2016 Summed Up By Gravity Falls

As 2016 ticks down into fame/infamy, this is what I - and possibly, the rest of the world - learned this year, for good or for ill...

Taken from the Gravity Falls Wiki. Not my words.

I'm sorry. I just thought about this scene today. I had to post it.

Next review (almost certainly of "Krysis") should be up in the New Year. Tonight, I urge you all to celebrate, reminisce, and if you are of age to drink, please do so responsibly.

Also, some words on the occasion from the President-Elect of the United States:

...yup, this was a strange year.

Carrie Fisher: 1956-2016

Taken from Wikipedia.

Carrie Fisher, Princess Leia Organa herself, has died today in a Los Angeles hospital. While not completely shocking - given that she had a massive heart attack a few days ago - it's still gutting to hear about this death in a year that's become infamous for the sheer amount of pop cultural icons just up and dying, seemingly out of nowhere. (At least there was some warning that she was ill.)

I don't think I can contribute too much to the tributes that will be paid to Fisher over the next couple of days. Instead, I'll try and connect it to a (rather small) aspect of this blog. I mentioned last year, when Leonard Nimoy died, that without him, several more logical characters in sci-fi wouldn't exist. The same could very well be said of Carrie Fisher and badass women in science fiction.

Don't get me wrong - there were probably quite a few kickass ladies in science fiction before A New Hope. However, with Princess Leia, mainstream audiences got a taste of a leading lady - a Princess, even - that wasn't merely a damsel in distress - that she was an active participant in the rebellion, shooting and plotting against the Empire alongside Luke. She wasn't some prize for the hero to win (for good reason, as per the end of The Empire Strikes Back.) Leia Organa was a character in her own right - and was so endearing, she returned nearly forty years later for The Force Awakens.

I don't often talk about gender on this blog, mainly because I feel like it's secondary to whether or not I enjoy an art. However, I wonder - would we have gotten endearing badass women in sci-fi such as post-70s Uhura, Turanga Leela, Rey, Princess Bubblegum, Ace McShane, and 80% of the characters in Steven Universe? (That's just off the top of my head.) I don't really know.

All I know is that Carrie Fisher was something of a trailblazer for the industry. While she took up many roles over the years - even in silly sitcoms such as Family Guy - it was as Leia that she has left her mark on science fiction.

May the force be with you, Carrie Fisher.

Red Dwarf Review: "Officer Rimmer" (Series XI, Episode 4)

Merry Christmas, everybody! The reviews of Series XI, I guess, will serve as my Christmas Spectacular Thing. It's gonna go into January (I think), but given that it feels like stores have begun selling Christmas goods in August, what's the problem with going a few extra days?

A first lieutenant must keep his priorities in order, prepare for any sort of danger. Truly, Rimmer is the MacArthur of his fleet.

"Things are about to get a whole lot more Rimmery!" - Rimmer.

Airdate: October 9th, 2016
Written By: Doug Naylor
Plot: As the title suggests, Rimmer becomes an officer. He does so by saving a JMC officer that was printed out by a 3D printer. After getting this promotion, he uses the printer to make several clones. Unfortunately, like real-life printers, this one encounters some errors... a few of which are deadly.

Review:

The idea of cloning somebody isn't necessarily a complex idea. How this episode deals with it, though, is by analyzing the style of DNA reproduction by making temporary copies in a printer. It's rather horrifying, especially given that the printer is connected to a network of individuals whose genomes are available for anyone to use, regardless of their intent.

Red Dwarf, like most sci-fi tropes it takes on, puts a comedic spin on it by tying it to one of the main plot threads present in the show - Rimmer's utter failure to reach what he feels is the next class level.

On that note, anybody remember Series VIII's "Only the Good"?

Red Dwarf Review: "Give and Take" (Series XI, Episode 3)

"I am now fluent in all the deceptive arts. I could work for FIFA!" - Kryten. Hey, that's base level, Krytie. Manage a presidential campaign.

Airdate: October 2nd, 2016
Written By: Doug Naylor.
Plot: While scouting for a medical droid aboard an abandoned spaceship, Rimmer and Kryten come across what they suspect is the target droid. Lister and the Cat actually do come across said droid, who proceeds to perform malpractice in a fit of insanity. Rimmer and Kryten come to their defense, and rescue them - although they destroy a pair of kidneys that were to go into Lister. With Lister's kidneys removed, he needs to get the Cat to donate and for the rescued droid to rewrite the DNA. Unfortunately, that proves a tall order.

Review:

Hey, the Cat gets an episode! Sort of. Last time Lister and the Cat interacted, Lister learned about how Archimedes invented gravy after a bath fell on his head. What we saw there is their dynamic starting to take shape after largely being held off over the prior several series. This episode continues that trend - with Lister's life in Cat's hands. (Here's hoping he had a will.) In fact, it's probably my favorite of the season so far.

Sadie Miller and the Tenth Doctor To Star in Ducktales Reboot

 

"Philistines! I mean, how can you remake Casablanca? The one staring Myra Binglebat and Peter Beardsley was definitive!" - David Lister (Red Dwarf, "Better Than Life") expressing many people's initial reaction to remakes. Thankfully, he might just be rebutted.

Today, DisneyXD (AKA, that network that made the lives of Gravity Falls fans utter torture) debut a trailer for their reboot of the 80s cartoon DuckTales. It introduced the cast by having them sing the (incredibly) memorable theme song.

Red Dwarf Review: "Samsara" (Series XI, Episode 2)

Lister's hair is not food. Repeat - Lister's hair is not food.

"They're dead!" "Hey, the medical reports aren't in yet. We shouldn't jump to conclusions." - Rimmer and the Cat, discussing the bodies of Col. Green and Prof. Barker. Second time Rimmer's introduced himself as a captain to dead people, by the way.

Airdate: 29 September, 2016

Written By: Doug Naylor.

Plot: The crew investigate a ship that crashed on an oceanic planet, as well as a pod that contains two deceased (read, dissolved) crew members. On that ship, they discover that the Samsara contains a karma drive - one which praises virtues and punishes callousness. The four split up - Lister has to deal with the Cat, while Rimmer and Kryten team up.

While this is happening, we learn more about the dynamic duo, who were locked in an affair with each other... and who's reaction to getting caught may have damned the ship.

Review: 

My thoughts about "Twentica" was that it was a rather solid opener to the series. While not ranking among my top 10 episodes of the show, it still managed to please me for 30 minutes. It was rather unique, but more of a way to establish something of a tonal shift. "Samsara" takes the tonal shift a bit further - rotating between two stories, past and present. Does it work? Well, let's take another analysis at this.

Red Dwarf Review: "Twentica" (Series XI, Episode 1)

This is first-degree toastercide!

"If that's the penalty for toast, what the hell do you get for pizza?" - The Cat.

Airdate: 22 September 2016
Written By: Doug Naylor
Plot: In the depths of uncharted space, Starbug gets intercepted by a ship of Expanoids - a subset of Simulants. They pull a trick on the Dwarfers to obtain an artifact - the Casket of Cronos - that allows them to travel back in time to 20th-century America. There, technology beyond the Gilded Ages are prohibited, and scientists are driven underground to speakeasies. In order to free themselves, they must find a use of a machine part that was given to them by a doomed scientist.

Review:

Before I begin, I just want to say that there's this incredible feeling I have in reviewing Red Dwarf as it comes out (in America, at least) for the first time. This, again, was the very first show I decided to blog about. As the years have gone by, I have come to admire the show more. And even though I wouldn't place it at the top of my all time favorites (The Simpsons, Steven Universe, and Gravity Falls are a holy trinity of awesome animation), I still think it is one of the most overlooked sci-fi shows out there.

To get (virtually) brand new episodes for the first time in my fandom (Red Dwarf X came out just before I became a full-blown fan of the show) was something quite indescribable. I watched them all in a day.

With that said...  I begin my (silly) analysis of Series XI.

Steven Universe Review: "Future Vision" (Season 1B, Episode 13)

NO! NO, NOT THE BEES! NOT THE BEES! AAAAHHHH!!!!

"You could just be going on about your business, eating your fry bits, and then suddenly you choke to death!" - Garnet. Hey, dying eating fries ain't a clean way to go, but it could be worse. Far worse.

Airdate: January 29th, 2015
Written By: Lamar Abrams and Hellen Jo
Plot: After saving Steven from an object on the stairs, Garnet informs the kid about her "future vision" - one that allows her to see the paths that the world can take. At first, Steven uses Garnet's power to decipher what path his life will take. Unfortunately, Garnet also notes that he can see possibilities for a more permanent end for our little Stew-ball. Kid goes paranoid, and even contemplates suicide just to fulfill Garnet's predictions.

This airs on a network aimed towards children. Just putting it out there.

Review:

Should we have access to what could happen in the future? Can we change the concepts of causality, or does our knowledge of the future only damn us to it with an increased sense of fear? These concepts have been explored in various science fiction shows and books. Hell, it actually provided the plot of Red Dwarf's second episode - "Future Echoes". In that episode, the Red Dwarf crew (or what's now left of it) experience the titular phenomenon - events in the future that are seen in the present. Lister slowly becomes paranoid after seeing a vision of his death and tries to prevent the future, but when events shown in the echoes start occurring, he prepares himself for the end. (When all is said and done, the only thing that they find out is that Lister will wind up with twins - and that doesn't happen until series 2, thanks to Lister having a drunken one-night stand with a woman who happens to be himself. He has to have a caesarean. Yes. He.)

As you can tell, it's a very fun topic to send up - allowing for cool comedy and delicious drama. Steven Universe adds its own twist to the equation by having a character experience these future echoes all of the time.

That's About Average for Second Class Post! (Red Dwarf Reviews: Series XI Preview)

"Well, gentlemen, congratulations. Scrambling in a red alert situation, a new record time - one hour, seventeen minutes, thirty-nine seconds!"

After a wait of a month and a half since it's premiere in Britain, Red Dwarf XI has made it's debut on America's iTunes.

I'm assuming they saved the iTunes release until today in order to keep the DVD sales at least somewhat respectable. Then again, given that the show debut a week before it's TV release on UKTVPlay, one has to wonder what Dave was thinking.

Nonetheless, I'm glad the show is out stateside, and that I can review it without dealing with viruses from a Torrent. (Yes, I'm a dork.) It's the first Red Dwarf since 2012. In that time frame, there have been an entire series of Olympics, four Super Bowls, a change in the British Premiership and it's relationship with Europe, and America is torn between the two least liked presidential candidates since the 19th century.

Yeah, this show will provide a bit of an escape.

My plan is this - I have a review of "Future Vision" in the offing. Meanwhile, I will be writing my review of "Twentica". I intend to have both out by Thanksgiving, the very latest. After whatever comes out last, it's all Red Dwarf until Christmas, maybe even the new year.

And, as is customary with my reviews of Red Dwarf, here is a preview of the episodes I have to review, based off of the iTunes descriptions.

• Twentica: The crew wind up in an alternate version of America, where electronic machines are banned.
• Samsara: The Dwarfers have to confront their nightmares as they encounter a crashed ship at the bottom of a planet's ocean.
• Give and Take: Lister's kidneys are hijacked after a conflict with a droid. The only person that has similar kidneys is the Cat. (Personally speaking, I'm getting a bad "Kidney Trouble" vibe from this.)
• Officer Rimmer: Well, the title is pretty self-explanatory. Rimmer becomes promoted after saving a "bio-officer", and his ego soars to new heights.
• Krysis: Kryten goes through a mid-life krysis (damn it, crisis), and the Dwarfers have to get him to realize that he's wanted aboard the small rouge one.
• Can of Worms: The Cat actually falls in love. It's not with a clone of himself, though - he falls in love with a lady cat.

Well, Red Dwarf is back. Step up to blue alert.

"Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does require changing the bulb."

"Like The Cleaning of a House..." - The Simpsons Renewed Through Season 30

Taken from frinkiac.com

FOX has given The Simpsons another stay of execution - keeping it on the air until Season 30.

The big news out of this is that The Simpsons will beat Gunsmoke in terms of it's how many episodes it has aired. This makes it, simply put, the longest running primetime scripted show in American history.

My thoughts on the show's quality have been relatively clear, but just in case you need a refresher, it's time to bring the curtain down on America's Favorite Family. The reasons have been listed time and again by fans across the internet, and I agree with at least 90% of them. In fact, animation critic PieGuyRulz actually created a video that sums up the central problem with the show - it's story engine and time within that have effectively damned it to mediocrity.

Thankfully, I have a hunch that this could be the last time the show gets renewed.

Steven Universe Review: "The Test" (Season 1B, Episode 12)

Ow.

"I'm now the owner of the golden can opener. Yes... yes..." - Garnet. Ah, the thrills of opening a can WITH GOLD!

Airdate: January 22nd, 2015
Written By: Hilary Florido and Katie Mitroff
Plot: It's a rainy, miserable day in Beach City. While looking for another board game to play with the Gems, Steven comes across the Moon Goddess Statue. One thing leads to another, and Steven finds out that his trip to the now-destroyed Lunar Sea Spire was a test - and a relatively easy one at that. Demanding a new challenge, the Gems create a module for Steven to avoid high-intensity dangers. As he almost finishes up, he finds out that this test was fixed, as well.

Review:

Dear Cartoon Network schedule builders, thank you for your obsession with Teen Titans Go and "The Answer". Because of that, this episode barely airs on TV. I betcha that Rebecca Sugar probably wrote several letters to this extent, and Cartoon Network simply responded by threatening to go back to the days of November 2015, when Teen Titans Go aired with a borderline illegal frequency on the network. (Yes, we get it. The award for sound design went to Rob. Please shut up.)

So, anyway, "The Test". Whereas "Warp Tour" focused more on driving the plot forward by introducing one of the show's most beloved characters (by featuring her squishing one of her robonoids), this episode focuses more on fleshing out the Crystal Gem Trio, their relationship with Steven, and how the hell they can function as guardians - especially with the specter of Rose lingering over the quartet.

Ah, Midterms...

Yeah, as you can tell, this month is gonna be relatively light. I'm trying to juggle my midterm papers and exams over the next week or two.

Deeply sorry for any inconvenience.

But, hey, on the bright side, Red Dwarf XI will be out stateside in less than a month.

Steven Universe Review: "Warp Tour" (Season 1B, Episode 11)

Whoever thought of this defense mechanism owes Brad Bird some money.

"Sneeze into your anticubital fossa!" - Pearl, giving advice that could very well screw the quartet all over. Or save them...

Airdate: January 8th, 2015
Written By: Raven Molisee and Paul Villeco.
Plot: While in transport between planets, Steven accidentally sneezes his head out of the warp. Whilst there, he catches sight of a foreign object being pulled within a warp. Pulled back in, he becomes convinced that he saw something, while the others insist that they are alone, stuck on Earth. Trying to ease his mind, they take a tour to the various other places they've traveled to in the past, eventually causing Steven to relent.

However, he overhears them reveal their true intent of the trip - just to pacify the kid - and is genuinely offended, especially at Pearl, who's been more arrogant than normal. With the trio thinking that the kid's gone nuts, an exhausted Steven is finally ready just to shut up about the whole thing when he comes across the UFO - one that takes him into the warp pad, puts him on the brink of death, and brings the Crystal Gems within inches of an alien technician...

Review:

Ah, here we are. The final part of what I consider to be the Steven Universe "Imperial Phase" trilogy.

If "Lion 3" was the bedrock for Rose to be placed on, and "Alone Together" the centerpiece for Steven and Connie to transcend notions of friendship and gender, then "Warp Tour" is the episode that formally cemented Steven Universe as a piece of dramatic science fiction - a transition that started with Lapis Lazuli's release in "Mirror Gem" - via its introduction of what would become one of the show's most beloved characters.

So, About My Red Dwarf XI Reviews...

...something's been flamingoed up.

It's been about three days since "Twentica" premiered in the UK - ten if you count it's debut on UKTV Play. And as of this moment, Series XI is not available on iTunes. Nor is it on Google Play, Amazon Prime, etc. Basically, the US is locked out of the Boys from the Dwarf as of now.

And before anybody asks, I refuse to torrent the show. I don't need a virus on my Macbook.

I did, however, manage to get a good look at this bit of info from Amazon.

Steven Universe Review: "Alone Together" (Season 1B, Episode 10)

"A Gem fusing with a human being? It's impossible - or at the very least, inappropriate!" - Pearl. She probably thought the same thing way back when.

(Note: for those wondering where my review of "Warp Tour" is, I am going off of the order posted by Ian Jones-Quartey in terms of my episodic analysis. This allows for more consistent continuity in a show that thrives off of it.)

Airdate: January 15th, 2015
Written By: Katie Mitroff, Hilary Florido, Rebecca Sugar
Plot: Steven's attempts at fusing with the Crystal Gems haven't been up to snuff. After another failed round, he goes and meets Connie on the beach. There, Connie exposes her unease when it comes to dancing in public. With the two alone, they decide to dance together on the beach. One dance later, the two wake up as a teenager. A teenager. That's singular.

Review:

Y'know, I've been thinking about a witty way to start this review. It's hard, though. I mean, we're talking about "Alone Together" - an episode that manages to be both undeniably sweet and still a bit terrifying. While my last review brought up the concept of the "Steven Universe Imperial Phase", and noted that "Lion 3" was a massive step towards it by introducing Rose as a character, this episode may have very well done more to build the show's cult following than any other so far, or maybe even since.

And it all is wrapped in one of the show's central plot threads, the power of...

...fusion.

Steven Universe Review: "Lion 3: Straight to Video" (Season 1B, Episode 9)

I wonder what kind of lunch my mom would've made me? Maybe actual space cookies! (sighs) I just wish I knew a little more about her. - Steven, unaware that he said the secret phrase...

Airdate: December 4th, 2014

Written By: Joe Johnston, Jeff Liu, and Rebecca Sugar. (Yup, the creator wrote this.)

Plot: Sadie, disenchanted with the fact that her mother kept making her lunches, tosses one of them to Steven. This gets him thinking... what was his mother like? Could he get one more hit at the woman who brought him into the world? Well, thanks to Lion, he can... although it almost results in his suffocation.

Review:

You know, there is a question that often presses into my mind when I think about a certain sci-fi show... when did the Steven Universe Imperial Phase begin?

Or, rather, what is a Steven Universe Imperial Phase?

Well, to put it simply, the Imperial Phase a term Neil Tennant (of Pet Shop Boys fame) coined to note an era when a production or producer (in this case, the show) is judged to have done no harm. In the case of Steven Universe, this entails emitting critically beloved episode after critically beloved episode, being hailed as something so awesome that one has to wonder if the show is being written by super-humans.

The second question is - has it ended yet? Sure, there have been incidents in the fandom that have left them fighting off a stereotype of overzealous SJWs who constantly post on Tumblr that Hillary Clinton is the second coming of all major religious prophets combined. And of course, this could lead to a prejudice that the show is a hotbed of quasi-progressive SJW groupthink*. Still, the show's critical standing remains strong - ratings on The AV Club haven't dipped below a B yet, and "The Answer" even got nominated for an Emmy. (Then again, given that "Jurassic Bark" lost to "Three Gays of the Condo", the Emmys aren't exactly paragons of what is good.)

The third is, of course, when did it start? Opinions in the fandom in terms of "first great episode" range from "Mirror Gem" to "Jailbreak" - so, generally, Season 1B can be deciphered as the general start of the show's Renaissance.

I've mentioned this idea before - mainly concerning the two-parter "Mirror Gem/Ocean Gem". Still, I don't think we've reached that point yet. Sure, "Mirror Gem/Ocean Gem" stretched the show's boundaries from silly "monster of the week" into a myth arc that stretches through the galaxy. But after that, we had some inconsistent episodes, including two of my least favorite - "House Guest" and "Fusion Cuisine".

Personally, I don't think the Imperial Phase was truly confirmed yet with "Lion 3", but it is not only a huge step towards the start, but it served as part one of a three-part link that cemented the show's critical acclaim.

Steven Universe Review: "Watermelon Steven" (Season 1B, Episode 8)

The Cat: Think of all the glorious, beautiful, wondrous things about having children.

Lister: Like?

Cat: Like when they grow up and leave home!

- Red Dwarf, "Parallel Universe". 

Airdate: November 20th, 2014

Written By: Lamar Abrams and Hellen Jo.

Plot: Steven and Greg spend one evening holding a watermelon seed spitting contest. Steven wins by a mile. The next morning, he wakes up surrounded by a bunch of humanoid watermelons. Stunned, he learns that Rose grew plants as a form of defense. Not seeing them move, he decides to sell them. It's only thanks to Onion's daily high misdemeanor that Steven realizes that they can move. And, indeed, anybody that wrongs Steven even slightly - even lays a finger on them - faces an ass kicking. And, no, the Crystal Gems are not spared.

Review:

I seriously can't believe I have to type these words out... Steven has sired an entire species of watermelons. By spitting out seeds.

Yes. Steven is effectively a father. And God. James Kirk and Benjamin Sisko, eat your heart out - Steven has usurped both of you. One can only laugh.

How the hell do I review this? "Watermelon Steven" has one of those "high concept" plots that should make for epic episodes. Hey, characters creating species gave us "Godfellas", often considered one of the most thought provoking and best Futurama episodes of all time. The last time I reviewed something that directly dealt with God, though, it had Kirk and his friends sing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" and Uhura fan-dancing, before they met a version of God that looked like an effect from The Wizard of Oz.

Not helping is that this episode was written by Lamar Abrams and Hellen Jo, who contributed to the relative mess that was "Fusion Cuisine". My expectations are lowered thus - if this episode turns out to be worse, I'll ask Paddy Ashdown how to best prepare a hat for consumption.

Fifty Years of "Star Trek"

"Space... the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. It's five year mission; to explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life, and new civilizations... to boldly go where no man has gone before."

Fifty years ago today, NBC broadcast the first episode of a sci-fi show, Star Trek. Entitled "The Man Trap", it centered around an alien trying to extract the salt from the bodies of the residents of a medical outpost - just one of the adventures of the USS Enterprise in the year 2266.

Who'd have thought, fifty years later, that this little episode would be just the start of a cultural phenomenon that consists of six (soon to be seven) TV shows, thirty seasons of those television shows, and thirteen movies? And that's not even getting into the books, the fan content, the comics, the filk songs ("And we're Banned from Argo, everyone!")?

Steven Universe Review: "Garnet's Universe" (Season 1B, Episode 7)

"What did you do today?" "Tell me what you think I did." - Steven and Garnet, the latter painfully unaware of the story that she is about to hear.

Airdate: November 13th, 2014

Written By: Joe Johnston and Jeff Liu

Plot: As Garnet comes back from a mission, Steven inquires as to what she did with her time out. Garnet wonders what Steven thought she did.

Thus begins Garnet's Universe.

Warping into a goofy, cartoonish universe, Garnet meets her animal friends, Hopper (Deedee Mango-Hall) and Hoppy (Michaela Dietz). During the middle of training, the three are interrupted by a humanoid stranger, Ringo (Zach Steele), who wants revenge on the Foxman (Matthew Moy) for stealing his habitat protecting the Gem of Ultimate Power. After Garnet's first meeting with the Foxman proves less than exemplarily, she winds up training her way into higher power. However, Ringo has played a cruel trick on all of them.

Review:

Well, after the boring bit of awkwardness that was "Fusion Cuisine", I needed a bit of a cleanser to get the bad taste out of my mouth. Thankfully, we got one - and this time, we have an example of the show breaking the format while still feeling like a Steven Universe episode, and being a very good episode at that.

And, believe me. "Garnet's Universe" is, quite possibly, the single most unusual episode of the show. Which, considering what this show is about, says a lot.

Review Nebula Announcements: September 2016

Hello, everybody. With September 2016 right here, I just want to make a couple of announcements regarding what this month - and, to a lesser extent, this year - holds for The Review Nebula.

First off, let's back to the boys in the Small Rouge One.

The trailer for Red Dwarf XI came out less than a week ago - premiering on Dave and rapidly getting posted to YouTube through official and unofficial channels.

Needless to say, I was not disappointed.

Steven Universe Review: "Fusion Cuisine" (Season 1B, Episode 6)

"All comedy is derived from fear." - Garnet. It's as close to a description of this episode as I can come up with.

Airdate: November 6th, 2014

Written By: Lamar Abrams and Hellen Jo

Plot: Garnet screws up royally while on the phone with Connie's mother. Incensed, she requests to see Steven's mom and dad for dinner. Funny thing, though - Steven's mom is sorta dead, and all of the Crystal Gems have flaws that could screw up a potential dinner. Steven, however, has a trick up his sleeve - have the trio fuse into Alexandrite. Hilarity ensues... and by hilarity, I mean a dinner that makes the ones attended by Frank Reynolds look professional in comparison.

Review:

There's a thin, fine line between "characters engaging in momentary idiocy" and "characters becoming around as naive as Ralph Wiggum". Remember back when I reviewed "Keep Beach City Weird", a few days ago? Well, no need - I just reviewed it a few days ago. One of my chief complaints about that episode was that at least two of the characters were turned quite stupid in order to aid the climax - crossing the line, or at least, toeing it.

Which brings us to "Fusion Cuisine", the episode on tonight's menu.

Opinions on this episode range the gamut from "ingenious comic romp" to "waste of 11 minutes, who wrote this crap" (Lamar Abrams and Hellen Jo, for those wondering). A lot of this deals in the more "awkward" comedy found in this episode - a good chunk of it, frankly, based on the characters being dumbasses or otherwise irritating.

Taking Another Brief Break

Just letting you know ahead of time that the next review (either "Fusion Cuisine" or "Make Room for Lisa") won't be posted for at least another couple of days or so, possibly a week. I'm starting a new school year, and am dealing - mentally and otherwise - with some of the transitional aspects, given that I've transferred from a community college to my local four-year university. (Thankfully, I'm living at home, so the transition is a bit easier, but still.)

Sorry for the inconvenience.

On an unrelated note, despite the Summer of Steven ending, new episodes are still airing weekly, for those unaware. Thursday night's episode, "Mindful Education", was easily one of the show's best episodes - containing both a thought-provoking plot, awesome character development, and what I consider to be my favorite song from the series so far. (Yes, I prefer it to "Stronger Than You" and "It's Over, Isn't It".) Standout effort all around.

Steven Universe Review: "Keep Beach City Weird!" (Season 1B, Episode 5)

"Snake people, or sneeple, control our government at the highest level!" - Ronaldo Fryman. If this man took a government course in high school, he must've been very disappointed at the curriculum. Or satisfied.

Airdate: October 30th, 2014

Written By: Raven Molisee and Paul Villeco.

Plot: Steven stumbles across Ronaldo, in the hunt to validate his own conspiracy theory. He has compiled the various strange events going around across Beach City, and has come to his ultimate conclusion... the world is ruled by otherworldly snake people! Unfortunately for him, a pretty valid counterargument comes up - there are these three aliens who happen to live in the town, and get on to various misadventures. Once Steven disproves Ronaldo's theory, he suffers an emotional collapse. Steven, feeling bad, tries to fix what went wrong... only to see Ronaldo at his most insane.

Review (SPOILERS):

We all know the reason for Steven Universe's existence, right? Well, it's the result of Rebecca Sugar's deal with the Illuminati, a group of freemasons led by Preston Manning and Bill Shorten, who power the megabanks that engineered the Allen Gregory false flag, to power the sale of propane and propane accessories, all to line their pockets so that they can financially appease their sentient god, the Great Computer.

"He gets all his information on astronomy, phenomenology, and physics from a single reference book - The Junior Encyclopedia of Space. It's the only one he could find with pictures." - Queeg, Red Dwarf.

Yeah, that makes no sense, right?

Conspiracy theorists generally have stretched things really far to determine that certain world events are all part of this idea to start a new world order - whether it be the September 11th attacks, the election of Barack Obama as President, the rise of Donald Trump to the GOP nomination, even the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shootings. (Really? Arguing that an incident where children got shot was fake in your attempt to prove that the world is controlled by bankers? What the hell?)

While Steven Universe largely takes it's social commentary on a larger level (analyzing authoritarian governments and the role of "eye for an eye"), this episode decides to take a targeted look at the conspiracy theorists - what makes them tick?

Steven Universe Review: "Island Adventure" (Season 1B, Episode 4)

It could be worse. You could be trapped on a shuttle that crashed on an ice planet.

"I'm the warp master!" "That's nice, Steven." - Steven and Sadie, the latter starting to sound like she knows where her life is going, and ain't liking it.

Airdate: October 23rd, 2014

Written By: Raven Molisee and Paul Villeco

Plot: While bragging about his ability to warp to Lars and Sadie, Steven realizes that the two's relationship is down in the dumps... to say the very least. He suggests the trio go to the island that he and the Crystal Gems were on just before. Lars doesn't want to stay, but the Warp Pad goes missing, thus stranding them on the island. There, Lars's emotional defenses begin breaking down, leaving him vulnerable, and bringing him closer to Sadie.

Review (SPOILERS):

Last we left the tragic saga that was the relationship of Lars and Sadie, the former was breathing fire as a result of the latter's act of revenge. Said revenge was caused by Lars betraying Sadie's trust, after (apparently) they slept with each other. Yeah, those two get on like water and oil, and still work together. Get these two to Corrie already.

Personally, while not as interesting as the sci-fi antics of the Crystal Gems, I do like these two characters. They serve as Steven's connection to the human world that the other Gems have a tenuous grasp on. And as the Gem sphere of Steven's little life prepares to catch fire, the sparks are flying at the Big Donut.

Red Dwarf XI: First Preview

Image taken from the Red Dwarf website.

"Kryten, set a course for Red Dwarf. The slime's coming home!" - Rimmer, at the end of "The Beginning".

Finally!

This September, Red Dwarf returns for a new batch of episodes. Red Dwarf XI will mark the first series in four years, after Red Dwarf X's run on Dave led to rather high ratings and overall good reviews. General consensus of Series X was that, while not as sublime as the earlier series, it was a return to form compared to the controversial previous three series.

Steven Universe Review: "Secret Team" (Season 1B, Episode 3)

Loudly shouting out "secret team" might do the exact opposite to your team, kid.

"We gotta come up with a name for our secret-keeping team. Something cool, like... a Secret Team." - Steven, showing this show's aversion to proper nouns for objects or places.

Airdate: October 16th, 2014

Written By: Hilary Florido and Katie Mitroff

Plot: Steven and Amethyst's exercise of "diving into puddles of water in the latter's room" sends them into Pearl's room. There, a series of bickering between the two gems causes a bubble (formed by Rose) full of broken gem shards to pop, letting loose a lot of limbs. Since the bubbles are stored in Garnet's room, the Gems fear death at the hands of Square Mom. Thus, the trio form an alliance - a "Secret Team", if you prefer, in order to get the gem shards back into a bubble.

Review:

Going from epic episodes to silly little quasi-vignettes appears to be par for the course for Steven Universe right now. We've had an episode about Steven lamenting the death of his mother followed by a kid who might not even be human trying to kill him over a toy, Connie and Steven taking down a robot followed by a beach party, and Steven's band trouble followed by a quartet of episodes that showed him learning that there was a lot of drama involving Gem culture. A lot of drama.

Here, after episodes focusing on Steven's father lamenting his lack of communication and Pearl's tragic desire to reach a utopia, we get... Steven forming alliances within the Crystal Gems over a popped bubble.

Epic, eh?

Before Anybody Asks....

First off, yes, I am aware that there will be a new Steven Universe episode per weekday for about a month. I will be watching as many of these episodes as possible. No, I will not be reviewing them yet. Besides the overload of episodes, I want to get all of the previously-aired episodes out of the way before I review any new ones.

Second, I am more than aware that Star Trek: Beyond is coming out this Friday. I will be going to a local theater on opening night. I am also doing a bit of a "movie re-watch" this week - watching some of the Star Trek movies in the few days leading up to the premiere of Beyond.

To cut a long story short, I don't think I'll be getting my "Secret Team" review out this week. "Make Room for Lisa" is also unlikely to be reviewed. Slightly more likely, yet still questionable, is my review of "The Day The Earth Stood Stupid" on my Futurama blog. I don't think I'll be getting my next review (which is probably going to be "Secret Team") out on this blog until sometime next week.

Just consider this a brief, confirmed break. We all need one once in a while.

"Smoke me a kipper. I'll be back for breakfast."

Scullyfied Simpsons: "Marge Simpson in: Screaming Yellow Honkers" (Season 10, Episode 15)

"Anger is what makes America great. But you must find a proper weapon for your rage." - Sgt. Crewe. Personally, I watch Simpsons episodes produced during the show's decline and complain about them on a blog. 

Airdate: February 21st, 1999

Plot: While trying to flee a variety show, Homer sees the four-wheel strength of the Canyonero. He goes to buy it, only to get the "F-Series" - a version of the car targeting women. His fear of being labeled gay has him toss the keys to Marge (read, has him hotwire her old car). Marge gets behind the Canyonero, and immediately gains some impulse. Unfortunately, this translates into road rage - one that gets her sent to Traffic Court. This proves ineffective, though, and eventually, her license is suspended... just in time for an incident at the zoo that, for some reason, requires her help. (Go on, guess why?)

Review:

As I mentioned in my review of "Coach Steven", America seems to be the nation that runs on pure, unbridled Id. Power seems to permieate from every single thing we do - the biggest homes, the most powerful cars, the most passionate politics, etc. Granted, this is a broad generalization, but there is truth in the stereotype of the powerful American. Here, this episode takes a look at the SUV - arguably the most powerful type of car in existence - and how even the meekest of us can become power hungry. Unfortunately, it's in execution where the episode falls apart.

Steven Universe Review: "Space Race" (Season 1B, Episode 2)

"I like to dream
Yes, yes, right between my sound machine.
On a cloud of sound, I drift in the night
Any place it goes is right
Goes far, flies near
To the stars away from here..."
- "Magic Carpet Ride", Steppenwolf.

"The idea is ludicrous. It would never work - although, several humans, a monkey, and a dog did make it into space..." - Pearl, talking about building a spaceship out of spare parts... and also effectively writing every American's letter to their representative on why we should increase funding to NASA.

Airdate: October 9th, 2014

Written By: Joe Johnston and Jeff Liu

Plot: A trip to a bunch of broken warp pads leaves Pearl nostalgic for the ability for interstellar travel - particularly, the ability to know what is going on back at Homeworld. Steven and Greg are inspired to make their own silly little space shuttle. Pearl sees this, gets involved, and takes it's construction to the furthest possible limit.

Review (SPOILERS):

Three episodes ago, we watched as the world of Steven Quartz Universe went from the tiny sea town of Beach City, Delmarva, all the way into the deepest corners of outer space. So, why don't we explore these new limitations ASAP?

Yeah, funny little thing about space travel - it's rather complex and stuff. Can't slap it together. I would make a comparison to this episode, but I can't. Because this episode was put together like a Westminister Abbey model in a bottle - carefully assembled.

"Edward the Confessor himself could not have done better. Now to set the clocks to Greenwich Mean Time..."
(Unfortunately, the clocks never get adjusted properly.)

Steven Universe Review: "House Guest" (Season 1B, Episode 1)

Will Greg Universe use the warp whistle responsibly? Here's a hint - N. O. The end.

"Now, Greg, there's no need to be so pathetic." - Pearl, introducing Greg to the whistle - aka, the plot device de jour. 

Airdate: October 2nd, 2014.

Written By: Lamar Abrams and Hellen Jo.

Plot: Greg's van, which he conveniently uses as a house, was damaged in a recent confrontation with a livid ex-prisoner. Between that, and his injury, Steven lets him coop up in the temple for a while. However, Steven still has to go on missions with the Crystal Gems - for example, to try and repair a damaged Geode. Thus, Greg is given a whistle to play in case of an emergency. With great power... ah, what the hell, Greg abuses it.

Review:

"House Guest" marks the premiere of the second half of Season 1 - which, for the purposes of this blog, I will consider it's own quasi-separate season. In my opinion, "House Guest" also concludes what I consider to be Steven Universe's first genuine five-part arc, starting with "Monster Buddies". (One could argue that the "arc" could start with "An Indirect Kiss" and go into "Space Race", but I personally think that "Monster Buddies" to "House Guest" contains a more appropriately placed and stronger climax.) So, how does the first episode of the quasi-newly dramatic Steven Universe go?

Eh...

Steven Universe Reviews: June 2016 Update

I'm just letting you know that, as of my next Steven Universe review ("House Guest"), those reviews will be at least somewhat retrospective. This means that there will very likely be spoilers for episodes past the ones I'm covering. If you don't like spoilers, I would advise watching the episode being covered before reading my reviews.

Steven Universe Review: Season 1A Wrap Up

Poster created by Rebecca Sugar, taken from Wikipedia.

"I summoned my weapon by eating ice cream!" + 24 episodes = "YOU CAN'T TRAP ME HERE ANYMORE!" 

That's pretty much the formula of Steven Universe Season 1A. Over the course of ten-and-a-half months, Steven Universe established itself as a valuable part of the sci-fi realm, as well as the critical centerpiece of the Cartoon Network canon. And, over the past ten and a half months, I have been reviewing it. Yes, that was a total coincidence on my part.

One particular stereotype about the fandom is that they tend to discredit 1A, mainly because of the thought that it is weak compared to the sublime rest of the show. While I totally believe that 1A is pretty great overall, I do think that, yes, 1A is the weakest stretch in terms of writing this show has had so far.

Steven Universe Review: "Ocean Gem" (Season 1A, Episode 26)

Before I begin the review, I would be remiss to not offer my deepest condolences to the victims of the recent terrorist attack at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, as well as their friends and families. Not only was this the deadliest mass shooting in postwar US history - with 49 dead and 53 wounded - this was also (as far as I'm aware) the second deadliest domestic terrorist attack in postwar American history, superseded only by the 1995 Murrah Bombing in Oklahoma City. That this particular massacre happened at a gay nightclub, in a region so many Americans associate with happiness and innocence, is especially heinous.

It goes without saying that this shooting was a disgusting act of hatred against LGBT people, an attack against all Americans and the values that the nation thrives on, and even a crime against humanity, which should have moved beyond acts such as this. I'll save the political discussions for somebody else, since I don't want this post to be overshadowed by talking points on issues such as homophobia, religious extremism, gun laws, tabloid media, and counter-terrorism. I will, however, proudly declare myself an ally to the LGBT Community. 

And yes, I am very aware that Steven Universe is a show that has strong gay and transgender overtones. If anything, take the existence of this show - virtually unfathomable ten years ago in it's current form - as a way of saying that attempts to set back rights and progress for LGBT people, especially via terrorism, will achieve so little in the end. As far as terrorists in general, no matter what ideology they use to justify their warped actions, well, Jon Stewart put it best after 9/11 -

"They live in chaos. And chaos... it can't sustain itself. It never could. It's too easy, and it's too unsatisfying."

And, remember - letting terrorism deter you from doing whatever you would normally do - whether going to a nightclub or marching in a Pride parade- only gives these madmen a sense of victory. We can't let that happen.

Now, on a hopefully lighter note...

------

"Your pain runs deep! Share it with me!" (I think I might have gotten myself banned from Trek fandom for life.)

"I'm gonna bring the ocean back, or get really thirsty trying." - Steven, stating his resolve. Gonna need a lot of water, kid. 

Airdate: September 25th, 2014

Writers: Joe Johnston and Jeff Liu

Plot: Last time on Steven Universe, Pearl introduced Steven to a magic mirror, the mirror proves sentient and begs to be released from it's prison, the Borg capture Captain Jean-Luc Picard and rename him Locutus, Charles Montgomery Burns is shot outside Town Hall after angering the entire town, Kryten creates a franchise-killing dinosaur with the Time Wand, Bill manages to start the Apocalypse via a distraught pre-teen, President Bartlet and his staff are targeted by assassins, and Lapis Lazuli is released before threatening to drown the Crystal Gems in an act of revenge.

Just as Steven is being reprimanded and grounded by the Crystal Gems for insubordination, they find out that the ocean has receded. To nothing. This presents a problem - Beach City stands to lose quite a lot of tourism dough. Realizing that he helped screw up an entire town's economy, Steven, the Trio (who nullify the kid's punishment), Connie, Lion, and Greg all go out to bring the ocean back. En route to the source, Steven finds out about a schism in the Gem society.

Review (Spoilers):

So, in the last episode, Steven Universe raised the stakes plot-wise. It hinted that our heroes might be in greyer territory than we thought. that Lapis might be morally questionable while still coming off as tragic, and that there is a universe of Gems beyond Earth.

This episode merely serves to confirm what we learned in the past episode, yet does so in a way that supersedes almost every episode up to this point in terms of quality.

Steven Universe Review: "Mirror Gem" (Season 1A, Episode 25)

"School's out!" - Steven, after taking a class on a Gem mirror. His summer vacation takes a bit of a downward turn from there. 

Airdate: September 22nd, 2014

Writers: Raven Molisee and Paul Villeco

Plot: Steven, as it turns out, hasn't received formal schooling. At all. He manages to get Pearl to teach him a lesson - one revolving around a magic hand mirror. At first, it appears that the magic mirror doesn't work. However, it begins repeating phrases that it overhears during Steven's walk. In a way, it becomes sentient. And when the Gems find out, they all begin to think that Steven might be in danger. However, Steven also begins to think that the mirror itself is in danger.

Review (SPOILERS):

"Mirror Gem" is well known in the Steven Universe fandom for it's twist, one that completely re-routed the plot development in Steven Universe and marked the show's transformation into a dramatic, science fiction epic...

Pearl stabbed MC Bear Bear!

That's just an absolute tragedy, unforeseen in the show's canon. And for one of our heroes to do it? An action on par with the destruction of Alderaan, that is. It's as if a stuffed bear cried out in shock... and then was silenced...

...oh, and Steven lets loose a gem, one that's hostile to the Trio and wants them dead because, apparently, they effectively imprisoned and kidnapped her before tossing her mirror prison aside like a subpar movie that they got at the Walmart dollar bin.

Scullyfied Simpsons: "I'm With Cupid" (Season 10, Episode 14)

"Both of my ears are filled with nougat!"

"You told me that it was an American tradition to work all the time and not see your wife!" - Manjula, to Apu. Give it 17 years, Manjula.

Airdate: February 14th, 1999

Plot: In 2005, in response to developments regarding Anglo-American relations, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe penned "I'm With Stupid", a satire on a theoretical romance between British Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President George W Bush.

Whoops - this is a television episode... Patrick is afraid that his parents will mock him for being rather stupid. Therefore, SpongeBob decides to take up the role of "The Fool".

...I'm sorry, this is "I'm With Cupid", not "I'm With Stupid."

Apu's relationship with Manjula is on the rocks. Apparently, the life of a convenience store manager isn't exactly conducive to free time. To make it up to her, Apu goes all out in his Valentines Day celebrations. This, though, alienates the wives of Springfield's men. They all proceed to sabotage the actual Valentines Day celebration.

Review: 

Two years ago (because I am a lazy bum), during my coverage of Season 9, I reviewed "The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons". There, my complaint lied in the fact that the episode revolved around Homer's antics, and was overall rather pedestrian. In hindsight, though, I can recognize some of the character development in that episode, even if I would've preferred more. That, and it was a pretty funny episode.

"I'm With Cupid" serves as a follow up to that episode... but it ultimately feels a bit underwhelming.

Steven Universe Review: "An Indirect Kiss" (Season 1A, Episode 24)

"Just today, you were crying about snakes!" "They don't have any arms!" - Steven and Pearl, engaging in riveting conversation about the tragedy of snake biology.

Airdate: September 18th, 2014

Written By: Raven Molisee and Paul Villeco.

Plot: Steven and Connie have come a long way from almost drowning together. Now, they have a pic-a-nic together. Thing is, Steven's undergoing a bit of an emotional malaise. Also, there's a fence by the lighthouse where they are having the pic-a-nic. Steven notes that the two are connected, but that the story ends sadly.

Apparently, Steven and Amethyst were horsing around on the edge. One thing led to another, and Amethyst fell of the edge, onto her gem. It cracks, causing her eye to dilate. Thus, Pearl requested, and presumably constructed, a fence up by the cliff.

OK, that's not a sad ending. Connie inquires about the rest, and Steven finally cracks.

Apparently, Rose used to have tears that healed Gems. Unfortunately, Steven can't muster up the tears readily. To fix Amethyst's gem (lest she be permanently damaged), they go for plan B. (And no, it's not moving the town 5 miles down the road.) The quartet wind up at Rose's fountain, which apparently has magical healing abilities. Unfortunately, the entire fountain is overgrown, driving Pearl to the brink of insanity. And Steven still can't muster up the tears. An internal crisis ensues.

Review: 

This episode marks the second part of Steven Universe's first five-part arc - one that fleshes out the Crystal Gems, Steven's role in the dynamic, and everybody's backstory. This time, we get a look at how Steven feels about the legacy he feels like he has to live up to. What follows is a very impressive episode - one filled with introspection and brilliance.

Steven Universe Review: "Monster Buddies" (Season 1A, Episode 23)

Looks like the Centipeetle literally has a rock. But can it inspire her? All we know is that it feels no pain.

Airdate: September 8th, 2014

Plot: Steven gets another pet! This time, it's a pet that tried to kill him.

Yeah, remember the first episode, where Steven tried to beat the Centipeetles with Cookie Cat Ice Cream? Well, this time, he winds up accidentally un-bubbling one of them - the mother, in fact - and letting them regenerate. Against Pearl's wishes, Garnet decides to let Steven domesticate her. That proves to be difficult, what with her spitting acid and all that. Oh, and it seems to have a hatred against the Crystal Gems.

Review: "Steven and the Stevens" explored Steven's role in the Crystal Gem dynamic by temporarily removing him from anybody but himself, and noting how they bounce off of each other on a comic level. Now, "Monster Buddies" shows him and the trio engage in something of a division within the ranks - one where the personalities clash on a dramatic level.

Steven Universe Review: "Steven and the Stevens" (Season 1A, Episode 22)

 Go on, guess who the drummer is! Here's a hint - it's not Ringo Starr.

Airdate: September 4th, 2014

Plot: While on a rather silly mission, Steven comes into possession of "the Glass of Time" - which allows him to, well, control time. His original plans for his Beachapalooza performance scuttled due to an issue with his dad's business, he decides to merely copy himself thrice over, forming the eponymous band. When appointed as the leader, however, conflict breaks out between the four Stevens.

Review: "Steven and the Stevens" is another episode that, while at first glance appears disconnected to the rest of the show, actually makes up for it's canon-lightness. In this case, we have an episode that takes a look at the Crystal Gem character dynamic, as well as how Steven bounces off of everybody else in the show. Oh, and how power corrupts and all that.

Steven Universe Review: "Joking Victim" (Season 1A, Episode 21)

"Sorry, the sign on the side of the store states that The Big Donut is not liable if you start breathing fire. Your lawsuit is thrown out."

Airdate: August 21st, 2014

Plot: Steven's attempts to chase down some fire salt fries (thanks, Amethyst) with soda lead to a mess at the Big Donut. Lars shirks his responsibilities via a "back injury", and Sadie gives him the day off. Steven, therefore, is appointed as a temporary Lars, and even manages to do a better job at the Big Donut. Still, Sadie can't just fire him - the two have something of a relationship.

To try and cheer Lars up, the two bring donuts to his house, only to catch him on the trampoline with the Cool Kids. A distraught Sadie reveals that this may not have been the first time this has happened, and vows revenge. Cue the fire salt donut. The consequences are really heated... as pictured above.

Review (SPOILERS): At first glance, this episode has such little a point as to it's existence, it's probably a sphere. However, a closer look does damage to that hypothesis. Yes, this episode is a "canon-light" one - an episode that does not have a whole lot of bearing in terms of major plot development. The episode isn't completely disposable, however - it fleshes out characters, and introduces a theme that will become a major one in season 2. In fact, dare I say, it's probably the most overlooked episode of the show's canon.

Steven Universe Review: "Coach Steven" (Season 1A, Episode 20)

You've messed with Sugilite for the last time! Prepare! For! GLOBNAR!!!!!!

Airdate: August 21st, 2014

Plot: A Gem communication hub is causing bursts of electromagnetic interference. The effects? As Garnet puts it, "it's hurting television". Rather than one of Pearl's strategic moves, Garnet instead ops to use raw power.

"Amethyst, fuse with me."

Enter Sugilite. Built, arrogant and boisterous, she become reckless in her destruction of the hub. This doesn't deter Steven, who suddenly wants to become macho, buff, full of muscle. Hell, he even recruits others (Lars, Sadie, Greg) to join him in his quest to become built. Pearl, though, is driven up the wall because of this.

Review (SPOILERS): First, no, I don't really listen to Nikki Minaj's music. I could not care less about it. I'll stick with the Pet Shop Boys and whatever's playing on WBAB and WLIX, thank you very much. She does a good job in voice acting, though.

Now that my disclaimer is out of the way...

There's a lot of irony in the title of this episode. Despite the title indicating that this will focus on Steven, instead, we get what might be the very first "Pearl Pathos" episode - an episode revolving around fleshing out Pearl beyond her neurotic exterior. That helps combine with a bit of social analysis to create what might be the standout episode from Season 1A.

Steven Universe Review: "Rose's Room" (Season 1A, Episode 19)

Steven's gonna have a whale of a time with this room. I am the duke of bad puns.

Airdate: May 14th, 2014

Plot: It is a pretty bad night for Steven. First, the Gems can't go mini-golfing with him because they have a mission. Then, his attempts to play video games are interrupted with the trio's post-mission idiocy. Irritated, he wishes for things to go his way for once - a wish that opens up Rose's Room. In effect a holodeck, Rose's room can generate whatever Steven wishes for. Unfortunately, the effects can often be... dangerous.

Review: "Better Than Life" is my favorite episode of Red Dwarf. The episode features the trio's exploits in the titular Total Immersion Videogame. However, it winds up rooting itself in self-generated psychological terror on Rimmer's part, with his sweetest dreams turning into nightmares. He goes from being a respected, opulent real admiral to a married, bankrupt piece of ant chow, and he drags down the rest of the Red Dwarf gang with him. Needless to say, I died laughing... and brought more Red Dwarf episodes on iTunes.

Speaking of which, "Rose's Room". It takes a similar path. Except with less comedy. And very more emotional overtones (which, considering that the Red Dwarf episode involved Rimmer learning that his abusive father died before Arnie suffered radiation poisoning, is a rather hard feat.)