THE STRANGEVERSE!

What If...?: Lanterns

2026-09-30T01:06:05.474-04:00

I'm not gonna bury the lede anymore; the current "Lanters" show is shite. From start to finish, the show is open butt on a copy machine, bad, and I'm here to clean it up. So let's ask: What if "Lanters" was good- no, like really good? Let's dive in;

Let's Talk Some More About The "Avengers: Doomsday" Trailer

2026-08-15T03:22:34.059-04:00

Alright kids, didn't think it'd be so soon, but here we are again with YET another trailer for "Avengers: Doomsday," and either Marvel is desperate, or they're REALLY hoping this brings them back from the dead because this trailer is practically giving the game away. What do I mean? Let's dive in;

Let's Talk About The "Avengers: Doomsday" Trailer

2026-07-21T21:52:46.594-04:00

So we now have an official trailer for "Avengers: Doomsday," and I have words. No, I won't be crapping all over it like everyone has. I rather like the trailer; it doesn't show me the whole movie, and for that I am thankful because most trailers blow their load showing you all the major plot points and all the cool spots to the point where watching the movie is superfluous. That being said, let's dive in;

Project Canceled: Journeyman

2026-06-20T04:38:44.533-04:00

Life's not fair. That's an axiom we learn very early in life, and despite the truthfulness of the statement, it never brings any comfort, solace, or calm to any situation...just cold, harsh reality. This is one of those instances. For years, I have extoled the virtues of NBC's long-canceled show "Journeyman" on this blog, but it has been YEARS since I've actually watched "Journeyman". I remember quite a bit and have forgotten quite a bit, but from what I remember, I remember it being 10/10. There are very few shows that I have absolute adoration for; most are the usual suspects: "The Sopranos", "Breaking Bad", "L O S T", "True Detective: Season One" (because that's the only season that matters) but "Journeyman" was presented as a lead-in to "Heroes" and a mid-season replacement nonetheless, there wasn't much hype surrounding the series as it didn't carry any big names, the only recognizable names being an up and coming Kevin McKidd and TV cancer herself Moon Bloodgood (who we previously referenced in our discussion of "Day Break").

I won't rehash what I said about "Day Break," but all of it applies to "Journeyman". Sometimes TV shows come out at the wrong time, and because of that, they don't make as much of a splash as they could have. I firmly believe "Journeyman" is one of those TV shows. I pitched it as my generation's "Quantum Leap", except instead of jumping into different bodies, our main character, Dan Vasser, is jumping through time and helping alter events in the future and changing lives. I might as well discuss the plot since I gave you a little taste, but I'll be more robust.

STRANGE LOG: Not Too Long Ago I Was At A Christmas Party...

2026-04-08T12:26:00.003-04:00

We're back at it, and again, here is another Strange Log. Not a whole lot to cover, but just some stuff coming down the pike that I wanna address and share my thoughts on. Spoilers for "Scream 7". Let's dive in;

Mike Flanagan Is Overrated

2026-03-24T20:14:00.001-04:00

This one has been a long time coming, and honestly, I think it's about time we talk about Mike Flanagan and how he is (in my opinion) seriously overrated. Mike Flanagan is a name now well known in the horror sphere for some time now, and with his most recent accolade being a miniseries remake of "Carrie" (because that's what we need in 2026), I think I need to discuss why I think he's overrated. Let's dive in.

Let's Talk About The Lanterns Trailer

2026-03-11T19:45:00.004-04:00

So I've had some time to digest the "Lanterns" trailer, and when they said this was gonna have "True Detective" vibes...I was NOT expecting a carbon copy. There are some words that I have to say, but I think most of it has already been said. Just for the record, I'm gonna add my two cents. Here we go;

STRANGE LOG: Jog and Despair, Losers!

2026-01-06T19:14:00.002-05:00

Greetings folks, once again your boy Ugo has returned, not with an article but with...well...another Strange Log, because let's be real honest, there is less and less worth writing about, am I right? Who the hell am I asking, since no one is reading this anyway, am I right? Again, who am I talking to? Wanna know my thoughts on random stuff? Well, here you go, whoever you are, enjoy.

What If...?: Identity

2025-10-08T16:31:00.000-04:00

So if you're here, then you've probably watched my YouTube video on "Identity," and if you did, GOOD FOR YOU and THANKS! If you're not, then still, THANKS! That being said, I won't bury the lead anymore. "Identity" is a movie that was my critical litmus test. I remember walking out of the movie theatre thinking to myself that the movie was bad, but I couldn't quite articulate it into words; however, as I got older, I realized why this movie sucked and I'm here to ask the question, What if "Identity" was good? No, like really good. Let's dive in.

STRANGE LOG: The Last New Old Has-been After The One Before The Other One

2025-09-17T20:19:00.003-04:00

Well, it's time for another Strange Log. There is a lot going on right now, and literally, this is a depressing time, and I won't elaborate on that simply to keep this blog light. There's a lot going on and not a lot at the same time. I'm feeling confused and disillusioned, and I just wanna talk about media. Let's dive in.

Anime RE-Claimed: Oshi No Ko

2025-08-21T03:25:00.005-04:00

What's the deal with isekais lately? There was a time when Truck-Kun was busy running down salary men and transforming them into overpowered badasses, but that has slowed down considerably. Now we come to "Oshi No Ko", an anime that is pretty unique in its existence and exactly what I wanted (more or less) out of the isekai genre...if you can call this isekai. I can't really talk about the series without going into the major plot of the story, but this is all in the first episode, which is an hour long (yes, it takes that long to set up the plot). Despite the colorful art style and the beautiful character design of "Oshi No Ko" and the seemingly wholesome plot, this is actually a dark tale of revenge and murder. Confused, I hope so. Welcome to "Oshi No Ko".

Project Canceled: Happy Town

2025-08-08T01:56:00.001-04:00

"Happy Town" is a show that premiered on ABC in the summer of 2010, a mid-season replacement created by Andre' Nemec and Josh Appelbaum, two producers who continue to work on TV shows that just don't seem to strike a chord with audiences, not entirely their own fault either, bad timing, half-baked concepts, awful lead ins, and maybe not the strongest cast seem to work against them. It's shocking how much I actually remember "Happy Town" even YEARS after having watched it, 15 to be exact. But here we are, now if you know me, you know I LOVE a good small town mystery, one of the reasons I was drawn to "Pretty Little Liars" and "Ravenswood", and while those were written for pre-teens and the young adult crowd, "Happy Town" was set for prime time viewing and had a quiet maturity about it that makes this quaint little show kind of endearing.

"Happy Town" tells the story of Haplin, Minnesota, a town known for its bread factory, a small town where everyone knows everyone and everyone's got secrets. During a period of time that has at the start of the series long since passed, the town was terrorized by a serial kidnapper simply known as "The Magic Man". "The Magic Man" had an ability to make people disappear in crowded spaces, and bodies were never found, almost as if the people just blipped out of existence and then leaving those left behind a bouquet of dead flowers on their doorstep. Of course, this is simply the backdrop to our little mystery (which gets solved by the finale episode...we'll get to that), there is much more going on in Haplin, and our key players seem to know more than meets the eye. The series does boast some decent star power; Sam Niel (unfortunately, television cancer), Peter Outerbridge (who just so happens to have one of the best lines in this show) Lauren German (currently and unfortunately starring in "Lucifer"), Sarah Gadon, Robert Wisdom, and the only reason anyone would watch "Angel", Amy Acker.

When I originally watched "Happy Town," I was less than impressed, despite the show making an undeniable impression on me. Once again, this is due to my love of small-town mysteries. But I found the characters to be a bit...stupid, and the plot more or less getting muddled. Now that I've rewatched it, I can honestly say that I enjoyed it for the most part and can identify a few moments where the narrative and the story break down. "Happy Town" was canceled after 6 episodes aired, with the last 2 only being available on ABC. With all that said, let's dive into "Happy Town.";

STRANGE LOG: Smashing Archerina

2025-07-27T00:48:00.001-04:00

Yes, we have yet another Strange Log, in this blog I'll be summarizing my thoughts on "Superman", "Fantastic Four: First Steps", now I'll only be seeing "Superman."...I'll be reading the spoilers for "Fantastic Four: First Steps"...shoot me later. I'll also be talking about "Daredevil: Born Again" and a few other things, please bare with me, let's dive in;

And Now We Have A "Dexter: Resurrection" Trailer

2025-06-03T16:54:00.001-04:00

We're back, kiddos...or rather, he's back, that's right, folks, Dexter is back from the dead with a brand new series. Now, say what you will about "Dexter: New Blood," I thought it was pretty good, all things considered, but I have to agree that the ending was pretty rushed...and now we have a course correction with "Dexter: Resurrection" after surviving a potentially fatal gunshot wound inflicted upon him by his very own son for breaking the code and killing an innocent man (Srg Logan). So now we pick up from that scene and find Dexter in the hospital and awakening to a new life...and where else but New York?

So About That Avengers: Doomsday Cast List...

2025-04-01T23:56:00.002-04:00

So...now we have an official cast list to "Avengers: Doomsday" and it more or less reads as a "Who's that again?" list of actors in the MCU, and dare I say it reveals the problem I noticed all along, a problem I'll get to after the break.Read more »

STRANGE LOG: The Unassuming Waypoint From ?

2025-03-12T19:40:00.000-04:00

We should talk about things. Yeah, it's another Strange Log, and we're looking at several things, mostly related, but there are many other things that aren't, not entirely. I'm rambling, here we go;

Anime RE-Claimed: Go Go Loser Rangers

2025-02-17T13:29:00.004-05:00

I'm a huge fan of "Power Rangers", I'm pretty sure I said that on this blog here and there but it bears repeating. Surprisingly there are very few Sentai-related animes, sure you've got "Sailor Moon" and "Gatchaman" and to an extent "Voltron" but none of them capture that Sentai vibe. Most recently I watched "Love After World Domination" and I enjoyed that fully but even then the sentai aspect took a back seat to the romance plot. "Ranger Rejects" or "Go Go Loser Rangers" is a subversive take on the Sentai genre that I'm surprised took this long to make. I'll dive in after the break;Read more »

STRANGE LOG: Cyber Punk Gorilla?

2025-01-23T10:42:00.006-05:00

Hello kiddos, Happy New Year! It's been a good minute here at the Strangeverse and pretty much all is quiet here on the (literal) western front. Not much has changed for me, just getting a new vehicle, enjoying my gaming PC, and waiting quietly for entertainment media to get good again (which seems like it may not happen anytime soon). That isn't to say there are something worth taking a look at, all of which will be mentioned after the break;

My Thoughts On "Dexter: Original Sin" Trailer

2024-11-30T15:36:00.000-05:00

So here we are once again, "Dexter: Original Sin" trailer is among us now and coming out as soon as next month at the time of writing this (Nov. 29th, 2024) and *sigh* "Dexter" is not the franchise Showtime thinks it is, the premise of "Dexter" is very, very, simple, he's a serial killer that kills killers and the real gimmick of the show is how long can he do this before the gets caught...and unfortunately the original series answered this question (the answer being for a long freakin' time...because Miami Metro's Police Department has the intelligent of 2 rocks rattling around in a tin can...and one of those rocks is named Det. Quinn). And then the 2nd series "Dexter: New Blood" answered this question again, not very long as long as someone is paying attention, but that's the gimmick, how long can he keep this up. Since that question has been answered twice and in a definitive fashion, the need for a prequel series seems like putting a saddle on a dead horse in that Showtime is determined to ride our red-head human hacker to whatever dollar signs they believe are on the horizon.

Anime RE-Claimed:The Eminence In Shadow

2024-11-06T14:26:00.000-05:00

When is an isekai not an isekai, or rather when is an isekai supposed to be an isekai? That's the questions I ask because when I think isekai I think of "a fish outta water" story where a character from one time or place has to adapt to another time or place BUT "The Eminence In Shadow" is more or less a parody of this and beyond. Minuro Kagenou was an unassuming young man in high school, just like anybody else, so normal was he that he was barely recognizable, HOWEVER, underneath Minuro's unassuming nature was a strength beyond comprehension as Minuro was actually something of a vigilante and not only that but freakishly strong, had a vast array of talents and abilities and was an expert in combat so apt that he was even able to go toe-to-toe with a former solider without suffering any damage. One fateful night while attempting to learn magic Minuro was struck by a vehicle (isn't it always) and was reborn in another world as Cid Kagenou. Now in a world filled with magic Cid continues his quest to become the Eminence In Shadow...but what does that even mean?

Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns Review

2024-09-25T23:12:00.003-04:00

So what does a Nothing Burger taste like? Because for everything that this could have been (and it could have been a lot) this was at least in my opinion, the very definition of a Nothing Burger. I've been very lenient with the recent "Mortal Kombat" games, even giving "Mortal Kombat 1" an 8/10, I still consider "Mortal Kombat 11" to be the weakest entry and "Mortal Kombat X" to be the most wasted in terms of potential...but this...this is...*sigh*...this is unforgivable. Listen, I'll defend the concept of a the multiverse until I'm blue in the face because I think that any writer worth their salt to take a concept like a multiverse/timeline whatever and actually make something really awesome with it (take a look at Stephen King) so use of a multiverse isn't exactly lazy in and of itself as I've written before here, BUT when you do this with it...well...let's just dive in;

What If...?: The Acolyte

2024-08-06T18:14:00.000-04:00

This one is an easy one because anything I do here is going to be leagues better than what Disney put out, but while I'm not one to go after low-hanging fruit, this one is BEGGING for a "What If...?" and I'm gonna give it to you! Granted this one is a lay-up but I'll be explaining my choices and expand on later seasons, which I'm projecting to be at least 3 Seasons. I won't keep you any longer, let's ask the question what if "The Acolyte" was good? No, like really good. Let's dive in;Read more »

STRANGE LOG: The Last To Know, First To Return, Second To Do Whatever...

2024-07-28T12:38:00.006-04:00

I've been away for a bit Boys and girls and while I feel like I'm not 100% back, I am dipping a toe in a return more or less. The truth is there really isn't much going on worth writing an entire article about. Entertainment has hit a massive low in my opinion. I could write an article on all the L's the entertainment industry is taking right now (and trust me, it's a lot) but there are more than enough YouTube channels out there that are doing the work for me. That said there are a few things worth discussing and we'll take a look at those below. Let's dive in;

Anime RE-Claimed: Spy X Family

2024-06-12T17:53:00.002-04:00

So here's a fun fact about me, I love me some James Bond, I love spies and spy stuff, I love James Bond so much that I even made my own James Bond-type character complete with a series of adventures that sound like unused Bond titles. This isn't to say that "Spy X Family" or "Spy Family" (because the "X" is silent) is anything like James Bond, it's not, not at all, BUT that is the groundwork for the series. When two different genres meets, the exciting spy thriller with...slice of life hilarity ensues. The American market does this often when some high-ranking military bad-ass is suddenly saddled with a bunch of kids ("Suburban Commando", "The Pacifier", "Cop and a Half", "The Spy Nextdoor") the list goes on, usually American tends to ramp up the comedy and while this isn't much different, anime has a way of making things more organic. What "Spy X Family" offers us is an unlikely trio of misfits who by hook and crook are somehow making a lie as thin as a sewing needle work as the foundation of a family, let's dive in.

Anime RE-Claimed: Classroom Of The Elite

2024-05-29T00:55:00.005-04:00

I love schemers. And by schemers, I mean the characters who are always 3 steps ahead of the other characters. It's a trend I have; Michael Scofield in "Prison Break", Frank Underwood in "House Of Cards", Light Yagami, L and Near in "Death Note", Moriarty in "Sherlock", Hannibal in...well..."Hannibal", and the list goes on. Even in my own works, there always seems to be one character who's holding all the cards. "Classroom Of The Elite" is no different. I gotta be honest, I'm not sure what I was expecting when I picked up the manga, "Classroom Of The Elite" was one of those manga that were getting pretty decent buzz, the characters were pretty dang cute, and I'm a massive sucker for pretty faces. I wasn't sure what the manga was about, but wanting to check something out I decided to give it a shot, and I'm pretty dang happy I did. Let's dive in;