BanGos - Call Me

 BanGos perform Call Me live.

The DC Animated Universe Weekly Review - Batman: The Animated Series

 Batman: The Animated Series

Episode 22

Joker’s Favor

 

The first appearance of Harley Quinn! A super important episode in the series, the DCAU, and the comics.  For such a big event, it’s actually a run of the mill Batman episode.  The Joker harasses some regular bozo Charlie Collins because he’s nuts.  He stalks and harasses the guy to open a door for him at a police party.

 

Collins does it but finds a way to warn Batman.  When Charlie Collins opens the doors his hand gets glued to it.  The Joker pops put of a cake, freezes all the cops still, plants a bomb, leaves the cops and Collins to die.  Batman shows up and saves everyone.  Charlie Collins gets free, flips out and confronts the joker, threatens to kill him, The Joker agrees to stop harassing him.  Collins sets off a gag bomb which makes Batman laugh and pisses off Joker.  

 

It’s a nice little lesson for kids about, road rage, because the person in the other car could be really dangerous.  While the main demo might not drive for another 10 years it’s not a band idea to instill the lesson into young minds early.  

 

Harley Quinn’s part is rather small in this episode, her character goes onto be one of the biggest comic book characters of all time. Voiced perfectly by Arleen Sorkin it’s the definitive version of the character.  

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

Episode by Episode - Star Trek: Enterprise

Season 3

Episode 76 Zero Hour

 

It’s the season climax, what the show spent an entire year building up to.   Thankfully it was a decent payoff.  The Enterprise destroys the spheres in the expanse, returning it to a normal type of space.  Basically defeating the plans the Guardians have of making that region of space hospitable to them. 

 

Meanwhile the super weapon makes it to Earth.  Archer with the help of his new Xindi friends tries to stop the weapon.  During the battle the Andorians captained by Shran arrive and assist in the battle.  

 

Archer, Sato, Reed beam aboard the super weapon.  They all work together to dismantle it.  Archer has Reed and Sato leave while he closes out the dismantling of the weapon.  As he completes the task he ends up in a classic Star Trek last minute fight to the death while the structure/planet/ship collapses around them.  We last see Archer trying to run away from a bunch of explosions.  Everyone presumes he dies in the explosion of the weapon.  

 

Reed, Sato and other Enterprise crewmembers return to the expanse where they meet up with the actual Enterprise and fill one another in on their success.  The Aquatic Xindi agree to give Enterprise a ride home.  They part way peacefully.  

 

The Enterprise flies the rest of the way on their own to Earth.  While heading to the planet, they discover they have been sent back in time to the 1940s.  The season ends on another cliffhanger. 

 

With the exception of the cliffhanger at the end, the episode was solid.  Good action, drama, and resolution.  That season long cliffhanger after making the audience suffer though a story that started at the end of season two, was a bit too much to ask.  It leaves people without any decent resolution.  Thankfully it would be the last storyline devoted to the Temporal Cold War as after the first two episodes of season four, the show moves away from time travel gimmicks and focuses on smaller connected story arcs. 

 

How does season three measure-up as a whole?  It did a great job in terms of ambition, especially for a Star Trek series.  A season long threat.  Implementing that season long story had too many slow moments.  Lots of missed opportunity for faster paced stories or perhaps better focus on key or new characters.  There was definitely a plan on how to end the season with lots of action and excitement. The payoff was great.  The build-up could have been better.  It also asked a lot from an audience to tune in every week to keep up with the stories.  The idea of binge watching was still a few years away.  DVR was new.  Streaming is years off.  So if you missed an episode, you could be completely lost.  It’s a story telling concept that was perhaps too progressive for the year 2004.  But ultimately that’s where TV was headed.  So the writers weren’t wrong to make that leap.  They were perhaps responsible for other shows adopting that storytelling format. 

 

Ultimately season three was a good season but one can agree how polarizing it could be to a casual viewer.  And it did no favors to itself when trying to garner new viewership.  Also the show was promoting an overall message of diplomacy over war.  It's difficult not to see the parallels of the Xindi attack on Earth and the tragedy of 9/11.  It shows the justified anger and grief people feel after a cataclysmic attack but overall promotes a message of diplomacy and peace as the best way to resolve conflict.  It's not accidental the show demonstrated how only a few Xindi were true bad guys, even then, their motivations are understandable, but wrong.  It wasn't the the entire species that was responsible.  Pure Star Trek teaching lessons through science fiction allegory.     

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

 

 

 

BanGos - Hazy Shade of Winter

 BanGos do a live performance of Hazy Shade of Winter.

The DC Animated Universe Weekly Review - Batman: The Animated Series

 Batman: The Animated Series

Episode 21

Feat of Clay Part 2

 

The follow-up episode is just as good as it’s first part, maybe slightly better.  Hagan has become the deformed freak Clay Face.  He discovers he can shape shift temporarily and swears to get revenge on Daggett.  Meanwhile Bruce Wayne Made bail and is using his Batman detective skills to clear his name and put the blame on Roland Daggett.  

 

Everything culminates to Summer Gleason’s talk show where Roland Daggett is promoting his addictive, cosmetic, make-up.  Clay Face pretends to be a woman, confronts Daggett showing what an overdose of the formula can do to people.   He tries to kill Daggett, Batman shows up and stops him.  In the process he’s able to prove Hagan was pretending to be Bruce Wayne.  

 

Hagan is believed to be dead but Batman suspects Hagan faked his death and actually got away.  It’s a rather gloomy and dark twist.  One of many great bleak endings the show will have. 

 

Hagan is a true and true bad guy but a person can absolutely understand his quest for revenge.  Roland Daggett is by far the worse of the two.  He’s unremorseful in his evil.  As he appears in other episodes throughout the series, he never cares about the harm he inflicts.  Roland Daggett is a low level Lex Luthor for Batman.  He’s a ruthless businessman who will do anything to further his bottom line.  

 

Clay Face goes onto be one of Batman’s more formidable foes and his follow-up episodes are as epic as his introduction.  

 

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

Episode by Episode - Star Trek: Enterprise

Season 3

Episode 75 Countdown

 

Enterprise and friends are in pursuit of the Xindi weapon controlled by the Reptilians.  Archer convinces the Xindi Aquatics to join the fight on his side by promising to destroy the spheres that cause all the special anomalies in that region of space.  It’s a powerful moment.  At the start of the season Enterprise enters the Delphic Expanse alone with no clue how to contact the Xindi or any real idea how to stop them.  Through diplomacy he’s able to win over 3 of the 5 and get them to fight by his side to save Earth.  It’s a theme worthy of Gene Roddenberry’s vision of the future.  It took a long time to build-up to this moment but credit to the writers for crafting this part of the story and its payoff. 

 

The Reptilians use a mind whammy on the kidnapped Ensign Sato to arm the super weapon and head off to destroy Earth.  While trying to rescue Sato, Major Hayes gets killed.  It’s a bummer because he was a cool character, though under utilized along with the rest of the MACOs.  

 

The Reptilians head to Earth with the weapon which forces everyone to split up.  Archer takes Degra’s ship along with a bunch of Xindi ships to stop the Reptilians.  T’Pol takes Enterprise to destroy the spheres in the Delphic Expanse.  

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

BanGos - Eternal Flame

 BanGos performing Eternal Flame live.

The DC Animated Universe Weekly Review - Batman: The Animated Series

 Batman: The Animated Series

Episode 20

Feat of Clay Part 1

 

The two-part introduction to Clay Face.  While not as tragic as Two-Face’s origin story, breaking it up into two parts makes sense.  There was never a defined Clay Face in the comics.  The series was able to take plenty of liberties with the character and the story they came up with was rather epic.

 

Actor Matt Hagan is pretending to be Bruce Wayne and committing crimes in his name.  He’s doing this under the orders of Roland Dagett who has a bunch of businessman bad guy motives. Bruce Wayne is framed for crimes he did not commit.

 

Matt Hagan was disfigured in a car accident and Daggett supplies him with a special cream that allows him to fix his face.  The stuff is temporary and addictive, a drug.  To get a steady supply Hagan has to constantly go to Daggett and do a ton of illegal stuff.  Hagan tries to find a way to break free of Daggett by stealing a bunch but Daggett’s goons catch him and give him an OD of the stuff.  

 

This silhouette scene of the band guys pouring the stuff on Hagan that will turn him into Clay Face is scary.  Even in a monster film it would be frightening.  For what is supposed to be a kids show, it’s absolutely shocking.  The episode ends on a nice cliffhanger.

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

Episode by Episode - Star Trek: Enterprise

Season 3

Episode 74 The Council

 

The episode is a hidden gem in the season.  One that promotes diplomacy over violence. The Enterprise shows there is a larger conspiracy and convinces the Xindi to stop their attack on Earth.  But in an ultimate twist two of the Xindi factions break off and proceed with their plan to destroy Earth.  This time around Archer is not alone when trying to stop the attack as he now has two other Xindi factions on his side trying to stop the super weapon from being used.  

 

Degra is murdered by another Xindi in this episode, and while his character ultimately proved to be good, he was responsible for the death of over seven million people on Earth.  So not too many tears should be shed for his loss.  

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

BanGos - Mad About You

 BanGos performing Mad About You live at the South Huntington Public Library.

The DC Animated Universe Weekly Review - Batman: The Animated Series

Batman: The Animated Series

Episode 19

Prophecy of Doom

 

One of Bruce Wayne’s friend’s gets involved with a con artist who claims to be a psychic.  Bruce plays the part of a patsy to get in close with the group.  Batman is then able to stop the bad guy and save the day.

 

The plot is simple but it’s well done.  No complaints, very enjoyable to watch.  The character of Lisa Clark (voice by the beautiful Heather Locklear) is only seen in this episode but she has some Batgirl qualities.  These qualities get hashed out later when the character of Barbara Gordon is introduced. 

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

Episode by Episode - Star Trek: Enterprise

Season 3

Episode 73 E²

 

The Enterprise on their way to stop the attack on Earth came across their own ship from the future/past which ended up 117 years in the past.  Then each generation was raised with the purpose of helping the Enterprise stop the Xindi.  Is your head hurting?  Read it a few times.  Why the Enterprise Squared didn’t show up and help them at the beginning of their journey was poorly explained.  Including why they didn’t stop the initial attack on Earth… Instead they just wandered around aimlessly in the Delphic Expanse for 117 years trying to bump into the Enterprise.  

 

They team up and work together.  Drama ensues, eventually Enterprise Squared helps Enterprise, disappears, and thus never existed because they completed their mission.   So time paradox.  Like John Connor was born to stop the machines but the machines wouldn’t have been stopped if they never went back in time to try to stop John Connor from being born.  

 

It’s actually not a terrible episode but it is a concept that Star Trek has traversed before.  In the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode Children of Time the defiant crashes on a planet inhabited by the decedents of the ship.  They found out when trying to take off they somehow end up back in time and have to build a colony on the planet over several generations.  Antics ensue and the crew of the Defiant leave the planet causing the colony to disappear.  That episode is a great DS9 episode.  Seeing it rehashed on Enterprise is just that, a rehash of a story they already told with a twist of lime.  

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

BanGos - If She Knew What She Wants

 BanGos doing a live rendition of If She Knew What She Wants

The DC Animated Universe Weekly Review - Batman: The Animated Series

Batman: The Animated Series

Episode 18

Beware the Gray Ghost

 

This is a fun episode, that’s the easiest way to explain it. It calls back to Adam West as the 1960s Batman by having him voice Simon Trent an actor who played the Gray Ghost, a fictional superhero in the world of Batman, which inspired Batman to become a superhero.  

 

Someone is copying the plot of one of the Gray Ghost’s old episodes and blowing up places and ransoming the city.  Batman recognizes the episode from when he was a kid.  He asks Simon Trent for help in the investigation.  Trent helps Batman and together they figure out it’s the dude Trent has been pawning his Gray Ghost merchandise to.

 

The highlights of this episode are seeing Brice Wayne’s happy childhood with his parents, the more childlike inspiration of his hero persona, show creator Bruce Timm being cast as the villain Ted Dymer.  You can tell the production team probably had a good laugh at his expense for the goofy fanboy voice acting.  

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

Episode by Episode - Star Trek: Enterprise

Season 3

Episode 72 The Forgotten

 

Given the high action of the last episode this one is rather slow.  Archer tries to befriend the Xindi by supplying proof of all the time travel crapola.  Tucker has beef with the Xindi.  All the damages on Enterprise cause problems.  The Reptilian Xindi attack and forces Degra and his Primate Xindi to team-up with Enterprise to fight the Reptilians.  

 

It’s a small moment growing to something bigger.  Enterprise went into the Delphic Expanse alone and has made a legitimate alley who will eventually fight beside them. 

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

BanGos - Cool Jerk

 BanGos performing Cool Jerk live.

The DC Animated Universe Weekly Review - Batman: The Animated Series

Batman: The Animated Series

Episode 17

See No Evil

 

You’re about to witness the most controversial statement in this review series.  See No Evil is the best episode ever in Batman: the Animated Series.  It’s a story about a dad trying to regain custody of his daughter.  The dad is a criminal who can make himself invisible with a suit.  He’s earning his money by turning invisible and robbing places.  This puts Batman on his radar.  

 

The backstory is what sells this episode as authentic.  Lloyd Ventrix is posing as his daughter Kimmy’s invisible friend Mojo.  Her mom thinks it’s an active imagination but he’s the real deal.  Lloyd confronts Helen and tries to win her over with his newfound cash infusion but she’s not impressed.   One can fill in the blanks on this relationship which probably involves abuse, lying, cheating, one bad mistake after another.  Since he can’t win Helen over the traditional way and work his way back into their lives, he decides to kidnap his daughter.  There’s something tragic about Lloyd Ventrix actions though.  He’s not evil.  He’s a guy that wants to have a relationship with his daughter but since he’s a crook, handles it completely wrong.

 

When he tries to kidnap Kimmy, she’s never in urgent danger, he’d never hurt her.  But his actions will hurt Kimmy’s mother Helen.  Kimmy’s life with Ventrix could never be a happy one because they’d constantly be in hiding.  Ventrix is too selfish of a character to understand the harm he brings. 

 

All of this is in the subtext on the show, it is never spelled out.  The plot is bare bones, Ventrix robs places, Batman figures it out, stops Ventrix, saves Kimmy.  The invisibility adds an obstacle for Batman to overcome.  For a one-time villain he packs a wallop.  In the DCAU continuity Batman uses this invisible tech as the foundation for the Batsuit’s cloak ability in Batman Beyond.   

 

This episode has it all; tragedy, action, drama, and a happy ending.  When you look at BtAS and the DCAU as a whole very few can cover all these points as poignantly as See No Evil does.  Also another great episode that doesn’t have a major rogue as the antagonist.  

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

Episode by Episode - Star Trek: Enterprise

Season 3

Episode 71 Damage

 

The Enterprise is heavily damaged from their encounters in the last episode.  Archer is returned to Enterprise by the Aquarian Xindi.  He’s told to meet at specific coordinates in only a few days.  

 

In desperate need to make repairs and save Earth, the crew encounter aliens called Illyrians who provide some help but not enough to get Enterprise moving at warp.  Archer makes the decision to raid the ship and steal the supplies he needs.  

 

It’s the darkest episode of the season and not one that should sit well with anyone.  Heroes shouldn’t do bad things to save the day.  It’s certainly against the overall message of Star Trek which is peace and exploration.  Yes, it’s an Earth ship and not the United Federation of Planets.  But Archer leaves the Illyrians stranded in the Delphic Expanse with no warp drive, years away from their home planet. 

 

The stakes were high and his decision would ultimately save Earth but the idea that Enterprise is hurting other beings for their own gain is so anti-Star Trek it’s difficult to like the episode, despite how well written it truly was.  

 

The episode also reveals more of the true big bad, the sphere builders and how they are manipulating the Xindi.  “The Guardian” is manipulating time to their own advantages.  Some of the Xindi are now developing doubts about their plans to destroy Earth.

 

In a rather boring, annoying, unneeded plot twist we learn T’Pol has become addicted to Trillium-D and is injecting herself in small doses to experience emotions.  It’s an annoying subplot that wasn’t needed given all the other high drama floating around.   Also, very un-Vulcan and an illogical choice.   

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

BRATS FAILS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT EXPLORES

Hulu’s Andrew McCarthy documentary Brats wasn't as intriguing as it should have been. In fact it was rather self indulgent and failed to understand or capture the true mysticism surrounding the 1980s Brat Pack.

Its key members and adjacent members spend the documentary complaining about a label which has defined their career for almost 40 years. It never digs deeper into what they were going through at that time, how they rose to that status, what their career was like after the label. It barely skims the surface with any depth. The nostalgia of seeing Brat Pack actors reminisce isn't enough to save this documentary. 

What it devolved into, entirely by accident, is a bunch of rich celebrities, in their very expensive homes, lightly complaining about something that made them rich. They do regret rejecting the label in the early days but to complain about how it affected their career while sitting in kitchens the size of other folks houses really makes it hard to relate. 

People living on multi-acre farms or living with scenic ocean views truly have no right to complain about hiccups in careers that gave them so much. 

It's not a documentary that mocks its fan base or disrespects it. It doesn't even hate on the label. It's a documentary that doesn't understand its fans. It's so out of touch with what Brat Pack really meant. At no point do the actors ever truly factor in the resonance their films had for people and pop culture. Not with any depth worth noting. A true miss on what could have been something amazing.

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

The DC Animated Universe Weekly Review - Batman: The Animated Series

Batman: The Animated Series

Episode 15 & 16

The Cat and the Claw Part 1 and Part 2

 

We’re not breaking this up because the two episodes tones are so consistent they deserve the same review. 

 

This was actually the first episode to air on TV but the 8^th created.  It’s quite the introduction to the character.  We meet Catwoman for the first time and learn she’s Selina Kyle.  She’s a cat burglar that manages to trick Batman just enough to regularly get away.  

 

The basic plot is some type of terrorist conspiracy involving Red Claw.  Batman is trying to stop it. Selina Kyle is causing problems for the terrorist via her environmental lobbying. Her alter ego Catwoman is causing problems via her robberies.  We get a heavy showing of the difference between wholesome Bruce Wayne and tough as nails Batman.  Selina Kyle is way into Batman but thinks Bruce is just a nice guy and totally friend-zones him.  

 

The cliffhanger is the ultra bad guy Red Claw’s goons learn Selina Kyle is Catwoman.  

 

Red Claw causes shenanigans, kidnaps Catwoman’s best friend Maven. (Is Maven her lesbian girlfriend, lesbian best friend)?  Our guess is yes. Catwoman goes to save her friend, Batman finds the same location through his detective skills.  Massive fights take place.  Batman stops a big virus from being unleashed on Gotham.  Catwoman defeats Red Claw.  

 

Batman tracks Catwoman back to her apartment and arrest her for her criminal activity.  He totally wanted to bone her but Batman doesn’t tolerate crooks.    

 

There are better episodes in the series but for what became an intro episode it’s not bad.  It’s not a particularly exciting two-parter.  Some episodes just don’t have enough time when you have two villains and are trying to develop a romance.   Catwoman’s design is based on Michelle Pfeiffer from Batman Returns which actually turned out really nice.  She’s a brunette in the comics but it’s a nice change to have her as a blonde in the show.  

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

Episode by Episode - Star Trek: Enterprise

Season 3

Episode 70 Azati Prime

 

Enterprise arrives where the Earth destroying weapon is being built.  They investigate the area and Archer decides to pilot a shuttle to the area to destroy it himself.  The mission will be a death sentence.  He doesn’t want to order anyone else to die.  

 

Archer then gets transported 400 years into the future by recurring time travelor friend Daniels.  Daniels tells Archer the Sphere builders are the real big bads and are defeated in the future in a unified effort of many aliens including humans and Xindi.  Archer tells Daniels to stuff it, returns to his own timeline, and pilots the shuttle anyway.

 

Archer gets to where the weapon is but the weapon is gone, he is captured by the Xindi and interrogated.  He starts talking to the Xindi and somewhat convinces Degra (the creator of the Xindi weapon) that if humanity is destroyed, Sphere Builders will destroy the Xindi.  Basically Archer starts spewing the Daniels time travel mumbo jumbo. 

 

While Degra is investigating his claims, the Reptilian Xindi attack Enterprise and do serious damage to the ship.  End of episode

 

It’s a solid episode with a lot of tension and great plot reveals.  If you’re invested in the overall plot of season three, this is fun.  But it took a long time to get to these moments and there is a lot more of season three left to unfold. 

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

BanGos - I Get Weak

 Live at the South Huntington Public Library a performance of I Get Weak by BanGos.

The DC Animated Universe Weekly Review - Batman: The Animated Series

Batman: The Animated Series

Episode 14

Heart of Ice

This is one of the best episodes of the entire series and the DCAU as a whole.  The introduction of Mr. Freeze is absolute perfection.  The creators took a joke villain from the comics and 1960s Batman show and turned him into a tragic rogue an audience can find themselves rooting for.  

 

Ultimately Batman has to stop him because Mr. Freeze is seeking revenge against the man who killed his wife and turned him into a freak who can only live in sub zero temperatures. 

It cements Mr. Freeze as one of Batman’s best rogues in the entire series.  Every episode with him was tragic and frightening and it all started with the tone set in Heart of Ice.  Even the ending with Mr. Freeze sitting in his cell looking at a statuette version of his wife is so ominous.  Couple that with an epic musical score and you have a timeless story.

 

The episode is so influential that it changed the character in the comics and also influenced how he was portrayed in the film Batman & Robin.  So what you have is a film series that influenced a cartoon and then the cartoon influenced the film series.  Even though Batman & Robin sucked, it was cool to see how the animated series was defining Batman.  

Shoutout to Mark Hamill as corporate jerk Ferris Boyle. 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

Episode by Episode - Star Trek: Enterprise

Season 3

Episode 69 Hatchery

 

The Enterprise comes across a Xindi Insectoid ship filled with eggs.  Archer gets infected with something that makes him want to do everything he can to protect the eggs.  His orders start becoming erratic.  The crew is pitted against one another.  Archer’s overzealousness is finally stopped and he’s treated for his condition and the Enterprise continues on their mission.

 

It’s not a bad episode but clearly season three is stretching out their Xindi storylines because they are nine episodes away from the conclusion of season three.  So the writers are throwing in any odd filler episodes they can come up with, in order to slow down the progress of Enterprise from saving the day before the end of the season.  

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

BanGos - Going Down to Liverpool

 BanGos perform Going Down to Liverpool.

The DC Animated Universe Weekly Review - Batman: The Animated Series

 Batman: The Animated Series

Episode13

I’ve Got Batman in my Basement

This is the absolute worst episode of Batman the Animated series. It’s also one of the worst episodes in the DCAU.   Batman gets injured or poisoned or something and a kid hides him from the Penguin. The Penguin figures it out and attacks the kids.  Batman gets better in just enough time to save the day.  

 

Everything about the episode is so annoying; the children characters are lame, the Penguin looks like Danny DeVito’s Penguin in Batman Returns but is much more sophisticated.  The Penguin voice acting is great but the character design is crap.  That was a failing due to Tim Burton’s film influence on the show. 

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

Episode by Episode - Star Trek: Enterprise

Season 3

Episode 68 Doctor’s Orders

 

The Enterprise has to fly through an anomaly that only Dr Phlox is immune to.  Therefore he’s forced to take on additional duties while everyone is put in a coma.  Antics ensue, he suffers from paranoia, in his crazy state he still manages to save the ship.  It’s actually a really fun episode with a nice twist.  Phlox hallucinates that T’Pol is helping him when she is really put to sleep as well.  It was a nice lighthearted break from the series of heavy storylines the season circled around.  

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

BanGos - How Much More

 BanGos perform How Much More live at the South Huntington Public Library.

The DC Animated Universe Weekly Review - Batman: The Animated Series

 Batman: The Animated Series

Episode 12

It’s Never Too late

 

The anti-drug episode.  It’s so layered and so well executed.  No complaints on how this story is told. 

 

Gotham’s reigning crime boss Arnold Stromwell is losing his power to Rupert Thorne.  His son Joey is missing.  Stromwell thinks he’s a victim of the mob war between Thorne and him.  

 

The episode keeps flashing back to when he was a kid and his friend pushes him out of the way of a train, saving his life.  His friend loses his leg in the process.  

 

Stromwell sets up a meeting with Thorne.  Stromwell confronts Thorne about his missing son.  Thorne denies involvement, says he doesn’t touch family.  Thorne then double crosses Stromwell but Batman saves him.  

 

Batman tries to talk Stromwell into narcing on everyone and in the process gives him a tour of how terrible Gotham is.  Eventually he takes Stromwell to a clinic where Stromwell’s ex-wife is sitting over his son Joey who is going through drug withdrawal.  It doesn’t get more impactful than that.

 

The episode demonstrates the dangers of being a crime-boss and a drug addict.  The destructive power works seamlessly in this episode.  It doesn’t bludgeon kids over the head with the message.  It plainly shows how destructive doing drugs is, how destructive being a criminal is.  Meanwhile Batman tries to redeem Stromwell and every time he rejects that help he gets into more trouble.  

 

The episode concludes with Stromwell coming across his childhood friend who saved him.  It’s the last piece that pushes Stromwell to seek redemption.  A great episode and it didn’t have a single super villain in it.  That’s powerful writing. 

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

Episode by Episode - Star Trek: Enterprise

Season 3

Episode 67 Harbinger

 

A MACO centric episode!!! The MACOs had a lot of potential at the end of season two but were seldom used as the season progressed.  Instead writers decided to waste their focus on random episodes devoted to kidnapped Earthlings reestablishing the old west on random planets, telepathic aliens kidnapping communication officers, and undercover alien sex slave spies.

 

So the episode focused on MACO and Starfleet tension, while not forced, could have been so much more.  The moments we did get with the MACOs were fun.  Perhaps that’s why they worked in season three.  They were seldom used and left the audience wanting more.  

 

The battle royale between Lieutenant Reed and Major Hayes was exciting.  They finally bond and walk away with a mutual respect for one another. 

 

In contrast and also an added bonus which hasn’t been discussed in our other reviews is the culmination of the relationship between Commander Tucker and T’Pol.  The show had been building to a romantic relationship for most of the season.  In this episode they finally consummate.  It’s a solid TV romance, since the characters are opposites who disagree.  Those types of relationships always make for great chemistry in media but are terrible in real-life.  

 

The biggest reveal in this episode is the mysterious Alien that’s dying and rescued by Enterprise.  It turns out his species is the big bad of the season and are manipulating the Xindi to try and destroy Earth.  

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com