Pete Messum Reviews...

This episode was shown quite a few weeks ago in the US, and here in the UK we were promised supposedly one of the best episodes Agents of SHIELD has had to offer so far. While it wasn't quite the best, it was still pretty cool. The plot is essentially Firefly's 'The Train Job' but Agents of SHIELD-style and with a few notable twists. In fact, it reminds me of an episode of The Simpsons, telling the same story from a different person or group of people's perspective, which soon gets rather boring as it isn't edited together very well. However, once this is all over the story finally gets started and Ian Quinn appears! Skye and Fitz track him down and Skye comes face to face with Michael Peterson - who soon becomes Deathlok. While this is a great twist, I feel that an explanation of what's happening from Mike's point of view since Episode 11 would have helped the audience understand why he is now 'evil'. But now SHIELD have Ian Quinn, and an inj

After the rather mediocre Captain America: The First Avenger, Marvel Studios brings us the latest instalment of their cinematic Universe in the form of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Put simply, The Winter Soldier is a definite improvement over its predecessor, although it relies heavily on its audience’s knowledge of The First Avenger for the plot to make sense. Even so, the plot is incredibly difficult to follow as it is incredibly complex and slight convoluted. Ultimately the film is a political thriller in the Marvel Universe which makes it unique to its predecessors, and this is an element that makes the film work, despite its complex plot. Chris Evans is fantastic as a changed Steve Rogers post-Avengers Assemble and this film shows his adjustment to the modern world that sadly wasn’t included previously (although the mini Sherlock reference is slightly strange). Scarlett Johansson is great as Natasha Romanoff AKA Black Widow and I’m glad she has remained the same inter

"I'm tired of secrets." Phil Coulson is now traumatised after learning about the circumstances around his resurrection, and it seems that the Agent we all know and think is awesome is a changed man, and now he wants answers as he and May journey to Mexico City to discover the truth about Skye. Meanwhile, Fitz and Simmons return to their old SHIELD academy, where Ward looks awkward and Skye's interest peaks (as well as a nod to Bucky Barnes). There is a sub-plot about two teenagers (one of whom is a certain Donnie Gill, loosely based on the character from the comics) as they try to build a machine that creates ice for a certain Ian Quinn, who seems to be in league with the Clairvoyant (aren't all the bad guys in this series?). This is pretty much labelled 'filler' and while it may set-up some elements (Blizzard, Quinn's alliance with the Clairvoyant) it makes for a rather dull part of the episode. However, its clear that the main focus of the episod

After two rather dull Jonathan Creek episodes, I have to admit this episode was step in the right direction. While it may not be as funny as previous instalments (I'm still a fan of the badger watch), it brought back the mystery elements that had been absent from this series. The main mystery resolves around a minister's wife's kidnapping in connection to magical things supposedly occurring around a bronze lamp. Also in the plot is an old friend of Jonathan's (no one interesting, sadly) returns and there's an insane sub-plot about two twins. I personally found the plot a little baffling, with some jokes being too thrust in your face to be actually funny. The actual mystery of the wife's disappearance worked and so did some elements of the lamp sub-plot but it never became a full mystery until the resolution. I'm also growing tired of the domestic nature that Jonathan Creek has adapted. Gone are the days of ridiculous dates and windmills. Gone are the da

The Magical Place The following review contains SPOILERS for the series. After three months of anticipation (in the UK, that is), Marvel's Agents of SHIELD returns for twelve more episodes. Questions will be answered, bad guys will be...beaten up and  Centipede will...elude SHIELD some more... Last episode saw a shocking cliffhanger to the series, with Coulson kidnapped by Centipede, Mike Peterson dead and the team left with no leads whatsoever. This episode sees the team not long after trying to hunt Centipede down and find Coulson, but Agent Hand's takeover sees Skye off the team and her security levels increased, as well as being very reluctant to find Coulson. Meanwhile Coulson himself is being subjected to torture by Centipede and soon its up to Raina to play good cop, having been given orders by 'the Clairvoyant', who can't see what happened to him after he died. So, is the Clairvoyant a psychic? Interesting questions are raised. All we know is that he

John is a prisoner in Ultra. The Founder is trying to work out exactly what happened to Jedikiah. The secret of what happened to Roger Price is out. Well, if this was a British TV series, this would probably be the plot for the Series One finale, but this is a US TV series, where most shows are 22 episodes a season (known as ‘series’ in the UK). This is only the mid-season finale. John’s (inevitable) escape from Ultra seems to take up very little of the story, but is cleverly done all the same. Jedikiah has been blackmailed by Cara to release John or his girlfriend will die, so his involuntary involvement works very well. After what he learns from last week’s episode, Jedikiah checks the security tapes from Cara’s injection and it seems Stephen injected her with another serum. Stephen manages to bluff his way out of this by saying it was because he’s in love with Cara, which Jedikiah understands. After all, he says, he fell in love with a Tomorrow Person. Stephen realizes that t

After several episodes of (important) character development, we now seem to be back to the actual plot of the series: finding Roger Price, Stephen’s father and leader of the Tomorrow People. Sadly this doesn’t mean Ultra is out of the picture. After a mission goes wrong, Russell accidentally brings Jedikiah back with him to the subway station, where all of the found Tomorrow People are hiding. You can tell this episode is going to be interesting from that premise. The main crooks of the story are based on Jedikiah’s relationship with the Tomorrow People, particularly with John. Jedikiah is in possession of knowledge that would sever John’s leadership over the Tomorrow People, thus giving him a bargaining tool, but Cara has uncovered the secret of Jedikiah’s girlfriend, who just so happens to be a Tomorrow Person. Meanwhile Ultra are searching for Jedikiah, and that is when the Founder comes in. Yeah, if you thought Jedikiah was one messed-up villain, the Founder takes the bisc

After a great 50th Anniversary special, a rubbish Christmas Special and some interesting new changes for the eight series, here are my hopes for Doctor Who series eight. Give Clara more character! As much as I like Clara, I feel Jenna Coleman has very little to act with. The Rings of Akhaten last series prompted some amazing future story ideas, but then in The Day of the Doctor she became a teacher, and it felt so out of character and just randomly chucked in there. Why couldn't she be a teacher originally? It would have been so much easier. Also, look at the potential plot-lines with her mum. Do something with this character Moffat! Keep it serious and scary. As much as I actually enjoy Matt Smith's comic quirks of his tenure, I don't think Capaldi's should be the same. Make it more serious, less quirky and with some mild humour. Both Doctor Who and Sherlock have been tipping on the edge of actual comedy recently, and neither of them should be. Also, make it more s

Series Five poster After last weeks' promising series opener, this week's episode remains with the flaws of the first. There seems to be no real reason for the lack of a dufflecoat, which is something that bugs me. Its iconic like Sherlock's coat and Tom Baker's scarf. It should be in the series, there is no reason for it not to be. I know its a small thing, but it really does bug me. This series has been quite funny so far, but it's gone over the fine line between being a funny crime drama to a comedy with some drama and crime elements involved. There are so many scenes that are completely irrelevant to the actual mystery going on and any potential mysteries are ruined. Take the mysterious green-eyed creature sub-plot for example. It's set up as a sort of Hound of the Baskervilles, but (SPOILER ALERT) it is revealed to be a New Zealand-er with a baby monitor. What a waste of a story. Also, Polly (Jonathan's wife, superbly played by Sarah Alexander) r

Jonathan Creek is back! So, after last years' dire Easter episode, can Mr Renwick resurrect Jonathan Creek for a new series? With almost everything iconic about Jonathan Creek gone - the dufflecoat, the windmill, Adam Klaus, etc - it seems odd that its continuing for a new run of episodes. The first point I have to make is that Jonathan Creek seems to be taking a lot of inspiration from Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss' Sherlock series, with little in-jokes and references galore. The character of Ripley looks and acts like some kind of David Tennant / Benedict Cumberbatch hyrbid, with massive side-burns and a very Sherlock-ish costume of a scarf and long coat, and the cinematography around his deductions? Sherlock style! (Please, no one make that into a music video) Also, the structure of the episode mirrored Sherlock, with the main case, comedy case and little cases added in, and while they were entertaining, there was no mystery. The main case was almost completely explai