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The Last of Us: Kin (2023)
The Actors Carry This One, Unfortunately
To start on a high note, this is Pedro Pascal's best performance in the series so far, particularly when the neutral, vacant mask Joel puts on to protect himself from the potential dangers of his vulnerability finally, fully comes off in the presence of his brother, one of the few people left who know he is and who he's been pre- and post-apocalypse, and who he can truly confide in without guilt or shame. The facial work by Pascal in the scene is just incredible, as every muscle of his expression slowly loosens to reveal a beat up, broken man who's lost everything and been through it all, now paralyzed by the fear of losing someone he cares about again. Whether they were real tears or if the crew applied eye drops (I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't), Pedro's conveyance of emotion through the eyes is masterful, making them almost glazed over and widening them to the size of opals when for almost the show's entire run up to this point they've been mostly narrowed, cold, dead and/or hawkish. His less guarded interactions with Ellie in this episode (including their famous in-game confrontation) are great too, as Pascal's constantly battling with Joel's two states of being, one the battle-tested and emotionally hardened survivor and the other a lost soul beginning to find himself again but at the same time hesitant to regain his role as a father figure with all his baggage and an even more intolerant and dangerous outside world to grapple with.
Other than these two instances of brilliance from Pascal though, I'm sorry to say there is not much else going on in this episode that's worthwhile, as its most intriguing new characters, settings and potential narratives introduced are pushed aside, glossed over, or outright abandoned for the sake of completing the first game's story within the parameters of the miniseries' 9-episode format. The underlying culture of the town our main duo comes across and the wife of Joel's brother in particular were two subjects I was really hoping the episode would explore more since they grabbed my attention the most outside the central narrative, but it seems this chapter of the show/game is more focused on reintroducing and patching up the relationship between Joel and his brother as well as having Joel's tensions with Ellie come to a boil, which I get since both moments have been built up more, but still it comes across as a bit of a missed opportunity for worldbuilding when this rare post-apocalyptic society that actually functions properly isn't fleshed out more in its origins and workings, or given that much weight thematically/storywise other than being a backdrop for the show's established struggles. Now maybe the visual and narrative landscape of this episode's setting is faithful to that of the game's version including how much time is spent in it and the extent it can be thematically examined. I will admit I haven't played the game all the way through, but even if this cinematic town presented is a perfect re-creation of its environment in this chapter, I would be disappointed either way that its potential societal pitfalls of mob rule and isolation and why they are considered vital weren't narratively explored in any way, despite their clear visual existence.
In contrast to the Jackson commune in this episode, Kansas City and David's 'flock' in episodes 4 through 5 and 8 felt fully fleshed out, like they'd been on Earth for years and Joel and Ellie were just living in their worlds. But in Jackson, it seemed as if the setting gravitated around the characters and not the other way around, which makes sense given this episode's role as a bit of an emotional breather from the more heartbreaking tale of Henry and Sam, yet even settings that had less screentime than this one did felt more vibrant and lived in, with a consistent feeling or tone, but with Jackson there wasn't one except for happy-go-lucky, just like any other midwest town, and it just didn't sit right with me compared to the rest of this complicated and imaginative world that the people at Naughty Dog and HBO were able to craft. It almost felt unfinished.
Then there was the bizarre bit of choreography with Joel and Ellie barely tying their only mode of transportation to a tree. One accidental shot from their guns and that horse would have taken off in record time. Also, the need for Joel to run from four men carrying baseball bats instead of picking them off from a distance with his sniper rifle seemed odd to me. He can snipe a squad car driver through his windshield and take out multiple running zombies from a distance but can't take out four slow-moving targets from a third-story window? Aside from these logical fallacies, the final act and emotional cliffhanger of this episode work, and leave us desperate to see what happens to our heroes in the next episode.
Overall, this episode's main issue lies in its story structure. While the previous episodes of The Last of Us were more segmented and confined to individual settings, this one was more fluid and unattached to any given world or subject, which made its plotline less gripping or memorable apart from the segments we all remember from the game. Splitting its material covered into two episodes and removing its Left Behind episode probably would have helped its pace and worldbuilding a lot more. Still, it was a great meditation on Joel's mindscape after the losses of his daughter and potentially his brother only to find them again, with a new town and identity in Tommy and a different body and spirit entirely in Ellie. Moving drama, but I wish the episode's background, logistics and plotting could have been fleshed out a bit more.
Dark Side of the Ring: In the Shadow of Grizzly Smith (2021)
Not Just A Great Episode, An Important One
This might be the darkest of The Dark Side of the Ring they have shown so far, and that's something considering all the unsettling, tragic content they have presented in the last two seasons. In The Shadow of Grizzly Smith matches the most emotional episodes this show has produced and surpasses the most bleak, there were times that I actually growled and swore under my breath while watching this. Like the beginning of the episode states, the topics of incest and sexual abuse are discussed in this episode, so if you aren't prepared for this kind of subject matter, please view this with discretion. However, if you can handle the themes and subject matter present in this episode, you're in for a tale of tragedy, trauma, manipulation, redemption, and ultimately, hope. The tribulations and recoveries of Jake Roberts and Rockin' Robin in particular are inspiring, proving that though we can never forget previous wounds we have sustained, whether emotional or physical, it is certainly possible learn and grow from them to become better, healthier versions of ourselves because of them. So if you can afford to watch this without feeling offended or overwhelmingly repulsed, it is definitely a story worth viewing for the shocking, never-to-be-forgotten acts that took place within the Smith patriarchy, and the trauma it's victims sustained and eventually grew from in the family's aftermath.
Dark Side of the Ring: The Collision in Korea (2021)
Shocking, Strange and Thoroughly Entertaining
To start, the lighting, colors, silhouetted performances and timing with the play-by-play accounts from the recreated moments are top-notch as usual. I actually
think the Dark Side of the Ring crew might have outdid themselves this time. Everything was well coordinated and shot, which paired with truly insane story makes this episode one of the better ones. The bravery of Antonio Inoki to appear on the show and discuss what happened in North Korea is unreal, especially given his political and international status. There were parts of this episode that seemed too dramatic and insane to be true, which makes it that much better as a wrestling fan to know they are, and to see them unfold on screen. These episodes make 40 minutes fly by, especially this one. By the end of the story, I was almost angry that it was over already. But the episode didn't miss or skip anything, all the twists, turns and memorable moments from WCW's trip to North Korea are shown in their frenetic, intense glory. Definitely check it out.
All in the Family: Sammy's Visit (1972)
Timeless Comedy and Sammy Davis Jr.'s Stellar Performance Make This Must-See TV
This episode of All In The Family had a lot to live up to, with an entire plot dedicated to the once-in-a-lifetime entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. at what was arguably the height of his career. His hit single "The Candy Man" reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 four months after the episode aired. And following 26 minutes of gut-busting dialogue, unforgettable interactions and insightful racial and social commentary, most of it coming at the expense of a certain bigot, I can say with absolute certainty that "Sammy's Visit" more than exceeded my expectations and surely those of the people who got to see it live or on TV in 1972.
Successfully writing an episode involving a special guest can be a very delicate balance for show writers, especially if that special guest isn't playing a part or appearing for a blink-and-you'll-miss-it scene. The guest has to have some influence over the progression of the episode's story, as well as be a subject of considerable discussion from and, inevitably, conversation with the main characters. But at the same time, the guest's appearance must adhere to the show's established tone, setting, structure, and the personalities and dynamics of its characters, and the reason for the guest appearing on the show shouldn't feel unrealistic or forced. Sammy Davis Jr.'s appearance on All In The Family perfected this balance, with Mister Show Business arriving at the house to retrieve an important briefcase he left in Archie's cab (Archie's job as a cab driver being written in three episodes prior to this one just so his appearance on the show could happen and make sense), and being positioned at the center of the episode's plot and humor without making his presence in the Bunker household seem out of place at all. In fact his chemistry with the main cast is so good you wouldn't be dismissed for thinking he'd been a staple on the show since the beginning if this was your first time watching All In The Family. His facial expressions when reacting to the ever growing chaos around him are absolutely hysterical (he outdid Carol O'Connor's facials in this episode, and that's saying something!) and with each new stranger he meets you get to see a new side of Sammy Davis Jr: the struggle of retaining his squeaky-clean image for photographers as a celebrity, his desperation to escape crazy fans and crazy people in general as a worn-out public figure, his joking and communal embrace with Lionel as a black brother, his passive responses to Archie's painfully apparent bigotry that were subtly obliterating his character right in front of him without his knowledge. And finally the kiss for Mister Bunker and the peace sign as one last shot at his dated, ridiculous racial and political ideologies, revealing himself as the civil rights activist and anti-war supporter he truly was. It's all there, and it makes Sammy Davis Jr.'s time on All In The Family not just one of the show's all-time great episodes, but possibly the greatest appearance by a guest star on any show, ever.
And I could go on and on about the plethora of jokes and satire this episode produced that remain funny to this day and probably will be for the rest of time (the misunderstanding about Gloria's boyfriend, Edith's hilariously horrible timing when saying anything before Seinfeld's Kramer made it popular, the total freakout by Lionel's mother upon seeing Sammy in-person, Archie wearing his signed picture like a badge of honor) but explaining all the incredible humor jam-packed into this one episode would be next to impossible. I would highly recommend watching it for yourself if you haven't already. "Sammy's Visit" has to be seen to be believed.