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STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, 1.11 – ‘The Wolf Inside’
The signposted twist with Ash Tyler (Shazad Latif), that he’s actually Klingon “torchbearer” Voq, surgically altered to infiltrate the Federation, didn’t land its blow because fans guessed it early. That’s a shame, but there was still pleasure in watching someone like Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) learn the truth, as she’s been totally unaware Ash has been…
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BLACK MIRROR, 4.4 – ‘Hang the DJ’
Black Mirror isn’t known for positive, hopeful, or romantic stories, but last year’s “San Junipero” proved its cautionary tales about technology needn’t always be so bleak. “Hang the DJ” is the most amorous episode yet, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t got something serious to say, and its twist ending is bittersweet. The tale is…
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THE COMMUTER (2018)
A businessman is caught up in a criminal conspiracy during his daily commute home.
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THE X-FILES, 11.2 – ‘This’
I didn’t hate last week’s premiere (although it was another convoluted mess of ideas about a government conspiracy nobody cares about), but it’s a relief to see The X-Files back doing what it always did best: a standalone adventure with Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) right at the centre, working together against all…
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AMERICAN ASSASSIN (2017)
After the death of his girlfriend at the hands of terrorists, a young man is drawn into the world of counterterrorism, mentored by a former US Navy S.E.A.L…
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STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, 1.10 – ‘Despite Yourself’
There’s a compelling argument against doing a “Mirror Universe” episode of Star Trek: Discovery this early, as it’s less fun seeing bizarro versions of characters we don’t know very well. Thankfully, “Despite Yourself” seemed to agree, because the crew of the USS Discovery didn’t encounter any of their counterparts throughout the entire episode, beyond a…
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BLACK MIRROR, 4.3 – ‘Crocodile’
I spend every episode of Black Mirror hunting for signs of a technology the story will revolve around, but “Crocodile” kept its tech hidden for a long time. The story began with a straightforward horror scenario, as young clubbers Rob (Andrew Gower) and Mia (Andrea Riseborough) travelled back home after a night partying, only to…
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BLACK MIRROR, 4.2 – ‘Arkangel’
Black Mirror is in an unenviable position. While the first couple of series were well received on Channel 4, it was really Netflix’s third series that took the show to new heights of popularity. While it didn’t completely abandon its quintessentially British feel on the streaming platform, it did up the stakes and took on…
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THE X-FILES, 11.1 – ‘My Struggle III’
When The X-Files returned to TV in 2016 (eight years after X-Files: I Want to Believe, fourteen years since it was cancelled on Fox), the world was a very different place and the adventures of a middle-aged Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) felt outmoded. It was certainly fun to see these characters again,…
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BLACK MIRROR, 4.1 – ‘USS Callister’
The great thing about many Black Mirror stories is how they often have multiple layers, with even the concept appearing to be one thing before contorting into something twice as disturbing. “USS Callister” is a fine example of that, because when the promotional photos were released it seemed like Charlie Brooker was doing a Star…
