La Famiglia (S07E01)

Airdate: 25 September 1998

Written by: Tom Fontana Directed by: Nick Gomez

Running Time: 45 minutes

Many devotees of Homicide: Life on the Street argue vehemently that the show’s sixth season should have marked its definitive conclusion. The series had long been a gritty, unflinching portrayal of police work in Baltimore, anchored by its ensemble cast and procedural realism. Yet NBC, despite its best efforts to revitalise the declining ratings, failed to sustain its relevance. By 1998, the network faced a scheduling crisis after Seinfeld—its flagship comedy—concluded its legendary run. Desperate to fill the void, NBC greenlit a seventh season of Homicide, a show already struggling to retain its soul. The decision proved disastrous. The seventh season, particularly its premiere episode, La Famiglia, foreshadowed the series’ creative collapse, as plot contrivances, ill-conceived character additions, and a desperate shift toward melodrama overshadowed its strengths.

Written by executive producer Tom Fontana, La Famiglia opens with a blunt reminder of the seismic changes to the cast. The departure of Detective Mike Kellerman (Reed Diamond) and Detective Frank Pembleton (Andre Braugher), the latter central to the show’s identity, left a void. Pembleton, in particular, had been a cornerstone of the ensemble’s chemistry, his wit and moral ambiguity contrasting sharply with the more rigid personalities of Bayliss or Falsone. His absence is felt immediately, as the remaining characters grapple with new dynamics.

Replacing these characters proved challenging. Detective Stivers (Toni Lewis) had been a recurring face, but her promotion to series regular felt underwhelming. The most glaring additions were newcomers: Detective Renee Shepard, played by Michael Michelle, and Lt. Giardello’s estranged son, FBI Agent Mike Giardello (Giancarlo Esposito). Shepard’s character, a transfer from the Fugitive Squad, was clearly cast for her attractive appearance, a decision that prioritised ratings over narrative cohesion. Meanwhile, Esposito’s Giardello brought gravitas but arrived without foreshadowing, destabilising the show’s established lore.

The episode’s central narrative revolves around the gruesome discovery of three Italian American men—Angelo Faltisco, Leo Grimaldi, and Mario Giardello—murdered in their bathtubs. Lt. Giardello (Yaphet Kotto) discovers the body of his cousin, Mario, thrusting him into a deeply personal investigation. The arrival of his estranged son, Mike, who volunteers to assist, sets up a fraught father-son reconciliation subplot. The investigation traces the killings to Carlo Rolletta, a former Chicago mobster jailed decades prior for attempting to infiltrate Baltimore’s longshoremen union. Though Rolletta’s vengeful plans are thwarted, his brain-damaged condition after release means the actual perpetrators are his son and daughter, who are only linked to two of the three murders. The unresolved nature of Mario’s murder leaves Giardello and Mike in a tentative truce, with Mike suggesting a permanent move to Baltimore to mend their relationship.

While the plot attempts to blend personal drama with procedural elements, it falters under its own ambition. The Rolletta storyline lacks tension, its resolution feeling rushed and contrived. The focus on family reconciliation overshadows the investigative rigor that had defined earlier seasons. W

Mike Giardello’s introduction is a case study in missed opportunities. Giancarlo Esposito’s performance is undeniably strong; his portrayal of a conflicted FBI agent grappling with familial ties to crime later informed his iconic role as Gustavo Fring in Breaking Bad. However, the character’s abrupt arrival is jarring. For six seasons, Giardello had been a stoic, enigmatic figure with no mention of a son. His sudden reintroduction, coupled with the forced father-son dynamic, smacks of soap opera theatrics. The writers’ decision to make Mike an FBI agent working alongside his father further strains credibility, reducing the squad’s interactions to melodrama rather than procedural realism.

Detective Renee Shepard, played by Michael Michelle, epitomises the seventh season’s missteps. Fontana attempts to justify her presence by having her lament her beauty-pageant past, yet this nuance is swiftly discarded. Instead of exploring her as a capable detective, the episode reduces her to an object of romantic rivalry between Detectives Lewis (Clark Johnson) and Falsone (Jon Seda). The subplot is juvenile and distracting, prioritising gossip over police work. Michelle’s casting was clearly a ratings play, her attractiveness overshadowing her character’s potential. This objectification of female characters would become a recurring issue in the season, diminishing the show’s credibility.

The seventh season’s flirtation with melodrama extends to existing characters, most notably Laura Ballard (Callie Thorne). Previously a no-nonsense detective, Thorne is now tasked with parading around in impractical tank tops, a stark departure from her earlier grounded portrayal. Her romantic subplot with Falsone—culminating in a party where Munch (Richard Belzer) begins dating Billie Lou (Ellen McEdluff)—further muddies the show’s focus. The party sequence, with its awkward high-school-style dynamics, feels out of place in a series that once thrived on its unvarnished realism. These elements transform Homicide into a clichéd teen soap, stripping away the procedural depth that made it unique.

Frank Pembleton’s absence leaves Bayliss (Kyle Secor) as the moral centre of the squad, but his character undergoes an ill-advised reinvention. Having survived a near-fatal shooting in the sixth season, Bayliss returns with a newfound interest in Eastern philosophy, quoting the Bhagavad Gita as he navigates his responsibilities. This contrived spiritual awakening—meant to signify growth—instead feels tone-deaf. Bayliss’s earnestness clashes with the episode’s tonal whiplash, as if the writers were desperate to inject “depth” without understanding the character’s core.

The murder plot itself is underwhelming, its resolution anticlimactic. Yet amid the chaos, Delaney Williams shines as Joey Grimaldi, the devastated son of one of the victims. His quiet grief and restrained anger elevate a otherwise forgettable case. Williams’ performance, brief as it was, hinted at the talent that would later anchor The Wire as Sergeant Ellis Carver. His scenes with Lt. Giardello are the episode’s emotional core, a fleeting reminder of what Homicide could achieve when focused on human stories.

La Famiglia is a microcosm of Homicide: Life on the Street’s seventh season: a well-intentioned but misguided attempt to reinvent itself, sacrificing its identity for melodrama and superficial character additions. The episode’s flaws—from its soap opera subplots to its romantic clichés—reflect a series out of touch with its strengths. For fans, it serves as a reminder that sometimes, the best sequels are the ones left unmade.

RATING: 4/10 (+)

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Second episodes are always tricky beasts, they either keep the momentum going or they fall flat on their face trying to explain everything, but Revival's second episode "Keeping Up Appearances" lands somewhere in the middle of that spectrum. After the brilliant pilot that had me hooked with its clever take on the zombie genre, this episode takes a more measured approach, focusing heavily on character development while the mystery elements take a bit of a backseat but still adding to them, branching out with more mistery to investigate like why Em died and who supply her with tons of durgs??. The episode opens with Em waking up in a creek, spitting out a ring which immediately sets up more questions than answers and frankly thats exactly what we need at this stage of the game, the show is clearly not interested in giving us easy solutions. What really works here is how the writers handle Em realization that she's different now keep in mind at this point she doesn't know anything about revivers but something feels off, her attempts to get high fail miserably, drugs don't work on her anymore and when she cuts herself the wound heals instantly, its a nice touch that shows how being a reviver affects every aspect of them, this is going way beyond just some type of Zombie, seems simple and brilliant at the same time. The scene where she punches the mirror and her hand heals while the mirror stays broken is a perfect metaphor for her situation, she is healing but everything around her is still shattered, are all human problems can only be solved if one become a reviver? no drugs, no pleasure, more appreciation for life itself, think about it?!. Dana's reaction to learning about her sister's condition feels real too because its this mix of sadness, humor and caring for her little sister, the shock and confusion are played really well by Emelanie Scrofano who continues to be the emotional of the show. The way she tries to protect Em from the police while dealing with her own professional responsibilities creates some nice tension, even if it doesn't quite reach the heights of the previous episode's climax.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13951052/
• Platform: Peacock

The hospital sequence with old Arlene coming back to life is where the episode really kicks into gear, the idea that revivers can regenerate from having their scalp completely removed looked terrifying, specially when her brain starts to regenerate, I knew and was expecting this to happen in a good way. Steven Ogg's introduction as Blaine adds more mystery to whats to come next, his cryptic comments about gates of hell opening suggest there is something much bigger going on here than just random resurrection. The way he appears with the baby after Arlene's rampage got me thinking first how the fuck and second why? how did he end up with the baby? does he have any powers over revivers or certain revivers, see how this series just keep generating questions by the minute that keeps you thinking, oh lord keep this writer safe and healthy because he is the BOSS!!!. The maternity ward sequence was very creepy and intense as its such a delicate place to have a crazy zombie like Arlene running around on top with her super powers but then gently hold a baby before running off with it creating this situation between nurturing and menacing behavior. Ibrahim's autopsy scene earlier keeps giving us detail on how the reviers ability to regenerate work, this becomes crucial when we learn about Em's brittle bone disease later. The hospital chase feels a bit rushed though, like they wanted to get through the action quickly to focus on the character stuff, which is fine but it does make the pacing feel slightly uneven throughout the episode. Wayne's growing hostility towards revivers becomes more evident here and knowing that his own daughter is one of them adds this tragic irony to his character that the show is clearly building up, its amazing how the show keeps on adding and building up on this characters and the revival event. The aftermath of the hospital incident had everyone debating whether to lock up all revivers, feels very timely and relevant to current social issues.

Em's drug complex situation is handled with a lot of sensitivity, its not your classic thrown in jail or slap the F out of you situation as big sister, mostly because how good of big sister Dana is to Em, also the fact that Em can't get high anymore becomes another way her reviver situation isolates her from normal human experience and the discovery of her stash leads to some great sister bonding moments. The conversation between Em and Dana about their mother's death adds needed context while also explaining why Em was at the bridge that night, the timing being the anniversary of their mom's death makes her presence there feel organic rather than coincidental and give more clues to the hole situation. Dana's investigation into the drug supply chain leads her to discover that Em's roommate Kay has been arrested for drug offenses, which opens up another thread of mystery about who Em was really involved with before her death, to all this lets add the very dramatic situation when Em was driving when their mother died adds a ton of guilt and trauma to her character, explaining why she turned to drugs in the first place and why she is struggling so much with coming back to life. Professor Wymer's scenes with Em at the bar feel a bit melodramatic but they serve their purpose in drawing the line in the sand that he wasn't involved in her death and that their relationship had ended badly. The ring that Em vomited up turns out not to be his, which eliminates one suspect while adding another mystery to the pile, whose ring was it? and why did she have it in her mouth when she died?. Em's confrontation at the bar came out of rage, it was not about fighting it was about feeling pain and overcome it, sings that she is getting fed up with everythig going on and even makes me think she could turn out violent in the future, its a dark but understandable response to her situation. The introduction of Roadie as another reviver gives Em someone who understands what she's going through and his invitation to join his band, based on his appeariance and his idgf expression makes him a loose canon, Em is about to make some questionable choices, he reminds me a lot of how aged modern vampires think and look on movies, they are superior and know can out run 99% of humans so they dont need money or power, all they need is time.

The family drama continue to be one of the show's strongest elements, Wayne's protective instincts towards Em because of her bone condition create this tragic irony now that she is actually indestructible and his growing anti reviver agenda makes the situation even more heartbreaking. Dana's struggle to balance her professional duties with protecting her sister feels real and the way she lies to cover for Em shows how far she is willing to go to keep the family together. The way Em uses her condition to feel alive again through violence is a bit worry and distrubing but generate the perfect effect and makes a lot of sense for someone who is so devastated and have found an escape gate to finally say fuck it let all hell loose, she also finally beats one of her worst fear and its her brittle bones and wanted to test her new limits. Ibrahim's character continues to develop nicely, his outsider perspective on the town's problems provides a good counterpoint to the locals reactions and he also has this weird friendship with Dana that will most likely end up into something more intimate. The political maneuvering between Wayne and the mayor over how to handle the reviver situation feels real because any other politic would want to take advantage of the situation, different people would absolutely have different opinions on how to deal with this situation. Kay's final revelation about knowing Em's killer is just so beautiful, creating such a huge cliff hanger without feeling forced or manipulative and setting up whats comming up so nicely and smooth as the story keeps expanding the world while keeping the focus on the main characters and the multiple subplots that keep coming up.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #revival, #zombie, #revor, #mystery, #character, #development, #hospital, #family, #sister, #drugs, #healing, #violence, #cliffhanger, #investigation, #bones, #condition, #trauma, #death, #resurrection, #drama, #pacing, #buildup, #supernatural, #small, #town

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Don't Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro

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Hello everyone, here am I with an amazing review of "Don't Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro" this anime is romantic comedy. If you are looking for a funny anime to watch then it's gonna be a great choice. I have recently watched this anime as I was looking for something new and fun. This anime is very old because it was released long ago but I got to know about it in recent time. I won't say that it's one of the best but it's a good one.

I could not find better trailer than this one, I don't even know if it's the correct one but still I am sharing it with you guys. I actually did not watch any kind of trailer, I found it by googling about animes online. Basically the story is about high school students where youngster's enjoy teasing the upperclassman. It might look like shojo but it's actually Shonen. If you ever has met a devil personality girl in high school then you will find this anime relatable.

Release date: April 11, 2021 Creator: Nanashi Season: 1 Episode: 12 Genre: Comedy romance, slice of life

Plot

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The story begins with Naoto Hachiouji. He is a high school student who is very shy and prefers a quiet life. He is a manga artist and wants to focus on his art club. On the other hand, there's another high schooler named Hayase Nagatoro. She loves to spend her free time bullying and teasing, and she disrupts the routine of Senpai (aka Naoto), who is her upperclassman. Nagatoro and her friends begin teasing him relentlessly. We often see how Nagatoro pushes Senpai out of his comfort zone. As time passes, the relationship between the two evolves. Senpai starts to take stand for himself, and we see his character development as he gains confidence. It's also revealed that besides teasing, Nagatoro has a vulnerable and caring side. The main element of the story is their playful dynamic, which is filled with humor. Moreover, there are plenty of awkward romantic scenes, but the bond between them grows deeper.

In Season 1, Episode 7, we see that a summer festival is held. Senpai thinks that Nagatoro will ask him to go together to the summer festival, and he feels very tense about the situation. Later, at home, he is playing a video game and keeps looking at his phone, expecting Nagatoro to call and invite him. However, he also thinks that he should be the one to approach her first, but then a wild thought crosses his mind that Nagatoro might see him as a creep. So, he ends up not calling her.

Later, we see that Senpai goes to the place where the summer festival is being held. People are wearing traditional Japanese clothing, such as yukata. Some have come as couples, while others are with their families. There are many kinds of stalls and beautiful lanterns. He goes there only because he is bored—he just wants to buy yakisoba and go home.

But at that moment, someone touches him from behind, and when he turns around, he sees Nagatoro’s friends, Yosshii and Gamo, who are wearing yukata. He can already sense trouble and tries to run, but they catch him. They say they didn’t expect him to come to the festival and are surprised. They tease him by saying he came in hopes of bumping into Nagatoro, which makes him feel awkward, and he denies it. After hearing his response, they tell him it’s too bad because Nagatoro is already busy with her club. Upon hearing that, Senpai wants to leave, but they won’t let him go, as they want him to spend some time at the festival.

Then Gamo asks Yosshii to bring the raffle prize they won earlier in the games. They put a collar on Senpai’s neck and send a photo of him to Nagatoro, who has just finished swimming and is drying off. Nagatoro becomes furious after seeing the picture. Meanwhile, Gamo is confident that now Nagatoro will join them at the festival.

After a while, Nagatoro arrives and asks her friends to hand Senpai over, but they refuse. Nagatoro's friends challenge her, saying that if she wants Senpai, she must win him in the festival games—and the one with the most prizes gets to keep him. Nagatoro agrees, and they all, including Senpai, start participating in various games.

In the end, Nagatoro bribes Yosshii with one of her prize pool gifts, and they hand over Senpai and leave the area. After that, Senpai and Nagatoro walk together through the crowd, and she remarks that it feels like a date, which makes Senpai feel embarrassed.

Nagatoro decides to watch the fireworks, so they get in a long line. But the crowd isn't moving forward. Later, when Senpai decides to take another path, he gets out of the line, but Nagatoro cannot get out of the crowd. At that moment, Senpai holds her hand and pulls her out of the crowd, and they go down a different path to watch the fireworks.

Meanwhile, Nagatoro teases Senpai for bringing her to a dark place, and at that moment, the fireworks begin and they watch them together. Nagatoro keeps teasing Senpai about his "intentions" for bringing her to a place like that, and Senpai keeps denying it.

After a while, they notice that there are couples around them hiding behind the trees—they hadn’t seen them before because it was so dark. They both feel embarrassed and leave the area.

Review

To be honest an anime's success lies in its character development. Senpai’s journey from a timid person to a more confident individual is unexpected. Also, we get to see that besides teasing Nagatoro has a side which holds affection. The anime truly balanced the humor and awkward romance very well. There are plenty of comedy scenarios there's no heartbreak. Visually, the characters are too expressive. Moreover, the supporting characters adds extra chaos to the show.

Seeing their relationship evolve was a heartfelt moment. This anime is worth it. Also, explores young love in an unique way. when I watched this anime at first I didn't like it very much because of the expressions. The eyes are not the same always they always change due to expression also the smirk of Nagatoro is hilarious. I think it wouldn't be this funny if not for the Expressions. The expressions are more funnier than the storyline.

The 7th episode of this series is so interesting because of the summer festival. In every anime you will find people joining Summer Festival but it won't happen in action thriller animes, you will find it in comedy or romance related animes. Which is good we get to know more about the japenese culture through watching anime. One thing I didn't like about this anime is that Nagatoro teases Senpai a lot and is a bit overboard. I never saw her being normal for a moment she's always in the teasing mode so it gets annoying for a bit. I recommend everyone to watch this anime and the ratings I will give is 7 out of 10.

_{Some pictures are from the screenshots that I have taken while watching the anime.}

Thanks for Reading

🏫 ¡Un nuevo arco comienza! / A new arc begins!

👧👦 Cinco niños con un destino trágico / Five children with a tragic fate

🧚‍♀️ La visita al Laberinto de los Espíritus / Visiting the Spirit Labyrinth

👑 Ramiris, la pequeña gran aliada / Ramiris, the tiny great ally

🔥 Espíritus únicos para cada niño / Unique spirits for each child

📚 Un nuevo director y más secretos / A new director and more secrets

⚔️ Lo que viene: traiciones y alianzas / What’s next: betrayals and alliances

🎁 ¡Gracias por visitar mi post! / Thanks for reading my post!

🫂 Agradecimientos especiales / Special thanks

The Time Trap (S01E12)

Airdate: November 24th 1973

Written by: Joyce Perry Directed by: Hal Sutherland

Running Time: 22 minutes

Today, Star Trek: The Animated Series (TAS) is often overlooked in discussions of the franchise’s evolution, yet it occupies a pivotal role as both a sequel to The Original Series (TOS) and a bridge to the Golden Age of Star Trek that would unfold in the 1980s and ’90s. While the series maintained the foundational ethos of TOS—exploring ethical dilemmas, interstellar diplomacy, and the human condition—it also boldly introduced ideas and themes that would later become cornerstones of the franchise’s enduring appeal. The Time Trap, one of TAS’s most ambitious episodes, exemplifies this duality: it not only honours TOS’s legacy but also pioneers concepts that would resonate in films and later series such as Deep Space Nine and Voyager. By juxtaposing familiar characters with bold narrative risks, The Time Trap underscores TAS’s unique position as a transitional work that dared to push the boundaries of what Star Trek could achieve.

The episode opens with the USS Enterprise venturing into the Delta Triangle, a mysterious region of space notorious for swallowing entire starships whole. Captain Kirk’s mission is to uncover the truth behind these disappearances, a task that soon collides with classic Trek geopolitical tension. A skirmish with a Klingon battlecruiser commanded by the iconic villain Captain Kor escalates abruptly when the Klingon ship vanishes mid-battle, seemingly unharmed by the Enterprise’s phasers and photon torpedoes. Pursued by two more Klingon vessels, the Enterprise ventures deeper into the Triangle, where it encounters strange spatial distortions. These anomalies reveal that the ship—and its predecessors, including Kor’s crew—has crossed into a parallel universe.

Here, the Enterprise discovers a colossal graveyard of derelict ships, home to the descendants of crews who vanished centuries ago. These survivors, now united as the Elysian society, have transcended racial and ideological divides to build a harmonious utopia. Led by Xerius, a Romulan elder, the Elysians explain that escaping this dimension is impossible. Yet Kirk and Kor—longtime adversaries—reluctantly collaborate to pool their resources and engineer a return. However, Kor’s distrust resurfaces when he attempts to sabotage the Enterprise by planting explosives, a scheme foiled by Magen, an Elysian with psychic abilities. Ultimately, both ships escape, with Kirk magnanimously allowing Kor to claim the victory as his own, a gesture underscoring Trek’s recurring theme of diplomacy over conquest.

One of The Time Trap’s strengths lies in its continuity with TOS through the return of Kor, the first Klingon character to appear in the franchise. Originally played by John Colicos in Errand of Mercy and later in Deep Space Nine, here the role is taken by James Doohan (better known as Scotty). This callback to TOS’s inaugural Klingon villain—whose rivalry with Kirk defined key episodes—ties the animated series to its live-action predecessor while also hinting at the complex relationships that would define later Trek eras. Kor’s presence also foreshadows his later development in DS9, where his evolution from antagonist to reluctant ally becomes a narrative touchstone.

The episode’s universe-building extends to its inclusion of numerous TOS races, such as Andorians, Romulans, and Orions. Notably, it also introduces new species, subtly expanding Trek’s lore. However, the portrayal of the Orion slave girl—a character clad in skimpy attire—reveals TAS’s occasional reliance on fan service, even in an ostensibly family-friendly medium.

The episode’s central premise—a cosmic “Bermuda Triangle” trapping ships in a parallel dimension—is both inventive and thematically rich. Writer Joyce Perry elevates this concept by introducing the Elysians, a society forged from the ashes of conflict. Their utopia, where former enemies collaborate to survive, challenges Trek’s usual focus on conflict resolution in the present and instead imagines a future where adversarial races must transcend their differences to endure. The enforced collaboration between Kirk and Kor further amplifies this theme, mirroring the diplomatic tensions and eventual alliances that would define later Trek films and series. Perry’s twist—a resolution that demands cooperation over competition—elevates The Time Trap above typical “away mission” episodes, offering a meditation on unity in the face of existential threats.

Despite its strengths, The Time Trap stumbles under the weight of its own ambition. The subplot in which Kor sabotages the Enterprise—a transparent ploy to prolong tension—feels tacked-on and undermines the episode’s earlier themes of mutual respect. The Elysians, while intriguing, are underdeveloped, their society’s governance and culture barely addressed beyond vague references to harmony. This lack of exposition leaves their utopia feeling more like a deus ex machina than a fully realised world, a flaw likely exacerbated by TAS’s limited runtime. Additionally, Magen’s psychic abilities, critical to resolving the sabotage, are introduced abruptly, diminishing their impact. These missteps suggest that The Time Trap’s narrative could have benefited from tighter scripting and deeper characterisation, particularly given its complex premise.

At the end of the day, The Time Trap is an uneven but compelling entry in TAS’s canon. Its exploration of parallel universes, utopian societies, and adversarial alliances prefigures themes that would define Star Trek’s Golden Age, even as its rushed pacing and unresolved subplots weaken its narrative cohesion. Decades later, the episode’s influence endures: Voyager’s The Void (2001) directly borrows its premise of a cosmic graveyard trapping ships and their crews, though it refines the concepts TAS introduced. For all its shortcomings, The Time Trap remains a testament to TAS’s ambition—a series that, despite its niche status, dared to innovate while safeguarding the legacy of TOS.

RATING: 5/10 (++)

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La serie nos muestra a través de una serie de flashbacks tanto aspecto de la vida de Roberto Gómez Bolaño, así como el origen de muchos de sus personajes y programas de televisión.

A pesar de que todos en las redes sociales parecen enfocarse únicamente en los aspectos personales de la vida del actor (hay memes, reseñas y videos), en especial lo que respecta a su ilícita relación con Florinda Meza (a quien en la serie llamaron "Margarita") la serie realmente explora otros aspectos como el proceso creativo detrás de cada programa de televisión y frase icónica de los personajes de Bolaños, incluso el origen de su peculiar apodo "Chespirito". Lo que más me gusta es que aun cuando la serie está elaborada por los hijos del actor, en esta historia el personaje no se nos muestra como un héroe o un ejemplo a seguir, sino como un ser humano con todos sus defectos, con sus logros y desaciertos, como un ser talentoso y trabajador pero también como culpable, aunque no como el único culpable de muchos de los hechos que de una manera u otra condujeron al declive de sus programas de televisión y su familia.

Otro de los aspectos que más he disfrutado hasta ahora (los siete capítulos que se han emitido) es que inevitablemente apela a la nostalgia de la audiencia, ya que en algunas ocasiones nos muestran escenas de esos programas icónicos que formaron y aún forman parte de muchas generaciones, es como una especie de detrás de cámaras, lo cuál nos hace valorar aún más todo el trabajo y la preparación que hay detrás de todos esos proyectos.

Las actuaciones están a un altísimo nivel, cada uno de los actores se tomó muy enserio su trabajo, y en el caso de Paola Montes de Oca quien interpreta a María Antonieta de las Nieves tuvo la fortuna de recibir muchos consejos de la propia María Antonia 😃 quien además hizo un pequeño cameo en el episodio 6 😍. Las caracterizaciones de todos los personajes estuvieron soberbias y asombrosas, en mi opinión personal, sobre todo se lucieron con la de Juan Lecanda interpretando a Carlos Villagrán (aunque en la serie decidieron llamarlo "Marcos Barragán") Andrea Noli interpretando a Angelines Fernández y desde luego el más sorprendente de todos, Pablo Cruz Guerrero en el Rol de Roberto Gómez Bolaños, el parecido físico luego de la caracterización es simplemente increíble, pero lo que ayuda a consolidar la ilusión de estar viendo al propio Roberto Gómez Bolaños, es la fuerza interpretativa del actor, se nota que hubo mucho trabajo detrás de este personaje, incluso imita el tono de voz de Roberto y lo hace muy acertadamente. El humor que manejaba Chespirito en sus shows era físico y particular, pero sobrevivió al paso del tiempo gracias a la calidad de la interpretación.

En conclusión les puedo decir que no solo es una serie entretenida, es realmente buena tomando en cuanta todos los aspectos que mencioné anteriormente, puedes disfrutarla aún y cuando no tengas ningún contexto de Roberto Gómez Bolaños y sus shows, pero si eres fan de ellos obviamente que la experiencia de disfrute se eleva al máximo. Muchas gracias por su atención, nos vemos en otra oportunidad 😉

Imagen diseñada por mi en el editor de Canva.

Esta película está ambientada en un futuro post apocalíptico, luego de que una guerra terrible conocida como "Los Siete Días de Fuego" destruyera y contaminara el entorno, sin embargo una pequeña comunidad logró sobrevivir (El Valle del Viento) y han sobrevivido a base de buscar algunos recursos en el Mar de la putrefacción, lo cual es en realidad un bosque que está irónicamente contaminado, y en el cual habitan ciertas criaturas gigantes, pero en determinado momento los habitantes del valle tienen conflictos cuando sufren la invasión de los reinos Tolmekia y Pejite que pretendían usar un arma biológica para quemar el mal de putrefacción para deshacerse de la contaminación, pero una anciana sabia del valle asegura que esa no es la solución más indicada porque podría ser contraproducente, así que la heroína de esta historia, Nausicaä está dispuesta a todo por defender lo poco que ha quedado del entorno.

Es una hermosa película que juega con varios elementos para crear el equilibrio perfecto entre las emociones negativas que te puede generar la invasión al valle del viento, la contaminación y el entusiasmo de Nausicaa, su amor por el entorno y su sentido de pertenencia, todo esto se resume en una sola palabra "esperanza", mientras tengamos esperanza existirá la motivación y este es el motor que genera los cambios más drásticos y positivos. Igualmente creo que la intención de la película es demostrar que tan destructiva puede ser la guerra y todo lo que puede causar, mientras que el diálogo es conciliador y se pueden obtener grandes cosas a través de él, la guerra solo trae pérdidas y destrucción.

Y bueno, gente, esto ha sido todo por el post de hoy, espero que les haya gustado. Muchas gracias como siempre por apoyar mi trabajo, le doy la bienvenida a los nuevos lectores, les quiero mucho a todos, les envío un abrazo y ya nos encontraremos en otro post

La imagen de portada y despedida la realicé en Canva.

I was born in the mountains, a place where the only "wave" I could hear was the wind through the trees. The first time the sea entered my life was in an elementary school textbook. Those pages, with their drawings of boats and seagulls, filled my head with dreams about something I couldn't really understand.

Years later, a series, The Boat (Antena 3, 2011-2013), brought back that childhood fascination. Only then, that wonder had turned into an existential nightmare.

Imagine the scene: the ocean swallows almost everything, a sailboat called the Polar Star becomes the last floating refuge. Inside, a crew of boys and girls finds themselves embroiled in a drama that, honestly, at times bordered on genius and at others, pure nonsense.

Like that little boy who had never set foot on the shore, I let myself be carried by the tide, not knowing if I would eventually reach a safe harbor or if I would sink into a sea of inconsistencies.

The story, born from the minds of Álex Pina (the same man who later blew our minds with Money Heist) and Iván Escobar, began with an idea that made your skin crawl.

An experiment in Geneva, something scientific, unleashes a disaster. Ninety-nine percent of the planet ends up submerged. The forty crew members of that training ship, including Captain Ricardo, played by Juanjo Artero; his daughter Ainhoa, played by Blanca Suárez; the rebellious boy, Ulises, with the face of Mario Casas; and the endearing "Bubble," played by Iván Massagué, realize something chilling: they are the only ones left.

It was as if Lost had boarded a ship, with that salty smell and everyone in sailor uniforms. On its premiere day in 2011, the series was a huge hit. 4.7 million people watched it. Figures like that seem like the stuff of science fiction today, don't you think? As if the series itself had predicted its own sinking.

The first season, in truth, was like a breath of fresh air. I remember episodes like "A Million Miles," where everything blended so beautifully: the struggle for survival, the mystery surrounding Project Gaia, and the tension you felt between the characters. The connection between Ulises and Ainhoa on screen was electric; it captivated you. And Professor Gamboa, played by Juan Pablo Shuk, was a chilling villain, even when he smiled. Back then, anything seemed possible on that show.

Even I, a mountain man and a marabou hunter, imagined myself sailing alongside them, part of the adventure. But then the second and third seasons arrived, and the ship, little by little, began to take on water from all sides.

Suddenly, the plot became filled with strange, ever-changing viruses, with unexplained plots, like the Alexandria Project. And even an Atlantis appeared that seemed like a joke. I swear I wondered: how was it possible that, after two years adrift, they still had cookies in the pantry? Or that the walkie-talkies worked as if they were in the 22nd century?

The characters, poor things, became caricatures of themselves. Ainhoa, for example, jumped from one bed to another as if the end of the world were a reality show. Gamboa changed sides faster than time on the high seas. And the crew's priest lost his faith every now and then. Even I, who only knew about the sea what I was told, realized that something wasn't right on the Estrella Polar. It smelled rotten, and it wasn't exactly the fish.

But, despite so many shipwrecks, there were some things that truly shone through. In the midst of so much storm, two characters were brilliant. One was Burbuja, the kitchen assistant. He had brain damage, but he hid a brilliant, scientific mind. Iván Massagué gave him a humanity that truly touched your soul. And then there was Manolito, the duck. Yes, a real duck. Without saying a single word, he won the affection of all the fans. It was as if the writers, in the midst of their own creative chaos, had accidentally let in a spark of tenderness.

The ending, however, was the biggest disappointment. I won't give you any details; I don't want to spoil anything for you. But I will tell you that it left more loose ends than a ship after a storm. Not even the best sailor's knot could tie up those questions.

Who was behind the Gaia Project?

What had happened to the rest of the world?

Captain Ricardo's fate was as lost as my own faith in the writers. It was a hastily executed conclusion, as if they'd seen the ship sinking and decided to jump before it took them.

Even with everything I've told you, The Ship has its place in history. It was a series that dared to be different in its filming style, using a real ship and impressive locations like Peñíscola. They managed to capture the immensity of the sea, turning it into a perfect metaphor for loneliness. They sold it to fifteen countries. There was even talk of a remake in Russia. Despite his setbacks, he managed to navigate my memory, and that, for me, is a victory in itself.

⛵ This post is original. All rights reserved.

⛵ The images are screenshots from my computer taken with my phone.

_{I am a writer. I have published: Ashes' Banquet (2002), Behind the Skin (2004), On This Side of Death (2014), The Natural Order of Things (2015), The Blood of the Marabou (2020), The Sixth Cavalry of Kansas (2024), and Infinite Nothingness (2024)}

📽️🇪🇸 El Barco (Serie) RESEÑA

Nací en el monte, un lugar donde el único "oleaje" que se oía era el del viento entre los árboles. La primera vez que el mar entró en mi vida fue en un libro de primaria. Esas páginas, con sus dibujos de barcos y gaviotas, me llenaron la cabeza de sueños sobre algo que, en realidad, ni alcanzaba a entender.

Años después, una serie, El Barco (Antena 3, 2011-2013), me trajo de vuelta esa fascinación de niño. Solo que entonces, esa maravilla se había convertido en una pesadilla existencial.

Imagínate la escena: el océano se lo traga casi todo, un velero llamado Estrella Polar se convierte en el último refugio flotante. Dentro, una tripulación de chicos y chicas se ve envuelta en un drama que, sinceramente, a veces rozaba la genialidad y otras, el más puro disparate.

Como aquel pequeño que nunca había puesto un pie en la costa, me dejé llevar por la marea, sin saber si al final llegaría a un puerto seguro o si me iba a hundir en un mar de incoherencias.

La historia, que nació de la mente de Álex Pina (el mismo que luego nos voló la cabeza con La Casa de Papel) y de Iván Escobar, arrancó con una idea que te erizaba la piel.

Un experimento en Ginebra, algo científico, desata un desastre. El noventa y nueve por ciento del planeta acaba sumergido. Los cuarenta tripulantes de ese barco-escuela, entre ellos el capitán Ricardo, a quien daba vida Juanjo Artero; su hija Ainhoa, interpretada por Blanca Suárez; el chico rebelde, Ulises, con la cara de Mario Casas; y el entrañable "Burbuja", encarnado por Iván Massagué, se dan cuenta de algo escalofriante: son los únicos que quedan.

Era como si Lost se hubiera metido en un barco, con ese olor a salitre y todos con uniformes de marinero. El día del estreno, en 2011, la serie arrasó. Cuatro millones setecientas mil personas la vieron. Cifras así hoy parecen cosa de ciencia ficción, ¿no te parece? Como si la propia serie hubiera adivinado su propio hundimiento.

La primera temporada, la verdad, fue como una bocanada de aire fresco. Recuerdo episodios, como "Un millón de millas", donde todo se mezclaba muy bien: la lucha por sobrevivir, el misterio que rodeaba el Proyecto Gaia y esa tensión que sentías entre los personajes. La conexión entre Ulises y Ainhoa en la pantalla era algo eléctrico, te atrapaba. Y el profesor Gamboa, interpretado por Juan Pablo Shuk, era un villano de los que daba escalofríos, incluso cuando sonreía. En aquellos días, todo parecía posible en esa serie.

Hasta yo, hombre de montaña y marabú, me imaginaba navegando junto a ellos, formando parte de la aventura. Pero entonces llegaron la segunda y la tercera temporada, y el barco, poco a poco, empezó a hacer aguas por todas partes.

De repente, la trama se llenó de virus extraños que cambiaban, de complots que no tenían explicación, como el Proyecto Alexandria. Y hasta apareció una Atlántida que parecía de broma. Te juro que me preguntaba: ¿cómo era posible que, después de dos años a la deriva, todavía tuvieran galletas en la despensa? ¿O que los walkie-talkies funcionaran como si estuvieran en el siglo XXII?

Los personajes, pobrecitos, se convirtieron en una caricatura de sí mismos. Ainhoa, por ejemplo, saltaba de una cama a otra como si el fin del mundo fuera un reality show. Gamboa cambiaba de bando más rápido que el tiempo en alta mar. Y el cura de la tripulación perdía la fe cada dos por tres. Hasta yo, que del mar solo sabía lo que me contaban, me di cuenta de que algo no iba bien en el Estrella Polar. Olía a podrido, y no era precisamente el pescado.

Pero, a pesar de tanto naufragio, hubo cosas que brillaron de verdad. En medio de tanta tormenta, dos personajes fueron brillantes. Uno fue Burbuja, el asistente de cocina. Él tenía un daño cerebral, pero escondía una mente brillante, de científico. Iván Massagué le dio una humanidad que te llegaba al alma, de verdad. Y luego estaba Manolito, el pato. Sí, un pato real. Sin decir ni una sola palabra, se ganó el cariño de todos los fans. Era como si los guionistas, en medio de su propio caos creativo, hubieran dejado caer un chispazo de ternura por puro accidente.

El final, sin embargo, fue la mayor decepción. No te voy a contar detalles, no quiero arruinarte nada. Pero te diré que dejó más cabos sueltos que un barco después de una tormenta. Ni el mejor nudo marinero podría atar esas preguntas.

¿Quién estaba detrás del Proyecto Gaia?

¿Qué había pasado con el resto del mundo?

El destino del capitán Ricardo quedó tan perdido como mi propia fe en los guionistas. Fue un cierre hecho con prisas, como si hubieran visto que el barco se hundía y decidieron saltar antes de que los arrastrara.

Aun con todo lo que te he contado, El Barco tiene su lugar en la historia. Fue una serie que se atrevió a ser diferente en su forma de grabar, usando un buque de verdad y lugares impresionantes como Peñíscola. Lograron capturar esa inmensidad del mar, convirtiéndola en una metáfora perfecta de la soledad. La vendieron a quince países. Incluso se habló de un remake en Rusia. A pesar de sus tropiezos, supo navegar en mi memoria, y eso, para mí, ya es una victoria.

⛵ Esta publicación es Original. Todos los derechos reservados.

⛵ Las imágenes son capturas de pantalla desde mi computadora realizadas con mi teléfono.

_{Soy escritor. He publicado: Convite de Cenizas (2002), Tras la piel (2004), En este lado de la muerte (2014), El orden natural de las cosas (2015), La Sangre del Marabú (2020), La Sexta Caballería de Kansas (2024) y La Nada Infinita (2024)}

Movies that tell the story of true-life events crack me like I'm about to lose something in my body. Af first, I didn't know the movie was a true-life event till the end.

At that moment I felt lied to, I felt betrayed because why wouldn't someone tell me about it, rather than I finding out at the end of the movie.

Does being lied to define how I feel about the movie?  Well, it's a no, I loved the movie regardless. Having some spare time and not knowing what to watch at that moment to keep my eyes busy, someone gave a positive review about this movie, and I went "this is the right one".

The Plot

"Overcomer" tells the story of a young athlete named Hannah who is also asthmatic. Hannah lives with her grandmother "Barbara,"  who has been telling Hannah the stories of how her father died.

Growing up, Hannah believed that her father had died. Hannah's school coach got an interest in her because of how passionate she is for running, despite having asthma, she didn't let that stop her from becoming one of the best in the school.

Hannah's coach and his wife Amy visit the hospital one day to see their friend, but accidentally enter the room of someone named "Hill," who is blind and diabetic, and was once a cross-country runner. Hannah's coach and Hill began conversing. Hannah's coach started visiting Hill often to learn more about him when he discovered that Hill is Hannah's biological father.

Hannah's coach, "John," told Hannah about her father and asked if she could visit him. Hannah rejected the offer several times until one day she decided to reluctantly visit Hill at the hospital. When Hannah's grandmother, "Barbara," heard the news of their visit, she became furious and threatened John that she was gonna report him for legal action if he took Hannah to her father without discussing it with her again.

As time went by, Barbara went to the Lord in prayer seeking forgiveness, and after a while, she allowed Hannah to visit her father in the hospital. Hannah creates a bond with her father. When the day of the state champions race came, Hill gave his daughter Hannah an earbud and a player.

Then Hannah's coach, "John," tells her to play the player as the race begins. All through the race, Hannah listened to her father's voice of coaching and encouragement, which led her to win the race. At the end of the race, Hannah got a call about her father passing away.

My Review

Let me take a deep breath before continuing because it's gonna enable me to think properly before going with the review. I loved the fact that it was based on a true-life event, "that was the major captivation." The movie was awesome.

I loved every scene as it unfolded, and I would often be left thinking about the action that would unfold in the next scene. I stayed glued to my screen all through the movie, and I believe my time spent watching this movie wasn't a waste.

In high school, coaches would ensure that their students achieve the best of their abilities both mentally and physically. Not gonna lie, that is what Coach John did for Hannah; he was fully present in her life.

Hannah, meeting her father for the first time, thinking he is dead. That moment was so emotional, not believing in who she was seeing, as those tears rolled down her cheeks. That last twenty minutes in the movie, when he was coaching her through the race, shows how present he wanted to be in her life. But then life happens and Hannah couldn't spend some quality time with her father. I'm gonna rate this movie a 9/10.

images are screenshots from my phone

Thanks for reading 🧡

Man, Dead City Season 2 Episode 6 was such a weird mix of stuff that I'm still trying to figure out if I actually liked it or not but I guess it was expected to things turn out very GOT, every man and woman for themself trying to grab as much power they could now that Dama was ""out"" of the picture, you know what I mean, like the whole thing felt super slow and dragged out but then boom, they throw this crazy bear scene at us that made absolutely no sense whatsoever. So we start with Negan and the Croat talking about what happens now that Dama is toast and honestly the whole conversation felt forced as hell plus it felt like Negan was teasing him about the rat incident the hole time like he wanted to tell Negan or the script wanted to, although they are still trying to figure out their next move but it's all just so predictable at this point. The Croat keeps going on about how he didn't save Dama from the fire, which we know until then he didnt because he is a coward and then he's all like "oh we can go back to Croatia together with our families" which sounds nice but come on, this is The Walking Dead, nothing ever works out that smoothly. What really got me was how they handled the whole rat situation, like Negan crushed this rat earlier and when the Croat sees the blood on his boot, suddenly he figures out that Negan set him up, which leads to this big fight where they are wrestling over Lucille and honestly it was kinda cool to see some action but also felt like they were just filling time until something more interesting happened besides none of them got really hurt, at worst Croat him Negan just once with Lucille, really crappy fight scene.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt18546730/
• Platform: Prime Video

The whole Maggie and Bugal storyline was even more frustrating because it makes zero sense why anyone would trust this guy, like Maggie literally saw him being buddy with the Croat before and now he is trying to make deals with New Babylon, offering methane in exchange for help against Negan's crew. Bugal keeps talking about how impressed he is with what they have done on the mainland but it's all just smooth talk bullshit that anyone with half a brain should see through, yet somehow Pearly is actually considering taking the deal which is just dumb as rocks, he has always been like that since season 1. Then we get this whole thing where one of Bugal's guards gets attacked by something mysterious, its hilrious how fast she got dragged into a bush like a human or monster pull her and she comes back all torn up before dying, which is supposed to build tension but honestly just felt like they were setting up for the bear scene that comes later, a bear would never pull her like that. The dinner scene with Bugal was so awkward too, like he was trying to be all diplomatic and charming but everyone can see right through it, especially Maggie who was clearly not buying any of his crap and then Pearly starts wavering which made me want to slap the fuck out of him for been that stupid. What really bugged me was how they kept hinting at this bigger threat lurking around but never really explained what was going on, they were like "do you think it was...." , like are we supposed to just accept that there was some monster roaming around Bugal's compound without any backstory or reason, honestly I though it was Bugal fighter from a few episodes ago but he killed that guy.

The bear scene was probably the most ridiculous thing I've seen in a Walking Dead show in years and that's saying something considering all the crazy stuff we have witnessed over the years, they had something good on episode 5 and then destroy it on this one, like seriously what the hell were they thinking when they wrote this. Then there is Hershel is trying to poison everyone water supply with walker blood, when will they kill Hershel?? pls do us that solid, then Maggie catches him and they have this big argument where he is basically telling her she's a terrible mother, which leads to him running off into the night like the city is a safe place because literally nothing happens to him. Then out of nowhere this massive grizzly bear shows up and starts chasing them around and I'm sitting there thinking "did they really just add a bear to this zombie show" like what's next, zombie sharks or something as stupid, plus I thought it would be a Zombie bear but nop just a regular one eye bear, the CGI on this bear was actually pretty decent, I'll give them that but the whole sequence felt so out of place and unnecessary, like they were trying to create this big action moment but it just came across as desperate and random. Maggie tries to use the chained up walkers as distractions, which barely works because this bear is apparently stronger than anything we have seen before, tearing through zombies like they are made of paper and then Hershel saves the day by throwing knives at its face which somehow works perfectly and the bear falls into the spike fence of the Zombies fight cage, which is such a convenient way to end the fight and then Hershel just disappears again leaving Maggie all alone, which brings us back to the same family drama we have been dealing with all season, just when we thought it was over after episode five

What really bothered me about this episode was how everything felt so irrational and forced, like the writers were trying to move pieces around the board but couldn't figure out how to make it feel natural or believable, there was the bear, the sky bridge where Maggie almost fall, Croat taking her around the city like it was Disney land. Then we got Negan's whole emotional journey with Benjamin Pierce in the tunnels was probably the best part of the episode, where he was reflecting on his past and wondering if his people needed saving from him rather than the world, which is actually pretty deep character development that I wish they had focus on before and not now. But then we get this scene where Annie and Joshua show up at the docks and instead of reuniting with his family, Negan tells his people to send them back to Tennessee, which is supposed to be this heartbreaking moment but honestly just felt manipulative, I know he did it because of what was coming up if Bugal decides to attack him, so now you telling me that Negan is the new leader of the Burazi??. The whole Jinny storyline has been building up for weeks with her waiting for that moment to pull up on Negan but she has also been hiding this infection and when she finally pulls a gun on Negan, she collapses before she can do anything, which is such a predictable twist that I saw coming from miles away you just had to look at her pale face, which leads to this scavenger hunt for medicine where the series put out a bunch f zombie kids and felt like the writers were afraid to have the kids kill / tear apart someone or Negan putting a knife through a zombie kid on TV? wtf!!

This episode really made me have second thoughts on this series, I know out of the three current spin off this is the weak one, yes it had a nice twist at the end but that can't safe the day and makes it more predictable, it's clear that Dead City is struggling with pacing issues and doesn't know how to balance character development with action sequences, which is frustrating because the show has so much potential when it focuses on the right things. The performances are still entertaining or plain good, especially Jeffrey Dean Morgan who continues to bring emotional scenes to Negan even when the script lets him down and Lauren Cohan does her best with Maggie's material even though the character keeps making some of the dumbest decisions. The hole post apocalyptic Manhattan and production quality is still there, from costumes to the entire city as an entity but none of that matters if the story doesn't make sense or feels forced. I keep waiting for this show to find its rhythm and deliver on the promise of what could be a really good spin off that might connect to the rest in the future but its so far away from Darel Dixon spin off and episodes like this one make me wonder if they are just throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks. The bear scene will probably be talked about for all the wrong reasons and I think they wanted to give the same impression of how Maggie fought that multi zombie in the tunnels on season one because it was on similar circumstances and very close to the season ending, it definitely feels like the writers were running out of ideas, which is concerning since we are only in season 2 and this might get cancel if it keeps dropping the ball like this, I got to mention this is the worst episode of the series so far.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #negan, #maggie, #croat, #bear, #bugal, #jinny, #hershel, #dama, #manhattan, #zombie, #walking, #dead, #city, #methane, #review, #episode, #season, #fight, #infection, #poison, #family, #betrayal, #survival, #violence, #drama

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