Entertainment Binge

By Isaac White.

Do you remember what it was like when you were a kid, and you witnessed something incredible and couldn’t wait to share the news with everyone you met? Yeah, I can still reach into the bottomless depth of my tarnished soul and find that feeling despite my advanced age and natural progression into the same ole, same ole adulthood.

That was a sharp negative, considering we’re just starting this week’s edition, but what I say has relevance here. In my mind, anyway. My meaning behind that opening salvo is to try and jolt all of us into the same mind space. One where you experience something very cool, and you want to tell everyone so they can also share in the wonder.

While I am talking about a TV show whose entire run I just finished, the feelings are relatable to any number of experiences that excite and delight you as a person. When I sat down to write this, I was already looking forward to writing you all something about the series. In truth, after a couple of episodes, I was eager to talk about the show with all of you, but after a few weeks, I can finally unleash it. This is an interesting turn of phrase in reviewing this particular show.

I’m sure you all wait with bated breath for the show’s revelation and my torrent of magnificently formed words about said series. You know I genuinely enjoy this. I don’t know if I’ve told you that before (a million times, right?), but I do get a great deal of happiness talking myself up. Of course, it’s self-deprecating and sarcastic but fun, nonetheless.

Enough. Enough. Heel, you beast of a writer, heel. Before we get to what was one of the most fun television experiences I’ve ever had, there are a couple of other things I want to talk about. First on the list is an old gag I’ve been running in Entertainment Binge for a while now. Yes, I was flipping around on regular ole TV about a week ago and stumbled upon a 90s movie that was always a pleasure to watch.

Conspiracy Theory is a 1997 thriller directed by Richard Donner, who has made some fantastic films. He is responsible for the Lethal Weapon series, The Goonies, Assassins (underrated, in my view), and Scrooged, just to name a few. These aren’t the artsy films that bring hipsters and snobs to golf claps and finger snaps while dabbing at the cultured tears dripping down their faces.

No, these are just good movies that hit the spot for people who want a bit of escapism in their lives. Not just that, though they are good movies, and Donner knows what he’s doing is all I’m saying. By the way, I didn’t realize he had passed until I was writing this, so RIP Richard Donner.

This movie stars Julia Roberts as Alice Sutton, an attorney for the Department of Justice. I want to say before you watch this that you should drown out distractions when you view this. I’m just warning you because it’s easy to miss stuff in this film. Maybe I have a terrible memory, but I couldn’t remember precisely what Alice’s job was. Whatever, the last time I watched this movie was probably 20 years ago. Anywho, Alice has an admirer, Jerry (Mel Gibson – I know, I know, but this was the 90s), who is a cab driver and avowed Conspiracy Theorist. Jerry even publishes his newsletter entitled…..You guessed it, Conspiracy Theory.

You may think this sounds tired and very similar to other sorts of these types of thriller movies. I guess it is in some ways. But it’s more than that. Jerry saves Alice from a violent attack a few months before the movie’s opening, and since that occurrence, Jerry is obsessed with Alice. He spies on her while she runs on her treadmill, singing along to Can’t Take My Eyes Off You by Frankie Valli.

This scene happens with Jerry in his cab, scouting out Alice with a set of binoculars. I’m not making excuses for Jerry. He does engage in some creepy behaviors, but I have to give Mel Gibson credit here. His portrayal makes you cast aside the fact he’s an obsessive freak about Alice. Later in the film, we discover a big part of that is because Jerry has sworn to protect Alice from any threat.

Jerry inadvertently puts Alice in danger when he uncovers an actual conspiracy, one that puts not only him in danger but his beloved Alice as well. Based on what I’ve told you, you get the gist. All I’m saying is that the movie is a good time. The pacing is good, the plot is pretty good, and the acting is outstanding. Donner let the story flow, and I never felt an unintentional slowdown. In some movies, there are extended periods where it seems to drag. This film doesn’t have that.

I can’t tell you much else about the movie as I don’t want to spoil it. I recommend you watch this movie. It is one of those classic 90s thrillers like Enemy of the State or Murder at 1600. If you’re a fan of those movies, you’ll genuinely enjoy Conspiracy Theory. Give it a chance; you’ll be happy you did. If you’re not, please write me a mean letter. Just kidding, I can’t handle any negative mail. Onward.

Now, we enter into the realm of The Boys. This Amazon original is quite the original. Well, it’s got a lot of originality in it. The premise isn’t necessarily entirely original. In this version of the world, superheroes, or Supes as they are frequently called, are not all heroes. Some are downright evil. A bunch of them are pretty gross. There are racists, bigots, homophobes, Islamaphobes, you name any sort of definite hate segment, and there is likely at least one Supe who could fill that spot of hate.

This show is just about the quintessential ensemble series. The cast is large, and in my view, there isn’t a true leading actor. Most would identify Butcher (Karl Urban) as the lead. I won’t say you’re entirely wrong if you believe he’s genuinely the lead of this cast. I understand why people would say that I disagree.

This show is really about “The Boys,” which includes women as well. They say The Boys when it’s all about the team. Butcher is a man out for revenge against the central, most powerful Supe in the world, Homelander (Anthony Starr of Banshee fame). Homelander violated Butcher’s family in the most horrific way possible. I would say what it is, but the reality (well, fictional reality, but whatever) is that I think you should learn it on your own. Best that way.

Butcher has a small team who is on a mission to help him eradicate the scourge of Supes in the world, particularly Homelander. Our man Butcher is the old-school, rugged, tough guy who doesn’t hold attachments to anyone but his wife. There are no allegiances but to his vision of justice, and it’s enjoyable to watch him administer that justice all over the place, especially when it’s deserved because some of these Supes, as I mentioned before, are creeps.

The team consists of Hughie (Jack Quaid, and yes, it’s Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan’s son), a nerd who works in a tech shop and is nothing special. He becomes involved with Butcher after a tragedy occurs, and Hughie begins to see the appeal in what Butcher does for a living.

It’s not only Hughie on the team; Mother’s Milk (Laz Alonso) is a former military medic and resident right-hand man to Butcher. MM (they call him that in the show) also has grudges against Supes and has spent years with Butcher trying to get revenge against the Supe who ruined his family as a child.

The final member of The Boys in their early days is Frenchie (Tomer Capone), a wizard at building things and devising interesting weapons to counter the powers of the Supes. He’s also a drug addict with a litany of problems. In his heart, Frenchie is all about his team, and he does care about those he’s with all the time.

The characters in this show are so varied and run the spectrum of good (with flaws) to downright evil in my book. This show does something that some movies have done, just not this well. With the time a series affords, the true depravity of Supes is on display. I mean, what do you expect from people who can do just about anything they want because they are that powerful?

Understand me, there are undoubtedly good Supes in this world. Starlight (Erin Moriarty) is just that. A light of hope. I understand that sounds corny, and it’s obvious the show creators made certain we never mistake her for anything other than a bright beacon of hope.

I’m warning you as well. This show is absolutely gross. I’m okay with gross; I think it adds value to the series most of the time. There is one scene I couldn’t stand, but that’s one out of at least a dozen genuinely gross scenarios in the entire 3 season run.

You need to watch this show if you can stomach it. It’s about a team, the camaraderie formed between people in life-and-death scenarios together all the time. The show tells us how bonding that experience is for The Boys. They fight amongst themselves. They fight against the bad guys.

One thing is sure, though. This show is one of the best rides you’ll find on TV these days. The twists and turns are great; you WILL be surprised more than a few times. The acting is phenomenal, as is the writing. Watch this show. I promise it’s worth it.

I need to get going, everyone.

Thanks for reading, and until next week…..