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Television

Zack Snyder’s Justice League: Reborn film finally does justice to the franchise

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You could forgive me if I doubted.

After years of hearing about the mythological ‘Snyder Cut’, there was simply no way that this film could meet expectations. After all, the original film was such a tepid piece of fodder that there was simply no way that a few tweaks or additional scenes could self-correct a franchise that had fallen so far off the rails. Now, with a refreshed budget and a new home on HBOMax, Zack Snyder’s Justice League has finally arrived. 

And I admit that I was stunned by the results.

The details of the Snyder Cut’s resurgence has been well-documented. Determined not to copy Marvel’s roadmap to success, DC chartered their own path that rushed the process. By the time that The Avengers came around, standalone films had charted a path that allowed audiences to connect with the characters before they attempted to work together. Falling behind in the box office, the release of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice gave DC the chance to try and regain some traction in the pop culture world. In their attempt to speed up the process, they threw their characters into films without any proper introductions. Whether they were attempting to ‘catch up’ to Marvel or simply afraid of being accused of ‘copying’ Disney’s juggernaut franchise, the result was a middling mess of confusion that left no time to create something special. 

After Joss Whedon’s cut of the Justice League failed to catch on with audiences, WB may have thought they were free of the franchise with a chance to reboot things once again. However, they underestimated their fans. After an unprecedented fan campaign that lasted three years and a hashtag (#ReleaseTheSnyderCut) that simply wouldn’t die, WB found themselves portrayed as the villains of a fiendish plot to suppress a director’s vision. Even so, they held firm to their comment that any other version for the film simply did not exist.

All that changed with the creation of HBOMax. Even if Snyder had been able to complete the film initially, there’s simply no way that the WB would have allowed a 4-hour cut to be released in theatres, especially for a franchise that had been viewed as flailing. Although, with the move to streaming, Snyder suddenly had the opportunity to lean in to his longer take on the film. All of a sudden, he had the time (and freedom) to tell the story his way. Given more space in the world of digital media, Snyder’s League feels less like a theatrical release and more like the first chapter of a mega mini-series event. At a time when binge-watching has taken over the ‘theatrical experience’, Zack Snyder’s Justice League leans into our current obsession with long-form storytelling, complete with ‘chapters’ marking breaks within the film. 

Most importantly though, what about the quality of the film itself? 

The truth is that it’s good. Very, very good. 

Shockingly good, really.

In the new cut, Zack Snyder’s Justice League picks up immediately following the events of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. After Superman’s (Henry Cavill) death, the world is left with a need for heroes. As such, Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) begin building a team of super-humans who will stand together against an ancient evil that is preparing to return and exact revenge on humanity. 

Although I have never considered myself a ‘Snyder-apologist’, one can’t help but recognize the quality of his epic saga. The ‘director’s cut’ is far from a new concept in our culture. Even so, the extent of these re-edits usually amounts to a few additional scenes or some updated special effects. In the case of the new League, Snyder offers an almost entirely different story with new subplots and expanded character beats.

In fact, it’s not an exaggeration to suggest that it improves on the original theatrical cut in virtually every way.

While Whedon’s original film attempted to ‘lighten’ the tone with more quips and less exposition, that vision never truly fit with the world that Snyder had already created. Marked by rushed character arcs that never satisfy and a bland villain, the original film rarely works. Nevertheless, with the move to HBOMax, Snyder’s version has the proper time to explore the stories of new characters without betraying the larger superhero story. Though this saga would obviously have benefited from prior stand-alone films, Snyder’s League does its very best to compensate by giving meaningful backstories to its new additions, especially Ray Fisher’s Cyborg. Once a side character with little relevance, Cyborg has suddenly become the film’s emotional core with an arc that has a significant impact on the outcome of the story.

In addition, the most notable change comes through a more fully realized villain in Steppenwolf. Whereas Whedon trimmed the brute’s story down to almost nothing, Snyder’s new footage offers a meaningful role to the character. Instead of a standard ‘big bad’ who’s forgettable (at best), the new League highlights his motivation and relationship to the larger impending force of nature in Darkseid. As a result, not only does Steppenwolf become more interesting to the viewer but his actions simply make more sense. (What’s more, new special effects give the character a much more menacing look, a factor that was lacking in the original cut.) 

Of course, it’s also important to know that the film ends on an enormous cliff-hanger. Originally conceived to be the first of three films, League operates in grand strokes but never fully concludes. (For the record, Snyder has currently stated he has no intention of returning to the world.)

What’s more, despite its overall quality, this League will not likely win any new converts from those who struggle to connect with Snyder’s vision. Although it goes without saying that this a vastly improved version of the film, all the Snyder-isms that will cause derision remain front and centre. Off-putting to some for his showmanship, there’s little question that his visual polish drives his work. Featuring a litany of stylized effects, slow-motion action and dark, gritty story-telling, League is Snyder is at his free-wheeling best yet he will still likely alienate viewers who are looking for something more along the lines of Marvel’s lighter, more humorous tone.

However, these vast differences are all very intentional. Whereas Marvel has taken a much more scientific or ‘human-centred’ approach to their content, Snyder’s vision for the DC Universe has always included viewing these heroes as modern gods. Though Marvel seems to create heroes on par with mankind, Snyder views characters like Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman as super beings who have been sent as examples to inspire humanity to greatness. (One need not look further than the giant monument to Superman to see that this is true.) There’s a deep admiration for his characters within Snyder’s work that hints at the spiritual longings of a culture looking for heroes. As such, his vision for the League meets every superhuman act with a grand crescendo. Bursts of electricity, clangs of metal and a bombastic soundtrack give the film an epic scale that highlights his vision. To Snyder, the DC Universe is an example of our modern mythology and, as such, he is unapologetic in his reverence for the material.

With the release of his ambitious superhero opus, Snyder truly does come out as the winner here. With grandiose storytelling and vastly improved character arcs, Zack Snyder’s Justice League shows what the director can do when given the time (and money) to bring his vision to life. As a result, this reborn League certainly feels like the unexpectedly epic conclusion that this chapter of the DCEU (and Snyder himself) needed.

That is, until #RestoreTheSnyderVerse takes effect.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League is available to stream on HBOMax on Thursday, March 18th, 2021..

Ramy – Searching for God

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“I feel that the problem’s really that I just don’t know what kind of Muslim I am. Like there’s Friday prayers and then there’s Friday night and I’m, like, at both. I wanna pray. I wanna go to the party.”

The Hulu original series, Ramy, takes us into the world of a young Muslim man as he struggles to live out his faith. Ramy (played by Ramy Youssef, who created the show and co-wrote most of the episodes) is from an Egyptian-American family living in New Jersey. His life is directionless. He and his friends are concerned with, but not always observant what is halal (permitted) or haram (forbidden). Ramy does not drink or do drugs, but he sleeps around and watches a great deal of porn. He wants to be a good Muslim. He is clear that he believes in God (“God God, not yoga”). But he’s not sure how to live up to the calling of being Muslim.

The fact the Ramy is Muslim is important to the story, but it should be noted that the kinds of struggles he goes through are really not that different than they are for someone seeking to be a good Christian, a good Sikh, a good Jew, or a good Buddhist. He recognizes that there is more to being Muslim (or any religion) than just prayer and worship. If one doesn’t shape one’s life to the teachings, what good is the religion?

It is hard to characterize the series. On the surface it is a sitcom that looks at Ramy’s life with his friends and family. He and his sister Dena (May Calamawy) are thoroughly at home in American culture. His parents (Amr Waked and Hiam Abbass) still hold on to many of the ways they brought from Egypt. Ramy also struggles in his job working for his rude bigoted Uncle Naseem When the film is in sitcom mode it often relies mostly on sexual humor (sometimes crude sexual humor). But then an episode will come that is heartbreakingly serious. Some of those serious episodes center on one of Ramy’s family members. We get a chance to see their struggles with living in two cultures as well.

There are two seasons of the series currently available on Hulu. In Season 1, we follow in Ramy’s failing search for balance in his life. He keeps looking for ways to live in accord with his faith, but not only comes up short, he often makes even bigger mistakes. He understands that his life is sinful, but seems powerless to overcome himself. At the end of the first season, he makes a trip to visit family in Egypt. This is a pivotal event. He meets and falls in love with his cousin (Rosaline Elbay), but he also discovers Sufism, a more mystical movement within Islam that speaks to him.

Season Two has a much different vibe. Having returned home, Ramy learns of a Sufi center near him, and connects with its leader, Sheikh Malik (the fabulous Mahershala Ali). The Sheikh is initially uncertain about taking Ramy on as a student. He senses that Ramy is too self-centered to truly learn. That self-centeredness becomes an ongoing issue in Ramy’s life through this season. But soon, we see Ramy begin to mature. He seems to be living into his faith for the first time. He even gains the romantic attention of the Sheikh’s daughter, Zainab (MaameYaa Boafa). But the more he seems to mature, the more he risks losing if he fails. And indeed, his self-centeredness will prove his undoing.

Ramy is the most spiritual show I’ve seen on TV in many years. Although it is centered in Islam, it offers insight for people of any (or no) religion. It treats religious faith as an important part of life. At the same time, it makes it clear that following a spiritual path can be very difficult. It also gives us some insight into some of the barriers that we can place between ourselves and God. Is it enough to follow the rules? Even that seems beyond Ramy’s abilities. Do we improve ourselves by helping others? Or is helping others only a way of making ourselves feel better about our shortcomings? It even raises a difficult question of if we practice a religion because of ourselves or because of the God in the center of the religion?

Near the end of the final episode of Season Two, Ramy, his life in ruins hears a CD made for beginners in Islam. It quotes the Quran: “Truly God loves those who come unto him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves”. I suspect this is part of the framework for the next season. It is also an important concept for Ramy (and us all) to come to terms with. It suggests that God does not turn away from us even when we fail in living in God’s ways. It also suggests that the recovery of spiritual wholeness begins by our turning again towards God. I am reminded of one of the most significant phrases in Islam is three words (in Arabic) that are put at the beginning of all but one of the Suras in the Quran. They translate as “In the name of God, the compassionate, the merciful”. It is the compassion and mercy of God that many of us—across religious boundaries—rely on.

Snowpiercer – Dantesque Train Ride

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All of life has been reduced to the inhabitants of a 1001 car long train that continually circles the earth where the outside temperature is -119° C. In TNT’s new drama series Snowpiercer, that train becomes a microcosm for society. The series is based on the 2013 Bong Joon Ho film (Bong is one of the Executive Producers) and a series of graphic novels starting with La Transperceneige by Jacques Lob, Jean-Marc Rochette, and Benjamin Lagrand. The stories of all these manifestations differ. What they all have in common is this train traveling through a post-apocalyptic frozen world. I’ve had a chance to watch the first five episodes of the first season. The series has already been renewed for a second season.

The TV series takes place seven years after the world was frozen by scientists seeking to end global warming. But it went terribly wrong. The prescient Mr. Wilfort designed and built this train to save some of the people—mostly the rich and those needed to take care of them.

As the series opens, seven years after the train set off, some of those in charge come to the Tail of the train, where the dregs of this society are housed, to find Andre Layton (Daveed Diggs), who is one of the leaders planning a revolt. He is also a former police detective. There has been a gruesome murder on the train. Although the regular order keepers (The Brakemen) on board don’t really trust anyone from the tail, they need his expertise. It is through the investigation of the murder that we discover this rolling world. And what we discover is a world that is full of the same injustices and inequalities of our own society.

There is a very rigid class structure on the train, which corresponds with the closeness to the front of the train. The engine is the realm of Mr. Wilfort, who is something of a benign god who is the supreme authority. With a touch of almost religious reverence, authority is sometimes said to come from “the eternal Engine”.  People are told at one point that “the Engine will provide”. The engine’s decrees are mediated through Melanie Cavill (Jennifer Connelly), a sort of high priestess of the “faith” of Wilfort. She is the day to day hands on ruler of the train. (Although, [minor spoiler] by the end of the first episode we discover that Mr. Wilfort is a convenient fiction.)

Just behind the engine is the First Class area, where the people who had money to invest in the train live in the luxury, entitlement, and privilege they are used to. Think of them as the 1%. Next comes Second Class, the middle-class, white collar section of the train. This is life akin to the suburbs—comfortable but not luxurious. Third Class is the blue collar section of the train. Here is where all the workers who keep things going are housed. It’s a harder life here. They survive, but live in cramped quarters.

At the very rear is The Tail. These are people who forced their way on to the train without tickets. The rest of the train considers them freeloaders. They live in utter squalor. They have no windows, no privacy, and no rights. They are fed some gelatinous protein bars. And they want something better. As Layton moves uptrain, it seems almost a Dantesque ascension from hell to paradise (with a few glimpses of purgatory).

Because the story is told in all parts of the train, the series becomes a multilayered narrative with an large ensemble cast. In addition to the two main actors, Connelly and Diggs, look for Alison Wright as Ruth, a stick-up-her-butt assistant to Melanie; Mickey Sumner as Bess Till, a young brakeman who slowly warms to Layton and begins to sees him as a mentor; and Annalise Basso as LJ Folger, a First Class teenager who, well, spoilers should be avoided, but keep an eye on her.

The murder mystery is solved after a few episodes, but it lays the groundwork for the story of class struggle that is bound to erupt. Certainly the Tailies are being pushed to the point of insurrection. Layton had hoped to see enough of the train that he would be able to pass word back to the tail to aid in that insurrection. When the investigation is finished, however, he knows too much to be allowed to return to the Tail.

For those running the train, order is of the highest importance. This is not a democracy. It is more like a theocracy (but remember we know that the seemingly divine Wilfort is not what everyone thinks). In the film, this desire for order took on an almost Calvinistic sense of predestination. It is less so in the TV series. Still everyone has their assigned role and place in this society. But everyone wants more. The Tailies want access to the rest of the train. Those in Third Class want a voice. Even those in First Class are dissatisfied and are looking for their own advancement.

The injustice inherent in these class distinctions is especially evident in the episodes I’ve screened. Justice is shown to be subjective. The train has been set up as a trickle-down society. Each level has not only less comfort, but less influence. But even the one percenters don’t have control. They are also looking to get more, even though it seems they have all they could want. I expect, as I continue on in the series, to see this class struggle take on more and more importance. This inequality was also evident in the film, but was more centered on the Tail. In the series, this dissatisfaction is spread throughout the train. The revolution that seems to be coming will not have a single source, but will likely come from many sides.

You may have noted various somewhat religious references throughout this review. While this is not an overtly religious series, there are definite spiritual undertones. However, much of what sounds religious is in fact a façade to provide authority to those uptrain to maintain the social order as they see fit. That is not unlike the way some in our society confuse social structure with religion. But just because semi-religious authority is improperly used, doesn’t mean that the spiritual nature of the series is only about the misuse of religion. There are spots, even early on, that we see the spiritual side of come of the characters. This becomes most evident when we discover The Night Car—ostensibly a brothel, but in reality it provides something much deeper. This is at base a humanistic spirituality. It is in the way people relate to one another that brings out their spiritual natures. And it is those natures that will be essential to the unfolding story.

Snowpiercer airs on TNT beginning on May 17th, 2020.

Photos courtesy of Warner Media.

100 Humans: Life’s Questions. Answered.

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How do people respond to torture? Which age group is most adept? Are men or women more capable of multitasking? How do most people use the toilet? These are some of the questions that are tackled on the Netflix series 100 Humans: Life’s Questions. Answered.

100 Humans is reality TV dressed up as a science program. In like manner, the hosts of the show (Alie Ward, Sammy Obeid, and Zainab Johnson) are actors and comedians who wear lab coats. The premise is that the show has selected 100 anonymous people (known only by their numbers 1-100) from various backgrounds and runs social experiments to see how people react. At times the show will bring in an expert in the area under consideration to explain the results. But for the most part this is a show that isn’t so much focused on the science as it is on the entertaining people and their reactions. And this is entertaining, in large part because of some of the personalities that percolate to the top (like Human 28).

As I said, it isn’t really a science show. It is very easy to critique the experiments and as such the results. For example, the experiment on multitasking involved simultaneously stirring a pot, playing whack-a-mole and answering a series of questions being asked by one of the hosts. The only task that was being judged was questions. The women did best. Perhaps if the scores of whack-a-mole were the criterion (or at least combined with the questions), there might have been a different result. (Yeah, I’m standing up for my gender here.)

In spite of the questionable scientific method involved, some of the issues dealt with are important. They give us insight into human nature and some of the differences between us. Among those is one episode that deals with biases and prejudice. It becomes obvious through the experiments that none of us is free from bias. The humans make choices that may be surprising even to them. The entertainment that the show provides serves as an entry point for us to consider how much the humans on the show reflect our own nature and choices. It is this insight which is far more important than whether the best men dancers have the highest sperm counts. (Yes, that was one of the experiments.)

In the final episode, we meet some of the humans and hear their reflections on this experience—the way they have formed community and friendships even though they are all so different. It seemed to me that it was similar to kids going to camp. Our commonality comes out when we spend time with people of different backgrounds and outlooks.  We discover that being human is often the only similarity we need to share with someone else.

Schitt’s Creek: Bloom Where You’re Planted

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One minute you are comfortable. You have all you need and then some. You have freedom to go anywhere, anytime, with anyone. Secure and confident in your situation, you spend your days enjoying unlimited opportunities. And then one day, government agents are at your door, confiscating furniture, jewelry, and you’re frantically trying to pack your wig collection and designer clothes before you lose them forever.

Ok, so maybe that hasn’t happened to you, but that’s the hilarious premise of Schitt’s Creek; the Canadian sitcom gem that is currently topping multiple “feel-good” viewing lists as the world finds itself in the midst of crisis that has forced entire countries into lockdowns. So actually in a way, many of us can understand the day-to-day “rug” being suddenly pulled out from under our feet. Just maybe not while wearing $850.00 pants.

Legendary comedic duo Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara star as Johnny and Moira Rose, whom, along with their children David and Alexis (Levy’s son Dan and newcomer Annie Murphy), lose everything built upon their video rental-store success due to a thieving business manager. As such, they are exiled to the tiny town of Schitt’s Creek – a “joke” of a birthday gift from Johnny to David that becomes their only means of survival…that and determined perseverance to ignore the reality of their situation. 

As of today, Schitt’s Creek is two episodes away of closing out its 6 season run, having only recently garnered the attention and notoriety it so richly deserves. What started as a seemingly superficial struggle from riches to rags has morphed into a deeply personal story of a family rediscovering who they are, and who they are meant to be. Dan Levy’s inaugural foray into writing and headlining is the stuff Hollywood dreams are made of; he brings decency and relatability that is often elusive in mainstream television, especially without the added perks of exuberant budgets. However, Schitt’s Creek has the good fortune of being filmed and directed on a network that doesn’t live and die by instant hits and quick buy-in. It has had time to take root and grow into something special and pretty universal – how to live life from moment to moment. 

It’s pretty impossible to sum up the first 5 seasons and I probably can’t really offer anything “new.” We see the Rose family slowly open up to their unexpected reality, with hilarious “relapses” into old expectations, like David trying to sell his clothes in season 1, or Moira’s extravagance for dehumidifiers and premier gowns in season 5. They never really stop being the Rose’s, but they uncover just how resilient and fortunate they are. David forms legitimate relationships for the first time in his life with best friend and motel-worker Stevie Budd (played by Emily Hampshire), and opens himself up to a real-life understanding of love with business-partner Patrick (played by Noah Reid). Alexis may always be a little superficial with random catch-phrases (“love that journey for me”), but she too learns to look beyond herself and her wants. And through it all, Johnny and Moira cling to one another as the one constant of their ever-changing life together. 

The show addresses topics such as sexuality, prejudice, small-town life, disappointment, anxiety, love, betrayal, and then some, with gentleness and humor and bravery. Dan Levy’s writing matures with each episode and character arc, to where even the “smaller” roles like that of café-owner Twyla (Dan’s sister Sarah) are just as integral to the story as the main characters. I don’t think there has yet to be a character or a scene that felt gratuitous or random. For me, everything and everyone comes together to build this story. I feel like it was written for a time such as this, when we all feel lost and unsure of our next steps, to show us how there is always a glimmer of laughter and light if we let go of what was, and open ourselves to the possibilities of what can be.  

The Grown-Up World of the Not-so-Teen Titans

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This is not Teen Titans Go! or Young Justice, and certainly not Superfriends. This is the DC Universe if it mashed up the origin stories of the Titans were thrown into the world of Watchmen or Kickass, a world where the actual evil that created Raven or Robin or Beast Boy was played out in darker hues than the saccharine explanations offered up in animated versions. This is the new DC, a brand new issue of the DC family that proposes big questions for first and second generation superheroes alongside explosive action and theater-worthy special effects.

Before they’re an official team, the Titans are introduced slowly over several episodes, first with Rachel Roth AKA Raven (Teagan Croft) finding out that she’s more powerful than she knows and that a mysterious organization wants her, alive or dead. Her story collides with Dick Grayson AKA Robin (Brenton Thwaites), ex-sidekick to Batman-turned-Detroit police officer, and Kory Anders AKA Starfire (Anna Diop), a powerful being with serious amnesia. Pursued by the mysterious organization’s “Nuclear Family,” the three of them run into Hawk and Dove (Minka Kelly and Alan Ritchson) and Jason Todd AKA New Robin (Curran Walters), who Dick has a troubled past with, before they “rescue” Gar from the Doom Patrol, headed by Niles Caulder (Bruno Bichir). [The visual representation of the Negative Man, Elasti-Woman, and, especially, Robotman, are spectacular, putting even the likes of Gotham or Smallville to shame. No wonder, Doom Patrol already been ordered for its own spinoff season.]

There are several threads throughout the episodes that raise questions about what it means to be heroic and, on a broader scale, to determine one’s way in the world. Rachel wants to know her mother, and to understand her powers, but her origins are a blend of the innocent (her mother) and the evil (her father, Trigon). Dick wants to figure out how far a hero can go in pursuit of justice before he/she becomes a villain, and who he is apart from being Batman’s sidekick. Kory wants to know who she is and Gar wants to know … what beer tastes like. While the additional DC characters add some flavor (especially interesting are Jason Todd and Donna Troy/Wonder Girl (Conor Leslie)), the majority of development is about Rachel’s search for her mother and Dick’s search for his post-Robin career meaning.

Bombastically, even profanely, these young heroes punch, kick, stab, and throttle opponents, with the violence of a more mature show. Fans of superheroes who also dig Game of Thrones will find the balance of the pre-existing legends created by Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani, nurtured by George Perez and Marv Wolfman, and picked up by Scott Lobdell, mixed with F-bombs and blood spatter. [Hmm, maybe this is the material Zack Snyder has been looking for!] This is the world that minds like Geoff Johns and Greg Berlanti could create without the issues tied to MPAA or television ratings, unafraid to tackle tough issues like child abuse, violence, and spiritual warfare.

The beauty of the show, beyond the acting, plot, cinematography, and action (isn’t that enough?) is that violence is discussed in superhero ways unlike anything we’ve seen (with the exception of Netflix’s The Punisher or Daredevil.) Here, our heroes see a cost for what they’re choosing to do with their powers, the friction internally they feel when they put on masks. Having already chosen to use their powers for the collective good, it becomes less about “if” and more about “how,” providing more nuanced discussions than a teenage Spider-Man. They find themselves asking questions like, “Am I doing the right thing? How much force is justifiable? What is the best use of my gifts and talents?”

In a strange, Teen Titans-esque way, the show becomes a buddy road trip of sorts, where the characters must figure out who they are and how they fit, and how they might become a team. The acting complements the plot in a way that makes us care for these characters as they grow and learn to be family, even while we’re stunned by Starfire’s fire or Dick’s fighting or Raven’s… horrific spirit powers. But instead of silly campiness, this show actually tackles the real world evil of people’s greed and power-mongering, and shows us that the world will be alright because this world has … Titans.

In the Blu-ray combo pack includes all eleven episodes of the first season of DC Universe’s series plus thirteen featurettes. There’s a look at the journey of “Raven and Robin: Dark Rebirth,” the origin story of Hawk and Dove, the background of Starfire, Beast Boy, and Donna Troy, and a look at the Doom Patrol. Geoff Johns discusses Robin in “The New Robin,” while Johns and Greg Walker look at their adaptation of the comic stories to the small screen in “From Page to Screen.” And there’s an interesting view of the final episode in “Team Titan.”

Luther: Can Your Principles Survive the Onslaught?

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As the fifth season of BBC’s Luther concluded, the British TV juggernaut has released the complete footage of all five of the seasons. Idris Elba has bulled his way through an onslaught of evil – some close to his heart, some within his heart – and for nine years we were held captivated by the adventures of his Detective Chief Inspector John Luther. And now? Now, we wait.

While the show is incredibly exciting (and dark in a way that few shows have achieved, sustainably), it is ultimately a character study of Luther: what makes him tick? How can he determine right from wrong? Where are the places where grace is available even in the dark? How much brutality can one human being be expected to accept?

It happened nine years ago so it hardly seems like a spoiler to point out that some of the darkness is induced by Luther himself, but much of it comes from the outside – including the murder of his ex-wife Zoe who he still loved. How does someone who has dedicated his life to stopping violence deal with the violence hitting that close to home? Who can he become and what hope can he possibly have?

Weirdly enough, Luther’s support comes from within the police department – and from serial killer Alice Morgan (the deliciously devious Ruth Wilson). This is the genius of Neil Cross – that good and evil are a dance in the dark, and that defeating evil requires good to sacrifice something in the process. The evil on the outside is brutal in each of the cases Luther tackles, but it’s a reflection of the wolf within him that he constantly fights to control.

For fans of the show, there are several extra features – “The World of a True Maverick,” “Lust for Luther,” etc. that take us into Cross’ world for Luther and allow us to see more. But watching the series in its entirety will leave you breathless still as the credits roll at the end of season five, with only one question:

How long must we wait for the Luther movie?

The Hot Zone: A Healthy Fear

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(National Geographic/Amanda Matlovich)

Now that Game of Thrones has moved on from the world of water cooler discussion, what are you planning to watch this week?  One acceptable option could be a new series from National Geographic called The Hot Zone.  Starring Juliana Margulies (ER), this three-part miniseries (Monday-Wednesday this week) brings to mind an episode of NCIS with significantly more gore and blood—and that’s just within the first ten minutes of the opening episode.  Based on the book of the same name by Richard Preston and with Ridley Scott (Aliens) helping out, The Hot Zone is a graphic reminder to be thankful for scientists that help to protect us from potentially fatal diseases–and that fear can be a good thing.

The opening of the first episode features a plane leaving Kenya in 1980 with a gentleman who’s contracted something very nasty.  The doctor checking him out learns this the hard way—he gets a faceful of the guy’s bodily fluids (and later dies, it is implied). When a mysterious package arrives at USAMRIID headquarters (the Army’s institute for infectious diseases) nine years later, Lt. Col. Nancy Jaax (Margulies) takes a look and immediately sends it to the bowels of the lab, where some of the worst diseases in the world reside and access requires a hazmat suit. Jaax ironically states, “I work at one of the safest places in the world” moments before a cut opens in her suit, exposing her to the Ebola virus. She is okay, but later discovers a nearby research facility had a number of monkeys die as a result of Ebola.  Since there have been no reported cases in the US, there’s massive concern of an epidemic outbreak due to multiple factors, none bigger than the fact that the research facility is 20 miles from Washington DC. It’s a race against time—one that cannot be solved in a single episode.

There’s a significant amount of tension to be found in The Hot Zone, most of it occurring in the form of sickness, isolation, and claustrophobia—especially those blue hazmat suits. There’s a lab component with Dr. Peter Jahrling (Topher Grace) and Ben Gellis (Paul James) offering a little bit of levity, but it is short-lived.  The wild card in the situation is Wade Carter (Liam Cunningham), Jaax’s mentor, who seems to know more than one might think about infectious diseases.

(National Geographic/Amanda Matlovich)

One thing that is evident from the first episode of The Hot Zone is fear.  I don’t think anyone who stands face to face with organisms that could kill the whole of humanity would feel otherwise. There is a sense of uncertainty when Jaax and crew are attempting to identify the virus, leading to increasing levels of trepidation.  Despite what some people say, it is a good thing to have a little fear in one’s life. In fact, the Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (see Proverbs 9:10). Having no fear before the Creator of all things (including deadly viruses) says something about a person—none of it good.

It seems like The Hot Zone is going to be an interesting ride, so be prepared when you sit down to watch this week.  You may not want to touch your face with your hands for a while.

Hostile Planet: We Will Survive

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(National Geographic)

A few months ago, I had the opportunity to view a few scenes from a new show on National Geographic called Hostile Planet (Mondays, 9 PM/8 CT).  Being an avid nature enthusiast, I was thrilled to spend some time with God’s creation since I don’t get outdoors as much I would like.  However, I found myself cringing quite a bit as I watched.  Perhaps it’s because I have an idyllic view of how nature works.  Yes, I’m sure it can get rough from time to time, but do baby birds really have to suffer the consequences of learning to fly in the form of smashing their heads repeatedly against the side of a mountain as gravity takes them hundreds of feet to the ground?  Somehow, I found myself intrigued, in a macabre sort of way.

The first episode aired on April Fools’ Day and did not bring the baby birds I remembered.  Instead, it focused on the polar regions of our planet and provided an air of familiarity in the form of penguins, seals, and bears with white fur.  I found myself transported to a winter wonderland where the narrator was describing behavioral patterns of artic wolves.  But the voice of David Attenborough’s was not there, replaced with that of outdoor enthusiast Bear Grylls instead.  Grylls made a few brief appearances in the episode, then got out of the way to let the animals and cinematography do the talking.

We’ve been trained to know that life in the Artic is brutal and that only a few animals can survive the harsh conditions. Those are put on display as male penguins stay alive while keeping an egg warm enough to hatch, then giving it enough food so that the two don’t starve to death.  This has been seen multiple times on nature documentaries.  The hostility is upped a notch when leopard seals decide to have a feeding frenzy and a baby penguin gets to fight for its life on a submerging ice floe.  It’s pretty harrowing to watch.  Artic wolves struggle to survive, but when they need to eat, they can group together and take down a baby musk ox.  When its mother stays behind to watch her offspring die, she suffers the same fate.  Is there blood?  Yup.

Outside of these two examples, Hostile Planet is more like watching a generic nature documentary, albeit with significantly better camera work (thanks to Academy Award-winning cinematographer/director Guillermo Navarro (Pan’s Labyrinth).  This is not a bad thing, but there wasn’t enough hostility for me.  Perhaps that will change in subsequent episodes.

(National Geographic/Tom Hugh Jones)

While watching the struggles of these animals—especially a polar bear attempting to navigate a never-ending maze of ice—I began to think about how life is for humans.  We might not live in the Artic, but we face struggles that seem to never go away—slogging in a dead-end job we’re unable to get out of; watching loved ones fight diseases; making ends meet for our family.  It can get to a point where we’re ready to just give up.  Yet we are able, somehow, to make it to the next sunrise.  The apostle Paul noted that for followers of Jesus, there is a hope that can be held on to in those difficult times: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NIV).  Life can certainly be hostile, but we definitely have the ability to not only rise up, but thrive in the face of adversity.  If there’s a lesson we can learn from the penguins, polar bears, and artic foxes, that is it.  Thanks for the reminder, National Geographic.

Jesus: His Life – A Good Starting Point

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I will admit up front that I approach nearly all popular media attempts to deal with biblical material with a chip on my shoulder. I think a scholarly and critical approach is essential to understanding the biblical writers and hearing the proclamation of God’s message therein. So when I first heard of History Channel’s Jesus: His Life I promised myself to stay as far away as possible. However, after screening the first two (of eight) episodes, I discovered that, although I have some issues with the program, it exceeds my expectations.

The series is structured to tell the story of Jesus through various people who knew him (Joseph, John the Baptist, Mary. Caiaphas, Judas, Pilate, Mary Magdalene, and Peter). I have seen the Joseph (the Nativity narratives) and John the Baptist (the beginning of Jesus’ ministry) episodes. There are enactments using actors along with commentary by various scholars and pastors who cover a wide range of perspectives. That range is important because we approach this story from many different points of view. That also means that we may find different versions of Jesus. That possibility makes it very important that many voices are heard to open up possibilities that we might not otherwise have considered.

 

My main concern when approaching biblical oriented projects like this is to what extent they will allow critical scholarship, or at least the conclusion of such scholarship, to be heard. In the episodes I’ve seen, there is evidence that most of those providing commentary have at least dealt with those issues. That is reflected not only in the commentary, but also in the way the story is told onscreen. For example, in the John the Baptist segment, questions arise as to why Jesus would be baptized, what does it mean that Jesus was John’s disciple, and what actually happened at Jesus’ baptism. It also recognizes the political situation with Herod Antipas and how John’s stance differed from the stance Jesus would take as he began his ministry.

But as I watched I also considered all the things I would want to add if I were using these episodes as teaching tools. I think to fully appreciate this series some foundational information is needed on ideas such as the synoptic problem which deals with the similarities and differences of the Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The commentary in the series often refers to variations in the story, but never quite gets to how those variations create different understandings designed to speak to different audiences. Nor does it go into why we have four gospels (but don’t accept some of the other ancient writings about Jesus).

Because of the limited episodes I was able to screen, I can’t comment on some other issues I consider important, such as if Judaism is portrayed in a fair light, or how various ideas of Jesus (sage, revolutionary, miracle worker, eschatological prophet) lead us to hear his message in different ways. I’d also be interested to see if the series tries to tie the historical Jesus (which seems to be what they are trying to convey) to the Christ of Faith (which I expect many of those watching are interested in).

Jesus: His Story may not be as deep an examination into Jesus and the gospels as I would like, but it serves as a starting point that can provide perspective into Jesus’ life that people may not have considered and encourage them to find out more.

Photos courtesy of A+E Networks/History