A song of Ice and Fiery shoes - The Flash S1E4 "Going Rogue"

Holy Smoaks (get it? haha) what an amazing episode this was! Not only did we see our first real crossover between Arrow and The Flash, but the we got our first real super villain from The Flash's Rogue Gallery, and he even manages to best Barry - what a cool villain. 

Alas, before I run cold of good puns, let's have a gander at this episode 

The Scapegoat and the Actual Goat - Review of Gotham S1E6 "Spirit of the Goat

Following 5 weeks of Gotham, with the tensions building up around the 3-way war between Falcone, Fish Mooney and Maroni, I was definately surprised to see none of those characters even making an appearence in this episode, so in a way it felt strangely out of continuety. With that in mind let's grab the bull (or in this case the goat) by the horns and review this episode

A cannibal's last supper - The Walking Dead S5E3 "Four Walls and a Roof"

After a literal explosive season premiere, and a second episode that sended the show right back to its roots, we now find ourselves with a season of The Walking Dead, that seems to have so much more happening than the last 2 seasons in such a short time.
Now let's have a taste of what episode 3 brought this time around!

I used to be a hero like you, then I took an arrow to the chest - Review of Arrow S3E1 'The Calm'

When last season culminated in the epic showdown with Slade Wilson aka 'Deathstroke', expectations for the third season was sky high! We were even left with a teaser in the flashbacks of the finale, that Oliver wasn't always on the Island of Lian Yu, but that he was for some time also in Hong Kong, at the behest of Amanda Waller. So let's all fill our quivers and take a shot at the third season premiere of Arrow.

Simmons on thin ice in the Hydra's lair - Review of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D S1E3 'Making Friends and Influencing People'

After two episodes of vaguely hinting at Simmons' departure from the team we finally get to see what has happened to her. She is currently undercover as a scientist working at one of Hydra's bases of operation. With a sweet and honest girl like her undercover, issues seems indeed unavoidable! 

Heroes are not born they are made in a Flash - Review of The Flash pilot

I've been particularly excited about this show since around the middle of the second season of 'Arrow', where we were introduced to Barry Allen(plated by Grant Gustin), the forensic crime scene assistent from Central City Police Department. DC Universe fans were aware, that Barry Allen is the name of the man who would eventually become The Flash, and shortly after the episodes of 'Arrow' showcased the incident that would create The Flash, a pilot was ordered for a Flash serie. The serie was finally picked up by CW (same network as Arrow) at the start of summer, and so DC Universe now has two series that will intertwine with one another in Arrow and The Flash.
But enough about that, onwards with the review!

The pilot of The Flash felt really familiar to Arrow fans such as myself, as it bears the same watermarks of the creaters of both of the series. The episode managed to convey the personality of Barry Allen to both new viewers as well as the people who were already familiar with him from his appearence on Arrow. Grant Gustin quirkiness really underlines the performance as Flash, as he is also known in the comics to be ready with a snappy comeback.
As with many other superheroes, Barry Allens past is also one of tragedy, and the murder of his mother by the strange lightning sets the show up in such a way, that you'd want to see Barry using his newfound abilities to solve the mystery of his mother's murder, and somehow manage to free his father from prison, because he was wrongfully accused of the murder.

Speaking of the powers, the Speed Force (what his powers are known as in the DC Universe) translates well to television, and it flows really well into the cinematography. And so far, I feel his current control of his powers seems to be at a realistic level, considering the time he has had to get used to them. I found it a bit weird, that he could just get up and walk after his 9 months in a coma, but in later parts of the episode, his cells were showed to regenerate at an abnormal fast speed, so I supposed that would be an explanation.

Repairing a Broken Shield - Review of Agents of SHIELD S1E1-2

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D had a rough start last year when it first premiered. Loose story lines, a lack of vision and some questionable directions. When I first started watching I was waiting with bated breath for the moment when they were crossing over with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but that would didn't quite happen to the extend I had hoped for...at first. But something else happened, the chemestry between the main cast grew, the seemingly insignificant plotlines all lined up, and the season finally ended on such a high-note, that I almost forgot my first disappointment. The clean-up episode following Thor: The Dark World didn't feel too connected with the MCU, but when the final 3 episode hit, and the twist from Captain America: The Winter Soldier (where it was revealed that S.H.I.E.L.D for years had been infiltrated by Hydra) it all tied in with the show so nicely! And it was a finally with an impact, not everybody made it out unscathed, and just as shown in Captain America, S.H.I.E.L.D was dismantled.
But by the end Coulson was apporach by Nick Fury, who by the public is presumed dead, to take over as director to rebuild S.H.I.E.L.D. And after that happened, we were left with a cryptic message that Coulson wrote on the wall, guided by some unknown entity - maybe linked to his revival after the Avengers incident with Loki.

I have included both episode 1 and 2 into my review as it can easily be watched as one cohesive episode. Let's get cracking!

It is clear that we're dealing with a different kind of S.H.I.E.L.D this season, even from the start. Under Coulson's leadership, they have recruited mercenaries to expand their small roster, one of them being an ex-agent. We also see a more capable Skye, who allegedly have been trained by agent May. This was very pleasing to me, as I did find Skye's character in the last season to be a bit underwhelming. She is this genius hacker, but when the team concist of two young, brilliant science prodegies (Fitz and Simmons), her position were often reduced to damsel in distress. This time around, she has gained some character. Speaking of  Fitz and Simmons, after their escape from death in last season's finally, Fitz have not been the same. His train of thought gets shifted, he forgets words, and worst of all, he talks to himself thinking that he is talking to Simmons, who in reality had left the team after seeing what has happened to Fitz. This is truely the biggest casualty the team has suffered, as they are now without their dream science team.
I did find it curious that they're keeping Ward locked up at their base, and she only wants to talk with Skye. The whole situation could take an unfortunate turn, as I don't want them to forgive him for selling them out to Hydra, but they might have sowed the seeds for a potential redemption of his character - but they have to be cautious, as they might become cheesy if not handled correctly.

It was really pleasing the way they handled the introduction of Carl Creel, also known as Absorbing Man from the comics. His unique powers translated well over to television, and him working for Hydra despite them being in hiding shows that they are still very much a threat. Knowing that he was the only person able to handling the Obelisk, showcases Hydras level of intelligence, and makes them that much more threatening to Coulson and his team. This also translates into a better overall story arc from the beginning, in contrast to last season.

I found the addition of the mercanaries to be a bold, yet rewarding choice for the show. Especially the character of Lance Hunter, a former operative for the Special Air Services, as we don't really know where his allegiance lies within the first two episodes. We don't know whether or not he is going to sell out Coulson to Brigadier General Talbot, who is on the hunt for any remnants of S.H.I.E.L.D. In the end he joins up with the team, and I believe we will see some great new interactions.

There was almost no complains for me to be had for the first two episodes, not anything that hasn't been wrong with the show before. What I'm referring to is the sometimes abysmal CGI effects, where I almost cringe. This is especially true when they're using any of their hightech airplanes. And it is really bafflling to me how they can make a guy like Absorbing Man look so good, but still has a hard time with their airplanes - oh well.

Of Course it wouldn't really be Marvel without a little nod to long time fans in form of easter-eggs as well as hints to the Marvel Universe. This time they used the opening of the first episode as a short introduction to Agent Carter (an upcoming Marvel show set at the end of World War II, with familiar characters from Captain America: The First Avengers), who is seen apprehending Dr. Daniel
Whitehall of Hydra and reclaimed the Obelisk from them.
And that all worked wonderfully when we find out in the second episode, that Whitehall is somehow still alive decades after the end of World War II.

As this wasn't enough, we also see Raina again, who is now working under some unknown assailant. She knew about Creel's possesion of the Obelisk and even manages to double-play both the new S.H.I.E.L.D and Hydra. And for some reason, her new boss is strangely interested in getting his hands on Skye.



It seems that we now have a three-way struggle at play only after two episodes, and I can't wait to see where this will take us. I am a little reluctant because of the fact, that the next movie in the MCU is Avengers 2: Age of Ultron, so I doubt we will see much crossover from the movies, but I am hopeful!

Disappointing villain deflates the balloon - Review of Gotham S1E3 'Balloonman

Three home runs might have been too much to ask for, even for a serie like Gotham. Sufficed to say, this week episode have been the weakest so far, but the enjoyment was still very much there. Let's dig in and see how far the balloon traveled this time.

Right off the bat we see Cobblepot returning to Gotham, and through his eyes we see the daily crime on the street level is ripe, even in broad daylight. He revels in this sight and delightfully sighs that he is once again home. Despite the tittle of this episode being 'Balloonman', I felt as though the episode was more a showcase of Oswald Cobblepots resurgence to a position within the hierarchy of Gotham's crimeworld. We see him from petty street thug to applying to a job as a busboy at a mafia-owned restaurant, where he manages to earn the interest of the Don. The Don tells Cobblepot that he sees his former self in him, and that he believes that Gotham is the city of opportunities(with a strong hint that it is only for the people willing to bend or break the law) and Cobblepot agrees. I find this statement very appealing from a more meta-point of view, as the serie itself is shot in New York City, the real-life city of opportunities. 

But as much as I find this subplot interesting, it is only the subplot. The main plot of the episode is unfortunately not as appealing. 

The mainplot involves a vigilante who targets publicly known corrupt people, and kills them off by handcuffing them to an weather-balloon and sends them to float away. Once again Gordon and Bullock is on the case, but for Bullock only after the second victim being a cop. By the end Gordon determines that the Balloonman is a man from juvenil services named Davis Lamond, who snapped after the mayor's handling of the child kidnapping of last weeks episode. Throughout the episode the people of Gotham are shown to sympathize with the vigilante much to Gordons dismay, as he feels his job as a detective, a defender of justice and the people, becomes increasingly difficult, as it is shown that the police do not have the faith of the people. 

As this weeks villain Lamond fell short because of several factors: 

    - His motives for killing the people he chose were not clarified for all the three victims

    - The confrontation by the end between him and Gordon & Bullock felt forced, as though his                 character suddently changed 

    - The show has taken a more realistic approach to villains so far, so the whole killing people with         weather-balloons seems almost too silly.

The sillyness of the villain might harken back to the ealier years of the Batman Comics, with the likes of the Clock King, Calendar-man and other really weird villains, but this early in the show, I feel that the Balloonman concept felt misjudged by the showrunners. It is almost so laughable, that you might as well have used a parody version of the old Batman intro and change it to: "Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-Balloonman!

A fun little sidenote to Lamond as the Balloonman, is that the first time we see him in this weeks episode he is wearing a pig-mask.  This pig-mask could very well be an homage to the Batman villain Professor Pyg, who is the only villain in the Batman mythos to have been known to wearing a pig-mask. And to make this little easter-egg even more exciting, the real name of Professor Pyg is actually Lazlo Valentin. This is significant, as Fish Mooney's so called "boy toy" is also named Lazlo, but we don't know his name yet. 

This week's subplot with Bruce and Alfred felt much better this time around. Alfred's concern for Bruce is better showcased with him trying to distract him and at the same time teach him basic self-defense by swordfighting. His concern for Bruce also shows when his meals for him are brushed off. We are also shown how Bruce's earliest interests in detective work develops, as he has the file of his parents murder. 

I like how the show slowly, but steadily builds up the foundation for Batman, but not too much so it feels forced.  

One thing that did feel forced in this episode however, was the part involving Selina Kyle. She was suppose so reveal information about the Wayne-murder, but ended up didging Gordon while he was in the sewers. It felt like the showrunners needed to get Selina back on the streets, and this was the only way they could get her there. It is a shame, because the ending of last episode made us believe that she had some huge reaviling evidence in the case. All of a sudden that evidence conveniently manages to slip through Gordons fingers, because Selina knows how to break out of handcuffs with a pen? Riiiiiight.... 

Another thing that came totally out of left field for me was the fact that Montoya used to date Barbara? I knew there was a history there, but I thought they were merely old friends that have drifted apart. I guess now it does make more sense why she is so hard on Gordon. But that whole scene between Montoya and Barbara felt rushed and lacked disposition. When did Barbara start to smoke weed (the other two episodes had no indication of that), and the whole reveal of their past came so sudden that you couldn't see it coming. 

Caged Cat and a Penguin on the loose - Review of Gotham S1E2 ' Selina Kyle'.

After a brilliant start to Gotham last week, expectations from me was soaring! And I am glad to say that Gotham is on the right track right off the gate. So let's not waste any more time and let's get on with the review:

Episode 2 starts of at the Wayne Manor, where we see Bruce trying to test his limit by holding his hand over a candle. This coupled with last weeks roof escapades, we are slowly seeing the first signs of him controlling his fears, and growing in to the man who will later become Batman. But of course Alfred is not pleased with how Bruce is handling the murder of his parents, and he is even less pleased with how he is handling the role of the sole guardian of his young master.
The episode is then thrust into the main plot and 2 side plots all beautifully coordinated. The main story of the episode is that 2 unknown assailants are kidnapping homeless kids off the street, posing as part of the mayor's reach-out program. Selina "Cat" Kyle witness this but manages to escape. Gordon and Harvey are assigned to the case, but it is clear that Gordon is not pleased with the general police work of GCPD - the corruption goes as high as the chief of police and the mayor. Frustrated, he tries to keep up his appearence of a saint, but everybody thinks that he killed Cobblepot, so it is hard for him to keep his image without seeming like a hypocrite.

The story's first subplot is following Cobblepot, as he is picked up by two young men along the road, who gives him a hard time. Of course they end up crossing that fatal line when they commented on the way he walks, as it looks like a penguin. He ends up killing one of them and ties the other person up and stores him in a trailer, which Cobblepot buys to lay low. And while that is going on, Renee
Montoya and Crispus Allen from the Mayor's Crime Unit of GCPD is investigating the disappearence of Cobblepot, angry that they have lost their snitch. Their search brings them by his mother's appartment, where we get to see the scewered vision she has of his son.

Second subplot is set in Fish Mooney's nightclub, where she is visited by Carmine Falcone about certain rumours, that tells of her upcoming betrayal. Using her charms she manages to misdirect the
allegations, but one of her waiters at the club does pay the price.
This scene showcases what will most likely be an ungoing plot of the show, the power struggle within Gotham City's underworld, and I find it interesting, how two seemingly civilized people in a blink of an eye just turns ruthless - and I love it!


Back at the mainplot, Gordon and Jim follows up on a lead after they've raided a pharmacy, due to the kidnappers unorthodox method of 'sedation rods/pens', which instantly incapacitates the victim. These instruments are said to have been used back when Arkham Asylum was still running, over 15 years ago. This particular information is very interesting, as Arkham Asylum in the Batman universe, is a central location, as it houses every villain Batman catches. So to know that the asylum has been out of commision for so long is poses a lot of questions, that I can't wait to get answered.
Gordon finds a lead, that leads him and Harvey to the harbour to stop this child trafficking. But in the mids of all this is Selina Kyle, the titular character of this episode. As she herself was almost captured, she is rounded up with the rest of the homeless kids to be transported upstate, to a youth correctional facility (which she knows means juvenile hall). As she does not want to go there she tries to plead, to speak with James Gordon, but she is quickly dismissed. One of the busses that were supposed to drive upstate is hijacked by the kidnappers - the bus where Selina was in.
She manages to dodge them, by showing her stealth abilities to escape the bus when they arrive at the warehouse by the harbour. She even manages to dispatch one of the guards by clawing his eyes out. Ultimately she is almost shot if not by the intervention by James Gordon.

When they get back to the police station Selina ends up bargaining her freedom with Gordon, in return for some intell on the Wayne murder case.