The Last Man on Earth (Season 2)

By: Robert Murphy

Out with the old and in with the new. That seems to be the general idea for the second season of The Last Man on Earth as Phil "Tandy" Miller (Will Forte) tries to put the mistakes of his past behind him. Last time we saw Phil he was in a tight spot being banished from the group of survivors only to be saved by the unbelievably generous, not to mention insanely forgiving, Carol (Kristen Schaal). The two have spent their days living blissfully across the country and both having come to appreciate one another a little bit more, Phil not minding Carol's craziness and Carol becoming a little more free spirited with the law breaking enjoyment that Phil so relishes. But, the time to make amends for past since coming knocking at the door and Phil (and the show) try to change what has happened for the better.

The show begins on an extreme high point, Phil is left to fend for himself since he is believed to be the last known survivor of a global plague, he laments after living out some ridiculous fantasies and doing just about everything you can think of with no rules or restrictions to govern a person. But, the basis for the entire first season of The Last Man on Earth from then on revolved solely around Phil and how much he devolved into his basis human needs such as lusting after woman, who weren't his wife, and generally being so underhanded that he almost left someone in the desert to die. It was a bit much to handle as week after week Phil would stoop to new lows within the group in order to attempt to get what he wanted from them all. The group of survivors comprised of Melissa (January Jones), Erica (Cleopatra Coleman, Todd (Mel Rodriguez), Gail (Mary Steenburgen) and Phil #2 (Boris Kodjoe) all had their way of dealing with him until the final exploding point but even still it was Phil in the spotlight and it just got repetitive. 

Season two attempts to mend this by going back to it's roots in the first episodes, there are scenes depicting Phil and Carol's loving relationship and general havoc as they search for a place to call home. It immediately breathed new life into the story once Phil revealed a much more tender part of himself, there was much more emotion to the story in the first few moments than that which was felt in the entirety of the last season. Thankfully it doesn't go away in the first two episodes either and it would seem as though Phil is a changed man and someone who is genuinely repentant for all that he has done to those few remaining survivors of this planet. This leads him and Carol to return to their former friends in order to rejoin what little humanity there is left and slowly but surely Phil regains much of his as well. 

What follows is a series of episodes hell bent on Phil's second coming. He is determined to by any means necessary redeem himself to the group, even spending time in a stockade that plays into numerous episodes later on as a form of punishment for those who break the rules or cause any trouble among them. One way or another they all begrudgingly become use to Phil being around again, despite his affinity for making puns out of everything, but it is another sign of true emotion brought to the series as he becomes friends to them all again, well most of them, well mainly Todd. 

As for the cast, things haven't changed too much in Phil and Carol's absence outside of some new relationships and old relationships seeing a tough time. The thing that most begins to rock the boat however is not necessarily Phil's return but rather Carol's who was a true friend to them all before she ran away with Phil at the end of last season. So Carol's return leads to old flings being rekindled, a surprise character dying and many other issues that stir the pot such as Carol's constant badgering about repopulating the Earth, which is something not everyone is on board for. It's all great though because the group themselves seem to have their own story going for it with Phil really just being an onlooker to their experiences, literally in the first few episodes, and desperately trying to be a part of it. 

Perhaps the only thing that feels out of place with this new season was the biggest tease left over in the season finally last year and that is the introduction of Phil's brother, astronaut Mike Miller (Jason Sudeikis). It was interesting to find out that not only was there another survivor but he is currently thousands of miles above the Earth in a space station. If you thought Phil was lonely imagine how his brother feels with no one to talk to except for the friendship he has formed with a group of worm looking bugs. His situation is quite perilous though as he attempts to locate any signs of settlement on Earth or a way to get back without dying in a fireball of metal. The issue is that it doesn't fit well with the situation that is going on Earth, the switching back and forth for brief moments to see how he's doing feels like a pause for the main story at times. It will surely fit better if another season comes about but for the most part I'm glad that Mike's story was kept to a minimum.

When you get down to it the new season for The Last Man on Earth is a step in the right direction. Phil has finally shown signs of true genuine emotion and the story does away with all his ill gotten escapades to frankly screw or screw over everyone in the group. The comedic factor that this may have brought people before isn't sacrificed though with this new change to the dynamic. There were plenty of hilarious high notes for the show as it blended together a new Phil and a whole new set of drama for the group to tackle in order to survive the apocalypse, but hey it's been a breeze so far, right?

Good:

- The new Phil Miller

- Plays off of the better notes left over from season one

- The rest of the cast still is spot on especially Carol

Bad:

- Mike Miller's story is hit or miss

Scully Rating: 8.2 out of 10 

The Revenant

By: Robert Murphy

There was something about the unsettled world during the 1800's, there was so much yet to discover, a harsh world waiting to be conquered and you truly needed to know how to survive of the land. This is exactly the sort of life Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) knows how to live as an experienced fur trapper who is sent along and expedition of men seeking furs for the season. But, as I said the land is fraught with danger and the expedition suffers setback after setback to the point that desperation and eventually betrayal sets in among these men. 

The story opens on the first of many breathtaking scenes throughout the movie which was filmed in various spots in Argentina and Calgary to fit the reclusive nature of the story. The company of men, led by Captain Henry (Domhnall Gleeson), are just wrapping up a successful trip into dangerous Arikara territory when they come under attack and must flee with their lives and with what little pelts they could save during the chaos. The few remaining members includes battle scarred and self interested trapper Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy) and young Jim Bridger (Will Poulter) and the aforementioned Captain who all must rely on Glass and his Native American son Hawk (Forrest Goodluck) if they hope to avoid any further attack with their pelts and their lives intact.

The reason behind the Arikara's hostility is the chief of the tribe who is desperately searching for his daughter that was taken by some unknown men and it has led him on a bloody path of vengeance. Even more unfortunate for our troupe is the situation continues to spiral further out of control when Glass is attacked by a grizzly bear in one of the most horrifically intense scene I have scene from a movie. Being the honorable man that he is Captain Henry could not leave Glass to die and so he leaves behind Fitzgerald and Bridger to watch over him until they either return with help or until his untimely demise. Unfortunately neither of the two options end up happening and they leave Glass for dead in a shallow grave, a betrayal that sends him on a series of gruesome trials in order to exact revenge.

It is hard enough to survive in this harsh land but image doing it all when you're half dead, succumb to all manner of injuries, have no food or water and no weapons other than you crippled body. It doesn't look good and God knows that no person on Earth has any rights to survive like this but somehow Glass manages to pull it off using his vast knowledge of the land and it's resources. Viewers will see heralding scenes that rang from an ingenious method of capturing fish (and promptly eating them like Smeagol from Lord of the Rings), a ridiculous gun powder scene that is used for quick first aid and a list of other survival skill methods that capitalize the extreme situation Glass has found himself in. 

At the center of it stands Leonardo DiCaprio who gives perhaps a career best performance as the skillful badass Glass. His character barely speaks a word throughout the entire length of the movie and that is his most powerful tool during these proceedings. Silently he struggles through every single scene, grinning and grunting as he suffers from everything that has happened to him and everything that comes afterwards. But, it wasn't all hardship as a delightful middle area comes into play with another fellow survivor to undercut the tension. It's sad to say that it doesn't last long as moments later he is flung of a cliff that takes a thing or two from another famous science fiction movie and brings it to real life. 

Accompanying Leo in all this comes Tom Hardy who takes on the showier aspects of the story that Glass's character doesn't seem to have. Right from the get go you can tell that he isn't all there and his mentality is just as abrasive as his physical appearance is as he has experienced first hand what it's like to be scalped. His ruthless self interest is quite endearing and a later speech he gives about finding his father finding God leads viewers to realize just how demented his character is and what he is capable of. Poulter also manages to bring something to his role as Bridger who is deeply conflicted about the partnership he has come with alongside of Fitzgerald. It is a role that offered him a lot of depth for such a young actor and he handles it quite well. Captain Henry has his time in the spotlight as well but it feels entirely unnecessary even when it comes to the final moments of the movie. 

There is quite a bit to take in with this movie as it exceeds the normal two hour time limit for movies in the past few years. It can tend to drag on at certain moments with it's wide angle shots of the beautiful landscape and the repeated trials that Glass has to face so if you're not ready to hunker down for all the atmosphere then you won't enjoy what is presented here in full. The other side of my issues extends to the Arikara portion of the story that doesn't exactly pan out, it served as excellent tension for the story but by the end it feels like none of the piece came together satisfyingly, especially with how to concept of Glass's revenge is settled. 

By all accounts however, The Revenant is a simply breathtaking experience to behold. The entire atmosphere presented here was well worth the effort that it must have taken to film in such a remote location. That on top of the simply intense experience that Glass goes through from start to finish makes DiCaprio's performance all the more exceptional. It's brought together by an all around compelling experience from everyone involved and makes this period piece the true stuff of legends. 

Good:

- Excellent performances, DiCaprio and Hardy expecially

- Captivating visuals

- Pure intensity throughout

- Highlights the struggles of survival in this era

Bad:

- Lengthy experience to swallow

- The Arikara tribe's story falls flat about halfway

Scully Rating: 9.0 out of 10

Bleach 659: There Will be Frost

Zach Goodier

http://www.mangapanda.com/bleach/659

Hitsuguya steps forward to challenge Gerard, while the others try to regroup. Hitsuguya uses his bankai, and manages to freeze Gerard in place, but the battle is likely only just beginning. Meanwhile, Uryuu remembers the past, and his father's operating on his mother's body. Uryuu remembers this as the moment he realized he didn't want to follow in his father's footsteps. In the present, Uryuu is confronted by Hashwalth, who has switched powers with Juha Bach, meaning he is able to see into the future. Uryuu asks if he saw betrayal, to which Hashwalth asks why he would think such a thing. Hashwalth looks to "confirm his suspicions," and moves to attack. As he does, an explosion erupts, and in it stands Ichigo. Is Ichigo really there, or is this a trick by Hashwalth to test Uryuu's allegiances?

Boruto: Naruto the Movie

By: Robert Murphy 

The Village Hidden in the Leaf has gone through tremendous changes since the 4th Great Shinobi War, an era of peace has been ushered in the likes of which has never been seen and Naruto stands at the top of it all trying to be the Hokage he always dreamed of being. Well, he certainly has succeeded in this endeavor as the village has never been more prosperous, even technologically advanced with cell phones, computers and portable video game systems. But, this story isn't about him rather this story is about the next generation of ninjas to come forth in this new era.

Boruto is the son of Naruto and Hinata and unlike his father Boruto is a uniquely gifted ninja right from the get go, he is practically the new Sasuke of this generation despite Sarada Uchiha the exceptional ninja some of us got to see in the ten chapter Naruto Gaiden manga. He also has some deep issues with his famous father who never seems to be around for him or the rest of his family, Naruto suffering from serious workaholic syndrome and even using multiple shadow clones around the clock to keep up with everything. Nonetheless Naruto doesn't come off as a golden example of a father especially to Boruto who wants nothing more to surpass him by becoming even more skilled than he already is.

Boruto's complete opposite narrative in terms of the character Naruto use to be was an interesting take for the movie to go with as he suffers from generally being spoiled by his talents and the generation of peace the ninja world finds themselves in. Boruto always looks for the easy way out of a situation and when anything becomes to hard for him he quickly quits and moves on because failure is not and option for him. This leads him to rely on a member of the Scientific Ninja Corps who has developed a ninja scroll launching tool that allows even genin ninja to use powerful ninjutsu with the flick of the wrist. It's an amazing piece of machinery to see in action but it's further proves just how spoiled of a character Boruto is and Naruto even points out that his son is just too "clean" meaning he doesn't try hard to obtain what he is after. But, despite my distaste for Boruto as a character he does shine through here and there when you realize he is just a kid who wants to be validated by his father and that eventually comes at the half way mark for the movie, only to be ripped away moments later by the main and easily forgettable enemy.   

The second half of the movie morphs into something entirely different from the first half of the story once an unknown pair of enemies comes to take Kurama away from Naruto. These two appear just as Kaguya does and they apparently were enemies against her, stealing the seeds from the great tree in order to unlock hidden power. The two are basically rip offs of Kaguya though and bring nothing new to the story or the narrative for that matter. The whole situation really serves as nothing more than another moment to show off how powerful Naruto and Sasuke have become. The battle that ensues is an exceptional one with even the Five Kage stepping in to show of their own abilities but still it felt like a step away from everything that has happened up until this point and that Boruto and his father's issues take a back seat just like they always have.

Boruto's role in this finally portion of the movie is nothing more than the onlooker and the attempt to include him in this portion of the battle felt quite ridiculous. He is able to do damage on this final enemy, who let's remember is on the level of Kaguya, by using his rasengan which is quite different from his dad's or anyone else's as it's distorts space and then reappears. Just like the ninja scroll tool however it is neat but otherwise underwhelming. It serves as a weak reason for how Boruto now feels the confidence to never give up and even rely on his teammates more in the future. Furthermore, the final father-son attack scene doesn't appear to be enough to clear up some of the clear issues both Naruto and Boruto have with one another. It all feels rather rushed and unresolved by the end.

Unlike Naruto Gaiden, the Boruto movie does little to show off the new generation of ninja that will one day advance far beyond Naruto and his friends have. Boruto himself was an all around upsetting character to deal with is as he just comes off as a spoiled kid whose made at his dad for no reason. Naruto himself doesn't come out of this squeaky clean especially when he uses clones for important points in his families life, even emailing them congratulations, but whatever the case it just doesn't work out. The story feels rushed and the enemies are forgettable making the future of the Boruto's generation seem a bit disappointing. 

Good:

- The final fight scene is fantastic

- Animation is top notch

Bad:

- Boruto is a spoiled and frankly annoying lead character

- Enemies are insanely forgettable

- Movie feels like two separate tales and neither end satisfyingly

Scully Rating: 4.0 out of 10

The Hateful Eight

By: Robert Murphy

Have you ever wished that your westerns had a bit more of a murder mystery vibe to them? No? Well I didn't think I did either until I heard about Quinton Tarantino's The Hateful Eight. Set a short time after the end of the Civil War the movie centers around a reclusive mountain stop known as Minnie's Haberdashery where several men and one woman find themselves snowed in when death and mayhem breaks out.

Never has there been such a vipers den of characters when John Ruth "The Hangman" (Kurt Russel) finds himself in the possession of a bounty that is worth 10,000 dollars for one Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a career making catch to be sure and one that would set him up nice for the remainder of his days. Well, luck just doesn't happen to be on his side for long as he tries to outrun a massive snow storm on his way to Red Rock, he would also find himself bumping into a fellow brother in arms Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson). To make matters worse though the ride becomes even more cramped when former Confederate raider Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins) comes along for the ride, coincidentally also on his way to Red Rock to become the towns new sheriff. All of it is moot however as the storm catches up to all of them and they must spend a treacherous night surrounded by unfamiliar faces, a prospect John Ruth doesn't like one bit. 

Those unlucky few who have already found themselves trapped in the cozy little mountain cottage go by the names of General Sandy Smithers (Bruce Dern), a former Confederate commander who is looking for his son; John Wayne imitator and apparent mama's boy Joe Gage (Michael Madson); Bob (Demian Bichir) a Mexican ranch hand who is left in charge of the homestead while Minnie and her husband Sweet Dave are away; and finally Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth) an English gentlemen and hangman bound for Red Rock to take care of business there.

Like I said, it's a real vipers den of mixed faced characters and all of them have their own secrets that are just bubbling under the surface but it takes some time to get to that point. The greater portion of the beginning of the film moves along at a snails pace, John Ruth and Major Marquis' dialogue is rather stilted and I felt like there were much better ways of going about these two coming together. The introduction of Marquis' Abraham Lincoln letter that comes into play on the carriage ride does lead to finer moments later on but it hardly seemed worth it when the two are droning on. Mannix's introduction along the way doesn't change my opinion of these first twenty to thirty minutes but once the ball starts to get rolling it really goes out of control in the best possible way. 

Once the whole crew becomes acquainted with one another they realize that they are all not necessarily going to be the best of friends, some way more so than others as we soon find out. When you put two former Confederates in a room with an African-American Major who spent a lifetime of cutting down southern bigots, you are going to run into some issues and vice versa. But, what makes the situation even better is that two of these characters stories coincide with one another and leads to Samuel L. Jackson giving one of the best monologues I have seen since Pulp Fiction. Is crazy, bizarre and in some areas just horrendously wrong and by the end of it you will be left with your mouth open and the sudden urge to curl up just like General Smithers does during the entire scene. 

This whole ordeal really sets the story on it's path however even with the Tarantino brand of guns, gore and general insanity. Major Marquis steps into the limelight and becomes the driving force for the story once the murdering starts and he begins to piece all the little inaccuracies with everyone's stories together bit by bit. The scene plays out just like an old school interrogation in the common room where Marquis lays out all the facts and the players in the game realizing that someone is trying to free Ms. Domergue before she finds herself at the end of a short drop and sudden stop. It's a great mix of actual Sherlock Holmes style investigation but in a less serious with a whole mix of racial overtones and well more of what Tarantino truly does best. 

Despite all of the general calamity there was a deeper message laid into the script about race rights in America during this era. Major Marquis' is many years ahead of his time when it comes to being an African American in this post Civil War era and he isn't afraid to show this. Even still he carries around the aforementioned Lincoln Letter that he received from the President himself when they exchanged letters. It is only later we discover there is a hidden purpose behind him actually carrying around this piece of parchment and it's a bit of a doozy, especially when it burns the bridge of the only friend Marquis had in this situation, John Ruth. It isn't a huge message but it is there, hidden in the writing, and it made for some very interesting points during the story. 

In any case the entire cast preforms at top notch levels, even Channing Tatum, who only appears briefly in the film as a surprise character. I have already sung the praises of Jackson's Marquis who made the greater portion of the story the exceptional piece that it was but he wasn't alone. Goggins too finds his sweet spot once the bodies start piling up and arguably almost becomes my favorite character in the story. Russel and Roth also enjoy playing around with their roles, one the grizzly old bounty hunter and the other being an overly dramatic Englishman. It's exactly what you would expect from this star studded cast and add to it this era of gun-slinging and murder mystery story, it makes The Hateful Eight a potent combination. 

Good:

- Top notch performances by the cast

- Insights into race issues in this era

- Funny dialogue and banter

- A potent combo, gun-slinging cowboy action and a murder mystery

Bad:

- Slow to start with the real interest not kicking into at least 40 minutes or more

Scully Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Super Mario Maker

By: Robert Murphy

Have you ever come across that one Mario level that made you rage so hard you almost smashed your controller? You had to go back to easier levels and spam for lives just to beat it. Fun times, right? Well have you ever wanted to make that rage inducing level and have hundreds to thousands of people play it till they pull their hair out? Well Super Mario Maker finally gives you that opportunity.

Okay so it's not as evil as all that, in fact Super Mario Maker can best be described as a celebration of everything Mario games have been through over the past three decades. The introduction to the game alone is enough to make your inner child smile as you start out on an unfinished level that you must complete. This gives players a brief introduction into the mechanics of making their very own Mario levels. From the basic stuff like placing down blocks to stacking enemies one on top of the other making a towering being meant for blocking anyone to come in its path. Players can also change which generation of Mario their levels will reflect from the golden days of pixelated Goomba to our modern day wall hoping hero. The pure addiction that goes into making levels is something that I did not expect however and as many people already know time simply flies when you're play video games but I've found a whole day could go by making a Mario level if you're not careful. 

Perhaps the reason behind this is the sheer simplicity of making each and every level no matter what generation creators happen to prefer. The game map is laid out in a grid fashion so everything will snap into place when items are dragged onto the screen. A basic level can be constructed in no time and it is something that even younger kids would be able to pick up quite easily. While the more challenging levels and tricks that people have discovered and exploited will obviously take much longer to create, it is done with such ease that you will leave your maps with little stress and feelings of accomplishment. It's almost therapeutic, like a build session of Minecraft, and the more you do the more features you will unlock from the Mario universe.

Super Mario Maker isn't just limited to the level design formula that we've all seen before however and it allows for a much more personal touch. There is an extreme freedom to create anything and everything you can possibly think of no matter how simple it may seem to everyone else. There are levels devoted to things like rube goldberg devices that propel players in every which direction without you even needing to move, there are levels with hidden birthday messages and even levels for proposals. Add to this the tiny touches that can be made to a level such as individual sounds and costumes and you will find that no two things are alike when you set out to see what others have made. It's all worth mentioning simply because it not only shows the games potential but also just how much these games have brought people together over the years.  

Once you've completed a level and proven that it can be beaten, by making it all the way through it yourself, you can upload it in seconds to Nintendo's network for others to try and vice versa. Levels are presented through various categories like "new levels" or "popular levels" so you can try out up and coming designers and see just what everyone else in the world is making. It's truly amazing when you see it as well, some levels are simple and pay homage to classic Mario and others are mindbogglingly difficult to complete. This is where the aforementioned rage comes from, but it still an incredible collection and coming together of designers. It is a bit difficult though to directly find levels that are made by your friends since there is no direct search function for people you have on your friends list, but if you simply ask for the code to their level it can be found with relatively quick.   

If you're having trouble sifting through all the levels and can quite determine where you want to start then look no further than the 100 Mario challenge. It wouldn't be a true Mario game if Princess Peach weren't captured and taken prisoner by Bowser or one his evil spawn and that's exactly what this mode does. Players are given 100 lives to traverse a number of user created levels at random difficulties in order to once again save your Princess from certain danger. It's a great way to get a feel for the massive community and levels out there without having to pick them out one by one. If a level ends up being too difficult then a quick switch out can also be made for another randomly picked level and then it's back to business. 

Super Mario Maker serves as an excellent reminder of the games many wonderful moments throughout the years. It's simple, sweet and doesn't bog players down with an overabundance of rules or restrictions when it comes to creating, you have a blank canvas and you can do with it what you will. When I also start to think about all the features and items that could potentially be added on top of everything that is already present it leaves me with the feeling that the game is not only a fantastic created piece on it's own but it has the ability to get even better. But, for the moment there are many more castles left to explore and it would seem that Princess Peach can never be saved for long, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Good:

- Quick to pick up controls

- Unlimited creative potential

- 100 Mario challenge allows to quickly try out a multitude of online levels

Bad:

- No quick interface to try friends levels

Scully Rating: 9.0 out of 10

Bleach 658: Fatal Matters are Cold

http://www.mangapanda.com/bleach/658

Askin seems to instantly recover from his injuries, claiming to have become immune to the combined Shihoins' attacks. As they move to strike again, it becomes apparent when their attacks have no effect on him. Meanwhile, Gerard has driven everyone, including the Visoreds, into hiding, and even as they emerge to fight, their attacks are proving to be useless as well. It seems that the Soul Reapers are finding difficulty on both fronts, as their opponents' powers seems too much to overcome with numbers and force alone. Is there another way to stop these two?

Mobile Suit GUNDAM: Iron Blooded Orphans

Zach Goodier

It’s been a while since we had a solid Gundam series, but Iron Blooded Orphans (IBO) is the current story involving one of the oldest and greatest mecha franchises. Our story begins on Mars, where kids Mikazuki (Mika) and Orga, as they struggle to survive as kids are frequently used for labor, as well as expendable soldiers on the battlefields between mercenaries, corporations, as well as other groups. As their crew is hired to escort a young lady, Kudelia Aina Bernstein, to earth. Kudelia is an aristocrat who seeks Martian economic independence from earth. It is because of earth’s control that Mar’s economy has tanked, and the use of children as expendable labor/soldiers is just one of many results of this hardship. However, there are opposing interests, and one group in particular, Gjallarhorn, is determined to ensure she never succeeds. In the resulting conflict, Mika has to activate the power source for the company base, a Gundam, waiting to be awakened from centuries of slumber.

Peace has made the Gundams useless, so most have been re-purposed.

This story had me hooked right off the bat, it does a great job of showing you the desperation of life for these people, and how the children are starting out at rock-bottom. However, things start to change quickly as Gjallarhorn’s attack sends most of the bosses fleeing, leaving the kids to fend for themselves. It is then that the plot starts to roll forward, and the kids go from being little more than slaves to taking charge and facing a fearsome enemy. The desperation comes across well, and it helps show how tough of a journey this will be. The kids, who form a new group called Tekkadan, struggle to survive on their own, as they form alliances, and prepare for the long journey ahead to get Kudelia to earth.

The action is very well done, with battles feeling both large in scale, yet focused and personal as these characters fight it out. Mobile suits are great to look at, and mobile workers and other craft all have roles to play in the battles, so it never feels just about the mechs themselves, but the larger battle. Weapons range from the expected rifles and what-not, to axes, swords, and other melee weapons.

Orga ends up being the fearless leader, but he does face doubts and tough decisions that make this show feel more grown up than older series in the franchise.

Only a couple gundams have surfaced, being relics that have been salvaged or adapted for current service. Mika’s was powering his company’s base, while others have apparently being retrofitted with things like heavy armor. It does feel somewhat far-fetched to be using weapons that are centuries old in current combat, but I can move past it, since they have almost all be retrofitted and adapted for modern combat. It also makes sense that they are still relevant considering there haven’t been any real wars since they were in service, with most units being designed to be cheaper for mass-production, and not requiring much innovation to the old designs.

Action scenes aim for quality over quantity, which pays off big time.

The characters really do well, for the most part. Mika is a bit of a “blank-slate,” but that actually is his character, since he mostly seems to have shut off his own emotions with the hard life he’s led. Other characters are more lively, with Orga being a standout. He eventually takes charge of the group, and his boldness and confidence really set him apart, even as he doubts himself. All of the characters contribute to the group in some way, even if they struggle in doing it. It all makes the whole team seem interesting, without one person being the sole focus of all of our expectations.

These two are being set up as the main adversaries.

This is a great, gritty show for mecha fans, and a nice breath of fresh air for Gundam as a franchise. It feels deep, and shows more of the character’s struggles over just having mecha combat non-stop. That might turn some people off, but the end result for me was that the fights felt important, and the suspense was always palpable. This show is much more exciting than other recent Gundam entries for me, because it can keep that suspense rolling throughout. This show has a lot of promise, and if they can keep the pace up, this could go down as one of the great Gundam series of all time.

Good:

-Interesting and deep cast that keeps everyone feeling relevant to the story.

-Solid action that is filled with suspense.

-A tough setting where you truly feel the struggle to survive.

Bad:

-Mika might seem too bland for some viewers, but I do think there will be more on him later in the series.

-Nit-picking, but old (centuries old) Gundams being immensely superior to modern mobile suits can push the suspension of disbelief. I can roll with it, but it does seem questionable.

Scully Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Casual

By: Robert Murphy

Dating apps are a dime a dozen novelty in today's world where anyone can go on a website or go right on their phone to try and make a connection with somebody. It's great in many ways but it ultimately has many flaws to it as well and for recently single mother Valerie Meyers (Michaela Watkins), who simply wants to connect again with someone, it can be a bit frightening. Her eccentric brother Alex (Tommy Dewey) however is one of those excellent manipulators of today's modern technology and knows just the right moves to help her sister get out of her slump.

Meeting your significant other online has never been something to gawk at and with the advancements in today's technology it has basically become common place for most everyone. This doesn't make things any less awkward for Valerie though as she's spent the last few years in wedded matrimony, that is until her husband cheated on her with some younger prettier girl. It happens all the time in the world and on TV but Casual stands above with its three exemplary main cast members. 

Valerie is just an all around mess of a person when you first meet her and as you watch the show you get the feeling that she was like this long before her unfortunate divorce. Her relationship with her brother Alex also enters into the realm of exceedingly close, mostly due to their upbringing, but the two play well of one another. Even though Valerie is the shrink in the family Alex spends most of his time helping her and treating her like a patient while trying to get her out of her comfort zone when it comes to sex. Alex himself is a self made man after co-founding a dating website, Snooger, that he himself uses to meet woman and hook up with them. However, this doesn't prevent him from being a character with real depth  as you later find out about his struggles to actually make a dating app that works on a real level for the people who use it. He may exploit the system but he does believe in finding that special someone and he spends quite a number of episodes searching for that special someone. 

The break out star for Casual though comes from Valerie daughter Laura (Tara Lynne Barr). Her character had a dominate presence right from the get go as she was the complete opposite person to her mother. Laura is far more sexually confident than her mother is and probably could ever be, her first scene alone in the show involves sex with her boyfriend in a hot tub. Her relationship with her mother is also extremely lax, in fact all three group together in an interesting way when Alex is involved, and Laura basically runs the show when it comes to her mother showing any signs of being a parent. She still has plenty of raw emotion to bring to the role though so it is not all teenage angst, her relationship with her grandma and later on an interesting relationship with her photography teacher makes every moment she's on screen complete gold.

Episodes do have a certain odd orientation to them when you get down to it as the show never really knows who it wants to focus on. I assumed that the show would mostly center around Valerie as she tries to be a single mother and find another man in her life with the first few episodes almost play out like the first season of Cougar Town. The show however tends to hop around from Alex and his sorted love life to Laura and her teenage escapades and so on and so forth. The episodes themselves are all for the most part top notch but it gets a little messy with the follow through.

The remaining cast members is topped off by some excellent names and some relative new comers that manage to do quite well for themselves. Frances Conroy brings her odd charm to the role of Valerie and Alex's mother, Dawn, and I use that term very loosely. It seems the two's childhood was anything but normal and Dawn would rather have lived her life traveling the world and screwing strangers. Their father Charles (Fred Melamed) was just as bad as their mother and they each bring the same self important know it all attitude to their roles. Former Scrubs cast member Eliza Coupe also joins the cast for a number of episodes as Alex's "girlfriend" and the reason why that's in quotes will be extremely apparent once you finish watching her first episode, but her importance it's rather hard to overlook as you discover she is the only one Alex has genuinely connected with.

Perhaps the only character I found myself on the fence about was Alex's friend Leon (Nyasha Hatendi). His character appears in one of the first episodes as Valerie's awkward one night stand who Alex kindly makes breakfast for the following day. The two then form a begrudging friendship due Alex's lack of social graces and his need to pester the ever living daylights out of someone. Alex does do a bit of good for Leon in trying to break him out of his shell since he too has just got out of a long term relationship and needs to get out and mingle again. His shy and timid demeanor works great with Alex's but during certain episodes he just feels out of place and is only there because the script needs him to be. He does have a number of exceptional moments throughout the show, especially in the finale, but he is hit or miss for someone who appears so often in episodes. 

Casual doesn't shy away from hard hitting topics or it's frankness towards how desensitizing it is to be a part of the online dating world. People log in, answer a few questions and are instantly connected to thousands of people who will either creep on you, send you pictures that should never be sent and much much more. It's all done in good fun and the commentary on dating that is presented here is top notch. Add to it the lead roles of Alex, Valeria and Laura and you truly have a show that takes a concept you may have seen before, but makes it their own.

Good:

- Excellent cast

- A funny commentary on online dating

- Tara Lynne Barr as Laura is exceptional

Bad:

- Episode oreinatation is all over the place

- Nyasha Hatendi is hit or miss

Scully Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Minecraft: Story Mode Episode 3 - The Last Place you Look

By: Robert Murphy

If the opening sequences to the third episode of Minecraft's: Story Mode told me anything it was that this would be a much stronger addition than its predecessor. Minutes into "The Last Place You Look" players are thrust into a giant monster crusher with thousands of everyone's least favorite Minecraft mobs coming at you in every direction. It's the kind of thing that puts the excitement right into the story immediately and had me dispell any thoughts of disappointment going into this new chapter.

"The Last Place You Look" continues the ideas and new interpretations that the first episode of the series had going for it and makes players think differently about the world that millions have become familiar with over the past few years. This includes thrusting it's players into a giant flume ride of enemies, witnessing massive Iron Golems completely clobbering said enemies as well as a new look at perhaps one of the most hated enemy in Minecraft, Endermen. This is all thanks to the final member of the Order of the Stone Soren who has not only been hiding out in a massive mountain fortress but it goes even deeper when you discover an End Portal. Turns out Soren has been studying Endermen for years, watching them, learning from them and needless to say it's left him a little off. Despite this Soren gave me new hope for the Order as he offers great comic relief throughout the episode. The amazing world he created in The End is also fun to explore as he's created his own slice of sunshine there through some clever wool use, among other things.

Tracking down Soren though does involve some rudimentary puzzles that really anyone could solve in an instant. I chose to look over this fact because the audience for Minecraft reaches out to so many young ages that it's understandable to have easy puzzles. They're all very unique regardless and I was far more impressed by Soren's redstone skills than the teams resident expert Ellegaard. 

There was also some improvements made upon the two lack luster members of the Order Ellegaard and Magnus. It seems with Soren at the helm things become much more evened out with the two's bickering and even when it does come bubbling out Jesse has plenty of chance to show off his new leadership skills. There was also room for your friends to grow here as well, but what I took most notice in was the budding rivalry between Jesse and Lukas. It seems he doesn't much care for the leadership role that you have found yourself in and how quickly everyone rushes to you for guidance. It's a nice little touch of drama to underline the tension and excitement happening all around you right up until the episodes final climactic battle. 

What's more is the budding issues with Petra leave you to make some difficult choices among your friends. Not many of the problems presented to myself during my playthrough of the game have left me grieving over what horror I have unleashed by a particular choice. That's the point though, Minecraft's: Story Mode is an all around forgiving experience in terms of the choices players have to make or even the possibility of you actually dying. Nevertheless it is good to have dilemmas pop up and with Petra getting worse by the day it adds a solid level of intrigue to keep you guessing.

"The Last Place You Look" gets things back on track by giving a much more solid story than players had seen last time. Action, comedy and drama were all here and the continued efforts to incorporate everything that makes Minecraft awesome gives this episode extra brownie points to be sure. The new interpretation on Endermen and the addition of Soren to the team leaves plenty more to be excited for and I cannot wait to see what's building up in the next time.

Good:

- Plenty of laughs especially thanks to Soren

- Action packed from start to finish

- Solid story developments

Bad:

- Puzzle difficulty is extremely low

Scully Rating: 8.2 out of 10