'Thirteen' Episode 1 Review

I heard about 'Thirteen' a while ago but I forgot about it so it was a nice surprise to be reminded about it especially with a trailer I have never seen before and the fact that I could watch it today. The concept is used a lot but it's hugely relevant. The strongest draw I had to 'Thirteen' is Jodie Comer who plays the main character, Ivy. I've been excited about Jodie Comer since knowing her from E4's 'My Mad Fat Diary' which is one of my favourite recent series from the UK of all time and she's incredible in it. So, I trust that every show she does is as real and raw as that show is, and I was right. She was a secondary character but now her talent brings her to the forefront and it really shows.

Everything about her is authentically English which sounds weird because characters are universal but something about her is so representative of english mannerisms. It's not easy to explain. BBC Three/E4 and many more are extremely good at finding those people and she's one of the best. Onto 'Thirteen' it's about a girl who disappeared when she was thirteen and all that transpires once she's escaped but mystery and darkness immediately surrounds her as she returns to a world which we're consistently reminded she doesn't belong to. This suggestion is put forward, in fact, I almost started to believe that it was just highlighting skepticism especially within the two detectives which are on her case.

But we don't know. We never know. Her story is very straight and unconfused, and British eeriness surrounds everything. Ivy, bright-eyed and hollowed compels the story is hard-hitting and believable, despite what is we are going to end up believing about her. Something is really classic about the way that episodes move, and the steady pace with clues hiding everywhere to add to the tension and the rising unrest about everything.

The role of the family and the persistence of the mother that it is Ivy and refusing DnA evidence is very real. It's happened in real cases. I just wish that it was someone other than the mother who believed beyond reason. Her sister, maybe but it makes sense that the sister would be the opposite, and she is. (It actually reminds me of an episode of 'Elementary' I recently watched about a girl who pretended to be a found missing girl. Check it out 'Miss Taken' episode seven of season four. Yes, the pun is amazing.)

Breaking into the house that Ivy was 'kept' in, the emptiness is chilling but only because the show makes it that way and I'm starting to suspect Ivy might have lived there alone. You go back nd forth on Ivy's story a lot. Suspiscion is giving to you outright by the show but Ivy's photos looking so perfectly her and everything checking out so well makes it hard so as a viewer, in my experience, I kept changing my mind. It's a nightmare, but it's thrilling. Ivy definitely has purpose in who she lets in and doesn't, but then it just feels like she just radiates to the people that are most unchanged and that makes sense.

'Thirteen's is definitely interesting for its location. We're used to seeing how cases like these go down in places like America and like the show says "There's never been an escaped kidnapee before." and they mean in the UK which, there has, but it's interesting for them to point that out; that it's less common here which is dark and scary. It's remote from America but the same in nature. There are a lot of beautiful moments in the show which involve Ivy. Small conversations like the conversation of being given fish to eat sometimes and the facts she knew about it regarding pregnancy and also including the assumptions that the detective displayed about whether or not Ivy had been made pregnant. "He gave me fish until I didn't need it."

It was tender, just like Ivy being given a pink cardigan and she asks "Like a present?" which makes your heart vibrate with soreness. The show gives extra dimension such as in the male detective and caring about Ivy's case a lot suggesting he is interested in her. What the show does well is put what has changed on trial and how it quickly overwhelms Ivy and she runs to find a place of solitude in a small garden in the middle of town where she went with her childhood sweetheart Tim who follows her there and knows where to go. If Ivy isn't Ivy then there is some next-level intelligence how she works in this knowledge. The cinematography of Ivy sat with Tim is beautiful here.

There are so many ways this show can go. Ivy could have been brainwashed to believe she is that person, she could have been kidnapped by someone closer (someone like the mum or dad, for example which explains the blind acceptance but I hope it isn't that predictable), She could be Ivy, then started to believe she isn't and then pretend to be Ivy when she really is which alright, I acknowledge that could be a bit far but interesting none the less if I nailed it! Lies coming to a head and Ivy coming to find out that the world built around his is artificial is extremely emotional and a great perspective for 'Thirteen' to take.

I predict that the teacher they are trying to prescute for taking Ivy is taking the blame for a reason because kidnapping being linked to a school is far too easy for a storyline. The mother's connection to the headmaster (which seems like an affair right now) is worthy to remember, I think. In the 'next time' look ahead to the next episode we learn that another young girl is missing so the second episode might uproot everything I'm thinking and change it all. Humour - if any- comes through slightly and I laughed a lot when Ivy tells her mother "It's ok mum, I'm twenty-six" because of the strangeness of the situation that she has to say it.

The accents are slightly 'Broadchurch' and the feel of it also reminds me of it too which is not a bad inspiration and is it just me but does Tim look like he just stepped out of 'The Returned'/'Les Revenants'?
To summarise it's really exciting BBC Three have their first original series to be purely broadcast online. 'Thirteen' comes at a good time due to the recent success of 'Room' and the spotlight and human interest in kidnapping stories right now. (It's weird to say that things like these come into 'media fashion.' It's not nice to think about, but true and for good as long as it stays in people's attention and memory.) I have felt like BBC Three on Iplayer won't get the attention that it thinks it will but with series like these, I hope it will. With the news 'Thirteen' might be making it onto BBC Two slightly undermines that but it's a great credit to the quality of the show. The hashtag #FindTheGirl and the interactive experience is cool too.

You can watch 'Episode one of Thirteen' on BBC Iplayer now.

11.22.63 seems to be the best choice Hulu has made

I have been waiting since it was announced that '11.22.63' was going to be adapted. I adore everything Stephen King and it's one of his novels I haven't gotten around to reading yet and I wanted to wait to experience it through its new television form. I watched the trailer more than three times.

It all starts with an ordinary man. Not the main character, but another called Harry. In the first few minutes of the episode he reads his memories "It was 1960 and I lived in Holdon, Kentucky. I loved zynut bars and my sister loved Big Roost bars. My little brother Toga loved everything. I don't loved Halloween anymore...the blood smelled like pennies." For a split second you think that the whole story is going to rest on what this man, Harry has gone through as a child but it unzips into a classroom where we meet meet Jake: clearly grading people's experiences as an ex-writer and divorcee who praises Harry as he sits down and exposes 11.22.63's main theme: the past and its part in being unchanged.

Through Jake, we meet Al. A friendly diner-owning guy, a little overly-interested in Jake's burger-choices and divorce at first glance, and the next falling out of the back room and leading Jake to his head, cancer-striken and looking sorlorn and world-bearing at the fridge where a heart is stuck is stuck to it. The emotion and history between these two characters is interesting and the way Al breaks them apart and brings Jake into the knowledge of please stepping into his adult Narnia behind green diner doors is fast, and Jake finds himself in 1960.

Jake takes it pretty well at first until Al informs him of his research and just how long he steps out into the sixties for. The Kennedy assassination. Well-loved by television shows and anything narrative-like in general. Jake questions Al's thinking and incredulously asks for proof on how saving Kennedy could have prevented events such as the Vietnam war. Al, in a truly pointless way, asks Jake to go back and carve on a tree and come back to show the lasting effect which I think he already established by sending Jake out there for the first time but from that point, Jake is encased in Al's plans and in a scarily-timed death of Al the next day, Jake has no choice but to respect Al's wishes. He insulted his career enough times.

I like the discourse on the fate of everything resting on Kennedy's death that the world fixates on. It's an interesting subject and it's clever that in order to change anything permanently, you can't come back otherwise it will be erased. The show is really impressive without being too overly-edited - the sixties aren't completely sensationalised but we see the way it is through the eyes of Jake as he embarks on life there. Jake leaves the life of a world where his friend and older student Harry graduates but won't be given a chance and possibly to escape from the world of out of date burgers which is a dialogue I loved a lot.

"You spent all of your time gambling?"

"That, ad there was a butcher I really liked on main street."

"I've been eating hamburgers from 1960?!"

A short time with Al and Jake together left a lot of humour which is carried on with Jake. We seen him drop his modern Iphone in a suit shop to be discreet, we see him cruise around in a new car with Al's rulebook which he probably pay less and less attention to as time goes on. Hope shifts and Stephen King-style tension appears when Jake underestimating how easily Al lived, steps into a bar to bet against residents on a boxing match 35 to 1. The local guy who Jake enters the bet with is 'Lil Eddie who doesn't take it well. Perhaps, slightly, in a cartoon-y way rather than credible for someone who wins just once but I suppose that can only be a bet that it's obvious is from someone with inside knowledge. Lil Eddie tracks down Jake's hotel where Jake impossibly escapes and leaves an iphone playing a bird who dances to 'I don't care' we previously saw in a scene at school of student paying more attention to which is a funny reference and a homage to the idea of Jake starting to embrace the idea that not doing work is not always what life is about.

Another plot turner is the sinister guy who appears every so often and tells Jake "You shouldn't be here!" I'm not sure what it has to do with him. Jake could simply be having a holiday. He appears quite a lot almost as much as the world tries to destroy Jake when he gets close to learning something. It almost seems like the man follows Jake more than he ever followed Al which is interesting, or maybe Al didn't disclose the stalking detail because Jake didn't need any more reasons not to sit in the sixties for a couple of years. We gets lots of nice, enjoyable moments of seeing Jake (his actor James Franco continuing to put his James Dean lookalike resume to use) get away with things and taking a tour throughout sixties America, eating corn on the cob, and with a song to do with being a road-runner croons on the radio.

The entertainment and the feel-good feeling of everything is evened out with the tasks that loom over Jake and scenes of when he checks into a bright yellow boarding house makes me begin to theorise that it will ultimately be Jake that kills Kennedy, accidentally or by intention through what he discovers. I don't know what about a yellow place told me that but it probably had something to do with movie moments voice-overs of Al's advice we hadn't heard yet. Another theory I have is that 'Lil Eddie who the storyline has moved on from, I think might also be from the future in some capacity and might be an answer to why he was intimidated by the competition posed by Jake but he would also know the results. It would be interesting if he hadn't thought about checking and is unable to return because he can't remember where he entered the timeline.

A car smashes into a telephone box Jake tries to use, chandeliers try to fall on him, where he lives burns and he loses all of the information Al gave him. The theme that springs out to me is that no matter how close you get to something, there are some things you can't hear and History protects them. Jake enters a Kennedy party with the wrong name and gets questioned. It's amusing how he gets himself out of it professing he is a number one fan, but it doesn't completely explain why they hit him to question him and let him go so fast.

I'm really positive about this show and I really can't wait to watch more of it. The same scene in the beginning gets slightly repetitive but you will get used to it and it doesn't last long. The final scene is of Jake sitting outside Harry's childhood house and watching as the dad, who murdered everyone but Harry picks up the children to take them to get ice cream. We know Jake is going to attempt to stop it. My prediction is that he will unintentionally fall into a relationship with Harry's mother and will protect them that way and he will then struggle with balancing that prerogative with the Kennedy case.

Some people might feel that 11.22.63 is just another example of a show which focuses on someone going back in time and becoming attached to it but I don't think that's a bad thing as long as it's done well and in my opinion, it is. I'll finish with my favourite line of the 80 minute episode. "You could tell it was an important night because History pushed back."

11.22.63 Episode One is available now on Hulu
What are your thoughts so far?

Lucifer Pilot Review

I am a huge fan of Neil Gaiman and as it comes to noticing when his material has been used, I can scan anything and find it. Obviously 'Lucifer' is a character from 'Sandman' and wasn't wholly endorsed by Gaiman to be made as the rights were sold a decade ago but I am going to try and look at the pilot of 'Lucifer' objectively because good or not, it's been inspired by Neil Gaiman and if the dry, dark rougeness comes through then I will probably find that I enjoy it. Ok *hooks myself up to the episode like it's a hospital drip.* Lets see if my system can reject you. Also fascinated to see if people believe it to be 'stepping on Supernatural's turf.'

Starting with biblical-style font and the antagonistic and accepting of darkness texas-sounding 'Cage the Elephant - Ain't no rest for the wicked' is a typical introduction to a TV episode but it's understandable for the subject matter and really entertaining how it makes everything begin. The year loitering at the bottom of the screen with 'AD' is a nice touch and it's the first of man nice details like that which appear and say "Hello" time and again in the pilot such as the 'Falling' numberplate which refers to Lucifer as a 'fallen angel'. Lucifer is set up to be everything you would imagine - tall, dark, rye joy-rider undermining the law with an accent that could content on same wavelength as Ichabod Crane from 'Sleepy Hollow.'

Lucifer isn't bad, although serving nothing which brings anything too new to the character he embodies but they could have made him anyone. Especially someone not so universally 'good-looking' because I would have liked to have seen things transpire differently in a more unique, layered way but it works in the favour of the rhetoric and it's funny because of course, it's Lucifer. So you can't be too mad at it because it fits but I did long for it to break that a bit. There's a lot of jokes which made the pilot really satisfying. Groan-worthy at times but not always painfully. Little quirks like the people he surrounds himself  complaining about things like "I didn't leave hell to be a bartender" are silly and nice although again, not revolutionary which 'Lucifer' might need to be to make it into another season.

Lucifer as the father-defying son I love because it works so well. The problem, at times, was that I didn't believe that the quick-talking smooth-mover was really the devil which I suppose is the point. You'd expect Lucifer to be evil to the point of not appearing as it. He's mastered that, after all but there was something unconvincing about it. Especially because he seemed, although misandry tendencies, pretty nice aside that. He almost appears as a jokester charming everyone especially when his powers don't work. It veers into the comedy edge and of course it's going to be amazing to watch him grapple with losing his identity and probably getting a lot more evil once he's realised he can't go back which would be ironic and interesting.

The theme that people blame the devil for everything and the way Lucifer lets everyone know that is great and topical. "God-given, I'm afraid", "Say hi. It's been a while" to a priest and phrases like it at the utter embarrassment and disassociation and humour of his conception stirs engrossment in the dialogue more than anything else. Some of it is so recognisable, it hurts but again, not a huge crime. There just needs to be more originality. As for the detective. She is a stock-type from the factory of american detectives which isn't a fault of just this show. Her back-story as an actress is slightly captivating but the mention of the films she's been in is a way for Lucifer to objectify her. Although she's not having any of it, it still exists for that purpose. I'm hoping that more will be revealed for her to stop that within Lucifer but at the same time it would be disappointing if he only makes the exception for her but again he's the devil, yada yada so you can't take any of this too seriously from a realistic representational standpoint but I believe it does.

Again, for her, I would have liked to have seen somebody who wasn't pretty, thin and blonde. Layers that could have been formed have been missed and that's a a bad decision that has been made because there is no reason for it. We have those representations. I am wondering if Lucifer will shift attention onto the cop who is the ex-husband which I would hope for an impartial sexuality standpoint but also a range of dimension from Lucifer (such as if Chloe dies) because the 'player' element will get old fast and I'm not sure if I, or anybody else will want to always stick around for that. Another thing that let the episode down was the racist stereotypes employed which included hip-hop, drugs and violence for Lucifer to criticise and could have been cleverer if it was something not so flat and void of truth that has moved past media's go-to. I'm slightly holding my tongue if the people he encounter steadily becomes unstereotypical and somehow showed that was his own views and racism warping it would be a good way to go but obviously can't remove what TV keeps doing and adding to it.

A plothole that I kept revisiting throughout the pilot was questions like "Why would Lucifer even want to solve mysteries?", "Will he stay that way or was he just attached to the girl who died?", "If so, why?" I'm convinced he's just been on Earth too long. His crime-scene ethos almost turns into Sherlock (the 'Elementary' version) when he's there. The scene, dealing with Chloe's daughter's bully intimidated by a less than pure stranger isn't new. Lucier's smiling face in the back of the police car gives a glimpse into what Tom Ellis can do when it comes to playing a dark character which counteracts the chipper 'Morningstar' English-engulfing aspect of him. Although, more paradoxical questions arise like "Why does he judge the activities that land people in hell, the place, the only thing he knows?" Is an attempt to separate him from it fot rebellious reasons or is his mind actually shaping? It feels a bit soon for that character development but it works, I guess.

The psychology appointments Lucifer might start attending is promising and the question the pyscologist asks him "You find it disturbing, don't you?" in how he can 'read' women or hopefully how he finds his sexism (because it is, disturbing) can take the show in any different directions. Lucifer when extracting information from an actor: "You're going to have to have get much better at lying if you want to be president." and the actor responds "I know, right?" is awesome commentary and I liked that. The information that pain in hell isn't being inflicted or, at least in the same way, because Lucifer isn't there. I'm looking forward to seeing if this will entertain, or bruise the ego of Lucifer. The episode ends with the good/bad partnership cliché but overall, I'm not compelled to through my laptop out of the window because there is a quality that I like about Lucifer.

It's difficult to defer what is Neil Gaiman's thought and what isn't. The majority of what is canon to Neil Gaiman is stripped back and losing from when it could be winning. There's no grit; just a safe slightly more soul-less interpretation. For now. Hopefully? At least the soundtrack is great.

I mean: this poster. Why, just why?

You can watch 'Lucifer' on FOX in the US, For free on Amazon Prime in the UK or FX in Australia.

Come and Marvel at the 'Serial Television Watcher.' She'll probably be locked up some day for too much Television but she hasn't been caught yet. She's already onto the next one. Follow for more.

Colony Episode 1 Review

On one side we have Damon Lindelof working on the incredible The Leftovers and on the other we have Carlton Cuse (executive producer and screenwriter of Lost.) Anything that is branded with "By the makers of lost" makes me want to raise an eyebrow but it makes me giddy too. They wear it like a badge of honour. They should, because it is one of the greatest shows of all time for storytelling but it gives shows like 'Colony' a lot to live up to.

Watching Cuse's project before this was 'The Strain' and although the premise was fascinating, it didn't keep me watching. Like 'Colony', it seemed done, ejected and restarted which I felt was going to be a problem with 'Colony.' The first episode starts out typically and transcends almost like an average society verging on dystopia film way.

I like shows that experiment with 'the perfect family' and it definitely does that in the opening scene because we begin to see clues such as barbed wire strung around the garden fence like christmas lights, eggs being dropped symbolically and a whole lot of emphasis on a boy in a photo and we learn that one of the sons is lost due to the events that have transpired in the world. We meet Josh Holloway who is almost exactly like his usual character in a world wrapped up in mystery, loss and curfew cliches. I like that it doesn't focus on the invasion itself, but the aftermath.

His wife (Katie) played by Sarah Wayne Callies is a good actress and bring dynamic actions to a flat world. There is a lack of resources which is displayed by characters in the family. Katie is after insulin and she will get it under any circumstances. Almost too easily and pales in comparison to something like Under The Dome which injects desperation skilfully. 'Collaborate' or 'Resist' is the tagline that the show is going for and it is evident that is the two people in the marriage who are going to represent and struggle with both.

Josh Holloway has a great repatriate for making a character you want to follow. 'Colony' is like 'Sawyer Returns' and if you liked Sawyer in Lost, he is cracking the same kind of defiant lines such as "And when I tell you to piss off?" when he is approached for a job by occupation. Nothing is followed through, he is the archetypal military man so far but the spark of argument and not bowing down and pretending to go with it is fine on its own.

Sights such as a large, tall wall enveloping Los Angeles and a scene of the cityscape performing some kind of lightshow does make you wonder but nothing about it scares, separates it or makes it even feel realistic. So much could be done in using this if they wanted to. They could make it so that's on purpose; that's the 'arrival' is so cliche and meeting people's expectations on purpose...but it's not even mentioned that much. We know they need to get out of it, but there's no context and there's no signs of a universe being that changed apart from a few safehouses and redecorating houses because there's nothing to do. These are  telling, but there isn't much else. Not even an element of "We don't talk about it because we're terrified to." Cars snatch people up like alien abductions and eggs continue to be made by a intimidating visit seemed about as powerful as an MTV show trying to recreate the hunger games.

The resistance and Katie being part of it is supposed to move the plot in a twist but it's so normalised in television for that to happen that it doesn't even seem like one. I even started to look into the significance of the dog she takes with her everywhere in order to find something different to hold onto. 'Colony' almost reminds me of the French drama Resistance which shows Paris and parents and teachers in the resistance during the war. 'Colony' could have this and use this more and it would be improved. Especially as Carlton Cuse has commented the real-life events is where some of his inspiration came from.

At the end of the episode, you realise how many answers you don't know or what is even happening which is good in some ways but bad in others because although it can be gripping because you're following a regime doesn't immediately have an answer (as regimes often do) but there's nothing that is completely selling it currently. It's difficult with a Pilot because the show after it can sometimes be a completely different show. I want it to be good.

It feels lukewarm from a network which has recently showcased Mr Robot but it's definitely not bad either.

Colony episode one is available online/will be broadcast on January 14th on USA Network

'Good Girls Revolt' Episode 1 Review

"They're hoarders. We're researchers."

'Good Girls Revolt' is a pilot on Amazon which I was excited to check out. Heralded 'Where Mad Men left out" and dealing with feminism, and reminding me of HBO's 'The Newsroom' is nothing but great television news which I needed to act on and I've been holding it for at least a week.

Watching episode one, I became glued to it very quickly. It has the suave and 70s atmosphere and the women making ground is obvious, and initially simplistic. Patti comes to light and I fell in love with her with her vigour and already stabilised with what she knows she deserves. Often, with a period show, the females discover that and there are lots of those which is great but there's also Patti. What makes the show even more interesting and complex is that Patti is the ideal feminist dream, but Nora, a new writer hoping to break into the scene (and seems to have tried many places like loosening the industry before the show will slip on) shows what more there is for Patti to know.

The discourse of researchers and writers and the role of sexism within that is very smart and the actresses are remarkable at building that story. Well-known events like Woodstock and Charles Manson fills the episode with life. Egos in the workplace are successful themes.

Erin Darke as Cindy Reston is archaic, yet iconic in her performance and her office and blossoming friendship with Nora holds such potential in a romantic relationship. Arguing over a cover for the news when they aren't even 'supposed' to and being asked is charming and these scenes are great.

There is lots of dialogue within the first episode that make me excited:

"I want to tiptoe through the Tulips."

I don't know why but the imagery of this just made the whole show before it has even started up in my eyes. The imagery is romantic, and reminiscent of the early stages of wanting more. There's a certain naivety laced with 

"Doing drugs does not mean you believe in peace and love."

"Yes it does, or it did. It was supposed to."

This conversation is very relevant to the times for a lot of reasons. I like the questioning of it while it is happening and the different opinions when it comes to that. 

Characters like 'Juicy Lucy' which, checking IMDB, seems like she might become a recurrent character is fantastic alongside the story arc about female witnesses and the respect they don't have depending on lifestyle/occupation and I want to see Patti, Nora and more going to her for everything in order to validate it. 

Some parts of the episode are a little cheesy but doing so knowingly. There is sitcom-like transitions which play on transformative 70s women in work dramas such as The Mary Tyler Moore Show. It's brilliant and scenes at the end of feminist groups being introduced to the girls and looking at vulvas in a mirror is mild when compared to leigh-weigh in those topics like 'Transparent' season two, it is definitely following the lead which I adore. 

Digs like 'Whispering Coven' throughout the episode all work to displaying a museum of sexist behaviour which the female characters take on even harder than the likes of Peggy Olson; almost picking up from where she left off. (A cameo I'd kill to see) in an even less obvious way. Knocking back, instead of knocking down. Of course, there's always knocking down but I love the way that the characters (maybe unrealistically, or we will come to see even more strain) immediately bounce back and don't stop forcing forward. There are certain stories opened that could regress Patti (not in a bad way if it is her choice) and the only problem with that is that they're glaringly obvious but also glaringly obvious she doesn't care one bit about them.

The difference with this show opposed to shows like it is that there is a shiny eyed brown haired chiselled man at the helm but he's a noticeably nicer, human model which I'm looking forward to see if the writers use the struggle between that and the 'masculine' character we are used to seeing. We see that he is interested in Patti and something that is lacking in this show so far is how each male character seems flat and it's not necessarily exploring men yet and I hope this changes.

Nora, taking credit for copy-editing at the end without a huge inner-dilemma about doing it is ace. She leads the way by immediately quitting her new job, grabbing her coat with  momentum to 'Time of the season' by The Zombies. Writing and Newsrooms are places where the world forces them to change to adapt and it's going to be amazing to watch how women's rights unfold in this way. Grace Gummer is an excellent actress and if you're a fan of her work, there's no way that you won't like this. 

Episode 1 is available now on Amazon Prime

Jessica Jones Episode one Review

When thinking of something to expect from 'Jessica Jones', I wasn't really sure. The problem is with shows such as these and when they are praised to such a degree it's easy to question the pedastool and whether it's right in being there. So watching the first episode was important to see if it matched with the words that people are saying about it. As a whole it does look very indictive of what it wants to be and what people want it to and I'm down for it completely.

'Jessica Jones' opens up with an ultra sleek opening sequence. My mind, when absorbing them, flashed to 'Casino Royale' because of the shadows and the style. I hope that it was intentional to play on that because that already opens a can of commentary on the traditional and the modern male spy and this fascinates me a lot that it uses that convention and applying it to a show to challenge that.

'Jessica Jones' following the lead of 'Daredevil' and shows such as 'Gotham' highlights dingy, darkened new york streets and it works the best. Although it is slightly redundant, it is important to implement and mirror because despite how much it has been used; there is not many references you can make of those shows having a female lead who can use the rich source material to base and exploit. Jessica's voiceover is very cheesy, and although she oozes sass and negativity something about it seems very 'sex in the city' but turned on its head which actually when I just wrote that, that made me like it a lot more. 

Jessica reminds me a lot of Veronica Mars. Paired with a camera and radiating cynicism makes this comparison very rooted in evidence. As similarities go, that's a great choice and comics go with that quite often so it's not a copy and even if it was, it would only be a positive yet slightly outdated, seen-before style but obviously not for those familiar with Veronica Mars and it's great to reinvent characters like this that have gotten lost in the television cosmos. This is extremely relevant as Krysten Ritter (Jessica Jones) just appeared only recently in The Veronica Mars reboot movie

Krysren Ritter excels, just like she did in 'Breaking Bad' as Jane and 'kills it' with every move she makes. At a first impression, I felt and still feel slightly that Jessica is moody and over-powerful to a point of excess. It makes it hard to take her seriously because, at times, it's like she's a stock character that has to be so overall heightened in these things or she will lose her namesake of being an all-powerful female character. It's not a bad thing, but it's not perfected. At least, not in the first episode. Constant usage of stereotypical femininity and using it ironically is greatness in this programme and despite the career she's in seeming slightly first-level crime-drama, the show hits the mark when it comes to talking about uneven structures in the gendered world.

Jessica's environment, and she goes about her every-day life is rightfully unoptimised and these are the stories that pull us in the most. Jessica, initially, bears the 'unfulfilled' trope which I felt disappointed about because a powerful woman doesn't need to be happy (although showing her as being so wouldn't fit at all for anyone) which I hope is something that develops over time. Jessica can't climb up a building too gracefully and this is a nice reality change from the female heroes we have such as the unstoppable 'Black Widow', for example. Comments Jessica says such as "Ew" are graining occasionally just because it's like a 'high-schooler's comment associated with the way females are conveyed to talk and it's not entirely needed however it is an entertaining outlook and does look to subvert that kind of reaction in a way because it's not an exclamation of complete disgust, it's a reaction to morals. As we learn and start to watch her not to have them is even better because 'morals' is a thing that women are expected to have. It sets her up for character development.

As the plot thickens, we are continually introduced to her despairing at the world. Her roommate even explains this if viewers haven't picked up on it that she 'distances herself from people.' Again, cliched but as the episode gets into swing we learn more of and the depth that the show deserves.

Before a point in the episode, we are almost unsure of any aspect of her powers, if any. And the scene which really cemented the episode was the one of Jessica dealing with the guy in the car. Lifting it from moving and pushing the door shut with such ease was easily my favourite part in the way that she handled the situation. Being sarcastic, and toying with hero expectations she convinces him she has lazer eyes and as she walks away, murmurs "Lazer eyes. Moron." Brilliant. This might be my own interpretation but the way that her power works, and her ptsd having become entwined or a side-effect of her powers is very original and terrifying. The power she wields and it almost being like a sexual violation is incredibly powerful. You aren't sure what's her, and what happened to her and brings forward the assumption it was created by her experiences and thus she couldn't want less.

Lesbian characters from the get-go; great. Fantastic, even how it's one of the first introduced. Although matching with the theme of infidelity, it's appreciated. Knowing more and more about Jessica, things like "I buy in bulk" shows her in uncorrelation with society and activities such as going to the pub and highlights her mistrust in people and just being streetwise. Throughout the episode, there is a lot of commentary on words such as 'ladies', how people use them and assumptions like "You'll break' and how much nonsense they are. In the sex scene, it shows Jessica actively showing what she wants compared to other shows which deams the female passive. But, again, is this perhaps a feature she has only owed to her power or the control she didn't have when in her relationship beforehand? And also inadvertently hint that she wasn't like that before and what she is now is not the healthy ideal which is besides the point it should be making and probably, hopefully will as Jessica does seem to be someone aware of these kinds of issues. It does also seem to be there for the plot and the discourse on relationships and the work she does and whether she should do it especially if she sees herself as contradicting it.

The connection to her investigation and what she has gone through comes to light is an emotional twist and a brave one. I like how we wouldn't have known that unless she was asked to investigate it and that's a very important factor of how seeing a character like her as so capable and extraordinary. I love that the posters of a talk show host throughout the episode is her sister. She is always side-by-side with it in shots and it brings forward all kinds of contrasts. In femininity, expectations, self-image, and many more. Lines that Jessica uses towards her sister such as "I was never the hero you wanted to be" is interesting because she is the younger sibling when it is usually the eldest who adopts that role. And with this, we have a glance into Jessica's confidence and how she sees herself as a form of anti-hero mentally. 

The abuse storyline and the endless way this show can go with these kinds of conversations is the number reason to be watching this show. Being an active voice of telling the victim to repeat "It's not my fault" is a basic, but eerily unseen device used in shows. The ending, and how Trish murdered her parents due to the conditioning of Kilgrave makes you want more. I am insanely excited to be introduced to him properly and see David Tennant working alongside Krysten because I think that that is probably an entire other level achievement. 

Marvel's Jessica Jones Season one available now on Netflix

'The Last Kingdom' first episode review and initial thoughts.

The Vikings as a subject has been chronicled throughout television and film and a recent addition to that 'The Last Kingdom' is one out of the many which attempt to narrate it. The recent example being 'Vikings' which is currently plundering the area and has been received well. I was looking forward to the first episode of 'The Last Kingdom' because not only did it look interesting, but I was interested to see what it would do.

The episode begins in the brightly beautiful land of the saxons and we are introduced to the characters gradually. Matthew Macfadyen (Edmund Reid in 'Ripper Street') travels a couple thousand years back in time to his usual nineteenth century typecast and fits in extremely well. He is believable and although his time on screen is short-lived, his costuming and his normalcy rather than an extreme warrior as often suggested through TV everybody around this time in this position was is useful for 'The Last Kingdom' to begin with because it sets the scene and makes the threat larger than we would imagine it to be.

Joined by Ian Hart who serves the show as the knowledgeable and religious man with intent and loyalty solely to the lord and not those who want to be (Think Varys in 'Game of Thrones', 'Gaius' in Merlin) and he does it incredibly well. His character always seems as guiding as unchanged as he is in E4's 'My Mad Fat Diary' something else where he excels in this type of way but then would be productive to watch as things as never as they seem with characters like these.

Uhtrid, the second son is introduced as a very likeable and questioning character. At first, he does seem to be the 'black sheep' which is often the case in any TV show with a kingdom in it but that isn't too unforgivable but it's how the plot can can be driven. But what sets Uhtrid apart is unlike most young, 'king'-to-be  he actually does seem like a child and the actor who portrays him is good at making him small and not solely a 'already-king' in the suit of a child.

Things I already like about this show is that there is immediate links and contrasts with pagan life and christian life and the line after Uhtrid is baptised 'Welcome to the christian world" is a very metaphoric look in the life Uhtrid is about to have, being put into something he has no part of. As for the Vikings, at first, I would be lying if I said they weren't the average 'viking' package subscribed by how time has passed. They are joking, merry, and never seem to appear as if they are entirely trying because just because these things are consistent in TV does not necessarily make them untrue. Yet, what changes my mnd even though that part is always enjoyable and is deisnged to show the stuffiness of the saxons during the battle 'The Last Kingdom' is more detailed than what is usual for Viking depictons and in this case, it is more apparently and underlined what made them so frightening and advanced. (With devices such as pagan tongue and complex shield defence from both sides.)

It's not long before Uhtrid is captured by the vikings which is an interesting concept. Choosing to keep him is not as easy to believe, but understandable why they do. Uhtrid's lack of struggle and ties being cut to his heritage and finding place with the danes is unusual yet common to show a struggle between being pulled equally from each place. We quickly meet the characters within the viking section and 'The Last Kingdom' is definitely good at, although we know and we see saxons being brutally killed everywhere, we feel warm and homely for the vikings and it begins to warp what the first part told you and removes the accessibility to be able to accurately choose a side which is the way it should be yet in dong this the saxons become more easier to lose because we are no longer with them. Perhaps that is to do with a poor structuring of that side which I'm sure will be explored in the second episode when Uhtrid returns. But not having that person to connect with on that side does contribute to the challenge that the show produces and I hope continues to go with.

We meet the eldery blind viking who entrusts and asks Uhtrid to cut chicken for him and creates an alliance very quickly. Again, nothing new, But I trust and like this character a lot for his wisdom and love for the vikings and what happens. I am interested what is history is and whether or not it was similar to Uhtrid in some way. The viking way of making each other learn and treatment of each other is a stark difference and something the show really plays on which is good. How Uhtrid fits and his humour belongs with them is endearing. A comparison of symbolism of how when Uhtrid was with his 'family', they came close to drowning him with baptising him within a religion and then with the vikings, he is offered but not told to take the pagan necklace which he then goes to tell the saxons that he was 'forced to wear.' Where they force in brutal ways, they don't in others and it seems the exact other way round on the opposite side. Whereas the baptism occurred with the saxons, Uhtrid was playfully thrown off a viking horse into the river.

A scene where Uhtrid looks at his father pinned to a post in a field reverberates and a part which really speaks to you is when he falls on the ground silently and he blends into the long grass. In my opinion, this makes a brief 'show and tell' of his birthright and the culture which he was born from but which he needs to break away from. The way children in 'The Last Kingdom' are used in general to reflect the times and adult subjects. There is a scene where a viking son attacks the other children with a threat of a real sword and rips off the top half of a little viking girl's clothes. It's extremely piercing and scary and you almost cheer on the viking leader who punishes this until you remember that this is typical behaviour, just not when it's a certain child or a child doing it.

Flashing forward to Uhtrid becoming older at the end of the episode was good and the actor who takes over is just as good and is able to make him greatly acted. There are elements of plot missing and it seemed like a large jump to make but the way it was ended with the attack and destruction of the viking group was a perfect move because you believe that you are going to spend the entire show getting to know them but that is far from realistic to expect and it toys with that.

Overall, 'The Last Kingdom' does have promise and I do want to want to watch more but there isn't anything too special about it yet. You would definitely enjoy it if you are interested in historically-based shows and there is a huge undeniable awesome cast on their way in future episodes including David Dawson (Also 'Ripper Street', 'Peaky Blinders', 'The Banished.') There is something slightly Starz 'Spartacus' about the music at points (Also adult Uhtrid- Nasir from 'Spartacus' anyone?) and there does seem to be inspiration from HBO's 'Game of Thrones' in the title sequence but inspiration can only be a good thing even if it doesn't truly set it apart.

I'm not very impressed with the diversity or much in the way of well-rounded female characters in the first episode which is crucial but It will be seen if given time for the story to be open us, this happens. But just like Ragnar in the episode described as he dipped his finger into the water and tasted it; this show could be 'Sweet water.' I haven't seen in take of in any visible popularity yet but the show can grow and make it and survive and I hope it will prove to be good enough to with so many-start up series more than ever meeting their early graves however being part of the BBC guarantees it as least two series.

I rate this episode at around 3.5 stars. Have you seen the 'The Last Kingdom'? What do you think about it?

You can catch 'The Last Kingdom' on BBC2 in the UK and on BBC America in the US.