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KoshNaranek
Reviews
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Play Dead (2012)
I Liked This Episode Despite The Massive Plot Holes.
Wish the writers would have caught the GLARING plot hole of no dog saliva in his partner's fatal neck wound. The dog was licking the wound, as dogs are prone to do, and yet they found no dog saliva and only the attacker's human saliva there. The whole innocence of the dog was based upon that. Yes, the dog was innocent, but they got to that conclusion the wrong way. The logic path just didn't make sense.
Then, there was apparently nobody at the crime scene or back at the lab who knew how to handle the dog, and everybody was jumping to wrong conclusions about the dog's behavior and what went down. Why didn't they call the head guy in K-9 to come in right away at the crime scene to aid in handling the dog? He knew the dog responded to commands in French and would've done a better job than the cop who had the dog's neck in a snare. Other than that, and for the attacker managing to stay ahead of the dog by running, I liked the episode.
How could the writers, Hancock & Byer MISS this stuff, or be THAT lazy? Evidently, they don't know dogs, either.
I HOPE the dog makes further appearances with Nick, and doesn't get killed off. Like Bear, the Belgian Malinios, on Person of Interest, Sam the GSD could make a positive contribution to future CSI episodes, IF CSI get some wroters who can avoid plot holes that you could drive a semi through, i.e. writers who are familiar with GSD behavior.
The Jay Leno Show (2009)
I Liked Leno on The Tonight Show but the new show is LAME.
Jay's monologue seems to have suffered in the transition from "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" to this new show. The jokes aren't as funny and there are a lot more duds. Did he lose a lot of writers? Also, it seems like he doesn't have enough material to fill five hours per week anymore, and he can't get the guests he used to get. I've been a fan of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" since the very beginning when he took over from Johnny Carson, but this new show seems so padded and unfunny that I finally dropped it from my recording schedule a few days ago.
It wouldn't be so bad if he just did one hour per week, because then he'd have enough good material to fill the hour.
Enterprise (2001)
Got Better As It Went Along - Sorry It's Gone.
If you view this show as a standalone, instead of trying to tie it into all of Trek canon, it's actually pretty good, and for the most part, got better as it went along.
I was *completely* outraged and turned off by the last 7 minutes or so of the Season 3 finale, and didn't watch the show again until this month (Feb. 2008). Didn't see how they'd ever be able to recover from those awful 7 minutes, but much to my surprise, they did. (Thumbs UP) :-D I've been watching Season 4 via NETFLIX since Feb. 5th, and for the most part it's been great. Last disc (#6) is due to arrive tomorrow. (Yeah, I heard that the Season 4 finale is bad.)
Didn't realize how much I missed the characters (actors), especially T'Pol (Jolene Blalock), Trip (Connor Trinneer), Phlox (John Billingsley), Vulcan Ambassador Soval (Gary Graham) and Commander Shran (Jeffrey Combs). I like it so much that I'm going to get Season 4 on DVD. Wish this show had been renewed, with Manny Coto in charge, and B&B gone.
Cancelled just as it was getting really good. :-(
Crusade (1999)
Crusade - The Series That The Sci-Fi Channel SHOULD Have Picked Up
Back when Crusade first aired on TNT (June 6, 1999 thru September 9, 1999), I was disappointed with some of the episodes (marked with #).
TNT Airing Order: 1. #War Zone#, 2. #The Long Road#, 3. #The Well of Forever#, 4. The Path of Sorrows, 5. Patterns of the Soul, 6. #Ruling from the Tomb#, 7. The Rules of the Game, 8. Appearances and Other Deceits, 9. Racing the Night, 10. The Memory of War, 11. #The Needs of Earth#, 12. #Visitors from Down the Street#, and 13. Each Night I Dream of Home.
Sure, each episode had it's good points, but it seemed like the show had no clear sense of direction, and the episode order seemed "off." The uniform change (from black to gray) took place in "Appearances and Other Deceits," yet other episodes which aired after it, looked like they should have preceded it. The virus screen used in "Patterns of the Soul" isn't discovered until "The Memory of War." Lochley and Gideon first meet in "Ruling from the Tomb," jump each other's bones in "The Rules of the Game," and then are on a first date in "Each Night I Dream of Home." Stuff like that.
Then, I found out the reason WHY the show had no clear sense of direction, and the episode order seemed off, TNT-Atlanta Notes. The last five episodes aired, were not meant to be aired last. "A Call to Arms" (the Babylon 5 movie) was supposed to be aired before the first Crusade episode (which was supposed to be "Racing the Night"). "War Zone" was an episode demanded by TNT because first they were not going to re-air "A Call to Arms," and wanted an intro. episode, and then decided to air "A Call to Arms" AFTER "War Zone", which makes no sense at all. "War Zone" was never supposed to exist, and worse yet, it took the place of an episode that WAS supposed to exist, either "Value Judgements" (which would have given us a Bester episode), or better yet "To the Ends of the Earth" (a real blockbuster JMS-written episode that would also have, among other things, made sense out of the uniform change).
In 2001, when Sci-Fi got the re-run rights for Crusade, they had the chance to make things right, but DIDN'T. Instead of re-starting Crusade, picking up the dangling threads, and finishing the first season, Sci-Fi chose to just air Crusade reruns and go with a pilot for a new series in the Babylon 5 universe. That made no sense, storywise. Crusade fans have been left hanging since September of 1999. Well, at least Sci-Fi asked JMS for better airing order.
Sci-Fi Airing Order: 1. Racing the Night, 2. The Needs of Earth, 3. The Memory of War, 4. The Long Road, 5. Visitors from Down the Street, 6. The Well of Forever, 7. Each Night I Dream of Home, 8. Patterns of the Soul, 9. The Path of Sorrows, 10. Ruling from the Tomb, 11. The Rules of the Game, 12. War Zone, and 13. Appearances and Other Deceits.
The episode order JMS came up with for Sci-Fi was much better....(but I'd move "War Zone" to first, because that's where it chronologically belongs.)....than the TNT order, but because of TNT past interference (the uniform changes, the looping, etc.), and the fact that only 13 of 22 episodes were ever completed, there is no possible 100% correct airing order for the existing 13 episodes. These episodes would have never aired back-to-back. Unfortunately, the DVD set uses the deeply flawed TNT airing order.
Still, even given all these problems, I've come to like almost all of the episodes I initially disliked (except parts of "Ruling from the Tomb"). More importantly, the episodes have caused me to really care about the characters, and want to see their story told. If you ever got a chance to read the three unfilmed scripts (Fiona Avery's "Value Judgements," and JMS's "To the Ends of the Earth" and "End of the Line"), you'd know some of directions Crusade would have taken, and would realize what a crime it is that Crusade was not re-started.
THE CRUSADE STORY MUST BE TOLD.
Babylon 5: The Lost Tales (2007)
Not the B5 Episode or Movie You're Used to Seeing.
Most reviewers here seem to be expressing extreme disappointment with Babylon 5: The Lost Tales - Voices in the Dark. These reviewers EXPECTED Babylon 5 as if the show had never shut down in 1998. They expected something of that level, and that is the problem, EXPECTATIONS. Well folks, a lot of the stuff needed to make something like that (the sets, CGI, wardrobe and props, etc.) NO LONGER EXISTS at Warner Brothers. It is GONE (destroyed, lost or sold off, respectively). Combine that with JMS wanting only to do some small short stories in an anthology format, NOT long arcs right now, AND Warner Brothers OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE TIMIDITY (always in TEST-THE-WATERS mode) when it comes to allocating money to ANY new Babylon 5 project, especially a new material Direct-to-DVD venture, and this is what you get. Given all of the above, I do not think JMS and Co. did a bad job. Not great, but not bad either. However, what B5 needs is a huge shot in the arm, something to revitalize that universe, and this low budget DVD of two 36 minute B-stories, with Warner Brothers still not deciding whether there will be more, isn't it.
And no, the G'Kar and Franklin tribute/mention does NOT cause a continuity problem.
Spoiler for the B5 TV series below.....
In 2271 (Babylon 5: The Lost Tales - Voices in the Dark (2007)), G'Kar and Dr. Franklin and Londo are alive. "Beyond the rim" has two meanings:
1. Death and the afterlife.
2. The Rim of Known Space - the limit of what has been explored thus far. Beyond that limit lies the unknown.
JMS used this as a double entente, and gave a nod to Andreas Katsulas and Richard Biggs in the sense of meaning #1, and in the story used it in the sense of meaning #2 regarding G'Kar and Franklin going exploring.
2262 - G'Kar and Lyta leave B5, and go off on their adventures together.
2264 - G'Kar and Lyta come back. Lyta to see Garibaldi.
2264 - The Telepath War. Lyta and Lennier die. (Crusade Writer's Bible)
2265 - Legend of the Rangers To Live and Die in Starlight. G'Kar is there.
2267 - Dr. Franklin is on quarantined Earth, due to the Drakh plague. Crusade begins.
2268 - The cure to the Drakh plague is found in year 2 of Crusade.
2271 - Would have been Crusade's 5th year. B5-TLT-Voices in the Dark DVD
2278 - Londo & G'Kar die (In the Beginning).
2281 - Dr. Franklin is on Minbar, for the last get together before John Sheridan dies in Sleeping in Light.
So, the little tribute to Andreas and Rick doesn't ruin ANYTHING.
And BTW, this is **NOT** the worst B5 ever. That dubious distinction belongs to the B5 Legend of the Rangers pilot "To Live and Die in Starlight" (a.k.a. TLaDiS). I gave the B5-TLT DVD 6 stars, and was being charitible in giving TLaDiS 2 stars.
Crusade: War Zone (1999)
Worth Watching
While "War Zone" has its weak points (mainly the TNT-mandated stuff, the fight scene, the riot footage, the exposition, etc.), it is definitely worth watching, even if only for Eilerson's scenes. Damn, that guy's good! I really miss that character.
The episode picks up right after the events of "Babylon 5 - A Call to Arms" (the TNT TV movie), and immediately goes into a TNT-mandated fight scene (a scene which makes no sense when you think about it.). "War Zone" was the pilot episode that TNT wanted because they decided, late in the game, not to air "A Call to Arms" right before the first episode of Crusade. It does a decent job of introducing the characters, but most of that wouldn't have been needed if they'd aired "A Call to Arms" and then gone right into "Racing the Night" (JMS' intended first episode of Crusade.). Also, "War Zone" ends on pure exposition, sort of a connect-the-dots bit for people completely unfamiliar with Babylon 5 (the TV show).
Anyway, give it a full viewing and you might be surprised at how much of it you end up liking.
Wonderfalls (2004)
Yet Another Great Show Killed By FOX Network.
I first caught "Wonderfalls" on March 18th, with the encore showing of the pilot, and was immediately hooked. The next three episodes were Must-See TV for me. Great show! Great cast (especially the lead, Caroline Dhavernas)! Great writing! However, like other great shows on FOX (notably BRIMSTONE and KEEN EDDIE), "Wonderfalls" was doomed. They air it in impossible timeslots (Friday night slot of death, or across from "C.S.I." and "The Apprentice"), and then wonder why it doesn't get great ratings. DOH!
Well, like others have said before me, FOX can go to Hell. Producers, PLEASE do not take cool, new shows to FOX. I sure as Hell won't be watching there.
Keen Eddie (2003)
I Also Loved This Show
Everything from the writing to the actors performances was great. Eddie's fencing with Fiona, his special way of looking at and hearing Carol, the misunderstandings, and the way things went to hell in funny ways but turned out OK in the end, I loved it all. It's too bad the show had the misfortune to air on FOX, the place that cancelled Strange Luck, Brimstone, The Tick, Firefly, John Doe, and now, Keen Eddie.
KoshN
Brimstone (1998)
A Real Gem of a Show.
Every so often, I re-watch my Brimstone tapes (of the Sci-Fi airings, since I didn't even know it existed when it was on FOX), and am amazed at just how good a show this is. It had a great pilot, great acting and excellent dialogue, and the cast had great chemistry together. In fact, I like every single aspect of this show (*including* Lori Petty). It's just too bad that it started out on FOX, especially FOX on Friday night.
Maybe if we're lucky, one day, Warner Home Video will release it on DVD. Then, maybe I'll be able to see "Ashes" without the pixilation glitch that's in Sci-Fi's copy, and without the damn Sci-Fi popup ads., bugs, and squashed credits with voice-overs, and more people will be exposed to this fine show. With my luck though, Warners will have improperly stored the film, and it'll have the uncorrected film defects problems seen on their Babylon 5 DVDs (all of which I'm buying, BTW, if only for the extras).
It's too bad Warners doesn't treat their shows better, and make their Season Sets as showpieces. That's what I'd want my Babylon 5, Crusade and Brimstone season sets to be, showpieces that would blow people's socks off.
KoshN
Babylon 5: The Legend of the Rangers: To Live and Die in Starlight (2002)
This is by far the worst thing ever produced in the Babylon 5 universe.
The whole premise of the movie/pilot, the Rangers never retreating, for ANY reason, is absolutely ridiculous. The holographic weapons interface scenes are so bad that they're painful to watch. Myriam Sirois' acting isn't even up to Tracy Scoggins'/Marjean Holden's level (not good), and a lot of the dialogue is horrible. Sirois drags down every scene she's in, like a lead weight. The captain is a pretty boy, a Keffer/Trace type, except that Keffer and Trace were more interesting. The captain's best scene is an early one with Dulann, where they're discussing who got command of the Valen. That shows a brief glimpse of the kind of writing that JMS can do, but it was almost all downhill from there. Most of the captains good scenes are with Dulann. Coincidence? No. Dulann elevates those scenes. The Captain mostly delivers exposition. (connecting the dots for slow-witted viewers?) and 90% of this movie/pilot is just plain bad.
I rate Babylon 5, the TV series 10 out of 10 stars overall, Crusade 9 out of 10 stars, Babylon 5: The Lost Tales "Voices in the Dark" barely 6 out of 10 stars (3 stars for the first story and 8 stars for the second), and Babylon 5: The Legend of the Rangers 2 out of 10 stars. At least the Lost Tales DVD, as insubstantial as it is, is better than this. The redeeming factors of the Legend of the Rangers pilot movie were Andreas Katsulas (sadly, in his last appearance as G'Kar), Alex Zahara as Dulann, Jennie Rebecca Hogan as Na'Feel and Enid-Raye Adams as Firell, but it's not enough. Andreas, you're greatly missed, and I wish your send off had been better. For the most part, these are no Rangers. Marcus would be doing a few thousand RPM in his cryo-tube.
Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
Oldman Miscast
Gary Oldman was completely miscast as Dracula. I'll take Christopher Lee or Bela Lugosi any day. If only Christopher Lee had ever had the chance to be in a big-budget Dracula like this one, but noooo. I don't know who in 1992 would have been a shoe-in for the role, but Oldman definitely isn't the one!
Me, Myself & Irene (2000)
Not Worth the Cost of the DVD
The best description of this movie would be "strange and uneven" like it was lifted from the Twilight Zone (but I liked TZ stories). Officer Charlie Baileygates is about as interesting as split-pea soup without the ham. Hank Evans is a VERY THINLY DISGUISED Fire Marshall Bill.
The movie does have a few good moments but these are marred by the overwhelming number of shock-value moments. Renée Zellweger as Irene P. Waters turns in a very respectable performance.
As with "Dr. T & The Women" the best parts are in the trailers
Ronin (1998)
An EXCELLENT Action Film - Can Stand Repeated Viewings
I never get tired of watching this movie. DeNiro's and Reno's performances are perfect. The rest of the cast is top notch. Guys will "get" this movie. For chases, the only movie that compares to Ronin is Bullitt. I honestly can't think of a bad thing to say about Ronin. Everybody who has seen my DVD *loves* it.
Black Scorpion (2001)
Of NO Redeeming Value - Pathetic
Guys, view only for the cleavage, and then ONLY with the sound MUTED (to avoid brain damage caused by listening to the dialogue), IF you are tempted to view this at all. It's a complete waste of time. Given the amount of heartbeats available to you in your life, it's not worth squandering any of them on this. It's not campy. It's just STUPID and BORING. It makes Lexx, and the Batman (with Adam West) look like Emmy winning productions.
The Patriot (2000)
Incredible Epic - See It on The Big Screen
Mel Gibson was great, as usual. Jason Isaacs was superb as the villain (Colonel William Tavington of the Dragoons). I wanted to shoot the guy myself! Great villain! Joely Richardson was gorgeous (Sorry, I can't get past that!). Adam Baldwin was his usual slimy, bad guy self (ala Ghost). It was good to see Peter Woodward again (I'm a fan of Babylon 5 and Crusade. He was Galen in Crusade.)