DCEU News: Aquaman sequel reveals casting, Penguin gets a spin off and more

It's been somewhat of a busy September and with DCFanDome set to make a big splash next month, here's a rundown of what this month revealed to us in the world of DC.

Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom not only revealed a new look for the title character but also confirmed that Patrick Wilson and Randall Park will be reprising their roles as Orm and Stephen Shin. On top of that, it was also confirmed that Vincent Regan will play King Atlan, Indya Moore will be Karshon, a telepathic shark and Jani Zhao will be new character, Stingray.

Meanwhile HBO Max's Aquaman: King Of Atlantis animated series will be released from October 14th.

Both Black Adam and Shazam!: Fury Of The Gods have wrapped production.

The Flash is set to finish production as filming is nearly done. Ben Affleck has shot his Batman scenes and Luke Brandon Field was cast in an undisclosed role.

A recent press release in relation to the 80th anniversary for Wonder Woman has again confirmed that Patty Jenkins will direct the third movie with Gal Gadot reprising the title role.

Batgirl production has begun and filming is due for November. Expect more casting news next month. Filming will take place in Glasgow.

HBO Max are going even further with Matt Reeves Batman universe as the Penguin will also be getting a spin off series. Colin Farrell is expected to reprise the role.

For those outside the US who want to listen to Jeffrey Wright's audio take on the Caped Crusader, the first two episodes are available on the HBO Max YouTube channel.

Another reminder that the Injustice animated movie will be released from October 19th.

Netflix released a sneak peek of The Sandman during their online event last Saturday. The series will be premiering soon. 

HBO Max revealed clips of Peacemaker in one of their upcoming trailers for new shows. The series will be released from January.

Batwoman's first five episodes will feature Mad Hatter, Killer Croc, Mr Freeze and an older Nora Fries as well as Professor Pyg.

Next month's blog will be earlier, slightly longer and will cover the events of DCFanDome.

My Review of American Horror Story: Double Feature - Take Me To Your Leader

 

Written by Brad Falchuk And Kristen Reidel And Manny Coto

Directed by Max Winkler

Maria: "Mr President, it is you who will listen to us."

A tale of two seasons in one. A second half split into two. Perhaps they're taking the idea of duality a tad too far. Perhaps not. After six weeks in a cold town making up the events of Red Tide, how about a much warmer climate for the events of Death Valley?

Things open up with a normal housewife, Maria (Rebecca Dayan) finding her world turned upside down when an alien encounter results in her child being taken over and then herself. Maria then turn murders her own husband before taking her new fight to a higher place.

The higher place bring to the current President Dwight Eisenhower (Neal McDonough), whose already grappling with alien bodies and seemingly amnesiac and pregnant Amelia Earhart (Lily Rabe). He wants to reason with the aliens but they have their own plans and one President isn't going to stop that, no matter how reasonable he seems.

Cut to the present day and we've got some college students also about to be caught up in the extraterrestrial side of things. This includes couple Cal (Nico Greetham) and Troy (Isaac Cole Powell), wannabe Luddite Kendall (Kaia Gerber) and the skeptical Jamie (Rachel Hilson) who decide on a trip without technology to fall back on.

The trip in question doesn't last long when the group spot a sliced in half cow and end up having a strange encounter of their own. An encounter that then leaves all four of them pregnant. Yup, this opening segment threw in every possible alien cliche that the writers could think of.

With the two different timelines here and no clue as to how this will connect to the first half of the season as of yet, I really do hope the show hasn't bitten of than it can chew. Let this season come together and it make it make sense. 

- Sarah Paulson briefly appeared as Mamie Eisenhower. We didn't meet Angelica Ross or Leslie Grossman's characters yet.

- Legends Of Tomorrow tackled something with Amelia Earhart earlier this year, minus the pregnancy plot in this episode.

-  Death Valley got its own black and white title sequence.

- Chronology: 1954 for the first half of the episode, which was in black and white and 2021 for the second half of the episode.

Take Me To Your Leader definitely could have done with being a few minutes longer and while it didn't have the same impact as the opening episode of the season, it was a solid enough beginning for the second half. The younger cast were likable enough and hopefully the alien stuff won't be as cliched for the remaining episodes.

Rating: 7 out of 10

My Review of Doom Patrol's 3x03: "Dead Patrol"

 

Written by Jeremy Carver And Steve Yockey

Directed by Christopher Manley

Larry: "Well, um, we hope you find what you're looking for."

Edwin: "That was patently for all of us. Subtlety is really not your strong suit."

Did someone say the words "backdoor pilot" and "rumoured spin-off"? Even if you didn't, that's exactly what this episode was clearly aiming for. After all, this show itself started in a similar manner on Titans, so why not the same for the Dead Boy Detectives?

This week, Larry got the delivery of his friends corpses and while he was in despair, Dorothy (who also came back pretty quickly) got Danny the Ambulance to summon some supernatural detectives in order to bring their friends back to the land of the living. Needless to say, this turned out to be a rather successful endeavor all round.

The detectives in question included ghosts Edwin Paine (Ty Tennant) and Charles Rowland (Sebastian Croft) along with their medium friend, Crystal Palace (Madalyn Horcher) to use Larry in order to retrieve everyone else from the afterlife. Whilst there, we learned what happened to both boys and for some reason, Rita was the only one not to get an afterlife of sorts.

The rest of them of course did. Cliff chewed the fat with his Pegasus killing father, while Victor talked about being a hero with his mother and Jane and Kay reconnected with the latter's grandmother. All of them were lovely scenes but the world of the living wasn't done with our brand of misfits and even a creepy spider lady (Ruth Connell) couldn't keep them trapped in the afterlife or the Dead Boy Detectives that she clearly has unfinished business.

Back home though, this episode ended up giving us another departure for Dorothy. She had a lovely scene where she connected with Crystal and decided to go on her own mission with the Dead Boy Detectives. Not to worry though, this episode only gave Dorothy a temporary exit, so she'll no doubt be back before the finale, if not sooner. 

As for Madame Rouge, she finally made it to the manor. She even offered to make everyone a cup of tea but seemed less keen on answering Jane's questions about who she was. Three episodes in and Michelle Gomez feels like a natural fit for the show. I can't wait to see what the show has in store for the character.

- Larry quickly picked up on the fact that Edwin has feelings for Charles. Edwin died in 1916 and Charles in 1981.

- Crystal told Dorothy about a demon named possessing her and removing her memories of her parents. Dorothy also tried to use a chocolate bar to reach out to Niles from beyond.

- Apparently we were introduced to the Sisterhood of Dada this episode and who was that man trying to help Rita?

- Chronology: From where the previous episode left off.

Dead Patrol offered a slightly different but also interesting take on the afterlife and further proved that this show is clearly set on a different Earth compared to Titans. It served as a strong introduction to the Dead Boy Detectives, who no doubt we'll be seeing again very soon.

Rating: 8 out of 10

My Review of Doom Patrol's 3x02: "Vacay Patrol"

 

Written by Tom Farrell

Directed by Christopher Manley

Rita (re Niles): "He foolishly believed I was destined for heroism but when the call to action actually came, I promptly hung up."

I might have mentioned that the first episode was a tiny bit slow and while this was a little too, there was almost so much to savour. In a year where we've been largely encouraged to embrace the idea of a staycation, our favourite misfits go for the old fashioned approach.

Taking themselves (minus Larry) to the Codsville Mountain Resort, the gang had the perfect opportunity to unwind and enjoy being away from the Manor. However you can never really escape your problems and Cliff, Victor, Jane and Rita brought theirs with them and nearly fell out as a result. Then they a'so danced to a classic song and a red alien named Samuelson (Billy Boyd) killed them on behalf of the Brotherhood of Evil. 

The latter being made up of the Brain and Monsieur Mallah, the duo entrusted green skinned alien Garguax the Decimator (Stephen Murphy) to specifically kill Rita but when the time actually came (and it was quite a long time), Garguax tried to help Rita rather than kill her. As a guest baddie, I loved the turn of events between Garguax and Samuelson here. However it's safe to say that the latter killing the gang will not stick.

On to the personal problems this week. Jane seemed to struggle with the idea of Kay and the other personas being a little more self sufficient but both her and Rita had an excellent conversation about Niles. Rita herself confessed to her failure to rise as a hero, with only Victor judging her for it. Jane also reminded Victor that the rest of them were not heroes.

Victor dealt with the consequences of helping Roni escape from custody and didn't like it one bit. He couldn't even admit to Cliff as to why he really helped his now ex-girlfriend. As for Cliff, he might be having some brain issues he doesn't want to deal with, but no doubt its an issue that's going to get worse as the season goes on.

Last bit not least, Larry's space adventure came to a disappointing end. I was surprised it ended so quickly for him and that he seems to have lost his Negative Spirit. Then again, given what happened to everyone else in this episode, Larry fared lightly by comparison.

- Clara and Mel named their son Rory, but were overwhelmed by Cliff's overt attentiveness to his grandson. Secretary also booked the doomed vacation.

- Rita read about Madame Rouge at the start of the episode before seeing the latter wear her face before Samuelson killed her.

- Standout music: Forever Young was used rather effectively here.

- Chronology: Started in 1949 with the Brotherhood of Evil. It was a long 72 years for Garguax and Samuelson. 

Vacay Patrol perfectly captured all the tropes of a resort getaway and had fun with them as it took the gang quite a while to actually relax before the end of the episode. The Brotherhood of Evil got a strong introduction and Garguax was a delightful guest character. Excellent all round.

Rating: 9 out of 10

My Review of Doom Patrol's 3x01: "Possibilities Patrol"

 

Written by Tamara Becher-Wilkinson And Eric Dietel And Shoshana Sachi

Directed by Dermott Downs

Madame Rouge: "Niles Caulder, I'm coming."

Okay, so Niles Caulder is definitely dead then. He's definitely dead, right? Because this show does somewhat work without him and it definitely felt like this episode finally wrote him out. Then again, it also seems like even in death, Caulder has unfinished business.

First of all there was the arrival of Madame Rouge (Michelle Gomez) who scared the crap out of the actress playing Rita, shape shifted a little and then cryptically talked about coming for the Chief. Whether she's out to help or hinder Niles, I guess we'll have to find out.

Then there was Willoughby himself. Every time I see this bloke, I'm reminded that he's a stand in for Constantine and I don't think I'll ever shake off that feeling. The ending of this episode had Kipling take Caulder's head. Even in death, it appears this show doesn't seem done with the character.

As for the gang themselves, Cliff refused to cremate Caulder's corpse, Larry chose to go into space, Rita was entrusted with a key that signalled Rouge's arrival no doubt and Dorothy refused to get rid of Niles's body until Jane had the chance to say goodbye to him. Jane eventually got her chance but she had her own shit to deal with for most of the episode.

Last time we saw Jane, Miranda had taken over completely. This episode revealed that Miranda was the infection of all the personas and it took all of them, led by Jane and Kay to be free of the infection. It's a glorious character moment though I doubt this means Jane will be anymore peaceful for the remainder of the season.

One thing I did notice about this episode was there seemed to be a clearing of the decks of most of the previous season. Caulder died, the Candlemaker was lulled back into Dorothy's mind, Dorothy left the manor and Miranda was dealt with. Even Victor's relationship with Roni came to something of an abrupt end too. On a happier note, at least Cliff got to meet his grandson.

- The titles have added Skye Roberts (Kay) as a regular for this season. Other than that, no other big changes to the cast.

- The Willoughby scene was the first time we got a mid credit scene on the show. Caulder also joined the sex ghosts for some afterlife fun.

- HBO Max released the first three episodes in one go, as they did last season as well. There are ten episodes this season.

- Chronology: 2021 in Cloverton for the main characters.

Possibilities Patrol does start off rather slowly, which is odd, considering the amount of issues it managed to resolve. Due to COVID, this would've been the previous season's finale but it did serve as a solid opening episode for the show. I'll catch up with the next two episodes over the next day.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Doctor Who - Russell T. Davies Returning For 60th Anniversary And Beyond

We really are living in an age of returns, aren't we? Of all the news items we've had this year, this was definitely something I didn't see coming. Brace yourselves.

Today the BBC announced that the successor for Chris Chibnall (due to finish in 2022) will be none other than Russell T. Davies himself. Nope, I'm not kidding  and yes, I'm delighted and yes, I'm definitely surprised by this turn of events. Never in a million years did I see this coming.

Anyways, Davies who originally brought the show back in 2005, casting both Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant as the ninth and tenth Doctor before departing in 2009 will oversee the series 60th anniversary special in 2023 as well as beyond. Casting for the 14th Doctor will be revealed in due course.

Now can RTD work his magic a second time for the series? I think he can. Post Doctor Who, he's had success stories with Cucumber, A Very English Scandal, Years And Years and most recently, It's A Sin. Getting him back is a major coup for the show and hopefully he can revitalize it once again. It's definitely going to he interesting to see who he casts as the next Doctor.

As for the current era, filming is drawing to a close on Jodie Whittaker's final episode. The feature length episode, due to air as part of the BBC's Centenary celebrations will see the return of Bradley Walsh's Graham O'Brien as well as UNIT but other than that, there's not a lot of details on the upcoming special.

Meanwhile Series 13 with Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor, Mandip Gill as Yasmin Khan and John Bishop as new companion, Dan Lewis is weeks away from airing. The six episodes series will see the return of old enemies such as Sontarans and Weeping Angels as well as Jacob Anderson as a recurring character named Vinder before three specials due to air in 2022 will bring this current era to a close. 

After weeks of uncertainty about the show's future, it looks like things are only getting more and more exciting for the next few years.

RTD Returns: https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/2021/russell-t-davies-doctor-who-showrunner/

Series 13 of Doctor Who will air very soon. Not long to go now. How do you feel about this era coming to a close? How are your feelings on the next era?

My Review of Titans 3x09: "Souls"

 

Written by Richard Hatem

Directed by Boris Mojsovski

Bruce: "Am I dead?"

Donna: "No."

Bruce: "But you are."

Donna: "Not anymore."

I can't believe it's taken two thirds of this season for this show to finally resurrect Donna Troy but at least it's happened. Even Jon Snow came back quicker than Donna did. Okay, grumbling aside, this was a genuinely terrific episode and welcomed change of pace.

Last we left things, poor Tim Drake got shot by the Scarecrow and his days seemed to be over before he could properly begin a life of being a hero. On a creepy train in the afterlife, Tim was determined that his journey wasn't over yet and jumped off with Donna Troy quick to follow him. Then the two of them encountered some soul eating ghouls and of course, Hank Hall himself.

Is it wrong that in death, Hank has suddenly become a better character? I almost thought for a second that he was going to make his way back to the land of the living like Tim and Donna managed to, but he stayed behind, reunited with Don and now has his own mission in the afterlife. As endings go, this was better for Hank than expected.

As for Donna, she had doubts about wanting to be alive again but her heroism stepped in so many times when protecting Tim, encouraging him as a hero, her conversations with Hank. Also what was the first thing she did when she came back to life? She only went and rescued Bruce from a suicide attempt. Donna had better writing in this one episode than most of last season. I hope that bodes well when she does show up in Gotham.

As for Tim, it's definitely early days for him as a hero but the potential is there. We've seen his detective and every Titan he's interested with so far, he's had great chemistry with. We might have to wait for him next season to suit up as Robin but there's no denying he'll be a strong addition to the team.

Last but not least there was Rachel herself. I kind of laughed at her hating the strict regime of Themyscira while at the same time, I loved the conversation she had with Lydia (Valerie Buhagiar) and the mutual respect that built between the two of them as the episode progressed. Saying that, I'm glad she's heading to Gotham by the looks of it.

- The use of black and white for the afterlife scenes were certainly a choice. I got a bit of a Supernatural vibe with Hank's choice of car.

- Artemis and Hades aside, we didn't get too many references to other Amazon related characters. I was hoping for Hippolyta mention.

- Most of the cast sat out this episode and that definitely didn't hurt the pacing of it.

- Chronology: From where the previous episode left off.

Souls offered a great change of pace. Donna, Tim and Hank made for a great team, the Rachel scenes were excellent and now that Donna and Rachel back in the mix, it's time for everyone to become a stronger unit against the Scarecrow.

Rating: 8 out of 10

My Review of American Horror Story: Double Feature - Winter Kills

Written by Brad Falchuk And Manny Coto

Directed by John J. Gray

Ursula: "The truth is history will only remember a handful of us but at least now,  we're leveling the playing field."

Well, that was pretty mercenary for a finale of sorts, wasn't it? I guess in order to survive, you really do have to sell your soul and be one step ahead of the season. Ursula, Alma and the Chemist really did become the true survivors of the season. 

The Chemist seems to be the most adept at adapting to survival. When Holden threatened her operation, she worked with Austin and Belle to take out Harry and Alma. When things went bad for Austin and Belle, she threw her lot in with Alma and Ursula and traded the coastal life for the Hollywood. When that went wrong, she took baby Eli and got out of there. I have to admire the woman's survival skills.

Then there's Ursula. She refused to help Harry and Alma with Austin and Belle, only to persuade the pale folk to do it for her. Then she killed them and by the end of this episode, it appeared her alliance with the Chemist might have killed Hollywood.

Ursula's ruthless as a character with the theme of this first part of the season definitely worked to it's advantage. For a character who could've been killed multiple times over, her knack for survival and self preservation easily out rivaled the Chemist's alone. As horrible as she might be as a person she's definitely was the shrewdest character so far this season.

As for Alma, there was no way she was going to give up the pills or agree with Harry's decision to pursue their dreams without them. I wasn't surprised when she killed her own father, especially the miserable fate she condemned her own mother too. However her impulsive behaviour will eventually become a problem, even one that both Ursula and the Chemist might not be able to manage.

As for Provincetown, I'm glad this episode made it clear that the local council were in on the pills activity and had been looking the other way. However that new cop, Jan Remy (Dot Marie Jones) seemed like she was about to make the same error her predecessor did and she struck me as someone who wouldn't have bought the cover story as well. 

- Burelson's body was discovered in this episode but not Karen or Mickey's? Also, where did Lark go? I feel like that character just got abandoned.

- The Chemist using the pills to get rid of racist cops could've easily gone wrong for her if one of them had a latent talent of sorts.

- After the season having much longer episodes, this one was only 37 minutes. I hope there are no more shorter episodes with the remainder of the season.

- Chronology: Spring time in Provincetown before a three month jump to LA.

Winter Kills definitely could've done with being a bit longer and it did feel like some stuff was a little quickly done with. Saying that, this was a solid end for the first half of this season and here's hoping the second half truly delivers.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Aloha, Do Come Again

Yup this one has been a while but you know the drill, folks.

911: Season 4 has flown by quickly and with the fifth season just starting on US television, it'll be a while before I catch up with it. The latter half of this season had Bobby and Athena's nearly in jeopardy, Eddie getting shot, Buck reconnecting with Taylor, Hen's mother arriving as well as Maddie and Howie becoming parents. Not to mention Josh getting his own flashback episode. Four seasons in and this show still has it.

911: Lone Star: I wasn't entirely blown away with the first season of this show but what a difference a second season has made. I felt a stronger connection with the characters and Gina Torres has been a revelation as Tommy. TK an Carlos relationship has developed nice, Owen got a great plot with the mystery arsonist, Mateo stepped up as a character and the flashback episode with Judd and Grace was a season highlight. I'll definitely be tuning in next season.

Pose: Relegated to double bills on a Sunday night, BBC2 finally got around to airing the last season of this groundbreaking series. There's a part of me that wishes this show had gotten another season but at the same time, this felt like a perfect closing chapter. We got to see Blanca, Elektra, Angel and Lulu live their best lives, even if Pray Tell himself did not make it in the end. I really hope it's not long before we see this talented cast in other things.

Supergirl: With a lengthy absence, the second half of the final season has aired and it's been a modest adventure so far. Kara's settled back into National City, her father left for Argo, the Superfriends are a strong unit and Nxyly has proven to be a strong foil while Lena, Kelly and Nia are all coming into their own power. William and Andrea remain the weak link of the show.

The White Lotus: Aside from a certain starring vehicle from Kate Winslet, this six part anthology series became the other big deal for HBO this year and suffice to say, I can see a lot of Emmy nods next year, especially for Murray Bartlett. The show might not have had the most sympathetic of characters (Shane and those two teenagers being particularly awful), but it definitely had some of the sharpest writing and acting this year. I'm wary about it coming back for seconds but will undoubtedly give it a go.

What If?:  So far in the MCU, courtesy of Disney+, we've had three excellent live action and while this animated series has prompted some interesting ideas (T'Challa being Star Lord, Doctor Strange really messing with fixed events, zombie apocalypse, etc), the whole thing has felt a bit like a distraction until the next live action event. It's a mildly diverting show but the weakest MCU streaming entry so far.

• The second half of Gossip Girl's first season will be released on HBO Max from November. The show was renewed for a second season.
• HBO Max however did cancel Generation after one season.
• Krysten Ritter has joined Elizabeth Olsen and Lily Rabe for HBO Max's upcoming limited series Love And Death.
• Virgin River has been renewed for a fourth and fifth season on Netflix.
• Disney+ has renewed Only Murders In The Building for a second season.
• The CW will end The Outpost after four seasons.
• Motherland: Fort Salem will end with its third season.
• Matthew Fox and Joanne Froggatt will start in upcoming series Last Light for peacock.
• The third season of Succession will premiere on HBO from October 17th.
• The third season of You will be released on Netflix from October 15th.

My Review of Titans 3x08: "Home"

 

Written by Tom Pabst

Directed by Larnell Stovall

Starfire (to Nightwing): "Are you telling me I just dosed all of Gotham?"

That would be exactly what you just did, Kory. To be fair, Crane did manage to trick everyone and used Jason's own attempts of redemption against him. This episode alone highlighted what a deeply pathetic and insecure version of Crane looks like.

Jason was done with Crane's bullshit and abandoned him and even Jonathan's own mother had built a life away from him, effectively replacing him with another child. Crane then looked her when she betrayed him to the GCPD and essentially ruined Jason's chances of making it up with the Titans for now. Not to mention shooting Tim and poisoning the city's water supply.

For a character who has been hyped this season, Tim Drake's appearances have been far less than expected. However in this episode, he figured out everything about Dick, Jason, Batman, Titans, etc, wanted to become the new Robin and even tracked down both Jason and Crane before getting shot by the latter. 

If nearly being killed by Crane doesn't put Tim off from wanting to be the next Boy Wonder, then nothing really should. He certainly has the detective skills  and he'd easily fit with the current group. However I'm not expecting Tim to assume the mantle, at least not until next season.

As for Jason, we're five episodes away from the finale and the path t o his redemption definitely is complicated. Gar's the only one who wants him back with Blackfire being non judgmental. Dick was willing to give Jason a chance but both Kory and Connor seemed against the idea. For now though, Jason's gonna have to work harder to win his former friends over.

As for Crane, he got one over on the Titans but lost an ally with Jason. Unless he has more allies to his cause, he's more or less outnumbered against them. Also with poisoning the water supply, where else can he really go at this point as a villain this season? 

- Conner and Blackfire are sleeping together and Kory figured it out pretty fast. Kory was also getting visions and it seems her Mother's behind them.

- The Titans got their own signal in the sky, which went red at the end of the episode, giving me vibes of Batman & Robin. 

- All episode long, the roof in Barbara's office was leaking, only for it then to collapse because of Crane's latest scheme. Jason also had two sex workers role play Hank and Dawn so he could apologise.

- Chronology: Two days since the events of Lady Vic. 

Home might be where Jason wanted to go this week but he has s long journey ahead towards redemption and Scarecrow certainly intends to make it as difficult for him. Tim also seem determined to make a go,e with the Titans and he too has a journey ahead of him. This wasn't the best episode of the season but stronger than I thought it would be.

Rating: 7 out of 10

My Review of American Horror Story: Double Feature - Gaslight

 

Written by Brad Falchuk And Manny Coto

Directed by John J. Gray

Ursula (re Doris): "There is nothing more tragic, pathetic and sad than a person with no talent trying to make it in the world."

Jeez, Ursula, don't hold back on what you really think. If I said this episode was brutal, I'd almost be underselling it but make no mistake, this episode was brutal. And I loved every single minute of it. This episode alone so a testament to the heights the show can still achieve, writing wise.

I've been slightly disappointed with Doris Gardner to the point were I felt Lily Rabe was being a little bit wasted bit this one episode really put Doris through the ringer of all ringers and Rabe one hell of a sublime performance in the ten seasons she's been attached to the series. Saying that, I completely knew what was going to happen to Doris when she finally succumbed but then again, who didn't see this outcome happening?

Alma not only saw the chances of her mother becoming a Flash Phantom happening but she actively hoped it would. Both Alma and Ursula wanted Doris out of the way and this episode they got their wish as even Harry abandoned his wife to her cruel fate. A part of me thought Harry would kill Doris out of mercy but I guess he really did outgrow caring about her in the space of an hour. With Doris out of the way, who's gonna protect baby Eli from his own sister and Belle from wanting to eat him?

Karen came close to protecting Eli and she might have been the only character left on the show with a conscience had she not taken her own drastic measures. I knew the moment Mickey put Karen in a situation where she would be forced to take the pill, he'd wind up. I guess I should've seen Karen killing herself coming as well.

Sarah Paulson might not have had a lot to do here (and I'm not expecting her to do much in the second half of the season), but she definitely excelled as Karen. Her least glamorous role on the show to date but easily one of her best. Karen might have lived long enough to be a real life of the season but this was one hell of a tour de force for Paulson. 

As we head into the finale of the Red Tide segment of the season, nearly every single remaining character on the show deserves a comeuppance of sorts, but perhaps one of them might make it out of the next episode unscathed. Personally Belle, Alma and Ursula are the most deserving, considering their actions all season long, with Harry and the Chemist not far behind.

- Austin, Lark and the Chemist all sat out this episode. The latter two in particular have had far less screen time than expected.

- Of course Harry drained the blood from the afterbirth to feed on at the beginning. Did Ursula take the pill as well because she mentioned wanting to eat as well?

- Mickey talked about spearheading a Speedracer franchise while Harry was getting two Netflix shows, a movie at the WB and rewriting an Avatar script.

- Chronology: A few weeks since the events of the third episode.

Gaslight was the show firing on all cylinders and proof that the show can cook something truly amazing. The year long absence definitely has rejuvenated the series for the best and if this finale and second half can bring it all home, this will go down as one of the best seasons yet.

Rating: 9 out of 10

My Review of Malignant (2021)

 

Written by James Wan And Ingrid Bisu And Akele Cooper

Directed by James Wan

Gabriel: "Sooner or later, I will get out."

Madison: "I know but next time, I'll be ready for you."

With a certain time of year around the corner, it's definitely time to get back into the horror mode and on a roll this year seem to be James Wan. With producer roles on at least three different hit movies this year, this one however sees the Australian co-writing and directing this rather interesting tale.

We start with a flashback at the Simion Research Hospital where a group of doctors are trying to control a volatile patient named Gabriel (Ray Chase). There's a cryptic line about cutting out the cancer but it's not long before we move forward into 2021 where the main events of this movie take place.

Our protagonist Madison (Annabelle Wallis) has endured several miscarriages in the past two years and with an abusive husband, Derek (Jake Abel), she's at her wits end. When a strange home invasion from Gabriel results in another miscarriage and Derek's death, it's not long before Madison is reunited with adopted sister, Sydney (Maddie Hasson) and old family secrets wind up being revealed.

Along with Madison being adopted by Sydney's parents prior to the latter being born, Madison's real name was Emily and Gabriel is actually her parasitic twin brother, whom the doctors couldn't completely remove. Because of this, Gabriel can take over Madison's body and wastes no time in this movie holding their birth mother, Serena (Jean Louise Kelly) captive while detectives Kekoa Shaw (George Young) and Regina Moss (Michole Briana White) find themselves also draw into this deadly battle of wills between siblings.

It's certainly a deadly battle between both Gabriel and Madison/Emily as the two of them fight for command over the latter's body. Gabriel goes out of his way to kill everyone he views as responsible for separating him from his sister while Madison fights for her innocence, sanity and to protect the one family link she has left.

While the battle reached an obvious victory for Madison with the threat that Gabriel could regain control at a different point, this definitely feels like it should be a one time only event. Wallis does an excellent job as Madison and she's backed up a strong supporting cast in a story to it's credit does take some rather interesting turns.

- James Wan's wife, Ingrid Bisu also plays Winnie, a co-worker of Shaw and Moss who seemingly had a crush on the former. Shaw also seemed to have a crush on Sydney.

- The use of a medical trophy fashioned into a weapon was clever as was the backwards costume that Gabriel had Madison wear when committing the murders.  

- Another movie that had the dual releases of theatres and HBO Max. 

- Chronology: The movie opened with a flashback to 1993 while the main action was in the present day.

Malignant seems to be provoking quite the reaction but I've got to say that I really enjoyed it a lot. I wouldn't go as far as to say its the best horror movie that James Wan has done in his career but it's definitely a contender. Personally I'd leave it as a one off story but I wouldn't be too shocked if some kind of follow up gets considered.

Rating: 8 out of 10

My Review of Titans 3x07: "51%"

 

Written by Kate McCarthy

Directed by Nick Gomez

Blackfire (to Starfire): "Okay, I can see how Earth can be fun."

Yeah, any chances of Blackfire being another villain for this season really has gone out of the window. In the three episodes she's been in this season so far, we've learned that she was the victim of her parents abuse and rejected by her own people. She's also seems to have worked through most of her issues with her more beloved sister to boot.

In this episode alone she even became a Titan. First both her and Kory helped reunite mobster Valeska with her son and when that went horribly wrong, resulting Kory's anger getting the better, Blackfire gave her some context on why she killed their parents. Not to mention that she does seem to genuinely like the Titans, especially one in particular.

After several episodes of the Titans being outsmarted by Red Hood and Scarecrow, this week was something of a victory for them. It didn't start that way with Oracle (Carlo Rota) being hacked by Crane and Dick and Conner being unable to save yet another person from those bombs, but Crane's own conceitedness became his undoing this week.

The Titans and Barbara worked better as a team throughout this episode that they figured out his next move and got him when he least expected it. You could see that it bruised Jonathan's ego getting outsmarted and even Jason himself seems to be slowly losing faith in Crane's mission.

Jason did spend most of the episode tied up as Crane tried to teach him a lesson about patience. He even seemed happy when his former friends and teammates were gaining the upper hand. That along with Gar seeking out Molly definitely means that Jason will be getting a redemption arc as we head into the remaining half of the season.

As for Dick and Barbara - I am not surprised that they're getting back together. However I'm not expecting their reunion to last beyond the rest of the season. Saying that, the chemistry definitely is there with these two and I'm gonna enjoy the pairing while it lasts.

- Barbara Gail Gordon. That's undoubtedly a nod to Gail Simone, who has written many Batgirl comics.

- There's no denying we're getting a romance with Superboy and Blackfire before this season ends. 

- Standout music: Nice use of Nina Simone's Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood.

- Chronology: Not long from where the previous episode left off.

51% certainly weighed up it's options on good and bad choices this week. It was nice to see the Titans continue to work brilliantly as a team and it was definitely due that we saw Crane suffer a setback, though he clearly has a backup plan. Another strong episode.

Rating: 8 out of 10

My Review of American Horror Story : Double Feature - Blood Buffet

 

Written by Brad Falchuk

Directed by Axelle Carolyn

The Chemist (to Mickey): "I don't care if you are Bill fucking Shakespeare. If I whack you hard enough in that part of your head, you'll never write again."

With two episodes left to go for the finale of this part of the season, it was time to put the Gardner family and Ursula on hold and instead rewind the clock back. Yes, folks, it's a flashback episode to when the Chemist first appeared on the scene.

Buying a house from Holden certainly attracted his suspicions but she wasn't interested in telling him anything about herself. Instead she befriended Mickey and gave him the down low on the little black pills she was making and the effects they had on both the talented and untalented of primates.

While Mickey had the sense to refuse the Chemist's offer at the time, he wasn't above sending other people her way. The first being a Vegan Buddhist (Spencer Novich) with aspirations of being the next Bono. Instead he became the Chemist's first look at the darker effects of the untalented and showed little empathy for his physical decline.

Then there was Sarah Cunningham aka Belle Noir herself. She had the talent but between self publishing, underwhelming book tours and a husband who hated her guts and wasted no time in cheating on her in a new location, Belle needed a makeover. With the husband dispatched of, a new wardrobe and a book series that became a movie franchise, Belle was proof that st least 10% of the Chemist's trials were a success.

Then there was Austin himself. A struggling playwright with a cancelled show, performing drag badly with a group of bitchy queens who took pleasure in mocking him. It was easy to see why Belle would share her secret with him and Austin certainly had his own joy in getting revenge on those who were cruel to him.

In the space of this shorter episode than usual, we got the essential history needed as well as the Chemist's motive for these pills. The military aspect is almost a little disappointing but not by much and it seems likely that aspect will connect into the second half of the season as well.

- Even back in flashbacks Mickey was encouraging of Karen's talents. Belle's writing though is more EL James than Danielle Steel.

- Lark inadvertently inspired the look for the Flesh Phantoms while also helping Belle vamp up her wardrobe. She also killed an ex-boyfriend of hers to satisfy her thirst.

- I suspected the Muse was a gay bar and this episode confirmed it. I assume Austin is gay while Mickey is bisexual.

- Chronology: Five years before the events of this season, also around Halloween at two different points in the episode.

Blood Buffet serves up a satisfying appetiser of flashbacks, giving most of our players a bit more context. It's easy why talented people like Belle and Austin were able to be tempted by the pulls while Mickey had initially held back from them. I like the Chemist as an antagonist of sorts and despite being shorter on time, this was a strong episode nonetheless.

Rating: 8 out of 10

My Review of Legends Of Tomorrow's 6x15: "The Fungus Amongus"

 

Written by  Keri Shimizu And James Eagan

Directed by David A. Geddes

Ava (to everyone): "I'm kinda nervous. Things rarely wrap up in a neat little bow for us."

Oh Ava, you definitely shouldn't have jinxed yourself and the crew there. Not that she was wrong though. Things were going too well for the Legends that something had to go wrong. Being stranded in 1925 because another Waverider blew up the first one will definitely be something to get used to for next season.

Concentrating on this season though, the previous episode made it appear that three members were taken out of the equation, only for all three to live another day. Mick actually survived Bishop's planned little explosion and proved to Kayla that he wanted to step for their kids. He got some nice moments with Sara but his exit was signposted for long enough and after six seasons, this felt like a good exit for the character.

Then there was Spooner herself. She looked like she was about to die but the Legends having the idea of getting a younger version of Bishop to hear cure Spooner and reconnect her with the Fountain actually worked. Looks like we've got Spooner for another season. As for younger Bishop - the reaction to his older self was priceless.

As a villain, Bishop started off okay but got better towards the end. His plan to use the Zagarons to get rid of everyone so only him and Sara could live almost worked until Constantine's parting gift of getting the Legends to connect with one another in order to take out the invading aliens. Bishop also ending up as food for Mick and Kayla's 48 kids was definitely his just desserts.

As for Constantine, it's been quite the adventure but he's alive and somewhat redeemed. While we're probably unlikely to see Matt Ryan play the character in live action for a while (definitely think he'll still voice the role in animated projects), this served as a decent exit for the character. He got a scene each with Sara and Zari but also accepted that his time with the Legends had come to an end. He'll be missed but at least Matt Ryan will have a new character to play next season.

Last but not least, it was a wedding for Sara and Ava before and during the threat of the word ending. I've never been the biggest shipper but it's been interesting to see their relationship evolve over the last four years and this wedding was nicely done. Now that they're married and a certain pairing has thankfully ended with a character departure, I do wonder who will be the next couple on the show.

- I think this was the first season where Sara didn't get to wear her White Canary attire, though Nate did briefly steel up and Spooner helped the gang swap abilities at different points during the battle.

- I might be reading into it way too much but even I'm starting to wonder Astra has a thing for Spooner.

- Standout music: Behrad's version of Songbird was rather sweet. 

- Chronology: We're gonna be stuck in 1925 for the foreseeable. Season 7 also premieres from October 13th.

The Fungus Amongus might have borrowed a trick from a previous finale and may not have have had anything as crazy as a battle during a Sisqo song but this was a good way of ending a season that hasn't been the series at it's best. With next season being grounded and a landmark episode approaching, I'll look forward to seeing what happens next with this lot.

Rating: 8 out of 10

My Review of Titans 3x06: "Lady Vic"

 

Written by Joshua Levy And  Prathi Srinivasan

Directed by Nick Gomez

Dick (to Barbara): "I think we make sense."

If there was ever an episode designed to make shippers of Dick and Barbara soon, then this might have been that very episode. In any piece of media, these two make all the sense in the world and even in this episode where Barbara's characterisation seems to be more akin to Catwoman than a former Batgirl.

It's not that I expected Barbara to have a squeaky clean past, but her becoming some elusive cat burglar out of boredom and roping Dick into it just seemed a bit odd in a way. Still it was a great way to test the romantic chemistry between Brenton Thwaites and Savanna Welch and low and behold, the two of them have it in spades.

While Dick and Barbara's relationship might be more fraught in the present day than the hijinks of their flashbacks, the two did have a common enemy in Lady Vic (Kimberley-Sue Murray) resurface. Vic lured Barbara into an alley fight, both to settle an old score and also because her new employer needed a photograph of the current Commissioner for their needs.

It wasn't really much of a shocker to see that Vic was working with the Scarecrow, though why the latter needed Barbara's photo, I'm intrigued to find out. Also with Crane revealing that he could easily replace Jason if he wanted to. This might be something Crane will end up regretting. No, he definitely will.

This also of course led to Jason going off script himself and giving the drug to a group of guys, resulting in Tim's father being attacked as well. Has Jason inadvertently set his potential successor on the same path both him and Dick were set on? I'd say so.

Last but not least there was also Blackfire, who I'll admit was massively entertaining this episode. Between dealing with the dynamic of the Titans, bonding with Conner, flashing with Kory and helping with some vital information on who Crane is working this change of course for the character seem to be working so far. Kory also didn't deny her sister's assessment of Dick either.

- Gar seems to be of the belief that Jason still has some good left in him. Even Dick seemed to consider the possibility as well.

- There were some definite flirting between Conner and Blackfire during their scenes together. Dick and Barbara also caused the death of Lady Vic's former partner in flashbacks by accident.

-  I did feel bad for that poor couple at the start as Lady Vic killed them.

- Chronology: A flashback from six years ago as well as picking up from where the previous two episodes left off.

Lady Vic might be a series highlight. It had so much going for it with the Dick/Barbara scenes, the fun trio of Kory, Conner and Blackfire, Gar being the voice of reason (even when angry) as well as the Jason and Tim scenes as well. Halfway into this season and the pace has maintained its quality. I really do hope the second half can bring this home.

Rating: 9 out of 10

My Review of Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings (2021)

 

Written by David Callaham And Destin Daniel Cretton And Andrew Lanham

Directed by Deston Daniel Cretton

Shang-Chi (re Wenwu): "I thought I could change my name, start a new life ... but I could never escape his shadow."

After giving Black Widow a fitting send off in her own titled movie, it was time for the MCU to finally introduce a new hero for Phase 4 and with this offering, we have a new hero ready to be beloved by audiences alike.

Our story begins with a man named Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung) who acquired the magical ten rings that gave him the power of a god. Wenwu used his new abilities to topple governments and love a very long life but when he discovered the hidden city of Ta Lo, things changed for him. He met and fell in love with Ying Li (Fala Chen). 

Wenwu became a moderately better person under Ying Li's influence but upon her death at the hands of his past sins, he lost his way and his influence on his children saw both of them taking very different paths. Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) certainly attempted to avoid his family legacy while keeping a low profile in San Francisco. However with the arrival of the Ten Rings and a missing sister, Xu Xialing (Meng'er Zhang), Shang-Chi soon revealed to his best friend Katy (Awkwafina) his real family history.

Of course a trip home revealed that Xialing had forged a path of her own and soon both estranged siblings are reunited with their father who wants to burn mother's village to the ground in order to free as Wenwu seens to be convinced she's trapped behind a mountain. The siblings along with Katy and Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley) and mythical creature Morris head to Ta Lo to warn of their father's impending rampage.

Taking on the name of the Mandarin, there's some nice continuity and commentary on the events of Iron Man 3 with a decent attempt to give Wenwu some dimension in order not to make him a stereotypical villain. It largely works as Wenwu finds himself the victim of the soul consuming Dweller In Darkness but his own unwillingness to listen to his children certainly became his undoing.

As a movie, the bests are very familiar, especially in terms of an origin story but they're so well done that it doesn't matter. Simu Liu definitely has proven himself to be a revelation in the title role and he's backed up brilliantly by all of his co-stars, including Michelle Yeoh as Shang-Chi and Xialing's aunt, Nan. Everyone gets something worthwhile to do in the movie.

The fights scenes are easily some of the best we've seen in the MCU, especially the big battle between father and son and the handing over of a certain mantle. There's also a potential hint of a future romance between two characters and Ta Lo itself is a visual sight to behold. The CGI for a lot of the creatures were also done very well.

- The mid credit sequence featured Shang-Chi and Katy talking to Wong, Captain Marvel and Bruce Banner about the ten rings. Wong appeared in a few scenes in the movie. Post credit scene had Xialing changing the power structure of her father's organisation.

- I was surprised to see Abomination appear in the underground club scenes. Sometimes it feels like the MCU tends to forget a certain movie from the first phase.

- Standout music: This movie certainly had fun with classics like Hotel California. 

- Chronology: Yet again, a post blip world for this movie. 

Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings definitely is a strong contender for the MCU going forward into a new era. Simu Liu definitely has the character down to perfection and he's clearly going to be a fan favourite going forward. Everyone brought their A game here.

Rating: 9 out of 10

My Review of American Horror Story: Double Feature - Thirst

 

Written by Brad Falchuk

Directed by Loni Peristere

Ursula: "Grab a drink, Harry. We need to talk."

After having the bare minimum  of screen time in the first two episodes, this one somewhat made up for things as Ursula got a lot more focus than expected. I know Leslie Grossman might not be a fan favourite with some fans but I think her characters have improved as she's progressed on the show.

Ursula paid a surprise visit to Provincetown to see how Harry was getting so inspired and throughout the episode, I kept wondering when she was going to get killed off. Her open criticism of Austin and Belle's singing definitely put her on Belle's hit list and even Mickey cake close to murdering her at Belle's behest. It's a good thing the possibility of a Hollywood career for Mickey saved Ursula's life.

Then there was making herself known to the manufacturer of the black pills as well. Ursula has no tact whatsoever and it didn't take much for the Chemist (Angelica Ross) to demand that Austin and Belle deal with Ursula, Mickey and the Gardner family once and for all. I get the feeling it'll end badly for Austin and Belle first before any of them.

Then there was babysitting a hungry Alma. I thought she would be the one to finish Ursula off but instead Alma killed a far too nosy Chief Burleson instead. I think we can say Adina Porter was the wasted cast member this season so far as Burleson's suspicions on all the recent killings got her done in before the character had a chance to shine.

As for Harry himself, he lied to Doris about wanting to leave Provincetown again while she was in the hospital for stress. Harry also attempted to keep Alma from killing people by offering to get her fresh food and almost came afoul of a meth couple wanting to use him for a snuff movie. It just goes to show that not all of Harry's victims are people to feel sorry for.

As for Austin and Belle, for a group of people who don't actually live on Provincetown, they seem possessive of others being included in their pill program. Belle made no effort to hide her disdain for Mickey being on them and demanded that Harry stopped Alma from taking more. I'm curious though as to why the Chemist gave both her and Austin the pills in the first place and whether there are others she's been supplying too.

- We met Denis O'Hare's interior designer character, Holden Vaughn briefly in the episode as he witnessed Mickey killing the Hustler he was scheduled to meet. It also sounds like he too is on those black pills.

- Blake Shields who played Tony (one half of that couple Harry had to kill) appeared in the Feral episode of American Horror Stories.

- Karen sat out this episode entirely as did Lark, so there was moderately less swearing in this one but I'm sure she'll be back next week.

- Chronology: From where the previous episode left off.

Thirst definitely helped to move things along. Ursula's presence led us to meeting the Chemist, more people are questioning the oddity of the town and in his own strange way, Harry tried to step up as a parent. Going by next week, we're also going to get answers on the origins of Austin and Belle for good measure too.

Rating: 8 out of 10