Andor: Season 2

I'm kinda pissed off I will not lie to you.

Now admittedly the vast majority of the first three episodes were really not doing anything for me (to the point I kinda wanted to quit to be brutally honest for a moment), but really after that whatever issues I might have with this season are down to I just didn't like the conclusion to the Imperial stuff. Shocking I know! But beyond that how does this second part to a technical quadrilogy if we go all the way to the end of A New Hope stack up? When it gets going it is slipping right back into the good stuff that you would expect and loved from the first season! If anything I can sum up this series as, all the pieces on the chessboard are making their final moves cause this does indeed end right before Rogue One begins so we see Cassian fully commit to the Yavin rebels, we see the final moments of Mon before leaving the Senate, Luthen really cutting it close to being discovered, and Dedra being shuffled to the right places at the right time. It never is as easy as I explain it and indeed there is a loooot to talk about maybe more than I have space for so let's discuss technicals first. Acting wise the calibre has not diminished if anything it's exceeded the first season, with the highlights going to Diego, Denise, Elizabeth Dulau who really comes into her own as Kleya, and of course light of my life Genevieve. It's very easy to forget you're not watching actors in a show that's all I'll say! The expansive sets, costumes, props, and visual effects are still top notch and I do truly hope we get so much more physical sets despite the Volume being a marvel of technology. The tone has truly gotten more grim and even real at certain points, which...even as a die hard Star Wars fan I never imagined I could truly say. There really is no way to gloss over or sugar coat it, seeing Ghorman and the massacre was striking, it was scary if even for just a second, if this show knows how to do anything it's calculate the rising tension and suspense to a staggering effect, and it hits as well as it does because we've seen this shit before on the news. Now of course Star Wars has always had some real world inspirational draw, this is not some modern spin take on it. To sum it up in one point, why were the Imperials mainly british and the rebels mainly american? It was a little world event in history, might have heard of it, it was called THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. But Jesus wept, it just hits so close to now and yes it is undoubtedly entertainment but you also have to acknowledge what the writers were trying to get across. I can forgive three goddamn episodes of Cassian being stuck doing nothing while being caught between two dipshit factions, because of all the better story elements that come in later. I honestly don't even know where to go from here, and the worst part is because my ass was so behind the times that I kinda was already hearing "spoilers" for lack of a better term and it did indeed damage my viewing pleasure and experience. I knew about Bix and all she was going through, I knew about Brasso, I knew about Dedra's outcome, I knew about Saw's questionable recreations, I even knew about the damn healer. So I really hate to say it but the score will suffer because of that. Do I still think it is a very well crafted and entertaining show? Yes! Will I most likely watch Rogue One after writing this? Yes! Was it as good as season one? That is an impossible question because I didn't know shit through season one until each episode came out, so it's already unfair but even then as a whole, I would say no. Life is unfair and mostly bullshit, but I'll get over it. I'm dying one day anyway and I still had several surprises in store for me, and there is always something to look forward to. Still pretty fucking bummed out anyway but emotions are the most fickle thing in existence. In like a years time this In Retrospect will quell any issues and I'll be all the happier for it. Reeealllyyy gonna piss off pretty much everybody, though unintentional I swear, when I say 3 stars, 8/10, I'm willing to have my opinion changed. But not today.

In Retrospect: Andor (Season 1)

Fashionably late or just very late, life is kicking me in the ass and this is just the show I needed.

So does the superbly acclaimed Star Wars series hold up on a second viewing? Was Tatooine originally a water planet? I have to say it was a very different viewing experience marathoning the whole first season, cause I was right there every week on original release date hanging on every action and word until Thanksgiving Day 3 years ago. I will fully say it does indeed improve, now that I know the plot elements I can focus on all the other bits, pay even more attention to the great acting, revel in the visuals from costuming to environments, dig deep into this dialogue, and get hyped for season two all over again. The unfolding events in Cassian's life is certainly a wild trip to watch in one fluid sitting, from being a two-timing scoundrel home, to pulling off quite possibly the biggest bank heist in recent galactic memory, to escaping one hell of a prison, to pretty much putting himself on the line in joining the Rebellion. Crazy! Diego Luna, love that man, gets so much to do and the writing enhances his already great acting ability. Stellan Skarsgård as Luthen Rael is easily the most interesting character and also has easily the best speech and that's saying something in this show. Genevieve ohhh my stars, I am going to be so insufferable watching season 2 mark my words because that woman is a walking treasure trove and despite my Imperial leanings my heart goes out to Mon Mothma, and reading Reign Of The Empire enhanced that severely, (Even though I still hate her husband, there's better people to marry...like meeeeee.) emphasizing the stress and sheer paranoia someone in such a position would feel. Denise Gough that's mah gurl in this series, hell to the yes for the ISB making the leap to a visual medium, and my lord there could be a masterclass on facial acting from Dedra Meero alone! Also need more Major Partagaz in season two, just saying. Still really rather despise Syril Karn than ever before, I mean who knows maybe the next season will give me more to where I will dread his demise but I doubt that. Also just want to shoutout Brasso, I took him as kind of a nothing character first time around but now I'm a staunch supporter and love the guy, he's a true real one! Also fully believe our man and king Andy Serkis is still alive and thriving as Kino Loy, I know we're not gonna get dick on his character in the next season but I have dreams damn it! And I'm so happy to see people gravitate so strongly and praise the shit out of this show, granted I haven't heard a lot of stories from non-Star Wars fans who watched it and loved it but I'm positive they exist, the reception couldn't be more glowing. That kinda has some cons to it, like annoying bitches saying Star Wars will never be this good again or they start comparing shows and bash anything else which I find just intolerable and I hex those fuckers like there's no tomorrow. Is it strikingly unique in the Star Wars universe with stellar practical sets, excellent writing, fantastic actors, and a tone that makes Rogue One seem like a skip in the park? Yes! But just enjoy the show, it's different but there's plenty of media in this galaxy that's great stuff. I had a wonderful time and, well being the nerdy ass white boy I am and knowing galactic history like I took a college class on it, eeuugghhh it's about to get rough. Jesus Christ this show is about to hit so different in this foul year of our lord two thousand and twenty-five. The revolution will indeed be televised. 4 stars, 9/10, a short microjump and we'll be back for the series finale.

Tales Of The Underworld

Tis' a good day.

Tales Of The Underworld is I feel a story of two halves, one being a more light story that gives a bit of character depth for Ventress and the other being a pretty rock solid heavy drama story about the evolution of for my money the best bounty hunter in the galaxy Cad Bane. Although I will come out front and say the Ventress story really has two things to do with the seedy criminal underworld of Star Wars, jack and shit and jack left town. However an enjoyable and decent story it still was with her taking on a protector role for a young Jedi in hiding and trying to locate the Hidden Path, with fantastic chemistry and banter between her and young Lyco with plenty of lightsaber action to assuage nerds like me. Oh but Star Wars never change, it shows how long I've been doing this when we see a new Imperial Inquisitor and I'm calling that he's dead in two minutes and not even a name will be put to him until a book comes out, which spoilers I'm right again as always! But duuuuuuude WOW this Cad Bane story justifies the whole flip flapping series for my money, taking an evolutionary look from rapscallion youth, to henchmen young adult, to fastest gun this side of the Hydian Way mature badass. And this is a short story, keeping in the style of the Tales series where each arc is pretty much forty minutes without credits so you can knock this sucker out in the course of a meal, but how much emotion and dramatic storytelling they can squeeze in without it ever feeling forced or too densely packed is really damn impressive! It takes the western archetype of main character has someone close to him die by gunslinger who he swears revenge on, tweaks it just a notch, and it becomes a new and interesting story proving Star Wars will never get old. Vocal performances are still top notch, obviously all the love goes to Nika and Corey who have brought these fan favorite characters to life, but even the new talent like Lane Factor as this bit of a smart aleck Jedi or Artt Butler as Cad's oldest friend turned lawman with such short appearance runtimes craft something uniquely theirs. Do I even have to mention the animation? It's pretty clear we're only climbing higher and higher with the attention to detail, movement, and atmosphere with each subsequent series since technically Rebels before even last season of Clone Wars, and this is no exception. Of course I'm an easy sell on this universe, but I will admit I don't always need something groundbreaking as the next big project for Star Wars. I love the side stories, the brief snippets of character development, the connecting threads in this ever expanding tapestry, cause I just find it interesting and really cool. Even if some of the newer stuff doesn't grab your attention trust in me when I say there's been something you haven't experienced in the past almost 50 years of this franchise that will. Considering the grossly uneven (yet still good) caliber of the stories within, I'll give this 3.5 stars, 8.5/10! And truth be told, I honestly think Andor will be next cause new movie wise consider May a graveyard for reviews so we'll see how it goes.

Twin Peaks: Season 3

Ooookayy then...

Not really what I was expecting. When I say the word conflicted, I don't think I've ever meant it more in my entire life. I do want to say first and foremost I am not going to be one of those people who lauds this season but I'm also not a person who is actively hating this season either. Cause it did hold my attention and interest for the ungodly 18 hour runtime mainly due to the very simple question of, "Where is this going?" and the thing is you're not gonna get much. I think this honestly is my Inland Empire where I don't really get it and I don't know what to do with it. It's rather interesting to watch this season because you think, my God 18 episodes at an hour a piece soooo much must happen! And it...just does not. I can sum it up in three instances, Cooper gets out of the Black Lodge physically but not fully mentally, Gordon Cole is slowly piecing together more on the Red Room and the return of Cooper through murder investigations, and we follow the evil doppleganger of Cooper as he tries to circumvent being trapped in the Black Lodge again. Now I'm going to share with you a technical term of writers that you typically do not see in media: non-sequitur, is the word I would describe this season as. Essentially it means that the very next scene to anything has no bearing or impact in the long run. But to be paradoxical for a second, is a non-sequitur still a non-sequitur if it continually happens again and again? Because when I tell you that this season at least 80% of the time feels like filler cul de sacs I'm really not exaggerating. This season meanders, and plods, and wanders to a limit where most people's patience would burn out before they got a quarter of the way through it. But as I said I was too intrigued and curious to ever call it quits! I was shocked, puzzled, laughed, and cried at moments that kept me engaged to the end of it all but I safely can say this is not for everyone if not the vast majority of anyone. Yet the production and David's full time creative mind is on solid form, broadening the horizons of the world to the point where I'm not even fully sure it can be called Twin Peaks anymore due to how little we are in that town (yeah I'm sounding like one of those people I knowww), it does admittedly lose a bit of the magic with it's post 2010 look yet it still looks pretty gorgeous at times, the music is the absolute highlight of the entire season for me without a shred of doubt almost to the point where I want to say to hell with the show buy the soundtrack, the new additions and returns of the old cast are still handled very well albeit criminally short for our returning castmates, and it does have entertaining moments. Now was I fully expecting some hardcore nostalgia riding into the aftermath of the season two finale? Frankly, not even a little bit. I had faith in David to continue this strange torpedo while still bringing something entirely fresh and new to the story without having to really tread over familiar ground beyond the town of Twin Peaks itself. And I eventually did get that! 14 episodes in out of 18, and hell Cooper isn't fully back to 100% until episode 16! It still wasn't too little too late for me at that point, but I am almost fully endorsing the most disputed of golden calfs in any fandom ever created, the fan edit. I have only touched a fan edit one single time and it was for The Hobbit trilogy and the one I found honestly is the only way I will watch it from now on. I'm at least trying to give you a different angle to approach this finale. Coming from an individual who's patience is near boundless and can easily sit through higher than average runtimes, 18 hours is shockingly unnecessary for this. There are a virtual army of The Return truthers out there who will praise and gush over this series without so much as an average opinion on any aspect, and I envy those people. The oh so simple easy way to throw out terms like, bait & switch or unmitigated high expectations, to flow from my lips is striking but I don't really feel that. No one, I repeat no one could make a television series like this on accident, there is something to it that David wanted to convey. Just because I don't get it doesn't mean it's bad. I don't know entirely what I'm feeling though at this time. What do I even rate it? A big fat question mark would be appropriate but I try to center myself on something. As a whole, both of production and story, I'm gonna give it a 7/10. May have broken new ground ten years on since starting this show, cause television series ratings do not go down each subsequent time on this website. I don't even like that this was what it came to be, but what can I do to change it? Nobody can change it. You either accept it or deny it. I'm willing to accept even if not happily. But it certainly does not diminish or taint my love for David and the creations he has brought to this world and I'm happy to have gotten through this show regardless. I hope you all have more days of beautiful blue skies and golden sunshine all along the way. Everyone have a great day!