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Twisted Metal Episodes 1-3 (Peacock): Maybe this show was marketed wrong in the PlayStation showcase where they showed off that one scene with Sweet Tooth and John Doe in the casino because the show is a lot better than what that scene makes it seem like. Much like Tusk, as long as one knows what they’re getting as they go into the show, they will find enjoyment because it is a fairly solid absurdist action comedy. It knows when to take itself seriously and, more importantly, it knows when not to.
My Adventures With Superman Season 1 Episode 6 (Max and Adult Swim): Having Superman have to grapple with his secret-keeping from Lois makes the dynamic between the two really interesting this week. Taking that and then having Jimmy just know is also a great use of Jimmy Olsen and this understanding of how these three characters interact is what makes this some of the best Superman content in recent years. There is also one sentence that perfectly encapsulates who Superman is as a character where he throws himself into the line of gunfire and when asked how he knew he was bulletproof he replies, “I didn’t know I was, I just knew you weren’t.”
Harley Quinn Season 4 Episode 4 (Max)*: This episode is probably the strongest of the season because of how well it plays with existing DC lore and history. The giant convention of villains on the moon is fun and has some great character interactions, which make up for some of the weaker B-plot moments with Harley and the bat-family. The fact that Steppenwolf of all characters is the one that everyone is trying to jockey for position to talk to creates some great comedic moments as Ivy tries to prove herself. All the Clark Kent jokes and moments are also hilarious.
Pokémon Ultimate Journeys Part 1 (Netflix): In early September, it will be the end of an era for American audiences as long-time protagonist Ash will finish his journey in the flagship Pokémon anime. While the show has bounced around networks from WB11 back during its first run to Cartoon Network, it has now found its home on Netflix for this final run of episodes to cap off over 20 years and over 1000 episodes. The first batch that came out a few months ago is a little disjointed as it takes Ash on a greatest hits journey as he tries to jockey for position in a world tournament so he can be the best trainer in the world. His dynamic with Goh is more interesting than some of the other pair-ups he’s had in the past, and Goh’s desire to catch every Pokémon in the world gives an interesting way for some of the stranger lore for the titular creatures to be explained. That said, there is not much guidance for where people are going or why. In the past, the show has had the guide rails of the games where Ash is more or less trying to beat all the gyms and then become the region’s champion, however this feels more scatter shot and they don’t use the legacy locations and characters to the best of their abilities. Towards the end it does start to move towards consolidating into a narrative, but how that plays with part two will be explored next week.
This Week In Theaters:
The Last Voyage of the Demeter: Sony previously occupied this weekend with Gran Turismo, however due to the ongoing inability of the AMPTP to negotiate in good faith with SAG-AFTRA and the WGA, they delayed the movie two weeks in an effort to let audiences see the movie and do the marketing for it because the cast can’t do a press tour. This leaves The Last Voyage of the Demeter as the major release this weekend which tells the story of what happened on the boat that shipped Dracula to London. Corey Hawkins and David Dastmalchian star in this horror movie.
Last Week At The Box Office:
Barbie: $53.0 Million
Meg 2: The Trench: $30.0 Million
Oppenheimer: $28.7 Million
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem: $28.0 Million
Haunted Mansion: $9.0 Million
*Warner Brothers did provide screeners for the entire fourth season for this review.
