Stay Whelmed

Oh my God, you guys.  I just finished Young Justice: The Complete Second Season .

I absolutely love this show. Whoever is running it understands both comic book geekery (which I love) and young adult fiction (which I love.) I don't think I could love it more. OK, there is one thing which I will talk about later when I get into the spoiler section. And it does get a little stereotypical in it's portayal of non-white people.

But first, the non-spoilery stuff... assuming you've seen season 1.

Brilliant incorporation of season 1 elements while keeping it fresh. The time jump was perfectly executed. I love the new characters. I do wish there had been more time for the kinds of character development & team-building we had in the first season.  But I absolutely loved the distinct "families" that emerged. (Sidebar: Always bet on the Bat Squad.)  I could have done without the Mal/Karen storyline in favor of more of our core group.

And I'm just going to go ahead & say it: I have a crush on Nightwing. 

Now. Spoilers....

No, for real. Spoiler alert. You've been warned.  Why Wally? Why why why? In my head, that last bit just didn't happen, & I still have my Kid Flash. All the mourning for Artemis, when we knew she was safe, seems over the top when we get almost no eulogy for Wally.  I know there was supposed to be a season 3, so I'm guessing/hoping there would have been some effects shown. Also, the possibility of some sort of resurrection is how I justify my complete denial. And while we're on the subject of spoilers, dark Aqualad is so so awesome, as is Nightwing's angst (hidden under his humor) and Wally's doubt.  The increase in maturity for all of them shows, as does the weight of the original 3 each now being on their own journey. But Aqualad as a villain is amazing, especially with enough of a gap that we have to accept that it could happen to anyone... and Aqualad was one of the best.

If there had been a season 3, I would have been all over it. 

Review: Firefly- The Complete Series DVD

Joss Whedon’s Firefly is a smart, funny space-western. It’s also a show that was canceled far too early. The four-disc DVD box set is now available and, in my opinion, a must buy.

My first and prevailing thought watching these DVDs was, “I really wish this show was still on the air.” It was excellently produced, obviously benefiting from the experience and credibility of Joss Whedon’s first two shows, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. The writing was quick-witted, sharp and ridiculously funny. The performances were subtle and layered, servicing the words perfectly. The set, costuming and lighting all did their parts to deliver a gritty, realistic, docu-drama feel about a post-apocalyptic future that combined all things past and all things present.

The episodes in this box set appear in their original order, not the order in which they were aired. Besides including three unaired episodes, the most notable difference puts the original pilot up front rather than 10 episodes in.

The two-hour pilot plays like a movie and is heavy on exposition. The first half-hour, while visually appealing, is relatively short on plot action and humor. The episode that aired first sounds, if not looks, much more like a Joss Whedon show right away. While I agree with Fox’s reasons not to air the pilot first, it does make a better introduction to the characters and setting. Not to mention that when they did air the pilot at the end of the show's run, it didn't make sense. There are things meant to be surprises, plot twists or misleads that don't work because of everything you've seen the characters go through already. Also, the pilot sets up some plot threads that get paid off in later episodes, but after the fact they're just strange.

The box set also includes a handful of excellent special features. In addition to a gag reel and collection of cast and crew interviews, Joss Whedon tours the set and also performs the show’s theme song which he wrote himself. There is also audio commentary on half the show’s 14 episodes provided by actors, writers, directors, designers, and of course, Joss Whedon.

Two things strike me as remarkable about both the show and the box set. The first is how much more prominent and confident Joss Whedon appears in comparison to his earlier works.

I was also struck that everything about this box set is affected by the fact that the show was cancelled after only half a season. I wish there were more special features. But how many special features can exist for a show that only had 14 episodes? I wish all the plots had been concluded and there wasn’t such an unresolved feeling at the end of the last episode. But that’s what happens when a show is suddenly dropped from a network’s lineup.

Whedon and company are creating a Firefly movie, due out in September 2005. While I eagerly await its release and have no doubt that it will be a good (possibly great) film, I wonder at its ability to fulfill all the promise of the series. Will one film be enough to resolve all the hanging plot threads? Is a film series possible? Is it wanted? Will we ever get all the narrative and character development Joss wanted for the show’s fans? Probably not. And unfortunately, that will most likely be Firefly’s legacy.

Review: Buffy the Vampire Slayer- The Complete First Season DVD

Okay first things first, I'm a *huge* Buffy fan, so of course I'm biased. Second, I feel in order to give an accurate review, I have to separate the elements of the DVD package from the elements of the show itself.

The show:
I'm one of those people who immediately scoffed at the idea of this show – until I watched it. It works on so many levels and is about so much more than vampires and demons. It's completely and thoroughly real. Whatever your beliefs on the supernatural are, if you survived high school you can relate to this show. Joss Whedon has created characters that are so amazingly true, that you can't help but see yourself on the screen. The evils that Buffy fights on a weekly basis are metaphors for everyone's inner demons. I won't go too far, because this package only contains season 1, but if the show had ended there it would still be more than worthwhile.

I was reluctant at first to purchase this set because my first thought was that season 1 is my least favorite season- it doesn't contain all my favorite story arcs, has a lot lighter tone than later seasons, and is missing some favorite characters. But then I sat down and watched them again.

The show is a must watch from beginning to end, get the DVD package & get season 2 & when they come out, get them all.

The DVD package:
There's some really great stuff. Joss Whedon's commentary on Welcome to the Hellmouth alone is worth the price of admission. The interviews with Joss are pretty insightful, although it's obviously the same interview spliced throughout the set. ...

However, I must agree that they missed the boat on the things they *could* have included. I for one could listen to Joss Whedon commentary on every single episode. And how about interviews with other cast members, including, oh I don't know, SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR!!!!

So altogether, the DVD package is still a must have. Yes, there are things I wish were different, but it's still awful good & it's not like there are other Buffy first season packages out there to choose from.