Television

Review: Fringe 2.15

by Paul Talon on Mar.14, 2010, under Fringe, Reviews by Paul Talon, Television

“Jacksonville”

What is this? An actual mythology episode? GET OUT! It’s about time. True to it’s pattern, the mythology episode is a heavy one that does a lot of heavy lifting, even if in this case, the actual episode itself gets bogged down at times during character development moments.

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Review: Battlestar Galactica: The Plan

by Paul Talon on Mar.13, 2010, under BSG, Reviews by Paul Talon, Television

“The Plan”

Ahhh The Plan. When the show began, there was reference to this mythical Plan that the Cylons had in mind. And then somewhere along the way Ronald Moore admitted that he was making things up as he went along. So he had no plan. So how did the Cylons have a plan? Well they didn’t really. BUT they decided to go back and try to fit what had happened in the beginning to what happened at the end of the series and make all the pieces kind of fit.

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Fringe Reviews Added!

by Paul Talon on Mar.13, 2010, under Fringe, Reviews by Paul Talon, Television

2.13 – “What Lies Below”

I feel like a broken record. So much so that I want to just write one beginning paragraph to use for the non mythology episodes of Fringe and just cut and paste…because in reality that’s all I’m doing. But as I’ve said before There are two choices when dealing with a show like Fringe with an overall story arc that has a lot of mystery to it. You either gradually introduce the mythology and interweave it through every episode in someway, slowly unraveling said mystery leaving true standalone episodes to be few and far between (and thus far more acceptable) or the way Fringe does it. BAM HUGE MYTHOLOGY EPISODE followed by 3-4 stagnant Fringe moments of the week. We are in that rut right now. It really slows down the show and in all honesty you could cut the season down completely and only watch 1/3 of it and have everything you need.

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2.14 – “The Bishop Revivial”

More straightforward Fringe fare just treading water waiting for the next mythology episode. Again the only saving grace in this week’s episode is Walter. And in this case it is quite the saving grace. The plotline is simple. A madman scientist comes up with a virus that is programmable to DNA. It can target specific DNA (such as those with brown eyes, or those in the same family). A Nazi dream come true…and of course it is a Nazi scientist behind it.
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Review: Caprica 1.06

by Paul Talon on Mar.11, 2010, under Caprica, Reviews by Paul Talon, Television

“Know Thy Enemy”

It was a tough week to guage. There was little in the way of immediate satisfaction in the wake of last week’s highly successful episode. But at the same time there was plenty of groundwork laid for future payoff — enough to see how multitudes of storylines could take off. So is that enough? Personally I think this is one of those episodes that was necessary but yet that doesn’t make it in and of itself satisfying. Time will certainly tell.

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Caprica Reviews Posted!

by Paul Talon on Mar.04, 2010, under Caprica, Reviews by Paul Talon, Television

Caprica 1.04 – “Gravedancing”

“Gravedancing” continues Caprica’s meandering ways. The show has yet to find any kind of central focus point or direction. It all seems to flit around to the characters and their storylines but without any rhyme or reason. There are few good moments in a series that is too young to have these kind of directionless times.

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Caprica 1.05 – “There Is Another Sky”

In a series that is begging for a really good episode — that moment that sets the ball rolling. “There Is Another Sky” is for the most part that episode. It’s not completely brilliant or as good as other “moment” type episodes from other series, but this one does raise the bar. It defines the characters better in a way and opens up different worlds of storytelling.

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Star Wars: Clone Wars & Novel Review Posted

by Paul Talon on Feb.18, 2010, under Literature, Reviews by Paul Talon, SecondViews SubSection Updates, Star Wars, Television

“Duchess of Mandalore”

The Satine Saga continues and is once again a stellar example of why the Clone Wars has risen above it’s shaky start with the animated film to become a great entry into the Star Wars universe as a whole. Far from being childish, it instead is a very mature look at a serious situation which includes allegories with our own current situation with Iraq as well as a intriguing look at the relationship of Anakin and Padme when compared to a similar situation with Obi-Wan and Satine.

Episode I Adventures Volume 1: Search For the Lost Jedi

Written by: Ryder Windham

Yawn. Adventures aimed at the younger audience are a mixed bag generally. There are times when they transcend age, like in most of the Jedi Apprentice series, where even an adult can get something out of watching Obi-Wan Kenobi grow from apprentice to Jedi under Qui-Gon Jinn’s tutelage.

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Review: Fringe 2.12

by Paul Talon on Feb.14, 2010, under Fringe, Reviews by Paul Talon, Television

“Johari Window”

“Johari Window” is an excellent standalone episode in a sea of such standalones which as my readers will know, I believe is detrimental to the overall series But with that being said, every once in a while a standalone can benefit the series on a different level. Through character and theme.

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Review: Caprica 1.03

by Paul Talon on Feb.13, 2010, under Caprica, Reviews by Paul Talon, Television

“The Reins of a Waterfall”

Three episodes in and I feel the show is still trying to find itself. The mixture of science fiction and true soap opera (unlike the melodramatic fake soap opera put forth by BSG at times), is a tricky mixture.

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Star Wars: Clone Wars 2.13 and EU Novels & Short Stories Reviews Posted

by Paul Talon on Feb.13, 2010, under Literature, Reviews by Paul Talon, SecondViews SubSection Updates, Star Wars, Television

“Voyage of Temptation”

A continuation of the Mandalore Plot we see Obi-Wan and Anakin in charge of bringing Dutchess Satine to Coruscant so that she can testify before the Senate. Immediately we get a role reversal of Episode II in which Anakin is questioning Obi-Wan’s state of mind before dealing with a beautiful, political female.

The Life and Legend of Obi-Wan Kenobi & The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader & A New Hope: The Life of Luke Skywalker

2008-2009

All written by: Ryder Windham

Although I have yet to read the third book in this series, I feel pretty comfortable reviewing it as I can review the first two at exactly the same time just substituting characters. If I am wrong and the Luke book is something majorly different, I will break it off from this review.

The Monster

Written by Daniel Wallace

Originally appeared in: Star Wars Gamer #2

A short story depicting one of the earliest appearances of then Lieutenant Panaka. It shows Panaka as an innovative head of security on Naboo who has little in the way of a personal life, dedicating himself to his job.

The Starfighter Trap

Written by: Steve Miller

Originally appeared in: Star Wars Gamer #1

Written around the time of the game, Starfighter it features Essara Till, a pilot who had left Naboo to see the universe and winded up happily back home where she headed up Bravo Squadron with her lover a Dren Melne.

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Star Wars: Clone Wars & Jedi Apprentice Novels Reviews Posted

by Paul Talon on Jan.31, 2010, under Literature, Reviews by Paul Talon, SecondViews SubSection Updates, Star Wars, Television

“The Mandalore Plot”

An episode intriguing on several different levels. First and probably most important for EU fans is the introduction of the planet of Mandalore and it’s warriors. Secondly we get to see Obi-Wan Kenobi meeting with a beautiful female that he has somewhat of a history with – as we are told. The Dutchess.

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Jedi Apprentice Volume 12: The Evil Experiment

The second part of the in series trilogy involving a crazy scientist and her mad schemes. Qui-Gon has been captured along with another unspecified Jedi to be used in experiments designed so that Jenna Zan Arbor could learn what she could about the Force.

Meanwhile Obi-Wan Kenobi is left behind with Astri to find both Qui-Gon as well as find an antidote to the poison given to Astrid’s father, Didi by the bounty hunter.

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Jedi Apprentice Volume 13: The Dangerous Rescue

Written by: Jude Watson

Another mixed bag. After twelve volumes, there just isn’t a lot of new territory to cover and I can’t shake the feeling that we’re hitting filler mode now. Just a few more adventures until we get til Episode I. It might not be quite that bad, but I would like to see a bit more development at this stage.

Qui-Gon is rescued, but Master Noor R’aya is still in Zan Arbor’s clutches. Who is R’aya? A venerated master but I have no idea why. There is little about him that is said, even as they eventually rescue him. For someone so venerated, I expected a bit more about him by the end of the day. Especially due to the set up, where we are led to believe he is truly important.

The plot thickens throughout as Zan Arbor releases a dangerous disease on a planet as per her usual, where she has an antidote she will “discover” at the last moment.

The twist comes with the duplicity of Uta S’orn, a senator who had recently retired. Her son was a Force Sensitive whom Zan Arbor had experimented on and later killed. Despite this S’orn still works with Arbor to make her fortune, putting her own planet at risk.

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