WandaVision

The MCU is expanding. Super soldiers and armored billionaires are over. Now it’s time to explore new corners in this vast universe, alongside one of our favorite superhero couples: Wanda Maximoff and Vision. Beware, because this review has huge spoilers for WandaVision. If you haven’t seen the show, go watch it first.

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff in Marvel Studios’ WANDAVISION exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.

WandaVision was one of the most anticipated Marvel and Disney+ shows of all times, not only because it’s the first Marvel Studios original series, but also because its premise was unique and bold. We truly didn’t know what to expect.

The show starts with the recently married Wanda and Vision, living a happy and peaceful life in Westview, New Jersey, as if they were inside an old sitcom. Somehow, they are finally experiencing what seems to be the perfect life. No Thanos, no Avengers. Just sitcoms. But we know something’s wrong. And that’s how the mystery begins.

One of the most amazing aspects of this experience was the weekly episodes. While Netflix nails the binge model, Disney+ really owns this way of watching shows. Every Friday, we watched WandaVision, trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together, and that alone made the experience worth it. Of course, some theories were ultimately wrong, but I think the journey was so thrilling and full of great moments, that at the end of the day, that’s what we will remember.

Once you see the whole picture, you understand what WandaVision is really about. The big bad wasn’t Mephisto or Nightmare, or even S.W.O.R.D or Agatha. Wanda’s greatest foe was grief. And the show handle that perfectly.

As the decades of the sitcom world Wanda created change, you can see the different stages of grief she goes through. And even though she tries to do everything she can to keep Vision and his world intact, she can’t escape reality for long.

The first episodes show denial, that’s why the sitcom element is more prominent. Wanda is living her perfect life, and even though there are small inconveniences and little details out of place, she goes on with her fantasy. After that, we have anger, a moment we clearly see when Wanda pushes Geraldine/Monica trough the walls. And in that moment, we are shown Vision’s dead face, to remind us (and Wanda) of the real world.

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff and Paul Bettany as Vision in Marvel Studios’ WANDAVISION exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved

I think one of the greatest elements of the show was Fake Pietro, or Fietro. “But Evan Peters wasn’t playing Peter, he’s not Fox’s Quicksilver, we were robbed!”. Well, I get that some people might have felt fooled, but I think that Ralph (Fietro) was a very smart move. Let me explain.

At this point on the show, Wanda seems to know that she did something wrong, but she can’t remember. Vision knows that too, and feels like Wanda is hiding something from him, which makes him no trust her as before. In that exact moment, Fietro appears. And when you see Wanda’s reaction, you know that she doesn’t recognize him, because he isn’t Pietro. But Vision doesn’t trust her, she’s alone, and she needs someone, a familiar face. And even though she knows that’s not her brother, she chooses to believe he is. And we, as the audience, do the same. We want to believe he is Pietro, or at least, a multiverse version of him, because we want Wanda to have someone she can rely on. And that move would never work if Evan Peters wasn’t playing that character.

If Fietro was a random actor, we, the audience, would have known from the very beginning that he wasn’t her brother. We wouldn’t have trusted him. But because we knew there was a chance, a small one, of Pietro being real, we chose to believe in him. And, of course, he wasn’t real. In her grief, Wanda chose to believe in him too, but when she faces the truth, she falls into the fourth stage of grief: depression.

(L-R): Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff and Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau in Marvel Studios’ WANDAVISION exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.

When everything falls apart, we get to one the best episodes of the show: episode 8. After learning the truth about Agatha, with one of the most memorable villain introductions of the MCU, we go and explore Wanda’s trauma from the very beginning. This was not only brilliant and relevant, but also necessary, because the movies never really explored Wanda’s story.

We learned about Wanda’s obsession with sitcoms and how she was a witch before touching the Mind Stone, we see her bonding with Vision after Pietro’s death, and, finally, we see what really happened with Vision after Infinity War. After that, we witness how Wanda, feeling completely alone and broken, creates the sitcom world when her real powers finally manifest. And that’s when we hear, for the first time in the MCU history, the words we wanted to hear: “this is Chaos Magic Wanda, and that makes you, the Scarlet Witch”. And then, after the big finale with Wanda, Vision, Agatha, White Vision, the twins and S.W.O.R.D., we witness the rise of the Scarlet Witch, in all her glory.

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff in Marvel Studios’ WANDAVISION exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.

The final episode is full of action, yes, but also emotion. Wanda’s fight with Agatha is visually stunning, and it’s great to see Billy and Tommy using their powers. Vision fighting Vision will be remembered forever as one of the most clever and amazing scenes in the MCU.

But when Wanda finally accepts her destiny and the reality she was trying to avoid, she has to say goodbye to Vision and the twins. That final sequence is full of emotion, “sadness, hope and love”. As the couple says, we will see them again for sure, but that doesn’t make the goodbye less painful.

(L-R): Jett Klyne as Tommy, Julian Hilliard as Billy and Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff in Marvel Studios’ WANDAVISION exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Suzanne Tenner. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.

WandaVision is one of the best superhero shows I’ve ever seen. It’s a great exploration of grief and trauma, but also a perfect origin story for one of the most powerful characters in the MCU. Wanda’s story is just starting, but she’s not the only one we’ll meet again.

Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau has become a fan favorite, not only because of Parris ability to make a realistic and strong woman, but also because she shows the values that define a real superhero. And now that she also has powers, it’s safe to say that Captain Marvel will have a very useful ally.

And, of course, we have to talk about the twins. Billy and Tommy are definitely alive, and Wanda knows that. Reading the Darkhold is probably not the best idea, but I’m sure that we’ll see the repercussions of Wanda’s actions explored in the Doctor Strange sequel. After showing their powers, I can’t wait to see the twins again, and hopefully, they’ll grow up again to become Wiccan and Speed.

In conclusion, WandaVision is a must see for everyone who considers themselves a Marvel fan. This is the first Disney+ show Marvel has created, and the quality is undeniable. The show really feels like a very long Marvel movie, and the extra time is perfect to develop the characters that they never had the chance to explore in the movies.

(Clockwise from left): Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), Tommy (Jett Klyne), Vision (Paul Bettany), Billy (Julian Hilliard) Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) and Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) in Marvel Studios’ WANDAVISION exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Season 4

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina come to an end. Even though this show started in 2018 and became a huge hit for Netflix, the streaming service decided to cancel it last year, giving it a fourth and final season to conclude the story of Sabrina Spellman.

Is this final season worth-watching? The short answer would be yes. If you are a fan of the show, the characters and everything that makes CAOS special, you will enjoy these new episodes. Are they as good as the first ones? Is the ending any good? Let’s discuss.

CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA KIERNAN SHIPKA as SABRINA IN CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA. Cr. DIYAH PERA/NETFLIX © 2020

Season 4 of CAOS is great. As a said before, fans of the show will definitely enjoy it. It’s on par with season 3, so it means that, unfortunately, it’s not as good as the first two parts.

The story this time revolves around the Eldritch Terrors, powerful and ancient entities that are eager to destroy the world. Each episode focuses on one of these terrors, which made the show feel a bit episodic, instead of creating a huge plot line that develops throughout the season. This is not something bad per se, it just means that some episodes will be easily forgotten once you finish the show. However, I will admit that episode 7 was the best episode of the season, and probably one of the best of the series.

The Terror are quite interesting, but some of them are more developed than others. In the end, they feel like means to an end, which is bringing back certain characters and the big bad of the season: The Void.

The cast is, as usual, incredible. If CAOS has something special that will make you forget the not-so-good aspects of the show, it’s definitely its cast. Kiernan Shipka, Michelle Gomez, Miranda Otto and Skye P. Marshall are the best part of this season, mainly because they have the more interesting plot lines.

The rest of the cast does a great job every time they are on screen. Luke Cook, Tati Gabrielle and Lucy Davis are wonderful, especially in this season. However, the special guest stars of episode seven are probably the greatest addition to this show and this season.

CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA (L to R) LUKE COOK as LUCIFER and MICHELLE GOMEZ as MADAM SATAN inCHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA. Cr. DIYAH PERA/NETFLIX © 2020

The ending was ok. You can definitely see how rushed it was, and that creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa had more stories to tell with this cast. However, Netflix canceled it, and at least, they didn’t leave the story open. It’s not a bad ending, but I wish we could have gotten a final season, or a special episode to wrap things up in a better way.

As Tony Stark would say, “part of the journey is the end”, and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina was quite the journey. Maybe it’s not the greatest show ever created, but I will always remember it. The good outweighs the bad, for sure, and these characters will always be remembered.

And who knows, maybe someday Netflix decides to bring back CAOS for one last adventure.

CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA (L to R) MIRANDA OTTO as ZELDA and LUCY DAVIS as HILDA in CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA. Cr. DIYAH PERA/NETFLIX © 2020

The Haunting of Bly Manor

The Haunting of Hill House was one of the most interesting shows of 2018, and thanks to its successful debut, Netflix announced a second season which will focus on a different haunted house. With The Haunting of Bly Manor, creator Mike Flanagan takes us to England, where a young American au pair is hired to take care of two orphans who reside at Bly Manor, a huge mansion with lots of secrets.

This new season of “The Haunting” series is as strong as the previous one, at least in terms of characters and story, but it’s definitively not as scary or creepy. Is this a bad thing? It depends on you, to be completely honest. If you were looking for a traditional horror story, similar to Hill House, with lots of jump-scares, I think you would be disappointed with Bly Manor. However, if you enjoy a good story with a complex and deep story behind, you will love what Flanagan has created.

Yes, The Haunting of Bly Manor is not very scary. There are some good scares, and the ghosts Easter eggs that made Hill House so interesting are back. Some episodes are actually scary, or have good horror sequences, but not as much as some people (myself included) hoped. Plus, I think that the ghosts in Hill House were creepier and more terrifying than the ones we have in Bly Manor. However, that doesn’t mean that this season is, in any sense, bad or forgettable.

So, why is The Haunting of Bly Manor such a good show if it’s not that scary? The answer is simple: the characters, the story and the atmosphere are excellent, and sometimes even better than they were in The Haunting of Hill House.

THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR (L to R) T’NIA MILLER as HANNAH, BENJAMIN EVAN AINSWORTH as MILES, RAHUL KOHLI as OWEN, AMELIE SMITH as FLORA, and VICTORIA PEDRETTI as DANI in episode 101 of THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR Cr. EIKE SCHROTER/NETFLIX © 2020

First of all, the story is incredibly well-written. Mike Flanagan and the rest of the writers have created one of the most powerful gothic love stories I’ve ever watched. The stories behind Bly Manor, the ghosts and the main characters are deep, emotional, romantic, and so well constructed that, by the end of the show, you’ll be completely satisfied. This is one of those shows where the ending is actually good and doesn’t disappoint. Yes, some people could argue that the pacing isn’t perfect, and I would agree. Sometimes The Haunting of Bly Manor is very slow. But the show is a slow burn, and the best episodes are towards the end, where everything starts to make sense and you can finally put together all the pieces of the puzzle.

The characters are probably the most interesting element in this show. Every single character has an interesting backstory, and the show takes its time to explore them. Bly Manor is the kind of show where all the characters are so well written, that they feel like real people. Maybe the pacing wasn’t as good as one would have hoped, but I appreciated the fact that Flanagan and the other writers took the time to create interesting and realistic characters.

But the writing isn’t the only thing that made these characters the strongest element in this show. The cast is fantastic, and they deserve all the attention they’re getting. Victoria Pedretti, T’Nia Miller, Amelia Eve and Oliver Jackson-Cohen are, in my opinion, the strongest members of the cast, and their characters carry the show. However, both Benjamin Evan Ainsworth and Amelie Bea Smith, who play Miles and Flora, the orphans, deserve to be mention in this review, because they did an incredible job with their characters. And even though I never want to hear the sentence “perfectly splendid” again, I can’t say enough good things about those kids and the cast in general.

So yes, The Haunting of Bly Manor is quite different from its predecessor. It’s not just a ghost story. As they say at the end of the show, it’s also a love story. And a very good one, by the way. If you can, give Bly Manor a chance, and try to finish the show (if you haven’t already). You won’t regret it.

THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR (L to R) AMELIE BEA SMITH as FLORA , BENJAMIN EVAN AINSWORTH as MILES, and T’NIA MILLER as HANNAH in THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR. Cr. EIKE SCHROTER/NETFLIX © 2020

Ratched

Ryan Murphy and Sarah Paulson are teaming up again, but this time it’s not for another season of American Horror Story. At least, that’s what it looked like at first. Murphy and Paulson bring us Ratched, the new Netflix series that explores the origin of one of the most interesting characters in movie history: Mildred Ratched, the nurse that treated Jack Nicholson’s R.P. McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

Ryan Murphy is a very special producer. No one can deny that some of his shows are outstanding pieces of art, like the first season of American Crime Story. But we all can agree that he doesn’t hit the jackpot every single time. However, despite his many flaws, Murphy always delivers good entertainment for those like me who tend to enjoy his work.

Ratched is definitely a Ryan Murphy show in every single aspect. From the gorgeous locations and shots to the amazing cast (including Sarah Paulson, of course). And the show has the potential to become the next Bates Motel. But even though this first season is strong on its own, and I’ve enjoyed it a lot from the very beginning, there are certain elements that don’t quite work.

The first thing that bothered me about Ratched was the season finale. The show ends with an amazing cliffhanger, which leaves us begging for season 2. But the problem isn’t that. At the end of the final episode, Sarah Paulson’s Mildred Ratched is, without a doubt, a totally different person than the Ratched we know from the movie. Now, I understand that Murphy really wants to continue with the story and, as I said, the show has potential, so maybe in a couple of seasons, we’ll end up getting the real Ratched. However, I feel like Netflix’s Ratched is a completely different character and it would be really difficult but interesting to see how they can unite both stories.

Does that mean that Paulson’s interpretation of the iconic character is bad? Not at all. Sarah Paulson is one of the best actors working on TV these days, and she is the best element on the show. Her Ratched has what Louise Fletcher’s didn’t: a backstory that justifies and explains how she acts. Of course, Ratched is a series and she is the main character, but sometimes protagonists are bland and the shows must be carried by the side characters. This isn’t that kind of show.

I loved Paulson’s Ratched: the way she dresses, her ability to manipulate everyone, and, especially, how well she adapts to every single situation. I can’t wait to see how she evolves in the next season and (hopefully) how she ends up being the Mildred Ratched that Nicholson hated so much.

The rest of the cast is also great. Finn Wittrock is a very convincing serial killer and Judy Davis’s Nurse Bucket is a delight throughout the series. Charlie Carver is surprisingly good, even though he doesn’t have much screen time and even Sharon Stone has her moments. And Sophie Okonedo is a force of nature. She shines every time she’s on-screen, and even when her character reminds us of James McAvoy in Split, her Charlotte is one of the most amazing elements on the show.

Ratched story is very interesting, and I think that’s one of the strengths of this show. The episodes never feel too long or too crowded. There aren’t unnecessary subplots that complicate the story too much, which is something that Ryan Murphy tends to do and even though the show is very similar to his other creation, American Horror Story, Ratched is more similar to the best seasons of that show and not the worst ones.

In general, I think Ratched is a very good show. If you like Ryan Murphy, American Horror Story, Sarah Paulson, or asylums, this is your show. And if you’re a fan of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, I think you can enjoy the series if you understand that this is a different take on the character and the world that movie portrayed.

I hope we get to see more of Murphy’s Ratched, and as they did with Bates Motel, I think it would be interesting to see if the final season for this show recreates the events of the movie. We’ll have to wait.

My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising

My Hero Academia is one of the best and most popular animes right now. The series, created by Kōhei Horikoshi, is very popular, not only in Japan but also around the world, and the anime has just finished its fourth season and has a fifth one already in development.

This film focuses on Deku and the other students of Class 1-A while they are on Nabu Island, a very peaceful place, doing some real hero work. However, our favorite heroes will soon face a new enemy that threatens the whole island: the supervillain Nine. With All Might retired and the Pro Heroes far away, Deku and his friends are the island’s only hope.

Heroes Rising is, in general, a very good movie, with amazing action sequences where all the students get a moment to shine, and a story that’s more interesting than the one we got in Two Heroes. The only thing I didn’t like about this film was that it ended.

My Hero Academia has one of the best leads and supporting characters I’ve ever seen in any anime, so watching all of them fighting the villains of Heroes Rising was absolutely incredible. Both Deku and Bakugo shine in this movie, especially in the third act, when they have to fight together to defeat Nine. Every time Midoriya teams up with Kacchan, Heroes Rising, but also My Hero Academia in general, are at its best.

The villains in this movie are great. Most of them don’t have a lot of screen time, but their quirks are very cool and visually striking. As the main antagonist, Nine is a much more memorable foe than the one Class 1A fought in Two Heroes. The only problem one could have with Nine is that he is too similar to All For One. Besides that, his quirks are cool and his backstory is well developed. Plus, his fight with Deku and Bakugo is the best part of the movie.

The animation is great, and the music in the movie makes every scene even more memorable. As I said before, this movie is fantastic. I’m sure My Hero Academia fans will love it, and even if you are just a casual fan, Heroes Rising won’t disappoint you.

Locke & Key

After many years of announcements, cancelations, and ordering pilots, Locke & Key is finally a reality thanks to Netflix. This new TV show based on the popular comic book series created by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez is a very intriguing and enjoyable adventure that hooks you right after its first episode. Now that the show has been out for more than a week, it’s time to discuss both the good and the bad elements of this show, WITH spoilers.

The story and the mysteries

One of the strongest aspects of Locke & Key is its story and the way it handles the many mysteries that appear during this first season.

If you like fantasy worlds, comic books, and magic, this show is perfect for you. Every single magic element that we got in this season was absolutely amazing, especially the keys. To be honest, these magical objects are what make the show so interesting and binge-watchable. Every time a new key was introduced, I was eager to see what it could do and how they were going to use it. In fact, one of the coolest things you can do when you watch Locke & Key is thinking about how you would use the keys. And believe me, there are a lot of things we could do with them. Even their design was incredibly interesting.

There are also a lot of mysteries around the keys, the house and some characters (Dodge!) that keep us hooked. However, one good thing about this show is that when you finish season 1, you actually get some answers. Of course, by the end of episode 10, there are still some questions that remain unanswered and new mysteries that I’m sure we will explore in season 2. However, the main enigmas, like Dodge’s identity, Rendell’s past or what was behind the Omega Door, were solved. That was good because when I finished the season I didn’t feel like I wasted my time in a story with no real answers.

Also, the story never felt slow and I never thought that we were going nowhere. The screenwriters did a very good job handling so many storylines and characters, and they always move the story forward. And even though there are some Netflix shows that can’t handle 10 episodes, that was not the case with Locke & Key. In fact, I would say that 10 was the perfect number of episodes for the show: we had time to get to know the characters and their personalities, explore Key House, dig into the past and even laugh a bit.

Bode, Dodge, and the rest of the characters

Yes, Locke & Key has a very strong story, but the characters in the show are a bit bland. The problem with most of them is that they make a lot of dumb decisions, which sometimes I could understand because if it weren’t for them, there would be no show. However, there were some moments where I really felt like the characters did something or acted in a certain way just because they had to do it, so the story could continue, and not because it was the best thing to do or the right way to act.

There are two exceptions though. Bode Locke and Dodge. Jackson Robert Scott, who stole every minute he had on-screen in It: Chapter One is the star of this show. His character, Bode, is not only the best and most coherent Locke but also the funniest, bravest and most intelligent character in the whole show. He is the one who discovers the keys and how to use most of them, and even though he is the youngest of the siblings, he understands the danger they are facing and could have avoided some of the things that happened in the final episode.

Alongside Bode, Laysla De Oliveira’s Dodge was definitively the most intriguing character. She is a very deadly, dangerous and competent villain, who even murdered a child in cold blood by pushing him into a subway rail (that was scary and shocking). But even though she is the villain, I really enjoyed every time she was on-screen. De Oliveira did a very good job with this character, which honestly could have been a very typical and insipid bad guy.

Tyler and Kinsey were the ones who made some of the dumbest decisions. Now, I have to say, Connor Jessup and Emilia Jones are great actors because even when their characters did the stupidest thing imaginable, I still rooted for them. They had a very nice brother-sister relationship, which the writers handle very well, and both Tyler and Kinsey had good moments during some of the episodes. But they really need to start listening to Bode, or they will end up throwing their mother through the Omega Door.

The rest of the cast is ok. Most of the characters were there for plot-devices reasons, but the actors did a nice job. Some of the secondary characters that I really liked were Rufus, Gabe (who we will need to keep an eye on in season 2) and Joe.

A great show in general

Locke & Key, as I said is very enjoyable and intriguing. It’s not a perfect show by all means, but it has the potential to become one of Netflix’s greatest. They have great production designs, great VFX, a good set of writers and a very nice cast. Season 1 ended with some mysteries still unanswered and raising new questions, so I really need to see where we are heading.

The producers have already said that they are working on season 2, so it’s just a matter of time that Netflix confirms it. And I’m really excited to see more of this world: more keys, more magic, more demons, and more Bode. If you like fantasy, magic and a good mystery, go ahead and watch Locke & Key, you won’t regret it.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Season 3

Rejoice, witches! Our favorite witch is back! And this time, we are going to Hell.

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina became one of Netflix’s most popular shows soon after its release, back in October 2018. Since then, we’ve had two seasons and one Christmas special (something that I hope they do again), and now Netflix has released the third season, and it’s already preparing the fourth one.

Is Part 3 of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina worth our time? The short answer is simple: absolutely yes! However, I’d like to talk a bit more about this new season, which overall, I thought was really good and introduced a bunch of new and cool stuff that we can discuss right now.

Before we begin, I warn you: this review is full of spoilers, so if you haven’t watched every single episode of CAOS Part 3, go ahead and do it. What are you waiting for?

Great, but not perfect

I will begin with the not-so-good elements of this new season because, as I said, Part 3 was great, but not perfect.

I love musicals with all my heart. I love Glee and High School Musical: The Musical: The series. I simply love it when the characters of a movie or a tv show start singing and dancing spontaneously. Up until this point, I’ve even enjoyed CAOS‘s musical moments, especially in season 2, when they did that Masquerade in front of Lucifer. However, I think that they’ve gone too far in this new season. Sabrina and Roz’s cheerleading was cool, but the pre-recorded music didn’t fit at all, and Theo, Harvey and Roz’s band was pointless. I did like the episode where the cheerleaders performed at the Academy and the witches used their energies to power up, but that was a very good idea and the musical number was very well integrated within the context of the story. Overall, I do think they need to stop introducing random musical numbers if they don’t fit in with the story. It’s just a waste of our time.

I’m also tired of Blackwood. I think he’s served his purpose, and now he’s just there for the sake of being there. I understand that he is going to be a crucial part of season 4, and I’m kind of intrigued about that, but I don’t care about his character anymore. To be honest, Prudence and Ambrose should have killed him when they had the chance to, because now that he bears the Mark of Cain, he’s practically immortal, so I guess he’s going to be around for a while.

Finally, and this is more of a request for next season, I need more powers. This season was great in terms of Witches using their magic, but due to the fact that Lucifer decided to punish the Coven (I can understand why) taking away their powers, we’ve had a season where the main characters were facing a lot of dangers, and they couldn’t do much about it. Now, as I said, I’m ok with what we got, especially in that final episode when the Coven defeated the Pagans. However, after seeing Sabrina flying and killing angels with infernal fire, I was hoping to see more of that. And I still think they can give that to us in Part 4, now that Sabrina is Queen of Hell. At least, one of the two Sabrinas we have now.

Why CAOS is a good show

Every time I finish watching any season of CAOS, I say to myself: I want more. And that’s a good sign. Netflix’s adaptation of the comics is really special, and if you think about why this show is so good, you find the answer easily: the cast and the story.

CAOS is not Game of Thrones. It doesn’t have the biggest budget of all times. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy this show, because we do.

The cast is probably the greatest aspect of this dark and satanic series. Starting with Kiernan Shipka, she was born to play Sabrina. She is incredibly charismatic, and she makes us love Sabrina and we root for her even when she makes mistake after mistake. But she is the main character, so making dumb decisions is in her nature. Without them, the show would be very boring. Plus, Shipka really sells her spell casting, which is not an easy task.

Shipka’s Sabrina is not alone in this show, and, even though she is the star and main character, the rest of the cast is just as great as her. Michelle Gomez is not only my favorite character but also a very complex one. Her relationship with Sabrina is one of the most interesting aspects of the show, and I really hope they explore it even more in Part 4. Gomez’s Lilith is not only funny and charismatic but also a very powerful character, who’s willing to do everything to survive. Her future with Lucifer and the son they are expecting is very intriguing, but I want to see how she handles the two Sabrinas situation when she discovers the truth. And she will because as Ambrose said, she notices everything.

Hilda and Zelda continue to be great characters, and their storyline in this season was very good. Zelda’s new love interest is promising and I’m very happy to see Hilda being happy. As for Ambrose and Prudence, they had some really good moments, and they are great characters overall.

And last but not least, let’s talk about Roz, Harvey, Theo, and Nick. Out of these four characters, I honestly think Theo is the best one. His role in the show has evolved a lot since season one, and his relationship with one of the new characters, Robin, was a key element this season. Roz and Harvey are good characters, but they don’t have much to do. Roz’s cunning is an amazing gift, but I didn’t understand why she never said anything about what she saw at the Carnival. I mean, a lot could have been avoided if she had said earlier to everyone that she just saw a weird half-human, half-goat creature with her powers. As for Nick, I just don’t like him very much. I understand he’s been through hell (literally), but the way he treated Sabrina, even after they got rid of that Lucifer’s essence he had inside, was really despicable. Besides, he didn’t have much to do this season.

Now, even though I don’t like some of the characters of this show, I still think they are the most important and interesting aspect of it. The way the writers handle all of these characters and storylines is truly amazing, especially in an 8-episodes season. I said it last week when I talked about Sex Education, and I’m saying it again: Netflix shows are popular because they have great characters and stories, but they are also good because the writers know how to develop interesting storylines and relationships between the characters. In a world post Game of Thrones Season 8, I really appreciate when writers develop good and coherent characters.

The new additions

Part 3 not only deals with our favorite characters as usual, but it also introduces some new ones. And I have to say, all of them are refreshing and exciting new additions to this show.

Sam Corlett’s Caliban could have been a very annoying Hell demon because his main goal is to get the throne and rule Hell, so his aspirations are a problem for our main characters. However, Caliban is not only funny and charismatic but also intriguing. The dynamic he develops with Sabrina was very cool and kind of sexy, and even though he betrays her a lot, something tells me that Sabrina will need his help in Part 4. Maybe their relationship could grow into something more. We’ll see.

Skye P. Marshall’s Mambo Marie is also a very powerful new addition to the Coven. I’m ready to see more of her Voodoo magic and, what’s even more important, her relationship with our favorite High Priestess, Zelda.

Finally, I really enjoyed Jonathan Whitesell’s Robin Goodfellow. His relationship with Theo was very cute, and the fact that he is a hobgoblin makes for a very interesting dynamic between him and the rest of the group. I do think that his storyline was a bit cliché at first, but I’m looking forward to seeing how he grows as a character.

The Pagans ended up being great adversaries. Their powers were very cool, and I really felt that the Coven was in real danger. I knew that all of the killings that happened during the final episodes of the show weren’t going to last forever, but I thought that the Pagans could hurt the Witches pretty badly because they had the power to do so. But the Witches didn’t have their powers when they were facing them, and once the Coven recovered and regained their strength, it was really easy to get rid of those old gods. They were good characters, but I won’t miss them a lot.

Give us more, please

Season 3 was great. The story of the Pagan gods and the competition to see who would rule over Hell were two very interesting storylines, but they’ve ended. Now we have two Sabrina, and one of them is Queen of Hell. However, having two Sabrinas is probably not a good thing, and I’m sure that both of them will realize that sooner rather than later.

Furthermore, Blackwood and his twins have released something that will cause trouble for the Spellmans, and even though I don’t want to see more of Blackwood, I’m actually intrigued by that mysterious creature and how it’s going to fight the Witches.

In general, I think that Part 4 is going to be as wicked and enjoyable as Part 3. I know they are already filming it, but there are a couple of things I really want to see.

I want to see more of Sabrina’s dark side. Now that she is Queen of Hell, I want to see what she can do, and she has both Lilith and Lucifer to teach her some cool stuff. And I want more of Lilith plotting against Satan.

I also want to see how they develop the twins, especially how they interact with Zelda and Prudence. I don’t know if they are supporting Blackwood because they want to, or because he cast a spell on them. Knowing Blackwood as we know him, the second option is not a crazy idea.

And last, but definitively not least, I want more of Salem. I don’t know how, but they need to find a way to make that cat talk, and he has to begin showing up more frequently. Otherwise, what’s the point of having him there?

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is probably returning later this year, so until then, let’s enjoy this third season, witches, and let’s hope we don’t have to wait long to see the story continue.

Praise Sabrina, Queen of Hell. 

Sex Education Season 2

Season 1 of Sex Education was one of the most interesting and revolutionary shows Netflix released last year. The 8-episodes British comedy dealt with a lot of important issues like sex, homophobia, slut-shaming and more, and wasn’t afraid of showing things like abortions or STIs, proving that a teen comedy could also be very educational.

Now, Netflix has released season 2 of this amazing show, and I’m very happy to say that it’s as good as season 1 and even better in certain aspects. To sum up, Season 2 picks up exactly where we left it: Otis and Eric are friends again, Otis and Ola are starting a relationship, Maeve and Adam are expelled, and the school is freaking out about a chlamydia outbreak.

One of the first things I want to say about this new season, and the show in general, is how impressive it is that the screenwriters are able to handle so many characters and storylines without making it feel rushed or messy. In fact, this new season not only handles every single character we knew from season 1 perfectly but also introduces new characters, giving all of them their own storylines and development.

The new characters are incredibly interesting. Chinenye Ezeudu’s Viv or George Robinson’s Isaac are great examples of what I said. They interact with the main characters and develop engaging dynamics with them, which makes their role in the show not forced at all. Some of these new characters are more relatable or likable than others, but all of them feel real.

As for our beloved characters from season 1, they all got very funny, romantic and (of course) sexual stuff to do. Asa Butterfield as Otis continues to be a very good protagonist, and his chemistry with Emma Mackey’s Maeve (sorry Ola) is incomparable. However, his storyline is interesting because of the other characters he interacts with, not because he is interesting on his own.

Maeve and Eric (Ncuti Gatwa) are still the best characters in the show. They both have complex stories and problems that we, as the audience, can relate to, and their relationships with the rest of the cast are great.

Gillian Anderson’s Jean was definitively a very important character in season 1, but I felt that her relationship with Otis should have been developed a little bit more. This season, the writers did exactly that, and it was great. The dynamic between Otis and his mother, Jean, is fascinating and I think that, by the end of this season, they are in a very interesting position that I’d love to explore even more. Plus, they also explored Jean’s aspirations and needs a bit more. Her friendship with Adam’s mom, Maureen, was one of the best elements they’ve introduced in this new season. It was nice to see Jean interacting with more people other than Otis or Jakob because that gives the character more depth.

I would love to talk about the whole cast, but it would be necessary to go into spoiler territory, so I’m just going to say that the rest of the characters were also great, and they all had their moment to shine. Adam’s development was amazing, Jackson’s story was also great to explored and Aimee became one of my favorite characters.

The show keeps handling important topics and social issues as good as they did in season 1. Sexual assaults, consent, anxiety, self-harm, fetishes, asexuality, and bisexuality are some of the new topics they tackled, always with humor and love, but also keeping in mind that they are something that happens a lot in our society, especially with teenagers. And it’s amazing to see a show like this and think about all of the teenagers around the world, who are watching the show, and can feel identify with some of the characters or their dilemmas. As I said before, this is a very important show that everyone should watch. Even if you think that you are not the kind of person this show was created for, try to give it a chance. The issues they present here are everywhere, all around us, and a lot of people (kids, teenagers or adults) suffer from them.

I’m also very impressed by the visuals of this new season. Sex Education is not only a very well-written show, but also a visually stunning one. Each shots’ colors, the sets, the lights, and the characters’ clothes are beautiful and striking. Sometimes, while I was watching the episodes, I felt the need to play pause and just look at the backgrounds of the school or the landscapes for a couple of minutes. That is a very strong choice that I really loved because it makes the show even more special and unique. TV shows are usually pretty generic, in terms of visuals, so I appreciated the fact that they’ve created a show that is not only interesting in terms of story and characters, but also bright and colorful.

I won’t say anything else about this new season and the show. If you liked season 1, you’ve probably finished the new season by now, and if not, go and watch the eight episodes as soon as possible. The ending will leave you wanting more and more, and I’m sure Netflix will renew the show for, at least, one more season. And even if you don’t like teen comedies or teen shows in general, I think that Sex Education is so good, and so relevant in today’s society, that you could end up enjoying it a lot. To me, this is one of Netflix’s best original series and I can’t wait to see what they have in store for season 3.

Sex Education

Hace poco, Netflix estrenó una nueva serie original que ya ha cautivado a muchos. Hablo de la magnífica “Sex Education”, protagonizada por Gillian Anderson y Asa Butterfield. Con esta nueva comedia adolescente británica, Netflix comienza el año seriéfilo por todo lo alto, regalándonos uno de los mejores productos adolescentes de los últimos años. “Sex Education” es actual, fresca, realista y muy, muy divertida.

La serie sigue a Otis (Asa Butterfield), un joven cuya madre, Jean (Gillian Anderson), es terapeuta sexual. Otis tiene un pequeño problema, y es que es incapaz de masturbarse, y siente como su entorno lo presiona a más no poder, desde sus compañeros hasta su madre. Sin embargo, después de un interesante suceso en su escuela, la enigmática Maeve (Emma Mackey) le propone un negocio bastante lucrativo: crear un consultorio sexual para sus compañeros de clase. Otis acepta la propuesta, y es en ese momento cuándo “Sex Education” se convierte en una auténtica maravilla.

“Sex Education” lidia con todos los aspectos más delicados de la adolescencia: masturbación, sexo, acoso escolar, identidad sexual, etc. Y aunque en un principio pueda parecer que la serie no es mas que una buena comedia adolescente, poco a poco nos damos cuenta de lo necesaria que es esta nueva producción de Netflix. Todos estos aspectos que se tratan en los ochos capítulos que conforman la primera temporada están realmente bien desarrollados, y se alejan de cualquier cliché o estereotipo.

Uno de los mejores elementos de esta serie es la relación entre Otis y su mejor amigo, Eric (Ncuti Gatwa). La amistad entre ambos es una de las mejores relaciones masculinas que se hayan podido ver recientemente: se apoyan, se interesan el uno por el otro y son la prueba de cómo deberían de ser las amistades masculinas sanas. Por supuesto, tienen sus altibajos, y creo que estos aportan aún más verosimilitud a su amistad. La escena en el baile del instituto es una de las mejores de la serie, y quizás, una de las mejores escenas que haya visto jamás. Otis es un claro ejemplo de masculinidad sana y Eric es quizás uno de los personajes más complejos e interesantes de la serie, además de representar al colectivo LGBTQ sin caer en estereotipos.

La relación entre las mujeres de la serie es también otro de los puntos más interesantes, y “Sex Education” demuestra además lo importante que son las relaciones femeninas no tóxicas.

Podría decir que todo el mundo que vea “Sex Education” se podrá sentir identificado en algún punto, ya que es increíble cómo la serie abarca tantos aspectos de la vida, y los maneja correctamente. Quizás el único aspecto en el que creo que la serie no alcanza todo su potencial es a la hora de mostrar y desarrollar la relación de Otis con su madre. Es curioso, puesto que son los personajes centrales de la trama, pero la relación entre ambos no se ha explotado tanto como me hubiera gustado, o como creo que hubiera sido necesario.

En resumen, creo justo decir que “Sex Education” es una de las mejores y más divertidas series de Netflix, además de ser un producto actual y necesario para concienciar a muchos. Si algo puedo decir sobre la serie, es que quiero ver más, y esperemos que Netflix nos más temporadas y no se olvide del gran producto que ha estrenado.

Netflix has released a new original series called “Sex Education”, starring Gillian Anderson and Asa Butterfield. This British teen comedy is probably one of the greatest, funniest and realistic teen shows of all times, and today, I am going to discuss what makes this new tv show so special.

Otis (Asa Butterfield) is a young teenager whose mother, Jean (Gillian Anderson) works as a sex therapist. Otis is incapable of masturbating, and he feels all the pressure of his friends and his mother. After an unexpectable event that affects one of his school partners, Maeve (Emma Mackey), a mysterious girl from his school, decides to create a sex clinic, as a way to earn some money. Otis accepts, and after that, “Sex Education” begins.

The show deals with some of the most important issues that teenagers must face during their youth: masturbation, sex, bullying, sexual identity, etc. Every single one of these aspects is shown during the series, and each episode tries to cover deeply and accurately all of them, avoiding any kind of stereotype.

One of the best elements of the show is the friendship between Otis and Eric (Ncuti Gatwa). In the series, their friendship is a very good example of a healthy male relation. Both men support and care for each other, showing how male friendships should be. And their friendship isn´t flawless, which adds more credibility and realism to it. The best scene of the show is, by far, the dance sequence from episode 7. Otis is a very good example of non-toxic masculinity and Eric is a complex and interesting character that represents the LGBTQ community without stereotypes. Female relationships are also quite important on the show.

If you watch “Sex Education”, it is safe to say that you will feel identified in some of the situations the show presents. I think that the only element that doesn´t quite work during this first season is the relationship between Otis and his mother. It’s weird because they are the main characters of the series, but I would have loved to see more of that mother-son relationship.

I loved “Sex Education”. It is a very funny and entertaining show, with lots of great moments and characters. It is also a very important show, that every person should watch at some point. I am very excited about what would happen in season two, and I would ask Netflix to take care of this precious and amazing tv series, instead of canceling it.

 

Daredevil (Temporada 3)

Daredevil ha sido siempre la estrella de las series de superhéroes producidas por Netflix. El imparable abogado ciego ha contado con algunos de los mejores villanos, desde Wilson Fisk hasta La Mano. Sus tramas han sido, además, las más sólidas de todas, gracias principalmente a unos guiones bien pulidos y un reparto de secundarios estelar.

Ahora, el Diablo de la Cocina del Infierno está de vuelta, en mejor forma que nunca, con la que puede considerarse, no solo la mejor temporada de la serie, sino una de las mejores temporadas de cualquier serie de superhéroes.

Los famosos 13 episodios de Netflix vuelven, y, aunque en general siempre he creído que no benefician a ninguna serie, debido a que alargan innecesariamente las tramas más flojas, “Daredevil” siempre ha conseguido mantener la atención. Y esta nueva temporada no es ninguna excepción. Cada uno de los trece capítulos te lleva al siguiente, y ninguna de las tramas presentadas se aleja de la principal, contribuyendo a crear una de las mejores historias de superhéroes jamás hechas.

La temporada comienza justo dónde dejamos a los personajes al final de “Los Defensores”. Matt está desaparecido, reponiéndose de sus heridas tras la batalla en Midland Circle. Sus amigos siguen con sus vidas, enfrentándose al día a día de la Cocina del Infierno. Y por supuesto, Wilson Fisk continúa entre rejas.

Todo cambia cuando Fisk decide hacer un trato con el FBI, con la intención de abandonar la cárcel y volver al mundo como un hombre reformado. O al menos, eso es lo que trata de hacer creer a todos. Matt sabe que su gran rival no piensa abandonar sus viejos hábitos criminales, y debe volver a la acción como justiciero.

Entre toda esta problemática, aparecen nuevos personajes que refuerzan la trama: Ray Nadeem (Jay Ali), Benjamin ‘Dex’ Pointdexter (Wilson Bethel) y la Hermana Maggie (Joanne Whalley).

De todas estas nuevas incorporaciones, Wilson Bethel como el agente Pointdexter es, sin lugar a dudas, la mejor de todas. Y sí, Bethel interpreta al legendario villano Bullseye, el famoso asesino que convierte cualquier objeto en un arma mortal.

Las escenas de acción de “Daredevil” siempre han sido uno de los puntos fuertes de la serie, pero he de admitir que en esta temporada se han superado a si mismos. Las peleas entre Matt y Dex (a quien en ningún momento llaman Bullseye, a pesar de que sepamos que es él) son lo mejor de la temporada, especialmente la que ambos tienen en el Bulletin al final del episodio 6 y la que se desarrolla en la Iglesia.

Bethel no solo es tremendamente capaz de matar con cualquier objeto, sino que su desequilibrio mental lo hace todavía más peligroso. Toda su historia se desarrolla naturalmente, haciendo que su transformación de agente del FBI a lacayo de Fisk sea algo que no nos choque en absoluto.

Por supuesto, tenemos que mencionar el increíble trabajo de Vicent D’Onofrio como Wilson Fisk, o Kingpin. A pesar de que ya sabíamos lo increíblemente peligroso y manipulador que podía llegar a ser, el personaje llega a su punto más alto esta temporada. Su relación con Matt Murdock y el resto de los personajes es digna de ver, y nos deja con ganas de saber qué mas puede ofrecernos, de cara a una (¿posible?) cuarta temporada.

En general, el reparto de esta tercera temporada, tanto los veteranos como las nuevas inclusiones, hacen que la serie mantenga el nivel a lo largo de los episodios.
“Daredevil” vuelve a demostrar porqué esta por encima de cualquier otra serie de superhéroes, regalándonos una temporada repleta de acción, tensión y muchísima brutalidad. Tanto los amantes de la serie y los cómics como los fans de las buenas series tienen entre sus manos un gran material.