The Lion King (2019)

Mufasa: "Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance. While others search for what they can take, a true king searches for what he can give."

We've currently in an age where just about everyone has a fairly strong opinion on the live-action (or in today's topic's case, hyper-realistic) Disney remakes of animated classics taking the box office by storm every four months. And of course I'm not going to make myself exempt from that camp either, my judgment in this area boils down to heartily enjoying stories that put spins on or offer a reinterpretation of well-known Disney characters like Christopher Robin and Maleficent, while finding it more trying to have the same merriment towards films that more or less just recreate a Disney film shot by shot, e.g. The Jungle Book or Beauty and the Beast.

Jessica Jones: AKA The Perfect Burger

Jessica: "I hate heroism."

Seeing that the third season of Jessica Jones consists of the final installments into the Marvel-Netflix series, something in me reckons that the least Netflix could have done was let this universe go out with a little bit of dignity. It was only the week before this season's launch that we finally got our first trailer, and the marketing overall of this season has been exceedingly minimal, as if this series suddenly felt akin to Super Mario Bros and Netflix is an ashamed Bob Hoskins ultimately leaving the title off his resume.

The Umbrella Academy: The White Violin

When it's all said and done, The Umbrella Academy's season finale does what finales typically aim to achieve. That is, for the most part it credibly brings an end to the arcs of season one while setting up and leaving room for intrigue over the murky elements of the upcoming season two.

The Umbrella Academy: Changes

And so we have reached what is perhaps the most controversial episode of The Umbrella Academy with regards to character development. And if I'm being completely honest, I think the backlash is a tad too feverish. Warranted, yes, but very hysteric too.

The Umbrella Academy: I Heard a Rumor

If the last few episodes of The Umbrella Academy have left me feeling the bad kind of conflicted, then it could be said that 'I Heard a Rumor' leaves me feeling the good kind of conflicted, if one is willing to believe that there is such a thing.

The Umbrella Academy: The Day That Was

'The Day That Was' fiercely reminds me of an anime that's realized it's catching up too close with its source material on print and therefore has to color in the rest of its story with some filler-esque material until the climax can be reached. It's not that 'The Day That Was' is especially lagging filler, but it does pale in comparison with regards to a compelling advancement against the first three-quarters of 'The Day That Wasn't.'

The Umbrella Academy: The Day That Wasn't

The Handler: "You're a great disappointment to me."

To put it bluntly, that quote more or less encapsulates the feelings I'm left with after 'The Day That Wasn't.' To get across fully the gravity of my abrupt reaction to this episode, obvious context is needed first, and not just in the manner you'd think.

The Umbrella Academy: Number Five

At the halfway mark of Season One, we finally are obtaining a sense that these siblings are slowly coming together in order to work as a cohesive team, as they each grow more and more acquainted to working with one another. Baby steps though, I feel that by the end of 'Number Five,' there is still one major factor that's keeping most of the Hargreeves back and that is their respective pasts, whether it's the last decade or the last twenty-four hours.

Gotham: The Beginning

Penguin: "I did not spend ten years in Blackgate to give my city to a man dressed like a bat!"

Me, watching the Gotham series finale and being confused that Gordon still doesn't have the iconic stache? It's more likely than you think.

Gotham: They Did What?

Gordon: "For Gotham!"

When FOX kicks the support beams out from under you and says that the narrative you had planned to normally span across a twenty-two episode season now has to be condensed down to ten episodes, I guess it makes sense that your last few episodes are going to feel more like a paint-by-numbers project as you struggle to quickly wrap up character arcs so that those characters in question can resemble their comic counterparts.

The Umbrella Academy: Man on the Moon

See what I mean about being a character-driven series? Four episodes in, and it still feels as though we haven't exited the first act yet of Season One, and yet 'Man on the Moon,' despite its title being a clear reference to Luther, takes the time to unpack even further the traits and personalities of many of its characters, specifically Diego and Ben.

The Umbrella Academy: Extra Ordinary

What an absolute kick to the feels this installment turned out to be. And ordinarily I don't gravitate much to that kind of terminology, but it's honestly the most uncluttered of ways I can think of to describe this episode's content.

The Umbrella Academy: Run Boy Run

After a very lively and fleet-footed pilot, 'Run Boy Run' is a more slowly-paced entry, choosing to supply the viewer with additional details pertaining to the Hargreeves siblings' lives through imagery rather than exposition, and introduce the series' supporting cast outside the Hargreeves family.

The Umbrella Academy: We Only See Each Other at Weddings and Funerals

Right from the comics, by illustrator Gabriel Bá and My Chemical Romance vocalist Gerard Way, comes the winter hit of Netflix nobody saw coming. Picture a love child between the X-Men and the dysfunctional Bluths, and you’ll have the Hargreeves siblings of The Umbrella Academy.

Gotham: I Am Bane

Eduardo: "Eduardo is dead, Jim. There is only Bane!"

How fitting that the title of this week's episode is 'I Am Bane' – because this episode also turned out to be the bane of my week.

Gotham: The Trial of Jim Gordon

Oswald: "He [Gordon] will hunt you down to the ends of the Earth!"
Barbara: "Let him."

You know, when it comes to reviewing 'filler', you can't help but wonder if it's worth it to be passionate enough about the content of the filler in question, seeing that it won't exact a heavy toll anyway on the rest of the story.

Gotham: Nothing's Shocking

Oswald: "Penn, I think you need some rest... and a psychiatrist!"

What a conflicting and contrasting episode this turned out to be. All I could really muster afterwards was "I think I liked it?" Forgive me though, for I realize how that doesn't sound very promising.

The Umbrella Academy

Season 1 | Season 2 |
Season 3 | Season 4 |
Cast |

A dysfunctional group of former superheroes known as The Umbrella Academy reunite after their adoptive father Sir Reginald Hargreeves mysteriously passes away.

Victoria Grossack reviewed seasons two through four. Aaron Studer reviewed season one. The series aired on Netflix 2019 through 2024.

Season One

1.1 We Only See Each Other At Weddings and Funerals
1.2 Run Boy Run
1.3 Extra Ordinary
1.4 Man on the Moon
1.5 Number Five
1.6 The Day That Wasn't
1.7 The Day That Was
1.8 I Heard a Rumor
1.9 Changes
1.10 The White Violin

Season Two

2.1 Right Back Where We Started
2.2 The Frankel Footage
2.3 The Swedish Job
2.4 The Majestic 12
2.5 Valhalla
2.6 A Light Supper
2.7 Öga for Öga
2.8 The Seven Stages
2.9 743
2.10 The End of Something

Season Three

3.1 Meet the Family
3.2 World's Biggest Ball of Twine
3.3 Pocket Full of Lightning
3.4 Kugelblitz
3.5 Kindest Cut
3.6 Marigold
3.7 Auf Wiedersehen
3.8 Wedding at the End of the World
3.9 Seven Bells
3.10 Oblivion

Season Four

Victoria Grossack wrote a season review for four instead of individual episode reviews.

4.1 The Unbearable Tragedy of Getting What You Want
4.2 Jean and Gene
4.3 The Squid and the Girl
4.4 The Cleanse
4.5 Six Years, Five Months, and Two Days
4.6 End of the Beginning

Cast

Elliot Page (Viktor Hargreeves/Vanya Hargreeves)
Tom Hopper (Luther Hargreeves)
David Castañeda (Diego Hargreeves)
Emmy Raver-Lampman (Allison Hargreeves)
Robert Sheehan (Klaus Hargreeves)
Aidan Gallagher (Number Five)
Mary J. Blige (Cha-Cha)
Cameron Britton (Hazel)
Adam Godley (Pogo)
Colm Feore (Sir Reginald Hargreeves)
Sheila McCarthy (Agnes)
Justin H. Min (Ben Hargreeves)
Jordan Claire Robbins (Grace)

Gotham: Ace Chemicals

Bruce: "Jeremiah, this ends tonight!"
Jeremiah: "No Bruce. Now it begins!"

At the end of the day, I realize Gotham wasn't just trying to tell the story of The Joker's origin (for the sixth time now I believe) in Season 5 – they were also showing a very devoted competition between Selina and Jeremiah to become Bruce's one true love interest.

Gotham: 13 Stitches

Bullock: "Nygma, you're a son-of-a-bitch!"
Nygma: "...not now Bullock!"

Oh how Gotham loves its hiatuses. Even in the midst of its final and condensed year, Gotham wouldn't dare pass up the opportunity to go on break for two weeks, with the same gusto that FedEx delivery men seem to have when knocking my lawn gnomes over. Still, after the wobbly ending 'Pena Dura' left us with, one thing I wasn't expecting out of the follow-up '13 Stitches' was for it to be an enjoyable and very witty installment. If I could, I'd leave the review at that too - it's just some darn fine entertainment.