Two years ago, I was stumbling around Hulu.com, and I saw the show Arrested Development, with all 52 episodes listed (the good ol’ days). With a weekend to blow, I hunkered down, and watched every single one. I went back to school on Monday a changed person, touched by both its side splitting humor and its more subtle jokes, like the lawyer’s name: Bob Loblaw. The show had the BEST chemistry between characters I’ve ever seen, even outdoing Seinfeld. Not to mention the quality and quantity of comic gold that was packed into every episode. Even now I can quote Tobias, GOB, and Michael. Hopefully Arrested Development: The Movie’s tagline “Get Arrested” is not an indication of things to come for the franchise’s humor. But I have high hopes for AD’s script, which is usually witty and hilarious. Maybe if the movie does well enough the show can strike a deal with Fox and regain a time slot. One problem is that not everyone who will see the movie will have seen all of the shows. Unfortunate, because many of the jokes make no sense unless you have seen the previous 52 episodes.

It seems fitting that the show that won the 2004 Emmys for Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series,Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series, and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series be reinstated as the cornerstone of Fox’s comedy line up. Another downside: the movie is set for release in 2011.

David Cross explaining why AD was canceled (EXPLICIT):

Yes you heard me right twelve readers of Artificial Continuum. Our audio podcast has finally been finished and ready for your downloading pleasure or displeasure. Already availible at: www.artificialcontinuum.mypodcast.com. It should also be up on iTunes shortly. Expect new episodes several times a month.

Author: Rumiko Takahashi

Age group: Teen

General Synopsis: Young boxer Kosaku Hatanaka is the pride of Mukaida Gym...most of the time. After only two bouts after leaving high school, he went pro, stunning the audiences and his opponents with his strong punches. But due to his bottomless pit of a stomach, Kosaku has had to change his weight class since graduating, going from flyweight all the way up to featherweight. His coach, in constant struggle with Kosaku's constantly fluctuating weight, begs him to get his head in the game. Enter Sister Angela: a novice nun who tries to help Kosaku take control of his life. Slowly but surely, Kosaku develops feelings for the kind and gentle sister. And to her frustration, she begins to feel the same way.

My Rating: 2 Stars

One Pound Gospel gave all the punch of a wet paper bag. It was incredibly predictable and rather boring. In the fashion of its sucessors, Ranma 1/2 and InuYasha, the protagonist has multiple run-ins with some very...colorful (okay, down-right bizarre) characters. I found the relationship between Kosaku and Sister Angela to be weird, desperate, and spark-free. In fact, I was hoping throughout the entire series that Angela would have an epiphany or Kosaku would get hit hard enough so they would remember that SHE IS A NUN, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!! The fights were tame, the opponents were wimpy, the coach was whiny, and Kosaku had no real drive except food (and Sister Angela). If he has decided to box as a career, don't you think he should be serious about it? From where I was sitting, he was just a kid doing an extracurricular activity. All in all, Ranma 1/2, which has a very similar protagonist (rough, tough, and macho), had much more interest and flare than its predecessor.

One Pound Gospel vs. Anna...

1, 2, 3, K.O. Anna wins!!!!!!!!!!! (Crowd cheers wildly)

Its been a rather eventful two weeks for the Marvel Universe. We've got a huge slew of news involving all the world's greatest heroes, and villains. Ranging from news from new standalone issues, to the next major cross overs, to the newest movie news, Marvel was bursting at the seems with announcements this week.

Crossovers:

Marvel right now is still in the midst of this years big event, Dark Reign, in which Norman Osborne became leader of H.A.M.M.E.R., the replacement of shield. This series, which so far has overlaped almost every Marvel book in existence, has brought a new dark and ominous tone to the MU. A world once protected by heroes, is now one ruled by villains.



However this week Marvel announced their next big step, Siege. Osborne having completed his mysterious List, now sets his sights on one final target, Asgard. Asgard, home of the Norse gods including: Thor, now must face a virtual Siege form Osborne's new army of rogues. The following is to be one of the largest events in Marvel history, not only capping off Dark Reign, but leading to a climax of everything Marvel has been building since Avengers: Disassembled back six years ago. Brian Bendis, writer for the Avengers, claims that Siege will usher in a new Golden AGe for Marvel Comics. He's also stated that the main goal of the event is to reunite the big three heroes of the MU: Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor. Each of which haven't worked together in almost a decade.



In addition to Siege Marvel has several other major cross overs planned out. First being, Doom War. Doom War follows the Fantastic Four, and Wakanda's efforts to defeat Dr. Doom's efforts in Latveria once and for all. The result is another all out assualt. (Apparently Marvel Likes those)

Marvel also plans to wrap up the X-men: Messiah trilogy this year, as well as feature a Deadpool centric event entitled, The Deadpool Corps.

Movies:


Its' been a huge two weeks on the Movie side of Marvel to.

The Thor film, due for a 2011 release, recieved a ton of news these last few days. And for once, I was actually there when the news occurred, yes I feel special. During the Baltimore comic con panel, Bendis mentioned that the new Thor script was "really, really good". Of course, me being ignorant didn't think this qualified as news, and when I saw it on the internet later that week I felt kind of dumb. There have also been rumors that Robert DeNiro, Jude Law, and Dominic Cooper might be appearing in the film.

Captain America

In other news that isn't really news, but people report otherwise. Joe Quesada, the evil head of Marvel Comics, said that the new Captain America movie is going to be shockingly good. I'm psyched for the film, but coming from the guy who invented such ideas as Spider-Man: One More Day, I'm not that confident.

Spider-man 4


Spider-man 4 has been getting perhaps the bigest news of all. Sam Raimi has confirmed that this film will once again return to the basics, and focus on less villains the uneven third installment. Also, Dylan Baker has confirmed that he will reprising the his role as Dr. Curt Conners, leaving many to believe that the Lizard will finally appear as the villain in the next film. Bruce Campbell has also mentioned that Raimi promised him a large role in the fourth installment, sparking some rumors taht he might appear as the villainous Mysterio.

Below: Carnage's Alternate Costume (Ultimate Carnage, Gwen Stacy)

EDIT: A bit late, but I might as well put it all in one post. Seems as though there's a nice little leak that just came through the crossing, and boy, it's BIIIG. It has been confirmed that Carnage, Psylocke, Cable, Black Panther, and Magneto will all be playable DLC when the pack comes out. Here's two images to prove it:

Dream Logic



(WARNING Review Contains Spoilers)

After last weeks stellar episode, I expected to be disappointed by this weeks installment of Fringe. I just didn't expect to be this disappointed.

The episode follows a series of victims throughout the country, who find themselves in a dreaming state while they are awake. However, not just any dreams. They find their worst nightmares transported into their every day lives, with often disastrous results. Olivia and Peter then travel to Seattle, site of the first attack, to attempt to solve the issue. (Yes they did solve my problem with last weeks episode, so I am happier now.)

What follows is almost a flashback to Fringe's struggling days of its youth. Almost every episode of season 1 of Fringe followed a very basic formula. An attack occurs, and through that attack Olivia and the team trace down the assailants to their lab, there are some moments of tension and maybe some gunfire, and the team emerges victorious. This episode strays dreadfully close to this hopefully abandoned idea.

The episode also does a poor job of hiding its twists. You know from the beginning they are introduced what role a character will play in the episode. The “shocking” reveal of the episode villain is so expected that I was literally clenching my fists in frustration. Luckily, “Dream Logic” gives its villain an interesting and bizarre motive that make up for his predictability.

The dream sequences are also full of wasted potential. Not truly frightening enough to evoke the emotion they need, they end up falling flat on their face. It is sometimes hard to believe that anyone would feel compelled to kill their friends over some of the events that take place.

However, the episodes main saving grace is how it deals with its main characters. The dream centered storytelling leads to some interesting pieces of information about Peter's childhood, that correlate with what we learned last season. Walter's refusal and reasoning why he doesn't want to go to Seattle is also well acted by Noble, and proves once again just how great an actor he is at playing the deranged scientist. However, best of all is Olivia's emotional fallout from last weeks ending sequence. Handled beautifully, if slightly confusing, Anna Torv pulls of the necessary grief and mourning.

Yet, sadly this is not enough to save an overall sub par episode of Fringe.

Score: C+

Momentum Deferred



Fringe has finally delivered its first masterpiece episode of season 2. “Momentum Deferred” is emotional, exciting, well directed, well acted, and delves further into the shows mythology then ever before.

The episode begins with an attack upon a cryogenics lab in Boston, Massachusetts. (A side complaint: 90% of the episodes take place in Boston or the Boston area, where Fringe Division's headquarters are based. Although this makes it easy for the characters to have first hand experience with the events that occur in the show. It seems like poor writing to have all the attacks focus on such a specific area.) While the team scrambles to discover the reasoning behind this attack, they discover a body, which displays similar traits to the shape shifter they discovered several episodes earlier. They also discover the device that allows the other-worldly creatures to perform the attack, which will hopefully lead them to the attacker. However, it also leads them to discover that one of their own has been infiltrated. On top of the intricate shape shifter plot, Olivia during a bizarre sequence of events regains her memories from her trip to the alternate universe. This well shot and revealing scenes reveals more layers of Fringe's mythology and conspiracy then ever before. My jaw was literally on the floor as William Bell (Leonard Nimoy), Olivia's strange host, laid down the circumstances that so far had lead to everything Fringe had been following since day one. Not only did the scene reveal the plot, but it revealed an incredibly original, and interesting premise, something you would hardly expect to see on a network television show.

John Nobel's Walter receives even more depth in this episode in the form of an equally bizarre and eccentric love interest. Nobel plays Walter with such giddy excitement and awkward love for his interest that it is hard not to warm your heart.

The whole episode culminates in a violent discovery that breaks both Olivia and the audience emotionally. Everything in this episode was spot on, and is easily up there as one of the best hours the show has ever produced. Delivering on everything the fans wanted and more “Momentum Deferred” is a magnificent episode, that only escapes my highest mark due to my minor quip listed above.

Score: A