This Week in TV: Magic & Time Travel

Last Week Tonight

S04 E04 Dalai Lama.

As should be known, every episode of Last Week Tonight is a must watch for the insight and information that they shine on many different issues. This week the main topic was the Dalai Lama with a focus on his drama with the Chinese government. In typical John Oliver fashion, the twist when he truly dives into the issue is that he actually goes to India. He goes and meets the Dalai Lama and we get a really interesting look into what the Dalai Lama does. We all know he is good at being wise but learning more about his history and future was enlightening. Apparently, China has kidnapped his progeny and hidden him for 20 years. Wow, China! The political aspects of their relationship are intriguing and it is something to see how this unfolds in the future.

The Magicians

S02E07 Plan B

This week’s episode of The Magicians was quite different from what we usually happen in the season. Most times we focus on the main storylines and events that happen to progress it. We slowly learn that each of our main stories is in need of money and through that, all of the cast comes together to rob a bank. This is the first time in the show that we have seen all of the characters come together to work together and it, therefore, becomes an ensemble episode which showcases each one of their strengths. Whether it is Elliot’s physical magic or Kady’s battle magic every different type of magic is needed and pushes the story forward. Teamwork is something that they show has lacked during this season as everyone seemingly has their own focus and while interesting, the lack of ensemble has been obvious.

Another cool aspect of the show was all the different type of magical gadgets and types of magic that was used. From a disco ball that turns the area, it is a forced dance party, gravity belt, or time travel, the episode leans into the magic in a way that makes the 40 minutes you spend in the world truly exciting. Another great part of the episode was they way they injected various music into certain moments. The best had to be hearing Skrillex and Damien Marley’s “Make it Bun Dem” over Penny as he is stealing the gold bars. Overall this was a really good episode because we got to see the different types of magic and explore the world in a new way that we hadn’t seen in the show.

Legion

S01E05 Chapter 5

If you aren’t watching this show then I don’t want to say anything about just give it a try and let the craziness of the show wash over you. This is one those shows that I don’t think I should talk about till the season is over because there are so many levels happening in the show. From what is believed reality or thinking about if what we are being shown is real. So far in the show, all of these rules have been broken and it is only the 5th episode. The show takes risks in ways that are unusual. Whether it be in using different aspect ratios for the film we are seeing to tell the story, color and how it sets the tone and even just not knowing if what we are seeing is a reality, a dream another reality or something else entirely. I don’t want to say too much because even as I watched the episode everything I believed was flipped and it happens almost every episode. Take the leap and check it out for just quality TV.

PILOT REVIEWS

Feud

This show is set up as a dive into old Hollywood and viewing the so-called ‘feud’ between Betty Davis and Joan Crawford. 2 Hollywood legends that supposedly were not the best of friends. What we are shown is an interesting look into the lives of Hollywood in the early 1960’s. These 2 females were dealing with the oppression of females and the fact that no one wanted older female actors at this time. The characters are fully fleshed out through seeing them at their peaks showing off, to at home on their own. My knowledge of the actual history behind this story is lacking and that is the only issue that I had with the show. While what we are seeing is interesting, they are somewhat shown without context to the larger world and what is happening around them. For them, they are the most important thing and that truly comes through. Personally, I just couldn’t attach myself when they talked about their history and what their careers were but I got enough to get me intrigued.

The show boasts an amazing costume and set design. We get transported to what is the end of the studio system in Hollywood but everything is just as glamorous and beautiful as it might have been. We get designer houses and beautiful gardens and everything we see are just a little bit exaggerated but it is clear there is a level of reality. The costume designs are also breathtaking, all of the ladies are dressed to the 10’s and there are an elegance and style that is evident. These parts of the show are obvious even before we see a second of the actual show and that comes from the opening credits in the style of Saul Bass. It flows with an elegance and danger that is what the show is and completely encompasses the show in 1 minute.

If you are a fan of old cinema you should definitely check it out.

Making History

This show is absurdity as its best and worst. While it boasts and interesting premise of time travel it seems more interested in showcasing the menial simple jokes instead of carefully making a statement about anything. The main character Dan is a simpleton and it shows throughout the whole show. From using Celine Dion and Tom Cruise as jokes it touches the surface in a way of grabbing a wide audience but doesn’t dive into the water to create quality comedy in the show. Also, the main character is really just silly. He believes he has changed history based on one man’s eating habits and a sign. The show is very basic and doesn’t really hold much up for one to say that this is showcasing something new about time travel. What we get is very much the white man using his skills to impress the unintelligible and while some of the modern day references in olden times are fun it doesn’t do much to challenge the viewer or make them understand the different levels of this show.

If you are a fan of time travel maybe try it out. It’s only 22 minutes but also maybe not.

Time after Time

Another time travel show and no you didn’t just enter a time loop. This show instead of sending modern day to the past brings characters from the 1800’s to the modern world. The twist which makes it cool for a book nerd like me is that the time machine was created by H.G. Wells and he is chasing Jack the Ripper in the modern day. There is both this old-timey feel that matches well with the modern day aesthetics. We are shown our world through the eyes of Wells and while there is a lot of wonderment there is also disappointment from his utopian perspective. The pilot is a 2 episode one and the 90 minute run time truly allows for a full story to be showcased and the world to be fleshed out as we now get into the week to week format.

In my opinion, the strength of this show so far is more than the premise but its look at our world through multiple perspectives. All of the main characters are allowed to show their ideas and from that, we can understand their perspective so there is no right and wrong. Well maybe the guy trying to kill people is slightly worse but there is an understanding to him and while he shouldn’t be redeemed there is a certain modern day touch to him that makes him feel as if he was comfortable to our modern day. The Wells that we meet has not written any of the books that he is known for so my hope for the show is that either we get to spend this season or future seasons, jumping through many of his future books and get to understand one way that this man had such wild stories for the time.