Powkiddy V10

This is a squat and remarkably square device, which is more screen than anything else. The unusual form-factor was the reason I bothered with it, as it’s mostly just another device in the $30-40 range that plays the standard range of classic systems.

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Overall: This picked one thing to do well (play GBA games at 2X resolution on a small form-factor), but that’s kind of the only selling point. It’s not quite compact/pocketable enough to compete with one of the 2.8” screen micro devices at the same price point, but a RG35XX-H or Trimui Smart Pro has it beat on power and capability for only slightly more money. I like that it’s a little different, but I think it’s trying to stand out in a niche that’s already pretty saturated.

TV Shows: Netflix Catch-Up

3 Body Problem (Netflix, Season 1) - This season covers the first book and chunks of the second; while it keeps the major flashback events in China in swaps the majority of the action to London and uses a very multicultural cast—and gives most of them the ability to return next season. (Alas, poor Samwell.) They also introduce basically the entire cast of all three books and some plot points that don’t appear until much later. I suspect the pacing was set up so that they can finish the series in one more season or two, depending on Netflix; though I thought the reveal of the 3Body VR game was rushed because of it. (Also, while I was amused by the “Who’s on first” routine that the Wallfacer bit turned into, it was tonally odd.) This has just as much gory violence as you’d expect from the guys behind Game of Thrones (which is LOTS) though surprisingly less sex; I had kind of expected them to add superfluous sex scenes and they didn’t. Overall, I think they did a solid job adapting this for an English-speaking audience and I’m interested to see how they handle the rest of it.

My Adventures With Superman (HBOMax, Season 2) – We meet this show’s versions of Supergirl, Brainac, and Lex Luthor. Amanda Waller does a power-play and it blows up in her face. Clark and Lois navigate their relationship. Jimmy spends all of his money. And Superman saves the day, anime-style. Another cute season; the initial delight wears off a bit but this remains a fun show.

The Umbrella Academy (Netflix, Season 4) - An ending, just as batshit as the previous seasons and with the characters being effectively the cause of all their own problems. There were some gaping holes in this season if you think about it too hard (apparently a number of things got lost in the cutting down from 10 episodes to 6, most notably whatever happened to Sloan); and they introduced a bunch of changes to their powers that were frankly both unnecessary to the plot and unnecessarily complicating for the audience. But the Umbrella Academy die as they lived—pretty much as unrelenting fuckups who both love and hate each other—and Viktor got to resolve his daddy issues. (Because when you have Elliot Page, you use Elliot Page.)

We Might Regret This (BBC, Season 1) – A short comedy/drama series about Freya, a disabled woman who has just moved in with her (much older, loaded-with-baggage) boyfriend right as her (flighty and unreliable) best friend comes back into her life. The thing is…Freya is kind of an asshole. And, I mean, that’s probably good representation to have a biracial, bisexual, disabled character who isn’t some sort of perfect angel, but by the same token: She’s the main character, and we’re supposed to root for her. It’s hard to root for someone who spends the series being crabby that she’s got a rich boyfriend and a modeling career, and that her boneheaded decision to hire her friend as her PA doesn’t work out. And it’s not like the other characters are lacking in both baggage and asshole moments, but I feel like the writers are much more willing to give them a comeuppance and force them to acknowledge their screw-ups. (…Then I notice that Kyla Harris is the creator and head writer in addition to playing Freya. That explains a lot, really.) This has some interesting ideas, but at the end of the day is a bit messy and unsatisfying.

The Dragon Prince (Netflix, Season 6) – After five seasons of dancing around it, Callum and Reyla finally confess their feelings for each other. Despite what you might have feared after season 5, they don’t turn the dragon queen into a zombie monster, they just put her out of commission for healing for a while so she can’t save the day. The rebellion in the sun kingdom peters out because they were always just the unwitting means to an end. Viren’s story finally comes to a close. And Aaravos is freed for a final season of enacting his revenge.

Girls5Eva (Netflix, Season 1) – I was meh on this until I realized Busy Phillips was in it, and her comedy chops remain solid. That said, it’s a mix of genuinely clever ideas, riffs on manufactured pop star culture, and cringe comedy. (And a couple of catchy pop tunes that I’m sure they released on Spotify.) There are two more seasons and I’m not sure I’m going to bother with them, but this scratched a brief sitcom itch.