‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ Review: Surprising Performances Save A Sputtering Sequel

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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 features strong performances from the supporting cast which helps dull the pain of a bloated narrative.

Summary

The film has quite a promising start as the prologue takes place during the 1980’s and we are quickly introduced to Kurt Russell, playing Peter Quill’s father. We are then jettisoned to the present as our favorite band of galactic heroes who are in the midst of a mission to protect the Sovereign’s energy supply that quickly transitions into the best opening sequence ever for a Marvel film.

Rocket gets the crazy idea that it would be a great to steal from the very same people who had just hired them a short time ago. Of course, this idea goes horribly wrong and leads to an intergalactic shootout culminating in a mystery oval-shaped ship showing up at the last second to save them from certain death. The Guardians’ vessel ends up crashing on the planet below, and our mystery ship lands next to them. The oval ship is piloted by Ego (Kurt Russell) who just happens to be Peter’s dad. The family reunion is short as Peter (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and Drax (Dave Bautista) head off with Ego to his home world while Rocket (Bradley Cooper), Baby Groot (Vin Diesel) and Nebula (Karen Gillan) stay back to repair their ship. It’s at this point that things go from bad to worse as Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki), the extremely pissed off High Priestess of the Sovereign contracts Yondu to hunt down the Guardians and bring them back to her.

Acting

Part of the reason why Guardians of the Galaxy was such a success is due to the energetic acting performances. Chris Pratt cemented his current status of a leading man based on the role of Peter Quill. Dave Bautista proved to the world that not all wrestlers are bad actors, just ones named Hulk Hogan. However, the acting in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. wasn’t nearly enough to elevate the film.

Chris Pratt’s performance in the film was a mixture of teen angst with a little sprinkle of daddy issues. Zoe Saldana portrayal of Gamora was drab and didn’t have the same spark as the first film. The best acting in this highly anticipated sequel came from the unlikeliest of cast members. Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel’s lines in the movie had the audience roaring with laughter. Dave Bautista nearly stole the film from the entire cast with his dry Drax like delivery. The best acting came from Micheal Rooker and his portrayal of Yondu. In the first Guardians of the Galaxy, Yondu is nothing more than a thief who kidnapped a young Peter Quill. This time around, he’s more concerned about his legacy, and there is more to him than swiping things. Without getting into spoilers, Rooker gives his character a tremendous amount of depth which was pleasantly surprising.

Directing/Writing

James Gunn manages to navigate the pressure of a sequel with relative ease. This time around he has a much bigger budget than the original film, and you get the sense the felt the need to spend every penny on visual effects and production design. Ego’s planet was extremely psychedelic and was a bit of an overkill. However, the space battles with the Sovereign looked incredibly fresh and added to the film watching experience.

From the onset, it was obvious that the focus of this film was going to be family (specifically Peter’s). We, of course, get into that whole dynamic in which Ego and Peter finally find each other after all these years. Could Peter finally feel complete? Could he be genuinely at peace after 34 years? Before we are allowed to find that answer out, Gunn takes the narrative in a dozen different offshoots where we discuss the horrible family lives of Gamora, Rocket, and Yondu. Why? Their family lives have no impact on Peter’s impression of his dad. Maybe Gunn feels the need to pound that theme into the ground?

Overall

Even with all the issues surrounding Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, the film will still be a major commercial success for Marvel. The narrative delivers just enough for the comic book fans to be satisfied. Average fans will forgive the thin plot line because they’ll still be guffawing over a line Rocket just yelled. The musical selections are so perfect that one can’t help but wonder if Gunn picked what songs were going to be on the soundtrack before he even wrote the screenplay. If you plan on going this weekend, don’t expect the same brilliance of the original film. That’s just a standard this film has no chance of reaching.

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Review: ‘Who’s Watching Oliver?’ Would Make Norman Bates Uncomfortable

By

Jamesey Lefebure

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May 3, 2017

“Who’s watching Oliver tells the story of a mentally unstable loner lost in a life forced upon him. By night Oliver (Russell Geoffrey Banks) aimlessly wanders the streets and bars on what can only be described as a truly shocking and humiliating killing spree. His only savior and possible way out of a life he is desperate to escape comes in the form of the beautiful Sophia (Sara Malakul Lane) with her sweet eccentricity and naivety to the danger she has put herself in.”

https://youtu.be/GH16M1vFj9I

This is not an easy film to watch. Everything about the experience is a little jarring. From background music that doesn’t comfortably sit with the scene. To a mother/son relationship that would make Normal Bates uncomfortable. “Who’s Watching Oliver” is unlike any other horror film on the market at the moment. This is why you need to watch it!

Russell Geoffrey Banks stars as the titular Oliver. In addition to being one of the writing credits on the film, with Richie Moore and Raimund Huber also getting credit. This is a film that is has killed it on the festival circuit. With five awards already under their belts the team behind “Who’s Watching Oliver” have a hit on their hands.

Have you ever felt sympathy for a serial killer before? That’s the main emotion that this intense horror will evoke. Over the course of 87 minutes, not only will you feel waves of concern for Oliver but hope and joy at his choices. None of these are the standard emotions for a horror movie, but that’s the beauty of “Who’s Watching Oliver”. Despite its horror label, it goes beyond the genre. At it’s heart – this is a love story that proves there is someone out there for everyone. Even Thai prostitute and mother obsessed Oliver.

Russell Geoffrey Banks absolutely shines as Oliver. Quiet, hopefully and torn he’s a lovable main character. Controlled over nightly web-cam sessions by his foul-mouthed mother played to perfection by Margaret Roche. Roche’s portrayal of “Mama” is terrifying. It’s with her that the true horror lies. Banks brings a level of vulnerability and pain to the role of Oliver. He is a man trapped by his past and by a sexually demanding mother. He knows he’s a monster, but a monster of his parents making.

As the movie progresses audiences observe Oliver’s realization that he deserves more from life than killing prostitutes of a night to keep his mother happy. He deserves a cat. A home and ultimately someone to love.

Enter Sophia (Sara Malakul Lane) as the softly spoken, dream obsessed female lead. Through frequent meetings at a local theme park the two find a way to love each other and heal the wounds their families have left. It’s rare to want a serial killer to find happiness but through a tight script and a believable and strangely lovable character that is exactly what we want for Oliver.

Russell Geoffrey Banks has already won two Best Actor awards for his role. It’s very easy to see why. He delivers a masterclass in the nuances of a character. From patchy shaving to simple eye gestures, Oliver is a fully realized and deeply flawed character. You won’t hate him however, no matter how many prostitutes he kills. The hate will be reserved for his ever watchful Mama, who poisons her son’s life with increasingly disturbing demands on a nightly basis. The monster here isn’t the killer himself. Rather the creator.

If you are looking for a horror full of jump scares and gores, then “Who’s Watching Oliver” isn’t the movie for you. If you want a movie that probes what it means to be a monster and the depth of love then you will want to catch this. This isn’t a film you’ll throw on and forget about. Oliver’s story will stay with you, his choices will affect you. The undertones of abuse not spoken about by Oliver, the jarring music and surreal settings of the movie all work brilliantly together. This is a slow burning movie that doesn’t wrap everything up in the final frame, but give it the time it deserves and you will be thankful you did.

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The Real ‘The Dark Tower’ Trailer Hits The Internet, Watch

By

Matthew Sardo

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May 3, 2017

Sony Pictures released the first trailer for ‘The Dark Tower’ starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey based on the Stephen King series.

There are other worlds than these. Stephen King’s The Dark Tower, the ambitious and expansive story from one of the world’s most celebrated authors, makes its launch to the big screen. The last Gunslinger, Roland Deschain (Idris Elba), has been locked in an eternal battle with Walter O’Dim, also known as the Man in Black (Matthew McConaughey), determined to prevent him from toppling the Dark Tower, which holds the universe together. With the fate of the worlds at stake, good and evil will collide in the ultimate battle as only Roland can defend the Tower from the Man in Black.

The movie is said to pull plot points from the complete series. There are eight books in total.

The Gunslinger (1982)
The Drawing of the Three (1987)
The Waste Lands (1991)
Wizard and Glass (1997)
Wolves of the Calla (2003)
Song of Susannah (2004)
The Dark Tower (2004)
The Wind Through the Keyhole (2012)

‘The Dark Tower’ is written and directed by Nikolaj Arcel and stars Idris Elba, Katheryn Winnick, Matthew McConaughey, Abbey Lee, and Jackie Earle Haley. The film is slated for release on August 4.

What do you think of the trailer? Comment below.

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First Trailer For ‘The Defenders’ Lands Online

By

Aric Sweeny

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May 3, 2017

The Defenders official Twitter account has dropped the first full trailer for the show!

Not here to make friends. #DEFEND pic.twitter.com/fqmmSgFzyC

— The Defenders (@TheDefenders) May 3, 2017

“Marvel’s The Defenders follows Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist. A quartet of singular heroes with one common goal – to save New York City. This is the story of four solitary figures, burdened with their own personal challenges, who realize they just might be stronger when teamed together.”

‘Marvel’s The Defenders’ stars Charlie Cox, (Matt Murdock/Daredevil), Krysten Ritter (Jessica Jones), Mike Colter (Luke Cage) and Finn Jones (Danny Rand/Iron Fist). Additional cast members include Academy-Award nominated actress Sigourney Weaver (Alexandra), Elodie Yung (Elektra), Scott Glenn (Stick), Deborah Ann Woll (Karen Page), Elden Henson (Foggy Nelson), Carrie-Anne Moss (Jeri Hogarth), Rachael Taylor (Trish Walker), Eka Darville (Malcolm Ducasse), Simone Missick (Misty Knight) and Jessica Henwick (Colleen Wing).

Marvel’s The Defenders is executive produced by Marco Ramirez and Doug Petrie along with Marvel TV’s Jeph Loeb. The series is produced by Marvel Television in association with ABC Studios for Netflix.

Are you looking forward to the show? How do you feel about Marvel’s Netflix properties so far? Sound off in the comments below.

The Defenders hits Netflix on August 18.

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James Wan’s ‘Aquaman’ Begins Production

By

Aric Sweeny

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May 3, 2017

James Wan has confirmed that production on Aquaman has officially begun!

Months of intensive prep have led to this. Here we go. #DayOne #Ahab pic.twitter.com/Ryhl3NUtRY

— James Wan (@creepypuppet) May 3, 2017

“Months of intensive prep have led to this. Here we go.” #DayOne#Ahab

Jason Momoa stars as the title character in Aquaman, with Amber Heard portraying Mera, Willem Defoe as Vulko, Patrick Wilson as Orm, Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as the villainous Black Manta.

The film hits theaters on December 21, 2018.

Momoa’s next appearance as the character comes in this year’s Justice League, directed by Zack Snyder.

“Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s (Henry Cavill) selfless act, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) enlists newfound ally Diana Prince to face an even greater threat. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to recruit a team to stand against this newly awakened enemy. Despite the formation of an unprecedented league of heroes — Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and the Flash — it may be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions”

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Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery Turns 20

By

Jonathan Bruce

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May 2, 2017

Yeah baby, yeah!

Yes, Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery is now twenty years old. Originally a parody James Bond, the film became a hit, launching two highly-earning sequels. It also made Mike Myers a film superstar.

In 1967, superspy Austin Powers tries and fails to capture Dr. Evil, who blasts off into space. Powers has himself frozen until his nemesis returns. Thirty years later, the Ministry of Defence learns Dr. Evil has come back to Earth. They revive Austin from cryogenic freezing and assign him to the case.

As Austin finds out, the nineties are far different from the swinging sixties. Free love is dead, and the Cold War is long over. He teams up with Vanessa Kensington, who is the daughter of his former coworker. Unlike her mother, Vanessa is repulsed by Austin’s behaviour and finds it difficult to work with him. Over time, a romance forms between the two of them.

Meanwhile, Dr. Evil plots a world domination scheme. Despite his empire becoming legit, he has no interest in honest business, but he has trouble coming up with a new idea. Dr. Evil’s frustrated with most of his ideas having already been done. Instead, he decides to hijack a nuclear weapon and hold the world hostage. All the while, he’s trying to be a father to his son Scott, whose childhood he missed out on.

Mike Myers delivers a tour-de-force performance. Austin Powers is hilarious, witty and utterly clueless. Although not being handsome, the character has an irresistible appeal to women, but he has trouble coping with the modern age. Nor does he understand that free love is a thing of the past. Yet his tangles with fembots and habit of sleepwalking in the nude are a riot to watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C8Sizx-Gpc.

As Dr. Evil, Myers is hilarious as a wonderfully inept villain. Written as a spoof of Ernst Stavro Blofeld, he is hellbent on world domination, but he can’t seem to come up with a great plan. Nor does he understand the concepts of money and inflation. He tends to reject his son’s logical ideas, because he doesn’t consider him evil enough to be taken seriously. Ironically, these ideas would be far more successful than Dr. Evil’s plots.

Elizabeth Hurley holds her own as Vanessa, who plays the straight man to Myers’ antics. Her banter with Austin is one of the film’s highlights. This is especially clear in the airplane scene, during which Austin tries and fails to sleep with Vanessa. She responds by vowing they’ll never have sex- even if the fate of the human race depends on it.

As the plot progresses, the two characters grow closer and form a relationship. It’s quite touching to see these opposites develop an attraction. Sadly, the leading ladies in the sequels don’t have the same chemistry with Myers.

The supporting cast is spot on in their roles. Michael York gives a solid turn as Basil Exposition, whose sole purpose is to fill in Austin on the plot. Lily Tomlin is a delight as Frau Farbissina, who tends to scream in almost every scene she’s in. Robert Wagner’s Number Two is the perfect Smithers to Dr. Evil’s Mr. Burns. Seth Green portrays Scott has a put-upon Gen X teenager who resists Dr. Evil’s attempts to bond with him.

There are also several hilarious cameos in the film. Will Ferrell is a riot as henchman Mustafa, who Dr. Evil has a hard time killing off. Mimi Rogers has a brief appearance as Austin’s former partner Mrs. Kensington. The late Carrie Fisher has a funny cameo as a therapist, who tries to counsel Dr. Evil and Scott. Her attempts to help father and son bond result in a long, disturbing monologue about Dr. Evil’s childhood.

Overall, International Man Of Mystery is one of the funniest spy spoofs ever. Austin Powers was meant to be a Bond farce, but it took on a life of its own. Mike Myers’ comedic genius is a delight to watch, and it makes one wish we saw more of him on the big screen. Hurley is in fine form as Austin’s best love interest of the franchise. When it comes to movies, this sort of thing is definitely my bag.

Very groovy, baby.

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Josh Gad Lobbies For Penguin Role In The DC Extended Universe

By

Matthew Sardo

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May 2, 2017

Josh Gad just trolled the internet Tuesday night when he posted a picture of the DC Comics villain, The Penguin on his Twitter feed with no caption.

The internet has since exploded with speculation, but as of now, only Gad knows if this is real or fake.

What do you think? Comment below.

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Latest Tekken Talk Reveals Some Great Updates in Tekken 7

By

Christina Freeman

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May 2, 2017

Tekken 7 is coming to the US soon with some surprising and embraceable updates according to the Tekken Talk with Mark “MarkMan” Julio, Dalton Link and Maximilian Dood. Expect some fun new things to do in the Tekken universe and some shout outs to generations gone by. So here are a few highlights from the over an hour long talk.

New Characters

Tekken 7 will have a few new characters and some familiar faces. The Mishima clan in all their glory get another chapter of their ill-fated destiny written. Some notable mentions being added to the roster is Street Fighter’s Akuma and the narcoleptic vampire favorite from Tekken Revolution Eliza. They are joined by new fighters like Claudio Serafino an Italian light magic wielder and Katarina Alvez a seemingly none capoeira using fighter from Brazil. What can adding another Mishima to the clan hurt? Nothing at all. The more Mishima the better is the rule. The mother of monsters or tigers as it were, Kazumi Mishima, the wife of Heihachi is revealed as the final boss fight.

New Functionality

While Tekken has its detractors in regards to fighting game fan bases when it comes to functionality, this version is seeking to relieve some of that stress. Specifically with a tournament ready focus. The game will have a tournament mode setting. This will set matches to 5 rounds instead of just 3. Players will be able to customize detailed controller functions and even test controllers before playing.

Now we will know if ‘Insert friend name here‘ is telling the truth when they claim a loss due to a faulty controller. This also takes away some of the false starts that happen due to controller testing. The function is built to adjust and respond to a specific controller function to start a match. Story to game play visuals have been streamlined also. There is very little difference from in fight graphics and cut scene graphics.

New Stages New Play

Tekken 7 has made a commitment to a better game experience. New mutable stages have been added. These stages change with dynamic weather effects and based on the level of the character. Besides the tournament focus Tekken 7 aims to be a more fleshed out game by offering an updated monetary system that allows even more customization than offered by previous editions. Almost all play will earn bucks. However the Treasure Battle mode let’s gamers earn game customizations out right from treasure chests no less. Gamers will have access to ten slots per character for their own character mods. Most notable is the addition of New Japan Pro Wrestling customizations like Bullet Club shirts and some fun King ring gear.

Practice mode has a streamlined modification where all of the gauges can be pulled out leaving clean stark screens. This mode will let the gamer record practice sequences and combos. Tekken 7 will feature ten levels of difficulty which will effect the way modes of play work. For example Promotion Battles, which pit the player against harder AI fights are to gain rank, better items and better battles. Also fighting mechanics alter in certain battles such as in Turbo Battles where juggling effects intensify.

Customization

If this game had a middle name it would be customization. The Jukebox and Gallery modes allow players to revisit music and movies from previous Tekken games. Players can change select character’s outfits to throwbacks from previous titles. They can replace the current soundtrack entirely with the soundtrack of any available previous game soundtrack. But that’s not all. Players can change life bars, add custom subtitles to characters and even add New Japan Pro Wrestling plates to character profiles. Even though Tekken 7 will release on PS4, Xbox One and PC, a decent amount of these customizations will be exclusive to the PS4 platform. Double check before getting your heart set on these mods if you are not on a PS4.

I don’t know about you but I’m ready for the June release. Showing up for the story, staying for the fights.

What are your thoughts on some of the Tekken reveals? Comment below.

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‘Rampage’ Film Kicks Off Production; Dwayne Johnson Gives Synopsis

By

Aric Sweeny

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May 2, 2017

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has confirmed that Rampage, his next film, has begun production. Additionally, the actor posted a synopsis of the movie that will get fans excited for the project.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTmshY8l5Qm/?taken-by=therock&hl=en

“Day 1. Kicking off production. #RAMPAGE.
In our story we have three animals (gorilla, crocodile and a wolf) who fall victim to evil genetic editing, rapidly changing every strand of their DNA so they grow, evolve and mutate. Everything becomes amplified.. their size, strength, speed, agility.. and violent aggression.
One of the animals infected – a rare Albino gorilla named, George, is my best friend.
George, is played by 6’9 @tallie7487, (Jason Liles, pictured here). Jason has been studying gorillas for months now preparing for this motion capture role. Gorilla movements, body language, and all emotions – joy, pain, sadness, love, aggression etc. It’s insane when you get around this man and how he’s able to brilliantly embody a gorilla. This is the most fascinating advanced VFX/motion cap process I’ve ever worked with in my career. Incredible learning curve for me.
We have the best mo-cap team in the world (WETA Digital) working on our gigantic RAMPAGE MONSTERS and you’ll get a taste of this new technology in the upcoming WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES as well as James Cameron’s AVATARS.
With all the cool advanced technology in our movie, the #1 thing you’re gonna experience when you watch it, is FUN.
Because when my best friend, George no happy, then me no happy. And when me no happy.. bad people become our lunch.”

Rampage is directed by Brad Peyton and produced by Beau Flynn – it’s based off of the 1986 arcade game by the same name.

The movie is slated for a theatrical release on April 20, 2018.

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Review: ‘Hap and Leonard’ Season 2 Was ‘Mucho Messy’

By

Conlan Murphy

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May 2, 2017

‘Hap and Leonard’ was a very wild wide this season. I wrote a review for the first episode titled Mucho Let Down. Then after the 2nd episode I thought it was ‘mucho redeemed’ episode 3 came out and I thought it was once more ‘mucho disappointed’. This pattern went on and on throughout the entire season. It had an almost equal amount good points and bad points leading to a particular unremarkable and messy season. I think it was a ‘mucho messy’ season which wasn’t nearly the thriller of season 1. It was uneven. Ironically the season catch phrase was ‘The Good the Bad and the Mojo.’

First the good. The format remains the same. Hap and Leonard are once more two men caught up a dangerous conspiracy that they’re involved in more by fate than by chance. As with season 1 it’s a conspiracy with social and political implications for today despite the show’s 80s time frame. Season 1 dealt with the dark side of activism and how people can go too far into fanaticism. Now season 2 deals with race relations and the police. Hap and Leonard’s involvement doesn’t stretch credibility and their drawn into a hopeless terrifying situation.

The villains remain scary. Drug dealers Solider and Angel with they’re over the top psychotic personalities were a big drawn for me as the series villains last season and toping that this season was clearly a very tough obstacle. The writers chose not to give us villains meant to outdo our previous set and instead we’re watching the shadowy serial killer whose not seen for the majority of the season, Reverend Fitzgerald. he is the opposite, he’s almost ever present as an evil without the flashiness. When he’s reveled it’s a surprise and for about ten minutes we get a stellar performance of cold religious fanaticism.

Now the bad. Brian Dennehy being brought in as Sheriff Valentine sounds great on paper, but he wasn’t used to his optimal effect by the show. Valentine was referenced in season 1 and finally seeing him should be great. Dennehy is a masterful bad guy and even in his old age should be wonderful as an equally omnipresent villain, but his screen time was too minimal. There wasn’t time for us to see him being the threat that we know the actor can be. Valentine as a character was also a strange choice. We knew his son killed Hap and Leonard’s fathers so his presence has a lot of emotional impact on the characters that seemed supercilious to the plot. A different bad sheriff would have been just as good.

There was actually a lot of things that seemed superfluous. Hap’s newest ill-fated romance was also strange and seemed out of place. Episode 1 had an entire plot about how he wasn’t over Trudy and implied that he wouldn’t be for awhile only for Hap and Florida to get together two episodes later. Leonard’s foray into surrogate fatherhood is likewise written in a manner that makes the viewer wonder if they could have archived the effect on the plot in a more concise way. Both of these plots were simply handled badly if they were meant to be important.

Basically, this season was a disaster in terms of cohesive story telling. There were a lot of good parts and a lot of bad parts. That said if since they renewed I’ll be watching again next season, or at least I’ll try to.

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