The New Season (2014)

[ClarkKent_DC]

We've done this before (here, here, and here), but now it's time for this year! This is a place for comments about any and all shows, but especially for shows that don't generate their own threads.

[Ron M.]

Unless Gary Friedrich was a Peanuts fan.

[Wandering Sensei: Moderator Man]

After saying this the other night, I noticed in the shop yesterday that there was a new comic called Operation S.I.N., clearly about Peggy Carter. I did buy it, but have yet to open it. I see it's written by Katheryn Immonen. My mind has had trouble making sense of her writing in the past, so this will definitely be a one-issue try before I bite on the whole series.

Wandering Sensei: Moderator Man said:

I was actually at home tonight (no tutoring and no karate for once), and watched the whole thing first run. I'm not sure the last time I did that with any TV show. I thought it was fun. I hope we get some cool comics out of this.

Richard Willis said:

Marvel's Agent Carter debuts tonight.

[ClarkKent_DC]

Last night, I watched the premiere of Empire. It stars Terrence Howard as hip-hop music impressario Lucius Lyon, who in the opening scenes learns he has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis -- what they try very hard these days to avoid calling "Lou Gehrig's disease." 

In any event, he keeps this diagnosis to himself but calls in his three sons and announces he needs one of them to succeed him as head of the company. The obvious choice would be eldest son Andre -- he's a business-school grad with a White trophy wife. But he has no love for music; he wouldn't care if the family business was banking or shoes or construction or any other commodity.

Dear old Dad favors youngest son Hakeem, but he's a spoiled brat who is all about the hip-hop lifestyle -- partying, drugs, women, and bling -- and not about the substance.

The natural choice would be middle son Jamal, who has musical talent like Hakeem and a good head on his shoulders. The problem there is, he's openly gay, and Dad can't stand it.

Throwing a spanner in the works is the surprise return of ex-wife Cookie -- at least, all four of these guys are surprised, because she's been behind bars for the past 17 years, and none of them ever visited her or knew she was being released. Cookie -- played with delicious verve by Taraji P. Henson -- took the fall for Lucius, who established his musical empire with 400 grand earned through drug dealing. Cookie wants half the company, which Lucius is unwilling to give. Cookie also favors Jamal, so by the end of the hour, she's become Jamal's manager and record producer, and Lucius will produce Hakeem's album. Andre, for his part, intends to watch the fallout and swoop in and take charge when the battles are over.

It was trashy fun, surprisingly. Taraji Henson chews the scenery so hard, I hope there's a dentist off-screen. 

[ClarkKent_DC]

The cover story in this week's Adweek: "How DC Became the Hero Television Deserves". It essentially makes the argument that DC has been doing a better job with its TV series (Arrow, The Flash, Constantine, Gotham, a pending Supergirl project, the upcoming iZombie) than Marvel has with its shows (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.). 

[Captain Comics]

iZombie has gotten a start date: March 17. Here's the trailer.

[Wandering Sensei: Moderator Man]

Hmm. That looks (and I don't meant his as a pejorative nor a commendation) like a CW show. Like some light entertainment that is pretty good as a whole. I've never gotten into the CW as a network, but I'm glad it exists.

Captain Comics said:

iZombie has gotten a start date: March 17. Here's the trailer.

[ClarkKent_DC]

I am thoroughly enjoying the return of The Good Wife. After throwing out the old status quo by first having several of the lawyers break away from the firm, and then unexpectedly killing off a main character, it's upped the ante further with a whole string of suspenseful, well-written and strongly acted episodes. It's a can't-miss show in my house. 

[KSwolf]

Speaking of comic-based television series, it looks as if Vixen's getting her own animated show on the CW's streaming site.   It's being produced by the Arrow/ Flash producers, and will be set in the same continuity as those two programs.

http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/vixen-animated-series-coming-to-...

I've always felt that Vixen was an underrated character, so it's nice to see her getting some attention outside of comics.  Although it might have been nice if it were a live-action series, and airing on the actual network rather than online.
 
ClarkKent_DC said:

The cover story in this week's Adweek: "How DC Became the Hero Television Deserves". It essentially makes the argument that DC has been doing a better job with its TV series (Arrow, The Flash, Constantine, Gotham, a pending Supergirl project, the upcoming iZombie) than Marvel has with its shows (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.). 

[ClarkKent_DC]

We were really, really dubious about the return of Glee. We liked it in the beginning, but found its excesses harder to accept, as well as its unique ability to go from being wonderful to being awful in from one scene to the next -- and sometimes both at the same time.

But we came to appreciate the change of setting from forgettable small town in Ohio to New York City ... which made the plan to return the show to Ohio hard to swallow. Likewise, the return to the high school setting and the villainous Sue Sylvester character. We are not looking forward to her Wicked Witch of the West schtick, undermining the Glee club and teacher Will Schuester. 

So we gave the season premiere a chance ... and we're back. Maybe. But there are still WTF--? developments, like Blaine not only broken up with Kurt, but dating the bully who tormented Kurt (!). 

[Captain Comics]

I know this is a stupid question, but I've seen some ads for The Good Wife, and skimmed some articles here and there, and don't understand the title. Why is this wife especially good? Or is it ironic? Or what?

ClarkKent_DC said:

I am thoroughly enjoying the return of The Good Wife. After throwing out the old status quo by first having several of the lawyers break away from the firm, and then unexpectedly killing off a main character, it's upped the ante further with a whole string of suspenseful, well-written and strongly acted episodes. It's a can't-miss show in my house. 

[Ron M.]

Why was The Good Earth so good? Good for growing things?

[Richard Willis]

I've never watched it, but probably will get into it at some point on Netflix.

My understanding of the title is that when her politician husband got into a corruption/sex scandal she was expected to stand by him as "the good wife." (she didn't)