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Fitzniryk
Reviews
The Great Escapists (2021)
This was really good.
Loved all the science! They built an Archimedes screw tank!!! Richard and Tory have great chemistry. I really liked this series and would love to see Richard and Tory take on different engineering challenges in the future.
Leverage: Redemption (2021)
This was bad.
I was a huge fan of leverage. I loved the plot twists, misdirection, and character interactions. I remember John Rogers saying how, when they wrote the original episodes, they would come up with a situation that all the characters could bounce off of. I did not feel this with the new Leverage. The plots for episodes didn't have that feeling of misdirection or intricacy. The characters are still great, but without the strong stories, there was less for them to "bounce" off.
Old Spoiler:
Additionally, the series finale of the original Leverage was brilliant. It had to be the best series finale I ever saw. Everything was tied up nice and neat with Nate and Sophie moving on and the new "mastermind" continuing the mission.
New Spoiler:
I also really miss Nate. I know there were external complications preventing Timothy Hutton from returning, but starting the episode in a graveyard standing over Nate's grave seemed very cliche. I think the writers of Leverage (one of the most amazing shows I ever saw) could have done better.
The Mandalorian: Chapter 14: The Tragedy (2020)
I have waited 40 years for this episode.
I saw the Empire Strikes Back in the movie theater when I was 6-years-old. At the time, I saved Star Wars action figure box tops to get my Boba Fett action figure because I thought he was the coolest character ever. He was intimidating, didn't say much, and had an arsenal of awesome weapons that we really never got to see... Until now. The scene where Boba Fett demolishes a platoon of storm troopers and (spoilers) blows a ship up by dropping another ship on it (using the rocket launcher that was on the figure!!!) was something I have been waiting to see for 40 years. IMO- Robert Rodriguez was the perfect director to stage Boba Fett's onslaught. Star Wars has been such an important part of my life for over 40 years (my 3-year-old daughter's name is Leia to give an idea of how important Star Wars is to me). This episode made me feel like that 6-years-old watching Empire in the movie theater for the first time. Thank you!!!
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Is it me or did they NERF Dr. Strange & Scarlett Witch?!?
So, I know these guys did Winter Soldier (which I liked a lot). However, this movie was really rough. I have been a fan of Dr. Strange since the 70's and I thought Marvel did a great job of portraying how powerful Strange is in his movie and also in Thor Ragnarok. However, in Infinity War they absolutely NERFed Dr. Strange to the point at which it was painful to watch. They did the same to Scarlett Witch (another uberpowerful character from what I remember). What were they thinking? Were the writers/directors just unfamiliar with these characters? What a disappointment.
Steampunk'd (2015)
Had such potential but just turned into "enhanced reality"
This was so upsetting. When I saw they cast the brilliant Thomas Willeford (greatest maker ever) as one of the judges, I thought, "Okay, they're doing this right. This show has potential". However, it quickly turned into every other "enhanced reality" show on television. They hit every cliché. The overly dramatic music, close-ups of people crying, and casting participants who seem more interested in being on television than crafting cool projects. Reality television, in general, has become this dumping ground for wanna be actors...which is fine I guess. However, if these are the competitors you want to entice, then call the show, "Who wants to be an actor?" Don't call a show called "Steampunk'd" and then fill it with overly dramatic casting call chasers determined to stab each other in the back because it makes for "good drama". The cruelty and backstabbing is not an accurate representation of the steampunk culture (from what I've seen). This show doesn't portray the steampunk genre in a positive light. I have many friends who are part of this community and there is not the sense of treachery. From what I've seen most steampunk aficionados are very supportive of one another and encourage creativity. At conventions, folks compare ideas and character back stories with excitement because they share a similar passion. To me, the steampunk community is a welcoming culture of artists. This aesthetic is not portrayed on the "Steampunk'd" show, which was very disappointing.
The Finder (2012)
The Finder is My Favorite Show!!!
The Finder is such a unique show and it is absolutely hilarious. The story lines are amazing and very clever. The show is sooo unpredictable. Perfect example, one episode starts out with Walter trying to find "a meal" for a client. The chaos that ensues from that point on is brilliant. It builds and builds and goes off in completely unpredictable directions. Oh, by the way, that is a good thing. The banter between Walter and Leo is awesome and all the characters are very well developed. I have been waiting a long time for a show like this. To the people at Fox: I never really watched Bones, however, since discovering the Finder I have started to watch Bones as well. I still like the Finder way better, but going in this new direction is drawing new audience members to your other shows.