Superheroes!

[EgonSpengler]

What do you want to bet that that Zeppelin song isn't on the soundtrack? Years ago there was a comics like movie called Sucker Punch which used a Zeppelin song in the trailer, but not the movie. Disappointing.

I'm looking forward to that Thor movie. I liked the others. Natalie Portman opted out of it. I think that was a mistake.

I'm okay with trailers using songs that aren't in the movie. Trailers are basically their own art form, are often done by people who had no hand in the movie, and have no relationship to whether or not the movie is any good. I'm on the fence about whether a trailer should use footage from the movie that gets cut from the movie itself. A lot of people seemed to take umbrage at the fact that the trailer for Rogue One included scenes that weren't ultimately in the movie. I didn't see what the big deal was, but hey, people on the web taking things too far... I'm shocked to learn there's gambling in this establishment.

Preacher and Legion I can't find on Netlix.

They're both on Hulu. You can probably stream both on their networks' website; some of them require a cable subscription to log in, but some will give you a recent episode or three for free. CBS gives you 5 episodes of some of their shows for free, but makes you pay for others. The CW streams all of their shows for free, but they make you watch commercials.

 

[Cutlass]

ABC had been letting me stream for free. But only recently have they put commercials into the mix. Which makes it harder to stay current on Agents of Shield.

 

[EgonSpengler]

I'm enjoying "Agents of Hydra" more than I thought I would. Mallory Jansen's performance as AIDA irked me at first, but she's reignedit in a bit over time, and I'm enjoying her portrayal of Madame Hydra, even though I was sort of hoping that Agent May would turn out to be Viper inside The Framework.

Regarding this week's episode 417, "Identity and Change":

Spoiler :

So are we to take these events to mean that Fitz is a latter-day Joseph Mengele, closeted and restrained in the real world but showing his true colors inside The Framework? And will AIDA's prisoners in The Framework remember these events once they've been freed? I assume so, in the latter case, and maybe the former too. Fitz has evidently already tortured Dr. Radcliffe, a la Han Solo in Empire ("they didn't even ask me any questions"). We already know Radcliffe won't survive this story arc (unless they decide to transform him into another of Marvel Comics' artificial intelligences), but the next episode will tell us whether Fitz also tortures Daisy. I have to think the writers won't go that far, but I'm genuinely on tenterhooks.

May's culpability and/or guilt could be an ongoing story, as well, though obviously not as much as for Fitz. In fact, her experience in The Framework might help her forgive herself for killing the little girl in Bahrain (which is why she doesn't like the nickname "The Cavalry").

 

[Cutlass]

Yeah, that's getting in deeper and deeper. No idea where it's going.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

I didn't think I was gonna like it much...and I'm really not. The whole "trapped in VR" concept has never appealed to me, and this one is no exception.

 

[EgonSpengler]

The "trapped in VR" thing hasn't worn out its welcome for me yet, but I certainly can't fault anyone who's over it. I mean, there are grad students today who were too young to see The Matrix when it was in theaters. They'd have to do something really clever to freshen that up.


In other news, the trailer for season 2 of Preacher is making me laugh.

 

[EgonSpengler]

On the other night's Agents of SHIELD, ep. 418, "No Regrets":

Spoiler :

The death of Jeffrey Mace was surprisingly effective, in part because we got to see the kind of person and superhero The Patriot could have been, were he not reduced to being a figurehead and a politician in the real world. Mace was who Steve Rogers almost became when he was relegated to performing in cheesy USO shows and selling war bonds. His comment during the fight with May - that he was an Inhuman inside The Framework and his powers were genuine - tell us that his biggest regret was never becoming a real superhero.

But at the risk of sounding bloodthirsty, I feel like there needs to be more carnage. First, it was obvious that somebody wasn't going to make it out of The Framework alive, it was just a question of who. Second, Mace is too new a character and not yet a solid part of the core team for his departure to really tug at the audience's heartstrings and leave an emotional scar on the other characters (it was much better than that overwrought final scene for Lance and Bobbi, though, so I give the writers points for that). His death just isn't as weighty as it needs to be, imo, to be the low point for the characters in this story arc. He's not a nobody, and using him as the "oh crud, this is for real" moment is actually pretty good. Usually the character who dies to demonstrate the gravity of the situation is the proverbial Red Shirt, and Mace was more than that. So if he's just the first (well, the second, but Radcliffe was always doomed, I'm not really counting him), then I think the writers are onto something.

They've set up a few possibilities among the more central characters. I kind of assume that Coulson and Daisy are more or less untouchable, unless one of the actors has decided to leave and it's the best-kept secret in show business. My first thought was that Mack would sacrifice himself once he remembers the real world, because his daughter is dead and he simply won't want to go back. otoh, he'd be a great choice for someone to keep alive after everyone leaves The Framework, as part of the PTSD everyone ought to have. When May got the super-strength serum, I thought maybe she'd be the one to go, perhaps in a last-minute change of heart and a superheroic death much like The Patriot's, saving the rest of the team at the expense of her own life. Fitz and Simmons have both been similarly positioned for a dramatic final scene, sacrificing themselves to get the rest of the team out and/or defeat AIDA. They're obviously not out of the woods yet, so anything could still happen and, again at the risk of sounding murderous, I hope something does.

 

[EgonSpengler]

The trailer for Cloak & Dagger looks very teen drama. Which, I guess, it should. It looks decent enough, if you're into that sort of thing. I won't be terribly upset to miss it, but I'll probably give it a whirl when it appears on Netflix or Hulu or whatever. We've clearly reached the point where most nerds can now pick and choose which superhero shows to watch, and we don't just have to be happy with whatever we get. I mean, would I watch Lois & Clark today? Honestly, probably not.

 

[Cutlass]

On the other night's Agents of SHIELD, ep. 418, "No Regrets":

Spoiler :

The death of Jeffrey Mace was surprisingly effective, in part because we got to see the kind of person and superhero The Patriot could have been, were he not reduced to being a figurehead and a politician in the real world. Mace was who Steve Rogers almost became when he was relegated to performing in cheesy USO shows and selling war bonds. His comment during the fight with May - that he was an Inhuman inside The Framework and his powers were genuine - tell us that his biggest regret was never becoming a real superhero.

But at the risk of sounding bloodthirsty, I feel like there needs to be more carnage. First, it was obvious that somebody wasn't going to make it out of The Framework alive, it was just a question of who. Second, Mace is too new a character and not yet a solid part of the core team for his departure to really tug at the audience's heartstrings and leave an emotional scar on the other characters (it was much better than that overwrought final scene for Lance and Bobbi, though, so I give the writers points for that). His death just isn't as weighty as it needs to be, imo, to be the low point for the characters in this story arc. He's not a nobody, and using him as the "oh crud, this is for real" moment is actually pretty good. Usually the character who dies to demonstrate the gravity of the situation is the proverbial Red Shirt, and Mace was more than that. So if he's just the first (well, the second, but Radcliffe was always doomed, I'm not really counting him), then I think the writers are onto something.

They've set up a few possibilities among the more central characters. I kind of assume that Coulson and Daisy are more or less untouchable, unless one of the actors has decided to leave and it's the best-kept secret in show business. My first thought was that Mack would sacrifice himself once he remembers the real world, because his daughter is dead and he simply won't want to go back. otoh, he'd be a great choice for someone to keep alive after everyone leaves The Framework, as part of the PTSD everyone ought to have. When May got the super-strength serum, I thought maybe she'd be the one to go, perhaps in a last-minute change of heart and a superheroic death much like The Patriot's, saving the rest of the team at the expense of her own life. Fitz and Simmons have both been similarly positioned for a dramatic final scene, sacrificing themselves to get the rest of the team out and/or defeat AIDA. They're obviously not out of the woods yet, so anything could still happen and, again at the risk of sounding murderous, I hope something does.

I don't see them killing off anyone else. Just because they have reasons to keep those characters. Can[t really see where they're headed.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

I don't see them killing off anyone else. Just because they have reasons to keep those characters. Can[t really see where they're headed.

That's the problem. The question really is; what to do in the real world? That's one of many reasons I was sad to see this 'trapped in VR' bit. It is frequently a sign that the writers are completely clueless about what to do next.

 

[Cutlass]

That's the problem. The question really is; what to do in the real world? That's one of many reasons I was sad to see this 'trapped in VR' bit. It is frequently a sign that the writers are completely clueless about what to do next.

Well, that's unfortunately not really a rare occurrence in long running TV shows. The creative team changes members, loses focus, runs out of ideas, gets distracted by other projects, realizes that everything they have in mind has been done to death on other shows and movies, or just can't figure out a way to top what they've already done. One of the limits of the medium is the limits of the creative process by committee.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

Well, that's unfortunately not really a rare occurrence in long running TV shows. The creative team changes members, loses focus, runs out of ideas, gets distracted by other projects, realizes that everything they have in mind has been done to death on other shows and movies, or just can't figure out a way to top what they've already done. One of the limits of the medium is the limits of the creative process by committee.

No doubt. Problem being that AoS is not exactly "long running." I'm disappointed that they got this tired so fast. I mean, they have a widely varied ensemble of characters. It's not like they face having to have every episode wrapped like a red cape around Supergirl.

 

[EgonSpengler]

I don't think I would be caught dead at Coachella, but I'm enjoying Hans Zimmer's performance of The Dark Knight from the weekend. I always dig attempts at genre-fusion, whether they work out or not (kind of operatic rock, in this case), and I get a kick out of the fact that Zimmer himself is enthusiastic and unpolished as a stage performer. He comes across as kind of dorky, but not in a way that I find aggravating. It doesn't hurt that some of the women in his orchestra are fine as [fudge]. The drummer with the ZZ Top beard and trucker cap is making me grin, too.

 

[EgonSpengler]

That's the problem. The question really is; what to do in the real world? That's one of many reasons I was sad to see this 'trapped in VR' bit. It is frequently a sign that the writers are completely clueless about what to do next.

Well, that's unfortunately not really a rare occurrence in long running TV shows. The creative team changes members, loses focus, runs out of ideas, gets distracted by other projects, realizes that everything they have in mind has been done to death on other shows and movies, or just can't figure out a way to top what they've already done. One of the limits of the medium is the limits of the creative process by committee.

No doubt. Problem being that AoS is not exactly "long running." I'm disappointed that they got this tired so fast. I mean, they have a widely varied ensemble of characters. It's not like they face having to have every episode wrapped like a red cape around Supergirl.

I'm still hopeful that the events in The Framework will carry on into the real world. Fitz and Mack are obvious candidates to be carrying some heavy emotional baggage, and the relationship between Fitz and Simmons can't just go merrily on.

As for the writing, well, the writers' guild just voted to authorize a strike, so...

 

[Timsup2nothin]

I'm still hopeful that the events in The Framework will carry on into the real world. Fitz and Mack are obvious candidates to be carrying some heavy emotional baggage, and the relationship between Fitz and Simmons can't just go merrily on.

As for the writing, well, the writers' guild just voted to authorize a strike, so...

Mack was already carrying that baggage...and it is gonna be worse. Fitz I expect will outgrow his daddy issues after seeing what a jerk his daddy is and would have made of him. But the one who will really benefit is May.

 

[EgonSpengler]

Mack was already carrying that baggage...and it is gonna be worse. Fitz I expect will outgrow his daddy issues after seeing what a jerk his daddy is and would have made of him. But the one who will really benefit is May.

Last night's episode felt like kind of a placeholder. I liked it well enough while I was watching it, but I'm struggling now to remember what happened.

Spoiler :

We learned that Aida/Madame Hydra is using the Darkhold to somehow bridge The Framework to the real world, which is sort of cool. Fitz asking Ophelia if he can go with her makes me wonder if Evil Fitz will move into the real world as the series' next villain.

I haven't really gotten next to the Russian with the onions as a bad guy, but it might be fun to see him and Coulson duke it out.

I have liked seeing Good Ward again, I have to admit. I think Brett Dalton and Chloe Bennett have much better chemistry than she did with whatsisname. I also liked seeing Daisy and May team up again.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

Last night's episode felt like kind of a placeholder. I liked it well enough while I was watching it, but I'm struggling now to remember what happened.

I'm glad you spoilered, since I haven't watched it yet. I'm thinking that means something.

The DVR is becoming an objective measure of how I feel about a program. The Flash, and usually Supergirl, get watched as soon as they are far enough into recording that I can fast forward the commercials and not catch up before the end of the show. AoS has become a lingerer on the DVR, which gets watched when I have a day of bad whether or low motivation so vegging in front of the TV is the order of the day. As yet it hasn't entered the accumulation stage, where it either gets binge watched at some point or recognized as abandoned because the DVR is near full and I still can't be bothered, which is where Gothom operates.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

Okay, so now I've seen it. Some people might not have yet, but this is just a passing detail that doesn't need a spoiler. It made the show for me. Perhaps resurrected the entire series for me.

At one point our heroes break into the Hydra broadcasting center, where they pump out the Faux News of the framework. The totally disgusting "most trusted face in broadcasting" is talking to a good looking woman of some obviously subordinate station who looks very uncomfortable as he is saying "It’s no bother. You need to buy furniture. I know a good place to go." Maybe you caught it, maybe you didn't, and maybe you still haven't...but I had to stop my DVR while I literally laughed myself out of breath.

 

[Cutlass]

Today is National Superhero Day! https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-superhero-day-april-28/

 

[EgonSpengler]

Okay, so now I've seen it. Some people might not have yet, but this is just a passing detail that doesn't need a spoiler. It made the show for me. Perhaps resurrected the entire series for me.

At one point our heroes break into the Hydra broadcasting center, where they pump out the Faux News of the framework. The totally disgusting "most trusted face in broadcasting" is talking to a good looking woman of some obviously subordinate station who looks very uncomfortable as he is saying "It’s no bother. You need to buy furniture. I know a good place to go." Maybe you caught it, maybe you didn't, and maybe you still haven't...but I had to stop my DVR while I literally laughed myself out of breath.

Yeah, that was a good line. The guy who plays Bakshi does a great job. Honestly, I'd forgotten about him until they 'resurrected' him for this story, but I kind of miss him. I've seen a conservative blog or two complaining that AoS is doing a parable about totalitarianism (Coulson said something about "alternative facts" in the same scene), so I guess they're on the right track.

Today is National Superhero Day! https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-superhero-day-april-28/

Darn, if I'd known I'd have saved this week's episodes for tonight. I got a copy of The Winter Soldier from a friend, or I might start Legion again, but I guess the question of whether that's a superhero show is still up in the air.