It is also a great way to look at the key points in the original books as a refresher. It has been a while since I read Winget's book, and I admit that I liked this quick review. Obviously, it doesn't contain nearly as almost as much ast the full length book, however some from the key ideas as well as the brunt of the message Winget preaches is located in this short adaptation.

Loki, he in the golden horns who had earlier made life a hardship on Thor in the movie Thor, runs a pact with an unknown race, an alien race, might help him extract his revenge, if he opens a portal so they can attack Earth. Loki does what he could be told, and steals the Tessaracat (a McGruber if there ever was one), and opens a portal for the other world to address Earth. Loki steals the Tessaract, requires a gang of scientists and Hawkeye under his command, and uncovers a portal which brings the aliens onto Earth.

Without apology, I admit that I am the consummate collector of Batman paraphernalia. Recently, the astounding work, The Batman Files, found its way into my life. Anyone who appreciates the mystique of The Dark Knight will love this book. And while I admit that readers often say of good books, "I cannot input it down," which was truly my experience. I poured over the design and relished the high quality illustrations for a few hours after opening it. As far as the acting that's involved, I'll say another thing. I always appreciate when actors supply a good effort during any film that I watch. What they do is essential to every of the films, so I don't expect anything less. We've all seen enough movies where the acting was either bad or flat and yes it seemed like among those guys were mailing it in. Assuming the script is terrible and they were only in it for the notoriety or check, you sort of come to expect this every so often of these situations.

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tessatechaitea · 7 years

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Scooby Apocalypse #10

I didn't know they made one piece chain mail tunics for women.

I can't believe I nailed it! I mean, he certainly didn't deny any of it. His wife even Tweeted about how they keep plastic spoons around the house because they don't stick as well. Which, frankly, seems like a huge lie (probably to cover up some sordid conspiracy). I would think the plastic spoons would stick to a penis much better than the metal ones!

I just want to clarify one thing: I don't love Cullen Bunn so much that I hate him. I neither love nor hate Cullen Bunn. What I did hate was Cullen Bunn's writing on Twat Lobo and Aquaman. You know, just to clear things up! I would also like to point out that I never @'d (is that how you say that?!) him via Twitter and only tagged his name on my reviews for archival purposes. I have done the same for many other writers and artists. Occasionally if I say something positive and I also think it's incredibly clever, I'll tag the writer on Twitter so they know I'm available at any Portland Con if they need a little digital and anal manipulation after Con hours. I'm not looking at you at all, Tom King. I'm looking at your cock. I almost wrote my Steve McClaren bit using Scott Lobdell but at the last second, I thought, "Scott Lobdell never flipped me off via the Internet!" More clarification! Cullen Bunn had every right to flip me off via the Internet and even in person! I was not kind to his writing. But I assure everybody involved, I would never be not kind to his face. Just ask Scott Lobdell when I had him sign my Big Book of New 52 First Issues! I totally didn't tell him I was saying horrible things about his writing on the Internet! Hopefully, judging by the tone of Cullen's tweet, he understands that I harbor no ill will to any writers or artists of comic books and he'll apologize to me for writing Twat Lobo. The Review! Aha! I knew that chain mail on the cover was historically inaccurate!

Much better!

My knowledge of medieval armor consists mainly of three dozen Red Sonja comic books. But don't think I know better than to trust a single source for my information. I've also researched the topic in the pages of Cerebus where it completely backs up the facts from Red Sonja. Velma ran away from the Scooby Gang last issue and now she's the warrior queen of Monstrovia. Did I miss issue 9.5?! This must be somebody's wet dream. I have theories about who that somebody is but I'm a little embarrassed about having that dream. So it's, uh, probably Fred. Oh, before I wrap this up with "Yep! It was just a dream! A really good dream because I got to see so much of Velma's butt and underboob!", I should also mention that Magilla Gorilla makes a cameo.

Definitely a dream. I don't think Velma is actually this fit or well shaven. Don't get me wrong! This Velma is great! But I still prefer the one I had to conjure in my head because she wears about six yards of orange cloth made into a turtleneck. Although I suppose when you wear chain mail against your naked skin, you'll be hairless before long. Ouch!

Yep! It was just a dream!"

"A really good dream because I got to see so much of Velma's butt and underboob!"

The Ranking! No change! What? You think I'm going to approve of a fill-in issue?! Even with Velma in a chain mail bikini, forget it!

#Scooby Apocalypse #Scooby Doo #DC Comics #Keith Giffen #J.M. DeMatteis #Howard Porter #Hi-Fi #Chris Batista #Rob Hunter #Marc Deering

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ecotone99 · 4 years

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The Other Neighbors

Every tale has a beginning. Mine, I suppose, really starts on moving day. My boyfriend, Trevor, and I, had just purchased a house together, and I was elated. After an exhausting afternoon cleaning the dust from the windowsills and hauling boxes of random items in (comic books, honey? A whole box of them? Where are we going to PUT this stuff?), we made our way to the bedroom, and Trevor, in his usual manner, promptly began snoring. Perhaps it was the snoring; I had grown accustomed to sleeping alone for most of the time since my divorce. Perhaps it was my excitement, that feeling of having finally arrived at the place I had wanted to be all of my life. Or, it could be my normal inability to sleep well in a new place. Whatever the case, while he slept soundlessly, I restlessly tossed and turned and my consciousness followed, weaving in and out in that netherworld between sleeping and wakefulness. As I felt myself finally beginning to relax, even felt a snore trying to escape my own mouth, I was jarred back to the waking world by the distinct sound of someone calling my name. I glanced at the clock- two fifty-nine am- and got out of the bed. Drifting down the stairs, I didn't bother turning on any lights- I have great night vision, and the outdoor security lights twinkled in through the downstairs windows plenty. I stepped onto the porch, intending to sit on the steps and smoke a cigarette. After I lit the cigarette, I was too restless to sit, so I wandered out to the driveway, listening to the summer sounds of crickets and frogs merrily making their mating calls. As I got closer to the bottom of our driveway, I noticed shadows, but it was hard to make out what they were. One resembled a huge black dog, and the most distinct one looked like a man wearing some sort of Amish-looking hat. Mesmerized by the play of shadow and light, I nearly jumped out of my skin at a touch to my calf- Trevor's cat- OUR cat, now- Carl, was rubbing on my leg! I reached down to pet him absently, and when I looked back up, I couldn't see the shadows anymore. I stubbed out the smoke, shook my head, and hurried back in, up, up, to my safe bed. The next thing I knew, sunlight was streaming in and Trevor was up, running water in the bathroom. Confusedly, my mind did its usual review of my dreams, making a note to look up the meaning of a dream about a shadow of a dog, or man, when we got our internet set up. I got up to make my way outside for a cigarette... looked down, and felt a chill. My feet had bits of grass and dirt stuck to them. All day I tried to banish thoughts of the night before, and my dirty feet. As night drew near, I glanced out the window, fascinated by the play of light and shadow outside, yet also chilled, again thinking of my odd experience. DREAM, I told myself sharply. It was just a damn vivid DREAM. Why the dirt on your feet, then? I asked myself mockingly, a few hours later, before falling into an uneasy sleep. Two fifty-nine am. Again, someone calling my name. I bolted upright in the bed, and, without really questioning myself, made my way down the steps and padded into the kitchen, and out onto the porch. I lit a smoke, and watched the smoke curl up into the air in a plume. My eyes traveled down the edge of the yard, the driveway. As if sleepwalking, I made my way down the few steps that separated porch from driveway, and down the hill towards the end. And again, I saw the shadows, just as before; indistinct ones, and the big black dog, and Mr. Amish Hat Man. As if I had no control over them, my feet were moving forward, drawn to the street... If I just got closer, maybe I could see what was really there... Just like the previous night, I jumped about a foot into the air when Carl the cat brushed my leg. I blinked, reached down to pet him, and the shadows were different, gone. Trembling, I threw my cigarette down and hurried in. I didn't tell Trevor about the dreams, or whatever they were. He always thought I was silly when I talked about those kinds of things. Yet all through that week, and into the next, it continued to happen. Gradually, I saw a pattern emerge. It was always two fifty-nine when I awoke. I was always drawn downstairs by the sound of someone calling my name. I always wound up in the driveway, and the shadows were always there. The cat always broke the spell by brushing my leg. And then, when it seemed it'd always be that way, forever, it changed. That night I had slept well, initially. I awoke at two fifty-nine, hearing my name on the wind. I went downstairs, and outside, and into the driveway with my smoke. But this night, Mr. Amish Hat spoke to me. "Hello! We just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood!" It didn't sound like the same voice that had called my name- yet, if I had been called on to describe that voice, I couldn't have. It was just a man's voice. Hoarsely, I murmured my thanks and asked him, inanely, where he lived. He gestured vaguely in the direction of the lake, and I could get nothing more from him. But I had made a new friend. Every night, until the cat came to interrupt it, he and I would exchange greetings and the smallest of small talk. He never even told me his name, and I never gave him mine. But he already knew it, didn't he?

So the man in the Amish hat knew my name. What of it? I speculated on this as the days slipped by, one after another, and our nightly "conversations" continued to happen. In the ancient folklore of certain cultures, your name was important. Someone that knew it had power over you. Silly thoughts, I knew. I tried to brush this aside... I even told myself I'd stop going outside at night. But who was I kidding? I had to have my cigarette when I awoke in the dead of night, and I wasn't going to smoke inside- Trevor had terrible asthma. I worked from home- I'm a writer- and I had no time for these thoughts to be intruding on my best work time, while the house was quiet and Trevor was at work. Yet it persisted, and many days went by during which I got next to nothing done. One afternoon, while I was engaged in such daydreaming, I was jarred out of my reverie by the sound of brakes and tires squealing. I ran downstairs, and yanked the door open and gazed outside. At first, I saw nothing- then, as my vision focused on the street beyond our driveway, I saw a pitiful sight. Carl, our darling cat, was lying in the road, abnormally still and bleeding. I ran down and scooped him up, trying to stop the bleeding with the bottom of my shirt, but it was useless. He was dead. When Trevor came home, we both cried and found a box left over from the move on the porch that was a good size, and buried the poor kitty, after having our own little personal funeral for him. I wasn't in the least shocked when I couldn't sleep that night. I had been more attached to the cat than I had let on; plus, it hurt me to see Trevor hurting, too. I did my usual share of tossing and turning until, once again, I sat upright, hearing my name. Again, it was two fifty-nine am. As usual, I meandered down the stairs, almost like a sleepwalker, and made my way onto the porch. There, I lit my cigarette and drifted to the steps, and out into the driveway... farther and farther down, where I could see my friends waiting for me: Black Dog, Mr. Amish Hat, and all of the rest of the gang were there. As usual, I couldn't quite tell if Mr. Amish's eyes were blacked out, or just covered in shadows. As I looked, I felt myself stepping closer and closer to him... closer and closer to the edge of the driveway. I looked down, feeling the texture of the pavement change slightly, and realized I had made it to the street. Right as that happened, I heard the most sinister, guttural, unearthly growl, and felt a burning pinch at the back of my neck, then lost all awareness. It could have been minutes, or hours, or days later; I don't know. All I know is what happened next: I was in the street, and there was a body lying there, all blood and bone and gore. A man was cradling it and sobbing. Something niggled at the back of my mind- that purplish hair looked familiar, somehow, but I couldn't place it, and couldn't feel anything for the man and his obvious pain. Just as I was trying to put all of this togther, Mr. Amish Hat held out his arm to me, and said, "Come, it's late; it's time we were home," and it seemed the most natural thing to leave this macabre and emotional scene, and leave with my friend. Black Dog trotted up beside me for a moment; I thought I saw a brief red flare in his eyes as I reached my hand down to scratch him between the ears before we took off. Off, toward the lake; to home, where I belonged.

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buddyrabrahams · 6 years

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20 best moments of the NFL regular season

The 2017 NFL regular season was marred by controversy, declining ratings, suspensions, legal battles, injuries to countless superstars, and quarreling owners. But that’s not to say it was entirely negative and uninteresting.

Through the dark clouds have comes several rays of sunshine — unexpected surprises, big plays and excitement among fan bases long hungry for success.

Here’s a look at 20 great moments of the NFL regular season.

20. Marshawn Lynch watches game from stands after ejection

Touching an official is never considered okay, so Marshawn Lynch’s ejection from a Week 7 game against the Kansas City Chiefs was completely warranted. However, it’s what came next that was noteworthy and, in all reality, quite funny. After being given the boot, Lynch reappeared to cheer his teammates on to a 31-30 victory. Only, it wasn’t on the sideline (which would have been against the rules), but from the stands. Beastmode sat with the fans in street clothes and then carried it over into the postgame when he rode the train home from the game and took part in an anti-Chiefs chant.

19. Cam Newton and Clay Matthews’ epic exchange

In a Week 15 game between the Carolina Panthers and Green Bay Packers, a live mic caught one of the most interested exchanges in recent memory. Recognizing something he saw on film, Packers linebacker Clay Matthews called out a wheel route. Newton fired back.

Clay Matthews: “It’s that wheel route, it’s that wheel route!”

Cam Newton: “You been watching film, huh?”

Matthews: “Yeah.”

Cam: “That’s cool. Watch this.”

After the exchange, Newton called for the ball and quickly fired a pass to running back Christian McCaffrey on a fake wheel route/slant that went for a touchdown. Brilliance and entertainment all around.

18. Tony Romo becoming a standout analyst

No one knew how Tony Romo would handle his new job with CBS, but after just one game, the world was hooked. Romo was a natural in the booth, but even beyond that, he added a unique element to the call. He accurately predicted almost every single play prior to the snap and has continued doing so for the duration of the season. While his predictions may be annoying to some, there’s something compelling and fascinating about it. Viewers have responded positively and it appears as if Romo has a long and successful future ahead of him calling games.

17. Jimmy Garoppolo saving San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers looked destined for a top pick in the NFL Draft, but that was until they acquired Jimmy Garoppolo in a trade with the Patriots, and then finally let him play. And has Garoppolo ever shined. In five games, Garoppolo is completing 69% of his passes for 1,268 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. In his starts, the 49ers have gone 4-0, compared to a 1-10 start to the season without him. In a Week 16 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Levi’s Stadium was electric and had a playoff-like atmosphere. Expectations are mounting heading into 2018.

16. Teddy Bridgewater returns from devastating injury

When Teddy Bridgewater went down with a devastating knee injury in August of 2016, there was talk that his career might over. Video of the injury was stomach-churning, and the reaction of his teammates told the story. But prior to Week 10 game against the Washington Redskins, Bridgewater’s entire journey came full circle. He returned to practice for the first time and was activated for the game. Although he didn’t play, Bridgewater’s emotions could be felt by everyone watching. Then, in a Week 15 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Bridgewater finally took the field again and was met with a thunderous standing ovation.

15. Jets dance to anything

Entering the season, many expected the New York Jets to reside somewhere in the basement alongside the Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers, struggling to even earn themselves a single win. And while Gang Green wasn’t necessarily a world beater in 2017, they performed well above expectations and have had fun doing it. That was never more evident than during a Thursday night game against the Buffalo Bills when the defense got caught dancing on the field, sparking one of the best viral crazes of the year — “Jets dance to anything.”

14. Maurice Harris comes out of nowhere with great catch

Maurice Harris, who made just eight catches in 10 games for the Washington Redskins in 2016, has repeatedly dazzled in practice. Despite that, Harris had remained relegated to the practice squad this season — at least until a Week 10 game against the Minnesota Vikings. One day prior to the game, Washington signed Harris to their 53-man roster and activated him ahead of kickoff. That decision paid huge dividends as Harris hauled in his first reception of the season in dramatic fashion — a 36-yard leaping grab over Minnesota cornerback Trae Waynes that may be the best catch of the year. The play was initially ruled incomplete, but reviewed and overturned.

13. JuJu Smith-Schuster’s stolen bike found

Steelers rookie wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster made a name for himself around Pittsburgh for his pimped out bicycle, which he rode all over because he had neither a car nor a license. But in late October, the bike went missing and Smith-Schuster was forced to walk to practice. That’s when the story went viral and teammate Antonio Brown offered two tickets to anyone who could recover the bike. A fierce manhunt was underway in Pittsburgh and in no time flat, the bike turned up in good condition at the Mt. Oliver Police Department. Smith-Schuster has since gone on to get his driver’s license, but still enjoys riding his bike.

12. Odell Beckham pens DeShaun Watson emotional letter

Sometimes tragedy brings out the best in people, and that will be a theme for several top moments of the year. One such instance was when Houston Texans quarterback DeShaun Watson, who was having a remarkable rookie season, went down with a torn ACL. Facing the emotions of a lost season and a long road to recovery, Watson was greeted with an emotionally penned letter from New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who had suffered a fractured ankle earlier in the season.

“Now life throws you bigger problems and again you’re faced with a test. Everything is a blessing in disguise,” the letter read in part. “Truly believe that his all happens for a reason … We will be back better than ever. I’ll see you this offseason.”

11. Jake Elliott hits 61-yard game-winner to beat Giants

In a Week 3 game against the Giants, the Philadelphia Eagles had a choice to make: attempt a 61-yard field goal as time expired and risk Odell Beckham Jr. bringing it back like Auburn had done to Alabama, or take the game into overtime. They chose the former, and rather than Beckham getting an opportunity, rookie kicker Jake Elliott was immediately transformed into a Philadelphia sports icon when he connected on the longest field goal in Eagles history.

10. Von Miller got a penalty for that?

In a Week 3 game between the Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills, Von Miller and Tyrod Taylor shared one of the more comical exchanges of the season. After just missing a sack, Miller extended his hand to Taylor, but just as Taylor reached out, Miller yanked his hand away with a smile. The clowning of Taylor drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that Miller later apologized for, but there was no malicious intent. Miller and Taylor are friends away from the field and it was just a good-natured ribbing. Taylor laughed about it during his postgame interview. Miller didn’t, as the penalty helped cost the Broncos the game.

9. Vikings play Duck, Duck, Goose

With rules pertaining to on-field celebrations relaxed in 2017, many entered the season excited to see what the players had in store. And while there have been many great celebrations throughout the season, none top what the Minnesota Vikings did in Week 4 against the Chicago Bears when they broke out into a game of “Duck, Duck, Goose” following a 13-yard touchdown courtesy of tight end Kyle Rudolph.

8. Jason Pierre-Paul honors young cancer-stricken fan

Prior to a Week 5 game against the Broncos, Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul met with a 7-year-old boy named Hayden through the Garden of Dreams Foundation. During their visit in East Rutherford, JPP showed off his disfigured hand — the result of a fireworks accident in 2015 — and encouraged Hayden to never let anything keep him down. In return, Hayden showed JPP some of his dance moves complete with a dab, which Pierre-Paul vowed to use when (not if) he got a sack during the game. Sure enough, JPP stayed true to his word and during one of his three recorded sacks on the night, broke out Hayden’s dance.

7. Marshall Newhouse helicopter’d

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, no … it’s Marshall Newhouse flying through the air like a helicopter! At least that was the case in a Week 9 game between the Oakland Raiders and Miami Dolphins when Newhouse recovered a Derek Carr fumble and thought it would be wise to pick up some extra yards. Instead, Newhouse was met with a slew of aqua-colored jerseys and sent for a ride he’ll never forget. The spin became an instant viral sensation and meme factory, and even Newhouse himself got in on the action, cracking several jokes at his own expense on Twitter.

6. Marquise Goodwin scores emotional 83-yard touchdown

Negative and heartbreaking circumstances led to an incredible 83-yard touchdown for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Marquise Goodwin in Week 10 against the Giants. Fans later learned that just hours before the game, Goodwin and his wife lost their unborn child due to complications during pregnancy. But in honor of that life lost, Goodwin played through the heartache and went on to score a remarkable touchdown that gave the 49ers a lead en route to their first victory of the season.

5. Chiefs catch fire in NFL regular season opener

Everyone loves football, so kickoff Thursday is always an exceptionally exciting time in the NFL. Most also seem to hate the New England Patriots, so coming off of another Super Bowl victory, they added a little emotion to the regular season opener. For three quarters, the Pats went back-and-forth with the Kansas City Chiefs until the underdogs caught absolute fire. The Chiefs went on to score 21 points in the final 15 minutes, tallying 252 yards over that same span and, with a nail in the coffin move, stopped the Patriots on fourth-and-one.

4. Jaguars re-brand as ‘Sacksonville’

After several years of dropping money and draft picks into their defense, the Jaguars opened the 2017 regular season strong and pulled off what was, at the time, the most unexpected upset of the year. They didn’t just beat the favored Houston Texans by a score of 29-7, they completely dominated them in every aspect of the game. Under head coach Doug Marrone and executive vice president Tom Coughlin, the Jaguars defense paved the way with 10 sacks, including four by veteran Calais Campbell. The Jags nicknamed themselves “Sacksonville” following the game, and the defense hasn’t slowed down since.

3. Rams, Jared Goff prove they’re for real

Who saw the Los Angeles Rams coming? Who saw Jared Goof finding elite status? No one, that’s who. But it was during a Week 3 game against the 49ers it became evident Goff and the Rams were for real. Goff went 22-of-28 for 292 yards, three touchdowns and zero turnovers, posting a 145.8 passer in a thrilling 41-39 victory. And while Goff later topped those career numbers in a blowout of the Giants, that game, which was played in front of his friends and family, put him and the team officially on the map in 2017. They later cemented that by beating the Seahawks to claim their first division title since 2003.

2. Tom Brady becomes winningest quarterback in NFL history

Tom Brady is a special talent. Whether you love him or you hate him, there’s no question about that. He entered the season as the all-time winningest quarterback in NFL history thanks in large part to his success in the playoffs. But in a Week 5 game against the New York Jets, he took another step towards cementing himself as the greatest quarterback to ever play the game by winning his 187th career regular season game, breaking a three-way tie with Peyton Manning and Brett Favre. And while there was nothing particularly exciting or noteworthy about his performance that day, it was an early highlight that will likely stand the test of time.

1. J.J Watt raises funds for Hurricane Harvey victims

In mid-August through early September, Hurricane Harvey devastated the southern United States, finishing as the costliest tropical cyclone on record, causing nearly $200 billion in damage, killing 91 people in total, displacing 17,000 more and causing the evacuations of 30,000 others. In its destructive aftermath came Houston Texans defensive lineman J.J. Watt, who put on a fundraising campaign for the ages. The “Houston Flood Relief Fund” he led saw donations for nearly 210,000 people and as of early November, totaled over $37.06 million.

“There are not enough words to thank you all for your generosity. If there is one thing that I have taken away from these last few weeks, it is the reassurance of how much good is out there in our world. When times are the toughest, humanity stands at its strongest and you have all helped to prove that emphatically,” Watt wrote on the donation page.

When all was said and done, it was one of the most incredible individual humanitarian and charitable efforts in NFL history.

from Larry Brown Sports http://ift.tt/2CNjwsL

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tuseriesdetv · 7 years

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Guía de series: Estrenos y regresos de febrero 2017

Febrero, el mes más corto, no tiene nada que envidiar al resto. De nuevo llegan tantas más novedades de las que somos capaces de ver. Haremos lo que podamos para seguir la mayor parte. De momento, veamos un repaso a todas ellas. ¡Feliz febrero!

Leyenda:

Verde: series nuevas.

Rojo: series de las que haremos reviews semanales.

Negro: regresos de otras series.

Naranja: miniseries.

Amarillo: tvmovies, especiales o pilotos.

Morado: season finales.

Morado claro: midseason finales.

Calendario de series

1 de febrero:

The 100 (4T) y Arrow (vuelve) en The CW

The Expanse (2T) en Syfy

Madiba en BET

Vikings (4T finale) en History Channel

2 de febrero:

Training Day (1T) y Superior Donuts (1T) en CBS

Powerless (1T) en NBC

The Cyanide & Happiness Show (3T) en Seeso

Adventure Time: Islands en Cartoon Network

3 de febrero:

Santa Clarita Diet (1T completa) y Imperial Dreams en Netflix

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2T finale) en The CW

4 de febrero: High School Lover en Lifetime

5 de febrero:

24: Legacy (1T) en FOX

The Good Karma Hospital (1T) en ITV

6 de febrero:

APB (1T) y 24: Legacy (cambio de día) en FOX

Solitary: Inside Red Onion State Prison en HBO

7 de febrero: Imposters (1T) en Bravo

8 de febrero:

Legion (1T) en FX

Code Black (2T finale) en CBS

9 de febrero: Unforgotten (2T finale) en ITV

10 de febrero: Reign (4T y última) en The CW

12 de febrero:

Girls (6T y última) en HBO

The Walking Dead (7bT) en AMC

Apple Tree Yard en BBC One

13 de febrero: Eagles of Death Metal: Nos Amis (Our Friends) en HBO

14 de febrero:

The Mindy Project (5bT) en Hulu

You Me Her (2T) en Audience Network

Girlfriend's Day en Netflix

15 de febrero:

Doubt (1T) en CBS

Madiba en BET

18 de febrero: Britney Ever After en Lifetime

19 de febrero:

Billions (2T) en Showtime

Crashing (1T) y Big Little Lies en HBO

The Good Fight (1T) en CBS All Access

Son of Zorn (1T finale) en FOX

The Royals (3T finale) en E!

20 de febrero:

Bellevue (1T) en CBC

The Breaks (1T) en VH1

Bates Motel (5T y última) en A&E

Unlocking the Cage en HBO

The Halcyon (1T finale) en ITV

21 de febrero: The Detour (2T) en TBS

22 de febrero:

Major Crimes (5bT) en TNT

No Offence (2T finale) en Channel 4

23 de febrero:

The Blacklist: Redemption (1T) en NBC

Sun Records en CMT

Death in Paradise (6T finale) en BBC One

24 de febrero:

Lucky Man (2T) en Sky1

Patriot (1T completa) en Amazon

I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore en Netflix

25 de febrero: Taboo (1T finale) en BBC One

27 de febrero:

Taken (1T) en NBC

When We Rise en ABC

Tickled en HBO

Beyond (1T finale) en Freeform

Estrenos de series

Madiba (BET)

¿De dónde viene el nombre Madiba? Los reyes del pueblo Thembu, en Sudáfrica, formaban parte del clan Madiba. Esta miniserie de BET contará la historia de Nelson Mandela, interpretado por Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix, Hannibal), durante los años sesenta. Participan también Orlando Jones (MADtv, Sleepy Hollow), David Harewood (Homeland, Supergirl), Michael Nyqvist (Millennium) y Terry Pheto (Tsotsi, Catch a Fire). Basada en los libros 'Conversations With Myself' y 'Nelson Mandela by Himself' y grabada en Sudáfrica y Robben Island. Dirigida por Kevin Hooks (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Prison Break) y escrita por Paul Webb (Selma), Jane Maggs (The Offering), Janine Eser, Avie Luthra (Lucky) y Kathleen McGhee-Anderson (The Fosters, Lincoln Heights). Seis episodios emitidos en tres semanas.

Estreno: 1 de febrero

A favor: Aprender historia.

En contra: No nos termina de convencer su protagonista.

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Training Day (CBS)

Es un thriller criminal que comienza quince años después de los acontecimientos de la película del mismo nombre protagonizada por Denzel Washington en 2001. Trata sobre un policía idealista (Justin Cornwell) que es destinado a un escuadrón de élite de la policía de Los Ángeles donde es emparejado con un policía moralmente ambiguo (Bill Paxton; Big Love, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.). Les acompañan Julie Benz (Dexter, Defiance) y Drew Van Acker (Pretty Little Liars, Devious Maids). Producida por Jerry Bruckheimer (CSI), uno de los hombres de confianza de la cadena. Estreno: 2 de febrero

A favor: Los de Cuatro estarán contentos con un sustituto para Castle.

En contra: Suena a lo de siempre, no es necesario basarse en una película para esto.

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Superior Donuts (CBS)

Judd Hirsch (Numb3rs, Forever) y Jermaine Fowler (Friends of the People) interpretan al dueño cascarrabias de una tienda de donuts y a su nuevo empleado en esta comedia, basada en la obra de Tracy Letts, que nos mostrará a su variada clientela en un barrio de Chicago que se está aburguesando rápidamente. También participan Katey Sagal (Sons of Anarchy, Married with Children), David Koechner (The Office), Maz Jobrani (Descendants), Anna Baryshnikov (Manchester by the Sea), Darien Sills-Evans (Treme, Cosby), Rell Battle y Sarah Stiles (I'm Dying Up Here). Trece episodios. Estreno: 2 de febrero

A favor: Afirman, y se aprecia en el tráiler, que tratarán temas importantes y polémicos.

En contra: ¿Donuts? Podría convertirse en la nueva 2 Broke Girls.

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Powerless (NBC)

DC Comics está presente en esta comedia sobre una agente de seguros (Vanessa Hudgens; High School Musical, Sucker Punch) especializada en daños causados por los superhéroes en detrimento de los civiles. Un día, cuando se toma con una de esas batallas épicas, se encara con uno de los guerreros enmascarados convirtiéndose así en la heroína de la oficina. Tras esto, intentando llevar una vida normal en un mundo insólito, se dará cuenta de que no hace falta tener poderes para ser un héroe. Completan el reparto Alan Tudyk (Suburgatory, Firefly), Danny Pudi (Community), Christina Kirk (A To Z) y Atlin Mitchell (Twilight). Escrita y creada por Ben Queen (A To Z). Trece episodios. Estreno: 2 de febrero

A favor: Una vuelta de tuerca muy atractiva de primeras.

En contra: ¿No sería preferible inventar sus propios superhéroes? ¿Le sirve de algo ser de DC?

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Santa Clarita Diet (Netflix)

Comedia de Victor Fresco (Sean Saves the World, Better Off Ted) sobre un matrimonio aburrido que, de pronto, cambia de vida empezando un viaje de muerte y destrucción. Protagonizada por Drew Barrymore (Charlie's Angels, 50 First Dates) y Timothy Olyphant (Justified, Damages). Les acompañan Mary Elizabeth Ellis (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Grinder), Ricardo Chavira (Desperate Housewives, Scandal), Liv Hewson (Top of the Lake) y Skyler Gisondo (Vacation). Joy Osmanski (Save Me, Devious Maids) y Richard T. Jones (Narcos, American Horror Story: Hotel) serán recurrentes. Trece episodios. Estreno: 3 de febrero

A favor: Es simpática.

En contra: Confirmamos que la Barrymore anda justa de talento.

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24: Legacy (FOX)

Un ataque terrorista resucita la franquicia 24, pero esta vez sin Kiefer Sutherland. Reparto nuevo y caso nuevo, pero mismo formato en tiempo real y con pantallas divididas. Corey Hawkins (Straight Outta Compton, The Walking Dead) protagoniza junto a Anna Diop (The Messengers, Quantico), Miranda Otto (Homeland, The Lord of the Rings), Charlie Hofheimer (Mad Men), Coral Peña, Dan Bucatinsky (Scandal), Ashley Thomas (Beowulf), Sheila Vand (State of Affairs, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot), Gerald McRaney (This Is Us, House of Cards) y Raphael Acloque (Tyrant, The Secret Agent), Veronica Cartwright (The Birds, Alien). La temporada cuenta con multitud de recurrentes como Tiffany Hines (Nikita, Devious Maids), Bailey Chase (Longmire, Saving Grace), Laith Nakli (The Visitor), Themo Melikidze (Patriots Day) o Moran Atias (Tyrant, Crash). Doce episodios. Estreno: 5 de febrero

A favor: Marca consolidada, intentan repetir el éxito de The X-Files.

En contra: No es un revival. Seguimos con la moda de estirar sellos.

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The Good Karma Hospital (ITV)

Amanda Redman (New Tricks) y Amrita Acharia (Game of Thrones) protagonizan este drama médico ambientado en un hospital con más pacientes que subvenciones en una ciudad costera del sur de la India. Escrita por Dan Sefton (Mr. Selfridge), cuenta también con Neil Morrissey (Line of Duty, The Night Manager), Phyllis Logan (Downton Abbey) y Darhsan Jariwalla (Sense8). Seis episodios. Estreno: 5 de febrero

A favor: La India.

En contra: Los médicos.

APB (FOX)

Justin Kirk (Weeds, Tyrant) protagoniza este drama en el que encarna a Gideon Reeves, un multimillonario de la industria de la tecnología que, tras el asesinato de su mejor amigo, compra una comisaría de Chicago fuera de control para enseñar los bienes y bondades de la modernidad informática a unos policías veteranos. Para ganárselos, Reeves y su ayudante Ada Hamilton (Caitlin Stasey, Reign) se alían con la agente Theresa Murphy (Natalie Martinez; Under the Dome, Kingdom). Inspirada en un artículo de The New York Times sobre las calles de Nueva Orleans. Completan el reparto Ernie Hudson (Grace and Frankie, Ghostbusters), Taylor Handley (Vegas, Southland) y Tamberla Perry (Boss). Producida por Len Wiseman (Lucifer, Underworld) y escrita por Matt Nix (Burn Notice) y Trey Callaway (The Messengers). Estreno: 6 de febrero

A favor: Si funciona, es presupuesto para el resto de series.

En contra: ¿Por qué siguen haciéndose series así?

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Imposters (Bravo)

Antes conocida como My So Called Wife, Imposters es una comedia negra sobre Maddie (Inbar Lavi, Gang Related), una bella y peligrosa estafadora que enamora a hombres y mujeres y huye con su dinero tras casarse con ellos. Tres antiguas víctimas, Ezra (Rob Heaps; And Then There Were None, Home Fires), Richard (Parker Young; Arrow, Suburgatory) y Jules (Marianne Rendón), se unen para atraparla. Mientras busca a una futura víctima con la ayuda de Max (Brian Benben, Dream On) y Sally (Katherine LaNasa, The Campaign), Maddie se enamora de Patrick (Stephen Bishop, Being Mary Jane), que amenaza con desbaratar su misión. Uma Thurman (Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction) y Adam Korson (Seed) serán recurrentes. Diez episodios. Estreno: 7 de febrero

A favor: Serie del año.

En contra: Serie. Del. Año.

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Legion (FX)

Basada en los cómics de Marvel, cuenta la historia de David Haller (Dan Stevens), que, diagnosticado de esquizofrenia desde niño y viajando de hospital en hospital durante años, comparte su día a día en la treintena con su compañera de internamiento Lenny (Aubrey Plaza; Parks and Recreation, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates), adicta al alcohol y a las drogas, y Syd (Rachel Keller, Fargo), la recién llegada por la que se siente completamente atraído. Tras un encuentro con ella, David comienza a pensar que quizás las voces de su cabeza no son debidas a una enfermedad mental. Completan el cast Hamish Linklater (The Crazy Ones, The New Adventures of Old Christine), Katie Aselton (The League, Casual), Jean Smart (Fargo, Samantha Who?), Brad Mann (Fargo, Clue), Jeremie Harris (The Angriest Man in Brooklyn), Amber Midthunder (Hell or High Water), Bill Irwin (CSI, Law & Order: SVU) y Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Concords, What We Do in the Shadows). Producida por Bryan Singer. Jeph Loeb y Simon Kinberg, entre otros. Creada por Noah Hawley (Fargo, The Unusuals). Ocho episodios. Estreno: 8 de febrero

A favor: Nos la venden como distinta a las otras, dice la crítica que es al estilo Wes Anderson.

En contra: Hay que esperar para ver cuánto tarda en desinflarse.

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Doubt (CBS)

Sadie Ellis (Katherine Heigl; Grey's Anatomy, The Ugly Truth) es una chica inteligente, chic y con una carrera de éxito como abogada defensora en un bufete que empieza a enamorarse de un cliente (Steven Pasquale, American Crime Story), que puede ser o no culpable de un brutal crimen. Les acompañan Laverne Cox (Orange Is the New Black), Dreama Walker (Apartment 23), Dulé Hill (Psych), Elliott Gould (Ocean's Eleven, Friends) y Kobi Libii (Transparent). Es una serie de Tony Phelan y Joan Rater, quienes han desarrollado su carrera en Grey's Anatomy. Estreno: 15 de febrero

A favor: La primera serie de cadena generalista con personaje regular y actriz transgénero.

En contra: El gafe de Katherine Heigl.

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Crashing (HBO)

No tiene nada que ver con la comedia de Channel 4; ésta trata, cómo no, sobre un monologuista. Cuando descubre que su mujer (Lauren Lapkus; Orange Is the New Black, Clipped) le es infiel, se ve obligado a reevaluar su vida durmiendo en sofás ajenos. Completan el reparto George Basil (Flaked, No Tomorrow), Artie Lange (MADtv, The Norm Show), T.J. Miller (Silicon Valley, Cloverfield) y Henry Zebrowski (Heroes Reborn, A To Z). Incluye cameo de Sarah Silverman (Masters of Sex). Escrita y protagonizada por Pete Holmes y producida por Judd Apatow (Girls, Love). Ocho episodios. Estreno: 19 de febrero

A favor: Los cameos.

En contra: Que esta gente se crea que su vida es interesante.

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Big Little Lies (HBO)

Miniserie adaptación por David E. Kelley (Ally McBeal, The Practice) de la novela de Liane Moriarty, sobre tres madres de niños de preescolar cuyas vidas se cruzan dando lugar a un asesinato. Protagonizada por Nicole Kidman (Moulin Rouge, Los otros), Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line, Legally Blonde) y Shailene Woodley (The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Divergent), cuenta también con Laura Dern (Enlightened, Jurassic Park), Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood, The Legend of Tarzan), Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation), Zoë Kravitz (Divergent, Mad Max: Fury Road), James Tupper (Revenge, Men in Trees), Jeffrey Nordling (Desperate Housewives, Dirt), Santiago Cabrera (The Musketeers, Heroes), Merrin Dungey (Alias, Once Upon A Time), David Monahan (Crossing Jordan), Sarah Baker (Go On, Mascots), Kathreen Khavari (Insecure), Larry Sullivan (CSI) y los niños Kathryn Newton (Supernatural, Paranormal Activity 4), Iain Armitage y Nicholas y Cameron Crovetti. Siete episodios. Estreno: 19 de febrero

A favor: Repartazo.

En contra: Si se os ocurre algo, nos lo decís.

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The Good Fight (CBS All Access)

Spin-off de The Good Wife protagonizado por Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski), Lucca Quinn (Cush Jumbo) y Marissa Gold (Sarah Steele). Se suman Rose Leslie (Game of Thrones, Luther), Justin Bartha (The New Normal, The Hangover), Erica Tazel (Justified), Delroy Lindo (Get Shorty, Clockers), Paul Guilfoyle (CSI, L.A. Confidential) y Bernadette Peters (Smash, Mozart in the Jungle). Otros personajes de TGW que vuelven son Elsbeth Tascioni (Carrie Preston), Kurt McVeigh (Gary Cole), David Lee (Zach Grenier) y Howard Lyman (Jerry Adler). Los King, que al principio se desvinculaban del proyecto, pueden ser finalmente los showrunners de la serie tras la cancelación de BrainDead. Diez episodios.

Estreno: 19 de febrero

A favor: Es la serie que nos merecemos.

En contra: ¿Echaremos de menos a Alicia, Eli o Kalinda?

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Bellevue (CBC)

Cuando una adolescente transgénero desaparece en un pueblo obrero de Canadá, la detective Annie Ryder (Anna Paquin; True Blood, X-Men) investiga el suceso en el lugar que la vio crecer y a la gente con la que nunca encajó. El caso la aleja cada vez más de su familia y la acerca a alguien misterioso de su pasado con respuestas perturbadoras y una espantosa necesidad de meterse en su cabeza. Participan también Allen Leech (Downton Abbey, The Imitation Game) y Shawn Doyle (House of Cards, The Expanse). Creada por Jane Maggs y Adrienne Mitchell. Ocho episodios. Estreno: 20 de febrero

A favor: Paquin en otros registros, más retos.

En contra: Esa creencia de que cuanto más críptico es todo, más interesante parece.

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The Breaks (VH1)

Hace un año, la cadena emitió una tv movie con el mismo título, basada en la novela 'The Big Payback' de Dan Charnas y escrita y dirigida por Seith Mann, sobre un grupo de jóvenes que intentan triunfar en el mundo del hip-hop en Nueva York en los años noventa. Ahora llega la serie continuación con el mismo reparto (Afton Williamson, Wood Harris, Mack Wilds, David Call y Antoine Harris) al que se suman Sinqua Walls (Power), Melonie Diaz (Fruitvale Station), Ali Ahn (The Path), Teyana Taylor (Madea's Big Happy Family) y Tip 'T.I.' Harris (Boss, Ant-Man). Estreno: 20 de febrero

A favor: La novela narra cuarenta años de historia. Aún hay mucho que contar.

En contra: Podemos adivinar que es probable que no guste a los detractores del hip-hop.

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The Blacklist: Redemption (NBC)

Es un spin-off de The Blacklist protagonizado por Tom (Ryan Eggold) y su madre Scottie (Famke Janssen; Hemlock Grove, X-Men), la jefa de una organización encubierta que resuelve los problemas que los gobiernos no se atreven a tocar. En esta nueva serie, Tom y Scottie unen fuerzas en un peligroso mundo de criminales. Edi Gathegi vuelve en el papel de Matias Solomon. Se suma a ellos Tawny Cypress (Heroes, House of Cards). Escriben Jon Bokenkamp y John Eisendrath (The Blacklist). Ocho episodios. Estreno: 23 de febrero

A favor: Famke Janssen, siempre, pese a su papel.

En contra: ¿Tan mayor la ve Hollywood? Si fuera el padre, cogerían a un actor quince años mayor.

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Sun Records (CMT)

Antes conocida como Million Dollar Quartet y basada vagamente en un musical del mismo nombre, es una miniserie sobre el origen de las carreras de Jerry Lee Lewis (Christian Lees), Elvis Presley (Drake Milligan, Nobody), Johnny Cash (Kevin Fonteyne, Masters of Sex), Ike Turner (Kerry D. Holliday) o B.B. King en los cincuenta. Chad Michael Murray (Agent Carter, One Tree Hill), Jonah Lees, Trevor Donovan (90210), Billy Gardell (Mike and Molly) y Dustin Ingram (Unfabulous, Vinyl) serán Sam Phillips (el fundador de Sun Records), Jimmy Swaggart (primo de Jerry Lee Lewis), Eddy Arnold, Tom Parker (el mánager de Elvis) y Carl Perkins. Los propios actores cantan en directo en el set. Músicos locales interpretan a los secundarios y figuras conocidas como Pokey LaFarge, Dom Flemons o Darius Rucker también participan. Chuck Mead, líder de la banda BR549, es el director musical de la serie. Ocho episodios. Estreno: 23 de febrero

A favor: Con más de seis millones de dólares, es el proyecto más ambicioso de la cadena.

En contra: Enfermar de nostalgia.

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Patriot (Amazon)

Este thriller sigue la complicada vida del agente de inteligencia John Tavner (Michael Dorman) en su última misión, que consiste en evitar que Irán se convierta en un país nuclear infiltrándose extraoficialmente como empleado de una compañía de tuberías industriales de Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Completan el reparto Terry O'Quinn (Lost, Gang Related), Kurtwood Smith (That '70s Show, Agent Carter), Michael Chernus (Orange Is the New Black, Manhattan), Kathleen Munroe (Resurrection, Call Me Fitz) y Aliette Opheim (Tjockare än vatten, Sandor slash Ida). Producida, escrita y dirigida por Steven Conrad (The Secret Life of Walter Mitty). Se estrenará primero en la Berlinale. Diez episodios. Su piloto está disponible desde el 5 de noviembre de 2015. Estreno: 24 de febrero

A favor: Tiene un tono oscuro y cómico que la hace distinta.

En contra: Pero tiene pinta de pasar desapercibida.

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Taken (NBC)

Precuela ambientada en nuestro tiempo de la saga cinematográfica que nos contará cómo Bryan Mills (Clive Standen, Vikings) consiguió y perfeccionó sus particulares habilidades. Protagonizan también Jennifer Beals (Flashdance, The L Word), Gaius Charles (Friday Night Lights, Aquarius), Monique Gabriela Curnen (Elementary, Lie To Me), James Landry Hébert (Westworld, Looper), Michael Irby (True Detective, Almost Human) y Brooklyn Sudano (11/22/63, My Wife and Kids) como miembros de OPCON -Operational Control-, que se ocupa de la seguridad nacional a pie de campo. Jose Pablo Cantillo (The Walking Dead, Sons of Anarchy), Simu Liu (Blood and Water) y Jennifer Marsala (Lie To Me) serán recurrentes. Escrita y producida por Alex Cary (Homeland). Produce también Luc Besson, coescritor y coproductor de las tres películas. Recibió luz verde directa en septiembre. Diez episodios. Estreno: 27 de febrero

A favor: No.

En contra: ¿De verdad funcionará la excusa de la precuela para una procedimental de manual?

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When We Rise (ABC)

Escrita por Dustin Lance Black (Milk, Big Love) y dirigida por Gus Van Sant (Milk, Good Will Hunting), esta miniserie sobre la lucha de personas como Roma Guy, Ken Jones o Cleve Jones por los derechos LGBT está protagonizada por Carrie Preston (The Good Wife), Guy Pearce (Memento), Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds), Rachel Griffiths (Six Feet Under, Brothers & Sisters), Dylan Walsh (Nip/Tuck), Kevin McHale (Glee), Rafael de la Fuente (Empire) y Michael Kenneth Williams (The Wire, Boardwalk Empire). Además, el primer episodio contará con Whoopi Goldberg (Ghost, Sister Act), Rosie O'Donnell (Now and Then, The Fosters), Denis O'Hare (American Horror Story) y David Hyde Pierce (Frasier). Ocho episodios. Estreno: 27 de febrero

A favor: Son historias reales, los protagonistas son consultores de la serie.

En contra: ¿Todos los episodios en la misma semana? Un desastre.

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#series tv #television

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