Jakob Eiseman, Editor-in-Chief

Outstanding Comedy Series
Winner: “Ted Lasso” — Apple TV+

Nominees:
– “Black-ish” — ABC
– “Cobra Kai” — Netflix
– “Emily in Paris” — Netflix
– “The Flight Attendant” — HBO Max
– “Hacks” — HBO Max
– “The Kominsky Method” — Netflix
– “Pen15” — Hulu
– “Ted Lasso” — Apple TV+

Outstanding Drama Series
“The Crown” — Netflix

Nominees:
– “The Boys” — Amazon Prime Video
– “Bridgerton” — Netflix
– “The Crown” — Netflix
– “The Handmaid’s Tale” — Hulu
– “Lovecraft Country” — HBO
– “The Mandalorian” — Disney+
– “Pose” — FX
– “This Is Us” — NBC

Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series
“The Queen’s Gambit” — Netflix

Nominees:
– “I May Destroy You” — HBO
– “Mare of Easttown” — HBO
– “The Queen’s Gambit” — Netflix
– “The Underground Railroad” — Amazon Prime Video
– “WandaVision” — Disney+

Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)
“Hamilton” — Disney+

Nominees:
– “8:46 – Dave Chappelle” — Netflix
– “Bo Burnham: Inside” — Netflix
– “David Byrne’s American Utopia” — HBO
– “Friends: The Reunion” — HBO Max
– “Hamilton” — Disney+
– “A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote” — HBO Max

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Jason Sudeikis — “Ted Lasso” | Ted Lasso | Apple TV+

Nominees:
– Anthony Anderson — “Black-ish” | Dre Johnson | ABC
– Michael Douglas — “The Kominsky Method” | Sandy Kominsky | Netflix
– William H. Macy — “Shameless” | Frank Gallagher | SHOWTIME
– Jason Sudeikis — “Ted Lasso” | Ted Lasso | Apple TV+
– Kenan Thompson — “Kenan” | Kenan Williams | NBC

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Jean Smart — “Hacks” | Deborah Vance | HBO Max

Nominees:
– Aidy Bryant — “Shrill” | Annie Easton | Hulu
– Kaley Cuoco — “The Flight Attendant” | Cassie Bowden | HBO Max
– Allison Janney — “Mom” | Bonnie Plunkett | CBS
– Tracee Ellis Ross — “Black-ish” | Rainbow Johnson | NBC
– Jean Smart — “Hacks” | Deborah Vance | HBO Max

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Josh O’Connor — “The Crown” | Prince Charles | Netflix

Nominees:
– Sterling K. Brown — “This Is Us” | Randall Pearson | NBC
– Jonathan Majors — “Lovecraft Country” | Atticus Freeman | HBO
– Josh O’Connor — “The Crown” | Prince Charles | Netflix
– Regé-Jean Page — “Bridgerton” | Simon Basset | Netflix
– Billy Porter — “Pose” | Pray Tell | Netflix
– Matthew Rhys — “Perry Mason” | Perry Mason | HBO

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Olivia Colman — “The Crown” | Queen Elizabeth II | Netflix

Nominees:
– Uzo Aduba — “In Treatment” | Dr. Brooke Taylor | HBO
– Olivia Colman — “The Crown” | Queen Elizabeth II | Netflix
– Emma Corrin — “The Crown” | Princess Diana | Netflix
– Elisabeth Moss — “The Handmaid’s Tale” | June/Offred | Hulu
– Mj Rodriguez — “Pose” | Blanca Rodriguez | Netflix
– Jurnee Smollett — “Lovecraft Country” | Leti Lewis | HBO

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Kate Winslet — “Mare of Easttown” | Mare Sheehan | HBO

Nominees:
– Michaela Coel — “I May Destroy You” | Arabella | HBO
– Cynthia Erivo — “Genius: Aretha” | Aretha Franklin | National Geographic
– Elizabeth Olsen — “WandaVision” | Wanda Maximoff | Disney+
– Anya Taylor-Joy — “The Queen’s Gambit” | Beth Harmon | Netflix
– Kate Winslet — “Mare of Easttown” | Mare Sheehan | HBO

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Ewan McGregor — “Halston” | Halston | Netflix

Nominees:
– Paul Bettany — “WandaVision” | The Vision | Disney+
– Hugh Grant — “The Undoing” | Jonathan Fraser | HBO
– Ewan McGregor — “Halston” | Halston | Netflix
– Lin-Manuel Miranda — “Hamilton” | Alexander Hamilton | Disney+
– Leslie Odom Jr. — “Hamilton” | Aaron Burr | Disney+

Outstanding Animated Program
“Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal” — Adult Swim

Nominees:
– “Big Mouth” — Netflix
– “Bob’s Burgers” — FOX
– “Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal” — Adult Swim
– “South Park: The Pandemic Special” — Comedy Central
– “The Simpsons” — FOX

For a full list of winners and nominees, please check out the Emmys official database.

eisemanj1@lasalle.edu

Jeriann Tripodi, Editor

Welcome to the wonderful world of entertainment. The following news includes highlights of celebrities, television, movies and music this week.

Man arrested after flashing knife outside of Ariana Grande’s home

A 23-year-old man named Aaron Brown showed up to pop singer Ariana Grande’s home around two in the morning and demanded to see her. According to TMZ, when security asked Brown to leave, he refused and pulled out a knife. Brown was arrested and is facing a felony charge. Although it is not known whether Grande was home during the incident, she was granted a temporary restraining order against the crazed fan.

NME

Ben Affleck pushes fan

Actor Ben Affleck and his girlfriend, pop singer and actress Jennifer Lopez, were hounded by paparazzi at the Venice airport when one photographer took things too far. The man approached Lopez and invaded her personal space as he tried to take a selfie with her. However, Affleck quickly put his hand on the man’s chest and pushed him away. Security then took over and held the man against a wall before releasing him.

            WSBuzz.com

Wendy Williams has been diagnosed with COVID-19 and show is postponed

Daytime talk show host Wendy Williams has been voluntarily admitted to the hospital for a psychiatric evaluation one day before it has been announced that season 13 of her show, “The Wendy Williams Show,” has been postponed until next month. According to the show’s official statement, Williams has been diagnosed with COVID-19 while she was being evaluated. The talk show is expected to return with new episodes on Oct. 4, in order to give the host time to quarantine and fully recover.

People

“Shang-Chi” tops the box office amidst recent controversy

Disney and Marvel Studios’ “Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings” rules the box office for the third weekend in a row. However, recent controversy surrounds the action/adventure film’s main star, Simu Liu. Liu’s past comments comparing pedophilia to homosexuality on Reddit have circulated. In addition, in a 2017 interview, Liu referred to his native country, China, as “third world” and gave praise to Canada, which is where he moved to. According to Variety, this may play a role in the prevention of the film from being played in China’s theaters.

Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Number one on the Billboard charts: week of Sept. 18, 2021

According to “The Hot 100” on the charts, the number one song in the U.S. is “Way 2 Sexy” by Drake featuring Future and Young Thug. This is the first week the trap song is on the charts. According to the “Billboard 200,” the number one album in the U.S. is “Certified Lover Boy” by Drake. The hip-hop/rap album is at the top spot during its first week on the charts.

Billboard

By James LeVan

Speculative fiction is an amazing genre, not only because it takes us on a journey across time and space to far off worlds, but also because it manages to hold up a mirror to humanity and makes us confront our very nature. That is what Chinese author Cixin Liu does in his “Remembrance of Earth’s Past” trilogy , consisting of “The Three-Body Problem,” “The Dark Forest,” and “Death’s End.” The books detail the thousands of years of conflict between humanity and an extraterrestrial race of aliens who seek to conquer the Earth and eradicate humanity. Liu uses his trilogy to discuss questions of human nature, the importance of the greater good, humanity’s role in the universe and how to fight mass surveillance. Each book individually is a masterpiece of literature, but to genuinely appreciate the story Liu has written, one should read all three, as he takes us from the fall of Constantinople to rural China at the height of the Cultural Revolution; the novels also include large city-space stations and  a pocket dimension at the end of the universe.

Ever since I first learned of this series from my professor, I was eager to get my hands on the book.  I learned that my local Barnes and Noble had only one copy left, so I rushed over there to get it just as they were closing. As soon as I grabbed it, I saw that it earned the praise of several noteworthy people including “Game of Thrones” author George R. R. Martin, Mark Zuckerberg and even former President Barack Obama. Curious, I began  reading it two weeks before classes  started and was immediately hooked. Once I was done, I ordered the complete trilogy, and what I found was an epic writer who deserves some more acclaim than he currently has.

The first book in the series, “The Three-Body Problem”, is a mystery tale about a nanotechnology scientist named Wang Miao and a detective named Dai Shi who  investigate the strange deaths of several scientists. These deaths connect  to a bizarre computer game, in which players attempt to understand the nature of a distant world that rotates between stable and chaotic eras. “The Three-Body Problem” is unique because it feels like a mystery novel. It is set on the eve of humanity’s realization that they are not alone in the universe and are set to be exterminated in four centuries. 

The second book,  “The Dark Forest,” feels like a wartime novel. Humanity begins to prepare for the eventual arrival of an alien race. The book’s main protagonist, Luo Ji, a former astronomer turned sociologist, has been chosen by the world government to join an elite group of individuals and plan humanity’s counterattack in secret. The third and final book in Liu’s trilogy, “Death’s End”, is a historical  story and features a young prostitute who visits  the Byzantine Emperor and informs Luo Ji of a strange power she has that may save his empire.  

“Death’s End” is the largest of the three texts, taking readers thousands of years into the future as humanity and the aliens are locked in a relationship of mutually assured destruction. Liu takes us through various periods of human history as our species goes further into space and becomes a part of an epic intergalactic struggle. 

One of things the author does well is that he manages to tell his stories, not from a single perspective or character, but from multiple perspectives. Each book has its own protagonists but the trilogy is about humanity as a whole. There is one chapter in “The Dark Forest” where Luo Ji is talking to another important character, and they give him the secret to saving humanity. The whole scene is told from the perspective of a spider, who observes the ordeal while crawling on a tombstone. The scene is incredibly beautiful and the fact that Cixin Liu can write from these different perspectives is a testament to his skill.

Each book asks various questions about whether we are redeemable and if so, how do we redeem ourselves? Several characters in the books ponder the nature of humanity and whether we can evolve on our own, or if we need the aid of an outside force to make us do so. Liu tackles the use of mass surveillance technology and how to get around it, and the struggle between sacrificing personal desire in the name of duty. Each of the characters struggle with this as they must decide whether to sacrifice their own wants and needs for the good of humanity. The final theme I gathered was that opposing factions need one another. The trilogy shows that both sides are needed to balance one another; humanities help us to understand the mental and spiritual reasons for why we are, while the sciences explain physical reasons. Alone, each only tells half of the story, and both are needed to understand the bigger picture.I only have one major critique about Cixin Liu’s work. The amount of hard science in his books can be daunting. Liu’s background is in computer engineering, and as a result, he sometimes spends pages discussing theoretical science. If you are not familiar with those fields, it can make his books intimidating and hard to follow at times. However, you eventually learn to skim to get the gist of what he is saying and can understand. The main story is good enough that you can train yourself to either get around or understand the basics of what he is saying.

The “Remembrance of Earth’s Past” trilogy is a trilogy that will supercharge your imagination. As I read each book, I was left pondering human nature, our place in the universe and what will become of us when the universe begins to fall apart. It is a humbling epic and strongly recommended for anyone with the time and patience to read them. 

By Nolen Kelly

The summer of 2021, or “The Summer of Cena ” for the cultured scholars out there, was much different from any other summer before it due to the slight reopening of the world and the reopening of movie theaters. To that I say, “Yay” followed by an emphatic “Huzzah” ending with a botched backflip. Energetic little scamp, ain’t I? The point is, theaters are open again and now movie enjoyers and casually bored families can finally return to the place that makes a camera and some silly pretending into one of the most enjoyable experiences a human can be a part of. This summer, like any other, had a fair mix of great and terrible movies, so here is my list of the five best and five worst movies I saw in the summer of 2021. If you disagree with anything, please do not cry, because then I will cry. Also, I will be throwing up a spoiler warning for some movies just in case, so be prepared.

That is all that I have to say about all of that. The summer of Cena was a mixed bag of entertainment, like any other summer typically is, and luckily the good stuff was great and the worst of it was boring and forgettable. Thankfully, it seems that now more people are able to make it back to doing what they loved the most, and for me that means seeing more movies in theaters. If anything here was even remotely interesting, then follow me on Letterboxd (@Nolesy) and see what movies I’m watching.

Greg Shannon, Staff

“Shang -Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” is the latest in Marvel Studios’ long and complicated line of film adaptations from their comic book series. Directed by Daniel Dustin Creaton, the movie is a nice breath of fresh air from the intergalactic evil space men that we’ve grown accustomed to.  With a great cast of Chinese and Chinese-American actors like Simu Liu, Tony Leung Chiu-wai (“In the Mood for Love,” “Hero,”) and Michelle Yeoh (“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,”) and amazing fight scenes, this film has a chance to stand out from the other superhero films that the studio has put out. With that said, here are my thoughts on the latest Marvel movie, Shang-Chi.

Plot

When it comes to the plot, this film is definitely paced well. Everything revealed helps to progress the story, and there isn’t really a moment that is unimportant. The film follows a standalone, unique story in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) that introduces audiences to a Chinese organized crime ring known as the Ten Rings, led by Xu Wenwu, played by Chiu-wai. Wenwu came into possession of an ancient artifact — ten rings which can be worn as bracelets and easily sent out with the power of a bullet and recalled to the wrist quickly. He uses these ten rings and his group of men to change the course of history. The film follows his conquest, as well as his son, Xu Shang-chi, played by Liu, who eventually rebels against his father. The story is thematically unique, blends modern day with ancient times seamlessly and leans heavily into its Chinese mythology roots.

Of course, with it being a Marvel Studios film, there are a good amount of fun easter eggs placed in this movie, most of them in the form of characters like the agents from “Black Widow,” one of the glowy explody people, also known as “Extremi Soldiers,” from “Iron Man 3,” The Abomination from “The Incredible Hulk (2008),” and lastly Wong from “Dr. Strange.” 

The only downside, however, is that the opening to the film is a bit slow. Before the first big and epic fight scene, they give us a backstory and a bit of character development for Shang-chi, his family and his friend Katy played by Awkwafina (“Nora From Queens,” “Crazy Rich Asians”). While it was all important to the story, it just felt slow. There were some cool moments, like how the titular character’s parents met, but compared to the rest of the film it seems dull and falls flat. The opening notwithstanding, once the action starts in this film, it simply doesn’t stop.

Characters

All of the characters in “Shang-chi” are performed by an extremely well picked cast of Asian and Asian-American actors. With the exception of a few minor side characters, like the main henchman known as “Razor Fist,” this cast was pretty much entirely composed of Asain actors.  It felt like the actors and actresses had really good chemistry together, especially Liu and Awkwafina. I think it was smart for the writers to avoid the introduction of romance between the two, as they felt natural together as just really good friends. Also the chemistry that they had with each fight really helped give it more life. Almost every actor in the movie felt right for the role, even some of the lesser-known celebrities in the cast.

News Block

Tone

The comedy in this movie was honestly pretty hit or miss most times. Most of the comedic lines were given to Awkwafina’s character, Katy, but the rest was divided up by some of the more minor characters.  This would have been fine, but I found Akwafina’s comedic timing to be off and obnoxious at times. I don’t know if it was written that way in the script or they just told her to go ahead and wing it, but some jokes were just at the wrong moments.. There were parts of the movie that were serious and drew me in, only to be sidelined with a random “Hell naw” from Awkwafina’s character. The unnecessary amount of comedy was my biggest gripe of the movie.

The best part of the movie is the fight choreography. Each time there’s a fight it’s fun, fast paced and just great to look at. Now while you won’t get your “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” fix from “Shang-chi,” you do get some cool fighting effects, like how the ten rings are used and the supernatural martial arts style of fighting used by some of the main characters. All of the chemistry between the actors during the fights make it feel fluent and nice to look at. I especially enjoyed watching the main character, Shang-chi, fight. It looks and feels realistic at times and helps make watching it a lot more enjoyable. The fight scenes in this movie were definitely the highlights of the film for me and I hope they keep it up in future installments.

Screen Rant

This movie is definitely one of the best that Marvel has put out. Once again, it is a breath of fresh air compared to their other projects and is filled with a bunch of fast paced fun fight scenes. I would definitely recommend this movie to Marvel fans or people that are looking for something different from the MCU. All in all I would give this movie a solid 8.5 out of 10. 

Jeriann Tripodi, Editor

Welcome to the wonderful world of entertainment. The following news includes highlights of celebrities, television, movies and music this week.

Britney Spears is engaged

On September 12, pop singer Britney Spears took to Instagram to announce that she and longtime boyfriend Sam Asghari are engaged. In a video with her partner, the couple smiled as Spears showed off the large rock on her hand. Asghari also took to his Instagram page to share the news. He posted a photo of the pair kissing while Spears holds up her ring finger sporting the large diamond.

PinkNews

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck make red carpet debut

Pop singer Jennifer Lopez and actor Ben Affleck attended the 78th Venice International Film Festival as a couple. Celebrating the premiere of Affleck’s latest film, “The Last Duel,” the pair walked the red carpet together for the first time since rekindling their romance after splitting 17 years ago. The affectionate duo impressed the crowd with their public display of affection as they kissed and held hands for the camera.

TMZ

Former “Blue’s Clues” host surprises fans for show’s 25th anniversary

The hit Nickelodeon series “Blue’s Clues” recently celebrated 25 years since its first episode aired. In honor of this occasion, the original host, Steve Burns, shared a personalized message to his millennial fans who watched the educational program during their early childhood. In this heartwarming and emotional video, the now 47-year-old shared memories from the show and expressed how he and his viewers accomplished great things through the years.

AllToLearn-Blog

Activists are angered by new show “The Activist”

CBS’s new series “The Activist” has not aired yet, and people are already hating it. According to Deadline, the competition reality show will feature aspiring activists who will face off in social media challenges in order to promote their world cause and “amplify their message.” Twitter users have voiced their anger, including real activists. One viral tweet from actress and activist Jameela Jamil mentioned that the money to make this show should go “directly to activist causes” instead.

CBS

“Shang-Chi” tops the box office

Disney and Marvel Studio’s “Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings” topped the box office for the second weekend in a row. Making $35.8 million in the United States this past weekend, the action/adventure film has crossed the $250 million mark, according to Yahoo News. Starring Simu Liu, this PG-13 rated superhero film is the first Marvel film to feature an Asian-American main character and have a predominantly Asian and Asian-American cast.

IMDb

Number one on the Billboard charts: week of September 15, 2021

According to “The Hot 100” on the charts, the number one song in the U.S. is “Butter” by BTS. Moving up, this is the seventh week the pop song is on the charts. According to the “Billboard 200,” the number one album in the U.S. is “Donda” by Kanye West. The hip-hop and gospel album is at the top spot during its first week on the charts.

Billboard

Jeriann Tripodi, Staff

Header image: Stereogum

Lady Gaga’s alleged dognappers have been arrested

Two months after pop singer Lady Gaga’s dog walker, Ryan Fischer, was shot and her two French Bulldogs were stolen during a robbery, five people have finally been arrested. According to Yahoo, the suspects range from 18 to 50-years-old. Three were charged with attempted murder and robbery. Two were charged with accessory after the fact. One of the adults taken into custody is the woman who returned the stolen dogs to the police station after the pop singer offered a $500,000 reward for the pets to be returned safely. 

Kim Kardashian looks unrecognizable with new blonde look

Reality star and socialite Kim Kardashian has changed her hairstyle several times throughout the years, however, her most recent look shocked fans. Posting to her Instagram story, the “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” star shared the process of her transformation, which included her eyebrows being bleached. The reality star then shared a photo with her makeup fully done while sporting blonde eyebrows and honey blonde hair. After driving fans into a frenzy, the final photo showed Kardashian as a brunette, as she indicated that the blonde look was not permanent and was only for a photoshoot. 

“The Celebrity Dating Game” set to premiere this summer 

On June 14, “The Celebrity Dating Game” will premiere on ABC. This new game show is adapted from “The Dating Game,” which was a game show that aired from 1965 to 1986. It will follow the same dating format, but with a celebrity spin. Each episode will follow the stars as they pick one suitor out of three bachelors/bachelorettes from a hidden panel based on their answers to a range of questions. The identities of the celebrities will also be hidden from the suitors. Taye Diggs, Hannah Brown and Iggy Azalea will be the first three celebrity contestants. Also, Michael Bolton and Zooey Deschanel will be co-hosting. 

“Kissing Booth 3” set to be released this summer

Netflix has announced that the third and final installment to the “Kissing Booth” series will arrive on the streaming platform on August 11. According to TeenVogue, the teen rom-com’s plot will revolve around main character Elle’s huge college decision that will have an impact on her close relationships. All of the main cast is expected to return. “The Kissing Booth 3” is rated PG-13 and stars Joey King, Jacob Elordi and Joel Courtney.  

Number one song on the Billboard charts: week of May 1, 2021

According to “The Hot 100” on the charts, the number one song in the U.S. is “Rapstar” by Polo G. This is the second week the rap song is at the top spot. 

Nolen Kelly, Staff

The newest Disney+ miniseries from Marvel Studios is “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, and Marvel’s transition from “WandaVision” to this is like watching the witch comedy “Hocus Pocus” and immediately following it up with the James Bond flick “Skyfall.” The show centers on Sam Wilson, or the Falcon, played by Anthony Mackie (“The Hurt Locker,” “The Adjustment Bureau,”) and Bucky Barnes, or the Winter Soldier, played by Sebastian Stan (“Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “Once Upon a Time,”) dealing with the passing on of their friend and super-ally, Captain America, aka Steve Rogers. Despite being the second miniseries from the super movie conglomerate, there are a few kinks they still need to work out. 

I think the best place to start when talking about this show is the characters and the chemistry of the two leads, the titular Falcon and Winter Soldier: Sam and Bucky. I think they are pretty goofy together and work very well like a couple of good pals. There are moments of light humor that quickly shift into some good fighting chemistry and sometimes end with both of them dealing with what happened in serious conversation. Sam and Bucky, and by extension Mackie and Stan, have good on-screen chemistry that started in the movies and is definitely the reason they were given this show. Next is an incredibly important character, Isaiah Bradley, who I really want to talk more about but I think it is best to watch his story for yourself and just experience him and why he is important. He is an important piece of not only the MCU but is also an important reflection of what real world historical images are created and what is hidden. HBO’s limited series adaptation of the graphic novel “Watchmen” does this as well and they do it incredibly well, but I would say the history of Isaiah Bradley is a more gut-wrenching and emotionally poignant story. Without spoiling much, his tale holds up a mirror to America’s history of systematic racism in a way only a superhero story can.

Just as much as this show tackles very serious subjects like race and institutional corruption, it also brings a refreshingly silly comic relief to many of its character moments. The cinematography also lends to the situation, being impressively animated during action scenes, but showing that charm and silliness of the characters when they quip or joke around. For example, because of some of this camera work I had a running joke with my roommates while watching that Anthony Mackie had a GoPro strapped to him at all times because the series constantly cut to a close up of his face while doing stunts aptly titled “Mackie Cam.”

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Anyone who is in the pop culture space on Twitter has seen the video of Baron Zemo dancing in the club, so it is not much of a spoiler to say that returning from his only other appearance in the MCU in 2016’s “Captain America; Civil War,” is Baron Zemo, played by Daniel Brühl (“Rush,” “Inglourious Basterds”). Rather than being the show’s antagonist he is the “knows everyone and everything” character that helps the two leads get to the places they need. Brühl as Zemo is a delight. I liked him more as a villain in “Civil War,” but his help in progressing the story made it pretty interesting at times, taking them to interesting places like the fictional South Eastern Asian city of Madripoor. 

Another additional character that brought a lot to this series was former Captain of the United States Army, John Walker, played by Wyatt Russell (“Overlord,” “22 Jump Street”). I really liked Walker in every episode he was featured in. Walker is initiated by the United States military as the new Captain America despite the role originally being intended for Wilson, showing that they would rather choose a white soldier as America’s role model than a Black superhero. Fantastically portrayed by Russell, he starts off as a very unwanted character who then stems into someone you feel a little bad for and enjoy watching. But, in his final stretch you either really root for him or you really want him to fail. I personally rooted for him the whole way and without giving away his story, I think Marvel has some incredible potential with Walker in the future. He is cocky and charming yet not a complete jerk, and Russell’s performance is so good I am officially creating my second petition targeted towards Marvel to give a miniseries or movie series specifically for Wyatt Russell as John Walker in the future. My first petition is to give “Daredevil” a proper finale and fourth season, but I digress. Finishing off the list of notable characters is the antagonist, Karli Morgenthau, leader of the terrorist group The Flag Smashers. I don’t think it’s a hot take to say her story was very bland, rushed, unfinished and uninteresting. Erin Kellyman as Karli was fine at best. Her plot was really just a generic “villain wants to take over the world and anyone against us is bad” kind of story. I could not find any kind of interest in her story with the only exception being a conversation she has with Wilson about oppression and resistance. 

I went into this show not very excited because everything else Marvel had been putting out was big budget sci-fi focused, but for them to step back to espionage as their next step was a little strange. It is not very hard to get interested in this show, luckily. There are plenty of substories going on that quickly become “filler” content, although some of it is just fun. For every story that drags on there is one that is interesting and cool enough to keep you wanting to see the end. The finale is both a ‘hit’ and ‘miss’ episode that is a good amalgamation of all of the things the show was: fun, rushed, action-packed, long and filled with good character moments. I want more John Walker, I wish there were less subplots and I liked what I got. There is enough referential comic content to keep the nerds, like me, happy and enough visual spectacle to keep casual viewers interested. The story itself is fine and a bit predictable at times, the pacing is occasionally frustrating and the dialogue gets pretty dumb and irritatingly cliché at times. I found a lot to like and a lot to dislike out of this and I am still not sure which I prefer between “WandaVision” and “TFATWS” but I do think this was a step in a good direction for Marvel. I realize my grading system has always been horribly confusing thus far with the Collegian, so to simplify it I’ll just use letters. “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” is a light to decent “C.” 

How the animated series refreshes pop culture TV 18 years after its source material did the same for comics.

Jake Eiseman, Editor

I know it is final exam season so not everyone has the time to devote to a new series right now. But, if you find time and are a fan of the superhero genre, this is a no brainer. To round out this year’s Collegian reviews, let’s take a look at….

Spoiler Warning: For those that haven’t had a chance to check out “Invincible” yet, or those who are just hearing about the series from this article, it is nearly impossible to discuss what makes it so special without discussing the events of the first episode. I will only be spoiling the first episode of the eight episode season in this review, so please go check out “Invincible” episode one: “It’s About Time” on Amazon Prime and then return to this review at your convenience. T/w: Extreme violence.

Okay, so with that out of the way. 

“Invincible” conquers one of the biggest challenges that superhero shows have: establishing a world, characters and rules in just one episode. The opening act of the first episode introduces us to a world where superheroes and supervillains roam the cities, where the United States government sponsors and organizes heroes through the Global Defense Agency, and our main character, Mark Grayson, a newly superpowered teen going by the name Invincible, the son of the world’s greatest superhero: Nolan Grayson aka Omni-Man. 

After establishing everything the viewer needs to know about the world, it continually adds on characters and plot lines that fit into its established rules until the very end of the episode. Every single thing the viewer has learned about this world is instantly brought into question as Omni-Man, the great hero that much of the story revolves around, brutally and disgustingly murders seven of the world’s most powerful heroes and role models. Not only does this bring to life the age old question of “what if Superman was a bad guy?” it also presents a world where there is an unstoppable force, and the only person who could possibly act as an immovable object is his own son who, despite his ironic name, is definitely not invincible.

Amazon made the right call pulling this plot twist to the first episode, as now the whole series is simultaneously an origin story of Invincible, as well as a fast moving bullet train of dramatic irony pushing these lovable characters into a horrifying situation where the strongest being on the planet becomes their enemy. The series sets its stakes, lets them breathe and tells us a story of an awkward teenager finding his way in the world to distract us from the implications of the carrot on a stick that is the massacre. I could write a whole dissertation on how the plot twist affects the viewer’s perspective on every other second of screen time either Mark or Nolan has, but anyone who has seen the series already feels that, as was intended by the showrunners.

On the subject of the series’s production: J.K. Simmons, Sandra Oh, Mahershala Ali, Zach Quinto, Steven Yeun, Mark Hamill, Jason Mantzoukas, Seth Rogan, Walton Goggins, Zazie Beetz, Justin Roiland, Reginald VelJohnson, the list goes on for voice talent. I know Amazon is producing this series and that means they could pay the Queen of England herself to be on the show if they wanted with all that money, but I was seriously not prepared for this number of talented actors to show up in such a niche series. Every character feels simultaneously real and heightened. J.K. Simmons as Omni-Man flips perfectly between fatherly and menacing, Steven Yeun as Invincible brings a sense of insecurity and youthful ignorance to a deeply passionate character, Sandra Oh as Debbie Grayson plays both the perfect mother and the perfect subject of grief and Jason Mantzoukas as Rex Splode makes every other character seem dull in comparison to his vibrant and erratic voice. The cast is unmatched in the animated space, and can only go up as the series gains popularity.

Beyond story and talent, though, the series’s presentation leaves a bit to be desired. Creating an animated series in the modern pop culture space can be daunting when the major hits are live action, big budget series like “Game of Thrones,” or recently “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier,” and the animation space already has similarly budgeted masterpieces like “Attack on Titan” or “Enter the Spider-Verse.” Animation is a lovely medium that should be supported because it allows voice actors to act up and accentuate, it can tell stories that are impossible to tell in live action without massive CG budgets and because it can create visual art that is unique to a showrunner or animator. While I will vouch that “Invincible” is a great series that realizes the creator’s unique vision, I would hesitate to call it a ‘great animated series.’

While the fight scenes and big set pieces can be visually interesting, a majority of the series are just PNGs of characters being moved around on screen. During the final episode, the series’s budget limits really show, employing the use of CG characters and low frame-rate animation that looks like an amateur YouTube project. Any time two characters are having a normal, non-superhero discussion on screen, I was completely enthralled by the complex story, relatable characters and voice talent, but what I was actually looking at was just a comic panel that was slightly animated at the head.

With that said, let’s talk about the animated elephant in the room: the extreme violence. “Invincible” is undeniably violence and gore porn that is unapologetically bloody and grotesque. And it is awesome. Amazon has tried their hand at these violent superhero stories before with “The Boys,” but “Invincible” takes it to the next level, making a series that borders on the horror genre because of its visuals. The violence is there — not for violence’s sake — but to create a sense of absolute dread for the characters. When Omni-Man chops someone’s head off, it isn’t for spectacle, but to show you that any character that gets into a fight with him should fear for their lives. When Invincible watches civilians be turned to red mist, it isn’t explicitly to shock the audience, it is to visually show them the helplessness Mark feels that he cannot save people, forcing him, and the audience, to view these traumatic sights. Although it can be a bit gratuitous at times, and it can definitely be criticized, I believe the violence is what drew me into the series, but it kept me with its strong world building and story.

Despite my nitpicks, “Invincible” is definitely a one of a kind series that already has me adding compendiums of its comics to my Amazon shopping cart (Funny how that works, huh Bezos?). The first season sets up so many threads and perfectly leads them along until all but some are paid off in the finale which may be one of the best episodes of TV Amazon has ever put out. “Invincible’ has already been greenlit for two more seasons, which is great news. The pacing in the first was so perfect not only because of its contained stories, but also the hints and wide reaching story ideas it began that will be explored in subsequent seasons. If you want to binge a short, expertly crafted series with strong characters, impressive concepts that break the superhero genre and extremely talented voice actors, give “Invincible” the time to blow your mind. On a scale from “Bad” to “Perfect” I’d say “Invincible” is “Excellent.”

Jeriann Tripodi, Staff

Header image: NME

Caitlyn Jenner announces she is running for governor of California

On April 23, former Olympian and reality star Caitlyn Jenner took to Twitter to announce that she will be running for governor of California as a Republican. Uploading a statement that outlined her agenda, Jenner captioned the photo by stating, “I’m in. California is worth fighting for.” Joining the growing list of candidates hoping to take the place of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, Jenner is the most famous non-politician to run for governor of California since Arnold Schwarzenegger, according to NDTV.com. 

Demi Lovato shames frozen yogurt shop and then apologizes

After visiting Los Angeles frozen yogurt shop, “The Bigg Chill,” pop singer Demi Lovato posted on her Instagram story: “Finding it extremely hard to order froyo from @thebigchillofficial when you have to walk past tons of sugar free cookies/other diet foods before you get to the counter. Do better please. #dietculturevultures.” When the small business direct messaged Lovato and shared that these options are for their customers who are vegan, diabetic or have celiac disease, she apologized on Instagram Live that her message was “misconstrued.” 

Ronnie Ortiz-Magro arrested for domestic violence

On April 22, “Jersey Shore” star Ronnie Ortiz-Magro was arrested in Los Angeles on domestic violence charges toward an “intimate partner,” according to Enews. The reality star is currently on probation from a previous domestic violence incident involving ex-girlfriend Jen Harley. However, TMZ reported that Harley was not involved in this most recent alleged incident. Ortiz-Magro has since been released on bail. 

Les McKeown dies at 65 (1955-2021)

On April 20, pop singer Les McKeown passed away suddenly at the age of 65. McKeown was best known for being the lead vocalist in the 1970s boy band Bay City Rollers. Some of their biggest hits were “Saturday Night,” “I Only Wanna Be With You” and “Bye Bye Baby.” 

The Weeknd releases “Save Your Tears” remix and video featuring Ariana Grande 

On April 23, the Weeknd released the highly anticipated single and music video for his “Save Your Tears” collaboration with Ariana Grande. In the song that was originally from the Weeknd’s “After Hours” album, Grande joins in on the second verse with new lyrics and can be heard harmonizing throughout the remix. The sci-fi music video features the two Grammy Award winning artists in animation form.  

Emilia Clarke will join Marvel’s “Secret Invasion” series

Actress Emilia Clarke is set to star alongside Samuel L. Jackson and Ben Mendelsohn in the new Marvel series on Disney+, “Secret Invasion.” The “Game of Thrones” star, who is new to the MCU, has not spoken publicly about her role in the series, and Marvel has declined to make a comment. According to Yahoo, Jackson will reprise his role as Nick Fury, and Mendelsohn will reprise his role as Talos. It has been reported that “Secret Invasion” will follow Fury and Talos as they try to stop the Skrulls, who are shape-shifting aliens that have infiltrated Earth. 

“Mortal Kombat” becomes the biggest R-rated opening during the pandemic to date

After an intense race with Japanese anime film “Demon Slayer: Mugen Train,” “Mortal Kombat” topped the box office during its opening weekend in the U.S., earning an estimated $22.5 million. With more theaters recently opening up in North America, this weekend has become the “highest-grossing industry weekend of the pandemic,” according to ComScore. As a result, the martial arts fantasy film was able to reap the benefits as it became the highest grossing R-rated film released during the global pandemic. 

Number one on the Billboard charts: week of April 24, 2021

According to “The Hot 100” on the charts, the number one song in the U.S. is “Rapstar” by Polo G. This is the first week the rap song is on the charts. According to the “Billboard 200,” the number one album in the US.. is “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” by Taylor Swift. This is the first week the country pop album is on the charts.