TV Round Up 2/2 - 2/8

Welcome to another edition of my commentary on week's worth of television. Not surprisingly given the nature of this blog, most of television shows are based on comic book properties. Others have had comics based upon them. There's also shows that I think may be of interest to gamers as well. So here's my arbitrary thoughts on week of February 2nd through February 8th. Spoilers


Flash - As far as lingering plotlines, that was fast. The Wells betrayal plotline wrapped up with this episode. Thought they would prolong it more. Oh well, it sets of Earth-2 exploration so that's a good thing. We also see further progress in the West family dynamic. In fact, much of the episode derives from it. Wally is obsessed with speed. Gee, I wonder what ever will the show do with that... As for the villain-of-the-week Tar Pit, he has potential. However, Tar Pit served more as a plot device to further the Harry and Wally stories than as the actual subject of the episode. Suppose, Tar Pit could serve as antagonist in future episodes as his work is only one-third finished. An enjoyable episode that leads me eagerly anticipating next week's.


Agent Carter - Much like the Mage: the Ascension background Arcane, I can't seem to recall the name of elite club that's the source of much of the grief on Agent Carter. A simple name too! Parallel flashbacks for both Peggy Carter and Whitney Frost dot the episode serving as background origin stories for the duo. Tranquilizer darts are used to hilarious effect. There's also an interrogation scene that leads to a revelation pertaining to the power that the elite club wields. Although not how our heroes wanted. Once again, I love how Agent Carter uses strong female leads that would befit a more modern setting, while acknowledging the difficulties that women experience during its time period. Oh, more characters learn that something is up with Whitney Frost. Directly or indirectly. Another solid episode.


DC's Legends of Tomorrow - Attention! Want to know how to do a proper team comic book-based television show? Thursday's episode is how! A madcap crazy adventure in which the team splits into three directions only learn episode's lesson at the end. Yep, there's a moral of the story! Let's just say the team learns that it should not be quite so schismatic. What I especially loved was how the trailer only accounted for maybe five or ten minutes and not the theme. So what crazy stuff happened? One occurs entirely off-screen as a Jax fixes something far more advanced than what he's familiar with. If the Palladium Megaversal Role-Playing system was used that's quite the penalty! Vampires! Okay, not exactly but that's the first thought that popped into my head. Journey through a bloodstream! Atom fans should be pleased. Professor Martin Stein is the ultimate troll. However, unlike most trolls he manages to spin it in such a fashion in order to provide quite a pep-talk! A Carter Hall appearance! A burglary! Come on, a team that includes Captain Cold and Heat Wave a burglary was inevitable. White Canary kicking ass and armed with enough concealed blades that would brighten any gamers day. While last week we discovered the time-stream could be altered for members of the team, some members learn that some events from their past is indeed a fixed point. I suspect another character will discover that towards the end...
Arrow - Regular readers know that I didn't watch Arrow during its second and third seasons. Heck, I still have yet to watch the final five episodes of season one. Fittingly, this week's episode was the most continuity-heavy on developments from that era. So if like me you didn't watch any of those episodes, the Calculator's first appearance was fairly accessible. Oops, I spoiled it. That's right, the Calculator makes his first appearance in CWDCU. Quite the first too! Aboslutely love who he related too. Hint: its the character that the Calculator feuds with the most during the episode. Katanna had a nice cameo. Roy Harper/Red Arrow guest stars. Wondered if he would lose his arm and become Arsenal but that did not occur. So Brad Meltzer should be happy... Best scene was when Curtis Holt took one more step towards becoming Mr. Terrific. Talk about a slow burn...


Elementary - Knew about the big arc of the season involving Sherlock's father Morland. Since I still have yet to watch the first four episodes, I didn't know the Joan Watson has a nemesis in the form of a female police officer. She entreats Joan to help with some off-the-clock vigilante shenanigans, while providing the insight that both Sherlock and Watson already balance on the edge. I suspect this plotline will rear its head later this season. As for the mystery itself, it fit the classical definition of a mystery and Sherlock was actually in true Sherlock form by rapidly solving it with barest of clues. Probably the most circular reasoning to bomb a morgue...
Grimm - Yep, if I didn't know better, I swear the writing staff of this season of Grimm played Vampire LARPs as the season has the same tone. Does the Grimm crew join the faction directly opposed to Black Claw or does it not? Okay, the question is only posed this episode. Eve claims she's no longer the Juliette that Nick knew. Does a good job too. Factions aside, there actually is a monster of the week. Admittedly, I did go 'holy camp crystal lake!' a couple times. The central thrust was a lake monster terrorizing tourists... Or is it? Don't remember the last time Nick let his status as a police officer get in his way of being a Grimm but that's what Trubel is for. Right?
Sleepy Hollow - Sleepy Hollow returns! The hunt for Abby begins. Would appear the rest of the season with be Crane and the gang rescuing her from the dimension she finds herself in. What will Crane do without a partner? Fear not. Crane's new partner is the undercover FBI agent we met earlier this season. Apparently, her parents fan afoul of demonic forces while on an archaeological dig. She finally gets her first taste when a locator spell cast by Crane goes awry. Meanwhile, the other duo retrieves a map after some struggle that may prove far more productive. I really should learn more characters names... At episodes end, we discover that Pandora created a beacon drawing monsters from all over the world toward Sleepy Hollow.


X-Files - Last week was the humorous monster-of-the-week, this week's episode was the more serious kind. A mysterious boogeyman who employs a garbage truck kills and dismembers those that profit off of the poor and treat them as trash. Afterwards, some of grisly remains are tossed into a garbage truck. Also strange street art by a 'Trashman' appears nearby. Some nice political commentary without the episode being preachy. Scully experiences a loss. Very dramatic. Scully and Mulder's son is once again referenced and tied thematically into the story. Another solid episode. I've also realized how much I miss show's opening montages. My X-Files fandom has been re-awakened.
Lucifer - my one grief with episode is more a beef with television shows in general. There's way too many police procedurals on television these days. Never read the Lucifer comics so I don't know if the show mirrors the comics. That said, another splendid episode. Lucifer is downright hilarious; and it is amusing watching him run around aiding Detective Decker (hey, I remember a name!) catch (and thus punish) evil-doers. A minor sub-plot where someone decided to impersonate Lucifer dovetails into the main plot and was pretty neat. For a show that veers more towards subtle displays of power, the final scene where Lucifer propels the perpetrator through the glass was eye-catching.