Inhumans: And Finally- Black Bolt

"If I can't have Attilan, no one will!"

Oh.

Well, that was disappointing, and it's not only the season finale but the last episode ever, What went wrong?

The Whole point about the Inhumans is their society on Attilan. No one is interested in stuff going on about Hawaii. Hawaii may look nice, but it's the real world, not exciting and weird like Attilan. yes, I know that good writing and nuanced characters could have made Hawaii exciting and interesting, but we didn't get any of that, did we?

No; we get Attilan literally destroyed by Maximus' hubris and incompetence, and 1,700 Inhumans are now refugees in America, which is a really great place for immigrants at the moment. (Oh, and Black Bolt- you have fewer subjects than my old upper school had pupils, and you call yourself a king? The Grand Duke of Luxembourg and the princes of Monaco and Liechtenstein would like a word.)

This means that any second series, which thankfully will not now happen, would have focused on the Inhumans' adjustment to life on Earth, and the agenda of their mysterious benefactor who Louise's previously sceptical boss has suddenly found. Yawn. Also unresolved are Gorgon's resurrection, the fact that the guilt-ridden Karnak is in trouble over that, the fact that Black Bolt ruled over a state with a slave class for years which makes him a problematic hero, and Crystal's pining for Dave.

But it seems this is it. The evacuation. Louise not even getting to see Attilan after all she's done for that bitch Medusa, although why Medusa doesn't find her in a prison cell after all the laws she's broken I have no idea. The tiresome showdown between Black Bolt on Attilan, leaving Maxie king of nobody in a bunker with apparently infinite supplies. Maximus' responses to everything Black Bolt signs always including a crude bt of exposition as to what he supposedly said. Anson Mount, predictably, getting one climactic line. Meh.

Is that it? Can we sop now? This series had such promise at the start. What happened? Such a terrible shame.

Inhumans: Behold... the Inhumans

“This is why nobody invites you to do their birthday toasts...”

I’m told the critics didn’t like this, but Mrs Llamastrangler certainly did. First impressions are positive enough, though, although this isn’t the greatest programme ever so far. Fan service is present and correct; the episode ends with Maximus’ coup, but before Lockjaw spirits then away to Hawaii we see Triton (is he dead?), Medusa, Black Bolt, Crystal, Gorgon and Karnak all present and correct. The characters and their powers are all as per the comics, and we’re introduced to Attilan (on the Moon, don’t you know) with an awful lot of spectacle.

There are no stars in the cast, but the relative unknowns are largely impressive, particularly Anson Mount as Black Bolt, necessity requiring physical acting. The whole thing looks rather good, with some splendid CGI; Lockjaw looks awesome, as does Medusa's hair, although the fact that Maximus cuts it off in the first episode means they clearly couldn't afford to maintain the CGI.

This episode is the story of Maximus' coup, instigated against his brother because he wants Inhumans to seize Earth rather than be crowded where they are. Yet Black Bolt rules over no paradise; those Inhumans who get no powers from the Terrigen mists and, unlike Maximus, are not royal, are made to labour in the mines. This is a caste-ridden society, and clearly no democracy.

Overall this is a decent introduction, so I'll give the series a chance. If nothing else, that little cartoon of Lockjaw by the logo is awesome...