Alan Rapp

The Pretender – Not Even a Mouse

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: The Pretender – Not Even a Mouse
  • wiki: link

The Pretender - Not Even a Mouse

“Not Even a Mouse” gives Jarod his first Christmas outside The Centre as he assumes the role of a coroner to investigate the death of a homeless man known as “Christmas George” who was a beloved hero to local orphans every year before he died due to complications after an unsolved hit-and-run. Making use of one of his colleagues’ (Kimiko Gelman) love of Puffer Fish, Jarod unmasks the murderer (Wendel Meldrum) and gives the doctor a taste of her own medicine immobilizing her and prepare her body in a death-like trance to be scheduled for autopsy (much like she did with George).

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The Shadow: Midnight in Moscow #1

/ / Comics

The Shadow: Midnight in Moscow #1New Year’s Eve 1950 brings a new mystery for The Shadow in the first issue of Dynamite’s new six-issue mini-series from writer/artist Howard Chaykin. Returning to the character for the first time since DC’s ill-advised 80s mini-series, Chaykin delivers a story of Lamont Cranston in the later days of The Shadow’s career.

I’m a bigger fan of Chaykin’s writing than art and had some issues with the style of the female characters depicted, especially Margo Lane. On story, The Shadow: Midnight in Moscow #1 offers a beleaguered and weary Lamont Cranston a mystery involving an old enemy who impossibly survived The Shadow’s trap and the shrinking of gold ingots through some as-of-yet undisclosed technology.

Presenting a future where The Shadow’s work in New York has done little to stop the flow of crime, and even force Cranston to consider retirement, the first issue is a bit depressing while weaving into the blackmail of a London scientist who I’d expect we’ll see tied to the shrink-ray in the next issue. For fans.

[Dynamite Entertainment, $3.99]

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Teen Titans Go! – Puppets Whaaaaat?

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Teen Titans Go! – Puppets Whaaaaat?
  • wiki: link

Teen Titans Go! - Puppets Whaaaaat?

Robin‘s (Scott Menville) attempt to deal with the stress of the team refusing to listen and follow his orders takes an unusual turn when he creates a puppet stage and marionette versions of himself, Starfire (Hynden Walch), Raven (Tara Strong), Cyborg (Khary Payton), and Beast Boy (Greg Cipes) in which he can play out scenes the way he believes they should have gone.

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Star Trek – Where No Man Has Gone Before

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Star Trek – Where No Man Has Gone Before
  • wiki: link

Star Trek - Where No Man Has Gone Before

After the first Pilot, “The Cage,” wasn’t picked up by the network Gene Roddenberry and crew went back to work crafting “Where No Man Has Gone Before.” The second Pilot recast the role of the ship’s captain bringing in William Shatner as James T. Kirk, but “Where No Man Has Gone Before” still shows signs of early growing pains and a show in transition as the role of ship’s doctor was played not by DeForest Kelley but by Paul Fix, and the uniforms on display match those of “The Cage” rather than more vibrant (and less sweatery) Starfleet uniforms which would become the show’s trademark going forward. The episode also puts both Scotty (James Doohan) and Spock (Leonard Nimoy) in gold-colored uniforms rather than the trademark red and blue they would wear going forward.

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