The Tragedy of Daenerys Targaryen

A lot of different opinions have been voiced in the past few weeks regarding the Game of Thrones final season. The overall consensus seems to be one of disappointment, myself included. I found that the writing was clumsy and the pacing jarring. Character deaths lacked emotional depth and plot twists felt unnatural.

I acknowledge that it is difficult to bring such a massive story to a conclusion that satisfies everyone, but considering that Game of Thrones took a nose dive as soon as the storyline surpassed the books, I have to wonder if the writers are only as good as their source material, and if they really understood the characters they were adapting for the screen.

This seems evident with the way my favourite character, Daenerys Targaryen, was portrayed over the last two seasons. A lot of fans seem divided over this. I think both sides make good points, but ultimately this division has occurred because the writers failed to understand or reconcile the extreme characteristics of Dany`s nature.

Dany, first and foremost, is a bad ass. She is unrelentingly towards cruel and wicked people who take advantage of the weak, poor, and destitute. She is the champion of those who have no power, because she knows what it`s like to be powerless, overlooked, and underestimated.

Yes, Dany often demonstrates cruelty, ruthlessness, and bloodthirsty desires. No one is saying she doesn’t. What she never demonstrates is a lack of principles and a lack of empathy. Dany knows what she stands for and she sticks to it, sometimes to an extreme.

In the penultimate episode, Dany struggles with the Machiavellian issue of fear vs. love, but Dany never cared about being loved, not really. She cared about justice and empowering those without power. As a result, she was loved, but that never motivated her. That is why her conversation with Jon, before the destruction of King’s Landing, did not feel sufficient in justifying what she did.

At one point, Dany had expressed that she didn`t want to be queen of the ashes. She didn`t want to destroy King’s Landing and the innocent people living there. Of course, that`s what she ended up doing, which should have felt like a tragic irony. So what happened? How could her principles, which she so fiercely upheld before arriving in Westeros, suddenly change?

This was the biggest (and laziest) way the writers failed Dany. In yet another speech delivered by Tyrion, it is suggested that Daenerys could never actually distinguish between right and wrong. Since everything she had previously done was seen as good, and people loved her for it, she came to believe that anything she did was good and right. In other words, we are flat out told that the person we thought Dany was for the last six seasons (not counting the final two) was completely false.

Needless to say, that explanation doesn’t hold up. If anything, Dany`s world is very black and white. She has a keen sense of injustice. Her behavior and good intentions reflect that. People who are cruel, she deals with cruelly. People who are powerless or innocent, she shows mercy and compassion. Dany has never confused these things in the past, why should she now?

This is the question that the writers neglected to answer. Instead, they flipped a coin and decided to lean solely on Dany’s ruthless nature and conveniently forgot that she is also a person of great compassion.  This is, in my opinion, the definition of contrived, not to mention unnecessary, considering Jon doesn’t ascend the thone. What the writers didn’t seem to realize is that the two halves of Dany’s personality have always made her an excellent candidate to be a dictator: promising change and reform, giving a voice to the people, and ruling with an iron fist once in power.

Dany becoming the Mad Queen is a plausible and even inevitable path for her, but the road to get there was poorly made, forced, and ultimately failed, in a way that felt true to her character, to bring her story to a satisfying and convincing end.

Jessica Jones: Season 1

“Jessica Jones” was presented last fall as a spinoff of “Daredevil”, the first in a series of Netflix shows revolving around the Defenders. This installment of the Marvel Universe is a darker and more mature counterpart to “Agents of SHIELD” and the blockbuster films, and follows the heroes in Hell’s Kitchen, New York.

While I appreciate the contrast between the squeaky clean heroes on the big screen and the troubled misfits brought to us on Netflix, the tonal differences are a little hard to reconcile. Apart from a few references to the Hulk, “Jessica Jones” and, by extension, the Defenders might as well be an entity unto themselves. That being said I am not here to discuss the inconsistencies of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

“Jessica Jones” caught my attention for two reasons: 1) an intriguingly dark premise, and 2) Krysten Ritter. Having never watched the “Daredevil” series, I don’t know how much of Jessica’s story crosses over, but the first season of “Jessica Jones” seemed self-contained enough that I didn’t need any other back story.

The first four episodes, however, were tough to get through, being rather subdued and low on plot points. While Krysten Ritter is great as the moody, self-destructive, alcoholic ex-hero with PTSD, it wasn’t until David Tennant, as the ruthless, mind-controlling Kilgrave, became more prominent that the show found its sweet spot.  Together they definitely have some chemistry as Ritter’s Jessica Jones must face her past traumas and stop Kilgrave from getting what he wants …her.

Jessica Jones, who has supernatural strength, is a private investigator with an attitude, but gets more than she bargained for when she agrees to help Mr. and Mrs. Shlottman find their missing daughter. She soon realizes that it is all a ploy as Kilgrave seeks to torment her and make her relive the terrible things she did while under his thrall. His obsession only deepens as Jessica continues to resist him and plot his demise. Again and again, she can’t quite seem to defeat him as she sets traps only to have him slip through her fingers while his atrocities continue to grow. (After a few episodes of this, it became a tad repetitive).

Eventually, after 13 painfully drawn out episodes and a pointless sub-plot, which was, undoubtedly, included to make Carrie-Anne Moss interested in the role of Jessica’s employer, Jeri Hogarth, Jessica discovers the secret to Kilgrave’s downfall. Along the way she is aided by her best friend and surrogate sister, Trish (Rachael Taylor); the cop, Will Simpson (Wil Traval), who Kilgrave compelled to kill Trish; Jessica’s neighbour, Malcolm (Eka Darville), who Kilgrave turned into a drug addict; and last, but not least, Jessica’s love interest, Luke Cage (Mike Colter), who is getting his own Netflix show.

While the Trish and Jessica relationship did not come across as completely genuine, I do appreciate her character as a contrast to Jessica. Trish has it together. She knows what she wants out of life, and she is out living it. Nevertheless, she soon realizes how fragile it all can be and is frustrated that she cannot do more to protect Jessica and herself. While Trish learns self-defence and upgrades her condo’s security, Jessica drowns her problems in a bottle of bourbon, making you wonder who really deserves the super powers here.

Overall, this show definitely had its moments, but the pacing was a little too slow for my taste. It could have been a lot more action packed and emotionally satisfying if the story had been condensed into 8 to 10 episodes. But the one thing Netflix does well is finding that hook that makes you watch the next one and the next one in hopes of finding some type of gratification. In the case of “Jessica Jones”, despite repetitious, unnecessary, or overly drawn-out plots, the journey pays off, because in the end Jessica is a sympathetic, honest, raw, and well-rounded character, who you cannot help but root for.

New Shows, Winter 2016

There are several new shows starting in the winter season this year, but these four caught my eye.

First there is “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow”, which is considered a joint spin-off of “Arrow” and “The Flash”. As such, I am excited that some of these, otherwise, minor characters are getting a bigger spotlight, particularly Sara Lance (Caity Lotz) aka White Canary, Leonard Snart (Wentworth Miller) aka Captain Cold (both very unfortunate names), and Dr. Martin Stein (mostly because he’s played by Victor Garber). These three are also joined by former billionaire, Ray Palmer (Brandon Routh) aka Atom, Mick Rory (Dominic Purcell) aka Heat Wave (Captain Cold’s counterpart), Jefferson Jackson (Franz Drameh) aka Firestorm, and last but not least, Kendra Saunders (Ciara Renée) and Carter Hall (Falk Hentschel), who are Hawkgirl and Hawkman respectively. This mish-mash of heroes and villains are all brought together by one Rip Hunter (Arthur Darvill), a rogue Time Master on a quest to stop the immortal Vandal Savage (Casper Crump) from his killing his family one hundred years from now.  While I suspect anyone who does not follow both “Arrow” and “The Flash” might be confused by the sheer number of characters and their origins, overall they have compiled a great selection of both complementary and fractious personalities. Furthermore, in adding the time travelling element, this show is able to stand apart from its predecessors. Not to mention the eye-popping action sequences that really prove how far television has come in the last decade.

Next, let’s take a look at “Shadowhunters”. Based on a series of teen novels known as The Mortal Instruments, we find Clary Fray, who, on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, learns that she is an angel-human hybrid known as a shadowhunter, and it is her destiny to protect the world from demons. The first novel was adapted into a movie in 2013,  but it was a complete flop. As such, the studio decided to rebrand and two years later we have “Shadowhunters”. Rather than treating the series like a sequel to the film, it starts over from the beginning, which, for those of us who saw the film, is a little disappointing. Albeit they have an entirely new cast, and it seems that not many people saw the movie anyway. As I thought the film was well done, I find the series somewhat underwhelming, largely because this new actress (Katherine McNamara) does not have the same presence, and it’s hard to see her becoming a bad-ass shadowhunter. She, also, lacks the chemistry with her co-star (Dominic Sherwood) that drives the story. Another thing I thought odd, was that in the film they have a lone mentor/guide, but in the series they seem to be acting independently, yet are constantly surrounded by throngs of people, who seem to have no purpose at all. I do love this concept, but I have a feeling I might be better off reading the novels.

Remember the days when MTV played music videos? Although that question is almost cliché at this point, it is no less poignant as shows like “The Shannara Chronicles” now dominate its programming. Based on a series of fantasy novels by Terry Brooks, known as the Original Shannara Novels (and there are many!), this story is set in the distant postapocalyptic future, where magic exists along with elves, trolls, shadow spawn, and many other fantastical creatures. While the fact that the Four Lands is the same world as our own does not factor into the story, the show makes far more of it than the novels, especially in the opening credit sequence. Whatever the case, the first season starts (oddly enough) with the second novel, The Elfstones of Shannara, apparently at the suggestion of Terry Brooks himself. It focuses on Wil Omsford (Austin Butler), the naive half-elf, who leaves his home to study healing and medicine. He soon has a run in with the supposedly deceased mage, Allanon (Manu Bennet), who tells Wil that he is the last descendant of Jerle Shannara, the legendary elven king of old, and possess great magic. Reluctantly, Wil embarks on a quest to save the elf princess, Amberle (Poppy Drayton), and stop the shadow spawn from returning to destroy the Four Lands. Apart from John Rhys-Davies (Lord of the Rings), who plays Amberle’s grandfather, (and Manu Bennet), it seems casting decisions were based on super model qualities rather than acting skill. If not for the two aforementioned actors and Ivana Baquero (Pan’s Labryinth), who plays Wil’s other love interest, Eretria, this show might be unbearably cheesy. Whatever the case, the source material is still engrossing and it has all the makings of a guilty pleasure.

Lastly, let’s talk about “Colony”. Much more mature and potentially dark then the previous three, this sci-fi drama takes a look at what would happen if aliens came and colonized earth à la British Imperialism. Set almost a year after the Arrival, life in Los Angeles goes on in a seemingly normal fashion, except they have no access to the outside world as a massive wall all but imprisons them. In typical divide and conquer fashion, a clear dichotomy has emerged. The collaborators, who help implement alien rule, are given every luxury they could desire, where everyone else struggles with poor rations and limited access to medicine. Will Bowman (Josh Holloway), a former army ranger and FBI agent, is forced to work for the collaborators after he is caught trying to cross into Santa Monica to look for his lost son. While he fears his involvement will cause the resistance, who see all collaborators as traitors, to target his family, he would do anything to get his son back. His wife, Katie (Sarah Wayne Callies), has other ideas as the resistance recruits her to spy on Will. The most fascinating part of this story is that no one alive has actually seen these aliens. The only evidence, other than the wall, are the drones that enforce curfew and the allusive “factory” where troublemakers go, which makes the politics all the more intriguing. While both sides try to justify their actions, neighbour turns against neighbour, children against parents, and wife against husband.

Blindspot

In regards to the three new cop dramas I watched this fall, I found it fascinating that they all had a similar premise: a special individual who is somehow the key to solving crimes. In “Minority Report”, it was a young man, who can see the future; in “Limitless” it was a man, taking a drug to boost his intelligence; but “Blindspot” is most intriguing, with an amnesic woman whose whole body is tattooed with clues.

The pilot begins with a suspicious duffel bag being dumped in Times Square. The bomb squad is called in only to discover that Jane Doe (Jaimie Alexander – Thor),  naked and tattooed, is inside. Special Agent Kurt Weller (Sullivan Stapleton – 300:Rise of an Empire) is put on the case, only to learn that his name is tattooed on her back, and so together they begin to unravel the mystery of her markings and her identity.

While Jane’s memories remain illusive, skills begin to emerge (à la The Bourne Identity), and it becomes clear that she may have been part of a black ops Ranger program. But the closer they get to discovering Jane’s identity, the more complicated it becomes. Weller thinks that there was a reason she was sent to him. He believes her to be his childhood friend, Taylor Shaw, who went missing twenty years prior. His father was a suspect, but never charged. It nevertheless ruined their relationship, and probably drove Weller to join the FBI (although I do not think that was explicitly mentioned).

Jane, unable to sit on the sidelines, is granted permission to join Weller’s team, considering that she is more than capable of handling herself. Other members of the team are less than thrilled including fellow agents, Edgar Reade (Rob Brown) and Tasha Zapata (Audrey Esparza). In particular, Reade feels it is very unorthodox to allow the subject of an investigation to be involved, but he also feels that Jane is not to be trusted. That is, to be a fair, a pretty valid argument, but as Weller becomes emotionally attached to Jane, it’s harder for him to see reason.

Zapata does not really seem to have much of an opinion, but she has secrets of her own to contend with. Speaking of secrets, Weller’s superior, Mayfair (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), has more than a few, some of which are implicated in Jane’s tattoos. Who doesn’t love a good government conspiracy?

One thing I like about this show is that even the minor characters have a story. In cop shows, we so frequently have the uptight boss or the goofy sidekick or the nerdy tech guy, which are little more than two-dimensional stereotypes. I like that this show is trying to move beyond that.

As for nerdy tech guys, this show definitely has one, and she is a hot blonde chick. Patterson (Ashley Johnson) has, so far, been given a considerable amount of story, revolving around her curiosity about the tattoos (many of which are encoded in some way) and her relationship with her boyfriend, who is also smart and adorkable.

Although I find the title of the show a little puzzling, that has not diminished my enjoyment thus far. Jane is a strong and compelling character, surrounded by a diverse supporting cast, who feel like real people. But if I were to point out a weakness, it would actually be Weller. Although I find his instinct to protect Jane endearing (even though she does not need it), I would say that he is otherwise pretty bland. But it is definitely not a deal breaker, it would just be nice to see a male lead that was not your typical stoic, macho type.

On a different note, I have to wonder at the durability of the show. Eventually they will run out of tattoos to decode and they will discover Jane’s identity. But until then, I expect it to be an interesting ride.

Heroes Reborn

When I think of this sequel/reboot, the expression “Drop that stick, that horse is dead” comes to mind. The original series “Heroes” aired in 2006 with phenomenal success, largely due to their massive online presence and use of multi-platform entertainment, which had never been seen before. Although, I imagine that a good portion of the audience was completely unaware of the online content created by the show.  Either way the first season was mind-blowing with clear and purposeful writing supported by an amazing cast of characters. Unfortunately, the show was not able to sustain that momentum, culminating in the third season, which was more or less a complete disaster. While it managed, surprisingly, to pull itself part-way out of the mud for a fourth season, it was not enough and the show was cancelled in 2010.

Considering that show creator, Tim Kring, never expected to get more than one season, it’s amazing that he got four, but also explains why the show ultimately floundered as he clearly never planned past the first. This, however, is not meant to be a critique of “Heroes” and how “Heroes” went wrong, but in my opinion, it does explain why they should never have brought it back.

What I think appealed to audiences about the first season of “Heroes” was that all the characters felt real, and were dealing with real issues like family, marriage, bullying, debts, etc, while dealing with their new-found powers. It was the simple every day things that really made that first season. In “Heroes Reborn”, the world is very different. Evolved humans or “Evos” are essentially being hunted and tagged by the government. This is similar to what we saw in the original series but on a much larger scale. And even though we have seen this kind of thing in history, most predominantly, the yellow star in Nazi Germany, it’s hard to empathize with the struggle of Evos, largely because many Evos actually are a danger to themselves and others.

The story over all comes off as disjointed and unwieldy. The main storyline focuses on Noah Bennett (Jack Coleman), a veteran of the original series, who has had his memory erased in the aftermath of his daughter, Claire’s, supposed death (considering her healing powers, this seems highly unlikely). Noah tries to figure out what happened to her, while facing off with Primatech’s successor, Renautus, who is hunting down Evos, not just to tag them, but to harness their powers for some nefarious end.

In the peripheral, there is Tommy (Robbie Kay), a teenage boy, who is struggling with his teleportation abilities, as he and his mother hide from the government. Then there is Luke (Zackary Levi), who blames Evos for the death of his son. He and his wife, Joanne (Judith Shakoni), go all Bonnie and Clyde, killing any and all Evos they come across. Predictably, Luke discovers he is an Evo himself and becomes conflicted. Then there is Miko (Kiki Sukezane), who goes on a quest to free her father by somehow entering a video game that he created. Lastly, there is Carlos (Ryan Guzman), who learns his brother was an Evo vigilante and attempts to take up his mantle after his death.

Of all these stories only Tommy’s was engaging, while the others were contrived and predictable.  Thematically, none of them particularly jived with each other or came off as fresh and original. This show feels more like a bizarre compilation of stiff characters and shallow storylines that certainly do not live up to the expectations behind this series. While there are three more episodes to air in this season, it has been struggling to maintain an audience. I admire Tim Kring for trying to breathe new life into this world, because he definitely had something special in that first season of “Heroes”, but he just can’t seem to get it back.

Minority Report

The theme of TV this year appears to be “everything that is old can be made new again” as we see many films making a come back in TV format, not to mention several TV shows we said goodbye to years ago. “Minority Report” is an example of the first.

Based on the 1956 short story by the prolific sci-fi writer, Phillip K. Dick, “The Minority Report” was first adapted for film in 2002 by Steven Spielberg, starring Tom Cruise. The film was centered around Chief John Anderton of the Pre-Crime Police Division. Having discovered three children, known as precogs, who can see murders within a hundred miles, the police have the ability to stop them before they happen. There is, however, a problem with the system when one of the precogs sees a future that conflicts with the others. This is known as a minority report. When this flaw is made known to the public, that the future is not set in stone, the pre-crime division looses all credibility and is shut down.

The TV show picks up about ten years later. The precogs, big sister Agatha (Laura Regan),  and her twin brothers, Arthur (Nick Zano) and Dash (Stark Sands), have been living in hiding, afraid they will be once again discovered and forced into the milk bath (a device that heightens their combined abilities, while keeping them unconscious for years). But Dash, the sensitive one,  cannot help himself from wanting to save the victims that he sees. In his attempts, he crosses paths with Detective Lara Vega (Meagan Good). Realizing that she is trustworthy, he is finally able to do what he could not alone.

Under the guise of a technician for the big brother program called Hawk-eye, Dash is able to freely help Vega, but that does not stop her coworkers from becoming suspicious of the increasing arrests for attempted murder. She is eventually forced to bring her best friend, the resident police tech, Akeela (Li Jun Li), into the fold as well as her boss, Will Blake (Wilmer Valderrama).

In order for Vega and Dash to make sense of his visions, they turn to Wally (Daniel London), who took care of the precogs while they were in the milk bath. Wally has the tech to extract visions from Dash’s mind and record them on a computer. It, however, induces a lot of pain on Dash’s part, and could cause problems down the line.

While Dash is in many ways very innocent and naive, his twin brother, Arthur is highly suspicious of Vega and fears that Dash is risking too much. While Arthur has established a life as an identity thief, ironic, I suppose, as he is the one who gets the names of the victims, he does not want anything to threaten his comfy life. Agatha, is likewise mistrustful, having repeated visions of Vega in conjunction with a new milk bath. But Dash persists as the feds start to take an interest in Vega.

As a whole, I found some of the writing and plot points rather contrived, particularly when they introduced the Hawk-eye cover for Dash and then never really bring it up again. On the other hand, I enjoyed the characters and their interaction. In particular, the dynamics between the precogs and Vega. Arthur’s cynicism clashed nicely with Dash’s naivety and Vega’s pragmatism.

As the first season was limited to only ten episodes, it seems unlikely that it will be renewed. What may have turned viewers away is that the production design and tone did not maintain continuity with the film. While the film had a distinct futuristic feel, the TV show looks oddly contemporary. In the film there were no cars, having other means of transportation, but cars abound in the TV show. Also, in the film, identity was determined through retinal scans, but in the TV show they mention facial recognition only. They also claim that weirdly shaped black facial tattoos can somehow foil facial recognition, which doesn’t make sense considering that this technology is generally based on facial structure not appearance. What’s more is that it completely contradicts that horrific scene in the movie where Tom Cruise has to have an eyeball transplant in order to fake his identity. Why would he have gone through all that if he could have just drawn a black square on his cheek?

It seems to me that if they had taken the characters and made something new and different, unrelated to the film, it probably would have made a much more appealing show.

Limitless

Yet another TV show adaptation of a movie, “Limitless” takes place a few years after the film, featuring Brian Finch (Jake McDorman), another down-on-his-luck, heading no-where fast (or maybe not that fast) type of guy, who just can’t get his shit together until he stumbles upon the miracle that is NZT. This highly addictive and dangerous drug opens Brian’s mind to infinite possibilities, skyrocketing his IQ, and making him one of the smartest men alive.

In the wrong place at the wrong time,  Brian becomes a suspect in a FBI investigation when his NZT dealer turns up dead. This also puts him on Edward Morra’s (Bradley Cooper) radar, now a state senator thanks to NZT. Perhaps seeing something familiar in Brian, Morra gives Brian the chance to use NZT without the nasty side effects in exchange for future favours.

That, however, only takes care of one problem. The other being Special Agent Rebecca Harris (Jennifer Carpenter). Once they bring him in for questioning, they discover that Brian has unique tolerance to NZT (thanks to Morra). Brian is able to convince them of his innocence and even helps them catch the bad guy. Rebecca quickly sees his potential as an asset (while on NZT) and convinces her boss Naz Pouran (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) that if Brian is going to use NZT regardless, it might as well be to their benefit. Really Rebecca is interested in learning more about NZT as she believes her father was using it before he died.

Brian brings a certain boyish charm and delight to the show. His narration is distinctive and goofy, more like an inner monologue than trite exposition. With an otherwise shaking premise, Brian is compelling, almost innocent and child-like in his way. Although as the season progresses, the darker side of Brian (on NZT) grows more prominent as he becomes calculated and emotionless. Perhaps indicating how Morra went from being much like Brian, in the movie, to the menacing character we see in the show.

Whether Morra is truly up to no good is yet to be seen, but his go-between Mr. Sands (Colin Salmon) certainly doesn’t make it easy on Brian. His threats against Brian’s loved ones, particularly his ailing father (Ron Rifkin), definitely have weight, as he asks Brian to compromise his position at the FBI. Whatever the end game, Brian must walk the fine line between being a reluctant double agent and his dependence on NZT.

While Rebecca and Naz are onboard with Brian’s role at the FBI, Rebecca’s colleague Agent Boyle (Hill Harper) is the dedicated naysayer. But even he can’t deny that Brian has been useful. There are also Brian’s two bodyguards, whom he has nicknamed Mike (Michael James Shaw) and Ike (Tom Degnan), but neither of them seem to have much of an opinion on the matter. The fact that Brian has never bothered to learn their names demonstrates how unimportant they really are, except to provide comic relief when Brian decides to go rogue and must escape their notice.

Visually the show is somewhat unusual, reflecting Brian’s personality, as he finds some interesting medium to demonstrate his findings such as hundreds of paper shredder remains hanging from the ceiling, clay figurines, or construction paper models of the city. There are also the superimposed calculations and words, etc., that move across the screen from time to time, but his creative hands-on approach and use of space I find very unique and different from other cop shows.

Apart from the case-of-the-week, this show has the potential to deal with some intense issues like addiction, and political and corporate corruption. Right now Brian is a pretty happy-go-lucky kind of guy, but one has to wonder where this road will take him.

Stitchers

Premiering over the summer, Stitchers is a sci-fi cop drama centered around a young woman and her ability to enter the minds of the recently deceased with the help of a prototype technology known as “stitching”. Recruited by the government to participate in this top-secret project, Kirsten Clark (Emma Ishta – I Smile Back) has an unusual (and fictional) condition called Temporal Dsyplasia, which means she is unable to process the passing of time. This makes her uniquely qualified to enter the minds of murder victims via neuro-cyber interface and experience their last moments alive.

Kirsten’s condition gives her autistic-like behaviors as she processes and demonstrates emotions differently than normal people. When her surrogate father, for example, is found dead, Kirsten is unable to express grief because to her he might as well have been dead for years rather than just a day. Although, she does express grief in other ways as she holds on the firm belief that he did not die of natural causes despite the autopsy report.

Her interactions with other members of the Stitchers team are often cute and quirky, especially when dealing with Cameron (Kyle Harris – “The Carrie Diaries”), the lead neuroscientist, who guides Kirsten through the memories. He is immediately taken with her, but she does not pick up on his affections quickly.

There is also her roommate, Camille (Allison Scagloitti – “Warehouse 13”), who Kirsten initially hates, because she is nosey, inconsiderate, and borrows Kirsten’s clothes without permission. But once Camille is outed as spying on Kirsten for the Stitchers program, having been blackmailed by Maggie (Salli Richardson-Whitfield – “Eureka”), the head of the program, they soon become friends. Her spy services no longer needed, Camille struggles to find her place in the Stitchers program, but as an expert hacker it doesn’t take long.

Linus (Ritesh Rajan – The Jungle Book) is the final member of the Stitchers team and Cameron’s best friend. He is the communications expert, but I’m not exactly sure what his job entails. Whatever the case, he provides great geeky bromance moments with Cameron, and some surprising chemistry with Camille.

Kirsten, being a very headstrong and hands-on type of person, insists on being in the field where she quickly attracts the suspicions of Detective Fisher (Damon Dayoub – Monolith). While I sensed some sexual tension between them at first, his role is quickly downplayed once they bring him into the fold. I imagine that this was to keep the attention on Kirsten and Cameron as the main romance. Although they are cute together, there was never much of a spark between them.

While Kirsten and the gang solve a new murder each week, our heroine slowly unravels clues around her surrogate father’s death and the events that led to her real father leaving. Meanwhile something more insidious seems to be lurking just around the corner, reeking of government conspiracy, as it slowly comes to light that there may be a different purpose for the Stitchers program. A purpose that, I imagine, will be further explored in season 2.

A quirky and fun show amidst the drama of death and murder, I enjoy its brand of humour, which is chalked full of geeky references. Emma Ishta, an up and coming star, is a compelling actress, so much so that I had no trouble believing that her temporal dsyplasia is a real thing. Furthermore, her character’s drive and determination really brings the show together into a wonderful bundle of geekiness, conspiracy, humour, and drama.

Dark Matter vs Killjoys

The Syfy channel graced us with two original sci-fi shows this summer, apparently trying to get back to their roots. I’m certainly not complaining, but whatever the case, it is all too easy to compare theses two shows. So here we go…

Dark Matter, created by Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie, the masterminds behind the Stargate franchise, bring us amnesia on a space ship. The six crew members of the Raza wake from stasis only to discover that their memories have been erased. As they uncover the secrets of their past, they cannot help wondering if they will fall back into old habits or if they have been given a second chance to make better choices and change their criminal ways.

Killjoys, created by Michelle Lovretta, who brought us Lost Girl, is about a bounty hunter trio, who try to navigate the amoral ramifications of their job while dealing with past sins and traumas that refuse to stay buried. Dutch (Hannah John-Kamen), the leader, has been running from her past and the cruel man who trained her as an assassin. D’avin (Luke Macfarlane), a newly minted bounty hunter, is suffering from PTSD and memory loss, while his brother, John (Aaron Ashmore), is the normal, well-adjusted one, who holds their team together.

Arguably very similar premises, Dark Matter is an ensemble cast, whereas Killjoys puts Dutch front and center. Both shows deal with similar themes of morality, trust, and family/friendship. The key difference in this regard is the former’s emphasis on redemption, something that we do not see in the latter. The crew of the Raza actively seek atonement, whereas Dutch prefers to run away from her problems.

Another key difference is that we, the audience, discover the secrets of the six as they themselves do, but in Killjoys it feels like we are being kept deliberately in the dark, while Dutch’s secrets are slowly revealed through flashbacks and exposition.  As a result, I found it very hard to connect with Dutch. It was also very difficult to understand what her character was all about. D’avin was a bit of a mystery, too, for that matter, but at least we saw him trying to deal with his demons. John, as the loyal sidekick, was the only character that made any sense. Furthermore, I did not understand what attracted any of them to the life of  bounty hunting as they frequently encountered ethical dilemmas during their assignments.

Dark Matter is a different story. From the first episode you knew what each of the six crew members were about. Having forgotten their identities, they decided to give each other numbers according to the order they awoke from stasis. One (Marc Bendavid) is the good guy, the one with a conscience, but when push comes to shove he will protect his own interests. Then there is Two (Melissa O’Neil), she is the leader, the tough one, who will do whatever it takes to protect her crew and their ship. Three (Anthony Lemke) is self-involved, greedy, always looking out for himself. He would never admit he actually needs the others. Four (Alex Mallari Jr.) is the one that seems most dangerous, calculating, and observant. He kills without remorse. Like Three he is proud, but he cares very deeply for those closest to him. Five (Jodelle Ferland) still has the adorable, spunky innocence of youth. She is smart and brave, even when her life is in danger. Finally, there is Six (Roger R. Cross). He is big and powerful, with a tender heart, but you really, really don’t want to cross him. That man can hold a grudge. Let’s not forget the Android (Zoie Palmer), who runs the ship. She is quirky and adorable, on the verge of a sentience she does not understand.

Overall, I found Dark Matter to be the stronger show in writing and casting as well as production design. I was more than a little disappointed with Killjoys as it had none of the energy and sass Michelle Lovretta brought to Lost Girl. It felt like it was trying too hard to be sexy and bad-ass, which is always off-putting. To be fair Mallozzi and Mullie have had a lot of success with their shows, whereas Lovretta is relatively new to the game.

At this point, Syfy has ordered a second season for both shows with Dark Matter averaging 300 thousand more viewers per episode, which sounds to me like many have come to the same conclusion that Killjoys is just not worth the time. Not when it is followed by a show like Dark Matter, which has the potential to be the best sci-fi show since Battlestar Galactica.

Jane the Virgin

Initially, I was reluctant to watch this show. The previews made me think of films like the 40-year-old Virgin, The To Do List and other irreverently hypersexualized content. I don’t remember what eventually interested me, but I was delightfully surprised to find that  Jane the Virgin was a very thoughtful, heart-warming, humourous, and entertaining story more comparable to Gilmore Girls or The Mindy Project.

Once you get past the pilot and wondering why a virgin is even getting a pap smear in the first place, and just accept the fact that Jane (Gina Rodriguez) has, in an almost unswallowable, silly plot line, become accidentally artificial inseminated, the rest becomes a very wonderful story about a young woman with big dreams, who has to deal with major life changes.

The whole show borders on the ridiculous, considering it is loosely inspired by a Venezuelan telenovela (soap opera), but I think it works. Jane and her grandmother, Alba (Ivonne Coll), are obsessed with telenovelas, and the show makes frequent references to this. Although, not very familiar with the genre myself, Jane the Virgin has a gentle mocking tone, especially when the crazy, crazy drama kicks in. And there is plenty of it.

Rafael (Justin Baldoni), the man whose baby Jane is now carrying, is the son of a wealthy hotel magnate, and just happens to be the manager of the hotel where Jane works, and the mysterious play boy Jane shared a kiss with five years earlier. His wife, Petra (Yael Grobglas), is a conniving bitch, who wanted to be inseminated just to keep Rafael around a little longer, so she’d get more money when they eventually divorced.

Jane’s long-term boyfriend, Michael (Brett Dier), is a detective investigating the mysterious crime lord, Sin Rostro, who appears to have a connection to the hotel. And surprise, surprise, he has no love for Rafael, and is pretty happy to find any excuse to prove Rafael is involved.

There is also Jane’s mother, Xiomara (Andrea Navedo), who is the exact opposite of Jane. Jane likes to plan everything and prepare for anything, where as her mother is a free spirit. Xiomara got pregnant with Jane at fifteen, and has never been a very responsible mother since (as far as Jane is concerned anyway). This is the reason why Jane was determined to remain a virgin until marriage. She was terrified of becoming like her mother. She also promised her grandmother, who is a very devout catholic, and played a major role in raising Jane.

Finally, there is Jane’s father, Rogelio (Jaime Camil), who suddenly comes into her life, previously unaware of her existance. It turns out that he is the lead actor in her favorite telenovela, The Passions of Santos. A very sensitive and over dramatic man, he is unsure how to be a father, and frequently over compensates in rather hilarious ways.

Amidst all the laughs and drama, this show finds room to touch on some really heart-felt subjects, like the importance of family and loyalty, learning to deal with things outside your control, and the responsibilities of being a parent.

Earlier this year, I was very surprised and pleased when Gina Rodriguez won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a television musical or comedy series. Her speech was filled with the same kind of heart and warmth I find in the show (watch it here). She is definitely a talented actress surrounded by a fantastic cast and wonderful writers.

I would not have guessed at the beginning of the 2014/15 season, that Jane the Virgin would become my favourite new show, but it has touched my heart in ways I did not expect. There is definitely something special here, that in my opinion, does not come around very often.