Tag Archives: Space Opera

Lost in Space: Season 3 – TV Review

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TL;DR is a series that ends on a high note, both beautiful to watch and not afraid to hit those emotional beats.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Netflix subscription that viewed this film

Lost in Space: Season 3. image Credit: Netflix.

Lost in Space Review –

When I heard that Lost in Space was getting a third season, I was pleased. There has been a string of adaptations of old TV shows, but few captured the show’s essence yet took the narrative in a new direction, quite like Lost In Space. However, this news was coupled with the knowledge that this would be the final season. Thus, knowing the series is ending help or hurt the narrative, and I am glad to say it is the first.

So to set the scene, at the end of Season Two, The family Robinson was split asunder trying to flee the robot menace. At the same time, Maureen (Molly Parker) and John (Toby Stephens) took the adults of the expedition and caused a distraction. All of the expeditions kids, including Will (Maxwell Jenkins) and Penny (Mina Sundwall), and led by Judy (Taylor Russell), escaped using the alien engine piloted by Robot (Brian Steele). However, they don’t arrive in Alpha Centauri as planned. Instead, they come on top of a ruined planet where they find the Fortuna, a ship once thought lost and home to Judy’s father (Russell Hornsby). But before they could locate the missing crew, a thruster dies on Jupiter 2. The auto-piolet seeing the danger starts emergency landing procedures, and Judy is only just able to get on board thanks to the stowaway Smith (Parker Posey) before it makes a landing on the one habitable part left on the planet. Where they are stuck for a year. Now from here, we will be looking at the season as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.    

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Dune (2021) (Dune: Part 1) – Movie Review

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TL;DR – A cinematic work of genius and masterclass in literary adaptation     

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene

Disclosure – I was invited to a press screening of this film

Dune. Image Credit: Warner Bros Pictures.

Dune Review –

Few films have filled me full of trepidation and promise, like the prospect of another Dune film. Dune is a book series that means a lot to me, and the miniseries fits in as one of those foundational moments where you discover the joys of filmmaking. Add to this the spectacular run of films from Denis Villeneuve from Sicario, Arrival & Blade Runner 2049, one of which was my top movie in 2016. Look, this is a long way of saying I came into this with very high expectations, and can I say that this film exceeded all of them.  

So to set the scene, in an empire that spans the galaxy, the most valuable commodity is The Spice Melange. It extends life, allows intergalactic travel, and can only be found on one planet in the entire galaxy: Arrakis, Dune. The brutal House Harkonnen runs Dune, though its cruel Barron (Stellan Skarsgård) and his nephew Glossu Rabban (Dave Bautista), commonly called “Beast Rabban”. But their time running Arrakis is up, as the Emperor has decreed that House Harkonnen’s mortal Enemies House Atreides, led by Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac), manages the planet. All is well, but Leto is fearful for him, his son Paul (Timothée Chalamet) and consort Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson). Because while this is a great opportunity, it could also be a trap.

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The Expanse: Nemesis Games – TV Review

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TL;DR – Today we see the end to it all and the start of something new.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

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

The Expanse: Nemesis Games. Image Credit: Amazon Studios.

Nemesis Games Review –

Wow, we have reached the end of Season Five, and what a wild ride it has been. In today’s finale, we get to see the culmination of where the plot was screaming towards and the inevitable fallout from when it all goes wrong, or right depending on your perspective.

So to set the scene, in last week’s episode Winnipesaukee, Naomi (Dominique Tipper) was desperately trying to let people know that her ship was a trap, without the ability to change this ships thrust or use a radio. This worked, but in that it only made people race to her faster as something was clearly wrong. It is in this race that Marco (Keon Alexander) sends Drummer and her family to intercept the Roci and end James Holden (Steven Strait) for good. Now from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead. 

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The Expanse: Winnipesaukee – TV Review

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TL;DR – Today we start to see a glimmer of hope amongst all the destruction

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

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

The Expanse: Winnipesaukee. Image Credit: Amazon Studios.

Winnipesaukee Review –

When those first asteroids dropped on Earth in Churn, you knew this would be a dark season for the show, which is amplified by the fact that our Roci crew was all spread to the winds when the attack happened. In today’s episode, we get to see the first little hope on the horizon that things might be getting better.

So to set the scene,  at the end of last week’s Hard Vacuum, Naomi (Dominique Tipper) had been able to interfere with Marco’s (Keon Alexander) automated message that he set up to lure people into a trap. We see at the start of this week’s episode that Naomi’s plan worked … sort of. On the Screaming Firehawk Bobbie (Frankie Adams) noticed that something was amiss, and even Holden (Steven Strait) on the Roci. But the question is, will they see it for the warning it is or think something has gone wrong and hurry into the trap? Now from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead. 

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The Expanse: Oyedeng – TV Review

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TL;DR – This is Naomi’s episode from start to finish

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

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

The Expanse: Oyedeng. Image Credit: Amazon Studios.

Oyedeng Review –

The world of The Expanse is dramatically shifting under the feet of everyone in the Solar System. It is a dangerous time, a churn, with everything being up for grabs. It is in this chaos where we find our characters as the threat of death is very real.

So to set the scene, Naomi (Dominique Tipper) is still trapped on-board Marco’s (Keon Alexander) the Pella. While she was able to save The Roci and its crew from blowing up Tycho Station, it was at the cost of her freedom. But as she remembers better times, Marco comes in to let her walk free, of at least the ship. For there is something, he wants her to witness. Now from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead. 

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Star Trek Discovery: There Is A Tide … – TV Review

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TL;DR – The awkward middle-episode of the three-part season finale

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

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

Star Trek Discovery: There Is A Tide … Image Credit: CBS Studios.

There Is A Tide Review –

As we rush towards the end of the season, we spend a little time exploring the consequence of the crew’s actions to this point, their impact on the galaxy, and the damage they could wreak.

So to set the scene, in last week’s Su’Kal, we ended on a cliff-hanger with Discovery under the control of Osyraa (Janet Kidder) and jumping right to Federation Headquarters. Leaving Michael (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Book (David Ajala) stuck on his ship and the rest of the away team down in the radiation infested ship. Jumping into Federation space Osyraa create a ruse getting them inside the headquarters shield but not before Book and Michael crash land in Discovery’s perpetually open shuttle bay. Now from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead.   

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The Expanse: Down and Out – TV Review

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TL;DR – For every disaster, there is an aftermath, and we start to see some of that this week

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

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

The Expanse: Down and Out. Image Credit: Amazon Studios.

Down and Out Review –

Last week’s episode Gaugamela was the culmination of three build-up episodes (well more than that if you count Season 4). An episode where you spent the whole time holding your breath not wanting to see what would happen next. But there has to be an aftermath, and this week’s episode is all of that and more.

So to set the scene, we open with the aftermath of the asteroid impacts on Earth as Amos (Wes Chatham) and Peaches (Nadine Nicole) wake up in a damaged and failing room. They were at the bottom of The Pit when the Pennsylvania asteroid hit. Which meant that Amos stayed on the planet one day too late, but it probably saved their lives. But surviving the impact was one thing. Getting out of a fortified prison when the prison guards don’t know the world has changed is an entirely different matter. Now from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead. 

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The Expanse: Churn – TV Review

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TL;DR – An episode where we delve into Amos’ past, and my heart breaks a little

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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

The Expanse: Churn. Image Credit: Amazon Studios.

Churn Review –

We dive straight back into the second episode of the season which continues to build the tension for the potential coming disaster. However, this episode is more of a character piece as we get to see what motivates many of our cast of characters.

So to set the scene, in the first episode Exodus we focused on all the crew going their separate ways as they flew to different parts of the Solar System. Amos (Wes Chatham) landed on Luna and after chitchat with Chrisjen (Shohreh Aghdashloo) made the trip back to his home on Baltimore. Alex (Cas Anvar) arrived on Mars and faced a frosty reception from everyone including Bobbie (Frankie Adams), and Naomi (Dominique Tipper) made her way to Pallas Station. This departure left James (Steven Strait) all alone on Tyco Station, which was the perfect time for Monica Stuart (Anna Hopkins) to arrive with tales of intrigue. Now from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead. 

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The Expanse: Exodus – TV Review

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TL;DR – An episode that moves everybody and more importantly everything into place

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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

The Expanse: Exodus. Image Credit: Amazon Studios.

Exodus Review –

To be honest, 2020 has not been the best of years, and that might be an understatement. However, there was one ray of light on the horizon for me, and that was a new season of The Expanse, and well now it is here, it has so far not disappointed.

So to set the scene, it has been about 100+ days since the end of Season 4 and all the drama that happened on Ilus. In that time the crew of the Rocinante, James Holden (Steven Strait), Naomi Nagata (Dominique Tipper), Amos Burton (Wes Chatham), and Alex Kamal (Cas Anvar) have made their way to Tyco Station for refit and repair. Only it is time for reflection, and for many, it is time to close some personal demons. Now from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead. 

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TV Review – Star Trek Discovery: Scavengers

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TL;DR – An episode where roosters come home to roost.  

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

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

Star Trek Discovery: Scavengers. Image Credit: CBS Studios.

Scavengers Review –

There have been a lot of unanswered questions this season that has been left dangling. The first is of course, what or who caused The Burn that devastated the galaxy. Was it a natural phenomenon, was it an accident, or was it on purpose? The second, is what was Michael (Sonequa Martin-Green) doing during her yearlong sojourn in the future? Today we get answers on one of those fronts, but also some consequences.  

So to set the scene, in last week’s Die Trying we finally found what was left of The Federation and Starfleet. It had been reduced to about 30 members and is on reactive rather than proactive footing. Well, The Discovery had to prove itself, but it was clear the crew and the ship would be an asset for The Federation, but it was also apparent when it took only one shot to take it down in People of Earth that the ship was woefully out of date. Good thing then that the Discovery has just had a major upgrade, one that went “do you need your nacelles attached to the ship”? This is just the moment that an unannounced cat arrives on the scene. Now from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead. 

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