“The Longbow Hunters” sets up a weak status quo for the season. The more ARROW commits to a season without the Green Arrow, the weaker it gets. This episode has some interesting storylines with its other team members, but they all revolve around Oliver. His prison sentence seems to be a death sentence for expectations.
This episode mostly centers on the conflict between Felicity and John. Now that Team Arrow has disbanded, the two are at odds with how to pursue Diaz. The reason this plot doesn’t work well for the episode is that their conflict is one-sided. Felicity has some great motivations, and it helps that we got to see her fight Diaz last week. But Diggle has gotten next to no screen time so far to ground him in the season’s story line. One awkward encounter with his superior doesn’t put him on an even playing field with Felicity. Their inter-personal conflict is too unbalanced to keep the episode interesting.
David Ramsey and Emily Bett Rickards, CW’s ARROW
They also aren’t in conflict with interesting enemies. For an episode called “The Longbow Hunters,” we get little action that centers on these villains. The fearsome trio appears to be little more than a Graves-twins-knockoff and a human silencer. It doesn’t help that they’ve partnered with the still vaguely powerful villain, Ricardo Diaz, who only appears for a second. While the silencer makes for some cool directorial choices, they make next to no impact in their titular debut.
Even the flash-forwards don’t offer much mystery. Part of this is due to how fresh they are, as we don’t know what leads William and Roy to this dark future. However, ARROW doesn’t give viewers much to work with. We learn that Felicity has died, and that everyone else is… not there? The future ARROW is pushing offers little incentive to try and crack what’s happened. It’s nice to see Roy Harper back, but if we don’t know what’s he’s doing back, then what’s the point?
The big problem with “The Longbow Hunters” – that may extend to the season – is Oliver’s status. Oliver’s prison plot line isn’t strong enough to center an episode on. That’s why the show probably focused more on Felicity and Diggle. However, Oliver is still the main character of this show, and he’s not acting like one. Oliver’s conflict with the other prisoners and the guard isn’t interesting, because we know little about them. Everything concerning Oliver so far hasn’t given ARROW much to work with.
There isn’t enough that “The Longbow Hunters” tees up for it to work as an episode. It doesn’t look like ARROW will have any Arrow in it for a while, so what’s the point? Felicity teaming up with the agent that put Oliver away seems like a story line doomed to repeat her conflict with Diggle. The most interesting side character squabble is between Rene and Dinah, and that plays no role in this episode. Even the mysterious new Green Arrow isn’t around. This episode sets a dangerous precedent for what could be a very boring, inconsequential season of ARROW.
The fantasy animated series Disenchantment, headlined by Abbi Jacobson and Eric André, has been renewed through 2021. While streaming service Netflix has been on a cancellation streak lately (see Luke Cage and Iron Fist), they announced today via the show’s Twitter account that there would be more episodes of Disenchantment over the next three years.
The misadventure continues. New Disenchantment coming in 2019, 2020, and 2021. pic.twitter.com/HWzXeYxRQ4
The series focuses on the adventures of Princess Bean (voiced by Jacobson), a rebellious buck-toothed drunkard fighting against responsibility and adult life. It was created by Matt Groening and Josh Weinstein, both of The Simpsons and Futurama fame. The first ten episodes, available now on Netflix, showed potential, and it comes as little surprise that more episodes called for, although with Netflix’s opacity regarding ratings, one never knows.
What do you think of the renewal? Where do you think the series will go over the next 30 episodes? Let us know in the comments.
What do you do when you have a dormant horror franchise?
It could be given a reboot, slowly go from horror to comedy, or be laid to rest.
David Gordon Green does something very different with Halloween. By taking on Michael Myers, the movie revives the series in a big way.
The new Halloween takes place exactly 40 years after the 1978 movie. It also removes all the sequels and the Rob Zombie reboot films. Gone are the Curse of Thorn, Jamie Lloyd, and the flashbacks of Michael’s youth. Nor is there any link between Myers or Laurie Strode. The film dismisses the idea of a family connection as an urban legend.
Having survived the first film, Michael Myers has been living in a mental hospital after his capture in 1978. Authorities finally heed the late Dr. Samuel Loomis’ advice and keep the prisoner under heavy guard. Aaron Korey and Dana Haines, two British podcasters, come to do a story on Michael before he gets sent to a maximum security prison. Still tall and imposing, Meyers remains mute and unemotional. As his new psychiatrist Dr. Surtain explains, Michael can speak but simply chooses not to. Aaron pushes his luck in pressing Michael about the 1978 killings, mentioning Laurie Strode, and showing him the old mask. While all the other inmates are visibly terrified, Michael is unflinching.
Meanwhile, Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis) is not faring well either. A brief encounter with the podcasters shows she has been dealing with the past for years. Now in her fifties, she continues to train and arm herself for the event of another confrontation with Michael. In addition, she struggles with PTSD and alcohol, which ended two marriages and has driven her family away.
Laurie’s daughter Karen (Judy Greer) doesn’t have a good relationship with her mother, who she views as unstable. This stems from her being taken away by social services as an adolescent. She refuses to reunite with her mother unless the latter moves on and gets help. The only relative whom Laurie is close to is granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak), who is starting to become frustrated with her obsession.
During the prison transfer, the bus goes off the road, and Michael is able to make an escape. One harrowing sequence involves a pedestrian father and son arriving on the scene and facing a horrific fate. Not long afterwards, Michael encounters the podcasters at a gas station, kills them, and recovers his mask. He then makes his way to Haddonfield, Illinois.
Meanwhile, Allyson is out at the school dance with her boyfriend Cameron. The event ends in disappointment when she catches him kissing another girl and decides to head home. What Allyson doesn’t know is that Laurie and Karen are trying to contact her about Michael being on the loose. This is rather difficult, since Cameron destroyed her phone. While the body count rises, Laurie and Sheriff Frank Hawkins (Will Patton) double down on trying to catch Michael. As various plot threads combine, we learn that Dr. Surtain has designs of his own regarding Michael.
As a director, David Gordon Green succeeds in creating a genuine feeling of dread. What’s interesting is the question of what Michael personally gets out of killing. This is a hard question to answer, as Michael remains mute and doesn’t speak. Make no mistake, there are no references to Druid cults, Satanists or cursed tattoos. Instead, Dr. Surtain theorizes that the pursuit of Laurie is what gives Michael the strength to keep going. He considers the idea of the victimizer becoming the pursued one. There is also the possibility that Michael’s mask serves as a trigger of sorts, as shown in the opening scene.
Jamie Lee Curtis is in fine form as Laurie. She manages to depict a character who’s been victimized and is willing to fight back. Some of the film’s deeper moments involve Laurie breaking down at a family outing, which also reveals she has struggled with alcohol. Now wiser and experienced, she is in the Dr. Loomis role of warning others to beware Myers. Curtis gets to perform a lot of action scenes, especially handling firearms.
James Jude Courteney is imposing and scary as Michael Myers. Tall, muscular and stoic, he is physically intense as a killer who’s picking up where he left off. This is a much older, slower take on Michael, but he’s still intimidating as he was back in 1978. All the classic features are there- the boots, the slow breathing, the quizzical head tilt, etc. It is interesting to note we see a fair amount of Michael’s face in side profile and at angles. This film also marks the return of original Myers actor Nick Castle, who provides the famous heavy breathing and appears in one scene.
Haluk Bilginer’s Dr. Surtain is an interesting addition to the film. Having taken over from Loomis, he views Michael as both a patient and a scientific specimen. Laurie even lampshades his role in the story, calling him “the new Loomis” at one point. As the film progresses, however, Surtain shows that he only wants to keep Michael alive for research, and he’ll go to extremes to make sure of that. What’s frustrating about Surtain is that he doesn’t appear to comprehend the danger he’s putting himself and others in.
The supporting case does great with the material. Will Patton brings a level of toughness and experience to the role of Frank. His character is unique in averting the cliche of police being useless, because Frank believes what Michael is truly capable of and tries to stop him. Judy Greer makes Karen a likeable and sympathetic character who holds mixed feelings about her mother. She does hold her own, especially in the third act. Andi Matichak brings a mixture of believability and uncertainty as Allyson. While most of her scenes are teen-related, she shows a sense of resolve that gets stronger as the plot progresses.
Toby Huss provides a dry, sardonic sense of humour as Allyson’s laid-back father, Ray. Miles Robbins, son of Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon, and Drew Scheid provide comic relief with their light-hearted banter and adolescent awkwardness. It’s especially saddening to see such funny characters meet a terrible fate, but this is typical of the horror genre.
Green’s direction is pretty good, and he does know how to stage action. However, more than a few comedy moments feel like scenes right out of a teen movie like Superbad. Such examples include Dave and Cameron’s hormonal confessions and foul-mouthed little Julian. These bits come up pretty frequently in the film, but they also run the risk of killing the suspense.
Halloween is also notable for the return of creator John Carpenter to the franchise. While he isn’t directing, he does serve as executive producer and provide the score, which adds to the suspense. Always a nice touch to see original crew members reuniting with the work that made them famous.
Overall, Halloween breathes new life into the series. Curtis, Greer, Matichak and Hawkins deliver strong performances. Green and his producing partners have made the Boogeyman scary again. Anything is possible at this point.
A show typically hooks an audience within 3 episodes, making “Fuel for the Fire” an important episode in Star Wars Resistance. The pilot of the series “New Recruit” did its job well, driving attention and interest. But “The Triple Dark” showed off more flaws than expected, leaving the series’ fate to this week’s episode, “Fuel for the Fire.”
Sticking with the already established blueprint for Star Wars Resistance, the show continued to be all about Kaz. There’s nothing wrong with focusing on one character for an extended period, however, if viewers aren’t relating to the main protagonist — and the other characters only serve as background, the risk of losing viewers grows expediently.
Take the hit anime series Naruto, for example. Season 1 of Star Wars Resistance contains similarities to Naruto’s first season, especially in regard to the lead protagonist. Kaz, like Naruto, is annoying and every episode seems to focus solely on him. When the protagonist (Kaz/Naruto) has a learning moment, it gets forgotten, repeating bad behaviors or personality traits. Even the side characters are receiving similar treatment.
Maybe Kaz should be calledNazuto?
Image via Disney Studios, Lucasfilm, and Viz Media
Most fans of Naruto will openly admit they weren’t huge fans of season 1 and that the young protagonist, Naruto, was beyond annoying. Somehow though, the anime series maintained itself and became greater than any of its creators could have imagined.
The success of Naruto, however, didn’t take place because of its first season. Fans were loyal to the series because they’d read the manga first. In addition, as the series progressed, so did the quality of its episodes.
Star Wars Resistance doesn’t have any loyal followers, besides the franchises loyal fans who are willing to give it a chance. And as the episodes tick by, viewership is likely to drop if the story doesn’t improve. Will Resistance become something great like Naruto, or will fans bail because Kaz isn’t relatable like Naruto?
Warning, Spoilers Ahead For Star Wars Resistance episode 3!!!
“Fuel for the Fire” definitely was an improvement over last weeks “The Triple Dark.” And yet, there’s still so much missing. Kaz, once again the focus, still hasn’t figured out how to fit in. Not only is he a lousy mechanic, but he’s constantly making huge mistakes which come back on Yeager and his crew.
Kaz seems oblivious to his surroundings and ends up getting suckered by another racing team on the Colossus. Thinking he’s connected with friends who understand him, Kaz is used simply for access to Yeager’s secret stash of Corellian Hyperfuel.
Image via Disney Studios and Lucasfilm
Playing the role of Jace Rucklin (the one who suckers Kaz) is none other than Elijah Wood. On Rucklin’s team is Gorrak Wiles (Eric Bauza) and Lin Gaava (Rachael MacFarlane). Rucklin and his team are actually the saving grace behind this week’s episode of Star Wars Resistance. Wood has a natural ability to capture an audience’s attention, even when it’s just his voice. And in “Fuel for the Fire,” he leads the episode like a veteran.
It would have been nice if Tam (or even Neeku) played a larger role in “Fuel for the Fire,” but alas, it seems they’re destined to serve as strictly background characters for now. Even Yeager (who played a major role in episode 3) somehow got pushed to the side.
After bungling things up, as Kaz seems prone to do, he realizes his mistake and sets off to save the one who betrayed him. Rucklin, despite having knowledge of Yeager’s secret stash of hyperfuel, doesn’t seem to know how it works. Once combined with normal fuel, it becomes combustible and is likely to blow up the ship.
Image via Disney Studios and Lucasfilm
Kaz risks his life to save Rucklin, but the favor isn’t returned. Rucklin instead, pretends like the whole incident is Kaz’s fault and declares he’ll have his revenge. Meanwhile, BB-8 and Yeager (who saved Kaz and Rucklin from being fish food) barely get recognized.
Overall, “Fuel for the Fire” wasn’t a bad episode. But it also fell short of being great. The voice acting proved to be phenomenal, but the direction of the episode felt choppy while falling flat a few times. The animation continues to be a highlight, especially during any type of flying and racing scene. The story, however, continues to be the one area of Star Wars Resistance which isn’t pulling its weight. There’s potential for a great story, however, the introduction of Kaz continually seems to be hogging the spotlight.
Could the photo of Yeager with the Rebellion at Jakku lead to more, or will it get tossed in with the scraps and forgotten?
Image via Disney Studios and Lucasfilm
Be sure to tune in next week for “The High Tower.” What are your thoughts regarding this week’s episode of Star Wars Resistance? Is it a show you’ll continue to watch, or is it being tossed to the backburner? Let us know in the comments below! “May the Force be with you, always.”
Justin (Zach McGowan) was the cause of a recent fiasco on The Walking Dead. After Rick (Andrew Lincoln) kicked him out, he took off at night, only to be face to face with someone at the end of last week’s episode. His undead body has been recovered, and it’s causing major unrest between the communities.
Fingers are being pointed in all directions to find out who was the cause of Justin’s death. Anne (Pollyanna McIntosh) and Daryl (Norman Reedus) are the prime suspects. More and more of the Sanctuary crew are going missing. And Daryl has a hunch.
Anne’s always had an idea in the back of her mind that she was never truly accepted into any community after her numerous betrayals. Rightfully so. We finally know that she has a connection to the random helicopter fly-overs. Her walkie conversation includes discussion of trading people for supplies. But, with her being part of a civilization over the past few months, how often has she been in contact with this person? Her offerings have been classified as either an “A” or a “B”; is the significance of the letter “A” finally being brought to light? We’ve seen it numerous times throughout the series, but does it have a common thread? Is Anne officially back to being Jadis?
Pollyanna McIntosh as Jadis/Anne – The Walking Dead – Season 9, Episode 3 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC
Rick confides in Carol (Melissa McBride) that he wakes every morning with the desire to end Negan’s (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) life. But, the thought is fleeting, as he knows that he needs to honor those they have lost by foraging on, by creating a future. More death and murder, even justified, are no longer the answer. Looks like he’s taken a page from the Gospel of Morgan (Lennie James). The family fun day scenes at the beginning of the episode painted the picture of Rick becoming a real softie. Where’s the tough as nails Rick Grimes we’ve known?
Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, Danai Gurira as Michonne, Chloe Garcia-Frizzi as Judith Grimes – The Walking Dead – Season 9, Episode 3 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC
Daryl’s hunch was correct. He found the ladies of Oceanside with Arat (Elizabeth Ludlow), a reformed Savior, on her knees, begging for forgiveness and freedom. Leader Cyndie (Sydney Park) tells Daryl and Maggie that she’s taken control of their situation, and Maggie’s leadership actions have inspired her to do so. Maggie’s public hanging of Gregory (Xander Berkeley) has had more effect on people than she realizes, and she’s not sure that it’s a bad thing. Revenge is sweet, and Daryl and Maggie walk away without stopping them.
There’s definitely a lot of story yet to tell in this still-mild civil war between the communities. Even with AMC pounding it into our heads that these are Rick Grimes’ last episodes, the epic is beyond that of Rick Grimes. His fate may be what brings the war to a head, but we’ll have to wait and see over the next two episodes to find out.
There are some movies that are so weird that you are struck with awe by their creativity. On the other hand, there are some films that are so weird you question the sanity of the person who made it. An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn certainly falls into the latter category.
Directed and co-written by Jim Hosking (The Greasy Strangler), the movie follows a woman whose unhappy marriage takes a turn for the worse when a mysterious man from her past comes to town for a performance.
Perhaps the biggest issue with the movie is its dialogue. Having seen The Greasy Strangler, this style of dialogue is very much Hosking’s style. While it is possible that some audiences may appreciate it ironically, it is awkwardly written. The dialogue makes it seem almost as if the writers have never had any human interactions before. It seems as if the film is trying to be surreal, but the content does not necessitate that tone.
There are also a lot of things that are randomly weird and just don’t make any sense. Why does Beverly Luff Linn communicate through grunts? Why does the concierge seem so creepy? How was that break dancing? And the biggest question of all: is it even possible to swim like that?
The acting is frequently frustrating too, making the movie’s lack of quality seem purposeful. Despite an extremely talented ensemble including Aubrey Plaza, Craig Robinson, and Jemaine Clement, the film still feels highly amateurish. In many parts, the actors are so monotonous with their delivery that it seems like they are reading cue cards. Then, they suddenly switch to having over-the-top emotions. This is jarring and uncomfortable.
It is entirely possible that this movie intends to be so bad it’s good. However, this doesn’t entirely work. The film obviously isn’t taking itself seriously, but it also doesn’t really have a sense of self-awareness. Since neither of these things is present, it isn’t able to break into the cult-worthy canon of bad movies.
Only in the last twenty minutes or so does the film begin to find its footing. At this point, the story becomes much more interesting, the characters become more likable, and the jokes actually become somewhat funny. The story answers no questions in its final act, but it does tone down on the weirdness, allowing for a few good character moments.
Additionally, the movie is very competently-shot. The cinematography and production design are both solid, giving the film a retro feel. Hosking also knows how to use music very well. The score is catchy, and the original songs, while as ridiculous as the film itself, are some of the most humorous moments.
Overall, while An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn is sure to have its fans, it will more likely alienate most of its viewers with its absurd and awkwardly-written dialogue and story. That being said, it is certainly a vast improvement over The Greasy Strangler.
An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn is now playing in select theaters and on VOD.
Supergirl’s second episode of the season comes in with a lot of the same stuff from last week. “Fallout” touches on a lot of the same themes as last week’s premiere. True to its name, “Fallout” deals more with the growing anti-alien sentiment that comes from the President’s true identity being revealed. It’s a bit repetitive, but it tackles familiar themes in an engaging way.
The specific plot of “Fallout” is kind of weak, as the focus is mostly on the political parallels. The primary plot focuses on Mercy Graves, breaking into LuthorCorp for some classic “hacking the mainframe” shenanigans. While it’s fun to see Lena and Mercy go all Lazer Teamon each other, it makes for an amusing story. Braniac’s discomfort after his identity revealed, and James’ struggle with writing an editorial, are also fine stories for Supergirl to continue exploring the show’s anti-alien conflict. The most interesting element was J’onn, as he prepares to go all BlackKklansmenin the movement run by new antagonist Agent Liberty. “Fallout” isn’t a groundbreaking episode, but while the plot is thin, the emotions are honest.
Mehcad Brooks and Nicole Maines, SUPERGIRL
This episode also does a better job of integrating Nia. While her purpose wasn’t clear last episode, “Fallout” gives her a purpose. The dialogue between her & Braniac was awkward, but her plea to James was strong. It’s an example of Supergirl finding new ways to explore similar themes. The show has never been subtle with its political stance, but moving beyond platitudes into real emotional struggle is powerful. How Nia will keep providing this power – and whether she may have a relationship with Braniac-5 – remains to be seen.
The weakest element of the episode are the villains. While Mercy Graves and Agent Liberty are independently interesting, their union doesn’t seem concrete. They appear to have different ideals, particularly when it comes to tackling Supergirl. It’s also an example of how Supergirl has clear themes, but not clear narratives. We understand their fear tactics early on. What the show needs is more conflicts on the scale of Mercy’s assault on LuthorCorp. Agent Liberty will need to start actual fights soon for him to feel like a real villain.
Jesse Rath and Nicole Maines, SUPERGIRL
Hopefully next week’s episode puts more of the plot into focus. “Fallout” is not a bad episode, but it needs a more substantive story. Especially with a potentially deadly cliffhanger, Supergirl definitely looks poised to bring in more action. The question is whether the series can better blend its politics with a superhero story. Supergirl’s politics aren’t a problem, and by no means should they feel pressured to drop them. All that’s needed is a better balance, especially now that it’s established its viewpoint so strongly.
Goblin Slayer, the new dark fantasy series from White Fox the studio who created Akame ga Kill has been getting a lot of reputation on the internet lately. Is really worthy a commotion? Welcome to Three Episode Report. This report will judge an anime on its first three episodes to show if it gets a PASS (meaning it passed and more episodes need to be watched) or a FAIL (meaning you probably should not watch it any further).
Summary
Priestess is a new adventurer who just took her first mission to eradicate some Goblins with a group of novice adventures. When things take a horrible turn, Priestess finds herself having to be rescued by the mysterious Goblin Slayer, an adventure who has climbed all the way up to silver rank by only slaying goblins.
Positive
Right from the first episode this series sets up exactly what can be expected. Scenes of intense and brutal violence are shown which leave the viewer shocked in awe. Goblin Slayer (the character) is a narrow minded individual who has one mission in life: Find and Kill Goblins. He makes sure to carry out this mission with no remorse and no second guessing with his methods. Despite being a character who is wants to protect others from goblins, he goes to extremes when it comes to making sure the scourge of goblins is eradicated.
The music also leaves a lot of impact. The opening by Mili is helps set up the audience for when the series showcases its adrenaline filled action scenes. The closing by Soraru leaves the audience with a feeling of melodrama to reflect on all the intensity which they just witnessed.
Negative
This series features a very disturbing rape scene in the first episode. The scene is used to showcase the malicious and despicable nature of the goblins, it is not an easy scene to witness. Though it doesn’t glorify the act of rape (as the perpetrators are hunted down and murdered for their crime) it will not be a comfortable experience for many viewers. This will result in many being unable to continue watching the series.
Also, this is another series like Maoyu Mao Yusha where the characters are named after the classes they represent. Priestess, High Elf Archer, and Lizard Shaman are some of the creative names for characters in the cast. Anyone who has ever played a game of dungeons and dragons will be able to create better names for the cast members. It’s a lame element of the show to say the least.
Grade
Goblin Slayer gets both a PASS and a FAIL. It passes for those who enjoy an intense series where you can never get comfortable because of the extreme themes which are present in every episode. It fails for those who find the content to be a bit too much to handle and you can’t deal with the violence and rape which are presented. If you find you can’t, don’t feel bad about it. There are a hundreds of anime titles and if this wasn’t isn’t for you spend your time looking elsewhere for something you do enjoy.
The new series, SSSS.Gridaman by Studio Trigger features giant monsters and a reference to a classic live action series from the 90s. Is this enough to make worth watching? Welcome to Three Episode Report. This report will be judged on its first three episodes to show if it gets a PASS (meaning it passed and more episodes need to be watched) or a FAIL (meaning you probably should not watch it any further).
Summary
Yuta Hibiki has no memory and has no idea where he came from. When Kaiju start to appear and destroy the city, a strange computer named Junk merges Yuta with a mysterious being known as Gridman to fight against this new invading force.
Positive
This series has a lot going for it thanks to a lot of great action which takes place throughout the episodes. You can tell it was based off a tokusatsu (Special effects show. Think Power Rangers or if you remember how the original show came to America, think Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad) as the setup of “Monsters appear and hero fights” is the basic formula. Still being animated presents much more fluid and destructive graphics than what could be shown in a live action media.
The show also presents a mystery in the early episodes. After each fight, everything is put back to normal as if nothing ever happened but at the same time if people die in the Kaiju attack they stay dead and the history surrounding them is altered. It leaves the audience with just enough intrigue in these first few episodes to plant curiosity in the viewer. When you combine the intrigue with the energetic opening theme “Union” by OxT and there is more than enough to get the audience eager to finish the series.
Negative
The loose and fast animation style has become a trademark of Studio Trigger. Though this time around it isn’t nearly as breakneck as say KIll La Kill, the series does have moments where the characters move very spartically. If you are getting sick of this style of animation, this may not be the show for you.
Other minor complaints include a main character who has amnesia is far too overplayed of a plot point and the ending theme “Youthful Beautiful” by Maaya Uchida is never very catchy of a song. Still these are minor complains over all.
Grade
This one gets a PASS for sure. If you are a fan of giant monsters and action then this is the show for you. On the other hand if you are getting a little tired of Studio Trigger and its animation style, maybe just watch a little bit. Then see if you can look past the visuals in favor what promises to be a very entertaining new series.
Are you waiting anxiously for that planned Buffy reboot? If so, Exorsisters #1 might help fill the void in the meantime.
Exorsisters follows “sisters” Kate and Cate Harrow, a pair of supernatural detectives with the power to go traipsing into Hell to annoy and abuse demons at will. This first issue sets us up for an episodic, monster-of-the-week story. There are nods to a larger, more complicated story to come, but this first issue falls squarely in sitcom territory, offering us a melodrama about—what else?—a groom who vanishes at the altar.
The Story
Writer Ian Boothby does a solid job of setting up the outline of our story in this first issue. We know we have a pair of sisters, they run some kind of magic-infused ghostbusting operation, and to them, facing-off against the demons of Hell is a pretty blasé, run-of-the-mill affair. The narrative feels to be equal parts Buffy and Blue Monday, and for what it is, it’s pretty good.
Where we run into some issues with Exorsisters is primarily in the character department. All of the characters in the story feel rather stock; we’ve got our serious, no-nonsense Cate, and our wild, carefree Kate. We have the jilted bride, and the scheming villain (he even gets a genuine “I would have gotten away with it, too!” moment). I can kind of buy the sisters as characters, even if they’re a bit on the archetypal side. However, none of the figures floating around them really do much for me.
Interactions between characters felt stilted and unnatural. In one scene, for example, an unnamed extra opens up, very nonchalantly, about the worst experience of his life to a perfect stranger, as the setup for a joke. It falls flat because it doesn’t feel like how real people would speak or act. Unfortunately, that problem extends to most of the characters introduced here.
The Art
The artwork throughout this first issue of Exorsisters is capable. Gisele Lagace’s lines reminded me of Archie in certain ways. That makes sense, as Lagace has provided work for several issues of the series. However, it’s lacking some of the enigmatic charm of an Archie issue.
It stood out to me how well Lagace conveys facial expression throughout. Her style lends itself to more emotive faces, and I could read characters by their faces very well throughout. That said, a lot of the settings and backgrounds fell a bit flat.
After all, we’re talking about a comic in which our protagonists can open portals to Hell and interact with demons. They’re in Hell. There’s so much that could be going on here. But the first glimpse we get is…a wall of red? We spend five pages in Hell, and the design of the place reminds me of a Pretzel Amusement Ride.
Final Thoughts
Exorsisters #1 sets us up for an alright supernatural detective sitcom story. I wasn’t blown away, but I’m willing to check out the next issue and see where it’s headed.
