Vampire Diaries - You're Undead to Me, S01E05

This episode of Vampire Diaries was very, very disappointing. Probably because I simply didn't find it believable. And I know what you're saying: "Danielle, it's a show about vampires. How realistic do you think it's going to be?" And I get that, but my problem is not with vampires.

Take a girl, any girl, and give her a mysterious boyfriend who seems to be a genuinely nice guy but has some major secrets. Of course she's going to want to know what they are. But for Elena (Nina Dobrev), who has otherwise come off as levelheaded and grounded, to reach the ridiculous (although accurate) conclusion that Stefan (Paul Wesley) is some sort of immortal, likely a vampire, is reaching.

I mean, okay, we're in a series where vampires exist in the world, so believing in them may not be such a leap, but theoretically it is our world. Even I, who would love to believe in the supernatural, would have reached many other conclusions. Though the ending montage of her memories revealing the build up to her conclusion made the whole thing a little more bearable, I will now tell you what conclusions a normal person would have drawn from what she saw.

1. That there are previous Stefan and Damon Salvatores in the family just means that it's a family name, passed down from generation to generation. That's what Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Stefan both indicated when she saw their signatures from the 1860s.

2. The video footage from 1953 was ridiculous on a whole other level. That is NOT how the news was done then. It was not reported in the same way as it is now, there would not have been a local news station in such a small town at the time. And if there was, the video footage would not have lasted the last 60 years because no one would have thought to carefully preserve it. Stefan's image should have been in the background of a photo in the newspaper.

Now that I've gotten that off my chest, if he was a relative, it's likely he would have appeared similar. (oh, and can someone tell me why Stefan hasn't styled his hair differently in 60 years?) Perhaps someone looking to find an immortal would decide he was the same person, but to buy into the story in the first place makes Elena seem crazy.

3. The disappearing cut of Stefan's hand would never have been considered a disappearing cut. Yes, at first she saw he was hurt and was worried. Naturally she was confused when she saw that his hand was fine, but which would you believe: My hand was cut, and now it's not as it was healed by magic. or My hand was never cut. The blood belongs to the other cut person.

4. Okay, so the most compelling evidence that there is something wrong with Stefan is that his face changes sometimes, but wouldn't you just think his eyes were getting red because of allergies or something. As a rational human, you'd think of any logical reason rather than chalking it up to him being a monster.

5. Damon biting Caroline (Candice Accola)...sure he's an abusive bastard who's into sadism and biting, but that doesn't make him a vampire.

6. The bodies were drained of blood because that's apparently what happens in mountain lion attacks. Life is much happier when you just accept what the news tells you happened.

7. Vicki said the creature that attacked her was a vampire. Vicki (Kayla Ewell) said this just after she awoke from a coma, and then did not remember saying it or anything that happened for about a day. If we've learned anything from television, it's that you should pay attention to the ravings of a coma patient (like Bun on Eastwick telling Kat that Darryl is evil), but sane people dismiss these bizarre and impossible notions.

So Elena figured out Stefan's secret, which I find unbelievable and too easy.

In other news, Damon broke out of his cell with Caroline's unwitting help, broke Zach (Chris William Martin)'s neck (guess he should not have mentioned the vervain pumping through his blood), and finished the episode munching on Vicki's neck.

Next week is supposed to be one heck of an episode according to executive producer Kevin Williamson. I say, bring it and make up for this nonsense that even my highly trained willing suspension of disbelief could not swallow.

FlashForward - 137 Sekunden, S01E03

Agents Mark Benford (Joseph Fiennes) and Janis Hawk (Christine Woods) traveled to Germany where a Nazi (Curt Lowens) claimed to have answers as to why the blackout lasted exactly 137 seconds. He refuses to give them any information without the promise that he will be fully pardoned for the atrocities he committed during World War II. And here is the big moral question, which Janis puts to Mark, appalled that he is considering the issue: When do we stop giving pardons to criminals to catch people more dangerous than they are?

In today's society, just try to free a Nazi for any reason. Millions of people died in concentration camps and we have all been raised not only to condemn those actions, but also to hate the perpetrators. It doesn't matter that the few who are still alive are old and aren't going to live much longer, as Janis so aptly put it, there is no expiry date on evil.

But in the universe of FlashForward, hundreds of millions of people died as a result of the blackout, and billions more are in danger. If we forgive a drug dealer to catch a mob boss, can we pardon a Nazi to catch the enemy of the Earth? Apparently, it is the same. And examining the issue, we now have a better understanding of how those hurt by that particular drug dealer feel about him being freed to save all those threatened by the mob boss.

The worst part is that the information the Nazi ended up giving was seemingly pointless. Many crows were dead outside his window when he awoke from his blackout. How useful is that? And finally Mark thinks about it, and he and Janis discover that this is not the first time a blackout has occurred. It's simply the first time it affected people globally. I can only hope the Nazi's information will be very important, otherwise, it is hard to swallow his release, even though it is fictitious.

Before I ask the questions FlashForward generated this week, I must mention the appearances of Gina Torres* as the Wedeck's wife and of Genevieve Cortese* as Tracy Stark.

Now for the questions.

1. If Demetri (John Cho) is killed on March 15th, who is his fiancee marrying in her vision on April 29th?

2. Why didn't Demetri arrest the future customs officer because of his bong? It would have been interesting to see if he would have still become an officer, or whether it was indeed possible to change the future.

3. Why are the crows affected? Are any other animals?

4. Why are the schools open? After such great devastation, you'd think that governments, as well as institutions and businesses, would be running slightly differently...at least for a while.

Glee - Vitamin D, S01E06

To watch Glee is to stroll a path which is at once recognizable and completely bizarre. Possibly similar to being on LSD...or at least the lyrics of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds might equally describe the view. And the laughter brought out from the show is rooted in hysteria and confusion.

I laughed and I loved the performances, but I keep having to remember not to pay attention to details. Reality and its logic is anathema to Glee. It has absolutely no place in this delightful show. Whenever I forget that, criticism and complaints pile up, but they are unfounded. They have nothing to do with what Glee has promised and continues to deliver every week.

The premise of Vitamin D? Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig), as unqualified as she is, becomes school nurse due to the machinations of Sue (Jane Lynch). Gotta love Sue. She writes in a diary! And claims in her record keeping that she is 30...I hope they bring back her journal writing in future episodes. That is one of the few disappointing things about Glee - just because they hit on a great idea (like Sue's Corner two weeks ago) does not mean it will ever come back. Sigh.

So Terri begins to help the students by giving them pick-me-up drugs. We had some overcharged, energetic performances in a Glee boys vs girls competition. It was pretty fabulous, and quite impressive when Lea Michele, as Rachel, managed to speak even faster than usual while introducing the girls' number. It was certainly delightful that Kurt (Chris Colfer) ratted the boys' drug use out to the girls so they could even out the playing field. We all know where he's loyalties lie.

Meanwhile, Terri convinces Ken (Patrick Gallagher) to propose to Emma (Jayma Mays) so that she will stop mooning over Will (Matthew Morrison). While she finally agreed, making conditions for the most unbelievable marital arrangement ever, Will realized how bad his relationship with Terri is getting. Too bad she's pregnant....theoretically.

Finally, Finn (Cory Monteith) continues to think about Rachel. He thinks he might like both Quinn (Dianna Agron) and Rachel, but Terri assures him it is impossible to have feelings for more than one person.

In the end, Terri is fired for drugging the school, and Sue is assigned as co-coach of Glee club. Now she can destroy it from within.

What are you looking forward to seeing in Glee?

Eastwick - Madams and Madames S01E03

Though Eastwick has not received the best ratings (which means you should all start tuning in), it is one of the most enjoyable new shows this Fall.

Rebecca Romijn as Roxie and Paul Gross as Darryl continue to have fantastic chemistry in the will-they-won't-they fashion, only I don't know whether I want them to or not. I don't know whether I supposed to want them to or not, and that makes the sexual tension interesting and different.

I loved how Darryl comforted Roxie when she began seeing the ghost of her daughter's would-be rapist. She felt no guilt over his death, which she had desired, and he told her that it was okay. And really, if someone tried to harm my loved one like that, I'd be glad if he died too.

Of course, by the end of the episode, Roxie realized that while she might be glad that he was gone, she should feel sorry for his mother and the other people in this world who felt pain over it.

Joanna (Lindsay Price) and Penny (Sara Rue) continued to be adorable as they went on a stakeout (for which they needed stakeout outfits) and looked to Nancy Drew to show them how to unravel mysteries. When Joanna found the reverend and not Darryl (whom she thought she was trailing) at a house of ill-fame, she took photos and put a sensational story on the front page. She realized that she'd been manipulated, since Darryl led her to those photos, but she went ahead with the story anyway.

Finally Kat (Jamie Ray Newman) tried to reconcile with Raymond (Jon Bernthal). Things were going well, so well that they found themselves in their undergarments at a public pool together, until Raymond asked Kat to give up her friends. Suddenly the boorish, controlling jerk was back, and Kat again realized she needs to leave him. Unfortunately, after spending a night with Roxie and Joanna to escape Raymond's temper, she came home to find him missing...along with her kids. I hope he ends up dead too, the jerk. What kind of an ass who can't even take care of his own kids without the aid of a nanny takes children away from their mother who used to take care of him equally well.

So keep watching the show or recording it on your DVRs so that the networks know we all appreciate this wonderful show.

Melrose Place - Canon, S01E05

Melrose Place has succeeded in pulling itself away from the dangers of not being watched by me. It is lucky, because as a Tuesday night show it does not have any other competition and therefore can stay on the roster. It is also lucky that I'm the kind of girl who actually has enjoyed soaps in the past (I used to watch General Hospital).

No, it will never be great television, but the characters are a lot of fun, and between Ella (Katie Cassidy), Violet (Ashley Simpson-Wentz), David (Shaun Sipos) and Lauren (Stephanie Jacobsen) I am interested enough to keep watching.

Violet is a terrific psycho. She is so crazy. When she tells Ella of her financial problems, Ella tells her to simply decide what she wants and then get it. To a normal person, that advice would mean work hard and take advantage of every opportunity. Violet took the advice a little too literally. She decided that she wanted to become a bartender, but since the restaurant she and Auggie (Colin Egglesfield) work for was not in need of bartenders, she put $700 from the cash in one of the bartender's purses and then made sure Auggie found it. Having someone insane on the show does make it worth my time.

Katie Cassidy, as Ella, continues to be my main draw. A lot of the evidence is beginning to make her look guilty, which means of course that she did not do it. Instead, she is trying to cover up the fact that she hired a PI to break into Sydney's apartment and take back all the info Sydney was using to ruin Ella's life.

Again, it's her ability to go from completely competent when anyone is looking to vulnerable the minute she is alone. She is working everyone she knows to be a great success, but she is fully aware that she is not untouchable and always in real danger.

She and David continue to grow on me and to people who use the people around them, and therefore truly have the ability to understand one another.

Finally Lauren has signed up to be a call girl. Getting paid $750 an hour to start is not a bad deal, and she should have her med school debt paid off in no time, but we will see how well it works. It won't be long before the hours she is asked to work interfere not only with her leisure time but also the hours she ought to be at the hospital. And how long before someone figures out that she's going somewhere and getting money?

Do you have a show that you watch which is purely candy like this one?

The Good Wife - You Can't Go Home Again, S01E03

I have to wonder what it means that Chris Noth's Peter Florrick is only a recurring character. It plays against my hopes that he will be able to get the charges against him reversed and win back his wife. Not that I am certain I want him to be able to win back our lovely lead, Alicia (Julianna Margulies). If he did cheat on her, that's not something that can easily be forgiven. The problem is, with the whole underlying current of potential conspiracies, I don't know if he did. After all, he and Alicia had such a great connection as this episode demonstrated.

We got to see some flashbacks to Alicia's old life as she defended a young man whose mother had been one of her best friends before the scandal broke. In these moments, we saw Peter and Alicia as the perfect couple. Margulies and Noth have great chemistry. It is very hard to understand why Peter would cheat, why he would need anyone else because he and Alicia had everything you need to be sexually satisfied. No wonder Alicia is so hurt.

We also learnt that Cary (Matt Czuchry), the other associate in competition with Alicia at their firm, has never actually been to trial before. He has always settled out of court - something he is quite good at - but he doesn't compare to Alicia on the floor; he gets flustered and forgets the simplest of questions. He's also made it very clear that he's Diane (Christine Baranski)'s favourite and he will continue to cultivate her preference. Alicia, of course, is backed by her former classmate, Will (Josh Charles). He knows that she is a natural litigator. And Diane only doesn't like her because she's competition for the role of best female attorney at the firm.

I continue to be interested and to enjoy the show. It does a brilliant job of remaining episodic while having very strong seasonal story-telling. And we will get to see where it is going now that it's been picked up for the rest of season 1.

What did you think?

The Mentalist - The Scarlett Letter, S02E02

While I liked this episode, everything I liked was character relevant and not murder relevant. This may be because it was so easy to figure out who the murderer was. It was so obvious from the moment Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) mentioned that the Senator and her husband had no sexual chemistry the she was gay. Probably because the rumours said that the husband was the one having the affair with the murder victim.

It might have been cool to see Jane be thwarted when each clue his abilities ought to have revealed was not found. After all, the concept of having someone eavesdrop on our investigative team was pretty neat. The whole affair, however, was not fully realized. Though Jane's reveals kept falling through, he never seemed fazed or confused by this. He had apparently already figured out that there was a fixer from the start. I would have been more interested if, for once, it seemed a case eluded Jane.

But enough about that.

1. Rigsby (Owain Yeoman)'s new hair is terrible. The spikes are so the hair of a 15 year old, not a full grown adult cop. If he doesn't change that soon, then Cho (Tim Kang) is right, he will die alone.

2. Cho is trying to get Rigsby to make a move on Grace (Amanda Righetti) despite it not being allowed. He is the man.

3. Grace was amazing when she decided to embrace her feminine wiles to confuse a suspect.

4. The new opening is garish. Please bring back the clean The Mentalist in white on black.

5. Lisbon (Robin Tunney)is in mandatory counselling after nearly being killed at the end of the first season. She doesn't like it, though she seems to be okay with the almost being shot thing. Is she faking it that well, or is there some other reason she doesn't like therapy?

6. Patrick Jane is an addict. I'd never thought of it that way before, but it is SO true.

7. Cho is going on a date with the daughter of the women he met at the post office of last season's finale. I love Cho and that chick was pretty hot so let's all hope it works out for them.

Castle - Inventing the Girl, S02E03

There ought to be something creepy or ghoulish about how excited Rick Castle (Nathan Fillion) gets when he goes to a crime scene, but there isn't. And it probably is because there is nothing wrong with being excited about the prospect of solving a murder. I'm sure he's be quite distressed if he let one get away, but that is not a challenge the show has needed to fact as of yet...unless you count Beckett (Stana Katic)'s mother.

This episode was interesting enough and played out well, but I never managed to care about the poor model who got herself killed. I don't know - maybe we didn't learn enough about her to think it was truly awful. Maybe the fact that the only person who seemed to actually care about her, her husband Travis (Matt Barr*), was the one who killed her. Maybe I thought she was weak, not watching her back, and yet feeling paranoid because her friend was drugging her.

I was glad, of course, that the murderer was apprehended, but even more so because Sierra (Torrey DeVitto) and Wyatt (Jeffrey Pierce), whose plotting had caused poor dead Jenna all the trouble that landed her stabbed in the middle of a fountain, got what they deserved. They got blackballed, which, for a model or a photographer, is much worse for a career than jail time.

But just because the murder didn't really get me does not mean the episode lacked it's terrific moments. Apparently when Beckett was 17, she modeled for a summer. And now Esposito (Jon Huertas) and Ryan (Seamus Dever) know....the last thing she wants is for Castle to find out. Also, Martha (Susan Sullivan), Castle's mum, landed a role on Broadway. She wanted the lead, and instead got the crazy grandma who died in the first act, off stage. She turned that down. She must have a great agent because she took the role when crazy grandma finished the first act with her death on stage. Yes, actors should stick to their standards. In this case, it sounds like it will make better theatre.

Also, Beckett spent the whole episode slightly miffed at Castle. And, of course, he had no clue why. Finally, we figure out that she wants to read his book, which he allowed a reporter to read for an article. Sigh, the more I watch Castle, the more I realize that as a woman, if I want something from a man, I have to ask for it. I'll likely get it if I ask, but there is no hope that he will think of it on his own.

What did you think of this week's Castle?

Mad Men - Souvenir, S03E08

I would never have thought to consider Don (John Hamm) and Betty (January Jones)'s relationship in parallel to Pete (Vincent Kartheiser) and Trudy (Alison Brie)'s. I don't know that I ever realized how much and how little they had in common.

While Trudy went to visit family and friends in the country, Pete remained in town - a temporary bachelor. Don and Betty, on the other hand, had stayed together at home with the kids all summer, and were now taking advantage of one of Hilton's international meetings to spend a few days in Rome, just the two of them.

At the start of the episode, I was disposed to thinking highly of Pete. He and Hildy (Julie McNiven), his secretary, with whom he has never previously had a positive interaction, had a very pleasant chat as he told her to enjoy her weekend. Maybe he's stopped behaving like a (insert appropriate word here) for once, and his secretary was no longer treating him like one. Well that impression did not last long.

He was lonely, and after he helped a neighbouring nanny with a small problem, he expected what he wanted in return. She refused him at first, but he persisted. How many rapes went on in the 60s that no one admitted were rapes?

Betty was on the receiving end of such attention. She knew she was playing with fire when she asked Henry Francis (Christopher Stanley) to help out her women's group's cause, but she was so very unimpressed when he stopped acting the gentleman and went for what he wanted. Good thing she was able to drive away from the situation.

Then she and Don had the most romantic time together in Rome. They're love was in full blossom, so apparent. When I see Don and Betty together like that, I completely understand how their relationship began. They were happy. Truly and genuinely happy.

Of course, as soon as she got home, she was back to the Betty we've seen all season. Almost surly, she is as miserable as she was in season 1 but not nearly so concerned about showing it. Poor Don. He is very confused.

Trudy is also to be pitied. Pete felt extreme guilt over what he had done, though perhaps it was because he got called out for his behaviour by the father who had hired the nanny. She sensed something was really wrong, though he never actually said a word about it. And when he said that he no longer wanted her to go away without him...well, isn't that sweet. He can't be faithful to you when you two are apart. Guess that means you can't part.

With all the focus on these two marriages, my favourite scene had nothing to do with these couples (though I did adore the segment in Rome where Betty and Don pretended not to know each other at the restaurant). Betty, for once, was a proper mother to Sally (Kiernan Shipka). She gave her a very sweet lecture about the importance of every first kiss and how girls shouldn't kiss boys - they should let the boys kiss them.

What was your favourite part?

Three Rivers - Pilot, Place of Life, S01E01

I think I'm just not a big fan of medical drama. I used to watch Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice and I liked them a fair amount, but then I missed an episode and I just never made the effort to catch up.

I also love House. Maybe because I am a huge fan of Hugh Laurie. But I've only really watched until somewhere in the third season, and with all the new doctors and changes the last couple seasons...well one day I'll make time and go back, but I won't just jump into season 6.

I thought I would give some of the new medical dramas trying to replace ER a chance, and I wasn't totally disappointed, but I just can't seem to care.

Three Rivers wasn't bad. It seems like a nice show, with some interesting characters...but mostly it felt flat. I didn't get drawn in or start to care about anyone, patient or doctor. Even the pregnant mother with heart failure didn't worry me, even when they feared she might be brain damaged.

It's too nice. It started well, with a man we liked falling to his death, but after that, there were no surprises or upsets. Even when the man's family postponed giving up his organs, I just didn't feel like that was going to end up being a problem.

What I think is that these would be good doctors, and if I was sick or injured, I'd want their help. They didn't get stressed out. They dealt with patients and their relatives intelligently, giving as much information as necessary, and creating no pressure. I never feared that they'd make a mistake. But as awesome as that would be in reality, it makes for boring television.

Did Three Rivers' pilot capture you attention? Are you watching any medical shows this season?

Dexter - Remains to Be Seen, S04E02

At the end of the season premiere, Dexter (Michael C. Hall) was in a car accident on his way home with medication for his baby son, just after he'd killed a murderer named Benny Gomez. Flipping the car multiple times, Dexter came to surrounded by paramedics and police. And he feared they would find Benny in the trunk.

But Benny was not in the trunk. And neither Dexter nor his interested audience had any idea of where his body ended up.

For the second week, Dexter has been tight and put together. There are many things going on, but they do not feel completely disconnected as they did last season. We are dominated again, finally again, by Dexter and the needs of his dark passenger in conjunction with the rest of his life. How will he balance family, work and his need to kill? Who knows how, but he knows that he must. He cannot stop killing and he cannot be caught.

And we care that he not be caught. I spent the episode worrying about what he might have done with the body. I do not have the same affection for John Lithgow's Trinity Killer. He scares the &*^% out of me. When he was walking that woman home, that woman he's probably going to kill next episode, and he seemed like such a nice, normal man...I got the shivers. And that's probably why I'm not bothered by Dexter. I never killed any body and I have no intention of doing so, thus Dexter is never going to come after me. But Trin? He has a logic to it too, it seems, but it is so twisted and perverse that I could never understand it.

The side plots are also more colour than annoyance. I do want to know why Astor (Christina Robinson) is dealing so poorly with the newest changes in her life, and whether or not Maria (Lauren Velez) and Angel (David Zayas) are going to make is as a couple. I hope that whatever Quinn (Desmond Harrington) has got going on turns out to be awesome. And I like Debra (Jennifer Carpenter) and her constant swearing and the way she always makes her life more complicated than necessary.

They don't draw much focus and don't take away from the important stuff, but they do make Dexter's world rich and complete.

What I am most interested in discovering is whether the Vacation Murders will be solved soon, or whether than is going to be a plot line that remains throughout the season. All I can say is that if it is going to stick around, I wouldn't be upset if it got a little more intense. But if it's just so that we can continue to have our cops working as cops, well keep at it but don't take the focus (which is what it is doing admirably right now).

I hate having to wait a week before I can see the next episode.

Vampire Diaries - Family Ties, S01E04

I would say that Vampire Diaries is very predictable, only it keeps catching me by surprise.

Yes, this episode contained your typical teenage drama. Through Damon's manipulations, Elena (Nina Dobrev) questions whether or not she can trust Stefan (Paul Wesley) when he won't reveal anything about himself to her. And Bonnie (Katerina Graham) couldn't get a date to the town party, while Vicki (Kayla Ewell) picked Tyler (Michael Trevino) over Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) again. We even had these relationship issues affect the adults, like poor Jenna (Sara Canning) and her cheating ex, Logan (Chris Johnson), trying to win her back. But none of these were the true plot points.

Instead, we are concerned about poor Caroline (Candice Accola) and whether or not Damon (Ian Somerhalder) is going to kill her. When Elena discovers the bite marks, and realizes Damon hurts her (though she probably suspects it's about sadism, not snacking), she becomes genuinely concerned for her friend. Course, then she didn't stick by Caroline's side to make sure she stayed safe, but that was all for the good because when Damon started drinking, he got a mouthful of vervain, a plant that apparently weakens Vamps.

And Jenna's jerk may or may not have honest intentions when it comes to his former lady love, but at least his deception has to do with trying to protect the town from Vampires. That's right, he and Tyler's parents (the mayor and first lady), as well as Caroline's Sheriff mom didn't buy Damon's attempts to cover his murderous tracks with a mountain lion. They know Vamps are out there and they don't like them.

Also, Damon found a yellow stone antique, which Caroline now has. We have yet to discover its purpose, but it's likely important. And finally, Bonnie's witchiness may be developing quickly. She lit an entire roomful of candles with her mind.

So the story remains interesting, with some fun drama thrown in, but the most enjoyable aspect of this episode was Damon's conversation with Caroline near the beginning. There is something almost appealing about how he can always get his way with her, it makes their relationship seem so functional. It really isn't. But because he can make her forget everything, he is so honest with her. I'm a vampire. I wear a ring so I can go out in the sun. I am going to eat you, only not yet. Yes, that last line was particularly creepy.

I look forward to next week's episode, in particular to see how Damon overcomes his current predicament. Oh, yes, I kind of prefer him to boring, brooding Stefan.... How about you?

Fringe - Fracture, S02E03

Though the line that made me laugh the hardest was when Astrid (Jasika Nicole) said "No more fruit, Walter," I disagree. I think Walter (John Noble) should be given fruit to experiment with all the time. Who didn't love Mr. Papaya-head last season? Exploding a watermelon was not nearly as hilarious, even though it did end up all over Astrid.

And when Walter was annoyed that Peter (Joshua Jackson) was eating a cheeseburger in front of the cow...Oh thank you for making Walter amusing again. Here's a tip. Go over the top. It's not quite over the top enough this season.

This episode had the magic of last season. Not one of last season's strongest episodes, mind you, but it is on its way to being that solid and fantastic show I expect it to be again. The man turning into crystal and exploding into a shower of deadly pieces was pretty awesome. Though, like I said last post, Fringe still seems to be reacting rather than being proactive. Give them time?

And it appears that Olivia (Anna Torv) is almost back on her game, which may also be where some of that magic has gone. Injure your lead, kill off one of your supporting characters, cut 6 minutes from your episode time and you are quite likely to skid off course a little. But my hope is that those troubles are over and Fringe will soon be back to the awesome and bizarre show we've all come to love.

How did you like this episode?

Dollhouse - Instinct, S02E02

This episode was intense. Very, very intense. Just proves a very important point, do not f@#* with a mother.

Echo (Eliza Dushku) was on assignment as a breast-feeding mother to a baby whose mother died giving birth to him. And she loved that little boy, feeling it on a glandular level because Topher (Fran Kranz) is just that much of a genius. Of course, when the baby's father decided the arrangement was not working out the way he'd hoped, Echo (believing herself to be his wife, Emily) overheard his intention to get rid of her and the baby.

Well, let me tell you that there is no mother in the world, even if she's formed a poor attachment, who is going to let someone murder her and her child. And Echo had not formed a poor attachment with baby Jack.

So suddenly you've got a paranoid mother thinking that everyone is out to get her and her child, and then she sees her best friend, Sierra (Dichen Lachman), being escorted into a black van that she suspects has been following her. And she runs. She gets to the cops, but when they discover that she is not in fact the mother, she is separated from the child.

The kicking and screaming. The pain she felt. It did not matter that genetically she had no connection to that baby, she was his mother in all the ways a woman can be a mother, at least in her mind. She fought and fought.

Even when Topher wiped her mind, she fought. Not remembering a single thing about Emily or Jack, Echo went to get her baby back. Thank God the father finally manned up and wanted his child. Cared about his child enough for her to see that he told her the truth and that he would care for the boy and that he had more of a right to it than she did.

And Paul (Tahmoh Penikett) promised he could get Topher to make sure she did forget the pain, as he had done for Madeleine (Miracle Laurie). And for the first time, I stopped caring about Madeleine. Because I had loved Millie and November, but Madeleine chose not to feel the pain. And Echo insisted on the pain of all those feelings because otherwise she knew she was just empty.

If they keep delivering episodes like that, then there is no excuse for trying to cancel it. Dollhouse is amazing. Do you agree?

FlashForward - White to Play, S01E02

How badly might you be shaken by two minutes of your life 6 months from now? How many of us would be doing something that seems impossible to us now? Would we have ended a relationship? Started a new one? Lost a loved one? Changed jobs? Who knows! And how many of us would really see something so shockingly strange.

My bet on what I'd be doing in the future at 10pm for 2 minutes and 17 seconds? I'd be watching tv. Probably by myself. And how many of us would be doing something so ordinary?

But most of the stories we've heard so far have been upsetting and life altering. My marriage ended; I'm drinking again; I'm pregnant; I'm dead. Apparently on April 29th at 10pm, a lot of important stuff is going to be happening. And does that have anything to do with the flashforward? Is it important?

This show really has me hooked. Are all the things that we've seen or heard going to take place on April 29th? Are Mark (Joseph Fiennes) and Olivia (Sonya Walger), who are so romantic with their messages of love (I adore that they express affection with the opposite words), going to break up? Is their daughter, as was potentially revealed, going to be kidnapped? Will Demetri (John Cho) die on March 15th? And I will know whether or not he will when we get to March 15th!

Can they change things? Did Mark make a difference in the way things are supposed to play out when he burnt the friendship bracelet, or does it simply mean he must acquire another by April 29th? Who caused it, and how? And why did D. Gibbons just blow himself up?

There are so many questions and I want to know the answers. I want to find out what will happen and I love that they answer some of them (like that Demetri is supposed to die), but leave you hanging as to whether it is possible to change it. And if they can change things, is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Are you as interested and as hooked as I am?

Stargate Universe - Air, part 1 & 2, S01E01-02

A lone soldier enters through the stargate into an unknown gateroom. His weapon is drawn, but there is no immediate danger. Then the evacuees begin pouring in after him, flying through the gate and landing hard, on top of each other. Panic is in the air as the new arrivals realize this is not Earth's gateroom, as they are struck by incoming equipment and people.

And thus begins Stargate Universe, the latest chapter in the Stargate series.

Already, the series is darker, more sinister and adult. Our characters are flawed, and not in the same amusing manner as the characters from SG1 and Atlantis, who required something to balance all the factors in their favour. Here, the flaws are already festering issues. For instance, Msgt. Greer (Jamil Walker Smith) had been imprisoned, awaiting a Court Marshall, before the attack that landed them on an Ancient spaceship travelling to who-knows-what destination. He and Camile Wray (Ming-Na), a member of the IOA, already demonstrated animosity towards one another, though we do not yet know the nature of his crime.

Neither SG1 nor Atlantis delved into dramatic character issues. Certainly some segments focused on their relationships (or else people like me would not be still waiting and hoping after 13 years for Jack O'Neill and Samantha Carter to finally get together), but from the moment I saw Lt. Scott (Brian J. Smith) having sex in a supply closet with a fellow (female) soldier, I knew the approach Universe would take would be different.

The entire premiere set a different tone. In both SG1 and Atlantis, the premiere's established who the enemy was - the Go'auld and the Wraith, who the team travelling regularly through the gate would be, and what they would be contending against. Both teams also had as members an alien (Jaffa and human) whom they had met while on another planet.

Universe has no enemy, except the tensions between the characters on Destiny and Destiny herself. Yes, they will be travelling to planets in whatever galaxy they have found themselves, but the focus seems more likely to be on the only possible throughline - the characters and the ship. They will have to contend with the failing life support systems, the lack of supplies, of food and water. They will struggle, rather than cooperate, for none of them is prepared for this mission. When they go through the stargate, they will have limited time to explore the planet they are on and get back to the ship before it leaves as it is commanded to do on auto-pilot. They will not be able to return to planets they have already visited.

If you are a fan of SG1 and Atlantis, you will not be disappointed with this new show. Yes, it is very different, but the elements you have grown to love (such as the humour) are still there.

But if you never got into either of those series, or even if you did not like them much, you should still check out SGU if you are remotely interested in science fiction.

Please let me know what you thought.

PS.

1. Robert Carlyle!!! plays Dr Rush and he is awesome.

2. Eli Wallace (David Blue) had ever nerd's dream come true - he solved a problem in a video game that allowed him to join missions in space. Just like The Last Starfighter.

3. Because Eli just joined the SG team, he doesn't know anything that viewers of SG1 or Atlantis know, so we learn as he learns.

4. Richard Dean Anderson has put on a little bit of weight.

5. I wonder if they will let this doctor actually survive and kill some other member of the team instead.

6. I love that things are already getting named!

7. I wonder if Destiny is powered by ZPMs and if power is going to become a major issue.

8. No replicators so far.

9. They named the ship the Hammond!

10. What did Dr Rush tell the SGC when he briefly took over Dr. Bill Lee's body?

Bones - The Plain in the Prodigy, S05E03

This week's murder case was well conceived and delivered, though I had little interest in the personal problems of the main characters this week.

Specifically, I really thought the whole mess with Cam's new adopted daughter, Michelle, and her boyfriend and the potential of them having sex was kind of ridiculous. I know Cam (Tamara Taylor) is new to motherhood, but wouldn't that make this conversation a little easier. What would you say to any 16 year old girl who might be thinking of having sex? But trust Cam to make it far more complicated than it needed to be.

The one good part of that plot line was when Booth (David Boreanaz) met Perry. Not only is Booth Michelle's favourite uncle, but also an FBI agent and former sniper. And he thinks women should be granted A LOT of respect. Got to love seeing a young man made to sweat over what might happen to him if he misbehaves.

The murder, however, had a whole lot of interesting stuff going around.

To begin with, Clark (Eugene Byrd) was back this week. He, of course, did not want to hear about Cam's personal issues either, but was even less pleased at the prospect of trudging along the railroad in a jump suit (looking for body parts). His comments about the task's resemblance to a chain gang, and his calling Bones "Boss" were hilarious, especially because Brennan (Emily Deschanel) herself did not notice them.

This choice of victim roamed into the realm of potentially impolitic. The lad, a young Amish boy in the city on his self-seeking journey to decide whether he would stay in his community or leave it, was found on the tracks. Suddenly his parents, his love interest, her brother, and friends he met in the city become suspects. And slowly a secret life is revealed - the young man had a talent for playing the piano and was considering joining the National Conservatory rather than returning home.

It is always dangerous when writing about people of a religious faith and what they are capable of. I was so pleased with the choice of murderer. He was not part of the Amish community, of which I was glad, but he was also not a friend of the victim. For the first time on Bones, the murderer was someone we had never met, the motive robbery, and the murder a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I did not see that coming.

It struck the heart strings all the more when we learnt that the lad was planning on returning to his community. He broke his left hand in his piano so that he could not reconsider - he'd never be great with that injury. Whether for the girl or his religion, or likely both - to live his life in his community - he sacrificed his gift.

The only point I was confused about was when we met some of the lad's other Amish friends, also on their journeys in the city. Though partying and getting high, their dress still clearly indicated that they were Amish. Perhaps there is a difference in the practices between Amish, Menonite and all their divisions, but in the groups I know, they do not wear the clothes while on the journey. And it is very strange that they would still choose to wear the clothes while doing drugs and drinking.

What did you think of the episode?