More Fantastic Four Casting Reactions

“What gives this family its purpose and its joy isn’t the destination… it’s the journey.” — Fantastic Four Vol 1, #511

Last October I gave my thoughts on certain casting rumors, story possibilities, etc., for the upcoming Fantastic Four movie. Since then, we’ve had some updates on casting, which I would like to give my two cents’ worth about. (Yeah, that was a few weeks ago and I’m a bit slow — hey, I was busy! 🙂 )

We now know that Vanessa Kirby (M:I-6 & M:I-7, Hobbs & Shaw) has been confirmed to be playing Susan Storm / Invisible Woman. As I said in my earlier post, she’s certainly talented but I don’t think she has the right look. The Hot Mic’s Jeff Sneider was also proven correct in the casting of Joseph Quinn (“Stranger Things”) as Johnny Storm / Human Torch. While relatively inexperienced, and not someone I would have picked, I think he may be an OK choice. (They better make him blonde, though.)

Pascal, Kirby, Moss-Bachrach, Quinn

There were rumors about Pedro Pascal (“The Last of Us”, “The Mandalorian”) and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (“The Bear”, “Andor”, “The Punisher”) being involved, and announcements last month (Feb. 2024) confirm that both actors are indeed co-starring in this film. Chilean-born Pascal will play Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic, the leader(?) of the team, whereas Moss-Bachrach will bring pilot Ben Grimm / The Thing to life for audiences this time around. (I am assuming that CGI and/or motion-capture technology will be involved.)

I have to admit, I am not big on the idea of Pascal as Richards. Indeed, the first time I heard or read the rumors about this, my heart sunk a bit, just as it did regarding the idea of Antonio Banderas portraying Galactus (which has not been confirmed). Don’t get me wrong, I generally like Pascal and have enjoyed his performances in a number of things (e.g., “Game of Thrones”, Triple Frontier, “The Mandalorian”). In a few others, he was OK (e.g., “The Mentalist”, Wonder Woman 1984, though my main beef with that last one is the way the character was re-written for the film). But, I strongly believe that, even if he can manage the appropriate voice and mannerisms required to pull off the role, he definitely has the wrong look for playing ‘Reed Richards’. He’s also a touch too old. (Reed may be a few years older than Susan, but the gray at his temples is supposed to be premature!)

Moss-Bachrach, on the other hand, might do a pretty good job, and he doesn’t have to worry about looking the part — unless they show flashbacks to before he transformed or Reed gives him a device for temporarily reverting to human form or simply projecting a hologram of what he used to look like (assuming the use of de-aging tech). I’ve only seen him in a few things, but he does seem quite talented. Plus, like ‘Ben Grimm’, he is Jewish-American. (In fact, he’s the only actual American among the four portraying this all-American team/family.) I don’t know that I would have thought of him for this part, but he might do surprisingly well.

As Snarky Jay said on her podcast, “These are relatively unoffensive [sic] casting choices, right? But, they’re also kind of underwhelming. How about we get somebody that matches the role we’re asking them to play?” My thoughts exactly!

That’s all I’ve got for ya, ladies and gents. See y’all next week!

The Bible as Graphic Novel

What do you get when you cross a Bible with a comic book? Let’s find out…

As some of you know, I also write a weekly blog on the general topics of politics, science, and religion, and where they often intersect. On the “religion” end, I occasionally post about Christian theology, Bible passages, and Bible translations. Despite my love of comics, I have never owned a book that attempted to depict the Bible — well, portions of it, anyway — in graphic novel format. So, I can’t give first-hand recommendations. However,…

Over the past few weeks/months, I have been enjoying reviews of study Bibles by J.M. Smith at the DiscipleDojo on YouTube. I don’t always agree with him (on matters of theology, for example), but I like him and he is a very good reviewer. He gives honest reviews, explaining both pros and cons (in his opinion as a Bible teacher). As it turns out, he has done a few reviews of graphic novel-type Bibles, so I figured I’d link to them in case any of you are interested.

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As a little bonus, I’ll throw in this pair, though they are a bit “different”:

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Those were all that I saw of this sort at DiscipleDojo. I hope he eventually reviews the full 3-volume (hc) edition of The Kingstone Bible, which is quite popular. If you know of any others that aren’t included here, please share in the comments below. (And if you send him a printed copy, I’m sure he’ll be happy to review it.)

A Marvel Triple-Shot

This week, I wanted to briefly relay some news about three different Marvel screen projects. The first is Scarlet Witch-related….

You may have heard/read rumors even as long as a year (or more) ago about a Scarlet Witch solo project, possibly based on a comics series from 2015. Well, last month Camila Servello of FanSided reported that the rumors “have gotten a little louder and harder to ignore.” But, calling it a “Scarlet Witch solo project” does not seem accurate, and Elizabeth Olsen is so far not even attached.

While, the Scarlet Witch might still be a supporting player, the live-action series would center on one of her twin sons — you know, the children she magically created as part of her “WandaVision” delusion. Specifically, the star would be “an Asgardian reincarnation of” Wiccan. Olsen’s absence, however, has her fans making noises of disappointment and frustration.

Personally, I would be only marginally interested in a SW solo project, and I have no interest in a show about Wiccan for various reasons. But, for those who are, this could be interesting.

The other day it was announced that Marvel was replacing Tom Holland in the next Spider-Man project. That certainly got my attention, as I’m sure it did many. But, of course, the news is not quite as tragic as it sounds at first.

This has nothing to do with the Spider-Man movie franchise that Holland currently stars in and enjoys much fan approval for. Rather, the project in question is “Spider-Man: Freshman Year”, a new animated series written and executive produced by Jeff Trammel. Reasons have not been revealed, but Marvel has hired Hudson Thames to voice our spectacular hero in this series. You may remember that Thames did a great job with the same role in Marvel’s “What If…?”, and he has also signed on to voice Peter/Spidey in the upcoming “Marvel’s Zombies” series.

“Spider-Man: Freshman Year” will be a bit different, though.

“[It will be] among the first to hail from Marvel Studios as a Disney Plus original series which won’t be connected to the main MCU timeline. This is something that has already created confusion among fans but will allow Marvel to tell new stories featuring a new cast of characters.”

Additional voice cast include Eugene Byrd (“Spidey and His Amazing Friends”) as ‘Lonnie Lincoln’, Grace Song (“Launchpad”) as ‘Nico Minoru’, Hugh Dancy (“Hannibal”) as ‘Otto Octavius’, Kari Wahlgren (“Star Trek: Lower Decks”) as ‘Aunt May’, and Zeno Robinson (“Transformers: Earthspark”) as ‘Harry Osborn’. Charlie Cox will also be “appearing” as Daredevil. Premiere date could be as early as Dec. 15, 2023 but probably 2024.

I rarely watch animated series (“What If…?” being an exception), but even if I did, I wouldn’t have a problem with any of this casting, particularly for an alternate timeline setting.

Hot on the heels of my post last week regarding casting for the upcoming Fantastic Four film (2025) is this tidbit.

No casting news as yet, but as per MovieWeb‘s Anthony Lund,

“[W]hile promoting the upcoming Apple TV+ Godzilla series ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’, director Matt Shakman has given a positive update on how the Fantastic Four is now coming together. In an interview with Collider’s Steve Weintraub, Shakman revealed that everything is seemingly in place for the film to get cameras rolling in the UK in Spring 2024.”

In regards to the film itself, Shakman added,

“[W]e are doing things very differently from a story standpoint, from an approach to the filmmaking standpoint, that really fits the material. I wish I could say more. I would love to, but I can’t. But I think it’s going to be unlike anything you’ve seen before, and certainly unlike anything at Marvel that you’ve seen before.”

Sounds intriguing, and I like his enthusiasm. The Marvel films and series have benefited from a bit of creativity lately (“WandaVision” in particular), and I sincerely hope that whatever Shakman et al. have in mind for the FF does the property justice and pleases fans old and new.

10 (Semi-)Forgotten, Live-Action, DC and Marvel Movies

A bit of a nostalgia trip this week… sorta…

With all of the MCU and DCEU films and their (mostly) success over the past couple decades, we sometimes forget that there were earlier films — mostly TV movies — based on DC and Marvel characters. And, for the most part, they weren’t connected to each other. Some of you may think I’m referring to movies like Hulk (2003), Daredevil (2003), Elektra (2005), Man-Thing (2005), Fantastic Four (2005) & its sequel (2007), and Ghost Rider (2007) & its sequel (2011), etc.

Nope. Those were indeed precursors to the MCU/DCEU movies. But, go back even further. The ones I have in mind all aired (except for one) between 25 and 50 years ago! If you’re thinking of the three Incredible Hulk movies that spun off from the old TV series with Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno, you are in the ballpark timewise (1988, 1989, 1990), but still “Nope.” Here ya go…

Wonder Woman (1974): Before the success of the “Wonder Woman” (1975-1979) show starring Lynda Carter, the first attempt to bring the character to the live screen was this TV movie and potential pilot starring Cathy Lee Crosby. It was the first television or film project produced by Warner Bros. that was based upon a DC Comics property. On the plus side, Ricardo Montalban was in it, and Crosby did a fair job, too. But, it didn’t go over well. Crosby looked nothing like Wonder Woman (especially with blonde hair) and neither did her costume look right, so those were big negatives — which they fixed with the subsequent, Carter-led series.

Dr. Strange (1978): This film starring Peter Hooten as the Master of the Mystic Arts changed Stephen Strange from being a world-renowned surgeon (as in the comics) to being a psychiatrist. His curly hair and the half-hearted attempt to get the costume sorta right were turnoffs, and I can’t even remember any specifics about the movie. (Did I even finish watching it?) I did, however, just discover that Michael Ansara went uncredited as the voice of the Ancient One and Ted Cassidy was uncredited as the voice of the Demon Balzaroth. That’s cool.

Legends of the Superheroes (1979): Technically, this wasn’t just a TV movie but more of a quasi-mini-series. Much like one might see on the 1960s “Batman” TV series, the first episode consisted of a team-up of several DC superheroes (including Adam West and Burt Ward as Batman and Robin) trying to stop a Doomsday Machine. Clues are left by their respective arch-villains. The second episode was a roast-and-toast of the heroes by the villains, along with a few colleagues and family members. Ed McMahon was the master of ceremonies. (I’ve only seen a couple of short clips of this one. Silliness.)

Captain America (1979) and Captain America II: Death Too Soon (1979): Reb Brown starred in these two TV movies that brought the hero’s origin into the 1970s. This version of Steve Rogers is a commercial artist (which is comics-accurate) but there is no military background. He gains enhanced strength after surgery and injection of a super-hormone based on his father’s experiments. He is given a suped-up motorcycle with a bulletproof, detachable shield on the front to fight crime, which he does in an appropriately star-spangled costume — one version of which is comics-accurate — and matching motorcycle helmet. I know it sounds silly, and it was, but Brown looked the part, and I was happy to get some version of one of my favorite heroes. Too bad none of the other planned sequels got made. On the up-side, there were several great guest stars in the two movies (e.g., Joseph Ruskin, Lance LeGault, Steve Forrest, Christopher Lee, Connie Sellecca, William Lucking).

The Punisher (1989): Several years before Jon Bernthal took on the character in Netflix’s “Daredevil” and “The Punisher” TV series, Ray Stevenson played Frank Castle in Punisher: War Zone (2008), and that was after Thomas Jane played him in The Punisher (2004). But, how many of you remember Dolph Lundgren’s take on the skull-chested vigilante back in 1989? It has the lowest IMDB rating of the three films, but I’d see it again. (Actually, I’m not 100% positive I saw it before. Too long ago…) In fact, maybe I’ll watch all three and then post a comparison/critique. In any case, any true Punisher fan must watch all three movies, plus the Netflix series.

Captain America (1990): The first big screen Captain America movie starred Matt Salinger (who looks sorta like Kevin Sorbo). The origins, costume, etc., were pretty much comics-accurate. There were several notable actors in supporting roles, e.g., Ned Beatty, Ronny Cox, Darren McGavin, Michael Nouri, Bill Mumy. I never saw the film, but I have read other comments that indicate that the Steve Rogers character was a nerdy loser, and his padded costume sometimes made him look fat rather than muscular. Scott Paulin played the Red Skull, and he was sorta scary-looking but not very skull-like. Sigh!

The Fantastic Four (1994): The first live-action FF film starred Alex Hyde-White, Rebecca Staab, Jay Underwood, and Michael Bailey Smith / Carl Ciarfalio. Doctor Doom was played by Joseph Culp. Constantin Film’s rights to the property were about to expire unless they began production quickly, which they did with three days to spare. The cast hired a publicist at their own expense to help promote the film before the premiere in Jan. 1994. When Avi Arad, founder of the new Marvel Studios, realized that this low-budget production was about to debut, he was afraid that it would dilute the brand. He bought the film sight-unseen “for a couple of million dollars in cash” and ordered all prints destroyed. Marvel denied its existence for years, but a bootleg version somehow got out and Marvel eventually had to fess up. (I saw a couple clips of it on VHS at a comics convention many years ago.) Meanwhile, Constantin Film got a couple more ten-year extensions and produced three big-budget FF movies. Returns on all were disappointing and Marvel now keeps the rights in-house. The film was finally released on DVD in 2005 and officially released to the internet in 2021.

Generation X (1996): Capitalizing on the popularity of the X-Men comics, Generation X is based on a spin-off book about teen mutants. The biggest names involved are probably Finola Hughes (playing Emma Frost, one of the teens’ mutant teachers) and Matt Frewer (playing the main bad guy). Genre fans might also recognize Kevin McNulty, Kavan Smith, or Jeremy Ratchford. I remember when this movie aired, as it was the first made-for-TV, live-action production about any of Marvel’s mutants. But, honestly, I can’t remember a dang thing about it, other than that it was disappointing.

JLA (exc. Martian Manhunter)

Justice League of America (1997): This failed TV pilot apparently quite deserves its fate. The writing, F/X, directing,… all bad. Costumes are cheap-looking and the characters (along with inter-relationships) have been greatly altered. The Green Lantern character is even an odd amalgam — both in appearance and personality — of three comic-book Green Lanterns: Hal Jordan, Kyle Rayner, and Guy Gardner (the named used in the movie). Even with actors like Miguel Ferrer and David Ogden Stiers involved, it’s a mess, and neither the directors nor DC want to be reminded of it. For a great review of the film’s (few) pluses and (many) minuses, check out this article.

If pressed to recommend three of the above to watch, I’d say Wonder Woman, the first Captain America TV movie, and The Punisher.

Those are the ten (semi-)forgotten DC and Marvel movies I came up with. (Assuming we agree to call that weird Legends of the Superheroes two-fer a “film”.) Did you see any of them? Can you come up with any others that fit the timeframe? Let me know in the comments…

The Continuing Adventures of Emilia Clarke

I want to talk about Emilia Clarke for a couple minutes. Why? ‘Cuz she’s adorable, sweet, and has one of the best smiles on the planet. Plus, she is and has been involved in some of the biggest genre franchises.

Emilia Clarke

Everyone knows Clarke got her big break playing Daenerys “Khaleesi” Targaryen, Queen of Dragons, on “Game of Thrones” (2011-2019). The resulting fame led to other roles, of course, such as as ‘Sarah Connor’ in Terminator Genisys (2015). Clarke described it as “surreal” when she was on set working with Arnold Schwarzenegger, whom she idolized. This fifth film of “The Terminator” franchise earned $441M worldwide but was considered a critical and commercial failure. Perhaps seeing the writing on the wall, Clarke stated she would not be returning to the franchise. Film rights then reverted to James Cameron, who basically ignored the Genisys storyline when creating Terminator: Dark Fate (2019).

In 2018, Clarke co-starred (with Alden Ehrenreich) as “Qi’ra” in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Unfortunately, this one also had less-than-expected success, grossing just under $393M worldwide and evoking quite a lot of controversy throughout Star Wars fandom. (Frankly, its problems began way before it made it to the screen, a few of which I blogged about.)

Neither of these franchise flops were Clarke’s fault, of course. Her performances were fine; it was the stories that just didn’t cut it. As it happens, the “Qi’ra” character returned in a SW comic book series (War of the Bounty Hunters) in 2021, and it looks like she may return in live-action. Clarke originally signed on for more Star Wars films, but with the various shake-ups and re-prioritizations at Disney and Lucasfilm, so far nothing seems to be happening on that front. However, she may show up in a new streaming series.

“The Direct can exclusively report that Darth Maul will appear in multiple live-action Star Wars series for Disney+ in the coming years, according to our insider sources. Among these series, Lucasfilm is developing a live-action show that will be focused on the antagonist. In addition, Qi’ra is expected to feature prominently in the series, played once again by Emilia Clarke.”

That announcement was made back in 2020, and subsequent reports (June and Nov. 2021) were that the Maul series was indeed in development. However, the later ones indicated that it would be animated rather than live-action. If/When I see any updates, I’ll let you know. Meanwhile,…

As you may have heard, Clarke’s most recent project has been on Marvel’s “Secret Invasion” series, which is currently filming. (Co-stars include fellow Star Wars alumni Samuel L. Jackson and Ben Mendelsohn, along with Kingsley Ben-Adir and Olivia Colman.) Back in June 2021, it was announced that Clarke signed a decade-long contract with Marvel, indicating that they have plans for her beyond the SI series.

“Everyone I know and everyone I’ve spoken to who is a part of the Marvel universe — and actors talk! Everyone has only the highest praise to offer. There’s a reason why actors stay in it. They’re so loved because they’re having loads of fun. So I’m down for that. Sure!”

For all of the anticipation for the series, Marvel is playing everything quite close to the vest. No details on the plot, though everyone acknowledges that it is based on the story arc of the same name from the comics. This means there will be a lot of bad Skrulls taking over the identities of important and powerful humans, including spies and superheroes. Presumably, the good Skrulls will be working with Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. (and S.W.O.R.D.?) to stop bad stuff from happening.

There have been few clues as to who Clarke, Colman, or Ben-Adir are playing, too. If Clarke’s character is someone that gets replaced, she could of course play both the human (or mutant) and her Skrull impostor. Some fans have speculated that Clarke might play Abigail Brand, Agent of S.W.O.R.D., who is half alien and half Earth mutant. Another popular suggestion for Clarke’s character is Jessica Drew, aka the superhero/S.H.I.E.L.D. agent known as Spider-Woman. From what I understand, this was a pivotal character in the comics story (which I haven’t read).

A few days ago, there was some excitement that fans had revealed Clarke’s character by posting various snapshots and video clips taken of Clarke filming in Leeds, England. But, for all the hype, there were no real clues to her character. She looked very much human and was wearing regular clothes, black boots, and a baggy overcoat. Stupid click-bait!

Regardless, I will be happy to see Clarke in the MCU, whoever she plays, and I hope she has an enjoyable time working in the MCU.

Unofficially, “Secret Invasion” will likely premiere in late 2022 or early 2023.

Disney Developing Two New Series for Samuel L. Jackson

I hadn’t intended to do another Disney-oriented post so soon, but… it’s *#$%@^# Samuel L. Jackson!

I am hearing/reading that Disney is taking advantage of having fan-favorite Jackson under contract and his previous involvement with two huge franchises that it now controls — namely, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and Star Wars.

Last time audiences saw the real (i.e., non-Skrull) Nick Fury in the MCU was in the post-credits scene for Spider-Man: Far From Home. He was on a S.W.O.R.D. space station (or ship?) with a bunch of Skrulls, possibly orbiting Earth or maybe further out. “S.W.O.R.D.” stands for Sentient World Observation and Response Department, a division or spinoff of S.H.I.E.L.D. that monitors potential space-based threats.

While it appears that the long-rumored “Agents of S.W.O.R.D.” series will indeed happen, Fury will be relegated to a recurring (as opposed to regular) character. But, that’s OK, because… Marvel Studios is creating a separate Disney+ series for him. Written and executive produced by Kyle Bradstreet (“Mr. Robot”, “Berlin Station”), the “Nick Fury” series will, of course, star Samuel L. Jackson — making it Jackson’s first regular television role.

Jackson as Fury

According to Variety‘s sources, “exact plot details of the show are being kept under wraps”, but it is currently set for an early 2023 release. I hope they keep the tone on the serious side, with only occasional bits of humor. I imagine there will be a connection to, or at least mentions of, the S.W.O.R.D. activities. But, since there will be a different show to focus on that, I’m guessing “Nick Fury” will focus more on, say, regular S.H.I.E.L.D. spy stuff, possibly from a few years in the past. (But, which timeline?) Bottom line, this sounds pretty cool, and I look forward to hearing and writing more about it in the future.

Meanwhile, trusted Star Wars insider Daniel Richtman reports that a live-action project focusing on Mace Windu has been green-lit. That’s right, folks. The beloved Jedi Master somehow survived his fall at the end of Episode III, and we’ll find out how!

It is possible it will end up being a standalone prequel film, but it sounds more like a Disney+ series to me. The basic premise has Jackson portraying the older Windu from a few (6?) years after the events of Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (19 years before Battle of Yavin (Ep. IV)), while a yet-to-be-cast younger actor plays the younger Windu as a Jedi Padawan (or Knight?) (10?) years before Episode I: The Phantom Menace (32 BBY). That’s a roughly 30-year difference between the two versions. Whether the idea is to have two concurrent, possibly connected, storylines going at once or merely to have older Windu narrating a flashback story is unclear at this time.

Many fans will be disappointed that Jackson doesn’t play Windu all the time, but there are reasons for this. For one, Jackson is already over 70 years old and may not want or be able to do the more active stuff. (Of course, some of that will be done by stunt doubles, regardless.) From the studio’s p.o.v., though, it would be much more expensive to use the de-aging tech on Jackson for the flashback stuff. Plus, they’d have to pay him more for more onscreen time, and he can demand a lot more money than a relative newcomer. So, this actually sounds like a cool way to have Jackson involved but keep the budget manageable.

Jackson as Windu

A few leaked details about the plot are: 1) The show will somehow involve Jedi being hunted down throughout the Empire. 2) Darth Vader will make an appearance — I don’t know if it’s as cameo, recurring, or regular character — and a version of the Starkiller character from SW Legends will be revealed as Vader’s secret apprentice. (So, Starkiller will become canonized.) Whether or not fans accept changes to the character’s appearance could be an issue, though. 3) Older Windu will have an apprentice of his own. (Perhaps someone to tell his flashback story to?)

Pre-production is said to be set for Feb. 2021, followed by filming beginning in mid-2022, with a Disney+ premiere tentatively scheduled some time in 2024.

All else being equal, there are two things that will make or break this series. First, they have to make a wise choice in who they cast for the younger Windu. It won’t be easy to capture Jackson’s “swagger”, etc. As well-received as Ewan McGregor was as young Ben Kenobi, Alden Ehrenreich’s portrayal of young Han Solo was a lot less successful. (I thought he did fine, all things considered.) It remains to be seen how Sebastian Stan does, if reports are true of him taking on young(ish) Luke Skywalker. Finding someone to fill Jackson’s shoes as Windu will be at least as difficult.

Second, they must have a compelling story/stories that respects established canon and does the character justice, while truly conveying that classic Star Wars feel & tone. Given the Lucas/Favreau/Filoni team currently overseeing the rehabilitation of the franchise (with Disney CEO Bob Chapek), including developing new projects like this one and hiring writers and directors to run with them, I am reasonably comfortable that none of these will be much of an issue. However, even Lucas disappointed many fans with the prequel films. Plus, he will eventually step down once Chapek finds a permanent replacement for Kathleen Kennedy at Lucasfilm, so a lot also depends on that person’s decisions, too.

No other casting or plot details have been revealed, as far as I can tell. Whether they bring in additional familiar characters or introduce all new ones, or possibly a mix, it should be a lot of fun. Forgive me if I repeat myself, but… “Bottom line, this sounds pretty cool, and I look forward to hearing and writing more about it in the future.” 🙂

Review of Stargirl (TV series)

“I was but a lowly yet loyal page, cleaning the horses’ stables, yet King Arthur himself bestowed to me his sword upon his deathbed. He told me heroes can come from anywhere.” — Justin

The last TV series I reviewed was “Star Trek: Picard” back in April. But, “Stargirl” ended over a week ago, and I finished watching it this past weekend. So, here we go…

SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!

In short, I *really* liked it!

Call it sweet or “full of heart” or “a bit corny” or whatever. It’s all those things, and that’s fine by me.

I liked that it had a (very intentionally) nostalgic feel, from the old-town Americana look of Blue Valley to the legacy of the Justice Society of America. IMHO, the original JSA has always fit better in the 1940s than the current age (the pilot shows their final defeat 10 years ago), but I think that’s an acceptable adjustment when trying to tweak the source material into real-time.

I thought Brec Bassinger did a great job as the central character, a young teen (‘Courtney’) uprooted and trying to fit in in a new town/school, getting used to a new stepdad, and secretly discovering/fighting supervillains while assuming a new-ish superhero identity (‘Stargirl’) of her own. She’s really cute, and her enthusiasm was infectious.

Then we have Yvette Monreal as ‘Yolanda’/’Wildcat’, Cameron Gellman as ‘Rick’/’Hourman’, and Anjelika Washington as ‘Beth’/’Dr. Mid-Nite’ — the rest of the new Justice Society — all of whom did fine jobs, as well. It was nice that they were fleshed out a bit as characters, so they had some issues of their own to work out. Same goes for the “bad guy” teens — Meg DeLacy as ‘Cindy’/’Shiv’ and Jake Austin Walker as the very conflicted ‘Henry Jr.’/’Brainwave Jr.’ (There were a couple others, of course, but they weren’t as integral to the story.)

I liked that some of the original JSA members were played (if only briefly) by familiar names — Joel McHale (‘Starman’), Henry Thomas (‘Dr. Mid-Nite’), and even Lou Ferrigno Jr. (‘Hourman’). Luke Wilson (‘Pat’/’Stripesy’) and Amy Smart (‘Barbara’) are also recognizable movie stars, so that was cool. I like them both, but ‘Pat’ and ‘Barbara’ could stand to discipline their children more. (See below.) Not like some of the other adults in the show do, though. (Yikes!) The addition of Mark Ashworth as the addled ‘Janitor Justin’/’Shining Knight’ was cool, too.

Clockwise from upper left: Wildcat, Stargirl, Icicle, Barbara, Dr. Mid-Nite, Pat, Brainwave, Hourman

The Injustice Society were perfectly despicable supervillains — arrogant, cocky, etc., with a nefarious plan to mind-control the populace. But, they were also the type that truly thought their plans, despite many “necessary” casualties, were necessary for the betterment of the nation and mankind as a whole. We found out that those plans were to make everyone believe in “progressive” causes (e.g., fighting “climate change”), and the good guys paused and thought, “That doesn’t sound so bad. Why are we stopping them?” I had to roll my eyes at the obvious socio-political statement being made by the creators. Apparently, the good guys would have been OK with manipulating millions of people minds, if it weren’t for the pesky fact that a certain percentage would die from resisting. Seriously?! Ugh!

Incidentally, I thought that Christopher James Baker (‘Henry Sr.’/’Brainwave’) and Neil Jackson (‘Jordan’/’Icicle’) really stood out as the most powerful and dangerous of the ISA. Neil Hopkins (“Crusher”/’Sportsmaster’) and Joy Osmanski’s (‘Paula’/’Tigress’) portrayals made me hate their characters on multiple levels, as well. I get the feeling that Nelson Lee’s ‘Dragon King’ would have been more impactful if we’d seen him unmasked and in action more and sooner. The rest of the ISA was OK. I’m glad we finally got to see and experience ‘Solomon Grundy’ full on, as he fought our heroes (especially young ‘Hourman’) in the finale. The aftermath of the end of that fight and of Wildcat’s should be quite interesting, and I hope we see it next season.

I may be a bit thick, ‘cuz I wondered for quite awhile why the Injustice Society settled down in Blue Valley, Nebraska — a sleepy, backwards little town in the middle of the heartland. Of course, Jordan had his project to revitalize the town, but why did it take him 10 years to get serious about it? As for the ISA as a whole, I realized that they were able to a) gain positions of power; b) remain unmolested by operating under the radar (and largely, literally underground); and c) once their great amplifier machine was in place and ‘Brainwave’ ready to do his thing, they could accomplish their goals from out there with much less risk of detection by anyone that might pose a threat. (Until Stargirl & Co. showed up, that is.)

Aside from the aforementioned socio-political statement, here are the things that bugged me:

Shiv

1) Mike was a terrible kid — disrespectful, irresponsible, and disobedient — and the adults in the house (including his own father) let him get away with soooo much. Sure, there are kids like that. And, sure, he could have been worse (e.g., violence, substance abuse, crime). But, those aren’t excuses. Also, his jealousy of Courtney’s increasing time spent with Pat can only explain some of Mike’s later behavior. He was a problem long before that. At least, he seemed to adjust his attitude a bit toward the end, once he finally was let in on the big secret.

2) Courtney and friends never really got any training sessions in, yet they were able to hold their own against experienced and very skilled (athletically or otherwise) supervillains. Not very realistic. It would have been better if there were a few weeks’ time built into the plot, over which our young heroes had time to test their limits and train both together and alone.

3) Let’s assume that the negative effects of Brainwave’s brainwashing of millions of people vanished, since the minimum 30 minutes exposure was not fulfilled. (How was it he was able to take a 5-minute break, anyway?) How in the world would the town be able to just shrug off the events that happened. All the non-adults saw the adults simultaneously go essentially catatonic for nearly half an hour. The teens out on the school football field saw the field slide open, revealing a hidden lab and a giant machine rose up in front of their eyes (before it was destroyed by Stargirl and Wildcat). Plus, a small percentage of the adults (like the one on the football field) died.

Well, those are the main three, anyway.

Still, like I said, I really enjoyed the show overall. There was teen angst, but not enough to ruin it. In fact there was a good mix of action, suspense, joy and wonder; both aggravating and heartwarming personal/family moments; wrestling with fear, anger, pain, grief, frustration, a need for revenge; etc. The end of the season finale showed us another shadowy bad guy arriving in the Injustice Society’s lair, Cindy/Shiv located the Eclipso “Heart of Darkness” gem in some storage room, and the real Starman is on his way to Blue Valley. Lots of questions, lots of potential. I can hardly wait for Season 2 to get here! 🙂

Review of Jessica Jones, Season 3

“Giving a $#i+ and doing something about it. That’s how my mother defined a ‘hero’.” — Jessica Jones

So, here we are — final review for the last of the Marvel/Netflix series. This season asked some interesting questions, like what makes a “hero” and if/when it’s ever OK to skirt the law (i.e., “hero” vigilantism) to get justice. How far is too far? What if you “become the evil”? I’m “late” to the show, as usual, so let’s get to it…

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!

After Season 2’s finale, I had hoped Jessica would have softened a little, that she wouldn’t be quite so cynical, such a jerk, etc. I was wrong. That’s just who she is. (At least she’s semi-friendly with the kid.) Of course, I had somehow forgotten that she’d have to process the death of her mother by Trish’s hand. I guess I can see why she might be a bit angry about that, even under the circumstances. I had also hoped that Malcolm, Trish, and Jeri would start getting their lives together, but no. More of the same from all of them. Speaking of which…

What the heck is the matter with Malcolm? I understand why he started working for Jeri, and I like the fact that some of the things he found himself doing sorely bothered his conscience. I’m glad he finally quit, too. He’s a decent guy trying to develop some skills and find his place in the world while (hopefully) maintaining his moral integrity. But,… then he messes around with a hooker! Twice! (OK, technically she wasn’t hooking anymore the second time.) I mean, seriously, dude! Not sure if he was officially broken-up with Zaya at that point. But, even with the moral question aside, that’s a stupid move and a health risk! (Yes, I know he did it to prove to himself that he wasn’t really a “good guy”.)

I am glad, though, that in the final episode(s) he was “on board”, gathering intel and helping Jessica to stop Trish. I also appreciated that Jessica, when she thought she was leaving town (permanently?), essentially gave him Alias Investigations. Since she appeared to change her mind at the last second, will she take it back? Offer to make him full partner? (That’s my preference.) Or, try another gig?

By the way, how the heck does Jessica keep her P.I. firm above water? She has rent and other operating costs, as well as people (e.g., Gillian, Malcolm) to pay. Yet, all we saw her doing and talking about this season was pro bono work. All I can guess is that she had a few well-paying clients in the time between Seasons 2 and 3, so she built up a bit of a nest egg.

Jeri and Kith

Jeri continued to be a morally ambiguous and generally selfish person this season. (Actually, not so different from the rest, I guess.) Yes, I feel bad about her ALS, which she hid from just about everyone. I’m not sure if she was honest about trying to make up for some of the ethically questionable cases she’d handled in the past or what kind of legacy she was hoping to leave. Her attempt to reconnect with an old lover was sort of pitiable and definitely unfair to Kith and her family. Of course, Jeri’s efforts ended up causing more trouble and heartache (again) as she tried to take what wasn’t hers. She just does whatever she thinks will get her — and her client, when applicable — what she wants, consequences be damned. You’d think she would have learned a couple lessons by now. But, I agree with Kith — Jeri just can’t be trusted. She’ll probably die alone, and she has only herself to blame.

Sallinger (Jeremy Bobb) made for an intriguing villain: a non-powered but brilliant, sociopathic serial-killer who abhors those he considers frauds, those who didn’t earn what fortunes life handed them. There was, in fact, a Gregory Sallinger character in the comics, too. He was a non-powered (but costumed) vigilante/mercenary who crossed paths with Spider-Man as the second ‘Foolkiller’. Obviously, his targets were “fools”, but he was only moderately intelligent. Not sure why the Netflix team decided to bastardize the original concept, but… whatever. Fraudkiller?

It was kind of fun to see Jessica get a little positive feedback on occasion, which — despite her claims of not caring what others thought of her — caused her to smile. Not quite sure why the wrestling class was so jazzed to see their coach get beat, though. I didn’t see him acting like a jerk when Malcolm and Jessica were secretly watching him interact with them. Of course, there were a few parents present… (Btw, I’m surprised Sallinger didn’t have a restraining order filed against Jessica; but, no mention was made of one.)

Well, Trish’s story sure took a dark turn, didn’t it? Wow!

Trish/Hellcat

Trish finally got powers. She could finally be the hero she always wanted to be — the hero she was always pushing Jessica to be, but who was too guilt-ridden to let herself be. (Just as an aside, I found episode 2 (“A.K.A You’re Welcome”) — directed by star Krysten Ritter — to be quite enjoyable. That was the one that followed Trish around as she trained, studied, tested the limits of her newfound abilities, and generally tried to figure out how to put them to good use.) But, we saw Trish get more and more comfortable with dishing out extreme violence, always rationalizing what she did as necessary.

Screenrant‘s Thomas Bacon put is this way:

“Trish Walker’s understanding of heroism was fundamentally flawed; she didn’t understand that a hero exists in a complex world, one where right and wrong are complicated ideas, and where there’s a moral dimension to every decision. Her heroism wasn’t really about making a difference in the world; it was about a compulsive need to believe that she mattered. That was why Erik’s empathic senses were so important to Trish; they seemed to provide objective proof that killing murderers and arsonists was making the world a better place. What she failed to understand, though, was that committing to this path meant losing her own humanity, and soon Erik was getting headaches around Trish when he sensed the growing evil within her as well.”

I could certainly understand the frustration she felt, especially after what Sallinger did to her mother. But, Trish Walker — aka “the vigilante”, or “Hellcat” in the comics — is not that type of person. She’s not “the Punisher with claws”. At least, I don’t remember the comics version ever going so dark. (To be frank, I have mixed feelings about taking the character in this direction, but I also have to admit that it fits with the Netflix version of the Marvel Universe.) At the end, she had definitely crossed the line, and Jessica — with a little help from her friends — was the only one that could stop/capture her and keep the damage to a minimum. Ironically, Jessica finally became the hero, while Trish had become the villain.

Jeremy Bobb as Sallinger

Incidentally, for experienced “professionals”, these people (i.e., Jessica, Trish, Malcolm) sure are careless! For instance, they don’t seem to ever wear gloves, so they must leave fingerprints when committing a B&E. We witnessed accessible laptops left open to difficult-to-explain stuff, and whiny comments were made while on the phone with a girlfriend that indicated the person knew “the victim”. There was walking & talking on just the other side of a train car from a serial-killer, then climbing on top and noisily opening the hatch with a clang, when the guy is still within earshot. Duh! There was also boldly entering of the apartment of the super-smart killer who already indicated he had security measures, yet no precautions were taken about possible cameras, boobytraps, or (again) leaving fingerprints. Geez, people!

In all their tailing/”stalking” of bad guys, why don’t Jessica and (especially) Trish ever use disguises? Trish in particular is a recognizable celebrity, and there were at least a couple times when she was ID’d and seemed mildly surprised by it. I mean, if I was a local celebrity, I think I would be concerned with people being able (when speaking later with cops) to place me across the street, watching the guy I later pummeled. I think I would try to be less conspicuous than Jessica and Trish usually are. The only attempt I ever saw was a pulled up hoodie. Sheesh!

Btw, I’m surprised that pimp that Malcolm beat up didn’t teach him a lesson later. I mean, he knows exactly which apartment Malcolm lives in, thanks to the hooker who invited him over. He should go back with a couple or three goons and give Malcolm a beatdown. (Well, if I were that pimp, that’s what I’d do. Just sayin’.)

I never did like the ultimate stagemother, Dorothy (Rebecca DeMornay), especially since she continued to be so controlling even into Trish’s adulthood. Yet, her argument with Trish in ep. 6 made me feel sorry for her. Not as sorry as for what happened to her later, of course. Ouch!

Zaya and Malcolm

As usual, I didn’t care for the LGBT stuff, but I liked the Gillian (Aneesh Sheth) and Detective Costa (John Ventimiglia) characters OK. They (mostly) accepted Jessica for who and what she was, warts and all, yet supported/helped her to the degree they could. Zaya (Tiffany Mack) was OK, I guess. I understand her being career-oriented, but I was disappointed that she wasn’t more understanding of Malcolm’s ethical concerns. I didn’t care for Kith (Sarita Choudhury). The Erik Gelden character (a version of comics’ “Mind-Wave”, played by Benjamin Walker) was surprisingly charming and likable, despite his being a gambler and blackmailer. He was also insightful and managed to make Jessica smile.

Nice surprise cameo by Luke Cage! He came up with some pretty good — if hard to hear — advice. (Snazzy suit, too, though I didn’t like the color. I guess it’s good to be King of Harlem.) Jessica did indeed have a terrible decision to make in the finale, but she made the right choice. It was all the more admirable due to the parallels with season 2, where Jessica couldn’t bring herself to kill her superstrong psychopath mother, so Trish took it upon herself to do it. This time, Jessica did what she needed to do to stop Trish, no matter how much it hurt. (Thankfully, they both survived.) I think Trish realized that, too, at the end.

I can’t help but be curious how the lives of the main characters (i.e., Jessica, Trish, Malcolm, Jeri) might proceed after these events, but I guess we’ll never know….

Despite my misgivings, as I did last time, I give Season 3 of “Jessica Jones” a solid ‘B’, maybe ‘B+’.

DC’s New TV Series in 2019

A few members of Doom Patrol

DC Comics has managed to produce an impressive number of popular, live-action TV series based on their superhero properties in recent years. These include “Arrow”, “The Flash”, “Supergirl”, “Legends of Tomorrow”, “Gotham”, “iZombie”, “Black Lightning”, and the most recent hit, “Titans”. (I haven’t checked out that last one, yet, as of this writing.) The only one I know for sure that is planning to end in the near future is “Gotham”, which debuts its 5th and final season this January. Meanwhile, though, DC has a few more tentatively scheduled to debut in 2019, and those are what I wanted to briefly review this week.

I already mentioned the “Batwoman” and “Stargirl” series in my “Girl Power!, part 1 of 2” post a couple months ago. The former will be spun off from the recent ‘Elseworlds’ crossover event in Flash/Arrow/Supergirl. It will star Ruby Rose as Kate Kane, Bruce Wayne’s (very lesbian) cousin who takes over Wayne Enterprises in Wayne’s absence, while also protecting Gotham in the guise of ‘Batwoman’. I thought she did OK in her ‘Elseworlds’ appearance, but I certainly hope the new series forces Rose to expand her acting range beyond the stoic-tough-chick bit.

From the way the “Stargirl” series is developing, I wonder if it should be called “Stargirl and the Justice Society”. In addition to Brec Bassinger in the title role, the JSA is going to include Joel McHale (Starman), Henry Thomas (Doctor Mid-Nite), Lou Ferrigno Jr. (Hourman), et al. I like the JSA but was never a huge fan. But, I’m curious to see what they do with these characters. (A few more details and links re the “Batwoman” and “Stargirl” series can be found in the above-linked post.)

Another re-imagining, “Doom Patrol” is set to spin off in February, after a few of the characters guest-starred in an episode of “Titans”. This is a quirky group of misfits with weird powers and a lot of psychological baggage. Or, as the DC press release put it:

“The Doom Patrol’s members each suffered horrible accidents that gave them superhuman abilities — but also left them scarred and disfigured. Traumatized and downtrodden, the team found purpose through The Chief, who brought them together to investigate the weirdest phenomena in existence — and to protect Earth from what they find. Part support group, part Super Hero team, the Doom Patrol is a band of super-powered freaks who fight for a world that wants nothing to do with them.”

Sounds like fun! There is the danger, of course, of it getting quite campy/silly. But, with smart writing and decent performances, it could be a great series!

Notables that have signed on include Timothy Dalton (The Chief), Brendan Fraser (Robotman), Matt Bomer (Negative Man), and Alan Tudyk (Mr. Nobody). No surprise, the show is being executive produced by Greg Berlanti and Geoff Johns.

Swamp Thing

Speaking of weird, “Swamp Thing” is coming to our screens, as well:

“Based on the DC Comics characters created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson, the one-hour drama series would follow CDC researcher Abby Arcane, who returns to her childhood home of Houma, Louisiana, in order to investigate a deadly swamp-borne virus. She develops a surprising bond with scientist Alec Holland, only to have him tragically taken from her. But as powerful forces descend on Houma, intent on exploiting the swamp’s mysterious properties for their own purposes, Abby will discover that the swamp holds mystical secrets, and the potential love of her life may not be dead after all.”

The character first came to TV in a series (following two movies) starring Dick Durrock (1990-93). I never got into this character, either in print or on TV — just not my cup of bog water. But, it does look like it’s got some big names behind it. For example, Jennifer Beals, Ian Ziering, Virginia Madsen, and Will Patton will all have roles, with the monster himself being played by Derek Mears. Then there is Mark Verheiden as one of the writer / exec producers, and James Wan and his Atomic Monster Productions cohorts will also be producing. Len Wiseman will direct the pilot (and maybe more). Could be a decent series, so I’ll probably give it a look at some point.

Last but not least, we have CBS’s in-development “Secret Six” series. To be honest, I am unfamiliar with this team. But, from what I read, there have been a few incarnations in the comics, with members including second- and third-tier characters, as well as first-tier (e.g., Lex Luthor, Penguin, Bane). The one constant is that membership always consists of six diverse individuals, gathered and directed by the mysterious ‘Mockingbird’, who may or may not be one of the “field team”. As per the Variety article,

“The project, which has received a pilot production commitment at the network, follows six morally ambiguous strangers, each with their own unique specialties and secret pasts. They are brought together by an enigmatic figure who blackmails them into working as a team to expose the corruption of the corporate and political elite….

Rick Muirragui will write and executive produce, with Bill Lawrence and Jeff Ingold executive producing via Doozer Productions. Warner Bros. Television, where Doozer is under an overall deal, will produce.”

As far as I can tell, no actors have signed on, yet.

If I had to guess, I doubt they’ll have any of the first-tier characters in the line-up, but I could be wrong. Either way, I’m not sure how I feel about this project. The basic idea doesn’t thrill me, but I suppose it could be good if executed well. Muirragui has been writing/producing “Suits”, one of my favorite dramas, for years. If the writing is as sharp for “Secret Six” as it is for “Suits”, it could be a surprise hit!

And that brings us to the end… WAIT, no, there’s one more….

Metropolis by Kerem Gogus

“Metropolis” is being developed for a 2019 debut, too! Along with “Titans” and “Doom Patrol”, this makes three live-action series Warner Bros. is creating for the DC digital service. Not to be confused with SyFy’s “Krypton” series that already aired, this will be another Superman prequel.

“Metropolis will follow Lois Lane and Lex Luthor as they investigate the world of fringe science and expose the city’s dark and bizarre secrets…. [I]t promises to show us a wondrous and awe-inspiring City of Tomorrow, before the emergence of Superman, and establish much of the Man of Steel’s world leading up to his arrival.”

Still in the early stages, apparently, there are no actors attached, as yet. “Gotham”‘s John Stephens and Danny Cannon will also executive produce “Metropolis”, with Cannon directing the first episode from a teleplay by Stephens — story by both Cannon and Stephens.

“Metropolis will likely have a considerably different tone than Gotham. Superman’s villains are also more powerful, cosmic and rooted in science fiction than Batman’s, so one can only imagine there will be much less emphasis on street level gangsters and crime families in this forward-thinking city.”

Color me intrigued! This one, I’ll definitely be looking forward to….

Review of Daredevil, Season 3

“Turn around and walk the other way….” — Daredevil

This one might be shorter than my typical reviews. For one thing, I didn’t take notes like I usually do when viewing the season, so I may forget a few notable things. For another, I’m a bit pressed for time — more than usual, that is — to get this one out the door, as it were. But, I’ll try to hit the major points….

SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!

So, we finally got to see what happened to Matt Murdock following the events of “The Defenders”. It was both painful and fascinating to watch Matt reluctantly dig himself out of a pit of guilt, grief, self-pity, existential angst, etc. Even once he was physically (mostly) healed, he was still very much broken. Finally, he seemed to find a sense of responsibility and purpose again in bringing Fisk down, perhaps permanently. It was also a relief to see him reunited with Foggy and Karen — once they all worked through some “issues” over Matt’s behavior, that is.

Wilson Fisk was his old self, a psycho with a veneer of civility… most of the time… who quietly orchestrates and manipulates people into doing his bidding, whether they realize it or not. Speaking of which, I had a feeling things wouldn’t end well for Agent Nadeem, and sadly I was right. (It was a surprise to learn that he had been targeted by Fisk so early.) On the other hand, I knew Agent Poindexter was destined to become the assassin-for-hire, Bullseye. There were indications that Fisk was manipulating his life, too, but I admit I was surprised at how much. His journey was not what I expected but did end up being interesting. I hope the final scene indicates we’ll see more of him — perhaps more in character with the comics version? — next season. Kudos to the ironically-named Wilson Bethel for his portrayal of Benjamin ‘Dex’ Poindexter!

Incidentally, you may not realize it, but Dex’s posing as Daredevil was likely taken from a Daredevil storyline from back around 1990, in which Bullseye took over as Daredevil, while an amnesiac Matt suffered an identity crisis.

Back to our program…

It was a bit surprising that the FBI was so easily fooled by Fisk’s machinations, especially once he was in their custody. Of course, much of that turned out to be due to SAC Hattley’s having been coerced into working for Fisk, as were several agents under her command. As for Nadeem, I wouldn’t call him naive, exactly. But, I guess his need to excel (and, hopefully, get a pay raise to ease his debt issues) blinded him to any clues that Fisk was truly the one in control. In the end, he got sucked in, too, and paid the ultimate price.

I missed not seeing Claire Temple this season. She was also absent from Season 2 of “Iron Fist”. Too bad. But, I did like Joanne Whalley as the tough-love Sister Maggie, who served as Matt’s primary caregiver. She also wasn’t afraid to go toe-to-toe with him — verbally, that is — and give him advice, regardless of whether he was listening. (Note: Her involvement seems to have been pulled from the comics’ “Born Again” story.) I was wondering if they would reveal that she was his mother, and sure enough, they did. (I found it a bit sloppy on Maggie’s part, though, since I’m pretty sure she knew of Matt’s enhance hearing.) Matt was understandably hurt that neither Maggie nor Father Lantom had ever told him, but I thought he should have come to terms with it and forgiven them sooner.

Wilson Bethel as Agent Poindexter

Just a note about Vanessa. I always wondered if Fisk was treating her too delicately. I realize that she represents a very idealized image of purity, innocence, class, elegance, and of course love, to him. I can also understand why he wanted to keep the darker side of his business away from her. But, as we discovered this season, she not only wants to be involved, she can be just as ruthless as he is. (I wonder if she’ll ever get the gray streaks in her hair like in the comics.)

Despite the fact that the season took the normal 13 episodes, I didn’t feel it really dragged at any point. There were a couple episodes devoted to the personal histories of Karen and Dex, respectively. At the time, I admit I was itching for more action. But, I have to admit, fleshing out those characters did help move the overall story along, as we learned the secrets that they struggle with. I’m not sure about Bullseye, but those familiar with DD comics will remember that that version of Karen Page became addicted to heroin after she met Matt and later betrayed him to Kingpin in exchange for a fix.

A Daredevil review wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the fight scenes. Once again, “Daredevil” delivers. There’s just something about them: the brutality and desperation, mixed with a beautiful choreography. There were several fights, but the main four that stand out to me were in the prison, Bulletin, church, and penthouse. The first of these was all Matt, and he hadn’t even fully recuperated! Awesome! The next one was his first fight against Dex (who was never referred to as “Bullseye” in the series, btw), and thanks to the faux Daredevil’s surprisingly deadly ballistic skills, Matt barely made it out alive! The church fight was pretty good — and, of course, ended tragically for one character — but could have been better. (Note: Never turn your back on the bad guy, even if he’s just dropped 20+ feet. Duh!) The final fight involved both Dex and Fisk, with everyone fighting everyone (though Matt saved Vanessa from Dex more than once), and we finally saw Fisk really let loose. He’s really more of a street-brawler who relies on his size too much, but it was sufficient to mostly hold his own and even maim Dex — before Matt gave him a beatdown, that is. (Fisk’s face should have looked more battered and pulped!)

Miscellaneous:

1) Something I can’t put my finger on regarding Matt’s recovery. I can’t help but think that he never did quite get back into full fighting form. If he had been, I think those fights would have ended more decisively in his favor.

2) Great to see Fisk in his trademark white suit and being called “Kingpin” (at least, by the underworld bosses).

3) Do you realize that Matt never wore the DD costume this season?

4) Nice cameos by Rosalie Carbone (Annabella Sciorra) and Melvin Potter (Matt Gerald)!

5) Everyone needs a friend like Foggy.

Joanne Whalley as Sister Maggie

I have mentioned in a previous post or two how I would prefer the portrayal of Kingpin was closer to the comics version and without the particular inflections and idiosyncracies that D’Onofrio uses for the character. Still, he continues to do a great job with the character as written. In fact, all the main players delivered terrific performances!

I’d like to end by quoting John Orquiola’s summary at ScreenRant:

“Daredevil’s three heroes, Matt, Foggy, and Karen, spent the season using their respective abilities to fight back against Fisk: Matt through his fists as a vigilante, Karen by being a reporter and investigator, and Foggy via the law. Yet the Kingpin was several chess moves ahead of them the whole time; he masterfully outmaneuvered Nelson, Murdock, and Page until the very end. By telling one macro story involving their greatest villain, while also finally introducing Bullseye (Wilson Bethel), Daredevil delivered arguably their best season of all and possibly the best season of a Marvel Netflix series yet.”

I’m not sure if I’d call it the “best”, but perhaps equal to Season 1. All things considered, another “A-” rating for ol’ Hornhead.

P.S.  One of these days (or months), I’m gonna have to binge-watch all 3 seasons (plus “The Defenders”), just so I can more fully appreciate the journeys of these characters, the terrific acting, and of course those bonecrushing fight sequences.

P.P.S.  Well, I guess that was a full-length review, after all. It seems I had more so say than I thought….