This article contains spoilers for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once and Always.
When Power Rangers reached its fourth season in 1996, Power Rangers Zeo, Billy the Blue Ranger, played by David Yost, was the last of the original five Rangers to still be in the cast. Relegated to being the Rangers’ tech support, Billy was written out of the series in the most convoluted way possible in the episode “Rangers of Two Worlds” after David Yost rightly walked off set after being constantly harassed regarding his sexuality. Billy was rapidly aged to an old man (so he could be played by another actor) then sent off to the alien planet of Aquitar where he could receive treatments. He had the chance to come back to Earth but decided to stay on Aquitar because he met an Aquitian named Cestria who he could “really relate to.”
Ever since then we never learned...
When Power Rangers reached its fourth season in 1996, Power Rangers Zeo, Billy the Blue Ranger, played by David Yost, was the last of the original five Rangers to still be in the cast. Relegated to being the Rangers’ tech support, Billy was written out of the series in the most convoluted way possible in the episode “Rangers of Two Worlds” after David Yost rightly walked off set after being constantly harassed regarding his sexuality. Billy was rapidly aged to an old man (so he could be played by another actor) then sent off to the alien planet of Aquitar where he could receive treatments. He had the chance to come back to Earth but decided to stay on Aquitar because he met an Aquitian named Cestria who he could “really relate to.”
Ever since then we never learned...
- 4/19/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
This Quantum Leap review contains spoilers.
Quantum Leap Episode 5
Leaping through spacetime is not solely the domain of quantum physicists Ben Song (Raymond Lee) and Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula). In this week’s installment of Quantum Leap, episode five “Salvation or Bust,” an unknown leaper appears just as Ben and Addison (Caitlin Bassett) are celebrating their success at putting things right in Salvation, a diverse Old Western town built for outcasts circa 1879.
The revelation that there are other leapers doesn’t require any suspension of disbelief since “other leapers,” specifically evil ones, were a part of the Quantum Leap universe thirty years ago when Sam was bounding through history. In fact, many humans today experience a form of quantum leaping regularly when driving their cars with the help of the Global Positioning System (Gps). Gps engineers tally the spacetime continuum in relation to a satellite’s orbital speed and position...
Quantum Leap Episode 5
Leaping through spacetime is not solely the domain of quantum physicists Ben Song (Raymond Lee) and Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula). In this week’s installment of Quantum Leap, episode five “Salvation or Bust,” an unknown leaper appears just as Ben and Addison (Caitlin Bassett) are celebrating their success at putting things right in Salvation, a diverse Old Western town built for outcasts circa 1879.
The revelation that there are other leapers doesn’t require any suspension of disbelief since “other leapers,” specifically evil ones, were a part of the Quantum Leap universe thirty years ago when Sam was bounding through history. In fact, many humans today experience a form of quantum leaping regularly when driving their cars with the help of the Global Positioning System (Gps). Gps engineers tally the spacetime continuum in relation to a satellite’s orbital speed and position...
- 10/18/2022
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
This Star Trek: Strange New Worlds review contains spoilers.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Episode 2
The second installment of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is as delightfully entertaining as the series premiere, highlighting the fabulous chemistry of this cast in various group permutations and fulfilling the franchise’s promise to the letter: Seeking out new life and new civilizations and maybe giving them an unseen helping hand along the way.
The beats of this episode are pretty basic: The U.S.S. Enterprise is studying an ancient comet, which suddenly seems poised to strike (and largely destroy) an M Class planet in the Persephone system, wiping out the non-warp capable species known as the Deleb that live there. Pike and friends are determined to figure out a way to divert the comet’s path. But when they learn it’s not actually a comet at all, they’ll have to...
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Episode 2
The second installment of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is as delightfully entertaining as the series premiere, highlighting the fabulous chemistry of this cast in various group permutations and fulfilling the franchise’s promise to the letter: Seeking out new life and new civilizations and maybe giving them an unseen helping hand along the way.
The beats of this episode are pretty basic: The U.S.S. Enterprise is studying an ancient comet, which suddenly seems poised to strike (and largely destroy) an M Class planet in the Persephone system, wiping out the non-warp capable species known as the Deleb that live there. Pike and friends are determined to figure out a way to divert the comet’s path. But when they learn it’s not actually a comet at all, they’ll have to...
- 5/12/2022
- by Lacy Baugher
- Den of Geek
Warning: This article contains Star Trek: Picard spoilers.
Star Trek: Picard Season 2 Episode 3
With a little help from the Borg Queen, the Star Trek: Picard crew rockets back into the past for an hour of what is essentially table-setting for the rest of the season. But “Assimilation” is an enjoyable enough episode in its own right, dropping our faves in 2024 and allowing the show to comment a bit on the state of our world even as they work toward fixing the one they left behind.
It less outright fun than last week’s installment which forced our faves to pretend to be the absolute worst possible versions of themselves in order to survive, but its decision to divide the team into groups to tackle different problems—reviving the unconscious Borg Queen, finding the mysterious “Watcher” who is meant to help the crew fix the as-yet-unidentified thing Q changed that so...
Star Trek: Picard Season 2 Episode 3
With a little help from the Borg Queen, the Star Trek: Picard crew rockets back into the past for an hour of what is essentially table-setting for the rest of the season. But “Assimilation” is an enjoyable enough episode in its own right, dropping our faves in 2024 and allowing the show to comment a bit on the state of our world even as they work toward fixing the one they left behind.
It less outright fun than last week’s installment which forced our faves to pretend to be the absolute worst possible versions of themselves in order to survive, but its decision to divide the team into groups to tackle different problems—reviving the unconscious Borg Queen, finding the mysterious “Watcher” who is meant to help the crew fix the as-yet-unidentified thing Q changed that so...
- 3/17/2022
- by Lacy Baugher
- Den of Geek
The following contains Star Trek: Discovery spoilers.
Star Trek Discovery Season 4 Episode 13
Star Trek: Discovery wraps up Season 4 with a fairly satisfactory if not necessarily groundbreaking finale that neatly wraps up most of its outstanding plot points in a bow by the end of the episode. This is a fairly impressive feat, given how much ground we needed to cover in this hour to begin with. Looking back on this season as a whole, it seems rather obvious now that the show would have done well to jettison some of the meandering middle episodes where not much happened in favor of making this finale more of a two-parter. If only to give some of its more obvious twists and contrivances a little more room to breathe.
Though “Coming Home” threatens our Discovery faves, most of the populations of Earth and Ni’Var, the 10-c themselves, and big chunks of the...
Star Trek Discovery Season 4 Episode 13
Star Trek: Discovery wraps up Season 4 with a fairly satisfactory if not necessarily groundbreaking finale that neatly wraps up most of its outstanding plot points in a bow by the end of the episode. This is a fairly impressive feat, given how much ground we needed to cover in this hour to begin with. Looking back on this season as a whole, it seems rather obvious now that the show would have done well to jettison some of the meandering middle episodes where not much happened in favor of making this finale more of a two-parter. If only to give some of its more obvious twists and contrivances a little more room to breathe.
Though “Coming Home” threatens our Discovery faves, most of the populations of Earth and Ni’Var, the 10-c themselves, and big chunks of the...
- 3/17/2022
- by Lacy Baugher
- Den of Geek
Warning: This article contains Star Trek: Picard spoilers.
Star Trek: Picard Season 2 Episode 2
After a fairly low-key premiere that was primarily focused on catching us up with where our favorite characters stand emotionally following the events of Season 1, Star Trek: Picard kicks things into high gear by following through on the promise of its Season 2 trailers: Alternate realities, time travel, and trial by Q. Oh, my.
The first ten minutes of this episode are a tour de force from Star Trek: The Next Generation fan-favorite John de Lancie as he and Patrick Stewart face off in high style, flinging everything from Shakespearean references to Star Trek deep cuts at one another (“Yesterday’s Enterprise”!) There’s even some physical violence at one point.
Yet, despite Q’s fevered ramblings about tests and atonement and the distant possibility of forgiveness, there’s still little hint as to why he’s chosen...
Star Trek: Picard Season 2 Episode 2
After a fairly low-key premiere that was primarily focused on catching us up with where our favorite characters stand emotionally following the events of Season 1, Star Trek: Picard kicks things into high gear by following through on the promise of its Season 2 trailers: Alternate realities, time travel, and trial by Q. Oh, my.
The first ten minutes of this episode are a tour de force from Star Trek: The Next Generation fan-favorite John de Lancie as he and Patrick Stewart face off in high style, flinging everything from Shakespearean references to Star Trek deep cuts at one another (“Yesterday’s Enterprise”!) There’s even some physical violence at one point.
Yet, despite Q’s fevered ramblings about tests and atonement and the distant possibility of forgiveness, there’s still little hint as to why he’s chosen...
- 3/10/2022
- by Lacy Baugher
- Den of Geek
Warning: This article contains Star Trek: Picard spoilers.
Star Trek: Picard Season 2 Episode 1
For all the bluster and bleakness of its initial trailers and promos surrounding the Star Trek: Picard Season 2 premiere, the actual episode itself is a fairly low-key return for the show. To be clear: “The Star Gazer” is largely excellent, offering us rich and rewarding character moments and the return of several old faces from our collective Star Trek: The Next Generation days, even as it sets up what are ostensibly the main arcs of the season. But it does very much take its time getting going, and if you were waiting on the edge of your seat for things the Season 2 trailers promised, well, you were waiting a while.
Instead, “The Star Gazer” is an episode that looks inward before it ever begins to plot outward, and Picard as a whole remains a show that is...
Star Trek: Picard Season 2 Episode 1
For all the bluster and bleakness of its initial trailers and promos surrounding the Star Trek: Picard Season 2 premiere, the actual episode itself is a fairly low-key return for the show. To be clear: “The Star Gazer” is largely excellent, offering us rich and rewarding character moments and the return of several old faces from our collective Star Trek: The Next Generation days, even as it sets up what are ostensibly the main arcs of the season. But it does very much take its time getting going, and if you were waiting on the edge of your seat for things the Season 2 trailers promised, well, you were waiting a while.
Instead, “The Star Gazer” is an episode that looks inward before it ever begins to plot outward, and Picard as a whole remains a show that is...
- 3/3/2022
- by Lacy Baugher
- Den of Geek
The following contains Star Trek: Discovery spoilers.
Star Trek Discovery Season 4 Episode 11
After a couple of episodes where it felt like nothing much actually happened, Star Trek: Discovery bounces back with an hour that, though it somehow still manages to put off first contact with Unknown Species 10-c for another week, at least gets the ship and its crew back to its science mission roots in their attempt to learn more about the mysterious race.
Smartly, the episode also puts a firm countdown clock on Earth’s impending destruction, and now we’ve got less than two days to convince the 10-c to call off the Dma (or at least change its course) before billions of lives are lost. And perhaps the imposition of that framing is almost entirely artificial, but it does add some much-needed tension to proceedings that this story has been lacking during its midseason run of episodes.
Star Trek Discovery Season 4 Episode 11
After a couple of episodes where it felt like nothing much actually happened, Star Trek: Discovery bounces back with an hour that, though it somehow still manages to put off first contact with Unknown Species 10-c for another week, at least gets the ship and its crew back to its science mission roots in their attempt to learn more about the mysterious race.
Smartly, the episode also puts a firm countdown clock on Earth’s impending destruction, and now we’ve got less than two days to convince the 10-c to call off the Dma (or at least change its course) before billions of lives are lost. And perhaps the imposition of that framing is almost entirely artificial, but it does add some much-needed tension to proceedings that this story has been lacking during its midseason run of episodes.
- 3/3/2022
- by Lacy Baugher
- Den of Geek
Pokémon Legends: Arceus is a game of many firsts for the Pokémon franchise. The game is the first entry in the series to provide an open world, Breath of the Wild-like experience (even though it isn’t technically a full open world game), and, most importalty for our purposes today, Arceus is supposed to be the first chronological entry in the series.
In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, players wander the verdant land of Hisui, before it became Sinnoh and before Pokémon were ingrained into the culture. The Pokedex doesn’t exist yet; the villainous Team Galactic is known as the altruistic Galaxy Expedition Team, and Poke Balls are handcrafted out of fruits known as Apricorns instead of mass produced. The entire game looks like something out of Japan’s Industrial Revolution, and yet players can use a smartphone known as the Arc Phone. This raises the important question of when Pokémon...
In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, players wander the verdant land of Hisui, before it became Sinnoh and before Pokémon were ingrained into the culture. The Pokedex doesn’t exist yet; the villainous Team Galactic is known as the altruistic Galaxy Expedition Team, and Poke Balls are handcrafted out of fruits known as Apricorns instead of mass produced. The entire game looks like something out of Japan’s Industrial Revolution, and yet players can use a smartphone known as the Arc Phone. This raises the important question of when Pokémon...
- 1/24/2022
- by Matthew Byrd
- Den of Geek
Power Rangers is a legacy, joining a very small list of shows that run for such a long period of time, over 28 years! Throughout that time, the series has had its ups, its downs, and its mehs. I’ve been watching since the ripe age of 2 and have always loved the series, even in some of its more questionable moments.
But where does each season rank? With so many entries which ones stand as the best of the best of the best or which one and is a super mega dud? After a rewatch of all the seasons I ranked them all from worst to best with a little explanation of why they ended up where they did.
Quick note: I’m not including the “Mmpr Reversioning” as a season. It’s just a few Photoshop effects over a smattering of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Season 1 episodes, and it’s nothing to write home about.
But where does each season rank? With so many entries which ones stand as the best of the best of the best or which one and is a super mega dud? After a rewatch of all the seasons I ranked them all from worst to best with a little explanation of why they ended up where they did.
Quick note: I’m not including the “Mmpr Reversioning” as a season. It’s just a few Photoshop effects over a smattering of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Season 1 episodes, and it’s nothing to write home about.
- 1/8/2022
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
Power Rangers in Space was a revolutionary entry in the Power Rangers franchise. The show had certainly evolved over the previous five seasons but In Space was a quantum leap forward. Airing in 1998 on Fox Kids, the series featured serialized plots, character arcs with depth, and gifts for longtime fans in the form of returning Rangers and villains. Nearly 25 years later, the series remains highly regarded, many elements of it even making their way into the current Power Rangers comics.
But it all could have been so very different. Imagine a version of In Space where Astronema wasn’t the big bad, Red Ranger Andros didn’t exist, and Power Rangers Turbo’s Justin is a a main character! At one point in time these were real possibilities.
To discuss all this we need to go back to May 1997, back around the time the second half of Turbo was beginning to be written.
But it all could have been so very different. Imagine a version of In Space where Astronema wasn’t the big bad, Red Ranger Andros didn’t exist, and Power Rangers Turbo’s Justin is a a main character! At one point in time these were real possibilities.
To discuss all this we need to go back to May 1997, back around the time the second half of Turbo was beginning to be written.
- 9/6/2021
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
Despite it being 2021 and not, say, 1984, there’s A Lot of Masters of the Universe in the pop culture panorama at the moment. Not only are toy aisles of major stores carrying its quasi-vintage-styled items—peddled to a new generation—brandishing the classic blue logo bursting through red rocks, but the streaming arena of Netflix is doubling down on the franchise, having first unveiled animated series Masters of the Universe: Revelation in July. Now, the second part of this double-header (which would have been a triple-header had recent live-action movie plans not fizzled), CG animated series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, has heralded its imminent arrival with a trailer.
With just a quick glance at the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe trailer, it becomes quite clear that the series is not only a different take on the franchise, but a ground-up reinvention of the classic story—albeit one that,...
With just a quick glance at the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe trailer, it becomes quite clear that the series is not only a different take on the franchise, but a ground-up reinvention of the classic story—albeit one that,...
- 8/19/2021
- by Joseph Baxter
- Den of Geek
Netflix is known for its binge-watch model in which the streamer releases a bulk of episodes (usually a season or “part”) all at once, allowing the viewer to marathon multiple hours of TV in one sitting. However, not all of Netflix’s content follows this model. Much of Netflix’s increasingly expansive selection of Korean dramas come on a weekly basis, more akin to the traditional broadcast TV model that to what we’ve come to expect from the streaming giant. This suggests that a) there is something about K-dramas that encourages weekly viewing and b) Netflix is open to moving away from its binge-model strategy. As Netflix continues to grow internationally, could we see more weekly releases from the streamer? Let’s discuss!
Which Netflix Shows Are Released Weekly?
Many have bemoaned the relative death of the weekly TV-watching model. And while broadcast and cable are far from dead,...
Which Netflix Shows Are Released Weekly?
Many have bemoaned the relative death of the weekly TV-watching model. And while broadcast and cable are far from dead,...
- 8/17/2021
- by Kayti Burt
- Den of Geek
On June 25, 2000 on Fuji TV in Japan and October 21, 2000 on Fox Kids in the U.S. an episode of Digimon aired that over 20 years later continues to haunt fans and the franchise itself alike. This was an episode that opened up a world of possibility and a plotline darker than anything else seen in the series – an episode that ended with a gigantic cliffhanger that has never been directly dealt with since.
The installment was season 2 of Digimon, episode 13. ‘The Call of Dragomon’ a.k.a. ‘His Master’s Voice.’ This episode introduced the Dark Ocean.
After all these years it continues to spark debate and analysis from fans. Why? It’s not like Digimon didn’t have its fair share of dropped plots. Why does the Dark Ocean stand out and why was its mystery never resolved? To try and answer that, we have to take a deep dive...
The installment was season 2 of Digimon, episode 13. ‘The Call of Dragomon’ a.k.a. ‘His Master’s Voice.’ This episode introduced the Dark Ocean.
After all these years it continues to spark debate and analysis from fans. Why? It’s not like Digimon didn’t have its fair share of dropped plots. Why does the Dark Ocean stand out and why was its mystery never resolved? To try and answer that, we have to take a deep dive...
- 7/20/2021
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
Reading the first Animorphs graphic novel was a delightful shock. Not only had one of the greatest sci-fi novels for kids finally returned in a new form but it was also extremely faithful to the original book. Every scene was lifted from the novel and almost all of the dialogue was kept intact. A few small changes were made to remove dated pop culture references or to better fit the visual medium but overall it’s easily one of the closest adaptations of any piece of media out there.
So how is it done? Taking a whole novel and turning it into a graphic novel isn’t a smooth process, especially for a sci-fi series like Animorphs that features a ton of internal first-person narration.
Covering the adaptation of a whole book would need a book of its own to cover so instead artist Chris Grine gave us detailed insight...
So how is it done? Taking a whole novel and turning it into a graphic novel isn’t a smooth process, especially for a sci-fi series like Animorphs that features a ton of internal first-person narration.
Covering the adaptation of a whole book would need a book of its own to cover so instead artist Chris Grine gave us detailed insight...
- 4/2/2021
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
If you were alive in the ’90s, you know the name Animorphs. The sci-fi book series following the adventures of a group of kids who fight a race of invading aliens using the power to morph into animals has continued to has remained a pop culture mainstay even after it finished its run in 2001. It earned a fanbase the world over which to this day still discusses the series in detail. And for 20 years, fans have had their own images of the series in their heads, imagining what the epic battles and deep characters looked like beyond the page.
This made Chris Grine’s job exceptionally difficult.
An Eisner-nominated comic book author and illustrator, Grine was given the opportunity to adapt the much beloved books into multiple graphic novels and was met with a mountain of a challenges. How could he adapt the story without including the internal narration of the novels?...
This made Chris Grine’s job exceptionally difficult.
An Eisner-nominated comic book author and illustrator, Grine was given the opportunity to adapt the much beloved books into multiple graphic novels and was met with a mountain of a challenges. How could he adapt the story without including the internal narration of the novels?...
- 3/25/2021
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
This interview contains massive spoilers for the final episodes of Power Rangers Beast Morphers.
In 2009 Power Rangers Rpm ended with a shot of main villain Venjix trapped in one of the team’s morphers. It was an ominous cliffhanger to end the season on, one fans have hoped for years would get some kind of resolution. Well, over 10 years later, it finally happened. The last two episodes of Power Rangers Beast Morphers not only brought back Venjix but also revealed he was actually Evox, the Beast Morphers’ main nemesis, all along! Along the way we even got the return of Rpm mentor Dr. K and Col. Truman!
When most shows are wrapping up their seasons, the first thought isn’t, “hey, let’s resolve a cliffhanger from 10 years ago” It’s even harder when you’re a director coming in who’s never seen the season that cliffhanger was from.
In 2009 Power Rangers Rpm ended with a shot of main villain Venjix trapped in one of the team’s morphers. It was an ominous cliffhanger to end the season on, one fans have hoped for years would get some kind of resolution. Well, over 10 years later, it finally happened. The last two episodes of Power Rangers Beast Morphers not only brought back Venjix but also revealed he was actually Evox, the Beast Morphers’ main nemesis, all along! Along the way we even got the return of Rpm mentor Dr. K and Col. Truman!
When most shows are wrapping up their seasons, the first thought isn’t, “hey, let’s resolve a cliffhanger from 10 years ago” It’s even harder when you’re a director coming in who’s never seen the season that cliffhanger was from.
- 12/12/2020
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
This The Simpsons review contains spoilers.
The Simpsons Season 32 Episode 9
The Simpsons season 32, episode 9, “Sorry Not Sorry,” teaches a valuable lesson for a hack comedy cartoon: when apologies don’t work, enforce bribery. This isn’t to belittle extortion, intimidation or other forms of larceny, but this is the twist which Simpsonizes the episode. The pre-seasonal greetings come with the opening credits, as we see signs to “stay 6 feet away from Santa,” and the couch gag which imagines the family as a Pac-Man game, with hungry, hungry Homer on the move until stupid Flanders ghosts him.
While the payoff gives us something less than a pre-Christmas miracle, but goes very far in redeeming the episode from a traditional copout. The teachers at Springfield Elementary are big dumb jerks, and Miss Hoover is one of the biggest. She is also one of its least visible, so it is good to see her featured,...
The Simpsons Season 32 Episode 9
The Simpsons season 32, episode 9, “Sorry Not Sorry,” teaches a valuable lesson for a hack comedy cartoon: when apologies don’t work, enforce bribery. This isn’t to belittle extortion, intimidation or other forms of larceny, but this is the twist which Simpsonizes the episode. The pre-seasonal greetings come with the opening credits, as we see signs to “stay 6 feet away from Santa,” and the couch gag which imagines the family as a Pac-Man game, with hungry, hungry Homer on the move until stupid Flanders ghosts him.
While the payoff gives us something less than a pre-Christmas miracle, but goes very far in redeeming the episode from a traditional copout. The teachers at Springfield Elementary are big dumb jerks, and Miss Hoover is one of the biggest. She is also one of its least visible, so it is good to see her featured,...
- 12/7/2020
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
Recently, I had the honor of getting to talk to voice actor Ron Paulsen for about an hour. The point of the interview was to discuss the Animaniacs revival on Hulu and a little bit about his autobiography Voice Lessons, but the two of us discussed all kinds of corners of his career. Rob, an incredibly friendly guy who comes off like there’s nothing he’d rather do than talk with a fan, talked up everything from Pinky and the Brain to Metal Gear Solid.
Starting way back in the GI Joe days, Rob Paulsen has been doing the voice acting thing for decades and his list of credits and characters resembles the pages of a phone book. While he found out about the return of Animaniacs back when the rest of the world did, he later was happy to discover that Steven Spielberg insisted that the show could...
Starting way back in the GI Joe days, Rob Paulsen has been doing the voice acting thing for decades and his list of credits and characters resembles the pages of a phone book. While he found out about the return of Animaniacs back when the rest of the world did, he later was happy to discover that Steven Spielberg insisted that the show could...
- 11/30/2020
- by Gavin Jasper
- Den of Geek
This The Simpsons review contains spoilers.
The Simpsons Season 32 Episode 7
The Simpsons season 32, episode 7 carves the turkey a little thin for a pre-Thanksgiving offering. “Three Dreams Denied” has all the makings of a full and funny meal for the whole family. But a half hour later, you wish there was more stuffing. The ballooning game hunters even miss the flying turkey in the opening gag, which ends with the couch so exasperated she tells the family to sleep on the bed.
Comic Book Guy’s “Comicalusa” experience is a wild ride from the moment the patronizing pilot taunts his passengers with Superman sightings. The owner of Springfield’s only comic book store then sets about doing what he was born to do, paying the mockery forward on every aspect of the things he loves most. Who was the Joker, he asks, before dismissively concluding none of them.
If only someday...
The Simpsons Season 32 Episode 7
The Simpsons season 32, episode 7 carves the turkey a little thin for a pre-Thanksgiving offering. “Three Dreams Denied” has all the makings of a full and funny meal for the whole family. But a half hour later, you wish there was more stuffing. The ballooning game hunters even miss the flying turkey in the opening gag, which ends with the couch so exasperated she tells the family to sleep on the bed.
Comic Book Guy’s “Comicalusa” experience is a wild ride from the moment the patronizing pilot taunts his passengers with Superman sightings. The owner of Springfield’s only comic book store then sets about doing what he was born to do, paying the mockery forward on every aspect of the things he loves most. Who was the Joker, he asks, before dismissively concluding none of them.
If only someday...
- 11/23/2020
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
This The Simpsons review contains spoilers.
The Simpsons Season 32 Episode 6
Without dipping into political waters, The Simpsons season 32, episode 6, “Podcast News,” rides the wave of fake news into a less likely swamp: True crime reporting, and the amateur sleuths who’ve gone pro broadcasting it. Not on broadcast stations, though, those are outdated, and rely on the painstaking drudgery of the finding of facts, which are terrible for ratings. The episode opens in a state of frantic paranoia, eschewing the couch gag entirely, which always bodes well.
It’s 2 a.m., time for Homer’s ham in the Springfield household, but unease is in every shadow. A wide-eyed Lisa is prowling the house looking terrified. “So many lies, so many lies,” she says, setting the tone for the entire episode. When Marge comments that Lisa looks tired, the girl adds to the suspense and confusion by revealing “Looks are deceiving.
The Simpsons Season 32 Episode 6
Without dipping into political waters, The Simpsons season 32, episode 6, “Podcast News,” rides the wave of fake news into a less likely swamp: True crime reporting, and the amateur sleuths who’ve gone pro broadcasting it. Not on broadcast stations, though, those are outdated, and rely on the painstaking drudgery of the finding of facts, which are terrible for ratings. The episode opens in a state of frantic paranoia, eschewing the couch gag entirely, which always bodes well.
It’s 2 a.m., time for Homer’s ham in the Springfield household, but unease is in every shadow. A wide-eyed Lisa is prowling the house looking terrified. “So many lies, so many lies,” she says, setting the tone for the entire episode. When Marge comments that Lisa looks tired, the girl adds to the suspense and confusion by revealing “Looks are deceiving.
- 11/16/2020
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
In the early 1990s Mighty Morphin Power Rangers burst onto the scene and quickly became one of the hottest kids shows on the planet. Millions of toys were sold, ratings went through the roof, multiple copycats were created, and a big budget movie was put into production. Power Rangers’ place in pop culture was cemented and secured a long future for the franchise.
However, as the years went on and Power Rangers continued on television its fame slowly evaporated. It fell into the background; successive seasons of the TV show were enjoyed by new generations of kids and hardcore fans but never captured the public consciousness again like it had in the ‘90s. Multiple attempts were made to try and bring it back into the spotlight but they all had little success in the grand scheme of things.
The most recent attempt, the 2017 movie, was deemed a disappointment at the...
However, as the years went on and Power Rangers continued on television its fame slowly evaporated. It fell into the background; successive seasons of the TV show were enjoyed by new generations of kids and hardcore fans but never captured the public consciousness again like it had in the ‘90s. Multiple attempts were made to try and bring it back into the spotlight but they all had little success in the grand scheme of things.
The most recent attempt, the 2017 movie, was deemed a disappointment at the...
- 11/5/2020
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
This Power Rangers Beast Morphers review contains spoilers.
During the middle of this much-hyped Power Rangers team-up episode Jason and the Dino Charge Rangers are walking in a quarry, trying to get to Evox so they can box him in as the Beast Morphers team goes around the other way. Jason says,
“We’re gonna need to scale that cliff.”
What a great scene that would have been; seeing Jason work with the Dino Charge Rangers to overcome a problem. They could have tried different tactics to get up the cliff, maybe fight off some foot soldiers that tried to block their ascent. Maybe you wouldn’t need an action beat and it could have been the team simply climbing. It would have given Jason and Tyler a chance to bond over being leader or maybe Jason could have said, “I hope no one has a fear of heights.”
Instead...
During the middle of this much-hyped Power Rangers team-up episode Jason and the Dino Charge Rangers are walking in a quarry, trying to get to Evox so they can box him in as the Beast Morphers team goes around the other way. Jason says,
“We’re gonna need to scale that cliff.”
What a great scene that would have been; seeing Jason work with the Dino Charge Rangers to overcome a problem. They could have tried different tactics to get up the cliff, maybe fight off some foot soldiers that tried to block their ascent. Maybe you wouldn’t need an action beat and it could have been the team simply climbing. It would have given Jason and Tyler a chance to bond over being leader or maybe Jason could have said, “I hope no one has a fear of heights.”
Instead...
- 10/24/2020
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
This DuckTales article contains spoilers for season 3 episode 12.
While watching DuckTales I sometimes think about what writing the show is like. While I know there’s considerable time spent on writing the complex characters, their arcs, the world, and just making a great story? I have no doubt there’s also got to be at least an hour long discussion every week of “okay but what deep cut Disney reference can we do in this episode?”
Throughout the 2017 DuckTales there’s been references big and small to Disney’s past. In the recent Darkwing Duck episode of DuckTales, “Let’s Get Dangerous” we got a Bonkers cameo! However, so far all the references have at least been to things fans were more or less aware of. This reference though was the deepest of deep cuts. Beyond the Disney afternoon, beyond the comics, there was one moment in that recent Darkwing Duck...
While watching DuckTales I sometimes think about what writing the show is like. While I know there’s considerable time spent on writing the complex characters, their arcs, the world, and just making a great story? I have no doubt there’s also got to be at least an hour long discussion every week of “okay but what deep cut Disney reference can we do in this episode?”
Throughout the 2017 DuckTales there’s been references big and small to Disney’s past. In the recent Darkwing Duck episode of DuckTales, “Let’s Get Dangerous” we got a Bonkers cameo! However, so far all the references have at least been to things fans were more or less aware of. This reference though was the deepest of deep cuts. Beyond the Disney afternoon, beyond the comics, there was one moment in that recent Darkwing Duck...
- 10/20/2020
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
This Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts review contains no spoilers.
Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts is one of the most hopeful, cheerful, friend-centric post-apocalyptic stories on television. While the stakes are higher in season three, and the team of characters experiences some losses and set-backs, the sheer amount of faith in a better future packed into these 10 episodes is exactly the kind of story viewers need in the world amidst pandemic and political turmoil.
The conceit behind the series is that 200 years ago, an apocalypse happened that created Mutes, intelligent, giant humanoid animals, who dominated the surface, pushing humans underground. Since then, some groups of humans have been trying to “cure” Mutes, restoring them to their normal, animal-level forms and intelligences, so that humans can once again live on and rule the surface world.
The first two seasons of the show focus on Kipo’s fight against Scarlemagne,...
Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts is one of the most hopeful, cheerful, friend-centric post-apocalyptic stories on television. While the stakes are higher in season three, and the team of characters experiences some losses and set-backs, the sheer amount of faith in a better future packed into these 10 episodes is exactly the kind of story viewers need in the world amidst pandemic and political turmoil.
The conceit behind the series is that 200 years ago, an apocalypse happened that created Mutes, intelligent, giant humanoid animals, who dominated the surface, pushing humans underground. Since then, some groups of humans have been trying to “cure” Mutes, restoring them to their normal, animal-level forms and intelligences, so that humans can once again live on and rule the surface world.
The first two seasons of the show focus on Kipo’s fight against Scarlemagne,...
- 10/10/2020
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
This The Simpsons review contains spoilers.
The Simpsons Season 32 Episode 2
In order to stay relevant in the present, The Simpsons’ season 32, episode 2, moves back to the past. History has a way of repeating on itself, as does The Simpsons, and “I, Carumbus” is a cautionary tale, twice told, if you watch it again on demand. Just like the often-misinterpreted “Revelations” of The Bible was actually about Emperor Nero, the tale of Obesius and his son Bartigula, is a warning shrouded in the mystery of parable. Just like that guy Jesus used to do before his people started bad-mouthing the Saturnalia. An empire shall fall because of its own greed and ambition, Lisa explains.
It sometimes feels like The Simpsons have lived longer than the Roman Empire, and people are consistently calling for its fall. Even The Simpsons writers mock their longevity, and the god they sacrifice to, Fox Network, which grants them longer life.
The Simpsons Season 32 Episode 2
In order to stay relevant in the present, The Simpsons’ season 32, episode 2, moves back to the past. History has a way of repeating on itself, as does The Simpsons, and “I, Carumbus” is a cautionary tale, twice told, if you watch it again on demand. Just like the often-misinterpreted “Revelations” of The Bible was actually about Emperor Nero, the tale of Obesius and his son Bartigula, is a warning shrouded in the mystery of parable. Just like that guy Jesus used to do before his people started bad-mouthing the Saturnalia. An empire shall fall because of its own greed and ambition, Lisa explains.
It sometimes feels like The Simpsons have lived longer than the Roman Empire, and people are consistently calling for its fall. Even The Simpsons writers mock their longevity, and the god they sacrifice to, Fox Network, which grants them longer life.
- 10/5/2020
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
When it comes to Yakko, Wacko, and Dot Warner, the trio is meant to come off as timeless. They’re sentient retcons, created in the early 1990s, but also canonically existing since the 1930s. Much like Bugs Bunny (and unlike Buster Bunny), it doesn’t matter what decade they’re doing their hijinks in.
That’s why it’s so welcome that Animaniacs is making a comeback in November on Hulu. With the same voice actors behind the characters decades later and the Steven Spielberg seal of approval, all signs point to this being a worthwhile revival.
And while that Animaniacs theme song is so damn iconic – including the Freakazoid parody – it Maaaaaay just need an update. I mean, for one, there’s the line about Bill Clinton playing the sax. It’s been three Presidents since then! If we’re lucky, we’ll be on our way to four...
That’s why it’s so welcome that Animaniacs is making a comeback in November on Hulu. With the same voice actors behind the characters decades later and the Steven Spielberg seal of approval, all signs point to this being a worthwhile revival.
And while that Animaniacs theme song is so damn iconic – including the Freakazoid parody – it Maaaaaay just need an update. I mean, for one, there’s the line about Bill Clinton playing the sax. It’s been three Presidents since then! If we’re lucky, we’ll be on our way to four...
- 9/29/2020
- by Gavin Jasper
- Den of Geek
This Ducktales review contains spoilers.
Lena and Magica’s arc in DuckTales has consistently been the series’ strongest. While fantastical on the surface it’s been grounded in the very real emotions of trauma. It’s shown off the more dramatic side of the series and most of the Lena and Magica episodes have featured some incredibly creepy images.
All of that makes ‘The Phantom and the Sorceress!’ fall short in comparison. It’s DuckTales so there’s a lot to love but after two full seasons of building up a strong arc between Magica and Lena this episode rushed through a great deal of development that could have been spread out over a much longer series of episodes.
The biggest jump was Lena working with Magica. These two share a horrific history and the way Lena casually went to see her, even with some reluctance, felt off. This should...
Lena and Magica’s arc in DuckTales has consistently been the series’ strongest. While fantastical on the surface it’s been grounded in the very real emotions of trauma. It’s shown off the more dramatic side of the series and most of the Lena and Magica episodes have featured some incredibly creepy images.
All of that makes ‘The Phantom and the Sorceress!’ fall short in comparison. It’s DuckTales so there’s a lot to love but after two full seasons of building up a strong arc between Magica and Lena this episode rushed through a great deal of development that could have been spread out over a much longer series of episodes.
The biggest jump was Lena working with Magica. These two share a horrific history and the way Lena casually went to see her, even with some reluctance, felt off. This should...
- 9/21/2020
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
The following contains spoilers for Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.
For as heavy and epic as Avatar: The Last Airbender was, its lead character Aang often approached problems with a smile on his face. Being an Air Nomad, Aang had a “go with the flow” type attitude and he’d tell a joke or pull a funny face instead of going straight to fighting. It’s one of the many reasons he’s so beloved and why Atla sticks in the minds of so many fans years after its initial airing. It’s also part of the reason why the show has quickly found a new life on Netflix.
However when The Legend of Korra, the sequel series to Atla, initially aired (and in its own recent release on Netflix) some fans were puzzled. The fun-loving Aang they knew and adored had suddenly gotten more serious.
For as heavy and epic as Avatar: The Last Airbender was, its lead character Aang often approached problems with a smile on his face. Being an Air Nomad, Aang had a “go with the flow” type attitude and he’d tell a joke or pull a funny face instead of going straight to fighting. It’s one of the many reasons he’s so beloved and why Atla sticks in the minds of so many fans years after its initial airing. It’s also part of the reason why the show has quickly found a new life on Netflix.
However when The Legend of Korra, the sequel series to Atla, initially aired (and in its own recent release on Netflix) some fans were puzzled. The fun-loving Aang they knew and adored had suddenly gotten more serious.
- 8/27/2020
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie is a cult classic amongst ‘90s pop culture enthusiasts and Power Rangers fans. Even with its fairly standard ‘90s adventure movie plot, wherein the Rangers lose their powers and have to go on a mystical quest to gain new ones, the film still sticks in the mind. Main baddie Ivan Ooze chews all the scenery, there are some impressive fight scenes, and the Rangers save the day by kneeing a monster in the balls. Yes the CG is dated, the story doesn’t hold up to some of the better episodes of the show, and it’s not in continuity with the series but if you want to have a movie night with friends of a certain age, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie is a solid watch.
While many love the film exactly as it is, it didn’t go from script to screen completely unchanged.
While many love the film exactly as it is, it didn’t go from script to screen completely unchanged.
- 8/15/2020
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
Hot on the heels of the announcement of the Mighty Morphin comic, Boom! Studios throws another new title into the ring with the simply titled, Power Rangers. Launching in September, the new Power Rangers comic will follow Jason, Trini, and Zack… and Lord Drakkon!
For those who aren’t caught up on Power Rangers comics, here’s a very quick rundown. While in the TV series Jason, Trini, and Zack all left to go to a “peace conference” they instead went into space to become the Omega Rangers. Lord Drakkon, an evil Tommy from another dimension, has just reappeared on Earth and it seems like, from the description below, he’ll be joining the Omega Rangers on their next mission.
Power Rangers #1 reveals a new cosmic threat that only the original Power Rangers, now known as the Omega Rangers – Jason, Trini and Zack – can hope to defeat! But their secret weapon is…...
For those who aren’t caught up on Power Rangers comics, here’s a very quick rundown. While in the TV series Jason, Trini, and Zack all left to go to a “peace conference” they instead went into space to become the Omega Rangers. Lord Drakkon, an evil Tommy from another dimension, has just reappeared on Earth and it seems like, from the description below, he’ll be joining the Omega Rangers on their next mission.
Power Rangers #1 reveals a new cosmic threat that only the original Power Rangers, now known as the Omega Rangers – Jason, Trini and Zack – can hope to defeat! But their secret weapon is…...
- 7/14/2020
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
The Power Rangers comics are entering an era of Unlimited Power. After years of carefully reinventing the entire Power Rangers saga while still holding true to what made it so beloved in the first place, Boom! Studios is about to move to the next level. A new comic simply titled, Mighty Morphin, is set to launch in November 2020 and will feature an all new Green Ranger! Below is the official synopsis for the comic.
A new Mighty Morphin team has assembled to take on the deadliest threats to Earth – but who is the All New Green Ranger by their side? The new Mighty Morphin team is on a collision course with an even deadlier Lord Zedd, who has a new mission and a new motivation – one that will change everything you thought you knew about our heroes! But even if the Mighty Morphin team can find a way to survive...
A new Mighty Morphin team has assembled to take on the deadliest threats to Earth – but who is the All New Green Ranger by their side? The new Mighty Morphin team is on a collision course with an even deadlier Lord Zedd, who has a new mission and a new motivation – one that will change everything you thought you knew about our heroes! But even if the Mighty Morphin team can find a way to survive...
- 7/14/2020
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
Ten years ago a fan of Tokusatsu could have never imagined the access we’d have to these programs today. Back then official releases of anything outside of the American adaptations, particularly Power Rangers, seemed like a far off dream. However in the past few years especially there’s been a slow trickle of Toku shows becoming available to stream in North America.
In the last few months though that trickle became a waterfall as several new services have quickly become mainstays, finally allowing Toku fandom to finally enjoy their favorite shows legally. This also allows more casual fans a chance to experience these shows for the first time and that’s who this guide is mostly for. If you’re curious about the wider world of Tokusatsu and need a place to start, this guide should cover your bases for the many kinds of Toku series out there.
Just as a note,...
In the last few months though that trickle became a waterfall as several new services have quickly become mainstays, finally allowing Toku fandom to finally enjoy their favorite shows legally. This also allows more casual fans a chance to experience these shows for the first time and that’s who this guide is mostly for. If you’re curious about the wider world of Tokusatsu and need a place to start, this guide should cover your bases for the many kinds of Toku series out there.
Just as a note,...
- 7/11/2020
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
This article contains spoilers for We Bare Bears: The Movie.
Back in 2016 just after the election of Donald Trump, We Bare Bears creator Daniel Chong posted a message about how the series is an allegory for what it feels like to be a minority in America. Many had questioned why the Bears in the series were treated so poorly and Chong answered, “as an Asian American, sometimes individuals are treated unfairly for no other reason than looking different.”
Chong admits that the allegory was “a little too heavy for an 11 minute (show.)” However, with the recent release of We Bare Bears: The Movie, Chong and the rest of the crew were finally given the time to tread deeper into what the show was really all about.
The film follows the Bears biggest stunt yet to try and fit in. They make an awful online video that knocks out power in...
Back in 2016 just after the election of Donald Trump, We Bare Bears creator Daniel Chong posted a message about how the series is an allegory for what it feels like to be a minority in America. Many had questioned why the Bears in the series were treated so poorly and Chong answered, “as an Asian American, sometimes individuals are treated unfairly for no other reason than looking different.”
Chong admits that the allegory was “a little too heavy for an 11 minute (show.)” However, with the recent release of We Bare Bears: The Movie, Chong and the rest of the crew were finally given the time to tread deeper into what the show was really all about.
The film follows the Bears biggest stunt yet to try and fit in. They make an awful online video that knocks out power in...
- 7/3/2020
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
This We Bare Bears: The Movie interview contains spoilers.
We Bare Bears: The Movie is the perfect send off to the loveable Grizz, Panda, and Ice Bear that have been warming hearts on Cartoon Network since 2015. Their last adventure sees them going up against their own right to simply exist in the world as the government tries to capture them. The story is not only relevant to our times (where racism continues to show its ugly face) but also contains the melancholy that made We Bare Bears such a warm show alongside its trademark humor. It’s truly a special film that does the herculean task of wrapping up a long running series, commenting on the world, and just being the fun we need while going through dark times.
We spoke with show creator Daniel Chong for an in-depth discussion about the making of the film from its original conception...
We Bare Bears: The Movie is the perfect send off to the loveable Grizz, Panda, and Ice Bear that have been warming hearts on Cartoon Network since 2015. Their last adventure sees them going up against their own right to simply exist in the world as the government tries to capture them. The story is not only relevant to our times (where racism continues to show its ugly face) but also contains the melancholy that made We Bare Bears such a warm show alongside its trademark humor. It’s truly a special film that does the herculean task of wrapping up a long running series, commenting on the world, and just being the fun we need while going through dark times.
We spoke with show creator Daniel Chong for an in-depth discussion about the making of the film from its original conception...
- 7/2/2020
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
When I sat down to watch the We Bare Bears movie I was expecting it to be a light and fun beacon of hope in these dark times. The show has always been that, with the wacky antics of the bears a constant source of comfort. I got that sure, but what I was surprised and delighted by was how much the central message of the series was brought to the forefront to tremendous and incredibly relevant effect.
To put it simply, I didn’t expect the We Bare Bears movie to take on prejudice and intolerance and do it in such a big way. The show has always been diverse and its central message has been about the need to fit in and belong but this took it to another level. It isn’t just some fun jokes about the bears being inept at trying to fit in; its...
To put it simply, I didn’t expect the We Bare Bears movie to take on prejudice and intolerance and do it in such a big way. The show has always been diverse and its central message has been about the need to fit in and belong but this took it to another level. It isn’t just some fun jokes about the bears being inept at trying to fit in; its...
- 6/30/2020
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
This Kipo and the Age of the Wonderbeasts season 2 review contains no spoilers.
When it comes to dealing with a post-apocalypse, the best stories are the ones that deal heavily in hope: hope for a better future, hope for happiness, and—occasionally—sheer moments of joy found amid the mess. One of the things I loved about Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts season 1 is that it so perfectly balances the idea of things being an absolute chaotic mess and acknowledging that inside that chaos lies a path toward a brighter, more beautiful future. The second season doubles down on that message, and Kipo continues to be the focal point around which the possibilities of that new future form.
The conceit of Kipo is that 200 years earlier (heavily indicated to be the year 2020), an apocalyptic event sent humans scurrying to cities underground, called Burrows, while the animals on the surface mutated into humanoid,...
When it comes to dealing with a post-apocalypse, the best stories are the ones that deal heavily in hope: hope for a better future, hope for happiness, and—occasionally—sheer moments of joy found amid the mess. One of the things I loved about Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts season 1 is that it so perfectly balances the idea of things being an absolute chaotic mess and acknowledging that inside that chaos lies a path toward a brighter, more beautiful future. The second season doubles down on that message, and Kipo continues to be the focal point around which the possibilities of that new future form.
The conceit of Kipo is that 200 years earlier (heavily indicated to be the year 2020), an apocalyptic event sent humans scurrying to cities underground, called Burrows, while the animals on the surface mutated into humanoid,...
- 6/9/2020
- by Chris Longo
- Den of Geek
This article contains She-Ra season 5 spoilers. We have a spoiler free review here.
Science above all. In fantasy/science fiction stories, this philosophy tends to be the domain of evil masterminds, people who don’t understand or don’t care about the people who might be hurt when dangerous experiments go wrong. She-Ra’s “geek princess” Entrapta embraces this trope at times, joining the evil Horde out of curiosity more than malice, but also has an important role to play in the show’s emphasis on friendship and connection. Strong storytelling in She-Ra Season 5 shows how her enthusiasm and ambition are both her strengths and her weaknesses.
Here are the keys to Entrapta’s character and how she changes in She-Ra Season 5…
First, some background information. Throughout season four, the tech geek Entrapta lives among ancient ruins on Beast Island. Her main conflict in this season was between her...
Science above all. In fantasy/science fiction stories, this philosophy tends to be the domain of evil masterminds, people who don’t understand or don’t care about the people who might be hurt when dangerous experiments go wrong. She-Ra’s “geek princess” Entrapta embraces this trope at times, joining the evil Horde out of curiosity more than malice, but also has an important role to play in the show’s emphasis on friendship and connection. Strong storytelling in She-Ra Season 5 shows how her enthusiasm and ambition are both her strengths and her weaknesses.
Here are the keys to Entrapta’s character and how she changes in She-Ra Season 5…
First, some background information. Throughout season four, the tech geek Entrapta lives among ancient ruins on Beast Island. Her main conflict in this season was between her...
- 5/20/2020
- by Mike Cecchini
- Den of Geek
This article contains She-Ra spoilers. We have a spoiler free review right here.
For most of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power’s run, references to the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (1983) series it rebooted are quiet jokes or re-used names. Adora shouts “For the honor of Grayskull!” when she transforms into the super-powered She-Ra, but what exactly Grayskull is remained a mystery. Perhaps, it was one that never really needed to be solved, but as She-Ra and the Princesses of Power’s storyline began to include some science fiction world-building, especially in season four, that begged the question of whether an explanation would fold nicely into the character’s new backstory. She-Ra Season 5 does indeed explain it, tying “Grayskull” into the story of the rebel She-Ra named Mara and what exactly happened on Adora’s planet long ago.
Let’s take a look at the reference and...
For most of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power’s run, references to the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (1983) series it rebooted are quiet jokes or re-used names. Adora shouts “For the honor of Grayskull!” when she transforms into the super-powered She-Ra, but what exactly Grayskull is remained a mystery. Perhaps, it was one that never really needed to be solved, but as She-Ra and the Princesses of Power’s storyline began to include some science fiction world-building, especially in season four, that begged the question of whether an explanation would fold nicely into the character’s new backstory. She-Ra Season 5 does indeed explain it, tying “Grayskull” into the story of the rebel She-Ra named Mara and what exactly happened on Adora’s planet long ago.
Let’s take a look at the reference and...
- 5/17/2020
- by Mike Cecchini
- Den of Geek
Note: This She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Season 5 spoiler-free review is based on the first ten of thirteen episodes of the season.
She-Ra Season 5 is an absolute joy to behold. Every single thing about it clicks together and works beautifully. The story flows between fun adventures to deeply serious ruminations on identity and abandonment… then back to hilarious jokes! This is the show She-Ra was building toward. I really dug the first four seasons of the show but it sometimes felt a bit off. Whether it was slow starts or the needless splitting up of seasons (not the creators’ fault), it often felt like the show just needed to take one step from being an already great show to becoming something beyond fantastic.
Whatever the case, She-Ra Season 5 makes that critical step. As I watched these ten episodes I could not get over how perfect it all was. Every episode deepened these characters bonds.
She-Ra Season 5 is an absolute joy to behold. Every single thing about it clicks together and works beautifully. The story flows between fun adventures to deeply serious ruminations on identity and abandonment… then back to hilarious jokes! This is the show She-Ra was building toward. I really dug the first four seasons of the show but it sometimes felt a bit off. Whether it was slow starts or the needless splitting up of seasons (not the creators’ fault), it often felt like the show just needed to take one step from being an already great show to becoming something beyond fantastic.
Whatever the case, She-Ra Season 5 makes that critical step. As I watched these ten episodes I could not get over how perfect it all was. Every episode deepened these characters bonds.
- 5/13/2020
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
This Ducktales review contains spoilers.
This is a beautifully fitting DuckTales episode to air before its hiatus because it sums up one of the best things about the series. It’s just so much so fun and uses that fun to really dig into the characters. As much as I love the more intense episodes of the show I love that it can be such a blast while also letting these characters grow and change.
This episode goes full in on wrestling and they get all the details lovingly right. The heel’s, the faces, the chanting, the booing, the over the top characters, it’s right on the money. Of course Launchpad would be the big fan of wrestling and it pairing him with Huey for announcing makes for a great callback to when they were giving commentary on golf way back in season one. Huey being Huey though...
This is a beautifully fitting DuckTales episode to air before its hiatus because it sums up one of the best things about the series. It’s just so much so fun and uses that fun to really dig into the characters. As much as I love the more intense episodes of the show I love that it can be such a blast while also letting these characters grow and change.
This episode goes full in on wrestling and they get all the details lovingly right. The heel’s, the faces, the chanting, the booing, the over the top characters, it’s right on the money. Of course Launchpad would be the big fan of wrestling and it pairing him with Huey for announcing makes for a great callback to when they were giving commentary on golf way back in season one. Huey being Huey though...
- 5/11/2020
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
Facebook recently unveiled a new service called Facebook Messenger Rooms that allows large groups to host shared video and text conversations. Rooms arrives at a time when millions of people are looking for easier ways to communicate without having to meet in person.
It also aims to challenge Zoom, the nearly undisputed king of video conferencing services. It’s not a coincidence that Facebook has introduced Rooms right when Zoom is taking off, but there’s also no denying that Facebook Messenger users have been asking for more robust conferencing features for quite some time.
Now that Rooms is here, though, it’s time to start asking some real questions about what the service is, how to use it, and, most importantly, whether it’s worth using in the first place. To help you answer those questions, here are some of the most important things you need to know about...
It also aims to challenge Zoom, the nearly undisputed king of video conferencing services. It’s not a coincidence that Facebook has introduced Rooms right when Zoom is taking off, but there’s also no denying that Facebook Messenger users have been asking for more robust conferencing features for quite some time.
Now that Rooms is here, though, it’s time to start asking some real questions about what the service is, how to use it, and, most importantly, whether it’s worth using in the first place. To help you answer those questions, here are some of the most important things you need to know about...
- 4/29/2020
- by Matthew Byrd
- Den of Geek
This Ducktales review contains spoilers.
Before I write about anything else I have to exclaim, how amazing is Daisy Duck? Her design, her look, her personality, her voice! Tress Macneille is a legend in the voice over business and you can see why they wanted her on DuckTales. Every word that comes out of Daisy’s mouth makes you love her. Macneille expertly crafts a full character (obviously aided by the work of the writers and animators) and gives her multiple layers. Every line Daisy delivered made me smile.
How dare DuckTales give me another character to love! How dare DuckTales give me a character who now has to battle for screen time with dozens of other characters I love. How dare DuckTales have so many great characters I have to go to war within myself about which ones I want to see more of. Damn you, DuckTales! How can you overcome this problem?...
Before I write about anything else I have to exclaim, how amazing is Daisy Duck? Her design, her look, her personality, her voice! Tress Macneille is a legend in the voice over business and you can see why they wanted her on DuckTales. Every word that comes out of Daisy’s mouth makes you love her. Macneille expertly crafts a full character (obviously aided by the work of the writers and animators) and gives her multiple layers. Every line Daisy delivered made me smile.
How dare DuckTales give me another character to love! How dare DuckTales give me a character who now has to battle for screen time with dozens of other characters I love. How dare DuckTales have so many great characters I have to go to war within myself about which ones I want to see more of. Damn you, DuckTales! How can you overcome this problem?...
- 4/25/2020
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
This Power Rangers Beast Morphers review contains spoilers.
We discussed a few episodes back about how, by design, Power Rangers Beast Morphers is a mostly episodic series but the people behind the show had supposedly found “really great balance” between that and serialization.
So far this season the show hasn’t been showing that balance. More and more it’s been episodic, which has had average results. As it demonstrated last season though, the true power of Beast Morphers is unleashed when it utilizes the story potential in its serialized story.
We return to the Nate and Zoey flirting plot and Steel gets in on the action, automatically making it even more engaging. The two want to show their emotions but the rules of Grid Battleforce hold them back. Thankfully Steel has never been great with picking up nuances or reading the room so he just barrels forward trying to get them together.
We discussed a few episodes back about how, by design, Power Rangers Beast Morphers is a mostly episodic series but the people behind the show had supposedly found “really great balance” between that and serialization.
So far this season the show hasn’t been showing that balance. More and more it’s been episodic, which has had average results. As it demonstrated last season though, the true power of Beast Morphers is unleashed when it utilizes the story potential in its serialized story.
We return to the Nate and Zoey flirting plot and Steel gets in on the action, automatically making it even more engaging. The two want to show their emotions but the rules of Grid Battleforce hold them back. Thankfully Steel has never been great with picking up nuances or reading the room so he just barrels forward trying to get them together.
- 4/25/2020
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
This Ducktales review contains spoilers.
Webby is pure and mostly innocent. She sees the world through big eyes and with her full heart she seemingly can’t lose. But that’s not fair to her, is it? Yes her innocent belief in everyone and everything is one of her most endearing traits (and one of DuckTales‘ as well) but that can get you in trouble if you aren’t careful. Beakley however wants to protect Webby. She sees her optimism as her strength. This could be seen as noble but, as the episode clearly shows, this isn’t fair to Webby.
It assumes Webby can’t handle the harsh truths of the world. That she’ll crumble and fall if even a hint of cynicism infiltrates her happy world. As we see that isn’t the case. Yes she’s hit with a wave of despair after learning Beakely lied...
Webby is pure and mostly innocent. She sees the world through big eyes and with her full heart she seemingly can’t lose. But that’s not fair to her, is it? Yes her innocent belief in everyone and everything is one of her most endearing traits (and one of DuckTales‘ as well) but that can get you in trouble if you aren’t careful. Beakley however wants to protect Webby. She sees her optimism as her strength. This could be seen as noble but, as the episode clearly shows, this isn’t fair to Webby.
It assumes Webby can’t handle the harsh truths of the world. That she’ll crumble and fall if even a hint of cynicism infiltrates her happy world. As we see that isn’t the case. Yes she’s hit with a wave of despair after learning Beakely lied...
- 4/18/2020
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
This Power Rangers Beast Morphers review contains spoilers.
First off let’s talk about the biggest thing this episode will be remembered for. Sadly not the unique Zord battle but the mere reference to the Pan Global Games. Originally created in Mmpr, the Games were basically the Olympics and were used to write Kimberly out of the show. It’s nice that Power Rangers Beast Morphers remembers they existed and gave us this little nod. It’s a good instance of the show using its own universe and making it feel like it’s all connected, even in small ways.
It’s a shame this is what people will focus on when the Zord fight was genuinely one of the most unique in the series history. Traditionally these fights are cut and paste and rarely go longer than a few minutes. Having a Zord fight take up a whole episode...
First off let’s talk about the biggest thing this episode will be remembered for. Sadly not the unique Zord battle but the mere reference to the Pan Global Games. Originally created in Mmpr, the Games were basically the Olympics and were used to write Kimberly out of the show. It’s nice that Power Rangers Beast Morphers remembers they existed and gave us this little nod. It’s a good instance of the show using its own universe and making it feel like it’s all connected, even in small ways.
It’s a shame this is what people will focus on when the Zord fight was genuinely one of the most unique in the series history. Traditionally these fights are cut and paste and rarely go longer than a few minutes. Having a Zord fight take up a whole episode...
- 4/18/2020
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
Everyone remembers the original Voltron. The lions, the classic formation sequence, it’s iconic. Adapted from the Japanese anime GoLion, this show has stood the rest of time and been remade three times now. Fewer people remember that there was also another companion Voltron series that’s now mostly referred to as Vehicle Voltron. It was made up of footage from an entirely different anime, Dairugger Xv, and while not as popular as Lion Voltron it still has its fans.
However, there was also going to be a third Voltron. Yes, buried in the annals of American adapted anime history there’s been tales of another anime that was supposed to be adapted into Voltron. Lightspeed Electroid Albegas, which is now officially available to watch on YouTube!
But what’s the story behind Albegas and why was it lost to time? Basically, when World Events Productions was in the early...
However, there was also going to be a third Voltron. Yes, buried in the annals of American adapted anime history there’s been tales of another anime that was supposed to be adapted into Voltron. Lightspeed Electroid Albegas, which is now officially available to watch on YouTube!
But what’s the story behind Albegas and why was it lost to time? Basically, when World Events Productions was in the early...
- 4/13/2020
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
This Ducktales review contains spoilers.
Launchpad has mostly been the butt of jokes in DuckTales. Sure, the guy has gotten time to shine in the past (especially in the Darkwing Duck episodes) but compared to the other main characters Launchpad is often left on the sidelines. Here though he takes center stage and while we don’t get much insight into the guy it’s mostly made up for in spectacle.
The bulk of the episode is given over to an elaborate James Bond spoof with an updated version of Steelbeak from the original Darkwing Duck. The great twist is that throughout the episode Launchpad and Dewey think they’re simply playing an Ar game at Funso’s Fun Zone (where fun is in the zone.) Even when Steelbeak captures the two, Dewey thinks it’s all still a game. Launchpad however gets blasted with an intelligence enhancement ray and...
Launchpad has mostly been the butt of jokes in DuckTales. Sure, the guy has gotten time to shine in the past (especially in the Darkwing Duck episodes) but compared to the other main characters Launchpad is often left on the sidelines. Here though he takes center stage and while we don’t get much insight into the guy it’s mostly made up for in spectacle.
The bulk of the episode is given over to an elaborate James Bond spoof with an updated version of Steelbeak from the original Darkwing Duck. The great twist is that throughout the episode Launchpad and Dewey think they’re simply playing an Ar game at Funso’s Fun Zone (where fun is in the zone.) Even when Steelbeak captures the two, Dewey thinks it’s all still a game. Launchpad however gets blasted with an intelligence enhancement ray and...
- 4/11/2020
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
This Power Rangers Beast Morphers review contains spoilers.
Back in October Power Rangers Beast Morphers aired one of its best episodes, ‘Sound and Fury.’ In it we were introduced to Megan, a seemingly one-off human character who flew in the face of the long-standing Power Rangers trope of redeeming every bad person. She was vile, mean, backstabbing, and wasn’t under the spell of a monster! She didn’t get taught a lesson by the Rangers, she was quickly ostracized and fired from Grid Battleforce for blackmailing Zoey and trying to steal Nate’s job.
She was just a bad person and that was refreshing for Power Rangers. For a show that bends over backward to make sure everyone has some good inside of them it was great for the show to finally run with the idea that some people are beyond redemption. At the time I hoped Megan would...
Back in October Power Rangers Beast Morphers aired one of its best episodes, ‘Sound and Fury.’ In it we were introduced to Megan, a seemingly one-off human character who flew in the face of the long-standing Power Rangers trope of redeeming every bad person. She was vile, mean, backstabbing, and wasn’t under the spell of a monster! She didn’t get taught a lesson by the Rangers, she was quickly ostracized and fired from Grid Battleforce for blackmailing Zoey and trying to steal Nate’s job.
She was just a bad person and that was refreshing for Power Rangers. For a show that bends over backward to make sure everyone has some good inside of them it was great for the show to finally run with the idea that some people are beyond redemption. At the time I hoped Megan would...
- 4/11/2020
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
Tokusatsu fans love to talk. Whether it be one-on-one chats, forum posts, or podcasts, fans can’t help but talk about the absolutely wild exploits of their favorite Japanese super heroes and special effects series. Now those discussions are moving to the streaming world!
TokuSHOUTsu, the new home of the original Kamen Rider and a plethora of Super Sentai series, is set to launch a new Tokusatsu talk show this Friday! Titled Let’s Talk Toku, this will be the first original series for the TokuSHOUTsu network. Hosted by genre expert Squall Charlson, new episodes will premiere every Friday at 6Pm Et/3Pm Pt. The official description for the series is below.
Let’s Talk Toku is an original talk show for anyone with an interest in tokusatsu. Hosted by Squall Charlson, and featuring a variety of guest hosts, Let’s Talk Toku gives viewers an inside look into everything toku,...
TokuSHOUTsu, the new home of the original Kamen Rider and a plethora of Super Sentai series, is set to launch a new Tokusatsu talk show this Friday! Titled Let’s Talk Toku, this will be the first original series for the TokuSHOUTsu network. Hosted by genre expert Squall Charlson, new episodes will premiere every Friday at 6Pm Et/3Pm Pt. The official description for the series is below.
Let’s Talk Toku is an original talk show for anyone with an interest in tokusatsu. Hosted by Squall Charlson, and featuring a variety of guest hosts, Let’s Talk Toku gives viewers an inside look into everything toku,...
- 4/7/2020
- by Shamus Kelley
- Den of Geek
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