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.

GOTHAM's "Little Monster"

Article originally written for Seat42F.

 

FOX’s GOTHAM continues its action-packed, engaging season this week with “Mommy’s Little Monster.” Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor) attempts to rescue his mother (Carol Kane) from Galavan (James Frain), but things do not go as planned. This sends Penguin on a revenge streak, and it may turn out that Galavan has finally pushed the crime boss too far. Elsewhere, Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) descends into madness.

I am disappointed that “Mommy’s Little Monster” contains Gertrude’s death. I find her a fascinating character, and some of the glimpses we’ve seen of her give great insight into who the Penguin is. I feel there could be more to be gleaned from their interactions, and it’s a little soon to remove her from GOTHAM. Of course, the show always has the option of flashbacks, and I hope Kane reprises the role in the near future.

What Penguin’s mother’s death does, though, is remove any restraint Penguin has in dealing with Galavan. Galavan has miscalculated repeatedly with the Penguin, in my opinion. He thinks he can just kill the Penguin and his mom, and he thinks commandeering the entire city’s police force as his personal bodyguard, using his new mayor powers to lock the whole metropolis down, is enough to defeat the crime boss. He doesn’t know the Penguin, though, and plenty of others underestimated Penguin last year to their own detriment. I feel like Galavan’s days on GOTHAM are numbered, and his main player status certainly can’t last more than half a season.

The Penguin does not murder Galavan in “Mommy’s Little Monster,” but he gets very close. So close that were Tabitha (Jessica Lucas) not on the roof with a sniper rifle, Galavan would probably be dead, quite possibly with Gordon (Ben McKenzie) and Bullock (Donal Logue) as collateral damage.

Gordon and the Penguin’s friendship, if you could call it that, is an uneasy one. Penguin doesn’t seem to take it personally that Gordon tries to arrest him and protects Galavan, nor does the Penguin call in a favor Gordon owes him to kill Galavan. Yet, with the two being at odds so often, it’s surprising they haven’t had a complete falling out yet. Penguin doesn’t control Gordon the way the previous bosses had command over Bullock, but whatever uneasy bond they currently have probably won’t last.

Speaking of not lasting, Nygma is going absolutely insane following the death of Kristen Kringle (Chelsea Spack). “Mommy’s Little Monster” finds the evil side of Nygma (also Smith) hiding Kringle’s body in the police station itself, then making the ‘good’ side of Nygma follow clues to find it before the corpse is discovered. It’s a dangerous game Nygma seems to enjoy, culminating in the two sides coming together, being one person again.

I like GOTHAM’s technique of showing the two Nygmas as a way to illustrate what is going on in the future Riddler’s brain. It isn’t necessary to the story, of course, but it’s a good way to visualize internal struggle, as long as it’s only done temporary, which I believe it will be in this case. Were it more long-term, I think it would get annoying.

One sequence of particular delight this week is the rivalry between Selina (Camren Bicondova) and Silver (Natalie Alyn Lind). Catwoman is one of those characters who toes the line between good and bad, but it looks like it’s up to Selina to be a hero and save Bruce. There’s no doubt that Silver is complicit in Galavan’s plans, so Bruce remains in danger until Selina can find a way to save him. The tension between the girls as this struggle goes on behind Bruce’s back is terrific.

GOTHAM isn’t the deepest, richest character-driven show on television, but it’s near the top of the pack on the broadcast networks. It exhibits great skill in balancing various personalities, as I’ve mentioned before, and each hour ends up being pretty entertaining.

GOTHAM airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on FOX.

GOTHAM Burned "By Fire"

Article first published as GOTHAM Review "By Fire" on Seat42F.

GOTHAM: L-R: Benjamin McKenzie and Michael Chiklis in the “Rise of the Villains: By Fire” ©2015 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Jessica Miglio/ FOX.

This week’s GOTHAM on FOX, “By Fire,” finds Gordon (Ben McKenzie) tracking down Firefly (Michelle Veintimilla), seeking vengeance for the death of a cop. But when Selina (Camren Bicondova) helps Gordon to see the truth about Bridgit, the girl in the Firefly suit, Gordon promises to do what he can to keep her safe. Too bad Gordon’s promise isn’t enough.

I find “By Fire” really interesting because it shows us the two sides of GOTHAM, while reminding us there is a grey area, much as Captain Barnes (Michael Chiklis) may not want to see it. Until Gordon knows about Bridgit, he sees Firefly as only a masked villain murderer. On the other side, Selina sees Bridgit as merely a friend, not a supervillain that must be stopped. While the truth is in the middle, one side or the other has to win, and that’s where the conflict comes into play.

I do think Gordon genuinely tries to save Bridgit, but not everyone can be saved. Gordon is wise enough to get past his emotions when someone is in need of help. He sees an abused girl that has been pushed too far, where Barnes does not. Unfortunately, Bridgit is even further off the rails than suspected, and there’s no way to bring her in peacefully, per her choice.

The twist at the end, where we find Bridgit is alive in a dark subsidiary of Wayne Enterprises, is interesting. Clearly, Indian Hill, the facility in question, contains many of the secrets that Bruce (David Mazouz) is looking for. We don’t yet know what is going on there or why or who is in control of it, but this is a nice setup for future GOTHAM installments.

Speaking of Bruce, he seems completely taken in by Silver (Natalie Alyn Lind) and her Uncle Theo (James Frain). This is unfortunate, as viewers know the kind face put forward by them in “By Fire” is a lie. I do think Theo is underestimating the rich kid, Bruce’s training with Alfred (Sean Pertwee) progressing nicely, but the question now is, will Bruce realize it before Theo can cause too much damage? And is Silver complicit?

Similarly, Theo is winning against the Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor). Sending Butch (Drew Powell) in to spy is an obvious move, and even with his hand chopped off, Theo sees right through it. Penguin is allowing too much of his emotion to cloud his judgment and he’s not making smart calls, not even realizing when Butch has been turned against him. I still think Penguin will be the one to take Theo down, possibly assisted by Gordon protecting Bruce, but at this time, the Penguin is definitely down in scoring.

While the Penguin is already the villain he’s meant to be, give or take a bit of skill, others in GOTHAM are just getting started. What happens with Bridgit may be a turning point for Selina, who no longer trusts Gordon. Selina is an interesting player because, traditionally, Catwoman has rarely been completely bad. She does bad things, sure, but her flirtation with Bruce shows her humanity and moral center. I can’t help but feel these traits might keep Selina from turning as fully against Gordon as she appears to do, but one never knows. Selina’s positive relationship is usually shown to be with Bruce alone, not the police.

A bigger defining moment in “By Fire” comes when Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) accidentally strangles Kristen (Chelsea Spack). I wondered if this specific event, more or less, might happen when Spack was not promoted to series regular this year, but didn’t expect it so soon. Nygma letting his dark side rob him of the love he so desperately wants is definitely a moment that will change who he is going forward. I expect Nygma’s growth into full-on villain is just around the corner, though he could still be hiding within the police force for awhile, the longer, the better.

Can I just remark how cool it is when Lee (Morena Baccarin) regards Selina and her gun with no concern whatsoever? Obviously, Lee is a worthy partner for Gordon and is on his level, but to barely bat an eye in the face of danger, keeping her cool, is excellent. It’s likely Lee, who is good at reading people, realizes Selina isn’t going to kill her for no reason, but still, very impressive composure.

Excellent character development and a complex villain-of-the-week make “By Fire” another strong installment of this program. Season two is doing exactly what the show needs it to do, and it is definitely worth setting the DVR for.

GOTHAM airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on FOX.

GOTHAM Now a "Force"

Article originally published as GOTHAM Review "Strike Force" on Seat42F.

GOTHAM: (L-R) Gordon (Benjamin McKenzie) and Bullock (Donal Logue) in the “Rise of the Villains: Strike Force” episode of GOTHAM airing Monday, Oct. 12 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. ©2015 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: FOX.

 

On this week’s GOTHAM, the new police captain, Nathaniel Barnes (Michael Chiklis, American Horror Story: Freak Show), forms a “Strike Force.” He is intent to weed out corruption within the force, and while Harvey (Donal Logue) has his doubts that Barnes will be effective, Barnes is speaking Gordon’s (Ben McKenzie) language. Who will be right?

Barnes is doing what Gordon has been trying to do for two years, and that’s clean things up. But by the time Barnes arrives, Gordon has already made compromises in order to further his goals. Namely, Gordon has done favors for Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor), meaning Gordon is the type of cop Barnes is looking to get rid of. Is this a sign that Barnes is doomed to fail, as even a man as noble as Gordon eventually has to give in to the grime of GOTHAM? Or does this just mean Gordon should be careful what he wishes for?

For now, Barnes believes the persona that Gordon shows. Sure, the new captain is quick to mention that everyone knows Gordon is banging Dr. Thompkins (Morena Baccarin). But Gordon is a soldier, and Barnes puts Gordon in charge of the “Strike Force.” That the force will now be going against the Penguin directly presents a conflict for Gordon, but until they have that showdown, he’s doing all right.

Speaking of the Penguin, he’s a little too busy to give much thought to the police, thinking he has Gordon to watch his back on that front. Instead, he’s concerned about Theo (James Frain) capturing his mother (Carol Kane). The Penguin doesn’t see an immediate way to rescue her and has to play along with Theo for now, as frustrating as that is for the villain. But as the Penguin points out, other bosses have underestimated him in the past and he’s come out on top. Did Theo tick off the wrong guy, or has the Penguin met his match? (My guess is the former.)

While Theo gets Penguin in line, Theo is also running for mayor of GOTHAM. His methods of doing so, having goons kill the competition, are far from noble, which I’m certain tells us what kind of mayor he’s going to be. The question is, what will he do when he’s in power? And will he make it that far?

One thing Theo does is make inroads with Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) by setting the boy up with a girl his own age, Silver (Natalie Alyn Lind, The Goldbergs). I’d hope that Silver isn’t as wicked as Theo, but one never knows. She’s certainly playing along with Bruce well. One may wonder why Theo wants to endear himself to a kid, but given Bruce’s fortune and family influence, it’s easy to see why Theo would want to get in early with the billionaire.

The one scene in “Strike Force” that doesn’t ring true to me is when Alfred (Sean Pertwee) decks Selina (Camren Bicondova). I get why Alfred hates Selina and thinks she’s a bad influence on Bruce, what with Selina killing Alfred’s friend and all, but is that an excuse to slug a child? Especially a female child? I don’t believe it is, and I don’t see why Alfred would do this. Were his or Bruce’s lives in danger, maybe, but not during an encounter on the street. It is weird.

The budding relationship between Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) and Kristen Kringle (Chelsea Spack) is also a little weird. Sure, she’s attracted to him when he acts tough, but she then reassures him when he shows vulnerability? That feels a little off to me, but I’m still enjoying Nygma’s descent enough to overlook this unevenness, or even wonder if it’s just happening in his head.

Still, for the most part, GOTHAM maintains its web of various heroes and villains struggling for control of a crumbling city in top form. The metropolis has further to fall before it can be saved, but the journey of the fall is fascinating in of itself.

GOTHAM airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.

THE GOLDBERGS Are "Kick-Ass"

Article first published as TV Review: 'The Golbergs' - 'A Kick-Ass Risky Business Party' on Blogcritics.


ABC’s The Goldbergs returned last night. In the third season premiere, “A Kick-Ass Risky Business Party,” Adam (Sean Giambrone) tries to sustain a long-distance relationship, causing friction with a rising phone bill, and Lainey (AJ Michalka) learns what it’s like to have Beverly Goldberg (Wendi McLendon-Covey) as a mother. Basically, it’s your average episode of the reliably funny, family-friendly sitcom.

I admit it; I wasn’t entirely impressed when The Goldbergs came onto the scene two years ago. It’s not that it wasn’t good, there were just so many other similar sitcoms like it at the time. Today, some have dropped off, many of them remain, but The Goldbergs is probably the best of the bunch. Every time I sit down to watch, it’s like reconnecting with a close family friend, and the show never fails to both make me feel nostalgic and elicit a few chuckles.

“A Kick-Ass Risky Business Party” highlights once again that the best characters on the show are Beverly and Murray (Jeff Garlin) Goldberg. The rest of the cast is enjoyable, too, but these two veteran comedians just know how to deliver a line and sell a joke, as well as get touching at the right moments. Whether it’s Beverly whipping out her dance moves to break up an out-of-control teen party, or Murray realizing his son is an actual person and connecting with him on an emotional level, every moment these two are on screen is magic. They both bring a number of layers to the roles, their outsize personalities overlaid upon authentic, complex make ups. They can yell or smother, but at the end of the day, you can tell that these characters really love their children.

And sometimes, it can be hard to go on loving your kids. In “A Kick-Ass Risky Business Party,” Barry (Troy Gentile), Erica (Hayley Orrantia), and Lainey are doing what countless teens have done: stage a celebration without parental supervision. While the 80s movie references and sneaking around are amusing, what makes this story hit home is that it’s really about the teens thinking they don’t need their parents, and then discovering that they do. It’s a pivotal maturation point, setting the stage for why Barry and Erica will want to have a relationship with Beverly long after they move out of the house, appreciating what she has done for them and her unconditional love.

Perhaps it’s not a new idea for a sitcom to have an outsider be parented by the core family unit, prompting the existing kids to open their eyes. But just because it’s been done before doesn’t make it any less effective, and it gives Lainey, a fun recurring character, a growth arc, too.

The third child, Adam, isn’t thinking about the price of talking long distance; he just wants to be with his girlfriend, Dana (Natalie Alyn Lind). Now, yes, this is selfish and shows an utter lack of thinking about others. But Adam is young, and he can be forgiven for this, as most people his age are the same. I absolutely love the scene where Pops (George Segal) helps Murray to understand his son, and then Murray lovingly allows Adam the phone time, beyond the ten-minute limit he ‘firmly’ set. It’s a good reminder for parents watching The Goldbergs with their kids about what it’s like to be Adam’s age, and that sometimes, you’ve got to realize what makes your kid happy and provide them the opportunity to be so.

The Golbergs may not be the very best show on television (at least in my opinon), but the show knows exactly what it is, and makes me laugh on a weekly basis, which is more than I can say for a lot of series. I keep coming back because I just have to see what happens with these characters next, and I really think Garlin and McLendon-Covey deserve to be in Emmy contention just as much as the Modern Family ensemble does. There is also a level of reality infused in the show, and one can tell it’s a personal story, which makes it all the better. If you’re not watching The Goldbergs, I definitely recommend checking it out Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.