A Very Super(Hero) Year on Television

Gotham - Another Great Imagine (C) CW, this one found on Facebook

Gotham – Another Great Image (c) CW, this one found on Facebook

There are a LOT of potentially great shows coming out on television this season. Part of me wants to write about each and every one of them, and in time I hope to. Another part of me is trying to figure out the how and when to cover each. Tonight another episode of Gotham will air, tomorrow the Flash will zip onto the air with it’s first solo episode (if you missed Barry Allen’s many appearances on Arrow last season I do not anticipate you will feel you missed anything, that being said, I do recommend them as the show did more than merely give the Flash a backdoor pilot, but rather took the time to give a sense of the man and his personality so he would be a familiar persona when his own series hit the air) and Wednesday Arrow will launch it’s third season on the CW.

One of the truly great things about Arrow, is not just that the show sparkles on the screen, with the hero taking down those who have “failed” his city, but the lead actor Stephen Amell has a passionate and good heart, and is helping his fans find a way to fight for what they believe in — helping people with Cancer and Cancer research currently being the primary beneficiary of all that good intent.

Stephen Amell wearing Represent shirt raising money for Cancer Charity.

Many actors talk a good game, and put on a good face — but Stephen Amell, during the month leading up to the Season 3 return of Arrow, raised, with the help of his fans, roughly one quarter of a million dollars (yes, as in $250,000) for a Cancer charity by selling shirts, hoodies and other items featuring a design Amell had challenged his fans to design and vote on. According to the site 21354 items were sold, with 100% of the funds raised going to the charity.

At Fan Expo in Toronto when talking about a Raffle Stephen Amell had run to raise money for a family whose young daughter is battling cancer, Amell was very clear about the fact it is his fans raising the money, his fans doing this good deed, his fans who deserve the thanks, and that he feels very fortunate to be a part of all this good work — but he is aware that without the fans none of this would be possible.

Amell’s mother went through Breast Cancer, I believe while the actor has been on Arrow, and after her experience this is clearly a very personal cause to him, but he also has a very clear understanding that people dealing with Cancer want to take back some power in their life, want to embrace their victories, and he is rapidly becoming a fierce champion and Hero to those with Cancer in their lives, or those of their loved ones.

Superheros have long been near and dear to the hearts of those who needed a champion, someone to help them fight the battles that seemed impossible, or more than they could handle alone. With these raffles, and the Represent.com campaign Stephen Amell has embraced some of the best qualities of his hero character and brought them out into the real world.

For two seasons we have watched Amell play a publicly irresponsible playboy who was privately fighting for what was right, and along the way learning a great many lessons about what it means to be a hero, and in the process he was as an individual coming out of a dark place.

The Flash is a show that, from the beginning, looks like it will be following an idealistic man who believes in doing the right thing, in wanting to be more than he is and using it for good, which as a show may serve as a counterpoint to Gotham which seems to feature a great many villains and what, based on the behinds-the-scenes and first look materials released before the show, appears to be an almost Al Capone-ish era of Gotham City.

Don’t mistake me, I believe Gotham and The Flash will be equally entertaining shows, but with vastly different color pallets and feels to them, showing different periods and aspects of life DC Universe, and the three shows combined may well remind audiences that while Marvel is currently dominating on the big screen, the DC Characters have more to them than many recall when put on the spot and first asked to talk about them.

Gotham airs Mondays, 8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT on Fox
The Flash airs Tuesdays 8:00-9:00 pm ET/PT on The CW
Arrow airs Wednesdays 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET/PT on The CW

The Flash features: Grant Gustin as Barry Allen/The Flash, Candice Patton as Iris West, Rick Cosnett as Eddie Thawne, Danielle Panabaker as Caitlin Snow, Carlos Valdes as Cisco Ramon, with Tom Cavanagh as Dr. Harrison Wells, and Jesse L. Martin as Detective Joe West.

Arrow features: Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen/Arrow, Katie Cassidy as Dinah “Laurel” Lance, David Ramsey as John Diggle, Willa Holland as Thea Queen, Emily Bett Rickards as Felicity Smoak, Colton Haynes as Roy Harper, John Barrowman as Malcom Merlyn, and Paul Blackthorne as Detective Lance.

Gotham features: Ben McKenzie as Detective James Gordon, Donal Logue as Detective Harvey Bullock, Jada Pinkett Smith as Fish Mooney, Sean Pertwee as Alfred Pennyworth, Robin Lord Taylor as Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin, Erin Richards as Barbara Kean, David Mazouz as Bruce Wayne, Camren Bicondova as Selina Kyle/the future Catwoman, Zabryna Guevara as Captain Sarah Essen, Cory Michael Smith as Edward Nygma/the future Riddler, Victoria Cartagena as Renee Montoya, Andrew Stewart Jones as Crispus Allen, and John Doman as Carmine Falcone.

Check out the facebook page for the Cancer Charity Stephen Amell and his fans raised so much money and awareness for:

Stephen Amell raised funds, and awareness, for a Cancer Charity throughout September of 2014

Make sure to give a listen to the joint PopArtsPlace.com and ComicBookPage.com podcasts for Season 1 and Season 2 of Arrow, and let us know what you think, and if you are interested in podcasts about Gotham, The Flash, or any other shows or movies.

#WWAustinCC – Katie Cassidy

There were a LOT of wonderful panels Oct 2- 4 at the Austin Wizard World Comic Con at the Austin Convention Center.

A joint podcast with John Mayo, of ComicBookPage, will be going up soon with a two hour discussion of the countless wonderful moments. During those two hours we discussed the Katie Cassidy panel, in which Katie not only showed off her biceps, but mentioned that as a former gymnast… well… I’ll let her tell you herself:

Arrow fans, can you picture it? Laurel on the Salmon Ladder? Yes, Season 3 could have a very different arc for Laurel Lance than we saw in Season 2, which ended with her “getting the jacket” as was joked during the panel on Saturday.

Take a moment to watch the video — then share it with your fellow Arrow fans! Who knows, if the show will bring back the line “You Failed This City!” because it resonated with the fans, maybe we can encourage them to get Katie up on that Salmon Ladder and showing the world that Ollie isn’t the only one in Starling City who fights crime and does whatever it takes to fight for what is right.

Season 3 of Arrow Premieres on the CW October 8 at 8 PM / 7 PM Central.

If you have not already had a chance, check out the joint podcasts with John Mayo, of ComicBookPage, about Season 1 of Arrow, and Season 2 of Arrow. (Our Season 2 podcast included a discussion about Laurel’s story arc with substance abuse and whether or not that was something that had been seen for her character in the comics, as well as whether or not that was a story arc we had seen coming for her character in particular.)

Links:

Arrow @ CWTV
Arrow on Facebook
Arrow on Twitter
Katie Cassidy on Twitter

(Entry edited to add links to podcasts about Season 1 and Season 2 of Arrow)

Dallas – 40 Episodes 2012-2014, And No More

TNT has opted not to renew Dallas. Many thought the show would not find an audience in this new century, and were probably shocked it aired for three seasons. For others they were three fantastic seasons… and to some, they were two great seasons, and a third that just went a bit beyond where it started, and perhaps that last statement is why the show has not been renewed.

The show, which brought back Larry Hagman‘s J.R. Ewing for 17 memorable episodes did something few shows have successfully done. It picked up characters from years gone by, and carried their stories forward. Bobby (Patrick Duffy) Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) and J.R., along with Cliff Barnes (Ken Kercheval) and other familiar faces, were familiar to one generation, and struck that old familiar chord, while new faces captured the hearts of another generation, notably Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe), John Ross (Josh Henderson), Elena (Jordana Brewster), Pamela Rebecca Barnes (Julie Gonzalo), Harris Ryland (Mitch Pileggi), Judith Ryland (Judith Light), and Emma Brown (Emma Bell).

Suddenly two generations, who thought when it came to television shows they might very well have nothing in common, found themselves meeting on the common ground of South Fork Ranch, in Dallas, Texas. People who once had entirely different answers when asked the question “What show do you know Patrick Duffy from?” (Or Larry Hagman?) were suddenly giving the same answer, though they may still have meant entirely different shows if fans of the original show which aired from 1978 to 1991 on CBS did not realize TNT had given the show a new life.

And there were some loyal fans of J.R. who tuned in until he was shot, tuned out for a while… then tuned in again when it was time to find out WHO SHOT J.R.!, and tuned in once more in 2012 when Dallas returned to television, only to leave the show once more with the passing of Larry Hagman in the second season of this new incarnation.

The new incarnation of Dallas offered all the soapy intrigue I had ever heard the original contained, though I never watched the first incarnation so I can not speak directly to it. But I recall hearing for what seemed like MONTHS people asking the question of the season, “WHO shot J.R.?” and when they finally found out, it was the most shocking revelation in television history, or so it seemed to all of the Dallas viewers in my life. And somehow, when Larry Hagman died, it seemed appropriate that J.R. had once again been shot.

To me, Larry Hagman may always be the star of I Dream of Jeanie, Judith Light will always be the Boss, so do not bother to ask me “Who’s The Boss?“, Jordana Brewster is without a doubt Fast and Furious, and Jesse Metcalfe leaves Desperate Housewives (like Brenda Strong) in his wake, and Passions inflamed wherever he goes. I can go Step By Step through the cast, if I try, see, I got to Patrick Duffy, just that quickly. There was even a Veronica Mars cast member — Julie Gonzalo. And I stayed Earth-centric for those shows, for Mitch Pileggi I concede, my first choice is a trek to Stargate: Atlantis where his performance was second to none.

In it’s originally incarnation, according to IMDB Dallas ran for 14 years, and 356 episodes. A remarkable feat. With a return of several members of the original cast, South Fork Ranch, and a new twist on the oil industry and modern life in Texas, another 40 episodes and 3 seasons were added to the mythology and legacy of the Dallas tale.

Who knows, another 20 years down the line Jesse Metcalfe and Josh Henderson might return to Dallas once more, and add another generation to the story of a ranch that seems to have an endless supply of tales to tell.

Larry Hagman. When it comes to Dallas, the man was a Legend.

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One of the particularly nice things the show Dallas did was a special “memorial” opening credits segment for the episode when J.R. died as a tribute to Larry Hagman, with a slower rendition of the them song. This was a particularly beautiful tribute to the actor, the character, and the man at the beginning of the episode “J.R.’s Masterpiece” a title which describes the opening credits as well as what follows.

Hawaii Five-O – Season 5 Has Begun

Hawaii Five-O Last week’s season Premiere episode of Hawaii Five-0 had a scene early on in which Steve (Alex O’Loughlin) and Danny “Danno” (Scott Caan)were in therapy — for some it may have felt contrived or awkward, but for others, those who had missed some episodes, or were first time viewers, it was actually a nicely done episode. In the course of one scene the writers established the hilarious manner in which those two characters relate to one another through bickering, and gave a very basic run down of who all is on the team.

Modern television is full of shows where the audience feels as though you have to watch the show from the very first episode to understand who people are, to know the various plot points that matter, and be able to follow along. While Hawaii Five-O did not reset by any means, they came very close to announcing for those who have not been watching all along, “this is an easy entry point, be welcome new viewers, we want you to join in the fun of watching our show.”

For those who like purely episodic shows, the episode made it clear this season is going to have some very definite arcs. Clearly there will be some serial aspects, and there are going to be some plot lines they hope you will follow from start to finish. That said, several of them look interesting. Jorge Garcia, who joined the cast as Jerry Ortega this season, was in several episodes last season, and is a fun conspiracy theorist with a potentially interesting arc for the season. While I admit to having high hopes for his character, I hope that Kamekona’s role (Taylor Wily) does not suffer, as he has been one of my favorites since the series began, and there have been a few times already when I have felt the writers were torn between those two characters when trying to decide who to give a line or scene to, making me wonder if their function on the show is a little too similar. I hope as Jerry appears more he and Kamekona will diverge more, and their separate functions as part of the Five-O family will become clearer.

The season premiere was, overall, a very strong episode, but faithful viewers seemed to be called upon to remember several details, for instance, why someone was keeping an eye on Chin-Ho (Daniel Dae Kim), a fact that finally explained, somewhat, at the very end of the episode, leading me to wonder if the season will be self-contained enough for new viewers. (Again, I hope that is the case.) Given how much effort the show went to to give new viewers a primer on the characters I believe they will continue to offer memory jogs to long-time viewers, and subtle information drops to new viewers so no one is left feeling like they missed an episode or need to go back to last season and re-watch an episode or they will be lost.

From the moment this incarnation of Hawaii Five-O hit the air it has been a strong show, with action filled scenes and intricate enough plots to keep the audience waiting through the commercial breaks to find out just where the show is going, and how the case will turn out. (There is nothing worse than a show you are so sure you’ve already solved the who-done-it of that you can flip away from it during the commercial break and feel like you will not miss a thing. This is NOT one of those shows.)

Grace Park is back with the team full time, where she belongs, and while her time abroad was acceptable and understandable for those who heard Grace Park had a baby in Vancouver and simply could not get back to Hawaii in time for shooting to begin last season, it is great to see her back on the island with the rest of the team, taking down the bad guys, helping solve the cases and fight for what is right.

Masi Oka was an excellent addition to the show, it is hard to believe he merely recurred first season, since his being a regular part of the show feels like he is where he belongs. His character, Max Bergman, is quirky and unique in a way that a lot of actors could not pull of with the charm and style that Masi brings to the character.

Lou Grover (Chi McBride) did not have a lot to do in the season premiere, and I fear many first time viewers may have been left wondering exactly why he is on the team. For them I would say ‘fear not, he will show his true value, he just needs one of those SWAT moments.’ That said, I was disappointed, and found myself wondering if with the cast increasing in size each season, and becoming more and more of an ensemble show, the writers are finding it harder and harder to keep everyone in play. It will be interesting to see how things balance out for the characters over the course of the season. Hawaii Five-0

Danno and Steve are great fun to watch together, especially when they get to bickering in the car. That said, when Lou and Steve have a difference of opinions about tactics one starts to wonder just how many seconds it will be before they want to pull a gun on one another instead of the bad guy — and somehow that is just hilarious and charming. It is this dynamic that makes the show so entertaining, the fact that these people are not in perfect harmony, but work so well together because they bring vastly different perspectives to the table to get the job done, and listen to one another, work together, and will go to any length, and do anything to protect and serve.

Season Five of Hawaii Five-O airs Fridays on CBS at 9 PM / 8 C.

Official CBS Website: http://www.cbs.com/shows/hawaii_five_0/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HawaiiFive0CBS
Twitter: http://twitter.com/HawaiiFive0CBS
Instagram: HawaiiFive0CBS
CBS Tweet: https://twitter.com/CBSTweet
IMDB: Hawaii Five-O

Cast on Twitter:

Daniel Dae Kim @DanielDaeKim
Jorge Garcia @JorgeGarcia
Masi Oka @MasiOka