Double TV Show Review: Fallout (Amazon Prime TV Series) - some spoilers

Fallout
April 10, 2024 (USA)
Based on: Fallout; by Bethesda Softworks
Created by Graham Wagner, Geneva Robertson-Dworet
Starring: Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten, Kyle MacLachlan, Moisés Arias, Xelia Mendes-Jones, Walton Goggins
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 8
Running time 45–74 minutes
Amazon Prime Video
Genre: Action, Drama, Post-apocalyptic, Science fiction, Western
In a future, post-apocalyptic Los Angeles brought about by nuclear decimation, citizens must live in underground bunkers to protect themselves from radiation, mutants and bandits.

Reviewer: KD
Getting 4 and 1/2 Sheep

Fallout season one on Amazon Prime is based on the video game. I never played the game and knew just about nothing, so went in just with the shows version of what this world was like

"In a future, post-apocalyptic Los Angeles brought about by nuclear decimation, citizens must live in underground bunkers to protect themselves from radiation, mutants and bandits."

Turns out, that only the richest can buy into a bunker. Everyone else either dies, becomes a mutant of sorts or joins up with waring group. It's a dog eat dog world, like literally you are going to eat someone's butt or their dog, cat, etc. Everyone is out to get each other, living top side is a free for all and adapting or death is the order of the day.

It takes a while to figure out what's going on and who can be trusted. Seems like no one can. There's not much description of what each faction is about, you kind of have to just keep watching and put the pieces in place as they come about. But by the end of the last episode, I still felt like a lot was missing.

However, you do get to understand that the major money players and big corporations are the ones pulling the strings. It's scary to even dream up that the very people making these vaults are the same ones that want to drop the bombs. Wipe the slate and start over a fresh new world, in their version. Pretty crazy and sadly could be VERY true. Hopefully not, but you never know.

Lots of fun cameos from random actors, that was a laugh to see someone famous in just one episode. Overall, enjoyed this one and certainly want to watch season 2. Seems the foundation is laid and now Lucy sets off with the ghoul to find some answers.

Certainly worth a watch, just make sure you have a strong stomach for some parts!

Reviewer: SharonS
Getting 4 and 1/2 Sheep

I agree with Katie! Fallout is worth a watch. I'd also knew nothing about the game it is based on, but it is dark comedy at its best. It will have you laughing and saying "Ew, gross!" at the same time. But it also has some dramatic moments.

TV Show Review: Outer Range: Season 2 (TV Series) on Amazon Prime (Spoiler Alert)

Spoiler alert

Outer Range: Season 2 (TV Series)
2022- present
Created by: Brian Watkins
Genre: Drama; Mystery; Neo-Western; Science fiction; Thriller
Network: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: Josh Brolin, Imogen Poots, Lewis Pullman, Tom Pelphrey, Isabel Arraiza, Tamara Podemski
The Abbotts are coping with the disappearance of their daughter-in-law when the neighbouring Tillersons make a play for their ranch land. Tension comes to a head when a mysterious black void arrives in the Abbotts' pasture.

Outer Ranger Season 2 on Amazon Prime stars Josh Brolin, Lili Taylor, Imogen Poots, Lewis Pullman and Tamara Podemski. I had a free month of Prime shipping so I figured, what the heck I'll try this. Holy Moly. What a crazy show!

Season 1 leaves us with so many questions, what is this hole? What is the purpose and why is it just popping up? There's so much to unpack. We know Josh Brolin who plays Royal Abbot is somehow a key of sorts to this whole sci fi phenomena, but we don't know much else.

We watch Sheriff Joy who got trapped in the past and thankfully she gets back to her family. Although so mush time has passed on her end. My girl is CHANGED. To her core. She's seen some things man and I can not blame her for coming back with all kinds of PTSD. Of course she wants to talk it out with Royal, but he's trying to save his family and possibly the world from this dang-gum hole!

All the bodies and debris they keep throwing in that thing, have to be just piled up some place in time. Some poor souls in another time are just seeing bodies fall from the sky. No wonder we believe in Alien abductions! But I digress, this town has so much going on it's hard to keep track.

Plus, this show feeds you just a drop at a time. I feel like so many cards are being held back, maybe more unseen players are coming up. I have no idea and often find myself almost frustrated to watch another episode. Yet, I do. The show is very compelling, I just wish they would explain more. My god, talk Royal! Use your words! He's so closed lipped, it's like pulling teeth with a fork! You're killing me dude.

I have no idea why Amy/Autumn is so being so weird, why she thinks that she's almost like a god. But she's got some real mental health issues and hopefully more will come in season 3. Is she really going to be bad? I'm not so sure, but it's very hard to tell.

Getting 4.5 Sheep

KD

 

TV Show Review: Black Knight (Netflix)

Black Knight (6 episodes)
May 12, 2023
Director: Jo Ui-seok
Writer: Jo Ui-seok
Genres: Drama, Sci fi, Action, Adventure
Network: Netflix
Cast: Kim Woo-bin, Song Seung-heon, Kang Yoo-seok, Jo Ui-seok, E Som

Based on the webtoon of the same title by Lee Yun-kyun, it depicts a dystopian future where extensive air pollution has become a huge problem after a comet destroyed most of the world and forced the people who are still alive to depend on elite delivery drivers for survival.

"In 2071, extreme air pollution has turned the majority of the Korean peninsula into a wasteland after a comet wiped out all but 1% of its original population, who live in segregated districts based on their social status. They are also required to wear respirators and rely on the "Knights," specialized delivery drivers, to provide them with the supplies (especially fresh oxygen) they need to stay alive. One day, a legendary knight called '5-8' meets a boy named Sa-Wol, who wishes to become a Knight just like him, and decides to train him so that he can accomplish his dream in the dark and dangerous world that they live in."

The Delivery men 

My husband and I binged Black Knight. Full of action...every episode has a massive martial arts fight scene. The best part, you get the story from start to finish. No waiting for another season. The show is dubbed in English. It is a drama and gets a little dark and violent at times. I've noticed K-dramas don't shy away from killing characters the heroes desperately try to save...their villains are evil through and through, with no redemption arcs! But they also mix in over-the-top silly humor too. Your emotions will be all over the place...which makes for an entertaining ride.

And if you need another reason to watch... look at The Black Knight, deliveryman 5-9. The names come from the district they serve and their rank.

4 1/2 "Delivery" Sheep

SharonS

TV Series Review: Resident Evil (Netflix)

Resident Evil series
July 14, 2022
Netflix
Genres Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Cast: Ella Balinska, Tamara Smart, Siena Agudong, Adeline Rudolph, Paola Nuñez, Lance Reddick
The story takes place over two timelines. The first of which involves 14 year old sisters Jade and Billie Wesker moving to New Raccoon City. They come to realise that their father may be concealing dark secrets that could destroy the world. The second timeline takes place over a decade in the future, where only 15 million humans remain, with over 6 billion animals and people being infected with the T-virus. It follows Jade, now thirty, in her efforts to survive in this world.

A lot of negative things are being said about the new Resident Evil series from Netflix, and most of that hate is from the die-hard video game and movie franchise fans. So if you're not one of those people but love action/horror/sci-fi shows, you will probably love this. I did!

I never played the games (not a gamer), but I've seen all the movies and love me some Alice (I always wanted to cosplay her). The new TV series is more of a spin-off series with roots in the movies/games, but they created something different. I don't think the die-hard are the target audience.

The show does skip between two timelines throughout all eight episodes, and at first, they don't mesh well because you don't know the whole story yet, but the two start to run parallel the closer you get to episode eight. I think it is a fun piece of storytelling. Not like Oscar-winning, but for a sci-fi series, I was intrigued, and there is plenty of suspense. Lots of twists to keep it interesting. You have to overlook some things, like why didn't they just shoot them?! But that's the case in a lot of action scenes, lol.

My husband and I loved it and will be waiting for season two. Great sci-fi monster fun! Give it a shot.

4.25 "Joyful" Sheep

SharonS

Stranger Things: The Ultimate Pop-Up Book Hardcover – Pop up!

Stranger Things: The Ultimate Pop-Up Book Hardcover – Pop up
by Simon Arizpe (Author), Matthew Reinhart Kyle Lambert (Illustrator)
August 30, 2022

Embark on an explosive 3D journey through the world of Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things.

Netflix’s Emmy Award–winning series Stranger Things has captivated the imaginations of millions of viewers all around the world. Now fans can experience the series like never before with stunning, pop-off-the-page re-creations of iconic moments from the show. 

Inside, readers will adventure alongside Eleven and Mike Wheeler, crack the Russian code with Steve Harrington at Scoops Ahoy, face off against the terrifying Demogorgon, and much more. 

Featuring five richly detailed spreads packed with jaw-dropping pops, Stranger Things: The Ultimate Pop-Up Book is an explosive, must-have guide to Hawkins, Indiana, the Upside Down, and beyond.

AMAZON

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: Sweet Tooth (Netflix)

Sweet Tooth

Jun 4, 2021

Creators: Jim Mickle, Beth Schwartz

Exec. Producers: Jim Mickle, Beth Schwartz, Robert Downey Jr., Susan Downey, Amanda Burrell, Linda Moran

Cast: Christian Convery, Nonso Anozie, Adeel Akhtar, Stefania LaVie

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Network: Netflix

Ten years ago "The Great Crumble" wreaked havoc on the world and led to the mysterious emergence of hybrids -- babies born part human, part animal. Unsure if hybrids are the cause or result of the virus, many humans fear and hunt them. After a decade of living safely in his secluded forest home, a sheltered hybrid deer-boy named Gus (Christian Convery) unexpectedly befriends a wandering loner named Jepperd (Nonso Anozie). Together they set out on an extraordinary adventure across what's left of America in search of answers -- about Gus' origins, Jepperd's past, and the true meaning of home. But their story is full of unexpected allies and enemies, and Gus quickly learns the lush, dangerous world outside the forest is more complex than he ever could have imagined. Based on the DC comic book series by Jeff Lemire.

Based on the comic book of the same name, Sweet Tooth takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where a virus wiped out most of the human population and caused the emergence of hybrid babies born half-human, half-animal. Because of this, many humans fear these hybrids and hunt them. Sweet Tooth revolves around Gus, a half-human, half deer child left alone after his father dies from the virus. Gus finds what he believes is a photo of his mother and the word “Colorado” written on it. As Gus journeys across what is left of America searching for answers, he quickly learns that surviving in the world outside of his old home is a lot more complicated than he thought.

I’ll admit that I was very skeptical about this story for many reasons. It’s pretty far outside my preferred wheelhouse for one. But curiosity got the better of me, and I binged this 8 episode series and was pleasantly surprised. Sweet Tooth is way out there in terms of fantasy, magic, and believability, even for fiction. Suspending what you think you know and what you readily accept for this comic book/fantasy story is definitely your best bet. It would make a great family movie/binge night pick while also opening up an opportunity to have discussions with kids about people who are different.

I was not aware of Sweet Tooth before the series came out. I had no idea it was a comic until recently, so I can’t say if it’s true to the source material or not, but I can say that the casting choices added to it the likability of the story. Each actor brought to life their part of the story and made their character relatable to the audience.

So overall, whether it’s your preferred wheelhouse or not, I highly recommend Sweet Tooth.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Sheep

Adria Reyes
Adria @ Adria’s Musings

TV Series Review: Shadow and Bone (Netflix)

Shadow and Bone TV Series (2021– )

April 23, 2021

Based on the novel Shadow and Bone: Book 1 (THE GRISHA) by Leigh Bardugo 

Stars: Jessie Mei Li, Ben Barnes, Archie Renaux |Freddy Carter

TV-MA

Genre: Action, Drama, Fantasy 

Episodes: 8

Netflix

Dark forces conspire against orphan mapmaker Alina Starkov when she unleashes an extraordinary power that could change the fate of her war-torn world.

Last week Netflix's Shadow and Bone was released and I like many spent the weekend watching the 8 episodes. Based on the book series by Leigh Bardugo, the series dives into a fantasy world torn apart by war and an ominous dark cloud-like wall known as The Fold. I'm going to say right off that I've never read the books. I didn't even know they existed. I decided to watch the show because I love a good fantasy story. So I can't say if the show is faithful to the first book. But I can say that while the show was interesting it wasn't without its problems.

At the heart of Shadow and Bone is the story of teenager Alina Starkov, an orphan in the war-torn, Russia-inspired kingdom of Ravka who only has only had her best friend Mal to count on through life. Alina’s life drastically changes when she unexpectedly uses a power she didn’t know she had in order to save Mal. Alina is separated from Mal and quickly taken to the capital in order to train as it’s revealed that she has a powerful, unique gift that makes her both valuable and a target for enemies of Ravka. Along the way, Alina experiences love, betrayal, and finds her courage to begin a long fight to save Ravka.

From the first few minutes of the first episode, it becomes clear that Alina’s story isn’t the only one that’s being told. There are A LOT of characters introduced in the first episode. So many. If you’re not familiar with the books then you won’t know what’s going on. It was a little overwhelming to have so much tossed at you when you’re a newbie to the entire story. It could be a turnoff for new viewers but for me, it was a minor setback that was easily fixed with a quick Google search for a “Beginner’s Guide” to help me understand the who, what, where, and when.

But even with the guide, I have to say that with so many characters and more than a few stories being told alongside Alina’s it may be too much too soon for viewers who don’t know anything about this world. I also have to question whether eight-episode seasons will be enough to be able to tell each story with respect and consideration for not only those characters but for book fans, all of whom will know if they’re being shortchanged. This would be a shame because one of my favorite things about Shadow and Bone though is that the cast is talented and diverse, each actor is a treat to watch and brings something special to the show. I hope the writers can give each actor a chance to shine in their roles as the show progresses.

The multitude of characters is only one issue I had with the show, another is that the pacing is a tad slow in the beginning and spends a lot of time on Mal and Alina’s friendship, most of which is just Alina mooning over her friend and him being oblivious. I know it’s based on a YA novel but I thought this was overdone and there should have been more character-building scenes for both Mal and Alina. Both characters are more than just their teenaged romance.

It’s still too early to say whether or not Shadow and Bone has the right stuff to make it into the stuff of legends, but the potential is there. The first season leaves off right when things are getting interesting so with a second season that is well adapted from the second book I could see this show gaining new fans who will probably want to read the books the show is based on.

Rating: 3 ½ sheep

Reviewer: Adria @ Adria’s Musings

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TV Show Review: Pacific Rim: The Black Season 1 Netflix

Pacific Rim: The Black
Mar 4, 2021

Director: Hiroyuki Hayashi and Jae Hong Kim
Exec. Producers: Craig Kyle, Greg Johnson
Cast: Gideon Adlon (Hayley Travis), Andy McPhee (Shane), Calum Worthy (Taylor Travis), Erica Lindbeck (Loa), Victoria Grace (Mei)
Genre: Animation
Network: Netflix

No. of episodes: 7

No. of seasons: 1

There was a time when Kaiju rose from the Pacific Rim only to encounter gigantic robots, Jaegers, built to fight them back. That time has passed. Now, Australia has been overrun by Kaiju, forcing the evacuation of an entire continent. Left behind, teenage siblings Taylor and Hayley embark on a desperate search for their missing parents, teaching themselves to pilot a battered, long-abandoned Jaeger to help in their quest and give them even the slightest hope of surviving.

Pacific Rim: The Black is a Japanese–American adult animated TV show on Netflix, based on the Pacific Rim franchise. My husband and I are big Pacific Rim fans because ROBOTS VS MONSTERS! Really what more do I need?

This show is definitely for adults. Some pretty dark and violent things happen even though the protags, Tyler and his sister Haley are young teenagers. There are also moments of humor like any action/drama and a great use of music during the visually pleasing action scenes.

The animation is good, with lots of action. The plot is pretty predictable but so were the movies. In the first couple of episodes, it seems like all Tyler and Haley do is yell each other's names in distress, but it does get interesting. The kaiju have "evolved" in an unexpected way.

Each episode is about 25 minutes so you can binge the whole thing quickly. I'm hoping for a second season. If you enjoyed the whole Pacific Rim universe, and love animation, then check this one out.

My husband doesn't really like animation and said he would never rate one higher than a 4, so he gives this 3 1/2.

I give Pacific Rim: The Black 4 "Of course!" Sheep

SharonS

TV Show Review: Animaniacs 2020

Animaniacs 2020
November 20th, 2020
Creator: Tom Ruegger (Original Concept and Characters)
Executive Producers: Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, Sam Register, Wellesley Wild, Steven Spielberg

Starring: Rob Paulsen, Tress MacNeilleh, Jess Harnell
TV Network: Hulu
Production company Amblin Television
Warner Bros. Animation
No. of episodes: 13
Running time: 22-26 Minutes
Related shows: Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, Freakazoid!, Pinky, Elmyra and the Brain
They're back! Warner Brothers, Yakko and Wakko, and the Warner sister Dot, have a great time wreaking havoc and mayhem in the lives of everyone they meet. After returning to their beloved home, the Warner Bros. water tower, the Animaniacs waste no time in causing chaos and comic confusion as they run loose through the studio, turning the world into their personal playground. Joining Yakko, Wakko and Dot, fan-favorite characters Pinky and the Brain will also return to continue their quest for world domination.

What does one watch after surgery when they feel completely loopy and burned out from the way the world is going? Well, if you’re me, you glomp onto the new Animaniacs reboot as soon as you’re somewhat coherent post-anesthesia. And then you have to watch the whole season again a week later because, hi, anesthesia.

The original Animaniacs was huge when I in my teens, so I was probably in the original target audience. I was young enough that a lot went over my head at the time (though now, cheeky writer I am, I give a standing ovation to the Prince gag every time I see it), but definitely loved it and appreciated what they were doing. I had tried to rewatch the original when it came to streaming, and while I still liked it, I found that I had to do it in much smaller doses. For me, personally, the large cast of characters was too hit or miss, and it just got to be a lot if I was trying to watch it for long stretches at a time. When I saw the trailer for the 2020 reboot, though, I have to admit I was beyond excited. But had I reached an age where this just wasn’t for me anymore? Would rebooting it change what the show was? Just how was this going to go?

The big changes are that the core parts of the show are the Warner Brothers (and the Warner Sister!) and Pinky and the Brain. While there are mentions of the giant cast in one ep and a few cameos (Chicken Boo pops up, and Dr. Scratchansniff is in an episode), most of the series are the heavy hitters. There are a couple new segments towards the back half of the season, which personally I found delightfully weird and a good fit for the modern era. But we’ll get to that.

The Good: Original Cast! I think this honestly makes the difference vs. where things could have gone. Everyone is still sharp, timing is still great, they still sound like the characters. There is a bit of lowering on the songs (I actually can’t remember if the pitch was raised in the 90s, though, so that may be a factor, or it could just be that voices change with age, which is normal). It just plain sounded like coming home. The animation choice made me so happy. It still looks like its old self, but better, sharper, cleaner, brighter. I personally love that they slimmed down the cast. For me, it feels like they focus on the things that are the strong points, which is a good way to ease back into things. I wouldn’t be against bringing more of the old characters back, but I always wanted to see more of the Warners vs. some of the other more one-note characters. The big cast was awesome, but where things like the Goodfeathers, Rita and Runt, and Slappy the Squirrel have a lot of story opportunities, things like Mindy and Buttons, Chicken Boo, and others are just so one-note, it became grating for me in the 90s. I feel like this gives the people what they want and associate with the show. If the opportunity presents itself to expand, great, but I don’t think it’s a necessity.

I love that they address the fact that the Warners have been away and need to catch up. In a lot of ways, Animaniacs always reminded me of a really sarcastic, smart update of Rocky and Bullwinkle’s large cast and social commentary meets obvious Looney Tunes tropes. And they’re still smart and take on pretty much everything. Most of the jokes had me laughing. The stories are a good range between Warners catching up to 2020 and interacting on the backlot. Warners in random situations like history, myths, and other situations, and what Pinky and the Brain have been up to. There’s a great blend of smart humor and slightly gross slapstick in the Warners segments. I found myself liking Pinky and the Brain a lot more this time around because it felt like the writing addressed Pinky and Brain’s relationship dynamics a lot more. Brain was put more into a situation with having to actually deal with things vs. just having his plots ruined. Also, I love Julia. Julia is amazing. Fave new character, want more, adore her.

The new songs are fantastic. There’s great tribute paid to things in the original show without a constant wink-wink-nudge-nudge. This is definitely a show for new fans as well as old. I LOVE the new chances they take. There’s an absolutely gorgeous sequence giving a nod to anime in an episode satirizing gun control. While the story itself is a little obvious (and they even make fun of this in the episode), that sequence is phenomenal. You can tell a lot of care went into development. There’s also playing with a more kawaii look and some other things, so I feel like the quirkiness and risk-taking are ramped up and match the modern era really well.

The bad: Not all of the pacing was quite as forward-momentum as I’d like. It felt like, at least for the first handful of episodes, that the Warners' lead segment was really strong. There’s a good solid Pinky and the Brain story, and then the end Warner segment had more potential to fizzle off at the ends. This got better the further in I went, but it felt like sometimes people just weren’t sure how to end things and not all the use of nostalgia and nudge-winking works. To be fair, that’s the same issue I had with a lot of the segments when the bigger cast was involved, so it’s always been kind of a thing. Some things just work better than others, and your mileage may vary on what you prefer. I still enjoyed everything, but a lot of the ending segments plain felt slower.

Okay, but what about the politics: Oh, you thought I wasn’t going there, did you? I honestly don’t have a problem with it. I didn’t find it heavy-handed simply because it is so much a part of culture at this point. Animaniacs has always laid into whatever was dominating the zeitgeist at the time. They hit the issue of reboots just as much if not more than political humor. It all tends to be tied together as commentary or jokes about how life generally is now. It doesn’t take up the whole series, so I don’t get what other reviewers were complaining over. Many, many segments deal with pop culture or just random weirdness as there are references to the news. Though I thought their commentary was freakin’ hysterical and timely.

There’s been a lot of debate on why older characters are cut and people being offended that certain jokes and schtick aren’t in it anymore or were changed. I don’t miss Hello Nurse. I never felt like that was all that funny beyond a tagline, so I have no skin in that game. I LOVE Dot being more assertive and the change to her line in the song. Before, it did feel a little like she was ‘the girl.’ She had some good moments, but she primarily was there to be cute. I like that now cute is her aesthetic, but she’s also pretty ballsy in a way she wasn’t back in the day. More of that, please. I don’t feel like any of this tamed the show—it’s a different world, a different time, a slightly different sense of humor. It still all works, it just isn’t exactly what we grew up with, and that’s okay.

The new stuff: Two new segments run closer to the end of the series, and it feels like they’re feeling them out because there’s only one bit of each. Starbox and Cindy are reminiscent of Buttons and Mindy to a point. But it’s a different animation style, and the little girl monologuing is very much a real kid, giving it a much different sound than the rest of the series. She goes on about things while Starbox, the tiny alien, tries to escape her room to his spaceship that’s buried in the sandbox in the yard. While I don’t know how much of a running gag it could be, I actually found myself laughing at it in a way I wouldn’t have with Buttons and Mindy. The other new segment is The Incredible Gnome in People’s Mouths. A CEO was transformed into a rage-fueled gnome in a freak accident and now lives in people’s mouths, popping out to speak for them when they don’t have the confidence to speak up for themselves. This is weird. Like SUPER weird. It is a bizarre choice. And I freakin’ LOVE it. I want more of this. It’s such a clever, surreal idea, and while it doesn’t have the same feel as the rest of the show, it fits in a really offbeat way.

All in all, I am content. I really love Animaniacs 2020, and I’m excited to see where they go next.

4.5 still totally insanely sheep

About the Author:

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

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