On TV: Saying hi and good bye

New shows have started and old shows are coming to an end.  Here is my take on what's to watch.

1. Lucifer

Tailored suit, British accent and a ready smile, oh and that power to make you say your deepest desires --  that's the package that makes this fallen angel irresistible. The women in the show find him so, except for the main protagonist, Chloe Decker. This exception perplexes the erstwhile bearer of light.

This particular incarnation of Lucifer was based on the  stories of Neil Gaiman wherein the Lord of Hell got tired of his realm and decided to take a vacation.  In Gaiman's stories, What Lucifer does during his vacation was not given much detail. This series sheds light on that part of the story.

The development so far has been quite interesting. Tom Ellis seems to be having a ball playing his character. I want to see more of this.

Trivia: Tom Ellis was the original Robin Hood in the TV series Once Upon A Time (see Season 2's episode 19) but scheduling conflicts prevented him from resuming the role. Sean Maguire took over and became a series regular. The change in appearance was explained by magic, of course.


2, Agent X

The first episode of this series featured Sharon Stone taking oath as Vice President. She uncannily resembled Hillary Clinton. The entire first season was action-packed and the twists were getting me hooked little by little.  Too bad the show's ratings didn't reach levels to let TNT give it another season. So that was a quick hello and goodbye for Agent X.


3. Life In Pieces

Nope, this is not sci-fi nor action. It's a family comedy. I like the way it breaks down the half-hour show in to four stories about the four related families.  It's a treat to have Diane Wiest and James Brolin as the grandparents with quirks, and Giselle Eisenberg's Sophia is adorable. Aside from Big Bang Theory, this is my go to show to cleanse my palate after the blood and gore of Criminal Minds and other procedural shows I watch.


And now for the goodbyes...

The one I feel most sore about is the Mythbusters. I know they've been around a long time but the show has made doing scientific experimentation fun. My geeky side enjoyed how they would have fun doing experiments. I actually envied them for having that job. And being a volunteer for one of their experiments is in my bucket list. I hope they continue to tour and maybe even get the Philippines at some point.

Bones is saying goodbye at the end of the next season. Though I love the show and how they explore forensic science, I'm not decrying the decision to end it. It's been a blast but the time has come to make way for other shows.

Heroes Reborn started out well but I do not blame the powers that be for not renewing it. The premise of the first season was too grand.  They could've dwelt on the struggles of the evos but, no, they had to put the end of the world in there. Too much too soon, I say.

NCIS's Michael Weatherly is leaving the show. Though one of the original cast members and a fun character, very special agent Anthony Dinozzo is going to make an exit at the end of the season. I just hope it means he's going after Ziva.

There are other new shows but I have to get around to watching them. I have seen the popular ones -- Jessica Jones, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl-- and they've got me hooked, just like many other TV enthusiasts.

Any requests?

My Vote, My Decision

I haven't really decided on whom I should vote for, but here are the I will NOT vote for and why:

• Grace Poe - what legacy? how about residency? and the family who can't even vote for her?
• Bongbong Marcos - he may be brilliant but I fear his foundation was a little bit skewed by virtue of parentage
• Jojo Binay - he didn't build Makati. He hits Grace Poe about inexperience but he put his kids in office without experience. He plays the underdog card but he expects royal treatment, and so do his kids.
• Digong Duterte - just read his pronouncements
• Manny Pacquiao - absentee congressman, no bills passed.  He didn't do his job in Congress, what more in the Senate?
• Those in Binay's Senatorial ticket - they support him

Have you given thought to your vote in 4 months?

Brand New Shows for Fall 2015 part 1

While all-time favorites are keeping their ratings up-- some already starting to say goodbye as their final season kicks off-- there is a new slew of shows that have already premiered.

1. Heroes Reborn

This much-anticipated reboot of the old Heroes franchise did not disappoint. Over the summer, a series of short episodes came out online, entitled Dark Matters. The first episode takes off from that but presents things mostly from the point-of-view of Noah Bennet, a.k.a. The Man with the Horn-rimmed Glasses. He's the only major character from the old series that has appeared so far. They are keeping things mysterious with Noah, so that kept my interest piqued.

Also appearing in the first episode is Zachary Levi. Chuck fans will get a tad disoriented with his character here. We all loved him as Chuck, right? He was adorkable. Here, he is the total opposite, and I am not quite sure how to take it. I think he needs to convince me more that his Heroes Reborn character is bitter enough to turn evil. I need to see more anger, Zach!

The new Evos (evolved humans, humans with powers) were interesting too. I especially liked Katana Girl. She is so kick-ass. The Vortex Boy (?) played an evil Peter Pan in Once Upon a Time, so I was a bit unnerved to see him vulnerable and bullied. You see, as The Pan, he had this smirk and a sneer that you could almost see in this new character; the these two characters are (again) exact opposites of each other.

In any case, I will be watching more Heroes Reborn.


2. Limitless

Taking off from the 2011 Bradley Cooper starrer of the same title, Limitless proved interesting -- at least the first episode was. I liked the pace and the character development. I just hope it does not just follow the normal-cop-paired-with-special-person formula I have been seeing a lot of lately-- hello, Almost Human, and Intelligence -- get my drift? Yeah, these shows got axed already after one season. There is another new one, Minority Report (more on this later). But then there is Cracked which is on its second season already, but then Perception got cancelled after three. So I guess there is hope yet. Going back to Limitless, I hope the show-runners will take care of this one. I was sore after they cancelled Almost Human.


3. Blindspot

Yep that's Lady Sif all inked up. Jamie Alexander's character here is another kick-ass woman. I've never been really crazy about her, actually, ever since I saw her in Kyle XY. Her upper lip is much too stiff-- and I mean that in the literal way. Her eyes are very expressive though. The premise of Blindspot got me interested to see more.


4. Minority Report

To be honest, though this first episode is well-made and the pacing is exciting, I found the premise too forced. I saw the film it was based on and I actually liked it. But the film version of Minority Report ended the story of the three special kids. I hope the series can put more substance into the premise. I'm willing to give this series a try but it won't be at the top of my must-watch list.

Let me end this here, for now. Part 2 will feature Scream Queens, Rosewood, and The Muppets.

Heneral Luna

Before anything, let me just say that I'm not a huge fan of Tagalog films -- lalo na yung over-commercialized overly dramatic sigawan-sampalan-fests with copied or predictable plots.

That said, I highly recommend this movie. This one, I actually liked.  Here is my review and I will do my best not to spoil it.

I loved the symbolisms. You have to see it to get what I mean. Otherwise, I will be spoiling it.

I loved the touch of Filipino humor in it. I'd heard other people not liking that, but I found it made the movie reachable and better understood. My favorite scene was when he tried to talk to the American.

I think teachers should tell their students to watch it. I think every Filipino should watch it. Take note: students get a 50% discount, even Masteral students. Just bring your ID.

It asks you pointed questions and makes you feel insecure about your own nationalism. All of a sudden, you're thinking if you love your country enough.

It makes you appreciate how people in your life can be level-headed and reasonable, especially when others are being petty and selfish.

Watching the movie, my only complaint would be on the obvious budgetary restrictions. They tried to make it all seem realistic, but you could see where they had to cut corners.

But even with those, I still give this movie ***** -- yes, 5 stars. So watch it already.

ADDENDUM:
Here are some tidbits about Antonio Luna that shows how kick-ass he was. Some of it were in the movie: http://www.filipiknow.net/facts-about-antonio-luna/