THE GIFTED Is Special

Article first published as TV Review: THE GIFTED on Seat42F.

With the glut of superhero programming, do we need another series featuring people with powers? DC is dominating on the CW, less so on FOX, while Marvel has solid offerings on Netflix and inferior ones on ABC. The newest entry, THE GIFTED, is the second X-Men show in a year (technically Marvel via the comics, but not part of Marvel Studios), and proves that mutants still have something interesting and fresh to say. It’s not as trippy and unique as Legion, FX’s X-Men program, but it is still very worthwhile.

THE GIFTED is centered on the Strucker family. Patriarch Reed (Stephen Moyer, True Blood) helps capture mutants, though he insists only those who have broken the law. But when his own children, Lauren (Natalie Alyn Lind, The Goldbergs) and Andy (Percy Hynes White, The Grand Seduction), violently exhibit abilities, he doesn’t hesitate to join with wife Kate (Amy Acker, Person of Interest) in taking the clan on the run.

Separately, we meet a group of mutants in hiding led by Lorna Dane / Polaris (Emma Dumont, Bunheads). The daughter of Magneto, she has stepped up when both the X-Men and the Brotherhood disappeared. (Where they went is a mystery.) She is joined by Marcos Diaz / Eclipse (Sean Teale, Reign), John Proudstar / Thunderbird (Blair Redford, Satisfaction), and Clarice Fong / Blink (Jamie Chung, Once Upon a Time) in helping others who manifest more-than-human traits stay ahead of the evil Sentinel Service that pursues them, personified in Jace Turner (Coby Bell, The Game).

THE GIFTED is very ambitious, but it also has a lot going for it. By stating up front that the X-Men and the Brotherhood are gone, viewers won’t be waiting for the more-famous characters like Professor X, Cyclops, Magneto, Wolverine, and the rest to show up. It’s clear that this cast are our heroes, and that’s how it’ll likely stay. The X-Men film franchise has always been shaky on continuity, so THE GIFTED isn’t tied to anything else going on in other mediums, designed to stand on its own. Without the restrictions of movies and super familiar personalities to adhere to (some will know these characters, but not nearly as many as who know the X-Men themselves), it has the freedom to do something different.

Some are likening this show’s premise to an Underground Railroad situation. The mutants are a persecuted class, fleeing from people who fear or hate them. They have to operate in secret, and move a lot to stay ahead of those who would do them harm. Most haven’t actually done anything wrong, attacked for who they are, not their actions. The diverse cast modernizes the story, but the parallels are still obvious.

THE GIFTED is also a family show. We see the pain and suffering of parents Reed and Kate, and their love and dedication to their children. Reed, especially, is expected to question if he should be protecting Andy and Lauren, but he doesn’t. His job as their father wins out over his profession. But without powers himself, is he up to the task of protecting them? Will he have to learn to accept that his kids can keep him safe more than the other way around? And what is his role in the family then? Kate is less developed in the pilot, but I assume she will face similar issues.

This series is smartly written, well-acted, and with pleasing special effects, among the best the usually-lazy broadcast networks have to offer, feeling more like cable programming. It embraces the comic book world it hails from, but isn’t defined by it, making a dark drama full of social commentary that stands on its own. I didn’t expect such a high quality from creator Matt Nix, formerly of Burn Notice, but he has definitely grown into his role as a respected showrunner, and I’m excited to see where he takes things from here.

THE GIFTED premieres Monday, October 2^nd at 9PM ET on FOX.

Blu-ray Review: 'Once Upon A Time The Complete Second Season'

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: 'Once Upon A Time The Complete Second Season' on Blogcritics.

ABC’s Once Upon a Time, despite a rough start, has quickly become one of network television’s best shows. The Complete Second Season, now available on Blu-ray and DVD, is a great example of the series’ strength, with some of the best episodes to date, and the addition of some intriguing new characters and plots.

As season two opens with “Broken,” the curse has been lifted and everyone in Storybrooke knows they are characters from the Enchanted Forest, though they retain the memories of their time spent in our world. Dealing with these duel identities and finding a way forward, while keeping in mind of the past, is a major push in the second season. With the secrets and mysteries of the first year blown wide open, it’s a reset, and also a source of momentum for the story.

This finding oneself theme is most evident in the villainous characters. We see Regina’s (Lana Parrilla) tragic introduction to magic in “We Are Both,” and she struggles to regain her lost soul in the present, with her love for Henry (Jared S. Gilmore) serving as a life preserver. She backslides throughout other installments, but always finds herself again. She has a long journey ahead of her, but there are hints that she might overcome her flaws.

Similarly, Mr. Gold (Robert Carlyle) wants to be a better person for Belle (Emilie de Ravin), as well as for his son, Bae (Michael Raymond-James), who re-enters the tale in a big way mid-year. This is not an easy road for Gold, as the hold the Dark One and magic have over him is strong. Dangers prompt him to keep his power close, and test his mettle. Like Regina, he is no where near redemption, but that path is open to him.

To replace these two, as Once Upon a Time must have bad guys, we get Cora (Barbara Hershey), a.k.a. The Queen of Hearts, and Captain Hook (Colin O’Donoghue), the former of which is truly evil, and the latter perhaps just misguided, but with some sort of honor code. Later, Tamara (Sonequa Martin-Green, The Walking Dead) and Owen (Ethan Embry), intruders from the world at large, serve a similar dynamic. These four characters illustrate the show’s ability to have both black-and-white roles that serve a purpose, and layered ones that seem realistic, similar to the fairy tale-real world settings. It’s quite impressive.

Once Upon a Time does occasionally suffer from a sprawling cast, especially when Emma (Jennifer Morrison) and Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) are stranded in the Enchanted Forest, dividing the viewers’ attention in too many places at once, but it does strive to keep the core people at its center. To that end, Archie (Raphael Sbarge) and August (Eion Bailey) are demoted to recurring status at the start of year two. They are still present, but don’t necessarily need their own plots very often, pushed back into the larger fabric of the many villagers, some important, some less so, that make the world feel complete.

I would argue Red (Meghan Ory) also belongs in this secondary group, though she is promoted to main character for this season, and may not return at all next year. Belle is a similar situation, yet there have been hints that an increased role might be in store for her, so her upgrade is welcome, if she is well-used in the future. The third new central player, Hook, is not only pivotal often throughout these twenty-two episodes, but a compelling player who fans have rallied behind, so it makes sense to retain him.

Among the stand-out episodes in The Complete Second Season are: “Tallahassee,” in which we meet Tiny (Jorge Garcia, Lost), a kind giant, and see Neal and Emma’s back story; “Child of the Moon,” which reveals the true Red; “The Cricket Game,” in which it appears Archie has been murdered; “In the Name of the Brother,” a story that adds Frankenstein mythology to the universe; “Manhattan,” which brings several central players in New York City; “The Miller’s Daughter,” where Snow battles darkness; “Welcome to Storybrooke,” in which a stranger comes to town in Storybrooke’s first days; and the two-hour finale “Second Star to the Right; And Straight On ’til Morning,” where the town’s very existence is threatened, thieves attempt to take magic out of this place, and the core cast bands together for a hero’s journey into season three.

The special features on Once Upon a Time The Complete Second Season are pretty great. Of the deleted scenes, a couple are wonderful character moments that should not be missed. The blooper reel is genuinely funny. There are several insightful commentaries, including one with the great writer Jane Espenson which is only included on the Blu-ray version. Also exclusive to the Blu-ray is an explanation of Henry’s family tree, which has gotten quite twisted over the years. Plus, there are five minutes with O’Donoghue which should please many female friends.

The best inclusion is a twelve-minute episode of “Good Morning Storybrooke.” Hosted by The League‘s Paul Scheer and Community‘s Yvette Nicole Brown, as fictional characters, it is a parody-like morning show set in the world of the show. While sometimes a little hokey, and not always quite in keeping with the established mythology (a note to Ariel, who isn’t in Storybrooke? Red acting nervous? Gold being too salesman-y?), it does feature many of the supporting ensemble, and is highly entertaining. Plus, there is a fantastic Lost reference, and we finally get to see Grumpy (Lee Arenberg) and Nova (Amy Acker) reconnect!

Lastly, there’s an unnecessary “Girl Power” featurette celebrating the strong women on the show for, um, I guess, people who don’t pay attention, since Once Upon a Time has never made any secret of featuring powerful females. But there may be some very young women out there who appreciate it.

Besides the couple of exclusive features, checking out the Blu-ray version is necessary because of the type of production this is. While not all of the CGI sets look spectacular in HD, the physical places, which are highly detailed, really do. Not to mention the rich costumes and great magic bits, which deserve to be examined closely, as do the amazing emotions that dance across many a face. There is a beautiful, sweeping soundtrack, so to get the crystal clear audio and visual presentation, high definition is a must.

Overall, this is a terrific release, one that will satisfy fans who crave a little more from their extras, and a superb season with some really exciting, moving stories. Once Upon a Time The Complete Second Season is available now.

Once Upon a Time chases a dream

This week's installment of ABC's Once Upon a Time, "Dreamy," is another love story, ending just as tragically as the others told so far. Sort of. In the fairy tale world, a dwarf named Dreamy (Lee Arenberg, the Pirates of the Caribbean movies) meets a fairy named Nova (the wonderful Amy Acker, Angel, Dollhouse). They are instantly smitten and would like to run off together. Sadly, neither fairies nor dwarfs are supposed to be able to fall in love, and so the bosses of both, Bossy (Ken Kramer) and the Blue Fairy (Keegan Connor Tracy, Battlestar Galactica), plot to discourage this union. The breakup succeeds, and Dreamy, in his despair, is renamed Grumpy.

In the "real" world, the same story pretty much plays out again. Leroy (Arenberg) is the town drunk whom no one likes, and Astrid (Acker) is a nun whose mistake is about to earn her fellow sisters eviction. Leroy has big plans, vowing to sell 1,000 candles to pay their rent to Mr. Gold (Robert Carlyle), who is not interested in a compromise. Leroy fails, deeply disappointing Astrid, especially because he lies about it at first. However, this time Leroy finds a way to circumvent authority and save the day, selling the candles, and making Astrid very, very happy.

These two plots, paralleling each other throughout "Dreamy," expose an element of the universes that Once Upon a Time has not spent a lot of time on: things can be done over. Most of the characters are happier in the magical land, prior to the curse that brings them into reality and wipes their memories. However, Leroy and Astrid are not. Their fantasy story ends with sadness. Now, they get a second chance, and things go right. Leroy has learned his lesson, even if he doesn't remember being taught it, and he makes things better for himself.

Will this bloom into a full-scale romance for Astrid and Leroy? It's hard to think of a reason why not. Sure, Astrid is a nun, but she doesn't necessarily have to stay one forever.

The bigger question is, what will happen when the curse ends, as it eventually must? Will Leroy, returning to being Grumpy, go back to working in the mines, missing Nova terribly? Or will their union survive the transition, both secure in the fact that they belong together?

Of course, there could always be another fairy tale story, untold at this point, where Grumpy sees the error of his ways and makes things right with Nova. But that doesn't really fit the framework Once Upon a Time is building, and it isn't likely from the current perspective.

Wherever the story chooses to go from here, it cannot take away from the fact that "Dreamy" delivers a sweet love story, wherein two unlikely souls find their mates in an unexpected and outside-of-the-box way. It's a timeless tale that never gets old, and touches many hearts. And by using minor characters not explored too much in the traditional bedtime stories, Once Upon a Time frees itself up to go any way that it desires, without worrying about being hemmed in by traditional tellings.

Also, when Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin) needs a friend, it's the best one of her dwarfs that comes to her aid. This is a point that should not be overlooked, as a theme of Once Upon a Time is that kindred spirits are drawn together, whatever world they happen to be in. Leroy doesn't abandon Mary Margaret, just as surely as Grumpy would never abandon Snow White. Perhaps it appears that Leroy isn't looking out for MM, but there's an undercurrent there, all the same.

Once Upon a Time doesn't spend a lot of time on the sweet. Instead, much of the series' plot focuses on the darkness that the curse places on Storybrooke. This continues in small segments in this week's "Dreamy," as Regina (Lana Parrilla) plots to frame David (Josh Dallas) for Kathryn's (Anastasia Griffith, Royal Pains, Damages) disappearance. Emma (Jennifer Morrison) suspects that the clues are not adding up correctly, but by not following up these false leads as if they might be real, it puts her job as sheriff at risk.

Clearly, David is not responsible. Any attempt to convict him of such a crime is silly, and stretches out a story that doesn't make any viewer happy. However, there must always be obstacles to overcome if a hero is going to win any battle, and these latest machinations by Regina are just that. What's more, with David and Mary Margaret loathed by the public, it's likely that many characters will believe the evidence against David, no matter how fake it is.

What will Emma do to save David? How can Mary Margaret begin to get her reputation back? It's these questions that are central to the arcs of Once Upon a Time, though, as interesting as the central story is, it's nice to get a break from this for most of "Dreamy."

"Dreamy" establishes a lot of back story for Snow White's (Goodwin) best pals. Now fans know that the dwarfs are hatched in groups of eight (Stealthy, the 8th of this most famous brood, is killed in an earlier episode). They toil in the mines, and make the fairy dust that powers the world. They are named by their axes, which provides a wonderful one-liner about trusting Doc's (David Paul Grove, Elf) medical credentials. There are no female dwarfs. And they cannot fall in love.

While much of this is purely exposition and trivia, it could be important in some way to future stories. Plus, it's just plain cool to get all of these reveals, and enrich the personalities of Snow White's friends. And it's cool to know there are many other dwarfs, such as Bossy and Watchy (Richard Ian Cox, Nana, InuYasha), which expands the world of these beings.

Perhaps most strange in "Dreamy" is the unlikely appearance of a character in an unexpected place. Belle (Emilie de Ravin) is in the bar with the dwarfs, apparently sometime during her plot from the recent (awesome) episode "Skin Deep." She adds a little to this story, encouraging Grumpy to follow his heart. But one must wonder if perhaps the creative team behind Once Upon a Time was so entranced with Ravin's take on the character of Belle that they forced her into an episode that she didn't really belong in, just to use her again. It's great to see her, but the brief cameo only left dissatisfaction, since it really added nothing to her story.

Once Upon a Time may have stumbled in the first couple of episodes, but it has grown into a must-see favorite every week, with consistently good storytelling and acting. Watch it Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

MORE: If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Catch up with streaming episodes of Once Upon a Time. Article first published as TV Review: Once Upon a Time - "Dreamy" on Blogcritics.

Grimm's outlook quite grim

NBC's Grimm continues its freshman run with "Tarantella." A mummified body is found, organs liquefied with acid and sucked out through the abdomen. The police suspect a ritualistic serial killer, but Nick (David Giuntoli) knows better. He researches the spiders of the supernatural world, and learns of a deadly kind that must kill three people every five years to stave off rapid aging. This explains the real killer's (Amy Acker, Angel, Dollhouse) motivation, and allows Nick to find her before she can take a third victim.

Amy Acker's presence is a must on sci-fi fantasy shows, second only to Summer Glau. It is not surprising that Grimm recruits her, too. Though it is too bad that she is stopped so quickly and tossed in jail, doomed to never be seen again. Even should the show find some reason to bring the character back, an older actress will likely be called upon to play her, given the encounter that Nick and Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell) have with another of her species, who doesn't kill. It's a waste, then, to use such a talented actress in the genre in such a bit role.

However, there should be little regret on Acker's part to being regulated to a single episode. After all, Grimm is not exactly at the top of its game. The focus of the series so far has been police procedural with a slight twist. While this formula does appeal to some viewers, it does not do so, on its own, for many of Acker's fans, who are used to much more intelligent television. Acker is better used in stories that take more than an hour to play out, and by not repeating on Grimm, it leaves her open to better jobs.

Grimm's biggest mistake is going for the procedural path. Many other shows on the air currently do the same, only better. Instead, Grimm should be focusing on its characters. Why hasn't Nick told Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch) his secret yet? Why drag it out over so many episodes? What are Captain Renard's (Sasha Roiz) goals? Why hasn't Renard revealed to Nick that he knows what's really going on? Wouldn't that make their police work more effective? These are the interesting plots that should be explored, rather than spend such a major focus on the case of the week junk.

Nick's character is poorly fleshed out. He wants to hold on to his normal life, or so he says, yet he fully delves into this new line of work as a Grimm, too. It's a flawed attempt at compartmentalization. Yet, it would be so much easier to manage his time if he told Juliette about his activities. It would be understandable if Nick was afraid to tell her, for fear of losing her, or her having a very negative reaction. But these things are mentioned, at best, with almost no time spent looking at the feelings of the characters involved. There is much wasted opportunity here.

Even worse, in "Tarantella," Nick threatens some peaceful creatures that have been watching his house. Their curiosity is understandable, given that they have never encountered a Grimm before. But rather than help them to know him, so they aren't scared, and stop bothering him, Nick threatens and intimidates. Perhaps he is worried for Juliette's safety and wants to keep those types away from her, but again, this isn't really explored. And Nick should know better than to run off people who could be helpful. Surely, through his interactions with Monroe, Nick has learned it is good to make friends with the supernatural? Not only that, but what is these peaceful types have less peaceful friends, and, feeling scared, send those baddies to deal with Nick?

All of that aside, "Tarantella" is mostly a fine, stand alone story. Acker is great as the suburban mom who kills because she has to. The clues are laid out fairly realistically, other than the stretch involving the watch, and how it ends up in police hands. Nick's hunt for the killer plays out with excitement.

The only serious complaint about this particular case-of-the-week plot is that Nick totally ignores the fact that the killer's daughter is also a spider creature, and will soon be killing, too. There is no conversation to deal with the girl, nor is any attempt made to stop her before she acts. In this ending, it kind of ruins a lot of what "Tarantella" does right, spoiling the one story in the episode that works.

Perhaps Grimm will get its act together, perhaps not. Grimm airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

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Foreclosure on the Dollhouse

    Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly) and Eliza Dushku's (Tru Calling) Dollhouse went off the air for good this past Friday night, proving once again what a jerk Fox can be, especially to Whedon.  After a rocky start to the first season, where the show was mostly serial, with a different mission each week, it found it's footing midway through the spring and delivered some brilliant twists.  The show had already been pegged as canceled, but a last minute miracle save earned them a second thirteen episode season this fall.  In the second round, Joss didn't attempt to tone down his plot, and went full blown into a conspiracy and technology war.  Friday night's finale was a fairly appropriate closer, that left fans somewhat satisfied.

     The final episode was called "Epitaph Two: Return", a follow up to the first season, unaired, lost episode called "Epitaph One".  Set ten years after the majority of the series, and starring Felicia Day (The Guild, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along-Blog), it showed a post-apocalyptic world.  This was a logical step, considering that the plot of the two seasons was fairly well tied up in the penultimate episode, when the Dollhouse staff discovered the man behind the curtain was their friend Boyd (Harry Lennix, 24, Commander in Chief).  It was a fantastic episode, and Boyd's comeupance was wonderfully done.  However, fans who bought the first season DVD last summer would have felt a little cheated had they not followed up "Epitaph" and Day's character.

     Rewatching "Epitaph One", there were a couple of possible plot holes with the way season two played out, however, those could have been explained away had the show been given a third season.  Instead, there is much missing that viewers would have liked to see.  For instance, how did Alpha (Alan Tudyk, Serenity, V) end up a good guy, working with the resistance?  And why was Whiskey (Amy Acker, Angel, Alias) in the abandoned house in "One", but had disappeared by "Two"?  A television movie should be made to fill in the gap.  If a feature film is eventually commissioned, a la Serenity's begot from the canceled Firefly, it would likely go to the world after the end, but could reveal some of those things through flashbacks.  Honestly, there probably just wasn't time for Alpha's story in the one hour closer, and it was unlikely Acker was available, as she now stars in a new show.  "Two" combined the main cast with the characters we had met in "One", and did it's best to wrap it all up.  There was even a surprise cameo by Summer Glau, (Firefly, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) whose character had previously been killed.

     The series was, overall, a work of genius, and a credit to each of the principal and recurring cast members, as well as the storytellers.  It was innovative and dealt with real issues of our day.  It was canceled well before it's time, and yet it presents almost a complete story, with a nifty ending.  Most characters had a cap.  Echo / Caroline (Dushku) got to (briefly) deal with pain of losing Paul (Tahmoh Penikett, Battlestar Galactica).  Victor / Tony (Enver Gjokaj) and Sierra / Priya (Dichen Lachman, Neighbours) were together with their son.  Adelle (Olivia Williams) was playing mother hen to a whole new flock.  And Topher (Fran Kranz) gave himself up in a self-sacrificial move, guilted by the knowledge he had caused the whole mess.