T.V. Casual Talk: Shadowhunters Episode 5 "Moo Shu To Go" [Updated]

Just as I thought with Episode 5, Moo Shu To Go, we continued to see stable acting performances from the cast of Shadowhunters and one of the best episodes yet. Yes. Even taking into account Episode 4. 

Let's reminisce. After all this time, everyone in the Shadowhunter world and downworlder world is very much still after Clary but in this episode things get vamped up when the werewolves who have some involvement with Luke Garroway get involved. They go so far as to kidnap Clary and Simon. Though too bad for them Simon is already seemingly transitioning into a vampire so he has gained many interesting things like enhanced strength and agility. And I have to applaud the small subtle reveals of this by those working on Shadowhunters. Oh, and especially that funny line by Simon when he says "I'm in the Jade Wolf Chinese restaurant and they have really inexpensive cocktails", when he gets kidnapped. It is small things like this that give the TV series charm.

But most important of all I really took note that Isaiah Mustafa who plays Luke Garroway has excellent chemistry between Katherine McNamara (who plays Clary) especially in that tender moment when he reveals he and Jocelyn should have never lied to Clary. Such familial bonds in progress! 

Best Moments (even if they hurt my heart)

Jace and Alec's small fight over Alec losing track of Clary. Acting here was phenomenal but it was a little saddening to see the parabatai fight. 

T.V. Casual Talk: Shadowhunters on Freeform this 2016

Based off Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments book series, Freeform, hopes to bring alive the world found in Clare's novels on television. The question is whether they can succeed?

All I know is before there was the success of The Hunger Games (in both book and movie form) there was one other and perhaps more important book series and that was The Mortal Instruments. 

A series that even gained life as a movie already though others are saying it isn't a good movie. And though I haven't seen the movie out of feeling deeply that the actors for Jace and Clary look way off from what I imagined from the books, now with the TV series I can sigh a sigh of relief because this time around the actors do kind of look like what Jace or Clary would look like from the book series. 

Shadowhunters is available to watch on Freeform (http://freeform.go.com/), Tuesdays at 9/8c. A Freeform app is also available for those who use tablets like the Amazon Fire. 

A Look So Far at Shadowhunters on Freeform S1, Episodes 1-4

In the series premiere called The Mortal Cup, I was already a little impressed by how the series creators chose to open with a showcase of the Shadowhunters as well as a very hot Isabelle (played by Emeraude Toubia). 

Other than the accuracy to the characters, in the pilot we also got some nice use of effects where Clary was pointed out as being one of the few characters to see into the Shadowhunter world. And while these effects are more simplistic, they are enough to help the series develop. I liked seeing that. 

Shadowhunters Image Credit: Enstars

What I didn't like seeing was Clary's actress (played by Katherine McNamara) being a little too whiny, but one could attribute this to being a natural cause and effect of Clary losing her mother which everyone knows happened in the books. 

As I brought up on Twitter, on first episode watch the Shadowhunters cast brought medium to high-level acting performances. Certainly it is a mix when it comes to performances and here it is where I believe the success of the series lies, especially given how even when I noticed that the TV series incorporated some new twists not seen in the book series, eh, I still thought that was totally fine. Somehow they made them work in their favor, but truly the acting is where we would see the success of the series. Whether success is there to be had or not.

Very impressive acting performances by: Isabelle Lightwood: Emeraude Toubia, Alec Lightwood: Matthew Daddario, and Magnus Bane: Harry Shum Jr. 

In The Descent Into Hell Isn't Easy (Episode 2), I have to say I was readily impressed. Valentine played by Alan Van Sprang was rightfully the prejudiced and cruel Valentine readers who read The Mortal Instruments series would know. 

While In Dead Man's Party (Episode 3), we have further changes to what the books had yet it didn't stop the series from being entertaining and continue to develop its world.

Oh, and if you are wondering what I am talking about in terms of changes from the books. Well those are some small things with concern to Camille, the beautiful vampire. But again somehow those working on the TV series are actually making things up that do not totally deviate and even when they do they are made up for in other ways. 

Finally with Raising Hell (Episode 4), I think this episode in particular was a decisive one. Here is where Katherine McNamara has grown into her role as Clary Fray. And even more so her interactions with Dominic Sherwood who plays Jace Herondale are quite important because they really show how great their possible romance could be. 

Very impressive acting performances by: Luke Garroway: Isaiah Mustafa all for that jerky moment. OK. OK. As well as Magnus Bane: Harry Shum Jr. 

But most important of all. I too have to agree with fans of the TV series and book series. Isabelle's one-liners are quite entertaining but more importantly Dominic Sherwood who plays Jace is also pretty fantastic given his great, great sarcasm. Something that was much seen in the books. I mean where would The Mortal Instruments series be without Jace's sarcastic nature? Or for that matter without warlock Magnus Bane?