Brendan vs. Media

Where I talk about different things I watch, read, and write.

[brendanvsmedia]

WWE New Era - Raw Episode 1

Raw starts with GM FOLEY and Steph in ring and a roster showoff. Which, I guess is a thing. I get what they’re going for but after a lot of drafts and whatnot this doesn’t feel super distinct from previous drafts. Steph going to pile on Roman kinda throws it back into Authority era stuff too. There’s a dude in the crowd cosplaying KO who looks so much like him that it’s eerie. Anyway, two four ways to set up a singles match to face Seth Rollins for the Universal Title at Summerslam, because Seth Rollins being handed title shots is a great way to kick off a new era I guess? Also, the New Day are rightly pissed that they aren’t in there. And hey, Finn Balor is in there because the hype is real even as the talent can’t match. I would have been way more hyped about that call a year ago but the bloom is off that rose. And hey, Charlotte vs. Sasha tonight to blow Sasha’s big moment to try and make this show feel like a bigger deal. Cool. Anyway, first fatal four way kicks off the show. But uh, they didn’t say *which* four so they’re all going to the back so they can enter to their music. Good times. FOUR WAY FOR A SHOT AT A SHOT AT THE UNIVERSAL TITLE! Match #1: Cesaro vs. Rusev vs. Kevin Owens vs. Finn Balor

 It is so frustrating knowing going in that the worst dude in this is going to win it. Somehow Cole is more tolerable on commentary with Graves, but then again Graves is the best announcer they have at this point so maybe it’s a carryjob. The match starts with brawling but the focus moving to KO renewing his beef with Balor from their NXT Title feud last year is a solid touch. Cesaro dominating Rusev also acts as a tease for a match I would probably prefer to the US Title feud we’re actually getting at Summerslam. Commercial break totally changes the match without any real context for it. Even the ‘during the break’ bit is how the faces did a cool double suplex on the heels, but now the heels are in control and beating on the faces with heel tension because there are no new ideas in four way matches anymore. Owens’ insults and talk are saving this from being totally bland. They do a solid job using the big moves section to showcase Finn’s highlight reel which is a solid bit of efficiency. AGAIN the commercial break completely cuts up the match with no explanation. Usually they’re good at that. Owens really pressing an advantage and getting three nearfalls on Balor is a solid break in the usual finisher parade too. Cesaro and Rusev get SUPER BEEFY with each other in a way that makes me really want a singles match there. In the end Balor gets the timing, throws a couple John Woos and Coup de Grace on Rusev does it. Match abandoned all pretense of being anything but a spotfest early on, but ended up doing enough interesting stuff down the line to be enjoyable. As much as the breaks cut it up, they probably saved it from feeling too long as well so we’ll call that a mixed blessing. Too much talent in here to be bad anyway, but given how much talent *was* in here it’s hard not to feel a little underwhelmed. Fun enough, anyway. **3/4

 New Day celebrating being the longest reigning tag champs would feel bigger if they actually beat the Wyatts last night. But hey. Also Nia Jax is next because they’re calling up to fill spots more than based on any real progress I guess. Cruiserweights on Raw hype follows which reminds me what a weird call that is.

 NIA JAX DEBUT TIME! Match #2: Nia Jax vs. Brit Baker

 Nia is now 2 for 2 with ugly debut outfits. I don’t understand. Total squash, obviously. Kinda has the NXT vibe with Baker at least getting to try some stuff to make Nia look betterish. Her offense is a bit crisper than usual but that legdrop still sucks as a finisher, even if she does it twice to make a point. ¼* but at least the inevitable Sasha match will be awesome.

 Sasha gets harassed by Golden Truth, ostensibly because they’re looking for Pokemon in GO. Then it transitions into a Sasha interview which…why didn’t we just start with that? The interview is the usual Sasha goodness, but it’s somewhat undercut by the goofy bullshit preceding it. I dunno. Weird call.

 SHOT AT A SHOT MARK 2! Match #3: ‘Dad Bod’ Chris Jericho vs. Sheamus vs. Sami Zayn vs. Roman Reigns

 Jericho is so awful now. Lighting made Sheamus’ tights look pink to start and that would have been preferable to the red. Sami is coming off winning a year and a half long feud against Owens but that’s not going to matter because they need to fake people into thinking Roman vs. Seth is the thing before making my nightmare complete. Heels pile on Roman to start, ignoring Sami causing Sami…to also pile on Roman. Then hang out in the ring while the heels beat the big guy down. Smart guy that Sami. Interestingly it’s a very Owens strategy. Unfortunately that leads to more ‘heels work together because heels’ which I already saw tonight. And uh, Sheamus and Jericho aren’t half as good as Owens and Rusev in 2016. Commentary talks about how Steph giving Seth a bye is basically the status quo which both undercuts the ‘New Era’ talk and kind of brings the question of why there are GMs again. Sami makes his own save which is nice, doing a big babyface comeback which Roman cuts off as the hottest heel in the match. Pissy tweener powerhouse Roman is the best. Roman and Sami have the same kind of “I want this in a singles match” chemistry as Rusev/Cesaro last match and it makes me wish this was a singles tourney over three weeks instead. It doesn’t help that Balor and Seth are *awful* promos but yeah. This match is actually more coherent than the first and I’m pissed. Sami and Roman are two of the smartest dudes when it comes to match layout on the main roster and it’s showing here. Roman dumping everyone and getting the big dive is an awesome commercial moment but AGAIN we come back with heels in control and no explanation! THEY HAD THIS DOWN IN 2000! WHAT THE HELL? Alliance breakdowns happen pretty organically and instead of playing this as four equals it’s twin faces Roman and Sami trying to own things as the heels try to pick their spots. Sami/Roman gets another extended run and it’s so hot and great. Sami AND Jericho getting visual falls on Sheamus with saves after a single Helluva Kick *really* puts Sami over as a big deal. In general Sami looks like an absolute star here, making desperate saves and overcoming a ton of two on ones to hang in there. Then Roman comes back in after napping from a Brogue and cleans up. Finishing run is AMAZINGLY laid out with well spaced finishers and nearfalls rather than the typical parade. Even at the end when Roman Spears Jericho for the pin, it feels like someone could jump in at any second. Just really well laid out with great focus on Sami and Roman, Sami being the hot face who can fight through anything and Roman being the smart, opportunistic guy who can capitalize on his openings. Smart match, much better than the first. ***1/4

 NEW DAY TIME! Them having balloons saying 337 is pretty much the best. Their outfits here are among their best ever. Also, Big E and his gyrations are the best. That said, they kind of blow off the Wyatts feud and even sort of make it seem like Woods is ducking the Wyatts by virtue of being thrilled they got drafted to SD. Just…weird. Anyway, really fun promo to hype the fact they’re the longest reigning (modern) champs. Usual New Day stuff which is…fun but again feels like a step back after the terrific Wyatts feud. The video package rules though. To celebrate they pick a ‘fan’ to be an honorary member, one who is situated next to an actual fan’s mom who clearly doesn’t recognize a plant. Also, they do a gag where the plant’s legit name is Sonny Boy. It’s funnier than it seems on paper, but also runs too long so split it down the middle. They celebrate until the Club attacks, trying to salvage things after playing goofy sidekicks for their first three months. Magic Killer kills the magic for Big E. This would have been way more awesome before they became the sidekicks in a Roman feud *and* a Cena feud. They throw a shirt at Sonny Boy and then somehow fuck up a ‘Too Sweet’. Goddammit.

 ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ Curtis Axel is in the ring. Whoa, that name. I guess he’s facing the returning Neville. That’s a weird choice since Axel is the opposite of hot or exciting. He tries to argue that being the last pick means they saved the best for last but I don’t think he even believes it. Anyway.

 Match #4: Neville vs. Curtis Axel

 Cole is weirdly tolerable tonight, throwing out that Neville may be hesitant to go high risk post-injury. Neville immediately flips around to invalidate it, but it was a solid idea. Axel actually does a good job here, keeping things basic to make Neville’s offense shine that much more. They run a pretty solid compact match, actually. Axel’s control segment is short and after a chinlock fakeout moves smoothly. Neville comes back with a BORK style deadlift German then throws the right blend of high speed and power to remind us why he stands out before finishing with the Red Arrow. Pretty great for what it was, actually. *

 Darren Young and Bob Backlund segment which is fun, but uh…more Pokemon GO bullshit from Golden Truth. Backlund nearly kills them which would have been awesome. We then get a Balor hype package which seems a bit redundant given we just saw him win a huge match. Charlotte interview follows to precede the title match. As far as Charlotte is from her dad in-ring, she’s miles further on the mic. Oof.

 This one I actually watched the full thing without typing anything out because Sasha.

 Match #5: WWE Women’s Title: Charlotte © vs Sasha Banks

 Pretty much the perfect title win. The extended lockup is great, but it also sets the pace. Sasha can match or exceed Charlotte on the mat. She hits that Straightjacket Lungblower and the knees off the apron to show she can be more explosive. She gets Dana ejected to show she can be craftier. Step by step it’s the story of how Sasha is better than Charlotte on every level. But this was true in NXT too and there Charlotte could come out on top by being tougher. She’s gotten less tough since then but also nastier and more desperate, which makes her dangerous. It’s pulled her through lesser opponents, but Sasha has been waiting for this shot since January and she has Charlotte thoroughly scouted. She survives Natural Selection. She escapes the Figure Eight SUPER cleverly by spinning it when Charlotte goes for the bridge and is off balance. She stays a step ahead through the whole thing, but that doesn’t assure victory and it’s a push. Still, at the end she gets the Bank Statement for the win and it’s SUPER emotional and awesome and well deserved. Not a classic because Charlotte just isn’t good enough for that but still a great match by virtue of Sasha being amazing and force of will making her moment come with a great match. ***1/2

 Sasha’s postmatch promo is heartfelt and wonderful. I’m super glad she got this moment, even if I wish it had been on a PPV and not downgraded to try and goose the weekly.

 I also want to note that in that match they covered the break perfectly so clearly someone got chewed out.

 Match #6: Braun Strowman vs. James Ellesworth

Ahahahahahahaha. I love Braun. Best monster they’ve had in forever. Dude throws great big man offense and sells no more or less than he should. He’s less scary outside the Wyatts but the upside is that we get awesome obliterations like this. Braun wins with the Reverse Chokeslam, which works as a new finish. Fun squash to cleanse the palette. ¼*

 Roman video package in case you haven’t watched wrestling since mid-2012.

 Oh my god I hate this Golden Truth Pokemon Go stuff. It is BAD and it just KEEPS HAPPENING.

 Enzo and Cass time! Fun promo to establish them as Raw dudes. People forget Cass can talk too, but he’d get hyped for this if he wasn’t with Enzo. Anyway, Shining Stars interrupt because these poor guys can’t get a good gimmick apparently. At least Los Matadores had El Torito. I guess this is a match? Match #7: Enzo and Cass vs. Shining Stars

 More or less a squash? They try to show some stuff from the Shining Stars, but it’s only like a minute so Enzo takes like three moves, gets a hot tag, stuff breaks down, Truth wanders in hunting Pokemon because I hate everything, and Cass finishes one of the Stars with a Big Boot. Complete fucking waste of four talented guys. ¼*

 Roman wishes Finn luck and gets a stupid “Luck of the Irish” joke. Finn wishes Roman luck back and Roman counters with “I’m Samoan. Enough said.” Which is more or less equally dumb but at least manages to sound badass.

 Match #8: Finn Balor vs. Roman Reigns

 Man. If ever there was an example of the IWC being wrong about everything, it’s the fact that Balor is being hailed as an awesome workrate hero going against the boring forced guy who can’t wrestle when Roman has clearly been better than Finn for like a year or more now. Anyway, Roman starts hot by pitching Finn across the ring like a sack of potatoes (HA! IRISH!) Finn does the really obnoxious sell where he does his shit then holds his back. Like…just don’t even bother. It wasn’t exactly a ton of focused work. Anyway, Roman fully embraces being a power dude here and he’s so much fucking fun when he goes that route so this is a good time. It helps that Balor has been awful given free reign all year but with better workers directing him has been fine and as mentioned before, Roman is a layout guy. So this is a blast. There’s also a great thread where Balor has Roman’s signature stuff well scouted, but Roman wasn’t expecting Finn this soon and hasn’t scouted him the same way so Finn keeps hitting his signature stuff way easier and getting off these super tight counters. It forces Roman to be super wily with his signatures and otherwise push his power offense with a whole bevy of different Powerbombs. I kinda love ‘Master of the Powerbomb’ Roman. Anyway, Finn has the Spear scouted and swarms quickly with his finishing combo which Roman *doesn’t* have scouted, winning clean with the Coup de Grace. Best Finn match all year due entirely to Roman, setting up an actual fucking nightmare match in Finn vs. Seth. Also leaves a lot on the table for an eventual rematch and smartly protects Roman as being unprepared, something which won’t be true next time. ***1/4

 Man. This sure was a Raw. There’s little production things cribbed from NXT but mostly it feels like the usual booking with a few more squash matches. The show itself has some stuff to goose it, but no moreso than any other big pop Raws. It leans heavily on big moments that can’t be repeated weekly. And it sets up Finn Balor vs. Seth Rollins with presumably like 15+ minutes which will be my hell. So this is a good episode, but I’m not terribly excited by the prospect of future episodes.

[brendanvsmedia]

Lucha Underground Review, 1x2

Lucha Underground Episode 2:

 Match #1: Johnny Mundo/Prince Puma vs. Cortez Castro/Mr. Cisco -***1/4

 The heel team are 2/3 of the heel group that attacked the faces last week, with the third being Big Rick. They are Ricky Reyes, Lil Cholo, and Rick is Ezekiel Jackson. This actually starts as a promo which turns into a brawl which turns into a tag while Rick watches from the stairs and smokes a cigar. It’s pretty great too with Mundo and Puma clearly being a class ahead of the heel team, who can only get ahead by capitalizing on mistakes or through double teaming and cheating. The mistakes come a little more often given how furious Mundo in particular is with them, causing him to be more reckless than usual while Puma learns from last week and holds it together by fighting smart. They probably nerf a few too many big moves in the closing stretch, with a Cutter-Moonlight Drive combo that probably shouldn’t have been kicked out of, but it’s all in good fun. Lots of believable nearfalls before the good guys drop stereo 450s for the win. Great match, probably about as good as last week’s main event in a different way. Puma is a bonafide star while Mundo is getting a full on career revitalization here. Great pairing to focus around.

 Match #2: Son of Havoc/Ivelisse vs. Chavo Guerrero/Sexy Star - **1/2

 I neglected to note that Son of Havoc is noted yarder to indy guy Matt Cross last time. Ivelisse is…well, Ivelisse Velez. This is a way better showing for Sexy Star this week too. They get more time to work with and while it’s basically just your average formula tag it’s still a lot of fun. Chavo still feels reinvigorated by the environment, but lets Star take the focus. Keeps his story of being less aggressive going though as he hits a Frog Splash only to let Star pin Son of Havoc with a rolling cradle as redemption for last week. Fun match.

 Mil Muertes vs. Blue Demon Jr. - **

 Oh boy. So Mil Muertes is an amazing gimmick. Dude’s an Aztec style death god complete with familiar and mystic totem. It’s great. Unfortunately it’s El Mesias beneath that gimmick who is…not a great wrestler. The match itself is as good as it could be with these two as Blue Demon brings those amazing slaps against Muertes’ power. Muertes probably sells a bit too much given his destroyer status and his moveset is sort of a weird fit, right down to the end where he cuts Blue Demon down with a WICKED spear…only to finish with a sloppy Flatliner. Surprisingly solid bout though.

 Show notes:

-        As noted, the heel group from last week got some build and commupance.

-        More video packages flushed out the roster which was good.

-        This week’s big story was Chavo being all noble…only to finish killing off Blue Demon after the main event, showing that the insults last week got to him. He gives Demon quite the beating with a chair, also smoking some ring boys before Sexy Star pleads to him…only to eat a BRUTAL chair shot. Great beatdown, obvious angle.

-        Another fun show. At 45 minutes or so without commercials, these are a great length for consumption as opposed to 3h Raws.

[brendanvsmedia]

Lucha Underground Review, 1x1

Lucha Underground episode 1: Match 1: Blue Demon vs. Chavo Guerrero - **3/4

 Both guys are varying degrees of past their prime, but seem determined to put on a show tonight. They really play up the idea that Demon is more of an Ace figure, with Chavo sort of determined to prove his worth and keep up with him. At first it starts out with some fairly tight matwork but as the pace picks up it becomes apparent that Chavo can outpace Demon, leading to some wicked slaps from Demon including a WICKED chop across the face. They don’t really go all out at any point but build the match naturally around this notion and it ends just as it’s really starting to peak with Blue Demon getting sick of dealing with Chavo and locking in an arm-clutch Sharpshooter for the win. Ten years ago this would have been a far better match, but this is the best Chavo’s looked in years so nothing to complain about here.

 Match 2: Son of Havoc vs. Sexy Star - **

 REALLY needed more time. Son of Havoc does some really good powerful heel stuff while Star is GREAT as a fired up face. She throws beautiful strikes and flies cleanly to counter his big power moves and it’s really delightful to watch, leaving me wanting more. The result is a little disappointing with SoH countering a bulldog into a big backbreaker and holding the tights for the win, but given how rare women competing against men is in US wrestling I can only assume they’re playing a long game with Sexy Star.

 Match 3: Johnny Mundo vs. Prince Puma - ***1/4

 Mundo is TAFKA John Morrison. Puma is Ricochet moonlighting. Both guys being spot-heavy dudes, they keep the story fairly basic. Puma is played as being faster, tougher, and possibly better than Mundo, forcing Mundo to use his experience to create openings. It plays out throughout the whole match with things escalating from matwork to high spots to the finishing run. Every time Puma pulls ahead only for Mundo to dig deep and find those openings to shut him down. The match does a LOT to build Puma up as a top guy too, with him first countering Mundo’s big moves, then surviving quite a few including the Flying Chuck, Sliding Knee, and the Moonlight Drive. Puma still doesn’t have anything that’s a surefire killer in the same way Fin de Mundo is though, so Mundo keeps getting more and more desperate to hit it while Puma does everything to avoid it. Puma gets too aggressive and slips up though, allowing Mundo to hit a C4 and Fin de Mundo for the win. Puma’s raw talent is clearly enough for him to operate at a top level, but he needs to pull it together before he can actually win there.

 Show notes:

-        The intro is great, tying Lucha into old school Aztec pit fights. The arena is put together in a way that evokes this as well.

-        The segments are done telenovela style, giving this more of a story focus than you might expect. It’s a lot of fun and should make for great stuff when it’s built up steam.

-        The character packages are amazing and made Sexy Star and Prince Puma immediately feel like big stars.

-        Most of the rest of the segments build up Dario Cueto as the authority figure and king dick of the universe. He plays the role REALLY well and throughout the show offers $100,000 to whoever impresses him most, teasing Mundo with it before his dudes rough up both Mundo and Puma to end the show.

-        Seriously this is a blast.

[brendanvsmedia]

Torchwood Review 1x2 - Day One

WOO TORCHWOOD REVIEW~! SPOILERS FOLLOW~!

Day One does a lot to build off the concept we see in the first episode. Smartly, the first thing is does is to build up the cast some more. Owen gets a lot of that flash by being the dick who hazes Gwen only to later make some rookie mistakes of his own. He’s kind of a characteristic smug jerk, but there’s definite glimmers of depth there. Tosh gets more throwaway stuff, like her observations of Jack and the comment about where she’d go if she were possessed by a murdering sex cloud. It’s these great little lines that show there’s a real person behind that quiet, computer smart archetype. Ianto remains enigmatic because…well, there’s a long game there.

  Jack gets the most development in this one though. Which, I mean…Gwen is our POV and ostensibly the lead, but Jack is right there with her in a lot of ways. He’s the spotlight and focus. Most importantly, he’s the tether to the Who universe. And the build for him here is fantastic. From the speculation on his identity and sexual preferences…which, as something he flaunted in Who is another great example of playing differently depending on the audience…to his obsession with a goddamned hand in a jar. Which…anyone who’s a Who fan HAD to know what it was pre-spoilers, right? But for those who didn’t? Man that had to be weird. Moreso when you consider it was never REALLY resolved in Torchwood proper. In general though, the episode does a good job juggling what we know as Who fans or what we know just from the pilot with what we don’t on both levels and playing that against the fat lot of nothing the people in the show know to keep that air of charming mystery alive; and showing that the cynical leader is still kind of a romantic at heart.

  More important than the cast though, is the introduction of themes to the work. I mean…alien sex cloud is a fairly ridiculous premise in a lot of ways, but they do a pretty good job of turning it into a metaphor for how we view/treat sex…especially as youth. Another case of that young energy in the show. But the whole notion of the alien being addicted to orgasms and finding them amazing at first only to have diminishing returns as time goes on, while continuing to go through increasingly less satisfying sex/feedings in the hope of reaching that initial high again…I mean, it’s ALL KINDS of bleak, but that’s what the show’s about, right? Sci-fi stories about the darker things in life. And I really do appreciate that it’s continuing to do things that Doctor Who couldn’t do. And this episode really wasn’t afraid to go to some dark places. That fatalism from the first episode is all over it. It’s best displayed in the bit where Gwen asks how everyone gets away from things and the whole room kind of takes a dead silence, but there’s other signs. Hell, Gwen calling them out on their detachment is related in a way that’s totally different than what she thinks. Over time they’ve become so disconnected from anything beyond ‘work’ and ‘wants’ that shit like Owen stealing date rape perfume in the first episode is considered ‘quirky’ more than ‘awful’. These people are fundamentally broken because they have dedicated themselves entirely to this and it’s all consuming. There’s also the take on the alien. Doctor Who paints space travel as this exotic thing to be loved, but this episode makes sure to remind us just why we should be terrified of the unknown. The bit where Gwen is talking to the alien and accusing it of trying to invade is on the nose, but the real great stuff is when she forgets just what it is for a moment…only to be shocked by the blatant horror of the weevil…which in turn makes her look at the human-possessing alien with a fearful eye again. Paranoia and distrust just get sown right in there, and while it does a good job of letting us know these things aren’t all evil…it also lets us know they can still be dangerous. That deep rooted pessimism. Yet for all of that, it still manages to be funny and lighthearted at times. It’s just a really bleak, fatalistic sense of humour to match up with everything else. Stuff like everyone being too distracted by two hot women making out to interfere despite the fact Gwen’s life might be in danger, or Gwen stealing a punch line on Owen for being caught in a position that could have killed him and would likely kill others. Hell, even when they see the first victim die upon orgasm, Jack immediately quips “He came and went.” It’s all funny, but there’s a real ‘laughing at the devil’ vibe to all of it that fits the series tone wonderfully.

  The show’s still going through some tropey stuff which I guess is a form of growing pains, but all around it was a pretty great episode, taking what worked in the pilot and building off of it nice and organically.

  Rating: ***3/4

[brendanvsmedia]

Torchwood Review 1x1 - Everything Changes

I liked this a lot more on a second viewing. I was all prepared to have to grit my teeth and suffer through some suck for the first half of season one, but maybe it was my expectations originally or maybe it was a consequence of having a lot of details spoiled for me which made me impatient. Regardless, I thought the way the first episode of Torchwood was handled did a lot of things really well. Gwen makes a really solid point of view character for the fantastic and while there’s a lot of tropey stuff abounding, they structure it well enough to work. I think what I appreciate most is the pace of it. Gwen gets to see them doing something fantastic…I mean, they bring a dude back to life for a couple minutes. Crazy. Then she starts getting more and more glimpses of the impossible…it feels like Jack’s pulling her further down the rabbit hole with monsters and disappearing people and an identity that just can’t possibly be the person he claims to be. It’s got a wonderful sense of…well, magic to it. You get to see all the tricks and later you find out how they work. I love the reveal of the headquarters too. The elaborate setup and showing everyone at work only for the prank to fall apart and show right off the bat that they just aren’t THAT serious. They do important, serious, hell…even DIRE work…but they’re also young and have the energy that comes with youth. The mindwipe is a great touch too, because it makes you doubt if this is the story you think it is. You’re all set for Jack to recruit Gwen and then she just…forgets. Only that’s not all. It can’t be all. A murder’s riding on this and ultimately that’s what brings her memory back and gets her the gig. Jack’s portrayal is really sharp as well. They do a good job building up the mystery around him which works on two levels. For people who haven’t seen Doctor Who, he’s an enigma. You’ve got this attractive, super capable guy who has a sense of humour and is flirtatious but also takes his job very seriously. He’s using the identity of a guy who disappeared in the forties and is apparently immortal. The thing is…the mystery works if you’ve seen him in Doctor Who as well. Last time we saw him, he was resurrected, only for the Doctor to bail on him in the far future. How did he land back here, now immortal, and land in charge of Torchwood? There’s a ton of questions surrounding Jack and it gives him this great mysterious aura without overwhelming the personality traits that make him interesting. It’s a really great balance, in that it makes you want to know more…but the important thing is he’s a charming dude and a good leader who sometimes stands on buildings. The rest of the cast doesn’t really get much time to settle. We get a bit of Rhys as the everyman, Owen as the horny fuck-up, Tosh as the knowledge obsessed, and Ianto as the charmingly professional…there’s bits of who they’ll become for sure. Owen probably gets the most between the bit about him ordering pizza under Torchwood and his kinda creepy date-rapey use of alien perfume…he doesn’t even seem amoral so much as unthinking about consequences. Live fast, die young. And he’s also the first same sex kiss of the series so I guess he sets that pace as well. Still, Ianto being a fly on the wall plays in later and Doctor Who fans will have met Tosh before so I guess that focus makes sense. Start with a few and build outward. I’ll admit, I’d nearly forgotten about the murder subplot until the ending. It’s a total macguffin and it works for what it is. The climax isn’t super dramatic since again…the shape of it is fairly obvious. I really like how it immediately sets the series apart from Doctor Who though. There’s a ton of references in here, after all. The Doctor’s hand. The rift in Cardiff. The Torchwood structure…hell, the Battle of Canary Wharf is explicitly mentioned. But at the end of the day, Doctor Who is the show set in the stars. It’s the optimistic show where the good guys win and people survive and things are bright. The climax sets this as the opposite side of the coin…Torchwood is what happens when the bad things don’t get tied up neatly. When the Doctor isn’t around to be brilliant and people have to try and deal with the fallout of things beyond them landing in their backyard. It’s kind of brilliant and tragic all at the same time, and it’s a thread that continues throughout the whole series. Jack’s waiting for the Doctor and when Gwen reminds him that they can be more than observers…that they can actually help people as well. He’s given a new lease on life. He tries to be the kind of man the Doctor is. That ends up built over both this and his appearances in Doctor Who…but Torchwood is where you really get to the heart of why he can’t. And it starts with the sad truth that even when their worlds are just as fantastic, Jack’s victories tend to be a lot costlier than the Doctor’s. Mostly because Jack just isn’t the Doctor and can’t do what he does. A pessimistic view against the unbridled optimism of Doctor Who.

And yet it’s not ALL dire. There’s a definite life to the show that makes it hum beyond that. It’s that youthful energy…the way they’re all living fast because they understand that this job comes with great cost. Everyone on the Torchwood team is burning bright because they know they won’t have time to fade away, and the closer Gwen gets to them, the brighter she burns as well. That’s something else that’ll run through as we go. So in the end, a second viewing helps a lot. The pilot sets the tone for what we can expect throughout the rest of the series and gives us everything we need to know while leaving us wanting more. And really, when it comes to a pilot there really isn’t all that much more one can ask for.

  Rating: ***1/2

[brendanvsmedia]

On DC Comics and boycotts.

See, the problem with a general boycott is that they're still publishing some REALLY good books...and those tend to be the ones most tonally different from the KEWL 90S style of the New 52. Snyder's Batman is absolutely amazing and Superman Unchained has been really strong too. Simone's Batgirl is mostly strong and Batwoman under Andreyko sounds fantastic too (I tradewait most stuff, so I haven't checked it yet). There's some really strong lower end stuff like The Movement too and there WAS Demon Knights until there wasn't. And hell, the new Harley series has been a LOT of fun so far. I dunno. Boycotting everything just tells DC you're not part of their market anymore. It's a vote of no-confidence, sure. But it doesn't say anything to them about what they SHOULD be doing and ultimately they're just going to shrug and focus on the people who ARE reading their stuff. And maybe it's just me (and given that I've kind of outgrown caring about which fictional timeline is the REAL fictional timeline, that's possible) but I care way more about quality of books than anything else. My problem with the New 52 isn't that a bunch of stuff 'didn't happen'. I can still read that stuff. Just like I could have with Pre-Crisis stuff. Whatever. The problem is that a lot of the books were empty or vapid or samey or just plain sucked. And that an overwhelming lack of diversity sprung up around the line (though credit for the first lineup having a good range of titles). So I buy the books that have a Vertigo flair. I buy the stuff that gets a lot of creator freedom and gives them a long run. I buy the stuff that I want DC to make in the hopes that it tells them to make more of it. And I get rewarded by reading some legitimately great books...win-win. All boycotting does is tell DC you're not part of their fanbase and take money away from creators you like doing books you might enjoy. Voting with your dollars is the best way to tell any company what works.

  And if you're just pirating the books you WOULD have bought to avoid giving DC a dollar, I hope you get scurvy.

[brendanvsmedia]

Untitled 3

Short story prompt, Writing Rainbow

Prompt words: Robot/Wait/Teapot/Crash/Quilt

Gustav bit his lip as he saw the teapot crash to the ground. He tried to catch it, but it was too late. It shattered with a loud crash and Gustav knew they would be on him in seconds. Desperately, he scrambled for his sidearm…there was nowhere to run, but maybe he could fight his way out. He heard the stairs creak as they came. Of course they had heard. Their sensors were designed to pick up the beat of a moth’s wings at a hundred metres. He’d have been lucky to evade them even without that stupid mistake. Now all he could do was wait as they came…wait and pray.

  As they came through the door, he let off three shots in hopes of pinning them down. They looked human. He hated the ones that looked human. Made him second guess. Made him hesitate. He wished they all wore their steel skin proudly. It made a better target.

  “You’ve led us on an admirable chase, Mr. Klimpt.” The machine said. “But that’s over now. Flesh is weak. You will be ours.”

  Gustav laughed, spitting fire at them. The shots rang louder and louder in his ears until he suddenly felt very cold. He looked down to see the cybernetic arm sticking out from his stomach, covered in so much of his blood. Then Gustav died, scared and alone. Knowing that soon enough, no one would ever be scared or alone again. That knowledge made everything so much worse. Then his eyes went as cold and dead as the machines surrounding him.

  “Flesh is weak.” They said in unison. Then they left the body to rot like any other dead thing.

[brendanvsmedia]

Shining City Chronicles - 1.1 - Echo

               Echo loved to look to the Shining City in the early hours of dusk. The sun burns red hot and shines its light through glass towers and ivory castles. She knows some still look to nature to find beauty, preferring the feeling of fresh grass beneath their feet or seeing the way the sunlight ripples from the water below. She has been told it’s enough to make kings weep, although never in such a way as to reduce their stature as absolute power and authority. Echo is not a king and has never learned the wonder in nature. Instead she looks to the glass and plastics and metal that make up the Shining City and she sees beauty in it. The way light bends and turns and shines through everything…it takes her breath away more than anything natural ever could.

               She climbs to the ledge and looks to the Capital. When the world threatened to burn in the wake of the sun’s judgement, they were the ones who saved it. The solar array was the pinnacle of science. It generated a low level electric field around the planet that would protect them from the heat and radiation rained down in the sun’s fury. Yet they still received the light that many said was what made them real. Their souls, tied to the ball of gas and fire in the sky. The Kings assured them that spirit was a myth of the working class and that the world would be better without gods above us, but some still cling to their beliefs in silence. Steadfast guardians of an age now past.

                 Echo wishes she could believe in something bigger.

                 As she plants the rifle mount on the ledge and begins to unpack and assemble the gear, Echo thinks about the path the world is to take. The Kings have grown powerful indeed, some say too powerful and precocious and cruel to continue to rule. They seek to move the world, to use it as a ship unto itself and find a new home under a new sun. They say the array is capable of propelling them through space as a planet now, that the electric atmosphere will keep their climate safe in the long trek through the dark. People argued, saying it was too dangerous; that the technology couldn’t handle the trip. Others simply argued that humanity would lose its soul in the process. It didn’t matter. All were silenced equally.

                 King Jeffrey sits in the Ivory Tower, dressed in full regalia despite being entirely alone. Of all those who reveled in their power, abusing the trust and admiration of those below them…he is far and away the worst. His bed is empty save the blood of his previous lover. In another time, Jeffrey was a decent man. Power, however, is not something meant to be wielded by anyone. So through his genius and his skill, he took the world in the palm of his hand and subjected them without ever truly realizing just what he’d done. Echo looks at him through the lens of her sniper rifle. A rocket propelled round sits at the ready to fly an impossible distance and plant itself firmly between his eyes. As her finger rolls over the trigger, Echo looks to the sun.                Maybe she believes in something after all. 

[brendanvsmedia]

Untitled 2

Short story prompt, Writing Rainbow

Prompt Words:

Clip

Honey

Porn

Illusion

It’s barely halfway through the tenth day of midsummer and already Nualla is bored. She’s taunted mortals and played games in the deepest darkest woods of Summer. She’s danced among the stars and dug deep in the dirt with the dead. She’s celebrated and mourned and laughed and cried and lived and died and lived again (although it was not an experience that she’d soon repeat, she had promised to the Summer Lady, for there was only so much magic to be had in resurrection). So much adventure in so little time had left Nualla with little to do but sit on the edge of lilies and wait for winter to bring the cold back to her bones and the longing of fire to come back to her heart. She considers, briefly, mounting a siege on Winter’s heart simply for the sport of it, but the act would be certain death and Nualla is quite sure her lady would not be so forgiving as to bring her back from death’s cold grip twice in but a single summer. So she lets out a sigh and steps off the lilies edge, twirling gently to the woods beneath below. The heat is more imposing there, not the illusion of fire that summer holds in its heart. She feels the weight of reality impose its will upon her and her descent hastens as though her very wings have been clipped. The landing is not as forgiving as her lady’s word. She calls out then for help. For some salvation in this world of the mundane. She cries not because she truly needs it, but because what joy is there in travelling the mundane without companionship? It’s not long before Nualla hears footsteps approaching. So quickly then does she embrace herself in a glamour that she scarcely notices her features taking on an exquisite beauty, her hair turning the deep and rich colour of golden honey. She looks up in anticipation of the fine gentleman who has come to her…rescue…and raises her eyebrows when she sees a lithe pale skinned young woman turn the corner to face her. “Um, hello?” the woman says. “Are you okay?” “I feared I wasn’t.” Nualla says, eying her with a smile. “But I think I shall be now.”

[brendanvsmedia]

Untitled 1

Short story prompt, Writing Rainbow. 

Prompt words:

Blank Page

Wall

Potato

Blood

Organic

                 When it started, there was darkness. I’m not sure if it was night or not. The sack over my head kept me in the dark, anyway. I tried to listen for any sign of what to expect, but my captors didn’t speak often and when they did it was in a language I couldn’t understand. Parts of it sounded vaguely Germanic while others sounded strange and otherworldly. Perhaps one of the many tongues of the Orient. Whatever the case, they gave me nothing with which to get my bearings. I knew we travelled by stagecoach but the drugs left me in a haze during the outset and they would frequently batter me across the head through the trip. I leaned against the wall to keep from slamming my head across the floor whenever the coach would hit a ditch. Sleep came in small bursts, and my head was spinning from malnutrition.                At least a day had passed before they gave me water. They lifted the hood only enough to reveal my mouth before commanding me to drink in a rough, grainy voice. Nothing I’d ever heard from the Orient. I cursed them for having me so perfectly at their mercy. Any resistance I could offer would be futile, my body too ravaged by thirst to fight. So I drank and I waited for my chance. Later in the night when I heard at least two of them sleeping, I made an effort to slip my bonds. One of the beasts saw my attempt and I felt a rib threaten to give at the force of his boot. I acquiesced to his demand, appreciating the stillness of the cart and settling into a long, fitful sleep.

                 Perhaps that was a mistake. When I woke, the light was blinding. They had taken me to my ultimate destination and in my desperate sleep, I’d not woken to resist when they chained my hands across a wide post. The sack no longer covered my head. Perhaps they thought it unnecessary at this point, my head pressed hard against the wooden plank with arms stretched so tightly, I scarcely had room to turn my head. I felt manacles securing my legs in place, but beyond that I could not identify my restraints. I began to worry that I may not have an escape route left to me.

                 The questions began then. My name was something they already knew, but as to my purpose in the town there was no answer for them. I held myself steadfast. A man of my status would not yield to torture. Even as they took long strips from my back with a rusted potato peeler, I held my tongue. Even as they showed me blades shimmering with my blood, I simply averted my eyes. Even as they doused me with blood and filth and other organic matter, I simply grit my teeth and endured. Staring through a small crack on the wall, my mind was a blank page. As long as this was true, they could have nothing from me.

[brendanvsmedia]

Foreword.

So okay, let's try this again. My name is Brendan and I'm a big time comic and wrestling nerd who's currently working a call centre gig while trying to get some kind of writing career off the ground. This is a place where I'll post thoughts on the media I take in, be it comics, novels, or movies. I may also go into the odd rant on topics I feel particularly strongly about, we'll see. I'm almost certainly going to see this become a landing page for a bunch of my own writing, so if you read it, love or hate I'd love to get feedback. When it comes to ratings, I use stars. Like so ****. I go up to five and I will use halves and occasionally quarters. Could I have simply used a number system...probably. But I've had this one ingrained in me for ages as a wrestling fan, so eh.  I can't promise this'll always be SFW in terms of writing but I have no intentions of putting anything outright smutty picture/video-wise so you should be more or less alright. I definitely cuss and read/write things that can have violent/sexual/etc. content, so there's that. I'll try to flag anything that could be especially bad. Anyway, that's the long and short. Time to have some fun.