Passing the Torch to Wordpress

This is my 295th post - give or take - on this silly little blog I started back in high school. And I want to let you know why I'm making a note of it.

My 300th post will be a return to Star Trek movie reviews. It will cover Generations - the first film to feature The Next Generation cast and crew, as well as the last film to feature William Shatner as Captain Jim Kirk. The film's intent is to serve as a formal "passing of the torch" from the TOS era to the TNG era - which was getting underway with DS9 in its second season and Voyager in production.

I actually find it rather fitting that it will be the subject of my 300th post... because it will be the last review, and the penultimate post, on the Blogspot platform I've used for the past four years.

Over the past several months, I've waffled back and forth on whether or not to move The Review Nebula over to another platform - read, Wordpress. After sampling it over the past few months, I've come to the conclusion that, while Blogspot has served me well, it's time for a fresh coat of paint.

And yes, I am aware that I do make somewhat dramatic changes to the blog once every year or so. Whether it's a name change, a URL change, or design alterations, I've tinkered with this blog to fit my desires. Consider this probably the most dramatic change this blog has ever made.

It's right here - The Review Nebula. Check it out - and it should appear in Google searches rather soon.

Now, the Blogspot version will stay up for at least a year after the final post - partially as an archive, partially to redirect readers over, partially to serve as a bit of nostalgia. And who knows, I might make an update on Blogspot once in a while should something dramatic occur. But the time has, again, come to kiss and say goodbye.

So, what next?

For the most part, the last five posts here will be business as usual. Silly reviews, with redirects to the new version of the blog at the top. Of course, within those next five posts will be the aforementioned Generations. So, there is some sort of method to my madness.

Just a reminder - this is not the end. It's just a second beginning.

About A Review Coming Out Tomorrow

Just a heads up - I have decided to review something that isn't in my normal review schedule.

I have written a review of a work that involves a Steven Universe voiceover artist. It's one of the most famous works in its genre, and it poses several questions as to our everyday life. Their role might not be the biggest, but it sets the plot of the entire work in question.

What is it?

Well, you'll find out tomorrow!

Where Did I Go?

...yeah. It's coming up on two and a half weeks since I last posted something. Not the first time I've gone a rather long stretch without an update, but probably the longest in some time.

I am deeply sorry for the radio silence. There are a few things that did go on over the past couple of weeks in my personal life - a couple of projects, some midterms, and a rather wonky schedule. Not helping matters was a small malaise - a cold, I think - that I came down with last week that sapped my energy for a couple of days. (I've rebounded since.)

Also, my next review is looking like that of "Maximum Capacity". And, to be honest here, the last few episodes of Steven Universe have varied considerably in their quality. StevenBomb 5 was "very good, but not as great as the prior StevenBombs", same with "Room for Ruby", "Tiger Philanthropist" was a dud, and "Rocknaldo" irritated me. There have been some great episodes  - "Storm in the Room" was disquieting, for example - but I think SU's been off-balance so far this season, and I think it's quieted my enthusiasm for this thus-far brilliant series a little bit.

Still, that's no excuse. I should've updated a bit earlier as to what is going on, and I am sorry.

Thankfully, I have Spring Break this week. Hopefully, I'll be able to focus and finish up my "Maximum Capacity" review by St. Patrick's Day.

Happy 29th, Red Dwarf!

Twenty-nine years ago today, Red Dwarf made its debut on BBC Two.

It's actually rather incredible that it even debut - according to the Red Dwarf website, production was almost killed off due to several strikes. Who, from the head honchos at the BBC, to Grant/Naylor, to Craig, Chris, Danny, and Norman, all the way to even the casual viewer, would've thought it would still be in production today?

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

A Brief Note About February and March 2016

Just letting you know ahead of time, almost all of the posts on this blog this month will be dedicated to the Gravity Falls finale, which will air on the 15th. (Please watch it live and on DisneyXD/the app - let's have GF go out with a bang.)

I might be able to get out my review of "Mayored to the Mob" (and, less likely, either "So Many Birthdays" or "Viva Ned Flanders") before the 15th, but after that, the rest of the posts this month will be dedicated to the end of Gravity Falls.

On a side note, I foresee March being a rather busy month for me, so blog updates may or may not be relatively rare during March. Just an advance warning.

Steven Universe Scoring System - The Trial Period

Well, Happy New Year, everybody! Hope you had a winter break, and that if you did, it went very smoothly. Mine went pretty well - decompression after what was honestly a rather rough semester. But, I'm back, and hoping to make 2016 a bit more active than 2015.

That shouldn't be too hard - while one show is closing, another one is getting back in gear, and I'm reviewing another show I love. In fact, that last show is the point of this post.

Re-reading my Steven Universe reviews, I feel like using my 1-10 score system for that show has some flaws. As far as I know, under the current system, even the worst Steven Universe episode won't get any lower than a 6 score (and here's hoping that holds.) Now, you could make an argument that it shows just how good Steven Universe is.

Still, I feel like, to accurately measure Steven Universe, I should score it against the standards it has set itself. Therefore, I have come up with a new score system, and I am going to test it out over the next few reviews, see how I like it.

Heads Up About The "Escape from Reality" Review

I mentioned this at the start of the month, but I have a few papers to do. While I was able to get a few posts out this month, the papers still present themselves.

Thus, the "Escape from Reality" review will likely come out sometime after the turn of the month. It might come out earlier than that, it might not. My review of Star Trek VI will likely come out closer to Christmas - consider it and a ranking (or various rankings) of all six Star Trek films a smaller Christmas Spectacular Thing.

Hey, Gravity Falls is an awesome show, but, y'know, school is school. And I will be watching the episode tonight.

(Oh, a review is coming out tomorrow, but that was written beforehand.)

Reaching the End of Gravity Falls

Yes, the rumors are true.

To condense everything in this link, Alex Hirsch has confirmed that Season 2 is the end of Gravity Falls. It is done. Finished. Bye bye, love. To condense the facts even further...

• Alex made the decision to bring the show to the end itself. This was planned from the start of season 2.
• This was done to make sure the show didn't fall into Lost Syndrome, that it wouldn't drive it's viewers away with a more and more complicated and pointless plot.
• Disney didn't want to mess with the ratings by announcing that season 2 was the end... until now.
• Two more episodes left - the next one ("Weirdmageddon II") and an hour-long event ("Weirdmageddon III"). After that... adios.

Sad as this may seem, I am honestly not surprised. It definitely felt like the show was going to wrap up sooner rather than later. Hell, I was glad that it got a season 2 in the first place - it just seemed so out of place on the Disney lineup, that I thought Disney was going to punt it. But hearing the news that it is coming to an end is certainly a bit sobering. 

I'll have a fuller eulogy out after the whole wrap-up, but to put it simply, this was one of the first "new" shows I really loved in a good while. I still love this show, and always will.

And fans, take solace in this fact - Twin Peaks got 30 episodes. Gravity Falls beat it's spiritual predecessor by 10 episodes. Also, the show's quality never imploded, a-la Lost or Heroes. Take solace in that, as well.

Besides, this show has practically guaranteed that Alex Hirsch will likely create another show. While time will tell if he does so (he might need a rest), I am confident that he isn't out of ideas or talent yet. As for what he might develop... again, don't be antsy.

So, we'll watch the end of the journey, and hopefully, Gravity Falls goes out with a bang so large, it shakes the fandom to it's core.

Note on the Gravity Falls Reviews

Just letting you know, I don't think I'll be doing the rest of my re-reviews of the first season until the show is done. That way, I can review said episodes more thoroughly, take note of elements that have become more important, and all that jazz.

Don't worry, though - my reviews of new episodes won't stop. Just a reminder, "Dipper and Mabel vs The Future" will air on Monday, at 8PM Eastern. Watch it - the canon of the show will likely be affected on a scale unseen since... five episodes ago.

A Note on October Posts

While I don't expect any major changes to the frequency of updates (yes, I am aware that I went almost two weeks without posting something), I should bring up now that, because I have a few papers to write over the next few weeks, don't be surprise if my next update doesn't come until the middle of October.

Next month, though, I fully intend to review "Dipper and Mabel vs. the Future", get to "Bart the Mother" and "Treehouse of Horror IX", and Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. Also, if I find the time, I might post reviews of "Together Breakfast" and "Frybo".

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Note About My Order of Steven Universe Reviews

Just a quick note about my Steven Universe reviews.

It's worth noting right now that I will be reviewing the episodes in "viewing order", not the order in which they aired. I'm doing this so that the continuity flows better... at least, in my reviews.

This shouldn't be too much of a problem, though - I am approximately 60-ish episodes behind the most recently aired episode. Gonna take a long time to get there... I think. Maybe.