8A - Monday, November 11, 2013 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 8A - Monday, November 11, 2013 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom 0 "How did I get in 'The Office'? " Ambitious 'Brooklyn' FO) "It's like I'm talking to bloody children!" Deconstructi ng 'aster hefJunior' By CHLOE GILKE color DailyArts Writer easily1 vated The cooking series that made us care way too much By KENDALL RUSS and KAYLA UPADHYAYA Daily ArtsEditors The recipe for "MasterChef Junior" shouldn't have worked. Its formula was simple enough: Take the tone and form of cooking-competition series "MasterChef", remove the adult competitors, add tiny, prepubes- cent "chefs" and leave Gordon Ramsay. Well, it worked. And then some. With impressive ratings (which rose a staggering 15 per- cent for this week's final install- ment), "MasterChef Junior" became FOX's secret ingredient this fall. What's more, it made us care a lot (read: more than we ever thought we could pos- sibly care) about snot-nosed, privileged middle schoolers. We're talking screaming-at- our-televisions, live-tweeting- until-our-thumbs-hurt levels of caring. "MasterChef Junior" broke us. "MasterChef Junior" changed everything. Before we jump into our anal- ysis of the finale, a quick note: What's the point? A Sarah-less, Jack-less finale? We never want- ed this! We never asked for this! Jack (11, Hawaiian shirt aficio- nado) was tragically eliminated in the semifinal round, but we'll never forget his intensely seri- ous chopping face, his bite-sized wisdom or, of course, those adorable Hawaiian shirts. Sarah (9, feminist icon) seemed des- tined for the finale, the youngest in the competition and the only aspiring MasterChef Junior to truly understand the nature of the game ("Keep your friends close and your enemies closer," she once mused with the deter- mination of a "Hunger Games" tribute). But, alas, Friday's finale fea- tured not tiny Jack Hoffman nor Sarah "Whip it like a man" Lane, but older child-chefs Dara and Alexander. In the final chal- lenge, both homecooks had to prepare a three-course meal in 90 minutes at their battle sta- tions, while past competitors and their families cheered from the sidelines. We present to you some of the particularly inspired notes we took on our iPhones as we watched the finale and played our self-made "MasterChef Junior" drinking game one last time.* "I hate blue cheese." - Flash- back Dara Two highlight reels of Dara and Alexander moments throughout the season remind us Alexander was a frontrun- ner from the start (boring) and Dara inex- plicably . hates blue First seen on cheese -the filter (unforgivable). Do we have to choose sides? Is this what the show has come to without Jack or Sarah? "Drink every time Alexander is the worst" and "Drink every time you have a negative reaction to Data's bow(s)" are rules in our drink- ing game. Clearly, we're not rooting for either of these lil chefs to take the cake (and, yes, drink for every bad culinary pun made). Big Al's menu: Shrimp & Baby Heirloom Tomato Crostini, Potato Gnocchi with a Pan- seared Veal Chop, Decon- structed Cannoli Napoleon There aren't enough ellipses in the world to possibly repre- sent our reaction to Alexader saying the words "deconstruct- ed cannoli." Do we know what that even is? No? Drink. Dara's menu: Ahi Tuna, Spot Prawns with Wonton Coco- nut Curry, Poached Pear in a Lemon Ginger Miso Sauce Miso sauce in a dessert sounds innovative to be sure. But is it as innovative as a deconstructed cannoli? We're not sure. We still don't know what that is. ALEXANDER GIVES HER FLOUR Dara forgot to grab a key ingredient, but Alexander will- ingly hands her his own. These children might have a vicious appetite for winning, but they still have hearts. DARA IS LIGHTHEADED. COMMERCIAL. AHHHHH Oh, she just needed water. She's fine, everyone. WHAT IS POKE? For her appetizer, Dara pre- pared tuna two ways: seared (got it) and poke (what?). One of our drinking-game rules is to drink every time a child-chef uses a word we University- attending adults do not under- stand (past examples: ganache, acidulate). Drink for poke. Way to go Dara, that's a $25 appetizer in Manhattan The judges tell Dara her two- way tuna creation would clean up in a real restaurant. Too bad child-labor laws prevent her from being able to work in said restaurant. "To lose at this point would just really suck." - Alexander They might have dreams, aspi- rations and talent bigger and bet- ter than we ever will, but man, they could stand to work on their eloquence. It's like they've never even been to high school. "Idk if I'd have beaten them." - Luca Manfe (paraphrased) Previous "MasterChef" winner Luca Manfd inserts commentary throughout the finale that makes us a tad wor- ried about his self-esteem. The Italian chef doubts his cooking could hold a candle to that of these kids. At one point, he even says: "I don't know how these kids can handle this situation so young. I can barely handle myself." Is he talking about han- dling his kitchen? His entire life? Is Luca Manfe spiraling in front of our eyes? Can someone check up on him? "Hard on the outside, magi- cal in the center" Chef Gordon Ramsay gives the above epithet to Alexander's perfectly cooked veal chops. He then makes it weird by also describing himself and Alexan- der with the same words. "Let's not forget the gnoc- chi." - Joe Bastianich , Yes, let's not indeed. Further shaming us for our ineptitude ("I don't even know how these kids can cook like this. I still struggle with ramen." - Kendall Russ), Alexander made his own gnocchi from scratch. He also correctly pronounces "gnoc- chi," which can't be said of some of our friends watching this with us. "This might be the most important day of my life" - Alexander Considering your life hasn't really comprised many days at this point, that's a safe assump- tion. It's the end of the judging period, and it seems like we have a very close race on our hands. The words "bloody phenom- enal" were thrown out about Alexander's deconstructed can- noli (still sounds more like an art installation than a dessert), but Chef Gordon Ramsay also told Dara he wants to give her a hug for her miso-pear concoc- tion. "There can only be one win- ner." - Gordon Ramsay "Sarah." - Kayla Upadhyaya, without hesitation Unfortunately, there were no last-minute twists or sur- prise endings like a Sarah or Jack victory. Instead, after several dramatic pauses, the judges crowned Alexander. Confetti fell. Dra's brow deflat- ed (finally). The dynamic and surprise-filled first season of "MasterChef Junior" came to a disappointingly vanilla ending. First-ever MasterChef Junior Alexander walks away with $100,000, presumably to put toward culinary school or the restaurant he wants to one day own (how do these kids have their lives figured out?!). Run- ner-up Data gets to go back to middle school, where we like to imagine she judges other children for the quality of their bagged lunches. * Have no fear: "MasterChef Junior," which was originally developed as a one-off endeavor, has already been renewed for a second season. - A version of this article originally appeared on the Daily Arts blog, The Filter, on Nov.10. Craving a comedy with just the right combination of sweet friend- ships and salty, biting comedic dia- logue? "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" has you covered. "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" feels familiar in the best way. Showrun- ners Dan Goor and Michael Schur bring the lighthearted workplace spirit of their other series "Parks and Recreation" to a Brooklyn police precinct populated by dysfunctional slackers and their uptight new Captain. The show is essentially"Hill Street Blues" with the raucous humor of "The Office" - a fresh cop comedy that hasn't been done on television in years. What's not to love? The characters are already well defined and unique. Some favor- ites include Terry Crews ("Every- body Hates Chris"), who plays the hilariously contradictory Sergeant Terry Jeffords. Terry's persona can switch fromthat ofloving father to terrifying tough guy in seconds, and he steals every scene he's in. Comedian and former "Parks and Rec" writer Chelsea Peretti slays every joke as the sarcastic office administrator Gina Linetti. AndySambergplaysthe charm- ing but eccentric Jake Peralta with surprising likeability. Samberg's easy con- fidence First seen on and lively the filter delivery Despite ideolog is an a childis once d ulous of V t Wh apartf peers, and an ing st Holt archet guy, b man. I sexual it info: muchj risen t tain), i comed but he and ap Of t three theset Their. overtu ences Amy i trouble a character that could so co-worker Gina lived in a rough been played as an unmoti- neighborhood in her youth. "Workaholics"-esque bro. The female characters on the e operating on a different show are as skilled and funny ,y than his Captain, Peralta as their male counterparts. dept and successful cop. His Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz) hness endears, and never is "Brooklyn" 's answer to April oes he come across as ridic- Ludgate, an intimidating and r lazy. deadpan officer whose tough persona is offset by her weak- willed and nervous admirer lore diverse Charles Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio). Gina, though not employed as :han 'SNL' anactual detective, is ambitious and hardworking; Amy's unwill- ingness to consider her value to the precinct and helping with a at really sets "Brooklyn" task force offends her. Amy, Per- from its workplace sitcom alta's romantic interest, actually though, is its diverse cast inspires and motivates Peralta mbitious goal of overturn- and many of the other males in ereotypes. Captain Ray the precinct. (Andre Braugher) is the Each of "Brooklyn"'s episodes ypal no-nonsense straight that have aired thus far have been ut is a proud homosexual solid and filled with comedic gold. He makes no secret of his It holds its own against its peers orientation, and though on Fox's fantastic Tuesday night rms his character (it's that comedies, "New Girl" and "The more impressive that he's Mindy Project." In a sea of stale o his current post as Cap- fall pilots including the racist and t's never played for just for unfunny "Dads," the disappoint- *, y. Ray Holt is a gay man, ingly un-fun "Super Fun Night" 's also an excellent leader and the bland "Michael J. Fox great cop. Show," "Brooklyn" thus far offers :he seven series regulars, fresh, diverse and hilarious televi- are women, and two of sion. I look forward to following three are women of color. the show inthe comingweeks, and ethnicity is often used in I can only hope I'veconvinced a irning stereotypes: audi- few of you to join me. are surprised when Latina - A version of this article origi- s unable to connect with nally appeared on the Daily Arts ed youth, but her white blog, TheFilter, on Oct.18. Taylor brightens a 'Dark World' By JAMIE BIRCOLL Daily Arts Writer The God of Thunder has been busy jumping across the Nine Realms, including a stop on Earth in "The Aveng- ers," to control B+ the chaos let loose since the Thor:The destruction of Dark World the Bifrost in "Thor." AtQuality16 "Thor: The and Rave Dark World" Time to get hammered! opens: its sor did sequen hero b entry, t Svartal pronou the Nit a kind: matter think t ease of ingis n D to How cessful of aver the pro sworth Asgard realm i seems t especia dleston as a p seems uch like Disney that Aether ends up inside the predeces- body of Thor's lady-friend Jane l with an extended battle Foster (Natalie Portman, "Your ce to explain some super- Highness"), awakening the Dark ackground info. In this Elves, led by Malekith (Chris- he malicious Dark Elves of topher Eccleston, "Unfinished fheim (don't ask how it's Song"). nced) try and fail to destroy It sounds outlandish and te Realms with the Aether, downright silly, but it works, of evil energy that converts and it works because director into dark matter ... don't Alan Taylor recognizes just how oo hard about it. Despite the outlandish and silly it is. Taking delivery, scientific ground- nods from such fantastical films ot this film's forte. as "Star Wars" and "Lord of the Rings" as well as his experience directing episodes of "Game of )on't take it Thrones," Taylor depicts a uni- verse that is gritty yet bizarre io seriously, and ridiculous. He never takes Je s anything too seriously, choosing to fill the film with loads of outra- geous humor - way more humor rever, it's incredibly suc- than one would expect with a at exploring the mythos title like "The Dark World". y rich Marvel world. After Much of this humor stems from logue, we see Chris Hem- the fantastic supporting cast, ("Rush") as Thor leading including Lady Sif (Jaimie Alexan- lian forces on a different der, "The Last Stand") and Heim- n the midst of revolt. Peace dall (Idris Elba, "Pacific Rim") on to be within reach though, Asgard, and Darcy (Kat Dennings, ally with Loki (Tom Hid- "Day One") and Dr. Selvig (Stellen , "War Horse") returned Skarsghrd, "Romeo and Juliet") on 'risoner to Asgard - all Earth. But it's Hiddleston's Loki to be well. That is, until that, once again, stands above them all. Even with far less screen time than his past two outings, Hiddleston manages to reveal even more depth to his character than before, while infusing him with incredible charisma, comic inflec- tion and timing. Unfortunately, the supporting characters' vibrancy makes Thor, Jane (who is essentially silent for at least half the film) and Malekith seem flat. That's somewhat under- standable for Thor, as he is, after all, a god and pretty perfect, but Malekith's lack of exploration as a villain proves tobe a loss; both he and Jane end up existing solely to U drive the plot. The actionsequences aredown- right thrilling and creative, espe- cially the climactic finale; the set pieces more grounded than previ- ously and it's generally fast-paced and exciting, despite a plotthat's at times familiar and predictable. It's the little flourishes of humor, like cameos from Chris O'Dowd ("This is 40") and a certain Avenger, that make this film well worth the ride. Despite its flaws, "Thor: The Dark World" strives to be exactly what it is: a popcorn flick that expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It does itsjob brilliantly.