2 Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by Rating:
Lost Girl (2010–2016)
3/10
Catching fire in Episode 8
8 November 2010
Warning: Spoilers
After watching this series from the beginning and wanting very badly to like it, I was just about to give up...when along came episode 8.

There were glimmers of hope in earlier episodes. Its sense of humour shone through, especially in dialogue between Bo and Kenzie. And episode with a giant spider that makes people paranoid demonstrated that the series was becoming aware of its own camp and using it to humorous effect.

But, despite attributes like director John Fawcett (of Ginger Snaps), there was never a sense that the show was finding its feet. What was gained on a previous episode would vanish in the next. It didn't have the humour or edge of shows like Buffy or True Blood. But episode 8 starts strong - sexy and violent - and builds and maintains tension. The edge that was missing since episode one was suddenly there. The actors seem to have suddenly developed a deeper understanding for the characters they play. I had begun to think that Anna Silk did not have the chops to make the character of Bo come alive and seem real, but in episode 8, you can finally sense the fire within. She's intense. She means business. The bartender Trick has been emerging in recent episodes as one of the more interesting characters and he nails it in episode 8.

Other reviewers here moan about how far Lost Girl has to come in order to compete with shows like Supernatural.

I want to remind those folks that Supernatural didn't switch into high gear until the third season. If this episode is any indication, then this series may be finding its voice halfway through the first season. Too late for some, but I hope that those who have already given up - have another look. If Lost Girl can maintain the high it reached in this episode, the rest of the season promises to be genuinely exciting.
23 out of 43 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
A mediocre short film becomes a hilarious new TV series
30 September 2010
The other day, I turned to the Canadian science fiction channel, Space to watch the season premiere of Supernatural. In the slot preceding that, they had put another premiere - the new series Todd and the Book of Pure Evil, which was based on a short film of the same name that I had seen and found cute but underwhelming a few years earlier. I had no expectations whatsoever, but was soon giggling like a madman and enjoying myself in a way I hadn't done since Buffy was in its heyday. To be fair, Buffy got off to a bit of a slow start, not really making the most of its great cast and promising premise until season 2. Todd, however, hit the ground running. The title character (Alex House) is a seemingly irredeemable slacker/stoner who spends most of his free time daydreaming about heavy metal stardom and making it with the school hottie, Jenny Kolinsky (Maggie Castle). Jenny is trying to track down the Book of Pure Evil because she suspects it has something to do with her missing father. Todd finds it first and uses it to become the heavy metal guitarist he's always dreamed of being...engaging in a guitar duel that was so funny it brought tears to my eyes. Naturally, there are dire consequences. Todd's music mesmerizes the entire audience at the Battle of the Bands, endangering a good portion of the student body and the teaching staff. Ultimately, the book moves on to find other pawns - which Crowley High offers in abundance. While I initially thought the premise too thin to sustain an entire series, the idea of moving the book from person to person opens up a whole world of plot possibilities. The characters and supporting cast are terrific. I particularly enjoyed the 3 Fubar-style hoser/muses in the parking lot who provide fuzzy minded advice and inspiration to Todd. Chris Leavins infuses the school guidance counselor Atticus Murphy with swell geeky evil. This series has plenty of edge, in the form of foul language, political incorrectness, loud music and juvenile gross-outs, but what makes it special is the warped cast of characters, the high-octane imagination and the sharp writing. The Canadian viewing audience gets to enjoy something exclusive and fabulous while waiting for the rest of the world to recognize what a gem this is. Hopefully it builds the large and enthusiastic audience in its homeland before taking off to conquer the world. As the three muses observed after Todd's concert debut, "So it begins anew..."
58 out of 64 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Recently Viewed