November 2020

Star Trek: Discovery – People of Earth

  • Title: Star Trek: Discovery – People of Earth
  • wiki: link

Star Trek: Discovery - People of Earth television review

After an extended reunion between Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the crew of the USS Discovery, the ship, with Book (David Ajala) in tow, heads for Earth where they encounter a chilly welcome. It appears the Federation left Earth some time ago, and the planet has become isolationist in the extreme in hording and protecting a dwindling supply of Dilithium. An attack by raiders while Discovery is being investigated by the United Earth Defense Force provides an opportunity for Burnham to do what she does best and allow both sides in the ongoing conflict to get a taste of Federation-style diplomacy.

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G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero #275

G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero #275 comic reviewLarry Hama’s massive ten-part series including appearances from an insane number of G.I. JOE characters comes to a close with a dialogue-free silent issue as the combined forces of the Joes, Destro, Zartan, and the Arashikage succeed in freeing Throwdown (who Cobra still mistakenly believe is the original Snake Eyes) from the clutches of Cobra. IDW’s arc was sold under the idea of it “featuring EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF G.I. JOE,” and there were appearances aplenty over the past ten issues.

Setting up all the necessary ingredients to return the original Snake Eyes’ memories to the new one’s body, given access to Dr. Mindbender‘s machine and the arrival of Dawn, I was surprised that this idea wasn’t pursued (perhaps at a later date)?

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The Mandalorian – The Jedi

  • Title: The Mandalorian – The Jedi (Chapter 13)
  • wiki: link

The Mandalorian - The Jedi television review

At last, the episode we’ve all been waiting for. With her appearance finally here, The Mandalorian wastes no more time in getting Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) on-screen for the first time as a live-action character. Dawson makes a good choice for the older Ahsoka, burdened not only by departure from the Jedi but also by their fall and the dark truths uncovered about her former Master. Introduced battling Imperial remnant soldiers on a small outpost on Corvus, “The Jedi” reveals little detail about what she’s been up to since the Star Wars Rebels finale, as she is still on the hunt for Grand Admiral Thrawn (but no mention is made of Sabine Wren or Ezra Bridger). The show’s action scenes, particularly the first featuring Ahsoka taking out the troops and later the short battle between the former Jedi and the Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) are some of the best of the season.

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Bull – My Corona

  • Title: Bull – My Corona
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Bull - My Corona television review

Bull returns for its Fifth Season by delving into New York in the middle of the COVID outbreak. The first 10 minutes of the episode catch us up on Bull (Michael Weatherly) during the months with which the office has been shut down and no new clients have walked through the door. Courts final start opening up, and Bull gets a client no one wants – the owner of a company that runs security background checks for apartments who is being sued by those denied new homes by reports wrongly identifying them as criminals. While the episode pulls the rug from under us in the final few moments, revealing most of the episode to be a COVID-fueled fevered dream, “My Corona” does some interesting work dropping Bull within a completely changed world with far less access to the jury and far fewer prospects for clients.

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Animaniacs – Episode 1

  • Title: Animaniacs (2020) – Episode 1
  • wiki: link

Animaniacs - Episode 1 television review

Before viewing the first episode of Hulu’s rebooted Animaniacs, I did go back and do a refresher on the original by viewing the original premiere from 1993. I hadn’t watched an episode of the 90s series in several years, but a single viewing brought by the crazed wackiness of the first Animaniacs. Perhaps because so much of the first episode is centered around the idea of a reboot, or getting various characters caught up the present, “Episode 1” didn’t have quite the level of insanity of the original. On an Animaniacs wackiness scale, this was hit maybe a 7 (out of 10). That said, there’s plenty to enjoy here with the opening Jurassic Park parody and the return of Pinky (Rob Paulsen) and the Brain (Maurice LaMarche) – my two favorite characters from the original – along with, of course, Wakko (Jess Harnell), Yakko (Paulsen), and Dot (Tress MacNeille) – all voiced by the original actors.

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