Political Animals – The Complete Series

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  • Title: Political Animals
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Political Animals - The Complete SeriesDespite hopes to expand the original six-episode mini-series, Political Animals ended after its initial run. The series focused on the soapy behind-the-scenes drama of the family of former First Lady and current Secretary of State Elaine Barrish (Sigourney Weaver doing her best Hillary Clinton impression). Over the course of the mini-series Barrish would butt heads with the current President (Adrian Pasdar) who she considers running against in the next election, and deal with family drama mostly tied to her ex-husband the charming but lecherous former President (Ciarán Hinds) and drug-addicted gay son (James Wolk).

The rest of the cast included Elaine’s dutiful son and Chief of Staff T.J. (Sebastian Stan), T.J.’s bulimic fiance Anne (Brittany Ishibashi), Elaine’s sassy drunk mother (Ellen Burstyn), and newswoman Susan Berg (Carla Gugino) whose acrimonious relationship with the Barrish softened over the course of the series. We also saw a hostage crisis in Iran, a sinking Chinese nuclear sub off the coast of San Diego, and the gearing up of Barrish’s second Presidential campaign.

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The Newsroom – Unintended Consequences

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: The Newsroom – Unintended Consquences
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The Newsroom - Unintended Consequences

Smugness is a common problem for the cast in “Unintended Consequences” which begins with Will (Jeff Daniels) shredding Neal‘s (Dev Patel) friend Shelley Wexler (Aya Cash) live on the air over the more ridiculous aspects of Occupy Wall Street (as writer/creator Aaron Sorkin continues to make no bones about how inane he believes the entire protest to be). The trouble for the rest of the staff is the fact that Shelley has what may be the only source left for Jerry (Hamish Linklater) to continue the Operation Genoa story (stretching the story’s bounds of coincidence and lucky breaks to even more absurd levels) but is far less willing to share that information after being made a fool of in front of 1.5 million viewers unless Will agrees to an on-air apology. Yeah sister, that ain’t happening.

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Morning Glories #29

/ / Comics

Morning Glories #29Reset. Early in Season Two the events begun in Season One come to a tipping point as Irina‘s coup, Hunter‘s time travel, and Casey‘s past adventures all bring the Morning Glories students to a single event and sacrifice. This really, really isn’t a good issue to jump in on for new readers, but this issue closes the door on several ongoing arcs allowing for a fresh start, and the fallout of the events covered in the last few issues, to begin next month.

Even as the issue wraps up Casey’s story, and steals her memories of her life in the past, we get a few more glimpses of that lost life including the comic’s ominous theme written out by our protagonist and a revelation of who David really is (although we don’t know how he became the academy’s weird ghostly figure).

Although Irina is stopped, Jun (really Hisao) much deal with the death of his brother, Jade is no mood to forgive Ike for threatening her life, and Hunter’s weird time reset (and meeting the future Jade) leaves him with several questions, none of which have easy answers. Worth a look.

[Image, $3.50]

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Uncanny X-Men #9

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Uncanny X-Men #9As a covert operative the Dazzler kinda sucks. Hand-picked by Maria Hill to learn more about Cyclops and his team, Dazzler knocks Fabio‘s family unconscious (but not before they recognize her), kidnaps the young man, leads the X-Men straight to S.H.I.E.L.D.‘s secret detention facility, and then uses her close personal relationship with her fellow mutants to insult Scott Summers and make a new enemy. Oh, and then she gets poisoned and replaced by Mystique. That’s not a great first day.

Aside from the intrinsic humor of S.H.I.E.L.D. recruiting a former disco star, Dazzler is largely wasted here. Since her relationships with her fellow mutants are not really capitalized on any number of characters could have performed her role. I’m also a bit disappointed that we get the suggestion of Hijack did to the Helicarrier (the only real action of the entire comic) but it takes place all off-panel.

Those complaints aside, Brian Michael Bendis provides another solid issue. I’m happy to seen Gold Balls sticking around and I’ll be curious to see just what role Mystique has to play in the larger picture (and whose side she’s really on). Worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]

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Beware the Batman – Safe

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Beware the Batman – Safe
  • wiki: link

Beware the Batman - Safe

Enter the ninja. When a Wanye Tech scientist who has invented a revolutionary energy redistribution artificial intelligence is targeted by the League of Assassins, Bruce Wayne (Anthony Ruivivar)  puts the man up in the fortress that is Wayne Manor. With the Manor’s defenses, a private security detail, Tatsu (Sumalee Montano), and Alfred (JB Blanc) all on hand to keep the scientist safe, Batman heads out to try and find and stop the illusive ninja.

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