NOTE: This review contains SPOILERS. New episodes will be airing Sundays (10PM EST) on AMC.
Episode 4: Palm of the Iron Fox
The Widow (Emily Beecham), Waldo (Stephen Land), and Tilda (Ally Ioannides) ready to fight.
Baron Chau (symbol: fox) is basically the go-to slave trader (with Cogs as her primary resource ). She has the largest cog population; we learn that The Widow grew up on her plantation. The Widow’s philosophy on life is basically the opposite of Chau’s, who believes in survival of the fittest.
Later on, there is a fight among the Barons in the courtyard. Tilda (who came to The Conclave in secret) saves Waldo’s life.
He killed so many people while sitting in his wheelchair, it’s easily the most impressive part… -Excerpt from Mic revew
That Cog in training, Gabriel, who was scared to fight is a spy in Ryder’s house. He sends a message (via dove) to Quinn. Speaking of unlikely fighters…
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Veil (though she’s a healer) finds a warrior w/in herself in this ep. After she gets access to the sun room, she attempts to escape (carrying Henry in a pouch). It doesn’t work, b/c the man stationed on guard, Edgar, gets suspicious. Later at dinner, Veil compliments him for his cooking. She put a sleeping potion in his drink, so Edgar gets slowed down in his pursuit of her. (Sunny is NOT in this ep, BUT he’d be proud of his lady!)
Quinn (Marton Csokas) faces off against Ryder (Oliver Stark).
Were you a BIT surprised when Ryder hesitated to kill his father? Well, I wasn’t; he just doesn’t have the chops to fill his father’s position as Baron. I DID feel sorry for Jade- she really loved Ryder. Quinn (finally) killed Ryder; I thought it was going to happen much earlier (S1)! Also, I wanted to see more of the father-son showdown. As for Jade, I think she’s going to get major revenge on Quinn.
NOTE: This review contains SPOILERS. New episodes will be airing Sundays (10PM EST) on AMC.
Episode 3: Red Sun, Silver Moon
Sunny (Daniel Wu) and Bajie (Nick Frost) meet a legendary warrior.
Sunny and Bajie meet a big/tall/imposing former Clipper, Nathaniel Moon (AKA Silver Moon) on a bridge. They are defeated by him, BUT then find themselves under his roof (a VERY old/abandoned church). NOT only is this guy a strong actor (gravitas, anyone?)- he did his OWN stunts during the fight scenes (whoa)! Nathaniel (who’s a BIT of a legend among Clippers) has killed 999 men in battle. His wife and son were killed long ago as revenge against him. Men like them can’t have (normal) lives, he tells Sunny (who doesn’t agree, of course). However, he and Nathaniel have a LOT in common also.
Afterbuzz hosts were thinking/hoping that Nathaniel would stay on longer on the series, BUT he has a final battle w/ Sunny. He considers Sunny a worthy opponent; he’s in a league of his own w/ regards to fighting (as was explained by Waldo in a previous ep).
The significance of the sword being taken by Bajie has more to do with the fact that it is a prestigious weapon that was owned by a legendary clipper, hence will command a great fee/value…-Comment from a viewer (YouTube)
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MK’s roomie is caught trying to escape, so his powers are taken away. The procedure is performed by those same three robed monks that first captured M.K. in a cold/dirty operating room. M.K. looks horrified- HE may decide to make a run for it, instead of continuing his training w/ The Master.
***
To keep herself (and baby Henry) on Quinn’s good side, she tells him that his brain tumor has NOT changed since last month. She hides the current x-ray, showing him the previous one. Quinn is acting weirder… and weirder- he’s a VERY watchable character still.
Later on, he saves the life of the teenage boy (Cog) who was caught running away. Boy, was I surprised! Quinn sees that this kid is scared of fighting, so he motivates him (playing a father figure), then challenges him to attack.
The Widow (Emily Beecham) arrives at The Conclave.
The Widow (AKA Minerva) and Waldo arrive at Ryder’s estate for The Conclave. Afterbuzz hosts wondered: How/when did Waldo ally himself w/ The Widow? It’s a VERY good question; it seems like it happened rather quickly.
Lang makes for a great grizzled mentor figure, albeit one with a shroud of uncertainty about him. He’s already betrayed one Baron, and there’s no guarantee he isn’t maneuvering Widow to her death by insisting on accompanying her in Tilda’s place. Whatever his motivations, Waldo’s increased role this season is appreciated.-Excerpt from IGN review
DOJ prosecutor Preston Terry (Stephan James) and investigator Ashe Akino (Sanaa Lathan)
NOTE: This review contains MILD SPOILERS for the first three hours of the series.
[1] Shots Fired is at its best when raising legitimate questions about the criminal justice system and attempting to answer them. But I don’t know if there is an answer. The dark overtones that envelope the show at times feel real and appropriate. For a topic this serious, darkness may be the only way to truly shed light on the gravity of the situation.
[2] …I am not surprised by the haters in the reviews here. To me, these are people that are stuck in their ways and are not trying to see the world through different sets of eyes. Blacks and others have had to watch MOST TV through white people’s eyes and they expect us to be happy for it. Now you have a show like this that is finally putting Black people in a humane and more realistic light and they can’t handle it.
[3] I’m Asian male [Vietnamese] that grew up in a working class neighborhood and episode 1 gave me goosebumps because it aligns so much with our reality. You probably thinking how can I say that when I’m an Asian male. Truth is, many of our struggles are similar to blacks in America. You may not know, but there is an Asian gang culture in every major cities in America due to the same reasons that make it hard for blacks to succeed in America. Any law enforcement officers in major cities can confirm this.
-Excerpts from various IMDB reviews
Deputy Joshua Beck (Mack Wilds) is the young cop and family man who becomes an outcast on the police force.
Unnecessary police violence, particularly white cops against black offenders, is a topic that has everyone on edge. But, what happens when it’s a black cop that shoots an unarmed white kid based on racial profiling?
The show centerson junior DOJ prosecutor, Preston Terry (Stephan James- who is Canadian and just 25 y.o.), and investigator, Ashe Akino (Sanaa Lathan- daughter of a prolific Hollywood producer), who are sent to a small North Carolina town to investigate a police shooting. It’s much better, if a black officer (Deputy Joshua Beck- played by 28 y.o. Mack Wilds) is investigated and convicted by a black prosecutor, as one of Preston’s superiors in DC says in the first scene. Ashe and Terry dig deeper and find that an unarmed black kid was shot by a white officer not too long ago in the “houses”(projects) of this same town.
Critics (and viewers) see a lot of potential in James; he definitely has that “It” factor (which an actor needs to get to leading man status). Don’t forget that a very young Blair Underwood played an attorney on L.A. Law in the ’80s. Wilds is doing pretty well in this role (never seen him before); the actor admitted that he never imagined himself in the shoes of a police officer before. He’s got an innocence and freshness about him- key for his role. What to say re: Sanaa Lathan? Hmm… well, she’s got youthful looks (even at age 45); her acting is not terrible, but pretty one-note.
Governor Eamons (Helen Hunt) talks to press while her aide Sarah (Conor Leslie) and Preston (James) look on.
Patricia Eamons (Helen Hunt) is the first female governor of the state; she was the one who decided to bring in the DOJ. Local pastor Janae James (Aisha Hinds) points out, after all the shootings of unarmed black men, why is this the case where the feds decide to get involved? Hinds’ outspoken activist, yet also spiritual, character is unlike most preachers we’ve seen on TV- female, youthful, and putting faith into action.
Richard Dreyfus is introduced (near the end of the second hour); he is a 1st gen American businessman looking to advance a new prison/educational complex. I’ve seen three hours so far, but may keep w/ it (if the writing gets stronger and the veteran actors get more to do). So far, British actor Stephen Moyer (who plays Lt. Breeland) has just been a jerk. He may have brought some fans along w/ him from True Blood (never seen that show, so can’t judge). I’m waiting to see more of Will Patton (who plays the sheriff); he has a way w/ ambiguous characters.
Jill Hennessy at the Sundance premiere of “Shots Fired.” I was very happy to see her back on network TV!
We get to see Ashe and Preston in their private lives, unlike what you’ve seen in most Law and Order-type series. Speaking of that iconic TV show, the still stunning Jill Hennessy plays Alicia Carr, the heartbroken mother of the white college student. She gets a chance to shine in the third hour. Preston, who could’ve been a professional baseball player, is trying to earn the respect of his father (Dennis Haysbert) and older brother, (a pro football player). Ashe is a woman with serious anger issues, trying to keep primary custody of her daughter. Her Latino ex-boyfriend is planning to marry (a younger Latina woman) and raise their daughter full-time.
NOTE: This review contains SPOILERS. New episodes will be airing Sundays (10PM EST) on AMC.
Episode 2: Force of Eagle’s Claw
Daniel Wu as Sunny, Ivan Kostadinov as Mouse – Into the Badlands _ Season 2, Episode 2 – Photo Credit: Antony Platt/AMC
Sunny and Bajie (still chained together) have to fight their way out of the pit. That huge/tall warrior they’re forced to fight ends up defeated in a VERY bloody way. Body parts are flying… and this ep is about to get MORE bloody!
Waldo (Stephen Lang) passes on his knowledge to Tilda (Ally Ioannides).
For people like us, there is no place that’s safe. -Waldo explains to Tilda, who is Regent to The Widow
Waldo, now dressed in blue, chides Tilda re: going after those Clippers in E1 (after The Widow let them go). Tilda says that she’s NOT a “mindless killer”- she was doing what she thought was right. Waldo explains that Sunny was the best Regent b/c he “boxed up his feelings.” We can see the respect that Waldo has for his former protege, Sunny, while he’s recounting this story.
Tilda and The Widow are practice fighting; it looks like Tilda still has more to learn. After Tilda leaves, The Widow admits to Waldo that she’s NOT one for politics; he tells her that “politics is war by other means.” They speak of an upcoming “conclave”- meeting of Barons. The Widow wonders if she can kill them all, since they’ll be assembled in the same place. She and Waldo drink a toast.
Killing is a privilege left only to the gods. -Lydia’s father tells her (w/ disapproval) after she defends herself and other Totemists from the Nomads
The Totemist community’s simple wedding reception in the woods is interrupted by two violent/murderous Nomads. The groom is speared through the chest; the bride is almost carried off my the Nomads. Nobody fights back (which was quite shocking), except Lydia. This lady knows how to fight- what a surprise! This segment of the ep reminded me of Braveheart and Game of Thrones.
Orla Brady as Lydia – Into the Badlands _ Season 2, Episode 2 – Photo Credit: Antony Platt/AMC
Half of your Cogs worship the same gods we do.-Lydia drops some truth on Ryder
Did you see how badly Ryder treated his mother!? I felt VERY bad for Lydia, though we now know she’s a tough cookie. Even though Ryder is now dressed like Quinn, he’s NOT able to fill his father’s shoes (as many viewers have commented). The Nomads attacked b/c they knew that Quinn was out of the picture, so the Totemists were left unprotected. Lydia hoped that Ryder would help out her people, BUT he refused in such a nasty manner. He didn’t forgive her for what she said re: his ineffectiveness at the end of S1.
MK (Aramis Knight) learns about a new part of his training from The Master (Chipo Chung).
Unless you master your past, you’ll always be a slave. -The Master explains to M.K. after his first vision in the room of mirrors
The Master continues MK’s training, this time is a room filled w/ mirrors. The young man is pulled back into his past; he sees the bodies of the MANY people he killed on the ship. Suddenly, his alter ego appears (w/ black eyes) and tells him that he doesn’t belong there. MK is upset when The Master pulls him out of it.
I killed people- good people. -M.K. says w/ disgust
We all have.-Abby reveals
Later on, M.K. has an intense fight w/ his alter ego in another vision. There is some cool choreography. Also, the body double for Aramis Knight looks/moves VERY much like him. It was shocking that the alter ego was winning, nearly choking MK to death! Hmmm… will MK be defeated by “the dark side” or learn to reign-in those destructive urges? I don’t think this will be easy work from the looks of concern on The Master’s face.
Quinn (Marton Csokas) training his (would-be) Clippers.
In West Avalon (a secluded/underground training area) Quinn is working w/ a group of Cogs who show promise in fighting. Inside a dusty room, Veil is breastfeeding her newborn son; a Clipper is watching her intently (creepily). The former Baron notices this and let’s him know it.
Veil tells Quinn that the baby needs sunshine and fresh air. He says he’ll get her sun; after all, she’s the one who found him and patched him up. Quinn gives off some creepy vibes in his interactions w/ Veil, too, BUT I think she can handle him w/ her clever/calm personality. It turns out that there is a little room where one can look up and see the sun!
Quinn (Marton Csokas) holds a baptism ceremony for Henry, the baby son of Sunny and Veil.
The Clipper who’d been eyeing Veil gets killed by Quinn before he baptizes Veil’s son (named Henry after her dead adopted father). There is a decorative bowl that Quinn drinks deer’s blood out of, then smears a bit of that blood on Henry’s forehead. This ritual reminded some viewers of the naming ceremony in The Lion King. Marton Csokas “just brings this intense gravitas,” as J.B. Zimmerman said on the AfterbuzzTV.
Bajie is able to snag some food- a rather large rat. Sunny says he’s NOT going to eat that (LOL). It seems like Sunny is out of his element; he hasn’t had to survive outside the Badlands before. Bajie may turn out to be VERY helpful, since he was a wanderer who traveled to different places looking for “opportunity.”
At the very end of the ep, they come upon a long, tall wall. (Donald Trump would probably call it “big” and “beautiful.”) This barrier separates them from the Badlands, but Bajie perks up and says there MUST be a way to get to the other side. This scenery is quite different than what we saw in S1; the filming of S2 is in Ireland.
NOTE: This review contains SPOILERS for the Season 2 premiere of the AMC TV series. New episodes will be airing Sundays (10PM EST).
I’m Only Human, a popular song by Rag’N’Bone Man plays. We find that Sunny (Daniel Wu) is a shackled prisoner in some sort of huge mining camp. The setting is somewhat reminiscent of the recent Mad Max: Fury Road film (note the colors, dust, etc.) Sunny makes an attempt to escape (fight scene ensues), BUT it finally subdued by his captives. The leader of the camp explains that the ONLY way to escape is death!
At night, he dreams of Veil and their baby, then wakes up to find himself chained to Bajie (British actor Nick Frost), a chatty/burly/bearded prisoner. It turns out that Bajie, now a fellow Picker, was an opium dealer in his free life. He brags that he knows how to get stuff others want in the camp.
***
M.K. (Aramis Knight) has been training for 6 mos. in a remote mountain location. He and his fellow Novices wear purple robes and sleep in hammocks. After M.K. admits that he’s glad he doesn’t have to hide his powers here, another young man explains how he was “treated like a king” by his clan. M.K. asks this boy if he was “scared to kill.” The boy dismisses him, recounting how he fought and killed many enemies; there are multiple scars on his forearm.
M.K. sneaks off in search of The Master (someone he has yet to meet); we know how curious and persistent he can be from S1. It turns out that The Master (Chipo Chung) is an youthful-looking woman of color! The actress looked a BIT familiar to me; it turns out she played Chantho in Doctor Who, Season 4 (Utopia). I’m NOT an expert on that show, BUT I love the acting of David Tennant (who played Dr. Who for 2 seasons). His companion at that time was Dr. Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman- also on Law & Order: UK). Chung had the rare opportunity to play the assistant of Sir Derek Jacobi’s character.
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The Master challenges M.K.- he loses b/c he can’t control his powers yet. After M.K. goes back to this room in defeat, we see The Master heal a broken bone of her injured forearm (WOW)! Looks like there could be MORE to the powers possessed by M.K. and the young men.
***
The grimy prisoners are cleaning up after work. Sunny removes his shirt; Bajie sees all the tattoos on his back for the first time. He instantly knows that Sunny was a Clipper (oh no)! Sunny looks pissed off, BUT Bajie says “you can trust me.”
While eating dinner, Sunny asks Bajie what he knows re: the situation in the Badlands. He learns that Quinn is considered missing (w/ a reward for his return). The other Barons are scrambling for power. The Nomads are running wild.
Chaos leads to new opportunities. And I’m ALL about new opportunities. -Bajie explains to Sunny
Since the Pickers met their quota last month, there will be a “fight night” in the camp. It’s VERY brutal; Bajie says that “no one ever escapes alive.” Sunny asks him to find a map of this mine.
***
Ryder (Oliver Stark) is reminiscing about his lonely childhood in his old room at The Fort. The room is dusty and items are covered up, including a rocking horse he used to play on. Jade (Sarah Bolger) comes in and sweetly tells him about his accomplishments (so we get to know what happened directly after the finale of S1 until now). They are (finally) together; he calls her “The Baroness.” They are looking a BIT more grown-up (he w/ a beard/goatee; she with a wavy updo). They and their people have been living at Jacobee’s mansion. BUT Ryder still feels like his father is haunting him.
***
At the oil refinery (now controlled by Ryder), Tilda (Ally Ioannides) sneaks up behind an experienced Clipper and stabs him silently. Work is NOT being done at an efficient rate, Ryder learns, since a LOT of Cogs keep leaving. A worker (perhaps manager) explains: “The Widow has been giving them sanctuary.” Ryder is surprised by this, since they had NOT heard from her in months. Jade advises to cut back on working hours and giving more rations to those Cogs who stayed loyal. Hmmm… looks like these two are working more like partners, unlike Quinn and Lydia.
The next moment, Tilda causes an explosion- a Jeep blows up. Jade is thrown back by the force; Ryder shouts at his few Clippers to find her and get her to safety. The Widow (Emily Beecham) walks out w/ a smugly satisfied look on her face. (We’d been waiting for that right?) Tilda and the other Butterflies are behind her, ready to fight the Clippers.
The Widow breaks off at one point to chase after Jade (she’s unhurt) and the Clipper guarding her. Jade witnesses some of the bloody sword fighting; she is shocked, scared, but keeps her wits about her. The Widow climbs the stairs, cutting through several Clippers posted along the way in her creative/bloody fashion. On the roof, she deflects the arrows of five Clippers, then slices their throats w/ one of her butterfly-shaped blades. She struts up to Jade, BUT doesn’t hurt/kill her! The Widow simply has a message for Ryder- she has reclaimed her oil fields, and anyone who tries to stop her will end up dead. Then she grabs the knife from Jade’s hand and cuts down the red banner (w/ the armadillo on it) from the wall.
***
Bajie presents Sunny w/ a map; he got it from the oldest Picker in the mine. Sunny is skeptical, wondering if it’s “accurate.” Bajie figures out that Sunny is going to attempt an escape, so wants to go along. Sunny glares at him- that’s a no go! Someone yells that they found something. Bajie (being an opportunist) quickly punches that guy out and grabs the ring. After an expert examines it, he is given a 24-hr. break from mining. That wasn’t the reward Bajie was hoping for, so he tells The Engineer (Stephen Walters; also in Outlander) that he knows of something much better, asking: “Do you know what a Clipper is?”
***
The Widow is looking wistfully at the photo of her little boy inside a gold locket. Tilda comes in and tells her of the MANY that are joining their cause. The Widow admits that she needs to be more than a fighter now- more of a leader. Tilda suggests she come and meet some of the people who have put their faith in her (and her way of life).
You don’t belong to me. Everyone here is free and equal. My dream is that, one day, there will be no Cog, Clipper, Doll, or Baron… only free women and men deciding the course of their own future. -The Widow states her philosophy to a group of Dolls and Clippers at a food station
***
M.K. is angry w/ Ava, his Abbott, who he’d been training w/ for 6 mos. He told her secrets which she revealed to The Master. Now The Master has decided to take over training M.K.
***
Tilda and four of the Butterflies take revenge against a group of Clippers. They think it’s b/c they refused to fight, BUT Tilda explains that it was for abusing the Dolls (incl. her friend Odessa). Tilda turns to go (like a boss) while the blood of these men flies in arcs behind her. Yeah, this gal has her OWN mind!
***
The Engineer comes over to Sunny, w/ Bajie in tow. He knows that Sunny is a great killer (being a Clipper). It turns out that Bajie traded his freedom for Sunny’s (was NOT expecting that)! Sunny is led out of the mine by two guards.
***
In an unknown location, Veil (Madeline Mantock) has given birth to a healthy baby boy. She is presented him by Quinn (Marton Csokas). Surprise- he’s alive!
Knightleyemma 