The Small Fries

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

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

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

In late December 2015, The Expanse premiered on Syfy. Set hundreds of years in the future, we see the human race colonizing in the solar system and Mars becoming a very independent military power. Eight episodes in and I’m completely obsessed. The show is based on a series of books written by James S. A. Corey but was marketed as “Game of Thrones in Space.” So, naturally I was interested. Right from the start, The Expanse draws viewers in when the Cantebury, a Belter salvaging ship, is attacked by the mysterious stealth ship, The Anubis. Only four survived the attack and immediately broadcast a cry for help with Jim Holden (Steven Strait) accusing the Mars Navy of attacking the “Cant.” This causes a major uproar on Earth, Mars, and “The Belt,” bringing everyone on the verge of war. The Outer Planets Alliance (OPA) is a group of advocates for human rights in The Belt, and their extremists see the attack as an act of war on “Belters.” Earth thinks it was Mars, and Mars thinks it was Earth trying to frame them. The Solar System is in a very fragile state, and uncovering any sort of conspiracy could cause it to break.

Survivors of The Cantebury

With that being said, Detective Joe Miller (Thomas Jane) is on a missing persons case, looking for Julie Mau. He slowly learns that she was on a ship, run by OPA, called the Scopuli. This ship had been at the center of the enter plot; that and Phoebe Station. Everyone has been looking for an answer as to what happened at Phoebe Station and where the crew of the Scopuli is. Little does everyone know that the stealth ship that blew up the Cant connects everything together. However, at the end of the newest episode, we see Julie Mau dead - infected by the same thing that killed everyone on the Scopuli, Phoebe Station, and the Anubis. It is safe to assume that the conspiracy someone is trying to cover up is attached to whatever originally began at Phoebe Station.

Detective Joe Miller

Confused? So was I until last week’s episode aired and some of the loose ends started to come together. My advise to you is to watch the show for yourself. There so much I’ve left out that digs even deeper into these incidents and the characters’ backgrounds; for example, Jim Holden being from a piece of farmland in Montana and is basically a pool of 9 different people’s genetics, created so he could inherit the land and keep it out of the government’s hands. And it only starts there.

United Nations Assistant Undersecretary of Executive Administrations, Chrisjen Avasarala

Now, as I watched this, the idea of The Expanse being “Game of Thrones in Space” was always in the back of my mind. Aside from being a mess of political backstabbing and hidden agendas, I didn’t see many similarities. The multi-storylines make the show compelling and interesting. So far our main storylines are from the point of views of Jim Holden, Detective Miller, Chrisjen Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashloo) - UN Representative of Earth, and OPA extremist Fred Johnson (Chad L. Colemen). Each of these stories gives us insight to what is happening to the survivors of the Cant, The Belters, Earth, and Tycho Station (respectively). On top of each captivating stories, the characters all have dark and mysterious pasts slowly being revealed that cause you to ask even more questions at the end of each episode.

OPA Leader, Fred Johnson (The Butcher)

This show is well written and well cast. The Expanse doesn’t feel like many of the other sci-fi shows that have graced television. It is clearly a character driven plot that focuses more on the situations and backgrounds of characters as opposed to the tech and alien races. The theme of survival is a focal point of the whole show: trying to stop a war and save millions of people; fighting for fresh air and water; running to the OPA for knowing too much.

Sadly, the season finale of The Expanse airs tonight, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get caught up on this fascinating show that has been signed on for a second season.

Catch up on The Expanse at syfy.com!

--Kasey

Let me start this by saying that I read The Magicians, the first book in a brilliant series by Lev Grossman, a long time ago. At the time, it was the only book in the series that had been released, and I remember the excruciating wait between each book. I waited for the release of each book in a way that physically pained me. Grossman’s writing is engrossing (yes, I do think I’m funny), and I was addicted. It is important that you understand all of this before I get started into my review, because it is impossible for me to review this without spoiling the majority of the first book (and some of the second).

SPOILER ALERT: Proceed with caution! 

Our first episode starts out with Dean Fogg and a woman, who I’ll call Park Bench Lady, talking about a mysterious person. Editing tells us that this mysterious person is probably our protagonist, Quentin Coldwater.

Fillory and Further

Quentin is a geeky introvert obsessed with a book series called Fillory and Further, focused on the Chatwin children and their journies in a magical land (much like Pevensie children in Narnia), and he is more than happy to skip a party to obsess over his books instead. He is friends with Julia and her boyfriend, James. In the book, the trio are set up as close friends, while the series seems to focus more on Quentin and Julia as best friends, and James has become more...well, a plot device.

I’m going to cut in here with one of my biggest complaints about the show. In the book series, Quentin is a consistent ass. He is an ass to a level that is typically reserved for antagonists. He is such an ass that readers argue online over whether or not the series is horrible or fantastic based on Quentin’s assery. Quentin Coldwater is an antihero to the nth degree. It is WHO HE IS. The series seems to want us to like Quentin. I believe it is important that it is usually hard to like Quentin until later in the series. Sigh. Back to the show.

Quentin and Julia taking their entrance exams

Julia accompanies Quentin to an interview for grad school. In the book, James is going with him to a Princeton undergrad interview. In both cases, the interviewer is dead when they arrive, and in the show, our Park Bench Lady shows up as a paramedic who just happens to find a manila envelope with the manuscript to a previously unpublished Fillory and Further novel. Quentin has heard rumors of this manuscript before on the internet. (If Quentin had a Tumblr, it would be Fillory fan fiction.)

Quentin and Julia part ways on their way out, and Quentin begins looking at pages from the manuscript. One of the pages gets caught by the wind, and Quentin ends up chasing it right through a portal. I hate when that happens. Luckily for Quentin, he ends up on the lawn of Brakebills University, and the brilliant Eliot Waugh is there to welcome him.

Welcome to Brakebills

Eliot, who is in his second year at Brakebills when we meet him in the books, guides Quentin to the exam he was unknowingly transported in to take. While taking the exam, Quentin encounters Penny, who is described as punk in the novel and I have no idea what he is supposed to be in the show, and soon figures out Julia is taking the exam as well. The exam itself is much like any important exam I’ve ever taken: the words seem to shift and change as the taker moves through the test. Literally.

Quentin moves on to the second round of the exam. He is commanded simply to perform some magic. He starts out a card trick, which he fumbles, and the examiners lose their patience. Frustrated with the demand and his own confusion, Quentin lashes out and some magic finally pours out of him, causing the cards to fly around the room and build themselves into a house of cards on the examiners’ table. Quentin is obviously accepted into Brakebills at this point.

Quentin showing off his card tricks

Julia, on the other hand, does not make it on to the second round. She is sent to an office of the man charged with erasing her memory of the afternoon’s events. Not wanting to forget, Julia discreetly cuts her arm and pulls her sleeve over it. It somehow doesn’t bleed through her shirt, so the poor sap that erases her memory has no idea that she has created a reminder for herself. She is sent home to become depressed over her rejection from Brakebills.

Quentin starts settling into life at Brakebills. He is roommates with Penny, who has the levitating sex that is seen in the trailer with a girl from class. Eliot introduces Quentin to his best friend, Margo. (Her name is Janet in the books.) They discuss the dangers of studying magic, and Margo advises Quentin to “stay on the garden path.”

From left: Julia, Margo, Eliot, Quentin, Alice, and Penny

We are introduced to the Chatwin children in this episode, though the series cuts the number of children from five down to three: Rupert, Martin, and Jane. Quentin has a dream after his conversation with Eliot and Margo that features a conversation between himself and Jane in Fillory. In the dream, Jane warns him that he will die if he “stays on the garden path.” He wakes up with a brand on the palm of his hand. The television series is setting Quentin up as some sort of “chosen one,” which is not so much of a thing in the books.

Julia, still depressed about Brakebills, goes to the internet for help. She probably wastes a lot of time down the rabbit hole of Tumblr. James gets worried and asks Quentin to come to her birthday party. This is different from the books, where Quentin and Julia do not have much contact during Quentin’s time at Brakebills, but it looks like they want to kick off Julia’s own story as soon as possible. (Readers aren’t informed about Julia’s journey during Quentin’s time at Brakebills until the second book, The Magician King.)

Julia using some of her magic

Quentin goes to Julia’s birthday party with Eliot and Margo, but it doesn’t go well. He has a conversation with Julia and essentially tells her she obviously wasn’t good enough to study at Brakebills. (Finally, Quentin is an ass!) He leaves the party. Julia meets a creeper in the bathroom that decides to introduce himself by first using his magic to suggest he is about to rape her. Not cool. The creeper offers to show her an alternative route to learning magic. I’m not sure why she is trusting this guy, but I guess it moves the plot along.

In this episode, we also meet Alice, a student at Brakebills that bypassed the test and is determined to find out what happened to her brother, who disappeared at the university some years prior. She shows off in class early in the episode, so when Quentin wakes up with the brand on his hand, he goes to her. Alice recognizes the symbol and recruits him for a spell that she wants to try. It seems that she wants to connect with her brother through a mirror, but even with the help of Penny and his lady Cady, they don’t see anything other than their own reflections in the glass. Thinking it is a bust, they leave. Breath fogs the glass and an invisible hand draws a nice little smiley face.

Alice and Quentin

In class the next day, time stops. Everyone seems frozen, but they’re awake. THE BEAST has arrived. In the books, his face is obscured by a branch, but in the show, it is moths. Dean Fogg arrives and attempts to stop The Beast, but The Beast doesn’t play around. He removes Fogg’s eyes and leaves them on Quentin’s desk, drawing a smiling mouth below them in blood. We hear The Beast say, “Quentin Coldwater, there you are.”

In the novel, Quentin being an ass during his THIRD YEAR causes this event, and The Beast does more than take a few eyes. He eats a student alive. A professor is casting a complex spell in class, and Quentin decides to mess with him by slightly shifting the podium. The slight hiccup in the spell allows for The Beast to force his way into our dimension. A student tries to cast a spell, and The Beast EATS HER ALIVE.

Watching The Magicians on Syfy made me feel like Julia when she returns home after her failure at Brakebills. Once you know the book series, it is impossible to UN-know it and settle for happiness with the television series.

Catch The Magicians on Syfy, Mondays 9/8c.

--Sarah

It’s 2016, and the spring line-up for major television shows looks promising. With January being halfway over and February upon us, we see shows returning from their long Winter hiatus as well as new shows unfolding before us. It won’t be long before these seasons are over and we are into Summer, patiently waiting for the Fall premieres. I have taken a look at some of the shows premiering this year and have compiled a list of the ones I am most excited for. Of course my list features the popular shows such as Game of Thrones and Outlander, but it also features shows that are new to television that sound promising.

The Expanse

The popular cable network, Syfy, has a couple of shows that have really caught my attention recently. One of them being The Expanse. Though the first episode aired on December 14, 2015, this is one show to watch in 2016. Set hundreds of years in the future, we see the human race colonizing in the solar system and Mars becoming a very independent military power. Tensions begin to rise between those on Earth and Mars, placing them on the brink of war. In this setting, insert Detective Joe Miller and a rogue ship captain, Jim Holden. They come together to investigate the case of a missing woman. This leads them on a race across the solar system that could lead to a great conspiracy being exposed.

I have heard this show being deemed as the Game of Thrones in Space. Naturally, that sold me on the show. As obsessed as I am with Game of Thrones and anything about outer space, I knew this show was for me. A full review of the first five episodes is currently in the making. However, I suggest checking this show out for yourself.

Watch full episodes on Syfy.com or Hulu.

Catch The Expanse on Syfy, Tuesdays at 10/9 ET.

The Shannara Chronicles

The highly anticipated Shannara Chronicles made its debut on January 5th this year on MTV. The show is based off the popular book series under the same name by Terry Brooks that was first released in 1977 and is set in a post-apocalyptic world known as The Four Lands. It 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.

Considering MTV is producing this show, I watched the first episode with absolutely no expectations. I knew that if I went in with high expectations for a show about this celebrated Sci-fi classic, I would be extremely disappointed. A full review with the first four episodes is in the final stages of editing and will be published shortly. All I can say is stick it out through the first 45 minutes of the two-hour premiere, because it shows some promise (unless that is wishful thinking on my part).

Watch full episodes on MTV.com

Catch The Shannara Chronicles Tuesdays at 10/9c on MTV.

The Magicians

Calling all witches, wizards, and anyone with an interest in the magical lands! Once again, Syfy has promised another thrilling show based off the widely popular trilogy, The Magicians by Lev Grossman. This show is set to premiere on January 25th. The story centers around Quentin Coldwater, who enrolls into Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy in order to be trained as a magician. Soon, he discovers the magical world, Fillory, from his favorite children’s books, Fillory and Further, is real. Meanwhile, his childhood friend, Julia, desperately tries to learn magic after her rejection into Brakebills.

Syfy called for the first season to have 13 episodes back in May 2015. I hope that it gets an extension, as I am a huge fan of the trilogy and can’t wait to see some of my favorite scenes go from page to screen. The premiere on the 25th with be a double episode feature. So, set your DVRs or tune in, and get ready to travel into the world of magic.

Catch The Magicians Mondays at 9/8c on Syfy.

The Walking Dead

Returning to AMC on Valentine’s Day will be the popular show, The Walking Dead. We were left with several cliffhangers at the end of the mid-season finale back in November. We found out Glenn was indeed alive (I KNEW IT) but had yet to return to Alexandria. Daryl, Sasha, and Abraham were captured on the road by people who work for Negan (played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan). Walkers had broken through the walls in Alexandria, stranding several inside their homes until the horde passed. Deanna was bitten and ultimately died. Carol found out about Morgan’s secret hostage. Rick and a few Alexandrians dressed in Walker blood and guts and are still currently attempting to walk through the horde undetected. Let’s hope Judith doesn’t decide she wants to start crying in the middle of their trek.

These last few weeks have been torture while I wait patiently for my questions to be answered. New characters are going to be introduced in the premiere, one which I hear will be another lying, cheating, and just plain terrible human being (The Governor reincarnate?). With new characters being introduced, that obviously means we are going to lose some too. I’ve heard several rumors saying this season, particularly this half, is going to the bloodiest yet. *cries*

Catch the mid-season premiere February 14th on AMC.

Vinyl

When it comes to HBO, they have spot-on shows. For the most part. (Lena Dunham's Girls excluded). Afterall, they are the network that Game of Thrones has called home for the last five-six years. On February 14th, they are releasing another drama called Vinyl. With names like Scorsese and Mick Jagger attached to the show, it’s hard not to be intrigued. The show is set in 1970’s New York and will take viewers on a wild ride through the sex and drug riddled music business just before the dawn of punk, disco, and hip-hop. The main protagonist, Richie Finestra, is trying everything in his power to save his record label company and possibly his soul without destroying everything. The show is scheduled to run the HBO standard 10 episodes for the first season.

Just by watching the trailer, this looks like a show that can unite music lovers from all generations: The nostalgic ones who grew up in the 60s, 70s, and 80s as well as those today who enjoy the classics from “back in the day.”

Catch Vinyl February 14 at 9/8c on HBO.

Fuller House

From 1987-1995 Full House was a widely popular sitcom. 11 years later, Netflix has decided to revive the show. D.J. Tanner-Fuller is recently widowed and a mother of three boys. She moves in with her sister Stephanie, who is an aspiring musician, and her best friend Kimmy, who is mother to a teenaged daughter. Much of the original cast is set to be regulars on the show, minus the Olsen Twins who got their start on Full House as Michelle Tanner. The episodes are to air on February 26.

Though I am excited to see a revival of one of my favorite 80s/90s sitcoms, I am a little apprehensive to see D.J. being widowed much like how her father, the widower, in the original series. I hope Netfilx hasn’t recycled the OS storyline and just pulled a gender swap with the characters. I guess I will just have to patiently wait until February before I make my final judgement.

Catch Fuller House February 26 on Netflix.

Outlander

IS IT APRIL YET! After finishing Dragonfly in Amber last spring, I have been biting at the bit for season 2 of Outlander, the popular drama on Starz. I’ve stocked up on my tissues and everything. Last season, we saw a restored Jamie and pregnant Claire on a ship for France to stop the Jacobite Revolution and Bonnie Prince Charlie. Several new cast members have been added to the list (spoilers…) and beautiful pictures from the set have been released (more spoilers…). Now, all I need is the show to be here...yesterday. This season you can expect to see Claire and Jamie playing the old game of politics in order to prevent history from happening and wiping all of Highland life out of Scotland. This highly emotional and nail biting season will leave you torn and puffy eyed by the end, if it is anything like the book (I definitely ugly cried at the end). On top of an intense season ahead, I’m just ready to have the Frasers back in my life.

Catch Outlander on Starz this April.

Miss season 1? Both parts are available on Blue-Ray/DVD!

Game of Thrones - WINTER IS HERE!...almost.

Things I know about the upcoming season: As much as Jon Snow. Speaking of him...SPOILER ALERT FOR ANYONE WHO HASN’T SEEN THE END OF SEASON 5:

Jon Snow. Is. Alive. He has to be. But if I dive into fan theories right now, it’d be a rabbit hole we’d never climb out of. This season we can expect to be reunited with the long lost Stark, Bran. The last time we saw him was at the end of season 4 when he finally made it to the Three-Eyed Crow. What his story has in store for us is shrouded in mystery to me, because I’m not caught up on the books yet (I’m getting there!). However, at the end of last season, we saw many things take place that are definitely going to have huge impacts on what happens this season. Cersei did a walk of shame throughout the streets of King’s Landing (ahahaha). Daenerys took flight on Drogon and was later surrounded by a horde of Dothraki. Arya has gone blind, or so it seems, in the House of Black and White. Sansa and Theon have apparently escaped Winterfell and her crazed husband, Ramsey. Stannis Baratheon may or may not have died at the hands of Brienne of Tarth. But ultimately, the scene that left me sitting in the dark contemplating my life for an hour was the Julius Caesar equivalent in The Night’s Watch. Yep, Jon Snow’s own brothers stabbed him and left him to die in the snow. However, he is as dead as Glenn...oh wait, Glenn survived in The Walking Dead. So, Jon isn’t dead. I’m convinced. Or in denial. Mainly convinced.

With all that happened at the end of season 5, questions still remain and will hopefully be answered this season. Season 6 will be the first season where book readers and non-book readers will be on the same playing field since George R. R. Martin has to postpone the publishing of the Winds of Winter. No one knows what to expect this season. All we can do is patiently wait, theorize, and speculate what will take place.

Tune in to HBO on April 24 at 9/8c for the season 6 premiere of Game of Thrones!

Need to catch up? Season 1-5 are on HBOGo and HBONow.

This is only the beginning of a great year in television. Hopefully what follows this Winter/Spring season will be just as awesome.

What television shows are you excited for this year? Tell us in the comments below!

--Kasey

Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Long ago, four nations lived together in harmony. Then everything changed when Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko created one of the greatest shows to grace the television screen: Avatar: The Last Airbender, which aired from 2005-2008 on Nickelodeon. The story follows our reluctant hero, Aang, and his companions on a journey all over the world to master all four elements. As the Avatar it is his duty to help restore peace and balance to a war ridden world. He has only one year to stop Fire Lord Ozai from taking over the rest of the world. Meanwhile, Aang is being hunted by the exiled prince of the Fire Nation, Zuko. With the help of his companions and several unlikely allies, he sets out to complete his mission: to defeat the Fire Lord.

Growing up, I remember sitting with my brother and best friend, watching this show religiously. However, it’s been years since the series finale, and I had obviously forgotten quite a bit about it. After recently rewatching the show, I have decided many things. 1. I blame this show for my fangirl status. 2. I really miss the show and the characters. 3. I still have so many questions and wish it was more than three seasons long. Thank god for the comic books.

The Gaang: Appa, Momo, Sokka, Katara, Aang, Toph, and Zuko

The characters in the Avatar universe are so well written and strong, but they aren’t without their flaws. They have background stories that give them so much depth, making them completely relatable. Some of the characters show better character development than others, but it’s amazing how each character shows some sort of growth. Aang, Sokka, Katara, and Zuko show the most growth out of all the characters. Aang grows from childish air nomad to the fully realized Avatar over the course of a year. We see him in the first episode, “The Boy in the Iceberg,” when he wakes from his hundred year slumber to a war torn world. By the time “Sozin’s Comet: Avatar Aang,” airs, he has taken on all of his responsibilities and welcomed the challenge of facing Fire Lord Ozai. Throughout the series, we see Aang struggling to come to terms with actually facing him. He talks about how he ran before the war in “The Storm.” In the four part series finale, Aang runs again from the task of facing and ultimately killing the Fire Lord. However, this leads to him finding his answers and becoming the Avatar the world needs.

Avatar Aang and Momo

Sokka, our favorite meat, sarcasm, and boomerang guy, grows into a warrior and a leader. In the first season, Sokka of the Southern Water tribe is just trying to keep his village safe and sound while the rest of the warriors are fighting in the war against the Fire Nation. We see him lose his sexist views that girls are weaker than guys as he gets his butt handed to him by the Kyoshi Warriors in the fourth episode, “The Warriors of Kyoshi.”

Sokka learning a lesson from Kyoshi Warrior, Suki

Quickly, we see Sokka changing and growing. By season two, he is formulating plans to defeat the Fire Nation, and in “The Day of Black Sun,” a two part event in season three, Sokka is leading the attack on the Fire Nation. After learning from Master Piandao, Sokka has grown as warrior, giving him even more confidence to lead. In “Sozin’s Comet,” we see him leading the attacks on the Fire Nation airships, and ultimately bringing down the entire fleet with the help of Suki and Toph. Sokka is one of my favorite characters to watch grow up over the course of these three seasons. He goes from a goofy teenager with narrowed views of the world to a well-rounded warrior accepting unlikely allies, despite the harm they have caused him. *cough cough, Zuko, cough cough*

Sokka leading the attack in "The Day of Black Sun"

Katara, Sokka’s younger sister and Waterbending Master, grew a lot over the course of three seasons. We learn early on that the Fire Nation took her mother away from her, and that is one of her driving forces. It is something that has scarred her and, like Sokka, has fueled her hate for the Fire Nation. Throughout each season, we see her as the kind, nurturing caregiver she is. Sokka even notes that in season three episode, “The Runaway,” that Katara has always been the mother-figure to him, because he lost his mom at such a young age. We see this as she cares for the Gaang when they are sick or hurt. She’s always the one making sure they have enough supplies and keeping everyone in line (despite Toph’s rebellious attitude). However, as the show continues, we see sides of Katara start to seep through that we hadn’t seen in earlier seasons. Once she becomes the a Waterbending Master in “The Siege of the North,” Katara starts evolving more into her warrior and healer status she has. We see her heal Aang (basically bringing him back from the dead) at the end of season two in “The Crossroads of Destiny” and even offers to heal Zuko in the same episode.

Katara facing off against Zuko in "The Siege of the North"

Once the Gaang picks up Toph, Katara’s mothering side becomes even more prominent; especially when Toph calls her out on it. In “The Painted Lady,” we see Katara pretending to be a Spirit to help a suffering Fire Nation river village. “I will never turn my back on people who need me,” she tells Sokka, who is questioning her motives for helping a FIRE NATION village. She is able to put her hatred aside for the country that killed her mother to help those in need; showing that Katara is able to look past her prejudice towards the entire nation in order to help people that are suffering from the war.

Katara as The Painted Lady

When we finally learn the whole story behind the loss of her mother in the season three episode “The Southern Raiders,” we see more into what shaped Katara. She lost her mother when she was a young girl, and she is fueled by hate and anger towards the Fire Nation. The choices and decisions that she makes in this episode show us how hurt Katara really is. She had to grow up entirely too fast, because a war took her mother away from her. By the end, she is able to forgive Zuko for everything he has done and accept him as a close friend an ally...or maybe more….hmmm. She even agrees to help him in “Sozin’s Comet: Into the Inferno and Avatar Aang.” She manages to defeat one of the most powerful Firebenders in the world, Princess Azula, and heal Prince Zuko. Katara grew from a damaged girl of war whose motives were driven by the loss of her mother and the love she has for those left to a Waterbending Master and Healer who will “never turn [her] back on people who need [her],” even a Fire Nation Prince. Needless to say, Sifu Katara is a badass character that I would rather have on my side than against me.

Katara healing Prince Zuko after saving her life in "Sozin's Comet"

It took Fire Prince Zuko a while to learn that lesson. Banished from his home land for dishonoring his family, he was scarred and sent to hunt the Avatar; only allowed to return to the Fire Nation after finding him. Honestly, I could sit here and write an entire segment on how Zuko is, without a doubt, one of the best characters to appear on television. He makes some of the most drastic changes. Over the course of the sixty-one episode series, Zuko manages to go from trouble-exiled prince who has lost his way to a reformed ally of the Avatar on the path to restoring peace and balance in the world. *sheds tear*

One reason I love rewatching Avatar: The Last Airbender is because of Prince Zuko’s character development. First of all, I just want Zuko to be happy. He’s had such a terrible life, and he deserves one thing to go right for him. In “Zuko Alone,” we get a glimpse into Zuko’s troubled past, and in “The Storm,” we see exactly how and why Zuko was banished by his father. Both of these episodes give us a chance to see why Zuko is the way he is. All his life he has strived for his father’s affection, and with everything he’s done he has fallen short of his goal. Whereas his younger sister, Azula was rewarded everything, because she was Ozai’s golden child. His main support was his mother, who mysteriously disappeared after the death of Fire Lord Azulon. She sacrificed herself for Zuko when he was a young boy, and he never sees her again. Ozai holds the information over his head, thus showing viewers how tortured Zuko his by his own family.

Prince Zuko and Aang in "The Avatar Returns"

In the beginning, Prince Zuko, though hellbent on capturing the Avatar, is clearly just lost. He’s not the evil villain that we think he is. If anything Zhao and Azula are the main adversaries for the Gaang in seasons one and two. We see a glimpse of the good side of Zuko in “The Blue Spirit,” which shows him saving Aang from Zhao’s clutches. This is definitely my favorite episode in season one, because it is so unexpected to see Zuko as a masked vigilante that is saving the Avatar. He is saving Aang instead of kidnapping him. Whatever his true motives were, Zuko acts as an ally to Aang instead of against him to help his own agenda move along.

Aang and The Blue Spirit

He also does this without his Uncle Iroh knowing. Iroh acts as Zuko’s moral compass throughout the series, until season three when he is left to determine his own destiny alone. Zuko captures Aang in “The Seige of the North.” This shows the desperation in his desire to return home. He may think that the capture of the Avatar is wrong, but Zuko wishes to return home and receive his father’s love more than he wishes to do the right thing. In season two, when Zuko is on the run from his sister, we see his character develop a lot more. He starts contemplating which side is right or wrong. In “Lake Laogai,” we see him struggling with freeing Appa or holding him hostage in order to capture Aang. Thanks to the help of Iroh, he makes the decision to free Appa. However, this sends him into a war within himself in “The Earth King,” where he must decide which side he chooses.

Iroh and Zuko: Above is just after Zuko's banishment. Below is Zuko asking for Iroh's forgiveness.

“The Crossroads of Destiny” is Zuko’s first test, and he fails miserably. After spending a moment gaining Katara’s trust in the prison Azula threw them in together, he turns against everyone, including his uncle. He joins forces with Azula and attacks Katara and Aang, in an effort to bring them down; ultimately leading to Aang becoming severely injured. Needless to say, when season three starts, Zuko is now more lost than ever. He tries to speak with his Uncle in the Fire Nation’s prison, asking for advice, but Iroh won’t budge. He knows that this is something Zuko needs to figure out on his own. In “The Beach,” Zuko explains that he is angrier than ever before, and the only explanation he has is he’s angry with himself. He is once again at war: The good Zuko versus the bad Zuko.

The Final Agni Kai between Azula and Zuko in "Sozin's Comet"

Finally, in “The Day of Black Sun” we see Zuko choose. He decides that his destiny is to join forces with the Avatar to restore peace and balance in the world. The scene where Zuko stands up to his father is one of the most powerful scenes in the entire show. It shows how much he’s grown as a character as well as a Firebender. He only continues to grow, learning he must pay for his mistakes that he’s made. In “The Western Air Temple,” Zuko is trying to make amends with the Gaang in order to join them and teach Aang Firebending. “The Firebending Masters” takes him back to the heart of Firebending, and ultimately showing him he chose the right path. “The Boiling Rock” shows Zuko helping Sokka rescue his father and Suki from a Fire Nation prison. “The Southern Raiders” is a real turning point for him, because he finally gains back Katara’s trust after risking everything to help her track down and face her mother’s murderer. The final four episodes, “Sozin’s Comet,” show us the new and improved Zuko as he helps prepare for the final battle and ultimately the final Agni Kai against his sister. When we finally see Fire Lord Zuko, he is a completely different character than Fire Prince Zuko we met in season one. He had gone through a lot of changes over the course of a year, but it’s so amazing and well written that it keeps me revisiting this series.

Zuko saving Katara from Azula's lightning

Zuko’s character is completely relatable, because we all have that battle inside between good and evil and which path to take. Out of all the characters in ATLA, he has grown the most and developed some of the best relationships because of his struggle throughout the story. His character arc is well fleshed out and detailed that he seems almost real. Everyone can relate to season one, two, or three Zuko at one point, which gives this show even more depth and meaning.

Zuko and his mother in a flashback in the episode, "Zuko Alone"

As much as I love this show and am addicted to the universe, there was only one big issue I had with it. At the very end of the series finale, “Sozin’s Comet: Avatar Aang,” we see the typical hero get the girl. This may be an unpopular opinion, but it really caught me off guard. The entire time DiMartino and Konietzko were building Aang and Katara’s relationship it seemed more Mother-Son or Sister-Brother relationship. Katara cared for Aang like she would her children. I never felt any chemistry between them. The argument is that the writer’s built it up for “Kataang” to happen, however I thought it felt forced.

Aang and Katara in "The Ember Island Players"

Anytime there was any “romance” happening between the two characters, Aang was always the one initiating the moment, and almost pushing Katara away. Even in “The Ember Island Players,” Aang tells Katara how he feels. When she replies that she is confused and needs time to think, he forces himself on her. To me that is not the right way to build a relationship between characters. The canonizing of this relationship seemed more forced than anything in the show, and I felt that the writers did this to prove a point that the hero should always get the girl.

The final scene between Aang and Katara

With that being said, I’m sure you’d like to know how I think it should have end. WELL, I am a firm believer that Katara and Zuko had a stronger relationship than Katara and Aang. They had chemistry and they balanced each other. I mean, COME ON! First of all, Fire and Water. They’re polar opposites! Yin and Yang. Tui and La. BALANCE. Their relationship could have meant so much more to the show, because it would have resembled a world that is restoring balance after a war as well as resolving hostilities between nations. Not only would it have been a great symbol, but they also had more in common. They both understood each other. Each of them lost their mother because of the Fire Nation, bringing them even closer together. Not to mention, Katara is the ONLY character he ever let touch his scar that brings him so much emotional pain.

Zuko and Katara in prison in "The Crossroads of Destiny"

After “The Southern Raiders,” they both had mutual respect for one another. Aang didn’t understand Katara’s need to find her mother’s killer. Zuko, however, is there for her, and doesn’t judge her decisions when she is bloodbending for information. If anything, he grows to respect her even more and sees her as his equal. Whereas, Aang, with most certainty, would have judged and condemned Katara for her actions in her mission with Zuko. After this, Zuko and Katara have an even stronger relationship.

Katara and Zuko in "The Southern Raiders"

Katara is there for Zuko when he seeks his uncle’s forgiveness, and in the series finale, Zuko asks Katara to join him when he goes to face his sister. Let me start off this bit by saying, YOU DON’T JUMP IN FRONT OF LIGHTNING FOR JUST ANYONE! Zuko risks his own life when Azula sends a bolt of lightning towards Katara. Um, Zuko sacrifices his life and the future of the Fire Nation just to save a Waterbender only because he’s friends with her? Yeah. I’m not convinced.

On their way to find The Southern Raiders

Say what you will about Zutara, but they had chemistry. It may be wishful thinking on my part, but their relationship ended up being one of the strongest on the show, aside from Zuko and Iroh’s. It's just a shame the writer's never expanded on such a strong bond, even if it is just a friendship. They set them up with so much potential.

Katara has forgiven Zuko for everything he's done to them

Overall, Avatar: The Last Airbender is possibly one of the best cartoons of my generation. It had an amazing story that taught great lessons with characters that had depth and relationships with meaning. Each character was relatable, and at one point I saw myself in every character. They each had such detailed backgrounds. This set up an entire universe that was able to continue on: Legend of Korra and several comic books. I like to argue that this show is not a children’s show. It is full of dark undertones and deep meanings that may be too difficult for children to understand. I’d say that it is directed to the Young Adult age group, or even adults. It carries a message for all ages, however. Rewatching this show as an adult has allowed me to pick up on the stronger themes and lessons in each season that I definitely missed when I was younger. This show has obviously made an impact on television if it is still being heavily debated and discussed seven years after it has ended.

Pick up the entire box series on October 6, 2015.

--Kasey