Doctor Who Series 8 Finale Review (Parts 1 and 2, "Dark Water" and "Death in Heaven")

Sorry it's been a very, very long time since I've blogged. I wasn't busy or anything, I just didn't feel motivated. But now I do, so now it's time to play catch up. I missed reviewing a lot of episodes of TV. So, without further ado, here's my review for the Doctor Who Series 8 Finale (Parts 1 and 2, "Dark Water" and "Death in Heaven").

The first part of the two part finale is titled, "Dark Water." It begins with a bang as Danny Pink is killed in the opening few minutes. This is a sad event, as I really like Danny Pink. He was a nice guy, and a great man for Clara to fall in love with. His death obviously upsets Clara. In fact it upsets her so much that she threatens to destroy all the Tardis keys ever, preventing The Doctor from ever, ever going back into his Tardis. And when the Doctor refuses, she goes through with her threat.While it luckily turned out to be a simulation, I found it very unlikely Clara would do that. I didn't buy it and I felt it was over the top. Plus, my biggest complaint for the entire two parter is that I felt we didn't really spend enough time with Danny and Clara. It (their relationship) was way too underdeveloped for this whole scene, and most of the scenes in both episodes that make up the two-parter finale, to fully work. I didn't feel the love Clara had for him, the relationship feels as if it hadn't been going on too long any way. That's the one aspect of this episode, and the next part of the two-parter finale that desperately needed improvement. But, besides that, I am happy to say I was very satisfied overall with the finale.

The rest of Part 1, "Dark Water," served primarily as set-up, and it did indeed set-up the finale very well. It was a slower episode, but also one of the darker Doctor Who episodes ever.
It also finally reveals who the Season Antagonist really is. Missy is, in fact, The Master. Yes, it's not super shocking, I've seen it being theorized about since her first appearance back in the Series 8 Premiere, "Deep Breath." But the scene still worked, and it was an excellent cliffhanger.
Part 2, "Death in Heaven" was pretty outstanding. It was nice to see it was 90 minutes long, including commercials, so only about 60 without commercials, but anyway, the extended length was a great thing because for the first time since Series 5, the finale did not feel rushed. Despite the fact that the Series 6 finale "The Wedding of River Song," and the Series 7 finale, "The Name of the Doctor," were both good, they were only 1, 47 minute (without commercials) part, so they felt more rushed than usual, and they were especially disappointing compared to the super amazing two-part Series 5 finale, "The Pandorica Opens," and "The Big Bang." I'm so glad to finally get another finale that's extended length.

"Death in Heaven," moves at a brisk pace, with lots of action and excitement. Lots of cyberman, who looked cooler than they've ever looked on Modern Doctor Who.
This episode also saw the return of the character Osgood, who was in the outstanding 50th Anniversary Special, "The Day of the Doctor." But.........she returned only to die. It was a sad scene. I felt more could've been done with her character as well. Shame she had to get killed by Missy.
Speaking of Missy.....
Missy was a absolutely fantastic villain! Of the two Masters to appear in Modern Doctor Who, Missy was by far the best. Michelle Gomez's performance as Missy was truly great. It really elevated the episode.

The episode comes to a very fitting, and dark ending. Missy is defeated (possibly killed, who knows? Maybe she'll be back), and Danny sacrifices himself and dies. Luckily for him, he had a way to get back to Earth, and out of the afterlife, but he choose instead to send the boy he had killed in war back to Earth. And since only one person could be brought back, that left Danny stuck forever, in the afterlife, without Clara. Damn.
And The Doctor doesn't end up with things much better either, as he fails to find Gallifrey and punches the console of his Tardis, which was a great scene that I absolutely loved!

The two-parter finale ends with a melancholy scene where Clara and The Doctor hug and part ways, both choosing to lie about their lives, not mentioning all the bad that has happened. The Doctor believes Danny is back with Clara, and Clara believes The Doctor found Gallifrey.
In the end, The Doctor flies away in his Tardis, and Clara walks away, down the London street, towards what, I don't know.

(Oh, and The Doctor meets Santa Claus! Good luck to The Doctor! Can't wait to see what The Doctor gets up to in the Christmas Special, ominously titled, "Last Christmas.")

Overall, Great Episode!

Dark Water
+Very, Very Dark
+Sets up the finale
+Cliffhanger (the Missy reveal)
-Danny and Clara relationship underdeveloped
Episode Score: 8.5/10

Death in Heaven
+Intense, action packed, and dark!
+Ending
+MISSY!
+Danny's Sacrifice
+Extended Length
+SANTA CLAUS
Episode Score: 9.4/10

The Walking Dead - Four Walls and a Roof Review

The Walking Dead - Four Walls and a Roof Review (Season 5, Episode 3)
(Spoilers)

If I had to choose one word to describe this episode of The Walking Dead, that word would be: shocking.
We're only three episodes into the season, and so far many plot points that I expected to happen in the mid-season finale have already happened. Escaping Terminus in episode 1 of the season, that was a surprise. But killing off Bob! This early into the season? Didn't expect that. But, by far, the biggest shock was killing off the man I was sure would become the season long antagonist, the next Governor even! The Walking Dead killed off Gareth in episode 3 of the Season. Damn. Didn't expect that.

So yes, "Four Walls and a Roof" centered around this conflict with the Terminus survivors and the big result was these two deaths. They both were shocking, but only one of them I liked.
The one that I did like, was Gareth's. It was brutal, unexpected, and it had an awesome buildup, with them walking into the church, acting all macho, then being quickly captured by Rick. And Rick's awesome pre-murder one liner? It was great. Rick did indeed keep his promise to kill Gareth with his machete. What the next threat of the season will be, who knows?
Now, about that other death, Bob's. I really liked Bob, so maybe I'm biased on this. Why kill Bob this early? I've been waiting for him to get some actual good story lines, besides the few he got in Season 4, his debut season. I've liked him just because of his standard personality, and the fact that the actor portraying him played one of my favorite characters on The Wire, so I was really hoping he could become one of the biggest, bestest, most developed characters on the show. Instead they kill him, before he has the chance to be the next member of the important circle of characters like Rick, Glenn, Maggie, Carl, Daryl, and Carol. Those people are basically safe from all danger for now. Shame Bob left so soon.

Now that all the big death discussions are out of the way, let's talk about the other great stuff in this episode.

The opening was fantastic, and by fantastic, I mean super awesome, my favorite scene of the Season thus far. Tainted Meat will live on as Bob's greatest moment. Incredible acting in that scene too. I really felt Bob's satisfaction in telling those Terminus cannibals that they, in fact, have eaten tainted meat. It felt so great to see the smirks being wiped off their faces.

Other important stuff in this episode was the feud between Rick and Abraham. It led to a splitting up of the group again. While Abraham and Rick pretty much made up, Abraham has decided to take Eugene and the rest of his people to Washington, before Rick and his group are ready. I sure hope they meet up again soon.

The last few minutes of this episode where meditative and quiet, after the sheer brutality of Gareth and the gang's death. I felt these scenes were necessary to the episode, and it was a nice way to close out the episode.
The very, very end of the episode was an abrupt cliffhanger (Daryl walking out of the woods, Carol not in sight) and I can't wait to see how it all plays out in the coming episodes (Next weeks episode is Beth-centric, and I hope it's good, because it looks very intriguing.)

+Fast paced
+Shocking death of Gareth and his people
+Rick being more of a badass (new Shane?)
+Cliffhanger
-Bob's death comes too early in the series
Score: 9/10

Doctor Who - In the Forest of the Night Review

Doctor Who - In the Forest of the Night (Series 8, Episode 10)
Spoilers

It's a testament to the strength of this season of Doctor Who that this episode is my 2nd least favorite of the season, but I still actually liked it. It wasn't bad or meh, it was good! Season 8 has definitely been more consistent this season then possibly any other season!

Anyway, this episode is about a forest, that magically pops us in London overnight. The story is interesting, but it has a very not so subtle "save the environment" message, which I guess is a good message and all, but they should have done it in a more subtle way. This episode was more like FernGully than Doctor Who.

One other problem in an otherwise decent episode is the ending, which was very weird and cheesy. The girl's sister finally comes back....in a bush. She was hiding in a bush or something, and the bush magically disappears and they stare at each other. It looked cheesy. It just wasn't a very well executed scene.

One positive aspect of this episode, was that it finally improved on something Doctor Who seems to never get right. The kid characters! Episode like "Nightmare in Silver" and "Kill the Moon" have shown that Doctor Who can have some annoying young characters, but surprisingly, in an episode filled with children, none of them came off as overtly annoying. Good job, Doctor Who.

Overall, good episode, but not one of the season's best.

+Interesting story idea
+Non-Annoying Kids
-Forced message
Score: 7.8/10

The Walking Dead - Strangers Review

The Walking Dead - Strangers Review (Season 5, Episode 2)

Alright, so last week's premiere was a non-stop action extravaganza, and it was a great kickoff to Season 5. Episode 2, "Strangers" is an understandably slower episode, but due to great writing, acting, and some tension towards the end, it manages to be nearly as good!

The first few minutes are filled with some awkward conversation among Carol and other characters. She's having trouble fitting back in after the events of Season 4. She can't even fully reconnect with Daryl. He was always one of the group members she bonded the most with. It does seem she's going to have a lot of time to reconnect with him though, as towards the end of the episode, there's an intense scene where Daryl and Carol see a car whiz by. And Daryl recognizes it as the car that took Beth, back in Season 4, Episode 13, "Alone". He quickly gets the car he and Carol had found ready, and off they go, in pursuit.
I think this could easily lead to some very interesting story moments, especially if Daryl and Carol do, in fact, catch up with the car. Who knows what kind of a confrontation might happen then.

Speaking of interesting new story possibilities, this episode introduces a new character, named Gabriel (played by Seth Gilliam, who was an actor on The Wire). Gabriel is fascinating to me, and I can't wait to learn more about him, and his presumably dark past.
Father Gabriel encounters our main group of characters early in the episode, and he brings them to a temporary safe place, his church. How long this will last, who knows.

One of the most intriguing things about this episode was the story of Bob. He started acting weird after an intense encounter with a walker. Was he bit? I think he might've been. He was crying while he was outside the church. And to make matters worse for him, he gets kidnapped by Gareth, and some other people from Terminus. And....they.....eat....his leg!!!! That last scene was sick, twisted, and somehow, darkly funny. Bob may be in a terrible situation, but at least he tastes good, according to Gareth, the terminus leader.
That ending was  definitely an effective cliffhanger.

Verdict: This was a slower episode, but it still was just as excellent as the premiere! It sets up many new story possibilities! Perhaps the biggest one, which I haven't even mentioned yet, is the fact that the group now had finally decided, for real, to head to D.C. What a good episode, this was.

+Father Gabriel
+Cannibal filled ending
+D.C. as a goal for the season
+Carol and Daryl together
+Great writing and acting
Score: 8.9/10

Doctor Who - Flatline Review

Doctor Who - Flatline Review (Series 8, Episode 9)


This review will have to be a quick one, as I'm busy at the moment, but I will provide a paragraph or two of my thoughts on the episode.

It was a good episode! It was written by Jamie Mathieson , the writer of last week's fantastic episode, "Mummy on the Orient Express." While this wasn't as good as that episode, unfortunately, it was pretty fun, and had a cool villain.

Clara got most of the screen time in this episode, while the Doctor had less. This is the opposite of last week's episode. Clara being front and center wasn't a bad thing, as it was entertaining to see her act like the Doctor.

A fantastic element to this episode was the visuals. The special effects were phenomenal.

So overall, this wasn't one of the best of the season, and there wasn't anything particularly wrong with it though, it was just good. Not bad, not amazing. Good. Maybe even really good. So I'm still giving this a positive rating

+Special Effects
+Cool Monster
+Doctor Clara
+Tiny Tardis
Score: 8.2/10

Weekend Plans, and Commenting (Also, what show should I review?)

Hi there readers! I just wanted to write another blog to discuss some minor things.

First off, this weekend new episodes of Doctor Who and The Walking Dead are airing. I will review both of these new episodes. But you probably already knew that.

Also, what other shows do you want me to review? Is there some show out there you want me to review? It can be old or new. If it's a show I'm interested in, then I will take your suggestion and review it.

The final thing I want to discuss in this short blog is comments. I am lacking in them. I know I'm a new blogger, and of course popularity and recurring readers won't come right away, but if you are someone who's continually reading my blogs, please, please, leave comments! I want to communicate with my fans! So far the only comments came from a guy spamming links to other websites! So please, leave some good comments. Tell me what you want me to blog about! Okay?

That's it for this blog. It would be great if you took what I said into consideration and decide comment on this blog, and future blogs. It would be appreciated.

The Walking Dead Season 5 Premiere Review

Sorry for the late review everyone. But here it is now, so rejoice.

The Walking Dead - Season 5, Episode 1, "No Sanctuary," Review. (Spoilers)

(Spoilers)

So The Walking Dead usually starts off with big premieres. The pilot was exceptional, Season 2 started well, Season 3 had a kickass premiere, and Season 4 had a slower, but interesting first episode. How is the Season 5 premiere?
It is very, very good! Excluding the Pilot, the Season 5 premiere is the best start to any season of The Walking Dead yet.

Let's recap.

This episode begins with the word "Then" on the screen in white, with a black background. We see the terminites in a train car with screams coming from outside. This flashback is a fantastic opening, and a real attention grabber. Then, we cut to the present. Rick, Glen, and Bob are taken to a big room with some other captives, and things get violent. People are beaten over the head. And after they get hit, another man comes and quickly slice there throats. It's like the Box Cutter scene from Breaking Bad in terms of how graphic it is. Already, this episode is super dark, and super intense.
Some brief negotiation occurs and then boom! An explosions shakes the room and the credits begin.
This was the opening. Only the first few minutes of the episode! And I knew from those first few minutes that this episode would be great.

Soon we are introduced again to Carol, Tyreese, and Judith. While Carol goes off to Terminus, Tyreese stays in a cabin with Judith, and a terminus soldier he captured. Lots of interesting stuff happens in these scenes, and when the prisoner gets a hold of Judith, it was truly horrifying. Luckily Tyreese took care of him, in an immensely satisfying scene.

While all of that was happening, Carol was heading to Terminus, where all sorts of badass things occurred. Carol is one of the best developed characters the show has ever had, and she continues to be an awesome character. It turns out she's the one who caused the explosion in the opening. And that explosion looked fantastic by TV standards. Good job, special effects team.

And after that explosion, things were non-stop action.

It was crazy watching Rick be completely brutal after being changed by his encounter in the Season 4 finale, "A." He stabbed people, he shot people, he was totally merciless.

I think there was more action in this episode then in last season's "Too Far Gone" or the Season 2 finale. It's crazy when you remember that this is only episode 1.

About the action though. While there's more quantity of it, it didn't necessarily feel as impactful as it does in other episodes. It was a kind of shallow episode. Nobody important was really dying either. But it's only the premiere, and I don't actually think anyone major should have died this early, and I'm not too bothered by the lack of feeling in the action because I think this was just supposed to be a fun, fast-paced premiere. And it works.

Plus, after the battle ends there is a big, emotional reunion. Rick and Carl see Judith again, and it's very heartwarming.
And there's the awesome post credit scene!!!! I actually didn't see it, or even know about it until people talked about it online, so the surprise was ruined for me, but I am extremely excited by the possibilities that can happen now. I mean, Morgan!!!! If he can become a main cast member, I would love this show even more.

+Awesome Action
+Morgan!
+Badass Rick
+Terminus Flashback
+Fast Paced Premiere
+Reunions
+Tyreese Kills
Score: 9/10