Culture on My Mind
Narrative Diversions
(Autumn and Post-Strike 2023 Edition)
January 19, 2024
Narrative Diversions is a look at the various pop culture things I’ve been watching, reading, and playing over the last few months. This edition will also cover the movies and television that I did not detail in the Summer 2023 edition due to the WGA/SAG-AFTRA strikes.
Movies
Summer 2023
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) – PG
I will admit that I was skeptical about this movie because the history of video game movies has been so tumultuous. As I mentioned when I looked at the history of Mario’s voice in film, television, and games, it’s only in recent years that video game movies really started to take off.
The thing about this one is that everyone at the helm gets what makes Mario tick. This was a delight from start to finish. It was a pure celebration of the joy in the Mario franchise. The story clips along without being weighed down by the legacy, and it is chock full of easter eggs and references that make me want to watch this again and again.
It also gives me hope for future Nintendo properties at the theater, including The Legend of Zelda and Metroid.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) – PG-13
I know that it’s en vogue to dog on Disney and the legacy of Lucasfilm. I don’t do that here. I don’t have a slavish devotion to the brands by any means, but seeing their names on the screen doesn’t turn me into one of those rabid angry fanboys that you find on YouTube.
I’ve been a fan of the franchise since a friend of mine introduced me to Raiders of the Lost Ark in the ’90s. He had it playing in the background while we chatted and I was transfixed by the monkey who stole items. The dialogue still sticks in my mind today when I think of Jacob: “Bad dates.” I caught up on the films and the Young Indiana Jones series later on, and had my first theatrical experience with Indy while on deployment with Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Silver screen-biased memories aside, I still enjoy that film. While fans find the inclusion of mind-reading aliens hiding in El Dorado to be a step too far, I consider it on par with hunting mystical artifacts with religious pasts. If the cult-like fandom surrounding Giorgio A. Tsoukalos has taught us anything, religious devotion comes in all flavors.
That same out-there sense of wonder combined with a healthy suspension of disbelief allowed me to enjoy a time travel tale based around another religious artifact. It also helps that Dial of Destiny is a story about taking care of loved ones in their twilight years. We all get older, be it through years or mileage, and I found this story to be a beautiful swan song for a Gen X action hero.
Dancing Queens (2021) – TV-MA [Netflix]
I won’t be as verbose about this one. It’s the standard dubbed European dancing film, but this time it also plays with drag queens.
(Somewhere in the bowels of Florida, someone just got triggered and that makes me smile.)
It’s the standard Cinderella story with hidden identities, the runaway revelation moment, and a happy ending where everyone wins. But it also made me laugh quite often with its flamboyant charm. It’s worth the 110 minutes.
Plus One at an Amish Wedding (2022) – NR
This was another random find on Netflix, but it comes more from the “faith and family” side of things. Thankfully, it never got preachy. Instead, it’s a squeaky-clean lather-rinse-and-repeat of the bog-standard romantic comedy formula. The characters had chemistry and it was engaging enough to keep my attention for 90 minutes.
Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 (2023) – PG-13
There is a lot of discourse around the idea of “superhero fatigue” these days, but this Guardians installment tells me that people aren’t tired of superhero fare. They just want it to be meaningful and engaging.
Think about it: Marvel’s Phases Four and Five have been bifurcated messes split across the cinema and paywalled streaming-only television series. Meanwhile, DC Comics has thrown a lot of money into CGI-amplified slugfests that were sabotaged by the announcement of an impending reboot. Yet we still have successes with Spider-Man, WandaVision, Loki, What If…?, and others.
People want engaging stories. The fatigue comes from being asked to accept whatever the studios want to throw at us.
(Yes, I know that I didn’t mention anything from DC Comics in my successes category. First, my lists don’t always align with the zeitgeist. In fact, some of my favorites from Marvel’s recent phases would have the internet legions of doom demanding my fandom membership card… if I actually believed in such tripe. Second, I haven’t been really excited about anything from DC/Warner Bros. since Stargirl, Superman and Lois, and 2020’s Birds of Prey.)
I find Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 in the successes pile. It finds our heroes at a major inflection point as they all go on personal journeys and end up saving the galaxy one more time. It was a tear-jerker and I didn’t even notice the film’s length because I was so engaged with the story and the journey. I know that this was the last hurrah for a few of the actors in this team, and I will certainly miss this dysfunctional family.
The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society (2018) – TV-14 [Netflix]
It was the name that drew my wife to this one. It was a beautiful romantic drama that took us on a rollercoaster of emotion from tears to laughter as a World War II survivor tries to find herself as an author in London. Fate draws her to the quirky crew of a book club on Guernsey where she unravels a mystery that helps everyone involved heal from their traumas.
The Whale (2022) – R
This is not a feel-good movie. In fact, it doesn’t pull any punches in its raw portrayals of grief, guilt, and mortality. Brendan Fraser’s performance was amazing as the chronically obese Charlie, a college professor who is self-destructive in his contemplation of his faults. Despite being an English teacher, he fails at communication even though that is his path to ultimate redemption with the people that he’s hurt and wronged. I was nearly brought to tears in the moments when his entire support structure eroded beneath him, leaving him bare and alone with his self-destructive nature.
I also need to mention Sadie Sink, who I recognize best from Stranger Things, and her great performance as Charlie’s estranged daughter Ellie. At one point her mother says that Ellie is simply evil, but the truth emerges in the end that she’s just as traumatized as her father.
The Beanie Bubble (2023) – R [Apple TV]
Based on real events and adapted from Zac Bissonnette’s book The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: The Amazing Story of How America Lost Its Mind Over a Plush Toy—and the Eccentric Genius Behind It, this colorful dramatization of Ty Warner and his brand is funny but not stuffy like a historical drama could easily be. In fact, the main players other than Warner are presented under pseudonyms, almost giving the story a fantasy element that accompanies its disjointed nature as it bounces around in time. I’m not a huge fan of Zach Galifianakis, but Elizabeth Banks is a favorite in our household and her energy was infectious. The movie was an entertaining way to spend date night.
Movies
Autumn 2023
The Little Mermaid (2023) – PG
There was a lot of tempest in the teapot over this live-action remake from a certain sector of the internet, but based on the scores half a year later, it seems that the “anti-woke” campaign fell flat.
Indeed, no version of The Little Mermaid will ever compare to the spectacle of the 1989 animated masterpiece, but this one has heart of its own. Halle Bailey does phenomenal work as Ariel, bringing the character’s wide-eyed innocence to the spotlight with her own unique flair. The other standout performance was Melissa McCarthy as Ursula as she channeled Pat Carroll and Divine while adding her special touch to the character.
It’s a beat-for-beat copy of the original Disney adaptation with some new musical numbers, but the performances and minor changes do enough to set it apart and allow it to breathe. I really enjoyed the movie. I also have to laugh at the detractors who thought that calling back to the source material was enough to justify their stand against a woman of color playing the title role. The original story was first published in 1837 by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. While the country is diverse today, Denmark is historically noted by fair-skinned people with blue eyes and blonde hair. Of course, a story written by a Danish man for Danish children is going to represent the norms of the culture. The argument that a woman of color can’t play the character today is silly at best.
Note how the detractors didn’t fully embrace the source material, which is quite dark, and offered the little mermaid a chance at a good life in exchange for killing the prince. Spoiler: She refuses and dies, becoming an immortal spirit instead. The spirit element holds true for the historical mythology of Black mermaids as well, as explained by Professor Jalondra Davis.
Also worth noting? Disney has included diverse characters in this franchise since the early ’90s. Most notably, Gabriella was a mute mermaid who communicated by sign language.
As always, the “anti-woke” crowd can go pound sand.
Elemental (2023) – PG
This movie flew under the radar, but it is a wonderful tale about immigration, work, and love. It’s a personal story for director Peter Sohn, and while it meanders a bit, it’s still quite touching and beautiful overall.
John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) – R
I have a soft spot for this increasingly ridiculous action franchise, but this is a good place to let it rest. As the creative team continued to amp up the threats to super-assassin John Wick, they also increased his seeming invulnerability leading to several points in this movie that challenged my suspension of disbelief. Given the ending of this film (and the negative reviews from my friends of the current spinoffs), I’m happy to leave this story behind and wait for the next creative venture for Keanu Reeves.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) – PG
I was highly impressed with this sequel. It improves on the first movie in nearly every way, including the graphics and the characterizations. I also loved the ratcheting tension as the mystery gets unraveled, especially including the massive multiverse chase with all of those Spider-Beings. The cliffhanger that sets up Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse truly works, and I’m eager to see how they wrap this up.
Haunted Mansion (2023) – PG-13
It’s a greatest-hits version of the famous Magic Kingdom ride with additional humor and loads of CGI. The villain is a character with very little screen time in the actual ride, but I felt like it worked with this typical Disney joyride. The story does flounder a little bit in the third quarter, but it wraps up just fine with the normal Disney happy ending. It’s kind of shallow but still fun.
A Man Called Otto (2022) – PG-13
Tom Hanks plays the “grumpiest man in America” and the audience grows to realize that there’s always a path to understanding people. This was a hard movie to watch because it doesn’t pull any punches with triggering situations, but it is a fascinating look into grief and love. It had us in tears by the end of the film.
The Flash (2023) – PG-13
Warner Bros. put Batgirl through the shredder for this steaming hot mess of a film. The Flash doesn’t know what kind of tone it wants to maintain. It bounces from whimsical slapstick (including a hospital rescue with some of the worst CGI I have seen) to serious drama (with the bog standard time travel trope of going mad while trying to make history absolutely perfect).
Ezra Miller started this tale at a disadvantage with me. They have enjoyed considerable clemency from WB regarding their numerous arrests and accusations of grooming and abuse because of the studio investment in this Elseworlds retelling of Man of Steel, and it highlights the differences between Warner’s DC films and Disney/Marvel’s cinematic universe. Miller never recovered from that disadvantage, and I never found a reason to care about this film or its place in the superhero genre. Especially since WB had already announced that their DCEU was coming to an end before this one premiered.
Michael Keaton was fine in this story, though I wonder how his character would have been different/better in Batgirl. The 1990s Batcave was beautiful. I adored the new vision for Supergirl, and it is a shame that Sasha Calle won’t get to don the cape again. The Bat-cameo at the end made me laugh out loud.
Those were the highlights. I can’t find anything redeeming about the rest of this bloated and meandering mess.
Barbie (2023) – PG-13
The polar opposite of The Flash in character development and analysis of the human condition, this film was a hit in our house. It doesn’t pull any punches as a tribute to the legacy of Barbie that explores both good and bad parts of the doll’s history. It also packs a good deal of bold social commentary while taking a meta approach to how role play with the brand intersects with real life. It was well-written and well-directed.
No Hard Feelings (2023) – R
This Jennifer Lawrence vehicle certainly tried, but it couldn’t shake the ick factor that hung around its neck. The entire premise (which feels like it was ripped from the pages of an ’80s/’90s/’00s teen sex romp) revolves around a 32-year-old woman posing as a twenty-something hired by a 19-year-old high school grad’s parents to help him have sex before going to college. Her payment is a used car, which she can then use to make ends meet.
Yeah, it’s as creepy as it sounds.
There’s a slight bit of redemption in the final act, but Lawrence’s character never comes across as endearing or appealing. There’s even full-frontal nudity meshed with a strange fight scene on the beach. It’s friggin’ weird, man.
The positive is that the cast truly had a ball making this comedy, and it shows in their performances. I just couldn’t get past the ick factor. Watch it if you have an hour and forty-five to kill, but otherwise, just fire up one of your favorite ’80s-’00s high school sex comedies instead.
The Marvels (2023) – PG-13
There are a lot of reasons why this Marvel entry failed at the box office, including the Hollywood strikes that prevented Marvel’s typical publicity blitz and the political backlashes against Disney and female-driven fare. But if you look at the reactions from people who actually went to the film, it’s apparent that quality is not the problem.
I loved this title, from the chemistry among the three lead women to the short, tightly-paced runtime. This film is swimming in personality and joy, and it was able to tell its story without being too saddled with the MCU’s history.
The negativity being dumped on this film comes from the typical ass-end of the internet that hates everything about women in comic books, Brie Larson overall, and anything “woke” (which they have trouble defining beyond buzzwords). If you’re a Marvel fan, I highly recommend this film. Our group had a ball with it, and it ranks among the top of Marvel’s cinematic offerings for 2023. Judge it on what you see, not on what some YouTuber with an agenda (who might not have even seen the film) has to say.
Best. Christmas. Ever! (2023) – TV-PG [Netflix]
No. It’s. Not!
Okay, look: Heather Graham, Brandy Norwood, and Jason Biggs give their all for this movie, but it cannot overcome the schmaltzy script and contrived plot devices. There are moments of humor driven by the child actors, but the rest failed its overall potential.
It’s the very definition of cheesy Christmas movie, but even my cheesy Christmas movie-loving wife had a hard time making it through 82 minutes.
Family Switch (2023) – PG [Netflix]
The “Freaky Friday” Flip is a well-worn trope, and this iteration combines it with the ever-popular Dysfunctional Family trope to help everyone learn a lesson from Rita Moreno. The actors all do great work, both in their own roles and their swapped roles. The only dodgy combination (for obvious reasons) is the baby-dog swap due to questionable CGI and quite shallow slapstick humor. Otherwise, this Freaky Friday spin is mostly harmless.
The Family Plan (2023) – PG-13 [Apple TV+]
We were pretty entertained by this story about a secret agent hiding in a form of witness protection. It does good work with Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Monaghan carrying the bulk of the film, but the kids shine as well. It was fun to spot some local Atlanta-area locales posing as places across the country. The cheesy and fun plot also resolves well in the end.
Genie (2023) – PG [Peacock]
Completing this trio of fun films, the story of a dysfunctional family driven by a workaholic father who finds a genie fits the bill. It plays with the genie and unexpected consequences tropes quite well, eventually resolving in a happy ending with all the threads tied off. Melissa McCarthy shines as the fish out of water genie, and Paapa Essideu is quite engaging as Bernard. It’s a fairy tale comedy worth the 90 minutes.
Television
Summer 2023
Resident Alien – Seasons 1 and 2 [Syfy via Peacock]
I love Alan Tudyk and this concept, and the cast of this comedy is pretty amazing. It’s also nice to see a comic book adaptation from Dark Horse Comics. Sadly, I feel like this comedy got a little stale in the sophomore season as the main conceit – the alien outsider sent to destroy the planet learns the value of humanity – got lost in a plot without focus.
It’s still worth the watch for the cast and their antics, but I’m not that excited for the eventual third season.
Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets [Hulu]
Do you want the definition of cult? Look no further than this family, their beliefs, and how they sold the ideology to the American public through reality television. There is a pile of disgusting and disturbing behavior beneath the surface of the shiny façade, and it shows just how much the “good ol’ boy” privilege network and piles of cash will hide it from the world.
Ted Lasso [Apple TV]
As a soothing balm in contrast to that last title, Ted Lasso is just beautiful. I adored every minute of this show and the stories it told, both about optimism and recovery from trauma. The characters all have room to shine, and the ideals of redemption and potential spoke to me. Loudly. It was tough to set this one down every night.
Like The Good Place, I want a complete Blu-ray set on my shelf so I can watch this over and over again at any time. I’m not a soccer (football) fan, but I am a fan of AFC Richmond. Binge this show. It’s a life-changer.
Bless This Mess [ABC via Hulu]
This is a lesson in getting through the first few episodes because this series is dumb as a bag of hammers, but the writing and production values didn’t engage until the finale of the first six-episode season. I was ready to give up on this mindless mess until “The Estonian Method,” after which everything gelled. The characters became likable and the jokes actually got funnier. Strangely, it hit that mark when it actually embraced the absurdity and dialed it to eleven.
This isn’t spectacular by any means, but if you want to watch some really ignorant city folk try to be farmers by watching YouTube and living in a deathtrap of a house, go for it. Just know that the series ends on a bit of a cliffhanger.
Secret Invasion [Disney+]
Trainwreck.
Okay, okay, look… I liked the basic conceit of this series, and there are a lot of elements that I liked overall, but the show left way too much potential on the table as it tried to figure out what it was. It literally went through an identity crisis, starting as a sci-fi political thriller but receding into a pile of abandoned plot threads as characters passed the “stupid ball” back and forth. Even Nick Fury, who is supposed to be ten steps ahead of his opponents, ends up on his back foot way to often in this show, and his arc is cut short by yet another CGI slugfest instead of restitution for his sins.
It’s a stepping stone in Marvel’s Phase Five, but it doesn’t provide many answers. In fact, it opens up more holes than anything else, and it leaves the world worse than when the show started. It also fridges main characters whom we have adored for years. The end of the first episode is unforgivable.
I’ll give one bright spot amid this show’s narrative fog: Olivia Colman nailed it.
Otherwise, this was disappointing, and should have spent more time on the drawing board to find cohesion.
Good Omens 2 [Amazon Prime]
I adored this follow-up to the first series. The basic thread of love was a fine exploration, and the ending broke my heart as a result. It’s a great parable about love, religion, and the friction that exists between the two. As someone whose background includes a religion that constantly forces people to choose between faith and love of those who don’t believe, this story spoke to me on a different level.
Of course, the solution’s hand was tipped early in the series and the main story seemed a bit sparse, leading to the tangent tales from the past to amplify things. But overall, I really enjoyed the ride.
How could you not with Michael Sheen and David Tennant?
The Witcher – Season 3 [Netflix]
I put this season on the same level as Season Two, neither of which holds a candle to the first season but are still fun fantasy action dramas. It will be interesting to see how (if at all) the change in lead actors is addressed.
I’ve seen a lot of fans who think that Netflix or the showrunners have done Henry Cavill wrong, but I’m not a Cavill “stan”. It will be interesting to see what Liam Hemsworth does with the role.
Hijack [Apple TV]
A tense and enjoyable thriller, but there are a lot of characters playing with the stupid ball near the halfway mark. Daniel the detective and the airplane’s pilot, for example. I also wasn’t a fan of some of the dangling plot threads at the end. I did enjoy how they basically played this series in real time, though, airing enough episodes to cover the time of the flight.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – Season 2 [Paramount+]
I adore this series because of how willing it is to experiment and explore. Putting Star Trek‘s first musical episode and an animated crossover next to compelling stories about PTSD, war, and relationship stress is a bold move that pays off because it makes me care about these characters. The musical stood out because Trek is no stranger to silliness, and it’s good to see the actors having fun with their roles.
I also don’t worry too much about the dreaded c-word – continuity! – because Star Trek has never (never!) been that concerned about it. Continuity is truly a fan-driven drama and not something that I feel concerned enough about to argue instead of the philosophical meat of the franchise.
If anything, I’d like these seasons to be longer, but that’s purely selfish because I don’t want them to end.
Silo – Season 1 [Apple TV]
This set of episodes did really well with keeping momentum and intrigue as the mystery was unraveled. The ending was shocking and offers a lot of potential for what comes next. I’m also really interested in the book series that inspired the television series.
Television
Autumn 2023
I am Groot – Season 2 [Disney+]
There’s not much to say about I am Groot except that it is adorable. I love watching little Groot having little adventures in the universe, and I think the only downside is the prevalence of scatological humor in these episodes.
Gaslit [Starz]
This docudrama about the Watergate Scandal is not a feel-good miniseries at all, but it does shine a light on some of the lesser-known greed and darkness surrounding the corruption in the Nixon Administration. This was a series that we could only take an episode every one or two days. Powerful but intense.
Star Wars: Ahsoka – Season 1 [Disney+]
I’m a sucker for all things Ahsoka Tano and this show is no exception. I loved diving into the continued mythology of the Force and Ahsoka’s path concerning it. Hardly a missed beat along the way and I’m eager to see what comes next.
Family Law – Season 2 [CW]
The second season of Family Law redeemed Jewel Staite’s character for me as she continues to grow and evolve. Finally free of her community service, she’s able to challenge her boundaries and stand up for herself without threat of repercussion. There are a lot of strong and relevant stories in this season, and I’m on board for another set from this team, which will apparently debut in the US in mid-January.
Viper
Sometimes I play catch-up, and this is one of those titles. For reference, I watched this in syndication when I was a teenager, and while I recognized the B-movie plots and cheesy humor, the technological side (both on the show and behind the scenes) kept me engaged. I mean, it was all about a transforming supercar that defied the laws of physics in the same vein as Knight Rider.
It originally ran for four seasons, starting on NBC in 1994 before getting canceled and revived. It ran for three more seasons in syndication between 1996 and 1999 before being axed for good. It ran on my local stations as late-night Saturday programming, and I usually flipped over to it while I did my homework.
It certainly hasn’t aged well, especially considering its dependence on “might makes right” police storylines. Much of what Team Viper did was outside the lines of normal police protocol, and many of their missions wouldn’t stand up in court. In that regard, it’s like the Batman effect: The police are so ineffective at their jobs that a shadowy force has to step up instead. It becomes hand-wavy if you think about it too hard.
On the other hand, I do miss Heather Medway on my television. I enjoyed the balance that she brought to the show, especially after Dawn Stern left.
I might have to write more about this childhood touchstone.
Star Trek: Lower Decks – Season 4 [Paramount+]
Lower Decks is one of my favorite recent Star Trek series, and the fourth season keeps ramping up the quality in both animation and story. The gentle pokes at the legacy of Star Trek are also great fun, and it helps that the show is laughing with fans about those touchstones rather than at the audience. It doesn’t bully fans, and that’s important while parodying some of the franchise’s sillier moments.
The Wheel of Time – Season 2 [Amazon Prime]
I know that this show is a controversial one among Wheel of Time fans, especially since it doesn’t hew to the Robert Jordan novels that inspired it. That said, I really enjoy watching it. The show is a parallel universe for my wife (a fan of the novels) and an easier-to-digest version of the story for me (someone who couldn’t get through the novels). I’m also a big fan of Rosamund Pike, so that helps.
It also motivates me to pick up the novels again. Maybe I’ll do it again one day.
The Morning Show – Season 3 [Apple TV+]
The Morning Show keeps getting wackier. This time, they tackled the Elon Musk mindset and the January 6th insurrection, and there was a lot of great character development as our main characters tried to navigate love and loyalty. It ends in a good place that opens a few doors for Season Four, and I eagerly await what they do next.
Loki – Season 2 [Disney+]
I wondered how the Loki team would top their efforts in Season One. Yeah, they did it, with recursive storylines, the ever-present threat of Kang the Conqueror (who is likely getting a new face in the near future), and some answers to questions that we’ve had about the TVA regulars for quite some time.
Oh, yeah… and some of that god with glorious purpose stuff. I really liked how this version of Loki ended up, and I’m okay if there are no more seasons left here. This particular version of Loki, spawned from an alternate timeline in Avengers: Endgame, has ended up in a good place. This was easily one of my favorite recent offerings from Marvel Studios.
Upload – Season 3 [Amazon Prime]
I expected this to be the final season, so when the story kind of meandered all over the place, I was worried about how it would wrap everything up in eight episodes. As it turns out, this season ends with a cliffhanger opportunity for a fourth installment. As of this writing, a renewal hasn’t been confirmed, but this series continues to explore some strange territory in a world where life and the soul don’t seem dependent on having a physical body. Combined with some poignant and timely social commentary, this is easily one of my favorite science fiction properties on television.
The Buccaneers – Season 1 [Apple TV+]
My wife loves period dramas, so this remake of a miniseries based on an unfinished novel was quite appealing. The story revolves around a group of young American women who travel to 1870s Britain in search of fortune, titles, and (hopefully) love.
The positives here all revolve around the agency of the women, including the desire to find love overriding the draw of fame and fortune, as well as how to deal with domestic abuse in the very patriarchal nineteenth century. The negatives center on the ever-present period drama trope of miscommunication. It’s frustrating when the conflicted characters don’t sit down and talk. Instead, there are a lot of assumptions and prejudice-driven interpolations where there should be heart-to-hearts between these supposed best friends.
The modern soundtrack is anachronistic but catchy, and I’m admittedly invested in these characters despite my frustrations with their choices. I was also quite happy to see Christina Hendricks on the screen again.
What If…? – Season 2 [Disney+]
What If…? Season One was amazing, and Season Two continues that quality. I loved seeing Captain Carter take a major role, and the zany Die Hard parody for Christmas Eve was hilarious. The crown jewel this season was Kahhori and her episode that was primarily voiced in the Mohawk language of Kanien’kéha and Spanish. I hope to see her in the MCU again.
Books
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Mission Gamma: Twilight – David R. George
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Mission Gamma: This Gray Spirit – Heather Jarman
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Mission Gamma: Cathedral – Michael A. Martin and Andy Mangels
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Mission Gamma: Lesser Evil – Robert Simpson
I have been enjoying the Deep Space Nine revival “season”, but the Mission Gamma miniseries was a set of hits and misses for me.
Twilight had the hard job of setting up the miniseries, concluding the Gateways crisis and launching an exploratory mission to the Gamma Quadrant. I mean, truly getting Star Trek back to boldly going! I really like the adventure with the Vahni Vahltupali and the inner conflict for Thirishar ch’Thane and his responsibility to the Andorians. I was also pleased with the circumstances on Deep Space Nine itself, between Kira’s personal faith crisis and the goal of finally admitting Bajor to the Federation.
This Gray Spirit also caught my attention as it carried the story threads forward with a plot concerning a dispute between species that enraptures Shar. The heart-breaking ending for him was hard to get through. Powerful but difficult. Cathedral started to slip a bit for me with a mysterious artifact that enabled the old de-evolution trope. It did have one hell of an ending, though, which drives Lesser Evil on the Alpha Quadrant side. Unfortunately, the Alpha events far outweighed the been-there-done-that Borg story around Prynn and Vaughn that undoes everything they’ve worked so hard to mend. That development was frustrating.
Thankfully, the Sisko elements on Earth helped bolster the last two books.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Rising Son – S.D. Perry
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Unity – S.D. Perry
In general, I liked this pair by S.D. Perry, but I favor the latter over the former. I feel like this “season” of adventures could have spread Jake Sisko’s story throughout the various books rather than compressing it into Rising Son. That said, I did enjoy the spirit of Star Trek that the story embodied by having Jake seeking out new worlds alongside the mystery of former-Kai Opaka. It’s not a spoiler… she’s on the cover.
Unity really tied everything together for me, though, including a plot about the parasite species that were introduced in The Next Generation‘s first season. Benjamin Sisko’s long overdue return was also a great way to end this effective season.
Star Trek – Starfleet: Year One – Michael Jan Friedman
In what is an alternate universe approach after Star Trek: Enterprise, this tale explores the beginnings of Starfleet after the Earth-Romulan War. I enjoyed seeing the dichotomy between the explorer captains and the military captains, and I appreciate how well Michael Jan Friedman wove them together to solve a conflict in the Star Trek manner.
Star Trek: Destiny – Gods of Night – David Mack
Star Trek: Destiny – Mere Mortals – David Mack
Star Trek: Destiny – Lost Souls – David Mack
I won’t tell you the overarching plot of this trilogy, but the whole thing is chock full of great character development mixed with frustrating and heartbreaking scenarios. I really liked how Erika Hernandez, the captain of the Columbia NX-02 from Star Trek: Enterprise was the central character, and I really appreciate the imagination that set up the origins and explosive conclusion to a major galactic threat that I had really ceased caring about on television.
Oh, and Captain Ezri Dax is pretty badass.
Reads in progress:
- The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (32%)
- Star Trek: Typhon Pact
Stage
MJ: The Musical – Broadway in Atlanta
It’s a jukebox musical about the life of Michael Jackson as he geared up for the 1992 Dangerous tour. It’s full of history and pop, but because of the time in which it is set, it doesn’t touch on the darker parts of his legacy. The portrayal of Michael Jackson was really good from all of the actors who played him throughout his life. It’s a good story and production, but I preferred Tina more.
The Wiz – Broadway in Atlanta
I haven’t seen the 1978 film – the ironic timing with this production following after MJ: The Musical is not lost on me – but this revival of the 1974 production that inspired the film was fun. It was a great interpretation of The Wizard of Oz, and I was tapping my toes along with the music more than once.
Annie – Broadway in Atlanta
Speaking of musicals and their related films, this was another fun experience. The lead in our production was a pitch-perfect match for the orphan character, and the pup playing Sandy was having a blast. Story-wise, this one did fall apart a bit with the dispatching of the villains, but otherwise, it was a good time.
Games
Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch
I haven’t invested a lot of time on the gaming front as 2023 wound down, but what time I did spend was devoted to Hyrule. I left everything with a save point right before the final battle, so all I need to do now is work up my armor and supplies before saving the world.
Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.
For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.
Wicked – Broadway in Atlanta
Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch
