Book Review: THE SHADOW: GRAY FIST. By Walter B. Gibson *** out of four

A fan favorite, Gray Fist is an action-packed if thinly plotted The Shadow adventure, which benefits from a break-neck pace and a villain who almost brings The Shadow to his knees. Twists and turns aplenty.

© Ahmed Khalifa. 2019.

Review: The Society: Season 1 (2019) *** out of four

The Society (2019) begins with a whimper. A bunch of seemingly uninteresting teens return to their idyllic small town from a school trip to find all the grown-ups gone. Further investigation reveals that the town is now surrounded by an endless forest that leads nowhere. Havoc ensues.

The concept reads like Lord of the Flies meets Riverdale, and after viewing the mediocre pilot and the forgettable second episode, you wouldn't be wrong to think so. But then the cast starts to shine, the characters grow dimensions, and the writing gels. And The Society turns into something special.

I won't spoil the twists and turns of the plot for you, but suffice it to say that this is a clever, original, occasionally brilliant drama, that takes the teen-drama format and uses it as a launching pad to address weighty issues, world politics, and examine the things that make any modern society thrive or fail. It also has some of the best written dialogue on TV (or OTT) since forever, and isn't above using some classic tropes like "who shot that girl?" and "who will eat the poisoned pie?", and then spinning them over their heads.

The cast, aside from a miscast Rachel Keller, is terrific, especially Kathryn Newton as Allie, whose character goes through a serpentine and demanding arc that Newton pulls off admirably.

But the show isn't perfect. Sometimes the characters behave in ways that belie their age, with creator Christopher Keyser and co. seemingly forgetting that the characters are supposed to be teens, after all, and not elderly statesmen. And things get a little po-faced every once in a while, threatening to spoil the delicate alchemy that makes the show so unique and smart. Also, the final episode, despite ending with a final kicker of a twist that hints at dark and strange things to come, doesn't pack the punch it should.

But, ultimately, The Society: Season 1 is an original, entertaining, and wonderfully thought-provoking show that warrants your attention.

© Ahmed Khalifa. 2019

Review: THE SHADOW: MOX. By Walter B. Gibson ** out of four

Minor entry in The Shadow cannon, with a couple of interesting twists. But it's more of a standard mystery story, pretty much of its time, with The Shadow making a few appearances. Readable but forgettable.

© Ahmed Khalifa. 2019.