Review: Arrow, Season 3 Premiere

It's almost universally acknowledged that Arrow is the best super hero television show on right now, if not ever and a lot of that has to do with its second season. The showrunners created an excellent antagonist in the form of Slade Wilson and only compounded that with the "trinity of evil" with Brother Blood and Isabel Rochev. But can they maintain the momentum into the third season? Most of what we've seen in press releases and teaser trailers leads most to believe that they can. However, a less than remarkable season premiere may prove otherwise.

That's not to say "less than remarkable" means it was bad. For the most part, the episode, "The Calm", gives fans a chance to catch up on what the characters have been doing during the hiatus. Starling City is trying to rebuild after the havoc wreaked by Slade's Mirakuru powered army while Oliver is still broke and no longer in control of his company, Queen Consolidated. However, there are some bright spots on the horizon. Detective Lance has been promoted to Captain and issues a statement pardoning the Arrow, actually thanking him for his help. Diggle and his ex-wife, Lyla, are about to expect their first child. And Felicity is working with the Queen Consolidated board to give Oliver the chance to argue his case for being in control again.

But more than this, "The Calm" offered fans what they've been clamoring for for two years: Oliver and Felicity getting together. While I don't like the idea (seriously, Oliver has already slept with most of the primary ensemble; Felicity would just be another notch in his belt), I can see that I am in the minority on this. And at least their "date" made for a good scene, allowing Oliver to open up about his feelings and his fear of relationships. So at least we can see where he's coming from with his hesitance to get closer to Felicity.

We also got introduced to a new character, Ray Palmer. Comic fans know who Ray is and what he could mean for the series but all we've seen is that he's a scientist/industrialist who is also vying for control of Queen Consolidated. He's basically a more likable, less pretty version of Isabel Rochev. (Don't get me wrong; Brandon Routh is a pretty guy but let's face it, he's no Summer Glau.)

Fans also got the chance to see Roy Harper (Colton Haynes) slip into his Arsenal persona. Though he's never addressed as such, he's fully suited and acting as Oliver's partner in the field, which I thought was a little quick. Granted, most of season 2 set up his eventual rise into the role, and months have passed since he's proven himself in battle in the last season finale, but to see him already in action was sudden for me. What I did like was his uncertainty. For a guy as cocky as Roy, seeing the doubt creep into his face as key points at least helped to strengthen his character, which was sorely needed.

It was a laid back episode, without a doubt, as evidenced by the title itself, "The Calm". The plot itself was formulaic in the way it reintroduced a legacy character into the mix but at least the action and stunts held true to what fans expect from the series. As far as season premieres go, I was pretty bored with this one.

Right up until the last minute.

No, I won't spoil it but I will say that the final minute of the episode is what made sitting through the rest of it worthwhile. That one minute, hopefully, will set the theme for the entire season. That one minute could have changed the course of the show. And because of that one minute, I cannot wait to see next week's episode.

TV Review: Girl Meets World

Anyone that grew up in the 80s and 90s knows about the ABC lineup of programming called TGIF, short for "Thank Goodness It's Funny". Consisting of nostalgic shows like Full House and Perfect Strangers, TGIF enjoyed more than two years of popularity before being phased out in 2000. One popular show from this block was Boy Meets World, a coming-of-age tale of young Cory Matthews who experiences all of the ups and downs of life from middle school to marriage with the aid of his friends. Airing during many people's impressionable years, the show is remembered fondly. So fondly that it's made a resurgence in the form of a spin-off, Girl Meets World which premiered on the Disney Channel just last night.

Focusing on the 12-year-old daughter of Cory and Topanga Matthews, Girl Meets World attempts to introduce the wholesome fun of Boy Meets World to a new generation. Given its Disney Channel roots, it attempts to appeal to a certain demographic, the iCarly/Dog With A Blog/The Suite Life of Zack and Cody crowd, all the while trying to capture the "life lessons" angle of its predecessor. For the most part, it manages to be entertaining with a fairly solid concept, once you get past a few inherent flaws in the execution.

Rowan Blachard plays the role of Riley Matthews. A relative newcomer to acting (not surprising given that she's only 12 years old), Rowan tries to embody the same youthful quirkiness and enthusiasm that Ben Savage gave to his character of Cory 20 years ago. For the most part, it makes her appear awkward and inept; unfortunately I can't tell if that was the end result or not. The real flaw with the approach, however, is that it makes Riley a mini-Cory. Instead of imbuing her with her own personality, they tried to cut a cloth from Cory, taking away from her opportunity to shine.

Riley's best friend is Maya, played by Sabrina Carpenter. With a few additional roles under her belt, Sabrina's character comes off much more natural than Rowan's and at least the pair manage to work well off of each other. Maya is the free-spirit, rebellious, fearless girl who does and says what she wants. Sound familiar? It should because that's the basic description of Cory's childhood best friend, Shawn Hunter (Rider Strong). And at this point, we run into the biggest problem with Girl Meets World; they aren't trying to create new characters. Instead, they are reimagining the characters from Boy. In some cases, this works, such as Maya. But in others, it's downright annoying. Take, for example, Farkle, the class nerd and suck up that proclaims his love for both Riley and Maya and the way they embody two sides of the same coin. Farkel carries himself with a flamboyancy that would make Jack McFarland jealous, leaving viewers to wonder if he wouldn't be more in love with Mr. Matthews instead of his daughter.

"Just Jack...er... Farkle!"

Oh, did I mention that Cory is the new Mr. Feeny? Yes, Riley must endure facing middle school being taught by her father just like Cory had to face middle school taught by his neighbor. This approach flounders hopelessly as you have to wonder if a school board would even place a girl into a class taught by her father. But even this idea is an attempt to ape Boy Meets World. Despite Savage playing Cory, he's attempting to be the role model that Feeny was. And you can see this approach in the class lesson during the pilot episode. "Find a cause you're willing to fight for." Which, of course, strengthens the bond between Riley and Maya over the course of the episode. Meanwhile, the writers completely overlooked a perfect life lesson in a simple line of dialogue Riley proclaims early in the Pilot; she states that she wanted "to be" Maya. Not be like... Be. This, to me, was an even more important plot point, one that could have taught the lessen of the importance of finding oneself and not aspiring to the personality of others. Meanwhile, this gets completely glossed over for the idea of friendship. I won't argue that that's not an important lesson to learn, just one that should take a backseat to being happy with oneself.

But all of this pales in comparison to the show's biggest disappointment: the laugh track. The fact that they included a laugh track is understandable, even if it is slightly insulting. However, it was used far too often, and far too annoyingly. The recorded laughter sounded like it was being played back through an aquarium filled with petroleum jelly, giving it an abrasive echoing timbre. At first I thought it was a problem with my speakers but the rest of the show sounded fine. It almost made the show unwatchable.

By the end of it, Girl Meets World shows promise. It's not your standard Disney Channel fair, putting a group of tweens into insurmountable situations and allowing the hijinks to ensue. Instead, it tries to recreate the tone of 90s sitcoms and does so well enough. Even a few of the throwbacks to Boy Meets World were done cleverly enough, such as naming Riley's school "John Quincey Adams Middle School". If the writers are willing to tone down the caricatures a bit and give the new cast personalities of their own, I could see Girl Meets World being a worthy successor to Boy Meets World.

TV Review: Dominion

One of the great ironies in my life is my affinity for angels. I'm not a religious person yet I'm drawn toward almost anything portraying angels, so much so that my debut novel uses the concept as a central point. So when I heard that the new Syfy show, Dominion, would feature angels prominently, I marked my calendar to check it out.

Dominion is based on the 2010 film Legion, in which the archangel Gabriel leads the army of Heaven against humanity only to be fought back by fellow archangel, Michael. I wondered why Syfy would create a show based on a movie that garnered a 20% rating on Rotten Tomatoes but then I remembered that this is the network that brought us Sharknado and Alien Apocalypse with Bruce Campbell, so things started to make sense. The thing is, I kind of enjoyed Legion in a "brainless, post-apocalyptic action movie" sort of way so to discover that Dominion follows its storyline was a plus for me.

The thing about Dominion is it's a trope-fest: post-apocalyptic future, forbidden love, "the chosen one". They even managed to work in a co-ed shower scene a la Starship Troopers and Spider-Man's "With great power comes great responsibility". It's like the writers, one of which is the show's creator Vaun Wilmott, just rifled through a book of overused television plots and worked as many of them into the pilot as possible. Despite that, the show seems to work, meshing all of these different concepts well enough to create an entertaining pilot.

So far, Dominion's weak point seems to be its casting. Christopher Egan plays Alex, one of the show's main characters. Though he's got a few roles under his belt, Egan isn't really a big name actor and doesn't bring a lot of gravitas to the role. He plays the part of a rebellious soldier fed up with his life until a great responsibility falls into his lap. His emotional range falls between angry and sulking. The lowest point, however, is the role of Michael. Played by Paul Bettany in Legion, Dominion's Michael is represented by emo poster-boy Tom Wisdom. Intentionally flat and emotionless, Wisdom is hardly believable as a tough as nails, battle-hardened archangel. Though he pulled off his well-choreographed action scene well enough, Wisdom just doesn't exude the right aura for Michael.

But that's not to say the casting is all bad. Dominion did manage to bring on a couple of acting veterans in the form of Alan Dale and Anthony Head. The two represent the warring political factions that make up the show's subplot and bring a bit of authority to the series. Though Dale was underused in the pilot episode, I do hope that he manages to get a bit of additional screentime going forward. Head, on the other hand, takes center stage as the show seems to really make him the focus. And as expected, Head nails the role of devious politician, even going so far as to suppress his trademarked British accent. (Can you trademark an accent? You should be able to...)

One benefit Dominion has going for it is that it is a spin-off of an established property. This gives it the ability to forego delving into past events and answering questions of "What happened?" as so many other shows are fond of doing and instead focus on what's going to happen. Dominion even has a companion website, www.enterdominion.com, that supports this theory, where fans of the show can read up on the war against angels and humans and learn more about what happened, as well as learning about the different characters and locations. It also manages to give the show a rich history and continuity without having to bog it down with filler week after week.  It's because of this angle, and the pretty strong pilot episode, that I'm willing to give Dominion a chance and at the very least add it to my DVR library.

TV Review: 24: Live Another Day

Jack is back! How many times have you heard that phrase in the last few weeks? Even if you're a fan of the show 24 as I am, it got to be a little repetitive to the point of being annoying. Despite the over-aggressive promotional blitz Fox took to get the word out of the new season, I am truly happy that Jack Bauer, in the form of Kiefer Sutherland, is back on the air, fighting terrorists and and kicking all kinds of ass.

24: Live Another Day is a bit of a misnomer as the new season is only twelve episodes long, working out to be about twelve hours. It still follows the show's real-time format. This time, Jack is in London England, not ironically at the same time that the President of the United States is visiting to push the idea of a US-controlled drone base on British land upon the Prime Minister. Given what Jack did during last season, kidnapping ex-President Charles Logan and murdering Russian diplomats, he is a wanted criminal so finding him on-shore is a big success for CIA team station there.

The real-time format isn't the only part of the show that's rolled over into the new season. It seems the head of operations of the CIA team, Steve Harris (played by Benjamin Bratt) is just as inept as some of the people chosen to lead CTU in previous seasons. Numerous times during the first two hours did he refuse to listen to members of his team, leading to disaster for the CIA and complete missteps. Seeing this so early into the season got me a little annoyed as the clear idiocy of some of the characters was one of the most irritating things about the show. It's clearly meant to prove to the audience that Jack is just "that good" but fails to make anything exciting. Hell, if the CIA was really that incompetent, then I could be "that good".

One thing that I really liked was the strong female characters of the new season. Yvonne Strahovski plays Kate Morgan, a disgraced agent who is in the midst of being transferred back to the States after it's learned her husband was found guilty of selling secrets to the Chinese. She spends half of the first episode moping around as she packs up her things and has her clearance taken away from her but eventually steps into a role where her gut instinct outshines those around her. It was nice to see a new woman in the show that has the fortitude to lead a team that isn't Chloe O'Brian. Granted, 24 has never shied away from strong women in past seasons but most of them have still taken a backseat to the men. My only complaint about Kate is the backstory they pegged her with, making her an instant pariah because of what her husband did.

Michelle Fairley also makes a couple of brief appearances in the first two episodes. Best known for her role as Catelyn Stark on Games of Thrones, Fairley's character is mostly played in the shadows, pulling the strings of the nefarious plot against the American President (or so it seems up to this point). It's not at all clear just how she plays into the story but the fact that a woman is leading the evil side is pretty bold. 24 hadn't had a strong female antagonist since Nina Myers of seasons 1 and 2. And just knowing that Fairley is attached to the show gets me even more excited for what's to come.

But Jack Bauer isn't the only returning character this season. Chloe is back and with a pretty severe makeover. It's revealed that she served prison time for helping Jack escape custody last season and since her release, she's been working with an Wiki-Leaks-type organization, hacking into databases, gathering secret intel and dispersing it on the internet. Despite the new look, Mary Lynn Rajskub plays Chloe as she always has; curt, cocksure and intelligent. At this point, no season of 24 would be complete without her.

But also returning are Audrey Raines and James Heller (Kim Raver and William Devane). We last saw this pair back in season six when Jack, who was romantically linked to Audrey, left her after a grueling ordeal with the Chinese government. This season, Heller is the new President and Audrey is married to his Chief of Staff. Neither of them know about Jack's appearance in London in the first two episodes so it should be interesting to see how this plot plays out. (Question: Given that Devane plays a President here as well as in The Dark Knight Rises, does that mean the two exist in the same continuity?)

It was surprising that 24 was cancelled just after season 8. But clearly the show had a strong following and a tight-knit production team and was able to cobble together at least a half-season of story. And even though it's technically misnamed with just twelve episodes, I think that it could work better than a full season. One thing that marred a lot of the early seasons of 24 was senseless filler, subplots used to pad out the episodes (the scene with Kim Bauer facing down a mountain lion immediately springs to mind). By trimming it down to half the episodes, the show is able to really concentrate on the important storyline. And judging by the first two episodes, it looks like the writers have a good handle on it.

So, once again, Jack is back. Which is a good thing since prime time just wasn't the same without him.

TV Review: Cosmos

Sunday was such a busy day for television that there was no way I would be able to enjoy everything that I wanted to in one day. I did manage to check out the premiere episode of Resurrection on ABC and the latest episode of Spike TV's Bar Rescue. However, one show that I really wanted to wtach on Sunday was Cosmos: A Spacetime Oddessy on Fox. Hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Cosmos is a 21st century update to the 1980 Carl Sagan show of the same name. So when I came home from work Monday evening, I fired up the old DVR to check out the debut episode.

The show follows a similar model of Sagan's Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, with Tyson zipping around the universe on the "Spaceship of Imagination". The first third of the episode introduces viewers to the grand scheme of things, visiting our solar system, galaxy, and the observable universe as a whole. Tyson provides insight into definitions of most everything, explaining why our human minds can't even comprehend the vastness of our universe.

After this, the show begins to narrow, giving viewers a history lesson paired in the form of some stylized animations. The purpose of these segments is to teach about the pioneers of science as we know it, with the debut episode focusing on Giordano Bruno, the 16th century philosopher who first defied all conventional knowledge by introducing the idea that the Universe goes far beyond what was believed.

I really liked how they used the show as a tribute to the late Carl Sagan. The showmakers took a sound clip of Sagan from the original run, making his the first voice the viewers hear. It was also a nice touch that the first shot is of Tyson on the same cliff that Sagan stood on to introduce his show 34 years ago. Both were very nice touches that honored a pioneer in the field and made learning about science, the world and the universe cool.

The first half of the episode was slightly awkward to watch. The CGI Universe that Tyson explored and the constantly swelling orchestral soundtrack made the show feel more like a movie that you watch on the ceiling at the Planetarium rather than a prime-time show dedicated to teaching science. Luckily, it settles into an easier stride and becomes engrossing as it pinpoints on its subject. I'm not saying that I didn't enjoy the first act; I was absolutely engrossed by it. My problem was just with the vast universe that they showed, and the CGI that was used really defined that this show is educational over everything else.

The wonder of Cosmos is that it brings these insane concepts, things that people always wonder about but never have the energy to actually learn, to the forefront, making the information available to everyone. But Cosmos takes the information and breaks it down in simple, easy-to-digest pieces instead of stacking everything on top of people's plates. In light of the recent "debate" between science enthusiast Bill Nye and creationist Ken Hamm, it's clear that regular availability to scientific information is necessary and I'm hoping that Cosmos becomes the source for that.

I also don't think there's an irony in the show being sponsored by Samsung Galaxy...or maybe there is.

TV Review: Resurrection

A boy wakes up in a rice field in rural China. He has no idea how he got there, but he manages to make it back home to the United States. There, he catches the attention of J. Martin Bellamy of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Bellamy takes the boy back to his family in Arcadia, Missouri only to learn that the boy died 32 years ago.

All of this happens in the first ten minutes of Resurrection, the new show on ABC. Based on the promotional blitz for Resurrection, it would seem the network has a lot riding on it being a success. Commercials counting down the minutes to the premiere aired all throughout the newest episode of Once Upon A Time, to the point of becoming tiresome. So either ABC really believes that Resurrection is prime-time's second coming (see what I did there?) or they'll lose some big money if it fails.

The mystery behind the show is intriguing. People miraculously returning from the dead is definitely the kind of thing that makes me interested in finding out more. And the first episode doesn't give any insight as to what happened to Jacob, the little boy who came back from the dead. It also opens up a few other questions, like what if the dead could talk?

We learn that the day Jacob died, his aunt drowned with him. Jacob's family is under the impression that he fell into the river first and his aunt tried to save him. However, Jacob's story sheds a different light on the situation, claiming that his aunt went into the river first, and it was he who tried to save her. He also says that someone else was at the river that day. This throws the family's beliefs into disarray, contradicting everything they've accept for the last three decades. And it's not an easy pill to swallow for them either; we see that it throws their family dynamic into turmoil and dredges up secrets from the past.

I watched the show because of the cast. Omar Epps, best know for his role as Foreman on House, plays Bellamy. He takes the first episode in stride, giving the mystery of the return of a dead boy as much straight-faced questioning as he can. He comes off as skeptical, unsure of what to make of his situation. Epps plays the role well enough but always seems to be a misplaced Foreman. His lack of emotion isn't uncharacteristic given Bellamy's detachment to the situation, but doesn't always seem natural.

Kurtwood Smith plays Henry Langston, Jacob's aged father. Smith manages to outshine Epps with his nuanced emotions; the sight of his dead son returning to him is borderline heart-wrenching. He's completely torn on the revelation; he wants this boy to be his son but his logical side knows that it's not possible. We get a scene of Henry revisiting a memory, a happier time with Jacob, and it overwhelms him. It's how we would expect a parent to react when confronted with the impossible as Henry is, and Smith is remarkable in the role.

My problem with Resurrection, and it's a big one, is what it's trying to accomplish. It seems that the show is tugging on the heartstrings of sentimentality. And though the circumstances surrounding Jacob's return are indeed mysterious, the cast points this out at every opportunity. My concern, though, is that once the mystery is solved, the show loses everything that makes it interesting. But by dragging it on for too long, it runs the risking of irritating its viewers who hunger for answers. So how does ABC make a show like this work?

Having such an open concept, Resurrection needs intriguing characters to keep viewers interested. From the first episode, however, I'm not seeing that this is the case. We get a bunch of people that we want to like, like the elderly couple that lost their son 32 years ago and chose to remain childless after that, but they really haven't shown me anything that would keep me interested. Also, take Bellamy; he was a cop that became an ICE agent. That's all we know about him. We can tell he's got a soft spot for kids and his wife/girlfriend recent left him, but other than that, he's pretty much a blank slate.

I'm not sure how well Resurrection would fare in the current climate of network television. It's got a strong enough premise to do pretty well, and may manage to capture the hang-around Once Upon A Time viewers. But the main problem is that it's too philosophical, tackling a subject matter that would make too many people uncomfortable. Of course, ABC hasn't shied away from philosophical in the past, making Lost a runaway success for six years. OK, five years. If Resurrection manages to capture even a fraction of the magic that Lost generated in its first season, then there shouldn't be a problem. The bad news is, that doesn't seem to be the case from the pilot.

TV Review: Star-Crossed

As I tend to go to the gym on Monday nights (a habit that started last week), I had to make sure to DVR the Pilot for the new series Star-Crossed so I fired up the trusty Optimum app on my cell phone to do so. Strangely, one of the shows that was listed as "More Like This" was SeaLab 2021, a hilarious animated short series that aired on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim during the early Aughts. Though slightly skeptical, I held out hope that if Star-Crossed was anything remotely similar to SeaLab, despite nothing in the commercials even implying anything like this, then I may have found my new favorite show.

Yeah, the two shows are nothing alike.

Anyway, Star-Crossed starts in 2014. A spaceship crash lands on Earth and is quickly surrounded by the United States military. The aliens, from a planet called Atria, are gathered up and sequestered in squalid living conditions called "The Sector". Ten years later, it's decided that seven Atrian teens would be allowed to attend a public school as a way to integrate the aliens into human society. Of course, that doesn't go over too well with a species so paranoid and xenophobic that they refuse to accept multiple languages being spoken in one country so of course protests are held and tensions are raised within the halls of the school.

This was the only image from the show of
Aimee Teegarden by herself I could find.

The show focuses on Emery, played by Aimee Teegarden, a shy suburban girl whose father happens to be an agent assigned to guard the Sector. She's special in the sense that she's spent the last four years in a hospital due to an "immune deficiency" and is facing the stress of going to public school for the first time in years. Her new experience is meant to mirror that of the alien teenagers, both them and her facing the new danger that is high school, but whereas Emery is easily accepted by her peers, the Atrians have a much harder time fitting in.

The Pilot opens with an intense scene of violence and friendship. After the crash of the alien ship, a young boy is encouraged by his father to run. He hides in an old shed behind Emery's house where she discovers him and shows him kindness, bringing him a blanket and food. But the military track him down and callously shoot him in front of the little girl, an act that would no doubt emotionally scar a child. This scene, by itself, was gripping, and had me ignoring my Sloppy Joe dinner until it was over. I couldn't believe the intensity that they put into it, especially given that this is a love story on The CW. Unfortunately, that intensity wears off rather quickly as the show progresses. Emery grows up thinking the boy was dead but soon discovers one of the new boys in school, Roman (Matt Lanter, who voices Anakin Skywalker in The Clone Wars), is the boy that survived the attack, which gives them an instant connection.

Clearly the show is an amalgamation of an allegory over the paranoia and unease Americans (and humans in general) feel when threatened by outsiders and the Shakespeare-inspired love story of two people whose families do not mesh together (as evidenced by the title itself). And while it hits both of these themes square on the head, it does so in such a heavy-handed way that it's hard not to notice them. There's no subtlety over the tensions surrounding the integration, or the attraction Emery and Roman feel. The two make silly choices to help each other even at the risk of their own safety. But at the end of the day (episode?) everything they do seems to make sense and remain in character.

The idea of aliens crash-landing on Earth isn't even the most outlandish concept in the show. Let's consider that a public school is so high tech as to have fingerprint-enabled lockers, automated food dispensers in the cafeteria and a holographic American flag to pledge allegiance to. While I can accept that the technology has advance that far in the next ten years, especially given what scientists would be able to engineer after assimilating the alien's tech (which is likely what happened based on the technology we see in The Sector), I don't believe that it would integrated within the public schools in the span of a decade. Public schools, run by tax dollars, generally don't splurge for the highest of tech. I'm thinking lockers with fingerprint technology wouldn't be all that high on the budget next to teachers, books, and computers and bake sales and wrapping paper drives can only generate so much income.

It's hard for me to really pass judgement on a show like Star-Crossed, mostly because the love story aspect just doesn't appeal to me. It basically boils down to X-Files meets Dawson's Creek and even though, under normal circumstances, that would add up to Roswell, it lacks even the supernatural elements Roswell had (for the most part). Star-Crossed is layered in melodramatics that make for interesting television, but not necessarily good television. Take, for example, the name of the home planet, Atria, the anatomical structure of the heart. Given the first episode, we're to see that the aliens have more compassion than the humans. Again, completely heavy-handed and in-your-face symbolism, yet it somehow works. While I don't think I'm going to be making Star-Crossed part of my regular viewing schedule, I can see it being one of the CW's more popular shows.

TV Review: Helix

If there's one credit worth giving to Syfy, it's that they never stop trying. Despite producing some pretty terrible Made-For-TV movies, they just keep going at it. Whether it's their films, specials, or serials, Syfy seems to keep a bunch of low-rent writers employed. But every now and then, something they make rises to the top and is not only tolerable but good.

Their newest series, Helix, aired just the other night (and all throughout the next day but that's a different story). The show centers on a team of doctors with the CDC (Center for Disease Control) who are called up to an Arctic research station to investigate a mysterious virus that has infected three of the scientists there.

For the most part, it sounds like the trappings of a low budget movie but in actuality, Helix has most of what it takes to create a creepy thriller. Isolated locale. The threat of an unknown disease. And judging from the first two episodes, "Pilot" and "Vector", it takes advantages of these pretty well. "Pilot" introduces to the dangers fairly early, pulling the characters into the plot within the first few minutes. I like Billy Campbell as Dr. Alan Farragut, the shows main character. After seeing Campbell in the first two seasons of The Killing, I appreciate his abilities. He's got a great on-screen presence and brings a lot of gravitas to the show.

Assisting Farragut are Drs. Julia Walker (Kyra Zagorsky) and Sarah Jordan (Jordan Hayes). Here, the premise gets to be a little cliche as Walker is Farragut's ex while Jordan clearly has a thing for the man, despite being nearly half his age. All that aside, Zagorsky also brings some great qualities to the show, exhibiting a wide range of emotion while maintaining the composure a CDC quality doctor should have. Hayes, on the other hand, doesn't thrill me as much of the rest. She's by no means a bad actress, but her time spent of screen just seems to fall flatter than the rest. It may be, however, that most of the time her character has to prove herself as she's not taken as seriously due to her young age. I am hoping that this turns around at some point.

The station is run by Hiroshi Hatake, played to perfect mystery by Hiroyuki Sanada. Sanada recently showed up The Wolverine and luckily, his part is better played here. Hatake comes off as a shady guy, obviously telling the doctors half-truths and hiding things from them, but when he speaks you want to believe what he says. The writers are playing him up pretty well, keeping his cards close to the vest for some later reveals down the line, which I'm cool with. I want to know what's happening with this guy so I'm willing to trudge through and find out more about him.

But probably the most enticing performance is by Neil Napier, who plays Alan's brother, Peter Farragut. Peter is one of the initial three infected doctors and what make his so interesting is that he doesn't die from it. It changes him, makes him something more than human, but less at the same time. Napier barely says a word through out the first two episodes but each time he shows up, things turn creepy. The whole basis of the show is the horrors that face the doctors in their search for the disease and Napier certainly brings the horror.

What worries me about Helix, however, is its staying power. Many recent shows, like Lost, The Killing, and even 24 are based on such short-sighted premises that once the initial question is answered (What's going on with the island? Who killed Rosie Larsen? Where is the bomb?) gets answered, where does the show go from there? Is Helix meant to be a two- or three-season endeavor, with a planned end once the secret to the disease is discovered and eradicated? or, if the show actually takes off, with Syfy milk it for all it's worth, turning the final product into a shell of itself?

From just the first two episodes, Helix really appealed to me. For the most part, the characters were interesting enough for me to become emotionally invested in them, and I really loved the creepy atmosphere that it created. I was excited to see that the third episode was available On Demand, so I immediately jumped into that after the first two. I'm looking forward to see what else comes down the pipe and to learn more about just what the hell is happening at that station.

Lock, Stock, Some Smoking Barrels and Burton Guster's Goblet of Fire

Psych is back! The eighth season of USA Network's hilarious buddy comedy about a faux psychic premiered last night, which may be one of last times this happens. The newest episodes brings Shawn and Gus across the pond to England, there at the request of Interpol to help work a case of a vicious gang leader who manages to keep his tracks covered well enough to elude capture for too long. The agent requesting their help?

Pierre Despereaux (Cary Elwes), the world-renowned art thief that crossed paths with Shawn and Gus in the past. As it turns out, Despereaux is the cover for Interpol agent Roy Staley. Staley needs Shawn to infiltrate the gang of Ronnie Ives, a tough as nails gangster who is working on his next big heist. Ives' choice for get-away driver bears a striking resemblence to Shawn which gives Interpol the chance to pass him off as part of the gang.

Whereas the most recent Psych special, Psych: The Musical, came up lacking in a lot of Psych-isms, "Lock, Stock, Some Smoking Barrels and Burton Guster's Goblet of Fire" is loaded with the show's standard eccentric humor. Much of it revolves around Gus' excitement to go to a Harry Potter convention. This little trope allowed the writers to make numerous Harry Potter references, like when Gus chases down a man who looks like Rupert Grint, or when he throws a handful of smoke powder at the ground shouting "Expecto Patronum", and the ridiculous line of "I came here to drink my weight in butterbeer".

The episode also makes a play on the differences between American and British culture. The whole idea of "spotted dick" makes a couple of punchlines by itself, as well as Shawn and Gus' inability to understand a lot of what other's say. The episode is introduced with a voiceover from Shawn explaining their situation, with him "translating" a few British colloquialisms and describing Interpol as those people that make the warnings on the DVDs.

In addition to Cary Elwes, "Lock, Stock, Some Smoking Barrels..." boasts two other pretty big guest stars. The first is Olivia d'Abo, who plays a member of Ronnie Ives gang, Dierdre. Given Psych's penchant for putting 80s nostalgia on a pedestal, d'Abo's casting is perfect. After all, she played Kevin Arnold's older sister on the classic show, The Wonder Years.

But far more perfect is the inclusion of Vinnie Jones as Ronnie Ives. Jones is a famous British actor who's made a name for himself as a rough, gruff thug in most of Guy Ritchie's movies. Besides playing a similar character to his other roles, Jones is able to show off his humorous side a bit. Though he plays the straight man for most of the comedy, he is able to get a few punchlines for himself.

The seventh season of Psych had a few funny moments but for the most part didn't live up to the quality of the earlier episodes. But "Lock, Stock, Some Smoking Barrels..." really brought its A-game to the newest season, giving me high hopes of what's to come. Given that word on the street is that the eighth season is going to be its last, I'm hoping the writers decide to pull no stops and make this one of, if not the, best seasons to date. Even though I'll be sad to see it go, I want nothing more than for it to go out as high as possible.

And I'm really hoping that "Pottering", the act of jumping from something high while holding a broomstick so that it looks like you're flying, gets itself a resurgence.

Psych: The Musical

If I were to rank my favorite television shows, I'm pretty sure Psych would be in the top 10 somewhere. Maybe even top 5. I'm not sure what the exact number would be as I'm just too lazy to really figure out my favorite shows but yeah, Psych is definitely up there. It just has so much that appeals to me: the dynamic between Shawn and Gus, the themed episodes, and the big-name guest stars they always seem to attract.

Even though the seventh season of Psych ended back in May, USA Network held back the final two episodes to air as a two hour special. Remember how I mentioned one of the draws of the show was the themes? These episodes are no different. But the theme they chose is a little off-kilter.

This special two-parter is a musical.

That's right. Unlike most other long-running television programs (with a few notable exceptions), Psych tackles the idea of a musical-themed episode. As I'm not a fan of musicals in general, I was a little nervous that the special would come off as hokey or ridiculous. But I trust the Psych writers as they tend to have more hits than misses and this two-parter was put together well, maintaining the spirit of the show and the characters.

Psych: The Musical opens with a careful introduction to the players, namely Shawn and Gus (James Roday and Dulé Hill, respectively). "Under The Santa Barbara Skies" explains Shawn's long con of pretending to be a psychic so that he can assist the Santa Barbara Police Department with solving homicide cases. It's an effective way to make the special accessible to new viewers that may not be aware of the show's premise. The song also serves a secondary purpose, to introduce Shawn's feeling of dread that something bad is about to befall Santa Barbara.

"Under Santa Barbara Skies" is well sung and well choreographed, slowly easing viewers into the idea of a full blown musical. It maintains the same clever Psych-style of humor, such as the West Side Story reference of Gus encircling a knife-wielding thug. This is far from the only reference in the episode, which also has a recurring joke of Gus trying out for a musical version of Disney's Wall-E. There's also a clever reference to Shawn's fascination with actor Billy Zane with his comment of "There is no other Phantom" when someone mentions The Phantom of the Opera.

Most of the songs were on point, like "I've Heard It Both Ways" in which Shawn and Detective Lassiter (Timothy Omundson) try to prove their theories as right and the other's as completely ludicrous. What makes it such a great scene is how well Omundson and Roday play off of each other; their constant back-and-forth is a staple of the show, with Lassiter trying to keep his cool while Shawn always trying to get his goat. That kind of dynamic comes out well in this number.

The episode's lowest point comes from coroner Woody (Kurt Fuller) despite my affection for the character. His song, "Often It's the Opposite" just comes off as bland and rhythm-less. It spends too much time focusing on Woody's sad love life than adding anything to the plot which, I suppose, is the point but it seemed more like filler than anything else. As if they were just trying to shoehorn the character into the story.

But without a doubt, my favorite part of the episode was Gus. It's fairly common knowledge that Dulé Hill is an accomplished dancer, having starred off-Broadway alongside Savion Glover in Bring In Da' Noise, Bring In Da' Funk. This isn't the first time he's shown off his tap skills in the show, but it's probably the best use of them. I also loved "Jamaican Inspector Man", a song Gus "wrote" in an attempt to score a part in the fictional musical the episode revolves around.

Though I can't say Psych: The Musical is the best episode(s) of the series, it's probably the best of the season. It manages to retain most of the charm of the show, sticking closely to its theme and working as many of the series' in-jokes into the script as possible. Though the concept behind the show, the idea of Shawn's fake psychic powers, gets pushed to the back burner here, with his hyper-vigilance being barely used. Despite that, I look forward to adding Psych: The Musical to my DVD collection.

Happy 50th to The Doctor: My Thoughts on Day Of The Doctor

For the longest time, I tried to avoid Doctor Who despite hearing nothing but good things about it. It wasn't because of some sort of ignorant refusal to watch the show. I really just didn't want to have something else on my plate. But then my wife started watching it and she got hooked. After a while, I started watching a few episodes here and there and before I knew it, I was looking forward to Saturday nights and revisiting the Chris Eccleston episodes. While I wouldn't consider myself a "Whovian" I do think of myself as a fan. With that in mind, I was very much anticipating the 50th Anniversary special, "Day of the Doctor" to see how the showrunner, Stephen Moffat, would celebrate the occasion

The true face of a Whovian.

Watching the pre-show for the anniversary episode almost ruined the entire mood for me, mostly because it was so awkward and hard to watch. It was hosted by a woman named Veronica Belmont. No, I have no idea who she is or why I should care about her opinion of Doctor Who. They should have gotten someone like Chris Hardwick to host this thing; he at least has a personality. Or better yet, Alan Kistler; he literally wrote the book on Doctor Who. But whatever. Thankfully, it was only 20 minutes long and I managed to get through it unscathed.

It's hard to write about an episode of Doctor Who mostly because of how much actually happens. "Day of the Doctor" is no exception to this. I'm not even going to try to remain vague about my thoughts because to do so would make me sound like a rambling madman. So if you go forward, be careful. In the words of River Song... Spoilers.

Firstly, let me say that I loved the chemistry between David Tennant and Matt Smith. A lot of Who fans were turned off by Smith's portrayal when he was first introduced, seeing him as too over-the-top in the role but I've always enjoyed Eleven. I like the energy and humor he brings to the show but seeing him on screen with David Tennant was just amazing. The two men play off each other well, with both of them being so completely in touch with the character of the Doctor. Granted, both of them have defined the Doctor in their own way, giving him unique personalities in their times in the role. And even though, for the most part, Ten and Eleven are so completely different, they share a lot of the same characteristics. And this really shows during this episode.

"Day of the Doctor" brings John Hurt's Doctor to the forefront. Introduced to audiences at the end of the Season Seven finale, there have been questions surrounding where Hurt's Doctor fits into the timeline. In that episode, Eleven tells Clara that he's the face of a broken promise. While dramatic, it didn't really shine any light on who he is. But "Day of the Doctor" changed all that.

Hurt played the role amazingly, so very much different from the jovial, light-hearted Doctors of Tennant and Smith. He is run down, tired, ready to do the unthinkable for a moments peace. In essence, given where he fits into the time-line, Hurt's portrayal was spot on.

The way they attacked the plot was...inventive, to say the least. Moffat took a defining moment in the life of the Doctor and basically negated it, without changing a thing. Given the change, the Doctor would still develop the way he was meant to, becoming the man that has appeared throughout the show these last 50 years. You would expect not absolutely nothing different, even though the history of the Doctor is completely different. It was clever and ridiculously entertaining.

But what does change is the numbering. Knowing that Hurt was the face of the Doctor before the death of Gallifrey would mean that everyone ascends. William Hartnell would technically be the second Doctor, Patrick Troughton the third, with Matt Smith being number Twelve."Day of the Doctor" also recognizes this, making a reference to thirteen total Doctors, which would include Matt Smith's replacement, Peter Capaldi, who will make his debut in next month's Christmas special. So is the change in numbering going to be agreed upon? Given the voracious nature of Doctor Who fans, I doubt it will be accepted lightly.

Really, the only thing that bother me about the episode was the use of Billie Piper. Rose Tyler is arguably the best Doctor's companion of the series so to hear that Piper would be included in the anniversary special was great news. But, technically, Rose Tyler didn't appear in the episode; Piper plays an interpretation of Rose that tries to convince the Doctor of a major mistake he will make. The episode is essentially an interpretation of A Christmas Carol with Piper acting as the Ghost of Christmas Future. It was by no means a detriment to the episode, but I was hoping for the real Rose.

It was also great to see Tom Baker again.

I tend to get worried when an event receives as much hype as "Day of the Doctor" has. Not because it's not warranted but usually it doesn't live up to the hype.I have to say, though, that "Day of the Doctor" was pretty amazing. It was a great special in the middle of a fantastic show and a wonderful way to let a new actor shine in the role of the Doctor. I would love to see more of the Doctor in his days on Gallifrey, days before the penance he pays after destroying his entire race. Luckily, fans will be able to relive the episode over and over as it's already been announced to be released on Blu-Ray on December 10, just in time for Christmas. I know my wife has already put it on her list to Santa.

Review: Almost Human

Historically, science fiction shows don't last on television. Sure, there have been a few exceptions throughout the years, like Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, and Doctor Who, but for the most part, the best a sci-fi series can hope to accomplish is garner a strong cult following. Luckily, that doesn't stop the networks from taking risks on new sci-fi based shows. Even though most of them aren't worth the time to watch them, every now and then there's one with a little bit of promise.

Last night, Fox premiered its newest foray into science fiction with Almost Human, a buddy-cop drama with a premise similar to Small Wonder. In the future, the police force is spread so thin that human officers need to be team up with android partners called "Synthetics". The show focuses on John Kennex, an officer with a lot of baggage, both physical and emotional. Kennex holds a grudge against the idea of synthetic partners, blaming one for the loss of his last human partner in a raid gone bad and as a result, opposes being partnered with one. But his commanding officer, Maldonado, chooses an out-dated model of synthetic as his partner, one that was decommissioned due to a known issue with emotional responses.

Almost Human opens fantastically in the middle of the raid that screws up Kennex, showing us how he became the person he is in the show. The production values of a full scale shoot out were simply amazing, proving that the show makers are sparing no expense to pull off their vision. Karl Urban, best known for his role as Bones in the latest Star Trek films as well as the titular role of 2012's Dredd, plays Kennex. He brings a natural, tough-guy air to the role, showing audiences how much of a hard-ass he can be. In the first scene, we see Kennex refuse to leave his partner despite the protestations of the synthetic he is with. This shows us that Kennex values human bonds over logical thinking, an idea that is alien to androids. The pilot's director also gave a humorous nod to one of Urban's other roles, showing a shot from a first-person view, a la Doom. It was quick and almost imperceptible but hilarious none the less.

Michael Ealy plays DRN, pronounced "Dorian", the defunct synthetic that gets paired up with Kennex. Unlike the other androids in the show, Dorian does have the ability to feel and think critically, giving Ealy the opportunity to actually act, which he does pretty well. As an android, Dorian is self-aware, knowing what is required of him in certain situations but he also gives off that "fish out of water" vibe when faced with something new, such as when Kennex tries to turn him off with a synthetic command. It makes for a light-hearted moment in an otherwise heavy drama.

The rest of the cast does well enough. Lili Taylor is Maldonado, the police captain who cares for and trusts Kennex. In all honesty, I'm not sure she is the "captain" as I don't think it's explicitly stated in the pilot but whatever. Maldonado is the reason Kennex is still on the force; after the trauma that he goes through it's hard to understand how any psychiatrist would clear Kennex for active duty a mere 17 months after losing his partner and his leg. It would only be through the actions of a high ranking police official that Kennex get his gun and shield back, and that's Maldonado. Taylor manages to carry her own weight in the show and I can see her being a driving force in future episodes. Honestly, I like her character more than I do Orlando Jones' in Sleepy Hollow, so I'm good with this.

The other female character is Minka Kelly's Valerie Stahl, a detective that works alongside Kennex. It's clear that she admires Kennex but why is never made clear. What is clear is that the show runners are setting up some sort of romantic interest between these two.

I was really impressed with the depths of the science fiction the show portrayed, setting up the city in amazing ways. They managed to maintain a feeling of familiarity. Buildings, highways and even a few models of cars all look like they do in present day. But what I really liked is the way the sprinkled in some of the fantastic, like the idea of fully synthetic limbs and hoop-shaped vehicles. By not imagining the world was completely transformed in the span of 35 years, it made the science fiction seem less hokey. When it comes to sci-fi, it's really easy to go overboard with the idea of what could happen, which could turn the show into an ongoing Demolition Man. But by not being so liberal with the "fiction" part of the sci-fi, it makes the show easier to relate to.

I've watched a lot of new shows this season and have been impressed by many more than I expected. Almost Human is one of those shows. I really liked the character of John Kennex and look forward to seeing more of his relationship with Dorian. They set up a great scenario for the first episode, cleverly introducing a secret conspiracy and, in essence, an underlying enemy for the show's protagonist. Even though it looks like the show will devolve into a standard police procedural, I was thoroughly impressed with the pilot and look forward to seeing episode two tonight.