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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mel O&#039;Drama" data-source="post: 313143" data-attributes="member: 23">The Falcon and the Winter SoldierOne World, One PeopleOnce again, the series has proved that it works in shades of grey rather than black and white. Rather than simply dispatching them, “nasty” characters like John Walker and Sulky British Girl have been given a form of redemption. Well, OK, Sulky British Girl said “sorry” as she was about to conk out forever, but she had some sense of journey. An episode or two ago it seemed unthinkable that John Walker would be working with Sam and Bucky, but here we have it, and it worked. It all fits in with the series’ motif that anyone can become a hero if they just make the right choice. There’s something very hopeful about this series that means someone is never beyond some form of salvation. On the flip side of that is the evolution of Sharon Carter whose choices have led her to become the Power Broker. It feels like a shame to taint such a likeable character in this way, but it’s certainly played with expectations. Despite the plot leading naturally to this point, Sam as Captain America still feels momentous. I’m really happy with him taking the name, but I’m torn on the uniform. It’s nice that it combines his Falcon heritage and the Cap uniform, but it just looks a bit wrong. Apart from it being strange to have Captain America sprouting wings, there’s  too much white on it. It might look good in comics but not so much in real life (not to mention it being a terribly impractical colour for someone engaging in battle and flying at speed through skies). It might look better if the white was more of a light silver. However, I’m happy to report that I didn’t even notice the series name change at the end, so that’s a job well done. There was a symmetry to Sam and Bucky’s most emotional arcs both coming from their interactions with older men who’d endured loss and tragedy. Sam had Isaiah, and their conversation about him taking on the Cap name. Isaiah’s approval felt important to me as a viewer because his previous speech saying no self-respecting black man would take the name felt so definitive. The moment where Sam took Isaiah to the Captain America exhibition to show him the bronze statue of Isaiah was just beautiful. It’s been so good to see Carl Lumbly again as I loved Petrie in Cagney & Lacey. He’s still got it. Meanwhile, Bucky broke Yori’s heart by confessing to the murder of his son, which felt strangely freeing. I like that it brought each of them a kind of peace, in much the same way that Bucky reached an understanding with Zemo while handing him over to the Dora Milaje to be taken to the Raft, with Zemo having already crossed through his own name on Bucky’s amends list in acceptance. The final episode didn’t quite have the impact of the previous two for me, but for me this series has felt more about the journey than the destination. FWS did something I associate with the very best of Marvel Comics: grounded these people in a world that feels realistic, where the superheroics are almost a by-product. The real interest comes from spending time with these characters, understanding their thoughts and feelings and seeing how they respond to their challenges on a very human level. I think I enjoyed this series far more than [USER=5079]@Crimson[/USER] did, and I'm sure it helps that earlier discussions about the series lowered my expectations a little. </blockquote>

Verification: Who played Sue Ellen in Dallas?