Posted on January 31st, 2010 by Samuel Walters
“Perdition” is a meandering, uneven episode which, like its main character, is aimless for much of the story. There’s some action, some character and so forth. But the emphasis is in all the wrong places. To be fair, the final sequence is fantastically written and executed. But it’s not worth the pedestrian buildup. Worse still, there’s a lingering question: How did the events of this episode (and the two preceding it) affect our heroes in any meaningful way? Again, the benefits are significantly outweighed by wasted efforts.
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Topics: Fantasy, TV Reviews
Filed under: Legend of the Seeker | No Comments »
Posted on January 30th, 2010 by Samuel Walters
As work continues to transition away from reviews to original content, a new page has been created specifically for Dauntlessmedia Productions. It’s purpose is to function similarly to the main splash page, but instead of directing visitors to reviews, it’s designed to direct visitors to the “content” I’ve created thus far (everything from edited music and graphics to my writing and nascent — and amateurish! — web productions). I’ve also modified the dropdown menus to reflect the new section. Click on the banner to visit it.
As for reviews, they’ll effectively be going on hiatus this Spring. Reviews of older shows will be on hold indefinitely after I complete the Deep Space Nine series (I’m currently halfway through season 6 — look for a full posting for the rest of season 4 this week and all of season 5 shortly afterwards). First-run shows, including Caprica, Clone Wars, Fringe, Legend of the Seeker, and Lost will continue through the Spring television season. I’ll also be posting some long overdue reviews of web series. Beyond that, though, I’m not certain if I’ll be writing any reviews until the Fall. Much will depend on the progress I make with my own content.
In the short term, the focus of my efforts will be on a project for The Andira Chronicles, called Anaria’s Song.
Click HERE for more info … and, if you’re of the mind, wish me luck!
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Posted on January 30th, 2010 by Samuel Walters
“If you ignore the past, you jeopardize the future.”
“The Mandalore Plot” is yet another in a long line of The Clone Wars episodes that is filled with action and adventure and is a lot of fun to watch. Visually, the episode is exceptional. And the interactions of the characters are very entertaining. But there’s something about the halting pacing of the episode and, perhaps, some questionable logic to its featured “plot” which hinders the overall production. Still, it’s a classic episode for its introduction of Mandalore — an iconic planet and heritage in the Star Wars mythos.
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Topics: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, TV Reviews
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Posted on January 30th, 2010 by Samuel Walters
Coming on the heels of its pilot, “Rebirth” is the first official “episode” of Caprica. To that end, the episode has the responsibility of building on the foundation of the story, as well as setting the tone and approach the series plans to take as it unfolds. With that in mind, the episode is true to the billing: An expansive, melodramatic show, focused on characters, with a smattering of sci-fi, religious and philosophical ideas tossed into the mix. The question, of course, is whether or not it’s any good. If you’re okay with the soapy melodrama, then the answer is decidedly: Yes. If not? It may be difficult to sit through all the extraneous interpersonal, interfamilial conflicts in order to get into the real heart of the story.
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Topics: Sci-Fi, TV Reviews
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Posted on January 29th, 2010 by Samuel Walters
“The Bishop Revival” is more of the same from Fringe. It’s an episode that, almost entirely, takes very little chances, staying close to the familiar formula that the series has concocted thus far: Quirky science murder-mystery, Walter-isms, some character work, and a tidy ending which has little to no bearing on the overall arc of the series. I think I understand the purpose for all of these standalone episodes: it makes it easier for people to hop onboard without having to wade through too much backstory to get caught up. But the series has been treading water for too long and an episode such as this is the perfect example of why Fringe needs to kick its legs and either head for shore, or off into the deep end. Either choice would be more interesting than this week’s episode.
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Topics: Mystery, Sci-Fi, TV Reviews
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Posted on January 28th, 2010 by Samuel Walters
“The world is a smaller place now.” – The Greek
“Stray Rounds” is an episode that features plenty of action and intrigue. But it also runs aground due to the same, overly simplistic portrayal of the upper echelons of the police force. Also, the episode almost entirely underplays its most tragic moment – after being way too obvious about the revelation itself. All told, this may be one of the weaker episodes of the series thus far, at least in terms of the craft with which all of the various elements came together. Even so, it’s an entertaining and compelling installment.
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Topics: Crime, Mystery, TV Reviews
Filed under: The Wire, The Wire - Season 2 | No Comments »
Posted on January 27th, 2010 by Samuel Walters
“Indiscretion” is an example of how well Deep Space Nine can draw upon the deep character work that has been a hallmark of the series thus far. Even when the story itself takes inexplicable turns toward the melodramatic, the episode remains thoroughly entertaining and even enjoyable, thanks to its solid foundation of characterizations. As a result, this is an installment that is good, though not quite a classic.
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Topics: Sci-Fi, TV Reviews
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Posted on January 26th, 2010 by Samuel Walters
“Sleepless” is an enjoyable, if somewhat unremarkable installment of the X-Files series. The central mystery is decent enough, though it hardly matches the best of what the series has to offer. In fact, its most interesting and compelling elements are those that occur on the periphery of the main story — the further hints and revelations of the Conspiracy. In that sense, there is some importance to the episode itself. Unfortunately, these elements aren’t enough to truly elevate the episode and make it a true classic.
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Topics: Sci-Fi, TV Reviews
Filed under: Season 2 | No Comments »
Posted on January 25th, 2010 by Samuel Walters
Shades of grey … “Hippocratic Oath” is an episode which immerses itself in Deep Space Nine’s purposeful decision to portray its characters, stories and themes in less-than-absolute terms. And for this episode, that choice becomes part of the story itself — to the point where it becomes a prominent, and poignant, bit of dialogue. Overall, the episode’s two plots are serviceable, if not particularly exceptional. But it is the complications which arise from the conflicts that truly elevates this installment above average.
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Topics: Sci-Fi, TV Reviews
Filed under: Star Trek | No Comments »
Posted on January 24th, 2010 by Samuel Walters
“Dark” continues The Legend of the Seeker‘s subtle reinvention of the series, putting characters is separate and unfamiliar circumstances. For the most part, the episode is a success, building off of mystery and intrigue — and quite a bit of subterfuge. These elements really drive the narrative forward. Along with some new plot developments, there’s plenty to like about this installment. There are a few pacing issues — the episode drags a bit through its middle paces — but otherwise, it’s a classic offering.
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Topics: Fantasy, TV Reviews
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Posted on January 23rd, 2010 by Samuel Walters
“Easy isn’t always simple.”
“Lightsaber Lost” is an amusing diversion. I think it’s safe to say that, of all the Clone Wars episodes to date, it’s easily one of the most “cartoonish” in its approach. The story, the characters, the dialogue all have a simple, juvenile feel to them. The biggest problem for the episode comes from how it compares to typical Clone Wars fare. The juxtaposition of this episode’s approach with that of other, darker, more intense installments will certainly make the mood feel a lot simpler than it actually is. Still, the change in tone can be a barrier for fans of the series.
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Topics: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, TV Reviews
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Posted on January 22nd, 2010 by Samuel Walters
“When you open new doors, there is a price to pay.”
“What Lies Below” is your quintessentially average episode of Fringe. Bizarre-and-deadly threat? Check. Fun and funny character moments? Yup. Suspenseful finish? Of course. Walter-isms? Oh yeah. But does it have anything else? Anything to separate it from the rest of the Fringe episodes out there? Not quite. Sure, there are a couple of decent scenes tucked into the episode. But there just isn’t enough to give this episode any real credit.
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Topics: Mystery, Sci-Fi, TV Reviews
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Posted on January 21st, 2010 by Samuel Walters
What happens when life pulls us away from the ones we truly love? The ones we need (even if we didn’t realize how desperately we needed them at the time)? How do we then choose to live our lives? How do we find closure when there is seemingly none to be had? “The Visitor” is an intimate, moving, and deeply profound episode from Deep Space Nine that explores those questions within a truly wonderful, if not slightly fantastical, character sketch. Perhaps the only real criticism here is the proverbial “reset button” that Star Trek so often abuses. But if life is a journey, not a destination, then what matters most to this episode is its own journey — and not, necessarily, how things end up. To that “end” this is easily one of the most emotional episodes in the entire Star Trek franchise, being surpassed, perhaps, only by episodes such as TNG’s “The Inner Light.”
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Topics: Sci-Fi, TV Reviews
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Posted on January 20th, 2010 by Samuel Walters
“How come they don’t fly away?” – Ziggy
“Duck and Cover” is the kind of episode that a series needs in order to move the plot from Point A to Point B. But on the balance, it doesn’t have a whole lot of inherent value – beyond being part of the larger story. In that sense, the episode is a miss, because it’s relatively unable to generate a self-contained thematic, character or plot elements. Fortunately, because it’s working off of the exquisite work done so far, the episode is nonetheless enjoyable to watch.
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Topics: Crime, Mystery, TV Reviews
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Posted on January 19th, 2010 by Samuel Walters
“Blood” is an episode that manages to weave a thoroughly confounding mystery. Unfortunately, the reason why the mystery is so difficult to penetrate is the simple fact that it simply makes no sense whatsoever — no matter what kind of spin you try to put on the events. The result is less-than-average: a genuinely suspenseful ride that ends with absolutely no satisfaction.
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Topics: Sci-Fi, TV Reviews
Filed under: Season 2 | No Comments »
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