WARNING: This review contains spoilers!
Last night on NBC hit another home run for the television show, Timeless. The brand new episode, "The Kennedy Curse" aired on its usual time slot on Sunday night and not only did the writers bring the energy up for this one, but the show took a new direction from their regular format. It's no surprise Timeless offers just about everything for audiences of all kind. The show offers a great amount of suspense, romantic storylines, and twists and turns that keep the viewer guessing and constantly intrigued. This show is so smart and well-written, that it always keeps the audience wanting more each week.
The usual format for Timeless for the past season and a half so far has been following Lucy (Abigail Spencer), Wyatt (Matt Lanter), and Rufus (Malcolm Barrett) in the time machine to another point in history. The show has taken their fans on epic adventures throughout time like the Hindenburg, the Salem Witch Trials, 1940s Hollywood, and more. One of the most difficult challenges that comes with time travel in television is constantly keeping a balance between present time and past time, but the show has no problem with that at all. The writing flows effortlessly that it never confuses the audience and the characters are easy to keep track of.
While Lucy, Wyatt, and Rufus are a huge part of the show, as well as Flynn (Goran Visjnic) and the entire time team, perhaps one of the most incredible reasons this show stands out is the historical characters they feature every week. "The Kennedy Curse" took so many brilliant risks that it elevated the strength of the already established Timeless energy. Rather than going back in time, Wyatt and Rufus go with Flynn to 1934 to chase Rittenhouse to stop them from killing a young John F. Kennedy. However, in order to protect Kennedy, Wyatt and Rufus kidnap him, leave Flynn behind, and bring Kennedy to present time 2018.
For the past season and a half, Timeless has brought their Time Team to history and last night, the writers brought history to the fans. Each historical character has been magnificent to watch in each episode. From Bonnie and Clyde to Lincoln to Hedy Lamarr and more; the show has created impressive and lovable versions of monumental figures in time. When it comes to introducing such an important historical figure like John F. Kennedy in the show, Timeless didn't disappoint.
Grant Jordan played the beloved young JFK in the episode and blended well with the other Timeless veterans. Kennedy woke up in the bunker and was greeted by a stunned Lucy, who couldn't believe Wyatt and Rufus kidnapped him. When Kennedy asked what was going on, Lucy informs him that someone tried to kill him and his father requested security watch out for him. She tells him that Wyatt and Rufus saved his life, but when they leave the room, something feels off to Kennedy. Lucy goes back into the room later on to find out that Kennedy has escaped the bunker through the air vents.
Wyatt, Lucy, and Wyatt's wife, Jessica form a search party to find Kennedy. At this point, Jessica has been informed of the time traveling Lifeboat in the previous episode and has come back into Wyatt's life, causing some uneasiness between Lucy and Wyatt. Meanwhile, Agent Christopher is kidnapped by Carol (Susanna Thompson) and threatened when she is trying to find out where Kennedy is.
Kennedy has made his way around present time to a gas station and immediately discovers it is the year 2018 from a magazine. He then, meets a few young students and hitches a ride with them to a party. While on the way to the party, Kennedy's issues with his health start to affect him and he ends up in the hospital. Knowing his history very well, Lucy manages to track Kennedy to the hospital with Wyatt and Jessica. The only problem is that Emma (Anna Wersching) tracks Kennedy to the hospital and tries to kill him.
Kennedy makes it to the party with help from his new friends and eventually tells the young girl he is with that he is John F. Kennedy from 1934. Rather than think he is crazy, she indulges his proclamation and she shows Kennedy who he becomes. Kennedy finds out that he becomes President of the United States, but also that his family suffers tragedy after tragedy. Finally, he discovers he is killed two years into his term.
For every moment in this show, the biggest thing that was important to Lucy and the others was to never mess with history. Lucy was the one member of the team who cared the most about keeping the timeline the same. Timeless decided to take an entirely different route and informed a major historical character of his future before it happened. Grant Jordan's genuine reactions to these events came off the screen phenomenally.
His portrayal as one of the most amazing Presidents in the world was real and heartfelt. His character fit in effortlessly with the Timeless cast. The reason this episode made more of an impact on most of the fans was because Timeless has spent the past season and a half following history, but in this episode the show redefined history.
By bringing Kennedy to 2018, the show created an incredible and unique connection between this amazing historical figure and the fans. The idea that a show can profoundly affect viewers in this timeframe by bringing them closer to people who made huge impacts on the world is one of the most impressive and exciting feelings ever.
When they return Kennedy to his time, he asks Lucy if he was a great President. Lucy informs him that he was one of the best. This moment is a real defining point in Lucy's transformation as well because Rufus tells Kennedy to not go to Dallas. He tries to stop Kennedy from being assassinated and while Rufus makes the mistake in telling him the wrong city, Lucy didn't stop Rufus. Lucy wanted Kennedy to change his fate and knowing how strongly she felt about keeping history the same, watching her make that kind of decision shows how passionately she felt about this amazing human being.
When fans feel that connection with the main characters, when they sense the passion and admiration that Lucy and Rufus have for Kennedy and what he accomplished, it is heartbreaking. Because Timeless has redefined a moment in history for an entire generation that brought them closer to John F. Kennedy himself.
That is the impressive and beautiful thing about this show. Watching it every week is a Timeless Connection to History.
You can catch Timeless on NBC on Sunday night at 10/9c.
Monday, April 16, 2018
Saturday, April 14, 2018
Timeless: Making a Mark on History
Warning: This post contains spoilers!
Back in 2009, around that timeframe, NBC had an action-packed comedy series premiere called Chuck starring Zachary Levi (Tangled, DC's Shazam). The show had aired for two seasons and then after the season two finale, NBC was putting Chuck up on the chopping block until a fan campaign with Zachary Levi and Subway at the forefront saved the series for another three seasons.
After the cancellation of Timeless, the loyal fanbase gained from season one banned together for another campaign against NBC's decision. With their dedication and efforts, the show was given a second season on the network and has recently started airing their new episodes. This show's tribute to historical moments throughout the years is phenomenal.
For those who don't know the show very well, Timeless follows three main characters: Lucy (Abigail Spencer), Wyatt (Matt Lanter), and Rufus (Malcolm Barrett). The team is brought together in season one to chase after Garcia Flynn (Goran Višnjić) who steals a time machine from Mason Industries. Flynn makes it his mission to travel throughout time to stop certain things from happening in an effort to take down the organization called Rittenhouse. Without knowing his exact intentions, the Department of Homeland Security puts together the team of Lucy, Wyatt, and Rufus in order to stop Flynn. In the first season, Flynn is portrayed as the enemy when slowly it is revealed that Rittenhouse is the real threat.
When the series returned for their second season, the Time Team started off separated as Lucy was missing and Wyatt and Rufus were desperately trying to recover from an explosion that occurred at Mason Industries. Wyatt and Rufus work together with Agent Christopher (Sakina Jaffrey), Jiya Marri (Claudia Doumit), and Connor Mason (Paterson Joseph) to get Lucy home by taking the other time machine back in time to save her. Lucy has been kidnapped by her mother who turned out to be Rittenhouse and is being forced to go throughout time to work for them. When Wyatt and Rufus reunite with Lucy, they discover that Rittenhouse has planted agents throughout history to disrupt the order of time. Even after Lucy is rescued, it appears now the Time Team is going head to head in a literal race against time with Rittenhouse to stop their agents from threatening history itself.
Currently, the show has thrown amazing twists and turns at the audience by resurrecting Wyatt's dead wife, Jessica, which causes a bit of a rift between him and Lucy. Fans knew in the past that there was a romantic connection between the two leads and just when the writers gave the fans a taste of Lucy and Wyatt, they took it away. With Wyatt stepping down in the recent episode, the Time Team needed another partner to join the trip to the Salem Witch Trials. They instilled the help of prisoner, Garcia Flynn, who was captured at the end of season one.
The show did start off finding its own footing throughout season one and was in a competitive race with other shows that aired around the same timeframe like Time After Time. However, coming into season two has clearly shown the fans that Timeless isn't going down without a fight. Season Two offers a great sense of energy. The show is fast-paced with interesting twists and turns, strong character developments, and exciting adventures.
Timeless stands out with well-written characters brilliantly performed by the actors in the role. Abigail Spencer is strong, confident, and empowering in her role as Lucy. Spencer dominates her scenes with grace and intelligence. Just recently Lucy has gone through some powerful and heartbreaking character transformations as her mother is a part of Rittenhouse and has numerous times betrayed her own daughter. Watching Spencer deliver the heartbreak and pain that Lucy feels for what she's going through is absolutely stunning. She has a real connection to the audience and it is clear that Spencer has helped embody a character that fans really respect and adore. This season also has given Spencer a chance to show off her singing ability in a recent 1940s Hollywood episode.
Time Team members Wyatt and Rufus have had to go through a bit of a transformation as well. Lanter's character has gone through heartache when he thought he lost Lucy and then discovered his true feelings for her. While Wyatt still remains determined, stubborn, and strong, he's also been more reckless and emotional this season. Matt Lanter is absolutely powerful in these more emotional scenes, which is no surprise as his experience in drama television is extensive. There is undeniable chemistry between Spencer and Lanter when Lucy and Wyatt are together and it is written in a way where it doesn't overpower the actual purpose of the series. Sometimes two characters' love story can overpower a show and this one definitely doesn't take away from what makes Timeless special.
Malcolm Barrett has continued to offer his comedic sense of timing in the role of Rufus, but has also become more of the leader of the group. Rufus is the one who continues to keep the team grounded, provides a support system for what Jiya is going through, and has an admirable loyalty to the entire team. Rufus is currently going through a change of his own, starting to experience the dark sides of messing with time travel. Whenever Barrett is on the scene, he not only dominates with his humor, but his heart and his honesty.
Just recently, Goran Višnjić has come back into the Time Team as ally, Flynn, and has immediately offered an unorthodox, but refreshing energy to the team. While they spent an entire year chasing after Flynn, having him on the team now makes the dynamic on the show more unpredictable and exciting. It is clear that Višnjić brings great fire to the role and there is no doubt fans are eager to see how his connection with Lucy plays out this season.
Timeless clearly shows their appreciation and love of history throughout the series by not only creating these incredible and strong characters, but by doing historical figures justice. The characters throughout time that are brought onto this show are portrayed in such a pure and honorable way that it seems fans can really find a new appreciation for history. The show connects people to these characters as if they could have actually lived in that timeframe and been a part of that moment. Timeless also does this through their brilliant wardrobe team and production design.
The cast and crew is also dedicated to their product, which means a lot to their fans. Constantly, the cast keeps their connection to their loyal fanbase by participating in live Twitter postings and sharing BTS photos from the set. Their love and passion for the show, not to mention their off-screen friendships with each other add to the spirit and heart of Timeless and is apparent whenever they are on screen together.
Overall, Kripke and Ryan have brought a new appreciation to history and have done it in such an exciting way that makes it enjoyable for everyone. The characters are well-written, especially in season two, and the storyline continues to flow effortlessly in a fresh way. Hopefully NBC doesn't make the same mistake twice and cancel Timeless as there is a chance a fan campaign won't keep the show afloat for a second time.
At this point, the only way to save Timeless is to continue to watch it on NBC every Sunday at 10/9c.
Friday, April 13, 2018
Alex, Inc is the New Show the World Needs
Alex, Inc tells the story of a 37-year-old father and husband who quits his job at a company called Cheer Up because they constantly enforce a positive based product. The series is based on a podcast called "StartUp" from Gimlet Media. The show follows Alex Schuman, played by the charming and talented Zach Braff, as he makes the decision to start his own podcast company while maintaining his personal life as a husband and a father to two children. Zach Braff is at the helm of this series not only as an actor, but as a director and an executive producer as well. Prior to the series airing, Braff's passion and love for the series was clear from his constant support on his social media accounts. After watching the first three episodes of the series, it is no surprise as to why Braff is proud of the series. In a time where a lot of negativity has been going around and a lot of struggle, Alex, Inc offers a refreshing break from all of that. It is charming, funny, heartwarming, and creative. Fans of Zach Braff can gain that sense of Scrubs familiarity as Braff incorporates his voice-over narration through the episodes like he used to do as J.D. Dorian.
Braff's humor is also familiar to Dorian's. Rather, his portrayal of Alex Schuman is pretty much effortless as if the character was someone he was born to play. In any scene, Braff is natural, fun, and genuine. Schuman is a lovable father, husband, and friend who has a great sense of humor and a wonderful outlook on life. Not only does Braff's talents light up the screen and make this show special, but the cast he is surrounded by add to the greatness of this series.
Tiya Sircar plays Alex Schuman's wife, Rooni, a lawyer and a fierce woman. It's refreshing to see Sircar portray a female lead that represents not only a supportive partner for Alex, but one that challenges him and believes in him. Sircar offers a sense of grace to the role as well as assertiveness that is not so overpowering. The first three episodes already also prove the heart of the series comes from Schuman's kids, Ben and Soraya, played by Elisha Henig and Audyssie James. Alex Schuman, in the past three episodes, has found a lot of inspiration from his children, making the relationship between his kids and himself all that more special to watch. Braff's family man persona is warm and lighthearted and the strength of the show is apparent whenever the entire family is on screen.
To balance out the family aspect of the series, Alex Schuman works at his podcast office alongside his two teammates, Deidra and Eddie, played by Hillary Anne Matthews and Michael Imperioli. Deidra is a producer and appears to keep Alex more on the ground, offering up ideas that are reasonable and beneficial to the podcast. She also has an adorably and slightly creepy infatuation with Alex, but who wouldn't? Zach Braff has always been a charming fellow. Meanwhile, Alex's second cousin, Eddie, is a bit more extreme. He is the one who challenges Alex and sometimes makes his job tougher. There is always a necessity for someone to push a lead into doing things that they normally wouldn't do and Eddie is that catalyst for Alex. This is apparent when Eddie builds a booth to record the podcast in since the office they work in is noisy and has multiple start-up businesses.The show offers a subtle humor that isn't trying too hard to be funny. Each character is written so well that they hold their own without needing to steal from another character's energy or spotlight. Zach Braff truly has something to be proud of along with creator Matt Tarses.
Alex, Inc is a refreshing break from all of the regular television on air right now. While superhero shows are great and the surplus of cop shows, medical dramas, and sitcoms that seem too hard to be like each other are filling up the time slots, this isn't a show that should fall behind on ABC. In fact, it should be considered at the forefront of most currently. Fans can find a lot of familiarity with a mid-life crisis, but also develop a genuine connection with these characters as they are your neighbors, friends, and family. While one great reason to watch the series is the at-home feel of Braff's monologue narrations and his light, genuine humor, it is truly the heart in this show that makes it worthwhile. ABC has a winner on their hands with this show and here's to hoping that they do not make the mistake in letting this one go. And might I say, the dad look looks great on you, Mr. Braff!
You can unwind from your stress and troubles by tuning into Alex, Inc at 8:30 PM EST on ABC every Wednesday night.
Saturday, March 10, 2018
This is Us, This is Real, This is Genuine
SPOILER ALERT: THIS IS US SPOILERS!
One of the most honest and most brilliant shows on television right now is NBC's This is Us. It stars Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Justin Hartley, Chrissy Metz, and Sterling K. Brown. The show centers around the lives of five characters taking place over a certain period of time. In the first episode, fans come onto Kevin, Kate, and Randall Pearson (Hartley, Metz, and Brown) celebrating their 36th birthday in the present time. The three of them are siblings and we immediately see that they are trying to figure out their lives. The show also shows flashbacks following the lives of Jack and Rebecca Pearson (Ventimiglia and Moore), the parents of Kevin, Kate, and Randall. Rebecca is pregnant with triplets and when she gives birth to her children, one of them doesn't make it in the birth. Jack Pearson sees that a baby has been abandoned and left at the hospital on the same day his kids are born. Jack and Rebecca take Randall in to raise him as part of their family.
In the present day, we discover that Jack Pearson is no longer alive and Rebecca is married to Jack's friend. Kevin struggles to redefine his identity as he is a famous comedic actor on a television show he doesn't like anymore. When he has a breakdown on the show and quits, Kevin must figure out what he wants to do with his life and what direction he wants to go in. Kate currently holds a job as a waitress and she struggles with her weight. Randall has two children and a wife in a house that he built, living a life he earned from hard work and school, but he decides to find his biological father who abandoned him and ends up rekindling a bond that he lost.
The show is currently on its second season and is airing the season two finale. The fate of the show is unknown right now, but judging on how incredibly compelling the series is, there is no doubt fans will see more of the Pearson family.
This is Us is beautifully written and also very well casted. Each of the characters are relatable, compelling, and real. This story is about struggle, love, friendship, family, having faith, and learning to go through the trials of life together. These are characters that you can be friends with and have real conversations with. They resemble your neighbors, your family, and your friends.
Fans immediately connect to this show at the beginning when they go through the midlife crisis with Kevin (Hartley) as he quits a show that has pretty much defined his whole identity. When he takes a chance on abandoning that identity, he has to begin this journey to find out who he really wants to be and many people can relate to that in real life.
On one hand, you also have Kate (Metz) who is in a weight loss group. She works as a waitress and she has big dreams that she let go of. She wants to be a singer, but her whole life has also been put on the back burner by insecurities and fears. When she meets this joyful and genuine spirit in her weight loss group, Toby (Chris Sullivan), she starts to fall in love and find a way to love herself too.
Randall Pearson (Brown) is this hardworking father married to Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson) who has spent his entire life being different from his brother and sister. When he tracks down his biological father, he starts to form a bond with him. Randall brings his father into his family and transforms the people around him.
In the flashbacks, Jack goes through alcoholism and growing up with a judgmental father who also struggled with alcoholism. Jack works a dead end job he doesn't really love, but he makes the sacrifice to provide for his family even though he had dreams of his own. Meanwhile, Rebecca raises three children and she wants to pursue her dreams as a performer and go on tour singing. Together, as a married couple, they struggle to be parents while pursuing their own dreams.
These are every day, real, honest struggles among families and friends. These characters create such a genuine and pure show that makes it so incredible to watch every week. Perhaps one of the most amazing storylines that has happened so far is in the newer season. The show has picked up considerably with storylines.
Kevin had inherited his father's alcoholism when his career had started to fall apart. He ended up becoming dangerous to his friends and family and he was losing a huge part of himself. In one particular episode, Hartley had really went above and beyond in being raw and heartbreakingly beautiful when Kevin was desperate to find his father's necklace, begging a girl he slept with outside of her house to find it for him. He, at that point, was beyond repair and it was an incredible performance to see come across the screen. Many people have experienced hopelessness and heartbreak to that capacity. Kevin has never really dealt with his father's death because we discover later in season two that on the day of his father's death, he wasn't home. With his identity being one thing his whole life, it's understandable that his childhood follows him into his adult life because he spent his childhood trying to be the star of the family. He was in football and he got injured during a game and lost his chance to be a great athlete, so he had to redefine his identity early on. Kevin was also always the alienated sibling of the family as he never had a close relationship with his father or mother.
In regards to Kate's experience with her childhood, every person has experienced this before as well. Growing up, she wasn't perfect and she hated shopping with her mother or even talking about beauty with her mother because in her eyes, Rebecca was absolutely stunning. Rebecca had a beautiful singing voice, thin body, and a gorgeous face. Meanwhile, Kate's dad, Jack, always saw Kate as this beautiful, strong woman. He always endorsed her singing and believed in her more than anyone. You can immediately tell that Jack and Kate had a strong bond. Into adulthood, Kate carries her insecurities with her weight and she doesn't pursue singing because of her mother. She never felt good enough and she also carries blame into her adult life for her father's death as she left her dog behind in the house fire and Jack ran back in to save the dog. (No. He didn't die in the fire.) You can see as Kate talks to her mother when she's older that she still doesn't want to tell Rebecca that she sings or that she had a miscarriage. However, when Kate experiences her miscarriage it creates a closeness between her mother and her when Rebecca shares what she went through when she lost her other son, Kyle.
Randall's life seems perfect almost. He has this strong, supportive wife who sometimes can seem abrasive and non-supportive. He has two talented daughters and a beautiful house that he built. Randall has a good job that pays him well. Growing up he was the intelligent and responsible sibling who always received relentless support from his father and mother. However, he had a strained relationship with Kevin as they never got along and his bond with Kate was better since she always saw Randall as this amazing person. Despite having a good childhood, Randall knew he was different from his siblings because of his color. He wanted to know who his biological father was so when he turns 36, Randall tracks his father down and shares how angry he is about being left at the fire station. When Randall gets to know his father, he realizes that he was missing a piece of himself for most of his life. Currently, Randall took it upon himself to leave his job and find more meaning after his father died of cancer. Randall wanted to do the same thing his mother did for him and take a foster kid in, which causes some ups and downs in his family.
Out of every character in the show, it appears clear that the heart of the entire series is Jack Pearson. Rather than make him a distant memory, the show has built the entire framework around Jack Pearson. He is truly the heart and soul of the series. Jack is a hardworking father with flaws, but above all his family always comes first. When he reaches the point of his life where his alcoholism starts to affect his family, Jack doesn't hide from his wife and kids. He is honest with them and he promises to work on his addiction. With the support of his family, Jack starts to heal and he finds ways to combat his vice. Through this transformation, Jack becomes stronger for it and the fans can relate to his inner demons. However, Jack is also loving, forgiving, and beyond supportive. He gives the whole world to Rebecca and supports her endeavors as she does his. They are a strong couple that combat the world's challenges as a team. Whenever Kate doubts herself, Jack is there by her side reminding her how incredibly talented and beautiful she is. Jack constantly represents what a good man is for his family simply because of the love and strength he instills in everyone around him.
Perhaps it's heartbreaking when Super Bowl aired the episode which started the heartbreaking story of how Jack is no longer alive. On the night of the Super Bowl, Jack Pearson clearly tries to bring his family together for an important event, but by then, his kids are 17 years old and would rather do something other than spend time with family. Kate leaves. Randall has a girlfriend. Kevin is with his girlfriend. It leaves Jack to celebrate with his wife, Rebecca, but it's heartbreaking to watch as Jack wants a little more time with his kids. The sacrifice he also makes to rescue Kate and Randall from the fire and help them get out of the house with Rebecca shows how incredible this character really is.
Jack Pearson is selfless. He's honest. He's loving. He's strong. He's truly the heart and soul of this entire show and the reason I believe This is Us holds up well as one of the best shows of all time.
The season two finale airs on NBC on Tuesday, March 13.
One of the most honest and most brilliant shows on television right now is NBC's This is Us. It stars Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Justin Hartley, Chrissy Metz, and Sterling K. Brown. The show centers around the lives of five characters taking place over a certain period of time. In the first episode, fans come onto Kevin, Kate, and Randall Pearson (Hartley, Metz, and Brown) celebrating their 36th birthday in the present time. The three of them are siblings and we immediately see that they are trying to figure out their lives. The show also shows flashbacks following the lives of Jack and Rebecca Pearson (Ventimiglia and Moore), the parents of Kevin, Kate, and Randall. Rebecca is pregnant with triplets and when she gives birth to her children, one of them doesn't make it in the birth. Jack Pearson sees that a baby has been abandoned and left at the hospital on the same day his kids are born. Jack and Rebecca take Randall in to raise him as part of their family.
In the present day, we discover that Jack Pearson is no longer alive and Rebecca is married to Jack's friend. Kevin struggles to redefine his identity as he is a famous comedic actor on a television show he doesn't like anymore. When he has a breakdown on the show and quits, Kevin must figure out what he wants to do with his life and what direction he wants to go in. Kate currently holds a job as a waitress and she struggles with her weight. Randall has two children and a wife in a house that he built, living a life he earned from hard work and school, but he decides to find his biological father who abandoned him and ends up rekindling a bond that he lost.
The show is currently on its second season and is airing the season two finale. The fate of the show is unknown right now, but judging on how incredibly compelling the series is, there is no doubt fans will see more of the Pearson family.
This is Us is beautifully written and also very well casted. Each of the characters are relatable, compelling, and real. This story is about struggle, love, friendship, family, having faith, and learning to go through the trials of life together. These are characters that you can be friends with and have real conversations with. They resemble your neighbors, your family, and your friends.
Fans immediately connect to this show at the beginning when they go through the midlife crisis with Kevin (Hartley) as he quits a show that has pretty much defined his whole identity. When he takes a chance on abandoning that identity, he has to begin this journey to find out who he really wants to be and many people can relate to that in real life.
On one hand, you also have Kate (Metz) who is in a weight loss group. She works as a waitress and she has big dreams that she let go of. She wants to be a singer, but her whole life has also been put on the back burner by insecurities and fears. When she meets this joyful and genuine spirit in her weight loss group, Toby (Chris Sullivan), she starts to fall in love and find a way to love herself too.
Randall Pearson (Brown) is this hardworking father married to Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson) who has spent his entire life being different from his brother and sister. When he tracks down his biological father, he starts to form a bond with him. Randall brings his father into his family and transforms the people around him.
In the flashbacks, Jack goes through alcoholism and growing up with a judgmental father who also struggled with alcoholism. Jack works a dead end job he doesn't really love, but he makes the sacrifice to provide for his family even though he had dreams of his own. Meanwhile, Rebecca raises three children and she wants to pursue her dreams as a performer and go on tour singing. Together, as a married couple, they struggle to be parents while pursuing their own dreams.
These are every day, real, honest struggles among families and friends. These characters create such a genuine and pure show that makes it so incredible to watch every week. Perhaps one of the most amazing storylines that has happened so far is in the newer season. The show has picked up considerably with storylines.
Kevin had inherited his father's alcoholism when his career had started to fall apart. He ended up becoming dangerous to his friends and family and he was losing a huge part of himself. In one particular episode, Hartley had really went above and beyond in being raw and heartbreakingly beautiful when Kevin was desperate to find his father's necklace, begging a girl he slept with outside of her house to find it for him. He, at that point, was beyond repair and it was an incredible performance to see come across the screen. Many people have experienced hopelessness and heartbreak to that capacity. Kevin has never really dealt with his father's death because we discover later in season two that on the day of his father's death, he wasn't home. With his identity being one thing his whole life, it's understandable that his childhood follows him into his adult life because he spent his childhood trying to be the star of the family. He was in football and he got injured during a game and lost his chance to be a great athlete, so he had to redefine his identity early on. Kevin was also always the alienated sibling of the family as he never had a close relationship with his father or mother.
In regards to Kate's experience with her childhood, every person has experienced this before as well. Growing up, she wasn't perfect and she hated shopping with her mother or even talking about beauty with her mother because in her eyes, Rebecca was absolutely stunning. Rebecca had a beautiful singing voice, thin body, and a gorgeous face. Meanwhile, Kate's dad, Jack, always saw Kate as this beautiful, strong woman. He always endorsed her singing and believed in her more than anyone. You can immediately tell that Jack and Kate had a strong bond. Into adulthood, Kate carries her insecurities with her weight and she doesn't pursue singing because of her mother. She never felt good enough and she also carries blame into her adult life for her father's death as she left her dog behind in the house fire and Jack ran back in to save the dog. (No. He didn't die in the fire.) You can see as Kate talks to her mother when she's older that she still doesn't want to tell Rebecca that she sings or that she had a miscarriage. However, when Kate experiences her miscarriage it creates a closeness between her mother and her when Rebecca shares what she went through when she lost her other son, Kyle.
Randall's life seems perfect almost. He has this strong, supportive wife who sometimes can seem abrasive and non-supportive. He has two talented daughters and a beautiful house that he built. Randall has a good job that pays him well. Growing up he was the intelligent and responsible sibling who always received relentless support from his father and mother. However, he had a strained relationship with Kevin as they never got along and his bond with Kate was better since she always saw Randall as this amazing person. Despite having a good childhood, Randall knew he was different from his siblings because of his color. He wanted to know who his biological father was so when he turns 36, Randall tracks his father down and shares how angry he is about being left at the fire station. When Randall gets to know his father, he realizes that he was missing a piece of himself for most of his life. Currently, Randall took it upon himself to leave his job and find more meaning after his father died of cancer. Randall wanted to do the same thing his mother did for him and take a foster kid in, which causes some ups and downs in his family.
Out of every character in the show, it appears clear that the heart of the entire series is Jack Pearson. Rather than make him a distant memory, the show has built the entire framework around Jack Pearson. He is truly the heart and soul of the series. Jack is a hardworking father with flaws, but above all his family always comes first. When he reaches the point of his life where his alcoholism starts to affect his family, Jack doesn't hide from his wife and kids. He is honest with them and he promises to work on his addiction. With the support of his family, Jack starts to heal and he finds ways to combat his vice. Through this transformation, Jack becomes stronger for it and the fans can relate to his inner demons. However, Jack is also loving, forgiving, and beyond supportive. He gives the whole world to Rebecca and supports her endeavors as she does his. They are a strong couple that combat the world's challenges as a team. Whenever Kate doubts herself, Jack is there by her side reminding her how incredibly talented and beautiful she is. Jack constantly represents what a good man is for his family simply because of the love and strength he instills in everyone around him.
Perhaps it's heartbreaking when Super Bowl aired the episode which started the heartbreaking story of how Jack is no longer alive. On the night of the Super Bowl, Jack Pearson clearly tries to bring his family together for an important event, but by then, his kids are 17 years old and would rather do something other than spend time with family. Kate leaves. Randall has a girlfriend. Kevin is with his girlfriend. It leaves Jack to celebrate with his wife, Rebecca, but it's heartbreaking to watch as Jack wants a little more time with his kids. The sacrifice he also makes to rescue Kate and Randall from the fire and help them get out of the house with Rebecca shows how incredible this character really is.
Jack Pearson is selfless. He's honest. He's loving. He's strong. He's truly the heart and soul of this entire show and the reason I believe This is Us holds up well as one of the best shows of all time.
The season two finale airs on NBC on Tuesday, March 13.
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
Lucifer: The Devilish Charmer of FOX
One of television's most devilishly charming series on air currently is Fox's Lucifer, starring Tom Ellis as the wickedly good-looking and charismatic Lucifer Morningstar. The television series has been on air for three seasons so far and continues. On Camera with Kam gives Lucifer a five-star rating and highly recommends watching the series. However, before tuning in to the show, here is the basis of what is going on in case this particular story isn't suitable for your preferences.
WARNING: Potential spoilers involved.
Lucifer tells the story of the Devil himself, Lucifer Morningstar, after the fall from Heaven and his escape from Hell. Lucifer decides to leave Hell to live in Los Angeles and break free from running the prison he was cast to. Now it is advisable to not go into a show such as Lucifer and watch it with the intent of expecting it to remain factual to Christianity or the Bible. In no way does the show promote to worship a certain religion or worship Satan himself. Therefore, it is recommended that the show be watched purely for enjoyment and nothing more.
What is exactly involved? Tom Ellis plays Lucifer, the Devil, the King of Hell, and the fallen son of God. Ellis' portrayal of Lucifer is witty, charming, and sensitive. For a huge portion of the show, Lucifer is what most people are familiar with. He is over-the-top, manipulative, selfish, and vindictive, but he does it with flare and humor. He also owns a club in Los Angeles called Lux. He is an admirer of the good life and definitely endorses sin when sin is committed, but he also punishes the evil. Lucifer doesn't threaten or attack those who do good. In fact, he is a very complex character underneath all of the flare and charm.
Lucifer has a deep emotional element to his character that Tom Ellis plays with such vulnerability and honesty. He struggles with the world expecting him to be one way, but despite his darkness, Lucifer cares about people. Lucifer cares for his angel brothers. Lucifer cares about his family.
His character also connects with a special woman, Detective Chloe Decker played by Lauren German. Throughout the series, Lucifer and Chloe develop an intimate bond with each other as Lucifer becomes fascinated with the fact that Chloe is pure of heart and isn't affected by his charms.
In the first episode, fans immediately see Lucifer's effects on others around him. He has a special kind of power to bring out people's deepest desires and confess the truth to him. However, Chloe Decker is the one person in his life that is unaffected by Lucifer's power. This encourages Lucifer to become Chloe's partner and work alongside her with the LAPD in the homicide department. Together, they solve cases and Lucifer helps Chloe by using his connections with the city and his charm.
Now from the beginning Lucifer admits to Chloe that he is the Devil. Lucifer immediately tells the truth not only to Chloe, but to mostly everyone, but seeing as how insane it sounds, most of the characters don't really believe him. Lucifer even forms a bond with a therapist named Linda Martin (Rachael Harris), whom he goes to for advice and she indulges what she calls delusions. Lucifer is also invulnerable to death, therefore, can't be killed by mortal weapons. However, there is one exception discovered. Whenever he is around Chloe Decker, Lucifer is capable of dying because somehow she makes him human.
Aside from the procedural aspect of the show in regards to following Chloe and Lucifer on a case by case episode, Lucifer also delivers on massive story arcs each season. These particular story arcs involve Lucifer's past and his constant battle with Heaven and Hell. Lucifer's battles with angels and demons sometimes interfere with his life as a consultant for the LAPD which presents great challenges for him to overcome. Perhaps one of the most interesting elements of the show is Lucifer's humanity.
One of the qualities to notice about Lucifer is how in this particular show, Lucifer doesn't kill people. He might punish evil and he does torture humans who have been sent to Hell, but he never kills them. Part of the reason for this is that Lucifer is still, to his core, an angel, despite being cast out of Heaven and cutting off his wings. According to the show, angels do not kill humans and it appears Lucifer chooses to not kill because of his connection to humanity. While he does partake in sins of other sorts, his bond with Chloe and his time on Earth helps him get in touch with the good inside of him. This tortures him as he struggles with being the Devil and being a good person. When Lucifer does kill, it is clear that it destroys him inside as Tom Ellis delivers a masterful performance with vulnerability and sensitivity.
For those who might be afraid that because the show centers around Lucifer, the Devil himself, do not go into the series believing it will partake in the worship of Satan as he is the epicenter of the series. In no way does On Camera with Kam promote a specific religion by endorsing Lucifer. Simply, five stars is for good story and character development, wonderful cast performances, and interesting subplots. Television isn't real, folks. There's no need to type this at the end, but there is always one person who might compare this show to worshipping Satan. Just watch television for what it is: Entertainment.
If one can't tell the difference between real and fake, don't watch it.
Now, Lucifer is five stars for us. Absolutely phenomenal!
WARNING: Potential spoilers involved.
Lucifer tells the story of the Devil himself, Lucifer Morningstar, after the fall from Heaven and his escape from Hell. Lucifer decides to leave Hell to live in Los Angeles and break free from running the prison he was cast to. Now it is advisable to not go into a show such as Lucifer and watch it with the intent of expecting it to remain factual to Christianity or the Bible. In no way does the show promote to worship a certain religion or worship Satan himself. Therefore, it is recommended that the show be watched purely for enjoyment and nothing more.
What is exactly involved? Tom Ellis plays Lucifer, the Devil, the King of Hell, and the fallen son of God. Ellis' portrayal of Lucifer is witty, charming, and sensitive. For a huge portion of the show, Lucifer is what most people are familiar with. He is over-the-top, manipulative, selfish, and vindictive, but he does it with flare and humor. He also owns a club in Los Angeles called Lux. He is an admirer of the good life and definitely endorses sin when sin is committed, but he also punishes the evil. Lucifer doesn't threaten or attack those who do good. In fact, he is a very complex character underneath all of the flare and charm.
Lucifer has a deep emotional element to his character that Tom Ellis plays with such vulnerability and honesty. He struggles with the world expecting him to be one way, but despite his darkness, Lucifer cares about people. Lucifer cares for his angel brothers. Lucifer cares about his family.
His character also connects with a special woman, Detective Chloe Decker played by Lauren German. Throughout the series, Lucifer and Chloe develop an intimate bond with each other as Lucifer becomes fascinated with the fact that Chloe is pure of heart and isn't affected by his charms.
In the first episode, fans immediately see Lucifer's effects on others around him. He has a special kind of power to bring out people's deepest desires and confess the truth to him. However, Chloe Decker is the one person in his life that is unaffected by Lucifer's power. This encourages Lucifer to become Chloe's partner and work alongside her with the LAPD in the homicide department. Together, they solve cases and Lucifer helps Chloe by using his connections with the city and his charm.
Now from the beginning Lucifer admits to Chloe that he is the Devil. Lucifer immediately tells the truth not only to Chloe, but to mostly everyone, but seeing as how insane it sounds, most of the characters don't really believe him. Lucifer even forms a bond with a therapist named Linda Martin (Rachael Harris), whom he goes to for advice and she indulges what she calls delusions. Lucifer is also invulnerable to death, therefore, can't be killed by mortal weapons. However, there is one exception discovered. Whenever he is around Chloe Decker, Lucifer is capable of dying because somehow she makes him human.
Aside from the procedural aspect of the show in regards to following Chloe and Lucifer on a case by case episode, Lucifer also delivers on massive story arcs each season. These particular story arcs involve Lucifer's past and his constant battle with Heaven and Hell. Lucifer's battles with angels and demons sometimes interfere with his life as a consultant for the LAPD which presents great challenges for him to overcome. Perhaps one of the most interesting elements of the show is Lucifer's humanity.
One of the qualities to notice about Lucifer is how in this particular show, Lucifer doesn't kill people. He might punish evil and he does torture humans who have been sent to Hell, but he never kills them. Part of the reason for this is that Lucifer is still, to his core, an angel, despite being cast out of Heaven and cutting off his wings. According to the show, angels do not kill humans and it appears Lucifer chooses to not kill because of his connection to humanity. While he does partake in sins of other sorts, his bond with Chloe and his time on Earth helps him get in touch with the good inside of him. This tortures him as he struggles with being the Devil and being a good person. When Lucifer does kill, it is clear that it destroys him inside as Tom Ellis delivers a masterful performance with vulnerability and sensitivity.
For those who might be afraid that because the show centers around Lucifer, the Devil himself, do not go into the series believing it will partake in the worship of Satan as he is the epicenter of the series. In no way does On Camera with Kam promote a specific religion by endorsing Lucifer. Simply, five stars is for good story and character development, wonderful cast performances, and interesting subplots. Television isn't real, folks. There's no need to type this at the end, but there is always one person who might compare this show to worshipping Satan. Just watch television for what it is: Entertainment.
If one can't tell the difference between real and fake, don't watch it.
Now, Lucifer is five stars for us. Absolutely phenomenal!
Friday, December 1, 2017
Superheroes in Film & Television
Let's talk about the many faces of the superhero. Specifically, let's draw the attention on film and television adaptations. For years, the film and television industry have made various adaptations on superheroes and in line of the recent release of Avengers: Infinity War trailer, there are a few things to capitalize on here.
First off, despite there being a Marvel versus DC battle in the comics, there should be no comparison of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to the DC Cinematic Universe. There should also be no comparison to any of the television universes either. The reason this is important to note is because Justice League was just released in theaters. The tone of the Marvel films are extremely different from DC films. Marvel tends to be colorful and light-hearted. The witty banter between The Avengers team does make it easy to love the characters because they seem relatable. The Avengers come off like a group of people you would want to hang out with at a party because of who they are without their superhero personas.
Marvel also had time to develop the personalities of each individual Avenger for a good amount of years. Tony Stark led the charge in Iron Man and Robert Downey Jr. immediately embodied him in every way. Now that Downey has spent a long time being Stark, the fans associate the character's personality to the actor. Chris Evans is another example of an actor who embodies their superhero persona. In every sense, Captain America's courage, honesty, and heart is a picturesque version of the actor himself. Marvel had the sense to specifically search for actors who are not just physically the image of their superhero personas, but similar to them in personality. This project was long established by Marvel way before Iron Man. After the release of Iron Man, Captain America: The First Avenger, and Thor, the characters had already been given a platform to grow and develop.
Taking a look at DC, the tone is very different. Christopher Nolan helped reshape Batman with Christian Bale's portrayal for three films. Bale played a different Bruce Wayne because of the platforms he was given. Ben Affleck's Batman first came into the story with Batman vs. Superman, therefore, not giving him a stand alone film of his own to develop a relationship with his audience. Understanding that this is very important in story development is crucial in separating comparisons when going to the cinema. Affleck had the challenge of presenting his Bruce Wayne for the first time ever sharing the screen with Henry Cavill's Superman. Cavill had already had the ability to introduce his Superman to the world in the stand alone Man of Steel. It wasn't until Affleck had the chance to take on a more leadership role in Justice League that helped him find his footing. For fans, it's easy to connect with characters that have established a relationship with their audience for what seems like a lifetime of films.
For example, fans got to know Tony Stark in three stand alone Iron Man films. Like in television, when the fans have the chance to go through that journey with a character, it's easier to reach them on a personal level.
DC, in an effort to bring in the Justice League team so soon has hit some bumps in the road. The film was well shot and the tone matched the familiarity of Christopher Nolan. However, the lack of connection to characters hurt the film. Jason Momoa, while doing a brilliant portrayal of Arthur Curry, had not been introduced prior to the film. Gal Gadot was instantly supported by her stand alone film Wonder Woman and her first appearance in Batman vs. Superman. The fans did meet Ezra Miller's Barry Allen for a brief moment in Suicide Squad, but according to reviews, some of the fans didn't like how childish Barry came off.
This is where I can shift gears and explain why comparisons can't be necessary just yet.
Example One: Tobey Maguire vs. Andrew Garfield vs. Tom Holland
When Civil War came out, Tom Holland was finally given his first film debut as the webbed superhero, Spiderman. This particular superhero over a short period of time has been recast and played by two other actors. Sony owned the rights to Spiderman until Marvel finally fought to have Spiderman back, therefore giving them the ability to place a new version into their Cinematic Universe.
Tobey Maguire starred as Peter Parker in three standalone films while Sony owned the rights. In a lot of ways, Maguire embodied Peter Parker more so than Spiderman. The nerdy portrayal of Parker was spot on and the only downside to Maguire's performance was the story in Spiderman 3. He was loved by many fans, but unfortunately, creative differences cast Spiderman 4 aside as an option when director Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire tried to fight for creative control. Maguire had the ability to connect to the fans for three films.
Andrew Garfield, in every sense, was the Spiderman. The sarcasm and the playfulness just came naturally to Garfield and was easily read on screen. His chemistry with Emma Stone's Gwen Stacy was instant and fans could enjoy this lighter version of The Amazing Spiderman. Garfield was given the ability to be Parker for two standalone films, once again establishing a connection with fans.
The drawback to replacing Spiderman so much was once fans get attached to the characters, it's hard to let them go. Then, it also becomes difficult for the new actor to follow in the footsteps of those actors.
Tom Holland was cast as Peter Parker/Spiderman for the Marvel film Civil War. Fans were uncertain to how Holland would do, but once the film was released, there was already comparisons to the other Spiderman actors. This doesn't work for a few reasons. Tom Holland came into the MCU among a cast of actors who had been playing their roles for a long time.
Holland jumps in on the scene with legends like Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johannson, Paul Bettany, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Paul Rudd, and Elizabeth Olsen. By this point of the timeline, all of these characters have already created a bond with each other, so it makes it difficult for Tom Holland to just ease into that kind of situation.
Holland's first portrayal of Spiderman was great for the platform he was introduced on. His character was witty and light. He was also young enough to pass for a teenager more so than Maguire and Garfield was when cast. Tom Holland was given the opportunity after his first film to star in his standalone film, Spiderman Homecoming. Once again, fans were calling it the Robert Downey Jr. film since Tony Stark was in it as well.
However, it was no mistake that Marvel chose Tom Holland for Peter Parker. Tom Holland trained for the role as well as offered a refreshing interpretation to what was already familiarized with the audiences. The Peter Parker that Maguire and Garfield portrayed was at a very different point of his life. Tom Holland's Peter Parker has met the Avengers and is just starting out as Spiderman. Apples and oranges in most cases as each actor can be appreciated for their individual interpretations.
Example Two: Batman Film vs. Batman TV
I want to compare two very different Batman characters because there is something impressive to admire about each version. You take a look at someone like Christian Bale, who brought the Batman character to a whole new level. On one hand, as Bruce Wayne, he was sure of himself and yet had a sense of doubt on certain things. As Batman, he was the caped crusader in true form.
Again, establishing earlier that Ben Affleck's Batman is on a very different path than Christian Bale's Batman. Affleck came in under the light of Henry Cavill and had to jump in with a not-so-easy first script. Rather than getting an origin piece, Ben Affleck has to play Bruce Wayne/Batman as someone who is immediately seeking vengeance on Superman. There was a lot of familiarity in style thanks to Christopher Nolan, but Affleck's Bruce Wayne in Justice League was becoming a strong leader. He seemed to fall into place among the team once Bruce had a purpose.
Now compare this Bruce Wayne to David Mazouz on Fox's Gotham. Gotham tells the origin story of Bruce Wayne/Batman. This format had been done before when Smallville aired back in 2001. Tom Welling was cast as Clark Kent/Superman in the origin story that lasted ten seasons on the WB turned CW. Despite both shows being about the origin of the superheroes, when cast, David Mazouz was asked to play Bruce Wayne. Tom Welling was asked to play Clark Kent. Neither one of them were cast as Batman or Superman. However, both characters will become their superhero personas.
That's the wonderful advantage of those origin stories. David Mazouz gets to focus his attention on playing Bruce Wayne and not Batman. He doesn't have the added challenge just yet of playing both personas. Batman and Bruce Wayne are two separate personalities. This was clearly established in Christian Bale's portrayal of Batman. In fact, it's very clear in most superhero stories. Batman would choose to react to a situation differently than Bruce Wayne would. David Mazouz's Bruce Wayne is currently starting to train under Alfred to become a vigilante and prowl in the night, protecting innocent people. Alfred (Sean Pertwee) had to remind Bruce that there were going to be times where he would have to separate his life as Bruce Wayne and his life as the vigilante. Mazouz recently started playing his Bruce Wayne as a billionaire party boy in order to separate himself from the Batman. The reason you admire this is because while someone like Ben Affleck has to be both the Batman and Bruce, David Mazouz gets to spend a huge amount of time getting to know who Bruce Wayne is going to be before he ever has to become Batman.
Clark Kent was the same way. Tom Welling talked to Christopher Reeve when Reeve was on the show about Superman versus Clark Kent. Christopher Reeve informed Tom that the character that Reeve played was Superman and Clark Kent was the disguise. Tom Welling was Clark Kent and Superman would become the disguise. Welling spent ten seasons getting to know Clark Kent and living as the man before the superman. Giving these actors the ability to separate the two personas puts them at an advantage of being able to develop not only a personal relationship with the audience, but to the character.
DC Cinema Universe should definitely not rush the connection between audience and character. DC Television has masterfully outdone themselves by creating the Arrowverse and continuously doing crossovers every year. Fans have come to develop bonds with Grant Gustin's Barry Allen, Stephen Amell's Green Arrow, Melissa Benoist's Supergirl, and the entire Legends team. When given the opportunity to get to know the man/woman behind the mask first, it adds a very unique element to the show/film.
Marvel and DC have created these incredible universes with such believable characters and that is definitely something to revel in. It's amazing what the film and television industry is capable of doing after so many years and there are challenges that come with it. The most important thing to remember is every storyline is coming from a different part of time. Every character is at a different stage of development in their story. Therefore, spending time comparing all of the films and shows is quite redundant.
First off, despite there being a Marvel versus DC battle in the comics, there should be no comparison of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to the DC Cinematic Universe. There should also be no comparison to any of the television universes either. The reason this is important to note is because Justice League was just released in theaters. The tone of the Marvel films are extremely different from DC films. Marvel tends to be colorful and light-hearted. The witty banter between The Avengers team does make it easy to love the characters because they seem relatable. The Avengers come off like a group of people you would want to hang out with at a party because of who they are without their superhero personas.
Marvel also had time to develop the personalities of each individual Avenger for a good amount of years. Tony Stark led the charge in Iron Man and Robert Downey Jr. immediately embodied him in every way. Now that Downey has spent a long time being Stark, the fans associate the character's personality to the actor. Chris Evans is another example of an actor who embodies their superhero persona. In every sense, Captain America's courage, honesty, and heart is a picturesque version of the actor himself. Marvel had the sense to specifically search for actors who are not just physically the image of their superhero personas, but similar to them in personality. This project was long established by Marvel way before Iron Man. After the release of Iron Man, Captain America: The First Avenger, and Thor, the characters had already been given a platform to grow and develop.
Taking a look at DC, the tone is very different. Christopher Nolan helped reshape Batman with Christian Bale's portrayal for three films. Bale played a different Bruce Wayne because of the platforms he was given. Ben Affleck's Batman first came into the story with Batman vs. Superman, therefore, not giving him a stand alone film of his own to develop a relationship with his audience. Understanding that this is very important in story development is crucial in separating comparisons when going to the cinema. Affleck had the challenge of presenting his Bruce Wayne for the first time ever sharing the screen with Henry Cavill's Superman. Cavill had already had the ability to introduce his Superman to the world in the stand alone Man of Steel. It wasn't until Affleck had the chance to take on a more leadership role in Justice League that helped him find his footing. For fans, it's easy to connect with characters that have established a relationship with their audience for what seems like a lifetime of films.
For example, fans got to know Tony Stark in three stand alone Iron Man films. Like in television, when the fans have the chance to go through that journey with a character, it's easier to reach them on a personal level.
DC, in an effort to bring in the Justice League team so soon has hit some bumps in the road. The film was well shot and the tone matched the familiarity of Christopher Nolan. However, the lack of connection to characters hurt the film. Jason Momoa, while doing a brilliant portrayal of Arthur Curry, had not been introduced prior to the film. Gal Gadot was instantly supported by her stand alone film Wonder Woman and her first appearance in Batman vs. Superman. The fans did meet Ezra Miller's Barry Allen for a brief moment in Suicide Squad, but according to reviews, some of the fans didn't like how childish Barry came off.
This is where I can shift gears and explain why comparisons can't be necessary just yet.
Example One: Tobey Maguire vs. Andrew Garfield vs. Tom Holland
When Civil War came out, Tom Holland was finally given his first film debut as the webbed superhero, Spiderman. This particular superhero over a short period of time has been recast and played by two other actors. Sony owned the rights to Spiderman until Marvel finally fought to have Spiderman back, therefore giving them the ability to place a new version into their Cinematic Universe.
Tobey Maguire starred as Peter Parker in three standalone films while Sony owned the rights. In a lot of ways, Maguire embodied Peter Parker more so than Spiderman. The nerdy portrayal of Parker was spot on and the only downside to Maguire's performance was the story in Spiderman 3. He was loved by many fans, but unfortunately, creative differences cast Spiderman 4 aside as an option when director Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire tried to fight for creative control. Maguire had the ability to connect to the fans for three films.
Andrew Garfield, in every sense, was the Spiderman. The sarcasm and the playfulness just came naturally to Garfield and was easily read on screen. His chemistry with Emma Stone's Gwen Stacy was instant and fans could enjoy this lighter version of The Amazing Spiderman. Garfield was given the ability to be Parker for two standalone films, once again establishing a connection with fans.
The drawback to replacing Spiderman so much was once fans get attached to the characters, it's hard to let them go. Then, it also becomes difficult for the new actor to follow in the footsteps of those actors.
Tom Holland was cast as Peter Parker/Spiderman for the Marvel film Civil War. Fans were uncertain to how Holland would do, but once the film was released, there was already comparisons to the other Spiderman actors. This doesn't work for a few reasons. Tom Holland came into the MCU among a cast of actors who had been playing their roles for a long time.
Holland jumps in on the scene with legends like Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johannson, Paul Bettany, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Paul Rudd, and Elizabeth Olsen. By this point of the timeline, all of these characters have already created a bond with each other, so it makes it difficult for Tom Holland to just ease into that kind of situation.
Holland's first portrayal of Spiderman was great for the platform he was introduced on. His character was witty and light. He was also young enough to pass for a teenager more so than Maguire and Garfield was when cast. Tom Holland was given the opportunity after his first film to star in his standalone film, Spiderman Homecoming. Once again, fans were calling it the Robert Downey Jr. film since Tony Stark was in it as well.
However, it was no mistake that Marvel chose Tom Holland for Peter Parker. Tom Holland trained for the role as well as offered a refreshing interpretation to what was already familiarized with the audiences. The Peter Parker that Maguire and Garfield portrayed was at a very different point of his life. Tom Holland's Peter Parker has met the Avengers and is just starting out as Spiderman. Apples and oranges in most cases as each actor can be appreciated for their individual interpretations.
Example Two: Batman Film vs. Batman TV
I want to compare two very different Batman characters because there is something impressive to admire about each version. You take a look at someone like Christian Bale, who brought the Batman character to a whole new level. On one hand, as Bruce Wayne, he was sure of himself and yet had a sense of doubt on certain things. As Batman, he was the caped crusader in true form.
Again, establishing earlier that Ben Affleck's Batman is on a very different path than Christian Bale's Batman. Affleck came in under the light of Henry Cavill and had to jump in with a not-so-easy first script. Rather than getting an origin piece, Ben Affleck has to play Bruce Wayne/Batman as someone who is immediately seeking vengeance on Superman. There was a lot of familiarity in style thanks to Christopher Nolan, but Affleck's Bruce Wayne in Justice League was becoming a strong leader. He seemed to fall into place among the team once Bruce had a purpose.
Now compare this Bruce Wayne to David Mazouz on Fox's Gotham. Gotham tells the origin story of Bruce Wayne/Batman. This format had been done before when Smallville aired back in 2001. Tom Welling was cast as Clark Kent/Superman in the origin story that lasted ten seasons on the WB turned CW. Despite both shows being about the origin of the superheroes, when cast, David Mazouz was asked to play Bruce Wayne. Tom Welling was asked to play Clark Kent. Neither one of them were cast as Batman or Superman. However, both characters will become their superhero personas.
That's the wonderful advantage of those origin stories. David Mazouz gets to focus his attention on playing Bruce Wayne and not Batman. He doesn't have the added challenge just yet of playing both personas. Batman and Bruce Wayne are two separate personalities. This was clearly established in Christian Bale's portrayal of Batman. In fact, it's very clear in most superhero stories. Batman would choose to react to a situation differently than Bruce Wayne would. David Mazouz's Bruce Wayne is currently starting to train under Alfred to become a vigilante and prowl in the night, protecting innocent people. Alfred (Sean Pertwee) had to remind Bruce that there were going to be times where he would have to separate his life as Bruce Wayne and his life as the vigilante. Mazouz recently started playing his Bruce Wayne as a billionaire party boy in order to separate himself from the Batman. The reason you admire this is because while someone like Ben Affleck has to be both the Batman and Bruce, David Mazouz gets to spend a huge amount of time getting to know who Bruce Wayne is going to be before he ever has to become Batman.
Clark Kent was the same way. Tom Welling talked to Christopher Reeve when Reeve was on the show about Superman versus Clark Kent. Christopher Reeve informed Tom that the character that Reeve played was Superman and Clark Kent was the disguise. Tom Welling was Clark Kent and Superman would become the disguise. Welling spent ten seasons getting to know Clark Kent and living as the man before the superman. Giving these actors the ability to separate the two personas puts them at an advantage of being able to develop not only a personal relationship with the audience, but to the character.
DC Cinema Universe should definitely not rush the connection between audience and character. DC Television has masterfully outdone themselves by creating the Arrowverse and continuously doing crossovers every year. Fans have come to develop bonds with Grant Gustin's Barry Allen, Stephen Amell's Green Arrow, Melissa Benoist's Supergirl, and the entire Legends team. When given the opportunity to get to know the man/woman behind the mask first, it adds a very unique element to the show/film.
Marvel and DC have created these incredible universes with such believable characters and that is definitely something to revel in. It's amazing what the film and television industry is capable of doing after so many years and there are challenges that come with it. The most important thing to remember is every storyline is coming from a different part of time. Every character is at a different stage of development in their story. Therefore, spending time comparing all of the films and shows is quite redundant.
Monday, September 26, 2016
Once Upon a Time - Season 6 Premiere Review
SPOILER ALERT!
This is a review on Episode 1 "The Savior" of Once Upon a Time's Sixth Season Premiere. If you have not seen the episode, do not read further!!!
Welcome back Oncers! It's fall season on the television front which means all of the television shows new and old return to the networks. Among those shows is the ABC series, Once Upon a Time. Last season, we saw Emma Swan become the Dark One and then, Captain Hook turned into the Dark One. Captain Hook sacrificed himself, landing him in the Underworld with Hades, forcing Emma to drag all of her friends and family down to the Underworld to save him. As a result, Robin Hood's life was taken from Hades.
In the season five finale, Charming, Snow White, Zelena, and Hook ended up in another world where they met Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It was called the Land of Untold Stories. Meanwhile, Emma and Regina went on a mission to find Rumple and Henry when Henry stole the crystal that held all of Storybrooke's magic. Rumple set out to free Belle from the sleeping curse. Hyde made a deal with Rumple and gave him Storybrooke. Regina separated herself from her darker half, The Evil Queen.
Now, welcome back to Season Six! In the hour long premiere episode, the writers decided to open with a scene that took place years ago in the desert. This particular scene introduced Aladdin and Jafar. According to the scene, Aladdin was a savior just like Emma was and Jafar had explained that the fate of saviors is a dark one. Come into the next scene, Hook and Emma are making out until a flying giant blimp if you will flies over Storybrooke. Hyde threatens Emma and the town, informing them that Storybrooke belongs to him now.
Rumple goes into Belle's dreams and meets Morpheus. His goal is to wake Belle up by making her fall in love with him again.
Meanwhile, Emma Swan is having problems throughout the episode having visions of a dark future and constant tremors in her hands.
Now, typically, I'm all for some action and some new characters, but as of last season's writing complications, the premiere did not do it for me. I'm sure I'll receive some arguments on this. There were some highlights of the premiere. However, I will mention that once again, I am a huge fan of Once and I'm still loyal to the show.
Let's talk about this for a second.
The premiere episode was rushed into. For starters, Belle took that sleeping curse to protect her child from Rumple. Belle is no longer trusting Rumple and it becomes his goal to wake her up by making her fall in love with him again. There is a flaw in his plan. Belle already loves him, but she won't believe in him. Rumple uses trickery to get her to try and fall for him, but it doesn't work. Morpheus sees Belle trusting her instincts as a good sign and wakes her up. Why? Because Morpheus informs Belle and Rumple that he is their future son. What? No way! Yes way!
Belle is already awake in the first episode. Flaw there. Here's why. Rumplestiltskin had a backwards character arc in season five. He was written in to start out the season in a preservative state and given a clean slate of a heart. He had the chance to become a good person and then took in all the powers of the Dark Ones again. So for his character development, it was a bad idea. Now, in season six, he has the chance to redeem himself when challenged with waking Belle up, but once again, rather than giving Rumple a challenge, they make it easy for him. There is no obstacle really for him to overcome.
Belle sees Rumple for who he truly is. Therefore, Rumple finds it impossible to give up the darkness and wants Belle to accept him for it. If Belle will no longer believe in him, I only think it would be interesting if another character came along and bonded with him to transform his soul. If someone else came into Rumple's life to help guide him on the path to that transformation, it would've been a more interesting story. But instead, Rumple and Belle's obstacle was cut short in the first episode.
Now, it's absolutely great that Regina and Zelena are attempting to get along. There was also a nice bonding moment when Zelena had clutter in Regina's house, trying to unpack her stuff to move in. My biggest issue, however, is that Zelena and Regina argued in Regina's office about Robin Hood's death last season. Zelena felt like she lost someone (Hades) in that same event, but Regina blames Zelena for Robin's death. Yes, it was Zelena's fault. Zelena was selfish and got Robin Hood killed. Rather than apologizing to Regina, Zelena got mad at Regina for separating herself from her evil half because apparently it was the part of Regina that she could most relate to.
While I do love a good Hook and Emma story, the keeping things bottled up and hidden from Hook is getting old. Emma has become the Dark One, saved Hook from the Underworld, and essentially been through enough to trust him, yet she still keeps secrets from him. I think the couple has been through enough to actually communicate with each other. Emma Swan's character transformation should've extended past her lone wolf phase, but it hasn't. Hyde knows something you don't know, Emma. One of the added storylines to this season is that the savior supposedly has a dark fate in store for her and no matter what she does she can't change it.
On top of Hyde, Emma's dark fate, Rumple and Belle, there is also Regina's evil half, The Evil Queen, coming to wreak havoc in the end. Oh. And they captured Hyde and shoved him in a padded cell way too soon! That villain became easy to imprison.
It seems the only beneficial moments to some of the episode involved David and Mary Margaret when they had an old-fashioned adventure in the woods together. Henry and Regina had a heart-to-heart. Rumple and Belle got to dance to the Beauty and the Beast theme song again in Belle's dreams and Snow White and Regina also had a good heart-to-heart at the end after six seasons, Regina finally apologized to Snow for being a terrible person to her all those years. It's good to see that Regina wants to start fresh as a hero and move on from her villain half. That is something to look forward to.
Now while this post seems a bit critical, keep in mind that it's only the first episode, so my opinions could change once I see how far the writers take the show. My biggest concern is that there are so many balls in the air and I'm not sure how the writers are going to handle every single arc.
Here's to hoping for a redeeming season six Oncers!
Once Upon a Time airs on ABC Sundays at 8/7c.
This is a review on Episode 1 "The Savior" of Once Upon a Time's Sixth Season Premiere. If you have not seen the episode, do not read further!!!
Welcome back Oncers! It's fall season on the television front which means all of the television shows new and old return to the networks. Among those shows is the ABC series, Once Upon a Time. Last season, we saw Emma Swan become the Dark One and then, Captain Hook turned into the Dark One. Captain Hook sacrificed himself, landing him in the Underworld with Hades, forcing Emma to drag all of her friends and family down to the Underworld to save him. As a result, Robin Hood's life was taken from Hades.
In the season five finale, Charming, Snow White, Zelena, and Hook ended up in another world where they met Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It was called the Land of Untold Stories. Meanwhile, Emma and Regina went on a mission to find Rumple and Henry when Henry stole the crystal that held all of Storybrooke's magic. Rumple set out to free Belle from the sleeping curse. Hyde made a deal with Rumple and gave him Storybrooke. Regina separated herself from her darker half, The Evil Queen.
Now, welcome back to Season Six! In the hour long premiere episode, the writers decided to open with a scene that took place years ago in the desert. This particular scene introduced Aladdin and Jafar. According to the scene, Aladdin was a savior just like Emma was and Jafar had explained that the fate of saviors is a dark one. Come into the next scene, Hook and Emma are making out until a flying giant blimp if you will flies over Storybrooke. Hyde threatens Emma and the town, informing them that Storybrooke belongs to him now.
Rumple goes into Belle's dreams and meets Morpheus. His goal is to wake Belle up by making her fall in love with him again.
Meanwhile, Emma Swan is having problems throughout the episode having visions of a dark future and constant tremors in her hands.
Now, typically, I'm all for some action and some new characters, but as of last season's writing complications, the premiere did not do it for me. I'm sure I'll receive some arguments on this. There were some highlights of the premiere. However, I will mention that once again, I am a huge fan of Once and I'm still loyal to the show.
Let's talk about this for a second.
The premiere episode was rushed into. For starters, Belle took that sleeping curse to protect her child from Rumple. Belle is no longer trusting Rumple and it becomes his goal to wake her up by making her fall in love with him again. There is a flaw in his plan. Belle already loves him, but she won't believe in him. Rumple uses trickery to get her to try and fall for him, but it doesn't work. Morpheus sees Belle trusting her instincts as a good sign and wakes her up. Why? Because Morpheus informs Belle and Rumple that he is their future son. What? No way! Yes way!
Belle is already awake in the first episode. Flaw there. Here's why. Rumplestiltskin had a backwards character arc in season five. He was written in to start out the season in a preservative state and given a clean slate of a heart. He had the chance to become a good person and then took in all the powers of the Dark Ones again. So for his character development, it was a bad idea. Now, in season six, he has the chance to redeem himself when challenged with waking Belle up, but once again, rather than giving Rumple a challenge, they make it easy for him. There is no obstacle really for him to overcome.
Belle sees Rumple for who he truly is. Therefore, Rumple finds it impossible to give up the darkness and wants Belle to accept him for it. If Belle will no longer believe in him, I only think it would be interesting if another character came along and bonded with him to transform his soul. If someone else came into Rumple's life to help guide him on the path to that transformation, it would've been a more interesting story. But instead, Rumple and Belle's obstacle was cut short in the first episode.
Now, it's absolutely great that Regina and Zelena are attempting to get along. There was also a nice bonding moment when Zelena had clutter in Regina's house, trying to unpack her stuff to move in. My biggest issue, however, is that Zelena and Regina argued in Regina's office about Robin Hood's death last season. Zelena felt like she lost someone (Hades) in that same event, but Regina blames Zelena for Robin's death. Yes, it was Zelena's fault. Zelena was selfish and got Robin Hood killed. Rather than apologizing to Regina, Zelena got mad at Regina for separating herself from her evil half because apparently it was the part of Regina that she could most relate to.
While I do love a good Hook and Emma story, the keeping things bottled up and hidden from Hook is getting old. Emma has become the Dark One, saved Hook from the Underworld, and essentially been through enough to trust him, yet she still keeps secrets from him. I think the couple has been through enough to actually communicate with each other. Emma Swan's character transformation should've extended past her lone wolf phase, but it hasn't. Hyde knows something you don't know, Emma. One of the added storylines to this season is that the savior supposedly has a dark fate in store for her and no matter what she does she can't change it.
On top of Hyde, Emma's dark fate, Rumple and Belle, there is also Regina's evil half, The Evil Queen, coming to wreak havoc in the end. Oh. And they captured Hyde and shoved him in a padded cell way too soon! That villain became easy to imprison.
It seems the only beneficial moments to some of the episode involved David and Mary Margaret when they had an old-fashioned adventure in the woods together. Henry and Regina had a heart-to-heart. Rumple and Belle got to dance to the Beauty and the Beast theme song again in Belle's dreams and Snow White and Regina also had a good heart-to-heart at the end after six seasons, Regina finally apologized to Snow for being a terrible person to her all those years. It's good to see that Regina wants to start fresh as a hero and move on from her villain half. That is something to look forward to.
Now while this post seems a bit critical, keep in mind that it's only the first episode, so my opinions could change once I see how far the writers take the show. My biggest concern is that there are so many balls in the air and I'm not sure how the writers are going to handle every single arc.
Here's to hoping for a redeeming season six Oncers!
Once Upon a Time airs on ABC Sundays at 8/7c.
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