Category Archives: tv

jumanji

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.

outlander101

Outlander adapts time travel, intrigue to small screen

After what seems like centuries — but has really only been decades — Diana Gabaldon’s best-selling novel Outlander has finally been adapted for television. Starz will produce a first season of 16 shows, which will cover the entirety of the first book in this now-eight-book series.

Outlander is a time-traveling romance and adventure that throws traditional concepts of a “romance novel” out the window. The first episode, which aired Saturday, introduced viewers to British citizens Claire Beauchamp Randall and her husband Frank, who have just reunited after World War II. Claire had served as a combat nurse and Frank as a spy in the war.

The couple travels to Inverness, Scotland, where they were married seven years before. Frank is researching his family tree and trying to gather information on a specific ancestor, Jonathan “Black Jack” Randall. Claire, bored by hours spent poring over dusty papers, heads to the Scottish countryside to search for medicinal herbs. While searching for a peculiar blue flower, she comes upon a circle of standing stones. She hears a strange sound and approaches the ancient structure to investigate. Reaching out to touch a stone, Claire is knocked unconscious and awakens, confused and disoriented, some time later.

Even though Claire appears to be on the same hill as before, something seems different. She heads down the hill and back to town; however, on the way, she thinks she has stumbled upon the set of an historical drama, as she is in the middle of a firefight between British soldiers and tartan-clad Scotsmen.

Claire runs away and comes to a stream where a soldier is resting. The soldier stands and turns toward her, and Claire believes, for a moment, that she is looking into the face of her own husband, Frank. Frank it is not, and we soon discover that this soldier is none other than “Black Jack” himself, the very ancestor Frank had been researching. As it turns out, “Black Jack” is not the honorable soldier Frank imagined him to be; Jonathan Randall did not get his nickname for nothing, as his character, so unlike Frank’s, is dark and warped.

Claire realizes that she is not on a movie set but cannot believe she has gone back in time. When Randall demands to know who she is, she gives her maiden name, Claire Beauchamp (pronounced “Bee-chem,” in the English fashion). Scantily clad by the standards of the day, unescorted, and alone, Randall presumes Claire is a French spy and a whore. He begins to assault her, both because he wants information and also for his own twisted pleasure.

Just in time, Claire is rescued (albeit roughly) by one of the Scotsmen. The Scotsmen are suspicious of her, as well, and think she could be an English spy. Until their leader discovers her true origin and purpose, though, he will keep her prisoner, although a protected one.

Among the group of Scots, there is a young man with a dislocated shoulder. As such, he cannot manage his horse, and the group must quickly make a getaway. One of the men volunteers to force the lad’s arm back in the socket. Claire, seeing that the wounded man’s arm will be broken, bids them to stop, and she fixes it in short order. This earns her a bit of respect from the group, but does nothing to allay their suspicions.

The group makes their escape with Claire riding with the young man she has just healed. When Claire looks to Inverness, she notices that she doesn’t see any lights. She asks her new companion where Inverness is, and when he tells her she’s looking right at it, she knows she is no longer in the 20th century.

During their ride, the group approaches an outcropping where Frank told Claire the English of the 18th century would hide in ambush. Claire shares this knowledge with the young man and, sure enough, the British soldiers attack minutes later. The group’s leader, Dougal Mackenzie, demands to know how Claire came by this information and becomes more suspicious about her motives.

Later that night, Claire’s guard falls from his horse, having been injured in the ambush. Claire again comes to the young man’s aid, asking for medical supplies of her time (iodine, merthiolate) and speaking of disinfection and germs. Her references have no meaning to them and the men are further mystified by her crude use of language when she becomes frustrated in her attempts to bandage the wound.

The episode ends with the group’s arrival at Castle Leoch, home to the Clan MacKenzie, and Claire can be sure she is not on a second honeymoon any longer.

So far, the series follows the book relatively closely. There were some editorial embellishments in an attempt, it seems, to make the adaptation a bit more “sexy,” though in my opinion, this is totally unnecessary.

The series is filmed entirely in Scotland, lending the scenery a breath-taking quality. If nothing else, viewers will fall in love with the rugged, albeit wet, landscape.

The producers make use of lighting to draw a distinction between the prosaic, 20th-century life of Claire and Frank as compared to the heart-pounding action of the 18th century. In the more modern-set scenes, the lighting is quite dark. Even those scenes inside houses with electric amenities have a muted, dull feel — think The X-Files. However, the scenes are noticeably brighter when Claire goes back in time. In fact, as soon as Claire awakens after her passage through the stones, the sun is shining. Even the night scenes from the 18th century have a shimmering quality.

The characters are well cast, with Catriona Balfe playing a wonderfully complex version of Claire (though without the voluptuous bosom and amber eyes described in the books). Sam Heughan’s Jamie Fraser, the as-yet-nameless young man who is twice healed by Claire, is swoon-worthy (although I thought he’d be taller!) and conveys Jamie’s strong constitution, quick wit, and sensitive nature with a subtle delivery. Playing both Frank and Jonathan “Black Jack” Randall, Tobias Menzies capably handles Frank’s reserved affection and Black Jack’s barely-concealed villainy.

The second episode of the series airs Saturday at 9 p.m. on Starz. Check back next week for a look at the latest twists and turns from Inverness.

more-tv

Binging makes TV watching more like reading

Several months ago, I touched on how the way we view television is changing. We are no longer tied to network schedules, and the combination of DVR and online streaming has turned “binge watching” into a full-fledged revolution in media consumption.

Suddenly realize there’s a show you want to start watching, but it’s about to start its fourth season? No problem; chances are you can find every episode of that series somewhere online and catch up before the new season starts. I’ve done that for many shows in the last few years.

But binge watching doesn’t just change the way you consume a certain television series: it creates a whole new experience while you’re watching it. When you watch several installments back to back, you remember all the little details you may have forgotten from one episode to the next if you had waited a full week between them. Binge watching that show then becomes more like reading a book; you can always go on to the next chapter whenever you want.

I’m a big book nerd. I’ll read just about anything I can get my hands on, and I can’t walk out of a bookstore without buying something — even though I already have well over 100 books in my “to-read” pile. With books, I really love the stories and the way they immerse you in another place or time. Binge watching television can have the same effect in a different medium. Settling in on the couch to watch a good series isn’t much different than curling up with a good novel.

When I read a book — especially vividly written fiction — my imagination runs wild. The world of the book becomes real to me. Certain books have more of an effect than others, but each has some sort of impact. The same goes for a really well-written television show. The more you watch, the more it gets in your head, and the characters, along with the world they inhabit, start to feel more and more real.

Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve found that many of the shows I’ve binge watched are the ones I’ve become more invested in. We formed a bond during those 12 hours spent watching episode after episode. (OK, so 12 hours of television in one sitting is a slight exaggeration, but you get the picture.) In some ways, watching shows like this can almost become an addiction: you plan your day so that you have enough time to squeeze in at least a couple more episodes — because you can’t not watch.

Then, once you’ve finished the series (or all the episodes you have access to), part of you just wants to go back and start them all over, like you do when you finish reading a really good novel. You aren’t ready for it to be over, but there isn’t anything else left, so you might as well start again from the beginning. This happened when I binge watched Doctor Who and Torchwood for the first time years ago, and when I watched the first two seasons of Teen Wolf last summer.

Some people try to tell me rereading books is a waste of time, and the same could go for rewatching television shows. There are so many other options out there, they say, why bother with something you’ve already seen (or read)? I disagree.

I often equate rereading a book with a visit to an old friend. You get to relive all the things you loved, remember all the things you forgot, and sometimes learn things you hadn’t known before. I’m currently in the middle of rereading all the Harry Potter books and am enjoying them just as much as I did the first time around. The same is true when you binge-watch a series you’ve already seen from start to finish. You’re reminded of all the qualities you enjoyed about the series the first time, and you get to experience all your favorite parts over again.

My family and I have been rewatching Gilmore Girls recently, and there are so many things that we had forgotten about the series that some episodes feel like we’re watching them for the first time. And there’s something comforting about revisiting Rory and Lorelai’s adventures. I’ve always wished I could live somewhere like Stars Hollow (though if I actually did, I’d probably go crazy in a week), and I love visiting that town through the show.

There are those who would argue that watching television is not as intellectually stimulating as reading a book in your down time, but those people apparently haven’t tried figuring out what Hurley’s lottery numbers mean on Lost or put thought into any number of other television mysteries.

One way in which binge watching a series could arguable be superior to reading a novel is with those frustrating cliffhangers. The ability to binge watch a show that has a habit of ending in cliffhangers, either at the end of an episode or at the end of a season, means you don’t always have to wait a week (or several months) in between those episodes to see what happens next. Unfortunately, in a series of novels, there’s no way to avoid the big cliffhangers between books unless you wait until the entire series is published before reading.

When each Harry Potter book came out, I started reading and did not stop until the book was finished. I read all 759 pages of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in less than 12 hours. That’s not much different than watching an entire season of television in less than a week. Book readers have been in on this trend for decades; now, binge watching is the new normal for television.

If you’re looking for suggestions on what shows to binge watch, check out our Binge Watch column where we periodically review shows our staff writers have binged.

supernatural-1

Reflecting on a Supernatural convention experience

It’s that time of year again when thousands of fans, nerds, and celebrities descend on San Diego for one of the biggest conventions in the world … and those of us who can’t make it huddle in front of our computer screens, waiting for anything and everything coming out of the San Diego Convention Center.

Attending Comic-Con International in San Diego is a bucket list item for many fan*s while, for others, it’s an annual pilgrimage. I have friends who go every year, and every year I promise myself next year will be the year I go … it just hasn’t worked out yet (but I haven’t given up hope).

While I haven’t had the fortune of attending SDCC, I have had the experience of attending a fan convention. Back in 2009, I traveled to Vancouver, Canada, for a three-day Supernatural Convention, where I met some of the cast of The CW’s horror/fantasy series, as well as some really great fellow fans. For something a little different this week, I thought I’d share some excerpts from my journal of that weekend.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

I got into the hotel around 10 p.m. last night and, after a long day of traveling, I was ready to crash. My roomie for the weekend finally made it around 3 a.m. She had taken a flight into Seattle, then rented a car and drove up from there so we could have a car to drive around in the city. We talked briefly, but as it was 3 in the morning (and I could barely even sit up in bed to greet her), we went to sleep pretty quickly. To be honest, I’m not even entirely sure I had been fully awake, as I cannot remember any of that conversation.

We woke up around 9 and arranged to meet some fellow fans in Fort Langley, a small town outside Vancouver. The convention didn’t officially start until Friday, so we spent the afternoon traveling around the area, visiting locations that had been used while filming the show. For lunch, we stopped at a little café that had stood in as the exterior of a health clinic for an episode in season 2. It was a great day of sight-seeing, not only visiting the places where filming has occurred, but getting to see so much of Vancouver itself, which is beautiful.

While we were exploring Canada Place in Vancouver [the building that housed the Media Center for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games], one of my friends received a text message from another friend who knew where the show was filming RIGHT NOW, and if we were interested, we could head out there. There was no argument from anyone in our group. Of course we were interested!

It was dark by the time we got to New Westminster, the site of the shoot — rather fitting, since half the show takes place at night. The actual filming was taking place inside the garage, so we couldn’t see any of the scenes being shot, but the crew was extremely friendly and answered all our questions. We spent a lot of time chatting with a production assistant who told us tomorrow was her day off from the Supernatural set, but she would be working as an extra on the latest Twilight movie.

One of my favorite moments of the night was when I walked away from the group a little and looked around the corner of a building — and there I saw it: The Metallicar, the 1967 Chevy Impala that’s as much a part of the cast of the show as the actors themselves. I nearly shrieked in excitement and quickly got the attention of the rest of my group. This was the dream come true and proof we were really on the set of a location shoot for Supernatural.

Shortly after we got there, some of my friends got really excited and said they had just seen Jared Padalecki get into an SUV and leave. I was so disappointed I had missed him. However, a little less than an hour later, we overheard the crew members’ walkie-talkies announcing, “That’s a wrap for Jensen.” Words I never thought I’d actually hear in person.

We quickly turned our attention from the car and gathered where we could see the garage door. Sure enough, not long after, Jensen Ackles came out (dressed in a suit — presumably, his character, Dean, was pretending to be an FBI agent today). He quickly got in the waiting vehicle, then leaned over from the passenger seat to smile and wave at us. Our night was officially complete.

If it wasn’t for the fact that I knew I would be getting much closer to Jensen and Jared in a couple days, I could have left Vancouver right then and there a happy girl. Every fan dreams of seeing his or her favorite show filming live and seeing those favorite actors on set; while we didn’t actually get to see any filming tonight, we still had what one of my friends referred to as the “Holy Grail of Fandom,” and I’m inclined to agree.

The Metallicar The Metallicar

 

Friday August 28, 2009

The convention kicked off today and, after attending a few panels during the day, tonight was Karaoke Night. My friends and I managed to get spots down near the stage, which was a good thing because some of the cast members decided to drop in as well! Alona Tal sang Radiohead’s “Creep,” while Aldis Hodge joined a group of fans singing “Don’t Stop Believing,” and Gabe Tigerman sang “Proud Mary” as a duet with a fan. Before the end of the night, I was able to get my picture taken with Gabe, which made me happy because I wasn’t able to purchase a photo op with him. He was such a nice, friendly guy.

Saturday, August 29, 2009

So, apparently we’re staying in the same hotel as the cast of Psych while they’re filming. On our way out to dinner tonight, we bumped into Dulé Hill. Have I mentioned this is the best weekend ever? Seriously.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Today was also Misha Collins day, and the man did not disappoint. He is hilarious in person and the exact opposite of the almost humorless angel he plays on Supernatural. Last night, he sent out a tweet telling attendees to come prepared with eggs, construction paper, and a pen. He started out by asking who had brought their supplies and then went around collecting all the eggs people actually brought (and I suddenly found myself wishing I had taken up the girl behind me on her offer to go out and get a carton of eggs the night before). I can’t remember the exact count, but there were a lot of eggs.

Other guests today included Jake Abel, who will soon be starring in the Percy Jackson movie; he was a lot funnier on stage than I expected as well. I really enjoyed hearing his stories about working with Jared and Jensen, even though he was only on one episode (though we’re all hoping he can come back). Aldis did his Q&A, as well as Travis Wester and AJ Buckly, the infamous Ghostfacers. I love these guys. Even on stage during the Q&A, you couldn’t tell when they were Travis and AJ and when they were playing their Ghostfacer characters. It was hilarious. I’m really hoping they make another appearance soon as well.

On the way upstairs for our photo ops, we walked with Travis and he talked to us the whole way; he’s another extremely friendly guy who doesn’t mind hanging out and spending time with the fans. I love how much everyone who has been a part of this show and participates in the cons — even if they’ve only done one episode — really becomes a part of the family and embraces the nature of this fandom.

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Today, the last day of the convention, was the day all of us fans had been waiting for: we got to meet the main stars of Supernatural, Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles. Last night, I was about as successful at sleeping as a four-year-old on Christmas Eve. Jared and Jensen are really great in person, and so gracious with their fans. I loved just standing in the photo op line, watching them interact with each other and the fans. I’m sure spending their days off meeting a bunch of starstruck fans isn’t always ideal, but they really make the most of it and make it a great experience for everyone who came out. I must have practiced what I would say to them a hundred times, but when it was finally my turn to meet them, the only word that came out of my mouth was a very shy sounding “hi.”

Jim Beaver was the last Q&A session of the day, and I’m currently waiting in line for his autograph. I read his book, Life’s That Way, and sobbed all the way through it. He is such an excellent writer, and that book is just so raw and honest in dealing with his wife’s cancer diagnosis and death. He even commented on my review of the book on Facebook and thanked me, which totally made my entire week at the time. So now I’m really excited to meet him and get him to sign my copy of the book.

Monday, August 31, 2009

I finally got my book signed by Jim around midnight last night. Jim’s autograph line took the longest of the entire weekend because he was last and he insisted on being allowed to talk with the fans, give them hugs, and take his time, which really says a lot about what kind of guy he is and how much he appreciates all of us. It was totally worth the wait. I thanked him for taking time to read the review I had written and he personalized my book with a thank you as well. I got a hug from him before leaving, and that marked the end of my first convention experience.

It was one of the greatest experiences of my life to date, and I definitely do not regret anything about this weekend. Looking back over the weekend, one of my favorite memories will be meeting my fellow fans — those whom I met for the first time and those whom I’ve been chatting with online for years. I even bumped into a friend from college whom I didn’t know was a fan. Getting to meet the cast was awesome, but interacting with my fellow Supernatural fans was definitely the best part of the weekend.

almighty-johnsons

Don’t give up on TV during summer months

Earlier this week, I was talking with a friend about how full my DVR had become, and how many recording conflicts I had. That’s when I realized I watch nearly as much television during the summer as I do during the normal TV season. This may not seem like a surprise to everyone, but I can still remember a time when there wasn’t anything interesting on television over the summer. Summer was the time for playing outside or watching reruns, not catching up on last night’s new television.

I remember when this changed, during the summer between my junior and senior years of high school. That was the year Survivor premiered and changed the landscape of summer television. Suddenly, everyone was watching. When school started back up in the fall, that was all anyone talked about. I have never been a reality TV fan and, to date, have only watched two full seasons of Survivor, but even then it was clear that a cultural shift was taking place — not just in relation to reality TV. Survivor proved that people will watch original programming in the summer.

Fast-forward to the present day and there are a lot of shows that air only in the summer, with networks debuting more and more original summer programing each year. Not only are these shows popular, but some of them are actually quite good. This summer, there is a wide variety of original programming that is keeping my DVR busy.

For the most part, I like my summer shows to be like my summer reading lists: fun, clever, sometimes quirky, with a sense of humor — not too dark. I don’t hold standards as high for the shows I watch in the summer as I do throughout the rest of the year. I’m much more inclined to watch feel-good or guilty-pleasure TV in the summer. I just want to sit back and relax and enjoy what I’m watching, not get drawn into a complicated and dramatic plot that knots me up in suspense for an hour.

As far as television goes, it’s not really summer until the new season of Royal Pains airs on the USA Network. I’m a fan of a lot of USA’s original programming, but Royal Pains, to me, is the definition a good summer show. It’s bright and colorful with a great cast, and it rarely gets too serious. For those unfamiliar with the series, it’s about a doctor who sets up a concierge medical service in New York’s Hamptons. Sure, the plots are often superficial, but that’s what makes it a good summer show. When I’m at the beach, I’d much rather be reading Jen Lancaster than Anna Karenina, and the same goes for television.

Another USA show I look forward to each summer is Covert Affairs. Though the series has taken a little bit of a darker turn over the last couple seasons, it’s still one of my favorite shows to watch during the summer.

If you like the novels of Debbie Macomber and are a fan of Hallmark movies, then you may enjoy Cedar Cove, which makes its second-season debut Saturday night on the Hallmark Channel. The series is about a small-town judge and her community. The show stars Andie MacDowell and Dylan Neal, but you’ll likely recognize other members of the cast as well, especially if you’re an avid viewer of sci-fi television. There isn’t a lot of action — the show is basically a weekly hour-long Hallmark movie — but it has just the right amount of sappiness to be enjoyable, especially for a summer series.

If Norse mythology and fantasy are more your thing, you may want to check out The Almighty Johnsons, airing Friday nights on Syfy. The show is the story of the Norse gods, who have been reincarnated in New Zealand (where the show originally aired). The show has a lot of humor and adventure, and Hobbit fans may recognize Dean O’Gorman, who plays one of the Johnson brothers, Anders. I’ve already seen every episode of this series and I love it; I’m so excited it’s finally airing in the United States. The series just premiered Friday night, so there’s plenty of time to get caught up.

One of this year’s new offerings that I decided to give a chance to was NBC‘s The Night Shift, about the late-night workers in an emergency room in Texas. I am not a fan of medical dramas per se, but I am a big fan of Eoin Macken, one of the stars of The Night Shift. (Merlin fans may recognize him as Gwaine, one of the Knights of the Round Table.) The series drew me in almost immediately with its quirky humor and terrific cast. Aside from Macken, the series also features Jill Flint, who used to star on Royal Pains, Brendan Fehr, better known for his role in Roswell, Ken Leung of Lost, and Scott Wolf.

Of course, I have discovered that The Night Shift drew me in with the cast and the humor, made me think it was going to be a fun summer show, and then hit me over the head with drama and suspense in the last three episodes of the season. It’s something viewers maybe should have expected, given the fact that T.C. Callahan, the lead character played by Macken, suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder after his time in Afghanistan. The series just wrapped up its eight-episode first season Tuesday night, but it will be back for a second season next summer. I would definitely recommend giving it a chance.

Another great new offering is MTV‘s Finding Carter, which premiered last week. The show follows 16-year-old Carter, who learns the mother she grew up with actually kidnapped her 13 years before. Carter is forced to return to her biological family whom she does not remember and a mother who is intent on tracking down the kidnapper. From what I’ve seen of this show so far, it is very well done, with a great cast and compelling characters. Cynthia Watros is brilliant as Carter’s biological mother, and I love having Alexis Denisof, who plays Carter’s father, back on my television weekly. MTV has once again surprised me by proving it’s capable of producing quality television.

I’m even less a fan of soap opera-y television than medical dramas. However my tolerance for that genre increases during the summer months. Maybe it’s nostalgia, as I can remember spending many summer afternoons, sitting in my grandmother’s living room, watching her “stories.” Summer just seems like as good a time as any to indulge in a little guilty-pleasure soapy viewing. (Perhaps if One Tree Hill or Dawson’s Creek had aired in the summer, I wouldn’t have given up on them.)

This summer’s guilty pleasure show is Lifetime‘s Witches of East End. I passed on it last summer, but a friend convinced me to give it a chance, so I found it streaming on Netflix this past weekend. Before I knew it, I had watched the entire first season and the second-season premiere. The show is definitely soapy and melodramatic, but I like the characters, especially Madchen Amick‘s Aunt Wendy. I also like that the show doesn’t take itself too seriously. The first episode mocked the cliché of girls finding out they’re witches, when matriarch Joanna was forced to reveal the truth to her older daughter, Ingrid. Witches of East End is a little more dramatic than my usual preference for summer viewing, but it’s actually much less dark than several other must-see shows on my summer viewing list.

I’ve already talked about how much I love Teen Wolf in a previous column. Despite its dark tone and suspenseful storylines, it’s definitely one of my favorite summer shows. Along similar lines, True Blood has been a can’t-miss series for me since its first season. The novels on which the show is based are the perfect summer reading book: not too serious or dark, with some amount of humor. The TV series, however, is much darker — and also much better than the books. I’m going to miss this show when it ends its run next month, and I’m sad that we’re already saying goodbye to some of my favorite characters. Like Witches of East End, True Blood has just the right amount of soapy melodrama to make it a good summer show.

Enough talking — I have plenty of TV filling up my DVR this summer. So, what shows have you been watching?

korra

Legend of Korra showcases versatility of animation

The idea that an adult male watches cartoons often provokes a good bit of laughter and social ostracism. It also raises a few eyebrows when that same adult male writes about 19th century Europe and the 1820s American political system. But it isn’t as strange as it seems, and actually makes a good bit of sense. A good cartoon can be just as thought-provoking as any show on AMC, and more often than not, the writing is better than anything that appears on the broadcast networks.

Ultimately, animation, like comics, is a medium, with its own unique potential that can be utilized to maximum effect. What a creator does with any medium determines whether or not a story is good. As a fellow contributor to Curiata.com likes to say, good writing is good writing, it doesn’t matter if it’s in a book or portrayed on a screen. The prejudice people have toward cartoons is based on the assumption that all cartoons are aimed at kids, or are using the cartoon medium to add to the joke of shocking humor for adult comedies like South Park. That is a painfully simple view that ignores all of the great cartoons released every year, particularly by the Japanese, which offer thought-provoking and imaginative takes on real questions.

Using a cartoon allows the storyteller unlimited creative freedom. Like comics, the visual aspect of the show is only limited by its creators’ imaginations. Unlike comics, cartoons can be made to illustrate epic, flowing action scenes and sprawling, panoramic shots of fictional worlds. Cartoons can then use these tremendous new worlds to tell us stories about our own, in ways that even the best movie director can’t. The right combination of inventive animation and meaningful writing can result in some of the best shows on television. Among these shows, which I enjoy just as much as Mad Men or Hell on Wheels, is The Legend of Korra.

The Legend of Korra is a sequel to the popular Nickelodeon show Avatar: The Last Airbender. Both Avatar and The Legend of Korra are about a world in which some of the population has the ability to manipulate or “bend” certain elements. Benders are only able to control one element, usually depending on what nation they belong to: Fire, Water, Earth, or Air. The Avatar is the only person in this world who can bend all four elements. This person acts as the bridge between the human and spirit worlds and is reincarnated after death in the way that the Dalai Lama is said to be. Korra is the next incarnation of the Avatar after Last Airbender’s protagonist, Aang.

Avatar was an incredibly well-written show that was aimed at a younger audience. When Korra was given the green light, the creators had to decide whether or not to continue aiming for the young demographic, or to follow the path of anime, which inspired the art style of Avatar, and age with its audience to produce a show targeting older viewers. The decision was made to create a show that can continue to appeal to new viewers while giving older fans more complex storylines containing allusions to politics, social justice, and world history.

The first season of The Legend of Korra reintroduces the audience to the world of the Avatar — greatly changed since the days of Aang’s adventures. The four warring nations have come to peace and a new government has formed in Republic City: a steampunk-esque city modeled after both feudal Japan and the United States in the 1920s, complete with radios, film reels, and crude automobiles. Fans of The Last Airbender can see the changes of the world in the last 70 years instantly. The city, which was founded, in part, by the previous Avatar, contains many of the problems of the modern metropolis. A constant battle exists between crime syndicates, which usually contain several element benders, and the police force, all of whom are a special breed of earth benders: metal benders. The result is a plethora of intense and unique scenes.

The show takes the premise of Avatar and places it in a modern context. In a realistic world, the police and the crime syndicates would obviously make use of bending abilities to further their goals, whether noble or sinister. But the realism of the new industrial era of Avatar isn’t limited to criminals. The show includes a social movement — one that begins with noble intentions but also takes a violent and aggressive turn.

Upon entering Republic City, Korra is met with resentment from a group of marginalized people calling themselves the Equalists. The Equalists address an issue that goes largely ignored through Aang’s journey. Only some people on this planet have the ability to bend the elements. How does that affect the common people? What prevents benders from using their powers to subjugate the masses? In fact, the world of Avatar often shows that benders are in positions of power. Does their world actually operate under an oligarchy of the bending class?

The Equalists are a group of radicals, led by the enigmatic Amon, that demands the equality of all persons. Amon, who wears a mask to hide scars supposedly given to him by a fire bender, has the ability to take away a bender’s abilities — a power that had only been seen once before, from Avatar Aang. Amon’s ability and his uncanny knack for manipulating the masses gives him immense power and makes him a great threat to the status quo of Republic City and the Avatar.

Amon argues something reasonable but offers an answer that goes beyond what may be morally acceptable. The Equalists believe it to be unfair that only a select few have the ability to manipulate the elements. We can understand their feelings on this issue, but what right do the disgruntled have to take away a gift that has been given to others? Amon also uses the story of a single fire bender to propagate the idea that all benders are naturally a threat to the good, freedom-loving folks of Republic City. It’s Demagogue 101 — determine an “other,” attribute terrible qualities to them, use a single instance of truth to give your claims credibility, and appeal to the base prejudice in the people. By telling them that he will be their guide and their savior, Amon uses real feelings of powerlessness in others to empower himself.

The Equalists were also used as an “other” to further the goals of Republic City councilman Tarrlok, a water bender. Tarrlok’s lust for power rather than any desire to do good clearly colors his political decisions. This often puts him at odds with Aang’s son, Tenzin, also on the council, who seems to subscribe to the philosophy of noblesse oblige. As someone who was born into a position of importance, Tenzin sees his status as both a burden and a gift that must be used to help others in the world. He uses this philosophy to positively influence Korra to do the same. Korra may not have asked for her status, but she should use it as well as she can to help the less powerful.

Korra’s sense of social justice is important to her development as a character. As the Avatar, she is the embodiment of a world of privilege by birth. The entire society is centered around her. But Korra’s parents are simple people from the southern water tribe. Being the Avatar has made her arrogant, but she is still human and, ultimately, she believes in fairness.

The Equalists challenge her outlook on the world. Perhaps it is unfair that a select few have been given such great gifts while others have to work much harder to find relevance in life. But the Equalists’ philosophy drives them to terrorism. Amon uses his highly trained forces and electrified weaponry to make theatrical displays of power against benders, and the Avatar in particular. Korra and her friends are thus put to the test against these skilled fighters who prove that you don’t need to be a bender to be a force in their world.

Tarrlok, like any good power-seeker, uses the terrorist actions of Amon and the Equalists to further his own agenda. Average people protesting the decisions of the City Council are put under arrest by Tarrlok, who labels the protesters Equalists. While not taken to that extreme, Tarrlok’s actions bring to mind the Guantanamo Bay detention camp and the idea that simply labeling someone a terrorist or enemy combatant removes any rights they have as human beings to be fairly tried.

Korra has to navigate this world of political intrigue and social upheaval while also protecting herself from Amon’s personal vendetta, leaving her completely uncertain who she can trust. And she must do this while her own morals are being put to the test. Korra, though a proponent of social justice, is quick to fight and reacts violently to people she views as evil. It is the duty of Tenzin, who was raised by the much more pacifist Aang, to show Korra the better path: There are men out there who would harm innocents for personal gain, or for a grander vision. We can’t be quick to pull the trigger, and we should evolve with the changing times. Those with whom we disagree don’t deserve violence. They should be heard and understood. Only when all other options have been exhausted should one resort to physicality.

The people of Republic City have a reason to be disgruntled. Despite the promise of its name, the ruling class of the City are hardly representative of the population. The council is made up of a representative from each of the elemental nations. Tenzin, whose nation consisted of only his own family, held equal power with the Earth councilmen, whose people were large and expansive. The Legend of Korra’s first season shows us how this system can change into something more democratic, as the season ends with the election of Republic City’s first president. Moving into a more presidential system shows how political movements can make a difference. But it was done through peace and negotiation, not brought on because of the violent actions of a few terrorists.

Despite its influence from Japanese art and storytelling, The Legend of Korra is ultimately a work of strong American allegory. It shows us the good and the bad with democratic systems, focusing on the problems that come with rapid progress and social change. And it does it all in a way that is eye-catching, interesting, and appeals to both children and adults. It is a show aimed at kids that still challenges adults. Yes, it is a cartoon, and it is one that I am proud to enjoy.

black-books

Few of my favourite things: Fanning out in British Isles

In case you haven’t figured it out by now, I watch a lot of television. I also read a lot of books and watch a lot of movies. I am completely fascinated by stories. That’s why I started this column, so I could write about all the TV shows and movies I love, and share that love with readers.

However, Fanning Out isn’t just about a TV show, or a movie. You can also Fan Out over people and places. Two of my favorite places are the United Kingdom and Ireland which, coincidentally, have also happened to produce many of my favorite shows and people.

I’ve been fascinated by Ireland for as long as I can remember. It probably dates back to my multiple viewings of Darby O’Gill and the Little People as a child. I always pictured it as this magical place with rolling green hills and beautiful lakes and forests. Turns out, I wasn’t that far off. Sure, there aren’t actually leprechauns running around the Ring of Kerry, but the country is peaceful and beautiful. I traveled there with my family back in 2008, and I shared the five reasons I love the Irish for St. Patrick’s Day. In fact, I am there again right now, spending a few days in Ireland before traveling on to Scotland, Wales, England, and France.

Apart from my brief time in Northern Ireland during my last trip, I’ve never been inside the United Kingdom. I am really excited to be seeing some awesome historical and cultural points of interest: William Wallace‘s sword in Scotland, Stonehenge, and Shakespeare’s birthplace, just to name a few). I’m also hoping I have a chance to work in a few more nerdy stops because, honestly, what would a trip to London be without a stop at Platform 9 3/4 in King’s Cross railway station? I’m hoping to track down at least one blue police box while I’m there. Also, I fully intend to point out Big Ben while stating, “Look kids, there’s Big Ben!” Possibly more than once.

My excitement about travelling through the U.K. isn’t just about getting to stop at all these nerdy locations I’ve read about or seen on TV, though. It’s also about getting to finally immerse myself in a place and culture I’ve only known from a distance for years but feel completely akin to.

As I stated earlier, I’ve loved Ireland for as long as I can remember, but my fascination with all things British didn’t really hit until I finally let a coworker talk me into watching this science fiction series some of you may have heard about called Doctor Who. Sure, I’ve always had a thing for British guys and their accents — most likely stemming from the crush three-year-old-me had on Davey Jones of the Monkees — but I never truly appreciated the charms of Britain until I started watching Doctor Who, followed by its spinoff, Torchwood. Both shows were a gateway into the world of British television, and I quickly realized there was a whole range of great television being produced in another country that, in some ways, was much better than anything I was watching in the United States.

Sherlock and Downton Abbey are two British shows that have become very popular in the States, and most fans of The Office are at least aware of the existence of its British counterpart, whether or not they’ve watched it. However, there’s a wide range of television from across the pond that hasn’t become widely available in the United States unless you’re a frequent viewer of BBC America; I watch quite a bit of British television, but there are a lot of shows even I don’t know about.

British television has a very different feel from American television. As anyone who has watched one can tell you, British sitcoms have a completely different sense of humor, which is one of the reasons why you hear fans debating over whether they enjoy the British or American version of The Office more. I honestly haven’t watched a lot of British sitcoms, but two that I have seen — and love — are Black Books and The IT Crowd.

Black Books is the perfect sitcom for anyone who has ever worked in a bookstore — or worked in retail at all. The series stars Irish comedian Dylan Moran as a belligerent book shop owner who hates his customers and, pretty much, people in general. The IT Crowd stars Chris O’Dowd, perhaps better known in the U.S. for his appearance in Bridesmaids, and Richard Ayoade as two nerdy information technology employees working under a recently hired supervisor who knows nothing about computers; I fell in love with this series almost immediately.

I spend much more time watching British dramas, which are also very different from U.S. dramas. What I love about British dramas is their understanding of suspense. An entire hour of a British drama can have very little real action (no car chases, explosions, gunfights, or anything of the sort) and still have you on the edge of your seat.

The first season of Broadchurch, starring David Tennant, is a perfect example of this. The series was utterly compelling without any over-the-top action sequences, and the performances of the entire cast were brilliant. The eight-episode series focused on the investigation of the murder of a 10-year-old boy. If you like mysteries and suspense, I highly recommend you watch this series. And try to do it before the Americanized version of the show, Gracepoint, comes on in the fall. While the previews look somewhat promising, and the same team is adapting the series with Tennant in the same role, there’s a high probability that the original series will be far superior to the Fox version.

Another great series for fans of suspenseful mysteries is Wallander, starring the always wonderful Kenneth Branaugh. Wallander is based on the mystery series by Swedish author Henning Mankell. The series uses the same format as Sherlock, each season just three 90-minute episodes. If you need further encouragement to watch, the first two seasons also starred another popular British actor, Tom Hiddleston.

I’ve been watching all these series and more for years, and now I’ll finally get to see the England that I’ve previously only seen on television. I can’t wait to finally get to see the streets of Sherlock’s London, seaside cliffs like those in Broadchurch, and the old book shops like Bernard Black’s (though, hopefully, with proprietors a little more friendly than he).

But it isn’t just about visiting places shown on television. I’ll finally get to see the countryside where Jane Austen heroines walked, that inspired J.R.R. Tolkien to create Middle-earth, and where Shakespeare was born.

Of all the things I tend to fan out about, Great Britain is high on the list, and I’m finally going to be there.

injustice

Superheroes approach killing from differing philosophies

Superheroes, whether in comics, movies, or animated television shows, make up our modern mythology. Like the mythology of the ancients, the stories we tell represent our greatest hopes, fears, and ideals. Then what does it say about us when our heroes kill?

Is there anything wrong with Superman killing General Zod to protect an innocent family? Does Wolverine’s use of deadly force to stop mass murderers make him any less heroic than Batman? These questions, though applied to fictional characters, hold great insights into who we are in the era of the drone and preemptive war.

The conflict is one of differing philosophies. Opponents of the death penalty and drone strikes share a philosophical mindset with some of our greatest fictional characters. These heroes, like Batman, Spider-Man, and Aang from Avatar: The Last Airbender, are famous practitioners of deontology, a philosophy that states that actions themselves, regardless of consequences, have an intrinsic moral value. Under deontology, stealing is wrong whether it is for personal gain or to feed your family, and killing is morally reprehensible even if it is done to save the lives of millions.

Some of the strongest heroes in fiction, including Superman and Goku from Dragon Ball Z, try their hardest to maintain this philosophy, but have occasionally made the difficult decision to do the unthinkable when circumstances have dictated. Goku, for example, gave his antagonist, Frieza, numerous opportunities to leave with his life, but the Super Saiyan was left no choice but to fire back at the monster in self-defense.

Some heroes find the morality of killing dangerous men to be much less morally ambiguous. These heroes practice the philosophy of utilitarianism, which states that the moral value of an action is directly linked to its consequences. Therefore, if killing the Phoenix saves the lives of thousands or millions of innocent people, doing so is the morally correct decision. Wolverine, who did kill Phoenix in X3, is perhaps the most obvious example, but other heroes who practice utilitarianism include such squeaky clean characters as the Power Rangers and the Jedi.

Spider-Man’s origin story offers a perfect example of the conflict between deontology and utilitarianism. When a robber passes by Peter Parker, he is faced with a moral decision. Deontology dictates that Peter stop the thief. Stealing is, itself, a moral wrong, and Peter, possessing the power necessary to easily stop him, should have. He didn’t, and the decision had dire consequences. Utilitarianism states that not stopping the thief only became wrong when it later led to the death of Peter’s Uncle Ben. By not apprehending the man, Peter made the wrong moral decision under both utilitarianism and deontology.

But does the equation change when the stakes are raised? When Peter defeats his enemies, such as Green Goblin, he hands them off to the authorities, where they are then expected to go through the legal process. Should Peter have killed these villains instead? Under the American legal system, we expect citizens to only use lethal force as a last resort. And under deontological reasoning, killing is always wrong. But these villains are left with the ability to escape custody and further harm civilians. In one of the most famous examples, Green Goblin, who Spider-Man had refused to kill in the past, ended the life of Peter’s girlfriend, Gwen Stacy. The utilitarian philosopher would then argue that Peter’s refusal to kill the Goblin was wrong, because it led to Gwen’s death.

Under deontology, Spider-Man can’t be held responsible for the blood on the Goblin’s hands. Using the same philosophy, Batman also can’t be blamed for Joker’s murder of the second Robin, Jason Todd, or his crippling of Barbara Gordon. Batman is defined by his refusal to kill, even under the most extenuating circumstances. As shown in the animated movie Under the Red Hood, when forced to choose between saving the life of the Joker and killing the Red Hood, Batman found a third way by stopping Red Hood’s firearm, ironically saving the man who caused so much grief.

Letting someone die, not just killing, was a moral wrong in Bruce Wayne’s mind, and Batman could not let that happen, even though Red Hood’s arguments about the Joker were all true. Thousands died at the hands of the Joker, and because of his insanity, the legal system would never put him to death. According to Red Hood, Batman had a moral obligation to save the lives of the Joker’s future victims by killing the mad man when he had the chance. By not doing so, the blood of the Clown Prince of Crime was on the hands of the Caped Crusader.

Batman’s refusal to kill has long been the basis for his unlikely friendship with the Man of Tomorrow, even if Zack Snyder and David Goyer completely missed that. Superman, despite having the power of a god, has refused for most of his 75-year history to kill even the most dangerous of villains. The few times in which he behaved differently have been so rare that they either were used to reshape the DC Universe or were done in alternate continuities.

When Clark Kent finally crosses that line and allows himself to kill, it always acts as the beginning of a slippery slope. In the ongoing comic story Injustice, the Joker tricks Superman into accidentally killing Lois Lane and her unborn baby before detonating a nuclear weapon in the middle of Metropolis. Clark finally snaps and kills the Joker — something Batman had always refused to do.

Bruce immediately comes into conflict with Superman, but chooses to bide his time and hope that his friend will realize his mistake. Instead, Superman slips further into the role of seemingly benevolent dictator. After killing the Joker, Superman decides it’s time to stop playing with kid gloves, and he begins taking out those who have committed atrocious acts. Dictators fall, villains are killed, and the descent of the world’s greatest hero into mass murderer begins. Once the Rubicon has been crossed, Clark finds it increasingly easy to kill, even ending the life of Green Arrow over a simple misunderstanding in front of his own parents.

Batman stands by his philosophical beliefs and becomes the only man able to bring down the Dictator of Steel. But if he is given the opportunity, will Bruce Wayne be morally obligated to end the life of a super killer? Obviously, Batman says no, but other heroes would answer differently.

In Age of Ultron, the Marvel world is plunged into darkness by a robot-killing machine. When Wolverine learns that Ultron was built by Hank Pym, the original Ant-Man, he decides to do what is necessary to save the world. Wolverine travels back in time to kill Pym before he even conceives of Ultron. Pym, at that time, was still heroic, a member of the Avengers. He had yet to do anything wrong, but Wolverine, believing in utilitarian ethics, chose to end the man’s life before his creation could cause any harm. The plan ultimately backfired, but Wolverine’s willingness to kill a still-innocent man provokes an interesting question about what makes someone heroic.

The Jedi of the Star Wars universe don’t have the benefit of time travel, but they do take seriously their duty to maintain the peace, even if that means killing. Unlike with Superman and others, there is no hesitation in the Jedi when it comes to taking down those who would harm the innocent. The Jedi, like the Green Lantern Corps and the real-world police, are charged with protecting the innocent and are thus allowed to kill when necessary.

In Phantom Menace, Obi-Wan Kenobi seemingly ends the life of the Sith Lord, Darth Maul, due to his personal feelings that the Sith are evil. We, as members of the audience, are inclined to agree with his decision, but have a very different point of view when it is Anakin Skywalker who behaves in the same manner. In Revenge of the Sith, Anakin cuts off the hand of Jedi master Mace Windu, allowing Darth Sidious to kill him. Anakin, like his old master, was taking action against a man he perceived to be committing an evil act — after all, Mace Windu was technically trying to enact a coup.

The death of Mace Windu led to 30 years of oppressive rule under the Empire. Does this result make Anakin’s actions any more reprehensible than Obi-Wan’s? Under utilitarian ethics, the answer is yes, but using deontology, both actions hold equal moral weight.

The beauty of fictional superheroes, however, is that morally difficult questions can be solved with creative writing. A hero does not have to choose between killing the supervillain or letting innocents die. Batman can stop Red Hood’s gun, Superman can turn back time, and Goku can use the Dragon Balls to wish his enemies back to life with new moral compasses. Unfortunately, these third choices can be seen as copouts at best, and poor storytelling at worst. One of the worst offenders of this copout came about as part of the most compelling and philosophically challenging stories ever told. On Nickelodeon, at least.

Avatar: The Last Airbender follows the story of Aang, the fabled Avatar. The Avatar is styled on the Dalai Lama, if the Buddhist leader could shoot fire from his hands. The Avatar is reincarnated upon death and is distinguished from other element benders by his or her ability to bend all four elements: Earth, Fire, Water, and Air. Aang is the sole survivor of the Air Nation, a society of pacifist monks whose abilities were used primarily in defense.

Aang is told his entire life that it is his destiny to defeat the Fire Lord, who has conquered most of the four nations and brought oppression to the people. No one doubts the Fire Lord is evil, but Aang is still a little boy and is unable to accept that killing his nemesis is the answer. When all of his human mentors tell him that he has no other choice, Aang looks to the spirits of his past lives — the previous Avatars — for another answer. Unfortunately, they all declare the same thing: the evil of the Fire Lord must be defeated, and Aang must accept his destiny by killing the man.

Even during the final fight, Aang refuses to do what is expected of him but finds a third way. The Avatar uses his powers to take away the bending ability of the Fire Lord, relegating him to the status and danger level of a regular human. Aang is able to stick to his deontological beliefs even with the fate of the world on the line. Sure, it was contrived and came with no foreshadowing, but it spoke to a strong ethical ideal and seemed to split the difference between deontology and utilitarianism. Aang was able to stand by his beliefs and still save the world, never compromising. But even the spiritual leaders of this mystic world from across the ages found nothing wrong with killing a dangerous man. Ultimately, it was Aang’s personal morality, not a universally held social morality, that prevented the Avatar from crossing a line he was unwilling to cross.

Perhaps this is the difference between Batman and Superman as well. Batman’s aversion to death comes from the trauma of seeing his own parents gunned down before him. Superman only ever experienced such loss in distant ways, and his morality was formed only by lessons from virtuous parents. Maybe this is why writers find it so much easier to see Superman finally crack and kill people. Wolverine’s willingness to kill comes from his understanding that the world is a much darker place, and it is sometimes necessary to do something morally questionable for the greater good.

These characters’ personal ethics about taking the lives of others does not dictate whether or not they can be considered heroes any more than it can in the real world. But it is these ethics that define the characters we love and that lend them their staying power. They give us examples to live by, just as ancient mythology did for our ancestors.

What do you think? Is Batman to blame when the Joker kills innocents? Should Aang have been prepared to do the unthinkable for the fate of his world? Is Wolverine any less heroic for killing an innocent Hank Pym? Did Zack Snyder make a mistake by having his Superman kill General Zod?

These questions are a lot more relevant now, in a world of terrorist attacks and mass shootings. Unfortunately, we don’t have the luxury of writers who can concoct new powers for us when the time calls for it, and we may all some day be faced with a difficult decision that makes us rethink our moral codes.

teenwolf

MTV’s Teen Wolf is better than you’d think

A television adaptation of a moderately successful 1980s fantasy film, airing on MTV. How can that possibly be any good?

This was my first thought when I heard the announcement for the Teen Wolf series a couple of years ago. The idea raised any number of issues. My first problem was that the series would be a remake. It seems like every time we turn around, shows are being remade, movies are being adapted into series — nothing is original anymore. Hollywood has run out of better ideas, so they go back to what has already been done and try to come up with a new twist or make it better. Despite the fact that one of my all-time favorite series was a reworking of a failed movie, I wasn’t feeling very forgiving in this case.

I was also completely biased against the show simply because it was airing on MTV, the network that gave us oh-so-classy shows like Jersey Shore, Jackass, and Viva La Bam (though I confess I do find Bam Margera amusing). I didn’t see how MTV could possibly produce a scripted series that was actually good.

Plus, there was the added stigma that the show might just rely on its eye candy, taking any opportunity it got to let the guys run around shirtless. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a necessarily a bad thing given the actors they’ve cast (Tyler Hoechlin is all grown up now), but I do appreciate a well-written script to go along with the gratuitous ab-showing.

With all those things going against it, I avoided the first two seasons of Teen Wolf, writing it off as simply another MTV attempt to build an audience by giving teens what they want to see. However, friends of mine relentlessly dangled that Hoechlin-shaped carrot (don’t judge me, I can be just as shallow as the next girl) in front of my face until I finally caved and agreed to see what this show was really about. What I discovered surprised me.

Yes, there was quite a bit of the expected exposed abdominals, but shirtless, muscled physiques aside (come on girls, admit you’re curious now), there was a decent storyline at work here, with characters who, believe it or not, had depth.

The premise of Teen Wolf is fairly simple on the surface: Scott McCall is a lacrosse-playing teenager who works part-time for the local veterinarian. One night, while sneaking out of the house with his best friend Stiles, Scott is bitten by a wolf and begins to show symptoms of becoming a werewolf. Meanwhile, Scott is also falling for the new girl in school, who just happens to be descended from a long line of werewolf hunters. This is just where the show begins; it has morphed several times since season 1.

The first two seasons were each 12 episodes long, with a well-planned arc for each. The third season was doubled to 24 episodes, but it was split into two halves, each plotted out almost like two separate seasons. The creators and writers carefully map out every part of each episode and how it relates to the arc so that no episode is truly a stand-alone episode — everything is vital to the continuing story.

And nearly every episode is packed with intense action that drives the plot of the season forward. I honestly don’t know when I’ve watched a series that has stressed me out so much in a single hour of television as this one does. It’s almost a relief that the seasons are only 12 episodes long, as you eventually need a break from all the tension (though by the end of that break, you’re counting down the days until the next premiere).

The series originally focused on the anticipated werewolf mythology. Season 2 introduced a new monster: a lizard-like creature known as a Kanima. In South American lore, the kanaima is a jaguar-like shape-shifter, but the Teen Wolf version is reptilian. Season 3 pulled from Celtic mythology in the first half of the season. The second half of season 3 dealt with the Japanese mythology of the Kitsune, as well as the Japanese-American experience, including internment during World War II.

Creator Jeff Davis has an excellent knack for introducing new mythology and blending it with the old without creating continuity issues. He is also meticulous about picking up threads from a year or two before that the viewer might have thought were unimportant only to reveal just how vital they are.

The cast of Teen Wolf is exactly what you would expect to see on MTV. All of the principal cast members are young and incredibly attractive. However, good looks aside, they’re also great actors. I’ve mentioned my love for Hoechlin; however, the true breakout star of the series would have to be Dylan O’Brien. Starring as Scott’s best friend Stiles, this is O’Brien’s first major role. He started out as the comic relief — a lovable goofball who could always bring a smile even in the most tense situations. However, season 3 showed viewers a completely different side of Stiles and allowed O’Brien to really show the range of his talent. O’Brien’s skills also stretch to writing, as Davis has allowed O’Brien to play with the script and even write some of his own lines and a couple of scenes.

One of my favorite aspects of this show is something you don’t see very often in teen dramas: the adult characters in Teen Wolf are just as well-developed and essential to the storyline as the teenagers. So often in teen shows, the parents are almost non-existent or are two-dimensional; they are just there to punish the teenagers, create conflict, or bring comic relief. But the parents in Teen Wolf are real characters that you care about just as much as the teenagers, and the teens have real relationships with their parents, not just quick, meaningless conversations to fill time.

Melissa McCall, Scott’s mother, is probably one of the coolest moms on television. She handled the revelation that her son is a supernatural creature surprisingly well, and she is terrific all around. I don’t think there’s been a character quite like her on a teen drama since Joyce Summers died on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Sheriff Stilinski, Stiles’ father, is by no means the stereotypical, clueless small-town sheriff — though he does remain ignorant of his son’s involvement with supernatural beings for the first two and a half seasons. He’s intelligent enough to know something else is going on before he finds out exactly what that is.

Finally, Chris Argent, the father of Scott’s love interest, Allison, and a werewolf hunter, has one of the more interesting arcs of the series. He learns to set aside generations of family history and work alongside the werewolves to protect the town rather than hunt them down.

There are many more things I could say about why Teen Wolf is a decent show despite the stigma of being a teen drama on MTV, but seeing really is believing. All three seasons are available to stream through Amazon Instant Video, free for Amazon Prime subscribers, and the third season is available on MTV.com. You can pretty easily pick it up with just season 3 if you’d like, though you’ll miss seeing Colton Haynes before he jumped ship and joined the cast of Arrow.

You have a little over a week to get caught up before season 4 premieres June 23, and if you like supernatural dramas, I suggest you give this one a chance.

buffy-hush

Looking at the 10 — or 15 — best Buffy episodes

A few weeks ago, I shared a list of my 10 favorite Angel episodes, in honor of the 10th anniversary of the finale of Angel. Writing about my favorite Angel episodes also got me thinking about my favorite episodes of its sister show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Coming up with a list for Buffy is actually easier than it was for Angel — a fact that surprised me. I was a bigger fan of Buffy, and the show aired for two seasons more. There are a lot of episodes of Buffy that I love — I could probably make a top 10 list for each season — but when I really sat down and thought about it, certain episodes immediately came to mind as being truly great. I didn’t spend nearly as much time thinking about which episodes should go on this list as I did the Angel list; these all seemed natural choices.

So, without further ado, here are my top 10 favorite episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer:

10. “Grave” (Season 6, Episode 22): I have to be honest and say that, overall, season six was one of my least favorite seasons. It was dark and rather depressing. I also had a hard time believing guys like Warren, Andrew, and Jonathan could really be a threat to the Slayer herself (though I love Andrew and Jonathan). However, it made sense in the end that Willow would be the Big Bad of the season. I feel like they had been building toward this possibility for a while — and not just in season six. I really liked the symbolism at the end of this episode, when Dawn and Buffy climbed out of the grave: they were leaving the shadow of Buffy’s death behind once and for all and entering a new stage of life. What I loved most about this episode, though, and what earns it a place on my top 10 list, is that it was Xander who stopped Willow and saved the world. I’ve always loved Xander, and I thought this was a terrific moment for his character.

9. “Amends” (S3, E10): When this episode first aired, The First Evil was just a random bad guy who was easily defeated by destroying a shrine; no one knew how powerful a villain he (she? It?) would later become. I really liked this closer look into Angel‘s character and the things he regretted doing as Angelus. I also really liked the scene with Buffy and Angel on the hill in the end. Sure, the snow was a bit of a deus ex machina, but this was a Christmas episode, so it worked.

8. “Angel” (S1, E7): The first season of Buffy wasn’t perfect, but it did have its moments, and “Angel” was one of them. I thought this episode was well done, including the reveal that Angel was a vampire. Sure, if you were paying attention, you probably suspected it before now, but I liked the fact that they waited for that reveal.

7. “Once More, with Feeling” (S6, E7): Buffy sings! Only Joss Whedon could have pulled off a musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and have it be just the right amount of cheese. A demon that curses the townspeople with having to sing about their problems? It sounds ridiculous, but in this case it worked and is one of my favorite episodes. I still pull out the soundtrack and listen to it once in a while. I think the best part of this episode, though, is the fact that it’s not just a one-off silly episode. It actually drives the plot of the entire season forward with the huge bombshell that Buffy was happy and in heaven before her friends decided to resurrect her.

6. “Prophecy Girl” (S1, E12): Looking back over my list, I realized I included a lot of season finales, though that wasn’t intentional. They just tend to pack that emotional punch that make them really good episodes. “Prophecy Girl” was no different. The scene in the library, with Buffy and Giles and Buffy’s emotional declaration, “I don’t want to die,” really made this episode; it reminded us that, though she is the Slayer, she is also still a teenager. That, along with the fact that she went to meet the Master anyway, knowing the prophecy predicted her death, really set the tone for Buffy’s character and the entire series. Even though she’s a teenager, she’s not afraid to make difficult choices and sacrifices. This is why I admire her character so much.

5. “Becoming (Part 2)” (S2, E22): This was another finale with a huge emotional punch. Season 2 is possibly my favorite of the entire series. I’m not saying it all went downhill from here — each season has its high points, and some excellent episodes — but this season was extremely well done. The Angelus storyline was brilliant, and it all culminates in one moment at the end of this episode. Willow is finally able to succeed in performing the spell to re-ensoul Angel, but she’s too late. Angelus has already opened a gateway to a hell dimension and the only way to close it is to kill Angel. Killing Angelus would have been easy — Buffy was prepared for that — but watching her kill Angel is heartbreaking.

4. “Chosen” (S7, E22): I really loved season 7. It had its flaws, but, overall, it felt like a final season long before it was announced it would be the last. This episode brought out everything that made Buffy such a wonderful series. It even reunited Buffy and Angel for a brief period. I cried and laughed, felt worried and tense — sometimes all those emotions in just the 10 minutes of action between commercial breaks. The only sense of finality in this episode is the knowledge you have that there will never be a season 8. I loved the feeling of hope at the end and knowing that our beloved characters would continue on.

3. “The Gift” (S5, E22): Buffy willingly sacrifices her life a second time to save the world. This one was much more emotional than the first, however, since there is no bringing her back with CPR. I loved the opening of this episode, where she saves a young guy and his reaction is, “But you’re just a girl.” Buffy responds with, “That’s what I keep saying.” I love the little moments like this that remind us Buffy is much more than a Slayer. She is just a girl and sometimes would love to be just a girl. Her speech to Dawn was also tear-jerking; her line, “The hardest thing in this world is to live in it,” has really stuck with me over the years. The shot of the tombstone at the end lent the episode serious gravity and marked the series’ move from The WB into a new era on UPN.

2. “The Body” (S5, E16): These last two episodes could really be tied for first place, in my mind. “The Body” is one of the most heartbreaking episodes of television I’ve ever seen (possibly second only to Angel‘s “A Hole in the World”). The heartbreak really started in the previous episode, when Buffy came home to find her mother dead on the couch. Hearing Buffy, one of the strongest people you’ll ever meet, call out, “Mommy?” gut-punches me every time. Buffy and her friends deal with death constantly; what makes Joyce‘s death that much harder to take was that it was a natural one; this was no demon or vampire, there was no way Buffy could have done anything to prevent it. In this case, the Slayer is completely powerless. What adds to the tension (and brilliance) of this episode is the fact that there is no soundtrack at all; this gives the entire episode immediacy and a haunting feel. Anya’s breakdown and lack of understanding human emotions was one of the best moments from this episode, which, on the whole, was extremely well done.

1. “Hush” (S4, E10): I’m pretty sure this was the episode that cemented my love for all things Whedon. Not many hour-long series could pull off an entire 20 minutes in which not one character speaks, but Whedon did it wonderfully. This is definitely my favorite episode of the series. I loved how the characters had to make use of other modes of communication (Giles’ transparencies, for one), and the emphasis on expression and movement made the episode so fascinating to watch. I also loved that Buffy’s realization that Riley is part of a secret organization occurs in this episode, where they can’t talk about it until the end — and even when they can speak, they just sit there, staring at each other, unable to think of what to say. Plus, the Gentlemen still give me nightmares and are quite possibly the most terrifying monsters Buffy has fought (although, Gnarl comes in a close second).

As I was making this list, I realized there were several more episodes that couldn’t go unmentioned. So here are five more great episodes, in no particular order:

“The Zeppo” (S3, E13): This episode focused entirely on Xander’s exploits, with Buffy’s fight to stop the apocalypse entirely in the background. Xander will always be one of my favorite characters of this series, and this episode perfectly showcased his character.

“Lovers Walk” (S3, E8): I love Spike, and drunken, emotional Spike returning to Sunnydale was great.

“Something Blue” (S4, E9): This was another episode that I found amusing, as Willow accidentally casts a spell that makes everything she says come true.

“Innocence” (S2, E13): I debated whether this deserved a place on the list over “Becoming (Part 2),” but, ultimately, Angel’s death won me over. Nonetheless, from Buffy’s initial fears that she wasn’t good enough in bed, to her realization that the man she loves no longer exists, just a demon wearing his face — all very well done.

“Passion” (S2, E17): I’ve said before I’m not always a fan of voiceovers, but I thought the limited narration in this episode was powerfully done. This episode is where, in my opinion, everything changes in Buffy’s world. The stakes are raised and consequences become real. People die. And Angelus must be killed.

So that’s my list. What did I miss? Share your favorite episodes in the comments!