My Review of Legends Of Tomorrow's 5x13: "The One Where We're Trapped On TV"

Written by Grainne Godfree & James Eagan
Directed by Marc Guggenheim

Mona (re the Legends): "They're free."
Charlie: "Which means I can't help them anymore."

The end of last week saw Charlie reluctantly throwing her lot in with her sisters in order to keep the Legends safe and this week, things have gone a bit 1984 with the added bonus of some throwbacks to show that shows that are well timed.

Charlie certainly took the unorthodox method of stopping Lachesis and Atropos  and looking at the shows in question, she certainly went for obvious choices here, so let's look at them then. Which TV shows did Charlie send her friends to?

For Zari, Nate and Behrad (yup, he came back an episode earlier than expected), well that trio got to be Ultimate Buds and between missing kisses, freak outs over mush and the boss coming to dinner trope, Zari 1.0 took hold of 2.0's body and was instrumental of moving the plot forward and helping to dismantle the TV nightmare they were living.

Tala Ashe excellently brought her A game once again as we saw her play both versions of Zari with aplomb and given that this episode saw Charlie make it so that both  Zaris now exist, I have a feeling the finale will have to make a choice  as to which one stays on the Waverider next season. Ideally both should merge together really.

Keeping with the TV spoofs we then had Constantine, Astra and Natalie in Highcastle Abbey where Astra was faced with the dilemma of living an illusion or letting go while I'm fairly certain the show made Constantine's magic secret also an  allegory for his bisexuality as well this week. Either way, I think it's safe to assume that Astra will be letting go of her desire to bring her mother back.

Last but not least was Sara, Ava and Mick on Star Trip. I'll admit it's the spoof that I didn't enjoy as much as much even if both Sara and Ava really leaned into their respective impressions of William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy quite a bit. It was fun to see Mick loving his long hair as the Khan of the piece before all three of them followed suit with the rest to defy the Fates.

Keeping with the theme of defiance, this episode worked as a low key return for Mona as well as she quickly teamed up with Gary to try and save the Legends as Charlie tried to protect them. This episode used characters pretty well but I'm beginning to think that we're nearing the end of Charlie's time on the show now.

- The title sequence got changed to feature only Charlie, Lachesis and Atropos. Gideon was also missing from this episode.
- Nice way of slotting Lita and Ally in this episode watching Mick on telly while Nate auditioned for a certain former CW show that Zari thought was "dumb".
- Not sure ITV will be impressed that their most successful drama was referred to as a BBC show. Oh and we had Mr Parker back for a musical sequence that was all about repressing things.
- Chronology: A while since the events of the previous episode.

Divisive as he may be, I'll admit that Marc Guggenheim did a great job with The One Where We're Trapped On TV.  The  TV spoofs worked well, the gang's back together for now but Sara's still  blind, the Fates are a threat and I think we'll be losing some members next week.

Rating: 9 out of 10

My Review of Hollywood's: "(Screen) Tests"

Written by Ian Brennan & Janet Mock & Ryan Murphy
Directed by Janet Mock

Avis (re Claire): "I am not going to take that risk when we have a perfectly fine alternative who is going to become so goddamn unbearable, you have no idea."

The thing is - Claire could definitely play the role of Peg but she sabotaged her own screen test out of guilt but still got the part because Avis didn't want to rock the boat with casting Camille, who gave the better audition. Essentially that was the crux of this episode but as the last scene seemed to indicate, Avis will most likely have a change of heart.

While subtlety hasn't been this show's thing when coming to having conversations about race in Tinsel Town, this episode seemed more determined to drive that point home some more. We had Camille encouraged but also the odds set against her while Archie himself also suffered a setback  as well.

I wasn't surprised that Ace wanted Archie's name removed from the script and while Dick could have fought a bit harder for Archie, I do like that both him and Ellen fought for Camille here. I don't doubt Archie will gain the upper hand sooner than later though but I enjoyed the scenes he shared with Jack, Raymond and Camille here.

Speaking of Jack, he seemed tempted by Claire but chose not to get closer to her. He put in a far better screen test than Rock and got the boyfriend role fairly and in spite of Henry's attempts to resort to blackmail to give Rock the upper hand with Avis. I like that the latter didn't allow Henry to get the better of her.

However the scenes with Eleanor Roosevelt (Harriet Sansom Harris) definitely felt like the point of Camille deserving the role more than Claire did feel a bit much at times but I enjoyed the performance and I also thought Avis showing kindness to Jeanne after learning of Ace's affair with her was an interesting plot twist. Nice to see Avis can acknowledge her own hypocrisy too.

As for Rock, well we didn't get as much here with him as previous episodes or salt any scenes with him and Archie but his moments were good. His bad screen test with Jeanne was amusing enough but again I do want to see him get away from Henry before this miniseries concludes.

- Ernie had dreams of his own and nearly got an acting gig with Vivien Leigh. He seemed to have mixed emotions about Jack leaving the business.
- Standout music: The Ink Spots Slap That Bass, Johnny Mercer's  Personality and Glenn Miller's King Porter Stomp.
- This episode was also co-written and directed by Janet Mock, who has worked on both Pose and The Politician.
- Chronology: Not long from the previous episode's ending.

(Screen) Tests went hard with it's central message this week, more so than it's previous episodes and while it had some great moments, it was the weakest part of the miniseries so far. Still though, the screen tests were the best part with this episode.

Rating: 7 out of 10

My Review of Harley Quinn's 2x08: "Inner (Para) Demons"

Written by Tom Hyndman
Directed by Tom Derosier

Poison Ivy (to Harley): "What's the endgame? What do you really want?"

At this point, Ivy, it seems what Harley really wants would be you. I get the impression had this show been made a few years ago, the roles would've been reversed and it would've been Ivy pining over Harley and going to extremes to deny her growing feelings for her best friend.

It's actually better on the shows part that it's Harley falling deep in love and this episode, she did everything in her power to deal with that. I mean she played off the kiss she shared with Ivy from last week and even kissed Dr Psycho and Batgirl so she didn't have to deal with her feelings.

On top of that when Batgirl also warned Harley about Gordon coming for her, Harley decided to take a trip to Apokolips, woo Darkseid, beat the crap out Granny Goodness with some help and get herself an army of Parademons to take out Gordon, once and for all.

Harley wanted to badly prove how much of a supervillain she was capable of being with only Dr Psycho encouraging her dark side (and you know, that guy too). It was also Psycho who then quit the team when Harley relinquished her hold over the Parademons and gave Gordon his victory and all because Ivy talked her around.

We might have to wait just a bit longer for Harley and Ivy to actually get together but the show definitely intends to go there. Sure this week we had a subplot of Ivy sticking up for Kite Man when his parents were horrible but I still don't see the pair of them heading for wedded bliss though. Harley wont be able to keep her feelings for Ivy to herself for much longer.

- Kite Man's father has ice powers and his mother can levitate. I really hope the show doesn't vilify him in order to give Harley and Ivy a happy ending.
- We got Mr Miracle as an escape artist and it looks like Harley might have killed him.
- While Psycho's misogyny was more rampant here, at least Clayface and King Shark had Harlet's back.
- Chronology: From where the previous episode left off.

Inner (Para) Demons certainly had a lot of fun with  bringing characters from Apokolips into the.mix while showing it's commitment to the Harley/Ivy ship. Next week's bachelorette party should really push things even further on that note.

Rating: 8 out of 10

My Review of Legends Of Tomorrow's 5x12: "I Am Legends"

Written by Ray Utarnarchitt & Leah Pouillot & Emily Cheever
Directed by Andrew Kasch

Charlie (to Lachesis/Atropos): "I'm done running. Now let's get to work."

Holy hell, did Charlie just throw the Legends under a zombie filled pub for her sisters? Are the Legends (plus Gary and Astra) actually dead? Will Gary 2's IBS be a bigger consternation for Atropos to deal with next week? So many questions but not really here.

I don't believe for a second that Charlie has really decided to join up with the very sisters she's been running from for a long while and the trailer and promo pics for next week have shown that the Legends aren't dead but they might wish they were considering whats going to happen to them next.

This week Astra handed the Waverider over to Atropos and Lachesis while the Legends themselves got stuck in an England riddled with zombies while trying to get to an old Time Bureau safe house. Along the way, their new found immortality got tested and the inevitable happened between Zari and Constantine for good measure.

I'd like to point out that while I'm not a fan of the pairing as such, I won't deny there's good chemistry between Matt Ryan and Tala Ashe but the writing for this pairing which did result in an offscreen shag in the middle of a zombie plague has been very forced in parts. I'm kind of hoping this episode sort of resolved that tension but I get the feeling there's more to come.

Speaking of tension, being immortal for a day rendered Sara of her powers but not really. In fact she knew everyone was gonna die and was grooming Ava to co-captain here. It was also interesting that Sara was the first to die when the zombies actually got into the warehouse. It's up to Charlie now to save everyone from her sisters.

Of course she would have had help had Atropos not killed both Astra and Gary. Annoying as the latter has been this season, I did like his teaming up with an imaginary Gideon and he even managed to actually Astra to change her mind again before they were both killed. Now this version of Gary the show could desperately do with a lot more.

- Some really bad stereotypical British accents this week during the UK scenes. I did like the Shaun Of The Dead vibe though.
- Amy Pemberton made her fourth onscreen appearances as Gideon and she seemed to be donning an Audrey Hepburn look in Gary's imagination.
- Astra's hatred for prunes. Yeah, I would have made that as a demand too. I almost thought we were going to get an appearance from Chas Chandler here but alas we didn't.
- Chronology: From where Freaks And Greeks left off.

I Am Legends made decent use of its zombie theme, some nice character moments and Gary actually being useful for the first time in a while. Still though the pacing wasn't as great as the previous episode but other than that, let's see how much Fate will be changed in the last two episodes.

Rating: 7 out of 10

HBO Max To Stream Zack Snyder's Justice League In 2021

And just when you thought news concerning DC live action couldn't get any wilder than Ruby Rose's departure from Batwoman, this just happened.

On Wednesday morning/afternoon/evening, depending on your own timezone, Zack Snyder hosted a watchalong party for fans for Man Of Steel. Joining him at this party was his wife Deborah and unexpected guest, Henry Cavill and by the time, the movie had finished, the announcement that had been hinted at for a while was announced.

HBO Max will premiere Zack Snyder's Justice League on their service but it will be in 2021. Snyder will also get somewhere between 15 to 30 million to finish up editing, VFX and shoot additional scenes /dialogue. However the rumours also seem to be that this will either be a four hour movie or a potential six part miniseries. Personally I think the latter might be the better option here but either way after years of splintering fandom division, we'll finally get to see if Snyder's intended version will be better than the theatrical version Joss Whedon helmed and that was released to a largely mixed reception back in 2017.

Releasing this cut is definitely an interesting move on  HBO Max's part. Could this impact the DCEU going forward if the cut is both a critical and commercial success? I'm not sure to be honest but it certainly will give weight to Henry Cavill getting to continue on as Superman and I do get the feeling that in spite of the upcoming CW series, Superman And Lois we might just have another big screen adventure with the Last Son of Krypton sooner than expected. This upcoming release also means that all sides of DC fandom can and should be able to move forward and embrace the future ahead.

Snyder Cut Announcement: https://variety.com/2020/film/news/zack-snyder-release-the-snyder-cut-justice-league-hbo-m

So what are your thoughts on the upcoming Zack Snyder's Justice League? Should it be a movie or miniseries? What are you looking forward to the most about it?

Batwoman - Ruby Rose Departs, Title Role To Be Recast For Season 2

I genuinely did not see this coming and even now, writing this blog, I still can't actually believe it either.

Yesterday it was revealed that Batwoman star Ruby Rose would exit the title role after one season with the CW announcing that the role will be recast with another LGBTQ actor for it's second season.

Since the announcement there has been plenty of speculation as to what happened behind the scenes and while it might be a while before we get a proper answer, this is really shocking news. I know when Ruby was cast as Kate Kane/Batwoman back in 2018, her casting was divisive but after a ropy start, she did seem to be growing into the role, so it's a shame to be losing her after one whole season.

Whoever succeeds Ruby Rose in the title role will have an uphill struggle on their hands and it'll be interesting to see if the show can survive a major recast like this.

Ruby's departure also comes just as the first season wrapped airing on the CW (currently airing on E4 for UK viewers) and also when the show finally debuted a version of Bruce Wayne/Batman as played by Warren Christie. The plot twist here being that it's actually Tommy Elliott/Hush (as played by Gabriel Mann) posing as Kate's more infamous cousin. Warren Christie previously has appeared in the CW DC universe as he played a minor character during the first season of  Arrow as well.

The timing of this exit being announced also came after the CW revealed that all of it's shows were returning in 2021 with a planned crossover event between Batwoman and the upcoming  Superman And Lois also planned. It's really going to be interesting to see how this will play out now, though with a later start than usual, I'm sure the CW will cover their bases here. Still though, of all the actors to leave Batwoman, never did I expect it would be the lead actor themselves.

Announcement: https://deadline.com/2020/05/ruby-rose-exits-batwoman-dc-the-cw-series-to-recast-iconic-lead-role-sea

Batwoman will film it's second season later in the year for a January 2021 launch on the CW. Who do you think be cast in the title role?

My Review of Hollywood's: "Outlaws"

Written by Ryan Murphy & Ian Brennan
Directed by Michael Uppendahl

Dick (to Rock): "I've been pretending to be someone else, just like you're pretending now.  You play the part that they've written for you and then suddenly, suddenly it's too late. You're lost and the person you were. The person that you wanted to be is just swept far out to sea and you're standing on the shore. You're watching the person go under and there's nothing you can do about it, it's just too late. And you hate yourself because you're the one responsible for letting it happen."

Well, this one took one hell of a powerful turn. Going by the speech I just quoted to open this review, it won't be a shock that the performance of the episode definitely went to Joe Mantello because that speech a drunk and regretful Dick gave Rock was the highlight of the episode. Jake Picking also was a highlight, bringing an endearing vulnerability to Rock here as well.

Given how reprehensible  we've seen Henry in his treatment of Rock and even towards his brief encounter with Jack, we needed to see Dick be a contrast. He could've taken advantage of Rock but chose not to and gave him some sound advice. While Rock took that advice to heart with Archie, it still didn't stop Henry from getting his claws into Rock that much further.

This episode did however between Henry's erratic and exploitative nature try to humanise him with a story about a former lover that might give insight into his nihilism but it was also depressing to see Rock stuck in Henry's debt even as he had made progress with Archie and had been moved by Dick not taking advantage of him.

Keeping with the theme of  the episode, this one seemed to be an epiphany for Jack. He broke down with Henry over his own mistreatment of his wife and vowed to the latter to be better. Somehow I don't think Jack will keep that promise as his admission of not loving his wife seemed rather damning with Claire witnessing the entire exchange between Jack and Henry this week.

While Claire was determined to get closer to Jack and bag the lead for Peg we also had Raymond take some script advice from Camille who also wanted the lead role, albeit with a different name and backstory in mind. I did find the moment where Raymond demanded his girlfriend get a screen test a tad cheesy but it certainly moved both Ellen and Dick to agree to his terms nonetheless.

As for the rest of the episode - there was a debauched party that had the likes of Vivien Leigh (Katie McGuinness), Tallulah Bankhead (Paget Brewster) and Noel Coward (Billy Boyd) in attendance as well as a delightfully bitchy exchange between Avis and Ellen and of course Raymond being versed in underground queer culture between the scenes with Jack and Rock this week. Not to mention that Claire turned out to be Avis and Ace's daughter and neither had any faith in her quest to become a star.

- We got treated to some of Archie's cooking as well as some information on Roy's childhood and Ernie hooking up with Vivien.
- Billy Haines, Lana Turner and Joan Crawford were name dropped here. If only this show could do a crossover with Feud.
- Standout music:  The Ink Spots/Ella Fitzgerald's I'm  Beginning To See The Light, Jo Stafford's Sometimes I'm Happy and Sandy Williams  Afterhours On Dream Street.
- Chronology:  Not  long from the previous episode.

Outlaws certainly ramped up things this week for our characters, especially with Jack and Rock both going through similar situations in their quest to get the leading man part for Raymond's film. With four episodes left, this one definitely stood out the most but I don't doubt the remaining episodes will too.

Rating: 9 out of 10

My Review of Harley Quinn's 2x07: " There's No Place To Go But Down"

Written by Adam Stein
Directed by Colin Heck

Bane (to Harley/Ivy): "You cannot run from your problems, Harley. Hate weighs you down, only love sets us free."

Well, I don't think anyone will be forgetting this one anytime sooner. Think The Dark Knight Rises meets later seasons of Orange Is The New Black and you have the perfect summary for this episode in a nutshell.

Last time we saw them, both Harley and Ivy were caught by Two Face and things opened with the ladies on trial with Bane as their judge. Needless to say, it didn't go in their favour as they got sent to the pits of Pena Dura with Bane as their warden.

In their new environment, both Harley and Ivy were determined to escape and having tolerated a therapy session, Ivy used her issues of the past as her vehicle for her act in a prison talent show, which got her some respect among the fellow inmates. Meanwhile Harley bashed up a female version of Bane and George Lopez made a sweeping appearance.

When one escape option was lost to them, the ladies came up with another as an old fashioned prison riot became the answer to their prayers and Bane made some on point comments about love setting a person free. Harley took that advice literally as twice she put Ivy's safety over her own while Ivy returned the favour and saved her twice.

Then there was that kiss. I knew this season was going to deliver for shippers and this episode did not disappoint here. The kiss between Harley and Ivy made sense, it felt the right place to do it and it certainly pleased a lot of fans. Come on, DC, just embrace the pair already.

As for the rest of the episode, the B plot with Jim Gordon versus Two Face was done well. He finally got his shit together, took the reveal of Barbara being Batgirl better than expected and managed Yo kick the crap out of Two Face for good measure, Slowly it seems like the bad guys are losing their grip of Gotham even if Batman still hasn't resumed fighting for the city yet.

- ManBat was Harley and Ivy's lawyer this week while Zsasz, Professor Pyg and Kikker Croc were also fellow prisoners.
- I did laugh at the recovery montage Gordon had to speed things up so he could actually take on Two Face and win.
- Absences from the rest of the gang this week but looks like they'll be back next week along with some otherworldly threats.
- Chronology: From where the last episode left off.

There's No Place To Go But Down has just become the best episode of the entire series so far. I genuinely am pleased the show will be going there with Harley and Ivy and going into the second half of the season, things are definitely heating up nicely.

Rating: 9 out of 10

My Review of Legends Of Tomorrow's 5x11: "Freaks And Greeks"

Written by Matthew Maala & Ubah Mohamed
Directed by Nico Sachse

Sara (to the girls): "Welcome to the sisterhood."

After last week's bottle episode with a demon dog, this week decided to have fun with college campuses, mainly through the prism of fraternity and sorority as the Legends need the cup of Dionysus in order to control the Loom of Fate.

With that particular cup being such a hot commodity for the team this week, it also meant the chance to introduce Dionysus himself or Dion (Drew Tanner) as he likes to go by these days. Charlie's charm offense initially seemed to get him on side before Astra's inability to be a team player scuppered things and the girls had to come up with an alternative option.

This week saw the ladies with a few added members form the Delta Chi Sigma sorority and while the episode definitely played heavy into the theme of sisterhood, it was also a great way for Astra to not vent her grievances with the Legends but also to learn working with them as both her and Charlie came up with a scheme to break Dion's influence.

As a guest obstacle (because he really wasn't much of an antagonist here), I quite liked Dion even if Nate's borderline homoerotic hero worshipping of him did get a bit over kill at times. He was a fun enough character, had a fun dynamic with Charlie and when Sara inevitably beat him at beer pong, he took the defeat graciously enough.

So as the episode ended, all the Legends minus Zari are now seemingly immortal and just as Astra found her place on the team, she's going to have to betray them because she's also in Lachesis's debt. Oh dear but also expected. Lachesis didn't hold back on her anger over Astra siding with the Legends over her and Atropos.

Keeping with the college theme, Lita has gone from being ashamed of Mick to actually accepting quite well and even defended him against some snobs. The last few episodes have done a great job with her character and not only were her scenes with Mick and Nate great but I liked that she had a role in the main plot too.

- The more I think about it, the less keen I am on a Zari/Constantine pairing. Chemistry aside, it still feels a bit forced. Zari not drinking from the cup puts her at a disadvantage no doubt.
- The show is really having fun with Sara's powers but I still think they'll be gone by the finale.
-  Anyone else love how open Astra, Charlie and Dion were to complete strangers about themselves?
- Chronology: 2020 Hudson University because where else would a hedonistic party boy Greek God hide out?

Freaks And Greeks was a step up from last week and a lot of fun to boot. Dion definitely should make another appearance next season, both Astra and Lita are working well with the Legends abd we're moving the Looms plot along for good measure.

Rating: 8 out of 10

My Review of Hollywood's: "Hooray For Hollywood, Part 2"

Written by Ryan Murphy & Ian Brennan
Directed by Daniel Minahan

Raymond (to Archie): "I'm gonna change the way they make movies in this town. I'm gonna make sure that people like us aren't on the outside looking in anymore."

Getting into the second part of this double bill pilot episode, we have more new players added into the mix while everyone here seems to be experiencing some mixed fortunes as they continue on their quest to crack Tinseltown.

This episode introduced half-Asian Raymond Ainsley (Darren Criss) who made his debut by trying to coax Anna May Wong (Michelle Krusiec) out of retirement with the promise of a leading role in a passion project named Angel Of Shanghai. However despite Raymond's sincere intentions, things didn't go as to plan and Anna was left somewhat despondent as this episode lamented on Hollywood's poor treatment of her.

Raymond was instantly likeable from the off here as he compromised with studio head Dick Samuels (Joe Mantello) and ended up signing up to do Archie's Peg while Jack also tried to schmooze for the role of the love interest in the movie. There's a lovely if somewhat cheesily written conversation midway this episode between Raymond and Archie but I respect what it's trying to do here.

As for Archie, he's managed to get his script off the ground and he seems hesitant to define his relationship with Roy just yet. I know a lot of creative licencing has been taken with the Archie/Roy story but again, the chemistry with Jeremy Pope and Jake Picking really elevates the scenes with the two of them.

As for Roy, well he also got something of a break and like Jack, it came at a casting couch price when sleazy agent Henry Willson (Jim Parsons) not only decided that Roy needed to go by the name Rock Hudson in order to be a star but also that poor Roy had to let Henry blow him as well. I do wonder if this miniseries is overplaying Rock's naivety at times but at the same time, he's also emerging as my favourite character in the series so far.

Meanwhile getting back to new characters, we also met Raymond's girlfriend, Camille Washington (Laura Harrier), also keen to make her mark and facing prejudices herself as well as the spoiled would be starlet Claire Wood (Samara Weaving), who didn't waste much time in making an impression on Jack either.

Speaking of Jack, the cliff hanger from the first part was quickly resolved with Ernie bailing him out so the focus was in in getting a screen time leading to Ellen Kincaid (Holland Taylor) giving him a contract while also dealing with his wife's wrath and of course, Avis, who went down a bit for the way she dismissed Archie. Jack's parts were the weaker elements of this episode but watchable enough.

- We got the opening credits, which are stunning and list all the regulars but only Jack, Raymond, Camille, Claire, Archie and Roy appear in the sequence climbing up a certain sign.
- Also introduced in this episode was Mora Sorvino's Jeanne Crandall, who Camille shared a scene with.  They also mentioned Hattie McDaniel who will show up in the series.
- Standout music: Dinah Shore's You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To, Errol Gardner's I'm In The Mood For Love and Irving Aarson's Let's Misbehave.
- Chronology: From where the first part left off.

A delightful second part that did a terrific job in introducing the rest of our main players but it's clear from the title sequence that it's the six younger characters who journey into potential stardom and everything good and bad that comes with it that will be the focus here.

Rating: 7 out of 10

My Review of Harley Quinn's 2x06: "All The Best Inmates Have Daddy Issues "

Written by Jamieson Borak
Directed by Juan Meza-Leon

Joker: "Back for more, Harley?"
Harley: "It's Dr Quinzel."

Following their absence from last week, this week saw most of Harley and her crew back as the former and Poison Ivy were having drinks at Noonan's before realising that the latest barman was actually a stripped down, normal Joker in plain sight.

After nearly half this season away from the character, I suppose it was time to reintroduce him and the casual way that Harley realised it was her psychotic ex was actually rather brilliant. It was also suitable as this episode did raise the issue of whether or nor people can change or if they just remain the same at their very core.

In flashbacks we got a different version of the usual Mad Love tale. Dr Harleen Quinzel found herself working at Arkham, largely unimpressed by the likes of Batman, Gordon and a pre Two Face, Harvey Dent (who really was a dick in this episode) and of course, coming into contact with both the Joker and Poison Ivy with different results.

With the Joker, it was mind games over a bomb he hid in poor Luigi (taking the phrase Little Italy in another way) while with Poison Ivy, it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. If this episode didn't solidify that Ivy really is the best romantic option for Harley, along with every other episode, then what would?

As for Joker, the mistake here was not handing him over to the police, keeping him prisoner or killing him. Instead having Dr Psycho mind probe him only resulted in Joker's evil side being restored, so we've got that to look forward to for the second half of the season as well as both Harley and Ivy getting grabbed by Two Face and his henchmen. Did I mention that guy's a dick this season?

- Joker stole Ivy's story about her abusive father and Mr Ferris to reel Harley in. This episode also stole some bits from The Dark Knight as well.
- Harley came up with the name Two Face, foreshadowing Harvey's eventual descent into crime.
- Batgirl was nowhere to be seen this week and neither were Clayface, King Shark, Frank or Sy Borgman. Batman and Gordon were flashbacks only.
- Chronology: Not long I assume from where the last two episodes left off.

All The Best Inmates Have Daddy Issues welcomed another change of pace. I did like the way the Joker was reintroduced but I did think that Harley and Ivy probably should done more with that information that they did here. Still, loved the flashbacks and the cliff hanger moment as well.

Rating: 8 out of 10

My Review of Legends Of Tomorrow's 5x10: "Ship Broken"

Written by James Eagan & Mark Bruner
Directed by Andi Armaganian

Sara (to Ava): "It's me. I kill everyone."

It's been a while since we've had a bottle episode and this one definitely took an interesting turn with the gang all trapped on the Waverider with not one but three new additions, so let's discuss them, shall we?

First of all, of course Gary of all people would bring an adorable dog on to the ship that would turn out to be a hellhound named Marchosias, who managed to turn everyone against Astra (which didn't take much tbh) while also sending the Loom of Fate down the crapper. Yes, I'm serious on that one and given this show, that's hardly surprising.

Gary's stupidity has gotten to the point where it has held the character back and I do think if he's around next season, then he needs to start getting a little smarter. Still though, the hellhound did work well enough and give in her current state, Sara was able to help John and Astra send that thing back to hell, so there's that.

As for Astra, it's hardly a surprise that no one on the ship including John actually trusts her and so far, she's done nothing to actually earn their trust. I did however enjoy the back and forth between her and Zari as the two tried to outsmart each other while something of a bond began to build towards the end of this one. Needless to say, this season will end with both Zari and Astra getting their loved ones back.

Then there was Lita. She might be taking a while to warm to Mick and more than happy to call him out at every turn, but I really liked her scenes with Mick nonetheless and I thought Nate was actually used pretty well here too as he tried to help getting them to connect with each other.

As for Sara's story, this was a mixed bag. Her new ability is interesting and I'm sure there will be a more detailed explanation as to how she survived looking at Atropos true form but she spent too long deliberately evading Ava, John and Charlie's questions that it felt a bit out of character at times. Still though I am looking forward to seeing where this story goes over the next four episodes as I suspect Sara's new powers might be temporary.

- Marchosias also controlled Son of Sam, which gave the show a nice opportunity to remind us about Ava's serial killer podcast.
- Still mixed on the potential Zari/John pairing, though I did find it amusing how Astra quickly picked up on it though.
- The bunny at the end was cute though. However the show needs to give Gary some common sense.
- Chronology: Mostly 2020 and mostly on the Waverider for good measure.

Ship Broken wasn't quite as strong as the previous two episodes but it was rather good though. Sara's powers are intriguing, the hellhound idea mostly worked, both Lita and Astra had great scenes with the regulars but a few plot contrivances kind of held it back too.

Rating: 7 out of 10

My Review of Hollywood's: "Hooray For Hollywood, Part 1"

Written by Ryan Murphy & Ian Brennan
Directed by Ryan Murphy

Jack (to Avis):"Every time I leave the picture show, I feel better than I did walking in,"

In these strange times, we could all do with a bit of escapism, a bit of glamour and in their latest offering for Netflix, Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan deciding that Hollywood could do with a bit of a rewrite. Actually maybe more than just a bit.

Kicking off this seven part miniseries off in style, former war veteran Jack Castello (David Corenswet) has aspirations to be an actor but between casting directors being uninterested in him, a pregnant wife, Henrietta (Maude Apatow), the cost of living and so on, things just aren't going in Jack's general favour.

Then there's Ernie West (Dylan McDermott) - a gas station owner who has another more lucrative service on the side that Jack initially has no desire to indulge until the pressure gets to him and he's soon servicing clients like Avis Amberg (Patti LuPone) before this episode took a somewhat predictable cliff hanger ending with Jack getting arrested for solicitation. Let's just say that "Dreamland" comes with a price.

Although this show was billed as an ensemble piece and no doubt will be as it goes along, this first episode largely belonged to David Corenswet (who has a producer role on this miniseries) and with The Politician and now this, it's easy to see why this guy's star will be on the rise in no time.

Jack has enough going for him as a character to make for an engaging protagonist and he's one of several stories about the aspirations of fame here. This episode threw some hints about Ernie and Avis's brushes with fame, but aside from Jack, two other prominent members appeared here.

We had Jack heading into the gay underground scene to recruit aspiring writer/gigolo Archie Coleman (Jeremy Pope) to Ernie's business, which Jack succeeded in doing. I'll admit that Archie's story with a certain someone will be a big draw for me with this miniseries.

The someone in question being Roy Fitzgerald aka Rock Hudson (Jake Picking). Rock will be one of a few real life people whose story will get an alternative version in this fantasy filled take on Classic Hollywood and right here, there's a focus on him being a closeted gay man  as well as he beginnings of a complicated love story between him and Archie. They didn't have a lot of scenes in this episode but what they did have was the highlight nonetheless.

- Seeing as this is a two part pilot, we'll no doubt meet Raymond, Camilla and Claire in the next part along with the title sequence. Archie also wrote a script about Peg Entwhistle whose death serves as an influence for this miniseries.
- Ernie is based on real life pimp Scotty Bowers.  Meanwhile Alison Wright who previously appeared in Feud: Bette And Joan played a casting director for Ace Studios in this one.
- Standout music: Perry Como's Catch A Falling Star, Peggy Lee's It's A Good Day and The Pied Pipers Embraceacle You.
- Chronology: Post World War 2, so late 1940s for now.

Hollywood certainly kicked off to an interesting start with some creative licencing, discussions of  aspirations, dreams, sex, race and gender, the casting couch and what seems like a fair chunk of artistic licencing and elements of wish fulfillment as well. I think it's mostly comparable to Feud: Bette And Joan and possibly both American Horror Story and American Crime Story with how it'll tackle real life people, which will make or break this miniseries as a whole.

Rating: 7 out of 10

My Review of Harley Quinn's 2x05: "Batman's Back Man"

Written by Sarah Nevada Smith
Directed by Juan  Meza-Leon

RTSC Guy (to TLJ Guy): "Fine but if this sucks, we are watching Family Guy."

Well, this show continues to surprise as this week had the biggest departure with Harley and her gang sitting this one out. With DC Universe being Chibnall levels of secret with their marketing for this show (or lack of it), I genuinely had no idea this was going to be a thing.

Anyways with our main cast gone and a scathing synopsis of this show surmised by the worst type of fanboys, the action saw Bruce Wayne emerge from his coma and determined to get back to being Batman in spite of Alfred (Tom Hollander) telling him not to do so.

However as we have seen with this Batman so far, he doesn't respond well to advice so he got Lucius Fox (Phil LaMarr) to build him a robotic Batsuit called MONICA that started off well but between Bane and Two Face's minions, Batman was soon out of his depth.

Fortunately for him, Batgirl was on hand and in the space since she's donned the costume, she's becoming a social media hit to Batman's annoyance but has also proven to be able to handle herself and she saved Batman in this one. While the fangirl bit does come across as somewhat cringe worthy at times, this episode did end with Batman telling Gordon that Batgirl will be protecting the city until he's fully recovered.

As for the baddies this week, the team up with Bane and Two Face saw the former largely being undermined by the latter while doing most of the heavy lifting against Batman as the title became quite appropriate during their final confrontation. I do like Bane a lot but he does feel somewhat dumbed down this season.

- Opening scene with RTSC Guy had a fun but mixed reaction on social media. I liked the shout out to Gotham here too.
- No scene where Bruce was with his son or any reference to Damien trying to take on his father's mantle either.
- Alfred briefly donned his own crime fighter persona with Macaroni. It was very theatrical as was his scenes with Bruce and Lucius.
- Chronology: A while since the events of Bruce waking up. He has 312 shows to catch up on while he recovers.

Batman's Back Man certainly made use of it's double meaning and while I wouldn't want this kind of an episode a lot, it's a testament to the writing that I did not miss the title character and her motley crew this week.

Rating: 8 out of 10

My Review of Legends Of Tomorrow's 5x09: "The Great British Fake Off"

Written by Jackie Canino
Directed by David A. Geddes

Constantine (to Zari): "The bloody ring. Must have been here the whole time."

With five episodes left to go and two out of three Fate sisters determined to get the Loom of Fate in working order again, it's great that the show isn't wasting time as this episode certainly got the final piece - a ring. Now we just need to see everything go to hell when Lachesis and Atropos inevitably gain the upper hand.

For now, this was an episode that saw Zari and Constantine dominating the A plot as they searched for the ring, following Charlie/Clotho telling the team of a past encounter with Enchantress (Samantha Liane Cole). Long story short, John's spell went awry, both him and Zari wound up in the past where the mild mannered Mrs Hughes (Marion Eisman) was hosting a dinner party with some select Encores.

The Encores being the not so charming bunch of Dr White/Jack the Ripper (Timothy Lyle), Henry the Eighth (Chris Gauthier), Brutus (Peter Ciuffa), Black Caesar (Sean Millington) and Bonnie (Abby Ross) and Clyde (Ben Sullivan). The latter two were more than happy to bump off the competition and even bought Constantine and Zari's cover until the real Jack made his presence known.

Along with working together to find the ring, the episode did hint at a possible future hook up with John and Zari. I'm not sure how I feel about that tbh. No denying that Tala Ashe and Matt Ryan do have chemistry but the writing for it feels a little forced. Still though they did make for a good team in this episode.

Elsewhere with Sara taken out of commission for most of this one, it was up to Ava, Gary and Mick to venture into hell to get some answers out of Astra, who of course got some of her own when Lachesis introduced her to Atropos and by the end of this one, Astra chose to change up sides, even if John didn't seem happy to see her on the Waverider.

As for Sara, going by the brief appearance here, it seems that surviving her encounter with Atropos has given her some kind of ability to see in the future. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out in the remainder of the season.

- Like Constantine, Enchantress has also been a member of Justice League Dark (which is getting a streaming show on HBO Max) but is this version friend or foe here?
- Nice that Nate had some bonding scenes with Charlie and Zari here, not to mention we had reference to Rip, Amaya and Vandal Savage.
- Zari might have posed as Cleopatra here but it's nice we got a bit of a look of her DC comic look as well.
- Chronology: Ancient Egypt for the Charlie/Enchantress scene, 1910 for the main plot as well.

The Great British Fake Off had plenty of great moments with John and Zari definitely getting all the best scenes in this episode. I genuinely didn't expect the addition of Enchantress into the mix (though this version has a more comic accurate look than the Suicide Squad version) and with Astra switching teams, Sara's powers making themselves known, things are definitely getting more interesting.

Rating: 8 out 10

My Review of Harley Quinn's 2x04: "Thawing Hearts"

Written by Tom Hyndman
Directed by Vinton Heuck

Mr Freeze (to Nora): "Goodbye, my love. Have the life I could never give you."

And we were doing so well. Two whole episodes where a Batman rogue gallery member didn't die. I'm not mad by the way, just more sad that after only two appearances, we can add Mr Freeze to the body count with this show.

On the other hand, this was a very emotional episode as Harley and her crew attempted to after Victor only to get captured by him, learn that he had been experimenting on rats unsuccessfully and he was now moving on to human experiments. This of course was in his mission to help save his beloved Nora, which Harley had a hard time believing.

This episode delved into Harley's still unresolved issues with the Joker, in which even her male crew members castigated her on over his cynicism of true love while at the same time providing another poignant take on Mr Freeze's tragic tale.

The good news for Victor was that Ivy and Kite Man were able to cure Nora but it also meant Freeze making the ultimate sacrifice so that his beloved could live. This was something Victor had no problem in doing but it's a pity we lost the character after he was only just introduced.

Elsewhere we can Kite Man in full Groomzilla mode trying to book a particular venue for his and Ivy's upcoming nuptials only for Condiment King (Alan Tudyk) to scupper the plan. The B plot was amusing enough but with the seeds being sown for the eventual Harley/Ivy pairing, you just know this wedding won't be going ahead anytime soon.

- I really loved Freeze's icy lair. Shades of both Batman: The Animated Series and Batman And  Robin.
- King Shark speaking for everyone when he was relieved that Dr Psycho didn't get to finish a certain sentence during Freeze's lunch.
- I assume both Frank and Sy Borgman were keeping an eye on Riddler this week.
- Chronology: Not long where the previous episode left off.

Thawing Hearts had a lot to say about relationships while also foreshadowing the one that many fans of this show are clamoring to see and while I would have rather that the show hadn't  killed off Freeze at least they treated him well in this one.

Rating: 8 out of 10

My Review of Legends Of Tomorrow's 5x08: "Zari, Not Zari"

Written by Morgan Faust & Tyrion Carter
Directed by Kevin Mock

Atropos (to Behrad): "You don't belong here. No more defying fate."

After a month off the air and following the lowkey exits for Ray and Nora, the Legends enter the second half of this fifth season with no mucking about as the Fates begin to be a very big problem for the gang.

To get the obvious out of the way first, it seems that Astra's mentor, the coin maker is one of Charlie/Clotho sister, Lachesis and the other sister, Atropos (Joanna Vanderham) has also arrived and wasted no time in making her presence felt.

This show has been calling out for a strong female villain and with Astra soon to switch sides, it looks like we've got one with Atropos. In this episode alone, she caused headaches for Charlie, Constantine and Sara and while she might have failed in killing the latter two, she did however succeed with Behrad.

In the space of eight episodes I've actually enjoyed Behrad and this week it was to see him genuinely help out Zari when she started having more memories of her other selves. I should've seen Behrad's death coming a mile off as Zari started to get to know herself but if the last scene between Zari and John was anything to go by, Behrad might not stay dead for too long.

As for the Zari scenes. - Tala Ashe really does bring so much to this show, differentiating between two versions of the same character. I've missed the previous Zari and it was great to see her back here for a bit. Also like Behrad, she's also going to be back sooner than later.

With the Fates plot kicking off nicely here, the B plot had Ava and Mick working together so the latter could have a better relationship with his daughter. It didn't quite pan out as well as Mick hoped it would have but it was a good way to utilise Ava this week.

- Sara, Charlie and Constantine were at a filming location for Supernatural and the comments about filming Season 15 practically wrote themselves.
- Clotho spun the weave, Lachesis decided how long they live and Atropos would kill them. Sara surviving looking at Atropos true form must be linked to that superpower we haven't seen yet.
- Nice references of Ava's own past with Rip in this episode as well as current Zari not being attracted to Nate.
- Chronology: 1977 London (Atropos killed Charlie'a former bandmates), Central City 2004-2020 for the Mick/Lita story and 2020 British Colimbia for the main plot.

Zari, Not Zari has definitely kicked off this Fates storyline with a solid punch. We've got a strong baddie with Charlie's sisters, hints of Sara's new power (whatever it may be) and the Zari/Behrad scenes were fantastic. So glad the series is back.

Rating: 8 out of 10

My Review of Harley Quinn's 2x03: "Trapped"

Written by Sarah Peters
Directed by Brandon McKinney

Catwoman (to Poison Ivy): "Girl, please, I'm never not stealing jewels."

Did anyone call for a Gotham City Sirens  episode? Well, you kind of have one here as this week Catwoman (Sanaa Lathan) finally made her debut on the show and needless to say that some hijinks ensure when she teamed up with Harley and Ivy to steal a plasma flamethrower formerly of Firefly but now in the current possession of Doctor Trap (Alan Tudyk).

Yeah, Harley was determined to mark Mr Freeze off her list and when ordinary fire wouldn't  do the trick, she knew she needed the best thief in Gotham to aid her cause. The problem was that Catwoman seemed more interested in needling Ivy and making off with a nice ring than really helping with the heist at hand.

I have to admit while I was looking forward to Catwoman in the show, the characterisation for her was somewhat disappointing if I'm honest. The voice acting was fine, design pretty good but a bit too bitchy, even if she did make Ivy get back to her activist roots by the end of this one. Hopefully it was just a blip and she's better written next time we see her.

Meanwhile when Harley and Ivy weren't getting help securing Firefly's gun and bashing Doctor Trap for good measure, the rest of the gang managed to lose Riddler before the latter admitted that watching Harley's gang being such screw ups was too fun to escape from. I guess I can see where he's coming from here.

The other big take away from this episode was also having Ivy accept Kite Man's third marriage proposal just as this one ended on a sign that her and Harley are likely to become a romantic pairing before the season ends. I'm just hoping Kite Man isn't killed off or vilified in order to service that though.

- All the main players were in this episode for the first time this season. It seems a few of them are fans of  The Babysitters Club book series.
- Catwoman seemed uninterested in Batman's whereabouts. That was another minus for this version of the character.
- I hope it's not too long before we see Batgirl again.
- Chronology: Not long from where the previous episode left off .

Trapped made for an okay introduction to Catwoman and an all too brief encounter with Doctor Trap but the hints of Harley/Ivy and the B plot with the rest of the gang and Riddler were clear highlights though.

Rating: 7 out of 10

My Review of Harley Quinn's 2x02: "Riddle U"

Written by Sabreena Jalees
Directed by Colin Heck

Poison Ivy (re Barbara): "Hopefully she grows out of her awkward Batman obsession phase. I mean we all did."
Harley: "I don't know. I feel like we awakened something in her."

Ah, I was expecting a Batgirl origin story and this episode gave me that in a rather unusual but delightful way. In the past Barbara Gordon (Briana Cuoco) has been an enemy of Harley and Ivy but in recent times they have worked together and here they do that too in an unusual environment as the Riddler happens to be the target this week.

Taking all of the city's power for himself and only letting a selection few into his university, the episode had Harley, Ivy and Clayface as Steph going undercover to find out what he was plotting while Barbara was doing the same thing and trying to boost her depressed father's spirits to no success really.

With Clayface being in his element as Steph, it was Harley, Ivy and Barbara sort of working together when the Riddler was using college students as human batteries to power things along. Needless to say, Harley, Ivy and Clayface came afoul of Nygma but it was Barbara who inadvertently saved the day and became inspired to become Batgirl by the end of the episode.

It's a good origin story for Batgirl and I was actually relieved that instead of killing the Riddler, Harley and Ivy gave him a taste of his own medicine for a change. I'm not sure how long they'll keep him prisoner but it's better than bumping him off though.

Elsewhere Killer Shark and Dr Psycho got the B Plot, which mostly saw them taking out henchmen from both the Two Face and Bane corners of the city and not much else. I'd complain but I really liked their scenes together, so I didn't mind them having much less to do this week.

- Dr Psycho was making candles out of zoo animals as well as hats. Yeah, he's still evil, folks.
- There was a shameless 90s feel to this episode including Ivy being revealed as an Indigo Girls fan for good measure.
- Kite Man briefly popped up but Batman, Joker, Frank and Sy Borgman sat this one out.
- Chronology: A couple of months since the opening episode.

Riddle U worked better than the opening episode. I'm glad the show seems to be maybe avoiding having Harley kill off every one of her enemies and as I pointed out earlier, it also made for a good origin story for Batgirl. Next week, Catwoman.

Rating: 8 out of 10

My Review of Harley Quinn's 2x01: "New Gotham"

Written by Adam Stein
Directed by Vince Heuck

Harley (to Ivy): "It's about to get more 'Yikes'."

We did not have to wait long for this one. In just a few weeks since the first season ended with both Batman and Joker out of the mix and Gotham in ruins, the second season of DC Universe's animated series came back on a decent note.

Long story short, instead of actually taking over the city which has now become a No Man's Land situation, Harley decided it would be better to liberate some goons and let chaos be the order of the day. Ivy pointed out this was a bad idea, Harley didn't listen and consequences were had.

The consequences being an Injustice League formed with Penguin, Two Face, Riddler, Bane and Mr Freeze (Alfred Molina) quickly putting Harley on ice in order to carve out their own territories in the ruined city and restore organised crime (and get their goons back of course).

As for Harley, when the gang used one of Clayface's plans to finally get her free, she wasn't pleased that most of her work had been undone, leading to a fight between her and the Penguin, which the latter did nor survive. First Scarecrow, now Penguin? This show is not saying with killing off Rogue Gallery members. I'm not sure how I feel about that.

Meanwhile Jim Gordon rejected Robin's help, got ousted from the GCPD by Two Face, had formerly good cops go bad and Barbara wants a divorce, so he's having a rotten time of it. On the other hand, Bruce Wayne turned up just about alive at the end of the episode and I don't doubt a certain clown won't be far behind in a few episodes time.

- They got a Batman Returns homage in with Harley biting the Penguin'a nose clean off before she killed him.
- Damien made me laugh dressed as Batman and other projects did Dr Psycho put on hold to save Harley?
- King Shark continues to be a delight, Sy Borgman was okay but where were Frank and Kite Man?
- Chronology: A week became three weeks, then over two months since the finale.

New Gotham while not as good as the previous episode did serve as a good opening nonetheless. However how long will it take Harley and her crew to take out the rest of the Injustice League and how long before two other characters re-enter the picture? Other than that, this was still a lot of fun to watch.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Superman - Where The DCEU Should Go With Him Next

Yeah, I've been thinking about this for a while now and I guess I'm gonna plunge in with both feet. Warning: this blog might pose a suggestion you may not agree with but it also might be the best way forward the character otherwise known as Superman and where the DC Extended Universe should take him next.

Reboot Baby: Yeah, I'm not going to mince words here and with no disrespect to Henry Cavill but the first thing that needs to be done with Superman is to reboot the character as the WB/DCEU are currently doing with The Batman, having Robert Pattinson assume the role from Ben Affleck. I know Henry Cavill has his fans and even I like his Superman, but going forward, having a new actor take on the role with a rebooted continuity will be better in the long run. Saying that though, there is a caveat I would have in place with said reboot.

No Origin Story: Like with The Batman, which will focus on the Caped Crusader's second year in the role of the Dark Knight, a potential new Superman should already have Clark living and working in Metropolis, both as a reporter for the Daily Planet and as Superman for a few years, maybe two or three. This would mean that he's already in an established relationship with Lois Lane (who would know his dual identity) as well as having met some of his more prominent foes and is a member of a certain League as well. Leading to my next point.

Main Antagonist: At this rate, we've had more than enough movies with both Lex Luthor and General Zod as the main villains of the piece. It's been done enough now. Or at least for now. Someone else needs to have a crack at causing the Man of Steel some major problems and the obvious candidate would be Brainiac. Given that the character has popped up in multiple animated movies and TV shows and live action appearances in both Smallville and Krypton in recent years, it's time for a big screen outing for this particular foe. Of course while Brainiac would be the main villain of the piece, he wouldn't be the only foe that Superman should face in a new movie.

Secondary Antagonist: There's a few characters I considered for this. Characters included the likes of Mxy, Livewire, Toyman, Metallo, etc and then it hit me - Silver Banshee. Aside from the fact that the DCEU could do with more female antagonists (and we've had some great ones so far), she's also a character who hasn't had a big screen live action adaptation and she's a lovely contrast to Brainiac, providing a different strand of villainy for Superman to deal with. In a bit of pilfering though, I'd try a similiar-ish backstory/character arc to the one that Supergirl used in it's first season with the character, giving the character a connection with Lois as well.

The Daily Planet Staff (And Other Characters): I definitely like that Zack Snyder depicted some of Superman's supporting characters in his movies but also hated some of his creative choices as well (killing a certain someone off early into Batman V. Superman springs to mind). Supporting characters are needed for Clark's world and in terms of the Daily Planet we should have the likes of Perry White, Jimmy Olsen, Cat Grant, Steve Lombard as well as characters like Bibbo, Snapper Carr and Maggie Sawyer should somewhat factor into this movie. I'd even have both Jonathan and Martha Kent alive in this movie. It never hurt Lois & Clark having Jonathan alive. And then there ....

The Maid Of Might: With a TV series currently on the CW, you might think that Supergirl shouldn't be a priority but I personally think she's a character this particular side of the DCEU shouldn't wait too long to introduce. To differ from the TV show, make the character a teenager, adopted by Jonathan and Martha and who also takes on her mantle in the movie during it's crucial third act moment. You can also explore her relationship with Clark while I would use a post credit sequence to introduce Martian Manhunter.

Before All That: Yes, before a new Superman movie, perhaps a brief taster first? I'd introduce the new version of the character in the upcoming Shazam! sequel, giving him a similar role to what Wonder Woman herself had in Batman V. Superman as well as using Ezra Miller's upcoming Flash movie to explain recasting (brief scene, nothing too big). By doing this and assuming a new actor lands with audiences, it should make a rebooted movie an easier sell for most audiences. Realistically speaking, I don't envision Henry Cavill reprising the role and the character needs to have a movie presence and not just be a show on the CW as well.

So there are my thoughts on what should be done with Superman going forward. What do you think? Should the DCEU do as I suggest and go with a full reboot or should they give Henry Cavill one more movie to see if audiences are interested in more of his take on the character?

First Look: Toy Boy - Magic Mike Meets Murder Mystery

With the Coronavirus dominating the media at the moment, I thought I'd post something a little more cheerful as Netflix recently obtained the rights to Spanish drama, Toy Boy.

Billed as a murder mystery version of Magic Mike (2012-2015), the 13 episode series focuses on a group of male strippers - Hugo Beltran (Jesús Mosquera), Iván (José de la Torre), Jairo (Carl Constanzia), Germán (Raudel Raúl Martiato) and newcomer Oscar (Carlos Scholz). Seven years prior to Oscar joining the group known as the Toy Boys, lead character Hugo fell madly in love with an older woman, a heiress named Macarena Medina (Cristina Castaño), only to end up in prison for the murder of her husband, a crime in which he didn't commit.

Released with the help of a lawyer named Triana Marín (Maria Pedraza), Hugo is desperate to clear his name and get even with his former lover while also teaming up with his former team in order to do so. For gay male viewers, there's a romance between tattooed stripper Jairo and Andrea Medina (Juanjo Almeida) to keep an eye for it with the latter character being the moody son of Hugo's former lover while the remaining cast is rounded off by Macarena's brothers - Borja and Mateo as played by José Manuel Seda and Álex Gadea respectively. With a solid bout of twists, an unabashed display of male totty on display from creators César Benítez, Juan Carlos Cueto and Rocío Martínez Llano, Toy Boy definitely have plenty of appeal for binge watching over the next few weeks.

Toy Boy Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIRkuav64Gk&feature=emb_title

The first season of Toy Boy is currently available to watch on Netflix.

My Review of Legends Of Tomorrow's 5x07: "Romeo V. Juliet: Dawn Of Justness"

Written by Ray Utarnachitt & Matthew Maala
Directed by Alexandra La Roche

Ray (to Gideon): "Thank you for everything and take care of the Legends for me."

And just like that, we're down to three original members of the team, including Gideon of course. The moment has been prepared for a while now, but I still can't believe that Ray Palmer has actually left the show with Nora.

I've said a few times but this show will feel the loss of this particular character and it's not taking away from the fact that with a large and revolving cast, we've seen plenty of characters come and go from the Waverider over the last five years but this time it really does feel different.

Ray was undoubtedly the glue of the ship with a sunny optimism that never felt saccharine and while the rest of the crew understood perfectly why he was stepping away with Nora, it took Nate somewhat longer to get his head around the idea after finding out by accident and reacting badly to the news itself.

Of course while the eventual exit of Ray and Nora was more quiet and the former did get one last meaningful scene with the other love of his life before leaving, it was the final scene that played around with the mood as the remaining team were left with a rather unforgettable reminder of Ray's presence that only Zari seemed unaffected by. That green juice will get you every single time.

As for the action of the episode, well, we ventured into Jolly Old England where Shakespeare (Rowan Schlosberg) was holding on to a piece of the Loom of Fate for Charlie before the latter learned that her famous mate also sold it off when struck by writers block. Needless to say, Charlie used her charms to retrieve while Constantine inadvertently started a bar fight and Shakespeare decided that he could invented the superhero genre for good measure.

Of course between respective bachelor parties for the newlyweds, the gang also had to work together in order to bring the real Romeo & Juliet to life in order to course correct history while also working through some other issues with one another. While Nate didn't make for the most convincing of Juliets, Zari had no problem stepping into the role and working with John's rough and ready Romeo.

Meanwhile, anyone else getting the impression that Coin Maker is one of Charlie's sisters? Her role has certainly expanded from last season and she was quick to emotionally manipulate Astra when the latter told her about John's plan. Not to mention that she got very interested when Astra revealed that Constantine was looking for the Loom of Fate. It really is time to propel that storyline forward as we move into the latter half of the season.

- Astra recalled both Rasputin and Marie Antoinette. Mona also returned to help induct Zari into book club while also giving Mick sound advice about connecting with his daughter.
- They missed a trick by not having Shakespeare flirt with both Constantine and Charlie, though his bemusement at Juliet not being played by a man was funny.
- Sly reference to Riverdale this week while the next episode, due to air in April will be a homage to Supernatural.
- Chronology: 1594 England for most of this episode.

Romeo V. Juliet: Dawn Of Justness felt more of a quiet affair after the big Ray/Nora wedding episode and while I wish the characters hadn't left here, it was a decent ending for them. I do hope that when this show eventually ends, both characters are recalled for the series finale but going forward at least we have the Looms storyline to tide us over.

Rating: 8 out of 10

To End The Spellmans ... Eventually

And it's been a while but here's another TV Jumble blog, going on some of the stuff I've been watching over the last few weeks.

Batwoman: And this show continues to somewhat improve as it's progressed. Granted the other Beth situation was resolved in a predictable manner but having Cartwright out in force certainly meant that Alice could vent her rage at the right person for a change. I also liked the last two episodes respective depictions of obscure characters like Nocturna and Duela Dent and can I say that Sophie has somewhat improved the last few weeks? I mean the show's not perfect but it's definitely gotten better, post Crisis at this rate.

Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina: The third season/part of this series has definitely upped it's use of Paganism as they made for rather decent antagonists among Sabrina and Caliban's ongoing battle for hell, Lucifer getting free, Lilith finding a stalling tactic and Faustus still being a general pain in the arse (can we please lose Faustus next season?). The finale had fun playing about with time, giving us two Sabrina (or is it three?), pairing Zelda with Marie (already a better partnership than her last one), separating Ambrose and Prudence while Harvey, Roz, Theo and Robin all seemed to be in better places. Nick on the other hand has felt too much like a spare part this season and Sabrina's lack of thinking her plans through continues to be an ongoing trend. While not as good as the first two seasons, this was still a lot of devilish fun to watch.

Good Omens: Ah, this was a fun series, wasn't it? Right now, I'm not sure if it'll be back for a second series but with the impressive banter between Michael Sheen and David Tennant, you'd think both BBC2 and Amazon would be chomping at the bit for some more. The finale certainly felt like it might have been meant to close things but at the same time, maybe one more series? Ah go on, BBC2/Amazon, you know you want to.

Supergirl: The show hit it's 100th episode and it did so by having Mxy device a few opportunities for Kara to change her current situation with Lena before Kara realised that actually calling out Lena's actions was the better course of action. Aside from that, we've got William as a love interest, Lena moving into human experiments, Alex working with J'onn, Brainy still be Lex's minion, Nia and Kelly both looking for a storyline, Andrea's Acrata plotline resurfacing and Lex and Leviathan trying to outsmart one another. It's a bit treading water at the moment.

The Flash: Speaking of treading water, this show certainly is feeling it too at the moment. I mean, we've got Thawne back again and there's a female Mirror Master with Eva McCulloch but too many episodes with Iris trapped in a mirror universe, Barry wallowing more than usual, the pattern of Cisco, Caitlin and Ralph sitting episodes out and Wally's all too bief return. Yeah, the show is better than the first half of the season but it's still going through the motions at the moment. I'm also not sure about Sue either, character wise, though I did like Grodd's return and Pied Piper's too. It's not bad but it needs to be a bit better.

The L Word: Generation Q: I'm near the end of this series and the highlight so far, still has to be the cast from the original show than the newbies. I don't dislike the newbies, but I don't really care enough about them either if I'm being honest. At the moment, the interesting stories are with Shane and her estranged wife, Alice getting into a throuple situation and of course, finally having Bette and Tina interact on the show. I'm hoping with Tina's appearance here that means the second season will have more original cast members pop up in guest roles.

- Despite the fact that it was meant to be ending this year, it seems that Netflix are closing in on giving Lucifer a sixth season.
- An upcoming episode of Legends Of Tomorrow will play homage to Supernatural.
- Harley Quinn's second season will premiere on April 2nd.
- Richard E. Grant has joined the cast of Disney+'s Loki series.
- Jon Bernthal will star in American Gigalo for Showtime.
- Gina Torres and Erin Richards will star in ABC's The Brides, which will centre on the brides of Dracula.
- RuPaul's AJ And The Queen has been cancelled after on season on Netflix.
- Clarice will see Rebecca Breeds in the lead role while Lucca De Oliveira and Devyn A. Tyler will star in the upcoming series.
- Maxim Baldry has been cast in Amazon's upcoming Lord Of The Rings TV series.
- HBO Max will be airing a reunion show with the cast of Friends when it becomes available for streaming from May. A UK broadcaster has yet to be announced.