Tag: CW

Legends of Tomorrow: The Chicago Way – Trap (Review)

Damien Darhk in LoT

Legends of Tomorrow “The Chicago Way” entertains mightily.  There are some comic moments, the odd poignant moment (Think Leonard’s haunting of Mick.) and one heck of a shocker at the tail end of the episode.

Rip Hunter has reappeared, sans Brit accent, sans time travel and sans a sense of humor. (Okay, Hunter never really had what one could call a funny bone when he ran things, but this version of Hunter seems downright dour.)

The former time traveler is now, apparently, a film, or television, director who is documenting his own time master adventures. Or is he? The rumor mill has been busy since the second season started with hints that Hunter would return and that he was be “very different.”

This clearly means that more about the old master has changed over and above his new accent.  As an end to the episode, this voyeuristic view of Hunter’s Hollywood life is a puzzler.

It is almost as mystifying as Mick being visited by the dead Snart.  Due to the time of year, Leonard’s haunting of his old pal could be seen as a “ghost of Christmas past” theme.  Snart is, after all, warning his old partner in crime not to follow the goody-two-shoes crewmembers or he could end up dead.

Of course on the flipside of the Snart coin Vixen is working overtime to thaw the cold, cold heart of Rory and it seems to be working. The comically dour Mick is warming to Vixen and vice versa. (Stealing a bottle of illegal “bootleg” hooch for Mick was cute and endearing…Just saying.)

The story this week featured a lot of the Reverse-Flash, too little Damien Darhk (our favorite DC villain) and just the right amount of John Barrowman’s uber baddie Malcolm Merlyn.

It has to  be mentioned here that both McDonough and Barrowman kicked it in their 1920’s duds. Snap brim fedoras and long coats made the two men look beyond sharp. No one on the good guy team looked as hot as the duo of villains.

Mick Rory telling Vixen that the bad guys have more fun was spot on but he forgot to mention that they look better in their outfits. Poor old Reverse-Flash was stuck in his supervillain onesie and was not allowed to play dress-up.

Back to the storyline: The entire episode took great pains to let us know that “The Chicago Way” was a trap, or at the very least, a ruse to ensnare the team into a certain course of action.  The added twist of Hunter as director added another level of confusion to the existing plot.

While there is no apparent connect to the 1967 Hunter and the 1927 scenario, it has spawned a number of questions about the former leader of the Legends and why he is in the director’s chair.

More importantly, the stage is set in this mid-winter finale for the Legion of Doom to assemble. It looks as though Leonard Snart may be more than a figment of Mick’s imagination. (Marc Guggenheim has hinted that this version of Snart, like the other surprise guest in this episode; Rip Hunter, may not be the Captain Cold the Legends remember.)

Legends of Tomorrow airs Thursdays on CW. The next installment of Legends will air in January 2017.

Cast:

Guest starring Wentworth Miller as Leonard Snart, Isaac Keoughan as Al Capone and  Cole Vigue as Elliot Ness.

Legends of Tomorrow: Outlaw Country – Setting up a Cross-Over (Review)

Johnathon Schaech as Jonah Hex

Legends of Tomorrow “Outlaw Country” sees the Legends return to the land of Jonah Hex, aka the old west. There is a time quake in 1874 Liberty, Colorado caused by a time pirate hunting down Dwarf Star ore.

A local land baron, Quentin Turnbull kills the pirate and uses what the dead man told him to start his own territory in the west.  The Legends, bar Dr. Stein who is having health issues, go to fix the timeline aberration.

Stein is having painful visions, of a  woman, and he has Gideon run repeated brain scans to find out what is going on.  Gideon finds nothing.

Apart from allowing the storyline to head back to Hex, and to save him from being lynched, it also gives us a deeper look into Mick’s psyche. Vixen and he bond, after their adventure, and she offers to help him control the animal inside him.

Jefferson talks to “his other half” and between the two of them they figure out that Stein has altered his own past.  The woman he is seeing in those visions appears to be a woman he loves.

Jackson says Clarissa will be angry and Stein wonders if there is even a Clarissa to “go back to.”

The dwarf star alloy the team recover will help Ray Palmer construct another atom suit. In the meantime, he makes Citizen Steel a suit of his own.

By the end of the episode, Hex has decided he can take orders from a woman and Captain Lance comes in to say that “our friends in 2016 need our help.”

This seems to indicate the huge The Flash, Supergirl, Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow cross-over “Invasion!” which is set to air on 29 November for The Flash universe. The episode airs 1 December for the Legends-verse and 30 November for Arrow.  Supergirl gets her call to action on “Medusa” which airs on 28 November. Fans will want to watch the episodes in order.

Cue excitement and keen anticipation for this epic CW event.

“Outlaw Country” was another fun episode.  It allowed the ever brilliant Jeff Fahey to show that no one fills a bad guy’s boots like he does.  It also looks like some new friendships have been formed amongst the Legends and Palmer is well on his way to getting a replacement suit.

There were the same old problems dealing with western wardrobe. The hats, that look like the cheapest versions of cowboy hats found in Halloween costumes the world over, were constantly changing shape; even when no one has touched them.

It is also interesting to note that the Legends are not comfortable on horseback. Apart from the one scene where they ride into the  shot (on magically created horses) the team operated on foot, even walking down the western town’s main street rather than riding.

The reminder that Mick Rory, aka Heat Wave, is, at heart, a pyromaniac who also loves to blow things up was brilliant. As was the moment where Ray Palmer talked about his lack of abilities without the atom suit.

(Palmer also got some good lines with his little “hero in training” speech he gave Nick Heywood.)

Legends of Tomorrow will be back on 1 December for “Invasion!” to help the other superheroes on CW  stop the Dominators.

Cast:

Guest starring Johnathon Schaech as Jonah Hex and Jeff Fahey as Quentin Turnbull.

Legends of Tomorrow: The Justice Society of America – Origin (Review)

Justice Society of America

There is just something about beating up Nazis that brings out the inner Indiana Jones in all of us. Legends of Tomorrow “The Justice Society of America” follows up last week’s episode. The new gang of legends have to explain who they are to the “old school” superheroes in 1942.

Before the end of the episode there is a disturbing death, the Reverse Flash  returns and the origin story of one Nate Heywood, aka Citizen Steel is revealed. This was a good look at how superhero styles have obviously changed since the early 1940’s.

All of the future heroes, aka Legends, are nothing like their early counterparts. The JSA is organized and cohesive. The newbies are quirky and full of one-liners.  Commander Steel is not impressed.

The gang return to the present and while Sara rips a strip off of Heywood, he discovers that his grandfather’s dog tags have gone missing. He and Sara realize that history has been changed.

The legends have to go back as Nate learns that his grandfather will die on this day in history. They head to the place where Steel and the rest of the team are due to perish.

A serum was given to Baron Krieger who injects himself and he becomes a giant super soldier. In essence the Baron turns into a less colorful version of the Hulk. The first time Krieger fights both sets of heroes they lose. He takes Vixen and Ray Palmer prisoner.

Dr. Stein is put in charge  of the Legends for a very short time, he steps down after a few moments of indecision in the heat of battle, and Sara is then made the fearless leader. It makes sense, the missing Rip was training her for the task after all.

Before Sara takes over, Nate and his new colleagues infiltrate a Nazi bar where Stein passes himself off as a famed French vocalist; a favorite of Hitler’s.  He sings Edelweiss and boy scout Palmer messes things up because he cannot Sieg Heil the Fuhrer. Ray punches a general instead and an old fashioned bar fight ensues.

Palmer may not be able to “Heil Hitler” but he does win over Vixen. Earlier she tells the scientist he is not a hero. Later, when Ray gives the serum to hemophiliac Heywood to save his life, she changes her mind.

While the gang are feeling all warm and fuzzy after their victory, Reverse Flash pops in, steals the amulet and kills Rex Tyler. Dying, Tyler manages to gasp out “time traveler”  before expiring on the floor.

Oops.

Clearly the Justice Society of America will believe that the Legends of Tomorrow must have something to do with this. They may have to go back and sort this one out.

Season two is pretty entertaining. Rip, who was a tad too serious, is not around to keep a lid on his heroes.  He may still return, but for the time being, the gang are doing very well for themselves.

Nate Heywood is now well on his way to becoming Citizen Steel and Sara is in charge.  The band may have a new leader but it looks like things are going full steam ahead for the heroes.

Legends of Tomorrow airs Thursdays on CW.

Cast:

Supergirl: The Last Children of Krypton – Family (Recap/Review)

Melissa Benoit as Supergirl

The big news in this episode is the departure of Cat “The Devil Wears Prada” Grant and the promotions of James Olsen.  The photographer has to fill those high heels as the new boss. Supergirl and Superman have to split up after having far too much fun fighting crime and Hank Henshaw makes up with the man of steel by burying the hatchet and turning over all that kryptonite.

CADMUS has declared war on the two citizens of Krypton and unleashed not one but two Metallos. The group hope to separate the cousins and defeat them with the two kryptonite powered cyborgs.

First however, Hank gets his grumpy on and acts annoyed and snippy whenever Superman and Supergirl team up.  Of course the big issue is all that kryptonite that the head of the DEO refused to hand over to Kara’a cousin.

At the moment Supergirl may be upset at Hank  breaking his promise but she and Superman are having “hashtag too much fun.”  Kara starts her new job working as a reporter for Snapper Carr who hates Supergirl’s alter ego on sight.

He tells Kara that she is not a reporter and that she has no job. She goest to complain to Cat who reveals that she is leaving.  Her upcoming departure does  not stop the magnate from chewing Kara out for not standing up for herself.

Meanwhile, the man from the Krypton space pod has still not opened his eyes. He is, however, periodically drawing the energy from the building to heal himself.

Corbon makes the transition successfully to Metallo. He takes on both Superman and Supergirl and almost defeats them both. The krypton allows the metallic man to do some damage.

Later, Dr. Gilcrist is also made into a Metallo 2.0 and the new duo take on the superheroes.  Before that, Superman brings his injured cousin back to DEO headquarters. The Man of Steel comes very close to anger when he chastises Hank about the kryptonite.

Alex gets jealous and not a little upset when Kara reveals she want to relocate to be with Clark. The two have a talk and later, Kara has an epiphany about how to defeat the Metallos.

Winn makes a temporary kryptonite shield for both the super cousins and they work quite well for a while. Finally the Metallos damage the shields and this is when the things get interesting.

Hank and Superman team up on Gilcrist while Alex and Supergirl take on Corbon. The plan works and both Metallos are defeated.

By the end of the episode Kara realizes she needs to stick close to Alex. The kryptonite is given to Superman and he disposes of the stuff.  He then returns to Metropolis and Mr. White.  James is promoted and Kara manages to impress Snapper enough to get started but not enough for a chair.

Kara stops by the unconscious Krypton man’s bed and talks with him. As she tells him that she will be there him, the man gasps and grabs her by the throat.

This episode, despite the danger of the two Metallos was all about family, at work and at home. Accepting each member of that family and learning to juggle the two different factions so no one feels left out.

It was also about Cat Grant taking a “dive” at life.  Aka taking a powder from her role as media mogul. This means that Flockhart will be missing for an undisclosed amount of time. She could possibly be leaving for good.

There was no warm up to this so it may only be temporary. Sort of like Superman’s two episode presence on Supergirl season two…

Supergirl airs Mondays on CW. Tune in and catch the super action.

Cast:

 

Legends of Tomorrow: Out of Time – Roasted Nazis (Review)

Damien Dhark in Out of Time

Damien Dhark turns out to be the big bad of season two, along with his “partner” Reverse Flash, and Rip Hunter has done a Houdini and vanished. Legends of Tomorrow introduces a new team member, and maybe more, in “Out of Time.”

The other possible new members of the group may well be the Justice League of America, first seen in last season’s finale and spied again at the end of this episode.

Things will be very different this time around since Hunter has taken a powder and the loss of personal favorite Wentworth Miller as Leonard Snart has left a hole that cannot be filled.  Sure Mick Rory can play the resident bad boy of the group but it just is not the same without Snart. 

“Out of Time” starts with Nate Heywood, aka Citizen Steel meeting Oliver Queen (a nice crossover touch) and explaining that the “Legends” are in trouble.  Nate reveals that he knows Queen is the Green Arrow, almost ending the meeting as Mr. Grumpy Queen gets annoyed at Heywood’s knowledge.

Cue the beginning of an entire expository episode except for near the end where good old Albert Einstein is saved and made to tell the world of his secret collaborative partner in nuclear physics.

There are a few leaps through time as Rip and the group work to sort out all those pesky aberrations in time. The funniest bit of the entire episode dealt with France, a heated battle (pun intended) between every player except Sara who has a heated interchange with the queen. (Again, pun intended.)

Jax gets off a good crack at Sara’s expense when he suggests the queen is all warmed up for the king. Ms. Lance is not amused.

Rory is alone when found on the ship and later the rest of the gang are rescued from their various timelines. A cute bit where Palmer is running with dinosaurs, Sara is about to be hung as a witch and Stein, along with Jax, are court jesters, or magicians about to be beheaded.

As DC  villains go, Dhark, as portrayed by Neal McDonough is at the top of the heap.  Scary powerful and charismatic Dhark proved in this episode that even as far back as 1942, he is pretty much indestructible. (He was oddly very low key as well.)

Looking at who Damian has partnered up with; the Reverse Flash, time will surely undergo a great many changes.  Clearly Eobard has been busy already, how else did those Frenchmen get modern day weapons.

Dhark and Eobard will obviously be the target throughout the season and just as obviously Sara is going to focus on killing Damien in revenge for Laurel’s death.

What will be interesting in the television DC verse is how all this time travel will affect the various shows. The Flash has already affected Arrow…or has it?

Barry learns in Paradox that his timeline change affected John Diggle, changing  the gender of his child. But did he? With the Legends of Tomorrow jumping here and there fixing anomalies in the timeline, could they not have influenced something in the timeline that affected John?

Keeping that in mind, one could reasonably expect to see Laurel once again in the land of the living which would affect a number of things.  While this may not happen, it is a possibility, which could take the second season of “Legends” a long way.

So far the new season has replaced the Brit hero with a square-jawed American; one who is not a leader of the group but a new addition.  Time will tell whether this change will work or not.

The season two premiere was fun but a tad empty with no Snart and too little Hunter.  Arthur Darvill has hinted that his character will be “lighter” this season. Does that mean lighter as nonexistent?

Legends of Tomorrow airs Thursdays on CW. Tune in and see what mischief Dhark and Reverse Flash get up to.

Cast:

 

Guest starring Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen and John Rubinstein as Albert Einstein, 

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