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“The Chicago Way” needs more than an Untouchable Feeling for DC’s Legends of Tomorrow

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By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

* Spoiler Alert

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow is certainly having fun with “The Chicago Way,” and it is the perfect episode to bring back a past character — Leonard Snart (Captain Cold) — because he nicely fits in the era the team has to visit to correct the latest time aberration. While he’s back (sort of) as a ghost, just how important he will be to Mick’s narrative will require a wait as the series is now at a mid-point. The season is set to resume January 24th, 2017.

I was hoping to see him as part of the team, ripped from the timeline at a different point, and brought back to 1920’s Chicago, but instead to see him as Ghost of Christmas Past (or is that Future?) chiding Rory for becoming soft makes for a terrific character study. Just what has this hardened criminal become? Is Heatwave losing his mojo? Amaya has an interest in him, and just where that goes is seeing these two be the muscle for the team. It’s hard to say if there’s a romantic thing brewing, but I am curious about where their relationship is going.

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Afterthoughts on Last Week’s CW’s The Dominators Mega-Crossover

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Several rewatches were needed to absorb the semi mid-season finale to CW’s power trio of shows featuring The Dominators from DC Comic’s lore. As many fans have already vocalized on social media, Supergirl was not one of the episodes essential to viewing, and nor does it have to explain Kara’s absence while she is on Earth-1, helping Flash, Arrow and the Legends of Tomorrow team deal with an alien threat.

True to the comics is why this alien race is here, they fear the meta-humans and want to put them six feet under before they become a galactic threat. But does that mean there is further trouble in store for heroes in the future? Somewhere, in all these parallel Earths is an even greater threat. Darkseid is not likely coming, but the Legion of Doom is. This fact has been revealed a while back on DC Comic’s website, and it will be exciting to see Malcolm Merlyn (John Barrowman), Damien Darhk (Neal McDonough), the Reverse-Flash (Matt Letscher) and Captain Cold (Wentworth Miller) together.

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The Future is “Compromised” in DC’s Legends of Tomorrow

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By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

* Spoiler Alert

Plenty of fun and character development can be found with “Compromised.” This week’s episode of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow shows the series works better when further developing the season’s story arc than making one-offs. When considering that The CW has ordered an additional four episodes, the board of writers have extra room to make the finale go out with a bang. Let’s hope an increase in budget will help. Teases about the mega crossover event suggests a lot of cash is being invested in cutting edge computer animation technology to bring to life space age wonders, but which show will see the most improvement?

This series sees more space-faring action than the other three (Arrow, The Flash and Supergirl) and as for guest stars, who else might make an appearance? The appearance of Lance Henriksen as the older Obsidian is welcoming and Dean Cain is slated to be in Supergirl. This week’s episode lays the tribute thick with more Back to the Future time-travel science and 80’s style wardrobe (Miami Vice) to boot. But in a politically charged Reagan era, I’m surprised there was no deeper look into the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), aka Star Wars, program. The narrative is certainly making allusions to it.

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The Only “Abomination” with DC’s Legends of Tomorrow is no Jonah Hex (Yet)!

legendsoftomorrow-204-abominations-t1320004-cw-stereo_b39992b02_cwtv_720x400 By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

* Spoiler Alert

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow celebrated Halloween a week late and will fans be “civil” about it hardly being a tale of terror? I was mildly disappointed. This episode could have easily brought back Jonah Hex sooner than later (he’s confirmed to be back), and dig into the supernatural with ease. Instead, the “Abomination” begins by starting the episode with another time travelling agent out to dispose of a chemical agent developed for war … but after his spaceship get damaged, just where he crash-lands is at the height of a certain American conflict circa 1863.

While this episode is a fun period romp almost akin to Exit Humanity (2011), at least it has an ounce of real scares built in. Jackson and Stein are worried about the future, as they struggle to understand the older Barry Allen’s message. They also discuss if telling the rest of their teammates about it will erode their thoughts in what the future holds. In another front, Sara’s confidence as a leader of this ragtag group of heroes is eroding. The reason why the Legends team meets Ulysses S. Grant is more for her than an accidental encounter. After she demonstrates her ability to command the troops during a zombie outbreak, Grant gives her his seal of approval.

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How Many “Shogun” Warriors are in Tow in DC’s Legends of Tomorrow?

When DC’s Legends of Tomorrow are going from set-piece to set-piece (i.e. one time period to another), just what the second series is doing is to slowly reveal a greater plot.

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By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

*Spoiler Alert

When DC’s Legends of Tomorrow are going from set-piece to set-piece (i.e. one time period to another), just what the second series is doing is to slowly reveal a greater plot. There’s a warning from the future which n body is in on, but it will come into play in later episodes. Without giving too much away, any side-effects from altering the natural course of the timeline (from another series) will take on a butterfly effect.

As much as I like the visit to Feudal Japan, I thought the trip to the Wild West (“The Magnificent Eight” from last season) was better. Both this and last week’s “Shogun” are tributes to Akira Kurosawa’s The Seven Samurai. The latter is more blatant, and the reason why I prefer it is because of Jonah Hex. He makes for a mean hombre. Steel, the new one, is only getting started. Nate Heywood makes for a good addition to the team but he has no clue in what he’s doing. Both he and Ray share similar insecurities. They do not have super abilities. That’s not until Ray injected Nate with the super serum to make him a super soldier. While some childish fun ensues to test Nate’s newly formed skin, just how well he wears it will eventually define who he is as Commander Steel.

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DC’s Legends of Tomorrow and The Justice Society of America Collides, But What’s Next?

DC's Legends of Tomorrow --"The Justice Society of America"-- Image LGN202b_0207.jpg -- Pictured: (L-R): Sarah Grey as Stargirl, Kwesi Ameyaw as Dr. Mid-Nite, Patrick J. Adams as Hourman, Dan Payne as Obsidian, Maisie Richardson-Sellers as Amaya Jiwe/Vixen and Matthew MacCaull as Commander Steel -- Photo: Katie Yu/The CW -- ÃÂ© 2016 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved. — (L-R): Sarah Grey as Stargirl, Kwesi Ameyaw as Dr. Mid-Nite, Patrick J. Adams as Hourman, Dan Payne as Obsidian, Maisie Richardson-Sellers as Amaya Jiwe/Vixen and Matthew MacCaull as Commander Steel — Photo: Katie Yu/The CW — © 2016 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

The second season two episode of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, “The Justice Society of America,” continues to set up the season with even further trials for the entire team with a few spotlights (namely listening to Victor Garber sing). While the first episode teased at Dr. Martin as being the de-facto leader, the next has Sara doing the opening narration. This entry shows the good doctor is not up to snuff when pressure is coming from everywhere and the team is attempting to deal with Nazi Captain Baron Krieger. Originally a character created under the Fawcett Comics label and a villain dealt with by Captain Marvel, could Shazam be in the future for this television series? I certainly hope so! I loved the original television series and comics (both the original and since the DC acquisition), and to see this callback has the DC nerd in me excited!

In the DC Comics purchase of this company’s heroes and revival, this villain proved to be very formidable. I’m hopeful he will come back, along with Damien Darhk. When considering CW’s Flash was dealing with Flashpoint (Paradox) where the hero created an alternate timeline, I’m guessing the inclusion of this character is not only a nod to the comics but also a building up to an eventual reveal that there will be some kind of Legion of Doom for all the heroes in this CW DC Universe to face. In what Krieger morphs into, both teams — the JSA and Legends — have to work together in order to bring him down.

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