TV roundup
Jan. 25th, 2016 09:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jedi_of_urthSo another week of TV, a lot of DC-CW adventures.
Galavant 2x05-6
That was a pretty good pair of episodes, not the best in terms of songs but some of the better stories I think. And the songs weren’t exactly bad but most of them were performed really badly, even excepting the kids’ song which was sort of doomed. But I loved the Forest of Coincidence, that was pretty much a highlight.
Flash 2x10
That was...okay. Definitely not great, in fact a long way from great, the highlight definitely being Harry at the end. I don’t like the setup of the Wally story, but I guess it has to start somewhere and we’ll see if it gets better. I’m also reserving judgement on the development in the Barry/Patty story since it may still be going someplace, but if this is the end what was even the point; not just of this episode, but the whole subplot? I was really kind of expecting better of this show because all the way through I was hoping Barry would a be a superhero who would actually point out the keeping the secret from his love interest makes no sense if they’re going to be together, they’re not in any more danger by being in the know (especially a hero like Barry, Oliver would have an excuse that the truth makes people accomplices in sheltering a known murderer). On another relationship front, I think I figured out Caitlyn/Jay this episode, they’re super boring, but I think in character that’s probably what both of them want; especially Caitlyn who’s the one I have a better handle on as a character, she probably likes that he has the heart of hero, but without the dangers of being one right now, she may say she wants to help him get his powers back, but I’m not sure it would be a good things for their relationship. Overall, I found myself really meh towards this episode, and spent an awful lot of time trying to remember who lives with Joe these days and laughing that Patty apparently lives in Digg’s apartment, but I really did like Harry’s bit at the end.
Arrow 4x10
That was alright. I don’t know that it was great, it was a little too functionary to be great, but it was mostly good. It went a lot of the directions I expected it to go, and some I didn’t (like Lance moving into the lair). I should probably figure out campaign manager guy’s name at some point but he’s so bland I actually don’t trust that he isn’t going to turn out to be a bad guy at some point, but it would make him more memorable if he did. I would really have appreciated some mention of Roy this episode, and wouldn’t have been terribly picky in what context just an acknowledgement of his existence would have been a smart thing. Now, I really wish they hadn’t done the Barry being temporarily paralyzed plot already this season as it really cheapens Felicity’s situation for me. I would probably still have my doubts that the show would 100% stick to having Felicity be paralyzed, they live in a universe with enough near-magic science and actual magic plus plot-convenience magic that I would be inclined to doubt a show making and sticking to this choice; but throwing in what happened with Barry not that many episodes ago really doesn’t help. That may change as we actually get more of Felicity’s reaction to what happened, as so far we haven’t. The flashforward scene seemed kind of well-staged to leave some doubt about Felicity still being paralyzed or just very still with emotion. I do really think that flashforward scene was a lot more interesting than the grave scene we got before, because it’s not really trying to trick us into thinking it’s a specific person. The most likely candidates to me see to be: Diggle, the mostly likely person to cause Felicity to hop on the killing train; Thea, might motivate Felicity to that extreme and provoke the depth of emotion we see in Oliver; or William and/or Samantha, Felicity could be angry at Oliver, explaining the distance between them, but still feel Darhk needs to die for taking that step against Oliver. Just laying it out there.
Legends of Tomorrow 1x01
I think I’m going to like this, although the guy playing Savage still sucks. It’s a pretty good ensemble piece, and I do so love teams of superheroes. It was sort of interesting at the beginning when they were all finding seats on the ship to realize that Ray and Sara are the only ones that don’t come as part of a pair, partly because I’ve always been counting them as a pair (the Arrow import characters pair), it was mostly interesting because that came through in the staging.. I’m also not sure Rip makes a lot of sense saying these people’s lives didn’t matter, I’d be more inclined to buy an explanation that this team from 2016 is the dawn of the age of superheroes, before the Justice League or any formal organization or recognition of some of the radical changes going on in the “present” of this verse – and somehow that’s the most logical choice of eras for Rip. Because in the DC-CW verse the Justice League is going to be founded by Green Arrow, Flash, Atom, Firestorm, etc. rather than any of the biggest names that usually do. Another note: Rip said that unless the Hawks kill Savage it won’t last, so I don’t think he can be the last face Savage sees, sorry Rip. Also, two observations about the scene with Rip and Time Force; I think that’s the same set The 4400 used when communicating with the future, and damn are they trying to be Time Lords in terms of staging and dickishness; and Rory’s gone full Doctor by stealing a time ship and running away from dickish time masters. And another thing, I’m not sure if I should trust this Gideon program as the other times we’ve seen it it’s been with Wells/Eobard/Reverse Flash. And lastly, while I respect Sara’s canon bisexuality, for the moment she and Snart are just lighting up the screen with sexual chemistry while she and Ray have the potential to develop a really deep bond that I’ll probably end up shipping if it goes that way; though I do still want to see things resolved with her and Nyssa, and may well have to since Malcolm is currently reviving Savage and has Nyssa locked in the dungeon.
Mr. Selfridge 4x03
I have never identified with Gordon more than I do now, I may not have ever identified with anyone on this show as much as I identify with Gordon here. I was watching the stock exchange scene every bit as uncomfortably as he was, because that kind of gamble doesn’t sit well with me. Now the episode did have some odd bits; the ‘print is forever’ line was pretty clunky and I’m not sure I was supposed to laugh at Violette’s disapproval of Harry’s liaisons but I did since last season happened. I also can’t decide if I ship Meryl/Tilly or just want them to be BFFs, I’m cool with either though. The Kitty and Frank plot has potential to be pretty interesting, since it’s a plot that happens to a lot of real people; although, and this is really more a comment on the last episode, I’m not sure Kitty could/should have kids at this point even if she wanted to, pretty basic in universe math would tell you she’s over 40 at this point and while not impossible at that age I probably wouldn’t recommend it and since she doesn’t want them anyway so much the better. As far as the Grove plot...this could be rough (Arthur may even get to come back from I assume boarding school), but just for this episode it was so jarring because Grove was in full comic mode for so much of the episode; also, this season and especially this episode are the first time in the show when I felt his choice back in season 1 lead him to a life he would have chosen; in s2 he didn’t seem happy with it at all, and s3 he seemed pretty wishy-washy, but here he finally seems in the right life, which should have probably been clearly setup for it to fall apart. I suspect they’re going somewhere with the sort-of love triangle with the Dolly sisters, but since I can’t tell them apart and they always dress the same I won’t try and predict anything.
I probably should have watched Agent Carter, but I’ll get to it eventually.
Galavant 2x05-6
That was a pretty good pair of episodes, not the best in terms of songs but some of the better stories I think. And the songs weren’t exactly bad but most of them were performed really badly, even excepting the kids’ song which was sort of doomed. But I loved the Forest of Coincidence, that was pretty much a highlight.
Flash 2x10
That was...okay. Definitely not great, in fact a long way from great, the highlight definitely being Harry at the end. I don’t like the setup of the Wally story, but I guess it has to start somewhere and we’ll see if it gets better. I’m also reserving judgement on the development in the Barry/Patty story since it may still be going someplace, but if this is the end what was even the point; not just of this episode, but the whole subplot? I was really kind of expecting better of this show because all the way through I was hoping Barry would a be a superhero who would actually point out the keeping the secret from his love interest makes no sense if they’re going to be together, they’re not in any more danger by being in the know (especially a hero like Barry, Oliver would have an excuse that the truth makes people accomplices in sheltering a known murderer). On another relationship front, I think I figured out Caitlyn/Jay this episode, they’re super boring, but I think in character that’s probably what both of them want; especially Caitlyn who’s the one I have a better handle on as a character, she probably likes that he has the heart of hero, but without the dangers of being one right now, she may say she wants to help him get his powers back, but I’m not sure it would be a good things for their relationship. Overall, I found myself really meh towards this episode, and spent an awful lot of time trying to remember who lives with Joe these days and laughing that Patty apparently lives in Digg’s apartment, but I really did like Harry’s bit at the end.
Arrow 4x10
That was alright. I don’t know that it was great, it was a little too functionary to be great, but it was mostly good. It went a lot of the directions I expected it to go, and some I didn’t (like Lance moving into the lair). I should probably figure out campaign manager guy’s name at some point but he’s so bland I actually don’t trust that he isn’t going to turn out to be a bad guy at some point, but it would make him more memorable if he did. I would really have appreciated some mention of Roy this episode, and wouldn’t have been terribly picky in what context just an acknowledgement of his existence would have been a smart thing. Now, I really wish they hadn’t done the Barry being temporarily paralyzed plot already this season as it really cheapens Felicity’s situation for me. I would probably still have my doubts that the show would 100% stick to having Felicity be paralyzed, they live in a universe with enough near-magic science and actual magic plus plot-convenience magic that I would be inclined to doubt a show making and sticking to this choice; but throwing in what happened with Barry not that many episodes ago really doesn’t help. That may change as we actually get more of Felicity’s reaction to what happened, as so far we haven’t. The flashforward scene seemed kind of well-staged to leave some doubt about Felicity still being paralyzed or just very still with emotion. I do really think that flashforward scene was a lot more interesting than the grave scene we got before, because it’s not really trying to trick us into thinking it’s a specific person. The most likely candidates to me see to be: Diggle, the mostly likely person to cause Felicity to hop on the killing train; Thea, might motivate Felicity to that extreme and provoke the depth of emotion we see in Oliver; or William and/or Samantha, Felicity could be angry at Oliver, explaining the distance between them, but still feel Darhk needs to die for taking that step against Oliver. Just laying it out there.
Legends of Tomorrow 1x01
I think I’m going to like this, although the guy playing Savage still sucks. It’s a pretty good ensemble piece, and I do so love teams of superheroes. It was sort of interesting at the beginning when they were all finding seats on the ship to realize that Ray and Sara are the only ones that don’t come as part of a pair, partly because I’ve always been counting them as a pair (the Arrow import characters pair), it was mostly interesting because that came through in the staging.. I’m also not sure Rip makes a lot of sense saying these people’s lives didn’t matter, I’d be more inclined to buy an explanation that this team from 2016 is the dawn of the age of superheroes, before the Justice League or any formal organization or recognition of some of the radical changes going on in the “present” of this verse – and somehow that’s the most logical choice of eras for Rip. Because in the DC-CW verse the Justice League is going to be founded by Green Arrow, Flash, Atom, Firestorm, etc. rather than any of the biggest names that usually do. Another note: Rip said that unless the Hawks kill Savage it won’t last, so I don’t think he can be the last face Savage sees, sorry Rip. Also, two observations about the scene with Rip and Time Force; I think that’s the same set The 4400 used when communicating with the future, and damn are they trying to be Time Lords in terms of staging and dickishness; and Rory’s gone full Doctor by stealing a time ship and running away from dickish time masters. And another thing, I’m not sure if I should trust this Gideon program as the other times we’ve seen it it’s been with Wells/Eobard/Reverse Flash. And lastly, while I respect Sara’s canon bisexuality, for the moment she and Snart are just lighting up the screen with sexual chemistry while she and Ray have the potential to develop a really deep bond that I’ll probably end up shipping if it goes that way; though I do still want to see things resolved with her and Nyssa, and may well have to since Malcolm is currently reviving Savage and has Nyssa locked in the dungeon.
Mr. Selfridge 4x03
I have never identified with Gordon more than I do now, I may not have ever identified with anyone on this show as much as I identify with Gordon here. I was watching the stock exchange scene every bit as uncomfortably as he was, because that kind of gamble doesn’t sit well with me. Now the episode did have some odd bits; the ‘print is forever’ line was pretty clunky and I’m not sure I was supposed to laugh at Violette’s disapproval of Harry’s liaisons but I did since last season happened. I also can’t decide if I ship Meryl/Tilly or just want them to be BFFs, I’m cool with either though. The Kitty and Frank plot has potential to be pretty interesting, since it’s a plot that happens to a lot of real people; although, and this is really more a comment on the last episode, I’m not sure Kitty could/should have kids at this point even if she wanted to, pretty basic in universe math would tell you she’s over 40 at this point and while not impossible at that age I probably wouldn’t recommend it and since she doesn’t want them anyway so much the better. As far as the Grove plot...this could be rough (Arthur may even get to come back from I assume boarding school), but just for this episode it was so jarring because Grove was in full comic mode for so much of the episode; also, this season and especially this episode are the first time in the show when I felt his choice back in season 1 lead him to a life he would have chosen; in s2 he didn’t seem happy with it at all, and s3 he seemed pretty wishy-washy, but here he finally seems in the right life, which should have probably been clearly setup for it to fall apart. I suspect they’re going somewhere with the sort-of love triangle with the Dolly sisters, but since I can’t tell them apart and they always dress the same I won’t try and predict anything.
I probably should have watched Agent Carter, but I’ll get to it eventually.
