Author Archives: Charissa Jelliff

About Charissa Jelliff

Charissa Jelliff is a self-proclaimed "fangirl" who loves nothing more than discussing her favorite books, movies and TV shows with fellow fans. She's currently finishing up a Master's in literature and dreams of becoming a writer some day.

Recapping day 1 of New York Comic Con 2014

Day 1 of New York Comic Con has been just about everything any nerd could dream it would be. From the moment I stepped off the train at Penn Station, I could tell who was in the city for NYCC. I walked from my hotel to the Javits Convention Center, essentially following the large crowd of people heading in the direction I was. We all had the same look about us, apparently — that, and most were wearing nerdy t-shirts or, in many cases, full-on cosplay costumes.

The line for NYCC stretched down an entire block and around the side of the building. I met the end of the line about 10 minutes before I found the press entrance to the building. And this was just Thursday, the first day of a four-day event. I can only imagine what Saturday is going to look like.

The creativity of the cosplayers astounds me. There are so many costumes that I wouldn’t have even thought of. Of course, there are the expected characters, but a lot of people have put a lot of effort into their dress. One family was costumed as a group of vikings from How to Train Your Dragon, with the child’s stroller decorated as Toothless. I also passed a woman who was dressed as Barbara Maitland from Beetlejuice — the monster-face version. The person dressed in Sheldon Cooper’s Doppler Effect costume made me laugh. There was also a rather authentic-looking knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, sans left arm.

First up for me Thursday morning was the joint panel for Walt Disney’s studios’ upcoming releases Big Hero 6 and Tomorrowland

It’s not going to be easy for Disney to follow up the success of last year’s Frozen, but if the clips they showed Thursday afternoon are any indication, they are certainly making a good effort. Big Hero 6 will definitely attract more of a young male audience than Frozen did, but there’s a lot for girls to love as well. I’ve already fallen in love with Baymax, the personal health robot. He is sweet, adorable, and very eager to help. From what I’ve seen so far, it looks like the story will have a lot of charm and a lot of heart.

I knew little about about Tomorrowland before going into this panel, but then, the rest of the world could say the same thing. Hugh Laurie, best known for his role as the cantankerous Dr. Gregory House, told of receiving a script on black paper to make it more difficult to read. The cast was very guarded and revealed little about the film or its plot.

A brief teaser debuted at NYCC in which we see Britt Robertson’s initial discovery of an alternate world that she is tasked with saving. Following vague descriptions of everyone’s characters, the audience was treated to an extra surprise: George Clooney walked onstage in his first-ever comic-con appearance. Clooney joked that he had been permanently disinvited to these gatherings after his turn as Batman.

Following Clooney’s arrival and a few more teases about the film, an entire scene from the movie was unveiled in which Robertson’s character seeks out Clooney’s character to answer some questions. The clip didn’t give too much away, other than that they are being hunted by some form of robotic creatures — and Clooney’s Frank Walker was really prepared for them.

Much of the middle part of my day was spent wandering the show floor, checking out some of the booths and vendors. Marvel announced its new Marvel Experience, which will tour the country, debuting in Phoenix in December, and allow guests to become a part of the Marvel Universe. The show will also be affordable to everyone, as the highest priced ticket will only be $35.

It was during these wanderings that I happened to run into none other than Chris Hardwick, the man who has become synonymous with nerdom. He was extremely friendly and charming to all the fans requesting photos, and I couldn’t resist asking for a selfie with him. This was definitely a highlight of my day.

Arthur Darvill’s Q&A at the “Doctor Who Comics Panel” was exactly what I would have expected. The man seems so sweet and friendly. Most people asked Doctor Who questions, but there were a few Broadchurch ones sprinkled in there as well. Darvill revealed that he just finished filming season 2 of Broadchurch, which I cannot wait to see.

The last part of my day was at the Warner Bros. Television screening event. It was advertised as a showing of the pilot of Constantine and the second season premiere of The 100, but just before the screenings began, they revealed that, due to the enthusiastic response to The Flash pilot that aired earlier this week on The CW, WB would also be screening episode 2 of that series.

If you enjoyed the pilot of The Flash, you won’t be disappointed with episode 2. It has the same tone and mix of humor and action. I’m really enjoying this show already, which makes me happy since it was the new series I was most excited to see. The second episode also lets you see more of the history and the relationship between Barry Allen and Detective Joe West, which was really well done. Aside from one super-cheesy line that should have been thrown out in the writers’ room (I’ll let you guess which one), it was another great episode.

I had never seen The 100 before, so I’m hesitant to comment too much about a screening of a second series episode.

I was satisfied with the Constantine pilot. Though I know the character, I’ve never read any of the comics, so I had very little in the way of expectations. The tone was dark and creepy, and I literally jumped more than once. It felt like I was watching a horror movie instead of a TV show. The series may have some kinks to work through — the effects during one scene in the psychiatric hospital were a little underwhelming — but, overall, I think they did a good job with it … but again, I have nothing to compare it to.

I would say my first day at my first-ever comic-con went pretty well. I’m looking forward to seeing what the rest of the weekend has in store for us!

Reinstating Friday night dinners with the Gilmores

October is my favorite month of the year. With it comes everything I love about fall: pumpkins, colorful leaves, warm sweatshirts, and hot apple cider. As I’ve discussed previously, fall also brings a new television season with many returning favorites and new shows to check out. However, this fall brings an extra special treat: fan*s can now visit the quaint New England town of Stars Hollow whenever they want because Gilmore Girls has finally come to Netflix.

My family first discovered Gilmore Girls about halfway through its original run and became hooked almost immediately. My mom, brother, and I had busy lives that often took us in different directions, but we spent nearly every night having dinner with the Gilmores, thanks to ABC Family. If we weren’t going to be home to watch the episode as it aired, we would record it on videotape (you know those things you actually had to rewind when you were finished with them?) and later watch several episodes at a time.

One of the best aspects of the show was how it appealed to a wide audience. My brother doesn’t watch a lot of television, and what he does watch are the shows one would expect a guy to be interested in, like Sleepy Hollow, Castle, Bones, and The Big Bang Theory, but he loved Gilmore Girls just as much as my mom and I did. The writing was smart and the dialogue was clever; I still often find myself wishing I were as witty as Lorelai Gilmore — she had a comeback for everything!

The show also had a rich tapestry of secondary characters that strengthened the show’s storylines; even though the show was about the Gilmore girls, the rest of the characters in the town really helped make the story what it was. More than once, I’ve wished I could live in Stars Hollow and gossip with Miss Patty and Babbette, guess what Job Kirk would have next, argue with Taylor at a town meeting, have Gypsy work on my car, or listen to Lane and Zac’s band.

I was initially drawn to the show because I identified with Rory a lot. She spent much more time on her schoolwork in high school than I did, but she was the type of person who would rather sit at home with a book or enjoy a movie marathon with her mother than go to a party on a Saturday night; she was shy and often awkward in social situations.

Lorelai and Rory were the type of fictional characters you wish were real so they could be your best friends (because, obviously, if they were real, we would totally be best friends). They had great taste in movies, television, music, and fashion — exactly the qualities any girl wants in a best friend. Also? They made binge-watching television and movies while eating massive amounts of junk food (and never working out) look cool.

Aside from feeling a kinship with Rory, I also loved that she was simply a good female role model to have on television. Sure, she made her share of mistakes — sleeping with her married ex-boyfriend, stealing a yacht and getting arrested, to name a few — but, overall, she set a great example for young women.

There are a lot of TV characters, celebrities, and media personalities that are having a negative impact on young girls. Google “media and female body image” and you’ll find thousands of results to substantiate the negative relationship between the two. And it’s not only body image — girls see eating disorders, destructive behavior, substance abuse, and any number of issues being portrayed on their favorite shows with increasing frequency. Gilmore Girls was a show popular with all ages that showed women it’s “cool” to be who you are without trying to impress everyone around you.

Rory was a strong, independent woman who worked hard to achieve her goals. She wasn’t the type of person to define herself by her relationships, and she didn’t bow to peer pressure. Even her fashion sense was practical and much better than what you see on a lot of teenagers on television lately. When she did make a mistake, she faced the consequences of her actions and accepted responsibility. A girl could learn a lot from Rory Gilmore.

Gilmore Girls was, simply, a genuinely good show. It was the perfect blend of comedy and drama, coming of age, and family comedy. No matter where you were in your walk in life, you could identify with someone on that show — or just wish you were someone on that show. It’s also one of those shows that never gets old; I’m pretty sure I’ve seen every episode at least three times and could never get tired of it. And now that it’s available on Netflix, perhaps a whole new generation of young women will learn how to be comfortable with themselves from Rory Gilmore.

If you’re looking for the perfect fall binge show, look no further. Brew a nice cup of tea (or coffee, as Lorelai would prefer) and curl up on the couch with the Gilmore Girls.

Spoilers can be a nightmare — or a favorite pastime

Spoilers are the bane of many fans’ existence — and the lifeblood for many others. Depending on your point of view, spoilers can either ruin an epic twist in your favorite series, or tide you over through those interminable days, weeks, or months between episodes. They can detract from your enjoyment of a program or, as a recent article from Wired argues, increase it.

And they can create tense rifts between the spoilerphobes and spoilerhounds in a show’s fan base — especially as everyone’s definition for “what is a spoiler” is different, as is everyone’s idea of the timeframe for how long something remains a spoiler.

If you’re in the camp of those who either don’t care about spoilers or even actively seek them out, Netflix has a new website just for you. As for me, I do my best to avoid any and all spoilers for my favorite shows. I don’t mind vague references to things that are coming up; in fact, it’s nearly impossible to avoid those because I spend a lot of time reading entertainment news. However, I don’t like when a major plot twist or character death is given away without warning. I’ll be forever scarred by seeing a friend’s Facebook status update about the death of a certain Irish sheriff before the episode of Once Upon a Time I was missing had even finished airing.

The author of the Wired article argues that humans really don’t enjoy surprises or twists as much as we think we do, but I disagree. For me, a show is all about the journey, and every twist and surprise is an important part of that trip. I enjoy the feeling I get when a TV show takes me completely by surprise; so rarely do shows manage to accomplish it.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. pulled it off last season, and I loved every minute of it. Then, the burden of spoiler-protection fell to me, as I had to go all summer without revealing (here comes that spoiler!) Agent Ward’s betrayal of S.H.I.E.L.D. to certain members of my family because they hadn’t finished the season. I recently re-watched that first season with a friend and, even though I enjoyed it just as much the second time around, I still appreciate the thrill I got from being surprised the first time. It just wouldn’t have been the same had I known what to expect.

Yes, not knowing what’s around the corner is naturally uncomfortable for a species built to survive. Being in the dark can be nerve-wracking at times, but when it comes to being entertained, I love that tension and suspense. I learned that lesson 15 years ago when I was accidentally spoiled on the ending of The Sixth Sense just days after it came out in theaters. I still lament the fact that I’ll never be able to see that film without knowing about the twist; I feel so deprived of that shock. I think that’s the moment when I really began avoiding spoilers as much as possible.

Whether you avoid spoilers or not, it’s important to try to at least have respect for any member of your fandom who has different views on the subject. But what constitutes a spoiler?

With such variation in definitions from person to person, we may as well turn to the crowdsourced Urban Dictionary, where the top definition of “spoiler” is: “When someone reveals a previously unknown aspect of something which you likely would have rather learned on your own.” By this definition, almost anything about a show you haven’t seen yet would qualify as a spoiler. I prefer to know as little information as possible about an episode that hasn’t aired yet, but there are certain things I don’t consider spoilers: previews for a new episode, casting announcements, and other promotional and logistical items. More specific details about an episode, such as whether someone dies or turns out to be a double agent, for example, qualify as spoilers in my book.

Of course, not everyone agrees with where I draw the line. I know fans who won’t even watch previews for upcoming episodes because they don’t want to know anything before they see the episode. Some show runners even agree with this harsh standard; Matthew Weiner is known for supplying AMC with such vague and disjointed episode previews for Mad Men that no one can glean any worthwhile information from that credits-sharing sequence. But it’s good to remember that not everyone is this strict. With so much variance, when you do accidentally come across spoilers, perhaps whoever posted the information did not consider their comment to be a spoiler.

One thing to keep in mind if you’re trying to avoid spoilers is that social media is a virtual minefield of spoilers. If you’re not going to watch the latest episode of The Walking Dead live but feel the need to check your Twitter feed, don’t be surprised if you glimpse something you’d rather not see.

If I know I’m going to be missing an episode of a show that I definitely wouldn’t want to find spoilers for, I avoid social media as much as possible. I even limit my online exposure during the few hours between the time Doctor Who airs in the United Kingdom and when I can watch it here in the United States.

On the flip side, if you know you have followers or friends who are behind, it’s only polite to avoid posting explicit spoilers. I know this is hard. I often tweet while I’m watching television shows, but I try to avoid posting anything too detailed about what is happening. Sometimes, vague tweets can be even more fun.

But the question becomes: at what point is a spoiler no longer a spoiler? By now, if you don’t know that Darth Vader is Luke’s father or that Dumbledore doesn’t make it out of Hogwarts alive, you’re either really out of touch or really good at avoiding spoilers. There are just some things that have become a part of pop culture and there’s no way to avoid knowing how they end. I just watched Psycho for the first time a few years ago, but I’ve known about the ending for as long as I can remember. In that case, knowing how the movie ended didn’t at all lessen my enjoyment of the film.

I hope the same will hold true for a recently completed TV series. I plan to watch all of Breaking Bad someday soon and am trying to avoid spoilers, but I know I can’t expect everyone around me to refrain from posting them. In fact, I have already been partially spoiled as to the end of the series — but that’s the price I pay for not watching the series when it was originally airing. However, others may be irate if you were to spoil the end of the series for them.

My general rule of thumb is to give a television show at least 24 hours before I post anything I would consider a spoiler (unless I have friends who I know haven’t seen the episode and won’t want to be spoiled). It frustrates me when people post about big twists before the episode has even ended — at the very least, you should wait three hours until the West Coast has gotten to see the episode. After 24 hours, if you still haven’t watched the episode, you better just be good at avoiding spoilers, because it’s open season, in my opinion.

It’s a little different for books or movies. With movies, I try to wait at least a week or two after their release, and with books, at least a month. Usually, by then, those who are most interested have already seen the movie or read the book.

That doesn’t mean you should intentionally spoil somebody. If your friend tells you they’re marathoning Lost for the first time, don’t go and tell them how the series ends. Have some respect and let them experience the show for themselves. If anyone asks you not to spoil something specific, be it a book, movie, or TV series, common courtesy says you just don’t do it.

If you don’t think you can handle not posting about what you’ve seen or read, find a discussion board or someplace dedicated to spoilers where you can talk about it. There are plenty of places online where you spoiler fans are welcome.

There really is no common ground where spoilers are concerned, but we can all try to respect our fellow fans when it comes to spoilers.

And whatever you do, please don’t tell me how Breaking Bad ends. I already know more than I want to.

Fall changes have potential to bring new TV faves

Fall doesn’t officially start until Tuesday, but the cooler temperatures in my part of the country over the past week prove that the change of seasons is definitely upon us. As I pointed out last week, the arrival of fall also means the arrival of fall television. Last week, I shared some of the returning shows I was happiest to have back on my screen. This week, I’ll take a look at the new series I’m looking forward to checking out.

I don’t tend to watch a lot of sitcoms as they air live. The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother were exceptions to that rule, and for each of them, I came in after several seasons had already aired. I’m a fan of New Girl, though I’m usually a season behind and watching on Netflix. Last season, I enjoyed The Crazy Ones, then was disappointed when the series was canceled and even more heartbroken when we lost Robin Williams last month.

This year, I am planning to give Selfie on ABC a chance — despite its annoying pop culture title. I have to admit, if the series wasn’t starring Karen Gillan and John Cho, I probably wouldn’t even consider watching … although the idea that it’s loosely based on My Fair Lady also has me intrigued. I loved Gillan as Amy Pond in Doctor Who, but she really impressed me this summer as Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy. I can’t wait to see how she does in an American sitcom. Early reviews for the series have been really positive, so this may be a case of “don’t judge a series by its title.”

Speaking of former Doctor Who stars, the Tenth Doctor himself will be starring in Gracepoint on Fox this fall. Gracepoint is a 10-episode television “event” based on the British series Broadchurch. David Tennant will be reprising his role from the original series, this time with an American accent. The show centers on the investigation into the murder of a young child in a small seaside town.

Broadchurch was absolutely fantastic, and if you enjoy suspenseful crime drama, I highly recommend it. The cast and the writing were brilliant; it was easily one of the best series I watched last year. At first, I was disappointed to hear that Fox was making its own version of the series, and I was determined not to watch: there is no way they could even come close to the quality of its predecessor. But the casting of Tennant has made me curious, and I’ll willingly watch anything in which he appears.

According to Fox, the story will not play out exactly as the mystery in Broadchurch did. The writers have apparently changed the ending so fans of the original won’t know what’s going to happen. However, the trailers I’ve seen for the show so far make it look like the series was shot matching the original, frame by frame. Changes must have been made, though, to accommodate the fact that the American version is 10 episodes long versus the eight episodes of the British series. Hopefully, those changes do not lessen the suspense or drama that was so effective in the original series.

While Marvel has proved that it can easily dominate the box office, DC has seen a lot of success on the small screen over the years. This fall, NBC, the CW, and Fox will all premiere new series based on DC comics staples.

There has been a lot of hype and anticipation for Fox’s Gotham, which tells the story of James Gordon, the future police commissioner, prior to the existence of Batman. The series will also provide origin stories for many members of The Rogues Gallery. So great is the excitement for this series that Netflix has already acquired the exclusive rights to stream it after the episodes’ first runs. I tend to be skeptical of any genre show that Fox airs — not because I don’t believe it will be good, but because even if it is, there’s a high chance of Fox pulling the plug without really giving it a chance. The success of Sleepy Hollow last year, though, has given me some measure of hope.

Gotham will bring a talented cast into our living rooms. I’m particularly excited about Donal Logue playing Gordon’s partner. Logue has the ability to pull of great comedy or serious drama, and I’ve really enjoyed every performance of his that I’ve seen. I wasn’t a fan of The O.C. or Southland, so I know nothing of Ben McKenzie, who will be playing Gordon, other than that he’s more clean-cut than I was expecting. I’m really curious to see what he’s like. Lastly, a bit of trivia for the Doctor Who fans: Alfred, the butler for the Wayne family, will be played by actor Sean Pertwee, the son of the Third Doctor, Jon Pertwee.

Constantine is probably the series I know the least about but am still looking forward to watching. I’m not very familiar with the source character, beyond his appearances in the The Sandman comics and the Keanu Reeves film (or the knowledge that he inspired the look for Supernatural‘s Castiel), but I’m still intrigued by this series. Series star Matt Ryan certainly appears to have the look and attitude of John Constantine.

I haven’t heard much about this series over the summer, aside from the news that Lucy Griffiths‘ character, one of the main characters in the pilot, had been written out for creative reasons. I was a little disappointed by this news, as I’ve been a fan of Griffiths since she played Marian on BBC’s Robin Hood. Since I haven’t heard as much hype about Constantine as some of the other series on this list, my expectations for it are not as high. Of course, the lack of buzz also makes me a little more concerned about its fate at the network. (NBC doesn’t have a much better reputation than Fox when it comes to giving series a chance.) I also have a feeling my lack of knowledge about the comics will work in my favor, as I won’t be comparing it to the comics or criticizing certain creative decisions.

The new series I’m most excited about this fall is probably The Flash. I wasn’t sure about casting Grant Gustin as Barry Allen at first, but I could have been a little biased by his appearance on Glee. However, I really enjoyed his two-episode appearance on Arrow last season, and I am now looking forward to seeing what the show looks like. I’m also excited that it appears The Flash and Arrow will remain closely connected, as Stephen Amell has already confirmed his appearance in the pilot episode, and a crossover is set for episode 8 of each show’s upcoming season.

I’m also a fan of the rest of the cast, which includes Tom Cavanaugh, Jesse L. Martin, and the former Barry Allen himself, John Wesley Ship, as Barry’s father. Recurring cast members will include Robbie Amell, Stephen’s cousin and the star of last seasons ill-fated The Tomorrow People, and Prison Break‘s Wentworth Miller. The previews for the series so far have looked great, and I can’t wait for it to premiere. I just hope it doesn’t take as long to draw me in as Arrow did.

There are all the new series I’m most excited about seeing premiere in the next few weeks. What new shows are you looking forward to? Are there any here I forgot that you think are worth a mention (or worth checking out)? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Favorite shows return to lineup in new fall TV season

If you are a Binge Watcher and are lagging behind on Sleepy Hollow, The Vampire Diaries, Arrow, Supernatural, Once Upon a Time, or Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., you should probably skip this season preview until you’re all caught up.

It’s that time of year again. The weather is turning colder, days are getting shorter, and pumpkin spiced everything is available anywhere you go. This is my favorite season — the time of year for hoodies or warm sweaters, bonfires, and hot apple cider.

It is also when fan*s start counting down to the start of the fall television season. In the next two weeks, our favorites will return and an interesting new lineup will begin. I thought I would take some time this week to look at the returning shows I’m most looking forward to, then next week discuss some of the new shows I’m planning to check out.

As you know if you’ve been reading this column, I am a huge fan of television, and I watch quite a wide range of shows. There are some that I continue to watch simply out of habit or because other members of my household still enjoy them: NCIS, Hawaii Five-O, Blue Bloods, etc. I like the characters and continue to watch, though I’m not as invested in those shows as I am in some others. The majority of my favorite shows have some sort of science-fiction or fantasy aspect to them, but there are a few straight dramas I enjoy. (Not coincidentally, most of them star actors I first discovered on genre shows.) Bones and Castle are probably my favorite crime dramas currently on television.

There are quite a few more genre shows that I’m excited about, starting with Sleepy Hollow. When I added this show to my to-watch list last fall, I thought it looked interesting, but I really didn’t know how the premise was going to hold up. Based on prior experiences with genre TV on Fox, I also didn’t have a lot of hope for it to stick around. Then the show surprised everyone with the quality of the scripts and a brilliant cast. I was pretty sure I would like it, but I never expected it to receive the response it did. Fox rarely makes decisions I agree with when it comes to programming, but I think it made a good choice in keeping the first season short; one thing I’ve learned from British television is that shorter seasons can really add to the quality of a season since writers don’t have to spread out the storyline so far and fill in the gaps.

The first season finale reveal that sin-eater Henry Parrish was not only Ichabod’s son but also one of the Four Horsemen took me completely by surprise, which is something few shows manage to accomplish. With Katrina now in the present and Abbie stuck in limbo, I am anxious to see how they resolve the cliffhanger from season 1 and carry on the second season. I’m also extremely excited about John Noble being added as a regular this year. He is an incredible actor, and the fact that he was never nominated for an Emmy for Fringe is nothing short of criminal.

I’m also looking forward to the return of my CW shows — Arrow and Supernatural much more so than The Vampire Diaries and The Originals. The first season of The Originals was vastly more compelling than anything that’s happened on The Vampire Diaries in the last couple years, though I am very excited that Alaric is returning as a VD regular; I’ve really missed Matthew Davis on the show and have been hoping for his return ever since the CW cancelled Cult (which I just could not get into).

Arrow really stepped up its game last season, especially in the episodes leading up to the finale. I’m a little disappointed that the end of the Slade storyline means we likely won’t see more of Manu Bennett any time soon — and he’ll be unrecognizable in The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies. Still, I’m curious about the direction they’re headed this season, as it seems the flashbacks are moving off of the island. It will also be interesting to see Roy make the transition into a regular member of Team Arrow as he dons the Arsenal costume. I only wish the writers would do something about Laurel. I don’t know whether it’s the writing or Katie Cassidy herself, but I struggle with the fact that I couldn’t care less about her character, which is difficult when I love everything else about the show.

Supernatural will be starting its 10th season this fall, which seems like a miracle to those of us who were waiting on pins and needles back in 2006 to see if it would even get a second run. The show kind of lost its way in seasons 6 and 7 after creator Eric Kripke stepped back from running the show. However, another change in leadership after season 7 has set it back on track, with seasons 8 and 9 being a huge improvement on the previous two.

This season, Supernatural is adding a fourth season regular for the first time, as Mark Sheppard joins the cast. Sheppard’s Crowley is one of those villains everyone loves to hate, and Sheppard himself is well-loved in the genre community. When last we looked in on the Winchester brothers, Sam was mourning and Dean was resurrected as a demon. I have no idea what this coming season has in store for us — aside from the rumors of a “musical” 200th episode — but I’m hoping they let the demon Dean storyline play out. I’m really curious to see what Dean is like as a demon and feel like this is a storyline that would feel rushed if they try to wrap it up and make him human again within the first couple episodes of the season.

One of the returning shows I’m possibly most excited about is Once Upon a Time. When the season ended with a glimpse of Elsa from Frozen, I wasn’t sure what to think. At first, I was a little disappointed because Frozen, though a lovely movie, is everywhere you look, and this felt like the writers were just jumping on the bandwagon. However, I’ve since read numerous interviews in which the creators have stated that Disney had absolutely nothing to do with this decision; the show runners are fans of Frozen and thought the characters would fit well into the series. I’m now willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and see how the Frozen storyline turns out.

Aside from Frozen, I’m really looking forward to seeing all my favorite Once Upon a Time characters again. I am still a little sad they killed Neal last year, but Hook and Emma have such great chemistry, I can’t wait to see what’s next. Then there is the question of how Regina will react now that Robin Hood’s wife is alive and in Storybrooke. Regina is such an easy character to hate, but in so many ways, her character’s arc is the most interesting. I just hope she doesn’t fall back to season 1 Regina. Lastly, I’m really excited about Once Upon a Time in Wonderland‘s Michael Socha joining the cast as a series regular. Socha’s Knave of Hearts was by far the best character of the spin-off series, and the reveal that he’s also Will Scarlet means he has a lot of history with Robin Hood and should fit in well with the Storybrooke residents.

The other returning show I’m most excited about would, of course, be Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. The show had such a slow start, but it hit its stride around episode 6, then really went into high gear with the release of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The end of the season left Coulson tasked with picking up the pieces of the shattered S.H.I.E.L.D. after Director Fury handed over the reigns. I cannot wait to see where the show goes from here. From the casting announcements I’ve been hearing, we’ll be seeing a lot more Marvel characters this season and getting some glimpses of Agent Carter in flashbacks — possibly as a sneak peak of what to expect from the Agent Carter series set to premiere mid-season.

S.H.I.E.L.D.’s second year will also be picking up with a team that is already unified and already knows each other, so they can jump right into the mission. I’m curious to see what role Agent Grant Ward will be playing now that we know he’s a Hydra agent. Will his character have a redemption arc? Is he capable (or deserving) of redemption? I can’t wait to find out.

These are just some of the shows I’m looking forward to having return in a few weeks. I also can’t wait for the new seasons of The Walking Dead and Grimm, plus Haven‘s final, double-sized season begins tonight.

What returning shows are you looking forward to? Share them in the comments! And tune in next week when I share which new series I’m most interested in checking out.

YA readers: Have no shame, hold books high

When it came to writing this week’s column, I realized I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to write about. Summer TV is ending, fall TV is still three weeks away. I’m sure I could write an entire column on my complaints about Doctor Who* or True Blood**, but I’ve talked about the Doctor the last two weeks and Sookie Stackhouse is best soon forgotten. I just didn’t know what would be topical to write about this week.

Then I updated my Goodreads account and realized I’ve read 11 books in the past month — five of those just within the past week. Four were young adult novels (even if only three were classified as such — more on that later). This started me thinking about the debate over adults reading YA novels. I know there are a lot of people who judge adults for reading books ostensibly targeted at teens. And I admit, when I was working as a bookseller, I developed the bad habit of judging everyone for what they were reading — particularly anyone who read James Patterson or nearly anything found in the romance section.

Which will probably make me sound like a hypocrite when I say that I don’t think it’s fair to judge adults who read YA fiction. There is nothing wrong with reading YA fiction. I certainly wouldn’t be caught dead reading a Clique novel or any similar series, but there are a lot of YA novels that I do enjoy, and people have a lot of different reasons for reading YA literature.

Some people choose to read YA novels because they’re just good. Naturally, I’m not talking Twilight here. I recently read Paper Towns by John Green and was really impressed by how well it’s written and how the story could ring true with readers from just about any walk of life. The only other novel I’ve read by Green has been the much more hyped The Fault in Our Stars, but while that too was well written, I think Paper Towns was a much more interesting novel. It has more to do with finding yourself and discovering who you are, which, granted, seems to be a teenage concern on its surface, but everyone can feel a little lost at any point in their lives.

There are many other authors out there aside from Green who publish thoughtful, well-written novels for teens. When I was a teenager, the only novels I remember reading that were targeted for my age range were The Face on the Milk Carton and Whatever Happened to Janie?, both by Caroline B. Cooney. Many of the other novels offered at the time were trivial and seemed like a waste of time. (I do admit to being a big Sweet Valley fan: Twins, High, University — I read everything I could about the Wakefield twins, though I grew out of them earlier than most.) By the time I was 13, I was already reading more John Grisham, Michael Crichton, or Tom Clancy novels than YA fiction. Now, however, there seems to be a lot more variety for teens, and not everything being offered is trivial nonsense.

Some people choose to read YA fiction as a form of research: either they want to write novels themselves or they are either parents or teachers who want to familiarize themselves with what is popular among the age group they interact with. I think this is a very logical reason for reading YA novels. If you interact with teenagers on a regular basis, knowing what they’re reading can give you a look at what kinds of things they are interested in or what motivates them.

Then there’s the fact that, sometimes, you just need a break from reading adult fiction and want the light, trivial nature of YA fiction. I read a wide variety of books, but every once in a while, I want something that doesn’t take much time or effort to read. I love Anna Karenina, but getting through that entire novel was work. Sometimes it’s nice to read a novel that you can finish in less than a day. Even if it’s not the next great American novel, it may still be an enjoyable read.

Besides, adult fiction isn’t always any deeper or more literary than YA fiction. Give me the Twilight books over a novel with Nicole Richie or Snookie‘s name on the cover any day.

I picked up a copy of The Witches of East End last week out of curiosity, since I’ve been watching the television version, and I was surprised by the simplicity of the novel and the lack of plot. This is supposed to be an adult novel. I found it in the teen section, but the jacket proclaims it is Melissa de la Cruz‘s first adult novel. Aside from a few more explicit scenes, there is nothing that sets it apart from any other supernatural romance novel on the YA shelves. (If anyone was at all curious like me, just skip it and pick up Deborah Harkness‘ All Souls trilogy instead; that is a much better series of adult novels concerning witchcraft.)

So I don’t think there is a problem at all with adults reading YA novels. Some stories are timeless and can impact you no matter what your age, and others are just fun reads for when you have a few hours to kill and don’t want anything too dark or deep. I would, however, recommend balancing your YA reading with some adult novels. Variety is good, and it probably isn’t wise for an adult mind to constantly be reading stories from the viewpoint of lovesick/moody 17-year-olds.

However, there is so much literature available these days, in so many various forms, that you should never allow anyone to tell you what you can and cannot read. Reading should be enjoyable no matter what book you choose.

* — What’s up with the Doctor suddenly deviating from his “Nobody dies” mantra by sacrificing one to save the rest in last week’s episode? Seriously, I love Peter Capaldi, but I really am a little concerned about what’s going on there, and why he’s suddenly so much colder than previous Doctors.

** — How bad was that True Blood series finale?? I know it aired a couple weeks ago, but I’m still not over it; it made the controversial finale of How I Met Your Mother look like fan fiction.

Capaldi shines as 12th Doctor, creates dark first impression

Earlier this week, a friend of mine shared on Facebook a link to a cartoon that perfectly sums up what conversations between Doctor Who fans have been like ever since the arrival of the Twelfth Doctor on Saturday night. When it comes to the British sci-fi show, fans are passionate about the cast, the characters, and the writing, and they are not afraid to voice their opinions. Today, I thought I’d share some of my first impressions of the Twelfth Doctor and his premiere episode, “Deep Breath.”

I loved “Deep Breath” when I was watching it for the first time Saturday. Peter Capaldi won me over almost immediately, which is probably the fastest I’ve accepted a new Doctor. From the moment he peeked out of the TARDIS and told Strax to “shush,” I knew I was going to enjoy this Doctor. When I watched it again Monday night at a movie theater, I found I still enjoyed it, but it wasn’t as engaging on repeated viewings as some episodes have been, particularly the recent 50th anniversary special, “The Day of the Doctor,” which I also saw in a theater. However, I still enjoyed the episode overall, especially Capaldi’s performance.

One of the things I really liked about the way this episode was written was how the Doctor’s companion, Clara, was almost a surrogate for the audience member. In so many ways, she voiced all the doubts a fan has ever had about a Doctor’s regeneration throughout the episode: Why was he old? Why couldn’t he just change back? Do we still know who the Doctor is? Clara had to walk the same path from surprise, denial, then loss, to eventual acceptance right along with the fans.

One thing I particularly liked about Clara in this episode was how, even though it appeared as though the Doctor had completely deserted her when she needed him the most, she still held out her hand, confident he would be there. She knew some things about the Doctor would never change.

I have read a lot of negative feedback this week about Clara’s reaction to the Doctor’s regeneration. She knew it was coming, she knows the Doctor has already had many faces — has, in fact, seen all of them prior to the Twelfth Doctor — so why is she so disturbed by this regeneration? I think, for the most part, it comes down to the difference between knowing something and experiencing it. Fans all know the Doctor regenerates, but that doesn’t always make it easier for us to accept a new actor in the role.

Then there was the added complication of this new Doctor being somewhat addled at first. He didn’t seem to know how to fly the TARDIS and evidently managed to get them swallowed by a Tyrannosaurus rex. After spending so much time with a man that always seemed so in control of the situation, a man she could trust to lead her, it must have been extremely disconcerting for Clara to not have any idea what the Doctor was going to do next.

Clara also may not have fully understood just how much the Doctor’s personality can change from one regeneration to another. Her only experiences have been with the War Doctor, Ten, and Eleven. Ten and Eleven have a lot in common, plus the War Doctor always held himself together. So to see the Doctor suddenly so confused and unpredictable really couldn’t have helped Clara with the transition.

As for Capaldi, I thought he was brilliant in the role. He really felt like the Doctor right from the beginning, even if that Doctor was somewhat uncharacteristically confused. I had heard so many rumors about how much darker this Doctor would be — and we’ll get to that in a minute — that I was concerned he would not be a remotely likable person in this incarnation, but as he stood there in the end, begging Clara to just see him, my heart broke for him, and I couldn’t help but love him.

I was also impressed once again by how wonderful an actor Capaldi truly is. I had already known this, of course, but it really stood out Saturday night. Over the past couple months, I have been watching The Musketeers on BBC America, in which Capaldi plays Cardinal Richelieu, who, naturally, is not a likable character. I was afraid this would cloud my perception of him as the Doctor. However, I didn’t think of Richelieu once while I was watching “Deep Breath” — nor did I find myself comparing him with John Frobisher, another rather unlikable character from the Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood. Capaldi’s acting range and ability drew me in and made me completely forget about any other role I’ve seen him in. (And before anyone asks: no, I haven’t seen him as Malcolm Tucker, but I plan to as soon as I can find a way to view The Thick of It.)

I really enjoyed all the subtle references to previous Doctors, from the allusion to a long scarf to the Doctor mentioning that he sometimes misses Amy when Clara’s legs couldn’t reach the sonic screwdriver. I also liked the reference to the “round things” in the TARDIS — a nice callback not only to an earlier TARDIS, but to a similar comment made in “The Day of the Doctor” last year. There was also a slightly more obvious tie-in between this episode and the Tenth Doctor episode “The Girl in the Fireplace,” as these droids’ ship is the sister ship of the SS Madame de Pompadour featured in that earlier adventure.

Probably my favorite scene of “Deep Breath” was near the end, when Clara receives a phone call from the Eleventh Doctor, placed by him just before he regenerated. The call helps Clara to finally say goodbye and have closure, and I think it did the same for many fans. It was nice to see Matt Smith as the Doctor one last time.

Then, as I mentioned above, the dialogue between the Twelfth Doctor after the phone call and Clara’s final acceptance of him as the Doctor was very well done. My heart broke for this Doctor, who just wanted to be recognized and accepted by Clara. The vulnerability of the Doctor in that scene pretty much cemented my opinion of him: Capaldi is going to be great.

The one concern I have as this season continues is just how dark the Doctor will be. We’ve already had the suggestion that he may have pushed the half-faced man out of the escape pod — and that was a rather ominous look they showed on his face afterward. It is evident that the rumors of this Doctor being darker are true, but the question is just how much darker is he? I’m hoping not too dark, as the Doctor is supposed to be a good person.

The other questions this episode left us with are: who is Missy, and what is this place she referred to as Heaven? I’ve heard many theories about Missy’s identity, ranging from the Master to the Rani to an earlier incarnation of River Song to Romana or even, possibly, a dark Clara who merged with the Great Intelligence after splitting off in the Doctor’s time stream. All these theories seem interesting, and I’m not sure which would be most plausible. I would love if Missy were some character from the Doctor’s past that we have not yet met in the new series; the Master would also be an interesting option.

One thing I do know is that “Heaven” is also the same garden Amy was trapped in when she was quarantined in “The Girl Who Waited.” If this were any other series, I could say that was just a coincidence and a reused set piece, but given that Steven Moffat wrote this episode, I’m having trouble believing that.

Overall, I thought this episode was enjoyable and a great introduction to the new Doctor. I can’t wait to see what the interaction between the Doctor and Clara will be like moving forward, and how the dynamic between them changes. I have a feeling Clara will have to keep a closer eye on this Doctor, as well as watch out for herself more often than she is accustomed to.

What are your thoughts on the Twelfth Doctor?

As Doctors cycle through, so do fans’ emotions

“Everything’s got to end sometime; otherwise nothing would ever get started.”
“We’re all just stories in the end.”
— The Doctor

In the spring of 2008, I finally took a coworker’s advice and began watching episodes of a British science fiction series some readers may have heard of called Doctor Who. I started from the beginning of the 2005 relaunch, which ended a 16-year drought of regular Doctor Who programming. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and once I started watching the show, I didn’t understand how you could base a show around a single character, let the audience grow attached to that character, then change him just like that, as the show had done eight times already.

It didn’t take long for me to be completely hooked on the adventures of the Ninth Doctor and his companion, Rose. I would come home from work at 11 p.m. or later and not be able to go to sleep until I had watched at least one, most likely two, episodes. Christopher Eccleston was fantastic, and even though I knew he would only be in the first series (as those wacky Brits call “seasons”), I loved his portrayal of the Doctor and didn’t want to see him go. I was in tears by the end of the finale, “The Parting of the Ways.”

I had heard that Eccleston’s successor, David Tennant (whom I hadn’t yet connected to Harry Potter), was even more brilliant, but I didn’t see how that was possible. Tennant won me over by the end of “The Christmas Invasion,” the annual Christmas special (those Brits again) that served as the Tenth Doctor’s premiere. Once series 2 got underway with “New Earth,” I knew he would be my Doctor. It seemed as though he was born to play this role; he made being the Doctor seem so natural and effortless.

During Tennant’s time as the Doctor, we saw many companions come and go; losing Rose and Donna were the hardest for me. I had finally caught up to the American viewings on the Sci-Fi Channel (before its ridiculous name change) and was able to watch the series 4 finale with the rest of the United States (at least, with those who hadn’t downloaded and watched it already).

And then came the confirmation of news I thought I never wanted to hear: Tennant was leaving Doctor Who. First, I was in denial; then, I was heartbroken. He was my Doctor. He couldn’t leave. I couldn’t say goodbye.

I held off watching both parts of “The End of Time” for several weeks because I just wasn’t ready to accept that, by the end, the Tenth Doctor would be gone. And when I finally did watch, the Doctor’s farewell tour was just as difficult as I had imagined. His final words, “I don’t want to go,” echoed what a lot of fans were feeling in that moment.

And then suddenly, in a burst of light, he was gone; replaced by this strange, gangly guy who didn’t look nearly old enough to be the Doctor.

I loved Tennant so much in the role that I thought I would never be able to warm up to Matt Smith, but I’ve learned that there’s this funny thing that happens when you’re a fan of Doctor Who and a Doctor you love regenerates. In the beginning, there’s this feeling of trepidation and concern that the new actor won’t be up to performing the role as well as those who have gone before. You were so enamored with the previous Doctor that you really don’t want to see him go. Then, suddenly, one day you realize the Doctor hasn’t changed at all — at least not really. While his face is different and some aspects of his personality may seem new, he is still, deep down, the same Doctor he always has been. You really do love the new Doctor just as much as the old.

Smith kind of snuck up on me. It took me a little longer to warm to him than it did with Tennant (nearly two years longer), and I don’t even know when it was that I really started to love him. I just remember watching a repeat of Smith’s first Christmas special, “A Christmas Carol,” before his second, “The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe,” aired and realizing that he really was an excellent Doctor. Tennant would always be my Doctor, but Smith now held a special place in my heart as well.

Even before I realized how much I loved his Doctor, Smith continually impressed me with how well he was able to capture the age of the Doctor; despite being the youngest actor to play the role, he really made you believe he was the oldest. He brought a lot of energy and charm to the role as well as a lot of depth and emotion. He introduced us to the Girl Who Waited, the Last Centurion, and the Impossible Girl — and let’s not forget Craig and Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All. He fought the Silence, Daleks, Cybermen, Weeping Angels, and so many more. He married River Song and saved her parents’ marriage. And he won over millions of fans every step of the way.

And now he’s gone.

Sure, he technically left back at Christmas, when we witnessed the Eleventh Doctor‘s regeneration into the Twelfth Doctor. But it didn’t seem real at that point. It would be months until I actually had to watch the new Doctor, so I could pretend for just a little while longer that Eleven was still having adventures with Clara in the TARDIS. However, when series 8 premieres in just over 48 hours, that delusion will be over, and I really will have to accept that Smith is no longer the Doctor.

The hardest part of being a fan of Doctor Who is knowing you will be saying goodbye to actors you love over and over again. But at the same time, this is also a unique and wonderful aspect of the show. While it’s heartbreaking to think that soon I’ll be watching a completely new Doctor, it’ll be exciting to see what Peter Capaldi brings to the role and in what ways he is different-from-yet-the-same-as the old Doctor.

As much as I hated seeing Smith go, I’m really looking forward to meeting Capaldi’s Doctor. I’m not quite as apprehensive as I was in the past; I think I’ve finally accepted that this is how the show works: a never-ending cycle of meeting new characters, accepting them, and loving them, then having to say goodbye. And it really does work; if any other show tried to completely reinvent itself every few years, it would fall apart, but Doctor Who has sustained the practice for more than 50 years.

On top of meeting a new Doctor as the next chapter opens Saturday, we’ll also be starting the process of saying goodbye to his current companion, Clara, as rumors began circulating earlier this week that the 2014 Christmas special will likely be her last episode. Saying goodbye is always hard, but we get to meet new people and the story continues, it doesn’t have to end just because one person’s time in the TARDIS is over.

I, for one, can’t wait to see how the journey continues Saturday night.

Sometimes, celebrity deaths give rise to real-life mourning

A few weeks ago, Jumanji was airing on television. I didn’t watch the entire movie — I’ve seen it more times than I can count, and I had other things going on — but I tuned in long enough to see Robin Williams make his appearance. I remember thinking how incredible he was on screen, and how unique — how no one could ever replace him.

Three days ago, I was shocked to learn that this one-of-a-kind man, who had such a large presence on stage and screen and who made so many people laugh, was gone.

While the entire world was still reeling from the loss of Williams, media outlets reported Tuesday the death of another legend, Lauren Bacall. I confess to not being as familiar with her work — there are many classic films I still need to see — but her contribution to American film is so widely known that this was another extremely sad day in the entertainment industry.

I’ve always thought it interesting how emotional people can get when a celebrity dies: images of people crying so hysterically over the loss of a person they had never met, someone they couldn’t possibly have known. Even if we view our favorite artists or athletes as something more than a complete stranger, we can only know the public persona of these stars. Sure, in some cases a celebrity’s public image is very much like the real personality, but other times it’s not even close. When all you know about an actor or actress is the characters they’ve played, how can you really mourn the person?

It’s not that I’ve been entirely unaffected by celebrity deaths. I’ve felt a sadness at the loss of talent and, in cases such as Heath Ledger‘s, at the loss of potential. But until this past year, I’ve never truly mourned a celebrity death the way I would mourn the death of a friend or relative. It changed a little over a year ago, when I woke up one morning to a text from a friend telling me Cory Monteith from Glee had passed away. His was the first celebrity death that really hit me.

Perhaps it was the fact that Monteith was just a year older than me, or that I had followed his career sporadically since he appeared as an extra on Supernatural in 2005. Or perhaps it was that, unlike Ledger, whom I only kept up with occasionally in the media and whenever he had a new film out, Monteith was someone I was watching regularly on television. His Finn Hudson was a character I had adored from the moment I began watching Glee: I loved his awkwardness and good heart, I sympathized with his struggles to find his place in the world and figure out what he wanted to do with his life post-graduation. And like many Glee fans, I was looking forward to Finn’s and Rachel’s inevitable wedding. (I was also charmed by Monteith’s and Lea Michele‘s real-life romance.)

Whatever the reason, Monteith’s death hit me hard. With Monteith, I mourned for his friends and family and the loss of potential. But Monday night, Williams’ death hit me harder.

In the case of Williams, I think I finally understand how people can be so affected by the death of someone they’ve never known in person. For Williams, I mourned because I had grown up on his work and can’t imagine a world without him. There were so many Williams films my family watched over and over: Mrs. Doubtfire, Aladdin, Hook, Fern Gully, Robots. I think my brother and I wore out our VHS copy of Popeye. And then there was Dead Poets Society, which I had watched at a rather young age, and it became a favorite of mine before I was 13. I was a fan of his recent sitcom The Crazy Ones. And I even remember watching reruns of Mork and Mindy, which had its run before I was even born, whenever we could find them on TV.

Williams didn’t just make movies and television shows for us to enjoy, he created characters that touched all our lives in some form or another. He was Mork and Peter Pan and Genie and so many other characters I loved so much. There isn’t a time in my memory when I couldn’t quote some line of Williams’ from one of his many memorable performances. My childhood was shaped by his films, and now, suddenly, that man is gone. It truly does feel like something important has been lost from the world.

However, with both Williams and Monteith, I also mourn because there was a side to them that they kept hidden from the rest of the world. It was those private struggles that eventually consumed them, as they did for Philip Seymour Hoffman this year and so many others before them.

I won’t try to pretend I know anything about severe depression or addiction, but it really saddens me when people look at celebrities and all they see is the manner of their death. Monteith and Hoffman shouldn’t be defined by their addictions, nor Williams by his depression. In the episode “The Quarterback,” Glee’s Kurt Hummel responds to the death of Monteith’s character (and surely speaks for the cast about the actor) by asserting: “Everyone wants to talk about how he died … but who cares? One moment in his whole life. I care more about how he lived.”

I think this line rings very true: The celebrities that we love, who have had an impact on countless lives, deserve to be remembered for how they lived, not the manner in which they died.

The world lost two legends this week, and we’ve lost some great talent just in the past year alone. While it may feel like the world is a little less full without them, they will live on forever in the works they leave behind and in the people they have touched.

And hopefully the tragic deaths of people like Monteith, Hoffman, and Williams will help shine a light on the struggles people face — even those who seem to have it all. Remember: no matter what you’re going through, you are not alone.

Guardians: ‘Hooked on a Feeling’ Marvel can do it all

I have a confession to make. I’ve proclaimed my love for all that is Marvel in this column on more than one occasion. I’ve shared how my original doubts over Chris Evans‘ casting as Captain America were proved wrong, and how the television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. took a while to get off the ground but reached a late-season greatness that was definitely worth the wait.

But I must confess, despite all this evidence that Marvel knows what it’s doing when it comes to bringing comics to the silver screen (and Marvel is much more successful than Fox or Sony), I still had serious doubts when it came to bringing to life a trigger-happy raccoon and a walking, (sort of) talking tree. I’ve never actually read a Guardians of the Galaxy comic, but I know there are some things that work in comics that just can’t translate well to the screen, and I was worried this would be the case with Rocket and Groot.

I also had some doubts about Chris Pratt as a lead. I love Pratt — I’ve been a fan since his days on Everwood — but like Evans when he was cast as Captain America, Pratt was still very much untested as a protagonist. He has appeared as a supporting character in several films, but he is best known as goofy-yet-lovable Andy Dwyer on NBC’s Parks and Recreation. I wasn’t sure how he would go from that role to action star.

Another concern I had was with the movie itself. I had heard this was going to be unlike any other Marvel film, with a lot more humor. One of the things I love about the Marvel films is the way they use humor — it’s always just the right amount to balance the action. But would a funnier action film be good? I was a little worried they would cross the line over into slapstick and ruin the integrity of the franchise.

Plus, when you look at writer/director James Gunn‘s list of credits, you’ll see nothing of the caliber of a Marvel film. Like Pratt, Gunn is still rather untested in an arena this large, and I was concerned with how that might affect this film.

Amid all these concerns I was having about the film, while I was debating whether this was going to be a train wreck or the most awesome Marvel movie yet (because I had a feeling it was going to be either one or the other), the first trailer for the film was released.

To say that trailer made me a believer is probably an understatement. I think I fell in love with Pratt’s Peter Quill the moment he realized the name “Star Lord” meant nothing to his assailants. But I really knew this film had potential as soon as I heard “Hooked on a Feeling.”

Overall, this trailer ranks pretty high on my list of favorite trailers ever. (Please tell me someone else has one of those lists, too.) It also completely changed my mind about the prospects for the film. The trailer sets the tone of the movie and lets you know this isn’t going to be anything like the other Marvel productions. But it also proves that Rocket and Groot can work in a live-action film. I can’t even count how many times I watched that trailer or each subsequent teaser and trailer, but from that first glimpse on, I was counting down to the film’s release.

Last Thursday, I made plans to see Guardians in IMAX 3D with some friends, and I could barely contain my excitement. I surprised myself with how much my opinion of this film had changed in just six months. I was even more excited to discover that the film completely lives up to the hype.

I knew this was going to be a great movie before the opening credits were even finished; like the trailer, the credit sequence really set the tone for the entire film and let you know what you can expect. I loved all the ’80s references (Garbage Pail Kids! Troll Dolls! Footloose!) and the ’80s soundtrack was perfect. But it’s not all lighthearted and full of laughs — there are a couple tearjerker scenes, including one right at the beginning of the movie.

However, overall, the film is the perfect blend of hilarity and action. It is, by far, the funniest of the Marvel films, but it’s done in just the right way. At no point did it become too cheesy that the comedy took me out of the film. It has just the right amount of everything to make this the perfect summer movie — and really fun to watch.

In contrast to my reservations, Pratt is wonderful as Peter Quill, aka Star Lord. I had been binge-watching Parks and Recreation throughout the summer and was worried I would have trouble distinguishing between Quill and Andy, but I quickly discovered that wasn’t an issue at all. Pratt holds his own among a terrific cast and was an excellent choice for the role. I was also really impressed with part-time WWE performer Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer. He brought a lot of heart to the character, and I really enjoyed his portrayal.

Another stand-out performance, in my opinion, cameÂ from Karen Gillan as Nebula. Most fan*s are likely familiar with the actress as the Eleventh Doctor’s companion, Amy Pond. In Guardians, we see a whole new side to the actress’ talent. I’ve always like Gillan but was very impressed with her as Nebula, and I have a feeling she has a bright future ahead of her.

However, it was the characters I was originally most dubious about that ended up stealing every scene they were in. I absolutely loved Rocket and Groot. The CGI was done very well, and the characters were so expressive, you could almost forget they were animated. The entire cast (and movie) were fantastic, but I really think Rocket and Groot were my favorite parts.

There isn’t much else I can say about Guardians of the Galaxy that hasn’t already been said in hundreds of other reviews. As Marvel’s first film that is set almost entirely in space, it greatly expands the MCU as we know it, and it does this very successfully. I cannot wait for a future team-up between the Guardians and the Avengers (assuming the rumors are true and Avengers 3 features a version of the Infinity Gauntlet storyline, which, given the reference to the Stones in Thor: The Dark World and again in Guardians, seems likely). I’m already imagining Tony Stark’s comments about Rocket and Groot.

I may have been skeptical at first, but after seeing what the company did with Guardians, I will never again doubt Marvel’s ability to produce great films. Now that Phase Two is nearly over, I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us in Phase Three, and I can’t wait until the Guardians of the Galaxy return.

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