Quick Intro to Percy Jackson

It’s a good spot to start, what do you need to know getting into Percy Jackson. It’s a story of a boy who is in between two worlds. His mother is a human and his father, whoever that might be, is a god. As his powers start to manifest his human life is turned on it’s head. Monsters come after him and strange visions occur that make him feel separate. Until he finds out the truth of who he is.

Initial Impressions

I’m impressed by this show and the storytelling thus far. I won’t say “thus far” all the time, as it is only two episodes in. But the show is off to a great start. The acting is good, the storytelling, like I said, is very good. I think that this will surprise a lot of people.

I know that the original movie around the books was not considered good. That isn’t something something that should worry people if they are thinking about jumping into this show. What is on Disney+ thus far is a lot more fun than that sounded. And while I need to read the books still, my wife who has, says this is much closer to that.

What Hasn’t Worked?

But that isn’t to say that this is a perfect show. I think that it’s very good and I’ll go into a lot of those details down below. A few times I think that the CGI hasn’t been quite where I want it to be. Now, that is very limited. Percy Jackson is a show with a lot of money put into it, and you can tell very quickly that the CGI is going to be solid. Once or twice I feel like I wanted it to shine more. That is a small amount when you think about some Disney+ shows recently which are rougher.

What Works?

But that is it for negative for me, I think that a lot more works than doesn’t work. And a lot of that starts with the actor they got to play Percy. It is very hard to get kid actors who do an amazing job. Walter Scobell is fun to watch in the role and provides the emotion that you want to see. And supporting characters also work really well. Like most pilots, it isn’t perfect at the start, but the actors feel like they grow into their roles even across two episodes.

I also like how this doesn’t try to be something that it’s not. This is not a YA show, this is not a show that is mainly focused on having an adult audience. This is an adventure show for middle grade readers or people who grew up loving the series. Now, that is not to say that Percy Jackson is too dumb of childish. It just means that the show is going to paced in a particular way where it moves quickly. And that a lot of the dialog that you might expect from fantasy show targeted at adults isn’t there. It is more about showing, which is good and works very well.

Speaking of that, the final thing is that I think Percy Jackson really does evoke that sense of adventure. It jumps into the story and doesn’t really stop. There are some moments of humor to it, and some where there is depth. But so much of it just feels like an adventure. If you want more than that, there are plenty of big heavy fantasy shows with dialog or fantasy comedies. But Percy Jackson is not trying to be the next Game of Thrones, nor is it extending itself out like The Hobbit did.

Who Is Percy Jackson For?

First off, I think it’s simple to say, this is for middle grade readers and those who have read Percy Jackson. But I don’t think that is where it stops. This is a show for people who want to have a light fun adventure in the middle of the winter. Percy Jackson is going to deliver that in spades as I keep on driving home.

On the flip side, I don’t know how this has happened, but a lot of reviews seem to be disappointed in that it’s a show that is like that books. If you want the next big epic fantasy series to go along with Game of Thrones and House of Dragons, I don’t know what to tell you. Percy Jackson is not going to be for you. Or if you want something with more character development and depth, probably, again, not the ideal one for you. It is what it is and that’s a good thing. If it tries to be everything for everyone, it would fail.

Final Thoughts

I’m excited to watch more. Percy Jackson definitely caught my attention watching the first two episodes. I think there is room for continued growth and improvement of the show. But for the most part, it is a show that hit the mark for me. And something like a little bit less than idea CGI is not going to bother me.

I also want to know where the story is going. Yes, I expect it to be a simple story and I expect to enjoy that story. Percy Jackson is comfort food, the story is familiar, but it still tastes good. And around winter and around the holidays when things aren’t always the most relaxing, it is nice to sit back and enjoy something like Percy Jackson.

What do you think of the first two episodes of Percy Jackson? What might you want to see more of from the show?

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What Is The Wheel of Time?

Like I said, it’s an epic 14 book series. It is heavy fantasy driven with a fairly standard epic fantasy setting, though some good tweaks on things like magic so that it isn’t just the normal setting. The main things that you need to know about the world going in is that time works on a loop, hence a wheel of time. Where heroes are reborn into the world, but because of a breaking of the world, there is a Dark One, and he wants to rule it all.

Rand Al’Thor and the kids of Emond’s Field live a normal quiet farm life. But when Moiraine Sedai shows up, their world starts to change. One of them is going to be the Dragon Reborn. They will either be the one to save the world, or join the Dark One and doom the world. But from Mat, Perrin, Egwene, Nyneave, and Rand, Moiraine and her Warder Lan don’t know who it is going to be.

Thoughts on The Wheel of Time Season One?

I enjoyed the series. I am someone who read 13 of the 15 books. Yes, I said there were 14 books, and there are in the series, then there is a prequel which deals with Moiraine’s backstory. I do want to read that one as well eventually. And I am working my way through the series again now. The television series departs, pretty quickly, from the book series. And for some book readers, that departure, and the number of them might be shocking.

Even for myself, especially the first episode, seemed like a drastic step away from the books in terms of an adaptation. Now, that was closer, in some ways, than the series got as it went along. It ended up being more a pacing issue in the first episode and that they aged up the characters from the books. With that said, they generally always got the tone and feel right. When I look at an adaptation, that is what I want to see. I want it to give me the same feeling as the book. And I want it close enough to my minds picture that it’s easy to jump into the story.

I’d also say that the story is still strong in what they are doing. In some ways, because they had to cut down some fat from 14 books, and they really mainly touched on the first book, it works for television. There are parts that were cut out that I definitely missed, but that’d kind of be a spoiler. And there are other parts that remind me of how the Lord of the Rings trilogy completely cut out Tom Bombadil. Some characters, side quests, or plot points might be interesting, or fun, but less needed.

Spoilers For Wheel of Time Ahead

Clearly, we are getting into spoiler territory now. I recommend if the series interests you to stop now. If you have read the books but haven’t watched the show yet, feel free to continue. It might help clarify some choices that were made. Or lessen some surprises on changes that happened.

And if you want to catch up on my episode by episode reviews, you can find the one for the finale here. And links for other reviews in there.

What Didn’t Work?

A few things don’t work for me in the series. Let’s start at the very beginning. The pacing of the first episode and the heavy handedness of the first episode don’t work for me. One detail you need to know is that the characters in the show are older. This is not a bad change. I think it is needed because this is a long series and kids might age up too fast. Also this is an intense series, so I think slightly older works better.

Aged Up Characters

But the pacing was rushed on the first episode. Some of what makes The Wheel of Time a great series is that it has this writing style of slow, big moment, slow, big moment, a consistent rising and falling. The series gets to that, but it takes a little while. But Perrin is married, know that going in. And in order to get Perrin to dislike his axe, he accidentally kills his wife in the Trolloc attack. It is rushed and forced.

Who Is The Dragon?

They also play a guessing game as to who is The Dragon reborn. In the books, we get a fever dream from Tam Al’Thor, Rand’s father, about how he isn’t actually his father in the first quarter of the book. Here this was the second to last episode that we get that. It’s meant to keep the audience guessing, I get that. Bur, unfortunately, they telegraph it. They hint that everyone could be the Dragon except for Rand.

This can work if you are don’t pick up on it. But they generally lay it on pretty heavily. Every time that they were around both Mat and Rand, since they did spend a lot of time together, it always hinted that it was Mat. Every other character from Emond’s Field as well could be the dragon, except for Rand. I get that it creates a sense of mystery, but it is more interesting, when done well, as in the book, for Rand to try and come to terms with being the dragon. And that his father isn’t who he thought he is.

What Did Work?

Generally, I think that they did a good job in making things work for the show. This might be a bit less on the story front of things and more along the line of the aesthetic and acting. But let’s talk about the acting.

The Acting

The casting for this show is as perfect as I’ve seen for any show. Especially for an adaptation it is amazing. They manage to get the feel of every character right. Even an aged up Mat still has that playful side to him or trickster side from the books. Plus they give him more of a reason to lean into the darker side of the character. Perrin also really stands out to me. He has that slow, lumbering element to him. And while they change his story a lot, he still feels right.

I honestly can’t come up with any character that I didn’t think was a great casting. Min, maybe, wasn’t as how I pictured her in my mind. But she was good in it. And Lan might be a bit slighter of frame than I thought, but Daniel Henney does a very good job in the role. Again, he feels like Lan Mandragoran even if he doesn’t look the part perfectly. And in an adaptation, I care more about the feel than my minds picture.

Where They Meet

One of the more drastic changes, or two really, were skipping over Baerlon and Caemlyn. Instead, they took the whole group to Tar Valon, which doesn’t happen that early in the books. However, the whole Caemlyn plot and Baerlon plots, they more flesh out the story. They add in some new characters and new things that are important, but generally can be done anywhere.

This also saves on the story from the second book. Fal Dara storyline is interesting, but they massively tighten it up with going to Tar Valon first. Again, this is an adaptation, there are going to be some losses to story. But there are also going to be some casualties, but also some ways that the story is tightened up a lot. No Padan Fain being arrested, he just shows up. No going to the Eye of the World and coming back with the Horn of Valere.

We can immediately get into the chase for the horn and the Great Hunt. Though, we need to see how that is going to work as there are pieces who aren’t there right now.

What I Missed?

Let’s talk quickly about what I missed from the series. Honestly there is only one thing I truly missed. And that is what we haven’t met Elayne yet. And that means that Rand didn’t climb up the wall and fall into the castle grounds in Caemlyn. Is that scene extremely important, I’m not sure, honestly, no it isn’t. But it is one of the moments of just fun from the series.

The Wheel of Time has a lot of adventure to it. It is generally a pretty dark series. The Caemlyn scene is a lot of fun. And just in general Elayne is one of my favorite characters, both her and Min. So I am curious when she gets into the show how we’ll be. I don’t know much about the actor playing her, so I’ll have to see.

I also missed, as I talked about, the fever “dream” that Tam tells Rand. We get it later, but I would love to instead see the story play around with Rand’s questioning of everything. Maybe that is too internal, but I think seeing that one scene would improve the story for me.

Wheel of Time Final Spoiler Thoughts

I really liked the series. I thought with the characters they did such an amazing job that it stands out as unique and better than most things. There are a few elements that I really need to see what happens with them. How is Elayne introduced? Where is Rand going away to and when will he come back? What is Mat up to? How will the story change now that Moiraine has been stilled?

Those are massive massive changes, but in terms of story I still think that it works. How it will work long term, and how much it’ll diverge I’m very curious about. I still definitely love the series, though, will all the changes. It reminds me of Lord of the Rings where most of the changes have been done for the good. And I am really curious to see what is coming forward.

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The Dark Along the Ways Recap

Moiraine has led them into the ways with Loial to guide them. But will that be enough as there are things along the ways that are out them. Plus Mat has not come, so what will that mean for Moiraine’s plans. Is he the one who needs to be brought to the Eye of the World? Is another one of them the dragon reborn? Or does Moiraine have it all wrong that those who come along who aren’t the dragon will die?

What Didn’t Work?

Mat not being there. I really like Mat’s character for the show and for the books. Now I don’t think it breaks the story by not having Mat there. In fact, he doesn’t have to show up at all for a little bit, I’d say. But it is a bit odd, and I wonder a little bit if this stems from them looking at replacing the actor. I believe he is being replaced, could be for a lot of reasons, but I think it’s a shame. I liked him a lot.

I also thought the re-introduction of a character was somewhat clunky. There is a slower build with it in the books, and that works better for me. Now, I’m glad that they didn’t skip over them being around more completely. And they did need to get to where the group is at this point. It’d just have been nice to be laying the groundwork for this return throughout the season. Because that is what the books do, and they make it a bit more meaningful as you wonder what is going on.

What Worked

Most of it did, honestly, and my issues are more quibbles than anything. But let’s start out with the character we meet. We should have met her before now, but it’s one of those changes that really doesn’t matter. And while this might not have been my favorite casting, it is a minor detail because the acror is very good. And the acting itself is still very good. And the right characters interacted with her.

I think that they also did a solid job with the ways. They described them and showed them well for what they are. They maybe weren’t quite as menacing as they were in my head, but close. And the intensity of them, while shortened, was real and compares well to the books. And they got one of the threats in the book done very well in the ways.

The Dark Along the Ways Final Thoughts

The Dark Along the Ways is a very good episode. It helps the episodes when we get to meet a character I am excited to meet. We’ve had that with Suian Sanche and Thom Merrilin and now another one I’ve been waiting on for a long time. This one was really fun to her on the screen. And it was a good way to introduce her. I think for people just watching the show it works well, and doesn’t take away from her character for book fans.

And this had a lot of not so much action, but plot. There were great moments for a lot of the characters. And I don’t want to spoil stuff, but I keep on going back to it, they do some stuff in the Ways that are very important and drive good plot. Plus the opening of this episode is something I’ve been waiting on for ages.

This is probably a 9.5 out of 10 for me. It does what I have wanted for a long time. I could see it being a bit slower for some people. But it is really plot focused, and we find out so much about some of the characters. That’s one thing the book series is really good at and I hope the show will be too. The books create moments and then pay them off much later in great ways.

What did you think of this episode? Does the plot feel like it’s coming together?

Spoilers

We got Min. I have been waiting to see Min for so long. They, in the books, meet her before they even get to Shadar Logoth, and also the first time we see Padan Fain again. But it works well to bring her in here. Mainly because we now have a better idea as to who the Dragon Reborn is, Rand, like it’s always been, Rand. Since they were trying to hide that from us, poorly, it makes sense to wait on bringing Min and Padan Fain.

I also really like how we get Lan’s story. They do that in a real way, and while Nyneave and him hook up much faster than they do in the book, it works well enough. It’s one of those TV things where I always expect it but most of the time it’s a question of when and the tease of will they are won’t they. But for a show like The Wheel of Time, it’s probably not the biggest deal that they don’t stretch that out. It’s not that plot that keeps us watching.

And let’s talk about Machin Shin. I thought that this was used really well in the ways. We haven’t had Rand in doubt or denial throughout the show. Maybe some but not as much as the books. The question in the books so often is will he or won’t he take his spot as the Dragon. Now, only with the threat of death for his friends do we see him struggle with it more. Plus the whole madness of Machin Shin is done well. The words that they hear to twist them against each other is a nice touch. Different from the books, but pushes Rand forward.

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As always, spoilers for the previous Episodes which you can read the non-spoiler reviews of them here.

Blood Calls Blood

Mat and Rand work on completing their journey. But Mat continues to fade with the taint of Shadar Logoth on the dagger that he has. Meanwhile, Lan, Moiraine, and Nyneave work their way towards Tar Valon with the other Aes Sedai. And Stepin struggles with the loss of his Aes Sedai and the pain of that bond breaking. Finally, Egwene and Perrin travel with the tinkerers, trying to decide what to do next when they come across an old face, but not a friendly one.

What Doesn’t Work?

I don’t have a problem with anything, really, in this episode. I think that they do a solid job of creating a story that feels like what I’d expect from the books. Where everyone meets up might be confusing to some people, the characters don’t all get there for a long time. But I think that it works pretty well. It makes sense, though, some of the parts of the book that are more fun are missed because of locations that have been skipped over.

What Works?

Mat and Rand manage to meet up again with one of the more iconic book characters. I won’t spoil who, now, but I will later. And while I think that the look of the character might not be quite right, I do think that they were able to pull off the character well. The mannerisms are great, and the voice work is perfect on this character.

I also think that the stuff with Stepin, the majority of this episode works well. In the book we get conversations of Moiraine and Lan about the connection between a Warder and an Aes Sedai. We know that when an Aes Sedai passes, it’s like part of the Warder passes with them. I’m not sure they nail it perfectly of showing that with Stepin, but they get it very close. And it works as well as it can for the show because in the book it’s conversations, which don’t provide much action.

Final group, I think that Perrin and Egwene’s story works as well. Now, they meet up with an antagonistic group, and not the people they do in the book, but it helps set-up some things. And it shows who the Tinkerers really are, I think the Tinkerers have been portrayed very well. And this is the first real time we get to see some things hinted at from Perrin before.

Final Thoughts on Blood Calls Blood

This feels like The Wheel of Time to me. Yes, there are massive changes that get highlighted in this episode. But I don’t think they weaken the story much. I still have some characters I like a lot that I want to see when they show up. But I feel like we are getting close to seeing some of them, and I’m excited for that.

What I really want to know is how the scenes with Stepin play out for non-book readers? To me, it’s like a lot of the Perrin set-up, I can get why they do it and it makes sense. In this case, it feels much less heavy handed than the Perrin storyline, because the story is given a lot of room to breath throughout the episode. And I like that Nyneave is there to witness it because she’s kind of the audience, not knowing everything.

Like I said, this is probably my favorite episode. I’d give it a 9 out of 10. Did the story need to slow down after a lot of action, I think so. While The Wheel of Time has action in it, and considerable amounts at times, it is a story that builds slowly to action and then slows, and builds again. This feels like one of those building moments as we get to know more of how the world works.

Spoilers

We get to meet Loial. And I was a bit concerned when we did. Now, they nail the setting for Rand and him meeting. And I liked Rand’s reaction Loial. The look is a little bit off, but the mannerisms are just amazing. And the voice is perfect, it is going that slowly and just that thought that is put into everything, and Loial is a hasty Ogier.

I also think, and I couldn’t talk about this too much in the negatives. that they are trying to play the shell game too much with who is the Dragon still. The whole Logain looking as if he was staring down Mat instead of Rand, conversations with Nyneave from the other Aes Sedai. It’s a bit too obvious who they aren’t suggesting might be the Dragon out of the whole group.

And let’s talk a little bit about everyone meeting in Tar Valon instead of Caemlyn. It’s an interesting choice, but I get it. They are trying to limit the massive locations that we need to know right away. And I think it kind of works in that we get to meet Loial, seeing them take Logain there makes sense. For me, it’s a bummer, though, because I love the scenes of Rand trying to see Logain in Caemlyn and just what that leads to. It’s such a great introduction of a few characters. And we miss out on that, though, with the characters being older, I get some of that change in terms of tone.

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If you need a refresher on what the show has already shown, you can catch up on it here. But let’s hop into this story more to see what this episode was about and what worked and didn’t. As always, spoilers for the previous episodes. But for this episode, I’ll have a spoiler section at the bottom.

The Dragon Reborn Recap

Mat and Rand are on the run with Thom Merrlin headed towards Tar Valon. They are suspicious that now any town might have dark friends in it, and why Thom is keen on helping him. Meanwhile Perrin and Egwene actually find a moment of piece. The tinkerers, not what they expected, let them forget their worries for a moment. Or at least for Egwene, Perrin still is weighed down by the death that he caused.

Moiraine, on the other hand is confronted by her sisters and the captured man claiming to be the dragon, Logain. Is what Moiraine set out on not the truth? Did she lead herself and Lan the wrong direction? And what is Lan going to do about their new companion, Nyneave. Is Nyneave worth having around, and is there more trouble brewing that he’ll have to protect her and Moiraine from?

What Doesn’t Work

There is a shell game played in this episode. It basically is asking who the Dragon is going to be. Who is the person who might save the world from the Dark One or who might cause the world to break again. This doesn’t happen in the books. I won’t say who it is because the goal of this shell game is to create that suspense. Unfortunately, for me, it’s not that effective. When one of six characters at points in time could be the Dragon, I don’t care.

I’m going to do a book comparison here, no spoilers, but in the book the character knows that it’s likely them from the start. And the first few books are them struggling with the fact they might be the Dragon. And then them trying to deny that fact. That provides good character depth and tension. This, on the other hand, feels like it weakens the character of the Dragon. Just tell me who the Dragon is, if anyone could be the dragon.

I get what they are going for. The mystery of who it is going to be is likely to be the end of season one reveal. And then we get that internal struggle for the character. But don’t sleep on characters not knowing. It’s more interesting to figure out when the character comes to believe it. And when the other characters figure it out and watching that process, in my opinion anyways.

What Worked

The relationship building was strong again in this episode. I mentioned the pairings that are set-up, and we got to see growth in all of them. When this show slows down a little bit, mainly the first episode was too fast, it does a good job of building up characters. I still think that Mat is one of the best characters in terms of changes they’ve made. Him being more mature than he is in the book, or at least older, gives him the chance to have more depth of character. And the character misdirect is really good.

I also think, that while they haven’t always gotten Nyneave “right” it was fun to see her character more developed. I might get into this more with spoilers. But she’s supposed to be a fiery character who stands up to everyone. She’s got some of that, but she should be more. And she gets a moment to shine most definitely in this episode.

I also think that they did a decent job of introducing the Aes Sedai. In a little bit of dialog and showing some of what they can do, we got an idea about the different Ajah. And the tension within the Aes Sedai, Tar Valon (seat of the Aes Sedai) and the different Ajah. This is a situation where they did a good job of starting to explain without delving into everything. But they feed us enough to know what is going on.

The Dragon Reborn Final Thoughts

This was an interesting episode. Like I said, I didn’t love the shell game that they played with “who is the dragon”. That storyline isn’t that interesting to me. But for the most part this episode has slowed down and really shows character development and story development.

And I do get it. There is so much story development that needs to happen that you couldn’t have to show start out too slow. But I think now that they are spending more time on character and world building, the show is a lot better. Talking with Kristen, my wife, after watching the episode, I came to the realization that the first episode feels like a pilot.

What do I mean by that? I think it feels like th at episode that gets filmed to pitch the show to a bunch of television stations and streaming services. Then once it gets picked up six months later, they go back and film the rest. But now they have budget, That isn’t the case with this show, but that is what it feels like to me.

But back to The Dragon Reborn, I would give this episode a solid 8.5 out of 10. I think it’s up there for the best episodes of the series. Yes, there is a quibble, but it’s fairly minor. Especially now that we are getting to know the characters more.

What did you think of Episode 4: The Dragon Reborn?

Spoilers

This is going to be a lighter section, but I do want to talk about Perrin. I’ve complained and complained in the first episode about the changes made the Perrin. I get what they are going for in that a lot of his growth is through internal dialog. However, it was changed to be done in a very heavy handed way. However, with the tinkerers, we’re starting to see the payoff.

Him sitting there and listening to what they are saying. And this idea that violence, something Perrin doesn’t inherently like, isn’t the answer, is so tempting to him. And it’ll be interesting to see how they have Perrin reconcile what he’s done, what he’s going to need to do to protect Egwene and others going forward. The line about how peace is the biggest “revenge” to violence is amazingly well delivered and said. They really are giving the show depth.

And, I know I saw this on a forum I was reading, where someone was questioning if they were implying, when Rand, Mat, and Thom meet the farmer, if Mat was going to channel the power. When we see the shot of him with his hand down at his side. I can get why the person thought that, but no, that is the dagger. He is implied to be ready to draw his dagger and start a fight before Rand steps in. That is supposed to then plant the seed in our head that when we see the family dead, it was Mat.

They are, seemingly, though imply that Nyneave might be Ta’veren as well. I kind of want to knock this, I think the show is trying to make all the main five more equal. Probably to keep up the who is the Dragon mystery. But it’s more interesting that there are some who are Ta’veren and some who aren’t. Ta’veren are people so “strong” in their pull that the wheel weaves around them and changes to fit them in.

So, I get that they want everyone to be important. But being Ta’veren, and we see this in the book, there is a deeper question of whether or not they have their own will. And how much freedom of will the people around them have. It creates a more interesting struggle as character push away from being Ta’veren, and others try not to get wrapped up in everything. And how much free will the characters can have.

The show is using it to show that characters are more powerful and important. It doesn’t really mean that so much in the book. It means more that your story is almost more tied to everything. You have a destiny that you need to fulfill or the weave of the wheel of time breaks. Like I said, you almost lose some choice. So I hope that the show doesn’t use it just to symbolize power but delves into the other side as well.

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The Plot

Well, you can guess some of the plot, a kid, a weakling in his village, sets out to the big city to become a soldier. Of course, his town isn’t a normal town, it’s a little town out by the last dungeon, the hardest one to beat, and he’s going to a big town that is basically a starter town in an MMORPG. Now, I say MMORPG, this world isn’t one. He wants to join the military to become a hero like from a book he loved growing up. Hijinks ensue as he gets turned away even though he is more powerful than anyone in the town.

Of course, being a bit clueless doesn’t help the main character, Lloyd Belladona navigate the city any better. He has to deal with being a bit clueless as well as then people out to get him. Eventually some of the things start falling into place for him to reach his goal, but will he ever not be clueless?

What Type of Anime Is This?

It is a straight up fantasy anime that also is a harem anime. If you aren’t familiar with the term harem anime, it means that the main character is surrounded by female characters. Much like Is It Wrong To Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon, Suppose a Kid from the Last Dungeon Boonies Moved to a Starter Town, has a main character who is clueless about that fact. Lloyd Belladona being inferior and a weakling in his own town thinks that is going to be the case everywhere.

However, being a harem anime, that does mean that there is some fan service. Now, I will say, for being a harem anime, the fan service is a bit tamer than a lot of them. There is no nudity, because while the anime does make some jokes around that and the main character does see a few characters naked, the anime kind of targets a younger audience.

What Doesn’t Work?

This isn’t a earth shattering anime when it comes storytelling. I won’t put it as a major negative however. It does some fun things in terms of who is or isn’t a bad guy. The clueless Lloyd is fun. The humor works in it, but again, it’s more targeted for that younger audience.

What Works?

I like that the anime doesn’t do the normal heroes journey. Lloyd is fully powered up when he comes to the starter town. Compared to other anime like this where the hero grows in power, always able to just defeat the next challenge, Lloyd stomps everything. Lloyd is only weak in his head. This twist makes the show feel different.

I also like the trope of the clueless main character. Harem anime are very common, however, a lot of them just feel sketchy. Suppose a Kid from the Last Dungeon Boonies Moved to a Starter Town doesn’t feel like that. Instead, you get a sweet caring character who just wants to do right. Lloyd has little to no idea as to what is going on around him.

The bad guys work as well in this anime. I don’t think it’s a massive twist as to who the bad guys are, but it is a bit of one. The twists of the world are done well also, so you get an understanding of what is going on. But really, this anime is about the goofiness and humor throughout it. And that works for an anime with a clueless main character.

Would I Recommend It?

That’s a good question. I think that it’s a fun anime and that a lot of people will enjoy it. I don’t know that a lot of people will love it though. The story is fine, the characters are fun, and it works for what it is trying to do. I prefer Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon. However, this one does flip the script and skips the leveling up, which was a fun experience. So, yes, I would recommend this, but know that you will see a light romping anime, versus a heavier more serious anime.

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Spoilers Start Now

So, at this point in time, Marvel has put out two shows on Disney+. The first being WandaVision and now we’ve gotten The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Both of these shows focus on Avengers characters, but not the main four or so that we’ve seen a lot of. The Hulk had a movie, though it was Edward Norton, Captain America had three, Thor, three, and Iron Man had three movies. Plus they all played larger parts in the Avengers movies. We’ve only gotten to see bits and pieces of characters like Wanda Maximoff, Vison, Sam Wilson and to a less extent Bucky Barnes. So Marvel has taken an opportunity to tell us more about them.

What is the Story?

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier follows the exploits of Sam and Bucky as they both try and deal with the reality that Captain America is gone (whatever that means). For Sam it is about how he can pick up the shield that Cap gave him. And Bucky it is about making amends for his time as the Winter Soldier and growing beyond that past. Now, there is more to the story, but when you get down to it, that is the most important part of the story and the real focus. Both Sam and Bucky need to move past the shadow of Captain America and stand on their own.

What About Villains?

There are of course villains along the way. Three groups that stand out. Firstly there is the GRC and John Walker. John Walker is basically whom the US government picks to take over as Captain America when Sam gives the shield away. Needless to say that doesn’t go well and there are run ins with him. There are the Flagsmashers who like how things were before everyone came back. And there is the mysterious power broker working in the background.

The Flagsmashers are really the main villains but they are not the most interesting villain. In fact, I think that John Walker as a rival is the most interesting villianish part of the series. John Walker isn’t even truly a villain though. He is more of an anti-hero. That is who he generally is in the comics as well. He’s the person who will take things too far or lose control versus truly wanting to be bad. And I give mad props to Wyatt Russell, he played that role perfectly.

But the Flagsmashers?

So, this is starting to get out there more. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier primarily filmed in 2019. You might remember that time as being before a pandemic. And part of what was filmed was there was a virus going around the GRC camps for the people who had come back from the blip. In the current version of the show, that was completely removed. There were minor hints, the Flagsmashers had stolen a vaccine, but beyond that pretty limited.

This removal and adjustment of everything didn’t do the series any favors. The Flagsmashers kind of lost their teeth. They didn’t have a reason for doing things, and the GRC came across as a bureaucratic organization is bad just because they are a bureaucratic organization. Trying to adjust on the fly for the show really caused the main villains to be more of a mess and the GRC to feel kind of tired in what they are.

Who Is Isaiah Bradley?

One of the main storylines for Sam and Sam picking up the shield and why it was hard to pick up. It wasn’t because of the Flagsmashers. It was Isaiah Bradley. I will say, this part of the show with Sam worked the best out of anything. Isaiah Bradley, the black Captain America basically. And how his story was so much different than that of Captain America. How when he did the same thing that Cap did, he got thrown into prison. How the government tried to cover up the experiments and how his life was broken because of what had happened.

It makes the weight of the shield that much more for Sam to pick up. But it also is then more hopeful when Sam does pick up the shield. Sam is a character who wants to change what has been done wrong and help those who have been wronged or are struggling. And he is able to do that with Isaiah Bradley in a very meaningful way for the character but also just in general in the show.

Other Odds and Ends

Zemo, why was he in this show? Besides just him dancing, the main reason he should be in everything, there is another reason. Zemo, most likely, is going to be in a group called the Thunderbolts. They might also get called the Dark Avengers. Basically a group of villains or anti-heroes often headed up by the likes of Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. You might know what name from The Edward Norton film, The Incredible Hulk, and then again in Winter Soldier and Civil War. I am guessing that Val is helping Ross to set-up a Thunderbolts like team with US Agent, John Walker’s new hero name, Zemo, and some more characters who might be on the Raft with Zemo.

Then there is the Powerbroker. Right now we believe that the Powerbroker is Sharon Carter. I think in the end that will be true. I don’t think they are going to do a misdirect after the characters lay it out so well. But what was that. That part of the storyline was hot garbage. It was a mystery who the Powerbroker was, except it was somewhat obvious who they were setting up to be the Powerbroker. But it was then more of a mystery didn’t make sense for Sharon to be the Powerbroker.

Basically Sharon Carter went on the run in Civil War, no one has reached out to her, she is maybe dusted in the snap, and now six months later, she’s running an criminal organization in Madripoor, what? Most likely they are trying to set her up as a villain for the Armor Wars show, possibly being brainwashed and a deep sleeper of Hydra? But they did it so poorly in the story that no, just get rid of the Powerbroker from the show. Or make Sharon Carter a Skrull.

How Does This Compare to WandaVision?

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was what I expected it would be. It is more of a standard super hero fare. We saw more normal villains, there was less of a WTF is going on that happened with WandaVision, and more action throughout. However, because of the vaccine storyline being removed, and less of a clear vision on the show as a whole, I don’t think it is as good as WandaVision. I think there are some interesting parts to it, but for the most part, it is just average. The Sam Wilson/Isaiah Bradley stuff is amazing, John Walker is good. Bucky in general does a really good job. But the show lacked the tension and interest that WandaVision had.

So What’s Next?

Well, there are a number of interesting things that can come out of this. Like I said, I think Sharon Carter might be the main villain in the Armor Wars show. I hope that it turns out to be she was brainwashed by Hydra as a sleeper agent and just activated. But that’s one likely thing.

Then there is John Walker, US Agent, and Zemo, I think that both will end up being on a Thunderbolts team. I would like the Thunderbolts to get a Disney+ show, but they might be movie material. I could see that team being presented as a new Avengers type team and maybe cause the formation of the Young Avengers.

And we are getting a Captain America 4. That is going to be a movie with Sam Wilson Captain America taking the starring role. I am very interested in seeing what they’ll do with that movie.

Final Thoughts

This was not as good as show as WandaVision. And I am not sure it’s much watch Marvel content. Now, it is still really enjoyable, but if you are wanting to watch a show that matters for the movies, this one isn’t it. At the end of Endgame, everyone expects Sam to become Captain America, at the end of this Sam becomes Captain America. The main great thing you get from this is the Isaiah Bradley story and the introduction of his nephew Eli Bradley who is a Young Avenger. Otherwise, I don’t know what you’ll be missing too much. Now, if you are a Marvel fanatic like I am, there is a lot of good and a lot to be mined from the show. So if you love Marvel, watch it, if you go out of your way to see all the movies in theaters, watch it. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed, it just isn’t as good as WandaVision.

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The Story

There is a giant dungeon in the middle of the town of Orario. It’s a place where adventurers can go and test themselves and grow their stats. However, you don’t get stats and you can’t become an adventurer unless you are part of a familia. These familia are headed up by gods and goddesses who have come down from the heaven to interact with their children. Bell Cranel is one such adventurer who can only find one god who will work with him, the goddess Hestia, because he is too small and doesn’t look like a normal adventurer. Hestia, also doesn’t look like a normal god and doesn’t have a familia of her own until she brings Bell into the fold. Bell, in the dungeon, encounters Ais Wallenstein, a top level adventurer from the Loki familia when she saves him from a minotaur and he falls for her. This makes Hestia very jealous but grants Bell a skill which allows him to level up quickly.

The Show

Season 1 vs Season 2

So, there are a few things to cover with how this show goes. Let’s start with the first two seasons, since that is what I’ve seen. There is a big tonal shift between the two seasons. The first season is all about Hestia and Bell and how Bell is growing into a hero. The second season focuses more on how the gods interact with each other and I’m not really sure we end up going into the dungeon at all. It is a bit jarring, and while there are parts of it that are still well done, it feels much more scattered in focus, which is a shame, because the first season left more to be explored in the dungeon and with Bell growing. I’m not sure if season three is more focused or not, but I will check it out when it’s dubbed. Season 2 also leans more into the fan service in a different way, I’ll talk about that later.

Sub vs Dub

Before watching the dubbed version of the show recently, I have watched the subbed version as well. The dubbed version is better between the two of them. However, I wanted to watch the subbed version and will likely continue with that in Season 3 now that I’ve watched dubbed because I am working from home, so I can put it on in the background. The dubbed voice acting is good for some characters, but for others is a bit stiff, which is a shame.

Fan Service

Is it Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? is what is known as a harem anime. along with other things. Bell Cranel basically ends up surrounded for the most part by girls. However, he’s more of a clueless leader of the harem versus some anime where characters seem to realize that girls love him. Bell really only has eyes for Ais (pronounced the same) and a lot of the other girls have eyes for Bell. Hestia in particular wants Bell all to herself. And there is fan service because of that, Hestia wears small clothing and is buxom and the same can be said for other goddesses and adventurers as well. In the first season, there is a lot of fan service, but it’s done in a way that really highlights how Bell is such a pure character and only has his focus on Ais. In the second season, we delve into a story arc with Ishtar who runs the redlight distract of Orario and it is much more on display there in a way that is very different than season one. I felt like that arc really pushed it over the top in a way that it didn’t need to.

The Story

But with all of those things, is the story good. Season 1 is one of my favorite anime seasons of all time. They just do a great job of creating this main character who is so focused on becoming the best adventurer and becoming the strongest or catching up to Ais so he is worth her attention. And the interplay between Hestia, the other gods, and Bell is really good. The second season, like I’ve said before, loses some of that focus as the story expands. And the story jumps around a bit more. Now, the first arc in season two is quite good with the Apollo familia, but the subsequent two are less interesting. I want to spend more time in the dungeon and I want more of Bell and Ais, and Hestia complaining about Ais. I hope that season three, whether or not we go back to the dungeon feels like a more cohesive story.

Who Should Watch This Anime?

I do have some final thoughts on this. I have talked about how there is a fair amount of fan service. For that reason, Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon? won’t be for everyone. I’ve enjoyed both of my watches of it, though, like I said, the second season wasn’t as good. I think that even with the fan service most anime fans will like season one. The anime has a heavy LitRPG type feel to it, and tells a good story in season one. If that season is just fine, then I’d skip season two. I’m not sure that I’ll ever go back and watch season two again, though I might depending on if more comes out for the anime and I feel like I need to catch up. But season one is good, season two drops off.

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Season One Spoilers To Follow

Season Two picks up fairly quickly from season where, where the Knights of Saint Christopher have had their memories erased and various acolytes of the Order of the Blue Rose have been tasked with keeping an eye on them. There’s one issue, though, they keep on getting their memories back as the werewolves keep healing them. To add to that, the werewolves keep on almost escaping because someone is doing magic, and the Knights, without their memories can’t stop them from coming out. Things go from bad to worse when a new magical organization shows up, this one with the plan of bringing magic to the masses, but what is the cost of that going to be. Meanwhile, Alyssa Drake is struggling to control her own magic for some unknown reason.

I think a good starting point for talking about this is that season two is probably more absurd than season one. There are some cameos in it that are just hilarious and extremely well done. And a lot of the situations are completely out there. That said, this has always been a show about secret magic, werewolves, and college, so it was never a show that took itself too seriously. They do a good job of setting the tone for that early in the first episode of season one. So I like that this has continued down a pretty cheesy path as that’s one of my favorite things, cheesy monsters. And I don’t feel like it’s too overbearing though, there are some real moments that happen in it with the characters, and there are real stakes so it’s not just about the goofiness, though that was a highlight of season two.

In terms of the acting, it’s on par with the previous season. Basically all the main players who survived season one are back again and play large roles. They do a good job of giving Randall more to do as well as Gabrielle this season, though both did a fair amount in season one. But they become very important characters in season two. And the new characters introduced are fine, I think that the sect of magic users who want to bring magic to the masses are okay. Their acting is not always the best, nor is their motivation properly defined. I think this added group muddies the waters a bit too much, and they really are trying to lean into everything being grey, but not in a way that really works all that well. And I feel like the character development of Jack Morton and Alyssa Drake kind of takes a bit of a step backwards. Now, I know the rules that characters shouldn’t get together because once the ones you are pulling for do, they become more boring. However, they had ways to keep them apart, and they used them quite well early on in the season, but later, especially Jack’s motivations are messed up with what we have known his personality to be.

With that said, I have to go back to this being a cheesy show about monsters, werewolves, and magical secret societies, 90% of which takes place on a college campus. It doesn’t take itself seriously, the writing isn’t high quality, so I don’t expect it to be handled perfectly. When I watch The Order, I’m doing so because I want to have fun, and this season hands out a ton of fun. If you enjoyed the first season, it’s more of the same, just with a less well defined bad guy. If you didn’t, this season won’t change anything for you. And if you haven’t watched it but like cheesy monster college shows, it’s a very specific genre, you’ll enjoy this show. I’m hoping the numbers will do well enough for season three, because I think there’s ways to go with the story that will be interesting, but if not, it ends in a solid spot.

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Earth is in need of help, as is pretty common in sci-fi. So a group of scientist, colonists, and others head out into deep space to find a mysterious object, the volcryn, that seems to be giving off the same energy signature as telepaths on Earth do. Yes, there are telepaths on earth, and there is even one on the ship, Thale, who is dangerous, but also might be their only way to contact the volcryn. However, from the get go, things are not going like they should on the ship, the Captain Royd Eris is hidden away only showing up as a hologram, things are breaking down, and for this mission, everyone is on edge. As they go further into space and get closer to the volcryn, more things go poorly and it is clear that someone on the ship does not want them to reach the volcryn, all while the main character, Karoly d’Branin becomes more and more obsessed with finding reaching their end goal. Will they survive all the way to the end?

This show reminded me a lot of Helix, another SyFy channel show, set in space. It’s about who you can trust, or who you shouldn’t trust on the ship. And if what you’re going after is going to be worth the cost. I think that it Nightflyers, without delving into too much plot detail, is fairly standard in a lot of it’s handling of sci-fi tropes. I don’t think that’s always a bad thing, because there are a lot of interesting story elements, but for the most part, it feels fairly typical to stuff that I’ve already seen and stuff that has been a part of sci-fi for a long time. It does delve into some interesting areas about grief and humanity, but for the most part it leans into the horror and sci-fi elements in ways that you’d expect.

So while the sci-fi elements might not always be the most unique, I thought that it did a good job blending the elements of sci-fi and horror. And in the horror you actually get some more unique things, which tie back into the sci-fi nature of the show. With horror, I do believe that it is a bit all over the place at times. You some where it’s very psychological and other times where people are being frozen or jump scares or a pathogen loose in the air. But I have a soft spot for the blend of horror and sci-fi in my heart, because both of them can really dig into issues that would be too abstracted in a more realistic setting.

I think that the concept of the show works, I think while it is fairly standard, the story of the show works. I feel like they mess up some pacing in the show, there’s a large time jump for no good reason at one point in time, just to set-up the next horrific thing happening. I think the time jump is confusing as well, because it’s a slow burn show. Most of the elements are played out slowly over a long period of time and it works well in the show. You can tell the story is based off of George RR Martin, the Song of Ice and Fire series has a slow burn as well, and this matches it where a lot of the horror is based things and confusion moving slowly and building tension versus jump scares.

Would I recommend this show? It was pretty enjoyable and because it’s one season only, I think there are enough interesting horror and sci-fi elements in it that makes it worth checking out. The world building for something that basically only takes place on a spaceship is done really well. There’s a good amount of depth there, and that depth builds throughout the whole of the show, not just the the start with an info dump, but you never feel like they are info dumping on you and that you don’t have the information that you need. If you enjoy fairly heavy sci-fi with a good dose of horror thrown in, it’s definitely a show that is worth watching.

Have you seen the show, read the novella? How do they compare, is the novella worth reading if you’ve seen the show?

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