Monday, November 15, 2010

Walking Dead Double Feature!!

My apologies for being gone so long.... That's life - and it won't happen again! The Walking Dead has been on three weeks now and it is fantastic. In this particular blog I will be covering the first two episodes. Let's get started!!


The Walking Dead
Episode 1


First of all, personally, I love anything that has to do with zombies. This show is definitely for me. The first episode of this series had a really classy opening. When he shot the little girl zombie in the head, I knew right away that this show wasn't going to hold anything back.

I really enjoyed that most of the first episode was a flashback, and how it eventually leads up to the present. At times the show is slow going, but never boring. Even during the slower moments, the whole feel of the show is way creepy. The camera work is fantastic. For instance when that car flipped after hitting the spike strip, Or when our hero Sheriff's Deputy Rick Grimes (played by Andrew Lincoln) is in the hospital, and how you see through his eyes how dazed and out of it he is.

The show has the right amount of everything. It is quite scary and really creepy. There is lots of action. Top it off with some brilliant dark humor. The zombies themselves are really well done! SUPER freaky looking.... Especially the one with half it's body missing... Awesome!

I only have a few things to say about the plot of the episode. I am really digging the main character. He is a good actor and I like that he has something to fight for. The fact that he woke up from a coma, and has no idea that any of this has been going down is perfection! When Rick comes across the father and son duo, it started to get really interesting. Morgan and Duane Jones (played by Lennie James and Adrian Kali Turner) are really good characters. Their story on the otherhand, is heart breaking. The whole thing about Morgan's wife is really messed up and sad, but it makes for really good TV though! I really hope to see more of them in future episodes.

Right away I knew it was a bad idea to go into Atlanta..... Big city, lots of zombies! Good thing there was a tank! POOR HORSE! Only thing left is: Who the hell is talking to Rick on the CB?

Grade: A++ (i went there)

The Walking Dead
Episode 2


DUDE! Rick's old partner Sheriff's Deputy Shane Walsh (played by Jon Bernthal) is banging Rick's wife!! Uh Oh!! I know that he thinks his buddy is dead, but still, that is messed up buddy!

This show is so frickin' fantastic! After the forest love fest the show opens up with a bang. That little asain kid is awesome, and helpful! I thought Rick would find a way to the giant wonderful bag of weapons, but alas, no. That sucks.

The whole crew in the mall were great, interesting additions to the cast. I found it weird that the mall people were calling the zombies 'geeks'. I really do not care for The redneck hillbilly dude (i think he was the villan on "Mallrats") But he does add a very intense drama to the whole city surviving situation.

I have never been so grossed out by a TV show in my life! I was eating a sandwich when watching the scene in which they chop up the 'Organ Donor'. I have watched some messed up things in my day, and never been affected. This was the first time I had to stop eating. Thanks Walking Dead!

All of it was pretty intense. The dude dropping the key. Rick and that asain guy Glenn pretending to be zombies, and then rain! The get away was my favorite part. I hope they meet the other survivors soon (Rick's wife, etc). I find myself wondering where Glenn was going. Was he really taking off?

Grade: A

Reducto

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Introducing ..... The Walking Dead!

Hello beautiful people, and Happy Halloween!! As you probably already know, we here at 'TV Blog' post reviews for some of the most popular and interesting shows of the fall season. So far that has included: NBC's 'The Event' - and ABC's 'No Ordinary Family'. Our third and final addition to our blog premieres tonight! Introducing...... THE WALKING DEAD!

It is based off a brilliant on-going comic book by the same name. I've read a couple of them so far, they are really dark, gritty, and just damn good!

The Walking Dead tells the story of the aftermath of a zombie apocolypse and follows a small group of survivors traveling across the United States in search of a new home away from the hordes of zombies. The group is led by Rick Grimes, who was a police officer in the old world. As their situation grows more and more grim, the group's desperation to survive pushes them to do almost anything to stay alive.

In an advance review - Sandie, a writer on daemonstv.com raves: "the first episode ends on such an exciting cliffhanger, I was reaching at my remote to put on episode 2 the second it was done. And when episode 2 ended I was wishing I had even more episodes to satisfy my “Walking Dead” needs. Oh yeah, I’m hooked."

It airs on AMC Sundays at 10pm.

I'm looking forward to it! Are you?!

Reducto

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

"Complicated? Inception Made More Sense!"

No Ordinary Family
Episode 5



I gotta hand it to this show, just when I'm starting to think it's going to be boring, it gets more and more interesting. Still doing better in the ratings then 'The Event' (How in the *$%#?) it seems as though this show will last a little longer. I hope all these good television shows don't die off, we'd be out of a blog. Ha. I have no idea why, maybe there is a sporting event or something, but both No Ordinary Family and The Event are returning in two weeks. Lame. Good thing our third show starts this coming Sunday!


Enter stage left: SUPER QUAKE LADY! Cool. I'm glad they are introducing more super-powered people. I hope that this 'Rebecca' is not dead, especially knowing now that she is not really a bad guy, just pissed and misunderstood. I am curious if Stephanie's boss really did make her that way. Did he kill this Dr. Vulson and take his research for this very purpose? Hmmmm. I was really hoping to get a good look at Stephanie's boss (what is this dudes name?) and his story and intentions, but... no dice. Hardly anything, except that he is still a bad guy. Did his henchman see Jim using his powers? That is not going to be good for the family.


JJ is AWESOME! Love that kid. I do think that is mom was very unfair to him when she found out about his powers. That's not cool. How he saved that woman from being crushed in the department store was one of the best displays of his power yet. I wished that Katie would have hung on to JJ's secret a little longer than five minutes. They would have made a good team. I think it was pretty lame of Katie to spill the beans about JJ's powers to Steph. I was hoping that he would come around himself. Oh well. I liked learning that he doesn't have to use his powers. SHOCKING NEWS this episode! JJ is pregnant! Haha!


Daphne is starting to grow as a character. She isn't a little meanie anymore. But with the whole teacher situation, she totally blew it. Good job Daph.

I am hoping sometime in the very near future the family will be put in a situation that will take all of them (and their powers) to get out of. That would be 'SUPER'.

Grade: B

Reducto

Sophia Knows Chinese?

The Event
Episode 6



I really enjoy this show. The last two weeks of The Event have been incredibly riveting and super intense. If this show ends up dying out, then a part of me will. Apparently we have to wait two weeks before we get a new episode! UGH!!!


First off...... EB's? Extra Terrestrial Biological Entities? Aliens?!! I hope that crazy journalist chick* was indeed crazy, because I really was putting money on my theory. Although, I won't be upset if this is the case. It was always a HUGE possibility. What could further the 'alien' theory is something Simon said about water in 1954: " Where I'm from, there wasn't any". What kind of place on Earth has no water?! Exactly.


Sean and Leila make a pretty badass team! I know it is in Leila's best interest to keep her protected, but I really hope she sticks around. Leila is finally (kinda) safe and comfortable. Then she gets this huge load of garbage dropped into her lap. Your mom is dead. Your sister is missing. Your dad is the whole reason anything previously mentioned happened. GEEZ! I think she should have hurt that guy a little more for some information. That guy is a pawn sure, but he knows alot more than he is putting on - I'm sure of it! I have no idea why Sean didn't consult with Agent Collier before totally jacking her vehicle!! Dumb move in my opinion. Very interested to learn more about Leila's father, and aliens and all that schtuff!!


Mr. Lee (if that is your REAL name!) is back!!! So good to get more Simon action. Man, his flashbacks were heartbreaking!  I am curious - If Thomas was off doing something, and Simon was with the love of his life*, then where are the other 'alien' people. Answers please! Simon is a really good soul. He is always trying to do the right thing. And he always gets stiffed. Poor guy. Rough life. When he saw his love (red head chick) when she was older.... I didn't think this show could pull off emotional scenes, but damn! The Present: I had a feeling Simon's cover was going to be compromised. If he survived, (CROSS YOUR FINGERS!!) he is in big BIG trouble. One of my favorite moments from the episode was that clever coffee trick Simon pulled off. GENIUS! That made Sterling pissed, in turn making me giggle. When the building was falling apart, I really didn't know what to think. I thought maybe Thomas was creating some sort of earthquake or something. It seems he used the same electromagnetic energy that teleported the plane, to teleport Sophia and himself. My question is: What exactly was Simon thinking when he stayed behind. I want that reasoning.


What ever happened to the big impending 'EVENT' anyway?!

Grade: A+

Reducto

*Fun Facts: The actress who plays the crazy journalist chick was on Lost. She is the other that Sun shot aboard Desmond's boat in early season 3.

The actress who played Simons love interest was also on Lost! She was Emily Locke. The teenage mother that got hit by a car and had a premature John Locke. Oh how I miss Lost......

I'm so excited! I'm so...scared.

NOF


I don’t know. I am really starting to lose interest in this show. Well, not losing interest. I mean, I enjoy watching it; I just don’t have anything to offer in terms of discussion.

I thought the plot in this episode was darker, which I liked. The fact that Jim has to learn the hard way to be more inconspicuous is more realistic, which I appreciate. I like the way the show is going about having this family adjust to their powers, especially when it comes to one another. I think the conflict between them is natural and reflective of how any big change would affect a family. The montage at the end, with the pretty song that I need to find out the name of, was really moving and beautifully done. I think I may have watched the ending twice, actually. For some reason, JJ really appeals to me as a character. I feel really bad for him, even though I think he shouldn’t be lying to his parents.

I thought it was kind of ridiculous that the school decided to assume drugs with JJ. Cheating, sure. But I don’t think there are ACTUAL drugs that can make someone go from barely passing to straight As. Most just wind up making you get too excited, like our good friend Jessie Spano, and maybe help you stay up late to study to turn that C into a B. Maybe I am just ignorant when it comes to the world of genius-making drugs. But, you know, this show IS about a family getting super powers, so I should probably stop trying to rationalize this aspect of the episode…

I like Daphne. Officially. I don’t know WHY this episode inspired me to do so, but for whatever reason I find her less annoying and more amusing now.

Eh. Yeah. That’s all I’ve got. I will say that I am intrigued by that one guy who is dead or something. I clearly paid very close attention…

Grade: B

Spacey Theory: Daphne is allergic to peanuts.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

What about Roswell?

The Event

Well, Thomas is clearly A bad guy. I don't think he ever intended on becoming who he has become. I think he just got tired of waiting and kind of went a little crazy. I'm nervous about his intentions with Sophia. Part of me hopes it will be a happy reunion and they will join forces, but the other half is pretty convinced he is not really on her side anymore. I think he cares for his people, and I think he cares for her, but I think he is willing to whatever it takes to save ALL of his people--even if that means losing Sophia. I think I will jump on board with the idea that Sophia might be dying soon. I hope that isn't the case buuuuuuuuuuuut things aren't looking good.

It was interesting to see the Simon/Thomas-centric flashbacks in the episode, especially in finding out that Simon kind of went on to be the leader of the "able bodied", while Thomas slipped into the shadows to try and figure out how to get "home". One MIGHT think "home" is some far off planet and that the initial idea of the Others being extraterrestrial has been further proven. However, I am going to stick with the other theory, one Reducto suggested and that has become more popular with other viewers, that they are actually from Earth, just not from our time. "Home" is simply the time period they want to go back to, not necessarily a place. I think this possibility was hinted at when Thomas observed how far behind we were technologically in 1944.

What I find interesting is that, in this universe of The Event, Roswell either didn't happen or just hasn't been mentioned. I know that it is not an incident that has been confirmed to have even happened at all (I WANT TO BELIEVE), but I think given it "happened" three years after Sophia and the Gang, it might be brought up. Even as a conspiracy or something. Maybe they will bring it up at some point. I think it could easily be brought in as some kind of coverup, or distraction, for THIS incident in 1944. We'll see, I guess. They are just such similar events (ha!) that I wonder if the Roswell crash is going become a part of this plot in any way.* Can that count as my Spacey Theory?

I'll throw another one out there, just in case. I think Sterling (Creepy Bald Dude) *might be an unknown enemy of the Others--either from their time or he may just be more aware of who they are than he is letting on at this point. He just seems a little too willing to wipe them out of existence. He clearly has another agenda, that's been evident since the pilot. At first I figured he had it out for Eli, but I'm starting to think his target is the Others because perhaps he somehow knows what their bigger purpose is in the grand scheme of things.

Learning more about Vicky was nice. We got to put a face to her ring-leader. That baby was precious. I really just want to know how Vicky got caught up in all of this. She obviously isn't really doing it willingly. It can't involve her son, because it was all going down before she had him. How old is she supposed to be? Her kid is, like, 8 now and she doesn't look to even be out of her 20s yet. I really want to know more about who she is working for and why she is working for him. And, of course, how Sean became their primary target in all of this.

I was kind of hoping the Leila/Sean reunion would take longer to happen, but who knows what could happen in the next episode? They may get separated again for all we know. I am hoping Vicky's partner gives us all a little more information. I am also hoping Agent Collier doesn't die, because I like her.

And I will definitely agree that I want to know more about what happened to the passengers. I honestly don't think they will leave something like that unanswered, though. It would be a bad move on their part.

Grade: A

Spacey Theory: *

Pearl

Friday, October 22, 2010

He Should Have Used The Moustache

No Ordinary Family
Episode 4


Seriously Jim, you should have gone with the moustache and glasses. A hoodie does not work as a protector of your identity. He really isn't getting any better at this whole vigilante thing is he? I believe George is better at fighting crime then Jim, and he isn't even SUPER! He'll get it. I hope. It was a pretty emotional episode for him this week though. Dealing with the other vigilante that lost his son was tough. It's like that guy wanted to die by the end of it, or always wanted to. Pretty depressing. I wish the detective looked more into the sketch that looked like Jim, that would be dramatic!


I don't know if Stephanie should, but if I was her I would tell Dr. Frances Chiles (douche asian guy) to step the hell off. He is a mean guy and it would be awesome if Steph's boss killed him for some reason. I am really interested in this dead doctor guy (Dr. Vulson I think?) and why he was killed off - probably by Stephanie's boss. Hmmmm.... curious.


JJ is still awesome. Ha. This kid is going places. The whole football thing was genius... literally. I really can not wait to see more of the things he can use his power for. At the end of the episode, everything looked all happy and great, but the look on his face is telling me he will confess his secrets to his parents within the next couple weeks.


Daphne is finally getting more interesting. She was really mean before, now she is only kind of mean and pretty funny. Starting to actually like her. Her using her powers to get into the party was cool, but I knew it would end badly. She totally could've pulled off blackmailing that store clerk to. She got scared.


There was mention of whatever made the family special is what made this plant special. So does that mean it wasn't a plant that made them special? YES!!!! In next weeks preview it shows some good stuff. Action - Answers - Evil stuff - maybe some insight into Steph's boss situation?

Grade: B

Reducto

Fun moment: George wanting to ride on Jim's back.

I Can't Believe I'm Saying This .... GO VICKY!!

The Event
Episode 5


This weeks episode was rather dark, no? Really intense to! I'm hoping they do not can this show, it is filling the LOST void pretty well.


I do not think I could ever dislike Sean. He is my favorite character by far. Out of everyone he is the most human. He wasn't in this episode that much, but when he was it sure counted. I like that he called an old friend that was one of his hacker buddies. Sean is way more resourceful than I thought in the beginning. SUPER HACKER MAN!! I was holding my breath the whole scene when they got to the police station in Texas. Sean blackmailing Vicky was incredibly badass. I forgot all about the picture he took of her son. She obviously cares alot about her stolen son. Such a complicated relationship. Vicky really REALLY suprised me with shooting all the other bad guys. She is going to be in BIG trouble with the higher ups for sure. Maybe she will be one of the good guys sometime soon? And they kidnapped that bad dude that works with Vicky! YAAY! So happy that Sean and Leila are finally together. Let us hope that is not short lived.

Was anyone else super creeped out by the suffering passengers? Really cool camera work here. Like QuoteGirl said, I really don't know and want to know what the hell was going on with the dying passengers of 514. They better explain it! Thomas is really evil! Being seperated from Sophia and the rest of his people has changed him for the worse for sure. He did finally show an emotion besides anger when the president would not back down. He looked scared! Serves him right. The flashbacks involving Thomas and Simon were some of my favorite so far. Simon is indeed an 'Other'!! I knew it was pretty obvious before, but it was'nt entirely clear. Sweet. I'm still sticking to my theory that 'the others' are evolved time traveling humans. In the flashback Thomas said something like, "They're still using vacuum tubes". It is super awesome that Thomas helped create nuclear fusion. I just want to know why that is important. He said he is trying to get them 'home'. WHERE IS HOME?!

Other than that Eli is starting to change for the worse, and I hope he doesn't do something he'll regret. Bald Creepy Dude is a heartless bastard. And Sophia will most likely die very soon.

Grade: A-

Reducto

Spacey Theory: The President's wife will seperate for a while.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

No Ordinary Family

You'd think after surviving a plane crash and gaining special powers, the Powell family would be closer together, but I think it's just ripping them apart. Before they didn't speak much and had little to do with each other, but at least they acknowledged that gap. Now they pretend to be closer and to be a better family, but in reality, they're even farther apart with all the secrets they hold between them. Which is better - knowing something is wrong and doing nothing to change it, or pretending everything is getting better when it is stuck in the same groove?

And why do they feel the need to keep all these secrets? Why can't JJ just admit it to his family that he has a superpower instead of saying he's not on drugs? Is his desire to be "special" so strong that he can't face the truth? His parents have already proven that they will love him, power or no power. So what's up with hiding it? Seems like a lot of effort for something that is going to blow up in his face later. And why do both kids feel the need to lie to their parents on the fact that they are going to a party? It's the most cliched thing in the book, and they both knew they were going to get caught. Maybe if they'd been straight-up, none of that would have happened.

Every positive occurrence seemed to grant itself an negative occurrence in last night's episode. You find the bad guy, he gets killed. You start getting good grades, the school accuses you of taking drugs. You get into the exclusive party, you get arrested. What a downer.

Spacey Theory: Daphne will become pregnant and they'll go with the "teen mom" theme that loves TV these days. Her baby will have superpowers as well.

Rating: B+

Monday, October 18, 2010

Welcome to the Dark Side

The Event

Whew. That was quite an... interesting episode. You've got another gunfight, reunion, morality debate and people going completely off their rockers. All in forty minutes!

To start things off, I want to talk about the "zombies". Maybe I'm slow, but I definitely did not know what was going on with them. Asphyxiation? Insanity? What exactly did Thomas do to them and how did he trigger such a reaction? Did it come from the Other's home planet (wherever that is)? I really hope the "science" of all that business is explained, and fast. Not just another lose end in the plot.

The flashbacks definitely gave us more insight on the Others this week; the most interesting probably being that they are freakishly advanced technologically. Seeing Simon have a sorta-centric flashback was awesome, not only because I like Simon's character but because it set up the relationship for him and Thomas rather nicely. The Event seemed to take a more worldy feel with the period costumes and settings, which was pretty cool. I hope we get to see the Others and their adventures through many different time periods.

And then there is always the case of Vicky. Vicky, Vicky, Vicky, whatever shall we do with you? Her flashbacks of killing the family was creepy-good and even if you could totally tell that she was going to take the baby, it was done nicely. It was refreshing to see a more human side to our female "villain" and that they let her peel back her petals. I thought her turning against all her comrades at the simple threat of her son was a bit dramatic for her, but who knows? That entire scene bugged me because I felt like everyone (Female FBI Lady included) was out-of-character, but seeing as they write and make the characters... my argument is really invalid.

Personally, I thought the psychological aspect was the strongest part of this week's episode. I liked seeing President Martinez battle it out with himself (and his wife) on whether to give in to Thomas' demands and save the passengers or to kill the prisoners if Thomas did not comply. It was interesting seeing Thomas go from seemingly good to slightly evil and his interactions with Simon and Sophia. And why exactly does Thomas want Sophia? It's not like they are going to have a loving and romantic reunion now, is it? Simon's preference towards the government and the President vs Thomas and his people was interesting, especially since he's the double-triple (something like that) mole now. It was fascinating seeing Vicky's introduction to whatever the heck she does and how it affects her family life. And it was definitely intriguing watching Creepy Bald Dude try to persuade the President to go full-out Nazi on the aliens and kill them with gas. Whatever did they do to him that he wants to kill them so badly?

Numbers: 96 (prisoners), 2 (hours)

Spacey Theory: Sophia's going to be the first "main character" to die.

Rating: A-

Lack Of Simon Lee!!

The Event
Episode 4


I was last in line this week and wrote out my post days ago. Alas.... it was deleted. Since it is very late and Pearl did a lovely job on her 'Event' post this week, I'm going to make this short and sweet. Sorry - next week will be better and more organized.


First off... Simon Lee was only in the episode for like twenty seconds! That sucks. He is one of my favorite characters so far. Let us hope we will be getting more of him soon.

Sean is the most progressive character in the series. He is just a mega-badass! That car chase scene in the beginning was pure gold. TAKE THAT BIG FOREHEAD MAN! I'm really starting to like that agent lady that is helping Sean now. It's really good that Sean doesn't have to play it alone anymore. I was really suprised by them finding out that was Vikki's mom and son - CRAZY! Spacey Theory: Agent Lady will die in the next few weeks. The flashbacks this week seemed kind of pointless. The only thing we really learned was that Sean had a very shady childhood and his parents were terrible. Could explain why he became a trouble maker no? I think he will need a gun in the next episode... Trouble is brewin'!

Leila FTW!! She finally is cool in my book. She is ACTUALLY acting now! Good for her. Her whole storyline this episode was really intense. It seemed when she got to the police station all her wounds from cutting her self free were gone! Is she an alien?! I'm only joking of course. I loved that little twist at the end. Although I would have been fine with Vikki dead.

The flashback with President Eli and his wife meeting with Spohia was weird to me. She had this weird energy about her and was kinda creepy. Very passionate, but creepy. Good news is - in the present - SOPHIA TOLD THE TRUTH!! Wow! I'm amazed. She can speak! I think the President will maybe let her go, but there is no way he will let all the detainees go. No way. I REALLY hope we get to find out where and how that cellphone got into the President's sons backpack. Thomas sure means business!!

Leila's dad looked a mess... I would to if I was being interrogated by Bald Creepy Dude!

Grade: A

Reducto

Fun moment: The old cop at the police station that ended up being a bad guy was the dad on "Boy Meets World".

Note: I will have better posts next week.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Gettin' Jiggy With It, Extraordinary Style!

No Ordinary Family 
Episode 3


I do like this show. But I am with Pearl on the fact that it will not last in our blog. We should keep it around for a while though. I will continue to watch it regardless. Now on to the show!!

After watching this weeks episode I thought: Is every episode going to have a robbery take place? Why can't Jim save some kids out of a burning building, or stop a out of control train or something? Just a minor gripe. I like how the show includes everyone in the storyline in the right amounts. Of course, Jim and Stephanie are seemingly more important - but we are starting to get more of the children's storyline and that is awesome. We are getting alot more of Katie and George (the sidekicks) and I have always liked them. They really need to get deeper into Stephanie's boss and his intentions and such. WE NEED EXCITEMENT!

Jim really needs to get it together! Man needs to practice more. He is very enthusiastic don't get me wrong, but he kinda sucks as a 'super-vigilante'. It seems as though Stephanie and Jim forgot their arrangement from the pilot to not "crime fight" or use their powers for things. Oh well, they're human.... kind of. When George was teaching Jim how to dance I had to laugh. It reminded me of the movie 'Hitch'. I like Geroge's theory on learning to dance will help him with his powers. I don't care what anyone says, I really enjoyed the whole wedding crashers bit of the show. Very cool. Except when he tackled the guy who was going to cut the cake. Was it just me or was all three weddings in that one venue? Popular choice I suppose. Jim is a good guy though. The ending was really romantic and nice. BUT I'm sick of happy endings! A good show needs CLIFF HANGERS!! It just does!!

The only thing I am going to say about Stephanie is that she is pretty much awesome! I loved the whole 'Ocean's 11' heist scene, really intense. HOPEFULLY her boss will ask her in for questioning or kidnap her or something evil! It's a superhero show remember? Let's get with it people!

The kids are getting more interesting. I'll get Daphne out of the way first because I think JJ is cooler. I think that young Daphne is Bipolar or something. She is a total b*ch to her whole family. Black mailing her brother into doing her homework. Being really disrespectful to her father. Not to mention totally ruining that situation for JJ and that girl. (Not that he had a chance) She is just a big cry baby! All these lies! They should unite! Be a Super Family Team!!

JJ is my favorite now. I thought that if I had to choose one of their powers to have, I would pick Jim's. But now I am certain I would want to have JJ's power. There are so many things you could use it for!! I want to learn another language! Maybe not hebrew, but hey, you never know. In next weeks preview it seems he will try out for football.... can't wait to see how he pulls that one off!

One last thing. George said the cops just found Stephanie's ring at the crime scene? Riiiiiight. Not buying it. Lame.

Grade: B

Reducto

Cool moment: "Mambo Number 5" playing at the third wedding.

Friday, October 15, 2010

They Still Didn't Give Female FBI Lady A Name?

My sincerest apologies from the bad blogger this week. To say I have had no time is a huge understatement, but it doesn't make up for the fact that I slacked off this week. My bad.

Anyway, I thought this episode was terrific. Definitely the best of the season (to date). While we didn't get to see the most awesomest character to grace this show (Simon, I'm looking at you!) for an extended period of time, it was still good.

I liked how we got to see more of Sean and his super-computer skills and his general lack of self-preservation when he thinks what he wants is nearby. Plus, his begging for a gun was priceless. I liked Pearl's description of him - as a flower. It's a heck of a lot better comparison than an onion, because while he is gaining layers they aren't running as deep as they could go. I feel like Sean is the most developed character at this point (and since he's the main character, that makes so. much. sense.) but as I think I said before, I really want Sophia or some of the Others to start peeling back their petals. We already know that Sean is a love-driven genius who has lots of secret skills. What can we learn about President Martinez or Creepy Bald Dude? Just some things I hope that gets rolling in tonight's episode.

And what's with those "zombies"? They come back to life.... only to get killer nosebleeds. That whole scene reminded me of "The Constant" where Desmond started bleeding and skipping through time, which is something I hope doesn't happen here. That'd be a lot of constants they'd have to find, hmm?

I used to think that Vicky and her goons were simply... goons. Now I'm fully convinced of their evil genius status. That was beyond brilliant (and something I did not see coming, even with my hesitation at the handy police officer) and I can't wait to see what they come up with next to get Sean. Definitely their best work - and Leila's best performance crying into the phone. Easily the best part of the episode.

Numbers:
5 (years), 2 (hours), 10C, 20A, 24B, 5A, 39C [seat numbers of frightened passengers] 5 (years...again) 12 (months), 5 (years.... again) 18 (years).

Spacey Theory: Thomas' threat will be in the form of low-flying space ships with "GIVE US LIBERTY, OR GIVE US DEATH!"

Rating: A

QuoteGirl

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

NO TIME. NO TITLE.

NOF

This show is hard to write about, and quite frankly I have run out of time and I have a looooooong day at work tomorrow, so I am just going to make this short and…mostly just short.

Daphne is growing on me. I thought the JJ storyline was cute/funny. I was a little bored with the wedding crashing storyline, even though I know it served a bigger purpose. I’m interested to see how Steph’s boss plays into all of this. I think her friend/assistant is funny. This show is filmed really well, which I appreciate. I still like it, but I still stand by my thinking that it will not be the blog winner. The fact that I never have much to really say about it should make that more obvious.

Sorry I suck. Hopefully, QuoteGirl and Reducto will make up for this post.

Grade: B

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Sean is like a flower.

The Event


Sorry for the late post, guys. TiVo only recorded the first fifteen minutes of The Event, so I had to wait to watch it. Then the Rangers were playing a VERY important game, so I was a bit distracted. They won. YAY!!

I’ve said it before, and I will say it again: It is so hard writing about a brand new show. I haven’t built this huge relationship with the characters yet and it’s just so hard to theorize when there isn’t a lot of information to theorize about.

I’m glad they didn’t immediately address how everyone came back to life, or whatever, this week. There were some amazing little twists that happened as well. For instance, Vicki and what’s-his-face rigging Leila’s escape so she would call Sean. Granted, I suspected the cop was a bad guy as soon as he conveniently found Leila running down the street, but I wasn’t expecting her entire escape to be staged. I also think the cinematography and direction is fantastic.

With each episode I become more enthralled with Sean. He just keeps unfolding like a . . . flower. Or something else more manly that unfolds. I just REALLY want to know why whoever is after him is after him. Does it have to do with hacking? Is it something else entirely?

I’m kind of interested in this rivalry between Sterling and VP Jarvis, where it came from. Sterling clearly doesn’t really think much of the President, and from the beginning it’s been clear he has a hidden agenda. He isn’t the guy that is always calling Vicki, is he? It SOUNDS like him, but I may be going crazy. Or it’s been obvious since the last episode and I am just slow.

So. The survivors of 514 are dying again, or at least bleeding a whole lot. Is it intentional? Is Thomas making it happen, or is it some unexpected side effect?

I said I was going to talk more about the ratings, how NOF is ahead of The Event and me blaming the pilot for being too much like LOST. I don’t actually have much more to add on. I think the producers may have thought it would rope people, having it appear to be so similar to LOST, but I think it actually made people want to watch it less, which is a shame. At this point, the only real similarity is the presence of flashbacks to flesh out the plot. I am hoping the ratings get better.

Again, I will be late with my NOF post. I will again try to get it up in the morning. Sorry for the delays. I am breaking blog rules right and left.

Grade: A

The Pearl

Monday, October 11, 2010

"Somebody help me..." BAM!

The second episode was better than the pilot, which is promising. It’s funny, I think of the bloggers, I like this show a bit more, but unfortunately I never have much I want to say about it…

I like that JJ’s powers haven’t been revealed to his parents yet. I also like the reason why. I feel really bad for him, especially since I can sympathize with his struggles in math. I know that he just wants to prove he isn’t an idiot. Also, if he were to reveal them, they might tell him not to use them, which would suck. Daphne is so far the most boring character to me. I like the actress, so again it has nothing to do with her ability, it’s just the character herself that I do not really love at this point. I think Stephanie and Jim play off of each other really well, which I guess the credit really belongs to Michael and Julie.

I was so relieved when they said that the water had nothing to do with their sudden powers. I assume this also means the plant isn’t involved? This would also make me happy. I’m just glad they aren’t being horribly predictable right now.

I don’t remember the character’s name, but the police officer that Jim revealed his powers to (because he was forced)—her death was kind of chilling. I wasn’t expecting this show to have dark moments so early in its run. I mean, I know we didn’t see anything, but they didn’t really need to show it for it to be effective.

Even though I enjoy this show, I was SHOCKED to find out it is doing better in its ratings than The Event! I don’t expect NOF to last long on our blog, but I am kind of getting nervous about The Event even lasting on TV. I think the Pilot may have turned people off, since it seemed a little too reminiscent of LOST. I will talk more about this on my The Event post.

Sorry for being late on this posting. It’s trickier than I thought juggling two shows for one blog, especially when I have to record everything I watch and find time to watch it. I will try to be more timely with my posts.

Anyway, I am going to try and watch The Event now so I can I get my post up by the end of the night. If not tonight, I will have it up in the morning.

Grade: A

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Zombies AND Aliens?

The Event

I seem to be the pessimistic raincloud on this blog, so I'm working to lighten it up a little. And it seriously helps that I enjoyed this week's episode... save for a few parts. The story line is definitely developing, and when I don't share the character connection like Reducto does, I'm getting there. I think they [the writers/directors] are focusing on fleshing the plot out right now and plan on making the characters seem more real later. That's not a bad plan, but if by next week's episode I'm still not feeling for the characters.... either I'm messed up or they've done something wrong.

I'm still unsure where the loyalties lie. In fact, I'll even go as far to say as I think there are no clear sides. There is definitely two powers struggling for dominance (The Others and Us? The US government? Humans?) but I have a feeling that there are many more forces at play that haven't even begun to be fully developed/thought of. It isn't just Thomas vs Sophia or the Others vs the Government or Sean vs the world.... it's a combination of everything. Maybe it will really come down to "every man for himself". Who knows at this point?

I hope we'll get more of Simon. He's my favorite character right now. The Creepy Bald Dude (thinking about it.... doesn't he have hair?) has definitely risen in interest level, although I'm not entirely sure on my thoughts for him. He's still creepy. Leila continues to bother me (Vicki slapped you across the face. You're gonna take that?) and Sean seems even more awesome after learning that he's a computer genius who got a juvenile record AND a scholarship to MIT at age 16 for hacking the Pentagon. I wish I had skills like that. I'd like more development in their personalities and back-stories (especially Sophia) and I hope we'll see a rise in that.

I liked how the flashbacks were more subtle this time and occurred with less frequency. It was actually possible to understand what was going on! And the letters stating the location were a lot less obvious - something that made watching that much more enjoyable.

I'm interested in seeing how they'll explain all the people waking up from the "dead" and why Maia seemed comfortable enough to kill the guy who put before all his people. Speaking of Maia and William - I thought they were really sweet. Sort of like a Desmond and Penny reunion - except I don't know if they were kept apart. What do you guys think? Do the imprisoned Others get to hang out with each other? I'm guessing no.

And who wants to kill Sean so badly? I mean, sending a team of "FBI agents" that assassinate a whole office is a little much for one man, right? I mean, it's one thing to go after him but another to kill at least twenty people for being in the same room. And speaking of that - why didn't the rest of the office come running when they heard gunshots? It's the freaking FBI. They are all armed! The Office Shootout reminded me a lot of the deceased FlashForward finale (any fans?) except that FlashForward's was super creepy and much cooler with the lights and shattering glass effects. Oh, well. I'd also like to bring up how both Female FBI Lady and Sean were unable to kill one of the assassins and instead merely knocked him out. Was it their morality and ethics that kept them from taking another's life? Was it fear? Because they would be totally justified in killing him - seeing as in the next scene he's on the phone ready to track him down. I hope it's not purely a plot device to get onto the next episode. That'd be disappointing.

And what's up with those zombies? People just don't come back from the "dead" do they? What kind of technology do the Others (or aliens) posses that allows them to turn humans into zombies? Ah, just kidding. They're not really zombies. At least, not yet. I'm guessing it was some kind of drug/plant/gas that made them appear as if dead (remember our good friends Nikki and Paulo?) and the effects wore off. Pretty creepy for that poor soldier on guard though. And at least they hadn't started burying them. Buried alive - what a way to go.

There wasn't much in the way of numbers this week, but I did manage to catch:
2 (hours), 11 (hotel number), November 2nd 1944

I would also like to bring up a cool theory I read somewhere - that the V in The Event is actually a roman numeral for 5, the backwards E represents a 3 and the roman numeral IV (which looks sorta like N) is 1 and 3. So it's basically The E(5314)T. Weird, huh? Maybe it's intentional, maybe people got hung up on LOST like me and analyze numbers too much.

Rating: A-
Spacey Theory: The Others are time travelers.

QuoteGirl

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Team Sophia or Team Thomas?

The Event


Is Sophia really the good guy? We (I) automatically assumed she might be, based on the supposed genocide of Flight 514 by Thomas. But they all woke up. Not to mention, her right hand man Lee ordered Maya, #31, to kill her boyfriend before he could leak any information to the President. Shyte. He sacrifices his entire species for her and all he gets is a shard of glass to the stomach. That’s rough.

Saying who is good and who is bad among The Others is hard to decipher right now, though. Sophia and Lee were merely protecting their people. What is the loss of one life compared to the loss of almost 100? They did what they felt needed to be done for the sake of their species. Perhaps there aren’t really two sides to their species? There is no Team Thomas or Team Sophia? Not at this point, anyway. We may see a separation at some point in the series. I do want to know how Maya could be convinced that William should be killed, instead of letting him tell and living happily ever after...maybe. She either has extreme loyalty to her people, or there is more to it than that. I have a feeling there is more to it than that.

The story line for Sean is still intriguing. I am looking forward to finding out why he has become the primary pawn for whomever Vicki is working for. Also, it turns out he is kind of a badass. When I watch shows like this, where there is this regular old Joe/Jane that has lead a relatively normal life suddenly turn out to be ridiculously stealth, athletic and resourceful, the line between fantasy and reality becomes blurry for me. I mean, there is no way in hell I would be able to do any of what he has done given my white, middle-class and female background. I would have had a nervous breakdown by now. I’m sure given the adrenaline of saving the love of my life MIGHT help. OR if I could realize that this is television, made for my entertainment and not to be confused with real life...Point, we still have a lot to learn about Sean.

That said, how did he manage to get inside of that trunk without being seen? The getting on the plane with a gun was cleared for me in this episode. I didn’t realize he had snuck on the plane in the Pilot. But that just begs the question HOW DID HE SNEAK ONTO A PLANE WITH A GUN!? I can’t even get in the first gate if I have a bottle of regularly sized shampoo on me. Sorry. I keep dwelling on the gun issue.

The Event has cliffhangers down perfectly. Fantastic ending for this episode, and I am totally looking forward to next week. I really like this show thus far. I was kind of hoping I could submit a crazy theory this week but none are coming to me at this point in the game. Sigh. Mayhaps next week.

Grade: A

PS: A co-executive producer for the first three seasons of The X-Files is the co-executive producer for this show as well--James Wong. If you didn't know already, The X-Files was the love of my life; LOST then filled the void. Anyway. I like him.

Mmmm .... Muffins

No Ordinary Family


In my eyes, this weeks episode was a bit of an improvement over the pilot. I'm really glad they focused on the kids a little more this time around. If they didn't the show would be called 'No Ordinary Marrige'. I don't think there is a whole lot I can talk about this episode. Here goes.....

I have to say, JJ is a little badass. I really wasn't feeling his character in the pilot. Seemed whiny and unimportant. I wasn't sure about his power until now. As useless as his power seems, I think it could play a big part down the line. The effects they use when he is using his power is some of my favorite in the whole show. I liked how he stood up to his teacher. His teacher was just a hateful person! I'm on the fence at this point: Would it be considered cheating? Using his gift? Tell me your thoughts people. SUPER-BRAIN FTW!

The show still feels a little rushed in some spots. For instance, how Daphne is overwhelmed and can't control her mind reading abilities. Twenty minutes later she has everything under control because of a little pep talk from mommy. Ugh. I am starting to like her a little more now. She just seemed like a heartless drama queen before. Nice to see she does have some heart.

SUPER VACUUMING FTW! Stephanie had some pretty intense scences. I always hold my breath when things slow down as shes running. I don't think I'll ever get tired of these sequences. In my opinion she should have had way more injuries from that tricycle tumble then what she had. But apparently because of her metabolism, she can heal super fast. RAD. I'm hoping that they all slowly develop extra powers. Maybe Daphne will be able to control minds eventually. Let us hope.

Jim is awesome. If I had all this going on, and new abilities to play with - I would definitely be crime fighting. I agree he should not have lied to his wife. But she worries too much. Ha. As soon as Detective Cho saw Jim fleeing the scene, I made a note CHO WILL KNOW. To bad knowing got her dead. She wasn't my favorite, but damn. You know?

I really enjoy that everyone is kind of playing around with their powers. Practicing. Like Jim and cars. Stephanie going halfway across the country. Daphne trying to control. JJ reading all of those books. I'm just scared that not alot can really come from this series. The bad guys could definitely add some flavor to the mix. We need more of that. I don't even care if we get answers or not, I just want more action. The baddie with telekinesis was pretty cool and creepy. Reminds me of Sylar off the show Heroes. I'm hoping pretty soon its not just a bad guy here, and a bad guy there. I want a bunch! One final thought on baddies: WTF is up with stephanie's boss? He doesn't seem so scary to me!

The last thing I want to say about this episode: Did anyone notice how incredibly mean everyone was to the Powells? What did they ever do to anyone else? Could be just a story telling device for them to use or not use their powers. They're all just jealous I say!

Grade: B

Reducto

NOTE: For the time being it seems as though it is just the three of us. At least until Swan comes back, I think we should hold on to this show. We have good AND bad reviews of it. 3 heads are better than none. 6 posts are better than 3. Thoughts?

Monday, October 4, 2010

AAH!! ZOMBIES!!

The Event


This weeks episode was even better than last weeks I thought. I am really starting to care for these characters. Except Creepy Bald Dude.... shudders.........

Sean Walker is my freakin' hero! This week he really showed off how badass he can be. learning about his past was pretty cool. He hacked into the Pentagon servers at 16. He isn't that geeky good guy anymore! He is the cool hero with a shady past. Ha. Our friend finally caught a break this week. Enter "Agent Lady". I couldn't find her name on IMDB. This is a complicated relationship and I like it. I knew by the way she looked at him in last weeks episode that she was going to believe him. I can't wait to see them work together in the coming weeks. She really didn't seem thankful that he saved her, at least at first. Is anybody curious as to who was driving the RV? What the hell happened there? I like that we are getting some answers with Vikki. 'Bout time. (She had an Oregon driver license! lol)  She is a mean violent lady. The man that Vikki works for, I call him Mysterious Creepy Guy ( MCG or as IMDB calls him: 'Carter'), is apparently an 'underground operative'. As is Vikki. It was on his orders to retrieve Sean from the police station. But instead shot the place up. Hmmm...... Who are they, why do they know so much, WHAT ARE THEIR INTENTIONS!

Sophia is starting to annoy me. Is doesn't seem like she is a very good leader. Her silence must stop. Her scenes are a bore fest.
Let's talk about this traitor guy, William. This is the guy Simon was concerned about thirteen months earlier(In the pilot). He is pissed. Most likely feeling betrayed by Sophia for making him stay behind. I was super excited to know what he knows. WOP WOP WAAAAA...... A cool new character is introduced and killed off in one episode. Very short lived. I wondered what persuaded Mia/31 to do something crazy like kill the love of her life. I must say, I love learning more about 'The Others'. I'm still sticking with my theory about them being time traveling evolved humans that are trying to prevent or cause the event to alter history. They are seeming more and more like humans to me. They love each other, and have seemingly healthy relationships. They look and act like regular humans. They just age weird and have cool super gadgets. I caught Sophia saying she was trying "Protect you all". While talking to Simon. Does this confirm he is one of them? What do you think?

AAH!! ZOMBIES!! Confused about why all the passengers of flight 514 were dead and are now stirring. Why, yes! Yes I am. What could possibly have caused that?! A freeze ray? Were they even dead? I agree with what the guy said in next weeks preview: This is definitely a display of power. "Don't mess with us" is exactly the message Thomas is trying to get across.

Grade: B+

Reducto

PS: I hope we get to see 'The Others' aircraft at some point. Really curious what it looks like.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Julie Benz Doesn't Age

No Ordinary Family


I liked it! Do I think it is very blog-worthy at this point? Not really. But I still thought it was great for what it was, and I think it has potential. I’m a sucker for super power/super hero/mutant shows or books, so I may be a little biased.

I’ve never seen Julie Benz in a remotely funny role. It will be interesting to see this side of her. I’ve been following her from Buffy to Angel to Dexter. She’s either crazy Darla or sweet, angelic Rita in my eyes. Quippy house-wife with lightening speed? Intrigued.

No Ordinary Family is kind of The Incredibles meets Heroes. It isn’t as good as The Incredibles, thus far, and hopefully it gets better and not worse, unlike Heroes. I like the cast. I feel like the Daphne MIGHT get annoying, but it is of no fault of the actress, just the character herself. I thought it was actually well acted! I mean, it’s meant to be kind of corny. Haha, or I hope it is…I’m pretty sure it is. So, I think the lines were delivered as they should have been.

The special effects were pretty incredible. I was impressed. Erm...that’s about it on that subject.

I liked the twist at the end, with Stephanie’s boss probably being our villain. I am kind of disappointed in the idea that it is a crazy plant that caused all of this, but c’est la vie. I can live with it.

There isn’t a whole lot I can say about this show right now, unfortunately. I thought it was cute. I think it may have potential to be really great. I am, however, not betting money at this point for it being the star of our blog.

Grade: B-

F*ck the Police

The Event

First off, I just want to say I totally dig Reducto’s theory on the Others being evolved humans from the future, having come back to change/prevent or cause The Event. I would even be okay with that being the case instead of aliens. Aliens have been done—even if I love anything and everything having to do with them. I am cool with either being the outcome.

I wasn’t disappointed with this episode in comparison to the Pilot. I thought we still got some great surprises—Greg not being THE bad guy, but still being a complete douche-bag, may he rest in peace. I also think the acting is fantastic and that the characterization is pretty great.

This show isn’t as solid or well thought out as far as technicalities in some areas. For instance, the Sean getting a gun on the plane in the Pilot, or in this episode, as mentioned, having the police just charge into the hospital. I also don’t understand why Sean didn’t reason with the nurse that he wouldn’t have had her CALL THE EFFING POLICE IF HE HAD KILLED A MAN. Just sayin’.

That said, I like where this is all going. The ending was shocking and bone chilling. I am loving that there are two sides to our Others—Sofia and Thomas—because it adds more dimension to the story being told. I think Simon is going to continue this role of a TRIPLE agent, working for both sides of the Others, as well as the humans. Whose side he is actually on remains a mystery. My money is on Sofia/Sophia. I feel that even though the show is fast paced and a lot happens in one episode, it is all still unfolding slowly enough to add suspense and keep me wanting to find out more about it.

The only part of the show that gave me the heebie-jeebies was when Simon was pulling out his fake vein. UUUUUUUUUUGGGGGHHHH. I wish I had recorded my reaction. Blood doesn’t bother me; it is anything going in or out of flesh.

Also, to agree with Reducto, the Sean/Leila first meeting was precious. Sometimes I wish I had a cute first meeting story like that. Instead, my boyfriend and I met at a mutual friend’s 4th of July cookout and his first impression of me was that I was probably crazy. Nice. Now he just says he still thinks I am crazy, but in a good way.Hmmm...

I feel like, essentially, everything was covered in the previous posts on this episode, so for now I don’t have much else to add on. I was grateful that the time-stamps weren’t as confusing this time around, by the way. Still looking forward to seeing how this continues.

Grade: B+

Pearl

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

No Ordinary Plane Crash

Note: This is a review for the first episode of No Ordinary Family. It contains spoilers. This is seperate from The Event posts.

How many shows are going to start with a plane crash?

No Ordinary Family premiered tonight. I must say.... Meh... It's ok.

The whole pilot episode felt very rushed. Not even two minutes into the episode our Ordinary Family are already in a anticlimactic plane crash. Of course they survive. There is no explanation on how they were rescued. Ten seconds later they are home and everyone is acting as if it never happened. Lame.

The show is corny, and only occasionally funny. With lines like: "Who are you texting now?"  "God!" - not being one of those times. The acting seems a little flat. I really like Julie Benz though, being a Dexter freak. The therapy storytelling aspect was pretty cool I thought. Added a cool narrative.  And who could not like bank robbers in Obama masks. EPIC!

The show front runner is Jim Powell, played by Micheal Chiklis. He is a sad man. He feels like he is slowly losing his family to work, puberty, and general lack of interest. He has a crappy job and wants better things. BAM! Plane crash and unexplained super powers! Him catching a bullet was pretty rad. My favorite part about Jim's story is when he is hanging out with his friend (sidekick) George the DA. It was fun watching him test out what he could do with his new found powers. So far we know that he can lift about 11,000 lbs., can catch bullets and such, and jump about a quarter of a mile in one "bound". But he is not invincible, which I like.

Then there is Jim's wife, Stephanie Powell. Played by the wonderful Julie Benz. She is a research scientist (AHEM.. not buying it) and a workaholic. She is always on the move and hardly has anytime for her family. Shes seems attached to her cellphone. Reminds me of Angelica's mom off Rugrats. She recently discovered a plant that can do all kinds of amazing things that may or may not be the source of the family's power. Her power is discovered while running late. BOOM! She hits mach speed down the freeway. The special effects for this scene were incredible! In in a life short on time, she suddenly found herself, fast. She also has a sort of sidekick. Some one she can hold her secret with. This would be her lab assistant Katie Andrews played by Autumn Reeser. Its a cool dynamic. I really enjoyed when she was timing her around the track. I don't understand how her clothing is still intact.

The teenage daughter Daphne Powell. Played by Kay Panabaker. She is a telepath. Sort of a drama queen to. It's seems as if she has just hit puberty, because all she concerned with is boys and having sex and not having sex. Ah... high school. Not much to say about the kids really because they were hardly in the episode. When she first discovers her powers she is playing a basketball game. The effects are really cool here to. As she is hearing someones thoughts, their face flashes with electricity and eyes glow. Neato.
Note: When Daphne hears peoples thoughts, there was no effects. That was on the original pilot they had online, they changed it.
The teenage son JJ Powell. Played by Jimmy Bennett. From what I gather, his power is vast intelligence. Which is very ironic, as he was just placed in a remedial program in school. He is pretty much just your average high school geek. At first he shows no sign of powers, so he is upset. I think he should have stayed with no powers personally.

The final conflict with the Obama bank robber was really cool. He can teleport like Nightcrawler from X-Men! Pretty nifty battle there. But how does he know about Jim? Don't tell me there was some boatload of evil people that sank in the same super water....

Jim has a secret lair with WIFI! teehee

Also not on the original pilot was the very end scene with Stephanie's boss and other sinister fellow looking at the Obama robbers corpse. Can you say bad guys?!
I am a big comic book geek. When there are super powers involved, origin is everything. Which was non-existent at the moment. There was mention of a "super plant" named Trisetum Coronis, that apparently can do anything. Let us hope they did not get their powers from a plant. Double lame.

The show is kinda rushed and corny. But, fact is it is family friendly, quirky, and interesting enough to make me curious about future episodes. It makes me feel like a little kid again. I think we should give this one a few more episodes to develop before we make a decision.

Grade: C
Effects: A

Reducto

Favorite Quote: "You two are freaky."

Not So Extra-Ordinary

Note: This is the first reaction post to No Ordinary Family. Not The Event. Just so there is no confusion here. And it will be spoiler-y, so hold off if you haven't seen it yet.

This is my second time watching the pilot of No Ordinary Family (it was on ABC.com back in August, I believe?) so I guess I have a slight advantage over the other bloggers.

First off, I really don't like this show. It feels like a forty-minute movie rather than a television episode (see how everything tied up so nicely at the end? And the 'Bad Guys' looking at the body? Just the cliff-hanger for the sequel; coming to theaters near you next summer!) and it definitely did not impress me during either of my watches. I felt like the acting was overdone or exaggerated in places and not fully realized in others. I feel like the script was hilarious, but the way the actors delivered the lines made it sound mundane and weak. The story doesn't seem to have much potential in my opinion - how far can you go on a family that has super powers? Debates on whose is cooler? What they are going to do next with them? How to get rid of them? I'm sure they can come up with some ideas, but I'm not sure how much they will be worth. And since we're all (or most of us) LOST fans, I feel like we want an intelligent program with lots of questions/mysteries. No Ordinary Family had exactly two: how they got their powers (answered) and who are the 'Bad Guys' after them (not answered)?

The one thing I really enjoyed was the effects used. The lighting in the water was incredible - it kind of looked like a scene out of Avatar - and the plane crash was excellently executed. When JJ saw the equation lighting up on the board, it really highlighted (Har, har) what was going on. Even the speed-running was awesome. The opening credits were really lame though - what credits last five seconds? - and the closing credits were nonexistent. Oh, well.

In a battle of No Ordinary Family vs The Event, I'm placing my money on the latter.

Rating: C-

QuoteGirl

Its A Miracle No One Was Hurt ..... Nevermind.

I wasn't so much disapointed, just thoroughly confused.

Man, can Sean catch a break?! He lost his girlfriend, couldn't finish his awesome cruise, was in a plane crash, and was arrested for a murder he did not commit. Quite a week he is having.

To be a little more organized, I am going to talk about the present - then the past - and then close it out with some theories.

The plane crash was pretty exciting. Couldn't help reminding me of another show... :) people screaming, crazy to get out. Fire. It was a bad one. This show really doesn't slow down! Before you know it a huge group of helicopters comes storming their way. At first I had a thought that it was the CIA, or the creepy bald dudes men coming to cover things up. Apparently not because it was Sophia's lover (Thomas if I am not mistaken) That sent the 'copters. How Sean got out of there unnoticed is amazing, I'm not going to question it. Too bad he didn't run the other direction, he would have hit a road quick.
That nurse was kind of mean to Sean, even before she thought he was a murderer. So now he is a fugitive for something he did not do. That really took me by suprise. I thought poor Sean already had enough on his plate. I agree, those cops were not using protocol. They just stormed in! Either it was unrealistic - or Arizona police suck. It's obvious that Sean gets away from those agents. I can't wait to see that play out.

I am really starting to like President Eli. I'd vote for him. His storyline this episode was very informative! When they mentioned electromagnatism I just had to smile. Seriously?! Electromagnatism causing a plane to crash? Never heard that one before. The Sophia interrogation was intense. I really feel for Eli. He was only trying to do the right thing. Now he looks like a fool. I'm suprised he is not more upset. I believe some of these "Others" (the ones who were not wounded and imprisoned) Have grown hostile over the past 66 years. They probably benefited from Sophia's command in the past. I am just going with my gut on this. Sophia is a good guy(lady).

Don't even get me started with Simon Lee. GEEZ! What are this guys intentions?! He is all over the place! He is now the head of creepy bald dudes task force. Also working for both sides of the Others. I say both sides because we've only met two of them, one good one not so nice. I really want the bald guy to find out about Simon. I want to see his reaction. In every show he is in he is a creep and I do not like him! Simon's story is the most confusing. I am not sure about him. When he went to talk to Thomas, he greeted Simon with "brother". Is he one of them? Is it just me or did Simon look the same age ten years earlier as he does today? He could be one of the able bodied Others to get away. And as for the huge area of dead bodies, I hope it was peaceful. Especially for Mike. I liked him! Now Leila has no parents. Where is her little sister?

Now for the past. Four day earlier. I knew it would have to be something really bad for Mr. B to do something as drastic as crash a plane into the President. Why didn't Mike shout out to his daughter 5 feet away?! I would. I was half right about the Vikki-Greg situation. I was right not to trust that lady! This is where I am confused. Who is Vikki working for? Enter mysterious creepy guy (MCG). He is in no way a good guy or ever will be. So what we know about him is: He means business, he is a murderer, and he is not a security guard. I don't think he is an "Other". Then who is he? Is he an alien to? QUESTIONS!

Very quickly I just wanted to say greg is a creep and I'm glad he is gone.

All that information got dropped on the president thirteen months earlier. Man, thats heavy. I know their DNA is 1% different and don't appear to age - but I still don't think they are aliens. Check my theory below.
And as for 1944. I am most curious as to how many "able bodied" Others got away. Where have they been?

When Sean meets Leila. That was sweet. He is such an awkward dork! I really enjoyed that segment.

Now for my theory. Its really out there. Hear me out.

I think "The Others" are time traveling evolved humans that are trying to prevent or cause the event to alter history (future). What do you think? Too much?

Random fun moment: Michelle Branch playing on the radio "10 years earlier"

Grade: B

Reducto

NOTE: Sorry its a little sloppy. I'll get used to blogging in this fashion.

Monday, September 27, 2010

I Want The TRUTH

Just going to say, I was severely disappointed in the second episode of The Event.

First off, I thought the special effects for the plane were horrible. Who seriously wants to waste three minutes of their lives alternating between a crashing plane and the frantic faces of the passengers? I'm cool with a couple shots, but it was way overdone and drawn out. The moments that were supposed to give the viewer, "Eww! That's disgusting! I'm getting nauseous!" reactions didn't really bother me. Maybe that was just me personally, but I thought the blood was really fake. Although I can't deny the coolness of the implanted plastic vein in Simon's arm. The Wormhole/Vortex technology still could be changed in my opinion, but looking back at the Smoke Monster... I suppose that looks normal. My biggest pet peeve about this episode was definitely the effects, so I'm done. Sorry if I offended you in anyway.

So what we actually learned... wow. It was a lot to process at times. The original theory of aliens proved true (or extra terrestrials, as Creepy Bald Dude called them) which was nice. It shows that the show is predictable enough to follow but still can surprise the viewer and that it gives answers quick. Unlike other television shows I could mention. We also got some of their alien's mythology - their DNA only differs from humans by less than 1%, they age at a slower pace than humans, they were first known on Earth on November 2nd, 1944 and that they have been held in captivity in Alaska ever since then. We also find out that Sophia (Redhead Chick) is one of them, as well as her lover who makes a cameo appearance later. I feel like we'll be seeing a lot more of him later. Like the President, I'm more concerned with how they got here, what they want and why all people from other planets have to say they don't mean humans any harm. Either that or they blow us all to hell with no warning. So know that we know that this show is extra-terrestrial, how does that affect the viewing experience? I'm constantly on edge for something weird to happen. Not that I wasn't before.

I have a feeling this is going to turn into a humanity and human nature debate as well with this program, so I might as well throw my cards in early. I admire the President. He says he wanted to declare peace with the aliens and let them live alongside us for reasons unknown to him. Hey, he's being honest with his potentially less-than-admirable motives. But it drags in the question, was it right holding them in Alaska? Should they be treated like prisoners? What is more important: the safety of the world from the possible harm from aliens or the proper and respectful treatment of people who may want to destroy everything? Things getting gray there. I hope we can really connect and sympathize with the characters and both sides. Because that's who I assume "Us" and "Them" are. And it will definitely be fascinating to watch Simon be a double agent. Let's see how long his secret lasts, okay? I'm betting he's getting busted by mid-season.

It was interesting seeing how Vicki was working with Them, but Greg wasn't. They totally had me fooled there. Leila still bothered me, but that's besides the point. How Sean connects to this story is still beyond my grasp, but if the answers keep flowing in as fast as they have, I don't think I'll be waiting long. Choosing to frame Sean for the deaths on the cruise ship was definitely ingenious, if not an interesting move. Was it the government? The Others (my new term for the aliens)? Was it both? And what was with those cops at the hospital? Was it the first day on the job, or do they generally pull up in a manner that informs the entire building of their presence, run in packs, don't pull out their guns until the last moment, and let the person they're chasing out of their sight so fast? They got him in the end, but seriously. Anyone who watches cop/detective/spy/FBI/CIA shows knows that they work better than that. And was I the only one laughing at the awkward first-meeting in the pool? I don't think the actors who play Sean and Leila have chemistry at all. Or maybe they do, but the lines and situations they are thrown in make it look foolish. Done random ranting.

So here are the numbers for this week:
97 (prisoners), 4 (days), 13 (months), 7 (days), 66 (years), 5 (years), 11 (months), -15 (elevator), 10 (years)

Grade: B-

Spacey Theory: Leila's pregnant.

See you all later with No Ordinary Family on ABC at 8/7c.

QuoteGirl

EDIT: Coherency and clarity will be present next post.

Never Trust The Bald Creepy Dude.

Hello everyone! I'm Reducto. I am new around here, but was an avid follower of the original "You Blog Everybody!". I really appreciate you guys letting me be a contributor. I have been a fan of the blog from the beginning, and I'm a huge fan of Swans music and other projects. So that being said, this is pretty cool for me.

I didn't know what to expect from The Event. It looked cool, but the previews were (for good reason) vague. It started off exciting. I REALLY wanted to know what everyone was freaking out about "23 minutes later". I am a huge fan of serialized dramas, and it was kinda feeling like 24. So far halfway through it was action packed, mysterious, and yes: full of pretty people. When Sean Walker came back from snorkling only to find his girlfriend missing - Thats when the intrigue started for me. Edge of my seat! When the plane got swallowed up by god knows what, I practically fell off the couch!

I didn't feel the need to do a full review of the pilot, because you ladies already had phenomenal posts. But there are a few things I'd like to mention:

1. The first time we see Sean Walker he had just been in the bathroom in the plane. Close up on something in the trash! Looks like clothing no? I wondered how he got on the plane with a gun. Maybe he impersonated a flight attendent?

2. I have an issue with Greg and Vikki. You know, the alcoholic hippies. It is my theory that there is foul play! Just spit ballin' here, but I think Vikki put something in Leila's drink so she was out for the count the next day. That leaves Sean and Vikki to go snorkling. I believe Mr. arm-in-the-cast was faking it, and was the one who abducted Leila. DUN DUN DUUUN!

3. The creepy bald dude is a great addition to the cast. He is in Heroes, True Blood, he plays juliet's ex husband in LOST... hehe he gets hit by a bus.

Looking forward to more "THE EVƎNT"

Grade: A

EDIT: I just want everyone to know, I'm ALL for the alien idea. But I have a false hope that Hurley got bored and lonley playing guardian of the island and teleported the plane there.... Or maybe a completely original idea we could never even think of!

Thursday, September 23, 2010

It's Totally Aliens

Hey guys. I should probably introduce myself (although most of you probably know me as "That annoying commenter who replied to everything on You Blog, Everybody!") but anyhow, I'm QuoteGirl. I don't have an awesome LOST name because I literally had no idea what to call myself. How's that for creativity?

The Event. Sounds so dramatic, doesn't it? And it was in a way (all that intense music accompanied by strange happenings). I found myself enjoying the pilot far more than I had hoped, which is always a good thing.

The characters seem pretty fascinating (especially the girl I christened Redhead Chick but IMBD calls her Sophia Maguire). I'm not too sure on these mysterious guys we keep seeing in the previews, but I'm willing to give them a chance. And Sean's girlfriend, Leila, who just seems to annoy me. It's early still and she's got plenty of time to redeem herself in my eyes (although I'm not entirely sure where she went wrong. Her personality just rubs off on me the wrong way maybe?). Sean and Simon seem like they need some de-stressing classes, but considering what a day they've had, de-stressing would be very beneficial. Perhaps taking up yoga?

It starts off in a plane, which is always a good sign. LOST, Fringe, my friend tells me NCIS and since it's had a billion seasons they must be doing something right... So it gets a point for planes. Remember when Swan said that she swore LOST was about aliens? Well, I'm going to put it out here right now: I think The Event is definitely not of this planet. They wouldn't have called it a mixture of FlashForward/V if there wasn't some extraterrestrial beings (or snakes hiding in human flesh) populating the cast. Let's just hope TE doesn't have as short of life as FlashForward. Unless of course they do something really bad or aliens looking like green lizard people a la V.

Old habits die hard and ever since The Numbers, I've taken to writing down new numbers as they appear. Numbers probably won't feature predominantly in TE but if they do, I've got it covered:

23 (minutes), 11 (days early), 514 (flight), 13 (months in Alaska), 8 (days early), 5314 (room number).

You never know when numbers could come in handy, right?

I'm not really sure what else to say, seeing as it's a pilot and still has plenty to go. I guess we can start to question who "Us" and "Them" are as well as what the heck the Event actually is. But unless you're a crazy theorist, I'm not sure what else to go on. Hopefully more "mysteries" will reveal themselves in time.

All in all, I like The Event. I think it has potential (especially if it clears up the Wormhole-looking technology) and I think it's got lots to answer and more to question.

Grade: A-

EDIT: I haven't read Pearl's post yet, so if any of this is repetitive, my bad.

Monday, September 20, 2010

I LOVE VORTEXES!

First things first, I would like to briefly introduce our new blogger: QuoteGirl. She frequented our previous blog with fantastic comments and we are happy to have her be a part of this project.

Now, let’s get down to business.

It is really challenging writing about the pilot of a show. It is even more challenging to write about a show that has been compared to other shows without automatically looking for the likenesses.

When they said “The Event” would appeal to “LOST” fans, they weren’t lying. I had to force myself not to compare it to “LOST”. I mean, you’ve got the plane, which involves people disappearing to Location X, and then, these flashbacks and lots and lots of mystery and number references and pretty people etc. See, I’m already doing it. Sigh. I am going to try and focus on the show itself and stop making it live in the shadow of my lost (ha!) love.

It’s nice to see Jason Ritter again. I used to be a huge "Joan of Arcadia" fan and thought he had more potential than his projects post its cancellation showed. Overall, the whole cast seems very promising. Nice mix of new faces and old-ish faces. I think the idea of a black president is a bit absurd, but you never know.


The time-frame captions started getting really confusing for me, personally. I started to just ignore them and piece it together myself. I am hoping that is not how the whole series is going to go, and that it’s just a Pilot thing. Every now and then is fine, but I was getting dizzy.

I got a little nauseous at the end, with the camera shaking so much, haha. Clearly, “Cloverfield” was a rough experience for me. I did not expect the plane to vanish into a vortex, which doing the unexpected makes for quality entertainment.

I know it won’t wind up applying to the entire show, but this Pilot was vaguely reminiscent of the film “The Net”, starring America’s Sweetheart Sandra Bullock. It won’t pan out the same, but the whole Sean-Walker-Ceasing-To-Exist thing brought it to mind. I honestly only ever watched the first episode of “24”, so I can’t really compare it to “24”, other than the time-frame captions. I tried to watch “V”, but…eh. I think I can see where the comparison comes in, but I think it is being executed in a more satisfactory way in “The Event”; if that’s even the case at all.

I am kind of hoping this turns out to be a really awesome alien show. It SEEMS like that could be the case, but the wonderful thing is that already nothing is what it seems AND WE ARE ONLY ONE EPISODE IN. I, personally, am very intrigued and cannot wait to watch the next episode.

Needless to say, I thought this was a pretty solid Pilot. The big question for this week, and perhaps for many weeks to come, is: Who are THEY? And, how did Sean Walker manage to get a gun on the plane?

Grade: A-

The Pearl

Sunday, September 19, 2010

The Event

Hello Readers,

This is The Pearl writing to you. I just want to welcome you to "You Blog, Everybody II", the bastard child of "You Blog, Everybody!"

This blog currently is not dedicated to one TV show, hence the nondescript layout. However, within a few weeks, it will be. Hopefully. If we last that long. The contenders for the spot are:

The Event

No Ordinary Family

The Cape


We will simply decide by way of blogging and discussion which new Fall show is worth a blog dedication after a few episodes. After that, we will continue to discuss, criticize and theorize the winner until the end of (air)time.

I think The Swan will be joining forces with me. Tomorrow will tell. If not, I am on my lonesome unless someone following wants to take on the challenge. Wish me luck on this endeavor.

Cheers,
The Pearl