Snowpiercer
The world of Snowpiercer evolves in a dangerous direction as Mr. Wilford continues his manipulations from the engine room of Big Alice. Snowpiercer's Breachmen, devotedly loyal to Wilford, are sacrificed to Wilford's scheme as they are slaughtered by other mysterious followers of Wilford. The Breachmen were suspected of assauting and mutilating a former Tailie and the murder of the Breachmen looks retaliation from the Tail.
Wilford has his finger on the political pulse of Snowpiercer and knows he has Andre Layton in a vice.
Third Class, which reluctantly agreed to help the Tail in their revolution, thinks Andre has betrayed his promises of democratic reform.
First Class never wanted any of this shit in the first place.
Support for Andre Layton is slim to none. Except from unexpectedly from Ruth, a Wilford loyalist if there ever was one, who comes to Andre's defense.
But Ruth is the exception.
Miss Audrey, grand lady of the Night Car who was supposed to be Layton's spy on the inside on Big Alice, seems to have pledged her devotion to Wilford instead.
Up and down the length of the train, there is an overwhelming amount of support for Wilford's return to Snowpiercer.
Just how bad would that be?
As if the sociopathic actions of Mr. Wilford on full display in season 2 have not provide evidence enough of his unfitness of leading the remnants of humanity, we see more evidence of Wilford's selfish and ruthless pursuit of power and control in the episode of "Many Miles from Snowpiercer".
Melanie Cavill has reached the research station to gather to climate date needed to determine if the Earth is starting to warm up. But an avalanche has destroyed most of Melanie's provisions. She will likely starve to death before Snowpiercer returns. But then Melanie discovers rats have survived at the research center thanks to a geothermal vent. Roast rat sustains Melanie has she continues her lonely work.
Lonely except for her memories to when Snowpiercer began its journey and we see Wilford at his megalomaniacal worst, filling the limited space with on board the train with fewer scientists at the expense of more security and his wholesale slaughter of people trying to desperately get on the train before the deep freeze hits.
We see Melanie's crucial moment of decision, when she can put Snowpiercer in motion and leave Wilford behind even as Melanie has not secured the whereabouts or safety of her own daughter.
A fallen antenna nearly causes Melanie to lose her data; she engineers a rope and pulley system to restore the antenna and recover her data.
Bu the train is overdue. Something has gone wrong.
Melanie makes it back to the tracks but is unable to board the train. Snowpiercer and Big Alice rush by with fire coming out of the underside of Big Alice. We see Alex's face in a window, yelling for help as alarms sound.
Something has gone very wrong indeed.
Superman and Lois
Kudos to a Superman project doing something different with the mythos.
In the comics, Clark and Lois with their one son Jon move from their idyllic farm life back to Metropolis.
Clark and Lois move back to Smallville after the death of Martha Kent to take over the Kent family farm and perhaps provide a better life for their twin 14 year old sons, Jonathan and Jordan.
Jonathan has the easy going manner of a would be jock while Jordan is riddled with anxiety and doubt. So naturally it's Jordan who develops super powers first.
After 14 years, the twins are finally let in on the secret that their father is Superman. Being kept in the dark on something like that does not set well with either of the sons but Jordan is particularly angsty about it.
I'm going to admit that I could do with a lot less Jordan angst on this show. I feel that everyone has to walk on egg shells around him lest the slightest word will set him off.
Tyler Hoechlin, after appearing as Superman on Supergirl, continues to deliver a solid take on both the Man of Steel and his erstwhile mild mannered alter ego Clark Kent trying to make sense of being a dad to two radically different teenage boys.
Elizabeth Tulloch's Lois Lane is a tough cookie but with compassion to spare.
So far, Superman and Lois has done nothing to remind us they exist in a shared universe. No name drops for Supergirl or the Flash. I think Clark should've mentioned Kara Danvers by name at least once by now.
While Clark and Lois are mired in their familial melodrama, there are things a doing to keep Superman busy. A super powered armored Luthor from another universe is making life hell for Superman. Since Jon Cryer's buttonholed Lex Luthor over on Supergirl, this gives this show it's own Luthor to play with. Still, I hope Cryer makes an appearance on Superman & Lois as Supe's arch enemy.
And the malevolent Morgan Edge appears to have some super powered lackeys in his employ. In the comics when Morgan Edge was first introduced, he was an agent of the planet Apokolips. Dare we hope for an appearance of Darkseid on Superman & Lois.
Meanwhile, shenanigans at Smallville High give Superman and Lois more in common with Riverdale than the Arrowverse. Still, as much as I think the teenage angst is way overplayed, I think Superman & Lois is off to a strong start.
Sci-Fi Swing By
My family's project to get through Star Trek: Discovery continues albeit a bit slowly. We are now a 3rd of the way through season 2. The slowness of our pace has more to do with finding time when all three of us (well, four of us as I should include Rosie) have time to watch the same thing at the same time. Over all, we're enjoying the 2nd season of Disco more than we did season 1.
I've got a couple of episodes to finish season 1 of The Orville. My plan is to finish off season 1 of The Orville before I move back over to Justified to start season 3. I am enjoying the show more or less even though I still have issues with the shifting tone of the series.
Game Show Stop By
The first seasons of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and The Chase have ended. The celebrities on CWoF did not demonstrate any particular talents with puzzle solving and in fact had trouble with some really obvious ones. There was some cool banter and ribbing between contestants that we don't get with the civilians. But I think CWoF has a short shelf life and shouldn't be repeated too often. Once a year, maybe, for a 6 episode run?
The Chase is a strange animal with the Chasers actively working against the hopes, dreams and aspirations of ordinary people. In the penultimate episode, Ken Jennings actually shut down all three contestants. But pendulum swings both ways and the final episode of the season saw all three contestants survive to the end and beat Brad Rutter. I'm not very comfortable with the all or nothing scenario of the show.
Jeopardy continues with Katie Couric as guest host; Katie is personable and professional but no surprise there as she brings decades of experience as a TV host and news anchor to the gig. I'm still pulling for Ken Jennings to get the regular gig.
OK, that is that for this week's Tuesday TV Touchbase. Until next time, remember to be good to one another and to keep it down in there, would ya? I'm trying to watch TV here!
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