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New Shows Coming Soon

8/13/2015

by Jen

Fall is approaching - school is back in session (at least in the GGI’s neck of the woods), football season is kicking off, and this Geek Mom’s mind is turning towards the most important of upcoming events: the new fall TV shows!

Here are a few of the shows I’m most looking forward to in the coming months.

The Alienist (TNT) - Based on the novel by Caleb Carr, who is a consulting producer on the show, The Alienist will follow the adventures of Dr. Laszlo Kriezler as he tracks down a serial killer in NYC in 1896. Carr’s novel is excellent (I also enjoyed the sequel, Angel of Darkness), and I have high hopes for the television adaptation. No release date has been set for the eight-part series, but rumors have it slated to be a midseason replacement.

Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris (NBC) - I admit I’m a giddy fangirl when it comes to NPH, but even if you don’t share my love of him, you’ll want to check out this variety show based on the British hit Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway. The show will air on NBC on Tuesday nights beginning September 15.

Containment (CW) - The city of Atlanta is quarantined after a deadly epidemic breaks out. Look for all the drama of The Walking Dead, but without the zombie resurrection bits - just chaos and heartbreak for those trapped inside the city. Scheduled to air in midseason.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (CW) - Firestorm, The Atom, White Canary, Hawkgirl, Heat Wave, and Captain Cold join forces to fight the evil Vandal Savage at the urging of Rip Hunter, a time traveler played by Arthur Darvill. Seriously, what more could a comic book geek ask for in a new TV show? Rumored to be the last of the CW’s comic book spinoff shows, be sure to tune in for the midseason premiere.

Heroes Reborn (NBC) - A terrorist attack in Odessa, Texas, is blamed on people with special abilities, causing these individuals to go into hiding for fear of retribution. Featuring guest appearances by some familiar Heroes from the original show, this 13-episode miniseries will air on Thursday nights beginning September 24 - but the prequel series is available now on NBC’s website.

Lucifer (Fox) - Loosely based on Neil Gaiman’s character of the same name from his Sandman graphic novels, Lucifer has already wreaked havoc by riling up religious groups who oppose a television show based on “the devil”. The pilot got rave reviews at SDCC, and is rumored to have been leaked on torrent sites this week - but this Geek Mom is trying to set a good example for her kids, so I don’t plan to seek it out. Another promising show that is slated for a midseason premiere.

Minority Report (Fox) - A man haunted by the future and a cop haunted by her past join forces in this Fox show set ten years after the Tom Cruise film of the same name. Meagan Good stars as the police detective helping Stark Sands, a precog, search for his missing twin brother, and along the way the two attempt to prevent the crimes he has foreseen. Set to air on Mondays, the premiere is scheduled for September 21.

The Muppets (ABC) - By now we’ve all heard that Miss Piggy and Kermit decided to part ways, but I’m still looking forward to catching up with the entire Muppet crew once their show begins to air on ABC Tuesdays this fall! The first episode is set for September 22 at 8pm.

Supergirl (CBS) - Some have chaffed at the apparent cheesiness of the upcoming Supergirl show, but I think it looks adorable. I’m excited to see CBS’ interpretation of her backstory, her powers, and her daily life - plus there’s rumors of a potential crossover with the CW’s Arrow and The Flash! Tune in for the premiere on October 26.

Fear the Walking Dead (AMC) - Billing itself as both a spinoff and a prequel, the pilot for Fear the Walking Dead takes place during the early days of the zombie apocalypse - while Atlanta’s Rick Grimes is still in a coma. Follow a new set of characters in a different setting as they try to figure out why people are suddenly attacking other people and even eating them. Early reviews aren’t exactly glowing - Entertainment Weekly describes the show as “The Lethargic Person’s Guide to the Apocalypse” - but fans of the original will still want to check out the premiere, which will air August 23.

So that’s what I’m looking forward to this fall - though some of my potential favorites won’t be lighting up the small screen until midseason, there is still plenty for me to geek about in the coming weeks!

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Movie Review - Fantastic 4

8/5/2015

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by Lauren

So, I went to a preview screening last night of Fantastic 4 - I was cautiously optimistic, with medium expectations of the movie based on the most recent trailer.

Going in with that frame of mind, I was pleasantly surprised by the film. I liked it more than I thought I would.

First off, the special effects for their powers are very well done. Gone is the camp and not-quite-right-digital creepiness of previous movies.

Most of what I enjoyed about the movie was the cast. I kind of liked the younger college-age team for this rebooted origin story. The reckless scientific attitudes that cause their 'accident' is better suited to inexperienced scientists/students than an older professional team that should know better IMHO.

Miles Teller is really great as Reed Richards. The perfect blend of sincerity and audacity, with a humble warmth the character has lacked in previous movies. Kate Mara's Sue Storm is a bit aloof but charming, and self-assured in her intellect. The movie doesn't constantly sexualize her, as they did with Jessica Alba (which is still the worst casting in superhero movies ever.) I love Jaime Bell, his earnest friendship with Reed is moving - I just wish they had done more with him. Michael B. Jordan's Johnny Storm is a standout without chewing the scenery (like Chris Evans did) however I feel his character was the least developed.

A ton of pre-movie debate surrounded the casting of Michael B. Jordan as Johnny Storm. Even the press tour was beleaguered by stupid questions about how two siblings can be black and white - like no one has ever heard of adoption or blended families before.

Nowadays families are different - they come in every size, shape and configuration you can think of. Sometimes you make your own family with friends. For this to even be a debate is ridiculous and ignorant - and at no point did this get in the way of my enjoyment of the film. In fact, I think that the essence of 'family' was the whole point. /rant.

The film is SHORT. Maybe 90 minutes, and it felt like it.

I felt like there were major scenes missing for no reason I can fathom. The beginning and middle are pretty solid, but the ending is incredibly rushed. All the character and relationship development is dropped in the third act for the big action finale. While the effects are excellent - I left with the feeling that the formation of 'team' in the end wasn't earned. In the end, it totally fell flat. In fact the last scene, to presumably set up a sequel, is laughably terrible.

Also - THERE IS NO MID OR AFTER CREDIT EASTER EGGS - so don't bother waiting.

****Minor plot spoilers****
For comic purists, they mess with canon A LOT. Reed and Sue are not much changed -except younger and not yet a couple. Johnny is also a super genius engineer with only a small, youthful rebellious streak, and a ton less ego than usually portrayed (and of course, black.) Ben isn't a pilot, he's just a loyal friend who grew up with Reed from an abusive blue collar family. Franklin Storm isn't a drunk who goes to jail leaving Sue to raise Johnny - he runs the the Baxter Institute and adopted Sue from Kosovo as a child. Victor is an Earth-hugging, government hating ideagogic that is part of the Institute project team. His character is by far the greatest departure from any previous version of Doctor Doom - which I still haven't decided is a good or bad thing.

The team, BTW, doesn't go 'into space to be transformed by cosmic radiation,' but transports to some parallel dimension (Negative Zone/Planet Zero) to try and find alternate power sources for Earth. 'Living' energy, mechanical failures, explosions - wackiness (and super powers) ensue...
****End Spoilers****

All in all, the movie was good, but not great. The general sense I got from the people I spoke to leaving the theater was that it didn't live up to its considerable potential - that it was good, but was lacking in some essential quality - and I agree completely.

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