Ease Into Inevitable Bloodbath: "Danger Close" On The Punisher.

The Good: Well-directed, Good performances, Moments of character development
The Bad: Simple plot, Erratic pacing
The Basics: The Punisher begins to accelerate toward the season's conclusion as "Danger Close" raises the stakes and the body count.


As the first season of The Punisher rushed toward its conclusion, the fans had a reasonable question of "how can they possibly sustain this?!" After all, by "Danger Close," Frank Castle is publicly exposed, he knows his old friend is his enemy and one of the primary villains of the season is already dead. It seems like there is very little left for the season to do, save help Madani get justice for Stein's death and for Frank Castle to actually take out Rawlins.

"Danger Close" follows on the heels of the perfect episode "Virtue Of The Vicious" (reviewed here!) and it refocuses the show on David Lieberman, who was absent from the prior episode. Lieberman renews his partnership with Castle, though Castle continues to feel betrayed by the fact that Lieberman met with Madani without him.

Frank Castle sits alone with the homeless people near burn barrels by the river, while Russo wages a public relations campaign against him and Madani. As Russo publicly turns on Castle, The Punisher - still wounded - makes it back to Lieberman's hideout. After Castle removes the shrapnel from his arm, Lieberman volunteers to stitch him up. At the Lieberman house, Sarah recognizes Frank Castle on her television as the man she knew as Pete. Russo meets with Madani and interrogates him. Russo stonewalls, while Rawlins reaches out to James for authorization to access surveillance that will allow him to find Castle and send Russo after him.

While Castle remakes his Punisher armor, Sarah and Zach are taken by people outfitted as New York City Police Officers. Castle notices damage in the Lieberman house and he becomes determined to save Sarah and Zach, while sending David to find and rescue Leo. Madani and Hernandez call James in while Russo rebels against Rawlins's authority. Using Rawlins's intelligence and access, Russo's mercenaries storm Lieberman's hideout only to find The Punisher waiting for them!

Ebon Moss-Bachrach continues to be the very human heart in The Punisher as Lieberman. Moss-Bachrach speaks in compassionate tones, softly and in a way that is clearly empathetic in every encounter Lieberman has with Castle. Lieberman does all he can to show Castle an uncommon level of support and remind him of the fact that they are on the same side. From almost the first moments of The Punisher, Lieberman has been one of the grounding, most relatable characters on the show and he continues that in "Danger Close." During one of the episode's key moments, Moss-Bachrach and Ripley Sobo manage to perfectly embody a deep relationship, which is impressive given how little time they have spent together on-screen.

Lieberman and Castle are easily one of the best pairings in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Their relationship is not only symbiotic, it is synergistic. Lieberman provides Castle with his needed tactical knowledge; Lieberman comes in "Danger Close" to entirely rely upon Castle for his ability to do what he cannot. Lieberman is smart and protective, but he needs Castle's ability to act with brutal efficiency. Lieberman takes a more active role in recovering his daughter, Leo, when Leo manages to flee in advance of her mother's capture.

The primary adversary in "Danger Close" continues to be William Rawlins and just as the plot moves toward a potential Punisher bloodbath, various elements begin turning on Rawlins. Rawlins justifies all of his past actions to Marion James and he manages to sound credible. Rawlins has done terrible things throughout The Punisher and in "Danger Close" it becomes evident just how deep a game he has been playing. Rawlins has no real allegiance to anyone or even any institutions; he claims to want to protect the United States, but he shows no real belief in any of the ideals of the nation. The ease with which he moves to throw Russo under the bus is terrifying and characterizes him perfectly.

"Danger Close" is one of the more graphically violent episodes of The Punisher, living up to what one expects from the source material. The raid on Lieberman's facility is intense, well-directed and increasingly bloody. The fact that "Danger Close" precedes the major bloodbath with a far smaller and incredibly intense attack on Sarah Lieberman helps to build a tension in the episode. The tension in "Danger Close" builds and plays out well without going for the cheap reversal.

While the acting and moments of character in "Danger Close" are quite good, the plot is simplistic and the pacing is disproportionately slow compared to the abrupt speed and unrelenting tension that consumes the final third of the episode. The result is that "Danger Close" ends up as more of an average hour than an exceptional one.

5.5/10

For other television season and episode reviews, please visit my Television Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Awesome Aquaman! Hallmark Gets The New Justice League Ornament Right!

The Good: Awesome sculpt, Good balance, Fair price
The Bad: Coloring on the skin tones
The Basics: The 2017 Justice League Aquaman ornament is wonderful in every aspect, save the skin tones!


Aquaman has never been a big commercial draw for most fans of DC Comics. In fact, it is somewhat surprising with all of the various DC Comics-themed Hallmark Christmas ornaments that Aquaman has not yet been a major release. That Harley Quinn was made into an ornament before Aquaman is somewhat surprising. But, for 2017, Aquaman made the cut from Hallmark, thanks to the new version of the unpopular character from the blockbuster film Justice League!

For those unfamiliar with him, Aquaman is one of the superhuman people who is recruited by Bruce Wayne in Justice League (reviewed here!)! This version of Arthur Curry is a tattooed, bearded, trident-weilding man reminiscent of a merman, but with legs. Portrayed by Jason Momoa, this rendition of Aquaman is a cool hero that fits the younger, sexier, team of the new film.

The 2017 Justice League is a decent sculpt and accents well the three previous DC Cinematic Universe character ornaments produced last year!

Basics

The Justice League Aquaman ornament faithfully presents Aquaman in his new tight black pants and bare, but very tattooed chest. The ornament, released in 2017, is pretty awesome for an ornament based upon the costume used in Zack Snyder’s Justice League film. Measuring four and a half inches wide by three and one-half inches tall and two inches deep, the Justice League Aquaman ornament is one of a handful of DC super hero-based ornaments released by Hallmark in stores in 2017 and it was intended to be a companion piece to the Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice ornaments from last year. The Justice League Aquaman ornament was affordable and looked pretty awesome.

The Hallmark Aquaman ornament is made of durable plastic. Aquaman’s trident, face and muscles are all immaculately sculpted. This version of Aquaman looks like he is mid-leap or swimming with great velocity through the water. The action pose is appropriate to the action/adventure stylings of Justice League. The facial sculpt looks very much like Jason Momoa and Hallmark got the detailing right on such things as the hair texturing to look wonderful.

The very basic coloring of the Justice League Aquaman ornament is the only unimpressive aspect of the Aquaman ornament. While the coloring of the costume, hair and tattoos is incredible, Aquaman's skin tones look far too pale for the character. The lighter skin coloring looks unrealistic and that is a bit disappointing compared to the quality of the rest of the ornament.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, the 2017 Justice League Aquaman ornament could have a sound chip or a light-up function. He has neither, which is disappointing because of how Jason Momoa had so many of the film's best lines. Given the lead time Hallmark has on its ornaments, it might have been impractical for the company to produce a sound chip for the Aquaman ornament, but it still would have been cool!

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake 2017 Justice League Aquaman ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. For those creating the ultimate superhero Christmas Tree, this Aquaman ornament is a good choice, except for those who want a more traditional rendition of the hero. The ornament has the standard steel hook loop embedded into the top of Aquaman's back. From there, the ornament looks well-balanced and hangs nicely level, in its action pose.

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (reviewed here!). Since then, they have made ornament replicas of almost all major franchises like DC comics, The Wizard Of Oz and Harry Potter. The Justice League Aquaman ornament was slightly overproduced, but seems to be selling out at several Hallmark Gold Crown stores before the end of the season. As a result, the Aquaman ornament is likely to become a decent investment piece for fans!

Overview

Fans of Aquaman, Jason Momoa’s portrayal of Aquaman, Jason Momoa, and DC comics characters are likely to be thrilled by most of the aspects of the 2017 Aquaman ornament and want to add it to their collection!

For other DC Universe Hallmark ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
2017 Wonder WomanDC SuperHero Girls ornament
2017 The Guardian Of Gotham City ornament
2016 Catwoman Batman television series (Limited Edition)
2016 Supergirl DC SuperHero Girls ornament
2016 Batman Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice ornament
2016 Superman Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice ornament
2016 Wonder Woman Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice ornament
2016 Batmobile Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice ornament
2015 The Joker Batman television series (Limited Edition)
2015 Lynda Carter As Wonder Woman
2014 Bane The Dark Knight Rises (Limited Edition)
2014 1989 Batmobile
2014 Defender Of Mankind Superman
2013 Man Of Steel
2013 The Joker The Dark Knight Rises
2013 Descending Upon Gotham City Batman ornament
2012 The Bat The Dark Knight Rises Limited Edition Ornament
2012 Catwoman ornament
2012 "Beware My Power" Green Lantern ornament
2012 The Dark Knight Rises
2011 Batman Takes Flight
2011 Green Lantern
2010 Limited Edition Harley Quinn
2009 Wonder Woman ornament

8.5/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my Ornament Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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"Reign" Comes To Supergirl!

The Good: Decent performances, Interesting villain backstory
The Bad: Mediocre direction, Very forced character moments, Simplistic plot
The Basics: "Reign" is properly introduced on Supergirl in an erratic episode that sets up serious issues for the show.


I have, as a general rule, come to loathe the DC Television Universe crossover events and last week's debacle into forced comeraderie was no exception. Supergirl generally manages to avoid the worst aspects of the crossover episodes in that Kara Zor-El is forced to leave her universe for an entirely divergent series of episodes in order to allow Supergirl to participate in the crossover event. The thing is, the narrative momentum of Supergirl was killed by Kara and Alex participating in the crossover. Right before the crossover began, Mon-El abruptly returned and announced he was married and Samantha Arias learned her true origins.

As a result, as "Reign" begins, the episode pretty much has to ignore the divergence of "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 1" (reviewed here!) - which had Supergirl randomly fighting a Dominator - and restore the plot momentum from "Wake Up" (reviewed here!). Fans of Supergirl need not have actually watched the four-episode crossover; all that truly happened for any Supergirl characters was that Kara was menaced (wow, what a surprise!) and Alex learned to stand by her decision to split with Alex. And the Earth-X version of Winn Schott made an appearance. But "Reign" has to actually reflect upon what the prior episode ignored; Mon-El has returned to Kara's time period with heroes from the future and Samantha Arias learned that she was a Kryptonian who is supposed to be a Worldkiller.

Samantha Arias wakes up in her bed and is told by her daughter that she went on a trip the day before. At the DEO, Mon-El and Imra inform the team about the conditions in the 31rst Century where they came from. That night, the DEO and CatCo staffs meet at Kara's apartment in order to celebrate Christmas together. Kara and J'onn are shocked when they are called to the scene of an arson that looks like Kryptonian glyphs from above. Lena Luthor believes that Morgan Edge is behind the "crop circles" and she and Olsen go to interrogate him. Edge denies involvement, but Kara soon gets a clue as to what is going on with the Kryptonian symbols from the Rao fanatic she had arrested.

The fanatic tells Kara about the Worldkiller and the prophecies about the end of days in the Book Of Rao. While Lena and James go out on Christmas Eve to try to find who is leaving the glyphs around, rival gangs in National City end up in a turf war with one another. The gangs are taken out by a Kryptonian, Reign. Samantha, now outfitted as Reign, heads out to try to kill Morgan Edge. Edge uses his lead-lined panic room to avoid Reign, which pushes Kara to go hunting for the violent Kryptonian. When Supergirl calls out Reign, the two have a showdown on the roof of the CatCo building.

Mon-El's opening monologue in "Reign" serves to immediately catch the audience up on when Mon-El was in the period since he left Earth. The debriefing from Mon-El makes perfect sense; it makes no immediate sense following "Crisis On Earth-X," as it established that "Reign" occurred only a day after "Wake Up." So, some of the character moments do not quite fit as they would seem to precede Alex's off-world catharsis. That, at least, explains why Kara appears in "Reign" completely unshaken by the ordeal she experienced on Earth-1.

On the character front, "Reign" is instantly problematic in the way it attempts to force Samantha Arias into the narrative and Kara's circle of friends. Arias is very new to the Supergirl mix. In fact, Kara Danvers met Samantha Arias only a few weeks ago in the Supergirl narrative (whatwith the season premiere beginning several months after Mon-El left Earth). As a result, there is a forced, inorganic quality to Kara telling Samantha (who is sitting next to Lena at the time) how important she was to her getting over Mon-El. Instead of taking Lena aside and talking to her about her feelings about their relationship, the writers of "Reign" hope that viewers will accept Samantha by association and by her responding to Kara, despite the fact that their relationship is nowhere near that deep.

In a similar way, "Reign" starts to make a truly troubling insinuation for Alex. Alex and Maggie broke up because Alex wants children and Maggie does not. So, all of a sudden, Alex is thrown into a room where she is taking care of Ruby and being more social with a child at an adult party than with the other adults. The narrative pressure here becomes obvious; either Samantha and Alex will end up together to raise Ruby or when the arc that makes Samantha into Reign comes to an end, Alex will be left to raise Ruby. This, sadly, is as painfully obvious as the fact that Alex and Maggie were doomed to break up based on the fact that Lima (who played Maggie) was not made a full cast member for the third season of Supergirl.

Mon-El and Kara have a predictably awkward series of exchanges in "Reign." Imra even attempts to smooth things over with Kara by telling her how Mon-El held out hope for quite some time before ever looking at her. There are moments in "Reign" that feel like melodrama, but most of the time, Chris Wood and Melissa Benoist both manage to keep the dialogue just on the right side of realism. Benoist's best moment of performance has her simply watching Mon-El and Imra training.

Why Supergirl goes off to meet Reign alone makes no real sense. Even if Mon-El and Saturn Girl don't make a trip to the battleground, J'onn and/or Winn Schott being present on-site to monitor and learn what they can about Reign makes a lot more sense than Supergirl just going alone.

The bulk of the fight sequence in "Reign" is poorly directed, with much of the action being cheated by shots that have random people and camera shakes as opposed to a cohesive battle.

"Reign" features a b-plot with Lena Luthor getting more emotional with James Olsen and that plotline does not quite land. Lena Luthor is a good, assertive character, but the build-up to Olsen and Luthor having a credible relationship just was not there. As a result, the plotline in "Reign" feels more like filler and a forced pairing up instead of a well-developed plotline.

Ultimately, "Reign" is an important step in the third season of Supergirl, but it fails to execute its goals well.

For other works written by Paula Yoo, please visit my reviews of:
"The Faithful" - Supergirl
"Ace Reporter" - Supergirl
"Exodus" - Supergirl
"The Darkest Place" - Supergirl
"Survivors" - Supergirl
The West Wing - Season 4

4.5/10

For other television season and episode reviews, please visit my Television Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Deadpool Makes For A Surprisingly Awesome Ornament!

The Good: Good sculpt of the character, Decent basic coloring, Good balance.
The Bad: No sound clip, Expensive
The Basics: Hallmark’s 2017 Deadpool ornament is a fitting tribute to the mercenary with a mouth . . . save that he is not outfitted with a sound chip, but is priced as if he was!


Every year, people inevitably complain about how some of the Hallmark ornaments are not Christmas-related. The argument is an old one and as a fan of genre ornaments, it is pretty tired. From the moment Hallmark produced ornaments of The Emperor from the Star Wars Saga (whose basically an allegory for Hitler) or Rhett Butler declaring "I don't give a damn" to a crying Scarlett, it was clear that the pop culture and genre ornaments were not at all intended to appeal to those looking for a traditional Christmas. So, when Hallmark announced the 2017 Deadpool ornament, the only argument I had about the crass bounty hunter being given ornament form was that it did not have a Santa hat upon it or that Hallmark did not go all out with the potentially-offensive subject matter and include a sound clip featuring Ryan Reynolds' dialogue from the film Deadpool.

For those unfamiliar with the concept, Deadpool made it to the big screen with the film Deadpool (reviewed here!), played by Ryan Reynolds. In Deadpool, the disfigured mutant mercenary swears and kills his way through a pretty average action-adventure film. And most fans seemed to like that.

It is Deadpool, mid-jump, reaching for his swords on his back, that is the subject of the 2017 Hallmark Deadpool ornament!

Basics

The Deadpool ornament recreates the mercenary in solid plastic. The ornament, released in 2017, is a pretty decent recreation of the popular character as he appeared in the film Deadpool or in the comic books. Deadpool comes outfitted with his weapons, but is essentially the character on his own without a backdrop or other scenery that would make it a diorama.

The Hallmark Deadpool ornament is made of a durable plastic and is rendered without any noticeable seams on the character. The Deadpool ornament measures out at 4 3/4" tall, 2" wide and 2 1/2” deep. His coloring is fairly monotonal, which makes sense because Deadpool has a hood covering his face. There are no pieces on the Deadpool ornament that features any hint of skin. As a result, the coloring manages to be realistic for the character and the darker red for Deadpool's outfit implies that it is the cinematic rendition of Deadpool.

The Deadpool ornament is sculpted with decent muscle details on the chest and abdomen of the character. Deadpool's various straps and weapons are sculpted accurately and good. This ornament looks exactly like who it is supposed to.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, the Deadpool ornament could have a sound chip and/or a light effect. Sadly, this ornament does not. This is just Deadpool, without any bonus features. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but with an original release price of $17.95, the ornament seems a bit expensive for not having a sound or light function.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Deadpool ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. For those creating the ultimate Marvel Universe Christmas Tree, a Deadpool ornament is pretty much essential and this is the only one of the character so far. The ornament has a steel hook loop embedded in the top of the character's back behind his swords. From that point, the Deadpool ornament hangs perfectly balanced!

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (reviewed here!). Since then, Hallmark has gotten into every major franchise from Disney to Twilight to the Marvel Comics universe. The Deadpool ornament was not at all limited, but given how good the ornament is and how popular Deadpool is, it is hard not to bet that it will sell-out before it is clearanced. Despite the initial expense of the Deadpool ornament, it seems like it would be a fair, at worst, investment piece.

Overview

The Deadpool ornament is all right, despite the lack of a sound clip and its initial price!

For other Marvel Hallmark ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
2017 Thor Thor: Ragnarok ornament
2017 Spider-Man: A New Kind Of Hero Spider-Man: Homecoming ornament
2016 Team Captain America ornament
2015 Potted Groot Guardians Of The Galaxy ornament
2014 War Machine Iron Man 3 ornament
2014 Captain America from Captain America: The Winter Soldier
2014 Web-Slinging Wonder The Amazing Spider-Man 2
2013 Iron Patriot Iron Man 3 ornament
2012 Captain America ornament
2012 Iron Man ornament
2012 Thor ornament
2012 The Amazing Spider-Man ornament
2011 Spider-Man ornament
2011 Thor ornament
2010 Defender Of Justice Iron Man 2 ornament

9/10

For other ornament reviews, please check out my Ornament Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Outside All Expectation Of Continuity, "Orientation, Part 2" Undermines Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.!

The Good: Acting is all right, Special effects/direction are competent
The Bad: Massive continuity issues, Character issues, Simple plot that does not actually go anywhere
The Basics: "Orientation, Part 2" caps off the fifth season premiere of Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. with a laundry list of problems that the viewer can pretty much figure will be undone by the season finale.


Long gone are the days where Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. is the logical partner show to the Captain America films. No longer a spy show, Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. has settled into being a pretty straightforward science fiction program, whatwith the lack of adversaries like H.Y.D.R.A., A.I.M., and other spy groups that might use intelligence to attempt to gain technology and military might the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Nowhere is the departure from the old formula for what Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. was more clear than in the fifth season premiere, "Orientation, Part 1."

"Orientation, Part 1" (reviewed here!) continues with "Orientation, Part 2" and the two episodes aired originally back-to-back. "Orientation, Part 2" picks up the events of "Orientation, Part 1," which found the Agents (formerly of S.H.I.E.L.D.) Coulson, May, Johnson, Simmons, Rodriguez and Mackenzie on a space station. The problem is that "Orientation, Part 1" existed almost entirely to establish the setting and build to a last-moment revelation that is explored in "Orientation, Part 2." As such, it is impossible to discuss "Orientation, Part 2" without spoiling the last moment of the first half of the season premiere.

"Orientation, Part 2" is instantly hampered by the troubling notion at the climax of "Orientation, Part 1." At its climax, the various groups of Agents recognized that the monolith through which they passed teleported them through time, instead of space. One of the last shots of "Orientation, Part 1" was of the shattered remnant of Earth looming near the station. And while that might seem like a huge problem for the Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., it is a debilitating problem for the fans who have stuck with the show for more than four years. After all, fans of the show will quickly hearken back to the third season episode "Spacetime" (reviewed here!) to recall that changing the past is not an option for Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Seeing a vision of the future, Daisy was told - and the season played out - that there was no way to change the events of the vision because such visions were merely perceptions of immutable events. So, the idea that Earth is doomed for Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. might seem like a compelling problem, save that it is crushed by two serious issues: 1. to save Earth, Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. will have to break its own rules concerning the physics of time travel (unless Doctor Strange makes an unlikely appearance to bend those rules) and 2. Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. exists within a larger Marvel Cinematic Universe that requires the Earth to keep on going.

Suspension of disbelief that the Earth in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is going to be ended on Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. is far too much to handle. As a result, "Orientation, Part 2" begins with viewers having the absolute certainty that one of two things will happen: the space station upon which the Agents have found themselves will be found to be in the vastly distant future (i.e. after all ties to the rest of the MCU have faded, with the destruction happening well after the Marvel Cinematic Universe is done with its barrage of super hero stories) or the whole point of the fifth season of Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. will be how the Agents prevent the destruction of Earth. Regardless, "Orientation, Part 2" opens at a point at which the suspension of disbelief is entirely shot: Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. is stuck along a predictable path that either must divorce the show from anything else the viewers care about in the franchise or undo its own, belabored, setting and problem.

Aboard the trawler, May and Simmons start to spiral out of control. To save their lives, Simmons turns off the ship and when it repowers, May is able to steer it. They return to the station, where Coulson confirms their suspicions. Deke starts freaking out, especially when Tess shows up and questions where Virgil is. Coulson starts to interrogate Tess about what happened to Earth. After the Earth was destroyed, the Kree arrived to establish order among the human survivors of the cataclysm. Tess brings Coulson back to Virgil's quarters where he finds artifacts from Coulson's time period.

When May and Simmons explore the lower areas, a man stabs another man. Simmons draws the attention of one of the Kree overlords when she treats the man's wounds. While the rest of the agents try to figure out how to get Simmons back and how to get information from Deke, Simmons is brought to Kasius, the station's leader. Daisy discovers that Deke has built his own version of the Framework, which she inserts herself into. When Rodriguez manages to steal a Kree tablet, Coulson uses the tablet to get him, Rodriguez and Mack "camouflage" in the form of installed trackers. Grill vouches for Coulson and saves his life, but in the process essentially makes Coulson his slave. When Simmons's meeting with Kasius takes a bad turn, Daisy learns a disturbing truth about the destruction of Earth.

"Orientation, Part 2" continues to belabor the establishment of the setting for this new corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The nature of the Lighthouse Station is explored, with food drops and a weird caste system by which some humans appear to be collaborating with the Kree. "Orientation, Part 2" shows off the dank setting of the Lighthouse, with most of the characters being entirely separated from technology. Outside the fact that the building in which the Agents find themselves being a space station, the setting is more akin to the Dark Ages with alien overlords than the distant future.

The setting of the Lighthouse is a fairly distinct one and unique within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In addition to a caste system that separates the humans and the Kree, the Kree have a blood sport based on humans who fail to earn enough tokens in their economic system. The Lighthouse is brutal and filthy. "Orientation, Part 2" features a decent attention to detail in its setting; Tess notes that the new arrivals have matching buttons, which is an uncommon trait in this dark future.

Simmons's position in "Orientation, Part 2" is arguably the most horrific. Simmons, who has long been a character who is an almost absolute good, continues to use scientific methodology to attempt to figure out where and when the team is. It is her core goodness that leads Simmons to make what is a terrible mistake within the context of this twisted setting; saving a human life. The result gives Simmons - and the viewer - a very different perspective from the Coulson and Johnson portions of the story.

Sadly, the discovery of a Framework in this future - how did Deke, who doesn't seem all that bright, reconstruct the Framework when its coding came apart completely in the fourth season finale?! - sets Daisy Johnson on her course and the course of the season. "Orientation, Part 2" lays the framework for how the fifth season must go; Daisy Johnson must make it back to her original time and her actions after that point must be changed in order to save Earth. The problem here is that "Orientation, Part 2" establishes a "simple problem, simple solution" for the narrative of the fourth season of Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.: assuming Deke is right about the cause of the Earth's destruction, Daisy need only die in order to save Earth. If Daisy never goes back to her time, nothing she does after returning could have led to the destruction of Earth. Kill Daisy and the whole tangent timeline would collapse.

"Orientation, Part 2" creates a purposely disturbing vision of the future, but the problem viewers are likely to have is that none of the new characters introduced - Kasius, his lieutenant who wields a weapon instantly reminiscent of Yondu's arrow, Deke, and Grill - are good. They are miserable, mean-spirited people and they are no fun to watch. Tess has the potential to be a good person who might actually be a friend to the familiar protagonists, but she's not quite there in "Orientation, Part 2." Ultimately, the new characters in "Orientation, Part 2" make it feel right away like the heroes of the show are hopelessly outnumbered and surrounded in a situation that puts humanity on the verge of extinction. While that could be a compellingly disadvantageous position from which as show could work, Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. is handicapped by its own connection to a larger franchise. It's hard to buy that the world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe could possibly meet any form of tragic end when - for example - casting for the third season of Daredevil was announced just yesterday.

Phil Coulson is diminished through much of "Orientation, Part 2." Mack continues to be resourceful, intuitive and smart. Mack finds himself giving orders that make sense and essentially takes charge of Coulson's team. Mack has a much clearer sense of just how surrounded and how ignorant the temporal refugees actually are. While Mack steps up, he quietly undermines Coulson's authority or usefulness. Mack and Simmons move most of the key plot moments of "Orientation, Part 2."

Ultimately, "Orientation, Part 2" has the feeling of being a bedrock episode where the setting is being so eagerly fleshed out that the story that is utilizing that setting is being developed in a problematic and poor way.

For other recent events in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, please visit my reviews of:
"Virtue Of The Vicious" - The Punisher
Thor: Ragnarok
Inhumans - Season 1

2/10

For other Marvel Cinematic Universe television or movie reviews, please check out my Marvel Cinematic Universe Review Index Page for a relativistic listing!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Better Than The Source Material, Jelly Belly Cinnamon Apple Filled Jelly Beans Are Cool!

The Good: Surprisingly accurate flavor, Nothing bad in them
The Bad: Flavor of these particular beans fade unfortunately fast.
The Basics: Cinnamon Apple Filled Jelly Bellys are a pleasant Jelly Belly jelly bean, but the more of them one indulges in, the less flavorful they are.


I am not, generally, a fan of Krispy Kreme doughnuts. A few years ago, they were a huge fad where I was living and when I tried their doughnuts, I found them to be generically sweet with no real flavor or subtlety to them. So, when I was out a few days ago and discovered that Jelly Belly (one of my favorite candy companies!) had paired with Krispy Kreme for their new assortment, I was not exactly drawn in. Despite that, I picked up boxes of each of the Krispy Kreme flavors. The first one I decided to try was the Cinnamon Apple Filled jelly beans. And, unlike the Krispy Kreme "source material," the Jelly Belly Cinnamon Apple Filled jelly beans were flavorful and had a very decent transition to them between the flavor layers.

For those who might never have had Jelly Belly jelly beans, these are easily the best jelly beans on the planet, packing a lot of flavor into a very small size. Unlike most jelly beans which are only vaguely flavored and are more based on colors, Jelly Belly jelly beans have a wide variety of actual flavors, like the Strawberry Banana Smoothie, Seasonally Available Candy Cane, Krispy Kreme Chocolate Sprinkle Doughnut or their signature flavor Buttered Popcorn.

Who needs up to ten pounds of Cinnamon Apple Filled flavored Jelly Bellys? Anyone who wants ten pounds of doughnuts, but doesn't want to be viewed as a pig or suffer the health detractions of that level of gluttony! Anyone who might like Cinnamon Apple Filled Jelly Belly jelly beans will likely find that buying by the ten pound case is the most economically and environmentally responsible.

Basics

Cinnamon Apple Filled is a flavor of Jelly Belly jelly beans from the Krispy Kreme Assortment of Jelly Bellys! Jelly Belly Cinnamon Apple Filled jelly beans are approximately one half inch long by one quarter inch wide and they are roughly bean-shaped. These little candies are marketed to taste like Cinnamon Apple Filled doughnuts and they manage to replicate that flavor well, unless one eats too many of them at one time.

Cinnamon Apple Filled flavored Jelly Bellys are available in a wide array of quantities, but they are least expensive by the ten pound box. Cinnamon Apple Filled flavored Jelly Bellys are easy to recognize. The Cinnamon Apple Filled Jelly Belly jelly beans are a tan Jelly bean mottled with brown spots and streaks.

Ease Of Preparation

These are jelly beans, not making homemade doughnuts! Preparing them is as easy as opening the bag in the box and popping one (or a handful) into your mouth. In the case of the ten pound box, one might want to put them in a candy dish of some form as opposed to risking spilling them each time one goes into the bag. Then again, like doughnuts, these may be eaten right out of the box.

Taste

The Cinnamon Apple Filled Jelly Bellys have a very faint cinnamon scent to them. These are not an overly aromatic jelly bean, but the scent is present and it is inviting to those who love cinnamon flavored foods.

On the flavor front, the Cinnamon Apple Filled Jelly Belly jelly beans are a clever bit of culinary engineering. The outer coating is cinnamon and sugar flavored. The flavor of the Cinnamon Apple Filled precisely mimics the cinnamon sugar of an actual doughnut. The flavor is accurate and delicious, but the moment one cracks the outer shell of the jelly bean in their mouth, the flavor from the inside is a subtle apple flavor. The two flavors blend in the mouth to perfectly embody the taste of an apple-filled doughnut.

The Jelly Belly Cinnamon Apple Filled jelly beans seems to be one of the flavors that is especially susceptible to flavor fading as a result of gluttony. If one eats too many of the Cinnamon Apple Filled Jelly Belly jelly beans in a single sitting - like, more than fifteen, so less than an entire serving (!) - the flavor fades to a generic sugar and slightly cinnamon flavor.

The Cinnamon Apple Filled jelly beans have a blandly sugary aftertaste to it that endures in the mouth for about two minutes after the last of the beans is consumed.

Nutrition

These are jelly beans, so one has to recall that they are based on something that is not at all nutritious. The Jelly Belly Cinnamon Apple Filled jelly beans are not a legitimate source of nutrition. These are a dessert and are in no way an adequate substitute for a real meal. A serving is listed at twenty-seven beans, with each Jelly Belly jelly bean having approximately four calories. This means that in a single serving, there are 110 calories.

Jelly Belly Cinnamon Apple Filled jelly beans are not as bad as they could be in the nutrition area. They have no fat and no protein, but for those who have ever dated a Vegan, these are Vegan compliant to most Vegans because they contain no gelatin. Vegans who might take issue with these as being Vegan-compliant are the ones who have an issue with the use of bee's wax in the coating, so know your Vegan before buying! The Cinnamon Apple Filled beans have only one percent of the daily sodium with 15 mg and they are gluten free! The main ingredients are sugar, corn syrup and modified food starch, so it's not like this is an all-natural food, but they could be far, far worse.

Storage/Clean-up

Jelly Belly jelly beans have a shelf life of approximately one year and I have yet to run across a stale Jelly Belly and Cinnamon Apple Filled are no exception. They remain freshest when they are kept in an airtight container (the bag in the box is sufficient if it is kept closed) and they ought to be kept in a lukewarm environment. Storing them in hot places is likely to make the beans stick together and be gross. Kept in a cool, dry place, the beans retain their flavor perfectly.

As for cleanup, unless one allows the Jelly Belly to get hot to the point that the waxy coating on the bean melts, the dyes on these do not bleed or denature, so there is usually no cleanup necessary, not even washing one's hands after eating them (always wash your hands before eating Jelly Bellys, just as you would before eating a doughnut). I've never had Cinnamon Apple Filled Jelly Bellys stain anything.

Overall

Cinnamon Apple Filled Jelly Bellys are a decent jelly bean, well worth trying . . . but not going wild on!

For other Jelly Belly jelly bean flavor reviews by me, please check out:
Pancakes & Maple Syrup
Bubbly
Mint Mint Chocolate Chip

7/10

For other Jelly Belly reviews, please be sure to visit my Jelly Belly Jelly Bean Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Return To Somewhere We Haven't Been: "Orientation, Part 1" Brings Back The Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.

The Good: Performances are fine, Moments of character, Good direction
The Bad: Pacing, Plot plods to a problematic reveal, Light on character development.
The Basics: Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. picks up its fifth season with "Orientation, Part 1," which belabors setting over character . . . or sensibility.


As the fifth season of Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. begins, the show has a pretty big burden to explain itself. The Marvel Cinematic Universe, which was once a comparatively grounded place with a few extraordinary elements in it, has become increasingly more absurd. And the fantastic elements in the MCU have, generally, been seeded slowly and sensibly enough to make the change in the nature of the franchise seem gradual and almost logical. But as "Orientation, Part 1" begins, Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. is struggling to keep itself relevant in a franchise that is now spanning alternate realities, outer space adventures and an onslaught of alien invaders. To remain relevant in that type of universe, Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. has transitioned from a spy show to a series focused on relations between mundane humans and humans given amazing powers through the activation of alien DNA in their bodies to a paranoid fight against android replicants and an alternate Matrix-like reality. Attempting to top that and remain relevant in a universe that is gearing up for The Infinity War is requiring Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. to raise the stakes once again.

"Orientation, Part 1" follows on the final events of "World's End" (reviewed here!) and it is impossible to discuss the fifth season premiere without some references to where the fourth season ended. After all, following the Darkhold being secured in another dimension by Ghost Rider, the Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. knew they were going to be held accountable for the assassination attempt on Talbot and their part in the Framework debacle. The final scene of "World's End" featured Coulson waking up on a facility in an asteroid field and preparing to go to work. With such a place to start, "Orientation, Part 1" had a ton of explaining to do to make that final scene make sense.

A person - who appears to be wearing the skin of a man - abducts the Agents and puts them in a room with a monolith, much like the one that opened a portal to Maveth. Coulson and his team are teleported to a mining rig in space, in asteroid field. There, a breach has occurred and the humans who are working there are freaked out by apparent invaders in the facility. Coulson is not equipped with one of his technologically advanced hands and Agent May is impaled. One of the natives of the facility, Virgil, is a fan of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and he starts to familiarize the team with their new surroundings. Daisy manages to reunite with the team while they flee an alien invader and May encounters one of the workers who is equipped with technology that allows him to travel around the breach.

The Agents find an area that gives them information that the facility is close enough to Earth to potentially get a message to Fitz (who was not transported with them), but moments later they encounter Kree soldiers who capture the entire team. When Deke brings May to the cell, he bribes the guard to spring Coulson's team. Deke informs the humans that there is a ship on the facility, but Virgil was the only pilot he knew. While Daisy goes off to rescue Mack and Rodriguez, Coulson interrogates Deke.

For an almost complete reboot of Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., "Orientation, Part 1" does a fairly decent job of incorporating the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe while reminding viewers of the flavor of the series. The idea that the team is still within the Framework is quickly discounted, as is the possibility that the teleport is part of Ghost Rider's fee. Rodriguez makes a sly reference to the Inhumans. The moment the Kree appear on screen, it reinforces the idea (implied by Deke's helmet) that Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. is moving more into the Guardians Of The Galaxy corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Much of "Orientation, Part 1" is spent establishing the setting. The base appears to be a Kree base that is in striking distance of Earth where humans are periodically abducted from Earth to give the Kree current information and act as slave labor. "Orientation, Part 1" shows off the technology on the base, as well as the dark setting of the base. Throughout the episode, Virgil and Deke make dark implications about humanity and the state of Earth. The setting sets up the episode's big reversal, which all of the Agents reach right around the same time.

Agents May and Mackenzie are given the most opportunities to show off their character in "Orientation, Part 1." The season premiere reminds viewers that May is a crack pilot as she quickly figures out how to fly the trawler. May is clever and more than just a fighter; from day one, she has been an ace pilot and her ability to fly the trawler reminds viewers of that.

In a similar fashion, Mack shows off his multiple talents, not the least of which is his ability to wisecrack through the crisis in which he finds himself. Mack makes some potent observations - Coulson went to the diner woefully unprepared, when he finds himself in a physical fight of course he hit the person he was up against as hard as he possibly could - and he illustrates his attachment for Rodriguez and his ability to figure out the station's systems using his extensive engineering knowledge. Mack is tortured, this time mostly by watching Yo-Yo get tortured and he illustrates a resilience to his recent ordeal in the Framework and the transport by being able to pick up and fight almost immediately.

Ultimately, "Orientation, Part 1" acts as a hook, little more. The episode is a build-up to make the teleport to an (apparent) alien facility make sense within the confines of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the macguffin of the monolith is one of the few consistent elements with the familiar Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.. It is, however, a long way to go for the revelation and it is hardly a satisfying one; the episode moves toward a climax geared more toward getting the viewer to watch the next episode than it is to actually providing good answers or a sense of decent continuity. In fact, only neophytes to Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. will not leave the first part of "Orientation" without the feeling that the series is going into territory that will absolutely require the show to deny much of what has been previously established in the show.

For other Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. season premieres, please visit my reviews of:
"Pilot"
"Shadows"
"Laws Of Nature"
"The Ghost"

3.5/10

For other television or movie reviews, please check out my Film Review Index Page for a comprehensive listing!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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About Twenty Years Too Late, The 2017 Scully & Mulder Ornament Underwhelms.

The Good: Good sculpt, Decent sound effect
The Bad: Very animated coloring, No light effect, Good balance
The Basics: So long after The X-Files was popular and commercially-viable for collectors, Hallmark released the Scully & Mulder ornament, which felt very much like the afterthought it was.


Every phenomenon that becomes big has its day and then fades. Even some of the biggest genre phenomenons, like Star Trek and Star Wars had had their ebbs and flows, their periods where the collectibles market for their products simply collapses or lays fallow. Despite the recent revival mini-series (and the threat of a second one forthcoming!), it has been a long, long time since collectors have made The X-Files a commercially-viable property for licensers. Despite that, for 2017 Hallmark made an ornament for The X-Files: Scully & Mulder. And, as far as that goes, the two essential characters for the franchise sharing an ornament makes a great deal of sense.

For those unfamiliar with Scully & Mulder, they are the F.B.I. agents (for the bulk of the series, anyway) who investigate The X-Files (reviewed here!) in the basement of the Hoover Building in Washington, D.C. The X-Files are forgotten, unsolved cases with a supernatural and/or occult nature to them: Mulder inherited an interest in the cases and Scully was assigned to the unit in the hopes of debunking his work. Over the course of many years and many cases, the skeptical Scully began to accept many of the extreme entities and occurrences represented in the X-Files without ever abandoning her scientific methodology.

Hallmark released the Scully & Mulder ornament with little fanfare in October 2017 and the ornament features Scully & Mulder on a base that allows it to have a sound function.

Basics

The Scully & Mulder ornament faithfully recreates the two F.B.I. agents, standing side by side on a black base. Scully & Mulder are well-sculpted and well-molded and they generally look like the characters they are supposed to. The suits Scully & Mulder are wearing look very professional and the ornament was clearly sculpted based upon the promotional images from the early seasons of The X-Files. This ornament is powered by very small watch batteries (included!) which allow the sound effect to be activated.

The 2017 Scully & Mulder ornament is sculpted very simply; the characters, for example, lack finer sculpted details like texturing on the hair or fingernails. Scully is standing with her arms crossed, so Hallmark was able to cheat some of the detailing that way. The facial sculpt for Mulder, sadly, looks nothing like David Duchovny. The pair of agents, in ornament form, stands 5” tall, 2 3/8“ wide and 2” deep. This makes it one of the bigger character ornaments this season from Hallmark and it was released with an original retail price of $17.95, which is pretty fair given that it has the sound function.

Scully & Mulder stands upon a base that has the The X-Files title in the appropriate typeface across the front. Unfortunately, the base - simple and glossy black outside the lettering - outshines the character component of the ornament. Mulder and Scully are painted in monotones, so they look animated, a far cry from anything realistic. The coloring is a huge disappointment, but given that the sculpts are generally good, one suspects a good toy customizer could make the ornament look immaculate with a new paintjob!

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, the Scully & Mulder could have a light and sound function. The Scully & Mulder ornament only has a sound function. While I thought it might be cool for the ornament's base to light up (especially if they could make the light strong enough to look like one of the usual U.F.O. lights), Hallmark went only with a sound function for the 2017 ornament.

However, a button on the base, when pressed, activates the sound function. When pressed, the battery-operated ornament begins to play the opening theme to The X-Files. The theme is a distinctive one and it fits the ornament nicely. Because the 2017 Scully & Mulder ornament is based on promotional images and not a specific moment from the long-running show, the theme song being the audio clip makes a lot more sense than any dialogue from the show. The sound clip is loud, long, and distinct!

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Scully & Mulder ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. For those creating the ultimate science fiction Christmas Tree, the Scully & Mulder ornament is a conceptually great addition, with a mediocre execution. The ornament has the standard steel hook loop embedded into the back of Mulder's right shoulder. From that point, the Scully & Mulder ornament hangs perfectly level.

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (reviewed here!). Since then, they have made ornament replicas from virtually every major franchise, including retro television shows like Battlestar Galactica, Cheers and Star Trek. The Scully & Mulder ornament appears to have been slightly overproduced as I have not found a single Hallmark Gold Crown store where the ornament was stock and sold out. Between the quality and the fact that the ornament is hitting the market about 20 years after the peak of The X-Files, it is hard to imagine that this one will sell-out and appreciate in the secondary market.

Overview

Fans of the The X-Files, Scully & Mulder and Hallmark ornaments are unlikely to be impressed enough with the 2017 Scully & Mulder ornament to want to rush right out and add it to their collection . . . unless they are into customizing their ornaments!

For other 2017 Hallmark genre ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
A Duel To The Death Star Wars ornament
Gringott's Wizarding Bank Harry Potter ornament
Captain Picard And Commander Data Star Trek: The Next Generation ornament

4/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my Ornament Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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"Virtue Of The Vicious" Continues Netflix's Tradition Of Creating Perfect Television!

The Good: Wonderful acting, Great pacing, Good narrative development, Wonderful character development/reinforcement
The Bad: Nothing!
The Basics: "Virtue Of The Vicious" creates a perfect hour of television for The Punisher by playing a number of huge moments with realism and a surprising amount of class!


I cannot think of a show that I have been more pleasantly surprised by, yet taken so long to get through, as the first season of The Punisher. Netflix picked an unfortunately busy time in which to release their latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and with the impending return of Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., it's not like the MCU is going to be less crowded this week! The truth, however, is that The Punisher has been a pleasant surprise and were it not for a massive crossover event in the DC Television Universe, I would have easily and enthusiastically finished the first season of The Punisher by now. But today, I'm back with "Virtue Of The Vicious." And it was incredible!

"Virtue Of The Vicious" picks up where "Front Toward Enemy" (reviewed here!) left off and it's impossible to discuss the new episode without some references to the events of that one. After all, "Front Toward Enemy" found Frank Castle being revealed to the world as alive when Castle rescued Hoyle from the mine that Lewis Wilson had put on him. "Virtue Of The Vicious" picks up after an assassination attempt on Senator Ori, which Wilson warned Castle about. The episode is a bit of a divergence from the prior episodes, but it continues the intriguing quality of The Punisher where it explores realistic consequences of violence.

Lewis slays a man in his home and tries to set the man's birds free. The man was Isaac, an employee of Ben Russo. Russo is interviewed by Mahoney and Mahoney insinuates that Anvil was over-extended by taking Senator Ori's protection duty. Castle calls Russo to warn him that Lewis will try again. The narrative then turns to a flashback, with Senator Ori telling Mahoney his perception of the assassination attempt. Karen Page is interviewing Ori when a bomb goes off. Wilson kills two of Russo's men . . . aided by Frank Castle. Page tells Mahoney a different story, one where Wilson and Castle were fighting one another through the Senator's suite. Wilson's murder of Isaac quickly becomes clear; he needed an Anvil uniform to get access to the hotel where Ori is set up. Karen claims to have been rescued by Frank Castle.

Dinah Madani was in the hotel at the time of the bombing and the gunfight as well. On her first day back at Homeland Security, Rafael Hernandez is told the truth about the op in which Stein was killed and she removes the bug in her office in front of him. Madani exposes Rawlins to Hernandez and she learns that all of the mercenaries killed in the sting operation worked for Anvil in the past. Madani interrogates Russo and after the bombing, she manages to find Castle. That leads to a stalemate in the hotel stairwell that turns Madani and Russo against one another. While Castle manages to escape to the basement and rescue Karen Page from Lewis Wilson, he is severely injured and Wilson makes a choice with incredible consequences!

With "Virtue Of The Vicious," it is official: Daniel Webber is one of the best actors playing unsettling and troubled characters working on television today! Webber opens the episode with a chilling and simple series of actions: shooting a man through a peephole and then playing with Isaac's birds. Throughout the episode, Webber portrays Lewis as an extremist who is brutal and arguably as efficient as Frank Castle, but with a very different political agenda.

"Virtue Of The Vicious" takes the time to reinforce and explore the character of Frank Castle. Castle has been a pretty monolithic character - existing in the moment of his family's death - on a quest to right the wrongs done to him and the other members of Cerberus in Afghanistan. Frank Castle is a monolithic character, but he is not one who is unprincipled. Karen Page makes the argument to Mahoney that bombing people over their anti-gun stance is not Frank Castle's style. Madani, similarly, advocates for the philosophical core that guides Frank Castle. While the perception of The Punisher might be that it's a redneck, gun-lover's corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the reality is that the show - and the character - is more complex than that. Castle might be a big advocate of the Second Amendment, but he is not someone who would kill people for disagreeing with him. In fact, when Russo turns his gun on Madani after she identifies herself as a Federal agent, that turns Castle against his old friend.

There are many shows that piece together a story by showing different characters' perspectives - the classic Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "A Matter Of Perspective" (reviewed here!) comes instantly to mind - but "Virtue Of The Vicious" manages to feel fresh and different. The characters are all deep and complex, from Karen Page (who, instead of cowering, attempts to reason with Lewis) to Frank Castle who does everything he can to save Karen Page's life.

Deborah Ann Woll illustrates that she was cast for the Marvel Cinematic Universe as far more than a pretty face. Her performance in "Virtue Of The Vicious" is riveting, especially at a key moment as Page is held hostage by Wilson. Woll's performance opposite Royce Johnson at the episode's climax reinforces Woll's ability to play the role of Karen Page with subtlety and nuance with only her eyes and the tilt of her head.

"Virtue Of The Vicious" hits perfection in the most subtle and clever way possible. The episode contains huge character moments and big plot reversals that, on a lesser show, would have been milked for melodrama or end-of-episode twists. But one of the key moments in "Virtue Of The Vicious" has Madani realizing the truth about Russo and the death of her partner and in the episode it is treated as a professional investigator would; with a level of detachment and desire for justice, as opposed to instantly revealing the sense of personal horror for melodramatic effect. In a similar way, when the episode is put together, all of the various aspects come to make perfect sense; Madani turns to Karen Page because she already knows the truth about Russo, Castle, and Rawlins, for example.

Jim O'Hanlon directs "Virtue Of The Vicious" in a way that keeps the pace moving and makes even the moments where characters are simply telling stories to one another into gripping television.

Ultimately, "Virtue Of The Vicious" puts The Punisher on a very short list within the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a work of art that is layered, complex and realistic . . . and perfect!

For other Marvel Cinematic Universe works with the character Brett Mahoney, please visit my reviews of:
Daredevil - Season 1
"AKA Top Shelf Perverts" - Jessica Jones
Daredevil - Season 2

10/10

For other works in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, please visit my Marvel Cinematic Universe Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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