by Jane | Jul 7, 2016 | Write Here Write Now
In the second season of Daredevil, a new villain is introduced. Frank Castle, known as the Punisher and played brilliantly by Jon Bernthal, has been systematically killing off members of three gangs in the city. So, he is already a mass murderer with a twist — he only kills bad guys. But he is also a very complex character — a war veteran whose entire family was killed.
Another plot concerns the return of Matt’s old flame Electra — a woman who shares Matt’s fighting skills and is involved in a fight against the Yakuza, an international Japanese gang. Of course, she solicits Matt’s aid in this fight. Another blast from the past this season is Stick, Matt’s old mentor and trainer. He is also fighting the Yakuza, but he refers to the fight as an “ancient war.”
Matt’s involvement with Elektra and Stick takes him away from an important court case, getting his partner Foggy in a bunch, while Karen Page, his legal assistant, also upset with Matt, takes off investigating things on her own in her usual haphazard fashion.
But if Vincent D’Onofrio as Fisk stole the show in Season 1, Jon Bernthal, late of The Walking Dead, is the one to watch this time around. The range of emotions of this character go from maniacal to thoughtful to miserable over the loss of his family.
Watch this season of Daredevil. It has it all.
by Jane | Jun 30, 2016 | Write Here Write Now
Person of Interest is a tv show that ran on CBS for five seasons. Until recently, I had not thought of it as science fiction, but more action/adventure. However, it certainly is, based on the existence of The Machine. The Machine, developed by Harold Finch, watches everyone every minute of every day, looking for signs of potential violence. Every week, in the early seasons, it would identify one person (referred to as a “number”), who was either planning violence toward another person or was in danger of being killed himself or herself. Finch would then send out his operative John Reese to prevent the violence from happening. He also elicited the help of Police Detective Lionel Fusco, a reluctant participant. Coincidentally, they were pursued by Fusco’s boss Jocelyn Carter (played by Taraji Henson, now on Empire), though later circumstances changed so that she joined them.
Along the way, Finch and Reese attract the attention of others, such as the government agency who commissioned the machine and now want to destroy it, and later, another group who is building their own machine. But there is a difference. This new machine, known as Samaritan, is given powers that Finch’s machine does not have — namely, its own volition. This results in the taking of lives it doesn’t see as relevant — for the greater good as it sees it. So, in the later seasons, Finch and Reese, joined by two other operatives, are not only working with the numbers provided by The Machine to save one person, but are battling against Samaritan to save humanity.
I enjoyed this series from the beginning, and although I got a little bogged down in the middle, when the series started adding a lot of new elements, it maintained my attention enough to keep watching and I stuck with it. And the mad dash to the end when they were trying to stop Samaritan was nothing short of amazing.
If you have not seen this series, it’s available for streaming on Netflix and Amazon. Take a look. You might be surprised how good it is.
by Jane | Jun 17, 2016 | Write Here Write Now
The Infinite Sea is the second book of The 5th Wave series by Rick Yancy. The book starts with the group of kids hiding in a hotel after escaping from Camp Haven. Everyone is there except for Evan Walker. Most of the characters think he is dead, but Cassie holds out hope that he is still alive.
Though the first book was told primarily in the voices of Cassie and Ben (also known as Zombie), in The Infinite Sea, we get to know more about Ringer through her telling of the tale as well. As the group holds up and starts to venture out on patrol, we also learn more about Evan and his background. But Ringer is the real focus of this book. Through her, we find out more about the Others, what they think of humanity, and how exactly their plans were laid out.
Full of intrigue and action, The Infinite Sea does justice to its predecessor The 5th Wave. Though again, there is an adequate and fulfilling finish to this book, it sets us up for the final installment The Last Star, where we will finally discover what the aliens had in mind with their particular type of assault. And if course, to find out what happens to the remainder of humanity.
by Jane | Jun 10, 2016 | Write Here Write Now
Amazon’s The Man in the High Castle is an alternate history story in which the Axis Powers won World War II and have divided up the United States. The western states are now known as the Japanese Pacific States, the east is the Greater Nazi Reich, and the Rocky Mountain States are a Neutral Zone between them.
The main characters are Joe Blake, a double agent for the Nazis, who lives in New York City, Juliana Crain of San Francisco, who gets drawn into the Resistance after her sister Trudy is killed, and Juliana’s boyfriend Frank Frink.
Shortly before her death, Trudy gives Juliana a film of (what to them is) alternate history, i.e., newsreels of the Allies winning the war. After she sees her sister gunned down in the street, Juliana takes off for the Neutral Zone to meet her sister’s contact and (ultimately) get the film to “the man in the high castle.” That is where she meets Ben on a mission of his own. Meanwhile, back in San Francisco, suspecting Juliana and her sister of subversive activity, the Japanese Secret Police Kempeitank arrest and torture Frank. They even pick up Frank’s sister and her children and threaten to kill them because they are part Jewish.
This is an interesting concept. I’ve read alternative histories like this before and enjoyed them. Unfortunately, I have mixed feelings about this show, largely due to the main characters’ motives and actions. Juliana’s whole reason for getting involved seems to be finding out more about the film. She’s putting her life and that of her family in danger, not for freedom, not for philosophy, but for what? Curiosity? Up to this point, she seems to have accepted the Japanese culture — taking martial arts classes, buying Japanese tea — and she’s putting all this on the line. In addition, many of the choices she makes are, to put it simply, unwise. Said another way, she has no idea what’s she’s doing and goes off half-cocked with no thought whatsoever.
The men also have some problems. Like Juliana, Ben has mixed motives. He wants to be a good Nazi but helps Juliana in the Neutral Zone, even saving her life. He then has to report back to his superior Obergruppenfuhrer John Smith (an American who has embraced the Nazi way and risen through the ranks) and explain his actions. Frank’s motives are clearer — he hates the Japanese for what they did to him and his family and although he may sometimes be seen as rash, he is more careful in his planning and his actions than the other two. The only problem there is his relationship with Juliana — they seem to have trouble being honest with each other.
Despite all these issues, The Man in the High Castle does have an intricate plot and is worth watching. There are some excellent actors playing the Nazi and Japanese officials, including the American John Smith, who is very scary, and Japanese Chief Inspector Kido, who administers Frank’s torture. There are also a Japanese and a Nazi official who meet in secret to discuss what happens to their countries once an aging Hitler dies.
Overall, The Man in the High Castle is an intriguing, suspenseful show, and I will keep watching it to see what happens. I just hope the main characters decide what they want, stop lying to each other, and use a little common sense to get what they want.
by Jane | Jun 1, 2016 | Write Here Write Now
Gotham is a tv show based on the Batman comic book, but with a difference. It opens with the murder of Bruce Wayne’s parents. So there is not yet a Batman, nor are there any supervillains. Oh, they are there — just not as we know them. Catwoman (Selina Kyle) is a young street girl, Riddler (Ed Nygma) is a forensic scientist, and Penguin (Oswald Cobblepot) is a low-level aide to a mob boss. But the focus is not on any of these, rather on Detective Jim Gordon, an idealistic member of the corrupt Gotham Police Department (needless to say, long before he becomes commissioner.)
In his investigation of the Waynes’ murder, Gordon becomes acquainted with teenaged Bruce Wayne and promises to solve the murder. But Bruce is not content to wait for the police. He starts his own investigation, not only of his parents’ murder, but also of strange dealings at Wayne Enterprises. Along the way, he meets and becomes friends with Selina Kyle, who helps him through her knowledge of Gotham’s underworld.
Meanwhile, Cobblepot rises through the ranks, Nygma shows his true colors, and other villains arise to thwart both Gordon and Bruce in their efforts. Gordon must also stand against his superiors and colleagues as he tries to clean up Gotham, while dealing with a complicated personal life.
Due to all these forces, Gordon, and to a lesser extent, Bruce, are always getting into trouble. In fact, it has become somewhat tedious the extent to which Gordon is constantly being discredited then redeemed, becoming a “What is Going to Happen to Jim Gordon This Week” scenario.
Still, having said all that, the second season has really taken off with the addition of Dr. Hugo Strange, played magnificently by B. D. Wong. Best known for his role as Dr. Huang on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Wong has experience playing a psychiatrist. But Strange is much different from Huang. Rather than trying to help people, Strange is involved in research to resurrect the dead and give them super powers. The season finale is like something out of The Walking Dead, but instead of mindless zombies, the citizens of Gotham have to deal with supervillains.
Wong has really injected some new life into this series. If you haven’t seen it, watch it. If you’ve given up on it, watch it again. I can’t wait for Season 3.
by Jane | May 24, 2016 | Write Here Write Now
Imagine an alien invasion where you couldn’t tell the aliens from the humans. It’s been done, you say? Many times, you say? Yes, it has, but not in quite this way. Told from the viewpoints of the two main characters, 16-year-old Cassie and 17-year-old Zombie, The 5th Wave relates a story of how these two teens are managing to deal with the aftermath of Waves 1-4 (nicknamed “Lights Out”, “Surf’s Up”, “Pestilence”, and “Silencer” by the author).
There are only a few hundred thousand humans left on Earth when the book opens, but Yancy takes us back to the beginning of the invasion, explaining each wave and letting us know how Cassie came to be alone — just her, her brother’s teddy bear, and her M-16. Later we meet Zombie, with his own tale to tell, and Sammy, Cassie’s 5-year-old brother who she has vowed to find. Zombie finds himself in a situation where he can help save humanity. But in the alien apocalypse world of The 5th Wave, is anything as it seems?
Although the first book of a trilogy, there is a good, satisfying ending, so don’t be afraid to read it and it alone. However, there is definitely more to come if you enjoy this book as much as I did and want to continue the adventure. Rick Yancy is a good writer and makes us really like the characters. Though the fear and excitement doesn’t reach the levels found in The Hunger Games or the Divergent trilogies, there is certainly enough to entertain. In addition, The 5th Wave grabs us with the optimism of the characters and their strength in adapting to their apocalyptic world. Certainly in the same class as the other two series, it is well worth a read.
by Jane | May 10, 2016 | Write Here Write Now
Limitless is a tv series about a man who discovers a drug known as NZT, which enhances a person’s mental abilities, purportedly allowing the user to utilize every part of his or her brain, leading to complete memory and superb reasoning abilities. This man, Brian Finch, is a 20-something, who hasn’t quite gotten his act together, who first takes this drug to help his father, recently diagnosed with an incurable disease.
Brian’s use of NZT results in a series of misadventures. He finds his friend and supplier dead, is accused of murder by the FBI, is shot, and is mysteriously taken to an unknown location where he makes the acquaintance of Senator Edward Morra. His meeting with Senator Morra is significant because the senator offers him a shot which lets him avoid the side effects of the drug, side effects which can lead to disability and death. However, the senator insists that Brian tell none of this to anyone.
Later, when the FBI discovers Brian has an immunity to NZT, they decide to employ him as an operative to can help them solve cases in a fraction of the time it would take regular agents. When Morra finds out, he demands that Brian become a double agent for him, keeping him informed of the FBI’s investigation of NZT. In addition to denying him access to the shot if he refuses, Morra has threatened to kill his family if Brian fails to cooperate or tells anyone about the immunity shot. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that Brian comes to like his handler Rebecca Harris and considers her his friend, a friend to whom he must lie.
I’ve enjoyed the first season of this series, mainly due to Jake McDorman, who plays Brian, a quirky, childlike character. Other cast members include Jennifer Carpenter as Rebecca Harris, Hill Harper as Rebecca’s partner Spelman Boyle, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as SAC Nasreen Pouran. Also of note are occasional appearances by Bradley Cooper as Morra and Ron Rifkin and Blair Brown as Brian’s parents.
I will admit to feeling ambivalent about some of the plots, especially those in the middle of the season. The main draw for me was the character of Brian, who though sometimes childish and often prone to rash decisions, was very likeable. The series is also a lot of fun because of the visual effects used to convey Brian’s mental processes, including many scenes of him discussing problems with himself. So, I watched it mainly for that character, but found that as the season wore on, the plots also became more complex and intense.
I would recommend Limitless to anyone looking for a sometimes serious, but often not, story of an improbable drug leading to unlikely results. You’ll enjoy it.
by Jane | Feb 6, 2016 | Write Here Write Now
To return to the bingeing article I started last month, the non-genre tv show I binged on was Breaking Bad — the story of a high school chemistry teacher who decides to cook crystal meth, when he finds out he has cancer. Walter White, a pathetic sort of man who sold his share of what became a million-dollar enterprise for a mere pittance, now teaches high school and works part time at a car wash to make ends meet. When he thinks he may be dying, he finds a new way to provide for his family.
As a talented chemist, cooking the meth is the easy part. It’s when he tries to sell it that he gets into trouble. Teaming up with a former student, Jesse Pinkman, he tries working through dealers, then tries creating his own business with Jesse. He makes a lot of money, but also gets into tons of trouble. But the most interesting thing about the series, especially from a writer’s point of view, is the character development of Walter White, or should I say, devolution. Violence becomes a necessary part of business for him to the point he is almost sociopathic, and he becomes extranged from the family he cares so much about.
The tension and suspense in the series is great. I watched the last 12 episodes in 2 days because I really needed to get to the end. (Of course, I knew how it must end and knew how much I would miss it once it was over, but still I binged.) The tension is increased greatly by the fact that Walt’s brother-in-law is a DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) Agent, who always seems just one step away from closing in.
I had heard a lot about this show, but was skeptical about it’s being my type of thing. But once I started watching it and realized that it was about family, desperation, and human foibles, I was hooked. If you haven’t seen it, watch it. If you have, watch it again. It’s that good.
by Jane | Jan 18, 2016 | Write Here Write Now
I binged over the holidays. I don’t mean so much with food and drink, though there was some of that as well. No, actually, I binged on one genre movie series and one non-genre tv series. The movie series was The Lord of the Rings. A cable station was airing a marathon on one day. I taped it and played it back over three days, which was marathon enough for me. The movies were all long, especially the last one, The Return of the King.
I enjoyed The Lord of the Rings. I had not seen a full movie in the series for many years, and I’m not sure I had ever seen the third one. The thing about trilogies is that if you don’t like the second, unless you really, really, really like the first, you may never watch the third. That may be what happened in my case. I liked the first movie, The Fellowship of the Ring, though it too was long, and the first time I watched it was not enough to get all that happened in the film. I had had to see it a second time just to get a real sense of the story.
I did not like the second one nearly as much, The Two Towers. Having just seen it again, I’m trying to remember how I felt about the book, but it was way too long ago for me to remember. The problem I experienced with the movie was that there was too much about the Race of Men, and not nearly enough about Hobbits. I especially didn’t like that there was so much time devoted to fight scenes. While the director Peter Jackson must have thought fight scenes were important, I don’t believe they are nearly important as he wanted us to believe. All the books are about the quest and friendship and going beyond yourself to achieve something.
The Return of the King also had a lot of fight scenes and a lot on the Race of Men, but not nearly as much as the second film. There was a lot more with Frodo and Sam and the other hobbits, so I found the movie much more enjoyable. I could doze through the fight scenes and wait for the good stuff. I’m sure there are people out there who would disagree with me, but the scenes with Frodo and Sam were especially poignant and strong. I’m glad I had a chance to see these movies all together, so I could follow the story line and get a good sense of what the books were about.
IF you haven’t seen them in a while, it’s a good time to watch then again. You might find something new.
by Jane | Dec 29, 2015 | Write Here Write Now
A couple of weeks ago, I talked about the first two seasons of Enterprise. Now I’d like to finish my discussion of the series. At the beginning of season 3, Archer and crew are off chasing the alien species developing a weapon to destroy Earth, and it’s a season of amazing episodes. I was afraid at first that, due to the topic, the episodes would involve nothing but a lot of action and combat. Especially since a military unit called MACOs was added to the ship. (Doesn’t this remind you of the marines of Deep Space 9?). Don’t get me wrong. I don’t dislike action and combat, but that’s not what makes Star Trek. As proven by fans’ dislike of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, the human element is most important of all. Luckily, as it turned out, there were many episodes focusing on the human element and a great deal of character development, especially in T’Pol and Archer. More about that later.
The series continued to improve in season 4. There were several 2- and 3-part episodes, including a 2-parter entirely in the Mirror, Mirror universe. That was a great episode, even if you didn’t know who to root for, since they were all evil. Season 4 also included an explanation of why some Klingons have forehead ridges and some don’t. Very clever. And it does justice to Worf’s comment in DS9 of not liking to talk about it. Too bad they left that until the very end of Star Trek (not counting the revamp movies).
The last episode was unique. It depicted Enterprise’s last mission six years after the previous episode, leading to the beginning of a rudimentary Federation of Planets. The interesting thing is that it did so through use of the holodeck by Will Riker. I’m not sure why they did it that way, or how I feel about it. Maybe, after premature cancellation, the producers wanted to end it in a significant way and have it come full circle on the Enterprise D. Again, I’m not sure how I feel about it, but I think I would have preferred an episode with just the Enterprise NX-1 crew.
As I mentioned earlier, there was a great deal of character development in this series, more than in any of the others. T’Pol stopped being a reluctant spy and overseer to a Vulcan struggling with her emotions and loyal to a human captain. She even had something of a romance with a member of the crew. Malcomb stopped trying to sacrifice himself at every turn, and Trip…well, I think Trip just grew up.
Archer certainly changed more than any other Star Trek captain. He started out as a naïve idealist and became a pragmatist, willing to do whatever it took to complete his mission. It’s interesting to note here that the two most disturbing episodes in Star Trek history were on Enterprise and Voyager. In both cases, the captain ordered the death of someone on board, not due to anything that person had done, but because of who they were. Of course, Janeway was lost in the Delta Quadrant and Archer was alone in the Expanse trying to save the human race. So, we could explain it by saying Star Trek captains go rogue when out of communication range and in desperate times. Another explanation may simply be that the Star Trek producers were allowing their captains to be more human.
So, a lot has happened in Star Trek history, and Enterprise is a really good series, as long as you stick with it. People who disparage it have probably only seen a few episodes and are comparing it to other Star Trek series they liked. They should be comparing it to other science fiction tv past and present. After all, what’s on the air now to compare? There have, of course, been some good series (my favorites are Babylon 5 and Stargate), but a lot more bad ones. But of all the sf tv ever on the air, there is nothing to compare to Star Trek. Any Star Trek.
