The Ark “Like It Touched the Sun”, Review!

The second episode of The Ark features tensions with the crew, the aftermath of last episode, and a murder mystery! The colony ship, Ark-1, is on its way when an unknown disaster strikes the cyro section losing the commanders. The ship continues in space with three crew members moving in EVA (extravehicular activity, astronauts operating outside of a ship or station), Lt. Sharon Garnet, the de facto leader monitors them, Lt. Spencer Lane is examining what happened to the ship. Garnet detects damage on the Wheel’s trusses, it is starting to break off pieces. Debris strikes Lance, he starts to drift into space, until caught by Lt. James Brice! The other crew member has died, pierced by a piece of The Wheel. Garnet calls for the doctor to the airlock. Lane is unconscious. Later, he is sitting on a medical bed while the Dr. Sanjivni Kabir tends to him. Alicia Nevins appears for a post-physical. One crew member complains about the heat she wonders why Nevins is not at her post. She brings up a rumor that she killed her Dr. Kabir turns at Nevin’s babbling and tells to shut up. Lane wonders why she hasn’t rested. 

THE ARK -- “Like It Touched the Sun” -- STACEY READ, RYAN ADAMS -- Photo: Aleksander Letic/Ark TV Holdings, Inc./SYFY 

Lane walks out and meets with Brice who was at the dead crew member’s wedding. Nevins runs into Baylor Trent who was moved into waste management who is happy since he worked at cryogenics. Nevins admits that she says TMI. Nevins tells Trent that she was from Cincinnati and New Africa. Her background is fascinating, the only other sci fi character to come from Africa is Nyota Uhura from Star Trek. It looks like Nevins has fallen for him! At the funeral of the dead crew members, head of engineering, Eva Markovic, sees Harris Beckner’s body, and has memories of him. Cat Brandice sees Eva spit on Jasper Dade’s corpse. He was responsible for their deaths. At the conference room, Angus Medford says the bodies should be used in the NOD which Nevins identifies as the Natural Organic Drum. Strickland and Lane don’t want to eat people. Eva is with her crew working get the engine ready for lightspeed. Brice catches up with Lane who is suspicious about Garnet. A flashback, “Three Days before Launch”, we see the introduction of Commander Susan Ingram (Lisa Brenner) before the crew. She mentions that they will be conscious for a week before cyro. 

She introduces the Ark program founder, William Trust (Paul Leonard Murray), who appears in hologram. He reminds me of the brilliant S.R. Hadden in Contact (1997). Trust says there are plans for twenty Arks. Ingram has them ready for departure. Cat is being interviewed as part of her program, Cat Calls! Lester introduces Garnet. Ingram talks with Lane who says she was assigned by “some higher up.” Brice sits in Lane’s bed who explains that Garnet took the captain’s quarters. Garnet is checking on Secured Storage, head of security, Strickland sees her, she says she was checking the codes. He keeps Garnet as a suspect and asks about the 1-C clearance. Garnet mentions it is Markovich, Lane, Brice, and herself. Angus checks the farm, a pipe shudders, and then sprays water. He tries to cover the leak with a box. Angus explains to Garnet that 100 gallons of water were lost. Garnet tries to reassure him. Angus hasn’t seen Eva and Garnet goes to look for her. At her quarters, she finds her alone, crying, then sees Cat who might help. Garnet thinks she had a relationship with Harris. Cat mentions the secret relationship. It seems everyone on the ship knew about their secret romance. 

        THE ARK -- “Like It Touched the Sun” -- CHRISTINA WOLFE, TIANA UPCHEVA, CHRISTIE BURKE -- Photo: Aleksander Letic/Ark TV Holdings, Inc./SYFY 

Eva says that she met Harris in Belgrade. Cat wants her to reflect on her memories and tries to keep Garnet from bringing up business. Lane watches the replay of the event’s of the accident. Brice notes an EMP that interfered with the recording Strickland asks Lane about his whereabouts, but he refuses to answer. Nevins washes out the damp mud into a bucket. Angus finds a knife, a hunting knife recognized by Nevins, he realizes it came from a pipe. A clue to the murder mystery. Eva is back at duty giving assignments. One of her crew, Sasha (Milos Cvetkovic), brings up Harris and tells her that she has to grieve. Eva says she is the most qualified to get the ship up and running. The lieutenants bring in Garnet. Brice says he wants to go EVA. Garnet says it is too dangerous since he is navigator and has him give his word not to EVA. Brice walks with Lane and says he is going through the EVA. Angus meets with Strickland at the mess hall who says the knife was not found. A crew member takes hold Angus’ water ration angry with the lost water. Strickland gets into a fight with him and several others. Garnet joins the fight. She is knocked back, but helped up by Angus. Strickland brings out his security prod and the fight is ended. 

The brawlers are cuffed at mess hall tables. Garnet says there is no brig, only the storage closet, so she mentions that the six troublemakers. She says to Lane that they have to fix the cause. Garnet meets with Cat, who has a sleep mask at her bunk. She notes that there is fighting with the crew and assigns her to be similar to Deanna Troi! Cat says she is a tv relationship specialist, but agrees to the position and has some demands. Brice is going EVA with Lane checking on him on a computer pad. He finds the steel has melted and some crystals embedded into the metal. Brice crushes it and some greenish liquid begins to dissolve his glove. An Alien-like acid! Lane has him pressurized in the airlock to get his hand out of the cold of space! Dr. Kabir checks Brice’s mangled hand, he has lost three layers of skin, and the substance is unknown. Garnet is angry that there is no collaboration with the officers. She has gone 52 hours without sleep. She makes a ship wide announcement about the hard work of the crew with five hour rest periods. The complications of this colony mission reminds me of the 2016 National Geographic Mars series that had a hypothetical mission with unforeseen problems which cuts to real science, recommended! The Ark features a tense crew held together by Garnet with ship accidents and mysteries! 

Four Compression Suits out of Five! 

#TheArk, #ChristieBurke, #ReeceRitchie, #RichardFleeshman, #StaceyRead, #RyanAdams, #PavleJerinic, #TianaUpcheva, #ChristinaWolfe, #ShaliniPeiris, #MilesBarrow, #MilosCvetkovic, #LisaBrenner 

The Last of Us, “Please Hold to My Hand”, Review!

The Last of Us continues with a side turn into a dangerous city! Re:cap - “Infected”: In the course of Joel and Ellie’s travels, we shifted to the story of Bill and Frank, a bit of hope in the apocalypse. They have built a suburban, survivalist paradise apart from the Infected. Frank brings in Tess and Joel who warns Bill that his defenses against raiders will not be enough. A jump to “Three Years Later”, Frank is jogging ahead while Bill struggles to catch up. Frank covers Bill’s eyes and then reveals a small patch of strawberries which he traded seeds for one of Bill’s guns. They bite into strawberries, Bill giggles in joy, he admits that he was never afraid until Frank arrived, and they kiss. Night, rain pours down as raiders cross into Bill’s traps, modified flame throwers burst, which wakens Frank. An explosion gets him out of bed, he checks the window and hears screams, Frank takes out a gun calling for Bill. He is standing in the street firing at raiders that are being electrocuted by the fence and set on fire. It is dark, but Bill is shot in the inside! 

Frank pulls him into the house, Bill tells him that he made a list for Frank, and repeats, “Call Joel”, as Frank tries to tend to him on a table. Bill gets quiet and we fade to black. Later, we hear Frank quietly calling for Bill, he is in a wheelchair in the front of the house. This is surprising since we saw Bill was wounded, but it is “Ten Years Later”, we see Frank’s paintings of himself and Bill. He attempts to paint, but is weak, Bill walks from the greenhouse. Bill winks at him and then begins to water a plant, it is interesting to see Bill turn from survivalist to just average guy. Frank is working on a surreal painting of Bill’s face.  At a meal, Frank struggles to eat his soup, Bill reminds him to take his pills. Bill helps take out the pills from a packet. Bill carries Frank to bed, just a gentle gesture, and he finds Frank in a chair who took the night to move there. Frank admits that it is his last day. In his wheelchair, Bill grasps for some kind of doctor, but Frank tells him there was no cure. Frank says that he had more good days with Bill and wants one good day. 

Frank explains how he wants his one good day to go. Bill, crying, says he can’t go through it. Frank tells him to love him like he wants. Leaves rustle as Bill wheels Frank to the boutique. At the piano, dressed up, Bill gives Frank his ring, and Frank does the same. Bill has made the rabbit dinner from their first meeting, he pours their last cups of wine together, and mixes the bag of pills. Frank drinks and realizes that Bill has put the pills in the bottle. Bill says he is satisfied. Frank says he should be furious, but says it is romantic.  They chuckle and then Bill wheels Frank to bed. Honestly, viewers were very emotional at these scenes, but I was in the moments of their characters, living and dying on their own terms. We pick up with Joel and Ellie at the fence while Joel inputs the code to open the gate. It is deserted, they enter the house, Ellie finds a note from Bill addressed to “Whomewever, but Mostly Joel.” She reads “August 29, 2023”, not to enter the room, so they left open the window.

The letter notes that it is probably Joel since others would die from his traps and adds, “Hehehehehehehehe”, I love Bill’s dry sense of humor. Ellie looks up to see Joel’s reaction and then continues that Bill never liked Joel, but respects him. Bill admits he hated the world until there was one person worth saving. “That’s why men like you and me are here”, powerful words, he leaves his weapons and equipment, Ellie pauses here. We see the letter reads, “to keep Tess safe.”  Joel takes the letter and crumples it in the yard. He checks on a truck in the garage and then asks to see Ellie’s arm before telling Ellie about his brother which he can know about the Fireflies base. He gives her rules which she agrees to follow and goes to Bill’s workroom. Joel doesn’t want her to take any of Bill’s guns. Ellie finds a gun in Bill’s desk and puts it in her backpack. They get into the truck, Ellie is impressed, Ellie finds a cassette and it plays Linda Rondstadt’s “Long Long Time” as they drive away. We pull back from the curtains of Bill and Frank’s room as we see the truck leave.  

This ep, Ellie is facing a mirror, Taxi Driver-style, and then goes “pew pew.” It’s play for her, not the seriousness needed to use the gun effectively which is what Joel feared for Ellie. She unloads the clip and then the gun to eject the bullet, contemplates it, and then pulls the trigger in her pretend game. This is a restroom, Ellie hears a noise, and then returns the gun to her pack. This is a remote gas station, she walks over to Joel siphoning gasoline from one of the moss-covered cars. He doesn’t want Ellie to wander so she takes out a joke book. They drive away in the truck, lines of rusting, abandoned vehicles are all turned to the side of the road. Ellie takes out a Hank Williams cassette for Joel to play. It’s “Alone and Forsaken.” Next, she takes out an adult magazine, again jokes around, and tosses it out of the truck. A number of cattle graze at the side, nature returning to normal, and they pass an abandoned roller coaster. They cross a bridge, boats capsized, then abandoned military vehicles, Ellie looks at them quietly.  

Joel turns off the road, across a field, and drives into a forest. Later, he cooks a meal that Ellie hungrily eats, Joel tells her that it is 20 year old Chef Boyardee ravioli. Ellie remarks, “That guy was good”, very funny. He plans on sleeping and then driving day and night to get to Wyoming in the next morning. She wants to start a fire, Ellie realizes that the smoke won’t bring Infected, but dangerous people. They start to ready for sleep, Ellie notes that the sleeping bag smells good, Joel notes that it is Frank’s. Such a fun nod to last episode. She is restless until Joel reassures her that they won’t be found. Ellie sleeps and Joel later stands watch. In the morning, Ellie is wakened by Joel putting supplies back in the truck, and she is offended by the smell of brewing coffee. On the road, Ellie is checking the map looking for Cody, Joel notes that Tommy could be at a settlement. Great to see a map since there is obviously no GPS trackers. She is persistent about hearing what happened with Tommy. Joel says that Tommy wanted to be a hero, went to Operation Desert Storm, after the outbreak, Tommy had Joel go with him to Boston. 

They had met Tess, Marlene brought Tommy into the Fireflies, so this brings us up to speed with Joel going to find his younger brother. Ellie brings up why he continues without hope. Joel tells her that it is family. He considers Ellie cargo, insulting, but he made the promise to Tess. Ellie falls asleep and then finds that they have reached a freeway filled with empty cars. The bridge underpass is blocked by truck trailer and Joel decides to detour around it. He tells Ellie that they are at Kansas City and he drives to pick up the road.  They reach the city streets, covered by leaves, and pass a charred pile of Infected. Ellie tells him to stop since she sees a QZ, but there is no FEDRA! A man calls out for help, Joel drives around him, someone drops a box from a balcony smashing the windshield! Joel drives the truck through a modified spike strip, a rifleman shoots at them, and then Joel crashes through a store! They slip out of the truck as the others open fire on them. Joel has Ellie crawl and slip into a hole in a wall while he covers her with a rifle. Joel shoots one of them and then takes cover. One of the gunmen enters the store, Ellie is hiding, and then he is shot by Joel. 

Another burst through the rear door and a man (Juan Magana) has the rifle pinned to Joel’s neck. Ellie takes out her switch knife and then looks for her gun. She walks up and then shoots the man! Joel gasps for air, the man pleads for his life, and says he is Bryan. Joel takes the gun, Bryan tosses over a knife, and has Ellie go back into the wall. Joel takes care of Bryan and then has Ellie move a blocked door. They slip out of the store and hear more vehicles arrive. One of the men calls for Bryan and sees the bodies. Joel finds the door across from the store is open and they slip into that building. At a FEDRA facility, an elderly man, Edelstein (John Getz) is interrogated by Kathleen (Melanie Lynskey), in a light blue jacket read off names. Getz starred in Doom Patrol as Paul Trainor. Lynskey plays Shauna in Yellowjackets. Kathleen is looking for Henry. She brings up that this may be the room where her brother was beaten to death. Looks like insurgents overthrew FEDRA.  Edelstein had turned in people to FEDRA. The doctor says they had a gun to his head so Kathleen takes out her gun. Edelstein says he delivered her. A truck horn takes Kathleen’s attention and she goes through a crowd to see the bodies including Bryan. This faction has piecemeal armor from the FEDRA soldiers. 

A bearded man familiar with the military, Perry (Jeffrey Pierce), says it was outsiders, possibly mercs. Pierce voiced Tommy in the Last of Us games. She asks if they would live with a doctor’s help, but another man says no. Kathleen walks to the cell and shoots the doctor. She is the ruthless leader of this revolution. Then, she returns and says the killer should be found. This is insurgents who hunt down opponents with outlaw tactics worse than FEDRA. They are caught in a war between two rivals. At the boarded up Hi Lo bar, Joel and Ellie are hiding, they hope to move to a tall building when it is safe. Joel says that Ellie shouldn’t have to have shot Bryan and apologizes. Ellie admits this wasn’t the first time. Joel goes over to show Ellie how to use the gun, she learned in FEDRA school, and hands her the gun to put in her pack. This is a danger for Ellie, not to turn into a child soldier, to keep herself intact until safe. It is difficult to have any kind of sympathy with the revolutionaries if they are in the shoot first mode. Joel had always worried about people, not FEDRA or mercs, just that people could be dangerous. There are other dangers than just different factions! This ep is an expansion from the video game. Another intense story exploring the grey area of this post-apocalypse world, but the bar was set so high by the last episode, this one is just slightly beneath it! 

Four Fungi out of Five! 

#TheLastOfUs, #PleaseHoldToMyHand, #PedroPascal, #BellaRamsey, #MelanieLynskey, #JeffreyPierce, #JuanMagana, #JohnGetz   

Bad Batch, “Tribe“, Review!

The Bad Batch finds a discovery on a trading mission that leads to Kashyyyk!  The Havoc Marauder heads towards an station, Vanguard Axis, with a flattened ring with pod-like buildings at one end. It orbits a planet. An unusual name, I wonder why not use Axis Station, it makes me automatically think these are bad guys. The ship lands at a docking bay, Hunter exits and tells the others that the Axis is used for smuggling. He leaves Omega and Echo to guard the Havoc Marauder as the others head for the shipment.  They are met by an Axis droid, bulbous arms like made from balloons, and a flat, roundish head with green, oval photoreceptor and red eye. They are voiced by Shelby Young cleared until reaching the Axis leader (Noshir Dalal), the blue droid has a cross on his photorecptor, who asks Hunter about the forgeries. Wrecker brings a case of Chain codes, the Axis leader wants to verify them, Tech vouches for them. The droid has another to check each code. Omega tells Echo she’s suspicious, he goes to ready the ship, then Omega hears distant roaring that gets her attention!

She walks into dark, deserted halls of the station, then Omega sees two Axis droids using electostaves to bring pain to a young Wookie.  Omega shouts for them to stop. The Wookie takes the time to kick a droid down, takes its electrostaff, and then duels with the other droid and shocks it with the electrostaff. The other is hit by the energy bolt from Omega’s bow. They start to slip away from the Axis droids. One droid surprises Omega, but the Wookie brings down the staff on its head!  The Wookie goes to search through a box of parts. He roars at Echo who wants Omega on board the Marauder. The Axis leader gets a message of the combat and leaves the room. Hunter is contacted by Echo about acting as reinforcements. Axis leader sees the Wookie with Omega and Echo. He calls in his droids, but a blaster rifle of one droid is blasted away. The rest of the Bad Batch is there! The droid leader says the Wookie is valuable to a “buyer.” 

The Wookie drops his blaster rifle and has his hands out - a green lightsaber flies to him!  This is the Wookie Padawan, Gungi, who was introduced in the Clone Wars episode, “The Gathering” (2012) getting his lightsaber crystal and was last seen watching Anakin Skywalker at the Jedi Temple. Gungi takes the lead in deflecting blaster bolts and is effective alongside the Bad Batch. It is great to see a Jedi Youngling who trained under Ahsoka survive Order 66 and rescued by the Bad Batch! They retreat to the ship and escape! This is one of their most important missions!  In hyperspace, Omega wonders why Gungi is separated from everyone in the ship, Hunter says he’s scared, and Omega offers him a box of rations. Gungi roars at the approach of the others. Hunter tells him that they are not like the other clone soldiers. He tucks into the rations and Omega asks his name. The Wookie (Jonathan Lipow) replies in Shyriiwook, Hunter says he is a “bit rusty”, but makes out Gungi’s name.

Tech translates the rest of his words saying that Gungi was on the run trying to reach Kashyyyk in the Mid Rim. Omega, of course, wants to help him. Wrecker says they haven’t been to Kashyyyk in some time. Echo says to Hunter that the Empire may have outposts on the Wookie homeworld and may not be safe. Hunter adds that he is a Jedi. The Havoc Marauder jumps out of hyperspace. They are headed to a village known to Hunter and the Bad Batch. Echo has detected “heavy deforestation.” Remember that this is the time that the Empire occupied Kashyyyk. It was later freed by Han Solo and Chewbaccca after the Battle of Endor in Aftermath: Life Debt (2016). Hunter warns Gungi about his lightsaber. They fly to the Kashyyyyk forests, Omega asks what he remembers, Hunter translates “From his dreams.” The trees are webbed around them, Wrecker cuts through the webbing with a vibroknife, they are suddenly surrounded by yellow kinraths, like strange praying mantis, they first appeared in the game, Knights of the Old Republic (2003).  

It reaches out a pseudo-pod and Gungi has the squad lower their weapons. He reaches out with the Force and the creatures retreat.  They reach a cliff edge seeing the valley with green swathed mountains like something out of China. Tech has found that the village is direclty ahead of them. They find burning wreckage of a bridge, broken branches, and smoke. Hunter looks at tank tracks and says that the Empire destroyed the village! Gungi falls to his knees in sadness. Omega tries to encourage him that they will find the Wookies. They hear rumbling, Tech scans to find Trandoshans taking away Wookies, with Imperial Armored Assault Tanks behind them. Trandoshans are known to enslave the Wookies. I wonder what Cid think of this mission? The tanks have the bases of hover tanks with a side cannon and a turret mount. A Trandoshan (Lipow) reports in to the hologram of Commander Venomor (JP Karliak) finding more “carved stones.” The commander wants them to continue. The Trandoshan turns the turret to send out flames! 

Gungi charges after the tank and ignites his lightsaber. The Bad Batch join the fight. Trandoshans are blasted. Gungi frees the Wookie and he carves into tank with his lightsaber. The fight is finished and Hunter hands out shovels to stop the fires. In the morning, after stopping the fires, they hear loud growling. Large, shaggy, cat-like Mylaya with large ear flaps appear. Mounts for Wookies, their design, the same with the kinraths were unrealized designs for a Clone Wars episode. For some reason, the Mylaya remind me of Battle Cat from Masters of the Universe. They are taken to another village. The Wookie settlements looks like the circular wooden structures, mushroom-like around trees, which we’ve seen the designs from the Star Wars Holiday Special (1978). One is at the base of a giant, Wroshyr tree with steps. Walking down is a Wookie elder (Young) with a hooded garmet and using a staff. The hood seems like a connection to the Ewoks. She has two Wookie guards and speaks with the Mylaya riders. Tech explains that her name is Yanna. Hunter speaks to Yanna to say that they are returning Gungi, but don’t know his village. Yanna touches Gungi’s head. It looks liek they have to team up to fight the Trandoshans and find a place for Gungi. “Tribe” returns Bad Batch to the greater narrative of the Empire, connects to Clone Wars with Gungi! 

Four Vibro-knives out of Five! 

  

#BadBatch, #Tribe, #DeeBradleyBaker, #MichelleAng, #Gungi, #JonathanLipow, #Yanna, #ShelbyYoung, #NoshirDalal, #JPKarliak 

Hollywood Show - February 4, 2023!

The Hollywood Show had such excitement today, there was tables for The Warriors actors, some surprises, and more! The usual location of the show is at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport and an easy ride from the shuttle there or even a short walk. The convention center is connected to the hotel and all of the workers are incredibly helpful. Once you enter with admission and bracelet, there is the main room straight ahead, and it has two doors to enter. The table to the far right had Henry Winkler whose queue lasted throughout the day filled with many patient fans. On the other side of the wall was Happy Days actors, Don Most and Anson Williams. Down the tables was a Home Improvement reunion with Richard Karn (Al Borland) and Debbe Dunning (Heidi Keppert). Across the way is a line of tables in a rectangle shape. Around the corner was the voice actor for Peter Pan in Return to Neverland (2002), Blayne Weaving, and Margaret Kerry, the Tinkerbell live action model for Peter Pan (1953).

Birthday cake for Michael Beck!, author’s photo.  

Continuing along that table about the middle was Peter Kwong who played Rain in Big Trouble in Little China (1986). He mentioned being at the Oscars party for Parasite (2019) and just the crowd cheering for its incredible wins! I hope the Storms; Carter Wong (Thunder) and James Pax (Lightning), and more actors show up for a show reunion. Across the rectangle were groups of tables in rows of three. One table had a reunion of the actors from Hocus Pocus (1993); Omri Katz (Max), Vinessa Shaw (Allison), and cop played by Michael McGrady. The next row featured The Warriors (1979); defacto leader, Swan (Michael Beck), Cochise (David Harris), Vermin (Terry Michos), Snow (Brian Tyler), and Fox (Thomas G. Waites). There was also one of the Baseball Fury members (Rob Ryder), a Rogue (Joel Weiss), and one of the prom couples seen on the train; Jeffrey Scott and Jodi Price. This also happened to be the birthday of Beck so a cake was presented to him, a very special event for the show, happy birthday Michael Beck! Harris had a number of merch items; t-shirts, baseball caps, and DVDs. A visit to his table is a must for fans of The Warriors. Michos noted that the actors are still friends and Tyler hinted at a return with the LL Cool J song. 

The incredible selection of merch, photos, bells, and ornaments at the table of Karolyn Grimes!, photo by the author. 

Along the wall on the right were Bond Girl actresses; actress from The Man with the Golden Gun (1974); Britt Ekland (Mary Goodnight) and Maud Adams (Andrea Anders) who was also Octopussy (1983), and from The Living Daylights (1987), Maryam d’Abo (Kara Milovy), who was also there with her cousin, Olivia d’Abo who was in Conan the Destroyer (1984). On the other side was a table with Karolyn Grimes who played Zuzu Bailey, Zuzu’s Petals, in one of my top films, It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)! She wrote with artist, Karen Deming, Zuzu’s Petals, A Dream of `It’s A Wonderful Life’ (2016). Plus, Kathy Garver, who voiced Firestar in Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends. Lastly, there was Bill Minderhout, who acted in the early Our Gang comedies. These are just some of the many celebrities that appeared at the Hollywood Show, a great opportunity to meet some and get signed items, the upcoming shows inclued June 30th to July 1st, and October 6th and 7th. Check their website at https://www.hollywoodshow.com, in case you are interested in seeing who will be at the next show! 

#HollywoodShow, #HenryWinkler, #DonMost, #AnsonWilliams, #RichardKarn, #DebbeDunning, #BlayneWeaver, #MargaretKerry, #PeterKwong, #OmriKatz, #VinessaShaw, #MichaelMcGrady, #MichaelBeck, #DavidHarris, #TerryMichos, #BrianTyler, #ThomasGWaites, #RobRyder, #JoelWeiss, #JeffreyScott, #JodyPrice, #BrittEkland, #MaudAdams, #MaryamDAbo, #OliviaDAbo, #KrolynGrimes, #KathyGraver, #BillMinderhout  

The Ark, “Everyone Wanted to Be on This Ship“, Review!

The Ark is a new sci fi show that is just non stop thrills and character moments with a colony ship that has lost its commanders and now has specialists trying to keep the Ark on course! The series is created by Dean Devlin, who wrote and produced Independence Day (1996). He also executive produced the fantasy show, The Outpost with Jonathan Glassner, who was also executive producer of Stargate SG-1. Devlin writes and directs the pilot episode. The show starts with a red, impact warning alert, a pan down to the sleeper pod of a woman, Alicia Nevins (Stacey Read). 

Then, the rest of the Hibernation Area is seen filled with rows of sleeper pods. We saw the hibernation pods of 2001: A Space Odyssey like white, wrapped up corpses. Some debris crashes on the sleeper pod of a woman, this is Lt. Sharon Garnet (Christie Burke), the actress is known for the horror mini-series, The Haunting of Bly Manor. This causes her to waken with a gasp, Garnet stumbles out, and activates her grey compression suit. The Ark is a long, cylindrical ship has two rotating wheels around its mid-section. 

She races over to see the ship status which reads "Hull Breach"! Garnet activates the Reanimation Sequence for the rest of the sleeper pods. She moves to the pod of Lt. Spencer Lane (Reece Ritchie) previously played Zed in The Outpost. Lane is told about the breach and to help evacuate the bay. A large girder smashes on a sleeper pod. One crew member, Baylor Trent (Miles Barrow), calls out for Susan and rushes over to try to help her. Garnet is trying to unlock a door’s keypad. She is brushed aside by Felix Strickland (Pavle Jerinic). 

The Outpost featured Jerinic as Marvin. Garnet calls for everyone to get into the other room. She puts on her helmet and tells the others to do the same. Baylor is still struggling to pull the debris, but Garnet tries to pull him away. She shoves a helmet on him. A shudder nearly throws all of the crew off their boots. Fragments of the ship snap off, striking the ship, and arrest the spinning of a wheels. This of course causes the Hibernation Area to go into zero-g, the boots of Garnet and Trent start to float off the deck! 

Garnet manages to pull Trent away. The pacing of all of the astronaut incidents is like Gravity (2013). The others are tossed about in the corridor. Garnet floats into the room and slams down a lever, this seals the door, as the pods are crumpled in the destruction! Strickland keeps trying to enter a code into another door keypad. Garnet sees out of the door’s panel, part of the ship being torn apart. Strickland finally manages to open the other door and crewmembers are thrown into the hall. This is a great physical effect. 

Garnet struggles and finally gets over to a screen to frantically type in commands. She finds the Wheel is blocked, then enters the release of the Wheel, it slams away the debris. Then, Garnet sees Restart, the Wheel turns, and gravity is restored. The crew members fall to the ground! She hits the Restart to activate the life support system. The oxygen level is restored, lights turn on, and Garnet takes off her helmet to breathe. The others follow her. By accident or circumstance, Garnet has saved all of their lives. 

Later, she walks with Lane to see the commanding officers. Lane doesn’t want to waken Captain Lester. They see that the cyro bay is missing! Did someone sabotage the bay or was it an accident? At the Med Bay 12, two members are walking on treadmills, one of them is Cat Brandice (Christina Wolfe) who says the ship was hit by an asteroid. Julia Pennyworth was played by Wolfe on the Batwoman series. Dr. Sanjivni Kabir (Shalini Peiris) wants them not to spread rumors. Peiris had a cameo as a soldier in Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021). 

An awkward, young man with glasses, Angus Medord (Ryan Adams), checks in. Dr. Kabir wants him to take off his compression suit. He falls and find his legs don’t work well from atrophy. Garnet looks for Lt. James Brice (Richard Fleeshman). The actor starred as Ken in series adapting Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman. He is in an ice bath, she wants to assign him to centcom and calls her captain. He pulls himself out, naked, and Cat smiles. 

                              THE ARK -- “Everyone Wanted to Be on This Ship” -- CHRISTINE BURKE -- Photo: Aleksandar Letic/Ark TV Holdings, Inc./SYFY 

Lt. Garnet want to know the status of the ship. She tells Brice that Captain Mayweather is dead. Helmets are taken to Eva Markovic (Tiana Upcheva) by Jasper Dades (Chris Lesak), since she needs to refill the helmets. He calls her comrade and she says she’s Serbian. Upcheva was the charming Warlita in The Outpost. Lesak was in the comedy series, The Goes Wrong Show. She moves Harris Beckner (Dominik Cicak) to the supply room. The actor was in the thriller mini-series, The Ipcress File (2022). 

She broke laws to get him on the team and, kisses him. A ship wide announcement calls for all personnel on the mess hall on C deck. Angus, sits next to Alicia Nevins, on the waste management team, she is hyper-talkative. Nevins recognizes him since he grew crops in the Mojave Desert. Garnet updates them that they were asleep for five years to reach Proxima B. Lance explains that there is no record of the ship's accident. Navigation has been restored. Brice says there is a four weeks water supply. 

Cat says they were to wake up two weeks before landing and brings up food. Garnet says there is six weeks of food. She tells everyone that the entire High command and everyone else in Pod Bay 1 is dead. Garnet says the three are the highest ranking officers. She says that she has most working knowledge of the ship. Also Garnet forgot to mention that she had saved all of their lives. There was a food supply was intended for 400 people and there are 150 survivors. They were chosen because they are the most gifted in their fields. 

Garnet says their mission to colonize a planet is “To save mankind, to save our families back home.” An inspiring speech, but the crew is silent. They hold a service for all of the dead. Jasper walks up to Trent and mentions Commander Ingram.Trent tells him that Ingram saved his life. Brice notes to Garnet that she was too impulsive. Garnet responds saying the crew deserve an “honest command.” Eva eyes Harris. Garnet walks to a corridor and Angus catches up, he has something to show her. 

                                            THE ARK -- “Everyone Wanted to Be on This Ship”  -- Photo: Aleksandar Letic/Ark TV Holdings, Inc./SYFY 

A cube of food is shown to Jasper which contains 500 calories and water ration. Jasper jokes with a mess hall worker who says they get one box twice a day. Nevins’ babbling chases off a crew member at her table. She says, “A few of us could stand to lose a few pounds” which offends Dr. Kabir. Nevins tries to apologize, but the doctor says she lost her appetite.  

A dome, Angus tells Garnet that he had controlled the inventory, he opens a cargo of something “he wasn’t supposed to bring”, soil, that he can make into a “super soil.” Garnet mentions that a probe was sent and there was soil, he needs the cargo to be moved. Cat goes to a closed off area to shower. She is met Felix says he can grow crops, he brought agricultural LEDs, he has brought hope. Cat is about to shower, Strickland stops her, and she tries to seduce him dropping her towel. She says she just need a short rinse. He grabs her wrists and gives her the towel. Nevins is working on the sewer system and angry at the crates being brought in. They are being brought from Storage Hold 3. 

Nevins goes to the hold and sees Angus who is planting the soil. She is impressed by Angus building a “bio filter farm” and offers to help, and he needs fertilizer. A recorded message from Trent's family four years ago is watched by him. He is surprised by Lane and notes the loss of communication. Are they the last survivors of Earth? A Battlestar Galactica scenario? Trent says Commander Ingram chose him to be on the mission. Lane says to Trent, “The Ark program is searching the universe for a home.” The lights go out and it is explained that the power outage is from re-routing to the storage unit. 

Garnet says, “Light it up!” The LEDs are activated and Lane is angry at not being consulted. The crops require water and Lane says “it belongs to everyone on the ship.” She apologizes and says he shouldn’t have made their conversation public. In a conference room is medical staff head, Dr. Sanjivni Kabir, head of security, Felix Strickland, and Eva Markovic is in charge of maintenance engineering. Garnet says it is a representative body until they reach the planet. Garnet says everything is a risk, “We’re on a damaged ship.” The Ark features this group of leaders who guide the ship through oxygen leaks.   

Five Compression Suits out of Five! 

#TheArk, #EveryoneWantedToBeOnThisShip, #ChristieBurke, #RichardFlesshman   #ReeceRitchie, #StaceyRead, #RyanAdams, #ShaliniPeiris, #TianaUpcheva, #DominikCicak, #MilesBarrow, #ChrisLesak

The Last of Us, “Long Long Time”, Review!

The Last of Us has taken video game adaptations and horror to a dramatic level, but episode three provides one of the best episodes in television! The “Infected” Re:cap - Outside of the Quarantine Zone, Ellie, Tess, and Joel are headed to the State House to meet with Fireflies, the group opposing FEDRA control. They enter the Bostonian Museum to cross over to the State House, but encounter a Clicker! While Joel struggles with one, another appears and chases after Tess and Ellie. They are separated and Ellie has to crawl away. 

Joel has to reload his gun, the Infected turns, he sees Ellie and moves towards her. His boot crunches on some glass and the Clicker shrieks attacking them both! Joel shoots the Infected which staggers it, but the Clicker runs towards him, until shot several times. The other Infected heads towards them, but gets an axe to its head from Tess. Joel recovers his M-16 and takes several head shots. Ellie has blood on her arm. They open the window and Ellie crosses a board to the next building. Joel binds Tess’ sprained foot, she lashes out at him for his cynical thoughts at what they face. He joins Ellie who admires the view of the city. Tess heads down the ladder with the others following her. 

At the State House is a truck, but no sign of the Fireflies. Joel finds no one in the truck, flies buzzing around a body, and the cargo is empty. Ellie sees a blood trail inside the State House. They find bodies of the Fireflies. Joel finds an Infected that led to the slauthinghter. Tess is still trying to find supplies and lashes at Joel, not wanting to return to Boston. Ellie realizes that Tess is infected! Joel flinches as Tess shows her shoulder bite. She shows that Ellie has not turned Infected from her bite. Tess wants Joel to take Ellie to Bill and Frank’s to “set everything right.” 

Ellie is shocked that one of the bodies rises, Joel ends it, but this is just a signal to all of the Infected to run to them! Joel looks outside to see their numbers. Then, Tess begins to spill canisters of gasoline and grenades, she tells Joel, “Save who you can save.” Joel grabs Ellie’s arm and pulls her out of the building. Tess can hear the roars of the Infected and begins flicking her lighter. They race past her, but it won’t light, then one stops to walk towards Tess with a mouth full of the mycellum hanging out. He in a sense kisses her, finally Tess gets a light, and drops it! Joel and Ellie are clear of the State House as it explodes. He looks to Ellie and walks on. 

We start with a peaceful river, Joel reaches in to pull out rocks to make a stack, a tribute. It is “10 Miles West Of Boston”, there is a forest and hills. He walks over to Ellie who is covered with his jacket. Joel is silent, munches on some wrapped up snack, and tosses it to Ellie. She tells him not to blame her for Tess’ death, a very adult perspective. He says it is a five mile hike. Joel has his M-16 to his side, Ellie asks, and he says there is noInfected, but people that puts him on guard. 

Ellie asks about his scar which Joel says is from a gunshot. They reach Cumberland Farms, a white building holding a restaurant, where Joel keeps his supplies. The restaurant is abandoned with vines hanging from the ceiling. Ellie is suddenly interested in a broken Mortal Kombat II arcade cabinet. Joel searches around as Ellie goes to check on a room. She finds a door that leads to a basement. Ellie takes her flashlight and then makes the short drop down will dragging over a trash can to help her up, clever. She finds a dusty box of tampons on a shelf. She pulls it down and then hears growling!

In the dark, Ellie finds an Infected buried in rubble so only his head and part of his shoulder is free. She moves closer, sees its right eye covered with myscellum, and its head wearing a hat-like fungus growth. Ellie snaps open her switchblade and holds it over the Infected’s green tinted eye! She is fascinated at the helpless Infected, but this scene is gruesome. Ellie slices a cut above the Infected’s brow, white fungus bulges from the wound! Then, she stabs the pinned Infected! Joel has found his supplies under a door and then calls out for Ellie. 

She walks out of a room and holds up the box. Joel returns the box of ammo in his hiding place. They walk on past trees, Ellie looks like she is in summer camp, she becomes stunned seeing the wreckage of a jet on a hill. Ellie is impessed at being able to fly, but Joel notes the crew and passengers who died. She wonders how everyone was infected if it spreads through biting victims. Ellie admits she went to FEDRA school. Joel tells her that it mutated and could have gone through the food supply through flour or sugar. He says bread and cereal were sold across the world. 

Joel continues with Infection caused through eating the food all ocurring on Thursday and then become sick. As the day went on, the Infected start to bite, leading to Friday night, September 26, 2003 - Outbreak Day. Joel wants them to walk from the road because of what is up ahead, but Ellie still wants to see, in a ditch are a number of skulls! Soldiers took people to the QZ, but if there wasn’t enough room, they ended up in the ditch. We see a green piece of a dress on a skeleton and then this goes back to a woman in the same dress holding her baby, this is September 30th, 2003.

This is a stunning transition, the people waiting around to be taken on a truck convoy. A soldier spray paints a red X on a door as people are loaded up into a truck. This is all seen on security cameras on screens seen by a man. He hears walking and readies his rifle. Above him, a soldier is checking the empty basement checking in. The bearded man says, “Not today.” This is Bill (Nick Offerman), I just recognize Offerman’s voice even though his face is in shadow lit by the camera screens. Offerman is well known for playing Ron Swanson in Parks and Recreation along with the mini-series, Pam & Tommy (2022). 

The woman in the dress dress is taken away in the mandatory evacuation, the truck passes a posted sign. Bill’s workroom is revealed with a wall of guns, security screens, and work benches. It reminds me of the basement of survivalist, Burt Gummer, in Tremors (1990). Bill pulls up a cabinet from the ladder and scans the room with his rifle, bandolier of shells, and gas mask. He moves through the house and bursts out his X marked door with his rifle. The town is empty. Bill pulls off his mask and then later drives his truck to hook up a sports boat. 

He fills up barrels of gasoline and then drives up to a boarded up Home Depot. Bill starts to fill up a cart of supplies before the power goes out. He rams the truck through the fence of the New Bedford natural gas plant. Bill uses a bolt cutter to get through a chained fence and then fills up with the gas.  He drives up to the Lincoln Wine & Spirits store to pick up boxes of wine. He starts up a gas generator, now he has power. All procedural, he knows what to do and where to go. He cuts down a tree to cut up the wood and then sets pipes which look like some defense. Bill goes to a slaughterhouse and brings back meat to make a steak dinner. 

There is an alert as Bill activates a security camera to see an Infected walks towards a trapped tree. He stumbles on a trip wire that sends a blast at his head, Bill is amused, and he says, “It doesn’t get old.”  He drives up to a security fence and enters the code to open it when we get “Four Years Later”, 2007? Bill drives back to his house with his fully loaded boat, ready to leave, if needed. At his basement with the yellow “Don’t Tread On Me” flag, he is soldering something when the alarm goes off. He sees a hole with the security camera. Bill walks to the gate and has his shotgun ready, inside the hole, he hears, “I’m not infected.” 

He reaches the hole and finds a bearded man with his hands up, Frank (Murray Bartlett). The actor starred in the mini-series, Welcome to Chippendales and was Armond in The White Lotus. His character was dead in the game, but here we get a new story. It is great that we get this peek back to the post-Outbreak Day and the characters that Tess only mentioned. He had left the Baltimore QZ. Frank is left alone before Bill drops down a ladder. Bill covering him with a gun tells him to stop before leaving the hole and scans him which turns Green. He gestures Frank up and points out the direction of Boston. Frank says he hasn’t eaten in two days. 

Bill says if he gives Frank a meal, then he will tell others and he isn’t an Arby’s. I’m just laughing, difficult to type. Frank promises not to tell, drops his hands, and says he is a bad liar. Later, we see Bill bring a change of clothes as Frank showers in a room. He mentions this to Frank, it is just a few scenes, and this looks like a friendship that will last a long time. Frank is patiently sitting at the dinner table while Bill prepares the supper. For some reason, I can watch a show about these two doing normal things, a friendship, I think it is the actors. Bill cautiously sets down Frank’s plate and his guest is stunned at the well prepared rabbit! 

Next, he is served wine, and Frank thanks Bill. The survivalist is perfectly fine being on his own, but having an appreciative, friendly person around may be something he didn’t know he needed. Frank is about to leave and then points out the antique piano. He starts to look at the song books underneath the bench and finds the one that says Bill, The Best of Linda Ronstadt. Frank attempt to play and sing the song that is the episode’s title, but Bill stops him. He gestures for Bill to play and then he says he will leave. I believe him as much as I do the family in Parasite (2019). Bill sings and plays with soul, Offerman is very talented, Frank is stunned with tears in his eyes. 

Frank asks what girl he is singing about and Bill admits that there is no girl. Frank leans forward and kisses Bill. He asks Bill about his name and tells him to take a shower. Funny. Frank waits in bed, takes off Bill’s towel, and Frank says he will stay a few days. Bill is a bit awkward admitting his last time was with a girl some time ago. This jumps to “Three Years Later - 2010”, where Frank angrily bursts out of the front door. The argument is over Frank wanting to clean up the neighborhood which he considers part of their home. He just wants paint and gas for the lawnmower. 

Bill gives in and Frank adds he wants to fix up some shops, like the wine shop and furniture store. He also says he wants to bring in friends they will eventually meet. Bill says there are no friends. Frank walks away and says he has been talking to a woman on the radio. This makes Bill scream, “You what?!” It is like a Sunday brunch, Bill has a gun to the table, it also happens to include a more relaxed Joel and Tess! Frank takes in Tess to the house which angers Bill. Joel calmly says they have supplies that Bill doesn’t have in the QZ and tells him to put away the gun! 

Bill holsters the gun and says they are “self-sufficient.” Joel mentions to Bill that his fence is corroding and he can get him spools of aluminium to keep the fence for a long time. Tess and Frank walk towards the fence and Frank mentions about the codes. Joel warns Bill about raiders that will get past his defenses and leaves. The Last of Us’ “Long Long Time” is a powerful episode with some concise writing, bringing the elements together, with the threat of the Infected and FEDRA kept away, to tell more human stories. 

Five Point Five Fungi out of Five! 

#TheLastOfUs, #LongLongTime, #PedroPascal, #BellaRamsey, #NickOfferman, #MurrayBartlett