The Walking Recap – “Seed”

Here we are with the premiere of season 3.  We last left the group with them just camping out on the side of the road, after all hell had broken loose on the farm.  In between seasons, the winter season finished, and the group has been traveling continuously looking for safe shelter.  I won’t have the usual play-by play at the end of this article, because I didn’t have my laptop with me as I watched this episode, but that’s alright.  Not a whole lot of different things happened.  Sure, it was a good, full episode, but extended action sequences make the recapping portion much easier.  Some spoilers below.

After accepting that going from house to house looking for shelter isn’t going to work, the group stumbles upon a prison.  Rick believes that if the prison was taken over early, there may still be plenty of provisions inside.  The only problem is, the prison is overrun by walkers.  But, that’s not really a problem.  The group is able to shoot the walkers in one fenced in area, as Rick runs through them to close off a gate to separate this yard.  It’d be a walker massacre, except I’m not certain you can massacre something that’s already dead.  They secure the yard, but Rick’s not satisfied.  He leads a group further inside, and secures another section of the prison area and a cell block for the group to call home.  Still not content, Rick leads a group to look for the cafeteria and infirmary.  On this trip however, Hershel gets bitten on the ankle.  They take him to what seems to be the cafeteria, and Rick hacks off his lower leg, in hopes of stopping the infection from spreading.  There, they find four inmates that were holed up.  In a town, Michone has been taking care of Andrea, who’s been sick, but they decide that they need to leave.

This was an episode for everyone that believed there hasn’t been enough zombie killing in the series, because this episode was mostly gruesome zombie killing.  There were some character moments thrown in.  Carol “jokingly” propositioned Daryl.  Lori told Hershel that she’s worried about her baby possibly being miscarried and turning into a walker inside her.  Personally, I think that would be an awesome way of killing her off.  She’s also worried about dying during childbirth, and turning and attacking the baby.  Not as awesome.  I don’t know what it is, but I just don’t like Lori.  And Rick is on the edge of snapping.  He’s walking along the cliff, feeling responsible for everyone and exhausted.

The hacking off of Hershel’s leg was brutal.  All Rick had was a small hatchet, and it took several attempts to finally do it.  I just cringed with every shot.  And to go from that, to the inmates looking at them, and *poof* episode over.  Damn, I hate cliffhangers.  I should just watch full seasons at a time, but gosh darn it, I want to see it as soon as I can.  It’s quite a conundrum.

As for the rest of season 3, it’ll likely include lots of zombie killing as they continue to secure the prison, but what’s really interesting is what is going to happen with the Governor.  He’s only appeared in teasers, but it looks like Michone and Andrea are the ones that find him.

See you next week.

Arrow – “Pilot”

This was the series premiere of Arrow on the CW Network, and apparently, I wasn’t the only person looking forward to it.  This premiere was the most watched show on the network in 3 years.  But, I’m not here to talk about that.  I’m here to discuss whether or not the show was any good.  This week’s episode is titled “Pilot,” since it was just the pilot (first) episode of the series.  It has nothing to do with pilots or airplanes, but I digress.

Oliver Queen has been stranded on a deserted island for 5 years.*  One day, and ship happens by, and he’s rescued.  With his return home, he has a new mission to write the wrongs that his father confessed to him before dying.  The first task is dealing with a businessman named Adam Hunt.  Hunt just happens to be who Laurel Lance, Oliver’s ex-girlfriend, is trying to prosecute in the DA’s office.  Oliver also begins learning about what has changed in the past 5 years:  mother re-married, sister on drugs, city in decay.  With the help of his friend Tommy, Oliver tries to restart his “playboy” lifestyle, but this is just a cover for his Arrow persona.

Overall, I liked it.  The show had a serious, emotional tone, without being melodramatic.  It was a good first episode.  You get a sense of the person Oliver was before the shipwreck, and who he is upon returning.  There are quick introductions for the supporting cast, but enough to get a sense of who they, and what their relationship, past and present, to Oliver is.

I will admit, when this show was announced, I did want Justin Hartley to play Oliver Queen.  But, I understand why they went with Stephen Amell.  Using Hartley, who was Oliver Queen on Smallville, as good as he was, would have made this show simply a Smallville spinoff.  Plus, there is no development left with Hartley’s character.  He’s already established himself, has done what he’s needed to do, and is just continuing the good fight.  Whereas starting fresh allows them to tell a fuller story, with all of the character developments they want to thrown in there.

The only thing in the episode that really bugged me, was during a stunt sequence, they twice cut to a camera that looked to be on Oliver’s shoulder.  It didn’t last very long, but it was a very weird thing to do.  But, that’s the biggest complaint I have at the moment.  See you next week.

If you want a more complete description of the episode, complete with spoilers, continue after the break. 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – “Turtle Temper”

Today’s episode of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is titled “Turtle Temper.”  In it, Raphael must learn to not let his temper get the best of him when he is provoked.  There are spoilers past this point.

The Turtles are on a stakeout, looking for the Krang.  They get discovered on the roof, but a building pennant, who angers Raphael, and draws him into an argument.  Distracted by the argument, they are surprised by several Krangs.  While the Turtles are fighting the Krangs, the building tenant takes video of them fighting.  The guy gets away because the Turtles had to leave.  Splinter gets on Raphael for getting into an argument with the man, because it jeopardized the mission and got them caught on camera.  Splinter has them do an exercise shooting practice arrows at Raphael.  He avoids them easily the first time, but when Splinter has everyone also insult Raphael, he’s not able to avoid any arrows.  Splinter tells him that he has to use reason and not force to get the video back.  They approach the guy, and ask for the video back.  The guy asks for a million dollars.  Raphael again loses his temper, and it alerts some Krang to them.  During the fight, Raphael takes off after the guy and ends up in the back of Krangs van.  Eventually, Raphael gets thrown from the truck. 

DC Nation – 9/29/12

Today we have the season 2 premiere of Green Lantern, titled “The New Guy,” in which Hal returns to Earth to find that there’s a new Green Lantern running around.  Today’s episode of Young Justice is titled “Satisfaction.”

Green Lantern:  The Animated Series – “The New Guy”
There’s a crack in space, and something (Anti-Monitor) floats through it.  He drifts down to a planet, and destroys a ship that tells him he can’t be there.  It then reactivates Manhunter robots.  Hal Jordan returns to Earth, and tells Carol Ferris that he won.  He asks if they can start again, and wants to get back to work.  Carol tells him that since he’s been gone for months, she had to replace him.  Mid discussion, Hal sees a news report about a broken crane, and leaves to help, after setting dinner plans with Carol.  He arrives at the construction site in order to save a worker, but another Green Lantern stops the crane from falling.  Guy Gardner is the new Lantern.  Guy tells Hal that the Guardians sent him in as a replacement.  They decide to talk Guardian business over hot wings at a place called McDuffie’s (Dwayne).  Guy convinces Hal to call the Guardians and tell them off.  Hal starts, but finds that Guy is real friendly with the Guardians.  Hal, not happy about being replaced, and they come to blows.  Their fight is stopped by a news report about unearthly energy coming from an archeological dig.  They find markings that translate into “No man escapes the Manhunters,” and find 3 of robots.  The Manhunters attack them.  Hal reports in to Salaak, who tells him that if they are active, then they need to be destroyed or else they’ll exterminate everyone on Earth.  The Manhunters break through to the surface.  While Hal and Guy are fighting 2 of the Manhunters, the third spots a town, and detects emotions.  Working together, they are able to destroy the Manhunters, and have a bonding moment.  Hal gets a call from Carol an hour and a half after their dinner plans, and Carol tells him that it’s better for both of them if they just move on.  Salaak contacts Hal, and tells him to report to the Guardian chamber at one.  The Guardians tell him that he will no longer be Green Lantern of Sector 2814, and instead, has been promoted to honor guard, patrolling all of Guardian space. 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – “Rise of the Turtles”

This is the premiere of the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon on Nickelodeon.  In this episode, titled “Rise of the Turtles,” Splinter allows his teenage sons to visit the surface for the first time.

The Turtles are sparring.  Michelangelo is talking a lot of smack to Leonardo, when Leo quickly gets the best of him.  Raphael beats Donatello.  Raphael goes on to best Leonardo.  Splinter comes in and talks about the purpose of these exercises being self-improvement, then disciplines Raphael when he keeps bragging about winning.  The Turtles are celebrating their mutation day, which was 15 years ago.  Michelangelo asks to hear the story again.  When Splinter was human, he was leaving the pet store with four baby turtles.  He sees a strange man, and decides to follow him.  He gets into a fight with a group, in which the a canister was broken, mutating them.  Leonardo asks if it’s time to allow them to go to the surface.  In answering, Splinter presents a very confusing yes and no argument.  Eventually though, the Turtles are able to convince Splinter to let them go.  He gives them instructions on not talking to anyone, and staying in the shadows before they leave.  The Turtles get to the surface and are in awe of the city.  Raphael scares a pizza delivery boy, and he rides off, dropping a pizza.  Michelangelo takes the first bite, and loves it.  They all try it, and find it’s much better than their usual worms and alge.  After doing some workouts on the roofs, Donetello spots a girl and her father on the street, and falls in love with her.  A van pulls up, and people in suits pull up, and throw the father into a van.  Despite Leonardo’s objections, they go to save her.  They fights the men in suits, but aren’t very succesful, often getting into each other’s way.  The men in suits drive off with the girl and her father.  Leonardo and Raphael chase off after them.  Michelangelo is left to fight one more of the men in suits.  He gets lucky, and finds out that it’s actually a robot.  He then finds out that there’s a brain being in the robot’s stomach.  The brain jumps onto Michelangelo’s face.  Michelangelo finally gets the brain off his face, and it scurries away.  He tries to tell everyone else, but they don’t believe him.  Splinter takes responsibility for not training them to fight as a team.  He says perhaps in a year they can try again.  Donatello tells him about the girl, and convinces Splinter that they need to save the girl.  Splinter names Leonardo the leader, which angers Raphael. 

Young Justice: Invasion – “Depths”

Young Justice:  Invasion – “Depths”
March 19.  G. Gordon Godfrey is saying on his show that he’s upset that they’re setting up a satellite to contact aliens.  Wally West isn’t happy that Artemis is suiting back up for one mission.  Later that night, Nightwing is shown doing CPR on Artemis, then proclaiming her to be dead.  Ten hours earlier.  Nightwing is giving Superboy an update on Bart Allen, but Superboy walks out when Miss Martian and Lagoon Boy come in.  Thankfully for him, Artemis comes in, and Nightwing gives them their mission.  They are to protect the satellite launch.  At a press conference, Godfrey questions Carol Ferris why they should communicate when they are being invaded.  Martian Manhunter says that this is mutually beneficial.  Martian Manhunter flies off with Superman, much to Godfrey’s chagrin.  Turns out, Manhunter was Miss Martian, and Superman was Superboy.  Nightwing and Artemis are on lookout, while Lagoon Boy is in the water, off the coast.  He spots a ship coming in under the water.  Nightwing thanks Artemis for coming, even though Wally isn’t happy about it because Artemis may find that she misses the life. 

Marvel Universe – 8/5/12

Ultimate Spider-man – “Snow Day”
Peter Parker is awoken by an emergency message from Nova, and stumbles into his costume.  When he opens the window, he’s pelted by the other team members with snow balls.  Since school’s closed because of a snow day, Agent Coulson wants the team to report for a special cold weather survival training.  Instead, they go to a tropical island that Nova found in S.H.I.E.L.D. database.  As they’re having fun in the water, they don’t see the Sandman on the beach.  They somewhat wonder why this place was in the database, but don’t put too much thought into it.  Peter’s Spider-sense tingles, but again, he doesn’t payy any attention to it.  When he loses a volleyball, Peter goes into the jungle to find it.  He comes running out when something scares him.  A kid named Sandy walks out with the ball, and says his family lives everywhere on the island.  The team gets into costume, and searches for Sandy.  During which, they run into Flint, who looks like an older version of Sandy.  Suddenly, ruins appear before them.  They decide to make a tactical retreat, but Sandy confronts them.  He moves their plane to the top of the ruins.  Sandy and Flint both attack them.  Sandy and Flint create a maze, and separates the team.  Whithin the maze, a third, older Sandman appears.  Power Man and Spider-man find some heiroglyphics that describe how Flint became Sandman, and was left on the island by Nick Fury.  They finally figure out that the boy was just an imaginary friend created by Flint.  The team is able to make it to the ship, but White Tiger can’t get it started.  Nova lifts the ship off of the ruins, until the engines are able to fire.  On their approach, Fury has other planes escort them to a different location, because he isn’t certain that Flint was left behind.  Spider-man starts emptying sand from his costume, and it turns out that Flint is on board with them.  He gets inside the controls, and shorts them out.  They are able to at least guide themselves to crash in a frozen over Hudson River.  Flint is making his way to the mainland, and the team is unable to stop him.  Spider-man gets the idea to have Nova super heat Flint and turns him into glass.  Fury moves Flint into a continuously moving containment chamber. 

Marvel Universe – 7/29/12

Ultimate Spider-man – “Beetle Mania”
The team fights an “improved” Trapster (bigger glue guns).  Working together, they easily trap the Trapster.  Nick Fury is impressed with the team, and gives them their first sanctioned S.H.I.E.L.D. mission.  It is to protect J. Jonah Jameson from the Beetle.  In his news segments, Jameson says he has been threatened for exposing the Beetle, and doesn’t want protection.  The team is on lookout at the Daily Bugle building, when Mary Jane calls Peter Parker and tells him that she is entering the Daily Bugle right now for an interview with Jameson.  Peter comes up on Mary Jane, and tries to convince her to not go in.  Failing, he says that he’s going in with her.  At the entrance of the building, Power Man and Iron Fist try to stop her, but she threatens them with an expose and enters anyway.  Those two are then taken out with a gas from a mini-beetle.  Inside, Nova tries to stop her from entering the elevator, but he’s tricked into letting her go.  He’s taken out with an electric shock, and the Beetle is in the building.  The elevator Peter and Mary Jane were in starts to fall, but the emergency brakes kick in.  White Tiger was responsible for this.  White Tiger is taken out by the Bettle.  Mary Jane forces open the elevator and takes the stairs.  Peter tries to contact White Tiger, but gets no response.  They get up to Jameson’s office, and Peter can’t get a hold of anyone.  Peter’s Spider-sense goes off, and he quickly shoves her into a different room.  This happens to be Jameson’s office, and she starts her interview.  Spider-man tries to figure out how Beetle will come in, when he’s surprised by Beetle coming by elevator.  They fight, causing lots of destruction, which goes mostly unnoticed by Jameson and Mary Jane.  Eventually, the rest of the team shows up.  Using the same strategy as earlier, they think they’ve captured the Beetle, but he breaks out, and gets into Jameson’s office.  Spider-man stops Beetle from blowing up Jameson, and they take Beetle out.  Turns out, Jameson wasn’t in his office, and was speaking by video. 

Marvel Universe – 7/22/12

Ultimate Spider-Man – “For Your Eye Only”
The show opens with a James Bond spoof, which transitioned to Spider-man goofing around the training room.  Nick Fury is upset that Spider-man isn’t taking things seriously, and Spider-man is being a jerk.  Spider-man arrives for another training mission on the Helicarrier the next day, only to find that Scorpio and the group The Zodiac have gained control of the Helicarrier.  Scorpio says Nick Fury is dead.  Spider-man is able to escape into the Helicarrier.  The Zodiac are downloading all of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s files.  Nick Fury contacts Spider-man, but Spider-man is too excited and gets a little too loud.  This alerts the Zodiac to his location.  During the ensuing fight, Spider-man is able to abort their download.  He’s able to escape inside the vents again, and Nick Fury tells him where he is.  Spider-man fights off fights off some Zodiac members and finds Nick Fury about to be sliced by a laser (ala Goldfinger).  Fury and Spider-man arm themselves, and fight their way through the Zodiac members.  While Spider-man fights them on the deck, Nick Fury uses an invisible device, and takes control of Helicarrier.  He makes it dive and submerge.  Nick Fury and Scorpio fight, but it is revealed that Scorpio is Nick’s brother Max.  Scorpio escapes as Nick Fury deactivates the self-destruct sequence. 

Marvel Universe 7/15/12

Ultimate Spider-man – “Awesome”
Spider-man has been having a bad week, culminating in a fight with Juggernaut.  During which Luke Cage calls Spider-man to remind him about their science fair project that he keeps putting off being due tomorrow.  Peter tries to sneak inside his home after being beaten by Juggernaut for most of the night.  Luke calls him asking him about Juggernaut and the science fair.  Juggernaut is loose somewhere in the city, and Peter is in trouble because Aunt May sold his chemistry set.  On the way to school, Spider-man runs into Juggernaut again, but Juggernaut disappears during the fight.  Peter arrives at school, and is lectured by Luke about coming through when he said he would.  Spider-man goes to the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier to see if there is something he can borrow there.  After passing on Marvel artifacts, including Howard the Duck, he finds a grey “mood” brick.  He takes it.  Peter arrives with the brick.  Peter sets the brick on the table, and while Luke and himself celebrate, the brick sprouts legs and walks off.  Peter explains that he stole it from the Helicarrier, and Luke tells him that he needs to find a way to do everything in life.  The brick walks off and begins eating things and growing.  Coulson tells them that it is the Awesome Android, and it feeds on inorganic material.  The android grows too big for the school, and goes out on the street, looking for stuff to eat.  They stop the android from eating a train, and Juggernaut happened to be on it.  Juggernaut runs into the android, and is stopped.  The android eats him, which takes off his suit and helmet, and secretes Juggernaut.  Juggernaut has lost his powers (uhg) and is able to be taken out.  The android is now going berserk.  Through an accident, the team finds that the android shrinks when exposed to coldness.  Iron Fist was trying to distract the android, but he captures Nova and starts playing with him.  In the school, Luke Cage and Spider-man find Eva’s science project, which was about super-cooling carbon dioxide.  Luke Cage throws Spider-man into the androids mouth.  The android freezes and shrinks back down to a brick.