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http://www.thenerdelement.com/2018/10/21/doctor-who-rosa-episode-review/
Whew lawd! This episode of Doctor Who I was anticipating and dreading at the same time. Now that “Rosa” has aired I am still on the fence. What was good about the episode? What was considered missed opportunities? Here are my thoughts on the matter.
The Good
Writers Malorie Blackman and Chris Chibnall gives us a reminder of how far we have come as a society. They also showed we still have work to do. I like that Jodie Whitaker has the opportunity to continue the Doctor’s ability to call out BS. The scene where Ryan (Tosin Cole) voiced his frustration to Yasmin (Mandip Gill) was heartfelt. I loved that Ryan got to be part of the pow wow at Rosa’s house and witness history happening in real time.
It was subtle, but I also appreciated the importance of education. We should never forget the specifics of how and why the civil rights happened. Accurate history is even more important.
Guest star Vinette Robinson gave a quiet dignity to Rosa Parks. I loved all of the moments she had with the Doctor and the companions. Tosin’s reaction to meeting Martin Luther King (Ray Sesay) was adorable! I probably would have been speechless meeting both Parks and MLK!
The episode did not shy away from the harsh realities of 1955. From Ryan getting punched, to the policeman hunting him the struggle was real. There was sense of tension and danger that has not been felt before pertaining to the theme of the episode. At least for Doctor Who. I think it was important given Ryan is so young, and from England, that he learned just what it was like in the US.
I liked that a new potential villain was introduced. Guest star Josh Bowman of “Revenge” and “Time after Time” fame plays a jerk well as Krasko. Yay that the actor gets to use his real-life accent! I am sure we will be seeing him again but wonder if he’s working for someone else or if he is on his own? I enjoyed the chemistry between Whitaker and Bowman during their scenes. It is always awesome seeing the Doctor trash talk and outsmart the baddie.
Missed Opportunities
While they did a decent job with Ryan’s and Rosa’s experience on the bus, Yasmin’s was glossed over. Having Yasmin say, “let’s see what happens,” was taking the easy way out. It would have been nice to at minimum emphasize another minority struggle in the south. Ryan experienced it first-hand but Yasmin’s experience was in collateral situations. I think it could have been tastefully done without taking away from the story.
The Absence of Nan
One of the things that still irritates me is the fact that Nan/Grace died in the premiere episode. This episode features a historical black female that jump started the Civil Rights movement. To not have Nan play a role in maintaining it is a disservice. Yes, Ryan gave a shout out. Past companions Martha and Billy were never part of an episode of this magnitude. Ryan almost makes up for it but it was very disappointing that Nan could not be physically be part of it either.
The song during the final moment
I thought the song “Rise Up” by Andra Day was okay. My guess as to why “Rise Up” was chosen; it is a recognizable modern song. Also maybe it emphasizes how much work we still need to do in modern time. Also, there was an older song in the beginning of the episode so maybe the decision was to not overdo it?
However, to give the moment even more punch I felt another spiritual would have been a better choice. For example, “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around” or go with a classic, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
It would have shown consistency if anything else. Plus given that Ryan sent Krasko away so Rosa could succeed also would have given the song more oomph.
Overall the episode hit most of the right emotional spots. With some improvements the episode could have been even better.
What are your thoughts? Sound off below in the comments!
The post Doctor Who “Rosa” Episode Review appeared first on The Nerd Element.
Whew lawd! This episode of Doctor Who I was anticipating and dreading at the same time. Now that “Rosa” has aired I am still on the fence. What was good about the episode? What was considered missed opportunities? Here are my thoughts on the matter.
The Good
Writers Malorie Blackman and Chris Chibnall gives us a reminder of how far we have come as a society. They also showed we still have work to do. I like that Jodie Whitaker has the opportunity to continue the Doctor’s ability to call out BS. The scene where Ryan (Tosin Cole) voiced his frustration to Yasmin (Mandip Gill) was heartfelt. I loved that Ryan got to be part of the pow wow at Rosa’s house and witness history happening in real time.
It was subtle, but I also appreciated the importance of education. We should never forget the specifics of how and why the civil rights happened. Accurate history is even more important.
Guest star Vinette Robinson gave a quiet dignity to Rosa Parks. I loved all of the moments she had with the Doctor and the companions. Tosin’s reaction to meeting Martin Luther King (Ray Sesay) was adorable! I probably would have been speechless meeting both Parks and MLK!
The episode did not shy away from the harsh realities of 1955. From Ryan getting punched, to the policeman hunting him the struggle was real. There was sense of tension and danger that has not been felt before pertaining to the theme of the episode. At least for Doctor Who. I think it was important given Ryan is so young, and from England, that he learned just what it was like in the US.
I liked that a new potential villain was introduced. Guest star Josh Bowman of “Revenge” and “Time after Time” fame plays a jerk well as Krasko. Yay that the actor gets to use his real-life accent! I am sure we will be seeing him again but wonder if he’s working for someone else or if he is on his own? I enjoyed the chemistry between Whitaker and Bowman during their scenes. It is always awesome seeing the Doctor trash talk and outsmart the baddie.
Missed Opportunities
While they did a decent job with Ryan’s and Rosa’s experience on the bus, Yasmin’s was glossed over. Having Yasmin say, “let’s see what happens,” was taking the easy way out. It would have been nice to at minimum emphasize another minority struggle in the south. Ryan experienced it first-hand but Yasmin’s experience was in collateral situations. I think it could have been tastefully done without taking away from the story.
The Absence of Nan
One of the things that still irritates me is the fact that Nan/Grace died in the premiere episode. This episode features a historical black female that jump started the Civil Rights movement. To not have Nan play a role in maintaining it is a disservice. Yes, Ryan gave a shout out. Past companions Martha and Billy were never part of an episode of this magnitude. Ryan almost makes up for it but it was very disappointing that Nan could not be physically be part of it either.
The song during the final moment
I thought the song “Rise Up” by Andra Day was okay. My guess as to why “Rise Up” was chosen; it is a recognizable modern song. Also maybe it emphasizes how much work we still need to do in modern time. Also, there was an older song in the beginning of the episode so maybe the decision was to not overdo it?
However, to give the moment even more punch I felt another spiritual would have been a better choice. For example, “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around” or go with a classic, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
It would have shown consistency if anything else. Plus given that Ryan sent Krasko away so Rosa could succeed also would have given the song more oomph.
Overall the episode hit most of the right emotional spots. With some improvements the episode could have been even better.
What are your thoughts? Sound off below in the comments!
The post Doctor Who “Rosa” Episode Review appeared first on The Nerd Element.
R&B artist and now tech startup founder, Kehlani has been a very busy woman. Not only did she just announce her pregnancy, but today she is officially announcing the launch of her new app, Flora, an app that inspires young people to make positive changes in their lives.
Through a gamification model, the app provides users with challenges and every time a specific challenge is completed they are allowed to collect coins. Once you amass a certain amount of coins, you are allowed to exchange them for prizes. “It’s pretty awesome to me because not only does it let you get a cool prize,” said Kehlani as she explained the platform in a recent YouTube Live, “but you get to do a really fun challenge that actually actively changes something in your life, not just for yourself but, for the world, and for others.”
In addition to the app having a gamification component, it boasts an awesome community where players can support one another’s endeavors. “You can create your account and leave comments on other people’s challenges,” continued Kehlani. “Maybe I have a suggestion on how you can do the challenge better. Maybe I have a suggestion on how we can possibly compete and do our challenge at the same time. Prior to the announcement, the app amassed 22k in a pre-launch that took place over a 48-hour period.
(Image: Flora)
Kehlani is joined by her co-founders, Reid Williams, COO, and Alaxic Smith, CTO and designer. They got the idea after the two started off with their own streaming service, where Kehlani conducted her first virtual release party. “We decided to come together and said hey, as a developer, a marketing strategist, communications guy and me, how could we do something that really benefits our generation,” stated Kehlani. That started the birth of Flora.
Co-founders of Flora: Reid Williams, Kehlani Ashley Parrish, Alaxic Smith (Image: Flora)
To learn more about the app and to download it, click here.
The post Kehlani Launches Flora, the App for Better Living appeared first on Black Enterprise.
Here’s another reminder why you should always be careful about what you post on social media. A Boston Red Sox fan arrived at Fenway Park on Wednesday for Game 2 of the 2018 […]
The post Guy’s $650 World Series Ticket Stolen by Scammer Through Instagram Photo appeared first on Geek.com.
Everyone has certain things they want from a comic to grab their attention Certain ingredients that make the comic right for you taste. Me? You throw in the right amount of pop culture nods, obscure references or random jokes, and you got me. I am all the way there for it. When coming across Julian Lytle’s (who first saw on Longboxes on 22’s) Ants webcomic, I was curious at first after seeing the opening scene where a character agrees with Trump’s extreme vetting. I knew there had to be a turn coming but upon seeing the turn I wasn’t expecting to feel so damn seen once he said he just wanted to use it for making sure someone can be handed the aux cord.
I was instantly laughing at this and knew it was going to be a fun ride exploring the rest of this volume. Ants Vol. 3 offers satire that Lytle lays on display as a buffet. Each page serves as a different story much like Sunday comic strips but as I read them, for me, they played out like quick skits. What I really enjoyed about reading through this volume, were the different topics at hand. Many of them were topical but there were others that truly felt evergreen. Lytle has a talent for storytelling as well as taking the little mundane things people do or talk about and shining a spotlight on them through humor and comedy. There’s even humor and little pop culture easter eggs in the descriptions for the main characters Traz, Trak, Skud, and Fud.
I’ll be honest. I’m not sure I’ve ever related more to a panel than the one posted above. Again, I feel so damn seen. Lytle’s take on satire is timely and introspective for the characters as well. You can tell (with this panel) this is the writer looking in on themselves. Lytle’s topicals and perspectives stem from (simply put) real world and adulthood shit. Which is the perfect foundation to set this webcomic upon in order to get these satirical jokes off. It’s dope to have a webcomic that focuses on a comedic element and is more conversational than action-packed.
If you liking what you’re seeing, you can get a copy of Ants from Gumroad. Follow Ltyle on Twitter and see more of the Ants here.
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The post ‘Ants’ Web Comic Just Wants To Get These Jokes Off appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.