SENSE8 Insane

Article originally published as SENSE8 Review on Seat42F.

Netflix has a new drama by The Wachowskis (The Matrix) premiering this week. Entitled SENSE8, the story is truly global, following eight individuals in seven countries who are connected to one another somehow, being able to feel what the others feel and experience what they experience. There is a violent act that seems to somehow figure into forging their connection, and presumably there is a villain out there who will endanger them.

If that sounds murky, that is appropriate because SENSE8 is not clear in its intentions right out of the gate. Throughout the first hour, a LOT of characters are introduced, and each have their own plot lines threading the pilot, so there’s much to keep track of. This is not the type of show one can casually watch while cooking dinner; it takes total concentration and engagement to even begin to sort out who everyone is and what the settings are.

The central eight are: Will Gorski (Brian J. Smith, SGU Stargate Universe), a police officer in Chicago; Jamie Clayton (Nomi Marks, Transform Me), a transgender political blogger living in San Francisco with her girlfriend, Amanita (Freema Agyeman, Doctor Who); Riley (Tuppence Middleton, Spies of Warsaw), an Icelandic, drug-enjoying DJ who has immigrated to London; Wolfgang (Max Riemelt, In Face of the Crime), a locksmith-turned-safecracker in Berlin; Lito (Miguel Angel Silvestre, Velvet), a closeted gay actor in Mexico City; Sun (Bae Doona, Cloud Atlas), a businesswoman who has gotten herself into professional trouble in Seoul; Kala (Tina Desai, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), a woman considering marrying a man she doesn’t love in Mumbai; and Capheus (Aml Ameen, Harry’s Law), a failing bus driver in Nairobi.

As you can see, it is quite an international cast, much more so than most “international” ensembles that are at least half American. Each of these individuals very much inhabits a different part of the world and exists within a different culture, which should make their connection even more jarring than it already is. Though, for some reason, the show chooses to use English instead of subtitling, which might make it slightly more accessible, but feels a little weird.

SENSE8 doesn’t try to bring the group together geographically. In fact, the pilot barely brings them together in the story at all, with a few flashes of what will become their new state, but mostly focusing on their lives as they are now. What this means is, SENSE8 is telling many different stories at once, and how they will eventually all be brought into the same orbit remains quite a mystery.

The catalyst for the series involves a woman named Angel (Daryl Hannah, Kill Bill, Steel Magnolias), trapped between her love, Jonas (Naveen Andrews, Lost), and the villainous Mr. Whispers (Terrence Mann, The Dresden Files), but this thread seems just as unconnected as the others at the start, so it’s hard to tell exactly how Angel will play a part in the other eight’s lives, with the end of hour one finally giving us a little info in that regard, but not much.

I can’t say that I enjoyed the first episode of SENSE8 all that much. It took me a good forty-five minutes of confusion and stress to even start to get a handle on what is happening. Generally, that’s not how I like to begin a series. I see that what is going on here is very complicated and I’m not sure there’s an easier way to introduce so much, but at the same time, so few of the characters start out with a compelling narrative that the barrier to entry is great. There are scenes later in the episode, especially for Jamie and Wolfgang, that get one interested and invested. But SENSE8 would work better if it began in that manner and then showed us more of their average lives, providing a more immediate way in.

Because of this, I’m not sure if I’m going to keep watching or not. The production is obviously very high-value, with a variety of interesting places (those with 4K televisions should appreciate this even more), and the acting seems sincere and solid. I certainly would not not recommend it. The question is, will the investment required, much more than your average TV show, be worth the payoff? That, I cannot tell you at this time.

SENSE8’s twelve-episode first season will be available on Netflix this Friday.

THE CARRIE DIARIES "Runs" Out of Time

Article first published as THE CARRIE DIARIES "Runs" Out of Time on TheTVKing.

The CW's The Carrie Diaries, a prequel of sorts to Sex and the City, but taking its cue from the novels, rather than the HBO show, draws its second season to a close this week in "Run to You." As they graduate, Carrie (AnnaSophia Robb) and her friends are at a crossroads. Their decisions will take them in different directions, and none has a harder choice to make than Carrie herself.

"Run to You" is a disappointing hour because of the lack of female empowerment. Here's Carrie, eighteen years old and barely out of high school, and she's ready to move across the country with no prospects of her own for a guy, Sebastian (Austin Butler). Granted, Carrie may be trying to escape her problems, having lost her job, too late to try to go to college in the fall, and estranged from her father, Tom (Matt Letscher). But still...

Even worse is Maggie's (Katie Findlay) story. She is a strong girl who is just finding out how she can stand on her own, but rather than decide that she wants to pursue her own goals, she's happy to accept Pete's (Claybourne Elder) marriage proposal. Will she even still go to college now? Who knows? Her fate is in the hands of a guy she only recently met.

Samantha (Lindsey Gort), the epitome of a woman who can use a man for her own selfish needs, though she isn't cruel, is watered done and overly sentimental in The Carrie Diaries. Perhaps she hasn't grown into who she will be yet, but this version of Samantha contains only occasional hints of the beloved icon fans adore.

This isn't a great example to have on TV for impressionable teens to watch. The characters of Sex and the City wanted to find love, sure, but that was far from the only thing going on with them, and they weren't going to compromise themselves or settle. The Carrie Diaries is teaching a new generation that its OK to just find a guy and do what he wants. Carrie herself breaks away from this at the end of "Run to You," but it's too little, too late, the message already hammered home.

 This show is set in the 1980s, so it's not like women were only destined to be housewives at the time. The 1980s was a period where females did want careers and were proving they were as good as men, continuing to break into fields that were long male-dominated. Where is that spirit in this finale? If anyone would subscribe to it, it would be Carrie Bradshaw, who has shown her mettle in previous installments.

Even Larissa (Freema Agyeman), the symbol of the free-spirited, independent woman, ties the knot in this season finale, marrying Harlan (Scott Cohen) in an airport. Granted, she has negotiated the arrangement she wants with him, but she's also using him as a crutch to escape her unemployment issue, bumping up the marriage so she can concentrate on fun in his arms, rather than trying to rebuild her career yet. It's not inspiring.

I do give The Carrie Diaries credit for not doing a traditional graduation episode. Since there have only been two short seasons, it would be weird to have big, tearful goodbyes for several of the players, but a lot of shows would have done so anyway. In "Run to You," the ceremony is brushed over in favor of getting to more character development, even if it's not good development.

I also liked the ending between Mouse (Ellen Wong) and West (RJ Brown). They are forced back into one another's orbits and do sleep together, but then Mouse tells him it was a good way to leave things, both heading on to very different futures.

The Carrie Diaries has done some things right. The portrayal of homosexuals in the 1980s is eye-opening. The main gay character, Walt (Brendan Dooling), is a fully fleshed out individual who defies stereotypes and forces his parents to confront who he is in a very moving scene. Donna (Chloe Bridges) ends up being a really interesting person, the pretty bully who is secretly a genius. The father-daughter relationship between Tom and Carrie and Tom and Dorrit (Stefania Owen) is great, and the sister bond between Carrie and Dorrit is sweet. The period references are only occasionally forced. The acting is decent.

But it also gets a lot wrong, as I've argued in many of the above paragraphs. It's a fluff teen drama that doesn't live up to its potential or legacy, and with the chance of a third season so low, it's not unlikely to be long-remembered. I did find it entertaining enough to sit through all twenty-six installments, and I'll admit I'd like to see it go on, albeit with a few things corrected, and likely without most of the cast just because that's what makes sense for the story.

I guess the thing that bothers me most about The Carrie Diaries, though, and this is a huge obstacle going in, is that none of these people are still in Carrie's life when she's an adult, except Samantha, of course. That means with every squabble she has with them, I'm waiting to see this being the last straw for their relationship. Yet, the tone of the show does not allow anything but hugs and reconciliation. This robs the chance of it being any kind of true prequel to the original show, lessening my enjoyment considerably. It needs more pathos.

The Carrie Diaries has not been picked up, and the odds are not in its favor.

TV Review: ‘The Doctors Revisited – Ninth to Eleventh’

Article first published as TV Review: ‘The Doctors Revisited – Ninth to Eleventh’ on Blogcritics.

As Doctor Who‘s 50th year winds down, the last set of The Doctors Revisited, Ninth to Eleventh, has been released on DVD. These are a lot like the other eight specials, with approximately 30 minutes devoted to discussion of each of The Doctor’s latest incarnations. As before, some of each Doctor’s adventures are included, this time in the form of a pair of one-hour installments rather than a complete serial, keeping with the changed format of the show.

These three are the modern Doctors, beginning with the 2005 reboot and continuing to the present. Premiering nearly a decade after the 1990s TV movie, and even longer since the show went off the air, Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, and Matt Smith take what came before them and updated it for the modern era. Still maintaining some of the magic, charm, humor, and monsters, Doctor Who has been tweaked in the best of ways, and has never been more popular.

Eccleston is the first one to be profiled, and his reign is pretty brief, having only been featured in one series. His Ninth Doctor is badly scarred from a war in which he committed heinous acts (a subject touched upon in the recently-aired anniversary special Day of the Doctor), and now he’s trying to find himself again. Along with a young, pretty companion named Rose (Billie Piper), Eccleston re-introduces us to the character as we’ve never seen him before, setting the bar for his followers.

The episodes included in this set for Eccleston are “Bad Wolf” and “The Parting of the Ways.” This is his two-part finale, in which Rose is tested and Captain Jack (John Barrowman), who will soon earn his own spin-off, concludes his time traveling with The Doctor.

David Tennant, “my doctor,” takes over in series two and stays for three years, as well as for a number of specials. The Tenth Doctor has multiple companions during his tenure, beginning with Rose, whom he falls in love with, and continuing through Martha (Freema Agyeman) and Donna (Catherine Tate). This Doctor is witty and clever, but has a dangerous edge that can come out when needed.

Tennant’s run not only makes good use of old foes, such as the Cyberman, the Daleks, and the Master, but also begins building larger-arc stories that play out over a number of episodes. The end of his fourth series is truly a culmination of all that he does, with many of his previous friends, including Sarah Jane (Elisabeth Sladen) from the old series, teaming up in a fantastic finale, which happen to be the installments selected for this DVD.

After Tennant comes Matt Smith’s Doctor. A bit more goofy than the Tenth, the Eleventh is also more unstable, prone to bouts of extreme loneliness, often resulting in the erosion of his moral compass. Though Smith stays for three series (his run will end in the upcoming Christmas special later this month), his story actually spans multiple centuries as he flits in and our of the lives of his companions, Amy Pond (Karen Gillian) and Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill) over the course of a decade or so (from their perspective). After Amy and Rory depart, which leads to even more moping, the Eleventh begins traveling with Clara (Jenna-Louise Coleman), a girl he witnesses dying multiple times, a mystery that brings The Doctor back to life.

The storytelling in Smith’s time becomes even more intricate and deep. As producer Steven Moffat takes the Doctor Who reigns from Russell T. Davies, more recurring characters populate the landscape, the Weeping Angels become an important returning villain, and events suddenly take years to play out, words mentioned in previous series culminating much later. The Doctor is also given a wife, River Song (Alex Kingston), whom the Tenth Doctor meets briefly, but whom the Eleventh loves very much, even as his tale and hers intertwine in strange and sad ways.

The episodes for Smith’s era are “The Impossible Astronaut” and “Day of the Moon,” the two-part opener to series six in which The Doctor, Amy, Rory, and River encounter The Silence, an alien race that cannot be remembered once they leave one’s eyesight. This is actually only the beginning of a story that will take awhile to conclude.

As usual, Moffat has recorded openings for each of the episodes, which can be watched in their original two-part versions or as a seamless feature.

The Doctors Revisits – Ninth to Eleventh is available now.

Open up and read The Carrie Diaries

Grade: 81%

Everyone is at least a little bit familiar with the HBO hit Sex and the City. When the author of the book that series is based on, Candace Bushnell, decided to write a prequel, it is little surprise that the CW, known for their teen-centric dramas, would latch on. THE CARRIE DIARIES, premiering Monday, January 14th at 8 p.m. ET. The show has a built in audience, and will surely deliver big ratings, at least initially, from Sex and the City fans who want to see how it all began.

What’s disappointing is that there is not more connection between THE CARRIE DIARIES and the original series. Yes, they are made by different people, but given the popularity of Sex and the City, and that is what the CW will be banking on to build an audience, besides their typical demographic, a cameo by Sarah Jessica Parker, or a glimpse of a familiar setting, would go a long ways. While Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte won’t show up for awhile, some thread to their world would be nice. The only touch I noticed in “The Pilot” that speaks to this is the final shot of Carrie (AnnaSophia Robb, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) writing as she looks out the window.

That being said, the bones of the new show are firmly in place as THE CARRIE DIARIES begins. Robb may not look all that much like Parker, but she has the narration, fashion sense, and free spiritedness down. Carrie is still in high school and has a long way to go, but she’s starting off on the right foot.

Also, leaving the series set in the 1980s is a good decision. It allows it to be a period piece, setting it apart from the rest of the CW’s lineup. In retrospect, the production team can hand pick the best trends and music from that era, knowing what will stand the test of time. In this arena, they do well.

The key to the story of THE CARRIE DIARIES has to be that Carrie will grow into the character fans the world over love. That’s why the scenes set inNew York Citywork far better than the ones that take place inConnecticut. In the Big Apple, Carrie visits Century 21 department store and is introduced to the cultural scene by the style editor of her favorite magazine, Larissa (Freema Agyeman, Doctor Who, Law & Order: UK), which sets her off towards her life goals.

Back at the high school, Carrie hangs out with Mouse (Ellen Wong, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), Maggie (Katie Findlay, The Killing), and Walt (Brendan Dooling), while drooling over Sebastian (Austin Butler, Life Unexpected). None of these people speak to who Carrie will become as an adult, which is probably why they will, or should, all drift away sooner, rather than later, during the run of the show. Obviously, in high school, Carrie is just beginning her real life, but knowing that none of these people play important roles later, the investment to be made in them is minimal.

The balance will have to be found in making Carrie’s high school days matter. Because they don’t, viewers will want her to hurry up and get out of her small town. But she can’t too quickly, because she has years left there. This could potentially stifle the plot, and perhaps the gun was jumped by bringing in Larissa and Carrie’s downtown job so soon.

Carrie’s home life is a different side of her entirely. Dealing with her mother’s recent passing, Carrie acts as a sort of mother figure to her younger sister, rebellious Dorrit (Stefania Owen, Running Wilde), while trying not to be too much trouble for her father, Tom (Matt Letscher, Scandal, Eli Stone). Dorrit and Tom are not in Carrie’s adult stories, so do they drift apart, do they have a major falling out, or will tragedy strike?

The home stuff is actually pretty interesting, because unlike the high school scenes, it contributes to Carrie’s maturation. But, again, because we all know what is to come, it feels a little painted into a corner. Sure, Carrie might maintain healthy relationships with her family, even though they aren’t mentioned for six seasons and two films, but it seems unlikely.

THE CARRIE DIARIES struggles with delivering the CW’s normal fare, teen angst, while building towards something much more. The “Pilot” is intriguing, but not overly special. The cast seems capable enough; will the writing find a balance that succeeds in moving things appropriately forwards? Having not read the novel yet, I do not know if the source material has a good answer for any of this, but the television show has to if it wants to stay on the air.

Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter!

Article first posted on Seat42F

Torchwood The Complete Original UK Series on DVD

     BBC's Torchwood begins when Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles), a cop, encounters Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman). Jack is the leader of Torchwood, a shadowy government organization, that is actually a group helping defend Earth from aliens, centered near a spatial rift in Cardiff, Wales. Team member Suzie (Indira Varma) betrays her friends, testing a glove that can bring bodies back from the dead. Suzie kills Jack, who can come back to life, and then dies herself. Gwen takes Suzie's place, joining Torchwood full-time. 

     Torchwood is technically a spin-off of the reboot of Doctor Who, but no prior knowledge of Doctor Who is necessary to jump into the Torchwood adventure. It can completely stand on its own.

     In series one, Gwen, Jack, and the rest of the team tackle a number of mostly stand-alone cases. Suzie returns, and the glove is explored more fully. Torchwood takes on enemies such as a purple cloud, a cyberwoman that Ianto Jones (Gareth David-Lloyd) keeps in the basement, a dealer in alien artifacts, and Weevils. There are also time travel and flashbacks, expanding the world beyond there and now. Gwen doesn't deal too well with her immersion into this world, acting out in an affair with Owen (Burn Gorman). Perhaps because she can't tell her boyfriend, Rhys (Kai Owen), what exactly she does. At the end of the season, they must do battle with Abaddon, a giant demon, and Jack leaves.

     Series two finds Jack back, with former lover and partner Captain John (James Marsters, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) not far behind. Later, another old acquaintance of Jack's, Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman) visits. Jack relives his tragic past; Rhys learns all about Gwen's job, to his horror. Yet, he marries her anyway. Tosh (Naoko Mori) looks for love, and sees Owen with fresh eyes. Unfortunately, Owen is killed. He continues to exist, but can no longer heal from injuries, and his permanent demise becomes a threat hanging over his every action. Jack's brother is the real threat, though, and his actions lead to not only the end of Owen, but Tosh, as well.

     With the third series, Torchwood presents a miniseries entitled "Children of Earth." Aliens arrive and want a large percentage of the planet's young. Government officials consider the threat, and begin preparing to deliver just that. Jack and Ianto have personal reasons that they do not want this to happen, as well as the general save-the-world mission. With Gwen, they manage to put a stop to the madness, and save kids everywhere. But there is a steep cost, with Jack's lover, Ianto, paying a fatal price in this go-round.

     Now all three series are available in one box set, Torchwood The Complete Original UK Series. This fourteen disc DVD collection contains not only the episodes, but also a ton of special features. Torchwood lives on in an American continuation, airing on Starz this past summer, but this set will allow viewers in the States to catch up on the original run. It's the perfect Christmas present.

     The most exciting bonus is the popular Torchwood Declassified entries, a look behind the scenes of the show. Other featurettes delve into everything from certain alien life forms, to technology shown on screen, to character development. Most are short, but informative. "The Team and their Troubles" and "Moments in the Making" are recurring themes. Series one has, by far, the most of these extras, which really gets the ball rolling.

     There are also the standard deleted scenes, outtakes and audio commentaries. Again, its series one with the lion's share, featuring a commentary track for every single episode. It's too bad this level of care doesn't go into all three series. But since series one is the least interesting on its own, and also sets up many of the things that come later, it is the smart one to focus on.

     The packaging for Torchwood The Complete Original UK Series is quite nice. A booklet of discs pulls out of the case, and there are lots of graphics illustrating some of the best moments. Those flipping through the set will see exactly what they are in for before even popping a DVD into the player, which should entice new fans along.

     Torchwood is an excellent sci-fi series, with lots of great adventure, but also some serious character development. With wreckless, witty Jack and determined, fearless Gwen leading the way, the team tackles many a challenge in an entertaining way. Death looms heavily, and emotional strings are tugged. For any viewer looking for the best the UK has to offer, Torchwood is a great place to start.

     I highly recommend Torchwood The Complete Original UK Series.

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Article first published as DVD Review: Torchwood The Complete Original UK Series on Blogcritics.

Doctor Who: The Complete David Tenant Years

     Now available on DVD is a massive boxed set from the BBC, Doctor Who: The Complete David Tenant Years. For many, David Tennant, who became the tenth Doctor in 2005, and played the part until 2010, is still the iconic image of the revamped character. Tennant is known for his cheeky, yet sometimes vengeful, portrayal of the legendary character, with a tendency to babble and be rude at times, but in a delightful manner. To have all three series, eight specials, and two animated spinoffs together in one collection is amazing. For any Doctor Who fan, this is a must-buy for this Christmas.

     As series two of the modern reboot, the first featuring Tennant, begins, the Tenth Doctor retains the same companion as the Ninth Doctor, Rose Tyler (Billie Piper, Secret Diary of a Call Girl). Waking from a coma just in time save Christmas (and the Earth), they go on many adventures, including rescuing Queen Victoria from werewolves. They play a part in the creation of Torchwood, an anti-alien institution that will eventually have its own spin-off series, and fight the Daleks, again, as well as the Cybermen. Rose's boyfriend, Mickey (Noel Clarke, Auf Wiedersehen, Pet), joins the pair, and they encounter former companions Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen, who starred in her own spinoff, The Sarah Jane Adventures, until her recent death) and K-9 (John Leeson).

     In series three, Rose is gone, and the Doctor picks up med student Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman, Law & Order: UK), who will eventually leave him when the Doctor doesn't return her affections. The Doctor and Martha battle The Master (John Simm, Life On Mars), speak with Shakespeare, encounter more Daleks, and meet back up with Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman, Torchwood). Also introduced is Donna Noble (Catherine Tate, The Catherine Tate Show), who refuses the Doctor's offer to be her companion.

     Series four gives the Doctor many companions to work with, including Donna Noble, who returns to stay, and guest appearances by Rose Tyler, Martha Jones, Captain Jack Harkness, Mickey, and Sarah Jane Smith. Additionally, several characters from Torchwood appear. Among their adventures in series four, the Doctor and Donna find the Adipose, visit Pompeii, stop the invasion of the Sontarans, meet Agatha Christie, explore a planet-size library, and listen to a fortune teller. The series culminates in a spectacular finale, featuring the Daleks, Cybermen, and many previously seen characters.

     But these three series, while making up the meat of Doctor Who: The Complete David Tennant Years, are far from the only stories included. All five of the specials that were produced following Tennant's announcement that he was leaving are in the set, as well as two animated series, "The Infinite Quest" and "Dreamland." Plus, there are the "Children in Need" specials and "Doctor Who Confidentials."

     The twenty-six disc set boasts almost forty hours of Doctor Who, along with more than twenty-five hours of bonus features. Among those features are In-Vision and Audio Commentaries on select episodes, deleted scenes, and outtakes. Billie Piper and David Tennant contribute video diaries, giving some insight into the episodes, as well as their characters. There are trailers and a tour of the studio with Freema Agyeman, Doctor Who visits Comic-Con, Cast members are interviewed. There is also an animation test for Tennant and animatics, character profiles, a photo gallery, and three Greatest Moments specials round out the set.

     It has to be mentioned that the packaging is beautiful. The discs are housed in a full-color book, with lots of photos from the series, laid out in a very interesting way. It's all sturdy cardboard, rather than cheap materials, so it should hold up over time fairly well. Some reviews on Amazon.com have complained of finding it difficult to pull out the discs, but if this was a problem, it appears to have been fixed; I had no such issues with my set. It is literally one of the coolest DVD sets I've ever seen.

     In short, there is enough to keep any Doctor Who fan busy for weeks, maybe months. No one who buys Doctor Who: The Complete David Tennant Years could justifiably be disappointed. Do yourself a favor and order a copy today. I highly recommend it.

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Article first published as DVD Review: Doctor Who: The Complete David Tenant Years on Blogcritics.