Showing posts with label Knightfall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Knightfall. Show all posts

Monday, March 25, 2019

Previewing Knightfall: Season Two



We have hit have hit peak television a couple years ago and yet it is only getting peakier as Disney, Apple, Warner Brother, and Comcast all look to start their own streaming services soon that will all have their own original programs. So what a great time to be an actor because all those shows need to be filled with a new cast. Seriously, Lyla Garrity is currently playing a superhero on DC Comics newly christened streaming service.

Too bad this was not always the case. Back in the eighties, there were only three networks who only aired nine months of programing (and that is not even taking account copious amounts of re-runs in season) and not that many movies being released each month. So while someone like Lyla Garrity can get steady work basically from being launched on Friday Night Lights, you take someone from the eighties like Mark Hamill who shot to stardom as Luke Skywalker really never got another starring role. Really, his second biggest gig may be voicing The Joker in multiple shows, movies and video games.

But now in the era of Peak TV, Mark Hamill is finally getting his just due as the lead in the biggest movie franchise as he has been brought on to the second season of Knightfall to give that show a little star power. And Knighfall really needed it because no one in the cast is all that recognizable (and it does not help the show has been off the air for thirteen months). There is a moment in the second premiere where there is a big reveal of someone in a fight club but I basically went: what, should I know who that guy is? I guess I should have paid more attention to the “Previously On” package.

Okay, so on a show set in France and filled with mostly British actors, Hamill and his gruff American accent is a bit out of place. Hamill plays a Templar elder who trains new recruits. How Yoda of him. One of which is Landry, who got booted from the order for breaking his vow of celibacy when he knocked up the Queen of France who died in childbirth at the end of last season. But Landry is allowed to rejoin but has to start from the bottom. This is actually great for the rest of the new recruits who get to train alongside one of the best Templars of the day.

Back in France, there is strife between the king and his children. The Prince is mad that his mother had died in his absence. Added to this, his bride is having trouble giving him an heir. The princess is unhappy because her mother wanted her to marry for love, and now her father is forcing her to marry for politics to a man who is known as a pervert. So the Queen may be dead, but there is still plenty of palace intrigue.

Knightfall airs Mondays at 10:00 on History.

Sunday, February 11, 2018

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 2/10/2018



Supergirl: Seriously Mon-El, Saturn Girl was an upgrade, why are you still pining over Supergirl? You are truly the worst. Maybe they should get a divorce and then just give Saturn Girl her own spin-off.
You can download Supergirl on iTunes.

The Alienist: Well that was a bit anticlimactic. We left the guy drugged at an underage male brothel as a cliffhanger and all that happened to him was getting dumped in the alleyway to start the next episode. I was hoping for something more life threatening.
You can download The Alienist on iTunes.

The Challenge: Vendettas: Well that was a pretty generous draw Bananas. I wonder just how random the draw was. And how do you come on a competition show like this and not move a ring an inch? You gotta train people. Even LeRoy, a historically bad swimmer moved it a little.
You can download The Challenge: Vendettas on iTunes.

The Path: Exactly, is Hawk gay now? Dude was pretty girl crazy the first two seasons. Now he is kissing dudes. Oh yeah, and Hank died. And Mary’s father too? I am just guessing she gave him more heroin in hopes of an overdose. Though if we did not get conformation this week, he probably survived to terrorize some more.
You can stream The Path Hulu.

Knightfall: So after a full season of searching for the Grail, Landry tried to use it on the Queen and when it fails, smashes it against a tree… kind of feels like a waste. Well except someone knew to cut open the base for a secret message. Though he promptly ate it. But the biggest letdown was we never got to learn why the Pope spared Landry’s life. The Pope said he would tell Landry when he returned the Grail (which Landry was not going to do anyway) but he never went back.
You can download Knightfall on iTunes.

Sunday, February 04, 2018

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 2/4/2018


Shameless: Usually all the progress the Gallagher’s made during the season goes doen the drain in the season finale. Except last season Fiona bought an apartment in an up and coming neighborhood and things actually looked to be turning around, at least for her. So I figured the fall was coming this season when she got sued and her options were to basically give them the building or sell it, spend the money and declare bankruptcy. But she managed to keep the building as the final credits ran. Granted the rest of the clan are back in dire straits: Lip lost love yet somehow gained a dependent, Ian is off the prison, Debbie has three less toes than she started the season with, Carl just angered his wife by leaving, and Frank got screwed by a child and had to hide in a Port-a-Potty which is up there with amputating toes in a kitchen and digging up your ex-wife. But hey, Svetlana got ger sugar daddy. I am not sure why Kev and Vee made so much a deal out of the pre-nup, dude in the diaper cannot possibly have much time left. And getting him to die by narural causes will be undoubtedly be a storyline next season.

The Chi: I hate when shows get cute like that. The thing is when they dole out information like that, I actually figured out the kid was the one that shot Ronnie pretty early on. The only question was why and how.

Supergirl: I believe this was the first time Saturn Girl was absent from an episode since she arrive and she was sorely missed. They need to make her a main castmember (really she can replace Lena who still cannot seem to decide which accent she wants to use) or just give her and the Legion their own show.
You can download Supergirl on iTunes.

The Challenge: Vendettas: Oh wow, the British kittie has claws. I was beginning to think they were going to step in at some point the more violent she got, but they just kept on letting her play dirty.
You can download The Challenge: Vendettas on iTunes.

The Path: Well that was nice of Cal to save Eddie, you would fear that Cal was dark enough to leave him down there so he could take over the movement. But why was I too soon for Vera and her mother for Eddie to become a martyr? I take it that moment will come in the finale.
You can stream The Path Hulu.

The X-Files: Just when I thought we were getting some monster of the week based on the Slender Man case, the person behind the monster ended up being Scully’s son. But did he know that Scully was his mother? He gave her the dream of his house. But I kind of want to know the backstory. No, not of the powers, but how he landed two chicks? And why have them attack each other? Wasn’t it to draw Scully there? Then why run when she showed up and the other agents killed each other? Again the mythology episodes are the most confusing. But I guess we got an answer to was the season finale episode was: it was a vision the son planted in Scully’s head… I think.
You can download The X-Files on iTunes.

Knightfall: So what exactly did Landry’s mother say to the Pope to keep him from being burned from the stake? My initial thoughts were they are a descendant of Jesus (which would make the Judas / Jesus spat at his trial a bit of foreshadowing). Back at the castle, interesting that the king still call’s the Queen’s unborn child his, I guess he will get a male heir anyway he can.
You can download Knightfall on iTunes.

The Good Place: Mmmm, that was interesting, not quite, oh snap, they are really in the Bad Place interesting, but still makes me very interesting in where season two goes. Is season three just going to be redo’s. Sure I guess the first three episodes can be how the others find each other (please save Jason for last because that has to be great). But then what are the other nine episodes?

I was also surprised after the episode aired that there was debate of what was going on. To me it was obviously a simulation of what would have happened had they not died. But apparently there are people who thought they were actually placed back in time and they are living real life again.
You can download The Good Place on iTunes.

Blindspot: So the guy who “killed” Jane’s kid adopted dad is the guy Roman is hanging around. So he is just using Jane and the task force to bring down his niece’s enemies? But really my favorite part of the episode was the end when they were talking about going on an Olympic break and it ends with the actor who plays Kurt in a thick Australian accent saying, “Go U.S.A.” Really? I know Australia does not have a huge Winter Olympics presence, but that was a bit silly.
You can download Blindspot on iTunes.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Well, I just more confused. I was under the impression that the timeline they are in was one where they never travel to the future but there was YoYo as a Kree slave taking about knowing she had traveled back in time. But I am not entirely sure how that happened. Am I just wrong and maybe the seer who told May that she was raised by May was seeing a different timeline? And why exactly was Fitz left behind originally. Also weird the pre credits scene was in the future and did not tease what happens next.
You can download Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.

Sunday, January 28, 2018

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 1/28/2018


Shameless: I did not think the show could get much more shameless that digging up Monica but Frank coming in and chopping off Debbie’s toes may top that. I just could not watch that. And Fiona, I am not sure it was wise to assult the wife of the dude who is suing you for a couple million dollars.

The Chi: How are you going to end an episode there? This is the very reason why people binge shows now. But since Brando n ended up not using the gun in the first place, he is not going to do much here except for maybe a beat down. But would he even do that in front of a kid. But when dude ambushes you like that, you got to do something more than yell at him.

Supergirl: Well that had to be the worst iteration of the Suicide Squad ever. Seriously, that is all the backup Supergirl can find, her ex’s new wife and two rouges, one I do not even remember? Isn’t the president an alien? Silver Banshee? Seriously, after two and a half seasons, they should have been able to find some better that what they came up with. Or at the very least open up a portal and also some of the superheroes on the other show. They certainly would have been more reliable. Or how about Braniac 5? Isn’t he a robot so he why would he even have chromosomes that would be affected by the blue sun. And wasn’t there a female Braniac early in the show? Whatever happened to her?
You can download Supergirl on iTunes.

Lucifer: So I watched the episode with the Closed Caption on and I was a little surprised the spelled the captain’s name “Kane” instead of the Biblical spelling Cain. I wonder if this was on purpose by the show? Maybe they are fans of the wrestler who spells the name that way?
You can download Lucifer on iTunes.

The Challenge: Vendettas: I did not care that the Grenade was three different options when it was unveiled but at least they are switching up the options every round. Although the British chick chose wrongly because you have to pick your Vendetta to sit out (or make them eat if you are really vindictive). Choosing the teams was the worst option. Now instead of one person hating you, who probably already disliked you, now everyone who lost is bitter at you. And you are included in that loser group because apparently you did not pick your team wisely. And speaking of the dumb British chick, seriously, how does Nicole able to convert a straight chick to hook up with her every season?
You can download The Challenge: Vendettas on iTunes.

The Path: Called it, black Christian dude was gay. Now the question is will Hawk reciprocate? But more importantly, wait, Vera is Steve’s kid?!? Now I was thinking that was her mother’s voice in that video with Steve but was not ready for Vera to casually mention that it was her father. Now how did they keep that a secret this whole time?
You can stream The Path Hulu.

The X-Files: The dumber an X-File is, the more enjoyable the show is. I even had to Google that actor half way through just to see if he had been on before and I just forgot. Although thanks to the Mandela effect, I was beginning to think I did remember him on the show.
You can download The X-Files on iTunes.

Vikings: I was shocked when no one we knew died two episodes ago, they just all died this episode. Astrid, Bjorn’s son and his freaky side piece, the king’s brothe by his own hand. Still surprising that Ivar and Lagatha made it out alive considering that is what the fight was about. But Lagatha looked really old in her last shot, I almost did not recognize her at first. But I liked the juxtaposition of Floki talking how they should not start the cycle of murder and revenge and that battle born out of that very cycle. But that last shot was very surprising. When Rollo did not show up last week to explain his actions, I just did not think we would see him at all this season. And last week I wondered why Rollo would back Igar, then it donned on me as he sailed presumably to Kattagard, he wanted to be the new king. But how long will his reign last? I cannot imagine Bjorn will not be back with reinforcements, like I suggested last week, he should recruit the British.
You can download Vikings on iTunes.

Waco: Tim Riggins with a mullet and math teacher glasses singing My Sharona has to go down as the weirdest thing we will see in 2018.
You can download Waco on iTunes.

Knightfall: So now the king now knows about Landry and the Queen, but does he believe it? And are all popes in history even because in all period shows and movies from this time all seemed to be very shady.
You can download Knightfall on iTunes.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Wait, the ruthless Kree warrior was able to be killed when she floated into a rod held by Daisy? That was kind of lame.
You can download Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.

Sunday, January 21, 2018

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 1/21/2018



Shameless: The Gallagher just cannot have nice things. Just when something goes their way, some bad will undoubtedly happen. Clearly the apartment building was too good to be true and it is surprising it took this long for something to epically go wrong. Poor Fiona. Then I would normally say if you are going to marry a crazy chick, make sure she is rich, but if I were Carl, I would have to worry about her murdering you in your sleep… or worse, a John Wayne Bobbit situation.

Supergirl: Wait, did Mon-El not only spoil the episode, but spoil the whole season when his explanation as to why he did not want to fight Reign was he knew being from the future he knows Supergirl would be fine and Reign will just eventually leave? What the fork, man? I hate that guy. Oh well, at least Saturn Girl was there to randomly quote Bon Jovi.
You can download Supergirl on iTunes.

The Gifted: So next season will be the Hellfire Club versus the handpicked X-Men replacements? Awesome. Why was that not this season which mostly sucked? Now if the only kill off the teens. And, pretty much everyone else but the triplets.
You can download The Gifted on iTunes.

The Challenge: Vendettas: When they announced the Grenade was a choice, I thought, well, might as well just take the money, it is the only guarantee. Now I wonder if anyone will choose the other two options.
You can download The Challenge: Vendettas on iTunes.

The Path: “You’ll die like the rest of them”? I knew Vera was an opportunist but I did not realize she was evil. Who are the rest of them are and just what is Vera’s motives? Then later her mother says, “The martyrdom is coming.” They have to be secret cultist right? Also, I’m calling it, the black Christian kid is gay.
You can stream The Path Hulu.

Vikings: I was wondering all season where Rollo was this whole time? I remember Bjorn asked to sail the Mediterranean with him but they got side tracked with Ragnor’s death, but I forgot what happened to Rollo. Apparently he went back to France. Though backing Ivar is a strange play and we do not even get to hear from him why. But as Lagathha and Bjorn plan on how to fight off Ivar and the French army, isn’t the answer obvious: get the brits who already hate Ivar to join in. Granted they just lost a king to a bee sting. Seriously, how did anyone survive back then if a bee sting can take down a king.
You can download Vikings on iTunes.

Knightfall: Things are picking up, Landry found the Grail (presumably) and his mother. The king’s former advisor finally figured out who the real father of the queen’s baby is (but how will he use ths information?). That cannot end well for Landry. Even more shocking is the new Templar took a sword through him. Granted, just a flesh wound, nothing the Holy Grail wouldn’t fix.
You can download Knightfall on iTunes.

The Good Place: Of course Dax Sheppard was part of The Bad Place. And I have not watched one football game this season, but if the Buddhist Monk manages to will the Jaguars to the Super Bowl, I may have to actually watch that game.
You can download The Good Place on iTunes.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Well that was confusing. So those “flashbacks” were of the history had the SHIELD team had not been taken? And we only get May, Fitz and Simmons. And the latter died (I think). Though Daisy is last seen on footage and presumably breaks up the world moments later? I wonder had it been better had they just done an entire alternative universe episode. Or at the very least put all the “flashbacks” at the start of the episode instead of sprinkling them in.
You can download Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.

Sunday, January 14, 2018

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 1/14/2018


Shameless: Maybe not as Shameless as digging up your dead wife’s coffin, but oh my goodness, Frank punched a little girl. Oh Carl, you do not get down on one knew for a promise ring. Amateur.

Marvel’s Runaways: The Runaways finally ran away! Quite literally, in slow motion during the last frames of the season. Granted they are still in Los Angeles so they did not run very far. Are they just going to live on the streets next season? And was that who the black father calling, issuing an Amber Alert? Seems a bit harsh way to get your son back home. Sure the Pride has a detective in their back pocket.
You can stream episodes of Marvel's Runaways on Hulu.

The Challenge: Vendettas: It is amazing how everyone still lets Johnny run everything, the other two just going with putting in Bananas’ vendetta into elimination. Sure Cory did not help much by spreading not particurly good lies about Brad. Speaking of Banana’s, does his win of Champs vs. Pro count as breaking his curse of screwing Sarah out of money? Or does winning a micro season for charity not count?
You can download The Challenge: Vendettas on iTunes.

The Blacklist: C’mon, Red does not have anyone following Liz? That is two near death experiences since coming out of her coma.
You can download The Blacklist on iTunes.

Vikings: Kind of a cheap fake out with Ivar saying he was not going to fight and renounces his threat to kill Lagatha then when he comes back from the commercial break he throws water into his brother’s face and vows again to kill Lagatha. But I guess it was better to do that at a commercial break instead of at the end of an episode. And then we have yet another person who saves the Bishop. He did seem to glance at Lagatha before he died, I am not sure if that really happened or I am misinterpreting the editing. But I am surprised no one we knew died. I thought for sure when they started showing Bjorn’s wife and son fighting, two characters we have barely seen up do that point, at the very least one of them was not going to make it out of the battle alive.
You can download Vikings on iTunes.

Knightfall: After all the creepy uncle stuff, I finally googled and found out he was not the real uncle to the princess, just an advisor to the King. But who exactly is his “uncle” who I thought was Godfrey when he first revealed himself.
You can download Knightfall on iTunes.

Blindspot: Obviously Weller did not kill Jane’s kid; the bigger question is why Kurt said that. So apparently he shot her and left there to die. What? How about going back Kurt? Whatever happened to no man left behind?
You can download Blindspot on iTunes.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Everyone is back together! (Well except for May.) So it is time to split up again. But who was the old chick at the end? It has to be the little girl that draws the future right? The bird is probably the key but my memory is not that good to remember a little girl I think we have only seen twice.
You can download Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.

Sunday, January 07, 2018

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 1/7/2018




Shameless: Why was there so much walking between the car and the Canadian border? Seems like it would be easier to cross.

SMILF: So Bridget tries to entrap her creepy father, when it turns out not to be him, the girls end up having a dance party instead. I guess that is a pretty appropriate finale to the season.

Lucifer: Remember when South Park ended on a cliffhanger on who Cartman’s father was, then came back from a break (on April Fool’s Day) with a Terrence and Howard special and promptly went back on break. I was reminded of that this week when, after the show revealed Superman was in fact Cain, the first murder, leaving us wonder what it all means. But instead of answering that, we get a flashback episode. And then no show next week. Or the week after that. Meh.
You can download Lucifer on iTunes.

The Gifted: Oh my goodness, the triplets are so great. Give them and the Hellfire Club a spin off. Or just make them the focal point of this show.
You can download The Gifted on iTunes.

Marvel’s Runaways: Wait, mom did not know daughter was an alien? Jonah has to be her father, right, he is an alien too? Then why did dad sell her out, it is because of the healing gloves? And why are him and Jonah letting the kids into the construction site when they have to know they were trying to shut it down? Unless Jonah needs them, or at least one of them, there for some reason. And the parent too, which is why he just told them when he has apparently known for a while the kids knew. But here we are with one episode left and the Runaways have not actually runaway yet. All were got was some lame meta joke about naming their group that.
You can stream episodes of Marvel's Runaways on Hulu.

The Challenge: Vendettas: My biggest take away from the Vendetta’s premiere: what a massive downgrade Brad. Seriously, how do go from one of the top five most attractive cast members to someone who may not even be in the top one hundred? Seriously dude, you just embarrassed yourself on national television. That was like Hugh Grant stuff right there. I really those two did not have any children. Then my biggest takeaway from Champs vs. Stars: wait, we still have one more week (at least) after this?
You can download The Challenge: Vendettas on iTunes.

The X-Files: Usually the “Previously On” segment are really helpful for shows, but I came away from this one more confused. And only got more confused as the show went on. So what was the last season finale, a vision of the future? Meh, the Chris Carter written episodes are so bad, he just needs to hand the show over to someone else.
You can download The X-Files on iTunes.

The Blacklist: C’mon, did they really have to kill the dog? I mean, yeah the mailman dying was sad too. Also, was leaving Agnes with Scottie a wise decision. Sure none of her grandparents are what I would consider trustworthy, but she really is not much of an upgrade from Red.
You can download The Blacklist on iTunes.

Vikings: I guess you cannot blame Bjorn for high talking it out of Arabia, but that was my favorite part of this season, just somewhere new. Of course we still have Loki’s (presumably) Iceland adventure where it looks like he may be inventing socialism. But back in Kattegard Bjorn was quick to find someone new (and that princess sure was kinky) but even quicker was his half-brother moving in on his other wife. That relationship and many other will make it interesting on how the whole invasion will pan out. Harold’s queen is really the only one to truly show their card as to whose side they are really on.
You can download Vikings on iTunes.

Knightfall: Well that was a pretty elaborate way to get out of a wedding. Nice that the brother also tried to kill the king while he was at it, too bad the Templars messed that plan up.
You can download Knightfall on iTunes.

The Good Place: Oh no, what is to happen to the Real Eleanor? Hopefully she escapes her cocoon soon. But are all the demons gone from the neighborhood now? But doesn’t that mean the neighborhood will be gone soon.
You can download The Good Place on iTunes.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: So Fitz shot the button to wall them off from the Kree, but couldn’t the Kree just re-push the button and go after them? And how thin skinned are the Kree if they can be cut with a butter knife?
You can download Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.

Friday, December 29, 2017

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 12/29/2017





Marvel’s Runaways: The mysterious figure that walked in on Amy as she was leaving has to be Jonah right? I guess maybe one of the other Pride members could also make sense. And what a complete cop out of not killing anyone to save angry dad. You cannot spend half an episode deciding who dies only to have on person destroyed the pod at the last minute. Though I kind of like the evilness of saying there has to be a sacrifice now, and then after that could not happen be like, never mind, we will figure out something else later. But after finding the footage of their parents being evil, the Runaways have to actually runaway next week, right.
You can stream episodes of Marvel's Runaways on Hulu.

The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars: So Josh, who wert twice, had the fastest overall time (beating self-proclaimed state champion swimmer Wes), Kim had the fastest female time, the Stars got seven more flags than the Champs… but still lost by ten seconds. How sad. With Vendetta starting next week, I hope that means that means next week is the last for this pitiful special.
You can download The Challenge: Dirty 30 on iTunes.

The Librarians: Wait, Jenkins gave up his immortality to someone who themselves have also lived hundreds of years? Isn’t he more important than her? And if he is no longer immortal, shouldn’t he have turned to dust? So is the old Guardian going to become the new Jenkins since he may die soon? Or are they going to find a way for him to become immortal again? I guess they should have captured Rasputin and transfer his immortality to the Guardian.
You can download The Librarians on iTunes.

Vikings: So Bjorn’s Mediterranean adventure is not going well. But the desert was never really a good place for the fair skinned.
You can download Vikings on iTunes.

Knightfall: So Godfrey had the Grail all along and young Landry knew about it? Alrighty. So when Godfrey went to the Middle East in that first scene, he already knew what they had was not the Grail. Then you had the princess once again acting creepy towards her uncle.
You can download Knightfall on iTunes.

Saturday, December 23, 2017

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 12/23/2017




Shameless: C’mon Ian, not worth it, all you did was piss off your sister and your ex-boy(girl)friend. And why isn’t Carl detoxing any of Lip’s friends if it is working so well? I just assumed that was going to happen eventually.

SMILF: Eww, Larry will not got potty in the bathroom but will on a salvage yard toilet.

Marvel’s Runaways: You know, when a future person tells you not to do something, maybe you should not do that thing. But, oh snap, she shot her husband. Finally something interesting happened on the show. Though I wonder why future Chase did not also try to contact himself and tell him not to tinker with his toy without his father.
You can stream episodes of Marvel's Runaways on Hulu.

The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars: I thought for sure when Johnny was talking about how he would have to retire from the show if he lost to Riff Raft that Johnny would lose (granted he was in the promo for next season).
You can download The Challenge: Dirty 30 on iTunes.

Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers: Wow, these people are morons. After pulling an Idol out on Lauren and Ashley in the past two week, how can the remaining four not sit on Ben until the next Tribal? They literally have nothing better to do. At least Devon was smart enough to throw a vote to Dr. Mike. Except he then gets screwed by a new twist where the Immunity winner picks someone to take to the finale and the other two go to a fire making challenge.

Speaking of stupid moves and unfair advantages, it seem like that is the theme of next season. I think. The promo was pretty vague. It seems to me they are resurrecting Exile Island (or, God forbid, Redemption Island) where contestants go to be haunted by failed advantages and Idols past and maybe they will hope to get played wisely. I guess that would be interesting if it was a returning players’ season primarily made up of people who made stupid moves (let me against suggest a Morons vs. Masterminds season). But alas it is all new players. Unless Ghost Island is literal and the Ice Cream Scooper and/or Lauren who made the dumbest move this season will be showing up to haunt the inhabitants of Ghost Island.
You can download Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers on iTunes.

Vikings: So is the Bishop going to be the new Applestan? I am actually much more interesting In the trials and tribulations of Bjorn on his Mediterranean journey. The never-ending cycle of English vs Norsemen is getting a bit overdone. Bjorn’s story is fresh.
You can download Vikings on iTunes.

Knightfall: Who creates a mural of the time their brother stabled them through the stomach. But you gotta feel bad for the brother, pretty much ends up dying the same way that the Holy Grail saved him. But how exactly did the Grail go from the bottom of the sea on a wrecked ship to Godfrey’s possession? Was that not the Grail at all?
You can download Knightfall on iTunes.

Blindspot: Wait, we just learned Jane has a kid less than a month ago and Kurt killed her already? That just does not up. Especially considering how Kurt was very adamant that he not a killer earlier. Of course my number one rule of television is that no one is truly dead until you see the dead body (and even then I am still suspicious).
You can download Blindspot on iTunes.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Um, Fitz, why are you finding a way to the future without a plan to get back to present day? Or is he content living seventy days in the future? And I am not sure why sending SHIELD in the future stops an extinction level event (other than if Daisy is in the future she cannot destroy the past. Though I am not totally convinced Daisy quaked the Earth apart.
You can download Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.

Sunday, December 17, 2017

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 12/17/2017


Shameless: There is no greater fear I have in life than to die and my dogs would starve to death because no one noticed. Even more horrifying is now I have in my mind that they would not starve before someone notice. But you got to blame Fiona, if your tenant is late on rent and not responding, you got to go in earlier. But at least she did the right thing and saved the dog from execution. But why was it so hard for Kev to find a dude to have sex with? Does he not work as a bartender at a gay bar?

The Walking Dead: I actually felt bad for a couple seconds after Carl revealed the zombie bite. Of course then I realized that, oh yeah, I hate Carl. Although I fear that since the episode did not end with him dying that he will somehow survive. Of course Carl would be the one person who is immune (although I think the Fear the Walking Dead characters ran into someone who claimed they survived). But back to the beginning, I feel like I missed something, like how the Saviors got out. I know someone said how but it would have been nice to see.
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.

Good Behavior: The last two episodes were duds because it was not very fun watching high Letty except hung over Letty was almost as bad. Then it looked like we were going to get the clichĂ©d Javier sets a trap for Tao except he kidnaps Letty instead plot. Except they completely switch things up with Letty ending up killing Tao without the help of Javier…. And then kills the security guy for no reason. Yeah, it may be time for Letty to g back to prison. Good behavior is just not working out.
You can download Good Behavior on iTunes.

SMILF: Watching Rosie O’Donnell having sex is very high on my list of things I never needed to see.

White Famous: Well, back to the beginning. But what is season two, are they actually going to do Angry Black? Do a time jump to something else? I am guessing it will not just be him raising his kid.

Lucifer: Well, I guess I was right that Superman was the Sinnerman. Though I could never predict he would turn out to be Cain. Superman said the Sinnerman killed his brother which turned out not to be a lie because Cain killed Abel.
You can download Lucifer on iTunes.

The Gifted: I have been in half watching mode of this show for a while, so I was wondering why the new blond was killing all the FBI agents (except the one we knew who somehow looked to only having a non-fatal injury). Then there was three of them. Okay, I am kind of almost interested in the show again.
You can download The Gifted on iTunes.

Marvel’s Runaways: So the old crusty dude who sucks the lifeforce out of people is the one that brought the Pride together? But where has he been the past decade that no one but apparently the alien mom knew? I also have the question the parentage of Karolina’s father. Is it the guy we thought was her father or is it the life sucker. I am starting to get an annoying Lost vibe in that they pose a bunch of questions but are very slow to answering them. And here we are past the half way point and the Runaways have yet to actually runaway.
You can stream episodes of Marvel's Runaways on Hulu.

The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars: So after over half the females Champs went home without losing anything, they brought in Tori… another Champ who has never actually won anything. I am hoping next week is the end, I am ready for it.
You can download The Challenge: Dirty 30 on iTunes.

Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers: I never understood why people are so hesitant to look for the Idol when other people are looking, especially when they know they are on the bottom. Weirder was Ben who did not want to go under the shelter around people and yet pulls it out at Tribal before the vote for everyone to see. But I did like him playing it before people voted to leverage Ashley and Devon to vote with him against Dr. Mike. Except then Ben and Devon voted for Ashley for no reason we, the viewers, were privy to. And this bad editing has gone on for three or so seasons. I get the show likes shocking votes, but the shock loses its luster if we have no clue why it happened.
You can download Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers on iTunes.

Vikings: Well that is some strange bedfellows of Lagatha and one of the kids of the lady she killed. Weird the boys did not go after her when their half-brother left. Speaking of weird, where did the Vikings go at the end. I assumed they were playing possum, but why stop the episode there? Are they hiding underground and that is why the rates are above ground. Did they poison the land?
You can download Vikings on iTunes.

Mr. Robot: So the 5/0 hack never happened? Does this piss off White Rose or is this what (s)he wanted the hole time. I am a bit confused by everyone’s motive, Is this the time travel that is heavily hinted at (there was evn the turn back time scene from the Superman movie in this episode). But in the big letdown was the drug dealer from the first season was the end credit scene as he bizarrely showed up blaring Fiona Apple. Kind of a blah ending to what was an improvement over season two.
You can download Mr. Robot on iTunes.

Knightfall: Wait, the princess wanted to marry her uncle. Now this is a large cast and I am still trying to figure out who is who, but are they really related? Although the royals of the time were famously inbred.
You can download Knightfall on iTunes.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: From the start of the season I assumed Fitz was left behind so he could be the one to bring the rest of the team back to present day. But now he is in the future and wanting Quake to fight to the death (of course if she can rip apart the Earth, I think she could win most battles).
You can download Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.

Wednesday, December 06, 2017

Previewing Knightfall




As Vikings debuted its fifth season last week, it is a bit surprising that History has yet to do another full series set on a fascinating but underreported moment in history (I am not counting last year’s Six which is a modern show that could have easily been on NBC). Much like Vikings which seems to have a foot in the truth and a foot in myth, Knightfall follows the Knights Templers of the around the time of the turn of the fourteenth century. This is ripe for story because secrecy surrounds the Templers though they do run into a few historical figures like Philip IV of France and his royal family along with Pope Boniface VIII.

The series starts at the end of the Siege of Arce, the last stronghold of the Templar’s in the Holy Land in 1291. The Knights have saved the Holy Grail… only to watch it sink to the bottom of the sea. Fast forward fifteen years and those Templars have settled in Paris serving the King there as peace with Britain is fragile and ready to disintegrate at any moment. The Grail still haunts the Knights until a clue that maybe the Holy Grail actually in France and the remaining Knights are following to clue to see if it never sank to the bottom of the sea.

Though information is scares, I do recommend not looking up spoilers because they do hint at what happens at the end of the season (though in retrospect, the title can be consider kind of spoilery). But I do wonder if the show would have been better off starting earlier. We spend ten minute in the Siege of Arce and that itself could have been a whole season. The writers really could have started the series as the main Templar of the show joins the Knights and worked its way to this season where he takes over the Order.

But my bigger complaint is that the show does not do a very good job paying plots off. In the penultimate episode a whisper is made that changes the fate of one of the major character. When that character asked what was said, the replay is that he will be told when he comes back… except he does not return to learn the big twist before the season ends so we, the audience, will have to wait until next season (or possibly longer which always seemed to be the case on Lost) to find out as well. It is always a pet peeve a mine when shows do not pay things off in the same season. What if this show gets canceled? Then we will never know.

Still if you like the epicness of Vikings, you should stick around for Knightfall. It reminds me of what a live action version of Assassin’s Creed should have looked like without the weird modern day mad scientist plot (full disclosure notice: I never did see the move but will take the critics’ take for it that the movie was bad). Except instead of a show where we follow an assassin who crosses path with Templars, we are following Templars who have a few run ins with secretive assassin originations.

Knightfall airs Wednesdays at 10:00 on History.