Some reviewers here don't seem to understand cartoon-world, and certainly not Family Guy, one that's been through 23 years and characters shifting in persona. The latter I praise as it would have long been unwatchable if they were the same as season 1. Peter being a bit of a Homer rip-off, Quagmire constantly giggety-ing, and Stewie saying "Victory is mine", "Vile woman" etc. One reviewer complaining the plot's not feasible because Peter is such a different size to Quagmire must be new to this. What about their faces getting ripped off, then a few seconds later they're back to normal? That stuff has been going on since the earlier seasons. If you can't appreciate this, then stick with SpongeBob! As for the episode, it's not bad, just not up to my favourite era of around seasons 6-11. I like the odd cutaway, which this strangely lacks and I feel they could have had more fun around the underwear plot, so it's lost stars there for me. The Stewie and Doug plot is based around Strangers on a Train, a fifties Hitchcock film and done well for the limited time. It's a clever episode title. Brief Encounter being another old film about two strangers meeting in a railway-based situation, plus it being the reference to Peter and Quagmire's underwear adventure.
Reviews
5 Reviews
Wheel of Fortune
(1988–2001)
Mullets and a Metro City
7 July 2022
I'm currently watching some of the 1988 shows and surprised by how loud the audience are for the time. I expect they were told to act like that maybe to reflect its American cousin. I don't think the over-the-top shouting was on later episodes, more just clapping as the wheel went round (for some reason)! The set of the early series is distinctive, seemingly made of that big mess of wrapping paper that ends up covering the living room floor on Christmas morning. At the time of the first series, I was a teenage geek playing computer games and remember my parents watching it with that theme tune echoing up the stairs. As for the Metro City, I can almost feel the hard plastic and picture all that exposed paintwork in the interior. The shows I remember actually watching at the time were from around 1997, and on re-watching them I'm struck by how hyperactive the young Bradley Walsh was, like a child after having too much Ribena. I'm sure the resistance of the wheel varied over time, it seems 'fast' on the early series. Anyway, it's quite entertaining and broadcast at least a couple of times a day on the Challenge channel if you're craving a bit of quiz nostalgia.
The Agency
(II) (2016)
A review not full of irrelevance and bias.
18 November 2016
Firstly, I have to mention the previous two reviewers.
The one star review by Adams5905 isn't to be taken seriously by anybody- absolutely all but one of his/her reviews on comedy gets a single star, and the phrase "stool water" gets used more than once. Maybe makes sense, as they're not flushed by any comedy they watch. For pretending to think Natalie Cassidy was Adele with a different wig shows they are effectively trolling a review. The ten star review by Jon Jacobs who calls Adams5905 a Brexiter and UKIP supporter simply out of anger for the bad review is nearly as bad for bringing something up so irrelevant. He seemed to join the site just to post that, and kills his good review by coming across as a bitter (I hate the word) Remoaner, and helps justify the use of the word. At no point that I've seen has Adams5905 brought it up, and one review even suggests they may be anything but Brexit/UKIP. Sorry, I felt strongly enough to mention them.
Onto the show, "I LAAV IT-AH!!!", in the words of Greg Wallace. Great fun, and probably needs no mention that Morgana's impressions are not just good, but amazing. Her Fearne Cotton is more like Fearne Cotton than Fearne Cotton. The male celebrities where she can't replicate an actual male voice are still great, spot-on accents and inflections. The sole Natalie Cassidy episode was very entertaining, I initially thought it might not work, but it did.
Morgana can make me laugh out loud, which doesn't happen to me a lot in new comedy. I loved House of Fools too, which is where I first saw her, and noticed she was able to vary her voice quite considerably.
Some good and fun writing, though I dropped a star for the odd skit that fell a little flat for me. There weren't many though, and heck, every comedy has them, even Python. Also, it's nice she wasn't resorting to heavy smut and swearing so prevalent in today's writing. It seems to be what too many writers think they need to do to get a laugh in today's PC-restricted comedy. As is often the case with most new comedy these days, it may not get recommissioned, but I know Morgana Robinson will be in demand and we'll see plenty more of her talent.
The one star review by Adams5905 isn't to be taken seriously by anybody- absolutely all but one of his/her reviews on comedy gets a single star, and the phrase "stool water" gets used more than once. Maybe makes sense, as they're not flushed by any comedy they watch. For pretending to think Natalie Cassidy was Adele with a different wig shows they are effectively trolling a review. The ten star review by Jon Jacobs who calls Adams5905 a Brexiter and UKIP supporter simply out of anger for the bad review is nearly as bad for bringing something up so irrelevant. He seemed to join the site just to post that, and kills his good review by coming across as a bitter (I hate the word) Remoaner, and helps justify the use of the word. At no point that I've seen has Adams5905 brought it up, and one review even suggests they may be anything but Brexit/UKIP. Sorry, I felt strongly enough to mention them.
Onto the show, "I LAAV IT-AH!!!", in the words of Greg Wallace. Great fun, and probably needs no mention that Morgana's impressions are not just good, but amazing. Her Fearne Cotton is more like Fearne Cotton than Fearne Cotton. The male celebrities where she can't replicate an actual male voice are still great, spot-on accents and inflections. The sole Natalie Cassidy episode was very entertaining, I initially thought it might not work, but it did.
Morgana can make me laugh out loud, which doesn't happen to me a lot in new comedy. I loved House of Fools too, which is where I first saw her, and noticed she was able to vary her voice quite considerably.
Some good and fun writing, though I dropped a star for the odd skit that fell a little flat for me. There weren't many though, and heck, every comedy has them, even Python. Also, it's nice she wasn't resorting to heavy smut and swearing so prevalent in today's writing. It seems to be what too many writers think they need to do to get a laugh in today's PC-restricted comedy. As is often the case with most new comedy these days, it may not get recommissioned, but I know Morgana Robinson will be in demand and we'll see plenty more of her talent.
Gilbert Ralston had a big hand in this.
22 September 2016
Warning: Spoilers
I've just watched this for the first time as an adult- pretty sure I wouldn't have found it too interesting in the eighties as a child, so it seems like the actual first time seeing it. I also don't remember being so distracted by Chekov's wig, which from some angles unfortunately looks like a headless chicken nesting on his head.
The remastered effects are done nicely in my view, not overdone- thankfully they don't seem to have done a "Lucas" on any of the episodes I've seen so far. The hand force-field effect would have been considered a bit corny back in the sixties even, but I guess it's making a statement of some sort - The God Apollo able to grapple a whole spaceship in the fingers of his hand.
The writer Gilbert Ralston has done a good job I think, considering at the time, he was writing for children's show Gentle Ben (a nice little connection, Clint Howard was in the more highly-acclaimed episode "The Corbomite Maneuver" as the Tranya-drinking Balok).
Anyway, I won't give away much, but it's the idea that mythological Gods were real, in human form and demanded worship from us mere mortals, plus maybe steal our girlfriend in the process. Is he really who he says he is, or just a lyre? (one for Greek myth fans) But, as perhaps expected, this "God" certainly turns out to be more "myth- illogical". Incidentally, this episode is a little Spock-light as he's stuck on the seized ship giving orders, but Kirk gives us some marvellous full-on Shatnerisms. A few nice lines from McCoy as usual, especially his almost affectionate utterance of one of Spock's favourite words. Fascinating, and I'd give it an 8/10.
The remastered effects are done nicely in my view, not overdone- thankfully they don't seem to have done a "Lucas" on any of the episodes I've seen so far. The hand force-field effect would have been considered a bit corny back in the sixties even, but I guess it's making a statement of some sort - The God Apollo able to grapple a whole spaceship in the fingers of his hand.
The writer Gilbert Ralston has done a good job I think, considering at the time, he was writing for children's show Gentle Ben (a nice little connection, Clint Howard was in the more highly-acclaimed episode "The Corbomite Maneuver" as the Tranya-drinking Balok).
Anyway, I won't give away much, but it's the idea that mythological Gods were real, in human form and demanded worship from us mere mortals, plus maybe steal our girlfriend in the process. Is he really who he says he is, or just a lyre? (one for Greek myth fans) But, as perhaps expected, this "God" certainly turns out to be more "myth- illogical". Incidentally, this episode is a little Spock-light as he's stuck on the seized ship giving orders, but Kirk gives us some marvellous full-on Shatnerisms. A few nice lines from McCoy as usual, especially his almost affectionate utterance of one of Spock's favourite words. Fascinating, and I'd give it an 8/10.
Could be a stage play, perhaps?
30 June 2016
Warning: Spoilers
I've seen this episode at least once every decade since the '80s, and it seems we're getting closer to the possibility of computers gaining their own 'mind' in reality. In fantasy, there's HAL from 2001:A Space Odyssey (soon after this was broadcast), War Games, and the basis of the Terminator franchise, but I can't think of anything before this (though I acknowledge another review has mentioned something from the '50s).
The stage play thought sprang to mind after hearing William Marshall's sonorous delivery, and today, perhaps the story could be lengthened and the tech made aesthetically more up-to-date, though not a lot more to update- they're way ahead of the time as so often on Trek. Today's technology could provide some great live visuals, while of course, hopefully not trying to take over the performance.
Anyway, enough of my pipe dreams. Here, a great show from our three leads with their unique chemistry, Scotty despairs the only way he knows how, and Chekov gives us a "wessels". But, to hear William Marshall say "Revolution" is a treat.
Also, Spock's humorous little put-down of McCoy's "torrential flood of illogic" at the end is highly memorable.
The stage play thought sprang to mind after hearing William Marshall's sonorous delivery, and today, perhaps the story could be lengthened and the tech made aesthetically more up-to-date, though not a lot more to update- they're way ahead of the time as so often on Trek. Today's technology could provide some great live visuals, while of course, hopefully not trying to take over the performance.
Anyway, enough of my pipe dreams. Here, a great show from our three leads with their unique chemistry, Scotty despairs the only way he knows how, and Chekov gives us a "wessels". But, to hear William Marshall say "Revolution" is a treat.
Also, Spock's humorous little put-down of McCoy's "torrential flood of illogic" at the end is highly memorable.
Tell Your Friends