So we've completed the first section in round one. Time for analysis. Who said I was anal? You take that back!
You would think, from what I’ve written so far, that it would be obvious which is going to be first, and maybe it is, but I want to judge these under several criteria, which I’ll list below. After all, a really crappy episode might have something to recommend it, and might be able to rise above poor writing if, say, it had a really great twist or something. I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about, so normal service resumed. Here are the criteria under which I’ll be judging all episodes and getting their ranking. All will be scored from 0 to 10.
Story: Obviously, the most important point; was the story good? But this will be broken down then into
Plot twists? Were there any? Were they good? Did they take me by surprise, and were they believable?
Setting: Was it just a story set on Earth or did the writer go for a more out-there locale (other planet/dimension/time etc)?
Ending: Regardless of plot twists, or the absence of them, did the story end well? After all, sometimes a plot twist won’t save a ****ty story. Sometimes it can make it worse.
Enjoyment factor: Simple enough: did I enjoy the story overall?
Originality: Was this a reworking of a popular theme, or one that has been done before? Was it even a copy or version of, or tribute to an earlier story?
Humour: Was there any? Humour can sometimes make an otherwise bad story seem acceptable, but then again if used badly it can just make it worse. For this reason, there are minus scores here too, for when the humour is totally inappropriate, used badly, or just ends up detracting from a bad (or good) story.
Star quality: Not always an indication of a brilliant episode, but the addition of well-known actors and actresses can change how well a story is received.
Supporting character(s): Did they work well? Did they complement the main character? Did they add to the story or would it have been better off without them? Did they actually make it worse?
Predictable? Does what it says on the tin: could I work out pretty early in the story how it was going to end, and was I right?
Innovation: Did the story use any new or interesting concepts, or approach things in a way I have not seen before?
Message: Was there a clear message in the story, and was it put across well?
Loose ends: Were there any, or was the story tied up neatly at the end?
So that’s a possible total of 130 (13 criteria with a maximum of 10 each). Let’s see what the data, as they say, shows us.
“Shades of Guilt” (The Twilight Zone)
Story: 7
Plot twists? 5
Setting: 0
(Any story set on Earth in our time gets the lowest rating)
Ending: 5
Enjoyment factor: 5
Originality: 1
Unless something is a complete rip-off I won’t give it a 0, but this is too close to so many other stories.
Humour: 0
Star quality: 0
Supporting character(s): 3
Predictable? 3
Innovation: 0
Message: 5
Loose ends: 10
Total: 44
“Beyond the Veil” (The Outer Limits)
Story: 4
Plot twists? 2
Setting: 0
Ending: 2
Enjoyment factor: 2
Originality: 0
Humour: 0
Star quality: 0
Supporting character(s): 1
Predictable? 10
This is the only high score I’m giving this episode, in that I could not figure out how it was going to end. Even if it was a **** end, it certainly was not predictable.
Innovation: 0
Message: 0
Loose ends: 10
Total: 31
“On a Deadman’s Chest” (Tales from the Crypt)
Story: 3
Plot twists? 5
Setting: 0
Ending: 0
Enjoyment factor: 3
Originality: 10
Humour: 1
Star quality: 10
You have the late Heavy D, Greg Allman, Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols and heavy metal axeman supremo Rudy Sarzo. And Tia Carrere. That’s some line up. And even they couldn’t save this from being the turd it is.
Supporting character(s): 6
Yeah, Vendetta is the device by which Danny ends up at the tattoo parlour, Heavy D as the tattoo guy is all right though not that effective. His parter Nick isn’t that much a part of it, but his wife Scarlet is. And Allman puts in a decent performance as the put-upon promoter. Plus Sarzo’s shredding slays.
Predictable? 10
Innovation: 10
Message: 0
Loose ends: 10
Total: 68
“Red Leader” (Tales from the Darkside)
Story: 10
Plot twists? 7
Setting: 0
Ending: 8
Enjoyment factor: 10
Originality: 8
Humour: 10
Star quality: 0
Supporting character(s): 8
Predictable? 6
Innovation: 6
Message: 0
Loose ends: 10
Total: 83
“Nosedive” (Black Mirror)
Story: 10
Plot twists? 10
Setting: 8
Ending: 8
Enjoyment factor: 10
Originality: 10
Humour: 3
Star quality: 0
Supporting character(s): 5
Predictable? 10
Innovation: 10
Message: 10
Loose ends: 10
Total: 104
So the current rankings are as follows:
In fifth place The Outer Limits
In fourth place The Twilight Zone
In third place Tales from the Crypt
In second place Tales from the Darkside
And in first place Black Mirror.
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Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018
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