The Flash "Running To Stand Still" Arrow "Dark Waters" Supergirl "Hostile Takeover" Quick Reviews

I have just been so busy at work lately because of Star Wars (I work at a cinema) that I have no time to review these episodes individually. So here are some quick reviews and if I find that work keeps me too busy even after Star Wars it may have to always be like this.

The Flash Season Two: Running To Stand Still

The Weather Wizard returns to Central City and frees Captain Cold and the original Trickster from Iron Heights for a team up against the Flash meanwhile Joe and Iris get a surprise when Wally West (Keiynan Lonsdale) arrives at their home.

Highlights

• Return of Weather Wizard and the Trickster and their villain team up! These two where great villains last season and it was good to see them again, especially Mark FREAKING Hamill! Whenever he is on screen he is always the centre of attention with his over - the - top performance which is handled really well; he does it in a way that it doesn't feel annoying or out of place. Loved the fights scene between Weather Wizard and the Flash, the Weather Wizard's flying ability was awesome to see.
• Joe's subplot in handling the reveal that Wally West is his son because it was probably his best character arc and performance all season. We got some really heart - wrenching scenes with Joe and I'm glad we got a glimpse of Wally, who fans of the comics know plays a large role.
• The opening with Zoom attacking Wells came out of no where and it is going to be a nice twist with Wells being forced to help Zoom now. I bet all the characters are going to turn on him when they find out which will be a shame because he isn't evil he just hasn't got a choice.

Let - Downs

• Captain Cold was completely wasted probably because they want to save him for LOT, this was annoying because I really would have liked him to have been a part of the conflict. I'll say again I really hope that they don't play Cold as too much of a hero because I want him to eventually be the leader of the Rouges.
• Patty's subplot with Weather Wizard was predictable and boring because I knew how it was going to play out from the beginning. Didn't like how far she was going to go for her revenge (like trapping the Flash), I felt her conflict with Weather Wizard was just forced in the plot and I bet it will never come up or play any importance again.

Overall an awesome Christmas themed episode in which Weather Wizard and the Trickster completely stole the show

SCORE: 8/10

Arrow Season Four: Dark Waters

Things turn even more brutal when Damien steps up his attacks on the city and even targets Oliver at his mayoral party.

Highlights

• Damien stole it because he was the centre of attention this episode; we got to see him interact with other HIVE members, we saw a glimpse of his family and he lost his cool and suffered his first defeat. The guy just grabs your attention every time he is on screen like when he attacked the Christmas party or showed Oliver his gas chamber. His fight with Malcolm was a standout (glad it was him to beat Damien first) and we saw more of his power like his force choke and possibly a resurrection spell?
• The Malcolm and Laurel team up was really good because with their shared past over Sara's death these two characters have a nice chemistry going on. They kicked ass with their assault on HIVE and it was cool to see more Canary Cry and Malcolm dressed as the Green Arrow. Also Quentin's reaction and interactions with Malcolm where great as well and I do like his pairing with Donna.
• Diggle's interactions with his brother where good because this defiantly gives his character more to work with and a unique arc that is more his own.
• The ending left us on such a cliff hanger that I really want to see what happens next. Could Felicity be dead? It would be a nice twist if she did (don't like her pairing with Oliver) but I guess she won't because the people behind the show probably don't have the balls to anger the OliverxFelicity fans.

Let - Downs

• The Flashbacks where a disappointment because they teased a shark yet we didn't get to see it fight Oliver. Plus it didn't feel like anything really major happened and it looks like Oliver's time as a spy in the Baron's camp is over so soon. 

Overall a really dark mid season finale with a major cliff hanger for year also thought I'd say this is more of an annoyance than a let down but I hated Felicity trying to title every "Holiday" instead of Christmas. It is freaking Christmas time, I have always hated people who don't call it such and I have no idea why she playing the Jewish thing so much, it annoyed me that she was pushing it on everything.

SCORE: 8/10

Supergirl Season One: Hostile Takeover

Astra returns to challenge Supergirl and her beliefs about her mother meanwhile Cat may be removed as CEO of CatCo when a hacker exposes her private emails.

Highlights

• The fights scenes this episode where something really amazing and such a great way to end the mid season. The flying fight between Supergirl and Astra was done so well with them flying through buildings and causing so much havoc. Then there was the attack on Lord Industries and it was awesome seeing so much Krytonians fighting at once and they brought two others aliens as well. Maxwell and Henshaw really shined as well with Maxwell trying to take them on with his special gun and Henshaw displaying some of his powers.
• Henshaw's line " My telepathy doesn't work on Krytonians, which Superman finds hilarious" is probably the best line I've heard all season lol.
• Cat had such great development this episode with her warming up more to Kara, her willingness to sacrifice herself for the greater good and her past about a son she gave up when she was younger. Then of course there was her working out Supergirl's identity which really showed her intelligence and shrewdness.
• I like that we got to know more about Astra, her attempts to discredit Alura, the Flashbacks and the reveal that she has a husband however......

Let - Downs

•  ........Astra herself just isn't that much of a compelling villain. She doesn't really stand out to much in opinion and I didn't like her cliché wanting to be caught plot. This isn't too much of a let - down because I feel that she can be a really good character in the future.
• While I liked Kara, James and Winn working together to bring down Dirk I didn't like James and Winn butting heads over Kara and the typical becoming friends at the end.

Overall my favourite episode of the season so far with some great character development and action scenes.

SCORE: 8/10 


The great screenshots of these episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;





http://screencapped.net/

Supergirl Season One: Episodes Six And Seven (Quick Reviews)

I have been so busy with work lately that I just had to make these two episodes of Supergirl quick reviews.

Episode Six "Red Faced"

Highlights

• The Red Tornado android was so freaking awesome and looked a lot better than it did in the preview screenshots. I read lots of comments before the episodes that the design looked silly but no when you actually watched it in action it worked. The fight scenes it had with Supergirl where really cool and I though it was destroyed I hope it returns in some form in the future because it gained sentience.
• Kara dealing with her anger issues because while you think it is actually just about her crush on James there is more to it than that since she is still trying to find her place in the world.
• Glenn Morshower as Sam Lane; I feel like I see this guy in everything (Transfomers, Revolution etc.) and while his character is an ass for the way he treats James and Supergirl he plays it well because he is supposed to kind of be the human antagonist for Supergirl.
• Kara and Cat bonding over drinks because I like how these two are growing closer with each new experience and again we find out more about why Cat is the way she is. Plus Cat always seems to be the one to give Kara the right information at the end of the day, more so than Alex and James.
• Winn uncovering the information on Alex's father because now we have a lot more mystery surrounding his disappearance (I don't think he is dead) and I am curious as to what alien he and Henshaw where tracking down.

Let - Downs

• The scenes with Maxwell and Alex are just painful to watch now because I don't want these characters together and I just think they are forcing chemistry between them.
• Winn really needs to have a strong character arc soon because while I think he is a good character and a funny one too, he just seems to be there for the sake of it most of the time.
• I really didn't like the workout scene with Kara and James, I mean honestly just a few punches and Kara suddenly had this massive realization. I just felt that it was lazy scene thrown into the episode to move the plot forward.

Overall an improvement over last week's episode because it had a villain for Supergirl to fight this time.

SCORE: 8/10


Episode Seven "Human For A Day"

Highlights

• The whole earthquake disaster because I think it was just really portrayed well, everything from the damage effects and how the characters are dealing with it. Maxwell was really great because he turned the disaster to his advantage by playing the good guy and trying to turn everyone against Supergirl with some pretty convincing speeches lol.
• I liked seeing Kara dealing with the loss of her powers for the first time and then realizing at the end that she is a hero with or without them; the robbery scene was really well done. Then of course there was James and Cat who really helped her through it each in their own way.
• All the scenes with the DEO because I really liked the villain Jemm and his powers and I liked how they where creating this Alien atmosphere when trying to capture him.
• Hank is Martian FREAKING Manhunter!! Fans have been asking for a live action portrayal of this character for ages and now we have got it and he looked so damn awesome. I liked the build up to his reveal with Hank's backstory because it makes sense for the character; right out of the comics he is a good guy who is the last son of Mars. Now I admit I am slightly disappointed Hank isn't Cyborg Superman however hopefully we will still get him in the future, maybe the real Hank could have been revived as Cyborg Superman?

Let - Downs

• Again Winn just needs something better to work with than just being a Sueprgirl fanboy with a crush on Kara. Then of course there was the awkward moment he got angry with Kara for hugging James; I like his character but come on don't turn him into a jerk. 

Overall defiantly a highlight of the season which makes me look forward to seeing more of Martian Manhunter and leaves us with a cliff hanger ending.

SCORE: 9/10

Top 5 Falling Skies Season One Episodes

Now I will move on to Falling Skies for my favourite episodes list (about time I got round to it too) but since each season only has 10 episodes I will do a top five. SPOILERS

5. Eight Hours

We start with the finale and I guess I should start off by saying why it is in fifth place and that is because I am slightly disappointed that the battle with Weaver's group against the Skitters was not shown. I accepted that Falling Skies doesn't have a big budget for massive battles and it's more subtle approach does work for it for however the battle was pretty hyped and we saw none of it. But on to what I did like and that is the battle between those who stayed behind at the school against the Mechs because we had a great gunfight and tense moment when Ben tried to stop them with the frequency and I also liked Weaver's speech when asking for volunteers and seeing who was willing to go. I liked that because while we saw none of the battle the build up for it was really good like also during the trip when Weaver decides to push on despite hearing of the other Masses being destroyed. Finally it ended the season on such a big twist and cliff hanger where Tom goes aboard the Overlord ship that made me impatient for the new season so I can see what happened lol.

4. The Armory

I just had to include the episode that introduced my favourite fictional character; John Pope! I mean this episode showed straight away just how much of a badass he is, from his attitude, finger necklace and how he tired to take the 2nd Mass's supplies. I also like the episode because it also addresses the importance of Military vs. the Civilians and I liked Tom and Weaver's opposing views on the subject and Tom's talk about it with Anne. The only thing I didn't like was Maggie because overall I just don't like her and her whole reason for going along with Pope's gang until now and then just suddenly switching sides.

3. Live and Learn

The first episode was a great start to Falling Skies; it may start six months after the alien invasion but does a great job of introducing us to the characters and the state of the world. It establishes Tom as the main character and I've always really liked Tom because he has always been just a really likable character (despite his change in Season Five), he is not military but I history professor just doing what he can do against the alien menace. I liked all of the other characters as well and the whole situation of 2nd Mass; just a group of survivors each with their own differences and views working together. This also showed that the show can have some great action scenes when it wants to and I liked that they didn't give us that much info on the Skitters, leaving some questions for later episodes.

2. Grace

A great action packed and interesting episode early on in the season which had Tom, Hal, Pope, Dai and Antony trying to find gasoline. I liked the dilemma the group was in, whether or not to kill the sleeping Skitters but Pope escapes just to do it anyway lol and also when the harnessed group attacked them with guns. They definitely should have done that more often because it put the group in a desperate situation when they where almost forced to shoot kids to escape. Anne also got a good subplot with her experiments with the captured Skitter which was interesting to watch and Ricky getting the harness ripped off him was cringe worthy.

1. What Hides Beneath

This episode had two big twists in it and a compelling story that makes it worthy of the number one spot, with the first twist being that the Skitter are commanded by the Overlords. This was great because we finally got to see some form of leadership structure within the alien invaders and changed the whole game for the humans because they thought it was just the Skitters. There is also the reveal Anne makes that the Skitters used to be harnessed children because now we know the real reason for the harness and that Ben wasn't out of danger yet. The great story that was with Weaver going back to his family house and almost giving up on the war. We also found out that he accidently killed his youngest daughter by removing her harnesses and has been separated from the rest of his family ever since; not only was this a more bleak and dark turn for Falling Skies but creates a lot of sympathy for Weaver's character. Finally I also liked the subplot of Pope being kind of like the inventor for 2nd Mass by building the bombs and making the anti - mech bullets.

You know I don't really dislike any episodes in the first season because I think it kept a steady pace throughout but if I had to pick a worst episode it would be;

Sanctuary (Part 2)

I actually really liked part one but the second part didn't have much of a payoff as I thought it would have because while it had some decent gun fights I was disappointed there was no massive shootout between 2nd Mass and 7th Mass. I just think that the 7th Mass where wasted potential as villains when they waste a lot of time trying to make us sympathise with some of it's members.

Supergirl Season One: How Does She Do It?

Supergirl begins to suspect a Maxwell Lord employee behind a series of bombings in an effort to expose her identity meanwhile as Kara she must babysit Cat's son Carter (Levi Miller).

See this was the episode I wanted for Maxwell Lord because is involvement in the Reactron storyline wasn't as impactful as I wanted it to be. Besides Kara's aunt I think Lord as proven himself to be a true threat to Supergirl than any other villain in his own way while he is still human. I mean he completely outsmarted both Supergirl and the DEO with his elaborate plans to analyse Supergirl's abilities with nothing being connected to him. I also really liked the confrontation between him and Supergirl at the end because it really showed how sinister Lord can be and how un - intimidated he was with Supergirl. All in all this was a great way to establish Lord as a real villain now in the series and I also liked that we got some backstory on his character but I could have done without the romantic tension they where kind of trying to make between Lord and Alex but hopefully that was just a one time thing. Now another subplot that I really enjoyed seeing was the one between James and Lucy mostly because their past was a lot more fleshed out, heck I kind of wished we could have had some Flashbacks to when they where dating in the past but James had to run off to help Superman. Sure we got a typical love triangle between James, Lucy and Kara here and yes I think we all knew Lucy and James where going to get back together but it is turning into a decent romantic subplot that I don't mind seeing. I really hope that Lucy becomes I relevant character to the show however than just as a disposable girlfriend for James in the end, maybe an old Metropolis villain could come after her in a future episode?

As for everything else the subplot with Kara babysitting Carter wasn't as bad as I thought; we got some light hearted moments, Carter's fanboy for Supergirl was funny to see and we got another reference to Winn being Toyman. However the theme of this episode where Kara is juggling too much has already been done before, Cat even gave Kara another speech about it once again; I just think that Cat should have moved on from this and should have been tackling another problem. Speaking of Cat it was a shame she wasn't in it that much but it was cool that she was accepting a reward that she won over Lois Lane, lol. Finally we got to see a little more of Henshaw's glowing red eyes and him taking apart a bomb with his bare hands which hopefully means we get to see exactly what he is soon. I am still hoping for Cyborg Superman but I have heard some rumours saying that he could be Martian Manhunter. Now I liked Martian Manhunter but I hope this isn't the case because first off his name is HANK HENSHAW which is the name of Cyborg Superman and it would just be cool to have another villain from the comics that more to do with Superman make an appearance like Reactron. Thought I'd say that while I did enjoy watching this episode and the plots with Lord, James and Lucy where good I feel that this episode is just average overall because nothing (especially the moments with Kara/Supegirl) really stood out too much compared to the previous episodes.

Overall an enjoyable episode that really did a good job of trying something different than using the Phantom Zone inmates once again and while the plots where good nothing really stood out too much.

SCORE: 6/10

Highlights: A really good Maxwell Lord episode
                   The relationship between James and Lucy was handled better

Let - Downs: Kara/Supergirl tackling the same personal problems yet again
                      I didn't feel like there was anything too special about this episode in all  

Supergirl Season One: Livewire

Kara gets a surprise when she foster mother arrives in town for Thanksgiving meanwhile an accident transforms CatCo employee Leslie Willis (Brit Morgan) into the villain Livewire.

Supergirl has been a lot better with it's villains in the last episode and now this one because it shows us that it doesn't have to rely on the 300 escapees from the Phantom Zone but can create it's own villains. That is what we get with Livewire we see her origins, the beginning of this villain, as a radical radio host who got her powers by a lightning strike through Supergirl. I really liked Livewire herself because first off her powers are really cool; from her electrical attacks to her teleporting, the effects where pretty damn cool. Plus it was helped by Brit Morgan who was great in the role and brought a lot of enthusiasm, glad she didn't die at the end and I hope she appears again. However the best part that really helped the Livewire plot was the involvement of Cat and the fact that she is tied so closely to the villain. She herself played a part in creating Livewire because of how she treated Leslie who used to be her protégée of sorts and we also got to see a softer side of her with how she is opening up more with Kara and trusting Supergirl. Cat still steals a lot of the scenes she is in (she's like the best character after Kara) and I just laughed at some of her one liners, like her "YouTube commenter one" lol.

As for everything else the subplot with Kara and Alex's mother Dr Danvers (Helen Slater) wasn't nearly as good because the whole "disapproving mother" thing is nothing new. I honestly found her character to be annoying, her scenes boring and her ones with Alex (like at the Thanksgiving table) just plain awkward to watch. I've already said I don't like Alex (you got to admit she is the least interesting character on the show) but this whole subplot didn't help her because she just whined a lot throughout it and I couldn't stand her during that dinner where she just drank throughout it. The only interesting thing about this subplot was the Flashbacks and the reveal that their father (Dean Cain) worked and died under the DEO and Hank Henshaw. Wish their father was still alive because he seemed like a more interesting character with his work on Superman but this also makes me think that Henshaw and the DEO will be villains in a future season. Finally Winn is now getting to be a really good character because him caught in the middle of that awkward dinner was pretty humorous and I liked the mention of his criminal father. Now I knew he shared the name of DC villain Toyman but I didn't see his character becoming him but it is likely his father is Toyman so I can't wait to see how this plays out.

Overall a we got to see the origins of a great villain and I liked how heavily involved Cat was in this as well. It's too bad that not more screen time was devoted to this because half of it had to spend time with the disappointing subplot of Alex and her mother.

SCORE: 7/10

Highlights: Livewire and how Cat tied with the character
                   Flashbacks
                   Winn and the reveal about his father

Let - Downs: Alex and her mother
                      More screen time should have been given to Livewire

The great screenshots of these episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;





http://screencapped.net/           

Supergirl Season One: Fight or Flight

"I've already fought Superman so let's try Supergirl"

Cat runs an expose on Supergirl meanwhile Kara must deal with one of Superman's oldest and must formidable enemies; Ben Krull AKA Reactron (Chris Browning).

Wow we get Superman more involved in this episode than I thought so maybe that might mean one day he will get a proper appearance than a cameo? This episode once again deals with Kara's inexperience at being a hero and addresses the issue as to why she doesn't just call Superman for help all the time. The answer is simple in the fact that Kara wants to be her own hero, one that the people can look up to first in National City rather than just a plan B if Superman isn't around. I liked how Kara dealt with it; fighting Reactron in her own ways such as first trying to reason with him (I liked that this showed her compassionate side to the villain) then using force as a must. In the end I feel that she did prove herself to her friends, Superman and Cat who was writing a bad article on her. I also really liked the end of the episode when she had that message chat with Clark because while I know the series is limited to how much they can use Superman it is could to see some communication between them. Now as for the villain he was the best one by far! Reactron was so freaking cool, from the look of his armour to his awesome energy based attacks and fight scenes but it was his backstory that was a highlight. It was just really cool and such a good move to have an enemy of Superman make an appearance because it does expand the TV universe in showing that major events have happened before the start. He may have just been in one episode so far (hope he comes back!) but I feel he has been the best developed villain because of his tragic backstory and history with Superman, plus he isn't just going after Supergirl because he was ordered to he has his own proper reasons to.

"Talk to the hand!"

As for everything else I was glad to see more of Maxwell Lord because he is a great DC villain and while I do like the actor portraying him I don't think this debut did the character justice. He was only really in this to fix Reactron's armour something a generic scientist could have done and he just comes across as an annoying rich playboy. However I will give the show the benefit of the doubt in that they are going to develop him from a good guy to a villain plus I did like this hinted relationship between him and Cat so we'll see where that goes. I also think James was a tad disappointing because after everything he said last episode of getting out of Superman's shadow he goes ahead a calls him without hesitation. Sure he apologized, sure he put his life on the line to stop Reactron but I just thought he had more faith in Supergirl after all the encouragement he has been giving her and them sharing the same desires of being their own person. Winn I admit is growing on me; he is a fun character to watch whether with his enthusiasm to help Suergirl or trying to win her affection lol. Finally I didn't like that Alex and the DEO managed to find the way to stop Reactron conveniently at the end because I would rather Kara, James and Winn found out themselves when the DEO where barely involved this episode. I know I have already said I didn't like them much but I think I would more if they weren't just squeezed in just for a little screen time. However Henshaw still peaks my curiosity by displaying his red eyes and again I really, really hope he turns out to be Cyborg Superman!!

So what past do these two have?

Overall this episode had the best villain by far, had some great development for Kara and managed to include Superman in really well without taking too much from Sueprgirl. Thought I'd take the time to say that I haven't forgotten the new Arrow episode I was just too busy in Wednesday to review it so I will get round to it and I will no longer be reviewing Bleach because I will be more busy again soon because of work and I'd rather find time for these shows than Bleach.

SCORE: 7/10

Highlights: Reactron was a kickass villain!
                   Kara becoming more and more her own hero
                   Cat still great and Winn is improving

Let - Downs: Maxwell Lord's debut could have been better
                      James wasn't too good this episode
                      The DEO just squeezed in at the end to help with the villain

The great screenshots of these episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;





http://screencapped.net/

Supergirl Season One: Stronger Together

"Why our are heat vision both blue? I mean Superman's is red"

Kara must deal with the aftermath from National City and it's media now that her alter - ego Supergirl is getting more attention meanwhile the DEO discovers new Fort Rozz escapee Hellgrammite (Justice Leak), an insect - like alien who can take human form.

You know what is really good about Supergirl is just how fun it is to watch like The Flash, it has a similar feel and humour to it (Arrow is fun to watch but of course has a darker tone). Again I praise the casting of Benoist to the role because now I can't picture anyone else playing Supergirl, she brings a lot of life to the character for live action. This episode focused on how inexperienced Supergirl still is at being a hero which I liked because she shouldn't be an expert at her job straight away so we see her mess up a few times before realizing she needs to refine her skills. This came from a pep talk from Cat in a really great scene where she mentions her past and how you have to start at the bottom in any career. You know I really liking Cat as a character because when I say her in the trailers I thought she would be this really annoying boss but no I am really enjoying the scenes she is in and in her own way she is one of the most helpful to Supergirl. I also liked that she dropped a lot of Easter Eggs by mentioning the Daily Planet, Lois Lane and Clark Kent/Superman; we already know this show exists in the same universe as Superman but I like it when the characters remind each other. Speaking of Superman I like that he influenced Kara and Jimmy this episode because they both are dealing with the fact they are living in his shadow but they want to be their own person. Made for some great development of their characters especially for Jimmy because this does portray him as more of a serious character then what he usually is in the comics.

A great example of the effects used in this show

As for everything else I admit the villain of the week, Hellgrammite, was really underused and was really just their to introduce Astra. It is a shame because the effects used for him where really cool and he had that awesome scene where he attacked the DEO transports but all in all we barely knew anything about him and the way he was taken out by Alex was lacklustre. Speaking of Alex I really don't care much for her or the DEO (expect for Henshaw but get to him in a bit), I just don't find their scenes where they are investigating Hellgrammite that relevant or entertaining and Alex is now like the Caitlin Snow of Supergirl; always seem to be the one to hold the hero back. On to Astra her fight scene with Supergirl was so freaking awesome which I again praise the effects in the fight scenes, the way they punch each other through walls, fly and use heat vision is so great to watch. I want to know more about her past and plans though because right now she isn't much different than a typical villain but I hope they will change that soon. As for Henshaw he is the only good part of the DEO scenes so far because I like that he is the only one to speak his mind to Sueprgirl without it being awkward like Alex does and he is such a badass like when he took on Astra with a Kryptonite blade. However the most significant part is when his eyes glowed red and I really hope this means he really becomes Cyborg Superman and not just using the name because I am a massive fan of that villain! Finally I liked we got a small intro to Maxwell Lord (Peter Facinell) because he is one of my fav DC villains and I hope he has his powers eventually.

Please let him be Cyborg Superman!!!

Overall Supergirl defiantly proves it can stay stronger after the first episode (because more budget is put in them) and makes me really look forward to the next episode. Oh yeah and I thought I'd mention that I glad that Kara was old enough to remember Krypton because maybe we'll get some more Flashback scenes like we did in this episode.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Kara and Jimmy's character struggles
                   Cat continues to be one of the strongest characters
                   Great fight scene with Astra
                   Henshaw is the best thing about the DEO

Let - Downs: Hellgrammite was disappointing
                      Don't care much for Alex and the DEO


The great screenshots of these episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;





http://screencapped.net/                

Supergirl Season One: Pilot

 

Kara Zor - El (Melissa Benoist) has been living a normal life in Earth ever since her arrival as a young girl from Krypton however she decides to embrace her powers when alien convicts from the Phantom Zone decide to reveal themselves and cause havoc.

 

You know this pilot was a lot better than I thought because unlike the Arrow and Flash this show has to build on the existing mythos of another superhero; Superman. Well first off I shall tell you what I think of the cast starting with Melissa Benoist who really did nail it as Supergirl. It is entertaining seeing her juggle her two personalities of Kara and Supergirl; as Kara she is this likeable, funny, almost goofy newsroom assistant and then instantly become the powerful Supergirl with it feeling forced, she becomes more serious but still retains a light - hearted feel to the character by bringing humour even in a bad situation e.g. when she was lifting the plane. The rest of the cast did an awesome job as well like Mechad Brooks as James Olsen who has this interesting personnel connection with Superman that you want to know more of, her boss Cat Grant (Calista Flockhart) who I actually found to be quite funny and I loved the newsroom scenes with her and her sister Alex (Chlyer Leigh) her sister who is her anchor to a normal life; they all did her job great. I know there are more but one I hope gets developed a lot is Hank Henshaw (David Harewood) because those who have read the comics knows he is Cyborg Superman and I am really interesting in knowing if that is who he becomes. The other standout besides the cast is the awesome action scenes that this show has and I was really impressed with how they where done. We has Supergirl flying all over the place, punching aliens and being punched through walls etc. the effects are really good! Her fights with Vartox (Owain Yeoman) where so cool to watch, they didn't feel at all one sided and it was good and believable how see defeating him in the end. 

 

This was an awesome moment!

As for everything else the whole story of the first episode was done really well (the opening with Kryton was really great) and I liked Kara's transition from normal girl to Supergirl. However I feel that already the show is following an already familiar formula that has already been established on Flash and Arrow. I mean only half way through and already she has this hacker friend, Winslow Schott (Jeremy Jordon), who finds the crimes for her on computer and has a crush on her. Already too many people know her identity like the secret military organization which her sister just happens to be apart of. Plus they have already established that this will mainly be a villain of the week structure and while there is nothing wrong with that they haven't exactly given us any big, overarching story yet. Finally you see I like strong female characters being the lead, which this show is giving the audience, however it is 2015 and it throws the whole feminist issue right in your face. It isn't subtle with it at all like some of the lines the characters say which I expect from a show like Star Trek Next Generation or Stargate SG1 which where both in the 1980s - 1990's. I personally believe men and women are both equal and have been for ages and ages now so it is annoying when a show tries to act like Marvel Agent Carter but that was set all way back in the 1940s so it had a proper reason to use the whole non - equal issue. You know I am not alone in mentioning the issue because I have read a lot of comments like this even when the trailers where just coming out and I really agreed with Cat's reasoning for using the name Supergirl.

 

"Good think I can fly because I don't know how to drive"

Overall a great start to the series which does a great job of establishing the world of Supergirl and the characters.

 

SCORE: 7/10

 

Highlights: The cast of characters especially Melissa Benoist

                   Awesome action scenes

                   The story from Kara at Krypton to who she is now was done very well

 

Let - Downs: Already following a very familiar formula found in Arrow and Flash

                      The feminist issue is not subtle at all                  

Top 10 Flash Season One Episodes

I have done Arrow, now it's time for The Flash! SPOILERS

10. The Sound and the Fury




The first episode on my list introduces us Hartley Rathaway AKA Piped Piper and with the use of Flashbacks this character was woven perfectly into the storyline. I like villains with cool tech and the Piped Piper's sound based weapons was an interesting match for the Flash. It was also great how he tricked everyone by allowing himself to be caught however a let down is that his defeat was anti - climatic and felt rushed.

9. All Star Team Up




Ray Palmer is one of my favourite characters in the Arrow series so I really liked how he crossed over in to the Flash show. It is always great to see him in action in his ATOM suit and he and Felicity worked great with Team Flash, especially the funny scenes Ray has with Cisco. I also liked Emily Kinney who was great as the villain (liked her better in this than all her time in the Walking Dead) but just like Piped Piper I think her defeat could have been more dramatic. Plus this was also the episode where everyone agrees that Wells is the Reverse Flash which made the focus of the episodes afterwards trying to capture him.

8. Revenge of the Rogues




Captain Cold is one of my favourite Flash villains so it's always great to see more of him in the series and that this is the episode where he starts to build his Rouge Gallery. We also get the debut of Heatwave and it's entertaining see him work with Cold and we also get an epic showdown at the end with the two of them vs. the Flash.

7. Out of Time




I really liked this episode because it was a continuation of the Weather Wizard plot from the first episode; I knew this episode was coming (because from the comics I knew it was Mark not Clyde who was the real Weather Wizard) and it didn't disappoint! Mark was quite the match for the speedster and because of him we got to experience time travel for the first time. Of course the highlight of this episode was the biggest WTF moment for me in TV that year; Wells revealing himself to be Eobard Thawne AKA the Reverse Flash who is my favourite DC villain.

6. Rogue Air

Who doesn't like a whole bunch of Meta Humans fight the Flash at the same time? This episode was the perfect one for bringing back some Meta Humans we haven't seen in a while like The Mist who was captured early in the season. It was also good to see Cold get the drop on the Flash but I really didn't like that he had to kill Deathbolt; he was an awesome villain, Doug Jones was great as him and I really hope another version of him from Earth 2 arrives next season. Also if that wasn't enough the end of this episode had an awesome showdown between the Reserve Flash vs. the Flash, Arrow and Firestorm!

5. The Man in the Yellow Suit




I remember when I first watched this I enjoyed it so much I watched it again on catch up only a few hours later. This was the first episode that introduced us to the Reverse Flash in the present (not as a blur in Flashbacks) and he had two awesome fights with Barry. I mean the Reverse Flash was so cool with his deep voice and vibrating so we can't see him properly, the confrontation he had with Joe and the police was intense and the reveal of him being Wells was such a twist.

4. Fast Enough

Such a great finale for an epic season and one that focused more on the emotional scenes than action yet worked so well. Since they had the epic fight last episode this one focused more on Barry's decision to change the past and watching him struggling with the choice and then deciding to not save his mother so his present life won't be changed was such a great watch. Then if that much sad scenes wasn't enough they gave us Eddie sacrificing himself so Eobard will be erased from existence! Now I am positive either Tom Cavanagh or Matt Letscher's version of Eobard will reappear sometime in the futues because it's freaking Eobard Thawne, the Flash's greatest enemy who has done a lot of crazy stuff with the time stream in the comics. The only let down of this finale was that Caitlin and Ronnie's wedding just felt forced in and should have been saved for Season Two.

3. Flash vs. Arrow




The first crossover episode was such a huge success thanks to the great interactions between the cast of Team Flash and Team Arrow. The just looked so comfortable working with each other it didn't surprise me that they are going to make a crossover every year now. They also thought of such a smart way for Arrow and Flash to fight one another and it was a great fight. Only two things annoyed me and that was Cisco saying the fight was a draw when clearly Oliver won and Rainbow Raider was defeated off screen.

2. Grodd Lives

You know Grodd could have easily, and I mean easily, been a major disaster in the series. First off there is the fact of having the Flash fight a gorilla with the limited budget TV series have and then there was trying to make him (a gorilla) a serious threat. Well they nailed both of these targets because Grodd looked so awesome on screen and it was so damn creepy in those sewers when they where hunting Grodd. They went with a successful Jaws approach where you don't see much of the creature but the atmosphere they created made up for it. Then when Grodd did appear he was so intimidating like when Joe started to lose it or when he caught the Flash's punch and in the end the Flash didn't even win, he just got lucky.

1. Tricksters




So many episodes of the season deserve to have the number one spot but I just had to give it to this one because of Mark Hamill, Mark FREAKING Hamill!! It was so smart to have his portrayal as the Trickster in the 1990 Flash series still kind of counted in this series and we have lots of Easter Eggs showing us it e.g. his old costume and photographs. Loved Mark Hamill's performance on the episode because you can just tell he was having the time of his life and that besides from being a challenge for the Flash to defeat his character ties into the Axel Walker Trickster so we hopefully might see them again. Not only did we have that great plot but awesome Flashbacks showing how Eobard got stuck in the past and how he took Well's identity.

Picking a worst one was hard because I don't think there is a bad episode in the whole season but if I had no choice but to pick one I guess it would be.

Crazy for You

I guess I picked this one because while I liked Peek - A - Boo I think the way The Flash caught her in the end was lacklustre. I mean the rest of the episode was good with Cisco and Piped Piper and the ending with the sewer workers killed by Grodd but I guess Peek - A - Boo's plot wasn't too entertaining overall.


The great screenshots of these episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/

Top 10 Arrow Season One Episodes

Now I am onto Arrow Season One, enjoy! SPOILERS

10. The Huntress Returns



I may not really like Arrow's version of the Huntress (her story and actress where both wrong) however this episode was good because the fight scene between Huntress and Arrow was really cool and I give Helena props for the arrow catching, I mentioned in my review that was awesome for her to do. However the best part of the episode was Dinah and Quentin trying to find proof that Sara is still alive, you see before this I didn't much care for the Lance family because Quentin was acting like an ass and I wasn't too bothered about Laurel. This episode though made for some really emotional scenes for the Lance family and created a lot of sympathy for them that I enjoyed watching and it was sad when Dinah's theory was proven wrong.

9. Legacies



This episode marked the first time Oliver decided he would do more to help the city than just cross off names in his father's notebook and it was thanks to the Royal Flush Gang. They weren't too big in the comics but I really like how they where portrayed in live action. I also liked how the gang was a result of the actions of Oliver's father and that Oliver tired to first talk the head of the gang out of the criminal life.

8. Pilot



The very first Arrow episode just had to be in this list because it is the one that started the DC TV universe. This proved that TV shows based on comics can work and this first episode did a good job of establishing the world of Arrow. It had great action, fight scenes and character development but the reason this isn't a bit higher on my list is because I didn't like some characters like Thea, Laurel and Quentin.

7. Lone Gunman



I know China White was in the previous episode but Lone Gunman was the first one to introduce a DC villain that more people would actually know about. Deadshot is really awesome in the Arrow TV series and this was a great debut for him; he was a match for Oliver, he had his cool gadgets (like his wrist mounted guns) and we get fooled into thinking he is dead. Also this episode showed us how great Oliver's detective skills are and Diggle finds out he is the Hood in the end; I'm glad they didn't wait too long.

6. The Undertaking



This episode didn't have any Flashbacks on the island but made up for it with Flashbacks showing the origins of the Undertaking. You know what makes Malcolm a great villain is the fact that he believes what he is doing is right and for the greater good and this episode shows how convincing his argument is. We also get the reveal of how the Queen's Gambit went down and a great plot involving Oliver and Felicity working together to free Walter.

5. The Odyssey



This episode was the one where Felicity became a member of Team Arrow completing our beloved trio! But the real highlight was that it was mainly focused on the Flashbacks which of course was great because who didn't love the Flashbacks in Season One? We had some awesome scenes with Slade and Oliver sneaking into the airfield to find a way home and then an explosive action packed finale where we had Slade vs. Wintergreen, Deathstroke vs. Deathstroke.

4. Dead to Rights



An awesome return for Deadshot and team up with China White who hired him to assassinate Malcolm. All of the scenes involving their attack on Malcolm was great and it's funny how Oliver is protecting is greatest enemy and this is also the episode where Tommy learns of Oliver's secret. Plus I liked how Malcolm was almost forced to reveal his identity as the Dark Archer to Tommy. Thought I'd let you know now these last episodes are all going to have a focus on Malcolm because he is my favourite character and in my opinion the best archer in the Arrow TV Series.

3. Darkness on the Edge of Town



This episode made for a really entertaining heist style one where Team Arrow infiltrate Malcolm's company for information. We also get the an cool fight scene between Malcolm and Oliver (with Oliver being WTF over the arrow catching lol) with it ending in Malcolm's victory and learning Oliver's secret. We also get an intense Flashback with Fyers killing Yao Fei but what I didn't like about this episode was Oliver and Laurel going behind Tommy's back because I never liked the possibility of them two together in these early seasons and it was a bad move for Oliver to convince Tommy to make up with Laurel then take her for himself.

2. Year's End



This episode was the first one to introduce us to more archers in the present day and a great one as the Dark Archer who is revealed to be Malcolm. I liked that this was Oliver's first real loss to a villain because it does affect him for ages afterwards and it had a great twist of Walter being kidnapped because of his investigation. I liked the introduction of the Dark Archer and everything else in the episode that it overshadows Thea's stupid spoilt  - brat subplot that thankfully was a small part.

1. Sacrifice



I just had to but the finale here because this is one of my favourite finales in any TV series. What I liked about it was that even though Oliver won he also lost because of the death of Tommy (such a sad scene done so well) and the destruction of the Glades. The finale showdown between Oliver and Malcolm was brilliant and the scenes/effects showing the destruction was so damn convincing and just perfect.

Worst episode

Betrayal

This episode did have a good subplot with Diggle following Moira to find out if she is part of the Undertaking but that is it. What is a real let - down is the villain Vanch who was just generic and uninteresting, I don't need every villain of the week to be some kind of super or over the top villain but Vanch was just boring for a regular one. Plus it's not like the rescue attempt of Laurel was that unique because all Arrow and Quentin did was break into the villain's house and take out his guards, that's it.

The great screenshots of these episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/

Top 10 Revolution Season One Episodes

I do really miss Revolution so I thought I'd do a top episodes list of Season One and eventually Season Two and I'll probably do this for a lot of shows like Arrow and The Flash. For shows with only a short amount of episodes like Falling Skies and The Strain I will probably do a top five for them. SPOILERS of course.
 

10. The Stand

A really good episode where Monroe used the generator to slaughter the Rebels in the Republic. It was so great because we had people, in an electric free world, fighting off against an attack helicopter (which eventually became two). This episode was jam packed with some good action, it mark Randall being a more major character and it had a surprise and emotional twist with the death of Danny. I didn't expect that death after everything the characters went through, unfortunately I think it was done so it made room for Rachael to be more of a major character.

9. Ghosts

A great follow up to The Stand because it was more of a focus on Randall (one of my favourite Revolution characters and portrayed by one of my favourite actors) and introduced another good character Jim Hudson. I really liked the Flashbacks showing how Randall had a hand in the Nanites and using his forces to try to capture Rachael. Unfortunately I didn't like how Rachael easily destroyed the Pendant because it is almost like the Pedants aren't important anymore now and despite being traceable I think the Rebels should have used them more. The moments with Jim where also great because it kind of showed how Miles does ruin everyone's lives with the actions he takes. 

8. The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia

This episode is one of my favourites because we finally got to leave the Monroe Republic and see the Georgia Federation which is one of the things I really liked about Season One; the characters constantly moving to different places unlike Season Two (which stayed in the same town too much). I liked the conflict between Alec and Miles and Monroe going to use a nuke to try and take out Georgia, I also like the character of President Foster. I didn't care much however for Rachael's subplot with Dr Warren since besides from not really liking her journey (shame because Aaron is with her) it showed how much how a b***h she is because she is willing to sacrifice another relying on Nanite technology (Warren's partner) just because her son is dead and can't.

7. The Dark Tower



An awesome finale to Season One that is not that high on this list because of the stupid thing that Rachael does which is cause the death of Nora. Hated that she had to die and that it was because of Rachael because Nora deserved better and I really wished Rachael died as well. However the saving graces in the episode that gave it this spot was the conflict between Miles and Monroe, Neville taking over the Republic and the amount of action there was. Plus the scene where the world regains power is one of my favourite in the show; seeing the reactions of several characters as they had electricity. Plus I liked the twist that Randall actually won in the end was and was able to launch missiles thanks to the main characters.

6. The Plague Dogs

 

 

Wow where to start with this episode! This episode for me showed that the show does take itself really seriously with death of a major character like Maggie this early on, though of course it's not Game of Thrones level lol. I really liked Maggie and it is a shame she had to die but her death was done so well; with an emotional Flashbacks of her trying to get home and the music that accompanied it. The conflict between Miles and Charlie was good as well but I liked how Maggie's death resolved it for them and they became closer because of it.  

5. The Children of Men

This episode really took the action to a whole other level, it was so action packed with characters trying to get in to The Tower and then fighting the residents who have the coil guns which also amped up the gore. Again Rachael does let this episode down because she just tries to act all damn high and mighty all the time like when she is trapped with Monroe or in the Flashbacks when she wanted time apart from Ben. I just hate she thinks she is better than everyone else like her husband who is a way better person than she is, I don't know why they portray her as the only one against the Nanite project in the past with the kind of stuff she is willing to do in the present (and she is more responsible for Danny's death than Monroe). Beside that I also liked the reveal at the end of how those residents are protecting The Tower and how turning off the Nanites could have lead to the end of the world.

4. No Quarter

This episode was so cool because we get the reveal that Miles was a founding member of the Monroe Republic and in the Flashbacks we get it's origins. It showed Miles sick of how easily the world fell apart and just wanting to change it, it even introduced the character Jeremy who should have been used way more often in this show. Besides that Jeremy's attack on the Rebel hideout and fighting the sniper was awesome but a standout scene was at the end and Aaron's pendant affected the technology in the room. I just loved that scene because once again the right music helped and the expressions of the characters as they had electricity again, if only for a few seconds, in 15 years was just perfect.

3. Pilot

Where it all began, the memoires! The pilot just had to, and I mean had to, be on this list because it was the episode that started it all. It did a great job of introducing us to most of the major characters (and showing how much of a badass Miles is) but what I liked more about it was how it set up this new world. We see how the people struggle in their makeshift towns, the dangers of the open world, a Militia that terrorizes the people but is the only form of order and the busy market towns like Chicago. I just loved it all and the amazing world they created was one of the reasons Revolution is one of my favourites shows.

2. Soul Train

One of my favourite episodes because we got more of a focus on Tom Neville and we get to see his origins through Flashbacks. I like how The Blackout was actually better for Tom (in his opinion) because it gave a pencil pusher like him a chance to rise high. This episode made Neville one of my favourite characters because I just really like his development and there is a lot more to him than just a brutal solider. Besides that the parts in the present where great like the main characters searching the town for information and then the fight on board the train and I liked Nora's subplot as well.

1. Clue

My favourite episode just had to go to Clue because I just loved the tension between the group that there could be a spy and killer among them. I honestly thought it could have been a drugged Nora but then it was Jim and he had a really brutal fight with Miles near the end. Shame he had to die along with Sanborn but Jim at least gave us an awesome who done it episode and I wonder how Miles didn't see this coming because he did ruin Jim's life lol. What I also liked is that besides the last five minutes the majority of this episode stayed with Miles's group which I think is what the showed needed; just at least one episode where we stay with one group of characters and not branch off in a lot of directions.

Now unfortunately every TV series has an episode that you just really don't like compared to all of the others, so as an extra here is what I thought was the worst episode of Revolution Season One.

The Children's Crusade (Worst Episode)

This episode did have some really good moments such as the fighting and the scene where the main characters saw the lighthouse turn on (now that was done really well). However I just don't like little kids being the focus of the episode that much and Charlie going on that boat was completely pointless because Miles rushed in and did everything easily in the end. Plus this was the episode where we find out what kind of betraying b***h Rachael was by sacrificing another person and his daughter so she can save herself and Danny. Now I know she had no choice but she never seemed too bothered by this (even killed the person later) so how are we the audience supposed to like this character?

There you have it my list for Revolution Season One! When I have the time I'll get to work on Season Two and other TV series.

The great screenshots of the episode where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/