The Small Fries

Greetings everyone! This Movie Monday, I’m sharing my opinions about the newest superhero movie on the block. Everybody’s favorite wise-cracking, fourth-wall breaking anti-hero finally got his own film! For those of you not in the know, I’m talking about Deadpool. Marvel’s very own Merc With A Mouth had an extremely successful opening weekend in February and continues to be a hot ticket among moviegoers.

When they first announced a Deadpool movie was in the works, I was equal parts excited and cautious. The Merc With a Mouth is my all-time favorite comic book character, so although I was excited for him to get his due recognition, I was apprehensive as well. How were they going to pull off Deadpool in all his foul-mouthed, take-no-prisoners glory?

Well I am happy to say that Ryan Reynolds and 20th Century Fox did not disappoint. Deadpool is every bit as raunchy and gory as is to be expected from reading his comics. Making the film R-rated was definitely a risky business move, but it worked to the movie’s advantage. Everything is true to the character and tone of how the comics are written. The jokes never felt heavy-handed or forced and 95% of the jokes landed in Deadpool’s natural cadence.

One additional thing I’d like to mention is the film’s brilliant marketing campaign. This is undoubtedly the best marketing for any movie since possibly Blair Witch Project. Ryan Reynolds filmed a large number of viral videos that successfully introduced the character to those who might not be familiar. In addition, cross-platform marketing took place on Twitter, billboards, and even Tinder. Not to mention the most viewed red band trailer in history. The marketing for this movie undoubtedly helped it to reach a wider audience and make it the box office smash it is.

Deadpool is a great movie both for die-hard fans and those who are new to the character. It provides a plethora of humor and a touching backstory that explains Deadpool’s origin and motivations.

--Julie

During Super Bowl 50s Halftime this past Sunday, Coldplay, Bruno Mars and Beyoncé celebrated the many great musical acts that have graced the Super Bowl stadium over the past fifty years. In the spirit of that theme, I’m highlighting my Top Five Super Bowl Halftime Performances.

5) Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake

Okay, hear me out. I’m putting this on here for a couple of reasons. First of all, the performance was actually amazing. Janet is an incredible performer and it shows all over this 10-minute concert. However, the main reason this is going on the list is because of how it put the Halftime show on the map. Granted, it sparked a ton of controversy, and it unjustly ruined Janet Jackson’s career, but it was ALL anybody talked about for perhaps that entire year. If that doesn’t strike you as being Top 5 material, I don’t know what does.

4) Aerosmith, NSYNC and Britney Spears

This Superbowl performance was the only one I truly remember from my childhood, and for good reason. It had the ingredients to catch the eye of every kid in the early 2000s: a funny opening skit, the dreamy and talented guys of NSYNC, and of course Britney Spears. Aerosmith put on an amazing show, and the collaboration between all of the artists involved looked like a ton of fun.

3) Beyoncé

Beyonce is undoubtedly the best performer of our generation, and it SHOWS here. Her vocal prowess and choreography are unmatched and her showmanship is unrivaled. She even put together a little Destiny’s Child reunion as a treat!

2) Michael Jackson

Of course, the King of Pop himself has to be on this list. This performance has all the hallmarks and scale of a Michael Jackson concert. Everything is big and epic from his entrance to the audience participation at the end.

1) Prince

Man, this was ICONIC. This was the one area in which Prince one-upped Michael Jackson: he simply had a better Super Bowl performance. He performed all of his hits, had solid dancers, and his guitar freestyling was out of this world.

BONUS: Indiana Jones?!

That’s right, in 1995 Disney was opening a new Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland. Patti Labelle teamed up with Disney and put on this bizarre Indiana Jones-themes halftime performance. Check out the weirdness here:

--Julie

It’s Television Tuesday! This week, we are bringing you one-shots of FOX’s hit show, Hell’s Kitchen, and TV Land’s new comedy, Teachers!

Hell’s Kitchen

This season of Hell’s Kitchen marks its fifteenth season, which aired on January 15. For those of you that have never seen this wonderful show, it is a race to becoming the head chef at one of Gordon Ramsay’s restaurants. Many of you may know him from the funny memes of an angry, blonde, British man yelling profanities at crying chefs and/or restaurant owners. This show is where most of the meme’s come from. There are eleven chefs left in the competition, so it is still just anybody’s game. However, I have yet to see anyone really stick out and shine. Through all the competitions and dinner services they’ve completed so far, everyone has fallen on their face at least once. It is early in the season, though, so maybe within the next few episodes someone will step into the limelight. This season they have made a change in the sous chefs for each kitchen. Season 10 winner, Christina Wilson has replaced Chef Andi Van Willigan as sous chef for the red team. Some of the ladies have already started bumping heads with her, and knowing how Christina works, it won’t end well for them. For the first time in a while, the blue team (the men) are actually doing well in the challenges and dinner services --normally they lose so bad it’s embarrassing. This season is not without its drama and backstabbing, but is off to a slower start than usual. Hopefully as more chefs are sent home, the more it will pick up. Catch Hell’s Kitchen every Wednesday 9/8c on FOX.

Teachers

On January 13 of this year, TV Land aired their new comedy, Teachers. This show centers around an elementary school and its employees, specifically a small group of teachers. However, those that are supposed to be molding and shaping the young minds in their classrooms barely have their lives in order. They are far from ideal role models for the children in their classrooms. The show is written and performed by the acclaimed comedy troupe The Katydids (a group of six women, all who have some variation of the name “Katie”). The show follows these six young teachers through all their mishaps throughout the year from a dead class pet to handling a “hot dad” to losing a student. The first season is set to air 10 episodes with the finale on March 16. Along this group of hilarious women, Alison Brie (Community) and Key and Peele’s Ian Roberts and Jay Martel all play a part in this show’s production. With such a strong production team, and the few episodes I’ve seen, this first season is bound to be a hit with more than just those that understand the struggles of being a teacher. Catch Teachers on TV Land every Wednesday at 10:30/9:30c.

--Kasey

Last week was the two hour season finale of The Expanse on Syfy. I wish I could say that all the loose ends were tied, but it left off with an even bigger cliffhanger. Miller and Holden were exposed to extreme dosages of radiation, Eres is being used as an experimental station, and Earth is planning on finding and arresting Frank Johnson. So much happened in the last two episodes that it only left me with more questions.

We learn that someone had been developing a biological weapon. It is the same weapon that was discovered on the Anubis and killed the crew of the Scopuli. When Julie Mau’s body is found, covered in this weapon, in her hotel bathroom, Miller and the surviving crew of the Cant flee the scene. A mysterious group begins studying her body, taking samples of the mysterious weapon.

Detective Miller and Jim Holden teaming up to get some answers

Miller and Holden separate from the rest of the group to follow a suspicious group, where they soon walk into a room full of Eres citizens and an immense amount of radiation. As they slowly die of radiation poisoning, the crew try to find their way to the docks in order to escape from Eres. It’s a race against the clock: Miller and Holden trying to get back to the ship before their insides melt and the crew trying to escape before Eres authorities stop them. On top of this, they discover Eres citizens are being exposed to the biological weapon. Whatever this is, it is alive and moving. At the end of an episode, we watch this thing devour a man, almost using him as an energy source.

While everything is hitting the fan in The Belt, Frank Johnson released a statement claiming the Anubis was not tied to the OPA. Earth doesn’t believe him and plan on going after him, all while Chrisjen hides her speculations of her friend’s suicide so she can learn more about the conspiracy going on in the UN.

Eres citizens receiving heavy dosages of radiation

Things escalated quickly in the last few episodes, only making me more anxious for season 2 to premier. However, I have to wait until 2017 for the next season...UGH! The political games in this show are so well crafted and laid out that it has me second guessing the plot the entire way. Everyone has their own hidden agenda, and somehow everything is connected; I just don’t know to what. Just when I think I know what is going on, something throws a wrench in the midst of things. After finishing the season, I can’t help but wonder several things: Who is creating this weapon? What is so important about the drives Chrisjen found? What’s going to happen to Miller and Holden? How will the OPA react to when news of Eres reaches them?

After finishing the first season, I’ve decided that this show was a great way to fill the gap Game of Thrones leaves behind during its hiatus. It’s a brilliant show with great material to back it up. It is currently Syfy’s most expensive show; meaning they aren’t kidding around when it comes to telling this story. Dave Howe, the president of Syfy, has said “This [The Expanse] is big. This is premium network scale.” They have invested a lot of time and money into producing this show, and it is paying off. The quality of script, casting, and special effects is something that I would expect from HBO or Starz. If you like shows with political intrigue, strong characters, and conspiracies this is a show you NEED to check out! So, since we have plenty of time until the premier of season two, I suggest going to syfy.com right now and catching up on this show, and if you still need more check out the book series.

The weapon taking a form to trick its next victim

Catch season 1 of The Expanse on Syfy.com now and check back in 2017 for season 2!

--Kasey

On October 5, The Martian hit theaters. It is the latest sci-fi movie to hit the big screen that involves interplanetary space travel. Since Interstellar came out in fall of 2014, I’ve been looking for a similar movie to obsess over. Interstellar was great in every field: graphics, casting, score, etc. But what drew me to Interstellar was the science behind the plot. Kip Thorne, a theoretical physicist, was even a consultant during the writing and production processes. I knew this movie was a one of a kind. I wasn’t sure I would find a movie that I would like just as much, or more. That is...until I watched The Martian.

From left: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, and Aksel Hannie

Matt Damon stars in this sci-fi drama as Mark Watney, the best botanist on Mars. No, seriously, he grew a crop of potatoes on Mars. He was stranded on the planet after his team had to make an emergency evacuation during a storm that led them to believe Mark was dead. After being stranded for months, logging his experiences, and finding ways to survive he makes contact with NASA - who is under heavy scrutiny for the failed Mars mission. Now begins the fight to bring him home.

Mark and his Martian potatoes

I don’t want to give too much away about the movie, because it’s such a wonderful piece of film that everyone needs to see it for themselves. This star studded cast does not disappoint. Along with Matt Damon we see Jessica Chastain, Sean Bean, Jeff Daniels, Kristen Wiig, and Chiwetel Ejiofor making up the majority of the cast. Together, along with several others, they work to rescue Watney. The entire time I was watching the movie my heart was racing. Are they going to get there on time? What if they miss their interception? Jessica Chastain plays Melissa Lewis, their commanding officer, who is in charge of the Ares III Mission. I loved her in Interstellar, so imagine my excitement when I saw she was in this movie as well. She has a knack for playing strong female leads, and in this role she doesn’t back down to any challenge the team faces as they try to bring Watney home.

Ares III crew headed back to get Mark

The soundtrack was fun and full of disco hits with a few ABBA songs thrown in. Watney kept mentioning his dislike for the type of music, but Lewis’s musical tracks left behind were full of the “great” disco oldies. It gave his time on Mars, although serious, a lighter feeling. Though the thought of his immediate peril was always in the back of my mind, hearing the light and bouncy music made it easier to accept the dangers Mark was facing on a daily basis.

Mark waiting for the solar panels on the Rover to recharge

Under the direction of Ridley Scott, the cast flawlessly pulls off this wonderfully written script that has a healthy balance of serious and humor. We always have the dangers and the risks underneath the much needed comedic relief. Honestly, I think without some of the witty one-liners and comical situations, I think The Martian would have been too dark. It shows that you should make the best out of any situation, because you never know when it’ll end in the violent vacuum that is Outer Space. Though it won Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes this year, I do believe that it was more than just a comedy and has the potential to pull through as the year’s Best Motion Picture at the Academy Awards. However, it does have some tough competition that we plan on reviewing up until the Oscars on February 28, 2016.

The Martian is now on Blue-Ray and DVD!

--Kasey

I hope you all are enjoying your Super Bowl Sunday. I’m trying to write this sneak peek for you while paying attention to the game. We’ve got a lot in store this week as we cover several different things for you!

Monday: For our Movie Monday, we are continuing our race to the Oscars as we bring you our review over Best Picture nominee, The Martian. This was a movie I missed while it was in theaters, but I bought it as soon as it came out on DVD and Blue-Ray. I was obsessed with Interstellar last year, and I’ve been told that I will be just as obsessed with The Martian. So, keep an eye out for our review over this “comedy” (according to the Golden Globes).

Tuesday: We will be covering several shows in our Television Tuesday oneshots such as Teachers and Hell’s Kitchen. I will also be giving you a follow up with the season finale of The Expanse, because it was that intense.

Wednesday and Thursday Julie has Top Five and Retro Rewind surprises in store for us on top a predicitions list of who will take the Grammys, which are taking place next Monday; followed by Friday Favorites. Depending on how the week goes will depend on what makes our favorites list!

Keep checking back everyday for new reviews from your favorite Small Fries!

--Kasey

This week a timeless classic with a twist hit theaters: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Based off the novel by Seth Grahame-Smith that was released in 2009, this movie takes the classic by Jane Austen and adds the gruesome details of a zombie apocalypse. From the casting to costumes to special effects, PPZ was far from disappointing, but it was still not without its faults. The cast was full of familiar faces who all did exceedingly well with bringing their characters to life and adding their own special twist to them.

The sisters Bennett, ready to show what they're made of.

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains,” or so the opening line of both the book and the movie tells us. Immediately the movie diverges from the book when we first meet Colonel Fitzwilliam Darcy (played by Sam Riley) clad in leather, as he heads to a bridge party. He had a tip that someone was bitten by an unmentionable (zombie). This causes unrest at the party as Darcy sits down and releases flies that can detect dead flesh. Suddenly we see Darcy turn into a complete badass as he breaks a glass, stabbing the guy, slicing his throat, and then ultimately ending his life by stomping on his head. I can honestly say I did not see that coming from Mr. Darcy.

From Left: Sam Riley as Mr. Darcy and Douglas Booth as Charles Bingley

While the credits are rolling, we learn about how the zombie plague came about and the basic history of England since. All this being narrated by our dear Mr. Bennett who is played by Charles Dance. Many of you will know him as Tywin Lannister from Game of Thrones, and trust me, he is more likeable in this role. We finally meet all the lovely Bennett sisters, who are all skillfully trained in martial arts and war. Lily James plays our heroine, Elizabeth Bennett, and she does a great job bringing such an iconic and strong female character to life. The movie then continues to run parallel to the book as we learn Mr. Bingley (played by Douglas Booth) has moved to Netherfield, there’s a ball in Meryton where we meet Darcy and Bingley, and then a zombie attack. Here we see just how BA and awesome the Bennett sisters are as they slay some zombies, and I think this is the moment where Darcy fell in love with Lizzy.

Lily James as Elizabeth Bennet putting her training to the test

Soon after we meet Mr. Collins. Excuse me, Parson Collins. The role of Mr. Collins could not have been cast more perfectly. Just when I thought the character couldn’t get any more comical, Matt Smith proved me wrong. Many of you will know Matt Smith from one of his previous roles, the 11th Doctor in Doctor Who. Everyone knows Mr. Collins to be the ridiculous suitor of Lizzy and doting parson for Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Seeing Matt Smith take this character and insert him into a zombie apocalypse was something I didn’t know I needed to see until now. Honestly, he stole every scene that he was in and brought out his awkward and ridiculous qualities even more. From him proposing to Lizzy to paying Lady Catherine all the right compliments to being obsessed with Mr. Darcy, I never stopped laughing at Parson Collins.

Matt Smith as the ridiculous Mr. Collins

Speaking of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, I just want to say I LOVED her. For those of you that are familiar with the original movie and/or book, Lady Catherine is detestable. She hates Elizabeth and the idea of her and Darcy being together. She looks down on everyone who isn’t her, and makes it known what she thinks of them. In this version, she is supposed to be this BA warrior who is known throughout England for what she’s done against the zombie hordes. Lena Headey, currently known as Cersei Lannister on Game of Thrones, is our Lady Catherine. What’s not to love about Lena playing a likeable version of Cersei? However, some of her characterization fell a little short for me. Donning an eye patch and having just enough sass to keep the character recognizable, I am slightly disappointed in her story line. Considering the changes the writers made from this book to the movie, I was hoping they would add more scenes to show her kicking some zombie butt to show her skill as a fighter. We were just expected to take everyone’s word for it.

All hail Lena Headey as Lady Catherine de Bourgh

One character that I would hate to leave out is the beloved Mr. Wickham, played by Jack Hutson. In Pride and Prejudice, he is just Darcy’s rival that we only see a few times in the book and we learn later why Darcy hates him so much. Though the rivalry is still there in this movie, we see Wickham even more. He is actually at the center of the zombie uprising, as we see that he is indeed one of them during the final fight between him and Darcy. He was the one orchestrating the attacks in London and helping the zombies take over England. His story change was one I did not expect, but I’m glad it happened; we finally see Darcy kick his ass!

Jack Huston as George Wickham showing Lizzy where the "civilized" zombies congregate.

Now, it’s time to talk about Darcy and Elizabeth. To me, there is no replacing Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. It can’t be done, so I am very picky about who they cast as him. Sam Riley, I thought, was a great fit for Darcy in this world. Seeing him in a commanding position against the undead army gave Darcy different qualities that Riley seemed to pull off comfortably, all while maintaining the qualities everyone has grown to love. Lily James does the same when bringing Elizabeth into this world. Luckily, the two have chemistry on screen, otherwise some of the scenes between Darcy and Elizabeth would have been painfully awkward and terrible. Specifically the scene when he first proposes. Hands down one of my favorite scenes in the original, and now one of my favorite scenes in this movie. You have the heated discussion between Elizabeth and Darcy along with some martial arts. Elizabeth is easily beating Darcy in their little dance as she swipes his leg, kicks him in the face, throws a few punches, and tries to stab him. However, he doesn’t let her win easily as he blocks and parries her attacks. I just hope Darcy learned his lesson: Don’t piss of Elizabeth Bennett.

The epic first proposal isn't going well for Mr. Darcy

This book runs ALMOST parallel to the original Pride and Prejudice. You could set the copies side by side and follow along in the story, just insert zombie scenes into the original and you have the exact same story. It was an interesting book, but I do think this is the one time where I like the movie more than the book. Reading about a zombie apocalypse is not as satisfying as seeing it. Throughout the movie, you see nods towards the two iconic versions of Pride and Prejudice. There’s a slight nod to the 1995 version (with the perfection that is Colin Firth’s Mr. Darcy). We see a slight reenactment of the infamous lake scene. If you need a reminder, click the link below to watch Colin Firth turn a simple swim into a scene women have yet to forget. There are also several nods to the 2005 version. They use similar video montages when Bingley is leaving Netherfield.

Here's the classic lake scene from the 1995 version.

There are several scenes from the original storyline of Pride and Prejudice, that are also in this book, that were left out. I was slightly disappointed, but overall pleased with the movie. Personally, nothing will ever beat Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. However, this was a great love letter to Jane Austen’s work as well as the equally beautiful film versions of Pride and Prejudice. It just had a great twist on it that is going to draw this generation to the story. I highly suggest going to see this in theaters. Trust me you do not want to miss catching this on the big screen.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is in theaters now!

--Kasey

I bet you could all see this one coming. This week’s Retro Rewind features the much beloved Full House. The show premiered in 1987 on ABC, later becoming the driving force behind the creation of the TGIF programming block. It became a ratings hit in its second season, and maintained consistently high ratings until its end in 1995.

Full House revolves around an atypical family unit. After his wife’s passing, Danny Tanner receives help raising his three daughters from his best friend Joey and his brother-in-law Jesse. There are many challenges for these three men with very different personalities raising Danny’s kids, as well as many laughs and life lessons along the way. As the show progressed, so did the characters. Season two brought Kimmy Gibbler, DJ’s quirky best friend, as well as Jesse’s future wife Becky Donaldson.

Full House is extremely memorable to 80s and 90s kids to this day. After all, who could possibly forget Joey’s Popeye impression or Uncle Jesse’s good looks and Elvis obsession? The nostalgia is so strong for this show that a spinoff, Fuller House, is airing on Netflix later this month. Why all the nostalgia for Full House? Well, I think I might have the answer to that. Very rarely these days do you see TV shows that the entire family will watch and enjoy. Full House is a prime example of one such show. The humor appeals to everyone, and there are some important lessons to be learned along the way. It brings us back to a simpler time where families gathered together to watch this great sitcom.

--Julie

Hello Small Fries and welcome to the first ever Top Five Wednesday! In honor of Fuller House hitting Netflix later this month, I figured it would be a good time to bring you my Top Five 90s sitcoms!

5) Will & Grace

Premiering in 1998, Will & Grace pioneered the movement of having more realistic gay characters on television. This show revolves around a gay man Will and his best friend Grace living in New York City. The ONLY reason this show is so low on the list is that the bulk of it aired in the 2000s, otherwise it would be much higher.

4) Sabrina the Teenage Witch

The title is pretty self-explanatory: a teenage girl finds out she’s a witch and balances her magical powers with the pressure of being a high school student. Along with her aunts and her talking black cat Salem, Sabrina learned the ways of being a witch. Starring Melissa Joan Hart, this show originally aired on ABC’s TGIF programming block. Fun fact: Sabrina actually crossed over with another one of the shows on this list!

3) Friends

Of course, this list would be incomplete without Friends. The quintessential sitcom of the 90s, Friends featured a group of six twenty-somethings navigating through life in New York City. The show launched all six of the cast members’ careers, including Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox. While most people would have Friends at the top of a list like this, I felt it was too predictable. Plus, it wasn’t MY favorite sitcom of the 90s. Moving on…

2) Full House

Another show that was on the TGIF lineup, Full House is a sitcom about a widowed father named Danny Tanner raising his three daughters with the help of his best friend Joey and his brother-in-law Jesse. The show became a family friendly hit and launched the careers of twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, who were only nine months old when the first season was filmed. This month, Netflix is releasing a spin-off series, Fuller House, which applies the same formula to Danny’s oldest daughter, DJ. 

1.Boy Meets World

As Stefon from Saturday Night Live would say, “This show has EVERYTHING!” Boy Meets World revolves around Cory Matthews, a middle child from the Philadelphia suburbs, navigating through adolescence with his best friend Shawn and the love of his life Topanga. The show is a perfect mix of humor, life lessons and serious moments that make it a must-watch for anyone. This show shares a few common traits with other shows on the list: it also aired on ABC’s TGIF block and currently has a spin-off show in Girl Meets World. Additionally, it crossed over with, you guessed it, Sabrina the Teenage Witch!

--Julie

At the beginning of January, MTV decided to jump on the sci-fi/fantasy bandwagon and released its highly anticipated show The Shannara Chronicles which is based off the popular book series by Terry Brooks. It is set in a post-apocalyptic world known as The Four Lands. The show roughly follows the storyline in The Elfstones of Shannara, which is set 300 years after The War of Races--ending magic and confining demons into a realm known as The Forbidding. The Ellcrys is basically the gateway into this realm, and as long as it is living, the demons will stay there. The series focuses on Will, Amberle, and Eretria who must fight to stop the Ellcrys from dying alongside with the last Druid, Allanon.

A Fury attacking Wil and Amberle

As I stomach my way through the two hour premiere, I hope and pray the show doesn’t let me down. Some of the actors seem to be uncomfortable in the roles they are playing, a few just look borderline terrified that they’re playing fantasy characters. At times the acting is so unconvincing I have to look away from the screen for fear of suffering from secondhand embarrassment. However, there are a few saving graces on this show that I really hope can help save this sinking ship. Manu Bennett, cast as Allanon, and John Rhys-Davies, cast as Eventine maybe the only actors that can save our show. They seem to be the only actors comfortable in the fantasy genre, which makes sense if you look at their resumes. Both actors were involved with the Lord of the Rings franchise: Manu Bennett as Azog in the Hobbit trilogy; John Rhys-Davies as Gimli in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Allanon, the last Druid

These were my original observations from the series premiere. As the show continued and I made my way past the third episode, I noticed the actors becoming more comfortable. Austin Butler, who plays our hero Wil, wasn’t as awkward in the first few episodes, but as the show continued obviously felt more comfortable in his character development. He wasn’t as “deer in the headlights” as some of the cast. Poppy Drayton, cast as Amberle, and Ivana Baquero, cast as Eretria, are both extremely guilty of looking like they were told to jump out of a plane without a parachute. However, we are now six episodes into the season, and with only four left, I have noticed improvement. Maybe it’s the energy of Manu and John on screen, or wishful thinking, but I have noticed that Poppy and Ivana are more comfortable in their fantasy roles. I’m not saying they’re perfect, because I want to leave PLENTY of room for more improvement.

Eventine, King of the Elves

The show has received an 8.1/10 rating on imdb.com, and it’s not without cause. The amount of material available for the show and the entire concept of this universe is creative and exciting. The costumes and scenery is beautiful, as well as the intricate set pieces. However, this isn’t a show that I would record and binge watch, mainly because I can only take so much mediocre acting before I need to refresh myself with television genius (Game of Thrones, The Expanse...quality TV). Though I was disappointed in the first half of this season, the second half is starting to show promise. I am willing to stick it out until the end to see if the show will be worth my time and energy next season. I do recommend this show to sci-fi lovers, if they are willing to be patient with the quality of acting. I promise it gets a little better. It can only go up from here, right? The story is great and the characterizations, though rocky, is interesting. I’m just hoping by the end of the season, I’ll be excited to see what MTV brings to the table when season 2 comes around.

Wil, Amberle, and Eretria - our dynamic trio

If I were to give this a letter grade, I’d have to say it’d be a solid C-. Not quite a total failure, but not quite mediocre. I’m leaving the show plenty of room for improvement. To be honest, Manu Bennett and John Rhys-Davies are doing all the work here with saving this show. Let’s just hope the other actors get it together and start pulling their weight, because I don’t want to see a show with such a promising storyline tank.

Catch The Shannara Chronicles Tuesdays 9/8c on MTV. Catch up on MTV.com to see the season for yourself.

Stay tuned for a season finale recap and final review of season 1!

--Kasey