iCarly: iLove Your Shoes

Summary

Carly, played by Miranda Cosgrove, tries to contend with her feelings for Freddie, played by Nathan Kress, as he is in a relationship and she doesn’t want to ruin that.

This episode felt to me like a further attempt to drag out the will they won’t they nature of the Carly Freddie relationship. As you might have recalled from my last iCarly review, I suggested against the series doing this as it becomes irritating after a while as you know the show is going to go there it is just a matter of when.

That said I did think this episode had some good comedy with Carly trying online dating and then the person she matches with just does not get her at all, this mismatch leads to a few funny lines which lift up a fairly skippable episode otherwise.

The b plot of the episode focuses on Spencer, played by Jerry Trainor, trying to give up all his money after being labelled as out of touch, this predictably goes badly. I didn’t care for this side story as I found it made Spencer a lot less likeable, seeing him try to guess what it is like to be ‘the common man’ felt reductive and almost mean spirited.

Overall, just above serviceable but still a step back from the first episode of the new season.

3/5

Pros.

It is watchable

A few good laughs

Cosgrove

Cons.

The will they won’t they is being dragged out for too long

Spencer comes across as a jerk here

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From: Season One Overview

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A large group of people find themselves trapped in a town they can’t escape from wherein they are hunted every night by a group of monsters.

In many ways you can see how this show was from some of the producers and creative voices behind Lost, asthey have very similar mystery/supernatural aspects to them. However, where this show is much better than Lost is the fact that it knows how to use its tension and usually progresses things at quite a nice pace. Every time the monsters show up, which is in most episodes, the show becomes fantastic and is electric to watch with the threat and the terror being palpable.

Conversely, whenever the show slows down and focuses more on the characters or their drama the show can drag. Now for the most part this drag is a rare occurrence and the character drama is kept to a minimum, but with the largest cast of characters it is inevitable. Speaking off the cast is a deeply mixed bag, some do a terrific job and really can be counted on as reliable pillars of the show, whereas others seem only there to broaden out the show’s potential viewership figures.

Overall, well worth a watch, but with a few issues that hold it back from being the next big tv show.

3.5/5

Pros.

The monsters and the horror aspects

The mystery

The season ending

For the most part great tension and pacing

Cons.

At times the show slows down for character drama and this hurts it

Some of the characters serve no purpose

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iCarly: iBuckled

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Carly, played by Miranda Cosgrove, finally comes to terms with her feelings for Freddie, played by Nathan Kress.

Yes folks they are finally doing it, after constant hints since the revival the show looks set to soon make Carly and Freddie a couple, or will it? I think this can go one of two ways either they get them together soon and have the awkward nature of their romance play out this season, which is what I want, or they drag it out throughout the whole season, which I think after all the hints in the second season would just be irritating.

This episode on the whole was a fairly mixed bag, I liked a lot of the Carly/ Freddie stuff and the jokes therein, I thought there was a number of laugh out loud moments towards the end of the episode, but I also thought there were a number of really awkward and cringe moments in the episode as well. The whole reality show sequence is bad and it makes no sense that Pearl, played by Mia Serafino, would just sit there as everyone is talking about how Freddie and Carly should get together.

The subplot about Freddie’s mm getting engaged was fine, but honestly when thinking about the episode I barely remember the subplot at all that’s how forgettable it was.

Overall, it is nice to see Carly and Freddie finally seem as though they are getting together.

3.5/5

Pros.

Carly and Freddie

A number of good jokes

Josh Peck shines

The ending

Cons.

The teasing and the will they wont they stuff

Some cringe moments

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Ted Lasso: Season 3 Overview

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

The friendly American football coach, played by Jason Sudeikis, goes home.

The final season of a much beloved show like Ted Lasso was always going to be sad and this was sad but it was also disappointing. As the credits rolled on the final episode of the third season I released that in a sense the show had peaked with the second season and maybe should have ended there.

Though I enjoyed most of the character work this season did, and the endings that most of the characters got, I also thought that at times it was overly indulgent. By that I mean it would go to a place of being overly sentimental, it would spend vast sections of episodes dedicated to the fate of a very minor character in the scheme of things and yes whilst it may have been well done it felt like filler as the actual story of the season was relatively short.

Moreover, the decision to make Ted sad, which really was a second season development, came back to hurt the show as it could no longer really pull off the quaint small town charm and positivity that had worked in the first season so well. Giving the character depth and complexity was a good thing and I am not saying he should have stayed a one note caricature but I think they took Ted’s sadness too far, so much so that it gives the third season a real sense of heaviness that sits within until its closing moments.

Overall, the third season was still good don’t get me wrong, but it was a noticeable step back from the other seasons and clearly evidenced at times the need for the show to end as it was becoming long in the tooth.

3/5

Pros.

It does some good character work

It has a number of sweet moments

It has some of the same charm as the earlier seasons/

Cons.

It is overly sentimental at times to the point of feeling indulgent

There is a lot of what can only be described as filler

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Star Wars Visions: The Bandits Of Golak

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A brother and sister duo try to escape Imperials and Inquisitors whilst fleeing the Galactic Civil War.

There isn’t a whole lot wrong with this episode, it has some okay action and at times knows how to use its tension, but I think that is just it, this is an episode of half measures it is fine but doesn’t push for more than that.

I think the major issue with this episode is that the plot idea has been done before and done better, not the exact same plot but the idea of force sensitives having to run away from the Empire whilst being hunted down and having to make sacrifices to go into hiding. I feel like I have seen the episode so many times before in different areas of Star Wars media and for me that is a problem.

I also think that it is time to stop having all these survivors of Order 66 as it totally ruins the moment within the lore. Order 66 was impactful as it killed off most of the Jedis, it was a big deal, to have more and more of them surviving just takes away from it. Before you say it I know this show isn’t cannon, but I just wanted to say as it plays a role in the narrative of the episode that it is a plot crutch I am not enjoying from current year Star Wars. If they want to have more Jedi they could establish that there was a temple of some kind in the Outer Rim or beyond that was a splinter group from the main order and which didn’t get involved in the Galactic Civil War for whatever reason. That way you can have more new Jedi’s pop up without the question being where were they in the original trilogy.

Overall, a fine episode if one that felt very, very familiar.

2/5

Pros.

The action was okay

It was watchable

Cons.

The lazy plot crutch of another surviving Jedi

I feel like I have seen it before

The emotions weren’t developed enough to be impactful

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Rabbit Hole: Season Overview

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Kiefer Sutherland finds his post 24 hit, in a paranoid thriller series all about narratives and optics.

I was taken by this show from the first episode, it is an immediate hook kind of show. The twists and turns are numerous and frequent and you never quite know what is going to happen next, the show pushes this further by playing around with the idea of unreliable narration and suggesting that we cannot trust what our eyes are showing us.

The themes and ideas of the series such as the ability to shape optics and media narratives and how the right line or even posture can greatly change the outcome of an event feel very timely within the current climate, and should give food for thought to us all.

I think the show wraps up quite nicely and doesn’t need to come back, though they do tease more in the final episode. In many senses if they left it here it would be a near perfect mini-series. My only issue with the show is the romance they force into between Kiefer and one of his associates which feels a little gross, as she is much younger than him, and also needless and unbelievable.

Overall, a good replacement for Homeland

4/5

Pros.

The tension

The twists

The timely nature of it

Sutherland

Cons.

The forced romance

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Yellowjackets Season 2 Overview

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Mysteries from the first season are tied up and new ones are born as the Yellowjackets sink further into the darkness.

This may be the first time I have written about Yellowjackets, I really got into the series last year and was eagerly awaiting this season, I was going to do an episode by episode series of reviews as I do with some shows but instead decided to do a broader season 2 retrospective as I don’t know how many of you would be interested in me doing weekly coverage. Do let me know if you are and I will do it for season 3.

For the most part I thought this second outing was more of the same, in the best way. It delivered on the character moments we had wanted to see since the first season, mostly noticeably getting together all the survivors, that we know off in the present day scenes. It also flushed out many of the mysteries from the first season in both the past and the present and it was nice to get those answers. Of course this is the kind of show wherein whenever they give you an answer hundreds more questions are posed.

The performances across the board were great throughout the season and that goes for both the flashback wilderness and present day scenes. If I had to pick a best for the season I would be split between Christina Ricci who does a lot more with Misty this season even getting a full on musical number, Elijah Wood who enters as a new character but by the end of the season immediately becomes a favourite or Sophie Nelisse who acts the hell out of her scenes this season.

My one complaint of this season would be that some of the storylines overstayed their welcome. Mainly I am talking about Shauna’s affair, and don’t get me wrong Shauna, played by Melanie Lynskey, is one of the best characters on the show and her storyline was interesting I just thought that they dragged it out for far too long. I think that it could have been condensed down and then the extra screen time could have been given to the other non-Misty Yellowjackets in the present day who needed a bit more attention.

Overall, one of the best show’s on TV, but a minor step back from the heights of the first season.

4/5

Pros.

The characters

The mystery

The style of the show

The ending

Cons.

Shauna’s present day storyline got a bit too much screen time

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Star Wars Visions: The Spy Dancer

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A dancer bides her time to strike back against the Empire.

Despite my claims in the last Star Wars Visions review this episode is in fact the best of the season so far. This is for two central reasons.

Firstly the story of the lead and the horrors she has faced really puts a human, or in this case alien, face to the rebellion and makes it feel even more important and impactful. I think the episode perfectly captures this idea of rebelling and pain in the most beautiful way, and that the final hint towards resolution was surprisingly effecting.

Secondly, the animation is the best here is has been all season with Cartoon Saloon being the only ones thus far to pose a challenge to Studio La Cachette’s excellent form. This really comes through during the dancing scenes with the incredibly intricate dance wherein the lead’s outfit and the fabric itself seem to come to life.

I think both of these reasons raise the bar from what has already come out this season and lays down a gauntlet for the final few episodes to match or exceed.

Overall, I think this is a powerful episode that is well crafted and is guaranteed to make you shed a tear.

4/5

Pros.

The emotions

The animation

The characters

The feeling of rebellion and pain

Cons.

The ending is a bit too opened ended for my liking I would have liked a more definitive ending

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Star Wars Visions: Journey To The Dark Head

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A monk and a Jedi must work together in order to turn the tide against the Sith.

Finally midway through the season this show remembers what it is. This was the first episode of the season that actually felt like Star Wars and would be what I would expect from this show.

That is not to say it was perfect as it was a little formulaic at times and felt very much like something we have all seen before, but there were still more good elements than bad which made this the best episode so far this season in my opinion, but that is also a pretty low bar.

I enjoyed seeing the Sith Lord being fully evil and destroying the Jedi temple in the flashback as I feel like within Star Wars more broadly we are often told about the evil things these Sith Lords have done rather than being shown it. By showing it here it allows for an added layer of dramatic weight which enables the novice Jedi’s backstory and later character journey to feel more believable and weighty.

Overall, a lot further down the right track.

3/5

Pros.

It feels like Star Wars

Showing the Sith at their most powerful

The premise is interesting and mostly delivers

Cons.

The monk characters feels very one note

At times this episode bordered on the overly familiar

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Star Wars Visions: I Am Your Mother

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A young pilot is embarrassed of her mum and so doesn’t informer her about the family race.

This is a very sad review for me, I am a big fan of Aardman Animation for the most part and when I heard they were doing their own Star Wars short I was very excited, but this is the review I am writing.

Many aspects of this short just didn’t work. The characters are paper thin and cannot have a believable emotional journey in the amount of time they are on screen for. The story is generic and revolves around a child being embarrassed by their parent, which we have all seen before. Even the humour and tone feels a little too goofy to fit the pretty sober tone of the rest of the animated offerings within this second season.

I suppose that brings things to the crux of the problem, much like with the last episode this just doesn’t feel like Star Wars, yes there are fighter pilots, but more broadly there is a lack of connectivity that makes this episode feel like it could just be taking place in any old science fiction universe.

Overall, I am all for doing something different with Star Wars but there is a point when it just doesn’t feel like Star Wars anymore.

1.5/5

Pros.

A little bit of Aardman charm manages to get through

It is short

Cons.

The tone doesn’t work

It doesn’t feel like Star Wars

The story feels generic and played out

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