TV Series Review: Peacemaker: Season 1 (2022)

PEACEMAKER: SEASON 1 (2022)

Premiere Date: Jan 13, 2022
Genres: Comedy, Action
Network: HBO Max
Writer: James Gunn

Executive producers: James Gunn, Peter Safran, Matthew Miller
Cast: John Cena, Steve Agee, Jennifer Holland, Danielle Brooks, Robert Patrick, Freddie Stroma, Chukwudi Iwuji

PEACEMAKER explores the continuing story of the character that John Cena reprises in the aftermath of executive producer James Gunn’s 2021 film The Suicide Squad – a compellingly vainglorious man who believes in peace at any cost, no matter how many people he has to kill to get it!

The series stars John Cena as Peacemaker, Danielle Brooks as Adebayo, Freddie Stroma as Vigilante, Jennifer Holland as Harcourt, Chukwudi Iwuji as Murn, Steve Agee as Economos and Robert Patrick as Auggie Smith.

Gunn wrote all eight episodes of PEACEMAKER and directed five, including the first. Gunn, Peter Safran and Matt Miller serve as executive producers on the series, with Cena as co-executive producer. Based on characters from DC, PEACEMAKER is produced by Gunn’s Troll Court Entertainment and The Safran Company in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Holy Sheep! This series is so flocking awesome! I don't know where to begin...

First of all, I know nothing about the Peacemaker DC canon story. Suicide Squad 2 was the first time I'd seen the character. And I didn't really like him. I wasn't a big John Cena fan either. But the character was funny in that "Snort! I can't believe he said that!" way.

The trailer for Peacemaker Season 1 was full of action (it's pretty violent) and I never say no to a superhero movie/series. It is probably my favorite comic TV series now (sorry WandaVision!). The whole cast (primary and secondary) was amazing in their roles. The characters' development from misfit loners into a team was full of heart.

The writing! I now understand why Peacemaker is the way he is and it isn't pretty. The show didn't shy away from some harsh topics but it was balanced with brilliant dark comedy. And the hair-metal band music score was fun. And the opening credits are hilarious. And...and...I could gush about it all day...lol.

Eagley wins best side-kick of the year.

Peacemaker Season 1 is a must-see.

10 "Butterfly" Sheep

SharonS

TV Show Review: Elves (Netflix)

TV Show Review: Elves (Netflix)

AKA Nisser
November 28, 2021
Creator: Stefan Jaworski
Series Directed by Roni Ezra
Stars: Sonja Sofie Engberg Steen, Milo Campanale, Vivelill Søgaard Holm, Lila Nobel, Peder Thomas Pedersen, Ann Eleonora Jørgensen, Rasmus Hammerich, Lukas Løkken.
Genre: Folklore horror, dark fantasy, Danish, Scandinavian TV show, Young Adult TV show

Production Company: Netflix
Running Time: Season 1, six episodes
Official Website: Watch Elves | Netflix Official Site
A Christmas vacation turns into a nightmare for a teenager and her family when they discover an ancient menace that stalks their island getaway.

A mother and father decided that for Christmas this year they would take their kids on a family vacation by renting a house on an island. The problem is, this island has an electrified metal fence around some forest with a locked gate that keeps something deadly inside. This was done by the inhabitants of the island who only opened it occasionally put a cow inside as a sacrifice.

It was obvious to me that this was folklore horror. There is a sacrifice and a family that usually goes their own way for Christmas decides to come to the island instead. I still couldn’t understand why the islanders had put a stop to this, or even make sure no outsider comes to their island. But it was a plot hole to me. 

Anyway, the episodes went fast—only six, and there was a lot of potential to really make this scary, but it wasn’t. No explanation for the elves or why the islanders keep sacrificing cattle to keep the peace of the land. I think it could have been better with more episodes and a backstory to explain all of this. This should be on Santa’s naughty list for not delivering a good present for binge-watchers.

If you want to watch folklore horror, try Midsomner, The Wicker Man (the 1973 one!), The Witch, The Ritual (which I saw on Netflix before and it is set in a Swedish forest), and much more. For Christmas horror, try Krampus, Gremlins, Black Christmas (1974), and Rare Exports, a Christmas Story. Plus there are more out there.

I gave Elves 2 ½ sheep.

Reviewed by Pamela K. Kinney

TV Show Review: WandaVision (Season 1: Episode 8)

WandaVision (Season 1: Episode 8)
Jan 15, 2021
Executive Producers: Jac Schaeffer, Kevin Feige
Starring: Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Teyonah Parris
Episodes: 8
Genre: Action & Adventure
Based on: Scarlet Witch; by Stan Lee; Jack Kirby;
TV Network: Disney+
 “Previously On...” is the eighth episode of the American television miniseries WandaVision, based on the Marvel Comics characters Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch and Vision. 

Wanda embarks on a troubling journey revisiting her past for insight into her present and future.

Break out the tissues, folks, because Wandavision is gonna break your heart.

This week's episode is finally showing us what happened to Wanda after the events of Endgame, and the answers aren’t pretty. Wanda is forced to face reality via a therapy-like session conducted by big bad Agatha Harkness. While Wanda is forced to revisit the painful events in her past, Agatha is fishing for information on how Wanda could manipulate such a large area with the people in it. By the end of the episode, we have some answers and more questions. 

This is also the first episode that doesn’t feature Vision in the present. He only appears through flashbacks. In fact, the episode is primarily carried by Elizabeth Olsen and Kathryn Hahn, both of whom I enjoyed watching on screen. Hahn does a fantastic job with her character, and this episode showcases her talent and ability to play off of Olsen's Wanda. Agatha feels powerful and confident in her ability to "control" Wanda, all while dragging her through the worst moments of her life. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Olsen just breaks my heart in this episode. Even before the first flashback begins, you just know it's not going to be pretty. From the day her parents were killed, to the days after her brother was killed, to right after Wanda was brought back (after Endgame) only to remember that Vision was dead, Wanda's been through so much heartache. Olsen brought that fragility and brokenness to the character. I defy anyone not to shed a tear or two while watching this episode.

Curiously though, in the flashbacks of Wanda's life, you only ever see Pietro as a child. There are no pictures of him, no scenes where you see maybe a newspaper clipping with his picture in the background. Nothing. 

The episode also showed Hayward's true colors. He's a liar; he set Wanda up to suit his own agenda, and the consequences of that could end up being disastrous. For Wanda mostly. 

It's taken 8 episodes for this one, and in my opinion, it's the best in the series. So far. The final episode is coming up, and I'm curious to see if it will tie everything together or just leave everything open for the next MCU movie.

Rating: 4.5 

Adria Reyes

TV Show Review: WandaVision (Season 1: Episode 7)

WandaVision (Season 1: Episode 7)
Jan 15, 2021
Executive Producers: Jac Schaeffer, Kevin Feige
Starring: Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Teyonah Parris
Episodes: 8
Genre: Action & Adventure
Based on: Scarlet Witch; by Stan Lee; Jack Kirby;
TV Network: Disney+
 “Breaking the Fourth Wall” is the seventh episode of the American television miniseries WandaVision, based on the Marvel Comics characters Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch and Vision. 

Monica plots her return, Wanda navigates unsettling complications, and Vision forms a new alliance.

Well, hello, episode 7! Wandavision is almost done telling its off the rails-but-totally-makes-sense story and the latest episode. Breaking the Fourth Wall had so many juicy tidbits in it that made for good tv. Honestly, this should have been the energy from the first episode.

And it was great to see the nod to Modern Family. Elizabeth Olsen’s take on Julie Bowen’s frustrated mom persona was familiar yet unique, if that makes sense.

Breaking the Fourth Wall paid more attention to the conflict at hand rather than just the goings-on of Wanda’s world, and that is what I am here for. I want to know what is going on, not just what Wanda has going on inside that reality of hers. Wanda’s psyche is being stretched to its limits following the previous episode. She is using more and more power to keep her world intact, and the current episode showed the strain of that.

Or did it? Wanda herself is doubting her reality, whether she is truly okay with what she is doing with Vision and the people of Westview. Huge glitches are happening in her world that even the twins, Billy and Tommy, pick up on. This is the first time in the series that Wanda has shown doubt over her actions. From the start, it seemed that the show was setting her up to become a villain, and I was not happy about that. I love Wanda, and I empathize with her immensely. To see her doubting herself and questioning whether she is doing the right thing or the selfish thing was refreshing. I want to see Wanda become something more than a traumatized victim, or worse, a villain.

The big reveal at the end of the episode answered some big questions (plus it kept up the tv series within a tv series theme), but it also brought out some new ones. I'm hoping that the last episodes keep this energy up and that the finale doesn’t disappoint. But for now, this episode is my favorite.

Rating: 4

Adria Reyes

TV Show Review: WandaVision (Season 1: Episode 6)

WandaVision (Season 1: Episode 6)
Jan 15, 2021
Executive Producers: Jac Schaeffer, Kevin Feige
Starring: Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Teyonah Parris
Episodes: 8
Genre: Action & Adventure
Based on: Scarlet Witch; by Stan Lee; Jack Kirby;
TV Network: Disney+
 “All-New Halloween Spooktacular!” is the sixth episode of the American television miniseries WandaVision, based on the Marvel Comics characters Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch and Vision. Disturbances on Halloween separate Wanda from Vision, who looks into anomalous activity in Westview.

It seems fitting that Wandavision should have a Halloween episode in its repertoire and last week’s episode had a visually fun trip with a nod to the comic book versions of Wanda and Vision. But it wasn’t without its problems.

The sixth episode (out of eight) entitled All-New Halloween Spooktacular didn’t do much to further whatever direction the plot is going in. Wanda is obviously experiencing some severe trauma and denial. With her powers, she’s become a danger to the people around her and to herself, but the episode barely touches on that. In fact, the series as a whole, while fun and kooky, isn’t really going anywhere fast. I mean, six episodes in and only two more to go, and what answers do we really have?

Not much. And if you are hoping to avoid spoilers, now is the time to stop reading because I’m going to mention a few things that have already been revealed on Marvel’s Instagram page via an episode still.

Episode six felt more like fan service without the progress needed to keep people invested. If anything, more questions are being asked than answered.

The biggest one being, who is this Pietro? Is he really her brother? Or is he some outside “interference” come to Westview for his own reasons? When Wanda point blank asks him why he looks “different,” it’s obvious the show is touching on the fact that Pietro is not Aaron Taylor Johnson, but it’s like Wanda just ignores this huge issue of her “brother” not looking like she remembers him. Naturally, Pietro claims he can’t remember what happened to him, and Wanda claims she can’t either. Of course, this particular actor's appearance as Pietro could mean that the MCU is getting ready to integrate some very familiar mutants into their franchise. However, the show could still throw us a bone at this point and still maintain most of its secrecy.

The only “biggie” question that has been answered so far is whether or not Vision can live outside of Wanda’s bubble.

One of my personal questions is this: Wanda claiming not to remember certain things that include Pietro does that mean she may not be in charge of Westview? Could someone else be allowing Wanda to think Westview is her doing? With the way this episode went, there might be an answer in the final episode. But I’m not going to hold my breath.

Rating: 3

Adria Reyes

TV Show Review: WandaVision (Season 1: Episode 5)

WandaVision (Season 1: Episode 5)
Jan 15, 2021
Executive Producers: Jac Schaeffer, Kevin Feige
Starring: Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Teyonah Parris
Episodes: 8
Genre: Action & Adventure
Based on: Scarlet Witch; by Stan Lee; Jack Kirby;
TV Network: Disney+
 “On a Very Special Episode...
” is the fifth episode of the American television miniseries WandaVision, based on the Marvel Comics characters Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch and Vision. Vision becomes increasingly agitated over their neighbors' unusual antics, forcing Wanda to confront her husband.

The pace is picking up on Wandavision, and viewers got quite the surprise and the end of the most recent episode.

After the dust settled in Avengers: Endgame, no one really knew what happened to Wanda. Until now. The episode showed brief glimpses of cracks in Wanda's façade, and in those moments, her grief, anger, and denial are plain to see. In a handful of years, she’s lost her brother, her second family with The Avengers, and the love of her life. She has a tremendous amount of power who wouldn't be tempted to create a world of their own where they can block out the pain? At this point, the Wandavision has begun to show that while Wanda is very powerful, those powers are rooted in her emotions.

The show, for all its quirks, is finding its footing. Hopefully, the last few episodes will serve to establish a true connection to the next set of Marvel films. I know that Wanda and Vision are the main attraction here, but I would love to know more about grown-up Monica Rambeau and why she seems to have a problem with Captain Marvel. I hope they don’t use all of Monica's backstory for a film, as it might slow said film down. Right?

Out of all the puzzle pieces in this episode, though, none was more shocking, satisfying, exciting, or confusing as what happened—or should I say who happened—in the last 2 minutes. Does this mean what I think it does? That we're getting some major additions to the MCU????

Rating: 4 1/2 “You didn’t see that coming?” sheep

Adria Reyes

TV Show Review: WandaVision (Season 1: Episode 4)

WandaVision (Season 1: Episode 4)
Jan 15, 2021
Executive Producers: Jac Schaeffer, Kevin Feige
Starring: Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Teyonah Parris
Episodes: 8
Genre: Action & Adventure
Based on: Scarlet Witch; by Stan Lee; Jack Kirby;
TV Network: Disney+
 “We Interrupt This Program.” is the fourth episode of the American television miniseries WandaVision, based on the Marvel Comics characters Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch and Vision. It follows the couple as they try to conceal their powers while living an idyllic 1970s suburban life in the town of Westview.

Finally! Things are starting to get interesting on Wandavision! I mean, it’s been great so far as kooky television shows go, but this is supposed to tie in the next wave of the MCU movies and it took four episodes for things to start picking up and making sense. Normally that wouldn’t be a problem but with the series only being 8 episodes long I feel that they waited too long to get this episode out. The events of episode 4 should have been something that should have happened at least one episode ago. Normally, that wouldn't bother me but with the series only being 8 episodes long, I feel that it took too long to get to this point.

Again, without revealing too much I will say that the episode “We Interrupt This Program” rewinds all the way back to the beginning of this series but it is told from a different point of view. Viewers now get to see what was going on outside of Wanda’s world. We get to see who “Geraldine” is and how the events of the final Avengers film affected her life. I found this episode much more interesting than the previous 3 because it made sense and for the first time the show felt connected to the films. And I don’t think I’m giving anything away by showing my enthusiastic approval over the return of fan-favorite Darcy Lewis. I think the MCU needs more Darcy.

This episode does a great job of bringing the storyline together, without giving away too much for future episodes. It felt more like an ensemble cast with Darcy providing her trademark snarky humor.

I’m still not happy over the fact that Disney plus is only dropping one new episode per week because most people like to binge-watch and it’s only 8 episodes I don’t know why they’re drawing it out over 8 weeks. In my opinion, this is where Netflix will always come out on top because they don’t make their customers wait for new episodes. They understand the joy of binge-watching.

I'm glad the show has picked up the pace and brought in two familiar faces. I'm also glad that Wandavision is starting to make sense and bring that familiar feeling I would get while watching the MCU films. I feel connected to Wanda as a viewer now whereas before I didn’t. I'm excited about Monica Rambeau's presence. And I'm wondering if we can get more Darcy in the future.

Rating: 4 sheep

Adria Reyes

TV Show Review: Alice in Borderland (Netflix)

Alice in Borderland: Season 1 (2020)

Dec 10, 2020
Exec. Producer: Kaata Sakamoto

Written by Yoshiki Watabe, Yasuko Kuramitsu, Shinsuke Sato

Starring: Kento Yamazaki, Tao Tsuchiya, Nijiro Murakami

Genre: Mystery & Suspense
Network: Netflix

No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 8
Rating: TV-MA
Based on The original graphic novel "Alice in Borderland"
by Haro Aso published by Shogakukan Inc.

An aimless gamer and his two friends find themselves in a parallel Tokyo, where they're forced to compete in a series of sadistic games to survive.

It’s been a bit of time, eh? Like everyone else, I’ve been dealing with the world, and that’s led me to some interesting finds in an attempt to not overthink about absolutely everything. Somehow, this led me to Alice in Borderland on Netflix.

Yeah, I know. The fact that I’m escaping from reality with a series about death games probably says something about me. It’s a deceptively simple premise that spirals into crazytown and keeps spiraling the further you go. Arisu, an aimless gamer (likely modeled after the NEET caricature), and his two friends, Chota and Karube, hang out in the first episode as their own lives are falling apart. After accidentally causing a ruckus in the middle of the street, they hide from the police in a public restroom. After a power outage, they leave and find that all of Tokyo is now deserted. After some brief theorizing about what’s going on, they find out that they, along with the few others who are there, have to play games of survival to extend their ‘visas’ for sets amount of time. If their visa runs out, they die. Death plays a big part of the games, which are divided into categories and difficulty via playing cards: clubs are team, spades are physical, diamonds are intelligence, hearts are feelings/betrayal.

Overall, this plays out like a longer, more nuanced Battle Royale. The violence is there, mostly in the form of shootings and explosions (people wear collars for different roles, and if you don’t win the game, the explosives are activated). Lasers at the border areas or edges of the games take people down if they try to escape, have their visas expire, or give away sensitive information. Whereas Battle Royale kind of felt a little bit more violence for violence’s sake, eight episodes means we have time to explore some of the characters and delve more into the inner workings of this world, even if we’re still kept mostly in the dark. The last episode really leans into where things might go. There’s a nice reveal about who might actually be putting this together – which ends up being another pivot again.

The good: I’m honestly really impressed with this. I haven’t read the manga, but I honestly don’t feel the need to after seeing this. It comes across as a good, distilled version of the story. The pacing is really strong, so things are continuously moving along. New characters are presented strongly, and you’re always kept wondering about what’s actually going on. A little bit more is exposed with each episode, and just when you think you have a firm idea of things, they shift. The concept of The Beach is a great pivot after a few episodes that focus on the games and give you a chance to really look at the types of dynamics that happen between everyone left in this world. The characters are pretty likable (yeah, have fun getting attached to people). While Arisu is definitely the lead, they all have their own strengths and weaknesses. They aren’t necessarily presented as better than anyone else. Different people have their moments because the games are always different. I also really like Usagi – she’s an interesting character presented as someone willing to do anything to survive but isn’t ruthless like others are. She’s also got skills as a mountain climber, which blend well into her having an edge on the physical games vs. Arisu having more of an edge on things that involve puzzles or problem-solving. Empathy is also presented as unique and important, which is a fascinating counterbalance to how dark this thing gets. It uses its runtime wisely for the most part. It so far shows just enough to get you wondering what’s going on while also taking time to build up how the games work and how characters survive outside of game time. It’s also really good about showing that even those we might see as ‘enemies’ have their own reasons and stories and are also pretty much normal people forced into a terrible situation to survive. For me, standout scenes were the ‘tag’ game in the apartment building, the wolf and sheep game between Arisu, his friends, and a girl they first meet, and the absolute mind twist that the episodes featuring the witch game involving every member of The Beach.

My plan was to watch this over a week or so, and I ended up mowing through it in two days because I just had to know what came next.

The bad: In terms of straight-out bad, nothing that leapt out at me. The pacing got a little weird at times, and sometimes focus on Arisu gets just a little bit indulgent, but that’s mostly how manga and the related films are, so it really didn’t bother me. You won’t get definite answers offseason one, but then again, you’re not supposed to.

Keep in mind: If you’re not about violence, this isn’t for you. This isn’t nearly as bad as torture porn or things like Saw or Hostel, but it doesn’t cut away from the violence and death, either. It definitely gets intense, and emotions run high. There’s a near-assault scene. Although it’s not graphic, the way it’s choreographed is extremely uncomfortable.

If you’re also used to western films, you may also feel a little jostled by some choices. This isn’t a bad thing, but you need to keep in mind Occasionally, there will be moments where in the middle of an action scene, a character will pause for a lot of dialogue trying to encourage people or get them to change their minds, but that’s honestly pretty much a part of Japanese writing. There’s also a habit of exploring the backstory of characters in the middle of fight scenes or big emotional scenes – I don’t really consider it bad because I’ve watched a lot of similar things to this. I’m used to it, but you may find it a little jarring or new if this is a first for you. I think it works, but I think if you’re not used to it, you might feel it drags the pacing down a bit.

Keep in mind this is in Japanese with subtitles (or at least that’s how I watched. There may be an English dub option, but that’s not really the way I prefer to watch things like this).

Overall, I’m really excited about where the plot may go. I could empathize with the characters but still appreciate just how much worldbuilding went into the world's actual structure and the games. The violence was used well – some scenes got to me, but they definitely made me think about what people are really capable of—all in all, a fantastic show and a really strong first season.

Five out of five sheep

About the Author:

website-FB-twitter

Selah Janel is a writer who is trying to start doing that again instead of reading manga all the time.

TV Show Review: Fate: The Winx Saga (Season 1) Netflix

Fate: The Winx Saga (Season 1) Netflix

TV Series (2021– )

Based on: Winx Club by Iginio Straffi

Creator: Brian Young

Stars: Abigail Cowen, Hannah van der Westhuysen, Precious Mustapha, Eliot Salt, Elisha Applebaum, Danny Griffin, Sadie Soverall, Freddie Thorp, Eva Birthistle, Robert James-Collier, Eve Best

Number of Episodes: 6

Rating: TV-MA

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Teen drama, Supernatural, Fantasy

A live-action adaptation of Nickelodeon's Winx Club (2004). It follows Bloom as she adjusts to life in the Otherworld, where she must learn to control her dangerous magical powers.

Winx is an Italian animated series that started in 2004. Then was picked up by Nickelodeon in the U.S. in 2011. The show ran for eight seasons, with more than 200 episodes.

Now, a little history. My kids were around 4 and 9 when they discovered The Winx Club cartoon. And it became a BIG deal for a long time. We had all the Winx dolls, toys, and other merch that could only be gotten from Italy at the time--thank goodness for eBay!

There is a magical dimension with three schools. The Alfea School for Fairies, the Cloud School for Witches (the villains of the show), and the Red Fountain School for Specialists (heroes who defend the magic dimension).

Winx Club: Flora, Layla, Bloom, Stella, Musa, Tecna

The Specialists: Sky, Brandon, Riven (and I don't know the rest cause they weren't important)

The Trix Witches: Stormy, Darcy and Icy

Okay, now you know where this started.

I wasn't sure what to expect with a live-action version of Winx. It was kind of silly but with the underlying message to have confidence in yourself, blah, blah, blah... wasn't a bad influence for my girls.

I've watched the first three episodes and I'm impressed. Most of the character names are the same. There's no mention of the witches but there is a character named Beatrix... the specialists go to the same school as the fairies. They've taken the bare bones of the world and created something new.

The show has a dark edge which I like. It reminds me of Teen Wolf and Vampire Diaries--teen drama with a horror aspect and "teen" students that look in their 20s. 

My two daughters haven't had time to watch it yet and I'm really interested in their opinion. Sucks that there are only 6 episodes and it apparently ends with a major cliffhanger. But it has been at #1 on Netflix since it came out on Jan 22, 2021, so it probably will get a second season. But from what I've read, it won't happen till 2023 because of the pandemic backlog of shows.

Below is the trailer for Fate: The Winx Saga, but also the opening to the original Winx Club and the witches theme song cause it brings back so many memories!

4 "Winx" Sheep

SharonS

TV Show Review: WandaVision (Season 1: Episode 3)

WandaVision (Season 1: Episode 3)

Jan 15, 2021

Executive Producers: Jac Schaeffer, Kevin Feige

Starring: Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Teyonah Parris

Episodes: 9

Genre: Action & Adventure

Based on: Scarlet Witch; by Stan Lee; Jack Kirby;

TV Network: Disney+

"Now in Color" is the third episode of the American television miniseries WandaVision, based on the Marvel Comics characters Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch and Vision. It follows the couple as they try to conceal their powers while living an idyllic 1970s suburban life in the town of Westview. 

Air date: January 22, 2021

The third episode of Wandavision dropped on Disney+ this week and it’s even trippier than the first two episodes!

The episode titled “Now in Color” pushes Wanda and Vision forward to the era of “in color” television shows, but that’s about the only straightforward aspect of the episode! Olsen and Bettany’s chemistry continues in this episode and frankly, they’re what is holding this show together as it twists and turns its way into something that I’m hoping will make sense soon. The stability of Wanda and Vision’s wacky life is starting to crumble, giving glimpses of another reality that will probably have some harsh truths with it since by this point Marvel fans know exactly what happened to Vision.

Anyway, 3 episodes in, and things are speeding up quite quickly. Episode 3 shows Wanda and Vision's life progressing like a 60s tv show until suddenly it's not. Without giving too much away, I will say that an event in Wanda and Vision's dream life triggers a memory in Wanda that connects this series with the MCU. Wanda's trip down memory lane happens in front of her new friend Geraldine who mentions someone in Wanda's past, something Geraldine shouldn't know.

Alas just when things are truly getting interesting, the episode ends with a pretty big cliffhanger. Honestly though? Disney+ might be a bigger deal than say Netflix but at least Netflix doesn’t make its viewers wait every week for a new episode like if it was the 1960s and there was no such thing as binge-watching.

Rating: 4 frustrated sheep

Adria Reyes

TV Show Review: WandaVision (Season 1 episodes 1-2)

WandaVision (Season 1 episodes 1-2)

Jan 15, 2021

Executive Producers: Jac Schaeffer, Kevin Feige

Starring: Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Teyonah Parris

Episodes: 9

Genre: Action & Adventure

Based on: Scarlet Witch; by Stan Lee; Jack Kirby;

TV Network: Disney+

WandaVision premiered with its first two episodes on January 15, 2021, and will run for nine episodes until March 5.

Marvel Studios presents "WandaVision," a blend of classic television and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in which Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) -- two super-powered beings living idealized suburban lives -- begin to suspect that everything is not as it seems.

After what seems like an eternity, the first of Marvel’s planned television series has finally premiered. Well, the first 2 episodes, that is.

For the first time, I have purposely avoided any clips, trailers, or articles discussing this series. I wanted to be completely surprised by it. I had no idea what to expect; all I knew was that it could possibly set the scene for the next phase of Marvel movies and that there were very strong rumors that this TV series was inspired by a comic book story in which Wanda, AKA the Scarlet Witch altered reality.

Well, two episodes in, and I still don’t know what to expect, but I know it's something big and exciting. The first two episodes are in black and white and mimic the styles of classic television shows such as Bewitched and The Dick Van Dyke Show. I honestly found the episodes entertaining and fresh, a big risk in today’s entertainment industry. The episodes don’t give away the direction of the plot and feel like standalone, but if you blink, you might miss those glimpses of reality seeping into Wanda and Vision's fairytale life together.

Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany have real chemistry together, it was obvious in the Marvel films, and I'm happy to see it continues in this series. They play off one another like they’ve been working together all their lives, which only improves the viewing experience. There isn’t much happening in the first two episodes, but that doesn’t make them any less fun to watch. I'm excited to see what this series will set up for future films in the MCU and which fan theories, if any, will pan out.

Sheep Rating: 4

Adria Reyes

TV Series Review: The Uncanny Counter, season 1 Netflix

The Uncanny Counter, season 1 
Premiere Date: Nov 28, 2020
Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy, mystery, thriller
Network: Netflix
16 episodes
Cast: Suk-hwan Ahn, Yoon-young Choi, Se-Jeong Kim, Hye-ran Yeom, Joon-sang Yoo, Jang Cheol Jung
A South Korean television series based on the Daum webtoon Amazing Rumor by Jang Yi.

The Uncanny Counter tells the story of demon hunters called "Counters" who have come to the earth posing as employees of a noodle restaurant in order to capture evil spirits that have returned to earth in pursuit of eternal life. They each have their own special abilities.

My husband and I gave this K-drama (Korean drama) a try because it had a supernatural theme. I've watched some Korean movies and animation and don't have a problem with subtitles. My husband despises subtitles and won't watch anything with them...until... The trailer for The Uncanny Counter was just too good (lots of action) for my husband not to try it, LOL.

We both got sucked into this show quickly. There is a complicated and interesting plot. There is plenty of silly humor sprinkled in with the drama/horror elements. The evil spirits are truly bad and cruel and these four diverse (in ages) characters will have you invested. And there are a lot of fighting sequences between the heroes and the evil spirits who possess humans.

Unlike most Netflix series, The Uncanny Counter releases two episodes each week. Episodes 8 and 9 come out on Dec 19 and 20. There are 16 total episodes. So you can catch up.

4"Uncanny" Sheep

 

SharonS

TV Show Review: Swamp Thing: Season 1

Swamp Thing: Season 1

Network: CW, Oct 8, 2020

Exec. Producers: James Wan, Mark Verheiden, Gary Dauberman, Michael Clear, Len Wiseman

Cast: Crystal Reed, Andy Bean, Derek Mears, Virginia Madsen, Henderson Wade, Maria Sten

Genre: Action & Adventure, Superhero fiction, Horror fiction, Drama

Original Network: DC Universe, May 31, 2019

While looking into an epidemic in her Louisiana hometown, CDC investigator Abby Arcane discovers that the local swamps hold numerous secrets after her partner seemingly dies and transforms into Swamp Thing.

Let me start by saying I haven't read DC's Swamp Thing comics. So I don't know what's cannon.

I decided not to review Swamp Thing after watching the first episode. I wasn't sure how I felt and wanted to give it a few more episodes...then I watched episode 2. Oh yeah, this is my kind of show.

Episode 1 is slow. They have to set up the characters and you find out who becomes the Swamp Thing and why. In episode 2 we jump right into the dark, supernatural side of the show. This is pure drama, horror, creepy, action stuff. Think Supernatural without the funny parts. But that's okay! We are losing Supernatural soon, and while this isn't the same, it can soften the blow.

Swamp Thing was made for the DC Universe streaming service which failed. Leaving it and many other shows homeless. Most went to HBO but the CW bought Swamp Thing. It is obvious it wasn't made for network TV. Lots of cussing (which is censored) and some pretty intense violence which might be censored a bit. There is a high creep factor! Even I got the heebie-jeebies.

I am looking forward to watching more and hope there will be another season!

4.5 "Swamp" Sheep

SharonS

TV Show Review: Wu Assassins Season 1 (2019) Netflix

Wu Assassins: Season 1

Creators: John Wirth, Tony Krantz

Genre: Action & Adventure

Network: Netflix

Premiere Date: Aug 8, 2019

Episodes: 10

Cast: Iko Uwais -as Kai Jin

Byron Mann - as Uncle Six

Li Jun Li - as Jenny Wah

Celia Au - as Ying Ying

Lewis Tan - as Lu Xin Lee
Genres: Crime Fiction, Martial arts, Occult Fiction

American supernatural action crime drama web television series, created by John Wirth and Tony Krantz that premiered on Netflix

An unassuming San Francisco chef becomes the latest in a line of assassins chosen to keep the mystical Wu powers out of the wrong hands.

My husband and I watched Wu Assassins on Netflix. We love martial arts action shows and urban fantasies. Wu Assassins has both!

While the paranormal aspect was a little shaky (a little Avatar: Airbender-ish) and the special effects were low budget, the show made up for all that in heart and lots of well-choreographed fight scenes. Every episode had at least two entertaining fight scenes with men and women fighting at the same skill levels.

What surprised us was how invested we got in the characters and their story. There are four friends (two are siblings) who are bound together by a near-death experience when they were younger. The writers gave them, along with the other main characters, a lot of depth and had many sub-plots that came together in the end. This is a drama, but there are some funny moments too.

And the icing on the Wu cake... RAWR!

If you love martial arts action shows then you will enjoy this. If you like looking at sexy people doing martial artists...you will enjoy this too!

TV Show Review: Carnival Row Season 1 (2019)

Carnival Row Season 1 (2019)

August 30, 2019

Season: 1, episodes: 8

Amazon Prime Video

Starring: Orlando Bloom, Cara Delevingne, David Gyasi

Genres Drama, Fantasy, Suspense

With a serial killer loose on Carnival Row, and a government that turns a blind eye to the deaths of its lower class citizens, Rycroft Philostrate, a war-hardened investigator, is the only person willing to stop the murders and maintain the fragile peace. But when Vignette Stonemoss, a faerie refugee, turns up in the Burgue, she forces Philo to reckon with a past he's tried to forget.

amazon

The latest Amazon series has me all in a tizzy and I can’t wait to talk about it!

Carnival Row is a dark, gritty mix of fantasy, mystery, suspense, and romance that surprised me with the direction it took. The show follows faerie Vignette Stonemoss (Cara Delevingne) and human detective Rycroft “Philo” Philostrate (Orlando Bloom), secret lovers who were parted years before and now find themselves face to face once again but this time with secrets, lies, and prejudice between them. The setting is a Victorian era inspired city called Burgue where creatures like Faun, Faeries, Centaurs, Werewolves, and Trow (aka trolls) have fled to in order to escape their war torn homelands. These unfortunate refugees have made their home in a section of Burgue known as The Row. Many of these creatures fled on refugee ships with nothing more than the clothes on their backs and in order to pay for their passage are now indentured servants working for the humans residents who can barely stand their presence and see them as little more than things. Adding to the tensions between the two factions are a series of grisly murders reminiscent of Jack the Ripper. On crack. That’s a lot to pack into 8 episodes and it shows.

I’m not going to lie, I was apprehensive about this show. I just knew people were going to compare it to Game of Thrones which isn’t fair, because there is only one Game of Thrones and it can’t be copied or replaced. So if the people behind Row are hoping to do that, my advice is to stop and instead try and carve out your own niche. The material is there, just do your own thing because as of right now the series wobbles a bit in its bid to find its footing and aside from a familiar face from Thrones (I see you Indira Varma), there isn’t a similarity between the two shows as much as a slightly weak attempt to mimic some of the ruthless political scheming Thrones was known for.

I also think that part of the problem is that it’s trying too hard to fit in so many themes into one season all at once. It’s chaotic at times and doesn’t give any one plot a chance to really shine. And in the first season the audience needs to connect with the characters and that’s also a bit of a problem. Out of all the characters, the only one that the show gives you a chance to connect with is Vignette. She’s a scrapper, a true survivor who knows when to fight and when to duck her head and live to fight another day.

The show needs to utilize all its characters but at the same time, it has to make the audience care about them and not overwhelm them with a revolving door of characters.

It would be easy to just make the show all about Philo and Vignette’s rocky reunion and rehashing their history but then Carnival Row wouldn’t have as much potential as it does and it wouldn’t be as interesting. Not every show has to have a romance front and center and thank goodness Row didn’t set itself up to become just another star-crossed lovers story, these characters have lives outside of their personal history and I liked that they’re shown as individuals on their own journeys. That said, I’m not really feeling the chemistry between the two characters, there’s something that’s missing and it’s not allowing me to believe in their romance past or present.

But where Carnival Row lacks in character build up it excels in its visuals. The backdrop of a steampunk like setting, complete with dark corners that could be a danger or salvation are fantastic. The amount of work put into the costumes, prosthetics, and CGI shouldn’t be overlooked. The show isn’t a complete dud but it does need to find its place and quickly. It’s been renewed for a second season so I hope the writers pay attention to what viewers are saying and that they stay away from pandering to a certain type of viewer if they want to have a solid story with multi-dimensional characters and a chance at longevity.

Rating: 3 ½ Sheep with Potential for Greatness

Adria Reyes

adriasromancereviews.blogspot.com

TV Show Review: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: A Midwinters Tale

This is episode 11 of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina season 1 on Netflix. There will be a review of the TV series as a whole this coming Friday so be sure to check that out!

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Chapter Eleven: A Midwinter's Tale time: 
TV-14
Runtime: 1h
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Horror

Cast: Kiernan Shipka, Ross Lynch, Lucy Davis, Chance Perdomo
As the winter solstice approaches, Sabrina orchestrates an emotional seance with serious consequences, and Susie's merry plans turn menacing.

Tis the season for burning the Yule log, holding seances, and holiday specials! That's how they do it in Greendale, anyway.

Given the last time we saw a Christmasy Sabrina she was dressed as Santa to rescue Salem from an over-enthusiastic kid (this may have involved a spatula and a Neil Diamond box set), I was curious to see what Chilling Adventures would bring to the holiday table.

Set after the first season, I think this could somewhat function on its own, though if someone is completely new to this version it may not be best to start here since it's more of an extension of season one vs a standalone special. Sabrina is feeling the separation from Harvey (and her self-inflicted separation from her friends), as well as missing her mother. Zelda is occupied with a new baby and the warning to keep the Yule log burning. Miss Wardwell is wondering why she's not been called back to the pit. Suzie is working as an elf, and the others are somewhat on the periphery of those plots.

That's really one of the things I noticed. I'm used to holiday specials where the stakes are low, it's all about the feels, and everyone is pretty much all there together. Not so here, and it makes it more in line with the show. It's almost refreshing.

The Yule log goes out during an ill-timed seance in an attempt to connect Sabrina to her mom to find out why she's in Limbo. Chaos ensues.

The good: Dark Christmas is hard to do well without coming off as cartoony or bitter. For me, the decision to lean into folklore hits all the right buttons. I'll even ease up on nitpicking for how they interpret some of it, because it's so refreshing to see the Yule Lads and Gryla used for once. Seriously, I gasped and cheered. There are a few other fun reveals that are delightfully creepy, but I'll let you find those on your own.

Like everything else, Sabrina tries to help Harvey, tries to help her mother, and it ends up blowing up in her face. Add Suzie's plot to it, and the result is cozy, shadowy madness that never gets too goofy or cynical. I feel for Sabrina, I get her frustration as all the threads of her life feel like they're unravelling. I kinda want to smack Harvey upside the head, but I like that the show has chosen to let their relationship play out, bumps and all, and not use the mind wipe mcguffin the 90s version repeatedly used. This is far more interesting.

We also get to see how Susie and Rosalind deal with Sabrina's powers and lifestyle, which is something that was never really explored in depth before. I dig it.

All of the characters go through a bit of a ride, and I feel like this probably sets things up for season 2. This also increases the universe in that it shows creatures existing in or near Greendale that have nothing to do per say with the local covens.

The bad: My only real gripe is that some things move a little fast, making some (like the Weird Sisters) feel a little out of character. I'm not totally sure if this is a pacing thing or character progression. It works for the episode but does feel a little odd.

The ick: Same as the rest of the series. You need to keep a sense of humor with the satany bits, and if seeing the franchise go darker doesn't appeal, this won't change your mind. There was nothing here that put things over the top for me, and no huge gore in this ep, so it is a decent look at the show without it being too crazy pants, if those are deal breakers for anyone.

Overall, this adds to the series and enhances what we've already seen. It gives a nice Yuletide glow without being overly sweet. It's nice to have a holiday show where things happen and impact the overall season, so hopefully this won't be a one-off thing. There's also a definite holiday season feel - this isn't an attempt to make fun of traditions, but to expand them. There are plenty of fun little moments and the final scene had me snickering. If you're into the show, you definitely need to see this episode. Even if you aren't, it's a fun romp with a great story amd solid performances from the cast. A fun watch for something a little bit different this season.

4.5 sheep

About the Author:

website-FB-twitter

Selah Janel is a writer who is trying to start doing that again instead of reading manga all the time.