ASH VS EVIL DEAD is Storytelling Vs Gore

Article first published as ASH VS EVIL DEAD Review on Seat42F.

Starz’s newest series, which premiered last night, is sure to make fans of one horror franchise happy. In ASH VS EVIL DEAD, viewers catch up with Ashley “Ash” J. Williams (Bruce Campbell) thirty years after the events of the original movies. The Evil Dead have left him alone for a long time, but now they’re coming back for him and for others. Is Ash the ‘El Jefe’ foretold to stop this wicked force?

I have to admit up front that I don’t like the Evil Dead films. They are way too gory for me. I’m not a fan of the horror genre in general, but can handle those with a very good story and not too many body insides on display. The Walking Dead is my favorite show, but I watch it because of the truly excellent character development, not because of the zombies. In anticipation of this show premiering, I attempted to watch the movies in the series, but could not get very far in them, the effects of the violence far too outrageous for me to handle.

That being said, I enjoyed the pilot of ASH VS EVIL DEAD a lot. Not enough to get past the exploding heads and spurting necks (how does a little bullet explode a head?), so I won’t be giving it a second try, but the parts of the hour without that stuff, I found very entertaining. So for those of you not bothered by the gross element, or who may even celebrate the campiness of it, I think this will be a show worth watching.

Campbell is terrific as Ash, arguably the defining character of his career. He’s a lazy, manipulative moocher who is too full of himself. Yet, Campbell still makes him sympathetic and likeable, and not just when he goes into heroic action. Ash is a character fans will want to see stay alive, and root for him as he does the bad ass stuff that he does.

Ash’s missing hand, an event that occurred in a big screen installment, is a minor issue for the production. The Walking Dead (SPOILER ALERT) television series purposely chose not to have The Governor cut off Rick’s hand as he does in the comics because it provided a significant challenge to impart on their show’s lead. ASH VS EVIL DEAD uses the stump mostly effectively, giving Ash a way to lock a weapon on it and pick up girls by lying about it, but there are still times where it kind of gets in the way. I swear I saw the fingers move when Ash closes a car door with it in the opening sequence.

Of course, as charming as Campbell is, he can’t carry a whole TV show himself. Others have to get involved, too, if for no other reason than to provide cannon fodder. I doubt they will kill off Ash’s friends quite as quickly in this new incarnation, given that TV shows typically have at least a few main players, but eventually, some or all of them will have to die and Ash will have to replace them.

His initial team includes Pablo Simon Bolivar (Ray Santiago, Touch, Raising Hope) and Kelly Maxwell (Dana DeLorenzo, Impress Me, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson), co-workers of Ash’s at the retail store in which he works. Both are considerably younger, which makes sense, given the audience Starz is hoping to attract. Pablo is comic relief and Kelly is a possible love interest. A triangle between the three could make things messy later, but I have the feeling ASH VS EVIL DEAD thrives on messiness. Neither sidekick is much more than a typical archetype, but that could change over time, if they live long enough.

Elsewhere, we are introduced to two other women. Amanda Fisher (Jill Marie Jones, Sleepy Hollow, Girlfriends) is a cop who has her own run-in with the evilness. Ruby (Lucy Lawless, Xena: Warrior Princess, Battlestar Galactica, Parks & Recreation) is a mysterious lady who seems to know something about what’s going on, but who is barely glimpsed in the first installment. Amanda is a relatively familiar type of personality, but Ruby is intriguing, especially in the hands of Lawless, a brilliant performer. I look forward to seeing how the two tie into Ash’s journey, the latter more than the former. It occurs to me, though nothing in the pilot supports this, that Ruby could make a more age appropriate love interest for Ash, freeing up Kelly for Pablo.

Overall, while I don’t appreciate the gore, I think most of the target audience will. ASH VS EVIL DEAD seems more fun than the bits of the movies I glimpsed, and should make for an enjoyable romp, giving the television landscape something it doesn’t quite have currently.

ASH VS EVIL DEAD airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. on Starz.

"One" Helluva AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.

Article originally written for Seat42F.

MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. revisits S.H.I.E.L.D.’s fall this week in “One Door Closes,” while the fragile, rebuilt group threatens to collapse again. This time, it’s not villains who seek to destroy what Coulson (Clark Gregg) has built, but members of the organization who think the new Director is taking things in the wrong direction and doesn’t deserve the position. Are they right? Can a compromise be reached that doesn’t involve civil war?

The “real” S.H.I.E.L.D. that seeks to topple Coulson is made up of Robert Gonzales (Edward James Olmos), Agent Weaver (Christine Adams), Agent Calderon (Kirk Acevedo), Bobbi Morse (Adrianne Palicki), Mack (Henry Simmons), and more. These are good people, and we see their nobility and bravery in flashback to their time during the initial Hydra revelation, circa Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Along with now-deceased Izzy Hartley (Lucy Lawless, who it is wonderful to see return), they take back a vessel that Hydra has conquered. These are good agents, the real deal, who love their country and their organization.

Which makes it very hard to be mad at them when Bobbi and Mack sabotage Coulson’s base and let in their comrades. They may have valid points about Coulson, putting his selfish motivations in front of the group and following in Fury’s arguably too-secretive footsteps. Fury and Coulson use those with powers without transparency, and with Coulson acting a little nuts in the search for the buried city, his stability is questionable.

Yet, it’s also hard for viewers to turn on those people who we’ve watched for two years on MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. None of Coulson’s original team betrays him because they’ve been with him a long time and trust him. May (Ming-Na Wen) even helps Coulson escape with Fury’s toolbox and alerts Skye (Chloe Bennet) that they are coming for her. Our agents are not going down without a fight, and “One Door Closes” leaves two separate teams doing battle, Coulson joined by Hunter (Nick Blood) on the outside, and Bobbi and Mack helping Gonzales and company keep the others prisoner within.

Is there a possible happy ending here? Could Gonzales be reasoned with if Coulson let him in on why secrets are necessary? After all, Coulson has worked to break down some of the security levels under his leadership, even if he’s kept a few things classified as needed. If the two leaders, both respectable men doing what they think is right, could just sit down, surely they could talk things out?

In the meantime, I can’t help but wonder if some of Coulson’s people may be swayed. May has deep personal reasons for supporting Coulson, but she’s also seen him act erratically. Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) and Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) remain at odds partly because they disagree over how Coulson has treated Skye. Bobbi and Mack are their friends; there’s a chance at least one of them could come ‘round to Gonzales’ way of thinking.

If Coulson has to take back the base by force, he doesn’t have his best weapon to do so. Skye isn’t captured by Bobbi, but instead escapes with Gordon (Jamie Harris). Gordon offers her answers and understanding concerning her new abilities, and given how Skye is so caught up in dealing with her powers, and not knowing how serious the S.H.I.E.L.D. situation is, she’s likely to stay focused on herself for at least a little while. That’s a good thing for her in the long-run, but it doesn’t help Coulson and her friends much right now.

Gordon seems nice, too, if he’s being honest. He is accepting of Skye and knows about her, being like her. He approaches her in a friendly manner, not forcing her to go with him or anything, and not asking for anything in return yet. We know Gordon isn’t working for Skye’s father, so he might be good people. My instinct is that Skye is in safe hands.

What this means is that “One Door Closes” has a lot of conflict, but not bad guys. I really, really like this. Fighting Hydra or Ward is exciting and cool, but by pitching those who all have similar morals but different perspectives on maintaining those values against one another, the story gets much more interesting. It allows complexity in the various characters, and makes the outcome very uncertain.

MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Comes Back From the "Shadows"

Article first published as MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. Review Season 2 Episode 1 Shadows on Seat42F.

MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. is back! Airing last night, the second season premiere, “Shadows,” picks up several months after the shocking events of last spring’s finale. Director Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) has stepped away from the team to run the entire new S.H.I.E.L.D. agency. Everyone, which includes quite a few more people than the original team, now works out of the secret base known as The Playground. And some characters are much-changed.

The episode begins with a glimpse of Agent Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) and the Howling Commandos in 1945, a welcome connection to the upcoming miniseries, Agent Carter, that will air when MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. goes on winter hiatus. Peggy and her crew are capturing an artifact from Hydra officer Daniel Whitehall (Reed Diamond, Franklin & Bash, Dollhouse). In the present day, S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra (including a still-youthful Whitehall) hunt the same object, which is now controlled by the government and Brigadier General Glenn Talbot (Adrian Pasdar).

The dynamic between the three organizations, S.H.I.E.L.D., Hydra, and the U.S. military, will definitely be giving the show plenty of legs to run on this season. As it stands now, Hydra is winning, with the larger, globally-expansive network, while S.H.I.E.L.D. is rebuilding desperately. One would think it makes sense for the American government to side with S.H.I.E.L.D., but those in charge of the troops, specifically petty Talbot, have been burned when S.H.I.E.L.D. collapsed, and are justifiably wary about getting in bed with them again, especially after such a public campaign against them. It’s an unstable mix, which can only result in entertaining showdowns.

Poor Coulson is stuck in a terrible situation. Not only is he struggling to recruit enough reliable people to help build the organization Fury has entrusted him with, but now he has to look at the bigger picture, which means weighing his personal feelings for his agents against what has to be done in the war game. This means he has to endanger people he cares about, as well as send them into extremely uncomfortable situations they don’t want to be in. Coulson still isn’t a bad guy, but he’s sure to tick off some of our heroes when putting the world ahead of them, which will spark good, authentic drama.

Skye (Chloe Bennet) is now a full-fledged agent, working under the tutelage of May (Ming-Na Wen). That doesn’t mean she’s ready, though, when Coulson sends her to pump Ward (Brett Dalton), imprisoned in The Playground, for information. She’s still deeply wounded by the turncoat, and can’t stomach to look at him long, even as he tries to promise her secrets on her origin. She’s much better at the physical stuff, surprisingly.

Ward is very different now. His driving purpose seems to be his love for Skye, which she is certainly not returning. His suicide attempts and unkempt appearance indicate he’s given up on rejoining Hydra and may not care about it at all, now that his mentor is dead. I’m not sure where MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. is going with him, but I’m very glad he’s been kept around and allowed to be a dynamic character. His psychosis is a delicious thing for the actor to play, and he’s doing a fine job of it so far.

Even more startling than the new Ward is Fitz’s (Iain De Caestecker) mental state. We know he’s injured, but for most of “Shadows,” it just seems like he stutters a bit. It isn’t until the end of the episode that viewers are clued in to the fact that Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) left the base some time ago, and her appearances in the hour are hallucinations. This indicates far deeper problems, with no one quite trusting Fitz to do his job any more, but still keeping him around out of loyalty. How long will it take Fitz to recover, or will he ever? (I’m going to guess he’ll return to form by mid-season.)

“Shadow” brings a lot of new blood into MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D., and that’s a good thing. The structure of the show has changed, and by necessity, we need more faces to fill it. Lucy Lawless (Battlestar Galactica, Xena: Warrior Princess) is fantastic as Agent Hartley, and I’m very sad she is killed off so quickly. But we still get another appearance of a Koenig (Patton Oswalt), whom I hope sticks around as much as possible. Triplett (B.J. Britt) deserves a promotion to central cast, a full part of the team by this point. There’s also a mercenary named Lance Hunter (Nick Blood, Trollied) and a mechanic named Mac (Henry Simmons, Man Up, NYPD Blue) in the season premiere.

Interestingly, the ABC press site still only lists the six core main characters, while Blood’s name is in the Starring portion of the opening credits. The way all these new people are handled, it’s easy to be unsure about who’s a main character and who isn’t. However, given Joss Whedon’s connection to the project, I recommend not worrying about that, as he has a tendency to heavily use good performers over a long period of time, even if they are not added to the principal cast.

As you may have surmised from the above review, there’s a lot going on in MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. this year, and I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface. Of note, we also got to see a man who can change his substance, a cool jet that can turn invisible, and more glimpses of the doodle lines crazy Coulson draws. With so many balls in the air, fans are sure to be in for a heck of a fall run, jam-packed with action, story, and continued character development in TV’s current best superhero series, and that’s saying something, given the suddenly-crowded field.

MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.

PARKS AND RECREATION Skips Over to "London"

Article first published as PARKS AND RECREATION Skips Over to "London" on TheTVKing.

For the season six premiere of NBC's Parks and Recreation, our favorite city employees hopped across the pond to "London" so that Leslie (Amy Poehler) could receive a civic award. It was a fun and funny trip, with some big opportunities, nice emotional moments, and a couple of major turning points. What a fantastic start to the year!

"London" begins with the quickie proposal and wedding of Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) to Diane Tammy Lewis (Lucy Lawless). Just kidding about that middle name, by the way, but when Diane calls herself that I literally yelled at the screen; awesome bit. Anyway, no sooner does Ron pop the question than they rush upstairs, coincidentally running into April (Aubrey Plaza) and Leslie on the way, whom they invite to be best man and maid of honor, respectively. A few minutes later, before the opening credits even begin, the ceremony is done and they retire to their individual homes to celebrate the reception separately, or so Ron orders.

This is a perfect wedding for Ron's character. He has such an easy relationship with Diane, who loves Ron for who he is and has similar sensibilities. She rolls with the punches when his friends get involved, though he keeps the whole thing in check and on course. It's a little hokey that the exact two people who should be invited to attend get to, but that's easy to overlook in such a perfect sequence.

Then, it's off to London, England. Leslie has been down on herself. She tries to win the voters over one by one to avoid being recalled from office, but despite working her rear end off, nothing seems to be helping, and leaving the country is used against her. Frustrated, and feeling out of her league next to her fellow winners (including a mostly-accent-less Heidi Klum), Leslie unloads, complaining about the residents of her fair town that do not appreciate her. The moment is, of course, webcast, and bumbling Jerry (Jim O'Heir) has even arranged a viewing party, so the blunder does not escape notice.

It's hard to blame Leslie for her outburst. Even though Ron advises her to be the adult and treat her represented public like her children, any one would get upset at what Leslie is going through. All she does is try to help the people she's been elected by, and no one notices, always dumping on her. It's not fair.

This makes me think Leslie will lose the recall election. Despite how far she has come and the fact that this will rob her of a major triumph, it seems to be in the cards that she has far more obstacles to overcome before she gets her happy ending. I have to believe it will all pay off in the end, but we're not at the end, with Parks and Recreation showing no sign of losing steam. So for now, more bad news.

Of course, with Chris (Rob Lowe) slated to be leaving the series in a few months, along with Anne (Rashida Jones), that does possibly leave a vacant city manager job open, and since it's not an elected position, Leslie could slide in and begin working without worry about what people think. I'm just saying...

Speaking of Anne, though, it's great that she and Chris, also beaten down by the lack of caring from the locals when announcing Anne's pregnancy, go to Leslie, knowing she will react with the enthusiasm they seek. This shows that Leslie is the source of support people need, if only they know to go to her.

And it's not like Leslie has given up completely on being her cheerful, helpful self. She still does things for those she cares about. She arranges the perfect (solo) honeymoon for Ron, finding the one place in Europe Ron will enjoy. That is a beautiful gift and a testament to not only their friendship, but the amazing person Leslie is.

One person does notice Leslie's efforts and that's April, the girl who wrote the latter to win Leslie the award. April is really growing up, and her show of faith in Leslie, as well as taking the time to cheer her up proves this. Perhaps with Anne leaving, April can reluctantly step into the position of Leslie's best friend?

Another sign of April's maturity is how she encourages Andy (Chris Pratt) to take a several-months-long job in London with an important man (Peter Serafinowicz, NTSF:SD:SUV). Besides providing a convenient reason for Andy to be gone while Pratt makes a film, it also shows a step forward in their relationship, considering grown up priorities and her putting his needs first. This is huge, and I think they'll weather things OK because they go into it with just the right attitude. Good for them!

The other subplot unfolding in "London" is that Tom (Aziz Ansari) finally figures out who the competition that is running him into the ground is: the father of Jean-Ralphio (Ben Schwartz) and Mona-Lisa, who just so happens to be Anne's doctor. This man (played by Arrested Development's Henry Winkler) wants revenge for how Tom allegedly treats his children, but even exonerating himself from his friends' lies does Tom no good because their dad has now built a successful business he's not willing to give up.

I love the kooky family these three funny actors have built to plague Tom's life. I'm sad for Tom, of course, as he has as many troubles as Leslie in fighting for his goals, more than he deserves, but unlike her, there's real humor in the episodes that bring down Tom. For now, anyway. The longer this goes on, the sadder it gets. Though I'm still not rooting for Jean-Ralphio and family to stay away.

"London" serves just about every one of the central characters well, providing some really good humor and excellent character development. Parks and Recreation is maturing just as nicely as April is, and I'm enjoying watching these people become who they are meant to be, surely dreamers who will eventually see their wishes realized.

Parks and Recreation airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

"Are You Better Off?" With Parks and Recreation

Article first published as "Are You Better Off?" With Parks and Recreation on TheTVKing.

In the fifth season finale of NBC's Parks and Recreation, "Are You Better Off?," Leslie (Amy Poehler) asks the people of Pawnee if they feel they are better off than they were a year ago, when she was elected. At first, she doesn't like the answers of many of her fellow citizens. One person, though, has a definite answer, when they find out they're going to be a parent.

I like the mystery story where Andy (Chris Pratt) attempts to figure out who left the positive pregnancy test at Ron's (Nick Offerman) cabin. He assumes it is one of his co-workers, and with Ann's (Rashida Jones) help, attempts to determine who. It's nice to see Andy and Ann as friends, so different from their early dynamic, and the two don't normally get a lot of screen time together. Plus, this plot opens up a lot of fun possibilities to ponder.

They are several viable options for who might be knocked up, each with varied implications. But "Are You Better Off?" pulls a total shocker when it is revealed that Diane (Lucy Lawless), who is not even on the suspect list, is the one with the bun in the oven, and presumably it is Ron's.

While many of the characters on the show would relish a baby, Ron's main goal is to keep his life the same. I do think, based on how he is with Diane's kids, he'll be a good dad. However, it's not an adventure he seeks out, and it's one sure to change him. I guess we'll have to wait until next year to get his reaction, but if nothing else, it should provide plenty of laughs.

I do feel bad that Ann and Chris (Rob Lowe) have not succeeded in having a baby, though they may not be ready for that yet. They have not proven to be the most compatible couple, and even though they are good people individually, that doesn't necessarily mean they should be bringing a child into this world. I'd rather see them figure themselves out before being tasked with caring for an infant.

At least it's not Mona-Lisa (Jenny Slate) that's pregnant, though. Tom (Aziz Ansari) has a lot on his plate, with his business really taking off, and then being threatened when he refuses to sell. The fact that he's dating Mona-Lisa, who is crazy and a terrible influence, is bad enough. If he were to be tied to her with a child, there would be no escape for him. Tom is getting his stuff together. He deserves to ditch this psycho and find a woman that respects him and treats him right.

I also am glad that April (Aubrey Plaza) is in the clear. She has been accepted to vet school, and seems to be moving up in the world. Like Tom, she is at a critical point in her career, one in which things are going well for her, and she's really coming into her own. When the time is right, I'm sure she and Andy will make interesting excellent parents. But they need time to pursue their own dreams first.

Leslie's story in "Are You Better Off?" is the most introspective. She knows she has fought hard for those she represents, and she is able to brag about positive change that she has helped bring about. Yet, people never agree on everything, and some of the crazies that come out of the woodwork, including many returning Parks and Recreation guest stars, test her mettle and determination.

Leslie takes exactly the right tact in telling them that if they don't approve of her job, recall her. It does make her a bit of a target, and puts her job at risk. However, she works to serve the people of the town, and she wants to make sure she is helping them. Yes, her actions have been in their best interests, but if they don't see that, or don't approve of her, there's not much she can do. Pawnee is filled with adults capable of making their own decisions. Leslie believes in herself, and will work hard to make sure her fellow citizens believe in her, too.

"Are You Better Off?" is sort of an understated finale, much calmer than the election of last season. But it's a nice ending, with good character moments. There are some cliffhanger elements, so this won't make a satisfying season finale, but it does set up some nice arcs for a sixth year without being all about making fans wait.

Parks and Recreation has not yet been renewed, but will most likely return next season to NBC.