Tag Archives: James Spader

VisionQuest: Immolation [S1:E7] – TV Review

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TL;DR – This week reconnected me back to the story with some strong themes, which was important after last week’s outing.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Disney+ service used to view this series.

Vision, and the team try to work things out.

VisionQuest Review Introduction

Today we dive into the penultimate episode of VisionQuest, and for the first time, I am a little concerned. I came out of last week’s Deadlock, feeling quite concerned with the direction of the show. Some of the reveals left a bad taste in my mouth. However, Terry Matalas has not done me wrong yet, so I am here to see if he can bring it all together.

So, to set the scene, everyone is working through the fallout of Deadlock, with Vision (Paul Bettany) and Tommy (Ruaridh Mollica) trying desperately to save Lisa (Lauren Morais) from the nanobot that Jocasta (T’nia Miller) sent into her brain and is slowly rewriting who she is as a person. Meanwhile, Jocasta and Ultron (James Spader) have made their way to her mortal grave and unlocked five of the six locks needed to unleash her plan of world domination, which is when the mysterious benefactor arrives to both parties, offering them hope, or sending them to ruin. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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VisionQuest: Deadlock [S1:E6] – TV Review

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TL;DR – There are a lot of responses you can have to an episode of television, but one you never want to hear is “oh…..”.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Disney+ service used to view this series

A statue of a bird in front of Jocasta's digital house.

VisionQuest Review Introduction

We have reached the end of our penultimate episode drop of VisionQuest as calamities are colliding and the story is heating up. Well, I wish I could say that about this episode; however, one of these did not happen, and I am not quite as hyped as I once was.

So, to set the scene, at the end of Firewall, Vision (Paul Bettany) made a choice that could change everything: he lowered his firewall and let Ultron (James Spader) … and FRIDAY (Orla Brady) … escape into the internet. The last time they pursued the internet they decided to destroy all of humanity [look, fair]. What will happen this time when there is another synth, Jocosta (T’nia Miller), also out there causing trouble? Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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VisionQuest: Firewall [S1:E5] – TV Review

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TL;DR – How do you visualise robots hunting each other down in cyberspace? Well, with a play, my dear.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Disney+ service used to view this series.

The gang in colour in a black and white room.

VisionQuest Review Introduction

Well, we have entered that back half of this series, and so far with No Strings, Theseus, Reboot, & Malware we have gotten a lot of setup, a lot of sheer glances, and a lot of furtive statements. But we don’t have a lot of solid ground, and we are running out of time to stick that hard landing. Will today’s episode prove to be that foundation?

So, to set the scene, well, this is not good. Vision (Paul Bettany) gave Ultron (James Spader) access to his body to stop Jocasta (T’nia Miller) from killing everyone, including Thomas (Ruaridh Mollica). Still, once you give Ultron a crack, he takes a mile. In this case, by locking Vision, EDITH (Emily Hampshire), FRIDAY (Orla Brady), DUM-E (Henry Lewis), & U (Jonathan Sayer) up in the loft he was once trapped in. But sure, they may be in jail, but four AI programs with moxie can still achieve a lot. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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VisionQuest: Malware [S1:E4] – TV Review

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TL;DR – The pivot point of the season, in many ways.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Disney+ service used to view this series.

A TV bathed in red light showing a mirrored crow taking flight.

VisionQuest Review Introduction

In many modern shows, there can be a pivot point that yanks the narrative in a very specific direction. To use an MCU example, when we found out that Wanda is in control in WandaVision or when Wanda is in control in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Well, today is that time.

So, to set the scene, at the end of Reboot, things were starting to look up. Tommy (Ruaridh Mollica) had started to get over his phobia of water, Vision (Paul Bettany) had turned off and on again, and Paladin (Todd Stashwick) found the wrong synth. It was all going well, until FRIDAY (Orla Brady) discovers that something or someone snuck in during the reset. “The Power of Code Compels You” because it is time for a little exorcism. Also, I think you should be taking the anniversary of Sokovia with a bit more interest Vision. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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VisionQuest: Reboot [S1:E3] – TV Review

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TL;DR – When you introduce a villain in the same show as Ultron, you need to do it as well as this.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Disney+ service used to view this series.

Pixelated fire at the heart of Vision.

VisionQuest Review Introduction

We have now moved into the next batch of episodes with VisionQuest, and after some solid set-up, it is time to get into the meat of the episode. Is what I would be saying if this was not another set-up episode, but when you are setting up such a solid villain, well, I will allow it.

So, to set the scene, at the end of Theseus, things are looking really bad for Vision (Paul Bettany). Paladin (Todd Stashwick) just shot him full of adamantium rounds, breaking his unbreakable case and leaking vital fluids all over the place. He would be dead if not for the fact that Tommy (Ruaridh Mollica) does not like to listen to such advice. But Paladin is under a contract and is not going to stop just because his third attempt to catch Vision failed. But while everyone was watching Vision die, they should have been watching the news for all the murders going around. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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VisionQuest: Theseus [S1:E2] – TV Review

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TL;DR – The show continues to draw me in with its world slowly revealing itself.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Disney+ service used to view this series.

A painting of Vison arising from flames.

VisionQuest Review Introduction

Today we continue our dive into VisionQuest, the third and maybe final in the series of Wanda-instigated Disney+ shows. Each drops a new side of the MCU as they play in their realm of witches and monsters where miracles and tragedy go hand in hand.

So, to set the scene, we find out that when Tommy/Thomas (Ruaridh Mollica) had been held under the water too long, there was a bolt of lightning and suddenly one person became two. Two people, with two lives, and one body. But he is not crazy, because we saw what happened in Maiden Mother Crone; we know the truth, the police don’t. Well, what’s a little avoiding arrest when among friends? Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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VisionQuest: No Strings [S1:E1] – TV Review

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Disney+ service used to view this series.

W+V.

VisionQuest Review Introduction

While I have been keeping up with the MCU movies, over the last few years, I have fallen off the Disney+ TV shows. However, when you see Terry Matalas come in to land the Wanda trilogy, that breaks through, and you need to check it out.

So, to set the scene, since the events of WandaVision, Vision (Paul Bettany) or at least the white rebirthed version of Vision in human form, has gone into hiding in Edinburgh, where he and Wanda hid leading up to Captain America: Civil War. But Vision is not alone; he downloaded many of the old Stark AI programs, including JARVIS (James D’Arcy) and stored them in his quantum processes, where he visits each night. Working with them to become human, well, more human, human-er. But one stored program might come back to bite him: Ultron (James Spader). Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Movie Review – The Avengers: Age of Ultron

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TL;DR – Not as good as the first Avengers, but still a great movie and a great addition to this whole experiment

Score – 4 out of 5 stars

The Avengers: Age of Ultron. Image Credit: Disney.

Review –

Well phase 2 is almost over (still have Ant Man to go) and the culmination of the last few years has to lead us to this, and you know what, it was bloody good.

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