Is there a reason Sava isn't doing these reviews? I'm not complaining, mind you, just asking. I was wondering if he quit or something.

I'm convinced that the pace, which is a problem all the Netflix shows share, is a problem caused by having 13 episodes. Having 8 or 10 episode seasons would solve the issue and keep things moving along briskly. I like this show, but it is quite talky, often unnecessarily so.

The camera definitely loves Colter's body, and with good reason. Dude is fine.

I hear halfway point has some unexpected stuff, so I will wait until then to form a judgment. So far JJ has been my favorite, largely because it had the scariest villain and was in many ways the darkest of the shows. But honestly, apart from DD season 2, I like all these shows very much.

You know, I didn't think about it, but you're right. The author mentions a couple "tropes" in the first episode, but I like your take on it a bit better. That said, at least five episodes in the characters have all gotten a bit more defined. I hope the series moves in the direction you're indicating before the end.

She is a very strong character who only gets better as the series goes on.

Are you referring to Mariah's speechifying? It's a big part, true, but it's also a concern to minority communities in general. I totally get where she's coming from, even if her means consistently undermine her ends.

Cottonmouth and Mariah continue the Netflix MCU's tradition of better sketched-out villains than the movies. It's not as apparent in the first episode but both them have their appealing characteristics while still maintaining their essential role as antagonists.

We're five episodes in, and this is a very solid entry in the MCU. It's a bit slow, but that's a problem all the Netflix shows have. The cast is one of the best. I'm a bit surprised by how much continuity the show has with the rest of MCU. Whereas it felt largely tacked on in Daredevil and Jessica Jones, it's much…

Record stores?

You seem nice.

If you're angry about this, you should go watch The Leftovers. It might literally kill you.

It does appear to be a physical place, yes. Moab, Utah, by the looks of it.

I couldn't stand him either, but that may have been the point of the character. He was a giant, nearly insubordinate toddler at the merest suggestion that he may have to change course. I imagine there would be a lot of folks like him on a project like this, the most creative or creative projects. Frankly, I'm just…

There could even be a detriment to it, if you find yourself retreading ground without knowing it. Granted, there are a lot of reasons that probably won't happen, but still, she gains nothing by being ignorant, as you say.

It is a very "I don't even own a TV" kind of remark.

That would make this show even more Dollhouse than it already is.

I had much the same reaction that you did when I was watching; I felt almost defensive when the guy on the train talked about "going evil" on his second playthrough. (I've been part of almost that exact same conversation regarding Mass Effect or Knights of the Old Republic.) As you say, it's not the most accurate…

I don't want to be that guy, but haven't we been doing awful things to AI for at least a decade or so? Ever played a video game and played the bad guy, like in Grand Theft Auto? On that level, this show made me fairly uncomfortable.

I thought the Paint It Black instrumental got a bit distracting, but Ford does indicate at one point that anachronism is supposed to be one of the park's charms.