They were new unproven characters, so I understand why they weren’t high on the list. But there is also a lot of possibility with unproven characters.

Look at Guardians of the Galaxy, before the film no one had ever really heard of them, now they’re one of the most popular rides at Disney World. From unknown to mainstream.

Eternals is definitely a fun idea for a film, so I can see why Chloe Zhao was interested in it. The story however just wasn’t quite there. You could drop the whole Deviants story and I don’t think anyone would care, or at least remove the “super” Deviant… Or actually give that character and storyline development.

Plus as she mentioned there are a lot of fun characters, but we’re limited by the time of a film. So we need to either cut some character or switch to a longer form of media.

I hope The Eternals aren’t gone gone and they get a chance to at least finish their story and/or redeem themselves. Look at Thor, Thor had two solo films that were the weakest of the MCU, but he got extra development in the Avengers films and then a reinvention for Thor Ragnarok.

I think that’s a pretty fair review. It generally outlines the plot that is covered in the first two episodes and hints at the rest without giving too much away.

It’s the story and relationship of two actors who live in the MCU, but if the MCU didn’t exist you could still tell this story.

I want more. (Also no post credits, and I watched through all the languages credits.)

My only complaint with the finale is that I want more.

Also Simon (and Trevor) are on the run now I expect. It won’t be hard to trace “Alfonso” back to that one employee who will absolutely just say “Simon Williams told me he was researching a part”. He’ll probably get fired and investigated, which also means they’ll probably find the anonymous money which I’m guessing there are laws that could seize it, but I do think his story is coming back so we’ll just say he gets the happy ending.

I also loved that Trevor’s solution was to become the Mandarin again. I was wondering why they teased his initial audition last episode, so him fully taking the person on again was excellent.

I know they never do sequels, but IF they did, whatever form it might be, I’m in.

The betrayal. I wish they had talked it out a little more, but I think Simon isn’t in a position to control his emotions enough for that to have happened.

Also if his ex-girlfriend knows then I’m confident his mother and brother know. Also his brother works in insurance so IF they go the route of needing insurance, maybe his brother can hook Simon up.

Punching a hole in someone’s face. There are lots fun ways to kill people with superpowers, but I don’t think we’ve seen that one yet. (I think The Boys did it, but this was a clean hole.)

I absolutely freaked out at that scene. I thought maybe he was a robot. It was all a test. I kinda would have liked it to be real and not a dream, but a dream was probably the right choice.

I have to guess Simon is going to “out” himself and then the director will just pay whatever the huge insurance is to keep him in the film.

Of course I wouldn’t be against a sad ending of Trevor betraying him and it all falling apart, leading us to Wonder Man the villain who can later change his ways, but this show just serves as the villain origin story.

Simon with all his apps really is the tech wizard.

Also that episode started with a problem and seems to now be resolved? I can’t tell if that was just a fun wacky episode or meant to be a direct call out of Wonder Man being betrayed both in script and in character or if there is a loose end I missed.

I expect a Mandarin fruit callback at some point.

Well shit. That’s an episode.

I don’t know where the show as a whole is heading, but that episode is an excellent standalone. It reminds me of Atlanta one off episodes.

Where is J-Gad? And his beautiful “In Summer” Remix.

I don’t know why it’s been dumped all at once, that’s usually an indicator of a bad show, but this has been lovely so far.

You really feel for Simon this episode. Just a poor kid, no dad, no friends, a tough brother. The only moment he’s happy is giving his mother an ice cream maker, and his brother takes it away.

I don’t know how this is going to all tie into the MCU apart from Damage Control, but I really hope he lands the job.

Such a sweet episode. I’m so glad that Ben Kingsley and Yahya are in this, they both shine and play wonderfully off each other.

I have to guess this means that Simon did something, but Damage Control can’t prove it.

Well that’s a show that knows how to capture the audience on the closing scene.

Trevor has never shown himself to be someone who has it all together. In Iron Man 3 he looks serious until he’s revealed to be a bumbling fool. In Shang-Chi there is this hint of otherworldly intelligence when it comes to speaking with or at least understanding Morris, but it still seems like an act.

He still looks a little bit like he’s being played by somewhere higher, whomever the man on the phone is, but third contact isn’t nothing.

And Simon Williams himself. We saw a brief little red eye magic thing, but otherwise Simon has shown zero super powered abilities. He didn’t even hesitate signing the “no super powers” contract.

Does Simon know he has powers? Why would the studio care? Is this the first step in the eventually superhuman registration?

Anyone else think the scene with Matt & Karen dancing and then Matt falling over might be a flashback to The Blip?

I think Matt survives The Blip, but we’re not sure what he’s up to during that time.

It does feel a little late to be doing a Blip storyline, but if it’s a flashback it can be quick and move a bunch of characters around.

All eight episodes drop at 9pm EST (about three hours from now).

I really don’t know what to expect, but I’m a big fan of the cast so hopefully it all comes together.

Solsbury Hill

Also article about its usage.

*UK only? Unless something has changed.

Rumors for Spider-Man 4 also focused on the Vulture as the baddie, and we got a 10/10 Vulture in Homecoming.

See exactly! That’s what I think is happening here. Earl Grey is a solid tea, but someone being a bit snooty would absolutely look down on Picard and his choice of tea.

Who loves orange soda?

Me love orange soda.

Unquestionably yes. There are a lot of reasons, but the biggest reason is Scarlett Johansson. Bob Chapek tried to screw her over for a couple million dollars and it backfired horribly.

To pull a quote from Iger that he attributes to Steve Jobs,

“In a strange way,” Iger says, “I am the brand manager of Disney.” He sees his job as building, in the words of his friend the late Steve Jobs, more “brand deposits” than “brand withdrawals.”

(Source)

Scarlett Johansson made a deal with Disney that gave her film Black Widow a theatrical release and Disney pushed it out to Disney+ as a premium offering during COVID.

If you can screw over the biggest Hollywood star, you could screw over anyone. This isn’t some dispute where there are both sides to the story or Johansson had done something that might have caused an issue. This was Disney’s new CEO panicking.

Even if Disney had won legally, they weren’t going to win in the court of public opinion and that’s a brand withdrawal. You can do it. You can make a big brand withdrawal and make a bunch of money, but it better be worth it.

In Bob Chapek’s case, it wasn’t.

Kelrec’s tea fetish is setting us up for some kind of Picard/Earl Grey joke… But I don’t know how yet. The most straightforward joke being that he finds it too basic/unappealing, but admired Picard and is trying to emulate him.