Category: TV reviews

From IMDB: Mike juggles his work obligations with his promise to help a hurting family. Harvey asks for Louis’s discretion in handling a sensitive matter. Donna vets a possible addition to the firm.

MIKE

Why can’t Mike go straight? The undercover lawyer, hiding crucial information from the people who matter. It old hat and getting so very boring. This case is too big for cloak and dagger.
Gallo!!! Man, I love Gallo. They are good at drawing in previous threads to support cases and
Paul Schulze is too good an actor to not bring back.
There’s no passion with Mike and the pro bono case. There should be. He’s risking so much, but I don’t see the motivation. Certainly not enough to work with Gallo.
Rachel represents everyone watching with her final words in the episode; Mike’s word is becoming worthless and Harvey would be right to fire him should this betrayal come to like. Which it will.

Louis

Harvey trusting Louis with Paula’s law suit. If it’s successful, it’ll go a long way to cementing Harvey and Louis’ friendship and put them on good terms.
Louis’ sit down with Paula is beautiful, it’s where Louis shines. God, he might be a diva and make rash choices with his personal life, but he is damn good at his job. Louis’ ethics and morals when it comes to his job are impeccable.
Parallels are drawn from Louis’ own life. I really do want to see him starting to mend fully with this or explore a little further what I think the true issue is; him fathering a child.
There would have been a time when Louis would have gone straight to Harvey with the information Paula gave him; it’s amazing how much he’s grown over the 7 series.

Donna

Why does Harvey want to keep his relationship from Donna? He’s so snappy with her, it’s horrible and I don’t know what they’re trying to achieve with this thread. They worked so well with the tension they already had. This is just a little too much for me.
They keep butting heads and its unnecessary. However, I’m glad she clashed with him over Holly because having that scene between the two was brilliant. If Rachel does leave, Holly will make an excellent Donna wing-woman.
Oh Donna!!! “We’re a tight knit group. We don’t betray each other and we don’t keep secrets from each other.” How little you know and you know all.

 

Bullshit count: 4

Predictions and Questions

• Gallo gets out and comes for Mike and somehow Rachel is going to be the victim.
• Donna and Harvey is end game.
• I don’t know who or how, but Louis will have his happily-ever-after.
• Harvey has an issue with infidelity; will what Mike is doing be infidelity?
• Donna will make it her mission to hire Holly next episode.
• Will Donna walk when she finds out about Paula?
• Why wasn’t the room swap brought up between Mike and Gallo

Summary
Very little progression in the episode, but the writers have invested some time in the character development of Louis and, for that, I’m grateful.
Mike, as always, is annoying me with his self righteous entitlement. The case is setting down some heavy foundations for either the mid/whole series final. Only way I can see this resolving though, is his actions are going to lead to Rachel’s death.

Background
I’m incredibly new to this show, but oh so very passionate. My ex introduced me to it and we watched all of series one in a single sitting. Every so often he would pause it to tell me something offensive was coming up thinking I would hate it and demand for it to be turned off. Far from it, I loved every second.
I will always remember him texting me a screenshot of an episode and him being incredibly impressed that I’d gotten it with one guess and having only seen all the episodes once.
Since our split I’ve been determined to not do my usual thing and for once, not create attachments to a show we shared. Hell, if I did that, I’d have nothing left to watch seeing as I we both loved the same shows, films and he’d even started to get me into gaming.
In the past I’ve stopped watching shows such as Lost (although I hear I didn’t miss much) and films like Goonies had not been watched by me in 8 years since my first boyfriend and I parted ways. Some couples have THEIR song, I tend to have that one movie that will forever be mine and that person’s.
I had explained this to my ex, that I have emotional connections to movies and shows even to the point where I’ve walked away from screenings I’ve paid money for because I’d known the situation would take away from the film I’d loved (Example: a screening of Scrooged was meant to be my works leaving do. I knew had I stayed, I would no longer watch that will in the same way). However, it didn’t stop him from using a conversation we had to inspire him to watch my favourite film (Leon) with another woman literally a day after the conversation. It also didn’t stop him shouting at me for being upset about it.
So, I’m not going to let that happen this time. I don’t want to lose any of the shows I loved before I met him (Stranger Things, House, How I Met Your Mother… hell Star Trek.)

I figured if I blog about the episodes it’ll give me a little bit of motivation to watch them as they’re released. I couldn’t find someone to watch it with me, so I’m afraid my dear readers, you’re the ones holding my hand through this.

 

So, into the fray with go …

Rickmancing the Stone takes no time in reminding us about the divorce between Beth and Jerry. It’s always been there in the background; Beth’s frustration has built over the two series. I never thought the showrunners would break them up though and I’m very happy they did. Things are tense when Jerry pops over for a visit and the siblings use Rick as a means of escape. Seconds before the title sequence comes a whisper only Jerry can hear ‘loser’ the wind calls. It’s genius; I love to hate Jerry and this is just the kind of abuse I want him to get.

I’m loving Summer’s active role in travelling with Rick. Long gone is the Summer of Series 2’s Ricks Must Be Crazy. She doesn’t shy away any more. It’s when they travel to the post-apocalyptic dimension that we really start to see how strong Summer has become. In fact, she’s the catalyst for the whole episode and long may it continue.
Her story sees her find herself very much at home in this world, but she soon works through her issues regarding the divorce and comes to an interesting conclusion that resolves some of her angst by the end of the episode.
It’s interesting to see her romance develop. I would love to see Summer become the Kirk of the traveling trio. Also- Sumsum! Rick gets to give all the best nicknames.

Morty is as annoying as ever. I know that’s the whole point of the character, but I’m starting to need the showrunners to pull a South Park Kenny on his arse.

We see him take on a revenge mission that is worthy of Game of Thrones (another show I’ve stopped watching owing to a man). It’s a brilliant. Very WTF and ties nicely into the Mad Max homage they have throughout the dimension. It’s good to see how he works through his hang-ups about his father and the divorce. Although I reckon some of you are like me and would have liked to have seen what Morty would have done with the muscle memory had Jerry been there himself.

Rick was as awesome as always but there was very little in way of progression for him. I want him to show some real concern relating to the divorce and I hope we’ll get it in the next few episodes.

Overall, I have found the episode to be tackling a tricky, complex and relevant subject. They are doing it well, exposing some of the rawness to comedy (and gore) will probably enable viewers who have experience divorce to see it from other the other side. From my understanding of the audience it gets here in the UK, it certainly will be helping those most effected by divorce.

Questions/Predictions

• Will there be any fallout from Summer’s relationship? We’ve obviously done the pregnancy thing with Morty before but I’d certainly like to see that storyline come back.
• Rick and Beth need some bonding time during her divorce to Jerry.
• Will Beth and Jerry reconcile by the end of the series?
• Will the Cthulhu from the title sequence make an appearance this year?

Today as part of our post-YALC and Kevin Smith come down, we didn’t want to leave the house. Feeling rather nostalgic and yearning for our uni days, Gem picked our go to TV show: Hex.

The show ran for two asymmetrical seasons from 2004 – 2005, filmed by Shine Productions and aired on Sky One. It contained a number of notable cast members who have since gone on to be house hold names; leads Jemima Rooper and Christina Cole have both found success in tv shows both sides of the pond. In 2016 they each found themselves on the West End in theatres very close to each other. Joseph Morgan and Colin Salmon have taken up roles in American tv shows, The Originals and Arrow respectively.

However, the biggest success would have to be Michael Fassbender. Relatively unknown in 2005, I think you would be hard pushed to find someone who doesn’t know his name today. Straight from this, Fassbender was cast in 300 and from that point his career blossomed to the point that in 2011 he was cast as Magneto in Matthew Vaughn’s X-Men: First Class.

How did you first hear about this show?

G: My mum was watching it and I was back from uni. It was the last episode of the first series and I loved every minute of it.

H: Gemma literally put the dvds in my hands and told me to watch them. I think after a week, because I hadn’t watched them, she watched the extended pilot with me and I was hooked.

Why do you like it and why should people watch it?

G: I like it because it is a really good blend of fantasy and relatable YA life. I’ve watched it dozens of times and it never gets old. It’s massively quotable (“Fairy Dust Bitch”) and Jemima Rooper is hilariously funny.

H: It was actually Jemima Rooper who got me hooked on the show. I had recognised her from her role as George in Famous Five. I’d been a massive Enid Blyton fan and, as someone who had hair down to her arse, I envied George’s hair. In terms of Hex, I related to her character so much. I struggled with my weight and wished I could have Thelma’s outlook and positivity with food and body image.
In 2006, around the time of the dvd release, I lost my mother. I was struggling to sleep, function or socialise. Hex, along with J J Abrams show Alias kept me company in the dark evenings that I was alone with my thoughts.

People should watch it because the themes of being an outsider, relationships, LGBTQ and identity are still relevant to today’s teens. It hits on a lot of the themes seen in current YA fiction and some movies. It would be the perfect companion to some works.

Why was it such an underrated show?

G: People are idiots! Personally I never seeing any promotion for the show; there were no articles or adverts in magazine and Sky missed a trick by not promoting it on MySpace (unless I missed that). I would never have watched it or heard about it had my mum not have been watching it. (by the way, she hates anything to do with witches, vampires or fantasy normally)

H: I would argue that the network had no faith in the show. As Gem said, there was no visible promotion of the show. Also, airing on a Sunday night would not have help the show gain an audience.

Who was your favourite character?

G: Jemima Rooper’s Thelma Bates. She made me laugh, she made me cry and she made me have oufit/make-up/nail varnish goals. However, I disagree with her decision to kill Drew. I’d marry Drew.
From the very first episode, she is sent on a constant journey of development. She provides the show with its cheekiest moments and is a role model for anyone in the LGBTQ community; she is true to who she is and tolerates no crap from her peers.

H: Jamie Davis’ Leon Taylor. Series One he is a stereotypical teen; he’s all about the sex without having experienced it himself. He’s a little sleazy and rather cruel his treatment of his friends.

However, by series two, he comes into his own. Leon matures, shows emotion and becomes our eyes in this chaotic world of fantasy, demons and apocalypse. While I could have easily picked Azazel (Fassbender), or Sam Troughton’s Jez (Such a dude. I met him in the bar of a theatre and chatted to him for quite a bit – nb, he’s hot!)

What was your favourite episode or storyline?

G: The pilot. I love the angst Thelma feels towards her feelings for Cassie, and then the most awful thing happens. Despite that, it’s still funny! (The quote of Thelma saying “They’re bloody loving this – don’t be a dyke or you’ll end up topping yourself.” Had me smiling and laughing through my tears.

H: For me it was the manipulation of Cassie and the lengths Azazael goes to to fulfil the prophesy. There’s a scene that reminds me of Wrath of Khan. It still makes me cringe to this day.
The storyline comes to a head in the final episode of the first series and includes one of my favourite scenes; Azazael, fallen angel, conversing in church. The storyline deals with issues such as consent, abortion and loyalty.

What would you want to see happen after the final episode?

G: I’d love to know what happens to everyone! Mainly, I *need* to know if Thelma “survives” the events… I would love even a script or a project outline of what the writers were planning for s3 because I yelled at the tv when it finished and there was no follow up from the Last Day!

H: I had an idea for a fan fiction back in 2006. The first chapter dealt with Leon putting his and Ella’s little girl to bed, telling her a story of how brave her mother was.
Thelma was still around and acting as the best god mother and her conversations with Leon would always revolve around training and education the daughter in the dark world they now belong in.
Past that, I’d not really thought about what would happen. I guess that was part of the problem. The cast was too fluid and the people I was attached to left without full resolutions.

Favourite quotes

G: I have s sneaking suspicion my quotes will be the same as Han’s… along with “Fairy dust BITCH!”. *reads Han’s; yes, yes they are the same 😊 !”

H: “Thelma Bates, I never knew you had it in you!”

“It’s such a shame I wasn’t thinner when I died really”

“The whore on my floor”

 

How would you describe it?

G: Epic fantasy awesomeness coupled with a killer dialogue and the best characters you will ever meet.

H: Relatable YA drama given a fantasy spin. Hollyoaks meets Buffy, if it was set in a private boarding school.

Who should watch it?

G: *Everyone* I loved it, and Buffy was a huge influence on my life at this time, so Buffy fans! But in general I feel like anyone who love YA would adore it, so anyone who was a  @YALC_UK #YALC2017 would totally heart it.

H: Anyone who feels a loss with the end of Pretty Little Liars. Those who have watched Buffy, Lost Girl or Charmed.

 

The first episode can currently be found here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcB-v4eGL58
Please watch it at let us know what you think below.

Love Han and Gem

New episode, very new feel. Most of the time was spent in Haps prison in tonight’s episode with two very small interludes to push the present narrative along.

With a Human Centipede vibe to the episode, it’s not going to be rated high in the list of episodes when it comes to the finale. There’s excellent character development and exposition, but I’m starting to get the feeling I’ve gotten the relationship between the OA and Homer completely wrong. I bloody hope so anyway because their chemistry sucks.

I have a feeling there’s some development of the teacher, Otter I’m now going to call her. They hint at it in this episode and I thought we’d see more. Alas, the episode was dedicated to the larger mystery.

My biggest gripe about this episode is about the allergic reaction. Hap claims, mid gasp, he can’t have tomatoes. Great, but you’ve been buying the food. If you know you’ll react like that, wouldn’t you check the ingredients of the things you buy?!

Then again, the final reveal might explain this away. Unfortunately, I’m discovering that it doesn’t have the momentum to watch more than one episode at a time. You’re falling short of the Stranger Things standard OA!

Ever since binge watching Stranger Things, I’ve been on the search for its equal. It’s been a tough job and nothing has fitted the bill. I’m currently only one episode in but I’m certain I’ve found something that is coming close.

The show seems relatively timeless, with a nostalgic twang just to keep you on edge. It’s a slow burn to begin with, but it works with the nature of the mystery of the narrative.

Prairie Johnson has been missing for 7 years. After a shock of an opener, she is returned to her adoptive parents to readjust to life after her disappearance. Only, she no longer goes by the name Prairie; instead preferring to be known as The OA. Going from one form of entrapment to another The OA seeks help from Steve Winchell to gain access to the wi-fi from her bedroom. A deal is made and the plot starts to run on its own steam to a very interesting conclusion that will have you begging for the next episode.

The group they rally together, and i’m suspecting will become the core characters for this 8-parter, is rather interesting and I’m excited to see how it pans out. I’m predicting it now; Steve’s teacher played by Phyllis Smith is going to be this series’ equivalent to Barb. By that, I believe she’s going to be beloved, I am not predicting a sticky demise and any justice needed. She’s won me over already and I’m certain I’m not the only one. The final act was so beautifully, artistically done.

Netflix Originals is going from strength to strength and I’m so happy this show is here to bridge the gap between seasons for Stranger Things.  I’m also very thankful for Netflix upping their game and allowing a downloadable platform for some of their material. Alas me having the Iphone7 and no headphones to be able to watch the show out in pubic, relegating it to bedtime viewing.