Reviews by Austin Storm

Like every Joss Whedon show, requires some time to get into a complex character-driven sci-fi world. The plots are there, but everything needs some time to gel. The second season would have been brilliant, and Fox didn't even give it a chance. I bet they're regretting it, with DVD sales. Still worth watching and rewatching.

Is it weird to say I love this show for what it could have been more than what it was? The first season was brilliant - the mystery and concept are brilliant. And the protagonist is the best - the hardboiled detective character as a teenage girl. Her relationship with friends and father are the heart of the show. The first season is weighed down a bit by her boyfriend, a last minute cast who can't act in the least. Season two is a huge drop in quality, really implausible plots and character-compromising situations. Season three recovers some of the magic and ultimately leaves us wishing for the planned fourth season where Veronica Mars goes to the FBI Academy.

David Brent never stops. The American Office balances the characters' pettiness with extreme sentimentality, but Ricky Gervais never allows his character to be anything but completely horrible. Ground-breaking style, great humor.

Interesting show, looks different than any sci-fi that came before. The handheld style suits the show well, and the actors really bring it week after week. The ending could be controversial, but worked for me. The coda seemed unnecessary, and I haven't watched any of the spin-offs.

Best comedy to date - reinvents the sitcom with a huge dose of postmodern self-awareness. The intertextuality is non-stop - there's a new show joke every episode. The characters stubbornly refuse to learn the obvious lessons the plot sets in front of them, but still manage to be lovable and recognizable. Holds up after numerous rewatchings.

Clever show with a great mythos and a patois that still feels unique to BtVS alone. Seasons 2-5 are the best.

The riffs on classic sci-fi plotlines, the character dynamics, and the endless intertextuality make this show the best animated comedy ever made.

One of the best games ever made. Narrative, gameplay (excepting the bike battles, which are easily bypassed), art direction, acting, sound design - all top notch.

Beautiful game, the overall art direction and character animation are incredible. Tedious to play - virtually requires that you die in every possible way and then learn from each death when you go through it again. The FMVs also don't stand up very well - like so many games, they should have been done within the game engine. The game industry has always been afflicted by the need to use every new technology available to the detriment of overall aesthetic and experience. Still, a classic.

Doesn't matter how it ends, it'll still be remembered as one of the best Sci-fi TV series of all time. Who knew audiences were intelligent enough for this much mystery, character development, and intertextuality. I'm not sure how it will hold up on re-watching, especially the first two seasons, and I'm not sure I'm willing to commit the time. But watching this every week with friends, gasping at the end of virtually every episode and discussing it non-stop for years... completely worth it.