Category Archives: TV Series

Netflix Adventures #NeoYokio Review

Posted by Yvonne Nicolas on

“While attempting to distance himself from his demon-slaying past, Kaz Kaan, a wealthy magistocrat, is forced to question everything he knows about Neo Yokio.”

Let’s talk about Neo Yokio, the American-made Japanese series on Netflix.

I admit it; I saw the preview and I was instantly sold on this show. I knew I would love it! How could I not? Not only did it have an anime vibe to it (You guys know I love anime), and a supernatural flair in the storyline (Hello, paranormal romance writer here!), it starred a person of color (Boom, baby!).

Win—win, right? *deep sigh* Wrong. Oh so wrong.

There were some positive components in the show, but they were overshadowed by the not so engaging storyline and stilted voice-acting by the lead actor. I forced myself through the 6 pilot episodes because I got this thing about completing something I start. It wasn’t horrible, it was just difficult to finish.

I will say that I appreciate what the writers tried to accomplish with this series. Deliver something new and fresh. Granted, the story was indeed new and fresh, it was just poorly executed. And that’s just my anime-loving opinion on that.

I must say the art was nice, bubbly and fun. Some of the characters even made those goofy expressions you sometimes see in anime. Many people in the FB comic groups complained about the art style, but I think the style went well with the theme of the show.

Jaden Smith portrayed Kaz Kaan, an aristocrat demon slayer. I love Jaden, I really do, but he may have to take an “L” for this one. His voice acting was detached, lacking that special pizzazz that would make him desirable to listen to. Perhaps, that’s how it came off because the character is pretty monotone and removed from emotion, unless the situation involved his ex-girlfriend. I’m sure he’ll get better with more practice.

Jude Law, Susan Sarandon and Steve Buscemi did great as their characters! I expected nothing less from them.

But the shining light for me, and quite possibly the reason I kept watching, was Arcangelo Corelli. He was one of the comic reliefs as well as the antagonist. That being said, he was the jewel of the show, which is unfortunate for Jaden, because his character was supposed to be the star.

I also enjoyed Kaz’s friends whenever they were on screen. They were amusing.

What really bothered me about this show was the lack of representation of women of color. We simply didn’t exist in the high society created on the show, unless we were cronies to an uppity white girl or a masked performer who received no less than 5 seconds of screen time. Ah, I forgot to mention the episode when Kaz’s best friend jumped into a pool full of cursed water and was turned into a woman for the day. I guess we can count that as a WOC sighting. How disappointing. The main character is a person of color, but the writers couldn’t be bothered to give a woman of color a slot in the main cast.

Needless to say, if Neo Yokio gets a second season, I won’t be watching.

★★ out of 5 stars

My thoughts on #theWalkingDead Season 7 Premiere #TWD #AMC

Posted by Yvonne Nicolas on

YN_logo_Whitetwd-comic-con-2016-picThe premiere was hard to digest.

Two days later and I’m still recovering. I’m sure 80% of the TWD fans are still recovering as well. I feel your pain.

**WARNING: Spoilers below**

This will come out as somewhat of a rant. Bear with me, please.

The season 6 finale left us with a chilling cliffhanger—the sounds of a cranium being smashed and Lucille (Negan’s “vampire” bat) covered in blood and brain matter. I had a feeling it was Abraham. I didn’t want any of them to be killed, but I figured Negan would eliminate the one who seemed to be Rick’s right-hand man, which in all rights is Abraham. I don’t think it was a toss of a coin. Negan knew who he was going to kill before the beating began.

Observation: Did you notice Abraham gave Sasha the peace sign before Negan hit him? It was their thing, their way to say goodbye to each other, which makes his brutal death sting even more. *sigh*

My hubby warned me there would be another death, and it will most likely be Glenn, because that’s the way it happened in the graphic novel. He said this after the season 6 finale. I told him he was wrong.

Of course the writers had to go and prove him right. Ugh…

Glenn… *welp*

My heart hurts as I type this. Yes, in the graphic novel, Negan kills Glenn IN THE SAME HORRIFIC WAY IT HAPPENED ON SCREEN, but the show hasn’t been following the exact path of the GN’s storyline. They only took bits and pieces from it. I had hoped they would spare him. Especially considering the outrage fans displayed when they thought Glenn was dead last season. The writers threw us for a loop.

WHY?

I could’ve done without all the gore, the repeated smashing, his twitching fingers… God, it was hard to watch! *sob* I was shocked at first, staring at the screen with my mouth agape, then I was horrified and utterly heartbroken. When he said, “Maggie, I’ll find you.” I almost couldn’t stand it. I cried like a baby, then I went to our bar and poured myself a drink, ‘cause goddammit I needed it. *sigh*

However, the shining beacon in my opinion was Carl. Even in the eyes of death, he stared Negan down like a predator staring down a prey. He wasn’t scared, not even a little bit. When Negan told Rick to cut his arm off, I almost lost it when Carl said, “Do it.” I literally ran out the room! It was too much, too much suspense, too much death.

Why the hell do I watch this show? It’s torture to my eyes and emotions.

Damn you, TWD writers! I almost gave up on you last night. I was prepared to throw my hands in the air and say, “That is it! You will no longer rile my emotions with your gore and death. Assholes!”

But I’m going to give you another chance. Show me there was a purpose to killing our beloved Glenn and Abraham. I hope the remaining characters become stronger as a result, especially Maggie. She has lost everyone. She deserves a “bitch mode” episode. I want to see her GO HAM! And I’m sure I’m not the only one.

Abraham and Glenn, 2 characters who touched my heart. I will miss you both.

 

“Suck my nuts.” ~ Last words of Abraham Ford

“Maggie, I’ll find you.” ~ Last words of Glenn Rhee

Just in case you’ve missed the first 6 seasons of the Walking Dead, below is a recap voiced by John Cleese.

British accents make EVERYTHING sound awesome!

http://nerdist.com/john-cleese-recapping-the-walking-dead-is-simply-delightful/

So Long, Dr. Derek Shepherd. I’ll Miss You. #GreysAnatomy

Posted by Yvonne Nicolas on

***WARNING: Spoilers below***

***If you’re behind on Grey’s Anatomy, please don’t read this blog post!***

Okay, now that I’ve had the weekend to cool down, I can talk about last week’s Grey’s Anatomy episode without getting pissed the hell off. If you follow me on Twitter, you know I spouted many expletives during the show. Here’s a few tweets in case you missed my rant…

Grey1Grey2Grey3Grey4Grey5

Shonda Rhimes created a thrilling, yet disheartening episode that literally had me on the edge of my seat. And at the end, it had me in tears.

Why did it have to be Derek?!

It’s my understanding Patrick Dempsey desired to leave the show to pursue other goals in his career. I can respect that, and I’m sure Shonda could too, but it left her with a hard decision to make. I also heard she and Patrick exchanged some unpleasant words and it resulted in his character’s abrupt departure from the show. I really hope that’s just a vicious rumor made up by the internet masses. If it isn’t, maybe he felt that was his only way out of his contract. *shrug* No one truly knows but Patrick, Shonda and God, so I won’t bother mulling over it.

Nevertheless, she had to think of a creative way to axe one of Grey Anatomy’s most beloved characters. So, her muses led her to this end… hit him with a goddamn truck. *sigh* Damn, that scene was hard to watch. The following scenes were even harder to watch.

The man who’d saved countless lives throughout the existence of the show had to suffer being treated by a team of incompetent doctors at a facility that wasn’t made for ER. What the bloody hell…! It was a harsh ending and Derek didn’t deserve that. But you know what, it happens. Good people lose their lives under the care of incompetent doctors everyday… so, I guess I could see that being realistic.

Still, there had to be a better way to send Derek into the afterlife, Shonda! *You can’t see me, but I’m giving you the evil eye*

I’ve been thinking of other ways his character could’ve exited the show. Some people were saying he should’ve stayed in DC. I disagree! His wife and kids are in Seattle. Why would he just ditch them like that? For the pretty little doctor with the bright doe eyes? C’mon now! That’s a horrible exit. I would’ve hated his character’s guts for all eternity after that. It couldn’t be the same as Yang’s departure. She didn’t have anything or anyone tying her to Seattle. Sure, she had Owen and Grey, but that wasn’t enough to keep her grounded. The way she left was perfect for her character, but not for Derek.

He went out as a savior. At least that’s the way I’d like to look at it.

Many Grey’s Anatomy fans are calling it quits on the show, because they were so displeased with the route the plot took. I admit, I thought about giving up, simply because I carried a soft spot for Shepherd, but then I remembered the reason I started watching in the first place. I watched for Grey. After all, the show is titled GREY’s Anatomy, not SHEPHERD’s Anatomy. Sure, I’m emotionally invested with many of the characters on the show, but it’s Grey who encourages me to sit in front of my TV with a glass of wine every Thursday at 8p. I’m curious to see the next chapter in her life. She’s lost her best friend and now her husband. How will she piece together her shattered emotions?

I’ll be watching to see. Will you?

The Devil is in All of Us #PennyDreadful #Showtime

Posted by Yvonne Nicolas on

This is by far the coolest ad I have ever seen! It’s darkly beautiful an extremely artistic. It builds my excitement for season 2 of Penny Dreadful, which in my opinion is long overdue.

This ad embodies everything the show represents. When you bind the demon within, you may find yourself consumed by what you fear most.

“The light and darkness lives within us all. Which one dominates your soul?” ~ Yvonne Nicolas

Thanks for swinging by! 😉

#Empire (Sins of the Father) My 2 cents

Posted by Yvonne Nicolas on

EmpireI have to admit I didn’t care much for the episode of Empire this week (Sins of the Father). 😦 It hurts to confess that since this is one of my favorite shows.

I understand certain characters had to make some unexpected shifts to get plot ball rolling in a desired direction, but much of it seemed forced for shock value.

Andre’s bi-polar crisis fits perfectly in the storyline since it was introduced early in the series. Trai Byers does a great job at delivering the symptoms of bi-polar on screen. His performance last week was outstanding!

On the other hand, Vernon’s drug habit came out of left field and I wasn’t sure how to feel about it because it seemed so out of character. And Luscious admitting he’s Lola’s father… It was a good twist, no doubt, but the way it was delivered seemed off. It was a tad bit uncomfortable to watch.

Just my 2 cents. I still love the show though.

Every week I look forward to more Cookie! LOL! Can’t get enough of her. Taraji P. Henson is flawless.

Can’t wait for next week’s two-hour finale! 

 

#DorianGray on #PennyDreadful portrayed by @reevecarney

Posted by Yvonne Nicolas on

DorianGrayLast night, Penny Dreadful introduced the highly seductive Dorian Gray, portrayed by the very handsome Reeve Carney. Ladies, if you didn’t watch this episode, you missed out.

I’m sure most of know the story of Dorian Gray. He was granted immortality by a dark force, and any sickness or injury he suffered was passed along to a painting of his image, which gives him the appearance of youth and beauty forever. Dorian Gray lived a hedonistic lifestyle and he did it oh so well.

As a side note, Dorian Gray has always been one of my favorite characters. I favored many of his traits in the creation of my beautiful, yet deadly demon vampire, Demetri Bithanos from the Dragon Queen Series.

Now back to Dorian…

Mr. Gray oozes raw sexuality. He approaches his prey like a wolf on the hunt. When he appeared on screen, he just simply took my breath away. I know for a fact I wasn’t the only one. His swagger… Ooo chile, the way he sauntered across the room was the display of a man on a mission. Being that he was surrounded by paintings, I knew exactly who he was before he even opened his mouth.

Fans self… *swoon*

Within the storyline, he’d acquired Brona Croft portrayed by Billie Piper to pose for some photographs. Brona has a sickness that is slowly but surely taking her life. Well, during the photo-shoot, she coughed up blood. Ew, right? Mr. Gray, who was directing the shoot, saw the blood and was immediately turned on. Brona, on the other hand, was quite mortified. At that moment, she didn’t realize she’d just awakened a sexual beast.

Disregarding her sickness, he took her in his arms and commenced to seduce her into mindlessness. He had his way with her right there on the spot, in front of the camera man, who continued to shoot photos with a smile on his face. Even when Brona coughed blood in his face… yeah, COUGHED BLOOD IN HIS FACE, he didn’t slow his stride. The blood only aroused him more. After that, he really turned her out.

“Do you feel it more deeply I wonder, the pain?”

“Do you?”

It was an enticing scene. Yes, it was a bit disturbing and gross, but at the same time, it was sexy as all hell.

DorianGray1Now, when Mr. Gray approached Vanessa Ives, I just knew she would be able to resist his allure, but I was so wrong. She felt his eyes on her and time briefly stopped.

“Your hands want to touch, but your head wants to appraise. Your heart is torn between the two. You were skeptical because you thought this was going to be a wasted evening… but now you’re not so sure.”

The thing about Dorian is when he wants you, he does not hesitate to invade your personal space. He is all in your face! When you take a step back, he steps forward. No matter how hard you try to fight it, in the end you’ll succumb to his desires and he will get the panties.DorianGray2

Hell, upon their first meeting, Vanessa was on the verge of giving up her goodies, during a very public gala. Seriously, he was about get it in front of everyone! Had the host not interrupted them, it would’ve been on and popping. Whew! I’m giddy just by thinking about it.

Well done, Mr. Reeve Carney. Your portrayal of Dorian Gray leaves me anxious and eager for more. I’m going to keep an eye out for you. 😉

 

 

#SleepyHollow, New Favorite Series for Paranormal Fans

Posted by Yvonne Nicolas on

Is it a new favorite series for paranormal fans? Or am I speaking too soon?

I rarely watch a show when it airs. My friends call me the DVR queen, and for good reason. I DVR almost everything, or I watch it on On Demand. *grin* I can’t help it. The majority of shows I want to see come on when I’m busy writing, and breaking my writing schedule to watch a show will only upset my muse.

Okay, so even though I DVRed Sleepy Hollow, I was so anxious to see it, I actually watched it when it aired. *snicker* Truth is, I was having brain farts with my story, so I decided to watch some TV. No regrets on that. This show did not disappoint. While watching it, I found myself waiting for something in the storyline to curve my interest, or some poor acting to make groan. None of that happen. I literally enjoyed it from the moment it started to the moment it ended.

AND I WANT MORE!!!

I’m hoping and praying this is not one of those shows that start off great, then dwindle away into utter confusion and nonsense, like The Following. Yeah, I tried to be a “Follower”, but it didn’t work out. *smh* Such a disappointment. That aside, I still love me some James Purefoy. 😉

Okay, back to Sleepy Hollow…

If you’re a true Horror/Paranormal fan, then you remember the gothic movie Sleepy Hollow released in 1999, starring the handsome, yet weird Johnny Depp and the absolutely adorable Christina Ricci. This was before she starred in Black Snake Moan, which totally ruined my image of her. *shudders*

Depp and Ricci made a great team as the characters Ichabod Crane and Katrina VanTassel, and their romantic interest sparked a flare that made this dark twisted tale even better.

I’m hoping for the same flare in the TV series. 😉

The banter between the main characters, Ichabod Crane and Abbie Mills was not only cute and funny, it was spot on. The two actors Tom Mison and Nicole Beharie have amazing chemistry and it bleeds through the characters they portray.

I love Crane’s witty, sarcastic personality. He awakens in a different era, 250 years later, and he’s tossed back into a battle he thought he’d left behind when he supposedly died. An ancient evil is threatening the existence of mankind and he still has his humor, not to mention good looks. I can’t help but love that!

Abbie Mills, beautiful and quick-witted, is battling her own demons of the past, but she is not without honor and compassion. I immediately fell in love with her character. It was the way she interacted with Crane. She doesn’t want to believe him, but given what she has seen and been through, she has no choice.

Although she doesn’t admit it, she’s fascinated with Crane, almost as much as he is fascinated with her. You can clearly see it when they look at each other. That aspect alone opens so many wonderful possibilities.

You can’t see it, but I’m wiggling my eyebrows suggestively. *grin*

Sleepy Hollow is a refreshing Horror/ Paranormal series with a unique plot. I like the fact that they tied the storyline of the headless Horseman into the scripture of the Book of Revelations. There are so many avenues they can take with this.

I’m glad to have another series to add to my list of paranormal shows like, Supernatural, Being Human, and hopefully the Originals. (We’ll see how that one pans out when the series starts.) Team Klaus all the way, baby!!! I’ll take a hybrid vamp over a regular vamp any day. 😀

I would’ve added the Vampire Diaries to the list, but to be honest, I’m straddling the line with that one. I can’t figure out if I still kind of like it or if I want to just give it up. *sigh* I hope it gets better.

Who will be sitting in front of the television on Monday night eager for her dose of the witty Ichabod Crane and the sassy Abbie Mills?

*points thumbs at self* THIS GIRL RIGHT HERE!!

Read SLEEPY HOLLOW synopsis here