Screen Reads is back to discuss another film and compare it to the comics that form its roots. In this installment we delve into the 2003 movie Daredevil and compare it to issues 173-184 of the Daredevil comic as well as the director’s cut of the film. We talk about the differences between the director’s cut and theatrical editions and what we thought worked better in each. We debate what elements we think could have been changed and what worked better. We get into the Daredevil issues and talk about the quality of the story as well as how it was used to inform the choices of the movie. We also give our opinions of the cast performances and various elements of the film.
This week’s five-minute controversy asks if we think that it’s good idea to parse out the Middle Earth IP between Amazon Prime and Warner Bros.
This week Anji, Eric, and Nate join the cast.
Show Notes:
Screen Reads 1 (Green Lantern)
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Gargoyles debuted in 1994 as part of the Disney Afternoon – a programming block of Disney Animation aimed at children just getting out of school. The series provided complex multi-episode stories with complex characters that was rare for children’s animation. In this episode we take a look back at Gargoyles from a female perspective. We discuss the complexities of the stories and the most impactful moments. We talk about our favorite characters and the phenomenal vocal work that went into them. We also delve into the mythologies and stories that were used as the basis for so much of the series. We end with discussions of Gargoyles in other media and if we’d ever like to see a live-action film version of the series. 
Ironheart was the final installment of Marvel’s Phase Five. Delayed and extended by Covid as well as the writer’s and actor’s strikes, Phase Five of Marvel felt like it took significantly longer to complete than the previous phases. In this episode we review the character of Ironheart. We talk about what we each knew about the character before this and how Black Panther: Wakanda Forever handled the introduction of her character. We examine her place in the world and how the series handles her race, gender, socio-economic status, and her potential. We discuss her motivations and how her background informs her decisions. We also talk about the series’ endpoint and whether or not we each feel that it’s fitting for the character and satisfying narratively. Along the way we get into street-level magic, villainous vibes, making iron suits overnight in a garage, and the culmination of something fans have been screaming for since 2021. 
Doctor Who continues to light up our television screens after sixty-two years. In all those years there have been periodic discussions within fandom over whether a particular story or time period within the series is sexist or even if Doctor Who as a whole has sexist undertones. In recent years, the charge has come that Doctor Who’s classic decades are much more sexist than its newer iteration. In this episode we take a look at Doctor Who from the beginning in 1963 to now. We discuss various aspects of the series and whether we consider those to be sexist. We also compare the classic series to the new series and debate how the series stacks up on this topic now versus then. 
The film, Spartacus, is an epic story released in 1960. Starring Kirk Douglas and directed by Stanley Kubrick, the film boasts a star-studded cast and beautifully filmed scenes in Super Technirama 70, which recorded 6K of resolution and making it ideal for display on the modern Ultra High Definition (4K) TV’s that we have today. In this episode we discuss the details of the film. We talk about the preservation of the film as well as the skill of the shots and direction. We discuss the characters and their motivations and what we feel that they mean to us today. We also get into the themes of the movie and how we think that they resonate now as well as what they may have meant at the time. Along the way we also get into censorship in film, the legacy of the movie, and whether or not we think that this is worth watching by modern audiences. 
Fallout is a TV series on Amazon Prime based on the video game series of the same name. Taking place in a post-apocalyptic future, Fallout tells the story of the world after a nuclear war through the interactions of the characters left within the wasteland left behind, the cities that are left, and the residents of vaults, which protected certain people from the aftermath of the explosions. In this episode we review the Fallout series. We discuss the overall tone and lore of the series and how it is informed by and recontextualizes some aspects of the original game. We also talk about the plot for this series and how well it worked for us. We also opine on the various characters in that series and debate the quality of the performances as well as what we think their motivations are. 
Marvel’s Netflix series were extremely popular with the majority of the MCU fandom. Telling street level stories about characters more concerned with protecting everyday people they provided a window into a different angle of the MCU that other series were unable to provide. Due to the compound breakdown between Marvel and streamers due to the impending Disney+ service and Marvel Studios’ breakdown with Marvel TV those popular shows were canceled, and it seemed for a time that they would be swept under the table and never mentioned in the MCU again. Thankfully, that did not occur. Daredevil appeared in Spider-Man: No Way Home, She-Hulk, and Echo while the Kingpin appeared in Hawkeye and Echo. Once again, the street level side of the MCU was being shown. In this episode we talk about the fulfillment of that promise with the series, Daredevil: Born Again. Presented as if it were a fifth season of the Netflix series (allowing for a skipped fourth season) the series takes us back to familiar characters with a new scenario. Wilson Fisk becomes mayor of New York and the reality for Daredevil and other so-called vigilantes is forever changed. Our cast discusses the new scenario, the use of the characters and how they interact, pacing, the combat/special effects, and more. 
Mystery Science Theater 3000 was an experiment in entertainment that grew far beyond the wildest expectations of its creators. Featuring a host character and several puppeteered bots, the show purported to tell the story of an exiled spaceman forced to endure an experiment that tested the limits of the human mind subjected to the worst films of all time. The character endures by making fun of the films along with his robot companions. Growing quickly from local television program to featuring on a succession of cable channels the show’s popularity soared to extreme heights until it was cancelled ten years later. In recent years, the series was brought back on Netflix. In this episode we take a look at MST3K. We discuss the phenomenon of watching characters watch something else and why it appeals. We talk about our favorite episodes. We also debate who the greatest host of the series is. 
Man in the High Castle is a dark tale of an alternate Earth where the Axis powers won World War II. In this reality the United States has been occupied by both forces and split down the middle with Japanese states and Reich states. Hope seems lost for those who resist these powers until they start discovering films of what appears to be other Earths where things happened differently. In this episode we talk about Man in the High Castle. We discuss the various characters and how their various arcs progressed. We get into the concept and whether or not we found it entertaining or disturbing. We also debate the various plot lines and whether they worked or didn’t for us. 
The What If..? series was a surprise hit from Marvel. Distinguishing Marvel Animation in a way that the company had not managed previously, the series boasted high quality animation and intriguing storylines that pushed the boundaries of the MCU. In this episode we explore the third season of the series. We discuss the individual episodes and what each meant to us. We talk about the characters and how the various alternate scenarios influenced them. We also get into our overall sense of the story, whether we thought that the final two episodes were a worthy resolution, and and whether we’d like to see the What If concept make a comeback.
