As always with music criticism, I am constantly baffled by terminology. Does Barenaked Ladies not count as alternative rock in your schema? Do you define "alternative rock" as the bands following the format and sound of Nirvana and Pearl Jam — which others, including myself, might otherwise categorize as "grunge"?

I don't know if social Darwinism is quite the right word… it's more like extreme utilitarianism? Or a caste society? Someone at some point seems to have sat down and designed Gem society from the ground up as a giant machine. Each cog with a role to play… whether it wants to or not.

Look, I know there's a lot going on with these episodes, I'm just asking one thing… can we just take a moment and acknowledge the utter wonder and gloriousness that is Peridot's bow tie? Mike drop.

Seconded, with an added dose of HELL YEAH.

Awwww yeah. Knew Stevonnie would wind up being a combat form sooner or later.

NEERRRRD!

For the record, I *liked* Connie's "peak oil" line. It really plays into her "gifted child"-ness, naively worrying about problems people have studied for their entire lives, as if it's going to be her responsibility to fix it someday.

> The villians especially come off as ridiculously implausible.

I tend to interpret Stan's issues with the twins planning to take on Bill as mostly anxiety on his part — what with, you know, **kids** taking on an omnipotent interdimensional demon.

Regarding #7 — what about vampires? The non-sparkly kind of vampire, that is. I mean, I know what it's like trying to get glitter out of a carpet.

Eh. All you have to do is define Cybermen as terrorists and you can probably get the GOP on board with just about anything.

And also, you're all wrong. I thought it worked perfectly. And, more to the point, was a logical next step in the series. Bigger and more? Maybe, but isn't the point of a sequel to escalate the stakes?

/* Given all the talk of overcoming prejudice, there’s something unfortunately ironic about the way the film makes its only non-white character an irredeemable villain. */

Dude, they didn't even freaking know what light *was* at that point, much less that it was a wave.

"and hiding up inside his attic / on some Harry Potter business."

They couldn't remember. It's timey-wimey stuff. Don't think about it. Just enjoy.

This sounds like the kind of Simpsons episode I'd like to see. I'll have to catch this one on syndication at some point.

Well… there is the whole bit where he never goes home again. Or sees his parents again, as far as we know.

Well… there is the whole bit where he never goes home again. Or sees his parents again, as far as we know.

Well… there is the whole bit where he never goes home again. Or sees his parents again, as far as we know.