theflashrankings Reviews

The Mandalorian: Chapter 17: The Apostate (2023) Season 3, Episode 1

Feels very amateurish.

[3/10 · 2 March 2023]

Maybe it's just me, but this episode felt extremely disjointed and amateurish. I don't think the first 2 seasons are flawless, but at least they felt like they were made with care. To me, this felt like average Hollywood schlock. There's no clear direction or focus. The dialogue is wonky, the action scenes lack stakes and relevance within the story, and the pacing was all over the place.

I can't tell where the story is going this season, and unlike previous seasons where that could be attributed to unpredictability, here it can be attributed to poor plot establishment.

Another huge point of concern for me: Grogu has overstayed his welcome. I was never the biggest fan of his character but at least in previous seasons, he served as an emotional anchor for Mando's character and as the driving force for the plot. This episode illustrated why bringing him back in the Book of Boba Fett was a huge mistake. His story was over, season 2's finale was a great conclusion to his and Din's arc and it was the perfect time to move on. Now more than ever, Grogu feels like nothing more than a prop. He's only there to appeal to the broader audience and their wallets. He no longer enhances Din Djarin's character, but instead holds him back. His only relevance to the plot is as a cutaway gag.

Now there were a few moments in the episode that genuinely intrigued me. Seeing the Purrgil in hyperspace was a beautiful visual and knowing what that could mean for the future of the "Mandoverse" does excite me. Unfortunately, we can't even know for sure if this plot point is relevant to the season, or if it's just a teaser for another project whether it be Skeleton Crew or the Ahsoka series. I also enjoyed the introduction of Gorian Shard and his pirate crew. Like much of this episode, their inclusion in the plot was handled with the grace of a dyslexic turtle on its back, however they did provide the episode with some much needed levity and that classic Mandalorian feeling of adventure and excitement. Their dogfight with Din wasn't anything spectacular in terms of the show's standout action sequences but it was a still a highlight of the episode.

All in all, this episode wasn't the worst thing in the world but after a 2 year hiatus, I was expecting a more relevant and refined episode not a clumsy, directionless and much too short bore. I hope this episode isn't an indicator for the quality of this season, because if it is, I can confidently say that the Mandalorian peaked far too early.

The Book of Boba Fett: Chapter 4: The Gathering Storm (2022) Season 1, Episode 4

Just keep Rodriguez away from this show.

[9/10 · 19 January 2022]

Rodriguez is no doubt a talented director but he doesn't jive with this show. Just like episode 2, this episode proves that when Robert's not in the director's chair, this show can achieve greatness.

The flashbacks were great (other than the quick appearance of some hip-hop punk bikers similar to last week's), Krrsantan is back and is now working for Boba (redeeming last week's blunder), the Slave I is back and cooler than ever (except that they call it the Firespray now), and Mando is coming!! It even addressed the criticisms like how and why Boba Fett is weaker.

Overall, a super fun episode that gets the plot moving, doesn't waste its characters, and gives us some hints on what the future holds.

The Book of Boba Fett: Chapter 3: The Streets of Mos Espa (2022) Season 1, Episode 3

Worst episode by far

[5/10 · 12 January 2022]

I'm usually never genuinely disappointed by the new Star Wars shows. I always manage to find something to enjoy. I defended the first episode and I loved the second, but this episode brought absolutely zero entertainment value whatsoever.

The flashbacks were so poorly directed that I didn't even care about the dead Tuskens, the same Tuskens that last episode spent nearly 45 minutes making us care about. Also, no new prequel-era scenes. They just rehashed scenes from the last two episodes for some inconceivable reason.

Present-day stuff sucked even more. The new characters are absolutely dreadful especially Ms. Green Day and the Spy Kids. Krrsantan had one badass fight scene except that was dumbed down to avoid violence. Let's be real: he could've mauled the entire crew. They didn't even have the balls to sacrifice one of the Bionicle Boys. Then Krrsantan runs away like a dunce. What a waste! Then the Hutts leave only to be replaced by the considerably more boring Pykes. What a waste!

Then there's the infamous speeder chase. I appreciate the homage to old 70s car chases but holy crap, they were driving like a grandma in a school zone. Pathetic.

The only positive I can think of was the Rancor but even Boba's scene with it was poorly structured in the episode so it just ruined the pacing.

5/10.

Star Wars: The Bad Batch: Common Ground (2021) Season 1, Episode 10

Waste of our time

[4/10 · 2 July 2021]

As an avid defender of this show every week, I was so disappointed with this episode. After 3 stellar episodes, I wasn't expecting a masterpiece. I was expecting.......something. But somehow, that didn't happen. Nothing happened. Utterly pointless episode.

I can usually defend slower, "filler" episodes by highlighting the development of the characters, relationship and themes. Unfortunately, we got none of that. We got some setup for potential development. But no resolution. The Bad Batch goes into their mission not trusting the Separatists and they come out the same way. No lesson learned about how some Separatists are different. Sure, they experienced it but the episode never touched on it. Omega is only here so that the writers can find a way to get rid of the Bad Batch's debt AKA the most forgettable, uninteresting plotline in the show. Am I glad it's gone? Yep. Could they have done something interesting to get rid of it? Yep. But instead they had Omega play space chess. I guess we learned that she's a good strategist. But why? It doesn't take much strategy to mop the floors of Kamino. Now, on to what little this episode DID have. The action. Was boring as hell. Shooting, running, shooting, sliding, piloting an AT-TE and for good measure, shooting. Usually, simple action is enough to entertain me but it was so boring this episode. Unlike with my other criticisms, I can't put my finger on why I had a problem with it. I just did.

Now, for some positives. The animation, as always, is gorgeous. Raxus, in particular was beautiful to look at. The palace, the forest, the streets and alleyways, the grass. As to be expected, this show delivers on the visual side and more! Also, even though the action bored me to death, it was cool seeing the AT-TE's again. Now, for the biggest positive. The opening scene featuring Avi Singh actively disobeying the Empire was pretty cool. Shame they didn't capitalize on this and expand upon it.

Overall: A pointless, skippable, messy borefest of an episode. 4/10.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: Power Broker (2021) Season 1, Episode 3

Disappointing

[6/10 · 3 April 2021]

I was thoroughly enjoying this show thus far but this episode felt off. Zemo was great. Him dancing, getting his mask, etc was all great. It was cool seeing Sharon and how she's changed. And seeing Ayo at the end was surprising. But other than that, the episode feels like a mediocre fetch quest, but instead of some semi-interesting MacGuffin, they are following the super serum thread. Boring! This episode is mostly exposition and wasn't very interesting at all. I'm intriguing to see who the Power Broker is, I guess? Probably just Ralph Bohner again.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: The Star-Spangled Man (2021) Season 1, Episode 2

Better than the premier!

[9/10 · 3 April 2021]

Sam and Bucky come together and have great chemistry, we get to properly meet the new Cap, the action is great and the episode is full of great moments.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: New World Order (2021) Season 1, Episode 1

Grounded and Relatable

[8/10 · 3 April 2021]

Really enjoyed this episode. It focused on the daily lives of the characters and the very human struggles they deal with. Some may find that boring but I find it intriguing. Particularly, Bucky's storyline. The therapy scene, him making amends and going on a date. I love it!

Star Wars: Rebels (2014–2018)

Mixed bag

[7/10 · 5 December 2020]

This show doesn't hold a torch to the Clone Wars or the Mandalorian but there are some redeeming qualities. Let's start with the positives. Pre-established characters such as Vader, Obi-Wan, Maul, Ahsoka and Rex shine in this series and there are some teruly poignant moments with them. Also, the series introduces some cool ideas such as the World Between Worlds and canon Thrawn. Some story beats are very well executed such as Obi-Wan vs Maul and Ahsoka vs Vader being standouts. The problem is, these moments rely solely on old characters. Now, for the negatives. The original characters are mostly unlikeable and barely tolerable. Ezra, although he had potential as a naive character tempted by the Dark Side, he is bogged down by childish writing and a mediocre character arc. Zeb is also very irritating, but at least he is a side character. Sabine is a good way to introduce new aspects of Mandalorian culture but as a character, she isn't very compelling. Chopper is funny in a very R2 sort of way but he does feel very unoriginal. Hera and Kanan are character I actually enjoy and wouldn't mind seeing more of. Another negative is the visuals and music. The Clone Wars was absolutely gorgeous in its later years but the animation in Rebels is very poor-quality and boring. And the music, in general, kind of sucks. Especially, in early seasons, it's just a remix of original trilogy tracks without the orchestral feel to it. Overall, the show is a fun ride, especially for younger viewers and it definitely improves over time. But it's held back by lackluster characters, animation and production quality. It's a good watch and almost essential for those looking to completely understand the story of Star Wars.

The Mandalorian: Chapter 12: The Siege (2020) Season 2, Episode 4

A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.

[8/10 · 20 November 2020]

I was expecting a filler episode to bridge the gap between the Bo-Katan episode and the Ahsoka episode, which will definitely be next week. I was pleasantly surprised, though. This episode was not only a fun journey with our Season 1 crew but it also added quite a lot to the loose ends of Season 1 as we learn what the Empire really wants with the Child. We also get a glimpse of Moff Gideon and-are those Dark Troopers? Holy crap. Overall, a very fun episode with some awesome action sequences such as the chase scene and the Tie Fighter dogfight. We also got some adorable Baby Yoda moments such as the opening sequence of him repairing the wires. The Empire tracking the Razor Crest, the possible Snoke clones, the Dark Troopers and possibly Ahsoka next episode, this season just got way more exciting.

The Mandalorian: Chapter 11: The Heiress (2020) Season 2, Episode 3

Wow. Watch the animated shows if you haven't!!

[8/10 · 13 November 2020]

This episode is bound to unite the fandom, right? I mean, it's following the main plot, it introduced a live-action Bo-Katan Kryze, it solved the ridiculous egg controversy, it explained the Mandalorian's no-helmet rule and fixed inconsistencies there, it name dropped Ahsoka and we got our first glimpse at Moff Gideon since last season. This episode is truly a love letter to fans of the animated shows and definitely won't be as enjoyable to those who haven't watched them, but for those of us that did, personally, I was blown away. Bryce Dallas Howard delivered us a meh episode last season but this one blows it out of the water. We are finally on-track for the main plot and I can't wait to see what comes next. Obviously, we will see Ahsoka soon. Will we see Rex? Or Sabine? I mean, after this episode, I have no idea.

The Mandalorian: Chapter 10: The Passenger (2020) Season 2, Episode 2

Fun, weird, creepy, entertaining

[7/10 · 6 November 2020]

Another great episode this season. A lot of people were hoping for Boba Fett and Moff Gideon and Sabine but I don't mind a few filler episodes to begin the season. Especially when they are this good. I had a lot of fun with this episode. From the subtle humor like the jet pack scene at the beginning to the wholesome Mando and the Child moments like him running to the Mandalorian and them napping in the Razor Crest compartment. I also liked the side character of the Frog Lady. She was a simple character but served a purpose as she was the center of the plot line and she even questioned Mando's commitment to his code. Also, some great action sequences such as the X-Wing Chase and the Swarm of Spiders. There are some flaws with the episode such as Amy Sedaris who just does not work with this show at all and the Child eating the eggs, although cute, got old quite quickly. And yes, it was filler but I. DON'T. CARE. And the pros outweigh the cons and we are left with a very entertaining and unique episode. 8/10

Batwoman: How Queer Everything Is Today! (2020) Season 1, Episode 10

Definitely one of the better episodes of the season.

[7/10 · 20 January 2020]

Though this episode shoves political agendas and LGBTQ themes right in your face, I think it does it a lot better than episode 7 did, as it actually serves the story and makes sense within the episode and character of Batwoman. The terrier was an interesting villain until the reveal that it was just a sad teenager pulling some pranks. The best part of the episode as usual was Alice. She's back and better than ever with a charismatic performance as she disrespects the hell out of Catherine's grave. Also, WTF is going on with Beth?!?!? I hope we get answers, because I am very intrigued and confused. A good episode, but overall a bit forgettable, to be honest.

Supergirl: The Bottle Episode (2020) Season 5, Episode 10

Did they switch writers?!?!

[10/10 · 20 January 2020]

Wow, what a great episode. I am genuinely surprised. I have enjoyed this season for the most part but the back half of this season has more potential than I could've ever anticipated. Lex Luthor is back and better than ever!! He will save this season. Brainy shined in this episode as well, with his multiple doppelgangers and his own personal conflict. They introduced bottled worlds and such just like Brainiac in the comics. They also introduced the Anti-Life equation. The writing was actually good in this episode and rivals shows like The Flash and Arrow. In the first half, I definitely held Batwoman and Supergirl to a lower standard than the other shows but if things continue to be as good as thus episode, Supergirl may be almost as good as The Flash and Arrow. I am very impressed with this episode and I hope for the best going forward.

The Flash: Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part Three (2019) Season 6, Episode 9

WTF JUST HAPPENED!!!!

[10/10 · 11 December 2019]

So many things happened in this episode from cameos including Huntress, Lucifer and the inclusion of Black Lightning. Earth-90 Flash taking our Barry's place. Oliver becoming the Spectre. The Anti-Monitor taking control of Lyla and killing everybody except the Paragons. And the destruction of Earth-1!! Why are making us wait a whole month to see how this ends?!?!?! 😫

The Flash: There Will Be Blood (2019) Season 6, Episode 4

Another great episode!!!

[9/10 · 30 October 2019]

This season is not taking its time at all. Just like episode 2 dove head first into the Crisis storyline, this episode dives head first into Bloodwork. Though it has been interesting to see Ramsey as a good guy, at least from our heroes' perspective, he has finally embraced his evil side and unleashed Bloodwork. Not only does he showcase his powers in gruesome ways but he also showcases how far he is willing to go to survive. That's a common thread throughout the character arcs this episode. As Cisco showcased how far he was willing to go to save Barry's life by stealing McCulloch Technologies' serum that was eventually given to Ramsey by Barry. When they were first looking to steal it, they were joined by Harrison 'Nash' Wells. Last episode introduced this new Wells and I'm already seeing the potential to make this a Wells to remember. He is no longer just a side character. He has his own very intriguing storyline involved with the upcoming crossover. The ending of this episode saw Nash Wells underground, looking for what people assumed was the "Eternium" he spoke of last week but when he used the crypto-circuit Cisco gave him to create a hologram, it was revealed that he was looking for the Monitor? This is one of the best storyline this season and I'm excited to see where it's going. Lastly, we had some side characters this episode that didn't do much in this episode, but did enough to remind that they're there and that they have their own storylines. Ralph, who was planning on dropping the Sue Dearbon case to focus on saving Barry from his impending death is headed to Midway City in search of more evidence for his case. Joe, who wasn't showing as much sorrow for Barry's death as other members of Team Flash broke down in an emotional heart to heart moment with Barry near the end of the episode that had all of us tearing up. And Frost was there to back up Barry in his fight against Ramsey and his "zombies". Overall, this wasn't a perfect as it was a bit slow for the first half, but it ramped up and earned its spot as the best episode of season 6 thus far.