CONSTANTINE Yet Another Hero

Article first published as CONSTANTINE Review on Seat42F.

FOX has Gotham, ABC has Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Agent Carter, the CW has Arrow and The Flash, and now NBC has CONSTANTINE. It’s getting very crowded for superheroes on the television airwaves. And those are just the ones directly based on the comic books, as Sleepy Hollow, Grimm, and others could be considered in this genre, too. How does the latest, inspired by a DC character spun off of Swamp Thing twenty-some years ago under the comic title Hellblazer, stack up with its competition?

Well, for starters, CONSTANTINE has a different tone than most of its peers. While other DC series have gone to dark places after the success of Christopher Nolan’s Batman films, CONSTANTINE is a horror title, so it necessarily doesn’t have a lot of fun in its DNA. The world is shadowy and washed out, and the titular character and his friends, what few of them he has, all struggle with their inner demons as much as the literal ones invading the world.

John Constantine (Matt Ryan, Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, Layer Cake) begins the series in an institution. Once mired in the supernatural world, he has distanced himself from all that junk and tried to clean up his life. We soon learn this is because he feels responsible for something that happened to a little girl awhile back, but whatever his reasons are, he’s out of the business and working on bettering himself.

However, just because Constantine is done with demons and such doesn’t mean they are done with him. After all, the show isn’t called Demon Hunter Rehab. So Constantine is forced out of hiding when a threat comes to town that requires his unique skill set. Will he continue to resist, or step up and be the hero that the world needs him to be? Take a wild guess.

Constantine isn’t alone, of course. An angel named Manny (Harold Perrineau, Lost, Sons of Anarchy) is assigned to watch over him, much as Constantine is given the task of protecting Liv (Lucy Griffiths, True Blood), a young woman whose father he knew. Constantine’s best bud, Chas (Charles Halford, True Detective), lends a hand and a taxi, and while not a main character, a reluctant Ritchie Simpson (Jeremy Davies, Lost, Justified) is roped into joining the gang, at least temporarily.

What unfolds is not a standard procedural tale, but rather, an involved narrative that is both scary and dire. I could compare CONSTANTINE to shows like Grimm, Hannibal, Dominion, Arrow, Gotham, and more because it borrows from all of those in tone and style, though isn’t a carbon copy of any of them, either. CONSTANTINE stakes out its own piece of the landscape, and it does manage to feel somewhat unique.

I can’t say it’s among my favorite programs, though, at least not from the pilot alone. It’s not that the pacing is slow, because a lot happens, but I still felt my attention wandering. It’s a bit boring, perhaps because it puts bringing the fright ahead of making one care about the characters, even as it doesn’t commit fully to an action piece. It’s pretty consistent and decently enough made, but just doesn’t grab me the way others have. And it won’t help DC unseat Marvel as Comic-to-Screen King anytime soon.

I will say, CONSTANTINE isn’t really predictable. One of the characters mentioned in this review (not Simpson) isn’t sticking around, at least not full-time. They are neatly written out of the story, kind of making them feel like they’re in a case-of-the-week guest star situation, but with a role that is developed more than most, as if intended to be a main character, then dropped. There is a replacement coming to the story soon, which may change my overall opinion of the show, depending on how the dynamic could shift. So the jury remains out, for now.

CONSTANTINE premieres Friday, October 24^th on NBC.

"F-" NEWSREADERS

Article first published as NEWSREADERS Review Season 2 on Seat42F.

NEWSREADERS is back on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim this week for a second run! For those unfamiliar with the series, a semi-spin-off of Childrens Hospital, the name tells you pretty much exactly what it is. It’s a parody of a 60 Minutes-style news magazine, but delivered with tongue-in-cheek humor, sort of like The Onion. Basically, it’s very funny, so you should check it out.

The first episode back is called “F- Dancing, Are You Decent?” and is divided into several segments, despite its roughly ten-minute running time. In the first part, Amir LaRussa (Kumail Nanjiana, Portlandia, Franklin & Bash) examines a new trend sweeping teen pop culture of people actually having sex while dancing. In the second, a correspondent (Lost’s Harold Perrineau) proves people are racist, and when those walking by don’t reveal that ugly side of themselves right away, goes to extremes until they have a reaction that he can pervert into classifying as racism. There’s also a commentary from popular ‘old man’ Skip Reming (Ray Wise).

These segments are much the same as fans of the first season have come to expect. They go after a topic like a normal news reporter would, but then skew it far to the extreme, often with a weird twist few would think of, and milk it for it’s worth. All of the participants are in on the game; this isn’t just a ‘gotcha’ hidden camera show or a Daily Show-esque interview that some people could mistake as real. Instead, it’s completely scripted for maximum effect, and it lands.

The most obvious change in season two is that host Louis La Fonda (Mather Zikel) is sadly gone, though his replacement, Reagan Biscayne (Alan Tudyk, Suburgatory, Firefly), is a worthy successor. Reagan may not share Louis’ Kate Walsh obsession, but he does a fine job keeping the train on the tracks, introducing the various parts of the episode.

A level of social commentary pervades NEWSREADERS. When looking at “F- Dancing,” the trend is not all that far off from the way teenagers actually act. This lends an authenticity that allows the audience to relate to the joke, even if the particular way things are presented would never happen. They then take it a step further, showing what happens when the older generation joins in, and extending the commentary.

Now, the racism stuff is more poking fun at the way CNN and other news networks treat their reporting on racism, not actually pushing forth a political viewpoint as to whether racism is over or not. NEWSREADERS is clearly meant to make people laugh, not to effect change in our culture. It avoids judging anyone or anything real, setting itself in a crazy, fictional world.

The quality of the writing is apparent, and the talent attracted to this project further lends it gravity. Besides those listed above, Reno 911’s Tom Lennon and others appear in the first episode, with a rotating cast over the weeks, allowing many familiar faces to pop in for a spell. The way NEWSREADERS is shot allows a flexibility to include people who might not otherwise be available, given busy work schedules.

It’s difficult to evaluate a single episode of NEWSREADERS on its own. Perhaps if a bad one were ever aired, it would stick out, but instead, the program is consistent and full of small bits, not delivering a cohesive story, but not needing one. “F- Dancing, Are You Decent?” is as good as other installments I have seen.

The premiere episode of NEWSREADERS is available now on Adult Swim’s website, and fresh installments will be airing Thursday nights / Friday mornings at midnight on Cartoon Network.

Z NATION Not One to Visit

Article first published as Z NATION Review on Seat42F.

With The Walking Dead being the most popular show on television, it’s surprising that it’s taken this long for another network to try to bank on the success. This week, SyFy becomes the second channel to tackle zombies in their new hour-long series Z NATION. The world has been overrun with the undead and a small group of survivors come together to try to find and distribute a cure.

As a TV reviewer, I watch a TON of television. It’s always been hard to pick one favorite show with all of the great content currently running, but for the past year or two, I’ve been able to say that The Walking Dead is first in my book. The reason I, and I believe so many other people, like it is not for the zombies themselves; I myself cannot stand zombie films unless they are comedies like Shaun of the Dead and Zombieland. No, it’s the complexity of the characters and the deep questions of ethics and morality that make the show so enticing.

Unfortunately, Z NATION doesn’t even attempt to maintain that aspect of The Walking Dead, to the point of having one character say out loud that he hates moral dilemmas in the pilot episode. Instead, the new drama follows the path of most zombie movies. There’s really bad destruction and fast-moving, murderous monsters everywhere. Strangers form in a tribe purely by coincidence, and their purpose is large-scale, possibly world-saving. This makes it even more unrealistic than just have zombies in the program does, and far less enjoyable.

Z NATION is entertaining, I will give it that. Many a scene will keep viewers on the edge of their seats, biting their nails. Lots happens in a short span of time, and a number of individuals die, including one I really did not expect yet, based on the press for the show and the story structure. It’s definitely going to be a gory series with shock-factor scenes, including one involving an infant, and one primarily concerned with pumping the adrenaline of both the characters and the audience.

Z NATION just doesn’t have depth. The plot is extremely simple to understand and so are the characters. Motivations are stated out-right, and there really isn’t anything that sets it apart from films in the genre. Being on a television budget, it can’t reach the special effects levels of a theatrical release, so it’ll always be destined to be inferior, making one think twice before sitting down to watch it.

There is also a lot of cheese. One of the main players, Citizen Z (DJ Qualls, Legit), is in a government base somewhere with access to radio and computer equipment. For much of the pilot, he’s concerned with making contact with Lieutenant Mark Hammond (Harold Perrineau, Lost), who is charged with the important task of protecting the one man who seems immune to zombie bites, Murphy (Keith Allan, Rise of the Zombies). This makes sense, giving Citizen Z an important purpose. But suddenly, at the end of the hour, he slips on some sunglasses and goes into radio disc jockey-mode. Isn’t that taking things a little too lightly? And doesn’t he have any co-workers left to put a stop to the nonsense?

Other than these three, the rest of the players seem like zombie chow. Charles Garnett (Tom Everett Scott, Southland) is a typical leading man, so maybe he’ll stick around for a bit. But there is little to distinguish the other supporting players, and given the structure of Z NATION, it seems likely a number of them will be killed off in the coming weeks. One or two may become fan favorites, but most will probably wind up dead.

Thus, Z NATION is not a great show. In a crowded television landscape, and with a much better product on AMC, I don’t know why this series would gain a big following, but I guess we’ll see when Z NATION premieres this Friday at 10 p.m. ET on SyFy.

Blu-ray Review: ‘Sons of Anarchy: Season Five’

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: ‘Sons of Anarchy: Season Five’ on Blogcritics.

FX’s Sons of Anarchy Season Five, now available in a three-disc Blu-ray release, is an exciting one for the Northern California biker gang at its center. Much is thrown up in the hour because of new leadership and new alliances. Some major players enter into the mix in a big way, relationships fall apart, violence has never been more prevalent, and betrayals are revealed. For fans of FX’s most popular series, this batch of thirteen episodes is great.

As Season Five begins, Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam) now has command of SAMCRO, but this certainly isn’t an easy job for him, especially when trying to get the guys involved with prostitution, on top of their gun and drug sales. His son’s mother, Tara (Maggie Siff), doesn’t adjust well to being “queen” of the gang, and would prefer Jax give up his dangerous activities. Clay (Ron Perlman), Jax’s step-father and the former president of SAMCRO, is still around, and would like his old position back. New character Nero Padilla (Jimmy Smits) is bedding Gemma (Katey Sagal), who can’t quite let go of Clay, much as she might want to. A brutally vicious man named Damon Pope (Harold Perrineau, Lost), who has business-like precision, shows up looking for revenge.

As always, the acting is amazing. Sagal delivers an even more complex performance than before, and adding veterans like Smitts and Perrineau to an already excellent cast only raises the bar. Hunnam also shines in his character’s increased role, deftly playing the man trying to keep a delicate balance of semi-peace. As much as the gun fights and avenge killings may draw viewers in, so many wouldn’t stay without these truly memorable characters, wonderfully and fully created here.

Things get even worse when a gun battle with the One-Niners erupts in the premiere. This attack, brought on as an attempt to balance scales that will never be balanced, threatens deals that SAMCRO has, and also attracts the attention of law enforcement, which may be a bit more eager to catch the bikers than ensure justice.

Once again, I am struck by how sympathetic these characters, who are basically criminals, are. They have their own codes and rule structure, and at least some of their motivation is altruistic, protecting the town of Charming. Yet, even as they work in the seedy underbelly of illegal organizations, fans will still root for Jax to succeed or Gemma to triumph. They are truly well-written, well-rounded individuals.

The momentum this season is intense. Conflict builds and situations grow more complicated from week to week. The tension mounts in organic ways, always heading towards something, never floundering. Each episode gives another layer of plot, while simultaneously serving larger goals, which satisfyingly come to a head at the end of the year in the most unpredictable of ways. And, of course, a major player bites the dust.

Blu-ray is definitely the way to go on this one. Sons of Anarchy has a very dark color scheme, with a lot of blacks and browns. The contrast when viewed in high definition is great, with plenty of detail in the shadow and layers clearly visible. Similarly, the motorcycle roars and ambient noise of the many outdoor sequences are best experienced in HD, and the Blu-ray boasts an excellently mixed soundtrack.

Sons of Anarchy: Season Five is well-packed with bonus features. There are roughly fifteen minutes of deleted scenes, a couple of very cool audio commentaries, and extended episodes. The gag reel is pretty amusing, and series creator Kurt Sutter talks about how he keeps the show from growing stale. “Opie Winston” is exactly what one would expect it to be if they’ve watched these episodes, and “Fan Concert at the Club House” is a twenty-minute featurette documenting fans visiting the set and hearing great music, including the lovely voice of Katey Sagal.

Sons of Anarchy Season Five is available now.

Play for me, Wedding Band!

TBS premiered a new hour-long dramedy series this past Saturday night called Wedding Band. Yep, the network known for Tyler Perry sitcoms and stale comedies, both new and in syndication, began a show of a different format on a night where virtually no one airs any new television episodes. It has to suck, right?

Actually, quite the opposite. It's compelling! The characters are well thought out, the cast is terrific, fantastic music with interesting arrangements adds to the fun, and the first story is both entertaining and moving. Let's hope, with virtually no competition on Saturdays, save BBC America, Wedding Band can find an audience. Let's also help, with Wedding Band and the-soon-to-launch fourth season of Cougar Town, TBS has finally become a network worth watching! Sure, it's only two shows, but it's a start!

Wedding Band follows four guys who play have their own band that performs at weddings and various other functions. There's Tommy (Brian Austin Green, Desperate Housewives, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles), the lead singer, who is somewhat of a player, but only until he finds the right woman; Eddie (Peter Cambor, NCIS: Los Angeles, Notes from the Underbelly), who has to balance fatherhood with his passion; Barry (Derek Miller, Secret Girlfriend), the goofy drummer with a knack for pyrotechnics; and Stevie (Harold Perrineau, Lost, Sons of Anarchy), the new guy who is tired of being a studio musician and wants to hit it big as a real part of a band. He thinks that he has found his chance in this group.

Stevie may be right. I don't know if the actors are doing their own singing or playing, but if it's fake, it isn't obviously so. They perform arrangements of popular songs, both new and old, crossing genres, and they sound really, really good. They take what they're doing very seriously, which shows. It's no wonder that, by the end of the "Pilot," they are being sought out by Rutherford (Melora Hardin, The Office, Monk), Seattle's top wedding organizer, who previously had hired their arch-nemesis group, led by a real douche (Ken Marino, Childrens Hospital).

In the "Pilot," the gig that gets them Rutherford's attention is one in which they are playing for Tommy's ex, Sara (Bree Turner, Grimm). Yet, as hokey as the sounds as a premise, it is executed with the utmost sincerity. Sure, Tommy still has feelings for Sarah; she's the one that got away. But he also loves his buddies, and he's not about to (intentionally) do anything to jeopardize the band. This isn't just a weekend hobby for the guys. it's something they want to devote their life to. Rutherford can help that.

Which doesn't mean there aren't any shenanigans. One of the group does hook up with Rutherford, and the boss's adorable assistant, Rachel (Jenny Wade, The Good Guys, Reaper), who happens to be engaged, catches Tommy's eye. Yet, all of the main characters are upstanding citizens who seemingly would not cheat on their significant others, which actually makes them all the more charming and easy to root for.

The non-band and non-romance scenes are also great. There's a birthday party that lets everyone show off a bit of their personalities, and an hour does not seem too long a format, given the way it plays out in the first hour. There's some drama, to be sure, especially when Sara makes a play for Tommy, which results in a boob mishap, and as Eddie lies to his wife, Ingrid (Kathryn Fiore). But none of it plays out in a completely predictable or boring way.

This band needs to find success. I'm not just talking about within the story, because I want the show itself to get some attention. It's a special series that could easily slide onto a broadcast network and not look out of place. It deserves to do well. It's doing it's part, making quality, now the audience just needs to find it.

There's nothing else on TV Saturday night. What have you got to loose by checking out Wedding Band, which airs at 10 p.m. ET on TBS?

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my website, JeromeWetzel.com! First posted on TheTVKing

Lost finale leaves many viewers elated, confused

     ABC's Lost, arguably a significant cultural phenomenon, came to an end last night after six seasons with the two and a half hour long episode, "The End".  The ending was cryptic, as much of the show had been, and today theories are debated back and forth around water coolers and over the web.  Was the island real?  Did any of it happen?  Was it purgatory?  Where did they go at the end?  Why wasn't Michael (Harold Perrineau) at the church?  Why was Penny (Sonya Walger) there?  No one knows the answers for sure, and with Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, the show's creative force, taking a media break, no one is likely to know anytime soon.  But that doesn't stop anyone from trying to figure it out.

     The episode centered, as most of the series has, on Jack (Matthew Fox).  After taking up Jacob's (Mark Pellegrino) mantle as island protector, he gave up his life to save the island.  The series began with Jack's opening in the jungle, and ended with that same eye closing in death in the same spot.  Vincent the dog was there, too, making it a perfect bookend.

     I always thought Jack the too obvious choice for the job, and wanted to see Hurley (Jorge Garcia) get it.  I was not disappointed then when Jack handed the reigns to Hurley just before his sacrifice.  Even better, Ben (Michael Emerson) was chosen as Hurley's number two guy, giving him both a happy ending and a position he had always desired.  Though sadly we did not get to see how Hurley and Ben fared, it was revealed that they seemed to do a good job together.  Even more curious, what happened to the six survivors who left the island on the plane?

     In the alternate world, things ended in a much more satisfying way.  Each island dweller remembered their time during the series, though it seemed to have never happened in this reality.  It brought them together and reunited all the couples of the show, including ones separated by death.  Most notable was Sawyer (Josh Holloway) and Juliet (Elizabeth Mitchell), which left Kate (Evangeline Lilly) for Jack, and prevented anyone from losing love altogether.

     Many of the major recurring characters and dead main characters appeared, all of them with their names added to the opening credits under "Starring", making for a lengthy list, and hardly leaving anyone to be listed as "Guest starring".  It ended with almost everyone important gathered together in a church, a bright light taking them on the next place.  Each had great moments in the finale, but unfortunately, I do not have time to touch on everyone in this article.

     My theory is that they all died in the original plane crash, and that the island was a way for them to sort out their flaws and learn to rely on one another.  Most of the main characters that died over the run had a breakthrough shortly before they passed.  Also, Christian (John Terry) said that they had created this place, and though he may have meant the church they were gathering in, I took it to mean the island and that world.  What cemented the theory for me was the grim shots of the lifeless plane wreckage over the ending credits, showing no survivors.  But feel free to make your own theories and debate them.  Until CUse and Lindelof come forward, that's all we can hope to do.  The only real mystery left without any hint was, what ever happened to Walt (Malcolm David Kelley)?