USA has renewed their medical drama Royal Pains for a seventh and eight season. Both seasons will run eight episodes, with the eighth season celebrating the series’ 100th episode.
“Royal Pains remains a staple for fun summer TV viewing, and we are pleased to bring back the series for two additional seasons,” said Chris McCumber, President USA Network in a statement. “We’re extremely proud of both the talent and creative team, who, season after season, have brought to life to these relatable and multifaceted stories, which continue to attract a loyal fan base.”
“Royal Pains was a breakout hit from its first episode and continues to deliver for USA and our studio,” said Jeff Wachtel, President and Chief Content Officer, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. “It’s no easy feat to maintain a real connection with your audience season after season, but Andrew, Michael, Mark, Paulo, Reshma and the rest of team have done that and more.”
Season 6 of Royal Pains averaged 3.36M total viewers a night.
Lots of new Marvel footage was released last night and we know you’ll be watching it at least a few dozen times.
First check out this Agent Carter scene that was originally shown at New York Comic-Con this past October. It aired nationwide last night during ABC’s Marvel: 75 Years, From Pulp to Pop! special. We meet the original Jarvis, Edwin Jarvis (James D’Arcy).
Agent Carter will air January 2015.
Secondly, take a look at new behind the scenes footage for Ant-Man featuring Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas as well as Avengers: Age of Ultron. We see the two Ant-Mans together, Scott Lang (Rudd) looking at his suit, the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and her wind blown hair, Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) in a cold wintry forest, Tony (Robert Downey Jr.) in a suit, Cap (Chris Evans) avoiding cars on a freeway, Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) chatting with Joss Whedon, and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Cap laughing.
I can stand a lot of crap on this show. Let’s face it: it’s a soap opera made from the Dynasty/Knot’s Landing factory of cheap melodrama. I grew up with those shows and I shrug off a lot of what I see because it’s relatively minor…but now, Revenge is straying into Lost territory, withholding answers for the sake of withholding answers. Delaying for the sake of delaying. I’m well aware that if Emily/Amanda marches next door and says, “David, I’m Amanda Clarke, your daughter”, then this show is pretty much over. Since we have 18 more episodes to fill (at the very least), we’re probably not seeing a reunion any time soon.
What we did see was aggravating:
Remember the dude who tried to flatten David Clarke outside his hotel last episode? The one that kidnapped Charlotte Grayson after the nightclub date? He’s dead. Charlotte killed him. By him, I mean “Vince”. But, honestly, who cares? He was around all of two minutes before Charlotte managed to take him out. Between this and setting fire to The Stowaway, nearly killing Emily, Charlotte might have a future in the CIA. And who does she call for help? Emily, the girl she almost killed by burning down the Stow–you know what? I already said that. Anyhow, Emily inexplicably cleans up after her mess, lies about the guy’s affiliation and then drops a bomb on Charlotte: her Mom, Victoria, killed Aidan. This is the final straw for Charlotte (because Victoria and Conrad’s lies about Emily just weren’t enough) and she decides to give the finger to her Mom and check into a rehab facility. The last person she sees is her brother, Daniel, to tell him all about Emily…speaking of Emily, she decides to follow the tracks of the now-deceased Vince and finds the place where her father was supposedly kept all these years.
Nolan wants to join her but he’s a bit busy with David, “the father he never had” as he does a major interview for Margaux’s news company with a nervous Victoria watching it all from behind the cameras and floodlights. At first, everything goes according to plan, with David talking about his imprisonment and his inspiration for staying alive. Then, surprisingly, he asks Nolan to join him, on camera, so that he can thank him for all his hard work in helping his daughter while incarcerated. Nolan is shy and remains humble — until David asks where all of the money he allocated for Amanda went. He accuses Nolan of stealing it, letting Amanda die and then buying himself an expensive house, cars and other items. Since Nolan can’t reveal that Emily is really Amanda (and there’s still no real reason why not except to stall for time), Nolan remains silent and walks away from the interview. Not quite satisfied, David confronts Nolan in private and lectures him for what he did. Nolan fights himself, trying hard not to reveal Emily’s secret. David punches him in the face, which gives us this nice exchange:
Nolan: “I thought I was the son you never had.”
David: “If I were your father, I would have done that a long time ago.”
Nolan: “Well, you’re just like him then.”
It isn’t until right after that moment that Emily walks in, fresh from her trip to Camp Clarke, that she sees the damage her father’s done to Nolan. The writers even make sure to hit the Don’t Show the Smoke Monster button by showing Emily’s face as she watches her father walking back home, just a few torturous feet away. When Emily asks Nolan what happened, Nolan’s only response is, “Your lies have finally caught up with me.” He begs Emily to tell David who she really is. And Emily still says no. Why? She discovered that her father lied about being held captive. And if her father’s lying about that…THEN WHAT ELSE IS HE LYING ABOUT??? *GASP* That last part is supposed to make the viewer go, “Awwwwsyeah, it’s on like Donkey Kong”. Unless you don’t say that. Or think about what Emily just said. Because that still makes no sense and can’t possibly stop Emily from revealing anything.
Jack Porter is still a cop this week but has a bit of a partner’s quarrel with Ben who wants to re-open the Conrad Grayson murder case despite Jack’s insistence that he should Leave it Alone (do a shot – this is a weekly thing now) and move on. But Ben can’t do that. You see, he found out that the cop who beat up Conrad in prison is now dead. After interviewing the cop’s daughter, Ben runs into Jack and, after a brief argument, they discover the “Double Infinity” symbol etched into a wood post. And, ruh-roh, it’s on like Donkey Kong, Jr.! Right?
In any case, the rest of the episode deals with Louise and her weird obsession with Victoria. First, she gets her tabloid article which, apparently, means nothing at all to anyone — including Margaux who I thought liked Daniel but nothing makes sense anymore and I’m starting to think that everyone’s really in purgatory and headed for a giant church. Anyhow, Louise confronts Victoria and just wants a mother figure back in her life. Victoria brushes her off like the nutcase she is and this story is just going nowhere. Even if they’re trying for “Louise is really Victoria’s secret daughter”, that’ll come off as cliched. Even for this show.
Lastly, David’s obviously started some shit with his expose of Nolan and the beginning of his revenge plot. He sits on the beach until Victoria approaches him. He tells her that with Amanda dead and gone and Nolan out of his life, Victoria’s the only one he can trust — and he wants to move in with her.
After six episodes, we’ve seen virtually the same episode told different ways. Louise wants Victoria, Emily won’t tell David who she is and neither will anyone else. Ben thinks there’s something janky going on about something some place and Daniel can’t keep it in his pants and acts like a giant douchebag. The only thing different was Vince and he was dead by the time I was done nuking my Instant Ramen Noodles. I’m really hoping for a little more velocity in the coming weeks or else we’re heading for a crash landing instead of a happy homecoming.
The minions from Despicable Me finally get a trailer!
The animated film won’t be out until summer 2015, but we get a look at the long history of the minions before they were with Gru. Their early masters include a T-rex and Dracula, though we see they have a penchant for killing said masters, whoops. We also meet Kevin, Stuart, and Bob, three unlikely heroes who quest to find their brethren the most evil master that ever lived.
Minions is directed by Kyle Balda and Pierre Coffin and features the voices of Sandra Bullock, Steve Carell, and Jon Hamm.
The Walking Dead Season 5, Episode 4 Slabtown Grade: B-
Beth makes her return to the series after being abducted by a mysterious car in last season’s “Alone”. Judith’s favorite doe-eyed babysitter (though as I’m writing this, I realize that Tyreese has a pretty soulful puppydog gaze himself) wakes up in a room of the Grady Memorial Hospital, deep in the heart of Atlanta. Officer Dawn Lerner is soon there to greet her along with Dr. Steven Edwards, and any notions that Beth is safe are quickly dispelled after Dawn ominously states, “You owe us.”
As it turns out, Dawn and the other guards at the Grady Memorial Hospital “rescue” survivors and press them into indentured servitude as a form of repayment. It’s a system borne out of pragmatism and limited resources, but the corrupting influence of power soon sets in. Dawn can barely rein in the abuses of power from her officers, who in turn make a habit of only abducting those they perceive as weak, to make their tenuous authority easier to maintain. It’s another variation in the long line of twisted social microcosms our heroes encounter on this show, but beyond learning about the new rules and the idiots who enforce them, the underlying components are usually the same.
Dawn needlessly explains that everything is for the greater good, while the sympathetic Dr. Edwards finds some time to have another rousing discussion with Beth about living versus merely surviving. Rounding out the cast is the menacing and rapey Officer Gorman, Noah as the friendly face who shows Beth the ropes, and the failed escapee Joan. The characters embodying these various character tropes stands out even more due to how sparse the cast is this episode–we never get a sense of how large the community is because we only ever see a handful of people.
Despite not being particularly unique or engaging, this episode does offer a few interesting moments that stood out. Following her failed escape attempt, Joan decides that the only recourse left to her is hiding and committing suicide in Dawn’s office, in hopes of ambushing Dawn after she turns. It’s an impactful moment for a character who doesn’t get many lines or screentime. Meanwhile, Dr. Edwards is the hospital’s only doctor and is protective of Beth, but he’s also a coward whose influence extends only as far as his utility. So when another doctor and former colleague of his is brought in by the guards, Edwards manipulates Beth into giving him the wrong injection, causing him to seize and die. Despite using her to secure his own position, he neither turns against her nor apologizes–he’s merely a coward trying to survive.
Beth isn’t nearly as understanding of his betrayal, but as she prepares to kill Dr. Edwards with a pair of surgical scissors, the sudden sight of Carol being rolled in on a stretcher gives her pause. Between Morgan’s reveal from the premiere and Daryl’s unseen companions from last week, the diminishing returns of these abrupt cliffhangers are beginning to show. The recent episodes have provided more focused narratives, but given the divergent paths character are taking, juggling between the multiple storylines can prove problematic. Left dangling too long, these cliffhangers begin to work against the show; we still don’t know who Daryl brought back to the church, and it could be a couple more episodes before we learn the fate of Beth and Carol.
It’s uncertain that we’ll soon hear about either, since judging from the preview, next week’s episode will largely focus on the group heading to DC. It’s a minor structural issue that the season will have to resolve if it wants to remain cohesive and keep its sense of momentum, since suspense can easily sour into frustration over too long a timeframe.
“NIGHTCRAWLER”
Written and Directed by Dan Gilroy Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Ann Cusack, Bill Paxton, Riz Ahmed, Kevin Rahm, Michael Hyatt, Kent Shocknek, Sharon Tay, Bill Seward Rated R
**1/4 out of ****
“Now I like you, Nina. I look forward to our time together, but you have to understand that $25,000 isn’t all that I want. From here on, starting now, I want my work to be credited by the anchors and on a burn. The name of my company is Video News Productions, a professional news gathering service. That’s how it should read and that’s how it should be said. I also want to go to the next rung and meet your team and the anchors and the director and the station manager, to begin developing my own personal relationships. I’d like to start meeting them this morning. You’ll take me around and you’ll introduce me as the owner and president of Video News and remind them of some of my many other stories. I’m not done. I also want to stop our discussions over prices. This will save time. So when I say a particular number is my lowest price, that is my lowest price and you can be sure I’ve arrived at whatever that number is very carefully. Now when I say I want these things I mean that I want them and I don’t want to have to ask again. And the last thing that I want, Nina, is for you to do the things I ask you to do when we’re alone together at your apartment, not like the last time.”
Jake Gyllenhaal channels his inner misanthrope for “Nightcrawler”, a satirical thriller that longs to be Network for the social media age but ultimately falls victim to its own awkward indecisiveness.
Gyllenhaal plays Louis Bloom, a dishonest man who lives and breathes honest advice from self-help books and online business studies in a futile attempt to properly live in and adapt to a wholly dishonest world. By day, he stitches the holes in his limited wardrobe and watches endless hours of daytime television. By night, he carelessly pawns what ever he can pilfer or con just to survive. This isn’t something Bloom wants for himself. He simply has no choice. He longs for an honest job but his prospective employers see right through him and know exactly what he is: a sadistic mutation of the American Dream warped by the fallout of the recent economic downturn.
On the way home from a semi-successful pawn job, he happens upon the scene of a flaming car wreck where he meets Joe (Bill Paxton), a man whose career consists of callously filming the worst crime scenes Los Angeles has to offer and selling the footage to the news channel with the fattest wallet. Bloom, who has no moral code to begin with, is intrigued and immediately acquires a digital video camera, a police scanner and a partner in Rick (Riz Ahmed), a kid who shares the same financial woes that have befallen Louis but who has weathered the storm with his conscience still intact.
After a rough start which sees Joe mocking him for his lack of punctuality, skill, and decent equipment, Louis begins to truly learn the business of being a “nightcrawler”. He studies police codes, teaches Rick how to properly navigate the city and actually begins manipulating crime scenes, going so far as to move the mutilated bodies he films for dramatic effect. Louis also builds an exclusive relationship with L.A.’s lowest-rated television station headed by Nina (Rene Russo), a station director who’s seen better days. At first, Louis’s go-get-’em attitude appeals to Nina who, as thanks for raising the station’s ratings, defends his increasing irregular methods while Joe, who quickly realizes that Louis’s tactics are going to drive him out of a job, offers Louis a job as one of his people. It’s here that we get a hint of the rage that lurks underneath Louis’s otherwise calm exterior.
“I feel like grabbing you by the ears and screaming in your face that I’m not interested,” He explains. “but I’m going home to do some accounting instead.”
Story after story, body after body, Louis builds his career and reputation and uses this new-found capital to impose his will on everyone and anyone. Frank (Kevin Rahm) attempts to warn his colleague about Louis but Nina is more concerned with providing ratings to the station. Plus it’s a moot point: Louis has already managed to corrupt and sexually bribe the hapless Nina who only gives up her body because she’s desperate to re-live the glory days.
Even as a satire of journalistic integrity and morals, the film fails due to a severe lack of subtlety. Except for Gyllenhaal, everyone in this fictional world seems to revert to being a stereotype or exists for the sole purpose of spouting some deeply-held belief that runs contrary to Bloom’s madness and Nina’s acquiescence to that madness. “If it bleeds, it leads!”, Bill Paxton proclaims! “We’re crossing a line here!” says Kevin Rahm, adding that Bloom’s ghastly home invasion footage “violates ethical journalistic boundaries!” “You’re really fucked in the head!” Riz Ahmed tells Gyllenhaal, several times, in reference to his horrifying filming tactics. One of the unspoken rules of satire is that you’re not supposed to spell out the overall message.
On a visual level, the film succeeds a great deal. Los Angeles looks pretty with its trademark grainy neon-and-halogen haze, which successfully replicates the alien, neo-noir L.A. Dion Beebe showed us in Collateral. First-time director Dan Gilroy (brother of the more-seasoned Tony Gilroy) wrote the screenplay and really doesn’t do a bad job. But haven’t we seen this sort of thing already?
Even James Newton Howard’s musical score can’t agree with what’s being presented on screen. Nearly every horrifying scene has some leftover queue from Michael Mann’s Heat playing over it and it’s very off-putting.
The saving grace of this film is the performances. This is the part where I’m supposed to lavish undue praise onto Jake Gyllenhaal. I’ve never thought much of him. He was decent in Fincher’s Zodiac (the irony here is that he’s playing the same character, only without scruples) and, maybe Brokeback Mountain. Aside from that, every other thing he’s been in has been forgettable, at best. To me, he’s an actor not unlike that one pitcher in every baseball team’s roster: frustrating and inconsistent, but who also gives you one or two dazzling performances out of nowhere that makes you say, “Ok, this guy’s not so bad.” Critics, in their advance screening reviews, have practically dubbed Gyllenhaal the Best Actor Oscar winner this year. We’ll see. This is, most certainly, Gyllenhaal’s best performance to date — yet, he’s the main reason the movie kept me at an arm’s length.
His Louis Bloom is Norman Bates after three Triple Shot Macchiatos and reading every book written by Dr. Phil. Everything he does is inspired by a statistic, an inspirational quote, or a simple, basic logical reason. The problem is that everything he does is beyond deplorable: attacking a security guard for his watch, threatening his partner with bodily harm after admitting that he’s pretty much psychotic and practically raping Nina. No, we don’t actually see it happen, mind you. All we get is the lead up but Louis’ sick seduction made me squirm just as much as if I were watching the ultimate outcome.
There are anti-heroes in films like these and I’m sure that Gilroy wants to sell Bloom as such. The problem is that an anti-hero has redeeming qualities — and Louis Bloom has none.
It’s reasons like this that I find myself really unable to recommend this movie. Despite having nearly everything going for it, the film is derivative and exhaustively unpleasant.
We’re halfway through the fourth season, so naturally, there are spoilers abound in this review. If you haven’t seen through the sixth episode, GET OUT OF HERE. It’s not me, it’s you. Scram.
“Holy fuck.”
You said it, Quinn. After the sixth episode, “From A to B and Back Again”, that is exactly my reaction. If I’ve learned anything from TV, it’s that if an episode starts with a sweet, optimistic conversation between a couple, it certainly is not going to end as such. No matter how much I dislike Carrie’s actions in using Aayan, his unflinching faith in her is nothing short of endearing, so to see that ripped from him was disheartening. I never believed he’d make it London–I don’t think anyone did–except Aayan, and that belief spurned him forward into action, even after his protector was kidnapped. “He’s resourceful,” Carried urged at Redmond, echoing Aayan’s earlier proclamation. Resourceful may have been overstating his abilities a bit, but it was nice to see that Carrie actually cared about him as more than a pawn. At least a teeny bit.
Despite all the comparisons, Aayan is not Brody. Aayan is more trusting, only escaping dangerous situations because of his honest fear. No matter what he wants Carrie to think, he is still very young, and that much becomes abundantly clear when he approaches his uncle, Haqqani, for help in getting to London. Being followed and threatened about his passport scared him, but Carrie’s promised freedom promised and the help from his uncle propelled him into misguided happiness. It was that state that led him to calling Carrie and telling her the one thing that would catch her off-guard: “I love you.”
Maybe Carrie meant it when she told him, “I love you, too.” Or maybe she was trying to give him one last shred of hope to hold on to because she knew that soon he would join the rest of his family at her command. Either way, the entire station learned of her affair with the boy in nightmarish fashion.
I know I said last week that I thought Aayan may have been working with his uncle in what would have been an insane turn of events, but what actually happened was even more shocking. Aayan’s love for his uncle is apparent. He’s the only family he has left, after all. Love and family mean something to him and in those seconds before Haqqani pulled the trigger, both beliefs shattered before his eyes. Those he trusted weren’t real and his hope in the world was less than a lie; it never was to begin with. What a depressing end.
Yet, it’s in those moments that Homeland succeeds. Upon seeing Aayan murdered, Carrie loses it, screaming to drop the bombs, even though it’s revealed that Saul Berenson is right there with Haqqani. Saul, Carrie. Carrie is at her most volatile when her target gets the better of her. We’ve seen her obsessive nature become downright deadly in her actions with both Abu Nazir and Brody. Now, it’s Haqqani’s turn, and he has Saul. I don’t imagine Carrie is going to exactly be calm in the second half of the season.
And O. M. G. I’m so excited to watch it unfold.
No more silly romance. No more ridiculous, petty fights with Fara. (What the shit, Carrie??) And hopefully, no more hatred between Carrie and Quinn. After the slow build up, Homeland, hopefully, is back on track.
But back to Quinn, because I have a hard time believing after his anger over losing the cleric last week, that he’d be completely calm about not hearing from Saul. ESPECIALLY after learning Farhad Ghazi didn’t go to South Africa. Quinn isn’t stupid. Wouldn’t he have put two and two together MUCH sooner than ten minutes before the end of the episode? Instead, Quinn sat in his office and brooded. BROODED. Who is he, Harry Potter a la Order of the Phoenix? NO! He’s Peter Quinn! Get it together, guys. And Fara, honey, sweetie. Dennis Boyd didn’t exactly clean up his mess after he stole your trash. You know you taped up that cardboard and wrapped up that bag. What, the wind knocked it over? I know Fara is new to the CIA, but like Quinn, she ain’t dumb. What the episode made up for in Carrie-isms, it lacked in character continuity for our other heroes. I can’t imagine Carrie is going to react calmly to the repercussions of both situations. (But then they’ll be all, “Hey remember when you were having sex and ignored us? DoyourememberCarrie?)
But hey, Redmond is turning into an interesting character. I like his apathetic nature.
To sum up: If Carrie fucked a child then Haqqani murdered one; Saul has definitely looked better; Fara missed the LITERAL ALARMS about shit going down in the safe house; Redmond is the master of Monotonous Voice.
Season 4, Episode 6: “From A to B and Back Again” Homeland airs Sundays on Showtime at 8pm EST.
When HBO’s The Comeback ended its first season back in 2005 it looked like the end. The series, built from the “raw footage” of a reality show about a former sitcom star trying to make her big comeback, received lukewarm reviews and low ratings and thus never went beyond those initial 13 episodes…until now.
Thanks to a cult classic status and a reputation that only seems to glow brighter with each passing year, The Comeback is finally coming back for a second season on HBO starting November 9th.
I admittedly never saw a single episode on the show’s initial run so before digging into press screeners of the second season’s first five episodes I went back and watched the entire series and am happy to say that it lived up the reputation that has been built up around it for the past nine years. The situations and foibles of Valerie Cherish’s (Lisa Kudrow) struggle for stardom are so painfully awkward that all you can do is laugh…hysterically. In fact, probably only Ricky Gervais and Steve Carell in their respective versions of The Office can compete with the level cringe-worthy moments brought about by Ms. Cherish.
So how does the new season hold up?
Pretty. Damn. Well.
Picking up nine years after we left Valerie, we quickly learn that things haven’t improved much in her lackluster career. Her comeback vehicle sitcom, Room and Bored, was cancelled during it’s first season and as a result so was her reality show depicting said comeback. Since then, Valerie has been stuck doing bit roles on CSI-type shows as well as acting in numerous “independent films” AKA student films.
We also learn that in 2008 she auditioned to be on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills but couldn’t quite grasp the concept of completely ignoring the cameras filming her life and just letting things play out without a care. This will come as no surprise to anyone who has seen the first season of the show and remembers her constant speaking to the producer, Jane (Laura Silverman), about what should or should not be included in the final product.
You might be asking yourself though how the show picks back up again without Valerie being the subject of a new reality series. Well, it turns out that Valerie is taking that problem into her own hands by hiring a crew of film students (including her nephew who actually isn’t even interested in film or TV) to film her life and create a pilot that she can pitch to BRAVO’s Andy Cohen. Valerie sees this as a legitimate opportunity after an incredibly innocuous exchange with him on Twitter, which makes her assume that they’re great friends. You can probably imagine how wrong she is on that assessment.
But in the process of making this pilot, Valerie learns that her former producer/nemesis on the set of Room and Bored, Paulie G. (Lance Barber), is fresh out of rehab and writing/directing a new show for HBO called Seeing Red, which happens to be a fictionalized telling of his experience working with Valerie on the set of Room and Bored.
At first, Valerie and her husband (Damian Young) think they should file a lawsuit for character defamation but when Valerie goes to HBO headquarters to make her initial complaint she is mistakenly brought in to audition for the role that is essentially her and magically nails it. She is then cast in the series and granted permission to have cameras follow her around to be used as behind the scenes web content, and thus Season 2 of The Comeback (for us) is born.
Everything listed above is depicted in the season’s first episode, which despite all of the content is actually quite slow to get going. The pacing of the scenes catching us up on Valerie’s life over the last nine years is slow and feels uneasy in both writing and execution, but as soon as the plot starts kicking in you can feel the whole series settle into its groove and really start to fire on all cylinders.
Lisa Kudrow is still brilliant as Valerie and creates that wonderful balance where you want to slap, hug, and flee from her all at the same time. The way she portrays this woman as being so painfully out of touch is shocking but works because she makes it so believable AND endearing. It’s hard to imagine many other actresses being able to pull off the extreme balancing act needed for this role and so its a real treat that we get to see Kudrow do it again for eight more episodes.
But in addition to Kudrow’s triumphant return, fans of the first season will also be treated to numerous other familiar faces like Valerie’s maid, Esperanza (Lillian Hurst), her fussy publicist, Billy (Dan Bucatinsky), and of course her lovable stylist, Mickey (Robert Michael Morris) who is now comfortably out of the closet but still as oblivious to the world around him as Valerie.
As this new season goes along we get to see Valerie attend the Golden Globes, get a stinky trailer on the studio lot, film a scene on a completely green screen set, and volunteer her home as a shooting location when budget cuts threaten removing scenes set at her character’s house from the scripts. All of the above lead to some truly brilliant bits of humor mixed with anguish that I won’t dare spoil here.
My favorite mini storyline of the new season thus far though crops up during the third and fourth episodes when Valerie shares her first scenes with Seth Rogen (as himself naturally) who is playing the character based on Paulie G. in Seeing Red. In the scene, Rogen casually improvises new lines and tosses in a fair amount of vulgarity much to the delight of everyone on set. This naturally throws Valerie off of her very rehearsed game but later inspires her to try throwing out her own vulgar lines on set (to disastrous results) and to take an improv class at the famous Groundlings. Needless to say, Valerie is the worst possible candidate for improv success in the world. Hands down.
In truth, I could go on and on about the many hilarious things scattered throughout these very funny first five episodes but awkward humor deserves to experienced as fresh and unexpected as possible so I will say no more and avoid spoiling anything more.
In short, this is a welcome return for The Comeback in an age when most pop culture revivals fall flat on their face. These new episodes are wonderfully acted, endlessly funny and I personally can’t wait to see the remaining three episodes of this revival season. In the slightly re-purposed words of Aunt Sassy’s catchphrase from Room and Bored: “I DO want to see that!”
The Comeback: Season 2 premieres on November 9, 2014 at 10 PM
The Fast & Furious franchise has always been known for its outrageous car stunts and action sequences, but things are getting even more ridiculous (and awesome) in the trailer for Furious 7, the latest iteration in the series.
Sky diving with cars? Check!
Breaking your cast with the strength of your muscles? Check!
Running up the side of a bus that is about to take a plunge of a cliff? Triple Check!
The trailer also gives us our first look at how the studio is handling the CGI nature of Paul Walker after his death last November.
Continuing the global exploits in the unstoppable franchise built on speed, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson lead the returning cast of Fast & Furious 7. James Wan directs this chapter of the hugely successful series that also welcomes back favorites Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Elsa Pataky and Lucas Black. They are joined by international action stars new to the franchise including Jason Statham, Djimon Hounsou, Tony Jaa, Ronda Rousey and Kurt Russell. Neal H. Moritz, Vin Diesel and Michael Fottrell return to produce the film written by Chris Morgan.
What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
I’ve been excited about Showrunners: The Art of Running a TV Showsince I met one of the producers a few years ago at San Diego Comic Con. Ryan Patrick McGuffey was excited to be a part of them team intent on bringing one of televisions most mysterious jobs into the bright, on camera lights. The project was in the beginning stages but every word out of his mouth bred more and more excitement – and now it’s finally here!
Des Doyle directs a documentary that follows the work and lives of some of the biggest names in the business–JJ Abrams, Joss Whedon, Jane Espensen, Hart Hanson, Damon Lindelof, Steven McKnight, JH Wyman and SO many more. It’s a behind the scenes look at some of the greatest television shows of all time you won’t get anywhere else!
OFFICIAL SUMMARY:
“Showrunners” is the first ever feature length documentary film to explore the fascinating world of US television showrunners and the creative forces aligned around them. These are the people responsible for creating, writing and overseeing every element of production on one of the United States’ biggest exports – television drama and comedy series. Often described as the most complex job in the entertainment business, a showrunner is the chief writer / producer on a TV series and, in most instances, the show’s creator. Battling daily between art and commerce, showrunners manage every aspect of a TV show’s development and production: creative, financial and logistical. Featuring interviews with the showrunners behind Lost, Boardwalk Empire, Bing Bang Theory, The Good Wife, Sons of Anarchy, Spartacus, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Battlestar Galactica, Person of Interest and Firefly.
Catch Showrunners: The Art of Running a TV Show in theaters (if you’re lucky enough to live where it’s being released) or download it on iTunes and watch from the comfort of your home!
Happy Halloween, Workprint Readers! It’s the most wonderful time of year for those of us who love binging on candy, spending way too much money on a costume we’ll probably only wear once, and getting the bejeezus scared out of us by monsters and killers in all forms of mass media. In honor of this occasion, I’ll be giving you the lowdown on all of this week’s notable new releases in theaters but then I’m going to honor the holiday by ranking the films of my favorite horror series…which happens to share a name with this spooky day we love so much.
If you can’t figure out which one that is you should probably just stop while you’re behind.
The Newbies
“Thanks a lot, Firth. This is our 2nd movie together this year that no one cares about.”
It’s not often that Halloween lands on a Friday so you’d expect Hollywood to be unleashing a plethora of horror films to the masses but this year you would to be wrong. With Annabelle and Ouija still scaring up decent business in theaters the only brand new entries to the genre this weekend come in the form of Before I Go to Sleep – a completely under the radar thriller starring Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth – and Horns starring former wizard Daniel Radcliffe as a young man growing devil-like horns while developing powers that may help him try to solve the murder of his girlfriend.
Unfortunately, Before I Go to Sleep currently sits with a rather unremarkable Tomatometer score of 39% which probably won’t convince anyone to take a chance on a movie that has otherwise been completely devoid of buzz or marketing power.
Snakes make Radcliffe horny.
Horns doesn’t fair much better though with a current Tomatometer score of 45% but our own critic, Nicole C., give the film a solid B and praises Radcliffe’s performance as one of depth and range. You can read her full review by clicking HERE. And if you don’t feel like giving the film the full cost of a theater ticket, its also available on all Video On Demand venues as well as iTunes.
Both of these minor releases are inevitably going to be overshadowed though and one of the films to do the overshadowing is actually ten years old. Oh yes, the piece of torture porn known as Saw is back in theaters to celebrate its 10th anniversary and make you feel really old at the exact same time.
“As you wish?”
Normally I’m the world’s biggest advocate for checking out a classic film on the big screen with a theater full of people. I’m just not sure if Saw can be counted as a classic film. I know it has it’s fans out there though so I hope they take advantage of this big screen revival and then avoid putting me in some of the situations depicted in the film.
Mostly that second part though.
This may or may not be from the wrong movie.
But for those of us looking for something a little more promising there’s Nightcrawler starring Jake Gyllenhaal about a man getting sucked into the seedy world of crime journalism in Los Angeles. The film has been getting rave reviews to the tune of a 96% score on the Tomatometer and is getting Oscar buzz for Gyllenhaal as well as costar Rene Russo who is long overdue for some award recognition.
All in all, I think your choice is clear if you decide to visit the movie theater this weekend.
Don’t Feel Like Leaving the Couch?
What better way to spend a Halloween weekend on the couch than with a marathon of my personal favorite horror franchise?
The answer is simply NOTHING.
36 years ago (thankfully older than me) director John Carpenter introduced us to the horrifying character known as Michael Myers who has successfully creeped me out for as long as I can remember. The original Halloween, released in 1978, spawned 7 sequels of varying quality as well as a 2007 remake which also had a sequel of its own.
Throughout the years all ten of these films have been spread out between multiple studios and home video distributors making the prospect of a complete DVD or Blu-Ray collection impossible but last month the fine folks at Anchor Bay and Scream Factory teamed up to release Halloween: The Complete Collection. This extensive set includes just about everything you could possibly want as a fan of the series including a plethora of behind the scenes content, deleted scenes, and alternate versions of several of the films themselves.
Now I know there’s probably some of you out there who don’t want to devote enough time to watch ALL of the films in question (and that’s TOTALLY fair) so I’ve crafted here a handy ranking of the films from worst to best and will leave it up to you how far down the list you want to check out.
But before we get started it’s important to note that I’m going to leave Rob Zombie’s two remake films off of the list and focus on the original series of eight films instead. Anyone who has seen them probably knows why.
But anyway, let’s kick things off at the bottom of the barrel:
8. Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989) This weakest link of the original series manages to undo everything that went right in the surprisingly enjoyable 4th film by replacing a likeable lead character with Tina, one of the most obnoxious in movie history; stripping the young Danielle Harris of her voice; and throwing in a few idiot police officers who come accompanied by the ever classy music of the kazoo. Take it from me – this one is for diehard fans only.
7. Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995) This sixth film in the series might easily take the bottom spot if it weren’t for the intriguing Producer’s Cut that finally made its official debut in the Complete Collection. You can’t really polish a turd but this wildly different version of the film gives it a slight leg up over a film that is otherwise only notable for giving us the gift of a young Paul Rudd in his film debut.
6. Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) Most people ignore this film because it doesn’t actually have anything to do with Michael Myers or any other character introduced in the first two films. Carpenter originally conceived the series to tell a completely different story set on Halloween with each successive film. This one dealt with an evil costume company plotting to kill millions of children using tainted Halloween masks. No, really. It’s an interesting oddity if you can live without Michael’s pretty white face, but be warned: you never get THIS out of your head.
5. Halloween: Resurrection (2002) This film SHOULD be placed a little lower in the rankings but I hate to think that any of you might miss out on the acting prowess of Ms. Tyra Banks and Busta Rhymes yelling my all-time favorite line: “TRICK OR TREAT, MUTHA FUCKA!”
4. Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988) After the box office failure of Halloween III trying something new, the producers decided to bring Michael Myers back for more scares and the result is pure, late-80s horror gold! The rules of Scream apply here in a big way and if you can’t have a good time watching this with a room full of friends you’re doing it all wrong.
Deleted scene where Michael stalks Laurie through the porthole of a boat.
3. Halloween: H20 (1998) This 20th anniversary film brought Jamie Lee Curtis back into the fold and what I actually like most about this film is how it deals with her character’s many understandable issues as a result of what she experienced 20 years prior. There are scenes of genuinely well-acted drama on Curtis’ part and that ending is a stunner. The series should have definitely ended there.
2. Halloween II (1981) What makes this first sequel so enjoyable is the incredibly rare plot device of picking up the story IMMEDIATELY after the events of the first film and expanding it into one epically-long, scary night. On top of the innovative time placement the film also reveals significantly more backstory to Micheal’s motivations. Some argue that this takes away from his air of pure evil depicted so menacingly in the first film, but its a logical step that ultimately pays off well in H20. Oh, and the creepy hospital setting has pretty much ruined health care for me.
Reenactment of anytime I’m on an elevator and can see someone else running to get on.
1. Halloween (1978) Let’s face it, you knew there was no chance that the classic original wasn’t going to get the top spot here. Halloween is far and away my favorite horror film of all time simply because it is the only film that successfully scares the hell out of me no matter how many times I watch it. Carpenter has a masterful control over tone in this film and it lingers in the air of wherever you’re watching it like a chill you can’t shake. The slow camera moves, spine-tingling music, terrifying warnings of Donald Pleasence‘s Dr. Loomis, and the ever-looming presence of Michael Myers will leave you afraid of the dark and double-checking your door locks. And all of this is done without resorting to the slightest bit of gore. This is cinematic horror at it’s most simple yet effective. All in all a masterpiece.
Today is Halloween and instead of being a sexy this or that (I’m looking at you slutty Elsa), why not become your favorite characters at least for one night? Gentlemen, feel free to be sexy anything!
For the fantasy loving folks out there, you can’t go wrong with picking something from Game of Thrones. So much to choose from you say? Yes, yes there are.
OR you can come as a badass Whitewalker like Britney B:
Try Korra from Nickelodeon’s The Legend of Korra and pretend to wield the five elements, or at least you’ll feel like you can after the bar….
If you need to step it up a notch why not be Leela from Futurama? She kicks serious ass and is a mutant. Though sadly not the kind with power, unless it is the power to have stinky feet….
For the science fiction fans out there here’s one for you. While many many many people have come as a multitude of different Doctors, why not a weeping angel?
You have the added bonus of creeping your friends out in the dark as you slowly make your way to them without seemingly moving…
For the those obsessed with The Walking Dead, you can come as Rick “Need a Dos Equis” Grimes:
But really this lil’ Michonne and her zombie dad get an A+! I mean c’mon where are his ARMS????
Since in some parts of the world it is getting chilly, why not stay warm and toasty by donning some hardcore leather and a hood ala Arrow?
However if you’re running out of time and just need to put on something quick, take a cue from these fans:
…and come dressed as an angry John Watson and an “I’m-undercover-to-get-Charles-Mangussen’s-attention-by-taking-drugs” Sherlock Holmes!
And lastly, because we shouldn’t leave out the little ones:
Comic book centered content continues to dominate both big and small screens with new casting details on CBS’ upcoming Supergirl TV series.
The show is looking to cast a female to play 24-year-old Kara Zor-El aka Kara Danvers. According to TVLine, “Kara at age 12 was sent from her dying home planet of Krypton to Earth, where she was taken in by the Danvers, a foster family who taught her to be careful with her extraordinary powers. After repressing said skills for more than a decade, Kara is forced to bust out her super moves in public during an unexpected disaster. Energized by her heroism for the first time in her life, she begins embracing her abilities in the name of helping the people of her city, earning herself a super moniker along the way.”
The second female lead is 26-year-old Alexandra “Alex” Danvers, Kara’s older foster sister. TVLine reports that Alex is a gorgeous science-minded woman who was fascinated with her younger sister’s abilities growing up, prompting her to study alien anthropology, sociology and culture. She is currently working for a secret government entity.
If you’re wondering why the name Danvers sounds so familiar, two days ago Marvel announced that they were releasing a Captain Marvel film in July 6, 2018 and the lead character’s name is Carol Danvers. This is the first female-led movie for Marvel.
Greg Berlanti (Arrow), Ali Adler (No Ordinary Family), and Sarah Schechter are on board to serve as executive producers.
THR is reporting that AMC has picked up the John le Carre series The Night Manager, starring Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie, after a multiple-network bidding war. Based on the 1993 le Carre novel, the project is in partnership with the BBC and could be a six- or eight-part miniseries.
The Night Manager tells the story of British ex-soldier Jonathan Pine, a night auditor at a luxury hotel. Pine’s life takes an unexpected turn when he meets Sophie, a French-Arabic woman with ties to the English black marketeer Richard Onslow Roper.
While we don’t know which characters Hiddleston and Laurie will play yet, the series will usher Laurie’s return to the small screen after House ended in 2012.
David Farr (Hanna, Spooks) is penning the TV adaptation.
Hiddleston will be next seen in Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak with Jessica Chastain, while Laurie will appear in Brad Baird’s Tomorrowland with George Clooney.
Even though only six seasons have been greenlit, HBO has wasted no time in securing its Game of Thrones leads for a potential seventh season. The Hollywood Reporter writes, “In exchange for the option, HBO has ponied up huge raises for seasons 5, 6 and the potential season 7 that will make the cast members among the highest paid on cable TV.” HBO has offered the raises in tiers, according to the stars’ status on the show:
The “A” tier — which includes actors Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister), Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen) and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister) — is paid at the highest level. The “A” tier actors are said to have renegotiated their deals in tandem.
The so-called “B” tier — which is said to include co-stars Natalie Dormer (Margaery Tyrell), Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark), Maisie Williams (Arya Stark) and others — is paid on a lower scale but is said to be scoring raises as well in exchange for season 7 options. A lower tier of regular actors will receive much smaller pay increases, according to sources.
What does this mean for Throne fans? Well, it doesn’t guarantee a seventh season, but let’s be honest, Game of Thrones has already surpassed The Sopranos as the most-watched HBO series. And that’s after only four seasons. HBO would have to start spending time around Cersei to be crazy enough to cancel the series now. The producers have already stated that seven seasons would be ideal for the show, so it doesn’t look like that will change anytime soon.
What this does mean, however, is that Game of Thrones will almost certainly surpass George R. R. Martin’s books, even though the author hinted at wanting a break in the series, to possibly cover a prequel or other on-going stories, giving him more time to finish the final two books. HBO producers said, “Nuh-uh” and have decided the show must go on, with or without the books. Therefore, HBO, and not Martin, would be the one to debut how the series ends, which would surely lead to an even larger boost in ratings, especially since now all of the lead cast members are signed through, what would, essentially, be the end of the show.
Based on the 1995 film directed by Terry Gilliam, “12 Monkeys” follows the journey of a time traveler from the post-apocalyptic future who is on a mission to eradicate the source of a deadly plague.
12 Monkeys follows the journey of a time traveler, Cole, from the post-apocalyptic future. Using a dangerous and untested method of time travel, Cole arrives in the present day on a mission to locate and eradicate the source of a deadly plague that will eventually decimate 93.6% of the human race. Will Cole be able to save the fate of mankind or is mankind bound by fate? Taking place in the ravaged future of 2043 and the present day (2015), 12 Monkeys explores themes of destiny, fate, love and the possibility of second chances.
12 Monkeys Premieres Friday, January 16 at 9pm|8c on Syfy
REVENGE Season 4, Episode 5
“Repercussions”
GRADE: B
The continuing featured story here is that David Clarke, the man Emily Thorne thought was dead, has mysteriously resurfaced like the Loch Ness Monster. much to the shock of the public — and to Amanda, herself. At first, Amanda’s overwhelmed, confused and unsure — but, ultimately, she comes around and realizes that it’s time to confront David — only to find out that her sworn enemy (and reason she’s in the Hamptons in the first place), Victoria Grayson, has gotten to him first…
Thus, “Repercussions” sees a very angry Emily willing to risk everything to confront her father. Nolan tries to talk her down and start making a plan since Victoria seemingly has one this time — but Emily is so emotional, she just can’t listen. When she arrives at the hotel the Graysons have checked into, a new wrinkle emerges: a mysterious individual sporting a crescent moon tattoo attempts to run David over, ending her first reunion bid. The second attempt sees her trying to appeal to Charlotte who seems to listen to her, actually confronts her Mom, then takes David to meet…Jack, instead. The purpose of this being that David can finally meet his baby grandson, Carl. The visit has unintended consequences as David learns that Amanda shacked up with him in his bar before her untimely death. Jack, of course, isn’t happy about the impromptu intrusion and later confronts Charlotte and threatens to tell David the truth about Amanda. Charlotte laughs this off and calls him a “coward” as that would out Emily and ruin her. Jack leaves her but not before taking some parting shots at her substance abuse, telling her that it’s a sad cover for her miserable life and that she’s “just like Conrad”, her father.
Jack, by the way, has been ousted from the police department as his involvement in the case of David Clarke is a conflict of interest. You know, the case where they essentially told Clarke that there was no case because Conrad Grayson’s confession to framing him had fully exonerated him? But, no matter. Jack’s home for the time being. This leaves his partner, Ben, a little more than bored…which leads him to look into the case of Conrad’s murder. He tries to make some headway in re-opening it, but Ben’s boss finds out about his meddling and tells Ben to turn over the file on the case.
But mostly, this episode revolves around David Clarke as he spends his time trying to fill in the gaps of the life that passed him by. First, he visits the grave of his daughter, Amanda who he, ironically, thinks is dead. After his aforementioned reunion with Jack, he makes a surprise visit to Nolan who assures David that he gave everything to Amanda that he was ordered to give: the box, the tapes, the journal. He wants to know why Amanda Clarke was living in the spare room of a local bar without a care in the world. This is, of course, in regards to the woman that was posing as Amanda earlier in the show that would later pass on, a victim of Emily’s miscalculation. He tells Nolan that he can’t remember or recognize Amanda. This concerns Nolan greatly and he tells Emily that her father will slip away if she doesn’t become the girl her father would have been proud of.
Meanwhile, Daniel’s making some “headway” of his own as Louise, whose motivations aren’t very clear, tries her hand at seducing the young Prince Grayson away from Margaux in his hotel room. She succeeds — but this leaves Margaux open and vulnerable to a driven Emily. She wants to give her father his old beach house, a plan which includes Daniel forking over the deed to the house and Margaux’s magazine obtaining an exclusive interview with David. This deal angers Victoria to no end, so she strikes her own deal with Margaux: the interview will go on — so long as she gets “final approval” before it airs. As for Daniel and Louise, their affair is akin to a one night stand which, on the surface, seems kosher to Louise — but angers her behind closed doors and prompts her to call Page 6 with some sort of juicy story about Daniel.
The episode reaches a subtle climax of sorts, with David Clarke examining his beach house alone, remembering the night he was arrested in front of a terrified little Amanda. He drowns his sorrow in Harry Nilsson’s “Everybody’s Talkin'”, a song that Emily and her father used to dance to when she was younger. This is set to flashbacks of David happily taking Amanda to the beach and Emily, smiling, knowing that the journey back has officially begun. David, however, experiences a different catharsis: the need to exact revenge on those who took Amanda from him.
Finally, Charlotte’s trying to drown out Jack’s noise by going home with a stranger at a nightclub…one that sports a Crescent Moon tattoo on his hand…
As I’ve said since the season began, everything has been absolutely solid. The emotional moments hit the right notes, especially as both father and daughter share a bit of a spiritual connection through music. The introduction of the tattooed stranger adds something new to the story when you realize that Victoria wouldn’t have hired somebody to take out her meal ticket and Emily wants reunification. So who is this man? And what is the deal with Louise?
We’ll find out next week when Revenge returns with “Damages”…
BEST QUOTES:
“Well, that definitely sounds like her shade of bitch.” — Nolan, in response to Emily’s anger over Victoria’s stalling tactics, which Nolan refers to as “Clarke-blocking”.
“Multiple rounds of electro-shock therapy will do that to a girl.” — Louise, in response to being told by Daniel that she’s “unlike any girl he’s ever met.”
You’ve probably seen set photos from Game of Thrones‘ fifth season. And you’ve probably also read pages and pages of explanation and speculation and comparisons to the books and WOMP WOMP WOMP. BORING. All of those articles? They’re wrong. What I’m about to tell you is the truth behind the fifth season. I’d warn you about spoilers and the like, but these photos and my commentary are so awesome they transcend spoilers. You’re welcome.
Let’s begin in Dorne, heralded as the sandiest, nipple-y-est place in Westeros.
Ah, Jaime Lannister’s in Dorne to rescue his “niece” Myrcella. Or…is he? You see, that’s not a lion in snake’s clothing. That’s actually a snake that looks like a lion, dressed in snake’s clothing. Before Oberyn died (RIP), he warged into the handsome Lannister’s body, and now he’s returned home and must prove his true identity to the rest of the Martells.
Including grouchy big brother, Doran.
And his daughters, the Sand Snakes, who are currently learning to “float like a butterfly and stab with your chest plate.”
“Oh my god, Jaime, you think that I’m going to believe Oberyn would wear such a drab outfit without a single sun sigil….”
And in King’s Landing…
Garbage day is moved to Thursdays.
And the people are pissed.
“Thursday?! I’m supposed to keep my trash from all these weekend stabbings for the entire week before I can get rid of it? Do you even know how bad a bloody corpse smells after it’s been in the hot sun for days?”
(Spoiler alert: Everyone in this photo dies.)
They never find the person responsible. (Hey, gurl.)
Then, we visit the home of our favorite bastard…
After the battle for Castle Black, the Wall becomes an even more dangerous place as it fills up with Jon Snow’s tears over Grenn’s death. Winter is Coming, and the men of the Night’s Watch are in danger of ice skating mishaps.
But then a hero appears to bring life back to the Night’s Watch…
LOL LOL JK JK JK Benjen’s still missing.
Across the Narrow Sea…
After all the murdering and mayhem, Tyrion travels to Meereen, hearing about its great vacation spots and acceptance of kin-slaying. There, he lets himself go to mirror Daario’s looks and woo Dany, thereby proving he’s the secret Targaryen of her heart.
Jorah finds out about Tyrion’s affections and realizes he’s now seventh on Dany’s list of possible husbands, behind Hizdahr zo Loraq and a lock of Khal Drogo’s hair. He goes on a Cersei-esque killing spree, all the while shouting, “BUT I’M PRETTIER THAN BOOK JORAH!”
And that’s all we have for now, folks! But stay tuned because when you’re as obsessed as I am, Game of Thrones never truly ends. (Those aren’t words to live by, GRRM.)
Well, if you’re all done reeling from that Age of Ultron scene (and what a scene!), maybe we should talk about what happened on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.?
Because boy, did a lot happen on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Which, honestly, is firing on all cylinders this year. I’m hesitant to be overly optimistic that the whole season is going to be this strong, but I really am overly impressed as to where the level of awesome has been for season two so far. “A Fractured House” focused a good deal on Ward, who we haven’t seen much of so far except in small scenes where he’s been interrogated by Skye. It also introduced Ward’s brother, Christian (White Collar‘s Tim DeKay) and the rivarly between them in a world where everyone is turning on each other and no one knows who to trust — a fractured house, indeed. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is largely about found families — such as the family Ward thought he had when Garrett took him in, and the family that the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents have made for themselves. So what happens when real families come into conflict? It was interesting to watch the show tackle this while furthering the mythology of the season.
We open with Talbot talking to the United Nations committee about aliens and the events in Avengers (hey, there’s a Chitauri name drop!) while trying to convince them that S.H.I.E.L.D. took advantage of them. When a delegate from Italy gets up to ask for proof of Talbot’s words, he gets taken out by undercover Hydra agents who storm the room and throw out some interesting looking weapons that disintegrate people. (Literally, they fling them out like they think they’re Captain America or something. They’re just okay, because no one can throw a frisbee-like disc the way Chris Evans can.)
Meanwhile, we’re apparently making up for our absence of shirtless Ward with not one, not two, but three sequences of Ward working out. Why? Really, let’s not question it. He’s being watched by Skye and Simmons, until May comes back and alerts them of what just happened. Coulson blames Whitehall and says he’s using the general public to do his dirty work instead of his own people, while Simmons recognizes the weapons that were used from being undercover. Conveniently, a (now blonde) Bobbi Morse also knows the scientist responsible for making them, a man named Toshiro Mori. (Please also note that in addition to the newly dyed hair, which is a staple of the comic character, Bobbi is wearing a Star Wars shirt, which is obviously important…at least to me. We also get a fun little name drop of Clint when they discuss an assassin who Bobbi mentions “almost took down Barton a few years ago.” As those of you who follow me know, I live for these Marvel references, and being a huge Hawkeye/Mockingbird fan, I was a bit happy when that happened.)
Coulson tasks Simmons to go over the hard drive that Bobbi helped her steal in last week’s episode, and then sends Hunter and Bobbi to find the scientist. Hunter is, understandably, less than enthused about being on a mission with his ex-wife. Meanwhile, I’m sitting here feeling the opposite.
Talbot goes to a man who we learn is Senator Christian Ward (White Collar‘s Tim DeKay), none other than the brother of Grant “Hydra” Ward. He gets yelled at for S.H.I.E.L.D. being attacked under his watch, and Talbot accuses him of just being worried about the public finding out the truth about his brother. While Coulson watches Senator Ward basically slam S.H.I.E.L.D. on national television, Skye, always quick to jump, decides to see if she can get information out of Ward. Meanwhile, Coulson contacts a woman named Agent Walters and advises her to go dark…for now.
On the quinjet on the way to Japan, Bobbi and Hunter are having a hilariously awkward conversation which I am so here for. Bobbi admits she knows what Hunter’s been saying about her, and then leaves to go sit at the cockpit with May. We learn that May was married once, and I need more information on this ASAP. (Girl bonding, by the way? I’m here for this, too.)
In “Everything Is Still Awkward Land,” Simmons visits Fitz and asks for his help with the hard drive, since it needs to be repaired before she can access it. Skye is having her own awkward visit with Ward, where he warns her to stay away from his brother, claiming he gets joy from hurting people and that he’s not what he seems. He brings up Skye’s father again, but this time, Skye doesn’t take the bait, instead telling him she found her father and knows he’s a murderer. Before she can get further into the conversation, Coulson interrupts her.
May, Hunter and Bobbi discuss the mission, and Bobbi decides to go in with her Hydra cover which apparently involves kissing Mori (which apparently Hunter is not entirely over.) Mori asks if there’s any truth to the rumor that she’s been working at S.H.I.E.L.D. Bobbi manages to side-step the question by asking about his weapons, which he surprisingly opens up about – they’re splinter bombs, and he got them from Whitehall and old Hydra technology. On the quinjet, Hunter suddenly becomes concerned, intercepting a message that comes to Mori about Bobbi helping Simmons escape from Hydra. He saves Bobbi from being attacked by Hydra security, and they proceed to have the most amazing conversation while fighting (literally and figuratively). I am so into this relationship, I worry for myself. Anyway, May comes to their rescue as well, and they deduce that Hydra is going after people that support S.H.I.E.L.D. – one of them being a Belgian politician named Julian Beckers.
Back on The Bus, Fitz and Simmons are working together on Simmons’ hard drive, though Simmons’ attempts at help are failing. Fitz finally gets frustrated enough to admit to her that he’s still not over the fact that she left, because it feels like she gave up on him. Meanwhile, Senator Ward has a surprise visitor in his office: Agent Coulson. Coulson attempts to pass off his new speech, but Christian tells Coulson he won’t change sides on S.H.I.E.L.D. – the people need an enemy. Coulson uses the conversation to bring up Ward, admitting that they have him in custody.
As Christian tries to turn Coulson against Ward, Skye goes back to Ward’s cell and attempts another conversation with him (after cutting off surveillance because apparently she learned her lesson.) Christian tells Coulson the story of his brother and the well, while Ward tells Skye more about her father. Yes, he killed people, but only because he loved her (such a sentiment, really…though he also says that the villages that her father killed were in reality Hydra agents that killed her mother.) Ward convinces her that she can only help Skye find her father if they’re together, so Skye breaks and tells him that he’s being transferred into his brother’s custody. I feel like this can’t bode well for anyone involved.
Mack and Fitz have figured how to trace the bombs to a man named Vincent Beckers, which sets off red flags for Simmons. Coulson pays a visit to Ward, who tries to persuade Coulson that his brother is using him to gain power in his political world. They’re interrupted by Trip, who brings Coulson up to speed on Mack, Fitz and Simmons’ findings: Vincent Beckers was apparently Julian Beckers’ grandfather, which means that it’s possible he’s still a Hydra ally. Coulson soon realizes he’s been played, and attempts to reroute May, Hunter and Lance to a Belgium safe house, where Walters arrives, and is immediately meets Beckers. He’s killed her agents (apparently, he was claiming his country was safe so he could lure S.H.I.E.L.D. agents there) and it’s starting to look like Walters’ chances of survival are relatively low…until Hunter shows up to save the day by pretending to be a merc looking for bad S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Bobbi and May burst in soon after and an epic (and seriously, I mean epic) fight breaks out. I’m going to go ahead and give all the props to the stunt coordination team because so far, every single action scene has been amazing, especially where these two women are concerned. The dedication to making this season bigger and better shows. Hunter ends up saving Bobbi from a splinter bomb, which I suppose is cause for a kind of truce.
Simmons goes to see Mack so she can thank him for helping Fitz, and Mack tells her that Fitz doesn’t need help – what he needs is less of Simmons, who seems to be making him worse. Simmons tearfully tells Mack she doesn’t want Fitz to be anything but himself, before admitting that’s why she left, and then my heart breaks into pieces. Meanwhile, Hunter prepares to head off, in an attempt to get out of Bobbi’s hair. His former flame seems to have a change of heart (I guess being saved will do that to you), and tells him he should stay if he really wants to. I never thought I would be on board with this relationship as much as I am, but the chemistry between Nick Blood and Adrianne Palicki is off the charts, and I’m going to ride this out as much as I can.
Coulson starts Ward’s transfer, while Christian holds his press conference at the United Nations, talking about the attack at the beginning of the episode. Talbot tells May they were able to detain Beckers at the border, and when May tells her that they lost six agents, Talbot seems to soften a little with sympathy. We’ll get you on our side yet, Talbot. Christian announces his brother’s ties with Hydra, and says he’ll make sure he’s punished sufficiently for his crimes. Meanwhile, while being transferred, Ward gets out of his cuffs by breaking his own thumbs and takes out the guards. So much for thinking there’s a chance of redemption…
At this point, the episode is interrupted for a really amazingly fun teaser scene from Age of Ultron, along with another showing of the trailer that debuted last week. As if we’re supposed to have the mental capacity to pay attention after that. But when we return for the final few moments, we see a man walking into a tattoo parlor, where he’s getting inked for something that looks suspiciously like Coulson’s alien code…
Quoteables:
“No, I’m telling you I have your brother in my basement.” – Coulson
Netflix is looking to woo Game of Thrones fans with their own historical epic Marco Polo, based on the adventures of the Italian merchant traveler who journeyed from Europe to Asia in the 13th century.
The show stars Lorenzo Richelmy (Il Terzo Tempo), Zhu Zhu (Cloud Atlas), Tom Wu (Skyfall) Remy Hill (Treading Water), and Rick Yune (Olympus Has Fallen, The Fast and The Furious). Created by John Fusco (Forbidden Kingdom, Young Guns, Hidalgo) and Harvey Weinstein and Dan Minahan (Game of Thrones, True Blood) serve as executive producers.
From the trailer above, the production value looks impressive with the series costing around $90 million to produce according to The New York Times.
Marco Polo’s first season of ten episodes will be released on December 12.
Activision and Bungie have announced the Destiny expansion, The Dark Below, will be available for download on December 9th.
The expansion will include the following:
New weapons, armor, and gear to earn, including Legendary and Exotic items
Light Level cap raised to 32 and five additional Bounty slots added
New story quests and missions – after years hiding amongst the Hive shadows, a new character, Eris, has come forth bearing an ominous warning: The Hive seek to summon a god, Crota, to destroy the Earth. Find Eris in the Tower to take on special quests that include three new missions where you will increase your Light and earn new rewards
New cooperative Strike, The Will of Crota, pits you and your Fireteam against Omnigul as she works to expand the Hive army at the command of her master, Crota
Three new competitive multiplayer arenas
Pantheon – set deep within the Black Garden in an ancient Vex temple that features Vex-designed landscapes and tight corridors
Skyshock – an old interplanetary defense array that offers both vehicle and infantry engagements
The Cauldron – an abandoned Hive ritual site that offers close-quarter combat
New six-player Raid, Crota’s End, set deep within the depths of the Hellmouth
PlayStation platforms will also get access to an exclusive cooperative Strike,TheUndying Mind, and more (timed exclusive until at least Fall 2015)
The Dark Below is priced at $19.99 or as part of the Destiny Expansion Pass $34.99, which includes both Expansion I and Expansion II, on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, and Xbox 360.
Years before Agent Coulson and his S.H.I.E.L.D. team swore to protect those who cannot protect themselves from threats they cannot conceive, there was Agent Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell, Marvel’s “Captain America: The First Avenger,” Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”), who pledged the same oath but lived in a different time when women weren’t recognized as being as smart or as tough as their male counterparts.
But no one should ever underestimate Peggy.
It’s 1946 and peace has dealt Peggy a serious blow as she finds herself marginalized when the men return home from fighting abroad. Working for the covert SSR (Strategic Scientific Reserve), Peggy finds herself stuck doing administrative work when she would rather be back out in the field; putting her vast skills into play and taking down the bad guys. But she is also trying to navigate life as a single woman in America, in the wake of losing the love of her life, Steve Rogers – aka Captain America.
When old acquaintance Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper, Marvel’s “Captain America: The First Avenger”) finds himself being framed for unleashing his deadliest weapons to anyone willing to pony up the cash, he contacts Peggy – the only person he can trust – to track down those responsible, dispose of the weapons and clear his name. He empowers his butler, Edwin Jarvis (James D’Arcy, “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World”), to be at her beck and call when needed to help assist her as she investigates and tracks down those responsible for releasing these weapons of mass destruction. But Jarvis, who is a creature of habit and sticks to a rigid daily routine, is going to have to make some major life changes if he’s going to be able to keep up with Peggy.
If caught going on these secret missions for Stark, Peggy could be targeted as a traitor and spend the rest of her days in prison – or worse. And as she delves deeper into her investigation, she may find that those she works for are not who they seem, and she might even begin to question whether Stark is as innocent as he claims.
It’s been a big day for Marvel fans as the announcement of Phase 3 of the Cinematic Universe has taken the internet by storm. Among the many announcements was the casting of Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa aka Black Panther.
Boseman will make his Marvel debut in Captain America: Civil War before starring in Black Panther, his own stand-alone movie in 2017. Civil War will also star Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr., as they face off over the Superhuman Registration Act.
T’Challa is a brilliant tactician, strategist, scientist, tracker and a master of all forms of unarmed combat whose unique hybrid fighting style incorporates acrobatics and aspects of animal mimicry. T’Challa being a royal descendent of a warrior race is also a master of armed combat, able to use a variety of weapons but prefers unarmed combat. He is a master planner who always thinks several steps ahead and will go to extreme measures to achieve his goals and protect the kingdom of Wakanda.
Marvel has announced their plans for Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The schedule will kick off with Ant-Man next year and continue all the way to 2019 where Phase 3 will conclude with Avengers: Infinity War Part 2.
The studio also announced Chadwick Boseman was cast as Black Panther.
The Phase 3 schedule for Marvel’s Cinematic Universe is below along with quotes from Marvel:
Captain America 3: Civil War – May 6, 2016
Chris Evans will once again reprise his role as Captain America, joined by Robert Downey, Jr. as Iron Man and Chadwick Boseman, who will make his big screen debut as the Black Panther in the film.
During a special presentation announcing the full slate for Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige brought all three actors out on stage, officially announcing the long-rumored title for the third Captain America adventure.
Doctor Strange – November 4, 2016
“It takes a while to work on these movies before they’re ready to come to you in theaters,” said Feige. “Doctor Stephen Strange, brilliant neurosurgeon, bit of an arrogant fellow who gets in a car accident and ruins what he thinks are the tools of his trade: his hands.
“In the Marvel Cinematic Universe version of the supernatural, that involves everything from quantum mechanics to string theory. The idea of this film is to open up a whole new corner of the cinematic universe. We want to enter, through Strange, the world of parallel dimensions.”
Untitled Guardians of the Galaxy sequel – May 5, 2017
The sequel to Marvel’s hit “Guardians of the Galaxy” would cruise into theaters in July of 2017…but Star-Lord and his crew have had a change of mind!
The Guardians will now return May 5, 2017, with writer/director James Gunn also returning to helm our oddball heroes’ next adventure.
Thor: Ragnarok – July 28, 2017
“This is a very important movie for us in Phase 3,” said Marvel’s Kevin Feige. “We plan on taking Thor to another level. It picks up where we leave Thor in ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ and impacts everything that comes after.”
Black Panther – November 3, 2017
“Black Panther and all of Wakanda is one of the most interesting characters in Marvel history,” remarked Feige. “Something I already showed you today contains an Easter egg that leads directly into ‘Black Panther.’ He’s a bit of a prince, he may even become a bit of a king, but it’s all about how this isolationist country meets the world. Maybe it goes well, maybe it doesn’t.”
Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 – May 4, 2018
“We’ve always had a plan since Nick Fury broke into Tony Stark’s house and told him he’s part of a bigger universe,” recalled Feige. “‘Avengers: Infinity War Part 1’ is the beginning of the culmination of everything that has come before.”
Captain Marvel – July 6, 2018
“This Captain Marvel’s name is Carol Danvers,” said Feige. “This film has been in the works almost as long as Doctor Strange or Guardians of the Galaxy before it came out, and one of the key things was figuring out what we wanted to do with it. Her adventures are very earthbound, but her powers are based in the cosmic realm.”
The Inhumans – November 2, 2018
“November 3, 2018 will introduce dozens of characters into the Marvel Cinematic Universe,” promised Feige. “We really do believe the Inhumans can be a franchise or a series of franchise unto themselves. They have dozens of powers and an amazing social structure. With our 20th movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we wanted to continue to refine what that universe is about.”
Horns Directed By: Alexandre Aja Written By: Keith Bunin (screenplay), Joe Hill (novel) Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Juno Temple, Max Minghella, Heather Graham, Joe Anderson, David Morse, and Kathleen Quinlan Rated: R Grade: B
In this supernatural murder mystery, Horns tells the tale of a Ignatius “Ig” Perrish, a young man who wakes up from a drunken night accused of murdering his own girlfriend. Things take an unusual turn when Ig starts to grow horns on his head causing anyone near him to reveal their true nature and most hidden desires.
Directed by Alexandre Aja (Mirrors, Piranha 3D, Maniac), the film is based on a novel of the same name by Joe Hill and stars Daniel Radcliffe as “Ig” Perrish, the main character who tries to solve his girlfriend Merrin’s (Juno Temple) death despite the entire town believing that he had been the one to kill her. As Ig sprouts horns and begins to look like an actual devil, he struggles internally as all humans do, to not give in to his most animalistic and destructive desires. At first, his family appears to be supportive of him and his best friend Lee (Max Mingehella) is working as a public defender to prove his innocence.
But as the movie progresses and Ig’s horns grow in size, he begins to use its power and embraces the darkness to solve the mystery of Merrin’s murder. Through encounters he has with different characters, audiences get flashbacks of events that occurred the night of Merrin’s death. Without being too spoilery, viewers will discover that all is not as it seems and many people had either lied or withheld the truth from Ig and the police out of cowardice, fear, or self-gain.
When Ig finally discovers the true killer it comes as a blow and we see how humans can mask their monstrous sides far too easily and the horns had actually helped him see past it. Radcliffe does an admirable job of taking us on Ig’s personal journey through hell and back. He gives range and depth to his performance and audiences can easily connect with his character as a young man who had just lost his first and true love. Radcliffe, best known for his portrayal as Harry Potter in the Harry Potter Series, is showing us that he definitely has the acting chops to take on a wide range of characters. As a big Potter fan, not once did I associate Ignatius Perrish with Harry and admittedly this is the first Radcliffe film I’ve seen post-Potter.
The supporting cast also does a good job, from Joe Anderson’s drug addicted older brother Terry Perrish to David Morse as Dale Williams, Merrin’s angry and grief stricken father.
My one complaint is that nearly every major male character in the film seemed to have a weird obsessive fascination with Merrin as this pure female character compared to Glenna who was considered the town whore. In a flashback we see that Glenna had been friends with Ig, Terry, Lee, and Eric (now the town sheriff) as kids and Lee mentions that Glenna was giving sexual favors away because she thought that was the only way that men would like her. It is perhaps commentary on the stereotypical view of women as either virginal (Merrin) or as sexual objects (Glenna). Still, the fixation on Merrin was creepy.
In addition, the ending also felt too over the top as the big showdown finale between Ig and our real killer. I won’t spoil it but let’s say Daniel Radcliffe could have said flame on! Still, Horns is a film packed with imagery that will leave you remembering that all humans have a dark side.
The Walking Dead Season 5, Episode 3 Four Walls and a Roof Grade: B+
The Walking Dead’s recent hot streak continues with one of the show’s stronger episodes, providing plenty of action and characterization without compromising too much of either. Gareth and the rest of the Terminants finally expose themselves to Rick’s group after they discover Bob had been bitten and that they had been feasting on his tainted leg. With Daryl and Carol still missing and hunters outside their door, Rick and the rest of the group find themselves once again forced to confront some unfinished business.
I must admit, Gareth has grown on me. His cold, calculated malice is a nice contrast to the Governor’s psychotic, brute force wrath. The smirking confidence and self-absorbed pontificating followed the villain tropes a little too closely, but nevertheless made his comeuppance supremely satisfying. His ploy to draw Rick’s raiding party out of the church in order to attack the more vulnerable group inside automatically establishes Gareth as one of the most intelligent villains on the show thus far. It speaks mostly to the show’s weak characterization of its myriad bad guys, but I’m willing to overlook that because this episode handled the church invasion so well. The hunters emerging from the shadows after Rick’s raiding party leaves created a genuine sense of dread that has been absent for some time; Rick’s team is a well-oiled killing machine (they fought off a tank, after all), and Gareth’s smart enough to target the most vulnerable part of the group. The suspense was tangible as they searched the church, and the tension mounts even more as Gareth appeals to Gabriel’s cowardice or the camera lingers on Eugene’s nervous deliberation. It’s a scene that relies as much on its characters as it does on the obvious external dangers, and it playfully lingers on every tense second. When Rick and his party return just in time, the catharsis is swift and brutal.
A fair amount of restraint was shown throughout, which provides a refreshing amount of nuance. Tyreese’s struggle to cope with the traumas he endured in particular has been a highlight this episode; he shoulders the burden with a quiet dignity and his dialog is short but effective (it’s a far cry from Rick talking to his dead wife on the telephone). Similarly, the final showdown against Gareth was lean and grim, and the reactions of Glenn and the others said all that needed to be said about the brutality at the church. Bob’s prolonged death afforded him ample opportunity to continue spreading his optimism, but his death and mourning didn’t really weigh down the end of the episode.
Speaking of Bob, his death wasn’t that bad compared to others who have come and gone on this show–he shared some touching parting words with the group, died peacefully, and didn’t even turn into a zombie. He also got the last laugh with the hunters eating the tainted meat of his leg, which was really the most satisfying way to shut Gareth’s smug face up. His death marks the loss of yet another ethical and philosophical bastion for the group. With Glenn, Maggie, and Tara departing with Abraham’s team, it looks as though the cowardly but pious Gabriel might be be serving as the group’s newest moral compass.
Ultimately, the Terminus/Gareth story arc was a revitalizing addition to the series and a strong testament to what the show can achieve at its best. If this same sense of cohesion and agency can be maintained in future episodes, season five is on track to be a great season of television.
The school full of zombies served well as a red herring, but one can’t help but be a little disappointed with the lack of more zombie killing action
Glenn and Maggie left without much fanfare. I assume we’ll see them again soon, but this still felt a little rushed.
Seriously though Maggie, why don’t you care about Beth? I know you know she’s alive.
I’ll just go ahead and say it: Carrie Mathison has lost her gorram mind. We all knew she was on edge, that her point-of-view was unreliable at best, but in the fifth episode of the season, Carrie has officially sunk her battleship. With Halloween is fast approaching, maybe her story arc is intended to induce cringing, shaking, and downright fear. If that’s the case: Bravo! If not, well, I have no other way to justify that kind of behavior from a station chief in the freakin’ CIA. It appears as if she’s going down another, much younger, Brody rabbit hole, and I’m afraid there’s a snake pit lying in wait at the bottom.
As for the other characters, last week as we left it, Saul was pressured into leaving Islamabad; Quinn and Fara made incredible headway on the ISI conspiracy, even finding out that their main target from the drone strike, Haqqani, was still alive; then, there’s the ambassador’s sniveling husband and his relationship with the ISI. All three of these stories progressed in an exciting fashion this week. In fact, had Carrie been removed entirely from the equation, I would applaud the show for being must-watch TV again.
Saul. Oh, adorable, teddy bear Saul. You don’t play the aloof old man the way you think you do and it got you stabbed in yo’ neck. With some kind of sedative. Not a knife. Just so we’re all clear here. Point is, Saul, you know better than to walk into that kind of trap. However, as much as I love Saul (and his relationship with Carrie, even though she’s swimming in crazy juice), watching him get played was a refreshing change. I thought I had it figured out, assumed that Farhad would be dead in the bathroom, with Saul named the guilty party. But no, I was wrong, and opposite of my personality in the real world, I love being wrong while watching TV. In the first season, that was where Homeland excelled, and I desperately hope that kind of writing returns this season.
You know what else I want? More Fara (Nazanin Boniadi) and Quinn (Rupert Friend). Not romantically, you perverts. After three and a half seasons, I don’t trust any kind of romantic entanglement in the Homeland-verse. However, the pair work well together and it’s nice to see the hardened, cynical Quinn soften for Fara’s naivety about CIA protocol. (I also enjoy every time he gives Carrie the “WTF” face.) He sees in Fara a light about the world that faded for him years ago. However, both are limited in what they can do without Carrie’s help, and I wonder if either of them will hit a breaking point and resort to her rule-breaking ways. I thought that point might have been reached when Quinn and Fara reached the checkpoint and needed to follow the cleric with a drone, but they didn’t, and now Saul is taking a vacation in the mountains.
I don’t have much to say about Ambassador Boyd and her husband, as that is one of the more predictable story lines thus far, but I don’t hate it. The female ISI agent, Tasneem Qureshi, is spellbinding, and I’m intrigued to learn more about her, and the ISI in general. She and Carrie need to go head-to-head in the boxing ring. I have suspicions, also, that along with Dennis Boyd, Redmond isn’t entirely truthful about where his loyalties lie, but that would be too easy for Homeland. And I’ll stop now to prevent myself looking like a fool with further predictions.
And now, here we are, back to Carrie. Despite my earlier frustration, I still don’t hate Carrie. I may be the only one left, but I want to have faith that she’ll get back on track. Last week, she seduced a young man, one who was emotionally and physically vulnerable, and I….oh, how do I put this? I wanted to reach through the screen and shout a stern, “NO!” as if I were talking to a puppy chewing on a pair of shoes. But, you see, I’m not surprised by Carrie’s behavior. Over the course of three years, we’ve learned that when Carrie gets into trouble, she turns to sex as a way out. Heck, do you all remember her trying to seduce Saul in the PILOT?
Instead, I was more disappointed that Carrie ignored her coworkers calls for help. No matter what, Carrie puts the mission first. Her job is her life, so to see her push it aside when lives are on the line was rather shocking. Carrie doesn’t see the error in ways, truly believing everything she does is for the CIA. Classic Carrie. I think that, like Quinn, Carrie’s interest and faith in the CIA is waning. Only, she hasn’t recognized it yet and hides behind “recruitment.” If something happens to Saul because of Carrie’s inaction, I think we are going to see an even darker shift in her character. Besides, I know I said I wasn’t going to make any more predictions, but I think Carrie’s the one getting played by Aayan. He obviously worships his uncle, so there isn’t a scenario where I foresee him not being an inside source.
Overall, ‘About a Boy’ was a solid episode, easily the best of the season thus far. The preview for next week’s episode seems to an action-packed hour, so strap in, boys and girls. Homeland just might be hitting its stride. (Yes, that’s the cheery, optimistic gal in me talking. What? I can be nice.)
To sum up: Mandy Patinkin fits in the trunk of a Peugeot; Quinn leaves awesome voice mails; Women going to the bathroom in groups no longer seems like a bad idea; the ambassador’s husband is the twitchiest mole ever in the history of moles.
Season 4, Episode 5: “About a Boy” Homeland airs Sunday on Showtime at 8pm EST.
After endless months of casting rumors and choices that included Jared Leto, Tom Hardy, Joaquin Phoenix, Ethan Hawke, and more, Marvel has found their Doctor Strange in Benedict Cumberbatch.
Slated for July 8, 2016, Cumberbatch will play Stephen Strange, a former neurosurgeon turned Sorcerer Supreme. Strange serves as the forefront of the magical and mystical forces in the Marvel Universe. You can read more on his powers below.
Doctor Strange is one of the most powerful sorcerers in existence. Like most sorcerers, he draws his power from three primary sources: the invocation of powerful mystic entities or objects, the manipulation of the universe’s ambient magical energy, and his own psychic resources. Strange’s magical repertoire includes energy projection and manipulation, matter transformation, animation of inanimate objects, teleportation, illusion-casting, mesmerism, thought projection, astral projection, dimensional travel, time travel and mental possession, to name a few. The full range of his abilities is unknown. Doctor Strange’s powers are sometimes less effective against strictly science-based opponents, although he can overcome this limitation with effort.
Doctor Strange will be directed by Scott Derrickson and written by Jon Spaihts.
Microsoft has announced today that they will be dropping the price of Xbox One by $50 this holiday season. The promotion, running from November 2 – January 3, applies to any Xbox One console, including the Assassin’s Creed: Unity, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and Sunset Overdrive special edition bundles.
“Fans don’t have to wait for Black Friday this year to enjoy great savings on Xbox One. We’re offering our best price yet, with unprecedented choices and value, so more people can play on Xbox One this holiday,” said Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president, Microsoft. “We’re gearing up for one of our biggest holidays ever and we are thrilled to offer fans up to $150 in savings on Xbox One and some of the biggest blockbuster games of the season.”
The promotion will be available nationwide at most major national retailers in the U.S., including Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Microsoft Stores, Target, Toys ‘R Us and Walmart.
Grove Street, it seems, is actually For Life, as the landmark Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas marks its tenth anniversary this weekend. Developer Rockstar Games is celebrating all weekend, popping off the festivities with a San Andreas themed playlist in GTA: Online (San Andreas Throwback Jobs) as well as themed shirts based off of the classic SA radio stations, and discounts on all green clothing and bandanas.
If that triggers your warm and fuzzies to return to a local Cluckin’ Bell or cruise the backwoods listening to some vintage Tom Petty, Rockstar has a big treat in store when it quietly drops a fully revamped version of San Andreas onto the Xbox Marketplace this weekend.
Rockstar has not officially announced, but has confirmed that the new edition will come loaded with freshly improved textures and graphics, better draw distances, and will support 720p resolution. As an added bonus, the game supports achievements, with a partial list below:
Getting Started – Meet up with the crew and escape the ballers
The End of the Line – Beat the game
Represent – Purchase a Grove Street tattoo
Hustle Some – Win a game of pool
A Legitimate Business – Export all three car lists
The American Dream – Purchase your first house
Get a Pump – Work out your arms or chest
Pay n’ Spray – Handle the heat with a new paint job
Bike or Biker – Complete BMX or NRG challenge
Beat the Clock – Win the Beat the Clock marathon
Metrosexual – Spend $6969 on clothes, hair, and tattoos
School’s Out – Fully complete a vehicle school
Serial Offender – Get arrested 50 times
Freight Date – Take the train between cities
Horror of the Santa Maria – Drown
Assert Yourself Next Time – Fail a mission
What the City Needs – Master Vigilante Mode
Savior – Master Paramedic Mode
Rescue a Kitten, Too? – Master Firefighter Mode
Yes I Speak English – Master Taxi Mode
Trickster – Master Pimping Game
Time to Kill – Watch credits to the end
There are also 11 more hidden achievements to unlock when Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas hits the Xbox Marketplace on October 26th.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was released in October 26, 2004 and immediately became the defining game of that console generation. The operatic gangster tale saw protagonist Carl Johnson dig himself out of gang-infested Los Santos by any means necessary and make a name for himself across epic virtual representations of Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas separated by massive swaths of arid deserts and crisp redwood forests. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was a critical and cultural phenomenon that sold 27.5 million copies worldwide.
