Tag Archives: Action Television

Neagley: Season 1 – TV Review

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TL;DR – While it has a slow start, it sinks its hooks in as you desperately want to see the bad guys fail before the bodies pile up too high.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Amazon Prime service used to view this series.

Warning – Contains scenes which may cause distress.

Neagley jumping through the air.

Neagley Review Introduction –

One of Amazon Prime’s most successful series in recent years has been Reacher, and given its success, it was only a matter of time before someone tried a spin-off. But if you are going to spin off such a successful series, you need to have a good hook, and I think one of the most successful supporting cast members is a good place to start. Now, we have had the chance to watch the season, and it is time to dive back in to see if it worked or not.   

So, to set the scene, it is 2 am in Chicago, and a man walks out onto the train line tracks into oncoming traffic and is killed instantly. The man, Tommy Crane (Jhaleil Swaby), was an old childhood friend of Neagley (Maria Sten), who has just finished off a successful resolution of a kidnapping case with a little help from her old boss Reacher (Alan Ritchson). While she had not seen Tommy in years, him getting so high that he would walk out onto oncoming traffic does not sound like him, and so she must investigate. Now, from here, we will be looking at the season as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Neagley: L Train [S1E1] – TV Review

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TL;DR – This is a slow start to the Reacher spin-off, but you do see glimpses of something interesting in between the beatdowns.

Disclosure – I paid for the Amazon Prime service used to view this series.

Warning – Contains scenes which may cause distress.

Neagley and Reacher at a baseball game.

Neagley Review Introduction–

One of Amazon Prime’s most successful series in recent years has been Reacher, and given its success, it was only a matter of time before someone tried a spin-off. But if you are going to spin off such a successful series, you need to have a good hook, and I think one of the most successful supporting cast members is a good place to start.

So, to set the scene, it is 2 am in Chicago, and a man walks out onto the train line tracks into oncoming traffic and is killed instantly. The man, Tommy Crane (Jhaleil Swaby), was an old childhood friend of Neagley (Maria Sten), who has just finished off a successful resolution of a kidnapping case with a little help from her old boss Reacher (Alan Ritchson). While she had not seen Tommy in years, him getting so high that he would walk out onto oncoming traffic does not sound like him, and so she must investigate. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Reacher: Season Four – TV Review

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TL;DR – A solid season that never evolves the manual but does show why it works as well as it does.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Amazon Prime subscription that viewed this series.

Reacher looks out in concern.

Reacher Review Introduction

Another season of Reacher has come to a close, and thankfully it was a much better ride than what we got in Season Three. With that in mind, we will dive into what makes the series work as well as it does, and also what might be holding it back from really making a cultural moment.   

So, to set the scene, it is 2:18 am in Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love. Reacher (Alan Ritchson) is taking one of the last trains for the night when he notices a woman in clear distress, her hands hidden in a bag. Fearing the inevitable disaster, he tries to talk the lady down from the coming disaster. But when he lies to say he is a cop, hoping that will stop the escalation, it has the opposite result. Reacher feels like he failed the woman in her hour of need, but worse, every department in the federal government is now very interested in a suicide on an early morning train. Now, from here, we will be looking at the season as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Reacher: Bridge [S4E5] – TV Review

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TL;DR – Reacher finds himself up a particular creek without any manual propulsion devices.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Amazon Prime subscription that viewed this series.

Reacher falling through a trash chute.

Reacher Review Introduction

We have reached the halfway point of the season, and this is the point where things start falling apart. Well, Season Four has decided not to buck that trend and has leaned into it hard as the whole case gets turned on its head.

So, to set the scene, we left Reacher (Alan Ritchson) surrounded by a pile of bodies and the police banging down the door. It was a setup, because Lila (Agnez Mo) and Amisha (Anggun) are not as mild-mannered as they seem, and are in fact cold-blooded killers, favouring curved blades. This changes everything we thought about this case and more. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Reacher: City of Brotherly Love [S4E1] – TV Review

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TL;DR – Reacher has a nasty habit of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Amazon Prime subscription that viewed this series.

Warning – Contains scenes which may cause distress.

The Philadelphia skyline.

Reacher Review Introduction

I was captivated by Reacher in its first two seasons. Season One was a breath of fresh air in a very stale genre, and Season Two escalated that to new heights. However, I came off Season Three with a real concern that the wind might be going out of this franchise. Well, today, we will dive into the first episode of the new season to see if it can buck off the languishing legacy of last season and forge new ground.

So, to set the scene, it is 2:18 am in Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love. Reacher (Alan Ritchson) is taking one of the last trains for the night when he notices a woman in clear distress, her hands hidden in a bag. Fearing the inevitable disaster, he tries to talk the lady down from the coming disaster. But when he lies to say he is a cop, hoping that will stop the escalation, it has the opposite result. Reacher feels like he failed the woman in her hour of need, but worse, every department in the federal government is now very interested in a suicide on an early morning train. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Citadel: Baked Alaskas [S2:E1] – TV Review

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TL;DR – A stronger start, but the jury is still out if it can rebound from a very mixed first outing.  

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Amazon Prime service that viewed this series.

A computer screen with information on Frank Sharpe.

Citadel Review Introduction

Back in 2023, one of the few ambitious projects in the streaming era started. I mean, what is the point of having a global streaming conglomerate if you are not going to do something with it? Citadel and its Spyverse were going to be a worldwide streaming universe where different countries would add to the growing lore. Conceptionally fascinating, practically quite a mess, with Season One devolving into massive expensive reshoots, which didn’t help the promotion of the spin-offs Diana & Honey Bunny. But the series has been improving with each iteration, so it is time to see if the original series can continue the charge, or if this is the last hurrah.

So, to set the scene, everyone has gone into hiding after the events of Season One. But the reach of Manticore is large, and soon, nowhere is safe to hide. In England, a smuggler is enjoying a party only to have his entire security taken out by Hutch (Jack Reynor), for he is hunting for Paolo Braga (Gabriel Leone), who didn’t suspect that the item that was being smuggled was none other than Bernard (Stanley Tucci). Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead. 

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A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: Season 1 – TV Review

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TL;DR – A concise, character-driven return to Westeros that proves how powerful focused storytelling can be.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the HBO Max service that viewed this series.

A horse walks through a forest at dawn.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Review –

I am going to admit up front that I came into this series quite cautiously. The Game of Thrones universe has brought me much joy in the past. However, we have seen in the past with Season 8 of GoT and Season 2 of HotD that it is a very precarious world that can fall apart at short notice. Was I willing to let my heart be broken for a third time, because I think that makes it shame on me? Well, like a fool, I gave it a go, and I think that was the right choice.     

So, to set the scene, we open with Duncan (Peter Claffey) burying his Ser Arlan of Pennytree (Danny Webb) in the ground, now all alone, no real skills to call his own. While he may not have skills that would earn him honest employment, he could be a knight. Taking on the moniker of Ser Duncan the Tall, claiming that his master knighted him in his dying moments. There is a tournament in Ashford, which is a substantial risk, because he does not have the money to ransom back his horses even if he fails once. But maybe the young, orphaned Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell), whom he meets along the road and cons his way into being a squire, might bring the luck he needs. Or a complication that will completely change his life. One of the two probably … or, more likely, both. Now, from here, we will be looking at the season as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.  

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Twisted Metal: Season 2 – TV Review

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TL;DR – The mayhem was increased, but I am not sure it had the same impact as the first season.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Stan service that viewed this series.

End Credit Scene – NUY3ARZ has a mid and end credit scene.

Calypso.

Twisted Metal Review Introduction –

I was intrigued when they first announced they were doing an adaptation of Twisted Metal. Its chaotic nature seemed tailor-made for television, provided the adaptation didn’t dilute its core. Also, there was just enough of a narrative framework lurking in the background to give you something to hang your story on, but not enough that you are stuck telling someone else’s vision. The First Season had its flaws, but it sold a world. Now I am looking to see if Season Two can build on that.

So, to set the scene, 20 years ago, the world fell apart as a virus destroyed the world’s computers. This apocalyptic event split the world in two. Some walled themselves up inside cities, and for those who got booted outside, a lawless void awaited. But there is intrigue on the horizon, because the enigmatic Calypso (Anthony Carrigan) has called a tournament. Anyone with a car can enter, but the last one standing will get any wish they desire. It is a possibility that no one can turn down. Now, from here, we will be looking at the season as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Reacher: Season 3 – TV Review

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TL;DR – I am not sure if the formula is starting to feel repetitive or if this season falls flat for me, but I didn’t connect with it at all.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Amazon Prime subscription that viewed this series.

Reacher standing by a road.

Reacher Review –

There are few people in the military fiction business with a bigger name than Lee Child. His novels, especially his Reacher series, are legendary in the space. So much so that having Tom Cruise be the face of the film adaptations was seen as a disappointment because he did not live up to the depiction in the novels. However, there was much rejoicing when the First and Second TV series came out because they captured the essence of what the book readers and the general public wanted, and that is a hard cross-section to nail. But now, after seeing the third season, I’m not as sure as I once was.   

So, to set the scene, poor Reacher (Alan Ritchson) always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. This time, all he wanted to do was sell some old records to fund the next part of his journey, but when he looked out to the street, he saw a kidnapping happen right in front of him. Quickly dispatching the potential captors, he tries to get the potential hostage, Richard Beck (Johnny Berchtold), to safety, only to find one of the potential captors was a cop. Now a potential wanted felon, he takes a job with Richard’s father, Zachary (Anthony Michael Hall), while things blow over. However, all is not what it seems, and Reacher might be just where he wants to be. Now, from here, we will be looking at the season as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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The Last of Us: Through the Valley [S2E2] – TV Review

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TL;DR – It shows the strength of the production team that even when you know how the narrative will go, yet you are still sitting on the edge of your chair.    

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Max service that viewed this show.

End Credit Scene – There is a trailer and behind-the-scenes making off.

Abby looks out over the town of Jackson.

The Last of Us Review –

Look, I have to speak very vaguely here because we are on the wrong side of the spoiler zone, but when I said during our review of Future Days that I came into this season with a bit of apprehension, today’s episode was at the forefront of my mind. Could this adaptation pull off multiple story points that will echo not just throughout the show but out into general pop culture? Well, let’s have a look.  

So, to set the scene, while the New Year Party was meant to be a fount of joy for the community of Jackson, Wyoming, it ended in a confrontation that confirmed the fault lines that have grown between Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) in the five years since Season One. Ellie might not know what Joel lied about, but that lie has slowly soured their relationship. But things are difficult for Jackson at the moment. It is the deep of winter, but the Infected have also been acting in different ways, and now you don’t know if you should be more concerned with things walking above or crawling below the snowline. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead. 

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