• Category Archives TV Reviews

  • Reviews of TV shows and TV seasons.

  • Canister X TV Review #8: Smallville, Season 8 (2008 – 2009)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

    Smallville, Season 8 (2008 – 2009)

    Smallville Season 8
    Click Here to Order from Amazon.com

    Smallville, Season 8 (2008 – 2009)
    5 out of 5

    If any one season of Smallville made me feel like I was deeply immersed in Superman mythology and was watching a true, live-action version of a DC comic book, Season Eight was it.

    Not only is Clark Kent and Lois Lane working at the Daily Planet, but Doomsday, the monster that killed Superman in the comics, is the over-arching plot this season. He comes in the form of Davis Bloom whom, we learn, experiences these mysterious blackouts as he transforms into the Kryptonian beast and murders anyone that crosses his path.

    To make matters worse, Davis has a soft spot for Chloe and despite her best intentions, giving in only sets off a chain of events that screws up her relationship with both him and Clark.

    Also introduced this season—and taking the place of Lex Luthor—is Tess Mercer. At first she’s as loyal to the Luthor name as anyone, but when she learns what kind of a man Lex Luthor truly was, everything changes and we encounter a woman who is just as evil as her predecessor.

    I have to admit I was unsure how Smallville was going to work without Lana Lang and Lex Luthor as key characters, and for the first few episodes, the show did feel a little empty, but that was more than made up for with the breakneck pace the show took and the dark path it led its viewers down while creating the Doomsday saga. With Tess Mercer and Doomsday as the central villains, you forget all about Lex Luthor and instead try to read between the lines to see how he’ll one day return as Clark’s rightful foe, while watching Tess and Doomsday lead the world into destruction.

    I was really happy with how this season turned out after my initial skepticism. The episodes were great, the appearances of other DC alumni like Zatanna, Maxima, Jimmy Olsen, the Legion of Superheroes and more just made Season Eight fantastic.

    Like I always say, this show just keeps getting better and better and I cannot wait to see how everything pans out from here on in. Too cool.

    Recommended.


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  • Canister X TV Review #7: Smallville, Season 7 (2007 – 2008)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

    Smallville, Season 7 (2007 – 2008)

    Smallville Season 7
    Click Here to Order from Amazon.com

    Smallville, Season 7 (2007 – 2008)
    4.5 out of 5

    Kicking the season off, Clark fights a bizarro version of himself, picking up the cliffhanger from the previous season. Great start. Then things get even more cool with the emergence of a super . . . girl? Yup, you guessed it, Supergirl herself has arrived on Earth. Her name is Kara. She is Clark’s cousin from Krypton and Laura Vandervoort does a fantastic job as the Girl of Steel, who not only proves that blood runs thicker than water, but also has no fear of heights like her farmboy cousin and does plenty of flying to prove it.

    Not only is there one Supergirl in this season, but two. Kinda. Helen Slater, who played Supergirl in the 1984 movie of the same name, made an appearance as Clark’s Kryptonian mother, Lara, in the episode that shared her namesake.

    Season Seven was a load of fun and was one of the best ones of the series so far.

    The only episode I didn’t really like was “Wrath,” where Lana gets Clark’s powers and uses them to get her revenge on Lex. Again, this kind of thing was done before in Lois and Clark (the power transfer), and I was getting tired of seeing these repeat ideas as they had done Lois and Clark-type episodes in the past. Speaking of which, the Dean Cain episode, “Cure,” made me feel like I was watching Lois and Clark all over again and though this episode was more filler than moved the Season Seven story arc along, it was cool to see Dean Cain back in the Superman universe. They even called his character Curtis Knox (see the initials?).

    The last thing that bothered me about this season, more specifically the episode, “Quest,” was the major playing up of Clark being some sort of messiah. I’m a Christian, so this probably bothered me more than most, but that aside, it still was overdone. Okay. We get it. Clark’s going to save the world one day. Move on.

    This season was a step up from Season Six, so 4.5 stars out of 5.

    Recommended.


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  • Canister X TV Review #6: Smallville, Season 6 (2006 – 2007)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

    Smallville, Season 6 (2006 – 2007)

    Smallville Season 6
    Click Here to Order from Amazon.com

    Smallville, Season 6 (2006 – 2007)
    4 out of 5

    This Season Had Me Seeing Green . . . Green arrows, that is.

    Justin Hartley joins the regular Smallville cast as Oliver Queen/Green Arrow, billionaire business tycoon by day, daring Robin Hood do-gooder by night.

    At first I wasn’t sure what to think when I heard Green Arrow was going to have a place in Smallville‘s continuity. Of course, I was, like, “Hey, cool, another superhero joins the show and this one actually wears his costume!” Whereas the other part of me was, like, “What does Green Arrow have to do with Superman growing up, again?” All I can say without giving anything away is having Green Arrow join the show was a brilliant move. Not only does he demonstrate a good example for Clark, but his past and present conflicts with Lex Luthor also add a nice twist to the storyline.

    Of particular note this season was the episode, “Noir,” where everything was in black and white and took place in the ’30s. Reminded me a bit of the Lois and Clark episode that did the same thing, but Smallville‘s was much better written and not as cheesy.

    The over-arcing storyline of the phantoms that escaped from the Phantom Zone was cool and gave Smallville its trademarked horror-esque twist, but without continually going into Twilight Zone territory like it usually did.

    I should add there was one more green element to this season: Martian Manhunter, played by Phil Morris. The only downside, though, was no alien visage but rather his shape-shifted human form instead. Oh well. The budget can only go so far, I suppose. Still, would have been cool if Martian Manhunter had more screen time, but this isn’t his series.

    The only thing that I didn’t like about this season was Lex and Lana getting together. It really bothered me and didn’t make much sense when looking back over the first five seasons. This is the reason I give it 4 instead of 5 stars.

    Recommended.


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  • Canister X TV Review #5: Smallville, Season 5 (2005 – 2006)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

    Smallville, Season 5 (2005 – 2006)

    Smallville Season 5
    Click Here to Order from Amazon.com

    Leading up to this season, Smallville was more “earthbound,” in that it really was about a teenager with developing superpowers with only mere glimpses into his true heritage.

    Season Five changed the tone of the series forever.

    I always viewed this season as the mythology turning point for the series. Huge things happen and we’re suddenly thrust from those Twilight Zone-oriented episodes into the DC Comics Universe; things shifted from a “superboy” to Superman.

    Significant events go down this season, including the emergence of a certain location and the death of a certain loved one. We’re also introduced to a couple more characters from DC Comics continuity.

    For me, this was the season where the show grew up and strolled down the Superman road with purpose instead of by happenstance. (Those who’ve seen the show know what I mean.)

    The only thing that irked me about this season and going into the next was the whole Clark and Lana thing was getting played out and it seemed the romantic subplot of the show was going in circles instead of officially stating, “Let’s get these guys together for real and keep it that way.” But, as per usual TV show fashion, something always has to happen to drive the couple apart. Though romantic tension is good up to a point, Smallville set the bar high in terms of driving the audience nuts—even to the point of bad-TV frustration—with the Clark and Lana relationship. Sometimes we as viewers just want to see things work out, you know?

    Other than that, good times to be had in Season Five of Smallville.

    Recommended, Smallville Season 5.


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  • Canister X TV Review #4: Smallville, Season 4 (2004 – 2005)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

    Smallville, Season 4 (2004 – 2005)

    Smallville Season 4
    Click Here to Order from Amazon.com

    Smallville, Season 4 (2004 – 2005)
    5 out of 5

    This season was like a breath of fresh air after Season Three, which was so dark and gritty and full of angst. This season also marked the entrance of one of the critical figures in the Superman mythos: Lois Lane, played by Erica Durance. She’s tough as nails, Tomboy-ish and reminded me a lot of Teri Hatcher, who played the character in Lois and Clark.

    We also got to meet Bart Allen, on day to become the Scarlet Speedster, the Flash.

    The over-arcing storyline of the season involving the three stones was played out nicely and, when I first saw what they were for, was geeking out all over the place. Of course, the cliffhanger season finale didn’t help anything and brought yet another long summer as I waited for the Season Five premiere to show what happened next.

    The only episode that bothered me—aside from the few that just seemed like filler—was the episode entitled “Blank,” where Clark loses his memory and the most recent person to learn his secret has to show him who he really is and what he can do. They did this in Lois and Clark and this episode almost seemed like a repeat despite the story being different.

    This was a great season nonetheless. Superman rocks, and looking back and seeing Season Four in the grand scheme of what had gone on before and what has gone on since makes it work really well. This season definitely was a turning point in the series, the first step in taking Clark from teen to adult.

    Go see it.


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  • Canister X TV Review #3: Smallville, Season 3 (2003 – 2004)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

    Smallville, Season 3 (2003 – 2004)

    Smallville Season 3
    Click Here to Order from Amazon.com

    Smallville, Season 3 (2003 – 2004)
    5 out of 5

    This season is most definitely the darkest of the series. I related to Clark quite a lot during his time on the road: the struggle, the pain, the loss—definitely made me relive some memories I wasn’t too keen on reliving ever again.

    This season also showed how evil Lionel Luthor really was and how he stopped at nothing—utterly nothing—to create his empire and, eventually, receive power that most definitely, in this case, fell into the wrong hands.

    Clark got a new superpower, this time his super hearing, which was done way cool and not just some fire-drill-like noise ringing in his ears.

    I loved this season despite how bleak it was and was thrilled to death when Christopher Reeve reprised his role as Dr. Virgil Swann. The mythology episodes in this season made me grin ear-to-ear, making my inner fanboy squeal like a girl.

    This season was great and had a cliffhanger that made me want to kick in my TV. What a long summer that one was.

    Year Three was awesome. Go see it.


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  • Canister X TV Review #2: Smallville, Season 2 (2002 – 2003)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

    Smallville, Season 2 (2002 – 2003)

    Smallville Season 2
    Click Here to Order from Amazon.com

    Smallville, Season 2 (2002 – 2003)
    5 out of 5

    More powers emerge as Clark gets ever closer to his destiny as the Man of Steel.

    This season made you know the show was here to stay and showed a slight, more mature change in the writing style (if memory serves), despite the show still being kind of like The Twilight Zone meets Superman.

    Regardless, throwing into the mix someone outside the Kent family permanently knowing Clark’s secret—well, things got a little more complicated for our favorite farmboy as he’s now got the concern of “what if so-and-so spills the beans?”

    What really made this season, of course, was the guest appearance by Christopher Reeve, who everyone in my generation knows as THE Superman, bar none. His role as Dr. Swann, who shows Clark his Kryptonian heritage, really brought a passing-of-the-torch moment to the show, cementing in Superman fans’ heads that Tom Welling was indeed our new boy and—if anyone else out there is like me—makes you itch for Welling to one day put on the tights in a feature film (or seven).

    I love the mythology episodes in this series and Season Two had enough to remind you that, yes, you were watching Superman and not just a show about a young man with developing superpowers.

    Go watch this, then check out Season Three right after it. You know what? Go watch ’em all then follow Season Nine week-to-week like the rest of us. You won’t be sorry.


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  • Canister X TV Review #1: Smallville, Season 1 (2001 – 2002)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

    Smallville, Season 1 (2001 – 2002)

    Smallville Season 1
    Click Here to Order from Amazon.com

    Smallville, Season 1 (2001 – 2002)
    5 out of 5

    When I heard they were coming out with a new Superman television show back in 2001, I was thrilled. I had watched Lois & Clark religiously, so to learn that Supes was back, but this time exploring his pre-Superman years as a mild-mannered teen in Smallville, well, needless to say I was pumped, and Season One of Smallville didn’t disappoint.

    We got our first glimpses of Clark’s developing superpowers, how he and Lex met and the friendship that would later help forge the greatest archrivalry of all time, Clark’s Kryptonian heritage and more. Likewise, to meet Lana Lang for the first time and not just as a mere movie character but someone who—if you know even a chunk of the Superman backstory—made a huge impact on Clark as he grew up was especially interesting.

    I remember watching the season finale and flipping out over the cliffhanger ending.

    I’ve been watching the series ever since, every week, barely missing an episode.

    Check this series out if you haven’t already. This stuff is good. Real good.


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  • Canister X Movie Review #115: Bob the Builder – New to the Crew (2007)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

    Bob the Builder – New to the Crew (2007)

    Bob the Builder: New to the Crew
    Click Here to Order from Amazon.com

    Bob the Builder – New to the Crew (2007)
    Runtime 45 mins.
    5 out of 5

    I gotta hand it to the folks who make these shows. First, it’s stop-motion animation, which is a pain to do (believe me, I’ve done it). Two, you got to tell a decent story in a short amount of time without it coming off as goofy.

    Well, guess what? This Bob the Builder installment nailed it and you get a few great stories out of the deal as well.

    However, I do have to admit Sumsy was a little strange, her shouting random numbers and all, but other than that, this volume is an absolute blast. I loved it. My two-year-old loved it. My wife loved it.

    Now I can’t get that theme song out of my head.

    Recommended.


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  • Canister X Movie Review #114: Bob the Builder – Muck’s Favorite Adventures (2008)

    Posted on by A.P. Fuchs

    Bob the Builder – Muck’s Favorite Adventures (2008)

    Bob the Builder: Muck's Favorite Adventures
    Click Here to Order from Amazon.com

    Bob the Builder – Muck’s Favorite Adventures (2008)
    Runtime 35 min.
    5 out of 5

    Well, we all got to start somewhere, right? This was my first Bob the Builder DVD. Well, not mine, but my two-year-old’s. But it still felt like mine because it dominated our television from morning ’til night, my kid constantly asking, “Watch Bob? Watch Bob?” ’til I put it on for him.

    High morals, fun jokes, problems only an experienced builder like Bob can fix—What more can anyone ask?

    But the biggest joy was watching my kid smile and raise his arms every time the “Bob the Builder” theme song played.

    That’s what made this DVD worth it.

    That’s what will make it worth it for you, too.

    Can we fix it? Yes we can!


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