“I don’t need magic to make a man beg for mercy.” – Cara
“Princess” is a wonderful example of how a series can inject enough humor and farce to prove that it isn’t taking itself too seriously, while still telling a riveting, compelling story. Legend of the Seeker scores an instant classic with this episode, perfectly balancing humor, character, action, story, and even a bit of thematic depth. The pacing is brisk and the comedy is legitimately funny. With solid dialogue and acting, this may be one of the most entertaining episodes of Seeker thus far.
There are some very promising elements in Caprica’s “There Is Another Sky” and it will be interesting to see how they develop. However, the series is still terribly unfocused and uneven. Instead of more deeply exploring existing characters and plot threads, it adds new ones. It’s the classic case of quantity over quality. Fortunately for this episode, though, there are enough tantalizing ideas and developments to make it just slightly above average. It works here. But it’s not a formula that can sustain the series.
With “Lighthouse,” Lost has another addition to its string of excellently produced episodes which may or may not have a lasting impact. There’s no question that this is a thoughtful, carefully constructed episode, with plenty of symbolism and continuity. It’s also quite entertaining, with a wonderful blend of humor, drama, mystery and suspense. But as a standalone story, this installment is unevenly paced. And without a clearer connection between its two primary storylines, it’s difficult at best to draw any meaningful conclusions about the events that unfold.
“Hunger” is a very, very good episode of Legend of the Seeker. Despite a few obvious plot developments, the story manages to be both suspenseful and character-driven. Along with some welcome continuity to the first season of the series, this episode manages to tell an entertaining and meaningful tale.
“Gravedancing” is an awkward, meandering, and mostly unremarkable episode of Caprica. Very little happens either naturally or organically. Most of the situations and conflicts are forced. And there’s almost no dramatic payoff. There are a few glimmers of hope, mostly toward the end of the episode. But otherwise, this is very much a subpar outing for a series that is in desperate need of a truly good episode.
Lost gets back on track, in terms of narrative, with “The Substitute,” an episode which features a tightly focused plot and some very compelling characterizations. There are a few pacing issues early on, but as the episode unfolds, the story becomes increasingly engaging and entertaining. There’s plenty of mystery afoot, but in typical Lost nature, the answers come with at least as many questions. All told, this is a strong episode, moving the story forward, while keeping characters and questions firmly in mind.
“Torn” is a very good episode of Legend of the Seeker. At its heart, it’s a character exploration. But it also features a surprisingly brisk pace, good dialogue, and a reasonably suspenseful plot (even if the central mystery is tad bit on the obvious side). What makes the episode work is its rationale and its execution. The ideas aren’t especially new, but because they are presented with a reasonable amount of craft, this is one installment that ought not to be missed.
This video was created to introduce my middle school students to science fiction as a genre. It’s not exactly an example of video-editing wizardry. But I figured it might be worth sharing.
I found this the other day and found it absolutely hilarious. If you’re a fan of TNG, you’ll be hard-pressed not to appreciate it. And even if you’re not, this is still probably worth a few laughs:
“Reins of a Waterfall” is an improvement for Caprica. On the whole, the series is doing a very good job of developing its central mysteries. But character inconsistencies notwithstanding, this is an episode that really delves into the deeper elements of the overall story arc — elements like trust, revenge, faith, conspiracy, love, and thirst for power. Make no mistake, this is a melodrama on a very grand scale. But the unabashed approach is, in some ways, refreshing. This isn’t a show that is afraid to hides its over-the-top style. As such, the drastic events are a bit easier to swallow — even if they are, you know, radical for both viewers and the characters themselves.
“Duchess of Mandalore” is a sweeping, cinematic tale. And it just might be the most mature, allegorical story we’ve seen thus far in the series. What’s remarkable is the fact that this episode is successful despite the fact that a promised battle never materializes. Put simply, the story doesn’t need a battle to be compelling, suspenseful and masterfully crafted.
After what was months of meandering and mostly forgettable storytelling, Fringe returns to the overall story arc established back in the first season with “Jacksonville” — an episode which goes a long way to move the plot forward in new (and ominous) directions. There’s even some solid character interaction at work here. For the most part, this is a strong episode. But there are some issues with pacing, as well as a lackluster conflict to the episode. Along with the very long hiatus between this episode and prior “mythology” installments, the events do not connect quite as strongly as they ought to. The result is a classic Fringe episode, but one that is not without its flaws.
“Voyage of Temptation” is another one of those solid installments of The Clone Wars. It doesn’t feature the original conceptualization, riveting pace or pulse-pounding action of some episodes. But it’s a fairly mature and compelling tale, particularly from a character perspective. The concept of “temptation” is prevalent and deftly utilized. And the focus on Obi-Wan’s character, his own history and choices, makes the whole production quite enjoyable. The result is yet another classic installment.
With an episode titled “What Kate Does”, you sort of expect this to be an episode about Kate … and what she does. It’s a bit surprising, and more than of a bit of a letdown, that Kate does remarkably little in this episode that is either interesting or compelling. Part of the problem is an overall structure that meanders for far too long, revels far too much in simply avoiding any kind of answers, and just doesn’t invest enough time in its characters. There are some solid moments tucked into the production, but overall it’s a fairly average installment.
With “LA X” Lost begins its final season. Ultimately, I cannot think of a better way to begin its final swan song. I can’t say that the episode is a perfect balance between plot, character and theme — it is, afterall, very much a plot-based story — but there’s plenty of potential for the series to conclude its story in a way that does justice to all three facets of storytelling. What’s most important about this installment is the craft which went into its construction. For a double-episode, there are very few, if any, wasted moments. The story is riveting in terms of its mysteries and ultimate conclusion. The new approach for the series has great potential to inform and explore character. And there’s no question that this episode not only advances the most common themes of the series — it finds new ways to look at them. Put simply, this is one of the most engaging, entertaining and thoughtful episodes of television I’ve seen.
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