This Sunday, April 12th a new series kicks off on AMC and AMC+: The Audacity. Already approved for a second season, this new series stars multiple familiar faces including Billy Magnussen, Zach Galifianakis, Lucy Punch, and many more. We got screeners for season 1, and here are my SPOILER FREE thoughts.
https://youtu.be/ryijrW6nKgA?si=lYHN0JzM6ujIcJ9I
The Story for ‘The Audacity’
This 8 episode season is described as a drama, however I would have to say this is a dark comedy. Is there drama? Absolutely! However, I also found myself regularly laughing aloud. The Audacity is about a group of people living in Silicone Valley. We got our tech bros, some therapists, some teens already on their way to a life of douche-baggery, and some real life feelings.
While many characters are relevant to the overall story, we focus around Duncan Park. He made his tech bro fortune with his best friend, who took his own life. Everyone assumes the friend was the brains, and Duncan is destined to now fail. Left with a Silicone Valley wife, a daughter, and a crap ton of money, he’s of course not happy. So off to therapy he goes to feed his ego… I mean soul. However, despite his therapist, Joanne, looking down on all her Silicone Valley clients, as she’s forced to rent, and get a scholarship for her son, she doesn’t seem much better. Desperation and wanting money you don’t need seem to illicit similar responses.
Things always circle back to Duncan, and his therapist, but there are so many other characters at play. Each with their own story of how they got insanely rich, or why they’re trying to get funding from these D-bags. While many of these D-Bags have had to master a level of intelligence to get where they are, they have yet to master any level of emotional intelligence. Their true happiness seems to only stem from when their opponent is miserable. Of course the opponent can change as quick as the stock market.
While there is a major focus on the business aspect of it all and the never ending need for more money that they’ll never even be able to spend, The Audacity is more about the real people. As fake as they may be. You still see real emotions which seem to guide their business decisions in ways that seem genuinely scary. As this first season wraps you start to see the amazing things humans are capable of. The question, however, has never been what we’re capable of, but more so what we’ll actually do with what we can create.
Sarah Goldberg as Joanne, Zach Galifianakis as Bardolph in The Audacity (Season 1). Photo Credit: Ed Araquel/AMC
My Thoughts
The characters in The Audacity are truly awful. I mean that in the best sense possible for story telling. Almost every character made me feel disgusted, and then feel sympathy for them. That’s fantastic storytelling to me. There were times I had no idea where I wanted the story to go, but I couldn’t wait to find out. When Duncan comes home with an assault injury from a utensil, instead of his wife asking what happened, she calmy responds that she’s sure they had their reasons. The dialogue is fantastic, and the delivery in these dark comedic moments is beautifully nailed.
Lucy Punch as Lili in The Audacity (Season 1). Photo Credit: Ed Araquel/AMC
Overall Grade: 8/10
If you’re looking for a hilarious and dark show that terrifies you as to where our world is headed, but also makes you feel better about yourself, then you should definitely watch The Audacity. I already can’t wait for season 2.
Check out a review for another show that dropped this week: THE BOYS Season 5
MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE: LIFE’S STILL UNFAIR – (Disney/David Bukach)
This review was made possible thanks to screeners from Hulu
Families are complicated and none more so than Malcom’s, which is a family that growing up made a lot of us feel better about our own. It’s been 20 years since we last saw Malcom and his family, and in this mini revival, we are gearing up for Hal and Lois’s big 40th anniversary party! Does this revival hit all of the notes and capture the magic the show once did?
20 years on, and Malcom has moved across the county and become estranged from his family. Kelly, now played by Vaghan Murrae, who we saw in the series finale being born, is navigating her way through life, and Reese (Justin Berfield) is very much still Reese. Jamie is off in the Coast Guard, and Francis (Christopher Masterson) and his wife are back for the big celebration. Of course, Dewey (Caleb Ellsworth-Clark) is the only one missing as they are off on tour and unable to make it back.
MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE: LIFE’S STILL UNFAIR – “Episode 101” (Disney/David Bukach)EMY COLIGADO, FRANKIE MUNIZ
The series instantly transports us back in time, and the nostalgia is firing on all cylinders. This family is still just as insane as the day we left them in 2006, and honestly, that is a good thing. The standout by far is Bryan Cranston, who we have become accustomed to seeing in more serious roles as of late, still has the comedic timing and lovable humor as Hal. In fact, the entire four episodes largely seem to be a love letter to his character.
MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE: LIFE’S STILL UNFAIR – “Episode 101” (Disney/David Bukach), FRANKIE MUNIZ
Frankie Muniz Jr. seems not to have aged a day or even stopped playing Malcom at all as he slips right back into the character and even takes this up a notch as he is struggling to reconcile his estrangement from everyone else. We meet him having a teenage daughter, Leah, played by Keeley Karsten, whose mom left when she was young. Malcom has become the overbearing loving parent in an effort to not be anything like his own parents which leads to some awkward and hilarious moments. Keeley fits perfectly into this world, and I would love to revive the series, even following her around as the main character with everyone else.
The four episodes felt far too short for me, as the series picks up without skipping a beat. It is full of fun cameos, chaotic family drama, and so much beautiful heart and humor. In a time when everyone wants to hit on nostalgia, this feels like the perfect one. Make sure to watch this series as you will not be disappointed at all!
Grade: 5/5
‘Malcom in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair’ four-part series premieres on Disney+/Hulu April 10th and let us know how you liked it!
The Life And Death Of Lucas Dreamwalker #1 Cover A By Francesco Francavilla (Credit: BOOM! Studios)
The Life And Death Of Lucas Dreamwalker #1 is coming soon, and the book’s amazing creative team includes:
Writer: R.L. Stein
Artist/Colorist: Francesco Francavilla
Letterer: Nate Piekos
The book’s full description reads:
“Journey with the Dreamwalker through new realms of terror!
How many times can you be killed in a dream before you die?
Legendary horror author R.L. Stine and award-winning artist Francesco Francavilla explore that very question as the mystery of Lucas’s third death is foretold in this pulpy, noir, somnambulist adventure!
Originally published in the hit horror anthology series Hello Darkness, this dreamy oversized issue collects Parts 1–3 of the nightmarish saga into one thrilling read!”
Now, for those who haven’t read this 3-part story, it spins out of Issues #14-16 of Hello Darkness. We also got a first look at some of Francesco Francavilla’s gorgeous interior art/ coloring work, and Nate Piekos’ lettering as well:
The Life And Death Of Lucas Dreamwalker #1 Art/Colors By Francesco Francavilla & Letterer By Nate Piekos (Credit: BOOM! Studios)The Life And Death Of Lucas Dreamwalker #1 Art/Colors By Francesco Francavilla & Letterer By Nate Piekos (Credit: BOOM! Studios)The Life And Death Of Lucas Dreamwalker #1 Art/Colors By Francesco Francavilla & Letterer By Nate Piekos (Credit: BOOM! Studios)
The Life And Death Of Lucas Dreamwalker #1 releases May 27th.
In 1888, the Whitechapel district of London fell victim to horrible atrocities. On top of the high levels of poverty that led to things like necessitating child labor and forcing young women to turn to sex work as a means to survive, the area was menaced by a serial killer named Jack the Ripper. Primarily targeting a number of these young women, his modus operandi mostly consisted of slitting the throats of his victims and in some cases, the removal of internal organs. This sent the East End of London into a panic.
Though the killer was never caught, the speculation around his identity has fueled more than a century of theories, along with a sprawling cinematic legacy. Like most historical documentation, sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. Many films have been made with differing narratives in many genres. Join Nerd Initiative as we talk about London’s most infamous serial killer, Jack the Ripper.
The Lodger (1927)
Alfred Hitchcock’s The Lodger is a silent-era thriller and one of the earliest films about Jack the Ripper. Based on the book of the same name by Marie Belloc Lowndes and the play “Who Is He?” that she co-wrote, Hitchcock’s film sees Mr. and Mrs. Bunting, the owners of a London hotel, who suspect their newest guest is the infamous serial killer known as The Avenger. He has shown up after seven young blonde women have been murdered in the surrounding area. More worrisome to The Buntings, is the charm this new stranger has over their daughter, Daisy, and her attraction to him.
The Lodger is considered Hitchcock’s first thriller. While the famous director made a handful of silent movies early in his career, his take on the thriller and suspense genre that he would later master didn’t show up right away. His use of imagery runs rampant in a story that can’t lean on the delivery of his witty dialogue, but rather on the use of graphic cards to convey it. The Lodger also features the first of one of Hitchcock’s trademarks, with a cameo from the director in his own movie.
Ivor Novello plays the quintessential, ambiguous Hitchcock character, paired with the suspicious duo of the Buntings. Novello would play the character again in the talkie remake of The Lodger in 1932. Hitchcock wanted to remake the film himself in 1942 but was unable to get the rights. It would eventually be remade three more times: in 1944 by John Brahm, in 1953 (Man In The Attic) starring Jack Palance, and in 2009, but it’s hard to hold a candle to the “Master of Suspense.”
Murder by Decree (1979)
Mashing up historical figures with fictional characters has always been a staple in storytelling, so it only makes sense that England’s most infamous serial killer would be pitted against English literature’s most famous detective and his assistant in 1979’s Murder by Decree. Christopher Plummer and James Mason portray Holmes and Watson, respectively, in a movie directed by Bob Clark, director of the horror classic Black Christmas and comedies such as Porky’s and A Christmas Story.
When the number of Jack the Ripper’s victims starts growing, Scotland Yard goes to its most dependable source in unsolved crimes: Sherlock Holmes. His meticulous and unusual way of peeling back the layers of a case does clash with the normal conventions in England’s most prestigious institution for solving crimes. Holmes’s investigation has him cross paths with anarchists and Freemasons. While the performances of Christopher Plummer and James Mason are nothing short of fantastic, the script is very much of its time.
Another Holmes versus the Ripper story had previously been released in 1965, featuring a young Judi Dench, but Bob Clark’s mash-up of fact and fiction is superior in direction, script, and acting. It links the mystery of Jack the Ripper to a much more conspiratorial conclusion than Hitchcock’s The Lodger, which was a much smaller story in comparison. Unfortunately for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s creation, it is one of the few ways to keep him relevant in a world and genre that was evolving.
Hands of The Ripper (1971)
As decades progressed, filmmakers grew bolder, leaning into bloodier, more sensationalized interpretations. Never one to turn away an idea, British exploitative horror studio Hammer Studios did its own take on Jack the Ripper. If you don’t know Hammer films, they operated similarly to how Roger Corman and his studio operated: almost as a low-budget genre factory. Hammer had a distinct style that is respected now, despite being written off by critics during their time. Their take on Jack the Ripper with Hands of the Ripper is definitely on-brand for a studio that took some wild swings on fiction, but also non-fiction.
After running away from his latest victim, Jack the Ripper runs home and murders his wife after she confronts him, revealing his identity as the Whitechapel Fiend. Unfortunately, this act is done in front of his young daughter, Anna, imprinting on her the urge to continue her father’s dastardly deeds when she gets into a trance. After one of these accidental murders, Anna is put under the care of Dr. Dysart, who tries to help her overcome her dark urges.
Hammer Films was founded in 1934. While they are mostly known for their horror and sci-fi catalog from the 1950s to the 1970s, Hammer Films also dabbled in war, noir, and comedies. A studio with that much time and experience under its belt can tell Jack the Ripper’s story that’s as bloody as our minds can imagine without actually having the man commit the murders. One of the first explicitly violent Ripper-related stories, but definitely not the last, movies starring Klaus Kinski (Jack the Ripper, 1976) and horror icon Anthony Perkins (Edge of Sanity, 1989) would delve into the more horrific aspects of Jack the Ripper’s killings.
Time After Time (1979)
The 1970s were ripe with Sherlock Holmes and Jack the Ripper movies. If it was weird that Sherlock Holmes was chasing Jack the Ripper, 1979’s Time After Time doubles down. Malcolm McDowell stars as H.G. Wells, tracking down David Warner’s Jack the Ripper to modern-day San Francisco. Mixing fact and fiction in a completely different way, the movie features Mary Steenburgen as a modern-day woman who helps H.G. Wells and is named after Amy Robbins, Wells’ real-life spouse.
HG Wells shows off his time machine to a group of peers, including Dr. Stephenson. While Stephenson is initially skeptical about this time machine. When it is revealed that Dr. Stephenson is Jack the Ripper, he escapes in the time machine. Later, the time machine appears back in Wells’ basement. It’s up to him to go into the future and stop Jack the Ripper from committing more murders in 1970s San Francisco, a place Wells mistakes for a utopia.
Being one of the less violent Jack the Ripper stories, Time After Time is a great popcorn movie. It’s high concept but low budget has this film drip with cheese. David Warner is an absolutely fantastic Jack the Ripper, even if his scenes as Saucy Jack are sometimes shown from a first-person POV. However, it’s Malcolm McDowell’s performance as a bumbling H.G. Wells that carries this movie and will almost make you forget his turn as Alex DeLarge from A Clockwork Orange.
Jack the Ripper (1988)
Miniseries were all the rage from the mid-1970s to the 1980s. It wasn’t unusual to have a longer story told with closer to movie production values broadcast on multiple nights. In 1988, CBS, in conjunction with Thames Television, released this two-night event as a way to mark one hundred years since the Whitechapel Murders. The story itself comes from Stephen Knight’s book, Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution, which postulates that the identity of the murderer involves a royal cover-up.
Starring Michael Caine as Frederick Abberline of Scotland Yard, who has been put on the case to find out who is committing these heinous crimes as the mutilated bodies of sex workers keep stacking up. Played more like a police procedural than a mystery story, this retelling posits that Jack the Ripper was part of the Royal Family. The investigation and Abberline’s personal relationship to the case are as important as solving the murders. There is no shortage of suspects, but it keeps the victim list down to the five confirmed Jack the Ripper killings.
As with most detective procedurals from the United Kingdom, this one is well done. Seemingly unaffected by his role in the failure that was Jaws: The Revenge, Michael Caine carries this production as Chief Inspector Abberline with great ease. He doesn’t do it alone, though. Acting greats like Jane Seymour, Armand Assante, and Hugh Fraser all lend their talents to this production. Eagle-eyed viewers of British mystery TV shows would recognize Hugh Fraser from the many episodes of Agatha Christie’s Poirot as Captain Hastings.
From Hell (2001)
One of the most popular and recent adaptations of the Jack the Ripper story is From Hell. Released in 2001 and directed by The Hughes Brothers, the film stars Johnny Depp and Heather Graham as Inspector Abberline and Mary Kelly. Two names that come up frequently in these adaptations of Jack the Ripper stories. While the story of Jack the Ripper is clearly dark, the Hughes Brothers’ interpretation of Jack the Ripper’s story is an adaptation of comic writer Alan Moore’s graphic novel of the same name, and is a bit colorful due to its main character’s methods of finding “The Leather Apron.”
Set up more as a horror-thriller type of story, From Hell turns Inspector Abberline into an opium-addicted sleuth on the chase of one of England’s most famous serial killers. He’s put on the case when he starts having visions as to the identity of the killer due to the amount of opium he’s consumed. Abberline becomes friendly with Mary Kelly, a prostitute who’s lost friends to Jack the Ripper. However, the further he digs, the bigger this conspiracy gets.
From Hell almost feels like a darker and amped-up version of the Jack the Ripper mini-series starring Michael Caine. Caine’s Abberline was a recovering alcoholic, Depp’s Abberline spends his days in an opium den. While definitely more graphic in content and violence, The Hughes Brothers’ adaptation does stray from Alan Moore’s source material and uses the same theory of Royal Conspiracy. The movie itself looks great, what shines is the supporting cast of Ian Holm, Robbie Coltrane, and Jason Flemyng. It’s not the best adaptation on this list, but it was definitely given a boost by the hot streak that Johnny Depp was on in the early 2000s
Jack the Ripper’s Legacy
There is no lack of adaptations of Jack the Ripper in all sorts of different genres. There are plenty that we’ve missed including 1988’s Jack’s Back which puts a Jack the Ripper copycat in modern-day Los Angeles. Sherlock Holmes isn’t the only famous literary detective to chase after Jack the Ripper. Another comic adaptation, Batman: Gotham by Gaslight sees the Caped Crusader chasing after Jack the Ripper in a Victorian Era Gotham was adapted into an animated movie in 2018.
Jack the Ripper’s legacy lives on in film; try searching the killer’s name on any streaming app and you’ll get plenty of results that are about or inspired by the Whitechapel Murders. While these films run a gamut of guesses as to who Jack the Ripper was and what his motive was, one thing remains certain: Jack the Ripper’s story is as fresh now as it was in 1888.
Queen In Black: Venom Unchained #1 Cover A By Juanan Ramírez (Credit: Marvel Comics)
On the heels of this week’s Venom issue, Eddie Brock is in trouble. This week’s issue sees that:
“Carnage discarded Eddie Brock for a better match—TORMENT! The development marks the end of Eddie’s time as host of the murderous symbiote, but he’s only just started paying the consequences! Before joining Marvel’s heroes to save the world from being torn asunder by the forces of Light and Dark, Eddie must first break out of prison and perhaps find a new symbiote to claim…”
Now, Queen In Black: Venom Unchained is going to be written by Charles Soule, with art by Juanan Ramírez, who is right now working on the Knull limited series that is tying into the Queen In Black event. The book’s full description reads:
“EDDIE BROCK: IMPRISONED!
Eddie Brock is in prison after a failed bond with Carnage, and the Queen In Black is coming!!! Eddie wants to get back to Venom. But without a symbiote, how will he escape?!”
The book will also have variant covers by artists like:
Leinil Frances Yu
Peach Mokoko
Skan
Emu Lupacchino
Charles Soule had this to say about the new mini-series:
“When I agreed to write a new chapter in Eddie Brock’s ongoing story a few years back via Eddie Brock: Carnage, I had no idea it would end up continuing through all these dark little paths. From Carnage to Death Spiral and now to VENOM: UNCHAINED, I’ve found there’s a lot to explore with Mr. Brock and his relationships with various symbiotes. Very glad to spend this time with Eddie – he’s a fascinating guy.”
Queen In Black: Venom Unchained #1 releases July 15th.
Prime Video just dropped the first 2, out of 8, episodes of the final season of The Boys. If you haven’t watched them yet, then you’re gonna want to run out of here faster than Season 1 A-Train all hopped up on Temp V. I’m gonna recap and spoil some epic moments that just occurred. With a little comic book background sprinkled in.
It’s been a year since the end of Season 4. MM, Frenchie, and Hughie are still in a “Freedom Camp” while Kimiko has been deported, and Starlight has become close with A-Train. After Annie managed to play the Flight 37 clip during a Vought investors meeting, Homelander is angry. This video has been held over his head for seasons. Maeve used it against him, and now it’s finally out.
So he calls for the execution of the boys in the camp, cause that will draw out Annie and Butcher. Something Homelander doesn’t understand: sacrifice and love. So Butcher sees this as the perfect time to get the boys back together. Frenchie is priority #1, cause he can help with the virus.
Homelander now wants to go after every Starlight sympathizer, and feels unstoppable. He’s even got Ashley as the Vice President. Last we saw her she was shooting up V and turning into “Mr. Blue.” She didn’t just become a supe, while also being one heart beat away from becoming the President of the United States of America. She also got hitched. Can’t have a single woman in a job with that much power! Sister Sage knew just who to pair her up with.
Ashley’s new husband is played by the amazing Daveed Diggs, and he’s called, “Oh Father.” In the comic books we meet him at the BELIEVE Expo in issue #45. In the show we saw the BELIEVE Expo in season 1. The show shows Ezekiel there, and Homelander baptizing Hughie, while he’s undercover for the boys. In the comic we meet Oh Father and his 12 underage sidekicks, as a nod to the 12 apostles. They’re called Sidekick Twelve. It’s clear he’s doing things to these children that should cause him to be locked up, and never heard from again. Instead Homelander tells him to be more discreet. Oh Father is the leader of Capes for Christ, and his powers are very fast flight, and strength. Very different from the show.
While talking to Homelander, he asks Oh Father if he knows of any other supes that genuinely want to do good other than Starlight. Oh Father tells him that outside of the Super Duper team, he knows of no other supes. To which Homelander replies, “good” because he’s on a mission for supes to take over the world. Cut to issue #64 and Oh Father has led a team of supes in securing The White House. Homelander is in the oval office, while Oh Father and other flying supers are taken out in the sky by the military who had a weapon capable of targeting supes, due to how their neurons fire as a result of Compound V.
Redemption can be a bitch. Kudos to The Boys social media team encouraging everyone to use the #ThankYouATrain before the new season even started. We had no idea what we were posting. While the show hasn’t ended yet, A-Train, has hands down been the best redemption arc. We kicked off the beginning of the pilot with him completely running through Hughie’s girlfriend, Robin, showing no remorse. As the seasons went on we saw him struggle physically and emotionally. Last season his own brother basically told him to F-off. Now, despite being forced to hide and run, his brother has forgiven him, because he knows he’s doing what’s right. Yet, no good deed goes unpunished.
Eric Kripke warned us no one was safe. You never want to see a good redemption end in tragedy, but honestly, it just makes the redemption that much better. After what had to be a nod to one of the best scenes ever from the Marvel Fox Universe (when Quicksilver busts Magneto out of jail in X-Men: Days of Future Past), A-Train saves Hughie, and meets his demise. A demise that may have been prevented if he hadn’t avoided running through another innocent person. His story started by killing someone because he couldn’t stop running, and ended with him avoiding doing that again. Sometimes villains live long enough to see themselves become a hero. #ThankYouATrain
***With the show being based on a comic from Dynamite Entertainment, I got to assume the title for episode one is also a nod to the show’s origins.
EPISODE TWO:“Teenage Kix”
We kick off with A-Train’s funeral, and everyone looks to be watching something different. As Oh Father preaches, Firecracker is all for it, Ashley looks concerned, the Deep looks as if he’s having a realization (or a coming to Jesus moment), and Homelander looks annoyed. Meanwhile, the boys have the virus ready to be tested with a specific test subject in mind, Rock Hard from “Teenage Kix.” And, Ashley’s true supe power is revealed. She’s a mind reading Voldermort.
Despite her new powers, Ashley can’t read the smartest brain in the world: Sister Sage. Although she does try to talk to her. Ashley still has some humanity in her, and is not loving innocents be rounded up and thrown in Freedom Camps. However, her fear and need to be powerful (in an office and a bedroom) always seems to win out. That and the fact that Sage is always a few steps ahead of her.
When season 3 ended we knew this day would come. Or I was just really hopeful. Soldier Boy was rendered unconscious, and while he may have V-1, they still could have found a way to kill him. Instead they put him on ice for a rainy day. Episode 2 is that rainy day. Homelander wakes up dad. With a hilarious nod to the comics (Soldier Boy slept with Homelander in hopes of getting on the 7- they are not related in the comics) Homelander tells Soldier Boy that if he gets Butcher for him, he’ll bring him onto the 7 and he can live life free again. Soldier Boy continues to be very underwhelmed by his offspring until he sees him order the President to give Soldier Boy a full pardon, and make him a Manhattan.
“Since when do supes tea bag the president?” -Soldier Boy
It seemed like a proud papa moment. Before we know it Soldier Boy tracks down Butcher. He’s more than a pretty face, a glowing chest, and incredibly over sexualized and hilarious one-liners. The virus is tested, and Soldier Boy is immune. However, since Homelander did not get V-1 he is not. So the race is on to find more Super Soldier Serum.
The Final Season of ‘The Boys’ has kicked off beautifully
I am hyped and terrified for how this season is going to end! The first 2 episodes hit the emotions and the gore pretty hard. It only gets more diabolical, as we brace for impact on this final season of THE BOYS. I got to give these 2 episodes 9.5 Manhattans out of 10.
Want to know more about the Comic Books, or listen to interviews with the cast?
Follow myself and Thomas as we continue our ‘Saturdays are for the Boys’ where we break down each comic, and compare it to the show. We also have a couple interviews on this YouTube playlist with some of the cast of the show.
Imperfect Women continues once again this week, with Nancy (Kate Mara). As mentioned before, she was a dancer in her past life, until an injury. Now, her new reality is being the creative consultant of a dance program at a prestigious ballet school. Robert (Joel Kinnaman) says it’s a “volunteer “ thing, and that really hurts Nancy. Robert is one character that I feel has not be supportive of her at all. It seems that he only worries about himself, and the job that he has to work at. In the midst of this, she also starts to work with Howard (Corey Stoll), who is Mary’s husband. He has a knack for knowing sets, and scenes that he can present as part of Nancy’s vision. It seemed like the perfect pairing to get Nancy on track with her job.
Credit: Kate Mara and Corey Stoll in “Imperfect Women,” now streaming on Apple TV.
Nancy’s character still feels insecure as to what happened in last week’s episode. Nancy often leans on Eleanor (Kerry Washington) and Mary (Elisabeth Moss) who give a lot of wise advice. Even just a listening ear, helps Nancy brings down her anxiety. I love that she is such a complex character. It becomes apparent that even though rich, she still has many open wounds in her heart. Something that neither a friend, nor a career, can fix. Of course, this episode test the limits of exactly what Nancy is entangling herself in. When it comes down to it, she seems to making a bold and dangerous choice in this episode.
Credit: Kate Mara and Corey Stoll in “Imperfect Women,” now streaming on Apple TV.
I really love the storytelling with Nancy during this entire series. She has been the most unstable and interesting character. Ever since the first episode, I knew that she would be part of most of the drama. Kate Mara does a wonderful job with portraying all Nancy’s flaws.
What did you think of Season 1 Episode 5? Sound off in the comments below!
Last episode’s cliffhanger has me on edge. Mark (Steven Yeun) is heavily injured, due to Conquest (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) injuring him in battle. Nolan/Omni Man (J.K. Simmons) explains to Oliver that Mark is going to need time to heal. Oliver (Christian Convery) seems in distress, and again, this show is testing the limits. We know from last week’s episode that Oliver now has to share space with Nolan, so that he can make sure his brother is okay. I’m really hoping that Mark can survive this, and I was curious as to how Oliver and Nolan’s relationship will be.
Credit: Courtesy of Prime
EPISODE 6: You Look Horrible
Episode 6 explores different perspectives, as to what is going on, on earth versus where Mark, Nolan, and Oliver are. I really like this episode, because it gives Nolan and Oliver time to breathe. Again, another properly paced animated show, with a lot of depth. I still think that Nolan is continuing his “redemption tour” only because something bigger is on its way. Meaning, some of the Viltramites who are stronger than him. From the trailers, we know as the audience that Thragg is coming, and he might be the strongest and most ruthless character so far. I’m really worried for everyone going forward. I’m certain there will be more blood towards the end of this series.
Overall this was a good episode. I’m wondering if Nolan will recruit more people to fight with him in this Viltramite war. The focus is really on Mark though, and question as to his survival. Oliver needs to get even stronger, as they push forward now more than ever. I’m hoping that something changes, because we know from when Oliver’s mother was alive, he will not out live his brother. I’m very excited for the next episode as this war continues, and the Grayson boys fight on.
What did you think about Invincible Season 4 Episode 6?
Fresh off of being thrown into a cup of tea by Galactako, “Sai: Dimensional Rivals #4” follows the titular hero on her further adventures through the multiverse. Who will she run into next? Will she learn more about the seventh stone? All will be found out in due time…
Writers & Artists: Peach Momoko, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Phil Noto, Jim Mahfood Colorist: Morry Hollowell Letterer: Joe Sabino
Source: Peach Momoko, Marvel Comics
Storytelling At It’s Finest
Where do I even begin here? The writing from all involved here just felt absolutely immaculate. Momoko, Camuncoli, Noto and Mahfood all work their magic to the top of their game. The pacing, the added story details, and the energy all top tier. For example, the entire opening sequence is an absolute marvel. I was in awe of not only how frenetic the writing was, but how well it kept me engaged. I was excitedly reading each word, looking forward to whatever came immediately after. This then stays the energy through the entire rest of the comic.
Additionally, there’s a twist that comes that had me floored in the best way possible. For this reason, I’m now both excited and questioning where the seventh stone is and how this will end in next month’s finale. With how this entire run has been thus far, I just know it’s going to be killer. If you still aren’t reading this run, you need to be. You won’t regret it.
Source: Michael Allred, Laura Allred, Marvel Comics
What’re They Feeding These Artists?
I’m going to start here by saying this with my whole chest… this is the type of artwork that needs to be put in museums. Whatever Peach Momoko fed herself and her fellow artists on this, she needs to keep giving them that. The near complete ignorance to the rules for half the issue just feels so chaotic and refreshing. Simultaneously, all of it works in harmony to rope you in and tie you down to keep you in these worlds.
The penciling and detailing from everyone is an utterly grand showcase of styles that somehow work together like the best soup you’ve ever tasted. Couple that with the insane color and shading skills of Morry Hollowell and you have yourself a whole feast.
Overall – 10/10
What can I say that I didn’t say already? The energy, the pacing, the artwork… everything is top notch. Peach Momoko and crew proved that they came to take the Marvel multiverse by force and that they refuse to be topped. This run is a comic lover’s dream and if you aren’t reading, you need to be.
Power Rangers Prime is in the endgame now. Writer Melissa Flores, Artist Federico Sorress, Colorist Joana Lafuente, and Letterer Ed Dukeshire have created a beautiful final issue.
Power Rangers Prime #16 Variant Cover By Saly Lockheart (Credit: BOOM! Studios)
We kickstart the issue with a quick look to seven months before the team came together. We then cut to Val and Lauren, and they are about to jump into the fight with everyone else. The comic then shows everyone working on stopping their enemies.
We then see a secondary fight happening, and the team’s T-Rex Zord finally gets showcased. Lauren is in the zord’s cockpit, and she is doing everything she can from in there. Meanwhile, the rest of the team have more problems to deal with.
While more enemies show up, the VR Troopers show up to lend an assist. Orion then finishes getting the portal that all of the creatures were coming out of closed for good. The team then recovens, and everyone celebrates together. The end of the issue shows that the team is still together, and fighting enemies together as well.
Overall Grade: 10/10– THIS WAS EVERYTHING I COULD’VE ASKED FOR IN A POWER RANGERS SERIES. I love how Melissa took these characters and made them work together as a really amazing team. I hope we get to see them again.
