WandaVision's Sitcom Theme Finally Explained

If you haven't been watching "WandaVision" on Disney+ there are a couple likely reasons: you don't subscribe to Disney+, you don't like Marvel or you think that the show's slapstick sitcom theme looked stupid.

Believe me. I hear you. Initially, I didn't want anything to do with "WandaVision" because I'm generally not a fan of sitcoms, and I thought that the trailer and promotional spots leading up to the debut episode didn't do the show any favors. I've since changed my stance, as you can read in my "First Impressions" blog, and I've actually thoroughly enjoyed "WandaVision," for the most part. Admittedly, not all episodes have been home runs, but if you've been patient enough to stick with it, I think the show has taken the Marvel Cinematic Universe in an interesting direction that sets future movies and programming down a very interesting path.

If you're still not sold on the idea because you're either hesitant to start watching in the first place or because you watched the first episode or two and hated the black-and-white shenanigans, some good news came in Episode 8. They finally explained what was up with all the sitcoms.

Be warned: major spoilers for "WandaVision" will follow, so, as always, only keep reading if you're caught up with the show or truly don't care.

Episode 8 ("Previously On") took a break from the set-in-a-sitcom scenario in which "WandaVision" has typically taken place, and instead, as the name suggests, featured a series of flashbacks into Wanda's life, as a potential means of explaining how she developed the immense power it took to create the fictional suburbia of Westview.

We came to learn that TV time with the family was a meaningful aspect of life in the Maximoff home. Wartime Sokovia was a pretty depressing place. I mean, at one point, Mrs. Maximoff looks out the window and sees a shootout taking place in the streets right below their apartment. Taking time as a family to sit down and laugh at the television was a good way to not only take their minds off the violence but also practice their English.

During the first flashback, a case of DVDs is shown, with the following TV series inside:

• Bewitched
• I Love Lucy
• Malcolm in the Middle
• I Dream of Jeannie
• The Addams Family
• Who's the Boss?

Ultimately, the family decides to watch an old re-run of "The Dick Van Dyke Show."

Later on in Episode 8, Wanda is shown at the Age of Ultron HYDRA facility, re-watching an episode of "The Brady Bunch." In another flashback, which would have likely taken place around the time of Captain America: Civil War, Wanda (and later, Vision) get a few laughs out of an episode of "Malcolm in the Middle." Wanda uses this moment to teach Vision about slapstick comedy.

Other sitcoms that have been heavily parodied throughout the course of Season 1 include "Full House" (Episode 5) and "Modern Family" (Episode 7), as well as the theme from "The Munsters," which influenced the catchiest song of the season during one major reveal.

Episode 8 shows Wanda arriving in Westview, a place where she planned on moving with Vision so they could grow old together, and collapsing from grief (not unlike what she did after the death of her brother in Age of Ultron) as she realized that their goal was now unattainable. The radiating burst of "Chaos Magic" somewhat unintentionally turned Westview into Wanda's ideal version of the classic American neighborhood, based on the old TV shows that helped her deal with a tough childhood, growing up.

*****

So there you have it. Does that help the show make any more sense? Are you liking "WandaVision"? Still hating it? I have a couple ex-coworkers who are die-hard Marvel fans - like, everything-Marvel-touches-turns-to-gold-and-DC-sucks-worse-than-anything die-hard Marvel fans - and I've been surprised to hear that they're still not sold on this show. Crazy.

What have been your favorite sitcom references and Easter eggs so far? What are your theories and hot takes? And don't tell me you knew it was Agatha All Along, because I had never heard that name until literally the night before Episode 7, so if you tell me you knew that the entire time, I simply don't believe you.

Oh, also, if anyone knows where Dottie is or what she's been up to, let me know because... #WheresDottie?

Anyway, let us know what you think in the comments section below, on Twitter (here and here) or look me up on Facebook.

Until next time,

#140Characters: 20 Questions about "Umbrella Academy" Season 2

 

The sophomore season of Netflix's quirky superpowered hit, "The Umbrella Academy," launched a week and a half ago, and we've got questions - 20 of them, a little more precise! My wife Miranda and I sat down tonight and answered them all, in 140 characters or less. Although we watched the show together, we tried not to discuss our answers to these questions beforehand, to try to give the most unbiased, authentic responses possible.

Because we assume that anyone who reads this blog has either 1) already finished Season 2 or 2) doesn't care, a spoiler alert shouldn't be necessary, but we'll give you one anyway. Do not continue reading this post, unless you're prepared for some major spoilers from "The Umbrella Academy" Season 2.

1. First of all, did you like Season 2 of "The Umbrella Academy"?

Aaron: Yes, mostly. The first 7 episodes were great. The last two, particularly, got very, very confusing at some points. Too profane for parents.

Miranda: Overall, I enjoyed watching the show. Loved the music. Towards the end, there were times I was left confused or a bit lost in the story.

2. Rank the siblings, in order of how much you like them.

M: Five, Klaus, Ben, Diego, Luther, Allison, Vanya

A: This season, I'd say: Diego, Luther, Ben, Five, Allison, Klaus ........................ Vanya. Vanya sucks and messes everything up, always.

3. Which sibling(s) had the best season?

A: Great season for Diego, who was previously one of my least favorites in S1. I also generally enjoy Luther, but he got a bit goofy in E8-10.

M: Diego showed the most improvement. He had the strongest storyline throughout the season, and Klaus thought he looked like Antonio Banderas.

4. Which sibling’s power was the most worthless in Season 2?

M: It's a toss up between Luther and Klaus. Neither of them really used their powers, other than Luther rigging fights and Klaus talking to Ben.

A: Klaus. He's crazy, and the cult stuff was good for some laughs, but what did he actually do, other than allow Ben to possess him? Nothing!

5. Do you prefer the show being set in the present or the past?

M: I think I preferred the show being set in the past versus the present. It was fun to see how the siblings fit themselves into the past.

A: Gimme that time travel. Saving JFK is so cliche, though, and trying to prevent his assassination never solved ANYTHING in any TV show, ever.

6. Which sibling was best suited to stay in the ‘60s?

A: Allison was actually doing really well until she "rumored" the coffee all over that diner owner's hands. She and Ray were good together.

M: I think the sibling best suited to stay in the past would have to be Allison. Allison seemed, to me, to make the most of her time there.

7. In your opinion, did the time travel work? Why or why not?

A: No. Too many plot holes in the last 3 episodes. Plus, saving Dave or taking Ray or Sissy back to 2019 would have created even more problems.

M: It mostly worked. I was somewhat confused as to why they were originally separated at the beginning of the show. Was that ever explained?

8. If you had to pick the funniest moment of the season, which would it be?

A: The moment that had me dying was when Diego & Luther called poor Olga Foroga and threatened to kill her before nightfall. Great stuff.

M: A funny moment of the season is when Luther first arrives and is yelling for Allison and the homeless man starts yelling for Allison, too.

9. What was the best soundtrack choice in Season 2?

A: So many great songs! But the one that really got me bumpin' was The Interrupters' cover of Billie Eilish's "Bad Guy," featured in Episode 5.

M: "Hello" is Swedish was hilarious. The two Swedes sending their brother's foot off on a boat & lighting it on fire was so funny!

10. Talk about Lila.

M: I don't understand her power. Why at the end was she able to replicate each siblings powers? Why wasn't it introduced at the start?

A: Ridiculous bangs. I tried so hard to like her, but she flip-flopped too many times - to the point that I hated her by the end of the season.

11. Talk about The Handler.

M: It was all about personal gain for her, and she didn't care about anyone except for herself. I did like her better as a brunette, though.

A: Knock-off, low-rent Lada Gaga wannabe. Couldn't stand her at all, especially when she'd use innuendo when talking to Five. Nasty old hag.

12. Talk about Reginald Hargreeves.

A: What a piece of garbage. Terrible person, even worse father. And now he's... an alien? No idea what was up with that. Very strange.

M: The man takes off his face! Was he good or bad? I was confused at the end. I thought he wanted JFK dead?  Why did he change the Academy?

13. Who is the real villain of this season?

M: The real villain, I would have to say, was The Handler.

A: The terrible wigs worn by the Swedes.

14. Who is the unsung hero of Season 2?

M: The unsung hero of S2 would be Ben. He single-handedly stopped the apocalypse by helping Vanya calm down and control her powers.

A: Herb! LOL... Also, Ben. Got me right in the feels when he died. Dang, what a heartbreaker.

15. At any point, did you think Season 2 was going a bit off the rails?

A: They wasted way too much time focusing on Harlan. His thing with Vanya never made sense to me, and it basically ended up being pointless.

M: S2 started going off the rails in the episode where Harlan and Vanya somehow became connected. I still don't understand the point of that.

16. Which parts of Season 2, if any, were the most confusing?

A: Anything involving Harlan, Five's inconsistent ability to time jump successfully and the true intentions of the Majestic 12 come to mind.

M: Last few episodes, there was just one thing after another that left me saying, huh? Harlan and Vanya, Reginald Hargreeves and Lila's powers.

17. Were there any storylines that felt totally unnecessary?

A: Carl and Sissy's abusive relationship was unnecessary to begin with, but they ABSOLUTELY didn't need to throw in the lesbian love affair.

M: The storyline between Vanya & Sissy was the most pointless for me. It didn't really progress the story, then didn't go anywhere in the end.

18. Which character would you most like to slap?

A: Five, no questions asked. That kid is a great actor, but, man, his character is such a little brat!

M: I would most like to slap Number Five. He is constantly rude to everyone and thinks he is the smartest person in the room. Plus, he is small.

19. Do you think the Sparrow Academy is going to be good or evil?

M: I think they will be good. I want to know what powers the Sparrows have, and why Reginald didn't adopt the original 7 in the new timeline.

A: Oh, they're totally evil. Nothing quite says "bad guy" like coming back from the dead and growing a mustache.

20. Name one storyline for which you demand answers in Season 3.

M: Definitely demand answers for Reginald Hargreeves. The man took off his face and became some sort of alien,  killing his whole secret group.

A: Alien Dad and Robot Mom. Also, did the last Swede finally achieve nirvana after joining Destiny's Children? The people need to know!

***

If you've finished Season 2 of "The Umbrella Academy," we'd love to know what you thought. Feel free to answer any of these questions or ask us new ones in the comments section below, on Facebook, or on Twitter (here and here).

Until next time,

Just try not to bump into yourself in an alternate timeline, ok?

The Mandalorian Recap: S1E8 - Redemption

Spoilers incoming.

The return of IG-11! Peril at the hands of the treacherous Moff Gideon! Flashbacks! Force usage! Helmet removal! And a Darksaber! The Season 1 finale of "The Mandalorian" had no shortage of excitement, and we're here to break it all down!

But first, let's talk about that opening scene with the two scout troopers that kidnapped Baby Yoda at the end of Episode 7. That blaster accuracy gag was HILARIOUS - had me laughing out loud for minutes. On the other hand, apparently a lot of people are mad that the troopers punched The Child multiple times. Of course, I'm not condoning child abuse, but here's why I'm ok with that scene:

It was a WWE-style indication that these are the bad guys. I once wrote a paper in college about how pro wrestlers are effective communicators. I was kind of joking, but the professor really liked it, so I guess I made some good points. If you're a wrestler and you want to communicate to the audience that you're a bad guy, you come out and insult their city. You poke your opponent in the eyes when the ref isn't looking. You cheat to win. If you're on "The Mandalorian" and you want to show the audience that you're a bad guy, you do bad stuff to Baby Yoda. It wasn't fun to watch, but it was a clear sign that, even though those two guys were funny, they were on the wrong side of things.

As I predicted last week (it was pretty clearly telegraphed), the newly reprogrammed IG-11 came to the rescue in its new role as a protector. In an action-packed sequence, the ex-bounty hunter snagged The Child, stole a bike and sped back into town toward the pinned-down Mandalorian. Seeing the droid back in action reminded me why I liked Episode 1 so much; it's got a unique fighting style with its 360 degrees of visibility and fully rotational arms. Plus, this time it did all of its fighting with a baby wrapped to its chest.

In the meantime, Moff Gideon threatened to light up The Client's old hideout with an E-Web cannon if The Mandalorian, Cara Dune and Greef Karga refused to surrender. Eventually, they were joined by IG-11 and the baby, and the heroes searched for a way out of the building.

During this scene, we learned quite a few things, thanks to some provocation from Gideon, who spouted off personal details about each of the main characters - the most interesting of which was the actual name of The Mandalorian: Din Djarin. Gideon's trash talk triggered the longest, clearest flashback we've seen about Mando's childhood. We learned that, after being hidden by his parents during the siege of his home town, Young Din was saved by a clan of jetpack-clad Mandalorians. They would take him in and raise him as a foundling until he was of age and could join the creed as an adult. It is also of note that Moff Gideon was an Imperial officer during the purge.

Back in the present, we learn that the Moff is a much better shot than his troops. When The Mandalorian takes control of the E-Web cannon, Gideon takes matters into his own hands by shooting an explosive that seriously injures the bounty hunter. IG-11 drags Mando to safety, but things aren't looking good for our heroes, especially with the arrival of an incredibly slick-looking flame trooper. The fighter ignites the mother of all flamethrowers, pushing the group even further into the hideout. However, Baby Yoda comes to the rescue and uses the Force to hold back the fire while IG-11 finally cuts through a sewer grate that will allow Cara, Greef and the gang to escape.

The Mandalorian's wounds are too grave to continue. He begs the others to flee without him, but IG-11 indicates that its new role as a protector can help heal his wounded ally. Such assistance would come at a cost, though. It would require Mando to remove his helmet - something that he has never done in front of another living being. The droid points out that it is not alive, and it proceeds to remove the helmet. For the first time, we see The Mandalorian's face. IG-11 sprays the injuries and explains that the healing process will take a little bit of time to work.

I thought this scene was important. Throughout the season, we've learned that Mando takes two things really seriously: 1) his refusal to remove his helmet and 2) his distrust of droids - particularly IG-11. To see him finally agree to let IG-11 take off the helmet was a big step for his character development. We have seen that he has a heart and cares for others, and now he is becoming more trusting of those who seek to help him. Good stuff.

The gradually recovering Mandalorian and IG-11 return to Cara and Greef in the sewer and begin to make their way to the home of the local Mandalorian clan that we've seen in previous episodes. Upon arrival, we learn that all of the other Mandalorians renounced the creed and revealed themselves in order to flee from Moff Gideon's troops. The only one who stuck around is the female armorer, who does a couple interesting things:

• She awards The Mandalorian a new signet, in the image of the mudhorn monster from Episode 2.
• She explains that she has seen Force-using Jedi before that harnessed the same power displayed by The Child.
• She gives The Mandalorian a new quest - to return Baby Yoda to the rest of his species.
• She provides Mando with a jetpack.

IG-11 takes the jetpack and the group scurries along. The armorer stays behind and later successfully defends herself against five stormtroopers. She lives to fight another day, and we certainly haven't seen the last of her.

The crew hops on a lava ferry - their last stop before potential freedom - but they soon discover that they are outnumbered by stormtroopers. IG-11 formulates that the odds of survival are non-existent. There is no way they can fight their way out of this situation. In its new role as a protector, the droid offers to save his friends by initiating its self-destruct protocol. Reluctantly, they agree that there is no other option. IG-11 explodes, taking out the last line of defense, and Mando, Cara, Greef and The Child are finally free.

That is, until Moff Gideon's Tie Fighter soars into view. Mando, now possessing enough strength to don his new jetpack, suits up and grapples onto the Moff's ship. After a brief struggle, he plants explosives and blows the ship out of the sky.

Despite some brief urging from Greef, Mando decides to leave the planet of Nevarro, determined to finish his quest of reuniting Baby Yoda with the rest of its kind. Greef and Cara decide to stay, now that the planet is free from the threat of ex-Imperial rule. Mando takes The Child and boards the Razor Crest. The bounty hunter lets the baby suck on his Mandalorian necklace and they zoom off into the galaxy.

Before the credits roll, we see that Moff Gideon, unsurprisingly, is still alive... and he cuts his way out of his trashed Tie Fighter with a black lightsaber, better known in Star Wars lore as a Darksaber.

Instant Analysis:

Man, what a great show. This was a great episode that ended a great season. Season 2 of "The Mandalorian" has been confirmed for Fall 2020, but that's like eight months away and I'm going to miss this show!

As I mentioned, I think we have seen Mando grow quite a bit in this season, going from the stoic bounty hunter who was just out to make a buck to the galaxy's best babysitter. I thought that there were some other really great characters in the show, as well, particularly Kuiil, IG-11 and, of course, Baby Yoda, but I also liked Cara Dune, and Greef Karga was pretty good in the last few episodes, as well. Moff Gideon seems legit and I am really glad that he survived the season. I can't wait to see what Season 2 has in store for him.

Is it possible that The Mandalorian and Baby Yoda are two of my favorite Star Wars characters in the entire franchise? I just think the two of them are so great and I can't wait for Season 2.

Overall, Season 1 had some really great episodes. Episode 5 wasn't bad, but it wasn't my favorite. However, I thought that all of the other episodes were amazing. Although I was growing a little tired of Star Wars movies a couple weeks ago before seeing "Rise of Skywalker," I think I can really get behind this new style of weekly, episodic storytelling.

Quotes:

• "Did he just say that Gideon killed his own men?" - The scout troopers, shocked by their boss' ruthlessness
• "That was unpleasant. I'm sorry you had to see that." - IG-11, to Baby Yoda after saving The Child
• "Kuiil has been terminated." - IG-11 confirms our fears
• "Burn them out." - Moff Gideon, not messing around
• "If you go near this child, I will have no choice but to kill you." - IG-11 to Greef Karga
• "Let me have a warrior's death." - The Mandalorian, begging his friends to leave him behind
• "I need to remove your helmet if I am to save you." "Try it and I'll kill you." - IG-11 and The Mandalorian, becoming friends
• "I am not a living thing." - IG-11, the hero we deserve
• "Until it is of age or reunited with its own kind, you are as its father. This is the way." - The armorer gives Mando a new quest
• "Let's make the baby do the magic hand thing. Come on, baby! Do the magic hand thing!" - Greef Karga, hilariously urging The Child to defeat Moff Gideon's Tie Fighter

Questions:

• Why didn't The Mandalorian's parents try to hide with him during the purge?
• How did Moff Gideon obtain the Darksaber?
• How significant were the enhancements Kuiil made to Baby Yoda's cradle? Will that even come back into play, or was that simply just Mando wanting The Child to sleep better? Did I read too much into that?
• What's next for Greef Karga and Cara Dune?
• Is there really some secret tribe of Yodas out there somewhere? Where are they? What are they doing? How many are there?

Qualms:

• Dang, I will miss Kuiil. I was really hoping he was somehow still alive. He has spoken.
• Fall 2020? Seriously??

***

So there you have it! That's a wrap for Season 1! My final word on the matter is that I freaking love this show. I hoped it would be good, it was the thing I most looked forward to with the launch of Disney+ and it exceeded my lofty expectations. What did you think? Let's talk about it! Leave a comment below, follow me on Twitter (@atownmania and @sottunderground) or hit me up on Facebook, friends.

Until next season,

I have spoken.

The Mandalorian Recap: S1E7 - The Reckoning

We're now seven episodes deep in the inaugural season of Disney+'s "The Mandalorian." It was an early episode last week, and the blog is a couple days late because "Rise of Skywalker" hit theaters on Thursday night. Nevertheless, we're finally here once again to break down everything happening in that galaxy far, far away. Make sure you're caught up through Episode 7 before proceeding. Full spoilers await.

What an episode! My only real complaint about "The Mandalorian" these past couple weeks is that it seemed like a few of the episodes were stand-alone installments that didn't really connect to the main storyline. However, Episode 7, the final show before the season finale, tied many of those one-off outings together to form a much bigger, much more dangerous plot.

Ultimately, we were introduced to Moff Gideon (played by Giancarlo Esposito), a ruthless Imperial overlord who is taking no prisoners in the quest to obtain The Child. It was an explosive confrontation filled with casualties - and the kidnapping of Baby Yoda! - leaving us with the biggest cliffhanger yet. The upcoming finale is going to be wild.

Let's break it down and discuss everything else that happened along the way.

Kuiil reprograms IG-11

We learned that The Mandalorian's old pal, Kuiil, recovered and reprogrammed the IG-model bounty hunter from Episode 1. Now, instead of being programmed to track down and kill The Child, the robot now lives to serve and protect.

Much ado was made of Kuiil's handiwork. He also makes Baby Yoda a modified cradle to help The Child sleep better... allegedly.

A new, startling side to Baby Yoda

In this episode, The Child sneaks away tries to fly the ship. He's gonna need a little more practice before he gets approved for his learner's permit.

We're slowly starting to see more frequent Force-usage from the little guy. We see, in Episode 7, that The Child is very protective of his guardian; he Force-chokes Cara Dune after misunderstanding the harmless nature of a friendly bout of arm wrestling.

In a scene unlike any other moment in on-screen Star Wars history, Baby Yoda uses the Force to heal Greef Karga after he is attacked by flying monsters. One rumor has it that this episode of "The Mandalorian" was released on a Wednesday, as opposed to the typical Friday-release schedule, to introduce this power before "Rise of Skywalker" hit theaters late Thursday night. Force-healing plays a large role in the new movie, so introducing that concept a couple days in advance was not a terrible idea.

It didn't stick out to me the first time I watched the episode, but upon my second viewing, Kuiil points out that Baby Yoda does not appear to be manufactured or genetically synthesized, but rather an evolved version of the "Yoda" species. I have heard some people wonder if The Child was a clone of Yoda from the movies, but this point would effectively prove that theory to be false. This, it seems, is no test-tube baby.

Greef Karga's assassination quest

The main story of Episode 7 centers around Greef Karga's plot to eliminate The Client, who initially put out the bounty for The Child in Episode 1. Greef hires Mando to assassinate The Client, whose support among Imperial sympathizers continues to grow. Unbeknownst to The Mandalorian, the real plan is to kill the bounty hunter, steal the baby and obtain the reward for the bounty.

After being healed by Baby Yoda, however Greef has a change of heard and takes out his crew to save Mando's life. Greef, The Mandalorian, Cara Dune and Kuiil put their heads together to come up with a new plan. It involves sending an empty cradle to The Client as a decoy, then having Mando kill the old man when the time is right. Kuiil will take Baby Yoda back to the Razor Crest to protect it in the meantime, while Cara will accompany the other two on their trek back into town.

Unfortunately, things don't quite pan out as planned...

The arrival of Moff Gideon

As The Mandalorian frees himself from his fake imprisonment, The Client receives a holographic communication from a character we have never seen before. The man tells The Client to double-check on The Child, who he had been informed was sleeping. But a moment later, a troop of elite stormtroopers open fire on the building, presumably killing most of the guards inside (and potentially The Client, as well, though this is not confirmed).

Outside, we see several squadrons of stormtroopers and a nifty-looking TIE Fighter ship. Out steps the man who we learn to be called Moff Gideon. He's after The Child, too, and he announces that the baby means more to him than The Mandalorian can possibly imagine.

Meanwhile, Mando attempts to get a hold of Kuiil to verify if they made it back to the ship safely. Unfortunately, we see that Kuiil and The Child did not make it back in time. Baby Yoda is shown on the ground, soon thereafter scooped up by a duo of Imperial troopers, and the camera pans up to show that Kuiil is lying lifelessly on the desert floor.

Instant Analysis: The best episode yet

This was an incredible episode. For the first time in several weeks, it really felt like something was at stake here. Certainly, we'll learn more about Moff Gideon. Hopefully he'll last more than a full episode, unlike some other antagonists we've seen in prior episodes. My favorite thing about Episode 7 was that it brought back some elements from earlier in the season that I thought we wouldn't hear about again. IG-11 returned, Cara Dune is back in the mix, Kuill was making things happen. It was great. The shootout at The Client's hideout was unexpected - more violent than anything they've shown so far - and Moff Gideon seems like a genuinely frightening villain. They've set the season finale up to be spectacular, so let's hope Jon Favreau and company can keep the momentum rolling.

Questions:

• Did Kuiil make any other modifications to the cradle that we were not made aware of?
• Is Kuiil really dead?
• How will IG-11's new protective capabilities come into play?
• Is The Client really dead?
• Who is Moff Gideon and what does he want with The Child?
• Are we on a collision course for a terrible accident involving Baby Yoda? Is he accidentally going to kill somebody with his untamed Force abilities?

Quotes:

• "Is it still a hunter?" "No, but it will protect." - The Mandalorian and Kuiil discuss the new and improved IG-11
• "He's trying to eat me!" - Greef Karga, wary of an approaching Baby Yoda

Qualms:

• They can't do this to us. Baby Yoda must live forever!

***

That's it for this week. How are we feeling at this point? What are your thoughts? What will happen in the season finale? Let me know in the comments below, follow me on Twitter (@atownmania and @sottunderground) or find me on Facebook.

Until next time,

I have spoken.

The Mandalorian Recap: S1E6 - The Prisoner

Another week has come, and along with it came another episode of the hit Disney+ show "The Mandalorian." We're hot on the heels of an episode that was easily my least favorite of the season so far, but the sixth installment of the show was AWESOME. Let's talk about it.

I've come to accept that the general formula for "The Mandalorian" is this: Stuff happens. The Mandalorian deals with it. More stuff happens. He deals with it again. These things are not always necessarily interconnected, and I suppose they don't really have to be. But if you're looking for a running storyline, that's not exactly how this show has been laid out. It's almost as if the series is set up as an anthology, though we do get two recurring characters in each episode.

In this week's escapades, The Mandalorian is recruited (mostly for the size of his ship, the Razor Crest) to help break somebody out of prison. Somewhat reluctantly, Mando agrees. He squads up with a ragtag group of misfit mercenaries, comprised of a loudmouth named Mayfeld, a robot called Zero, a Twi'lek named Xi'an, and the literal spawn of Satan - a horned brute named Burg. They're not a friendly bunch, but The Mandalorian wants to get paid.

Fun fact: I just discovered that Burg, who I hated in the episode, was played by Clancy Brown, who I love.

Once they reach the galactic penitentiary, they hurry to break out their target without being spotted by security droids. There were a couple fun sequences showing us how the team made their way throughout the ship - and struggled to co-exist - that felt like it could have been a movie-quality jailbreak film. I was digging it. Some kind of "Suicide Squad in Space" or something. Ultimately, they reached a control room with one poor, unfortunate human being inside of it. You see, there weren't supposed to be any humans on this ship, so this was a surprise to our friend Mando. The team disagreed on what to do with the ol' chum, and he ended up biting the big one, but not before setting off an alarm that would alert New Republic fighters of the problem.

Quickly, the team needed to reach their mark. They finally bust the guy out of his cell; he's a Twi'lek named Qin, and he's not friendly, either. At this point, Mayfeld and his pals decide to turn on The Mandalorian. They lock him in a cell and make their way for the Razor Crest.

In the meantime, the robot pilot, Zero, goes Baby Yoda hunting back on the ship, and that, quite frankly, was not something I wanted to see. You leave that little guy alone!

It's not long before Mando breaks out of his cell and starts tracking down his deserters. There were some really great sequences here, including the strobe-light stalking scene, where TM incrementally gained ground on an unsuspecting would-be assailant. That was just great. The scene where he slams a pair of mechanical doors on Burg was terrific, too. The second set of doors got an audible reaction out of me. Loved it.

One by one, The Mandalorian takes down the team, culminating in his saving of Baby Yoda, eliminating Zero just before The Child was able to use, presumably, The Force to protect himself. I have a feeling we're going to get some awesome Force usage in the final two episodes of this season. Can't wait.

Mando returns to his bounty giver, Ranzar Malk, with prisoner in tow, explaining that the rest of the crew "got what they deserved." Upon his departure, "Ran" orders his cronies to shoot the Razor Crest out of the sky. However, Qin realizes that something on him is beeping - it's the alarm trigger from the prison. The Razor Crest zips into hyperspace just as a squadron of X-Wings arrives to blast Ran's ship. Good stuff.

Elsewhere, we see that The Mandalorian didn't kill Mayfeld's crew; he simply locked them up.

Instant Analysis: The Space Heist

I'm all for a good heist flick, and this played out to be just that, with twists and turns all along the way. This instantly became a Top-Three episode for me, out of the six episodes thus far into Season 1. Episode 1 was a pleasant Surprise. Episode 3 was incredible. This, Episode 6, was a blast, despite not feeling terribly consequential, as far as the long-term story is concerned. But it certainly was some quality entertainment, and definitely an episode I'd have no problem re-watching.

Here, again, we see that The Mandalorian really is a good guy, despite a perhaps troubling past. In the end, he's not really out to kill anybody if he doesn't have to. He's just out to score some nice bounties, and he's taking pretty decent care of a very special kid all the while. I've said this before and I'll repeat it here: The Mandalorian has quickly become one of my favorite Star Wars characters.

Questions:

• Can we be certain that this is the last we'll see of Mayfeld's crew?

Qualms:

• THEY DROPPED BABY YODA ON THE FLOOR!!!

Quotes

• "Is that why yousa don't wanna show your face?" - Mayfeld, insinuating that The Mandalorian doesn't want to take off his helmet because he is Gungan
• "I told you that was a bad idea." - The Mandalorian to Baby Yoda, after handing The Child the metal knob from the cockpit

***

That's it for this week. Did you guys love this episode like I did? Have any predictions for the remainder of the season? Let me know in the comments below, follow me on Twitter (@atownmania and @sottunderground) or find me on Facebook.

Quick note: I was just informed that this week's episode of "The Mandalorian" will go live on Disney+ on WEDNESDAY, not Friday, and there will be a sneak peak of "Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker" after the credits.

Happy Star Wars week to you all.

Until next time,

I have spoken.

The Mandalorian Recap: S1E5 - The Gunslinger

It's time once again for another recap of "The Mandalorian" on Disney+. We'll be talking about Episode 5 this time around, so if you haven't watched it yet, I'm not sure you'll understand anything I'm about to type. Spoilers incoming.

Let's cut right to the chase this time. In this episode, The Mandalorian finds a rookie bounty hunter, tracks down a veteran bounty hunter, and Baby Yoda gets a new babysitter. Two of those characters (allegedly) get killed off by the end of the episode, and it's all a little strange, to be honest.

Let's start with the stuff I liked about this episode:

• The opening dogfight was cool. Mando is such a baller.
• Baby Yoda making noises (cooing, giggling, etc.) is just great. He's still adorable, but I'm sure you already knew that.
• Mos Eisley! And it's a bit different than it was back in the original trilogy; it went from being run by stormtroopers in the movies to being adorned with Empirical helmets on pikes, so that's... a little dark.
• Seeing The Mandalorian make a deal with the Tusken Raiders was unexpected.
• Lots of Easter eggs!

Easter eggs

Speaking of Easter eggs, let's break down some of the ones I caught:

• Pit droids
• The old insult "womp rat"
• Mentions of Tatooine and the Hutts
• Mos Eisley cantina
• Toro Calican sits with his legs propped up in a booth that appears to be the one where Han shot Greedo in Episode IV
• Speeder bikes that look like the same model as ones used in Return of the Jedi
• Tusken Raiders

If you caught any other references to the movies, I'd love to hear them.

Let's break down the new characters introduced in this episode.

• Peli Motto, the mechanic: She seemed like a stereotypical redneck car junkie that you'd see in something like "My Name is Earl." My wife insists that she looks like Richard Simmons. She has a good heart, but she's rather obnoxious and not my favorite character. She takes it upon herself to babysit The Child and gives Mando a hard time for not watching over him properly. Who knows if we've seen the last of her?
• Toro Calican, the rookie bounty hunter: Brash, cocky, not the sharpest tool in the shed. Basically par for the course when it comes to expectations for an up-and-comer. Too bad he didn't last long... but we'll get to that later.
• Fennec Shand: A high-value target played by Ming-Na Wen (known for her work on "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." and as the voice of Mulan). She is only seen on-screen for a couple minutes, which was quite surprising. She tries to convince Toro to turn on The Mandalorian because she (correctly) assumes that Mando is the guy who got The Child.

Instant Analysis: We hardly knew ye...

Two of the new characters introduced in this episode got whacked before we really even got a chance to know them. Why?

If nothing else, it reinforces the style of short-form storytelling that Disney+ is going for with these new, original series. It shows that nobody is safe, in a kind of Wild West sort of way. It's a lawless time and people have got itchy trigger fingers.

I was a bit surprised to see Fennec Shand die so soon. When I had heard that Ming-Na Wen was going to be in this show, I assumed it would be long-term and I thought she'd be an ally of The Mandalorian. I supposed I guessed wrong. Kind of strange. Toro just... shot her. And then she was gone. Supposedly. I don't think she's actually dead, though.

Toro Calican didn't make much of an impression on me, either. He was just kind of there and then he was just kind of gone. The episode was so short that I didn't have time to develop any strong feelings for him, so when that little punk got offed by Mando, I mean, I guess he got what he deserved.

The moral of the story here is that there are still some good people out there, but The Mandalorian has got to be careful about who he trusts. But overall, it just didn't feel like that important of an episode. I've seen it compared to a "side quest" from a video game, which isn't unnecessarily harsh - something optional, which is all fine and good if you've got nothing else going on, but not something you have to do to complete the main story.

If I had to rank it, this was my least favorite of the first five episodes. It wasn't bad. I just didn't like it as much as the previous four.

Questions: The mystery character

At the end of the episode, a (presumably) new character walked up to the dead body of Fennec Shand and took a knee next to her. We only saw the character from the waist down, so it's still unknown who the character could be. The obvious thought is that it could be Carl Weathers' Greef Karga, but there's no real concrete evidence to support this claim. Not yet, anyway.

Quotes

• "I can bring you in warm, or I can bring you in cold." "That's my line." - A great one-liner from The Mandalorian after his opponent in the opening dogfight stole his catch phrase
• "You have an awful lot to learn about raising a young one." - Peli Motto, disapproving babysitter
• "You done?" - The Mandalorian, to Toro Calican as the youngster posed with a blaster while attempting to wake Mando up

Qualms

I watched the episode on Friday night with my wife, then again on Saturday with my parents. It seemed a little dark, lighting wise, when I watched it the first time, but I didn't notice it the second time around. I guess that's what happens when so much of an episode takes place at night. Made it a little hard to see things a couple times. Not a big deal - simply a minor, temporary annoyance.

***

That's it for this week. Anybody else out there watching this show? I know people are watching it. I'd love to chat with you about it. Feel free to comment below, follow me on Twitter (@atownmania and @sottunderground) or find me on Facebook.

Until next time,

I have spoken.

The Mandalorian Recap: S1E4 - Sanctuary

Things got busy over Thanksgiving weekend, which means a couple things: 1) the fourth "Mandalorian" blog is a week late, and 2) it has been a seven days since I watched the episode, so I'm not going to sit here and recap every single thing that happened. I'll touch on most of the scenes, but because it's so far removed, this shouldn't be a play-by-play synopsis. That's a good thing, though, because I shouldn't need to tell you everything that has been going on. Hopefully, you've also been watching the show right along with me.

Of course, this blog will still feature full, detailed spoilers for Episode 4 of "The Mandalorian," so proceed at your own risk.

The episode started by showing a vicious raid on a village by a Klatooinian tribe. Most of the villagers are killed but two people survive - Omera and her daughter Winta, who do their best "Baby Moses" and hide under a wicker basket in some shallow water.

We flash forward to some time in the future. The Mandalorian and Baby Yoda have traveled to this same planet, which we learn is called Sorgan, in search of respite from the constant evasion of other bounty hunters. It's not long, though, before Mando discovers that he has been tracked down by an ex-Shocktrooper named Cara Dune. After a brief scuffle, he tells The Child that this planet has been taken and they'll have to move on.

Some locals stop TM from boarding his ship and ask him to run off some of the raiders that have been pestering the village as of late. Reluctantly, Mando agrees and convinces Cara to help him out.

It's at this point that The Mandalorian meets Omera and Winta. Winta and the other kids in town help babysit Baby Yoda. (Is this not every Disney+ subscriber's dream chore?)

Also, it is of note that this episode did confirm the gender of Baby Yoda - it's a "he," so I won't have to continue using gender-neutral pronouns anymore, which is quite a relief.

As the kids play with The Child, Omera chats with Mando about his helmet. This, of course, has been a topic of conversation in basically all of my previous blogs. Every episode so far, I think, has gone out of its way to point out that The Mandalorian can't take off his helmet. In "Sanctuary," a little light is shed upon this topic. Here's what we learned:

• The Mandalorian took off his helmet "Yesterday." Whether literally or metaphorically was not specified.
• He goes on to say that he hasn't taken off the helmet in front of anyone since he was a child. (How long has he been wearing that thing??)
• On a somewhat related note, we also learned that Mandalorians took him in and raised him after his parents were killed.
• If he takes his helmet off in front of another person, he can never put it back on again.

Once Omera leaves and The Mandalorian is left alone, we see him - from behind, and from the shoulders down - remove his helmet so that he can eat some dinner. Perhaps, he thinks, this would be a great place to leave The Child. It was happy there, the people were glad to have it, and space travel is no kind of life for a little kid, anyway.

Later, Mando and Cara urge the villagers to relocate. There has been an Imperial AT-ST stalking through the woods around the town, but nobody wants to leave. They beg the bounty hunters to teach them how to defend themselves. This led to a fun training montage, where we learn that these people are infantile in their protective prowess. Stormtroopers would be impressed by their accuracy. That's how bad it is. Omera is the only one who knows how to shoot, and she's a crack-shot, essentially. Very impressive.

TM and Cara Dune do some reconnaissance, ultimately infiltrating the Klatooinian camp to plant explosives, but they're caught in the act and a scuffle ensues. Cara shows decent form for a belly-to-back suplex fit for a WWE ring. The explosives go off as planned, albeit a bit prematurely, and the AT-ST is alerted to their presence.

This ain't your mama's AT-ST, either. It looked completely menacing, with glowing red eyes and a body that looked as though one of the machines from the old Empire started doing P90X or something. The walker is drawn back to the Sorgan village, but stops just short of the trap set by the locals. Of course. The raiders rush the camp and a big battle unfolds before our eyes.

Having the AT-ST stop shy of the trap was a great way to build tension for viewers. Cara takes it upon herself to draw the walker a couple steps closer. It eventually stumbles on top of the crumbling earth beneath it, falling into the lake. The Mandalorian plants a charge on the vehicle and blew it sky high, causing the raiders to retreat.

In the wake of the war, the Sorgans attempt to return to their normal lives. Mando and Omera discuss whether it would be ok to leave Baby Yoda in the village. Meanwhile, our worst nightmare is about to come true - there's a fob-toting bounty hunter perched in the woods, and he's got the crosshairs of his rifle aimed right at The Child's perfect little head.

Those few seconds felt like an eternity as I pondered why would happen to our society, in general, if they went ahead and blew Baby Yoda's brains out:

• The Internet would probably ignite into flames stoked by the passionate grievances of a million Twitter trolls.
• The Rotten Tomatoes rating for the episode would bottom out. Kleenex stock would boom.
• Cars would be overturned. Grocery stores would be raided.
• Certainly, a Change.org petition would be created to ret-con the entire episode.

Palms sweaty, I leaned forward on the couch in anticipation of what would happen next. A gunshot. Birds suddenly, ominously flying from the trees.

Thankfully, to our great surprise and delight, we learned that Cara Dune had sneaked up behind the nearly infamous bounty hunter in the woods. The shot was hers, it turned out, and she had taken out the would-be assassin before he had a chance to steal our precious Child away from us.

The episode ends as The Mandalorian realizes that this planet is not safe for him, nor Baby Yoda. They've got to keep moving.

Instant Analysis

Episode 4 game us the viral moment of the series so far: Baby Yoda sipping soup.

Also, the whole sequence with TM and BY in the cockpit of the ship was adorable, but this moment happened, and somebody added music to it:

Africa by Baby Yoda pic.twitter.com/NNWrnl0bQE

— égua™ (@a_demare) December 2, 2019

Quotes

• "Stop touching things." - The Mandalorian, to a button-pressing Baby Yoda.
• "Knock knock." "Come in." - Omera and The Mandalorian, missing the perfect opportunity for a joke.

Qualms

To be honest, I think I blinked for one second and must have missed the explanation of how The Mandalorian and Cara Dune already knew each other. Maybe they just ran in the same bounty hunting circles or something. I don't know. Kind of confusing.

The controversial pronunciation of the Empire's battle tanks is something that bothers me. Many people swear that the correct way to say the name of the four-legged walker is "At-At" (as opposed to "A.T.-A.T."). But, then, how would they say "AT-ST"? "At-St"? It's got to be "A.T.-S.T.," right??

Another note. A hot take, if you will. Don't get me wrong - I LOVE Baby Yoda... but is he becoming too popular for his own good? I just hope he doesn't become one of those things that people talk about so much that I start to dislike it. Don't ruin Baby Yoda, people. For now, at least, I would still protect The Child with my life. He is the best thing to happen to Star Wars in many moons, and that is practically indisputable.

***

Since this post is a week late, I'm gonna call that a wrap for Episode 4. If you feel so inclined, feel free to comment below, follow me on Twitter (@atownmania and @sottunderground), or find me on Facebook.

Until next time,

I have spoken.

The Mandalorian Recap: S1E3 - The Sin

This week, the Mandalorian returned to The Client for that big payday. But if you thought that little reunion was going to go smoothly, you had another thing coming. Let's get into Episode 3 of the Disney+ original series "The Mandalorian." As always, if you haven't seen the most recent episode yet, you shouldn't be reading this blog, so consider yourself warned. Full spoilers ahead!

First and foremost, Baby Yoda remains adorable. I know this episode was technically called "The Sin," but they might as well have called it "Baby Yoda's Day Out." The Internet's collective child was wide awake and in the height of its glory for the first 15 minutes. In the opening minutes, The Child climbed out of its pod and curiously poked around the cockpit of The Mandalorian's ship, finding a metal knob that the bounty hunter explained was "not a toy." Once they touched down, TM embarked out to turn in his highly valued target, and the lil' thing was just poking its head out of its levitating pod, checking out its surroundings - his hair blowing in the wind - entirely cute as a button. It was a joy to watch.

On a serious note, I fear that, if anything happens to the miniature Force-user, the World Wide Web will burst into flames. It's probably going to happen at some point, and it's not gonna be pretty.

The Client and his men determine that the baby is healthy. They're pretty happy about it. The Mandalorian inquires as to how many other hunters had been sent in search of this particular mark. A lot, it turns out. (We later see that literally everyone in the cantina has a tracker-fob.) But to the victor go the spoils. In exchange for the kid, TM (or "Mando," as he is frequently called in this episode), is presented with a huge stack of credits, which he promptly takes to get melted down for new armor.

We found out that there is an underground society of other Mandalorians that are just chilling outside the armor forge. They give TM a hard time, jealous of the exorbitant amount of money he just earned, and envious of the suit of armor he has been building over the course of the season. Things nearly come to blows at one point, but the female armorer breaks things up, reminding the bounty hunters of the vows they have made for their creed. TM explains that he has never taken off his helmet (since joining the guild, we must presume), and that it has never been removed from him by anyone else, either. The armorer offers to forge another signet (similar to the one he had made for him previously) as a reward for taking down the rhino-beast in Episode 2, but he declines that honor because he couldn't have slayed it without the help of another warrior (Baby Yoda). Instead, he has her craft him something called "whistling birds," which he is warned are very powerful, can take out multiple enemies simultaneously and should be used sparingly.

As she begins to pound out the armor, we see more flashes of The Mandalorian's childhood - most of which seem similar if not identical to shots we've seen before. We do appear to get a bit of additional insight this time. We get a better view of the opponents that attacked his childhood village; there were enemy warships, as well as battle droids. We get a better idea of what happened to TM's parents - it appears that they were either taken or killed just moments after they hid their son in the hatch, and almost immediately, a battle droid discovers the hidden child, which is where the flashback ended this time around.

The Mandalorian heads to the local cantina, fully clad in his brand new Beskar steel armor, and it looks glorious. Truly, this man is an intergalactic baller. He meets up with his old friend Greef Karga (Carl Weathers). Greef explains that all of the other bounty hunters hate "Mando" now because finding Baby Yoda raked in the largest treasure any of them had ever seen. But they both got paid (he flashes some silver bars, which he has been keeping inside his tunic), so he's happy with how things turned out. Despite Greef's constant insistence that The Mandalorian take some time off to enjoy his newfound wealth, TM demands to be given his next mission.

Before he departs, Mando expresses some skepticism about the ex-Empire goons who took Baby Yoda, then asks Greef what The Client intends to do with the infant. At the beginning of the episode, Greef had mentioned, "I don't know if he wants to eat it or hang it on his wall, but he's very antsy." He clarifies that he didn't ask what the goal was, though, because having done so would have been a breach of his "code."

The Mandalorian returns to his ship and finds the knob that Baby Yoda was playing with at the beginning of the episode. We can't see the protagonist's facial expressions, but his long, drawn-out reaction indicates that he is considering going back for the child. What a softy.

Mando returns to the village in search of the infant. He finds the baby's pod, destroyed in a dumpster. (At this moment, it was as if millions of Twitter users cried out in terror, for fear that their Baby Yoda had been taken from them prematurely.) It would seem that The Mandalorian is not very pleased about this, either. He immediately heads to a rooftop and pulls out his long-rifle, which can not only see but also hear through walls, to locate The Client. TM draws some stormtroopers outside of the building, then blows a hole in their wall. Swiftly, he fights his way to the holding cell where Baby Yoda is being kept and monitored. After briefly searching for answers, he grabs the young alien and attempts to make his way out, although he is met with some resistance. He makes light work of those who dared oppose him with a flamethrower built into his armor and those amazing whistling birds!

Elsewhere, the fob trackers of all the bounty hunters light up like the Fourth of July. There's a new bounty, and he's wearing Beskar steel. The hunter has become the hunted.

Mando is eventually surrounded as he makes his way back to his ship. Of all people, Greef is leading the charge. He demands that The Mandalorian put Baby Yoda down and turn himself in peacefully. TM initiates a gunfight and hops into a droid-operated speeder. Greef shoots the droid, crashing the ship and allowing the other hunters to close in on the most wanted man in the galaxy. TM starts blasting away his enemies, popping shots and disintegrating them one shot at a time. It seems as though all is lost. TM looks Baby Yoda in the eyes and it mutters its first adorable sounds.

Suddenly, the Mandalorians from the forge fly in for the save, over the rooftops, allowing TM to escape. Greef sneaks onto Mando's ship and confronts his former friend one final time. Greef accuses The Mandalorian of breaking the code - a sin worthy of death. Mando shoots Greef in the chest, blasting him out of the ship and back to the planet below. We later see that Greef took the shot to those precious silver bars that he was holding so dear, so he's going to be just fine.

As Mando flies away, a jetpack-clad Mandalorian soars up to salute him. TM takes the metal knob and gives it to Baby Yoda. So precious. So heart-warming. Such a great episode.

Questions

There are two recurring themes that, if I'm not mistaken, have been brought up in every episode so far:

• The value of Beskar steel - and the fact that The Mandalorian is one of the very few who possess it
• The fact that The Mandalorian cannot remove his helmet

• What were they monitoring Baby Yoda for? Midi-chlorians?
• What the fight between The Mandalorian and Greef an act? Greef didn't seem too trigger-happy during that shootout, and Mando shot him right where he had seen those credits.
• Will we learn more about the Mandalorian purge that forced them all to go underground?
• Upon further contemplation (conversations with co-workers and the Ringer article I hyperlinked at the top of the blog), the odds that The Mandalorian and Baby Yoda both survive this series are very low. (Why haven't they been mentioned in any other movies or TV shows?) What is the end game here?

Quotes

• "Easy with that." - The Mandalorian, responding to the stormtroopers' rough handling of Baby Yoda's cradle.
• "Such a large bounty for such a small package." - The Client
• "Our secrecy is our survival. Our survival is our strength." - The female armorer describes the Mandalorian creed
• "This is the way." - The Mandalorian mantra
• "How do I know I can trust you?" "Because I'm your only hope." - The Mandalorian and Greef Karga
• "I gotta get one of those." - The Mandalorian wants a jetpack

Qualms

At this point, I really don't have any complaints about this episode. Each episode keeps getting better and better. I love it. The only thing I wish would have happened was that I wanted Baby Yoda to save The Mandalorian from that final fight, but I'm all right with what ended up happening, so it's cool.

Instant Analysis

I thought this was a great episode. We had some great action scenes, wth the hostile break-in to The Client's lab and the shootout at the end. The Mandalorian went full "face turn," to use a pro wrestling term. He's a good guy now and he's going to take care of Baby Yoda. It's awesome. Seeing the Mandalorians come to the aid of one of their own was awesome. I'm really digging this show.

Episode 3 of #TheMandalorian was better than like three or four actual #StarWars movies.

— Aaron Christensen (@atownmania) November 23, 2019

I loved this opening paragraph in the aforementioned Ringer article:

Here's what a very wise former co-worker had to say:

"Tombstone, 13 Assassins, the Mandalorian Ep. 3. All masterpieces of the cinematic showdown. In Episode 3, we feel the heart of The Mandalorian, plus we get more 'ice cream maker' and vibroblades."

- Estevan Ramirez

***

That's it for now! What did you think? Leave a comment below, find me on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter (@atownmania and @sottunderground). I'd love to hear your thoughts and theories.

Until next time,

I have spoken.