I was so excited to hear that Orphan Black: The Next Chapter is back again. I very much enjoyed finding out out what happened after the television series and was curious where it would lead. The first book surprised me in the fact that they revealed to the world the truth about clones, which is something I never thought they would do. It, however, opened up new story possibilities and also introduced new clones and left it of course open for even more.

Season two picks up eight months after the events of season one. Although season one did explore some of the fallout from the world finding out the truth, now the world has had time to ruminate, and as expected, many people still do not accept the clones or treat them as equals. The sestras bear some responsibility in those who weren’t self-aware being unprepared, but can they themselves even deal with being ostracized? The beginning of season two starts to delve deeper into how the characters are coping with it, as well as with the idea that it’s not just them against the world anymore.

Doctor Who: The Edge of Reality is advertised as an expansion to the original VR game Doctor Who: The Edge of Time. That game was available on virtual headsets, including Oculus, on which I originally played part of. The VR aspect I admit does make the game more immersive. It also makes the creatures seem more eerie when they can jump out at you. I, however, get motion sickness so I was never able to make it super far in the original game, so I was really excited when I heard the game was coming to other platforms. The game is still not super long, clocking in at about two to three hours, but with the $24.99 price tag, it’s well worth it. There is also a deluxe edition on some platforms which includes multiples sonic screwdrivers and different gloves. I, however, received the standard edition for review. If they ever have the bonuses available as DLC, I will be buying it.         

The game starts out with the Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) calling you for help in stopping the threat known as the Reality Virus, which has put all of time and space at risk, and you become her new companion. You start by investigating a London-based laundromat for clues, which eventually leads you to her TARDIS and other planets, where you help her find the Time Crystals and stop the villain known as The First.

The acting voices, sound effects, and music really make you feel like you are on the show, and it’s fun to get to wield a sonic screwdriver. Getting to not only enter and look around the TARDIS but hit buttons and levers was really thrilling as a fan. I do wish, however, that you could venture beyond the area around the console.

Last season on Big Sky, Ronald (Brian Geraghty) was finally arrested but talked the cops into bringing him to the crime scene where he was hiding a body. During return transport, members of the trafficking syndicate helped him escape with Scarlet (Anna Savcic), leaving Jenny (Katheryn Winnick) shot and Cassie (Kylie Bunbury) to give chase.

Tonight, on ABC, the series picks up after those events, but Ronald isn’t the only problem the duo will be facing this season, as another car crash outside of Helena will require their assistance, where teens get much more than they bargain for when they come into possession of some money.

Tomorrow, Netflix releases its new original CGI anime series, Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness, which is based on the hugely popular survival horror video game series by Capcom, which was first released in 1996 on PlayStation. The series centers around two characters from Resident Evil 2, Federal Agent Leon S. Kennedy (Nick Apostolides) and TerraSave staff member Claire Redfield (Stephanie Panisello), who unite to stop a zombie outbreak and the government from covering it up. The story also introduces new characters Jason (Ray Chase) and Shen Mei (Jona Xiao). The show, which is set between the events of Resident Evil 4 and 5, spans four episodes, which are about twenty-five minutes each.

At the start of the series, viewers learn of the civil war that has broken out in the fictional nation of Penamstan. Leon, working for the U.S. government after saving the presidents daughter, is investigating a hacking incident that was uncovered, when there is an outbreak of the T-Virus in the White House. Meanwhile, Claire, who has been working with refugees from the war and overseeing the construction of a welfare facility, gets drawn into the action while waiting for an interview with the press secretary at the White House.

FEAR, or Fear Everything and Run, which is now available to own on DVD and Digital, takes place in an apocalyptic landscape after a pathogen has been released and cities are zoned and sealed off. Ethan (Jason Tobias) and Josephine (Marci Miller), struggle to keep their family, including their daughter, Mia (Cece Kelly), who is on life support, and son, Josh (Danny Ruiz), alive while scavenging for supplies and keeping the dead at bay.

Things go from bad to worse when armed bandits raid their supplies. While defending their home, Joe is hurt, but so is the marauder’s matriarch, Desiree (Susan Moore). After a battle, there is a standoff, and an agreement is made that Ethan will go with Desiree’s brother, Lincoln (Justin Dray), to their camp to get medicine for Joe and Desiree, and everyone will go their separate ways. Of course, things don’t go according to plan, and no one can be trusted.

Lucifer - 5.09 - "Family Dinner"

**The following is a detailed recap and review of the episode, which means it's full of spoilers. Please don’t read any further until you’ve watched it. You can also check out my (almost) spoiler-free review for the second half of the season if you prefer**

Netflix finally dropped the anticipated conclusion to season five of its hit series Lucifer less than an hour ago. In the last episode, Lucifer (Tom Ellis) was about to tell Chloe (Lauren German) how he felt when Amenadiel (D.B. Woodside) accidentally stopped time, not in control of his powers. Lucifer’s twin, Michael (also Ellis), had got into Amenadiel’s head, revealing that his son, Charlie, was human. Leaving a frozen Chloe, Lucifer joined Amenadiel to battle his brother, as well as Maze (Lesley-Ann Brandt), who had sided with Michael, believing that he could get her a soul. At the height of the battle, the brothers’ father, God (Dennis Haysbert), appeared, putting a stop to the fight. Season 5B picks up in that moment.

Following the recap is a review of the episode.

***The following review has slight spoilers for season 5B, though not really much more than the trailer***

Fans have been waiting with bated breath for today to arrive and Netflix to drop season 5B of the hit series Lucifer.

At the end of last season, Lucifer (Tom Ellis) was about to finally say those three little words to his girlfriend, Detective Chloe Decker (Lauren Graham), when Amenadiel (D.B. Woodside), accidentally stopped time after Lucifer's twin, Michael (also Ellis), got into his head and he lost control of his powers, crushingly to fans, halting Lucifer’s confession.

Leaving Chloe in the storage closet, Lucifer helped Amenadiel battle Michael, as well as Maze (Lesley-Ann Brandt), who had once again sold out Lucifer to get what she wanted. In this case, Michael had agreed to give her an audience with his father, who she believed could give her a soul.

At the height of the battle, their father, God, showed up in the form of Dennis Haysbert to break up the fight.

The back half of the season, which focuses on God’s arrival and how it impacts his sons, picks up right at that moment, and what follows is an intense episode called “Family Dinner” that forces Lucifer to deal with a lot of his “Daddy issues.” It gets the show off to a fantastic start. Haysbert has great chemistry with Ellis and Woodside and it was really interesting to finally see that family dynamic. Ellis is so flawless I constantly forget that it’s him playing both twins. He makes it easy to differentiate between the two.

Today the fantasy adventure series Shadow and Bone premiered on Netflix. The series, which is based on Leigh Bardugo’s young adult novel trilogy, takes place in the war-torn world of Ravka and follows Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li), a female mapmaker and soldier of the First Army, who is ostracized because of her Shu heritage. Back again with her best friend from the orphanage, Malyen “Mal” Oretsev (Archie Renaux), she is devastated when, as a tracker in the army, he is chosen to join a group of soldiers on a skiff across the Fold where her parents were killed. The Fold is an area of permanent darkness that separates East and West Ravka and is filled with killer flying creatures known as Volcra. Crossing it almost certainly means death. Unwilling to be separated, Alina burns the maps for the journey so the soldiers crossing require a cartographer and bring her along.

Things go horribly wrong when the skiff is attacked by the Volcra in the Fold. Many are killed; however, when the winged creature grabs and injures Mal, Alina gives off a great light that destroys it, and she and those left are spared.

When the general of the Second Army, Aleksander Kirigan (Ben Barnes), demands to see Alina, it is revealed that she is a Grisha, or can manipulate matter. She is a Sun Summoner and has the ability to create light, which could potentially destroy the Fold and reunite the country.

The Irregulars, which premieres the 8-episode season tomorrow on Netflix, follows a group of rag-tag teens in Victorian London. Orphan Bea (Thaddeus Graham), who takes care of not only her sister, Jessie (Darci Shaw), who tries to cope with terrible nightmares and sleepwalking, but also struggles to find ways to keep them and their friends Billy (Jojo Macari) and Spike (McKell David) fed and a roof over their head, often stealing so they don’t go hungry.

In the pilot, sleepwalking causes Jessie to almost get hit by a carriage carrying Leopold (Harrison Osterfield), a rich and privileged sickly teen who knows not of the outside world. When Bea comes to save her sister, he is fascinated by her and later sneaks out of his home to befriend the teens.

Later visiting her sister’s grave, Bea meets Dr. John Watson (Royce Pierreson), who offers her money if she and her friends, knowing the streets and having access to the more unsavory parts of London, will help him track down someone for a case he’s working on with the police. Thus begins the partnership of the teens working for the mysterious doctor at 221b Baker Street, who they later discover has a partner, Sherlock Holmes (Henry Lloyd-Hughes), who Watson goes to lengths to keep them away from.

From writer and director Neill Blomkamp (District 9), the science fiction film Elysium comes to 4k Ultra HD. The film stars Matt Damon as Max, who grew up on the slums of an overpopulated Earth with his friend Frey (Alice Braga), dreaming of the luxurious lifestyle of those on Elysium. Secretary Delacourt (Jody Foster) will do anything in her power to keep those of Earth away from Elysium, but that doesn’t stop them from trying. After a life-threatening accident at work, Max is willing to do what it takes to make his way to Elysium to be cured. Agreeing to steal information from John Carlyle (William Fichtner), Max is outfitted with body mods and an exoskeleton by Spider (Wagner Moura) and sent on a deadly mission pitting him against the rogue Agent Kruger (Sharlto Copley). He gets more than he bargained for when he receives information that could bring equality to the two worlds.

I very much enjoyed Elysium. The story of the movie is relatable to the world today, featuring social commentary on issues such as social class division, health care, and more, yet is not patronizing. It’s also, just in general, a really fun sci-fi movie with a good script.

The film also looks fantastic, from the sets to the special effects. There is so much detail in everything, and the worlds of Elysium and future LA are really believable and make you feel like you are there. Blomkamp really knows his world building, and everything just fits together perfectly.