Power suits are dangerous things to wield, as Paul discovers when he uses the Spellbinder's accessory to break Riana out of the psychiatric ward of the hospital. Along the way, he does a whole lot more damage than expected, and ends up being a wanted man. The best part of "Breakout" are the scenes where Riana is left in the Reynolds home (unbeknownst to Mr Reynolds and Paul's sister) to fend for herself. The "fish out of water" storyline was - for mine - starting to get a little old, but Gosia Piotrowska revives it with a fun performance. Cooking, the dragon TV show, the aerobics. All very amusing stuff.
Reviews
1,028 Reviews
"Hospitality"
27 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Ashka is in a bad mood, and she is taking it out on Riana's family. Marooned in our world, Riana bounces around the place and eventually ends up in hospital. In the psychiatric ward, actually - hospitality, indeed! - because she tries to tell people she's from the Spellbinder world...which no one actually believes. She and Paul manage to link back up, but he isn't much help getting her out of hospital, and he has his own issues with his dad to figure out. Mr Reynolds doesn't believe him, and decides that the only way to make them all believe is to recharge the Spellbinder's power suit. That should do the trick.
"Lost and Found"
25 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
The first full episode where Gosia Piotrowska's Riana is lost and alone in Sydney (and thoroughly overwhelmed by her experience - I understand; some days, Sydney overwhelms me) also features Paul trying to convince his father and some NSW Police Force officers that Spellbinders and their land exists. As you might imagine, no one outside of Katrina and Alex - who are in parental trouble, which, as everyone knows, is the worst kind for a teenager - believes him. They are all going to feel pretty foolish when, inevitably, his stories about the parallel universe are proven to be true. Mark my words!
"The Final Challenge"
25 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
The end of the 'Paul in Spellbinder world' arc comes in "The Final Challenge" where Paul finds a way home, and is forced - thanks to Ashka's appearance, always at the worst possible moment - to take Riana with him. That was a fairly predictable plot development if you ask me. I was surprised, though, that Ashka didn't follow them through, though there's plenty left in the show. Gosia Piotrowska does the fish out of water thing very well: Riana looks, if you'll pardon the pun, spellbound. Meanwhile, Alex and Katrina enlist the assistance of a Star Wars-loving nun to get back to the cave and bring Paul back to their world. Quite the episode.
"Spellbinder Jack"
25 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
The whole stealing a Spellbinder flying ship idea resulted in only middling success for Paul and Riana, who are soon brought down thanks to Askha's machinations. Thankfully, Paul was able to appropriate the Spellbinder suit that Gryvon had wearing after he'd taken it from Correon. Armed with the suit, Paul convinces villagers that he is a Spellbinder called Jack and Riana is his apprentice, Jill - hence the episode's title, "Spellbinder Jack". That plan only works for so long before Ashka catches up, and they are on the run again. Meanwhile, the Alex/Katrina storyline in our world is starting to grate. For mine, this plot line is being drawn out a bit too much. We all know Paul will make it back to his world sometime in the near future, so put us out of our misery and send him back quickly. This is getting stale.
"The Centre of Power"
24 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Under the watchful eye of the Regents and their fetching headwear, it's the grudge match you always wanted, Spellbinder on Spellbinder, young vs. Old, evil vs good, Ashka vs Correon for the right to not be banished. Of course, Ashka has an ace up her sleeve, and the duel is not a fair one. Correon is cheated out of a chance to win fair and square and is stripped of his Spellbinder status. Meanwhile, Katrina and Alex successfully make contact via the radio with the Spellbinders, and they know how to get Paul back. Which is all well and good, except Paul didn't get their messages because he was too busy breaking out of the Spellbinder castle, after discovering the source of their power, in one of their flying machines.
"Desperate Measures"
24 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
The Marauders have Paul, Riana and Correon as their prisoners and whilst the first two are shown some sympathy, there is none for the elderly Spellbinder, who seems destined for banishment to the Wasteland, despite Paul's protestations. Only an appearance by Ashka and Gryvon puts that operation temporarily on hold. When Paul is captured, Ashka takes him back to the castle and asks - again - for gunpowder. Again, Paul is able to trick the Spellbinder into making a concoction that, almost literally, blows up in their faces. It's kind of cheap storytelling to revisit that plot device so quickly...and it does make you wonder how smart these Spellbinders are. Once bitten, twice shy? Apparently not.
"The Labyrinth"
23 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
An episode that finally reveals who the Marauders really are...and they are less violent than the Spellbinders would have the rest of the populace believe. Nonethless, they have Riana, Paul and Correon as their prisoners and Paul, who manages to bring down a Spellbinder ship, despairs of whether he will ever get home. Ashka and Gryvon are hot on their trail, even after their craft is downed by Paul. Back in our world, Katrina and Alex are having their own issues as they try to keep in contact with Paul in the Spellbinder word. By the end of "The Labyrinth", Paul is a fugitive on the run, lost in the dreaded Labryinth.
Armageddon
(1998)
A+ entertainment
22 June 2024
It's easy for me, approaching 40 in 2024, to sit back after watching Bruce Willis aka Harry Stamper save the world from an enormous asteroid and say, "They don't make 'em like that anymore!"
Cliched but true.
Bruce is fantastic, and there isn't enough love given to his role as Harry Stamper when compared to his other famous roles. He was fantastic!
Throw in a ending that'll hit you RIGHT in the feels, a brilliant supporting cast - Billy Bob Thornton, Owen Wilson, Steve Buscemi etc. - plenty of funny one-liners, the Trevor Rabin score, Steve Tyler's Aerosmith power ballad for the ages, and the flair and style of Michael Bay and Jerry Bruckheimer...it's the perfect late-90's action movie storm.
Dumb? Yes. Highly improbable? Certainly. Absolutely riddled with plot holes? For sure. Cliched? Yes. Michael Bay overload? Yeah, that, too.
But, dang it, the thing works. Call it a guilty pleasure if you must, but nonetheless, I love this film.
I'd rate it just a tick below that other Bay/ Bruckheimer collaboration, "The Rock", which we all know is the GOAT of 90's actioners. But "Armageddon" comes close.
Cliched but true.
Bruce is fantastic, and there isn't enough love given to his role as Harry Stamper when compared to his other famous roles. He was fantastic!
Throw in a ending that'll hit you RIGHT in the feels, a brilliant supporting cast - Billy Bob Thornton, Owen Wilson, Steve Buscemi etc. - plenty of funny one-liners, the Trevor Rabin score, Steve Tyler's Aerosmith power ballad for the ages, and the flair and style of Michael Bay and Jerry Bruckheimer...it's the perfect late-90's action movie storm.
Dumb? Yes. Highly improbable? Certainly. Absolutely riddled with plot holes? For sure. Cliched? Yes. Michael Bay overload? Yeah, that, too.
But, dang it, the thing works. Call it a guilty pleasure if you must, but nonetheless, I love this film.
I'd rate it just a tick below that other Bay/ Bruckheimer collaboration, "The Rock", which we all know is the GOAT of 90's actioners. But "Armageddon" comes close.
"Secrets of the Spellbinders"
20 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
The unlikely triumvirate of Correon, Paul (who thinks he has figured out what the Spellbinders mean when they speak of 'The Darkness' - nuclear winter!) and Riana keep working to scuttle Ashka's plans, with varying levels of success, however the final scenes of "Secrets of the Spellbinders" make it clear that they have a whole new problem to worry about where the evil Spellbinder is concerned. In our world, near the cave where Paul went missing, Alex and Katrina finally confirm the latter's suspicion that he is in a parallel universe, hearing Askha's broadcasts to other Spellbinders on the radio Alex had been using to listen to the footy. Though they can prove their friend is alive, they are caught by their teacher and are sent back to Sydney for sneaking into the literature camp using the names of the students whose positions they bought.
"The Gunpowder Plot"
20 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Another fast-paced episode. Key events are happening thick and fast now.
Whilst Katrina and Alex do what they must to get on a literature camp that will take them back to where Paul disappeared, Paul is busy outwitting the scheming Ashka and Gryvon by ostensibly making them gunpowder. However he suspects that something isn't adding up and gives them a bogus recipe, and it turns out that his hunch was correct.
Meanwhile, Riana is in the Spellbinder palace trying to stay ahead of Ashka, who has framed her for helping Paul escape. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and Riana finds herself forming an alliance with Correon. A good episode with a cliffhanger ending.
Whilst Katrina and Alex do what they must to get on a literature camp that will take them back to where Paul disappeared, Paul is busy outwitting the scheming Ashka and Gryvon by ostensibly making them gunpowder. However he suspects that something isn't adding up and gives them a bogus recipe, and it turns out that his hunch was correct.
Meanwhile, Riana is in the Spellbinder palace trying to stay ahead of Ashka, who has framed her for helping Paul escape. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and Riana finds herself forming an alliance with Correon. A good episode with a cliffhanger ending.
"Show Me Your World"
20 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
As far as pacing and developments go, "Show Me Your World" is probably the best Spellbinder episode so far, a welcome change of pace from the last episode, which was as slow as a wet week. Ashka's plot is further revealed, and she shows the duplicitous side that you knew was lurking there, just below the surface. Heather Mitchell plays a very convincing baddie, and I'm looking forward to seeing what other mischief the red-haired Spellbinder and her fairly-malleable assistant Gryvon get up to. We also learnt more about the Spellbinder world, which has been a long time coming. The episode was about a fifty-fifty split between the Spellbinder world and our world, where Katrina's theory that Paul disappeared to a parallel universe garners little support. That doesn't appear to be stopping her, though.
90's horror with an appealing cast.
20 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
The mid-90's cast of my dreams - Jennifer Love Hewitt and Sarah Michelle Gellar; plenty of eye candy - alongside 90's luminaries Ryan Phillipe and Freddie Prinze Junior in a slasher horror film. The four friends decide to cover up an accident that leaves someone dead and, one summer later, they are suddenly being stalked by a man in a fisherman's cape who wields a hook with violent aplomb. He knows what they did last summer and is out for revenge. Lots of tension, violence, paranoia and distrust. Written by Kevin Williamson, who was responsible for the "Scream" movies plus "The Faculty" and, oddly in light of his other work, "Dawson's Creek" as well. Jennifer Love Hewitt is pretty good in the main role, and the ending leaves things wide-open for a sequel. Of course, hindsight tells us there were plenty of sequels.
The Condemned
(2007)
Bleak and violent
20 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
The premise of men and women fighting to the death on and island for internet viewers is bleak and cruel, even if said fighters are criminals on death row. Enter Stone Cold Steve Austin's character who, as you might expect, is not the hardened death row criminal that you are led to believe he is. Bad news for the bad guys. Vinnie Jones stars as a thoroughly unlikeable character. He plays a bad guy well. There are some incredibly violent scenes that get dragged out longer than they need to. Australia stands in for Papua New Guinea and Texas. Plenty of Australian actors, including Madeleine West of "Neighbours" fame. Bloody action almost from the word go. The concept just turned my stomach, I guess.
"Secrets"
19 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Shhh, the secret in "Secrets" is that it's actually the least-interesting episode of Spellbinders so far. A much slower pace and nothing of real interest happens aside from Paul boasting about his knowledge and thus forming some sort of alliance with Ashka, which I can imagine is only going to end in tears for the former. At least having Ashka on his side - if even only temporarily - seems to have saved Paul from exile. Or maybe not? Either way, never trust anyone who tries to electrocute you on your first meeting. That's my motto in life. Back in our world, Katrina is convinced she's figured out what happened to Paul.
"It Isn't Magic, It's Science"
18 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
By watching the Spellbinders, Paul has figured out that they aren't actually magicians of any sort, just using the kind of science that he understands to make themselves seem God-like, I guess. So he decides that getting to the Spellbinder castle is the best way to get home. Getting in the way of that is a marauder attack on the village where he is living with Riana's family. Using saltpetre, he makes bombs that turn the bad guys away...and earns him further enmity from Gryvon, a Spellbinder apprentice who seems to like Riana and has taken a serious dislike to Paul. But, arrested and facing exile, has Paul's plan to enlist the help of the Spellbinders backfired?
"Finding the Way Home"
17 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Paul is starting to come around to the idea that he hasn't gone back in time, but is instead in some sort of parallel universe, thanks to seeing the Southern Cross in the night sky. He and Riana are on the run from the Spellbinder ship and their foot soldiers whilst he tries to find a way back to his own world. For a moment at the summoning tower, Paul gets a glimpse of his own world through the electricity-induced portal, but it closes again before he can get back, which means he's stuck for the time being. Riana takes him back to her village to introduce him to her family...but that doesn't go as planned.
"Where Am I?"
16 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
As the search for Paul around Camp Coutts continues - Katrina tells the police about the strange electricity event that took Paul - he is somewhere else entirely: a long way from camp. Somewhere in the past, he surmises, based on the very primitive nature of the people he runs into, including a girl named Riana (Gosia Piotrowska) whose life he saves. Riana thinks he is something called a marauder and gets very scared during a solar eclipse. It isn't until Paul stumbles upon a village and witnesses Ashka (played by Australian small screen veteran Heather Mitchell, with quite the Eastern European accent), a "Spellbinder" with the ability to conjure up balls of electricity as weapons, that he begins to realise he is somewhere else entirely. Curiously, he isn't affected by the energy blasts that Ashka hurls. The episode closes with Riana helping him.
"The Big Bang"
15 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Fun rewatching one of my favourite programs from growing up - I was in primary school when the first Spellbinder series was released then high school for the second - as an adult, some thirty years later.
Cool to see Camp Coutts, south of Sydney and a place I spent a lot of time in as a kid when I was in Joeys, Cubs and Scouts, being the bush setting for the climactic parts of the premiere episode. Paul and his friend Alex, practical jokers (their plan to create gunpowder in the science lab at their school in the first scenes goes awry - remember the Bunsen burner?) both, plan a stunt to scare some girls. Of course, it backfires and Paul ends up transported through a sort of electric wormhole into a parallel universe. Stumbling through that world, and getting the idea that he is an impossibly long way from home thanks to a Walkman that doesn't pick up any radio stations, he is lassoed and the episode ends.
Cool to see Camp Coutts, south of Sydney and a place I spent a lot of time in as a kid when I was in Joeys, Cubs and Scouts, being the bush setting for the climactic parts of the premiere episode. Paul and his friend Alex, practical jokers (their plan to create gunpowder in the science lab at their school in the first scenes goes awry - remember the Bunsen burner?) both, plan a stunt to scare some girls. Of course, it backfires and Paul ends up transported through a sort of electric wormhole into a parallel universe. Stumbling through that world, and getting the idea that he is an impossibly long way from home thanks to a Walkman that doesn't pick up any radio stations, he is lassoed and the episode ends.
"The Final Decision"
15 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
A captured senator, Sentinels by the truck load, Magento, a marriage proposal from Cyclops to Jean Grey that will probably not help his relationship with Wolverine, a Magento/Professor Xavier alliance, a family reunion that I didn't see coming for Rogue and a hint of more crises to come for the X-Men in future seasons. There's even a quick vision of Ghost Rider! All of that packed into about twenty-one minutes of animated television. Quite a ride.
Maybe not the brilliant series I remember watching as a kid, but fun to go back through the first season nonetheless. I can see why my childhood self would have loved it. I remember thinking how cool Wolverine was, and how he got all the cool lines - well, that hasn't changed thirty-odd years later.
Maybe not the brilliant series I remember watching as a kid, but fun to go back through the first season nonetheless. I can see why my childhood self would have loved it. I remember thinking how cool Wolverine was, and how he got all the cool lines - well, that hasn't changed thirty-odd years later.
"Days Of Future Past Part II"
15 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Not quite as good as the first part, but still very solid. "Days Of Future Past Part II" picks up right where the first instalment ended, with Gambit being fingered by Bishop as the assassin he has been sent back in time, Terminator-style, to kill before his actions begin a dystopian world where humans and mutants alike are controlled by Sentinels.
The X-Men head off to Washington to try and ensure that the future Bishop comes from doesn't eventuate. Even Gambit, who discovers someone quite interesting there opposing him.
This two-part episode would stand up nicely as a season finale, but there is still one more episode to go in the season.
The X-Men head off to Washington to try and ensure that the future Bishop comes from doesn't eventuate. Even Gambit, who discovers someone quite interesting there opposing him.
This two-part episode would stand up nicely as a season finale, but there is still one more episode to go in the season.
"Days Of Future Past Part I"
14 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
In an episode eerily and perhaps deliberately reminiscent of The Terminator, Bishop, a battle-hardened and battle-scarred mutant from New York City in 2055 - which is not a good time to be a mutant - goes back to the 90's to stop an assassin from the X-Men and thus save the future.
The problem for Bishop is that, awkwardly, he can't remember who he has to kill to save humanity. At least, not until the final scene of the episode, anyway...
There's so much Terminator vibe that Wolverine even calls the time travelling Bishop "Terminator". There's also a live-action X-Men movie with the same name and a very similar plot.
The problem for Bishop is that, awkwardly, he can't remember who he has to kill to save humanity. At least, not until the final scene of the episode, anyway...
There's so much Terminator vibe that Wolverine even calls the time travelling Bishop "Terminator". There's also a live-action X-Men movie with the same name and a very similar plot.
"Come the Apocalypse"
14 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Following on from "The Cure," we finally learn what the supposed mutant cure actually does to the X-Men and their ilk: turns them into real, dispassionate, hate-all killing mutant machines, soulless soldiers for the hulking Apocalypse, who envisions a new sort of world, fashioned in his image.
Enter the four horsemen of the (mutant) apocalypse. Archangel and his group are a tough challenge for the X-Men.
However, we didn't get to learn a whole lot about Apocalypse's backstory. Would have been interesting to know why he is like he is, rather than him appearing as just another stereotypical bad mutant guy.
Enter the four horsemen of the (mutant) apocalypse. Archangel and his group are a tough challenge for the X-Men.
However, we didn't get to learn a whole lot about Apocalypse's backstory. Would have been interesting to know why he is like he is, rather than him appearing as just another stereotypical bad mutant guy.
"The Cure"
14 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
An interesting conundrum for the X-Men and other mutants who may wish to be more human: Rogue is on the trail of a scientist who advertises that they are able to turn any mutant back to a normal human, calling it a cure, hence the title of the episode. Professor Xavier is also seeking informant from the scientist. Rogue, who can't get close to any human, is obviously at least a little bit interested for obvious reasons.
There are perhaps some real-world parallels to be found here when you think of various alleged treatments over the years for things like homosexuality that have been called cures.
Interesting episode.
There are perhaps some real-world parallels to be found here when you think of various alleged treatments over the years for things like homosexuality that have been called cures.
Interesting episode.
"The Unstoppable Juggernaut"
14 June 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Following events of the last episode on Genosha, the X-Men return to their home base to find the school ruined and Professor Xavier missing. Tension between Wolverine - brilliantly and menacingly voiced by Irish-born Canadian Cal Dodd, who reprises his role in X-Men '97 - and Cyclops rears it's ugly head again. The undercurrent of dislike and distrust is well mapped out once again.
"The Unstoppable Juggernaut" is notable for being the episode where Juggernaut and the big Russian Colossus are first seen. For some reason, Gambit is missing and no one amongst the X-Men crew seems to notice or care.
"The Unstoppable Juggernaut" is notable for being the episode where Juggernaut and the big Russian Colossus are first seen. For some reason, Gambit is missing and no one amongst the X-Men crew seems to notice or care.
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