The Devil’s Hour Season Overview: Life Repeated

Summary

A kidnapping takes a turn for the strange when false memories and alternative timelines begin to intersect.

This show was the first in a long time that I binged all in one go, that speaks for itself in many ways. I thought this show was both clever and intriguing from the off, clearly there is more than meets the eye within the goings on but very much like the first season of Westworld this show gives more questions than answers, which is how you would want it to be especially considering it has been renewed for two more seasons.

I enjoyed the direction the show went in, despite it ending up in being more of a science fiction show than a horror show, which giving the title I was expecting. There are some good scares and supernatural moments, but the show later explains this all away in the final episode wherein the science fiction elements are firmly placed front and centre.

Overall, a terrific first season filled with promise.

Pros.

The acting

The original plot

It takes a lot of turns and you never quite know where it is heading

A number of good scares too

What it sets up for the second season

Cons.

It does lose more of its horror elements as the show progresses

4.5/5

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Vardy V Rooney A Courtroom Drama: Maddeningly Stupid

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

The Wagatha Christie trial is brought to the screen in all of its stupid splendour.

This may be a very UK centric review, as I don’t know how well the Wagatha Christie trial is known worldwide, basically for ease it is about a defamation trial between the wives of two footballers that captivated people’s attention earlier this year.

I thought this show was terrific, within it’s two episodes it fully encapsulates the maddening stupidity of the whole thing and shows up just how badly Rebekah Vardy misjudged her lawsuit. The dialogue cut with such a fantastic degree that every line either had you gasping or laughing, truly top notch.

Moreover, this represents yet another fantastic turn for Martin Sheen who easily steals the entire show here with his cutthroat lawyer character. Though the actors playing Coleen Rooney, Chanel Cresswell, and Rebekah Vardy, Natalia Tena, are by no means slouches and do both have their moments to shine.

My one criticism of the show would be that it is too short being only two episodes. I feel if it had one or two more episodes the show could have explored things in more depth, or maybe I just want more bafflingly stupid moments from the legal transcripts to get their proper due on TV.

Overall, a fun moment from an otherwise bleak year rendered into a TV program.

4/5

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Rick And Morty: A Rick In King Mortur’s Mort

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Morty becomes a Knight Of The Sun

This was a particularly weak episode of Rick And Morty, I wouldn’t say it was the worst episode of the series so far, but certainly it is up there.

There is very little to be entertained by coming from this episode, the knight plot line gives way to a lot of quickly tiresome fantasy jokes, with Rick not liking the Knights and thinking them lame because they aren’t in his usual science fiction wheelhouse, all fairly predictable stuff.

The joke of the Knights cutting off their genitals becomes repetitive quickly and the threat that Morty might be forced to do that do never really feels like it will materialise as we all know that Rick will save him as such this episode has no stakes.

The emotional through line of Morty rejecting Rick and how that affects him is an interesting proposition, however, the episode really doesn’t capitalise on it in an interesting way.

Overall, clearly a filler episode.

2/5

Pros.

It is watchable

A few funny jokes

Cons.

The storytelling is lazy

The plot lacks any stakes

The majority of the jokes become quickly repetitive

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Rick And Morty: Ricktional Mortpoon’s Rickmas Mortcation

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

It is Christmas time in the Smith household and Rick builds a robot version of himself to try and give the Smith’s the perfect Christmas.

I think this may have been the best episode of this season simply because of the emotional work it does with Rick’s character and the significance of the ending wherein Rick finally lets Morty in, which in terms of character arcs across the wider show is incredibly important and shows just how much Rick is changing as a character.

I really liked Robot Rick and thought that he had a number of funny lines, but also showed us a very different side of Rick than we normally do one that we all know is there but never see, this is important as towards the end of the episode Robot Rick says he is just behaving as the real Rick would have done which again further softens Rick’s character.

Moreover, I am very excited for the dark turn teased for the next season as it shows a proper return to building the cannon of the show rather than just jokily shutting it down like they did in the Dinosaur episode.

My one criticism of this episode is that they waste the return of the President, voiced by Keith David, and give him a fairly pointless role commenting on the decaying state of modern Hollywood franchises and as a very minor antagonist to the central duo.

Overall, the final five minutes of the episode make the whole season.

4.5/5

Pros.

The emotions

The character growth

What it sets up for next season

The reality of owning a lightsaber

Cons.

It wastes the return of the President

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American Horror Story NYC: Requiem 1981- 1987 Part 1 and 2

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

The AIDs epidemic finally begins as the season comes to an end.

I have bundled the last two episodes of this season together into one review as really they are one long continuous episode that is designed to be watched back to back.

In many regards I am deeply mixed on this episode. Certainly I admire it for tackling the AIDs epidemic in a serious grounded way, which is not something done very often by large mainstream shows, whilst also showing its effect on the LGBTQ+ community of people who were both losing friends and in some cases dying themselves. I think it is important for TV shows to show and highlight these somewhat forgotten about periods in history, not forgotten about by those effected or who lost people to it, but to the wider world who didn’t lose friends and to whom were only confronted by this in the form of nightly news reports.

However, my question is, is American Horror Story really the place for this conversation? As though this series was horrifying, it didn’t feel like American Horror Story which usually deals with the supernatural, when you think about it like that this could have easily been a different show as very little supernatural goings on were happening here. I didn’t find a lot of this season scary I found it to be depressing, and that really isn’t what you want from your horror shows.

Overall, whilst I appreciate the show trying to deal more in gritty reality this season I would say that it is the worse for it, as the campy dark charm of the show is lost in the pursuit and what we get is fairly unrecognisable to AHS.

3/5

Pros.

Tackling issues that aren’t often covered

The way the show highlights the effects of AIDs on the LGBTQ+ community

It is very watchable

Cons,

It doesn’t feel like AHS

It is depressing

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American Horror Story NYC: Fire Island

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Some of the characters take a trip out to Fire Island to get over the trauma that they have been through but all the while a spector is gaining strength in the background.

Honestly I think outside of the serial killer premise, now that the show has killed that off, there really isn’t a lot of substance left. A lot of the scares just seem to be random images and vaguely through ideas, this can be seen with all the visons and when Big Daddy comes in with the save at the end of the episode, none of it seems to follow a rhyme or reason rather it is just thrown together.

Moreover, regarding the obvious Aids epidemic that is right on the precipice the show again eludes to it but doesn’t commit. At this point with all these episodes showing the signs and symptoms the show needs to stop beating around the bush and directly address it. I know that is the plan for the season finale but the season feels too long getting to it.

In addition this episode really hammered home and issue I have been having with this season and that is that it doesn’t feel like American Horror Story anymore, it feels like a different show wearing its skin. This is mainly because the supernatural is such a small part of the season as well as the show instead trying to deal with more of a real world issue than a fictional and out there idea. In many senses this season reminds me of Cult and that is not a compliment.

Overall, the season is starting to lose its way and drag on.

2/5

Pros.

It is watchable

Big Daddy continues to be interesting

Cons.

It has lost its way and seems content to limp on

It doesn’t feel like AHS

It is depressing and far too abstract

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Chucky: Chucky Actually

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Dr Mixter, played by Rosemary Dunsmore, gets her karmic payback and the kids start to heal.

I think the last episode would have worked a lot better for an ending to the season as this one feels as though it was just tacked on at the end in order to meet episode quotas. I suppose you could argue that this episode is a sort of epilogue for the season but really it just feels like filler.

I think my big problem with this episode is that I just don’t care about the central trio of teens, as such all of their healing and their big emotional breakthroughs within the episode don’t hit for me as the teen characters are easily the weakest bit of the show. The more interesting plot points of this episode for me is seeing that Nica, played by Fiona Dourif, is now on the course of revenge and that things look all over for Tiffany, played by Jennifer Tilly. Again the episode is guilty of teasing things that are yet to come, but you would expect that from a season finale.

The gore and seeing Lexy, played by Alyvia Alyn Lind, finally snap and kill Chucky, played by Brad Dourif, in a really bloody way feels satisfying and Lexy’s dealing with this new found urge to kill could be something worth exploring come the next season. I would like the next season to separate the teens and have them go on their own journeys as the idea of them all together again in a new location which Chucky can then invade just seems a little old hat and played out at this point.

Overall, a fine epilogue to the series that sets up some interesting ideas and things to explore next time around, however, it is a big step back from the heights of the penultimate episode.

3/5

Pros.

The gore

The set up for Nica and Tiffany

Lexy snapping and bloodily dispatching Chucky

Cons.

The focus on the teens is dull

It feels like a step back from the previous episode

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Chucky: Goin’ To The Chapel

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Things finally come to a head over the battle for Chucky Prime, played by Fiona Dourif.

This was one of the best episodes of Chucky in the whole history of the show, there were so many great moments such as the interactions between Nica, played by Fiona Dourif, and Andy, played by Alex Vincent, and Kyle, played by Christine Elise, in the Chucky support group as well as the flashback to Child’s Play 2 there are just so many rewards in this episode for long time fans. Also let me just take a moment here to say how Fiona Dourif is the underrated best actor in this show and her performance as both Nica and Nica possessed by Chucky are both great, the show needs to use her more.

In addition I am glad the show finally gave Father Bryce, played by Devon Sawa, his hero moment and had him try and help the kids, it was nice to not see him be a dick to everyone around him even if it was for only a few minutes. Moreover, his death has to be one of the most over the top gore kills of the series thus far, that is not a complaint by the way. I also thought the death of Jennifer Tilly in doll form was a hilarious highlight of the episode.

The one area wherein I thought this episode wasn’t great was with Lexy’s, played by Alyvia Alyn Lind, storyline about her drug addiction and suicide attempt. Honestly, I thought the whole thing was handled poorly, I feel like the show only gave Lexi a drug problem so that she has something to do this season moreover it never really hit true on an emotional level for me so I didn’t care about it and was just counting down the moments until we could get back to the actually interesting stuff.

Overall, the best episode of the second season by far.

4.5/5

Pros.

The rewarding moments for long-time fans

The deaths of Father Bryce and Jennifer Tilly

Fiona Dourif’s great performance

The flashback

It felt like a really good pay off

Cons.

Lexy’s breakdown is boring and makes you want to skip ahead in the episode

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Chucky: He Is Risen Indeed

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Good Chucky, voiced by Brad Dourif, finally turns bad and there is a traitor inside the School’s ranks.

The Colonel is easily the best thing about this episode once again, and his killing of Chad Chucky with the communion wafer is both shocking and a good use of the setting. It is a shame he gets killed off so quickly, but it does give Andy, played by Alex Vincent, a nice hero moment after he was rendered fairly helpless in the previous episode.

The defecting of Good Chucky and the death of Nadine was a mixed bag for me, it was sad to see Good Chucky turn bad as it could have been interesting for the wider universe of the show if he had stuck around longer and then the question of could Chucky be redeemed ever could have been tackled, but it was fairly obvious he was going to fall to the darkness. The death of Nadine didn’t hugely hit me as much like with the Colonel she wasn’t set up enough to have her death be impactful, if she had survived into the next season and died then that would have hit harder.

Overall, a good episode as exciting things are happening, but the impacts are a little stunted.

3.5/5

Pros.

The Colonel continues to have a lot of good moments

Andy gets a lot of good hero moments

It is very watchable

Fun things are happening

Cons.

Nadine’s death doesn’t hit as hard as it could have done

The Colonel is gone too soon.

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Chucky: Doll On Doll

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Chad Chucky and Good Chucky, voiced by Brad Dourif, face off.

I think following on from last week’s episode this was definitely a step back, though the episode was not all bad.

I enjoyed the fight between the two Chuckies, however, I thought the idea of Good Chucky slowly starting to turn bad again was super obvious as it would break the status quo of the show to have Good Chucky permanently amongst the heroes roster for this universe, he always needs to be evil. The crucifixion turned raising from the dead was a nice touch though.

I also liked that Andy, played by Alex Vincent, makes a return right at the end of the episode, I knew the series wouldn’t just kill him off, hopefully he can be a larger part of the last few episodes of the season. Moreover, I thought the Colonel was chilling certainly an interesting take on Chucky and a fun persona to follow, hopefully they are not just one and done.

I would say what held this episode back for me is the very obvious fact that it is a filler episode more content with setting things up for later in the season then delivering for this episode in particular, when thinking about it it is hard to say very much of anything happens in this episode.

Overall, a few neat moments and its nice to see Andy return but other than that a fairly dull episode.

3/5

Pros.

Andy is back

The Chucky fight

Seeing the Glen/Glenda doll return

Cons.

The Tiffany stuff grinds the plot to a standstill

It feels very filler esque

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