• Anti-Spam Policy
  • Copyright Notice
  • DMCA Compliance
  • Earnings Disclaimer
  • Fair Use Disclaimer
  • FTC Compliance
  • Privacy Policy
  • Social Media Disclaimer
  • Terms and Conditions
HollywoodNewsHub.com
  • Home
    • About
  • News & Gossip
  • Movies
  • Television
  • Music
  • Fashion
  • Horror
  • Trailers
  • Contact
  • Home
    • About
  • News & Gossip
  • Movies
  • Television
  • Music
  • Fashion
  • Horror
  • Trailers
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
HollywoodNewsHub.com
No Result
View All Result

More Shows Should Take After ‘Legacies’ & Keep Monster-of-the-Week Alive

by admin
June 19, 2022
in Television
More Shows Should Take After ‘Legacies’ & Keep Monster-of-the-Week Alive


For the first time in nearly 13 years, The CW’s Vampire Diaries universe is off the air. With spinoff series Legacies‘ fourth season serving as its last, and its June 16 finale already behind us, there’s no telling when another TVD story will come about. However, during their run, TVD shows became the pinnacle of the supernatural soap genre with steamy romances, intriguing lore, memorable characters — and most importantly, a perfect amount of cheesiness (at least, when it wasn’t trying to be too serious).

When it premiered in 2018 soon after The Originals finale, Legacies found ways to distinguish itself from its predecessors. Centered around the children of the characters from the previous two shows, Legacies has an interesting premise: TVD’s Alaric Saltzman (Matthew Davis) runs a school for witches, vampires, werewolves, and other supernatural beings, like tribrid Hope Mikaelson (Danielle Rose Russell), who happens to be all three. Set a few years after her parents die on The Originals, Hope and her friends face villain after villain, but the multi-season big bad is Malivore, who consumes supernatural creatures and wipes out all traces of their existence.

Chris Lee as Kaleb, Quincy Fouse as Milton ”MG” Greasley, Jenny Boyd as Lizzie Saltzman, Danielle Rose Russell as Hope Mikaelson, and Ben Levin as Jed in Legacies

Chris Reel / The CW

Throughout the seasons, Malivore sends the monsters he’d devoured to attack the Salvatore School, and some of the kids, including Hope and twin Gemini witches Josie (Kaylee Bryant) and Lizzie Saltzman (Jenny Boyd), create a ‘Super Squad’ to fight them off, with a high success rate. But the monster-of-the-week format — the main way Legacies set itself apart — does more than provide showy action sequences with never-before-seen creatures: It brings up new struggles for the characters to grapple with emotionally and keeps things fairly easy to comprehend plot-wise. Best of all, it brings back the silliness that had beforehand mostly been snuffed out in the TVD universe, bogged down by spending a little too much time on the lore in the end. With Legacies coming to a close, other shows going forward need to take a page out of its book and keep the weekly monster format alive.

Though it took a backseat during Legacies’ fourth season, the structure made up the bulk of Season 1 through 3, always connecting to the overarching Malivore plot before he bit the dust in the fourth episode of Season 4. Hope finally activated her tribrid powers and killed him (and as a result, her love interest, Aria Shahghasemi’s Landon, died as well). Landon’s death sparked the new season’s central arc in which Hope turned off her humanity. Oh, and the gods became involved, but that’s another matter entirely. The fourth season had a noticeable tonal shift — it took after TVD much more with its arc’s throughline and very few fun asides. But whereas the show took (maybe a little too much) time with Malivore and each of his monsters in the first three seasons, it didn’t spend nearly enough on the gods in the final 20 episodes.

Some fans were more than happy to see Malivore go — the MOTW format wasn’t “TVD enough,” many claimed. But Legacies hinged on the structure to make it more original from its predecessors as well as other shows on TV right now — the condensed eight-episode arc and tight storytelling seems to be the go-to lately. MOTW also masked Legacies’ fairly messy plot issues and assured that the average viewer, unfamiliar with TVD lore, could have a smooth viewing experience. (And these days, in the era of Marvel and Star Wars where almost all of the filmography is required viewing to understand a current project, Legacies was quite refreshing in this respect.) Sure, some of the monsters were blink-and-you-miss-them forgettable, but at Legacies’ best, it was able to use the one-and-done formula as a tool to bring its characters back to Earth, focusing more on them rather than its too ambitious larger mythology.

Monster-of-the-week is far from revolutionary — Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The X-Files, and, most recently, the long-running Supernatural did it best, though they certainly had their fair share of fumbles before getting it right. But the trope is tried and true; the series just has to strike the right balance of the smaller monster narrative and broader plot without losing its focus and comprehensibility. Legacies was able to do it decently enough in so few seasons. In particular, when Legacies introduces monsters that are already established characters, like dark Josie and TVD antagonist Kai Parker (Chris Wood), it worked exceedingly well by pushing their characters to their moral limits and testing the viewers’ loyalty to their favorite characters as well. Regardless, before its end, Legacies was part of a dwindling number of mainstream series still making use of MOTW — at least, before wrongfully abandoning it in its final season.

Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles in Supernatural

Colin Bentley / ©The CW / Courtesy Everett Collection

The MOTW structure needs to be employed more often and definitely shouldn’t die out — it’s exactly what makes television as a medium so great, distinguishing it from film. Syfy’s wonderful, silly supernatural series Astrid & Lilly Save the World, one of the latest shows to use the format, did it even better than Legacies and proved why it’s such a valuable storytelling mechanism. It uses the monsters to further the girls’ character growth while firmly avoiding slipping into mind-numbing formulaic territory; even better, each monster they defeat is part of a quest, crucial to reaching the big payoff. The monsters serve a purpose, even when they’re ridiculous and provide more than a few laughs.

Streaming shows need to follow in the footsteps of Legacies and Astrid & Lilly and produce more series that aren’t essentially eight-hour movies, and MOTW is the perfect solution. Episodes need to be broken up from each other to let the viewer catch their breath and allow them to get more attached to the characters without having the pressure of a too-heavy plot. As the successor to Supernatural, I can only hope that the upcoming prequel series The Winchesters takes up the mantel as TV’s resident MOTW show — that is, if Astrid & Lilly isn’t brought back for Season 2. It’s still my number one.



Original Source Link

Previous Post

Dinosaurs Rule as Lightyear Fails to Take Off

Next Post

Zendaya denies pregnancy rumors after the TikTok video prank

admin

admin

Related Posts

Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Something New Review: Skyler Samuels and a New Cast Breathe Life Into Franchise
Television

Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Something New Review: Skyler Samuels and a New Cast Breathe Life Into Franchise

by admin
June 10, 2023
Kandy Muse Eliminates [Spoiler] – TVLine
Television

Kandy Muse Eliminates [Spoiler] – TVLine

by admin
June 9, 2023
Canceled ‘Walker Independence’ Won’t Be Saved for Season 2
Television

Canceled ‘Walker Independence’ Won’t Be Saved for Season 2

by admin
June 9, 2023
The Blacklist Season 10 Episode 17 Review: The Morgana Logistics Corporation
Television

The Blacklist Season 10 Episode 17 Review: The Morgana Logistics Corporation

by admin
June 9, 2023
Chloe Fineman Spoofs HBO’s ‘The Idol’ — Lily-Rose Depp Approves – TVLine
Television

Chloe Fineman Spoofs HBO’s ‘The Idol’ — Lily-Rose Depp Approves – TVLine

by admin
June 9, 2023
Next Post
Zendaya denies pregnancy rumors after the TikTok video prank

Zendaya denies pregnancy rumors after the TikTok video prank

YSL Beauty’s Lipstick Maker Comes to Canada

YSL Beauty’s Lipstick Maker Comes to Canada

The Last Wish Theatrical Trailer (2022)

The Last Wish Theatrical Trailer (2022)

ADVERTISEMENT

POPULAR POSTS

65 Movie Review

65 Movie Review

May 30, 2023
Halle Bailey Hair Little Mermaid: How She Transformed Into Ariel

Halle Bailey Hair Little Mermaid: How She Transformed Into Ariel

June 6, 2023
‘I Love That For You’ Cancelled at Showtime, No Season 2 – TVLine

‘I Love That For You’ Cancelled at Showtime, No Season 2 – TVLine

June 8, 2023
How to Get Tickets to Dominic Fike’s 2023 Tour

How to Get Tickets to Dominic Fike’s 2023 Tour

May 30, 2023
Killer Kites is So Much Better Than It Has Any Right to Be [Review]

Killer Kites is So Much Better Than It Has Any Right to Be [Review]

May 28, 2023
Shakira & Tom Cruise’s Relationship Status Revealed After Grand Prix – Hollywood Life

Shakira & Tom Cruise’s Relationship Status Revealed After Grand Prix – Hollywood Life

May 12, 2023
Ireland Baldwin & Newborn Daughter Pose Together In Hospital Photos – Hollywood Life

Ireland Baldwin & Newborn Daughter Pose Together In Hospital Photos – Hollywood Life

May 23, 2023

Browse by Category

  • Books (1)
  • Business (3)
  • Events (4)
  • Fashion (1,672)
  • Horror (863)
  • Interviews (11)
  • Movies (1,674)
  • Music (1,697)
  • News & Gossip (2,490)
  • Television (1,691)
  • Trailers (1,661)
Smoothie Diet
ADVERTISEMENT

POPULAR POSTS

Cancer Daily Horoscope – Free Cancer Horoscope for Today From the AstroTwins

Cancer Daily Horoscope – Free Cancer Horoscope for Today From the AstroTwins

April 29, 2022
Sundance 2023: The Hilarious ‘Theater Camp’ is an Instant Classic

Sundance 2023: The Hilarious ‘Theater Camp’ is an Instant Classic

January 30, 2023
SZA Reveals New Album Cover

SZA Reveals New Album Cover

November 30, 2022
‘Wednesday’ Season 1 Finale Recap —  Season 2 Renewed, Cancelled

‘Wednesday’ Season 1 Finale Recap —  Season 2 Renewed, Cancelled

November 24, 2022

READERS' PICKS

M83 Announces North American Tour

M83 Announces North American Tour

May 24, 2023
Everything New Streaming on Max at Launch

Everything New Streaming on Max at Launch

May 18, 2023
A Timeline of the Sex and the City Feud Between Kim Cattrall and Sarah Jessica Parker

A Timeline of the Sex and the City Feud Between Kim Cattrall and Sarah Jessica Parker

June 1, 2023
Kroy Biermann Hints Kim Zolciak Wants to Be on TV Amid Divorce

Kroy Biermann Hints Kim Zolciak Wants to Be on TV Amid Divorce

May 26, 2023

EDITOR'S PICKS

Dennis Quaid & Colin Ford in Baseball Biopic ‘The Hill’ Official Trailer

Dennis Quaid & Colin Ford in Baseball Biopic ‘The Hill’ Official Trailer

June 4, 2023
Why Kim Cattrall Says Getting Botox and Fillers Isn’t a “Vanity Thing”

Why Kim Cattrall Says Getting Botox and Fillers Isn’t a “Vanity Thing”

June 6, 2023
‘The French Connection’ Is Censored on Streaming

‘The French Connection’ Is Censored on Streaming

June 7, 2023
Amazon Should Really Stop Selling This!

Amazon Should Really Stop Selling This!

June 5, 2023

© 2022 HollywoodNewsHub.com - All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
    • About
  • News & Gossip
  • Movies
  • Television
  • Music
  • Fashion
  • Horror
  • Trailers
  • Contact

© 2022 HollywoodNewsHub.com - All Rights Reserved

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT