Mark My Words

Never Meet Your Heroes: Amazon Prime’s ‘The Boys’ reinvigorates the superhero genre

A satirical, dark examination into the consequences of irresponsible power reveals that the true enemy is far more realistic than what first impressions suggest. Starring Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Dominique McElligott, Jessie T. Usher, Laz Alonso, Chace Crawford, Tomer Kapon, Karen Fukuhara, Nathan Mitchell and Elisabeth Shue

Jon Favreau’s Lion King: Just because we can, doesn’t mean that we should

Continuing Disney’s tradition of remaking animated classics in live-action, Jon Favreau’s 2019 iteration of 1994 classic The Lion King offers very little above the original, beyond visual spectacle.

My Summer in TV Programmes

Greetings loyal readers! You may have noticed that I have been absent since…(checks posts)…July 15th. Wow, that has been a while. Life got on top of me for a moment there, as I recently bought a flat and went on holiday to Disney World, so haven’t had terribly much to blog about as I haven’t…

‘The Little Mermaid’ Casting Backlash

The backlash over the casting of Halle Bailey as Ariel has revealed many problems about fandom, not to mention continuing ignorance of whitewashing in media.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: a dizzying, dazzling and delicious spectacle

Go, go, go see this musical, injected with fresh energy from the incomparable Sheridan Smith, the stupendously energetic choreography by Joann M. Hunter and brilliant set design courtesy of Morgan Large. The new production is a triumph that should not be missed.

Spiderman: Far From Home is a light-hearted, hilarious teen-superhero romp

Directly following the behemoth of Avengers: Endgame, Far From Home confronts the potential pitfalls head-on.

‘Captain Marvel’ is the first female-led Marvel film: but is it any good?

Film Review Comics | Marvel A twist in the tale makes this origin story different enough to be compelling.

Films have yet to capture the spirit of the X-Men: Here’s how

In the wake of the tepid reaction to Dark Phoenix being released this month, it is fairly obvious that the movie franchise that undoubtedly paved the way for the hugely ambitious Marvel Cinematic Universe has reached an end, leaving on a whimper instead of a bang. I am a huge fan of the X-Men. I…

Review | ‘The Bold Type’ Season 3 Finale: Breaking Through the Noise

< Previous | Next > The Bold Type | Season 3 All of the women of The Bold Type make drastic decisions in their relationships as Season 3 draws to a close.

‘Afterglow’ at the Southwark Playhouse: The nudity is not worth it

Afterglow clearly markets itself to the voyeur, but has all the depth of a Saharan paddling pool.

‘Toy Story 4’ Review: Kids lose their toys all the time

The fourth instalment in the beloved franchise adds fresh conflict for Woody, who begins to question his function when his child no longer seems to need him.

Back for second helpings: ‘Waitress’ is just as delicious after their first major cast change

An extraordinary recipe for musical theatre success: lashings of humour, elegant heaps of spectacle, talent oozing out the sides … baked to perfection. Waitress has all this in spades, and is addictively moreish.

Food blog mums

What every food blog post seems to sound like…

If you were expecting an epic culmination to the X-Men franchise in ‘Dark Phoenix’, you’d be disappointed – but that doesn’t mean it’s not good.

Dark Phoenix doesn’t do to superhero film what its comic-book adaptation did for its genre, but is a solid instalment to the franchise. Starring James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Alexandra Shipp and Jessica Chastain With all the Beatles-mania level of hype surrounding Avengers: Endgame smashing virtually every record…

Review | ‘The Bold Type’ Season 3 Episode 9: Final Push

< Previous | Next > The Bold Type | Season 3 The election comes to a close this episode, and many other plot points come to a head.

Review | ‘The Bold Type’ Season 3 Episode 8: Revival

< Previous | Next > The Bold Type | Season 3 Adena’s return causes an unexpected confusion for Kat.

‘Instant Family’ review: Heartfelt, Heartwarming and Heartrending

An endearing comedy about the struggles of foster care shine a light on an important issue, as well as bringing many a tear to the eye.

Taron Egerton IS Elton John, in psychotropic and dazzling “Rocketman”

As delightful as all other areas of the film are, they really serve as the kindling for the burning fire that is Egerton as Elton John.

“Dead to Me” is sinfully engrossing television

Dead To Me is a well-paced traumedy that is gifted life by the formidable execution by creator Liz Feldman in concert with Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini.

‘Years and Years’: An engaging and terrifying lesson in how to construct television drama

Years and Years plays upon our worst fears in what is a highly realistic near-future tale

Stunt Casting: A blessing or a curse?

Musical Theatre The necessary evil of theatre.

Does Guy Ritchie’s live-action Aladdin show us “A Whole New World” to the animated classic?

While not flawless, Guy Ritchie’s tackling of Aladdin respectfully updates and enhances the original, without obliterating its foundations.

How ‘Game of Thrones’ Should Have Ended?

TV Features Game of Thrones | Season 8

Review | ‘The Bold Type’ Season 3 Episode 7: Mixed Messages

< Previous | Next > The Bold Type | Season 3 The moral of the story in this The Bold Type is that communication is essential to any relationship that wants longevity.

Review | ‘Legends of Tomorrow’ Season 4 Episode 16: Hey, World!

< Previous | Next > Arrowverse | Legends of Tomorrow | Season 4 Only in Legends could a musical number solve (almost) everyone’s problems.

Review | ‘Charmed’ Season 1 Episode 22: The Source Awakens

< Previous | Next > Charmed | Season 1 Their sisterhood is the only way to save the day, but it’s a tough battle.

Review | ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 8 Episode 6: The Iron Throne

The Game of Thrones finally has a winner, as the record-breaking saga concludes.

Review: Amour at the Charing Cross Theatre

This bizarre Broadway flop is utterly beguiling in its UK debut.

Dripping with nostalgia, Detective Pikachu is a must-see for Pokémon fans

Detective Pikachu revels in the presence of its adorable creatures and wisely prioritises camaraderie over the use of Pokémon as battle tools.

The answer to my discontent with lots of current TV series?

With the current discontent with the final season of Game of Thrones, there has been lots of talk about how to structure and write a satisfying TV show. I talk about how this might explain my issues with 22-episode shows.

Review | ‘The Bold Type’ Season 3 Episode 6: #TBT

< Previous | Next > The Bold Type | Season 3 Hacked emails give us a trip down memory lane to when the girls first met.

Review | ‘Legends of Tomorrow’ Season 4 Episode 15: Terms of Service

< Previous | Next > Arrowverse | Legends of Tomorrow | Season 4 Not thinking through their decisions is the downfall of the Legends as Neron’s plan continues.

Review | ‘Charmed’ Season 1 Episode 21: Red Rain

< Previous | Next > Charmed | Season 1 Alastair and Fiona finally realise the prophecy and it’s up to the Charmed Ones to stop them.

Review | ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 8 Episode 5: The Bells

< Previous | Next > Game of Thrones | Season 8 Fear is the true enemy in this polarising instalment of Game of Thrones as we rocket towards the series finale.

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie: and it’s not hard to see why

He’s a superstar, and he wants you to know it: Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is simply spectacular.

Review | ‘Legends of Tomorrow’ Season 4 Episode 14: Nip/Stuck

< Previous | Next > Arrowverse | Legends of Tomorrow | Season 4 Only on Legends of Tomorrow could a tale of a man and his nipple be a long-running story arc.

Review | ‘The Bold Type’ Season 3 Episode 5: Technical Difficulties

< Previous | Next > The Bold Type | Season 3 A dinner party enhances each of the ladies’ problems and fireworks ensue.

Review | ‘Lucifer’ Season 4 Episode 1: Everything’s Okay [Spoiler-Free]

TV Reviews Lucifer | Season 4 Despite changes in network, Lucifer demonstrates its spirit remains the same.

Review | ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 8 Episode 4: The Last of the Starks

< Previous | Next > Game of Thrones | Season 8 In the aftermath of defeating the threat from the North, Dany is about to discover that Cersei poses a greater threat than she first thought.

Long Running Show Fatigue

So, over the bank holiday weekend, something strange happened to me. Something that does not normally happen to me, truth be told. I went to see a show, and I came away with an overwhelming and profound sense of indifference. That never happens to me. Normally, there’s at least something that has grabbed my attention…