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Ahsoka Episode 6 (Disney+): It’s cool that they go, for the first time in the franchise, to another galaxy and find stuff that is identical to what they have encountered in their own galaxy. To a certain point, one has to question why Thrawn and Ezra have to be sent to another galaxy when they could have just gotten marooned in the Unknown Regions or Wild Space, especially if they’re just encountering the Nightsisters of Dathomir but somewhere else. Maybe the new episode will answer it (maybe the Yuuzhan Vong makes an appearance considering the New Jedi Order movie shoots next year) but it’s just a series of weird decisions for the sake of making weird decisions at this point.
Fionna and Cake Episodes 7 and 8 (Max): Fionna and Cake has managed to do the alternate realities concept better than both The Flash and What If…? tried in the past. Episode seven is an alternate reality where Simon died and never met Marceline which leads to a war between the candy people and the vampires while episode eight is set in the reality where The Lich’s wish in season four of Adventure Time came true and all life has been wiped out except for him and BMO. The show will still have to deal with the Betty question and address Simon and Betty’s relationship, but that will likely come in the next few episodes since the origin of their relationship was explored in episode eight.
The Continental (Peacock): This show might be the most cynical example of taking a mediocre show and slapping an IP on it to hope more people watch it while paying no mind to the IP it is based on. The Continental is the origin story of how Winston took control of the New York Continental prior to John Wick but it lacks the action, the iconography, and other aspects of John Wick that set it so far apart from other action movies. Peacock definitely needs to seriously reevaluate their original programming because the best of their originals are, at best, serviceable.
You May Have Missed:
Elemental (Disney+): Following a lengthy theatrical run (which worked out because it ended up making more money than originally expected), elemental finally hits streaming on Disney+. While the movie is not perfect and it does have a few narrative issues, it is still an entertaining and well-made immigrant story. For a full review, click here.
This Week In Theaters:
The Creator: Gareth Edwards (director of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Godzilla) releases his latest science fiction epic in theaters this week with The Creator. This film stars John David Washington and Gemma Chan in a movie about a war between humans and artificial intelligence.
Saw X: The Saw franchise returns with a prequel (interquel?) set shortly after the original where John Kramer travels to Mexico for an experimental surgery, only to be defrauded and seek revenge against those who conned him. Tobin Bell and Shawnee Smith return.
Last Week At The Box Office:
The Nun 2: $8.6 Million
Expend4bles: $8.0 Million
A Haunting In Venice: $6.3 Million
The Equalizer 3: $4.8 Million
Barbie: $3.2 Million
Programming Notes:
As of Sunday night, a deal has been reached between the WGA and the AMPTP to end the writer’s strike. This does not mean that the WGA is formally back to work as the new deal needs to be formally ratified, however, picketing has ended for WGA members (though many are still on the picket lines to support SAG). The full details of the deal are unknown as of writing, but it appears to be a three-year deal instead of the usual five-year deal and, based on the phrasing of the WGA’s statement, it appears that the AMPTP made major concessions.
SAG has also voted to authorize a strike against the video game industry with 98 percent voting in favor of a strike. This would impact productions from EA, Insomniac, Sony, Activision, Ubisoft, and other major studios, however the problem becomes that there is no AMPTP-like entity within the video game industry so individual new contracts could be signed as some studios agree while others may drive a harder bargain. This is unlikely to impact any imminent releases like Alan Wake 2 or Spider-Man 2, but down the line, there could be delays.
