Criminal Minds - Review

Criminal Minds

Plot summary:

An elite group of profilers, along with a brilliant technical analyst, make up the FBI’s Behavioural Analysis Unit(BAU). They study and analyse the behavioural patterns and victimology of perpetrators, along with other aspects related to the cases in order to outwit, hunt down, and capture criminals.

Review:

This series enters and delves deep into minds of various types of criminals with differing centres of interests. And it’s all interesting and entertaining to watch, considering the different types of crimes and the different methodologies involved for a particular type of crime, both, in committing it and solving it. Plus the presentation and explanations of the methodologies of committing crimes and solving them are balanced well. The creativity involved in this series considering all these aspects is just brilliant. Each new episode brings a different type of villain, be it killers, arsonists, abductors, etc, all with varying and captivating scenarios. And the lengths this series goes into showing, both, the minds of criminals and how the profilers analyse the minds of criminals and determine their motives, stressers, and other important traits and triggers in order to determine their next move is enthralling. I personally find the serial killers and the stories revolving around them to be more interesting. And aside from each episode having a different unsub(Unknown Subject), Criminal Minds does occasionally give you some continuing episodes revolving around one formidable criminal or criminal alliance.

The BAU consists of Supervisory Special Agent(SSA) Aaron Hotchner(Thomas Gibson), who’s also the chief of the BAU, former Senior SSA Jason Gideon(Mandy Patinkin), SSAs Derek Morgan(Shemar Moore), Jennifer “JJ” Jareau(A.J. Cook), Elle Greenaway(Lola Glaudini) and Dr. Spencer Reid(Mathew Gray Gubler), and Agent Penelope Garcia(Kirsten Vagness). Hotchner is shown to be the serious, stout, and determined leader. Gideon appears to be quite focused, methodical, and to have a keen eye – observing and noticing things that others may tend to overlook. Morgan’s depicted as confident, charming, and at times, flirtatious with Garcia, as Garcia is with him. Aside from that, Morgan is also shown to be quite serious at times. Dr. Spencer Reid is no doubt shown to be brilliant with his IQ of 187 and his eidetic memory. And aside from being shown as a genius, Dr. Reid is also shown to be socially awkward, somewhat introverted, unaccustomed to technology, and to suffer from OCD and Mysophobia. Garcia appears to be exuberant, confident, and witty. Jareau and Greenaway are both shown to be strong-willed and resilient.

Everyone’s acting in this is series is quite strong and convincing. They all fit right into their respective roles. You get to see a lot of these characters go through emotional trauma or stress due to varying factors, be it work-related, family-related, past-related, or health-related. And the actors and actresses give brilliant performances in their struggles to handle their emotions or not let their emotions get in their way in their dangerous line of work. We see some main actors and actresses come and go. Especially the female brunette characters keep changing. I wonder what that’s all about. Paget Brewster(Emily Prentiss), Jennifer Love Hewitt(Kate Callahan), and Jeanne Tripplehorn(Alex Blake), have all appeared for a short while during this series. Of course Brewster is supposed to be coming back to series as I’ve recently come to know. And of course I must mention Joe Mantegna who plays SSA David Rossi since his debut in Season 3, who’s an invaluable character to the series. 

The plots and the dialogues are both fantastic. Dr. Reid’s lines where he tends to give quick-paced explanations and even go out of topic, not to mention his random fun facts confusion, and Garcia’s flirtatious and witty lines, especially when it causes awkward situations are especially interesting and amusing considering dialogues. And aside from the comic relief, this series never fails to pique the interest in the cases involved – the explanations are very interesting to watch. There’s some excellent suspense built up in certain episodes which makes this series more intense and thrilling. There’s some good music involved, and each episode gives a couple of interesting and important quotes to the audience. It’s quite an exceptional series.

Rizzoli & Isles - Review

Rizzoli & Isles

Plot summary:

Boston PD homicide detective, Jane Rizzoli, and doctor of forensic pathology and chief medical examiner of Massachusetts, Maura Isles, although are quite dissimilar in personalities, as a team, along with their colleagues, work brilliantly in solving the complicated and dangerous cases that come their way.

Review:

The cases introduced in this series are quite interesting, ranging from singular murders to mob-hits to serial killings. And the varying build-ups of suspense are achieved well for these different cases. Aside from the various subplots, there are two main plots which the series tends to recur on. Considering Jane Rizzoli, played by Angie Harmon, a main storyline revolves around the serial killer known as Charles Hoyt(Michael Massee), whom Jane almost fell victim to on more than one occasion. And considering Dr. Maura Isles, played by Sasha Alexander, there’s the infamous mobster called Patrick “Paddy” Doyle(John Doman), who’s also revealed to be Maura’s father.

There’s some good drama involved in this series and it gets quite emotional as well. We see Rizzoli struggle through her trauma after her confrontations with Hoyt and Dr. Isles endeavour the life-threatening events that follow her father and her attempt to uncover secrets about her past. And aside from these events, Rizzoli and her family is put through a couple of other personal hardships whilst both, she and Dr. Isles are burdened with the loss of a fellow colleague and friend.

Rizzoli is shown to have a quite stubborn, bold, and confident personality, not to mention somewhat easily irritated and childish at times. Dr. Isles, on the other hand, is depicted as methodical, somewhat socially awkward and odd, and having a tendency to talk more than required about science or any other topic she begins to talk about. And she’s shown to stray from the original topic as well, at times. A couple of her quirks that prove to be amusing in the series is her incapability to lie and her refusal to take guesses.

Aside from Rizzoli and Isles, there’s Detective Vince Korsak(Bruce McGill), who’s like a father-figure to Rizzoli, and who’s compassionate, to both, people and animals, Detective Barry Frost(Lee Thompson Young), who’s not only skilled at self-defense, but also tech-savvy, Rizzoli’s younger brothers; Frankie(Jordan Bridges) and Tommy(Collin Egglesfield); of whom Frankie follows Jane’s footsteps and becomes a cop whilst Tommy is still putting his life back together after some past mistakes, Jane’s mother; Angela(Lorraine Bracco); who can be quite overbearing and overprotective, Susie Chang(Tina Huang), who works under Dr. Isles, and Lieutenant Sean Cavanaugh of the Boston PD.

The dialogues are really good and interesting, the characters are well-differentiated, and the acting from the main cast is brilliant. Both, the cast and crew do a great job in bringing the stories to life. Plus the music involved in the series is also pretty good. It’s quite the interesting series to watch.

Get the books here:

The Surgeon: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel

The Apprentice: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel

The Sinner: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel

Body Double: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel

Vanish: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel

The Mephisto Club: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel: A Novel

The Silent Girl (with bonus short story Freaks): A Rizzoli & Isles Novel

Last to Die (with bonus short story John Doe): A Rizzoli & Isles Novel

Die Again: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel

The 100 - Review

The 100

Plot summary:

It has been ninety seven years since a nuclear apocalypse rendered the Earth uninhabitable. The operational space stations belonging to twelve nations became the homes of the known survivours, and later, they were united as one, creating The Ark. Over time, crimes committed within The Ark were made punishable by death, regardless of the magnitude of the crime, unless it’s committed by a juvenile. And the method of execution – known as “floating” – is when a criminal is put inside an airlock chamber and introduced to outer space. One day, one hundred juvenile prisoners are rounded up and sent in a ship to the Earth, saying that it’s a mission to investigate if the Earth’s habitable once again, but under an ulterior motive which is to reduce the populace to save resources – mainly air – for The Ark is dying. Grounded about twenty miles away from their targeted dop-site – Mount Weather – which is a military base built within a mountain that is said to contain supplies, a band of five out of the hundred now set out reach Mt. Weather and to bring back provisions. And as they venture through the forest that separates them from Mt. Weather, they come to realize that they’re not alone.

Review:

The characters involved in the series are quite interesting. Eliza Taylor stars as Clarke Griffin, who’s shown to be intelligent, trustworthy, strong-willed, and a great leader. There’s Bellamy Blake, played by Bob Morley, who also takes on the role of a leader at first, albeit his leadership is misleading. Despite initially becoming the leader for selfish reasons, Bellamy is shown to grow more responsible as a leader. Octavia Blake – Bellamy’s sister – portrayed by Marie Avgeropoulos, is shown to be bold and free-spirited, not to mention being flirtatious and having a short fuse. There’s Lincoln – the Grounder – portrayed by Ricky Whittle, who’s stoic, quiet and depicted as a fierce and honourable warrior. Monty Green and Jasper Jordan, played by Devon Bostick and Christopher Larkin, respectively, are shown to be quite the lively and intelligent duo. They’re both shown to be quite loyal and reliable. Thomas McDonnell stars as Finn Collins, who’s an adventurous, yet reckless character. Aside from these characters, there’s Raven Reyes(Lindsey Morgan); who, like Clarke, is strong-willed and intelligent, Abigail Griffin(Paige Turco); Clarke’s mother, Thelonious Jaha(Isaiah Washington); the chancellor of The Ark, and Marcus Kane(Henry Ian Cusick); one of The Ark’s council members, whom the series revolves around mainly.

Taylor gives a great performance, taking on the role of Clarke, highlighting her strong leadership and strong sense of morality. And she also delivers some compelling acting as she depicts the emotional trauma and mental strain her character undergoes throughout the series. Avgeropoulos does a fantastic job in her portrayal as Octavia undergoes a transformation from a regular juvenile to a strong warrior. And with this transformation, she is seen to be more serious when needed be. Bellamy is shown to undergo some changes as well, growing from his initial more aggressive and somewhat chaotic character. Though initially not seen as much of a good guy, as the series progresses, he’s shown to pull through and be the hero. Bob Morley’s portrayal in meeting these varying aspects is definitely noteworthy. Finn is also shown to suffer some mental strain and and undergo some drastic changes in character due to unavoidable circumstances, and McDonnell’s depiction of those instances is indeed brilliant. Without a doubt, all the main characters deliver praiseworthy acting, and Bostick and Larkin, together, bring in some comic relief throughout this otherwise serious series.

The plot is brilliant, and the story just gets more and more interesting and intense as it progresses. And it brings in survival-type theme as they struggle to overcome formidable foes that threaten their very existence. The dialogues are well-written, and blend in well in the varying situations. The settings are rather beautiful with vast forests and mountains, and the CGI-enhanced trees and animals are done brilliantly as well. Plus this series has some pretty good music choices mixed in. It’s definitely a series worth watching.

The Blacklist - Review

The  Blacklist

Plot summary:

After being untouchable for over twenty years, ex-US Naval Intelligence Officer Raymond “Red” Reddington willingly turns himself in to the FBI. And as he’s captured and interrogated, he informs the FBI of an imminent threat, and that he will only speak to agent Elizabeth Keen regarding the matter. Subsequently, Keen is summoned and put to speak with Reddington. And afterwards, the FBI, with the aid of Reddington, set out to neutralize the threat. But this seems to be only one name on a list Reddington has made throughout the time period of over twenty years that he has been a criminal. A list of names Reddington intends to cross off one by one.

Review:

Raymond Reddington, portrayed by James Spader, proves to be a very interesting and entertaining character in this series. He’s shown to be highly intelligent, methodical, and at times, very manipulative. Not forgetting the fact that he tends to make the people around him frustrated at times as well. Megan Boone stars as Elizabeth Keen, who’s shown to be kind, strong-willed, and very determined. Reddington’s past relating to his family remains a mystery, and so are his reasons for selecting agent Keen as his intermediate – all which comes to make sense as the series progresses. Diego Klattenhoff plays Donald Ressler, who’s presented as a stoic, diligent, and a very serious character. Aside from them, there’s Tom Keen(Ryan Eggold); Elizabeth's husband, the director of the FBI’s counter-terrorism unit; Harold Cooper(Harry Lennix), Reddington’s bodyguard; Dembe(Hisham Tawfiq), and agents Aram Mojtabai(Amir Arison) and Samar Navabi(Mozhan Marno), all who are both, important and interesting characters.

James Spader effortlessly balances the different traits of Raymond Reddington’s character, from the criminal mastermind to the generally annoying and somewhat arrogant individual. And aside from being The Concierge of Crime, Reddington is shown to grow into a father-figure towards Elizabeth. Megan Boone does a fantastic job in her portrayal as Elizabeth Keen as her character goes through and overcomes many events of trauma and deceit. Boone does a brilliant job in highlighting the strengths and vulnerabilities of her character. The other main characters that this series revolves around are also shown to go through or have gone through baleful and unfortunate incidents, and they all do a fantastic job in portraying how they get through those situations.

The plot is amazing, as are the subplots involved in each episode. They are all very intricate and creative, and are packed with some fantastic suspenseful events. And what makes it all the more interesting is how this series introduces different types of criminals with different sets of unique skills – assassins, spies, hackers, rogue syndicates, etc – varying and broadening the levels of danger. The show has some pretty good music, and it’s pretty effective, be it in a suspenseful scene or emotional scene. And aside from being a good thriller, The Blacklist brings in some good comedic scenes too, occasionally. Plus it packs in some good dramatic scenes in there as well. It’s a really entertaining series to watch.

The Flash - Review

The Flash

Plot summary:

After being struck by lightning originating from a storm created due to an explosion at STAR Labs, forensic scientist for the Central City Police Department; Barry Allen; is sent into a coma. And after nine months has passed, Barry wakes up to find himself gifted with superhuman powers which allow him to run at great and impossible speeds. But Barry soon finds out that he’s not the only one the storm had given unusual powers to – and that not all of them use their powers for good. With his newfound power – and with the aid of Cisco Ramon, Caitlin Snow, and Dr. Harrison Wells of STAR Labs – Barry sets out to help those in need during times of crisis and to put an end to the mayhem that Meta-humans – such as himself – cause whilst they abuse their powers.

Review:

From the get-go, we get to witness Barry’s tragic past where his mother is murdered by what appeared to be a man enveloped in lightning for which his father was sent to prison for. An event which aside from traumatizing him, sparked his interest in the inexplicable. We are shown that Barry, from his early childhood, had a strong sense of morality which has not diminished or wavered over time until now. He’s shown to have stood up to bullies, even if he wasn’t able to overpower them. A quality that sticks to him like glue considering the formidable opponents he faces throughout the series after he becomes The Flash – and no matter what the circumstances are, even if he’s overpowered, he keeps standing up, he keeps fighting. All of this depicting how just and strong of a character he truly is.

Considering the other characters, there’s Joe West(Jesse L. Martin), who’s the detective who takes Barry in after his mother’s murder and raises him like his own son, Joe’s daughter; Iris(Candice Patton); whom Barry has feelings for, but is too scared to confess, Cisco Ramon(Carlos Valdes) and Caitlin Snow(Danielle Panabaker); who both work at STAR Labs, one, as a mechanical engineer, and the other, as a bio-engineer, respectively, Dr. Harrison Wells(Tom Cavanagh); the director of STAR Labs who seems to be having some dark secrets and grand scheme planned, and Eddie Thawne(Rick Cosnett), who’s Joe’s partner.

Grant Gustin does a spectacular job in portraying as Barry Allen. He balances all aspects of Barry’s character right to the dot, from the intelligent CSI to the noble and courageous superhero, not to mention the nerd who’s socially awkward at times. And he definitely does well when it comes to the emotional scenes too, as do everyone else. Martin’s acting as Barry’s father-figure looks just so genuine, and it is well-depicted in the arguments and other emotional scenes between Barry and Joe. Valdes’ character – Cisco – is definitely one of the main sources of comedy in the series, especially when it comes to inventing names for the supervillains they come across. And Valdes does a brilliant job in his acting as he brings to life this character who’s generally laid-back, but resolved when needed be. Panabaker definitely does a brilliant job as well as she stars and Snow, who’s generally the opposite of Cisco, being the more serious and uptight, but equally passionate about the work they do. But her character is shown to loosen up a bit as the series progresses. Patton also is praiseworthy in her acting as the pleasant and determined Iris, who soon gets interested in investigating about The Flash. And Cavanagh delivers some convincing acting as he takes on the role of Wells who becomes Barry’s mentor.

The plot is fantastic, and the roster of supervillains lined up to appear in episodes is equally fantastic. The series focuses on testing Barry, both, physically and mentally, and it’s a pretty fun ride to see him grow, both, as a hero and a person, as he overcomes not only powerful villains, but his internal struggles as well. The music is really good, both, for action and drama. And Barry’s narrating is quite entertaining and funny at times. The CGI involved in this series is without a doubt amazing and just beautiful, and the costumes involved are stunning. The Flash is a series you definitely don’t want to miss.

Arrow - Review

Arrow

Plot summary:

After five long years of surviving on a hellish island known as Lian Yu after his father’s yacht – The Queen’s Gambit – sunk into the ocean, Oliver Queen is found and rescued by two fishermen. Soon after, Oliver returns to his home and is reunited with his mother and sister. Oliver’s return marks the beginning of a personal mission to save his city from the rich and powerful people who poison it and feed off the innocent – and with all the required names listed in a book handed down to Oliver by his father before his demise.

Review:

We get to delve deep into Oliver’s memories of his time on the island and witness all the dreadful experiences he had to go through and endure – all which changed him into someone else and forged him into a formidable weapon. And the series brilliantly displays Oliver’s transformation from the immature and reckless rich playboy to the noble and stoic, yet damaged man with a strong sense of morality. The show also focuses on Oliver’s present emotional struggles as he tries to reconnect with his family and evades from opening up about the past five years of horror he had to face. And it definitely gives you a nail-biting experience in Oliver’s journey as he takes on the position of Starling City’s hooded guardian angel armed with a bow and arrows, for which he soon receives the moniker: The Hood.

Aside from Oliver, the series introduces us to Thea(Willa Holland); Oliver’s sister; who has not been able to deal with her brother’s and father’s assumed deaths and has turned to certain reckless behaviours, Oliver’s mother;  Moira(Susanna Thompson); who seems to have some secrets and agendas of her own, John Diggle(David Ramsey); Oliver’s newly appointed bodyguard who soon learns of Oliver’s secrets and aids him in his vigilantism, and Felicity Smoak(Emily Bett Rickards); the Queen Consolidated IT department’s worker who also ends up being dragged into Oliver’s secret heroic world. And then there’s Laurel Lance(Katie Cassidy): Oliver’s ex-girlfriend who now works for  legal aid, Tommy Merlyn; Oliver’s close friend, and his father; Malcom Merlyn; who seems to have plans of his own for Starling City.

When it comes to acting, Stephen Amell does a fantastic job in his portrayal of Oliver Queen, both, the spoiled rich kid and the now more serious and mature adult. He not only brings out the determination and seriousness of his vigilante role, but also gives a compelling acting on the guilt, depression, and post-traumatic stress that his character feels after all he has endured. The rest of the cast all deliver strong acting as well. I should definitely mention Rickards for her acting as Felicity Smoak, who’s definitely an interesting character, and brings some good comedic scenes due to her nerdiness and occasionally awkward behavior, along with her witty and amusing personality.

The action is just fantastic. It’s all fast-paced and packed with some impressive stunts. And the music just makes it all the more suspenseful. And the settings that are given to the scenes are equally brilliant, both, in making the combat and the look of The Hood more dramatic, and in assisting the stealth nature of The Hood’s attacks, not to mention displaying him as a force to be reckoned with. The dialogues are well-written and the storylines are amazing. The costume evolution of The Hood is brilliant, and the costumes his sidekicks and enemies have are also pretty cool. Each episode never fails to be interesting, and each season just keeps escalating the troubles and dangers Oliver and his team has to face. This show in one of my favourites, and it’s something you definitely must watch.

Gotham - Review

Gotham

Plot summary:

After his parents were murdered right in front of him, Bruce Wayne is met by Detective James Gordon who promises the boy that he will find the person who committed the crime. And following this, Jim and his partner; Harvey Bullock, who’s reluctant at first; get to the bottom of this case only to find themselves caught in a dangerous situation surrounding a conspiracy involving both, the mob and the police force. And Jim struggles to uphold his promise whilst tackling the upcoming cases that prove to be arduous, mysterious, and at times, downright insane, all in an attempt to bear some light into this city that has been overcome by darkness.

Review:

This series really lets you peer into a really dark, brutal, and chaotic environment as it delves into its story. It brilliantly displays a town that has been overwhelmed by crime and fear, from the brutal murders, to the murderous maniacs, to even the cops being under the control of the mob. And aside from being brutal, the murders are quite creative at times, and even funny – well at least funny for me considering not everyone would call a murder funny. The settings are presented well, especially considering the serious scenes, bringing in some darker and gloomy lighting to the screen, be it indoors enveloped by some shadows or outdoors darkened by clouds or the night. Not to mention it aids in presenting the grim nature of Gotham. And the new cases that Jim and Harvey have to face are quite interesting, taking each episode to a different kind of crazy and different levels of bizzareness.

And considering characters, there are quite a lot of interesting ones involved in this series, and their individual struggles and ambitions are brought to light as the series progresses. Bruce Wayne(David Mazouz) is shown to be a considerate and altruistic character. And the series clearly depicts how his parents’ murder changes him through his reckless and erratic behaviour. His self-harming and dangerous ways of testing his limits shown are proof to that. Then there’s Alfred Pennyworth(Sean Pertwee) who’s the kind butler who cares deeply about Bruce, and can be rather tough, considering his military background. Jim Gordon(Ben McKenzie) is no doubt one of the strongest characters involved, showing his determination to do what is right in his fight for justice and his endurance in overcoming the formidable obstacles that  get in his way. Then there’s Jim’s partner, Harvey Bullock(Donal Logue): the sloven and lackadaisical detective with a drinking problem. Oswald Cobblepot AKA The Penguin(Robin Taylor) is no doubt one of the most interesting characters of the show, and is the shiftiest character who will do anything and everything necessary to claw his way to the top and get what he wants. Edward Nygma(Corey Michael Smith) is also another interesting character, being the socially awkward person who’s often overlooked or looked down upon, and who’s generally enthusiastic and packed with riddles. And then there’s Fish Mooney(Jada Pinckett Smith), the woman who just can’t be killed. She’s shown to be a quite tough, determined, and charismatic character. She’s shown to have a personal score to settle and is in no way to be underestimated.

The cast is excellent. Mazouz takes us on a convincing ride along Bruce’s trauma and how he copes with it, and gives us a look into his determination in his own investigation and lingering guilt for being helpless during the tragedy. McKenzie’s portrayal of Jim is spot-on as he depicts a cop with an unwavering will do to what’s right even when the system is rigged against him. One of the few people in Gotham who actually believe in making it a better place, and who will not stray from their moral values. Robin Taylor’s and Corey Michael Smith’s portrayals of Penguin and Nygma are in definite need of praise, both bringing in some interesting and quite funny elements to the table with their weirdness and madness, both. They’re definitely two of my favourites. Not to mention everyone else mentioned before do a fantastic job as well. And aside from the ones mentioned, I’d say Camren Bicondova does an excellent performance as well, as she stars as the young Selena Kyle who’s rather intelligent, but also devious. And the series shows her kinder side, although she’s shown to be rough around the edges at first. Plus there’s Jerome, who is needless to say one of the most insane characters of the series, and is portrayed flawlessly, from the facial expressions to the cackles, by Cameron Monaghan.

The subplots revolving around each new episode and the main plot surrounding the series, both are excellent and keeps you hooked. The dialogues add to the interest, and manage to bring out some good dramatic, comedic, as well as action-packed scenes. Not to mention some scenes can get pretty brutal and graphic. The music was really great too, to add to that. This is definitely a must-see series.