New Superman Finally Ready to Fly

I'm a HUGE Superman fan so I am thrilled that the Man of Steel is getting a reboot, hopefully a good one this time.

I am beyond thrilled to see that my favorite Tudor's actor Henry Cavill landed the role. Yeah, he's British but he is FINE and he can act so this is great news all the way around.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20110131/en_ac/7747996_henry_cavill_is_the_new_superman_1

Buffy's Back!

Sarah Michelle Geller is back in a CBS show titled "Ringer."  She'll be playing a woman on the run for the mob who asumes her wealthy twin sister's identity. Now this premise does absolutely nothing for me, but it's SMG so I'm sure she is going to be a strong woman who kicks ass, so count me in. Now if only those people doing the new "Buffy" movie had the sense to cast a wonderful actress who would be perfect for the role....

Meet the Borgias!

 I have always had a minor obsession with this family thanks to my humanities class so I cannot wait for The Borgias to premiere.  They are as corrupt as it gets and are ultimately destroyed by their own depravity. Great story and sure to be great television.



Learn more about the show here

Thunder...Thunder...Thunder Cats HO!!!!


Thundercats

Thunder Cats is one of my favorite cartoons of all time, right up there with GI Joe, JEM and He-man, so I am thrilled to find out that it's getting a 21st Century make-over.  Here's to the return of Panthro the coolest cat ever! And Mum-rah the EVER LIVING GOD!!! Ha ha, this news makes me dorky!

While I am already on the Old School Thundercats Look Cooler Train, this animation isn't bad. Let's hope Nu School Thuder Cats is  better than that AWFUL Nu School He-man from a few years back.

Bleeding Cool posted a  photo of a "Thundercats" promo poster  from this year's London Toy Fair, and features Lion-O, Panthro, Cheetara, and Tygra. The series is produced by Warner Bros. Read more about the return of one of the kickest cartoons to ever kick butt here

And So I Waited Sneak Peek --- Turn of the Di

Yes, I write fan fiction. My current story is in the Merlinverse. Surprise! Surprise!

Please enjoy this sneak peek at the next chapter of And So I Waited, a look at the infamous triangle from Lancelot's point of view.  You can read the first few chapters
here.


I knocked on her door when she opened it the breath got caught in my throat. She was so beautiful in her pink dress, her hair wild and full of flowers. I looked inside.
“I couldn’t help but notice that you are alone.”
She smiles. “Actually, I was expecting a guest.”
“Anyone I know?”
“I don’t know. “
“What does he look like?”
“He is old, very thin, his hair almost too thin.”
“Doesn’t sound familiar.”
‘Well. I don’t think he is coming.”
“And you made him dinner? That is not very gentlemen like.”
 “Well he is no gentlemen.”
“Since I am already here, maybe I can be his replacement.”
She looks me up and down. “I don’t see why not.”
She lets me in. She has decorated her table with flowers and I see two plates full of chicken.
“How can you afford this.”
“It is complements of The Lady Morgana. She likes you.”
“I am glad that she approves.”
I sit down and she puts a cup in front of me.
“It is really odd. You are all she can talk about lately and what a wonderful couple we would make. My Lady and I have always been close, but she is My Lady and we have never been too personal.”
Gwen was right, there was something about The Lady Morgana’s interest in them that he found unsettling.
 “And to say all the things she said about you in front of Arthur.”
I look up. “Why would it bother you that she is talking about me in front of Arthur?”
I wait with baited breath, wondering if her memories have begun to return.
“I just think it is inappropriate to talk about servant matters in front of the Prince, although…
“Although what?”
“I see a change in him. He is not the arrogant prat that I remember. There is softness and a caring. Do you know that he stood up for a peasant who could not pay his taxes and forced King Uther to back down. I was impressed and proud.
“Proud?”
“Yes, that he is Milord.”
I picked up my fork. I was tired of talking about Arthur.
“This food is delicious.”
“Thank you. I remembered from last time how much you loved my chicken, at least I can remember that. It is so good to see you. I can tell just by looking at you that the time way has been good for you.”
“In some ways it has been very good for me and in others….”
She put a piece of chicken in her mouth. “But you must have met people who you liked.”
“Yes, I did.” Elaine’s face flashed quickly before my eyes. “But no one who could ever make me forget about my time in Camelot.”
“Oh come on Lancelot. Are you telling me that you have not met somebody.”
I laughed. Can she be this blind? “As a matter of fact I have.”
“Oh.”
Her disappointment was evident and it warmed me. It made me feel that she was finally letting her guard down. I leaned forward. “You,” I said. “You are the one I met and the only one I ever want to meet.”
She blushed. “Lance.”
“Next time we will have deer.”
She laughed. “Deer?”
“Have you ever had it?”
“Not really. Once I did sneak a bit off of Morgana’s plate when I was in the kitchens.”
“And did you like it?”
“It was heavenly.”
“Well that settles it. We will have deer. I will catch it myself.”
“And how many paces does it take for you to kill a deer?”
“I am not sure but I will make it a point to count so that I can tell you.”
She reached for my cheek and stopped, a puzzled look was now on her face.
“What is it?”
“I don’t know, it’s just, there is something very familiar about all this.”
She looks back at the chicken and throws her fork down in disgust. “Why can’t I remember?”
I take her hand. “When the time is right you will remember. She squeezed my hand. I lean in for a kiss and I see the expectation in her eyes. She wants this moment, this intimacy, with me, as much as I do. The loud noise outside makes us both jump apart.
I see the swish of the blue cloak and I know exactly who are uninvited guest was.
“Do you see anyone?” she asks. I can hear the concern in her voice.
“No one.”
I close the door, aware that I had just told her another lie.

The Tears of Uther Pendragon

 I don’t think it’s a secret to anyone who has ever visited this fledgling blog that I love the BBC's Merlin. With the SyfY Channel currently showing Season Three I thought I’d take a stab at reviewing the season.

The Tears of Uther Pendragon is a two part episode that takes place one year after last year’s dragon attack and the disappearance of the King’s Ward, Morgana.  Uther, who  doesn’t know that Morgana is a witch who has grown to hate him because she has had to hide her powers or risk being executed under his laws, is desperate to find her and is relieved when she is finally discovered by Arthur in a field outside of Camelot. Morgana claims that she was kidnapped by bandits, but in Season Two she was last seen with her vengeful sister Morgause and it turns out she spent the year with her learning Evil 101, which involves lots of smirking and wearing red lipstick. Morgana gets all Harry Potter on Uther, using a mandrake to drive him insane. Meanwhile, Morgause has seduced a neighboring King Cendred and convinced him they can defeat Camelot. Merlin, who poisoned Morgana last season (it’s a long story), is the only one not happy to see her because you know, he is scared she is going to squeal on him. When she says she forgives him he is relieved, but he quickly comes to realize that she is lying and is back for revenge. With an enemy army approaching and a father who has gone mad, it is up to Arthur to decide if he will take over as Reagent and lead the Knights of Camelot into battle, while Merlin must figure out a way to stop Morgana from destroying Camelot from within.
In Season One and Season Two Merlin seemed like a show on the verge of being something special, in Season Three, it gets there. In a lot of ways this two-parter feels a lot like a really good pilot episode.  Much of that goes to the fact that it is inching towards the legend we all know and love, something that made Smallville finally became the show I thought it could be.
My only complaint about this two-parter is its pilot like nature means the characters fall prey to the reset button.  Why is Arthur treating Merlin, a man he battled a dragon with last season, like a buffoon? I can understand that Arthur does not see Merlin as a warrior and isn’t ready to give him the respect he is due – yet, but this episode walks a fine line between “banter” and “abuse.” I mean throwing a bucket of water on Merlin’s head because he isn’t paying attention? Frankly I found that upsetting and borderline cruel. Sometimes it’s hard to tell that Arthur cares about Merlin at all and I know that’s not what these scenes are trying to convey because their friendship is the heart of this show.
Arthur’s relationship with Gwen also seems to have taken two steps back. In Season Two’s Sweet Dreams Gwen essentially tells Arthur that they can never be, a few episodes later, in the season finale, she gives him a very PUBLIC hug after Arthur (Merlin) returns from vanquishing the dragon. Our two young lovers however are awkward with each other now and seem to have spent very little time together during the missing year. This isn’t the worse thing though because it gives them a strong place to start with the duo. One of my favorite scenes is when Gwen comes to talk to Arthur after he has assumed control of Camelot. Look what Bradley James does with his eyes. He makes you feel Arthur’s longing.  We also see in this scene why Gwen is a good match for Arthur. She is a wise counselor and giving him confidence when he needs it the most.  She is also his link to the people. In traditional Arthurian Lore, Arthur is raised as a commoner and this is why he believes in equality based on personal mert not class. Gwen is given Arthur’s upbringing in this version and it is falling in love with her that starts him down this way of thinking. This scene is also an indication that Gwen will be doing more than arranging flowers this season.
Morgana is not a victim of the reset button, she is a totally different character all together, and while I personally think that Morgana would have been much more sympathetic and interesting if her actions were a bit more nuanced and less cartoon evil, Morgana was kind of annoying to me in Season One and barely relevant in Season Two so I’m glad that her character is getting a chance to shine.
Questions/Comments
Why is Uther willing to risk the life of his only heir, one he suffered greatly to bring into this world, for Morgana? I have seen the entire season so I know the answer to that, but I couldn’t stop wondering that when I first saw it.
Uther was a real monster, drowning babies? Why isn’t there some type of rebellion brewing against him?

Kidnapped by bandits, really? Why is nobody questioning this story? Didn't Arthur see Morgause take Morgana with his own eyes?
Uther sees Ygraine in the well when he is “haunted” by his victims. Is this guilt about Arthur’s birth through magic or did Ygraine die another way? Interesting to contemplate isn’t it?
We are told that madness runs in the Pendragon family, which explains a lot, BUT what if this little tidbit isn’t about setting up Uther’s ultimate fate? I’m pretty sure that they are not doing the Gwen/Lancelot adultery route so what leads to Camelot’s downfall? Do you really need an actual affair when Arthur may be as susceptible to his mind being manipulated the way Uther is? Will this ultimately be his, and Camelot’s  downfall?
Did Merlin and Morgana always have this much chemistry?
Overall, this is an excellent start and I am really excited about where this season will take us.
Four Snaps Up!

Doctor Who Christmas Special

I have a confession to  make, I haven't warmed up to Matt Smith's Doctor the way that I expected too. I started watching Dr. Who with the reboot a few years ago and fell so in love with the franchise that I rented as many episodes as I could on Netflix, and loved every Doctor, so I was the one telling my friends, who I got into Dr. Who, that David Tennant's leaving was not the end of the world, this was how things worked in the Whouniverse and it was the beginning of a new adventure. I loved The Eleventh Hour and felt justified in my belief, but as time went by I began to lose interest, the stories felt weak to me and I found myself thinking David T. could make this story work. Truth be told, I think I was mourning "my Doctor" and wasn't as open to Eleven as I should have been. So, when I watched the Dr. Who Christmas Special I was happy to have enjoyed it so much.

It was a clever take on a Christmas Carol in which The Doctor tries to melt the heart of an old meanie who controls the skies of  the only planet where the ship his companions' are on, which is under attack by space sharks, yes space sharks, can land.

I particularly found the play on time --- Space Scrooge watches The Doctor change his memories right before his eyes--- to be nothing short of brilliant.  This was an incredibly moving episode about love, without being overly sentimental. I also like the fact that The Doctor has married companions, it adds a different dynamic to the team and it squashes the romantic nonsense that dragged down Tennant's tenure.

I am officially back on The Dr. Who train.

Five Snaps Up!

Julian Jones Answers MY Merlin Question

Part two of Julian Jones interview on Merlin is up at Geek Syndicate and they asked my question!

geeksyndicate.wordpress.com/2010/12/31/geek-syndicate-episode-175-including-merlin-interview-with-julian-jones-pt-2/

Camelot Reimagined

Since I am currently obsessed with BBC's Merlin, I think it is only fair that I give some love to our American version, Camelot. I have to admit I love what Merlin has done with the characters so much that I haven't been open to embracing a new/old interpretation, but I am a sucker for the Arthurian Legend so I am going to watch. My only request --- please don't trash Guinevere like some of the other interpretations. She can be flawed, she always is, but I'd like her to be the heroine of the piece and to really love Arthur. I guess time will tell if I get my wish.

"Camelot" premieres at 10pm on April 1st, 2011. The series, initially planned for a 10-episode season, will star Jamie Campbell Bower as Arthur, Joseph Fiennes as Merlin, Eva Green as the sorceress Morgan, Tamsin Egerton as Guinevere, Claire Forlani as Igraine and Peter Mooney as Kay.






The series' official description is as follows:

In the wake of King Uther's sudden death, chaos threatens to engulf Britain. When the sorcerer Merlin has visions of a dark future, he installs the young and impetuous Arthur, Uther's unknown son and heir, who has been raised from birth as a commoner. But Arthur's cold and ambitious half sister Morgan will fight him to the bitter end, summoning unnatural forces to claim the crown in this epic battle for control. These are dark times indeed for the new King, with Guinevere being the only shining light in Arthur's harsh world. Faced with profound moral decisions, and the challenge of uniting a kingdom broken by war and steeped in deception, Arthur will be tested beyond imagination. Forget everything you think you know ... this is the story of Camelot that has never been told before.

Read more: Camelot Comes to Starz - ComingSoon.net http://www.comingsoon.net/news/tvnews.php?id=72546#ixzz18xghIRrX

Primeval


My friends have been trying to get me to watch Primeval for years, but it wasn't until I heard that Alexander Siddig, who I adored as Bashir on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, was joining the cast as
Philip Burton that I actually decided to give the show a try and I liked what I saw.

Having missed the previous seasons I was intrigued with the concept of lost agents coming back to a Brave New World that didn't really want them anymore.

Abby Maitland and Connor Temple have been trapped in the past for a year after saving the world from a psycho dinosaur loving scientist who met her end as lunch for a hungry raptor. See the duo hunt down prehistoric animals who through anomalies find their way into our time and stop them from going all Godzilla on us and this lady was making thier job really hard.

Meanwhile, life at project ARC has gone on and they have been given up for dead, but they manage to make their way back to the present. Their old team mate Becker is thrilled to see them, but the Powers that Be have decided that this isn't the job for them,but given the fact that they survived the past year in The Land of the Lost and was only there because, you know, they were saving the world, the two are pissed, and Connor has no intentions of going quietly into the night.

I'm adding Primeval on my BBCA watch list. I think the concept is refreshing and I'm looking forward to seeing how all the character's relationships progress and, of course, I get my Alexander Siddig fix.

Watch Primeval on BBCA .

The Blue and the Gold

Smallville is one of my favorite television shows and I am genuinely going to miss it when it bows out next year after ten years of making me laugh, cry and often times want to kick the T.V. in (this show has had it's low moments and nonsensical story arcs fom Hades) BUT as a Superman fan and DC Universe junkie it has always been must see TV for me.

One of the things I find particularly enjoyable is when the show pulls in other DC heroes into the fray. This time its Booster Gold's turn as he comes to Smallville courtesy of a Geoff Johns episode titled Booster. I was also thrilled to hear that his partner in crime Blue Beetle was making an appearance as well. Now I'm not going to lie, I am disappointed that the Blue joining the Gold will be Jaime Reyes' version of Blue Beetle, not because I don't like the kid, but because Ted Kord and Booster Gold are one of my favorite Bromances of all times and I was so looking forward to seeing them together onscreen.

I discovered the two a while ago while flipping through a used comic book bin. I found a bunch of Justice League of Americas featuring a bunch of heroes I never heard of, but the art looked cool and thy were only .50 so I said what the heck. I went home and started reading and was hooked. I found the "B Team" heroes to be lovable and their relationships to be interesting and I went out and got every back issue I could find. But The Justice League Brand was too powerful to stay in the "D League" for long and soon Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the A-List were back where they belonged and my team of guys were either killed off, rebranded or just disappeared.

I was thrilled when Ted Kord reappeared in the Bat Family books, a decision that worked for his character because he clicked really well in that world, then of course, as what happens with a lot of characters, he was killed off just when he got interesting. Meanwhile Booster Gold got a new life in a new comic about time travel and stuff. It's really better then it sounds. Booster's new popularity helped Ted's and with what seemed to be a resurgence in Ted's popularity I was hoping he'd get the Babs Gordon treatment --- allowed to be Blue Beetle in the television mediums even though somebody else wore the costume in the comics, but it looks like Jamie is their guy all the way and Ted will just live on in all my old comic books. So here is a tribute I found on You Tube to the Original Recipe Blue and Gold. They'll live forever in our hearts.





You can read Geoff Johns interview about nuschool Blue and Gold here

The Other Worlds Spotlight --- BBC Merlin's Gwen, The Once and Future Queen

I have a confession to make. I'm currently obsessed with Merlin, BBC's take on the Arthurian Legend. In this version, the creators have taken a page from Smallville's book, going back to a time before Arthur his legendary self. Merlin takes many liberties with the myth, most notably the fact that Merlin is a young contemporary hiding his magic ,and that Arthur is more prat then prince sometimes, and spends most of his time trying to navigate a relationship with a father who he conveniently never knew or had to deal with in most the legends. But what makes Merlin downright revolutionary is the fact that their Guinevere is Black.

Played to perfection by British actress Angel Coulby, Guinevere, or Gwen, is nobody's sidekick. When we first meet her she is a shy servant girl who is awkward around men and crushes on anyone she sees as the opposite of Camelot's Prince --- an arrogant bully who she can't imagine anyone would want to marry. Gwen hopes that Arthur will marry her Lady, the fiery Morgana, who unbeknownst to them is his sister, but that's another story. In any other tale, Gwen would be regulated to the best friend role as the "traditionally" beautiful Morgana got all the men and all the stories, but in Merlin we get to see Gwen’s journey's to becoming queen.

I'm not sure if the BBC even thought about this, but to see a woman of color in a legendary role is amazing. She is a woman of substance who matters to the story, a woman who anybody would want to be. Gwen has been given Arthur's traditional background in this version. She is the commoner in touch with the people, while Arthur is the spoiled Noble with a selfish streak. It will be Gwen's common roots that connect Arthur to the people

Some of the criticism of Gwen's character is that she's too nice, to plain, to fickle, but I disagree. Gwen is a servant in a time when it paid to be invisible. The moment she is noticed by Arthur and King Uther is the moment she is arrested for witchcraft and almost burned at the stake. Many may prefer the emotional Morgana, but Morgana is Uther's beloved ward and has the luxury of being outspoken and dramatic; she has liberties that Gwen does not. Gwen has leaned to use her quiet dignity to make her point. Her inner strength is admirable. She thinks before she acts and she cares about how her actions will affect others.  She is also smart, using her deductive reasoning to help Merlin at times, and spying on Morgana to help Arthur.

Gwen also gets the guy --- or The Prince in this instance. Gwen and Arthur's romance is portrayed as epic and legendary and most importantly essential to the king he will become. While the Merlin/Arthur friendship is the heart of the show, and should be as this version of the legend is seen through Merlin's eyes, it is Gwen who brings out his soft side, keeps him steady, and help gives him purpose. You really see that it is the triangle of Merlin-Arthur-Guinevere that will help lead Camelot into its fabled Golden Age.

Speaking of triangle's, Gwen doesn't just get Arthur's attention; she gets ALL the guys attention. When Lancelot saunters in to town smoldering and full of earnest desire, he is instantly smitten with the sweet Gwen, falling for her before Arthur even realizes that she is alive. Sexy future knight Gwaine is next and of all the women in all of Camelot Gwen catches his eye. How often do you see a Black woman portrayed as everyone's heart desire?

In fact, men just don't want Gwen, they care about her, they treasure her.  When she is in danger it’s both Lancelot and Arthur to the rescue, risking their lives in the name of love. While a lot has been made of Gwen's feelings for Lance to me it makes sense that she would see him as a viable option. This Lancelot is a commoner, he is attainable.  Gwen is a realist who at the time of Lancelot’s appearance doesn’t believe she has a chance with Prince Arthur and she has no desire to be a martyr for love, especially when the handsome, brave Lancelot is a man that she can love and be happy with. To me that shows her to be a woman with a good head on her shoulders. What is wrong with her trying to find some happiness for herself given her circumstances?  Should she have taken a vow of celibacy and resolved to watch Arthur marry and have children while she died an old maid? Gwen clearly loves Arthur but she is terrified that Arthur is going to break her heart and she spends much of Season 2 and some of Season 3 protecting it. But when she does allow herself to believe in Arthur's love she gives herself to him completely, promising to wait for him and showing her loyalty to him by fleeing Camelot to join him on the run when Morgana takes over Camelot. How this triangle plays out in this version is anybody's guess, but one thing’s for sure, it will be interesting to watch and Gwen isn’t just going to be a victim to her fate whatever that maybe.
 
All in all Gwen's specialness lies in her ordinariness. Her race is not a factor; she is allowed to be your typical romantic heroine. She is allowed to just be an ordinary girl with an extraordinary future, and by watching her we see that anyone, no matter what color, can be a Queen.

Notable Gwen Episodes
Season One
The Dragon’s Call
Guinevere is introduced as a shy servant girl who admires bravery and would never want to marry the arrogant Prince Arthur in a million years.

The Moment of Truth
Gwen travels with Merlin, Arthur and Morgana to his childhood village and helps the villagers beat back greedy warlords. Gwen gets some face time with Arthur, scolding him for his arrogance but telling him they believe he will help them be victorious when he begins doubting himself.

Lancelot
Lancelot rides into Camelot and falls for Gwen.

To Kill a King
Gwen's father is unjustly executed by Uther. Arthur later visits her and apologizes, promising that he has secured her job and her house. This episode loses points when it ignores the repercussions on Gwen and turns into another episode of Morgana Hates Uther.

Le Morte d'Arthur
Arthur almost dies and it is Gwen's faith in him that helps him pull through. This episode is the beginning of the Gwen/Arthur romance.


Season Two
The Once and Future Queen
Arthur stays at Gwen's house so that he can secretly compete in a tournament. The two are drawn to each other

Lancelot and Guinevere
Gwen impersonates Morgana and is kidnapped in her place. Both Lancelot and Arthur come to her rescue and triangular complications ensue.

Sweet Dreams
Arthur is enchanted to think he loves a visiting princess just when Gwen is ready to give them a chance. Gwen's true love kiss breaks the spell.


Season Three

The Tears of Uther Pendragon Part 2
Gwen gives Arthur sound advice when he needs it most. She also helps take care of the wounded when Camelot is under siege.

Gwaine
Gwen is the lucky girl in Gwaine's sight. Just funny to see how much everyone likes her milkshake.

The Changeling
Arthur is forced into an arrange marriage and Gwen must find a way to cope.

Castle of Fryien
Gwen gets a brother and story of her own.

The Eye of the Phoenix
Gwen uses her detective skills to deduce that Morgana has turned to the Dark Side.

The Queen of Hearts
Gwen and Arthur are discovered by Uther. Gwen keeps her wits and her dignity as she tries to hold onto Arthur and her life.

The Coming of Arthur Part 2
Gwen acts as a mole in Morgana's court, helping Sir Leon escape and joining Arthur and his knights in their bid to retake Camelot.

Tron Legacy

Having never seen the original Tron I wasn't sure what to expect when I went to see Tron Legacy, I expected to be entertained, but I didn't expect to enjoy the movies as much as I did.

It's twenty-something years after the first Tron and computer genius Kevin Flynn has disappeared leaving his empire to his disinterested son who let's a bunch of money grubbing pricks run it. The pricks "greed is good" motto goes against Kevin Flynn's "free love, technology for all" motto and former Big Man on Top and Flynn best friend Alan, played by a still gorgeous Bruce Boxlietner, is suffering in silence over it. Alan gets a page, yes a page! from Kevin's old office and Sam goes to investigate and is sucked into the world of Tron where he must stop a megalomaniac program from trying to conquer "the real world."

I had no problem following the storyline, which was great and I actually found myself liking Sam Flynt from the beginning which was a plus because I wanted to follow his journey and I was rooting for him to reunite with his dad. I also was a big fan of the story itself. I also thought they did a good job establishing Sam as a fearless daredevil so his later antics in Tron seemed totally believable.

I find the concept of what it means to be alive fascinating and I think the religious overtones added a layer to the story that made it more than the average video game turned movie fare. I also liked the fact that what is happening in Tron is a hell built on good intentions. There is also some amusing computer generation that Jeff Bridges must have gotten a kick out of. While I didn't agree with way the movie wrapped up Sam's quasi love interest and Flynn protege Quorra's arc, I understand why they chose that route.This was an amazing movie to watch and did I mention that Bruce Boxlietner is still gorgeous?

Four Snaps Up!