thefoochie Reviews

SpongeBob SquarePants: Just One Bite/The Bully (2001) Season 3, Episode 3

The hardest spongebob episode to rate.

[6/10 · 31 January 2024]

I'm super conflicted. The first episode, Just One Bite, is one of the best episodes of the series, so it's tragic to see it paired up with by far the worst episode in seasons 1-3, The Bully.

I could go on forever about what makes Just One Bite so great. On my rewatch of the show, I've noticed that season 3 really steps up the creativity of the visual gags, but this episode is the perfect demonstration of that. For example, in the montage of Spongebob trying to get Squidward to eat a Krabby Patty, not only are the locations of each montage scene fresh, but Spongebob's appearance also changes with the location. It's a subtle detail but it really goes to show the genius of the visual comedy.

The plot is also hilarious because we get to see a side of Squidward we've never seen before. His usual uncaring, pessimistic self is contrasted with someone who will do anything to eat a Krabby Patty. The premise alone is funny enough, but the way Squidward's desperation is shown, especially through all the exaggerated facial expressions, really elevates the comedy.

I completely forgot how many iconic moments are stuffed into this single episode, it's almost unbelievable. Listing all them off would be impossible. Sadly this episode is about a minute shorter than average because of a deleted scene. I wish it could've been longer, but overall this is such a great episode.

Then we get to the Bully... there are so many reasons why this episode sucks, but I'll get into the basics first, the plot. The whole episode consists of Spongebob being scared by the bully in various ways, which gets pretty old after a while. Normally a repetitive spongebob episode would make up for this with lots of creativity, but this episode is surprisingly lacking in jokes. As a result, it's kind of a slog to get through. The only hilarious moment is the iconic "how many times do we have to teach you this lesson, old man?"

Next I'll get into the treatment of the characters. Spongebob himself is fine, and he seems to be the only rational character in the entire city. The bully character is laughably shallow, who has no reason to want to beat up Spongebob. He's not interesting at all and super unrealistic. Ms. Puff is just stupid, because she dismisses Spongebob's complaints and believes the abuser instead. There's no way she would be so naive to believe the bully just wanted to be his friend. Another questionable scene is when Spongebob calls Patrick for help and for some reason the bully is at his house. This just seemed like a lazy way to remove Patrick from the plot.

Another reason why I hate this episode is the terrible messages it sends to kids. It feels borderline irresponsible to give kids the impression that bullies will stop at nothing to beat them up, and there's no one who can help them. If I were a kid who was getting bullied as a kid, this episode would have petrified me and made me remain silent about how I'm being treated. Cause who knows, maybe my parents would have invited the bully over for dinner! Another dangerous message is the ending. So it turns out that this whole time, Spongebob's fears were irrational because the bully can't hurt him! I'm sorry what??? This episode is sending the message to kids that their fears over bullies are imagined, and in reality there's nothing to be afraid of. This is probably the worst way they could have handled the ending. I'm shocked at how bad an old spongebob episode is. Before this episode, the show had been consistently great. Sorry Just one Bite, but I can't rate this episode highly because of how awful the second half is.

Regular Show: 1000th Chopper Flight Party (2015) Season 6, Episode 22

JG Quintel sacrifices CJ's character for more forced, repetitive drama

[3/10 · 30 October 2023]

This season's plotline involving Margaret has been a mixed bag for me. I thought Mordecai kissing Margaret in front of CJ was extremely lame, and the episode after that wasn't great either. However, then came "I see turtles," one of the best and most well written episodes in the whole show. The character development for Mordecai, Margaret and Cj was incredibly satisfying. I naively believed that this arc was starting to have a payoff. But all of that is thrown out the window in this episode.

The first 2/3s are actually very good. CJ is a good girlfriend and she lets Mordecai go to Margaret's party without expressing jealousy. Then at the party, the writers set up a compelling arc for Mordecai. One, he has to make things right with Margaret's dad, and two, he has to finally get over his awkwardness with Margaret. The episode was going perfectly: there was a central conflict, and now a resolution. Mordecai is finally in a situation where he can talk openly with Margaret and have a good time. It's a wholly satisfying finish to his character arc... and then CJ comes to the party.

There are so many layers to why I despise what happens next. I don't think they could have possibly taken the story in a worse direction. So CJ "catches" Mordecai and Margaret laughing together, and she gets mad. Okay, let's disregard the obvious contrivances of this story beat, and remember that this exact same situation has happened four different times! In season 3 CJ gets mad at Mordecai for accidentally going to the movies with Margaret. In the christmas episode, CJ gets mad at them kissing, and in the next episode, she gets mad at Margaret calling him and then Mordecai hugging her. This storyline can't get any more repetitive. Have the writers just run out of ideas? Or do they enjoy constantly repeating story beats? But this time it's even worse. In the christmas episode, it was Mordecai's fault CJ got mad. This time, the writers felt like making CJ the villain by having her get mad for no reason. In the span of one episode, CJ's character has been completely assassinated just so that this awful love triangle can be dragged out. Wasn't CJ fine with Mordecai hanging out with Margaret in this exact same episode?!? Her outrage wasn't just irrational; it was 100% out of line for her character.

This storyline should have ended with this episode. Mordecai no longer feels awkward around Margaret, and then CJ comes to the party and the three of them are able to have a good time together. Instead, JG Quintel decided to have CJ almost kill Margaret and her dad. Yep, that's right! I have no idea what JG is doing, man. Maybe he's trying to make CJ as irredeemable as possible so that Mordecai gets back with Margaret. I guess not, since apparently she has a boyfriend. This was such a stupid "twist", and the boyfriend was obviously only there as a plot device to end the conflict. By the way, it's hilarious how the only thing that stopped CJ from killing Margaret is learning that she has a boyfriend. No, who cares about having an organic and natural way of resolving the conflict. Also, what would CJ have done if Margaret didn't tell her she had a boyfriend? I don't even want to think about it. Whoever that was, that was not CJ. CJ is a likeable character who is considerate of other people. She would not try to kill people. JG Quintel, shame on you for ruining the best new character in the show, just to drag out this pointless love triangle. You've really let me down.

Regular Show: Sad Sax (2015) Season 6, Episode 11

A mixed bag, but ultimately a slightly satisfying follow up to last episode's terrible cliffhanger

[6/10 · 26 October 2023]

I'm gonna be honest, I found CJ catching Mordecai kissing Margaret to be such a painfully predictable and contrived twist. I was worried about where they would go from here, and while my worries were mostly confirmed, I did leave this episode with a smile on my face. I'll start with the negatives first though:

The fact that CJ getting mad at Mordecai over a misunderstanding happened not once, but TWICE, was infuriating. How forced can this episode possibly be? Since CJ was ready to forgive him at the beginning of the episode (until Margaret conveniently called), the whole thing felt kind of pointless and frustrating.

Another terrible scene I wanted to mention is when Mordecai faked his own death as an attempt to apologize. Yes, I understand that the humor comes from how cringy his behavior is (the cheerleader bit was pretty funny), but this was just too far. What Mordecai did was a form of abuse and should not have been written off as a random gag. Honestly, CJ should have broken up with him just for that. It was way worse than him kissing Margaret.

Then we get to the climax. While Mordecai's lights message was undeniably cute, I can't help but feel a bit confused. Wasn't the whole lesson of this episode that grandiose, showy displays of apologies were bad? We literally got an entire montage of Mordecai's apology attemps failing because of how over the top they were. How was his lights apology any different? Sure, it was sweeter and less cringy, but it still feels like Mordecai didn't learn from his mistakes. After failing to get CJ's attention, Mordecai ends up getting her attention by... doing the exact same thing as before. Just really weird writing.

At least the episode ended well. Mordecai's apology in the hospital was heartfelt and genuine, however I'm not a fan of the events leading up to it. I have no idea whether to like or dislike this episode. I'm just happy Mordecai's arc ended on a good note in the end and they didn't ruin his character.

Black Mirror: Hang the DJ (2017) Season 4, Episode 4

Great story and characters, but weak world building.

[8/10 · 26 June 2023]

Yeah, idk why I gave this a 10/10 originally. This is not a masterpiece, but it's still fantastic. The premise is really intriguing, and the writing and pacing are top notch. However, I feel like the world-building is fairly weak, and there are several unanswered questions that kinda bother me:

Was everyone else in the simulation fake? There were clearly some NPC's like the guards who got frozen, but a lot of the matches seemed like real people too.

What happened in the 2 simulations where they didn't rebel? I know they didn't have to explain this but I'm really curious. My theory is that they could've met someone that they loved more than each other. I know that contradicts the message of the episode about finding "the one true love," yada yada, but I don't believe in that BS lol. There's a million different people you could end up falling in love with and marrying. Another possibility is that maybe the 2 versions that didn't rebel just had a very bad first impression. It happens. Take the vat of acid Rick and morty episode for example. Morty gets pepper sprayed by the same girl he fell in love with in a different reality.

Why did the two main characters never spend time with each other when they weren't matched? We're never given an explanation as to what exactly they do all day. Couldn't they just find each other again and hang out? Surely that's not against the rules.

How the hell did it take Frank a year to realize he didn't have any memories from before the situation? That is simply unbelievable and kind of lazy writing.

None of these unanswered questions are big flaws except for the last one, really. I'm mainly just curious, but I understand that they didn't have time to answer all these. However, there is one actual problem I have with the ending. For some reason I remembered it differently, and I thought the protagonists never knew they were in a simulation until it was over. That would've made more sense to be honest, so I was disappointed when Amy figured it out. I feel like if the people know they're being tested, then it's no longer a rebellion against the system; it's just going along with it. It would've been cooler if Frank and Amy kept thinking this was all real and that they were genuinely rebelling against the system. Now that they know this is what they're supposed to do, it takes away the stakes and the adventure. Isn't "true love" or whatever about taking risks? Also, the 4 skips thing? Come on, that's such a dumb way for Amy to find out this is fake. A system this advanced would not let that kind of flaw go by unnoticed.

Overall, despite some unanswered questions, lack of satisfying world building, and some questionable writing, I still love this episode, and it's simply a great story. I'm glad this is the one black mirror episode that actually has a happy ending. Frank and Amy deserve it.

Barry: a nice meal (2023) Season 4, Episode 7

Poor and lazy writing

[4/10 · 22 May 2023]

This episode further solidifies my worry that the timeskip would be a terrible idea. We now have one episode left, and I don't see how this show can wrap up in a satisfying way. This might be the worst episode of the show so far alongside tricky legacies. The writing is just terrible, with so many unanswered questions, such as:

• When Sally was on the phone with Gene, why didn't she let him know that his life was in danger? Oh I know, it's because if she had told him that, he would have met with her instead of the fake movie producer. This seemed like an excuse for the show to introduce this weird and unnecessary Gene subplot in the second to last episode. What is the point of Gene being accused of helping kill Janice? How does this help the story? This just seemed like a lazy and convenient way to separate Jim Moss from Barry, which brings me to my next question:

• Why does Jim Moss seem to care more about Gene than Barry? Do we really expect him to leave the man who murdered his daughter unsupervised? Again, this seemed like lazy writing. The writers needed a way to have barry escape (which was way too easy, why wasn't he detained better?) and so they tried to find a way to get Moss away from Barry in a subplot that serves no purpose whatsoever.

• After the three henchmen shot Noho Hank's driver, why didn't they shoot him too? I refuse to believe that those guys didn't see Hank run out of the car. He was clearly right there. And they were never called off by Fuches, so they were obviously attempting to kill him. Again, just a lazy way to keep Noho Hank alive.

• I know they will hopefully explain this in the finale, but I still need to ask: what is up with that cop whose eye was bleeding? Was that even real? If it wasn't real, why are they implementing surreal lynchian elements towards the end of the show? I don't even care if it's explained in the finale, I want an explanation asap. The most charitable interpretation I can give is that it's somehow connected to the hillbilly guy getting something stuck in his eye last episode, which was also never explained.

The motivations for the characters make no sense either.

Barry: I know they explained why he went to LA, but it's still nonsensical. Why does Barry want to kill Gene and him alone? He's fine with the movie being made, but he only cares about whether Gene is involved? I know Barry is a sociopath, but I'd assume he's smarter than this. And of course he immediately wants to kill Gene instead of verifying whether Gene was involved in the making of the film. He could've easily just waited until there was more information and then seen the article about Gene being against the movie. But then oh no, if that had happened we wouldn't have this dumb plot!

Sally: her motivations haven't been explained at all either. We still don't know why she even left with Barry, even though she had career opportunities. It's not like she loves him either, since she's miserable with him. I was hoping they'd give us an explanation but nope. Also, we still don't know why she choked the hillbilly guy last episode but then let him live. And now what is she even doing in LA istg. I know I know, it's to save gene blah blah blah, but this is clearly just a way for her and John to be in danger, and now Barry has to save them.

Noho hank: uhhh so why is Hank now starting a war against Fuches? I'm assuming it's because of the comment he made about Cristobal, but a) is one comment really enough to make him launch a war? It's been 8 years, get over it man. And b) he clearly doesn't have the resources to fight Fuches, he's at a disadvantage, so why fight him?

Fuches: Do I even have to explain myself. This guy is the most poorly written of all the characters this season. He's constantly switching between loving barry and wanting him dead, and now all of a sudden he's a crime lord and we have no idea what he even wants. Does he still care about Barry? Even better, are we given any reason to care about him?

Yeah, that was a lot. This whole timeskip has been just awful, I don't know what Bill Hader was thinking when he was writing this part. The timeskip seemed like a lazy way to abandon loose ends and completely change characters without actually developing them, such as showing why Barry became religious, why Sally stayed with him, how Fuches became a gang leader, and showing Gene becoming "selfless." Now that the timeskip has happened, the writers can just say "who cares about all these questions? It's been 8 years, there's no need for any explanation!" But after the timeskip refused to answer any of those pre-timeskip questions, now there are even more unanswered questions in the present! I can't believe how bad this show has become. I've lost hope, and there's no way I'm getting my hopes up that they can end the show well. I'm expecting a terrible finale. The show jumped the shark in episode 5, but somehow it's getting worse. 4 out of 10, but honestly it gets worse the more I think about it.

Dogville (2003)

"It's not personal. I have to take due payment, that's all."

[10/10 · 18 April 2023]

Nothing has made me feel this betrayed since black mirror's "shut up and dance." I am someone who tries to see the good in everyone, but this movie shoves the flaws of humanity into your face so much that it's impossible to ignore. It's deeply cynical and brutally honest, to the point where it even makes me reflect on my own behavior (which I will touch on later). All of the characters act in their own self interests. If something doesn't benefit then in some way, then they reject it. From the very beginning of the film, the people of dogville see no reason to let Grace stay because they don't "need" her; she does not improve their lives. That is, until they find out how much they "want" her, and how much more convenient she makes their lives. When Grace becomes convenient for the people of Dogville, they no longer want her to leave. Because at this point they are used to her making their lives more comfortable, and she is just a service to them that they cannot live without.

Because of how convenient Grace is, they exploit her biggest weakness, which is her being at the mercy of the townspeople, since they can turn her in if she misbehaves. This is why I think some seemingly pointless actions actually make sense, such as when the little boy blackmails her into spanking him. At first, I was confused on why he'd want to be spanked, but in writing this I actually realize that the boy just realized he had power over her; he could make her do whatever she wanted. She was an easy way for the townspeople to live out their greatest urges because it had no consequences: verbal abuse, violence, r**e, etc. They all had power over her and she could simply do nothing.

The scariest part of the movie is how every single character views their whole life as a transaction. Do x amount of something, get x amount back. That's just the way it works. There is no such thing as an act of selflessness. They must get something in return for doing something nice. Like Ben said when he was raping her, it's not personal. He just feels like he deserves sex. In fact, he likely doesn't even view it as r**e. It was a service that she was provided him in exchange for him helping her escape. It doesn't matter if she didn't want it. Do we "want" to give money to the cashier every time we pay for something? No, but we still do it, because we have to. Nothing is free. And since Grace didn't have any money, all she could sell was her body. The part where Grace cries to chuck "you're my friend" while he is r**ing her was especially impactful for this reason. She viewed him as a person, while he just thought of her as a service. She was never his friend.

The movie also exposes the tendency of people to prioritize saving their reputation, and looking good to others rather than saying what you really mean. At first, I was surprised that everyone voted for Grace to stay, but now it makes sense. No one wanted to seem like the odd one out. Everyone is trying to protect their image. The kids in the movie only start harassing her once they see that everyone else is r**ing her; they want to make sure that violence seen as okay by the others before proceeding. When in reality, if the kids had the opportunity to harass her from the beginning, they would've gladly done it. They only held back because it would have been inappropriate at the time.

Now to talk about how dogville made me feel about myself. First of all, it made me rethink everything I've ever done. Was it truly out of the goodness of my heart, or was it simply because I felt good from it? Sure, you can say that I didn't ask for anything in return, but is joy not a form of reward, similar to actual tangible things like money? If I felt nothing from helping others, would I go to as many lengths to do it? Tom is very similar to this. Some could make the argument that he tried to help her out of selflessness, but in the end, did he not think that his kindness would make her want to have sex with him? That might not be the only reason at all that he helped her, but I doubt he would've been so eager to help if she had made it clear she was not interested in sex.

The movie also just reduced my trust in all the characters. I no longer felt safe, I always thought someone was putting on an act. I was even skeptical of Tom. I hate that that's what this movie did to me, and I feel sad that the cheerfulness of the characters after she told them the truth felt so fake to me. By the end, I never saw them the way they presented themselves outwardly. Instead, I always thought they had some hidden agenda. I don't know if this was what I was supposed to be feeling or not, but it doesn't really matter because that's how dogville impacted me.

I also felt evil for praying on the characters' deaths. Even though I was judging all of them for their simple, "eye for an eye" ideology, I had become them by the end. I wanted to see them suffer and get what was coming to them. I thought of them as hypocritical for judging Grace while being unable to admit their own faults, and yet now I am hypocritical for judging them and wishing harm on them. But I think that's what this movie wanted to do. It wanted us to look within ourselves and humanity as a whole to see the flaws. The key is self awareness. By the end, none of the dogville residents had even understood why what they had done was wrong. They only viewed it as wrong because it ended up costing them their lives. The problem was not that they r**ed a helpless and innocent woman: it was that they r**ed the daughter of a mob boss.

What's really interesting about the ending is how it's portrayed. Grace didn't feel like she was stooping down to their level for inflicting the same level of pain on them that she felt. Instead, she genuinely believed that killing all these people would make the world a better place. She had seen these people inside and out and found nothing but darkness. This might be a hot take but I also might agree with the justification of Grace's actions. It's easy to interpret this ending as "Grace became them, she is now a hypocrite" but I think it's quite the opposite. In her mind, the innocent ones are the ones who had bad things happen to them first for no reason. This is why she lets the dog live. Yes, the dog was being annoying, but she took away its bone. It had something taken away from it unfairly like Grace. In contrast, all she did was give and give to dogville, and they still inflicted pain on her. There was no actual justification. She was just an easy target, an outsider who could be used and exploited to make their lives more pleasurable.

I was always questioning why Grace almost never defended herself, but now after seeing the ending it makes sense. She was almost testing them. In her mind, she shouldn't have to defend herself in order to stop them from causing her suffering. She doesn't owe them an explanation. They could've asked questions, like for example, "did you hit my son?" Or "did you steal the money?" And she could've replied honestly, but instead they jumped to accusations, and in the townspeople's minds she already deserved to be harmed. She "tests" Tom too, in the scene when he tries to have sex with her, almost to try and provoke him so that she can see his true colors, too. She wants to see how much value she has to him if he can't have sex with her.

Now to talk about the brilliant final line. My breakdown of the question the narrator asks is: Was Grace the one who left dogville, meaning did she abandon her humanity to take revenge out on these people? Or did dogville leave her, meaning how they didn't give her a chance and instead succumbed to their weaknesses by harming her? I thought this was an interesting question to ask, so I was a bit taken aback when the narrator said it's a waste of time to answer this. I was really struggling to figure out what he meant but I have somewhat of an interpretation. I think the movie isn't trying to say whether Grace's actions were in the right or wrong, because that doesn't matter. The movie isn't about the morality of Grace, but it's rather a story about humanity as a whole. We should be looking within instead of judging these characters, because that's exactly what the movie doesn't want you to do, and why I called myself hypocritical.

In short, it's a truly powerful film with a lot to say. I don't regret staying up super late writing this review because I think I should give this movie this much attention. It's a legitimate masterpiece, and everyone should see it. It's my first 5 star rating in months, and I really think it deserves it.

The Owl House: Watching and Dreaming (2023) Season 3, Episode 3

A messy conclusion with a lot of heart

[7/10 · 9 April 2023]

It's hard to criticize a finale like this because of cancellation issues, just like the sense8 finale, so I will be nice. Dana Terrace did the best that she could given how she had to wrap everything up in 3 episodes. With that being said, I can't ignore some of the glaring issues the final episode had.

Because the whole story had to be concluded so quickly, there was little time for character interactions. There was a noticeable lack of hunter, willow, Gus and amity. Like I know you had to wrap up the story but come on... it would've been cool to see more of them.

The plot itself was fine, albeit predictable. I liked the collector's redemption arc. Bro just wanted someone to play with lol, that's it. Some of his moments actually got me emotional I'm ngl. I'm glad he wasn't the main villain of the episode and instead it was Belos. Speaking of him... he had a good amount of screentime, but too little dialogue. He was kind of reduced to the standard "big bad" and there wasn't really any personality left in him. Although I did really like his last bit of dialogue where he tells luz "you're not like them," it gives us one final look at his prejudices against witches.

Luz's fakeout death was still pretty sad despite her obviously being alive. I'm honestly surprised to say this but I'm fine with the way they brought her back. Usually I absolutely hate fakeout deaths in tv shows but I quite liked this. She got to meet king's dad and he was able to finally send a message to king.

After Belos' defeat I was feeling a bit underwhelmed, but I will say those last 10-15 minutes made up for it, and made me remember what I love about this show. I'm glad we got a happy ending cause those final moments were just heartwarming. You can really tell how much Dana and the creators love and care about their show. Although I'm disappointed, I'm just happy I left the show with a smile on my face. Thanks for everything.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Procrastination/I'm with Stupid (2001) Season 2, Episode 17

Procrastination: Spongebob's most relatable episode

[8/10 · 3 April 2023]

Ironically, I am reviewing an episode about the dangers of procrastination while procrastinating, but that's besides the point haha. As you can already tell, I struggle with extreme procrastination, and this episode is 100% accurate on how it works, from before doing the assignment, during, and after, which I will separate my paragraphs into. It's truly an achievement in television, with impressive visual gags and brilliant writing.

Before: The things that Spongebob does before writing the essay are so relatable, every single detail. Spongebob starts off with extreme confidence that he's about to write a great essay; he's completely unaware that he's about to procrastinate. Then, suddenly, hours have gone by. And that's the horror of it. You aren't even aware that your brain is trying to procrastinate until it's too late. Spongebob looking out the window and seeing everyone having fun and feeling bummed out that he can't join them is the exact same feeling I get when I realize that my day will be wasted completing work. The part where Spongebob does a bunch of meaningless distractions is especially relatable. I will legitimately do my other homework just to avoid doing the most important assignment. Also, I have a cat, so the part where Spongebob desperately tries to get Gary's attention hit close to home.

During: Arguably the most hilarious scene is when Spongebob spends all that effort just to write the word "The", and then he's ready for a break. I do the same thing where I write like one sentence and then take an hour long "break" lol. Then we get to my favorite part of the episode, which is Spongebob's hallucinations. Not only is it extremely relatable, but it is extremely impressive visually. The animation department killed it in this episode. I love how everything in Spongebob's house starts screaming at him to do the essay because it's a very accurate metaphor for what happens for me. Anytime I try to do literally anything, I get this constant reminder that I'm supposed to be doing my assignment to the point where I can't do other things without feeling a twinge of guilt/shame.

After: Due to my strong ability to write a lot in a time crunch, I was able to relate to when Spongebob writes his whole essay when there are 5 minutes left. Unfortunately, all that time wasted was for nothing when Ms. Puff cancelled the assignment! This has happened to me so many times that it isn't even funny. I truly felt Spongebob's pain in that moment. Overall, almost everything about this episode is perfect, relatable, and accurate. It's pure genius. 9/10.

The Legend of Korra: Endgame (2012) Season 1, Episode 12

Calling this disappointing would be an understatement

[3/10 · 16 March 2023]

Wow, I can't believe the highest rated episode ended up being one of the worst of the season. This season hasn't been that good, but I didn't expect it to become this bad. The first 4 episodes were really solid and I was digging the show. Then came episode 5 which was absolutely awful. Thankfully, the show made up for it with the best episode, "and the winner is." The reason I really liked it is because the equalists actually posed a threat and there were real stakes. And that's the problem with the second half of the season. The stakes have absolutely vanished, and it's not exciting anymore. Amon went from a mysterious and intimidating villain to not being threatening at all. However, despite all these problems, I was still enjoying the show. And then the finale happened...

Oh my god this episode has so many problems that I can't even count them. First of all, Naga breaking the secondary characters out of prison. Come on, how many conveniences can this show have? How come both times they have been thrown in prison, someone just gets them out immediately? This just completely reduces the stakes, and it makes them being in prison completely pointless. I would be fine with them escaping if they had to use their wits to get out, but instead their escape feels totally unearned.

Next we have korra's "plan" to expose Amon. Now, I actually liked the twist that Amon is a bloodbender and he's tarrlok's brother, however it's what they do with the twist that I'm disappointed with. For some reason, we are expected to believe that korra exposing Amon as a bender will make everyone join her side. This is just silly. The equalists are fighting for a cause they believe is right. It shouldn't matter if the leader happens to be a bender himself, even though they are anti-bending. Who the leader is shouldn't determine their whole ideology, and it will certainly not make Amon's supporters side with Korra. When that guy said "the avatar was telling the truth!" I cringed so hard. As if that makes Amon's ideology any less correct.

When Amon had Tenzin and the kids held captive I was starting to get interested. I was wondering how Korra would get out of this situation and save them. Would she have to sacrifice herself? Would there be an emotional moment? Nope! She just fights her way out and frees Tenzin and the others. This part was so baffling that I almost couldn't believe it. Korra is literally in a room full of Amon and his supporters and she is somehow able to free her friends and escape. This was just way too easy, everything went perfectly.

Asami fights her dad, but she is such an underdeveloped character that I couldn't care less about her relationship with her father. The emotional impact was just nonexistent. The awful CGI robots just made it even worse.

Then we get the fight between Korra and Mako vs Amon. This was definitely Amon at his most intimidating, I'll admit his bloodbending was pretty cool. If only his defeat wasn't so lame. Korra's bending is taken away, which was unexpected and cool in the moment, but was ultimately pointless. Somehow she is suddenly able to airbend? Like this was given no explanation at all and we're expected to think this is "cool." It's not epic, or cool, it's lazy. The writers needed a way to "surprise" us after making us think that korra had lost. At this point Amon does the smart thing and decides to leave. Yeah man, I would leave too after seeing how much plot armor Korra has lol. Here's my question though. What happened to all of Amon's supporters? Are we really expected to believe they would all join Korra's side? Like we're supposed to think Amon has lost, but he really hasn't. All Korra can do now is airbend, so can Amon just, I don't know, bloodbend her again? He's clearly more powerful than her, so idk why he tells Tarrlok he "lost the fight."

Amon leaving with Tarrlok was kind of cool I guess, and while Tarrlok killing himself and Amon was shocking, it doesn't really make sense why he did it. Why couldn't he have just lived a new life with his brother? I feel like an idiot for not knowing Tarrlok's motivation at all, but I'm blaming the writers for not giving him enough development.

Then we get to arguably the worst part of the episode. Korra's bending is unable to be restored, which is supposed to be sad for some reason? Am I the only one who would've loved season 2 to be Korra airbending the whole time? It would've given a new spin to her character, and plus she wouldn't be as overpowered anymore. I guess since this series is called "avatar" it wouldn't make sense for the protagonist to only have one element, but idk I think it could've been cool... Instead we get one of the dumbest scenes in the whole show. Aang appears for some reason and restores Korra's bending just like that. This moment was clearly fanservice trying to disguise the laughable writing. Isn't Korra supposed to be challenged as the avatar like Aang was? How come she doesn't face any consequences for her failures? She just earns her powers back after like 5 minutes, wow she has learned and grown so much!!! It's even worse cause there was sad music playing earlier when we were supposed to think she had permanently lost her powers.

Then Korra and Mako confess their love for each other which was just weird rather than sweet. Isn't Mako in a relationship with Asami? Why are we supposed to be cheering in this moment? It sucks cause Asami was being really jealous earlier, but this scene proves her right. I don't know man... I hope this strange love triangle gets fixed next season.

Finally, we get to by far the worst part of the episode. Korra is able to bring back everyone's powers just like that! This is so unbelievably stupid. So this huge supposed "threat" of Amon actually all meant nothing. If people are just able to bring back bending, why was Amon led on to some powerful threatening villain? The fact that Korra can undo all of the villain's actions just makes this whole season feel pointless. All of those goofy and melodramatic scenes where horror music played as people's bending were taken away is all for nothing. Nothing scary about that, writers! And yet you played horror music in all these scenes, acting like having your bending taken away is worse than death. The lack of self-awareness makes me think that these writers genuinely think Amon's ideology is evil, and that we were supposed to disagree with all of his beliefs. The truth is, Amon had a point. If they had explored the differing viewpoints of pro-bending vs anti-bending with more nuance, instead of painting it as black and white, this season would've been so much better. The equalists' ideology is by far the most interesting aspect of the show, and I wish we had more of this social commentary. Nope, instead Amon is reduced to an EBIL bad guy! He can bloodbend! He so ebil! And yet he's not even threatening at all... reduced to a joke of a villain. In fact, this entire episode is a joke. I would give it a 3 but at least I was entertained. Plus the guy who voices zuko swinging on the statue on Aang was extremely badass. Unironically the best scene of the episode. This was just such a bad finale, it took absolutely zero risks and played everything safe. I'll give it a 4/10, I hope season 2 is better...

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: The Gang Saves the Day (2013) Season 9, Episode 6

The power of well-written characters

[10/10 · 15 March 2023]

Wow... just wow. Before writing this, I have only given 3 episodes of sunny a perfect score: the gang solves the gas crisis, frank reynolds' little beauties, and the gang broke dee. All of these episodes were incredible, but this is on a whole new level. Almost the entire episode is perfect. And I think the reason it works so well is the characters. Throughout the show we've been watching these characters live their lives, and even though they're horrible people, you can't help but grow attached to them. After 9 seasons of following the gang around, we finally get a glimpse into their minds and we get to see their biggest fantasies. The concept alone greatly intrigued me, but what makes it so special is how fascinating these fantasies were, in part due to how well written the characters are. I'll start with Mac.

In the earlier seasons, I wasn't the biggest fan of Mac. I liked him, but he felt more like a support character, and he never really got to shine. Over the course of the show, as his character has been getting more attention, I'm now realizing how well written he is. His fantasy involves him fighting the Japanese mob using his Karate "skills." We see how truly delusional Mac is, and how he genuinely thinks he is a professional Martial Artist. Although it's played for laughs, I think it's really interesting to finally see the contrast of how Mac sees himself versus how he actually acts. There's something so fascinating about seeing a man with absolutely no fighting skills imagining themself take down a whole team of yakuzas. The direction was phenomenal of course, I loved how the editing made it truly feel like a martial arts film, it made it so much more fun. Things take a sharp turn when Mac is killed, and he goes to heaven as his friends weep for him. Really interesting how Mac is fine with dying as long as he gets to be "the hero" and have his friends cry over him, we see what he truly values. I can't make a serious analysis of the heaven segment cause it was just so goofy lol, but it was a great way to end a fantastic first segment.

Dee's fantasy does a great job at demonstrating just how egotistical and how obsessed with herself she is. The first thing she does when she has the slightest bit of power over her friends is shoot them. This is the first time she's actually been able to hurt them, as it is her who is constantly getting hurt by them over the course of the show. After being found out by the cops, she blames it all on the female robber, who previously thought they were friends. There is a prominent theme of betrayal in Dee's segment that I'll touch on more later. After finally being able to live her dream as an actress, she marries Josh Groban. Throughout their whole interview, it is Groban who is complimenting her, and not the other way around, which I believe is because she only cares about people making her feel good rather than making her partner feel good. The greatest example of this is in Groban's song, where he insists she doesn't look like a bird. Groban is the physical manifestation of Dee's consciousness trying to reassure her that she is good looking. The fact that Groban repeats the bird line so many times really shows how desperately Dee is trying to believe that she doesn't look like a bird. Although she always tells the gang that the bird jokes don't get to her, this scene makes it clear that she is deeply insecure about it despite her ego. The only way to make herself feel better is by imagining her literal husband reassuring her that she doesn't look like a bird. After the interview, Dee quickly divorces her new husband and finds a new man, showing just how much Dee uses people. Groban served his purpose: he made Dee feel better about herself, but that's all he had to offer. After that, Dee was done with him. Throughout the whole segment, Dee uses people until they're no longer useful for her, and then she stabs them in the back. From betraying her friends, to the robber, and then her own husband.

Dennis' fantasy is easily the most unpredictable, and therefore the most complex. After failing to calm the robber down, he gets shot in the head yet survives. A brief montage of moments where Dennis has felt the most powerful plays. I think what this means is that Dennis surviving getting shot in this head is the embodiment of his god complex, and how he feels like he can do anything. Rather than just attacking and defeating the robber like mac, Dennis' sense of power comes more from being able to take any challenge. Shooting someone isn't that impressive, but surviving getting shot takes true strength. He feels invincible, like a god: even a gun can't take him down. Mac's fantasy is more about his physical strength while Dennis' fantasy is about his spiritual strength, and how even though humans realistically shouldn't survive getting shot in the head, Dennis has ascended beyond a human. The news lady nursing him to health is where the story gets even more interesting. At first I thought it was some weird submissive fantasy of his, like about how he likes feeling helpless and being taken care of. But I think it's more about how even though Dennis' physical condition is horrible, all he really cares about is beautiful women. He could literally be paralyzed and unable to speak, but a woman with giant boobs would keep him going in life. The end of his fantasy where he smothers the woman after her breasts are destroyed obviously means that he thinks a woman has no value without their boobs. But I don't think it's just that. He could've easily just dumped her, but him killing her is what's interesting to me. I think he does this because he actually thinks he's doing her a favor. He thinks that women think of themselves the same way he thinks of them, and that she would also want to end her life once she realizes her breasts are gone. That's why he's genuinely sad rather than just indifferent. He doesn't "not care" about the woman when she loses her breasts. No, rather he still cares about her, he just thinks it's better for her to die because her life has no value now.

Frank's segment was easily the most disappointing. It felt like the writers knew they were short on time since the episode can only be 22 minutes, so they gave Frank's character the short end of the stick. His fantasy had the most potential but they just resorted to a cheap gag that wasn't even that funny. Haha frank doesn't care about the situation around him and only likes food, so funny.

Charlie's segment made up for Frank's because it was absolutely beautiful. We get an animated parody of the Up opening where Charlie falls in love with the waitress and they live their whole life together. In the other 3 fantasies, they all revolved around their insecurities, and proving the rest of the world wrong. Mac's fantasy was about his insecurity about his fighting skills, and proving everyone wrong about how good of a fighter he is. Dee's was about her insecurity about how good of an actress she is, and also proving the gang wrong that she doesn't look like a bird. Dennis' fantasy was about how insecure he is about how much power he has, and showing the world that he is actually a god. Charlie on the other hand, doesn't really care about how the world perceives him. All he cared about in the fantasy was living a simple, peaceful life with the woman he loves. It doesn't matter to him if people think his way of life is odd, he does what makes him happy. He lives a good life and gives his family love and kindness. Like the therapist recommended, it seems that in this fantasy, Charlie is truly comfortable in his own skin, and he is able to be himself around the waitress, rats and all, haha. We can see that he isn't insecure about himself, unlike the rest of the gang. In his fantasy, he lives his dream life without a problem, there is no outside force or "enemy" trying to stop his dreams from coming true. Unlike the rest of the gang's fantasies who all have something hindering their dreams, which is representative of all their insecurities. All this is sad because if charlie was in a good environment, I truly believe he could eventually become a good person, it's just that the gang tore him down to their level. Charlie has all the right elements of a good boyfriend or husband, but his eccentric lifestyle and the fact that the waitress is the only woman he cares about pursuing means that he will never be able to settle in that kind of peaceful life.

Although their fantasies are all very different, I noticed a common trend in them. In each person's fantasy, they leave each other. Mac doesn't care about being separated from his friends in his death because he gets to go to heaven. He's perfectly fine in the afterlife without the gang. Dee "leaves" her friends in the most direct way possible lol, by killing them. Dennis is left by his friends in the hospital, and then he never sees them again and chooses to spend all his time with the news lady. Even frank leaves the gang for food. And finally, Charlie leaves his friends to live happily with the waitress. It can't get any clearer than this. The gang is unhappy, and they clearly don't love each other. It's tragic how a show about 5 miserable people who hate each other is turned into a comedy. We are watching people suffer for our own amusement... because then again, can a sitcom truly be entertaining if all the characters are living their best life...?

The Legend of Korra: Out of the Past (2012) Season 1, Episode 9

Waste of a promising villain

[5/10 · 8 March 2023]

I was very disappointed with this episode. It was by far the worst written one yet, excluding the abomination that was episode 5. My main problem was that it feels like Tarrlok was wasted, and his defeat was very lame. I just don't understand why Tarrlok would jeopardize his career just to capture Korra. He clearly has a lot of power, so he could have easily gotten Korra arrested or something since he has more authority over her. Instead, he chooses to break the law by bloodbending her and then kidnapping her. There was literally no reason for him to engage in illegal activity when he clearly had the means to get rid of Korra legally. This just seemed like the writers needed a way for Tarrlok to be taken down. His plan after kidnapping Korra makes no sense too. Sure, blaming it on the equalists was kinda clever and will further his goals, but how did he not know it would backfire? What did he think would happen? Obviously the equalists would say "we don't have her, Tarrlok is lying," and then the blame would fall back on him. This was so unbelievably stupid of him. He's literally the only witness who can say the equalists captured Korra, so obviously the equalists would accuse him back, and suspicion would be thrown on him. Just typing this review is making me realize how flawed this is. And don't get me started on Tarrlok's angry monologue at Korra, "You're the reason I failed!" Nah bro it was your own stupid decisions and the writers wanting to get rid of you that caused you to fail.

That was my biggest gripe with the episode, but there was also some other less severe bad writing. Asami, Bolin, and Mako espacing prison was way too convenient. This character who we've barely heard of just shows up out of nowhere and frees them. Brilliant writing. What's even worse, is that none of the main characters face any consequences for leaving jail. Nope, they just continue their journey like normal. I mean, what?! This completely negates the power that we were made to believe Tarrlok had last episode. And then tenzin just doesn't care at all. He briefly asks "aren't you three supposed to be in prison?" and then he doesn't care after that. At least if their storyline after escaping prison was good, I wouldn't care as much. But instead we get more of the same love-triangle drama with Asami and Mako. Embarrassing, I couldn't care less about Asami being jealous. Korra's in danger, why should she be upset at Mako worrying about her?

Korra's flashback felt useless. Sure, it was cool to see the old gang again, but they didn't act like their old selves and didn't have any memorable moments. This flashback only served to show that Tarrlok is that crazy bloodbender's son, but it just didn't seem necessary. We didn't need like 10 minutes of the episode just to know that. I can't care about this "reveal" if I didn't even know who that bloodbender was until this episode.

Some other things that bothered me was the old lady catching Tarrlok bloodbending. Yeah of course she did, how convenient. This just makes this Tarrlok plotline even worse it just shows how careless and dumb his actions have been. Again, there was no reason for him to risk losing his position of power and bloodbend. Korra escaping was also way too easy. Of course the henchman failed to properly electrocute Korra. That was just dumb. And then Tarrlok gets his powers taken away, so the whole episode feels even more pointless cause they've been setting up his bloodbending ability like it was some crazy twist. Overall, this was just a really dumb episode. I gave it a 6 at first but after writing this review I'm realizing how bad the writing is, so I'll give it a 5. Very disappointed.

The Last of Us: Endure and Survive (2023) Season 1, Episode 5

A chilling masterpiece that crushes your soul (major spoilers)

[10/10 · 11 February 2023]

This is the second episode of the last of us that gets you attached to two characters in the span of one episode, only to brutally and mercilessly kill them off within that same episode. This show is too cruel, man. The worst part is that I got my hopes up, too. At least in long, long time, you knew what was coming, and plus bill and Frank got to spend one last happy day together. However, because of that, long long time was not nearly as emotionally effective as "endure and survive" (brilliant title btw). So although I hate this show for completely crushing my hopes, I am grateful that in exchange, we were delivered this absolute masterpiece of an episode.

First of all, I want to applaud the character development in this episode. Even though this episode is completely action packed, it still took lots of time to breathe and gave us some development to the three major characters that are killed off. First, I'll start with Henry. We only knew him for an hour, and already he was given so many layers and so much complexity. His story is so tragic, as he was forced to essentially sell his soul in order to keep what was most important to him alive, his brother. But at the cost of keeping his brother alive, he has to live as a tortured man, unable to forgive himself for his sins. Henry's moral dilemma is the perfect representation of just how cruel this world is. There is no right or wrong anymore. It's either wrong, or wronger. When you're faced with such a truly impossible decision- let your brother die, or kill a pure and honest man- it's hard to blame Henry for what he did. After all, if his brother is the only thing Henry is living for, then why is it wrong for him to keep Sam alive no matter what it costs? Wow, as I'm typing this, I'm realizing how incredible this show is since it literally made me empathize with a snitch and a murderer. But he's not the only one the show made me empathize with...

Kathleen. Unlike some reviewers, I actually liked the casting choice for her. She wasn't great the last episode, but she killed her role in this one. Again, much like Henry, it's impossible to say whether she is "right" or "wrong." In her mind, no amount of civilians she murders will make up for Henry's murder of her brother, much like no amount of snitching is enough for Henry to stop protecting his own brother. They are very similar in a way, however Kathleen is more motivated by rage and hate rather than love, which is Henry's motivation. She even said it herself: her brother would not approve of her murdering endlessly to seek revenge for his death. But that's what makes her even more complex in my opinion. She's not doing it to make him happy. She knows what she's doing is wrong. She simply recognizes that the world is a cruel and unjust place for taking the life of such a pure man. This one scene made me empathize with her so much and already makes her an extremely well written villain in just 2 episodes. I really wish we could've seen more of her.

Not really much to say about Sam but he was still a great character. He is just the embodiment of innocence, which makes it all the more heartbreaking as his innocence slowly fades away by the end of the episode. All of his scenes with Ellie were heartwarming and sweet. The scene underground where they bond, read comics and play soccer were especially beautiful. When I say that I mean it's beautiful that two children are able to hold onto their innocence and actually have fun in such an ugly and miserable world. Unfortunately I think this is probably the last time we will see ellie this way, as she keeps going through more and more traumatizing events each episode.

Now that I've talked about the characters, I need to talk about the zombie scene... I mean, wow! The zombies in episode 2 were scary, but this takes it to a whole new level. Never have I been so terrified of zombies before. In the walking dead, it often felt like they were just a useless obstacle, and even when they did pose a threat, it was never even close to this scary. But it's not just the zombies themselves that made this scene great, it's everything. The intense buildup where you can see the ground shaking was perfect, until all of a sudden the zombies appear out of nowhere, not even giving the viewer (or the characters) time to breathe. This moment was utter chaos, and I loved every single second of it. I honestly wish it could've gone on longer.

Kathleen also gets a gruesome but somewhat satisfying death by the same baby zombie that almost killed Ellie. After that, you think it's over... right? At least that's what I thought, but the episode doesn't stop there. We get to the dreadful cabin scene. Sam reveals that he's been bit, and we get one last touching moment between him and Ellie. Then of course, the show tries to get my hopes up, and I held on the smallest possibility that Ellie's blood would cure him. I thought to myself that even if her blood didn't work, at least Sam would get a proper, harmless death... I was so wrong. Possibly the worst scenario possible happens: he turns into a zombie. When I watched this I was in utter shock. I knew what was coming, but I couldn't accept what was happening on my screen. I knew Henry would have to shoot his own brother and then take his own life, yet it was still so hard to watch. If the end of this episode doesn't leave you in awe, I pity you. This whole episode was an experience like no other. A haunting, beautiful masterpiece of television, and the easiest 10 out of 10 I've given in a while. Thank you, the last of us.

Vinland Saga: The Path of Blood (2023) Season 2, Episode 5

The true beginning to season 2

[8/10 · 6 February 2023]

Well now we finally know what the other characters have been up to! Thorkell is still his violent, rambunctious self who hasn't changed a bit. Canute on the other hand... has changed drastically. I haven't seen season 1 in a while but I do not remember him being this cold-hearted. It seemed like in s1 he was one of the only good people in the show. Now he is just a straight up villain lmao. I'm not sure whether to call his new self terrifying or badass, cause to be honest he's a mix of both.

The mind games that Canute plays on eadric in order to manipulate him into killing the king were insane (dare I say satisfying?) to watch. Thank god I didn't rewatch s1 before this dropped cause canute's sudden character change would have been so jarring (and it already is). Canute does an excellent job at making eadric feel absolutely powerless, like there's no hope. When eadric begins to feel a tiny spark of hope that his men can still fight back, Canute completely squashes that bit of hope by showing him- in the most devastating way- that he's already lost. This fire scene was definitely the best scene of the episode, you can really tell just how powerful Canute is in just this one brilliant moment.

Now that we know how Canute became king, I can't wait to see how his path intersects with thorfinn and einar! At the end of last episode, I was really happy when Canute showed up cause I thought he was try and save both of them. Now that he is cold-hearted, I'm not so sure, but that just makes it all the more interesting. This season is doing an excellent job at carefully planting the seeds for future exciting plotlines. Even though it's not amazing so far, I have no doubt that this season will reach the heights of season 1. 8 out of 10.

Vinland Saga: Snake (2023) Season 2, Episode 3

After last week's slow episode, the season picks up!

[9/10 · 25 January 2023]

Things are finally getting interesting. This is by far the best episode of the season so far. Episodes 1 and 2 were good, but this one was amazing. I'm not even gonna discuss the first half of the episode because the climax is so incredible.

The confrontation at the end was one of the intense moments in the whole series, and that's saying a lot. Even though I knew thorfinn and einar couldn't possibly die here, my heart was still beating so fast. Although einar's fight with the master's son was great, thorfinn steals this episode. Ironically, even though he stands still the whole time, I think this scene is thorfinn at his most powerful. Not only powerful physically, since he's able to withstand dozens and dozens of cuts, even his ear and face, but he's also incredibly powerful mentally. We finally see the consequences of all the pain and suffering he went through during season 1. Now, he truly has nothing to lose. He wasn't bluffing, he legitimately didn't care if he died right there. And that is scary. I cannot wait to see thorfinn in action this season because he is going to be unstoppable.

Thankfully, their master stops the "fight" before fox can cut thorfinn's eye out. It's not like thorfinn would've cared haha, but I'm still glad he can still see. The master punching fox at the end was so satisfying! He's a great villain though. I loved how cold and uncaring fox's monologue was, about how even though the slaves didn't do anything wrong, he can still decide what to do with their lives. He deserved that punch sooo bad after that speech. Overall, this is the first amazing episode of the season. 9/10, can't wait to see this season become a masterpiece.

The Last of Us: When You're Lost in the Darkness (2023) Season 1, Episode 1

I'm a bit conflicted

[8/10 · 16 January 2023]

The first half of this incredibly long series premiere was absolutely incredible. I loved the slow buildup to the apocalypse. They keep teasing that something's wrong, until eventually it just turns to complete chaos. In terms of setting up the apocalypse, I'd say this is the best execution of it I've ever seen. The first 40 minutes or so were close to a 10/10.

However, the second half slowed things down and tried to introduce the world. This part was good of course, but it wasn't anything special. It does the job, but it pales in comparison to the first half. It's understandable because the show needed to take its time in order to set up the relationship between Joel and ellie, which was done well in my opinion.

I don't really feel like writing a super long review, but I do wanna mention that the scene with the plane was one of the most intense things I've ever seen on television. That whole section did a perfect job at making me feel pure terror. Fantastic job. Even though the rest of the show wasn't able to make me feel what I felt in that scene, I'm confident that it will eventually become a masterpiece. 8 out of 10, it truly felt like a movie! Can't wait to see what this show will become.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Charlie Has Cancer (2005) Season 1, Episode 4

This one surprised me

[7/10 · 13 January 2023]

I always get scared when watching an old show with a trans character because im worried they'll be the butt of the joke. While there were a couple insensitive moments that I didn't find funny, the show surprisingly did a decent job knowing it came out in 2005. Mac is clearly the one being made fun of, not the trans woman, such as when he punches her and says "it's okay because she's a dude!"

The main storyline was also enjoyable, albeit predictable. It's clear from the start that Charlie is faking having cancer to generate sympathy from the waitress. Even tho I predicted it, the gang's reaction to finding out Charlie was faking is hilarious. The ending was also pretty funny, where Dennis and mac try to get the waitress' money back because she didn't have sex with Charlie. I love how Dennis kept insisting that "she's just getting the money" after she slammed the door on them.

Overall, out of the 4 episodes I've seen so far this was definitely the weakest, although I'll give it a 7 instead of a 6 because the trans rep pleasantly surprised me. To the guy who gave it a 2/10 because the "transsexual guy's" (geez, what are you, 80? Get your terms right lol) presence is disgusting, you shouldn't be offended by someone's existence. And I feel sorry for you. But I don't expect anything more from someone who gave ozymandias a 4 out of 10.

The Legend of Korra: The Spirit of Competition (2012) Season 1, Episode 5

Everybody sucks

[3/10 · 13 January 2023]

Geez, when I'm rooting for korra's team to lose then you know the writers screwed up...

So, what happened?! I've been enjoying korra so far, it's been good, not great, until this episode, which was just trash. I've always hated love square storylines in television, but this was one of the worst executions of that. Listen, writers. Conflict between characters is necessary. However, forcing the conflict by making everyone unlikeable is not the way to do it!

Bolin and mako weren't that bad in this episode, at least not compared to korra, but they still had some annoying moments. Bolin catching them kiss was so contrived and dumb. I kept rolling my eyes when Bolin called mako a traitor. But korra! Oh my lord was she awful. First, she insists to mako that he likes her, even though he clearly says he has feelings for Asami. Then they get into this painfully predictable fight that exists solely to further the plot along. I mean seriously, this whole conflict exists just to rack up the "tension" when the characters play poorly in the bending match.

Also, korra kissing mako was so cringe-inducing. Just... why?! That moment when the avatar, one of the strongest characters in the story, has the emotional intelligence of a middle schooler.

My last gripe in the episode comes from the bending match, which in an episode full of predictable moments, is ironically too unpredictable. Instead of the 3 characters putting aside their drama and teaming up to win, korra wins the game all by herself. This honestly just confused me. There was no reason to have korra save the day. Literally the only possible satisfying way for them to win would be to team up. Cause you know... that's how conflicts are resolved? Idk man this ep is just weird... 4/10 because they made up at the end, otherwise it'd be a 3. Also rami malek is in this haha.

Vinland Saga: Slave (2023) Season 2, Episode 1

Not what I expected... but certainly a good start

[8/10 · 9 January 2023]

I don't have a whole lot to say about this episode because it didn't really do anything wrong, but there wasn't much stand-out material either. It's just a solid start to the new season.

The new main character is eilar, who lives on a farm with his sister and mother until they are captured by slaves. I thought the sudden shift in tone was a little jarring but I think it works. Because that's how it worked in real life. People would just be happily going about their day and then out of nowhere they would be attacked by pillagers. I wasn't attached enough to eilar's family to feel much when they died, but it was still pretty sad.

My favorite scene (besides the ending of course) was probably when the slavers throw that sick woman off the ship without even hesitating. Although it isn't as brutal as eilar's family's death, it's still quite disturbing because it shows how little slavers cared about their slaves.

By the second half of the episode I was starting to get confused about where this story was going. I hadn't seen Vinland saga in a couple years so I wasn't sure if eilar was some important character that I forgot about lol. Fortunately, it doesn't take long for him to become involved in thorfinn's story. Eilar is bought by a slaveowner and then is brought to the guy's farm. This is when I started to get hyped. Thorfinn's introduction was just... amazing. I loved the music, cinematography, and especially thorfinn's new look.

Overall, a pretty good start and I'm excited to see where this is going. Im especially looking forward to seeing thorfinn and eilar interact. They definitely have a lot in common. And I'm sure by the end of the season eilar will have become a badass. It's a solid 8/10.

The Witcher: Blood Origin: Of Dreams, Defiance, and Desperate Deeds (2022) Season 1, Episode 2

If rushed were sprinters, this show would be usain bolt

[7/10 · 31 December 2022]

A slight step down from the first episode, but still good. The main problem is of course the extremely fast pacing. In the span of 40 minutes, the group of protagonists goes from 3 to 6! And not only that, but the 3 new characters just kinda of appear lol, they come out of nowhere. Now, I understand that this show is only 4 episodes, so the storytelling needs to be fast, but this was still pretty goofy.

Most of the episode was quite good though. The forbidden gay lovers trope is kind of played out in fiction, but I don't have a problem with it yet. The empress (forgot her name) getting someone to spy on balon is an intriguing plotline. Speaking of balon, where was he? It felt like he was barely in this episode.

On the side of the protagonists, most of it was pretty good too. Unfortunately, scian is sick so she barely had any screentime, but at least the other characters were good. I liked the nightmare sequences. We learn that both main characters went through some serious trauma. F'jall watched his brother die, and éile was forced to burn innocent people alive. Jeez, that was disturbing.

This episode had less action than the first, but when it did happen it was great. The first action scene in the barn was genuinely intense, and I wasn't sure how the characters were gonna get out alive. I also wanna mention about that scene that I LOVE that the soldiers didn't just charge in like mindless idiots. These soldiers were actually smart and knew they didn't stand a chance against the protagonists lol. Instead, they tried to burn them alive, which was smart but it didn't work.

Balon's one great scene was when he kills a couple children in order to obtain the chaos magic, but it isn't enough. He still has to sacrifice something important to him, and I wonder what that'll be. For now, it seems like balon is only in it for himself, and he doesn't love anyone. So I'm truly perplexed as to what he can sacrifice.

F'jall also learns that the empress murdered his sister! I can't wait to see what their confrontation is like. Clearly, the empress still loves him, since she wanted his bounty cleared. But I doubt f'jall still has any affection for her after what she did...

Lastly, the main characters attempt to infiltrate the castle by jumping from monolith to monolith. It doesn't work, and they get teleported to another world, where they stumble upon a horrifying monster. Great cgi, by the way. I can't wait to see how they deal with that creature.

Overall, this episode was slighter weaker than the first. It had higher highs, but lower lows. Also, I unironically hope that they continue the trend of having some character deliver a cringeworthy barrage of f-bombs every episode. I honestly can't believe those were actual pieces of dialogue that got implemented into the show. To be honest, if someone told me they dropped the show simply because of that, it would be valid. Solid 7 out of 10.

Nathan for You: Liquor Store; Exterminator; Car Wash (2014) Season 2, Episode 4

Nathan is so evil but in a hilarious way

[8/10 · 30 December 2022]

I've been really enjoying Nathan for you so far, however there were a couple episodes last season that I wasn't a fan of because I thought Nathan went too far. For example, him lying to the mall Santa about him being allowed to work at the mall, and him making people believe they were infected with a deadly disease left a very bad taste in my mouth, and I didn't find it funny at all. Those 2 episodes I both gave a 6. However, in the episode Nathan's evilness was actually pretty funny.

First, he tricks teens into buying alcohol, but they quickly realize they won't be able to drink it until they're 21. The teens' reactions were funny because they were so insistent on getting the alcohol. It's also funny that they were gullible enough to believe people would let them buy it legally. I can't believe they didn't know something was fishy. Next, Nathan gets a male stripper to act as a cop and pretend to have caught the store owner. I love how even though the owner is clearly unhappy with the prank, the stripper keeps on doing his thing lmao.

The second example of Nathan's evilness is when he tricks the hotel owner to sign the contract. I'm not sure why I found this funny but I did. The cherry on top is when he shows the paper to the exterminator and acts like it's real.

The final example of Nathan's evil is when he steals employee of the month from the other three employees. He even goes as far as having a whole ceremony for himself. This scene was so hard to watch and it felt like it went on for an eternity. Yet there's something so hilarious about the fact that everyone put up with Nathan's ceremony and even patted him on the back. The most surprising part is that the car wash owner agreed to give Nathan 200 bucks, which is most likely more than what Nathan's business idea earned him. So getting help from Nathan likely cost him more than what he earned haha. Nathan is so manipulative, but also genius. This is a good example of an episode where Nathan is awful in a funny way, unlike Santa or Haunted House. 8 out of 10.

The Witcher: Blood Origin: Of Ballads, Brawlers, and Bloodied Blades (2022) Season 1, Episode 1

3.8! Are you serious?

[7/10 · 28 December 2022]

I feel like I'm the only one who actually likes this show. I legitimately have no idea why it has a 3.8/10. To be honest, I don't have many complaints. The first episode did a great job at introducing the characters. Now it did seem a tiny bit rushed, but it's only 4 episodes so I understand why. On the plus side, even though it's a little rushed, at least there's so much stuff going on to keep it entertaining.

The two main characters are very likeable and I love their banter. The writers did a good job and making them work together while still having some tension. At first I thought they'd just forget their entire beef and just become best friends immediately. Instead they slowly begin to like each other more as the episode goes on, which is a sign of good writing. Michelle yeoh as scian is also a great addition to the cast. Like in everything everywhere all at once (which is one of my favorite movies), she is likeable and badass.

There's also some great action scenes. Scian vs éile and f'jall was cool. The beast was also terrifying. I love how it just completely evaporates all the clans in an instant. They don't even bleed or anything.

Overall, this was a very solid start to the series and it makes me want to watch more. I'd give this a 7/10, although it's a high 7.

Regular Show: It's Time (2011) Season 2, Episode 2

Good, but rigby is insufferable

[7/10 · 13 December 2022]

I grew up watching regular show as a kid and it defined a huge part of my childhood, along with adventure time and SpongeBob. I'm rewatching it many years later and it still holds up today. Now lemme talk about the episode.

"It's time" is a good episode, but it's questionably written. Mordecai is painted out to be the bad guy when he really didn't do anything wrong. I've seen people call mordecai a simp for wanting to go out with Margaret and choosing her over rigby. But the only reason Mordecai "chose" her over rigby is because rigby was being extremely annoying, deliberately trying to make Mordecai jealous and even to the point where he asks her out on a date. This is just extremely petty. Mordecai's actions were completely justified.

As the episode goes on Mordecai's actions get more questionable like when he microwaves all the clocks to stop rigby from going out with Margaret and when he accidentally pushes rigby into the void. I obviously can't defend him at this point, but it's still understandable why he got so mad at rigby. I've never had drama over girls like this, but even I can imagine that if your best friend asked your crush out on a date right before you were about to ask her out, I'd be pretty mad.

Anyway once rigby is out of the picture the episode gets more tolerable. Mordecai gets trapped in the void that shows in the opening credits, and he meets Father Time, which leads to some great gags. I also really like the ending, it shows that even though rigby continues to be a jerk, Mordecai still wants to go the movies with him. It's a solid 7/10 episode, although rugby's behavior and the writing drops it a point or two.

The Walking Dead: Rest in Peace (2022) Season 11, Episode 24

Sadly the walking dead did not stick the landing

[4/10 · 22 November 2022]

Pretty bland finale imo. I actually don't have much to say to be honest. I'm not even that angry or frustrated. It just played it way too safe. Only two characters were killed off because they had to set up 3 spin-offs. I mean, come on amc. Stop trying to disguise your lust for money as "oooh expanding the universe!!!" Yeah no one cares. The finale just felt soulless. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what I mean, but those who watch it will know. Oh yeah... Rick and michonne appeared. That too, almost forgot. Yeah, none of that even made sense. We still have no idea who that helicopter was that took Rick. So I just had no idea what was going on to even care about Rick's return. So yeah... it was, fine I guess? But I'm still giving it a 4 cause I know this show could do better. I remember when this show took risks. I'm one of the few who loved Glenn's death because it was daring. I even stuck around when this show was at its lowest in season 8. Also, I'm dropping my overall score from a 10 to a 9. This show is just too flawed, and even though I enjoy it so much I can't give it a 10 if I'm left this embittered. Bye, twd, thank you for 12 years of entertaining television.

Andor: Daughter of Ferrix (2022) Season 1, Episode 11

Luthen is a badass!

[9/10 · 17 November 2022]

Andor won't stop being amazing. This is definitely a calm before the storm episode, but it does a great job at setting up for the finale. All the different plot points that have been building up since the beginning are finally starting to converge. It seems like syril and andor are going to face off once again in the finale. I can't wait for andor to kick his butt for a second time.

The standout character in this episode was Luthen, by far. I loved his scene with saw gerrera. We see what he means when he says he had to sacrifice his humanity in last epsiode's speech. He's willing to sacrifice 30 men for the greater good. I honestly love how dark this show is. It shows the true costs of leading a rebellion. Some people are going to have to die.

The best scene was when Luthen gets stopped by an imperial ship. Oh. My. God. This scene was so intense. I kept wondering "how is he gonna get out of this?" Every time the imperial guy kept growing more and more suspicious, my heart raced faster and faster. My heart dropped when they started to pull Luthen towards their ship. Thankfully, due to the empire's cockiness, they let their guard down and Luthen is able to escape. That's what they get for underestimating him! God, he's such a badass.

Andor's scenes were also good. Him and his prisoner friend attempt to steal a ship but they get caught by these two aliens. I had always hoped there would be more aliens in this show, so seeing these two creatures was a joy to watch. At the end, cassian finds out that maarva died, and his reaction is very well-acted. Speaking of her death, can I just mention how heartbreaking the droid's reaction to her death was? "B-b-but I don't want to be alone. I want to be with m-m-maarva." I cant believe this show made me care so much about a droid.

Andor looks like it's building towards a climactic and action packed finale. My guess is Cassian will return to Ferrix and face off against Syril and/or Dedra Meero. I can't wait to be blown away. 8.5/10, but I'm gonna round up to a 9.

Andor: One Way Out (2022) Season 1, Episode 10

This episode will give you hope

[10/10 · 10 November 2022]

One way out! What a phenomenal episode of andor, and the second best one after The Eye. Never have I felt such a sense of hope when watching Star Wars content. This episode shows that there is always a way to fight back against evil. And it's absolutely beautiful.

This episode mainly focuses on the prison escape, and it might be even more exciting than the aldhani heist. Even though I know that andor is going to live, my heart was racing throughout this entire sequence. I was cheering when the prisoners were finally able to escape.

Kino's arc ended brilliantly. Throughout the show, he has had the idea ingrained in him that there is no chance of winning, and that fighting back would be hopeless. However in this episode, Kino, much like the viewer, is also incited with a sense of hope. He finally goes full badass and motivates his floor to fight back. His change in character was so believable, which makes it all the more satisfying. Even though he wasn't able to escape with the other prisoners since he can't swim, at least he was finally able to stand up to the empire.

There is also a scene with mon where she must choose between her daughter and the rebellion. I'm really excited to see where her storyline goes. I'm sure it won't be an easy decision.

The episode ends with Luther having a conversation with an rebel spy who is considering quitting so that he can see his daughter. Luther gives an incredible speech, where he tells the spy that he has sacrificed everything in his life just for a tiny chance that the rebellion will succeed.

If this episode doesn't uplift you, you must be rooting for the empire! I cannot describe the amount of intense positive feelings that this episode gave me. This is on par with Luke destroying the Death Star in a new hope. Yeah, I said it. Although I loved the aldhani heist, that episode lacked the emotion of "One Way Out." Fitting title, by the way. There is only one way to defeat fascism. You have to fight it. 9.4/10, although I will likely rewatch this episode multiple times and increase my score to a 10. Wonderful, truly wonderful job, Tony Gilroy.