Kromm

It seems to me they made a few subtle changes to make Glimmer seem a tiny bit older, although that could just as easily be written off as just Queen accoutrements.

This was great and of course I weeped at many of the moments like everyone else. Overall the show was very respectful of the culture and only made a few mistakes. Antoni, bless him, unfortunately had one of the bigger ones where the show insisted on him talking far too much in the Yakitori training segment instead of their local expert. Also, aside from that, apparently the Japanese DO have their own existing versions of Apple Pie. Why not do one of those? That one worked out in the end, I suppose, because the actual serving of the tart was flashy and made for good TV, but even still... I also think that Bobby seemed kind of stubborn about sticking to Western beds. I dunno. It could have just been a coincidence that all of these heroes were okay with, or actually wanted them. I get why the show used Kiko. They were able to use her to insert narrative about cultural differences at key points without it seeming like insensitive pontification from westerners, if they had the F5 act like they just got it from research. Plus, let's face it, Kiko was eye candy. That doesn't apply less just because the show has both gay and straight viewers. One thing I think they dodged, and it's unfortunate, is that they glossed over any body issues she herself may have had with glib stuff about nameless people theoretically reacting to fashion choices like the pigtails she was wearing. I mean come on. As drop dead gorgeous as she is, she has disproportionately large ears for her society. She rocks it, but don't tell me that never caused her any difficulties or criticism at some point. It might have been nice to have her in 20% less segment-dividing dance scenes and in trade had something on that. In fact, with the celeb they DID have where they explored body issues in Japan, Naomi, I think they did a great job in using her to display an example on how to counter those issues, but even there I think they missed some opportunities on hearing some frank talk. They needed more airtime with Naomi, or less of it with nonsense comedy filler, like the mock martial arts. It's hard to say if they were misguided with Kan and the coming out storyline. I've read a criticism or two out there that they were, to an extent. That vague statements about still dressing Conservative at work, glossed over a lot of complexity in how to navigate gay life in Japan. Coming out means very different things in different parts of the world, so it's a potential mine field. Once again, the local expert, the monk in this case, was their best asset though. Actually, to be fair, both the monk AND Kiko both had key roles in that. They didn't really go into Kiko's own sexuality, but at the very least it's clear she was well plugged into the local gay culture as an icon and sympathetic champion at the very least. But overall? Great. They found four very compelling stories, all very relevant and revealing about current Japanese societal problems, and for the most part hit them head on.

Why? Jusy why.

I think a sequel, particularly one with no direct link to the original, requires a similar tone to the original. I can't possibly see how a "treasure hunt" plotline could ever have that. Hogan's Heroes is a tough one, because what other circumstance evokes the same feel? Nothing. The only possible plot I could think of would be the descendants stuck together in a different prison camp, and the only possible candidates now would be being kept prisoner by Islam extremists, or being kept quietly under wraps (it would have to be because we aren't at war with them) by the Chinese, Russians or North Koreans. And both of those are considerably more brutal than the tone we associate with the POW camp in Hogan's Heroes. Even going back in time doesn't work. The Vietnamese POW camps? Also brutal. And unlike WWII, the public awareness of these eras and the treatment of POWs is solid enough that you can't fudge it, like they did with Hogan's Heroes.

Watch the new promos for the new Nancy Drew show and see if you agree with me that they're at least trying to channel a little V. Mars. Of course Veronica Mars was a fully acknowledged pastiche of earlier Nancy Drew mixed with Noir, but now the Nancy Drew franchise is borrowing back in trade.

Hmm. At first I thought "man that was quick". But seven weeks is actually a lot of filming time for a comedy. Of course it's inherently an effects film too., if it's in the same vein as the other two So post-production is gonna be pretty long while they do all that digital stuff.

Right. But I'm saying as good an idea is that is that they may have done that as a foiler, even if they didn't, the sight of Rey holding that may not mean what people think it means. The whole color-theory of lightsabers was always somewhat silly anyway, but even if they stick with it, what'a a Grey Jedi anyway other than someone able to deal with the darkness without losing the light? Why WOULDN'T such a person be able to use a red lightsaber, especially in service of a mission? That said the other ideas (not Rey/the clone theory, and the it's not actually real/Force vision theory) are both out there too. The half red/half blue thing is just a nice clever enhancement to the idea that Rey's not actually compromised. It would of course shift the apparent intent of that scene from fooling the baddies into simply fooling us. Of course the fact that she also SEEMS to be wearing Sith clothes also has to be considered. That could be digitially added too, of course. Or a disguise she has to wear. Each of those feeds into one version of the theory or the other.

That almost exactly my theory. Luke was scared of the idea of that balance, but I think Rey is going to be proven right. I hadn't thought of that being a foiler of a clip, edited to fool us, and think the blue and red idea is neat. But even if it;s actually an all red saber, so what? The idea could be as simple as her being able to bluff emotion/mind-reading opponents, because she doesn't deny her anger. She figures out how to channel the creative force that has been mislabeled as "The Dark Side" without surrendering the good in her. So she can fool them when needed, but without becoming a murderous douchebag, per usual. Of course besides vision, or that theory, the third theory is clonish. Rey is a clone--that's how she "came from nothing". But she's a clone who was sneaked/smuggled away from her creators. Palpatine is a clone (the one we will now see) and is now running a clone factory/Sith training ground. And the person we see with the red saber is a clone. But not Rey. Just another clone who looks just like her. Because that's how clones work.

Despite the new trailer implying she does go dark... she certainly isn't. But it's a STRONG hint. Go ahead and see... The two popular theories I've seen are: a.) Clone - Rey "came from nothing" because she was a clone. And there's another clone (so of course it looks just like her) who we're seeing in that clip. Possibly raised by an already existing clone of Palpatine. b.) Force Vision - like we've ALREADY seen her have. Like Luke himself saw when he saw himself in a Vadar helmet. And my own theory - It's actual Rey, but she's not really evil. It was hinted like crazy in the other films that she represents a path not taken, not completely comfortable, to people like Luke and Obi-Wan--a "Balanced" Jedi. Who better to fool a revived Palpatine? Someone who can act Dark but who isn't.

Yeah but this one is just a blunt instrument. Honestly it's the only part of this I truly enjoyed. Lucy going so ridiculously over the top, with such uber-commitment, I had no choice but to love it. But this is kinda crappy otherwise.

Casting Spicer is a huge mistake. And I think that's true regardless of what anyone's personal politics are--I think it's a mistake in all cases. This is different from casting someone named Palin who was at least arguably separate from her mother's decisions and consequences. Spicer is not related to someone controversial, he IS someone controversial who inherently will bring a firestorm to the show, either because you hate him and the things he said and did, or because you are of a mindset that the things he did and said were necessary, not his fault, or not what people say they were. It's honestly irrelevant which of those two things is true. Nothing good can come from this. And there was no good reason to cast him. Fans of his ex-boss likely weren't chomping at the bit to hear from Spicer again, because he was well and truly replaced by someone filling the same niche. And detractors of his ex-boss don't need Spicer around to toss barbs at, because if that's the inclination there are so many other places to do that besides this man. All this brings is conflict, and while admittedly TV thrives on conflict, this is not the TYPE of conflict that works with. As for Bergeron? I understand the "shut up and just host" point of view in talking about him, but I can't say I agree. Part of the reason he's such a popular host is that there's generally a sense that he's not only witty, but also not a fake or a poseur. Biting his tongue over this and having to see him grimacing and barely able to interact with a person he doesn't respect or want to deal with would totally be even worse than him expressing now, up front, how he feels. If Spicer actually were bringing anything necessary or positive to the show I'd say Tom should suck it up. But there's no way Spicer will.

Shocked this topic has gone dead, since we just went through another season. Some stuff in the past season I'd certainly love to hear people's theories on.

And THEN won AGT. Not once, but twice! Plus apparently his Vegas show is a success too. Piff is the only other contestant I know for sure who carved permanent success in Vegas out of that combination of Fool Us and AGT (even though he didn't fool anyone or win anything).

Sigh. I cringe that there even IS an animated version of the characters from "Jessie". Pee-U. Ick.

The story continues to be great, but it's also unfolding SO slowly. Great, we finally get a justification for Hordak being such a weenie. He's not the real Hordak (or at least he's only a clone of a guy with a similar name who's actually apparently competent). I'm sure that will begin to pay off. But knowing this show, Horwhateverhisnameis showing up will be slow played and take all next season to happen. And what about Eternia? We haven't even gotten a hint about it. I would have said they're leaving it out for licensing reasons, but didn't we at least hear the name once? So let's actually get some details already. We don't necessarily need a Prince Adam and a He-Man and a Skeletor, but if Hordak's original version is out there is he just Emperor of Everything? Or is there an Eternia not under his power (and if so why)?