Summary: Sam, Bucky and Sharon fight the Flag Smashers to stop them. John also arrives to help. They are successful and Karli tries to escape. Sharon is revealed to be the power broker. Sam tries to talk sense into Karli but it fails and Sharon kills her. Sam takes up the role of Captain America, pleasing Isaiah. John takes on a new role as US Agent. Bucky finishes making amends.
The Good: The character resolutions for Sam and Bucky are pretty good. Sam steals the show with his speech, resolving his insecurity about being a black Captain America from the last episode. His final scenes with Isaiah are also great, and it was heartwarming to see Sam pay tribute to his struggles. Bucky’s resolution is good too, and the moment he finally tells the truth to Yori was satisfying. The Bad: The rest of this episode was pretty bad. This felt like every bland action thriller that ever existed and it was completely boring. Very little character work, poorly shot shaky cam action sequences, and a lot of unoriginal, clichéd moments that checked off every MCU third act trope. This climax did nothing for me. In the end Karli was every bit as poor of a villain as I had expected after the first three episodes. Her motives never ended up being clearly defined, and I still don’t know why she’s so convinced that the world was better before The Blip or why she feels that violence is the answer to this problem. Her plan in this episode was terrible and makes no sense. The show never explains the plan to us to try to hide how stupid all of her actions were in this episode. The power broker twist was pretty useless and had no significance to the story. It did not need to exist and completely fell flat. I was disappointed with how John was handled. He went from being a loose cannon to a redeemed good guy in the blink of an eye and that confused me. His arc in the show feels disjointed and unsatisfying. Nothing he did in this episode resonated with me. Bucky’s story got the cold shoulder in this episode, and in this show overall. He barely had anything to do. The Unknown: Why did Zemo murder the Flag Smashers? What plans does he have? Is he connected to Val? What are Val’s goals? What will Sharon do now with access to the government? Best Moment: Sam’s speech to the senator was a great conclusion for the character. Character of the Episode: Sam. Conclusion: The final few scenes of this episode were pretty good, but everything that came before was flat and unsatisfying. This episode was everything that I dislike about the third act of MCU films. I’ve written a review of the entire season, which you can access here. Check it out to see my thoughts on how the show works as a whole. Score: 45
0 Comments
Summary: John is subdued by Sam and Bucky and loses his position. He is approached by Val. Sam visits Isaiah again. Zemo is given to the Dora Milaje. He returns home and works on the boat with Bucky’s help. Together they sort out their problems and prepare to keep fighting. The Flag Smashers prepare to attack a GRC debate.
The Good: This was a transitional and more character-focused episode. I appreciated the heart of this episode and I thought that there were some interesting character details examined in this episode. Sam debating with the idea of being a black Captain America is a good idea for a story, and Isaiah’s past was fittingly sad to give Sam something to think about. It was nice to see Sam and Bucky work through their problems together and emerge as a proper team. John’s scenes are still excellent, and the opening few minutes of the episode stole the show. It was suspenseful, emotional, and cinematic. The Bad: Sam’s story is a good idea, but since the show has spent such little time exploring the racial themes, it feels like it is forced into the story when it should be the central focus. Bucky does not feel like a lead character in this show, and his storyline has gotten the short end of the stick. Resolving his entire story in one conversation with Sam was weak. The conflict between Sam and Bucky was also very poorly defined, and it was weakened by the fact that these two continued to joke around with each other in every episode instead of developing their story. When the conflict resolution scene happened, it surprised me because I forgot that they even had conflict. The Unknown: Did Zemo do anything after escaping? It’s weak that he was immediately captured anyways. Who is Val? What does she have planned? Was John’s new shield her idea? What did Sam get from Wakanda? Did Sharon send Batroc to get information on Karli? Best Moment: The opening scene in the warehouse was superb. Character of the Episode: John. Conclusion: This episode didn’t quite work. It had some good moments, but the handling of the characters and themes was disappointing. Score: 58 Summary: Sam, Bucky and Zemo investigate Donya and it leads to Sam talking with Karli to convince her to stop. John and Lemar arrive and mess up the plan, scaring off Karli. An action scene ensues and in the chaos Zemo shoots Karli and destroys the serum. John takes the last remaining serum for himself and uses it. The Dora Milaje come for Zemo and a fight breaks out, in which Zemo escapes. Sam tries talking with Karli again but John again messes it up. Lemar is killed by Karli and John loses it, murdering one of the Flag Smashers in broad daylight.
The Good: This was by far the best and most eventful episode so far. The thematic exploration of the morality of the Flag Smashers was really well done, tackling the idea of what it means to be a hero. I really appreciated this and it gave Karli some of the depth that she desperately needed. It also allowed Sam to return to his roots by talking things through with her, which I appreciated far more than any action scene. John had an excellent episode too. The handling of the character before suggested that he would be a two-dimensional villain, but the character feels surprisingly tragic in this episode. We learn about some of the terrible things he had to do in the army, and there’s a great conversation between him and Lemar on if they would use the super soldier serum. We also get to see John at his lowest when he fails repeatedly and gets defeated easily by the Dora Milaje, which clearly has a devastating effect on his mindset. It sets up the end of the episode nicely where John loses his best friend, and gives in to his newfound power to brutally murder one of the Flag Smashers in public. Steve would never have done this, and this episode serves as a perfect examination of why it’s so dangerous to give super soldier serum to somebody who doesn’t have the same heart as Steve. I really enjoyed the opening scene. Seeing Bucky finally break free of his binding to the activation words was a beautiful moment. Zemo has some fun scenes throughout the episode too as he charms the kids and destroys the super soldier serum. The Bad: The Dora Milaje look sloppy for letting Zemo get away and wasting time fighting the others. True to the MCU, the show has a problem of characters cracking jokes at bad times, making it difficult to engage in serious scenes. The Unknown: Where did Zemo go? How will the public respond to John killing the Flag Smasher? Is there any chance of reasoning with Karli now? Best Moment: John brutally murdering the Flag Smasher. Character of the Episode: John. Conclusion: This was a really strong episode that explored the characters in unique ways and tackled some interesting themes. A huge improvement on the empty first 3 episodes. Score: 66 Summary: Bucky and Sam free Zemo from prison and go to Madripoor where they meet Sharon and find the scientist who created the super soldier serum. They learn that Karli took all 20 of the vials. Zemo kills the scientist, and the group barely escapes from people trying to kill them. Zemo takes them to Riga where Bucky finds Ayo is waiting.
The Good: There are fun aspects to this. The break-out is executed pretty nicely and it’s entertaining to see Zemo working with the good guys. The show is trying to tackle a bigger idea of the morality of superheroes which I appreciate. The Bad: The visual style of the show is terrible. Bland colouring and claustrophobic shots make it visually uninteresting and uncomfortable to watch. There were tons of writing issues with this episode. I’ll list some out but I won’t waste my time with everything. Know that I took issue with most of the developments in this episode. Sam becoming Smiling Tiger was a bland idea because we don’t know Smiling Tiger and did not know who he was trying to impersonate. The phone call scene tried to be suspenseful but it wasn’t executed well enough to have much tension and it makes Sam look like an idiot for not turning off his phone. Zemo shooting Nagel was a boring cliche and makes no sense. Even worse is that Bucky and Sam take no issue with it and don’t even apprehend him for it. Zemo is still allowed to roam around free. Plus, Bucky and Sam freeing Zemo is completely dumb and is not what Steve would have done! I’m completely with John Walker when he berates them for doing something so stupid. The show has failed to give me any good reason to view Bucky and Sam as the good guys yet it expects us to be on their side anyways. I am not. Karli’s storyline remains incredibly boring. She is a nothing character and every scene with her is a waste of time that accomplishes nothing. Madripoor is an interesting idea for a setting but it never gets appropriately explored and ends up being dull. Ayo’s appearance at the end is a weak cliffhanger. I hardly even remember who she is, so I don’t care that she’s here. The superhero idea is being explored, but it feels like it was tacked on in an attempt to make the show meaningful rather than organically being in the story. We already know what the result of this conflict will be so there’s no reason to be interested in seeing it explored. Zemo’s escape is edited well but the logistics are very generic and uninteresting. The Unknown: What is Sharon’s role in the story? How about Karli’s? Who is the power broker? I’m betting this person is the main antagonist of the story. Why did Zemo kill Nagel? Where is he taking Sam and Bucky now? Best Moment: It’s hard to choose one. Maybe the Sharon action scene because that was very well done. Character of the Episode: Zemo. Conclusion: This show continues to underwhelm. This is another episode that feels like part of a movie stretched out to meet the length of a TV show. Things are looking pretty grim right now. Score: 44 Summary: Bucky and Sam meet up after seeing the new Captain America, John Walker. They go together on a mission to stop the Flag Smashers and discover that they have multiple super soldiers. They meet John who wants to team up but they decline. John frees Bucky from his therapy. Bucky and Sam figure that Hydra is responsible and go see Zemo.
The Good: The Sam/Bucky dynamic is really fun and carries this episode. They share a lot of funny moments and their dialogue is written really well. The therapy scene near the end of the episode is excellent as it starts as some harmless fun before turning into Bucky and Sam outlining their problems with each other. The Bad: The flag smashers are incredibly boring so far. Their motives are barely touched on and the characters are dull and uninspired. John Walker’s introduction was well done but I get the feeling that he’s just going to be another boring government villain. I hope I’m wrong. The race issues in this episode feel tacked on. It feels like they were shoehorned into the show to capitalize on the recent outcries against racism within the police instead of being in the show for a purpose. The Unknown: Will we see more of Isaiah? I see a lot of potential for his story, so I hope he appears again. What will Sam and Bucky learn from Zemo? How are Hydra connected to everything? Is John actually a good guy or will he be another obstacle to overcome? Best Moment: The therapy scene. Character of the Episode: Sam and Bucky both, they were a unit in this episode. Conclusion: This was another okay episode. This had better pacing and some fun interactions, but the plot looks worryingly thin and uninspired so far. Score: 57 Summary: Sam gives up the shield to the government and goes about his normal life. Bucky is in government-mandated therapy as part of his pardon and deals with PTSD. A new Captain America is announced by the government.
The Good: The production of the show is outstanding as expected and it feels like movie quality. Bucky’s scenes in therapy are quite good, and exploring the PTSD that somebody who has been brainwashed has suffered is a good idea. I appreciate that the show kept Sam and Bucky apart for this episode so that we can see what each character individually brings to the table. The Bad: This was a very empty and slow episode though. There isn’t much to it and the storytelling is simplistic and shallow at best. Bucky’s story is interesting, but it’s tough to care about Sam’s personal life which hasn’t been mentioned until now. The Unknown: Who is the new Captain America? How did Torres get destroyed by the one guy? How does that guy have super strength? Who is leading the flag smashers? What are their motives? Best Moment: Bucky trying to tell Yori that he killed his son but being unable to go through with it. It’s a sad scene and it’s the most complex and powerful moment of the episode. Character of the Episode: Bucky. Conclusion: This was a slow-paced introduction to the show. There’s nothing special about it at all and it was pretty dull viewing. Score: 55 Summary: Sam gives up the shield to the government who give it to John Walker to be the new Captain America. Sam and Bucky work together and look into the Flag Smashers a new terrorist group. They discover that they are super soldiers. Bucky frees Zemo to get more information, and with him they go to Madripoor and Latvia. They encounter the leader, Karli and Sam tries to help her. John arrives with no intention to communicate and after a few encounters, Karli gets away. John murders a Flag Smasher in public after his friend is killed and is discharged by the government. Zemo is take by the Dora Milaje. Sam and Bucky resolve their problems and Sam accepts the role of Captain America. Karli attacks the GRC meeting in New York and Sam and Bucky stop her. Karli is killed by Sharon. John is contacted by Val and becomes US Agent.
The Good: As expected, Sam and Bucky's interactions are a lot of fun in this show. The energy of these characters is what carries the show and kept my interest throughout all six episodes. But these two aren't only effective as a pairing. Their individual arcs in this show ended up being pretty solid, and had a decent amount of story to them. Sam's story is the obvious highlight. It took a while before the show brought Sam's struggle to the forefront, but when it happened it was pretty compelling. The forced racial themes in the earlier episodes became the heart of the show in the last two episodes and I thought that it worked pretty well. Isaiah was a well fleshed out character to parallel Sam, and I enjoyed what he brought to the story. Zemo's return in this show was surprisingly well done. Zemo was a pretty flat character in "Captain America: Civil War", but his presence here was pretty enjoyable. Zemo's narrow-minded perspective on super soldier serum played into the themes of the show nicely, so the character's inclusion did not feel forced. Furthermore, Zemo's role in the story as the bad guy working with the good guys is surprisingly a trope that the MCU has not used yet. Because of that, it feels unique to see Zemo in this role and it does a nice job of fleshing him out to make us understand him better. Plus his interactions with Sam and Bucky are a lot of fun. The best part of this show for me was John Walker. John is a character that nobody is going to like because we don't want to see a new government-selected Captain America. It would have been really easy for the show to make him another two-dimensional, boring villain, and that's what I thought we were going to get after his introduction in the second episode. But impressively, the show found something far better with him. We spend a lot of time looking into John's psyche and we understand that he isn't a bad person at all, but he is still the wrong man for the job. John wants to be the best possible Captain America, but he doesn't have any of Steve's virtues, and the episode "The Whole World is Watching" shows us exactly what happens when you give too much power to somebody who is not like Steve Rogers. John's meltdown, and his ensuing fight with Sam and Bucky were intense scenes to watch that were beautifully shot to connect us with John's mindset. I like how much this show focused on showing us the socioeconomic effects of The Blip. The Blip is such an original idea, and I think that exploring the effects that it had on the world can lead to some fresh and interesting television. The exploration in this show was a bit shallow, but whenever the show started addressing what happened to the world after The Blip it became more interesting to watch. The Bad: Karli and the Flag Smashers were terrible villains. The motivations of this group were poorly defined the entire show. We never understood why they had turned to violence to prove their point, and we also don't really know what they are fighting for. They believe that the world was better before The Blip. But why? We are never shown what the world was like before or why that version of the world was better. Because of that, we can't connect with the Flag Smashers' goals at all. Furthermore, Karli herself is a bad villain. The show tries way too hard to make us sympathize with her, to the point that it forgets the story it's trying to tell in an attempt to make us like her. So many of the early scenes with Karli try too hard to make us care for her because, oh no, her friends are dying! And Donya died! Oh no! Instead of telling any story with these characters, the show tries and fails to make us sympathize with her, and it continues this trend throughout the entire series. By the time Karli dies, I had no reaction to it and I was rolling my eyes at how dramatic the show was being with her death. Sam quite literally ignores Sharon while she bleeds out to mourn Karli, a person he should not care about as much as he does. It's all very stupid. Then add on the fact that the actress playing Karli isn't compelling at all, and the character is boring, shoved down our throat and devoid of charisma. This is not a good villain. The show overall feels like a movie dragged out to 5 hours. The story here could easily be told in two hours if the pacing was quicker, some ideas were cut and the story was simplified. There is nothing here to suggest that this needed to be a 6 episode long TV show. I hate the new direction of turning concepts for movies into TV shows for the sake of business. TV shows are a separate artform and should be treated as such. If you want to make a TV show, there needs to be a story that demands more time to be told properly. "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" is not that story. Some of the insignificant filler storylines like Madripoor, the power broker, all those action scenes, the slow paced scenes with Sam and Bucky's personal lives, the scenes with Karli, etc. could easily be cut and the show would not lose much at all. This is a show with far too much padding, and I feel like the story being told here would actually be better as a movie. I did not like how little Bucky was utilized in this show. The show is called "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" yet Bucky has very little to do. He has a very minor therapy storyline but other than that he doesn't do much. He's just a spectator most of the time, and that's a bad misuse of one of the most complex and interesting characters in the entire MCU. The action in this show wasn't great either. Of course there was a complete lack of tension because the MCU loves having the characters quip during the action scenes, making it difficult to invest in the danger. But even when this wasn't happening, the action scenes fell flat. There was so much empty action and very little of it had anything of consequence. It felt like more filler to pad out the show, and it was difficult to get invested in it. The directing was also quite poor, with a lot of shaky cam being used, making it tougher to figure out what we're watching. The action wasn't directed well and there was too much of it. The themes of this show weren't explored to their full potential. True to the MCU, it felt like the plot was always the major focus, and the themes were simply tacked on so that people can say that the show is thought-provoking and deep. But the reality is that these ideas are never the main focus of the show, and are explored in a very simplistic, one-dimensional light. Take the racial themes for example. The idea of a black Captain America being difficult to acclimate to is a good conflict. But the show spends very little of its runtime contemplating this idea. There is one scene where Sam hears Isaiah's story and has doubts, but then he makes his decision right after. It happens quick, there isn't much heart to it, and it is a very shallow story compared to what it could have been had there been more care taken when telling this story. The MCU likes to include themes that are relevant to current day events, but the themes always feel like they were lazily slapped onto the story instead of being properly integrated into it. Because of this, the thematic exploration feels more like an attempt to cheaply appeal to the public, when it should be used to tell a more compelling story. Best Episodes: E04 The Whole World is Watching: This episode told a really nice story with John Walker, and it was also where the ideas of the show were at their most compelling and the character interactions were at their most fun. Worst Episodes: E03 Power Broker: A really poor episode focusing on storylines that probably should have been cut from the show. The logistics were horrible and the visual style of the episode was brutal on the eyes. E06 One World, One People: This finale was almost entirely unsatisfying. It was just an empty action spectacle with no character work until the very end. This episode suffered from the same issues plaguing every MCU movie climax. I was bored for much of this episode. Character of the Season: John. Conclusion: "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" did not surprise me the way that "WandaVision" did. This show was everything that I feared it was going to be. It was an MCU film stretched out into a TV show with a lot of the typical MCU tropes and problems that make the movies feel so repetitive to me. There isn't anything special here, and outside of one strong episode, this was a very poor TV show. The main characters were fine, but the villains were bad, the story was underwhelming and the show simply failed to captivate me. I probably should be much harsher on this show in my reviews, but I did not have high expectations going into this show. This is everything that you would expect it to be. I'm sure that diehard MCU fans will love this, but it's not the kind of television for me. |
Aaron DhillonJust a university student who loves to watch TV. And analyze it way too much. Archives
March 2024
Categories
All
|