Bernie Madoff Changed Kevin Bacon's Career

Let's talk about Kevin Bacon.  We all know him as the beautiful 80s leading man who fought a small American town for the right to dance.  He also fought underground monster worms (graboids) in the surprise hit Tremors. No one can ever forget his stint as a medical student who would kill himself in five-minute intervals to learn he felt bad about teasing a kid from his childhood.  His best performance was as a college basketball coach trying to woo an African boy with no formal education into playing for his university. 

As he transitioned into the 90s his career shifted.  He wasn’t getting leading roles anymore but had a name which lead to key parts in big Hollywood films.  He pivoted his career so well no one really noticed he wasn’t the leading man actor anymore.   So you get Capt Jack Ross in A Few Good Men, astronaut Jack Swigert in Apollo 13, creepy evil child molester Nokes in Sleepers.  

 

What’s interesting about his career in the 90s is how much more dynamic his characters were.  As the leading man he played into a mold.  The young, brash, good-hearted hero.  His 90s work consisted of different characters. Not just Kevin Bacon with a new name in a sticky situation.

Then in the 2000s he pivots his career again and starts doing more artistic projects.  We’re not commenting on the quality of the final product but if you look at his roles there was an effort for delve into deeper subject matter. The critically acclaimed Mystic River, The Woodsman where he plays a convicted child molester trying to reintegrate into society after his prison term (played a child molester twice…yikes), He directed and acted alongside his wife in Loverboy which I honestly don’t know much about but the trailer for this drama makes it seem like it stemmed from an inside joke about parent rearing between the two.   Maybe he was chasing that Oscar or maybe he just wanted to take on a new acting challenge.

 

In 2008 the Bernie Madoff’s ponzi scheme is revealed.  Kevin Bacon is one of his victims.  No one really knows how much he lost but he took a pretty big hit.  Some estimate it could have been around $30 million.  This is where his career shifts again.  For the decade following, all he takes are payday films.  He’s popping up as the main villain in X-Men: First Class, a sleezeball boss in Crazy Stupid Love, he popped up in R.I.P.D.  He stars in a the Fox TV drama The Following (because TV series is steady work for actors).  In 2018 he returns to the Tremors franchise after almost 30 years.  

The lesson we can learn from this is; if you lose all your money make sure you’re famous enough to whore out your name to make a chunk of it back.   

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 29

Eternal Youth

 

Poison Ivy is turning rich people into plants.  She creates a fake spa, sends a video to Bruce Wayne offering a free weekend but Alfred and his girlfriend go in his place.  The couple returns home but have become addicted to the spa life and go back. Poison Ivy reveals herself and turns them into plants.  Batman shows up and saves everyone.  

 

The main problem with this episode is that Ivy appears in the spa promotion video.  It would take a second to realize it’s her.  The worlds greatest detective and his butler shouldn't have had a problem figuring this out.  It’s a big plot hole, huge. The episode works well everywhere else you really have to suspend your disbelief.   

 

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

Episode by Episode - Star Trek: Enterprise

Season 4

Episode 83 The Forge

 

The Earth embassy is bombed on the planet Vulcan and Enterprise is sent to investigate.  A fringe group of Vulans called the Syrrannites are accused of the bombing.  Enterprise determines they are being framed.  Captain Archer and T’Pol secretly beam down to Vulcan to investigate.  They unknowingly meet the head Syrrannite Arev who gets seriously injured in a sandstorm and mind melds with Archer giving him his Katra.  Archer is then able to lead T’Pol to the Syrrannites where they are quickly captured. 

To be continued.

 

This is great setup to turmoil on Vulcan and their political system.  In all other Star Trek series Vulcans have their shit together but here there is some genuine turmoil.  

 

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

Why Marty McFly's Personality Changed Between Back to the Future 1 and 2

 "One other thing. If you guys ever have kids, and one of them, when he's eight years old, accidentally sets fire to the living room rug … go easy on him." 

This one little request changed the trajectory of Marty McFly. The events surrounding the living room fire are never revealed but one can postulate it changed time and Marty's personality for the worse. He was likely dared or challenged to play with matches or some other combustible material which caused the rug to catch fire.  

In the original timeline his parents issued a severe punishment and he learned not to give into people's taunts of courage. His father was a low-level office worker who never stood up to anyone. He was a pacifist, never worried about people's opinion. As a nerd in high school there was no one lower on the totem poll. George McFly knew he wanted his children to be better than him and instilled a solid sense of self, despite his own human failings. 

 

In the rewritten timeline, successful writer George McFly wins over the favor of all by standing up to the school bully Biff Tanen. George's entire history changed in that one moment. He grew into a man full of confidence. He raised children that were professionally successful. He owned a home ordained with material possessions showing off his success. He became a successful author and pushed his children to accomplish anything as long as equal effort was applied. 

That message gave Marty a false sense of self instead of the true sense the original Marty had. At a key moment in Marty’s life he would have learned the difference. George and Lorraine altered what was likely the worst childhood punishment Marty ever received and watered it down. Along with Marty's words, George went soft because he had a different perception on how public perception can change a person’s path and Lorraine had subconsciously conflicted feelings due to Marty’s odd resemblance to an old high school crush.

When we meet-up with Marty in Back to the Future II his personality has slightly shifted. He went from being the McFly child with the most potential to the dreg that sleeps in his clothes. His brother is a workaholic who’s trekking to the office in a full suit on a Saturday. His sister is implied to be so promiscuous that her older brother cannot keep count of her many male companions. And then we have Marty. 

Marty’s personality may appear to be the same as the original timeline but he’s now developed a temper. He’s easily manipulated into compromising situations over the tiniest offense against his ego. He’s destined to destroy his promising music career, have a shotgun wedding, have a failed career in in office work. He’s become the George McFly of the original timeline. But original George made certain his kid’s wouldn’t become him. While they may not have been financially successful, they were honest individuals and independent in their personalities. These new kids spent their lives chasing the success of their dad. They all became destined to forever fall short of their father, prestigious author George McFly. 

 

This is how Marty McFly’s personality was altered between the first Back to the Future and its sequels.

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 28

Dreams in Darkness

 

Another great episode, Batman gets thrown in Arkham Asylum after getting exposed to Scarecrow’s fear toxin.  The cure is a shot that will knock him out for a few days. But Scarecrow is poisoning the water supply and Batman needs to stop him ASAP.  The doctors at Arkham don’t believe him and conveniently won’t take off his mask because they are concerned it will cause catatonia.  Batman bust lose, defeats Scarecrow while under the toxin.  Alfred then gives Batman the shot in the comfort of the…Batcave.   The cold, drafty, damp, Batcave.

 

There’s a lot of great action in this episode and the questioning of Batman’s sanity is amazing.  The excuse to keep his mask on works well enough.  There’s a reference to Joker having the name Jack Napier which is the same name he has in the Tim Burton film but later episodes reveal it’s just one of many aliases the Joker uses.  

 

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

Episode by Episode - Star Trek: Enterprise

Season 4

Episode 82 The Augments

 

Enterprise stops the viruses from being released but the Augments stole a bunch more.  The main bad Augment Malik wants to blow up a torpedo in the atmosphere of a Klingon colony which will kill millions and start a war between humans and Klingons.  Soong is against this, he then starts trying to alter the embryos they stole to make them less aggressive murdering psychos.  So the Augments confine him to quarters.  One of the female Augments feels bad and bust Soong out, allowing him to flee in an escape pod.  Enterprise picks up Soong who decides to help Enterprise stop the Augments from killing millions and causing a war.  In the process all the Augments are killed in a space battle with Enterprise. Soong is returned to prison and decides to devote his mental genius to robotics stating it will take generations to perfect.  Thus setting the stage for one of his decedents to create Data.  

 

An awesome conclusion to a great story arc.  The entire concept was implemented perfectly from start to finish.   The callback to Star Trek: The Original Series is stellar.  It even discusses Kahn and the Botany Bay. Adding Brent Spiner who played Data as a guest star was a nice addition.  It’s absolutely one of the best story arcs of the season.  

 

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

BanGos - Head Over Heels

 BanGos performing Head Over Heels live.

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

Batman: The Animated Series

Episode 27

Mad as a Hatter

This is the first appearance of the Mad Hatter.  Jervis Tetch starts out as an innocent scientist funded by Bruce Wayne’s company.  He is working on mind control devices but Wayne Corporation thinks it’s a way to enhance the human brain.  Tetch has a massive crush on is coworker Alice, who’s dating Billy, a total jerk.  After she breaks up with her guy Jervis makes his move and has a genuine shot and sealing the deal.  He gives her an entire Alice in Wonderland themed date where he’s the Mad Hatter and she’s Alice.  Her much better looking boyfriend comes back into the picture and all his work at bagging the love of his life was a huge waste of time.  He flips out, uses his mind control devises on everyone.  He uses his mind control to have Billy dump Alice and he tries one more time to make a move but she’s all confused, Batman shows up and explains to Alice that Tetch is a creepy douche who’s causing problems.  

Any chance Tetch had with Alice is completely gone now.  This is totally Batman’s fault for blowing up Mad Hatter’s spot.  Not everyone is a boy billionaire who’s over six feet tall.  Some guys have to get creative with their game.  Tetch then goes off the deep end and uses his mind control to take over Alice.  He mind whammys other people to fight Batman, Batman stops them.  Then he fights Tetch directly and Batman explains having Alice with no mind is pointless.  Tetch agrees but it’s his only option at this point.  Batman takes Tetch down and he’s sad about it.  Billy and Alice end up together but the rollercoaster that is their relationship pretty much ensures it is destined for failure. 

It’s a fairly amusing episode.  The idea of mind controlling people with tech resurrects in the Justice League episodes with Gorilla Grod but the entire premise is different enough that a recycled plot point doesn’t matter.  Mad Hatter would go on to claim Batman created him. Technically that is true.  Bruce Wayne funded the research that created him.  Tetch was full into Mad Hatter mode when Batman arrived and blew up his spot.  Mad Hatter is not aware of the alter ego.  So Tetch's logic is flawed but the conclusion is arguably correct.

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

Episode by Episode - Star Trek: Enterprise

Season 4

Episode 81 Cold Station 12

 

Soong and his Augments attack a facility which hold a bunch of deadly viruses in order to get the thousands of remaining genetically engineered embryos.  They torture and kill a bunch of people.  Enterprise tries to stop them but is ultimately unsuccessful. 

 

The episode ends on another cliffhanger as a bunch of deadly viruses are going to be released into the air.

 

It’s another great episode with solid action, tension, characters, and a solid ending which makes you want to keep watching.  

 

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

BanGos - Goodbye to You

 BanGos perform Goodbye to You live at the South Huntington Public Library.

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

 Batman: The Animated Series

Episode 26

Appointment in Crime Alley

 

The music makes this episode so epic.  We see Roland Daggett again trying to force a neighborhood into gentrification.  Batman is trying to make an appointment with Dr Leslie Thomkins to leave some roses where his parents were murdered.  While driving through Gotham there’s so much crime he keeps getting distracted with saving people.  Batman eventually stumbles on to Daggett’s plan to blow up a bunch of buildings and stops it.  Daggett get’s off free though.  Batman is pissed.  

 

This episode wouldn’t be as good as it is if it weren’t for the music.  The full orchestra sells this story.  

 

 

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

Episode by Episode - Star Trek: Enterprise

Season 4

Episode 80 Borderland

 

This is where Enterprise begins to shine.  It finally finds its footing.  Instead of stand-alone episodes or season long storylines, the concept that worked for Enterprise was mini-story arcs.  Season four also focused on filling in plot gaps between themselves and other Star Trek series. It all starts with Borderland.

 

A bunch of human augments steal Klingon Bird of Prey and Enterprise is sent to retrieve them because the Klingons are threatening war.  Captain Archer recruits Arik Soong (Brent Spiner) a descendent of the guy who will eventually build Data.  Soong is under arrest for illegal genetic experiments.  He actually created the augments 20 years ago but was arrested 10 years ago.  

 

While Enterprise is looking for the augments a bunch of the crew get kidnapped by the Oriens.  The Oriens try to sell them into slavery but Archer and friends bust them out in-time.  Soong tries to use the situation to escape but failed.  Then the Oriens attack the ship but the augments in the stolen Klingon ship save them.  

 

They break into Enterprise and free Soong.  End of episode.

 

So much awesome in only 44 minutes!  The augments are a throwback to Kahn and his people.  That’s all original series references.  Soong has his connections the Star Trek: Next Generation.  The Oriens date back to the very first pilot of Star Trek the original series but in Star Trek canon we don’t see them until Star Trek the Menagerie.  The Orien Syndicate is referred to as a type of recurring villain in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.  All of those bits of magic converge into a nice action pact story that has solid payoff for genuine Star Trek fans.  

 

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

BanGos - Vacation

 BanGos performing Vacation live.

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

 Batman: The Animated Series

Episode 25

The Clock King

 

One of the best in the series.  Admittedly the episode didn’t strike gold like it did with Heart of Ice, it certainly hit silver with this reinterpretation of the Clock King.  Clock King was a silly villain in the 1960s Batman TV show and BtAS made his obsession with time a useful weapon against Batman.  

 

Clock King was so obsessed with time he has every schedule memorized and could figure out how to escape Batman by knowing train schedules and traffic patterns.  That’s absolutely brilliant.  His vendetta against Mayor Hill is also great, Hill gave him some crappy advice, and Clock King held a grudge because it ruined his life.  

 

Batman ultimately saves the day but Clock King escapes. His follow-up episode isn’t as spectacular but when he eventually reappears in Justice League Unlimited it’s a welcomed sight and a great fit to the Suicide Squad.  

 

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

Episode by Episode - Star Trek: Enterprise

Season 4

Episode 79 Home

 

It’s almost a requirement that Star Trek have a “mellow-out” or “wrap-up” episode after a story arc that spanned over an entire season.  This episode is very reminiscent of the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode Family.  The difference here is that TNG’s episode was actually very thought provoking, sentimental, and one of the best Star Trek episodes ever made.  Home never quit reaches that mark.  It tries very hard to have the same heart as Family but can’t seem to recapture the brilliance.  A lot of this could be blamed on the lack of character depth Enterprise had.  It’s three best characters are Captain Archer, T’Pol, and Commander Tucker.  Tucker and T’Pol are sharing their own storyline together.  Archer is all bitter from his experience with the Xindi. No one really learns a lesson or grows in this episode.  They just get though their PTSD while the ship gets repaired.  Then we’re ready for the next set of adventures. 

 

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

BanGos - Walk Like An Egyptian

 BanGos perform Walk Like An Egyptian live.

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

 Batman: The Animated Series

Episode 24

Fear of Victory

 

Scarecrow’s second episode and a much better story.  It’s as if the creators had to get Scarecrow’s intro out of the way to come up with a truly riveting episode.  What’s different about this episode compared to other BtAS episodes, is it’s not about the villain.  It’s Robin’s story.  

 

Dick Grayson (Robin’s alter ego) gets exposed to Scarecrow’s fear toxin because he dorms with the Gotham University star football player.  Scarecrow is fixing sports games to make money via gambling.  Robin doesn’t realize the toxin is affecting him until the adrenaline kicks in while doing some crime fighting. 

 

Batman who got his own dose of fear toxin in the Scarecrow origin episode knows what Robin is going through and shows great patience and expertise in how to conquer his fear.  The episodes climax comes down to Robin having to overcome the fear toxin or tens of thousands of people will die.  Robin comes though and saves the day. 

 

Scarecrow’s costume is updated in this episode and is a vast improvement.  A truly enjoyable episode, especially for Robin fans.  

 

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

Episode by Episode - Star Trek: Enterprise

Season 4

Episode 78 Storm Front II

 

Enterprise is stuck in World War II trying to fix the timeline.  They succeed and we’re rewarded with the end of the Temporal Cold War!  From this point on the show takes a huge shift into something so much better.  

 

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

BanGos - This Town

 BanGos live at the South Huntington Library performing This Town.

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

 Batman: The Animated Series

Episode 23

Vendetta

 

The first appearance of Killer Croc.  His introduction episode isn’t anything special.  It’s a revenge story against Harvey Bullock and a bunch of other guys that sent him to jail.  Batman is able to stop Croc, save Bullock, everything is right in the world. 

 

No complaints about the episode and certainly worth a viewing.  Croc’s follow-up episode later in the series is far superior.  

 

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

Episode by Episode - Star Trek: Enterprise

Season 4

Episode 77 Storm Front

 

Annoying is the word to describe the next two episodes.  After the events of season three, fans are left to worry this is another season long storyline.  Thankfully it wraps up in the next episode but the failure of this story is it started in the last episode of season 2 and continued all the way through to the first two episodes of season 4.  Guess what, Captain Archer is found alive and well in WW II.  Let’s be grateful he didn’t have amnesia.  

 

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

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