I finally found the time to sit back and watch Citadel on Amazon Prime, and I am upset at how much time I wasted on this series. It was a struggle to finish Citadel and an even bigger struggle to find the strength to not skip around when this series got boring. Don’t watch this series. There is nothing for you here.
Citadel is about two spies forced into hiding by an evil organization hunting them down. One spy has lost his memories and is struggling with his identity. Is he a father and husband from Iowa, or is he the deadly spy everyone else knows he is? But he must decide quickly. The world is about to end, and only he and his generic female spy ex-lover are the only ones who can save the world. Can they do it?
I don’t know where to start with this series because it is so bad. The plot is terrible, but I would argue that the writing is worse. There are lines in this series that are so bad that I had to pause the series so that I could reevaluate my decisions. I took a lot of breaks trying to get through this series, and it almost broke me. The writing is so bad that I can’t tell you how bad the acting is. There are actors in this series that aren’t trying, but others, like the lead, are trying their hardest to make this terrible series work. Gods bless them. I hope they can find something better after Citadel.
This series tries to have this overarching mystery as you are trying to figure out who the mole is. It doesn’t work because it becomes obvious the moment they walk into the series. This was only a few minutes in, and For the rest of the series, I had to sit through terrible attempts at misdirection as the series built up to the dumbest big reveal you can’t possibly fathom. This series is so boring that I could only sit there and over-analyze every terrible plot point, overthink every plot hole, and scrutinize all of the science. I can suspend my disbelief in action thrillers, but they have to be good at distracting me with big explosions and fun action. Citadel had nothing to distract me from how terrible it is.
Citadel is the most boring to come out this year. There were a few decent fights, but not enough to be worth your time. Most of the run time is spent on relationships no one cares about and pointless filler. Had this been a movie packed with more action, it would have been better.
I don’t want to spend any more time on this series. You can stream it on Amazon, but I wouldn’t waste my time.
Mulligan (2023): The Forgettable Animated Series You Aren’t Missing out on
I just sat through one of Netflix’s newest animated series Mulligan, and it was okay. While I didn’t hate it as much as I thought I would, it isn’t a series you should be rushing to watch.
After a failed alien invasion, society as we knew it has crumbled. Only a few survivors are left. The success of society’s reconstruction lies in the hands of an idiot, a beauty queen, a scientist, a historian, and a corrupt politician. Do they have what it takes to shape a better world?
The series makes a lot of obvious quips about the current state of American politics and culture that have been done better in other shows. While the series does earn a few solid chuckles, most of the jokes are easy. The best part of this series is its cast. There are some genuinely funny people behind these voices, but I wish the series was better.
There isn’t much more to say about this series. The concept and story are fine, but you will forget you watched it. There are definitely worse series on Netflix than this, but I wouldn’t go rushing to see this either. Mulligan is a show you throw on in the background when you don’t need to pay attention to what you are watching, or just need a dumb comedy.
Digimon Seekers: Chapter 1-7: Loogamon’s Data
‘ll be rewriting the novel to fix some of the awkwardness of the translation. My version comes out the Monday after the official release, but make sure you always check out the original. If you’ve been enjoying this project, make sure you like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends.
Eiji barges into Ryusenji’s lab in a huff. “Professor! Professor Ryusenji”
The professor looks up from his work nonchalantly. People suddenly barging into his lab was no novelty. “Good morning, Eiji.” It was already afternoon, but the professor often loses all sense of time when he’s at work.
“Good morning” Eiji responds with a quick bow, remembering his manners. “What’s with this Digimon?!? It’s not moving.” Eiji rushes to the professor’s side to show him the small blue pixelated wolf on his Digimon Linker. Loogamon naps soundly.
Ryusenji pulls Eiji’s arm close and examines the sleeping Digimon. A smile forms on the professor’s face. “He’s just having a little nap. You’re doing a great job Eiji, he’s a healthy happy boy. I can’t wait to see what he evolves into. If you can get him to his ultimate form, we’ll give you a nice… incentive.”
“An incentive? Like more money?”
Ryusenji nods his head. “You’ll get a very generous payout. I’m curious to see the type of Digimon Loogamon turns into. You guys will probably look super cool together!” The professor can’t hide his excitement as he starts theorizing about all the possibilities.
“I’ll do my best” Eiji replies. He was beginning to warm up to the eccentric old man. “Oh. Did you see yesterday’s training report? I sent it to your email.”
“Oh?!” the professor responds as he opens up his email client. “I get hundreds of emails a day. I hardly ever open them. I don’t have the time to look through every single…here it is in your own little folder. I keep all your emails separate so they don’t get lost”
Eiji hugs himself and gives the professor a warm smile. “That makes me feel important”
“You’re a very important business partner of mine, Eiji”
The professor sounded sincere, and Eiji was slowly learning to trust him. Eiji felt strange having someone so important put so much worth onto him, but he was determined to make him proud. Here in this lab, Eiji wasn’t just another Code Cracker punk, he was a partner of the world renowned scientist, Professor Ryusenji. This made Eiji feel good.
Ryusenji plays that video from Eiji’s report.
Loogamon sits in front of four bowls of food, but eats from one of them. Three Tyrannomon wait patiently across from the small wolf as it devours the food. Ryusenji’s face inches towards the monitor as he observes the behavior.
“Loogamon is already stronger than three Tyrannomon.” Eiji explains to an unmoving professor.
“Interesting…” Ryusenji’s eyes remain glued to the screen. “Loogamon seems to have become the alpha. See how the Tyrannomon are behaving? It’s like they respect him as their leader. This is truly fascinating. Putting them in the same cage has created this…dynamic…”His voice trails as he continues his observations. His face is full of excitement.
“That must be why they don’t bother him, even when he eats their food. He even tried eating this guy,” Eiji says, pointing to one of the Tyrannomon.
“Oh?! That’s interesting”
“Loogamon eats so much food though.” Eiji begins to complain.
“That’s normal.”
Eiji pulls up another report. “Here’s the data for a benchmark I conducted. Loogamon is showing an above-average growth score”
“Interesting.” the professor strokes his chin as he reads over the data.
“Oh!” Eiji blurts out suddenly. He points to the jeweled mask on its forehead “What’s this thing on Loogamon’s forehead?” Eiji pauses the video and zooms in so that the face plate is fully visible. “That jewel even glows sometimes.”
Ryusenji moves closely so that his forehead is almost touching the screen “I am not sure, but that’s very perceptive of you Eiji.” The professor then turns to Eiji “How do you like Loogamon? Have you been using it for anything exciting?”
“I’ve been having trouble evaluating its performance as an AI tool”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s not that the command tools don’t work, it’s more like Loogamon won’t do what I tell it. It won’t work or walk either. It is a very stubborn dog”
“So you don’t think you can raise it?” Ryusenji asks
Eiji panics. “No! I mean yes. I didn’t mean it like that. Raising it is my job and I take all my jobs seriously. I was just pointing out how…different it is from other Digimon I’ve raised.”
Ryusnji smiles back at the frantic Eiji “Try summoning Loogamon’s hologram.”
Eiji scrolls through his Digimon Linker before choosing the command. Loogamon appears in the room, sound asleep. It is about the size of an adult husky with soft-looking grey-blue fur. As it wakes, he blinks indifferent red eyes at the two men looking down at it. It wakes slowly, throwing slow indifferent blinks at the two men who now crowd him. It lets out a loud yawn.
“Fascinating!” Rysenji suddenly shouts as he continues looking over the data “Look at these numbers!” The professor points excitedly at the evaluation report on the screen.
Eiji attempts to understand the information. “DS value…? I’m not sure what that means,” Eiji admits reluctantly.
“It’s an indicator I designed to calculate the compatibility between a Digimon and its partner. In other words, you and Loogamon are extremely compatible!” Rysenji doesn’t hide his excitement.
“Seriously?!” Eiji looks down at Loogamon who has since gone back to napping on the floor.
“I knew I chose the right person for the job,” the professor claps.
“So…Does that mean that Loogamon can evolve right away?”
“I can’t say for sure”
“Why not?”
“The DS value doesn’t measure potential, only the user’s compatibility with a Digimon.”
“So it is possible to train,” Eiji whispers to himself. He had only ever used Tyrannomon, and a few other Digimon common in the code cracker circles. The more common the Digimon, the easier it was to train. Loogamon was unique, and would require more work to train.
“Where have you been getting your Digimon up until now? GriMM?”
“Yeah. Since it’s illegal in Japan, I have to get them from other countries. There are no borders in the Digital World.”
Ryusenji almost chuckles, “Do you know who you’re quoting?”
Eiji shakes his head no. It was a meme everyone repeated. “Do you?”
Ryusenji shrugs his shoulder as an involuntary smile escapes him. “What do you do again Eiji,” the professor asks, changing the subject.
“I’m a Code Cracker”
“Then you are familiar with the famous code cracking team?”
Illustration illustration: PLEX
Digimon Seekers Chapter 1-6: Eiji Becomes a Breader
I’ll be rewriting the novel to fix some of the awkwardness of the translation. My version comes out the Monday after the official release, but make sure you always check out the original. If you’ve been enjoying this project, make sure you like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends.
Eiji heads home with his new Digimon Linker and his new companion. His glances regularly fall onto his new accessory. He admires the sleek design. Watches as the face glimmers under the street lamp. Occasionally he wakes it up to read over all its menus and is greeted by a sleeping Loogamon. Around him, crowds or people move around him and a train passes in the distance.
His stomach growls and wakes him from his trance. He goes to the restaurant near the station and orders a meat bowl. The aroma is intoxicating and Eiji almost drowns in a pool of his own drool as he waits for a meal that only existed in his dreams until recently. He savors every bite and wonders when Loogamon’s last meal was.
Eiji takes a crowded train to his small apartment. The apartment is small and empty except for a few mats and a small alter. Small led candles flicker weakly as he stops in front of an old family pictures and one of a dog he used to have. “Hey, I’m home. Mom, Dad, Grandpa, Grandma. I’m home.”
Eiji makes his way to his loft where he can finally examine the Digimon Linker without distractions. “I’ve never seen a Digimon like this before…Loogomon huh?” Eiji examines the blue dog sleeping on the watch.
“I want you to train the Digimon” Ryusenji had told him. Eiji begins scrolling through GriMM for advice on raising Loogomon. Digimon training jobs are extremely common on GriMM. Eiji needed to learn to be a competent Digimon breeder and trainer. He needed all the help he could get.
“I am interested in seeing how you raise Loogomon. It is important for my research“
Eiji goes sighs as the the conversation replays in his head.”If Ryusenji expects so much from me, I have no choice but to give it my all” Eiji promises to no one. As the the days events begin to sink in, Eiji can’t help but feel excited. But there was also
He had never been so excited in his life. But Eiji had no experience raising a Digimon, especially one so unique.
Eiji Looks over at the monochrome LCD screen that rests on his desk. A dotted Tyrannomon fills the display. It was Digimon Dock like the one he wore on his wrist, but an outdated model he built himself. The schematics can be found easily online. Eiji built it with readily available used parts he found online. Eiji owned a few Digimon Docks, but none of them were as good as the one he wore on his wrist.
The professor had mentioned something about the memory being corrupt in the Delivery Dock Eiji used to capture Betamon. “I’m going to need some parts,” Eiji says examining the parts scattered on his desk. But he already has a Digimon linker and doesn’t feel any urgency.
Eiji lays back in his bed and stares at the Loogomon. He smiles as he stares at the dog-like Digimon who seems to stare back. Loogomon felt like a good luck charm. One that he was determined to take good care of. But this meant that he would have to wear the Linker all the time. While the thought slightly bothered Eiji, he couldn’t help but feel excited. But there was also some apprehension. He had never done anything this important before.
Eiji spends the next few days learning how to use his new Digimon Linker properly, and watching Loogamon grow quickly. He spends lot of time on GriMM’s breeder forums, asking questions and going through older threads. Eiji picked up a few basic concepts, but Loogamon was uncharted territory.
This might be tougher than I thought. He thinks to himself as the anxiety of failing the professor begins to settle. He begins thinking of what he saw in D4 and all of the professors accomplishments. Digital World is real, Digimon are real, Loogamon is real, and I am just some high school drop out code cracker. But Eiji wasn’t just some Code Cracker, he was Cracker Fang. There was a small part of Eiji that was terrified of failure, but an even bigger part of him that was excited for the challenge.
“I’ll get you to Ultimate Loogamon,” he says to the Digimon Linker. Suddenly, notification flashes over the screen. Someone replied to his question on GriMM.
Fang! Gratz on becoming a breeder! If you want to raise a Digimon past its child stage, I recommend keeping it with other Digimon. If you have more than one, they will play together and learn from each other
“I see,” Eiji says as he rushes to his desk, and searches for his old Digimon Dock. He brushes off the dock it’s been collecting and links the devices. “Loogamon, meet the family,” he says as he begins the transfer. In his excitement, he failed to read the rest of the message.
Be careful though. Some Digimon become obsessed with their rank in their pack. It’s important to train them a bit before introducing them to the new Digimon.
The Big Door Prize (2023)
I just watched the available episodes for Apple’s new series The Big Door Prize, and I can’t help but feel disappointed. The series had potential and some interesting ideas, but it was boring. It was a mistake for Apple to make this series a weekly release. The series is about halfway over, and I don’t want to finish it. I probably will because I have to, but I doubt it gets better.
A small town becomes destabilized when a mysterious machine appears at the local grocery store. For just two dollars, the machine can tell you your potential. After seeing their potential, some people find the courage to pursue a dream they didn’t know they had. Others will spiral as they struggle with the ideas of fate and free will. Where did this mysterious machine come from? Is it really the miracle everyone believes it is, or is it a piece of nefarious engineering?
The series has a solid cast who give decent performances, but the writing and pacing aren’t good. The events of this series move much too slowly because they drag this series out for too many episodes. This could have been a better movie or smaller series, but instead, we have to sit through all its filler. It doesn’t help that the commentary and criticism it tries to make about fate and potential are redundant and lazy. The biggest issue I had was keeping myself from fast-forwarding to the end.
The Big Prize Door proved too quirky, slow, and dull for my taste. It isn’t the worst series in Apple’s catalog, but it is hard to sit through. If you are thinking of watching it, I hold off till you can binge the whole thing, and then I would hold off until you have nothing else to watch.
Series Review: The Owl House
The series finale of The Owl House just aired, and I have been left with a deepening sadness as the realization that this fantastic adventure is over. If you haven’t seen this cartoon, go watch it now. It is a cute and epic story of friendship and self-discovery that everyone needs to experience at least once. While I am sad that the series is over, I am at least glad it got its proper conclusion.
Luz is an odd kid who has trouble fitting in. To fix how weird she is, Luz is sent to a camp that will make her normal. But instead of going to camp, Luz finds herself in the demon realm where she meets an eccentric named Eda. Through her adventures in the demon realm, Luz finally finds a place where she belongs. But an evil lurks in the shadows trying to destroy everything Luz has come to love. Can Luz become strong enough to save the world she now calls home?
The Owl House has easily become one of my favorite cartoons because of its fantastic storytelling, quirky characters, and epic adventure. If there is a better story out there, I will be back to tell you about it.
This series is full of quirky characters that you will love unconditionally. Each goes on an important quest of self-discovery where they learn to be comfortable with who they want to be despite society’s expectations. Luz pushes people to think outside the box, and watching them grow alongside is delightful. I love how the characters at the end of the series aren’t in the same place as where they started. I love even more what they have become.
Luz is an amazing protagonist. She is weird and quirky, but she is also strong in an authentic way. I loved watching her grow and fight for her beliefs as she went on her journey of self-discovery. Luz isn’t perfect. She makes mistakes, but she learns and grows from them. Her journey isn’t easy, and while there are times when she wavers, it is cute to watch how her friends are there to help her as she is always there to help them. I loved that as she began to find her place in the world, she was helping others find theirs.
This series is silly and has some adorable quirks, but it knows when to get serious and tell its epic story. I can’t tell you how many times this series made me cry. This story builds ups to some pretty emotional beats that made me feel all sorts of emotions, but when this series gets epic, I was at the edge of my seat. I am sad the adventure is over, but I am not disappointed by how it ended. The series has such a good ending, and it told its story properly.
If you haven’t seen The Owl House, you need to go and watch it. It is an epic adventure of friendship and self discovery that will make you laugh, cry and smile. Go stream it on Disney+!
Image by By The logo is from the following website: https://www.disneychannel.ca/shows/the-owl-house/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63801542
Series Review: Hello Tomorrow! (2023)
After watching the first two episodes of Hello Tomorrow!, I was hopeful that this series would at least be entertaining. I didn’t expect it to be the greatest series Apple added to their library, but it would at least be a fun way to spend some time if I needed the distraction. The characters were delightful, and I loved the 50’s retrofuturism this series is a master at. Unfortunately, this hopefulness quickly faded when I had to sit through a dull series that frankly, was a waste of time.
Jack is a charismatic salesman who sells the dream of living on the moon on exclusive luxury timeshares that the average hard-working American can afford. But the dream Jack sell isn’t real. There are no timeshares, and Jack is the only one who knows this. For years, Jack runs this scam without issue. It is only when a freak accident brings his son back into his life that Jack suddenly has a change of heart. Jack now struggles with the lies he is comfortable telling and building a meaningful relationship with his son. Will he be able to pull the greatest scam America has ever known, or will a heart change him for the better?
This series has a beautiful aesthetic but lacks the substance to make it worth watching. It was a mistake on Apple’s part to make this series a weekly release because it isn’t worth waiting a week to watch the next disappointing episode. People wouldn’t have finished it if you could binge this series all at once, but some would have stuck with it longer. The problem with this series is that the writing isn’t good. The actors do their best, but the story isn’t there to make this series work. It is a shame because some delightful characters in this series deserved better.
What I hated most about this series is how they fumbled Jack’s development. His transformation is magical and comes out of nowhere. Jack starts this series as this suave charismatic salesman who is incredibly good at what he does, but there is a sudden pivot where he is now a stary-eyed dreamer who wants to help everyone. This pivot is jarring, and it ends up making Jack the villain. I would have been okay with Jack being the villain if the series set this transformation better, but I am over-analyzing a series that frankly doesn’t deserve this much attention.
You can stream Hello Tomorrow! On Apple TV if you have a subscription, but I wouldn’t waste my time on it.
Series Review: Unstable (2023)
I just watched Unstable and thought it was a delightful series, but nothing too spectacular. While it will entertain, it does get a bit too quirky for its own good at times. At the very least, this series makes for good background noise.
Ellis Dragon, founder and Ceo of a Biotech giant, finds himself spiraling after the death of his wife. As a result, he isn’t productive or profitable, and the board members are looking for an excuse to kick him out. In a last-ditch effort to get Ellis back to his old self Anna sends for his estranged son Jackson. The hope is that repairing the relationship between father and son will stop this spiral and get the company back on track. Will the two be able to put aside their differences and forge a relationship neither thought they could have or are they destined to be estranged forever?
The best part bout this series is the actors. The actors give terrific performances, and the chemistry between them is even better. The story is fine, but I found it a bit lacking in places. Some of the story is sacrificed for goofy gags, and some characters aren’t great. It isn’t enough to turn me off the series, but it keeps it from being something you need to rush to. That said, the series will have some solid character moments and jokes that are worth sitting through.
This series is a bit cheesy, but I enjoyed a lot of the dorky humor. It doesn’t always land, but it will mostly leave you laughing. This is a solid workplace comedy and one you should at least add to your list for later.
I like how this series deals with grief by showing two eccentric characters working through a difficult loss. While the series does get cheesy, it knows when to get serious. The writing isn’t perfect, but it is good enough to sit through. I don’t know where this series will go from here, but I am at least curious to see where it ends up.
Unstable is a delightful workplace comedy that while it hasn’t found its footing, is worth checking out. The actors are terrific, the story is heartwarming, and it will at least make you chuckle. You can stream it on Netflix, and I would at least recommend you use it as background noise. You might end up watching it more than you think.
Series Review: Uncle From Another World
I almost gave up on Uncle From Another World because I didn’t like the pacing or the format. I am glad I didn’t because this series is delightful. If you are a fan of Isekai anime or know of them, you should check out this series.
Takafumi’s life changes when his uncle wakes up from a 19-year coma. At first, Takafumi believes the time in the coma has made his uncle insane because he speaks in gibberish and talks about being in another world. But there is some truth to this madness. While Uncle’s body lay in a coma all those years, he also existed in another world where he learned magic and became a powerful adventurer. Uncle was even able to bring his magic to this world. As Uncle regales Takafumi about his adventures in the other world, the two become closer.
Uncle From Another World is framed narrative that pokes fun at the isekai genre. This is a series that won’t take itself seriously, but it is competent enough to effectively balance its humor and narrative. While I do appreciate the effective use of parody, this series manages a decent story. It is a bit of a slow start as it sets up the world and lore, but it eventually settles into something worth your time. Uncle can also be a bit grating character at first, but he becomes lovable with time.
What I liked most about this series is that Uncle isn’t the typical protagonist for this genre. He isn’t a brooding, edgy genius whose knowledge of gaming makes him a god in this new world. Uncle is dorky, ugly, and isn’t even a good gamer. Despite Uncle’s obsession with old-school gaming, he is shown multiple times not being good at the games or even accurate with his knowledge. What makes Uncle such a memorable character are his flaws. Uncle is a powerful character, but he gets a lot wrong. He is clueless about what is going on. A lot of the humor in this series comes from his lack of awareness. Uncle is a refreshing take on the hero that is worth the time to at least experience.
Uncle From Another World is filled with anime tropes that don’t quite fit because of how dorky Uncle is. They will even point out the discrepancies between Uncle and a traditional anime protagonist in dialogue. Instead of watching Uncle’s adventure in real time, he is reflecting on it as other characters are there to comment on his experience. It was a strange format at first, but I grew to enjoy it for its novelty.
I enjoyed this anime, but I understand that it isn’t for everyone. The framed narrative might not vibe with some viewers because Uncle can be annoying. I would argue that the point is for him to be difficult to like at the beginning of the series, but he grows more likable as you learn more about his past. That said, I understand if you can’t ever get there. I would also say that some exposure to the isekai genre is necessary because a lot of the charm of this series comes from parody. Uncle From Another World is available for streaming on Netflix.
Series Review: Swarm (2023)
Amazon’s Swarm is a creepy and strange series that you should be making time for. The series has an amazing cast that gives terrifying performances, a solid story, and beautiful cinematography. At the very least, add this series to your watch list.
After Marissa’s suicide, Dre finds it impossible to adjust to a life without her sister. Dre’s only comfort now is listening to her favorite RnB singer, Ni’Jah. But Dre’s love for Ni’Jah is dangerously obsessive, and this obsession makes Dre violent. The series will deal with the extent of Dre’s toxic fandom as she turns against anyone who offends Ni’Jah. Swarm is violent and full of sex, drugs, and nudity. Viewer discursion is advised.
I will keep my review vague because I don’t want to spoil the experience. This incredibly creepy and captivating series never ceased to amaze me. It is a bit slow and artsy, but it works. The storytelling in this series is amazing. The foreshadowing, symbolism, and fashion all work together to elevate the effectiveness of its narrative. I loved the attention to detail as I picked up on the subtle clues. I even went back to pick them up the ones I missed. Swarm has a well-crafted mystery if you are paying attention. I will be rewatching it to see how much of them I have missed.
This series would be nothing without its lead, Dominique Fishback. Fishback as Dre is the best thing about this series. The way she plays Dre remains unrivaled in the genre. You need to watch this series just to appreciate her performance. The rest of the cast is just as great and plays off of Fishback’s terrifying energy beautifully.
This series does a fantastic job of dealing with obsession and addiction. The way Dre and other characters let their lives be controlled by their obsessions is what makes this series truly terrifying. It is a reality that does exist for people, and this series does a great job depicting the nightmare.
If you haven’t seen this series, at the very least add it to your watch list. It is creepy, beautiful, and has a great story. You can stream Swarm on Amazon if you have a subscription.