Arrow Season Four: Brotherhood

As Team Arrow continues to battle HIVE Diggle makes a shocking discovery and Thea's bloodlust returns.

Wow just wow! After the episode last week that I considered to be the worst of Season Four they now gave us one that is probably the best of the season. You already know of course that this was Diggle focused ep but what I liked about it from the start is that this showed he has completely gotten over what Oliver did in Season Three and he has got this new character arc for him. Even with the events of last season Diggle has always been the rock of the team but this one showed his real vulnerable side probably for the first time in the show as he deals with the return of his brother as a HIVE Ghost. I mean Diggle had some truly emotional moments where he was fighting back tears with what his brother has become and deciding in the end to choose his new family of Team Arrow rather than Andy who did some horrible things e.g. the cool moment where he saved his "green brother". Since Andy is captured this will probably be something Diggle has to deal with for a while but I wonder what they are going to do with him now? Continuing on with this subplot we also learn more about HIVE and the fact that the Ghost are all under the influence of a drug which makes them follow orders and breaks down their DNA. It might be the drug in the Flashbacks so I'll guess we'll wait for that conformation but I wonder if Team Arrow will focus their effects on destroying the supply after the crossover episodes? As for Damien he had some really awesome and threatening scenes such as the one his one with Quentin about Laurel and when he met Oliver during his campaign speech. Then of course there was the ending where Oliver chose to confront Damien in the light rather than infiltrate HIVE like he did with the League in Season Three and while I commend Oliver for this I wonder if it is a good idea. The look on Damien's face during the speech makes me think he really suspects Oliver is the Green Arrow now and he could either target his family or run for mayor himself, now that could be interesting to see.

As for everything else finally, finally Thea's bloodlust subplot is getting interesting because before her confrontation with Damien I didn't care but afterwards it got good. Her making Damien's powers backfire on him (probably because of the Pit) was a development I have been waiting for; finally a relevant twist to the bloodlust that doesn't feel like a waste of time. Now Thea can be useful and I am looking forward to seeing what she and Malcolm are going to come up with to exploit it. Then there was Ray's subplot which was really good where he had to struggle with finding his place in the world and that's not running his company. Of course this is all set up for LOT but it gave him a small little character arc and then there was him suiting up as ATOM to kick some ass at the end which is what I wanted to see! Finally the Flashbacks look like they good be getting more interesting because Oliver now has a real mission and I liked the mysterious twig magic Reiter did; makes me think we can see more magic out of him like Damien and Constantine. Before I finish I got to say that the fights scenes in this episode where some of the best ever! I heard they got the stunt coordinator James Bamford to direct and he did an awesome job, the fight scenes weren't just a butch of quick cuts they stayed on the action. For example they really showed Black Canary kicking ass in the beginning after her scream and then there was Thea's super, damn, awesome fight with Andy in the elevator, that was edge of you seat stuff.

Overall this was just a perfect episode in my opinion, maybe Oliver as Green Arrow took a backseat but it didn't suffer for it because it was supposed to be more about Diggle anyway.

SCORE: 10/10

Highlights: A strong Diggle episode
                   Great subplots for Thea and Ray
                   Damien and more info on HIVE
                   They truly epic fight scenes


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The Flash Season Two: Gorilla Warfare

As Barry deals with the aftermath of fighting Zoom, Gorilla Grodd returns to Central City with a dangerous plan in mind.

 

Kneel before Grodd!! I really enjoyed having Grodd back on the Flash, especially since he has returned so early this season. Like back in Season One the guys behind the effects just deserve a lot of praise for how real they made Grodd on a TV show, he doesn't look fake at all. Overall Grodd may have served as just a distraction from Zoom but I still loved his return and his storyline this episode. It was awesome seeing him use his mind control powers once again, his voice fits him so well and I liked that he was shown with more sympathy this time. This is because unlike the comics this Grodd is still young and really is just alone in the world and wants to be with more like him; so the idea to send him to a gorilla colony on Earth 2 (after a cool fight) was the next best thing. However I think this wasn't such a smart idea for Team Flash because in the comics Grodd is the leader of a whole country of apes that war with humans so I'm guessing this Grodd will take it over and wreck havoc again soon. Two other characters stood out in this storyline and the first being Caitlin because I just really like her connection with Grodd and that she wanted to help him more than anything else. I also liked the way she risked herself in the end to get Grodd into the transport circle because I think I have said before that while Caitlin is a good character for Season One she is mostly felt she is mostly there for the sake of it. The other standout was Wells and again so much praise goes to Tom Cavanagh because the guy is the best actor on the Flash because of how in this episode he had to act like his Earth 1 counterpart even though he isn't him, get it? I mean the way he posed as the Reverse Flash with Grodd he was so good that I think Caitlin and Cisco thought he double crossed them by the look on their faces. Also it was great to see the Reverse Flash costume once again and hear the vibrating music that usually accompanies it and it was cool at the end that Barry wants to duplicate the ring technology so hopefully soon he'll get his own like in the comics.    

 

As for everything else a real let down was Barry's subplot because after the shocking "I can't feel my legs" reveal last episode they decided to completely skip that! I know he has super healing but that was a real disappointment because I didn't like Barry's doubts holding him back dilemma that much after that. I know Barry suffered a big defeat from Zoom but I just didn't buy that he couldn't run because of it since in end I knew all he had to do was have faith in himself again; it was a typical outcome for it but trying to regain his legs again because they couldn't heal for some reason, now that would have been more different and interesting. However the good thing about this subplot was the return on Henry because it is nice to know they aren't just going to leave him out of the show now that he is free from jail. What was really good about it was the speech that Henry gave to Barry when comparing Barry's predicament to his arrest; now that was a really great emotional scene, really nicely done. Now as for the other let down of the episode I am just getting really annoyed now that Patty is being left in the dark from Barry and Joe. I am just not enjoying their excuses now and I feel that the episodes just waste time with the effort they are making to keeping the truth from her. I know she kind of have to earn the right to be on Team Flash but I thought the people behind Arrow and Flash said they don't care that all the main cast from both shows know the identities of the heroes anymore so why is it taking so long for Patty? Finally while I still am not bothered by the relationship between Cisco and Kendra, because Hawkman is coming soon, it was a least some light hearted moments for Cisco and it was cool seeing flashes of Kendra as Hawkgirl.     

 

Overall a great return for Grodd, though not as good as last episode it was still a nice one to have just before the big crossover ones between the Arrow and Flash.

 

SCORE: 7/10

 

Highlights: GRODD!

                   Caitlin and Wells where the biggest standouts

                   Henry was really great in this as well

 

Let - Downs: Barry's subplot was a disappointment

                      Getting annoyed now with Patty constantly in the dark 

 

Sorry for lack of screenshots but Screencapped has yet to upload this episode.

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/           

Arrow Season Four: Lost Souls

"I wish I was big"

Team Arrow work to try and free the trapped Ray from Damien meanwhile Felicity's mom visits again and Sara goes back out into the field.

 

You know I was really looking forward to the return of Ray AKA The Atom because he was my favourite character in Season Three but this episode was kind of a disappointment overall. To start off with what I did like I loved seeing Donna back because it is so fun to see how awkward she makes Felicity. I did like the heart to heart they shared because we got to learn a bit more about their past, I liked how much contact Oliver with her and how that surprised Felicity but the biggest surprise was the moment Donna had with Quentin at the end! If a romantic subplot does develop between these two characters then I say go ahead because it will be something completely new for Quentin and we might get some nice funny moments if the other characters find out lol. I also really enjoyed the two break - ins Team Arrow did because I liked how they where both heist style raids and it was cool that they brought Curtis to the last one. They fight scene between Team Arrow and HIVE was really awesome to watch and of course its also great to see more of Damien's powers; the way he quickly overpowered Green Arrow makes me wonder how they are going to beat him? We also got a look at some weird table thing that Damien wants to power up using the data they got from the ATOM suit but I still have no idea what his plan is yet so this really just fuels my curiosity.

 

Get in there Quentin!

Now on to what I didn't like and the first one being that Ray and Sara where completely underused in this episode. I wanted there to be more scenes with Ray and maybe the Flashbacks this episode could have been used to show what he has been up to the past six months because they weren't that interesting this episode. Plus he didn't even get to have one little fight after they rescued him; they might be saving some action with him for next episode but I wanted a little teaser now! As for Sara I feel like the writers have no idea what to do with her until Legends of Tomorrow because they again just skimmed over her return from the dead. I mean she let her mother know she was alive over the freaking phone, I really would have preferred if she came back and then Sara just left at the end; just like with Henry Allen in The Flash I think this was poorly handled and their excuses just not good enough. Another reason she didn't do that good is because of the stupid bloodlust subplot that she shares with Thea and I just really, really have lost all interest in it at this point; they haven't done enough to make me really care anymore and it just feels shoved in every episode as a reminder. Finally while the conflict between Oliver and Felicity was understandable, made some good points and the dialogue was alright I just felt like it dragged on and on until it dominated most of the episode.  

"Hey how about we form our own group with just us three?"

Overall the weakest episode of Arrow so far in my opinion mainly because of how underused Ray and Sara where and I really only liked half of what was going on. 

 

SCORE: 5/10

 

Highlights: Return on Donna/Possible her and Quentin romance?

                   The two heist style raids

                   Badass Damien

 

Let - Downs: Ray and Sara where underused

                      Don't care about the Sara/Thea bloodlust issue anymore

                      Flashbacks

                      The Oliver and Felicity conflict just took over the whole episode

 

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/  

The Flash Season Two: Enter Zoom

"Now I am the best"

Team Flash comes up with a plan to have Earth One Linda Park pose as Dr Light from Earth Two so they can trick and capture Zoom.

 

Wow the last part of this episode was one of the most epic endings for a Flash episode and was such a strong debut for Season Two's main villain. You know I have read comments before this episode on the internet that Zoom will just be another Reverse Flash but after this I think people will see Zoom as his own villain. First off his design his just so freaking great; I said when we had the glimpse of him last episode that he seems more of a monster than human and it seems Team Flash agrees from their comments. The look of his mouth, the way his fingers are like claws and his truly terrifying voice really makes Zoom seem like his out of a nightmare; like the way he snuck up on Linda, now that kind of made me jump lol! Then there was the fight itself which was so great and had quite a few WTF moments like when Zoom caught a bolt of lightning! Then what really surprised me was the really epic final scenes when Zoom parades the broken Flash in front of the news and police; it was cool to see him taunt the city and catch all of those bullets. This again makes him seem really different than Reverse Flash because Zoom wants people to know that he is the best speedster out there, he doesn't care about staying in the shadows that much. The other part of this subplot which involved Dr Light was really good as well because as I mentioned last review this gives Linda a better role than being neglected last season. That training montage for example was so funny (props to Cisco for those funny cardboard cut outs) and her fake fight with Flash was good to see because I would have been annoyed if Linda just put on the outfit and just became Dr Light already. I am also glad that the Earth Two Dr Light escaped because maybe we'll see her in a future episode but what is more important is that there is a naked Linda running around in Earth One.......lucky sods.

 

NOOO FLASH!........you think Zoom bought that?

As for everything else I am again liking the growing relationship between Barry and Patty because it just feels so real; like how Barry came to her near the end when he was feeling down about not captured Zoom and still thinking about not saving his mother, it was a really good moment. I am also again liking the new Wells because we got more insight into his character and he really did a good job of showing his desperation for capturing Zoom because of his daughter. I noticed she was called Jessie Quick and for those who don't know she is a speedster in the comics, be interesting if that happens in the series but I hope they don't cram it into this season. I also noticed the news report on Green Arrow in Earth Two and how that it is Robert Queen! Those who have read Flashpoint know this is similar in the way that Thomas Wayne became Batman in an alternate reality because Bruce died instead, I really hope to see this develop more in a future season. However I have got to say that I am getting really, really annoyed that Team Flash (especially Joe) just can't realize that this is different Harrison Wells! It is getting old now that they are still comparing him to the Reverse Flash when he isn't the Reverse Flash, heck don't they even remember that Earth One Wells wasn't the Reverse Flash either that it was Eobard Thawne in disguise? Joe of course has been a major disappointment and annoyance this season and I get ticked off with everything he does; like I am surprised Patty isn't way more angry with Joe's attitude towards her and I sick of him constantly trying tell Barry what is good for him (like the scenes in the corridor and elevator). When I saw them I just kept thinking "Barry take freaking charge and tell him to shut up!" but no he just always has to follow Joe's advice.

 

WTF

Overall Zoom made this episode and has proven himself to be a worthy villain to the Flash this season!

 

SCORE: 8/10

 

Highlights: Zoom!

                   Linda's training as Dr Light

                   Good moments with Patty and Wells

 

 Let - Downs: Earth Two Wells constantly being compared to Reverse Flash

                       Joe is really ticking me off

 

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/

The Strain Season Two: Fallen Light

Abraham and Palmer both prepare for the bidding war for the Occido Lumen meanwhile Gus and Angel recruitment some more help from the local prison.

I admit for an episode that is before the finale this one didn't have as much impact as I thought it would but I will say what I first liked about it. Firstly the best subplot in this episode was the one involving Councilwoman Feraldo and if I haven't said so before she is defiantly one of my favourite characters on the Strain and I hope she sticks around for a long time. She had some strong scenes where she butted heads with the mayor because she pissed off the rich of NY while having the support of the cops. In everyone of her scenes she makes me completely join her side of things with her dialogue and the way she takes action; like how she argues that it is her cops on the line fighting the vampires while the rich can't fork over a bit of tax. Palmer may think that he can manipulate her (which is why he seems to be supporting her) but no, no I thought, Palmer isn't going to control her so easily lol. The other best subplot was the one with Gus and Angel where they liberated the prisoners to join in Quinlan's army and gave us some tense action scenes which where the only ones in this episode. It is cool seeing Gus take charge because he actually seems like a capable leader but it was really awesome seeing Angel so badass when he shot one of the rouge prisoners at the end. With the way the episode ended we'll probably see them fight Abraham's group first before the Master and wouldn't it be really cool to see Abraham vs. Angel? Speaking of Abraham his alliance with the Ancients is an interesting gamble but I just want someone to get the freaking Occido Lumen already so we can see how important it is!

As for everything else this episode sees Nikki leaving NY and I hope this is the last time we will see her because I have hated her since she first came back. They never even bothered to make her likable or even fleshed out her character in any way; the only thing she has done is ruin Dutch's character for me. This better be the end of this romantic triangle for good because I am sick of watching Dutch obsess over Nikki when they haven't made us care about it and I want Fet back to his old self rather than brooding over his relationship with Dutch. Another disappointment is they fact that Coco has completely gotten over how she was healed and has fully embraced what she is a part of now with out us seeing a single second of it! What a waste of an opportunity, I wanted to see her reaction to the existence of vampires and how the hell did Palmer convince her to join him!? While that was a shame I liked the mention that Palmer and Coco need more of the White to survive because while this is some good new info I seriously doubt Palmer wants to have that threat constantly dangled in front of him. We might see him (maybe not in the finale but next season) make some moves against Eichorst or even the Master to get more White or be turned fully into a vampire. Finally the scenes with Eph, Nora and Zach where good like Zach having a nice emotional moment on the phone with his grandparents and the fact Eph finally may have found a safe haven for him. However it is the Flashbacks that really stood out because this really developed the relationship between Eph and Nora a bit more which has been neglected this season and it was really nice seeing Sean Astin as Jim once again.

Overall this episode did have some good moments but it really failed to build excitement for the finale which usually is the job of the one before last.

SCORE: 6/10

Highlights: Feraldo steals the episode
                   Prison breakout with Gus and Angel
                   Flashbacks

Let - Downs: Dutch and Nikki subplot
                      Coco accepting things already?
                      Feels like a normal episode rather than build excitement for the finale

Arrow Season Four: Haunted

"I'm back!"

Laurel comes clean with the rest of Team Arrow after Sara goes on a rampage so Oliver contacts an old friend, John Constantine (Matt Ryan), for help in saving Sara's soul.

Arrow sure stepped into the realm of magic in a big way with the guest appearance of Constantine and he did not disappoint. I didn't see the short lived Constantine series but everyone praised Ryan's performance and I can see why because he is faithful to his comic counterpart in personality, humour, the way he acts around the rest of the characters and how he comes across as a selfless guy with the way he helped Team Arrow but you can just tell he has a murky past. I'm glad however that they didn't waste too much time on Constantine's backstory they just tied him in nicely to the present and flashback storylines. The Flashbacks really improved this episode because thanks to Constantine we have a better understanding of what the bad guys are up to and we had a nice treasure hunt with him and Oliver. Then there was the present story line and that trip to the "other side" Constantine, Oliver and Laurel took was really cool (and again increases the supernatural element of the show) with them fighting the souls of the deceased League members and those gory, zombie - looking hands that where holding Sara. The let downs for this story line however was that overall Constantine really wasn't in it that much and I think that could have been improved by trimming down some of the scenes with Sara hunting Thea and capturing her; I mean honestly that went on for way too long! Then there was the fact that Sara's reunion with her family could have been a lot more better and had more emotional impact; she didn't even say anything to anybody and it was only mentioned by Quentin and Laurel how she was coping with just coming back. Laurel however was a bit better this episode (even though she doesn't seem to care people are dead because she brought Sara back) with the way she stood up to Oliver for when he used the Pit on Thea.

Don't let go Laurel!

As for everything else I really enjoyed the team up with Quentin and Diggle because they where two characters that haven't had much interaction with each other. I liked that Diggle didn't trust Quentin at first because of his ties to HIVE but was willing to let that slide for the greater good and I liked how Quentin saved Diggle from the guards by pretending to arrest him. Quentin also got some info out of Darhk which revealed the truth about Diggle's brother and I wonder how this will affect him in future episodes. Two subplots that felt out of place was firstly the ones with Oliver's mayor campaign because that really was there just to introduce a new character and Felicity and Curtis scenes trying to solve Ray's message. They where alright but in the light of having a major guest star like Constantine every other subplot should have been on hold or really trimmed down like the Sara hunting for Thea so that he could have had way more screen time. However at least Felicity now knows that Ray is alive and I hope that becomes the big focus for next episode or the one after because I am tried it just being these small subplots.

"If only my last tattoo was this painless"

Overall a great introduction to Constantine in the Arrow/Flash universe and I really hope that the character appears more on both shows or even Legends of Tomorrow.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Constantine guest appearance/improved island Flashbacks
                   Magic has now been more heavily introduced/rescuing Sara's soul scenes
                   Quentin and Diggle team up

Let - Downs: Sara's reunion with her family wasn't as impactful as it should have been
                      Some subplot and scenes took too much screen time away from Constatine

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/

The Flash Season Two: The Darkness And The Light

A new take on Dr Light

Team Flash must deal with the arrival of two more newcomers from Earth 2; Harrison Wells and Dr Light, the latter sent by Zoom to deal with the Flash.

Does Tom Cavanagh knows how to steal the show or what!? It is a testament to his great acting skills that he can play a character who is the same yet different to who he was in Season One. I will first get out of the way with something I didn't like straight away in the episode and that was the beginning because what has happened to King Shark and Barry first reaction to Wells was completely glossed over. We have no idea what happened to King Shark, where they put him or if the CPD where even notified. Then there is the fact that the episode opens up with Barry having brought Wells to STAR labs yet we never saw Barry's initial reaction to seeing him again or whether he asked him any questions? Luckily this was overshadowed by the great return of Wells and I loved his interactions with the other characters and the reactions to seeing him. Like the fact that this Wells seems to be a lot more aggressive and ill mannered than the other one, having no problem speaking his mind or anger to other characters like Cisco or Jay. It was cool to see that Cisco, after admiring Wells so much last season, butts heads with him in every scene and is so annoyed with him that he calls him Harry lol. It was also cool to see him and Jay share such mistrust for each other; Jay not trusting Wells because of him profiting from the Meta Humans in Earth 2 (great to see some scenes with it) and Wells not trusting Jay because of how he has failed to stop Zoom and then having a right punch up with him!. Seems like Wells will still be playing a mentor role but the fact he also created the Meta Humans in Earth 2 makes me think he has a few secrets. One more thing though that bothered me with this subplot was the scenes with Joe like him opening fire on Wells straight away I just thought "what a prick" couldn't he be bothered to hear Team Flash's explanation and the fact he gave Iris a gun just really bothers me too.

What I badass costume!

As for the rest of the episode I really liked the character of Dr Light because besides being a new female Meta Human with cool powers it gives Linda Park a great twist to her character (she was underused last season). I enjoyed seeing her powers and costume a lot and her fights with the Flash because we got to see Barry use those cool speed mirages! What was also interesting about her character was that she wasn't really bad like Atom Smasher and Sand Demon, even Jay said she could be reasoned with, but it is her fear of Zoom that made her desperate. That is what I like about Zoom, he hasn't been in it yet much but his power and presence is instilling so much fear in people; for example we got some great scenes with Jay who explained his crippling fear of Zoom, this gave us a better insight into his character. Of course I am also loving the look of Zoom at the end with Wells kidnapped daughter; they did a truly awesome job of making his costume, his mask, look pure evil and again with help from the great voice of Tony Todd. A few more things to talk about is that I thought Barry's date with Patty was so well done and brought a lot of good humour in the episode with Cisco helping a blind Barry as his wingman. As I have said before Barry with Patty is way better than him with Iris because they have so much chemistry together and are a cute couple. Finally I am glad Cisco's powers are out in the open now and that he took the name Vibe and that we can look forward to him developing his powers more. I also liked the cameo with Kendra Sanders AKA Hawkgirl (Ciara Renee) and we got some good humour with her and Cisco but I'm not bothered about a relationship with Cisco because she is going on LOT soon with Hawkman and I am a Lisa and Cisco fan anyway.

"Soz but I don't do free interviews"

Overall this was the great first part of a two episode arc and did a good job of bringing Tom Cavanagh back as a regular and gave us more on Zoom. Oh yeah thought I'd add I noticed the Aquaman reference when Jay mentioned Atlantis and that was really cool!

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Return on Wells/Great new twist for Linda Park as Dr Light
                   More on Zoom
                   Great mixture of light humour that fit in well with the episode

Let - Downs: Glossed over fate of King Shark and Barry's first meeting Wells
                      Joe bothered me a lot

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/

Bleach Review: Theatre Suicide Scene 4

Glad we are getting the cool ninja form from the anime!

Lille reveals the ultimate form of his Jilliel Vollstandig and dominates the fight so Shunsui decides to return Nanao's Zanpakuto to her.

Wow Kubo sure has a way of surprising the audience because I never expected Lille's new form to look like that! I was expecting some kind of change because his first Vollstandig form looked like a cocoon so I thought he was getting ready to become something else but he is a complete monster now. I have to say I really like this form because besides from being unexpected I don't think it was random based on two things. Frist Lille has constantly been saying he is the messenger of God and owls (his new face) have always been messengers throughout history and in Greek mythology owls have always been used as protectors for armies and trade, secondly his name is similar to the demon Lilith who has been associated with owls in certain texts. Now you could say these are a coincidence but Kubo has always portrayed the Quinces as these holy angels so I kind of like to think that it isn't. Now back to his form I do really like it because some of the shots Kubo draws it makes it look really creepy, like the close ups of it's face. It does also seem to be really powerful with the way it is destroying the surrounding area but I think it's weakness could be in it's eyes with the way Lille mentioned several times that his eyes are getting dry.

You can't say Kubo isn't creative

Now on to Shunsui and I will first get out of the way that while I did enjoy seeing his Bankai I am disappointed no other stage of it was shown because I wanted more after so much hype. However I have read some fan theories suggesting Shunsui will get another form or stage to his Bankai based on the ending which I hope is the case. I have to say that Shunsui has a really dark relationship with his Zanpakuto because of the way Katen Kyokotsu suggests that he should just give up and die which Shunsui actually seems to be contemplating, before Nanao shows up. We also get some more insight into their past with Nanao mentioning a promise Shunsui made to her mother (we defiantly need a Flashback soon!) but the big reveal is that Shunsui has been keeping Nanao's Zanpakuto, Kyokotsu, away from her. Now this is really weird because does this mean that Shunsui never had a had two swords because the other was Nanao's? and if it is Nanao's then are some of his Shikai moves not his like the child's games or the shadow moves? Like I just said we need a Flashback to clear this up but I see Nanao joining in this fight now with possibility a Bankai of her own if both the swords possess one, this again might make me think Shunsui could get another Banaki because what if his true one was being blocked by Nanao's Zanpakuto? Finally I am really, really glad they used the other Katen Kyokotsu spirit form the anime for Nanao's Zanpakuto because I have always really liked that one as well!

"I see you"

Overall got some big surprises in this chapter and setups for some exciting new twists for the rest of this fight.

SCORE: 9/10

Highlights: Lille's new form
                   The dark banter between Shunsui and Katen Kyokotsu
                   Nanao's Zanpakuto revealed

Let - downs: Is this it now for Shunsui's Bankai?    

The Strain Season Two: Dead End

Eph, Fet and Nora try to locate and rescue Dutch before it is too late meanwhile Gus and Angel work to get the Guptas out of NY.

You know I thought there where going to be bigger plans for Dutch, maybe something involving Palmer, but I guess she was just going to be Eichorst's dinner. Parts of this episode where showing Eichorst torture Dutch but more in the psychological sense rather than the physical; they did a really good job of showing how much terror Eichorst was instilling in her, I guess he likes to play with his food before he eats it. Now I have a shrewd idea what Eichorst was planning to do with his tongue when he asked Dutch to take off her jeans and most of them involved hentai, tentacle stuff lol. We also got a really good chase scene between the two and again does a good job of showing Dutch is really afraid and just wants to get away; either through the looks of horror on her face to the constant dead ends. However a real highlight in their scenes where the Flashbacks to Eichorst's past as a salesman to a Nazi officer, it's been too long since we have had a Flashback involving his days as a human. It is nice seeing how Eichorst used to be just a humble salesman with barely any self - confidence to a Nazi who betrayed a girl he used to have feelings for though she was a Jew; you can tell he regretted that she was killed but that was when the last of his humanity went away and he became the hardened Nazi we saw in Season One Flashbacks. Now does this excuse what Eichorst is, no, because he is pure evil in the present day now but these gave us an understanding of how he became what he is now. The let down however was that the confrontation between Eichorst and Eph's group just ended in him fleeing once again, we didn't get to see even a little bit of a punch up.

A weak subplot this episode was Abraham's involving the Occido Lumen because after the cliff hanger last week the owner just turned out to be an ass who is only interested in money. Sure you can really tell Abraham's desperation at getting the book as he tried to convince the owner how important it is but at this point I just want him to get the book already so we can find out what all the fuss is about. I was surprised that there was no Coco and Palmer subplot this episode but it was made up with Gus and Angel back because I really like the team up with those two. Gus is shown as a more tragic character now, finding a woman he is in love with and a family he wants to protect but has to leave them now. I'm glad that he got the Guptas out of NY because it was a nice relief for Gus knowing he did this right rather than them being killed in an attack and it is just another thing he wants revenge for. I am also glad that Angel has decided to fight with Gus because as I said I like these to character together since Angel has now really come to trust Gus over the course of this season. Plus Angel does really have some guts, volunteering to stay in a warzone to kick some ass when he could have drove to safety!

Overall a good episode and since we are only two episodes away from the end of the season I am expecting things to pick up a lot now.

SCORE: 7/10

Highlights: Dutch's torture and escaping
                   Eichorst Flashbacks
                   Gus and Angel subplot

Let - Downs: Could have had a better fight between Eichorst and Eph's group
                      Abraham's subplot was disappointing     

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/                

Arrow Season Four: Beyond Redemption

How will Quentin deal with this shock?

Laurel has to deal with a feral Sara when she brings her back to Star City meanwhile rouge police officers lead by Liza Warner (Rutina Wesley) are causing trouble for both Green Arrow and Quentin.
I have praised him a lot this season but Quentin, Paul Blackthorne, defiantly deserves it because he had the spotlight in this episode. He was involved in both of the major subplots and made a big contribution to both with which is probably his best performance in a episode of far in Arrow. Him finding out that Sara was alive was so well done; his initial shock at seeing her tied up in a basement, having some shred of hope when he thought she was responsive and then horror at when he had to save Laurel from her. It made for some really powerful stuff but the real emotional scene came when he took Damien's advice and tired to kill Sara, seeing it has a kind of mercy. The way he almost pulled the trigger and then broke down when he couldn't do it, again this is Blackthorne's best performance in my opinion and scene speaks for itself. Then of course he was part of the subplot to stop Warner and this is when you can tell how hard it has been for Quentin to have the double life of being a cop and working for Damien. He almost lost his faith in the city (like Oliver) after seeing the corruption in the force but managed to claw out of the darkness with a great speech that inspired both Warner and Oliver during the fight at the end. I also of course have to mention the two scenes with him and Oliver talking in his apartment because those where also some of their best scenes together. Amell was also so good because of the way he argued against Quentin, saying that for ages he has just wanted his approval and with Quentin saying how screwed he basically is working with Damien. I am glad that he and Oliver have a better relationship now because I defiantly much prefer it when they work together then against one another.

Police gear for a costume does look really cool

As for everything else the villains where really good, corrupt cops aren't anything too special but they tired in perfectly with what Quentin is going through this episode. I really enjoyed the action scenes with them; it was some awesome fighting, their special weapons where really cool and I am glad we got to see the Canary Cry again. Warner also made for a good villain because she really held her own in a fight against Green Arrow, she was really humanised as well with the way she wasn't evil but just someone desperation wanting to leave a dying city and with the way things ended I think we might see a redemption story with her in the future. Oliver's subplot at being mayor was better then I thought especially with the reveal that they are using Sebastian Blood's old office and lair (good call back to Season Two) and that they made a kickass new lair that looked really cool! His Flashbacks are still good, not a highlight or let down they are just good so far. Then there was Felicity's subplot involving Ray's last message and while I like her scenes with Curtis and I want her to find Ray they just felt really out of place this episode and just a mild distraction from the two major plots involving Quentin. Finally Laurel continues to be a weak link this season (shame because I really liked her in Season Three) because again I just think her bringing Sara back has been for selfish reasons and it is hard to sympathise with her when Quentin does a better job of it.

"I will now run this city"

Overall a near perfect episode and Quentin's best so far and I am looking forward to next week's with the arrival of John Constantine! I usually avoid spoilers and previews but him arriving has been such a big topic for this season it was hard to avoid some, like which episode he appears in.

SCORE: 9/10

Highlights: Best Quentin episode
                   Warner and her cops where good villains
                   Oliver was also great

Let - Downs: Laurel still hasn't been that great
                      Felicity's subplot just felt too out of place

   
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/          

The Flash Season Two: The Fury Of Firestorm

"See there's nothing to being a hero"

Team Flash must find another person to share the Firestorm Matrix with Stein before it is too late and the solution might lie with a young mechanic Jefferson "Jax" Jackson (Franz Drameh).

It looks like the Nuclear Man gets the spotlight again with the finding of the new half of the Firestorm Matrix. Now those who have read the comics know that it is Jason Roush who teams up with Stein after the death of Ronnie but since they didn't want to use the actor back in Season One they decided to create a new character which I think was handled really well. I was really impressed with the character Jax, he was just a really likeable person who fitted in well with the whole Firestorm storyline. The Flashback at the beginning already established him as a hardworking, well liked football player who is willing to save people and gave him a kind of tragic backstory in that he lost his dreams to the explosion. I also liked his struggle throughout the episode of whether or not he should join with Stein because it would have been rushed if he just jumped in straight away. I also liked that there was another candidate for the Firestorm Matrix, Henry Hewitt (Demore Barnes), and the effects of his powers and the final fight with Firestorm was really cool (and that he is a really old Firestorm villain from the comics). However I feel like they didn't develop him well as a villain because he went from jealous scientist to crazy villain in a matter of only a few scenes. Plus they hastily gave him a police record to almost reinforce that he is the bad guy, all in all it just felt rushed with him.

Is he good or evil?

As for everything else the Francine subplot was handled a lot more better mainly because more screen time was given over to it. Maybe the illness would be a bit more at home in a soap opera, maybe a tragic death this season would be wasted on her and I think in the end it is going to be Iris's excuse to forgive her mother but still the rest was handled good. Iris did shine a lot in this because I am glad she didn't just forgive her mother now, she is taking it a lot more serious than I thought she would and nice change to her confront Francine about all the horrible stuff she has done. Then of course there is the reveal that she has a son which is obvious to a comic fan that he is going to be Wally West and since Iris knows I hope she tries to find out more about him instead of forgetting about it. Plus I hope Wally West does turn out to be Joe's son because besides from wanting to see how he would handle the news I think it would makes things less awkward. Finally the best part of the episode was the biggest WTF moment all season and that is the introduction of freaking KING SHARK!! Again I praise the effects crew on Flash because they once again have done a great job with a completely CGI creature on a TV series budget and he looked so awesome. I also liked the build up to his character like Patty and Barry discussing King Shark's teeth (again love those two together) and him being taken out by Wells from Earth 2. Can't wait to see how all of Team Flash will react to Wells and I really, really, really hope King Shark returns in the future because they just have to, all of the Flash fans are going crazy on the internet over this one scene!

So freaking awesome!

Overall a great story for the Firestorm Matrix and intro for Jax and for having one of the best WTF moments and endings in all of Flash and Arrow.

SCORE: 7/10

Highlights: Intro of Jax/The Firestorm storyline
                   Iris was great in her subplot
                   KING SHARK!!!!

Let - Downs: Villain was underdeveloped
                       Didn't like the illness being thrown in there

 
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/

The Strain Season Two: The Assassin

Eph and Dutch try to assassinate Palmer meanwhile Abraham, Fet and Nora continue the search for the Occido Lumen.

This is the episode Eph finally enacts his plan to kill Palmer after promising to do it a few episodes ago and I admit I thought we wouldn't get it until the finale. Eph and Dutch's subplot in this episode was the best one because firstly besides from a few conversations these two characters haven't really teamed up on a mission yet so it was nice to see that. It was funny how it first started off light-hearted with Dutch trying to make conversation about relationships and sex while they are staking out Palmer's office. Then they moved to the rooftop and that was a really intense moment; how Eph kept looking at his watch, his frustration at not getting a clear shot and Dutch making sure he saves the shot for the right moment. Then of course it was a big WTF moment when he accidently shot Coco instead! This episode I think is showing us that deep down Palmer still has some of his humanity left because of how he literally begged Coco to come back and the moments he stayed at her bedside, perhaps he is realizing he can't split his loyalties between Coco and the Master. It was predicable that the Master saved Coco and I am curious to see how she will react to now knowing what Palmer is really involved in but I wonder if it would have been better if she died? Think about it Eph will have to live with the guilt that his hatred and vengeance against Palmer cost an innocent woman her life and Palmer may go over the deep end and try some big, massive revenge scheme himself. Also thought I'd say the scene in the police station with those two confrontation each other was so well done; you can really feel the hatred these two have for each other in their dialogue.

As for everything else I am glad we got to continue more with Abraham's obsession with the Occido Lumen, he must really think it is the key to winning the war. We got some good vampire slaying from this group during their search as well as at the police station to save Eph and then Abraham getting knocked out by an unknown, I wonder if he will be dragged away some place or left there? Finally once again Feraldo is such a great character with how she is treating the upper class citizens of New York. You can tell the mayor has forced her to clear out their streets but she decides to give them a big F - U by making them pay for her services. I like this human conflict between her and the mayor and the upper class and I am really interesting in seeing how this plays out in the next episodes. Now a big let down however was something that wasn't in this episode this week and that was a subplot involving Gus and Quinlan. They weren't in last week's episode which I let slide because it was mostly focusing on Red Hook but I was really expecting them to least have a bit of screen time, especially since Quinlan has been a scene stealer ever since he was first introduced.

Overall a great episode which feature a strong Eph and Dutch subplot and with Dutch captured I wonder if we'll see a big raid on Palmer's headquarters soon? Also why did they get rid of the new opening? It was so much better!

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Eph and Dutch
                   Palmer and Coco
                   The scenes with Feraldo

Let - Downs: No Gus and Quinlan
                      Maybe it would have had more impact if Coco died?