Front Row Nerds

#5. LAUREL LANCE’S MEMORIAL (ARROW)

Laurel Lance’s tribute monument as shown in Arrow 5x01, Legacy.

While there is a lot to tell about how Arrow constantly shows poor respect both for Laurel Lance (Katie Cassidy) and the Black Canary, seeing a statue of her, with her identity revealed to the city was heart-warming. Despite the interruption and the honestly disappointing promise between Laurel and Oliver, the monument itself feels like a decent tribute. 

Of course, this opens so many questions concerning Laurel Lance’s future in the Arrowverse. As you might have heard, Katie Cassidy was promoted to series regular across all the shows in this universe. While we know there’s a lot of space for flashbacks and Black Siren (Laurel’s Earth-2 Counterpart on The Flash), we hope we get to see our beloved Earth-1 original Laurel again. After all, this is Sci-fi, anything can happen.

Wouldn’t it be hilarious if Laurel was to come back to life and the whole city knew who the Black Canary is? 

#4. PENGUIN RESCUES THE RIDDLER (GOTHAM)

Cobblepot rescuing Nygma out of Arkham in Gotham 3x03, Look Into My Eyes.

No one is going to argue when we say that this is the funniest, most entertaining duo on Gotham. The chances of you being bored when these two characters are on screen together are slim. It’s clearly much better when they’re both on the loose. Oswald (Robin Lord Taylor) managed to break Edward (Cory Michael Smith) out of Arkham and we couldn’t be more excited to see if they get some murderous action on. I mean, just because you’re running for mayor, doesn’t mean you can’t go around killing people, not in Gotham City, it doesn’t!  If anything, murder qualifies you (that’s why this city needs a man dressed like a giant bat to fight crime in the first place).

It was a matter of time before this happened. Anyone with common sense would realize that holding the early Riddler in Arkham would be a waste; and it’s not like Cobblepot wouldn’t remember that he would be dead without Nygma’s help. Someday, someone better tell Bruce Wayne the story of this everlasting bromance.

#3 WHERE IS IRIS? (THE FLASH)

Barry Allen realizing he messed it up again in The Flash 3x01, Flashpoint.

Ah, well. The cliffhanger of the Season premiere was a relief. When it’s been announced that Flashpoint was not going to last long, we can sincerely say it was a delusion. However, having now seen this ending, we can tell that while the Flashpoint timeline has been erased, effects of Barry’s time-travel journey are still present.

The episode had felt enjoyable overall up to the end, but the ice on the cake was definitely the shocking moment, when Barry (Grant Gustin) came back to the supposedly original timeline and found out Iris (Candice Patton) and Joe (Jesse L. Martin) did not speak. This opens so many doors and there’s ways in which the show can use it to its advantage. You can see a little bit of Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker) from this timeline in the trailer for next episode - Killer Frost might be on its way! - and Iris herself might get a better storyline. Some of the characters on The Flash started to feel incredibly flat by the end of Season 2 and switching this up might help the show in terms of narrative.

Bonus: in case you didn’t know, the lovely Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) gets to help Barry figure out what is happened,  and they’re always such a fun duo, so it’s a yes from us! And if that wasn’t enough to make us love the new timeline, Tom Felton makes his Flash debut next week! It’s a good thing they decided to spice up the show a bit, after the promising Season 2 ended up being only half as good as it seemed to.

#2 IT’S A BIRD? NO, IT’S THE MAYOR! (ARROW)

Oliver Queen doing some badassery in Arrow 3x01, Legacy.

Did you see it? Now that was a fantastic scene on this week’s Arrow! If you missed it, well, you might regret it. For the television standards of CGI sequences, Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) shooting arrows while crashing towards possible death was absolutely breathtaking! If there’s one thing we miss from Season 1 of Arrow (which was often referred to in this episode, by the way) is scenes like this one!

Especially in this moment, when The CW is filled with superheroes that have incredible powers, can alter timelines or destroy the earth if they get moody, Oliver Queen needs this boost. He needs scene that prove that he can compete, and that in the upcoming crossovers, he’s not going to be outshined by his apparently more powerful allies. You know how they often joke, in the Arrowverse, about Oliver having nothing but a bow and arrow? In this supernatural reality, it’s about time that they show just how much he can do with just that.

We hope that this sequence was not a one-time geeky moment and that there’ll be more to follow. Otherwise, what is he going to do in the crossover episodes? Be the grumpy dad of the group no one listens to? That would be amusing, but no, thanks, give us basic humans a chance to shine too!

Update: You can catch a glimpse of the upcoming four-nights crossover in the new DC’s Legends of Tomorrow trailer!

#1 WHO’S THE VILLAIN NOW? (THE FLASH)

Eobard Thawne being a pretty dope villain in The Flash, 3x01, Flashpoint.

Comic book fans definitely got that reference. When the idea that the show was going to swim in the waters of Flashpoint, the reaction has been strong and while we’ve know for a while that the alternate timeline would not last too long, it’s been good to have such a strong reference to the comics.

The Flash’s antagonist, Eobard Thawne (Matt Letscher) has a very fascinating role in this story: since he comes from the future, he has more knowledge of the future Barry we could wish to possess ourselves. The question of who’s the villain now finds its roots in the struggle of Barry Allen and his moral compass. While he is a good person at heart, time itself and life put him through a (occasionally ridiculous) amount of pain; being he human despite his powers, he is allowed to snap and commit to selfishness.

Of course, since a selfish hero cannot be rewarded, the damage he has done haunts him and he starts forgetting about the original timeline, all as a consequence of his choice to save his own mother after his father was killed too. So, you see, even with no evil intention behind his actions, Barry becomes the villain of his own story. With his own hands, he has created this world where the lives of the people he loves have changed mostly for the worst.

Therefore, that was both a fantastic comics moment and a chance for someone to point out that Barry does not always act for the best and can’t always see the consequences of his actions in the long run despite having been wrong before. You win this one, Eobard!

These were our picks for Top 5 DCTV Moments of the Week! Do you agree with our chart? Do you have other favorites from the episodes? Let us know in the comments below!

Jingle All the Way (1996)

Perusing through movie reviews, I was surprised to see just how much critics hated Arnold Schwarzenegger's Christmas film, "Jingle All the Way." Was it incredibly corny? You better believe it. Was it also entertaining in the campiest way? Absolutely!

The film pits two fathers against one another as they battle it out in an attempt to acquire a Turbo-Man doll for their respective sons. Ultimately a tale of personal and social growth, the antics of Sinbad and Arnold are enough on their own to entertain a small child or an adult that just likes to laugh.

Films of this nature receive poor reviews from the critics but are actually very well received by their respective audiences, myself included. Next time you’re looking for a good laugh around Christmas time, check this movie out. It’s even better if you’ve got a family to watch it with.

Secret Window (2004)

Most movies based off of works by Stephen King receive mixed reviews, and “Secret Window” is no exception to that rule. Based on the book by the same name, the movie adaptation follows Mort Rainey (Johnny Depp) through his struggle with writer’s block, a divorce with his wife and a stalker named John Shooter (John Turturro) who appears to be harassing him for plagiarizing one of his stories.

While the plot develops and people start to die, it becomes more and more obvious exactly what is going on. As a rule, I never spoil important plot points, but suffice it to say that psychosis is an element of the plot.

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While initially the film appears to be about the usual pains of divorce, it evolves into something much more sinister.

Some reviews have claimed that “Secret Window” was one of Johnny Depp’s least impressive roles in quite some time, but that seems a tad unfair to me. Sure, he’s no Jack Sparrow, but the character he portrays (Mort) has a considerably different background and needn’t use Depp’s characteristic oddness to work. Overall, the movie is still worth seeing if you’re into psychological thrillers.

Demolition Man (1993)

A single phrase describes exactly what “Demolition Man” really is: a cult classic. In the dystopian future, where violence has been eliminated from society, a career criminal is taken out of cryogenic containment (i.e. defrosted) to serve parole. Unfortunately, the peaceful future is criminally unprepared for his psychotic nature.

Cue the unfreezing of the man that arrested,   our antagonist, Simon Phoenix (Wesley Snipes) to handle the job. Spartan (Sylvester Stallone) is the only one man enough to take him down…again. Although some elements of the film harken back to what can only be defined as a cheesy 90s action flick, the movie’s setting is well remembered by its viewers.

Oddly enough, the film did very well at the box offices despite receiving fairly mixed reviews. Metacritic was particularly harsh, awarding it only 34/100. It’s just another example of a film where you can’t trust reviews: you should see it for yourself. I can guarantee you’ll never think of the future the same way again.

Starship Troopers (1997)

As an unfortunate example of a film that should not have had sequels, “Starship Troopers” does a pretty good job on its own. Featuring a very different dystopian view of the future than “Demolition Man,” this film sets humans against an army of space “bugs” that appear to be invading human territory.

Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien) is tasked with becoming a citizen by serving in the military and fighting against the "bug" incursion. Along the way, he earns his place amongst a ragtag group of other soldiers in the Mobile Infantry and eventually becomes the leader of the "Roughnecks," the first platoon to which he was assigned.

For a movie based on a book that was pretty much Starcraft before Starcraft, the film does pretty well. When our heroes aren’t fighting an army of space bugs, they’re engaged in semi-witty dialogue, somewhat shallow character development, and cleverly hidden political satire (the element most pervasive throughout the movie by far).

I’ve seen the movie far too many times and each viewing is just as fun as the last, although some scenes may not be the most appropriate for children (which I when I first saw it!)

A Night at the Roxbury (1998)

If there was ever a movie that proved a stupid movie can be great, “A Night at the Roxbury” is that movie. Essentially a movie adaptation of a bad Saturday Night Live sketch, “A Night at the Roxbury” takes a usually brief window of comedy and turns it into a full feature film.

This satirical film follows Steve (Will Ferrell) and Doug Butabi (Chris Kattan) in their sad attempt to gain entry into the Roxbury club, find wives and eventually start their own night club.

There’s not much more to the plot than that; this is an example of a movie that’s so bad, it’s good. Most scenes are pretty awkward, but the movie is well remembered for doing its own thing and just not caring. If you’re in the type of mood where you’re not feeling too judgmental, give this film a try and have a few laughs. Plus, you’ll finally get what all those “What is Love” memes are based on.

Feel like we missed something? Is there a movie you really like, but the critics don’t seem to agree? Let us know your views in the comments below!

About the Guest Author: Cassie is a movie lover, security specialist and all around entertainment enthusiast. She loves to disagree with the critics from time to time and hopes that you’ll consider branching out every once in a while.

Read other relevant posts by Cassie here and here.

STILLS

Viola Davis

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[Left to Right] Aja Naomi King and Jack Falahee

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[Left to Right] Aja Naomi King and Jack Falahee

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[Left to Right] Aja Naomi King, Karla Souza and Jack Falahee

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[Left to Right] Aja Naomi King, Jack Falahee and Matt McGorry

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Viola Davis

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Conrad Ricamora

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Aja Naomi King

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Karla Souza

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Jack Falahee

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Alfred Enoch

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Matt McGorry

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[Left to Right] Lauren Luna Vélez (Guest) & Chet Grissom (Guest)

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SYNOPSIS

With her job on the line, Annalise fights back against the Middleton University Board. Meanwhile, secrets are exposed as the Keating 5 compete to take on the case of a battered woman accused of murdering her husband, on “How to Get Away with Murder,” THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC.

Stills/Synopsis: ABC/Seat42F

STILLS

Kylie Bunbury

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Kylie Bunbury

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[Left to Right] Kylie Bunbury and Mark-Paul Gosselaar

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[Left to Right] Meagan Holder and Mo McRae

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[Left to Right] Meagan Holder and Mo McRae

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Mo McRae

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Kylie Bunbury

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Kylie Bunbury

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Kylie Bunbury

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[Left to Right] Mo McRae and Meagan Holder

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Kylie Bunbury

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SYNOPSIS

Ginny attempts to fit in with the team, in spite of a sexist comment Al made about her years ago resurfacing. Meanwhile, Mike comes to terms with the mortality of his career and the end of his marriage, and Blip deals with fallout from Evelyn defending him to the media. Find out what happens Thursday, September 29th at 9/8c on FOX!

Stills: FOX/iMDB

Synopsis: FOX/Spoilers Daily

How this works: “The best and worst” is a series following each episode of Monday Night RAW, SmackDown Live and NXT. Here we will list the top moments of each night, as well as the bottom. By the end of the post, we will accumulate each point and decide whether or not the good outweighs the bad or vice versa. So, let’s begin!

THE BEST:

Heath Slater and Rhyno & American Alpha vs The Usos and The Ascension

Half of these tag teams aren’t quite the most credible in the game. However, SmackDown aims to make sure that that stigma is removed. Thankfully, in this match the lack of credibility behind Heath Slater and Rhyno as well as The Ascension doesn’t come out very clearly as both teams are treated like genuine threats in this match. The eight-man tag is a brilliant match. With fairly tense booking and great story progression, this tag match does wonders for all four pairings, something that isn’t so easy to do. With The Usos and American Alpha enhancing their feud, as well as the other two teams coming off strong, it’s safe to say that SmackDown did everything right with the men in this match.

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Nikki Bella & Naomi vs Carmella and Natalya

Okay, so I’m not a huge fan of Carmella constantly getting the upperhand and Nikki Bella constantly losing/look weak - but I’d be lying if I said this match wasn’t enjoyable. From the very beginning to the end we see each woman get her time in the spotlight. From Naomi’s humorous tactics to Carmella and Natalya’s villainous ways, this tag match sets the tone for the coming weeks.

We’ve seen Carmella constantly hide away and try to get in sneak attacks, whereas this week she is thrown right into the mix. This addition of Carmella forces the audience to get to know her character. We’re seeing Carmella as a genuine force to be reckoned with, and that is something I can’t help but admire. The Princess of Staten Island deserves to be shown as a talented wrestler, rather than just a woman with good booking. And this match proves that both of those statements are very valid.

The Miz & Dolph Ziggler set up a match

Now this was the highlight of the show! Over the past month or so, The Miz and Dolph Ziggler have had a feud over the Intercontinenta Title. And whilst most of us hate to admit it, they’ve truly been killing it the entire time. Both men come from a few years of being disrespected by the audience and the company they work for. So with either man being placed on SmackDown, they’re now being given the opportunity to prove all of us wrong. And even if you haven’t tuned into a single moment of theirs and only saw what went on tonight, then you’ll definitely be on the bandwagon, no questions asked.

The fire and passion on either end of this segment is unreal. Both The Miz and Ziggler are proving week by week that they are two extremely talented guys and deserve the respect from the audience - which they 100% have earned.

The idea of having Ziggler put his career on the line feels as though it’s been something that’s been built up for months - even before the draft took place. Ziggler has constantly gone on about his passion for the business yet has rarely received credentials to back that up. So with all of this pent up anger and frustration, it easily collides with The Miz’s arrogant nature and pride. For those not invested in either man, this story will change that. And even as a bigger fan of The Miz, I can’t help but for Ziggler, someone I’ve never really been a support of.

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Dean Ambrose vs AJ Styles (WWE Championship Match)

If you were ever bored of seeing Dean Ambrose in the main event picture, well then much like the Ziggler/Miz situation, this should have undoubtedly changed your mind! Ambrose has passion, and he has intensity levels to really get the crowd going. And when combined with the work of the phenomenal AJ Styles and the powerhouse that is John Cena, it’s practically impossible to not love this match.

Ambrose is coming off of the heels of a devastating title loss and the constant reminder that he simply isn’t good enough. From the likes of his competitors and even legends such as Stone Cold, Ambrose isn’t able to catch himself a break. And that’s exactly what he needs. Styles and Cena are two of professional wrestling’s greatest talents. And by simply being in the same ring as them, one is immediately taken seriously. However, it is also very easy to be outshone. So what SmackDown is doing is attempting to get the crowd invested in Ambrose as much as they can. Whether that’s to get them angry at him for attacking the crowd favourite in Cena, or to get them to appreciate him for being against the ultimate villain in Styles, SmackDown know what they’re doing with Dean Ambrose. And through this tweener-like persona, it’s almost as if Dean Ambrose is receiving a resurgence in his character development.

THE WORST:

Alexa Bliss attacking Becky Lynch

Whilst Alexa Bliss definitely showed some aggression with this attack, the whole thing felt misplaced and lazy. When the SmackDown Women’s champion Becky Lynch came out, we weren’t exactly made aware of what it was she came out to do - until after the show in a Fallout video only available online. And even when Tom Phillips tells us that Lynch was supposed to compete in a match, who exactly was she supposed to fight? All of the other women already competed, and it’s not as if there were any women in the ring anyway, so what really was the point of Lynch coming out?

A better option would’ve been for Becky to be interviewed backstage and then attacked by Alexa. At least then, even if it may still be pretty small, the idea makes sense.

Randy Orton finding Bray Wyatt

I’ll be honest, I was liking this for the majority of it. That was, until the ending. Everything felt creepy and made me invested in Bray Wyatt a little more than usual, but the final moments of it came across as cheesy and overdone.

I understand the need to give Randy Orton that insane vibe, but the production of this felt very odd. From the production to the weird performance, I just couldn’t buy into it.

RATING: 8/10

SmackDown definitely overcame its predecessor this week (no shock there). From well developed storylines to great performances, it was almost on its way to being a perfect show. The only changes would be to give better context for Becky’s presence, allow Nikki to get the upperhand and to have better performances/production value on Orton’s segment..

What did you think of SmackDown this week? Let us know your views in the comments below!

STILLS

Morocco Omari

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[Left to Right] Sierra McClain (Guest) and Bryshere Gray

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Trai Byers

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[Left to Right] Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson

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Taraji P. Henson

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Terrence Howard

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[Left to Right] Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson

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Taye Diggs (Guest)

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[Left to Right] Taraji P. Henson and Ta'Rhonda Jones

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[Left to Right] Terrence Howard and Taye Diggs (Guest)

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[Left to Right] Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson and Taye Diggs (Guest)

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[Left to Right] Taye Diggs (Guest) and Jussie Smollett

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Taraji P. Henson

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Jussie Smollett

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[Left to Right] Taye Diggs (Guest), Jussie Smollett and Taraji P. Henson

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[Left to Right] Taraji P. Henson and Jussie Smollett

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SYNOPSIS

In an attempt to cope with life after being shot, Jamal teams up with businessman Angelo Dubois (guest star Taye Diggs), to talk about gun violence and host a summit for awareness. When he tries to perform again, things don’t go as planned. Meanwhile, Lucious attempts to win over Cookie, Hakeem starts to record new songs with Shine, and Andre runs into some trouble with the police in the all-new “Sin That Amends” episode of EMPIRE airing Wednesday, Sept. 28 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

Stills/Synopsis: FOX/Seat42F

How this works: “The best and worst” is a series following each episode of Monday Night RAW, SmackDown Live and NXT. Here we will list the top moments of each night, as well as the bottom. By the end of the post, we will accumulate each point and decide whether or not the good outweighs the bad or vice versa. So, let’s begin!

THE BEST:

TJ Perkins vs Tony Nese / Cedric Alexander & Rich Swann vs Lince Dorado and Drew Gulak

Any time the Cruiserweights are on television we’re bound to see something good - so it’s a good thing we were given the chance to see them twice! Both the tag match and the singles match proved that the Cruiserweights, despite their height/weight, can hang with the big boys! 

What I appreciate the most is that TJ Perkins, our Cruiserweight champion, is expected to carry the entire division to new heights. And though his work is definitely at a good level, his fellow competitors are proving that he doesn’t need to do that alone. All six men that we saw tonight stood tall, and all six deserve to be respected (and not receive chants about a fighter from UFC that does not care for you!).

Now onto the negatives, which is, literally everything else….

THE WORST:

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Sheamus and Cesaro

I love Cesaro, and I completely respect the work of Sheamus also, but what RAW is doing right now is not working. Whilst the tag team combination of the two may work in the long run, right now it isn’t the way forward. And despite the intense level of talent on either end, the fact of the matter is, RAW made the decision to add the fatigue from the audience by inventing the Best of 7 series. A series of seven (almost) consecutive matches in which the most predictable ending to 6/7 of the matches took place, and this forced the audience to simply not care for the feud. So what the red brand decided to do was place both men in the same tag team - because if people didn’t care about them before, they’re miraculously expected to care now.

The idea of putting these two together isn’t bad. But placing them as a tag team right after making the audience hate the sound of their theme music was not the right choice. Both men can work well with many random people (the Swiss Superman’s combination with Tyson Kidd is an apt example), but doing so after making us roll our eyes at them was a poor decision. 

Both men are extremely talented and deserve way better…

Sasha Banks having a rematch and Bayley fighting a local competitor

For some reason, after Sasha Banks failed to capture the RAW Women’s championship at Clash of Champions, it somehow makes sense to give her another rematch. Not only does it make no sense for Sasha to get a rematch for the title after she very fairly lost it the first time, but it’s almost a spit in the face to every other woman on RAW right now. Sasha has been in the title picture since before the brand split, and we still have yet to see her in another feud.

And then we have Bayley, someone that doesn’t need to be seen as a threat, fighting local competitors… And even though her opponent managed to dominate for a short while, what did this end up doing for either woman? The local competitor will go away and be forgotten by fans, whereas Bayley looked weak (and not in the underdog way that Sami Zayn comes across). If RAW wanted to make Bayley have that underdog gimmick, why not have her fight Alicia Fox or Summer Rae? Why book in an external woman when there are already ladies waiting to fight? Push the women you do have, instead of making everyone think they’ve been released.

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Roman Reigns vs Rusev (United States Championship)

I’m a big fan of Roman Reigns and Rusev. But the problem with this match is that it looked extremely lazy on the creative side. The fact that these men had what was probably a 40 minute match to start off the show killed off momentum for the rest of the night. The feud is good, but it isn’t so intriguing that audiences want to see it last forever. This whole match, though was filled with good spots, came across as creative running out of ideas so they just extended a match instead of actually adding something worthwhile. And the fact that it ended in a count out confirms that we’ll be seeing more of this feud… Something this match made me not want to see for a while.

OVERALL: 4/10

The Cruiserweights were literally the only thing good about this show. The creative team needs to understand that a three hour show has potential to be good, if effort is put in. I don’t want to come across as a snarky critic, but this episode was terrible, to say the least.

What did you think of RAW this week? Let us know your views in the comments below!

[Left to Right] Micah Fowler and Mason Cook

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[Left to Right] Micah Fowler and Mason Cook

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Micah Fowler

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Micah Fowler

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Mason Cook

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Micah Fowler

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[Left to Right] Micah Fowler and Mason Cook

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[Left to Right] Mason Cook, Minnie Driver and Micah Fowler

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[Left to Right] Cedric Yarbrough, Micah Fowler, John Ross Bowie and Mason Cook

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[Left to Right] Cedric Yarbrough, Micah Fowler and John Ross Bowie 

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[Left to Right] Cedric Yarbrough, John Ross Bowie, Mason Cook, Micah Fowler and Minnie Driver

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Kyla Kennedy

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Kyla Kennedy

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Marin Hinkle

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Marin Hinkle

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Minnie Driver

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Minnie Driver

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Marin Finkle

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Minnie Driver

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[Left to Right] Minnie Driver and Christine Gernon (Director)

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SYNOPSIS

Maya struggles as Kenneth takes over as JJ’s full-time aide. Loving his new freedom, JJ avoids attending a physical therapy appointment, and Maya automatically blames Kenneth, using any excuse to confirm her misgivings and moves to fire him. Meanwhile, Jimmy struggles to teach Dylan the family way to not be so neighborly, on “Speechless,” Wednesday, September 28 (8:30-9:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC!

Stills & Synopsis: ABC/Seat42F

STILLS

Clayne Crawford

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[Left to Right] Clayne Crawford, Kevin Rahm and Damon Wayans

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Kristoffer Polaha (Guest)

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Damon Wayans

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Kevin Rahm

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[Left to Right] Clayne Crawford, Jonathan Fernandez, Kristoffer Polaha (Guest) and Kevin Rahm

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Daman Wayans

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[Left to Right] Keesha Sharp and Damon Wayans

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[Left to Right] Keesha Sharp and Damon Wayans

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[Left to Right] Damon Wayans and Clayne Crawford

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[Left to Right] Damon Wayans and Clayne Crawford

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Clayne Crawford

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Michelle Mitchenor (Guest)

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SYNOPSIS

Riggs and Murtaugh respond to a noise complaint at a party at heavyweight boxer Ronald Dawson’s (guest star Jason Derulo) Hollywood hills home. When gunshots go off, they are drawn into a major case involving illegal gun runners with advanced military technology. Riggs becomes personally invested in the case when he discovers one of their targets is a pregnant woman who reminds him of his deceased wife. Meanwhile, Trish worries about Murtaugh’s health, as partnering with Riggs tests his limits in the all-new “Surf N Turf” episode airing Wednesday, Sept. 28 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

Stills: FOX/Seat4sF

STILLS

Zooey Deschanel

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Hannah Simone

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Zooey Deschanel

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Hannah Simone

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[Left to Right] Zooey Deschanel and Hannah Simone

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[Left to Right] Zooey Deschanel and Hannah Simone

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[Left to Right] Zooey Deschanel and Hannah Simone

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[Left to Right] Zooey Deschanel and Hannah Simone

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[Left to Right] Zooey Deschanel and Hannah Simone

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[Left to Right] Hannah Simone and Zooey Deschanel

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Max Greenfield

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Hannah Simone

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[Left to Right] Zooey Deschanel and Max Greenfield

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SYNOPSIS

Jess and Cece jump on the campaign trail and make a bet with a disbelieving Schmidt that they can recruit voters for the upcoming Presidential election. Meanwhile, Winston teaches Nick about modern phone sex in the all-new “Hubbedy Bubby” episode of NEW GIRL airing Tuesday, Sept. 27 (8:30/7:30c) on FOX.

I never liked the idea of basing an entire show around the views of a demanding internet fanbase. So when the brand split took place and RAW’s first ever Universal Title match was officially set, I immediately knew where the red team were headed. However, despite the weeks upon weeks of poor entertainment, Clash of Champions decided to take a bit of a turn for the better. And it all began at the very start of the pay-per-view.

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Nia Jax and Alicia Fox in WWE Clash of Champions 2016.

Before I get into the actual show, I just want to praise the likes of Nia Jax and Alicia Fox for their kick-off match. Jax gets compared to Braun Strowman a lot, and whilst this match felt similar to the Sin Cara bout from the latest episode of RAW, it didn’t feel nearly as terrible. Fox got some great moves in and actually proved to be a threat to Jax, whilst still allowing the newbie to come across strong. And whilst Jax did pin her, Alicia proved why she is capable of hanging with the big girls, and why she deserves to be placed at the top of the women’s division (or at least a lot higher than she has been recently).

Okay, now onto the main show.

Karl Anderson and Big E in WWE Clash of Champions 2016.

When the New Day (Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston and Big E) came out to defend their tag titles against The Club (Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson), our attention was immediately drawn to the match. When Gallows and Anderson took out Big E and Xavier Woods, this was RAW’s way of saying “pay attention - anything could happen.” And whilst I’ve not been the biggest fan of The Club’s work, nor have I ever felt that the New Day’s reign would be threatened by them, I did tonight. This match was a brilliant way to kick start the official pay-per-view as we saw the New Day face one of their biggest challenges yet. And it made both teams come across as viable talents, proving exactly why Woods, Kingston and E have held the titles for a consecutive 400 days. Both teams rocked the boat, and it was a great opener for such an important event.

Brian Kendrick and TJ Perkins in WWE Clash of Champions 2016.

We then move onto the Cruiserweights. These guys had a brilliant showing on the latest edition of Monday Night RAW (on their part, not creative). So, with the talent being so highly regarded, it was bound to be an impressive bout. TJ Perkins defended his title against Brian Kendrick and the two had the arena by the edge of their seats the entire time. Perkins and Kendrick are two incredible talents - as seen in the CWC - and for those that didn’t tune in to the weekly series, they definitely made up for it tonight. Both men delivered a great match with brilliant offence and defense on both sides. And in the end, it didn’t move forward in the typical “we’re respectful people and love each other equally” route. Instead, Clash of Champions introduced the audience to its new hottest babyface and heel in the Cruiserweight division as Kendrick headed-butted Perkins to the floor. Overall, both men delivered.

Sheamus and Cesaro in WWE Clash of Champions 2016.

Following the Cruiserweights we had the match of the night in the Best of 7 Series finale between Cesaro and Sheamus. As mentioned in the RAW post, this series hasn’t been the best. We’ve seen little to no reason behind it and the men were forced to hold back in hopes of an impressive finale. And though I’m not going to say the previous six matches were all worth it, the finale was definitely one to watch. In this bout we saw the two men give it their all - and I (almost) literally mean that. The Swiss Superman and the Celtic Warrior battled it out, leaving Cesaro with what appears to be an injured arm and probably a hurt neck, whilst Sheamus may have damaged his leg. Between the scary suicide dive, the moves on the side of the ring and the intense use of the barricade, the men stole the show. But it’s the ending that shines to me the most.

By the end of the bout, the referees are forced to cancel the match as both men remains too hurt to continue. I’m not sure if this was all part of the show or if it was unscripted, but based on Cesaro’s reaction, it seems to be leaning towards the latter. I didn’t want the match to end in a no contest as I did want to see a winner, but this could be the best option in the end. Both men proved throughout this series that they deserve better, so to see one man receive a title shot whilst the other is left “buried” would seem unfair. All I hope is that both men get what they deserve.

Sami Zayn and Chris Jericho in WWE Clash of Champions 2016.

Sami Zayn and Chris Jericho were up next, and they didn’t leave me unimpressed. As a huge Zayn mark, it is disappointing seeing the man constantly lose, but after this incredible match, it all makes sense. By definition, Sami Zayn is the “underdog from the underground,” so to have him impress us constantly yet lose only builds him even more. Sami needs to be treated as an underdog that hardly gets justice. Because if he wins these high profile matches (especially those against characters like Jericho) he somewhat loses that underdog gimmick that the likes of Daniel Bryan and co. have rocked so well. And by putting on impressive matches, he still has the audience watching, regardless of his losing streak. Overall, this match is impressive, and simply continues the line of great contests in the night.

And now onto the final three matches - which were also all title contests.

Bayley, Sasha Banks and Charlotte in WWE Clash of Champions 2016.

The first of the three was for the Women’s championship. Bayley, Sasha Banks and Charlotte have a rich history together - in NXT. But on RAW, everything feels incomplete. Audiences have been expected to catch up with their days in developmental and this just isn’t realistic. And going into RAW’s first pay-per-view, this proves to be a problem as it’s hard to care for a story that isn’t treated with good care itself. 

However, despite the poor creativity behind the match, the women deliver. Though we see some awkward spots like the three-way dropkick, the contest still refuses to be seen as bad. But, the work of the women can only go so far.

My problem with this match is the fact that it feels like it did nothing but remind us that these three have chemistry. There was no storyline progression, no relevant work from Dana Brooke and we saw Bayley lose to a move that wasn’t even a finisher. The booking for the match was near awful, and the women lost any chance of what could’ve been a Match of the Year candidate because of it.

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Roman Reigns in WWE Clash of Champions 2016.

Fortunately, we see a rise in booking when Roman Reigns fights Rusev for the United States championship. Reigns may not be everyone’s favourite but what he did here was not only elevate himself and Rusev, but the United States title felt like something worth fighting for. Roman and Rusev gave it their all, and the match tonight felt almost as intense as Reigns’ RAW match in which he scored his second WWE title victory.

And on top of both men putting on a stellar match, RAW finally utilises Lana to a relevant level. We see her get in the way of Reigns winning the match and even gets sent to the back, forcing the tension to rise even more. It’s almost as if they watched what happened on SmackDown and realised that maybe managers can be useful… So they copied the whole thing!

Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins in WWE Clash of Champions 2016.

So after all of those matches, we reach the main event. And this is the least entertaining match of the night. Though Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens are talented individuals with good chemistry, the entire match can be predicted without even watching a single second of the feud. One of the most overused “shock” endings to high profile pay-per-view matches is when one guy interferes, the face gets distracted, the referee gets knocked out and the heel ends up stealing the victory once his buddy takes advantage. This is exactly what happened tonight and it reminded me why I don’t enjoy the red brand. RAW is anything but unique, regardless of what it claims to do with its women and Cruiserweights. And the fact that the biggest match on their first pay-per-view ends up being the biggest cliché in wrestling history, proves exactly why it’s not worth our time.

RATING: 7/10

Now that we’ve seen RAW’s first pay-per-view, it’s clear that change is not happening any time soon. Clash of Champions, whilst is good for the most part, proves that the main focus is still in the same mentality it’s been in for the past year.

I don’t want to fault the rest of the card as almost every other match besides the main event blows me away. But when the biggest seller of the night falls flat, it’s hard to not be disappointed (though Wrestlemania 32 begs to differ). But overall, I’d recommend watching the pay-per-view, as long as the finale is missed.

What are your thoughts on the pay-per-view? Are you excited for RAW tonight? Let us know your views in the comments below!

STILLS

David Mazouz

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Maggie Geha

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Donal Logue

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[Left to Right] Donal Logue and Jada Pinkett Smith (Guest)

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Morena Baccarin

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Morena Baccarin

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David Mazouz

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Jamie Chung (Guest)

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David Mazouz

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Maggie Geha

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Maggie Geha

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Maggie Geha

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Ben Mckenzie

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Ben Mckenzie

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David Mazouz

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SYNOPSIS

Fish Mooney takes matters into her own hands to locate Hugo Strange (guest star BD Wong), forcing Gordon to reluctantly team up with journalist Valerie Vale (guest star Jamie Chung) to find her. Penguin rises in popularity after criticizing the work of the GCPD and Bruce’s investigation of the Court of Owls is compromised. Meanwhile, Ivy Pepper is reintroduced into Gotham city in the all-new “Mad City: Burn The Witch…” episode of GOTHAM airing Monday, Sept. 26 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

Sources for images: FOX.com + ComingSoon.Net

Speechless starts off as an in-your-face comedy that wants you to feel both uncomfortable yet joyous at once. Maya (Minnie Driver) is the mother of three children, one of which lives with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The most important thing about Maya is something we find out straight away, and that’s that she loves her kids. She unashamedly loves her children so much that she makes sure to campaign for their comfort at all costs. Within the first ten minutes of the show we see Maya going on a rant to the school teacher about the lack of a proper ramp for kids that can’t take the stairs. And this is when it strikes me that this show is important.

Many shows like to slowly get into the big topics, such as disability. Yet with Speechless, we’re thrown right in. Maya openly discusses her son’s illness and advocates to make sure that not only do the characters in the show treat him properly, but we as an audience do too. Through Maya’s words that forcefully encourage a change in treatment towards JJ (Micah Fowler), we the audience are also challenged. She calls out words like “crippled” and the fact that a ramp is at the back of the school, making us second guess our own personal thoughts (or lack of) on the subject. And the fact that all of this takes place in the first act of the show just makes it even more serious.

And the praise does not end there. Maya is also the perfect television mother. Not because she gets everything right, but because she comes across as real. From the very beginning she aims to get everything right with her children yet doesn’t quite get it all the time. She unintentionally neglects Ray (Mason Cook) and we see this explored throughout the first episode in detail. We see the impact the neglect has on Ray and, by the end, we witness Maya come to terms with her issues.

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What Speechless does is that it takes important situations and shoves them into the viewer’s face whilst filling it with comedy to get us through. By giving us the comedic side of things, we’re invested enough to take in the real messages being punched through. Real mothers do get things wrong. But they also get things right.

The last thing I’d like to point out is the fact that the disabled character in the show, JJ, isn’t treated as though his illness rules his life. Yes, it’s a big part of it. And yes, it does have its downsides. However, JJ’s illness is also treated like his superpower. The amyotrophic lateral sclerosis gives JJ a quirk that nobody else in the show has. He is one of the funniest members of the ensemble, leads a lot of the scenes, and manages to keep it entertaining. It’s really difficult to not appreciate this fact, and I am ever so glad to have found this show.

RATING: 8.5/10

Through the use of comedy and important messages thrown throughout, Speechless proves to be the show we all need. It treats its disabled character like a driving force and makes certain that its messages are heard loud and clear. All in all, Speechless is important.

What did you think of the series premiere? Will you be tuning in again? Let us know your views in the comments below!

How this works: “The best and worst” is a series following each episode of Monday Night RAW, SmackDown Live and NXT. Here we will list the top moments of each night, as well as the bottom. By the end of the post, we will accumulate each point and decide whether or not the good outweighs the bad or vice versa. So, let’s begin!

THE BEST:

Cedric Alexander vs. Andrade "Cien" Almas

The main event of the night showcased the newly debuting Cedric Alexander as well as another somewhat new talent in Andrade “Cien” Almas. Alexander made his name known to fans of the WWE when he joined 31 other competitors in the CWC. Though he fell short, the crowd made sure to yell his name loud enough to get him a contract with the company - and that’s exactly what he got. So, with the huge expectations, the pressure was definitely on for Mr Cedric Alexander - and of course he didn’t disappoint.

In what is definitely the match of the night, Alexander and Almas push each other to their limits and prove exactly why the two of them belong on NXT. The match turned the previously dull crowd into a bit of an uproar as either man had the audience paying attention. Previously in the night we saw other members of the NXT fail to get the crowd’s attention, but these two newbies proved that they are capable of doing what others aren’t.

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Billie Kay vs Aliyah

Billie Kay made sure everyone remembered her name when she took on Ember Moon during TakeOver: Dallas II this summer. And though she is definitely a name to watch out for, her opponent, Aliyah, hasn’t quite had that impact. But that should be changing soon. Even if this match isn’t exactly a five star bout, both women definitely put on a good show. Both Billie and Aliyah deserve more credit for what they do, and it’s about time that they’re given the spotlight they’ve worked for (particularly Kay).

Samoa Joe’s opening segment

Now I’m not the biggest fan of Samoa Joe (you can blame that on my extensive adoration for Tyson Kidd) but I’ll give credit where credit is due. Joe really shone in this segment. This aggression is the perfect way to push Shinsuke Nakamura to the stars as a face and, as much as I hate to say it, NXT does need Joe. Whilst it’s been over a year since the Kidd incident, and Joe definitely has the capabilities of a main roster talent, NXT needs Joe. He is one of the few dominant forces in the company that is allowing the brand to have sellable talent, so really, even I can admit that Samoa Joe is best for business right now. Just, don’t reward him with a title shot and main event the next time he almost kills someone, please.

THE WORST

Liv Morgan’s backstage segment

Liv Morgan is still improving. She’s hardly had any time to shine on television, nor has she ever had a feud. So with this being her first ever feud on NXT, we should give her a chance. Unfortunately, it’s pretty hard to go soft on her. Everything she does feels inauthentic and nothing comes across as interesting. In her backstage segment she could hardly look into the interviewer’s eyes and when Asuka walked up to her you could see just how uncomfortable Morgan was - and not in the kayfabe way. If Morgan is to be seen as a threat, then she should really work on her acting ability.

We’re all aware that Asuka will not be dethroned by Liv, but even filler feuds need to be interesting. Alexa Bliss is doing a wonderful job right now on SmackDown, and she is also in a filler feud that she will inevitably lose. But what Bliss has that Morgan doesn’t is authenticity. Morgan’s entire gimmick does not feel real at all. It feels like a girl playing dress up in their sibling’s clothes after thinking sticking a lollipop in their mouth is the same as smoking a cigarette. And yes, Bliss is obviously on the main roster and Morgan shouldn’t be compared to her, but if Liv wants to be taken seriously, then maybe some tips from Alexa would help her out.

OVERALL: 6.5/10

NXT is still finding itself. Since the loss of Bayley and Finn Bálor, the show hasn’t built a lot of credible performers. But they’re getting there. And with time, I’m certain a resurgence in quality is incoming!

What did you think of NXT this week? Let us know your views in the comments below!

Viola Davis

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Assaf Cohen (Guest star)

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Viola Davis

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Viola Davis

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Viola Davis

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[Left to Right] Matt McGorry, Alfred Enoch, Assaf Cohen, Jack Falahee, Aja Naomi King and Karla Souza

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[Left to Right] Matt McGorry, Alfred Enoch, Jack Falahee and Karla Souza

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[Left to Right] Jack Falahee, Karla Souza, Assaf Cohen (Guest star), Aja Naomi King and Alfred Enoch

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[Left to Right] Assaf Cohen (Guest star), Karla Souza, Jack Falahee, Alfred Enoch and Viola Davis

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Viola Davis

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[Left to Right] Conrad Ricamora and Jack Falahee

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[Left to Right] Aja Naomi King, Alfred Enoch, Karla Souza, Matt McGorry and Jack Falahee

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[Left to Right] Aja Naomi King, Alfred Enoch, Karla Souza and Matt McGorry

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Karla Souza

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Jack Falahee

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Alfred Enoch

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Matt McGorry

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Alfred Enoch

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Jack Falahee

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[Left to Right] Conrad Ricamora Jack Falahee

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[Left to Right] Karla Souza, Conrad Ricamora, Aja Naomi King, Jack Falahee and Alfred Enoch

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Aja Naomi King

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Alfred Enoch

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[Left to Right] Conrad Ricamora, Jack Falahee, Aja Naomi King and Alfred Enoch

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Source: ABC/iMDB

What do you think of these stills? Will you be watching the season premiere? Let us know your views in the comments below!

Kylie Bunbury

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Kylie Bunbury

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Kylie Bunbury

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Kylie Bunbury

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Kylie Bunbury

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[Left to Right] Tim Jo, Ali Larter and Mark Consuelos

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Kylie Bunbury

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[Left to Right] Kylie Bunbury and Mark-Paul Gosselaar

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Mo McRae

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Kylie Bunbury

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Kylie Bunbury

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Dan Lauria

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[Left to Right] Dan Lauria, Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Kylie Bunbury

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Kylie Bunbury

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Source: FOX.com

Are you excited for this series? Let us know your views in the comments below!

Right from the get go we see the show take a turn for the worse. When Rhonda (Kaitlin Doubleday) is killed off by being thrown off of a balcony and landing on a car, the entire ensemble is physically around to see it, as though to symbolize the official change in the show. Moreover, when Rhonda dies, there is really only one reaction that is poignant, and that’s Andre’s (Trai Byers).

The reaction of Andre is important. Not necessarily because of what he does, but because of what everyone else doesn’t do. 

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It’s a fact that Rhonda was never really accepted into the Lyon family. Even if Jamal (Jussie Smollett) and Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) were kind to her, she never really had that in that she needed to become a Lyon. And that is symbolized via the fact that there is no memorial service or mourning (from those other than her husband) of any kind in this first episode. Even if there is one in the episodes to come, the fact that we don’t see anyone but Andre mourning her death is evidence that Rhonda never belonged. And in that, it’s almost as if Andre doesn’t belong either.

The Ivy league graduate recently lost his unborn child, and has now lost the love of his life, whom was also the only person that truly understood him. Cookie may have tried to get to know his illness, and his brothers may have also offered a helping hand, but it was Rhonda that kept him going. When he was panicking in the shower during Our Dancing Days, it was Rhonda that helped him get through it. When Andre killed Vernon (Malik Yoba) during Die But Once, Rhonda stuck by his side and made sure nobody found out. And now that Rhonda is no longer by his side, Andre no longer has anyone to be his guide through everything. Just like Rhonda’s ghost says, no one can take care of his medication. No one is going to be around when he needs an increase in dosage. And just like Andre’s outrage suggests, no one is able to control it. Through all of Andre’s years alive, no one has taken the time needed to get to know his illness. The only person that truly accepted him was Rhonda. So with Rhonda gone, there’s no one that Andre can turn to - even if people like Jamal are offering a helping hand.

The season premiere is also very eye opening on who Cookie is as a character. For over seventeen years, including the ones in which we’ve known her, Cookie has always been a “ride or die” kind of person in regards to Lucious. But now she is finally taking her life back. And though she still is very much in love with the man, as the strong woman we know her as, she is fighting against that part of her. What is so striking about this is that practically her entire life has been dedicated to defending that man. Yet now, after the cancellation of her son’s wedding, the death of her daughter-in-law, the marriage to Anika (Grace Byers) and everything prior to the past few episodes, Cookie is officially done. The most real and faithful woman Lucious has, is no longer by his side. And that really proves just how heartbroken she is. Loyalty is evidently something that means a lot to Cookie. So to see her give up her ties to Lucious is an important part of her characterisation. She no longer wants to associate with him. And despite the fact that she can’t help herself, it’s important to note that she is finally actually trying to move on.

Much like the other men in his family, Hakeem (Bryshere Gray) is also alone, and it has a big impact on those around him. During season two, it seemed as though Hakeem was finally getting his life together. However, season three says otherwise. After his fiancée ended their marriage and he lost his role as CEO of Empire, it’s been a struggle. And now that both of his brothers, as well as his parents are fully focused on their own issues, Hakeem also has nobody by his side.

RATING: 9.5/10

All in all, it’s safe to say that this season will be exactly as it was described. Everyone is on their own. Even if they’re still a family, they don’t have the actual bond of one. Everyone is alone, and no one really knows how to help the other…

My predictions for this season are that Andre will spiral out of control and nearly face his death. Along the way, Lucious will lose control of the company and then this will force the Lyons to get back together and reunite. Or am I totally wrong?

What did you think of this episode? Are you excited for the season ahead? Will you miss Rhonda? Let us know your views in the comments below!