PicoBlog

Welcome to Episodic Medium’s weekly coverage of Loki season two, which debuted tonight on Disney+. As always, the first review is available to all, but subsequent reviews will only be available to paid subscribers. You can check out our full Fall schedule here (along with information about our yearly subscription deal good through 10/7), and learn more about the site and its mission on our About page. The most compelling thing about Loki is the way it simultaneously manages to feel as small as a workplace comedy and as big as time itself.

Cross Doctor Who’s “Hell Bent” with Lost’s “The Constant,” add a touch of Avengers: Endgame and a dash of Everything Everywhere All At Once and you’ve got tonight’s pretty tremendous episode of Loki. For those like me, who were already grooving with this season, “Science/Fiction” is a welcome reward for keeping the faith that all of the show’s convoluted technobabble was building towards something meaningful. And for those who have been struggling to get a grasp on this season, this hour is the ultimate course correction—a dash of emotional, character-centric storytelling that arrives so unexpectedly it might as well be one of Loki’s magic tricks.

Welcome to Episodic Medium’s coverage of the Apple TV+ miniseries Masters of the Air, the third of three Playtone productions telling the story of America’s involvement in World War II following Band of Brothers and The Pacific. As always, this first review is free for all, but subsequent reviews will be exclusively for paid subscribers. To learn more about what we’re covering, see our winter schedule. “Don’t say anything. They’ll figure it out.

“When a crew went down, they disappeared.” An unexpected connection during the heat of battle in World War II, between a charming Brit and a somewhat reserved American. Wartime tensions rising between the Yanks and the Brits, reflected in how the Americans seem to swagger obnoxiously around while working alongside their allies in the United Kingdom. The emotional weight of the war itself and how different soldiers handle it, balancing between maintaining a stiff upper lip and giving into heartbreak.

“Surrender? Or escape?” You know, it feels like only last week that I said something to the effect that “not having detailed knowledge about each man’s history means it’s hard to know for sure if Cleven, Egan, and Biddick will survive the entire war,” in relation to the two-episode premiere of Masters of the Air. Now, it feels like I said that last week because…well, I did say that in last week’s review.

“The best camera is the one you have with you.” So goes the saying, and these days that usually means a smartphone of some sort. But what about when you’re diving? Usually a dip under the waves means leaving your iPhone on the boat and taking a dedicated camera rig when you backroll into the briny deep. But with the ever improving quality and capabilities of the iPhone, it’s become tempting to take a look at some of the underwater housings available for it.

“It’s only when you’re alone that the real haunting begins.” The function of “Ghost Light” is pretty crystal clear: by the end of the episode, our central trio are all furious with one another, questioning their friendship and going their separate ways as the investigation into Ben’s death pulls them apart. I wish, though, that it felt more momentous than it does. Some of this comes from the fact that they really haven’t been together all season—heck, just last week they were in three completely different stories, and it’s been a central thematic concern that the investigation and the musical have been at odds with one another.

In my reviews of the season thus far, I’ve spoken about the way Only Murders in the Building lives or dies on how the story serves its central characters, our tethers to this homicide-happy universe. Considering this, then, I should be happy to see the fourth episode of the season transpire with none of the season’s limelight-stealing guest stars making an appearance. But here’s the thing: does it make sense that none of Meryl Streep, Paul Rudd, and Jesse Williams appear in “The White Room?

Okay, so technically, I shouldn’t be opening this review by once again saying how consistent and good Rick And Morty’s sixth season has been. I’ve covered that already. Multiple times, in fact. And while I’m not currently in therapy right now, the imaginary therapist who lives in my head is telling me that a reviewer can’t just repeat the same praise every week. Even if the review subject is a success in part because it’s doing the same things right over and over, my job is to… I dunno, find new angles?