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Arcane: League of Legends: The Dirt Under Your Nails (2024)

"Nobody Wins in War, Vi."

Arcane's finale delivers the all out war we've been waiting for the entire series, and up until the end leaves you on your heels and gives you no room to breathe. All sides that are fixated on their goals being the end all be all clash one last time in an emotional fight of ideals that could've been avoided, yet this was the fate they arrived at. Given how strong the themes are in this show it's important that they be treated with care, and in terms of the war I think putting emphasis on Vander's words in season 1 to Vi that there's never a winner was a very important thing to tackle as we reached the finale. And I'm glad to say that Arcane pulled through and delivered and left me empty but at peace.

After the retrospective of what could've been which was much needed after the chaos of 2x6, the dominoes were finally starting to fall into place as the tension started to rise again. The line that I've been fixated on for most of this show was from 1x2 where Vi tells Powder, "What makes you different makes you strong. Always remember that, ok?" and after this finale, I can't stop thinking about it. The development of this show in terms of the beginning of season 1 to now feels light and day, but the execution of the transformations were done in such a brilliant way, and nothing can take that away from this show.

Arcane cemented itself onto the Animation Mount Rushmore along with AOT and Avatar: The Last Airbender, and will forever be remembered for its large impact in entertainment. When people say the golden era of TV is dead, I'm going to show them this show to remind them that it's not. Yeah its not the same as Breaking Bad or prime GOT or TWD, but Arcane is easily one of the best televised series ever and can arguably be ahead of those shows I named. It truly reached that category and is deserving of being mentioned amongst those shows.

And given that BCS, Succession, AOT and other all time great shows just recently ended as well, it's safe to say that the golden era of TV lived long past 2019 and fantastic shows can still exist to this day. With more shows in this universe still to come I'm excited to see how they fare but the bar was set sky high with Arcane. At the end of the day I'm just glad I was able to experience it, and here's to hoping that there will be another experience similar to this again one day.

Arcane: League of Legends (2021)

Netflix's Magnum Opus

Arcane has ended, and with that cemented itself in the history of television. It was no secret that this show was something special in the making after its 1st season, but after hearing it would conclude with season 2 I was sad yet exhilarated. The creators could've easily dragged this series on to make more money but decided to stick with their guns and end it on the terms they set.

I wanted Arcane to be around 3-4 seasons long so the announcement of 2 was shocking to me given how much it took the world by storm in 2021. But it gave the creators the freedom to go all out with its final season and hold no punches, and I'm so glad to say it lived up to the hype.

Season 1 of Arcane shattered boundaries by setting the stage perfectly with only 3 episodes, then proceeding to commit and deliver one of the best 1st seasons in TV history along with the likes of GOT, AOT and True Detective. The final season kept up the consistency, but did have more bumps than season 1. Despite that I still think it was a great experience that left me satisfied and happy once the story concluded.

One of the best aspects of arcane is its animation. Studio Fortiche brought a whole new level of animation that can't be boxed into any category. It's a breath of fresh air and adds a unique look into this story. But I'd argue the the writing is what makes this show what it is. The writers can intertwine all of these different characters into the grand scheme of the story effortlessly, and despite it being the lesser of the 2 seasons I think the final season knocks down certain dominoes perfectly and adds genius parallels that I never expected. Alex Yee and Christian Linke deserve massive credit for being able to write these strong motivations and flesh them out for each character.

While there are some all time great female characters in TV like Kim Wexler & Annalise Keating to name my favorites, it's not often when both leads of a show are female characters and are also written to near perfection. The dynamic of Violet & Powder is one of the best I've seen in television, and the performances of Hailee Steinfeld & Ella Purnell / Mia Sinclair Jenness only further invoke the emotional appeal of these characters that have so much depth in that regard. The execution from beginning to end with these two is great and is one of the many highlights of this series.

If you're recommending a show to anyone, this has to be near the top of the list. Not because it's the best ever (even though the argument could be entertained) but due to the fact that it hooks you with an all time great TV episode just a couple of episodes in, and only has 2 seasons that give you little to no room to breathe. That along with the obvious facts of how well executed, acted and animated this show is. As much as I love Dark and BoJack Horseman, Arcane reigns supreme as Netflix's best show in my eyes and deserves to be talked about amongst the best tv series ever.

Arcane: League of Legends: Blisters and Bedrock (2024)

Emotional Origins and Reunions

I just wanna start out by saying studio Fortiche has been nothing short of excellent in terms of animation quality with Arcane, for both season 1 and especially 2. With how good the writing is so far I feel like I often overlook giving that credit but there's truly nothing like Arcane when it comes to the visual department. And while I don't think Vagabond should get an adaptation because it'd be nearly impossible to have a perfect one, if this is the studio that gets the green light then I couldn't think of a better one.

With that said this was the perfect time for this type of episode after everything that has transpired up until this point. The pacing for season 2 so far has been fantastic, especially considering how this is the final season so it adds a pressure to the writers but they're using every episode wisely and not waisting anything. As said in The Bear, every second counts.

Christian Linke and Alex Lee could go down as the best writing duo in TV history alongside Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould when this is all said and done. Obviously the entire team deserves all the flowers in the world, but those two spearheading this story deserve so much credit.

The emotional depths this story is taking leaves me nervous yet excited for what's to come, but every episode of this 2nd season so far should be cherished for how well executed they are. And the payoffs so far have been nothing short of fantastic.

Arcane: League of Legends: The Message Hidden Within the Pattern (2024)

We're Witnessing TV History.

Arcane is on a terrifyingly promising pace right now and is showing absolutely no signs of slowing down as we're reaching the final act of the series.

A part of me was worried after season 1 that Arcane would be milked by Netflix due to its popularity, but with only 1 more season a part of me was worried that maybe it was too soon. But simultaneously I knew this meant that Arcane would have 0 time to waist and be able to go all out with this 2nd and final season, and that's EXACTLY what has transpired so far and it's amazing to witness.

Given that 1x3 was so great I wondered if Arcane would start hot again this season, and given that this is it I should've known. And now the 2nd act does even MORE and sets the bar even higher, and sets the stage PERFECTLY for the final episodes.

I'm not trying to be a prisoner of the moment, but I think we'll look back at this one day as TV history. This is the most non stop brilliant TV I've seen since Breaking Bad's final season and I'm praying that they stick the landing next week.

It's hard to stomach the fact that we have to say goodbye to this show in just 7 days, but I'm extremely grateful that such a masterpiece isn't getting milked to death but instead getting it's time to shine and set it's legacy, and be forever remembered as hopefully one of the greatest television experiences of the modern era.

The Simpsons: Bart's Birthday (2024)

The Simpsons Season Finale Season Premiere

Coming from a non simpsons fan who's watching outside of the context of most of the show, this was a very entertaining and creative tv episode. I've never watched the Simpsons outside of some highlight clips and the first few episodes of season 1 so I can't speak on Bart's character up until this point and if he would or wouldn't be the one to go against this change, but the concept in itself is great and fun to watch as he's not willing to accept that the constant cycle of the cartoon is coming to an end.

Obviously the stereotype of cartoon characters never aging is not addressed much and the last time I can remember it being executed well was with the fairy odd parents (which should've ended there tbh) but even if this isn't the first time the simpsons tackled this, it's still executed perfectly in this episode. All of the characters that followed the same stereotype of leaving their locations and saying "I'm gonna miss this place" (including the invisible mad man John Cena) led to Bart being the last one who needed to leave his constant daily cycle behind by finally aging, and what caused the cycle to continue was Bart frustrating Homer into hilariously lashing out.

The ai generated finale bit was hilarious, as well as addressing how loved and how equally controversial the Sopranos ending is. The Simpsons "finale" instead continued the cycle of the show by refusing to end which is hilarious but also a bit unfortunate. Shows should be made to end and not drag out (Avatar, Gravity Falls, BoJack, Samurai Jack exc.) but I think the simpsons is far past that point anyway so it's not a big deal in this instance. Also the ending sequence with the visuals of the different tv finale shot's was fantastic, and it's cool to see succession made the cut considering how recently it ended. I might have to go out of my way to watch some of the early seasons of the simpsons, but it's cool to see there's still some creativity left in the writers room to make an episode like this and hopefully there's more to come.

House of the Dragon: The Red Dragon and the Gold (2024)

Set The Seven Ablaze.

This is in my eyes the best episode of House Of The Dragon so far. I adored season 1 episode 8 for Paddy's performance and the nature of him taking his stance to help his daughter, as it was a pivotal moment in the show that set in stone the events that are now occurring. But this episode brought back the intensity to this universe that Game Of Thrones once had, but bringing to a whole new level with sequences that could never have been done in GOT. Despite being the same universe and locations, due to the time we're in this is a whole new world with the dragons dancing, and the season 1 finale was just a taste of what was to come. Alicent should have done anything in her power to stop this, but even if she tried I believe this outcome was inevitable and maybe she understood that. War is the foundation of this world, and with dragons involved and plotting behind the councils back, no house can stop this war with words. A barrage of blood is all that'll be left, and if this was just a taste then we're in for another classic television experience.

The Bear: Napkins (2024)

i need napkins after this one

This episode was amazing. Episode 6 of last season when they played with time and went back to the Christmas dinner was excellent, as well as the sequences in episode 1 of this season. But a backstory episode on T and how she got the job at BEEF was something i didn't know i needed until now.

To start, Liza Colón-Zayas' performance in this episode was nothing sort of perfect. She always gives a great performance but allowing her a full episode to take us through this journey was extremely necessary for getting to know her better. And once again Jon Bernthal gives a phenomenal performance in the short amount of screen time that he's given. The Emmy's obviously suck for not giving certain shows shine like The Wire, BCS, and especially for some of it's acting TWD (hello season 2 Shane) but I'm glad The Bear got the recognition it deserved for season 1. And once this season gets it's time they both deserve noms for this episode.

The dialogue scene between T and Mikey was one of the best I've seen in television all the way from the simple approach to the conversation to the pure human interaction that felt authentic and real. As a 20 year old i can't relate to how they felt but i loves the selflessness in T when she mentioned how sometimes she wants to hate on those kids but also would give anything to be in their shoes and mentioning how hungry they seem. And the clip from episode 1 between T and Mikey was from this episode and slowly making that revelation was really fun. All in all another fantastic episode and i can't wait to see what's in store for the rest of the season.

The Bear: Tomorrow (2024)

Beautiful Start to Season 3

The Bear once again finds ways to push the limit of what you can do with an episode as they've done before, and after the events of the season 2 finale this episode was done very well. The pacing never felt too slow and it was very smooth and gave breathing room from the aftermath of the storm.

I didn't expect to see Carmen find out about Mikey's death and the small events that led to it as well as the funeral, but the way it was done was pretty heartbreaking considering the picture he sent prior, Mikey showing it to T and the two seeming to be in a decent place. Just goes to show that people aren't always ok and a great reminder to always check on the people close to you.

My favorite part of the episode was seeing Sydney being on the receiving end of one of Carmen's dishes. After all of the awful bickering that Carmy was subjected to and the constant need to be perfect, it's great to see the person on the receiving end of one of his dishes be someone who appreciates it and is more than happy to have it, and that joy is hopefully something Carmen can find more of as a chef going forward. Can't wait to watch the rest of this season but this was a beautiful and perfectly paced start.

Smiling Friends: Pim Finally Turns Green (2024)

This Finale Will Live On Forever !

Smiling Friends season 2's ending was another fun chaotic trip that once again gave Pim a bit more trauma in hilarious fashion. From Desmond scarring him in episode 1, to being chased by a demon through the woods on Halloween, to doing hard drugs with Aliens in an attempt of freedom and now causing many more deaths via cruises. I love the fun this show has with its humor kind of poking fun at itself in the beginning and how they executed something similar and made it fun. Also, rip Bill Nye the science guy. Would've never expected it to end like that. Mr. Boss also continues to be the most hilarious and mysterious character in the show despite him and Pim getting some alone time in the last episode. I also enjoyed the Allan only episode and I wouldn't mind if he were involved in some more episodes alongside Pim and Charlie directly rather than staying at Smiling Friends. My favorite episode personally is still 1x8 and the pilot but this was another solid season and I'm looking forward to season 3. ROTTEN WILL LIVE ON FOREVERRRRRR.

House of the Dragon: A Son for a Son (2024)

The Rat That Kills

The season premiere of HOTD was a perfect way to lay the foundation for what will be a chaotic war between these two houses. I did not expect things to escalate to the level they did in the final minutes but it brought back the tension that was felt in the air during the closing minutes of the season 1 finale.

It was actually refreshing to see a king that while young, is not the second coming of an entitled devil like Joffrey, but after what just transpired I think Aegon could have a more serious side to him. I'm also curious to see if he does favor Larys over Otto in the future, as clearly Larys wants to do whatever he can to get closer to power and be more of a resource to Alicent. Both Larys and Otto are some of the more interesting characters to me due to their scheming so I wouldn't mind if they had a rivalry similar to Lord Varys and Littlefinger from GOT.

My favorite scene of the episode had to be the first interaction of the season between Jacaerys and Rhaenyra. Emma D'Arcy and Harry Collett were amazing and I hope Jacaerys has a big role in the future after what happened to his brother. The scene where Rhaenyra finds the little remains of the dragon wing was heartbreaking and shows how eager she is to get revenge on Aemond.

To close out this review, I loved the ending of the episode. I'm not sure if Daemon intended for this to happen as the conversation with him and the intruder was cutoff, so it'll be interesting to see if he intended for someone to die (given that he stated the man had 1 eye and would put up a tough fight prior to the cutoff) or if he actually intended a son for a son no matter which son, if in the event they couldn't find Aemond. Maybe this was just a matter of the two men being anxious to kill one of them and get out of there which would be nuts and awful for them if they even make it out of Kings Landing. Either way this isn't great for house black as this will just make Kings Landing more cautious and weary, and most importantly more dangerous as this gives them a case for revenge on their side. BUT AEMOND LIVES ANOTHER DAY LETS GOOO.

Shingeki no Kyojin: Hero (2019)

5 Years Later, Still One Of The Best TV Episodes Ever

It's a shame that pathetic hate raiders brought this episode down from a 10 to a 9.9, then further brought it to a 9.7 for absolutely no reason. That goes for every top rated episode of this show as well as the finale, which had a 3/10 rating before even airing. Nonetheless a rating doesn't do justice to this episode and what it did for the anime world at the time.

1 week prior to this episode, Game Of Thrones had reached its disastrous conclusion. One of the highest regarded tv shows ever in terms of quality and writing, then got completely outclassed by an anime that barely had a fraction of the attention that GOT had at the time. Setting the standard that anime can be just as good if not better than high budget blockbuster dramas, and this episode being the only 10/10 rated episode ever at the time along with Ozymandias for nearly a YEAR showed that AOT wasn't just any ordinary show and was worthy of that recognition.

The Return To Shiganshina arc of Attack On Titan is widely regarded as the best arc of any anime, and arguably any show ever. It also served as the end of the beginning, as this was the final arc that seemed somewhat normal to what AOT had been at its core before the complete 180 in season 4. This arc has many moments that are regarded as the best, but I think the overall consensus (rightfully so) is that the arc and possibly the show peaked here.

Hajime Isayama was able to write a perfect battle that put the main characters in what seemed to be an impossible scenario, and realistically make them come out on top. I can't explain the hopelessness I felt near the end of the prior episode 'Perfect Game' before Erwin's legendary charge, and it's impressive to write a scenario where you can make your antagonists look strong while also giving the edge to your heroes in a realistic fashion.

WiT Studios animated one of the best fight scene- no, SLAUGHTERINGS in anime history. Levi vs The Beast Titan was a masterpiece. The Beast Titan was so intimidating from his first appearance in season 2, and the way he orchestrated this plan made him seem untouchable. So to go from that to Levi absolutely destroying him, which is clearly in his capabilities especially after what happened to Erwin, was beyond satisfying.

But the highlight of this episode was by far Armin. The slow build to Armin not having a clear plan, to shaking while being face to face with Berthold, to ultimately figuring him out and being the hero they all needed was poetic. The scene of him slowly being burnt to a crisp knowing that he had to buy Eren time was hard to watch. And the acceptance that he was gonna die and telling himself Eren will see the sea for him was heartbreaking. While the events of the rest of the arc change things drastically, it doesn't take away from this moment as this was the peak of Armin's character arc and a great end to Berthold, who also like Armin didn't have the confidence to be that hero until now. 10/10 episode, one of the greatest I've ever seen.

Shogun (2024)

~ a flower's only a flower because it falls ~

My personal mini series Mount Rushmore is led by Band Of Brothers and Chernobyl. Two amazing HBO historical series that left a deep impact on my view of TV. But similar to Vinland Saga, Shogun is able to take histories and intertwine them in this dramatic fashion by taking liberties with its story and blending history and drama in a great way.

Shogun is framed as this show that indicates battle as swords and battle armor are the forefront of the shows poster. Even the synopsis of the show indicates taking action on enemies and staying a float in an ongoing civil war. And while there certainly is a war, it's not as simple as any ordinary one. Characters in Shogun have to be careful with their actions as the events of the show are to slowly let someone bleed out rather than to charge them head on and leave body's dropping.

This series is a long chess game that gives every move room to breathe, leaving characters to ponder and the audience to anticipate what's next throughout many unforeseen twists and turns. But some of the best elements of Shogun are some of the themes it portrays.

Mariko is in my eyes Shogun's best character. Her backstory leaves a lifeless shadow on her despite the fact that she shows ambition in her path of following Lord Toranaga. But throughout the journey they're more glimpses of Mariko's past that make her motivations more clear. Throughout the show there are many quotes and poems regarding life, death, and other facets of the world the characters live in. The line that defined the series was one about a flower, and it perfectly encapsulates not only an arc, but the surrounding of that arc that put everything into perspective.

When it comes to expectations, don't let the expectations of flashy battle weigh over you while watching this show because I think the intention is to show audiences that battles aren't as clear cut as drawing blades. It shows the impact of life and death by throwing you into a story where it doesn't take entire armies falling to determine the fate of many people, and sometimes it takes the right voice and message to make everything grow.

Even though I think the Emmy's have lost an extreme amount of credibility from the way they treated shows like Better Call Saul and The Wire, I still appreciate the publicity and flowers it gives away to shows that end up translating to mainstream media since the Emmy's are the benchmark for TV awards. And with that hopefully Shogun sweeps the drama category as it's truly the best show of the year so far and is looking to stay that way. Not to mention Anna Sawai stealing the show as well Hiroyuki Sanada who acted AND produced this series. Either way, some award doesn't define what a great piece of media is. With or without one, Shogun is an accomplishment that should be cherished by anyone who enjoys the journey it takes you on.

Shogun: A Dream of a Dream (2024)

Studying The Wind

The Shogun finale was a masterful closing of the book to one of the greatest miniseries in television history. After the events of episode 9 the world suddenly felt empty, and the reality of the show really kicked into place. But with that emptiness came a light of life that left it's impact on the entire series and the world that was built within it.

Every character had a fitting ending to their arcs that left open interpretation for what could still come, but also closed the door at the proper moment. Blackthorne and Toranaga's encounters weren't entirely what I expected, but the void that was left on the show in the last episode made their scenes everything they needed to be.

But what made many elements of Shogun come together was the monologue near the end, which was probably my favorite scene of the entire show. Toranaga being given the freedom to let out his thoughts and put many of the events of this show into perspective was something I didn't know I needed but I'm very glad it happened. Doing justice to many arcs with his own words and also opening himself up to be seen in a different light. Crimson Sky was seen as this Great War, but turned out to be much more impactful and devastating with one individual that made everything go into motion. The sacrifice that was made seemed small compared to what I expected of Crimson Sky, but what happened left an impact that nobody else ever could and that was shown in this finale.

The dynamic in that monologue was great and not what I'd expect of a scene with Toranaga and Yabushige. But given the circumstances it made sense. Yabushige is a character that has a comedic undertone, but ever since episode 1 when he risked his life to help the sailor he immediately became one of my favorites. The poem he wrote perfectly encapsulates what I'd expect from him in that moment and after the events of the last episode the ending to his arc was perfect.

Also I'm not sure if I'm bugging out, but in the final shot was that character holding what I think it was in his hand? I'm not sure if it's the exact cross because I feel like that'd be impossible, but I think that goes to show that those 2 characters will be intertwined far past Shogun's finale which makes sense considering the words that were spoken prior.

It pains me that Shogun ends here and that it's a show that won't have a tight hold on the TV world for the rest of the decade, but in these 10 episodes it certainly will leave a great impact if it hasn't already. Better to end a series while it's on top rather than to drag it out longer than it should be. Huge kudos to the performances from Hiroyuki Sanada, Anna Sawai and Cosmo Jarvis to name a few. They were perfectly casted and guided this story masterfully.

Shogun: Crimson Sky (2024)

The Sky is Caving In

This episode was the beginning of the end. Toranaga's plan was officially set in motion, and it came at an expensive cost. The buildup from the council meeting to Mariko's attempt to leave, to her attempted death was hard to watch as the not knowing left me anxious.

When Mariko was given the permit to leave and there were still 10 minutes left in the episode, I knew something was wrong. And surely, the ending was heart wrenching. With nowhere to go, everyone was trapped inside of a shed with nothing but walls surrounding them. It was heartbreaking watching John not giving up in those final moments, and Mariko already accepting that her fate was sealed. No matter what they would've been imprisoned or killed, and Mariko accepted that reality.

Yabushige to no surprise took a deal for himself and it potentially backfired on him, but if he survived I wonder how this plays out for him. The main question however is without his most trusted allies at his side, will Toranaga's plan still payoff. But above all after seeing this episode, it really put into perspective how there is no good guy in this story, including Torganaga. Everyone he's lost up until this point is seeming more and more like they're being used as chess pieces in his game. John was right when he told Mariko that Toranaga sending her to do his bidding wasn't right, and there's no justification for taking lives to further your own goals. That's something that was already apparent in this show, but losing Mariko made it that much more clear. She and plenty of others are victims to this long game that's being played.

I'm glad this story has taken the turn that it has before the final episode because it takes one person's demise to make you look at everything differently. And going into the final episode with that perspective, I'm looking forward to seeing how these events play out after the assassination attempts. And IF he's alive, how John will handle these new circumstances? With no crew to go back to, Mariko was the last thing John had. And now that she's gone, I assume if he lives he'll only be seeing red.

Shogun: The Abyss of Life (2024)

This is Farewell.

Every Shogun episode raises the stakes higher and higher and there were zero moments waisted in this episode. The anticipation to find out what was to come felt like it was forever, but also sudden considering how much happened. So much weight was put into these scenes whether it was scheming, pleading, or a development between characters that left a broken bond, or rather a bond that had been broken over time. Certain goals seemed far out of reach after time went by, which lead characters down paths I did not expect. Blackthorne's next journey is going to be very interesting to watch, but that final sequence with Toranaga and Mariko was a great way to set up the final episodes and the story to come. I'm really glad Shogun puts more of an emphasis on building tension rather than weightless action sequences that could be flashy, but rather subpar without the lead up to them that add more meaning to the story. The slow chess game I think is what has made this show brilliant up until this point, and I'm confident that if or when the chaos ensues that it will be the perfect storm.

WrestleMania XL (2024)

WrestleMania XL : The End and Beginning of Era's

After the bar was set very high last year in Hollywood, WrestleMania 40 was the perfect end of an era, and start of a new one in WWE. The return of Roman Reigns in 2020 started something special in the WWE, and tonight the ultimate climax of it all came about. There were moments that will never be forgotten in the history of wrestling, and this Mania served as a great celebration for one of the best modern day rivalry's in WWE as well as a reunion of some old, and current legends.

WrestleMania Saturday

Women's World Championship Match (C) Rhea Ripley vs Becky Lynch - (4/5)

• Rhea and Becky put on a show and further solidified Rhea's dominance as champion, while continued Becky's solid run with her great performance.

6 Pack Tag Title Ladder Match - (4.25/5)

• For any fans of wrestling old or new, this was a fun match that served as a great way for everyone to showcase their talent, while also putting over two teams that deserved to shine.

Rey Mysterio & Andrade vs Dominik Mysterio & Santos Escobar - (3/5)

• While this match had a random ending with the Jason Kelce & Lane Johnson interference, this was still a fun match that let Andrade and Escobar get a nice WM moment, and further extend Rey and Dominik's great feud.

Jimmy Uso vs Jey Uso - (2.25/5)

• This match was the the only WM40 disappointment for me, as I expected a much better buildup then a simple YEET and NO YEET competition. And in the ring it was about the same. A City of Brotherly Love Street Fight stipulation I think would've done wonders for this match, and I'm not sure why that wasn't the move. While I liked the Jimmy surrendering spot, it could've had greater potential if this was fleshed out more considering the power and depth this brotherly rivalry had.

6 Woman Tag Match - (3/5)

• This match served as a great way for both teams to showcase their talents and give Jade a great WrestleMania debut. Here's to hoping Asuka's losing streak ends next year though lol

Intercontinental Championship Match (C) Gunther vs Sami Zayn - (4.75/5)

• This was the match of the night, and arguably the best match of WM40. Gunther dominating Zayn for the majority of the match showed that Sami didn't stand a chance, but Gunther's cockiness came at the cost of his reign. He underestimated Gable and got counted out. He underestimated The Miz and nearly lost. But with all of the background and buildup from Sami Zayn, there was no escape for Gunther. The brain buster spot was EXCELLENT, and the helluva kicks were the cherry on top. Well deserved moment for Sami Zayn, and I can't wait for Gable to get his moment to shine.

Main Event Roman Reigns & The Rock vs Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins - (4.25/5)

• This match completely exceeded my expectations. While this match wasn't a great pure wrestling spectacle, it didn't need to be. The slow build, the spots, and the chaos were all this match needed to shine. With the bending of the rules and the many false finishes, this match served up to its AMAZING buildup. If you told me this would go down as the 2nd longest main event in WM history I would've told you that you were crazy. But wow they pulled it off.

WrestleMania XL Night 1 Overall Score: 4.25/5

WrestleMania Sunday

(C) Seth Rollins vs Drew McIntyre w/ Damian Priest Cash In - (4/5)

• Sundays opening match wasted little to no time and served as the great payoff to Seth's reign as champion, validating the WHC and giving Drew the first of his earned moments in front of a crowd (assuming another will come soon at CATC) but then we get a great plot twist. Drew goes at Punk, Punk retaliates, and Damian finally cashes in. For the 2nd time in WWE history, a cash in at WrestleMania occurred, and it was amazing. Even if it's not a long reign, props to Damian. Well deserved.

6 Man Philly Street Fight Bobby Lashley & The Street Profits vs The Final Testament - (3/5)

• This Match was a fun roller coaster with some great spots from Angelo & Montez, and had a great surprise with Bubba Ray as the referee. Not much to say about this one, but it served its purpose.

LA Knight vs AJ Styles - (3.75/5)

• This was a fun physical match between these two after a fantastic buildup, and while I wasn't looking forward to it after Elimination Chamber, the buildup was excellent and the match delivered. I wouldn't mind if this feud carried on until Backlash.

United States Championship Match (C) Logan Paul vs Kevin Owens vs Randy Orton - (3.75/5)

• While I wish KO went over, I understand the decision made with this match. Not my favorite of the night, but was still a solid showcase from everyone.

WWE Women's Championship Match (C) Iyo Sky vs Bayley - (4.75/5)

• In the WELL deserved co main event, Iyo and Bayley SHOWED OUT. This match was an amazing masterclass with many great false finishes, counters, and intense moments. After a great buildup and a fantastically executed match, Bayley got her deserving moment at Mania. Props to Iyo for her great reign, and here's to hoping she gets to shine again in the future.

Main Event for Undisputed WWE Universal Championship (C) Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes - (5/5)

• When you look at memorable and fantastic WrestleMania main events, this is an instant classic that will go down as one of the greatest of all time. Wrestling ain't all about pure in ring ability, but Roman and Cody did a fantastic job of setting the stage for the first 20 or so minutes, then letting the chaos ensue. The returns of John Cena and The Undertaker were poetic. While Stone Cold would've been a fun return for The Rock's sake, this was Roman's match. And who were 2 of Roman's rivals? The man he beat at WrestleMania 33, and the man who verbally killed the big dog, and Solo Sikoa. The returns were perfect, and the final sequence with Seth Rollins and the chair was CINEMA.

In 2014, Seth was the cause of The Shield's end, by betraying Roman. In 2022, he re-opened this wound for Roman by entering their match with The Shield theme and gear and playing the mind games at the Royal Rumble. In 2023, Sami Zayn brought back that nightmare by betraying Roman, and permanently cracking his Bloodline at the Royal Rumble.

And finally in 2024, it all culminated into Roman choosing to not hit Cody, but instead take revenge on Rollins with the chair. And that moment caused the end of Roman's empire. Perfect ending to what I'd call the greatest reign of all time.

WrestleMania XL Night 2 Overall Score: (5/5)

Overall, phenomenal WrestleMania. Was every match perfect? Absolutely not. But most of them either served their purpose, exceeded expectations, or in many instances stole the show entirely. I don't like throwing out 5 star ratings often, but in a couple months / years I will likely look back on some of these matches I rated 4.75 and give them 5's because they were truly more than just instant classics. For WrestleMania's 40th anniversary, many iconic moments were created that will never be forgotten, and I'm glad to say I got to witness one of the greatest WrestleMania's of all time. Props to Roman for carrying the Era from the pandemic to now, and ultimately handing off, no, tossing UP the torch to Cody Rhodes. And kudos to Cody for being a phenomenal protagonist in this story, and here's to Cody leading this new era and the next generation.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (2024)

Strong Start, Awfully Rushed Finish.

Before someone reads this and assumes I'm some hater who didn't give this series a chance, I've watched this universe for nearly a decade now and sat through it's highs and lows, have read all the comics, and even gave a chance on most of the shows spin-offs whether bad or not. Which in some cases is actually kind of important considering the effort the writers had to emphasize the CRM lore in a lot of them. While I did enjoy some of the great moments of this universe I'm also not scared to call out when it tries to insult the audience with its unrealistic, out of touch, and dare I say season 8 level Game Of Thrones writing. That said I'm unbiased and simply one person that has liked and disliked this universe just giving my opinion.

The Ones Who Live started off well, making the presence of the CRM felt immediately and doing justice to the near decade Rick had been gone from his family. The series subverts expectations a bit in the early half but not in a way that's done poorly. I don't think it's without flaws but nothing that takes me out of the experience. Episode 4 takes a slow change in pace but one I thought was necessary at the time for Rick's development. But then the final 2 episodes came and I realized how poorly they treated the time they were given, ESPECIALLY in the finale. Little did I know the entire 7 year build of the CRM from season 8 of TWD till now was going to be thrown out the window.

I've seen some fans cope about how this series was meant to focus on the love story of Rick and Michonne which is completely fine. But using that as an excuse for the butchering of the CRM as if they hadn't spent all this time building them up is an absolute JOKE. Throwing away the ENTIRE storyline and doing absolutely 0 justice to their buildup is such an insult to the investment people had in them as villains. An investment that was put into place by the show itself. Making the CRM out to be the most dangerous threat in the entire Walking Dead universe, then completely dropping the ball with them just for some cliche generic ending you'd get from a modern day Disney movie.

Scott Gimple has been criticized in the past for his AWFUL decisions with TWD. So much so that he had to step down and give the reigns to Angela Kang for the final 3 seasons of the main show, even if that didn't really end well either despite a great 9th season. Gimple being the lead producer and writer for this series was something I was extremely skeptical about, but I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt considering he did write some of the best TWD episodes we have today. He also was working on this story for plenty of years, so surely he treated it with a lot of care and would be prepared to make the best of it, right? No. Absolutely not.

Gimple has always had a HUGE problem with writing dialogue. In many instances in his material, the characters have these corny lines that try too hard to be wise and clever that it inhumanizes them, ESPECIALLY in life or death moments. He wouldn't dare take this problem to this series after being off of the main show and taking part in ruining Fear The Walking Dead in many aspects as well, right? No, he brought it here too.

You have a character that is fixated on one thing for YEARS, then all of a sudden become this in-touch grounded person out of nowhere for the sake of making the audience feel sympathy for them? Not to mention in nearly every action scene these awfully corny dialogue pieces that a human is NOT going to say in a LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION. Minor details here but honestly it's not that big of a deal considering this is the most formulaic Disney Junior like writing I've seen in an adult drama in a very long time but whatever. A character in a very intense moment says "LoVe iS DeAd" and another character says "LoVe DoEsNt DiE" and I cringed out of my mind. HUMANS DO NOT TALK LIKE THIS!!!! FOR GODS SAKE THIS ISNT A FORMULAIC DISNEY SHOW SCOTT GIMPLE!!!

I'm not trying to bash on people's experience if they enjoyed the show, but it absolutely pains me to see so many people that are blinded by the nostalgia of these characters, ESPECIALLY getting blinded by fan service and undeserved emotional moments to make up for how forced of a finish this was. I'm almost convinced these fans who loved the ending would watch The Long Night episode from Game Of Thrones and be jumping with joy and have 0 problem with it. Because that's the type of writing we got here in the final act of this series that had so much more potential than this.

Either way if you enjoyed The Ones Who Live, all power to you. But don't write off the people who disliked it as haters and completely dismiss anyone who doesn't think this ending is anything close to "perfect" because I'll be damned if this is what a perfect television ending looks like. If you read allat, thank you. Even if you disagree. Shoutout to the performances from Danai, Andy and others. Scott Gimple, shame on you.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live: The Last Time (2024)

Thoughts on the Finale

The Ones Who Live didn't waist any time right away and kicked things off with a very strong first half. The immediate reuniting of Michonne and Rick wasn't something I expected, but I'd say was the right decision. Episode 4 was a huge accomplishment in writing from Danai Gurira in my opinion, considering it was a mostly dialogue heavy episode that carried the weight of so many emotions from the two. But I hate to say in hindsight, it wasn't a great decision to flesh out episodes 4 & 5 in the manner they did considering how rushed this finale was.

This finale in my opinion was a great closure moment for the fans of The Walking Dead who waited years to see this moment, and the moment itself isn't something people should take for granted considering every hurdle that happened to make it to this point on and off screen. But as a diehard fan of this universe, I can't help but feel that this process was not treated with much care at all in terms of the most important aspect of what this show should've been. And that was the journey. The show goes from raising the stakes completely with the reveal from Beale in the briefing to Rick reuniting with his kids around 30 minutes later.

The CRM was known as the most dangerous threat to this universe and had everything at the palm of their hand. They seemed terrifying and trying to tap around them would be extremely difficult. But in the end it came down to killing Jadis and Beale, and one explosion for Rick and Michonne to get the best of the CRM? It just seems like a huge cliche especially after TWD made the Commonwealth feel so small and illogical in the final season of the main show.

Considering this was supposed to be a trilogy of movies. I didn't hate the idea of putting this story into an episodic format because I thought time would be on their side, but it turns out it made everything far more rushed. I don't understand why TWD just HAD to make this 6 episodes when this very clearly could've used far more. If budget was an issue why couldn't they just make very long movie like episodes, split them, and release the other 3 with a fresh budget next year?? Or better yet do 4-5 episodes each to make sure nothing feels forced and rushed, but why this? Hell we've waited this long already, what's another year if it means we get a conclusion that feels earned? Idk man, I want to love this but I can't help but feel they dropped the ball.

I'm still of the mindset that there might be a final act whether it's season 12 or a new TWD show that wraps up the stories of the other characters, and eventually get the reunion of Rick and Daryl as well as other characters. But if that's the plan, I do not understand why they did the Rick / Judith and RJ reveal so soon in this episode. Not trying to make assumptions but if I had to guess it seems like they wanted to put that moment in the end here just in case Andrew and Danai are done with the universe. And if they aren't and they do return, I don't get why the show had to be this impatient with a story that should've been treated with much more care than this. Even though I've been waiting for this moment for nearly 6 years, I'm really sad to say I wasn't a fan of this finale. But I'm happy for TWD fans that were waiting for this moment and are satisfied with the conclusion.

Sôsô no Furîren: Mahô no takami (2024)

Frieren and Magic's PEAK

The tension that Frieren was able to create with Aura the Guillotine in the earlier episodes was outstanding considering how powerful Frieren was compared to her. Having Fern and Stark take on her own upper tier soldiers added further to those episodes, but THIS arc has brought the tension and creativity to another level.

Considering Frieren as of now is the strongest character by a good mile, the introduction of a monster that creates perfect imitation's of others being the primary roadblock in the king's tomb was brilliant, as Frieren being the main obstacle herself makes the stakes much higher.

One of my favorite things about this show is the patience it not only has with character building, but with building up a climax to a battle / fight sequence. The primary example of this was Frieren's monologue with her master giving a glimpse of her backstory and how they came to meet earlier in the season. Then Flamme illustrating to her how she should hide her mana so her power is hidden unlike demon's who wouldn't think to do such a thing, and that tying into the downfall of Aura. It was so brilliantly done and while there were constant cuts to the past, it made perfect sense for the story and never felt forced.

Going back to the tomb, essentially giving the characters an entire episode into planning on how to beat Frieren's clone is extremely realistic and deserves its flowers for not rushing that process. While it's not as detailed as the Flamme backstory scene, it still shows that this anime isn't cutting corners.

But the best part of this episode was having Fern be the one to create the perfect opening on the clone, giving Frieren the opportunity to deal the final blow. It was perfect in the sense that it literally took the both of them making the one and only perfect opportunity. Fern breaking the shield, and while not being able to overpower the clone one on one, it's ultimately irrelevant because she gave them the opening to win. An amazing student outplays the teacher moment in a way that's not unrealistic but does justice to both characters without making either of them look weak.

Beginning this episode with Serie and Frieren's last conversation was a great way to begin this episode, considering Serie's differences in Flamme and Frieren's beliefs. Then Fern, a human, being the one to create the killing blow near the end was the perfect icing on the cake to end it off. Also loved the Übel and Sense portion of this episode. It subverted my expectations making me think Sense's imitation was going to be stronger, but just like the man with the "unstoppable cloak" Übel cuts right through the clone. The monologue between the two was great as well and hopefully we see more of Übel, Wirbel, Denken and the new first-class mage's going forward.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live: Gone (2024)

"WHAT THE F ARE YOU DOING"

When it comes to subverting expectations, while TWD has done it before, it wouldn't be something I'd immediately link to TWD. To do it in a manner that isn't forced is also very difficult, but this show just did an EXCELLENT job of just that. If you told me all of Rick and Michonne's journey to reunite would be recapped in the first two episodes, I'd tell you that would be an awful idea. But with the way it was just pulled off, wow. As someone who's been a super fan of TWD but very indifferent towards a lot of the new material, I'm really happy that I loved this. And the PERFECT cherry on top was the twist at the end. Jadis being the antagonistic figure is a perfect decision. Some people weren't a huge fan of the garbage people in TWD szns 7-8 but personally I loved them, especially for Polly's performance. And there were flashes of that in the final scene and my god I couldn't be happier. She's a phenomenal actress and the stakes for this series just skyrocketed because of her role in the story. While I wasn't crazy about some of the aspects of the opening 20 minutes or so, the payoff to ep 2 was excellent. I'm really hoping Scott, Danai, and Andy can maintain the tension they've built as well as the prestige of the CRM without dipping too hard into plot armor, and other cliches that can potentially bring this down. But in terms of the main story, The One's Who Live has exceeded my expectations, again. NOW GIVE ANDY AND DANAI THEIR EMMY NOMS ALREADY.

Hazbin Hotel: Masquerade (2024)

Angel's Poisonous Life

As much as I loved all of Hazbin Hotel season 1 as well as episode 0, this was most certainly my favorite episode. I love how the simple concept of Charlie trying to get Angel to be at the hotel more turned into this dark dive into the depths of why Angel's in the field he's in, and how he has no way out.

The musical element of this show is very refreshing for me considering I personally would usually witness it in Disney movies, but to see it in a non PG show with this premise adds so much more depth and comedic freedoms that you wouldn't get from Disney. Not to say Disney's not good at it obviously, more so it's a breath of fresh air in a weird way to have dark themes to this degree in musicals from a animated cartoon.

And I'm glad to say my favorite musical sequence of Hazbin Hotel season 1 is definitely Poison from Angel, performed by Blake Roman. A lot of the songs from this show aren't ones that I'd probably put in my rotation or anything, despite them being strong and core pieces to the story. But Poison not only did a fantastic job of encapsulating Angel's tragic story, but was simply a great song that I'd go back to. Not to say other songs aren't great but this was just my personal favorite.

One thing I adore about this show is how great the entire cast is and the care put into the characters to make sure they don't feel like they're just there to be on the side. Alastor was probably my favorite character up until this point for obvious reasons, but Angel by far became my favorite in this episode. And his progression over the course of the season further solidified that for me. And the second half of this episode with Husk comforting Angel and the both of them realizing they're more similar to each other than most was a great way to further develop both characters.

Also, I have seen discussion about the way in which this episode handled the nature of what Angel went through. I'm not gonna speak on whether or not the uses of the exploitations in this episode were definitively insensitive or not, because I think someone who went through a similar situation would have a more keen take on the matter then some random like myself. But just speaking for myself and my own thoughts as a casual viewer watching the episode, I didn't think the episode presented the exploitations in an insensitive manner that would disrespect victims. I think the point of the way Angel went about everything further demonstrated how damaged he was because in an instant he can immediately go from devastated to acting unfazed while going about his work. I thought that was the most brutal part about the scene because it demonstrates to me that this is the norm for him, and I don't think shining a light on this problem is necessarily insensitive. Once again I'm not saying my opinion is valid or above others, that was just my perspective while watching the episode.

But furthermore, this was probably my favorite installment of Hazbin Hotel season 1. I'm glad Vivienne Medrano was able to take this beautiful passion project and elevate it to a larger audience giving the opportunity for people like myself to see it. Hoping for a bright future for this series, and I'm looking forward to seeing more.

Gravity Falls: Somewhere in the Woods (2016)

Weirdmageddon 3 Is The Real Finale!

From my knowledge Disney + split the final Weirdmageddon episode into a 4th part, leading to it being put here on IMDb as well. Which I don't necessarily mind but I personally feel like putting the final act into two different parts takes away from the overall experience of the final episode. Hope that doesn't come off as nit-picky but that's just how I feel. Nonetheless, a split format doesn't take away from the final act of what I consider to be the greatest cartoon ever created.

Gravity Falls peaked for me with what was supposed to be the original season 2 finale, 2x11 'Not What He Seems' which was supposed to lead to the season 3 premiere being 2x12 'The Tale of Two Stans' and the backstory that set in motion the events of the 3 books, and honestly the entire series. And even though more screen time and a fresh season with Ford could've been great, considering how passionate and dedicated the Gravity Falls fan base was in terms of theorizing, Alex Hirsch definitely made the right call in not making the fans wait any longer for the big reveal. Knocking down all the dominoes in the 2nd season really helped make the Weirdmageddon trilogy feel grand by the time it arrived by having all of these courses of events happen within the span of the final 10 episodes of the series.

In terms of the finale itself, it's certainly paid off the hype that the show culminated which says a lot considering how polarizing this show became in it's tenor. While I have a few gripes with the Stan payoff as well as Bill Cipher's overall goal, I thought this ending was the best I've seen from a cartoon since Avatar's grand conclusion.

And landing an ending to a show in great fashion is already an extremely difficult task in itself, but it's an even tougher ask for a show as complex as Gravity Falls. But the way every character arc was intertwined with the circle, and Ford being the one to (nearly) bring everyone together was a nice way to give everyone a meaning even if they didn't play the most pivotal role. And my favorite part had to be the way Bill Cipher's arc ends. Not to get into too much but it was the perfect checkmate that had some glimpses of 2x19 'Dreamscapers' *i think* (one of my personal favorites) and I think was truly the best way to climax this series.

With that being said, I just wanted to give my thoughts on this show since I never really had the opportunity as it aired. And even though I'm not a fan of the 4 part split of Weirdmageddon, it doesn't change the way I perceive this fantastic show. Avatar and BoJack Horseman are easily on my Mount Rushmore of cartoons, but I personally have Gravity Falls reigning supreme. And this finale cemented it as one of the greatest television experiences I ever had.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live: Years (2024)

Years Gone Bye

After over 5 long years, the return of Rick Grimes is finally here. And I'm glad to say that so far it's off to a great start.

I've been watching TWD for nearly a decade now, and as a fan I'm just happy that we can still celebrate this universe with 2 of its best characters after all this time. But unlike the other spin-offs, this show has the real stakes and has much more pressure on it to deliver. And in the opening episode there was 0 time wasted.

It's very impressive how grand they made the CRM feel in this small sample size, making them feel larger than life from the jump. And I think a large part of that is the fact that Rick tried multiple times to escape but always failed and had no out, so he was trapped in this world with no choice of his own in regards to being there.

And a decision that was excellent to start off this series was making Rick's desperation apparent to the audience, and having Rick chop off his own hand in the opening minutes is exactly how you show that eagerness. And the fact that he STILL didn't get away shows the viewers how much Rick is really drowning in this pit with no way out.

I also want to take a moment to applaud Craig Tate's performance as Okafor in this episode. I'm honestly a little sad that his character arc ends with this episode considering how great his performance was, and I think a lot of the great that comes from TWD is getting believable characters who can be portrayed well. Especially considering the fact that we're in the spin-off era and getting new characters that can stand on their own two legs is a necessity, and a new character that really fit the bill getting written off that quickly is underwhelming for me. But I can't really complain about it yet without knowing where it goes first.

Also, the Terry O'Quinn casting was EXCELLENT. The moment I saw it I was really excited, and even though we haven't seen much of him yet, I'm looking forward to potentially getting more.

In terms of the final moments of this episode, it was hard to see Rick eventually let go and try to move forward with the CRM. Writing his last note to Michonne that she'd never see, burning the notes and the phones, and officially give in. But considering how long it's been and how much he's tried, it's makes sense that he'd give in because he's only human.

But above all the final scene of the episode is what threw me off the most as I didn't see it coming from miles away. I was positive that it would come much later in the season, and I thought there was even a chance it'd be held off for season 2. But in terms of the execution, I'm not really a fan of how they used Michonne and Rick's reunion as a cliffhanger in the very first episode. Considering how powerful of a moment that's supposed to be, it's like the 5 year build up was being paid off in episode 1 but yanked away just to reel you in next week. I simply think that moment should've been treated with more care and given more room to breathe instead of it being cut off so you could tune in next week, when in reality you really don't need a cliff hanger like that to get people to watch.

But in conclusion I'm really glad that we've finally reached this point, and that the first episode delivered and showed a bright future not only for this series, but this entire universe. It's only 1 episode, but with Danai and Andy working closely on this show along with Scott Gimple, I have hope that this show will work in the long run.

When Rick's final episode in 2018 came to a close and the trilogy of Rick movies was announced, I can't remember being more excited for this universe than I was then. But after Covid sadly that dream went to die, and I honestly I think it was for the best since that gives more time for this story to flesh out in an episodic format, and potentially build to a grand final season of TWD with all of the characters coming to a head.

Better Call Saul (2015)

A Miracle In Television

As of today, it's officially been 9 years since Better Call Saul was released. It's been a little over a year since the finale aired and I'm still mesmerized about how this crew lead by Peter Gould & Vince Gilligan pulled it off, again.

When Breaking Bad reached its finale, it was hard for me to imagine any other show being able to reach it's level, let alone arguably surpass it. And when I heard that there was a spin-off regarding Saul Goodman, I thought maybe the show could have some solid and funny moments, and maybe bring a bit of depth towards some beloved Breaking Bad characters.

Spin-offs in television are usually seen to me as fan service, or a way to make more money off of a franchise that was loved. That doesn't mean that all of them are bad, but most of them don't have the passion or care that'd make you think it was extremely necessary to make a spin-off, especially considering the risk of making previous characters look bad writing wise. And while Better Call Saul was AMC's idea to make more money off of the franchise, I'm shocked with how the creators and writers were able to make another masterpiece.

This show was always meant to be in the shadow of Breaking Bad in my eyes, and I never would've thought of these shows as something that'd be deserving to talk about in the same breath as one another. But Better Call Saul took the ball that Breaking Bad was rolling, picked it up, and launched it forward.

While I think Breaking Bad has peaks that no other show can reach, Better Call Saul was able to do things that it's predecessor never could. The depth and writing of these characters are honestly perfect. So much so that I'd consider the shows leads Jimmy and Kim to be two of the best written characters in television history. And while the cast of this show is extremely stacked, Chuck McGill to me is a character that's honestly overlooked compared to the rest. His character has a pretty clear consensus amongst most people, but there's so much to him and Jimmy's dynamic that's it's honestly not as black and white as most people make it out to be, despite both being objectively wrong in certain aspects of the series. It's really fascinating to me.

The main aspect of the show that baffles me is how perfectly timed the arcs are considering this is a prequel. Every event in the show is written so well and is paced in a brilliant way to the point where no character arc seems to be rushed, yet the show still remains interesting. You think you've reached the pinnacle of a characters journey, then a curveball is thrown that changes everything.

That's not even mentioning how balanced both the lawyer side and the cartel side of the show are. When I first started the show I was eager to get more of the Mike and cartel portion, but the lawyer side of the story honestly paved the way for the first half of this show and was the most compelling part of the first 3 seasons.

My word of advice to anyone who watches this show.

1. Be patient 2. Understand that this is not Breaking Bad.

At some point the show will get very intense, but enjoy what arcs you are given at the time because before you know it, you'll look back and realize you were in the good times of the show. If you watch Better Call Saul after watching Breaking Bad, you might ask for one thing early on. But when you actually get it, you'll realize that the destination wasn't the key, but it was the journey to get there.

Considering most of the characters in this show were never even supposed to exist, it's safe to call Better Call Saul a miracle in television. Whether that was because of an actor wanting to be written off, an actor having a busy filming schedule, or a throw away line that created two of the greatest characters in the entire universe, it's amazing that Breaking Bad was able to pave the way for one of the greatest shows of all time. But what's even more impressive is Better Call Saul makes it to where Breaking Bad is not even complete without its existence.

Kudos to Peter Gould, Vince Gilligan and the entire crew that returned to create Better Call Saul, and I'm grateful I got to experience this universe come to a close.

Jujutsu Kaisen: Shibuya Incident - Gate, Close (2023)

I Didn't See It Ending Like This...

I'm shocked by the chaos that this arc has caused. The entirety of the show has just been flipped on its head.

Going in to this finale I expected a battle between Geto and the sorcerers like any anime would normally do, but that's unrealistic for JJK standards, and especially Shibuya Incident standards.

For some reason I thought there'd be a silver lining and Gojo might actually be unsealed by the end of this arc, but my goodness I couldn't have been further from the truth, and it didn't take long for that revelation to kick in.

Not only are the sorcerers doomed, but the entire world might as well be. The show did a fantastic job of making the world feel like it was caving in once Gojo was sealed in the prison realm, but this episode hit 10 times harder with that montage scene. And that FINAL SCENE WAS CRAZY.

I thought Yuta's return would be a hype moment where he'd save a beloved character or something. But he comes back and one dialogue scene later he PUTS A BOUNTY ON ITADORI ONLY FOR HIMSELF TO OBTAIN?!?! And just when you think we've reached the lowest low, the 5 panels after this with the message from Jujutsu HQ are even WORSE.

REINSTATE GETO'S DEATH DENTENCE?? GOJO IS AN ACCOMPLICE AND IS EXPELLED??? FREEING HIM FROM THE PRISON REALM IS A CRIME???? MASAMICHI SENTENCED TO DEATH?????

And after Sukuna made the name of this arc look generous with "incident" as if any word can describe the level of violence this arc has caused, I can understand Yuji's suspension being revoked due to Sukuna's play time with Jogo and Mahoraga. But YUTA AS THE EXECUTIONER WAS NOT ON MY BINGO CARD

Yeah I don't know what else to say. Shibuya Incident just took the biggest anime 180 since season 4 of AOT. God knows what season 3 is about to bring. Can't wait. I'm depressed. Goodbye.

Free Itadori.