Category Archives: TV Reviews

Star Trek: Picard – Season 2 (TVR00024) – 🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪

The PolyBlog
April 28 2024

Overview

The authoritarian regime of Altered Earth was interesting to visit, although the trajectory from Point A to Point B is left a bit weak. Where there is actually some action, with an Emergency Combat Hologram and playing hide and seek with newbie, low-end drones, the show is decent. But many of the episodes feel like a VERY long episode that should have been a two-parter like it was on Voyager. Season 1 was way better. And don’t get me started on Picard trying to be the “old wise man” imparting great pronouncements while having NO sense of connection or chemistry with just about anyone. Even Guinan feels very forced.

List of Episodes from Season 2

S02E01The Star GazerNone of our tomorrows are guaranteed. Particularly
when large-scale anomalies appear out of nowhere,
calling your name. However, it might be better
than Q calling you.		🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪
S02E02PenanceIn an alternate Q reality, a safe galaxy is a human
galaxy. President Hanson, Rios, the Borg Queen and
others are more confused than present for
Eradication Day.		🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S02E03AssimilationLA in 2024? Wasn’t that a Voyager episode? Any
29th century tech sitting around anywhere? No?
Oh, well.		🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪
S02E04WatcherGuinan may be a listener, but only when you say
something interesting, like your name. Oh, and
ICE grabs some of the time travellers.		🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪
S02E05Fly Me to the MoonPicard’s ancestor probably isn’t helped much with
Q as her therapist. And Data with his child in a
bubble is a bit creepy.		🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪
S02E06Two of OneJean-Luc meets his ancestor, gives her a pep talk,
and there’s a bunch of gala stuff going on.		🐸🐸⚪⚪⚪
S02E07MonstersA trip inside Jean-Luc’s head and past is not
particularly interesting.		🐸🐸⚪⚪⚪
S02E08MercyGuinan and Jean-Luc are arrested, everyone else
just wanders around accomplishing nothing.
Good line from Guinan that the boy who met
a Vulcan had to have that experience in order
to grow up to be the FBI agent to arrest them.		🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪
S02E09Hide and SeekOkay, an Emergency Combat Hologram is pretty
cool. As is playing hide and seek with newbie
Borg at Chateau Picard. Hippie love moments?
Meh.		🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S02E10FarewellIn the past, double the ancestor, half the risk,
a bit easy; but that project Khan file sounds
intriguing. In the future, Agnes is Guardian of
the Gate? That sounds intriguing too. A bit
shmaltzy in places though.		🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪

The Bottom Line

Not as enjoyable as Season 1, needed more action or a lot of editing.

Lost – Season 6 (TVR00023) – 🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪

The PolyBlog
March 29 2021

Overview

The final season was not the strongest of the six, although Desmond gets some serious and welcome airtime. The candidate vs. Jacob, and all the other history stuff for the island, and Locke 2.0, are all complicated and convoluted in places. All of which leads to a less-than-satisfying ending to the series.

Episodes That I Liked

One of my favourite episodes of the series is this season, E11, Happily Ever After, and it is about Desmond getting to see multiple possible outcomes. It’s really well done, and I generally love Desmond in the series, this EP, and even E16 and E17 of this season (although I only rated them 4/5). E02, LA X Pt 2 was all about Sayid, where they’re trying to help him by almost drowning him. Like he was a witch or something.

Another eight episodes, I rated as 4/5, including the season premiere in LA and dealing with the loss of John Locke; introducing a lighthouse and a family member (E05); the long history of the island back in medieval times (E09) and the choice of immortality for Jacob; and a big decision for the main characters about the future of island defence.

Episodes That Were Watchable

Five more EPs were watchable, including Kate helping Claire in the alt-world (E03); Sawyer playing puppetmaster (E08); finding Jin (E10); and the final EP which was a let-down overall.

S06E18 The End Pt 2 All good things come to an end 🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪ – 3
S06E04 The Substitute You have three choices: 1. Do nothing; 2. Protect the island; 3. Leave 🐸🐸⚪⚪⚪ – 2
S06E06 Sundown Jacob drives a hard bargain and so does Locke 2.0 🐸🐸⚪⚪⚪ – 2
S06E07 Dr. Linus Ben makes a different choice off-island 🐸🐸⚪⚪⚪ – 2

Episodes That I Didn’t Like

While the overall season was still decent, I found three EPs were disappointing. All of them were about choices about the island, decisions with Jacob or Locke, or Ben, and most of them I really didn’t care about (E04, E06, E07).

List of Episodes from Season 6

S06E01LAX Pt 1Well, not exactly a reset, but John’s changed
a lot		🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S06E02LAX Pt 2Wait…they try to help Sayid by drowning
him? Did they think he was a witch?		🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸
S06E03What Kate DoesKate helps Claire in the alt-world and Sayid
fails a test		🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪
S06E04The SubstituteYou have three choices:
1. Do nothing;
2. Protect the island;
3. Leave		🐸🐸⚪⚪⚪
S06E05LighthouseWait…there’s a lighthouse? And Jack
has a son?		🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S06E06SundownJacob drives a hard bargain and so does
Locke 2.0		🐸🐸⚪⚪⚪
S06E07Dr. LinusBen makes a different choice off-island🐸🐸⚪⚪⚪
S06E08ReconSawyer is playing everyone against everyone🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪
S06E09Ab AeternoMy wife? Absolution? No? Fine, I’ll
take immortality		🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S06E10The PackageJin, Jin, who’s got Jin?🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪
S06E11Happily Ever AfterDesmond gets to see multiple outcomes🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸
S06E12Everybody Loves HugoHugo and Libby, sitting on a beach…🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S06E13The Last RecruitEveryone’s ready to go, but with
whom and how?		🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S06E14The CandidateTen little, nine little, eight little
Oceanic survivors		🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S06E15Across The SeaYep, it’s all Mom’s fault🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪
S06E16What They Died ForJacob reveals all, Desmond’s a fail-safe
and someone volunteers		🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S06E17The End Pt 1Desmond’s getting the band back together
for a memory tour		🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S06E18The End Pt 2All good things come to an end🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪

The Bottom Line

All good things come to an end, not necessarily a good end or well.

Lost – Season 5 (TVR00022) – 🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪

The PolyBlog
March 29 2021

Overview

The fifth season of Lost is really solid, and yet it feels a bit disjointed with things happening at different points in time and location, and different groups coming together and parting.

Episodes That I Liked

Four of the EPs were first-rate in my view, including E01, E08 and E11 all dealing with time travel issues. However, I think E06, the second flight 316, has one of the single best lines in the entire series — “Wait a second, we’re not going to Guam, are we?”

Another nine EPs were so good that I rated them 4/5, for a total of 13/17 episodes for the season being 4 or 5/5. That’s pretty impressive, even without a hydrogen bomb or a wandering Jacob.

Episodes That Were Watchable

Two episodes, The Little Prince (E04) and Namaste (E09) were ho-hum, with lots of people coming together and a lot of back-story.

Episodes That I Didn’t Like

E13, Some Like It Hoth, a direct ref to The Empire Strikes Back has Miles meeting his father and generally speaking, it’s pretty cliché. Equally, E16, The Incident Pt 1 is mostly just simple set-up for the last episode of the season.

List of Episodes from Season 5

S05E01Because You LeftWe’re in the past, we’re in the future, we
haven’t met, go find my mother		🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸
S05E02The LieHugo has trouble living with the lie🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S05E03JugheadOne hydrogen bomb can spoil your whole
time trip		🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S05E04The Little PrinceLet’s get the bands back together for some
reunion tours		🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪
S05E05This Place Is DeathCharlotte and Eloise are mysterious figures🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S05E06316Wait a second…we’re not going to Guam, are we?🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸
S05E07The Life and Death of
Jeremy Bentham		Everybody hates John🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S05E08LaFleurWhen the time travel wheel stops, that’s when
you are		🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸
S05E09NamasteWelcome to joining the Dharma Initiative🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪
S05E10He’s Our YouSoooo, what do we do with Sayid?🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S05E11Whatever Happened,
Happened		Who are you? I’m Charles. Charles
Widmore…whoa		🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸
S05E12Dead Is DeadAs long as the dead guy says there’s a
reason, then I guess everything is going
to be just peachy		🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S05E13Some Like It HothMiles, I am your father🐸🐸⚪⚪⚪
S05E14The VariableCome on, Dan, Eloise, figure out the
right path		🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S05E15Follow The LeaderEveryone follows Locke, but Kate won’t
follow Jack		🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S05E16The Incident Pt 1It’s subs, buses and foot week on the island…
oh, and there’s a bomb		🐸🐸⚪⚪⚪
S05E17The Incident Pt 2Two Lockes and a wandering Jacob? Sweet🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪

The Bottom Line

Eventually, they can either live with the lie or they can’t.

Lost – Season 4 (TVR00021) – 🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪

The PolyBlog
March 29 2021

Overview

The season starts with the supposed rescue team arriving on the island but the extra members beyond the soldiers are not quite what everyone expected. Later in the season, you see a press conference where everyone has to lie.

Episodes That I Liked

The three biggest episodes of the season for me were Eggtown (E04) with a huge twist at the end, Ji Yeon (E07) dealing with Sun’s pregnancy drama, and There’s No Place Like Home Pt 3 (E14) when the island undergoes some magic. Another seven episodes were pretty great dealing with a potential rescue (E02, E03, E12, and E13) and visits from the past.

Episodes That Were Watchable

There were four episodes that I rated merely 3/5, mostly dealing with Ben’s world or Jack and John (E01, 05, 06, and 10).

Episodes That I Didn’t Like

Actually, I liked all the EPs of the season.

List of Episodes from Season 4

S04E01The Beginning of the EndNobody likes it when Daddy and Daddy fight🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪
S04E02Confirmed DeadRescuing Oceanic 815 survivors is not
their primary mission		🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S04E03The EconomistLoad up one helicopter🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S04E04EggtownInteresting but ho hum episode until the
last two words		🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸
S04E05The ConstantEveryone needs a constant to keep them
grounded in time		🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪
S04E06The Other WomanAh, that explains Ben’s obsession with Juliet🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪
S04E07Ji YeonSun’s pregnancy is not without drama🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸
S04E08Meet Kevin JohnsonHey, Mike, what have you been up to?🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S04E09The Shape of Things to ComeI’m pretty sure the goons aren’t bluffing
about his daughter		🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S04E10Something Nice Back HomeThe future is much brighter without
an appendix		🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪
S04E11Cabin FeverGuys? Cabin! But I don’t think that’s
the secondary protocol		🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S04E12There’s No Place Like Home Pt 1Press conferences can be tricky when
you have to lie		🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S04E13There’s No Place Like Home Pt 2One raft, with a bit of waiting🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S04E14There’s No Place Like Home Pt 3Okay, keep your eyes on the island…
one, two, three, abracadabra		🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸

The Bottom Line

A solid season, despite a bit too much internal angst in places.

Lost – Season 3 (TVR00020) – 🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪

The PolyBlog
November 14 2020

Overview

While the first two seasons were watchable, I felt the show really hit its stride this season, with the third best season of the series.

Episodes That I Liked

There were five episodes that I ranked 5/5, four of them with a “heavy” Desmond role in them dealing with time-travel and trying to prevent Charlie’s death: Desmond feeling the weight of his pre-cognition (E08); trying to save Charlie while Claire is trying to figure out what is going on with them (E12); Desmond faced with endless choices where none of them seem right (E17); and Charlie remembering his five greatest memories (E21). The other “5/5” was early on with a prison break where Juliet is ordered by Ben to help (E07).

I ranked nine episodes as 4/5, including Eko looking for his brother (E05); Kate’s romantic history (E06); Jack living with the enemy (E09); a history of Hugo’s luck (E10); Locke playing chess at a new Dharma station (E11); Locke dealing with his father’s betrayal (E13); Juliet’s backhistory is pure and clear until the Island (E16); and the two-part season finale (E22 and E23) with the visit to the underwater station.

Episodes That Were Watchable

After you get through the fourteen episodes above, the rest were all 3/5 for me: Jack meeting Juliet (E01), Sun lying to Jin (E02), Hugo having déja vu and understanding Desmond (E03); Desmond trying to save someone (E04); a “lower decks” storyline about diamonds (E14); Kate making a friend (E15); an ultrasound for Sun (E18); a bad day at Black Rock for Locke’s father (E19); and Ben basically being Ben (E20).

Episodes That I Didn’t Like

I liked them all, the season rocked.

List of Episodes from Season 3

S03E01A Tale of Two CitiesHello Juliet! Nice to meet you, even if it’s
in a cage		🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪
S03E02The Glass BallerinaSun lies to Jin and he knows, but he wants to
help anyway		🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪
S03E03Further InstructionsLocke gets a new vision and Hugo gets
déjà vu		🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪
S03E04Every Man For HimselfDesmond’s trying to save someone, Sawyer
says he only wants to save himself		🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪
S03E05The Cost of LivingEko is looking for his brother and Ben makes
a deal with Jack		🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S03E06I DoKate says yes to a husband, Sawyer and Juliet🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S03E07Not In PortlandIt’s a prison break with Juliet ordered by
Ben to help		🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸
S03E08Flashes Before Your EyesDesmond’s feeling the weight of the past,
present and future of the Island, Penny,
Eloise and Charlie		🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸
S03E09Stranger in a Strange LandHe walks among us but he’s not one of us,
or at least that’s what the tattoos say		🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S03E10Tricia Tanaka Is DeadHugo’s luck comes at a price and he wants
to change it with a win or a bus		🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S03E11Enter 77Locke plays chess with a computer and
winning isn’t good		🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S03E12Par AvionClaire wants to send some airmail🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸
S03E13The Man From TallahasseeA rescue attempt for Jack doesn’t go
as planned and Locke revisits his
father’s betrayal		🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S03E14ExposeRazzle Dazzle, Nikki and Rosencratz are dead🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪
S03E15Left BehindHugo tells Sawyer to make amends while
Kate makes a friend back in the day and
it isn’t Juliet		🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪
S03E16One of UsJack says Juliet’s one of them, but the others
think she is one of THEM, and Juliet reviews
her life choices		🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S03E17Catch-22Desmond is faced with choices, and none of
them seem right		🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸
S03E18D.O.C.Juliet takes Sun for an ultrasound🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪
S03E19The BrigLocke and Sawyer both have issues with
Locke’s father		🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪
S03E20The Man Behind the CurtainHow very Psycho of Ben🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪
S03E21Greatest HitsCharlie remembers his greatest memories
before attempting a daring end		🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸
S03E22Through the Looking Glass Pt 1One if by sea, two if by land, three if underwater🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪
S03E23Through the Looking Glass Pt 2No flashes doesn’t mean we know the outcome🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪

The Bottom Line

A mature show hitting its stride.