All aboard the Black Mirror hype train! I’ve been hearing about this Channel 4 (UK) show since it hit Netflix Instant. Tons of praise is being thrown at it and after watching the six episodes in two days, I can see why.

The easiest way to describe Black Mirror is a modern day Twilight Zone that utilizes not-to-distinct-technology as the fulcrum of the story. Each episode is a contained tale with unique characters; there is no continuity so you can watch them in any order.

Black Mirror is so fascinating because each episodes starts in a unique and interesting way, with a certain technology spinning the characters into a crazy scenario. The ideas in this show are so cool, intense and thought provoking that I’m going to skirt around the real details of each. I think the show works best when you don’t know what’s going on and you see the twists and turns unfold in front of you. Half the fun is seeing how an episode ends. The technology is all stuff that’s in our near future. Bio-implants, various angles on social media, privacy and voyeurism, social justice, digital footprints and ghosts in the machine.

This so is so well cast, acted, directed and presented. The glimpses of what is quite possibly in our future and how they are presented make each story so believable. Right now it’s science fiction but in the next 20 years, much of what we see here could be science fact. It’s the best futurist stuff I’ve seen since watching the fantastic Her. There is some truly frightening stuff in here. It’s the kind of stuff that Luddites could point to and say, “See! This is what I’m talking about!” Also fair warning, this show isn’t for children. It’s low on violence, but there is sex, swearing and serious adult issues being discussed and examined.

Being a British programme, Black Mirror has very short seasons. Three episodes in two seasons (about 45 minutes each) and a Christmas special so far. I’ll give very brief impressions of each episodes.

The National Anthem: The Prime Minister is given a very uncomfortable ultimatum when one of the Royal family is kidnapped. This is a hell of a way to start a show.

Fifteen Million Merits: A take on talent television shows and popularity contests that I didn’t find that great. Easily the low point of the series for me.

The Entire History of You: Biological implants, the technology that will most likely follow the likes of Google Glass and the “smart” watches that are trying to get a foot hold now. What digital recording and always on internet connectivity could lead to. Amazing episode.

Be Right Back: This one is a fascinating and tough look at what our digital footprints could be used for…will we ever really die in the future? This one is an emotional ride.

White Bear: WOW! I’m not going to say any more. Watch this and hold on for dear life, it’ll twist your brain in knots. Probably my favorite, I didn’t see where this one was going at all.

The Waldo Moment: This one is an interesting political tale. I’d put this one in fifth place.

White Christmas: This is the holiday special that recently aired. I haven’t seen it yet, but it stars Jon Hamm, so it automatically gets a bonus point for having a bloke I know in it.

If you haven’t heard about this show yet, someone is going to bring it up to you very soon. Get in on it now so you can join in on the conversation!

The fourth and final season of Korra has finished, ending the second era of the Avatar franchise in a great way. While the show has had it’s ups and downs over the years, I liked it all the way through. Beautiful show, we don’t get many animated works like this (TV or film).

Korra had a lot to live up to coming off of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Universally praised and adored by many, going with a (mostly) new cast 70 years later was daring. They took the show into new territory and greatly expanded his universe. Funny, touching, exciting, some of the best animated action outside of anime, Korra kept everything that made Airbender so great.

I think the final season worked so well because of how great season 3 was. Loved the  Red Lotus Society and the final showdown with Zaheer (my favorite villian of the show, great use of him in season 4 too) is one to remember. Korra came out of it in really bad shape and was a great idea to set up the final arc. A person with PTSD going against a tyrant and coming out on the other side a better person is not easy to write (the juxtaposition between Korra and Kuvira is pretty brilliant). The title “Balance” for the season is very apropos.

I think The Legend of Korra did more right than wrong. The controversial ending was a bold step that needed more time, (the clip episode might have robbed the love interest plot line of time) so it did feel too sudden when Korra and Asami go off together. More than hints through two seasons are needed (we are talking about an animated kids show on Nickelodeon though).  Korra is a more grown up show than Airbender and handles a lot of the tough stuff with class and respect despite being rushed and on a kids network. I really hope the creators come back to this universe sometime in the future. They’ve said they have no plans and are off to do new things, but I’d like to think they have more in them and distance from Nickelodeon will do them well (pretty sure Nick owns the show, so we may have to wait a really long time for he chance of more Avatar animation).

Now, Nickelodeon. What happened to their support? A long wait between season 2 and 3 and then all hell broke loose. Three episodes were leaked early thanks to MundoNick and Nickelodeon panicked to get the show out and they burned through episodes starting on June 27th for season 3. Then, they didn’t like the ratings on TV so they brought it to online only halfway through the season with zero warning. One week it was on TV, the next gone. With season 3 done, everyone hunkers down to wait for 2015 for the final season.  Nickelodeon announces on September 11th that Korra starts on October 3, 2014. What? It’s all online too. Then they haphazardly put season 4 back on TV after debuting 8 or si episodes online. They pretty much dropped all promotion of the show and cut the budget back so they had to make a clip episode instead of complete new episode. The Korra team took a lot of hits in the last year of production.

But, I digress. That stuff is all inside baseball at this point and the series still ended up holding on to it’s high standards. It’s a great show that I’ll be happy to revisit for years to come.

Another television legacy has come to a close. I’ve watched Sons of Anarchy since the series premiere and through its seven seasons, it stood up as one of my favorite shows. Fantastic characters, often brilliant writing and truly shocking moments made Sons of Anarchy must-see-talk-about-the-next-day viewing. All in all, I think the show had an incredible run.

It’s really hard to talk about the finale without spoilers, so here’s your warning, don’t read this if you haven’t seen the show.

Jackson Teller. Did he ever have a chance? Through 91 episodes, I don’t think he did.  A man fighting within the boundaries of son, father, brother, husband, leader, criminal, murderer. His entire life made up of secrets and lies.

The secrets, lies and revenge were the tent poles of the show. At the center I saw Jax trying to do what’s right with with love and respect taping the seams of the tent together. But when  you are surrounded by what amounts to unrelenting sin, there’s no way to escape it.

Jax really wanted to be good. I do think he was a good person. He wanted to be better than those before him, to keep his MC alive and on top. But in the end he could never get the good person separated from the monster. He became his step-father Clay despite his best efforts. He saw his family die no matter what path he took and killed scores of people. He grew up in a cut throat environment and the kill or be killed, an eye for an eye mentality had been drilled into his head. That was his greatest fear for his sons, that they would become him because they were growing up in the same world he was. But that fear had become a reality. He saw it happening to Abel right in front of him. At four years old he was breathing in the poison despite everyone around him trying to keep it away from him.

I really liked how the end was set up. The four keystones, Jax, Gemma, Unser, Juice, all fell over in spectacular Greek tragedy fashion. Juice, caught up in a mess for years that tortured him day and night. A guy who tried his best for years gets dropped with a shiv to the neck when his usefulness came to an end. Unser, probably the last honest soul left (although he had more than a few transgressions under his belt) finally lost his grip on the ledge and got sucked into the black hole named Gemma Teller Morrow. “I got nothing left but this.” Brilliant and heartbreaking. Unser had the most history with the club aside from Gemma and Chibs (that were still alive) and his long relationship finally killed him (so much for that cancer). His death was so sad. To Jax of all people! Then Gemma, the one we all love to hate. Every horrific event in the last season was from her hands, her lies. The gatekeeper couldn’t keep it together anymore.  When she sees judgment coming, she ties up the last bits of her life and then waits for her punishment. Jax and Gemma’s last scene was a brilliant one. A relationship that Shakespeare would be proud of writing.

Finally, Jax. Being with just him for the last 25 minutes  or so worked so well. He knew he couldn’t lie anymore. He came clean in the end which I really liked. Owned up to his mother’s and his own sins. His impulses as a leader were completely wrong. The realization that he was trapped with no way to talk or lie himself out of his situation. By making sure his family was set to continue on without him, he further condemned himself. Spend the rest of his life hunted down by the police and his own club? A life time in jail, probably on death row?  His clean up run was really satisfying to watch. He figured out a way to keep those at his table from taking on the burden of ending him and seeing the end of Marks and Barosky a highlight.  Dying like his father proved to be poetic and fitting. Seriously, what happened to that composite shot? The most important special effect sequence in the entire run and it looked unfinished.

Through seven season, I have very few complaints. Chase scenes were often shot poorly, the music montage was just beaten to death and season three was far and away the poorest season. A lot of feet dragging and dumbly thought out sequences in there. Can someone tell me what happened to the shot of Jax driving into the tracker trailer (and it was the guy that Gemma got a ride from? Really?) Was it finished? The most important special effect sequence in the entire series and it looked like hell. The hallucinogenic religious symbolism at the end felt really out of place too.

Those few complaints aside, I think Sons of Anarchy had a great run and it’ll stand the test of time. I also applaud ending the show on top and at the right time. They told a whole and satisfying story with many characters we love and hate. Everyone involved has a lot to be proud of.

HBO’s Boardwalk Empire ended it’s run this week and it was a rough one. Five seasons with Nucky Thompson had more ups and downs than you could count, but the final eight episodes was like sliding into home plate with your face getting all the contact with the ground. I sound like I’m saying the show was bad, but I’m talking about the sad life that Nucky had. I’ve read a lot of negative press for this season and I think the writers just went for a complete Rome is Burning run that leaves the viewer with basically nothing to be happy about. It was hard to watch not because of the quality, but the trail of bodies and tears left behind.

Boardwalk Empire has been a love it or hate it show from the start. It’s often very slow with absolutely amazing season finales. There’s a ton of development and maneuvering that didn’t get a pay off until a season came to a close. Nucky was a weird main character because he was often not the main character. Supporting cast was almost always just as important and fantastic as he was (I’m a big Steve Buscemi fan, so Boardwalk was a big treat for me). His story lines would often become the B story line and then tie into everything later. It’s really an ensemble show.

That said, this final season really focused on Nucky. As everything got stripped away, we got a lot of his back story which dredged up a lot of dirt from the first two seasons. Major props to the actors they found for young Nucky (the boy and the truly amazing 20 something Nucky) and young Gillian. Nucky scratched and clawed his way through his entire life and while he did see success, it came at a terrible price. We followed him for around 15 years from the start of prohibition and every great plan saw many people die for and because of him. At heart he was a good, altruistic person, but in the end he couldn’t help himself or anyone else. The walls were always closing in on him. That’s hard to watch.

I think Boardwalk Empire will be remembered well over time. Far from a perfect show, it had a lot of great things going for it. A massive cast of fantastic actors with characters to match and HBO’s high production standards made it a great watch. A lot of the best bits fell to the side (mainly many of the strongest female characters) as the show went on, but the core still manged to stay strong. I’ll miss it, but I think they brought it to an end right on time and with class.

Gotham continues to get better, I like the direction they are going with the show. Seems like the writers and actors have gotten into a good, comfortable rythum. This last episode had a great tie in with Bane’s Venom syrum and was a lot of fun to watch unfold. I always look forward to when this airs on Monday.

Sons of Anarchy has gotten more interesting. Up until recently it seemed like we were on a very simple road of Jax destroying everything. They got some curve balls thrown in there now and it’s made everything better.

The Walking Dead started off with quite possibly the best episode in the entire series to date. Huge pay offs from much of season 4, it was like watching a season finale in terms of intensity. With the gang back together, it feels really good. They stumbled across a new character in the woods and it looks like he’s got a lot to hide. The whereabouts of where Beth is may come to light soon and it looks like some Termites haven’t had their say just yet. Looking really good!

Grimm is back! I really like this show as long as nobody has amnesia. Last season’s finale had a major game changer and a lot has to be shaken out from that. Looks like there’s a death of a major character which means even bigger shake ups. I like what they are doing so far, I look forward to more.

Constantine had it’s series premiere right after Grimm and it’s….alright. I’m not sure what it is, but it felt really rough. There was a rush to show us a lot of stuff but not telling us much about Constantine himself. He’s been through a lot which should be mined in later episodes, which should be interesting. A lot of set up in the pilot, but I’m not to sure where they are going to go with it. I’ll stick around for the next few episodes as I think there is a lot of potential here.

I don’t mention anime too often because I’m really picky about what to watch (most of it is terrible). But the name Shinichiro Watanabe meant I was ready and waiting for the premiere in January. Watanabe directed the series Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo, which are some of my favorites in the genre.

Space Dandy shares some of the same aesthetic and types of story telling as those shows (in fact Dandy takes place in the same universe as Bebop) so this was a treat for me right from the start. It’s a funny sci-fi show that isn’t too heavy on the continuity as sometimes the cast doesn’t live to the end of an episode. It’s a bit refreshing to see as those episodes tend to be really out there. An idea that couldn’t be tied up with a “happy” or “convenient” ending didn’t stop them from going ahead with far out philosophical and science based ideas. The show is packed with both original ideas and nods to the greats of many shows and movies.

The main cast is made up of Space Dandy himself (seen above) who is “a dandy guy in space”, QT who is a robot assistant (like C3PO, but looks more like R2D2) and Meow, a “Betelgeuseian”, who looks suspiciously like a cat (but he isn’t. He really isn’t. Really). They are the crew of the Aloha Oe, a space ship they use to cruise the galaxy looking for unregistered aliens to turn in for money.

Dandy is a cool and suave guy, always on the lookout for a good payday and an attractive woman (no matter the species). There is an amazing amount of diversity and creativity throughout the show. You never know what you are going to get from episode to episode. They sneak in a rather dense central narrative throughout the show with a phenomenal pay off in the finale.

It’s a really weird show, something I was really in the mood for. I large cast of memorable characters with some fantastic animation that brings it all to life. It’s funny, exciting and even thought provoking. Looks like this is a one and done season like Bebop and Champloo which is a bummer, but the journey through space and time is one I won’t soon forget.

This month starts another transition for the TV season. Fargo finished it’s mini series and it was really good. I think it beat out any “Fargo, the TV series? Really?” that the show was facing at the start. Satisfying and well done from start to finish. Making it a mini series makes it stronger as it’s a self contained story. If they ever come back for more, it’ll be with different characters in a different story. It shares elements from the movie, but it easily stands on its own.

Californication is almost done (for better or worse) and at this time I’m invested in seeing how they finally end the show.

True Blood just started its last season and Bon Temps, LA is up to its ankles in vampire troubles. Picking up right where season 6 ended, it looks like a vampire/human war is still inevitable. The question now is who is going to live to the end (with sexy results).

On the lighter side, Wilfred started it’s 5th and final season. I think the timing is just right to bring Ryan and Wilfred’s story to a close. We can finally get some answers and close the show out on a high note.

Avatar: The Legend of Korra made a surprise return to TV this week! After what can only be called complete silence since last year, Nickelodeon suddenly dropped a season 3 trailer and announed the premiere date about 2 weeks ago. So now we are back to one of the most popular animated worlds on TV and Korra has her hands full. Just two weeks after season 2, the spirit world has started to move in among the mortal world. It’s not an easy move as the spirits are pretty much setting shop right on top of everyone. Gigantic vines are taking over Republic City and Korra can’t figure out how to stop it. With political pressure coming at her, she struggles to keep things calm when people suddenly gain the ability to air bend. This hasn’t happened in generations and Tenzin is over the moon about it. He has the chance to help rebuild the Air Nation and jumps at the chance. Meanwhile, a prisoner named Zahir gets air bending abilities and breaks out of jail. He quickly travels around to his companions and breaks them out one at a time (with marvelous Avatar style action). Zahir (presumably the leader of the pack) was the only one of them who couldn’t bend and with him even more powerful, these guys are an even greater threat. It’s unknown what they did, but it was serious enough for them to be separated by great distances into custom built cells for their transgressions. Zahir breaks out 2 people (water and earth benders) and the episode ends with them off to free the last and the return of series favorite Zuko! It’s a really promising start. New characters, new locations and some serious villains. Action and adventure are on the horizon. *Turns out I missed episode 3, which I will check out ASAP.*

Falling Skies returned too. This one snuck up on me and I was looking to fill my sci-fi category. I liked last season a lot, the show keeps getting better as it goes. The premiere more or less reset things as the Espheni invaders made a swift move on our traveling heroes and put them in some sort of prison camp. Months go by until the story essentially starts back up. It’s an odd jump and a lot has changed so there is a lot of new things to get accustomed to. Tom Mason is in seclusion with Captain Weaver. Tom has managed to find a way to sneak out at night to figure a way out. His son Hal is in the same camp, but free to roam about the enclosed area. Ben is with his half sister who has grown int a young woman and is seemingly in charge of a hippie commune. Lots of questions there. Tom’s wife, Anne is out and about and taken the roll of the crazy merc. The younger kids have been put into what could be called a brain washing camp, which is where Matt is). The MO of the aliens has changed, adults are more or less kept around instead of killed and the kids are no longer being harnessed, but brain washed to the other side. Convincing them that the alien invasion is the best thing for humanity. It almost feels like the series has been reset as the start of this season was a major step back for humanity. The grip has never been tighter and it remains to be seen if Tom can manage to rally the troops again.

On the Netflix front, I finished Orange is the New Black and liked it quite a bit. There’s a lot of history for quite a few of the other inmates which are all well done in addition to Piper’s continued drama. The long plot of the season is rather obvious and really needlessly drawn out. I think the writers came up with an ending for it they liked and had to keep it going into the finale as there was so much build up. I didn’t like the final part of it as it felt way too convienant. She should have “gotten away” with it for a time. I think that would have been much more satisfying and logical when all is said is done. I look forward to season 3!

Season 3 of Sherlock on the other hand was tough to watch. A big format change made the best part of the show all but disappear. Sherlock was like watching a mystery movie every episode. These 3 episodes were more plotting and disjointed than anything else. New character(s) felt way too thin and I didn’t care about the character turn at the end. It still had some elements of what make the show great, but it was really disappointing.

Some big finishers this week.

Hannibal-Another great and intense season. I’m often amazed at how good this show looks and the level of carnage they get away with showing on this show. They show stuff that a lot of horror movies cut away from. Brilliant cast with a really great story arc. They finished the show not knowing if there was going to be a season 3 (there will be) so they tied up just everything they started the show with. Really sad, really cerebral, puts the likes of American Horror Story to shame.

The Americans– Just like Hannibal, Americans just finished it’s second season to great affect. A lot went down that has changed the Jennings. They were always at risk and being tested as Soviet spies, but that danger got very close to their sanctuary this season. Family was a big focal point this season and the danger was always outside of their home…that’s not true anymore. The finale brought some serious revelations for the Jennings as well as Agent Beeman. Both sides of the coin were given a workout, I’m excited to see where they take it next.

Mad Men– As the show is coming in for it’s final landing, it’s really frustrating to have to wait a year for the last 8 episodes. That said, what we got was pretty good. The 70’s are dangerously close and with it a major shift in America. Don and a few others are visibly struggling to hang on and it’s not clear how much longer they can get away with it. Can Don ever be happy? I don’t think so, but he can still learn a few things to keep himself from becoming an island. The show keeps slipping into surreal moments and it just makes me wonder where they are taking this. I really want to know how they end the show. With another (and final?) shift at SCP what’s left for this crew?

Some more odds and ends of shows have wrapped up too. Ink Master, Modern Family, Grimm, Hawaii 5-O all came in for a clean landing.

Orphan Black is moving ahead at a great clip, so that’s a real treat every Saturday. Louie is back, I find it curious that he took off a year from the show and now FX is burning through his season 2 shows at a time. Wonder what the thought process is for that one. Fargo is almost over and last weeks episode was a doozy. Lester actually did something really clever and sneaky and after the blizzard massacre he might get away with it.

Next week starts the summer season, there’s a few new shows I have my eye on. Tyrant, The Strain, Halt and Catch Fire. I’ll have something to say about those when they start airing. Wilfred comes back for it’s final season, which feels like the perfect timing to end the show. I really like it, but a definitive end is needed, I’m glad they aren’t going to drag it out. The Bridge comes back too, but I’m not sure if I will. I watched all of season 1 and I don’t think I was into it enough for more. Orange is the New Black returns to Netflix very soon and that is a must watch for me.

It’s hard to come up with new TV update posts. I’m going to have to just number them soon. Anyway, here’s what’s been filling up my DVR.

Orphan Black- Season 2 on BBC America is off to a strong start. One of the surprise shows of last season remains mysterious, original and tense. Two episodes in and we already have a double cross and a few bodies as a result. Sarah’s little girl has been found, Alison is heading for a full on panic freakout and Cosima is trying her best to be sneaky with Dr. Leekie. There’s a lot of balls in the air now, I like the angle of bringing Art Bell into the conspiracy as you can only fend off cops in the know for so wrong. They won’t drag that bit out any more and be able to use the character well. The addition of a religious third party in the clone dance is this seasons biggest wrinkle. They’ve made some serious moves already so this season should be packed with reveals.

Parks and Recreation/Community- Both have finished their seasons and Community is back in great form. Short season, but that’s better than a long and boring one (season 4). Parks and Rec was good, but the finale was more of series finale. I thought I was watching the end of everything until the announcer said it would be back in the fall. They jump 3 years into the future which I guess they’ll continue with. The wrote themselves into a corner so it looks like a major shift was the only way forward.

Archer: Vice- Easily the worst season so far, but that’s still a complement. Since Archer has been so damn good, they went for a big thematic shift that I think worked pretty well. It wasn’t laugh out loud funny like last season, but I still liked it. There’s still plenty of great laughs and moments and I really liked the finale. I’d call it a successful experiment that has set up some great new material for next year.

Face/Off- I was right on the final 3 and Rashaad won which I’m super stoked about. He was a front runner right from the start, had only one misstep all season (same as Tyler who I would have been happy with winning too). Not much to say as Face Off is a tried and true winner for me. Comes back in July!

Mad Men- The final season has begun and it’s as Mad Men as ever. Opens with a “here’s where everyone is right now” episode and this weeks episode really dug down into Don’s current madness. He’s on a tight rope that will not stop shaking.

The Walking Dead- Finished strong. Great season from beginning to end. Low on stupidity which keeps the show on point. Rick is back in classic Rick shape and the gang is back together but in trouble. Odds are their captors will come to release they shouldn’t keep them all together in one spot.

Fargo- Really like it! It shares the same tone of the movie, but it’s a significantly different murder “mystery”. There are some similar characters but I think they’ll be able to differentiate themselves as they continue. Great cast and good writing so far. The reach of the crime(s) look to be much greater than the movie, there’s more moving parts in this one. The accents are much lighter on the TV show which seems a little weird.

The Amerians- Still great. Major turmoil at the homestead which is unearthing the KGB’s agents most rooted beliefs. They’ve kept a lot of themselves buried and it’s starting to come out. Massive personal conflicts are pushing Liz and Philip to the edge, it’s a major struggle for them to keep them fighting for their homeland. Fascinating stuff, I hope more and more people catch on now that the first season is easily available.