What with Christmas, The Expanse, and Wonder Woman 1984, we didn’t get to Discovery with spore-drive speed. However, this week’s episode, which brings us the possible origin of the Burn, some strong performances by the leads, and a confrontation with the Chain, ends with a cliffhanger. I’ll review both next week. Meanwhile, here’s a place to discuss “Su’Kal” and, as a bonus….
Category Archives: B42 Site News
The Great Conjunction: Happy Solstice!
As most of you likely know already, Jupiter and Saturn will align tonight, providing a spectacle in the sky for those with a view unimpaired by cloudy weather. While these planets appear to pass in close proximity (relative to our view from Earth) every twenty years, it has been four centuries since they appeared this close and eight since they were this close at night.
As a bonus, this conjunction coincides with the winter solstice.
The Were-Traveler, Lovecraft, and Bureau42
The Were-Traveler has been running since 2011, with each issue featuring short fiction (usually quite short) related to a particular theme or topic in fantasy, SF, or horror. Their current issue addresses the problematic legacy of H.P. Lovecraft, the imaginative and monumentally influential author whose racism and xenophobia, extreme even for his time, frequently entered his stories. This were-issue’s weird fiction draws upon Lovecraft’s influence and tropes to examine and critique his less savoury side.
Among the contributors you may recognize a writer from our Bureau.
“Auxiliary: London 2039” Giveaway Contest complete
The Auxiliary: London 2039 book giveaway winner has been selected and contacted. Thanks to all who entered!
📺 Bureau’s Breakroom’s Television Table – Week beginning 2020 June 14
Some new shows make the Television Table this week, as fan-favorite Doctor David Tennant and his angelic costar Michael Sheen join us for a Lockdown-produced show, Staged, and Penny Dreadful spins off to Los Angels to examine white supremacist cops and how they deal with minorities in the city. (While the timing would be suspect, this was produced, filmed, and began airing before America’s headlines turned to the subject. Additionally, there’s demons involved.) In much more lighthearted shows, the Diversly Cast new JSA is brought together in Stargirl. The SHIELD agents continue their trek through the fifties. Meanwhile, Blindspot gets Ice Cream.
[All synopses (and titles) from Trakt.tv below the cut, except when there really aren’t any. (If a show’s synopsis is a spoiler to you, do not click More…)]
Bureau’s Breakroom’s Television Table – Week beginning 2020 May 10
Happy Mother’s Day! If you aren’t too busy baking or breaking bread for your mom, television’s Dominating Caste of heroes has a bunch of shows for you, as Batwoman searches for rich folks, Supergirl fights biblical monsters, The Flash might end its season, but might almost send its season, and the Legends get schooled at Animal House. Blindspot tries to build their own FBI level operation while on the run, taking the show into the realm of fantasy, and Blacklist toys with the idea of killing off their hit character to shift the spotlight back to the female lead. There have been multiple reports of seasons ending and shows finishing early as the studios had gone into lockdown, but there were enough conflicting reports that each episode could be the last and it would not be surprising. Equally ambiguous, She-Ra might drop season five this week.
Call your mom!
[All synopses (and titles) from Trakt.tv below the cut, except when there really aren’t any. (If a show’s synopsis is a spoiler to you, do not click More…)]
Bureau’s Breakroom’s Television Table – Week beginning 2020 May 3
After some Disappoint Character1 omissions, Supergirl returns to aid Batwoman in entertaining all of us quarantined views. Westworld gives us the finale of their season three robot uprising. Zoey, after spending last week with her mom, spends this week with her dad. Riverdale fantasizes about actually ending their time in High School. Blindspot returns with the season five opener and Blacklist possibly ends its season, depending on how the quarantine allows the studio to wrap things up, as this was their last episode before they had to close up. Here’s hoping your stockpiles last longer than the studio’s do!!
[All synopses (and titles) from Trakt.tv below the cut, except when there really aren’t any. (If a show’s synopsis is a spoiler to you, do not click More…)]
Bureau’s Breakroom’s Television Table – Week beginning 2020 April 26
Despite Covid fears, more of the heroes have returned to work, as Batwoman gets a repeat enemy, Flash continues to fight with, and for, his wife, and the Legends do what it seems like everyone is into all of a sudden: bake! Westworld gives us the second to last episode for the season as all their players are on the game board. Zoey works with her mother. On Riverdale, all of the “teens” focus on business ventures, like most normal teens. The Blacklist goes after brothers, and the Ducks visit animal versions of popular animes.
[All synopses (and titles) from Trakt.tv below the cut, except when there really aren’t any. (If a show’s synopsis is a spoiler to you, do not click More…)]
Life on Planet COVID-19
So, how are you weathering the Great Pandemic of 2020? Keeping your social distances? Working from home? Catching up on things you’ve missed? Dealing with close quarters? Arguing online with Tinfoil Hats who blame Bill Gates? Baking?– these days, toilet paper is easier to come by than yeast.
Let’s hear about your experiences of COVID-19.
Bureau’s Breakroom’s Television Table – Week beginning 2020 April 5
The superheroes, having found themselves all in the same universe, are being responsible and staying in their own lairs and not returning, yet. If you want superpowers, you are going to have to get by on either Zoey as she helps her dad’s caregiver, or the robots of Westworld as they continue to try a corporate takeover. If neither are real heroes to you, we do get another double dose of science as Neil deGrasse Tyson explores quantum mechanics and political involvement in science. There’s villains, as Jimmy plays Bagman on Better Call Saul, and Red takes the Blacklist to Alaska. If you’ve got your kids with you, the DuckTales get to play Bond.
[All synopses (and titles) from Trakt.tv below the cut, except when there really aren’t any. (If a show’s synopsis is a spoiler to you, do not click More…)]