Bones - The Gamer in the Grease, S05E09

It's been a while since I saw episode 8 of this season, and I was excited to see Bones again. So much so, in fact, that I dreamt of it last night...or at least of a development between Booth (David Boreanaz) and Brennan (Emily Deschanel). Unfortunately, the Gamer in the Grease was a HUGE letdown.

It was not the first time that Bones ventured into the realm of the nerd; last time, I was beside myself with joy and giggling as our team searched through D&D playing knights to discover the killer of the possessor of a mythic sword. This time, the champion of a fictional arcade game was murdered, and competitive nerds are the suspects.

The first mistake was that the game was fictional, thus it did not strike a nerdy cord with anyone out there.

The second was that, though the victim died from being drown and cooked in a vat of fat (really gross, by the way), the entire investigation was based on the injuries he received to incapacitate him before he ended up in the vat, while it's hard to imagine there would be nothing to learn about how he was transported and dumped in the vat in the first place.

The third mistake (and no, we are not near done yet) was for the murderer to be the father of an autistic boy whose single joy and victory, the playing of punky pong, was stolen by the victim.

Now you might say that such a choice for the murderer might be quite interesting and heart wrenching, but I have not yet mentioned the worst mistake of the episode - its terrible writing.

The episode was shallow, the characters - including our familiar friends - all felt like caricatures, and the nerding out missed the mark of reality, and was likely more a ploy to advertise the movie Avatar than an occasion to rejoice in nerdiness.

Sweets (John Francis Daley), Hodgins (TJ Thyne), and Colin (Joel Moore) ran back and forth between the lab and the movie lineup; they rushed through their jobs, but still determined important truths...which I guess was lucky, if not particularly believable. And it speaks to how uninteresting the arcade game was that all three were more interested in waiting in line than having a chance to play the game.

I don't even want to discuss how ridiculous I found it that Sweets felt unsure about his manhood cause Colin had slept with more women than him. Regardless of anything else, Daisy and Sweets have not had any problems in the bedroom area and I can't believe Sweets would feel unmanned just because he hadn't bedded plenty of unimportant women.

In the end, the only thing interesting and memorable about the episode is the tattoo of Angela (Michaela Conlin) that Hodgins apparently sports on his bicep, though that too is a little incredible, that in all time time Angela had not seen it. When was he supposed to have got it? I seem to recall that we and Angela have seen him without a shirt since their break up.

At least I know that episode 10 has to be better, unless it tried very hard not to be.

Stargate Universe - Justice, S01E10

Considering that Stargate Universe seems in many ways to have left behind the episodic nature of SG1 and Atlantis, I'm left wondering if the writers have even seen the previous episodes before they write their scripts. Obviously in the case of Time, which ended in an unresolved cliffhanger, no one recalls anything that happened previously...or at least they pay no attention to it whatsoever.

Alright, so you're asking what was wrong this time. And it wasn't the worst episode ever. In fact there were moments where some sort of interesting development peeped through. And then the writers decided that there was no point on dwelling on it. *Rolls her eyes and screams*.

With Col Young (Justin Louis), who by the way is nothing like our previous adored colonels O'Neill, Mitchell, Shepard or even Carter, accused of murder, the plot went a little BSG with a court case and military vs civilian tension. Too bad that there's been no build towards that other than the IOA's continual desire to take over all things Stargate. Plus, with less than 80 people, you'd think they could get over the distinction, and it didn't really matter, because rather than letting that tension rise and go forward with it, the writers pulled the rug out from under us. The case was dropped and the IOA was given command - no fuss, no entertainment.

Then, after a little side bar where one of the scientists sat in the chair and likely killed himself or solved all their problems - we'll find out after the break, - we find out that Rush (Robert Carlyle) framed Young, and the victim committed suicide. Not only was this suicide forgettable, since the guy was a prick and nobody liked him, but I really didn't care. Frankly a murder would have been more interesting.

Again, BSG, even though I hated Dee, when she shot herself, it affected me.

So, we come to the end, with Young (who earlier refused to take command of the ship by military force) and Rush on a planet examining an alien spaceship. Young beats the crap out of Rush and abandons him on the planet, creating a very fine, dashing, heroic persona for himself. The hate between these two is another thing that has yet to be explained or developed.

Is Young even remotely sympathetic anyway? He cheated on his wife, punched a fellow officer in the face because he talked to the woman, and doesn't have the balls or the charm to be a commander. Are we supposed to be glad he came back instead of Rush. What we know of Rush, despite his machinations, is that his wife died and that he still misses her. He makes decisions based on what he thinks will advance them the most. I have NO idea what Young's motivations are...other than perhaps to sit on the fence.

So, Stargate Universe writers, here is what you need to do when the show resumes (and yes, I know the scripts have already been written and the episodes filmed):

1. Destroy the communication stones so that no one can go back to earth.

1 (part 2). Have the communication stones destroyed while Young's consciousness is on earth and replace him with a character that is more likable and more useful.

2. When Rush gets back with the new alien ship, have our adventurers make contact with some alien race and let's get the historical/fantasy side of stargate back.

3. Make every episode based around discoveries made on another planet, and occasionally on problems caused later by those discoveries or on ship-based science developments to put the science fiction part of stargate back into the show.

4. The show is called Stargate Universe, NOT Stargate Melrose Place. Yes, I pined and still pine for Sam and Jack to get together, and for Vala and Daniel too, but that should be a secondary plot line that develops over time!

What are your thoughts?

Vampire Diaries - The Turning Point, S01E10

When I watched this episode, I did not realize it would be the last until after Christmas. That is not a good thing. I should be feeling that January 14th is unbearable far away, that there are so many things at stake and that I have no idea what the outcome will be.

Not that the episode didn't meet my expectations for Vampire Diaries. It is an excellent show, and this episode raised many questions that look like they will develop into exciting plot lines. For instance, who made Logan (Chris J Johnson) a vampire? And what is Alaric (Matthew Davis)? Is he a vampire too? And why did I get the impression that Tyler (Michael Trevino) and his father were somehow connected to werewolves?

Especially exciting was the discovery that Bonnie (Katerina Graham)'s witch ancestor merely prevented Katherine and the other vampires from being awoken in one way, but there are other ways in which Damon (Ian Somerhalder) can recover his lady love.

Still, despite these things, the only part of the episode that created any concern for the outcome of the show was the last few moments. Yes, Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Elena (Nina Dobrev) having sex was touching, and yes, I'll be reminded that, though she often acts more mature, she is still supposed to be a 17 year old, so freaking out and taking off when she discovered that she was the spitting image of Katherine should not be too surprising. Nor was Elena leaving behind the charm Stefan gave her, though it was supposed to protect her from both Stefan and Damon's power of suggestion. But another snag in their relationship does not make an intense situation I can't wait to see concluded.

They are the star couple of a TV show; it is not going to be easy for them.

So then, the only point of concern left is whatever Elena hit while running from Stefan. Whatever it is, I don't get the impression that it will be friendly...but there has never been an ending of an episode of Vampire Diaries that hasn't happened in that cliff hanger sort of way, and since I have no idea if this guy is really an enemy or really dangerous, I'll wait patiently until Vampire Diaries returns in January. And if I miss the first episode, I'll catch up and I won't cry.

Dexter - The Getaway, S04E12 - Season Finale

Wow. Just...wow. The Season 4 finale left me shocked and winded, though completely impressed with the choices of the writers and producers. In fact, I would go so far as to say that Season 4 surpassed Season 1 in brilliance and suspense.

I'm not sure if anyone saw the end coming. Oh, sure, we all knew that Dexter (Michael C. Hall) was finally going to catch up with Arthur (John Lithgow) and put an end to the man known as the Trinity Killer. That's the thing about this show, each season has always ended on a fulfilled note, leaving us wanting to see more not because of a cliffhanger of any sort, but because we know there is another story to tell and we want to hear it. The question has become "How will Dexter catch and destroy this threat to the world and the people in his life?"

This entire season, the theme has been the question of whether Dexter is a threat, maybe not to the world or at least the serial killers in it (which we know he is), but to the people in his life. In this episode, with Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) discovering that Dexter is the brother of the Ice Truck Killer, and Rita (Julie Benz) catching yet another glimpse of his Dark Passenger, some of his skeletons have been pulled from the closet, and in the light of day, they don't appear nearly so scary. Both his sister and his wife believe that Dexter is a positive force in their lives, that he makes their world better for being in it.

As the end of the episode approached, and with it Trinity's death, Dexter is overcome with a calmness, an understanding that perhaps, after all this time, he might be able to begin to curb his Dark Passenger to his will, rather than being a slave to its primal urges. His family makes him want to be a better man, and makes him believe that that is actually possible. But amid that peace, I could not stop the feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop, though I could not imagine what that would be.

Dexter caught Trinity, he killed him, and he made the decision that he would be in control from now on. He goes home to grab his back so that he can join his lovely wife in the Keys, at peace with himself, but when he tries to call Rita, he discovers her purse is in the house. And she and their baby son Harrison are in the house - Rita in the bathtub, and Harrison on the tile floor, sitting in red water. And my heart broke.

So many people have complained of Rita of late, for getting in Dexter's way, for being annoying, but the last couple episodes, she has shined and so had their relationship. Ever since the therapist pointed out that she had her own set of issues to work out. Finding her like that, seeing her like that, so beautiful in her blue dress in the blood-filled tub, for the first time, Dexter ended before the story was finished. Arthur Miller may be dead, but before he died, he changed the playing field. And Rita is gone.

I can't say where this will go. Dexter seemed to absorb the shock with a certain numbness, unsure of what to do as he stood in the blood-soaked bathroom, his son crying on the floor, his wife...Will this awake a mad vengeance and rage in him? Or will his need to be a good single father to 3 children keep him on the level? Will he even be able to function at all?

So many questions about what will happen next season, and I'm still breathless from the shock of those last few moments.

Dexter - Hello, Dexter Morgan, S04E11

Many of you watched the last episode of season 4 of Dexter last night, but I did not. Instead, I caught up by watching the penultimate episode of this season.

The episode was not rife with tension and suspense as some previous episodes, granting almost a reprieve from the darkness until next week. Not that many important and serious things did not occur, but there was so much of the positive, that side was outweighed.

Let us address the positive first. Laguerta (Lauren Velez) and Batista (David Zayas) got married. Their boss was highly unimpressed, accusing them of making marriage a sham since it was clearly a political maneuver, and in the wake of that accusation, a shadow of a doubt crossed the couple's faces, but I know he was wrong. True, Maria and Angel were getting married to get him off their backs, rather than because they had already come to the decision that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together, but that does not mean that they do not feel one day they would have made that decision anyway. Particularly in this day and age, where divorce is so common, it is really not inexcusable to marry someone that you want to date when you could not date them under other circumstances. We will have to see if next season, or even next episode, their relationship proves that they took the right course of action...but it is better that they know how things will be between them than to always wonder what might have been.

I also have to say that I loved Dexter (Michael C. Hall) and Rita (Julie Benz)'s relationship bump. With Masuka (C.S. Lee) having witnessed Rita and Elliot's kiss, things could have gotten very bad. Instead, when Rita told Dexter, he didn't really let it faze him. Rita still wanted to be with him, right? So then there was no issue. But in the end, some instinct he did not know he had, one completely unconnected to the serial killer in him, still punched out Elliot and told him to stay away from Rita. And as a result, Rita's issues were dramatically decreased, knowing that Dexter did care after all. Sure, excessive jealousy is not a good thing, but a man really ought to care when another man kisses his wife.

But let's not forget the true reason we watch Dexter - I'll give you a hint, it has nothing to do with the romantic plot lines. Even though the main events of this episode were not without them. Poor suffering Christine (Courtney Ford), journalist and unloved daughter of a serial killer - she wanted to be just like her dad, and he did not love her any more for it.

There was the beautiful moment where Quinn (Desmond Harrington) and Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) realized that both had the misfortune of dating psychos. As Deb pointed out, Quinn was only dating Christine, while Deb had actually been engaged to the Ice Truck Killer.

Christine finally decided to do the right thing - which Deb ruined by telling her they had already I.D.ed her father when they hadn't. Still she did apologize to the woman she'd shot, for the lover she'd killed. And Jennifer Carpenter's performance then, as she tried to absorb the apology, as she shook with her grief and pain, that was brilliance! With the terrific finish of Christine blowing off her own head. What a moment!

And now, Arthur (John Lithgow) is safe from the police, and knows Dexter's true identity. With only one more episode to go, what will happen? Will Dexter kill Arthur? Will he keep his serial killer persona secret? Will Deb resume her search for their father's former lover and discover Dexter's true identity or will that wait for season 5? I'm planning on finding out soon!

Glee - Sectionals, S01E13

As our favourite glee club kicked ass at sectionals, the story lines that have been carrying through from episode to episode concluded...sort of.

I really don't like Mercedes. I do like Amber Riley, even though I was not particularly stirred by her ballad performance at the beginning of the episode, but Mercedes? She's a bitch who told Puck (Mark Salling) not to both Quinn (Dianna Agron) about his own son, and then told everyone in glee club about him being the father. I know, I know, I completely relate to Rachel (Lea Michele) because she is so very much like I was in high school. Perhaps not so different from how I am now.

Mercedes just makes me want to punch her. But then, apparently Rachel makes people want to set themselves on fire, so how bad can Mercedes be.

And I'm really glad that Rachel told Finn (Cory Monteith) about the baby. He deserved to know. Quinn had no right to lie to him about that, and much as I like her and understand, she was just as wrong as Terri (Jesslyn Gilsig). Yes, Rachel told him for the wrong reason (because she's in love with Finn), but she did do the right thing. I'm proud of her. And the best part was when Finn was the bigger man and saved the glee club at sectionals, but told Puck that, no, they weren't cool.

You might have expected sectionals to be the moment that blew you away; for me, it wasn't. Sure, they performed well, but it wasn't really a show stopper. Even the last song of the season wasn't a show stopper. The thing that made my heart stop was the moment between Will (Matthew Morrison) and Emma (Jayma Mays). Not the last few seconds of the episode, but at Emma and Ken's wedding. Where there was no Ken.

Will had just left his wife, and Emma knew she was in love and that she had to go. The way Will took her arm, and his eyes drifted hesitantly to her face, and he said "I just left my wife." and she said, "you just left your wife." The pain and love, the intensity of that scene was just fantastic.

And so we wait until April, where there will be more of the same shenanigans. Sue will return and continue to be a pain; Quinn will have a baby on her own; Will and Emma will be together, but Terri can't be completely out of that picture and neither can Ken...or can they?

All I ask is that the writers realize that show tunes are really powerful performance pieces and they should be used more frequently, as was originally intended. Also, we want a little bit more of a through line, and one that isn't quite so ridiculous. Glee is great, there is no denying that, but for the moment, it remains in the moment. It needs something to give it true lasting power that will make it a classic. And that requires solid, memorable, and well-conceived plots.

But tell me your thoughts. Am I too hard on Mercedes? Was sectionals just not up to par? Were Will and Emma too perfect for words? What will happen when Glee returns?

Melrose Place - Murder solved and I'm so glad I don't watch anymore

A little while back, I was watching the new Melrose Place, ever week wondering if the next would be my last. Between Katie Cassidy as Ella, Stephanie Jacobsen as Lauren, and Shaun Sipos as David, someone usually gave me something that got me to come back. Then, the week of Heather Locklear's much advertised return, I simply didn't bother to turn it on.

While Melrose Place was never so bad that I turned it off mid episode or vowed at the end of one to never watch again, it still stopped being enough to drag me back. With so many good shows on, why would I continue to suffer through it.

That said, I'll still give the show one final rant, and again hope that it gets cancelled so that the find actors I mentioned above (And I am NOT talking about Locklear) can get rolls on shows I want to watch. Plus, is Victor Webster's guest spot as Caleb over? Because if they got rid of him in favour of Locklear, that was ludicrous.

The murder mystery is finally solved, and no, the murderer was neither Ashlee Simpson-Wentz's insane Violet or Colin Egglesfield useless Auggie. What is the point of having 2 main characters that no one liked leave the show without putting the blame on one of them for the murder? Instead, it turned out that Michael (Thomas Calabro)'s wife Vanessa (Brooke Burns) killed Sidney (Laura Leighton) when she learned of the affair. Apparently she was also banging David...so everyone who wants Michael also wants his son even though the two are nothing alike?

My biggest issue with that is that it could only have remotely begun to emerge since I quit watching - did they really have no clue from the beginning who the murderer was? And if that was the case, why did they pick an unimportant secondary character when either Violet or Auggie would have been a much better fit? Whatever, I'm not watching anymore so how much can I really care?

And so, for those of you who like this ridiculous drama, keep a watching; as for me, if I need this kind of perpetual ridiculousness in my life, either I'll keep watching Stargate Universe (grrr) or I'll tune back into General Hospital before it gets cancelled like Guiding Lights and As the World Turns. (That's right, As the World Turns will be leaving the air next September).

White Collar - The Portrait, S01E05

On White Collar this week, we got to witness Peter (Tim DeKay) and Neal (Matthew Bomer) recover some of their awesome rapore and witty repartee, as well as meet the elusive Kate.

When a privately owned painting was stolen from a home, Peter and Neil set out to recover it. Peter was concerned about the temptation of the painting, fearing Neil would steal it, and he was not wrong. After some dealing, Neal stole the painting from the original thief, and then made a counterfeit of it. Only, he didn't do it for himself. He did it because a museum was claiming ownership when the private owner had the true right.

I've heard rumours that White Collar may be rethought a little before it comes back after the Christmas hiatus, when it will be airing on Tuesdays instead of Fridays. I'm not sure what they are planning to rethink - the only thing I wish was different (though that may change after I've viewed the 6th and 7th episodes, which have already aired and are the last in December) is I wish the writers would give Bomer and DeKay a few more opportunities for banter, and that they would review what made it spark in the premiere and recapture that. I love Ellie (Tiffani Theissan) and Peter's relationship, I love Mozzie (Willie Garson) and that Neal also has someone to rely on. I think the show has a great concept, and I am excited to learn more about the ongoing arc about Kate.

Speaking of Kate, we actually got to meet her this episode, and I was not impressed. With her, I mean. Though Neal refused to hand over his stash to the man with the ring because he knew it was all the leverage he had, and once he handed it over, there was nothing ensuring Kate's safety, I couldn't help but thinking that I did not trust Kate, and that I could not understand why Neal felt the way he does about her. I will be interested to see if she is indeed betraying him, as I suspect now, or if the scene was poorly directed or acted. Neal's dedication to her cannot be doubted. Then again, she may have been being watched when she contacted him, but I'm not sure. It is a mystery, and I love how slowly yet consistently it is unraveled.

What is your opinion on Kate?

FlashForward - A561984, S01E10

FlashForward has come to then end of its Fall run, now off the air until March 4th. The final moments of the episode had my heart racing, but up until then, the plot development was no different from previous episodes, and I lack the urgent need to find out what happens next.

That may not be a bad thing. With so much time to wait before a conclusion is revealed, built up urgency may well simply burn itself out, leaving me uninterested because I've gotten over it. But the questions I still want to have answered will continue to nag at my intellect, and though I will not count the days, when March 4th does arrive, I intend to be watching.

Despite many issues, particularly the writers not allowing the proper time for characters to turn on emotions, there is a mystery that I want to see develop. It may lack the need for immediate answers, but there is nothing wrong with an informative walk through the park.

And Zoey (Gabrielle Union)'s storyline gave me the emotional tie-in to the characters to really care whether Demetri (John Cho) survives. Frankly, I'd rather see Mark (Joseph Fiennes) die for all the ridiculous actions he has performed of late.

When Zoey realized that she had not seen her wedding, but a memorial service for Demetri, she was devastated, and we were devastated right along with her. We also learnt that, though it was only 2 minutes and 17 seconds, not everyone remembered every detail of the entire situation. Perhaps Zoey blocked it out because it was too painful, perhaps one day we will find out.

And so, if you have stayed with FlashForward for its first 10 episodes, I suspect you will be willing to return to it in March. Am I wrong? Are you abandoning ship? Or are you staying, and far more nervous and excited about what will happen next than I am? Give me your thought.

FlashForward - Believe, S01E09

This is the second to last episode of FlashForward before the winter hiatus. The hiatus, if you have not yet heard, is supposed to last a whole lot longer than originally planned, with the show resuming March 4th. There will then be less than 2 weeks before Noh (John Cho)'s supposed murder, and we will be a whole lot closer to April 29th than originally anticipated.

After watching episode 9, that may well be a good thing.

The main arc of the episode followed Bryce (Zachary Knighton) and Keiko (Yuko Takeuchi) from before the black out to present day. I really enjoyed following their story, seeing the pain they suffered and the hope they felt. They're warmth does not even have to be romantic really, because they entire relationship and attachment is based on the hope of a future where they are not stuck where they were when the black out occurred.

But while this storyline was charming and appealing, there were some major flaws. We learned that Bryce has severe cancer, that he'd been getting psychological help, and yet his co-workers had no idea. The hospital would have been informed after he smashed his car repeatedly into that of a jerk who pissed him off. And there's no way that no one would have noticed his previous reactions to the kemo. They knew from the beginning that they wanted to explain his plan to commit suicide, and yet I had had no idea; the plot device seemed only to come to life when it was wanted and needed.

And do I even want to mention the rest of the episode? The other scenes were equally emotional, only they reflected high stress, anger, and fear. Unfortunately, the scenes were kept so short that there was no believable build up. One minute context was being established, the next, someone - Noh, Olivia, Aaron, Mark, etc - was losing their cool and it was near impossible to believe.

But in the end, Bryce and Keiko's story won out. Really, take away all the mystery, the intrigue, or anything else you want and make me feel for the characters, and I will be stuck. Plots can be strong motivators, but if the characters aren't interesting, it doesn't matter. On the other hand, take the most boring storyline, but give it fantastic, appealing characters and they will be the centre of attention.

And so I go to watch the last episode of FlashForward of 2009, and I wonder if I'm going to be breathless with anticipation for March 4th, or simply tune in.

Getting back on top of things

When I took on this blogging project, I was very good about it, getting out at least 2 entries a day, which corresponded to the amount of TV I was watching. Though most of those shows are still on the list (and there will posts eventually talking about seasons so far), I have fallen behind on more than one program.

Excuse? I moved. I am still unpacking. These things take up time. Plus, I've been reading a whole bunch - working at a bookstore will do that to you. Just finished The Hunger Games, which is fantastic (will tell you more later), and a friend is bringing me a copy of Storm of Swords today (the third book in George R R Martin's Song of Ice and Fire). That is likely to distract me some...okay, a lot...as well.

But despite my distractions, my moving, my other projects, and the busyness that comes with the Christmas season, I will be better about my blogging. The daily posts will resume, and we will be getting some special ones wrapping up Fall television viewing and preparing for Winter.

So be prepared, and check back as often as you like.

Glee - Mattress, S01E12

I really enjoy Glee when it is spot on. It's delightful and funny, Sue (Jane Lynch) kills me with her attitude, and I relate to the characters. Lately, though, I haven't felt particularly passionate.

Perhaps it is the lack of songs, which once took up about a third of each episode. We spent the first 15 minutes of this episode songless, again, and when we did finally get some music, it was contrived and really felt like the writers noticed there was no music in the first have, and so picked an appropriate but random song to fix that.

And then you have Will (Matthew Morrison) finally finding out about Terri (Jesslyn Gilsig), which we've been waiting all season to have happen, and that didn't even feel right. He found the pillow, and though we know there have been signs that perhaps she's hiding something all season, he immediately comes to the conclusion she's faking. Even when Terri so reasonably explains the presence of the pillow.

That could have used a song, or at least a flashback to all the things that Will should have noticed. Instead, Will is furious and violent (which we did not know he could be) and he is too angry with Terri. She did think she was pregnant, and yes she lied when she found out she wasn't, but it wasn't until she said she was doing it to keep Will rather than out of a very powerful desire to be a mom that she actually was a truly bad person. Again, we've known for months, and that may have given us time to decide she was a witch, but the way Will just turned on her...I don't know...

Glee really has to pull it socks up when it comes back (next week is the last episode until April). It needs to decide that either A - it will have a cohesive storyline, or B - it will have really good independent episodes every week. And with either choice, bring back the music and the dancing my friends!

Are you still getting the same illogical pleasure you once got from Glee? or do you too feel that it's been heading down hill?

Game of Thrones by George R R Martin (Book and TV news)

If you have not yet read Game of Thrones and you are remotely interested in fantasy, history or reading, go read it now. I'll wait.

It won't take you that long. Not that the book isn't hundreds and hundreds of pages long, but you won't take notice as you devour the thing in all the spare time you have from the moment you pick it up. At least, that's what I did.

The thing that affected my heart the most about the book was that it so obviously takes inspiration from the War of the Roses, with characters based on Edward IV, Richard III, Elizabeth Woodville, Edward V, etc. Woodville's brothers are well represented, and it would not be off to even make comparisons to the Duke of Clarence or Buckingham. And yet, the events do not work out the same way. If you are familiar with the history, the story is not spoilt, for what you know is only a basis and everything can change by simply having one character make a slightly different choice, or by bloodlines not working out quite as they did historically.

And if history doesn't interest you, you will be reading through the eyes of a variety of incredibly compelling characters. Just try to dislike Tyrion, the queen's dwarf brother, who, while sometimes compared to a demon monkey, has more sense and a better drive than his family. And even those characters whom you are brought to hate, you will delight to hate, for they are either deliciously evil or so bloody useless you can only hope and pray and beg for their death.

With so many voices, it is also impossible not to find at least one with whom you identify.

Now, As I've said, the book is brilliant and a page turner, but if you are not a reader, but a TV watcher, do not fear. HBO has gained the rights for the Song of Ice and Fire (the book series to which Game of Thrones is the premiere) and will hopefully be putting the first season to air sometime in 2010.

Why is this news SO fantastic that I am beside myself with delight? Well, because Sean Bean (who I fell in love with when he portrayed Boromir) will be playing Eddard Stark. Eeeee!

In fact, the entire cast is SO great - Mark Addy (whom you ought to know from A Knight's Tale and the Full Monty, among others) will be King Robert; Lena Headey (the sexy queen from 300) will be the even more sexual Queen Cersei; and Harry Lloyd (Will Scarlett from the BBC's Robin Hood) and Jason Mamoa (Ronan from Stargate Atlantis) are also some names I am familiar with already. Not one of these actors has not already proven themselves to me, and the rest seem to be made from the same cloth!

So HBO will have a hard time screwing this up, and considering their work with True Blood, let's just say that I'm not worried, but, again, ridiculously excited.

How about you?

Dexter - Lost Boys, S04E10

Though not the heart-stopping, emotionally devastating episode of last week, the 4th season of Dexter continues to be on par with the 1st.

Arthur Miller (John Lithgow) is a villain for the ages, and a terrific counterbalance to Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall)'s dark passenger. Last week, we learnt that Arthur terrorized his family; this week, we learn that he is not actually a trinity killer - he kills in 4s. A little boy, representative of him, is preserved (while still alive) in concrete, to remain pure for the ages.

However awful Arthur Miller was before, he continues to become even more so. Such a horrid monster who still manages to hide in our world, to exist with students and congregations, to appear not normal, but better than that. And he has killed children, young women, mothers, and fathers again and again and again. And yet, when Dexter had to chose between eliminating his prey, present before him, and saving the boy from the concrete, he picked the boy.

Dexter may have a dark side, and a deep need to kill, but not only is it directed at monsters, it is not so deep as his desire to protect the young. He sees his sons, Cody and Harrison, but most of all he sees himself, and his way of preserving a child's innocence is by preventing him from coming in contact with the horrors he and Arthur suffered as children.

Harry (James Remar) - who helped focus Dexter's urges - may not have taught Dexter a perfect way to exist - there are errors in his thinking- but he did help forge a serial killer who lacks some of the things that would make one call him psychopathic.

Only two more episodes left - will Arthur be killed by Dexter or will he end up in jail? And will Dexter's secret remain so? What are your thoughts?

Dexter - Hungry Man, S04E09

A week ago, Sunday, the most enthralling episode of Dexter graced the television screen as Dexter (Michael C. Hall)'s newest idol, the terrifying Trinity Killer, Arthur Miller (John Lithgow), feel from his pedestal.

Dexter has met with quite a few deranged friends whom he idolized and whom he thought he could trust - Brian, Lila and Miguel in seasons 1, 2 and 3. He was taken in by all of them, but never for long, and as much as he admired them, he never wanted to be them. But Arthur was different - oh, Arthur kills innocent people, and for that he cannot live, but his life, his perfect family, his ability to be adjusted in this world while Dexter struggles so hard, that he envied, that he wanted.

But it was all a lie. It began with temper directed at his son, Jonah (Brando Eaton). Dexter saw Arthur be stern with the young man and followed him. Jonah revealed to Dexter that he was suffering under the oppression of his father, as well as fearing him. And when Dexter showed up at Thanksgiving at the Millers to protect Jonah if he could, he discovered that the entire family was mad. The wife was cowed and terrified, the daughter locked in her room and trying to escape - her preferred method was to offer sexual favours to the men her father befriended.

In the house of insanity, where Dexter tries to play the good guy, his dark passenger also gets riled up, and when Arthur starts to strangle Jonah, Dexter pulls him into the kitchen, intent on stabbing him to death then and there. Luckily (maybe?) the mom and daughter appear just in time to stop him.

Poor Dexter. He had been so intent on learning how to be a better man that he did not realize that Arthur was all in all a monster. His lesson from Harry, be sure and then take care of it, applies in both senses. Know that your victim deserves it (and is not an innocent like the man Dexter offed not too long ago) AND get rid of him so he can hurt no one else.

The emotional rollercoaster in the Miller household was one of fear and pity. And the question remains - can Dexter be a good husband and father despite his dark passenger? Arthur clearly couldn't.

If that wasn't enough of a reveal for you, Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) also made her own discovery. Arthur did not shoot her and Lundy; it was Christine, the annoying journalist, as I posited in my last Dexter entry. Of course, I has said it was out of a need to get a good story, but she is even more crazy than that. Turns out Arthur Miller is her dad. Can't really dislike her so much now that I picture such a terrible upbringing for her.

But where do we go from here? Christine and Arthur are both crazy and need to be killed or go down. Deb is after Christine - does this mean she's stopped looking into Harry's past and will not discover anything about Dexter's mom? And what about LaGuerta and Angel?

Stargate Universe - Life, S01E09

I have been a huge fan of the Stargate franchise since it began, and still consider SG1 to be my favourite show ever. I expected to love Stargate Universe, to enjoy a crew of not exactly qualified people visit different planets in different galaxies, to discover new things about the Ancients and to have entire new mythologies of the newer galaxies play out before me.

We did not get that.

And even when I realized that the conflict would be among the passengers of the Destiny, as well as issues with the ship herself, I thought that could be interesting too.

And last week, with the episode Time, we actually got something worthy of the name Stargate. There was a time issue, and alien squid to fight and tension and interest. And it ended with a cliffhanger.

And where did it pick up this week? Last week might as well not have happened - the sickness, the planet, none of it was even addressed. Did I miss an episode? I can't find mention of it anywhere. So instead of giving us a follow up to a good episode, they ignored it and gave us yet another boring and useless episode.

I am so disappointed with SGU. I want to like it. And I do love some of the actors, don't get me wrong. I though Ming-Na's portrayal of Camile Wray was quite moving this week - she makes me care, which most of the time I must make a great deal of effort to do in the series.

But I don't think I can keep watching this show - it's too disappointing. If I want to watch relationship drama, I'll tune back into Melrose Place. Give me science fiction! Give me fantasy! Try the stupid machine of the ancients that you found instead of giving crappy psych evals that waste a bunch of time and serve no other purpose.

The most action we had was when Col. Young beat up Col. Telford.

It's trying to be a whole lot of things, and failing at all of them, but the worst part is that Stargate Universe does not seem to be trying to be a show in the Stargateverse.

Are you equally dissatisfied? Or am I missing something that you feel makes the show worthwhile? Let me know

Glee - Hairography, S01E11

A show stopping number is often enough to redeem a floundering musical, encouraging audiences to go back despite a great many issues to see a moment so bright that the rest does not matter.

This did not quite happen on Wednesday's episode of Glee.

Don't get me wrong, the pregnancy plot line actually tore at my heart springs this week, with Quinn (Dianna Agron) deciding to give up her baby because Will (Matthew Morrison) was the best dad her baby could hope for, and Will giving up an awesome car to get a minivan for the whole family. But this moment, like the show stopper, did not make me forget the rest of the episode.

I just couldn't get into it. The first 6 minutes, I was almost tempted to turn it off - and would have if it had been a premiere and not a show I was already invested in. And the opening number, not performed by our guys, but by another school - I'm not sure if it was the intention, but the singing and dancing really did nothing for me, and all that hair flipping did not distract me from how boring it was. The same goes for our heroes' hairographied number later in the episode. Hair tossing is not actually an interesting enough concept to build an entire episode around, guys, sorry.

Then let's address the Rachel (Lea Michele) makeover thing. Okay, I know Kurt (Chris Colfer) is in love with Finn (Cory Monteith), but it's getting a little tiresome that he is getting so possessive and trying to sabotage the competition. Rachel looked positively terrifying in her Grease outfit, her hair fit for a brothel. Plus, I'm getting tired of everyone continuing to find Rachel grating, and for the Glee kids to continue to be so disconnected. This group would get nowhere in the real world because they wouldn't actually be able to perform as a team, so keen on destroying each other.

But, though the show stopper did not make me forget my complaints and my earlier boredom, it did make my heart swell. A group of deaf kids signing Imagine, with one saying the words rhythmically, and then our kids joining them, singing and signing as well. That was a number to remember. One of peace and happiness and togetherness. A message that Glee might project, but often does not have follow-through for. It was amazing.

So I'll watch that number again, that's for sure, but the rest of the episode? It might also be fun to bash my head against the wall a few times. What did you think?

Bones - The Foot in the Foreclosure, S05E08

And now we all know where spontaneous combustion comes from.

This episode was fantastic when it comes to the personal interaction of our favourite characters, though when it came to the actual case, well, I'd say that having a nose is not a guarantee of a win, but I think I'm reaching with that pun.

On the one hand, we had Booth (David Boreanaz) taking responsibility for his grandfather, Pops (Ralph Waite), which had your comic highs and your emotional lows, and on the other hand, we had a bizarre fetish murder which turned out to be a violent act of passion and grief in which a man beat a couple he found in his bed (the bed he shared with his late wife) and beat them to death with a bust of his own face (hence the nose comment above).

As for the case, it would not have been solved if not for Angela (Michaela Conlin)'s super computer skills (isn't she supposed to be an artist, not a graphic design and computer genius?). The computer determined that the melted polyester was an employee jacket, leading to the discovery of the identity of one of the victims; it also mapped the shape of the weapon imprint, displaying what was obviously a nose. Apparently all crime labs need to get this computer, it solves problems as well as magic!

I realize that the strength of Bones lies in the characters, which is why I still consider this a terrific episode, but couldn't try try to make the methods used to solve cases plausible?

Enough about that, and more about Pops! Booth's granddad was hilarious! He called Booth "shrimp", asked if he was gay when he professed no interest in Brennan (Emily Deschanel), and then told her that she had ovaries of steal (well he tried to tell her she had balls of steal, but she informed him that she had ovaries, not balls, so he corrected his statement)! Even better was when he told Booth at the end of the episode that he had to go back to his nursing home to help some of the women with crochet AKA sex.

The man who raised Booth when his abusive father took off is everything we hoped and expected. It is no wonder that he turned out to be emotionally well adjusted despite everything.

The best part of the episode? The fact that Clark (Eugene Byrd) was finally drawn into talking about his personal life - his grandfather - at work. He is human after all!!!

What did you think?

V - It's Only the Beggining, S01E04

As a regular episode of a regular season, V did a solid job, but as the last episode before a multiple month hiatus waiting to see what people thought, I think it may have missed the mark.

Don't get me wrong, I will be SO pissed if ABC doesn't bring V back in March as it is currently supposed to do. Frankly, I'm not entirely sure why it decided on the break in the first place, but we don't need to go there.

The episode had solid plot markers throughout, leaving me with questions and fears that I want the show to answer. But it also left me with a raised eyebrow and a "really?" on my lips.

When it resumes in the fall, we will hopefully find out whether Father Jack (Joel Gretsch) survived a stabbing and what exactly Ryan (Morris Chestnut) and Valerie (Lourdes Benedicto)'s baby will look like. We'll learn what Anna (Morena Baccarin) has planned for Tyler Logan Huffman), as well as for the rest of the planet. We may even learn if Anna is a fan of gerbil. I look forward to that. But the set up was a little cheesy - basically what happens when you build the hype through commercials, and then have to leave a bunch of cliffhangers to build more suspense when you are only 4 episodes in.

I wanted to see more of the conspiracy - okay, so the V are clever and wanted to put something in our flu shot, but what? Tell me more? And Joshua (Mark Hildreth) had to skin his best friend to protect himself - did we get to see any of that? The pain and agony of both of them was merely hinted at and I wanted more. And I wanted to see how much Anna's Bliss brought Joshua back from the brink of all that pain, and whether any part of him wanted to resist it, or whether Anna would know if he did.

Instead of getting more answers and development, something I crave at this early stage in the game, we got more questions...some of which did not feel necessary. Is Jack a soldier or a priest? Couldn't he be both? Does that really matter right now?

Regardless, I want to watch more - even though the prospect of hundreds more V ships makes me wonder more why they need such numbers that feel any more terror for the fate of the human race - do you?

Glee - Ballad, S01E10

Last week's episode of Glee had two major arches - Rachel (Lea Michele) developed a crush on Will (Matthew Morrison) and Finn (Cory Monteith) told Quinn (Dianna Agron)'s parents she was pregnant. The first was delightful in so many ways. The second was not. And the episode had a few issues I will address as well.

It started with Rachel and Will singing a love ballad - why you ask? Why not I say. Rachel suggested it, and for once Will tried to decline, thinking it was inappropriate. A big difference from a few weeks ago when his hip hop number practically had him grinding with the high school students.

At any rate, Rachel fell madly in love, resulting in a back-and-forth of ballads between the two, trying to get across what they felt - Rachel love and Will fear. In the end, Rachel realized that she did what many somewhat attractive girls with annoying tendencies do - she was reaching towards someone she knew she could not have because it is easier than reaching for an actual possibility that might still fail. I love that despite Lea Michele's beauty and talent, the writers and the actor have managed to create a girl that those of us who are possibly pretty but outwardly flawed can completely relate to.

The pregnancy plot was not nearly so pleasant. Yes, poor Quinn got herself kicked out by her horrid father, and Finn has to man up more, which were poignant and important moments, but the thing I can't get out of my head was Puck (Mark Salling)'s confession to Mercedes (Amber Riley). He was pissed because he's the father of Quinn's baby.

And what did Mercedes say? She told him to back off and leave Quinn alone. She'd chosen her baby's father, and Puck should suck it up that it's not him. WHAT!!! Are you kidding me! Puck is the father, and he has just as much right to claim his baby as Quinn does. You can't just sleep with some random guy and get pregnant and then decide the father is someone completely different. That's not how biology works. And Puck wants to be a part of his child's life.

Plus, it is totally unfair to Finn not only to be lied to about it, but to have the pressure of being a young father thrown on his shoulders cause Quinn decided it would be so.

I will be pissed if this thing never comes to light. Frankly I now strongly dislike Mercedes character; I think she's a bitch.

Am I being to harsh, or do you agree? And where the heck was Sue??

Dexter - Road Kill, S04E08

When this season of Dexter started, I assumed that the Trinity murderer's murders would span the season. I was very much surprised when he finished his cycle of murders before the season was half over. And I am even more surprised that he has remained alive.

John Lithgow's Trinity Killer is a brilliant variety of emotional moments, and I will miss him whenever it is that Michael C Hall's Dexter manages to kill him. Not only has be been a worthy adversary for everyone's favourite serial killer, but Lithgow's performance is sublime.

And it could easily have become tedious. It took little time for Dexter to find Arthur Miller, the mask of Trinity, and in the previous seasons once Dexter had labelled you a killer, well, you weren't really going to last. But Miller has staying power, and the writers have made us believe it.

Dexter doesn't want to go through with the kill because, as Miller pointed out this episode, they are the same. They have killed innocents, and regretted it, and they also have to kill, yet both manage to mascaraed as normal, happy family men with perfect but slightly flawed families.

In watching Trinity, we see what Dexter might become, or what he might have become even more so that with his brother. It forces us to think about how we feel about what Dexter does. After all, despite his caution he still managed to kill an innocent man. His victim did not deserve to die, and so we remember why we think that capital punishment is questionable and why police investigations have so much protocol.

Yes, Dexter is full of morality, and it is also full of interesting questions. For instance, who shot Deb and Lundy and why? The Trinity Killer made SO much sense, but he is too damn tall for the shot that was taken. Plus, now that we know Arthur Miller, it does not seem his style to kill bystanders with a gun. But we had already determined it wasn't the vacation murderer...so perhaps it was Christine, the annoying journalist, out to get the best possible stories in this tough economic climate.

What are your suspicions? And how do you feel about Dexter as a serial killer of late?

White Collar - Flip of the Coin, S01E04

White Collar continues to please me every week. Matthew Bomer as Caffrey, Tim DeKay as Burke and Tiffani Thiessen as Ellie continue to have fantastic chemistry and timing between the three of them. And Willie Garson as Mozzie, finally allowed to interact with DeKay, completes a solid and terrific cast.

The episodes themselves do not always lend to greater commentary. Yes, I absolutely adored Burke's inability to deal with crying women. Yes, I was quite happy that between Caffrey and Mozzie the job got accomplished with some lovely finessing of the rules. Yes, I love that Neal is as good as he is. But what else can I say? It was good, it was solid, I liked it, and I laughed.

Perhaps we should discuss morality? How do you feel about the FBI working with a convicted felon? Is this a good thing, since Neal so clearly understands the world of con artists and has the skills not only to be one but also to thwart them? Or is he likely to do us all a bad turn and use his time with the FBI not only to get whatever it is that he wants, but also to better avoid them next time?

And what does Neal want? Is it just to find Kate? It it for Kate? But other than a hint about Bordeaux and that X marks the spot we continue to learn little about it.

What are your thoughts?

The Mentalist - His Red Right Hand, S02E08

After two weeks of speculation and concern, we finally got to watch His Red Right Hand and discover which character (or characters) on The Mentalist would die.

I was fearful - who could they possibly kill of our leads? The only possibilities that made any sense were Sam Bosco (Terry Kinney) and Vincent Minelli (Gregory Itzin), but with all the hype about the deaths, it seemed too easy. If they really wanted to shock and surprise, killing Cho (Tim Kang) or Rigsby (Owain Yeoman) would have been far more effective.

But Bosco died, not Rigsby or Cho, and while that seems to obvious answer, I was happy with it. I can live with Bosco's death even though he'd stopped being such a pickle, and I can live with the death of the rest of his team too. But just because I can live with these things, and just because I am gleeful that my favourite CBI team has escaped unharmed (physically at any rate), it does not mean that this episode wasn't both heart-rending and forward-moving.

Bosco's death, shortly after he confessed his love to Lisbon (Robin Tunney) and made Jane (Simon Baker) promise to kill Red John, was a blow to everyone. He was made of the right stuff, and once he stopped being so difficult toward Jane, things would really have started to move forward. Plus, you have to love that he was not forgiving of Jane's ridiculous and illegal behaviour. Sure, it's nice to always solve a case, but sometimes it's nice for the conviction to hold.

He will be missed.

There has been some speculation as to how this will affect the team. Well, Minelli retiring certainly will be an issue. Someone new is going to have to get used to Jane's eccentricities. We'll have to see just how forgiving he or she is. Lisbon will certainly not be able to move on easily. She loved Sam, too. Even Rigsby is suffering over the death of Hicks, whose life he had saved only a week ago.

Jane, on the other hand, will not be affected any more than usual. There was a moment, when the murderer told Jane that Red John had killed Bosco and his team so that Jane could be back on the case, that Jane believed these new murders might truly be his fault. It didn't even cross his mind at that point that Bosco was just reopening the case to him and he would have been back on the trail soon enough. But when she said those words, believing all the while that Red John was a good man, well it took something out of Jane. That was all undone only moments later when Red John killed his own right hand. She may have been willing to do anything for him, but she meant nothing to him. And when Jane was proven correct on that front, he got his strength back.

Red John killed Bosco and had her tell Jane it was for him to hurt Jane. Nothing more. It's a crappy reason to die, but Jane will honour their memories by not being distracted. Before the mourning of his fellows was over, he was back at the files, desperate to find a trace of Red John's mistakes.

He had made them before, he would make one again, and eventually, he will be caught.

I just hope not too soon. Either the series will end, or some other super serial killer that cannot be caught will have to appear to save the day.

Where do you think we will go from here?

V - A Bright New Day, S01E03

V continues to mount tensions, with surprising discoveries and delightful questions confusing audiences. Is it even possible that the Vs, with Anna (Morena Baccarin) at their head, could truly be of peace, always?

To that, I have no answer. It would be a really great trick if they were. Or maybe it is simply that they honestly believe that. Sure, Anna is going around carefully manipulating public opinion to win the affections of the humans of the world, but regardless of her true intent, good or ill, she would want to do this so that interaction can continue. Just because she knows just how to get what she wants does not mean that she wants to annihilate all humans.

We learned from Ryan (Morris Chestnut)'s former ally that the Vs are hooked up to something directly from Anna which gives them bliss. Maybe Anna wishes to use the same thing on humans to take away all their tension and anger - it may well be to then use them as slaves, but drugging them into unaware happiness is not such a terrible plan for that.

I also wonder what they know about Erica (Elizabeth Mitchell). Though Dale (Alan Tudyk) did remember that she was his partner and that she had seen his face, Joshua (Mark Hildreth*) prevented his superiors from finding this out. Joshua, like Ryan, is a member of the 5th column, the V resistance. So Joshua knows Erica's predisposition towards the V, but does Anna?

Her daughter, Lisa (Laura Vandervoort), is romancing Tyler (Logan Huffman) for some nefarious part of Anna's plan. But was that look at the end of the episode an indication that Lisa has feelings for Tyler that might thwart those plans?

Who can we trust? Who is a V, and what does it mean to be a V? Clearly some of them have a great hate for humanity, while others like us, and still others, Anna in particular, have some sort of plan or use for us. Where is all this going to take our heroes, and when will we discover that their intentions are no more pure than anyone elses?

What are your thoughts?

Vampire Diaries - History Repeating, S01E09

I absolutely LOVED this episode of Vampire Diaries. The quality of story telling and acting, the chemistry between the characters, oh boy has this show come together to make something great.

Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Stefan (Paul Wesley) must have had a blast. They mimicked each other, Stefan all attitude and plotting, Damon feigning wimpyness, yet neither managed perfectly. Exactly what you would expect from two brothers.

The girls, Elena (Nina Dobrev), Bonnie (Katerina Graham), and Caroline (Candice Accola), also got some bonding time. Bonnie finally told Caroline about being a witch, and the reason she was keeping the necklace. It ended up being very high school...but these girls are in high school, so I guess that's actually alright. Most girls, I've had the impression, end up with friendships like this. Wow, reality in a show about vampires - how strange.

These bonding moments were awesome, but the strength of the episode rested in Damon's big reveal - he had known everything that went on with Katherine. Unlike Stefan, he had known. And he had planned to bring Katherine back ever since because his love for her had been real and he could never get over it. For all that Damon is evil, he suffers so much, making him such an interesting, multidimensional villain.

I also have to give the show points for surprises. Jenna (Sara Canning) was obviously going to hit it off with Alaric (Matt Davis), Jeremy (Steven R McQueen) and Elena's new history teacher. And it is strongly hinted at that he is possibly a vampire, what with his father's bizarre ring and his refusal to enter Jenna's house uninvited. So that story line, while a little obvious, is intriguing, and a good way for Jenna to get over Logan (Chris J Johnson). I was not, however, expecting Logan to show up at her door later that night, also being asked to be invited it.

How is he still alive? Is he a vampire? What is going on!!!

Are you as into this show as I am?

Bones - The Dwarf in the Dirt, S05E07

Bones is back, baby, with an episode that reminded me exactly why I love this show.

It started with a body, as is typically the case. This body had green bones, was smallish, and was at the end of a rainbow. Yes, it was the body of a leprechaun. Did I mention the gold coins in close proximity to the remains?

Now, I'm sure you will say, well it wasn't actually a leprechaun, but you would be wrong. It was a leprechaun - the Iron Leprechaun, a popular midget wrestler.

While the case was followed carefully, which I am also adamant should occur, we had some great Bones(Emily Deschanel)/Booth (David Boreanaz) chemistry and development. And we had my favourite guest star - Stephen Fry as Gordon, Gordon Wyatt.

Booth is beginning to recognize that his feelings from Brennan are real and genuine, not caused by his brain tumor. He simply can't tell her for fear of scaring and hurting her. So we have now entered the phase where our hero knows he wants the girl, knows the chemistry is there, but has to proceed carefully so that he does not end up destroying her instead of claiming her.

It's a nice change from the will they/won't they. And it puts a little bit more of a timeline on the entire thing.

So Bones is rocking, particularly with the line of one of the wrestlers who was afraid that Booth would send him back to Canada, to Sudbury of all godforsaken places. What did you think?

The Mentalist - Red Bulls, S01E07

For once, Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) did not dominate the episode. This was truly a team effort, allowing each character the shine.

Rigsby (Owain Yeoman) and one of Bosco (Terry Kinney)'s underlings were not getting along. They continued to bicker throughout the episode, with tension running high. Rigsby even refused to put on a Kevlar vest despite Grace (Amanda Righetti)'s persistence because the other guy wasn't wearing one. It turned out to be a mistake, but he was lucky, for it was Grace who was shot 4 times in her vest. When will bad guys learn to aim for the head?

Rigsby ended up killing the assailant, saving the other guy, which made them suddenly friends, but the only thing that made the accident worth it was when Grace punched Rigsby hard for not having followed her advice. Next time, he will wear the vest.

Jane and Bosco got to have it out too. Lisbon (Robin Tunney) was getting very frustrated with Bosco's refusal to listen to Jane or appreciate him as part of the team. She blamed the tension he and she were displaying for the arguments between the members of their teams.

I was surprised to see Bosco turn around by the end of the episode. He handed the Red John file over to Jane...not the complete one, but still. Considering the stunt that Jane pulled last week, I'm surprised that Bosco changed him mind so swiftly. It must be for sweeps.

So stay tuned and watch next week's episode, where rumor has it a lot of people are going to die. Our heroes? Well, let's just say I'd rather Jane die that Cho (Tim Kang), Grace or Rigsby, so if they are going to kill someone important...well, I just don't know who it should be.

Any thoughts?

Glee - Wheels, S01E09

Though this episode was designed to bring attention to the difficulties students who are different have to suffer through, and it was successful in that manner, it was the worst episode of Glee.

I appreciate that Artie (Kevin McHale) finally got to be front and centre, and that we now know that he still has the full use of his penis. That's right. I also loved seeing the other side of Sue (Jane Lynch), and watching her treat one of the disabled girls just like anyone else, being just as hard on her for failing as any other cheerio, as well as meeting her sister. And I also think it might be a good idea for everyone to wheel around in a wheelchair for a week just to see how hard it is.

Those things may have been interesting life lessons, or important character development, but the rest was severely lacking. I don't recall a single song from the episode, but I am certain that there simply was not enough music. And I am also greatly confused by the fact that Quinn (Dianna Agron) called Puck (Mark Salling) an egghead. Yes, it was just before she crushed a yokey egg on his head, but otherwise he is the farthest thing from an egghead I can imagine...unless it has come to mean something completely different in the many years since I was in high school.

Also, Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz)'s fake stutter was the worst discovery ever. I mean, we all suspected from the first that Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig) was not in fact pregnant, but a fake pregnancy is far more interesting that a fake stutter.

That's how Danielle Cs it, how did you?

Stargate Universe - Time, S01E08

Finally a Stargate Universe episode that I not only believe takes place in the same world as Stargate SG1 and Atlantis, but that rocked my world.

It started out in Kinovision (the world viewed from a Kino), with our heroes checking out a new planet, rife with foliage. Before long, some of the crew began to fall sick, including Chloe (Elyse Levesque), so the team stayed on the planet to try to determine whether it was something there that was making them sick - they did not want to bring a contagion back. It turns out that this was a bad idea because by nightfall the stargate was malfunctioning and squid creatures attacked. They started biting, and one ate through Chloe. That's right, Chloe died!!

Naturally, I knew at that point that something wasn't quite right. As delighted as I would be by Chloe's death, Elyse Levesque is scheduled to appear for the rest of the season.

As it turns out, the folks watching the Kino video also realized at that point that something wasn't right, particularly Chloe who had to run out of the room to puke.

And so we have all our friends watching themselves on the planet, where they have now never been since they found the Kino full of information. Is it an alternate timeline, dimension or what?

It's not a time loop - too early for a time loop episode - instead, the stargate is passing through a solar flare, which past stargate experience has taught us will throw the traveller back through the same gate but at a different time - past or future. In this case, the Kino went to the past.

Yes, we got some cool scientific stuff going on, and, for once, we had some great connections happening between the characters. Alaina Huffman's TJ finally showed herself as a smart, competent and tough woman. She did everything she could to save her sick patients, in both timelines, and was equally crushed by her failure. Eli (David Blue) connected with TJ and Rush (Robert Carlyle) since Chloe ended up dying in both timelines. I already loved Eli for his goofiness and the truth of his supergeekdom, but seeing him befriend characters who I respect, well that was a thing of beauty. And Rush, confronted with death again, was brave and true and tried his best. All the actors brought their A games to this episode, and so did the writers.

What do you think? Can they keep it up in next week's episode, entitled Life, where our heroes will have little time to capture a squid and extract its venom to cure the disease they carry?

Also, what do you think of the linking of episodes, no longer whole independent, but one leading carefully into the problem of the next?

Apologies for the Absence

Hello All,

I apologize for the delay. I know it may seem like I dropped off the planet, but in reality, life just took for. I've been looking for a new apartment, and I've finally found one, so I'm not longer constantly going to be looking at places. That gives me back some of my life.

I also read a book. Game of Thrones by George RR Martin. Perhaps you've heard of it? Well, it was awesome, and I spent 5 days reading it in my spare time rather than blogging. Though I still watched some TV. Never fear, last week's episodes will still find my commentaries gracing your computer screens, as will a review of Game of Thrones. And it is totally TV related too, since HBO is planning on turning it into a series. ROCK ON I say.

So welcome me back, and continue to read.

Love Danielle

FlashForward - Playing Cards with Coyote,S01E08

In Playing Cards with Coyote, we saw how the world was affected by Agent Al Gough (Lee Thompson Young)'s decision to commit suicide. Clearly, nowhere in the world had someone taken it in hand to prove in such a dramatic way that the future was not set in stone.

And yet, despite this prove, the characters still drift towards April 29th and the possibility that what they saw might still happen. Aaron Stark (Brian F. O'Byrne) clings to the hope of what he saw, even more so since his daughter Tracey (Genevieve Cortese) showed up in his living room, while Olivia (Sonya Wagler) opens a gift from Mark (Joseph Fiennes) to discover the package contains the lingerie she was wearing in her vision with Llyod (Jack Davenport). She proceeds to throw that gift in the trash, which is a mirror to Mark shooting a man who might later shoot him.

Meanwhile, Lloyd continues to be wracked with guilt over the flashforward and murder of 20 million people. He wished to come forward and take responsibility. I can't imagine what he thinks that might accomplish - save getting himself thrown in jail - but he is insistent. So insistent that he cheats at poker to beat Simon (Dominic Monaghan) and therefore get his way. Monaghan continues to be deliciously one-minded about everything. He's got his plan and that's the way things are going to be. Love it.

And so that lesson that is learnt is that the future may be able to be changed, but you have to want it. It's as if, instead of the flashforward being the only possible future, it has become the most likely one, and if anyone wishes to alter that, they must make a great effort or a huge sacrifice. Throwing oneself off a building can change the course of time...can throwing out a pair of panties?

What do you think?

The Good Wife - Unorthodox, S01E07

I never know what to expect every week on the Good Wife. Certainly a court case and some development in Alicia (Julianna Margulies)'s life, but what direction that will take. And despite this, though I don't feel like I must watch the next episode to discover the result of x, y, or z, I want to watch the next episode because it will be intelligent, exciting and it will teach me somewhere new.

This week's episode, not only did we deal with a case that at best was considered fraud and at worst antisemitism, but we also faced the question of why Alicia did not divorce Peter (Chris Noth).

When Alicia was paired with an independent lawyer, Ryan Alprin (Chris Bowers), to defend the daughter of one of the partners - she and her husband were orthodox Jewish and had not repaired a cable on the sabbath because they were not allowed to - a strange connection developed between the two. There was definitely some chemistry, though Alicia continued to ask Ryan to stop pursuing it as she is married. And there's the question. Why is she still married to Peter after everything? Because, as we learned by the end, you don't throw a good marriage away over one mistake, even if it's a very bad mistake.

As the reactions over the end of Don and Betty's relationship on Mad Men show us, people would much rather watch a couple in trouble end their relationship and move on than try to salvage it. Apparently it's too much work. But every marriage is a lot of work, and the point is that when you make those vows, you mean you will put in all the work that is possible before you abandon ship. And a ship can take a whole lot of hull damage and still float, still be brought to shore and repaired. I like Alicia all the more for her refusal to simply cut the cord when things got bad.

Still she and Ryan's connection was intriguing, and Will (Josh Charles) showed some bristly jealousy. Plus, Ryan undercut Will with comments about a court case won through delays rather than in court. Ryan was doing very well unlike Alicia discovered his secret - he never actually passed the bar exam. And then it was done. While Will, for all the secrets he has and the misgivings we may have despite liking him very much, follows the letter of the law to help his client, whether the corporate monster or the vulnerable human, Ryan did not respect the law at all, risking every court case he fought.

The other man in Alicia's life, her son Zach (Graham Phillips) also gave her grief this week when he stole his grandmother's credit card and called a sex line. He was, of course, trying to figure out who faked some inappropriate pictures of his dad, but that's not the way it looked. But I love how Alicia is not the type of mom to freak out about it. He's 13, of course he's going to be interested in porn and sex and all that stuff. It's so normal that it's hilarious that that's not what he's up to.

Can't wait till next week, though who knows what developments may take place. Can you?

Melrose Place - Ocean, S01E09

Things I liked this week.

Victor Webster, Katie Cassidy, Stephanie Jacobsen and Shaun Sipos continue to demonstrate that they actually have quality talent and should be moved to other shows that people might actually want to watch.

David (Sipos)'s attachment to his younger brother was adorable, while his dad and step-mom were ridiculous about the child getting hurt.

Auggie (Colin Egglesfield) did not make an appearance.

Things I didn't like.

I want to stab Riley (Jessica Lucas) in the face. Not the portrayer...I'm not sure if she has talent, the character pisses me off so much, I don't know if it's the writing or the acting, but Riley the character should be stabbed in the face.

This is the last episode before the return of Heather Lochlear. If I wasn't interested or impressed this week, how will I survive this week.

The triviality of the entire thing. Sign. Le sigh. Sigh.

Only 4 more episodes before we discover who killed Sidney. Wouldn't it be nice is someone went on a murder spree and killed the entire cast so we could get the good actors on other shows? Please please?

V - There is no Normal Anymore, S01E02

V has held up to my expectations a second week in a row.

I simply love watching Morena Baccarin as Anna, the leader of the Vs. She is simply so beautiful and yet alien. Normally I would describe her as exotic rather than alien, but the colour of her skin reflecting through the lights of the spaceships is just a shade off from anything human. It's fantastic. Plus, her annoyance with her second in command for his utter lack of understanding of humans makes her so powerful. She knows us, she knows us very well. It would not be difficult for her to bring us to our knees.

And that's the real question, how long before they bring us to our knees? How long will the manipulation last, what is their true goal? We won't be able to get rid of them with an awesome solution like in War of the Worlds, since they've been there too long, and much as I love Independence Day, we can't give them a computer virus...but maybe some sort of anti-reptile spray?

I have to wonder how much trouble Erica (Elizabeth Mitchell) is in. Dale (Alan Tudyk) may have died last episode, but he's not out of the picture yet. Apparently the Vs have some sort of healing device. And with Erica having just managed to prove that he is a traitor...well, if he shows up again at work, she might have some explaining to do. Plus I don't at all trust Agent Malik (Rekha Sharma*) from the are-the-Vs-terrorists? task force. That may be because I absolutely hated her from day 1 on BSG, but needless to say, I don't like her much here either.

I also love how Tyler (Logan Huffman) got kicked off of the Vs peach ambassador's because he punched a guy. Silly Vs, don't you know what humans are like? We love a good fist fight. I'm surprised though that the incident didn't end up in the paper; Erica should have found out about it. But then, she and her son might need to build some trust before we pull the carpet back out again.

And finally Chad Decker (Scott Wolf) is getting some backbone. Too bad it's still too early to see if he's actually going to get her to ask the tough questions. But no one has seen enough alien movies to have enough sense to be suspicious. I mean, after all the anti-terrorism legislation that's been going on, do you really think that the USA, Japan, or any other country in this world would so easily open their doors. I really hope not.

But now let's hear from you. What do you think of the show?

Fringe - Earthling, S01E06

While this may have been one of the more interesting stand alone episodes of Fringe lately, delving into Broyles (Lance Reddick)'s back story and bringing aliens into the picture, Fringe continues to lack the through line necessary to create great television.

I watch now because I recall the need to watch that I felt in season 1, but it is from a loyalty previously established that is slowly dissipating. We no longer have delightful moments with Walter (John Noble) where he remembers bizarre things about his past, or shuffles across the carpet wearing woolly socks to shock someone, or sings himself to sleep. He rarely even asks for a rootbeer float over a cadaver anymore. Peter (Joshua Jackson) has also been cast to the side, and we haven't had much at all about what Water and Bell did to Olivia (Anna Torv) when she was small. The characterization has been pushed aside in favour of storylines which are entirely episodic. What has happened to Fringe?

Alright, enough lamentation. The plot with Broyles was pretty good. We learned what happened with his wife, why he got divorced, and we got to see that he has a tolerable relationship with her now, though she has moved on. With Charlie gone, it's nice to have a bit more familiarity with Broyles since he is now Olivia's closest friend in the FBI. Man it sucks that Charlie is gone.

The alien shadow creature was just bizarre. There's so much supposed to be going on on Earth with the Pattern and the other dimension, do we really need weird things going on in outerspace? And while that mystery guy from the end (JR Bourne*) might elicit some interest, the writers really have to figure out what made season 1 so great and bring it back before Fringe gets cancelled for not only having low ratings but also just not being up to par.

I suggest getting back on track. How is Walter involved with the Pattern? What is going on with the observer? Have we made any advances with the other dimension? Who was the guy who's head was stolen by the shapeshifter? Stop giving me questions that only barely register and then are forgotten or laid aside! I so desperately want Fringe to make me need to watch again; it was one of my favourite shows last year, and now it's one of the last Thursday night programs I get to.

Am I being to harsh? Am I missing golden moments?

Vampire Diaries - 162 Candles, S01E08

Despite Elena (Nina Dobrev)'s decision last week that she would not eliminate the memory of Stefan from her mind, she still could not resign herself to taking him back. He was still a vampire, and dangerous.

But it wasn't long before she was headed back over to the Salvator home to speak to him, and she was both upset and angry when Stefan (Paul Wesley)'s friend Lexi (Arielle Kebbel) answered the door wearing only a towel. Of course, Lexi was greatly disturbed to see that Elena was the spitting image of Catherine.

Lexi is clearly a great friend to Stefan, not tolerating Damon (Ian Somerhalder)'s BS and convincing Elena not to give up the terrific relationship she could have with Stefan just because of what he is. I liked her immediately. So of course I was pissed when I figured out that Damon planned to frame her as the vampire causing problems around Mystic Falls. And I was even more annoyed when he ended up staking her. Sure, it's nice to put the blame on somebody else, but not Lexi! Sigh.

The best part of this episode was Bonnie (Katherina Graham)'s role. Not only did her dream at the end predict some exciting new drama, but her sweetness and dedication to her friends makes her such a perfect best friend. Not only does she comfort Elena over the break up, but she also shows her her biggest secret - that she's a witch. The simplicity and beauty of her lifting white feathers was the perfect way to show off her new skills. It lacked the danger of fire.

Her encounter with Caroline (Candice Accola) was equally touching, when she refused to give back the necklace, while equally refusing to be told she was a bad friend for it. I'm glad someone continues to try to protect her from Damon, and I really hope she manages to get over it. Her mother really ought to give her some vervain.

What are your opinions?

Castle - Kill the Messenger, S02E08

I want to start by saying it's awesome that Martha (Susan Sullivan) refers to her online networking site as My Face. What a brilliant combination; far more interesting that...oh, let's say, slapface, for instance.

It was delightful to watch her have her life taken over like the rest of us.

I really enjoyed this episode. I was highly entertained by the coroner (Arye Gross), who's sense of humour and terrifically timed comments rivaled Castle (Nathan Fillion). Sitting in the morgue, eating, and claiming it was the cleanest room in the city while Castle's face turned green, he dominated his scenes. Which is hard to do when you're in the same room as Fillion or Stana Katic.

The only issue with the episode was that it was hard to relate to the victim. Or, victims I should say. It was brilliant how a murder took place today, two in fact, but to solve them, the focus had to be on a murder which took place 10 years ago. Since the present wouldn't solve the crime, we were trying to find the murderer of a woman who has been dead 10 years. It's hard to relate.

It's not hard to relate with the cause of the murder - money and reputation. In the end, Castle and Beckett (Katic) proved that a fixer of the Wellesley family had murdered the girl and covered it up. And then you felt really badly for someone - her father (Mark Moses* aka Duck Phillips) had no idea she existed, and finds out 10 years after her death that his family killed her. Ouch.

And while he stepped up to help the son of one of the other murder victims, you can't help but feel terrible that 3 families were broken over 1 family's pride.

What did you think?

Dexter - Slack Tide, S04E07

I've been waiting for this to happen all season. I think we all were. The moment when Dexter (Michael C Hall) would screw up irreparably. No, he did not leave evidence behind somewhere to implicate himself, but he did make a mistake.

He killed an innocent man.

Regardless of anything else that has happened this season, this is the moment that will show us who Dexter truly is. Did he enjoy taking that man's life? Well yes, but at the time, he was convinced that he was guilty...basing it entirely on circumstantial evidence. Hence why circumstantial evidence often means almost nothing.

But the moment he realized his mistake, something happened. He felt something. He was greatly distressed, shocked, angry with himself. A psychopath who will be forever haunted by the one murder he committed that he had a reason to regret. How many murderers has he killed that he felt nothing for, regardless of family members and friends who might have been pained? They were all dangers to society; they weren't innocent.

And whose fault is it that Dexter was not careful? What caused him to take such a short cut without thinking carefully about it? Dexter has too much on his plate, and an innocent man died for it. How will he live with that?

What do you think?

White Collar - Book of Hours, S01E03

White Collar easily recaptured the sparks that made the pilot so amazing in this third episode. Not that the second episode was particularly bad or anything, it just left something to be desired. Here, that thing was back in full force.

The case was the search for a medieval bible, stolen from a church patronized by a well-known mobster. The first question was - Who would steal a bible? Caffrey (Mathew Bomer) and Mozzie (Willie Garson) debated what cause they might have to steal one, and determined that it would be a very difficult item to fence. Then Mozzie pointed out that this particular bible (or book of hours as it turned out to be) had supposed healing properties, and that a true believer might have wanted it to heal someone.

This led to a delightful conversation between Burke (Tim DeKay) and Caffrey about the merit of such a thing. Burke is apparently a lapsed Catholic, and Caffrey maintains that God works in mysterious ways. The best line was when they tried to determine why no one in that perish had caught the spanish influenza back in the day, and Burke wondered if God told them to "shut thine doors and eat thine oranges."

They discovered that a true believer had taken the bible from the sanctuary, and had given it to a man. Which man? Not sure, but he did not bring the book back so that Lucy, the believing war vet's dog, could be cured. It turns out the man was the mobster's right hand, and he's been shot and killed. Unfortunately, since no one was certain the shooting was over the bible, an agent responsible for mob shootings takes over the case. Ruize (played by Kirk Acevedo* from Fringe) doesn't trust Caffrey, so he and Burke are off the case.

Now Burke and Caffrey are not the types of guys to just take that, and, in a clear demonstration of the faith Burke has in Caffrey, as well as his appreciation for a man who does not have his hands tied all the time, Burke agrees to lend Caffrey his FBI jacket. And this is why I love this show. It is SO great to be able to watch a procedural where someone can get around the mumbojumbo that protects criminals.

Using the jacket, Caffrey and Mozzie find a woman, a professor of medieval history, who is tied with the murdered mobster. On the strength of that information, they are back on the case, using Caffrey as bait to get the book back from the woman. The problem? In this plan, Caffrey could actually try and succeed of making a run for it. Burke has faith...even though he's wearing his lucky tie, just in case.

In the end, they recover the book of hours, albeit with a bullet hole in it. The prof held Caffrey at gun point, determined to take the money and the book, and though Caffrey had removed the clip, he forgot the bullet in the chamber. He is not, as he professed, a gun guy.

I was horrified that this woman who claimed to love history would dare shoot Caffrey when she so obviously was going to damage the book, so I was very happy she got arrested.

Again, playing with the fun of Caffrey's personality, after the shooting, he handed the bible off to some FBI guy, and it promptly disappeared. Ruize was pissed, but Burke figured it out. They went back to the church and found the war vet with Lucy and the bible. At first, the mobster was pissed, but it turns out he's a dog person. He took the war vet to an animal vet who had saved his pugs from diabetes.

Now there's an image - a mobster with diabetic pugs. Hilarious.

And so, we see how God's hand works, saving the sick by finding wealthy men with soft spots.

Were you pleased with last week's episode?

Mad Men - Shut the Door. Have a Seat. S03E13 - Season Finale

As the third season of Mad Men came to a close, it is obvious that it will again be nominated for an Emmy for best dramatic series, and I would not be surprised if it won. Jon Hamm's portrayal of Don Draper will also again be in contention, and this has been his best season.

As the episode begins, it appears that everything is crashing down around Don's ears. Though he is not yet willing to listen to Betty (January Jones) and her desire to leave him, he is sleeping in Gene's room, and worse, he goes to a meeting with Connie Hilton to discover that Sterling Cooper and the British company that owns them are getting sold. He will have to work for a company for which he has no respect, since his contract prevents him from leaving despite the notion that the ship is sinking.

When it comes to Bets, as Don repeatedly calls Betty, he can't change anything. Their relationship is so fractured - Don is quite right when he decides that she has never forgiven him for his indiscretion. And while we know that he has had mistresses from here to wherever there is a Hilton, Betty only knows of the one. She's really more upset that he's Dick Whitman, which is so sad considering that it is Dick Whitman who truly loves her. Dick is the side of Don that is able to love wholly and loyally. He may not think it's a big deal to play around on the side, but he believes the rest of his marriage vows.

Still, in the end, he lets her go. And she leaves the kids alone with Carla so that she can go to Reno with Henry Francis to get an easy divorce. It's kind of stupid considering that Don could have stayed with them rather than in an apartment. They are his kids and that is his house.

Besides, Betty's not going to get what she wants with Henry. From one man's bed to another - now there's every woman's dream.

Don does rally, though, when it comes to his career. He and Roger (John Slattery) and Bert (Robert Morse) decide to try to buy the company back, and when this fails, thanks to Lane (Jared Harris) who really knows where his loyalties ought to lie, the three get themselves fired and plan to start their own company, taking who and what they can with them.

Don's first instinct is to tell Peggy (Elisabeth Moss), not even asking, expecting her to come. She is annoyed and refuses, though she still has the loyalty not to tell anyone about it. Don is shocked that she denied him, but he does not have time to worry about it.

Next, they try to contact Pete (Vincent Kartheiser), but he's called in sick. He is not sick, as we know, but planning his own move, so when Roger and Don show up at his door with an offer to move with them, he jumps on it, bringing what clients he can. And we finally remember, despite the truly dark side of Pete we saw this season, that he does have worth. He sees the future, the need to advertise to teenagers and black people. And he and Trudy (Alison Brie) have been having a stellar relationship of late.

I can't decide whether I want that to end in favour of a reunion with Peggy; really, as long as Peggy stops sleeping with Duck, I'll be happy.

Harry Crane (Roger Sommer) is quickly recruited as well - they'll need his media skills, and, of course, when they are busy removing all the client files, they are incapable of finding anything and so must call upon our lovely Joan (Christina Hendricks) to rescue them. Thank God. The most depressing episodes this season were the ones where Joan was not there.

And don't fear about Peggy either. Don may not have succeeded in saying the right thing to Betty, but with Peggy he prevailed. He went to her apartment and asked her again to move with them. He told her if she did not come, he would spend the rest of his life trying to get her to change his mind. He finally showed her how much he valued her, and we all know that Peggy has always adored Don, so she was glad to follow once she got the proper respect.

It was quite a scene on Monday morning when the remaining employees of Sterling Cooper found out about the defection. Ken (Aaron Staton) was annoyed that Pete tried to steal John Deer, Alison cried that Don had not even left a note, and Kinsey (Michael Gladis) stared sadly into Peggy's office, realizing that he had been left behind. I do hope we still get to see them every once in a while next season, though really I'm more concerned about what will happen to Sal.

Too bad Lucky Strike came with them.

And now we have to wait until next August to find out where things will go. Will the new company be successful? How will Betty, Kinsey, Ken, and anyone else fit in with this huge change? What will happen with Peggy and Pete working so closely together again, or Roger and Joan for that matter? We all know he loves her rather than Jane.

At any rate, this is likely the happiest ending of an episode of Mad Men, with a feeling of hope and possibility. Sure, I'm not certain where the divorce storyline will take us, but this new company with the best of Sterling and Cooper...there are distinct possibilities.

What are your thoughts?