Group Video Blog

Hey guys, so below is a short video of Ao Luo and Jasper Xian talking about the different shows that are classified as Government TV and Commercial TV. They discuss the shows they have watched and reviewed as well as recent TV shows they have not reviewed on the blog.

For this blog Ao Luo, Jasper Xian and Anthony Klyza wrote reviews of all the TV shows they watched and posted their blogs at their own time. The video was recorded and edited by Anthony Klyza.

Agents of Feels

Source: http://images-cdn.moviepilot.com/images/c_scale,h_687,w_1196/t_mp_quality/vyks6zbf1e9hmqnginxz/agents-of-shield-season-3-finale-renegade-quake-in-the-future-of-the-mcu-980057.jpg

First and foremost, SPOILER ALERT. Especially in the case of a SEASON FINALE. But with that out of the way, let’s move onto this heartbreaking double episode finale of Season 3 of Agents of SHIELD.

Since the beginning of the mid-season return, we have all wondered who was inevitably going to suffer from this lonely death. We knew a few things: they would die aboard a SHIELD aircraft, they would somehow be looking down on Earth from space, and if you weren’t scared already, the person was most definitely going to be a SHIELD agent. So get ready to hold back those tears again as we remember… Lincoln Campbell. After approximately a season and a half, the first real love of our (no longer) little girl Daisy, has met his end.

Although Lincoln was a character that most had yet to make a connection, it was undeniable that Lincoln had potential to mean so much more to, not only the Agents of SHIELD, but to Daisy. He represented Daisy’s final hope for a real relationship with amazing possibilities. Many of which could have lead to something resembling a normal life. But I guess the vigilante path is much cooler. But imagine the 2 of them fighting crime side by side. 2 badasses with tremendous skills and abilities. They could spin-off and make a series together… Wait, this is starting to sound too familiar. Anyway. what better way to send off a beloved character than with the good ol’ “Jesus” Death.

But of course, we can’t forget the other half of what was lost in this finale. Hive/Ward/Will/Malick’s brother. Dead. As big of a win it was to kill Hive, we can’t deny that the death of Ward was pretty significant. And I don’t exactly mean that in a good way. Ward was no normal villain, his character had depth that is quite rare in the MCU - excluding the villains of Hell’s Kitchen. Discovering his past lead our feelings through one hell of a roller coaster, and now that we’ve reached the end of the ride, it’s quite saddening. Nonetheless, Agents of SHIELD lost 2 amazing and meaningful characters. So let's all raise a parting shot… I swear this sounds familiar.

HBO Boxing 24/7

http://blacksportsonline.com/home/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/247poster-e1445874685123.jpg

Synopsis
Hello everyone! Ao here reviewing another television show. This time, I will be reviewing the show '24/7' by HBO. 24/7 is a show that looks into the lives of two boxers, as they prepare for their bout against each other. The premise of the show is that it shows how the boxers prepare and train for their fight, as well as their other daily routines and activities. It gives viewers a chance to gain insight into the boxers' lives, and to get to know them better. The show usually starts a few weeks before the boxers are set to fight. This show is shot in a documentary style, with a narrator that introduces and comments on each scene. There are also scenes where the boxers directly talk to the camera in an interview style. 24/7 has featured some very high profile boxers, including Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, and many others.

Thoughts and Review
As a big fan of boxing, I thoroughly enjoy watching this show. It's fascinating to look into the lives of the boxers, and how they prepare and train for such fights. It really helps you get to know the fighters on a more personal level, which is missing from the usually advertisements and newspaper articles. This show usually features some big name fighters, such as Pacquiao and Mayweather, which makes for interesting viewing.

Boxing superstars Pacquiao and Mayweather have been featured on the show.
http://www.sportsbet.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/Pacquiao-vs-Mayweather.jpg

24/7 has excellent cinematic and soundtrack. The cinematic is beautiful, from aerial shots of Las Vegas, to slow motion training footage. The sound is also top quality, perfectly setting the mood for each scene, and adding to the emotion and suspense. The narrative of 24/7 usually revolves around a theme, such as the underdog versus the superstar, or the young rookie versus the master, which makes the show more interesting.

Overall: 8/10. Big names in boxing, beautiful cinematic, quality soundtrack, and interesting plot.

Sound: 9/10. Excellent soundtrack, lots of variety, sets the mood of the scenes well.

Cinematic: 8/10. Beautiful aerial and slow motion footage.

Recommendation: While this show is great from a boxing fan's perspective, I'm not so sure about people with no interest in boxing. Therefore, I would only recommend this show for fans of boxing, or combat sports in general.

As They Say In Brooklyn "I'm Walkin' Here!"

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This is gonna be my Rick and Morty Season 2 Episode 4 review "Total Rickall"

Total Rickall is fundamentally a bottle episode, as very early on the Smith family home is locked down. Using this trope, the episode includes multiplying parasites that are implanted into memories so the host do not see them as a threat. In this episode, the main characters have to differentiate between friend and foe, with very heavy tones of communist era paranoia. In addition, this especially links to John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982), including the casting of Keith David, as that movie shares similar themes of body snatching and imitation. Overall, this episode includes incredibly creative story and character designs, matching with the best of sci-fi concepts, with the signature Rick and Morty crass language and grotesque imagery.

Check out consumer affairs without boring yourself to death!

The Checkout logo and most of the presenters shown on the show
Image taken from: http://www.abc.net.au/tv/img/programs/PP-The-Checkout.jpg

Hey guys, Jasper here from ISYS100 Trio to do another television show review for our blog. The television program I will be reviewing today is The Checkout.

Show Description

The Checkout is an Australian television show which explores consumer affairs. Presenters on the show discuss the different rights you have as a consumer and the many tricks and strategies that marketers and companies use to lure you into buying their products. The Checkout explores and discuss these practices through the use of humour and skits throughout the entirety of the program. It's no surprise that the show is produced in such a humourous way considering some of the presenter's backgrounds and previous shows they've worked on (CNNN, The Chaser's War on Everything). I mean, take a look at their description about the show, they even make it funny to read.

Image taken from: http://www.abc.net.au/tv/thecheckout/about/#

There are different segments in each episode that cover many areas of the consumer affairs and are often aimed at specific brands or companies. Examples of these segments would be Product vs packshot, Parallel Consumerverse and F.U. Tube.
Product vs Packshot is a fairly short segment where the packaging of  a product is shown and then is compared side to side with the actual product. As always, you will see how you get a product that does not even look nearly as close to the image on the packaging.
Parallel Consumerverse is usually a skit where "what if" questions regarding different brands and companies were made a reality in a parallel universe. For example in one episode there was "If takeaway was Ikea". Customers would have to follow arrows on the ground in order to get their boxed foods and when they had taken it home they then would need to construct the food.
F.U. Tube is a segment where viewers can send in videos where they complain or ask questions about specific goods or services they have used. The presenter usually then discusses and offers possible solutions regarding these complaints and questions on goods and services.

Bubble O'Bill as seen in Product vs Packshot.
Image taken from: https://gracegarrick.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/capture2.png

My Thoughts

I really enjoy watching The Checkout as I find it both informative and hilarious at the same time.
As a consumer, although at times the information given would not be relevant to the goods and services I would use, I still found the information very interesting and the use of humour and skits just made it even more enjoyable to watch. Overall I would recommend watching The Checkout as a consumer but also for the ingenious way the show is produced with attention to such great use of humour while being able to provide in-depth content and information.

You can check out more episodes of The Checkout on the ABC channel every Thursdays from 8:00 pm.

Vikings

The cast of Vikings.
http://www.geeksofdoom.com/GoD/img/2015/02/vikings-season-2-cast.png

Introduction
Hello everyone! Ao here again, with another review. Today, I will be introducing some variety, and talking about the show Vikings. I know, it's a departure from my usual reviews on cartoons and cooking shows, but I do have wide tastes!

Ragnar Lothbrok.
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Synopsis
Vikings is set in the middle ages, and follows the adventures of protagonist Ragnar Lothbrok, Ragnar is an exceptionally skilled Viking warrior, with ambitions to go beyond fighting battles with fellow Viking clans, and to pillage and raid Western Europe for its vast riches. Ragnar is aided by his brother Rollo, good friend Floki, and a host of other Viking warriors. The series involves a series of battles, betrayal, love, lust, and gruesome death scenes.  

My Thoughts and Review
Vikings is an interesting show. It strives to be authentic with regards to the Viking culture. From the clothes to hairstyles, to the battle scenes and mannerisms, it felt really authentic. They also introduced some supernatural themes from Norse mythology, for example, when Ragnar sees Odin, a Norse god, take fallen warriors into Valhalla, a place where Viking warriors may go if they die in battle. However, my criticism would be that some of the dialogue is flat, and uninteresting at times. For example, in some scenes, the characters would talk for 20 minutes, and nothing would happen. Another criticism would be the acting. Some of the acting feels stiff and unnatural. This is related to the dialogue, which also falls flat at times. That being said, there were some exciting and intense scenes.

Overall: 7/10. Good show, but it does have flaws.

Plot: 6/10. Dull moments fill gaps between exciting moments.

Dialogue: 4/10. This is where the show falls flat. It can be very dull at times.

Acting: 5/10. Some good acting, but also some very stiff acting.

Recommendation: Strongly recommend for those with a keen interest in shows set in the middle ages, specifically those with an interest in Norse culture. For others, I would recommend you watch an episode or two, and see if you like the show or not.

Science and explosions? What more could you want?

The "Mythbusters", Adam Savage (left) and Jamie Hyneman (right).
Image taken from: http://screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/Adam-Savage-and-Jamie-Hyneman-in-Mythbusters.jpg

Hey guys, Jasper here from ISYS100 Trio to do another television show review for our blog. The television show I will be reviewing today is Mythbusters.

Show Description

Do you like science? Do you like explosions? Well, Mythbusters is the show for you my friends!

Mythbusters is a science based television show where they test the possibility of myths/rumours ranging from everyday life, viral videos and even from stunts shown in movies. 

Mythbusters is hosted mainly by Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage but over the years there also have been other co-hosts, most notably Tori Belleci, Kari Byron and Grant Imahara. Every episode of Mythbusters comprises of at least two or more myths that the hosts try to take on and see if they can replicate the results with the myth. The hosts first introduce the myth with the supporting video and then set out a plan to test if it is actually viable, much like how you would conduct a science experiment. After the planning process they have a small scale test before moving to the actual, full scale test.

The best bits are probably when the full scale tests begin, as it is where most of the practical work is done. The hosts also explain some of the science behind their practical work through the main topics of science; physics and chemistry. As well as making these parts informative, the hosts make jokes and keep you entertained whilst they are working. Most of the practical work is done in their workshop whilst at other times they have to build the sets at bombsites, runways or even in the desert.

When testing the myths, the hosts usually have several attempts before calling quits and deciding the outcome of these myths. They have outcomes that state the validity of the myth ranging from confirmed (the myth is valid), plausible (the myth somewhat is valid) or busted (the myth is not valid). The best thing is that even if the hosts are not able to replicate the results of a particular myth, they go the extra mile and just replicate the results in their own way and not to the set variables of the myth. For example in an episode where they were not able cut fruit effortlessly much like in the Fruit Ninja game, they instead just opted for a chainsaw instead of a katana and were able to slice the fruit much easier and more often.

Mythbusters "approved" game, Fruit Busters: Chainsaw
Image taken from: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B8ufOh4CQAEK21Q.png

There are also episodes devoted to specific themes and often episodes that revisit some of the original myths.

My Thoughts

I really like watching Mythbusters as each episode brings a wide variety of myths that keep it fresh and interesting. I also have an interest in science and being able to watch both the theoretical and practical side of the experiments of Mythbusters informs as well as entertains me. I also really like that they answer fan mail and do their best to provide content that fans want and love. The montages and skits in the episodes also keep it interesting and funny as they display the practical jokes and fun that the hosts are having working on the myths. Overall I would recommend watching Mythbusters whether or not you like science. Science is just one part of it, but it is the practical side of the experiments that draw you in. I mean, what's not to love about explosions?

You can catch more explosive episodes of Mythbusters on Thursdays 8:30 pm and Fridays 6:30 pm.