In the final episode of Sinbad ep 1, a lot of excitement occurs; in fact, there's such a great amount of excitement, that I am actually not sure where to start.
Well, let's start with the land of the dead. As I wrote about it previously, it was clearly taken out of Homer's "Odyssey" for the reasons I said above. However, in this case I should add that the city of Limbo that was featured here was influenced by Dante Aligheri's "Inferno" instead. That was to be expected; together with Virgil's "Aeneid", "Odyssey" and "The Divine Comedy" are the classical depictions of European afterlife (I call them the big three, lol).
If the land of the dead is rooted in European classical literature (for the Muslims the afterlife was completely different), then its monsters are something else. The hounds were basically Primeval's hyenadons from S4 (and Primeval is also owned by IP, so no copyright infringement there, I hope), while the Guardians... I don't know what they are - they were just shapeless masses each one armed with a single glowing eye that mentally traps you in an alternate dimension until you die. Or, since the inhabitants of the city of Limbo are already dead, you move on and get reincarnated instead. (Considering that "Sinbad's" afterlife is a mishmash of Christian and pagan worlds anything is possible, so until S2 I'm sticking with the reincarnation theory.) Who knows?
Right, after the setting and the monsters come the characters, the heroes. Sinbad is still an impulsive ass, though in this episode he learns new wisdom: some things even people, even heroes cannot defeat - and in this case it's fate, karma, kismet, whatever. Jamil was intended to die and he remained dead, sacrificing himself to the Guardian to let Sinbad and the others instead.
Conversely, Taryn has rescued her daughter with the help of Sinbad's crew. However, since the girl (Alehna) looked around as she has left, the final shots of the episode show some sort of darkness in her eyes - if she proves to be the ancestor of one Tom Marvolo Riddle (and of one Luna Lovegood, played by the same actress earlier in the real life), that's when "Sinbad" have jumped the shark, believe it!
Or maybe it already has, if the scriptwriters are positioning Taryn into the role of Vala from "StarGate". Remember? She's the morally ambiguous alien (Teal'C is the one who's loyal and honest, etc), whose daughter is one of the big bad's of the show. Vala herself, however, seems to be improving her character and is no a member of the StarGate's crew. Since Taryn (and her daughter) are already on Sinbad's ship, maybe this process has already begun?
Speaking of Sinbad's ship, notice how the cook was absent from this episode as well? Well, of course he was - he's a part of the ship (that's my theory) and such not only is he bound to it, he has no place in a human afterlife - he's version is probably quite a bit different and a lot more woody and inorganic, you know?
And the other members of the crew. Taryn was amazing as she got Sinbad out of the Guardian-induced mental funk, but so was Gunnar as he recognized Taryn as she possessed Tiger. He also was the one who figured out how to rescue Sinbad from that funk, so, seriously, if Taryn's Vala, he's something of a Jack O'Neal or Teal'C. He also mentioned Valhalla (indirectly) in this episode, but we all know that he doesn't believe in this pagan pageantry anymore, he's a Christian here, just in secret.
Sinbad, of course, is still impulsive (and he's probably going to remain impulsive until he dies), and now he has learned that there are some things that cannot be beat. Guess he's still maturing - just as Telemachus does in the "Odyssey", cough. Anwar, of course, is also maturing, since he's now confident enough in his abilities, and Rina is still Rina. She's the obligatory halfling of the group.
So, the final episode of "Sinbad" S1 has a hybridized afterlife, a couple of mismatched monsters, a new possible villian (Alehna), Taryn and Gunnar being awesome, and the rest still being themselves. Oh, and Nala is still absent, though her dad made in appearance in the Basra of the dead (little pun here). Guess she's still in Basra and Tiger is Sinbad's love interest... until for now.
End (of "Sinbad" S1)
Showing posts with label cook. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cook. Show all posts
Sunday, 23 September 2012
Sunday, 9 September 2012
Sinbad, ep 10 - Sep 9
As the show moves into the final third of S1 of Sinbad, we get hit with a bizarre episode. Well, maybe not bizarre - just not well thought through. Sinbad and Tiger (who's been called so because her father abandoned her and she was raised by tigers instead) get hired by a professor (whose name is never given) to transport her and her cargo to some island or other. Fine.
That cargo then proves to be a giant egg that hatches into a giant snake - that's also fine. Giant snakes are par-du-course for any Eastern/Oriental fantasy, so so far so good. When, however, the professor merges with her creation into one ultimate predator - that's just too much.
Let's recapitulate. The professor is, well, a mad scientist, but she acts mainly like a big bitch to everyone, though she seems to tolerate Anwar... to the point when she tried to feed Anwar to her pet but the snake ripped off her arm instead. This started the merging of professor and snake, mad scientist and her creation. Fine. I'm sure that that the screenwriters team of Kurti and Doyle had it all figured out on paper at least - let's leave it on their consciousnesses, 'cause to me it was just all ridiculous.
Sinbad and his crew, of course, had their own input on ridiculousness - they planned to use the snake monster's peanut allergy to kill it. No, I kid you not - they used crossbow darts heavily weighted down with peanuts to bring the monster down... in theory. In reality, of course, the weight of the peanuts put the darts off balance, and only one of them hit the snake...on the outside, in the neck, where peanuts did diddly squat. The bolt, on the other hand, drew attention of the monster to Sinbad, giving Gunnar the window of opportunity to hit the snake in the head with his axe repeatedly, until it stopped moving. Go Gunnar, Thor the snake-slaying thunder-god would be so proud of you, you dirty Christian...
While Gunnar saved the day (and Sinbad), what about the others? Sinbad and Tiger continue to flirt... but what about Nala? Sinbad saved her from Mr. Invincible in ep. 4, for crying out loud! Out of sight out of mind? Sheesh - no wonder then that Sinbad was in such a rush to save her in ep. 4 - if he dawdled he would've forgotten all about her instead and wouldn't that opened up a plot hole!!
The Cook shows an extreme reluctant (to put it mildly) to leave the ship - he would rather get eaten by the snake monster. Well, of course he can't - he's the ship's spirit (that's my theory, mind) and wherever the ship goes he follows. Simple.
Finally, Rina and Anwar. What was up with them? Throughout the first two thirds or so of this ep. Anwar seemed to be forging a bond with the professor, she was acting as his foil to show how far the Anwar came in his path to becoming a respected, learner and wise man of knowledge, as indicated by ep. 8, I hope. And then she merged with her snake (no pun intended) and Gunnar ended saving the day instead of Anwar. Why? What gives?
Rina, for her part, was barely in the episode at all. Again, what gives? Is she being threatened by Tiger? Was there some problem with Marama Corlett's contract at this point? I have no idea, but the absence of Rina was dissappointing. Hope that the last two episodes will give her a bigger role than this one.
So - a monster and a mad scientist both merging and going over the top (not quite jumping the shark but close), Gunnar saving the day, more insights in the Cook's nature, and the other four heroes acting lackluster. Not the best episode of the series, I say.
PS: In the next episode the search for the Land of the Dead starts in earnest, as I understand it. Homer, who had invented that domain in his "Odyssey" should totally sue IP for the copyright infringement.
PPS: Judging by the dentition, the snake was a constrictor rather than a venomous species. Ah well, don't worry Gunnar - you may meet your own Midgard serpent in time...
That cargo then proves to be a giant egg that hatches into a giant snake - that's also fine. Giant snakes are par-du-course for any Eastern/Oriental fantasy, so so far so good. When, however, the professor merges with her creation into one ultimate predator - that's just too much.
Let's recapitulate. The professor is, well, a mad scientist, but she acts mainly like a big bitch to everyone, though she seems to tolerate Anwar... to the point when she tried to feed Anwar to her pet but the snake ripped off her arm instead. This started the merging of professor and snake, mad scientist and her creation. Fine. I'm sure that that the screenwriters team of Kurti and Doyle had it all figured out on paper at least - let's leave it on their consciousnesses, 'cause to me it was just all ridiculous.
Sinbad and his crew, of course, had their own input on ridiculousness - they planned to use the snake monster's peanut allergy to kill it. No, I kid you not - they used crossbow darts heavily weighted down with peanuts to bring the monster down... in theory. In reality, of course, the weight of the peanuts put the darts off balance, and only one of them hit the snake...on the outside, in the neck, where peanuts did diddly squat. The bolt, on the other hand, drew attention of the monster to Sinbad, giving Gunnar the window of opportunity to hit the snake in the head with his axe repeatedly, until it stopped moving. Go Gunnar, Thor the snake-slaying thunder-god would be so proud of you, you dirty Christian...
While Gunnar saved the day (and Sinbad), what about the others? Sinbad and Tiger continue to flirt... but what about Nala? Sinbad saved her from Mr. Invincible in ep. 4, for crying out loud! Out of sight out of mind? Sheesh - no wonder then that Sinbad was in such a rush to save her in ep. 4 - if he dawdled he would've forgotten all about her instead and wouldn't that opened up a plot hole!!
The Cook shows an extreme reluctant (to put it mildly) to leave the ship - he would rather get eaten by the snake monster. Well, of course he can't - he's the ship's spirit (that's my theory, mind) and wherever the ship goes he follows. Simple.
Finally, Rina and Anwar. What was up with them? Throughout the first two thirds or so of this ep. Anwar seemed to be forging a bond with the professor, she was acting as his foil to show how far the Anwar came in his path to becoming a respected, learner and wise man of knowledge, as indicated by ep. 8, I hope. And then she merged with her snake (no pun intended) and Gunnar ended saving the day instead of Anwar. Why? What gives?
Rina, for her part, was barely in the episode at all. Again, what gives? Is she being threatened by Tiger? Was there some problem with Marama Corlett's contract at this point? I have no idea, but the absence of Rina was dissappointing. Hope that the last two episodes will give her a bigger role than this one.
So - a monster and a mad scientist both merging and going over the top (not quite jumping the shark but close), Gunnar saving the day, more insights in the Cook's nature, and the other four heroes acting lackluster. Not the best episode of the series, I say.
PS: In the next episode the search for the Land of the Dead starts in earnest, as I understand it. Homer, who had invented that domain in his "Odyssey" should totally sue IP for the copyright infringement.
PPS: Judging by the dentition, the snake was a constrictor rather than a venomous species. Ah well, don't worry Gunnar - you may meet your own Midgard serpent in time...
Sunday, 2 September 2012
Sinbad, ep 9 - Sep 2
This was a very interesting episode of "Sinbad"; much better, than its' predecessor. For one thing - no Kuji (cripes, but she was annoying); for anything, we had Taryn, or rather - her protege, Tiger (Tuppence Middleton, no relations to the new Princess of England, I've been told). Just like Taryn, Tiger was awesome; basically, the next step in Rina's "evolution", if the little thief (height-wise) hadn't run across, Sinbad, Anwar and others.
The episode's plot wasn't that bad either. A high priest of some cult (dressed rather like the High Inquisitor of Dostoevsky) had a vision from his sacred stone (shaped like a heart, more or less) that Sinbad was going to kill him, so as soon as he had Sinbad in his clutches, he had him killed instead. Only, Tiger had a deal with the high priest's sniveling son (made purposefully immature, I suspect), who drugged Sinbad and left him to Tiger's tender clutches instead; since Sinbad is the main character of this series, he wins Tiger heart instead (sort of) and gets her to join her crew.
Meanwhile... Anwar and Rina's relationship has apparently stabled out for now. That's good. Anwar got a chance to solve the labyrinth's puzzle as well. That's even better. But what's with Gunnar's new weird accent? Is he trying to impress chicks now with it or something? That is just strange, and since we're nearing the season's end, also pointless.
Sinbad, of course, is trying to be shown mature and competent, but as the incident with the stone shown, he's still something of an impulsive ass. I blame Nala's absence for this - her influence did soothe Sinbad down just a bit. Of course, since this is an IP production we're talking about, maybe Ms. Daniels just couldn't be around for all 12 episodes, and left the series' production at the ep. 7 (when Akbari died) - who knows? Guess for now Middleton will have to do for Sinbad's romantic interesting, eh?
Finally, Sinbad's plans for the future. When he smashed the magic stone as the impulsive ass that he still is (though to a lesser degree than before) he saw many visions (including him in love with Tiger, maybe?), one of which was his brother Jamil alive and in his arms - guess we now know what the last few episodes will be about, eh?
PS: What Sinbad doesn't know (and the Cook, who told him about the stone in the first place doesn't know or doesn't want to tell him), is that the stone isn't quite a liar, but it's visions are flawed, sort of: the high priest saw himself dying at Sinbad's feet as the latter held a bloody dagger - and it came to be, but only because the priest's son had stabbed him. Ergo, the stone only tells what can be, but not how it can be, and that, in the upcoming episodes, can make all the difference.
The episode's plot wasn't that bad either. A high priest of some cult (dressed rather like the High Inquisitor of Dostoevsky) had a vision from his sacred stone (shaped like a heart, more or less) that Sinbad was going to kill him, so as soon as he had Sinbad in his clutches, he had him killed instead. Only, Tiger had a deal with the high priest's sniveling son (made purposefully immature, I suspect), who drugged Sinbad and left him to Tiger's tender clutches instead; since Sinbad is the main character of this series, he wins Tiger heart instead (sort of) and gets her to join her crew.
Meanwhile... Anwar and Rina's relationship has apparently stabled out for now. That's good. Anwar got a chance to solve the labyrinth's puzzle as well. That's even better. But what's with Gunnar's new weird accent? Is he trying to impress chicks now with it or something? That is just strange, and since we're nearing the season's end, also pointless.
Sinbad, of course, is trying to be shown mature and competent, but as the incident with the stone shown, he's still something of an impulsive ass. I blame Nala's absence for this - her influence did soothe Sinbad down just a bit. Of course, since this is an IP production we're talking about, maybe Ms. Daniels just couldn't be around for all 12 episodes, and left the series' production at the ep. 7 (when Akbari died) - who knows? Guess for now Middleton will have to do for Sinbad's romantic interesting, eh?
Finally, Sinbad's plans for the future. When he smashed the magic stone as the impulsive ass that he still is (though to a lesser degree than before) he saw many visions (including him in love with Tiger, maybe?), one of which was his brother Jamil alive and in his arms - guess we now know what the last few episodes will be about, eh?
PS: What Sinbad doesn't know (and the Cook, who told him about the stone in the first place doesn't know or doesn't want to tell him), is that the stone isn't quite a liar, but it's visions are flawed, sort of: the high priest saw himself dying at Sinbad's feet as the latter held a bloody dagger - and it came to be, but only because the priest's son had stabbed him. Ergo, the stone only tells what can be, but not how it can be, and that, in the upcoming episodes, can make all the difference.
Sunday, 19 August 2012
Sinbad, ep 7 - Aug 19
So, in this episode Taryn and Akbari have taken over Basra, and the show made their regime look positively Nazi. Don't want to use this term in vain, but the way their new guards burned down the scrolls and what-not can remind one of the Nazis in "Indiana Jones and the Holy Grail" when the Nazis did burn books, and Hitler was present there. Here, of course, it's Taryn who's the chief villain, revealing herself in the last quarter of the episode, with Akbari being nothing but her puppet.
Since Taryn is the most awesome villain in Sinbad, and Akbari gets killed by her in this episode, let's talk about them and their villainy, first. Akbari redeems himself before he dies, revealing that revenge and despair are not exactly evil and that evil itself is mostly straying oneself from goodness. The darkness and light connotations here are obvious but they also bring back the parable of the sheep lost in the wilderness; oh Gunnar, when will you let your Christian faith come into light? After all, when in the beginning of the episode you kicked the guards' ass, you were so the warrior monk that friar Tuck would be so proud of you!
Speaking of the beginning of the episode, Sinbad still proved himself to be the impulsive jackass that he was in the previous ep - always rushing-in behind thinking. However, by the end of the episode he proved himself to be the master of his emotions and finally freed himself of his curse, by learning how to bind his impulsive nature and how to master his whims - not to be mastered by them.
Nala, for her part, realized what she wants to do in her life - run an underground railroad from Basra to help those who want to escape now-Taryn's oppressive regime. Well, also selfish since Taryn's flaw is that she's willing to do any villainy to get what she wants, regardless of who gets caught underfoot. And since Nala is more level-headed than Sinbad is (or was?) she won't get caught until the next-to-last/last episode when Sinbad and his crew will arrive to rescue her and Basra.
Speaking of Basra, yes, I understand, that from this episode on Taryn's rule is going to be contrasted with the late Emir's more benevolent rule, until Sinbad comes to return Basra to normal. But, I honestly cannot imagine the deceased as a good lord (i.e. baron, if you will) - that bald buffoon was so obsessed with his dream that he didn't see what was going on under his nose until it was too late. Ah well, it all just means that Sinbad will look all the better once he'll ascend to the throne.
Speaking of looking better, Anwar has finally gotten his big boy pants when he rescued Rina - well, not exactly. Rina has rescued herself, but in this case it was the thought that counted because Anwar could've stayed at home and went back to the university, and generally collaborated with the regime until he got arrested or whatever. But he didn't - even though the life he talked about on the ship was all a lie - and now he may actually be winning Rina's heart (and hand in marriage, eventually). All he now needs to do is to prove to himself (and maybe to others) that yes, he is a doctor and to do that he has to cure somebody, or to dress their wounds, or something that medically important.
Finally, we get another clue that the Cook is magically/mystically tied to the ship: as his head turns left and right, so does the ship's figurehead. Does that make him some sort of a djinn or a spirit? Maybe the future episodes will reveal that.
So, Akbari is dead and the season's plot is half-way done; Taryn is in charge; Sinbad finally grew-up, and so did Anwar, but Anwar also now is beginning to have a relationship with Rina; Nala realized who she wants to be and is living her dream; Gunnar kicked ass and will probably become a monk; and the Cook is in a relationship with the ship, or is the ship, take your choice. All in all, this was a good episode and I enjoyed it.
PS: The props used at Akbari's coronation, etc, were very impressive and authentic-looking.
PPS: The shadow tentacle monster(s) wasn't that bad either.
Since Taryn is the most awesome villain in Sinbad, and Akbari gets killed by her in this episode, let's talk about them and their villainy, first. Akbari redeems himself before he dies, revealing that revenge and despair are not exactly evil and that evil itself is mostly straying oneself from goodness. The darkness and light connotations here are obvious but they also bring back the parable of the sheep lost in the wilderness; oh Gunnar, when will you let your Christian faith come into light? After all, when in the beginning of the episode you kicked the guards' ass, you were so the warrior monk that friar Tuck would be so proud of you!
Speaking of the beginning of the episode, Sinbad still proved himself to be the impulsive jackass that he was in the previous ep - always rushing-in behind thinking. However, by the end of the episode he proved himself to be the master of his emotions and finally freed himself of his curse, by learning how to bind his impulsive nature and how to master his whims - not to be mastered by them.
Nala, for her part, realized what she wants to do in her life - run an underground railroad from Basra to help those who want to escape now-Taryn's oppressive regime. Well, also selfish since Taryn's flaw is that she's willing to do any villainy to get what she wants, regardless of who gets caught underfoot. And since Nala is more level-headed than Sinbad is (or was?) she won't get caught until the next-to-last/last episode when Sinbad and his crew will arrive to rescue her and Basra.
Speaking of Basra, yes, I understand, that from this episode on Taryn's rule is going to be contrasted with the late Emir's more benevolent rule, until Sinbad comes to return Basra to normal. But, I honestly cannot imagine the deceased as a good lord (i.e. baron, if you will) - that bald buffoon was so obsessed with his dream that he didn't see what was going on under his nose until it was too late. Ah well, it all just means that Sinbad will look all the better once he'll ascend to the throne.
Speaking of looking better, Anwar has finally gotten his big boy pants when he rescued Rina - well, not exactly. Rina has rescued herself, but in this case it was the thought that counted because Anwar could've stayed at home and went back to the university, and generally collaborated with the regime until he got arrested or whatever. But he didn't - even though the life he talked about on the ship was all a lie - and now he may actually be winning Rina's heart (and hand in marriage, eventually). All he now needs to do is to prove to himself (and maybe to others) that yes, he is a doctor and to do that he has to cure somebody, or to dress their wounds, or something that medically important.
Finally, we get another clue that the Cook is magically/mystically tied to the ship: as his head turns left and right, so does the ship's figurehead. Does that make him some sort of a djinn or a spirit? Maybe the future episodes will reveal that.
So, Akbari is dead and the season's plot is half-way done; Taryn is in charge; Sinbad finally grew-up, and so did Anwar, but Anwar also now is beginning to have a relationship with Rina; Nala realized who she wants to be and is living her dream; Gunnar kicked ass and will probably become a monk; and the Cook is in a relationship with the ship, or is the ship, take your choice. All in all, this was a good episode and I enjoyed it.
PS: The props used at Akbari's coronation, etc, were very impressive and authentic-looking.
PPS: The shadow tentacle monster(s) wasn't that bad either.
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