Jurassic World: Chaos Theory (Netflix Series)

It's been awhile. I don't recall if I gave the series finale of Camp Cretaceous a good review or not. But even if I did, I don't remember the show fondly. I remember the faults rather than the selling points. Yeah, it was a kids show that was scary, but the kid focus led to poor dialogue and characterization. By necessity. To be fair, it's not like the show went out of its way to be well-written. But if it didn't star kids there would be a lot fewer dumb obvious jokes than there were.

This sequel series (set after Dominion!) following some of the cast as adults so far is doing everything right. It's just the Pilot, and in fairness, I can't actually say the show is better written. But because Darius is an adult who doesn't reflexively love all dinosaurs anymore, it's not cringe either.

I like how they went back and forth teasing who the dead camper is. Brooklyn is a brilliant choice. The only better choice would have been Ben himself, but considering they wanted to use him I see why they went with Brooklyn.

Because Ben is sure there is a conspiracy to get them ALL killed, that means Brooklyn is alive, and faked her own death. She is precisely the type of drama queen who would do something like that, regardless of who it would hurt as long as it meant she could Keep Chasing The Story. I predict we'll find out she's alive by the finale, and if she isn't a villain (and she might be) she'll have some damn explaining to do.

That was a fucking solid ass opening on a franchise I didn't much like. This feels like a good continuation though. 4 stars.

Ben is a good character because while he IS a little doofy, he's not actually stupid.

Oh, shit, Brooklyn turned into an investigative reporter looking into conspiracies? Okay, now I KNOW she faked her death!

Felt like a little far to go with the bit of the car following them if it was gonna be a fake-out. No matter what the ending was.

The humor on the show is better than the old show. Probably because Ben and Darius' actors actually possess some comic timing now. The bit with the phone was legit funny, because the reactions were timed for maximum comedic effect. The old show never did stuff like that. I like this one better already. 4 stars.

It's been a few episodes so I can safely poke holes in the conspiracy now.

Regardless of WHY they are being hunted, I think the humans siccing the dinosaurs on the Nublar Six are overthinking things. Or underthinking them. Yeah, it's plausible Brooklyn died in a dinosaur attack. But ALL of the Nublar Six? While there are so many damn conspiracy sites out there? My problem is the human villains are setting dinosaurs against a group of people who have repeatedly proven they can handle themselves among dinosaurs, and they keep escaping. Do you know what they wouldn't escape? Six bullets in the head from a professional assassin. Yeah, the conspiracy sites would go nuts. But they already would if they died in random dino attacks. All the methodology is doing is allowing them to escape. This is especially true if Brooklyn isn't really dead.

The problem is that despite the characters now being adults, the show is still for kids, and that means the weapon HAS to be dinosaurs. Even if it makes no damn sense. Even if it works against the unseen human villain in every conceivable way. The TV-Y7-ness of it all demands it.

Sammy is no less annoying as an adult than she was as a kid. I'm just glad she's out of that hideous spaghetti strap top. Seriously, the producers of the old show needed their heads examined. It's like 24 and Kim Bauer's terrible skimpy outfits lived in some kind of pop culture vacuum. Do better, TV.

I like the fact that there is a big moral dilemma with Bumpy and Ben. They could afford to sneak her around when they were kids. Now that she is full grown, she is too big to take with them. Ben has to hope she can take care of herself.

I'm picking holes in the premise in Episode 3. That usually isn't a good sign. 2 1/2 stars.

Let's assume Brooklyn is alive. That makes every inch of drama between Kenji and Darius unearned and false. Here's the thing, even if it turns out to be so, I still like it because it isn't going the way I expected it to go. Kenji is shallow. But apparently his feelings for Brooklyn were serious and they broke up because she broke his heart. For Darius to accuse her of dumping her for shallow reasons... Let's just say I am grateful Darius was attached to the rope when Kenji pushed him off the rock. Despite claiming he didn't forget that fact, if Kenji HAD, I wouldn't have blamed him.

Brooklyn "stayed" with Darius for awhile. Is this the show's TV-Y7 way of saying they had a sexual relationship? Maybe, and it's no wonder Kenji is pissed. False drama or not, it's hitting the correct notes anyways.

This show is way better than Camp Cretaceous. On every level. 4 1/2 stars.

So apparently this show is amazing now. Which even at its best, Camp Cretaceous most certainly was not.

Dino Girl is gonna give me nightmares. Hannibal Lecter blinks more than she does.

False drama does not always lead to BAD drama. Case in point, the stuff with Kenji and his father. It's possible Brooklyn is not just alive, but behind all this. And I love Kenji ultimately refusing his father's offer, for the simple reason that his father thoughtlessly and accidentally revealed that he didn't respect him. He'll leave instead. And his father instantly caves because Kenji held all the cards and always did.

I love that Kenji calls Darius' mother every week and knows Darius does not. Even further proof he is right to be furious at him.

That was a pretty horrific death for Kenji's father even if we don't see it. Because we see Kenji's face as HE does. Absolutely brutal.

Turns out the slimeball dino huckster is in on all this. Makes Ben and Sammy messing with him seem especially ill-advised, especially because Ben always seems to be insisting on keeping a low profile.

Ben says he suspected her for a little while because she was the only one he couldn't rule out. I'm interested what the actual reasons he couldn't do that were. Surely it had to be better than "She once worked for Manticore as a kid." Right?

The show is great. 5 stars.

Big ending, but the thing I took most notice of is that Sammy is the worst girlfriend ever. And it's not even really a contest.

I have to say, the cross-country vibe has really opened up the premise and helped the show. 3 1/2 stars.

The theory that Brooklyn faked her death is a lot less likely now. True, the viewer didn't see the body. But it's hinted Darius DID, and we did see blood. But I do think if she is alive, she might be a Black Hat. We'll see, but this isn't adding up, and the things it IS adding up to are no good.

Darius and Kenji hug because the feud over Brooklyn was always b.s., and didn't matter. When it counts, they are still brothers. I also liked Darius using both of their annoyances with Brooklyn's shoes to create a bond and commonality in an episode where Kenji learning how close they were is driving a wedge between them. It said "Yeah, we both cared about her and that's okay."

Intriguing. 3 1 removed link

That was real, adult relationship drama between Darius and Kenji. Take note: Not especially well-written drama as such. But real nonetheless.

I don't think Brooklyn loved Darius back. The million messages after her death suggest regret on his end there.

I'm coming around to the idea she's really dead, although that might just be what the series wants me to think. I haven't been able to close the door completely on the idea she is still alive.

I love that Kenji wants to know why he let Brooklyn down if he loved her, and they were supposed to be brothers. Good drama. REAL drama. I approve.

This show is pushing the right buttons. 4 stars.

Bumpy being pregnant was always a possibility here, but they were REALLY playing it up like she was dying. Another reason not to trust the idea that Brooklyn is really dead.

Good cliffhanger too. 4 1/2 stars.

This ending has been brought to you by the letters D, U, and H.

I was very unsatisfied by that, but the show is great because that's the damn point. Darius doesn't feel right with those balls left in the air either. So they talk it out and decide to board the boat. This show's premise is basically ten times what Camp Cretaceous' was.

Dino Lady is freaking me the fuck out. Get the hell outta here with that, lady.

The franchise kills with the slo-mo Icon T-Rex roaring poses. Always.

As far as Darius' thing with Brooklyn being unrequited goes, take note that even if she didn't love him the same way, he still knows her current phone passwords, and Kenji doesn't. For whatever that is worth.

So I've seen all ten episodes of the first season and can safely say the subtitle doesn't fit. There is nothing in the show to do with Chaos Theory or that aspect of the canon.

Brooklyn having the picture suggests she doesn't want her friends dead, and is not the actual person behind the hit. But if she isn't The Broker, then who is? And why did she fake her death to begin with?

Nobody will thank the show for that finale. The show is good because it acknowledges it doesn't deserve any credit for it in the episode itself! That is a neat trick of storytelling, and one I approve of.

Hopefully there will be another season. It would be a shame if claptrap like Camp Cretaceous got to finish its run and this far superior show was unceremoniously canceled. 4 stars.