MagnusHex

1x29: Operation -- Annihilate! So many good moments here: Scotty being a badass against Spock, Bones and Spock's bromance, and of course, that eerie creature that's reminiscent of the Facehugger from Alien. Plus, we even have a "ruthless calculus" moment when Spock and Bones debated over sacrificing a million to save a billion. Always love discussions like that, even if it's merely briefly touched on rather than it being the main focus of the episode. And speaking of that lack of focus, this episode does feel a little crowded with the many good ideas they have, like how the sub-plot of Kirk's brother (whose existence and especially his death should have been a bigger deal) just popped in and out abruptly without contributing much to the plot. Like, is Sam even brought up again in the future of the series? Why couldn't they just get Kirk's best friend from highschool or something? However, the aforementioned highlights were good enough that the episode remained entertaining, especially when we get to see Spock struggling with the human side of him. A nice end to the season, if not perfect. 4/5

2x17: Lock-Up With this season that focused on villain reform and Batman's display of compassion for his rogues, it's little surprise that we would reach a point where the antithesis of this theme appears, with someone finally calling out the appalling rate of repeated offenders. Of course, with Batman, things are rarely so black and white, and this argument of authoritarianism is countered by Batman, whose own methods have also been questioned. The last few episodes have already shown that Bruce is more than happy if his villains become ordinary mundane citizens again, so this episode might be beating a dead horse, but I feel like the lack of subtlety in Lock-Up's point (and his edgy '90s costume) is necessary to further reinforce Batman's true goal of making Gotham a better place for everyone, his villains included. The only weak point of the episode might be Lock-Up. He's a one-dimensional plot-device serving the singular purpose of debating with Batman on villain reform, but nothing else. His costume looks goofy af too. But honestly, I didn't even notice these flaws till after I finished the episode, so they're obviously not glaring enough. 4/5

Well, they finally gave Eve a relatable motive. Alas, too little too late, and she's dead anyway. Yet another pretty female villain that got slaughtered quickly without getting any decent substance for her character (plus Anora...). Those who called this show misogynic must've had a field day with this episode. But you have to admit... that was an epic (and clever) way to kill off whom we had assumed to be the Big Bad. Dean's method of execution of Eve almost makes up for the episode. Plus, it's just a generally fun episode with some nice jokes (Cas' butt burn joke). I also like how the strength of Dean and Sam's relationship as brothers was subtly (very subtly) put on display here as they brought the kid brothers home. Dean and Sam didn't need to say a word to each other, just an exchange of smiles as they're reminded of their own sibling and how far they've both come. Speaking of the little monsters... damn. I knew they were gonna meet with some awful fate, but seeing children come into harm just always feels uncomfortable. Cas becoming more brutal and possibly turning to the dark side. There's been foreshadowing of this, so I was expecting it. And obviously, Crowley couldn't die since he appears in later seasons (I think?). None of this is surprising, but you have to admit, it's been a hodgepodge of ideas thrown in this season, lacking a strong consistent theme or arc. From Samless to Skinner Campbell, then Eve and now Cas and Crowley again. A season with multiple plot/character elements could work, but only if they gel together. Let's hope later episodes would gel them somehow. 3.5/5

1x33: Mr. Bevis Gotta admit, I connected more with this episode than with "Trumpet", probably because I can be quite a clumsy screw-up like Mr. Bevis here, but also because I know that feeling of wanting to live your life your own way against social norms. I'm also renting a cheap apartment and at risk of not having a job in another month (currently working a two months contract part-time job), so Bevis' woes are frighteningly familiar to me like a close friend. Also, he's not talented with anything like in "Trumpet" (unless you count his overall amicable and upbeat personality, and maybe his model-crafting). He also doesn't get a girlfriend. Perfectly realistic and perfectly relatable. All in all, I feel like I see myself more in Bevis than Joey, which should be ironic as Joey's written to be an everyday average Joe, whereas Bevis is supposed to be an eccentric goof. All very relatable... that is, of course, save for the racist clock... What is up with that clock? And it's used as the end credits screenshot too. Guess Serling didn't quite get what "blackface" was yet. I also like that the Guardian Angel gave Bevis a taste of luxury. If it was me, I'd prefer to just abandon my old self and live in riches, but then again, I don't know if I'd be able to abandon all my friends I've chatted with on the Internet, for example. Or maybe I'd be so busy working I'd have no time for movies and TV shows anymore, like the Twilight Zone. So this episode rings true in that regard as well: leaving your old self behind and sacrifice the simple pleasures in your life for luxury and riches? Perhaps not as ideal as one might think. 4/5 (-1 for racist clock)

1x26: The Devil In The Dark Just three episodes away from the season finale. Usually, this is the part where the TV promos go crazy, but this being an episodic kind of series, there's none of that. But I digress. This was another solid one. My favorite part of the episode was, naturally, how they cleverly made the episode feel like a monster movie. Let's face it - it's Ridley Scott's Alien but on an even cheaper budget. What's clever, however, is how it subverts everything. The monster is just a protective mother, and Spock's Lance Henriksen Weyland-Yutani role as the "We must capture the monster alive!" scientist was quickly subverted when Jim's life was put in danger. If only John Hurt got to communicate with the Xenomorph. Who knows what might happen? The fact is, this is what separates Star Trek from Star Wars: the diplomacy, whereas in Wars, the good guys would just fry the aliens and be granted a medal of honor, hailed as heroes. But I digress. Another brilliant subversion here is Kirk, the usual shoot-first type like Han Solo, but instead chose diplomacy instead (whereas Spock, who suggested capturing the Horta alive at first, encouraged Kirk to defend his life by killing the alien). This is merely one of many stark displays of Kirk as more than just a mindless brute who goes around shooting everybody. He forces the gun when necessary, but lends a hand when given the choice. Of course, if his crew is threatened, however... you better duck and hide. And let's not forget McCoy, 'coz I usually do. Him being the skeptic to Spock and then smiling with so much glee when he found a way to heal the Horta was a delight. "Jim, I'm beginning to think I can cure a rainy day!" DeForest Kelley always makes McCoy a pleasant presence to be around. Even Leonard Nimoy's mind-melding with the Horta, which could have easily been campy were it a lesser actor doing it, felt believable and emotional. Great performances all around. Let's call this one a 5/5.

Yeah, but if you use an actor one too many times, it becomes jarring sometimes when they step into another role. I felt that way with another less well-made anthology series, American Horror Story.

2x16: Harley's Holiday Despite the fact that we've been getting nothing but villain reform storylines for almost the entirety of this season, it's still an effective storyline that I've been asking for earlier, so I can't complain. 😂And you can see how well it works too this episode, with Batman finally going out of his way to not just cram criminals into Arkham like sardines, but attempt to reform and rehabilitate them as well. Bats and Harley's relationship here is both amusing and compelling, with him trying to bring back the former Harleen Quinzel back. It's also a pretty fun episode too that moves at a good clip. Tanks! Harley walking the streets with her pet hyenas! Mafia action! Robin slapping thugs silly with fishes! Harley's attempts to be a good person again is also admirable, if painful to watch because of how a simple misunderstanding led her down the usual path again. Overall, another solid entry. 4.5/5

Yeah, this episode was kinda a dud for me, mostly because of its squandered potentials. The legendary Sam Colt was underused, the Phoenix doesn't rise from the ashes and is another boring CW-budget humanoid, and I also wish they spent more time pondering on whether the Phoenix's revenge spree was justified and whether he deserves to be spared (which is the kind of theme you'd expect to be explored on a western). It's still a fun episode in parts. I also like that the plot with the Mother of All Monsters is finally moving with them finding the McGuffin they were searching for (instead of letting Dean's search be in vain and drag the plot on for several episodes). Also, this episode is pretty much Jared Padalecki's Texas Ranger audition tape, so that's neat. Dean geeking out on westerns is fun too, even if a little borrowed from Back to the Future 3. Let's call it a 3/5.

1x32: Passage for Trumpet Often hailed as one of the greatest TZ episodes ever, but all I had was a bitter memory of it. I remember I first watched it when I was in a dark place, existentially speaking. I felt a lack of worth, and the fact that Joey Crown was moping despite having a talent for music really didn't help me feel better, as I didn't have talent for nothing, and I didn't have those "good friends" Joey had in life, or just anything much to appreciate for either. Fast forward a decade, and the episode still isn't an easy viewing because not much has changed for me. But I think I've gained a better appreciation for it, its beautiful message of appreciating the good things in your life and just keep on pushing through the hardships. The fact that Joey easily got into a relationship at the end still felt a little too easy, but I guess Joey earned it, especially due to Jack Klugman's fine performance (that everyone who praised this episode also praised) as a sympathetic trumpeter just down on his luck. If he didn't sell the character, and if we don't sympathize, the episode wouldn't work. The pacing of the episode moves at a good clip too, with very little filler content in between. Almost every part of the script serves to move Joey from Point A (his despair and his explanation why he feels that way) to Point B (his journey into enlightenment with Gabriel). Overall, a solid episode. 4.5/5

1x25: This Side of Paradise This was a solid one. The concept laid the foundation well enough for the real appeal of the episode: exploring Spock's love life as a happy hippie. There's not much to say beyond that because the whole entertaining part of the hour is seeing a potential scenario where Spock could actually let his emotions grant him some form of happiness, even if it's, as George Takei put it in the VHS intro, "The crew on LSD." Of course, happiness is a state of mind, and as evident from Sandoval's horror upon "waking up," the spores merely granted an illusional state of happiness. But that ambiguity is the fascinating part and why I love this show: the question of whether they were truly happy is up in the air. It's not like they were stuck in violent brawls everyday like Return of the Archons; most they suffered from was sloth. Memorable lines include Kirk and McCoy's exchange when Kirk first found out about Spock's spore-state: "I thought you said you might like him if he mellowed a little," said Kirk to McCoy. Heh. 4.5/5

2x15: Second Chance I really dig this one. Aside from just being yet another really excellent episode focusing on the reform of a compelling Batman villain, it's also the episode that puts any Robin critics thus far to silence as he shows his competency to be more than just Batman's "kid sidekick." It's a neat little slice of self-awareness that I appreciate. Bruce and Harvey's relationship continues to be as tragic as ever. If any one of Batman villains deserve reform the most, it's perhaps Harvey, whose deformed state Batman clearly felt guilty for. In Batman's dark hour, however, a Robin had his back with him peppy cheer, especially when he probably understands how your judgment can be clouded by such a personal stake. It's just an all around excellent character study for Bruce, Dick and Harvey. Harv's obsession with relying on the coin for answers is on full display here with him being at his most manic state I've seen thus far on the show, practically going into a panic attack when the coin couldn't give him his much needed answer. It's a nice pitiable display of how far gone Harvey is. For what it's worth, at least Harvey knows ol' reliable Bruce will always have his friend's back. 5/5

It's been a while since I've really, and I mean really, enjoyed an episode on this show, and this is easily one of my favorites, even more than The French Mistake (the other episode this season I greatly enjoyed). The Final Destination references were fun and it's about damn time they pulled a Rube Goldberg machine death. The bigger appeal is the existence of Fate. It's an ingenious MotW to bring to a TV budget show like Supernatural because the Fates from the Greek myths are literally humanoids, not some cool monster that would be hard to pull off with cheap makeup effects. And even though it's kinda questionable why Death and the Fates exist in the same universe, I don't really care about that nitpick. It's a freaking sister of the Fates. That's a big deal. She was in Disney's Hercules! 😂 That's like if you got Zeus or Thor on the show. Almost. The fate of Ellen and Jo aside - the only competent female characters around before - I feel like the angels and even God could have handled the fate of the Titanic a lot better. That wasn't some natural disaster decided by God - it was a man-made mistake. I just feel like not saving 50,000 souls by stopping a preventable mistake was kinda frustrating. Even though I'm not old enough to have lived through that time, I've always felt frustrated by how the real Titanic went down, how a few checks and caution could have saved so many lives. Ah well. 4/5

1x31: The Chaser This one obviously won't be airing today. Or re-airing in syndication even. Or as they say, no means no. It's pretty much season 6 Buffy "Trio" territory here, except that at least Buffy called out on the rape instead of playing it entirely for laughs like this episode here. One interesting comment though mentioned that Rod Serling might have just been showing how juvenile boys' fantasies really were back then, which makes sense 'coz '60s. But it is a pretty generic plot nonetheless, one that's as old as time: the love potion backfiring. If it's not a potion, it's a wish that "she would love me." The acting does carry the episode somewhat though, and it's quirky enough that it almost works. Almost, if not for the nonconsensual "love." 2.5/5

1x23: A Taste of Armageddon Accidentally watched Space Seed before this one. Ah well. A pretty creepy concept, people marching to their death under orders. A few holes in the logic of determining people's lives on the whim of a computer for 500 years, but I wasn't too bothered by it as I liked the overall concept and the attempt at exploring a potential solution for war (a terrible, poorly thought out solution albeit). Idiotic diplomats aren't anything new on this show, but it sure made me realized why people compared Star Trek to Mass Effect. This kind of high concept philosophical dilemma that Kirk finds himself in upon landing on an unknown planet feels right up the alley of that game. Clearly, Kirk is a Renegade, or a Renegon at the very least, willing to bludgeon his way through diplomacy. Spock's mind-control powers are cool, but it feels like the kind of deus ex machina the show wouldn't get to use often. 3.5/5

True. That was an awesome moment. I guess I kinda took that for granted as he had earned my respect many episodes ago as a fleshed out equal to Kirk and Spock, the important heart to Spock's brains.

2x14: Riddler's Reform While I would prefer not to see another "reform fake-out" episode, this is a solidly written episode, and I'm really enjoying these episodes of villain highlight in season 2, including last episode's Ra's Al Ghul and Jonah Hex mash-up. It's always fascinating examining the psyche of Batman villains, and Edward's obsession and his narcissism here are a delight as always, especially with how his obsession with knowledge ultimately become his own living hell when he couldn't figure out Batman's mean of escape. That said... seriously? He couldn't figure out that Batsy hid in a safe? I guess you could excuse that as Edward being too proud to figure out such an obvious ploy, especially when it's coming from the master detective himself. Other than that small nitpick, I was thoroughly entertained. That possibility that Edward could reform if only he lets go of his obsession with being the smartest man in the room, it's fun to watch. 4/5

Aside from the fun and games of The French Mistake, the ending to this episode is easily my favorite scenes from the season so far. This is what I watch Supernatural for. I've accepted that we aren't gonna get movie-budget monsters here, so the next best appeal for me from the show is the human drama, and Supernatural does it decently this episode for me, and it only works if you've been following the show for a while. Dean's words that subtly forgive Sam for his misdoings were beautifully acted. Almost brings a tear to my eye to see how far the show has come from season 1. Shame about Mr. X Rufus though. I really liked his character and his camaraderie with Bobby and the brothers. When they teamed up in this episode, it really felt like a team of veterans doing what they do best: hunting monsters, saving lives, family business. There's just a sense of satisfaction from following these characters for so long and see them excel. Sure, we had a casualty, but with Eve, I feel like the stakes are high enough that it justifies it. I wasn't that impressed with Eve's introduction a few episodes ago, but I like what I'm seeing here so far, with the mind games and the Thing alien homage. It's neat and an effective psychological way to portray monsters with a TV budget. Skinner Grandpa Samuel Campbell's departure is... whatever. I liked his return initially, but making him a full villain just made him kinda boring to me. I like my Skinner ambiguous in his morals but leaning on the side of being an ally. I feel more bad about Gwen 'coz she's the only person I like from Samuel's team. The MotW is whatever. I've seen Ice from The X-Files, but that's forever ago. I also haven't seen Wrath of Khan (working my way there), so any complaints that it's a rip-off are lost on me. 3.5/5 Not a bad episode and has more than a few enjoyable parts due to the character history.

I did, but my short memory means I didn't really remember much from it. 😅 A recap would've been helpful when I watched Full Meta Jackrick, but oh well.

1x30: A Stop at Willoughby This is easily one of the more depressing episodes of the series, depending on your interpretation. The interpretation that Gart Williams (James Daly) was having a delusion and ended his own life might be a boring interpretation, but it's also the one that makes the most sense, considering how cynical the series can be, and also how that final shot of Willoughby funeral home sign was lingered on just a tad too long, superimposed over Gart's delusion as if to mock us for thinking a happy or even a bittersweet ending could be interpreted. It's not exactly a subtle jabbing from Serling there. Of course, a lot of people who felt burned out by life related to Gart's character, myself particularly. The idea that there's a paradise waiting somewhere where you could finally take a break from life's hustle and bustle is a lovely notion, almost as lovely as the misconceived notion that '50s America was an idyllic place (it's not). It's a nice illusion, but life just isn't that kind. And the more I think about this, the more disturbing that episode ending becomes. Gart believing, like all of us hope for at some point in our life, that there is rest to be found, relief from the hellish world that's his workplace, only to have that hope snuffed out. Does his dream of Willoughby end there? I like that it is still ambiguous what the actual truth of it is in spite of some heavy-handed symbolism in the final shot, but it doesn't change the fact that Gart did indeed jump off that train and killed himself, probably because he was under some sort of delusion or having a sleepwalk. This leads to yet another disturbing notion of sleepwalking to your death, possibly while dreaming of Willoughby or some similar form of paradise. Patricia Donahue plays the thankless role of Gart's harpy wife (among the many others on the show thus far), Jane Williams. Credit should be given for her attempt to lend some humanity to an otherwise one-dimensional role, served only as a plot-device to push Gart into further desperation. Serling's inability to write women well continues. That aside, this was a very solid episode that I greatly enjoyed, especially with how cynical the ending felt instead of going the easy way out of saying Gart ended up in heaven. 4.5/5

1x24: Space Seed Okay. 🙄 Weirdly speaking to the audience his name in a way that Kirk wouldn't have comprehended the context of, but okay. The Khan introduction on "Space Seed", on the other hand, definitely felt more natural. The episode has other problems, of course, mainly in the treatment of Marla McGivers becoming one of those dated Gone with the Wind "I like it when men ravish me" cliches. Normally, I wouldn't bring it up if it's just a scene or even two (since dated gender roles are practically bread and butter of this show by now), but it's the whole backbone of her character throughout the entire episode. As for Khan himself, he's brilliant, but only by proxy due to Kirk's own stupidity. Letting a stranger aboard, particularly one you suspect to be from a penal colony, have access to the technical specs of your ship... Yeah, Kirk's lost a lot of brain cells this episode. The ending is nice enough, with Kirk giving Khan an entire planet to conquer as he recognizes the bestial nature of a man like Khan (along with his need to conquer and dominate). It's like releasing a wild lion into the savanna, so it's appropriate enough as punishments go. Guess I'd have to wait a long while before I'll find out how Khan and his people will prosper, because the feature films won't be viewed by me till after I finish all three seasons of TOS. On a note that's off topic to the episode itself, sort of, I've heard of Wrath of Khan's reputation as a magnificent sequel, perhaps even before I've heard and seen Empire Strikes Back. As someone who has greatly loved the idea of the "better, darker sequel" that ESB is often hailed as a shining example of, I'd love to see how WoK holds up in comparison. 6/10 for the episode due to the uncomfortably dated nature of Marla McGivers' character, plus Kirk's foul-up. Montalbán's charisma is the only thing keeping this episode afloat, plus the nice fight at the end that feels believable that Kirk was outmatched in strength.

Just watched Full Meta Jackrick for the first time, and as someone who used to be passionate about writing and remains very passionate about storytelling, this was a lot of fun. I really like all the meta jokes, and particularly the appearance of Joseph Campbell himself, leading R&M on a literal hero's journey. So great. Such a fantastic episode for writer nerds out there. 5/5

2x12: The Lion and the Unicorn That's not how nukes work. I guess technically, it was a missile, but Batman literally blew it a short distance away from the Big Ben in mid-air, so there had to have been some form of collateral damage at least. Other than that laugh-out-loud resolution, I guess it's an okay episode. I haven't seen the Pennyworth spin-off, but I knew of Alfred's reputation for kicking ass. It's just too bad Alfred took a backseat here while Batman did most of the kick-ass. Would have been nice to see an elder Alfred go on some spy mission or something, Kingsman style even. Plus, Red Claw is a lame villain. She makes most Bond villains look sophisticated by comparison. She also has teleportation powers here it seems because she conveniently appeared in the Batwing, just hiding there the whole time waiting for Batman to show up just to make a weak attempt at ambushing him. At least plant a bomb in his seat or something, lady. 2.5/5

The AV Club review agreed that it's too elaborate for a prank, and deduced that he might have wanted to ask her out in a roundabout way. Regardless, I agree with Ditty: there were bits and pieces here that were decent (there were some humorous bits from Dean in the forms of mannequin jokes), but it's kinda a mediocre episode for me. The case-of-the-week is fine. Its function is just an excuse for Sam and Dean to have something to mope about this week, but that's fine, since I like what they were moping about. And even if the whole "heroes doing more harm than good" schtick has been run to the ground especially by the time Captain America: Civil War came around, it's more about the two of them (or rather, Dean specifically) sacrificing normal lives for this career. It's your typical CW teen drama angst, but it's fine for what it is. 6/10 Next episode looks to be one of the best episodes of all time though.

Yeah, I read in the AV Club review a similar theory about the point of the episode, that the Hell feels so tame to us the audience because this is Rocky's own personal version of Hell. He's an empty person who seeks thrills, which is why predictable pleasure is his punishment. On the other hand, if the person being punished is me, I doubt I would get the same treatment and something more unpleasant would be in store for me (probably a lot of pointy sticks and eternal inferno).

A Nice Place to Visit The Good Place, anyone? I haven't even watched the series (only seen one episode in scriptwriting class) and that show immediately came to mind watching this episode. lol Honestly though, this is another case of value dissonance, another case of not being able to relate to the protagonist's conflict. If I could get everything I ever wanted for all of eternity, there's no way in Hell I would consider it a living Hell. If anything, Rocky lacks imagination, just like Walter Bedeker in Escape Clause. Being able to summon anything you wish for at your whim? Just summon something novel to keep yourself from getting bored! Though for me, I'd probably just sit on the couch and watch TV shows all day in my own private Hell. lmao That being said, I kinda get it though. I used to aspire to be a filmmaker, and if I'm in Francis Valentine's shoes, being able to shoot any film I want with everyone worshipping me as some legendary filmmaker... that would've been a hollow experience as well. I get it. But even so, there are ways to enjoy that kind of pleasure, even if it's simulated pleasure. At risk of sounding crude, it's pure masturbation, but people do get pleasure from that. In other words, this version of Hell might sound unpleasant on paper, but in practice, when you think about it... not really that bad compared to fires and brimstones. I guess it would be kinda boring since the Internet hadn't came out yet in the '60s, but with a computer and Internet access, I could probably get used to The Bad Place easily. Pip certainly seems eager to please and willing to go along with whatever Rocky demands, so a request of having different entertainment content everyday for the rest of eternity would probably not be impossible. 7/10 Interesting concept, but the message gets a little silly under closer examination.