A show based of the popular ‘Bad Boys’ film franchise which starred Martin Lawrence and Will Smith is currently being pitched to TV networks. Because of it’s strong interest from fans, it’s expected to be picked up by a major network.
The untitled spin-off will will star Gabrielle Union who starred in the second Bad Boys film as Sydney “Syd” Burnett. An undercover agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration and sister of Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) who begins a romantic relationship Marcus’ partner, Detective Lieutenant Mike Lowrey (Will Smith).
This is good news for Union since it was just announced her BET series, Being Mary Jane will end next year. There has been lots of chatter about a third and fourth Bad Boys film, but will the new series put that to a halt?
In 2015 Sony pictures said a third film will be released February 2, 2017. That time has passed and we still haven’t seen a new film!
In August Lawrence spoke with EW about his doubts on the film happening “I don’t think we’re going to get one, not the way everything’s turning out,” Lawrence said. “Will is off doing another movie, and I don’t think it’s going to happen.”
But whenever the time come the actor is ready, “I’m there, I’m ready right now, If they wanted to do it, I’m ready, but I don’t have control of that. That’s the studio’s decision.”
Bad Boys spin-off is being written by Brandon Margolis and Brandon Sonnier who also write and produce NBC’s hit show The Blacklist
Apparently, the project is in the earliest phases of its development, and as such, there is no completed script that currently exists. However, Hulu acquired the rights to the Invisible Man earlier in 2017, and Variety has reported that preliminary work is underway on the project. The rights were previously owned by the Ralph and Fanny Ellison Charitable Trust.
The novel, which was written in 1952 and won the National Book Award in 1953, is widely held to be one of the greatest American literary works of the 20th Century. It follows an unnamed African-American narrator, the titular character and the one from whose perspective the story is told, as he experiences feeling invisible due to the color of his skin. He recalls various stories from throughout different periods in his life, including his attending school and college in the South, and then later moving to New York City, where he lives the rest of his life.
Hulu is developing this project coming off a host of successful literary adaptations. In 2016, the streaming service released an adaptation of Stephen King’s widely beloved 11.22.63, starring James Franco, to a good deal of fanfare and modest critical acclaim. More recently, Hulu also released The Handmaid’s Tale, based on Margaret Atwood’s feminist, dystopian magnum opus. The series, which debuted in September, earned eight Emmys, including best actress (Elizabeth Moss) and, most importantly, best drama series. Hulu has also announced that they have another King-inspired project, Castle Rock, in the works, with King and J.J. Abrams both actively participating.
Craig Erwich, in an interview with Variety, said of The Handmaid’s Tale that “we’re looking to tell intimate character stories against large worlds and large canvases that have really strong, resonant, and permanent dramatic underpinnings.” An adaptation of Invisible Man would certainly be all of those things.
The next DC film to go into production, Shazam!, has found it’s lead. It’s none other than Chuck and Heroes Reborn Zachary Levi. The news comes courtesy of The Hollywood Reporterwho broke the news.
Levi, who is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as one of the Warriors Three (Fandral) in Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok will play the adult transformation of the young Billy Batson speaks the word “Shazam!,” becomes Earth’s mightiest mortal.
The DCEU film is set to shoot in February. It was also thought to star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as longtime foe Black Adam until it was revealed that character would instead get a film of his own. The villain of WB’s Shazam! is still a mystery.
Personally, I think Levi is a very likable actor with strong comedic and dramatic chops. Chuck was a very underrated show and the actor could bring the right balance of humor, heart, and tragedy that Billy Batson/Shazam needs.
What do you guys think? Are you excited to see Levi as a superhero? Are you pumped for a Shazam! film? Comment and discuss below!
Monty Python, perhaps the most influential sketch comedy group of all time, consisted of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, and Terry Jones (unofficially some, including myself, also list Carol Cleveland and/or Neil Innes as contributing members). While most of them went on to larger success in comedy and filmmaking, it is their work within the group with which they are most largely associated.
Scholars have long debated questions regarding the Pythons: Who was the driving force behind the group? Who the funniest? The most intelligent? The silliest? Who, if any of them, were responsible for the assassination of JFK? (we at MFR, or probably just myself, have been poring over the recently released documents searching for any connection and so far the results have been…well, there haven’t been any results. So far.) Debates raged among historians. What started out as a gentlemanly discourse soon devolved into childish name-calling, personal feuds, and eventually a series of bloody wars that nearly wiped out a generation of academics from both Oxford and Cambridge, as well several hundred chartered accountants.
Finally, an armistice was declared and, with a tone reminiscent of certain religious matters, it was declared that the answers to these questions were beyond the realm of mankind’s understanding and should be pursued no further. Anyone found attempting to answer these holy questions would be burned at the stake or tarred and feathered, as time permitted. Thus, the matter of debating Pythons was closed for years.
Not pictured: the late Graham Chapman who, while being himself a tall person of some acclaim, was a mere 6’2″
Until now. Upon secretly researching the troupe in a cave on an unmarked island off Sumatra, one handsome scholar found a loophole. A matter about which there could be no serious debate and one by which one Python could be singled out to stand above the rest: height. Yes at 6’5″, one Python: John Cleese, stands head and shoulders (assuming the head and shoulders in question measure approximately 3 inches) above his colleagues. So, in honor of the 78th birthday of Mr. Cleese, we at Monkeys Fighting Robots proudly present to you The Top 7 or 8 John Cleese Sketches From Monty Python.
“You yellow bastards!” When I was about ten years old, my cousin said I just had to watch a film called Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Being an ignorant child, I thought he was referring to one of those awful-looking bible cartoons from the 80s and refused to watch it. Luckily for me, he didn’t listen and popped in the VHS cassette. As soon as King Arthur and his coconut shell horses appeared I was convulsing with laughter and hooked on the absurd humor of Monty Python. I think we watched the movie another 5 or 6 times that weekend, and I know we must have rewound and watched this scene twice as many times. The ridiculous squirting blood, the taunting in the face of what for anyone else would have been mortal wounds, kicking a king in his head while he prayed; the Black Knight was the greatest character I had ever seen. This was and still is maybe the funniest thing ever recorded and Cleese was the man behind the mask.
Note: Some of you may be thinking (erroneously) that this is not a sketch and shouldn’t be included on this list. Let me enlighten you. While this is technically a scene from a film, it works perfectly well outside of that context and could have just as easily been featured on the show or in one of their sketch compilation movies. If you still insist that it shouldn’t be here, then I challenge you to a duel, but I must warn you that you’ll leave said duel with more than just a flesh wound.
With Rick Remender beginning work on the Deadly Class TV pilot, and with a baby coming for Wes Craig, the boys take a break. No Deadly Class for four months, but not before setting us up for a massive bloodbath in issue #31.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
On the run from a pep rally gone violent, the freshmen and Petra find themselves shacked up with Marcus and Maria. Not knowing that Quan had already sold them out, the King’s Dominion alumni and students dump a bunch of ecstasy down their throats.
Having Marcus and Maria with the freshman class we’ve been slowly falling in love with makes my heart swell and expand like a bag of popcorn in the microwave.
Helmet and Petra’s relationship has quickly blossomed. Their chemistry and companionship has almost completely redeemed her for being a total snake previously. Chucking acid in Shabnam’s face doesn’t hurt either.
Zenzele had some major breakthroughs this issue. After unwillingly having some light shed onto her family situation, she partakes in drugs and even some boy kissing. The mystery of her past continues to unravel slowly, each little crumb tasting better than the last.
Quan’s shady dealings almost come to fruition, but he redeems himself after realizing his fellow fugitives are the only family he’s got. The fallout one from this issue spells inevitable doom for Quan one way or another. He’s had a quite a character arc already, I can’t wait to see where Remender takes him next.
This issue is a perfect culmination of all that the Deadly Class team has achieved. Merging the old with the new, giving them common enemies, and putting them in inescapable danger together. Rick Remender is one of the best writers in the business, his slow-release narratives are addicting and rarely disappoint.
Nobody illustrates drug sequences like Wes Craig, there’s a certain edge and flair to his layouts. All of his contributions to this series have been as crucial to its success as Remender’s scripts. They’re a top creative duo.
Heading into a fourth month Deadly Class hiatus is tough, especially given that we’re leaving off just as a gigantic storm of carnage is about to strike. There’s reason for excitement this time though; Rick will be off working on the television show for SyFy.
Deadly Class has been at the top of my list for comic book series that could realistically be successful on television. SyFy may not have been my first guess for network, but if Rick is willing to let them have his baby, I’m willing to reserve judgement.
His heavy involvement with the pilot is a good sign. I’m not saying the network doesn’t have some quality programs, I just worry about the ultra-violent and vulgarity that the comic includes being censored.
We’ll see how it goes! One thing I know for sure is Rick Remender rarely steers us wrong. In Remender I trust.
Netflix’s STRANGER THINGSreturns just in time for the Hallo-weekend. The series return sees the main cast from season one still reeling from the events of last year. Along with all the new characters in the world, the premiere sets up the frightening new monster. Hawkins is certainly a much bigger town this go-around, with a noticeably larger cast. However, “MADMAX” paces out the returns and reveals incredibly well.
Season two picks up a year after the events of last season. The boys are obsessing over arcade games, and the teenagers are getting ready for dances. But Upside-Down survivor Will (Noah Schnapp) is having increased episodes of seeing the demonic realm he’d spent most of last season in. While Will’s new doctor (Paul Reiser) tries to soothe his mother (Winona Ryder) and Chief Hopper (David Harbour), there’s no denying something is amiss. But what exactly is this new demonic creature planning?
Noah Schnapp, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin (Copyright Netflix)
While “MADMAX” offers few answers, it serves as a great re-entry point into STRANGER THINGS. The dynamic between Will and the other protagonists is really interesting – they’re all approaching him with caution. There’s an air of normalcy to the majority of the episode, with undercurrents of the fantastical world below. Nancy (Natalia Dyer) weeps when she can’t tell Barb’s parents the truth about their daughter. Chief Hopper nurses a healthy distrust for everyone at the Hawkins Lab. “MADMAX” strikes a perfect tone of small-town life with a supernatural underbelly.
A lot of the episode focuses on introducing all the new players of the season. “MADMAX” begins with the high-stakes heist pulled off by Roman (Linnea Berthelsen) – aka “Eight.” The episode gets its name from new girl Max (Sadie Sink). The parents of the dearly deceased Barb have hired Murray (Brett Gelman), a detective-conspiracist, to find their “missing” daughter. It’s a bit much to absorb all at once, but the new characters are introduced in a well-paced way. We don’t spend too much time with characters we don’t need to worry about.
Millie Bobby Brown (Copyright Netflix)
The highlight of the episode, by far, is the return of Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown). While it was no secret that Eleven would return to the show, the question of “how?” still dominated many fan’s minds. It’s not until the end of “MADMAX” that we get our answer – Eleven is now under Hopper’s care, living in secret. It’s exciting to see such a cornerstone of the series alive and well, and what her role will be in episodes to come is an enthralling mystery.
The new Hawkins that “MADMAX” introduces viewers to is far larger than last season. It’s hard to say how beneficial this new scope will be. Even with an extended season, STRANGER THINGS runs the risk of becoming bloated with characters and side-plots. The episode is reminiscent of early GAME OF THRONES, asking viewers to remember many new players. However, the way “MADMAX” balances all the elements promises good things. The tone and well-done storytelling that made STRANGER THINGS a hit last year is still present. STRANGER THINGS 2 promises a season every bit as amazing as last season with this premiere.
This week’s episode of Star Trek: Discovery entitled Lethe, after the river of forgetfulness of Greek myth, showed viewers a lot but continued to suffer from the issues that have plagued the show since its premiere. Flashbacks featuring the first Discovery appearance of Sarek’s human wife Amanda Grayson, mentions of Spock, and a dangerous trip into a nebula couldn’t hide the show’s clunky dialogue or the actors’ often wooden performances. In addition to these problems, the creative team behind Discovery seems intent upon simplifying the characters, giving the battle-hardened crew of an experimental military/exploration vessel the emotional depth of sit com characters.
Although every version of Trek has involved some amount of comic relief, this version manages to be, somehow, both silly and cold at the same time. That said, viewer ratings are apparently on par or exceeding Discovery’s competitors, so if viewers are upset with the direction Discovery is headed then they haven’t let their complaints stop them from tuning in to the bug-infested CBS All Access service every week.
But bugs or no, CBS All Access has already renewed Discovery for a second season, so, like it or not, after this season is over it’ll be back for season two next September. One can only hope that by then viewers will have some clue as to why the Klingons depicted in Discovery look like giant space-cockroaches rather than either version of the alien race we’ve seen in previous Trek shows.
Lethe – Illogical Logic Extremists
I tried in a previous article to highlight the lack of logic that Discovery’s creative team has imbued the Vulcans with since Discovery’s premiere. The so-called “Vulcan Hello” provides an example of Discovery’s Vulcans taking an illogically racist and war-mongering attitude toward the Klingons. Unfortunately, the addition of Vulcan “logic extremists” to Discovery’s mix keeps with this formula while simultaneously recycling ideas that are best left alone.
Any half-interested viewer of Star Trek: Enterprise remembers the arrogant Vulcan-first attitude that prevailed among the pointy-eared aliens in that show. And since Discovery is set 102 years after the Vulcan Reformation, also featured in Star Trek: Enterprise, one would think that the eminently logical Vulcans would have risen above xenophobic concerns about humanity messing up the Milky Way by now. For the sake of argument, though, let’s say they haven’t and instead try to address the idea of what a “logic extremist” even is.
Lethe – “I know! Murder!”
Based on what we’ve seen so far, logic extremists, like a number of Vulcans depicted in Enterprise, are racist and xenophobic. Logic extremists fear that humanity will foul up the galaxy, and they take drastic action, such as suicide bombing a fellow Vulcan’s ship while he’s on a diplomatic mission to broker peace with the Klingons, in order to keep humanity down. Now, I’m no logic expert but suicide bombing a fellow Vulcan in order to promote Vulcan values seems to run against the aim of helping Vulcans.
Sure, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few but, even from an extreme viewpoint, trying to murder one of your own in order to promote your own represents a contradiction, something logic devotees generally try to avoid. Instead, as a concept, extreme logic should probably look pretty much like the regular version. Since the aim of a society based on logic is to always be logical, an extreme version of that society doesn’t make any sense. “Hey! Don’t just always be logical! Always be logical always … all the time!!!”
Lethe – Vulcans as Ham-handed Analogy
Instead, the point of these illogical logic extremists appears to be to act as a paper-thin analogue for real-life violent extremists. And though it’s good to know that the creative team is interested in being topical, it’s unclear to this reviewer what the payoff is meant to be. In a Vulcan society where the moderately logical Sarek approves of firing on Klingon ships before opening dialogues with them, it’s difficult to figure out what criteria make Sarek and other Vulcans logic moderates rather than extremists themselves.
Lethe – An Admirable Admiral
One thing I have liked about Discovery is the positive spin the creative team has put on Starfleet’s admiralty. Unlike Star Trek or Star Trek: The Next Generation, in which admirals tend to be prickly, and in one case involved in a conspiracy to overthrow the Federation, Admiral Cornwell is one of the most sympathetic characters to appear on Discovery so far. Her genuine concern for her friend and sometimes lover Captain Lorca showed viewers that not everyone in Discovery’s version of Starfleet is a sarcastic jerk. That said, it was a bit strange that it took Cornwell so long to realize that someone she’s so close to was unwell.
The only other emotional connections shown in Discovery so far have been between Tilly and Burnham and between Stamets and Culbert. But, the tooth-brushing scene between Stamets and Culbert, rather than seeming genuine, just seemed like a vehicle to get viewers to worry about Stamets who, after modifying his own genes, is suffering from mirror-itis.
Lethe – “Like Spock always says, ‘Live Long and Deny the Existence of Your Adopted Sister for Your Entire Life.’”
“Don’t you sass me, Michael and Spock! Dad put me in charge while he’s at the pon farr orgy!”
Call me a continuity pedant, but the revelation that Spock and Michael grew up together bothered me. Viewers are meant to believe that during Spock’s 162 years kicking around various realities and pocket universes that he never once mentioned the existence of his adopted sister Michael Burnham, Starfleet’s first mutineer, to anyone? When the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise A journeyed to the centre of the galaxy with Spock’s half-brother Sybok neither brother mentioned their adopted sister. Even Captain Picard, who briefly shared a mind with Sarek, never brought her up.
And yeah, I know Star Trek V is a bit of a stinker and, as a part of Star Trek canon, probably better forgotten than made reference to, but what about Sybok? If he’s Spock’s elder half-brother, one would assume that a young Michael Burnham would’ve had some dealing with him. Instead, like other aspects of Discovery, the creative team seems more interested in making the world of the franchise work for them rather than working within the already established world of the franchise. This is a strange choice indeed since the history and world of Star Trek is a key component of what makes it unique as a franchise in the first place.
Lethe – Final Thoughts
Viewers who saw the preview for the next episode know that they’re in for a classic Star Trek predicament next time. But because I like to avoid spoilers whenever possible, I won’t say what that classic predicament is. Let’s just say that as with other aspects of any franchise reboot, the events in the next episode represent a kind of proving ground for the show. I continue to retain my cautious optimism about Discovery, and I hope that the problems I outlined in this article only represent a few early fumbles for a show that gets better with age.
At the moment, Marvel fans are jazzed about the imminent release of Thor: Ragnarok, the rare threequel that is wowing critics (read our review). But, even as the God of Thunder prepares to hit the big screen for his third solo outing, news continues to trickle in about Thor’s next appearance in the next two Avengers films, which are set to wrap up Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With Thanos on a collision course with Earth in Avengers: Infinity War, the stakes are higher than ever, and fans have long assumed that the two-part tale will see some fan-favorite characters give their lives for the cause.
A recent casting call for a funeral scene in the untitled Avengers 4 seemingly confirms that suspicion. To date, Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) is the only major hero to die in battle, though he looks to be joined shortly by some fellow Avengers. Moreover, the addition of Iron Man 3 star Ty Simpkins — a character who only has an emotional connection to the titular hero — has us pondering the impossible. What if Robert Downey Jr.’s beloved Tony Stark/Iron Man is one of the characters set to die in the grand finale of Phase Three? Here are a few reasons why such a shocking move would make sense for Marvel Studios at this point.
6. Robert Downey Jr.’s availability and paycheck
For nearly a decade, he’s been the face of the MCU. But Downey has gone on the record in saying that he hoped to leave Iron Man behind “before it’s embarrassing.” After eight big-screen appearances as the character, Downey is probably looking for an epic conclusion to the journey he started with Tony Stark, and Marvel Studios is likely looking to turn its attention to other characters in its catalog, especially since the long-rumored Iron Man 4 is probably not in the cards. Then there’s the matter of Downey’s mounting paydays with each contract extension. Take it from Logan, even the most iconic actor/superhero pairings ultimately come to an end. This could be the best time for Downey to bow out.
5. Does the MCU even still need him?
When the original Iron Man proved to be a breakout hit, it made sense for Marvel Studios to heavily lean into Downey’s role as the centerpiece of the franchise. However, he’s already headlined his own trilogy, is bringing this incarnation of the Avengers line-up to a close and has helped introduce Tom Holland’s Spider-Man into the mix. Story-wise, there’s only so much the MCU can do with Tony Stark without simply resorting to the aforementioned Iron Man 4. Besides, now Marvel Studios is such an established brand-name that even more offbeat titles like Ant-Man, Guardians of the Galaxy and Doctor Strange are instant smash hits with casual moviegoers. It’s time to look forward, not back, to keep the MCU and its stories fresh.
4. A sacrificial end to his redemption narrative
During a heated discussion midway through The Avengers, Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans) accuses Tony of only fighting for himself, declaring that he would never be willing to sacrifice his life to save others’. Of course, Tony nearly does just that in the Battle of New York, delivering a nuclear missile through the Tesseract’s portal and into space before (naturally) freefalling to Earth and the safety of Hulk’s green, giant grasp. He may have survived that time, but considering Tony’s apocalyptic vision in Avengers: Age of Ultron — which may have been foreshadowing Thanos, not Ultron himself — we’re willing to bet that Iron Man is still willing to die to protect his planet and his teammates.
3. The mother of all misdirects
Thanks to the source material, many fans expected Captain America to die in Captain America: Civil War. When that didn’t happen, those theories naturally carried over to Infinity War and its sequel. After all, there’s no hero purer or more willing to sacrifice himself than Cap, who essentially did just did that in the final moments of Captain America: The First Avenger. Plus, with pals Sam Wilson/Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) already established, Marvel could easily slide either into the role of Captain America, as they did in the comics. It seems almost too perfect for Cap to die in Avengers 4, leaving Marvel Studios the perfect opportunity to subvert expectations and deliver an emotional gut-punch by having Cap’s Civil War opponent bid farewell to the MCU instead.
2. Death is never the end in comic books
Let’s face it: the MCU exists not only to inspire and exhilarate fans but to keep the higher-ups at Disney happy. Thankfully, if Tony Stark’s hypothetical death does hurt box office grosses, Kevin Feige and company always have the option of concocting a storyline that will reintroduce Iron Man into the fold, either with Downey back in the role or by recasting with another actor. Either way, it gives fans a break from the character — making a recast easier to swallow — and allows the MCU to focus its energy on what lies ahead for newer heroes like Black Panther and Captain Marvel. When you’re dealing with a comic book world where supernatural forces, time travel, and alternate realities are on the table, anything is possible.
1. A true conclusion to this era of the MCU
The most important reason why Tony Stark’s death makes sense for Avengers 4 is that there is no more significant way to convey that Joe and Anthony Russo’s epic marks the conclusion of a 22-film arc. Feige himself has already confirmed this is the case, and seeing as Iron Man was the springboard for the entire MCU — and, accordingly, Stark’s “I am Iron Man” revelation the foundation for everything that followed — it’s only fitting that the final film in this mega-narrative provide a definitive (and tragic) close to his story. Tony Stark started the MCU as an arrogant, selfish weapons manufacturer. Imagine the impact his journey would have if it ends with him dying a hero who literally puts the entire universe before himself. If we’re right and Tony Stark’s days are numbered, you might want to start stocking up on tissues now.
Do you think Iron Man could die in Avengers 4? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
Get ready Preacher faithful (or is it faithless?), AMC’s Preacher has been renewed for a third season, according to executive producer Seth Rogen.
Rogen tweeted the announcement earlier today, and a blog post on the official site for the series confirmed that it will be returning in 2018, though no other details are available at this time. The announcement is an answered prayer for fans, particularly with the season two finale ending in a cliff-hanger (read about the most recent episode here, but only if you’re willing to accept spoilers into your heart).
Preacher follows Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper) – a criminal-turned-preacher with the power to control people’s minds through his voice, Tulip O’Hare (Ruth Negga) – a criminal-turned-well, criminal with the ability to turn just about anything in reach into a deadly weapon, and Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun) – a vampire-turned-drug addict with the ability to make any day a party, on their quest to find God. Through two seasons, they have persevered in the face of a reincarnated cowboy killing machine (the Saint of Killers, played by Graham McTavish), a kind-hearted boy with the face of an arse (Eugene, played by Ian Colletti), and the world’s most powerful organization, led by the ruthless Herr Starr (Pip Torrens), a man with a taste for global domination and sodomy. But can they survive Jesse’s grandmother? We’ll find out in season three, God (and the Grail) willing.
Preacher airs on AMC and was created by Sam Catlin, Evan Goldberg, and Seth Rogen. It is based the comic book series (also titled Preacher), created by Garth Ennis and the late Steve Dillon.
This week’s episode of Mr. Robot, “eps3.2_legacy.so” fills in the blanks on what Tyrell Wellick (Martin Wallström) has been doing since the 5/9 hack. This review/recap of Mr. Robot contains spoilers, so read with caution.
An Act of God?
Chronologically, the story takes place at the same time as events in season 2. As you may remember, Mr. Robot (Christian Slater) told Elliot (Rami Malek) that he killed Tyrell in self-defense in the old fsociety arcade. It turns out that wasn’t exactly true, which is par for the course in this father/son, ego/alter-ego relationship. Mr. Robot tried to kill Wellick, but his point-blank shot had no effect. Wellick, believing this to be an act of God, tells Mr. Robot to try it again and he’ll accept “whatever fate decides”. Instead of killing him, Mr. Robot sees an opportunity to use him in his plans to destroy Wellick’s former employer, E-Corp.
After this, Irving (Bobby Cannavale, making a welcome return after being absent in episode 2) shows up with some Dark Army goons to take Wellick into hiding/custody to keep the FBI from getting to him. From here, the episode and Wellick himself go all Breaking Bad, taking place largely in an isolated rural safe house. Here he is subjected to an intense third degree by Mr. Williams (a mustachioed, coke-snorting Wallace Shawn). While his honesty is found lacking, his devotion to Elliot proves to be good enough for the Dark Army.
Between not being able to talk to Elliot and reading online that his wife Joanna filed for divorce in absentia, Wellick is growing frustrated. Eventually, he (much like Walter White) grows too anxious to see his family and makes his escape. It isn’t long before he is picked up by a local cop who thinks he just lucked into the collar of the century. The cop’s dreams of being the next Elliott Ness are soon splattered, along with his brains, on his car’s partition window. We already knew that the Dark Army’s reach is extensive. What we didn’t know is that FBI agent Santiago (Omar Metwally), partner of Dom DiPierro, is one of their soldiers. After being returned to Irving, Wellick ends up in the warehouse where he ended up shooting Elliot in last season’s finale.
“If You Pull the Right Strings”
Outside of the Wellick story, we find out that White Rose/Zhang (BD Wong, who shines so consistently in this role that one finds oneself taking his brilliance for granted) is a puppetmaster whose strings encircled the globe. He orders TV talk show host Frank Cody (Erik Jensen) to rehabilitate Wellick’s public image and (oh, by the way) is implied to be responsible for Trump getting elected.
We also get a cameo from one of my favorite characters, Leon (Joey Bada$$), contemplating the pros and cons of killing Neo-Nazis. If USA Networks is looking for spin-offs, I humbly suggest one about Leon, shanking members of murderous prison hate groups and discussing sitcoms from the 1990s. Tell me that wouldn’t be a hit.
