Tag: Opinion and Reviews

Categories
Science Fiction Television

Watching: Another Life (Netflix series) (Spoiler: I like it)

I’m four episodes from the end of the series Another Life on Netflix and I just do not understand why so many people seem to hate this show. When I checked yesterday, it had a rating of 4.5 on IMDB. I went back last night and it was up to 4.7. And that’s where it remains this morning. (I have since watched the entire first season and my opinion hasn’t changed a bit. The show just got better.)

Finally a fast-paced action-packed science fiction show that doesn’t bog down in the personal dramas of every side character and villain. One with lighting that actually lets me see what’s happening. One that is diabolical in the use of cliffhangers, I admit. :D One that is fun to watch, but still manages to be touching enough to make me have to fight back tears near the end of one particular episode.

So yeah, I don’t get it.

Another Life is a decent little show, deserving of much better reviews than it’s getting.

As of 8/8:

Rotten Tomatoes – 6%

IMDB – 4.7

Google Users – 77% liked this TV show

Why the discrepancy?

I have one hypothesis, and it’s this: Netflix targeted the wrong audience with their trailer.

I watched the trailer when Netflix first sent it out to members, and it didn’t appeal to me at all. I wasn’t interested in watching this show based on that trailer. I just happened to be looking for something to watch yesterday after deciding I wasn’t up for another episode of Father Brown at the moment (I know, I know, but I have wide and varied television interests and mystery series is one of them :D). Anyway, I turned on Another Life and was hooked from the moment it skipped straight to the action.

The trailer misled me into thinking this would be an entirely different kind of show.

Another Life needs a new trailer. :)

I’d love to hear from other people who like this show. Any of you out there?

Categories
Fantasy News Television

Merlin Returns with The Darkest Hour Part 1

Merlin returned to Syfy with the The Darkest Hour Part 1 which aired on Friday night. Part 2 airs this coming Friday and promises more awesomeness from a TV I’ve missed.

merlin-darkest-hour

The family was thrilled to see Merlin and Arthur again too, although I did have to explain early on that a year had passed in TV time between the last episode of season 3 and the first episode of season 4. Gwen and Gaius discuss Uther’s condition early on in The Darkest Hour and use the opportunity to fill us in on where things stand, but for young ones I don’t think the passage of time was as easy to pick up on because that conversation was really the only time it was mentioned.

Morgana is back with a vengeance in this season opening episode. She splits open the veil between the living and dead and unleashes a terror on Camelot that puts everyone at risk. She’s also made aware of a threat to her future, but I won’t spoil it with detail. Suffice to say, Morgana is as much a threat as ever to Camelot and her resolve to flat out destroy them all only seems to be growing.

I look forward to next week’s episode, The Darkest Hour Part 2.

The Darkest Hour Part 2 airs Friday, January 13.

Categories
Science Fiction Television

Stargate Atlantis Complete Series Blu-Ray Review

Finally! Stargate Atlantis The Complete Series on Blu-ray is here! The special features and episode commentaries come in at over 50 hours in an awesome 20 disc collection that brings together all the episodes of the entire series along with specials about many of the episodes, characters, cast and crew. If you’re a fan, you are going to want to buy the Stargate Atlantis Blu-ray set.

Stargate Atlantis Blu-ray

Stargate Atlantis: The Complete Series

Stargate Atlantis Blu-ray Box Set

This Blu-ray set is a great purchase for fans of the series. With the beautiful picture you can only get from Blu-ray, this box set of the complete series of Stargate Atlantis is the most compact, shelf-friendly set of all five seasons that you can get your hands on.

There are plenty of special features and extras on the discs in this box set, including commentaries for most of the episodes, behind the scenes specials called Mission Directives, and other features. See the list of special features and commentaries below for more information, and for a full review of the Stargate Atlantis Blu-ray box set just follow the link.

Stargate Atlantis is an action adventure science fiction series based on the popular Stargate SG-1 series. The adventures through the gate continues in the Pegasus Galaxy where an expedition from Earth has traveled to the fabled city of Atlantis to search out new technologies and the knowledge of the Ancients. Only when the expedition arrives in Pegasus, the team discovers an ancient foe called the Wraith that feeds on humans–and they’ve woken them early from their slumber. With no way to return to Earth and a new and powerful enemy, the Atlantis expedition must find allies and fight off an enemy that not even the Ancients could defeat.

Buy Stargate Atlantis Complete Series Blu-ray Set

Special Features Included in the Blu-ray Box Set

  • Disc 1 (Season 1):
    • “Rising” (Parts 1 and 2)
      • Commentary by Director Martin Wood and Actor Joe Flanigan
    • “Hide and Seek”
      • Commentary by Actors Rachel Luttrell, Torri Higginson and Paul McGillion
    • “Thirty Eight Minutes”
      • Commentary by Actors Rachel Luttrell ad Paul McGillion
    • “Suspicion”
    • Extras
      • “Stargate: Atlantis” Set Tour with Directors Martin Wood and Peter DeLuise
  • Disc 2 (Season 1):
    • “Childhood’s End”
      • Commentary by Writer Martin Gero and Actors Rachel Luttrell and Rainbow Sun Francks
    • “Poisoning the Well”
    • “Underground”
    • “Home”
    • “The Storm”
      • Commentary by Director Martin Wood, Writer Martin Gero and Actor David Hewlett
    • Extras
      • Wraithal Discrimination: It’s Not Easy Being Green
      • Diary of Rainbow Sun Francks
  • Disc 3 (Season 1):
    • “The Eye”
      • Commentary by Director Martin Wood, Writer Martin Gero and Actor David Hewlett
    • “The Defiant One”
      • Commentary by Director Peter DeLuise and Stunt Coordinator Dan Shea
    • “Hot Zone”
      • Commentary by Writer Martin Gero and Actors Rachel Luttrell, Rainbow Sun Francks and Paul McGillion
    • “Sanctuary”
      • Commentary by Actors Rachel Luttrell and Torri Higginson
    • “Before I Sleep”
    • Extras
      • Mission Directive: “The Storm/The Eye”
      • Mission Directive: “Sanctuary”
      • Mission Directive: “Before I Sleep”
  • Disc 4 (Season 1):
    • “Brotherhood”
      • Commentary by Director Martin Wood, Writer Martin Gero and Actor David Hewlett
    • “Letters from Pegasus”
    • “The Gift”
      • Commentary by Director Peter DeLuise and Actor Gary Jones
    • “The Siege: Part 1”
      • Commentary by Director Martin Wood, Writer Martin Gero and Actor David Hewlett
    • “The Siege: Part 2”
      • Commentary by Director Martin Wood, Writer Martin Gero and Actors Joe Flanigan and David Hewlett
    • Extras
      • Mission Directive: “The Siege”
      • A look back on Season One with Writer Martin Gero
  • Disc 5 (Season 2):
    • “The Siege: Part 3”
      • Commentary by Director Martin Wood, Writer Martin Gero and Actors Joe Flanigan and David Hewlett
    • “The Intruder”
      • Commentary by Director Peter DeLuise and Actor Gary Jones
    • “Runner”
      • Commentary by Director Martin Wood and Actor David Hewlett
    • “Duet”
      • Commentary by Director Peter DeLuise, Writer Martin Gero and Actor David Hewlett
    • “Condemned”
      • Commentary by Director Peter DeLuise and Actor Gary Jones
    • Extras
      • Mission Directive: “The Siege: Part 3” featuring Director Martin Wood
      • Mission Directive: “The Intruder” featuring Director Peter DeLuise
  • Disc 6 (Season 2):
    • “Trinity”
      • Commentary by Director Martin Wood and Writer Damian Kindler
    • “Instinct”
      • Commentary by Director Andy Mikita and Producer Paul Mullie
    • “Conversion”
      • Commentary by Writer Martin Gero and Actors Joe Flanigan and David Hewlett
    • “Aurora”
      • Commentary by Director Martin Wood and Co-Producer Peter DeLuise
    • “The Lost Boys”
      • Commentary by Writer Martin Gero and Actors Joe Flanigan and David Hewlett
    • Extras
      • Mission Directive: “Instinct” featuring Director Peter DeLuise
      • Introduction to a Character: Ronon Dex
  • Disc 7 (Season 2):
    • “The Hive”
      • Commentary by Director Martin Wood
    • “Epiphany”
      • Commentary by Director Neil Fearnley
    • “Critical Mass”
      • Commentary by Director Andy Mikita, Actor Rachel Luttrell and Director of Photography Brenton Spencer
    • “Grace Under Pressure”
      • Commentary by Director Martin Wood, Writer Martin Gero and Actors Amanda Tapping and David Hewlett
    • “The Tower”
      • Commentary by Producer Paul Mullie and Director Andy Mikita
    • Extras
      • Profile On: David Hewlett
      • “Stargate: Atlantis” Stunts
  • Disc 8 (Season 2):
    • “The Long Goodbye”
      • Commentary by Director Andy Mikita, Actor Torri Higginson and Director of Photography Brenton Spencer
    • “Coup D’etat”
      • Commentary by Director Martin Wood, Writer Martin Gero and Actor David Hewlett
    • “Michael”
      • Commentary by Director Martin Wood and Supervising Producer/Director Peter DeLuise
    • “Inferno”
      • Commentary by Director Peter DeLuise and Actor Gary Jones
    • “Allies”
      • Commentary by Director Andy Mikita, Writer Martin Gero and Actor David Hewlett
    • Extras
      • Road to a Dream with Martin Gero
      • Profile On: Paul McGillion
  • Disc 9 (Season 3):
    • “No Man’s Land”
      • Commentary by Producer/Writer Martin Gero and Director/Supervising Producer Martin Wood
    • “Misbegotten”
      • Commentary by Executive Producer Paul Mullie and Director/Supervising Producer Martin Wood
    • “Irresistible”
      • Commentary by Director/Supervising Producer Martin Wood and Director of Photography Michael Blundell
    • “Sateda”
      • Commentary by Executive Producer, Writer and Director Robert C. Cooper & Director of Photography Brenton Spencer
    • “Progeny”
      • Commentary by Director Andy Mikita and VFX Supervisor Mark Savela
    • Extras
      • Mission Directive: “Sateda” featuring Director Robert C. Cooper
      • Mission Directive: “Progeny” featuring Director Andy Mikita
      • Inside the Stargate: Atlantis Visual FX Department
      • Profile On: Rachel Luttrell
  • Disc 10 (Season 3):
    • “The Real World”
    • “Common Ground”
      • Commentary by Director William Waring and Director of Photography Brenton Spencer
    • “McKay & Mrs. Miller”
      • Commentary by Producer/Writer Martin Gero and Director/Supervising Producer Martin Wood
    • “Phantoms”
      • Commentary by Co-Executive Producer Carl Binder and Director/Supervising Producer Martin Wood
    • “The Return, Part 1”
      • Commentary by Producer/Writer Martin Gero and Executive Producer Paul Mullie
    • Extras
      • Mission Directive: “Phantoms” featuring Director/Supervising Producer Martin Wood
      • General O’Neill Goes to Atlantis
  • Disc 11 (Season 3):
    • “The Return, Part 2”
      • Commentary by Producer/Writer Martin Gero and Executive Producer Paul Mullie
    • “Echoes”
      • Commentary by Director William Waring and Director of Photography Brenton Spencer
    • “Irresponsible”
      • Commentary by Director/Supervising Producer Martin Wood and Director of Photography Michael Blundell
    • “Tao of Rodney”
      • Commentary by Director/Supervising Producer Martin Wood and Director of Photography Michael Blundell
    • “The Game”
      • Commentary by Director William Waring and Director of Photography Brenton Spencer
    • Extras
      • Mission Directive: “The Game” featuring Director William Waring
      • Masters of the Alien
  • Disc 12 (Season 3):
    • “The Ark”
      • Commentary by Director/Supervising Producer Martin Wood and VFX Supervisor Mark Savela
    • “Sunday”
      • Commentary by Producer/Writer Martin Gero and Director William Waring
    • “Submersion”
      • Commentary by Director Brenton Spencer and VFX Supervisor Mark Savela
    • “Vengeance”
      • Commentary by Director Andy Mikita and Creature Effects Designer Todd Masters
    • “First Strike”
      • Commentary by Producer/Writer Martin Gero, Director/Supervising Producer Martin Wood and VFX Supervisor Mark Savela 
    • Extras
      • Mission Directive: “First Strike” featuring Director/Supervising Producer Martin Wood
      • “Stargate Atlantis:” A Look Back on Season 3 with Martin Gero
  • Disc 13 (Season 4):
    • “Adrift”
      • Commentary by Co-Executive Producer/Writer Martin Gero, Director/Supervising Producer Martin Wood
    • “Lifeline”
      • Commentary by Director/Supervising Producer Martin Wood and Actor Amanda Tapping
    • “Reunion”
      • Commentary by Executive Producer/Writer Joseph Mallozzi and Director William Waring
    • “Doppelganger”
      • Commentary by Executive Producer, Writer and Director Robert C. Cooper and VFX Supervisor Mark Savela
    • “Travelers”
      • Commentary by Executive Producer/Writer Paul Mullie and Director William Waring
    • Extras
      • Mission Directive: Doppelganger with Robert C. Cooper
      • A New Leader: Amanda Tapping Joins Atlantis
  • Disc 14 (Season 4):
    • “Tabula Rasa”
      • Commentary by Producer/Writer Alan McCullough and Director/Supervising Producer Martin Wood and Actress Amanda Tapping
    • “Missing”
      • Commentary by Co-Executive Producer/Writer Carl Binder and Producer/Director Andy Mikita
    • “The Seer”
      • Commentary by Producer/Writer Alan McCullough and Director Andy Mikita
    • “Miller’s Crossing”
      • Commentary by Co-Executive Producer/Writer Martin Gero and Producer/Director Andy Mikita
    • “This Mortal Coil”
      • Commentary by Executive Producer/Writer Joseph Mallozzi and Director William Waring
    • Extras
      • “Stargate Atlantis” Bloopers
      • Mission Directive: “This Mortal Coil” with Director William Waring
  • Disc 15 (Season 4):
    • “Be All My Sins Remember’d”
      • Commentary by Co-Executive Producer/Writer Martin Gero and Producer/Director Andy Mikita
    • “Spoils of War”
      • Commentary by Producer/Writer Alan McCullough and Director William Waring
    • “Quarantine”
      • Commentary by Director/Supervising Producer Martin Wood and Actress Amanda Tapping
    • “Harmony”
      • Commentary by Co-Executive Producer/Writer Martin Gero and Director William Waring
    • “Outcast”
      • Commentary by Producer/Writer Alan McCullough and Producer/Director Andy Mikita
    • Extras
      • Mission Directive: “Quarantine” with Director Martin Wood
      • Mission Directive: “Outcast” with Director Andy Mikita
  • Disc 16 (Season 4):
    • “Trio”
      • Commentary by Co-Executive Producer/Writer Martin Gero, Director/Supervising Producer Martin Wood and Actress Amanda Tapping
    • “Midway”
    • “The Kindred”
      • Commentary by Executive Producer/Writer Joseph Mallozzi and Director Peter F. Woeste
    • “The Kindred, Part II”
      • Commentary by Producer/Writer Alan McCullough and Director/Supervising Producer Martin Wood
    • “The Last Man”
      • Commentary on “The Last Man” by Executive Producer/Writer Paul Mullie and Director/Supervising Producer Martin Wood
    • Extras
      • The Making of “Trio”
      • A Look Back at Season 4
      • Deleted Scenes
  • Disc 17 (Season 5):
    • “Search and Rescue”
      • Commentary by Executive Producer Martin Gero and Director/Producer Andy Mikita
    • “The Seed”
      • Commentary by Director William Waring
    • “Broken Ties”
      • Commentary by Executive Producer Joseph Mallozzi and Actor Jason Momoa
    • “The Daedalus Variations”
      • Commentary by Supervising Producer Alan McCullough and Director/Producer Andy Mikita
    • “Ghost In The Machine”
    • Extras
      • Mission Directive: “Search and Rescue” with Director Andy Mikita and Producer Martin Gero
      • Showdown! Ronon v. Tyre
      • Bringing “The Seed” to Life
  • Disc 18 (Season 5):
    • “The Shrine”
    • “Whispers”
      • Commentary by Executive Producer Joseph Mallozzi and Director William Waring
    • “The Queen”
      • Commentary by Supervising Producer Alan McCullough and Director Brenton Spencer
    • “Tracker”
      • Commentary by Executive Producer Carl Binder and Director William Waring
    • “First Contact”
      • Commentary by Executive Producer Martin Gero and Director/Producer Andy Mikita
    • Extras
      • Mission Directive: ”Whispers” with Director William Waring and Executive Producer Joseph Mallozzi
      • Mission Directive: “Tracker” with Director William Waring and Executive Produce Carl Binder
      • Tricks of the Trade: Submerging the Stargate
      • Joe Flanigan: A Conversation with the Colonel
  • Disc 19 (Season 5):
    • “The Lost Tribe”
      • Commentary by Executive Producer Martin Gero and Director/Producer Andy Mikita
    • “Outsiders”
      • Commentary by Supervising Producer Alan McCullough and Director William Waring
    • “Inquisition”
      • Commentary by Director Brenton Spencer and Actor Tobias Slezak
    • “The Prodigal”
      • Commentary by Executive Producer Carl Binder and Director/Producer Andy Mikita
    • “Remnants”
      • Commentary by Executive Producer Joseph Mallozzi and Director William Waring
    • Extras
      • Building a Humanoid with James Robbins and Martin Gero
      • Dr. Jackson Goes to Atlantis
      • The Life and Death of Michael Kenmore
      • Deleted Scenes (Part One)
  • Disc 20 (Season 5):
    • “Brain Storm”
      • Commentary by Executive Producer/Director Martin Gero
    • “Infection”
    • “Identity”
    • “Vegas”
      • Commentary by Executive Producer Robert C. Cooper, Producer John G. Lenic and Editor Mike Banas
    • “Enemy at the Gate”
      • Commentary by Executive Producer Paul Mullie and VFX Supervisor Mark Savela
    • Extras
      • Mission Directive: “Brain Storm” with Director Martin Gero
      • “Stargate Atlantis” Goes To Vegas
      • Deleted Scenes (Part Two)

Buy Stargate Atlantis Complete Series Blu-ray Set

Categories
Television

How to Keep DVR Viewers Watching Ads

I’m a DVR fanatic. I use it to record almost everything I watch. Seriously. I even record the news and watch it later so I can cut out the commercials (interruptions) and get to the stuff I want to see.

This is a problem though, because of this (quoted from TV by the Numbers – excellent site if you’ve never visited TVbtN:

That’s not surprising given that all DVR users skip some of the commercials some of the time, with many skipping most of the commercials most of the time.

TV Commercials are Interruptions but They Shouldn’t Be

Yep. I skip them every time, unless I forget or something catches my eye as I’m skipping and I skip back to watch. I’m pretty sure most people can imagine how often that doesn’t happen.

In the end, I think the best idea for product placement is in the show itself. A closer relationship between the advertiser and the television series creators can bring us fun ads that fit right into the series itself. I know it’s harder in science-fiction and fantasy television, but not impossible. I still think the Degree/Eureka partnership was a great example of how it can work. I remember those “ads” that were really just part of the episodes. And it didn’t bother me that they were there. I can imagine it working for many of the shows I love.

I don’t have a problem with advertisements and television. I have a problem with interruptions. Ads don’t have to be interruptions… I’m just saying…

Categories
Science Fiction Television

Too Many TV Options

Imagine my surprise when I logged into my Amazon account this morning and discovered that as an Amazon Prime member I can now watch movies and TV shows on my computer at no additional cost!

Here’s just a bit of what I found that was available as unlimited instant video for Amazon Prime subscribers. I think all of these are also on Netflix.

  • Primeval
  • Doctor Who
  • Torchwood
  • Farscape
  • NOVA
  • The Planets
  • Survivors
  • Tin Man
  • Red Dwarf
  • Highlander

There are other instant streaming science fiction and fantasy TV shows at Amazon if you want to see it all: prime eligible sci-fi and fantasty TV at Amazon.

I’m a Netflix member and I have it set up through my WII, but I hadn’t imagined having even more television viewing options through my Amazon Prime membership. It’s a little overwhelming.

{Seriously. I might now have too many TV options to allow me to get any work done around the house or to spend time with my family. I am being bombarded by TV from places I would have never imagined.}

Of course–I like it! I’m getting more value for my money. Although, I will have to look around to see if there are actually any benefits to having TV shows available through Amazon.

I don’t know if any of the freely available TV shows on Amazon are shows that I can’t also get on Netflix. And of course, with Netflix hooked up to my television, I prefer to watch TV shows on Netflix instead of on the computer when I can.

Amazon didn’t send me any kind of notification of this change, though. It would’ve been nice if they’d sent me an email.

Categories
Science Fiction Television

Goblin’s Gold – Review

Merlin

Goblin’s Gold

I’d summarize this episode as: Merlin accidently releases a mischievous goblin, which then causes all kinds of hilarious trouble for Merlin, Gaius, Uther, and Arthur. Things get out of hand, and Merlin must stop the goblin before it gets Gaius–and Merlin–killed.

Goblin’s Gold (Syfy recap – major spoilers) is the kind of episode that lightens things up while still maintaining the tension established in The Tears of Uther Pendragon. Events conspire to create possible future conflicts with Morgana and Gaius, while Arthur proves he’s not yet ready to accept Merlin as a Sorcerer.

There were a few inconsistencies of character in the story, but nothing so drastic that the episode didn’t hold together. Uther proved a bit too forgiving; Morgana didn’t take full advantage of the situation; Arthur accepted Merlin’s guilt a little too passively.

But after seeing last week’s previews of what this episode had in store, I wasn’t disappointed. Goblin’s Gold was a hilarious and fun diversion after the more serious two-part season opener, The Tears of Uther Pendragon. What did you think?

Buy Merlin Season 1 DVD box set or Merlin Season 2 DVD box set at Amazon

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Click images above for each current Merlin DVD set price

If you’ve missed any episodes from the first or second season of Merlin, now’s a good time to catch up. Although most episodes are stand-alone, the show has been on long enough now that missing too many episodes means you might not understand the implications of everything that happens. The animosity between Morgana and Merlin, the developing relationship between Arthur and Gwen…all these things are building on previous episodes at this point.

Merlin episodes aren’t available on Amazon on Demand. So, buying the Merlin DVD sets is the best way to support the show and watch some excellent fantasy TV.

Categories
Science Fiction Television

The Tears of Uther Pendragon, Part 1 & 2 – Review

Merlin

The Tears of Uther Pendragon

A short summary of the episode might go like this. The end of season two saw Morgana taken away by her sister Morgause. The Tears of Uther Pendragon opens a year later. After an exhaustive search for Morgana, Arthur and his knights find her, bedraggled and downtrodden, ready to be rescued. Morgana returns to Camelot, where Merlin worries that she will tell someone about his previous attempt to poison her, but she tells him she understands why he did it. He believes her, but begins to have doubts about her loyalty to Camelot and must take action to discover her real purpose for returning to Camelot.

I use the term review loosely here, because I don’t have a special way of reviewing an episode once I’ve watched it, and I also don’t tend to look beneath the surface for deep meanings, allegory, or metaphors.

What I do look for is enjoyment, excitement, continuity, drama, character development, and, just, STORY. Good story.

High story. The kind that pulls me in, holds me tight, and doesn’t let me go until days later, when I finally quit going over and over it in my head.

Merlin’s The Tears of Uther Pendragon Parts 1 and 2 are just such a pair of episodes. Click the link for Syfy’s summary, but beware of spoilers.

I enjoyed the interaction between Merlin and Arthur, Merlin and Morgana, and Morgause and Cenred. I also like to see Uther suffer a little for his bloodlust and this pair of episodes gave me some of that. I did think Morgana’s creepy evil smiles were a bit overdone, although I liked the first few. After a while though, they seemed to come a little too frequently and even seemed a bit cliché.

Still, I waited all week for the second part of The Tears of Uther Pendragon and I loved it! What did you think?

Buy Merlin Season 1 DVD box set or Merlin Season 2 DVD box set at Amazon

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If you’ve missing any episodes of either season, you should catch up before too many episodes of the new season air because the show is more enjoyable when you’re clear on what’s gone before. Otherwise, you might end up confused about what’s happening now. Most episodes are stand-alone with a few exceptions, but like any good series, new material often builds on old!

You can’t catch up on Amazon’s Video on Demand, because Merlin isn’t available there (likely because of licensing issues, Merlin isn’t available on most U.S. based sites where you would normally purchase episodes to watch online or download to your computer or TV to watch).

Categories
Science Fiction Television

Dollhouse still getting better, even though it’s too late

Back when it was first announced that Dollhouse had been officially cancelled, I wrote that I didn’t care. I didn’t. But after watching the the latest episodes of Dollhouse (shown as a 2 hour event), I have to say it saddens me to notice how much better the show has gotten lately. If it had been this compelling, this entertaining, from the get go, this series would have stood a much better chance of gaining a wide audience.

In fact, I have 16 minutes left of the 2nd episode and I am pretty sure these two (The Public Eye and The Left Hand) are the best of either season.

Click here to watch these Dollhouse episodes online.

Don’t take it as a bad sign that I’m writing this, since I needed a bathroom break and had my laptop sitting beside me on the couch when I came back. I’m so excited about how interesting I’ve found these episodes that I tried to call a friend who watches but she wasn’t around. There was no one else to share my excitement with, so here you are—a blog post instead. :) Now I really do have to go. I want to see how it ends.

16 minutes later… I’m back.

I love how so many threads have come together and how much of the episode isn’t Echo-centric. Don’t get me wrong, I like Echo, but I think the show is so much better when she’s just a part of a much bigger whole. It’s also nice to see Adele with a backbone but still on the darker side of things…

Ballard isn’t the most interesting of the bunch, but he’s taken a backseat to the more compelling storylines and “Victor” has shown some delightful and seriously talented acting. There’s not much more to say without giving stuff away, but if you’ve been a fan but have been on the fence about whether or not to watch these final episodes, I say give it a shot. You might be as pleasantly surprised as I’ve been.

There’s gold in these episodes and it’s unlikely you’ll be disappointed.

As Todd VanDerWerff said in his recap of “The Public Eye”, “It’s too bad this show has been officially canceled, because "The Public Eye" is the first episode of season two to fully live up to the show’s potential.” Read these engrossing recaps if you have the time. They’re worth it.

Also, don’t miss your chance to watch the episodes. Click here to watch Dollhouse online.

Categories
Science Fiction Television

Veritas Tricky Sanctuary

Click here to watch Sanctuary episodes online.

My attempt at a joke might have backfired on me, but if you got it, thank you veritas much for getting it! ;)

When I started watching this episode tonight (I am always behind it seems—only one more reason to be forever grateful to the inventor of the DVR), I had high hopes something was up. Big Guy dead? So soon after Ashley’s apparent demise? My first reaction was that someone was interested in shaking things up on Sanctuary a little too much for my liking, but then of course, the episode started moving quite quickly and I couldn’t relax enough to worry about what the hell the writers of Sanctuary were thinking by killing off Big Guy.

Good thing the writer’s know better than I how to craft a crafty story. I enjoyed the mystery of this one, and for a while, I admit to being confused and most definitely off the trail. I figured things out just a hair before Will, and I enjoyed every tricky moment of it.

Click here to watch Sanctuary episodes online.

Categories
Science Fiction Television

Dollhouse is done for and I don’t care

Watch Dollhouse episodes

This is probably a surprise, since I run the Dollhouse Fantasies Dollhouse fan site with a friend of mine. But the problem is, we’ve both been feeling the lack of love for this show for a while now.

Although I really enjoyed the new episodes of this season, they’re still not compelling me to feel sad about the demise of Dollhouse. The truth is, I’m sad that the show was never that good, but I’m not sad that the show I’ve been watching is going to be gone.

Although Renee and I won’t be taking that site down (yet), we aren’t actively updating the blog. Unfortunately, I think the show never quite had what it needed to be a really great TV show.

I was interested in how the season was going to unfold, but this is one of those instances where with the cancellation of the show, I won’t be bothering to watch future episodes. Dollhouse is done for. And I don’t care.

Do you?

Watch Dollhouse episodes