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Wynonna Earp: Vengeance (2024)
Heck with Kevfin Costner
Between this and Calamity Jane, Tim Rozon is the ultimate Western actor. He's the ultimate studmuffin in this one but he was good in Calamity, too. And what he lacks, Greg Lawson makes up for.
The rest of Vengeance was okay, and it was nice to see the gang back together, Even minus Walls, and Bobo, like they couldn't have brought them back somehow. It also didn't help (or hurt) that they brought in a villain from an undisclosed part of Wynonna'a past. Like Nicole said in a meta comment, Vengeance seems more like a reboot than a reunion, what with the Black Badge corruption and the "Here's to the adventure" near-last line.
Space: 1999: The Troubled Spirit (1976)
It's Sitar-Zan, and his Moonbase Band.
Yes, the sitar/flamenco music at the beginning is atmospheric, as is the dialogue-less cold open. But it's never explained or referenced again.
So what's it all mean?
The episode is very atmospheric and spooky. Although it seems to be shoehorned in. It could take place at any scientific base. What's it got to do with a runaway Moon and a plucky group of survivors? Heck if I know.
It seems like rehashed 'Forbidden Plant' with the "future ghost" twist. Which never makes much sense: why does the ghost kill its "creator"? Did Mateo gaining psychic powers let him see his future where he dies and gets his face scarred? The left side of his face (or maybe both sides) is slammed into the forcefield, but his right side is scarred? And he doesn't get scarred at all until the third slam? Shouldn't there be some partial scarring on the first two slams?
And if the ghost kills people by frightening them to death and fracturing their spinal cords (an admittedly chilling image), why does it resort to strangling Mateo.
Oh well, like Helena says at the end, it's all a great mystery.
So A for atmosphere, D for execution and coherence. But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Space: 1999: The Infernal Machine (1976)
Yes, It's Talky, but...
...Leo McKern is the one doing most of the talking. His plummy "dear friends" alone is worth the price of admission. Morse gets some good lines, and even Landau has a few good moments. Barbara Bain is... well, Barbara Bain. The Alphans are pretty much non-entities, particularly the newcomer filling in for Paul Hancock. At least Koenig gives him a welcoming speech, which is more than the rotating helmsmen ever got on Star Trek.
Overall, for a late-season episode, "Machine" isn't bad. Yes, Lew Grade threw some money at it (see Trivia), but it's more tolerable than some of the earlier episodes of Season 1. It's more like a Season 2 episode, but without the comic book sensibilities. But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Space: 1999: Dragon's Domain (1975)
Why This Episode Is Strong
Not only is the monster terrifying, but the characters are surprisingly human. More than in most of the first season. Barbara Bain actually gets to act, and Russell does more going up against Koenig then when she just nods her head and goes along with him. Even the bit with Kano and Koenig playing chess at the beginning has a bit of humanity. I'm not radically impressed with Gianni Garko as Cellini, although the bit where he cold-cocks Alan the second time is cute and he does "tortured" well. Despite some plotholes (Alpha happens to come across the monster?!?), this is overall the best episode of the series.
Kolchak: The Night Stalker: Bad Medicine (1974)
Best Episode of the Series?
Yes, I know this is a contentious assertion, particularly with "The Zombie", "The Spanish Moss Murders", "Horror in the Heights", and probably a few others.
But "Bad Medicine" is my favorite for several reasons. One is Kiel's towering presence, and the fact he isn't obscured in moss. The "old McDonald"'x bit in the highrise is goofy, but otherwise the Diablero is impressive.
Another is the music, particularly the "stings" when the Diablero reverts to his human form. The producers must have agreed, because they reused them in the future.
Ramon Bieri as Baker is surprisingly good. Sure he's a jerk: he wouldn't be a Kolchak captain if he wasn't. But I like his bemusement,("What's a diablero, some kind of Italian racing car"), his "Uh huh" back at Kolchak, and McGavin' sheepish look in response when he can't explain why the diablero is stealing gems.
It's also one of the few episodes where they make good use of all the cast. Emily supports Kolchak but calls "Finally!" when Kolchak says he's going to get a new suit, Updyke is finicky and caught in the threeeway phone juggling with Kolchak and Emily, and Vincenzo is... Vincenzo. Whether he's sleeping in his office to try to catch Kolchak when he comes in, or his half-hearted protest when Kolchak goes through Updyke's desk. This is presumably what McGavin meant when he said he was going for an office comedy.
There's also little bits. Watch Kolchak's parking at the gem exchange, and when the officer trieds to get out of his car but can't because Kolchak parked too close. Or Kolchak trying to pass himself off as a "Kolworth" at the auction.
And Victor Jory and his "posse"'s bemusement when Kolchak seizes on Jory's explanation of how to kill the diablero. Like "These are just fairytales: this nutter believes us?!?"
Overall, I consider "Bad Medicine" the best of the series.
American Horror Stories: Daphne (2023)
Didsn't I see a Twilight Zone episode like this?
Oh, right, 'From Agnes, With Love'. Granted, Reid Scott is better-looking than Wally Cox. And there's some psuedo-nudity and sex. If that trips your trigger... Otherwise, save yourself 30 minutes and watch that drivel instead of this drivel. You can at least see Bernard Schoenfield and Rod Serling make the best of it (it was a fifth season episode) instead of this modern-day updating of it, with a gratuitous pandemic and lockdown thrown in as well as the elements mentioned above. Or unless you wanted to see the late work of Manny Coto, who has done far better work both on AHS and elsewhere, than here.
My other issue is... it's not American, and it's not horror. It's horrible, but that's not the same thing. It's lukewarm Black Mirror, but Charlie Booker would be turning over in his grave if he was dead. Why someone thought high-tech horror with no supernatural element had a place in AHS, I have no idea.
Tales from the Darkside: Distant Signals (1985)
A very un-Tales Tales
For starters, no one dies. There are no practical special effects, or over-the-top humor. The episode is more like Amazing Stories, Or the original Twilight Zone. It's more about the redemption of an aging star, and a now-modern commentary on revivals of old properties, and fan boys. "Distant Signals" was made in an era before the revival of intellectual properties and TV shows, and it's a rejection of AIs. Mr. Smith and his people are interested in bring back the original actors, the original creator and director, and the original "feel" of the show they're reviving. Rather than just recreating their favorite show with new faces, using AI.
Sure the episode is twee, but the cast helps. Darren McGavin is well... Darren McGavin. He plays the type of character that he was accustomed to, particularly "The Outsider" But McGavin was no stranger to short-run series. Kolchak only lasted 20- episodes before being ignominiously cancelled. And McGavin not only plays Max Paradise, but Van Conway, a one-shot actor who has fallen into alcoholism , realizing his best days are behind him.
Lenny Van Dohlen has always been a class act, if anyone remembers him from "Twin Peaks" and many others. He's perfect as Mr. Smith, downplaying the overt humor of Smith in the original short story (wearing jodhpurs?!?), while bringing in the fanboysish nature of someone reverentially getting to meet his idols and not letting their clay feet stop his plans. Also note the little alien touches, like his tilting his head and quizzical stare when agent Lew spots spewing 20th century Hollywood jargon.
David Marguiles is okay as Gil Hurn, the director who is essentially an expy of Steven Spielberg. He's does capture the befuddled feel of many modern-day directors who probably wonder why the trash they did 20 years ago is being brought back as a fan project now.
"Distant Signals" is basically a 10. The only thing that lowers it in my opinion is... how does Van Conway know all the stuff about Smith, which the actor spouts to Hurn at the end of the episode? That, and the episode is on the wrong show.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Kolchak: The Night Stalker: The Energy Eater (1974)
The Energy Eater... sucks in the plot's energy but forgets to spew it out
The episode is an odd mix of interesting and... not. William Smith as Jim Elkhorn is the show's highlight, and I'd watch a show with Elkhorn as a main character. An MBA who is also an Indian shaman and a construction site foreman. There are other good bits: Elaine Giftos as Nurse Janice has some decent bits "A well-performed autopsy is a joy forever" is a line that always cracks me up, even if she gets a very unclimactic death. The INS office humor, with Kolchak telling Vincenzo that Matchemonedo is a Cuban boxing bantamweight, and then Vincenzo pawning the same off on Updyke when he asks.
The opening bit where Kolchak arrives at the dedication and the greeters pawn him off with some pithy lines, is also good.
But the episode overall is just kinda... blehh. Matchemonedo has a great presence on the plates, but when invisible most of the time, it's must less impressive than the invisible alien(s) in "They Have Been..." It just cracks walls, sparks, and makes a crackling noise. And it's defeated by... cold. Ho hum.
The supporting cast other than Smith and Giftos are also very blehh. Robert Yuro is the least memorable of the Kolchak captains throughout the series. Michael Strong is anything but, and he and Robert Cornthwaite are horribly wasted. Even if there are hints of rivalry between their two characters that go nowhere.
Also, wild theories just get tossed out. Kolchak and Elkhorn say Matchie sucks out energy and blows it out. When did they establish that? It's like the high-steel workers that die off-screen in Kolchak's prelude. Apparently the show was already running out of budget at the mid-season: we don't see any of this. So there's a bit where Kolchak and Nurse Janice go to Elkhorn's apartment, and Janice slowly falls for Elkhorn's charms while the neighbor finally leaves in irritation with her toaster. It's humorous, but it all takes place in an apartment set.
While the hospital underground corridors look like they were later borrowed for "The Sentry".
So I'm not sure what would have improved the episode in the time allotted. Maybe play up Matchie some more (how did it kill those workers at the beginning? And show not tell), and do more with the hospital setting. And give Kolchak a bit more to do in killing Matchie than just spray a fire extinguisher. Kolchak is a guy who grabs some monster-killing weapon and then... drops or breaks it. And then thinks his way out of trouble by setting a cross on fire or lynching a POC zombie. There's none of that here.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Tales from the Darkside: Effect and Cause (1985)
Zinc Oxide and You
This episode reminds me of that segment of 'Kentucky Fried Movie'. Things start disappearing basically because some omnipotent and essentially unseen narrator says so. The beginning and end have effect following cause, but why does it all start? Who knows? And then in the middle, things just start disappearing and/or changing. Again, why? Who knows? It apparently starts when main character Kate starts painting over some paintings. And one has the face of a screaming woman, which later appears in a jump scare. Is the whole painting-over thing starting the reality-changing thing? Again, who knows?
Some people describe this as a comedy, but there's nothing funny about it. The hapless character gets in over her head, and comes to a bad end. She's a little flaky, but doesn't deserve her bad end. She learns nothing, she doesn't get a second chance to turn her life around. She just... dies, in a semi-ironic manner.
The episode reminded me of a lot of Darkside episodes, where there's no point. Someone gets a strange ability, or something strange happens to them, they tamper "in God's domain", suffer an ironic end, and that's 30 minutes over.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Gotham Knights: Night of the Owls (2023)
Thanks Nexstar!
Thanks for them canceling GK when it was just getting good! Misha Collins had a chance to cut loose as Two-Face (rather than the po' faced Castiel, and Harvey Dent, and lights years beyond Tommy Lee Jonesl), Cullen became the resident "Everyone else is so serious and kinda nuts! I'll be the everyman)", Duela was more than just "the Joker's Daughter", Carrie finally had a reason to be on the show, and Stephanie and Harper were the resident lovers if not women (I'm no biologist!).
Basically the show moved beyond "the Batman is dead" plot" and was coming into its own. And now it's cancelled, right when it was building up some steam. Yes, it did have some Batman mythology, and was going to draw rancor from fans of that as a result of never paying more than lip service to it. But it moved beyond that in a way that 'Gotham' never did. Maybe because it was building on the mythology, rather than building to it.
So I'll miss GK, especially given the reality shows that are going to replace it. It wasn't a CW heavy-hitter, but it was solid at what it was.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Tales from the Darkside: The Yattering and Jack (1987)
Most of the Other Reviewers Are Missing the Point
"The Yattering and Jack" is a Clive Barker story. Why? Because Barker wrote it. Read the original, in one of the Books of Blood. If Barker didn't want it to seem like one of "his" Hellraiser-type blood-and-gore store, it's because he didn't write it that way.
So if "Yattering" is more of a slapstick comedy, it's because Barker wanted to do a comedy. So bad, so sad. It's a fairly accurate adaptation of the story. It might not be a "Clive Barker kind of story", but that's presumably because Barker didn't want to do that kind of story. You can hate the story, but it's exactly what Barker wrote, and what Barker wanted. His story, his teleplay. If you want to hate it, hate him.
It's like saying Twilight Zone stories like "Coming for Cavendish" and "Mr. Bevis" aren't "really" Rod Serling stories because they're over-the-top comedies. That they may be, but they're what Rod Serling wanted. They, and "Yattering", are the writers stepping out of their comfort zones.
Quantum Leap: Judgment Day (2023)
A Sound and Fury Wrapping Things Up
I'm not sure what was going on, but the episode moved along fast enough and purported to say so many things but that it was hard to come up with any other questions until well after the episode ended.
For instance, wasn't Martinez trying to help Ben in the asylum and battleship episodes? But he wasn't really helping him here.
Who started the nuclear winter? Was it Martinez, or Ben? If the latter, does that mean Martinez failed? And there's still going to be a nuclear winter? That's kind of a downer. How did Martinez and his backers start a nuclear winter initially? But if it wasn't them, why was Janis so determined to stop them?
Why were only three Ians involved with the mind-melding sequence? Shouldn't every Ian throughout time be helping? What about the Ian(s) before Ben arrived in the past and in the nuclear winter future?
Why was Jenn so tearfully overwhelmed by what was going on with Ben and Addison? Yes, it was very sad, but by I didn't burst into tears. Why would Jenn? The power of friendship?
In the earlier scenes, why were Ian and Jenn dressed like 60s hippies?
This and many more, could be explained by the second season so they didn't bother to explain it here. I got the impression the writer was using the rapid pace to cover the holes in the plot.
There were parts of this episode I liked, like the going through the three Jumps Ben and Martinez had shared before. Even those ended on a weird note, because it was filmed like a big heroic moment of Frankie killing Martinez. Frankie who? Yes, I remember her, but she didn't have a major part in the episode she appeared in, and it wasn't a payoff that she killed Martinez here. Although they made it seem like a big payoff for the character.
So overall it was an okay episode. It had the same flaws I've been complaining about throughout, that the production crew is more concerned about the timey-wimey nature of the show and the ongoing plot, rather than the character stuff. When they had decent characters, I thought the character-driven episodes were better than the timey-wimey ones. And isn't that what QL, at least the original one, was about? Granted the new show is going to something new, because it's all-new! All-different! Then why not just create a new time travel show? Timeless pulled it off, Flashforward pulled it off, Supernatural occasionally pulled it off, heck even Voyagers pulled it off back in the day. Invoking the old QL to make a sequel was nice and I suppose brought in an established fan base, but it still seemed like a gimmick and a way to hook in an established fan base, rather than something that had to be a sequel. And while the original QL did cry out for a sequel to give some closure and answer a few question... too much time has passed (alas, poor Dean Stockwell) and some people didn't want to be involved (*cough cough* Scott Bakula *cough*) for the new QL to work as a sequel.
And the new production team didn't seem that interested in doing a sequel. It's hard to put a finger on it, but for the most part the new show felt more like a cash grab and a way to bring in the original fans, rather than a heartfelt attempt to do justice to the original. I couldn't say why
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Quantum Leap: The Friendly Skies (2023)
"Average" Episode
"Friendly Skies" wasn't a great episode, but it wasn't a bad episode, either. But then again, neither were a lot of the original QL episodes.
Main thing was that it seemed like some of the stuff, like Ben being in a woman's body, is a card the new show has already played and a few times too often. I'm not going to try and count the number of times in each show, but it sure seems like Ben has Leaped into a woman a number of times in one season equal to what Sam did in the five seasons of the original. It's no longer that special. But then again, maybe that's the point.
Good thing was that it felt to me like the supporting cast were all used to good effect, rather than one supporting character getting the spotlight. Ian got to help Ben fly the jet, Addison snarked a bit, Magic and Jenn both knew something about hijacking and found information on the hjjackers.
Also the supporting characters in the Leap got their moments. Cory got a few decent bits, Holly and Leslie got some decent bits. Paul Kirk (any relation to DC's original Manhunter?) had some decent bits. None of them were overwhelming except Cory, but I got the impression he was supposed to be.
Overall it was a decent episode. I wouldn't say it was incredible, but I wouldn't say it was horrible, either.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Quantum Leap: Ben, Interrupted (2023)
Make It Stop
Or at least don't let it start back up. By which I mean the "mystery" of Ql. After two perfectly good episodes without it--except basically a cameo by Martinez--we got thrown back into the overarching storyline/mystery.
To its credit, this episode kept the focus primarily on Ben. It just seemed to me that the "main" story of the Leap took a back seat to the "mystery". Which is kinda the opposite of the original show, where the Leap always seemed like the primary focus rather than the elements behind it, like the Evil Leaper and Sam Leaping back to the Civil War, and into Lee Harvey Oswald. Or "Shock Theater", which this episode vaguely echoed. Except this episode had an evil head doctor, and sadistic orderlies.
Don't get me wrong: "Interrupted" was okay. But that's all it was. Unlike the previous two episodes, we didn't get to see Ben play someone different. In fact, I think Ben was entirely... Ben, for the entirety of the episode. The episode didn't give Raymond Lee anything to do. Which is what I think QL should be doing. It did with the original, why isn't that good enough for the new one? 2022 TV, amirite?
So I can't help but feel that Lee is getting underserved. He doesn't get to be the focus, the way Bakula was. Lee is just one member of the ensemble and the mystery is about more than just his Leaping.
And maybe it's just me, or is the mystery getting a bit convoluted? So Martinez is helping the project, but helping the project ultimately hurts Ben (or Addison?). And Janis is/isn't helping Ben, by helping him stop Martinez, who is trying to achieve the same thing as Ben. And then there's the newly-revealed mole, which I suppose makes sense but just adds one more complication onto an already complicated plot. I suppose if I sat down and binge-watched it all, it would make sense. But I'm old school: I like watching network shows once a week (or month sometimes with QL).
So "Interrupted" wasn't bad: it just seemed like a step down from the more recent episodes that focused more on the Leap and gave Lee a chanced to act.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Quantum Leap: Ben Song for the Defense (2023)
Still in the Spirit of the Original
Credit where credit is due. I've been saying the production team should make the new show more like the original, and focus more on Ben then the "mystery" and give Raymond Lee a chance to act... and they have. Yay. So this episode wasn't much about the project, although it did give Jenn a chance to sit around and do more than look grumpy. It also gave the team something humorous to do, which to date they've been pretty much a bunch of stiffs. Them paying and betting was funny. Not LOL, but snicker-alicious.
The actual story with Ben wasn't anything major, but neither were a lot of the original QL stories. It's nice to see Raymond Lee getting to do funny. Last week with his "Would it distract you if I asked a stupid question?", and this week his coping with high heels and pulling around his suitcase in the process was again, worth a snicker or two. I also liked Jenn as the Observer, and I'd rather see her doing it than Addison. Which would mean Addison wouldn't really have anything to do. Darn.
There's not really much else to say. It was an episode in the spirit of the original. If the new show is going to call itself 'Quantum Leap' and be a sequel to the original, then this is the kind of show I'd like to see.
There were a couple of minor flaws. I thought Ben leaped a bit too early: I would have liked to see his triumph in court. I also don't object to Ben's Leapee having a same-sex relationship, but it rather neatly avoids Ben having to kiss a man. And Addison not being present means she didn't have to deal with the emotional angst of seeing her fiancée kissing someone. Or being kissed by someone. So the same-sex relationship and Addison not being able to be present seemed more like writing to avoid anything too significant and toss in some gimmick, than heartfelt intentions.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Quantum Leap: S.O.S. (2023)
Pretty Good Thanks to the Human Element
Like last week, the episode was better once they focused on the "human" element, and less on the whole mystery of why Ben is Leaping, and what he's trying to do. Yes, Martinez was at the end and spoke a few ominous words, but he was pretty minor to the overall plot.
The focus was more on Ben and the person he was Leaping for, and less on the support team. Even Addison, and the focus was more on her father than her. Yes, Caitlin Bassett has a few "big" scenes and she acquitted herself admirably. But mostly she was providing guidance to Ben and functioned more as support than pivot. The episode could have progressed without her present and been pretty much the same.
And Brandon Routh was pretty good. As my SO noted while watching, she was surprised to see him in a "serious" role. Granted, that was after seeing him in a few season of 'DC Legends'. Still, it was nice seeing him in a dramatic role rather than comedy.
The only thing taking away from the comedy was the threat of World War III, which took away from Ben's presumed saving of Alexander. For one thing... what World War III? Presumably there wasn't a Word War III before Ben Leaped. Was there one in 1989 before Ben changed history? I don't recall one in the original QL, and there hasn't been any indications of one in the new series That seems kind of a big thing to overlook.
But in the original timeline, Drake launched WW3? And Ben prevented him from doing so. At least to my old and tired brain, that seemed to be what they were going for. So Ben saved Addison's father AND prevented WW3? That seems kind of big and deemphasized. See what I mean about the latter deemphasizing the former? But it seems unnecessary, too. Ben saved the world from WW3, but we never knew the world had one. So... what?
But that's nothing major, and the story focused more on Ben saving the day with his calculations on the transmitter. So I'd give it a pass.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
The Winchesters: Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye (2023)
Great Supernatural Finale
First, I guess the writing is on the wall and the production staff knows it. This was pretty definitely a series finale for 'The Winchesters'. I'm in no way saying that officially because I'm in no position to do so. And someone creative could bring the show back. Heck, they essentially brought 'Supernatural' back with this episode, even if for only one episode.
Still, it's hard to see them coming back from this. John and Mary are off, and that's the premise of 'Winchesters'. It was the early days of the Winchester family, before Sam and Dean came along.
Except... as the finale told us, it really isn't. It's all a parallel world in the multiverse. This isn't "our" Mary and John. Granted, that explains the little discontinuity bits and bobs in 'Winchesters' that never really lined up with 'Supernatural'. But it also kind of renders it all meaningless. It's not "our" world, but a remarkable simulacrum with a John and Mary, but not "our" John and Mary. Why did we never hear about Lata, Carlos, and the Akrida. Because they didn't "really" exist. It was another world that we were seeing.
Granted, there were some good parts about this episode. Finding out the Akrida were a failsafe created by Chuck was good. And Bobby's reaction to seeing Samuel with hair was LOL funny.
Basically, the episode was the swan song to Dean that he didn't get in the 'Supernatural' finale. So great 'Supernatural' episode.
As for this episode, it seemed really rushed and incoherent. The Akrida were disposed of off-screen. Except... they weren't? Who were the ones fighting at the end? Were they new Akrida created by Joan after the original ones were sucked back to Akrida World? Were they stragglers? Some other creatures? Maybe there was an explanation but the whole thing seemed kinda rushed. I liked last week's clown episode, but it had nothing to do with the overall storyline. Maybe they should have used the penultimate episode to... penultimatize?
Ditto with Joan. We haven't ever heard about her, and then in the finale she's a major player and does some major monologuing. And her motivation seems to be the whole thing behind the Akrida. Except...she just glommed onto Chuck's failsafe. Why did the Akrida go with her? Were they using Joan, or was she using them? Or was Chuck using all of them? I get the impression I was supposed to care, but the whole thing was so rushed that I wasn't given a reason to care. All the big things like the Akrida being sucked back into the Ostrium (remember when that was a thing 12 episodes ago?) were done off-screen, and instead it boiled down to a swordfight and some cool scenes with Baby.
So overall I'd rate the episode low as a 'Winchester' finale, but high as a 'Supernatural' finale. But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Star Trek: Bread and Circuses (1968)
Neo Rome has the Federation on the Ropes
I like this episode for two reason. The first is the action sequences. The first televised fight between Spock/McCoy and Flavius/Achilles seems to go forever, but it probably more realistic for it. The bit where the trio are conducting a last-ditch fight against the Romans, while Merik redeems himself and gets killed for his efforts, while the Trek action music kicks in, is also nicely done.
The second is Logan Ramsey as Marcus. This is a character who plays the Federation like a fiddle. There are parts that are goofy: does Marcus really expect the entire Enterprise crew to beam down? Who's going to man the ship? Did the entire Beagle crew beam down searching for the landing party? But Marcus comes out on top every step of the way, and it's the only original episode I can recall where Kirk & Co. Don't "win". They're lucky to escape. Marcus is still the top dog, the Roman Empire still continues and doesn't get overthrown in the scope of the episode. Yes, the anvil drops with some vague promise that Christianity will eventually overthrow the Romans. But not with Marcus running the show.
B&C also has one of the best burns in the history of TV. "The thoughts of one man to another can't possibly be of interest to you, Merik" (sic). Way to humiliate your supposed ally, Marcus.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Quantum Leap: Family Style (2023)
The Hobgoblin of Little Minds
Yes, in past reviews, I've complained that the new QL relies too heavily on the old show while trying to navigate a new path. So you'd think I'd be unhappy when it goes whole hog on the old show. And they kinda did that with 'Family Style', perhaps because Deborah Pratt was involved. Although as a director, not a writer
But I liked this episode, mostly because it was more like the old show. And... it worked. Yes, I know that seems contrary. But bear with me.
'Family Style' did what I've been saying the new QL should do, and did it well. For one thing, it focused more on the Leap than the modern-day mystery of why Ben Leaped and what's been going on with Janis. More power to it. I suppose we'll never be rid of that, and we weren't. But the spotlight was mostly on Ian, and Mason Alexander Park is the MVP of the modern-day cast. Ian really didn't have much to do, other than hang out with the version of Katie McGrath. And display his IMO poor fashion sense. But it was harmless, and it was well-acted. Park does more with a frustrated glance than most actors do with their entire body.
It also meant focus on Richard Lee, which is all to the good. Lee can act, which makes sense for an actor. And 'Family Style' gives him lots of opportunities to act. I thought we had put aside all the issues with Ben's mother, but this made some logical sense that he still had issues over her death. The focus more on Ben than the support team meant more time on Ben, which is good. It meant Addison shut up most of the time, and played the Al Calavacci support hologram rather than adding her own angst or provoking Ben's.
It also meant focus on the Leap of the week. It wasn't a monumental plot, but a lot of the originals weren't, either. It was mostly just tooling along, with a great central performance by Nandini Minocha as Sonali. I liked how Ben wasn't the one to take down Tanner, but the latter got her just desserts off camera. I also liked how it involved Ben using his past-present knowledge, with popups and Groupon.
It also meant that without the present-day mystery, there was more time to focus on stuff like the Prasads eating at the pizza place and talking about Vikas. That's something you wouldn't see much of in the last twelve episodes. My major regret is that they're doing it 13 episodes in, when they should have been doing it since episode 1.
One thing I do miss is the opening credits, which helped set the mood for the original show. The sappy but inspirational music, and the scenes of Sam Leaping from life to life, are something sadly missing from the new QL. Yes, I even miss the season 5 music. Ask your parents, kids, or catch it on Youtube. There's nothing with the new QL that really helps a viewer (or at least me) ease into the show. Yeah, it's 2022 and networks chase the almighty advertising buck by dropping/minimizing opening credits so they can squeeze more advertising in. But still, sometimes you need opening credits, and for more than winning an Emmy. Opening theme and credits _do_ things, and that's something loss on much modern network TV.
So good things, a more "traditional" QL episode and a bigger chance to tell the story and give Lee and Park some time to act. Bad things: yeah, it wasn't the most "realistic" story, but it's a sf/fantasy. 'Cinderella' wasn't that realistic, either. QL is a fairy tale of sorts, not "realism".
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Quantum Leap: Let Them Play (2023)
Better Than Cats
Yes, I said in an earlier review that I wish they'd do more with Ian, and have Ben jump into him. And they sorta did that, so I suppose that makes me prophetic. Yay!
The episode was good. I'm still not radically impressed with Randall Lee, but he's got the "dull look of surprise" down. Granted, so did Scott Bakula in 'Enterprise', so I suppose Lee learned from a master.
I commented on another show that it's pretty much review-proof, and "Let Them Play" strikes me as the same, albeit for different reasons. It's not like in this day and age you can give a pro-trans story a negative review. Not without getting lots of thumbs down and accusation
"Let Them Play" was... okay. It was a lot less subtle than "Running for Honor" on the original QL. And there I go comparing the two shows again. But dagnabbit, if they don't want the new show to be compared to the old one, give it a different name.
The most interesting part were the bits with Ian. Whether it was his memories involved with the Leap, or Addison taking him into the imaging chamber, or the big reveal at the end that he was a Leaper, it was all pretty impressive. And very time-wimey when you think about it.
As I've noted before, I wish they were doing it on another show not titled 'Quantum Leap', because the original QL was initially more about the characters than the timey-wiminess. And that's a big part of what keep me out of the new show. I would rather find out more about the new characters, or see Ben interacting with the ones in his Leaps, than stuff devoted to the conspiracy and the time-wiminess. "Let Them Play" balanced it better than previous episodes.
As for the main (??) plot, as one reviewer outside of IMB noted, it seemed more like a fairy tale princess ending than anything. Gia gets accepted by Amanda, and Margie, , and the guy sitting next to Miriam, and the mean ole principal gets her legs cut out from her under by her assistant principal who conveniently turns against her. Basically Gia gets everything she wants, and much much more. It's not clear how Ben brought all of that to pass, or even if he did.
And does anyone else find it amusing that half the time when Ben is setting right what once went wrong, it's often his own initial mistakes that he's setting right?
The main thing that puzzles me about the episode is... who is the target audience? I figure the people who are tuning in at 10/9 central are pro-trans. If you're anti-trans, write a review and say so. So it's low-hanging fruit to write a pro-trans story for pro-trans viewers. Wouldn't it be more creative to sway people who oppose your view to your side, rather than write something for people who are already on your side?
Yes, the episode says things that need to be said. But it seems to be saying them to an audience who already knows those things. Say those things to the people who need to hear them? Or are the only people who watch QL "enlightened" viewers?
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Tales from the Darkside: The Odds (1984)
Reminds Me of TZ's 'A Game of Pool'
Both episodes take place entirely in a smoke-filled bars, both have an older man in essentially a battle of wills with a younger one, both emphasize being the best, both have a supernatural element but it's not really the point of the episode, and both have sharp dialogue.
'The Odds' features Danny Aiello as Tommy Vale, a minor league bookie who repeatedly boasts that he's never been broken and he's never been cheated. He says at least twice that he's "the best", and like Fats in 'A Game of Pool', Tommy takes pride in being the best even though it's pretty minor. But like Fats says, it may not be the most important thing in the world but he's the best at it, and that carries a certain cachet.
The episode is sort of 'A Game' looked at from the oldest player's POV. This time it's the younger competitor who shows up, trying to destroy the oldest person. Okay, in 'A Game' there's no such destruction trying to take place, but this is 'Tales From the Darkside', not 'Twilight Zone'.
But you've got good performances from the two main actors. Danny Aiello as the older bookie is top star, with his constant boasting of being the best and never being broken, and the fact that everything he says and does sells that, is the mark of a veteran actor. The contempt in his voice near the end when he tells Lacey he's a cheap loser, and always was, is a thing of beauty.
Tom Noonan, a veteran "Hey, It's That Guy!" and general creepy character actor of the 80s, is also good as the Bold Avenger come back from the grave to "avenge" his own death.
High marks to Robert Weil as Tommy's loyal sidekick Horace and even Michael Quill as Lacey's staring "bodyguard". They have small part, but like they say, there are no small parts, only small actors.
Ditto for the episode. 'Tales' was never a great series, and will never be spoken of in the same hushed tones as most of the 'Twilight Zone's. But when it was hot, it was hot. And 'The Odds' is one of the best.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Quantum Leap: Leap. Die. Repeat. (2023)
Is it Good? Is it Bad?
I'm still on the fence with the new QL. My main problem with it is that...well, it calls itself 'Quantum Leap'. I've said it before and will say it again: only about 33% of it is a remake/reboot/spiritual successor/whatever of the original series. It's got all the trappings, but I don't think that makes it worthy of the name.
So the characters are decent, and this episode has more characterization than most with Woolsey, Eugene (Rory from 'Arrow'!), and Janis. But at the same time it didn't do much for me plotwise. For starters, it's a time loop. Sigh. A time-travel trope that has been done in far too many s.f. Tv shows. And better in stuff like Trek's "Cause and Effect" and Stargate's "Window of Opportunity". This episode didn't really bring anything new to the table. Yes, it had Ben Leaping into different bodies to keep reliving the same scenario. But... so what? Nothing was gained or learned overall from the loop. It seemed like an excuse to bring Janis back in and let her work with the team.
And do a "message" episode. "Ooh, Woolsey is trying to do sustainable energy, but ends up selling out to the military." Don't get me wrong: Picardo is a trooper like he almost always is. And he lightened this episode up more than anyone else. He just didn't have much to work with.
It also strikes me as the kind of thing they would have done in season 5 of the original. More of a ratings grabber than a solid character-driven story. But I just don't know. By the fourth time through the loop, I felt like Ben, who just sat there and shrugged as the reactor blew up again.
Like I said, there was nothing really wrong with the episode. There just wasn't anything "right" with it, either. Nothing that reached out and grabbed me. Even the most boring episode of the original series had one or two bits that could grab me. The new series... nothing. It's there, I don't regret watching it, but it's not must-see TV for me, or my SO.
Also I've noted before in my reviews, Ben is such a dreary lead. He's good enough as a blank slate, and does the occasional little emotional moments well. But there's no sense of... him having fun, for lack of a better word. Like this episode. He Leaps in, faces a crisis, and spends the next 35 minutes dealing with the crisis. Or crises. Maybe next episode, but I suspect they'll let the "message" and the present-time subplots overwhelm Ben's characterization.
I also think the ensemble cast doesn't help Randall Lee much. Just about the time I think he's got a chance to make something of the part.. Blam! We get Ernie Hudson talking about how all the fallout is on him. As much as I like Hudson, I'm not watching QL for him. But ensemble TV in 2023, I guess.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
The Winchesters: Hang On to Your Life (2023)
Ah, the Magic of Richard Speight!
The episode wasn't much other than Speight. Samuel recovers from what was basically a small cut on his chest, there's a drinking game where someone chugs whenever Ada is mentioned, Latika and Carlos investigate a case. We get to see a little more of Samuel... and then he leaves. We find out a little more about Carlos' background, but other than giving him and Latika a little more background (I liked Latika's "Black Sabbath" yell), there wasn't a lot of development. Did any viewer really think Carlos was going to pick Jericho, or anyone else, to die? Or that Carlos would get killed?
Okay, Loki thought that. And the last half, when Loki stepped out from behind the curtain so to speak, was what made the episode probably the best one so far. Speight gave Loki, the "monster of the week", some personality in what has been lacking in the show's monsters so far. Even the bit at the beginning was very... Speight-ish, as he warms his hands over Brock's burning corpse.
There were some other good bits. The whole bit where Loki is teleporting around while offering Carlos "the deal" was nicely choreographed. There was some loose ends: they didn't make it very clear Jericho's hands were damaged, which kinda dulled that plot point. Loki bringing the mirror to the club and leaving it on the table seemed kinda vague. And Loki swapping with Mary was very convenient and left the puzzle of where Mary was when Loki was impersonating her. But the whole fight to Elton John's "Saturday Night is for Fighting" was good.
The climax was a bit weak just because it was predictable as I noted earlier. As is who spared Carlos and trapped Loki. Odin? God? Somebody else? But the show did pretty well as both a prequel to Speight's 'Supernatural' character (who next? A younger Crowley?) and keeping the balls in the air. Nothing really moved forward, other than the bit about the mystery man in the background of one of Samuel's photos. The Mary/Samuel/Millie thing was necessary from a storyline standpoint, but it wasn't that exciting to watch.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Leverage: Redemption: The Belly of the Beast Job (2023)
Not Unexpected
It's the second season of a reboot. Of course the writers and the production staff are going to try something different. As I noted in a review way back, there's not much else to do with the show. Otherwise it follows a particular formula, and they have to follow it. So they either change the formula for an episode, or it's same-old same-old.
As far as the one-off formula, the episode isn't bad. Emily Hall makes a plucky protagonist, with Julian Silver as her plucky IT sidekick. The appearances from the regulars were usually amusing: I liked Eliot' grin as he took over for the front desk security guard, and Parker is always a hoot whether she's doing her disappearing act at the juncture box (along with her cart), or her fake-video over-the-top acting on how to crack a safe, or just dropping out of the ceiling to lend Jenna a hand when Jenna's back is turned.
The singing bit, just to give Aleyse Shannon a spotlight, was okay. Shouldn't she be covertly helping Keith? Sophie was okay, and the Noah Wyle "lumberduke" bit seemed to exist to a) give Wyle another in his endless opportunities to ham it up, and b) take a few shots at Hallmark.
And... I'm not quite clear from an in-universe point of view why the main crew is so big on keeping their help a secret. I guess they're trying to test how well will the civilians do on their own. But then why help them? That doesn't seem like much of a test. It's not like it's some big secret: if Jenna and Keith do join up with Leverage International, they'll eventually find out who the founders are, and that the founders (well, three of them) helped them out. If that happened to me, I'd be more offended than anything. TV reality, I guess.
That's why Harry and Breanna's roles made a bit more sense. Harry doesn't interact with the Dynamic Duo at all, and Breanna has a walk-on and walk-off bit. The funniest parts were Harry's over-the-top impersonation of a "lumberduke", and Jenna's failed attempt to appeal to Carol's conscience.
So the entire plot seems more there to justify doing a "different story" then because it makes internal sense. And if you think about it hard, it doesn't make much sense ("Why was the main team playing secret?"). But it was entertaining in the moment.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Quantum Leap: Paging Dr. Song (2023)
Okay, I Was Hard on QL in my Previous Reviews...
...but then again I wasn't. I get that the new show is trying to carve its own mythology, and build a team of Project members around Ben. And give him an observer who is his fiancee, and there's some big conspiracy/mystery, and so on and so on.
And I won't say any of those are bad, or that the production staff is doing those bad. It's about what I'd expect out of 2022-2023 television.
But...
It's not 'Quantum Leap'. It's more like 'Timeless' from a few years ago. Anyone remember that? The secret conspiracy, and the 2020-type relationships, and such are more like 'Timeless' than 'Quantum Leap' And I can dig that: I _liked_ 'Timeless'. But if the production crew of this show want to do 'Timeless 2', then _do_ 'Timeleas 2'. Don't call it 'Quantum Leap', and try to weld on the 80s show with Bakula and Stockwell, onto what they want to do.
This 'Quantum Leap' feels like the production staff is clunkily welding on the stuff from the old show, onto their new show. But they'd rather be doing 'Timeless 2', or 'Doctor Who' or all of the above, whatever timey-wimeyness they have in mind.
One thing that takes me out of... Quantum Leapiness every time I watch the new show is that... everything has to be narratively related. Last week Addison finds out Ben has been keeping secrets from him, and Ben keeps secrets from Carly until Addison tells him not to. This week Ben has to decide whether to tell people the truth, while Addison is figuratively sitting on his shoulder telling him to do so after he lied to her.
Say what you will about the original QL, it's fractured non-continuity storytelling meant that each adventure with Sam Beckett, the writers didn't have to weave something from the project's present into Sam's current time and storyline because there wasn't a "present" storyline. I think that freed up the old QL and Bakula to just tell stories. The new QL doesn't have that freedom: it's committing itself and half the screen time to telling the present-day conspiracy/mystery story. Instead of Ben, we get Jenn and Janis in a room talking and drinking.
Yeah, that's 2020 storytelling. And that's fine. If the new QL production story wanted to tell me the story they want to tell me, I'd watch it on its own. But it's like they don't have faith in their own story, so they had to bring in the old Q: its basic concept, its title, and its little "nods to history". At least the history of the original.
What about this week's episode. It was... okay. I liked Francois Chou, one of those "Hey, It's That Guy!" actors. Stan Shaw was good, and Eugene Byrd got to play the rather generic big bad administrator of the episode. Tiffany Smith didn't have much to do, and overall it seems like a generic "hospital story" like you'd see on 'ER'. It just didn't seem to amount to much.
In the old QL, they often focused on little victories, like Ben helping an elderly pool player, and playing the piano while he did. That's part of what I miss: Sam just hanging out and having _fun_. Ben never gets a chance to do that. He immediately lands in the middle of a crisis, goes into crisis mode, and pretty much stays in that mode. The new QL doesn't have the sense of awe and mystery. Yeah, I know Ben and Sam only leap mostly in their own timelines. But even then, Bakula always managed to find the wonder in time travel. Lee, not so much. Maybe that's because half the storyline is taken up with the mystery/conspiracy. It's the half we'd get of Ben just being... Ben.
Or take 'Doctor Who'. The Doctor has _fun_ traveling around in time. Ben, not so much. He's grim, grim, grim.
And an episode without Mason Alexander Park is like a day without sunshine. :)
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?