The Defenders Wait For The End As "Fish In The Jailhouse"

The Good: Performances are fine, Effects are good
The Bad: Shaky camera is annoying, Plot drags, No real character development.
The Basics: "Fish In The Jailhouse" spends most of its time setting up the season finale of The Defenders . . . without being a very satisfying episode on its own.


One of the issues Netflix had when it began The Defenders after the events of Spider-Man: Homecoming (reviewed here!) was that the villain in The Defenders had to be big-enough to justify the team-up, but not so big that The Defenders would have to turn to other heroes working in their neighborhood for help (namely Spider-Man and, potentially, Iron Man if Peter Parker felt the team needed back-up). Fundamentally, The Defenders had an advantage on the character front for avoiding introducing characters from the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe - Jessica Jones is antisocial, Matt Murdock is obsessed with keeping his secret identity secret and Luke Cage does not have access. Only Danny Rand has a realistic connection to Tony Stark as a fellow billionaire industrialist. Fortunately for The Defenders as the show nears its peak in "Fish In The Jailhouse," there is a time crunch that prevents The Hand's villainy from being noticed by heroes external to The Defenders and Danny Rand has been captured by The Hand.

"Fish In The Jailhouse" picks up after the climactic events of "Ashes, Ashes" (reviewed here!) and it is impossible to discuss without some references to how the prior episode ended. After all, despite stealing a big reversal from Luke Cage, "Ashes, Ashes" climaxed well with Danny Rand being captured by Elektra and Elektra taking command of The Hand by killing Alexandra. Now under Elektra's direction, the surviving members of The Hand are set on using the Iron Fist to unlock the door beneath the Midland Circle building.

Flashing back to Stick and Elektra meeting after Elektra failed to seduce Matt Murdock to come over to The Chaste, Stick derides Elektra for having an emotional weakness for Matt Murdock. In the present, the police arrive to find Matt Murdock, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage unconscious and Stick dead on the floor nearby. Jones awakens in Misty Knight's interrogation room and Murdock is reunited with Nelson in police custody. While Claire Temple waits for Luke Cage to regain consciousness, Colleen Wing worries about the abducted Danny Rand. Back at Midland Circle, Elektra deals with the three surviving leaders of The Hand where she exerts her control over them by menacing them over their lack of The Substance (which allows them to be immortal).

While the sidekicks try to reason with the heroes and Murdock tries to get everyone out of police custody, Elektra moves Danny Rand to the pit below Midland Circle. Foggy Nelson brings Murdock his Daredevil outfit and offers him a choice, while Jessica Jones comes to the conclusion that the architect was right to want to blow up the Midland Circle skyscraper. In the pit, Elektra tries to convince Rand to use the Iron Fist to open the door, while The Defenders and Wing break out of the police station with the architect's C-4. At Midland Circle, The Hand keeps the Defenders busy while Rand and Elektra fight near the doorway far below.

"Fish In The Jailhouse" is very much a transition episode of The Defenders. The entire episode is spent getting the heroes out of police custody and to Midland Circle, while The Hand moves to the subterranean location needed to utilize the Iron Fist. The episode is a lot of waiting for something to happen and it is unfortunate that much of the actual action hinges on the Iron Fist, the weakest member of The Defenders. Finn Jones is entirely overshadowed by Elodie Yung in the scenes they share.

Elodie Yung is wonderful in "Fish In The Jailhouse" as Elektra as she transitions from confused and emotional to stone cold-killer. Now that Elektra is the Big Bad of the first season of The Defenders, Yung is put in an unenviable position of rising to the occasion the way other "reversal villains" have had to before while still being distinctive. Had Netflix's Marvel television shows not done the same thing with changing up villains before with the second season of Daredevil (The Blacksmith), Luke Cage (Diamondback after Cottonmouth) and Iron Fist (Harold Meachum stepping up after Bakuto was out of the picture), Elektra murdering Alexandra might have been truly audacious. Elektra entered the second season of Daredevil as a tormented hero before becoming antagonist and dying in a redemptive arc. Now that she has crossed over entirely to the Dark Side, the inherent weakness of the character is that she has been there before and came back, so her arc seems pretty obvious. Yung, however, does not allow even a hint of that to come out in her performance in "Fish In The Jailhouse." After the teaser, Yung is cold and dangerous as Elektra.

"Fish In The Jailhouse" reveals the lack of creativity for continuity in the writers of The Defenders. Faced with having to get off the streets, Jessica Jones does not even pitch flying ahead (or jumping super far as she has admitted to being able to do) to Midland Circle. Under such a circumstance, Daredevil could have rushed along the rooftops and Luke Cage could have taken to the street - the a.p.b. on the trio had the police looking for three people. Similarly, as the big battle breaks out in Midland Circle, Jessica Jones's strength is underplayed; the trio needs to go down; why Jones does not simple break through a wall or through the floor to a sublevel rather than fight The Hand makes little sense.

Madame Gao and Jessica Jones are the ones to watch in "Fish In The Jailhouse." Gao is essentially a Dark Side Yoda in "Fish In The Jailhouse" and Jones is given the best lines of the episode. Otherwise, the episode is an obvious bridge episode that sets up the season finale and does not actually progress the characters in The Defenders . . . and only minimally advances the plot from where the prior episode ended.

For other Marvel Cinematic Universe penultimate episodes, please check out my reviews of:
"Bar The Big Boss" - Iron Fist
"A Little Song And Dance" - Agent Carter
"Ragtag"- Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.

[Knowing that single episodes are an inefficient way to get episodes, it's worth looking into The Defenders - The Complete First Season on DVD or Blu-Ray, which is also a better economical choice than buying individual episodes. Read my review of the debut season of the street-level heroes here!
Thanks!]

4/10

For other Marvel Cinematic Universe reviews, 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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Kellogg's Makes Heating Up Orange Soda Work With Their Frosted Crush Orange Pop Tarts!

The Good: Very accurate flavor, Affordable, Easy to prepare
The Bad: Packaging/environmental impact, Not terribly nutritious.
The Basics: The Frosted Orange Crush Pop Tarts are surprisingly aromatic and flavorful making for a surprise winner from Kellogg's expanding line.


One of the delights of being an open-minded reviewer is that there are still some things that can pleasantly surprise me. I try to go into my reviews of Kellogg's Pop Tarts appropriately neutral, but the truth is, the dry pastries are not my favorite - mostly because they are more reminiscent of pie than cake (I prefer cake to pie, every time!). So, when I encounter a Pop Tarts flavor that makes me buy multiple packs, it truly says something about how good they are.

That is exactly what happened with the Frosted Crush Orange Pop Tarts!

Basics

Kellogg’s Pop Tarts are toaster pastries, which are basically semi-hard flat bread pouches filled with a flavored filling. The filling has the consistency of peanut butter and some, like the Limited Edition Frosted Orange Crush flavor, come with frosting on them. The frosting is hard and on the Frosted Orange Crush flavored Pop Tarts has a lighter frosting swirl atop the plain white frosting, perhaps to indicate subconsciously to the consumer that the pastry is orange flavored.

Frosted Orange Crush Pop Tarts come in a box of eight with the Pop Tarts paired up in thin foil pouches. The foil pouch helps to protect the Pop Tart and keep it fresh.

Ease Of Preparation

Pop Tarts are one of the easiest foods in the world to prepare. Simply tear open the foil pouch and pull a Pop Tart out to eat it. It is truly that simple. Of course, you should dispose of the foil wrapper in an environmentally appropriate manner. Outside that, preparation is unnecessary as Pop Tarts taste great at room temperature, though these Pop Tarts definitely have more flavor when heated.

But, for those who like them hot – which makes the filling more like a warm pie – Frosted Orange Crush Pop Tarts may be heated in a toaster, toaster oven or microwave. I actually like heating the Frosted Orange Crush Pop Tarts in the microwave for thirty seconds because it makes the corners softer and makes the pastry a little less dry.

Taste

One of the aspects of the Frosted Orange Crush Pop Tarts that surprised me was their aroma. Even at room temperature, the Frosted Crush Orange Pop Tarts smell delightfully of orange. The familiar sweet citrus scent it instantly evocative of orange soda. That the scent effervesces some from the Pop Tarts is surprising and inviting.

At room temperature, the Frosted Orange Crush Pop Tarts taste initially like a soft pie crust. More than any other Pop Tart I have yet tried, the Frosted Crush Orange Pop Tarts have a sweet pastry crust, more analogous to cake than to pie. The moment the crust is broken, the filling touches the tongue and embodies both the flavor and sensation of orange soda. The strong citrus flavor of the Frosted Crush Orange Pop Tarts is enhanced by a sensation on the tongue that the Pop Tarts filling is actually fizzing, like a soda pop. The result is a surprisingly true flavor to what the Pop Tart is supposed to be.

Served warm, the Frosted Orange Crush Pop Tarts are aromatic and the scent is clearly and strongly that of sweet oranges. The fizzy quality of the Frosted Crush Orange Pop Tarts is enhanced by serving them warm. The orange soda pop flavor truly pops in the mouth and the flavor is like a fresh baked fruit cake!

Regardless of temperature, the Frosted Orange Crush Pop Tarts have a minorly dry aftertaste to them, though it does not last long after one has consumed the last one.

Nutrition

Frosted Orange Crush Pop Tarts are not the worst option as a component of a breakfast. A single pastry is considered a serving, which is odd given that they come sealed as two-packs. One Frosted Orange Crush Pop Tart has 200 calories, 45 of which are from fat! With 5 grams fat, one Frosted Orange Crush Pop Tart gives you 8% of your RDA of fat and 7% of your RDA of sodium. The 36 grams of carbohydrates provide 12% of your daily recommended intake! On the plus side, this flavor Pop Tart does have 10% of your RDA of Vitamin A, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Iron and Vitamin B6, which makes it more nutritious than some juices!

While there is not a lot to laud in the nutrition department, the ingredients in the Frosted Orange Crush Pop Tarts are not actually bad. Made primarily of Enriched Flour, corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup, it is actually a surprise how the Frosted Orange Crush Pop Tarts are not worse in the nutrition department than they are! The ingredient list quickly becomes a chemistry equation after gelatin, though.

There are notations that the Frosted Orange Crush Pop Tarts contain wheat and soy ingredients. They are not marked as Kosher, though I am not certain why that is.

Storage/Clean-Up

Frosted Orange Crush Pop Tarts are very easy to clean up. Simply throw away the foil wrapper in an appropriate place, brush up the crumbs and you are done! Kept in their foil wrappers, Frosted Orange Crush Pop Tarts will remain fresh for a while; the ones we bought on clearance last month have an expiration date of October 11, 2017.

Overall

Frosted Orange Crush Limited Edition Pop Tarts are one of the few limited edition flavors of Pop Tarts that are so flavorful, I hope they are only being clearanced locally; this is a wonderful flavor well worth picking up. Had I not already bought out my local grocery store of their stock, I would have definitely made a stockpile of these!

For other Pop Tarts, be sure to check out my reviews of:
A&W Root Beer Pop Tarts
Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts
Frosted Chocolate Peanut Butter

7.5/10

For other food reviews, please visit my Food Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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"Ashes, Ashes" Slowly Moves To Two Big Marvel Cinematic Universe Deaths!

The Good: Stick is proven to be the smartest character of the franchise, Good acting, Lines from Jessica Jones
The Bad: Dull, meandering, plot, Some serious technical and character issues
The Basics: The Defenders take time to regroup in "Ashes, Ashes" while The Hand does the same thing.


As The Defenders nears its climax, it is interesting to see what directions it chooses to go. Unfortunately, because the Marvel Cinematic Universe is so vast, it is tough for even the Netflix components of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to retain some sense of originality. "Ashes, Ashes," for example, opts to go exactly where Luke Cage went a year prior in its handling of the (apparent) primary villain of the series and that is incredibly disappointing for fans - especially given how The Defenders had a limited amount of time and space to develop new adversaries. "Ashes, Ashes" uses Sigourney Weaver's Alexandra to reveal to viewers just how The Hand has operated for centuries and it manages to elevate Elektra to a level of villainy that justifies the fear Stick had in the Black Sky.

"Take Shelter" (reviewed here!) led directly into "Ashes, Ashes." As a result, the heroes of The Defenders are holed up at the outset together, The Hand is experiencing serious fractures and the sidekicks from the prior Marvel Cinematic Universe endeavors are all sequestered together at Misty Knight's precinct for their safety.

Alexandra is listening to a record when she notices, to her dismay, that it is warped. The Defenders are reeling from Stick having just killed Sowande in front of them. With Stick having realized that Rand is the key to something The Hand wants to unlock, Danny Rand freaks out. After the rest of the team incapacitates Danny Rand, Stick reveals to the team that Matt might know where the door The Hand wants to unlock is; in the hole beneath the skyscraper that is now Midland Circle. While Jones and Murdock head for the architect's house to get the plans, Stick and Cage dispose of Sowande's body . . . by Stick shipping his head to The Hand!

While Murdock and Jones visit Raymond's brownstone for information on Midland Circle, Madame Gao tries to work with and warn Alexandra of her place in The Hand's leadership. While Stick meditates, Cage and Rand actually begin to bond. Alexandra visits Elektra at Elektra's grave and works to bring her back to her cause as the Black Sky. After Jones and Murdock get the plans to Midland Circle and the hole beneath it, Stick makes a move on the Iron Fist, which leaves the team vulnerable to Elektra.

The Defenders seems incredibly derivative in "Ashes, Ashes" and not just from other Marvel Cinematic Universe works. Danny Rand is straight out of the Buffy The Vampire Slayer playbook when he whines at the outset of the episode that he is not a key. Sadly, Finn Jones is not a better actor than Michelle Trachtenberg. Furthermore, "Ashes, Ashes" reduces The Chaste to an analogy to Whedon's Knights Of Byzantium as Stick has the most pragmatic approach to Danny Rand. In fact, it is somewhat shocking that it takes Stick so long to make an attempt on Rand's life to try to save New York.

"Ashes, Ashes" is weird in that it gets a number of key character details wrong for the protagonists. Jessica Jones and Luke Cage have their first genuine opportunity to converse since Cage abruptly ditched Jones near the climax of the first season of Jessica Jones. Cage abandoned her because she was tied to his wife's death; since then, he has learned that Reva was simply using him and was a part of the organization that violently gave him his unbreakable skin and exceptional strength. Cage, who is usually a good, stand-up guy, has the chance to end much of Jones's inner turmoil, but the dialogue is a bland brushing off of how their relationship ended and why.

The Netflix corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has smartly and slowly developed The Hand as an adversary. While the ninjas of The Hand have been disposable and easily-defeated, Madame Gao has represented a powerhouse of villainy for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Gao shows deference to Alexandra and that instantly elevated Alexandra the moment she appeared on screen. Bokuto was a half-rate villain in Iron Fist, Sowande was barely in The Defenders before he was killed. In "Ashes, Ashes," Murakami is a non-entity, which helps to undermine the menace of The Hand. Gao and Alexandra seem the most competent members of The Hand leadership and it is shocking how milquetoast the other three leaders are/were.

The tragedy of "Ashes, Ashes" - outside Danny Rand being a whiny little toad who is completely upstaged by Luke Cage's biceps (it is impossible to deny in this episode that Mike Colter is not only an amazing looking guy, but he's got charisma coming out his ears - or more accurately, eyes, smile, and voice) - is that the climax finds Elektra revealing her true level of power . . . at the expense of one of the worthwhile characters from The Defenders.

Elodie Yung is good as Elektra and director Stephen Surjik captured her confused expressions as Alexandra indoctrinates the Black Sky quite well. Scott Glenn continues to portray the blind master Stick with a realism that is incredible.

"Ashes, Ashes" plods along with the characters regrouping - Murdock and Jones figure out just where they need to go to stop The Hand over the course of the hour while Stick resolves to prevent the Iron Fist from falling into The Hand's possession and Alexandra similarly getting Elektra back to her cause - before yet another significant battle and a "big twist" moment that is anything but big. The result is a bridge episode that feels like a bridge episode and fairly average television.

For other works with Sigourney Weaver, please check out my reviews of:
The Cabin In The Woods
Red Lights
Paul
Cedar Rapids
Avatar
WALL-E
Baby Mama
Galaxy Quest
The Alien Quadrilogy
Annie Hall

[Knowing that single episodes are an inefficient way to get episodes, it's worth looking into The Defenders - The Complete First Season on DVD or Blu-Ray, which is also a better economical choice than buying individual episodes. Read my review of the debut season of the street-level heroes here!
Thanks!]

5/10

For other television 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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Effectively Moisturizing Hair, Aussie Miraculously Smooth Conditioner Works!

The Good: Effectively repairs dry and damaged hair, Affordable
The Bad: Lack of a scent, Not "cone free."
The Basics: Aussie Miraculously Smooth Conditioner is a good hair conditioner that justifies its lack of scent through great results!


For the last few weeks, I've been testing a new (to me) shampoo and as part of my rigorous testing of that very scented shampoo, I've actually begun to seek out conditioners that do not have a scent. The basic reason behind this is I've been attempting to ascertain just how enduring the scent of the shampoo I'm testing actually is. One of the best unscented hair conditioners I have found during this testing period is Aussie Miraculously Smooth Conditioner.

Aussie Miraculously Smooth Conditioner is a conditioner that is quite good and effective at what it promises to do in terms of moisturizing hair and making it more manageable. This is a comparatively inexpensive restorative conditioner that leaves hair without any scent of its own. The Aussie Miraculously Smooth Conditioner is a wonderful restorative conditioner for hair.

I tend to like conditioners that make hair more manageable and lustrous and leave hair with a wonderful smell to it. The Aussie Miraculously Smooth Conditioner did the former two well, but not the latter at all. After two weeks of using the Aussie Miraculously Smooth Conditioner, my hair was incredibly manageable and restored from any places it had been dry before. As I hoped for my testing, my hair bore a completely neutral smell after using the Aussie Miraculously Smooth Conditioner (when I used a scentless shampoo with it). I am a big fan of scents that remind me of good memories, but the Aussie Miraculously Smooth Conditioner does not leave a noticeable scent; it leaves hair restored and manageable.

That said, the Miraculously Smooth Conditioner lived up on its promises to reduce frizz and moisturize hair. After two weeks of use, the Aussie Miraculously Smooth Conditioner has nicely restored my dry hair to a manageable, well-nourished state with a decent luster and it appeared to protect my hair from developing any new split ends.

With a cost of approximately $4.99 for a 13.5 fl. oz. bottle, Aussie Miraculously Smooth is a mid-range conditioner on the pricing. The bottle is smooth and is more flat than round. When wet, it slips out of the hands easily. The cap has a flip-top that makes it very easy to get the conditioner out with only one hand, despite the potential slippage.

Aussie Miraculously Smooth is a pearlescent white, opaque conditioner that is creamy and smooth, much like a lotion for skin. It has a somewhat watery consistency and it is one of the less-thick conditioners I have encountered. Because it is thinner, this conditioner spreads easily through the hair. It only takes one half-dollar-sized dollop of the Aussie Miraculously Smooth Conditioner to condition my hair (and I have fairly long hair!).

Coming out of the bottle, the Aussie Miraculously Smooth Conditioner has no discernible scent and after hair is dry, there is no scent from the conditioner. The Aussie Miraculously Smooth Conditioner is ideal for use in conjunction with a well-scented shampoo, as it does not appear to influence any shampoo it interacts with. I could smell very purely the new shampoos I was using in conjunction with the Aussie Miraculously Smooth Conditioner, which suggests this conditioner leaves no scent at all in the hair.

The Aussie Miraculously Smooth Conditioner does not make my hair feel heavy when my hair is dry, though it did increase the volume, body and shine of my nicely repaired hair. For those for whom it is important, Aussie Miraculously Smooth Conditioner is not cone free, but I have noticed no adverse effects from using this conditioner. The Aussie Miraculously Smooth Conditioner effectively reduced frizz on the top of my head when my hair was frizzy, dry and a little broken.

Aussie Miraculously Smooth Conditioner is pretty wonderful, even if I usually like my conditioners to have a scent to them.

For other hair conditioner reviews, please check out my analysis of:
Dove Intensive Repair Conditioner
Suave Professionals Natural Infusion with Awapuhi Ginger & Honeysuckle Anti-Breakage Conditioner
OGX Strength & Body Bamboo Fiber-Full Conditioner

7.5/10

For other health and beauty reviews, visit my Health And Beauty Index Page for an organized listing of the products I have reviewed!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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The Defenders "Take Shelter" Together And Fight To Defy The Formula

The Good: Good character moments, Decent performances
The Bad: Meandering, slow, plot, Missed opportunities with the secondary characters
The Basics: "Take Shelter" continues to develop The Defenders in a quieter direction as the supporting characters are united, much like the heroes were in the prior episode.


One of the weaknesses of the superhero genre, even for the Netflix television shows, is that there is a sense of formula to much of the work. There are very few superhero works that manage to effectively defy their formula and still maintain the audience. Those hoping that the Marvel Cinematic Universe might be fundamentally alerted by The Defenders were left a bit disappointed by the show utilizing the formula, rather than defying it. The reinforcement of the typical superhero formula comes in "Take Shelter."

"Take Shelter" opens immediately after the comparatively serene episode "Royal Dragon" (reviewed here!), which found characters on all sides talking more than fighting and that was a somewhat refreshing change of pace. "Royal Dragon" climaxed with The Defenders actually coming together as a fighting force in advance of a battle within the Chinese restaurant, the Royal Dragon. "Take Shelter" finds that fight breaking out in the most predictable and obvious way a super-hero show could execute such a fight. The formula is then defied and the sense of calm returns for another character-building episode of The Defenders and "Take Shelter" works on that front.

Three other leaders of The Hand converge upon the Royal Dragon, intent on capturing Danny Rand. Amidst the fighting, Matt Murdock attempts to reason with Elektra, but he fails to reach her for more than a brief moment. Luke Cage is captured by Sowande's forces. The remaining Defenders retreat to Colleen Wing's dojo . . . where Cage arrives with a captured Sowande. Under interrogation, Sowande reveals that the Hand is only after the Iron Fist and he threatens the loved ones of the Defenders. The heroes scramble to get their loved ones to safety. While Claire Temple, Foggy Nelson, Karen Page, Malcolm and Trish Walker are brought to Misty Knight's precinct for protection, Colleen Wing is reunited with Bakuto, her old sensei and one of the leaders of The Hand.

Their loved ones safe, Stick interrogates Sowande and he is joined by Murdock and the others. The Hand convenes and is divided over a course of action as the resurgence of Daredevil leaves them fractured. When Sowande resists answering Murdock's questions, he is forced to come clean about Elektra. When he does, his anger leaves his new teammates vulnerable to Sowande.

"Take Shelter" is instantly notable for having Madame Gao in her most active role yet. Gao has been a villain in both Daredevil and Iron Fist and in the first season of Iron First, she was seen killing one person. Beyond that, Gao has been mysterious and more of a puppet master than an active participant in various villains' enterprises. In "Take Shelter," Gao shows off some Jedi moves and is fully revealed to be much more than the old lady she appears to be (though she still has not transformed into a full-on dragon).

Sigourney Weaver is finally given a great chance to perform as Alexandra in "Take Shelter." Alexandra's backstory is fleshed out when she explains some of her past to the Black Sky and she makes a comparison between her long-dead daughter and Elektra. Weaver transforms a simple exposition scene into a deeper character moment using the power of her performance. Weaver's emotional deliveries makes Alexandra empathetic and intriguing, more than a vessel to deliver backstory.

"Take Shelter" is a quieter episode of The Defenders and the real joy within the episode is seeing the secondary characters of the four Netflix Marvel shows interact. The episode does not end up being a sidekick's version of "Royal Dragon," though, as it remains focused still on the primary protagonists and the meeting of the antagonists. That said, fans of the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe and Marvel Comics are likely to geek out completely over the first meeting and conversation between Misty Knight and Colleen Wing. Those who love Heroes For Hire will see that meeting as a key step in seeing that team realized in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

On the character front, Elektra's sense of conflict over not truly remembering her life before and her new programming to be the Black Sky makes her more compelling than the average villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Her inner turmoil is well-executed in "Take Shelter" and actress Elodie Yung shines in delivering Elektra's more subtle moments in the episode. Hell, anyone who can make the act of laying down in a bed gripping television has something going for her! And Yung does exactly that.

The direction in "Take Shelter" is good and Uta Briesewitz quickly gets away from the fight sequences to focus on the rising character tensions between both the group of heroes and the group of villains. The result is a largely satisfying episode of The Defenders that continues to reveal and deepen the characters involved.

For other works with Finn Jones, please visit my reviews of:
Game Of Thrones - Season 1
Game Of Thrones - Season 2
Game Of Thrones - Season 3
Game Of Thrones - Season 4
Game Of Thrones - Season 5
Game Of Thrones - Season 6
Iron Fist - Season 1

[Knowing that single episodes are an inefficient way to get episodes, it's worth looking into The Defenders - The Complete First Season on DVD or Blu-Ray, which is also a better economical choice than buying individual episodes. Read my review of the debut season of the street-level heroes here!
Thanks!]

7.5/10

For other television 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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How Much Would You Pay For An Empty Box? The Doctor Who T.A.R.D.I.S. Pop! Vinyl Is Fun!

The Good: Cute, Stable, Collectible value
The Bad: Essentially an accessory, No light or sound function to enhance it
The Basics: The Pop! Vinyl T.A.R.D.I.S. accessory is pretty necessary for anyone's Doctor Who Pop! Vinyl collection, but it is somewhat unimpressive on its own.


Now that my wife is a bona fide Whovian, I have been on the lookout for Doctor Who merchandise that she actually likes and wants around. Not long ago, I decided to take a chance and pick her up the Pop! Vinyl T.A.R.D.I.S. while at a convention. Neither my wife nor I are huge fans of the Funko Pop! Vinyl line (though she has a little collection of them now as I have stretched for gifts for her) and the T.A.R.D.I.S. was the first one that she showed any real interest in (though, to be fair, she has not seen the Ninth Doctor Pop! Vinyl in person). She politely accepted my gift of the T.A.R.D.I.S. Pop! Vinyl, but it did not become a gateway to further collecting for her.

The Pop! Vinyl T.A.R.D.I.S. accessory is a pretty basic recreation of The Doctor's iconic vehicle in a scale large enough to accommodate one big-headed Doctor Who Pop! vinyl figure.

Basics

The T.A.R.D.I.S. Pop! Vinyl figure is the blue police box vehicle with a door that can open. The vehicle measures 7 1/8" tall from the bottom of the base to the top of the light on the center, top, of the box. The T.A.R.D.I.S. vehicle is 4 1/2" long and 4 1/2" wide.

This toy is a very basic sculpt of the T.A.R.D.I.S. The T.A.R.D.I.S. Pop! Vinyl truly is just a police box - there is nothing on the inside that indicates anything reminiscent of the T.A.R.D.I.S. Like the T.A.R.D.I.S., though, the door opens inward, as opposed to being a pull-open like a proper police box. There is no bottom to the T.A.R.D.I.S. Pop! Vinyl vehicle, which allows consumers to place a figure right in it. The T.A.R.D.I.S. is sculpted with smooth sides, so it does not appear to be made of wood, like the T.A.R.D.I.S. camouflage appears.

The coloring of the T.A.R.D.I.S. Pop! Vinyl is monolithic blue and white. The sign on the front door and the police symbol on the door that opens are expertly painted on - they look silk-screened, but without any border or evidence of that process. The light on the top of the police box is made of clear plastic. The paint job on the lettering above the doors is crisp and clear, even if it is monotonal.

Accessories

The T.A.R.D.I.S. Pop! Vinyl vehicle is the police box on its own, without any flare. I was a little disappointed that this Pop! vinyl did not have any sort of light and/or sound feature. The light fixture on top of the T.A.R.D.I.S. could have been built to light up and it would have been easy enough for Funko to include a sound box that played the distinctive T.A.R.D.I.S. sound effect. Funko did neither; this is just the Pop! vinyl T.A.R.D.I.S. on its own without any flair or embellishments.

Playability

The Pop! Vinyl toy line was designed for collectors, not children. Despite that, the T.A.R.D.I.S. Pop! Vinyl figure has a little more playability than many other Pop! vinyls as its door opens and closes and it is big enough to house a single figure.

Collectibility

The T.A.R.D.I.S. is part of the Pop! Vinyl Television collection, which is a fairly expansive collection. The T.A.R.D.I.S. is number 227 in the Television collection and it seems to be fairly commonly available. It was not a limited edition, but it was not available with the common releases of the Doctor Who Pop! vinyls. The oversized one seem to be available at a different rate than the common, regular-sized ones, but not have any greater value to them.

Overview

The Pop! Vinyl T.A.R.D.I.S. toy is all right, but not at all extraordinary, which makes it a little less thrilling than most Doctor Who fans would want.

For other Doctor Who or Funko toys, please check out my reviews of:
12" Clockwork Man Doll
Sharknado Pop! Vinyl Figure
Boushh Star Wars Pop! Vinyl

5/10

For other toy reviews, please check out the Random Toy Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Quiet Conversation And Exposition Dominate "Royal Dragon"

The Good: Moments of character, Good performances
The Bad: Light on plot, A lot of the dialogue is simple exposition.
The Basics: The Defenders finally unite for a conversation in "Royal Dragon" and the result fits the characters well and provides for a basis for the show to actually go forward as a team effort.


The moment a super-hero team is conceived and announced, one of the critical issues in making a story (and project) work is finding a balance for the characters and making a story that justifies the team-up. Making sure that none of the characters are overshadowed and that the story warrants the protagonists uniting for a common cause is critical to the story working. The Defenders, predictably, begins with the four main characters all at separate places, working on completely different cases before their missions become clearly overlapped. It takes until the fourth episode of The Defenders, "Royal Dragon," before the protagonists meet properly and have a genuine conversation about what is going on in New York City.

"Royal Dragon" is not the first time the protagonists all meet; that happened in the prior episode, "Worst Behavior" (reviewed here!). Given that "Royal Dragon" opens moments after the climax of "Worst Behavior," it is impossible to discuss the new episode without some references to the episode that preceded it. The title of "Royal Dragon" refers to the fallback position of the Defenders, a Chinese restaurant where the heroes run to in order to survive their disastrous encounter with Alexandra, Elektra, and The Hand.

Matt Murdock, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Danny Rand retreat to a Chinese restaurant, the Royal Dragon, following the attack they each walked into independently at Midland Circle. Jessica Jones and Cage catch up briefly, recognizing that they arrived at Midland Circle working different cases. Danny Rand tries to explain the Iron Fist to his new companions and Jones reveals to Murdock that she has figured out he is Daredevil and she tries to get the information she needs on her case to get out of further issues involving The Hand. Back at Midland Circle, Alexandra and Elektra discuss the nature of the Black Sky. Elektra seems confused by the hints of her former life eking into her memory, though she commits to being the Black Sky and serving The Hand.

At the Royal Dragon, the heroes debate how they might defeat The Hand using legal methods. Rand denies that it is possible to stop Alexandra legally and Stick, less his right hand, arrives to try to help the quartet. When Stick tells them about The Chaste and that New York City is at risk, Jones bolts. While Stick tells the others about The Hand and the ancient war, Jones researches the companies that evolved into Midland Circle. Discovering the handwriting of the executive of various ancient companies matches, Jones concludes that Alexandra truly is ancient. Jones discovers that The Hand has a presence watching John Raymond's widow's house and she stops the surveillance. When Alexandra arrives at the Royal Dragon, all of the protagonists must choose to adopt Stick's plan or surrender to Alexandra.

"Royal Dragon" is the first direct time The Defenders must confront directly the disparity between the two types of Marvel heroes who make up the new group. Jessica Jones and Luke Cage are two street-level operatives who have been altered by scientific corporations to have abilities and they exist in, largely, a very real world. They are pragmatic super heroes with no real experience with the supernatural. Iron Fist is all-supernatural for his powers and Matt Murdock's transformation into Daredevil was slow and practical, but in its second season, the supernatural elements surrounding The Hand were introduced overtly into his world (Madame Gao was revealed in the first season as being very ancient and quite possibly not at all human, but not to Murdock) with Nobu's resurrection and his use of blood magic to empower an ancient device related to the Black Sky. Reconciling the two fundamentally opposite viewpoints on the world is a real tasked, mostly glossed over by Luke Cage and Danny Rand in "Worst Behavior." "Royal Dragon" forces the issue through having the protagonists converse about it.

The instant reaction of Matt Murdock is to protect his secret identity and, completely in character, Jones wants to split. "Royal Dragon" affords Cage and Jones a chance to learn about The Hand. Rand and Murdock provide a lot of exposition about The Hand and while it could be tedious, the reactions of Jones and Cage keep the scene surprisingly grounded. That, in combination with Jones figuring out very quickly who Murdock is in relation to Daredevil enhances the sense of character in what could be a very plot-centered scene.

"Royal Dragon" is a comparatively serene episode, with the protagonists working to understand one another and come together while The Hand hierarchy comes together. Instead of having the heroes run around and fight for the majority of the episode, "Royal Dragon" allows the potential allies to talk and their adversaries come to them. The refreshing aspect of the set up to "Royal Dragon" is that there are no "guns blazing" moments for the three-quarters of the episode. The protagonists converse, the antagonists converse, Stick walks quietly into the restaurant; even White Hat (Sowande) meets with Elektra in a surprisingly low-key way. Stick takes time to detail the three new-to-the-audience members of The Hand and the conversation manages to keep the episode more about the characters and ideas than big action sequences. Ultimately, Alexandra's appearance is not foreshadowed by violence and the tone of "Royal Dragon" is actually calm and rational for the bulk of the episode.

The key moments of "Royal Dragon" - outside Jessica Jones actually investigating once again - come with Matt Murdock and Stick relating to one another. Murdock does not tell his new allies about Elektra and the ensuing private conversation between Matt and Stick is remarkably familial. The relationship between Stick and Murdock has been complicated and now, in the face of the war being truly revealed to Murdock, the conversation is engaging.

"Royal Dragon" manages to do justice to what has come before and foreshadow what comes next. The Defenders Season 1 sets Alexandra up to want the Iron Fist as a tool for her own purpose. "Royal Dragon" does not make that purpose clear (viewers know it is to open the door that The Hand found in the pit below Midland Circle, that that is not made explicit in this episode), but the goal of The Hand in this season is now for the group to take control of the Iron Fist.

Those who come to the Marvel Cinematic Universe solely for action and adventure will find "Royal Dragon" tedious and boring. But for those who want something more, "Royal Dragon" rocks. The episode allows all of the characters to get caught up with what viewers might have only vaguely pieced together and it starts the team dynamic without denying the characters their individual characterizations. That makes for something pleasantly different for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and it allows viewers to re-invest in each character and believe that there is merit and realism in the otherwise contrived team-up.

For other works with Mike Colter, please check out my reviews of:
Luke Cage - Season 1
Jessica Jones - Season 1
Men In Black 3
Salt
Brooklyn Lobster
Million Dollar Baby

[Knowing that single episodes are an inefficient way to get episodes, it's worth looking into The Defenders - The Complete First Season on DVD or Blu-Ray, which is also a better economical choice than buying individual episodes. Read my review of the debut season of the street-level heroes here!
Thanks!]

8/10

For other television 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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A Marginally Creative Idea: Edy's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Underwhelms.

The Good: Good ingredients, Affordable, Does not taste bad
The Bad: The cinnamon ice cream is very dry and overwhelms the flavor of the cookie dough, Not overly nutritious
The Basics: Edy’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream is momentarily intriguing, but is not exceptional enough to justify making it a permanent addition to the Edy's line.


As Edy's continues to expand its ice cream line, it is putting a lot of effort into reinventing its successful frozen dairy desserts. As such, rather than coming up with a lot of new and different flavors, one of their new initiatives is taking successful flavors and tweaking them slightly. So, the ever-popular Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream is being switched up with alterations to the ice cream and the cookie doughs in the ice cream. One of their more radical reinventions is the Edy's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream.

Edy's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream is a cinnamon ice cream base with oatmeal cookie dough pieces in it . . . and it was a mediocre execution of the ideas.

Basics

Edy’s ice cream comes in a one and a half quart cylindrical container. The Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream is a smooth ice cream broken up by quite a few random sized oatmeal chocolate chip cookie dough pieces. At (locally) $5.99 a half gallon, this Edy’s ice cream is an affordable, mid-range ice cream. This is a new, limited edition of Edy’s ice cream, so it has not hit every market yet and is unlikely to ever be made into a part of the regular line after its limited edition run ends.

Ease Of Preparation

Edy’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream is a rich ice cream with one clear additive. As an ice cream, preparation is ridiculously simple: one need only open the top of the container, scoop out a half cup and consume! There is no trick to preparing or eating the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream.

Taste

The Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream has a minimal scent to it. The aroma to this almost entirely absent even as the ice cream nears its melting point.

In the mouth, the Edy's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream is dominated by the vanilla and, especially, cinnamon flavors. The cinnamon flavor is dry and contrasts nicely the sweetness of the vanilla flavoring in the ice cream base. The chunks of oatmeal cookie dough are appropriately flavored like oatmeal. The chocolate chips in the oatmeal chocolate chip cookie dough manifest far more as a hard texture than a flavor. More than any consistent oatmeal flavor, the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream is dominated by a dry, cinnamon flavor.

This ice cream has a very dry aftertaste to it, but it does not endure very long after the last of it is consumed.

Nutrition

The Edy’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream is a generally smooth ice cream with a substantial cookie dough additive. The one and a half quart container represents twelve half-cup servings. In the half-cup serving, there are 120 calories, 30 of which are from fat. The three grams of fat represent 5% of the RDA of fat, with 10% of one’s RDA of saturated fat coming in the 2 grams of saturated fat in this ice cream. One serving has 10 mg of cholesterol (that’s 3% of the RDA!) and 40 mg of Sodium (2% RDA). The only other real nutrient is three grams of protein, though there is also 6% of the RDA of Calcium and 4% of the RDA Vitamin A and Iron in the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream.

Edy’s has decent ingredients, which is nice. Made primarily of Non-Fat Milk, oatmeal chocolate chip cookie dough and sugar, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough is a decent ice cream! There is nothing unpronounceable in the ingredients list, though the last few ingredients are more preservatives and coloring agents than anything one might find in a grocery store. There are allergy warnings for milk, wheat, egg, and soy, so this is not a gluten-free food and, obviously, it is not Vegan-compliant. It is not marked as Kosher.

Storage/Clean-Up

Edy’s ice cream is both a frozen and a dairy product, so it is pretty obvious that it must be kept frozen in order to remain viable. Kept frozen it remains fresh for months; the container we bought last week had an expiration date of November 14, 2017.

The Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream is very light, but will certainly stain light clothing and some darker clothing. When the ice cream melts and gets onto fabrics, it will require one to wash it right out. On nonporous surfaces, the ice cream wipes off exceptionally easily.

Overall

Edy’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream is all right, but far more dry than I'd like and hardly as extraordinary as one might hope.

For other Edy’s ice creams, be sure to visit my reviews of:
Limited Edition Twinkie Ice Cream
Mint Brownie Ice Cream
Mint Cookie Crunch

4/10

For other food reviews, please visit my Food Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Dense, "The Return Part 15" Takes Twin Peaks From Delight To Misery

The Good: Performances are fine, Direction, Moments of character
The Bad: Plot meanders entirely, Nothing remotely close to a coherent story
The Basics: "The Return Part 15" starts out as a weird, but coherent Twin Peaks episode and degenerates into visual and storytelling nonsense.


After a week with virtually no Cooper or Dougie, the instant pressure on "The Return Part 15" is to remind the viewer of where the primary protagonist and antagonists are in Twin Peaks. While "The Return Part 15" does not begin with either of Kyle MacLachlan's characters, it does not take long to return to them . . . after taking care of some entirely tangential Twin Peaks business first.

"The Return Part 15" continues on the momentum of "The Return Part 14" (reviewed here!), which put a number of supernatural elements in play - around supporting characters in Twin Peaks who had not previously experienced exceptional and unreal elements. The supernatural elements of the third season of Twin Peaks are confronted with more of a straightforward quality than ever before as Cooper finds himself at the convenience store/gas station seen in the flashbacks and in the alternate dimensions.

Nadine walks all the way out to Big Ed's gas station, with her golden shovel. Once there, Nadine tells Ed that he should go be with Norma, knowing that Ed truly loves her. Ed rushes over to the Double R where Norma is involved with her new business manager. Norma tells her business manager to buy her out of the franchises and she turns back to Ed to begin a relationship with him in earnest. Cooper arrives at a convenience store where he and his ethereal guides enter another place (like the Black Lodge) and he asks for Philip Jeffries. Jeffries, in the form of a boiler, tells Cooper about Judy, whom Cooper does not believe he knows, but Jeffries says he has met.

Richard Horne pulls a gun on Cooper when Cooper leaves the surreal place, but Cooper easily incapacitates him. As soon as Cooper and Horne leave, the gas station disappears from our plane of existence. Out in the woods near the trailer park, a young man kills himself and that night, James goes to the bar where he sees Rene. His coworker ends the ensuing fight with his magic, gloved, hand. In Las Vegas, Doug and Jane Jones arrive at the F.B.I. for interrogation, but they are the wrong Jones's. James and Freddie are locked up at the Twin Peaks Sheriff's Department, amid the growing menagerie of weirdos there. Dougie, meanwhile, stops eating cake to turn on the television and when he becomes upset by what he sees, he puts a fork in an electric socket. Hawk receives a final call from the Log Lady.

"The Return Part 15" is a treat to fans of the original Twin Peaks in addition to a necessary component of the third season. Norma and Big Ed and Nadine have had virtually no presence in the main storyline of the third season of Twin Peaks, but Norma and Ed's relationship was one of the last big "fuck you's!" of the second season of Twin Peaks. Just as they were about to find happiness, Nadine got her memory back and the relationship was crushed. "The Return Part 15" allows that whole relationship to get a happy ending and it allows that door to be closed if Lynch decides not to include them in further episodes.

The "appearance" of Philip Jeffries in "The Return Part 15" is a bit of a letdown compared to the appearance of David Bowie as Jeffries in the prior episode. Having to use a surreal image in the place of David Bowie reprising his role acts as a cautionary tale for those who want to revisit their universes. Bowie is one of four major performers who died before or early in the filming of the third season of Twin Peaks and it is a shame that his only participation could be through archival footage (his voice was not used for the portrayal of the symbol of Jeffries in "The Return Part 15").

"The Return Part 15" is another episode of Twin Peaks that feels like exactly what it is - a small component of a much larger story. The episode does not stand particularly well on its own, but it resonates in big ways for fans of Twin Peaks (especially the past version of it). Actress Catherine E. Coulson died almost two years ago, but David Lynch managed to film all of her parts before the rest of the season shot. So, including the death of the Log Lady in "The Return Part 15" manages to be both sad within the story and to those who know the reality of the filming of the third season of Twin Peaks.

The weakness of breaking up the long story into individual episodes is revealed well in "The Return Part 15" is that some hours are going to pack in a lot of little things without any truly big and well-developed moments. So, while Cooper and Horne are now together and Dougie electrocuted himself, not much else happens that is instantly recognizable as important in the larger arcs in "The Return Part 15."

For other works with Wendy Robie, please visit my reviews of:
"Destiny" - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
Twin Peaks

[Knowing that single episodes are an inefficient way to get episodes, it's worth looking into Twin Peaks - The Complete Third Season on DVD or Blu-Ray, which is also a better economical choice than buying individual episodes. Read my review of the temporally displaced season of the surreal show here!
Thanks!]

5/10

For other television 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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Close, But Disappointing, The Quality Suites Hunt Valley Lets Me Down!

The Good: Spacious rooms, Good location, Comparatively inexpensive
The Bad: Unclean, Insecure, Poor breakfast, Light on amenities
The Basics: While I was initially excited by an inexpensive hotel near my annual convention's location, the Quality Suites Hunt Valley left me disappointed.


For many years, I was a dealer at a Star Trek convention in Hunt Valley, Maryland. I always had a difficult time trying to find a good hotel in that area, one that lasted year after year. So, this year, I was thrilled as I returned to that convention to find that there was a hotel in the Choice Hotels chain that was closer than ever before to the convention hotel. Unfortunately, the Quality Suites where I stayed this year was a less-than-stellar option for our weekend stay.

Location

The Quality Suites (MD267 in the Choice Hotel numbering system) is a weird hotel that is instantly reminiscent of college housing as it is several small buildings in a little cluster. The cluster is located at 10710 Beaver Dam Road in Hunt Valley, Maryland, which is right off of Interstate I-83 and very easy to find. It is located just off the main divided highway and near a pretty cool shopping area. There are places to eat nearby that are very easy to get to and to return from.

The property is not exceptional; there are no grounds to speak of, though the hotel buildings are located around a centralized swimming pool. The buildings have sidewalks between them, so there are no real grassy areas or places to hang out on the grounds.

The Quality Suites Hunt Valley seems to have a semi-permanent population as well as people just staying for a limited time. The result - while I was there - was being woken up one night by fairly extensive and loud drama going on in the parking lot. That made the stay rather uncomfortable as I had reasonable concerns that my car might suffer collateral damage from people fighting in the narrow parking lot. Fortunately, there ended up being no issues in that regard, though not being able to sleep because of noise issues seemed like an unlikely problem in a hotel as sprawling as this one.

Room Size

The rooms at the Quality Suites Hunt Valley are quite large, which is the redeeming aspect of an otherwise sub-par hotel. The suite I stayed in was about twenty-seven feet deep by approximately twenty-three feet wide. The room was a proper suite with a single king-sized bed, nonsmoking, and included a kitchenette and bathroom. Even with the fold-out couch, chair, and dining area, the room felt quite spacious. And for only $75/night, the Quality Suites Hunt Valley feels very affordable for the size and location.

Cleanliness

The Quality Suites Hunt Valley is not a very clean hotel, nor is it particularly well-maintained. The paint job is poor - we noticed quite a bit of chipped and peeling paint both on the outside of buildings and on the walls inside our suite. As much as the paintjob could use a refurbishing, the Quality Suites Hunt Valley was surprisingly dirty. In addition to grime being on many surfaces - the walls look like they were never once washed - the maintenance of the grounds at the Quality Suites Hunt Valley was poor. For sure, animal owners who stay at the hotel should be responsible for cleaning up after their own pets. But, barring that, it would be nice to be able to walk along the walkways without ever stepping in dog crap.

The door to the lobby and the breakfast area had a loose handle when I visited and in addition to the hotel grounds being a bit dirty, the room I had was fairly dark compared to its size. The lamps in the room did a poor job of illuminating the entire suite.

Amenities

The hotel staff at the Quality Suites Hunt Valley was not overly friendly. The desk staff was cold and acted like checking me in (and out) was a huge inconvenience.

Breakfast at the hotel was somewhat disappointing. Despite having a giant sign with a beautiful picture of fresh waffles, there was no make-your-own waffle station when I stayed there. There were, however, two types of juice, milk, and coffee. There were very plain donuts, prepackaged muffins, danishes, bagels and bread for toasting. As well, there were two cereal options. For hot food options, there were eggs, sausage and biscuits.

The room had wi-fi, though it seemed to be very taxed by two of us in a room attempting to use it at the same time.

The room had a stovetop, microwave and refrigerator, which was nice considering that there was a grocery store there that had Ben & Jerry's ice cream on sale - it was nice to be able to get some and have a freezer for it! All of the rooms have a television, with over a hundred channels. There is the usual shampoo and lotion in the bathroom and I've had no problems getting more of either when I need them.

This is not a hotel big on amenities and given how loud the surrounding area was, in addition to the usual amenities, the hotel could really use decent soundproofing.

Overall

The Quality Suites Hunt Valley is an okay hotel to stay at in the Hunt Valley/Baltimore area, but it is definitely more cheap than it is inexpensive.

For other hotels in the Choice Hotels chain, please be sure to check out my reviews of:
Quality Inn & Suites Airport - Indianapolis, IN
Quality Inn Lakefront - Saint Ignace, MI
Comfort Suites - Stratford, CT

4/10

For other travel reviews, please check out my Travel Review Index Page for an organized listing.

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