Drive By Reviewers As I Get Ready to Run Out the Door
Blog business first.
I will be offline from Dec 1st through the 12th.
I am way the hell overdue for a vacation. As of Thursday, I. Am. In. The. Wind.
FIRST
The Dark Herald Recommends: Andor
I think this show was padded eight ways from sunrise. I strongly suspect that this series was originally meant to be about six hours in total. Then Kennedy got excited because something, you know, good, had crossed her desk for the first time in years. The reason I say this is that every three episodes functioned as a three-act play. It took three weeks to finish each story arc. There were too many side plots that contributed little or nothing to the main story. It started with Andor looking for his sister in a brothel and then we never heard about her again, so I wasn’t exactly invested in that.. The rebel leader and her lesbian non-romance were a pointless waste of time. So was anything having to do with the security guards that got shit-canned.
That said, the show definetly had some things going for it. Luthien the proto-rebellion’s spymaster was fascinating as a George Smiley in galaxy far, far away. Andy Serkis as the prison camp trustee Kino Loy delivered a compelling performance. Kino came across as an Alpha that was taking care of the prisoners on his floor. Mostly he wanted to keep things quiet and efficient to avoid trouble for his men and then he found out that the only way he could take care of them was to lead a mass breakout. I hope he’s back for season 2 but I’m not betting on it.
I was invested in the ISB officer Dedra Meero. She was a ruthless secret policeman but I could sympathize with her struggle with the Imperial Security bureaucracy. She knows there is a rebellion brewing and her bosses are more interesting in funding than an armed rebellion.
I was even invested in Mon Mothma which was pretty surprising to me. She finally got a life and it wasn’t an easy one.
What wasn’t interesting was Andor himself. There was a silly Kathleen Kennedy insert about Cassian Andor being from the Exploited Indigenous People of the Rainforest Planet. Which adds nothing and you can tell Gilroy jammed it in early and got away from it again as soon as possible. Never visiting the subject again.
There is no reference to the Force, the Jedi, or the Sith.
There were some pretty good scenes but they are a slog to get to and at the end of the day, it’s more Bladerunner than Star Wars. If you liked Bladerunner you’ll like this.
The Dark Herald Recommends with (reluctant) Confidence.
NEXT
The Dark Herald Recommends – The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
It wasn’t bad.
Spoiler aler… who cares.
This 45-minute special is the best of the Disney Marvel TV shows.
I think the title is a callout to the Star Wars Holiday Special and this show is meant to be taken about as seriously. It’s primarily a comedy, with a little drama thrown in but not too much.
Apparently, the Guardians are now headquartered on Knowhere. It’s Christmas time and the aliens don’t really get it. There is funny rock song that proves it.
If you act nicely through the night and don’t jump on your bed
Then Santa comes with sugar plums and hurls them at your head
Quil is still kind of messed up about Gamora being kinda sorta but not really being back and new Gamora isn’t hanging with the Guardians, plus the Alien Christmas song didn’t help.
Mantis and Drax decide to try and make him feel better. So, they fly to Earth and kidnap Kevin Bacon. Hijinx and shenanigans ensue.
Mantis and Drax are the real stars of the show, Chris Pratt was there but had less than ten minutes of screen time. Gamora isn’t there at all. Apparently, Dave Bautista is done getting in shape to play Drax, he was wearing a vest the whole time.
The show is probably canonical, but not much was added to the canon. Kevin Bacon is now officially in the Guardians of the Galaxy universe and Mantis is Quill’s half-sister.
The budget looked to be on Doctor Who’s level. In 1985. But otherwise, the show knew what it wanted to be and succeeded in getting there.
The Dark Herald Recommends with Confidence
I should post tomorrow but I make now guarentees about Wednesday.
Okay, I’m done here.
Discuss on Social Galactic
UPDATE: enjoy it while you can. I guarantee Disney is gonna nuke it.
