It's Your 50th, Charlie Brown!

IT’S YOUR 50th, CHARLIE BROWN!
Why is it something that proved a half a century ago that television doesn’t have to pander has inspired decades of insipid, overblown and overly saccharine tributes, both on TV and (especially) musically? The definitive ode to one of pop culture’s most lasting legacies has yet to be crafted.

Supergirl

SUPERGIRL
While I applaud the notion of a female superhero show, this series suffers from more sap than a forest of pine trees and showrunner Greg Berlanti’s annoying penchant for barely-secret identities. Calista Flockhart’s Cat Grant is teeth-grating, but a perfectly cast Melissa Benoist as Kara makes the show worth watching.

Space Dumplins

SPACE DUMPLINS by Craig Thompson (Scholastic)
Craig Thompson’s preternatural cartooning skills (abetted by Dave Stewart’s stunning colors) are at full-blast in this sci-fi adventure that’s equally satisfying for kids and adults. Every page positively drips with incredible concepts for spaceships, aliens, and even futuristic fashion. Another triumph from one of today’s most outstanding comic book talents.

Spectre

SPECTRE
Maybe it was foolish to expect subsequent James Bond movies to live up to the bar-setting CASINO ROYALE. Daniel Craig remains perfection, and there are certainly thrills onscreen, but the movie feels tired and checklisted, like they felt obligated to use every 007 trope Craig had yet to exploit.