Thursday Movie Picks - TV EDITION: Superheroes/Super Powers
Written as part of the weekly blogathon hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves. Join us by picking three movies that fit the week's theme and telling everyone a bit about them!
Another month, another TV Edition of Thursday Movie Picks, so my apologies if you were coming here looking for movie recommendations. They're not on the menu at the moment. Please, though, come back soon!
This week, we're looking at the small screen's superheroes. And it took me about five seconds to come up with my favorite:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003) It's one of the stranger things in recent memory that an utter failure of a forgettable teen movie was later turned into one of the All-Time Great TV shows by the film's own writer. But that's just what happened with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the story of a butt-kicking California blonde who is a mystical "chosen one" who was chosen to rid the world of vampires (and other supernatural beasties). Setting our heroine's high school on top of something called The Hellmouth (trust me, it's exactly what it sounds like), was a stroke of genius, allowing creator Joss Whedon and his writing staff to externalize all the myriad internal adolescent issues we've all experienced as quite literal demons. And he set the template for every other great serialized drama that was on air after. All hail. Favorite Episodes: "Hush" (S4.e10), "The Body" (S5.e16), "Once More, With Feeling" (S6.e7)
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993-1997) Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher were the Clark Kent and Lois Lane the '90s needed, okay?!? This probably isn't a great show, really, but good lord I wouldn't have been caught dead missing an episode back when I was ten years old!
Arrow (2012-present) Darker and more emotional than your average superhero tale, this television adaptation of the Green Arrow comic was appointment television for a while for me, and not just because of star Stephen Amell's body of work. The hook (bilionaire playboy returns home after having been thought dead for years, bent on taking revenge on those who wronged his father and his city) is pretty irresistible, and the quality of each episode is outstandingly high. Complex characters and brilliant performances made me keep tuning in long after the storyline itself changed focus and lost my interest.
Ahh great picks! I've seen so many episodes of Buffy, but in completely the wrong order. My friend watched it constantly when we were in school so it was on when I came over!
I got into Buffy late but I loved it! It was part kick ass, part funny, part horror and camp yet some serious notes to it. Didn't the guy who was green pass away?? I caught a show here and there of Lois and Clark but I couldn't get into Dean Cain as Superman, he just seems too clean and not really honest. I haven't watched Arrow and it reminds me a bit like Batman...presumed dead but comes back and deals with bad guys. I a, talking about the Christian Bale movies. I want to ask about a show I saw when I was in Vienna. We had turned on the TV at night and they had the BBC. There was this very, very funny show about a group of super heroes who seemed to have cleaned up all the bad guys and now are so taken for granted that no one wants them any more so they have lost their way. The one guy can create fire but he is on the streets and gets a t. Dinner which he heats up with his hand. These 2 women who were big I. Their day can now o lay get gigs by talking to geeks who live in their basement and love to ogle them I their cute suits. It was so funny but I can't find the title anywhere.
I LOVE Lois & Clark!!! Teri Hatcher and Dean Cain had such a nice chemistry and he made a good Superman. It had fun villains and a nice look, I also loved his parents who would just roll with the punches whenever they came along.
I never watched Buffy because I can't abide SMG. I've heard good things about Arrow but I watch so little serialized TV anymore I never got around to giving it a look.
I struggled this week, never watched much superhero stuff but did finally round up these three.
The Tick (1994-1996)-Ridiculously amusing animated series about a somewhat thick superhero clad in a bright blue costume along with his moth costume wearing sidekick Arthur, who has a wry, patient attitude with his often lunk-headed compatriot fights the bad guys in “The City”. They blunder about but still somehow manage to say the day. What else is there to say about a superhero whose call to arms is “SPOON!”
The Flash (1990-1991)-When Barry Allen (John Wesley Shipp), a forensic police scientist, suffers a freak accident being struck by lightning and covered in chemicals at the same time a chain reaction occurs giving him super human powers and the ability to move at the speed of sound. While learning how to control his new found powers a calamity occurs which sets him on the path to be the protector of the good people of Central City. Short-lived series had a nice sense of humor mixed in with its action sequences.
The Greatest American Hero (1981-1983)-After a chance encounter with aliens in the desert late at night where he is gifted with a magical red suit high school teacher Ralph Hinkley (William Katt) along with fellow witness FBI man Bill Maxwell (Robert Culp) attempt to fight crime using the suit’s powers. A couple of problems present themselves right away, Ralph and Bill are a silk and sandpaper match and even more troubling the pair have lost the instructions for the suit so they have to puzzle out how it works as they go along leading to trouble and a lot of bruises for Ralph. Engagingly played by Katt & Culp along with Connie Sellecca as Ralph’s girlfriend Pam.
Great picks! I watched Buffy all the time when I was a kid. Arrow isn't my favourite from the DC universe, but it's definitely the most complex and dark, that's why I like it. Stephen Amell is a bit stiff though.
I haven't seen any of your picks. I know, blasphemy that I didn't watch Buffy. I feel like I should've.
ReplyDeleteAhh great picks! I've seen so many episodes of Buffy, but in completely the wrong order. My friend watched it constantly when we were in school so it was on when I came over!
ReplyDeleteI got into Buffy late but I loved it! It was part kick ass, part funny, part horror and camp yet some serious notes to it. Didn't the guy who was green pass away?? I caught a show here and there of Lois and Clark but I couldn't get into Dean Cain as Superman, he just seems too clean and not really honest. I haven't watched Arrow and it reminds me a bit like Batman...presumed dead but comes back and deals with bad guys. I a, talking about the Christian Bale movies. I want to ask about a show I saw when I was in Vienna. We had turned on the TV at night and they had the BBC. There was this very, very funny show about a group of super heroes who seemed to have cleaned up all the bad guys and now are so taken for granted that no one wants them any more so they have lost their way. The one guy can create fire but he is on the streets and gets a t. Dinner which he heats up with his hand. These 2 women who were big I. Their day can now o lay get gigs by talking to geeks who live in their basement and love to ogle them I their cute suits. It was so funny but I can't find the title anywhere.
ReplyDeleteOh my hubby and I saw this in 2009...that funny program
DeleteI LOVE Lois & Clark!!! Teri Hatcher and Dean Cain had such a nice chemistry and he made a good Superman. It had fun villains and a nice look, I also loved his parents who would just roll with the punches whenever they came along.
ReplyDeleteI never watched Buffy because I can't abide SMG. I've heard good things about Arrow but I watch so little serialized TV anymore I never got around to giving it a look.
I struggled this week, never watched much superhero stuff but did finally round up these three.
The Tick (1994-1996)-Ridiculously amusing animated series about a somewhat thick superhero clad in a bright blue costume along with his moth costume wearing sidekick Arthur, who has a wry, patient attitude with his often lunk-headed compatriot fights the bad guys in “The City”. They blunder about but still somehow manage to say the day. What else is there to say about a superhero whose call to arms is “SPOON!”
The Flash (1990-1991)-When Barry Allen (John Wesley Shipp), a forensic police scientist, suffers a freak accident being struck by lightning and covered in chemicals at the same time a chain reaction occurs giving him super human powers and the ability to move at the speed of sound. While learning how to control his new found powers a calamity occurs which sets him on the path to be the protector of the good people of Central City. Short-lived series had a nice sense of humor mixed in with its action sequences.
The Greatest American Hero (1981-1983)-After a chance encounter with aliens in the desert late at night where he is gifted with a magical red suit high school teacher Ralph Hinkley (William Katt) along with fellow witness FBI man Bill Maxwell (Robert Culp) attempt to fight crime using the suit’s powers. A couple of problems present themselves right away, Ralph and Bill are a silk and sandpaper match and even more troubling the pair have lost the instructions for the suit so they have to puzzle out how it works as they go along leading to trouble and a lot of bruises for Ralph. Engagingly played by Katt & Culp along with Connie Sellecca as Ralph’s girlfriend Pam.
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ReplyDeleteGreat picks! I watched Buffy all the time when I was a kid. Arrow isn't my favourite from the DC universe, but it's definitely the most complex and dark, that's why I like it. Stephen Amell is a bit stiff though.
ReplyDeleteSorry, dude, but these are all shows I just never got into. I keep meaning to watch Arrow. I've seen like one and a half episodes.
ReplyDelete