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Post by Jack Malone on Oct 3, 2016 3:17:54 GMT -6
WATCHTOWER - DISCUSSION THREAD | SEASON FOUR All discussion for the released episodes of 'Watchtower' Season Four will be discussed here. |
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Post by The Doctor on Oct 29, 2016 13:44:58 GMT -6
Watchtower Season 4 Episode 1 Restoration Review So, Now that I have finished Episode 4, and have finally gotten a minute to stop being busy, I can FINALLY tell you how much this episode changes everything and how much I love it so much. I also am going to somewhat add my loose thoughts on Season 3 in with my review for this episode. 1.Lets talk about Chloe's new title: Inmate 052410 Now, every since you had Chloe reveal she was Watchtower last season and her subsequent arrest by Gordon, I realized that she was finally ready to not hide behind her computers. In that moment, she finally had the courage to reveal herself as a superhero to the city that she worked so hard to save. Unlike all the heroes she helps inspire, she never got a chance to show herself to the world like they do and she always had to live in the shadows, but with her admission, she finally got a chance to be shown as a hero. But with her getting arrested, its now the end of her high of being a hero, and now remembering hat she isn't just a hero anymore, she's a mother. With that new aspect, her attitude in this episode shows how much the three months in jail have really weighed on her and with the court's ruling "Not Guilty" gave her the relief she needed. Her stint in prison was well needed and it might give her a new perspective going forward on how to avoid going back again, however another plus side is now she is associated as Watchtower in the public and it will lead to exciting encounters with the random people of the city, considering the vote was split 50/50. I cant wait to see where her story line leads. 2. Team Watchtower VS Team Oracle or "This Town Aint Big Enough For All Of Us To Fight Evil"After Chloe gets arrested, Bruce gets shot and falls off the bridge, Helena swan dives off a building, Kyle gets killed, and Dinah takes off back with GA and Speedy back to Star City, The heroes of Gotham dwindled down to a few, and quite frankly, the Police were able to deal with the threats to there city without the chaos the Heroes brought. Of course in order for this peace to last, Lucius Fox and Vicki Vale have been keeping up Chloe's mantle in keeping the city safe, by scaring off the bad guys with "Poor Dress Up" and "Propaganda blog posts" (I wonder....) and decide to up the arsenal with the "Batwing". However, on the opposite end, we have Oracle aka Barbara Gordon and Dick Grayson aka Nightwing basically doing there part in keeping the criminal element to a minimum. NOW, Im not opposed to how this played out. Dick and Babs obviously have a good setup going on, and Dick is more experienced, while Lucius and Vicki dont have the same kungfu powerup Dick has, so its obviously going to be a big thing for Dick not wanting to risk lives, however, to quote someone that used to be great, "My Life. My choice." So i feel that Dick couldve eased up and at least got some help, especially considering Gordon was gunning for them the ENTIRE TIME. I just felt that, Dick was trying to hard to be someone else and Babs was too angry at her father in order to see that they couldve used some back up. I just felt Vicki and Lucius wouldve at least wouldnt have been so desperate if the others had worked with them. 3. Tim DrakeHOLY SHIT. My favorite character has finally graced Watchtower. Now all I need is for Connor Kent, Impulse, and Wondergirl to meet with him and we have a mini young justice. But for real, I am in love with how he is depicted as a hacker who has to pay rent. I feel that fits his character and I especially love that his username is Red Robin. His dynamic with Gordon is something I want more of. I feel like that can blossom somewhere, and of course his relationship with Batman is Key as well. But we will get there when we get there. All in all Tim is a welcome addition and he didnt feel like an add on. It's tough introducing alot of new characters along with setting up the season and plots for other characters, and Tim's time was nt wasted in this episode and I cant wait to see where you take him. 4. Katherine KaneThe "White Knight" Of Gotham had a very interesting ride in this episode. Of course she wont get a full blown review until later. I will say, that this version of Kate Kane has a tough exterior, but alot of pain is involved in her life, and her dialogue with Vicki and her speech later in the episode, shows that she has moved on, however this girl has layers and this season is going to be a ride peeling them back. 5. Gordon: Man on the EdgeSo to talk about Gordon right now, we all need to think about the episode of the old school Batman cartoon where Batgirl was killed, and Gordon went crazy. I LOVE that you used that as inspiration for this storyline. Not to spoil the episode for anyone who wants to see how it ends, Gordon goes after the Batfamily, and quite frankly, he does the same thing in this episode, Only Team Oracle is his target while Lucius and Vicki become a sort of side quest. Before we even get to that, his conversation with Chloe at the beginning of the episode was beneficial. He had a point that Chloe did create the monsters that seeped into Gotham over the last three years and the rise of the heroes is only adding more smoke to the fire. So i get where he is coming from His obsession with ending the vigilante threats because of what happened with Barbara is selfish and a quite honestly rude, considering the impact it might have on his daughter psychologically. His fear that someone else might get his daughter drives Babs away and I for one enjoyed her letter to him at the end of the episode to signify that she cant be around him. As Gordon lost one family....another door opened and in walked Jimmy and Sarah. Maybe redemption can come to those who need it....we'll see. 6. Amanda Waller, Checkmate War, and signs of the Red Queen?!Im not even going to go into how I knew her death last season wasnt even remotely accurate and I knew she lived. However, I did like that now there are TWO favors Chloe owes her and I cant wait to see what favors shes going to request. Also another thing I enjoyed, was that Maxwell Lord and Waller are both having a civil war inside Checkmate, and considering the Red Queen is MIA, I wonder if dear old Martha is just waiting for these two to kill eachother and step in herself. 7. Helena Insane?!So Helena is in a mental instituion?! I kindof figured she wouldve been the one to get the serum. She will get a full review for Episode 3 8. Bruce Alive as well....?!Okay. This one, Episode Two. I really wanted his death.haha. Is that sad?! 9.Red Hood aka Jimmy WinnickI believe this will be a good one to bring up in Episode Three. I have to do more of a indepth review for him.haha. But I will say the Red Hood persona was nice and I like that this will become something Gordon will have to deal with. I also love that he is involved in this season and how you sort of shifted Babs away and snuck Jimmy in as someone Gordon can hopefully connect and sort of have one child in his corner again. Kudos!! 10. Naomi Singh and Oliver QueenI need a series where Oliver is saving Star City with Naomi Singh assisting him. That partnership is adorable and I see it going places. I really want it to become a thing. I am really glad that these characters are apart of this season. Especially Oliver. I dont know why, but I feel like Oliver coming back has given the show a little flair that was missing last season without him. And now that he doesnt have memories of Chloe, I cant wait to see his reactions to Bruce, Helena, and Vicki. I really want to see those. 11. Maxwell Lord aka "The Perfect Villain"So Maxwell Lord wont get to much, considering most of the big points of his storyline happen in Episode 4, BUT, I will say that him "sharking" his away around the characters in this episode kept me scared. He would pop up infect someone then leave. Im worried that he's going to end up killing someone for real this season. However, I cant wait to see what his ultimate goal was, also the fact that he cant control Chloe, very interesting..... Other Noteworthy Favorites:
-Vicki as Batgirl. I need more of that in my life
-This Line:"I told you. If you’re looking for The Batman, then I’d suggest renting some flippers and an oxygen tank to help navigate the ocean you left him in." Literally yelled out "Slam" in my household waking my roommate
-Chloe and Kate Spencer friendship
-The fact that Kahn had the common sense to get out of town
-The "Savior Foundation." I really miss the Isis Foundation, but I really am excited to see how this new foundation shapes and helps the characters this season.
-More Moira Sullivan this season, because she might come in handy......Especially since you are dealing someone else who can control people. Oh wait....what about Baby Hope.
-Batwing kicking ass. I want more from him this season.Quite frankly this episode is fantastic. The pacing was amazing and it gave a very satisfying conclusion to the ending of last season and gives a great start to the season is a great balance. However, What I am loving about this, SCU and your series are finally synced up  . So im waiting for the crossover now.haha But for real. I give you a solid 10/10. I'll review Episode 2 soon. Also, I decided that I will attach Chloe's big review to the next episode, considering the two most important men in her life come back. Good Job Buddy
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Post by Jack Malone on Oct 29, 2016 18:42:52 GMT -6
Watchtower Season 4 Episode 1 Restoration ReviewSo, Now that I have finished Episode 4, and have finally gotten a minute to stop being busy, I can FINALLY tell you how much this episode changes everything and how much I love it so much. I also am going to somewhat add my loose thoughts on Season 3 in with my review for this episode. Thanks for leaving me a review. Can't wait to crack into it and respond  Yeah, I think Chloe's "reveal" was always just about sticking up for her family. Season 3 was about realising that she has grown selfish after becoming a mother because she would do anything to protect her daughter. But she had to realise that the friends she surrounds herself with are also part of that family, so doing what she did to save Helena was a huge step forward for her. I debated with the idea of keeping her identity out in the open, but I realised that people are going to think what they think in Gotham. As you said, she's associated with the Watchtower persona anyway, so the impact is still there and you will see how that perception stays. I just finished writing episode nine, 'Ultimatum' and a character says something along the lines of, "Chloe Sullivan. The Watchtower. Not officially, of course." So you will definitely see the impact of that reveal, despite the verdict. The main idea behind it was to keep Bruce's legacy alive. Vicki and Lucius both saw something in the Batman, and his role in the city, that needed to exist even if Bruce was gone. That's the primary reason they were doing all of this. It's hinted at in the episode that they clearly asked Dick Grayson to suit up as Batman and continue Bruce's legacy, but he wasn't interested in living in someone else's shadow. For me, in the writing process, he was doing the opposite of trying to be someone else and was actively working to be himself and to be his own hero. You are right that Vicki and Lucius wouldn't have had to turn to these methods if Dick and Barbara had worked with them. Definitely. I never intended for it to look as though they were choosing to shun Vicki and Lucius, but rather their goals for taking on Gotham were different. Vicki and Lucius, again, wanted The Batman. Dick and Barbara were find saving the city as Nightwing and Oracle, and that's where that conflict came in to separate them. But I'm glad there's frustration there because that was part of what was needed to make the conflict work Thank you! I'm so in love with writing this character. He will have a handful of appearances this season, with at least two more beyond this particular episode. I'm happy he didn't feel tacked on, because it felt authentic in the writing process for him to surface. The idea came to bring him in came about when I wanted Gordon to hire a hacker in an effort to combat the vigilantes. Instead of introducing some original or obscure character, I realised that bringing in more of the Bat-Family characters for this season would be a lot of fun and so here's hoping you continue to like the idea of Tim Drake on Watchtower as the season continues Yeah, it takes about four episodes for Katherine Kane to settle in completely into the show with the audience having an idea of who she is and what she's been through. So I look forward to your opinion on this version of the character in the future Dude, that episode of BTAS is my favourite. Awesome reference, man! Going into this storyline for Gordon, I wanted to do something a little different. In all the media I've been exposed to, he's always been portrayed as this pure and good character that doesn't ever really take a huge step towards darkness, and so I wanted to push him into that and see how he stayed afloat. I feel like it made sense for his actions to drive Barbara away, and I think having Barbara and Dick go to Bludhaven for a while will be good for them and free the show up to explore some of the other supporting characters and rising heroes. The second family is definitely his main arc for the rest of these first nine episodes, as is this search for redemption. There are some really nice Gordon and Sarah moments that are going to play right into that concept of redemption, and the rest is about seeing if he can ever earn that, you know? Hopefully he can, but it certainly won't be easy. I felt so bad when the reception came back from Waller's death as an "oh my god I can't believe you've done this." That whole scene was about showing the shift in power as Maxwell Lord stole Checkmate from her. An explanation as to how she survived will eventually come. It's not some extravagant back story, but rather a call-back to something that was established back in the first season. And the bulk of Waller's story will be about reclaiming Checkmate, and taking control of what she believes is rightfully hers. The favours play into that in a monumental way, starting with episode 5, 'Debt.' As for Martha Kent, you will definitely be seeing her in the latter half of the season. The Red Queen will of course play a role in this storyline! Can't wait to hear your thoughts Aww, maybe when certain things happen this season you'll be glad The Batman lives to see another day  I'm just glad no one guessed it back in Season 3. I made Jimmy's parents JACK (a name for the Joker) and JASON (as in Jason Todd), and his last name "Winnick" comes from the 'Under the Hood' writer Judd Winick. I was so convinced someone would guess it that I almost didn't keep that stuff in, but I'm glad it didn't totally give it away. What I'm doing with the Red Hood storyline is essentially creating it's origin through the character of Jimmy. Jimmy, who is "James Gordon Jr" from the comics, has been very scarred by his encounter with Hush, and there's almost this push and pull with him where you want him to bounce back from it but you're also writing the character off because he's... well, he's just being a dick, hahaha. I mean, it's more complicated than that, but his actions are not exactly good. So with this storyline, you'll see The Red Hood come to mean something for the criminals of Gotham, and you'll see the impact Jimmy has on Gordon as a character, and his family as a whole. Oliver's interactions with Bruce and Helena will be consistent as he's had a dynamic with them before and does remember them. I'm not entirely sure if Oliver and Vicki have had a significant one-on-one interaction yet. Maybe I've just forgotten, we'll see. But I am really happy to have him back on the show. It was always the plan to bring him back. But I will say that his dynamic with Chloe is going to be very, very different, which could be jarring at first but he truly is meeting her for the first time. I'm very invested in seeing Chloe and Oliver develop over the season, especially with their complicated history. As for Naomi, she will be in a small handful of episodes for the season. Maybe 5 in total? We'll see. I did have a lot of fun with her scenes, and there are some Dinah/Naomi scenes coming up that were just as much fun to write I'm having so much fun with Maxwell Lord this season. "Sharking" was definitely what he was doing in this episode. I felt like it was the best way to introduce him as a main character and a main threat, by having these interactions that we don't quite get to see finish so we can see the suspense building up until his interaction with Chloe at the very end where we find out he can control minds. As for Chloe's immunity, this is a bit of a mystery for the season that won't really be solved until the latter half. I promise there's a really good payoff in figuring out how it's possible, and I hope it's a surprise That was a lot of fun to do. But I think the arrival of Batwoman gave Vicki the out she needed. I don't think she's survive as a vigilante, haha. Awesome! Tell your roommate I'm sorry for playing a part in disturbing his sleep, hahaha. There is definitely going to be a lot more Kate Spencer this season. Episode 4, 'Batwoman,' introduces what her role will be for Season 4. As the show is narrowing in on that final season, a lot of the reoccurring characters that have threaded in and out of the show are going to receive some conclusions, and this is very much the beginning of Kahn's. It doesn't necessarily mean a "final appearance" but rather I'm wrapping up certain storylines and allowing these characters to have some level of closure. Episode 3 will involve that for Kahn The Isis Foundation was shady af, haha. But you just might see Lana embrace this foundation in the future There will be a handful of appearances made by Moira this season. And this season is a big one for Hope. She even has speaking lines now  Lucius takes a bit of a step back from the Batwing persona after the events of the premiere. But that persona won't be forgotten or pushed aside forever. It's a huge part of his storyline this season, and who knows? Maybe we'll finally get to see the Bat-Family in all it's glory Thank you so much for the review, man. It means a lot to get feedback that is as thorough as this. It's very rewarding and just drives me to keep getting to that end goal of 5 seasons. Thanks for your continued support from the very beginning |
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Post by The Doctor on Oct 30, 2016 11:15:37 GMT -6
Youre welcome for the support. I have been an avid fan of the series that you created here. And I told you, Im here till the end. So keep trucking out the good work. I also want to say thank you to you and Alex Matthews (Officer Hurd huh? How did you know I wanted to be a cop?haha) for what you both have done. Its really touching that you both thought of adding me to your work and I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. I wont forget it. |
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Post by Alex Matthews on Oct 31, 2016 18:40:32 GMT -6
4x01: "Restoration"
A REVIEW After the Season 2 finale, " Anarchy" killed of series lead Chloe Sullivan, the Season 3 finale had a lot to do to push beyond that, which it did in spades with the apparent deaths of both Bruce Wayne/Batman and Helena Bertinelli/Huntress. Not only that, but Chloe was arrested for her actions as Gotham's eponymous 'Watchtower'. So, coming back from that, this season opener had a lot of ground to cover, as well as introducing new main characters Katherine Kane and Maxwell Lord. Jack, I think you definitely made the right move by not focusing on all the courtroom drama - it was something I debated dabbling with for "M:SCU" back when I was considering my version of Kate Spencer as a main character, but I realized very quickly it would become stale and boring, and not what the show was about. While it works for actual shows like the "Law & Order" franchise, and shows of similar vein, I don't think it works for the virtual format as well. Speaking of, Kate Spencer, aptly 'portrayed' by Dina Meyer, a.k.a. The Manhunter. I really hope we delve more into her past as a vigilante (I'm assuming that's what her past features) and how she became said Manhunter, and where her power staff comes from. Although she's a prosecutor in comics lore, having her as Chloe's defence attorney, and Chloe acknowledging Kate's 'past', seems both right and deserving. Despite what I said above, I enjoyed the brief glimpse of her courtroom antics, as she took on the impossible task of defending someone who had already admitted to the city who they were, by turning that 'confession' around on itself. We got a different kind of glimpse of what Kate was capable of back in S3 when she defended herself from Hush's minions, and we get a remainder (and a decleration of sorts) of her skills when she takes down some of the Red Hood gang. The Red Hood, a.k.a. Jimmy Winnick, a.k.a Commissioner Gordon's previously unknown son! Now, that WAS a total left field, not only who it is under the mask, but revealing it so soon! Poor Jimmy; loosing his family - at his own hand too, albeit mind-controlled - and then meeting his biological father has really sent this kid through a downward spiral. But what isn't clear at the moment is if this is because of some latent affects of what was done to him, or his own psychosis. Either way, it looks like he's going to be a huge problem for the city, especially given what he has already done in one episode. Katherine Kane, the new 'White Knight' of Gotham. Now, be warned, I am a huge fan of how Batwoman was portrayed in her first reintroduction, where she crossed paths with and dated Renee Montoya. I haven't really taken to the most recent version of her, being involved with Maggie Sawyer, but I did enjoy her depiction in the animated " Batman: Bad Blood" film. So I have a lot invested in seeing how the "Watchtower" version came into being. I was intrigued as to how you would move her into the journey of becoming ' Batwoman', so imagine my surprise when you seemingly 'kill' of her before the end of the first episode! But then, lo and behold, we have Batwoman coming to Vicki's rescue right in the nick of time - just when the city needs a capable Bat, it gets one... but why? Speaking of capable Bats, lets talk about Vicki and Lucius. I've already commented somewhere on the forum that I was pleased with the decision to bring in another Lucius Fox, after Snr. was killed back in S2. Batman is nothing without his armorer and engineer, and having Jnr. take that mantle makes a lot of sense. Both Vicki and Lucius are feeling the loss of Bruce in their lives, and Batman to the city, and are desperate to keep his legacy alive. I love the idea of Lucius becoming Batwing, but unlike his animated counterpart in " Bad Blood", this Lucius isn't a trained soldier or fighter - in fact, he reminds me more of Terry McGuiness, of " Batman Beyond", a scrapper who is more reliant on his super-suit then his own skills, with a lot to learn. They also have something else in common - an extreme sense of guilt. We know that Lucius will again embrace being Batwing, but I wonder what it will take for him to don a suit her swore 'never' to wear again. As for Vicki, when you revealed that she would be taking the Batgirl mantle, I balked a little - Vicki has never been a costume hero, and although she's had some minor training, I suppose, I didn't feel she was really capable of handling the trouble wearing a Bat symbol can bring... But that was the whole point, wasn't it? She's totally out of her element, and almost killed if it wasn't for Batwoman saving Batgirl. I imagine Vicki will find that a hard lesson, while also being thankful someone else out there was willing to step up just as she felt she had too. But have we seen the last of Batgirl - could someone else take up that mantle one day? As for taking up mantles, that leads me to Dick and Barb, who in essence, act as kind of the Hatfields to Vicki and Lucius' McCoys. Both teams want to protect the city, but refuse to work together, for their own reasons. Barb has stepped into Chloe's shoes, it seems, while Dick had put the city under his protection, but in his own way. Both he and Barb learn a hard lesson, and while I know you have said that this is the end of their stories for now, I hope we haven't seen the last of Nightwing and Oracle - might we visit Bludhaven at some point, or will they come back, eh? The WTCHR version of Dick Grayson/Nightwing, while having a similar origin, differs in the fact that he has only recently made ties with Bruce, he wasn't raised by him - given that Bruce can barely take care of himself, that makes a lot of sense. But I enjoyed how you worked in his desire to come out from under the Bat's shadow and move on, something the comic Dick has struggled with for years. Barbara also made the tough choice to leave her father behind. Gordon, I want to feel sorry for, but it's difficult, until right until that moment he realizes the daughter he is doing his damned to protect has left him. He's made some seriously bad choices, ones he's made with the heart of an aggrieved father, not a police officer. I wonder what kind of state he would have been in if Vicki and Lucius hadn't encouraged the idea of the Batman still being around? Whatever guilt he felt at shooting Batman must have been eased with the 'knowledge' the Bat was still there, but it also gave him a reason to continue being angry with Batman specifically and vigilantes in general. My one gripe with Gordon though, is the convenience of Barb leaving and Sara and Jimmy arriving - it felt a little too trite for my tastes. As for the Bat himself, we only get a brief glimpse of him - how DID he survive that shooting and fall from the bridge? Has he been unconscious in the Batcave this entire time? As for Helena, last seen on a crumpled, broken heap on the ground after jumping from a high-rise, I honestly thought that was it - the end of her story. Helena Bertinelli has always been a conflicted character, but the sheer amount of heartache and grief she has endured over the past 2 seasons, made me wonder if this was the end of her story. Now, it seems she is denied the peace of death, just like Buffy was, like Chloe was, locked up in Arkham Asylum, seemingly out of her mind! Minds are malleable things, and if anyone knows how to take advantage of that, it's Maxwell Lord, the so-called Black King of Checkmate. I've already commented how I was looking forward to you exploring him further - Smallville didn't do him justice, he was just another 'freak of the week' on the show. Gill Bellows is capable of a lot more then he was allowed to do in his two episodes, so seeing him controlling Checkmate and affecting the lives of our heroes in Gotham was something I was looking forward to, and wasn't disappointed. Like Karl commented, I found in interesting how you wrote the scenes with him in, cutting out before he used his powers on people like Katherine and Kate. It wasn't really made clear just what he did to Katherine, but I'm left wondering if the reason Kate was so ready to resort to violence in the courtroom was Maxwell's influence. On the subject of influence, I'm intrigued by Chloe's seeming immunity to his abilities. Is that a holdover from her own meteor powers, or Brainiac infection? Not to mention, how DID Lord's abilities evolve from memory-scanning to mind-control? I really hope you explore his past, and what pushed him into both Checkmate originally, and his new end-game, whatever it might be. The Maxwell Lord of DC Lore is an interesting study, because he started off as a good guy, working with the league, only for time and experience to push him into villainy, even more so when he developed powers of his own. Powers that lead to him taking over Superman's mind... just like we seem to have here, in a very frightening scene that will lead into the next episode, " Feud". Just what does Lord have planned for a mind-controlled Kryptonian who's been missing for years? Honorary mention:No. 1 go to Tim Drake/Red Robin - loved the fact he wasn't just some computer nerd, taking on and beating Dick showed us that. Gordon's line about how he and Barb would probably like each other! Opposites attract, remember, Commissioner? No. 2 goes to Pauline Kahn, who always lights the 'screen' up for me. I'm sad to see her going, but recognize that if the show was real, her schedule would cause some issues. Still, the Gazette won't be the same without her. No. 3 goes to Moira and Hope, aww. I'm still not used to seeing Chloe being all mumsy, I always forget that aspect of her character. Although, I would frown on using the term 'baby' for Hope - surely she's a toddler by now, she's what, about 2 or so? No. 4 goes to the brief cameo of Oliver and Naomi. Just why was Naomi personally invested in exploring a Checkmate facility herself? O.M.A.C.s? Just the name makes me nervous. While I am looking forward to seeing how you deal with the whole Oliver/Dinah/Chloe triangle, and just how Ollie remembers events without Chloe, I'm left wondering - is it necessary? Was it always the plan to reintroduce Ollie via him tracking down the money Chloe 'borrowed' to pay off Bane? Chloe has gone through the emotional wringer so much, to have that reminder of the man she loved and lost walking around, it will be like a knife to the heart, the poor girl. Wow, that went on a lot longer then I planned. Sorry about that! Next review, " Feud" should be within a few days... |
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Post by Jack Malone on Oct 31, 2016 20:13:36 GMT -6
4x01: "Restoration"
A REVIEW After the Season 2 finale, " Anarchy" killed of series lead Chloe Sullivan, the Season 3 finale had a lot to do to push beyond that, which it did in spades with the apparent deaths of both Bruce Wayne/Batman and Helena Bertinelli/Huntress. Not only that, but Chloe was arrested for her actions as Gotham's eponymous 'Watchtower'. So, coming back from that, this season opener had a lot of ground to cover, as well as introducing new main characters Katherine Kane and Maxwell Lord. I remember when it came time to sit in front of a blank page and break the story for the premiere, I was so confused at how I was going to pull it off after those Season 3 cliffhangers because I realised that my three main characters had to be out of the picture, but it offered me one of the easiest premieres to write and probably the most fun because I got to focus on reintroducing those characters to the story, introducing the villain, and focus on the auxiliary characters in the wake of Watchtower, Batman and Huntress' absence. For me, the initial plan was to have this episode narrow in on the "courtroom drama" but — like you — I wasn't really feeling it, especially for the premiere. I had a lot of fun writing an episode like that back in Season 1 with 'Trial,' but when it came to kicking off a season, it just didn't feel right gluing us into a courtroom for the majority of the episode with a recap of all the things Chloe has done over the years. So I appreciate the understanding on that front. I was super nervous people would think it was a cop-out, but I think we all know I couldn't have had Chloe behind bars for the season, so it would have been an entire episode with an ending that everyone already saw coming. Kate Spencer is going to be a really important mentor figure for Helena this season. I don't think we necessarily have the time to explore her past in a significant way, but I'm sure that — through her mentorship — she will provide some of that back story in a way that offers wisdom and knowledge to Helena, and the others. There is an even bigger reason why I needed and wanted her on the show, and that will be answered as the season progresses, but right now she's kind of this rogue vigilante in the city, left to her own devices after essentially revealing her identity in the courtroom. You will see her again in episode 4, 'Batwoman,' where her Season 4 storyline very much takes shape, and hopefully her role from then on out is something that does the character justice. I really wanted to step away from another "who is under the mask" storyline after a full season of it wish Hush. And I think that reveal only enhances the moment when Jimmy and Sarah rock up at Gordon's doorstep, because the audience knows who he is but everyone else, especially Gordon, doesn't. I will say that the third episode, 'Damaged' really kind of shows us what we're dealing with in terms of Jimmy and how he's been affected by everything. And in terms of the Red Hood storyline, I would say I'm building an origin story for it on 'Watchtower,' and you'll see it develop into something much larger than the character of Jimmy Winnick as the season progresses. I'm very new to the character, but I always knew that she was a character I'd wanted to bring in either this season or next. My friend Brady absolutely loves her and encouraged me to read up on her, so I very much started to do that during hiatus. I loved "Batwoman Elegy" and her role in the new Detective Comics series. She was a total badass in "Batman: Bad Blood." And so it built a starting point for me to start writing for her on 'Watchtower.' I will say, though, that even with huge comic book characters, I don't really like to copy and paste them and the world around them onto the show. I like to make sure that their essence and core of the character are present and palpable, but I like to do new and different things with them whilst honouring the source material. So I hope the response to the characters on 'Watchtower' are more from them and not their comic-book identity. In terms of Katherine's introduction here, I will say it's the beginning of a bit of a mystery. It involves the interaction between Katherine and Maxwell Lord at the start of the episode, and her "public death" feeds into it. Having Batwoman surface in the way that she did offered the audience that hope that I didn't just completely murder a comic book favourite, haha. But it also fed into the exploration of Batman's legacy, and got Vicki out of that poor Batgirl impersonation. The next three episodes are about figuring out who Batwoman is, what happened to Katherine Kane at the warehouse, and that all comes to a head by episode 4, appropriately titled 'Batwoman.' Thanks! I'm having a lot of fun with the character of Lucius Fox. I think since bringing him in and making him a part of the team, things have just clicked in a bigger way for this season going forward, and those scenes with Lucius and Vicki are my favourites. They just bounce well off one another when I'm writing to the point where I have to cut some dialogue for time because I'm having too much fun with them, haha. Well, when Vicki discovered the secret in the Season 3 finale, I had to think about where she would be three months later, and how she would react to Batman being gone. It felt like she would have this ultimate clarity now about the entire situation, and be driven to keep that legacy alive for the city. And with Lucius, you have the fact that his father was completely fine with putting his life on the line for Batman, and believed in the cause, and so you have Lucius relating to his father on that front and being just as devoted. So I wanted to dabble with them playing in the Batman sandbox, and seeing what they could bring to the table when it came to essentially being The Batman. With Lucius, it was obviously the tech he could design, and the BATWING suit very much birthed out of that, and with Vicki it was more about her role as a reporter, and feeding the world these stories about sightings of The Batman and keeping that hope alive. For me, I made sure that every move Vicki was doing came straight out of a self defence manual. She hasn't really had much training beyond self defence and the experience of "if I don't fight back I'm going to be dead anyway," if you know what I mean. So, I didn't want her suiting up and suddenly being a badass. But I also think there's a difference between fighting common thugs, and taking on someone like Hush or Ra's Al Ghul, so I didn't think I was throwing Vicki in a situation where she should have been killed instantly, but it was definitely a decision made as a precursor to introducing Batwoman. As for Batgirl, I will say it's the first and final time you will see it associated with Vicki. However, the suit exists. And the suit could totally be worn in the future. But I'm definitely possessive of it in a way. I think there are very few characters from the comics who have taken the mantle that I would feel okay with suiting up as Batgirl, and Barbara Gordon is at the very top of the list. She's always been my Batgirl. So we'll have to see what happens on that front, but I mean hey -- I said back in Season 1 that Oliver and Dinah would never happen, and I wasn't interested in bringing the Bat-Family onto the show. Now, in Season 4, there's Oliver/Dinah together, and we have Batwing, Batwoman, Red Robin, Oracle, etc. So you never know It's definitely not going to be the last time see them, but I felt like I had a specific role for Dick in Season 3 that never saw a resolution because of everything that was going down in those final few episodes. So I wanted to make sure that I tied up his storyline in a way that offered some closure. But that doesn't necessarily mean I've washed my hands of the character. I mean, with a season focused on control, and how that concept bleeds into forging your own destiny, I wanted Dick to embrace his as someone outside of The Batman, and The Bat-Family, and the mission in Gotham. This conflict between the two teams left standing and his decision NOT to lose his own identity inside the legacy of The Batman, really unearthed his destiny in a way. I can totally see him coming back by the end of the season, but it will be in a similar way to when Mia Dearden / Speedy comes back to the show, in that it'll be more of a supporting role than the beginning of some 8 episode arc. As for Barbara, she will always be attached to the show, and the characters. I felt more like the premiere set-up a story for her rather than waved her goodbye. She will still be in this season in a pretty significant way. I don't think you'll see the guilt be lift off from Gordon anytime soon. Sarah plays a role in trying to dig her way through his grief and his guilt and help bring back the Gordon we know and love, but it's going to take a lot of work. And Gordon needs to get out of this mindset of hunting down the vigilantes. Even just knowing Batman is back - or could be back - isn't enough to free Gordon, and you'll see what I mean as the season progresses. In terms of Barbara leaving, there were a number of reasons for it. I knew that if Dick left, she wouldn't let him go on his own. We also had the fact that Gordon manipulated his daughter in order to fulfil this crusade against the vigilantes. There's been a lot of toxicity in that household with Gordon blaming himself for Barbara, and Barbara just trying to move on with the life and accept what's happened. And then you have Chloe about to come back and play Watchtower again, and so there was a lot involved in her decision to leave that felt organic to me. As for the arrival of Jimmy and Sarah, it does play into that "one door closes, another one opens" cliche, but it's going to be a lot of fun seeing Gordon offered a second chance. That is kind of what it's all about for him, you know? It's a story of redemption, and that won't just be about making things right with Batman, or returning to the good and pure police commissioner we know him to be, but it's also about him being a father for his family. So while the idea of this second family and doing right by them seems promising, the audience should know that it's not going to be easy when you just received the Red Hood as your son, haha. Those specific questions about Bruce will be answered in the next episode, but more significantly around mid-season. As for Helena, I'm so happy with her storyline this season. While I think the Season 3 ending would have been a fitting conclusion for her, no matter how much I love writing the character, it just felt like she had so much more story left to be told. And I think her fall was more of a metaphor for completely giving in to her depression, and this season is all about her struggle and her journey to climbing out of it and trying to get her life back together, and recover from everything she's been through that pushed her off that ledge. I will say that the only thing Lord made Kate do was basically deliver Chloe straight to him after the trial. Her actions in the courtroom and otherwise were all her own doing. But it's a bit more complicated with Katherine Kane and her interaction with Maxwell Lord that we will see over the course of these next few episodes. Chloe's immunity is answered in the latter half of the season. And I will say that she's not the only one immune to his powers In terms of Maxwell Lord and his back story, we'll obviously learn more and more about him as the season develops. And more specifically, we'll learn quite early on what his weakness could be, considering he's going to prove himself as the biggest threat our heroes have taken on thus far. So that's the benefit of having him in close to every episode of the season. He will be just as important as the other characters in terms of focus and story. I had so much fun writing him. You can expect to see him in episode 4, 'Batwoman,' and episode 9, 'Ultimatum.' He's an awesome character to write, and I hope to do a lot more with him before the season is over. She's a favourite of mine to write. I almost made her a series regular for Season 4 until certain story developments prohibited that from happening. I'm happy she'll be missed, though. I was really pleased with what she brought to the show since Season 3. I didn't call her a baby in the present. It was a photograph of her as a baby in the household that referenced her as such. But yes, she's definitely a toddler now, and even has some speaking lines coming up It was definitely always the plan to bring Oliver back after Season 2. I've always said that the memory loss for Oliver was the beginning of a new story for Chloe and Oliver rather than the ending of one. And Season 3 was about finding something that would bring him back into her orbit. The fact that Chloe didn't get a job back as a reporter in Season 3, and was siphoning money to help raise Hope, and then later took a huge sum of money in order to pay-off Bane, just offered me the opportunity to bring Oliver back. But if that wasn't it then there'd be another cause for his return, so it was definitely always in the cards. I think it's also very necessary to bring him back. It doesn't necessarily call for a romantic reunion between Chloe and Oliver, if that's the aspect of his return that you're questioning, but there is conflict there and a story there that is going to enrich the season. And seeing Chloe go through this, and seeing that 'knife to the heart' feeling with her is only going enhance certain aspects of her journey. So hopefully by the end of the season you'll see Oliver's return as something that needed to happen. Thanks for the thorough review, Alex. It was a lot of fun responding to and I can't wait to see what you think about future episodes! |
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Post by Brady Brown on Jun 26, 2017 19:10:38 GMT -6
REVIEW: 4.01 "Restoration"
Watchtower is BACK (or, it's been back and I'm just now getting around to reading it)! I've gotta say, this was a really strong premiere. It had a great pace with some incredible character beats that all came together to some pretty climactic points. While we didn't really get a huge focus on Chloe and her trial, we sort of got equal focus on a lot of minor storylines that normally, I feel, wouldn't take such a large place in a premiere episode. But the way you crafted it was really well done and the result was one of the best Watchtower episodes in recent memory.
First up, let's talk about Barbara and Dick. I really liked that we got an exploration of their relationship and how they operate together and how they've sort of been the ones cleaning up Gotham in the wake of The Batman's "death". With that, however, came Gordon, who is still hellbent on detaining every vigilante in Gotham because he believes Barbara's paralysis was involuntarily caused by his former crime fighting BFF Batman. I definitely get where Gordon is coming from, I do, and I think it's a natural story progression for someone to turn anti-vigilante, but I'm hoping this doesn't take too long to wrap up. It's not a bad storyline by any means, just something I don't think warrants such a large focus on for a ton episodes. Anyway, back to Dick and Babs, I'm wondering if their Blüdhaven stint is the last we'll see of them. I think it'd be great for them to find their way back, maybe a Blüdhaven villain makes their way to Gotham, I don't know. You've basically got the entire season written so my suggestions really mean nothing haha. tl;dr: loved the Dick/Babs dynamic and how it was incorporated into larger, main cast storylines like Gordon's. The Dick/Gordon scene was a highlight of the ep.
Next duo we have is Vicki/Lucius. They had another really great dynamic that was a highlight of the episode. I always love when you have ways to incorporate more Batman-Family lore, so seeing Lucius suit up as Batwing was a lot of fun, and seeing both him and Vicki struggle with upholding the Batman legacy was a true human aspect of a vigilante-crazy episode. Speaking of, I understand the purpose of Vicki's stint as "Batgirl" but I think I remember you saying something about it being a one-ep thing, so I think I would have liked it to be a much more amateur costume, especially since it didn't take long for the thugs to discover she was in fact not Batman. I definitely don't say that because "Vicki is never Batgirl and how dare she even be Batgirl for the 3 minutes she was" but more of "I think it would have been cooler if blah blah blah" if that makes sense. Anyway, Vicki herself got a huge focus, and with that came a little hashtag poll, which was honestly such a clever way to add climax to the episode. I really loved it (except all of those punks who didn't vote for Katherine, how dare they).
Speaking of Katherine, she was great. Not gonna lie, I went in a tad skeptical because of this whole "White Knight" aspect. But I was not disappointed. I think you really channeled her drive and her whole legacy of soldering on when things in life seem absolutely unbearable, and I totally got why you made her this public figure. That's why Gotham needs, and she's the perfect candidate. So, I loved her in this episode. I loved that we got a flash to her mother's death, and I'm hoping in 4.04 we see a lot more flashbacks of her life before she became Batwoman (West Point, her family, etc). And also, Batwoman was such a great cameo in the final moments. Such a badass. I'm so happy you included her in this season and I can't wait for to read more of her.
Maxwell Lord is setting himself up to be a great villain. His power is absolutely terrifying, and the fact that Chloe seems to be unaffected by it is absolutely SHOCKING to me, and that was the moment in the ep where I went "what thE FUCK?!" Their scene at the end of the ep as a whole was pretty well done. It was very chilling and tense, and I love when the protagonist and big bad meet up so early in the season that it's like WHERE can they go from here? Can't wait for more of him.
Back to Chloe, she's still awaiting her verdict. I loved what we got from her, but I would have loved some more courtroom drama. Just a little. But she was great, as always. Her drive to be reunited with her daughter is so inspiring, and she always manages to be the light in a rather grim area, especially with all of the madness that was going on. I'm wondering what she's going to do moving forward, now that she's outed as Watchtower and has Waller on her tail (who was also another great cameo).
OTHER NOTES:
- I really like Naomi. She was a quirky little tidbit at the end, and I'm stoked to have Ollie back.
- There were a LOT of people in this ep. It got a little crowded at times. You managed to balance it well, but there was still a LOT.
- WELCOME BACK, BRUCE, WAKE UP BISH
- the Red Hood reveal was really shocking as well, and I just love that it's now tied back into Gordon's storyline. I love when small things like that tie into the bigger picture
- HELENA, MY CHILD, I WILL SAVE YOU
Overall, an incredible premiere for Watchtower. A lot of loose ends were tied up, and the stakes have been raised with the new terrifying big bad that is Maxwell Lord. Batwoman is HERE and ready to play, and that's obviously what I'm most excited for. This is already shaping up to be a standout season, and I can't wait to continue reading!
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Post by Jack Malone on Jun 26, 2017 20:36:51 GMT -6
REVIEW: 4.01 "Restoration"Watchtower is BACK (or, it's been back and I'm just now getting around to reading it)! I've gotta say, this was a really strong premiere. It had a great pace with some incredible character beats that all came together to some pretty climactic points. While we didn't really get a huge focus on Chloe and her trial, we sort of got equal focus on a lot of minor storylines that normally, I feel, wouldn't take such a large place in a premiere episode. But the way you crafted it was really well done and the result was one of the best Watchtower episodes in recent memory. I've missed your reviews! Thank you so much. I'm pretty proud of this episode, not just as a premiere but as an episode of Watchtower. It was a little scary doing an entire episode that barely focused on the main three characters, but it also felt like an opportunity to do something different, and I wanted to take it. So I'm glad it's paid off. I definitely wanted to write more of them after the 50th episode. It's a little funny because I never really thought they would cross paths and mirror aspects of the comics in this sense, especially with Dick playing such a huge role in Helena's story and not really crossing over into a world beyond that, but I think Batman's death was the trigger for a lot of different things and it really helped position Dick towards his comic-book destiny, in a way. Part of that is his partnership with Barbara, and so we finally get to see things like that for him (and her). Yeah, I completely understand what you're saying. And while Gordon is in a dark place at the moment, and will continue to be for quite some time, where he directs that energy will change pretty quickly. Sarah and Jimmy really shift his focus in these next few episodes, and he'll start to figure out what he's really angry at and why he feels the way he does. He's definitely not going to be an antagonist for the season or the heroes, but I did want to — as you said — naturally progress him from where we last saw him to now, and part of that bled into a desire to hold the heroes accountable. Based on what you've said, I can promise you'll be satisfied with what's coming up in the next few episodes — in terms of not wanting tons of episodes focusing on some anti-vigilante arc for Gordon. You'll definitely see Barbara again. But what I wanted to do — which is part of the reason there are so many reoccurring characters this season — is find closure for a lot of the auxiliary characters from the show, and this episode, in particular, was about finding that for Dick. I wanted to tackle the whole "living in Batman's shadow" story from the comics. I wanted to see his partnership with Barbara. I wanted to find a way to send him off on his own destiny in Bludhaven. So Dick's story feels complete for Watchtower. That doesn't necessarily mean he won't resurface, but in terms of a large, character-developing story, I feel like this was a great way to end things. Barbara still has an attachment to Gordon, as she is his daughter, so you will see her thread back in a few times this season. I absolutely love Vicki and Lucius. They are too much fun to write. Vicki is probably my favourite character to write, to be honest. It changes all the time, but somewhere in Season 3 and this season, I've just really enjoyed writing for her. In terms of her showing up as Batgirl, I completely get where you're coming from. I did go back and forth on it. But so much of this episode is about Batman and his legacy, and how it bleeds into Batwoman, and Batwing, and Nightwing and Oracle, it felt like if Vicki showed up in a random superhero costume then it would hint towards more of a reoccurring arc for her as a vigilante. And I never wanted to put Vicki on that path. Instead, with the Batgirl costume, it was a way to keep it linked in with Batman. And I feel like the stint was so small that it shouldn't have too much of an impact. I liked the idea of Vicki almost being this pretender... like she had all the good intentions of helping, but she's clearly not cut out for it, and then a literal Batwoman comes in, saves her, and kicks everyone's ass. It was like, "oh, okay, you got this, I can stop now." So it was more to do with introducing Batwoman and showing that there was a need for her. And in terms of the suit itself, it will come to have a meaning for Barbara in future episodes and potentially next season. As for Lucius, I'm kind of mad at myself for not bumping him up as a series regular. There are a lot of characters, though, and I never thought - at the time - that the Batwing stint would grow into a huge arc for him (which it did). So hopefully you like his story this season too. This is such a huge breath of relief for me right now, hahaha. With every character, there are things from the comics I interpret differently for the show or just leave on the page altogether, and so I was a little worried. I'm still worried. I have 21 more episodes to convince you otherwise and make you hate this version of the character, but hopefully you don't. I appreciate the chance, though. And I'm glad that you like her right off the bat (no pun intended). We'll definitely learn more about Jacob Kane. We'll learn about how she became Batwoman. We'll hear a few references to her past. But I've got a full season with her, and most of the time I'm dealing with the present, so there's only a few moments here and there - peppered throughout the season - where we find out what came before now. I'm writing an episode now that's only just getting into a key aspect of her "origin." So I hope you continue to enjoy her arc on Watchtower Maxwell Lord has been a really satisfying villain to write. As much as he is a regular character, and as much as he's in most of the episodes, he kind of threads in and out in a way that allows him to have these pretty "chilling and tense" moments. And unlike a lot of the villains in the past, I don't think there's a redeeming quality about him. I mean, I can think of one moment that humanises him a little later in the season, but it doesn't really change the perception of him. He's just a bad guy, haha. As for his powers not working on Chloe, I wanted a nice little mystery in regards to his powers. But with him being on the show as a regular, and in him being a direct threat to Chloe, I felt like having her be immune really opened us up to them being able to have a rational conflict. I think if he could mind-control her, then things could become a little complicated in a more messy way than a compelling one. And that mystery doesn't really get solved until episode sixteen which is the first episode back from hiatus. So it's a question left in the air for a while. I'm glad it was shocking. *self five* Definitely agree. I would have loved to write more courtroom drama. That was definitely going to be the bulk of the episode, but I switched gears. I think I felt a little boxed in with cutting back and forth to the courtroom and the trial, and so I decided to have the premiere pick up at a point when the verdict was already factoring in. I did do a courtroom/trial type episode in Season 1, and so I can't completely hate myself for missing the opportunity to do something like that (because I love shit like that) but I do completely understand the desire to see more of it and to not have swept under it in the way that I did. But I'm glad you still liked her part in the episode. I also back tracked on the outting of Watchtower, a little. I liked the idea of it not being completely out in the open. The trial and the verdict kind of sold a story about her that allows her to not completely be associated with Watchtower. And I felt like that was the best route to go. But I'm excited for you to see her story. This season does focus a lot on the auxiliary characters, but there's a lot of things happening for Chloe that make this an important season for her. So I'm excited to see what you think -- Naomi has a very small part in the season, but I liked plucking her from the New 52 comics. She's in a handful of episodes this season! -- This season will have a lot of characters. I think there are some episodes where I balance it better, and other times when I buckle under it. It's something I'm still learning. I'm happy to hear it was balanced in this one, but I'm sure it might not feel that way in future episodes. Essentially, this season is a "final" season in a way. I'm bringing characters back. I'm offering closure for them. The show, as a whole, tells a story that begins in Season 1 and ends with Season 4. The final season is a little different and more of an epilogue in a way, so that's why there will be a lot of characters coming in and out as the season unfolds. -- "WAKE UP BISH" HAHAHA. World's ending. He's napping. -- I hope you like the Red Hood storyline. It's very different to the comics, but I like the idea that it'll eventually grow to resonate with the comics, whether that's on the show or its set-up to happen in offscreensville. -- I'm really excited about Helena's journey this season. Hopefully you love it Thank you so much. This episode in particular is one I'm very proud of and that means a lot so your stamp of approval means a lot to me. Thank you for all the kind words and the great feedback. And just because the season is already almost finished, it doesn't mean any feedback you have from specific episodes doesn't have an impact. It's stuff I can take on board to make the final season better than this one. So I appreciate all of it... bish |
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Post by Brady Brown on Jul 19, 2017 15:37:58 GMT -6
REVIEW: 4.02 "Feud"
I'm sorry if my reviews are going to be short, but I want to get through this season as quickly as possible, so I just wanted to apologize beforehand haha. Anyway, this was another great ep that was filled with a ton of memorable action. I really enjoyed the Maxwell Lord-controlled Superman storyline coming into play, and you managed to make it work into the setting of Watchtower and incorporate its characters in a fun way. It was great to see two different versions of "World's Finest" with Batman and Batwoman going up against the Man of Steel. On that same note, we got a lot of flashbacks to Smallville, and again they were cleverly incorporated into the storyline of the show, and reminded us of all of the things these characters went through before their time on this show. My only real qualm with the episode is that it seemed to wrap of Superman's antagonistic role really quickly.
Bruce's sudden demeanor change is going to be an interesting thing to explore. The severe conflict between him and Vicki is an aspect of their relationship that I'm also interested in seeing dived into it. It's something that can either expand or destroy what they have, and I'm excited.
This isn't necessarily a negative against Dinah or the writing, because I think it's very natural for her to be doing what she's doing with Naomi, but I think it's a storyline that can be generated quite negatively sooner rather than later, especially considering how short their relationship is compared to how long Oliver and Chloe's was. I'm trying to take out any bias from this equation, because you know I've never been a Smallville Oliver/Dinah shipper, but I'm still intrigued to see where it goes. Their scenes were nice, and Dinah had some fantastic action sequences with Superman, so I'm still thrilled she's in the cast right now.
We also got the return of Lana Lang and her ARGUS crew. Her flashbacks were especially rough. I think if she was incorporated into the episode more, they would have had a stronger effect on the audience, but that's just a nitpick. I absolutely love that she's taking over the Savior Foundation, and hopefully once (yes, ONCE) Katherine makes her not so deathly reappearance she and Lana can work together to help make Gotham a better place.
I felt like Chloe was off to the side a little for this ep. Not a negative at all, just an observation. She had some great interactions with pretty much everyone, and, like with Vicki, I'm eager to see her conflict with Bruce arise. I've been waiting for this storyline between her and Oliver for a while, and I'm glad it's not taking all of the spotlight (even thought we are in ep 2). It's something that deserves a lot of focus, because of the history involved, and I'm just stoked.
A FEW MORE NOTES:
- Gold Kryptonite? Bruh... WHAT? Also hey, Lois, hey
- Maxwell Lord needs to take about 3000 steps away from Katherine
- Arkham is LIT yall
Those are all my main thoughts for this ep. I really loved it, and hopefully I can get to ep 3 soon because HELENA IS OFFICIALLY BACK, BITCHEZ!
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Post by Jack Malone on Jul 19, 2017 16:45:28 GMT -6
REVIEW: 4.02 "Feud"I'm sorry if my reviews are going to be short, but I want to get through this season as quickly as possible, so I just wanted to apologize beforehand haha. Thanks, buddy. This was totally unexpected, and as always, I love to hear your thoughts no matter how short or long the review is. I always kind of knew that there was going to be a "Batman vs Superman" episode of 'Watchtower' this season, and hinted at it quite a few times in the past — it was where all the Bruce and his growing knowledge of aliens was heading towards — but when it came time to write it, things were in a very different place than I imagined. Bruce is only just back in the game, and I felt like he wouldn't "realistically" be able to carry the episode on his own against Superman, so it quickly became an episode that featured a "Batman vs Superman" brawl. And so that opened it up for Superman to cross paths with other characters, and I really liked writing his confrontation with Batwoman. It was intended to show how crafty and quick and intelligent Katherine is when it comes to being in danger and getting out of it. While she wasn't prepared for the Man of Steel, she was prepared to get herself out of that situation. So I'm glad the decision paid off to move Superman, as a conflict, around for others to confront. The flashbacks are a pain in the ass. I hate grabbing flashbacks from Smallville. They're super difficult to incorporate without feeling like the flow of the current stories are being tarnished for scenes that already exist, and I find them hard to write. So it's nice to hear these particular ones paid off in regards to Clark and his memories. I wanted to make a point to show all the important people to him that helped sculpt his identity so he could remember and regain control. As for the conflict wrapping up, I'm assuming you mean how it resolved rather than when, and in that case I get what you mean. I wanted to find a way to absolve the mind-control, and I felt like the Kryptonite, and the explosion... it would kind of provide both a weakening for Clark's mind to open back up again, and a shock that would throw him back into place. I remember getting to that point and thinking, "how the hell am I going to break the mind-control?" And so that's where I ended up with that. In the future, it's generally some kind of a trigger, or playing against the direct orders of Lord to break the spell. So hopefully the future resolutions of his mind-control work better for you! I kind of like when shows test a relationship, and put them on the outs of each other and that's something that you'll find with Chloe and Bruce in Season 4. They've developed their own understanding on how best to handle a situation, and so seeing them clash is something that will happen quite frequently throughout the season. I also wanted there to be more of a consequence from what happened to Bruce at the end of Season 3. As much as we've seen Gordon shift, Bruce has also changed, and with that, so does his relationships. As you said with Vicki, that's something that can build or destroy and I lean pretty heavily into those two this season that I hope you'll enjoy. And I think so much ties back to the Season 3 finale, from the encounter on the bridge between Bruce and Gordon, to Vicki finding out Bruce's secret, it all kind of goes back to that night and informs something new for Season 4. I just appreciate that you're willing to see where it goes. For me, I've never been a fan of Smallville's Dinah. She was always kind of an antagonist to Clark, and later Chloe, and I didn't like it. And there wasn't any Dinah/Oliver to cling to in the first place. So when I brought Dinah onto 'Watchtower,' as early as the first season, I wanted to do my own thing with her despite the previous portrayal, and I found that I really liked writing the Dinah/Oliver partnership (as friends) in Season 2. I never imagined they'd be paired up. I very much took the opportunity to do that when it presented itself, and it's something that I hope you can judge on the writing on 'Watchtower' and not from anything else. So I'm happy to hear you're willing to see where it goes. Hopefully that's not a place of absolute hate, haha. I also understand we haven't really seen this relationship presented in a 100% "show not tell" way, and that their getting together happened offscreen. I never assume people will ship something, nor do I write something thinking that people should ship it. I figured everyone would be team Chlollie because that's been the show, so I'm more shocked at people supporting Dinah/Oliver. At the end of the day, any form of endgame, whether it's a character or a ship, has to be earned. And wherever people land by the series finale, I hope it does feel earned. Right now, I'm really excited about the Dinah/Oliver storyline, and with Oliver back as a main character, and in every episode of the season, there's room to explore all of it for both Dinah/Oliver and Chloe/Oliver. Well, it's a fair criticism. As I said, I hate writing flashbacks from 'Smallville' into an episode. The purpose behind doing it for Lana was to kind of establish a background (of being a victim and experiencing loss) with the idea that if this were a real TV Show and there were viewers that didn't know who she was and didn't know Smallville, then they'd have a sense of her having been through some tough times, and why the Saviour Foundation might be something that resonates with her. As for some Lana/Katherine scenes, I will say that part of the fun in bringing her in as a series regular character is to see her interactions with 'Watchtower' characters. Yeah, the way I kind of envisioned the first three episodes was for the premiere to reinstate Chloe into the world, followed by an episode that does the same for Bruce, and then for the third episode to focus on Helena. They're very much the three main characters of the show, and because they had three very separate "cliffhangers" at the end of Season 3, I wanted to take the time dealing with the consequences of what happened for each. As for Chloe and Oliver, Ifeel like I went into this season with a specific idea on how to explore it, and it grew and evolved as the season went on. There's definitely a lot of different layers to explore in what happened to them, and I hope you find the execution of their storyline to have lived up to the hype and/or expectation of them reuniting. It will be a season-long arc, but there are things here and there to hopefully make the ongoing storyline enjoyable, haha. Currently living in a world without Superman. (and another 3000 steps away from Gotham) I need to do an Arkham-based episode in Season 5. Remind me of that idea later. Aw, I'm glad you liked it. I get so nervous about hearing feedback. I never put anything out there that I'm not happy with — there are times where you accept defeat on something not clicking in the way you want it to click — but there's still that variable of, "maybe this really sucks and I'm not aware of it." So it's always nice to hear an episode didn't suck. I always appreciate your reviews, and your thoughts, and I'm so glad Helena Bertinelli isn't dead for you anymore, and I can't wait to see what you think about the rest of the season. Thanks again, Brady! |
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Post by Alex Matthews on Oct 16, 2017 14:42:38 GMT -6
I am SOOO F***ING GLAD that I didn't read "Smallville", "Destiny" and "Ceremony" all in one go! Otherwise, I'd be: At the moment, though, I'm simply: |
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Post by Alex Matthews on Oct 27, 2017 4:40:57 GMT -6
Finally had some time to read "Remnants" last night before bed. Initial thoughts were as follows: - TALIA!! Didn't realize how much I missed her until she appeared! - The whole Bruce/Alfred moment! Oh, my heart broke for Alfred, I just wanted to slap Bruce, even though I understood where it was coming from. - STEPHANIE BROWN!!! That was a surprise to see her name in the guest cast. Steph/Spoiler is one of my favourite Batfamily characters. - Forbes final words, a nice touch to see just what made him the way he was. - Poor Jason. I hope he survives. - More Tim Drake is always a good thing - having him find the Batcave AND take down Lord?! Excellent. Here's hoping he'll be joining the Batfamily on a more permanent basis soon! - WW2 Zinda ROCKED!! - Steve is a "Star Wars" fan!! - Loved the Lana/Helena/Katherine moment. Could Trinity, Huntress and Batwoman be the new 'Birds of Prey'? - "Vicki's remains": that line chilled me to the bone. She's really gone. Final Questions: - Was this the final nail in the coffin for Chlollie? - What's going to happen with Oliver's arm?! |
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Post by Jack Malone on Oct 27, 2017 15:53:31 GMT -6
Finally had some time to read "Remnants" last night before bed. Initial thoughts were as follows: - TALIA!! Didn't realize how much I missed her until she appeared! Thanks for more feedback! Love waking up to this! Talia is such a favourite to write. I can always hear her voice pretty distinctively when I'm writing it, so it makes for a quick and fun process. I'm glad she's around for the rest of the season, and hopefully you like her story going forward A lot of Bruce/Alfred angst in the coming episodes. Hopefully they can repair what's been broken... In a season that kind of has most of the Batfamily characters floating around, she was one I definitely wanted to cameo in the middle of this whole damn apocalypse, haha. My favourite thing to do with characters like Jack Forbes and Janice Porter was to tie them into the history of the show. With Janice, we learned she was the one that orchestrated Alberto Falcone's death (from Season 2), and there's still more to come out about her in the finale. With Jack, I liked the idea of him being a cop with a not so distorted perception of the heroes — we learn his brother was the one in the chopper that Helena took down (in Season 3) and that he had a friend that a Lord-compelled Green Arrow killed in episode 6 (Season 4). It just adds some more consequences to things from the past and it was fun to reveal their motivations later in the game, rather than when we first met them! We'll see some follow-up on him soon There's definitely more Tim Drake in these last three episodes! He's another favourite to write - brings some comedy to the whole thing. I had to cut some really cool moments of hers from the next episode, but managed to get most of it in the episode, so there's more WW2 Zinda to look forward to through some flashbacks. This was definitely my way of incorporating the comics for her! Steve Trevor is a man with impeccable taste. Lana Lang and Star Wars. Haha, the Birds of Prey will be pretty true to the comics, so it's a no on that one. But the good news is that there's some Birds of Prey stuff coming up in this season's finale that I'm really excited about. And some great Helena/Lana stuff, too She's legit my favourite character to write.  Why do I hate myself? I don't know. This episode was definitely about finding some closure for them. The only thing that adds a question mark to Chlollie not being entirely over is the fact that Oliver doesn't completely forget about Chloe's existence in his past. He's been having dreams of this "faceless woman." He has been since he woke up post-Season 2. It's why he hasn't been able to settle down, why he's been unfaithful to Dinah (in the past), and he was hoping that this marriage to Dinah would kind of reveal those dreams to be of her. Instead, he finds out that it's Chloe. However, he did make a choice with all of that information in mind, and he still chose Dinah. And that's important, especially at this point in the season. I don't think it was ever really written as a love triangle (at least, not intentionally), or that Oliver had to reach a point of making a choice between the two. It's more about him being offered the truth, and becoming aware of this really significant relationship in his past, but still choosing Dinah. It's a milestone for them for sure, and there's some great Oliver/Dinah stuff coming up!  |
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Post by Alex Matthews on Oct 27, 2017 17:13:42 GMT -6
I've said it before and I'll say it again, as much as I love Chloe and Oliver seperately, I've never been as big a fan of "Chlollie" as I have of "Dollie". I'm glad one show is finally showing it, and treating it real, and how you've worked the whole Chloe/Oliver/Toyman back story into it as you also reflect the up-and-down nature of their relationship in the comics - Ollie's cheating, their eventual marriage and the like. I melt every time he calls her 'pretty bird' Okay... that's just giving me the creeps..! |
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Post by Jack Malone on Oct 28, 2017 5:02:56 GMT -6
I've said it before and I'll say it again, as much as I love Chloe and Oliver seperately, I've never been as big a fan of "Chlollie" as I have of "Dollie". I'm glad one show is finally showing it, and treating it real, and how you've worked the whole Chloe/Oliver/Toyman back story into it as you also reflect the up-and-down nature of their relationship in the comics - Ollie's cheating, their eventual marriage and the like. I melt every time he calls her 'pretty bird' Thanks! I think regardless of any outcome when it comes to any "ships" on Watchtower, it's been fun to have the opportunity to touch on so many dynamics, especially those from the comics. I never thought Oliver/Dinah would happen, but saw the opportunity in Season 3 to tell that story, and here we are in Season 4. I feel the same about Bruce and Vicki. I think knowing that there would be five seasons, I kind of always had the idea of Selina being Bruce's main love interest for the series (introduced in Season 2), but I've been able to bring Talia and Vicki into the fold, too. So it's been fun to have that evolve, and to tackle more aspects of the comics. It's The Dark Knight Returns Oliver, haha! Oliver's going to be down and out for pretty much most of the next episode — taking a back seat after a pretty big episode in nineteen — but you'll see where this whole losing-an-arm storyline goes by the end of this next episode, and of course, the two episodes that follow it. Personally, it's something I really wanted to do when it came to looking at the repercussions of this attack from OMAC. I didn't want it to just be us losing a pivotal character — I wanted this whole episode to mark a lot of change for the characters, and so this is something for him that he'll be dealing with in these last three episodes. |
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Post by Alex Matthews on Nov 13, 2017 17:19:56 GMT -6
"Paradise" What can I say, beyond HELL YES!! They may not be the Justice League in name yet, but they're there in spirit! Brilliant beginning to this final part of the chapter. I really hope someone smacks that shit-eating grin of Lord's face some time soon.
Question 1: When exactly are the flashbacks to Themyscira set? During Chloe's time with the Suicide Squad, perhaps?
Question 2: I noticed that you didn't specify any casting for the older Steve Trevor or Dale Gunn? Did you have anyone in mind as you wrote them?
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Post by Jack Malone on Nov 13, 2017 18:33:11 GMT -6
"Paradise" What can I say, beyond HELL YES!! They may not be the Justice League in name yet, but they're there in spirit! Brilliant beginning to this final part of the chapter. I really hope someone smacks that shit-eating grin of Lord's face some time soon. Thanks! This episode was the worst to put together, and even reading back over it this morning before posting it had me want to do some more rewrites, but there's always got to be at least one episode in a season that gives you problems, haha. I'm glad you liked it. There's going to be some great Superman/Batman/Wonder Woman (Trinity) stuff in these last two episodes, and definitely some nods towards the Justice League in a more fully formed capacity in the season finale. I think that's always been a destination, just like building on Birds of Prey has been a story thread that began in the first season. Season 4 being all about destiny really leans into some of these really cool comic book things before the curtain closes. As for Lord, if there's ever an episode where you want to see someone smack the "shit-eating grin" off his face, then next week's episode is definitely it. He's going to cause a lot more pain and heartbreak in the penultimate and kind of prove why he's such a great opponent for the heroes to go up against. I'm so excited for these last two, though. They're set between Chloe leaving everyone in Season 10 of Smallville, and when she came back in 'Collateral.' Originally, when this episode was going to be primarily focused on this flashback story, it was going to involve the Suicide Squad (as we saw them in Season 10) and be a mission between them, but once more stories organically had to be told and carried over from plot threads of episodes past, I saw it as before Chloe joined forces with the Suicide Squad but still in that bracket of being caught up with Checkmate, so it aligns with her words to Clark in 'Fortune' (Season 10) of meeting a wondrous woman. Also somewhere in that time period, Chloe met Ray Palmer, and he's the "billionaire with high-tech toys" she references in the same episode. Part of me likes to believe she joined/ran the Suicide Squad after this point, and after she got off the island and had this war orchestrated by Maxwell Lord. There was so much trimmed and cut down and changed. Initially, Zinda was open about everything and told Steve (and Chloe) what happened, and had this line about him looking exactly like his grandfather. So it would be the same actor if this was a real-world scenario, haha. As for Dale Gunn, I don't think I had anyone listed. I know he's a name in the comics — and I included him very briefly to throw some more agents from ARGUS into the world — but I don't always cast the smaller roles unless I'm aware of them playing a bigger role and he was very much a quick cameo, so there wasn't anyone in mind for him at the time. Maybe if he threads back in later, I'll have decided on someone |
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Post by Alex Matthews on Nov 28, 2017 9:58:40 GMT -6
Okay, so I just read "Trinity" and "Checkmate" in one session - and my brain is still reeling from the fallout!!
Totally geeked out over finally having Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman working together! Mourned at the apparent deaths the team endured, and the concrete realization that Vicki is most definitely gone as well. I really hope one of those in particular either doesn't stick, or was a misdirect. Loved seeing the Bat-Family grow once more - I wonder if by next season and it's time jump, if Bruce will also have Ace the Bat-Hound as well?! I love the reveal that Chloe is now an Editor-in-Chief, and of a brand-new paper, the "Vale Verity" - I can't believe I only just discovered what the origin of that name is, and it fits perfectly! Speaking of reveals, OMG - were you trying to induce aneurysms?! Not only the Talia/Bruce nugget, but that final scene! I was actually stupified and speechless for at least a minute - I nearly dropped my iPad! My only quibbles were minor. As much as I enjoyed the episodes, a part of it felt far too crowded, and certain characters (Vixen comes to mind) felt like they fell by the wayside as others got more exploration. I can understand that the main characters and recurring ones have to get their focus, but it did kinda feel many of the 'heroes' were just background characters. I hope we see more of these guys - I'm not a huge fan of the idea of the A.T.O.M. exo-suit, but I did like the humour and eagerness that Ryan exuded. Questions: 1) Is that the end of Checkmate? Will it now be absorbed into ARGUS? If Steve is getting is happy ever after with Lana, does that mean Amanda has a new agency to play with? 2) The beginning of a Justice League proper, I'm sure will get Karl rather excited. But will we be seeing more of then and those hinted characters they casually referred too? 3) Why go that way with Lord? I think I can understand why, but I'd like to hear your reasoning. 4) How long do we have to wait before we can start speculating on S5 and getting some solid info about who is coming back? Will it be a full 22-episode season? I might be back with more questions once I've re-read them, which I'm sure to do at some point, but just wanted to put something down in writing now, and offer a big round of applause for completely another spectacular season!! x |
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. So im waiting for the crossover now.haha
Why do I hate myself? I don't know. 
