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Post by Brady Brown on Nov 7, 2015 19:16:38 GMT -6
REVIEW: 2.03 | "Super Friends"This was such a cool episode and sort of wish fulfillment in that since the beginning of the series I've been hoping in the back of my mind that Lucy and Fred would someway, somehow get powers of their own. So thanks for fulfilling that little fantasy of mine, even long before I started reading this series! haha But onto the nitty gritty of the episode, someone's kidnapped Audrey Swankins. The episode scene set up the big mystery of the episode, and it's a mystery that kinda sorta gets solved, but not fully. I'm hoping we get more information on George, who he is and what he really wanted. At one point I thought the person that kidnapped her and the person that gave Lucy and Fred powers were two different people, but it turned out to be the same person. I don't know why that was unclear to me when I read it. Maybe I'm just kinda slow. HAHA! But anyway, I've said all this without saying much at all. So let me try and focus. Thank you so much for this review, Chris! I'm so happy you enjoyed this episode. I wanted to solidify early on that Fred and Lucy feel as thought their help isn't enough when they're surrounded by superhumans. Them getting superpowers was very much putting them into the shoes of what Janice, Clark, and Sara go through on a daily basis, so I'm glad that came across to you. I can't say that George comes back into the fold anytime soon, but his actions and his reasonings for what he did will. I also wanted to bring in recurring characters like Audrey and Edward back into the mix, while also adding onto Ryan's arc throughout the season, which has a lot to do with secrets themselves. They just might not be his own.  That scene was probably one of my top 5 triplets scenes to date. I just loved that they were testing out their new powers and arguing about them. Reminded me of my siblings and I haha. I'm so in love with the fact that you love Paco. And I'm sorry about the knife! Sara doesn't think! Ahh! I love coming up with new abilities for people. It's definitely one of my favorite parts about the series. I totally highjacked this point and talked about it two paragraphs up so I'm so sorry hahaha. But yeah, Lucy and Fred are still trying to help as much as they can, which is going to lead to some scenes between them and the Uucsio's I really wanted to ground the sci fi element by showcasing real life situations and problems. I think Dr. Uucsio is a very helpful man, and he hasn't done anything wrong, and neither has Mrs. Uucsio. I think selfishness is a really big, important part of human nature, which is why I included that talk with Jane. Elise deserved to be a little jealous. But I didn't think it needed to be dragged on, so I'm happy you liked that it was resolved by the end of the episode. YAY! The decision to give Shela superpowers was always an immediate one. Chosen has very much changed from how they first started, and this is an example of that. They only wanted superhumans, and that's going to be explained through the season, as well as what they're actually planning. Debbie can only hide for so long, so you'll have to wait and see how she gets around that, if it comes to light. Thanks again for reviewing, Chris! Your words and feedback mean so much, and I'm so happy that you're enjoying the show. Hope you enjoy the rest of the released episode!  |
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Post by Jamison on Nov 8, 2015 21:13:13 GMT -6
REVIEW: 2.04 | "Super Heat"Another round of TST and I'm still sweating from that heat! *SOBS* That was my attempt at puns but it failed so I won't do it again, I promise. Onto the episode -- I really enjoyed it! I sound like a broken record, I know, but this season has been really solid so far. Very impressed with the way you've kept the quality standard of the first season and even exceeded it! You can't see me but I'm clapping right now. So, in this episode we get the Knox's first day back at school without their mom, which is so heartbreaking. I really liked the little scene we got at the beginning with Jane fixing them all breakfast, even though they ended up not eating it. She seems a bit overwhelmed in that scene, trying to figure out how to be a good mother figure for the triplets, but I think she'll get a handle on it. I wonder if that's going to be a problem in future episodes. But anyway, a pharmaceutical building goes up and flames our favorite crime fighting teens are on the case. I like that Fred is so into solving these cases and wants to help everyone; not just people in their inner circle or people they care about. There was some conflict between him and the Knox's on that front, as it seems they kinda just want to let the police handle this one. I understand where both of them are coming from which makes it hard to pick sides in that argument. Anyway, we have a student in Holt! I knew he was trouble when he walked in and was being all flirty with Sara. That's my girl, so you know I wasn't having any of that. haha! Turns out he's got some kind of hormonal superpowers that make anybody he touches get all tingly inside, along with the whole fire thing. That's kinda scary, to be honest. I can only imagine what he could be using that power for. *side eyes* But I'd like to see more of what he can do and what his motives are. We saw at the end that he's working for Chosen, so that was interesting and definitely not something I saw coming. Agent Flame! That's a pretty cool name. I wouldn't mid seeing that character again. I loved the few moments we got from Janice and Clark in this episode. I don't know if I remember them having too much one and one time, it's usually all three siblings, but it was a nice change. Clark is like the glue that holds his sisters together. I just love their family dynamic so much! Speaking of the family, over at Chosen, the remaining recruits are being "initiated." That didn't sound good when I heard it and it turned out to be even worse than I imagined. That hallucination Alexander put Debbie through, disturbing as it was, was pretty cool and well written. I wonder if it has any other deeper meaning. I have to pay attention to these things even if they don't end up amounting to anything in the grander scheme of things!  I loooved that dialogue between Debbie and Shela! The fact that Debbie saw her in that hallucination that was meant to show people she cared about and would do anything for? My god, I think I'm gonna pass out. I love their relationship and it's only just the start of it really. I can't wait to see where it goes! I don't have too much to say about Det. Ashlock, but I'm really enjoying how she's becoming more involved in everything this season, now that she knows what's going on with the Knox's. Feel a little bad for Eric though. He doesn't know what he's getting himself into. Unless he does, and he's evil. *side eyes* Oh! Fred and Lucy! They kicked ass in this episode turning the sprinklers back on! I loved them trying to find out more info on Holt. Fred even showcased some new computer skills he's been learning from Dr. Uucsio! I can't wait Elise to give them their own fight training montage Anyway, that was a very nice episode! Got some cool stuff with Debbie who continues to be my favorite character, along with Sara. A new super-powered bad guy, which is always excited, and I love the creative twist you put on his powers. My ultimate bae PACO returned for this episode and I was thrilled! No Uucsio's this week, but the episode didn't suffer too much. That's good to know, in case they are absent from any other episodes this season. All in all, THUMBS UP! Can't wait to read the next one!
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Post by Brady Brown on Nov 9, 2015 19:46:39 GMT -6
REVIEW: 2.04 | "Super Heat"Another round of TST and I'm still sweating from that heat! *SOBS* That was my attempt at puns but it failed so I won't do it again, I promise. Onto the episode -- I really enjoyed it! I sound like a broken record, I know, but this season has been really solid so far. Very impressed with the way you've kept the quality standard of the first season and even exceeded it! You can't see me but I'm clapping right now. I love the puns! haha I'm so glad you're enjoying the second seasons and think that each episode is just as good as the last. It's really great to hear. I hope that the remainder of the episodes that are out (and of the season, eventually) either continue that consistency or improve upon it I really wanted to highlight little things that teenagers go through, especially things that are somewhat connected to their parents like first days of school. Debbie would probably always take pictures of them in their first day outfits *sobs* The opening with Jane was to show how much she's trying to fit into their lives and to be just like any other normal guardian. That, and it was just fun to write! SANO is going to play a major role throughout the season, so hopefully you get attached to that storyline as the episodes continue! Fred is very much someone who wants to try and help everyone. It was just a little conflict that I thought would add some tension between them. Holt was a lot of fun to create. I really liked expanding upon his powers and throwing my own little twist in there, so I'm glad you were able to enjoy that. They're not necessarily hormonal, he's just able to use his heat to manipulate the pleasure sensors haha. That is very scary. Holt will be back soon, as Chosen is still very much the enemy of the season. His motives very much lie in what Alexander tells him to do. Yeah, the triplets are usually all together. I liked shoving Janice and Clark together, because Janice was seen struggling a lot with Frank's death and as soon as she got over it, the big bomb about him dropped. Clark hasn't really felt that, so Janice telling him that death needs to be accepted was just adding another layer to her character and their relationship. Chosen is really putting Debbie through hell. There's no other way to describe it haha. She's gonna have to keep toughing it out though, because they have a lot more things planned for her. Her hallucinations really play into how she treats and views Shela from now on and how her motivation to get out to her family has grown. Debbie and Shela are going to be spending a lot of time together Shelbbie, FTW! Ashlock is finally on Team Knox! lol She brings in the police aspect of the show, and even though she has superhuman friends to call, she very much has to keep investigating mysterious things. She's going to be going through a gray area, because a lot of what she has to do goes against the law, and so there's going to be a morally grey area there. Yay for Fred and Lucy recognition! They're going to be coming into their own Thanks so much for reading, Chris! It means so much. I'm so happy you're enjoying this season, and I hope you continue to enjoy the reason of the season where more superhumans will show up, and your bae Paco will continue to shine! The Uucsio's are back next week, so look forward to them! |
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Post by Jamison on Nov 10, 2015 22:40:56 GMT -6
REVIEW: 205 | "Super Assassin"
So in this episode we get to see an assassin hired by Chosen to eliminate the triplets, Joshua attacks the Uucsio's office and Dr. Uucsio and Ashlock get sent on a dangerous little adventure of their own. I really enjoyed this episode. First I wanna talk about the character of Michelle who I really wish we got to spend a little more time with. Her being killed by Alexander in the end really cut me deep, even though she was completely evil and tried to kill my babies. She was such reckless, killing machine. Would have been interesting to see her involved more in the Chosen storyline. But you can't have everything, I guess. haha! The action scenes between her and the Knox's were really well written -- as usual. I always say the action is great in this show and I'm able to follow it quite nicely but I think it's worth saying again and again because it's always improving.
We got a lot of conflict in this episode. First off, the confrontation between Alexander and Katrina. I'm sure Katrina's thrilled that Michelle got a bullet in her gut, but I thought their back and forth was interesting. I sort of feared for Katrina though, because Michelle seemed to be in her same position however long ago and now she's dead. I think she needs to think about the kind of man she's involved with and ask herself does she really want to be in that kind of situation. She's looking more and more expendable by the minute. But anyway, I was both interested and a little worried about Katrina. Alexander is such a psycho, I don't reckon he'd think twice about killing her the second he's decided to be done with her. But him killing Michelle and essentially replacing her with a superpowered co-head is interesting, considering how he supposedly killed all the non-superpowered agents/recruits. I'm just so into the whole Chosen arc, I want to know everything about it. The mystery is building and I'm so into it.
I liked pretty much every aspect of this episode. There were so many moving parts and every character seemed to be in on the action in some way or another. Janice, Clark and Sara dealing with Michelle. Elise, Lucy, Fred and Jane getting harassed by Joshua and of course Geoffrey and Det. Ashlock dealing with Katrina and her mess. Such an intense, action packed episode! I love how they all worked together to defeat their foes. I always get super hyped they work as a team and this episode had a lot of that. Det. Ashlock's conflict about whether or not she should shoot/kill Katrina was particularly emotional, considering what she had to do last season with Dr. Rivers. Her storyline is really evolving into something a lot more interesting and I can only see it getting better from here. Dr. Uucsio's getting that final punch in was great!! I would love to see him out in the field more often, kicking ass and taking names.
Sort of similar to Ashlock's conflict, Clark had a little emotional moment of his own after shooting Michelle in the thigh to save his sisters. I think it was a pretty necessary thing to do and he could have done a lot worse, but I appreciated his pause there, and how he kinda had to work through that on his own. Then we get to the nitty gritty of what's really bugging him. He misses his mom. And it's understandable. They all do. I like that they keep talking about her. It's good to know that even though they've got other stuff going on, she's still in the heads and hearts and they're not giving up on finding her. It's such a good thing to see and it makes me want them to be reunited even more. I'm gonna cry when that happens. Yes, I said when. WHEN! Because it's going to happen and if it doesn't.... well, I'm gonna be really freaking sad.
Sara was a trooper in this episode! From her usual fabulousness, to her getting shot and not healing right away, then coming back and kicking ass, and then namedropping the series title near the end of the episode! Really loved her in this episode. Everybody really. This was a nice one. No Debbie or Shela in this episode, which I missed, but I know we'll be seeing them both in the next episode. And even though Debbie was missing, her presence was felt in that scene near the end I was just talking about. Overall, a very nice addition to The Super Teens S2!! Can't wait to dig into the season even more. You're killing it, Brady!
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Post by Jamison on Nov 10, 2015 23:11:11 GMT -6
REVIEW: 206 | "Super Wave"I love that we start this episode off with them talking about school. I always love the ordinary, everyday moments that Janice, Clark and Sara get because their lives are so different since Bright Day and all this super power mumbo jumbo. It's a nice breather for them to relax, talk about class work or crushes or whatever normal teenagers talk about these days. haha! I particularly enjoyed how Janice and Sara approach their school life so differently. Janice is a total mess, always stressed about keeping her grades up and generally frantic, while Sara is more easy going, she'll do the work but on her own time table and she's not too worried about it either way. haha Clark seems to be more like Sara in that regard, but I think he's a balance in between those two, as he is in everything else it seems. Swim tryouts!! This excites me for a few different reasons. One, back when I was in high school I almost tried out for the swim team. Got to the pool and everything and then realized I couldn't swim that well. haha Also, I'm really interested in the idea of superhuman characters playing sports and being conflicted with whether or not they should use their powers to get the advantage or play fair. I really hope Clark joins the team and we get more of that. We get introduced to a new student and we all know that never ends well. I love that Sara was all over her too. Just knew she was evil! They say Janice is the smart one but I'm thinking Sara's pretty smart herself. Maybe not as booksmart but she's definitely got some sense. You described Ellie as a mix between Faith Lehane and Chanel #1 from Scream Queens and she definitely lived up to that. Also she likes girls, so that was interesting haha! Maybe a little tryst with her and Janice is in order? Okay, I'll stop that right there. She was pretty wicked and she works for Chosen, which is becoming a trend here. I wonder how they keep finding these batshit crazy superhumans. And oh my god, I just thought of something while typing this review. Maybe that manipulation serum has something to do with it. Honestly, there must be more good people with powers than bad. Chosen might just be finding them first and converting them to their crazy, evil cause. Hmm that might not be it at all, but it's just a theory. Also finding out her brother is Holt!! BRILLIANT! I was thinking about a team up between those two even before that was revealed and I was soo happy So, I'm definitely looking forward to that at some point in the future. YES!! Debbie and Shela get a bit more focus in this episode. I loved the idea of this competition between all the agents to see who's the strongest and the fact that they were the top two and had to fight each other. I was reading with one hand over my eye, because I hated to see them at each others throats but it was definitely intriguing and really telling of how desperate a situation they're all in at Chosen. They did what they had to do because the alternate was death and I know both of them understand that and can move on. They have such an interesting dynamic and I really want to see more of them. So glad when that fight got interrupted though. PHEW! Fred and Lucy really take the front wheel in this episode and I was sooo surprised and happy about that. They refuse to take the typical "sidekick" role and we're getting to see them going out, being active and getting shit done. Their story arcs don't rely on the arcs of Janice, Clark and Sara and I'm in love with just how much they've developed since season one. We can obviously tell that they've been getting more training from the Uucsio's and becoming little heroes in their own right and I'm all here for it. Lucy tricking Katrina then taking her down was AMAZING!! More of that please! It gives me everything. I feel their friends would be so proud of them, worried but proud. But anyway, them getting more answers about SANO, when everyone else was coming up with dead ends was really great to see. We don't know a lot more, but we did get some new info. They were founded because of Bright Day. Why? Still don't know, but I'm eager to find out. Det. Ashlock makes her own discovery in this episode! Ryan and Dr. Rivers knew each other. At least, took a photo together at some point. Ryan is such a shady asshole, haha! I don't trust him and neither should Jade. I'm hoping she gets to the bottom of all this and he shows his true colors because this is making me nervous. I don't know who to trust! I seem to talk about Sara every episode and its not meant to single her out above the others but she had a pretty big plot in this episode. Her facing her fears of water and being almost overcome by them and actually close to dying. It led to such an emotional moment for her with her pleading with her brother and sister that she doesn't want to die. And them going on to promise her that everything was going to be okay, even though she herself knew that they couldn't know that. That it was all empty promises but it was something she desperately needed to hear. I'm just so in love with Sara Knox. Her character has been so amazing to read and I really enjoy every aspect you've presented thus far. She'll definitely go down in history as one of my favorite VS characters. I'm glad you always give her a bunch of amazing, fierce lines every episode. Some of my favorites in this one were: ELLIE God, they’re really not kidding when they say you’re the bitchy one.
SARA Oh, I’m so flattered. and also SARA I don’t care if we’re in the middle of the freakin’ ocean, I’ll still make your eardrums burst. She hears that "bitch" title a lot and just owns it with every fiber of her being. She makes me think about that quote "You call me a bitch as if it's a bad thing." I think that's just Sara Knox, personified. And that second line, even in the midst of one of her biggest fears, she's still able to stand her ground and not let her enemy see weakness in her. Ughh! I just love her so much! You've done an amazing job molding this character into someone special.
This green leather clad masked vigilante woman is showing up everywhere. I desperately want to know what her deal is, but she seems to be helping so that's good. I don't think the Knox's can take yet another bad guy trying to murder them. My crackpot theory is that she's Jane Doe, but she may be something completely different or someone we haven't met yet. But I'm sticking to that theory for now. I don't mind being wrong. I keep saying this but what an amazing episode to TST!! Judging by this review, you'll probably be able to tell that this was one of my favorites. HAHA! It definitely had a lot of development for both story and character. I can't wait to sink my teeth into the next episode!
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Post by Brady Brown on Nov 11, 2015 14:14:50 GMT -6
REVIEW: 205 | "Super Assassin"So in this episode we get to see an assassin hired by Chosen to eliminate the triplets, Joshua attacks the Uucsio's office and Dr. Uucsio and Ashlock get sent on a dangerous little adventure of their own. I really enjoyed this episode. First I wanna talk about the character of Michelle who I really wish we got to spend a little more time with. Her being killed by Alexander in the end really cut me deep, even though she was completely evil and tried to kill my babies. She was such reckless, killing machine. Would have been interesting to see her involved more in the Chosen storyline. But you can't have everything, I guess. haha! The action scenes between her and the Knox's were really well written -- as usual. I always say the action is great in this show and I'm able to follow it quite nicely but I think it's worth saying again and again because it's always improving. Yay! I always love it when you enjoy an episode haha. I never really intended for Michelle to be a recurring character as much as I did for her to be the villain of the week but also introduce the Chosen Assassin backstory. You should remember that for a later time haha! But anyway, I'm really glad you enjoyed her character. I didn't expect her to get so much love from you, so I do apologize for ending up killing her. The action scenes are always the most nerve wracking part, so to know that you've been enjoying them is a success on my part! I think Katrina and Alexander really balance each other out. Michelle wasn't ever the Co-Head of Chosen, but who's to say that she didn't have relations with Alexander. Katrina isn't so much worried about what Alexander can do rather than him being able to do it. She's with them because of the power they have, and that's about it. The Chosen arc has been so much fun to develop, so I hope you enjoy what's to come! I really enjoyed splitting everyone up and putting them all in mini groups, especially Dr. Uucsio and Det. Ashlock. We've never really seen them work together, so I loved being able to showcase that new dynamic. Everyone else was fun to write for too, but that pair really took the cake in terms of developing. Jade is going to have to keep dealing with the guilt of Dr. Rivers, as you already know from the next episode! haha I really want to try and focus on real life problems with. While shooting someone in the leg isn't something everyone can relate to, haha, it definitely opened up the emotion of how much he misses Debbie and how much he desperately wants a normal life outside of having to shoot assassins so that he and his sisters can stay alive. That reunion would be pretty emotional IFFFFF it happens Always happy to hear that you love Sara! It makes her even that much more fun to write for. Debbie and Shela are back in the next episode, as you already know. Lots more emotion in the next episode, which again you already know. Thanks for reading, Chris! It means so much! |
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Post by Brady Brown on Nov 11, 2015 14:35:06 GMT -6
REVIEW: 206 | "Super Wave"I love that we start this episode off with them talking about school. I always love the ordinary, everyday moments that Janice, Clark and Sara get because their lives are so different since Bright Day and all this super power mumbo jumbo. It's a nice breather for them to relax, talk about class work or crushes or whatever normal teenagers talk about these days. haha! I particularly enjoyed how Janice and Sara approach their school life so differently. Janice is a total mess, always stressed about keeping her grades up and generally frantic, while Sara is more easy going, she'll do the work but on her own time table and she's not too worried about it either way. haha Clark seems to be more like Sara in that regard, but I think he's a balance in between those two, as he is in everything else it seems. Sometimes I have to remind myself that these kids have to go to school lmao So I try and shove them into scenes at Upsville High whenever I can. Janice is a total stress mess when it comes to school, the complete opposite of Clark and Sara. I am definitely Janice in that situation haha. Awww! I think Clark was kind of on the fence about it for a little bit, but just went for it. A lot more things happen in the next few episodes that kind of push the whole swim team out of the picture, so either Clark made it and had to respectfully decline or he didn't make it at all *sobs* Sara is just like you haha suspicious of everyone. I guess that's why you love her so much Ellie was so much fun to write. She's kind of an even bitchier version of Sara, so having them butt heads I thought would make for a really interesting plot line. Especially since she had her own little personal vendetta for Sara tryna get with Holt haha Ellie, and Holt, are definitely going to be back. That's an interesting theory! You'll just have to wait to see if it's going to be a thing! This created a real conflict for Shela and Debbie. Chosen does nothing but make them miserable, and this entire tournament was sort of a test that really starts the storyline for the next episode, which is Shelbbie centric! Fred and Lucy have such a different arc, that I didn't want them waiting around and being reliant on the triplets for going out and attempting to get stuff down. So I'm glad you've picked up on that. Lucy's going to continue to be in some fight scenes, and Fred will continue to be learning how to properly work the magic of computers haha The SANO storyline is going to be going throughout the season, but you're going to get some major answers within the next few episodes! This will be answered in the next episode YAAAY! Hahaha! No, it's totally fine. I'm glad I totally hit you in the Sara feels, because I think it's often forgotten that these characters are children who haven't even gone to prom yet. They'r every much scared of what's going on, and I needed that to be a focus to remind the audience that these are kids who have to do these death defying things everyday. I'm over the moon with your love for Sara Knox She does! hahaha More answers about her in the next few episodes! I love that theory Thank you sooo much! Your reviews mean so much, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the half of the season when you get around to reading it. Hope those episodes are even better than this one! |
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Post by Jamison on Nov 12, 2015 15:54:41 GMT -6
REVIEW: 207 | "Super Mission"
You are so f-cking evil, Brady Brown. You know exactly why, but I'm not gonna start there because there was a lot of cool stuff that happened in this episode before that heartbreaking end scene. So let's start at the beginning. The good people at Chosen have lost their damn minds and have decided to give Debbie and Shela their first mission: assassinate the mayor of Upsville. You'd think they'd start small but nooo, they have no chill whatsoever. I'm surprised they would give such a mission to a couple of new agents. But I guess they were just testing them. Anyway, I liked that we got a lot of Shelbbie in this episode. Their dynamic is really cool and seeing them in action together was a lot of fun. We got a lot of great elements we haven't really seen in TST before. The whole scene with them on the trucks was something out of a Fast & Furious movie or some other heavy action film and it was written really well. Them going undercover as FBI agents and infiltrating the mayor's office was another thing we haven't really gotten on this show yet. It really cool to see; makes me appreciate the Chosen arc even more and gets me excited to see what other missions they'll be doing in the future.
Switching gears for a second -- the training scenes with the triplets, plus Lucy and Fred were fantastic!! Loved them so much! I really like the idea of the holograms and drones. Very nice visuals and I hope they'll be taking advantage of it; and improving in the field because with these Chosen agents and other superpowered foes they've been going up against, their gonna need all the training they can get. Seeing Lucy working with Elise was great; same with Fred and Jane. I really appreciate that we get to see them working hard and progressing, and its not all happening off screen. I also like what Elise said to Lucy about not having to know how fight in order to be helpful. It's so true and I hope she understands that. But anyway, Fred and Lucy have been impressing me more and more with each passing episode. Fred talks a lot about not wanting to ask the Knox's for help because he doesn't want to be a burden, and I'm a little worried that that's gonna get them in trouble at some point. Maybe more trouble than they can handle. But we'll see where that goes.
We get more of Janice, Clark and Sara in school and worrying about exams, homework and normal teenager stuff, which you know I always love seeing. Janice is being the stressed mess she always is, while Clark and Sara are just like "whatever." I like that it's a constant question for them about being good students or stopping the bad guys. It's gotta be a struggle trying to balance both aspects of their life out and what seems to be the case with a lot of shows in this genre. I hope we get to see more of them and more of them; especially Janice; struggling with being a hero, while wanting some normalcy in her life as well. If that even makes sense haha!
THE EMERALD!! That's a really cool name. And we get to really meet her in this episode and see what she's all about. We don't know her identity or something, but I'm still hoping she's Jane Doe or Elise, or someone like that. Maybe she's even someone who currently works at Chosen and is leading this double life. But we'll see. But she does meet the Knox's and that was a really cool couple of scenes. Them being a bit wary of her at first, not knowing what side she's really on, but in the end I think they come to accept her as a force for good; at least for the time being. I'm excited about seeing more from her especially now that it looks like she's coming more into the triplet's story.
Det. Ashlock is still very suspicious of Ryan, as she should be. I don't know, I'm starting not to think he's evil. More like... nosey. He's gotten ahold of Dr. Rivers' autopsy report so that probably won't bode too well for Jade. We'll see where that storyline goes. I think this whole thing with Jade and Ryan is a little more detached and separate from the main arcs, at least at the moment, but I'm still interested in seeing where it goes and if it'll somehow play a bigger part in the long run. But we'll see. I'm into it. haha
So Shela kills the mayor and Debbie ends up in talking distance of her children and seeing her have to hide was pretty rough. Alexander and Chosen really have her on a leash, and a gun pointed at her kids. It's just so cruel and it's taking it's toll on me because I love Debbie so much. Which is why I'm not accepting her "death". At least not yet. You set her character up to have this big arc this season and I just don't think it's over for some reason. It doesn't feel right. I can usually tell when I'm being messed with haha! So hopefully I'm right about this one because if not, I'm gonna be so hurt. I'm already hurt. Having to read Sara going into that morgue and just screaming. GOD!!! Why!?!? And then the other two join her in her despair. Can we just.... not? How bout that? Does that sound good? God, I actually cried a little bit. This is the first time a virtual series has been able to make me feel so much emotion. I'm just really attached to Debbie Knox. So I guess... congrats for bringing that out of me but also I hate it and I want her back!! LOL
Overall, this was a great episode. Looking forward to catching up and seeing what's really up with Debbie because I'm still in freaking denial mode right now.
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Post by Brady Brown on Nov 12, 2015 17:15:57 GMT -6
REVIEW: 207 | "Super Mission"You are so f-cking evil, Brady Brown. You know exactly why, but I'm not gonna start there because there was a lot of cool stuff that happened in this episode before that heartbreaking end scene. So let's start at the beginning. The good people at Chosen have lost their damn minds and have decided to give Debbie and Shela their first mission: assassinate the mayor of Upsville. You'd think they'd start small but nooo, they have no chill whatsoever. I'm surprised they would give such a mission to a couple of new agents. But I guess they were just testing them. Anyway, I liked that we got a lot of Shelbbie in this episode. Their dynamic is really cool and seeing them in action together was a lot of fun. We got a lot of great elements we haven't really seen in TST before. The whole scene with them on the trucks was something out of a Fast & Furious movie or some other heavy action film and it was written really well. Them going undercover as FBI agents and infiltrating the mayor's office was another thing we haven't really gotten on this show yet. It really cool to see; makes me appreciate the Chosen arc even more and gets me excited to see what other missions they'll be doing in the future. I'm sooorrrrryyyy! The tournament in the previous episode was what really solidified Debbie and Shela to go out on this mission. You're right, it was really a test to see if they can handle missions, because no mission at Chosen is small haha. I loved throwing Shela and Debbie into the action, because they've been cooked up in Chosen for the past six episode lmao, and it was really fun to add a new dimension to the show with the semi truck scene and the undercover scenes. I'm really happy you're enjoying the Chosen arc. I really wanted to create a villain that outdid Cloranda, so it's great to hear that I seem to have achieved that! The training room will be used again, because the Knox's are always learning new moves! haha "The Super Teens" really encompasses Fred and Lucy as well, so I want to showcase their journeys into becoming heroes just like I did with the triplets back in season one. There are going to be more training scenes, so look out for them! Lucy and Fred are going through a real struggle of finding their place on the team and looking for ways to help. They're going in very much different directions. You'll see Lucy really hone in on the SANO storyline in the next two episodes. School sort of loses its focus in the next two episodes, reasonably after the end of this one haha. But in the second half, school and schoolwork will really become apparent in the show I hope. I really like to delve into real world problems in this show, because, like I've said before, they're still kids who have to go to school and do kid things. It won't be just Janice who gets stressed out over school anymore in the back half of the season  YAY! haha I was really worried about that. She plays a really big part in the next two episodes, and I just love your theories on her identity haha You'll find it out sooner than you think, so keep an eye out for that! She really brings in the idea that there were people trying to do good before Bright Day, and that people who aren't the Knox's are trying to do good after Bright Day. However, her actions are really ambiguous. This storyline will really start to take out in the second half. I just wanted to integrate it into the show, sort of as a slow burn, but I can definitely see where a disconnect can be. Ryan, yes, is a very nosey character, and his actions start to become more aware in the second half. Hopefully this storyline starts to really connect with you soon I really can't talk about this right now! haha A lot of answers come in the next two episodes. So you'll just have to read. I think Shela really bit the bullet (no pun intended) when she killed the mayor. With that action, she was looking out for not only herself but for Debbie too. And Debbie's almost reunion with her children was actually pretty heart breaking to write, but I felt like it was necessary. I hope you don't hate me too much. Thanks so much for the review, Chris! Hope you enjoy the next two episodes, and hopefully the reasoning behind Debbie's fate will become clear and explained and you won't hate me too much and we can go back to being best friends |
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Post by Jamison on Nov 18, 2015 17:43:26 GMT -6
REVIEW: 208 | "Super Torture"With a title like "Super Torture" you just know you're gonna go through some shit reading it. Add that to the fact that my favorite character supposedly "died" in the previous episode. *SIGH* I was very emotional when reading this. I actually had to wait a few days before I read it because I knew it was gonna be hard. But I eventually got through it and while it was an emotional ride for it, it wasn't unbearable and still quite an enjoyable episode. The episode picks back up where the last left off, with the Knox's reaction to seeing their lifeless mother. I teared up a bit, to be honest. It's such a hard scene to read because you can really feel their heartbreak. The thought of a child losing their mother, and in this case three children. It's just such a scary thought and it brought up a lot of stuff for me personally. Not anything close to what the triplets must be going through, but it made me think about my relationship with my own mother and how strained it became, though its much better now, but I still don't know what I would do if I had to go through something like this. *SIGH* I'm sorry for mentioning this but this scene really had a big impact on me. I also loved your decision to start act one with Janice, Clark and Sara in separate places, all still very torn up about their mother and handling their feelings in different ways; before ultimately bringing them back together again as a unit. It was such a moving, smartly composed scene that I would have really loved to see on screen. Moving on from that, we get sucked into the action pretty quickly, with this Trevor character knocking out Jane Doe and kidnapping her. He was a mystery for a time but we find out he's really after Elise, who is responsible for the death of his mother. And oh how fitting was that. Felt like I was on Oprah. You get a dead mom!! You get a dead mom! You all get a dead mom! But no, nicely played there. haha! He was a pretty creepy villain for the episode; I wonder if he'll be showing up again. I feel like I ask that about every villain you introduce. His little trivia questions for Elise reminded me of something I'd see from a comic book villain or just some whacked out serial killer. I was into it. And I was actually a bit scared for Jane and Geoffrey. I can't afford to lose any more favs in this show. I liked that we got Elise and Ashlock working together. We got to see her and Geoffrey kinda team up in an earlier episode, so this was great! I'm always here for bringing Jade into the fold more and more and you seem to be doing that. Speaking of Elise, she was a favorite in this episode for me. Her eagerness to save her sister and her husband but at the same time, her refusal to get the police involved because it would only lead to more death. She's such a strong, bold woman and I'm really interested in seeing more from her. We also got Jade having to shoot Trevor to stop him. I wonder if that'll have any negative effects on her later down the line, since she was shown to be a bit gun shy after the Dr Rivers incident in S1. Once again, Fred and Lucy get a story of their own and this time in particular it was pretty huge! The idea of The Emerald and what her character could represent gets me very excited. All this time, I had a gut feeling she was someone we had already met before, and my bets were on Jane Doe or Elise, but the truth is just so much sweeter! Even though I was convinced Heather was behind the mask as soon as she showed up, because I'm just naturally suspicious when we have two characters in the same space but we never see them together haha! I really love where you're taking this storyline. It makes a lot of sense for Heather to be who she is, and it just impresses me because I'm interested in knowing when you decided to turn Heather into the Emerald. Did you know when she was first introduced back in season one or was it plans for S2 that made you take her character in this route? I wouldn't be surprised if you planned this from the start because she really did seem to come out of nowhere and even though I liked her character and her interactions with the others, I didn't really know what purpose she served in the grander scheme. But now, it's all come together quite nicely. I know she may not handled things the best way and can be a bit aggressive with her taking Lucy hostage, but I doubt she would have really done anything to really hurt her. I feel like I can trust her and I might be completely wrong. I guess I'll just have to wait and see. Overall, this episode was fantastic!! Emotional, action packed, with even a bit of humor. Classic TST! I'm glad everything turned out okay in the end... mostly. Oh my gosh, hope isn't lost for Debbie Knox!! That's all I'll say for now since I'm gonna be reading the next episode and I have no idea what's in store! Will be devouring the next episode pretty soon and I'm sure it'll slay me just like the rest of the series so far has Nice work, Brady!
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Post by Jamison on Nov 19, 2015 23:19:45 GMT -6
REVIEW: 209 | "Super Storm"Okay, the mid-season finale and it was just as huge as I expected it to be. Not only in page count, which was pretty damn huge -- 77 pages! OMG glorious - but also when it comes to plot progression, character moments and of course action. This episode didn't hold anything back and I really love that. We start the episode with a flashback of Shela, seven months ago. She's at home, minding her damn business, getting her life watching scandal when Chosen storms into her house and snatches her up. It was cool to get backstory on that, and using that flashback to set up her husband before he shows up in the present day, still hopeful that she's alive and well, and all leading up to that moment they're reunited in the end. Very well done. I loved Shela's role in the episode in general. This is the first time we get to see her interact with characters other than Debbie and the good folks over at Chosen, so that was a new and interesting twist. But I'm getting ahead of myself, before all of that, we get Debbie (who is still ALIIIVEEE!) waking up very confused. I loved the scene between her and Shela. She was so shocked, but please that Debbie wasn't dead. I just love how this relationship has grown and can't wait to see more from it in the future. The big scene where Debbie and Shela escape the Chosen facility. And I must say, that was probably one of my favorite actions scenes of the entire series. Just so well written and planned out. Having Shela using her teleportation powers throughout was a great choice and it worked so well. The big threat of the episode is this Super Storm created by Agent Flame and Agent Wave (God, I love those names so much). Thanks a bunch of bringing Ellie and Holt back and giving them that team up I was hoping for! It was just as brilliant as I imagined it would be. I loved their sibling dynamic. Even though they're bad guys and are working for Chosen, they still bicker with one another, a bit like Sara and Janice tend to do on occasion. I enjoyed those moments a lot. The secret's out! They all know Heather is The Emerald. The scene where The Emerald done something clever but it turns out it was just a trap was amazing!! Loved it so much. I can't say the Knox's are wrong to distrust her, even after she comes and helps them in the end, but I'm hoping they come to an understanding soon. Judging by that ending, I'm not sure if Heather will be back any time soon, but I hope this isn't the last we've seen of her. I'm still not sure where the story with Ryan and Ashlock is going but it picks up a bit in this episode with Ryan's scene with Eric. He kind of reminds me of a less annoying and bitchy Sinclair (HTGAWM) lmao Always showing up to start some sh-t. But I really want to know if this is more personal for him than he's letting on. I think that might be the case, or if he's just trying to uncover the truth solely because he's a reporter and that's what he does, than that's fine too. But my theory is that there's something more going on that we haven't found out yet. As I've said before, I always love to see Ashlock in on the plan and on the front lines so I really enjoyed her role in this episode. We get a behemoth of an action sequence in this episode and I loved every second of it! I can't talk about it too much, other than saying it was awesome and everything it should have been. It was great seeing everyone together and in on the action. It felt like the stakes were doubled, given that not only were they fighting agents of Chosen but also trying to stop the huge tornado from destroying the city. Janice, Sara, Lucy, Mrs. Uucsio, Debbie, Shela and Clark. Oh my god there are so many badass women on this show! haha Just picking them all standing side by side was amazing. I had to take a moment to pick my jaw up from the floor. But before I move on let's talk about that Knox family reunion for a second! It was such an emotional, heartfelt scene placed right within all the chaos of the entire episode. It was a nice breather and just generally amazing because it's the first time we've seen the whole Knox family properly together since season one! I'm still not over how they've gone nine episodes without seeing their mother! JFC! Paco was so happy to see his mommy! It was all very adorable haha! We find out something pretty huge about SANO! That they actually developed a cure for those affected by Bright Day. I was actually theorizing that they created a drug that would replicate the effects of Bright Day and give people powers. But it turned out to be the opposite haha! Very interesting. I'm ready to find out what Alexander's big plan for Chosen really is. It's not totally clear yet, which is totally fine. You're making me wait and its very stressful but from a storytelling standpoint it's gonna make it even better when everything comes together. You made me fear for Lucy's life not once but twice in the same episode. How dare you. There was one point while reading this, when Lucy got sucked into the tornado where I just had to be silent and keep reading and not respond to anything until I knew she was okay. I didn't know how much I loved Lucy until I thought I might lose her. That was a special revelation for me. haha! And then you go and stab her in the end, which was just cruel. Oh my god. I need her to be okay. Hope Sara comes in and heals her or something! I can't have Lucy die. I won't allow it. Heather didn't leave Lucy knowing that Alexander was in there did she? I don't think so, but for a split second while reading I considered that. Let me know haha! Unless it was intentionally supposed to be ambiguous. But if not and I'm just tripping, please let me know Overall, this was a kickass mid-sequence finale that read more like a season finale. We're getting more episodes this season after this?! Wow. Anyway, I can't wait for TST to return. It's been such a wild ride and even though I got on the train a bit late, I'll be on board till the end of the line!
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Post by Jack Malone on Jan 10, 2018 13:49:10 GMT -6
REVIEW: "Super Gone"
Finally here at the Season 2 premiere, and there were quite a few streams of story to follow, especially picking up from the cliffhangers of last season's finale — Debbie is has been missing for two weeks, Fred and Lucy and Heather all know the secret, Ashlock is struggling with the fact she was forced to take down Rivers, and Chosen has made a surprise (but very welcome) return to the show.
The first thing I want to talk about is the conflict that came from the introduction of Holly, who was revealed to be Jonathan's sister. I thought she made a great premiere villain because she's a new character for a new season that brings something from the past into the present, and that's a certain vibe that I really enjoy about season openers in general. She was also a formidable opponent with a great power, and as I've talked about before, I love that this show builds up a Rogue's gallery of really interesting antagonists. Smallville had a similar premise of citizens getting powers and becoming "meteor freaks" and we'd meet one each episode (freak of the week) and that'd be it. I like your approach a lot better because things feel more significant and ever since Jonathan mentioned an army, I've been fantasising about the Super Teens going up against a rogue gallery of all their biggest threats from the series, haha. So Holly was a great addition.
Holly's plan to kidnap Heather, Fred and Lucy felt reminiscent of the finale, with the chains and everything. I was kind of hoping that the reason it was a repetitive move was to launch a new story for the season which would involve Fred, Lucy and Heather potentially weighing up the risk involved with being their friends, being associated with them, or something along those lines of giving a new conflict to these friendships, but it kind of ended on the same note as the last time. It wasn't really a huge problem for me, but I think because a similar incident occurred in the episode released before this one (despite being a season apart), it was just something that I noticed. With that said, this could absolutely lead to something later on with this still being the beginning of it, so I'll wait and see what's planned for Fred and Lucy going forward.
One thing I really loved about Holly's conflict was that her grief of losing someone she loved directly paralleled Clark, Janice and Sara who were currently experiencing the potentially permanent loss of their mother. It added so much to their eventual confrontation, especially in regards to Clark who was forced to admit how painful it was to face this potential loss, and open up about how he was feeling. If you don't know by now, I think you're a really talented writer, and this was just another example of how great you are at pairing the emotional and dramatic undertones of a storyline with the action and the conflict that keeps the story moving. Hitting that particular story beat at very height of the episode's climax was just genius, and it was probably my favourite part of the whole episode.
The only real issue I had with this episode, and in loving that particular scene so much, was that I felt the perspectives of Clark, Janice and Sara were neglected in order to balance the other storylines. I think we needed some scenes of Clark not opening up about his feelings, and being detached from everyone, especially knowing now that it lead to such a raw moment of opening up and being honest about how awful he feels. And with Janice, there was that subplot of her telling Clark and Sara about the truth of what happened to Frank, and while there was a genuine build up of those images threading throughout the episode, I think that needed some display of detachment too before she dropped that particular nugget of truth. I almost wish the episode started in a place of showing us their new norm with these particular struggles, and focused more on them initially, before we got to the whole Chosen/Debbie plot. But in terms of what we did get with them, I really enjoyed. I think in terms of offering any constructive criticism — because I'm hooked to this show now so you gotta give me a Season 3 — I would just say that as someone who really loves your three main characters, I hope their perspectives are front and center and elaborated on when certain storylines are affecting them, even when you have to juggle all these other really great storylines within it.
Speaking of the other storylines, I find Chosen so fascinating. Of the two or three seasons I've seen of Nikita, it kind of reminds me of Division (I think it's called), mixed in with all the great things I love about organisations like Checkmate or ARGUS from DC. It's just something that fits the show so well, and their motives seem in line with these super powers, and with the Bright Day victims' blood. And I think organisations are perfect for these type of shows because it feels like a realistic element, even if you are training agents, or creating super assassins, or anything to that degree, because this is how I think a government would respond. So any development on Chosen is just fascinating to me, and I'm excited to see that it appears as though Chosen is a huge player this season, if not, the big bad.
Caught up in all of that is my bae, Debbie Knox. You know you're doing a great job as a writer when you have a character that's endured so much, and yet these new situations still have me terrified for the outcome of what might happen. Her experience so far at Chosen was so jarring — seeing Shela get beaten up like that, and the threat of cutting her tongue out if she keeps giving flak, and all this talk of never seeing her family again... it immediately threw us into her situation and gave us that same question the character must be asking: how the hell does she get out of this? And despite all the suspense and the action and the mystery, the best thing about her arc in this particular episode was that dynamic between her and Shela and how they connected on a real human level of wanting to see their families again. I kind of got a Star Wars / Leia Organa vibe from Debbie, as though Chosen is the First Order, and she's the "spark that lights the fire that burns the First Order [Chosen] to the ground." The episode literally ended with her bringing hope to this entire organisation by saying that they are going to escape, and I just loved that whole resolution. Debbie continues to be such a light, and such a force of strength and bravery, and I think this storyline is going to demonstrate that in a way we haven't seen before and I'm super excited to see that play out.
With Debbie missing, there was obviously going to be a story about trying to find her. And I really enjoyed how that story was manifested, specifically in regards to finding a bracelet. The whole sequence you wrote where it follows a "simulation" was genius. I love when shows do that, and play out the trajectory of the events to explain how the evidence got to where it was found. At first, I was like "how is the bracelet going to tell them anything other than she was there?" But you followed that up on that with the whole DNA aspect. And now I'm like "FORM A PROTECTIVE BUBBLE AROUND THAT DAMN BRACELET."
One of the reasons I don't like to highlight anything that I had a problem with is because you have a way of addressing it in a later episode anyway, and so the remarks feel kind of redundant, haha. It's like "wow jack, if you just waited like one more episode then you'll see where things were headed." That's why I'm not classing the repetitiveness of Fred/Lucy's capture as a major problem because I know you'll focus in on their perspective and what they get caught up in later down the line. And it's happened in this episode. I made a comment about Rivers death in the Season 1 finale feeling a little unnecessary, and I still stand by the certain execution of his death and how it played out (being mind controlled and shot) but the doubts I had about it were squashed in Ashlock's role for this episode. So before I get into a whole thing about Ashlock, I just wanted to say that I do have faith in your writing that if I'm not necessarily vibing with something initially, I know it'll somehow be addressed later on.
And that's a long-winded way of prefacing my love for Ashlock's storyline. Receiving a partner right off the bat definitely triggered a knee-jerk "hell no" reaction, and I loved that brief little moment between her and her Captain on whether it's the best thing to do right now. But ultimately, that was set-up for something new for this season. The part of her arc I enjoyed the most was the fact that there are real consequences to her involvement in Rivers' death. She went to shoot, and couldn't. And I love that. It's a real, human response to what she's been through, and I think it puts a question mark over her and whether or not she'll be a liability in the field for a while. And with a new partner looming over her, I wonder how much of her struggle will be noticed, and picked apart by the department and the Captain if they found out she's struggling to shoot now. There's just so much room for this to go, and overall, my point is that I like that the death of Rivers is going to actually have and sustain an impact going forward, because for some reason the finale gave me a feeling that it was just going to be swept under the rug and forgotten about.
Also featured in this episode was a rather surprising swan song for Heather that, again, was grounded in realism. I mean, the amount of shows we watch where supernatural or science fiction-y, or even just criminal things keep happening, and no one wants to skip town and get away from it all? It was a refreshing story beat in an otherwise crazy, chaotic episode. However, it seems like her story's not exactly finished? Her last scene seemed to indicate that something was about to happen if we could have stayed in the scene just a second longer. So I'm positive she'll be back. I'm just scared for her because if she's been kidnapped or even worse, no one's going to know about it because she had this farewell moment and they just think she willingly left. But that's another story I'm excited for this season.
And then of course the episode has to end on a big cliffhanger. I'm at such a loss if that bracelet gets taken. It's like all hope is lost. Either Debbie is going to have to break out of Chosen on her own, and we're going to get a whole uprising from within, or someone like Elise is the key to breaking in and getting her out. Either way I'm all here for it. I should know that nothing ever comes easy, haha.
Overall, a really great premiere that addressed the cliffhangers from last season's finale, and set-up some great new stories for Season 2. While I would have loved more focus on Clark, Janice and Sara's perspectives in the episode, I still enjoyed what we did get of them, and I can forgive it for the sheer fact that every other character and their stories were so rich and exciting to follow. I can't wait to see where things go from here, and hope all my faves survive another season of The Super Teens!
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Post by Jack Malone on Jan 13, 2018 19:44:34 GMT -6
REVIEW: "Super Ball" This episode was a really refreshing one because it's been a while since the main plot of an episode has really narrowed in on one clear, and central thing that ropes most of the characters in, and I think it was in direct contrast to the premiere which had to set a lot of things up. So it was nice to see that, and to see all the characters grouped into the same setting and facing the same stakes. Obviously, there was a follow up to the cliffhanger with Ashlock, but that played really well into the main story as it involves Chosen. So it all felt really balanced. So, the plot of the episode surrounded this idea of a ball, and Clark, Janice and Sara (along with the people they're closest to) receive invitations to attend, under the threat of Chosen, of course. I thought the invitations were a really clever way to get the ball rolling on the episode — and no, that wasn't a pun. Having this map, realising the missing pieces, meeting up with Elise and Geoffrey and Jane, and later Lucy and Fred, to join the invitations to form the map... it was just a really great progression for the first ACT. Once at the ball, the conflict kicked off in a really terrifying way. When Alexander basically told Fred/Lucy, and Jane/Elise/Geoffrey that they had two minutes to hide, and that they'd be hunted and killed... you literally turned Alexander into a formidable opponent to follow up from the villain that was Cloranda last season, and made him a terrifying one at that. Obviously, he's had his moments before, but this was just a new level. It was chilling. And I think bringing Katrina — someone who's more feisty and not as deep, dark and scary — was a nice contrast. You know I've said it before that I love how this show brings familiar faces back and is building it's own Rogue Gallery, so obviously I loved her return. Speaking of Katrina, I liked the suspense involved with her trying to find Fred and Lucy. That was another of those Super Teens moments where everything kind of stops for a bit and I'm reading a little slower. I imagine it translates to the "edge of your seat" moments of watching TV/Film. And it was a nice surprise, too, when you thought they were in the clear, and then you pull the whole "clone" reveal. And she's Co-Head of Chosen, and sleeping with Alexander? Both really interesting developments. I think she makes for a great opponent, and a solid right-hand-man, on par with what Jonathan was like for Cloranda in Season 1. The two larger aspects of this story came down to Sara and Janice. With Janice, there was this premonition that Alexander triggered, and it was nice to see that power come back into play after she acquired it last season. It definitely had that same "Raven" vibe where the truth of the situation seen wasn't exactly clear, and then when it plays out, there's a bit of a twist. And I still love that. I wonder if Janice is able to fine-tune these visions the more she has them, and can read things a little clearer as the series goes on (because she stresses me out). With Sara, I truly feel like she's stepping into her own, outside of her siblings and the team. She seems to have more of a distinct voice this season, and feels a little more of a wildcard in how she approaches things — she seems super done with threats, has some wits about her, and is quick to defy what's going up against her. I was a little shocked when she pulled the trigger, and she was willing to let Alexander die (even though I hate him), because the move alone is a big one for a teenager to make, but it lead to a really great plot point, and with her healing ability, you were able to resolve that pretty shocking twist quickly. It also helped establish that Alexander needs to stick around as long as Debbie is missing because they need him just as much as he might need them. The only issue I had with this episode was that the purpose of bringing everyone there felt a little off. It's this big elaborate thing, and it was all about making them squirm? I'd understand him messing with them on their turf, and popping in from time to time back in Upsville to achieve that, but to bring them all to an island with that intent alone was just a bit underwhelming — no matter how great it was to see those events all play out. On the plus side, though, I did love how big the episode felt in scope and in its stakes. It's exciting to be two episodes in and to have such a strong confrontation between the protagonists and the big bad of the season. Outside of their story, there was a nice follow up with Ashlock — which coincided with the introduction of Ryan Cass, who wanted to interview her about her accident. It was funny to me how he talked to Macauley about there not really being a story here, and then his first question was "did you think you saw James Rivers?" He took like the strangest perspective for something he thought was a simple car crash scoop. But I loved that, and it made for a great talking point in the episode when their interview continued (and I like that his justification made a lot of sense and wasn't just spooky nonsense). So through this, you really established Ryan as a character I'm interested in. But you also took time to lay some more groundwork for Ashlock and her partner, Eric, and I'm excited to see how their dynamic progresses throughout the season. Also, I really love Joshua and Agatha as peripheral antagonists. I forgot to mention them in the premiere, but I'm happy you're focusing on agents of Chosen outside of just the big bad, and ones that we can follow and check in with from time to time, rather than introduce us to newbies every week. The subplot of Agatha forgetting the other vials, and needing Joshua to go back, and how it played both into Ashlock's story, but also establishing Alexander as a terrifying boss, was handled really well. I really do think this is one of the most balanced episodes of the series so far and very cleverly structured and planned out. So I wanted to give props for that! Boo @ no Debbie, but I'm sure anything involving her right now would be depressing and painful so we're good. Lastly, I really liked the resolution of this episode. I don't remember the last time an episode hasn't ended on a huge cliffhanger, or on something awful happening to the characters we love, and so to see Fred and Lucy rock up and want to watch a movie with their friends... it was really sweet. It also felt like a resolution to the season long drama that was their friendship for the past season. It gave a really optimistic vibe, and I appreciated that. I also think Clark, Janice and Sara need that with all that they're going through, and it was a nice reminder that, at the end of the day, Fred and Lucy are their best friends and can still be there for them even when all this stuff is going down (and villains try to make it seem like they're selfish for still being friends with non-superpowered people). And oh my god, on that topic for two seconds — I'm excited for Fred and Lucy going forward, especially with their own personal resolution of needing to find a way to protect themselves and not feel like liabilities anymore. This opens the door for so much, creatively, especially in a world that gives me such comic book vibes. I went straight to "vigilantes" but whatever goes down... I'm just happy to see their perspective, and to see a follow up to all the stuff they've endured too. Overall, another great installment. This season is shaping up to be a really fascinating one — great stuff for the heroes, a compelling new big bad, really high stakes, and a steady progression of story. Can't wait to see how the rest of the season unfolds!
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Post by Brady Brown on Jan 15, 2018 11:16:21 GMT -6
REVIEW: "Super Gone" Finally here at the Season 2 premiere, and there were quite a few streams of story to follow, especially picking up from the cliffhangers of last season's finale — Debbie is has been missing for two weeks, Fred and Lucy and Heather all know the secret, Ashlock is struggling with the fact she was forced to take down Rivers, and Chosen has made a surprise (but very welcome) return to the show. YAY!! *straps in* One of my favorite parts of this show is coming up with new superpowered people, and, like you said, building a sort of Rogues Gallery among them all. Holly and Jonathan might even have a team up in the future *nudge nudge* There's a couple of more superhumans you're gonna meet this season, so I hope they all have the same reception that you've given Holly! This is definitely something that ties into the storyline Fred and Lucy have this season. It carries over into the second episode (as you've read) and really comes to a head in 2.03 "Super Friends". Hopefully everything becomes clearer as you read along, and you enjoy where this takes Fred and Lucy and Heather in the future. This is something I definitely wanted to highlight! Thank you so much for the praise, it truly means a lot. I love when I can parallel what's happening with the triplets to what's happening to other characters in the episode, and that happens at least one more time later on down the line. That's a fair critique. I think I got so caught up in expanding on things that I set up in the finale. But I also wanted to not explore everything the Knox's are going through. They've been very closed off now for over two weeks and I didn't want to go against that POV, you know? They have reactions to certain things in the next few episodes that really tie into what they're feeling, so hopefully this is something that gets fixed for you once you read them. Yay! Division/ARGUS are huge inspirations for Chosen, so I hope I can make them unique and creative enough for them to stand out. Debbie's storyline gives a lot of light into how Chosen operates, so look out for her scenes to learn more about them! Debbie really has to find things to keep hope in while she's at Chosen, and she finds that through Shela. I love writing their relationship, so I'm excited to see what you think of these two women going through the same situation with completely different backgrounds. I think it's almost unknown for two older women to have such a prominent storyline on a superhero action show, so I'm so stoked to see what you think about their progression, because it's been a highlight of the season for me to write. "Ashlock vision" was such a cool thing to write. YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO THE BRACELET NOW SO I'M SORRY LOL. I'm glad this episode changed some of the problems you had with Rivers's death, and now I'll respond to... Like I said, this season is really about opening up Ashlock to a whole new world of things, mainly the Knox's and her new partner Eric. I definitely didn't want to overlook Ashlock's strong PTSD and trauma from what happened that night with Rivers. It's something that's going to be a lingering thought in her mind. I hope you enjoy where Ashlock goes this season, because she's been a favorite for me to write! Heather's departure was half realism (like you said) and have story. I wanted to do a nod towards a realistic approach of getting the hell outta town when you almost die 4 times in one month, but I also wanted to open up a story. Heather will be back, just not gonna say when haha! *cries for centuries* Thanks again Jack!! Season 2 is a wild ride, imo, compared to s1, and I hope you enjoy every minute of it! |
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Post by Brady Brown on Jan 15, 2018 11:36:06 GMT -6
REVIEW: "Super Ball" This episode was a really refreshing one because it's been a while since the main plot of an episode has really narrowed in on one clear, and central thing that ropes most of the characters in, and I think it was in direct contrast to the premiere which had to set a lot of things up. So it was nice to see that, and to see all the characters grouped into the same setting and facing the same stakes. Obviously, there was a follow up to the cliffhanger with Ashlock, but that played really well into the main story as it involves Chosen. So it all felt really balanced. This episode was sort of my homage to one of my favorite stories - And Then There Were None. I also love when all the characters are forced to be in the same location, and how they deal with the stakes that surround them. Thank you! I really wanted to establish Alexander as a horrifying man as early as I could. He's quite literally a sociopath, and I wanted his actions to speak on that. I've loved writing him as the main antagonist this season, and I hope he can match up to the terror Cloranda induced. Katrina is going to pop up periodically throughout the season. I think she's a character that will always find a way to go where the power is, and has such a smart power that she can almost get herself out of anything. She definitely fills that Jonathan role in this season, and has some great interactions imo when the rest of Chosen when she makes herself at home. I'm glad you have liked all of Janice's premonitions so far! They're a lot of fun to write, and I've tried to make them all different, like this one being hazy, because Janice hasn't really learned how to operate them flawlessly. On to Sara, she's definitely a force to be reckoned with this season. She's the most outspoken of the triplets, and she's done with all of the shit that's been thrown her families way. Both sisters have some great moments coming up. As for the gun - Sara didn't pull the trigger. Alexander took the gun from her last minute and shot himself and forced Sara to heal him as a power move against the triplets, to show them how much control he has over their situation. This episode was meant to be a giant power move by Alexander, to prove that he can do whatever he wants with these people because of his status and dominance through Chosen. Sorry it didn't seem to translate the same! Ryan is a really interesting character whose motivations don't really become clear until early on. I don't want to say too much about him. I'm glad you're already interested in him thought! Same goes for Eric. I love being able to explore Chosen, through Debbie and its already established agents. Agatha, Joshua, and Ezra all pop up every now and again, so hopefully your interest will hold up for the next time they have their own little story! She's back next episode, bish I love the friendship between the triplets and Fred and Lucy, so it's something I wanted to focus on in this season. Last season almost saw the end of it, so I found it almost necessary to bring them as close to when we first saw them. They're best friends who would do anything for one another, and the end of this episode was just a reminder of that Next episode is big for them!! Thanks so much, Jack! Can't wait to see your thoughts on the rest of the season!!! |
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Post by Jack Malone on Jan 15, 2018 18:39:19 GMT -6
REVIEW: "Super Friends" Something I absolutely love about shows within this specific type of genre, is when characters that are deemed "normal" get to dip their toes into the world most of the characters are familiar with, but one that they're not. So right away, I was pretty much sold on this episode. Outside of that, there was also a nice balance of story and focus on characters like Debbie, and Ashlock, that progressed the story even though it wasn't necessarily the main focus — which is something I think you've gotten a lot better at throughout the series. You said this would be a big one for Fred and Lucy, and it definitely was — and not just because they had powers for an episode. Something that's been developing over the course of the series so far has been this disconnect between Fred and Lucy, and their friendship with Clark, Janice and Sara. At first, it was through secrets, and now it's this understanding that they have these powers, and a burden to carry that Fred and Lucy feel unequipped to share. You really built on top of that in this particular episode, and in different waves, which is something that feels like a natural progression of their conflict from last season, but also a progression of their friendship now that they are aware of the "secret." I liked that Clark, Janice and Sara just expected them to give up the powers and find a way to remove them, and Fred and Lucy weren't really looking to do that because of their insecurities. I think that was a really solid, and much needed story beat, especially because Fred and Lucy don't understand how much of a burden it really is to carry these powers, but also, Clark, Janice and Sara don't understand what it's like to be the normal friends of the group that can't help out. So I'm glad that was the first thing you tackled in this storyline. Also, something I know we both kind of detest in superhero shows, is when friends turn against each other and start yelling and screaming about how they're not fit to do this, and wail in on them. I'm glad you didn't have Clark, Janice and/or Sara turn around and start belittling them into defeat, and that Fred and Lucy's story to "prove" themselves, wasn't triggered by a "you can't do these things" type conflict. Speaking of proving themselves, it was definitely a lot of fun to follow Fred and Lucy on their mission to take down George. There was a nice shift in that moment when Fred obtained the blood results, and convinced Lucy to take on the superhuman-of-the-week. It was a little heartbreaking to hear Fred refer to himself and Lucy as "dead weight" but that desperation to be more than that was certainly felt, all the way through to their confrontation with George, which really elevated the whole episode for me. It was a shame to see them lose the powers, because I absolutely loved them. I was so excited thinking about future episodes, and how Fred and Lucy could jump in to help out, and how "Super Teens" would now broadly represent more than just Clark, Janice and Sara, so there was an element of being bummed out at how George snatched them back by episode's end. But what I loved was how everything roped back to the whole point of the story, and that was truly about these insecurities they had around their "super friends." That scene where Clark said Fred was great with computers, and Lucy was the smartest person he knew -- it pointed to their strengths, their powers, just like "love" was identified as Debbie's, and heading into the conclusion of the episode, it paved a way for Fred and Lucy to captivate on their strengths and find a way to utilise them and help their friends in the future. I'm getting serious vigilante vibes here, but I don't know if that's necessarily where things are heading. But man, it would be so cool if it was. "Computers and fighting" screams HACKING and VIGILANTE to me, haha! The superhuman-of-the-week was another fascinating addition to the Rogue's Gallery. But more than that, George has probably been the first episodic threat that's complimented so many different stories. He provided Fred and Lucy with powers, advancing their arc. He was kidnapping people who had "secrets" which further brought a question mark over Ryan Cass' head. And his presence alone obviously gave Ashlock, and the Super Teens something to chase for the episode. The only thing is (and I'm a little hazy today so if I missed it just lemme know) that I'm a little confused as to what his motivations were, and what this obsession about secrets had sprouted from, but maybe having that a little open-ended allows for him to thread back in later and tell that story. On the topic of Ashlock, I wanted to make a note of how much she (and the show) has benefited from her being in the know. I think there were a lot of pieces of the puzzle floating around in that first season, and now that it's stitched together, she's able to breathe and have a stronger presence and perspective than she had last season. I mean, this episode's story (and its antagonist) was kind of introduced through her, and her job as a detective, and that's a perfect way to introduce some of these stories and offer that ACT ONE build up because we're learning things the same time that she is. I just felt like it clicked for me in this episode, especially when she rocked up at the Uucsio's, and came and went with such ease. Also, her scenes with Ryan were a highlight of the episode for me, both in the moment when they were attacked, and their discussion of "secrets" at episode's end. That dude is sketchy. Elsewhere in the episode, it was nice to catch up with Debbie — although, I was totally right in saying that any follow up with her would be painful and/or sad. Alexander dropped another big bomb in this episode when he said that all the recruits that weren't affected by Bright Day and obtained some power were to be killed. For some reason I thought Debbie still had her "shield" powers, and was more scared about her not having an ability that was so visible. But the episode reminded us that her power was taken, and I'm glad that was there to really amp up her conflict for the episode. Thankfully, she wasn't tested and was able to continue through without them finding out. But instead of this plot just being one of false alarms, we found out that Shela has the power of teleportation and I'm sure that's going to come in handy sooner or later! Lastly, I really appreciated the focus on Elise and Geoffrey's relationship in this episode. There was a part of me that was a little hesitant to this particular story beat, because Geoffrey's working on something that's going to bring Debbie back which impacts at least three lives, and so Elise being upset about him being so focused on work painted in her in a not-so-great-light. But as it played out, it made a lot more narrative sense, and was a nice addition to the episode, especially with that resolution of Geoffrey basically saying "not now" to Fred and Lucy's request because he has some time on his hands and he wants to spend it with Elise. I particularly liked the scene where Jane served as a sound board for Elise to get her thoughts and feelings out about these issues, because the topic of being selfish is an interesting discussion to be had in these types of shows, and I always appreciate the perspectives that come out of it. It turned away any of the doubts I had about how this would make Elise look. As for Jane, I'm still waiting for a story that defines her outside of the supportive role she plays to everyone else on the show. Even though I liked how the episode ended, with Clark, Janice and Sara welcoming her into their home and having her sort of stand-in for Debbie so they're less lonely and it's less quiet, it kind of made me wish there was some build up to it because at least then there'd be a story for her that was hers. I know that might sound a little hypocritical because I've talked about wanting more focus on Clark, Janice and Sara, but I think those can coexist. I'm hoping this development leads to learning more about Jane, and seeing some more of her this season, even if it doesn't necessarily come in the form of a Jane-centered episode, you know? But this isn't really a criticism it's more of a hope-to-see for the future I said lastly when it wasn't lastly, but I just remembered -- I really loved the use of Janice's premonitions in this episode. I wanted to make a note of that because it was different to the last ones. It was a lot clearer, and instead of offering a mystery for the audience to see play out completely, it was something that they instead tried to thwart (and did). So that was a nice switch-up, especially because I was kind of just expecting it to play out verbatim, and was pleasantly surprised. I legit thought that Fred and Lucy would be thrown out of the windows, but that Fred's newfound power would save them. And, of course, there's a "flashforward" (premonition) of Janice burning??? I THINK NOT FAM. All in all, another really great episode of 'The Super Teens.' This season is really shaping up to be a great one, and I'm loving all the individual plot threads that are pointing to a great season ahead. I'm forever nervous that this story with Debbie is going to be a through-line that bubbles up and explodes later on down the line (when I'm so desperate to see her come home and reunite with her kids). Ryan Cass has a huge question mark over his head. Fred and Lucy have an opportunity to become badass vigilantes that help Clark, Janice and Sara. Everything just looks great. I can't wait to catch up!
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Post by Brady Brown on Jan 20, 2018 18:17:47 GMT -6
REVIEW: "Super Friends" Something I absolutely love about shows within this specific type of genre, is when characters that are deemed "normal" get to dip their toes into the world most of the characters are familiar with, but one that they're not. So right away, I was pretty much sold on this episode. Outside of that, there was also a nice balance of story and focus on characters like Debbie, and Ashlock, that progressed the story even though it wasn't necessarily the main focus — which is something I think you've gotten a lot better at throughout the series. This episode definitely served as the peak of the storyline that started with Fred and Lucy back in 1.13. I'm glad you enjoyed this episode that had such a strong focus on those two characters, and thought it managed to balance all of the stories that were going on as well. I thought it was a pretty natural progression, personally, for Fred and Lucy to feel left out through everything we've seen in the series so far, and want to feel more included and important, especially after learning about the triplet's powers. I'm really happy you enjoyed what this episode did for them and their story. The five person friendship they all share is something I truly love writing, so I'm glad it was a highlight in this episode. Yeah, the triplets definitely have a much different POV in regards to powers than Fred and Lucy do. I wanted that struggle to be an important beat. Janice, Clark, and Sara have been through a lot because of these powers, and they've been forced to deal with a lot of things Fred and Lucy have *yet* to. And you're right, I absolutely loathe when shows suddenly make their main characters into self proclaimed messiahs of vigilantism and think they can assert their dominance over everyone else who wants to help. I haaaate it. I'm glad we both do, haha. Fred and Lucy are gonna be a lot more involved in the action now, so look out for that! Writing their superpowers scenes were so much fun. Like I've said before, coming up with different powers is such a treat for me to do. To me, this episode was a lot more about Fred and Lucy discovering what they can do without powers rather than them obtaining powers to be important members of the team. So, that's why I took them away, but I'm still glad you loved them as much as you did. I mentioned above, but Fred and Lucy are going to be integrating themselves a lot more into the weekly mysterious and action with the triplets. With that being said "hacking" and "vigilante" might be a story that comes to fruition sooner rather than later. George was actually a real challenge for me to write. I originally had two different villains; George and then a character who gave Fred and Lucy powers, but I decided to combine the two, and to me it made for a smoother and more organic episode. I'm glad you agreed. Ryan has been a refreshing character to write. He's pretty much the only character in the main cast unware of the Knox's secret, so he's almost like the Ashlock of s1 but a whole lot different. He's got a lot of exciting stuff coming up, but it's scattered throughout, so keep an eye out for it! Yay! Ashlock has such a stronger role this season, and I can't wait for you to read some of her scenes. She's developed into such a powerhouse now that she's in the know, and she's a force to be reckoned with. Ashlock and Ryan share a pretty big number of scenes this season, so I'm glad their scenes were a standout in this episode. Hahaha I'm glad I could act as a reminder for you about Debbie's powers. Alexander is dead set on things going smoothly, so testing someone who he *thinks* already has powers was such an aggravating them for him to witness. As for Shela, her power was a lot of fun to write. You'll have to see when that gets brought up again I went back and forth so many times about whether I wanted to include this or not. I'm glad I stuck with it, because I'm really glad with how it turned out and complimented the other stories going on. I also love incorporating real life struggles into a show about superhumans, because it connects to the audience more. I really wanted to play into the question of whether or not what Elise was feeling was selfish, and so playing with that idea, and bringing in Jane, the person closest to her, was fascinating to me. I think it's easy to think that what Elise was saying was purely for her self, so I wanted to challenge that as best as I could. I really wanna give Jane a huge storyline. I have one in mind, it's just when I'm able to put it into an episode where it works with everything. I think I've found the spot, so keep an eye out for it later on down the line. The premonition will play out in the next episode Thanks so much for the review, Jack! I absolutely love hearing your thoughts, and I'm glad you're enjoying it as much as you are. Can't wait to see more of your thoughts! |
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Post by Jack Malone on Jan 24, 2018 2:41:05 GMT -6
REVIEW: "Super Heat"
This episode was probably one of my favourites so far in the series, and that came down to, in large part, the fact that it took place at the school, it featured Clark, Janice and Sara in a really big way, and kind of took us back to the initial concept of the show which is what sold me on 'The Super Teens.' As much as I love the peripheral and supporting characters on the show, I really do love your main three, and whenever the show positions itself to focus on them and what's impacting them, I tend to really enjoy it.
So the introduction of Holt was another great addition to the show's expanding 'Rogue's Gallery.' I think any character that has fire super powers is bound to be a pretty big threat (or a great ally, should Holt have been someone that wasn't evil). And sometimes it's just in establishing the antagonist's power that makes them a compelling threat, regardless of dialogue, or story. It's an immediate "how the hell are they supposed to stop them?" And he was one of those. I mean, his encounter with Fred was terrifying, and that entire scene when he killed Mr. Roth was just some next-level sh*t. Also, quick note -- I've really been loving the descriptions/action lines lately because they've been doing a lot more to create that sort of image whilst being more refined and so I think you're nailing that part, especially in this episode with an antagonist with these types of abilities.
In particular, what I loved was the subplot Holt created with Sara by simply grazing her arm and creating that "sizzle." Creating that chemistry, and having Sara succumb to it, added another strong emotional drama, and family drama that I love so much. I think whenever there are splints in that family dynamic -- it manages to produce a really phenomenal arc or episode, and it's nice to see you playing around with what could tap into that, especially as the series goes on. And I like that Sara didn't become completely unbearable from it. It showed us a new side to her, even if it was manipulated. She's kind of been characterised as the stronger one in the family, and the one that never seems to break, and so to have her be the one that's compromised was refreshing, and it did just as much for her as it did to see Janice and Clark be the ones to step up and take control of things.
Lucy and Fred have really surprised me, in all the best ways. I remember just thinking in the first season that they were kind of just around to be "the friends" of the triplets, and to sort of build up their life at the high school -- so when they go there, they have other people to interact with, and other dynamics to be invested in. But now they're like just as crucial to the plot as anyone else. It's also nice to look back at where things started from then to now where they are so actively involved. I love that they're investigating things on the side, and that they're doing their part to "save the day." And I like that we follow that and you can deliver exposition in new ways. It frees up your main characters to not have to be the ones latching onto new information every scene, which in a way allows more breathing space for them.
The SANO Pharmaceuticals plot is ridiculously intriguing to me, and I can't wait to see it unravel and figure out who the woman in the green leather pants is. It also moved from just being a case that Ashlock was investigating, and with Landy running into Lucy, it now involves her and Fred. So I'm interested to see how that develops. And obviously, I think you've done a really good job setting up a nice mystery to follow for the season — both in peeling back layers of what SANO is, and in figuring out the identity of this woman. Mysteries and shows with super powers and super heroes -- they really go hand in hand, and I live for that kind of stuff so I can't wait.
Lastly, there was the Chosen initiation with Debbie. I thought you balanced this story quite well against the main plot of the episode. And there was something about the hallucinations that were actually comforting, at first, and it was because I realised we hadn't seen Debbie with her kids this season until this episode. I'm aching for that eventual reunion. I hope it's coming soon.
Speaking of Chosen, I really liked the plot twist at the end in revealing that Holt was "Agent Flame" and one of his men. Not that I really saw it as a problem, but this kind of method and "reveal" really allows for Chosen to remain relevant even when they're not involved in any face-to-face type of capacity, and allows them, as a threat, to still linger. I'd be excited to see if future antagonists over the season will be tied to Chosen.
Some quick things I wanted to mention:
-- I loved the opening of this episode. I don't remember an episode opening quite like this one before, and I always appreciate whenever you thread some comedy into your scripts.
-- Fred's little moment about having Clark's powers and saving as many lives as he could, definitely follows up on a few plot points of episodes past, and I liked that there's some follow up on Fred and Lucy having powers from the previous episode. The only thing that bugs me about it is the fact that it makes Fred seem a little careless or oblivious because they're literally dealing with the fact their mother is missing, and Fred is like "okay but why aren't you off saving everyone?" I feel like it was still a great plot point to bring up, but at this point in time, it makes Fred seem a little obtuse and I didn't really like him in that moment, despite understanding him.
-- I loved when Ashlock was like "listen to what you just said" when Clark was trying to easily explain something away. I love little moments like that because often times the audience is thinking the same thing, haha!
All in all, probably one of my favourite Super Teens episodes in a while. I really liked that the majority of it took place at the school, and that both stories overlapped in a really clever, and interesting way. I'm looking forward to more Clark/Janice/Sara centric episodes. And I can't wait to see what's next for Fred and Lucy as they get more involved in the strange happenings of Upsville.
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I loooved that dialogue between Debbie and Shela! The fact that Debbie saw her in that hallucination that was meant to show people she cared about and would do anything for? My god, I think I'm gonna pass out. I love their relationship and it's only just the start of it really. I can't wait to see where it goes! 
