TV Review: Peacemaker - DC's Other Deadpool

 

While I've covered plenty of DC TV series on this blog the last few years, this marks the first to be directly connected to the films of the DC Extended Universe. Spinning out of "The Suicide Squad", James Gunn returns to put the spotlight on the character of Peacemaker, portrayed once again by John Cena, for a new clandestine mission to save the world. What results in my opinion is a slow burn of a rollercoaster that winds up being a ride worth taking.

On a first glance, Peacemaker seems like such an odd choice to receive a solo project, possibly banking on John Cena's action star power to get attention. As it turns out though, the series does a great job at giving Peacemaker depth with an emotional backstory and engaging crisis on conscience that adds development to the one-note character he was in his debut appearance. It's honestly quite surprising to see Cena turn in such a performance. The best way to describe the character is a mix of Star-Lord and Deadpool. Like Star-Lord, he had a rural upbringing and a love for music tied to a lost loved one. And much like Deadpool, he's an incredibly raunchy anti-hero who will constantly roast superheroes and celebrities. My favorite part of his journey though is how he slowly bonds and builds friendships with the members of the team assigned to him, including Harcourt, Adebayo, and Economos (portrayed by Jennifer Holland, Danielle Brooks, and Steve Agee respectively). It's just another example of James Gunn successfully bringing a team together that we slowly but surely become emotionally invested in as we reach the story's climax.

On that note, James Gunn's style is still on point with this series, retaining some of the bizarre nature of his Suicide Squad film, as well as his trademark comedy and use of music to enhance the scenes they're included in. On the latter, I think it's some of his best selections, especially the use of "Do You Wanna Taste It" by Wig Wam for the series' opening theme and in the season finale's climax.

That being said, part of me feels that Gunn may be stretching himself thin when it comes to TV compared to movies. I felt myself dredging along during the first half of the season when there wasn't much excitement happening, whereas things seemed to really take off in episode five onwards and I started to become more invested. And while the comedy usually hits the mark, there are often times where it feels out of place or the bits just run for too long; it's like they filmed the actors improvising all the jokes they could think of but decided not to cut it down to the best ones. My point is, I think Gunn could benefit from tightening things up a bit, whether it be for the next season of Peacemaker or his other planned Suicide Squad spin-off in the works.

Overall, it took a little while for Peacemaker to really take off for me compared to Gunn's other projects, but when it does, it reaches the freaking stars. And with where many of our main characters are by the season's end, I'm really interested in seeing the direction they go when the show returns.

TV Review: Hawkeye - Passing the Bow

 

We've seen a lot from the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2021, from heroes processing their grief, established characters beginning their next journeys while new ones take their first steps, and the expansion of the cosmic scale that will only continue to grow. For the last trip to the MCU this year, we go on a holiday adventure with Hawkeye, the last of the original six Avengers to receive a solo story. While this series hadn't really taken the world by storm like previous Disney+ series in "WandaVision" or "Loki" and may have been understandably overshadowed by Spider-Man, what "Hawkeye" delivers is a nice way to wind down the year.

At its core, "Hawkeye" is a simple story with a much smaller scale compared to everything else that's come from the MCU this year. I'd say it's probably the most grounded production to come from Marvel Studios with its first proper foray into the criminal underworld and organized crime, which has sorely been missed since the cancellation of all the Netflix series. While there's good action and character moments throughout, the show does admittedly have a slow burn, but it culminates in a very exciting and explosive finale that truly highlights what makes Hawkeye a worthy member of the Avengers.

With the spotlight finally on him, Jeremy Renner turns in another fine performance as Clint Barton. What I really enjoyed this time around is how we get a better understanding of Clint's mindset, from his continuing PTSD from the events of "Infinity War" and "Endgame" and his uneasiness of being treated as a celebrity because of the Avengers; thinking back to "Age of Ultron", he just sees himself as a guy doing his job.
For all intents and purposes, this show really should have been called "Hawkeyes" as the MCU introduces the other Hawekye from the comics, Kate Bishop, played by Hailee Steinfeld. While Renner is the headliner, this show is really more Kate's origin story. When we first meet Kate, she's already shown to be very good at thinking on her feet, holding up well in a fight and talking her way in and out of situations. As she and Clint meet and find themselves being hunted, the chemistry between the two is the best part of the show with the contrast of the old Clint's pessimism and Kate's youthful optimism. It's a delight seeing Clint go from thinking of Kate as some fangirl in over her head to a true partner he's proud to fight back-to-back with. If there is a second season, it will be easy to see Renner taking a backseat as Steinfeld fully takes the lead and mantle.

Along with our two heroes, the show does turn in other great characters and performances, such as new characters like Maya Lopez/Echo (played by Alaqua Cox) and Kate's mother Eleanor (played by Vera Farmiga). We also have the return of Florence Pugh as Yelena hot off her debut from "Black Widow", and this time around, her performance is just adorable when she's not trying to kill Clint. As the youngest of her old family unit, she really leans into the fun-loving kid aspect of her character this time around. The best parts with her are her interactions with Kate, with their chemistry reminding me of two rough housing cousins. And of course, the literally biggest character reveal of the series is Vincent D'Onofrio's return as Kingpin. Despite the change in streaming services, D'Onofrio still has the same intensity as Wilson Fisk as he did over on Netflix, where he could snap into a violent rage at any moment. It's a welcome return to one of Marvel's best villains and I look forward to where he pops up next.

Overall, "Hawkeye" may not be another universe changing event, but it's still another satisfying Marvel production to close out 2021. And here's to 2022, where we'll have lots of new things to talk about from Marvel, DC, and more and hopefully see the world return to a better sense of normalcy.

Movie Review: "Spider-Man: No Way Home" - Spider-Endgame

After "Avengers: Endgame", I didn't think we'd reach similar hype levels for an MCU film until the next Avengers film inevitably arrives. But here we are with "Spider-Man: No Way Home", the third MCU Spidey film we're very lucky to get after the brief dissolution of Sony and Disney's partnership over the character after "Far From Home". Given the scope and expectations for this film, there was a lot that could have gone wrong considering how Sony has screwed the pooch before with the franchise. Now that everything's said and done, "No Way Home" has brought a movie experience that rivals and exceeds the levels of excitement of "Endgame."

"No Way Home" had me cheering harder and got the strongest emotional reactions than any film I've seen before. Along with a strong story and amazing fight scenes, the journey Peter Parker goes through is executed brilliantly, highlighting the traits that make Spider-Man such a unique character and why he is so beloved by fans.

Of course, the biggest draw of the film is the colliding of worlds as the universes of Sam Raimi's original Spider-Man trilogy and Marc Webb's Amazing Spider-Man films crossover into the MCU's sacred timeline. As each past villain appears, the crowd in the theater I saw the movie in exploded with excitement. Said excitement is well founded as each returning actor haven't skipped a beat as their characters. Willem Dafoe as the Green Goblin truly stands out as this film firmly cements his character as the king of Spider-Man villains. And for the sake of keeping this review spoiler-free, the appearance of other "certain characters" a lot of us were expecting or had a pretty good idea would be in the film got the biggest pops of all. There was literally no limit to how entertaining it was watching all these characters from across three universes interact with one another. Some may feel the film relies too much on fanservice or need to point out plotholes, but I see this is a case where you just need to stop overthinking things and enjoy what's being delivered.

Something I really loved doesn't really have to do with the film itself but with the crowd's reactions to it throughout. The Spider-Man film franchise has had some ups and downs over nearly twenty years, but despite all the misgivings and debates over each series, seeing each aspect of the past films appear and be cheered shows how loved the franchise as a whole is and was really heartwarming for me. I'm not saying I believe this will end all bad blood between hardcore fans of whatever series they love, but I like to think the fan community as a whole has grown a little closer.

While there's a lot to be excited about, for what it's worth, "No Way Home" is without a doubt the darkest Spider-Man film yet. With the multiverse aspect being most prominent in the film's promotion, it may be easy to forget that Mysterio outing Peter's identity in "Far From Home" is the catalyst for all the film's events. And unlike how things went with Peter's identity going public in the comics, the MCU doesn't just sweep it under the rug like it never happened. Consequences and responsibility are a big theme that reverberates for this film and will for years to come. Compared to the triumphant note "Endgame" concluded on, "No Way Home" ends more bittersweetly; it's a heartbreaking end to one era but a promising beginning to a new one. Plus, if the partnership between Sony and Disney goes sour again, it'll at least end on a more definitive note compared to where things could have been left off at with "Far From Home".

Overall, much like how "Avengers: Endgame" was the culmination of over twenty films over ten years, "Spider-Man: No Way Home" is a testament to twenty years of films starring the character that will satisfy and move fans no matter which version is their favorite.

TV Review: Doom Patrol Season Three - Forever Weird

 

Going into the third season of Doom Patrol, I was initially worried I wouldn't have enough to write about when it came to the show's season by season formula. Obviously the main characters would be dealing with their personal issues while fighting off a wonderfully bizarre cadre of villains. But said formula can become monotonous if nothing new is present. While these elements are retained, season three has a creative spark that assuaged my fears and in my opinion, brings back the magic of Doom Patrol's first season.

While our heroes continue to deal with their personal problems, the show is able to further peel back their layers and introduce new elements to their stories that continue to be engaging. As a result, the season finale is able to illustrate how much each character has truly grown compared to the first episode. In fact, I could have seen that episode acting as a series finale if it weren't for the fact that we are getting a fourth season; it'll be interesting to see where the characters go next considering the positions they're in when we leave them.

When it comes to the villains introduced this season, there is a lot more of the "What the fuck?" magic that was more prominent in the first season compared to the second. But the best in this aspect of the show are the characters who aren't necessarily villains, but still antagonists.
Michelle Gomez enters the show as this season's "big bad" Laura De Mille/Madame Rouge, where she is able to bring the same enjoyable chaotic energy she did over in "Doctor Who" as Missy. And much like Missy during the tenth season, there's a bit of a wild card in Rouge's character where she plays both sides and you're not sure about her intentions. In any case, Rouge is able to fill the hole left by Alan Tudyk's Mr. Nobody from season one.
We're also introduced to the Sisterhood of Dada, who could be seen as the Brotherhood of Mutants to the Doom Patrol's X-Men. Instead of the domination/co-existence rivalry of those groups though, the Sisterhood act as the antithesis to the Doom Patrol in that instead of hiding away from normal people, they want those would persecute metahumans to take a good hard look at their lives and hopefully become better in the process. To this end, they bring forth the Eternal Flagellation, which I found reminiscent to the Ragnarok Connection from "Code Geass", but much weirder and strangely more coherent.

Much like how "Doom Patrol" came about from "Titans", this season also sets up another DC show in development for HBO Max with the Dead Boy Detectives. Teen ghosts from different eras, Edwin Paine and Charles Rowland, and their medium Crystal Palace are introduced in the third episode of the season as they travel with Larry to the afterlife to bring back the other Doom Patrol members killed in the prior episode. The episode does a good job at explaining each character's backstory and their relationships, acting somewhat as a backdoor pilot that establishes the premise of their adventures. The downside though is that each character is set to be recast for their coming series, which is a shame because I thought each actor (Ty Tennant, Sebastian Croft, and Madalyn Horcher) did quite well in their roles. When the show finally materializes, hopefully the new Dead Boy Detectives will be able to win me over.

Overall, season three of Doom Patrol is a return to form with the kind of characters and weirdness people have come to love about what I consider the best show to originate from the DC Universe service.

Movie Review: Eternals - Marvel's Oscar Bait

 

For years, some people have been wondering what Marvel Studios' first major misfire would be. There were doubters on Guardians, Ant-Man, and to a more sexist degree, Captain Marvel, but each film found great success. With Eternals though, the honeymoon phase may finally be over given the overall critical reception. For me personally, the film is a bit of a mixed bag.

Eternals does have a lot of what people love about Marvel films. There's the trademark humor and some very entertaining action scenes. The visuals of the film are quite spectacular, which are well worth seeing on the big screen to properly absorb the scope the film is going for.
I enjoyed all the acting overall and while there are some moments where a performance felt a little off, it didn't really bother me because I attribute it to the characters being aliens living among humans; you could see it as some of the characters being able to acclimate better to Earth life than others. While I was initially worried having ten main protagonists would make me lose track of things, it was surprisingly easy to follow. The film does a good job of introducing each character and making them unique in personality, skill set, and assimilation with humanity. And like a few other superteams I've talked about before, I also enjoy the sense of family among them and the relationships they have with each other. If I had to pick my top three characters, it would be Angelina Jolie as Thena, Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo, and Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos.

So where does the film falter? Well for one, there are quite a few exposition dumps, which I did honestly half-expect. There are also some plot decisions that I thought were questionable and I think they kind of wasted a cool looking villain in Bill Skarsgard's Kro. But I think the main thing that's making me lean so negative is that by the time we reach the film's climax, I honestly didn't feel the same level of excitement as the other MCU films by that point; I think that might be due to a combination of not being totally invested in all the characters as I should have (despite my enjoyment of them) and a low level of tension with the threat being stopped because what would have happened if it weren't was obviously not going to.

I also felt the film may have been overhyped in some regard. While we learn some things about the greater cosmic side of the MCU, I wouldn't exactly consider them game changing. There's also the fact that despite the film being described as standalone, the way things end before the credits even start show the story clearly isn't over. And I'm not talking about just teasing things for a sequel, this film leaves us on an incomplete note with multiple hanging questions; the most I took away is that there may be a connection to Shang-Chi's mid-credits scene. Each MCU film (even Infinity War) can be watched on its own to a clear conclusion; we don't get that with Eternals.

Reviewing this reminds me a lot of when "Rise of Skywalker" came out a couple years ago. Sometimes it's hard to review things as both a critic and a fan, especially when I find myself more on the critics' side of things (despite not being a professional). I'm happy that there are fans getting something out of the film, and so did I to some degree, but I have to be honest in my opinion. That being said, Eternals is a different kind of Marvel film that still delivers some entertainment, but doesn't quite reach the ambitious levels they were aiming for.

TV Review: Titans Season Three - Birds in the Hand

 

After a long wait, it's finally time to revisit the world of Titans with the flagship show of the now defunct DC Universe service moved over to HBO Max for its third season and beyond. While my hopes were for the show to retain its upward trend from season two, I found this latest season kind of plateaus.

On the positive side, season three is much more focused than the last, with one main villain to defeat and characters' personal stories sprinkled throughout. I also like that we start out the season with the Titans being a firmly reestablished superhero team now all with supersuits in tow and that despite friction between members, they operate on a much more united front compared to the last two seasons. The season being set mostly in Gotham means it leans very heavily into the Batman mythos (even partially adapting "No Man's Land"), which can be a double edged sword. The main threat and challenges faced in Gotham are pretty well done, though there were times where I kept thinking why this wasn't a full-on Batman story.

Which brings me to my main issue with this season: Jason Todd as Red Hood. Since Curran Walters first appeared as the second Robin in season one, his death and resurrection has been something many had expected to see at some point. While we've reached it, the execution (no pun intended) misses what made his story so tragic. In the comics, Jason planned for years his return to Gotham with his driving force being anger towards Bruce for not avenging his death at the hands of Joker, taking the Red Hood name for its association with his killer. In "Titans", he dies and comes back in a matter of days and is used as a pawn by Jonathan Crane (who does not suit up as Scarecrow this season), which can evoke echoes of their partnership in the "Arkham Knight" video game. The problem with this depiction is that Jason is still the whiny little runt he's been the last two seasons; without the years of festering rage that guided him, it's hard to take him seriously as Red Hood. Plus, Jason's still not that bright, as even at times when he starts to get wise to Crane's manipulation, he somehow still finds himself drawn to work with him. Finally, it's hard to feel sympathy for Jason when he broke bad even before Joker took a crowbar to his face; he sought Crane's help to get past his traumas from season two after Bruce benched him as Robin and told Crane all the family secrets in exchange. My point is, the writers needed to think a little harder when it came to bringing this story to life to capture why it worked in other media.

Like last season, here are some notes on the various characters that appeared this time around:
* We learn a little more about Iain Glen's Bruce Wayne and it doesn't exactly paint him in a good light. Without going into a lot of detail, let's just say they lift from some of the worst parts of Frank Miller's Batman, and I'm talking "All Star" levels here. Even with that aside, Glen's performance this season doesn't have the same energy as before, with him seeming tired half the time. This may be intended as they make a point about him getting older, but this just makes me wonder how this Bruce has still been operating as Batman up to this point. It's unclear if we'll see Bruce next season, but with the implication by the end being that he's retired, maybe he does deserve a break.
* Vincent Kartheiser does a good job as Jonathan Crane, bringing a calm and collected demeanor for most the season before starting to go off the walls in the final episodes. In short, he's able to capture both demeanors of Scarecrow very well.
* Damaris Lewis brings Blackfire to the forefront after being teased last season, and I'm glad they didn't go the obvious route by making her the secondary villain this season. Instead she finds herself a new member of the Titans after building a level of trust with her sister Starfire (Anna Diop), with their relationship reminding me a lot of Gamora and Nebula in the MCU. Blackfire also enters a relationship with Superboy, which comes off naturally as they bond over feeling like a fish out of water when they first met the Titans.
* Savannah Welch perfectly encapsulates Barbara Gordon, reminding me much of the DCAU version of the character at different points. As some can compare Ben Affleck's Bruce Wayne to Kevin Conroy's, I feel the same can be done for Welch to Tara Strong's Barbara. And much like in "Batman Beyond", Barbara is now police commissioner and grown mostly disenchanted with the vigilante lifestyle. I also enjoy that they were able to depict the character as still capable of defending herself even in a wheelchair and the chemistry between her and Brenton Thwaite's Dick Grayson shows a deep connection between the two. 
* Jay Lycurgo debuts as Tim Drake, who many know goes on to become the third Robin. Like in the comics, Lycrugo's depiction of Tim is a pretty smart superhero fanboy (but not in an annoying way) with a drive to do good and protect his family and city. By the end, he's able to prove his potential to both the Titans and his family and I look forward to seeing where that potential grows when he inevitably suits up next season.
* Ryan Potter's Beast Boy continues to be the most optimistic character on the show, trying to keep everyone from succumbing too far into their dark thoughts and being the only one who didn't totally give up on Jason.
* Joshua Orpin's Superboy has certainly gotten more of a handle on life since the end of last season, now shown to be a well rounded person. While I initially thought he would have been more a jock to act as a foil to Gar's geekish tendencies, I was pleasantly surprised to see that having Lex Luthor's genes also makes him a genius, able to easily understand science and put together gadgets at superspeed. It gives the team a brain and brawn in one package.

Overall, season three of Titans is a flawed but adequate endeavor. There's enough old stuff and new stuff to enjoy that you can make it through some of the more problematic parts. Season two is still the best of the series to me, though that means there's still room for improvement that I hope season four will be able to reach.

My Top Five Favorite Sideshow Bob Episodes

 

While Mr. Burns is undoubtedly the most evil character on "The Simpsons", the silver medal would definitely go to Robert "Sideshow Bob" Terwilliger (who has sinister theme music to boot). Throughout the show's run, Sideshow Bob's appearances are generally enjoyable episodes, thanks in part to the performance of his voice actor, Kelsey Grammer, who perfectly captures the eloquent psychopathy of the character. As Sideshow Bob stories tend to have higher stakes than a traditional episode (and more often than not involve him trying to kill Bart), I thought that for this Halloween, I'd share my thoughts on some of the character's best ventures. These are my top five favorite Sideshow Bob episodes (and keep in mind, there will be spoilers).

5. THE BOB NEXT DOOR (21.22)

PREMISE: Bart becomes convinced that their new neighbor is Sideshow Bob in disguise.
WHY IT MAKES THE LIST: This is a unique Sideshow Bob episode and it does a good job in making you wonder if the Simpsons' new neighbor, Walt Warren, really is Sideshow Bob and how he's pulling it off. Despite his voice being similar and Bart's attempts to prove it, seeing Sideshow Bob still locked away in prison seems to settle the matter. In the big reveal though, it turns out Walt was Bob's former cellmate and was set for early release, which prompted Bob to go all Nicolas Cage on him. Yes, this episode is inspired by the movie "Face/Off", and in turn, I think this episode may have inspired the Joker ripping his own face off in "Batman: Death of the Family". In any case, Bart not being fully convinced does lead to Bob being imprisoned again and getting his own face back; though apparently whoever grafted it back on didn't do a good job because there's a new running gag in subsequent Sideshow Bob episodes where Bob's face peels off and has to be pressed back on.

4. THE GREAT LOUSE DETECTIVE (14.6)

PREMISE: With Homer targeted for murder, Chief Wiggum recruits Sideshow Bob to help find the mystery assailant.
WHY IT MAKES THE LIST: While not the first Sideshow Bob episode where he's not featured as the main antagonist, this episode is unique in having Bob from the get-go be an ally to the Simpsons, albeit a reluctant one (he's offered his choice of role for the prison musical in exchange for his help). To keep Bob in check, he does have a collar around his leg that gives him a shock from a remote control, which makes up most of Bob's comedic moments in the episode. The really entertaining part though is the extended interaction between Homer and Bob, who tries to understand and endure the person he's charged with saving. As Bob was brought in so they could understand the mind of a killer, this does pay off with Bob putting together the clues and figuring out the killer's identity, effectively making him the hero of the episode (a rare occurrence to be sure). I won't reveal the killer's identity here, but it does tie in with another classic Simpsons episode.

3. FUNERAL FOR A FIEND (19.8)

PREMISE: Sideshow Bob's latest scheme leads to his apparent death at Bart's hand.
WHY IT MAKES THE LIST: While the episode feels like a typical Sideshow Bob story for the first half, the second half is what really stands out to me because I feel this was intended to be the character's final episode. Though Bob's death is obviously a ruse and part of his plan, if successful, it would have been his ultimate revenge against Bart. Before faking his death, Bob had been able to flip the script at his trial by painting himself as the victim of Bart's persecution, which was easy to do given Bart's penchant as a hellraiser. The episode also features the debut of Bob's parents, the return of his brother Cecil (voiced once again by David Hyde Pierce), as well as his wife Francesca and their son Gino. The whole family is part of the plan, which a keen eye will pick up this was hinted at earlier in the episode during Bob's big return moment; as such, it's fitting the whole family is locked away together by the end of the episode. Lisa putting the pieces of the Terwilligers' plan also felt like a callback to the first two Sideshow Bob episodes. With the nature of the plan, return of past characters and callbacks to previous episodes, I feel this is the pique Sideshow Bob story and would have served as a decent farewell to the character. I kind of wish it was too as I feel that Sideshow Bob episodes since this one (with the exception of "Bob Next Door") don't have the same magic as what came before. Honestly though, it also just feels odd how Bob has seemingly abandoned his family (particularly his wife and son) since this episode, apparently due to him being unable to let go of his obsession with Bart. Being a family man really added a new layer to the character in my opinion, and I do hope a future Sideshow Bob episodes allows us to check in on Francesca and Gino.

2. BLACK WIDOWER (3.21)

PREMISE: Selma reveals that she has a new boyfriend that she met through the prison pen-pal program, Sideshow Bob.
WHY IT MAKES THE LIST: For the direct sequel to "Krusty Gets Busted", Kelsey Grammer's debut episode as Sideshow Bob, it would have been easy for the creators to do a story right away where Bob goes after Bart for putting him in jail. Having Bob's second episode subvert expectations was a genius move, showing his relationship with Selma help reform him...or so it seemed. The first two acts of the episode do a good job showing what happened to Bob since his first episode and how well he can play a good guy and win everyone over. Well, everyone except Bart who never lets go of his mistrust of the man who framed his hero. That mistrust pays off though as Bart is able to piece together Bob's deadly intentions with Selma (which also shows Bart can be a deep thinker when he applies himself). If I had a small criticism though, it's that episode's third act makes it clear Bob intends to kill Selma where I think it would have helped keep that hidden until Bart realizes it, revealing all the clues in the episode's conclusion. And for what it's worth, I think Bob did initially have real feelings for Selma, but learning how much money she has in stocks seemed more appealing to him and started to plan. Framing Krusty for years of humiliation or plotting revenge on the one who put you in prison is one thing, but planning to kill someone he apparently loved for money showed how much of a sociopath the character truly was even in his earliest appearances.

And my number one Sideshow Bob episode is...

CAPE FEARE (5.2)

PREMISE: The Simpsons enter witness protection when Sideshow Bob threatens Bart's life.
WHY IT MAKES THE LIST: For his third ever appearance where he finally goes straight for revenge on Bart, "Cape Feare" highlights everything fans love about Sideshow Bob. There are three main aspects of Bob that make him such a memorable character and they're all present in this episode. The first is his menace, which is shown prominently in his psychological torture of Bart both before and after his release from prison. But that menace is rightly balanced with his moments of comedic ineptitude. While Sideshow Bob is not to be taken lightly, it's the times where he makes a fool of himself that make him relatable and not too cartoonishly evil. Whether it's asking for a do-over after thinking of a better comeback to a comment from Marge or suffering physical abuse like being stepped on by a parade of elephants and taking multiple rake handles to the face, this episode does a good job at making you laugh at someone who's literally planning to kill a child. Aside from bringing the fears and funnies though, the aspect of Sideshow Bob that's probably most important to him is his showmanship. Not only is Kelsey Grammer a great voice actor, but he's also a great singer as the episode puts on full display in the climax. In order to buy himself time, Bart asks Sideshow Bob to sing the entire score of "HMS Pinafore" for a last request. In the snippets they show of Bob's performance, you can tell Grammer really gave it his all. In summation, "Cape Feare" is probably the perfect Sideshow Bob episode, striking the right balance of chills and laughs with an exceptional performance from Kelsey Grammer.