Even though I'm a film buff, I don't care for much television. News, reality, sports, stuff like that doesn't appeal to me. For the most part, I watch Disney Channel shows.
In December 2021, I fell in love with a DCOM (Disney Channel Original Movie) called Christmas Again, and particularly enjoyed Scarlett Estevez's performance as Rowena. Imagine my excitement to find out that she would have a whole series that summer, called Ultra Violet and Black Scorpion.
I also found out that she did Season 4 of Bunk'd and an episode of Season 5 (see my review from 8-22-22), so I watched all of her episodes. Then UVBS finally premiered on June 5th, 2022.
In it, Scarlett Estevez plays Violet Rodrieguez, a 13-year-old teenager who thinks that she has no talents. Then she discovers a magic mask that turns her into a superhero with super speed when she puts it on, whom she names Ultra Violet.
To her surprise, her absent Uncle Cruz (J. R. Villarreal) also has a mask, which turns him into the town's superhero Black Scorpion. They team up and train together, while struggling to keep the secret from family and classmates.
All the actors do fine in their parts- not just Scarlett and J. R. My favorites would be the kid actors. Brandon Rossel, who turns 19 today, plays Violet's brother Tiago. He's a smart kid who succeeds in everything that he tries.
Zelia Ankrum plays Maya, Violet's best friend who is also very intelligent and always on Violet's side. (They have a big fight near the end of Season 1, but they never lose friendship.)
Finally, Bryan Blanco- introduced in episode 4, plays Luis Leon, a safety patrol kid who obsesses over finding out who Ultra Violet really is.
Each episode is entertaining, and some episodes have cliffhanger endings. There are also some jokes that have made me laugh out loud, more than once when hearing them.
In one episode, Violet is struggling to sleep at night because she stays out too late fighting crime. Cruz tells Violet that she has to keep her superhero identity a secret to protect her family, so she often lies to her family about why she is sleepy or leaving the house at night. (The lying aspect is my only minor complaint with the show.)
Anyways, in this episode, she tells her family at breakfast that she is sleepy because she worked out at her uncle's gym and she was reading. Tiago, instantly not believing her, asks: "Really? What was the book?" Violet instantly responds sarcastically: "The History of Mind Your Own Business!"
Her mom then instantly goes: "Oh, isn't that by... Don't Talk To Your Brother Like That?" This line never fails to make me laugh!
Also, while I love all the episodes, my favorite is Sleepover Showdown, with Luis Leon Won't Go Home and Ultra Violet Unmasked in 2nd and 3rd place. I find these to be the most enjoyable.
I've really loved this series, or should I say, season. Sadly, on November 18th, 2022, it was announced that the series would be discontinued.
I'm bummed that the series has ended so soon, but I am very grateful for the 16 episodes that have aired. With the show's excellent plots, actors, and suspenseful moments, Ultra Violet Is Ultra Entertaining.
Note: I posted this past 9pm on 1/24/23. Happy 19th birthday to Brandon Rossel! :)
PS: I would love to see either an Ultra Violet DVD box set release, or even a Scarlett on Disney Channel DVD box set.
