Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 49

Day 49 was the start of the final week of this round of Lift 4. So, I did the 645 cardio workout in the morning and Lift 4's chest and back workout (which is a circuit workout again this week) in the evening. Both workouts went fine. Chest and back used all the same exercises as last week, just in a different order. At the end, there is a three-exercise burnout round in which you do two sets of push-ups with back extensions between them.  

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 48

On day 48, I just did the 645 cardio workout in the evening. I was still quite active during the day as well, so I got some extra work in.  

4K-UHD/Movie Review: Jason Bourne

 

Jason Bourne, released in 2016, is the fifth movie in the Bourne Franchise (which started with 2002's The Bourne Identity). It was directed by Paul Greengrass and stars Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, Tommy Lee Jones, Alicia Vikander, Vincent Cassel, Bill Camp, and Riz Ahmed. Greengrass (who directed The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum) returned to direct, and Damon and Stiles reprised their roles from the earlier films. The events of this movie are set about a decade after The Bourne Ultimatum and ignore the events of The Bourne Legacy (the spinoff movie that starred Jeremy Renner and Rachel Weisz). In it, Bourne is living in Greece, making a living as a street fighter. Nicky Parsons hacks into the CIA to expose the Black Ops programs (like Treadstone) and then seeks Bourne's help when she discovers a link between Bourne's father and Treadstone. From there, it becomes a typical Bourne movie in which Tommy Lee Jones's character (who plays the director of the CIA, Robert Dewey) sends an "Asset," played by Vincent Cassel, to take Bourne out. Alicia Vikander plays Heather Lee, the head of the CIA's cyber ops division, who is helping track Bourne. The storyline also includes the CIA planning to use a social media platform called Deep Dream, owned by Ahmed's character, Aaron Kallor, for real-time mass surveillance. 

The 4k set is a two-disc set, including UHD and regular Blu-Ray discs. The UHD disc just includes the movie. Unlike the prior films, this one does not have a commentary track. All the bonus content is on the regular Blu-Ray disc. It amounts to just under an hour of making-of and behind-the-scenes material. The movie is a good return to the Bourne Franchise. While I was not one of those who hated the spin-off movie, it was nice to see Damon return to the leading role (and he got extremely jacked for the role, which is no easy feat in your mid-40s as he was in when the movie was filmed). Personally, I would have liked to see him team up with Renner's character, but given that Legacy was mostly considered a flop, it is not surprising that didn't happen. It also seems like there may have been a falling out between Greengrass and Damon with Tony Gilroy, who was the screenwriter for the first four movies (and the director of Legacy) since he was not included in this movie (Greengrass and Christopher Rouse wrote this movie). Damon had made it clear that he would not return to the franchise unless Greengrass was the director, but none of the bonus features address any of that. 

The movie has a good storyline and is well-acted. It would have been nice if Julia Stiles had a larger role, but she was always a more minor character. It would also have been nice if this movie had included more of the fallout from the events of Ultimatum and Legacy (and maybe brought back Joan Allen and/or Edward Norton's characters). Still, as I said above, it ignores much of the prior movies, especially Legacy. Like the other films, it has a lot of action, including the requisite Boure chase scenes. This movie actually has two chase scenes, one early on and the other toward the end of the movie, going through the streets of Las Vegas. The storyline is mostly self-contained, so while it helps to watch at least the first three movies in the Franchise, you don't have to have seen the earlier movies to follow what is happening in this one. Ultimately, it is a good action-thriller and is worth your time to watch.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Better Call Saul: Season 5

 

The ten-episode fifth season of Better Call Saul aired in the winter and spring of 2020. All the main cast members returned for the fifth season, and Tony Dalton, introduced as Lalo Salamanca at the end of season four, was promoted to a series regular. This season also continues to include characters from Breaking Bad as the show gets closer to the events of that series. This season, the notable appearances include Dean Norris and Steven Quezada, reprising their roles as Hank and Gomez. Robert Forester also makes an appearance (which would be his final appearance before passing away) in the first episode when Saul's cover as "Gene" is compromised in Nebraska. This season's other notable guest and recurring stars include Javier Grajeda, Steven Bauer, Steven Ogg, Ed Begley Jr., Norbert Weisser, Laura Fraser, and Roy Wood Jr.

The Blu-Ray set is a three-disc set and, like the prior seasons, includes extras on all three discs. There are commentary tracks on each episode, deleted scenes for select episodes, and some episode-specific behind-the-scenes material (all of which are accessed off the individual episode pages from the menu). Then, there is a series of legal ethics training videos (presented as a CLE course) led by Rhea Seehorn in character as Kim, a gag reel, and some making-of material. Since much of the commentaries and behind-the-scenes material was recorded during the pandemic, they were done via web chats. That was fine for the most part, but the commentary tracks did not flow as well as in past seasons since the people recording the commentaries were not in the same room, and the audio quality of the commentaries was not as good as in prior seasons. As with the prior season's commentaries, they are all led by Peter Gould and include various cast and crew members. Vince Gilligan does participate in the commentary for the episode he directed, which is the most pivotal episode of the season, if not the entire series. 

The show continues to be extremely well-written and acted. Without giving too much from this season away, we see all of the main characters continue to evolve, and those who will be around in Breaking Bad get closer to those versions of their characters. Jimmy has fully embraced his Saul Goodman persona but is not yet the person we will see in Breaking Bad. Interestingly, the writers made Hank see right through Jimmy's bullshit, immediately recognizing the name as a take on "s'all good man." The writers also gave Jimmy an out that would have avoided everything that came later had he taken it and a warning of what life would be like if he got involved in the drug business, even tangentially. Of course, those who have watched Breaking Bad know the path Jimmy will take, but this season reveals why he took it. We also see how Mike becomes Gus' fixer despite walking away after killing the construction manager at the end of season four. And we see Kim being influenced even more by Jimmy'Saul's dark side. Ultimately, this is probably the best season of the show so far and is absolutely worth watching.

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 47

On Day 47, I did the Lift 4 full-body HIIT workout. It was supposed to be my second workout yesterday, but I waited to do it since I got home later than I intended yesterday.

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 46

Day 46 was supposed to be a 645 cardio/Lift 4 combo day, but I did a late Christmas get together in the evening, so I ended up just doing the 645 cardio workout in the morning. I was not feeling like doing a second workout when I got back home, so I just rested. 

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 45

On day 45, I did the 645 cardio routine in the morning and Lift 4's shoulders and arms workout in the evening. The Luft 4 workout was a circuit workout, and even though it did not have a HIIT component, it was tiring because there were almost no breaks in the entire workout (aside from 30 seconds between the blocks and at the end of each set of four exercises within the blocks) and because of the three-exercise burnout block at the end.

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 44

Day 44 was the rest day in Lift 4, so I just did the 645 cardio workout in the evening, doing higher-impact exercises since I did not have a second workout in the evening. 

4k-UHD/Movie Review: The Bourne Legacy

 

The Bourne Legacy is a 2012 action thriller set in the "Bourne" universe of movies. It is directed by Tony Gilroy (who also co-wrote the screenplay). It stars Jeremy Renner as Aaron Cross/Number 5, an agent in a covert division of the government code-named Operation Outcome. Also starring in the movie are the nearly ageless Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Stacy Keach, Oscar Issac, and Dennis Boutsikaris. Cory Stoll (probably best known for his role in House of Cards), Zeljko Ivanek, and Elizabeth Marvel have minor roles in the film, and Albert Finny, Joan Allen, Scott Glen, and David Strathairn each reprise their roles from The Bourne Ultimatum. The movie was initially planned to be another Bourne sequel and bring back Matt Damon. Damon bowed out when Paul Greengrass decided not to return to direct, which caused the writers and producers to go in another direction with the story. 

The events of this film are set during the events of The Bourne Ultimatum. In fact, some footage from Ultimatum is used in this movie. In it, Cross is sent on a training exercise in Alaska, where he meets with another operative (Number Three), played by Issac, who may or may not be evaluating him. Because of the actions of Bourne and Landy, Operation Outcome, which is the main program under which all the other programs like Treadstone and Blackbriar are run, is shut down, and the agents (and anyone working on the program) are taken out. Of course, Cross survives and goes on the run with Weisz's character, Marta, a virologist who works for Outcome and also survives an attempt on her life.

The 4k set is a two-disc set with a  UHD disc and a regular Blu-Ray disc. The UHD disc just has the movie, which can be played with or without the commentary track. The commentary track includes Tony Gilroy, co-writer Dan Gilroy, editor John Gilroy, the director of photography, second unit director, and production designer. In the commentary, they do not get into the controversy about Damon and Greengrass not returning and just stick to talking about the film. They give a lot of information about the filming and casting process, including revealing that Issac was up for the lead role, but they felt he was not established enough at that point in his career. The rest of the special features are on the regular Blu-Ray disc. Those include deleted scenes and just under an hour of behind-the-scenes material. The A/V quality of the film in UHD is outstanding. Like the other Bourne movies, this one is upscaled from 2k, but the upscaling is better than the prior films received, so it is a bigger jump in video quality from 1080p. And the audio track is terrific, especially if you have a good surround sound system. 

Legacy is a good movie that gets panned/shit on much more than it should. It definitely uses elements similar to those of other films, such as multiple chases and fight scenes. So, it has a similar feel to the other movies (which is intentional), but it does tell its own story and is not a carbon copy of the Bourne Trilogy. The story in this film flows nicely from the Bourne movies and has the potential to be further tied into that universe, leaving open the possibility of a team-up between Cross and Bourne. Given how much time has passed since this movie was made and that Cross did not appear in the film in which Damon returned to the franchise (not to mention Renner's accident that may not allow him to do a movie this physical again), that is becoming more and more unlikely. Ultimately, it is a much better film than it gets credit for being. On its own, it is a good action-thriller, but it also makes sense within the Bourne universe. It is absolutely worth watching.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Better Call Saul: Season 4

 

The 10-episode fourth season of Better Call Saul aired during the summer and fall of 2018. Most of the series regulars returned for the fourth season, except Michael McKean, whose character, Chuck, was killed at the end of season three. Although, McKean would make a couple of guest appearances during flashbacks. This season, the notable addition to the cast is Tony Dalton, who plays Lalo Salamanca (who, along with Nacho, was first referenced in Breaking Bad when Walt and Jesse kidnap Saul). Dalton is fantastic as Lalo, playing him as almost a combination of Hector and Gus, disguising his true intentions under a charming and almost chipper demeanor. This season has two main storylines that are kept separate. The first is Jimmy's continued transition to Saul as he deals with losing his brother and his suspension from the practice of law while his relationship with Kim becomes increasingly strained. The second is Gus' move to take over the drug business after Hector's stroke, including the start of construction on the Superlab that we see in Breaking Bad. Wrapped up in that storyline is Mike's transition to Gus' fixer, which is somewhat similar to Jimmy's transition to Saul. At the end of the season, Jimmy embraces being Saul Goodman (although he is not quite the character he is when we first see him in Breaking Bad), while Mike does not go all in on working for Gus. We also get another glimpse into just how ruthless Gus can be and how he is not afraid to get his hands dirty, when necessary.

The Blu-Ray set is a three-disc set with a nice collection of extras. Each episode has a commentary track led by Peter Gould and usually includes the writer and director of the particular episode and sometimes a cast member or two. Vince Gilligan does not participate in the episode commentary tracks this season, although he is interviewed in the behind-the-scenes material. The other extras, spread across the three discs, include a gag reel, several behind-the-scenes featurettes, and a series of training videos for Madrigal Electromotive "taught" by Jonathan Banks in character as Mike. They include animations with Breaking Bad easter eggs, similar to the training videos for Los Pollos Hermanos included in the season three set. To access the commentaries and deleted scenes, you must access the individual episode pages under the "episode selection" link on the main menu. The rest are accessed under the "special features" link. Most of the behind-the-scenes material is on disc 3, but are linked at the top of the special features menu (so it seems like all the special features are on disc three). However, the training videos and a short film are on disc 1 even though they are at the bottom of the special features menu. 

Ultimately, the series continues to be extremely well-written and acted. The writers continue to move the storylines closer to Breaking Bad while using flashbacks to flesh out the storylines. And in the first episode of the season, we see the aftermath of "Gene's" collapse at work (which occurred in the first episode of season three) and subsequent hospital visit. If you liked the first three seasons of the show, this season is absolutely worth watching.

Product Review: The HomeFlow Co.’s Milk Frother

 

This is a pretty standard frother. It comes with a whisk/frothing attachment and a paddle attachment. I mostly use the paddle to mix hot chocolate. It is also good for whisking eggs when making scrambled eggs or lighter mixing jobs. I do not make coffee drinks so I cannot say how it does for that, but I imagine it works as well as any frother for those. It takes 2 AA batteries. The battery compartment is a bit of a pain to access, but otherwise, it works as it should. So, if you are looking for an inexpensive mixing tool this is a good option.

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 43

 Day 43 was the Lift 4 legs workout. This is a 50/50 workout, but only doing each of the HIIT moves for 30 seconds as opposed to the 60, 45, and 30 split for the HIIT moves during the build phase. The workout was challenging but good. I still used the same weight for each exercise as I have been. I think in week eight, I will try bumping at least some of the exercises up by either 2.5 or 5 lbs.

Book Set Review: Frank Herbert's Dune Saga 3-Book Deluxe Hardcover Boxed Set

 

This is a newly printed (in 2023) hardcover set of the original Dune Trilogy written by Frank Herbert (1965's Dune, 1969's Dune Messiah, and 1976's Children of Dune). The trilogy details the rise and fall of Paul Atreides. The first and longest of the three books, Dune, is the most well-known part of the story as it has been adapted into live-action movies. The stories in the other two books tell Paul's story after he obtained control of Arrakis (Dune). The books include new artwork and are packaged in a decorative outer box. The first book is the best of the three. If you read it first, it can be a bit hard to follow. If you read the vast collection of prequel novels written by Kevin J. Anderson and Frank's son, Brian, you get the backstory alluded to in Dune, which helps to make sense of and give context to the events in Dune. The story gets much weirder in Dune Messiah and Children of Dune. The storylines of those books are not bad; they just get more challenging to follow, especially since time jumps set the events of those books many years after the events in Dune. While the books will not likely appeal to everyone, they are classics in the sci-fi genre and are absolutely worth reading for fans of sci-fi and fantasy books. 

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 42

Day 42 is the start of week 7 in Lift-4 in which the exercise combinations are changed. I did the 645 cardio routine in the morning and Lift 4's chest and back workout in the evening. Chest and back this week is a circuit workout. You do three regular blocks doing the same chest and back moves as in the prior weeks, and then you do a three-set burnout block with regular push-ups, back extensions, and wide push-ups. It is a rough workout that kills you by the time you are done with the burnout.

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 41

On Day 41, I again just did the 645 cardio routine in the evening. It was late enough that I did not bother doing either of the Lift 4 recovery workouts. 

Product Review: VASAGLE EKHO Collection - Storage Ottoman Bench

 

This is a storage ottoman/bench. It is not really a great ottoman unless you are going to use it at the end of a bed because, with the legs on, it sits higher than most couches, so it would be uncomfortable to use it as a footrest. It is, however, perfect for a front entryway or mudroom. It is slim (just over 47 inches wide) and is not as deep as some storage benches (just under 16 inches deep). However, it has enough room to store off-season coats, hats, and gloves (for those who live in climates that necessitate different spring/fall/summer and winter outerwear). 

The only required assembly is putting the legs on, which is more difficult than it needs to be. Instead of putting a threaded end on the end of the legs so you can screw them directly into the base, three small screws attach the legs to the base. The screws can be a bit hard to line up with the screw holes unless two people are working together, one person holding the legs in place and another person turning the screws. Once the legs are on, the bench is high enough off the ground that you can vacuum under it, whether using a regular or robotic vacuum. It is also very sturdy as a bench. Two adults can easily sit on it without an issue. Ultimately, it is a good storage option, especially if you have limited storage in a mudroom or front entryway. 

4k-UHD/Movie Review: The Bourne Ultimatum

 

The Bourne Ultimatum is a 2007 action-thriller. It is the third entry in the Bourne Trilogy, including 2002's The Bourne Identity and 2004's The Bourne Supremacy. It stars Matt Damon, Julia Stiles (reprising their roles from the first two movies), and Joan Allen (her role from the second movie). The new cast members of the franchise include David Strathairn, Scott Glenn, Paddy Considine, and Albert Finney. Paul Greengrass returns to direct the movie, and Tony Gilroy again wrote the screenplay.

In the film, we find out that there is a six-week gap between when Bourne leaves Moscow and when he calls Pamela Landy at the end of The Bourne Supremacy when she tells him that his real name is David Webb. Most of this movie fills in that six-week gap and gives more context to the call between Bourne and Landy. We also get Bourne's entire backstory and discover how he was brought into Treadstone. The film also reveals that Treadstone was a small part of a more extensive operation within the CIA. Julia Stiles finally has a larger role in this movie than she did in either of the first two films, and we get a couple of new antagonists.

The 4K set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a regular Blu-Ray disc. The A/V quality of the UHD disc is good. The audio is outstanding, but the video is again upscaled from 2k, so it is not a huge leap in quality over 1080p. The UHD disc contains the movie, which can be played with the director's commentary track. The rest of the bonus material, including deleted scenes, a spy training guide, and about 45 minutes of behind-the-scenes material. You can also watch the movie in a U-control mode that integrates behind-the-scenes material while the movie plays. Ultimately, the movie is good and caps off the trilogy well. It is well-written and acted. Like the prior movies, you must suspend your disbelief and not try to think too hard about how Bourne survives the things he does, but if you can do that, it is enjoyable. If you liked the first two movies, this is absolutely worth watching.

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 40

On Day 40, I did the 645 cardio routine in the evening. I was very active during the day, so I got a lot of steps and almost a second workout in. 

Product Review: Pet Dog Safety Collar Clips

 

This is a pair of collar clips that can be used to attach a dog harness to a collar. There is a shorter one (6.8 inches) and a longer one (7.8 inches). My mom's dog can slip out of every harness she has tried to put on him, and this ensures that if he does, the collar is still attached to the leash so he cannot run free. The clips are well-made, very sturdy, and easy to attach to the collar and harness. I am not sure there is any safety aspect beyond that, but they work well for that purpose. 

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 39

Day 39 was 645 cardio in the morning and Lift 4 shoulders (an interval workout this week) in the evening. Even though this is "easier" in the lifting portion than the circuit workout, I was having to drop the amount of weight I used for the various raises in the second and third sets. The HIIT exercises were challenging but doable (especially since there were no catchers, mountain climbers, or triple bears).  

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 38

Day 38 was the rest day in Lift 4, so I did the 645 Cardio routine, followed by the Lift 4 stretch routine. Both of them went fine, but I have definitely still been slacking on my flexibility work.  

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Better Call Saul: Season 3

 

The ten-episode third season of Better Call Saul aired in the spring and summer of 2017. All the primary cast members returned for season 3, including Bob Odenkirk, Rhea Seehorn, Patrick Fabian, Jonathan Banks, Michael Mando, and Michael McKean. The show also continues to bring back characters from Breaking Bad as the series gets closer to the events of the parent series. Of course, in season 2, the big addition to the cast from Breaking Bad was Mark Margolis, reprising his role as Hector Salamanca. This season, as was hinted at through multiple Easter eggs, Giancarlo Esposito reprises his role as Gus Fring. Laura Fraser, Lavelle Crawford, and Steven Bauer also reprise their Breaking Bad roles. The show picks up shortly after the events that ended season 2, with Chuck making the tape of Jimmy confessing to altering the Sandpiper documents. One of the main themes this season is Jimmy versus Chuck, and we see what ultimately pushes Jimmy to transform into Saul. In fact, we discover the origin of the Saul Goodman name this season, although Jimmy does not use it constantly yet. The other big storyline of the season is the feud between Gus and Hector and how the various criminals around the two get pulled into it. We also see what led to Mike working for Gus. 

The Blu-Ray set is a three-disc set. Like the season one and two blu-ray releases, this season has a lot of bonus content, including commentary tracks on every episode, several behind-the-scenes featurettes, and a conversation between Bob Odenkirk, Rhea Seehorn, and Jonathan Banks discussing their characters and the show in general. There is also a gag reel and a series of short "Los Pollos Hermanos" training videos where Gus discusses the employment policies for the restaurant, which include some rather hilarious animations. The show continues to be very good. It is well-written and extremely well-acted. The writers do a great job telling a story different from Breaking Bad but will ultimately set up the characters as we see them in Breaking Bad. This season also includes the first major death on the show. Of course, people who have watched Breaking Bad already know who cannot be killed in the series, but the writers still manage to keep the series suspenseful. They also do a great job of continuing to develop the characters, especially those (like Jimmy) who are not yet in the place where they will be a few years later. I would say that Gus is the most like his Breaking Bad character this season, while characters like Jimmy and Mike are still evolving. Ultimately, if you liked the first two seasons of Better Call Saul and liked Breaking Bad, this season is absolutely worth watching. 

Product Review: Ginsco 2 Pack Mini Car Trash Can

 

This is a two-pack of small trash cans for a vehicle. They are a perfect size for things like facial tissue or gum wrappers. They are not, however, big enough to hold larger items like cans or bottles (even small water bottles are way too big to fit in these) or fast food cups/containers. They come with 8 rolls of bags, which are about the size of dog poop bags, to line the cans. The lids flip open to allow you to insert and remove the bags. The top of the lid is spring-loaded loaded, so you just push it down to put garbage in it. 

Depending on the layout of your center console, one or both may fit in that. If not, they come with clips that you can use to mount them to the pockets on the doors or the back seats. The only frustrating thing about the clips is that you cannot open them wider to get them onto things more easily. If you are mounting them on a fabric pocket, they can be a bit of a pain, but they are easy to mount on a more rigid material, like plastic. They could be a little larger and come with better clips. Otherwise, they work as intended.

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 37

On Day 37, I did the 645 cardio routine in the morning and Lift 4's back and biceps workout in the evening. The Lift 4 workout was a 50/50 workout. The exercises chosen for the lifting portion were not bad, but the HIIT portion was brutal. Joel deviates from having the "easiest" exercise as the 1-minute exercise, so you start with catchers' jumps, then you do 45 seconds of wide mountain climbers and finish with 30 seconds of 180 jump squats. So, I was pretty gassed by the time it got to the core portion of the workout.

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 36

Day 36 was the start of week 6 in Lift 4, which was the chest and triceps workout. Of course, I did the 645 cardio routine in the morning and then the Lift 4 workout in the evening. The chest and triceps workout this week is a circuit workout. Like the other circuit workouts in Lift 4, there is no rest between the four exercises and minimal rest between blocks and the sets within the blocks. So, the workout goes quickly, but it is very challenging. I was definitely struggling with the push-ups during the burnout block, but thankfully the core component did not have plank-based exercises. 

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 35

On Day 35, I again just did the 645 cardio routine in the afternoon/early evening. I was active somewhat during the day as well, so I was able to get a bit more activity in than just the quick workout. 

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 34

Day 34 was just the 645 cardio workout in the afternoon. Like last week I did not do the recovery routines since the day got away from me a bit before I had time to workout.

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 33

Day 33 was 645 Cardio and Lift 4 Legs. The Lift 4 workout this week is a 50/50 workout, and it was very challenging (even when using the same amount of weight as I used two weeks ago). The HIIT portion of the workout is one of the harder ones, so you should definitely be wiped out by the end of the workout.  

DVD/TV Series Review: Hawaii Five-0 Season 9

 

The 25-episode ninth season of Hawaii Five-0 aired during the 2018/2019 TV season. I will not do much of a review of the show, as anyone looking at this by now knows what the show is and the majority of the characters. I will say that the show continues to blend procedural and serial storylines, doing callbacks to earlier seasons along with the case-of-the-week episodes. The series also continues to pay homage to the original series (this time, using the 200th episode to do a play on the pilot episode of the original series). The show also continues to do some character development, giving backstories and side stories for almost all of the characters, especially Tani and Junior. We also get a Joe White episode (with Terry O'Quinn reprising his role) and a Catherine episode (bringing back Michelle Borth). Taryn Manning reprises her role as Steve's sister, Mary and Mark Dacascos reprises his role as Wo Fat. The season ends on a large cliffhanger, going into the 10th and final season of the show.

The DVD set is a six-disc set. While it does include some extras, they are very bare-bones. Deleted scenes are spread throughout all the discs, then there is a short (4.5-minute) gag reel and a 20-minute behind-the-scenes featurette on the final disc. As others have noted, the final two episodes are swapped on the DVD. Making it more confusing, the menus on the title screen are correct, listing the episodes in order, but they play in the wrong order. So, unless you are careful, you will see the season-ending cliffhanger before the episode that sets up the events of the final episode. Of course, over time, the studios have been putting out increasingly poor-quality DVDs with fewer extras. So, the only reason to buy this (especially if you subscribe to Paramount+, where you can stream it) is to keep your DVD collection complete (if you prefer physical media to streaming).

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 32

Day 32 was 645 cardio in the morning and shoulders from Lift 4 in the evening. The shoulder workout, which is an interval workout this week, was tough. I used the same amount of weight for the exercises as I did last week, but had to reduce the amount of weight for a couple exercises in the third set.  

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 31

Day 31 was the rest day in Lift 4, so I just did the 645 cardio routine in the evening. Nothing new to report from that workout. I did do a higher impact version of the workout since I did not have the second workout, but everything went fine. 

4K-UHD/Movie Review: The Bourne Supremacy

 

The Bourne Supremacy is the 2004 sequel to The Bourne Identity. It is the second in the series of movies adapted from the Robert Ludlum novels. The film is directed by Paul Greengrass and brings back Matt Damon as Jason Bourne. Franka Potente, Julia Stiles, Gabriel Mann, and Brian Cox reprise their roles from the first movie. Chris Cooper also returns for flashback sequences. Joan Allen and Karl Urban are the main additions to the cast for this film, and Michelle Monaghan plays a small role in the movie as well. Without giving too much away, Bourne and Marie have been living off the grid in India. Bourne gets pulled back into the world of Treadstone when he is targeted as a part of a setup to frame him for murder. From there, the movie involves Bourne trying to uncover the plot against him while playing a game of cat and mouse with the CIA, specifically the new deputy director, Pamela Landy, played by Joan Allen. 

The 4K set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a regular blu-ray disc. The A/V quality of the UHD disc is good. The video is upscaled from 2k, so it does not look as good as a film in native 4k, but it is a bit of a step up from 1080p and better than the video quality for The Bourne Identity. The audio quality is wonderful, even without a great sound system. The only extra on the UHD disc is the director's commentary on the film by Greengrass. The rest of the bonus content is on the regular blu-ray disc, which includes several behind-the-scenes featurettes that total about an hour. Ultimately, this is a good action movie with some drama and humor mixed in. Damon (again) does an excellent job as Bourne and plays him with a wonderful level of intensity. Allen, Cox, and Stiles also do an excellent job in their respective roles. Stiles' role is still relatively small but different than it was in the first movie, and Cox's role is expanded in this film. If you liked the first movie (or are just a fan of the action thriller or spy genre), this is absolutely worth watching. 

Product Review: Sole Support Rocky" V2 Winter Insulated Boots

 

This is a good pair of insulated, steel-toed boots from The Sole Support. I live in a region with cold winters and we just got a slight dusting of snow that left sidewalks and driveways a bit slick. The boots have good traction, and I was able to walk across the driveway without any issues. They are comfortable and warm, fit well, and have decent support around the foot and ankle.  They come with wire laces that can be tightened by turning the dial on the tongue of the shoe. You pull the dial out to loosen them and then push it back in when you want to "tie" them again. They also come with a pair of regular shoelaces if you would rather use them. The company claims they are waterproof, but I will probably not get a sense of how legitimate that claim is until closer to spring when there are puddles outside. But my initial impression is they are a good pair of winter boots for everyday use (meaning not trudging through extremely deep snow) and reasonably priced (at a little over $100). They are manufactured in and shipped from China, so it does take about a week or so to arrive (if you use standard shipping) once they are shipped. 

DVD/TV Series Review: The Good Place Season 3

 

+++Warning, this will have spoilers from prior seasons, but no major giveaways from Season 3+++

The 12-episode third season of The Good Place aired during the fall of 2018 and winter of 2019. It continues telling the serial story, so there is no way you can jump into the show part-way through and have a hope of following along with it. The seasons tell one long story that will make little sense if you just try to start watching it halfway through. In fact, each episode begins with a title card listing the chapter number, which has been counting up from the start of the series. So, if you are going to watch it, start at season one.

The season begins with everyone back on Earth, with Michael having saved them all, altering the events just before they each died to keep them alive, in the hopes that they will, on their own, become better people and end up in "The Good Place. "Of course, things start to go off the rails, and the plan ends up changing. It is almost impossible not to give too much away, but by the end of the season, the show comes (almost) full circle with twists.

The show continues to be well-written and acted. You really do get the idea that the bulk of the story has been planned out from day one by the writers, so it has a very good flow, and keeping the number of episodes in the season low, really works well. While all the actors do a great job with their parts, D'Arcy Carden deserves special props for her portrayal of Janet because she has to play so much in one character. Most of the same guest stars make at least one appearance this season, including Maya Rudolph as the TV binge-watching judge and Adam Scott as a demon from "The Bad Place."

The DVD set is a two-disc set. While the show is fantastic, the DVD release, as has been the case with the prior seasons, is bad. It is basically a MOD release that happens to have a couple extras. The plus of getting the DVD is that some episodes have an extended running time over what was broadcast. I am not sure if Hulu has the extended episodes. The two extras are an 8-minute gag reel and a 2-minute special-effects reel. Otherwise, there are no commentary tracks, captions, behind-the-scenes material, or anything DVD sets used to get. And, of course, there is no blu-ray release, which is not surprising given that TV series blu-ray sales are so bad as a whole that only a select few series ever get a blu-ray release, and when they do, more and more, they are getting MOD releases. The DVD transfer is not of great quality, at least when watching it on a DVD player that does not have an HDMI connection. So, mainly, the reason to get this is the extended episodes and for those, like me, who still have a large physical disc collection to keep it complete. Otherwise, you are not getting much above just streaming it.

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 30

On Day 30, I did not work out in the morning, so in the evening, I did the 645 cardio routine followed by Lift 4 back and biceps. The back and biceps this week is a circuit workout, and it is one of the hardest lifting routines in the program because of the fact that you are lifting heavier weights and have no rest between the exercises in the sets and minimal rest between sets and blocks. I had to drop the amount of weight I was using on several of the exercises to be able to maintain proper form.

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 29

Day 29 was the start of week 5 in Lift 4. So, in the morning, I did the 645 cardio routine, and in the evening, I did the Chest and Triceps workout from Lift 4, which was a 50/50 workout. I did not raise the weight from the past couple of weeks because the weight I was using for the exercises was still very hard last week. And I had to drop the amount of weight I was using for the chest press in block three during the third set because I could barely get the 10th rep in with 35 lb dumbbells in the second set. Even with using the same amount of weight the workout was still very challenging.

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 28

On day 28, I did the same thing as yesterday. Just the 645 cardio routine in the evening. I was still moving stuff from my basement to the top level of my townhouse so I was getting extra cardio in.  

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 27

On Day 27, I did the 645 cardio routine in the evening. I was also moving things around my townhouse, running up and down multiple floors, so I was getting extra cardio work going from the basement to my top level. I did not do either of the Lift 4 recovery routines, however.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Better Call Saul: Season 2

 

The ten-episode second season of Better Call Saul aired from the fall of 2015 to the spring of 2016. All the main cast members, including Bob Odenkirk, Rhea Seehorn, Patrick Fabian, Michael McKean, Jonathan Banks, and Michael Mando, return. Ed Begley Jr. has a multi-episode guest-starring arc this season, playing the head of the law firm Davis and Main, which was introduced in season 1. The series also continues to tie into the Breaking Bad universe by bringing back actors from the parent series, both small character actors you may not remember from Breaking Bad and those with larger roles. The main addition to the cast this season from Breaking Bad is Mark Margolis, who, of course, plays Hector Salamanca. The twins, Marco and Leonel, also appear, and Raymond Cruz reprises his role as Tuco. And, while Gus Fring does not appear in season two, there are easter eggs that hint at his arrival.

Interestingly, we see Hector when he can still walk and talk and get a glimpse at just how much of a villain he is. As was the case with the first season, the show uses a serial storytelling format in which the episodes build on each other. The season starts with another flash-forward showing Saul's mundane life in Nebraska as "Gene" but still pines for his life as Saul. Then, the series is primarily set in 2003 before the events of Breaking Bad as we continue to see Jimmy's transition into Saul as he pisses away every opportunity to be a legitimate lawyer because he cannot quite give up the life of the con man. We also see his relationship with Kim and his brother evolve, and we see Mike's transition from a guy who is not afraid to get his hands dirty but still has a code to what he would become in Breaking Bad. 

The Blu-Ray set is a three-disc. It has a decent amount of extras spread across the three discs. Every episode has a commentary track that includes at least one of the showrunners, sometimes one or two members of the cast, the writer and/or director of the episode, or other crew members. The extras also include a gag reel, behind-the-scenes material, and a conversation between Mark Margolis and Jonathan Banks, which is very similar to the one on the Season 1 set between Odenkirk and McKean in which they discuss their careers and their characters on the show.

The series continues to be wonderfully written and acted. Even though it is set in the Breaking Bad universe, it has a much different feel than Breaking Bad, as it sets up what would come later. Even though you know that some characters are safe because they have to appear in Breaking Bad, it is still very suspenseful. There is definitely a Cain and Abel feel in the storyline with Jimmy and Chuck, and we see that Chuck has a large role in the creation of Saul Goodman. There is a lot of swearing and violence in the show, and there is a lot of swearing in the commentary tracks (including the use of the f-word). So, the show is not suitable for young kids or the easily offended. Ultimately, however, it is a great season and is absolutely worth watching. 

DVD/TV Series Review: Hawaii Five-0 Season 8

 

The 23-episode 8th season of Hawaii Five-0 aired during the 2017/2018 season. This season was a fairly significant shakeup for the show. Notably, Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park left the show after a pay dispute, essentially wanting to be paid the same as Scott Caan and Alex O'Loughlin, and the producers and/or network refused, using the argument that they were secondary characters. So, the characters of Chin and Kono were written out of the show based on their season seven storylines, with Kono following the sex-trafficking ring and Chin heading up his own task force in San Francisco.

To balance out their departures the show brought in Meaghan Rath, who plays Tani, a police academy washout with McGarrett-like tendencies, and Beulah Koale, who plays Junior, a former Navy Seal looking to get on to the task force. The series also upped Ian Anthony Dale to a series regular. The writers did not split up Adam and Kinon, instead, oddly keeping them married, with her gone for the entire season. The addition of the new characters breathed a bit of new life into the series and allowed the show to do the kind of character development it had not done for quite a while, given that most of the other cast members had been on the show for a long time. That said, it was pretty crappy that Park and Kim were not paid the same given that for the first few seasons, before the additions of Chi McBride, Masi Oka, and Jorge Garcia as series regulars, those four characters basically built the series.

The show kept the case-of-the-week format it used throughout its run and tied in longer arcs throughout the season. One of the longer arcs involved Adam, as did the season-ending cliffhanger. This season's notable guest stars included Joey Lawrence, James Frain, Randy Couture, and Vincent Pastore (who plays Danny's uncle in a few episodes). Michelle Borth and Terry O'Quinn also reprise their roles as Catherine and Joe White in different episodes. The show did a good job balancing out stories for all the characters, which was helped by Scott Caan's notably reduced schedule during the season.

The DVD set is a six-disc set. The extras include deleted scenes for select episodes spread throughout all the discs. The final disc has a behind-the-scenes feature (about 23 minutes), a short feature on the new characters/actors, an animated "cargument" between Steve and Danny, and a gag reel. So, the set includes a decent amount of bonus content, but not as much as was included in the sets for the first few seasons. And, of course, as has been the case from about the fourth season onward, there is no Blu-Ray release available, just DVDs.

Overall, while the show is getting a bit "long in the tooth" I would not say it is entirely stale. While the show does suffer a bit from the loss of Grace Park and Daniel Dae Kim, the overall feel did not change much. If you have been a fan of the prior seasons, you will probably like this one. On the other hand, if you have not really liked the show up to this point, nothing about this season will likely turn you into a fan.

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 26

Day 26 was a HIIT day with 645 cardio in the morning and Lift 4 legs (which was a HIIT only routine) in the evening. Both went well. The only modification I made in the Lift 4 routine was to swap out triple bear with speed skaters. That way, I could do all 45 seconds and not have to modify. Even with that swap, the routine was challenging. 

DVD/TV Series Review: The Good Fight Season 3

 

The 10-episode third season of "The Good Fight" aired during the spring of 2019. It ended up being more controversial than it originally was when Juliana Margulies and Alan Cumming let it be known that they were in talks to reprise their characters from "The Good Wife" to be part of the storylines that ultimately went to Michael Sheen (in a role that was probably heavily re-written for his off-the-wall character Roland Blum) and a watered-watered down role given to Sarah Steele's character, Marissa. Ultimately, the network and/or producers were not willing to pay Margulies and Cumming what they were making as series regulars on The Good Wife, and they both said no. If you believe Margulies, she will never appear on the spin-off show because of how insulting the offer to pay her the guest-star rate was. Whether the hard feelings will last forever remains to be seen.

Ultimately, the season combines story-of-the-week episodes with an ongoing anti-t***p resistance theme centered around the characters of Liz and Diane. The show is unashamedly anti-t***p and ties a lot of things from the real-world (or variations of them) into the storylines (e.g., the plaid-shirt guy getting kicked out of t***p's rally, the unqualified judges being approved, etc.). So, if you love the orange genital wart you will hate that part of the show, but realistically, if you were paying attention from season one, it just amps up what they were doing before. On the other hand, if you hate agent orange, you will either find it highly amusing or ignore it. The show does a good job of not painting those involved in the "resistance" movement as heroic or all-good. In fact, in the season finale, the show sets up them as a potential "bad guy" in season four.

Overall, the season is very good. It tackles issues like the "me too" movement, climate change, race relations, etc. There is quite a bit of cast turnover, with some characters being put on the back burner and others getting a larger role. Michael Sheen was excellent in his role as a morally compromised, drug-addled lawyer who was sometimes an ally and sometimes an enemy of Reddick, Boseman, and Lockhardt. Christine Baranski does a great job again as the series lead, and it continues to be well-written and acted.

To me, the one thing it lacked was balancing stories for all the ensemble cast members. It is a very large cast, and given that there are a smaller number of episodes per season (this one had just 10 episodes), there was no way to give all the characters compelling stories. Like the prior seasons, the episodes vary in length from about 44 min to 55 minutes, and because it airs on CBS All-Access (now Paramount+), they can get away with swearing and more risque sex (the latter of which there was really not any of this season) as they could on The Good Wife. The political themes do not bother me. I do find some funny and others silly. But of course, many times when people complain about a show getting into politics it is because the politics are against what he or she personally believes. But, given that the parent show, The Good Wife, was very heavy into politics, it is not a shock that this one would keep at least some politics in the mix.

The DVD set is a three-disc set. For those who get the DVD set, I would describe it as a MOD-plus set. It does have a few extras (deleted and extended scenes for some episodes, a gag reel, and the pilot episode of Star Trek Discovery), as well as captions. But, there are no commentary tracks, behind-the-scenes, or making-of features. So it is very bare-bones. Overall, if you liked the first two seasons, you may, but are not guaranteed, to like this one. That will depend largely on who your favorite characters and storylines from the first couple of seasons were. If you did not like the first two, then there is nothing about this one that is likely to change your mind.

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 25

Day 25 was the 645 Cardio routine in the morning and Lift intervals in the evening. Both workouts went fine. I could use the increased amount of weight for all of the exercises. I found that the second set of each exercise was easier than the first, but then the weights got heavy again by the end of the third set. I liked all of the HIIT exercises in this workout because none of them were triple bear, catchers, or mountain climbers. 

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 24

On Day 24, I just did the 645 Cardio routine. I did not do either of the Lift 4 recovery workouts because I had a longer day than I had originally anticipated.

DVD/Documentary Review: Alexander Hamilton

 

Alexander Hamilton is a PBS documentary about the life of one of the (until relatively recently) lesser-known founding fathers of the United States. The DVD was released in 2007 and combines interviews with historians with scenes played by classically trained actors who mostly read lines from the writings of the people they were portraying. The documentary details Hamilton's life, from growing up as a bastard with no status in the West Indies, coming to the United States and taking up the cause of revolution against the English, impressing George Washington during the war, his advocacy for the Constitution (including writing most of the Federalist Papers) and becoming the first treasury secretary during Washington's presidency. It also details Hamilton's anti-slavery beliefs and his advocacy for a strong Federal government, establishing a national bank, and his penchant for pissing people off, which would ultimately end his life in a duel with Aaron Burr. 

The DVD is a single-disc release. The documentary runs just under two hours. The extras include a short behind-the-scenes featurette in which the documentary's creators explain how most of the scenes were shot and include interviews with a couple of the actors. Then, there are also a handful of deleted scenes that run anywhere from one minute to just over six minutes. Ultimately, the documentary provides much information on Hamilton's life, including some aspects that are not as well known. It does an excellent job explaining just how influential Hamilton was to the creation of the United States and his influence on the politics of the time. It is absolutely worth watching.

Book Review: Star Wars: Tears of the Nameless

 

Tears of the Nameless, published in 2024, is a young-adult novel by George Mann. It is set in the third phase of The High Republic after the destruction of the Starlight Beacon and the Nihil setting up the Stormwall. There are a few different intertwined plotlines that intersect at different times throughout the novel, each of them involving the Jedi trying to figure out a way to fight The Nameless creatures/Levelers and The Blight. Reath Silas is working with a Padawan named Amadeo Azzazzo to determine if there is a connection between The Nameless and The Blight, which have similarities in how they affect what they touch. Each seems to be controlled by the Nihil. Another storyline involves one of the Nihil Jedi hunters who is using three of The Nameless to hunt down Jedi. 

The hardcover version of the book is 500 pages long and could have easily been included as one of the adult canon novels. It does a lot to advance the High Republic storyline, including revealing the origin of the Nameless and a civilization of force users who eventually figured out how to control them. It does not close what to me seems like a giant plot hole in that the Nameless were used against the Jedi by the Path of the Open Hand in the early High Republic era when at least Yoda and Yaddle were around, and the Jedi still knew relatively little about them (and were totally blindsided by their use) in the later High Republic era 150 years later. Hopefully, later novels will shed some light on why that is the case, but this one does not. Even so, this tells a decent story and advances the overall plot. So, if you like the High Republic storyline, this is worth the time to read.

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 23

Day 23 was the 645 cardio routine in the morning and Lift 4's back and biceps workout in the evening. The back and biceps workout was a 50/50 workout with the lifting first and the HIIT after. I was able to start each round with the increased weight, but had to drop the amount of weight for some exercises in the second and third sets of each block.  

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Luke Cage Season 1

 

The 13-episode first season of Luke Cage was released on Netflix in September of 2016. It was the third of the four Marvel Netflix series (including Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist) that exists within, but ancillary to, the Marvel Universe/MCU. It starred Mike Colter, Simone Missick, Theo Rossi, Alfre Woodard, Mahershala Ali, Frank Whaley, and Erik LaRay Harvey. Rosario Dawson also appears as her character, Claire, who was first introduced in Daredevil. Luke Cage (Colter) made his first appearance in season 1 of Jessica Jones (which is referenced throughout the series) as the owner of a bar. Now, he turns up in Harlem, working in a barber shop and as a dishwasher at a club owned by the local gangster (played by Mahershala Ali). It is partly an origin story for the character and part a fight to take down the local mob, corrupt cops, and politicians, with a bit of a Cane and Abel story and a lot of social commentary thrown in (yes, it does have a take on BLM for any snowflakes out there who cannot handle that). There is no direct tie-in from this storyline to what plays out in The Defenders (which will bring together all the characters from the Netflix shows like The Avengers), but it does end on a bit of a cliffhanger.

The show is well-written and acted. While Mike Colter does much of the heavy lifting, the rest of the cast comprises many great actors, some great character actors and others of more notability. It is a true ensemble cast, however, because when the show aired (and arguably even now), none were really A-list actors (although Mahershala Ali is getting close). While set in NY like the other Netflix shows, it tells its own story and has its own feel.

The Blu-Ray set is a four-disc set. The A/V quality is good, but the set is light on extras. It is a bit more than a MOD set, though, as it has a 22-minute roundtable discussion with some of the cast members with interview clips of the showrunners. It was not bad for what was included, but it was not a ton of material. If you are a fan of Daredevil and Jessica Jones, this is definitely worth checking out.

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 22

Day 22 was the start of week 4 in Lift 4. So, I did the 645 cardio workout in the morning and the chest and triceps workout from Lift 4 in the evening. The chest and triceps workout was a circuit workout, and it was hard. I started out with the increased weight, but by the third set in each block, I had to drop the amount of weight I was using for pretty much every exercise. 

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 21

On day 21, I did the 645 cardio routine followed by Lift 4 stretch. Both of them went fine and I did have a bit more flexibility in my hamstrings than I did in the legs workout on Friday. 

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Prison Break Event Series

 

+++Warning, This contains spoilers from Season 4, but no major giveaways from the event series.+++

The nine-episode event series/fifth season of Prison Break aired in the spring of 2017, about seven years after the fourth and (at the time) final season. This series came about when Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell began working together on The Flash and reminiscing about their days on Prison Break and that it would be nice to revisit that story. There was already an unaired storyline from season 4 that showed events that occurred during the time jump to the last scene and set up Michael faking his death, and this series took things from there.

The series starts with Lincoln receiving a picture that intimates his brother is still alive and (again) in prison. He discovers that Michael is indeed in a prison in Yemen, under an assumed name, and is considered an ISIS-sympathizing terrorist. As was the case for almost every season of the show, not everything is what it seems, and for having just nine episodes, the show is packed with twists. Some of the twists worked, and some were kind of silly. The series does retcon the date of Michael's death listed on his headstone, having him die in 2010, most likely to match up with the seven-year break between the original series finale and the event series.

This series serves as a way to give the fans a better ending for the main characters. It also blends in characters from the original series, both in large and small roles, although not every character from the original series appeared in the event series. There are also many new characters, mainly from the Yemen prison part of the story. Given the limited run of the series, there was not a lot of time to develop any of the new characters in detail, but the show managed to give them some depth. The main cast for the event series included Wentworth Miller, Dominic Purcell, Sarah Wayne Callies, Paul Adelstein, Rockmond Dunbar, Robert Knepper, Amaury Nolasco, Mark Feuerstein, Inbar Lavi, and Augustus Prew. 

The Blu-Ray set is a three-disc set. The only extra is an approximately 11-minute making-of feature on how the series was put together. It was okay, but not as extensive as the bonus materials included in the prior seasons. Given, however, that TV series on physical media (especially on Blu-Ray) have sharply declined since the original series went off the air, it is not all that surprising that the extras are very light. The Event Series was released on Blu-Ray separately, but it is easier to find on DVD (especially in the US). The easiest way to get it on Blu-Ray is by getting one of the complete series sets that includes it.

Overall, it is a good series that brings back popular characters and gives them more of a "happy" ending than they got in the original series. I do not think it as good as the original series, at least not the first couple of seasons, but I do think if you enjoyed the original series, you will likely enjoy this. And, it does give the series a full four-season episode count, essentially replacing the episodes that were lost due to the season-three writer's strike.

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 20

On Day 20, I did the 645 cardio routine, followed by the foam rolling routine from Lift 4. The foam rolling continues to help get the knots out of my quads and hamstrings. I am not back to where I was when I was foam rolling every day, but I am getting closer.

4K-UHD/Movie Review: The Bourne Identity

 

The Bourne Identity is a 2002 action thriller directed by Doug Liman and adapted from Robert Ludlum's novel of the same name. It stars Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Brian Cox, Chris Cooper, Gabriel Mann, Julia Stiles, Clive Owen and Adewale Akinnouoye-Agbaje. Sharp-eyed viewers will also recognize Walton Goggins (from the excellent series Justified) in a minor role. The movie starts with Damon's character being pulled out of the ocean by the crew of a fishing vessel. He has been shot in the back and has no memory of who he is or where he comes from, and the only clue to his past is a small laser projector embedded in his hip with the name and address of a bank in Switzerland on it. He discovers that his name is Jason Bourne, and throughout the movie, he realizes that he speaks multiple languages and is highly skilled in fighting and counterintelligence. Potente is a woman he meets at the American consulate in Zurich who agrees to help get him to Paris in exchange for $20,000. The two are then pursued by local authorities and shadowy assassins with the same skills as Bourne. Bourne ultimately discovers that he is part of a CIA black ops program called Treadstone, which is run by Cooper's character, Alexander Conklin, who works for the deputy director of the CIA, Ward Abbott, who is played by Cox. 

The 4K set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a regular Blu-Ray disc. The UHD disc's A/V quality is good. The audio is outstanding, but the video transfer is not as good as it should have been. The only bonus feature on the UHD disc is the director's commentary track. The other bonus material, which includes an alternate opening and ending, deleted and extended scenes, and about two hours of behind-the-scenes material, is on the regular Blu-Ray disc. The movie itself is a good blend of action and drama with a couple of humorous moments mixed in. Damon does a good job in the lead role, and although he is not extremely physically imposing, he does an excellent job in the action sequences. It is well-written and very well-acted, and while you do have to suspend your disbelief to accept that Bourne could survive everything he goes through in the movie, it is entertaining. If you are a fan of action thrillers or the spy genre, the movie is absolutely worth seeing. The A/V quality of the UHD disc is not a major step up from the regular Blu-Ray, so if you already own it on Blu-Ray, you may want to stick with that version, especially if you are a big A/V wonk.

DVD/TV Series Review: The Good Fight: Season 2

 

The 13-episode second season of The Good Fight aired in the spring of 2018. The show continues to do an excellent job of standing on its own without leaning on the success of The Good Wife. That said, there are still nods to the parent show. Many of the supporting actors and actresses from The Good Wife appear this season, such as Mike Colter, Wallace Shawn, Maimie Gummer, and Margo Martindale. The show does keep its own storylines and does not recycle old ones from the parent series. The biggest non-Good Wife guest star this season is Alan Alda, who plays a smarmy lawyer from an opposing firm. Similar to the role Michael J. Fox played, but a very different type of character.

The Season starts with the funeral of Carl Reddick, who died offscreen between seasons one and two. His daughter, played by Audra McDonald, joined the firm after she was fired from the US Attorney's office after sending out an anti-t***p tweet. The writers wrapped up the Rindell storyline early in the season, which was needed because the story had played out. The rest of the season focuses on Diane going through a mid-life crisis, Chicago lawyers being bumped off, Luca and Colin's relationship, and being anti-the-orange-genital-wart. The show pulls no punches in its political bent and hatred of t***p, at least by the showrunners. So, if you love t***p and are one of his idiot cult members, you will absolutely hate this season (and probably the show in general).

The DVD set is a four-disc set. For those who get the discs, they are a bare-bones, almost a made-on-demand set. It does have a handful of extras, deleted scenes for some episodes, and a gag reel. There are no commentary tracks or behind-the-scenes material. Pretty par for the course when it comes to what is being released on DVD for TV seasons these days.

This is definitely not a show that will appeal to everyone. It is highly and unashamedly political. And, because it airs on the streaming platform, it does show nudity and has a lot of swearing, including the f-word. Kind of hilariously, the gag reel bleeps out all the swear words the actors say when they mess up, but the show is full of swearing. So if that kind of stuff will turn you off to a show, then you should skip this. However, if you liked season one, the writing and acting are on par or better.

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 19

Day 19 was 645 cardio in the morning (or early afternoon in this case) and Lift 4 legs in the evening. I did both workouts a bit later than usual, but got them done. The leg routine was absolutely challenging with the increased weight, but I was able to do all the reps in each set with the increased weight (although my front-loaded squats were shallower with 25 lbs than they were with 20 lbs, so I was at the limit on those).  

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 18

Day 18 was the 645 cardio routine in the morning and the shoulders workout in Lift 4. This week's shoulder workout was an interval workout, so it was one of the quicker workouts, which was nice.  I was able to increase the amount of weight on the various exercises, which kind of surprised me, given that shoulders have been my weak point for the past few rounds of workouts. 

DVD/TV Series Review: Grounded for Life Season 5

 

Grounded For Life was a very underrated sitcom that aired from the early to mid-2000s. However, it ended up being a very uneven series due to a cancellation from FOX, switching to the WB network (and nights that it aired), and a good amount of cast turnover. The final season was really a partial season given to the series to give it a sendoff as opposed to an outright cancelation. The 13-episode 5th season aired during the 2004/2005 TV season. The actor who played Henry (Jake Burbage) left the show after the fourth season, and no explanation for his absence was ever given. There were only a couple of throwaway references to him in the final two episodes of the season. Walt (played by Richard Riehle), who had become a minor recurring character (which really hurt the show, in my opinion), only appeared in the series finale.

The show ended with a "life will go on" feel for the characters. The writers tied some things up by the end of the series but left a lot open for the characters, leaving the audience to imagine how life would work out for them. That was a fine way to end a series like this. Even though the series did not feel the same as in past seasons, it tried to hit on similar themes of family and growing up that had carried throughout the prior seasons. Overall, the show ended up with a 91-episode run, slightly under a "normal" five-season run for a series, which usually results in at least 100 episodes. While it was the right time to end the series, I would have liked the full original cast to have more of a presence, at least in the final couple of episodes.

The DVD set is a two-disc set. Of all the DVD releases for the series, this one is the most bare-bones. It just includes the episodes. It has no extras, and the episodes do not have captions. The DVDs do go out of print from time to time and can be harder to find at a reasonable price. If you can find the set at a fair price and have the other seasons, it is worth adding to your collection. If not, it is available to stream and I believe is included if you have Amazon Prime.