Author: Metacrone

Lifelong film, television and theater enthusiast. Choose love.

The Innocents Season 1: Review of Episodes 1-5

~ Metacrone ~ 1 Comment

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Tonight Mr Metawitches and I spent the evening binge watching episodes 1-5 of Netflix’s new supernatural teen romance, The Innocents. Y’all don’t know him as well as you know me, but believe me when I say that the fact that he stayed awake through 5 straight episodes (of any show) is a massive complement!

The Innocents follows June and Harry, 2 British 16 year olds who have decided to run away from home, rather than continue to live with their parents’ oppression. June’s (Sorcha Groundsell) father is moving her to a remote, isolated island that probably doesn’t even have internet and Harry’s (Percelle Ascott) father is severely disabled, requiring constant caregiving. His mother, Christine (Nadine Marshall) expects him to pitch in when she’s busy. Since she’s a cop, she’s very busy.

At the start of the series, they’ve kept their romance a secret from everyone but June’s agoraphobic brother, Ryan (Arthur Hughes), who lives semi-independently in the garage. Ryan is also physically disabled and devoted to his sister. He brings moments of charm, silliness and outright comedy to the series.

The secrecy means that June and Harry really are innocents, as the title suggests. They communicate by secret love letters (handwritten on paper!) instead of by texts, and haven’t gone any further than kissing. June’s stepfather, John McDaniel (Sam Hazeldine) has always been strict and overprotective with the two children. Harry’s been kept busy with responsibilities at home, and has a strong moral compass.

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Castle Rock Season 1 Episode 7: The Queen Recap

~ Metacrone ~ 1 Comment

 

This is Sissy Spacek’s episode, and not only is it brilliant, but she’s brilliant in it. The queen is the most powerful piece on the chess board, only slightly less important than the king. The true king of Castle Rock is yet to be revealed, but there’s no doubt that Spacek’s Timewalker Queen Ruth is powerful and understands more of what’s going on around her than anyone but her grandson Wendell will give her credit for.

Ruth goes up against the Kid in this episode, and is canny enough to keep everyone else away from the house and out of danger. Except for the one person who has spent his life trying to smother her with protection and who refuses to see the truth. Even Ruth’s power can’t protect Alan from the Kid’s revenge. But when you think about how much contact Ruth had with Kid, and how little damage was done as compared to Zalewski, the prison population as a whole, and now the psychiatric hospital, Ruth comes out looking pretty good. It was Alan who was easily manipulated. It took Kid 5 minutes to get Alan where he wanted him, and 2 days of constant stalking and gaslighting with Ruth.

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The Man in the High Castle Season 3: First Full Length Trailer and More

~ Metacrone ~ 1 Comment

Among the world-changing events in Amazon’s new trailer for season 3 of The Man in the High Castle are the Nazi’s bid to rewrite American history by melting down the Liberty Bell, Juliana taking charge of the Resistance, and U2 allowing Pride (In the Name of Love) to be covered by another artist for the first time ever. Bono and the Edge must be fans of the show.

The new trailer is more than 2 minutes long and finally shows much more detail than the teaser trailers did, giving us a good idea of where Castle is going this season. It looks bold and exciting. They are taking the next step in world-building, opening up the parallel worlds for exploration and discussion among more of the cast and the original world.

Overall the trailer shows a natural progression of the storylines from their individual, secretive beginnings in season 1 to an organizational, national level in season 2, bringing us to an explosive, global, possibly multiuniversal level in season 3. With only 10 episodes and a season 4 renewal already in the bag, I’m willing to bet that the conquest/true exploration of the multiverse will wait for the next season, while this season is spent fighting over who is in control of the world when the gates are breached on an official basis.

The trailer and more after the jump.

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Castle Rock Season 1 Episode 6: Filter Recap

~ Metacrone

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In episode 6, the title, Filter, refers to the filtering of information and the filters we perceive things through. Half-truths abound and information is withheld, dispensed only on a need to know basis. Sometimes, as in the case of Molly, Ruth and Henry, it’s the person’s own mind that provides the filter. Alan sadly becomes so desperate to help Ruth that he forgets his usual common sense and uses a different filter when he accepts the Kid’s offer of help. Henry takes a walk in the woods to try to understand what he and his father were up to before his father’s death, and meets someone with a whole new perspective on filters.

The Kid begins to settle into the town, which goes about as well as it went at the prison. No one is taking warning signs, like dead birds dropping out of the sky, seriously. This looks like the beginning of the horror story mass hysteria that the Kid’s powers will induce.

The episode begins with Matthew Deaver’s reburial funeral, attended solely by Henry and the new pastor. The town must have gotten over their decades long obsession with Matthew’s death, with Henry as his assumed murderer. You’d think the return of the prodigal preacher, with his scandalous son standing by, would be something they wouldn’t want to miss.

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Castle Rock Season 1 Episode 5: Harvest Recap

~ Metacrone

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In episode 5, Harvest, the Kid is released from Shawshank Prison, thanks to Dennis Zalewski’s heroic efforts shooting spree, which has left the prison exposed and liable for much more than just a prisoner held without due process. Kid’s suddenly a free man, living on the outside, as much as living in Castle Rock can be called free or living in the normal world.

Kid doesn’t know how to handle it at first, but he gradually reacclimates over the course of the episode, and even seems like he gets his memories back. Molly spends some time with Kid and doesn’t like what she finds in his head. Henry attempts to remain oblivious to anything unusual happening. He’s got a plane to catch, and nothing is going to stop him.

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Netflix’s Upcoming Series The Innocents: Poster and Trailers [Updated 8/22/18 with Reviews and More Videos]

~ Metacrone

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Let’s take a look at Netflix’s new supernatural series, The Innocents, a story of Romeo and Juliet among the shapeshifters, which will be released 8/24/18. Season 1 of the British show, filmed in Britain and Norway, has 8 episodes. Hania Elkington and Simon Duric created, executive produced and wrote the series. Simon Duric previously worked on The Force Awakens and The Crown.

8/22/18: The reviews are coming in and they’re fantastic. More after the jump, including a Behind the Scenes video and interviews with the cast.

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The Handmaid’s Tale Season 2 Episode 3: Baggage Recap

~ Metacrone ~ 1 Comment

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In episode 2, Baggage, June reflects on her complicated relationship with her own mother, Holly, as she faces leaving her daughter, Hannah, behind in Gilead when she escapes. June is moved from the Boston Globe offices and makes her way closer to freedom, so the reality of what she’s doing hits her in this episode. In Canada, Moira’s already physically free, but she and the other refugees must grapple with the lingering effects of what Gilead did to them and what it forced them to do.

June jogs through the Boston Globe building on what looks to be a well-traveled route. She’s been hiding there for two months and is still maintaining her shrine to the executed employees, with candles burning in remembrance. The employees must have loved candles. You’d think she’d have run out a long time ago. It’s a freedom of speech miracle.

She remembers her mother saying that women are so adaptable that they can get used to anything, and wonders what she’s gotten used to without realizing it. This mirrors Aunt Lydia’s statements that normal is just whatever you’re used to, and things in Gilead would begin to feel ordinary and normal to the handmaids before long.

Moira also still jogs, but she jogs through the streets of Toronto. Her route takes her past the refugees’ shrine for their lost American loved ones. It’s not so different from June’s shrine, except it’s outside.

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Reverie Season 1 Episode 9: The Key

~ Metacrone ~ 1 Comment

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Mara continues her very bad day in this episode, trying to sort out how much of her life is real and how much is frighteningly real hallucination. Oliver, the king of blurred reality, takes over the medical wing and Alexis’ attention for seemingly benign reasons, but this is Oliver. He’s a manipulative, spurned genius and nothing will ever be simple with him. Nothing is ever as simple as it seems with Charlie either, and he’s all over this episode, intervening with Oliver and Alexis, and interrupting Paul and Mara to drop a bombshell.

The episode begins with Charlie arriving at Mara’s apartment not long after she’s figured out that she’s dating a hallucination. Paul and Alexis are already there. Paul’s making tea, because he’s a good boyfriend coworker, and as far as I can tell the Brits make tea in response to every life event. I support this habit.

Charlie has Mara tell her story in detail, but she leaves the derealization sex out. That kind of intense physical hallucination probably should be reported, but I understand her need for privacy. It protects Paul’s heart as well, so let’s keep his dreams alive for as long as possible.

Charlie and Paul try to reassure Mara that she’s safe and they’ll work it out. Mara jumps out of her seat to tell Paul that she’s done everything she was supposed to do, everything he told her to do, but she’s far from okay. Mara doesn’t even know if the rest of the team are really there. Everyone looks sad and guilty, but it’s Alexis, of all people, who responds. It’s the most warmth we’ve ever seen from her.

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Reverie Season 1 Episode 8: Despedida Recap

~ Metacrone

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This week, Mara learns about love, in a small South American town, or at least the Reverie version of the town. She learns that love isn’t always as simple and straight forward as it seems, and can endure in unexpected ways. As is usual, the lesson applies to her own life as well.

Mara wakes up in the morning after episode 7 and Chris is still in her apartment. She asks him if he thinks this is a good idea. They go back and forth a minute, then she realizes she’s overthinking it. Chris says he’s good, Mara says she is too, and they decide everything is okay.

An elderly woman, Pilar Simonet, who lives in an assisted living facility, looks at her dreary life and decides that today is the day she’ll try her Reverie. She says “Apertus” as fast as she can when a staff member discovers her with her tablet. She wakes up young and beautiful in a small South American village where everyone is friendly.

At Onira, Mara and Charlie meet with Jack Selve, executive director of Shady Pines Assisted Living, who is NOT OKAY with his residents using Reverie. They’re supposed to be engaged with each other and life, not technology. Why, Pilar is such a bad girl that she’s missing a treatment for her terminal lung cancer today, plus physical therapy and meals. She’s apparently been sneaking time in Reverie for 2 weeks, and her health has worsened because of it.

Maybe if the staff of Shady Pines treated her like an adult it would help.

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Reverie Season 1 Episode 7: The Black Mandala Recap

~ Metacrone

In episode 7, we get our first real taste of what the military intends to use Reverie for and the capabilities of Dark Reverie adaptations to the program. Mara is sent into a hostile Reverie for the first time, and experiences physical consequences. The team work together to support Mara as she saves a boy from an unjust fate.

At the start of the episode, Paul and Mara are together in Reverie 2.0 on a date, where Mara is helping Paul learn to fly. After he comes in for a soft landing, Paul leaves through his door in the library. Before Mara can leave, a new door appears, and she, like Alice, can’t resist following the White Rabbit to see where she ends up.

Where she ends up looks like an empty underground parking garage, but she hears someone screaming in the distance. Mara follows the sound and finds a young man, Ehmet, locked in a room and handcuffed to a chair. Ehmet doesn’t know that he’s in a Reverie. He was kidnapped, blindfolded and driven somewhere in a van. He blacked out, then woke up where he is now.

Mara explains that he’s in a virtual reality simulation. Ehmet thinks she’s lying. He’s being questioned about an attack on an airbase by someone who claims to be US military and called him an enemy combatant. They won’t let him eat or leave until he tells them what they want to hear.

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