WELCOME BACK KOTTER on DVD

 
I loved Welcome Back, Kotter as a kid. It aired before my time, admittedly, but I discovered it on Nick at Nite and devoured it. It's now finally available on DVD.

Disclosure: I was sent a review copy of this release (by my request), but the opinions expressed are my own.

The 1970s sitcom is a product of its time. It's a cheesy, schmaltzy look at a teacher working in an urban setting, returning to the place he grew up to help the other screw-ups like he was before he became an adult and found teaching.

The kids are supposedly the delinquents of the Brooklyn school, but they don't do drugs or cuss or commit any serious crimes. Their insults run along the lines of "Up your nose with a rubber hose." Not long after this, there would be gritty versions of such a premise. But this is pure family-friendly sitcom.

The cast is wonderful. Gabe Kaplan was a comedian, and it shows in the humorous stories he tells his wife (Marcia Strassman) at the beginnings and/or ends of episodes. John Sylvester White is perfect as the grumpy administrator who doesn't trust Kotter any more than White trusts his class.

The students are memorable. John Travolta shines in the role that put him on the map, Vinnie Barbarino. Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs as hip basketball player Freddie "Boom Boom" Washington, Robert Hegyes as tough guy Epstein, and of course Ron Palillo as Horshack with the distinctive laugh round out the main crew.

There are stereotypes to be found, to be sure. The story is short on realism. But the messages of the episodes are solid, with acceptance and bettering yourself the main point. Is it any wonder I wanted to follow in Mr. Kotter's footsteps and be a social studies teacher?

Surprisingly, the picture quality in this set is pretty good. I don't think it's been remastered, as it does look old. But on my large HD screen, it wasn't too grainy. The discs are no-frills with zero bonus features. You get all 95 episodes, complete and in order, which is all I really wanted.

I'll be binging the whole thing, finally seeing episodes I missed. If you share my nostalgia, consider picking up a copypicking up a copy and joining me.

Craving for SWEET TOOTH

 Article first published as SWEET TOOTH TV Review on Seat42F.

Note: This review only covers the first episode of the series.

Netflix recently released SWEET TOOTH, a series starring a young boy who is half deer. Based on the comic series, SWEET TOOTH follows the child as he ventures out into the world, dodging hunters and searching for his mom. He isn’t alone, thank goodness, but he does have to rely on himself a fair amount. Surely, the story have a happy ending, though probably not the one the boy hopes for.

SWEET TOOTH takes a little time to get going, providing exposition through the eyes of Dr. Aditya Singh (Adeel Akhtar, Enola Holmes). We see a plague overtake his city, and are told it’s widespread. This could be a bit traumatizing for some who just lived through a pandemic, especially if you lost someone. But it really isn’t too graphic, focusing on Singh’s emotional journey, including as his wife, Rani (Aliza Vellani, Little Mosque on the Prairie), becomes one of the infected. Listed as a lead, it’s certain we’ll come back to Dr. Singh’s tale in later episodes. This is a good way in for those who aren’t already drawn to post-apocalyptic fare. In all, especially with the accompanying narration by James Brolin (Life in Pieces), it’s a strong opening.

From there, it quickly moves to a man (Will Forte, Last Man on Earth) carrying a baby into the woods. We know from the hospital scenes that there are many animal-human hybrid infants, though we don’t know why, and this guy has one with him, a little boy with deer features. The man, known to the boy as Pubba (sounding like Papa), raises the child for nine years, and this extended sequence, making up about half the episode, is phenomenal. It is incredibly moving, if a little tame, and the love the father has for his son is palpable. Forte ditches the goofiness and really brings home the feelings.

It isn’t surprising when that happy time comes to an end; the trailer and poster spoil that it will. But like the beginning of the film Up, it could make a fitting stand-alone short that would be worth watching repeatedly.

The rest of SWEET TOOTH’s pilot sets up the premise. Pubba makes the boy, Gus (Christian Convery, Legion), promise not to leave their home, but it’s a given that he won’t listen. Gus does stay  for awhile, but this story needs a journey, and you can’t get that hiding away. There is an arc, quickly gone through, developing the kid, and it’s just as moving as the stuff with his dad. Gus is a compelling protagonist who will immediately have you rooting for him.

The second lead, Tommy Jepperd (Nonso Anozie, Game of Thrones), is barely introduced in episode one, but already demonstrates plenty of complexity to attract interest.

SWEET TOOTH isn’t for little kids, even if it looks like it might be. But older children can watch it with their parents, as the deaths aren’t gruesome and the terror isn’t intense. It has a magical and hopeful spirit about it that is sure to intrigue many viewers, feeling like a heart-warming story that is sanitized, but not so much that it distracts. The acting seen so far is solid, and the story is interesting. Set in the woods, it also looks beautiful. There’s lots to praise SWEET TOOTH on.

I would be surprised if this series doesn’t have legs. Reviews have been good so far, deservedly so, and I was easily sucked into the story. I’m sure I’ll watch further installments before the end of the day. With a first season of only eight episodes, it should be an easy, enjoyable binge.

SWEET TOOTH’s first season is available now on Netflix.

LOKI Resurrected

 Article first published as LOKI TV Review on Seat42F.

The latest MCU series is LOKI, which premiered on Disney+ this past week. Tom Hiddleston reprises his role as the titular villain circa the first The Avengers film, having just killed Coulson and attacked New York. As glimpsed during the time travel portion of Avengers: End Game, Loki briefly escapes this time with the Tesseract. But as LOKI the series begins, he’s caught by the Time Variance Authority, since he’s a variant out of the accepted timeline. In their custody, he faces punishment and possible death. Until a TVA officer with sway takes an interest in him, hoping Loki can help the organization.

Loki himself doesn’t really understand (or at first believe) what’s happening to him, and that’s beneficial to the audience. He’s a fish out of water, and our way into this new world, a corner of the MCU we were previously unaware of. Loki has always straddled the line between hero and bad guy, and while this Loki comes from the darker period of the character, it’s easy enough to make us care about him, knowing he is capable of more. Which Loki is shown before the end of the first hour, an important step in getting a redeemed Loki, as he was before he died in the films.

The co-lead alongside Loki is Mobius (Owen Wilson, The Royal Tenenbaums), the agent who wants Loki to help him. He seems about as opposite a personality as one might get from Loki, easygoing and confident, secure in who he is. He’s a good way to get us into the world and introduce the rules, as there is never any doubt that he knows what he’s doing in his job. Wilson is playing the role as he always does, but if anything, with even more depth, an excellent scene partner for Hiddleston.

Rounding out the cast are a slew of smaller parts that aren’t really developed yet. Gugu Mbatha-Raw (The Morning Show) is a great presence as Judge Ravonna Renslayer. Wunmi Mosaku, who shone last year in Lovecraft Country, is hilarious as Hunter B-15. And Eugene Cordero (The Good Place, Star Trek: Lower Decks) is great doing what he does best as the hapless Casey. I look forward to more from each of them, easily seeing their parallels to Monica, Woo, and Darcy from earlier MCU series WandaVision.

The plot is a little slow to get started, but that’s OK because of the sheer amount of new information that had to be covered in the initial installment. So much is added to expand the universe (or omniverse). Yet, at the same time, LOKI finds time to give us some extremely moving character moments and showcase its leads’ talents. It’s a great balance of exposition, action, and development, well executed and immediately enticing.

Some fans have already dissected Avengers: End Game for what they perceive as inconsistencies in the time travel portrayal, and that is sure to continue with LOKI. But here’s the thing: Time travel isn’t real. So as long as a franchise is consistent within itself and the rules it sets out, then I recommend suspending disbelief and accepting the way it is. Having a character in the first episode of LOKI declare what the Avengers did, mucking with time, was always meant to happen is an easy out. It’s also a way not to get bogged down in the details and keep the story moving, which seems necessary.

LOKI is not quite the mystery box WandaVision was. There is plenty still unknown, but that doesn’t seem to be the point of the series. It is a lot more complex than The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and certainly more ambitious. I would say by finding a place between those two, LOKI has staked its own ground and already earned its keep, just as compelling (if not more so) than the first two efforts. I look forward to see how it progresses.

New episodes of LOKI drop Wednesday on Disney+.

SHADOW AND BONE A Bit Hazy

 Article first published as SHADOW AND BONE Review on Seat42F.

Netflix released the much-anticipated SHADOW AND BONE this past Friday, based on the best-selling Grishverse books by Leigh Bardugo. The eight-episode first season combines elements of multiple books set in the universe, primarily Shadow and Bone, following a young woman with hidden magical abilities, and characters from Six of Crows, about a gang of thieves. I have not read any of the books in the series, so my review comes from a perspective of just evaluating the show on its own, rather than how it does or does not follow the novels.

SHADOW AND BONE is a young adult fantasy series, a popular genre. Its darkness is more Game of Thrones than Harry Potter. Its world is harsh and deadly, and its villains are everywhere, holding lots of power and influence. In this society where wealth talks, it makes sense that the hero, Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li, All About Eve), is an orphan foreigner, outside the spheres that control things. Thus, it’s a classic tale of an outsider rising up and threatening the balance, a state that would be cheered by many a commoner, but the elite will stop at nothing to prevent.

Alina thinks she’s an ordinary cartographer, and her only concern in life is to stay near her best friend, Malyen “Mal” Oretsev (Archie Renaux, Voyagers). Thus, when Mal is assigned to go through The Fold, a dark, deadly, magical realm that divides their country in two, Alina is determined to go with them. Though her machinations mean her whole unit must endure the danger. Good thing she doesn’t seem to care about them much, because they are soon torn asunder, which is when Alina’s superpowers reveal themselves, saving much of the group in unexpected fashion.

The events described above trouble me for several reasons. Alina is supposed to be the hero of SHADOW AND BONE, yet she shows non consideration for the lives of almost anyone else. Yes, a hero’s journey often finds them overcoming their failings, but to have a hero who is so self-involved to the point where many of her comrades are just canon fodder is pretty bad upon any examination. Also, the problems in The Fold start when a young man lights a lantern, drawing attack. Which begs the question, given the obviousness of the mistake and its big implications for the crew, why even carry a lantern? And if there’s a good reason to do so, why was it not drilled firmly into the heads of the travelers not to light it? It was mentioned once, and given the disaster that follows, that wasn’t nearly enough.

Alina’s display of light, outing her as a mythological Sun Summoner, draws the attention of General Kirigan (Ben Barnes,Westworld), who wants to use her for his own purposes. It also propels a gang of thieves, Kaz Brekker (Freddy Carter, Free Rein), Inej Ghafa (Amita Suman, The Outpost), and Jesper Fahey (Kit Young, National Theatre Live: Julius Caesar). Initially these three are on their own plot thread, but soon enough seem destined to be drawn into the central one. This rounds out the central cast.

The world portrayed in SHADOW AND BONE seems both relatively small and not explained enough in the first couple of episodes. We know the country is divided in half by a magical realm which hasn’t always been there, and they can’t go around it because of enemies in the north and mountains in the south. Other than that, it’s not completely clear what other nations play a part and how, though there are definitely others. The series could have benefitted with a prologue better explaining the locations in which this story is set.

Other than that, I found it a bit bland. It looks fantastic, to be sure, but I wasn’t excited or drawn in. Some of the characters are charming, but not enough of them to make the series compelling. They lack the complexity of GoT or other similar offerings. I find myself struggling to care what happens, or even understand the implications of everything going on. It’s confusing and doesn’t have the magnetism required to motivate figuring it out. I have a feeling readers of the series, who already know the universe, will enjoy this a lot more, but for the newbie who isn’t already familiar, it’s confusing and a bit boring. I don’t think I’ll be finishing the season.

SHADOW AND BONE is streaming now on Netflix.

Meet MARE OF EASTTOWN

 Article first published as MARE OF EASTTOWN Review on Seat42F.

HBO premiered the new seven-part miniseries MARE OF EASTTOWN this week. Set in a fictional small Pennsylvanian town, the show follows a young grandmother who is the local detective. Unfortunately, she’s made no progress on a missing girl’s case for a year, and the residents are losing faith in her abilities to keep them safe. When a body is found, the protagonist faces angry neighbors, an unappreciative family, and a thankless job with her usual cynicism and rugged determination.

Kate Winslet (Mildred Pierce, Revolutionary Road) stars in MARE OF EASTTOWN as Mare Sheehan, the aforementioned detective. Mare is no-nonsense and no-fluff, barely taking time to eat something, forget healthy, and with questionable hygiene. She has a difficult life, housing four generations under her roof, including her mother, Helen (Jean Smart, Watchmen, Legion), who seems to prefer Mare’s ex-husband, Frank (David Denman, The Office), to her daughter. Mare’s teen offspring, Siobhan (Angourie Rice, Spider-Man: Far From Home), is typically moody, and Mare also has her dead son’s baby. So even without the failed investigation hanging over her head, Mare has plenty on her plate.

Winslet is excellent in MARE OF EASTTOWN, of course, and one would expect no less. She also makes strong acting choices, so it isn’t a surprise that the series is very well-made and specific. It’s extremely grounded, one of the more realistic cop shows I’ve seen, and the cast is all-around great. Even Winslet’s strange “Delco” accent works in context, only coming out here and there.

One wonders why Mare has such a challenging life. In high school, she was “Miss Lady Hawk Herself,” the title of episode one, a popular athlete. But she seems to have peaked then, and having stayed local, she wears the old title around her as heavily as any of her other burdens. Being reminded of the event in episode one doesn’t help her mood, which appears to be sour at the best of times, even though her chosen profession and full house indicates she cares more than she lets on.

Besides the amazing Smart, there are some other supporting players to note. It’s bittersweet to see Phyllis Somerville (The Big C, Stoker) pop up among the neighbors after her passing last year. She plays a bit different of a role than most I’m familiar with from her, and her presence is certainly a draw. Guy Pearce, Winslet’s love interest in Mildred Pierce, is also present as Mare’s sexual hookup in MARE OF EASTTOWN. Theirs is an odd chemistry, but it works. Evan Peters (WandaVision) doesn’t make an appearance in the premiere, but is set to star in the series, as well, playing a detective brought in from the outside to help Mare, which I’m sure she won’t appreciate at all.

The girl whose body is found is a focus of a lot of the first hour. We see her situation before she ends up dead, painting a picture of who she is and shining light on a few suspects. This is a good way to round out the crime, making Mare’s investigation mean something to the viewers, who already care about the deceased.

MARE OF EASTTOWN is super grounded, gritty, and slow. It is the definition of prestige drama with none of the prestige in the setting or characters’ lives, as the town and people are pretty run-down. It’s definitely awards bait, so if you want to be ready for the Emmys and Golden Globes, you’ll want to make sure you tune in. But it’s also pretty entertaining, too, if for no other reason than to watch some actors at the height of their game doing what they do best.

MARE OF EASTTOWN airs Sundays on HBO.

Such a CRUEL SUMMER

 Article first published as CRUEL SUMMER Review on Seat42F.

Tonight, Freeform presents the first two episodes of a psychological thriller series called CRUEL SUMMER. Written by Bert V. Royal Jr. (Easy A), each episode focuses on the events of a single date in three consecutive years beginning June 21, 1993, 1994, and 1995. The same characters played by the same performers are in all three timelines, which makes sense, given the brief spans between them. But the world is drastically different for almost everyone involved in each of the three. The mystery is exactly what happened to propel the changes seen in each subsequent year. And while the broad strokes are outlined pretty early on in the run, the full truth remains to be revealed.

At the start of the first episode of CRUEL SUMMER we meet nerdy Jeanette Turner (Chiara Aurelia, Tell Me Your Secrets), who is celebrating her fifteenth birthday. All she seems to want to do is hang out with her best friends, Vince (Allius Barnes, Thumper) and Mallory (Harley Quinn Smith, Jay and Silent Bob Reboot). She is jealous of the popular girl, Kate Wallis (Olivia Holt, Cloak & Dagger), and covets Kate’s boyfriend, Jamie Henson (Froy Gutierrez, Teen Wolf.)

A year later, as Jeanette turns sixteen, she’s basically taken over Kate’s life, including her boyfriend and friends, having grown apart from Vince and Mallory. That’s strange enough, but Kate is nowhere in sight, and we’re not sure how Jeanette got here. Another year later, as Jeanette is seventeen, things have changed again, with a dark, depressed Jeanette ostracized by everyone and speaking to lawyers. What happened?

CRUEL SUMMER is in no hurry to tell us everything, as that would defeat the purpose of the show. But it is quick to start giving details. By the end of hour one, you may have a pretty good idea of the how and why of Jeanette’s trajectory. At the end of the second hour, which will air back-to-back tonight, you may question the idea you had. This is going to be a convoluted story with many twists, and what seems to be a certainty will likely be proven to be wrong repeatedly.

For instance, I’m not sure if the main character is Jeanette. The pilot is all about her, but on the poster, she shares focus with Kate. And the second half turns its attentions on the popular girl, whose life is far from the perfect Jeanette assumes it to be. It’s easy to hate Kate, until you don’t. But what ultimately ends up having happened will decide if she’s a hero or villain. Jeanette, too, for that matter. The girls are inexorably intertwined, two seemingly similar people with different circumstances starting out.

There is a lot about CRUEL SUMMER that’s enticing. The multiple timelines format has become a bit of a gimmick lately, following the success of This Is Us, but the short jumps between theme her make this one seem at least somewhat fresh.. A good thriller mystery is also a draw, especially one like this that is surely a limited series. Not meaning they won’t do subsequent seasons, but if there are, they’ll need a new narrative. It’s also very squarely a young adult show, which is a popular genre. Beyond that, there are also some very interesting things to think about as the point of view shifts.

The main drawback is that it doesn’t feel compelling. With few recognizable performers, it probably won’t attract beyond those already watching the network. The acting isn’t bad, but it’s not prestige drama level, either. Many of the cast are young and they’ll likely get better in time, but I don’t think any will be awards bait for this series. So it’s hard to imagine it’ll build steam beyond the target demo. Not necessarily a bad thing, as long as competing with the streaming services isn’t the goal. It’s a decent show that will serve the network’s existing audience, and seems to be airing right where it should be.

CRUEL SUMMER premieres tonight on Freeform at 9PM.

KUNG FU Kicks Butt

 Article first published as KUNG FU TV Review on Seat42F.

The CW’s newest action drama is KUNG FU. A remake of the 70s show of the same name (and 90s continuation), this series is set in the present day. A young woman bristles against the path her mother has set for her life, and instead spends three years in China learning Kung Fu. But you can’t run away from your family or your problems, so eventually the young woman goes home and finds even more trouble. Has fate set her up to save everyone? Or is she just in the right place at the right time with the right skills?

My first thought, even before I looked up the producers, which include Greg Berlanti, is that KUNG FU could easily be a spin-off of former CW series Arrow. Arrow had lots of Asian symbology to it, and of course so does KUNG FU. The formula is very similar, as well, with a hero estranged from her family for years, only to return and try to play savior in the place she grew up, as well as getting drawn into larger battles. The plot is divided between a superhero (which the protagonist definitely is) going through family and romance drama, and fights against those who would hurt people, often on a large scale.

This Arrow comparison isn’t a complaint; I liked that show quite a bit, and now that it has come to an end, there is definitely room for another show of its type on the network. KUNG FU also feels timely and important to have such an Asian-heavy cast and team in a show like this right now, especially given the racism and violence that has been exacerbated recently against Asian Americans. Familiarity breeds acceptance and diversity, so it’s vital to have representation. The fact that this is a good series relatable to anyone who grew up with or has a family may help it temper some resentments. But that aside, it’s just a good, entertaining series.

Kung Fu “Pilot” Pictured (L-R): Olivia Liang as Nicky Shen and Jon Prasida as Ryan Photo: Kailey Schwerman The CW

Olivia Liang (Legacies) stars in KUNG FU as Nikky Shen, the hero referenced above. Unlike in Arrow, Nikky’s team is made up of her biological family, with her techy sister, Althea (Shannon Dang, Sorry for Your Loss), and pre-med brother, Ryan (Jon Prasida, Tomorrow, When the War Began), assisting her almost right off the bat. She is also joined by new love interest who can handle himself in a combat situation, Henry (Eddie Liu, Silicon Valley), and former boyfriend, Assistant District Attorney Evan (Gavin Stenhouse, Allegiance), as needed.

But the best parts of the pilot, in my opinion, involve Nikky’s interactions with her parents, Mei-Li (Kheng Hau Tan, Crazy Rich Asians) and Jin (Tzi Ma, 24, Mulan). Their relationship is complicated, to be sure. But true to TV tropes, love conquers any issues. Mei-Li may be hurt by Nikky disappearing for a while, but there’s no doubt they can heal their relationship and move forward. It may be a cliché at this point to inform a parent-child relationship by the parent’s bond with their own progenitors, but it works well as a motivation explainer, and it’s effective.

I enjoyed the KUNG FU pilot quite a bit. There is a lot that is covering well-worn ground, but there’s also enough of a difference here, especially in the culture that informs, that it still feels fresh enough. It builds upon what has come before it, but it’s also the next natural evolution of some of those characteristics, in a good way. I think it’s on the right network and coming at the right time to do well. It’s been a while since I added a non-DC CW show to my TiVo season passes, but I think this one is going to make the cut, at least until I see how it develops from here.

KUNG FU premieres Wednesday, April 7th at 8PM ET on the CW.

Catching Up With THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLIDER

 Article first published as THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER Review on Seat42F.

SPOILER WARNING: This review contains spoilers about the first (and only the first) episode of the series.

Marvel’s second MCU television series premiered on Disney Plus this weekend. THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER, as the title implies, follows Sam Wilson, a.k.a. The Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes, a.k.a. The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan). Doing what, it’s not quite clear in the first episode, as the two do not come into contact. Nor are two more important characters from the films, Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp) and Zemo (Daniel Bruhl), anywhere in sight. But the first hour is a set up as to where the two heroes currently are and what their state of mind is before the six-episode story really gets going.

The premiere of THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER starts with a big action sequence featuring The Falcon before it gets personal. I know a lot of people watch Marvel for the big action sequences, and this one should satisfy them. It’s a start-of-the-movie bit, with the hero versus a gang of villains. Not even close to a final showdown, but something to get people excited.

Personally, I thought it went on a little long. Perhaps it did so because there was almost no more action the rest of the episode and they wanted to take care of that segment of viewership. But things got a lot more interesting for me once we checked in with Sam the person, not Sam the hero, and that’s what I hope THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER is primarily about.

Sam is not a man out of time, but he is a man out of step with everything around him. His family has been suffering financially, his sister, Sarah (Adepero Oduye, 12 Years a Slave), having to take care of the family business herself when Sam blipped out of existence for five years. (And can we PLEASE have a series set DURING the blip??? I need to see that!) Sarah doesn’t welcome him back with open arms. Sam is determined to hang onto the past, which causes conflict between them. The question remains, will it be possible for him to do so? Or does he need to move on?

Along similar lines, Sam willingly gives up Captain America’s shield to the Smithsonian, not able to see anyone else but Steve Rogers as the Cap. But by handing over the shield to the U.S. government, he gives up control of Steve’s legacy. So like his family’s business, things may now have taken a turn that he doesn’t have anything to do with and can’t get back.

By contrast, in THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLIDER, Bucky is trying to make up for the past rather than change it. He is in therapy with Dr. Raynor (Amy Aquino, Borsch) and slowly making amends for the wrongs he did as the Winter Solider. This isn’t easy, but he’s trying, and that’s what matters, even if I’m not sure he’s feeling it does. At least this is something that gives him purpose, considering almost everyone he knew is dead and he’s a man out of time.

He also dips his toe into the dating pool with entertaining results, proving just what an old man he really is at heart. It’s the type of comedy mined for Steve in the films, but somehow seems even more amusing when it happens with Bucky.

Of course, there is a villainous group rearing their heads halfway around the world, as Sam’s friend Joaquin (Danny Ramirez, The Gifted) is looking into. This will probably be the mission that brings Sam and Bucky together. Zemo and Sharon Carter are probably connected, too. I’m guessing that will be the main thrust for the next five episodes.

But I hope as THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER takes off, it doesn’t forget what this first installment was about: two men searching for their place in the world. I find that tale more compelling, and that’s the one I want to see more of. Sure, they can go kick butt against supervillains and that’s entertaining. However, rich characters are the heart of the franchise, and with six hours to tell the story, there’s plenty of time to explore that here. Let’s hope they do.

THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER releases new episodes to stream Fridays on Disney Plus.

New Series INVINCIBLE

 Article first published as Amazon Prime's INVINCIBLE Review on Seat42F.

Amazon Prime has a new hour-long animated series coming next week called INVINCIBLE. Based on the comics of the same name by Robert Kirkman, the story follows a teen boy who begins to exhibit superpowers like his dad. This in a world filled with supers, both heroes and villains, with teams of powered people everywhere you look. But this particular boy is soon drawn into drama between several of them, and some dark secrets make things messy, indeed.

In preparing for this review, I not only watched the three episodes Amazon made available, but also read the first dozen or so issues of the comic. INVINCIBLE is a compelling tale that starts out looking like one thing but then becomes something almost completely different, yet at the same time holding onto a steady core. There are differences in the adaptation from page to screen, with some characters changing ethnicity and gender, and events are rearranged. Also, the comic seems to have more roles that are direct copies or parodies of existing properties from other publishers. But the changes seem to be good ones, mostly made to deepen the story and fit the episodic format length. If you were already a fan of the book, I suspect you’ll like this adaptation.

I can’t think of another hour-long animated show. The episodes, without commercials, come in at forty-some minutes, about as long as a broadcast drama, and double the length of most cartoons. The material in INVINCIBLE justifies it, though. Like Robert Kirkman’s other famous property, The Walking Dead, the story is complex and disturbing, at times graphically violent (as teased in the trailer). Yet, INVINCIBLE also has a cheery optimism because of its lead, Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun, The Walking Dead), that keeps things entertaining.

The voice cast is stacked with huge talent. Yeun stars, and the other two leads listed in the credits are Mark’s superhero dad, Nolan Grayson (J.K. Simmons, Whiplash, Spider-Man), and ‘normal’ mom, Debbie Grayson (Sandra Oh, Grey’s Anatomy, Killing Eve). There’s a shady government type, Cecil Stedman, voiced by Walton Goggins (Justified). And among those playing other supers are Gillian Jacobs (Community), Jason Mantzoukas (The Good Place), Zachary Quinto (Star Trek), Seth Rogen (Pineapple Express), Mahershala Ali (House of Cards), Michael Dorn (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Clancy Brown (Lost), Melise (The Vampire Diaries), Lennie James (The Walking Dead), Michael Cudlitz (The Walking Dead), Chad L. Coleman (The Walking Dead), Ross Marquand (The Walking Dead), Khary Payton (The Walking Dead), Lauren Cohan (The Walking Dead), and Sonequa Martin-Green (The Walk-, er, Star Trek: Discovery). Not to mention other characters voiced by Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Chris Diamantopoulos (Silicon Valley), Andrew Rannells (Girls), Zazie Beetz (Atlanta), Jonathan Groff (Mindhunter) and Mark Hamill (Star Wars). Believe it or not, this is not a complete list of recognizable names, and this list should give you an idea of how good the show is that so many pros wanted to be involved.

The world of superpowers has been done to death, and yet INVINCIBLE feels fresh. Partly because it leans on the tropes and familiar archetypes you already know and subverts them. Partly because it sometimes feels like its making fun of the genre it portrays, even while the characters feel grounded. This is a new take, and one worth watching.

As far as the story goes, I can’t say much. There are locks on spoilers, and I wouldn’t want to give anything away if I could because the shocks hit hard and fast. What I can say is this. The pilot starts out looking very much like a late 80s / early 90s cartoon of my youth, and that style never changes, lending an immediate comfort. But by the end of the first hour, this is disrupted, and each subsequent installment only continues the transformation. It is an artistically interesting production with an intriguing mystery and plenty of emotional-moving scenes. I both laughed and cried already. I definitely recommend it.

INVINCIBLE drops its first three episodes on Friday, March 26th, with weekly episodes streaming after that, only on Amazon Prime.

Not Quite THE ONE

 Article first published as THE ONE Netflix Review on Seat42F.

One of Netflix’s newest series is THE ONE. A British sci-fi crime drama, THE ONE is set in the near future where a company has found a way to match someone with their soul mate using DNA testing. As presented, the test only gives each person a single perfect match. If both people submit to the test, then that match is shared with them. In this world, there has been a HUGE spike in divorce, causing political unrest. But the head of the company calls this only a slight adjustment, and says divorces will be almost nonexistent after society adapts. Who is right, and what other ramifications are there to this technology?

The description above seems idyllic. I certainly wished for such an easy way to find someone in my younger, single days. But since perfect worlds make bad stories, given the lack of drama, THE ONE of courses only uses that as an overlay. Seemingly perfect worlds with a lot of bad stuff going on under the surface are a more familiar genre, and this show is definitely an entry in that one.

What surprises me the most is how much of the plot isn’t really about the system of perfect matches itself. That’s certainly present, and the system is manipulated by the cynical and the guileless. However, much of the driving story is made up of other tensions that happen around the system but not as much because of the way the system works. Which is too bad because I really want to know why only one person matches with you in the entire world and what happens if that person is no longer around? Can’t there be a second tier for those whose match are dead? Are there not other great matches?

Rebecca Webb (Hannah Ware, Boss) currently runs the primary company in THE ONE. She touts the success of her own relationship as being a product of that system, though like much of what she says, that is a lie. Instead, she is concerned only with making her system prevalent throughout the world, no matter the cost. Whether this is because she really believes in it or because she’s greedy, it’s hard to say. Flashbacks reveal some personal drama and her connection to a dead body that threatens to derail everything.

Another lead in THE ONE is Kate Saunders (Zoë Tapper, Mr. Selfridge), a cop who is surprised that her own match is a woman. Although she has dated both men and women, she expected to be paired with a guy. She is absolutely delighted with her pairing, though, until things take a tragic turn. Might this motivate her in looking into Rebecca? It’s not a focus in the first three episodes I viewed, but it seems like a logical next step.

Rounding out the trio of central women is Hannah Bailey (Lois Chimimba, Trust Me). Lois feels insecure in her marriage to Mark (Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Harlots), and after watching her best friend’s union fall apart because of THE ONE’s system, decides to proactively protect herself. So she submits her husband’s DNA and tracks down his match. Which of course inadvertently brings her husband and the other woman into contact with one another. Are any problems after this Hannah’s own fault? Will her husband fall in love and leave an otherwise happy relationship? Are they really happy if she’s this insecure?

The questions posed in THE ONE are interesting and worth exploring. There are many ways to go with this, and I’m glad it stays relatively focused on three plot lines for the initial eight-episode run (or at least the three episodes I’ve seen). Yet, I don’t find it as compelling as I’d expect to. It’s more a feeling than a concrete set of gripes I can list. Tone or pacing may play a part, but it’s just an overall impression I’m left with. It seems a well enough made and acted show, and I’m somewhat interested. But there’s something about it that feels less the sum of its parts and keeps it from rising to a must-see series.

THE ONE is streaming now on Netflix.