Shifting From Character to Plot: Heroes Reborn (TV Showcase #107)

CANON NOTE: This review contains perspectives from the “Dark Matters” and “Damen Peak” webisodes, as well as the Vengeance and Godsend comics.

It’s been a while that I’ve been entrenched in this universe, but here we are, at the last stop on what might be the most labrynthine TV franchise I’ve seen in a long time, especially for one so short-lived. I saw some warnings online to avoid this series, but you guys know me by now: I’m a completionist, and, for better or worse, I need to know the whole story. Did this do it justice? Was it a fitting end? Let’s find out as we return to Odessa in “Heroes Reborn”.

Changing Up the Superhero Genre: Heroes (TV Showcase #106)

CANON NOTE: This review includes perspectives from the webisodes and the comics, but not from Hana Gitelman’s blog. If you even know what the latter is, then you know I did my deep research on this one.

If you’re a long-time reader of the blog, you’ll know that I am not a superhero fan. Like, not at all. I can’t stand most of the MCU stuff. I like the standalone stories (Iron Man, Spiderverse, Big Hero 6, The Incredibles, etc), but once it becomes this overly-complex, serialized format, I check out. I’ve been disinterested in the MCU (and, by extension, the DCCU) since 2012, way before it was cool. And let’s not even get into “The Umbrella Academy” (oh boy, can’t wait for season 4 of that trash heap). But I remember this series being advertised at the time it aired and thinking it looked really cool, ad I’ve seen recommendations for it over the years, so I thought I’d give it a try. But was it everything I was looking for, or just another superhero dud? Let’s find out as we venture into “Heroes”.

A Worthy Sequel, or a Bad Egg?: Thoughts on Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget

Well, I think it’s about time for some positive vibes here on the page, so how about some Chicken Run! Remember this movie? It came out 23 years ago, but a sequel was never made due to Aardman Studios burning down and destroying the sets. Aardman, of course, is the same animation studio responsible for Wallace and Gromit and “Shaun the Sheep“, as well as a bunch of movies that you may have seen like Pirates! Band of Misfits (that’s where we get, “Well, yes, but actually, no”), Early Man, and Flushed Away, among others. Chicken Run is known among millennials as a staple film of early childhood. I rewatched it this week: it’s fun, quick, and fulfilling with its character arcs. So was this sequel any good? As good as the first? And, of course, the big question: they put a chicken in it, but did they make it lame and gay? Let’s find out.

I Don’t Know if I Can Watch Doctor Who Anymore: Thoughts on the 60th Anniversary Specials

Okay, well, I really didn’t want to write this post at midnight, but I’m so incensed that I don’t know what else to do about it. After, by my count, 879 episodes of Doctor Who, I think I finally hate the show. I stopped being sad. I actively just hate it now, like the way that I hate “Riverdale”. Davies and Tennant are back to save the show, they said. Well, if you like Disney controlling Star Wars and Marvel, good news, because now they control Doctor Who as well. Let’s run through the three specials and why this show is… I actually don’t have a word for it anymore.

At This Point, I Just Feel Bad for the Showrunners: Thoughts on Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 4 (and the Very Short Treks)

Yes, readers, this show is still going. I really find it hard to care about Star Trek anymore. Ever since Stacey Abrams showed up as the president of Earth on “Discovery“, I haven’t even been truly mad at anything they’ve put out (although that unbelievably atrocious music episode of “Strange New Worlds” came pretty close). I just don’t care anymore. It’s a chore to watch, even the measly half hour that “Lower Decks” demands each week. But I thought about something while watching this season that hadn’t occurred to me before, so we’ll talk about it. Let’s get this over with.

The Worst Show on TV Ends After its Most Depraved Season Ever: Thoughts on Riverdale Season 7

I know I’m the only person alive still watching this show, but I must celebrate the fact that after six years and 137 grueling episodes, I finally made it to the end. I seriously can’t wait to never talk about this show again. But first, we’ve gotta go over this indescribably carnal and depraved season. So let’s head back to Riverdale one last time as we talk about the end of this affront to TV and comics.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is a Frustrating Mockery of its Most Loyal Fans: Thoughts on Season 2

Well, RIP to “Prodigy“, the best new Star Trek show in years. It doesn’t really matter to me that season 2 is still getting made and then hopefully Paramount will let it go (it won’t) and air on another platform. They cancelled, of course, the only good show they had in the franchise, because they don’t actually want good stories, and this show certainly fits that agenda. They really could care less about the Trekkies anymore, and it’s time to break down why. So let’s drag ourselves back to the Enterprise and talk about season 2 of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds”. I hope this writers and actors strike lasts forever.

What Happened to Black Mirror?: Thoughts on Season 6

Am I the only one surprised to see “Black Mirror” back? I didn’t know it was even out until its actual release date. I thought I saw somewhere that the showrunners were pretty much done with it. But here we are. It makes me wonder if we’ll get another “Shaun the Sheep” season out of nowhere. But anyway, let’s talk about all the episodes and the season overall.

Schmigadoon Scales Down and Hits Its Stride: Thoughts on Season 2

Well, I have to admit that I stand corrected. I didn’t think that this show was coming back. And I obviously had some reservations after the horrendously-botched ending of season one. But I have separate thoughts on this season, and I think that in some ways it was better. But I don’t want to give away all my thoughts here, so let’s head back into the woods and over the bridge as we explore season two of “Schmigadoon!”

Star Trek: Picard Boldly Goes Where It Should’ve Gone All Along: Thoughts on Season 3

Shock must be admitted to here. I have seen quite a few unredeemable shows, and this one might have been at the tippity-top of that list. Never have I seen such a phenomenal franchise run into the ground so vehemently except for maybe “Doctor Who“. “Picard” season two was some of the worst television I’ve ever seen, bar none. But somehow, some way, this show was brought back from the brink. It wasn’t as good as any Trek should be these days, but it was so much better than anything we’ve gotten (other than “Prodigy“) that it was hard not to like. So let’s head back out into space with everyone’s favorite captain one more time as we look at the final season of “Star Trek: Picard”.