Welcome back to Mack’s Musings! Today I’m analyzing another mystery novel, Strong Poison, written by Dorothy L. Sayers. I love a good mystery, and I’ve previously read and reviewed Indemnity … Continue reading How the Women of Strong Poison Get It Done
Ranking Disney songs is no easy task, especially when the competition includes “Circle of Life,” “Let it Go,” and “Part of Your World.” Music is a quintessential element of the … Continue reading Top Five Underrated Disney Songs
From secret agents to deadly spies and assassins, Kelly Hu is no stranger to the worlds of action and science fiction. The actor and model boasts an impressive 133 acting … Continue reading Why Kelly Hu’s Callie Cartwig Left The 100
The first half of Masters of the Universe: Revelation made its Netflix debut on July 23, 2021. The sequel series to Filmation’s He-Man and the Masters of the Universe picks … Continue reading Examining Fan Backlash: Masters of the Universe: Revelation
Surviving the horror genre, regardless of the medium, is no easy task. Even some of the strongest and most determined characters meet the grim reaper in the end, thanks to bloodthirsty … Continue reading More Horror TV Victims Who Should’ve Survived
It’s been a tumultuous time for the Animal Crossing: New Horizons community. Many fans of one of Nintendo’s best-selling life simulator games on the Switch were disappointed when New Horizons … Continue reading Six Features From the Original Animal Crossing That Should Return to New Horizons
David Duchovny played FBI special agent Fox Mulder on the hit science-fiction series, The X-Files. Created by Chris Carter, the show originally aired on Fox from 1993 to 2002 for nine seasons, consisting of 202 episodes and … Continue reading The X-Files: Why David Duchovny Left the Sci-Fi Series
While dragons, ice zombies, and powerful sorceresses appeared in the pop culture phenomenon that is HBO’s Game of the Thrones, the series, adapted from the novels by George R.R. Martin, wasn’t … Continue reading Murder Among Kings: History of the Blood Feud
While they may not be as common as their murderous male counterparts, female villains prove time and again that they are just as bloodthirsty and not to be underestimated. The horror genre … Continue reading Five Female Horror Movie Villains You Might Not Know About
Jessica Lange’s memorable performances in the horror anthology series American Horror Story garnered her much attention and praise, including two Primetime Emmys and a Golden Globe award. The morally complex and tortured … Continue reading Why Jessica Lange Left American Horror Story
For three seasons, Jessica Brown Findlay played the charming and beloved youngest Crawley daughter, Lady Sybil, in the British historical drama Downton Abbey. Created by Julian Fellows, Downton Abbey follows the lives of the aristocratic … Continue reading Downton Abbey: Why the Show Killed Jessica Brown Findlay’s Lady Sybil Crawley
The evil twin concept is one of the most prevalent tropes in popular culture and is often used to stir up drama among the main cast and keep the audience … Continue reading Star Trek: Forget Lore, The Next Generation Almost Gave Data An Android Love Interest
For seven seasons, Yuri Sardarov played fan-favorite firefighter Brian “Otis” Zvonecek on the television series Chicago Fire, but in the Season 8 premiere episode, “Sacred Ground,” Otis dies from injuries he sustained while … Continue reading Chicago Fire: Why & How Yuri Sardarov’s Otis Died
Ring the Abby bells and prepare the feast! Netflix is currently developing an adaptation of the bestselling fantasy books written by Brian Jacques. The 22-book series follows the adventures of … Continue reading Redwall: Seven Female Villains Who Make the Series Great
Jason Isaacs played Captain Gabriel Lorca in the first season of Star Trek: Discovery. Dark, cold and mysterious, Lorca often made decisions challenging the ideas of what a proper Starfleet captain should be. … Continue reading Star Trek: What Happened to the Real Gabriel Lorca?
The horror genre is not an easy genre to survive. Even some of the most determined characters meet the grim reaper in the end, thanks to ambitious bloodthirsty writers looking … Continue reading Horror TV Victims Who Should’ve Survived
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, the protagonist in Louise Penny’s debut novel Still Life, is a different breed of detective, unlike most detectives I saw on television and movies or read … Continue reading Examining the Role of Armand Gamache in Louise Penny’s Still Life
Fans of the long-running military sci-fi drama Stargate SG-1 were shocked when the series was abruptly canceled in 2007. The Syfy Channel announced the series’ closure just as SG-1 aired its 200th episode, making it the first … Continue reading Why Stargate SG-1 Ended With Season 10
When the popular teen drama The O.C. was airing in the early 2000s, fans of the show were shocked when leading lady Marissa Cooper, played by Mischa Barton, was gravely injured in a car … Continue reading The O.C.: Why Mischa Barton’s Marissa Was Killed Off
Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 film Psycho is one of the most iconic and chilling films in history. It introduces the charming and unstable Norman Bates, who gives other horror movie villains a run for their … Continue reading How Bates Motel Changed Psycho’s Iconic Ending
When Star Trek: The Next Generation began airing in 1987, it took awhile for the series and for the new crew of the USS Enterprise to find their footing and break out from the shadow … Continue reading Star Trek: Why Commander Riker Grew a Beard for The Next Generation Season 2
Fringe is a sci-fi series created by J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci that premiered on the Fox Network and concluded in 2013 after five seasons and 100 episodes. The series … Continue reading Fringe: Why the Fox Series Ended With Season 5
For five seasons, George Clooney played heartthrob and pediatric surgeon Dr. Doug Ross on ER. His role as the charming, womanizing bad-boy was met with almost overnight success, with the show becoming television’s most-watched … Continue reading ER: Why George Clooney’s Doug Ross Left the Series
Welcome to the third entry of the “Horror Movie Victims Who Should’ve Survived” series, in which I take a look at the characters in horror movies who, despite their best … Continue reading Even More Horror Movie Victims Who Should’ve Survived
Before Superman & Lois, the CW chronicled Clark Kent’s early life in the long-running superhero series Smallville, which aired for a staggering 217 episodes. Over ten seasons, audiences watched a young Clark … Continue reading Smallville: How The CW Show Ended
Parks and Recreation, a mockumentary comedy series that aired on NBC from 2009 to 2015, is known for its cast of colorful characters, including bureaucrat and Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation, … Continue reading Parks and Recreation: Why Rashida Jones’ Ann Perkins Left the Series
Vampyr is an enthralling action role-playing video game developed by Dontnod Entertainment in which the player assumes the role of the recently turned vampire and prominent surgeon Dr. Jonathan Reid as he traverses … Continue reading Top Five Characters From Vampyr
It’s a showdown that’s 60 years in the making. The long-awaited rematch between the two most famous kaiju, or Titans, of all time, is finally upon us after decades of … Continue reading Clash of the Titans: Godzilla vs. Kong Review
Horror movie characters have it rough. The chances of their survival are extremely slim, especially when they’re sharing the screen with iconic and terrifying killers like Jason Voorhees and Freddy … Continue reading More Horror Movie Victims Who Should’ve Survived–Horror Obsessive Edition
When Ridley Scott’s sci-fi horror flick Alien premiered in 1979, it introduced audiences to the terrifying and hulking Xenomorph and the doomed but memorable seven-member crew of the Nostromo. Despite their best efforts to blast … Continue reading Alien: An Original Crew Member Is Canonically Trans
Denise Crosby, the granddaughter of famous singer Bing Crosby, is well known for playing Lt. Tasha Yar, the Chief Security Officer onboard the USS Enterprise in the first season of Star … Continue reading Star Trek: Denise Crosby Almost Played a DIFFERENT Next Generation Character
Played by Nana Visitor, Kira Nerys is one of the main characters from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the third series in the Star Trek universe franchise. A Bajoran militia officer assigned to … Continue reading Star Trek: Why Ensign Ro Was NOT In Deep Space Nine
The science fiction genre features some of the most terrifying and iconic villains of all time, from the hulking and imposing Darth Vader to the cybernetic menace of the Borg … Continue reading Five Underrated Villains from Science Fiction
Star Trek is a huge pop culture phenomenon that’s introduced audiences to iconic and beloved characters, from the original series‘ Spock (Leonard Nimoy) to Deep Space Nine‘s Odo (René Auberjonois) and Voyager‘s Seven of Nine (Jeri … Continue reading Star Trek: Why The Next Generation’s Wesley Crusher Was So Hated
Star Trek: Voyager premiered in 1995 and as the fifth installment in the franchise. The show, which ran for seven seasons, follows the adventures of Captain Katheryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and the … Continue reading Star Trek: Voyager – Why Jennifer Lien’s Kes Left in Season 4
When Star Trek: Deep Space Nine aired in 1993, it set itself apart from any Star Trek show preceding it with its stagnant primary location of a large space station, darker tone and focus on serialized … Continue reading Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Why Terry Farrell’s Jadzia Dax Left After Season 6
The horror genre is full of iconic movie villains like Jason Voorhees, Micheal Myers, Chucky, and Freddy Krueger, whose franchises dominate the media and pop culture discussions. We love these … Continue reading Nine Delightfully Devilish Female Villains from Horror
In 1999, Canadian audiences got their first glimpse into the halls of Redwall Abbey—a large, red sandstone Abbey that serves as a sanctuary and beacon of peace for the animals … Continue reading Redwall the TV Series Added a Tragic Backstory for Matthias
UPDATED Previously I posted an updated list of Six Horror Movies You’ve (Probably) Never Seen, so here is an updated version of an earlier post I wrote back in October … Continue reading Another Six Obscure Horror Movies to Add to Your List
Fans of the Elder Scrolls rejoice. Thanks to Daggerfall Unity, players can now experience the epic fantasy game Daggerfall, which released in 1996, in the modern era of gaming. Daggerfall … Continue reading Daggerfall Unity Restores an Elder Scrolls Classic- Breakdown and Installation Guides
When Star Trek: The Next Generation began airing in 1987, it took some time for the show to find its footing, both in terms of establishing its own identity from the monumental … Continue reading Star Trek: The Next Generation – Why Denise Crosby’s Tasha Yar Left After Season 1
If you’re looking for the right scary flick to watch, you may be more of a classics fan and choose The Omen or Friday the 13th, or you may choose a recent release … Continue reading Six Horror Movies You’ve (Probably) Never Seen- Updated
For seven seasons, Dr. Janet Fraiser (Teryl Rothery) dutifully served the newly formed Stargate Command as Chief Medical Officer and was a beloved member of the crew. Throughout Stargate SG-1, which ran from … Continue reading Stargate SG-1: Why Janet Fraiser Actor Teryl Rothery Left the Show
Carmilla, written by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, is one of vampire fiction’s earliest tales and predates Dracula by almost thirty years. Along with a poem written by Heinrich August Ossenfelder—which tells of a vampire … Continue reading Carmilla 2020: Where Are All the Vampires?
Godzilla has never been scarier since his mushroom cloud-shaped head loomed over the fleeing villagers of Odo Island in 1954’s Gojira, a dark and depressing film that thrust the sacred beast … Continue reading Godzilla vs. The Bureaucrats: A Shin Godzilla Review
Hailed as one of the great hits of the early ’90s, the science fiction television series Babylon 5, created by Michael Straczynski, was ambitious and intricate, weaving long-running story arcs and delivering … Continue reading Babylon 5: Why the Sci-Fi Series Ended With Season 5
Sometimes even the most minor characters can have a significant impact on a franchise, and none better exemplify this than the mysterious Ms. Yutani (Françoise Fong-Wa Yip), a character who … Continue reading Alien vs. Predator: Requiem: An Ode to Ms. Yutani
The 2004 remake of the 1978 classic Battlestar Galactica was a critically acclaimed series that ran for four seasons on the Sci-Fi channel, pulling in 19 Emmy nominations throughout its run and around 2.8 … Continue reading Caprica: Why the Battlestar Galactica Prequel Ended After 1 Season
Captain Kathryn Janeway faced difficult odds in Star Trek: Voyager, and she died several times throughout the show’s seven-season run. Despite all of Starfleet‘s technological advances, impressive armadas of ships at … Continue reading Star Trek: Voyager’s Captain Janeway Died a Ridiculous Number of Times
One of the best things Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings film trilogy did is give a prominent role to Arwen, the youngest daughter of the Elven Lord Elrond. Played … Continue reading Lord of the Rings: Arwen Almost Fought at the Battle of Helm’s Deep
“Sire,” said Tirian, when he had greeted all these. “If I have read the chronicle aright, there should be another. Has not your Majesty two sisters? Where is Queen Susan?” … Continue reading The Chronicles of Narnia: Susan’s Dark Fate and Why There’s Hope for Her Yet
All hail the Queen of the Monsters! Introduced in the 1961 film of the same name directed by Ishirō Honda, this beautiful and colossal insect deity has become one of … Continue reading All Hail the Queen: Mothra (1961) Review
Surviving a horror movie, much less than an entire franchise, is no easy feat. It takes courage, endurance, a lot of luck, and favorable writers to ensure a character makes … Continue reading Horror Movie Victims Who Should’ve Survived- Horror Obsessive Edition
The King of Monsters comes to America, only this time, he wasn’t a riff on Jurassic Park. No, this Godzilla was a massive improvement over the limp 1998 version (which … Continue reading Into the MonsterVerse: Godzilla 2014 Review
Battlestar Galactica has been a mainstay in the science fiction genre since the original series aired in 1978 and took the world by storm. The series told of the never-ending struggle between the … Continue reading Why 2004’s Battlestar Galactica Ended After Four Seasons
There’s a new Bat heroine in Gotham City, only she’s a little more willing to kill and no one knows her identity—including Batman. The Caped Crusader has his work cut … Continue reading Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman Review
The Vampire Diaries‘ Lorenzo (Michael Malarkey)–also known as Enzo–never had it easy. Initially an antagonist who becomes more of a hero as the show progresses, Enzo was an orphan who grew … Continue reading The Vampire Diaries: Why Stefan Killed Enzo
Ah, the things that could’ve been. Friday the 13 part III, the 1982 follow up to Friday the 13th part II, maintained the classic camp slasher vibe of the popular … Continue reading Friday the 13th Part 3 Almost Had Jason Voorhees Stalking Ginny Field in a Psychiatric Hospital
Superman Doomsday features one of the most shocking showdowns in superhero history and it isn’t a film for the kiddies. This bloody and dark adaptation of the “Death of Superman” comics … Continue reading Superman: Doomsday 2007 Review: Where Were You the Day Superman Died?
Star Wars: Rebels premiered on Disney XD back in 2014 and has since run its course, ending in 2018 after four seasons and several tie-in comics and novels, including the … Continue reading Star Wars: Rebels Season One Review: Oh How I Misjudged Thee
Javicia Leslie made her debut as the new lead of Batwoman in the show’s second season premiere, which aired Sunday night on the CW. Losing Ruby Rose as Kate Kane … Continue reading Batwoman Season 2 Premiere Review: Farwell to Kate Kane, Ryan Wilder Takes Up the Cowl
When Disenchantment part 2 ended, Princess Bean (Abbi Jacobson), Luci (Eric Andre), and Elfo (Nat Faxton) were almost burned at the stake by the superstitious and easily manipulated populace of … Continue reading Everyone’s in Way Over Their Heads: Disenchantment Part 3 Review
I’m going to keep this review somewhat short since Season 2 of Batwoman drops tomorrow (which I’ll review), and I’m in the process of writing reviews for Season 2 of … Continue reading Batwoman Season 1 Review part 2
“I’m going to redraw the map. And when I do, the whole world will know my name, my grandfather’s name, the glory of my people. No one can resist me.” … Continue reading How Elektra King Stole the Show in 007’s The World is Not Enough
Mask of the Phantasm explores the tragedy and isolation of Bruce Wayne, but Batman and Mr. Freeze: SubZero, its 1998 direct-to-video sequel, explores grief and loss differently and pushes Mr. Freeze and … Continue reading Batman and Mr. Freeze: SubZero Review
Spider-Man briefly encountered Superman in an episode of the 1981 animated series, paying tribute to their time together in the comics. In 1976, DC Comics and Marvel Comics jointly published Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man: … Continue reading 1981’s Spider-Man Features a Tongue-in-Cheek Cameo From Superman
The High Republic is here, and it was well worth the wait. I just got my hands on the physical copy of Light of the Jedi, written by Charles Soule, … Continue reading Light of the Jedi: Initial Thoughts and Musings
The tragedy of Bruce Wayne and his vigilante alter ego Batman is arguably one of the most infamous tales in all of popular culture. Even casual fans of DC’s Dark … Continue reading Batman: Mask of the Phantasm and the Tragedy of Bruce Wayne
Leave it to Marvel to terrify audiences with otherworldly creatures. “Knowhere to Run,” an episode of the Guardians of the Galaxy animated series, features a genuinely creepy monster that forces Gamora to relive all … Continue reading Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Reveals Space’s Most TERRIFYING Beast
The women of the James Bond franchise are equally as iconic as its titular sexy and sophisticated secret agent. I’ve written before about the Bond Girls who accompany 007 in … Continue reading The Top Evil James Bond Women: Fiona Volpe
Nancy Drew returns for a second season on The CW, and she has more supernatural mysteries to unravel. Based on the popular, long-running book series by Carolyn Keene, Nancy Drew premiered on the … Continue reading The CW’s Nancy Drew Season 2: Release Date, Plot, Trailer & News to Know
“I came down the chimney. Ho. Ho. Ho. My name is Helga Sinclair. I’m acting on behalf of my employer.” -Lieutenant Helga Katrina Sinclair, Atlantis Disney’s action animated flick, Atlantis: … Continue reading Why Helga Sinclair Steals the Show in Disney’s Atlantis
Happy New Year! I wanted to kick off 2021 with a review of the Batwoman television series. I was initially reluctant to jump into the show, mostly because I had … Continue reading Batwoman: Season One Review part 1
The Final Girl is one of the most famous elements and tropes of the horror movie genre, and we all have our favorite heroine who kicked ass and defeated the … Continue reading Underrated Final Girls Who Beat the Odds
The opening scene of Star Trek: The Motion Picture is one of the coolest and eerie sequences in the franchise’s history that pits the newly designed Klingons against an unstoppable entity hidden … Continue reading Star Trek: In Defense of the Motion Picture
THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR WONDER WOMAN 1984 Wonder Woman 1984 took the internet by storm when the initial review embargo lifted, causing the film to plummet from a certified … Continue reading Wonder Woman 1984 Review
I was woefully unprepared for the opening scene of Santa’s Slay, which features a dysfunctional family – headed by the Nanny herself, Fran Drescher – sitting down for Christmas Dinner, … Continue reading Don’t Mess with Santa (A Santa’s Slay Review)
There isn’t a lot of Christmas cheer in this messy, low budget holiday slasher directed by and starring Edmund Purdon, but it does feature a musical number from Bond Girl … Continue reading Don’t Open Till Christmas Is a Messy Holiday Slasher
Shmi Skywalker Lars stood on the edge of the sand berm marking the perimeter of the moisture farm, one leg up higher, to the very to of the ridge, knee … Continue reading ‘Star Wars: Attack of the Clones’ Novel Does Right by Shmi Skywalker
“Will you try to make all the right choices in an attempt to become a model citizen sometime before you die? You could marry the man/woman of your dreams, have … Continue reading Bitlife: Live Your Best (Or Worst) Life App Review
The following post contains spoilers for the “Star Trek: Picard” episode “Stardust City Rag.” From a writing viewpoint, there’s no denying that ill-fated Icheb, an ex-Borg drone from the Star Trek franchise who … Continue reading Star Trek: Picard: Icheb Deserved Better
The snowfolk are the lovable and optimistic mascots of winter in Animal Crossing, and they’ve enjoyed a long history across the franchise’s many installments. On December 11, the snowfolk made … Continue reading The Tragedy of Animal Crossing: New Horizons Snowfolk
Yesterday was an exciting day for Star Wars fans. Disney announced its latest projects in an investors meeting, touching on its plans for the future of Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar, Disney+ and Disneyland. During the … Continue reading Star Wars: Every Project Announced at Disney’s Investor Day
The death of television characters is often a source of great contention and debate within the show’s loyal fanbase. Sometimes, a beloved character bites the dust to heighten the stakes … Continue reading Sleepy Hollow: Abbie Mills Deserved Better
Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated is a vastly underrated series that took the franchise in a newer and darker direction. While the show only ran for two seasons, the series paid … Continue reading Every Time Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated Referenced Previous Series
Friday the 13th is one of the most iconic franchises in the horror genre, famed for its seemingly idyllic cabin getaway in Camp Crystal Lake and the hockey mask-wearing killer … Continue reading Friday the 13th: Why Alice was Killed for part II
Caity Lotz is one of the most recognizable faces on the CW, portraying Sara Lance—the Arrowverse’s first Black Canary and leader of the Legends of the Tomorrow, but she wasn’t … Continue reading Arrow: Why Caity Lotz Replaced Jacqueline MacInnes Wood as Sara Lance
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season 2, Episode 5, “Chapter 13: The Jedi,” streaming now on Disney+. The latest episode of The Mandalorian, “The Jedi,” revealed that Grogu trained … Continue reading Star Wars Needs to Stop Revealing MORE Jedi Who Survived Order 66
The Star Trek franchise features several iconic female villains—the Borg Queen, Kai Winn Adami, The Founder—but one who stole an early spotlight in her brief appearance was the Klingon operative … Continue reading Star Trek: Villains Spotlight: Valkris
Carol, a 2015 romantic drama film starring Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson, and Kyle Chandler, is a touching tale of mutual attraction, sweet curiosity, heartache, and the thrill of … Continue reading Carol: Movie Review
The Smurfs franchise is known for its upbeat and kid-friendly tone, emphasizing the importance of friendship and community. While the 1982 Christmas special from The Smurfs second season doesn’t deviate from these points, it … Continue reading The Smurfs’ TERRIFYING Christmas Special Was a Fight With… the Devil Himself?!
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season 2, Episode 5, “Chapter 13: The Jedi,” streaming now on Disney+. In The Mandalorian, Din Djarin is now looking to find a … Continue reading The Mandalorian: 7 Jedi Who Could Train Baby Yoda
Move over Mario and Sonic–Earthworm Jim is here. This robot suit-wearing character who battles evil is one of the wackiest and most surreal of his time, and both critics and … Continue reading The Complete History of Earthworm Jim
George Clooney would prefer fans forget the time he played Batman in the critically maligned 1997 film, Batman & Robin. Though the movie is universally disliked by critics and fans alike, it did add Clooney … Continue reading Batman & Robin: Why George Clooney Replaced Val Kilmer as Bruce Wayne
Nothing is as iconic as the lightsaber. The elegant laser sword wielded by both the Jedi Order and their sworn enemies, the Sith, are some of the most recognizable weapons … Continue reading Star Wars: What is the Lightwhip?
It’s a noisy and frigid morning in the market square of Windhelm, the City of Kings. Soft white snowflakes dance lazily through the grey sky, falling gently on the frozen … Continue reading Skyrim Character Build: The Poison Widow
Contemporary vampire stories are worth analyzing and exploring due to their roots in real-world beliefs and the sheer amount of movies, television shows, novels, and other media featuring the creatures … Continue reading The History of Vampires in Popular Culture
The characters on this list aren’t necessarily considered “Final Girls” who are the last women alive in horror movies (particularly from slasher films) and who triumph over the killer trying … Continue reading Underrated Female Characters from Horror Movies
Sly Moore makes for an imposing but memorable character. Tall, bald, and severe, this graceful and mysterious Umbaran serves as Chancellor Palpatine’s closest ally and confidant. Nothing escapes her piercing … Continue reading Star Wars Needs More Sly Moore
Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! … Continue reading The Adventures of Superman Radio Show Introduced Kryptonite
