The Stop Button

Daredevil: Born Again (2025) s01e09 “Straight to Hell” D: Aaron Moorhead. S: Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, Michael Gandolfini, Ayelet Zurer, Wilson Bethel, Deborah Ann Woll, Jon Bernthal. Smart, savvy season finale brings Woll back–presumably to be a regular–to give Cox a pal since he may be surrounded by (problematically?) female Judases. Most of the episode’s got Berenthal laying waste in perfection. The third act’s a little clunky (they needed a consistent city hall subplot), but REBORN’s in great shape for next time.

Doctor Who (2024) s02e01 “The Robot Revolution” [2025] D: Peter Hoar. S: Ncuti Gatwa, Varada Sethu, Evelyn Miller, Jonny Green, Max Parker, Thalía Dudek, Jeffin Kunjumon. Excellent debut for Sethu, who gets kidnapped by alien robots so she can rule their planet, but it’s complicated and timey wimey it turns out. Gatwa is there to save her, but she’s going to save herself. The conclusion’s both good and bad, with the script flexing a little much for a bit. Great direction from Hoar.

Doctor Who (2024) s02e02 “Lux” [2025] D: Amanda Brotchie. S: Ncuti Gatwa, Varada Sethu, Alan Cumming, Lucy Thackeray, Linus Roache. Sethu’s second outing, which has her getting into the Doctor’s investigating and not just needing to be rescued, is a fantastic one. She and Gatwa happen across a mysterious movie theater (where the audience already knows an evil cartoon has come to life–voiced by Cummings). Great chemistry between Sethu and Gatwa, but also just great television. Real good.

Doctor Who (2024) s02e03 “The Well” [2025] D: Amanda Brotchie. S: Ncuti Gatwa, Varada Sethu, Rose Ayling-Ellis, Christopher Chung, Caoilfhionn Dunne, Bethany Antonia, Annabel Brook. In the very far flung future, Gatwa and Sethu land on a desolate planet in the middle of a space marines mission. The setup is very trope, but the surprise continuity ties, and just the plain scariness are outstanding. Another great episode for the new duo. The big budget Disney+ effects don’t hurt at all either. Real good.

The Last of Us (2023) s02e01 “Future Days” [2025] D: Craig Mazin. S: Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Gabriel Luna, Isabela Merced, Young Mazino, Samuel Hoeksema, Kaitlyn Dever. Exposition-heavy season opener does a five-year jump ahead to a period where Pascal and Ramsey aren’t talking. Is it because of his big secret? Not even therapy with new cast member O’Hara will answer that question here. Then Merced gets to raise a bunch of personal stakes for Ramsey. It barely qualifies as engaging, much less compelling.

The Last of Us (2023) s02e02 “Through the Valley” [2025] D: Mark Mylod. S: Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Gabriel Luna, Isabela Merced, Young Mazino, Kaitlyn Dever, Robert John Burke. Oh, so it is “that” episode. Well. Honestly, not having played the game… I’m hesitant to offer an opinion on adaptation. As far as this episode’s dramatics, however, high mid? They should’ve done a two-hour premiere and gotten this over with if it’s so soon. Also, if Dever pulls off the heavy, sure, otherwise, oof. Prestige RESIDENT EVIL….

The Last of Us (2023) s02e03 “The Path” [2025] D: Peter Hoar. S: Bella Ramsey, Gabriel Luna, Isabela Merced, Young Mazino, Rutina Wesley, Catherine O’Hara, Robert John Burke. They didn’t even get Pedro Pascal for a corpse cameo; not sure how to read into that one. Overall, the episode goes on too long, with Ramsey and Merced saving it scene to scene, but the pedantic, belabored storytelling works against it. Maybe it’s the lack of cinematic direction? Something. But Ramsey’s great and Merced’s real good too.