Tag Archives: MacGyver

If We Controlled Your Remote… 1/5/18

Posted on January 5, 2018 by and

Have you ever been at a loss as to what to watch? Too many shows to pick from? We’re here to give you our opinions on what we feel is worth watching. Check it out and then let us know in the comments below what you’re choosing for tonight!

Kyle’s Choice

Early this morning, Netflix released the entire first season of the British dark comedy, The End of the F***ing World, a British dark comedy/drama that first aired on Channel 4 in the UK this past October and now launches as a Netflix Original series for the rest of the world. The series is based on the award-winning graphic novel by Charles Forsman.

James (Alex Lawther, Black Mirror) is a 17-year-old self-proclaimed psychopath. At the age of 8, he realized he had no sense of humor; at the age of 9, he put his own hand in a deep fryer just to see if he could feel anything; and shortly after that he got a taste for killing small animals. Now he’s eager to try to kill something larger. That’s when he meets Alyssa (Jessica Barden, Penny Dreadful), the new girl at school. She’s a foul-mouthed rebel who can’t stand her mom and stepdad and finds joy in annoying people. James decides to pretend to fall in love with Alyssa in order to get close to her so he can kill her. The two quickly form a bond and embark on a road trip, but things don’t go quite as planned. They soon find themselves involved in a bad situation, and they seem to get themselves deeper in trouble with every day, becoming like a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde. In pursuit of the young couple are cops Eunice (Gemma Whelan, Game of Thrones) and Teri (Wunmi Mosaku, Guerrilla), who have some relationship issues of their own.

It took me a couple episodes before I really got into this series, but once I did, I was hooked and binged all 8 episodes in one sitting. The season plays out like one long 160-minute movie, with each episode picking right up where the previous episode’s big reveal or twist left off. The series has a nice blend of humor and drama, set to an excellent late 1950s/early 1960s soundtrack. The writers do an excellent job of evolving the characters of James and Alyssa over the course of the season. In the first episode, pretty much all of the “dialogue” comes in the form of inner monologues inside James’s and Alyssa’s heads, but as the series progresses and the characters grow, there is less inner-thoughts and more actual talking. The inner-dialogue is then used more to add punches of humor to the story. I really enjoyed this series, and while I don’t know if there will be a second season (I hope there will be), the first season does provide a solid story and emotional arc for the characters.

Binge the whole first season on Netflix now!

I’ll also be watching Child Support, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
 
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If We Controlled Your Remote… 12/15/17

Posted on December 15, 2017 by , and

Have you ever been at a loss as to what to watch? Too many shows to pick from? We’re here to give you our opinions on what we feel is worth watching. Check it out and then let us know in the comments below what you’re choosing for tonight!

Kyle’s Choice #1

Early this morning, Amazon Prime Video launched the action/comedy series Jean-Claude Van Johnson. The series stars action movie icon Jean-Claude Van Damme playing a parody of himself. Van Damme is out of shape and has been retired for a couple of years but previously worked as a highly talented international black ops agent, using his movie sets as cover while performing undercover missions as Jean-Claude Van Johnson.

After a chance meeting with ex-partner/ex-lover Vanessa (Kat Foster, The Goodwin Games, ’Til Death), JCVD decides it’s time for him to get back in the game and asks handler Jane (Phylicia Rashad, The Cosby Show) to assign him to Vanessa’s mission. So he heads to Bulgaria to help stop a group of drug runners. For his cover, JCVD is starring in an action re-imagining of Huckleberry Finn. And supporting him on the mission are Vanessa – doing recon as his on-set hair stylist – and weapons expert/tech guy Luis (Moises Arias, Hannah Montana), who’s been inserted into the production crew. However, the team soon discovers that they have stumbled upon a plot much larger and more sinister than they imagined.

This series is so entertaining – it is equal parts comedy and solid action/thriller. Much of the humor comes from the overly dramatic acting, witty dialogue, and absurd situations that arise. Jean-Claude is hilarious and does a great job of poking fun at himself. His character is so in love with himself and never misses an opportunity to mention his previous work. However, sometimes JCVD starts to believe that all of the movie magic is real and overestimates his own abilities, getting himself into trouble. Jean-Claude also plays a second character in the series, one who literally had me laughing out loud.

The show is very self-aware, making fun of the tropes you see in all of those action films of the late 80s/90s. The first season follows a serialized story, with interesting and unexpected twists and turns that keep you guessing. While the show is quite funny, it also provides some incredible action sequences. Jean-Claude proves that he’s still got it – using kicks, spins, splits, and punches to take out the bad guys.

I can’t recommend this series highly enough. It’s a really fun and exciting romp that is definitely worth checking out. The first episode is available for free to everyone, but the rest of the season requires an Amazon Prime subscription.
 
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If We Controlled Your Remote… 11/17/17

Posted on November 17, 2017 by and

Have you ever been at a loss as to what to watch? Too many shows to pick from? We’re here to give you our opinions on what we feel is worth watching. Check it out and then let us know in the comments below what you’re choosing for tonight!

Phoebe’s Choice

It’s that time again, folks. No, not Indigenous Genocide Obfuscation Day, I mean the newest reason to binge a whole series in one night: Netflix’s The Punisher. The bloodiest corner of the Marvel Universe on film just gave the goriest hero that Marvel ever produced his own show! We were introduced to the Punisher, aka Frank Castle, in season two of Daredevil, and he was as grim and deadly as we could possibly hope. So much so that Netflix answered fan demands that they give him his own show.

As is the trend with these shows, the whole season dropped in the wee hours of the night last night, and we have all weekend to marinate in the bloodbath that this show promises. We know to expect that this show will deal heavily with his time in the US military and several huge gore fests that he took part in overseas while enlisted. Similar to the past-is-effecting-my-present trope that Arrow ran with for five years, that history in a far-off land will impact heavily on the current life that Castle leads. For people familiar with the book, we’ve been teased with appearances from canon of the Battle Van, Microchip, and Billy Russo, who in the books is villain Jigsaw, (who has nothing to do with the Saw movies, I swear!).

We don’t know tooooo much more about the show yet. Although fans are clamoring for appearances by Kingpin, Moon Knight, or Daredevil, there’s a good chance Micro and Jigsaw will be the limit. His trademark “skull-chest” outfit is in the show and done well, however. I for one am very amped to see how this one plays out. I used to read “Punisher: War Journals” as a teenager back in the 90s. Only back then they told the story with Castle being a Vietnam vet. After a weak Iron Fist, the Netflix Marvel Universe started to get its act back together on The Defenders. Let’s hope that momentum carries through and that this series takes us back near the greatness that Jessica Jones season one was.

You can check out all the action of season 1 now on Netflix!
 
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If We Controlled Your Remote… 9/29/17

Posted on September 29, 2017 by , and

Have you ever been at a loss as to what to watch? Too many shows to pick from? We’re here to give you our opinions on what we feel is worth watching. Check it out and then let us know in the comments below what you’re choosing for tonight!

Jenny’s Choice #1

It’s going to be a big season of change on Hawaii Five-0. Last season ended with the team shutting down as much of the human trafficking ring and rescuing as many young girls as they could, but Kono couldn’t leave it alone. It hit her hard, and she decided she was going to go to the mainland and see if she could take out some more of the traffickers and rescue more of the kidnapped girls. Also, Chin Ho was offered a job by Federal Prosecutor Robert Coughlin (who originally went after Five-0 using Abby as his inside man): to lead his own Five-0-type team in San Francisco, where Abby used to live. Over the summer, we learned that both Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park had been let go from the show, so we know that Kono is still off trying to shut down the traffickers and Chin accepted the job, taking him, Abby, and Sarah to San Francisco. As much as I hate to see them go (and I do TRULY hate to see them go, both the actors & the characters), this is much better than killing them off or putting them in WitSec (looking at you, Criminal Minds!).

The show was quick to fill their spots. First, Kono’s husband, Adam, will stick around, as Ian Anthony Dale has been upped to a series regular. Despite his past and family history, Steve will recruit him to help with a specific case later in the season, and I believe he stays. Meaghan Rath (Being Human) joins the cast in the premiere as a lifeguard who was kicked out of the police academy, despite being a strong contender. Think of her as the female Steve McGarrett — not afraid to bend or even break the rules to get done what needs to be done if it’s something that is right. And finally, relative newcomer Beulah Koale will join as a Navy SEAL who just returned (like, DAYS before) from serving and asks McGarett for a job. It’ll be interesting to see how Steve, Danny, and the others handle the newbies and having Adam around more! (Especially how Steve & Danny handle having a female Steve there. LOL)

On tonight’s episode, “’A’ole e ‘olelo mai ana ke ahi ua ana ia (Fire Will Never Say That It Has Had Enough),” McGarrett and Danny recruit Tani Rey to join the task force when diabolical hacker Aaron Wright (guest star Joey Lawrence) releases a dangerous arsonist from prison. Also, Randy Couture and Andrew Lawrence also return as guest stars.

Don’t miss the exciting premiere tonight on CBS at 9/8c.
 
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If We Controlled Your Remote… 4/14/17

Posted on April 14, 2017 by

Have you ever been at a loss as to what to watch? Too many shows to pick from? We’re here to give you our opinions on what we feel is worth watching. Check it out and then let us know in the comments below what you’re choosing for tonight!

Megan’s Choice

MacGyver has brought us on a fantastic adventure in its rookie season, and I am so glad it has proved so many doubters wrong. I admit I was one of those people who doubted as to whether or not they would be able to master another reboot, but I am so happy they did. The cast is stellar, and they have great chemistry, but what makes this show is the way the writers have embraced it full throttle. It may also help that the cast is incredibly sexy, and I definitely enjoyed the crossover episode with Hawaii Five-0.

Last week’s episode, we watched as MacGyver went undercover as his arch nemesis, Murdoc. It was a little scary watching the usually calm genius let go and walk the edge of the line when it came to fighting and violence. I am hoping that we get some great relationship movement for the characters shortly because it’s time for some romance on this show.

On tonight’s season finale, “Cigar Cutter,” Murdoc uses his former cellmate to infiltrate Phoenix, engineer his release, and kill all the agents.

To find out if he succeeds, tune in to CBS at 8/7c.

I’ll also be watching Hawaii Five-0, Blue Bloods, Rosewood, and The Toy Box.

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