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Ben’s Breakdown | “Citadel” Two Episode Thoughts
Agent Nadia Sinh is working a spy case on a train in Europe. She is, to her surprise, backed by Agent Mason Kane. Just as she is about to achieve the mission’s goal, she learns that the mission was a setup by an enemy agency. There is a bomb on the trail, and Agents Sinh…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “The Night Agent” Three Episode Thoughts
An FBI agent, whose father was apparently a disgraced agent, saves a train full of passengers from a terrorist bomb. A woman just fired as CEO of her own cybersecurity company is on the run after learning her aunt and uncle weren’t who she thought they were. The daughter of the Vice-President is somehow a…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “The Offer” 3 Episode Thoughts
For cinephiles, one of the most beloved films to come out in the last 50 years is The Godfather. It tells a grand story in a very intimate way. Many people would go so far as to say it is the best movie ever made. After having seen it, I can understand why. Now, just…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “Severance” Season 1: Three Episode Thoughts
Imagine going to work without any of the emotional burdens from your personal life. Then, imagine going home from work without any of the work stress brought upon by your job. Is this good? Is this bad? Would you undergo the procedure called Severance? This original AppleTV+ series is the brainchild of Ben Stiller. Yes, that…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “Alex Rider” Season 2: Three Episode Thoughts
Alex is a teenager in high school in England who finds himself recruited by the agency MI6 (or rather a dark offshoot for more “dirty work”) as a result of trying to get to the truth regarding his uncle’s death. He’s recruited for a special mission regarding an unusual school for troubled youth from rich…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “The Witcher” – Three Episode Thoughts
A young princess is forced to flee the kingdom she’s growing up in due to an invading enemy force. A disfigured woman is taken away to join a mysterious and magical Sisterhood. A white-haired man, feared and despised by many, lives a solitary life as he is a monster killer for hire. Welcome to the…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “Loki” Season 1: 3 Episode Thoughts
Loki is dead. He’s supposed to be dead, but now we have a “variant” who has escaped his scheduled doom but is now being held by the TVA, or Time Variance Authority, an organization established to monitor the timelines and “prune” them so that the “prime” timeline is maintained, all at the behest of three…
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Ben’s “Gay” Breakdown | “Love, Victor” Season 2: 3 Episode Thoughts
Summer is almost over for Victor Salazar. He has come out to his family, and it hasn’t gone entirely as he had hoped. There is some acceptance, but it isn’t complete. This also had some unexpected results regarding his ex-girlfriend, but things couldn’t be better with his new boyfriend. However, the new school year is…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “Jupiter’s Legacy” – Season 1: 3 Episode Thoughts
It’s present-day and we have superheroes. In fact, we now have a second generation of superheroes. They are the offspring of the first generation of heroes collectively known as the Union, led by the strongest of their group, Utopian. Only now, the world isn’t quite so black and white as it used to be. Values…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “Invincible” – Season 1: 3 Episode Thoughts
Animated superhero shows have been around for decades. From the earliest Superman short films, we were always shown the noble hero who could do no wrong and was truly invincible. He might have the occasional setback, but both his physical strength and his strength of character would see him through. Those animated features have evolved…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” 3 Episode Thoughts
While Marvel Studios has been able to give big movies to such main superhero characters such as Thor, Iron Man, and even Captain America, the studio has also introduced incredible characters that might be considered “secondary” by some and perhaps aren’t considered high-profile enough to be given their own movies. That does not diminish their…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “Superman and Lois” Season 1: 3 Episode Thoughts
Superman is arguably one of the most popular and enduring heroes ever. From his humble beginning in issue #1 of Action Comics, he has been interpreted and re-interpreted in cartoon shorts, television, movies, more animated features, and back to television again. Can Superman still resonate with TV audiences today? We first met this latest version…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “Secrets of Sulphur Springs” Three Episode Thoughts
The Campbell family has moved from Chicago to a small town and taken up residence in an abandoned resort hotel that the father has purchased so that they can renovate and reopen it. There is just one small problem. The residents of the small town recognize the hotel as being both cursed and haunted by…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “WandaVision” Three Episode Thoughts
A couple that has just gotten married is driving to their new home. They are happy and in love. It’s a simple time. There is no apparent ambiguity here. One might say that the world is happily black and white. Their home has a familiar feel to it, but they’re happy and even funny. That…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “The Stand” Three Episode Thoughts
A horrifying pandemic has hit the world killing approximately 99% of the world’s population. Society no longer exists as we know it and those who are left find themselves slowly being drawn into two different camps, one in Boulder Colorado where they are called to by “Mother” Abagail Freemantle, and the remaining people to Las…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “The Mandalorian” – Season 2: Three Episode Thoughts
The Mandalorian, or “Mando” as some people refer to him, has been tasked with returning an infant to his race, or at least to people who can do that for him. The Bounty Hunter/Lone Gunslinger is also being hunted by remnants of the fallen Empire. Their leader, a Moff named Gideon wants that infant. It…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “Star Trek: Discovery” – Season 3:Three Episode Thoughts
In an attempt to escape the malevolent intelligence known as “Control”, Commander Michael Burnham is going to take vital information into the far future (900 years to be precise) and out of loyalty, the crew of the USS Discovery will be following her with the full knowledge that they will be leaving their friends and…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “The Right Stuff” – Three Episode Thoughts
Two astronauts are sitting at a table together eating breakfast. A rocket is being prepared for a manned launch. Only one of those astronauts will be in that rocket, but they both unquestionably have The Right Stuff. Based on the novel of the same name by Tom Wolfe this series on the Disney+ streaming service…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “Lucifer” Season Five – Three Episode Thoughts
When the Fox series Lucifer was canceled the public outcry was so deafening loud it probably permeated both heaven and hell. Then Netflix came along and gave the series a save and provided what was to be a 4th and final season regarding the Fallen Angel and his romance with detective Chloe Decker. And yet…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “Star Trek: Lower Decks” Three Episode Thoughts
Question: How do you tell a story set in the universe of Star Trek if the subject is one of the least important ships in Starfleet? Answer: Make it a comedy Second Question: How can we make this comedy different and appealing to all walks of life? Second Answer: Make it a cartoon. Thus begins…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “The Umbrella Academy” Season 2: Three Episode Thoughts
[Editor: After writing this 3 episode review we managed to watch the remaining episodes of season 2. A second article reviewing all of season 2 will be coming soon from Andrea Rittschof.] What do you do when you try to save the world, only to fail and attempt to escape, but then disaster follows you…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “The Order” Season 2 Three-Episode Thoughts
When we last left our heroic Belgrave University students at the end of season 1 of The Order on Netflix, they had teamed up and effectively vanquished a very bad warlock named Edward Coventry. However, in keeping with their strict code, the Hermetic Order of the Blue Rose has our werewolves’ Knights of St. Christopher memories wiped…
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Ben’s “Gay” Breakdown | “Love, Victor” Three Episode Thoughts
Usually, my “gay” breakdown reviews spotlight a movie or show that perhaps has passed people by without them knowing it. Then there are my “three episode thoughts” where I review a new show after having viewed their first three episodes. Now I’m about to do both. Following in the footsteps of the breakout movie Love, Simon,…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “Upload” 3 Episode Thoughts on Season 1
Dying has been one of the greatest fears in all of human existence. Not knowing what awaits us after death has defined human culture through religion and spiritual beliefs. However, what would you do, and how would you feel, if you knew that your consciousness could be uploaded to the cloud? What might the financial…
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Ben’s Three Episode Thoughts | “Altered Carbon”
Finding good and compelling science fiction shows to watch can be a daunting task. As opposed to when I was just a young geek there was little for me to go to. Now there is a plethora of programming out there, but there is still the challenge of trying to find good programming, especially if…
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Ben’s Three Episode Thoughts | “Star Trek: Picard”
A young lady is enjoying some food and drinks with her boyfriend. They are both quite happy when some masked intruders break into their and try to kill her. They succeed in killing her boyfriend, but the young lady (named Dahj) suddenly goes into super defensive mode and manages to kill all of them single-handedly.…
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Ben’s Three Episode Thoughts | Netflix’s “Locke & Key”
The Locke family, consisting of the mother Nina, and her children Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode, are relocating from their Seattle Home to their ancestral home in New England. The father, Rendell, had been murdered and the family decided to get away and make a fresh start. They find themselves at a huge mansion called Key…
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Ben’s Three Episode Thoughts | The Family that Hunts Together, Stays Together in “October Faction.”
They say that the family that plays together stays together. How about the family that kills supernatural monsters? That is what Fred and Deloris Allen do. Not only are they married, but they hunt supernatural beasties and eliminate them. Fred and Deloris are part of an organization called “The Presidio” whose mission is to keep…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “The Mandalorian” 3 Episode Thoughts on Season 1
So much can be said about the Star Wars franchise after Lucasfilm was purchased by Disney. Two new movies were added to the list of the overall Star Wars arc with the Skywalkers and Han Solo, as well as a couple of standalone movies that served to help flesh out this universe. Unfortunately, these have…
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Cloak and Dagger Season 2: Compelling and Intense | Andrea’s Angle
I loved the first season of Cloak and Dagger, the contrasts between the main characters, their growth in both their abilities and how well they work together, how the tension and pacing escalate building to the finale. I wondered if the writers and actors would be able to continue that level of craftsmanship. Three episodes…
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Al’s Affectations | Doom Patrol Review
Any foolish attempt to make a live-action Doom Patrol series must first acknowledge the task as both blessing and curse. Few comics boast such a diverse cast of characters begging to be brought to cinematic life, yet any creative team crazy enough to try has their work cut out for them. A wealth of potential…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “Star Trek: Discovery” – 3 Episode Thoughts Season 2
As part of this breakdown of the first three episodes of Star Trek: Discovery season 2, I shall open this article with the beginning paragraph to my breakdown of the Short Treks. Back in 2016 CBS took the entertainment world by storm when they announced the return of Star Trek to the small screen. However what followed…
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Andrea’s Angle | “The Passage” 3 Episode Thoughts Season 1
3 Episodes in The Passage I wasn’t going to add another television show to my schedule. I swear. But Fox peaked my interest with the commercials and the young lady who is the main protagonist. After three episodes, I am hooked and this is one of the best shows I’ve seen on Fox so I’m…
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Ben’s Breakdown | Three Episode Thoughts: “A Discovery of Witches”
Once the world was full of wonders, but it belongs to the humans now. We, creatures, have all but disappeared. Daemons… vampires… witches… hiding in plain sight. Ill at ease even with each other. But, as my father used to say, in every ending, there is a new beginning. Thus we have the beginning of…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “The Orville” 3 Episode Thoughts on Season 2
One of the biggest surprises to come out from the 2017-2017 television broadcast season was a show to tickle Star Trek fans all over, and that would be The Orville. It turns out that Seth MacFarlane is something of Trek geek, and always wanted to do Star Trek. When that didn’t work out he sort…
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The Rookie | Three Episode Thoughts
Gini Koch had more time on her hands prior to the holidays and sent us this review. In her inimitable way, she shares her thoughts after watching three episodes of the new ABC series, “The Rookie”. Gini’s “real” job is author of the Alien Katherine “Kitty” Katt series from DAW Book, part of Penguin Random…
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Three Episode Thoughts | Titans
Comic book shows are all the rage, and while arguably the Marvel movie franchise has outpaced what DC has done, it’s safe to say that DC has the upper hand when it comes to their television properties. Now the latest has recently premiered on the DC Universe streaming service, and it’s called Titans. This first…
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Three Episode Thoughts: “The Haunting of Hill House”
I love a good horror story. Let me repeat that with some emphasis… I love a GOOD horror story. I enjoy the adrenaline rush of feeling sense of scare while in the safety of a theater, or in this case, my living room. Not everyone responds to the same stimuli that can cause that sense…
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Three Episode Thoughts | “Magnum P. I.”
Gini had an opportunity to watch the first three episodes of the new Magnum P. I. on CBS. In her own inimitable way, she gives us her thoughts on those first three episodes. Thank you, Gini, for your sacrifice of time. Magnum P. I. (2018) By Gini Koch CBS has chosen to reboot a…
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Three Episode Thoughts: “Falling Skies”
What would become of humanity in the face of crippling invasion? How would we, as a species, survive? Would our survival instincts take over to where it became every man or woman for him or herself? Would we band together in an attempt to rise above all of that and try to survive together? Welcome…
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Three Episode Thoughts: “Ascension”
What would have happened if the US had been able to launch a colony spaceship, not in the years to come as we hopefully will do regarding the planet Mars, but in the not so distant past, and even then it was to Proxima Centauri? That was my approach to this series Ascension, first broadcast…