REVIEW: JLU - Destroyer

[Review written for World's Finest: Spring 2006]

So here we are. The finale. The final one. The end. Excited?

I bet you are.

And what a mixed bag it is. Two sides to this, my ill-metaphored sword. On one side, it's a shinning beacon to all that is JLU; it has action, it has heroes, it has battles. It has great animation, some really smart one liners and it treats all it's characters with dignity. On the other side, it is all slightly ill paced, utilizes the worst case of deux ex machina I've seen on TV and lacks a little character detail for my personal taste.

In a little more depth (or in the context of the plot, maybe a little less), "Destroyer" concludes the season arc "Legion Of Doom". Lex Luthor's Legion returns to Earth after accidentally unleashing the maniac god Darkseid instead of the maniac machine, Brainiac. The Justice League and the Legion Of Doom (or Secret Society as DC would prefer) come together in alliance to stop this threat as revenge thirsty Darkseid and his creatures invade Earth.

There isn't much more than this to the story, but then the whole episode is designed to be a virtual homage to all that is super-hero action. One shouldn't condemn this episode for the weak plot, it's all about action, action, action.

Action certainly comes thick and fast. It's fluid, dynamic and very exciting stuff. Some pretty nasty scenes there; a spear in Shayera's wing, a decapitation of one of Darkseid's many goons.. It's all fun, occasionally shocking and unlike some of the previous episodes, the action scenes feel well placed and not contrived. After-all, action is the whole point to the story.

While it means there is little in terns of story-depth, this approach allows the show to pay it's respects to as many characters equally and fairly. This seems rather appropriate for a show about a whole league of super-heroes.

In between the action, there is some nice dialogue and a couple of welcome character scenes. J'onn makes a return. The character has clearly evolved and as he intended, found a life. Good on him.

Those expecting any serious resolutions won't find any. This is JLU-alongside-the- Legion-of-Doom-versus-Darkseid-and-minions (his generic minions, don't expect any of his usual cohorts).

The focus battle is Batman, Luthor and Superman Vs Darkseid. The arena: The remains of "The Daily Planet" building. It's a damn fine fight. A particular highlight for me was Superman's small speech before he goes "extra super" on Darkseid.

The attempts from Batman and Luthor to distract Darkseid's attack on Superman give this feud an extra layer. Some may argue having a mortal like Batman knock a virtual god over is slightly unrealistic. However, considering how vital Batman has been to Justice League, it's nice to see him have some serious interaction. It's particularly good to see Superman and Batman working together again.

This seems a good time to take a break from the good, and speak of the bad. Overall, there isn't much of this, but there were certainly some issues in this episode.

I still question (for those who read my review of the previous episode, "Alive") as to whether Darkseid needed to return. He offers nothing new here at all. It's Darkseid after Superman again and the fight is like an extended version of their last encounter in "Twilight". It's good, but with all of DC's literature at their disposal, did we need a forth reckoning? Wasn't "Twilight" major finale strong enough?

Furthermore, his invasion forces are toned down to stupid drones and until his final attack on Superman, he doesn't seem that much more impressive than before. After so many world threats, this doesn't really FEEL much above the norm for JLU, despite seeing such a large roster here.

Personally, I feel that characters that are godly in nature tend to be restrictive. A story can only offer a certain amount of resolutions for such one sided battles. It seems, by "Destroyer", that DCAU have exhausted all angles on Darkseid. It's good fun, but nothing new is done with the character.

The deux ex machina in the final moments comes from the power of anti-life. The problems are two-fold. Its introduction, application and resolution are lightning fast. This really gives some pacing issues with the rest of the episode. It also means it falls for the danger of any such device; the audience feels slightly cheated after such a gigantic buildup.

The second problem is there is no explanation to this device or its effect. If this was a continuing series, you could forgive that, however as a finale in which it's used to resolve the whole story dilemma, it bewilders.

If you know your DC, there probably is no problem - you probably have the background knowledge required to understand the use of anti-life. However, a television show should cater for it's whole audience in the same way a school essay should work on the presumption the reader has little to no knowledge of the subject. In the end, the whole event feels very messy, unwanted and unresolved.

That said, we can now go back to the good. The ending is very touching. Some well executed comments (Superman's remark to Batman about getting old neatly points towards the next stage of the saga - Batman Beyond) and a wonderful montage of all that is JLU, visually and aurally. It's a lovely "heroes heading off into the sunset" type of finish. While some fans would rather have more resolution details, I feel we know all we need to. We know Batman, Superman and JLU carry on into the future. We know that Lantern and Shayera will have a child who joins the JLU. We know there are many more battles out there to fight in the interim between now and Batman Beyond.

So enjoy. It is overall, a great half hour. As I said, in some ways the ending is a little frustrating and one wonders whether having Clark simply beat Darkseid would have been a better ending to the big fight - even if it would have been a little more simplistic. I personally felt that Superman's final blows to Darkseid were an effective enough climax not to warrant any external intervention.

What's more to say? Oh yeah, Grodd and Tala don't come back. Nor do the captive half of the Legion from "Alive". There may have been no obvious deaths for the JLU team, but there were certainly serious casualties in this final epical battle.

A good end to an overall strong season. Not as strong as "Divided We Fall" and a little bit disappointing in relation to the seasons arc (Luthor does disappear mighty fast), but still a solid ending to a solid season. Regardless of the minor issues, JLU certainly was an epic series with an epic finale. Now, go and watch Epilogue again. I think this is the right time to do so.

REVIEW: JLU - Alive

[Review written for World's Finest: Spring 2006]

Alive is a dangerous beast.

Before this rare animal named "Jay El Yew" can be put to rest, we have an episode which essentially defies the protocol of the series and of action cartoons as a whole. With the show's pent-ultimate breath, it produces an episode which could arguably be the most controversial choice at the most controversial time.

With one episode of JLU to follow it, this first part of the two part finale offers no speaking heroes.

None.

Nada.

Not a muscle bound heroic whisper.

With audiences poised to watch their heroes’ final hour in their tenure on Cartoon Network, some may be horrified to find that this time has been cut by half. This episode solely spotlights the villains, and arguably, why not? They play an equal part in the heroic exploits of the JLU. They are the obstacle course that allows the hero to prove his worth. They are more than just a punching bag, they are a characters in their own right. If this series is to finish, should they not have a virtually exclusive episode?

Like it or lump it, this story focuses on the escapades Lex Luthor as he tries to balance his power base in his Secret Society with his need to merge with Brainiac.

It's a risky writing venture. The placement of this type of episode is certainly surprising. The audience is most likely to tune in to JLU to see Superman, Batman, Green Arrow and their various ilk. When the show enters it's final run, will an episode that focuses on the hero's opponents truly satisfy? Furthermore, within the story itself, there are - unsurprisngly - no villains here which can really be deemed likable. Interesting, certainly, but real empathy goes a long way in a show. We the audience, need to feel for one side or another. Tension comes from taking a side. If you don't have any empathy for a character's motivation, it automatically damages the dramatic tension. Is this unique perspective, just a little too late?

Of all the enemy characters, Tala is probably the villain the audience sympathies with. She's caught between a rock and a hard place. Attracted to power and unable to really find a place with either male, animal or otherwise. However empathy isn't the key to this episode, its motivation. The dramatic tension comes from not really wanting Lex to succeed in finding Brainaic, but at the same time, not really wanting Grodd to really stop him either. Lex is infinitely a more fascinating character than Grodd, so out of the two, I think most tend to side on Lex - despite the knowledge of his dreadful intent. The dramatic tension for the audience comes from a lack a decisive certainty as to who they should root for.

So in practical terms, this works fairly well. While hardly likable, Lex is a fine character in DCAU. We may not really root for him, but his victories are always amusing and the extent to his ruthlessness never ceases to surprise. Like with Batman, the audience can't help but relish the sight of a "normal" take victory over the giants.

Lex's quest for Brainiac leads him to the very spot we saw both Brainiac and Darkseid meet their doom in the excellent Justice League episode, "Twilight". Convincing a host of super-villains to follow Lex to the world's utter enslavement via Brainiac is made somewhat more difficult when Grodd is released by a dissatisfied Tala. The result? Another vaguely watch-able brawl.

JLU has had many multi brawls. If we combine the two seasons of Justice League, with the three of JLU, that's five seasons with collectives of super characters battling it out. So by the end of this final season, these fights are feeling somewhat tired. There are a few highlights. Toyman's small scene with his yo-yo was a delight as was Giganta and her very nasty squeezing fit with Grodd. Nevertheless, the only battle sequence I felt really held any true dramatic action this season was in "Grudge Match". I didn't personally feel "Alive" came close to matching it.

Once the battle finishes, and the audience are awakened from this extended period of thwacks and bangs by the shock of Grodd being ejected from an airlock, we have a rather unusual scene. Metron, passive observer of the cosmos pops by to offer a futile warning of what might come. Seems odd for a demigod to bother offering such an apocalypyic warning to a stubborn, arrogant and power mad mortal. Perhaps such declarations are a house rule of an immortal's job, who knows. Whatever the reason, it certainly adds a portent to what's to come..

The final twist will shock and quite possibly disappoint some of the audience. Tala is ruthlessly used to bridge the gap between the asteroid and Lex's Brainiac capturing machine. It's quite a shocking scene, but this is nothing new for this season. Be it baldy humor, realistic character interaction, topical comment or just simple plain violence, this season has not been afraid to push it's constraints. Nevertheless, this whole scene plays off with the epical proportions it requires.

And so Lex doesn't succeed in bringing Brainac back... or at least not in the way he wants.. To his clearly visible horror, his gigantic gambit has brought him a gigantic threat - Darkseid.

Personally I was a filled to the brim with an unholy mix of major thrills and minor disappointment. It certainly is a climatic and well produced scene. The arc of this season, with villain working with villain, has a logical fluidity that would accumulate with a scenario which might require villain working with villain standing next to hero alongside hero. In essence, the ultimate JLU bound together to fight against the might of Darkseid.

However, the problem lies with Darkseid himself. If Darkseid had not had several outings through DCAU already, there would be no issue here. The problem lies with Darkseid's godlike status. He is a character with limitless power. With limitless power comes limited writing potential. When the stories revolve around heroes who do have limits, how do you put such limited characters against a virtually limitless foe again and again? How do you do so without having to add more limits to the villain or less limits on the heroes? How do you prevent a resolution manifesting without having to weaken or strengthen one against their natural strength?

It's a danger all powerful villains have in stories when you reuse them. Be they Darkseid, be they Borg, It is a natural part of character writing that demands a different method of resolution each time you create adversity. Create an almost unbeatable character, you are left with almost unwinnable odds for the weaker side.

Darkseid's death in "Twilight" made his exit from Justice League a solid one. How will his return and assumed defeat affect Twlight's powerful finale? In all fairness, the audience cannot say. We can offer our natural reaction to this revelation, but no honest fan - particularly with JLU's solid track record - can presume that the finale, "Destroyer" won't hold a twist the audience has not participated. Here's hoping my assessment is stamped on by Mr Timm and company, thus proved to be utterly irrelevant. I can endure the kick to my opinionated ego if it means we have one hell of a finale.

Finally, we have the epilogue and at this point, it is slightly confusing. Darkseid is back on Apocalypse after destroying Grodd's ship along with Lex and his crew. Back on Earth, the JLU are warned about Darkseid's potential threat by .. Lex and his crew. How these threads and all of JLU will resolve (or not) is yet to be clear. Again, one is hesitant to condemn any lack of resolution until we've seen "Destroyer" and its ultimate resolution to life, JLU and well, everything.

So as a pent-ultimate episode, I must honestly say, for all it's strengths, "Alive" feels poorly placed. The mandatory battles seems too long and at this point in the show, way too extensive. It's just another excuse to see X character to battle Y character. Probably a part of the show's official mandate, but nevertheless at this point feels fairly unwelcome. That's not to say the battles are badly played out. They have their strong points, but overall they lack the real inspiration to warrant their length. As a long term watcher, I just honestly wanted to fast forward onwards to the character parts.

Furthermore, such a unique tale doesn't get the appreciation in deserves when it's placement feels like padding to the upcoming event. Unfair when assessing the show on it's own, but as part of a larger entity, one can't help feeling it was poorly timed. Knowing there is little more than half an hour left before we lose our JLU heroes forever makes "Alive" a slightly resentful watch.

Nevertheless, it's still good drama from a very respectable final season. Lex is wonderfully ruthless, there is some great pieces of direction and, as always, some super shreds of dialogue.

A good watch, however it just feels such a unique episode would have been far better appreciated (and overall, more conducive to the season as a whole) if it had got an earlier slot. Watch, enjoy and do your best to forget about the time left.

REVIEW: Doctor Who - Parting Of The Ways

[Review written for Gallifrey One: 2005]

So here we have it, the epoch of Christopher Eccleston’s Doctor. The final tie up of this very contained season. After thirteen episodes, after a year of production titbits, after nine long years of wait, after sixteen years since the last full series...

Was it all worth it?

Damn right it was.

Russell T Davies once again proves his mastership of both story and series. His role as lord overseer and as lowly storyteller has to be commended. Not only does he create the most fantastic episode, but also a fantastic end to the series.

Through "Parting Of The Ways", the tale of the Ninth Doctor all falls into place. The journey of all the main characters has a final and fitting resolution, regardless of how they return later this year. The background season arc, the Time War, is neatly finalised without cutting into the character plots or the impact of this stories main villain: The Daleks.

With all these elements considered; the Time War, character resolutions, Daleks and a certain regeneration sequence, it's amazing how evenly paced this episode seems. It never stutters or staggers, but moves in one fluid motion from start to end.

Most importantly, it embodies all the elements pertinent to Doctor Who. Through Rose we see the importance of the individual, that through the Doctor, we learn to become better and more determined people; to care when no one else will. Through Jack we see a mercenary has learned to be a true hero. Then we have the Daleks, doing what all Daleks should do: kill mercilessly. The dark nature of the show is never more prominent than here with Daleks killing established minor characters left right and centre.

On top of these more traditional elements of Who ethos, we see the show moving forward. The repercussions of the Doctors actions still taking centre stage, his stronger relationship with his companions, the evolution of the Daleks into something even more frightening all just adds to the experience. This isn't a show that's just trying to capture its roots; it's taking them and planting them in a new field of ideas and concepts.

However, the writing is the episodes highlight. From the grand plan down to the small scenes, we have some wonderful misdirection on the small scale in one scene with a Dalek door cutter breaking into one human compartment on the space station, only to see the actual kill come from outside the station itself. The writer draws the audience attention to one outcome while introducing another variable to alter it. The old red herring device at it's best.

On a larger scale we see the final revelation on "Bad Wolf" being not the Master, or Davros, or even the Doctor himself. “Bad Wolf” is simply two words created to utterly mislead the audience. Again, a great piece of writing that makes sense within the story and doesn’t leave the audience feeling dissatisfied. Indeed the issue of "Bad Wolf" is tied up perfectly.

On the production side, we have a great visual experience. Not always perfect, the Dalek mother ship design was impressive, but the CG to actor overlay wasn't always consistent. Nevertheless, the Emperor Dalek was a firm piece of design and the visuals never betrayed the requirements of the story.

The music was well utilized with many elements echoing sounds from earlier this season and several reoccurring motifs evolving into new melodies. The music for the shows final scenes was truly moving.

Which brings us to the final scenes. It's nice to see that Davies manages to make the Doctor and Rose's most kiss intimate but not overtly romantic. Whether you feel there was a sexual chemistry or a deeper bond, this final kiss is a gentle and non-specific answer. It also gives some sort of conclusion to the "will they, won't they" angle. I am certain that the relationship with Rose and the Doctor next season will differ. I think it's vital to do so, not just to keep diversity in the character mix, but to give the Ninth Doctor's relationship with Rose a more special element. I get the feeling this is Davies intent and as such the kiss is as much a final goodbye as a plot resolution.

As for the regeneration scene, I wasn't expecting regeneration, so this came as a surprise. On a repeat viewing, this is even more moving. Again, we see the idea of the finite persona being played out here; that every Doctor "dies" at the end of his tenure. This makes the death even more moving, particularly as the Doctor tries to put on a brave face. This is Eccleston and Davies at their best as both move to culminate all those elements of Eccleston's Doctor in one final scene. We see the forced humour, the admiration for his companion and that deeper hurt which he has constantly tried to bury. He comes across with that mix of excitement and fear that I think will trademark Eccleston's era.

Which leaves me to the final main character yet unmentioned: Captain Jack. I strongly urge them to bring him back as his role in this story and his dynamic as part of the team has been a late highlight of this season. So much so, it makes rewatching the earlier episodes feel like they are missing something. I never thought he would work as well as he has and that's another testament to writing and actor. I think they need that third TARDIS crewman in Doctor Who - providing he or she offers something different to the other two. Jack does so in abundance and I think there will be a call for Jack's return, he truly is the surprise of this season and his last minute revival was a very wise move.

And with high hopes of Jack's full time return, a confirmed two further seasons and a brand new Doctor, this episode leaves Doctor Who's brief hiatus in good standing. David Tennant's brief cameo was a welcome one that really filled me with hope. He so far seems perfect. His manner, looks and body language utterly different to Eccleston, He really has that Baker twinkle in his eye too!

Parting Of The Ways is a perfect gel of solid writing, strong production and a cast who feel confident and proud of their work. With Tennant showing so much potential in a meagre thirty seconds, I am confident he will bring in a new era of Doctor Who without diminishing what I'm sure will be seen as one of the Doctor's most consistent seasons.

REVIEW: Doctor Who - Bad Wolf

[Review written for Gallifrey One: 2005]

It's funny how a small minority can actually affect your perception of an episode before it airs. There has been a very vocal fan group who have had strong concerns over Russell T Davies output and regardless of the objective validity (and I for one am not condemning such opinion), one cannot help being infected by that concern, no matter how small the voice. Negativity is infectious; its voice is loud no matter how minor the group. I must confess that, despite enjoying most of RTD's work, I approached the teaser with a degree of non-objective concern. Parodies are dangerous things, and this episode from the very opening scene has no qualms about being so. Get too close to real life, and it can break that illusion of disbelief mainstream science fiction so desperately needs.

However, like Doctor Who of yore, "Bad Wolf" manages to superbly do parody and it couldn't be closer than this. Beyond the darker and more explosive second half, the first part of this story is very well handled. We have some great parody moments based on other British TV institutions. “The Weakest Line” and “Big Brother” are to name some of the more famous ones of recent times. By making such very close parodies (music, sets and voice work), it actually adds to the suspense of disbelief; vague parodies create vague parallels where the viewer doesn't really see the mimic being one thing or the other. "Bad Wolf" pulls no such punches!

Beyond the Reality/Quiz TV parallel here, we have a deeper and more evocative story. Maybe if this episode had just revolved around the parody, it would have really lost a lot of drive by any resolution. The gradual and slightly disorientating start slowly sets the stage for a grand finale ending. And what a grand finale it is.

Not only is it big (and I mean B.I.G), it's very well paced. No quick shock ending to leave the viewer feeling cheated, the ending is given time to grow and even gives away a few more revelations than one would have expected of Doctor Who in the past. Once upon a time we would have had simply the appearance of a squawking Dalek to create the cliffhanger, but not here. In "Bad Wolf" we have the appearance of the foe a good few minutes before the end that results in a story with a very satisfying mix of drama, parody, surprise and some fantastic dialogue.

Yes, the script for "Bad Wolf" is very strong; in fact, all aspects of the story remain tight. Any concern over the slightly unfinished feel to RTD's "Boom Town" can be quashed by one of the most solid pieces of story telling to date. Let's also remember, making a story that doesn't rely overtly on atmosphere, action and suspense for its entirety is very hard. This is a real mix of drama. Some clear tongue in cheek humour, some shocking revelations and some really powerful dramatic scenes all in one. This really is a story that builds, layer on layer and that really does underline the talents of this show's creator.

Whether you like his occasional bursts of humour, or his more character orientated plots, RTD knows his field, both as a producer and as a writer. He writes as he feels the show requires and the approval of the masses reflects this. "Bad Wolf is a perfect example of how RTD can write as he needs to. This is the shows penultimate story and he pulls back from overt humour to shows us a mind that cares and knows Doctor Who. This is tense Doctor Who without being over scary. It's the perfect equation of light entertainment and firm drama. Some older fans may prefer the likes of "The Empty Child", but if Doctor Who intends to survive, it's stories that offer a more family orientated balance such as this that will keep the show going.

As for the more specific elements - all top notch. The music is great with some more of the more gothic undertones announcing the Daleks. The acting is above par across the board and for the second week running, Eccleston gets a wonderful mix of light and very dark. This Doctor is really having to deal with his "meddling". In this light, "Bad Wolf" is a great follow up to "Boom Town" and elevates the importance of "Boom Town" in hindsight.

Final bow goes to Captain Jack Harkness, who provides a refreshing character type and a little additional humour throughout. RTD, if you are wise and bored enough to read this, whatever happens to Jack in the finale, consider his return. He's an asset to the crew bringing that extra something that neither the Doctor nor Rose can, something beyond his more violent capacities. His self-assured attitude, technical know how and utter juxtaposition to the Doctor makes him a fascinating and worthy addition to the crew dynamic. His role was comparatively small compared to the Doctor's, but nevertheless very noticeable.

Oh yeah, did I mention the Daleks much? No? Well I will leave it to the other reviewers to rave on their reinvention and application. They retain all about what Daleks should be and still manage to add something new.

Fantastic. Russell T Davies should be squirming with pleasure in his bed tonight knowing that it's a job well done. Only downside is it creates a very tough act to follow... and with the next episode being the finale.. Can it compare to the strength of “Bad Wolf”? "Time will tell", said one great man. With the Doctor having to deal with the ramifications of that statement in "Bad Wolf", I can't think of a more pertinent quotation to end on.

REVIEW: Doctor Who - Bad Wolf

[Review written for Gallifrey One: 2005]

It's funny how a small minority can actually affect your perception of an episode before it airs. There has been a very vocal fan group who have had strong concerns over Russell T Davies output and regardless of the objective validity (and I for one am not condemning such opinion), one cannot help being infected by that concern, no matter how small the voice. Negativity is infectious; its voice is loud no matter how minor the group. I must confess that, despite enjoying most of RTD's work, I approached the teaser with a degree of non-objective concern. Parodies are dangerous things, and this episode from the very opening scene has no qualms about being so. Get too close to real life, and it can break that illusion of disbelief mainstream science fiction so desperately needs.

However, like Doctor Who of yore, "Bad Wolf" manages to superbly do parody and it couldn't be closer than this. Beyond the darker and more explosive second half, the first part of this story is very well handled. We have some great parody moments based on other British TV institutions. “The Weakest Line” and “Big Brother” are to name some of the more famous ones of recent times. By making such very close parodies (music, sets and voice work), it actually adds to the suspense of disbelief; vague parodies create vague parallels where the viewer doesn't really see the mimic being one thing or the other. "Bad Wolf" pulls no such punches!

Beyond the Reality/Quiz TV parallel here, we have a deeper and more evocative story. Maybe if this episode had just revolved around the parody, it would have really lost a lot of drive by any resolution. The gradual and slightly disorientating start slowly sets the stage for a grand finale ending. And what a grand finale it is.

Not only is it big (and I mean B.I.G), it's very well paced. No quick shock ending to leave the viewer feeling cheated, the ending is given time to grow and even gives away a few more revelations than one would have expected of Doctor Who in the past. Once upon a time we would have had simply the appearance of a squawking Dalek to create the cliffhanger, but not here. In "Bad Wolf" we have the appearance of the foe a good few minutes before the end that results in a story with a very satisfying mix of drama, parody, surprise and some fantastic dialogue.

Yes, the script for "Bad Wolf" is very strong; in fact, all aspects of the story remain tight. Any concern over the slightly unfinished feel to RTD's "Boom Town" can be quashed by one of the most solid pieces of story telling to date. Let's also remember, making a story that doesn't rely overtly on atmosphere, action and suspense for its entirety is very hard. This is a real mix of drama. Some clear tongue in cheek humour, some shocking revelations and some really powerful dramatic scenes all in one. This really is a story that builds, layer on layer and that really does underline the talents of this show's creator.

Whether you like his occasional bursts of humour, or his more character orientated plots, RTD knows his field, both as a producer and as a writer. He writes as he feels the show requires and the approval of the masses reflects this. "Bad Wolf is a perfect example of how RTD can write as he needs to. This is the shows penultimate story and he pulls back from overt humour to shows us a mind that cares and knows Doctor Who. This is tense Doctor Who without being over scary. It's the perfect equation of light entertainment and firm drama. Some older fans may prefer the likes of "The Empty Child", but if Doctor Who intends to survive, it's stories that offer a more family orientated balance such as this that will keep the show going.

As for the more specific elements - all top notch. The music is great with some more of the more gothic undertones announcing the Daleks. The acting is above par across the board and for the second week running, Eccleston gets a wonderful mix of light and very dark. This Doctor is really having to deal with his "meddling". In this light, "Bad Wolf" is a great follow up to "Boom Town" and elevates the importance of "Boom Town" in hindsight.

Final bow goes to Captain Jack Harkness, who provides a refreshing character type and a little additional humour throughout. RTD, if you are wise and bored enough to read this, whatever happens to Jack in the finale, consider his return. He's an asset to the crew bringing that extra something that neither the Doctor nor Rose can, something beyond his more violent capacities. His self-assured attitude, technical know how and utter juxtaposition to the Doctor makes him a fascinating and worthy addition to the crew dynamic. His role was comparatively small compared to the Doctor's, but nevertheless very noticeable.

Oh yeah, did I mention the Daleks much? No? Well I will leave it to the other reviewers to rave on their reinvention and application. They retain all about what Daleks should be and still manage to add something new.

Fantastic. Russell T Davies should be squirming with pleasure in his bed tonight knowing that it's a job well done. Only downside is it creates a very tough act to follow... and with the next episode being the finale.. Can it compare to the strength of “Bad Wolf”? "Time will tell", said one great man. With the Doctor having to deal with the ramifications of that statement in "Bad Wolf", I can't think of a more pertinent quotation to end on.

REVIEW: Doctor Who - Boom Town

[Review written for Gallifrey One: 2005]

Boom Town" was possibly more aptly named than intended.

Stories by Russell T Davies have certainly caused a small division in fandom. Regardless of RTD's success in bring Doctor Who back to strong form, his style of writing for Doctor Who has been a cause of concern for many fans.

So with fans from both camps, for and against RTD, anxiously waiting to be proved righteous as to whether he can deliver anything en par with "The Empty Child", "Father's Day" or "The Doctor Dances", "Boom Town" has a burden of expectation that it could probably do with out. Is this episode in which Doctor Who self destructs, derailing it's past success? Well, no. In fact, it's a mixed affair, a messy one at that. One could argue it offers strong evidence to either side of the divide. There is good and bad here.

"Boom Town" is very much a character story hidden within a plot-orientated affair. As such, it offers an odd mix of direction and pacing. Unfortunately this feels far from intentional. While it may have been hoped that the intense plot dialogue about a nuclear facility being placed in Cardiff as part of an attempt for a Sithreen to escape Earth by destroying it (and breathe..) would form a good red herring to the actual direction of the story, it simply feels messy.

The biggest problem with "Boom Town" is it tries to do too much when the premise is strong enough to work in a far simpler format.

This is the biggest surprise from RTD. Whether one likes his humour or general light drama approach to his stories, his tales are always well paced and easy to digest. With the story both trying to be an action tale and a character tale at once, this is certainly not the case with "Boom Town".

Which is a pity really as there are some great moments in “Boom Town” which would make any RTD, nay, Doctor Who fan, proud. Christopher Eccleston is given a wonderful mix of serious and humour based scenes to work with. What makes his role even stronger is that for the first time in a while, he's not focused on Rose. We get to see the Doctor rather than the DoctorRose symbiote. While Rose is a good companion for the season, the Doctor's dependency on her weakens his character. Here we see a Doctor who isn't fawning over his companion or overtly worrying about her. In fact, this feels very much a Doctor/Companion relationship of old.

Part of this has to be attributed to Captain Jack. Jack is a great addition to the crew, diluting the Doctor/Rose dynamic and offering a new element to the crew. It's nice to have a companion that doesn't serve as an interface for the viewer. Sometimes Doctor Who suffers with three crewmembers. The show doesn’t need two companions both asking “What’s going on Doctor?” for the sake of explaining plot to the viewer. You only need one companion to use that phrase. If one is to have two companions, they both have to offer something different to the mix from each other. Like Turlough and Romana, Jack is more on a technological wavelength of the Doctor, which means the show has another character to motivate the more sci-fi elements of the story. Jack makes a nice medium between Rose and the Doctor and I really hope he stays in for a good few more episodes.

The character plots primarily revolve around the nature of the Doctor and Rose's relationship with Mickey. To my surprise Mickey really pulls these scenes together. His frustration and exasperation is a credit to the actor and the writing.

The Doctor's restaurant scene is wonderful also. It is a totally different atmosphere to the Rose/Mickey scenes, but just as emotionally charged. Credit to both Eccleston and Annette Badland for their strong performances and again to RTD for the solid script.

The failure for Boom Town is it doesn't really go anyway. It doesn't really feel like it resolves the issue of the Doctor's destructive lifestyle or his culpability for the damage he causes. Not that there is probably a sufficient answer, but the questions RTD asks are ones not really considered prior to this series. He paints the Doctor as a man who almost murders through intent to interfere who then rushes before the dust falls. We see very little evidence of that in the show so it does seem a rather odd proposal. Certain the character seems to feel there is a hint of truth there - which is fair enough. People who can carry responsibility and power often have high expectations of what they can do, I don't see why the Doctor shouldn't have those same high expectations of the good he wants to achieve and the guilt he feels for failing the few. That said, the script almost makes the hypothesis feel like fact, rather than maybe an issue simply plaguing the Doctor and that doesn't really sit right. I think one is very hard pushed to make such comparisons between the murderous Siltheen and the Doctor nevertheless the script tries.

So it's the lack of resolution that makes Boom Town feel most confuddled. The ending just pops up out of the blue and resolves just as fast. The power of the TARDIS jars for the same reason. It's importance in the story resolution has no hint earlier on and so comes out of no where... that seems a little odd in terms of story writing. If you don't present the audience with some hint of what the means of resolution in an earlier chapter, it can leave viewers feeling cheated.

So the story is a mix of pros and cons. There are some great scenes and dialogue, but a story that feels rough around the edges. It has a good set of characters, but lacks any real cohesion between their roles in the tale.

I would say this is way above average, but certainly the most inconsistent story so far. “Boom Town” is certainly more interesting than “Rose”, but feels as if it needed another draft. In that respect, perhaps the first story to be akin to the old series ... how many of those stories do you want to pick up the script and give one final rewrite?

REVIEW: Doctor Who - Father's Day

[Review written for Gallifrey One: 2005]

“Father's Day” is very much a rollercoaster. The drama starts off light and simple and then twists and turns through a variety of emotional loops, each getting more and more intense.

This episode offers a very simple premise: What if you could stop a tragedy in your personal history? It's a simple idea, and surprisingly, for something so obvious to time travel, not one that Doctor Who has really dealt with before. It's certainly not a premise that has been taken to it's full emotional potential. Here we see Rose taking a course of action that is so utterly wrong yet so utterly understandable for anyone in her situation; Rose saves her dead father and the Doctor didn't see it coming.

Father's Day works on many levels thanks to its strong character progressions. First and most obvious is Rose, who quite frankly, hasn't had the spotlight I expected her to have throughout the season. The story intelligently takes her through an emotional drama, which, despite it's highly theoretical scenario, feels real. Considering the extent of unearthly circumstances her father has to comprehend in no more than 45 minutes, his character's introduction and evolution works very well.

This is where the story scores so well. It leaves the time techno babble largely to the side and allows the script to deal with the effects of temporal damage has on the main characters. There's a lot to cover if the writing is to convince the viewer that the characters are acting realistically in such a bizarre circumstance, and Paul Cornell really does pull it off.

Shaun Dingwell does a great job as Rose's father, Pete. He breathes the humanity and realism into the character. If Pete had been miscast, the whole scenario would have fallen apart. Piper gets to show off her own emotional skills and does a fine job as always. Eccleston also delivers a solid role; however the events of the episode do somewhat weaken his strength in the lead role as the Doctor.

The Doctor is changing, and that amount is clear. One of the more subtle storylines in this episode is his isolation from humanity. It doesn't seem to occur to him that Rose might try and save her father and this seems surprisingly naive for the character. His isolation is something that Rose has noticed, and in one of her less endearing moments (but certainly one of the most realistic portrayals of a teenager on TV) she makes it clear she knows he'll never leave her and he'll be back like a lost puppy. He needs the emotional human contact she gives him, envies that gift of humanity which he never had with his people and even what he did have is now gone. In someway, it's a very touching perspective, but it does weaken both his character and mystery. Somehow it feels wrong for a 19 year old to have such power over him.

Perhaps that's one of the biggest mistakes of the new series. The creators seem insistent that Rose and the Doctor are equal. Some say that she is more than the Doctor, and that doesn't really come across. Certainly she's not so world weary, but that comes from 900 years of experience, but she doesn't quite seem the gem of humanity the writers and the Doctor see. She comes across as a teenager. Strangely, that’s a compliment as there are few dramas that can write a teenager well, however there is a little that makes her seem much more than the average teenager. I don't feel that comes across in the stories as being so special - regardless of Ms Piper's constantly solid acting. She certainly has tough competition to prove her worth too. Ian Chesterton, Sarah Jane Smith, Jamie McCrimmon, Jo Grant, Barbara Wright to name a few.

Overall “Father’s Day” is a very good episode. Some small niggles get in the way. There is the occasional cringe worthy time cliché. For instance when kid Mickey, Rose's future boyfriend, is focused upon; there are some remarks about how much he'll cling to his future girlfriend. There is the old "I'm sure I know you from somewhere" line between father and future daughter. These are small, superfluous script gags that were acceptable twenty, thirty years ago, but now actually bring down dialogue quality.

The music is a little over indulgent. The haunting melody that accompanies every sad moment in the episode has no subtlety in its choice of instrumentation or how it's actioned. You can almost punctuate to the second when it's about to pop in and when it does, it just feels overtly artificial.

Aside from some dubious CG and a rather predictable resolution, this episode is very good. After all, the effects, the plot and the music are backseat to the emotional drama. The drama is lead performer in this story and it performs immensely well.

It's wonderful to see this series try so many different styles of drama and pretty much hit each style bang on. Great stuff. Now, go watch it again.

INTERVIEW: Arcana Studio Readies "Ant" Sophomore Issue

[Interview for Toon Zone News:03-25-2004

]Arcana Studios will release Ant, a new flagship title, early in May [2004], Arcana's editor-in-chief Sean Patrick tells Toon Zone.

"Ant is the story of a little girl and how she copes with the ‘big adult’ world in which she lives," Patrick explains. "Hanna is a precious youngster who seems to understand far more about the real world than any eight-year old should. Her father is a good man and a loving father and has always tried to raise his daughter the best that he can. Hanna’s estranged mother, Betty, is a bit of a mess and only seems to enter Hanna’s life when she need something from Danny. Hanna’s schoolmates, led by Carrie Wolfe, ostracize her and pick on her relentlessly. With the exception of her neighbor, Steven, they all treat Hanna like their personal punching bag.

"To deal with the stress, Hanna has taken to writing in her journal and drawing fantastic stories. The contents of her journal are what many comic scholars have dubbed a ‘juvenile power fantasy.’
She has created a fictitious world where she can act out her noble aspirations as her adult superhero ego."

Patrick is excited about the title and its creative force, Mario Gully. “We are continuing with the sold-out success of Ant #1, and I promise you that Mario has done an even better job with this one. From plot and character development all the way to art, this one is amazing!"


In addition, Ant 2 will feature an incentive cover, with 1 out of every 10 covers being a penciled J. Scott Campbell cover. Campbell has worked on a variety of top titles including Spider-Man, Battle Of The Planets, Wildcat and G.I Joe.

INTERVIEW: Kade returns for issue 2

[article for Toon Zone News:03-18-2004]

As Arcana Studio's Kade continues into it's second issue, editor-in-chief Sean Patrick tells Toon Zone how happy he is with the title.

"Kade’s debut was an enormous success that we didn’t really expect but are very thankful for," explains Patrick. "We have been working very hard producing these titles and the response we’ve received has been incredibly rewarding."

Patrick, one of the driving forces behind Arcana Studio, is also creator of Kade, a warrior who feels no pain and who is driven on a quest for revenge. Sean hints at what readers can expect from the second issue.

"Now that the introduction is over, the story really begins to delve into the characters and plot," he says. "Kade #2 continues right from where Kade and Kamric were surrounded by the demon hoards of Apollyon. The story then delves into Apollyon’s history and motives, including back-up story ‘War of the Vampyres’ by Fer Galicia.

Many new characters are introduced and we get a much better look at Apollyon’s right hand man -- Cadoc! He is the ‘Starscream’ of the Kade title -- second in command, always looking to be leader, and he is slick. He’s not the sword-wielding flexing type. He’s much more sinister and always uses less-than-noble means. Cadoc truly is the type of bad guy that you love to hate, and with his wicked words and actions in this issue, we promise you that’s how you will view him.

"The art is once again exceptional with the talented Paco Medina and Francisco Herrera doing the covers for Kade #2. Eduardo Garcia continues to pencil the story by Sean O’Reilly and Nancy Parrazales inks are blended beautifully with Grupo EsComic colors."

Kade #2 was released in May 2004.

INTERVIEW: "Kade"-Creator Sean O'Reilly Talks About New Fantasy

[article for Toon Zone News:01-26-2004]
Fans of swords and sorcery are about to be introduced to a new hero, as Arcana Studios launches Kade. Toon Zone spoke with creator and editor Sean O’Reilly.

Toon Zone: Kade is the new title from Arcana Studios. Ccould you give us a little background to the project and your involvement?

Sean O’Reilly: Kade is a young warrior who doesn’t feel pain, but always hurts. The waves of agony he has endured from the slaughter of his people are ebbing. Now, he is drowning in rage and thoughts of vengeance. Kade is in pursuit of the demon known as Apollyon and his own prophesized destiny.

From steel separating flesh to a warm embrace, Kade is unable to feel any physical touch. A reluctant hero, Kade does not want to accept his prophesized title as Lord of the Order of the Black Sun. But when Apollyon destroys the only family he has ever known, Kade is forced to battle Apollyon, the demon who controls the Order with an iron fist.

Apollyon does not want any individual challenging his position, especially a prophesized Lord. Apollyon will not let his people believe this 'pretender', so the demon set out to kill and humiliate Kade, making sure that he would not create a martyr. He attacked Kade's monastery and village, destroying everything, leaving Kade to die...but this young gothic warrior survived. Kade now seeks Apollyon and revenge.

I created Kade about five years ago, but it wasn’t until I met Ramses Melendez and Eduardo Garcia in San Diego that he started to live. Eduardo Garcia breathes the life into Kade with his glorious pencils, and Nancy M. Parrazales enhances it with her amazing inks. Finally Grupo EsComic! completes the lush digital colors.

TZ: Do you intend to stick with the same creative team so far as visuals are concerned or can we expect several guest artists?

O’Reilly: Right now we are on an amazing ride that is going faster and faster, and we hope that we can keep the same creative team on this project for as long as we can. Eduardo’s style is fun, but definitely has an edge to it, which is in line with our genre. But at the same time we have guest artists in every book! Our online contest winners can be seen in the back of the book, and we also feature a backup story featuring various artists and different creative teams. The first backup story featured Ramses and Favian Palacios working on "Abduction." Our second backup story (in Kade #2 – on sale in the beginning of May) is by Ferffice Galicialace and colored by Grupo EsComc! We are continuing the concept of a backup story in every issue!

TZ: What do you see as being the main appeal of Kade as a character and the universe he inhabits?

O’Reilly: I believe the essence of altruism. Kade is the story about a boy who needs to take on the responsibilities of a man by owning up to his potential and doing the right thing. He cannot feel anything and this proves to be quite the asset in battle, but the story shows how this creates complications in daily actions that we take for granted. We’ve also been told that Kade is very original and has a great gothic look. We like it...


TZ: What are the benefits of being both editor and creator of Kade?

O’Reilly: The process. I have to admit I am having a great time as I am the first and last person to touch the issues. I write the script and the team does an amazing job breathing life into this project. Then I do the layout as well and put on the final touches to ready it for press. It’s very rewarding.

Freedom is another thing. I’ve talked with quite a few people and they’ve mentioned how handcuffed they are with restrictions and procedures. We pretty much get full reign on what we want to do. A great example is Ant #2 (in stores May), which will have an extremely limited J .Scott Campbell pencil cover that will only be sold to retailers who order x amount. That might be quite the idea to get processed through a larger company, but with us… it happens in one step.

TZ: Arcana Studios and the Kade project utilize the internet extensively for both communication and readership interaction. How successful has the net been in developing Arcana and Kade, and do you think the net has yet more potential in bringing comics to the people?

O’Reilly: The internet has been absolutely integral in our vision of promoting Kade and Arcana. Truthfully, it's been our biggest ally and we have no intentions of letting our online profile slide. As a matter of fact, we are continuing to put our resources into the digital world with the addition of up-to-the-minute updates, movies, games and interactive websites that will allow for a much more satisfying experience of our world. Our forums have allowed us to see potential artists (which we have since hired) and have allowed us to communicate with our audience. We believe it is this strong communication between publisher and reader that sets us apart from other companies.

TZ: Fantasy has always been a firm favourite in both written and visual media. What is it about the genre which excites you?

O’Reilly: It's been a favorite of mine, too. I love the epic feel of good vs. evil. The axiom "You live and die by the sword" is another great reason. Sometimes in our world we watch others succeed through political scheming, nepotism and/or luck, but back then characters succeed based on their own abilities and attributes.

TZ: Finally, can you tell us a bit about the animated Kade?

O’Reilly: Here are some quick links to our projects:

www.kade.ca/Trailor/Kade_Trailer1.mov
www.arcanastudio.com/animation.html

The Kade cartoon is produced by Ramses Melendez, and we will be releasing clips and describing the development process on our website. We are still very early on in development, but we have finished the script, storyboard and have done some initial animation/3D rendering tests. We already been sought out by some big, BIG studios (and they came to us--we have yet to solicit anything) but nothing is signed yet. Other studios, we will be coming so why not cut to the chase and email us...

Kade #1 is scheduled for release in early May.

Related Articles: Kade Embarks on Noble But Flawed Journey