Steven Universe New Episodes Review

UPDATED 7/20/15
I love Steven Universe and I can't believe I haven't conducted reviews of these episodes. So here I review the last 5 new episodes of June and 5 new episodes this week. 

"Sworn to the Sword," Episode 9

Pearl trains Connie to be a sword fighter and takes it too intensely, putting it akin to Pearl and Rose. A very intense episode and I kind of feel like this is coming too soon. Pearl is way too eager to allow a human--Connie--to fight for Steven, when she never taught Greg any fighting skills. Maybe because she sees herself in Connie and also since Connie was able to fuse with Steven means something. But I still think its too early in the relationship. 

Grade: A

"Rising Tides, Crashing Skies", Episode 10

A snore of an episode where Ronaldo does a documentary about the Gems. It has its funny moments but no new information and no real growth for Ronaldo. 

Grade: C

"Keeping It Together", Season 2 Episode 11

Garnet finds out that Peridot has forced fused fragment gems which freaks out Garnet, who is a fusion. She freaks out in front of Steven and later apologizes. Steven asks how it is be a fusion, Garnet says he should know as he has fused before, but he means all the time. She kind of clears up that even though Sapphire and Ruby are their own persons, Garnet is her own person and they are like her left and right arms. But the episode itself feels a little disjointed and the pacing is off. 

Grade: B+

"We Need to Talk" Season 2 Episode 12

This is a great episode!!! This is better than "Story for Steven," I love the flashback episodes. It has been alluded to that Pearl really cared for Rose Quartz and there was adversity between the Gems and Greg. It is nice to see young Greg (he brings up the story since Greg witnesses Steven and Connie fuse), he is so short and cute with his long hair. Meaning LOTS of year passed between when Greg met Rose and Steven was even conceived. So anyway, in this ep we see Rose fuse with Pearl making Rainbow Quartz, which reminds me of Danse from Jem and Rose Quartz singing like Jem. Greg wants to fuse too and tries to with Rose, which makes her laugh and makes Greg realize that Rose is not like any normal woman, well she is an alien gem. And I got the sinking feeling that Greg loved Rose more than she did and she wasn't aware of the concept but since we have Steven and see them kissing in an earlier flashback, I have confidence that eventually she understood it. The producers admitted that Pearl was indeed in love with Rose. 

Grade: A+

"Chile Tid" Season 2 Episode 13

The title "Chille Tid" translates roughly to "Chilling Time" from Norwegian Bokmål. The Gems are finally searching for Malachite after Lapis Lazuli force-fused her and Jasper together in the season finale. Steven is able to communicate with Lapis in his dreams and has Amythest and Pearl dream as well. Pearl has never dreamed before. Steven dreams his life is like an old school sitcom and eventually communicates with Lapis, trying to tell her they will help. She feels responsible and tries keeping Jasper at bay. He tells Amethyst and Pearl that he did see Lapis, who is fused and is still in control, but was unsure for how much longer. Garnet arrives home and falls asleep. I liked the episode, as usual everything is going slow and this complicated premise makes sense and is delivered in an understandable manner. 

Grade: A

The following five eps aired on the week of July 13.

"Cry For Help" Season 2 Episode 14

Peridot is trying to send a message to homeworld so Garnet and Pearl take down the tower by merging to be Sardonyx, who seems to be theatrical and comical (voiced by Alexia Khadime, who has played Elphaba in Wicked. Amethyst feels left out and jealous, Steven suggests checking out when Peridot rebuilds the tower since it happened again and they formed Sardonyx again. They find out Pearl rebuilt it, they reveal this to Garnet and Garnet is upset. At the end of the ep, Steven and Amethyst mention how they wish it would get solved like in a cartoon. That's what I like about this series, when characters are mad, they stay mad. I have been looking forward to seeing a Garnet and Pearl fusion for a long time. We even get a cute Amethyst song. 

Grade: A+

"Keystone Motel" Season 2 Episode 15

This was a fun episode because it showed Ruby and Sapphire after their premiere. Garnet is mad at Pearl for what she did in "Cry for Help" and splits up. She tags along with Steven and Greg to a motel in a state named Keystone apparently. So Ruby is very mad and creates heat, heating up Steven's pool. And when he goes into the motel room, Saphire has gone all "Queen Elsa" with ice powers. They make up but it is an important and touching episode showing what appears to be a same gender relationship (since all Gems do use female pronouns and are voiced by females, the creator Rebecca Sugar they are genderless).  

Grade: A++

"Onion Friend" Season 2 Episode 16

Onion pops up and steals Steven's snack and he and Amethyst follow Onion to his house to find artwork of Amethyst. Steven finds out that Vedalia (Marty's girlfriend in the flashback "Story for Steven") is Onion's mom and an old friend of Amethyst. She is also Sour Cream's mom and since Sour Cream said Yellowtail was his step-father and Yellowtail is Onion's dad, means Sour Cream has another dad. Many fans suspect it is Marty. Steven is freaked out by Onion's antics but Amethyst gets to vent with an old friend. This is a great episode, it explains a lot about Amethyst and also expands the mythology of Beach City. 

Grade: A++

"Historical Friction" Season 2 Episode 17

Steven is rounded up by the mailman/budding actor Jamie to do a play on the first mayor of Beach City, the great-great grandfather of Mayor Dewey. But what Dewey wrote is not historically accurate and it is in a positive light, so Pearl--who was really there---helps Steven write a new script which Dewey isn't sure about but eventually accepts once the audience loves it. It is interesting to see that the Gems have been around for years. It also hinted that Rose Quartz fused with the other Gems to make one big Gem. This doesn't match with the other episodes in the week but its a nice break. The only thing that meshes with the rest of the week is Pearl's off-comment about her own choices.

Grade; B

"Friend Ship" Season 2 Episode 18

The Gems are tracking Peridot by jacking one of her machines to the Warp Pad and able to find her. They fight her but fail. There is still friction between Garnet and Pearl. The quartet think they trap Peridot in an old ship but she traps them inside. Steven and Amethyst escape and Pearl and Garnet are stuck in walls that about to slam together. They manage to make up and fight Peridot again but get her foot and she escapes. They have their happy ending, I am glad, this episode is a great end to a week of an emotional roller coaster. It worked out perfect, it was like a movie. Well Historical Friction could had been anyway, unrelated but the five episodes coalesces. 

Grade: A

The Success of Nick Jonas vs Joe Jonas

With Nick Jonas' noted success (high record selling, concerts, multiple public appearances, club appearances, popular TV shows and hot photoshoots), I decided to compare it to his older brother's short-lived solo career. In the United States, the three Jonas Brothers sold the most records with "A Little Bit Longer" by $2,082,000 in 2008. Their last record "Lines, Vines and Trying Times" got $757,000. Joe Jonas' solo album "Fastlife" made $45,000 in 2011 while Nick Jonas' solo album "Nick Jonas" $182,000 in 2014. He also had an album in 2005 but I don't have the numbers there.

 

 His first single "See No More" charted at Number 92 in the US in 2011. But the highest number he charted with that single was in U.S. Pop at number 37 and 53 in the UK. My theory in why he failed was his single was just not catchy, just boring. "Just In Love" toed the line of ‘adult’ representation regarding sex, which everybody notices, he slyly introduces a more grown-up aesthetic in the background. An official remix of the track features a verse from Lil Wayne and slightly altered production. It received a Parental Advisory sticker for this because of the explicit lyrics Lil Wayne raps. The video and song didn't get much airplay in the U.S. Also, I think what plagues him is the constant gay rumors, which he refutes and which kills his gay audience. Also, his history with women, especially Taylor Swift who infamously was dumped by him in a short telephone conversation. Even though this happened years ago (2008), it was still fresh when he did solo (2011) but now he laughs about it (2015). And he also broke up with Demi Levato before her breakdown.

His first single from "Nick Jonas" called "Jealous" charted at 1 in Dance Pop in the US. Overall it charted at 7 in the US. In the UK, it made number 2. "Chains" was also 1 in Dance Pop US and number 13 in the U.S. overall. I think his success stems from a multimedia attack (TV, movies, music, award shows, photoshoots). He embraced his gay fan base by touring gay bars. In the show "Kingdom," he also played a closeted gay boxer and he has done slight nudity (butt). He also hit the kid market by hosting Nickelodeon's Kid Choice Awards. His two singles are very catchy and he has also touched heart strings with his diabetes and ability to keep physically fit. Nick Jonas is much more charming and disarming than Joe Jonas who might come off more stuck-up and careless.



Run All Night Trailer Song - Welcome to the Jungle cover

Merethe Soltvedt - "Welcome to the Jungle" is heard in the trailer for the Liam Neeson movie "Run All Night." The original was by Guns and Roses.

Ten Seinfeld Girlfriends that went on to be Famous

Have been watching a lot of Seinfeld, here are some actresses that were already famous or later became notable.

 Kristin Davis

She played Jenna, who Jerry dumped her toothbrush in a toilet. She later dated Bania. She went on to play Charolette in the Sex and the City shows and films.

Marguerite MacIntyre

She played Karen, Miss Rhode Isalnd, who dated Jerry but then Kramer helped out. She later played the mom in Kyle XY.

Brenda Strong

She played Eileen's rival Sue Ellen Michke. She went on to play the narrator in "Desperate Housewives." 

Christine Taylor

She played Ellen, who nobody liked except for Jerry's parents. She is best known as Ben Stiller's wife but is also known for Dodgeball and Zoolander. 

 Teri Hatcher

She played Sidra, who Eilane had to check if her breasts were real. She played Lois in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and then Desperate Housewives.

Amanda Peet

She played Linette who had another boyfriend. She went on to be in The Whole Nine Yards, The Good Wife and other shows and movies.

Catherine Keener

She played Nina the artist. She went on to be in movies like the 40 Year-Old Virgin and Being John Malkevoich.

 

Marlee Matlin

She played Laura, the deaf ball girl. She is the most famous deaf actress in the world.

 

Janeane Garofalo

She played Jeanine, who was briefly engaged to Jerry. She is a famous comedienne.

Kim Myers
She played the girlfriend Lisa Webber in the homoerotic Nightmare on Elm Street 2 and was in "The Pretender." She played Pam in the episode "Soul Mate" of "Seinfeld." Jerry wasn't 'gaga' for her. Kramer was.

8 Seinfeld Girlfriends that went on to be or were in in Sitcoms

Been watching Seinfeld and Jerry had a lot of girlfriends. Here are a couple who were on sitcoms or went on to be in sitcoms. 

Courtney Cox

She played Meryl, Jerry's fake wife. She went on to play Monica in "Friends" and lead "Cougartown."

 Debra Messing

Played Beth Lukner, who Jerry was 'waiting' out of a relationship. She went on to play Grace in "Will & Grace."

Jennifer Coolidge

She went on to be Stifler's Mom and be in Christopher Guest movies but first she played Jodi, the masseuse. She now is in the sitcom "2 Broke Girls." 

Jane Leeves

She played Marla the virgin but she went on to play Daphne in "Frasier" and "Hot in Cleveland."

Jami Gertz

She played Jane who had a quirk about toilet paper and ended being a sex phone operator. She later played a mom in the ABC short-lived sitcom "Neighbors." 

Lori Loughlin

Best known as Rebecca Donaldson on "Full House," she played Patty, who challenged Jerry to have emotions.

Jessica Lundy

She might be that recognizable but she was in a couple canceled sitcoms like Hope & Gloria, The Second Half and Some of My Best friends. She played Naomi, who had a strange laugh.

Alexandra Wentworth

She played Shiela who called Jerry "Schnoopie." She wasn't exactly in a sitcom, she was in "In Living Color." She was also in a sitcom called "Head Case" and also on "The View" as a Guest Host.  

Ten Hottest Elaine's Boyfriends on Seinfeld

Like Jerry Seinfeld on Seinfeld, Elaine had handsome boyfriends too. Here are the most recognizable actors. I am watching a lot of Seinfeld lately.

 

10. Keith Hernandez

Former Major League Baseball player appeared in two episodes called "The Boyfriend."

 

9. Tim DeKay

He played Kevin, the Bizarro-Seinfeld, who appeared in two episodes in season 8. Tim DeKay did not really become famous until "White Collar" on USA network.

 

8. Judge Reinhold

Best known for the Beverly Hill Cops movies, Santa Clause, and various other films, he played Aaron who was too attached to Jerry's parents which he was nominated for an Emmy for.

7. James Patrick Stuart

He was a child actor, he was in various shows like Galactica 1980, also "All My Children," CSI, 90210, and Supernatural. He also provides voices for Monsters Vs Aliens, Blaze and the Monster Machines and Winx Club. He played Brett, who became silent when he heard the song "Desperado."

 

 

6. Bryan Cranston

Best known for Breaking Bad and Malcolm in the Middle, he played the newly Jewish dentist Tim Whatley before all of that.

 

5. Dan Cortese

He got his biggest break on MTV. He played Tony in season 5, a "Mimbo" (male Bimbo) that got injured. He has also been in Veronica's Closet and What I like about you.

 

 

4. Cary Elwes

The hunky British Cary Elwes in "Princess Bride" played David Lukner in season 7 who was already married but Elaine was 'waiting out.'

3. David James Elliott

He played Carl in Season 6, who she thought was perfect until he told her he was Pro-Life. He was most famous for headlining his own show "J.A.G."

 

2. Scott Patterson

Better known as Luke on "The Gilmore Girls," he played Billy in season 7. Elaine wanted to know if he was "Spongeworthy." Looking at the picture below he is definitely Spongeworthy.

 

 1. Patrick Warburton

He is the most known of her boyfriends, David Puddy, they had an on-and-off again relationship. He went on to provide the voice of David Puddy on "Family Guy" and be on shows like The Tick and The Rules of Engagement. He also voiced Kronk in The Emperor's New Groove.