A Lighter DARK CRYSTAL

Article first published as THE DARK CRYSTAL AGE OF RESISTANCE Review on Seat42F.

Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal film has quite a cult following. Many, many fans love the movie, and have watched it dozens of times a piece. Growing up, while I found it equal parts disturbing and boring, I certainly had more than my share of peers who told me I was wrong. And whether you like the story or not, there’s certainly plenty to appreciate in the sheer amount of work that goes into such a fully-realized puppet-driven world.

THE DARK CRYSTAL: AGE OF RESISTANCE is better than the movie. That is an opinion, of course, so agree or not, that is your choice. There are several things that stand out to me in forming this opinion.

One, the settings are so much richer and more beautiful. The original was post-apocalyptic, and that is a valid choice for the story being told. By setting AGE OF RESISTANCE as a prequel, the creators get to show us the beauty of Thra in its prime, and it is breath-taking. There are several distinct zones of habitat, each more impressive than the last. Setting plot aside, it has an Avatar-esque quality of something never seen before, and that’s worth watching.

Two, the voice cast is amazing. With no offense to the originals intended, as they did a fine job with their task, big talents lined up to be part of such a storied franchise. Returning and new characters alike boast big names along the lines of Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter), Sigourney Weaver (Alien), Eddie Izzard (Ocean’s Twelve), Helena Bonham Carter (Les Miserables), Caitriona Balfe (Outlander), Lena Headey (Game of Thrones), Natalie Dormer (um, Game of Thrones), Nathalie Emmanuel (yet another Game of Thrones), Toby Jones (Captain America), Theo James (Divergent), Taron Egerton (Rocketman), Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Belle), Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians), Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina), Simon Pegg (Shawn of the Dead), Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange), Keegan-Michael Key (Key & Peele), Andy Samberg (Brooklyn 99), Bill Hader (Barry), and Mark Hamill (Star Wars). And that’s not even a complete list.

Third, it feels like a fully realized story. It’s clear the writers have firm direction, partly because we already know the ending. But even if we didn’t, it’s clear this is well thought out, carefully crafted with rules that the series sticks to and a sense that it knows what it’s trying to do.

That is a bit of a downside, as well. After all, while would-be hero Gelflings strike out on quests to save their people from the ruling Skeksis, it’s well known that they will fail. The best these main characters that viewers are going to care about can hope for is noble martyrdom. The movie sets up only failure, and everything good in this place should be gone by the end of AGE OF RESISTANCE.IN ITThat isn’t an argument against watching DARK CRYSTAL: AGE OF RESISTANCE. After all, everyone knew the Titanic sank, and yet they flocked to the theatres to see the film of the same name. There’s a bit of a dread hanging over the story here, too, but it’s also hard to keep that in mind when it’s so easy to root for the Gelflings.

AGE OF RESISTANCE hasn’t won me over and made me a DARK CRYSTAL fan… yet. But by the time I finish it, it just might. It may take all ten installments to decide if the project was worth it, but it definitely expounds upon the universe in new and interesting ways. Had this come before the film, I’d probably have been more invested in the original follow-up. But the Star Wars prequels, this is not, and if you have even a slight bit of curiosity, I recommend checking it out.

THE DARK CRYSTAL: AGE OF RESISTANCE is streaming on Netflix now.

Defending THE DEFENDERS

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

You may have been waiting impatiently for years now for Netflix’s Marvel’s THE DEFENDERS, the small screen version of the Avengers team-up. After all, the first series in the build-up, Daredevil, was released back in the spring of 2015. Through Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, a second season of Daredevil, and yes, even the less-lauded Iron Fist, fans of the Marvel Universe have been lapping up the installments, waiting eagerly for these D-list (see what I did there?) heroes to come together. But just because THE DEFENDERS finally went public today doesn’t mean the wait is entirely over.

THE DEFENDERS is an eight-episode miniseries, and thus takes its time getting to what the fans want: the four primary characters meeting one another. Instead, episode one is all about checking in with where our people are and meeting the villain. It isn’t until late in episode two that any of the quartet run into one another, and it’ll be later still before they get together as a group.

I like this waiting strategy more than I thought I would. Yes, I would rather THE DEFENDERS had arrived earlier. But now that I’ve begun watching, I want the story to progress naturally. It takes time for the story to weave each individual together, and that’s OK. That’s how it’s supposed to work.

Danny Rand, a.k.a. Iron Fist (Finn Jones) is seen first, kicking off the event with an action-packed battle in the sewers. Although we don’t see the face of his shadowy opponent, we do know who she is, which will become clear soon enough. He and Colleen Wing (Jessica Henwick) are still hunting The Hand, and their mission, while starting overseas, soon brings them back to New York.

Danny isn’t the only one on a mission. Luke Cage (Mike Colter), fresh out of prison, begins looking after a kid around his neighborhood that needs help. Meanwhile, Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter) takes a case that leads her to encounter the same mysterious woman from the opening. This isn’t a surprise, because it shouldn’t take the audience long to figure out that all three investigations are leading to the same central baddie. They are well woven, and this is the primary reason I’m fine with THE DEFENDERS taking a while to bring its leads together.

In fact, even as other characters like Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson), Misty Knight (Simone Missick), and Hogarth (Carrie-Anne Moss) cross worlds, Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) is the hold-out outsider. Having rejected the mantel of Daredevil and busy with pro bono legal cases, he’s the one remaining unaware of what’s happening. This will not last, as the end of the second hours reveals, but it’s cool to have someone not falling into the pattern that the others do.

I have to admit, upon realizing that The Hand would be the villains in THE DEFENDERS, I wasn’t very excited. After all, Iron Fist, though not as terrible as some have claimed, is the weakest link, and its recently-released season featured The Hand prominently. Yes, they also appeared in Daredevil, too. But why bring over the criminals from the series no one liked?

That feeling goes away the moment we meet Alexandra (the great Sigourney Weaver), a woman so formidable that even Madame Gao (Wai Ching Ho) cowers before her. Alexandra does much with few scenes and few lines, a great presence that instantly makes The Hand interesting again. She exudes danger as much as she does gravitas, and she is the perfect foe for this adventure.

Two hours in, I am hooked. While not as powerful in its messaging as Jessica Jones or Luke Cage, it is much more gripping than Iron First or Daredevil, and its fewer number of episodes makes for a carefully-plotted, well-paced miniseries. It balances the faces we want to see with the story that needs to be told, and somehow combines the tonality of all of the series it brings together. It even finds a way to make the unavoidable fight between heroes caused by a misunderstanding work. It’s been worth the wait, and I plan to savor the remaining installments. I recommend you do the same.

THE DEFENDERS is available today on Netflix.

Political Animals need not be caged

The season finale of USA's limited series event, Political Animals, aired this week. The title of the episode is "Resignation Day." But to whom does this refer? Is it Elaine's (Sigourney Weaver) last day as Secretary of State, having promised President Garcetti (Adrian Pasdar) that she would step down? Or will Douglas (James Wolk) be the one quitting, having leaked sensitive information that will make him untrustworthy, and thus unemployable, in his chosen field? Or perhaps Susan (Carla Gugino) will be forced to leave the paper, having crossed more than one line in the pursuit of a story?

Thankfully, although a second season had yet to be ordered, none of these come to pass, so all of the characters can stay around and relevant. A shocking tragedy resets everyone's priorities, ending several arcs succinctly, and kicking off a couple of new possibilities for the future. Should another go-round be ordered, there is plenty more story to ell, and given the tease at the end, with Elaine smiling at Bud's (Ciarán Hinds) insistence she run for president herself, the writers already have some ideas mapped out.

Let's back up a second. As Political Animals' freshman run plays out, Elaine considers taking on Garcetti, worried he isn't sticking to his guns the way he should be. But Garcetti comes 'round when Elaine calls him on the carpet, and ends up offering her the Vice President position in his challenge for a second term. However, before she can make the decision about whether to accept, Garcetti is seemingly killed in a plane crash, and sleazy V.P. Fred Collier (Dylan Baker) is put in charge instead, necessitating Elaine's own run, rather than leave a cad like Collier in power.

Had Garcetti survived, and as his body had not been found yet, he still could be alive, Elaine would surely have stood by him. Political Animals has done a good job making politics neither black nor white, and at the end of the day, Garcetti was the man Elaine hoped he would be. Yet, Collier is much more a villain, providing a delicious antagonist for season two, which points to Garcetti most likely being deceased. After all, the more drama a series can muster up, the better, right? Though a last minute reveal of finding Garcetti alive after Elaine and Collier battle it out, while stretching reality to the breaking point, could be even juicier.

Thankfully, Political Animals does not thrive on unnecessary drama, delivering a good story without venturing too far into that television trope of forcing antagonism. Yes, Douglas does cheat on Anne (Brittany Ishibashi) with Susan, but that's the only real misstep I can find in this first batch of episodes. There is upheaval and scandal, to be sure, but it almost always stops before going too far, keeping true to the characters, as they have been established.

One moment from "Resignation Day" really stands out, and crystallizes something this show does very well. Susan tells Douglas that, despite cheating on his fiance and betraying his mother, he is still a good guy. And somehow, as hard as it is to accept on paper, she's right! Not only that, but after writing Bud off as a womanizer who can't keep his mouth shut, Political Animals goes out of its way to prove he also loves his (ex-, for now) wife, and has willingly sacrificed himself for her career. This is the mark of a compelling character, who, likes the others on this show, lives in the fuzzy gray world of reality, rather than being shelved as either hero or villain. Very cool.

Another sweet point in "Resignation Day" is when Elaine tells Susan the truth of the whole power struggle. The friendship between these women is a real highlight of Political Animals, and what keeps the political world from coming across as too slimy. Providing a relationship both hang on tight to amidst the turmoil givens each a strong foundation they can stand on, and provides viewers with ways to root for them. Who needs mean girls when nice works so much better?

I would be remiss if I didn't praise the fantastic Ellen Burstyn, who plays Elaine's mother, Margaret. Whether making her daughter consider what her decisions do to the family, or confronting Anne and T.J. (Sebastian Stan) about their demons without judgment while struggling with her own, she is a powerful force on the series, and one that drives along a number of stories that could stall out without her assistance. She is doing some seriously brilliant work here.

Then there's the scene where Barry (Roger Bart) comes to make up with Elaine, his priorities put in order by what happens to Garcetti. These kind of pathos help the show thrive, and thrive it does. The cast has been signed for multiple seasons. Let's hope Political Animals gets that chance.

First posted on TheTVKing

You can't cage these Political Animals

Grade: 86%

USA decided to take a risk with its new show, POLITICAL ANIMALS. The network has actually taken several risks in the last few years, each progressively braver than the one before it. There’s nothing wrong with how the network made its name, with a number of similar shows, each using the trademark formula. Still, it’s nice to see something new, and this show resembles its peers not at all.

POLITICAL ANIMALS is easily the biggest departure from USA’s tried and true formula yet, and it’s a big success, at least creatively. The writing is very smart, the acting is fantastic, and the scope is much broader than the average basic cable drama. The “Pilot,” which aired last night, is a superb story, wonderfully setting up each character, as well as telling a tale or two or three.

Created by Greg Berlanti (Brothers & Sisters, Everwood), many will immediately assume he is a fan of Hilary Clinton. That’s because the central character of POLITICAL ANIMALS, Elaine Barrish (Sigourney Weaver, Alien, Avatar), is a former first lady of the popular, two-term 42nd president, who, after losing a presidential race to a charismatic newcomer (Adrian Pasdar, Heroes, The Lying Game), accepts the position of Secretary of State. Elaine is bold, principled, and suddenly more popular than ever, hugely successful as the nation’s top diplomat.

But as the “Pilot” unfolds, it is clear that Hilary may just have been a starting point. There are definite differences. Some are cosmetic, such as the fact that Elaine has twin sons instead of a daughter, while others, including divorcing her husband, Bud (Ciaran Hinds, Rome, Munich), are perhaps wishful thinking. But what it really boils down to is that Hilary is a public figure, and none of us will ever know what goes inside of her head. Ellen is a television character, who will do things to keep the show interesting, such as sleeping with her ex-spouse. Not only that, but Elaine must be fully fleshed out, filling in those details missing from the general consciousness about Hilary. As such, a lot of creative license is taken, and the character will quickly stand apart from her inspiration.

A number of things happen in the “Pilot.” Firstly, the family celebrates the engagement of Elaine’s son, who happens to also be her chief of staff, Douglas (James Wolk, Happy Endings, You Again), to Anne Ogami (Brittany Ishibashi, Ghostfacers, Eagle Eye). It looks like the perfect pairing, and they do seem to get along pretty well, despite the family tensions. But Anne is secretly bulimic. Is this condition a result of the pressures of marrying into such a powerful family? What kind of girl chooses this kind of life? These are questions only barely begun to be explored.

Other son, Thomas James, or TJ (Sebastian Stan, Gossip Girl, Kings), is a homosexual with a drug problem. Having previously attempted suicide, he is not well suited to this particular family, finding the spotlight painful and grating. He is still loved, at least by his mother, but that isn’t enough to keep him in line. What kind of trouble will he cause her and the others?

In fact, TJ sets up the other major thread of POLITICAL ANIMALS. In the “Pilot,” Elaine is being followed around by a reporter named Susan Berg (Carla Gugino, Watchmen, Californication, Entourage) who made her name by exposing Bud’s cheating ways, and is now using the story of TJ’s screw up to blackmail her way into an interview. Of course, this being TV, Susan’s life is just as messed up, as her boyfriend / boss betrays her in more ways than one, and she begins to feel Elaine’s pain.

There is a very nice parallel between Elaine and Susan. They are similar types of women, to paraphrase the episodes, bitches who don’t like being called bitches. They are driven, intelligent, sexy, and get what they want through hard work and tenacity. Sometimes they may be shamed by others, but there is a lot to be admired in both women. And by the end of the “Pilot,” they begin to see that in each other, too.

In the first episode, amid all of this other stuff, there is also a hostage crisis in Iran, a great example of how POLITICAL ANIMALS mixes the big picture and the intimate family moments. This is a winning formula, showing how the people in charge cope with everything thrust upon them, a look that most people don’t generally get into their lives. Sure, the episodes will be trumped up for dramatic effect, but they also feel fairly real because the series gets the details right.

There are lots of things going on, but none of it feels rushed, especially in the hands of a terrific cast. These include supporting actors like Ellen Burstyn (Big Love, The Exorcist) as Elaine’s drunken mother, Dylan Baker (Damages, The Good Wife) as the Vice President, and Roger Bart (Desperate Housewives, The Producers) as the president’s chief of staff. All of this combines to make a fantastic show.

This is definitely a can’t-miss series of the summer, and presented as a limited run, it won’t be a major time commitment to check it out. POLITICAL ANIMALS airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on USA.

Planet Earth Limited Collector's Edition perfect for Christmas

     Planet Earth is an eleven part nature documentary that has won many awards and been hailed the world over. Some may even argue that it is the best series of its kind, setting the standard in the genre. Each episode examines a specific biome, except the first one, "Pole to Pole," which mostly sets things up. Mountains, caves, plains, deserts, frozen tundra, jungles, forests, fresh water, and the oceans are explored in rich detail, really giving viewers a look at their world as never before, with a focus on the animals the dwell in each. 

     Planet Earth spends 50 minutes in each episode, then there is an additional ten minutes subtitled "Planet Earth Diaries," which looks at the challenges in making such a series. And there are many obstacles. Cameras went into places not usually tread upon by humans, a necessity when looking at nature at its wild best. Thus, the crew has to find a way to get the footage they need without disturbing the environment around them too much.

     First broadcast in the UK in 2006, Discovery Channel carried a version of it in the U.S. in 2007 with Sigourney Weaver (Avatar) narrating in place of famed naturalist David Attenborough. For the DVD, of course, Attenborough is in full force, with much more gravitas than Weaver ever managed. It's fine to use an actor, but sometimes utilizing an expert in the field is just a much better fit. Planet Earth is one of those cases.

     Planet Earth features many "firsts" that no other series manages to do before now. Bactrian camels are seen eating snow, a piranha feeding frenzy is caught in action, canine hunts are captured from the air, and there is even a glimpse of the extremely rare oceanic whitetip shark. These should easily be enough motive for any nature lover to own this set. It is also the first such series filmed in HD. Although a simple DVD set isn't the best possible picture (for that, buy Blu-ray), it still looks fantastic in any edition.

     Of course, many people already own Planet Earth on DVD, so there must be a good reason to buy it again. For one, the packaging in the Limited Collector's Edition is very cool, and numbered for authenticity. The six discs are in cardboard sleeves set in foam, all contained inside a plastic globe. The inside of the lid features a beautiful tree canopy panorama. The globe itself is very neat, and it sure to be a conversation piece no matter where it is placed. There are also four picture cards with facts about the animals shown on the back. These are sort of extraneous, but still fun to look at.

     Some of the features in the Limited Collector's Edition of Planet Earth can be found in earlier versions of the DVD sets, while others are only available in recent release. Audio commentary is included for "Pole to Pole," "Mountains, "Caves," "Great Plains," and "Shallow Seas," each with a different person doing the talking. A featurette called "Great Planet Earth Moments" is exactly what the title implies.

     Disc five boasts "Planet Earth: The Future," which is a three part series about conservation. Each part is an hour, and discusses how to save the environments depicted in Planet Earth. Sure, the concept is a little preachy. But after having just witnessed the wonders this rock has to offer, who is going to complain about efforts to preserve such amazing things? It's the perfect time to argue the message, with the ideal audience already in place.

     The final disc has three new specials. "Snow Leopard: Beyond the Myth" delves into this particular strain of feline with gusto. "Secrets of the Maya Underworld" spills the beans on some lesser known items about the ancient civilization. "Elephant Nomads of the Namib Desert" looks at a culture that may not dwell in buildings, but is pretty advanced for the animal kingdom. There is also a sneak peek of Frozen Planet, a forthcoming BBC series.

     For fans of Planet Earth, the Limited Collector's Edition is a must-have. It displays the fantastic set in an interesting way, and allows bragging rights of having the best copy of the series. Buy it for Christmas, or for yourself.

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Article first published as DVD Review: Planet Earth Six-Disc Limited Collector's Edition on Blogcritics.