The American Apocalypse
Television reviewer Sarah Stegall returns with a look at apolcaypses past and future on television, and why they don't quite cut it... Read more [...]
Author Archives: Sarah Stegall
iRocky
A rather unsubtle script combined with surprisingly good special effects make a wonderful platform for a child actor to steal the screen and give us a fun, heartwarming, exciting two hours...
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Summary Judgement—Terra Nova’s “Bylaw”
Here comes the really big conflict we've been expecting, and it's shaping up to be a doozy. The B-stories may be a bit weak, but Terra Nova may be hitting its stride... (Warning: this review contains some spoilers.)
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Agent of Inquiry—Madeleine E. Robins’ The Sleeping Partner
This third alternate-history Regency Sarah Tolerance novel in the series hits on all cylinders, returning the reader to a delightful world of scandal, intrigue, and mystery...
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Monster Slayer—Grimm’s “Pilot”
Grimm is a winner; I'm saying it right now. My expectations for the pilot were high, and I'm delighted to say they were all fulfilled... (Warning: this review contains some spoilers.)
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Dancing with the Spies—Chuck’s “Chuck vs. the Zoom”
For a truncated final-season premiere, this is a disappointing new direction on what has been a wonderfully funny and compassionate program... (Warning: this review contains some spoilers.)
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Choices—The Walking Dead’s “Save the Last One”
For all the existential questions we've been investigating, this episode gave us two real questions that need to be answered, for everyone... (Warning: this review contains some spoilers.)
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Coming Home—Terra Nova’s “The Runaway”
This is what this series could be, with improved writing and a better focus. More, please... (Warning: this review contains some spoilers.)
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Shuffle for the Cure—The Walking Dead’s “Bloodletting”
This show now emerges as more convincing, more frightening, and more self-confident. Whereas the premiere for the second season was a sodden walk through stereotypes, the second episode takes off literally at a run, and maintains a breathtaking pace... (Warning: this review contains some spoilers.)
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Disney Noir—Once Upon a Time’s “Pilot”
Once Upon a Time offers a weirdly difficult double-world, with some (hopefully) darker takes on classic fairy tales. Could be good... (Warning: this review contains some spoilers.)
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Out of Phase—Fringe’s “Subject 9”
In a season as brilliant as this one has been, even a second-best show is a stunner, with a little too much subtlety and not enough flash-and-bang where it was needed... (Warning: this review contains some spoilers.)
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Herd Instinct—The Walking Dead’s “What Lies Ahead”
Just because it's popular doesn't mean it's good: the zombies are too fascinating for the writers, overshadowing the humans who are supposed to be the sympathetic characters... (Warning: this review contains some spoilers.)
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Cognitive Regression—Terra Nova’s “What Remains”
You can spend a lot of money, use very good actors, and throw around some big names, but if the stories are weak, you're going to have bad television... (Warning: this review contains some spoilers.)
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A Sense of Isolation—Fringe’s “Alone in the World”
The theme of loneliness brings out some great episodes (including this one), but is it a reflection of dwindling audiences...? (Warning: this review contains some spoilers.)
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Attack of the Chickens—Terra Nova’s “Instinct”
If you're going for scary, and you're not actually Alfred Hitchcock, pigeons just aren't going to cut it. And Terra Nova has so much possibility... (Warning: this review contains some spoilers.)
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