SUPERMAN & LOIS 1.1

RECAP - SUPERMAN & LOIS 1.1:  "Pilot"  

Welcome back to Smallville...albeit different from what WE remember.  This is a brand new show for The Man of Steel as he faces many new challenges:  devious criminals, saving his parent's farm, and balancing his life as the World's Greatest Superhero....and a husband and father.  Superman has come a looooong way, and now we get to see a NEW aspect of The Man of Might, as he and Lois Lane try to balance their professional lives, while trying to raise two sons.  And we packed A LOT into the debut episode of this new Arrowverse series.  So, let's dive in, and see what happened to kick off this new program:

One of the things we get to kick off this show is a quick recap of Kal-El's life from the time he landed on Earth, until he and Lois had Jonathan and Jordan.  We also find out that Jordan suffers from a sociological disorder.  Jonathan is protective of his younger brother, and Lois and Clark struggle with him....as well as just being there for the boys as they try to balance their work at the Daily Planet (as well as Clark's time as Superman).  It's a good way to catch us up to speed on the happenings in the life of the Kents as we dive into current time, where this story truly begins.  

This episode gives us Superman saving a nuclear reactor from having a meltdown, being called in by Lois' father, General Sam Lane.  Apparently, this isn't the FIRST reactor that's been attacked.  Someone put a hole into it, to cause it to overload and heat up.  Superman and the General discuss what's happening before the General mentions that he wants to spend time with the boys (especially Jonathan), and Superman says he'll talk to Lois, and flies off. Once Clark gets home however, Lois reminds him that he missed Jordan's therapy session, and Jonathan wanted to talk to him.  We see in this episode that Clark is truly struggling as a father, and having trouble balancing everything.  Lois IS supportive, however, but she also sees that Clark hasn't done the ONE thing he needs to do with the boys:  tell them the truth.  He ends up talking to his mother Martha about what's going on, and she suggests that he come home to Smallville.  Clark agrees to do make those arrangements.  

Things go from bad to worse, as it turns out that Clark has been the newest Planet employee to be laid off since Morgan Edge took over the paper.  Lois is pissed about it, but Clark says they will find a way to manage.  Lois mentions that ever since Edge took over, he's gotten rid of all the members of the staff, and the paper isn't what it used to be.  Clark gets another call, this time from his mother's doctor, and he's off like a rocket---racing back to Smallville, only to find out that Martha had a stroke, and she passed away. Here, we meet up with Lana Lang, her husband Tyler, and their two daughters.  Lana gives her condolences to Lois and Clark, and the boys catch up with the elder daughter of Lana, Sarah Cushing.  Lana, Tyler, Lois, and Clark talk about Martha, but also talk about how bad Smallville has gotten---fallen on hard times.  Tyler brings up Morgan Edge, and his plans on revitalizing the town, which certainly gets Lois' dander up, and she has a debate with Tyler about it.  The conversation is tabled, and Lana tells Lois and Clark to show up at the bank, because they need to discuss what's going to happen with the farm.  

The boys are in the barn trying to fix the wifi, and Jordan falls after he slips on the pipes in there.  They fall, and Jonathan goes to save his brother, and they're buried under the pipes.  Sarah warns Lois and Clark about it, and they head to the barn, and help moves the pipes and save the boys.  However, Jordan wonders WHY they didn't suffer more severe injuries.  This leads the boys to investigate the barn---which they've been told to stay OUT of all their lives---and they go into the cellar of it....and find their dad's rocket that he came to Earth in. In the meantime, Lois tells Clark he needs to fess up to them about him being Superman.  General Lane shows up with info on the attacks on the reactors, and he says that whomever it is, is sending messages saying that Kal-El is no hero, meaning they know who he is.  The General tries to get Clark to check it out, but Lois tells him that the family needs him more right now.  Clark agrees with her.  But the General says that because he's Superman, he doesn't get to have a life, and Lois knew this going in.  She throws it back in her own father's face when she says that Clark is doing what he needs to be doing---being a father. 

Turns out, when the Kents go to see Lana, that Martha and many other farmers took out loans on their farms at extremely low prices, and now they have had to sell them.  And despite Martha's help, many lost their land.  She tells Lois and Clark that they have to make a decision on what to do with the Kent farm----sell it, or pay off the loan.  Clark now understands WHY his mother told him to come home. 

After finding the rocket ship, the boys confront Clark about it...and he finally tells them...and shows them....that he's Superman.  They are pissed because he kept this secret from him...and aren't happy with their mother, either.  They want space, and Jordan gets invited to a party with a bunch of kids by Sarah later on.  Clark, however, is mulling over the fact that he's a bad parent, and Lois informs him that it wasn't going to be easy, and that it's what makes him human.  Clark then hears about another reactor being attacked, and he's off.  Superman arrives at the facility, but it's lined with lead, ensuring he can't see his attacker, but he does.  They have a battle that rages from the reactor, to Metropolis, and eventually into subspace just above the Earth, where Superman gets stabbed with Kryptonite, and is falling helplessly back to the planet.  The perpetrator flies off as The Last Son of Krypton falls.  

Back at the party, Jordan plants a kiss on Sarah, but she tells him she has a boyfriend, he feels bad, but not before the boyfriend sees this, and attacks Jordan.  This brings Jonathan into the fight, and the elder Kent boy tussles with Sarah's boyfriend, all the while, Jordan's eyes light up, and eventually fires heat vision out, causing a fire, and the kids start fleeing.  As Superman falls back to Earth, he think about his life, his kids, Lois....and pulls the Kryptonite out and manages to save himself.  He then flies off, hearing that his kids are in trouble, and goes to save them.  He arrives to see Tyler---who's a firefighter---make sure the kids are okay.  He thanks him, and he takes the boys home.  Lois had contacted Clark as she was starting to get dirt on Morgan Edge and his interest in Smallville.  

Lois and Clark talk, and now he realizes that his mother meant to come home and save the farm.  So, Lois and Clark believe that they can live on the farm, and make everything work.  Of course they discuss it with the boys.  He apologizes to Jordan for not being there, and promises to work harder on being a better father.  They boys, of course, have A MILLION questions for their superhero father, and it seems like they're beginning the healing.  Earlier on, Sarah and the boys make amends, and decide to remain friends as well.  

The episode ends with us seeing the mysterious assailant arriving at a remote, artic HQ, where he says he needs more Kryptonite in order to destroy Superman.  The computer system refers to this man as "Captain Luthor".

This was a pretty raucous start to series.  We got a HEAVY dose of drama, and we get to see just how much more HUMAN Superman can be.  Despite all his powers...and all he can do...he's still learning A LOT about being human---especially now as a parent.  And while Lois is there to ground him...give him his humanity...she is ALSO learning on the job as a mother.  You have, essentially, two really good young men...but one is troubled, and NOW has this added burden of superpowers manifesting.  This is going to be the next challenge for both Lois AND Clark as parents...to navigate Jordan through his special abilities.  

I DID enjoy Lois dressing down her dad on this show in regards to Clark NEEDING to be a parent at that point in the episode, and NOT just go zooming out as Superman---especially at General Lane's request.  It's another little subtle clue as to the acrimonious relationship Lois has had with her father her whole life.  While we haven't seen Lucy in awhile (and not sure if we'll get to see Jenna Dewan as Lucy anytime soon), Lucy is the military gal that followed in Sam's footsteps, while Lois was the military brat who bucked the trend.  So, it will be more fun to explore Lois' relationship with her father as the series progresses.  But I DO wanna see her and Lucy interact---would be fun!  

Jonathan and Jordan---these kids are GREAT.  I love the chemistry between the two actors, and I enjoy the relationship they have with each other.  Jonathan is protective of Jordan when it matters most, and they seem to have a pretty tight bond.  Being twins, I guess that's what happens.  But to know that they have each other's backs  is an awesome feeling to have, and just reminds me of the relationship I have with my own brothers.  The addition of Lana Lang's older daughter Sarah just means that the boys can get into more trouble in Smallville with her in tow.  She seems to also be someone who's slightly damaged, considering that it seems that her mom and dad don't always see eye to eye.  It appears that Lana and Tyler's marriage is contentious at best, and they're together for the girls' sake.  But Lana's story is one to pay attention to.  

And as for the villain---is this the "new" Lex Luthor we've been hearing rumors about?  And a much different LOOKING Luthor at that?  And what happens to Jon Cryer's Lex Luthor?  Where does HE fit into all this?  Will we even SEE him on this show?  I get that the pilot wanted to established Superman in the Arrowverse, but I AM hoping we get Kara's name dropped or SOME kind of Easter Egg planted that will tether the show to the rest of the Arrowverse.  Maybe we'll get Diggle this season---sure would like to get him into being Green Lantern at SOME point---this show would be a good start to do it (hey....if it worked out for Barry Allen being on Arrow....it can work here!).

And to give you all a quick lesson on Morgan Edge:  You saw him in Supergirl, and he hasn't been seen since.  And...on top of that....CRISIS kind of re-wrote the Arrowverse in a way, so it could be that the Morgan Edge we get to meet on THIS show will NOT be the same Morgan Edge we saw in National City.  But don't quote me on that.  But it's interesting to know that HE is still playing dirty, and is someone the town will have to deal with.  I like that Lois' reporter itch is getting scratched, as she looks into what he wants from Smallville.  It allows us to not only get our dose of Clark/Superman, and the boys....but also allows Lois her own little side story.  

Overall, I'm happy with this show, and curious how it will all play out.  Hats off to the show as well for giving us the flashback of Superman in one of his classic suits.  "My mom made it" is such a great quote from this first episode.  Enjoyable program, and looking forward to how the story plays out.  

What did YOU think of the show?   Do you enjoy THIS version of Lois & Clark?  Parents with kids?  And what about the new Luthor?  Subscribe and leave a comment below.  

Until next time....Up, Up, and Away!  

 

BLACK LIGHTNING 4.3

RECAP - BLACK LIGHTNING 4.3:  "The Book of Reconstruction - Chapter Three:  Despite All My Rage..."

There's no time for fussin' and fightin', my friend......or is there?  Appears that there's A LOT of that going on in Freeland these days---especially fightin'.  Appears that Lala has opted for a new venture to make some cash:  underground cage fighting.  And he managed to get Marcel Payton---one of Jefferson's fellow teachers---roped into it.  But Marcel is at the end of his rope:  his kids were taken away from him, and he needs to prove he's a good father---especially in the wake of his son dying.  Otherwise, Child Services will ensure he never sees his children again.  

But wait....there's more!

Lynn and Jefferson continue their separate therapy, Jennifer now has a new target:  cable news networks, and Gambi manages to work is way into Montevista to gain intel on the new GEN gun.  And Anissa---she gets some GOOD news for once.   Oh....and then there's Tobias...lurking about as usual.  

This week saw Jefferson still in the doldrums about life, about his role as Black Lightning, and how his family is torn apart right now.  He and Lynn are both seeing the therapist separately.  Jefferson feels that all the mistakes he's made is that he's trying to be the man he used to be---but he can't.  He's still convinced that being Black Lightning is more a curse than a cure, and that had he NOT picked up the mantle again, things would NOT have gone down the way they did.  This is further pushed along when he actually helps out Marcel, whom he notices looks a little beat up when he gets to school.  Jefferson later follows him to Lala's underground fight club.  He watches Marcel get the snot beat out of him, all the while talking to Lala about how illegal this is.  Lala can care less what Jefferson thinks, and says that this is going to be ONE way to make some bank.  Jefferson then heads into the cage himself to help his fellow faculty member out of this jam.  And despite taking a bit of a beating against a larger opponent, he manages to NOT use his powers, and wins the fight.  Jefferson is invigorated by this, and feels he's taken a positive step forward.  This is something he reiterates to Gambi later on, as Gambi tries to warn him about the GEN guns.  Jefferson feels he's done as Black Lightning, and that HE made a difference...as Jefferson Pierce.  Oh...there's also that issue with the nightmare he had at the beginning of the episode---the one where he couldn't stop Tobias in his own home.  

Lynn's therapy also makes progress, as she realizes that she's been trying to fit into Jefferson's world again.  She has kept using the different drugs that grant her powers to better understand them.  This week, she's using Jen's, and using the electrical powers while in the bath, which causes yet another argument between her and Jefferson.  She said she'd keep going out there until HE suited up again, which he calls her out on her hypocrisy---rightfully so---as she had BEGGED him to give up Black Lightning 10 years ago, and he did.  We also get more backstory on HER, as we find out that she comes from a military family, but she decided science instead.  She comes to the rationalization that she's trying to fit in where she doesn't belong, and that she should do what she does best:  be a scientist.  

Jennifer has found a new focus for her energies:  cable news networks...especially talk shows that tend to eschew the facts in order to tell their own narrative.  We see this in a news show hosted by a woman named Rebecca Larson (who just gives off BAD Laura Ingraham vibes), using doctored footage of Lightning's presence at the gun fight between the Cobra Cartel and The 100.  This pisses Jen off enough to have TJ (isn't he useful?), to track down the kid who had the original footage.  She offered to make nice with the boy if he gave her the uncensored footage to post, and throw the narrative back in Rebecca Larson's face.  She has TJ construct a website for her, and she starts getting followers immediately.  I am not sure how THIS angle will play out, but it has the potential to blow up in Jen's face.  This is stuff taken RIGHT out of real life---as ANYONE knows that EVERY single "news network" on cable is nothing more than a crass commercialized propaganda machine to instill fear in the public, and get them to choose sides.  That is Larson's duty on this show---to get people to hate metas.  

Some GOOD news that came out of this week's installment is that Grace finally awakened from her coma.  And it also meant that her and Anissa could do what they had planned on before the Markovian battle last year:  get married.  And thanks to Lynn's new staff member, and Anissa's new buddy, Dr. Darius Morgan, got himself ordained and married the happy couple off.  Glad that SOMETHING good happened this week.  

Gambi's friend and head of Montevista, Lauren, showed him around the premesis, and gave him a gander at the GEN guns.  She gave a little info on them, and said that they're looking to get mass produced and out on the streets quickly as possible.  Gambi managed to pilfer one, and bring it back to the bunker to check it out.  TJ also gave it a look-see, and found it had no tech.  But Gambi fired it at the Black Lightning suit, and it burnt a hole clean through it...and that was on the LOW setting.  These guns aren't just dangerous to metas....they're dangerous to EVERYONE.  Gambi's going to have to pull in some OT in the spy game to try and stop these weapons from hitting the streets....because not only will law enforcement have them....but so will the criminals.  ESPECIALLY if Lala gets HIS way.  

Speaking of the ACTUAL bad guys, Lala was NOT pleased with Lydell for killing the kid last week.  And despite Lydell saying it wasn't personal, just business...it's NOT good business when he kills a kid, and that brings Blackbird and Lightning to his front door.  And though Jefferson helped out his faculty member, Lala's fighting cage is still going to operate....long as Black Lightning stays on the sidelines.  

Tobias, however, continues to play HIS cards close to he vest, though he starts putting his plan to work to ruin the Pierce Family.  He tries to bribe the Mayor to defund any city monies to Garfield High, and invest in his new hospital plan....but the Mayor is onto his act.  But then there's the OTHER card he plays...and it's right at Lynn.  As Lynn was supposed to meet Jefferson for dinner....to reconnect...she is met by Tobias, who wants to use her talents as a scientist to help find a cure for the disease that killed his sister Tori.  Lynn is reluctant, but he still makes his pitch nonetheless.  And guess who should bump into them as he finally makes his way to the restaurant?  Yep....Jefferson.  He spots this and is NONE too happy, as he bails as the show ends for the week.  

This show is always good at selling the drama, and setting things up for the next chapter.  So, we are getting a slow build into the next "book" with what is transpiring now.  I'm STILL not happy Jefferson is talking out of both sides of his mouth, but it seems as if the therapy is doing SOME good...albeit, he can't run from Black Lightning....no matter WHAT he does.  But it WAS nice to see him NOT have to solve a problem with powers...just the will to help a colleague.  We'll see how long this lasts---especially with Tobias making his moves against the family.

Lynn seems to be in a BIT of a better place after tonight, though SHE is getting worked by Tobias right now.  We'll see how well he feeds into her ego about being a great geneticist.  If there is anyone who MIGHT be easily swayed by Tobias...it's Lynn.  But at least we know she won't be doing the hero thing anymore..which is a relief.  

Jennifer is taking more and more risks.  She's emboldened.  And while that can be a GOOD thing sometimes, I have a rotten feeling she's going to get singed in the ass because of it.  Too much time in the ionosphere, sucking up all that ionic energy, is causing her powers to fluxuate and become unstable.

And with all the good will she THINKS she'll get from that video going viral....what happens when she CAN'T control her powers, and someone DOES get hurt in a battle?  She'll have no way to spin a positive narrative on that.  But in reflection of how today's media operates---it's like trying to fight City Hall.  

Was glad that we got Grace to wake up, and that Anissa and her can finally tie the knot.  What happens going forward is anyone's guess, but I'm curious.

Gotta love this version of Tobias---continues to be fairly hands-off as a villain, and seems to be taking a page or two from Lex Luthor's bag of tricks.  He's far more calculating, and he's planting the seeds of dissent in the Pierce Family starting with Lynn.  No matter HOW noble he comes off...his intentions are dubious and sinister, make no mistake.  He's being built back up as a badass and a threat, and look forward to the final confrontation between him and Jefferson.  It has all the makings of a heavyweight title fight.  And don't forget our Tattooed Man---Lala is also making his moves to take over Freeland and be the only gang in town....and that means eliminating the Cobra Cartel of Lady Eve's.  My question is....will SHE return?  Last we saw HER, she went to Metropolis to join The Council.  And will THEIR presence creep back in?  We got some pretty decent bad guys here, with stories to tell.

I wonder how long Gambi can play HIS cat-and-mouse game with Lauren and Montevista before he's caught?  

We got questions, but we also got entertained this week.  Loads of drama, not much on action, but the story is moving forward.  Let's see where the chips fall.  So....what did YOU all think of the episode?  Subscribe and leave a comment below.  

Until next time....the Power is OFF!

 

BATWOMAN 2.5

 

RECAP:  BATWOMAN 2.5:  "Gore On Canvas"

We're getting some little plot twists and turns on this show, and I'm liking it.  This season of Batwoman has hit the ground running, rather than having to take the time to find its footing.  It KNOWS where its footing is at, it just needed to walk before it could run.  But the cast has settled in, and I'm very intrigued by the story being told, and how all the players on the board are moving about.  

This week, we had a focus on two major plot points:  Alice's search for Ocean, and her connection to him....and the hunt for the Jack Napier painting.  The Napier painting has drawn attention, because not only is it the only painting from Jack Napier AKA The Joker, but it also contains a secret map to Coryana underneath the blood spattered masterpiece The Clown Prince of Crime left us.  So, Jacob is on the hunt for it, even going so far as to talk to his stoolies on the street about its whereabouts, only to be confronted by a man who's also looking for it....who kills Jacob's stoolie.  Batwoman intervenes, and---much to Jacob's dismay---takes off with the assailant to pump HIM for information about the whereabouts of the painting herself.  She also makes sure to take a dig at Jacob and the Crows, reminding him of the graffiti on the wall:  "ALL CROWS ARE BASTARDS".   PR work is apparently needed for The Crows.  Ryan and Luke disagree and just how to pump the assailant for info on the whereabouts of the paining, as well as getting info on how to find Kate.  

Meanwhile, Ryan herself is mending bridges with Angelica...her former girlfriend (soon to be again?), about how Angelica was back in the day.  Angelica IS concerned about Ryan's shoulder wound, and urges her to get it looked at, but Ryan insists that she can't afford time off for an injury.  Meanwhile, we got Sophie and Jacob trying to question Kate's old art friend Evan about what he might know about the Napier painting, and he gives them the brush as well.  Sophie thinks they should ask Batwoman for help.  Sophie and Batwoman meet, but it isn't pleasant at all.  Batwoman agrees that it's a one-time deal, and only because of Kate, and that Sophie admits that Kate is the love of her life.  All the while, we got SOMEONE spying on THAT conversation.  Ryan is still not thrilled with working with them, but Luke and Mary feel it's one of the ways that could possibly help them get the painting and get Kate back.  Ryan recalls her story about how she got busted with Angelica's drugs, who had left her high and dry.  And how the Crows treated her.  This also allows Luke to open up about how they were responsible for the death of his father Lucius.  It seems that for the first time, we see Ryan and Luke finally start tearing the walls down between them a bit. 

While Team Batwoman plans out a way to get to the painting from this underground art show, having gotten the info that the painting and Coryana are connected, Alice has been in pursuit of Ocean, and manages to track HIM down at a bar.  After some light conversation, she again as a memory of he and her, and it was something familiar about him.  He leaves the bar, and she follows, only to be knocked out by him.  He ties her up, and they talk about why she's after him.  She tells him that Safiyah wants him dead, and HE reveals that she is his sister.  He did try to kill Alice, but when he touched her, he got hit with a memory of her as well.  Turns out, Ocean was being followed, and his sister's assassins come after him, so Alice and he escape, and hit the road before they are followed.  

Ryan arrives at the art show, bringing a Batarang as a way in, but gets held up by Evan at the door.  Out of nowhere, Angelica arrives to vouch for her, and she's in.  Angelica has plans of her own, though, much to Ryan's dismay.  But Ryan sticks to the job, and she gets to the painting.  She manages to smudge her fingers on it enough to get a sample of it to have Luke verify it.  All of the sudden, the event is under an attack from the masked guy we saw underneath the roof listening in on Batwoman and Sophie---a man named Wolf-Spider.  There's chaos in the building, and soon Batwoman comes face to face with the thief.  They fight it out a little bit, but Batwoman's injury causes her to lose focus a bit.  The Spider flees, and Batwoman takes a beat to recover, and then is hot on his tail, but she informs Sophie that he booked.  A Crow vehicle is on him, and then runs him down, nearly killing him.  They grab the case that the painting is in, and take off....leaving the Spider for dead.  Batwoman arrives, and tends to him...only to unmask him and find out that it's Evan.  

Batwoman is pissed, and tells Sophie in no unreleated terms that THEIR partnership is DONE.  Even though the two Crows members were fired, it's not enough for Batwoman.  Mary tends to Evan, who will recover, and advises him on finding better ways to help Kate....since THAT is why he suited up to begin with...to get the painting to get HER back.  It turns out, however, the painting was a forgery, because the blood on it was pig's blood---and NO WAY The Joker would use pig's blood.  

And WHERE is this painting, by chance?  Well...it just so happens that the two fugitives on the run from Safiyah's assassins have it, as Ocean reveals a case to Alice that has the painting in it.  She then has another memory of him....but this one shows that they were romantically involved.  

I really liked this episode.  It had good pacing, some more background on both Ryan, Angelica, and even Evan.  It also shows that despite ALL of Jacob's desire to do good in Gotham...the Crows have a SERIOUS PR nightmare...and it DIDN'T get better this week with the two agents who left Evan for dead after running him over.  Ryan's distrust because they busted her without probable cause continues, and she isn't fond of Sophie, because Sophie herself has run Ryan in on several occasions without a real reason.  Even Evan stonewalls Sophie and Jacob because of how they handle things.  For supposedly being the GOOD GUYS....they totally SUCK at it---and Sophie is going to have to make a choice at some point---stay the course and TRY to change it from the inside?  Or walk away?  

Ryan and Angelica mending fences is good to see...but will Angelica be able to STAY on the straight and narrow?  Her own past is black-marked, and will Ryan be enough to save her from going over the cliff?  For now, we at least see Angelica TRYING to make an effort to reconnect with Ryan.  And with tonight's revelations between the two...has the ice melted a little more between Luke and Ryan?  Luke is still holding out hope for Kate, but Ryan is TRYING to make Batwoman work for HER.  She is trying to feel comfortable in someone else's skin...and it's not easy for her.  While she has had Mary's support, Luke is the harder sell, because he just sees her as a fill-in.  And as for her injury....that little Kryptonite wound is getting WORSE by the day, and it's becoming a liability.  How much longer can she think she can get away with hiding it from Mary and Luke before it costs her in the field?  Pride only goes so far....

And apparently, Alice and Ocean's relationship goes much deeper that we could ever realize, and what IS it with this connection they have, where all they have to do is TOUCH each other, and they get these flashbacks?  And what does Ocean having the Napier painting do for him?  Is this his leverage against his sister , which is a big reveal in itself, and what does he hope to gain from it?  And how long will Alice ride with him until she makes her OWN move?  Curious to see where THIS relationship goes.  

Again, we're getting more questions, but were also getting some fairly solid storytelling that isn't dragging the show down.  IT's all steady, and entertaining.  I'm invested, and not bored.  

What did  YOU all think of this week's edition?  Subscribe and leave a comment below.

Until next time....the signal is OFF.  

BLACK LIGHTNING 4.2

RECAP - BLACK LIGHTNING 4.2:  "The Book of Reconstruction - Chapter Two:  Unacceptable Losses"  

It's not a good time to be a part of the Pierce Family right now....nor is it a good time to be living in Freeland.  You would've thought that after the Markovian War and the ASA Occupation, that this town would get a breather.  But nope....we get over THOSE humps, just to go right back to dealing with the ORIGINAL threat the town faced:  gang war.  Seems that things have amped up between Lala's group The 100, and Lady Eve's group, the Cobra Cartel...which is actually been run by Eve's lieutenant.  All the while, Tobias returns to town, determined to use his brand new role as philanthropist to work on his OWN machinations.  All the while, we see Jefferson spiraling out of control.  

This week saw the family splinter even more, as Jefferson and Lynn continue couples therapy, where things don't get better, and now they're being seen by the therapist separately.  Jefferson continues to allow Henderson's death dictate his behavior, and his reluctance to suit up as Black Lightning again.  Meanwhile, Jen is overexerting herself again, Lynn is continuing to experiment with everyone's different powers, and go out into the field, even though she is in NO WAY qualified to do such....a point that---at one point in the episode---BOTH her kids call her out on.  Jen's recklessness with her powers, and her determination to play superhero has caused a problem between her and Lynn, as she decides to skip going to college to be a hero full time.  And while Anissa seems to come OFF as the smart one, and the most level-headed....she's also pulling double duty with TRIPLE ID's:  herself, Thunder, and Blackbird.  And, as Blackbird, she's trying to negotiate SOME kind of control over the gang war situation by trying to keep BOTH the 100 AND the Cobra Cartel within a limited working space---something Lala ain't too keen on.  He's also NOT keen on Lady Eve's gang, either.  He already had his boys attack hers, and is also wanting to put Lightning down, as he feels SHE is the most dangerous.  

Jen's recklessness got her injured this week, but also, once again, shows that she's taking her powers for granted TOO much.  Anissa AND Lynn are concerned, and Lynn actually had to save her, but got hurt herself.  With Anissa AND Jen telling Lynn to stay OUT of the field, she feels like she's made to feel worthless.  Jeff, meanwhile, argues with Lynn about the girls, her continued addiction to the power drugs, and his hate for Tobias.  He feels Black Lightning is the reason for everything that went down, and refuses to suit up.  At one point, he just expunges his power outside his house, and passes out, only to have Lynn find him the next day.  He finds out that, because of the gang fight Lightning broke up the night before caused the death of a little boy, that the boy's father---a teacher at Jeff's school---can't stay in Freeland anymore, and quits.  He argues with Gambi, who's been on his OWN secret mission by invading Montevista International to get intel about the new NextGen guns that Chief Lopez had been seeking to help quell the metahuman "menace" in Freeland, and see if he can find a way to get around it, to track the man that killed the boy, only for Gambi to say 'no'.  Jeff has to go it alone, and finds the gangbanger, and uses his powers to beat him, and smash his leg, warning him that if he didn't turn himself in, he'd be back.  

Gambi's not the only one who's trying to get something on the NextGen guns....Lala wants to get some as well....for the sole purpose of killing Thunder and Lightning.  Anissa, meanwhile, had to try and save the boy that died, but couldn't.  Her and the new employee at Lynn's lab were hanging out, after Lynn saw that Grace had gone through another shape change...this time a tiger, and just couldn't deal...so her and this guy have a drink and chat...only to answer the call of gunshots.  They were too late on the scene when they tried to save the boy.  

But we also got one big scene this week, and it was the long-awaited face-to-face between Jefferson and Tobias.  Tobias has somehow been enhanced, as Jefferson tried to blast him, but his powers had no effect on Tobias.  This is going to be a problem for Jeff down the road when he finally gets his act together and suits up again.  Tobias is as powerful as ever, and he's managed to hack into Lynn's lab mainframe, having access to all her research.  

It seems that---through the first two episodes of this season---that guilt, remorse, fear, and anger are the main themes.  Jefferson is experiencing ALL of them....and right now---it make me NOT like him.  He's so self-absorbed in his OWN misery, and his inability to CONTROL everything, that it's made him a huge dick to be around, and it's no wonder WHY his relationship with Lynn is where it's at, and why the girls won't prop him up, either.  They are upset because THEY have to pick up the slack, while their own father wallows in his own self misery.  Lynn is STILL lying to the therapist about her addiction, and has done the 180 from where she was about a year or two ago---when she HATED all this metahuman stuff.  NOW she wants to help and be out in the field...despite her lacking in the skills needed to be a superhero.  The family is NOT fun to be around right now.  And even Gambi's got his own agenda right now, having to suck up to his old co-worker in order to gain access to her company...which is making the weapons to kill metas.  The team is fractured, and everyone is dealing with their own personal crap.  Meanwhile, the gangs are running roughshod over the town, and then there's Tobias....plotting from behind the scenes, while being a public face.  

I did enjoy the episode, and DO tend to trust the writers know what they're doing here...but I also fear that they'll drag Jefferson's depression on TOO long, and it'll drag down this final season.  This has been the MOST solid CW show for every season it's been on the air, and it would behoove the writers to ensure it STAYS that way, by allowing this show one LAST epic season, and go out on a high.  If Jefferson spends the entire first half of this season in the doldrums...I'm gonna be pissed.  At SOME point in the next episode or two, he'll snap out of it.  

What did YOU guys think of this week's installment?  Do you agree with my assessment?  Subscribe and leave a comment below.  

Until next time...the Power is OFF.

 

BATWOMAN 2.4

 

 RECAP - BATWOMAN 2.4:  "Fair Skin, Blue Eyes"  

We're definitely getting into some juicy stuff here on Batwoman.  While we're still trying to figure out just who Safiyah is, how long is her reach, and the way she's interwoven into Julia, Kate, and Alice's lives....we're not sure of her endgame, or what she's really up to, other than sending Alice on a mission that requires her to be free, much to Sophie's dismay, because she'd rather put Alice down for good.  However, without Alice, it seems that they won't get Kate back.  Meanwhile, we learned a few more dark secrets about Ryan Wilder's life growing up, including a criminal from her past that makes a return.  Jacob is now having to deal with the False Face Society and their plan to flood the streets of Gotham with this new deadly addictive drug called Snakebite.  We get the gory details on THIS drug courtesy of our disembodied voice, Vesper Fairchild.  

Ryan is having issues this episode, as she is still fighting the poisonous effects of the the Kryptonite that she was wounded with at the beginning of the season, and it nearly causes her to crash the Batmobile (which, I gotta say, I really dig).  The wound is getting worse, and she's hiding it from both Luke and Mary (and you'd think that she'd trust Mary, what with Mary being a doctor and all, but the LAST thing Ryan wants is to be taken OUT of the field with this injury).  She catches a member of the False Face Society, and sends him packing with a message to his bosses.  She then meets up with a little boy who his looking for his older brother, who has gone missing.  This eventually prompts Mary and Ryan digging through info about the boy once Luke takes off after another disagreement with Mary about Kate (more on that later).  This case then begins to spark Ryan's memories of when she was in foster care.  She met her girlfriend there, and they developed a mutual love of comic books.  Ryan was out looking for comics when she was approached by a middle aged woman, who lured her into her van with comics, sprayed her in the face with some sort of chemical, and then kidnapped her off the street.

We see throughout the episode Ryan's desperate attempt to find the boy, who apparently had been kidnapped by this "Candylady", who used jellybeans to count the days she had the kids locked away, telling them that no one would look for them.  She gave the kids 60 days to have someone come look for them, as she took one jellybean out of the jar.  Ryan recalls her own captivity, and how, at one point, people from her foster home had come looking for a girl, but she had brown hair, and blue eyes, light skin.  She also had a necklace with a red stone in it.  Mary and Ryan figure out that the girl THEY were looking for was Beth/Alice.  Ryan then remembered that her girlfriend ended up coming to her rescue, and she got away from the Candylady.  As her and Mary passed the comic book stand, Ryan remembered what happened to her, and put the pieces together.  She went to confront the Candywoman, but got captured once again.

As it turns out, the Candylady was using the kids as recruits for the False Face Society, and this boy Kevin that she's been looking for has been brainwashed as a new recruit.  She eventually breaks free, and takes down the Candylady, putting an end to her kidnapping spree....but not before she iformed Ryan about Kevin's whereabouts.

Which leads us to Jacob, because while he's still on the hunt for Kate...by having his team look into the location of the Jack Napier painting that was on Kate's phone, he's also dealing with this Snakebite drug.  He had a stoolie who fed him info on the next shipment, only to be stabbed in the back by this guy, and zapped by Kevin.  This guy then told Kevin his initiation into the False Face Society was to kill Jacob Kane.  Batwoman arrived in time to save him, and stop Kevin from making a mistake.  This was the true first meeting between Ryan and Jacob, and he didn't go off on her.  I think Jacob's coming around.  

Alice showed up at Sophie's, and she needed Sophie's help into trying to find a man simply known as Ocean.  Alice proposed an alliance of sorts, and Sophie wasn't sure about the whole idea.  On top of that, Luke decided that he'd work with Sophie on tracking Kate, since he and Mary were still at odds as to whether or not Kate was still alive.  When he arrived, he saw Alice, and then tried to help Sophie from her place as to locate Kate, but no luck.  Luke would then head back to the Batcave to try from his end since they had better equipment.  Sophie took off to go back to Crows HQ and work from there, while Alice hung out at her pad.  It was here that Alice had a memory of when she actually met Ocean, which will now set HER upon the search for this man.  One other thing that came out of this is the fact that Alice confessed as to WHY she wants Kate back to Sophie...to kill her.  This also allows Sophie to confess to Jacob that she met up with Alice, and that they need to find Kate before she does.  

Another bit of info we got this week, was during Luke and Sophie's search for Ocean, Sophie ran into a burglar, and she fought her a bit, but the burglar bailed.  Turns out, that burglar was Ryan's ex-girlfriend, with whom she'd tried to reconnect with, but apparently there's some issues there.  We also now established that Mary left her penthouse for the apartment above Kate's bar, and that she offered Ryan the other room, especially since Ryan works at the bar now.  It also allowed for some bonding between the two, which is helping to establish Ryan more in Mary's eyes...but Luke is the harder sell.  

I really enjoyed this episode, because we're slowly peeling back the layers of Ryan's life, and finding MORE interesting things about her, which is giving her a more well rounded character with depth, and helps establish HER motivation for donning the cowl at night.  The fact that she was abducted by this middle aged woman helped set up the story for this week, and gave her ways on how to defeat the Candylady, who---it turns out---is working with the False Face Society.  Interesting connection there, as we hear more about the gang, but haven't seen Black Mask...as yet.  Ocean is this new character that Safiyah apparently wants Alice to not only find....but kill.  Not sure WHY...but it may have a connection with the Desert Rose, it may not.  But this is the one job that Alice needs to complete to get Kate back.  And with Alice revealing her motivations to Sophie, it's now a race against time for Sophie and Jacob to find Kate before Alice does.  So we have a few plates spinning in the air, and it's making for some interesting television.

I can see Mary really attaching herself to Ryan, not just because Ryan has potential as Batwoman, but because she's looking to fill that void where Kate left.  She wants to have a sister, and Ryan seems to be the stand in.  Not sure if this idea will come to light in a "true confessions" moment between the two, but safe to say, the bond between them will grow.  Also helps that Mary is giving Ryan a chance to get back her life.  Luke is still iffy on Ryan, because he's the more cautious one.  He's also seeing Ryan as nothing more than a stand-in until Kate is found.  So, Ryan has to work overtime to impress him.  Julia was absent from this episode, and not sure how many she will be in, since her and Sophie are done.  

One of the other elements I've noticed is just how interwoven that Alice and Ryan seem to be---mostly by pure happenstance.  It was Alice's Wonderland Gang of thugs that killed Ryan's foster mother, but it was also during one of Ryan's memories of her captivity by the Candylady that the foster kids were looking for a light skinned, blue eyed girl with a red necklace....Beth.  So I'm very curious as to why the writers have given Alice and Ryan so much commonality.  I wonder if this will make THEIR final confrontation have some higher stakes.  And what of Ryan's ex?  Where does SHE fit into everything?  

We got more questions, but I'm liking the journey so far this season.  Interested in seeing where it goes.  What did YOU guys think?  Subscribe and leave a comment below.  Would LOVE to hear from you!

Until next time....The Signal is OFF!