I spend more time than I would like to admit on Twitter. Usually, I never have anything clever to say, but I follow quite a few entertainment sites, bloggers, and creative minds. Entertainment Weekly is a magazine I used to read, but now I follow them on Twitter. They tweeted about how riveting Bodyguard is which recently dropped on Netflix. The first season is only six episodes long so I figured, what the heck, I need something new to watch.

Starring former Game of Thrones star Richard Madden as David Budd, a war veteran dealing with crippling PTSD from his experiences in Afghanistan. As a police officer, he’s assigned to a protection detail for Julia Montague (played by Keeley Hawes) who is controversial with her political opinions with a reputation for being unfriendly. Their relationship developed as they worked together and as the episodes continue, there’s an underlying conspiracy regarding why Montague is being targeted.

This show was exactly what I needed; it was captivating from the minute I started the first episode. The first twenty minutes show Budd trying to stop a suicide bomber on a train with his kids a couple carts away. I attempted to predict where the show was going, but I was pleasantly surprised by how wrong I was. I can’t give more details without revealing spoilers, so I will choose to refrain from further details.

While Bodyguard aired on BBC, it drew in 10 million views which is incredible, although season #2 hasn’t been confirmed. Richard Madden is talking with producers to be involved with another season. The earliest it would be released would be 2020 which seems far from now. This is one of the most enticing political thrillers on Netflix currently and it’s a nice break from the other shows I watch.

I told myself at the beginning of summer that I would be all caught up on The Flash and Arrow while also starting Legends of Tomorrow. Unfortunately, this goal was way too ambitious. I have been trying to watch the newest season of The Flash and it’s been rather difficult for me to get through it. It’s not that the season is bad, but I’m just not as enthralled as I was in the prior seasons. Yet, I had been trying to force myself to watch it. This also applies to Arrow as I wasn’t a fan of the whole team splitting up which made me stop watching. Why do we force ourselves to watch TV we aren’t that interested in?

One reason I force myself to watch TV is based on a friend’s recommendation. They say the show is SO GOOD, so you feel obligated to keep watching even though you barely could get past episode #2. This was my exact reaction when I started watching Making a Murderer. I felt the show was a little too slow-paced for me, but I felt I had to keep watching because everyone recommended it to me.

Another reason I force myself to watch shows is the cast. Stephen Amell who stars in Arrow seems to be a down-to-earth human being. I have watched how he has raised money for cancer research by selling his collectible tank tops and t-shirts. He is one of the few celebrities who seems to not let fame get to him. He’s also nice to all of the fans he meets. With that being said, I feel bad that I’m not caught up on his show even though I’m not as big of a fan as I once was.

Sometimes it’s overwhelming to get caught up on my shows. I still haven’t watched Luke Cage Season #2 or Iron Fist Season #2 and Daredevil is already releasing its third season this month. There’s so much TV and I’m trying to catch up on it all while still maintaining my social life, getting 8 hours of sleep and 5x a week for exercise. One reason why I have been watching less TV is because I have been spending all my time playing Marvel’s Spider-Man by Insomniac Games. I shouldn’t have to feel bad for watching less TV because I want to devote my time to something else.

Also, I find myself re-watching shows I have already seen because I genuinely love them. This summer instead of watching The Flash or Arrow, I re-watched season #1 of The Punisher on Netflix and seasons #1 – #3 of Agents of Shield. It brings back memories especially watching Agents of Shield because my college roommate would talk for hours about the plot twists happening in Coulson’s helicarrier.

Eventually, I do want to get caught up on The Flash and Arrow, but it has to happen on my own time. If that means I’m not going to be able to watch this current season, that’s fine. Forcing myself to watch TV is more tiring than I want it to be. My goal is to pick what I want to watch regardless of what friends think and what new season is airing in the Fall. I’m curious if anyone else feels this way. If you do, leave a comment below.

One may argue DC’s live-action movies are a mess, but they do an excellent job with their cartoon series. One of my favorite cartoon series DC developed was Young Justice. Young Justice is remarkable in the sense that it’s aimed at kids, but it’s entertaining for adults although Young Justice was canceled after airing season #2. This left fans disappointed and because of their outcry, season #3 was announced titled Young Justice: Outsiders. There has been some footage of Outsiders I wanted to share my reaction to, but I also wanted to share a little more information about Young Justice and how if you haven’t seen it, you’re truly missing out.

Young Justice stars the apprentices of the major DC superheroes including Robin (a young Dick Greyson), Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Speedy. Speedy ultimately acts like a teenager and leaves the group in the beginning episode with appearances later on. Robin, Aqualad, and Kid Flash investigate Cadmus Labs where they discover Superman’s clone nicknamed Superboy. After this mission, Batman gives permission to create Young Justice the superhero training team to run their own missions with connection to the Justice League.

The first two seasons of Young Justice are exciting for any DC Comics fan. I found every episode to be engaging and the storylines easy to understand. There’s a special place in my heart for Dick Greyson’s Robin and we even get to see him evolve into Nightwing in the second season. I also grew fond of Aqualad as I think he serves as a great leader for the team.

Recently, IGN posted a clip from Young Justice: Outsiders to their YouTube channel.  In this clip we see Nightwing heading into a warehouse which is a front for a meta-human trafficking ring. He is able to gather evidence with the help of Oracle and analyze that evidence to see where the meta-human trafficking ring started. My first initial reaction to viewing this clip is the appearance of both Nightwing and Oracle. I love both of their characters and the relationship they hold for each other so already I’m pumped for this season. I also think the meta-human trafficking serves as a great plot device for the season.

DC’s Young Justice: Outsiders will be exclusively available on their streaming service sometime in 2019. I plan on pre-ordering their service because I also want a chance to watch some of the older Justice League / Batman Animated Series episodes. It’s a little obnoxious how major companies are creating their own streaming services. Young Justice used to be on Netflix, but DC removed it to add it to their service. Young Justice is available for $25 dollars on Amazon and that’s probably the best way you can watch it. Buy an episode and see why all the fans like myself are truly connected with the show.

Besides the Titans trailer, DC Comics has been releasing footage from their upcoming films. From reading my blog you can probably tell I lean a bit more on the DC Comics side than Marvel. I like the Marvel movies, but when it comes to the actual stories in comics, I prefer DC. Even though DC makes bad decisions regarding their film choices, I had high hopes for Aquaman. However, I was surprised to see the SHAZAM! trailer was also released. After having seen both trailers I wanted to recap my reactions to both the SHAZAM! and Aquaman movies.

SHAZAM!

Shazam is an interesting choice for a live-action movie. The predictable choice would have been a rebooted Green Lantern, Green Arrow or I was holding out for a Nightwing movie. Shazam’s origin story begins with his alter ego; a young Billy Batson bouncing from various foster homes. Billy saves another of his foster siblings from a ruthless bully which hints at Billy’s possible foreshadowed role of being a hero. Billy is chosen by a wizard who sees the good in Billy and grants him god-like powers to become the hero; Shazam. All Billy has to say is Shazam and he’s turned into this super buff, red lightning, superhero.

I’m impressed with the SHAZAM! movie trailer because with Shazam’s cheesy back story, this movie could be awful as a result. Zachary Levi was a great choice because he looks like SHAZAM! and I think he’s able to bring humor to the role. I thought the trailer had the perfect amount of humor which is good since DC’s movies are darker in tone. I also enjoyed the scene of Shazam walking around electrocuting everyone’s smartphones to charge them. I thought the scene was funny, yet relatable in today’s society with everyone being on our phones. The trailer music was fitting especially in the sequences where Shazam is testing his limits to his newly earned powers. My final positive thought with the trailer is the special effects. One sequence features Billy turning into Shazam which I felt looked realistic instead of incredibly fake. I’m hopeful SHAZAM! will be an amazing film in DC’s lineup.

Aquaman

I will never forget meeting Jason Momoa at Planet Comicon this year and telling him to his face how excited I am for Aquaman. He nodded, smiled, and said “Hell yeahhhhh.” Also, he offered me a Girl Scout cookie which I happily ate as I blushed out of his autograph line.

After watching the Aquaman trailer, my first thought was how fake Mera’s hair looked. Is it just me? Her hair looks too bright red to look normal. I would have almost preferred a slight orange/blonde hair because it would have looked more natural. With trailers, the special effects aren’t perfect so maybe when the film is released Mera’s hair will be toned down a bit.

The moments featuring Black Manta were fantastic as the costume is exactly how it appears in the comics. Black Manta is one of the biggest and baddest Aquaman villains and I’m curious how the fight sequences will play out between the two of them.

Ultimately I’m more excited about SHAZAM! then I am about Aquaman. I will forever be a DC comics/movies fan no matter what movies DC rolls out. I think there is potential in both of these films to redeem the DC movie universe. Zachary Levi and Jason Momoa are going to kick ass in these roles and I cannot wait to watch both of these films at their midnight premieres. April 2019 cannot come fast enough.

It’s officially San Diego Comic-Con season as new trailers are released on the internet. One trailer I want to dissect in its own post is the new Titans trailer. This show I believe is going to highlight DC’s new subscription service which I may subscribe to depending on how Young Justice season #3 will air. There has been a lot of uprising over the announcement of Titans along with the first images of the costumes of the Titans. Teen Titans are a special group to me because the 2003 cartoon was a part of my childhood. My friend would always pretend to be Starfire and I was Raven and we would run around the yard saving the world. With that being said, let’s talk about the trailer.

Before the trailer begins there’s a warning TV-MA for mature audiences. I always believed the Titans were similar to the Young Avengers. They were positive and aimed more at younger audiences, but this certainly isn’t what we are getting with this trailer.

In the first couple of scenes, we see hints of a circus which makes sense because of Dick Greyson’s background. Overall I think Brenton Thwaites has the look of Robin, but will he do the character justice? Raven appears to be having issues controlling her powers. This makes sense to me, as the original cartoon often had episodes featuring Raven attempting to control her half-demon form.

The next sequence features Robin attacking a group of criminals. One of them asks him where is Batman to which Robin replies with the most mocked line in the trailer: “Fuck Batman”. This is not the Dick Greyson I was picturing. Dick is the lighter side to Bruce Wayne’s Batman. He keeps Bruce in check when he even goes a little too dark. This feels more like a Jason Todd portrayal versus a Dick Greyson portrayal.

Next, we see a scene featuring Beast Boy and Star Fire. The casting of Anna Diop promoted a lot of racist chat in different forums. I think she is going to be great in the role. A lot of complaints also came from Star Fire’s costume and how it looks like a “hooker”. To be honest, I don’t see it. Star Fire has always had a skimpy costume and I like how Anna Diop’s costume is sexy, but not as revealing as the comic counterpart. I think Beast Boy doesn’t look bad at all.

There’s a hint of Dove in the trailer though I didn’t see Hawk anywhere, but maybe I missed him? There were hints of other fight scenes ending with Raven in her demon form and then the logo appears signaling the end of the trailer. The theme of the trailer is that it’s going to be dark, violent, and edgy.

I’m not sure how Titans will be. I’m mostly underwhelmed by Robin/Dick Greyson because he’s not the Robin I had been picturing. I guess it depends on the Dick Greyson run you’re comparing, but to me, Dick has always been the knight in shining armor not breaking bones and swearing at Batman. As always let me know what you think in the comments.

I have been watching Agents of Shield for a second time to catch up to the most recent season. One reason why I’m a huge fan of Agents of Shield is the chemistry between the characters which includes one of my favorite couples on TV; Fitz & Simmons. They are truly beautiful together and their love honestly is couple goals. I decided to write a list of my favorite OTPs or “One True Pairings” on TV.

Fitz & Simmons Agents of Shield 

These two are the best. My favorite season highlighting their relationship is season #3 because Fitz will do anything to bring Simmons back from Maveth. He also dedicated himself to bringing Will back even though if Will truly came back to Earth, Simmons would probably have stayed with Will and not Fitz. That’s pretty admirable to bring back your crush’s love because you care about her well-being.

Ben & Leslie Parks & Recreation 

I recently finished watching Parks & Recreation with the boyfriend and one couple that stood out to me was Ben and Leslie. Initially, their relationship seemed pretty harsh because Ben was cutting funds to the Parks Department in Indiana. Eventually, Leslie comes around and sees Ben for the adorable nerd that he is. I appreciate them as a couple because Ben has never poked fun at Leslie’s passion and has put his career on the line for her. Leslie was also willing to do the same if need be. They both want the best for each other and it’s so heartwarming to watch their relationship begin.

Karen Page & the Punisher Netflix Marvel series 

This one may seem weird to some, but I really like Karen and Frank’s friendship? reappear in the Punisher. Karen doesn’t take any bullshit and she will put herself in danger to uncover the truth. Frank is the more intense one out of the two, but Karen believes his story and wants what’s best for him. Plus after the way Matt Murdock treats Karen in Daredevil season #2, Frank can’t do much worse, right?

Chuck & Blair Gossip Girl 

Nothing makes me reminisce about middle school like watching Gossip Girl. This show was a guilty pleasure for me and my friends. I always rooted for Chuck & Blair as a couple because Chuck is this spoiled bad boy while Blair is the mean girl in school. When they become united though they become this ultimate power couple. It’s addicting watching the two of them interact with each other.

Penny & Leonard The Big Bang Theory 

Big Bang Theory is one of those shows I should dislike because it makes fun of geeks, but I still enjoy it to some degree. Leonard has always had a crush on Penny and eventually, things work out. Once Penny realizes how serious Leonard is about her they break up and it causes some tension within the friend group. Eventually, Penny is ready and they become the dynamic duo that we as fans were all waiting for. I think Penny really balances Leonard out perfectly.

What are your favorite power couples on TV? I would love to hear them in the comments.

I have been spending more of my time reading other blogs than simply writing for my own. I find I can always come across a post that moves me in some way. This happened when I read a post written by John Siebelink titled “Why So Much Hate for the Star Wars Prequels”.  The prequels are flawed films, but underneath there are great elements of storytelling within the movies. I personally grew up with the prequels as I remember the release of The Phantom Menace. I had so many of the action figures along with Qui-Gon’s Comlink with little key cards which activated the voices of the characters. I wanted to share a few of my favorite moments from the prequels because I’m sure I’m not the only one who has fond memories of watching these movies.

Darth Maul

As a kid, I thought Darth Maul was one of the best villains I had ever seen on a movie screen. I loved the double-bladed lightsaber. Watching The Phantom Menace again I realize one huge flaw in the movie was not utilizing Darth Maul. It would have been neat if Obi-Wan in the Revenge of the Sith would have had an epic lightsaber battle to finally avenge Qui-Gon’s death. The fact that Maul appears in Solo: A Star Wars Story has me hyped for the future of other Star Wars films.

The Flaws of the Jedi

The Jedi are seen as these tremendous leaders whose ultimate goal is world peace however, they’re incredibly flawed in their logic. Not allowing their disciples to love is what led Anakin astray. He only wanted to save Padme which is how the Emperor was finally able to turn Anakin into his personal killing machine. If the Jedi were able to see how love can really strengthen someone’s resolve maybe Anakin could have still been a Jedi.

Also when Mace Windu has Emperor Palpatine pinned down and is planning on killing him, Anakin sees the hypocrisy of the Jedi’s teachings. Jedi claim they’re “good” and are on the “light side of the force” yet Mace Windu is willing to make an exception for killing Palpatine. As a kid I always thought the Jedi were the “good guys”, but after re-watching the prequels when I was older, I realized how the Jedi are flawed heroes.

Battle of Geonosis in Attack of the Clones

Another one of my favorite sequences in the prequels is the arena battle sequence in Attack of the Clones. When Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Padme are tied to the poles, Padme is the first one to escape. Watching this as a kid, I saw Natalie Portman hold her own against the two main male characters in the story. She knows how to use a blaster and doesn’t need Anakin’s help to save her. Padme (even though her character arc is poorly written) was still one of the first female science fiction characters I was exposed to.

Battle on Mustafar in Revenge of the Sith

I will say this fight sequence between Anakin & Obi-Wan is hands down one of the best lightsaber duels in the prequels. I still cannot believe Obi-Wan lets Anakin burn to death because again isn’t he a Jedi who represents the good in the force, but no let’s leave your former student to burn alive. I also get chills as I watch this scene with the score that goes along with it. The music amps up the battle between these former Jedi.

The prequels are flawed films with some redeeming scenes in them. Part of my childhood was spent watching these movies so I can’t fully hate them like other Star Wars fans can. I’m interested to see what your favorite prequel scenes are.

Me and the boyfriend have made regular plans to watch a series together. After just coming off of Parks and Recreation, it was my turn to pick the next show to watch. I had seen Mindhunter on Netflix and it attracted my interest. DePepi wrote about Mindhunter on her blog and described it as “witty, harsh, and intriguing”. The boyfriend was all for watching this show. By the end, he was disappointed as there was only one season. Mindhunter has been picked up for season #2 and I know me and the boyfriend will be anxiously awaiting its release date.

SPOILERS AHEAD OF COURSE 😀

Mindhunter gets its inspiration from a book written by FBI agent John E. Douglas. Douglas has interviewed Charles Manson, John Wayne Gacy, Richard Speck, and more psychotic individuals. Thomas Harris based his character Jack Crawford off of John Douglas (the author who wrote the Hannibal book series). I haven’t personally read the book myself, but it might be a book I may be interested in.

Mindhunter takes place in the 70s when Charles Manson’s recent crimes shocked the United States. FBI Agent Holden Ford (played brilliantly by Jonathon Groff), admires from afar as to why the killers do what they do. He wants to understand these violent criminals to help prevent the crimes from happening in the first place. When he brings this idea of criminal profiling to his director, his director rebuffs him saying the FBI is only meant to solve the crimes when they happen. Holden is eventually paired with special agent Bill Tench (played by Holt McCallany) whose job is to reel Holden in before he does something he regrets.

The drama from the show stems from Holden Ford’s actions. In one such episode, he secures a confession from a man who rapes and kills a 12-year-old girl. As Holden interrogates him, he appeals to his mind by talking about how the 12-year-old looks older and how fresh her vagina is < not even joking this was how he secures this confession. His mode of questioning works, but at what cost. Holden is an FBI agent can he really talk this way while representing the federal government?

David Fincher is an executive producer on this show which probably explains why I enjoyed it so much. Fincher is a miraculous director and has directed some of my favorite movies (Se7en, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo adaptation, Gone Girl, and Fight Club). 

To be honest with you, this show starts off slow. Me and the boyfriend were three episodes in when we contemplated starting another show. Once you watch the episodes, they get more intriguing as Holden discovers more cases to get involved with. The season ends with a cliffhanger as Holden appears to be having an extreme panic attack after visiting with Ed Kemper and scenes showing the BTK killer in Kansas.

I encourage you to give Mindhunter a chance. It starts slow, but the pace picks up leaving me and the boyfriend wanting more to watch. If you have ever been a fan of Criminal Minds, think of this as a prequel to that show. Without the impact of Mindhunter, Criminal Minds wouldn’t have ever existed.

I find The Office both the British and American versions to be overrated. I know a couple of you reading this are already thinking, “How could you say that?!?!”. I have seen both versions and sure, there are some funny episodes, but I wasn’t a big fan like other people I know. When me and the boyfriend were debating on what to watch, he suggested Parks and Recreation. I told him because I disliked The Office, I didn’t think this show was for me. He persuaded me into watching the first season and I was hooked. I cannot believe I missed out on this show when it originally aired, but I finished season #7 a couple days ago and I wanted to sum up why I love this show so much.

Parks & Rec is filmed similarly to The Office but instead takes place in Pawnee, Indiana in the Parks & Recreation department of the local government. Leslie Knope, (played wonderfully by Amy Poehler) is an over-achiever who is passionate about having clean parks for her town. In the first season, she meets Ann Perkins (played by Rashida Jones) and they work with the local government to fill this big hole outside of Ann’s house. Ann’s fiance Andy Dwyer (played by Chris Pratt) fell into the hole and was seriously injured. This show tells their stories and how they get into a bunch of shenanigans.

What’s so endearing about the show is all the characters. Leslie is a feminist who believes women belong in the government. Ann Perkins makes Leslie more level-headed which helps her succeed. Ron Swanson (played by Nick Offerman) is a realist who believes the government shouldn’t be so involved in his affairs. Also, he enjoys breakfast food, bourbon, and living outdoors. Tom Haverford (played by Aziz Ansari) is a sophisticated wannabe socialite who helps Leslie live a little. Andy Dwyer is the lovable goof who’s kind of an idiot. April Ludgate is the person who you really identify with. She hates everyone initially but ends up coming around. Donna (played by Retta) is confident and emphasizes that you “treat yo self.” All of these characters help create the love for the show.

I can’t talk about Parks and Rec without including Leslie & Ben’s relationship. Ben Wyatt (played by Adam Scott) is Leslie’s husband and her other half. He’s introduced in season #2 and I don’t think I have ever “shipped” an on-screen couple more. He allows Leslie to achieve her dreams while also being successful in his own field. As an added bonus, Ben is a real geek. He comes up with his own board game series, makes a great calzone, and is from Minnesota. They are so perfect together.

I could write way more about how I love Parks & Rec, but my post has to end sometime. Me and the boyfriend have different TV tastes which comes in handy when he introduces me to a show I wouldn’t have normally watched. With that said, leave me a comment about why you adore Parks & Recreation.