Program Review: Castle, Seasons 1-8

My wife loves Police Procedurals.
I'm a Firefly fan.
Together, we binge-watched all eight seasons of Castle!

Prior to our binging, I heard a lot of good things about Castle, and figured the show would be something we'd both enjoy. So I bought the First Season DVD set several months ago.   Seven additional DVD sets later, we finally finished Season Eight last week.


The Premise:

Richard Castle is a best-selling mystery writer (and Bumbling Dad). 
Kate Beckett is an ace NYPD detective of the 12th Precinct (and Broken Bird).
Together, they fight crime!    

Yeah, I totally borrowed the TV Tropes format for my opening line here.

Anyway, Richard Castle weasels his way into job-shadowing Detective Beckett after helping her and her team of homicide detectives solve a series of copy-cat murders, based on one of his books.  Sparks fly for the first three seasons.  Castle's initial excuse for hanging around was that he found inspiration to write a new series of books about Detective Nikki Heat--based on Detective Beckett.  By Season 4 romance finally blooms, even though it was obvious to everyone around them, that they're a perfect pair.


In between all the will they or won't they? the mismatched duo endeavor to catch the victim of the week's killer.


The Good:

What delighted me most about Castle were the actor allusions to "Firefly."  However, the show went beyond appealing to sci-fi fans.  Just about every episode contained shout outs to numerous TV shows, movies and comics.


I like Nathan Fillion as an actor, and what I envied most about his character was his relationship with his daughter Alexis.  I found myself imagining being the same kind of dad towards my daughter if she lived with me instead of my her mom.  Of course, without the financial fortune, jet-set lifestyle and fangirls throwing themselves at me.  I also liked Castle's generosity towards his new-found friends.  If it wasn't in the precinct's budget--or inside it's rules of ethics--Castle would write a check for anything from paying a ransom to hiring a prostitute (in order to interview her for the case of the week, of course).  He even bought an cappuccino maker to replace the precinct's bad to the last drop machine.
 
However, my favorite characters on Castle turned out to be heterosexual life partners Ryan & Esposito.  On-stage their relationship often mirrored Castle & Beckett's, and from the snippets I've seen, the actors seem to have the same dynamic going for them off stage as well. Each of them had at least one day in the limelight episode that was truly memorable.


The Bad: 

Castle certainly wasn't flawless.

As is usual with every TV series ever created, the main characters do everything.  In this case, a metropolitan police district's homicide unit was comprised of three detectives, plus a tag-along.  Not to mention putting said tag-along in harm's way on a routine basis.

And since this cadre was critical to fighting crime, we knew the writers weren't going to kill off the main characters.  Besides, we had all eight seasons worth of Castle DVDs.  So we found each story to be more amusing and interesting, rather than exciting.

The biggest problem, however, was arc fatigue.  Castle was more than just an episodic dramedy about romance, and the body of the week.  There were numerous story arcs, which took more than one episode to complete, and many of these in-turn, would span several seasons.  In fact, half of them were linked to each other in some way or another.  These shows were darker and edgier stories, and were our least favorite.  Watching these required viewing one--or usually more--breather episodes in order to prepare ourselves for the next downward spiral.

By the last episode of Season 7, several Big Bads have been killed-off or incarcerated, and Richard Castle finally won a coveted literary award.  Things were looking up for everyone else, who've finally become a band of true companions...and then they get the adventure continues phone call, because another murder has been committed.

(Image:  Castle Season 6 Wallpaper)

This, however, turned out to be a series fauxnale.  The man behind a Big Bad, known as "LOKSAT," emerged.  Most of the stand-alone shows were tainted by the LOKSAT Arc.  Episodes completely devoted to thwarting LOKSAT were tedious to watch, and the season finale struck a sour note with fans everywhere.  It was obviously intended as a cliffhanger.  But at some point in production, when it was clear there wouldn't be a Season 9, a seven years later scene was slapped on to give Castle & Beckett a babies ever after ending--and something for fans to coo about.


Except fans reacted with more boos than coos.  So much so, that many (all?) Castle fans have mentally written-off Season 8 in it's entirety.

TV Tropes has an entire list of Castle clunkers on it's Your Mileage May Vary Page, along with some headscratchers.


The Awesome:

Overall though, I think the show is awesome.  Just how awesome?  Well TV Tropes has a list of awesome Castle moments, along with the funny and heartwarming ones.

I'm now as much a fan of Castle now as I am of any sci-fi or fantasy program. Castle now has a fictionalized and even defictionalized expanded universe.  That is, there are now several real Nikki Heat novels...

(Image:  Cover to Book 1 of 8, with #9 due in 2017)

...Derrick Storm books...

(Image:  Cover to Book 1 of 5)

...and Derrick Storm graphic novels ghost-written for the fictional writer Richard Castle. 

(Image:  Cover to Book 1 of 4)

My wife bought me the first two Derrick Storm graphic novels, which I haven't read yet.  I'll probably ask for the first books in both the Derrick Storm and Nikki Heat novels next.

So Castle will live-on long past its cancellation.


Castle Sites:

TV Tropes also has a page listing every Castle-related trope from A to Z, a character page, along with a episode recap page (which is incomplete at this time).

In addition to TV Tropes and Wikipedia, there's the following Castle sites:

Castle TV

Castle Wiki 

Program Review & Upcoming Event: LARPs the Series

(Image from:  LARPs the series, opening sequence)

I just finished binge-watching a webseries I recently discovered:  LARPs the series.

LARP, the non-series, is an acronym meaning Live Action Role Playing.  That is, instead of sitting around a table rolling dice and pushing miniatures around, players physically act-out the action.

LARPs the series (YouTube Channel), premiered on16 January this year. 

The show follows the misadventures of "LARPers" Arthur, Shane, Evan, Brittany, and Will (pictured left-to-right in the led promotional photo, and played by Jonathan Silver, Elizabeth Neale, Jon Verrall, Charlotte Rogers and Scott Humphrey).

In this first season the characters' fantasy world and daily lives blur with comedic, dramatic, and poignant results. 

The cast & crew of LARPs just finished shooting Season 2 and are currently doing post-production work. 

In the meantime, mark your calendar/set your appointment app for 29 August, just two days from now, for...

(Image from LARPs the Series Facebook Event Page)

Program Review: Emma Approved

 

The folks at Pemberly Digital scored big a couple nights ago at the 4th Annual Streamy Awards, with it's ground-breaking Lizzie Bennet Diaries (LBD).

 

This vlog version of Pride and Prejudice was my first exposure to the works of Jane Austen. 

 

Now my latest video venture into the world of Jane Austin is:  Emma Approved, an adaptation of the novel Emma.

 

Meet Emma Woodhouse, (played by Joanna Sotomura), lifestyle coach not-so extraordinaire, and her business partner Alex Knightley (played by Brent Bailey).

 

She's on a quest to "improve the lives of those around her," while he struggles to keep the business afloat.

Yeah, you guessed it, conflict ensues.

(An Emma Approved version of American Gothic?)

Oh, Emma means well, and her grandiose schemes are successful--for the most part.  But, more often than not, Emma leaves hard feelings and heartache in her wake, because she's blind to the obvious.

I enjoyed the series, and from the comments I read on YouTube, the other viewers did too, and looked forward to each new episode.  Emma Approved seemed to be a rebound from Pemberly Digital's LBD spin-off Welcome to Sanditon. 

However, there's more to these webseries than posting videos on YouTube.  Apparently, Emma Approved didn't work as well as LBD, in part because Emma Approved didn't utilize the full range of transmedia that LBD did.

Other than Facebook, I didn't delve into any other media platforms during my viewing times.  I guess having an "in-character" blog, which includes womens' fashion advice isn't enough anymore.

Well being the Y-Chromosome tainted Luddite that I am, I'm still giving Emma Approved 4 out of 5 stars, or for those who like using the IMDb Scale, 8 out of 10.

I think Emma would approve.

Program Review: Welcome to Sanditon

(Image from Pemberley Digital)

Well it's time for me to turn in my Man Card--again.  

I guess I get sentimental this time of year, especially now that Christmas is less than half-a-day away.

Anyway, today's "Man Card violation" is my review of Pemberley Digital's (PD)second YouTube series Welcome to Sanditon.  

This program is a spin-off of the award-winning Lizzie Bennet Diaries.

Most TV spin-offs don't measure up to the quality of the parent program and unfortunately, Welcome to Sanditon falls into a similar internet category.

But it was a valiant attempt.

Part of the problem was the source material, which was based on the unfinished novel Sanditon by--who else?--Jane Austen.  

The second problem was, the producers attempted to get the fans involved directly which resulted in some mediocre-at-best videos.  

In PD's re-imagining of Sandition, William Darcy's sister Gigi, played by actress Allison Paige, strikes out on her own to set up their company's multi-platform communication program Domino, in the town of Sandition, CA.  There, she encounters conniving Mayor Tom Parker (Joel Bryant), along with rival siblings and competing gym-owners Letitia and Beau Griffiths (Vanessa Chester and Vaughn Wilkinson, respectively).  

However, Gigi manages to help love bloom--thanks to Domino--between Clara Breton (Lenne Klingaman) owner of the ice cream parlor "Sanditon Scoops" and the mayor's bumbling, but likable assistant, Edward Denham (Kyle Walters). 

The subplot in all this revolves around the Domino program itself, which is suspected of becoming self-aware in a "romantic Skynet" sort of way.  

And here's where the fan videos come in:  

During the show's production, fans submitted videos of themselves posing as Sanditon residents, discussing their mysterious dealings with Domino.  It was a good attempt at involving the fans, but fell short of the quality mark and really didn't add much, if anything, to the plot.  Based on the comments of YouTube viewers, the fan videos were the least favorite part of the show.

All that being said, I liked Welcome to Sanditon and enjoyed watching it, giving the show a 3 out of 5 star rating.  The love story between Clara and Ed is cute. The first ice-breaker between the two occurs when he's locked in her store watching The Day of the Triffids mini-series (1981).  

Hey, any program that references The Day of the Triffids can't be all that un-manly, can it?

(Image:  Manly picture of Triffid-infested London)  

And for those of us you with a sweet tooth, Clara concocts some killer ice-cream recipes, such as:  

Trick-or-Treat Ice Cream (Episode 2)

Chocolate Peanut Banana Juice (Episode 6)

Breakfast Sundae (Episode 10) 

Brownie Sandwich (Episode 14)

Chocolate Dipped Cone with Raspberry Sorbet (Episode 18) 

and my favorite--Nutella Waffles for Two (Episode 22)

As I mentioned in my Lizzie Bennet review, I don't intend to pick-up a Jane Austen novel.  I'm much more interested in the Napoleonic Wars than the trials and tribulations of England's landed gentry during the Regency Era.

Nor do I recall ever watching a Jane Austen-based movie or TV program.  However, I think these re-imagined versions are well-suited for the "small screen" because they are so personal--and yes--romantic.

So grab your box of tissues, your ice-cream scooper, skip the fan videos and enjoy Welcome to Sanditon! 

Note:  

Episodes can be seen on the Pemberley Digital website, YouTube or on Facebook. 

A Not-Quite Whovian's Perspective of Dr. Who

Last month I posted a congratulatory post about the 50th Anniversary of Dr. Who.  

Since then, I've been trolling the internet reading and viewing various tidbits to get me better acquainted with The Doctor.  

 First there was the Doctor Who entry on Wikipedia to get a broad overview of the Whoverse.

After that, I spent most of my time right at the source--BBC's Doctor Who TV. 

Despite my cursory in-depth on-line research, I've watched practically no episodes from start-to-finish yet.  I vaguely remember the 1996 Doctor Who movie.  The snippets of shows I remember the most are from back-in-the-day of the Fourth Doctor, when my sister "Rox of Spazhouse" would tune in to the program.

From what I have seen though, I can understand why this show is so popular.  While the special effects, especially in the early years, may seem laughable, the acting is quite good.  (By the way, there are still some laughable special effects in a lot of movies produced by Syfy).

My favorite Doctor, is of course the Fourth Doctor, played by Tom Baker, for nostalgic reasons.  These were the shows I remember the most, because my sister Rox watched Doctor Who as much as I watched Star Trek.

But after watching all the samples available on the BBC website, I've gotten to like the previous three Doctors.

Why not the newer ones?

I guess because when I think of the term "doctor" referring to a non-medical person, I think of someone scholarly.  The younger, hipper and edgier Doctors that have come along since #4 don't seem to fit that mold for me.

It also makes sense to my middle-age addled brain that someone as intelligent--brilliant even--as The Doctor is, often needed some muscle to watch his back while he concocts his cunning plan to defeat the bad-guy-of-the-week.  Hence, in my opinion, his constant need of companions.

But based on this chart I from L7 World, the producers of the show apparently had other ideas...

Anyway, does my favorable impression now make me a Whovian?  

Not really, but this has more to do with me than the show.  Being a "live by the sword" type, I have very little patience for recurring villainous masterminds.  At least on two occasions, The Doctor (#4 and #5) had Davros, creator of the Daleks, dead-to-rights yet dallied until one of Davros' minions turned the tables.  

So I can't really get into a hero who continually pulls his punches, or chokes at the finish.

I guess I'm the kind of guy that shoots first. 

But at least now I can hold a conversation, watch an episode with my Whovian family and friends and not feel like a complete muggle.  

(Yes I know I mixed metaphors, but I'm not Whovian enough to describe a non-Whovian like me). 

Top 10 Christmas TV Specials

 

(Image from:  A Christmas Story)

Well the Christmas Season is upon us and that means dusting off our Holiday DVD collections or scrolling through the TV guides to watch our favorite shows. 

Just before Thanksgiving, Doug Knoop of the Seattle Times came up with his Top 10 Holiday TV Specials for discerning viewers.

Of Doug's faves, I've seen only six shows he considers to be the pick of the litter.  The ones I haven't watched are:  Prancer, Christmas in Yellowstone, Black Christmas and Pee Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special. 

Prancer sounds nice and Christmas in Yellowstone sounds peaceful, but I won't be trolling Amazon.com for copies of Black Christmas and Pee Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special anytime soon. 

I'd just as soon as suffer through the entire Star Wars Holiday Special.  (At the risk of dating myself, I remember watching part of it during the one & only time it aired).

After reading Doug's article, I clicked on the TV poll where I spent several minutes trying to decide which ONE show I liked above all the others.

Of the 34 choices, I narrowed it down to my own Top 10, listed in alphabetical order:

A Charlie Brown Christmas
A Christmas Carol (the 1951 version with Alistair Sim)
A Christmas Story
Holiday Inn
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the 1966 cartoon)
It's a Wonderful Life
Miracle on 34th Street
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
Scrooge (the 1970 musical with Albert Finney)
White Christmas

I love A Christmas Story's spot-on depiction of a kid's quest for the present of his heart's desire and Die Hard is a cool action-adventure flick.  But in keeping with the Season, I had to think of which movie came closest to the real meaning of Christmas.

This pruned the list down to:

A Charlie Brown's Christmas
A Christmas Carol
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
It's a Wonderful Life

Reflecting further, if one believes Christ was born into this world to save us of our sins, then the truest form Christmas movie would be some sort of redemption story.

And the show that touches me most deeply in this category would be...

 

...A Christmas Carol.

 

Why this one--besides Alistar Sim being the best movie Scrooge ever? 

 

Because more than any other Christmas movie, the scenes that choke me up the most are:

 

When the Ghost of Christmas Past reveals to Scrooge his dying sister's request that he take care of her son...

 

 

 

...which he didn't.

 

Yeah, that would have shattered me then and there.  Forget confronting the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come...

 

 

 

And then near the end, there's the moment Scrooge asks his niece-in-law for forgiveness...

 

 

...with the tune of Barbara Allen playing in the background.

 

What I also found interesting was that several versions of Dickens' tale were on the TV poll, even Mr Magoo's Christmas Carol.

 

In comparison, only the original Miracle on 34th Street made the list...

 

 

...along with the animated How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

 

 

You just can't beat the classics.

 

But no matter what you watch--even if it's Pee Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special, or a bootleg copy of The Star Wars Holiday Special--I hope you and yours have an enjoyable Holiday Season.

 

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and "...God Bless us, every one!"

Happy 50th Anniversary to Dr. Who!

(Image:  Dr Who montage)

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the BBC's sci-fi/cult classic Dr. Who.  The Wikipedia entry says Dr. Who holds the record for the longest running sci-fi TV series in the world.

While Wikipedia is known for playing fast and loose with facts, I believe this one.  I remember my sister Rox watching Dr. Who, then played by Tom Baker, as avidly as I watched Star Trek.

I must admit though, while I'm familiar with the series--especially the arch enemies--the Daleks--

 

--I never really followed the show.

But even though I'm not a fan, I'd like to extend a Happy Anniversary to all my "Whovian" friends and family.

Enjoy the celebration!

(Image from: Dr. Who Series Seven) 

Program Review: HISHE and Honest Trailers, plus Movie Review of Star Trek--Into Darkness (sort of)

Have you watched a movie lately and despite the extravagant special effects, feel underwhelmed when it's over?  Not to mention giving the film two thumbs down or a bushel of rotten tomatoes.

I felt the same way about Star Trek: Into Darkness, which I saw on DVD a couple weeks ago.  While I liked it--for the most part--but I had a lot of nagging questions about the film.  It wasn't until a few days later, when I had a chance to discuss Into Darkness with a coworker, that I had all the answers I needed for a definitive movie review.

But before I could get motivated to write the review I stumbled across Screen Junkies and their series of Honest Trailers.  My first introduction to their work was--as if on cue--Star Trek Into Darkness.

These guys (gals too?) are comedic geniuses at spotting plot holes and informing the viewer is really getting for his money, or pirated download. 

This particular trailer was done in collaboration with another band of creative comedians at How It Should Have Ended (HISHE). 

Their latest film, maybe not-so coincidentally is How Star Trek Into Darkness Should Have Ended, which was done in collaboration with Screen Junkies. 

I've watched several HISHE movies now.  Each clip provides a short laugh-break raning from less than two minutes to over five.  I wouldn't say their endings are always "better," especially since things often don't end well for our heroes and heroines.  But they are funny, ranging from mild to hilarious. 

The only drawback is you have to have seen the original movies first, in order to understand the humor.  There are several of HISHE/Honest Trailer shows I haven't seen yet because I haven't watched the original films and I don't know if I'll ever get around to doing so. 

I mean, the idea of sitting through the entire Twilight Saga doesn't appeal to me at all. 

Thanks to HISHE and Screen Junkies, I may not do another movie review again and just provide links to their latest releases.

But then again, I need to practice my writing.

While I continue to practice my craft, you can subscribe to both sites on YouTube.

And while we're on the subject of the latest Star Trek reboots (well kind of), here's an Honest Trailer for the rebooted original Star Trek and how said reboot should have ended. 

Laugh long and prosper.

Program Review: The Big Bang Theory, Seasons 1-5

 

This is more a personal reflection than a program review.

 

My wife Janet and I finally finished watching Seasons 1-5 of The Big Bang Theory (TBBT) from her DVD collection.  We haven't seen any episodes of Season 6 yet and are waiting for that DVD to be released. 

 

Ever since Janet and I started dating we've been intermittently watching the show at the rate of 1-2 episodes per viewing night.  We love the show--but from two opposing perspectives.

 

As a kid, I was interested in science, especially Archaeology, Paleontology and Geology.  In addition to my pre-teen interest in science, I've loved Science Fiction and Fantasy for as long as I can remember. Then during testosterone surge of the teen years that warped my brain altered my thinking, I became passionate about Military History--and my brother Terry bought me my first wargame.

 

My journey to "the Dark Side" made a quantum leap--and hasn't showed any signs of slowing down yet.

 

Janet on the other hand, has always been interested in Criminal Justice and loves crime dramas.  Normally, she's not interested in flights-of-fancy fiction--let alone indulging in the fandom that often erupts over shows, ranging from Star Trek (the Original Series) to Doctor Who--and beyond.

 

Then she met me. 

 

Since we've been together, Janet's been to comic book stores, game stores and even attended the Emerald City Comicon a few months ago.

 

In short, we're about as close to a Penny & Leonard relationship as we could be.  Fortunately, without all the on-again/off-again melodrama.

 

I often tease Janet by asking her:  Did you ever think, in your wildest dreams, that some moments of your life would be like an episode of The Big Bang Theory?

 

Talk about Life imitating art.

 

So, because of my romance with Janet, the 5-star rating I'd give each of the five seasons we've seen, shouldn't be considered unbiased.

 

 

 

The show just wrapped-up it's 6th Season, which will be released on DVD, September 10th, 2013.  In the meantime, you can watch re-runs on TBS.

 

However, despite TBS's "very funny" slogan, not everyone likes TBBT.  The 1-star ratings on TBBT's 1st Season range from complaints about the quality of the DVDs to outrage over the insulting portrayal of scientists and engineers.

 

The gripes about caricaturization aren't without merit. But TBBT isn't the only show that's "gotten it wrong" about various professions.  Nearly all of us ex-military types rarely like Hollywood's portrayal of our fellow soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines--even spouses.  (I'd write an all-out tirade against the show Army Wives, but instead here's a kinder/gentler critique of the program).

 

I guess it's a matter of what you're sensitive to and whether or not you enjoy having your profession, faith, interests and hobbies--anything you hold dear--subjected to everything from gentle ribbing to full-blown ridicule.

 

Or, as Sheldon would say...

 

 

 

Despite the criticisms, TBBT is a pop-culture sensation that's helping to turn geekdom into mainstream.  It spawned it's own wiki and a plethora of fan art, like this from Kinkei...

 

 

So grab your toy lightsaber, don your favorite superhero costume and enjoy the show!

Program Review: Archer, Season 2

 

The show Archer, now in it's fourth season, continues to be one of FX's popular shows.  Season 3 is available on DVD, which I bought when it was released, but I haven't watched it yet.

 

I just finished watching Season 2 and most of the extras last night.  So if you're a latecomer, like me, this review is for you. 

 

If you are new to the Archer TV series, (this Wikipedia link contains plot-spoilers), it's best to start with Season 1.  Not every episode takes off where the previous one ended; however, there's enough of a story arc, that may seem confusing for anyone who hasn't watched the show from the beginning. 

 

Season 2 maintained the same raunchy, morbid humor, along with the over-the-top graphic violence the first season did.

 

Some folks on Amazon.com thought there was a slight dip in quality, due to the repetitiveness of the jokes and gags, which made the idea of re-watching an episode less-than appealing. 

 

Most reviewers, however, were pleased with the show, as 152 gave it a 5-star rating. 

 

But was Season 2 as hilarious as the first season? 

 

I'm not so sure, because what I found most interesting was the character development.  In this season, some of the episodes delved into the backstories of other ISIS members.  Two of this wacky crew, Woodhouse and Cheryl, even had entire episodes devoted to them.  And fans clamoring to learn more about the other characters as well.

 

Most of the extras on this set are enjoyable to watch.  There's an "interview" with Archer, along with a shout-out-gone-wrong to soldiers serving in Afghanistan; a dream-within a dream, where the image of the actual voice-actor, H. Jon Benjamin is used instead of Sterling Archer; and a panel discussion with some of the actors at the 2011 San Diego Comi-Con. 

 

The one extra that can be skipped is the "Archersaurus: Road to Extinction."  This is another dinosaur-substituting-for-Archer episode that, to the best of my knowledge, didn't air.  As a parody-of-a-parody, it doesn't work and is completely annoying. 

 

Speaking of annoying, the few 1-star raters complained mostly about the quality of the DVD they purchased.  So be sure to order your copy from a reputable company, or store.

 

One final note:  Even though this is an animated series, it's DEFINATELY not for kids.

 

As for me, it's on to watching Season 3!

Program Review: The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

Now, I'm not the kind of guy...

...who reads Jane Austen novels...

...but ever since I discovered The Guild (belatedly), I've enjoyed several other webseries; all of them the sci-fi and fantasy genres. 

That all changed several months ago, while watching an episode of The Flog.  During these preliminary programs, Felicia Day would open her show by recommending various sites she found on the internet that week.  In Episode 5 (30 Apr 2012), she gave rave reviews for a webseries called The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.  

The program puts a modern spin on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, in the form of a "vlog" (video web log--an internet diary) and sprouted its own website, along with a Facebook Page.  So there are several ways to get caught up.

And speaking of getting caught up, I must admit, I was hooked right-off-the-bat watching the first episode.

The story starts off with Lizzie complaining about her mom's attempt to see her and her three sisters...

...married off to eligible (i.e. rich) bachelors... 

...mayhem ensues. 

From what I've read on Wikipedia Based on my extensive research, the Lizzie Bennet Diaries follows the source material rather closely.  So if you've read Pride and Prejudice, you know how it all ends.

The moral of both stories:  First impressions can be deceiving.

Unlike the other webseries I've watched, which often take place in far-off, fictitious lands, I was drawn into Lizzie Bennet Diaries by the impression that this was, indeed, a young lady's video diary. 

In other words--the show seems--real.

But this "vlog" stretches to 100 episodes, along with three spin-offs (to explore the sub-plots) and won Best Comedy Writing category at the 3rd Annual Streamy Awards. 

Not to mention boasting a legion of fans, some who are talented artists...

My favorite moments are when Lizzie imitates her mother...

...and gets her sisters, friends and relatives involved in "costume theater." 

But this dramedy has its poignant moments too.  The finale between Lizzie and Darcy (Episode 98), is one of the most tender and romantic scenes I've seen in any medium. 

Now, despite all this "mushy stuff," guys--you don't have to worry about getting your Man Card revoked for watching this show.

If confronted, all you have to say is that you're watching a program featuring several attractive women...and before you can explain the plot-line, your inquisitor will be satisfied with your answer.

(Yes, I'm speaking from personal experience here).

What's more, is that you're wife/girlfriend/domestic partner won't mind you watching either, because:

a)  It's an on-line version of a classical piece of Chick lit she's probably read, and

b) There's no overly sensual, not to mention explicit, sexual imagery during any of the episodes.

Talk about a double win!

True, some of the conversations veer into adult themes, especially towards the end, but the show is safe enough for teens to watch--who've probably been exposed to far worse within our school system. 

I give the Lizzie Bennet Diaries a 5-star rating and consider it one of my favorite webseries.

Books and Program Reviews: The Guild Webseries and Graphic Novels

 

 Because of my rotating work schedule and extensive workout routine, to fight my personal "Battle of the Bulge," I don't have the time to play any Massively Multi-player On-Line Role Playing Games (MMORPGs). 

 

However, as table-top wargamer and role player, this hasn't stopped me from enjoying antics of "The Knights of Good" in the smash-hit webseries The Guild. 

 

 

Created by actress/gamer Felicia Day, The Guild has been popular with fans and critics alike for six seasons.  Earlier this week it was edged out of the Best Comedy Writing category by the Lizzie Bennet Diaries in the 3rd Annual Streamy Awards.  (Lizzie Bennet will be the subject of a future Program Review). 

 

While The Guild is also available on DVD (as of now, up to Season 5) via Amazon.com.  These "hardcopies" come with bonus material, which makes purchasing them an attractive option. 

 

At a quick glance, Seasons 1 & 2 earned, on average, a fire-wall 5-star rating.  Subsequent seasons dipped a trifle to an average of 4.5 stars. I'll try to boost these ratings a bit by adding my 5-star rating to each DVD.  I think the webseries is a hoot and if you've done any gaming whatsoever, you could probably identify with all or most of mayhem the series portrays--on line and off.

 

 

 

Once I caught up with viewing The Guild's entire six-season history, I became interested in the characters' backstories.  Oh sure, there's the plot synopses and character sketches on Wikipedia, but it certainly lacks in the visual-appeal department. 

 

Instead of producing additional webisodes, Felica Day turned to another medium to delve deeper into her character Cyd Sherman/Codex:  The graphic novel.  This prequel is touching and humorous look at Cyd's life and her attempt to "transform herself" by delving into "The Game." 

 

While the book gets an overwhelming 16 x 5-star ratings, there are minor-to-moderate complaints about the artwork.  The most common comment was the art was inconsistent.  Maybe so, but I thought the artwork was fine and certainly will add another 5-star rating to the novel. 

 

Full disclosure:  I'm not an artist and I couldn't draw a straight line to save my life, so I probably don't know any better.

 

 

Cyd Sherman doesn't escape her dreary life into the world of "The Game" alone.  She's joined by a band of equally dysfunctional characters, who have interesting backstories of their own--to say the least.

 

Hence, the "sequel to the prequel:" The Knights of Good (The Guild Vol 2).  I snatched-up my copy during an impromptu visit to Atomic Comics. 

 

Unlike the first volume, which centered around Cyd/Codex, each chapter in this novel gives us a glimpse into the supporting cast of The Knights of Good. 

 

 

 While I didn't notice any artistic inconsistency, reviewers complained about in Volume 1, there is a definite distinction in styles among each of the chapters.  I don't mind, because each chapter is a seperate story dealing with a different character, so the stylistic differences provide a sense of variety to the book.

 

Also, it isn't until Season 6, that viewers actually get to see images of the game the guildees are gaga over.  Both graphic novels provide some nice gaming imagery to fill in the earlier seasons' lack of in-game adventures.

 

I'm definately happy with both of my graphic novel purchases and one day I may even buy the DVDs.