Category Television & Streaming

Sep 23 2018

The First Is Last As A Space Drama

The First, which started streaming on Hulu, could have been a great space drama about humanity facing the dangers of space travel head on. In this case, the story of the first manned mission of Mars. Unfortunately, The First never gets off the ground (pun intended) and should have been aborted before a single frame of film was shot.

Sean Penn stars as Captain Tom Hagerty, a veteran astronaut who was bumped from the first manned mission to the red planet, only to be later drafted to be its commander. The entire eight-episode series is about the preparation for the mission itself and it is a slow, tepid journey to get to the launch. Unlike other space dramas like the classic From the Earth to the Moon, very little time is spent on how humanity prepares for the next, great space adventure. Some lip service is paid on who gets chosen to be on the mission, assorted malfunctions and the political machinations undertaken by Laz Ingram (Natascha McElhone), the CEO of the private enterprise fronting the mission. Instead, The First bogs itself down with boring family drama.

What takes front and center in this series is the tedious relationship between Hagerty and his young adult daughter, Denise (Anna Jacoby-Heron), who is a recovering drug addict. Hagerty’s attention is wasted on keeping tabs on his daughter, which threatens his capability of leading the mission. This is baffling. If this astronaut has so much emotional baggage why did Ingram pick him to lead a high-profile mission? We never get a sense that Hagerty is uniquely qualified. Sure, he was the first man to return to the moon since the ’70s, but it appears that Hagerty is himself a problem. Half the time, Penn looks like he just woke up from an all-night binge and after the early episodes, it is clear his heart and mind is not on the mission.

Not only is The First dull, but it is pretentious with lofty dialogue that no human being would actually say. There are numerous film-school-reject shots that don’t make sense such as scenes of cicadas emerging from the ground mixed in between overlong shots of characters looking off in the distance and ugly art images.

This is truly a shame because the pilot episode was interesting and followed the mode of what one would expect from a space drama. The production values are suitably realistic for a show taking place in the 2030s and the main theme score is truly inspiring. Sadly, it all goes downhill from there, especially when more and more time is wasted on Denise and her angst that belongs on another show.

If The First makes it to second season, it would be for the best if it focused on the drama of the mission itself and jettison all the junk family drama. Only then will it soar off the ground and captivate its viewers. Until then, watch the fictional Mars-missions series shown on Discovery and National Geographic. They’re more informative and entertaining.

 

Sep 8 2018

The MCU TV Shows Ranked

What helps us get through time in between the films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) are the many TV shows that have popped up since 2013. Few will argue that these TV shows are superior to the MCU films (well, most of them), it’s undeniable that some of them are well produced and engaging. Others…not so much. Here are how the MCU TV shows rank and keep in mind this leaves out the Fox, animated, and other non-MCU TV shows like Legion.

11. Inhumans

Not only is this the worst MCU TV show, it is one of the worst TV shows of any kind, period! Cheap production values and mediocrity all around doomed the MCU’s so-called answer to the X-Men. The only good thing about this show about superhuman outcasts is Lockjaw, the giant CG bulldog that is adorable.

10. Cloak and Dagger

An interesting premise about two teenagers who gain weird powers while dealing with their adolescent hang-ups is undone by being dull. After a promising pilot episode, the rest of Cloak and Dagger meanders and doesn’t seem to go anywhere until the last episode or two. By then it’s too late to hold anyone’s attention.

marvel-defenders-tv-show-images

9. The Defenders

What should have been the TV version of The Avengers turned out to be a disappointing low point for the Marvel Netflix shows. The heroes from each of these shows finally meet and team up in a murky storyline with boring villains. Sigourney Weaver is wasted here as a foe and the mystical Hand are just bland while serving as cannon fodder during dark and flaccid fight scenes.8. Agent Carter

Hayley Atwell shines in this prequel show that expands the MCU of the 1940s. Her Peggy Carter is smart, full of fire and the highlight of the show. Despite its strong ties to the MCU (it even featured stock footage of Captain America) and Atwell, the show struggled at times to engage us with slow episodes.

7. Iron Fist

Despite its infamous reputation, Iron Fist is not a complete train wreck. Yes, the first season had many problems, among them listless fights and dull, corporate storylines. However, , Finn Jones has since grown into the main role and his character became more relatable and less insufferable. What also helped is that his fight scenes are now better choreographed and the second season is a marked improvement.

luke-cage-takes-bullets

6. Luke Cage

This could have been one of the best Netflix Marvel shows. Unfortunately, it made the mistake of killing off the popular villain Cottonmouth (Mahershala Ali) too soon and having lesser foes take the spotlight. Alfre Woodard’s scene chewing is hysterical to watch at times, though it’s infuriating. On the plus side, other characters like Luke Cage (Mike Colter), Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson) and Shades (Theo Rossi) are allowed to have dynamic arcs that fluidly evolve them.

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Aug 20 2018

What’s Next For The Star Trek Kelvinverse?

The J.J. Abrams Star Trek reboot warped out of the drydock and reinvigorated the franchise nine years ago. For a while it seemed as if Star Trek was back in the public eye, though it was radically changed. But it didn’t have any staying power as seen with the collective meh from the general public over the last Star Trek film and the downright hostility from old-time Star Trek fans who correctly charge that the Star Trek films strayed too far from the core essence of Trek.

There are many reasons for the indifference towards the Star Trek reboot but it gained more notoriety with the recent news that Chris Pine, who played Captain Kirk, the center of the Star Trek films, has walked away from the planned fourth film, along with Chris Hemsworth, who briefly played Kirk’s father.

The two actors left the project over money since Paramount Pictures wanted both of them to take a pay cut. In the end, this is a negotiating tactic, and the actors have a just cause since they have contracts guaranteeing a certain rate. But this latest news illustrates the tenuous state of the Star Trek films.

Ever since Star Trek Beyond underperformed two years ago, and Star Trek returned to TV, the Star Trek reboot films, aka the Star Trek Kelvinverse, has lost its luster. They were intended to attract non-Trek fans and make the franchise more exciting. Unfortunately, the Kelvinverse films pandered too much to adrenaline junkies who would never appreciate the thoughtful nature of Star Trek. Plus, Paramount was convinced that making Star Trek more like Star Wars would increase ticket sales. After all, the previous Star Trek films before the reboot were disappointments. This attitude, unfortunately led to poorly conceived marketing that catered to The Fast and the Furious crowd which alienated fans and didn’t end up bringing in the demographics that Paramount wanted. Just look at this horrendous first trailer for Star Trek Beyond that helped doom the film, which is unfortunate because it turned out to be a good Star Trek film.

After Star Trek Beyond, no one knew if there would be another Trek film, at least one set in the Kelvinverse. This question came up after the ambiguous announcement late last year that Quentin Tarantino wanted to do a Star Trek film and that his vision would be even more radical than Abrams’. Around the time that Star Trek Beyond premiered, it was announced that the fourth film would feature a time travel story and have Kirk meet his father. The added bonus is that Kirk’s father was Hemsworth, who is famous for his Thor performances, and he actually excelled in his brief role in Star Trek.

george kirk

The big question is what if Pine and Hemsworth don’t return? What then? Should the roles be recast? Should the characters be written out or should the project be scrapped altogether? The bottom line is that Star Trek Kelvinverse films are expensive to make and are not the big moneymakers that Paramount hoped for, which is why they wanted the two actors to take the pay cut. In order for the films to be viable the budgets have to be pared down which is tricky but not impossible. The next film could use stock footage, it worked for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, which is still considered the best Star Trek film.  A lower budget would force the director and writer to focus on characters and plot, not flashy visuals.

Honestly, Star Trek can survive without Chris Hemsworth. The role can be easily recast or the story can be tossed out in favor of  new one. But can Trek survive without Pine? Sure it can, one thing the Star Trek TV spinoffs proved is that Star Trek is much more than James T. Kirk and Spock and McCoy. It is possible to have Spock as the lead character, maybe do a role reversal of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and have the Enterprise crew searching instead for Kirk. In the end, Pine may wind up reprising his role one more time and the film will be another hurrah for the Kelvinverse Enterprise crew, which is fine since the reboot films have their merits.

Or Paramount can be even bolder and go with a new set of characters or jump ahead into the future and feature the Kelvinverse version of the Next Generation or DS9 crews. Frankly, it is probably time to take a new approach to the Star Trek films and the current cast will get more expensive, have a higher profile these days and may want to move onto other venues. While recasting the Enterprise crew may be an easy out for the film studio, what would generate more interest and maybe bring back disenchanted fans might be to go with a new set of characters and situations. After all, the Star Trek universe is infinite and true fans would welcome this approach if done correctly.

Aug 5 2018

Make It So! Jean-Luc Picard Returns To Star Trek!

make it so

Star Trek fans were pleasantly surprised and excited when the news came out that Sir Patrick Stewart will reprise his role of the legendary Jean-Luc Picard in a new Star Trek series.

The announcement came during a Star Trek convention held in Las Vegas this weekend. Stewart appeared on stage and made the official announcement along with showrunner Alex Kurtzman, who was one of the execs behind Star Trek: Discovery and the the J.J. Abrams rebooted Trek films.

As fans roared with approval over the news, Stewart gave few details about the new show, which will stream on the CBS All Access service. One thing he did point out is Picard will be at a different point in his life, meaning he won’t necessarily be a Starfleet captain. This is quite exciting to learn because it demonstrates that the new Star Trek show won’t be a retread of the familiar Trek trope: a starship and its crew exploring space.  So, it won’t be a new version of Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG) where Captain Picard commands the Enterprise and runs about discovering new worlds and new civilizations. If the show will not be about a Captain Jean-Luc Picard then it can mean that the character will have a new role, a different post-Starfleet career.

Picard may very well be an ambassador and the show could be more political in nature a la Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and this is very fascinating. The world of Star Trek has always entranced fans who were introduced to different alien cultures such as the Klingons and the Romulans. Some of the best episodes of the various shows were about exploring the uniqueness of the alien races and the political intrigue such as the succession of order in the Klingon Empire in “Redemption” or the birth of the Federation in “United”. It is easy to see an older PIcard running around the galaxy trying to forge alliances or hold a fragile peace. Hopefully he won’t be doing it onboard a new version of the Enterprise visiting the same old places. Let’s have new ships and worlds, it’s a large galaxy, after all.

old man picard

If he is not an ambassador, then the other logical career choice is that of a Starfleet admiral. He could follow a similar role as an ambassador with the same political intrigue, but with a more military angle as he brokers peace or wages war from a flagship or Starbase, though it is likely that Picard won’t be a warmongering type.

Of course, being that Patrick Stewart is nearly 20 years older since his last appearance as Picard in Star Trek: Nemesis, it stands to reason that his character will be older, too. And so will be the Prime Star Trek universe. We will learn about new developments in the Prime universe, which is something that many fans have ached for ever since the last TNG film in 2002. This also alleviates the concerns that many fans had about the original Star Trek universe. Ever since the rebooted films came along with Star Trek: Discovery, the impression has been given that the original universe was wiped out from existence. This notion came from a plot point in the first Abrams Star Trek film where Romulans time traveled and altered history. Despite the proclamations from characters and behind-the-scenes people that the alteration did not erase the original timeline, there was an uneasy feeling among many that this was not the case. Now, we can rest easy knowing that the original timeline is alive and well in the new series.

Will this also mean that we may see other characters from the Prime universe? Older versions of Riker, Crusher, Worf and even those from other shows such as Kira, Seven of Nine or the Doctor can appear in the new Star Trek show. Sure it may be too fanboyish, but it will be fun as hell to watch.

The return of Jean-Luc PIcad is certainly welcome news and demonstrates that Star Trek is alive and well. No reboots, no remakes, no reimaginings, but a logical continuation of the original Star Trek timeline. What is open for debate is how good will the new Star Trek show be, but we’ll have to wait and see when it streams, hopefully by 2020. However, no matter what happens with the new show, it will be a thrill to hear the great Sir Patrick Stewart utter at some point, “Make it so!”

Lewis T. Grove

Jul 24 2018

Best Comic-Con 2018 Trailers & Related News

The San Diego Comic-Con for 2018 has come and gone and as always we fans are left with scintillating trailers and revelations for what is coming up. This year’s Comic-Con was a bit quieter than previous conventions if you can call having San Diego invaded by over 100 thousand fans a quiet event.

Although there were plenty of news and promos that kept us busy, Marvel Studios absence in this year’s Comic-Con and the fabled Hall H was noticeable. While this left DC alone to revel in the spotlight, it was odd to not see a presence by Marvel Studios. After all, they have the most successful shared universe as seen with its recent blockbusters. This signals that Marvel Studios may shift away from Comic-Con and put their energies with their parent company, Disney and their D23 Expos. The problem with that is that those conventions are only held every two years and the next one isn’t scheduled until next August, a bit too late to promote Captain Marvel and Avengers 4. Then again, with the wind at their backs Marvel Studios has the luxury of skipping a Comic-Con, but this gives off an arrogant vibe and they should not take these things for granted. Just look at the television side of Marvel. Knowing that the first season of Iron Fist was disappointing, the television arm of Marvel Entertainment went out of their way to present a kick-ass trailer for Iron Fist’s second season and it seems as they learned their lesson.

On the other side of that coin, DC took full advantage of Marvel Studios’ absence and presented their big guns: trailers for Shazam! and Aquaman, plus a presentation of the next Wonder Woman film. Aquaman clearly won Comic-Con with its long-awaited trailer that delivered the goods. The film looks like a winner full of stunning spectacle and action. It may be the film that might have salvaged the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). That is because for all intents and purposes the DCEU is dead following the failures of some of the films in that shared universe. Instead we are being presented with Worlds of DC, which embraces the concepts of multiverse as its upcoming Joker film doesn’t take place in the DCEU and this may happen with the long-planned The Batman. This Worlds of DC is an interesting concept and acknowledges the richness of their characters and how they can be adapted to any situation. And honestly, this idea of a film/TV multiverse is not new since the DCEU existed alongside the Arrowverse, the new Titans TV show, and even the Marvel films and TV properties actually use this concept of different and separate universes as seen with their MCU, the Fox X-Men films, the Sony Spider-Verse and the TV shows that take place in diverse realities (the Netflix shows, Legion, The Gifted, etc.). This Worlds of DC sounds promising but let’s hope that DC doesn’t completely abandon the DCEU.

There were plenty of non-DC/Marvel film and TV trailers and news that kept us excited. The biggest and most pleasant surprise was that Star Wars: The Clone Wars is returning, this time to Disney’s upcoming streaming app. This was certainly welcome news given all the negativity following Star Wars lately. Other exciting trailers included those for the second seasons of The Orville and Star Trek: Discovery. Anson Mount looks commanding as Captain Christopher Pike and the Spock teases sent many fans into delirium. Other notable film trailers were for Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Glass, the third film in the Unbreakable trilogy which brings together all the superpowered humans from Unbreakable and Split. It looks like a winner.

However, as fun as it was to watch all the new trailers and read about the upcoming development that cast a dark shade over the weekend was the news that Disney fired director James Gunn after some alt-right nutjob exposed disgusting jokes that Gunn posted on Twitter years ago. This was obviously a hitjob on Gunn because of his attacks on Trump and his policies, but this left many fans of the Guardians of the Galaxy films disheartened. Of course, Gunn’s jokes were in poor taste and horrid but he seemed repentant about his past. What made matters worse is that these tweets were in the public for some time and Disney’s actions seem hypocritical because the execs had to have known about them back when James Gunn was hired, but their actions were done to protect their brand. Still, these events call into question the future of Guardians of the Galaxy and the cosmic side of the MCU which Gunn was orchestrating. Perhaps, it was for the best that Marvel Studios didn’t have any presentations at Comic-Con because this controversial news item would’ve drowned out any promotions for their films.

Aside from that event, Comic-Con 2018 delivered the trailers and news as have previous conventions. Now it’s on to next summer and Comic-Con 2019…maybe Marvel Studios will show up this time. Now enjoy these trailers:

Star Trek: Discovery

Glass

Nighflyers

Shazam!

Doctor Who: Season Eleven

Godzilla: King of the Monsters