Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by J C on September 27th, 2016
“This is when we roar.”
When Fox’s Empire premiered in early 2015, it became an instant sensation that re-wrote the ratings record books. The show’s mix of high drama and hip-hop obviously struck a chord with an underserved segment of TV viewers. Of course, that also means expectations were sky high for this second season. While Empire has inevitably lost some of the sizzle from its unprecedented debut, this unapologetically over-the-top soap rap-era has also managed to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 15th, 2016
"This is encouraging."
For the first time in a long while, the Winchester Brothers end and begin a season together. Dean's just had the Sign of Cain removed, and the cost is the approaching darkness. I'm not talking a little storm blowing through. Here in Florida we know all about that kind of darkness. No. This is The Darkness, and it's the big bad for season 11 of Supernatural. You heard that correctly. We're talking 11 years with number 12 arriving any day now. Once again it's "end of days" kind of stakes, and we have another season to save the universe.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 15th, 2016
"Going on down to South Park and meet some friends of mine."
After 20 years or more, they really do feel like friends. I've known Cartman, Stan, Kyle, and Kenny longer than most real people in my life. Only the Simpsons have been around longer these days. Over those years South Park has always been a series of stories that rarely connect with each other in any significant way. There have been multi-part episodes, and certain experiences have come back up over the years. Still, we're talking about a universe where killing Kenny had become a running joke and happened pretty much in every episode. Those days are gone, and it's been a while since Kenny met his demise, and now South Park has joined the ranks of the continuing story season. I do believe that's one of the signs of the Apocalypse. I'm just sayin'.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on September 14th, 2016
“Accidental president...that's what they'll say.”
Lyndon Baines Johnson became the 36th President of the United States under the most tumultuous circumstances imaginable. Besides being thrust into office after the shattering assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Johnson had to immediately contend with multiple political crises. Most notably, LBJ faced pressure from several different fronts as he worked to pass what eventually became the Civil Rights Act of 1964. All The Way, buoyed by a funny and ferocious lead performance, offers a thought-provoking and entertaining look at a truly complex figure.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 12th, 2016
"My name is Barry Allen, and I am the fastest man alive. When I was a child, I saw my mother killed by something impossible. My father went to prison for her murder. Then an accident made me the impossible, and I became the Flash. I used my powers to find the man responsible for my mother's death. I thought I would finally get justice for my family, but I failed. It's been six months since the Singularity. I'm on my own now. Decided it's better that way. Keeps the people I care about safe. There's only one thing I can do now. I run…"
The Flash is CSI with a twist. Barry Allen (Gustin) is a police scientist working in the CSI lab of Central City. In fact, he appears to be the only staff of that unit, having pretty much the run of the lab. When he was 11 he witnessed his mother's murder amid red and yellow streaks of lightning. Within the streaks he saw a man dressed in yellow. No one believed what he saw, and his father (Shipp) has been doing time for the murder he did not commit. Young Barry was taken in by their family friend Detective Joe West, played by Law & Order's Jesse L. Martin, and daughter Iris West (Patton). When a particle accelerator at Starr Labs explodes, the dark matter wave that spreads across Central City combines with a lab accident, and Barry is bestowed with incredible speed. Unfortunately, he was not the only one affected. Other people received various other powers and are referred to here as Meta Humans.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 8th, 2016
"Six months ago The Arrow died. But what he stood for didn't. It lived on in the heroes who took up his mantle. People who believe that this city should never descend into hopelessness. Who believe although life is full of darkness, that darkness can be defeated by light. And tonight I am declaring my intention to fight with them for this city. To be a symbol of hope that The Arrow never was. I am the Green Arrow."
The first three seasons of Arrow have to almost be considered one large origin story. Oliver Queen finally takes the name that he's used in the comics for decades... The Green Arrow. Not to be confused with the same-colored Hornet or Lantern. Who the heck is this Green Arrow of whom you speak? If that's your first question, you need to go back a couple of grades and catch up with the rest of us. The comics are good place to begin, but the television universe is its own place and not tied so tightly to the DC comic book universe. Your best place to go to catch up would be the first three seasons. It'll be worth the effort, and I can get you started with those reviews found Here.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on September 7th, 2016
“Anyone can betray anyone.”
The word “spy” tends to conjure images of international intrigue and attractive people getting into exotic adventures. But don't blame John le Carre. Despite being one of the most successful and prolific spy novelists of the past century, le Carre's stories tend to be aggressively un-sexy, morally murky tales that focus on the psychological toll of intelligence work. That's why it's interesting to find that The Night Manager — a British miniseries that also aired on AMC — manages to straddle both sides of the spy fiction fence.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 1st, 2016
"In 2166 an immortal tyrant named Vandal Savage conquered the world and murdered my wife and child. I've assembled an elite team to hunt him throughout time and stop his rise to power. Unfortunately, my plan was opposed by the body I had sworn my allegiance to: The Time Masters. In the future my friends might not be heroes, but if we succeed, they will be remembered as legends."
Marvel may have beaten DC to the superhero team-up film. But while Marvel continues to blow away the DC filmatic universe, DC has had its best and most brilliant successes here on television. DC Legends of Tomorrow is pretty much the first television comic book team-up, and it's a direct spinoff from both Arrow and The Flash shows. In fact, Warner should have delayed this release until after those shows showed up at your video store. It's in the early episodes of The Flash, and particularly Arrow, that this show has its setup. That works out even more crucially as the end of this 16-episode season leads directly into the season finale for Arrow, creating a bit of a spoiler alert if you haven't watched those shows.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 31st, 2016
"The bad guys in this town are changing. They're not playing by the old rules, or any rules. We need every measure at our disposal, and I'm not just talking more guns..."
The first season of Gotham was pretty much a straight criminal story told in a film noir environment where just a hint of the future comic book heroics is uncovered. The bad guys were pretty much standard mob guys. Were they eccentric? Yes. There were really no meta-humans or gadgets to speak of. This season we get a flood of the more familiar kinds of villains you know so well from this universe.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by J C on August 26th, 2016
“Your memory's very impressive.”
The first season of The Affair — Showtime's sensual, POV-shifting drama — was built on the notion that there are two sides to every story. The show's hook was that it depicted the beginnings of the same adulterous relationship from two different perspectives. Season 2 doubles down on that idea by offering four different viewpoints. So what this sophomore season lacks in sizzle compared to its predecessor, it makes up for by offering a more expansive view at complicated, messy relationship dynamics.
