Television Reviews

1997 – The Love Bug

  • Title: The Love Bug (1997)
  • IMDb: link

Largely forgotten, the 1997 entry in the Herbie franchise was a TV-movie which premiered on The Wonderful World of Disney. Perhaps the first requel, The Love Bug follows the same structure of the original film with Herbie falling through the hands of a villain (John Hannah) and into the possession of a mechanic and failed race car driver who has seen better days. While confused by the odd things which happen in the car, Hank Cooper (Bruce Campbell) refuses to acknowledge its sentience, or Herbie’s help in winning a race, leaving his wacky best bud (Kevin J. O’Connor) to be the one who first connects with the car. And, just for good measure, we get a romantic story thrown in as well.

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Scarecrow and Mrs. King – Service Above and Beyond

  • Title: Scarecrow and Mrs. King – Service Above and Beyond
  • IMDb: link

Scarecrow Sunday takes us to 80s Washington, D.C. and the unusual partnership between a housewife and a spy. “Service Above and Beyond” offers a simple setup with Amanda (Kate Jackson) accompanying Lee (Bruce Boxleitner) to a party where important intelligence is to be passed on. When Amanda catches the attention of one of those under investigation, and makes up an outlandish backstory based on a romance novel she’s been reading, the Agency backstops the identity allowing her to distract the corrupt businessman (Paul Shenar) while Scarecrow looks into the unsavory Russian (Walter Gotell) he’s gotten into business with.

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Citadel – Baked Alaskas

  • Title: Citadel – Baked Alaskas
  • IMDb: link

The original, and arguably weakest, of Amazon’s Citadel shows returns for a Second Season. We begin with narration from the still-captured Bernard Orlick (Stanley Tucci) which works as a recap of the show’s First Season (notably somewhat reconning the most important revelations from the season finale) and also sets up Bernard as a major character rather than just a supporting player. Following Bernard’s escape, the show also introduces dimwitted shoot-first former CIA Agent James Hutch (Jack Reynor) who is going to help Bernard stop Manticore from using mind-control technology that they forced him to invent, whether Bernard wants his help or not. He really doesn’t.

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Daredevil – The Southern Cross

  • Title: Daredevil: Born Again – The Southern Cross
  • IMDb: link

The Second Season finale of Daredevil: Born Again is certainly cool, although not without some rather large problems. The creators of this series (and to an extent to original Netflix series) have gotten a little lost in the dichotomy of Daredevil (Charlie Cox) and Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio) to an almost psychotic extent. The conclusion of the Fisk’s mayor arc allows the series to split the pair for a cinematic moment, each facing a sort of justice for their actions. However, are we really to believe brutally murdering 50+ New Yorkers on his way out of office in a murderous rage has absolutely no consequences for our series’ villain while Daredevil (apparently without trial) is sent to prison?

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Maul – Strange Allies / The Dark Lord

  • Title: Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord – Chapter 9: Strange Allies / Chapter 10: The Dark Lord
  • wiki: link | link

The First Season of Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord closes out with a pair of episodes that pay off on the promise of the series with a series of lightsaber battles and shoot-outs against the Empire. Most of the show’s core cast won’t make it through the end of the season, although the choices on who falls will set up the major storylines for Season Two.

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