review: the white lotus season 3
Another Season of the white Lotus has come to an end. Let’s recap the highs and lows of the finale.
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The Boys remains at the top of its game. Review: Season 4 Episode 4
First things first: GIVE ANTONY STARR AN EMMY. The first three episodes felt like a warm-up for what’s to come. Episode 4 continues the dark, chaotic journey of our favorite fucked up heroes and this may be one of the Seasons best so far. Homelander takes a chilling trip down memory lane by visiting the underground Vought laboratory he grew up in. This is where we see the depths of his sociopathy, as he confronts the very people who tortured him as a child and no one is getting out alive here. Antony Starr’s performance as Homelander is a masterclass in portraying a deranged mind, delivering layers of menace and vulnerability without a single flashback. Instead, Homelander’s verbal recount of his past horrors makes for a deeply unsettling experience. Beginning the episode with that, already kept its audience on the hook. Meanwhile,the newest addition to the Seven Sister Sage could once again show what she is capable of this episode. Sages plan against Annie seems to work. After we have established that the enmity between Starlight and Firecracker was established, and the primary reason for that simply being Annie’s rude behavior during her fashion pageantry days when they were younger. Fair to say: Starlight gets her moment, her patience couldn’t hold back anymore after Firecracker revealed one of her most private secrets. She confront her, leading to one of the most satisfying fights of the Season 4 so far. Starlight’s confrontation with Firecracker is truly another standout moment. It’s satisfying to see her finally unleash her rage and stand up to the ridicule she has to endure. Her reaction feels incredibly real and relatable. It remains exciting to see what happens next, now that the politicans seem to step back in worry, of losing their republican votes. Also: The lobotomy scene between Sister Sage and The Deep is grotesquely fascinating, showcasing Susan Heyward’s chilling performance and the disturbing chemistry between the characters. The episode also expands on Kimiko’s mystery and Frenchie’s tragic confession to Colin. Although it is fair to say that we love and support queer representation on TV, the entire subplot involving Frenchie and Colin feels somewhat forced. We’re expected to empathize with Colin despite having just met him, resulting in also making the emotional weight of Frenchie’s confession unfortunately feel a bit rushed. Meanwhile Hughie fights for the life of his father. The doctor announces that Hugh has essentially passed away and has been put on life support. He has a few days left once they pull the plug. Hughies mother thinks it’s the humane thing to do, but Hughie doesn’t want to come to terms with the fact that his father is about to pass away. Therefore he has to cooperate with someone who still owes him: A-Train. The Plan: injecting Compound V into his father’s bloodstream to save him. Despite Butchers warning, the subplot ends in Hugh opening his eyes. We saw Hughie questioning his decision – so however his father got that injection remains a mystery. Personal Highlight: Homelander’s return to his childhood lab is hands down a personal highlight of this episode. It has been a while since a Show made one gasp and point at the screen the way his scenes did. Antony Starr is at his terrifying best, delivering a performance that truly deserves an Emmy. The way he recounts his traumatic past and exacts revenge on the lab employees is both haunting and cathartic. The line, “Get in the oven, Frank,” is stuck in my head. After torturing one Vought Employee after another Barbara shows up. Homelander isn’t done, though, because he wants Barbara to pay as well. She makes him hesitate for a second though and explains that since Vought knew that Homelander couldn’t be overpowered with force, they needed to get into his head. The best psychologists from all over the world were brought in to plant an insatiable need for appreciation and love deep into Homeland’s psyche. Although he tries to convince Barbara and himself that he has squashed all his human desires, she lets him know that it’s something he won’t be able to get rid of. He tests that and fair to say he traumatizes Barbara by painting the room with the innards of the Vought employees. This episode solidified Homelander as one of the scariest characters on television right now. His final scene, grinning maniacally with blood splattered all over, is the stuff of nightmares. Final Thoughts: The episode does a great job of setting up the stakes for the rest of the season. With each character hitting new lows, the path to the endgame is paved with chaos and unpredictability. Here’s hoping the upcoming episodes maintain this momentum and deliver a satisfying built up to the shows conclusion. Episode 4 is a thrilling, grotesque, and emotional rollercoaster that showcases The Boys at its best. Homelander’s chilling arc, Starlight’s fierce stand, and the disturbing new dynamics keep us on the edge of our seats, eagerly awaiting what’s to come next. LFG! 🔥
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The Boys Season 4 kicks off strong with an epic 3-episode opening
“You had a clean shot at him, right? With Soldier Boy? You didn’t take it. Was your eye on the ball?“ The highly anticipated fourth season of The Boys has finally debuted on Prime Video today, and it kicks off with a bang, releasing the first three episodes at once. The show continues its tradition of blending dark humor, biting satire, and (head-)explosive action. As the show edges closer to its conclusion, with a confirmed final fifth season, its penultimate season opening set the stage for what promises to be an intense ride. Season 4 opens with a gripping 16-minute intro that sets the tone for the rest of the season. New VP-elect Victoria Neuman delivers victory speeches on election night, the perfect opportunity for The Boys to attempt to take her down. With Neuman’s daughter Zoe’s newly developed powers – snakes shooting out of her face (after being injected with Compound-V last season) – and Butcher being a liability for the team due to his terminal illness, their mission quickly fails, making Neuman seem more indestructable than ever. However, this isn’t the only thing the team struggles with this season. The episode carefully lays out each character’s subplots: Billy Butcher (Karl Urban), haunted by hallucinations of his dead wife and the constant reminder of his limited time, becomes increasingly desperate and reckless, to Mother’s Milk’s dismay. At his wits end, M.M. ends up kicking him off the team, despite Hughie’s pleas to let him stay. New character Joe Kessler (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) serves as a reminder to keep his eyes on what really matters: saving the world. Yet Butcher desperately wants to save Ryan from Homelander’s influence and keep people from turning him into a weapon, and he tries everything in his power to convince him to leave his biological father. Speak of the devil, Homelander suffers from a midlife crisis, getting older and dealing with the with the pushback from the masses after committing a murder (from which he unsurprisingly gets proven innocent) is getting on his last nerve. Nobody in the Seven challenges him anymore and his son Ryan is struggling with the morality of Vought and the Supes. In his manic panic, Homelander seeks out Sister Sage (Susan Heyward), whose superpower is being the smartest person in the world. She comes up with a plan for his new success story and eventually joins the Seven. It is not clear what her true motives are, however she seems to be manipulating everyone at Vought. A truly intriguing new addition to the story, there must be more to her willingness to work alongside Homelander. Meanwhile, Annie January (Starlight) is still trying to reclaim her identity, but when questions of leadership for the Starlighters arise, she faces an internal conflict that ultimately makes her decide to make her comeback. Fan-favorite duo Frenchie and Kimiko both face their pasts to move forward. Frenchie starts a rushed romance with Colin, a fellow Narcotics Anonymous member, and struggles with revealing that he killed Colin’s family in his past. Hopefully the show will allow for more room for this arc, as it unfortunately seems very rushed and shallow. Kimiko decides the best way to deal with her traumatic past is to confront it head-on, leading to some of the episode’s most intense and iconic moments. Hughie grapples with guilt and anger after his father suffers a stroke, compounded by the appearance of his estranged mother, who adds little energy to the show thus far. The show’s humor remains sharp and unapologetic: The Deep continues to be a source of comic relief, with Tilda Swinton’s cameo as his octopus girlfriend, Ambrosius, being particularly hilarious. Noir’s Vessel has found a new host who finally talks (although he shouldn’t) and delivers a few hilarious one-liners. By now, it shouldn’t even be a surprise to see an auto-erotic depiction of the human centipede on our screens, but Kripke’s creativity surely remains intact. The ability of The Boys to draw parallels to real-world events is as strong as ever. From the January 6th Capitol storming to satirical takes on the Amber Heard-Johnny Depp trial, the series doesn’t shy away from controversy. New addition to the Seven, “Firecracker”, serves as a caricature of alt-right conspiracists. The self-aware nature of the show allows it to walk this fine line effectively. Antony Starr’s acting performances remain some of the strongest on television today. His delivery and micro-expressions continue to captivate. Season 4 of The Boys continues to deliver its unique blend of dark humor, social commentary, and high-octane action, making it a must-watch for fans and newcomers alike. The character development and intricate storylines keep the audience engaged, while the show’s willingness to tackle controversial topics head-on ensures it remains relevant and thought-provoking. With just one season left, the groundwork laid in this season promises an explosive and satisfying conclusion to a series that has consistently pushed the boundaries of superhero storytelling. You can catch the new season of The Boys with a new episode premiering weekly on Prime Video.
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TV Show Tuesday: Severance
“Severance“, created by Dan Erickson is a gripping psychological thriller set in a near-future corporate world. The story follows Mark S. (Adam Scott), an employee of Lumon Industries, where a unique procedure called Severance separates work memories from personal life. As Mark delves deeper into the company’s secrets, he uncovers dark truths about mind-altering experiments and hidden agendas, leading to a thrilling journey of discovery and self-preservation. The show was greenlit by Apple in 2019 with Ben Stiller as director and renewed for a second season on April 6, 2022. Season 2 has wrapped up filming, but so far no release date has been set. Thankfully, according to actor Adam Scott, our “patience doesn’t have to hold on too much longer.” Character Guide: The show is filled with many interesting and versatile characters. From the rebellious Helly R., to the soft-hearted Irving – these personalities are one of the many intruiging things about “Severance.” Here’s an overview: Scene Stealers: Burt and Irving – Episode 6, ‘HIDE AND SEEK’ In Severance’s sixth episode, fan favorite characters Burt (Christopher Walken) and Irving (John Turturro) find themselves in a plant-room on the severed floor of Lumon Industries – a garden that resembles Eden. As Irving vulnerably expresses his anxieties about their first kiss, Burt gently reassures, “It’s okay. Just stay. Stay here with me.” They lean in, their foreheads touching, finding solace in each other’s presence and basking in the warmth of their connection. If witnessing their undeniable chemistry doesn’t set your heart ablast, what will? Themes Severance delves into many different themes, across various dimensions. Thus if you are looking for the one meaning of this show’s message, you’ll come up empty-handed. A few main key elements the show critiques and emphasizes are workplace culture, authenticity, science, artificial intelligence, religion and trauma. What truly captivates about this show is its universal relatability, ensuring that anyone can find resonance within its narrative. In the next part, we will be touching on the theme of authenticity. Questioning The Concept of “Authenticity” In “Severance”, authenticity is a fragmented mirror, reflecting the shattered selves of the characters. Here, the dichotomy between work and personal personas is not just a divide, but a chasm, with each side possessing its own reality. This dissonance challenges the very essence of what it means to be genuine. “Severance” suggests that our identities are not fixed but fluid, shaped by the environments we inhabit. Colors “We wanted the outside world to have much more warmth and color, rather than the very tight color palette or Lumon, which is predominantly green and blue.” Color plays a crucial role in “Severance,” reflecting both personal preferences and narrative themes. Predoniminant blues and greens are being used consistently, aligning with the show’s themes of calmness and control. Warmer tones signify discomfort, particularly for protagonist Mark. The calculated use of color mirrors the series’ controlled world, with decisions made intuitively to enhance emotional resonance. In “Severance,” color isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s a storytelling tool that deepens the viewing experience, according to set decorator Andrew Baseman and cinematographer Jessica Lee Gagné. Overall Score: A-
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David Tennant’s Final Bow Before Ncuti Gatwa Takes Center Stage for Doctor Who
In a display of time and emotion, the Doctor Who universe is set to witness a remarkable event – the triumphant return of David Tennant and Catherine Tate to the TARDIS. As the iconic Tenth Doctor, Tennant left an indelible mark on the hearts of fans worldwide, and graces our screens once more in 3(!) special episodes to pass the torch to the incredible Ncuti Gatwa.
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The Bear gets Third Season
Exciting news! The critically acclaimed and award-winning hit series, ‘The Bear’, has officially been renewed for a third season and is set to make its return in 2024…
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Lost in Time: The Premiere of Loki Season 2
Lokis second Season dropped last week. Of course we had to see it and check out if the newest Marvel TV Show is worth to check out.
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How do you cope with a break up? Premiere of Our Flag Means Death Season 2
“You know there’s a bird that never touches ground? It’s horn in the air. Never once lands. Spends its entire existence in the sky.” How do you cope with a break up? Is it the bucket of ice-cream? A new hairstyle? Maybe you let your beard grow out? Well, Stede and Ed are currently going through an (unofficial) break-up (on a break, if we ask Stede) and these two go through it quite differently. We got Edward, who fully embraces his fearsome Blackbeard persona. Bloody, gory. Decapitating heads? Okay. Massacre at a wedding? Who fucking cares about love anyway! Ed doesn’t. He’s so over Stede. Or is he? Stede, on the other hand, is so certain that once he sees Ed, all will go back to how it is supposed to be. Running into each other’s arms. Them finally being happily in love – therefore he must find his old ship, the Revenge, again to finally talk to Edward. It’s just that the road to that state is a little shaky. With the Second season of David Jenkins’ Our Flag Means Death, we follow Stede (Rhys Darby) and Ed (Taika Waititi) as they navigate their lives after the sudden break-up. The new season premiered on October 5th with 3 Episodes. The first episode depicts how the two characters are holding up after the events of the season 1 finale. Stede and the former crew of ‘The Revenge’ are, more or less, forced to work for Spanish Jackie and try to make enough money to get back to the sea (most importantly for Stede) to find Ed. They get rescued by Susan (Ruibo Qian), the Pirate Queen. Meanwhile Blackbeard is one of the most wanted pirates on the sea as he commits one insane crime after another to get over his break up. His crew isn’t even allowed to mention Stedes name. Once the crew mentions the toxic relationship Eds first mate Izzy (Con O’Neill) has to the pirate, he dares to speak up. With consequences. The second episode starts off very emotional as we see both pirates struggle with their grief. Stede and his crew discover that Susan has conquered China and adjust to their new lifestyle on the ship. That’s when we get a big surprise: Lucius is alive!!! Since Izzy was supposed to get killed (but luckily didn’t), Frenchie replaces him as first mate, but Ed is suspicious or maybe he knows that nothing really can kill Izzy Hands. The remaining members of The Revenge plan mutiny against Ed, because they can no longer handle his leadership antics and seemingly succeed in taking him down after he suffers a mental break. After finding ‘The Revenge’, the crew reunites and Stede desperately tries to find a way to get Ed to wake up. So far, we are really, really enjoying season 2 – Our Flag Means Death, and their incredible writers, once again show that good representation isn’t a hard thing to do, gender and sexual identities are completely naturally and organically represented on our screens, which is the way it should be. The introduction of new characters on the show is absolutely awesome. Susan is a great addition to the characters we came to love. With flashback montages, an amazing soundtrack (I mean, Wuthering Heights, come on!) and outstanding acting – the beginning of the season prepared us for an emotional rollercoaster. New Episodes of ‘Our Flag Means Death’s second season drop every Thursday and we can already tell they won’t leave us fans down. Quite the contrary actually, its premiere caused a huge uproar of excitement and joy for the rest of the season. The writers must really appreciate the fans – after the premiere of the episode, we recognized cheesy fan-fiction-esque tropes and some artists even saw their fanart ideas come to life on the screen. It was magical and completely surreal, that a team worked to honor their audience. The show truly is made with a lot of love.
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‘Gen V’ Episode 3 Review: “#ThinkBrink”
“How could Mom and Dad do that to us?”“They thought they were giving us powers.”“Well, I got a lot more than powers. I got a broken fucking brain!” Episode 3 kicks off with a flashback, taking us back to Sage Grove Center three years ago. We see Sam (Asa Germann), visibly agitated and upset over learning about Compound V. Luke (Patrick Schwarzenegger) calms down his little brother, we get an emotionally charged scene, emphasizing the brother’s love for each other. This scene turns out to be a flashback of Cate’s (Maddie Phillips) in the form of a nightmare, from passing from overusing her powers. Cate and Andre’s (Chance Perdomo) relationship takes an unexpected turn. Meanwhile, Marie (Jaz Sinclair) rescues Emma (Lizze Broadway), who has pushed her powers to become tiny. They argue about their self-harming use of their abilities, each defending their actions as a demonstration of their power. Godolkin University plans a fundraiser and Vought strategizes to shape Marie’s image. Andre yearns to do something heroic. Emma’s overbearing mother enters the picture. Another flashback shows us the moment Luke learns about Sam’s supposed suicide three years ago. At the gala, Marie becomes the center of attention, while Emma faces exploitation from her mother and Vought. Emma and Marie’s friendship deepens as they share a heartfelt moment in the bathroom. Emma and Jordan confront each of their parents’ ignorance and bigotry, tackling gender and mental health issues. Jordan’s “I’ve always just been me” quote was super powerful and London Thor’s delivery was excellent. Andre seeks Emma’s help in a dangerous mission and then confides in his dad, who reveals he’s aware of the sinister activities in “the woods”. Emma and Sam meet and form a connection based on empathy and understanding and after learning the true reason for Emma being there, he agrees to be rescued. After learning about Indira’s exploitative intentions, Marie finally reveals the truth about her parents to Jordan and Cate, building their bond. The episode ends with Emma witnessing Sam’s torture. She tries to save him, but the security seemingly outnumbers them, leaving us on a gripping cliffhanger. #ThinkBrink skillfully delves into the theme of exploitation, shedding light on real-life challenges faced by many children and young adults. The show’s masterful use of the score and sound effects, particularly in the opening scene, stood out to me, as well as the continuous well-paced story building. What truly shines is the development of the characters and their relationships, which felt incredibly natural and organic and I’m genuinely excited to see where the show plans to take these characters in future episodes. One aspect that I, and I’m sure many fans of “The Boys”, particularly appreciate is how the show manages to connect both the main series and its spin-off. It subtly incorporates callbacks and references, such as a glimpse of the infamous ‘Love Sausage’ in The Woods and we even got a cameo from ‘The Deep’ (Chace Crawford). Overall, Episode 3 is a must-watch and my favorite so far. It’s got relevant themes, great character development, and a story that keeps you excited for what’s next. Don’t miss it! -Mel
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‘Gen V’ Episode 2 Review: “First day”
–This review contains spoilers for Episode 2 of Gen V- We return to Godolkin University. A tragic incident hallows above the school. Golden Boy blew himself up. No one truly saw it coming. After all, he was promised to join the Seven. His sudden death plays a role in what the season seems to unfold. The secret behind “the woods.” The episode starts off with another music choice that left me hooked. Phoebe Bridgers, covering “Nothing else matters”, while a team clears out the remains of Golden Boy. It’s a scene that could’ve been right out of The Boys. Episode two tries to build up the character around Marie. We get a closer look at Cate, who grieves for her boyfriend and may have a clue for the investigation on the woods. Meanwhile Vought wants all the budget they have invested in Golden Boy to go to another student that can take his place in time. We at last get a look at a familiar character and meet Ashley (with a full head of hair!). Complaining to Indira, the new dean of Godolkin University, about what she’s supposed to do with all the merch she had on golden boy. Urging the people at Godolkin to push Andre Anderson and Marie Mareau up to the top 10. Andre is expected to fully take over Golden Boys’ spot. In this scene we get another hint to the infamous woods, with Ashley mentioning how an exposure would cause “a fatal problem” for Vought. Indira seems to take a special interest in Marie, although her real intentions remain unclear. She makes her attend photoshootings, interviews and turns Marie to the first Freshman who’s ever been in the Schools Top 10. What the audience finds out – what the characters aren’t aware of yet – is that she also plays a huge role behind the secret of the Sage Grove Center or as the friend group calls it: the Woods. Cate and Andre question the school’s involvement in Luke’s death. They find out that Lukes little brother Sam has been kept under the grips of the Sage Grove Center for years, while his relatives were told that Sam died a long time ago. Cate and Andre ignore every other obligation and turn Sam to a new priority in order to honor Luke’s last wishes. Meanwhile Maries roommate Emma opens up about the secret behind her superpower to a girl she entrusted in class. Getting backstabbed by the same person, Emma’s story gets taken advantage of to boost the classmate’s social media accounts. The episode does a great job in establishing the characters we briefly met in Episode 1 and turning them into their own people. By the end of it, the people around Marie had so many facettes that they became exciting. While watching, I sometimes completely forgot about other subplots, because I was so hooked on what was happening right now. Although it does add more depth to the other characters, Marie sadly falls a little flat here. We find out that her main intention behind all of this, is gaining her sister’s trust back and being able to see her again – once it’s clear that this may not happen, the morals she has established start to turn gray. The overall theme of the episode plays with our generation’s addiction to social media and does a great job of highlighting its consequences, like feeling the need to get more and more likes and positive feedback. Following the social criticism, toxic “faux” mental health positivity gets a reality check by pointing out the hypocrisy of only bringing attention to it when something terrible happens. Despite the episode’s few flaws, Gen V still has a strong start, beating many preceding spin-offs.
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