Justice League Animated Hits Netflix; Here Are Our Top 10 Episodes

Justice League has arrived on Netflix Streaming.

Just this week, Netflix Streaming rolled out a ton of animated, geeky goodness, including the likes of Regular Show, Adventure Time, Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, Archer, Batman Beyond, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Powerpuff Girls, Problem Solverz, Dexter’s Lab, Foster’s Home, Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, Venture Brothers . . .

And, most significantly for the superhero-obsessed, the recent Justice League animated series. Both of ’em — Justice League, which focuses on the big seven (Superman, Green Lantern, Flash, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, the Flash, and Hawkgirl) and Justice League Unlimited (JLU), which brings in DC Comics heroes by the truckload.

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Could USA Provide a Happy Ending for Happy Endings?

Well ABC did all they could to try and sell Happy Endings on Friday nights (please read this in the sarcasm font). Sadly, when the show returned from its unplanned hiatus, it did so to less than stellar numbers. I’m sure now ABC will have to go ahead and cancel the sitcom, as the people they turned to and pleaded to help save Happy Endings have let them down.

Let’s all take a moment of silence.

Now with that nonsense over, what could the future hold for the “no really it looks like a crappy Friends knockoff at first but give it a chance, it’s good” show? Well in a move much like that of Cougar Town (also an ABC sitcom) last year, it appears as if Happy Endings might be heading to cable. Deadline reported this week that the basic cable channel USA, home of Psych, is looking to pick up the sitcom.

Happy Endings, USA

One has to imagine that USA is looking at Cougar Town‘s move to TBS and seeing how they’ve not only done better than on ABC, but also bringing in a demographic that TBS had previously not seen much of. However I don’t know that the same will happen in this case. TBS was known mainly for Law and Order reruns, not original content. Then they brought on Conan (who just signed a contract through 2015) which certainly brought new viewers to the network. Cougar Town was just an add on to that. When Happy Endings first showed signs of being canceled, I thought that a  Cougar Town/Happy Endings block could do quite well on TBS, but apparently USA thinks that it would fit better over there. They have been looking to develop more half hour sitcoms to round out their schedule that is filled with show like Royal Pains and Suits (as well as hour after hour of Law and Order reruns, seriously what is it with Law and Order?)

With Pych likely being canceled, they could also eying Happy Endings to be a replacement for that. USA’s original shows aren’t bad, actually some of them are quite good, but I do think bringing on a show like this and the publicity it brings, could only mean good things for the network.

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Arrow: 1.19 – Unfinished Business

I figured when last week was such a good episode (Laurel’s ugly crying aside), that this week might be a bit slower but I was still looking forward to it, and the return of the Count. However, this was one of those weird episodes where certain parts were awesome but the episode all together was a bit bland. Not that that’s a bad thing, it’s difficult to keep up the intensity for 22 episodes so there’s bound to be some lulls. Hopefully this lull won’t continue but let’s dive into those great moments of “Unfinished Business”!

Arrow, Oliver Queen

Awwww, shit. Vertigo is back on the streets and in the clubs. Not only that but people are taking it and then going and literally playing in traffic. Given the number of pointless internet fights I’ve seen the phrase “go play in traffic” uttered in, I found this to be quite amusing. Of course with the drug vertigo back out, people first thought that perhaps that Count Vertigo was also out. Hooboy, that could not be further from the case. I do like how the doctor put it though – “word salad”. I might have to start using that.

Arrow, Oliver Queen, Stephen Amell
“He’s sumasshedshiy”
Credit to: ninawaldorf

I’m going to stick to “word salad” and leave the “sumasshedshiy” to Oliver Queen. However, that look combined with the description? Perfect. Not so perfect? Everything else Oliver did in this episode. He thought Tommy was actually guilty of procuring the vertigo. Not only that, but unless I missed it, did he ever thank Tommy for the hiding of the Arrow Cave evidence? I don’t think so. He was an ass to Felicity when she was trying to comfort him about the Count. He was a major dick to Diggle about him going after Deadshot. Is Diggle’s job 24/7? Is Felicity’s? I mean come on, surely there is some down time during which they can pursue their own interests, perhaps get a hobby or read a book or something. Even if that something is going after a dude who shoots people for a living. Oliver, Oliver, Oliver… you need to get a grip.

I loved that they brought back “the Count” even if he was sumasshedshiy. However, I saw it as the doctor and orderly from a mile away. Rule number one when trying to implement a surprise plot twist – don’t go out and find the sketchiest and most guilty looking orderly out there. Surely there was a slight 5 foot nothing, 150 pounds soaking wet guy they could have used. Then I would have been surprised! I think we can all agree though, Diggle remembering to say “Clear” (as opposed to when he had to revive Oliver and Felicity reminded him he forgot) as he killed said orderly. Well done Dig.

Arrow, Diggle
Credit to: emberbrushiebrushie

Diggle actually had quite a bit of call back in this episode. He’s trying to hunt down Deadshot. He’s still dating the sister-in-law, and he’s continuing his life as a drug dealer/purchaser. I can not be the only one who laughed when he announced to the Arrow Cave that “The person of color (apparently emberbrushiebrushie is not of the American persuasion) has successfully purchased your drugs”.Arrow, ARGUS That Diggle, he’s a laugh a minute.

I am very very interested in seeing where this ARGUS thing goes. That and will Diggle and Lyla be more than just “old Army buddies”? I do love a good love triangle. Actually, that’s a lie, they usually annoy me (see Tommy, Laurel, and Oliver) but I do want to see more of Diggle’s life that doesn’t center around Oliver. That being said, I do like that Oliver finally came around and said he would help on the Deadshot front. Redeemed himself a little bit. Just a little though.

Arrow, vertigo
Credit to: mymarsrevolution

 

The rest of the Count/evil doctor story line was a bit predictable. By now, we know that Oliver has no qualms killing people even though he’s felt the need to admonish anyone else who even thinks about killing someone. In my perfect world, the writer’s would from here on out just forget that Ollie ever said anything about not killing and therefore never repeat it. Because when you stare down a man, high on the vertigo that got in your bloodstream before you puked what looked to be Nickelodeon slime, and shoot him with three arrows, it’s hard to say you aren’t a killer with a straight face. Not that he deserved to live, but still, they need to stop saying it.

Of course as soon as I say that, we have Oliver poised and ready to take out the Count for good, and he can’t do it. I’m actually really glad he didn’t because that just didn’t seem right. That and I’m holding out hope that he’ll find a way to unscramble his brain and come back to match wits with the vigilante once more. We shall see.

Best part of this episode, for me at least, was the island. Finally we get to see the real beginnings of the vigilante version of Oliver Queen as opposed to the whining mixed in occasionally with some dumb luck.

Arrow, Shado, Oliver Queen

Shado is amazing. As much as I love Yao Fei, I might love his daughter that much more. Not only is she pretty bad ass when it comes to fighting, but she’s also very zen and she’s already filled in more backstory in one episode than we’ve gotten in the seventeen previous. Yao Fei was a Chinese officer, was the scapegoat for a massacre, sent to the island, and now Fyers is trying to make him a scapegoat once again for whatever he has planned. Makes you wonder who Yao Fei pissed off in a previous life. Damn.

Arrow, Slade Wilson, Oliver Queen
Credit to: htbthomas

The island parts also gave Oliver even more of a human side. Like I said, the whining has subsided a little but you have to imagine sitting there as a privileged silver spooner who has literally not had to do much for himself, watching two people who are very self-sufficient and know how to defend themselves. Not only that but they are talking shit about him as he’s sitting there. Talk about a blow to the self-esteem. The satisfied look on Oliver’s face when he is able to draw back the bow without difficulty pretty much said it all.

Which brings us to this.

Arrow, John Barrowman

Hey did you know that Laurel likes sushi? Yes, it was mentioned again but that’s not the issue here. When the show first started I thought that Tommy would end up being the Merlyn of the comics. Then he just didn’t seem like he was “that guy” so I figured they weren’t going to go with a Merlyn. Then John Barrowman showed up as Malcolm Merlyn and I was pretty darn sure that he was it.

Now that Tommy has left Oliver and Oliver’s club thanks to Oliver, again being a bit of a douchebag about it all, lying and maybe taking a little bit advantage of him, and has gone back to the man that he swore he’d never speak to again… his father. I guess when you’re dad ends up almost dying, talking to him again seems easy. Hell, asking for a job is even easy! I’ll have to remember this for the future. (Just kidding Dad, I’m sure no one will try to hire a big time assassin to take you out with a poisoned bullet)

Of course that’s what the episode ends with right as there is another small hiatus, only three weeks this time. Still – yet another moment that asks more questions than it answers! What is Tommy going to do when he finds out his Dad has been lying to him as well? Will that be the straw that breaks the camel’s back and he is going to go off the deep end? And when did he move in with Laurel?

So many questions, so few answers. Like I said, there were some great moments like the island and the last scene but as a whole, this episode was rather blah. Going to have to go with the middle of the road 3 out of 5.

grizzly rating 3of5

Arrow will return on April 24th, have a good hiatus Arrow fans and I’ll see you next time!