https://www.cbr.com CBR TV reviews offer the insight you demand in the golden age of television and the exciting landscape of the streaming world. Thu, 21 Sep 2023 13:30:18 GMT en-US hourly 60 As Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 4 nears its halfway point, the animated series peels back the curtain on D'Vana Tendi's backstory among the Orion Syndicate in a sudden trip back home. The season's fourth episode, titled "Something Borrowed, Something Green," mostly takes place off the USS Cerritos as it gives Tendi a well-deserved spotlight with a complicated homecoming. With its strong character beats and doubling down on admittedly absurd humor, the episode is one of the more memorable installments in Season 4, paying off years of character development while maintaining its comical tone.

]]> Thu, 21 Sep 2023 13:30:18 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-lower-decks-season-4-episode-4-review/ The power of storytelling is a major theme in Ahsoka's sixth episode, "Part Six: Far Far Away." In the opening minutes, Ahsoka reminisces on stories Huyang used to tell her and other Jedi younglings about the galaxy's history. Baylan Skoll describes Peridea, the planet where Grand Admiral Thrawn spent his many years in exile, as "Children's stories come to life," a source of folklore even by Star Wars standards. The episode marks the live-action debut of a villain who first appeared in a 1991 Star Wars novel and features three Dathomirian soothsayers inspired by everything from Greek mythology's Fates to the witches of Macbeth. The subtext, by all accounts, is pretty on the nose.

]]> Wed, 20 Sep 2023 21:00:30 GMT https://www.cbr.com/ahsoka-episode-6-review/ After spending more than three years in development and receiving an order for three seasons before even a single episode aired, Dan Harmon's Fox animated series Krapopolis has built up such a level of anticipation that anything less than a masterpiece would probably qualify as a disappointment. With that in mind, Krapopolis isn't a masterpiece -- at least judging by the three episodes available for review. But taken for what it is, the series proves to be a fun and entertaining addition to Fox's long-running Sunday-night animation lineup alongside landmark shows like The Simpsons, Bob's Burgers, and Family Guy.

]]> Mon, 18 Sep 2023 18:19:36 GMT https://www.cbr.com/krapopolis-fox-review/ While the main cast of Star Trek: Lower Decks may have been promoted to lieutenants at the start of Season 4, the officers still find themselves getting their hands dirty in the season's third episode. Titled "In the Cradle of Vexilon," the episode shows the main ensemble still acclimating to the responsibilities and changes in their roles on the USS Cerritos in the face of the latest crisis. Chaotic and unevenly paced, the episode is one of the weaker for Lower Decks in recent memory and struggles to become greater than the sum of its parts.

]]> Thu, 14 Sep 2023 17:08:59 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-lower-decks-season-4-episode-3-review/ Dave Filoni clearly dreamed of making this Ahsoka episode for some time. "Part Five: Shadow Warrior" makes full use of Hayden Christensen's return as Anakin Skywalker and delivers a tsunami of Star Wars: The Clone Wars fan service by recreating his genre-defining animated series in full live-action. It's a true love letter to the cartoon that set off his and Ahsoka Tano's careers, and the manner in which these sequences explore Ahsoka's adult psychology isn't half bad either. "Shadow Warrior" might be the best Ahsoka episode so far.

]]> Wed, 13 Sep 2023 19:23:30 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-wars-ahsoka-episode-5-review/ The award-winning 2017 horror novel The Changeling by Victor LaValle has been adapted into a television series of the same name by Apple TV+. Created by Kelly Marcel, directed by Melina Matsoukas, and with LaValle executive producing, the series leans into unsettling its audience rather than relying on cheap scares to instill a sense of terror. With an entertaining ensemble cast guiding the audience through its portrait of psychological deterioration, The Changeling succeeds when it focuses on the raw emotions bubbling under the surface instead of the occasionally pretentious staging around it.

]]> Mon, 11 Sep 2023 15:00:20 GMT https://www.cbr.com/changeling-review/ One of the biggest boons the new wave of Star Trek programming on Paramount+ has received is the return of Patrick Stewart to reprise his role as Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: Picard. The show reached its conclusion with its third season earlier this year under new showrunner Terry Matalas, receiving universal acclaim for paying off decades of storytelling threads and character arcs. Now, the final season has received a stellar physical home video release on Blu-ray and DVD, along with a limited edition steelbook and and the complete series collection on Blu-ray and DVD. Both sets look great on the shelf for any recent or longtime Star Trek fans.

]]> Fri, 08 Sep 2023 20:35:17 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-picard-season-3-home-video-review/ As the second part of its two-episode Season 4 premiere, Star Trek: Lower Decks continues to lean hard into the reservoir of comical potential in the Star Trek franchise. Ominously titled "I Have No Bones, Yet I Must Scream," the season's sophomore episode retains the premise of the preceding episode but from a more horror-fueled approach. Just as the season premiere lovingly skewered the legacy of Star Trek: Voyager and its eccentricities, the follow-up episode takes a look at Starfleet in a stronger and funnier episode.

]]> Fri, 08 Sep 2023 17:50:36 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-lower-decks-season-4-episode-2-review/ Over a month after Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 hosted a well-received crossover episode with the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks, Lower Decks Season 4 kicks things off with the two-episode season premiere. The first of these episodes is "Twovix." As its typically cheeky title suggests, it is a lengthy riff on one of the admittedly stranger moments from Star Trek: Voyager. Much of what Lower Decks Season 4 does well is present here, particularly balancing the progression of overarching narratives and character arcs with well-crafted comedy.

]]> Thu, 07 Sep 2023 15:54:23 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-lower-decks-season-4-episode-1-review/ Even in Ahsoka, Ahsoka Tano can't outrun Anakin Skywalker's shadow. It is, in many ways, as Baylan Skoll puts it before his and Ahsoka's "Part Four: Fallen Jedi" lightsaber duel, "inevitable." Ahsoka was introduced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars as Anakin's secret apprentice. Her growth and departure from the Jedi Order spurred his path to the Sith, leading to Ahsoka's fateful battle against Darth Vader years later. Even from a real-world perspective, Anakin and Ahsoka's fates are intertwined. Long before either joined the Star Wars galaxy, Rosario Dawson and Hayden Christensen were classmates at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute together.

]]> Wed, 06 Sep 2023 19:37:24 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-wars-ahsoka-episode-4-review/ There was a time when people couldn't go into a Hot Topic or on Facebook without seeing an "If Daryl Dies, We Riot" meme. The Walking Dead has taken this meme to a whole other level by giving Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) his own spinoff and taking the Disney+ approach by outright naming the series after the character. The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon appears as a straightforward move to focus solely on the Southern archer's journey as a fish out of water in France, but the series is more plentiful than meets the eye.

]]> Tue, 05 Sep 2023 19:07:57 GMT https://www.cbr.com/walking-dead-daryl-dixon-review/ Fresh off a well-received crossover episode with Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the hit animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks is back for its fourth season on Paramount+. Continuing the voyages of the USS Cerritos, a service vessel within the Starfleet armada often tasked with the more menial jobs around the United Federation, Lower Decks is just as packed with funny nods to the Star Trek mythos as it's ever been. Instead of just delivering more of the same, Lower Decks Season 4 takes even bigger creative swings with its story and characters and fortunately, connects more often than not.

]]> Fri, 01 Sep 2023 17:00:30 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-lower-decks-season-4-review/ The beloved manga series created by Eiichiro Oda, One Piece, has been adapted into an ambitious live-action television series by Netflix, bringing the swashbuckling saga to a new medium for audiences around the world. Just as wonderfully wacky as the popular anime series can be, the live-action One Piece is more grounded than its manga and anime counterparts, befitting its presentation. While fans of the anime might find a lot to love here, the live-action series is likely not the best way for uninitiated viewers to experience Oda's globally renowned story for the first time.

]]> Thu, 31 Aug 2023 15:50:43 GMT https://www.cbr.com/one-piece-netflix-review/ On top of being a live-action Rebels Season 5 and semi-heir to the Empire retelling, Ahsoka wants to position itself as another link between Star Wars' original series and the sequel trilogy -- a way to explore how the New Republic's filings blinded them to Imperial schemes under their watch and laid the groundwork for the First Order's rise, presumably aided in part by Grand Admiral Thrawn's return. Of course, that new war is at least a decade away, and, at just over half an hour, "Part Three: Time to Fly" struggles to convey all this detail in a neat package. But it makes up for that with some classic Star Wars dogfighting and the return of many familiar faces.

]]> Wed, 30 Aug 2023 22:22:06 GMT https://www.cbr.com/ahsoka-episode-3-review/ Few Star Wars characters have seen their relationship with canon and fandom evolve quite like Ahsoka Tano. Ahsoka was not particularly popular when she debuted in the 2008 Star Wars: The Clone Wars movie. Longtime fans seriously disliked Ahsoka, with criticism toward Anakin Skywalker's then-retconned alien Padawan ranging from her being a rash, irritating youngster at best and Jar-Jar Binks 2.0 at worst. It would take until at least season 3 of The Clone Wars TV show before fans came around to Ahsoka, gradually recognizing her worth as a powerful Jedi and the key to understanding Anakin's eventual turn to the Dark Side. An appreciation that only grew as Ahsoka (voiced by the wonderful Ashley Eckstein) matured with each new Star Wars entry, from Star Wars Rebels to The Clone Wars' final season, and eventually Rosario Dawson's live-action portrayal of Ahsoka on The Mandalorian.

]]> Tue, 22 Aug 2023 16:05:19 GMT https://www.cbr.com/ahsoka-premiere-review/ Ever since Apple TV+ revived Charles M. Schulz's beloved Peanuts franchise in 2019, they have captured the spirit and look of the classic comic strip and animated specials. That enduring tradition continues with Apple TV+'s latest original special, Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-Kind Marcie, putting a well-deserved spotlight on the usual supporting character Marcie. Directed by veteran animator Raymond S. Persi, who has helmed recent Peanuts specials for Apple TV+, the franchise continues to embrace its timeless appeal while relating more and more to modern audiences and the challenges they face.

]]> Mon, 14 Aug 2023 21:56:39 GMT https://www.cbr.com/snoopy-presents-one-of-a-kind-marcie-review/ The most terrifying antagonist reintroduced in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1 was the Gorn, the reptilian race that menaced Captain Kirk in a memorable episode of Star Trek: The Original Series. After being hinted at in the Strange New Worlds Season 2 premiere, the Gorn are back with a vengeance in the Season 2 finale, titled "Hegemony." Intense, though less overtly horror-driven than Strange New Worlds' previous encounter with the Gorn, Season 2 ends on a harrowing note that gives much of the main cast their due and ensures audiences will be waiting breathlessly for the series to return for its third season.

]]> Thu, 10 Aug 2023 19:31:24 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-season-2-episode-10-review/ Cartoonist Nathan W. Pyle's beloved alien webcomic series about extraterrestrials commenting on the eccentricities of daily human life has been adapted into an animated series on Apple TV+. Titled Strange Planet, the new show pairs Pyle with veteran television and animation writer/producer Dan Harmon to bring Pyle's work into a fresh medium while retaining much of its original charm. Unfolding in an anthology-style series, Strange Planet will likely delight any fans of the webcomic though the joke may take some getting used to for the uninitiated.

]]> Mon, 07 Aug 2023 13:00:17 GMT https://www.cbr.com/strange-planet-review/ Star Trek: Strange New Worlds nears the end of its second season with its biggest and most ambitious creative swing yet by making the season's penultimate episode a full-blown musical. Titled "Subspace Rhapsody," the episode stands as one of the longest in the entire series to date, giving it room to breathe and including eight original songs celebrating a variety of musical styles. While the idea of a Star Trek musical episode may not seem like everyone's cup of tea, "Subspace Rhapsody" fits within the wider story and character arcs, complementing Season 2's noticeably lighter tone.

]]> Thu, 03 Aug 2023 13:15:18 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-season-2-episode-9-review/ Four years after Prime Video's acclaimed adaptation of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's fantasy comedy Good Omens, much of the cast and crew return to continue the story for a second season. Reuniting Michael Sheen and David Tennant as the angel Aziraphale and demon Crowley, respectively, Good Omens Season 2 heightens the Heaven and Hell intrigue while still delivering the laughs. And though Good Omens Season 2 feels a bit more scattershot in its focus than the preceding season, the humor is as robust as ever while Sheen and Tennant both remain in fine form as divine best friends.

]]> Fri, 28 Jul 2023 16:57:00 GMT https://www.cbr.com/good-omens-season-2-review/ While keeping sight of important stakes, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 has been much lighter in tone than its preceding season, leaning into outright comedy on more than one occasion. This changes with the season's eighth episode, titled "Under the Cloak of War," a reminder of how intense and raw Strange New Worlds can be. Easily the darkest episode of the season and one of the darkest of the entire show, "Under the Cloak of War" puts its focus squarely on Joseph M'Benga.

]]> Fri, 28 Jul 2023 15:15:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-season-2-episode-8-review/ The Witcher Season 3, Part 2 saves the worst for last with three episodes that deliver a fair bit in the way of big battles but very little in the way of emotional beats, proving that Netflix's staggered release strategy isn't really sustainable. Or, at least, that it isn't sustainable for shows that aren't planned to be released in this fashion, which The Witcher Season 3 clearly wasn't.

]]> Fri, 28 Jul 2023 14:30:16 GMT https://www.cbr.com/witcher-season-3-part-2-review/ Right from its title, Hulu comedy-mystery series Only Murders in the Building puts some clear limits on its storytelling, and the third season shows a bit of strain as people keep getting murdered within the confines of upscale New York City apartment building the Arconia. Still, Only Murders in the Building weaves another intriguing mystery this season, and even when the plotting gets a bit unbelievable, the show is so full of amusing, well-drawn characters that it's always entertaining.

]]> Thu, 27 Jul 2023 19:32:16 GMT https://www.cbr.com/only-murders-in-the-building-season-3-review/ It’s been roughly 24 years since the first episode of Futurama hit FOX, introducing audiences to Philip J. Fry, Turanga Leela, Professor Farnsworth, Amy Wong, Hermes Conrad, Dr. Zoidberg, and, of course, Bender Bending Rodríguez. For four sci-fi slapstick-filled seasons, Futurama steadily offered some of the best parodies, character development, and pure comfort viewing. Moving out from the shadow of Matt Groening’s other series, The Simpsons, Futurama was a steady Sunday offering for those who wanted something different. Then the series was canceled.

]]> Thu, 27 Jul 2023 18:10:13 GMT https://www.cbr.com/futurama-season-11-premiere-review/ On paper, Twisted Metal, the long-running PlayStation franchise that started in 1995, would lend itself well to a televised adaptation. Each entry more or less adheres to a basic premise: Calypso, a seemingly omnipotent villain, runs a vehicle-based battle royale in which disparate characters vie for the title of sole survivor. Their reward? Calypso will grant them one wish, no matter how big.

]]> Thu, 27 Jul 2023 15:05:19 GMT https://www.cbr.com/twisted-metal-tv-series-peacock-review/ After a scattershot run of highs and lows over the past few weeks, Marvel Studio's Secret Invasion has reached its finale, and the result is perhaps the most disappointing episode of the series. The ending doesn't feel satisfying or conclusive. Instead of a culmination, Secret Invasion's finale feels like a final whimper, sinking to new lows and ultimately making the entire series feel like an exercise in futility.

]]> Wed, 26 Jul 2023 15:35:55 GMT https://www.cbr.com/secret-invasion-finale-review/ One of the biggest surprises to come out of San Diego Comic-Con 2022 is that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and its animated sister series Star Trek: Lower Decks would receive a crossover episode during Strange New Worlds Season 2. Paramount+ followed up on this announcement at this year's San Diego Comic-Con, with the early debut of the episode, titled "Those Old Scientists," nearly a full week ahead of schedule. Fortunately, the crossover does not disappoint, with the two shows fitting together seamlessly and providing another light-hearted adventure continuing Strange New Worlds' comedic sensibilities.

]]> Wed, 26 Jul 2023 15:01:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-season-2-episode-7-review/ The Dragon Prince has proven to be a strong epic for all audiences, willing to blend heavier topics with a light, family-friendly tone. While the first few seasons took time to find their footing, the show has really hit its stride. At its best, it can blend the two tones while providing a strong central storyline.

]]> Wed, 26 Jul 2023 13:15:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-prince-season-5-review/ The idea of a vulgar, adult-oriented Harley Quinn animated series initially seemed like a limited premise, but over the course of three seasons, the show has proved that it has far more to offer than shock value. Harley Quinn's fourth season continues to deliver rewarding character development, clever world-building, and an appealing cast of offbeat heroes and villains, along with plenty of naughty humor. While other superhero shows and movies often push darkness and tragedy, Harley Quinn goes in the other direction, and the result is one of the best and most consistently entertaining superhero shows on TV.

]]> Wed, 26 Jul 2023 01:18:13 GMT https://www.cbr.com/harley-quinn-season-4-review/ While past episodes in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 have veered into outright comedy and gripping legal drama, its latest episode, titled "Lost in Translation," takes on noticeable horror tones. Joining the proceedings is recurring cast member Paul Wesley as James T. Kirk though it’s Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) who takes center stage effectively this time around. Not as intense as Strange New Worlds Season 1's Gorn-centric episode, "Lost in Translation" delivers some scares along with Season 2’s lighter and more mythos-building sensibilities.

]]> Fri, 21 Jul 2023 17:37:34 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-season-2-episode-6-review/ The biggest and most sweeping original series current in Apple TV+'s growing library of television and film is Foundation. Adapting the enormously influential science fiction novel series of the same name by author Isaac Asimov, Foundation returns for its second season with even more accessibility than its inaugural outing. With the initial world-building and introduction of the majority of the main cast out of the way, Foundation Season 2 really leans both into the ambitious sci-fi spectacle and sheer freewheeling fun possible with the story that it’s continuing to tell.

]]> Wed, 19 Jul 2023 14:13:44 GMT https://www.cbr.com/apple-tv-foundation-season-2-review/ After nearly two years since its first season finale, the acclaimed pro-wrestling drama series Heels is back with its second season, heightening the stakes in and out of the ring. As delightfully messy with the interpersonal dynamics of its main characters as ever, Heels escalates the various rivalries and deteriorating relationships that make up the narrative's trashy heart. And for those that may not remember how the first season went down or are coming to the Starz original series brand-new, the season premiere is as readily accessible as it is entertaining.

]]> Fri, 14 Jul 2023 21:14:40 GMT https://www.cbr.com/heels-season-2-review/ Spock gets a visit from his future in-laws at the worst possible time in the latest episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2. Titled "Charades," the episode leans into the comedic possibilities of the character and gives series regular Ethan Peck a chance to mix things up in his portrayal of the iconic Vulcan. And though the premise may seem a bit wacky, with plenty of gags along the way, there is a genuine heart beating under the comical surface and serious character development for both Spock and Christine Chapel.

]]> Thu, 13 Jul 2023 22:23:17 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-season-2-episode-5-review/ With its fourth episode, "Beloved," Marvel's Secret Invasion finds its most firm footing yet, with a narrative that feels purposeful and motivated. However, the precarious structure it has built in prior episodes isn't sturdy enough to support the weight of Secret Invasion's ambition.

]]> Thu, 13 Jul 2023 13:00:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/secret-invasion-episode-4-review/ It's reductive to say that Prime Video's The Horror of Dolores Roach, starring Justina Machado, is a modern update of Sweeney Todd. Dolores Roach is that, sure, but it's much more, interpolating sharp commentary on gentrification, incarceration, and the sense that home is a fleeting thing subject to the whims of moneyed individuals who don't give a damn about anything other than the bottom line. Oh, and there's plenty of murder and cannibalism thrown in for good measure.

]]> Fri, 07 Jul 2023 14:30:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/the-horror-of-dolores-roach-review-tv-prime-video/ The early days of the Man of Tomorrow are gorgeously reimagined in the new animated series My Adventures with Superman, launching this July on Adult Swim and Max. Vibrantly realized in an anime-inspired animation style and boasting a lively voice cast, the new series is a great introduction of Superman to new audiences and a fresh twist on the superhero for longtime fans. With every episode moving at a breakneck pace yet finding the time to deliver heartfelt character development, My Adventures with Superman reinvigorates the Man of Steel's animated legacy.

]]> Thu, 06 Jul 2023 20:54:43 GMT https://www.cbr.com/my-adventures-with-superman-review/ One of the few planets Captain Christopher Pike visits in Star Trek: The Original Series is Rigel VII, the site of a disastrous mission that left him traumatized. Pike and the Enterprise crew return to Rigel VII in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, with a new twist that strips them to their basest elements. Titled "Among the Lotus Eaters," the episode balances high-flying space action and fantasy-oriented adventure on the ground while showcasing what makes each of its main characters so special.

]]> Thu, 06 Jul 2023 18:53:36 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-season-2-episode-4-review/ Max's crime-thriller limited series Full Circle features so many characters with such complicated relationships that it takes a few episodes to get a handle on who they are and how they connect. Even after viewers get their bearings, writer Ed Solomon and director Steven Soderbergh continue throwing in new twists and revealing new bits of backstory, tightening the complex web of connections among the characters. The effort proves worthwhile as the story comes together with satisfying payoffs to the various intersecting plans that the characters put into place.

]]> Thu, 06 Jul 2023 16:08:03 GMT https://www.cbr.com/full-circle-review/ With its third episode, "Betrayed," Marvel's Secret Invasion benefits from finally finding some semblance of narrative cohesion and momentum in its primary storyline, but the show as a whole continues to feel unfocused and disparately crafted.

]]> Wed, 05 Jul 2023 22:08:13 GMT https://www.cbr.com/disney-mcu-secret-invasion-episode-3-review/ Paul Wesley took on the role of Star Trek icon James T. Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1, or rather an alternate timeline version of the character in the Strange New Worlds Season 1 finale. Wesley reprises his role as Kirk in Strange New Worlds Season 2 as yet another alternate version in the season's third episode. Titled "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow," the episode pares down the usual Strange New Worlds' ensemble for a tighter team-up story across time and space, running the gamut of tones Season 2 has brought to the forefront to great effect.

]]> Thu, 29 Jun 2023 17:33:58 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-season-2-episode-3-review/ Season 3 of Netflix's The Witcher is finally here, bringing with it actor Henry Cavill's final performance as Geralt of Rivia before he is replaced by Liam Hemsworth. Before the show's premiere, showrunner Lauren S. Hissrich assured audiences that this season will provide Cavill with a heroic sendoff and please fans of Andrzej Sapkowski's novels by adhering more faithfully to the source material.

]]> Thu, 29 Jun 2023 14:44:24 GMT https://www.cbr.com/witcher-season-3-review/ After months of speculation about the future of the series, Superman & Lois closes out its third, and thankfully not final season, with a major showdown and its main ensemble each at personal crossroads. With scenes that not only pay off longstanding character arcs but building to a massive cliffhanger to close out the season, the Season 3 finale, ominously and accurately titled, "What Kills You Only Makes You Stronger," doesn't waste a minute of its runtime. With behind-the-scenes news of the series potentially significantly trimming its main cast for the planned fourth season, hopefully this finale won't whiff on the payoffs it sets up across the episode.

]]> Wed, 28 Jun 2023 22:23:57 GMT https://www.cbr.com/superman-lois-season-3-episode-13-review/ With its second episode, Marvel's Secret Invasion solidifies its identity as a part of the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe and as a series unto itself, for better or worse. While there are certainly some bright spots in this episode, it sees Secret Invasion's creative team doubling down on some of the biggest problems with the first episode in disappointing fashion. Already one-third of the way through the series, what should feel like the coalescing of Secret Invasion as a creative work feels increasingly disparate and incoherent.

]]> Wed, 28 Jun 2023 16:53:21 GMT https://www.cbr.com/secret-invasion-episode-2-review/ After a rousing reunion for its Season 2 premiere, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds moves to resolve its shocking cliffhanger from the Season 1 finale in this season’s second episode. Titled "Ad Astra Per Aspera," the sophomore episode gives Rebecca Romijn her grandest showcase as Una Chin-Riley yet as the Enterprise's Number One faces a Starfleet Command tribunal. Though largely staged like a courtroom drama, the episode is no less gripping and effective than any of the more cosmic adventures that the Enterprise normally embarks on as part of their exploration of the final frontier.

]]> Thu, 22 Jun 2023 19:22:44 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-season-2-episode-2-review/ It's been a few years since poor Kong got sucker punched by Godzilla. However, fans can go straight back into the MonsterVerse thanks to Netflix's Skull Island animated series. It's an eight-episode exploration of this mysterious lost world and the introduction of a new cast of characters. Surprisingly, while it does add something more to the Kong mythos, its greatest strength lies in the human characters -- and Dog.

]]> Thu, 22 Jun 2023 18:29:34 GMT https://www.cbr.com/netflix-skull-island-kong-review/ The seeds for Superman & Lois' upcoming fourth season are prominently planted in the third season's penultimate episode, which also deals with the fallout from Bruno Mannheim's defeat. Titled "Injustice," the episode finally provides the long-awaited debut of the show's version of Lex Luthor, played by Michael Cudlitz, who is poised to have a major role in the series moving forward. While building up Luthor as a truly intimidating threat, the episode also explores a strain between Superman and his sons.

]]> Wed, 21 Jun 2023 21:19:30 GMT https://www.cbr.com/superman-lois-season-3-episode-12-review/ The Walking Dead: Dead City's premiere episode, "Old Acquaintances," starts with a binocular shot of New York City, the unmistakable Empire State Building being consumed by vegetation along with the surrounding buildings. It's an almost serene vision of a silent, faraway place. But this is The Walking Dead's latest spinoff series, Dead City, and just a moment later, the binoculars moved down to espy a long procession of reanimated dead moving like a slow-motion marathon along the river. Holding the binoculars is Maggie (Lauren Cohan), last seen in The Walking Dead season 11, episode 24, "Rest in Peace, in which she seemed set on forging a new path in this post-apocalyptic world.

]]> Mon, 19 Jun 2023 02:00:16 GMT https://www.cbr.com/walking-dead-dead-city-review/ The latest addition to the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe, Secret Invasion, is a high-octane streaming series event that looks to blend the more fantastical science-fiction elements of the MCU into the political paranoia thriller wheelhouse the MCU has dabbled in before on projects like Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The first episode of the series has plenty of ambition but mixed results.

]]> Fri, 16 Jun 2023 21:49:54 GMT https://www.cbr.com/secret-invasion-premiere-review/ Written by George Kay, directed by Jim Field Smith, and starring international treasure Idris Elba, Hijack is the latest addition to Apple TV's stacked roster of under-the-radar series' made with real passion and craft.

]]> Fri, 16 Jun 2023 19:22:19 GMT https://www.cbr.com/hijack-premiere-review/ After a triumphant debut season last year, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds returns for its second season with an action-packed premiere episode. Titled "The Broken Circle," the season premiere encapsulates much of the second season's strengths and relative shortcomings as it brings its main ensemble back together. Fortunately, there are significantly more hits than misses with Strange New Worlds Season 2's big swings, signaling a continuation of what made the inaugural season so endearing to fans and critics alike.

]]> Thu, 15 Jun 2023 22:39:49 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-season-2-episode-1-review/ Boots Riley doesn't seem like the type of person who'd want to take on a Marvel or DC adaptation, but there are clearly a lot of superhero comic influences on his new Amazon Prime Video series I'm a Virgo. Riley filters those influences through his radical anti-capitalist perspective and skewed surrealist sensibility, as previously expressed in his 2018 feature film Sorry to Bother You. I'm a Virgo is also set in Oakland, California, at the intersection of political activism and magical-realist absurdity. Riley packs in a lot of both of those elements, making I'm a Virgo unwieldy but compelling and full of strange, unexpected twists.

]]> Wed, 14 Jun 2023 23:05:34 GMT https://www.cbr.com/im-a-virgo-review/ Going boldly where no show has gone before, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds made a splash with fans and critics alike when the series debuted last year, charting the adventures of Captain Christopher Pike and his Enterprise. Strange New Worlds Season 2 returns for its second season this June more confident and varied in its storytelling while going deeper with its main characters this time around. While some of the shifts in tone may catch audiences a bit off-guard, the growing likability of the ensemble cast and continued strength of the series overall is sure to have fans coming back for more.

]]> Tue, 13 Jun 2023 21:03:24 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-season-2-review/ The end of Superman & Lois Season 3, and potentially the entire series, looms on the horizon as the conflict with Bruno Mannheim and Onomatopoeia escalates. The season's eleventh episode, titled "Complications," lives up to its moniker as the Kent family faces issues on all fronts, both of the personal and supervillain variety. By balancing these crises, Superman & Lois leans into the emotional strengths it's known for, providing an episode that feels like a conclusive payoff, albeit perhaps a couple of episodes early.

]]> Wed, 07 Jun 2023 20:12:01 GMT https://www.cbr.com/superman-lois-season-3-episode-11-review/ Given the success of Hulu's Only Murders in the Building, it's not surprising that another comedy series is taking on true-crime podcasting, although Peacock's Based on a True Story takes a much darker approach to the subject matter. Based on a True Story places the main characters in a no-win situation that shifts from amusingly morbid to unpleasantly nasty without the range of quirky characters that makes Only Murders in the Building so enjoyable to watch. There's no mystery to solve on Based on a True Story, just two terrible people desperately exploiting the victims of a psychopath.

]]> Tue, 06 Jun 2023 15:05:13 GMT https://www.cbr.com/based-on-a-true-story-review/ The Kent family faces pressures from all sides as Superman & Lois Season 3 nears its climactic conclusion, from the family secret facing fresh scrutiny to its central villains reuniting. For all the super-powered action, the show maintains a clear focus on the Kents themselves, from Lois Lane's recovery to Clark Kent's parenting struggles. The season's tenth episode, titled "Collision Course," masterfully balances a number of subplots and avoids the melodramatic flourishes preceding episodes have suffered from.

]]> Wed, 31 May 2023 21:14:10 GMT https://www.cbr.com/superman-lois-season-3-episode-10-review/ Arnold Schwarzenegger and the action-comedy genre can't quit each other. Almost three decades after True Lies, the former Terminator actor revisits a similar formula in Netflix's FUBAR. The first season features eight episodes of guns and guffaws that don't venture too far from the expected.

]]> Thu, 25 May 2023 17:04:19 GMT https://www.cbr.com/fubar-season-1-review/ After nine seasons, The Flash has made its final run, closing out the series and the entire Arrowverse, where The CW's DCTV programming has maintained a shared continuity for the past decade. The series finale, titled "A New World, Part Four," concludes the four-part storyline that saw the show reexamine its history with a full-on supervillain reunion. It isn't a perfect episode, but The Flash delivers a satisfying finale, putting a solid cap on an uneven series.

]]> Thu, 25 May 2023 15:13:26 GMT https://www.cbr.com/flash-finale-review/ Superman & Lois Season 3 has introduced a villain in Bruno Mannheim that has as many personal stakes for John Henry Irons and his daughter Natalie as he does for the Kent family. The differences in how Clark Kent and John Henry address the threat Mannheim presents come to a head in the season's ninth episode, titled "The Dress," kicking off the third season's final act. Bringing more action than the preceding episodes, the episode gives Steel a slightly questionable character arc that may put off viewers as some unnecessary or forced friction between the heroes.

]]> Wed, 24 May 2023 22:36:52 GMT https://www.cbr.com/superman-lois-season-3-episode-9-review/ The Flash is down to its penultimate episode, poised to wrap up the series and the entire Arrowverse that unified The CW's DCTV programming for a decade. The third installment of the concluding storyline, titled "A New World," sets up its final confrontation with a time travel trip to 2049. However, like the episode preceding it, The Flash's usual bad habits continue to make this end run an uneven mess and squander the storyline's potential.

]]> Thu, 18 May 2023 17:34:28 GMT https://www.cbr.com/flash-season-9-episode-12-review/ It's always risky to take a breakout supporting character from a franchise and give them their own solo project. Sometimes you end up with Frasier, and sometimes you end up with Joey. Thankfully, XO, Kitty falls closer to Frasier on that spectrum. It's a mostly entertaining spin-off from Netflix's To All the Boys movies, although it loses some of its title character's charm when she's required to carry all the emotional weight. After three movies as the bubbly, snarky little sister of To All the Boys protagonist Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor), Kitty Song Covey (Anna Cathcart) is now a high school junior with complex romantic problems of her own.

]]> Wed, 17 May 2023 20:47:09 GMT https://www.cbr.com/xo-kitty-review/ One of the biggest cult horror comedy favorites from the '80s is Gremlins, which debuted as a feature film directed by Joe Dante in 1984. A prequel animated series is coming to Max to help launch the rebranded premium streaming service this May, titled Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai. Vibrantly animated and voiced by an all-star cast, Secrets of the Mogwai is a family-friendly gateway into the Gremlins franchise while retaining the same charm of the classic movies.

]]> Wed, 17 May 2023 19:38:48 GMT https://www.cbr.com/gremlins-secrets-of-the-mogwai-review/ Starting with 30 Rock, writer-producers Tina Fey and Robert Carlock have collaborated on an impressive string of comedy series, and Netflix's Mulligan takes their work in a new direction as their first animated series. Created by Carlock and the duo's longtime collaborator Sam Means, Mulligan features plenty of the layered, referential humor reminiscent of Fey-Carlock productions like 30 Rock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Great News, and Girls5eva, along with an expanded opportunity for world-building thanks to the possibilities of animation. Mulligan isn't quite as funny or instantly memorable as some other Fey-Carlock shows, but it makes a promising start that could eventually land it alongside the duo's best work.

]]> Fri, 12 May 2023 14:00:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/mulligan-tv-review/ The Flash continues its countdown toward its series finale, with Barry Allen transported away from the rest of Team Flash after being targeted by a resurgent Negative Speed Force. The ninth season's eleventh episode, titled "A New World, Part Two," focuses on the team's reaction to Barry's disappearance while enduring a harrowing attack from the Negative Speed Force. Running heavy on melodrama and edited together unevenly, the episode falls into The Flash's worst habits and stands as a major stumbling block on the way to the show's conclusion.

]]> Thu, 11 May 2023 17:55:54 GMT https://www.cbr.com/flash-season-9-episode-11-review/ After a rollercoaster ride of a season, the Titans series finale is finally here, closing out the superhero series that began in 2018. Though the season's overarching antagonist has been a mixed bag, particularly with the decision to hold off on the full heel turn until late into the season, the show gives each of its main ensemble one last chance to shine. Titled "Titans Forever," the series finale feels a bit rushed in trying to resolve so much and provide a sense of closure but does offer a happy ending of sorts along with a solid climactic set piece.

]]> Thu, 11 May 2023 16:09:27 GMT https://www.cbr.com/titans-season-4-episode-12-review/ As Superman & Lois Season 3 enters its final act, the battle lines are drawn and emotional stakes are higher than ever, not just for the Kent family but for those caught up in the ongoing struggle against Bruno Mannheim. The season's eighth episode, titled "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," shatters the fragile ceasefire and blossoming friendship between the families at the center of the story with heartbreaking implications. While the start of the episode is one of its weaker moments, it rapidly escalates and sets the stage for the last stretch of episodes.

]]> Wed, 10 May 2023 22:32:34 GMT https://www.cbr.com/superman-and-lois-season-3-episode-8-review/ The Titans series finale is within sight as the final season's penultimate episode sets up the climactic confrontation with the fiendish Brother Blood. Titled "Project Starfire," the episode features the longest runtime in the entire series, using them for some major payoffs while drawing the battle lines for its concluding showdown. Although the episode feels like it could've ultimately worked better shaving off a few minutes to improve its pacing and focus, there are enough solid moments to keep audiences from being overly preoccupied by the time.

]]> Fri, 05 May 2023 12:00:13 GMT https://www.cbr.com/titans-season-4-episode-11-review/ The Flash is coming to an end with a four-part storyline kicking off with the final season's tenth episode. Titled "A New World, Part One," the episode whisks Barry Allen away to a pivotal moment in his personal history while raising questions about alternate realities and timelines as a boatload of familiar faces return. The episode has some of the flaws that have held The Flash back in recent seasons, but revisiting where it all began is a genuine treat for longtime fans of the series.

]]> Thu, 04 May 2023 19:15:55 GMT https://www.cbr.com/flash-season-9-episode-10-review/ As Superman & Lois moves into the back half of its third season, the show takes a more emotionally focused interlude before diving into bombastic action set pieces. Despite this, the stakes remain as high as ever as the season continues to lean into more shocking plot twists while giving its principal cast the room to showcase their chops as the characters explore the fallout from their recent struggles. Titled "Forever and Always," the season's seventh episode leans more into the somberly contemplative reflection that has defined Season 3 while deftly balancing multiple subplots and character arcs.

]]> Wed, 03 May 2023 21:35:34 GMT https://www.cbr.com/superman-lois-season-3-episode-7-review/ The past several seasons of The Flash, including its ninth and final season, have been a decidedly mixed bag in regard to quality, with unfulfilling subplots and poor attempts at humor. It is then with great pleasure to report that the final season's ninth's episode, titled, "It's My Party and I'll Die If I Want To" is the best episode the show has had in years, certainly all season. Featuring the return of Arrow star Stephen Amell, reprising his fan-favorite role as Oliver Queen, the episode feels like a fitting dénouement to the Arrowverse and a reminder of the close friendship between Ollie and Barry Allen.

]]> Thu, 27 Apr 2023 20:51:26 GMT https://www.cbr.com/the-flash-season-9-episode-9-review/ Like its gripping first season, Netflix's Sweet Tooth Season 2 brings muffled answers, more questions, and plenty of wholesome adventures. Based on Jeff Lemire's DC comic book series and produced by Robert Downey Jr., Susan Downey, Amanda Burrell, Jim Mickle, and Linda Moran, the series follows a post-pandemic world where Last Men are hunting hybrids (a mix of animal and human children).

]]> Thu, 27 Apr 2023 20:13:36 GMT https://www.cbr.com/sweet-tooth-season-2-review/ Citadel has the potential to be a game-changing series. Created by David Weil with the Russo brothers serving as Executive Producers on the show, the action-thriller is the bedrock for a potential universe of spy thrillers made across the world, with spin-offs produced by Indian and Italian studios already in varying stages of production. For that to work, Citadel needs to be strong enough to spawn a franchise. While it may suffer from some of the same flaws that typically befall this genre, Citadel is luckily a fun enough time to warrant the chance, especially as it's anchored by a strong cast and fun central dynamic.

]]> Thu, 27 Apr 2023 19:06:52 GMT https://www.cbr.com/amazon-prime-original-citadel-tv-review/ After taking a fun-filled detour through the Red and the wider DC multiverse, Titans Season 4 focuses back on the continuing battle against Brother Blood and Mother Mayhem. Titled "Game Over," the episode takes the typically timid Sebastian Sanger and marks his unabashed transformation into a supervillain as the Titans regroup to stop him. Benefiting from a tighter focus than the first couple of episodes since Titans' midseason return, "Game Over" lays the foundation for the season's impending showdown and conclusion.

]]> Thu, 27 Apr 2023 17:25:53 GMT https://www.cbr.com/titans-season-4-episode-10-review/ Ever since the start of Superman & Lois Season 3, the Man of Steel and supporting cast have been menaced by the soundwave-altering supervillain Onomatopoeia as part of Bruno Mannheim's increasingly illicit activities. The season's sixth episode, "Of Sound Mind," reaffirms Onomatopoeia as an especially formidable threat and reveals her true identity in a shocking cliffhanger. More than just providing a thrilling showcase for Onomatopoeia, the episode lets Tyler Hoechlin lean more into the emotional aspect of his performance as even Clark Kent feels the toll of this season's overarching storyline.

]]> Wed, 26 Apr 2023 21:17:26 GMT https://www.cbr.com/superman-and-lois-season-3-episode-6-review/ Although it features a mysterious death at a fancy resort, with a range of wealthy guests who could all be suspects, Hulu's Saint X barely resembles HBO's hit The White Lotus. Adapted from Alexis Schaitkin's 2020 novel, Saint X takes place across two different time periods 20 years apart, one at an upscale resort on the fictional Caribbean island of Saint X, the other in present-day New York City. They're connected by the possible murder of teenager Alison Thomas (West Duchovny). The underwhelming mystery of her demise drags out over the course of the meandering eight episodes.

]]> Mon, 24 Apr 2023 16:00:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/saint-x-review/ Epix's From -- now available on MGM+ -- was an effectively creepy series in its first season. Focusing on the residents of a mysterious dilapidated town in the middle of nowhere, the series juggles solid character drama between the citizens trapped in the area and the terrifying sense of tension. At night, a group of vicious and perpetually grinning creatures walk the roads and try to make their way into houses to rip people to pieces. The danger only deepens in Season 2, with the season premiere, titled "Strangers in a Strange Land," working as a solid slow-burn of things to come.

]]> Fri, 21 Apr 2023 17:59:09 GMT https://www.cbr.com/from-season-2-premiere-review/ After an impressive streak standing heads and shoulders above its preceding two seasons, Star Trek: Picard has finally come to a conclusion with its third season finale. The series finale, titled "The Last Generation," brings together the Star Trek: The Next Generation crew as the last line of defense in saving Starfleet and the United Federation from total annihilation at the hands of the Borg Collective and Changeling conspiracy. With the longest episode of the entire season, the series ends on a high note, exceeding expectations with a cinematically satisfying capper to the adventures of Jean-Luc Picard and his longtime friends while leaving the door open for a possible future to explore.

]]> Thu, 20 Apr 2023 19:22:24 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-picard-finale-review/ The first half of Titans' fourth and final season concluded with Gar Logan being whisked away into the Red, the extra-dimensional force connecting all animal life in the multiverse and the source of his powers. This plot thread is picked up in the final season's ninth episode, cheekily titled "Dude, Where's My Gar?" and written by series co-creator Geoff Johns, his first writing credit on the show since the Season 3 premiere. What starts as a journey of self-discovery for Gar quickly escalates into a shocking revelation from his past before becoming a full-on celebration of the possibilities of the wider multimedia adaptations of the DC Universe in one of the best episodes Titans has ever had.

]]> Thu, 20 Apr 2023 15:36:58 GMT https://www.cbr.com/titans-season-4-episode-9-review/ After a season of false starts, Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni's The Mandalorian seemed to finally find its groove last week with "Chapter 23: The Spies". There was forward momentum, authentic character development, and huge Star Wars galaxy-altering stakes all wrapped up in a sleek package with some of the best action setpieces of the season. However, where "The Spies" ended on a cliffhanger ending that felt as if it left its characters and the audience dangling on the precipice of something new and exciting, the Season Three finale, "Chapter 24: The Return," does little to capitalize on this.

]]> Wed, 19 Apr 2023 14:00:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/mandalorian-season-3-finale-review/ It's morphin' time! After debuting three decades ago, the original Rangers team is back in the Netflix one-hour special episode Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once and Always. It's the ultimate slice of nostalgia; however, the absence of key actors from the show left a lot of questions surrounding how their characters would be treated. In the end, the special does exactly what the original series did: adapt.

]]> Wed, 19 Apr 2023 13:30:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/power-rangers-once-and-always-review/ Prolific television writers Tara Hernandez and Damon Lindelof link up to create the new Peacock original series Mrs. Davis, revolving around the clash between religion and artificial intelligence. Starring GLOW's Betty Gilpin as a wry and off-kilter nun named Sister Simone, the series blends crisis of faith drama and high-octane action with quirky self-aware humor. Expertly crafted, Mrs. Davis won't be everybody's cup of tea but stands as one of the more unique shows on television and a fantastic showcase for Gilpin's acting range.

]]> Tue, 18 Apr 2023 15:00:13 GMT https://www.cbr.com/mrs-davis-peacock-review/ The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are no strangers to TV. The four mutant brothers have been the stars of several shows, and every fan has their favorite take on the turtles. Back in 2012, Nickelodeon relaunched the marketable mutants in a CGI series that brought back classic animated series voice actor Rob Paulsen as Donatello while introducing Sean Astin as Raphael, Greg Cipes as Michelangelo, and Jason Biggs, who would later be replaced by Seth Green, as Leonardo. Some older fans feared this animated version would leave them in the dust and focus purely on younger audiences. Thankfully, they were wrong, and the show did a tremendous job balancing action, comedy, and emotional storylines that could be enjoyed by fans of any age.

]]> Fri, 14 Apr 2023 21:07:16 GMT https://www.cbr.com/tmnt-complete-series-review/ After coming out the gate with an oddly understated return, the two-part Titans midseason premiere for its fourth and final season continues with the season's eighth episode. "Dick & Carol & Ted & Kory" continues to focus on Dick Grayson, Kory Anders, and Rachel Roth as they try to escape from the pocket dimension community they're trapped in. Providing more of the expected superhero spectacle than its preceding episode, "Dick & Carol & Ted & Kory" still offers a strange detour for the show as its series finale looms increasingly closer on the horizon.

]]> Fri, 14 Apr 2023 19:52:29 GMT https://www.cbr.com/titans-season-4-episode-8-review/ Thanks to their accomplishments, the most successful stars often get to indulge in their personal passions. From Jay Leno's collection of classic cars to Nicolas Cage's infamous dinosaur skull, celebrities have the chance to indulge in their personal collections. But it's not necessarily as common to see these singular fascinations turn into something genuinely positive.

]]> Thu, 13 Apr 2023 21:01:17 GMT https://www.cbr.com/rennervations-season-one-disney-plus-review/ After closing out the first half of Season 4 this past December, Titans is back with a two-part midseason premiere resuming the HBO Max series' final season. Picking up right where the midseason cliffhanger left off, the Titans are at their lowest point following a disastrous defeat against the supernatural Church of Blood. The first episode of this two-part return is titled "Caul's Folly," gently resetting the board while struggling to give its ensemble cast things to do right out the gate.

]]> Thu, 13 Apr 2023 19:55:23 GMT https://www.cbr.com/titans-season-4-episode-7-review/ As the familiar Star Trek: The Next Generation crew are finally reunited and ready to save the United Federation from an overwhelming threat one last time, Star Trek: Picard reaches its penultimate episode. The full scope of the Changeling plot and the mystery behind Jack Crusher's true nature and unique abilities stand revealed while the Titan races to stop it from coming to fruition. Establishing dire stakes while tightening the narrative focus to the TNG cast, the season's ninth episode, titled "Vox," manages to stand on its own while setting the stage for the series' grand finale.

]]> Thu, 13 Apr 2023 14:58:43 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-picard-season-3-episode-9-review/ After veering into the small town drama of Smallville, Superman & Lois brings Lois Lane face-to-face with the villainous Bruno Mannheim as she and Clark Kent return to Metropolis. The confrontation is a long time coming but, not only is Mannheim fully prepared for the fearless investigative journalist, but he has an agenda of his own to escalate against the Man of Steel. The third season's fifth episode, titled "Head On," gives Bitsie Tulloch a wide range of material to work with, which she takes full advantage of, while balancing its small town elements led by Emmanuelle Chrique's Lana Lang.

]]> Wed, 12 Apr 2023 20:46:48 GMT https://www.cbr.com/superman-lois-season-3-episode-5-review/ In its penultimate episode, the third season of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni's The Mandalorian finally settles into the story it's been wanting to tell all along. While that certainly makes for a thrilling episode, with director Rick Famuyiwa's "Chapter 23: The Spies" being a clear highlight of the season, it is also immensely frustrating as it pertains to the overall storytelling of the season as a whole.

]]> Wed, 12 Apr 2023 15:58:48 GMT https://www.cbr.com/mandalorian-season-3-episode-7-review/ The final season of The Flash is rapidly approaching its conclusion, and with it, the ending of the Arrowverse for the foreseeable future, which is what makes installments like Season 9's eighth episode, titled "Partners in Time," all the more frustrating. The season feels like it's spinning its wheels rather than delivering any sense of scale or celebration for the show and its shared universe. The cast does their best with the material they've been given, but The Flash is definitely on a creative skid, as chapters like this feel like filler and aren't even particularly entertaining in the first place.

]]> Thu, 06 Apr 2023 19:12:50 GMT https://www.cbr.com/flash-season-9-episode-8-review/ Star Trek: Picard has officially entered the home stretch, with the core Star Trek: The Next Generation cast reunited and ready to take on the Changeling conspiracy together. After scrambling to get the season's opening antagonist Vadic on board the USS Titan for a face-to-face showdown with Jean-Luc Picard and his allies, the season's eighth episode delivers the inevitable payoff. Titled "Surrender," the episode is a top-to-bottom crowd-pleaser that knows when to lean into the fan service while advancing the overarching story ahead of the series finale.

]]> Thu, 06 Apr 2023 13:00:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-picard-season-3-episode-8-review/ After putting the focus on Lois Lane and her her shocking cancer diagnosis, Superman & Lois Season 3 broadens its perspective to the rest of its ensemble cast for its fourth episode. Titled "Too Close to Home," the episode gives most of the main characters solid material to work with, including the welcome return of Chad L. Coleman's villainous Bruno Mannheim. Like the preceding episode, Episode 4 veers into melodrama on occasion in finding directions for its supporting characters, but it feels much more balanced and organic here.

]]> Wed, 05 Apr 2023 21:49:06 GMT https://www.cbr.com/superman-lois-season-3-episode-4-review/ After a lethargic start, last week's episode five of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni's The Mandalorian finally got things moving with a story that coalesced many of the previously disparate threads and gave the overall season's story some much-needed forward momentum. This week's "Chapter 22: Guns for Hire" continues this progress, as director Bryce Dallas Howard delivers the most cohesive and thrilling episode of the season thus far, with a story that is reminiscent of Obi-Wan's noir-tinged subplot in Attack of the Clones, I, Robot, and Andrew Stanton's Wall-E. It's pulpy, ambitious, and highly entertaining.

]]> Wed, 05 Apr 2023 16:57:52 GMT https://www.cbr.com/mandalorian-season-3-episode-6-review/ After a brief hiatus, The Flash is back to continue its ninth and final season, bringing another fan-favorite character from the Arrowverse to join in with its farewell tour. Dreamer, from Supergirl, makes a guest-starring appearance in the season's seventh episode, titled "Wildest Dreams," with Nicole Maines reprising her superhero role. "Wildest Dreams" is a step up from most of the Season 9 episodes that have preceded it in a Nia Nal/Iris West-centric adventure.

]]> Fri, 31 Mar 2023 14:00:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/flash-season-9-episode-7-review/ Star Trek: Picard Season 3 embarks on its final act with the situation more dire for Jean-Luc Picard and his allies than ever as the Changeling conspiracy continues. As the season maneuvers Vadic and her minions to confront Picard directly for a more personal rematch, the pacing takes a hit, feeling a bit rushed and uneven. While the season's seventh episode, titled "Dominion," works as a showcase of the principal cast, it also has several characters make questionable decisions that could leave audiences puzzled by these errors in judgment.

]]> Fri, 31 Mar 2023 13:10:13 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-picard-season-3-episode-7-review/ The latest episode of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni's The Mandalorian is the strongest episode of the season thus far. While there are still some weak spots, Favreau's writing finally begins to coalesce into a forward-moving, present-tense story for the season, and Peter Ramsay's absolutely inspired direction capitalizes on this with aplomb.

]]> Wed, 29 Mar 2023 20:52:11 GMT https://www.cbr.com/the-mandalorian-season-3-episode-5-review/ Superman & Lois has been taking some big narrative swings ever since its third season began, most notably with Lois Lane being diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer in the season's second episode. The follow-up episode, titled "In Cold Blood," explores the fallout from this shocking news but also mires itself in the interpersonal drama between its main characters. This leads to some risky narrative moves and character decisions, some of which feel organic and earned, while some don't quite hit the mark as they steer Superman & Lois into outright melodrama for the sake of interpersonal friction.

]]> Wed, 29 Mar 2023 19:32:08 GMT https://www.cbr.com/superman-and-lois-season-3-episode-3-review/ With its two-part finale of "The Summit" and "Plan 99," Jennifer Corbett and Dave Filoni's Star Wars: The Bad Batch delivers a jaw-dropping ending to its stupendous second season that makes the season as a whole even stronger. In a media landscape full of sequels eager to namedrop The Empire Strikes Back as a source of inspiration, The Bad Batch's second season truly earns the title of being the Empire of this series.

]]> Wed, 29 Mar 2023 15:16:07 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-wars-bad-batch-season-2-finale-review/ Available on Apr. 4, South Park: The Complete Twenty-Fifth Season is releasing at an interesting point in the show's history. Debuting in 1997, South Park has been a foundational piece of modern western comedy for decades. In the years since its debut, South Park's creators have been met with plenty of awards and acclaim, with no clear end in sight. In 2021, the show was renewed through Season 30, with the promise of over a dozen original made-for-streaming movies in the near-future. Befitting that split focus, Season 25 is shorter than previous years of the show, playing out across six episodes as opposed to earlier seasons.

]]> Tue, 28 Mar 2023 19:01:37 GMT https://www.cbr.com/south-park-the-complete-season-25-review/ The first season of Apple TV+ musical comedy series Schmigadoon! told such a satisfying self-contained story that there seemed to be no reason for the show to continue. Schmigadoon!'s second season never quite justifies its existence narratively or thematically, but it's still a delightful pastiche of classic musicals from creators Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. The loving homage to musical theater is so funny and creative that it's easy to ignore the weaker storytelling and character arcs in the second season.

]]> Tue, 28 Mar 2023 16:36:26 GMT https://www.cbr.com/schmigadoon-season-2-review/ Developed by Bill Lawrence, Brett Goldstein, and the series star, Jason Segel, Shrinking Season 1 bridges a riveting gap between comedy and drama as it explores grief and moving forward. From the first episode to the final few moments of the tenth, the series asks its audience to pay close attention to what therapy entails and how the consequences of one person's actions could open barred floodgates back up.

]]> Mon, 27 Mar 2023 21:00:22 GMT https://www.cbr.com/shrinking-season1-review/ Across the collection programming making up Star Trek's resurgence on Paramount+, one of the most widely acclaimed is the inaugural season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Led by Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike, the first season has finally released on home video, including a standard Blu-ray, DVD and digital HD release, with a gorgeous steelbook 4K UHD available for preorder ahead of its release in May. Loaded with special features and with an impressive presentation for those looking to add Strange New Worlds to their shelf, the home video release is perfect for longtime fans and those who may have missed the series' debut on Paramount+ last year.

]]> Thu, 23 Mar 2023 19:09:13 GMT https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-season-1-blu-ray-review/