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Secret Invasion Episode 4 (Disney+): Ending an episode by killing off a character starts to lose its emotional impact when three out of four episodes end on that cliffhanger and this episode starts by showing the previous death never happened. That said, this time the death will probably stick because when a character has the heart-to-heart about their personal failings and then is killed, it tends to stick so it can motivate the survivor. The reveal that Rhodes has been a Skrull for an indeterminate amount of time is interesting, however, it risks undermining the emotional impact of the end of Endgame if it turns out that Rhodes was a Skrull during that battle.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 Episode 5 (Paramount+): This show’s strength continues to be that every episode is stand-alone while character arcs carry over from episode to episode. This episode grapples with the sense of self and how that relates to Spock as he was taken apart and put back together incorrectly after an accident. This leads to some solid comedic beats and some great dramatic and emotional moments, often at the same time which is an achievement in and of itself.
iCarly Season 3 Episode 8 (Paramount+): Again this show has the issue where it feels like it was written for Nickelodeon, then got moved to Paramount+ and, rather than do a full rewrite to accommodate the audience shift, just added in some mild swearing to make it hit the new rating cap. This episode is nonsensical to the point where if it ran a decade ago during the original show’s original run, it would not have felt out of place. That said, there are a few solid comedic beats, mostly related to Freddie and his fear of cats, but the majority of the episode just falls flat.
My Adventures With Superman Season 1 Episode 3 (Max): The anime-like design of this show, not just in aesthetic but also in storytelling nuance, serves Superman’s origin story very well. It allows for some of Superman’s less-known rogues like Silver Banshee and Livewire to be used and also allows for a framework in which Superman can develop and grow his powerset over the course of multiple episodes. The dynamic between Clark and Lois continues to be favorable and this show is just unabashed in how it handles the Superman that comic fans fell in love with over decades.
This Week In Theaters:
Barbie: Greta Gerwig’s latest movie is her first real foray into a major IP (no, Little Women is not a major IP in the same way Barbie is) and looks absolutely delightful. With a massive cast including Margot Robbie, Dua Lipa, Emma Mackey, Simu Liu, Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell, Michael Cera, and Kate McKinnon, this movie will tell the story of Barbie leaving the Barbie World and entering the real world.
Oppenheimer: Christopher Nolan also returns to theaters this week following his departure from Warner Bros with a biopic about the father of the atomic bomb. The movie stars Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Rami Malek, and many more.
Theater Camp: After its premiere at Sundance, Theater Camp was acquired by Searchlight for wide release and follows a theater camp in upstate New York that needs to save itself from financial ruin after the owner dies. Molly Gordon, Ben Platt, Jimmy Tatro, Patti Harrison, and Ayo Edebiri star.
Last Week At The Box Office:
Mission: Impossible-Dead Reckoning Part 1: $56.2 Million
Sound of Freedom: $27.0 Million
Insidious: The Red Door: $13.0 Million
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny: $12.0 Million
Elemental: $8.7 Million
Programming Notes:
The Screen Actors Guild has joined the Writers Guild on the picket line after not reaching a deal with the studios. Much like the WGA, SAG was looking for pay increases, transparency regarding the performance of shows and movies on streaming services, and a ban on AI use in the production of media. As such, the vast majority of productions that were still ongoing during the WGA strike have now shut down, with the exception of truly independent productions that are not contracted with a studio, short films, soap operas, and a few other select productions. In all likelihood, this will lead to a lot of delays for films in 2024 and 2025 depending on how long this strike goes on.
It was also announced this weekend that the upcoming Spider-Man: Freshman Year would be produced by Polygon Pictures. This show is an animated show from Marvel Studios and will serve as the origin story of Tom Holland’s iteration of Spider-Man. Polygon Pictures previously worked on Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Transformers Prime, and Tron: Uprising.
Finally, in comics news, following her death a few months back, Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel will be coming back this fall in a new comic co-written by actress Iman Vellani. The comic appears to allow Ms. Marvel to retain her stretchy powers, however, will bring her in line with the original intent and the MCU to have her be a mutant as she joins the X-Men.
