“Knock Knock” was the least intriguing episode in Series 10 so far. It is not that it is bad, I just found it a bit boring. To be fair, if this is the lowest point in Series 10, then it will still be a solid season.
A word of warning—I will to try to minimize the spoilers in my reviews for American Gods; however, discussing and analyzing something as complex as American Gods is impossible to do without spoiling some things.
As implied by the cliffhanger in last week’s episode of Doctor Who, “Thin Ice” takes place during the 1814 London frost fair where the Doctor and Bill are greeted by an elephant walking on the frozen Thames.
I have a strong suspicion that Series 10 is going to be defined by the fantastic chemistry between Peter Capaldi and Pearl Mackie. As the Doctor and his new companion, Bill, set off on their second adventure together, we are constantly reminded that she is exactly what Doctor Who needs right now.
I have never been a big fan of Steven Moffat’s run on Doctor Who; however, even I can admit that Series 10 is off to a great start. With “The Pilot,” we have started the final season for both Moffat and star Peter Capaldi, leading to them handing off the baton to writer Chris Chibnall and the as-yet-unnamed Thirteenth Doctor this Christmas.
It’s a web series for the ages. Well, at least the period of the Renaissance. Okay, to be more precise, Knights of New Jersey is a web comedy series following actors through their funny exchanges with each other, cosplayers, and visitors at the Renaissance Faire. Sometimes, these moments end in a bruised ego, in more ways than one, and the overall result presents great onscreen chemistry and an entertaining comedy that seems like a seasoned ongoing series.
Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas throughout the country presented members of their “Victory Club” with the opportunity to see the premiere of SyFy’s hit series, The Expanse: Season 2 on the big screen at 8 p.m./CST on Monday, January 30, 2017, followed by a short Q&A with the cast and crew live streamed from New York. Attendance was free, but to reserve a spot I had to purchase a $5 food/drink voucher that was good for anything on my local Drafthouse’s menu during the showing. The first theater filled within a few hours of the first announcement, so a second one was opened in Austin, which allowed me to snag a spot for myself and a friend.
When I first saw the ads for Riverdale, I thought, "Oh look, Glee meets Archie. I'll 100% pass on that!" Mind you, I'm a huge Archie fan. I loved all of the comics and smaller digests you'd find in line at the grocery store. (A perfect place for a last chance for a "Please! Please! Please, mom!" before checking out.
The finale of Season 2 brings emotion, action, and (some) resolution, effectively culminating the season. Episode 10 begins by creating a somber mood as the camera pans the causalities of the bombing, including a child, with sound muffled to replicate first-hand experience and shock. While the audience has likely flip-flopped loyalties and sympathies toward characters throughout this season, moments like these also create awkward sympathy for the Japanese, who have repeatedly practiced senseless acts of violence. The Nazis, the Japanese, and the Resistance are all prone toward destructive behavior, marking the inhumanity of all three groups as collective wholes. It is typically easier to relate to individual characters, but with many of them wavering in their allegiances and sentiments, there does not seem to be a constant hero figure on the show. Tagomi (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa) may be the most neutral character, as his actions ultimately are attempts to maintain peace rather than ignite more violence. Otherwise, the bulk of the show’s characters are plotters and killers one minute, and saviors and sympathizers the next. While this plays with audience sentiments, it also creates an edginess to the show and allows for the characters to remain unpredictable.
This season continues to take risks with parallel dimensional travel, complicating opportunities for the audience to understand how it works, who has the ability, and how it can affect other worlds. As Tagomi (Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa) watches a video of the H-bomb test in alternate America, it is clear that complete devastation is possible in both versions of the world. Is one world actually any safer than the other? It doesn’t seem like global peace is truly achievable anywhere. Tagomi’s dimension hopping is complicated further in this episode, as he is able to bring the film from alternate America back to the show’s main reality. Perhaps, then, the man in the high castle is able to move through different Earths, as well, which could explain how he acquired his stacks of films. Hitler, too, had been collecting films. If Hitler were a dimension hopper, then he would have been able to gain useful information, making it possible to defeat the Allies in this version of reality’s World War II. He also could potentially have seen footage of the future, giving him a huge advantage. With all these possibilities, it seems as though both time and space can be manipulated.